Discover Castlecomer

Castlecomer brings together several themes: hands-on craft workshops, an exhibition about coal mining and trails in Castlecomer Discovery Park. This selection offers different ways to plan your day: you can include creative workshops, plan a walk or explore a topic from the exhibition. If you’re looking for hotels in Castlecomer, distinguishing between these options can help you choose where to stay based on the activities that matter to you.

Walking trails in Castlecomer Discovery Park

Castlecomer Discovery Park is an 80-acre discovery park in Castlecomer Demesne. Its grounds include mixed woodland along the River Deen. The park has several walking trails, and you can get a free walking map at reception. It’s a practical starting point for getting an overview and choosing a route for your stay.

Lady’s Loop is an easy 1.5-kilometre walk, taking 20 to 30 minutes. These details make it easy to plan the route. Captain’s Loop is named after Captain R.H. Prior Wandesforde, a former owner of the estate. Alongside a walk with a clearly stated distance and duration, the route also brings a story about its name and its connection to the estate into focus.

Crafts and coal mining

Castlecomer Craft Yard offers hands-on craft workshops and creative experiences led by local artists and craftspeople. The workshops offer an active introduction to different crafts. The individual workshops available may change, so check what’s on offer for your travel dates.

Castlecomer Visitor Centre houses an exhibition about coal mining. This adds another thematic focus to the craft activities and walking trails. If you’re interested in coal mining, you can take this topic into account when planning your stay without conflating it with the activities at Discovery Park.

Distinct cultural attractions in County Kilkenny

County Kilkenny, the wider destination, offers other cultural topics to explore. Rothe House was built in 1594 as a place of business and family home for John Rothe Fitzpiers. Expert-led guided tours are available there; during opening hours, you can also take a self-guided tour of the house, courtyards and garden. This means you can choose between a guided tour and a self-guided visit.

Jerpoint Cistercian Abbey was founded in the 12th century and is one of the finest examples of a medieval Cistercian abbey in Ireland. It is also known for detailed stone carvings dating from the 13th to the 16th century. At Kells Priory, the surviving medieval fortifications inspired the local name “Seven Castles of Kells”. These examples broaden the picture of County Kilkenny with a range of aspects: architectural history, sculpture and the origin of a local name.

Discover more destinations: Bennettsbridge, Slieveroe, Graiguenamanagh, Freshford, Jenkinstown, Piltown, The Rower, Urlingford.

For the wider travel overview: County Kilkenny.