Maynooth (; Irish: Maigh Nuad) is a university town in north County Kildare, Ireland. It is home to Maynooth University (part of the National University of Ireland and also known as the National University of Ireland, Maynooth) and St Patrick's College, a Pontifical University and Ireland's sole Roman Catholic seminary. Maynooth is also the seat of the Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference and holds the headquarters of Ireland's largest development charity, Trócaire. Maynooth is located 24 kilometres (15 miles) west of central Dublin.




Maynooth is the birthplace of two Irish presidents: Patrick Hillery and Mary McAleese. The town's name derives from "Magh Nuad", meaning "plain of Nuadha". Maynooth was originally a small village, but became larger when the Royal Dublin Society (RDS) established its grounds there in 1774. Today, it has a population of over 9300 people (2006 census).

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