Opening of Zipit Donadea adventure park a 'major boost' for north Kildare

Minister James Lawless pictured at Zipit Donadea with Naoise Ó Cearúil TD & David O'Donnell, Commercial Director at Zipit Forest Adventures | Leinster Leader

placeholder image — Minister James Lawless pictured at Zipit Donadea with Naoise Ó Cearúil TD & David O'Donnell, Commercial Director at Zipit Forest Adventures | Leinster Leader

Zipit Donadea features six aerial courses, with dedicated junior elements suitable for visitors aged three and over

James Lawless TD, Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, has welcomed the official opening of Zipit Donadea, a new €1.5 million forest adventure park located in Donadea Forest Park in north Kildare.

The project was awarded €1.2 million through Fáilte Ireland's Regenerative Tourism and Placemaking Scheme, co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union under the EU Just Transition Fund, with Zipit Forest Adventures investing a further €300,000.

The new attraction features six aerial courses combining ropes, ziplines and elevated treetop nets, with dedicated junior elements suitable for visitors aged three and over.

The facility operates fully off-grid, powered by Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO), in a low-emission, low-noise model designed to protect the surrounding forest environment.

The development is expected to support 20 jobs at the activity centre and attract over 25,000 visitors in its first year, rising to more than 40,000 annually by 2033, with an estimated €9.3 million in economic impact over the next 15 years.

Speaking following the opening, Minister Lawless said: "This is a major boost for north Kildare. Donadea Forest Park is one of the county's best-loved amenities. It’s a place where generations of local families have walked, played and spent time in nature. Zipit Donadea builds on that, giving families in Kilcock, Clane, Maynooth, Naas and right across the county a world-class outdoor attraction on their doorstep.

"What makes this project stand out is how it has been done. The entire facility runs off-grid, with a low-noise, low-emission design that protects the forest it sits within. It shows that we can grow tourism and create local jobs while respecting our natural environment.

"Twenty jobs, tens of thousands of visitors a year, and a projected €9.3 million in economic impact for the local area, this is exactly the kind of sustainable investment we want to see in Kildare.

"I'd encourage families across Kildare and further afield to come and experience it for themselves."

Zipit Donadea is open to the public from Friday, 3 July 2026.

Further information is available at www.zipit.ie/destinations/donadea