Kilkenny Adventures
Kilkenny is considered the medieval capital of Ireland. This is a questionable claim. The town may have started in the medieval ages, but the buildings span from the Tudor Era to the 18th century.
Author & Photographer: George Mitchell
Our recommendations are not influenced by affiliate links – we do not have any. Our advice is derived from our personal experience and knowledge based on living in Europe for seven years and studying its art, architecture and culture. Ireland is one of our favourite destinations.
All of our recommendations are top-rated by Google Maps Ratings, which is based on everyone, not just tourists. Each place recommended in our custom Ireland East Map is appended with a Google Maps Rating (G0 to G5).
Castle Park
It is a short drive of 1:15 hrs from Dublin to Kilkenny, all motorway. We found free residential area parking south of Castle Park. We enjoyed the beautiful sunny weather by walking through the park with views of the castle along the way.
St. Canice’s Cathedral
The so-called Medieval Mile stretches between St. Canice’s Cathedral and the Kilkenny Palace. For €5 you can visit the interior, or you can walk in as far as the ticket booth and drink in the gorgeous arches, stained glass windows and the amazing wooden roof. Like Glorious Glendalough, it has a large Round Tower, i.e. bell tower that for €3 gives a magnificent view of the region.
Rothe House and Garden
Rothe House dates from the Tudor Era (1594). Note the oriel window and semi-circular arches. The wealthy merchant Rothe family were part of an oligarchy that controlled Kilkenny. Today, Rothe House will help you find long-lost cousins in Kilkenny.
Kyteler Inn
Note the orange signpost along the pedestrian-only St. Kieran’s Street. Kyteler Inn is the oldest pub in Ireland (1473). It is very atmospheric with lots of cozy sitting areas rather than a single large bar.
Kilkenny Castle
Kilkenny Castle is definitely worth a visit. But taking the free guided tour made the visit come alive. Carmel, our Heritage Ireland (OPW) guide, pointed out interesting artifacts and gave fascinating stories about them.
The dining room had to be redone. They recreated the original wallpaper and curtains using the original company, where possible.
Girls were carefully chaperoned, and the boy/man and girl would sit on opposite sides of the couch above.
We always thought beds were smaller in ancient times because people were shorter. Wrong! The superstitious Irish (and others) felt that the only time they should lie flat is after they die. Instead, they slept in a reclining position with pillows supporting them.
The Long Gallery
The Butlers (the Earls of Ormond) were very rich and one of the wealthiest families in Ireland. In fact, the family lived in this castle for 600 years! They were close friends with the British kings. As a result of their loyalty, they were given the right to a 10% tax on all wine and spirits. They owned property all over Ireland as well as London.
The ceiling is intricately painted with designs from the Book of Kells. It took two years to paint the ceiling. This is the second-longest gallery hall in the UK and Ireland.
Noble women always had pale skin with no blemish, so they looked like they never worked outside. They put rouge on cheeks. Makeup had lots of wax in it so they to block the heat of the fireplace from their faces. What a pampered life they lived. There were four servants for every person who lived in the castle! What a contrast between the poor and the nobility.
To end the day, we met a family of four women – aunts and cousins – the eldest was 87 years old and full of life. We had a long chat about life and family in Ireland. They invited us to visit them in Tipperary.
Final Comments on this Itinerary
Kilkenny is worth a visit, especially for Kilkenny Castle. It is also very close to Dublin.
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Itinerary Map & Resources
If you have more than a week, then combine this tour with places in the Ireland East and the Best Places for 2 Weeks in Southwest (SW) Ireland itineraries below. Or just visit some of the nearby places listed below.
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Google Maps provides a rating from 0 to 5 for all sights, hotels and restaurants (but not cities). All of our recommendations are appended with the rating (prefixed with a G) from Google Maps. As it is based on feedback from tourists and locals, it is much more reliable than travel booking websites. We consider a score of 4 to 4.39 to be Very Good; 4.4 to 5 to be Excellent.
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