Tips for living in Maynooth | Study in Ireland

Discover Maynooth through the eyes of our Student Ambassador, Zhi Chien Keet! 🏡 Uncover cozy cafes, and campus vibes. Dive into Maynooth tips for the ultimate student living experience! 🌟

Did you know that there are many restaurants and cafés available on the Maynooth campus? In the North campus, you’ll find Urban Square in the Phoenix building, Pickle in the John Hume building, Pop in the Arts building, 53.3 degrees in the TSI building, and the Students’ Union Bar. On the South campus, there are a self-service canteen in Pugin Hall and Starbucks in the John Paul II Library. Londis, a convenience store, is also available in the John Hume building. An app called MU EATS can be used in restaurants such as Urban Square and Pop. Students can get a 10% discount the first time they use MU EATS. The app also offers various promotions such as weekly deals and coffee cards. 

Additionally, there are numerous bus services provided in Maynooth. Bus Eireann links from Galway, Ballina, Sligo, Tuam, Mullingar, Longford, Dublin Bus, and other bus services are available in Maynooth. There is also a railway station that goes to Dublin City Centre and Sligo in Greenfield. The Leap card is quite convenient as it can reduce fares by 50% when using public transport. You can apply for a student Leap card or a young adult card (19-23 years old) at www.leapcard.ie. The difference between a student Leap card and a young adult Leap card is the expiry date. Student Leap cards need to be renewed every year, while young adult Leap cards expire when you reach the age of 24. Students can collect their student Leap card in the Students’ Union on the North Campus. 

Furthermore, many stores and shops are available in Maynooth. Aldi is located beside Maynooth University, Dunnes Stores in the Manor Mills Shopping Centre, Lidl on Straffan Road, Supervalu in the Glenn Royal Shopping Centre, and The Range and Tesco Extra in Carton Retail Park are stores available in Maynooth. They sell food and household supplies, kitchen equipment, clothes, and other products. The Mini Asian Market and Mróz Maynooth, a Polish Grocery Store, are available on Main Street. You can get food products that you missed from these stores without taking public transport.

In addition, Maynooth University is a good place for a walking tour. There are many beautiful spots on Maynooth University’s campus, such as St. Joseph’s Square, Maynooth Castle, John Paul II Library, the University Clocktower, and others. When you look at these buildings, you can feel the traces left within them are relics from the past to the present. You can invite your friends, even if they are not students at Maynooth University, to walk around and take beautiful photos, creating a memorable experience while studying in Ireland.

I hope these tips can help you while studying in Ireland. Explore different fun places and create your own memories in Maynooth!

Zhi Chien Keet is studying a BSc psychology at Maynooth University via Education in Ireland.