visitkilkenny.com Visitor Guide 1 Index Welcome 3 Ireland’s Ancient East 4 Kilkenny Tourist Office - Failte Ireland Ireland’s Medieval Mile 4 Shee Alms House, Rose Inn Street, Kilkenny County Attractions 6 Festivals 7 The tourist office advises on accommodation options, key attractions, activities, festival updates, tracks and trails, and Trails 8 choosing where best to eat. Equipped with maps, guides and Kilkenny Whiskey Guild 8 a wealth of knowledge, you will be ready to make the most of #tastekilkenny 9 your time and not miss one single thing during your visit! Shopping 10 This welcoming office can be found in Shee Alms House which Made in Kilkenny 11 itself dates from 1582 and is treasured as one of the only Kilkenny GAA 12 remaining Tudor Alms houses in Ireland. Active Kilkenny 14 Key Attractions 15 +353 56 775 1500 Members Directory 19 discoverireland.ie/Kilkenny Getting Here & Getting Around 23 Map 23 visitkilkenny.com Welcome Welcome 3 Kilkenny – a place where ancient and contemporary Ireland’s Ancient East 4 mix seamlessly. It’s a place rich in culture and craft, Ireland’s Medieval Mile 4 a place to savour delicious local produce, a place County Attractions 6 steeped in sporting achievement with outdoor Festivals 7 activities to challenge every step. It’s a place rich Trails 8 in heritage with warm welcomes and a fantastic Kilkenny Whiskey Guild 8 #tastekilkenny 9 night life, and all this, with a packed calendar Shopping 10 of unique and traditional festivals and events Made in Kilkenny 11 throughout city and county. Kilkenny GAA 12 Active Kilkenny 14 Rivers, ancient streets and stunning Key Attractions 15 landscapes provide a perfect backdrop for Members Directory 19 you to create your own stories. Kilkenny Getting Here & Getting Around 23 has it all and will help you find what Map 23 you’re looking for. 3 Ireland’s Ancient East Ireland’s Medieval Mile Ireland’s Ancient East is a touring region The Medieval Mile runs through the heart of unrivalled in Europe for its wealth of Kilkenny City and presents a treasure trove heritage. Kilkenny, acknowledged as of historical buildings to be discovered Ireland’s medieval capital, sits at the very in Ireland’s best preserved medieval city. heart of it. Step back in time and wander from the magnificent Kilkenny Castle to St. Canice’s Embark on a journey across 17 counties, Cathedral. Explore medieval life in the through 5,000 years of history. Stray off the only example of an early 17th century beaten track to explore the lush landscapes merchant’s townhouse in Ireland. Maybe that have attracted settlers for millennia. climb St. Canice’s Round Tower for a bird’s eye view of Kilkenny. Prepare to be enthralled by tales of local legends and feuding dynasties. Listen An absolute must is the newly opened, closely! These castle walls whisper tales of passionately restored Medieval Mile brutal sieges and bloody battles. This land Museum. 800 years of hidden history is of living history and rich heritage is yours brought to life through multimedia displays to discover. and exhibits of civic treasures, high crosses and Renaissance tombs. irelandsancienteast.com visitkilkenny.ie/ irelands_medieval_mile 4 visitkilkenny.com Medieval Mile Attractions Kilkenny Castle St. Canice’s Cathedral The Parade The Close, Coach Rd, Kilkenny This multi-architectural 12th century castle A gothic jewel and place of worship for has tales to tell! Set in 50 acres of mature 800 years, the cathedral displays a wealth parkland with an ornamental lake, rose of monuments and is a renowned concert garden and orienteering trails, this oasis is venue. The 100 foot tower is the oldest simply magnificent. structure in Kilkenny. +353 56 770 4100 +353 56 776 4971 kilkennycastle.ie stcanicescathedral.com Medieval Mile Museum Rothe House & Garden St Mary’s Lane, Kilkenny Parliament St, Kilkenny Unearth 800 years of history at Kilkenny’s This 16th century merchant’s home boasts newest attraction, the Medieval Mile Museum. three courtyard-enclosed townhouses, Located in the 13th Century St Mary’s Church, a restored Tudor garden, museum and tales of power and patrons are brought to life costume collection. Genealogical research through interactive displays. on Kilkenny ancestry is also available. +353 56 781 7022 +353 56 772 2893 medievalmilemuseum.ie rothehouse.ie 5 County Attractions Jerpoint Abbey Kells Priory Jockeyhall, Thomastown, Co. Kilkenny Kells, Co. Kilkenny Jerpoint Abbey, located just outside This Augustinian Priory located beside picturesque Thomastown, is one of the the King’s river in the charming village most complete Cistercian monasteries in of Kells, is one of the most impressive Ireland. Dating from the 12th century, the medieval monuments in Europe, combining cloister arcade displays rich stone carving a monastic settlement with a military arrays. enclosure. visitkilkenny.ie/jerpoint_abbey visitkilkenny.ie/kells_priory St. Mary’s Church Duiske Abbey Gowran, Co. Kilkenny Graiguenamanagh, Co. Kilkenny Located in picture-perfect Gowran village, Nestled in the beautiful town of St. Mary’s Church was built in 1275 on Graiguenamanagh on the banks of the the site of an earlier monastery and has River Barrow lies Duiske Abbey, a medieval beautiful monuments and elaborate Cistercian monastery and National architectural sculpture used throughout. Monument from the 13th century, now a parish church. visitkilkenny.ie/stmarys_church visitkilkenny.ie/heritage_kilkenny 6 Copyright and Photo Credit: © National Monuments Service, Dept. of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs visitkilkenny.com Festivals for every season! Festivals Kilkenny’s atmospheric venues and intimate medieval streetscapes create a magical stage for an eclectic calendar of nationally and internationally renowned festivals, many born right here in the Marble City. With Kilkenomics, The Cat Laughs Comedy Festival, Kilkenny Roots, Tradfest to name but a few, launches and laughter spill onto the streets and you simply have to join in! You will be spoiled for choice with award winning venues, Kilkenny is perfectly placed to host all music gatherings ranging from niche festivals to internationally renowned collectives. Kilkenny is AUGUST just bursting with creativity and stages the most innovative festivals in Europe. Kilkenny Arts Festival Kilkenny is filled with the best of music, theatre and visual art. OCTOBER SavourKilkenny.com The best of food from the South East of Ireland delights tastebuds. MARCH NOVEMBER KilkennyTradfest.com Kilkenomics.com Kilkenny is alive with a feast of Bringing together the world’s leading traditional music and dance. economists and comedians. APRIL/MAY SubtitleFest.com Film buffs and filmmakers land in KilkennyRoots.com Kilkenny to catch European films. Rhythm and blues aficionados flood the city for the Roots Festival. DECEMBER TheCatLaughs.com YulefestKilkenny.ie Comedy fans flock to Kilkenny for the Rediscover the wonder of Christmas world famous Cat Laughs. with Kilkenny’s enchanting Yulefest. 7 Trails Kilkenny Whiskey Guild Picture perfect towns and villages lie within The Kilkenny Whiskey Guild is a collection short distances of Kilkenny city, each with of 10 establishments tapping into a their own unique offering from heritage to distilling tradition stretching back to food to craft. the 14th century. With a minimum of 60 Irish Whiskeys to sample and appreciate, Trail Kilkenny offers a range of activities each guild house assists the customers and themed trails designed to inspire you experience through knowledgeable staff, to explore the countryside. Visit artisan food tasting flights, food pairings and mixology. producers, cosmopolitan restaurants and local cafés dotted all along the food trail. Regular whiskey events are held in each They take you along lane ways, through of the Guild Houses to heighten the woodland, up hillsides and by river banks. public’s knowledge of Irish Whiskey history Cycle a range of routes through villages production and various styles. The guild and rolling countryside; the perfect way is placing Kilkenny as the leading Whiskey to take in some of Kilkenny’s artisan food tourism destination in Ireland. So what are producers and eateries and crafts people you waiting for? Get the brochure and get along the way. tasting! +353 56 775 2111 trailkilkenny.ie kilkennywhiskeyguild.ie 8 visitkilkenny.com #tastekilkenny Kilkenny food producers and restaurants passionately believe in quality local food and drink. It is said we make our visitors feel like royalty! The county is home to a host of vibrant and diverse producers, producing everything from handmade chocolate to organic apple syrup, trout caviar and craft beer. Generations of farming, food production and food heritage can be found in every corner of Kilkenny City and County. The City hosts a bustling farmer’s market every Thursday in front of Kilkenny Castle where local delights are on offer, making any trip to Kilkenny more delicious. Kilkenny is also home to a number of top class cookery schools offering a range of courses for all levels of experience. Kilkenny spoils both visitors and locals with its choice of eateries. A walk through the city’s streets and lane ways will bring you on a winding path of charming cafés, gastro pubs and award winning restaurants. The #tastekilkenny initiative brings local producers and eateries together, with participating restaurants show-casing local ingredients in their #tastekilkenny signature dishes. From casual dining to Michelin starred restaurants, Kilkenny offers food experiences for all taste buds and budgets. Dine in Kilkenny, create the memories and savour the flavour of a unique sense of place, culture and hospitality. +353 56 775 2662 tastekilkenny.ie 9 Shopping Kieran Street Shopping High Street Shopping This cobbled street holds a charming Kilkenny’s bustling High Street provides selection of independent boutiques offering a great selection of retail therapy gifts, jewellery, clothing, shoes and opportunities! Department stores offer homewares. Kieran Street is also home to designer labels and high-street brands. a great selection of cafes and bars with Small boutiques are home to unique, outdoor seating.