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TWO MILE HOUSE
CO. KILDARE · IE

Two Mile House

The Ireland's Ancient East
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Two Mile House · Co. Kildare

The place two Irish miles from Naas that kept its literal name.

Two Mile House sits on the R410 between Naas and Blessington—a narrow country road that climbs gently west from Naas toward the Wicklow hills. The name is factual, not romantic: when Irish miles were the standard measurement, this spot was exactly two miles from Naas town, and that is what locals called it. The Irish mile was longer than the statute mile—about 2.048 kilometres—so the distance in modern terms is closer to 3.2km. But the name stuck, even after the measurements changed.

The village itself is small and residential. It has a church, a school, some scattered houses, a shop or two. The modern settlement here is mostly commuter housing—families who work in Dublin or Naas and wanted to live a few kilometres back from either. The character is quiet, undramatic. The R410 carries traffic to the Blessington Lakes and the Liffey Valley, but Two Mile House is not a destination on that route; it is what you pass through.

The Two Mile House GAA club plays hurling and football out of a grounds that sits on the edge of the village. The club has been going since 1958 and runs a full juvenile to adult programme. The River Liffey valley is nearby—you can follow the water in either direction and find it opens into richer country. Ten kilometres south, the Poulaphouca Reservoir (known as the Blessington Lakes) fills a wide valley with water and surrounded by low hills that make a scenic enough drive if the weather is with you.

Population
750
Founded
Name dates to Irish mile distance measurement from Naas
Coords
53°14′18″N, 6°41′42″W
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At a glance.

Three things every local will eventually mention. Read these and you've already understood more than most day-trippers do.

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Stories & lore.

The reason to come back. The things every local will eventually tell you about, usually after the second pint.

Two miles from Naas

The Irish mile that became a village name

The Irish mile, or míle Gaelach, was about 2,048 metres—longer than a statute mile. It was used for land measurement and distance in Ireland until the nineteenth century. Two Mile House was two of these miles from Naas town, and that is how people identified the location: you travelled out from Naas for two Irish miles and you were there. When the measurements standardised and the statute mile came in, the name did not change. The place had been called Two Mile House for long enough that it had become the place itself.

Founded 1958

Two Mile House GAA

The GAA club was established in 1958 and has been running hurling and football at juvenile and adult level since then. The grounds sit on the edge of the village, a standard Irish club setup: pitch, clubhouse, training facilities. The club runs camogie and ladies football alongside the men's games. Like a lot of small Kildare clubs, it is embedded in its townland—the people who live there are the club, and the club is why they stay.

R410 heading west

The road to Blessington

The R410 runs from Naas southwestward through Two Mile House toward Blessington and into Co. Wicklow. It is a narrow country road with good sight lines, popular with drivers heading to the Liffey Valley and the Poulaphouca Reservoir. Two Mile House is not a stop on that journey—it is where you are when you leave Naas and before you reach the hills. The road is the village's main link to anywhere else.

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When to go.

There is no bad time. There are different times.

Spring
Mar–May

Quiet village time. Good for walking the Liffey Valley nearby.

◉ Go
Summer
Jun–Aug

GAA season. Blessington Lakes are busier with day visitors.

◉ Go
Autumn
Sep–Oct

Crisp weather. Clear days give good views toward Wicklow.

◉ Go
Winter
Nov–Feb

The village is quiet. Most facilities are in Naas.

◐ Mind yourself
+

Getting there.

By car

Two Mile House is 3.2km west of Naas on the R410 (Naas-Blessington road). From the M7 at Naas, take the R410 toward Blessington. The village is on your right after about five minutes.

By bus

The R410 corridor is served by community transport and some regional bus services linking Naas, Blessington, and the Liffey Valley. Naas bus station is the main hub—about 5km away.

By train

Naas railway station is the nearest rail connection, about 5km east. Trains run to Dublin Heuston and Kildare town.