Discover Hacketstown

Hacketstown is a small Irish town steeped in tradition, with a distinctive blend of streetscape, church and local history, and surrounding landscape. If you are looking for a hotel in Hacketstown, these features can help you decide whether the destination suits your interest in local history and scenery.

Townscape and architectural history

Hacketstown’s centre is characterised by a traditional market square and an extensive streetscape. Main Street retains the character of a traditional small Irish town, which developed as a crossroads between the regional roads R747 and R727. The street itself, as well as individual buildings, is part of the town’s distinctive character.

The Church of Ireland’s St John the Baptist dates from the late 18th century. The Catholic church of St Bridget was built in the early 19th century and houses a cross dating from the Penal Laws period. An Anglo-Norman castle stood on the present site of St Brigid’s parish church at the beginning of the 13th century. Hacketstown Bridge also has a precise construction date: it dates from 1825. Together, these buildings point to different periods in the town’s history.

Remembering 1798

Hacketstown was the scene of two battles in 1798. A memorial commemorates the people who died during the 1798 Rebellion. A memorial dating from 1916 was also erected on Hacketstown’s green. The dates therefore refer to different historical events: 1798 to the battles and the rebellion, and 1916 to the year the memorial on the green was erected.

River and landscape

The River Derreen runs along the northern boundary of the town centre. It is a tributary of the River Slaney, which is designated as a Special Area of Conservation. Hacketstown is surrounded by woodland and agricultural land. The landscape therefore includes both the river at the edge of the centre and the cultivated and wooded surroundings.

South of Hacketstown, Eagle Hill is a prominent landscape feature. From its summit, there are extensive views across most of County Carlow. In the town centre and its surroundings, you will encounter contrasting scales: the boundary of the centre along the River Derreen and the wide-ranging view from the hill to the south. This combination of local history and landscape gives Hacketstown its own character as you plan your trip.

More historic places in County Carlow

County Carlow has other distinct historical features. Brownshill Dolmen is considered an important example of early Neolithic architecture and is believed to be between 4,900 and 5,500 years old. Its granite capstone is believed to weigh more than 100 tonnes and is considered the largest of its kind in Europe. The ecclesiastical ruins at St Mullins in County Carlow comprise five churches and the remains of a round tower. These examples highlight different aspects: early Neolithic architecture at the dolmen, and an ensemble of church ruins and a round tower at St Mullins.

Discover more destinations: Killerig, Ballon, Muine Bheag, Leighlinbridge, Carlow, Bunclody, Borris, Rathvilly.

For the broader travel overview: County Carlow.