Kilkenny: the Splendid Reflection of the History of Ireland

Updated On: April 13, 2024 by   Asmaa Alhashimy

Summer is already here. It is time to pack up and get ready for a quick tour. The world has many wondrous lands to explore. Are you too confused to choose your next destination? Well, you are already in the right place. Ireland should be on top of your list; it is famous for being a fascinating country.

This country has been the star of major motion pictures, including Harry Potter and the Chronicles of Narnia. The land is vast, so we will narrow things down for you and suggest Kilkenny.

Kilkenny is famous for a lot of exciting stuff. You can visit the creeper-clad castle and walk into secret passages and paved lanes there. The county has a very long history of cracking festivals and crafts industry. Give yourself the privilege of witnessing the entertaining culture of this city.

The Magnificent County of Kilkenny

Kilkenny is known to be a heritage city that attracts so many people with its captivating beauty. It lies right in the centre of the Ancient East of Ireland. Besides, it is near Dublin county, only around ninety minutes away.

Kilkenny has been around for thousands of years since it was founded in the sixth century. It is more of a large town rather than a city. However, it was granted the status of a city back in 1609. Being a tourist destination, it has several historic buildings, museums, and public gardens.

Above and beyond, it has many workshops specialising in design and craft. Those buildings include Black Abbey, Rothe House, Kilkenny Castle, St. Canice’s Cathedral, Grace’s Castle, Kilkenny Town Hall, St. John’s Priory, and Shee Alms House.

You can also visit the Watergate Theatre and attend entertaining events every year. The festivals include the Cat Laughs Comedy Festival, Kilkenny Arts Festival, and the Kilkenny Roots Festival.

The Culture of The City

Each county in Ireland may embrace its traditions and culture. The same goes for Kilkenny. It is famous for its cultural life. The county is considered one of the best destinations for culturally aware tourists.

People regularly visit the city for this reason; besides, it has a lot of exciting places to hit. Besides, the city has design workshops, craft workshops, historic buildings, and art galleries. Not to mention that it also has many museums, theatres, and public gardens. So, it is a city for all tastes.

Top Places to Visit in Kilkenny

If you ever consider visiting this splendid county, check out this list. We made it easy for you to know the best sites you should never miss out on. It doesn’t matter what your favourite sites are; you’ll find more than a place worth visiting if not all.

Ballykeefe Distillery

Ballykeefe is a unique site that is worth visiting. It has been around for over two centuries and is the first Whiskey Distillery in the county. The best part about the distillery is that it wakes up traditions that have been dormant for years. They are the traditions of the farm distilleries of families. Those distilleries have always been of great benefit to the surrounding environments. They are eco-friendly, and they feed the remaining grains to the cattle on the farm.

The Black Abbey

One of Ireland’s major tourist attractions lies in Abbey Street, the Black Abbey. It used to be the church of a Dominican friary. Nowadays, the church is an ultimately brand new one. All that has remained from the original church are the tower, the name, and the south transept. They date back to the 14^th and 15^th centuries.

The Capuchin Friars

The Capuchin Friars was a family that arrived in Kilkenny back in 1643. They used to live in Mullingar until their house was set on fire. Before building their famous building, they rented a house close to Saint Canice Cathedral.

Later, David Rothe, the Bishop of Ossory, gave them the power of one of the cathedral’s chapels. Now, their place provides the folks of the county with different services. Their services may even extend to other cities of the country.

Clashacrow Gardens

For garden lovers, this should be your ultimate destination. It is a vast area full of natural gardens and willow arches. The garden is also close to the Freshford Village.  You can have a wonderful tour around to watch the beautiful flowers and the vast garden there.

You can also purchase different plants and flowers and take great gardening advice. Yes, you can get the best advice about how to take care of your garden in your place. Social gatherings are a thing as well; you can gather up and meet new people. While making new friends, you can enjoy a hot, delicious cup of coffee or tea. You can also indulge in mouthwatering bakeries.

Dunmore Cave

Well, the cave sits outside the borders of the city. But, it still counts as one of its tourist attractions, for it is only 15 minutes away. If you want to visit the ancient cave, there is an N78 that takes people there. Inside the cave of wonders, you will come across many chambers. They have been around for over a million years. Those chambers contain calcite formations, some of the finest in Ireland.

Despite being a very ancient cave, it became popular only in the 9^th century when the Irish Triads mentioned it. The Visitor Centre also exhibits items of excavations like bones, coins, and other tools. All of them are said to date to the 10^th century.

Jerpoint Abbey

Ruins are mesmerizing and eye-pleasing. The same can be said of the beautiful ruins of Jerpoint Abbey. Since 1158, the Abbey has been in Kilkenny. The Cistercians occupied the place for centuries and were forced to leave when the abbey was dissolved.

Despite most of the building becoming ruins, some parts remained, including the day rooms, sacristy, and chapter house. Besides, there are many tombs, fine monuments, and knights that the church holds within.

Kilfane Waterfall and Glen

It is one of the most beautiful gardens in the city ever. It is open for people to visit for two months in the summer, July and August. The waterfalls are pretty breathtaking, and the rustic caves are splendid. There is also a summerhouse for the visitors to rest during their stroll.

Above and beyond, the place is constantly being renovated. A couple of artists are invited by the Kilfane Trust annually. They create new works and hang them around. So, guests can watch a magnificent work of art while strolling.

Kilkenny Castle

Well, the splendour of the castle is sufficient to take your breath away. However, you will always be fascinated by the River Nore that passes around. The castle is a masterpiece of the architectural world. But, it has only reached that eccentric style after renovating more than a few. The construction of the castle only started in the early thirteenth century.

Its owner was the fourth Earl of Pembroke when it had an Anglo-Norman design and was made of stone. Later, the Butler family resided in the castle for almost six centuries. Around the castle is a vast rose garden that has been around since ancient times. In the late sixties, Arthur Butler opened the castle to the locals of the county. Ever since, people were free to visit the garden and stroll around.

Kilkenny Design Center

Across the splendid Kilkenny Castle lies the Kilkenny Design Center. The centre presents different forms of contemporary craft. They showcase jewellery, pottery, textiles, and knitwear. Moreover, the site of the centre was originally the castle’s stables. Over the years, it became the fascinating design centre it is.

You will enjoy your time there watching a remarkable variety of Irish products that are original and handcrafted. They are made of a high quality as well. Above and beyond, there’s a restaurant where you can grab lunch or a snack during your tour of the centre.

Medieval Mile Museum

The museum sits precisely where Saint Mary’s Cruciform Church used to be in the 13th century. It exhibits incredible treasures of the county that depict the heritage of Gaelic Ireland. The role of the ancient city in Irish history is evident through the museum.

If you are a history buff, you will love this site. You can visit any time throughout the day as there is always a guided tour. However, you are free to purchase a tour pass where you can guide yourself all day long.

National Craft Gallery

More and more craft. Yes, we already mentioned that Kilkenny is famous for the craft industry. The National Craft Gallery is just beside the Design Center. In 2000, the gallery became one of the ultimate crafts centres in Ireland. The gallery exhibits various national and international artists and designers in all forms. Look at their works and get yourself in the loop of the latest art masterpieces.

Saint Mary’s Cathedral

Being a Christian-dominated country, cathedrals are major sites around Ireland. Saint Mary’s Cathedral is one of the topmost tourist attractions in the city. It is just a few minutes away from Castle Yard; it’s a walking distance.

William Deane Butler was the designer of this splendid cathedral; obviously, he belonged to the powerful Irish family. He designed in 1843, and the cathedral is famous for having unique Italian marble. Inside the cathedral, there is a tea room that serves as a tiny café; it offers tea, cakes, coffee, bakery, and other snacks.

Talbot Tower

Talbot is among the last surviving towers of the medieval city walls of Kilkenny. Kilkenny Archaeology excavated the medieval wall of the building. It was part of the wall maintenance program.

Besides, the excavation helped discover interesting and rare evidence for the Anglo-Norman defences on the site. They date back to the very early times. The tower is quite interesting to observe. You can learn a lot about the city’s history just by learning about this tower.

Tudor Rothe House and Gardens

Tudor Rothe House is very close to the famous cathedral of Saint Mary. It dates back to 1594, when the owner, Tudor Rothe, was a merchant. The house is as big as two courtyards. Since it is pretty ancient, it had to undergo several renovations in the 60’s. Afterwards, it became one of the top tourist attractions in Kilkenny. Currently, the building serves as the Archaeological Society of the county. It holds both a museum and a library. That museum showcases a genealogical centre.

It also holds masterpieces that belong to ancient times, including a Viking sword. Long after the death of Tudor Rothe, an urban garden was constructed in the 17th century. However, a walled garden now sits there as a renovation of the old one. It has been open to the public since 2008, and there are always a lot of visitors.

Wicklow Mountains

Ireland is full of natural wonders and magnificent sceneries. If you don’t want to miss those terrific eye-pleasing sights, go for a full-day tour of the Wicklow Mountains. The tour starts in Dublin and goes through Wicklow Gap, Wicklow National Park, and Kilkenny. Observe the ever-lasting history of Ireland coming to life through all of those sites. One more thing: You can use Wi-Fi during your travels. So, whenever something seems uninteresting, you can always log in and surf the internet.

Have you ever been to Kilkenny, Ireland? We would love to hear any experiences you may have!

Also, don’t forget to check out other great places and attractions around the north and south of Ireland: The Beautiful County Kerry| All You Need to Know About County Laois| The Magnificent County Cork| The City of Armagh| Dublin City| Everyone’s Favourite Seaside Resort: Bundoran| The Captial of Connemara|