Kilkenny

Grace's Courthouse

Housing Kilkenny's Court House, this former fortress built in 1210 Grace's Castle and then converted into a prison in the 1500s is full of history.

St John's Priory (CoI)

St John's Priory was built in 1817 and in the grounds is the ruins of a chapel dating back to 1290.

St John The Evangelist

This is the finest parish church in the city. This large ornate Gothic Revival church was completed in 1908 and is curious for it's flat roofed main entrance flanked by two bays.

Not only is this a great place to get information about Kilkenny, it is also a tourist attraction itself. It is in Shee Alms House, a Tudor building built in 1582. It was originally used by the church. before lawyer Richard Shee bought it as a home for the poor. Originally it cared for 12 homeless people, and continued in this purpose for 150 years.

St Canice's Church (RC)

This church has a lovely facade and was built by 1827.

Kilkenny City, Ireland's most beautiful Historic City, is a perfect hub for arts and culture in Ireland. It is the historic gem in Ireland and the historic sites are concentrated in a small area in the City Centre:

Kilkenny 'Slips'

These winding streets that ramble through the city are a true view of Medieval Kilkenny.

Kilkenny Design Centre

This fabulous stone structure, spanning 19 windows in width and semi circle in form was finished in 1800. The castle was the main house for the Butler family. This was the stables and through here you reached their town house, the aforementioned Butler House.

St Mary's Hall

St Mary's Hall formerly St Mary's Church was built in 1250 and was recently bought by the state for 3/4 million euro.

walking tour route

Start at Kilkenny Castle. Place yourself at the middle entrance of three of the Parade. You will be directly facing the Kilkenny Design Centre. Having visited the Castle cross the road and walk under the archway of the KDC. Walk under another archway and you will enter the gardens of Butler House. Well worth seeing. Return to the Parade, have a look at the tourist boards on your right and continue down the hill. Note the fine building on your left just at the lights which now houses the Left Bank Pub. It used to be the Bank of Ireland. Continue straight ahead and enter High Street. This is the main shopping street. About 3 minutes along turn right after Goods and you will reach St Mary's Hall. It was recently purchased by the Irish State and will be carefully restored. Return to High Street taking a right. Straight ahead is the town hall. Note the city crest over one of the arches you will walk under. Shortly after the town hall on your right is the butterslip. It is narrow lane connecting High Street with the parallel Kieran Street. In previous centuries butter used to be traded here. Continue along High Street until you come to the last slipway on your right. Turn down that lane and you will reach Kieran Street. In front of you will be Kyteler's Inn. It was the home of the witch Dame Alice Kyteler. A functioning public house. it is well worth a look inside. Exiting Kyteler's take a right and shortly ahead the street becomes wide. You are now on Parliament Street. The stately courthouse is on your right with it's balcony and cells underneath. On your left is the best example of a merchants house left in Ireland. It is called Rothe House. It comprises three houses in the one complex. The restores gardens are accessed via the lane running alongside. Continuing along Parliament Street we reach St Francis Brewery where Smithwicks is produced. As the street slopes down we pass the Watergate theatre on your right. It is Kilkenny's stab at Art Deco. Further on you will see the ruins of St Francis Abbey on your right in the grounds of the brewery. Crossing the Bregagh river brings you into Irishtown. Irishtown was historically the poor end of town. However if you look up you will see the magnificent St Canice's Cathedral CoIwith its round tower. It is accessed by climbing the steps just after the pedestrian crossing. Their is a great view of the city from the tower. Their is a roadway which runs parallel to the steps. If you come back down that path you will reach Dean Street. Take a right. Up ahead is the nice RC chuch of St Canice. Take a left before it and cross backover the Bregagh. Shortly on your left handside you will see Black Freren Gate, the only remaining gate of the city walls. On your right is the 12th century Black Abbey. The stain glass window in particular is magnificent. Leave the Abbey and take a right and then left onto Blackmill Street. Climb up the hill to reach St Mary's Cathedral RC. It was built in the 1840's and is modelled on Gloucester Cathedral. Facing a pub beside the green turn left to reach the entrance to the Cathedral. Returning to the entrance take a left and then a right down a lane which runs parallel to a school. You will shortly reach Wellington Square. Note the shared Georgian doorway. There are also examples in Parliament Street albeit of a different variety. Return to the Cathedral entrance and eventually to the pub. Take a left bringing you onto Parnell Street. At the top take a right and an immediate left onto New Street. At the top is St Patrick's Church. Take a right at the church and you will come by the entrance to St Kieran's College. Enter the grounds to enjoy the fabulous building. It used to be both a seminary and a boarding school. Return to St Parick's Church and continue straight ahead descending as you go. Note the lovely limestone technical college on your left. At the t junction take a left again onto Patrick Street. Keep walking downhill noting the fine facade of the Hibernian Hotel. At the traffic lights continue straight ahead onto Rose Inn Street. You will reach Shee Alms House on your left handside. It has the tourist office symbol hanging outside. It is well worth a look inside. Return to the street and continue downhill over John's Bridge and take an immediate left. Walk along the quay and you will reach the main city Library house in a quaint stone structure from the turn of the last century. Return back up the quay and halfway over the bridge stop and admire the best view of Kilkenny Castle. At the end of the bridge take a left into Canal Square. Note the lovely gate lodge on the left. Walk along the canal walk and look back over the river past the hotel. You will see the old Kilkenny College. A fine Georgian structure it now houses the offices of Kilkenny County Council. On your right their is a gate to enter the Castle Park. Getting yourself to the upper level turn right and with the side of the Castle on your left continuing walking. You will see the lovely Rose Garden coming into view. Turn to your right, go to the railing and look out on John's Bridge with a view of St Canice's Cathedral in the distance. If you turn around, and walk straight across you can re-enter the Parade beside where the walk started.