Find Things To Do In Kilkenny

Kilkenny, or Cill Chainnigh in Irish, is a city, a municipal borough, and the county capital of Kilkenny, Ireland. It is located 30 miles (50 kilometres) north of Waterford, on both banks of the River Nore. Kilkenny, the historic capital of the kingdom of Ossory, had two townships in Norman times: Irishtown, which received its charter from the bishops of Ossory, and Englishtown, which was founded by William Marshal, Earl of Pembroke, and elevated to the rank of a city in 1609. In 1843, the two were reunited. Kilkenny residents are known as “Cats,” a nickname that dates back to the Middle Ages. Kilkenny Castle, the city’s most iconic monument, rises on a 100-foot (30-meter) elevation overlooking the Nore River. It was destroyed by fire in 1175, but William Marshal restored it in the late 12th and early 13th centuries. The castle was purchased by the 3rd Earl of Ormonde in 1391. After then, it was used as a private residence by the Ormonde’s until 1935, when they decided to demolish it. The National Heritage Council has been in charge of the castle since 1967, and it currently functions as a museum and art gallery.