Have a Naas day

NAAS has pulled off a neat trick. In the face of explosive growth, it has become a successful melting pot for traditional shoppers from "out the country", consumers drawn from one of the wealthiest catchment areas in the land, and the commuter population living in the expanding housing developments in and around the town. The mix has produced a smart, relaxed sort of place which, in spite of its rapid expansion, has retained the best elements of a friendly, country town.

Naas was among the very early by passes and most traders - many with painfully vivid memories of relentless convoys of lorries chugging through the town and clogging - up its arteries en route to the south - believe it was the root of their salvation.

Now that the Carlow/Kilkenny traffic has been deflected too, visitors have no trouble finding a parking spot. They can wander in for a good cup of coffee in a little cafe or a pint in a lovely old pub, take a leafy stroll along the canal that runs behind Main Street, or find a tranquil oasis in the historical St David's Church off the Main Street.

. WHERE TO GO FOR INFORMATION:

Kildare Information, run by Kinfo, a FAS funded and Co Kildare Failte sponsored youth training programme - has put together an impressive database of tourist information. It is open in the lobby of the Town Hall from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday to Friday.

. WORTH VISITING:

St David's Church, just off Main Street, was first mentioned in records in 1212, when it was the parish church of Naas, well endowed and ecclesiastically important. Its crypt was discovered only in 1989 complete with occupants - during restoration work. Of special interest too are the 17th century bell, the 18th century unfinished, tower and some old and unusual gravestones. The plaques inside attest to its centuries old association with the de Burgh family. Local vandals have seen to it that opening times are limited to Saturdays (except tomorrow when it is closed) from 2.30 to 4.30 p.m. and Wednesday mornings from 10 a.m. to noon or by arrangement with the rectory.

Naas Moat was the residence of the Kings of Leinster from a misty age up to the 10th century. It can be seen from the Canal Road, off Main Street, but is on private property.

. WHAT TO BUY:

Naas is a terrific shopping town, anchored by Superquinn and a slew of excellent women's, men's and children's clothing outlets. (If it's the latter you want, don't overlook Lillyput in Superquinn's overflow car park off Main Street). Two accessory shops are worthy of note in the attractive little Moat Mall - Ascot for fabulous hats and Sarah Scully for the zaniest range of good quality shoes anywhere. Beside them there's the Art & Hobby shop, a dependable standby for birthdays and artists' paints, and close by, the Cadeaux gift shop, scented with candles and pot pourri and full of colourful pottery.

Back down Main Street, the Nas na Riogh bookshop is an excellent resource while Tuckmill Crafts and Gallery on the Dublin Road is a consistent supporter of local artists and Irish pottery and knitwear. But leave plenty of time to explore the House of James (on the Limerick Road going out of town), a highly desirable mix of crafts and Habitat style with an Irish flavour, crammed with good things from pepper mills to beautiful cotton throws to squashy Irish made couches in a lovely, airy space, redolent of fresh coffee (laid on to serve yourself. Back on the dual carriageway just outside the town, Johnstown Garden Centre is also worth a long, lingering look for garden furniture as well as well displayed plants of all kinds.

. WHERE TO STAY:

The Naas Court Hotel is a converted Garda station, well set in from Main Street, a lovely old stone building with pleasant bedrooms at £77 for a double or £49.50 for a single. The Harbour View Hotel (a favourite with business travellers) and the Caragh are also worth checking out.

Naas is ringed with town houses, country homes and farmhouses offering bed and breakfast. For those with time on their hands for afternoon tea, and then maybe a bed for the night, both Rathsallagh House and Tulfarris House are just a 20 minute drive away; the first set in glorious parkland with its own magnificent golf course, the second on the shores of the Blessington Lakes.

. WHERE TO EAT:

For a light, informal lunch with interesting salads, good soup and delicious brown bread in a bright, friendly cafe that always has an Irish Times to hand, try Alice's Restaurant in the Moat Mall, open from 8.30 a.m. to 6 p.m. The Naas Court Hotel is also a pleasant place to have lunch or a sandwich (it also does dinner for £17), as are the Manor Inn, Lawlor's Hotel and any number of good pubs, including Finan's which has a pizzeria.

For night time, Jo Olive's (with Joe Gray at front of house and Olivier Pauloin Valory behind the cooking) is Naas's latest and greatest dining hit, much praised for its imaginative menu and lively buzz. Dinner at around £20 a head gets you a fabulous array of fresh fish, possibly some ostrich and rabbit dishes and definitely some well assembled well dressed salads. It is open from Tuesday to Saturday, 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. and you should probably book ahead (045-894788).

Aficionados of Mexican cooking might check out The Cottage restaurant on the Dublin Road which transmogrities into a Mexican restaurant come evening time. The dining room in Lawlor's is an old favourite especially for long, traditional Sunday lunches with silver service.

. NIGHT MOVES:

Nothing ever changes in Fletchers, so don't go looking for state of the art music systems or monster TV screens. It's simply a beautiful old pub on Main Street, cherished for Tom and his friendly staff, good drink and conversation. As a result, patrons are a healthy mix of every age and type.

Kavanagh's (in the same building as Jo Olive's) is another charming traditional pub. The Manor Inn is still the place for real racing buffs (it also serves hearty food, day and night, in the bar and restaurant) with good friendly service and a proprietor who knows his hocks from his fetlocks. Under 30s flock to Haydens pub and afterwards to the Bauhnus nightclub on the Limerick Road. The attached, we understand, head for the nightclub in the Naas Court Hotel which throbs all weekend. Naas also has a two screen cinema on Main Street.

. DAYTIME EXERTIONS:

Within 30 minutes of Naas there are no fewer than six golf clubs including the luscious championship course at the K Club. The nearest is at Naas itself, just off the dual carriageway at Johnstown Cross. Visitors are welcome there for green fees of £15 on weekdays or £20 at weekends. You can practise your swing at Naas Driving Range just down from the golf club or play pitch and putt at Red Lane on the Newbridge Road.

Naas also has its own well run, heated, indoor swimming pool, open seven days a week (phone 045 876119) at a minimal charge of 60p for children and £1.80 for adults, and it also has a well equipped tennis club with 11 courts, a combination of hard surfaced and astra turf (phone 045 876057). The really adventurous should link up with Naas Falcons, the local parachuting club (045 897991), it plummeting through the air sounds like fun. There are also horse riding facilities at a number of centres within a short distance of Naas.

One of the great assets of the town and county is the Grand Canal system which winds around the back of Naas. Among the walking guides available from the tourist office is a fairly short and easy one that runs along the west bank to Oldtown Estate, owned by the de Burgh family, on to Osberstown Bridge and into Sallins. Pack a picnic and listen to the bird song.

. OTHER ATTRACTIONS IN THE AREA:

Right at the centre of bloodstock country, it's only natural that one should seek out a horse or two. No Punchestown meetings, alas, throughout the summer but the Curragh hosts a meeting tomorrow and a couple in August.

For those intending to stay a while in the area, a trip to the Irish National Stud is an obvious route to sizing up some serious horse flesh and well worth the travelling time to the town of Kildare. Link it to a soul calming stroll around the Japanese Gardens and then into the tearooms for fresh coffee or a delicious, light lunch.

Children with car fever will undergo miraculous cures at Morell Farm near Straffan (about 20 minutes from Naas), a supremely relaxed and tender experience for all ages, where the children can touch and sometimes feed the animals which include goats from Africa, geese from Egypt and American chipmunks. A measure of its appeal may be found in the recommendation that children should bring wellington boots and a change of clothing. Not far from there is Straffan Butterfly Farm, a live tropical butterfly exhibition while fans of old steam engines may take the opportunity to check out the Steam Museum on the edge of Straffan village which also has a tea room and a gift shop.

. WHERE'S THE LOO?

Public toilets are down by the side of the Town Hall.