[4] Evidence of ancient settlement in the area includes a number of fulacht fiadh, bullaun and holy well sites in the townlands of Kilcoole, Kilquade and Ballycrone.

[6][7] Next to Kilcoole railway station (built c. 1855)[3] is a monument commemorating the landing of 600 rifles and ammunition for the Irish Volunteers on board the Chotah by Sir Thomas Myles in August 1914.

[11] Coláiste Chraobh Abhann is a community secondary college, located on the southern outskirts of Kilcoole, which opened in 2003.

[citation needed] Kilcoole, which is classified by Wicklow County Council as a "small growth town" for administration and planning purposes,[14] had a population of 4,239 as of the 2016 census.

[16] Kilcoole AC athletes have set national, provincial, intervarsity and school records in cross country and javelin events.

The venue for the first two events was Fox's Field on Cooldross Lane (the Holywell Crescent road cuts through where the finishing line was situated).

[citation needed] Druids Glen Golf Resort, which hosted the Irish open from 1996 to 1999 as well as the National Cross Country Athletics Championships in 1997, is located less than one kilometre (1000m) from Kilcoole, on the Newtownmountkennedy road.

[19] Kilcoole GAA fields teams in both hurling and Gaelic football, with representation for both men and women at junior and juvenile levels.

[citation needed] A more regular DART (Electric train) service runs from Greystones to Dublin city centre and beyond to Howth and Malahide.

The festival awards individuals in over 50 classes ranging from vocal solos to orchestras, and flute to rock guitar.