Kilkenny

Kilkenny is the county town of County Kilkenny in southeast Ireland, with a population of 26,512 in 2016. At its core is the medieval city founded by the Normans, and in the 1640s it was effectively the capital of Ireland. It's a lively small city with a rich cultural heritage and lots of visitor facilities, mostly on the west bank of the River Nore.

Understand
Kilkenny in Irish is Cill Chainnigh, the church of Cainnech or Canice (515-600 AD), and the first settlement grew up in the 6th century around what is now St Canice Cathedral. It was seized by the Normans in 1170, led by Richard de Clare or "Strongbow"; he built the fortress which became the castle. The ford across the River Nore was replaced by a bridge and medieval Kilkenny developed as three districts each protected by their own walls: High Town around the castle, Irish Town around the cathedral, and St Johns on the east bank of the river.

The English Tudors strengthened their grip on Ireland by "plantations" - colonies of loyal English and Scots (mostly Protestant) to keep the natives in check. Irish resentment flared into rebellion in 1641. Rebellion was crushed in Dublin and Ulster but gained strength elsewhere, and led to the de facto state of Confederate Ireland. This controlled two-thirds of the country, and Kilkenny was its capital. It had a governing Assembly, minted coins and levied taxes; it was continuously at war but backed with money and weapons by friendly Catholic nations, especially by the Pope. Nominally however it was not independent, but Royalist in support of the deposed King Charles I. In 1650 a man called Oliver Cromwell arrived outside the city walls of Kilkenny to discuss the finer constitutional points of this stance, and when he'd done discussing, the walls and city were rubble and Ireland wasn't a Confederacy any more.

The city was rebuilt, with the castle becoming an ornamental "chateau", and 18th / 19th century industries developed such as brewing, textiles and dairy-processing. Many buildings were faced with "Kilkenny Marble", a dark grey limestone quarried locally, which takes a polish. The place was little disturbed in later conflicts; the railway arrived in 1848, and the beginnings of tourism. This focuses on the "Medieval Mile" between castle and cathedral, and the castle stables have been converted into arts and craft shops.

Although Kilkenny is the county town, it's a shibboleth to refer to it as a "town". It has a cathedral and King James I proclaimed it a city in 1609, but there's no distinction under modern local government legislation. Kilkenny's interesting mix of old and new means that it does indeed feel like a compact city rather than a large town.

By plane
Dublin is a good choice for its wide range of flights, competitive fares, and good onward public transport.

Cork is another possibility but has fewer flights.

By train
Trains from Dublin Heuston take 90 min to Kilkenny via Newbridge, Kildare, Athy, Carlow and Bagenalstown, and continue south to Thomastown and Waterford (another 30 min). There are seven M-Sa and four on Sunday. A single might be €15, see Irish Rail for timetables and fares.

is central, enter from the south off Dublin Rd. Don't go into MacDonagh Junction Shopping Centre, there's no passageway to the station from that side. It's named for Thomas MacDonagh (1878-1916), one of the executed leaders of the Easter Rising. The station is wheelchair friendly and has a left luggage facility.

By bus
Dublin Coach M9 runs every couple of hours daily from Dublin Bachelor's Walk (not Busáras) and Red Cow P&R to Kilkenny (1 hr 45 min) and continues to Waterford, Dungarvan and Cork.

JJ Kavanagh Bus 736 usually bypasses Kilkenny, but one run per day links Dublin airport and city centre, Carlow, Kilkenny and Waterford.

Bernard Kavanagh Bus 817 runs once a day from Dublin Eden Quay, Heuston and Red Cow via Naas, Kilcullen and Athy, taking 2 hr 20 min to Kilkenny.

Bus Éireann 73 crosses the Midlands from Athlone via Tullamore, Portlaoise and Carlow to Kilkenny, and continues to Thomastown and Waterford. There are two M-Sa and one on Sunday.

Bus 882 runs once M-Sa from New Ross via Thomastown to Kilkenny. Otherwise you have to backtrack via Waterford.

Michael Kilbride Bus 881 runs twice M-Sa from Graignamanagh, taking an hour via Borris, Goresbridge and Gowran.

The rival bus companies use different stopping points in Kilkenny, but they're all close to the railway station.

By car
From Dublin take N7 west - the first section to Naas hasn't been upgraded to motorway yet - then follow M7 to M9, leave at Junction 8 for N10 into town. Reckon an hour.

From Carlow or Waterford it's a straight run on M9.

From Cork take M8; at Cahir follow N24 through Clonmel then N76 for Kilkenny.

Get around
Walk is the best way to get around this compact city; see "Do" for walking tours. You need wheels for outlying sights such as Kells Priory, Dunmore Cave and Gowran racetrack. There are cycle paths on the main roads within the city, and designated lock-up points in the centre.

Kilkenny doesn't have a Park & Ride so bringing a car here means looking for parking. Car parks just off High Street are Ormonde Street multi-storey near its south end, and Market Cross north on Parliament St. There's also Market Yard near John's Bridge, and Park Rite garage by the railway station.

By bus: City Direct operate two cross-city bus routes, both daily every 30-60 min:
 * KK1 runs north-south, from N77 roundabout in the north via city centre and railway station to Loughboy Retail Park south.
 * KK2 runs east-west, from Purcellsinch east via city centre and railway station to St Luke's Hospital west.

The cash fare (as of March 2021) is €2 adult and €1.20 child; by TFI Leap Card it's €1.40 adult and 84c child.

Route maps, including stop locations, are posted on the TFI website.

Taxis are available throughout the city, with ranks at the railway station and many other spots.

Fares are nationally regulated and taxis must use the meter. As of March 2021, fares M-Sa 08:00 to 20:00 are €3.80 flagfall then €1.14-1.50 per km, 20:00 to 08:00 and Sunday €4.20 flagfall then €1.45-1.80 per km. In slow traffic or if asked to wait they charge by the minute, 40-50 cents. The main operators are Martin Butler Kilkenny Taxi (+353 87 7777 677) and Sevens Taxi (+353 56 777 7777).

Useful to know when trying to hail one in a downpour: Saint Fiacre of Breuil (600 – 670) probably governed his first monastery nearby at Bennetsbridge, before moving to France, becoming the patron saint of taxi-drivers, and giving his name to the fiacre carriage.

City centre
Most sights are along the "Medieval Mile" from The Parade (Kilkenny Castle & Design Centre), up High St (Tholsel, Hole in the Wall & Medieval Mile Museum), onto Parliament St (Rothe House & Smithwicks Brewery) and into Irishtown (St Canice's Cathedral).
 * The Castle Gardens are an extensive woodland park, free to stroll anytime. The canal is their northern boundary, another pleasant strolling area. This was built from 1755 to bypass a non-navigable stretch of the river but was never completed.
 * Butler House on Patrick St near the castle is now an upscale hotel, see Sleep.
 * The Courthouse on Parliament St (opposite Rothe House) is built over "Grace's Old Castle" of 1210. That was owned by the powerful de Gras, later Grace, family and morphed into a residence and later the county jail and courtroom. It was still in use as the town "nick" or bridewell until 1946, and today houses the Circuit and District Courts. Just admire the exterior, you can't go in unless you're already in trouble.
 * Butler House on Patrick St near the castle is now an upscale hotel, see Sleep.
 * The Courthouse on Parliament St (opposite Rothe House) is built over "Grace's Old Castle" of 1210. That was owned by the powerful de Gras, later Grace, family and morphed into a residence and later the county jail and courtroom. It was still in use as the town "nick" or bridewell until 1946, and today houses the Circuit and District Courts. Just admire the exterior, you can't go in unless you're already in trouble.
 * The Courthouse on Parliament St (opposite Rothe House) is built over "Grace's Old Castle" of 1210. That was owned by the powerful de Gras, later Grace, family and morphed into a residence and later the county jail and courtroom. It was still in use as the town "nick" or bridewell until 1946, and today houses the Circuit and District Courts. Just admire the exterior, you can't go in unless you're already in trouble.
 * The Courthouse on Parliament St (opposite Rothe House) is built over "Grace's Old Castle" of 1210. That was owned by the powerful de Gras, later Grace, family and morphed into a residence and later the county jail and courtroom. It was still in use as the town "nick" or bridewell until 1946, and today houses the Circuit and District Courts. Just admire the exterior, you can't go in unless you're already in trouble.
 * The Courthouse on Parliament St (opposite Rothe House) is built over "Grace's Old Castle" of 1210. That was owned by the powerful de Gras, later Grace, family and morphed into a residence and later the county jail and courtroom. It was still in use as the town "nick" or bridewell until 1946, and today houses the Circuit and District Courts. Just admire the exterior, you can't go in unless you're already in trouble.
 * The Slips are the medieval alleys perpendicular to High Street. The best example is Butter Slip next to the Tholsel, leading down to St Kieran's St. Built in 1616, it was the market for butter vendors.
 * The Hole in the Wall is an arts venue and former tavern within a 1582 townhouse, occasionally open for tours. It's off High St facing St Mary's Lane, just south of the Tholsel.
 * built in 1207 is the only remaining bastion of the city walls. It's been restored but you can't go in. It's on Lower New St, corner with Ormonde Rd.
 * was founded in 1782 at what is now St Mary's Cathedral; the present grand Gothic building on College Rd was erected 1811-45. It was a seminary until 1994 and is now a secondary school. The buildings are private but you can admire the exterior.
 * built in 1207 is the only remaining bastion of the city walls. It's been restored but you can't go in. It's on Lower New St, corner with Ormonde Rd.
 * was founded in 1782 at what is now St Mary's Cathedral; the present grand Gothic building on College Rd was erected 1811-45. It was a seminary until 1994 and is now a secondary school. The buildings are private but you can admire the exterior.

Further out

 * has the ruins of a medieval church. It's 14 km west of the city.
 * is a village 6 km south of the city where the main sight is the bridge itself, built early 19th century. There is a loop walk called Gorman's Loop signposted from the church side of the village (across the bridge coming from Kilkenny).
 * Kilree 2 km south of Kells Priory has a Round Tower and High Cross.
 * has a Norman Motte-and-bailey and the ruin of an Augustinian Friary. 500 m west of village centre on R695 is the childhood home of Edmund Rice, founder of the Christian Brothers. It's open M-F 10:00-17:00, Sa 10:00-14:00. Find more of his legacy in Waterford.
 * is a little village 10 km east of Kilkenny. The main sight is St Mary's Collegiate Church, part ruin, part restored and in use. It was founded in 1312 over a pre-Christian site - the Ogham stone is 3rd / 4th century. A "collegiate church" doesn't have a permanent priest, but staff at the seminary take turns. Gowran Castle dates from 1713 and was restored in 2013, it's a private residence. Gowran Park is a racecourse 500 m south of the village, with both flat racing and National Hunt.
 * Shankill Castle: see Bagenalstown for this fine mansion and gardens at Paulstown.
 * has a Norman Motte-and-bailey and the ruin of an Augustinian Friary. 500 m west of village centre on R695 is the childhood home of Edmund Rice, founder of the Christian Brothers. It's open M-F 10:00-17:00, Sa 10:00-14:00. Find more of his legacy in Waterford.
 * is a little village 10 km east of Kilkenny. The main sight is St Mary's Collegiate Church, part ruin, part restored and in use. It was founded in 1312 over a pre-Christian site - the Ogham stone is 3rd / 4th century. A "collegiate church" doesn't have a permanent priest, but staff at the seminary take turns. Gowran Castle dates from 1713 and was restored in 2013, it's a private residence. Gowran Park is a racecourse 500 m south of the village, with both flat racing and National Hunt.
 * Shankill Castle: see Bagenalstown for this fine mansion and gardens at Paulstown.

Do

 * What's on? - tune into KCLR on 96 FM for news and events, or read Kilkenny People or Kilkenny Now.
 * Riverside walks follow the west bank of the Nore, upstream for 6 km to the weir, and downstream for 11 km to Maddockstown.
 * Riverside walks follow the west bank of the Nore, upstream for 6 km to the weir, and downstream for 11 km to Maddockstown.

Tours

 * Ormonde Language Tours Kilkenny offers walking tours of Kilkenny in English, French or German. Each tour starts on the parade and lasts two hours. The price is €12 per person. Prebooking via the website is essential.
 * Kilkenny City Tours pootle around town in a black and amber road train, Mar-Oct 10:00-17:00, taking 25 min and starting from the Parade outside the Castle.
 * Kilkenny Walking Tours are hour-long walks of the old centre, mid-Mar - Sept M-Sa 11:00 and 14:00, starting from the Tourist Office on High St. Adult €10.
 * Boat trips tour along the River Nore. In 2021 they're only available to private "bubble" family groups.

Sports

 * Gaelic games: Hurling is the dominant sport in this area, and the county team Kilkenny GAA are the perennial Irish champions. Their home ground is Nowlan Park, capacity 27,800, 500 m east of town centre.
 * Golf: Kilkenny Golf Club is on Glendine Rd 1 km north of town centre. It's a parkland course, white tees 5921 m, par 71, visitor round €30-40.
 * Pococke Golf Centre has a beginner's course, 3, 12 or 18 hole. It's on Johnswell Rd 1.5 km northeast of town centre beyond the bypass N77. There's also a driving range in New Park.


 * Horse racing: the race track is at Gowran, see above.
 * Skydive at Irish Skydiving Club, based at Kilkenny Airport 3 km west of town centre, on Airfield Rd, Holdensrath R95 Y6VA.

Events

 * Rhythm and Roots Festival covers many genres including Folk, Blues, Rockabilly, Americana and Rock n Roll. It's usually in May but was cancelled in 2020 and 2021, and dates for 2022 are TBA.
 * The Cat Laughs is a comedy festival over the first week in June, multiple venues, and drawing many famous acts. There's also a film section, Kitty Flicks, and a soccer match between the Irish comedians and those from the rest of the world. The next event is 2-11 June 2022, tbc.
 * Kilkenny Arts Festival is held over ten days in August, with music, exhibitions and talks, multiple venues. Dates for 2022 are tba.

Buy

 * High Street is the main retail strip, with Allens for a variety of giftware, and Market Cross the mall midway along. Most shops are open M-Sa 09:00-18:00, on Thursdays till 21:00. There are lots of ATMs all over the city.
 * MacDonagh Junction is the main mall east of the river, next to the railway station and bus stops.
 * Handcrafted goods: Kilkenny has a reputation for design and is home to the Craft Council of Ireland. The county brand is "Made In Kilkenny". A good place to browse is Kilkenny Design Centre in the castle courtyard, open 10:00-18:00. Local artisans displayed here (though their workshops may be out-of-town) include Jerpoint Glass Studio, Moth to a Flame candles, and Nicholas Mosse ceramics.
 * Farmers Market is held on Mayor's Walk by the castle, Th 09:30-14:30.

Eat

 * Gourmet Store is a cafe at 56 High St open M-Sa 08:00-17:30.
 * Pantry Patisserie on St Kieran's St is open M-Sa 09:00-18:00, Su 10:00-17:00.
 * Kilkenny Design Centre has a pleasant cafe, see Buy.
 * Kilkenny Design Centre has a pleasant cafe, see Buy.

Drink

 * Kilkenny beer and Smithwick's ale originated here. They're nowadays owned by Guinness / Diageo and brewed in Dublin.
 * Parliament St is the area for quiet traditional pubs, while John St draws the younger clubbing crowd. Pubs are usually open to 23:30.
 * Nightclubs: Langtons is within Langton House Hotel, and O'Faolain's is within Kilford Arms, see Sleep.
 * Nightclubs: Langtons is within Langton House Hotel, and O'Faolain's is within Kilford Arms, see Sleep.
 * Nightclubs: Langtons is within Langton House Hotel, and O'Faolain's is within Kilford Arms, see Sleep.
 * Nightclubs: Langtons is within Langton House Hotel, and O'Faolain's is within Kilford Arms, see Sleep.
 * Nightclubs: Langtons is within Langton House Hotel, and O'Faolain's is within Kilford Arms, see Sleep.
 * Nightclubs: Langtons is within Langton House Hotel, and O'Faolain's is within Kilford Arms, see Sleep.
 * Nightclubs: Langtons is within Langton House Hotel, and O'Faolain's is within Kilford Arms, see Sleep.

Mid-range

 * Butler Court is a small B&B off Patrick St.
 * Celtic House is a welcoming B&B at 18 Michael St.
 * Celtic House is a welcoming B&B at 18 Michael St.
 * Celtic House is a welcoming B&B at 18 Michael St.

Stay safe
Kilkenny is a very safe city. Take usual care over traffic, valuables and late-night drunks.

Connect
As of Feb 2021, Kilkenny has 5G from Eir and Three, and 4G from Vodafone.

Go next

 * Thomastown is near Jerpoint Abbey, Kilfane Glen gardens, and Mount Juliet Golf Course
 * Castlecomer in the north of the county mined coal for 300 years.
 * Freshford has the remains of Ballylarkin Abbey.
 * Waterford on the south coast has a rich Viking, medieval and Georgian heritage.