Sooo, when should I move in? A wonderful day in Kilkenny.

Today was a wonderful day in Kilkenny. As per usual we probably did way too much in a day, however the town was just too gorgeous and the weather too fine to not make the most of it.

Staying in Thomastown we left our Airbnb around 11am, and drove the 20 minutes to the town of Kilkenny, one of the oldest in Ireland. Once we found parking at Kilkenny-Market Cross carpark, which I would recommend as it was quite empty despite the bustle in town, we made a bee-line to the Kilkenny Tourist Information Centre on High St. Although I had some preliminary searching yesterday for some things to do in town, I would always recommend starting the day of touring with visiting the locals of the area. Aisling at the centre was so helpful. She gave us maps not only for Kilkenny but also for the surrounding areas for our next days of adventure. She then went through all the key places and gave some of her personal favourite spots as recommendations (we took her up on pretty much all of them, and they were faultless). We had a wonderful day exploring the town, so let’s get into it!

Our first port of call was Kilkenny Castle, which we probably didn’t need an official recommendation for. It seemed you would have to be either blind, deaf, or possibly both, to have missed the attraction. The rose gardens at the front of the Castle were beautiful, especially in the summer, the colours were gorgeous. The rose gardens at the front and the gardens behind the Castle are both free to enter, so if you’re not too set on going inside the Castle itself, and grounds are beautiful in their own right, and you can still get perfect views of it. We decided to go in and have a look around, which turned out to be a wonderful idea. Although backpacks weren’t allowed, there were lockers provided. Small bags are permitted I believe, as long as they can be worn on the front. We spent the better part of the hour exploring the castle, and although we loved how the interior was laid out, we were a little disappointed to learn only a portion of the castle was available to the public, so you can’t quite explore everything. Nevertheless, the art, artefacts, furniture, tapestries and rooms were well explained through plaques and boards, and we often found ourselves listening into a guided tour which was on at the same time, which did provide valuable further information. If you have a keen interest for the Castle, the guided tour would be worth your time.

After the castle we ordered some lunch from the café and ate on the grounds. The weather was still clear, so it was a lovely setting, however it is worth noting that there is pretty much no shelter in the area, so be prepared for wet weather on most occasions.

From here we continued onto Rothe House, which though I was initially indifferent to, turned out to thoroughly enjoy. The House itself was a great insight into one of the wealthiest families in Kilkenny’s history, and the dynamics between them, Vikings, and British rule. It was fascinating to learn about this in this setting specifically, you could really visualise everything that was going on at the time. The House was set out not quite as it had been then, but displayed period clothing, a history of archaeological finds on the site, and original pieces as they had been preserved. My favourite part of the whole House would definitely be the outside courtyard and adjoining rooftop gardens, which have been replanted with species indicative of both the time and taste of the Rothe family themselves. It was so magical, honestly just go to the House to see the gardens if you’re unsure. Seeing everything in bloom made it even more special, and they seemed to go on, and on. It seemed we were in the most remote part of an estate, not the centre of Kilkenny.

From Rothe House we walked through town to its other end to visit St Canice’s Cathedral, and the Round Tower. Although not the biggest religion enthusiasts, Dad and I enjoyed reading about the relevant histories and stories behind the church. I liked that the Cathedral was set up as a museum in it’s own right in addition to a working church, it gave it more interest than only being a church. We spent a good half an hour inside the cathedral itself, before venturing outside to climb the Round Tower, the only part of the cathedral which remains completely original from the 1200s. As the highest possible point we could explore, we simply had to! I believe it was 121 steps, which honestly weren’t as challenging as I thought they’d be. “Stairs” would be too generous of a word; however, it was functionally a ladder. I would warn those scared of heights or unstable, this climb would not be for you. I was expecting a sort of steep, spiral staircase, instead it was several portions of ladder, directly above one another, with small landings to rest. Luckily the climb was quiet, if there were too many people going up at once it would be quite a situation to get up and down. The views were spectacular, we didn’t realise how big of a town Kilkenny actually is. You could easily spend a couple of days exploring the outer areas of the town, unfortunately we only had today. Though the climb was unnerving, the views are definitely worth it. You can see up the side and roof of the cathedral, the cemetery below and the rest of the town. Absolutely stunning!

Climbing back down we continued through the town searching for a quiet pub to relax for a bit. We found one in The Pumphouse, where we watched the final of the hurling. The staff there were kind enough to explain the rules to us dumb Australians, and introduced me to red lemonade (would highly recommend). We spent the next hour there, and I can say with some certainty I’m officially a hurling fan, it’s an incredible sport to watch.

From there we walked back through past the Visitor Information to a restaurant highly recommended by Aisling, and which came with incredible reviews. It was called the Butcher, a steakhouse serving majority Irish produce, steak and service! My expectations were high, and they were easily exceeded. We both ordered a steak with some sides, and a tiramisu for dessert. It’s no stretch to declare the meal the best on the trip so far- not just in Ireland but in the UK too. It was absolutely divine, and the staff were just wonderful. Definitely a bit on the pricy end, but you’re not going to find better food elsewhere, and we value supporting local producers, so it was well worth the premium.

Leaving the Butcher we returned to our car and drove the 20 minutes back to Thomastown, with our bellies and minds full from the exploring of the day. We absolutely adored our day in Kilkenny, such a rich history and kind people. We only wish we could have a couple more!

Nevertheless, tomorrow we depart, and arrive in Cork in the late afternoon. We plan on making some stops and going on some side quests to break up the drive, so make sure to stay updated, there’ll be a rundown of tomorrow’s adventures before too long.

Currently MIA,

Lauren x