Places to Visit

  • Black Abbey

    Founded in 1225 this is one of Ireland’s oldest churches and is still in use by the Dominicans by whom it was founded.

    Look out for the excellent examples of modern and antique stained glass windows, the wooden roof and the stonework.

    Nearby on Abbey St is the last existing remnant of the entrance gate in the medieval city walls.

     

     

  • Butler Gallery

     

    Butler Gallery is the leading contemporary art gallery and museum, with a permanent collection, in the South East of Ireland.  Butler Gallery is a free attraction and runs engaging public events for a wide variety of audiences, including: free bookable tours for groups, week-end activities for children, tailored exhibition visits for people living with dementia and their families, and bookable verbal description tours for people who are blind/visually impaired.  Butler Gallery is open year round, with diverse exhibitions by Irish and international artists.  Entry is free.

  • Castlecomer Discovery Park

    Castlecomer Discovery Park is one of Ireland’s best adventure parks, located on 80 acres of stunning woodlands and lakes.  We have a full range of activities for all ages, including Ireland’s longest zip wire, high ropes courses, tree top walk, archery, axe throwing, boating, canoeing, orienteering, childrens play zones, education programmes, corporate team building, craftyard shopping and cafés.

    Themed events throughout the year, including Easter activities and Santa at Christmas!

  • Duiske Abbey

    An early Cistercian (1204) Abbey. Look out for the large effigy of the knight, known locally as the “Crusader” and the early medieval floor tiles.

    Open 9am to 5.30pm (summer months) and 9am to 5pm (winter months).

  • Dunmore Cave

    Fascinating limestone cave. Viewing by guided tour only. Visitor centre, audio visual of cave.

    Opening hours:
    March to mid-June: 9.30am to 5pm
    mid-June to mid-September: 9.30am to 6.30pm
    mid-September to October: 9.30am to 5pm
    November to March: Wednesday to Sunday inclusive 9.30am to 4pm.
    Open public holidays.
    Last admission one hour before closing.

    Cost: Child/Student €3, Adults €5, Senior Citizens and Groups €4, Family rate €13.

  • Jerpoint Abbey

    Said to be the finest Cistercian monastic ruins in Ireland. Of particular note are the superb cloisters, some very early effigies and the east rose window. There is a visitor centre, accessible for disabled people, with exhibition and guide service.

  • Jerpoint Park

    Steeped in history, Jerpoint Park is honoured to have footprints of a 12th century medieval town of Newtown Jerpoint plus the tomb of St Nicholas, Bishop of Myra. Come and sample our home-made scones in our tearooms.
     

  • Kilkenny Castle

    A 12th century castle, remodelled in Victorian times and set in extensive parkland. Was the principal seat of the Butler family. Two wings of the Castle have been restored to their 19th century splendour and include a library, drawing room and the magnificent long gallery. The final phase of restoration is complete and includes a state of the art conference centre which is situated in one of the castle’s 12th century towers. 

  • Kilkenny Castle Park

    A beautiful park whatever the season. Plenty of open lawns. Children’s play area. At the far end of the park away from the castle is a wildlife sanctuary and pond – a great incentive to walk just that little bit further! Opening times vary with the seasons (see sign on main entrance gate).

     

     

     

  • Kilkenny City Tours

    A fantastic way to view the City is to take the Kilkenny City Road Train tour.

    The tour starts off at Kilkenny Castle and brings you on a 25 minute tour of the Medieval Kilkenny City.

    While on board you will get a full commentary giving a historical and fascinating insight into the history of Kilkenny.

    Tours run daily, every hour, on the hour, from 10am to 5pm inclusive, from March to October.

    German and French commentary available.

  • Kilkenny County Library Service

    Kilkenny County Library Service has 8 libraries: Callan, Castlecomer, City Library at John’s Quay, Ferrybank, Graiguenamanagh, Loughboy, Thomastown, Urlingford and a countywide Mobile Library Service.

    All service points are wheelchair accessible. There is a range of accessible formats/software and Hearing Aid Loop systems in all branches.

    Membership is free for all, and provides access to libraries all over the country.

    Services Include:

  • Kilkenny Medieval Walking Tour

    Pat Tynan’s historical walking tour brings to life the history of this Medieval Capital of Ireland.

    The one-hour tour departs from the Tourist Office on High St, Kilkenny.

    Tours for the Winter months November to March are by appointment only.

    Tours are held 7 days a week from mid-March to October.
     

  • Lakeside Shop and Tea Rooms

    This is a voluntary community based shop and tea rooms.  Open Tuesday to Friday 9am to 4pm and Saturday 10am to 2pm.  Occasionally we have traditional music on Saturday mornings, with local musicians.  We have a full menu, from breakfast to dinners and lovely home-made bakes.  Come along and join us for a cuppa!  Find us on Facebook!

  • Medieval Mile Museum

    Discover 800 years of Kilkenny’s history under one roof. Museum in a 13th-century church and graveyard featuring medieval sculpture & Renaissance-era tombs. Open: April to October: seven days, 10am to 6pm; November to March: 11am to 4.30pm, closed Mondays. Paid admission. Guided tours available.

  • Rothe House and Gardens

    A restored 1594 Tudor merchant’s house. An interesting museum collection, a library and an early 17th century garden are amongst the many items of interest in addition to the house itself.

    Family history research and genealogy research service available for Kilkenny City and County.

    Open April to October, Monday to Saturday 10.30am to 5pm and Sundays 12noon to 6pm.

    Guided tours for large groups, book in advance.

    Cost: Adults €7.50, senior citizens/students €6.50.

    Guided tours €8.50. Groups of 10 or more must be pre-booked.

  • Rural Experience Coach Tours

    Full day guided coach tours of Kilkenny County, including visits to gardens, museums, churches, craft studios and scenic attractions. Tours operate daily, year round. Tours available to other counties. Tours start and end in Kilkenny City and run from 9am to 5pm. Private car and driver service available for day tours and longer breaks across Ireland.
     

  • Segway Sights

    Explore the Medieval city of Kilkenny by guided Segway tour.  Travel with ease, see all the sights, hear the great stories, and experience the fun, excitement, and all that a Kilkenny Segway Tour has to offer, with family and friends. 

    Tour times:      10am, 12pm, 2pm, 6pm

    Tour duration:  1 and 2 hours

  • St Canice’s Cathedral

    Impressive Medieval Cathedral, completed in 1285. The second longest Cathedral in Ireland. Look out for the small-scale model of the city, as it was in 1640. Use your creative skills to build a scale model of the Cathedral and solve other puzzles in our interactive area for children of all ages.

    The Cathedral has an excellent example of a ninth century round tower. The climb to the top is well worth it for a bird’s eye view of Kilkenny, although the steps are very steep and there are plenty of them, so be warned! The round tower can only be climbed by people over 12 yrs of age.