Hollywood: Trails, History and Special Traditions

Hollywood in County Wicklow brings together a distinctive trailhead, a prominent village sign and its own historical connections. St Kevin’s Way starts here and leads to Glendalough. In the village itself, the Church of St Kevin and the Hollywood Sign offer different things to discover: one has an architectural detail dating from the 17th century, while the other is a landmark with an unusual connection to California. There is also an annual fair held every August in a pre-1950s style.

St Kevin’s Way: from the village to the Wicklow Gap

Those interested in St Kevin’s Way will find the start of the route in Hollywood; its endpoint is Glendalough. Along the way, the trail alternates between minor roads, woodland and pasture paths, open mountain slopes, and boardwalks through boggier sections. These varied terrain types give the route its diverse character. When planning your trip, it is helpful to think of it as a route with changing ground and surroundings, rather than focusing only on the start and endpoint.

The trail crosses the Wicklow Gap, its highest point. This connects the starting point of Hollywood with a clearly identified section of the route. If you are looking for a holiday rental in Hollywood, you could make the start of St Kevin’s Way one of the focal points of your stay.

The Hollywood Sign and its special reference

The Hollywood Sign overlooks the village, and a specially created path allows visitors to reach it on foot. It is an attraction in its own right, more than just a name on a map. Its letters echo the famous Californian landmark and recall Wicklow’s connection to Los Angeles. This offers visitors a surprising cultural link, connecting the place name with a story beyond the village.

When choosing experiences for your trip, you can distinguish between this short, locally focused discovery and the longer St Kevin’s Way route. Both have a clear connection to Hollywood, but they offer different ways to engage with the place: one through the distinctive sign and its reference, the other through a trail that starts in Hollywood and leads to Glendalough.

Church history, film and fair

The Church of St Kevin in Hollywood has a vaulted roof dating from the 17th century. This specific architectural detail offers a historical point of interest for visitors curious about the village’s past. Hollywood also has a longstanding connection to St Kevin’s of Glendalough. These two connections can be seen as different facets of the village’s history, without combining them into a single story.

The film “Michael Collins” is also part of the village’s cultural history: Hollywood in County Wicklow was a filming location for the movie. The themed fair held in the village every August in a pre-1950s style offers a different experience. If you plan your stay around it, it provides a recurring seasonal occasion; its distinctive style is part of the event’s theme.

Another place to discover lies south of Hollywood: the Piper Stones are a signposted Bronze Age stone circle, 3.5 km south of the village on the N81. This clearly located site adds an archaeological destination to the themes of trails, local history and film. When choosing a holiday rental, you can therefore consider whether your stay will be shaped mainly by the start of St Kevin’s Way, Hollywood’s history, or this stone circle as well.

More destinations to explore: Woodenbridge, Wicklow, Arklow, Brittas Bay, Tulfarris Holiday Village, Bray, Baltinglass, Donard.

For the broader travel overview: County Wicklow.