Settled since the Neolithic period, Ashbourne is a commuter town within the Greater Dublin Area. It is named after Frederick Bourne, a transport entrepreneur who set up a coaching inn in the 19th century. Today, Ashbourne lies on the doorstep of Tayto Park, a family-friendly attraction named after a local potato chip company.
Things to do in Ashbourne
In the heart of Ashbourne is a bronze memorial to the legendary racehorse Arkle who trained at nearby Kilsallaghan with Tom Dreaper. It was unveiled to mark the anniversary of the horse’s 1964 Cheltenham Gold Cup win and is topped by a life-size statue of Arkle’s regular jockey, Pat Taaffe.
A short drive north takes you to Ashbourne Retail Park, where you’ll find home goods and hardware supplies, as well as a state-of-the-art cinema complex screening all the latest blockbusters. On the other side of town is the Newbarn Farm, which dishes up locally grown produce in a converted donkey barn. After your meal, you can meet the resident donkeys, goats and Shetland pony.
Ashbourne makes an ideal base for visiting Tayto Park, which is home to rides and attractions to suit all ages. In addition to boasting Ireland’s only wooden roller coaster, it features mazes, vortex tunnels and a zip line. You can brave the “Flight School” rollercoaster, enjoy a ride on the miniature steam train or journey back in time on the “Viking Voyage”.
Getting around Ashbourne
Ashbourne is around 25 minutes’ drive from the centre of Dublin and 20 minutes from Dublin Airport, which has flights to destinations across the globe. Regular buses connect to Ashbourne and the town is small enough to explore on foot. Renting a car is the most convenient way of getting around the area.