Discover County Kilkenny

County Kilkenny offers a range of reasons to visit: a historic townhouse in Kilkenny, medieval monastic sites, a limestone cave and an orchard experience. When looking for a hotel in County Kilkenny, you can first consider which of these themes you want to focus on during your trip.

Town History and Medieval Sites

Rothe House in the city of Kilkenny was built in 1594 as a place of business and family home for John Rothe Fitzpiers. You can tour the house with expert guides or explore it on a self-guided visit during opening hours. The self-guided visit includes the house, courtyards and garden. This gives you two ways to experience the same place: a guided tour or a visit at your own pace.

Jerpoint Cistercian Abbey was founded in the 12th century and is one of the best examples of a medieval Cistercian abbey in Ireland. It is also known for detailed stone sculptures dating from the 13th to the 16th century. Its foundation and sculptures therefore point to different historical periods: the abbey combines a 12th-century foundation with artworks spanning several later centuries. There is a treasure hunt for children at the nearby visitor centre.

Near Kells, the surviving medieval fortifications of Kells Priory draw attention to another aspect of history. They inspired the local name “Seven Castles of Kells”. While Jerpoint is known for its Cistercian abbey and sculptures, the fortifications shape the local name in Kells.

Kilkenny Castle is in the heart of the city of Kilkenny. Its park has woodland trails and a children’s playground. So the visit includes specific amenities in the park as well as the castle, while the abbey and fortifications are the focus at Jerpoint and Kells, respectively.

Limestone Cave and Orchard Experience

Dunmore Cave is not far from the city of Kilkenny. Its limestone chambers formed over millions of years, and the cave has remarkable calcite formations. Unlike the historic buildings, this is about geological formations and a very long process of formation. If you are weighing up different themes for your trip, the cave offers a natural history focus.

In Cuffesgrange, Highbank Orchards offers orchard tours led by the owners and product tastings. There is also the self-guided Red Gate Tour, featuring twelve traditional red gates and gateposts. Here, you can choose between a guided tour with tastings and a self-guided tour along the gates described. Tour operations and booking details may change, so check the latest information before your visit.

These places differ not only in theme but also in the kind of experience they offer: Rothe House has guided and self-guided visits, Jerpoint combines monastic history with a treasure hunt for children, and Highbank Orchards offers tours and tastings. For a trip to County Kilkenny, these specific differences can help you plan your visits around history, geology or an orchard experience.

Discover more destinations: Inistioge, Thomastown, Kilkenny, Graiguenamanagh, Bennettsbridge, Mooncoin, Slieveroe, Gowran, Jenkinstown, Freshford, Castlecomer, Urlingford, The Rower, Piltown, Callan, Mullinvat, Ballyragget.

For the regional travel overview: Leinster.