Kilkenny

Kilkenny Castle, St. Canice’s Cathedral, and a Visit to Kilfane Glen & Waterfall

Kilkenny, Ireland is a medieval town in Ireland with amazingly preserved history. My husband and I visited briefly in the month of July during an eight-day road trip through the southern region of the country. It was our first stop after leaving Dublin, just a short hour and fifteen minutes away.

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To read an overview of our full eight-day itinerary through Ireland, click here.

The major sites in Kilkenny include Kilkenny Castle, the Medieval Mile, and St. Canice’s Cathedral. The buildings are astoundingly old with the castle dating back to the 12th century. The ancient history draws its share of tourists, while the town caters beautifully to visitors and residents alike with its colorful streets, restaurants, and festivals.

Above photo: Kilkenny

We arrived in the morning and found parking nearby the castle along the River Nore. Our admission fee was included in our OPW Heritage Membership Cards. However, advance reservations are still recommended.

Above photo: Kilkenny Castle

The castle, which some refer to as the Butler Family’s Country House, is a sprawling estate with formal gardens and parklands. Our tour of the Victorian interiors and formal gardens took a couple hours. The history is fascinating and the picture gallery is absolutely amazing! So many of the castles in Ireland are in ruins, but Kilkenny has been restored and offers a glimpse into the everyday lives of its former occupants.

Above photos: Kilkenny Castle

Without re-parking our car, we were able to walk the Medieval Mile, which connects the castle to St. Canice’s Cathedral. The street is lined with colorful shops, historic landmarks, restaurants and pubs.

Above photos: The Medieval Mile

The Medieval Mile ends at St. Canice’s Cathedral, a 13th century church and 9th century tower that was part of a monastic settlement. The cathedral is the heart of Kilkenny and gave the town its name.

Above photos: St. Canice’s Cathedral

We climbed the round tower (great workout!) and were rewarded with the views of the town and countryside.

I especially enjoyed the beautiful cemetery, with the weathered headstones and ornate carvings that have been subdued by centuries of weather. Its amazing how these stones have withstood the test of time.

Above photo: View of St. Mary’s Medieval Mile Museum

Above photos: St. Canice’s Cathedral Cemetery

If you have more time, additional attractions in Kilkenny include Smithwick’s Experience, St. Mary’s Church Medieval Mile Museum, and Rothe House & Garden.

We ducked down St. Kiernan’s Street, a charming little lane that runs parallel to the Medieval Mile, to look for a place to sit down for lunch. There are many cozy pubs and restaurants, but we decided on The Playwright because we were all about the traditional Irish food:)

Above photos: The Playwright Restaurant

Kilkenny is a place where you could easily fill a day or longer to enjoy the arts & crafts, shopping, golf courses and spas in the area. We left still wanting to see more.

Just outside of Kilkenny, about 20 minutes south, we headed next to Kilfane Glen & Waterfall. This Victorian garden is only open two months out of the year during July and August. We found ourselves completely alone on the wooded paths in this romantic, pristine paradise.

The garden dates from the 1790s and remained untouched for over 200 years. Within the landscape, there is a 30-foot waterfall, stone bridge, rustic grotto and thatched summerhouse. This is a complete hidden gem that is not on the typical “tourist routes.” Bring a picnic to enjoy amongst the foxgloves and pretend you are in a fairy tale.

Above photos: Kilfane Glen & Waterfall

As we started our drive further south, we stopped off at Kilfane Church, an intricate 13th century stone church in ruins. Inside the church there is an effigy of a knight from the early 1300s.

Above photos: Kilfane Church

From Kilfane, we continued our drive south to Waterford where we were scheduled for our tour of the Waterford Crystal factory – and pressed for time. It is too easy to get distracted by historical signposts!

A complete post of our day in Waterford can be found here.