Kilcullen 4.9

''Kilcullen, formally Kilcullen Bridge, is a small town on the River Liffey in County Kildare, Ireland. Its population of 3,473 (2011 Census makes it the 12th largest settlement in County Kildare and the fastest growing in the county, having doubled in population from 1,483 in the census of 2002. It is situated primarily in the Barony of Kilcullen (in the Civil Parish of Kilcullen), with part in the Barony of Naas South (Civil Parish of Carnalway), and subsidiary areas include Logstown, Harristown, Carnalway and Brannockstown, Gilltown, Nicholastown, and Castlemartin.Kilcullen Bridge replaced the original settlement of Kilcullen, now Old Kilcullen, in the centuries following the building of the great bridge at the future site of the town. Other local historical features include Dun Ailinne, New Abbey and Castlemartin, the home of Kilcullen's most famous residents, media magnate Tony O'Reilly and his wife, horse-breeding shipping heiress Chryss Goulandris. In its hinterland are a number of stud farms.Location and natural featuresKilcullen is situated near the main Dublin to Waterford (N9) road, between Naas and Kilkenny, and is centred on the crossroads of the R413 and R448 regional roads (the R448 was part of the main road from Dublin to Carlow, Kilkenny and Waterford until the M9 motorway was opened in 1995, bypassing the town).