Things to do and to see in County Kilkenny
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| County Kilkenny |
Kilkenny people are known as “the cats” and you might be forgiven for thinking that instead of a simple "hello" that a “miaow” would be a more appropriate greeting. The reason for the feline links comes from an old story, in which two Kilkenny cats fight to the death. This is the story: “ There once were two cats of Kilkenny On top of trying their local red beer, there’s a lot of activities and plenty of things to see in County Kilkenny. Here are a few suggestions: |
| 1. Visit the "city" of Kilkenny... [   ]
I don't know if the writers of South Park got their inspiration from Kilkenny when composing the famous sentence "OMG, you killed Kenny!". To the best of my knowledge no-one famous named Kenny was killed in the town. The origin of its name come from the Irish “Cill Chainnigh” meaning “Church of Canice”. With the River Nore running through the town, its medieval streets and its atmosphere, you will quickly get to know the "city" of Kilkenny. |
| 2. See Kilkenny Castle... [   ] Kilkenny has got a splendid castle located within a huge park, in the town centre. This 12th century castle was remodelled in the 19th century was the principal seat of the Butler family (also the owner of Cahir Castle, County Tipperary). While visiting the castle you will see the library, the drawing room, bedrooms, as well as a beautiful Long Gallery. |
| 3. Walk by the river... [ ] Once you have visited the castle, you can enjoy a nice stroll in the forest paths running beside the River Nore. |
| 4. Enter Dunmore Cave... [ ] Dunmore Cave turns out to be quite an educational and entertaining site to visit if the bad weather invites itself to your journey (this was my case!). With the help of an experienced guide, you will see a series of chambers formed over millions of years, with its stalactites and its stalagmites. Archaeological finds within the cave confirm Viking activity in the 10th century. |
| 5. Take a break at Bennettsbridge... [ ] 10 km from Kilkenny, you can find charming little village, called Bennettsbridge, by the River Nore. The bridge that you can see on the picture is dated from the 18th century. In Bennettsbridge, you will find potteries, as well as many friendly ducks and swans. |
6. Visit Jerpoint Abbey... [ ] If you're interested in ruins of church buildings, you won’t be disappointed in visiting Jerpoint Abbey. The Abbey was founded in the second half of the 12th century. The main interest of the Abbey is the sculptured cloister arcade with unique carvings (pictured). |
 Photo 6. Cloister of Jerpoint. |
| 7. Admire Jerpoint Abbey's sculptures... [ ] In the transept chapels the visitor can see 13th to 16th century tomb sculpture. When you think that this abbey was exposed to vagaries of the weather for centuries, it is incredible to find its sculptures in such good conditions! |
County Kilkenny in pictures |
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 Photo 2. Kilkenny Castle. |
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 Photo 3. River Nore in Kilkenny. |
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 Photo 4. Dunmore Cave. |
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 Photo 5. Bennettsbridge seen from the pottery factory. |
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 Photo 7. Sculpture in the chapel of Jerpoint. |
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Legend:
Nice; Worth a visit; Well worth visiting
Please note that this grading system is only based on my interests and personal experience as a French expat in Ireland. Feel free to visit the same locations and share your experience 
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Free or Not Applicable Entrance fee ≤€5 ; €5<Entrance fee≤€10 ; €10<Entrance fee≤€15 and so on...
These price ranges are indicative only to help you plan your holiday budget and are subject to change. Discounts generally apply for families, groups, children, students and seniors citizens.
While the admission to this site is free, a parking fee may apply.
Heritage Site managed by the Office of Public Works. Most OPW sites are free of charge on the first Wednesday of every month during 2011. A Good tip: the Heritage Card entitles you unlimited admission for one year to all OPW sites (around €21).