Thomastown

Thomastown (Irish: Baile Mhic Andáin) is a town in County Kilkenny, with a population of 2445 in 2016. It was originally called Grennan and grew up at a crossing point on the River Nore, 17 km from Kilkenny. It was re-named for Thomas Fitzanthony, who built the castle and town walls in the 13th century; only a few scraps of those survive, but Jerpoint Abbey 3 km southwest is a substantial ruin. Other attractions are Kilfane Glen gardens and Mount Juliet Golf Course.

By train
Trains from Dublin Heuston take about two hours to Thomastown via Newbridge, Kildare, Athy, Carlow, Bagenalstown and Kilkenny. They continue south to Waterford, another 20 min. There are four M-Sa and three on Sunday - not all the Waterford trains stop here. A single from Dublin might be €16, see Irish Rail for timetables and fares.

is 1 km west of the village. It's unstaffed with no ticket vending, so you need to print out internet tickets in advance. There's level access, with just a single track and platform with no bridge to negotiate. Free car park but no bike parking.

By bus
Expressway Bus 4 runs every hour or two from Dublin Airport, Busáras and Heuston station, taking 2 hr 30 min to Thomastown via Carlow and continuing to Waterford. A single adult fare is around €20.

Bus Eireann 73 traverses the Midlands, twice M-Sa and once on Sunday, from Athlone to Clara, Tullamore, Mountmellick, Portlaoise, Stradbally, Carlow, Kilkenny, Thomastown, Ballyhale, Mullinavat and Waterford.

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

By road
From Dublin follow M7 then M9 for Kilkenny, then from exit 9 loop onto N10 then the Bennettsbridge road to come onto R700 south.

From Waterford take M9 north to exit 10, then R699 east onto R448 northeast.

From Rosslare and Wexford take N25 to New Ross then R700 north.

Get around
You need wheels. Grennan Castle is an easy walk but attractions such as Jerpoint Abbey are some 3 km away, along a busy road with no sidewalk. A bike would do.

See

 * Town centre follows the pattern of its medieval walls, with a clockwise one-way street system. The only remnant of those defences is by the river bridge. Thomastown Church on Pipe St stands by the ruins of the 13th century church of St Mary.
 * is a picturesque ruin by the river. It was built in the 13th century by Thomas FitzAnthony; he gave the name Thomastown to the village formerly called Grennan but this area south of the river retained the earlier name. The castle was abandoned after a siege by Cromwell but left intact, until the 1800s when it was raided for building masonry. Cattle wander in and out to admire the architecture, mind where you tread.
 * Thomple Church by the castle is the overgrown ruin of a Norman church and graveyard, part of the Priory of Inistioge.
 * St Nicholas' Church just west of the abbey is now the only remnant of the medieval village of Newton Jerpoint. A grave here is said to be the resting place of St Nicholas of Myra (270-343 AD), but the clue is in the name, he actually lies in Myra in Turkey. Jerpoint Park adjacent often has sheepdog demonstrations.
 * Kilfane House is a grand Georgian mansion. In 2019 it was sold to the Seraph Foundation, who plan to convert it to a "spiritual retreat".
 * is the ruin of a 13th century church. One of its denizens is the "Cantwell Fada" or "Long Man", an effigy of a knight carved from a single limestone slab. It originally lay horizontally on a tomb, but for some reason it's been set upright.
 * is a dilapidated medieval turret some 3 km south of town; it was part of the Priory of Kells (see Kilkenny}. Or is it? - according to its most famous resident it may not exist at all if nobody is looking at it. Bishop George Berkeley (1685-1753) argued that what we can't or don't experience doesn't exist, unless it's encompassed by the mind of God. He's spoofed as The Red King in Through the Looking Glass: if the king wakes from his dream, Alice and everything else will disappear. He gives his name to Berkeley, California.
 * is a picture-perfect little village, with 18th / 19th century buildings clustered around the village green. An old ten-arched stone bridge takes the road over the River Nore. You can walk up to Woodstock Gardens from here. Halfway up, Mount Sandford Castle is a folly with panoramic views back down the valley to the bridge. Swiss Cottage was a similar folly but the ruins have been reclaimed by the jungle.
 * is the ruin of a 13th century church. One of its denizens is the "Cantwell Fada" or "Long Man", an effigy of a knight carved from a single limestone slab. It originally lay horizontally on a tomb, but for some reason it's been set upright.
 * is a dilapidated medieval turret some 3 km south of town; it was part of the Priory of Kells (see Kilkenny}. Or is it? - according to its most famous resident it may not exist at all if nobody is looking at it. Bishop George Berkeley (1685-1753) argued that what we can't or don't experience doesn't exist, unless it's encompassed by the mind of God. He's spoofed as The Red King in Through the Looking Glass: if the king wakes from his dream, Alice and everything else will disappear. He gives his name to Berkeley, California.
 * is a picture-perfect little village, with 18th / 19th century buildings clustered around the village green. An old ten-arched stone bridge takes the road over the River Nore. You can walk up to Woodstock Gardens from here. Halfway up, Mount Sandford Castle is a folly with panoramic views back down the valley to the bridge. Swiss Cottage was a similar folly but the ruins have been reclaimed by the jungle.

Do

 * Mount Juliet Golf Course is a championship parkland course at the hotel, see Sleep. White tees 6926 yards, par 72, round from €110. The next championship event is the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open 1-4 July 2021.
 * Mount Juliet Equestrian Centre at the hotel is open daily for lessons, trekking and cross country rides.

Buy

 * Essentials: the main shops in Thomastown are north along Dublin Rd. Lidl is open M-Sa 08:00-22:00, Su 09:00-21:00.
 * Thomastown has several artisan outlets, collectively promoted as "Made In Kilkenny".

Eat

 * Green Spice on Low St is Indian cuisine.
 * Watergarden has a cafe, see above.
 * Mount Juliet (see Sleep) has two restaurants: Lady Helen Restaurant for fine dining in the main house, and the more informal Hound (previously Kendall's) in Hunter's Yard.
 * Watergarden has a cafe, see above.
 * Mount Juliet (see Sleep) has two restaurants: Lady Helen Restaurant for fine dining in the main house, and the more informal Hound (previously Kendall's) in Hunter's Yard.

Sleep

 * Nore Valley Park is the nearest camping and caravan site, 6 km north near Bennettsbridge: see Kilkenny.
 * Woodstock Arms does B&B in Inistioge.
 * Woodstock Arms does B&B in Inistioge.

Connect
As of March 2021, Thomastown has a mobile signal from Eir and Vodafone, and 4G from Three. 5G has not reached this area.

Go next

 * Kilkenny is an attractive small medieval city.
 * New Ross has the Kennedy ancestral homestead and JFK Arboretum.
 * Waterford has a great Viking, medieval and Georgian heritage.