County Kildare
Dublin's commuter belt with 220,000+ residents—Intel's Leixlip campus and the Curragh horse racing create employment beyond dormitory function as housing costs drive metropolitan spillover.
County Kildare operates as Dublin's commuter belt—M7 motorway and rail connections enable residence while working in the capital. Population growth outpaced most Irish counties as housing costs drove Dublin workers westward; the county hosts 220,000+ residents.
The horse racing industry creates distinctive identity: the Curragh racecourse, national stud, and training operations make Kildare Ireland's thoroughbred capital. This equine economy generates employment, tourism, and international connections beyond the commuter function.
Intel's Leixlip campus represents significant technology manufacturing—wafer fabrication for European markets. This industrial presence creates high-wage employment that reduces pure commuter dependency. Intel's investments contribute to Ireland's semiconductor positioning.
Kildare demonstrates how metropolitan spillover creates growth: Dublin's constraints become Kildare's opportunity. Whether this creates sustainable community or dormitory dependence remains contested. The county's future depends on developing employment bases that reduce Dublin commuting while maintaining accessibility that attracted residents.