Attractions to See in Kilkenny & South East

Kilkenny Castle

There has been a castle on this site since 1172 when the Norman Knight, Richard de Clare, called Strongbow, built a wooden tower on this rocky height overlooking the River Nore. The first stone castle was built here twenty years later by Strongbow's son-in-law William Marshall, Earl of Pembroke. Three of this castle's original four towers survive today.

A busy and successful commercial centre grew around the original Norman settlement, and the present Hightown and Irishtown areas of Kilkenny today date from that period.

The Butlers of Kilkenny Castle were an Anglo-Norman family who came to Ireland in 1171 in the first wave of the Norman invasion.

In 1826, major restoration of Kilkenny Castle began, this work was intended to restore the castle to it's medieval appearance and also bring it up to date as a country house with all appropriate modern conveniences.

At the turn of the century James Butler, twenty first Earl and third Marquess of Ormonde, entertained King Edward v11 and Queen Alexandra here, and later, King George and Queen Mary.
On 2nd May 1922 the castle was occupied by republican forces, after two days however it was restored to the Butlers after a siege.
By the 1930's the Butlers found that they had to look closely at the viability of maintaining their seat at Kilkenny Castle. In 1935, they decided to leave and a great auction was held in the castle. For five days all the contents of the castle were auctioned off.
In 1967, Arthur Butler, sixth Marquess and twenty-third Earl of Ormonde handed Kilkenny Castle over to the Castle Restoration Committee for the nominal sum of £50.

After treating the fabric of the building for dry rot and wet rot, a phased programme of restoration started. The east wing was re-roofed and opened to the public in 1976.

Contact Details
Address: The Parade, Kilkenny City
Telephone No.: +353 56 7704100
Fax No.: +353 56 7704116 (Group Bookings)
Email: izabel.pennec@opw.ie
Website: www.kilkennycastle.ie
Opening Hours
October - February: 09.30 - 16.30
March: 09.30 - 17.00
April - May: 09.30 - 17.30
June - August: 09.00 - 17.30
September: 09.30 - 17.30
Visit by guided tour only.
Check with site for opening arrangements over Christmas and New Year
Last admission 1 hour before closing
Average Length of Visit: 1 hour

Admission Fees
Adult: €6.00
Senior / Group (20+): €4.00
Student / Child (over 6): €2.50
Family: €14.00

Facilities
Exhibitions, bookshop, toilets, playground in the Park, Gardens, Conference Centre, public car park and toilet for visitors with disabilities close to site
Restaurants/Tearooms

Saint Canice’s Cathedral Kilkenny

In consequence, he established the foundations of the cathedral with a view that the practically minded Norman overlords would sponsor the stone masons to erect a house of God worthy of both worship and prestige. Bishop O'Deleaney died before his vision became real. However in laying the foundations he left the challenge to his successors to complete the task.

The 13th century cathedral of St Canice is the second longest cathedral in Ireland . The site on which the cathedral stands has been a site of Christian worship since the 6th century.

The architectural style of the cathedral is Early Gothic and it is built of limestone. The cathedral has been carefully preserved in its original style and form. It is richly endowed with many stained glass windows including the East window which is a replica of the original 13th century window.

The cathedral contains some of the finest 16th century monuments in Ireland . The memorials stretch right across the social spectrum from the great figures of the house of Ormonde to the humble shoemaker and carpenter.

The baptismal font is original and the ancient stone of enthronement for bishops still exists under the seat of the medieval throne in the North Transept, where to this day the bishops of Ossory are enthroned. The continental carvings on the choir stalls and the hammerbeam roof are not to be missed.

Beside the cathedral stands the 9th century round tower. It may once have been a watchtower and a refuge and it can be climbed to give an unsurpassing vantage point to view the city of Kilkenny and the surrounding countryside (weather permitting).
Norman Lynas, Dean of Ossory
Facilities

Cathedral facilities include:
Gift Shop, Toilets and Wheelchair access to cathedral
Guided tours of the cathedral are available by prior appointment
Information leaflets are available in 10 languages:
(English, Irish, German, French, Italian, Dutch, Spanish, Swedish, Japanese & Welsh)
Worksheets are available for students & children

Opening & Visiting Times:
April, May & September
Mon - Sat 10 a.m - 1 p.m, 2 p.m 5 p.m.
Sun: 2 p.m. - 5 p.m.

June, July & August
Mon - Sat 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Sun: 2 p.m. - 6 p.m.

October to March
Mon - Sat 10 a.m. -1 p.m., 2 p.m. - 4 p.m.
Sun: 2 p.m. - 4 p.m.

Entrance Fees
Entrance Fees: (from 1st Jan 2007)

Cathedral Round
Tower Combination
(Cathedral and round tower)
Adults €4.00 €3.00 €6.00
Concession €3.00 €2.50 n/a
Groups
(10+ pax) €3.00pp €2.50 €5.50
Groups (10+ pax) with a cathedral guide
€3.50pp €2.50 €6.00
Family ticket n/a n/a
€12.00**

Contact Details
St. Canice's Cathedral
Phone: +353 56 7764971
Fax: +353 56 7723646
Email: cathedral@ossory.anglican.org

Dunmore Caves

History and geology blend at Dunmore Cave to give an interesting and unique situation. Consisting of a series of chambers formed over millions of years, the cave contains some of the finest calcite formations found in any Irish cave. The cave has been known to man for many centuries and is first mentioned in the 9th century Irish Triads. The most interesting reference however, comes from the Annals which tells of a Viking massacre at the cave in the year 928 A.D. Archaeological finds within the cave confirm Viking activity. Exhibitions and displays in the Visitor Centre. The cave is inaccessible for wheelchair users.

Location: 10km from Kilkenny, 1km off N78 Castlecomer (road is well signposted)

Bus Route(s): Bus Eireann do not provide a direct service to the Cave. Contact site for details of local operators
Guided Tours: Access by guided tour only
Maximum number: 40 - 50
Duration: 1 hour

Leaflet/Guide book: English, Irish, German, French, Italian, Spanish.
Seasonal Events: Please check in advance using contact details listed above.

Photography / Video allowed: No

Additional Information:
Audio visual covering 4 main topics aimed at all ages and interests. Geology and Evolution over 350 million years; Animated Formation of Dunmore Cave; Ecology of Cave and its surrounds, Myth and History of the cave.

Interactive Virtual Museum consisting of the several treasures found in the Cave including one of the most significant Viking finds in the country

Contact Details
Address: Ballyfoyle, Co. Kilkenny
Telephone No: +353 56 776 7726
Fax No: +353 56 776 7262
Email: dunmorecaves@opw.ie

Opening Hours
March - Mid June: Daily 9.30 - 17.00
Mid June - Mid September: Daily 9.30 - 18.00
Mid September - End October: Daily 9.30 - 17.00
November to March: Sat, Sun and Bank Holidays 10.00 - 17.00
Last admission: March - October: 1 hour before closing
November - February: 15:00
Average Length of Visit: 1 hour
(All visitors must have exited the Cave before dark)
Admission Fees
Adult: €3.00 Sen/Group: €2.00 Child/Student: €1.00 Family: €8.00
Facilities
Toilets with disabled access, car / coach park.
Restaurant/Tearooms: Yes, Easter to October only

The Black Abbey

Nobody is sure why this Dominican church, founded in 1225, is named Black Abbey. It may be because the Dominicans wore black capes over their white habits, or perhaps because the Black Plague claimed the lives of eight priests in 1348. The Black Abbey's darkest days came in 1650, when Oliver Cromwell used it as a courthouse before destroying it; by the time he left, all that remained was the walls. The abbey was rebuilt, and opened in 1816 as a church, a new nave was completed in 1866, and the entire building was fully restored in 1979. Among the elements remaining from the original abbey are an alabaster sculpture of the Holy Trinity that dates from 1400, and a pre-Reformation statue of St. Dominic carved in Irish oak, which is believed to be the oldest such piece in the world. The huge Rosary Window, a stained-glass work of nearly 45 sq. m (484 sq. ft.) that represents the 15 mysteries of the rosary, was created in 1892 by Mayers of Munich.

LOCATION: Location Abbey Street (off Parliament Street), Kilkenny.
OPENING TIMES: Apr-Sept Mon-Sat 7:30am-7pm, Sun 9am-7pm; Oct-Mar Mon-Sat 7:30am-5:30pm. No visits during worship
PRICE: Prices Free admission; donations welcome
CONTACT: (056) 7721279

Rothe House And Garden

Rothe House and Garden is the only 17th century Irish merchant's townhouse and garden in existence in Ireland. It is owned by Kilkenny Archaeological Society, and has been open to the public as a museum of Kilkenny since 1966.

It is also the centre for Family History research for Kilkenny City and County.

The 17th century garden was reconstructed and opened to the public in 2008. It contains authentic planting of the period, including Blood of the Boyne apples, Gortahork Cabbage and Tipperary Turnip!


LOCATION: Parliament Street, Kilkenny.
OPENING TIMES: Nov-Mar - Monday - Saturday 10.30-16.30. April - Oct - Monday - Saturday 10.30 - 17.00. Sundays 14.00 - 18.00.
PRICE: €4.80 adults, Concessions €3.80, Family €14.50.
CONTACT: (056) 7722893
E: info@rothehouse.com
www.rothehouse.com

The County Hurling Museum

A 17th Century, two storey, thatched mansion now restored and incorporating the County Hurling Museum - Heroes of Hurling.

LOCATION: The Lory Meagher Heritage Centre, Tullaroan, Co. Kilkenny.
OPENING TIMES: Open March to October, Mon to Fri, 10am - 5.30am (Sat by appointment only); Sunday & Bank Holidays 2pm - 5pm. May to September, Sunday lunch provided 12.30pm - 2.30pm. Prior booking requested. November to February, Sundays only, 2pm - 5pm. Note: Not open on Saturdays. Groups at anytime by arrangement.
PRICE: Adults €4, Children 50c, Senior Citizens €2.
CONTACT: (056) 7769107 or 7769202.

Jerpoint Abbey

This 800 year old abbey has a wealth of medieval history attached to it. A guide service, a visitor centre and an exhibition brings that history to life.

LOCATION: Jerpoint Abbey, Kilkenny.
OPENING TIMES: To mid September, daily 9.30am - 6.30pm (5.30pm thereafter), November 10am to 4pm, rest of year open to pre-arranged groups only.
PRICE: Adults €2.75, Senior Citizens and Adult Group Rate €2, Children €1.25, Family €7.50.
CONTACT: (056) 7724623

Kilfane Glen and Waterfall

Kilfane Glen and Waterfall is a pristine example of a romantic era garden dating from the 1790s. Untouched for 200 years, it is a picturesque paradise with a waterfall tumbling its way to a rushing stream and woodland paths leading to a cottage orné. Tiny bridges sit among ancient trees, wild fox-gloves, ferns and other historically correct 18th century planting. Read more about the story of Kilfane.
While restoration of the cottage and glen was taking place, a different project emerged in the upper garden. Kilfane Trust was born to help introduce new art and artists to Ireland. Artists are invited to propose work and then accepted proposals are created in situ. The open areas and woods with inter-connecting paths provide excellent spaces to work in. Read more about the trust and art at Kilfane.
The garden is listed as an Irish Heritage garden and was awarded assistance in 1993 by the European Union Cultural Commission. As an amenity it covers about 15 acres of easily accessible natural landscape. Other nearby gardens of historic significance are Altamount, Haywood (Luyteens), Mount Juliet, Woodstock and Ballymaloe Kitchen Gardens.

Information
Open to the public daily from 11am to 6pm
from July 1st to August 31st.
Directions are available from Google maps.
Admission fee of €6 per person. Reductions for students, OAPs and families.
Location, group booking and catering facilities are also available.
Email us or phone +353.56.772.4558
for more information.

Woodstock Gardens

Woodstock Gardens and Arboretum,
Woodstock Estate,
Inistioge,
Kilkenny
Website: http://www.woodstock.ie
The beautiful Woodstock Gardens and Arboretum are located overlooking the River Nore Valley and the picturesque village of Inistioge. The gardens date to the 1740's with the main development taking place in the 1800's. A period of disrepair followed during the 1900's following the burning of Woodstock House, however in 1999, Kilkenny County Council undertook an ambitious programme of garden restoration which is now well advanced. Features include a walled garden, rose garden, rockery garden, a recreated Turner Conservatory, a collection of rare and exotic trees in the arboretum and much more including many tranquil woodland walks.

Group tours by request. Phone John on 087 8549785 or Claire on 087 8580502 or go to www.woodstock.ie
Admission fee is €4 per car which includes admission for all occupants to the gardens. Large groups and coaches, price on request.
Tea Rooms open summer months only - please phone to check opening hours.

The Restoration Project

The main aim of the Woodstock Gardens Restoration project is to maintain Woodstock as a heritage garden for public enjoyment.
Woodstock is a major heritage site whose status and importance merits conservation and restoration for future generations. The restoration is being carried out to a very high standard with due respect to the historical integrity of the site. The date bracket to which the restoration is being placed is the period c.1840 to 1900 and all planting and features correspond to this.
Restoration has now been underway for almost three years and Kilkenny County Council are actively seeking funding to continue the project into future phases of restoration.

Monkey Puzzle Walk There are 31 pairs of Araucaria (Monkey Puzzles) in the avenue

It is the largest, most mature avenue recorded in Europe
The avenue is 335m long and 2.5 m wide Dovecote The building has a diameter of 8.3metres. It houses seven tiers of nesting boxes, totalling 293 nesting boxes, providing accommodation for 598 pigeons. The young chicks or ‘squeekers’ were often eaten at six weeks of age when fresh meat was scarce in the winter months. The grotto once housed an ornamental dairy. These were fashionable in the 18th and early 19th Century, allowing members of the nobility and gentry to act out pastoral fantasies. Dairying had been fashionable with the ladies of the big house since the time of William and Mary when there was prestige in all things domestic. Queen Mary even had her own dairy at Hampton Court.

Tree Surgery During an intensive programme of tree surgery, up to 3 and 4 tonnes of deadwood and ivy was often removed from a single tree. This was because the trees had been neglected for so long.
A total of 390 trees received tree surgery. All were climbed by expert tree surgeons, with the exception of the Noble Fir walk where a hoist had to be brought in due to the height of the trees
Some Facts The gardens has over four miles of foot paths – all restored since 1999
In the terraced garden, over 2,500 Buxus sempervirens (Box) were planted by our own garden staff
The creation of the Winter Garden in 1860 involved the movement by hand of more than 200,000 cubic yards of soil. It was dug away from the area now known as the Rockery. Ladies Walking The main footpaths in Woodstock were originally designed to be the width of two ladies dresses so that two ladies could walk side by side comfortably.
The box hedges were maintained at six inches high so that the ladies dresses brushed over the top of the hedge.

Castlecomer Discovery Park

Castlecomer Demesne Co. Ltd
The Estate Yard,
Castlecomer
Co. Kilkenny
Phone: 056 4440707
Fax: 056 4440628
Web: http://www.discoverypark.ie
E-mail: info@discoverypark.ie

Castlecomer Discovery Park comprises 30 hectares of mixed woodland 20kms North of Kilkenny city on the main N78 road. Originally part of the Demesne of the 17th Century Castlecomer House owned by the Prior-Wandesforde family, the park includes 6km of woodland walking trails complete with picnic areas, two rainbow trout angling lakes and a children's playground.
Our visitor centre opening in June 2007 will house the exciting 'Footprints in Coal' exhibition along with a gift shop, toilets and Jarrow Café and the design craft yard is home to a number of crafts people and artists who sell direct from their workshops

The Watergarden

Thomastown
Co. Kilkenny
Tel: 056 7724690
Tranquil town garden owned and run by Jerpoint Camphill Community. Great Coffee and home baked goodies. Garden and Garden Centre.
Open Hours:- Monday to Friday (November to March) 9.30am to 5.00pm
Admissions to Gardens by donation Café Open Tuesdays to Fridays 10am - 5pm. Tea / Coffee and Cakes only on Sundays. 2-5pm April to October.
Closed Mondays and Saturdays

Kells Priory

With its encompassing fortification walls and towers, as well as complex monastic ruins enfolded into the sloping south bank of the King's River, Kells is a glorious ruin. In 1193 Baron Geoffrey FitzRobert founded the priory and established a Norman-style town beside it. The current ruins date from the 13th to 15th centuries. The priory's wall has been carefully restored, and it connects seven towers, the remains of an abbey, and foundations of chapels and houses. You can tell by the thick walls that this monastery was well fortified, and those walls were built for a reason -- it was frequently attacked. In the 13th century, it was the subject of two battles and burned to the ground. The priory is less than a half-mile from the village of Kells. If you have some time to spare, there's a footbridge behind it, which takes you across the river and intersects a riverside walk leading to a picturesque old mill.