On Monday, I tagged along with my friend Ursula on a trip to Kilkenny. With all the traveling around the country we’ve done for Michael’s various basketball matches, I had never been to Kilkenny. As it turns out, it’s absolutely lovely!
I was imagining the town to be tiny and a little sleepy, but it’s way bigger than I had anticipated and there’s so much to do and see! There were a few boutiques I could have browsed around all day, lots of great cafes, and a great mix of old and new. The town is really well taken care of – there’s even a little public toilet kiosk in the main square. That’s so uncommon in Ireland!
Turns out there’s a castle, and just across the street in the old stable buildings is the Kilkenny Design Centre (which has a great shop as well as cafe and little food hall) and the Craft Council offices and studios. There are a few galleries, and you can pop into any of the studios to buy pieces from the artists working there.
There’s also a beautiful garden in the back. The pond is lined with huge stone blocks that were originally from Nelson’s Pillar in Dublin, which was bombed by the IRA in 1966. The blocks are a really nice design element – they’re very graphic as well as functional. Perfect for perching while you have an outdoor lunch!
And the pond had little red goldfish!
The tough thing about Irish towns is that the streets are quite narrow, which makes it hard to take photos because you can’t get far enough away! I didn’t take too many photos, but I loved these little alleyways leading off the main streets.
So there is just a very little glimpse into the lovely Kilkenny! I’m going to have to return when my parents visit – my dad will love the Smithwick’s brewery tour!
And huge thanks to Ursula for being such a great tour guide!
3 Comments
Emily – So glad you enjoyed Kilkenny. It was a treat to recognize places in your post. The garden you highlighted was connected to The Butler House guesthouse where I stayed a few years ago. I remember sitting on one of those block by the pond and penning my postcards home. I didn’t know the significance of them at the time, though.Also, the hotel served breakfast in the a part of the design center – I snapped a photo out of one of those tiny portal windows while we ate. I especially love following you on your trips out of Dublin. Cheers
We were in Ireland last year and LOVED Kilkenny. We have some lovely pictures of the streets all lit up at night with their swags of lights. We had lunch at a great little pub. Lovely time!
[…] the most charming city. It’s full of cute shops and boutiques, cafes and pubs. I went to Kilkenny about a year ago and was totally smitten, so it’s definitely time for a return trip. […]