A Day In and Around Kilkenny, Ireland
Kilkenny, Ireland is a city known for its medieval history and its fine assortment of pubs. It delivers on both counts spectacularly! It also boasts some of Ireland’s best Christian ruins just a short drive away from the city center.
Situated 90 minutes away from Dublin, Kilkenny is perfect as a first or last stop if doing a road trip around the Emerald Isle. Whether it’s a walk along its winding lanes, learning about its medieval history or enjoying a pint at any number of Irish pubs, you’re sure to have a great time in Kilkenny!
Here is how we spent our day in Kilkenny, Ireland.
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Attractions Outside Kilkenny, Ireland
Kilkenny has three main things to see outside of its boundaries, two of which we visited during our visit. These sights are the Rock of Cashel, Jerpoint Abbey and Kell’s Priory. All three are especially convenient for drivers who are either coming from Ireland’s west coast or else leaving Kilkenny to head west.
Rock of Cashel
| Hours | Mid-March – mid-October 9:00 – 5:30 Mid-October – mid-March 9:00 – 4:30 Last admission 45 minutes prior to closing |
| Length of Visit | 60 – 90 minutes |
| Cost | €8 |
| Highlights | Countryside views, St Patrick’s Cross, the cathedral |
The Rock of Cashel has seen its fair share of history. Originally used for fortifications by the kings of Munster due to its strategic location, The Rock of Cashel gained religious importance in the 5th century when St Patrick converted King Aenghus to Christianity here. Then, in 1101, the king donated the site to the Church which is what led to the Rock of Cashel becoming the religious center it is today.
When we visited in 2022, only the cathedral and grounds were accessible due to Covid restrictions. This meant we weren’t able to walk in Cormac’s Chapel to see the museum and the original Cross of St Patrick.
That didn’t stop it from being a visit of literal epic proportions! Seeing the imposing cathedral and its round tower atop the hill is very impressive. It’s almost worth driving out this way just for this view alone.
However, it was equally dramatic walking through the cathedral’s enormous interiors. The roof of the cathedral is long gone creating a poignant experience as you trace the weed- and moss-lined Gothic walls up to the sky above. The skies were gray when we visited creating the perfect atmosphere to visit this ancient structure.
After the cathedral, we wandered around the old graveyard where there are several Celtic crosses, a replica of St Patrick’s Cross and spectacular views overlooking County Tipperary.
The Rock of Cashel is about 45 minutes west of Kilkenny. Booking tickets ahead of time is encouraged.
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Jerpoint Abbey
| Hours | Daily 9:00 – 4:00 (last admission at 3:15) |
| Length of Visit | 30 – 45 minutes |
| Cost | €5 |
| Highlights | Stone relief carvings, evocative setting |
For all of the Rock of Cashel’s grandeur, Jerpoint Abbey is the complete opposite. Yet, despite that, it’s possibly the better experience.
This ruined abbey from the 12th century contains some of the most incredible stone carvings you’ll see anywhere in Ireland. There are carvings of saints, mythological creatures, knights and exotic animals that can be found throughout the cloisters and on some of the tombs contained within the ruins. The detail on some of these carvings is astonishing when you consider they are hundreds of years old. Besides that, it was simply a lot of fun trying to identify what everything was.
These were some of my favorite ruins of the many we saw in Ireland. The detail of the immaculately preserved carvings made it feel like I was walking through the abbey as if it were newly built. What made that experience even more inspiring was then standing on the second floor overlooking the evocative cloisters and open courtyard and realizing just how old Jerpoint Abbey is.
Jerpoint Abbey is about 20 minutes south of Kilkenny and an hour east of the Rock of Cashel. There’s an informative pamphlet provided during your visit to help explain what you are looking at. This is especially helpful with some of the carvings.
Arriving in Kilkenny, Ireland and St Canice’s Cathedral
| Hours | Monday – Saturday 9:00 – 6:00 (last admission at 5:30) Opens on Sundays at 1:00 for tourists |
| Length of Visit | 30 minutes |
| Cost | €7 for the cathedral and tower climb |
| Highlights | stained-glass windows, the round tower |
We arrived in Kilkenny around noon, leaving plenty of time to explore the city. After finding a place to park, we started our sightseeing by walking along the Medieval Mile, Kilkenny’s main street, towards St Canice’s Cathedral. This, and the round tower climb at the cathedral described shortly, is a great way to get a quick overview of the city to start your visit.
Eventually, we made it to St Canice’s Cathedral. This 13th century Gothic church lacks any memorable highlights, but it is worth a quick visit to see the old architecture and some pretty stained-glass windows. Outside in the grounds are some statues and tombstones that when set against the 13th century church create a delightfully haunting scene.
St Canice’s Round Tower
The main reason for visiting St Canice’s Cathedral is to climb the 9th century round tower on its grounds. If you’ve been in Ireland for any length of time, you’ve likely seen at least one round tower. However, only the tower at St Canice’s and another in Kildare can actually be climbed by visitors.
This is one of the highlights not just of St Canice’s Cathedral but of all of Kilkenny. The climb itself is a lot of fun. It’s not difficult, but if you have a fear of heights or tight spaces, you may want to think twice before purchasing a ticket.
As you climb the 100 feet to the top of the tower, the diameter of the walls decreases from 15 feet to a measly 11 feet. There are 121 steps that get progressively steeper as you make your way towards the top. The last few flights of stairs are basically ladders. Around halfway, Michelle decided to turn back due to the tight quarters.
Your reward for making it to the top? Spectacular 360-degree views of Kilkenny and the surrounding countryside! Just try not to think about how old the tower your standing on is as the wind blows in your ears.
My only complaint about the round tower climb is the cheesy audio track that play towards the top. Its some Disneyfied narrative designed to encourage you to keep climbing. It was kind of amusing in the way dad jokes are but definitely not needed.
Tickets can be purchased ahead of time and are good for the entire day. Also, for a slightly reduced price you can purchase a ticket for only the round tower if you want to skip the cathedral to save 15 minutes or so for something else.
Kilkenny Castle
| Hours | October – March 9:30 – 5:00 April – September 9:15 – 5:30 Last admission 30 minutes before closing |
| Length of Visit | Around an hour |
| Cost | €8 |
| Highlights | Picture Gallery, garden views, tapestries, the Library |
Our next stop was Kilkenny Castle on the other end of the Medieval Mile. This foreboding castle was built in 1192 shortly after the Norman conquest of Ireland. In 1391, the Butler family purchased Kilkenny Castle, and it remained in their hands until 1967 when it was sold to the Kilkenny Castle Restoration Committee to be properly preserved.
Kilkenny Castle is an interesting combination of different eras. The castle itself couldn’t have been much more medieval with its corner turrets and squared-off shape. However, the interiors had a more 19th century style with bright colors and fancy furnishings that created a much more welcoming atmosphere than what its facade hinted at.
Michelle loved it. I enjoyed our time there, but it just wasn’t quite my style as far as castles go. There were parts I enjoyed, such as the Picture Gallery with all its grandeur and the marvelously intricate tapestries, but it left me wanting a bit more.
In addition to the castle itself, there is also a park that covers 52 acres of land. Entry to the park is free making it a good option if you are in need of some rest after your visit to the castle.
You should reserve tickets for Kilkenny Castle in advance as this is one of the city’s more popular tourist sights.
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Medieval Mile Museum
| Hours | Daily 9:30 – 4:30 |
| Length of Visit | 45 – 60 minutes |
| Cost | €8 |
| Highlights | Celtic crosses, unearthed skeletons and their stories, excellent audio guide |
The Medieval Mile Museum was one of my favorite museums in Ireland. It ticks off all the important museum boxes. It’s well-contained with a fairly obvious order to see things. The descriptions are informative but not rambling. Most importantly, all the exhibits on display were generally interesting. To top it all off, included in your ticket is one of the best audio guides I’ve come across in any museum.
The objects on display tell the story of Kilkenny’s medieval history. Among many other displays, there are exhibits telling the lives of three people who lived and died in Kilkenny, replicas of high crosses that adorned religious sites in the area, and books containing the city’s records back to 1200.
Of all the things on this list, the Medieval Mile Museum and St Canice’s round tower are the two you absolutely must do. The tower shows you the city as it is now, and the museum tells the story of how it got to where it is. It’s a perfect way to bookend your tour of Kilkenny.
You can book tickets ahead of time to guarantee a time for your visit. Because we visited during Covid, we had no problem buying tickets. Still, this museum is so excellent it might be worth purchasing tickets ahead of time to be safe.
Pub Crawl Through Kilkenny, Ireland
One thing Kilkenny is known for is its pub scene. A quick walk through town and it’s easy to see why: Kilkenny is filled with pubs at every turn. There are more pubs than you could possibly enjoy in a single trip.
There are fancy pubs, dingy pubs, old pubs, new pubs, yellow pubs and red pubs. You can easily find a pub to suit whatever mood you’re in and whatever scene you’re looking for.
If you’ve been reading along with my travels, you know I have a penchant for adult beverages. Yet, in Kilkenny we only visited a small sampling of the pubs available to us. At this point in our trip, we were both a little exhausted leading us to call it an early night.
Nevertheless, Daniel W. Bollard’s pub is one pub we partook in that I recommend. Its dark wooden interior is furnished with creaky chairs with dark red cushions. The bar is stocked with an assortment of Irish whiskies, and the walls are lined with seemingly random pictures and posters. In other words, it is the ideal Irish pub!
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Other Attractions to See in Kilkenny, Ireland
With a little more time in Kilkenny, Ireland, there are a few other things I would have liked to visit. Fortunately, Kilkenny is well-contained. If you’re extra efficient with your time and not experiencing travel fatigue like we were, you could easily add one or two of these stops into your day.
Kell’s Priory
Kell’s Priory is a walled-off religious site with castle and church ruins contained within its three acres. It’s only nine miles south of Kilkenny making it easy to visit.
This was high on my list of things to see, but because of Covid restrictions, it was unclear if you could enter the grounds or not. Between that and the fact that we were already visiting Jerpoint Abbey, it didn’t seem worth going out of our way to possibly be turned away by closed gates. I’d love to hear about your experience if you visit!
The Black Abbey
The Black Abbey is located on the northern end of the Medieval Mile near St Canice’s Cathedral. It could be worth a quick peek inside at what sounds like some fantastic stained-glass windows if you have some spare time. Otherwise, it does not seem to have much of interest for a passing tourist.
The Smithwick’s Experience
The Smithwick’s Experience tells the history of Smithwick’s ale where it was first brewed in Kilkenny. Its format is similar to the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin in that it’s a museum rather than an operational brewery. At the time of our visit, this museum was closed due to Covid and was allegedly closed permanently. However, the museum recently reopened to visitors in 2022, and it sounds like it could be a fun stop for us Smithwick’s lovers.
Rothe House and Garden
The Rothe House and Garden is another medieval era attraction along the Medieval Mile. This house was constructed by the Rothe family between 1594 and 1610. Now, tourists are welcome to visit the house to admire its medieval architecture and decor. There is also a small museum showcasing artifacts found from the surrounding countryside that have been stored at the Rothe House for preservation.
The Kilkenny Way Ultimate Hurling Experience
The Kilkenny Way sounds like a lot of fun, especially if you are into sports. It’s a 2-hour tour that first takes you to the Legends Hurling Museum where you learn about the history of this Celtic sport. You are then taken to the stadium where the Kilkenny Cats play to tour the stadium and try out some of your skills with a hurling bat.
The only downside to this tour is its length at two hours. If you are only in the area for a day, that’s a lot of time to commit to any tour, let alone one for a sport you may not have much familiarity with.
I would love to do this tour if I’m ever back in Kilkenny!
The Next Morning in Kilkenny, Ireland
Like I tend to do when on a trip (or really, since turning 30), I woke early the next day and decided to go out for a short run despite the rainy weather.
I ran down and back the Medieval Mile which turned out to be much shorter than I realized the day before, so I turned off this main road to go a little farther into the city. This road took me by St Mary’s Cathedral, a stern-looking church with Gothic exteriors, and an Irish pub that looked like it had much more of a local flair than the pubs along the Medieval Mile. These both could be interesting stops if you have a second day in Kilkenny.
My next destination was the riverside path that led away from Kilkenny Castle. The name of this trail is the Nore Valley Walk. It takes you along the River Nore through forested stretches with the occasional old stonework bridge. I only went about a mile along this trail, but what I saw was absolutely delightful.
It lacks any must-see highlights which is how a trail like this should be. It’s simply just relaxing and peaceful, giving off a vibe of old-world Ireland. I finished my run back at the hotel wishing I had spent much more time along this trail.
Make sure to set aside some time during your stay in Kilkenny, Ireland to walk along the River Nore and experience this serene trail!
For more on why I make I always make it a point to go for a run while traveling, read my article on Running When You Travel.
Eating in Kilkenny, Ireland
We only had two meals in Kilkenny because of our short time there, and, unfortunately, the first place we ate at was marred by me having a bit of an upset stomach.
FoodWorks
Our very first stop in Kilkenny was FoodWorks for lunch. We chose Foodworks simply because it looked nice and was open while we were walking towards St Canice’s Cathedral.
The interior was small and modernly dressed up. It was a change of pace from many of the more traditionally decorated pubs or outdoor spaces we had mostly been eating at throughout Ireland.
Similarly, the menu had more modern takes on traditional dishes. I was hoping for traditional, greasy fish and chips. What I got instead were somewhat less greasy fish, mushy peas, and middling chips. The fish and peas tasted good, but the chips left something to be desired. It was probably a blessing in disguise that this was a healthier version of fish and chips than what I had been eating. I don’t think my stomach could have taken much more grease at that moment.
I recommend trying FoodWorks out if you are looking for a change of pace from the Irish pub atmosphere and dishes.
Kyteler’s Inn
For dinner, we chose Kyteler’s Inn. In stark contrast to FoodWorks, we went here for dinner because it was a traditional Irish pub. You can’t get much more traditional than a pub established in 1263.
Kyteler’s Inn has four sections: the tavern bar, the main bar, the courtyard bar and the top bar. The tavern bar and main bar are the more historic sections with traditional furnishings and decorations. The courtyard bar is basically a sports bar, and the top bar is a rooftop bar where they hold events and live music.
It’s worth noting that Kyteler’s Inn is a popular spot in Kilkenny. We learned this the hard way. We didn’t make reservations, so by the time we arrived, there was a bit of a wait. Further, we got stuck in the courtyard bar. It’s not bad if you want a sports bar. I did not want a sports bar. Adding insult to injury, to get to the courtyard, we had to walk by the main bar. It was a little sad passing all the old decor for the bright lights and widescreen TVs in the courtyard bar.
For dinner, I was craving pizza. We had spent a week in Ireland so far which exceeded my maximum time without pizza. I was excited to see what pizza in Ireland was like. It was flatbread. It was good for flatbread, but it wasn’t pizza.
(A side note on pizza in Ireland and the UK. I’ve tried it at a few different places, and it all tastes like flatbread. Why? Decent pizza isn’t that hard to make! Please, someone explain this phenomenon to me.)
Kyteler’s Inn can be found on St Kieran’s Street. Make sure to call ahead to make reservations to guarantee a table in one of the traditional taverns.
Where to Stay in Kilkenny, Ireland
We booked a room at Butler Court four our 1-night stay. Butler Court was perfect for what we needed in that it was close to everything without being too expensive.
Despite being close to the action of the Medieval Mile, the rooms are set off from the road creating a quaint atmosphere. More importantly, this setup prevents noise from the nearby pubs from interrupting your sleep.
As an added convenience, Butler Court provides a small continental breakfast in each room consisting of yogurt, lemon curd, cereal and soda bread. There is also tea and coffee available within the room.
The only downside to Butler Court is there is no parking on the premises. However, if you park on the No Parking sign painted on the road when you first arrive, they will tell you where to park and validate your ticket.
Frequently Asked Questions About Kilkenny, Ireland
How do I get to Kilkenny?
The two closest urban and tourist centers that most people will likely be visiting from are Cork and Dublin. From Dublin, it is a 90-minute drive southwest along M9. From Cork, the drive is about two hours northwest along M8.
Is Kilkenny expensive?
As a whole, Ireland is shockingly expensive. Kilkenny is basically the same. It was a little cheaper than some of the other places we visited in Ireland but not by much.
Should I spend another day in Kilkenny?
It depends on the rest of your itinerary and how much time you have. We easily saw everything I most wanted to see in the day we had. Once I saw how cute and fun Kilkenny was, I wished we had another day there. I would have liked to check out more pubs and to do the hurling tour. Now, with the Smithwick’s Experience open again, that makes your day a little busier.
Personally, I would have liked at least an additional half day in Kilkenny, Ireland. Unfortunately, our schedule didn’t allow for this. If you have a day in your itinerary with nothing to do, give yourself two days in Kilkenny. Otherwise, you should be okay with just the one day.
More Posts to Plan Your Trip to Ireland
And don’t miss my 13-day Ireland itinerary tying all these fantastic places together!
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