We toured the abbey on our own since it was close to Kilkenny. It was around a 20 minute drive…read more Admission was free using the Heritage Card. We had a great overview of the abbey from the staff as well as tips on other places to see nearby. We almost had the abbey to ourselves given the weather and lateness in the day. The ruins were in good condition to walk around and we tried to find most of the unusual carvings that the staff highlighted. They were randomly located throughout and an odd feature given the austerity imposed on most abbeys at the time. Do stop by.

A Cistercian Abbey from ~1100AD. Interesting history and description of the life of the monks in…read morethose days. Our guide was delightful and knowledgeable. Tour lasted about 1 hour. It is worth a look if you are in the area. Mark & Nancy.

A must see city!! Very walkable with so much to see and do!! We took a day trip from Dublin and it…read morewas our favorite town while on 10 day tour! There were so many cathedrals (take the trolley that picks up at the castle) and things to see around town.

The second day of our Ireland tour brought us to Kilkenny and we sure loved it. There must be 200…read morepubs and restaurants clustered together on what is known as the Medieval Mile. Throw in a thousand year old castle, the Smithwicks Brewery, live music just about everywhere you go, and a great monument dedicated to the sport of Irish Hurling, and you have one fascinating and extremely eclectic city. I can't tell you enough how much we enjoyed Kilkenny.

Amazing place, beautiful bucolic views and peaceful atmosphere. It is nestled in a quaint Irish…read moretown with 2 pubs, takeaway place, a convenience shop, and Michelin restaurant. Whether you are just visiting the tea room and gardens/castle tour, or staying in the castle Airbnb rooms- it's a wonderful experience. The gardens and grounds are more extensive than you realize, and can find many hidden pathways that lead to somewhere seemingly magical. I have been a guest at Huntington for a collective 3 months now, and would highly recommend. If you come in the Spring, don't miss out on seeing the lambs!

We had a lovely stay in the castle. Claire and Alex are excellent hosts! They made sure we were…read morecomfortable. The castle is beautiful and full of history. We had to miss their award winning breakfast due to an early flight, but we heard it was amazing. I highly recommend staying here!

Amazing to explore and climb! There is a ladder inside and it wasn't too difficult to get up for my…read morefamily, although I will say towards the top the space does get more narrow. Beautiful view at the top. Worth the money and would definitely recommend!

We didn't plan to visit this cathedral but stumbled upon it while wandering around. It's really…read moreinteresting architecturally and historically. There's quite a bit to read here. The round tower is worth a climb for views of Kilkenny but the steps are awfully steep.

"Stay away stay away stay away from me, for I am the man of misery" is supposedly what the man atop…read morethe pillar shouts. To be honest, he looks like a giant smurf - white pants, blue shirt. During storms, ships used to try to shelter in Tramore Bay. Only to be welcomed by rocks. One of the masts of these unfortunate crafts now stands on Tramore Beach's backstrand as a further reminder of the treachery of the bay's hidden rocks. So the locals hoisted pillars on each headland of the bay - to the east on Brownstown Head, and on the west headland (called Westown) the Metal Man. It's a lovely walk through the fields along the coast out to the Metal Man - start at Newtown Cove and tramp the mile or so around the inlets and through the fields. You'll need sturdy shoes and a waterproof/windbreaker: even if it's not rainy, it will most likely be windy. The view is well worth the effort.

It's impressive to me when I see such old structures that are still standing. We sure don't make…read more'em like we used to, do we? Reginald's Tower was originally built as a Viking fort for defense. If you go across the street by the water, you can see a cannonball that is still stuck in the facade. Inside, there's a small museum where you can learn more about it's history.

Vikings and the port were so important to building this city and its history. Learn about it…read more Not a bad little museum. Allot approximately 30-40 minutes to visit if you want to read and listen to the documentary. If not, 15 minutes can get you in and out. 45 minutes if you listen to the tour guide. I recommend the quick documentary at the top floor.

We visited this castle on a trip through Ireland and it is a highlight of our trip. I contacted…read moreSean via email asking if we could tour the castle on a specific date while in the area. He replied with a 'stop by any time'. A very Irish welcome! This is literally their home so park appropriately, and knock on that huge wooden door. The man of the house answered himself. Sean mentioned they had hosted big dinners there with all kinds of period fun and this is definitely the kind of spot you'd want to share a meal with friends in the great hall! We spent a good deal of time time talking with Sean about the house and the area and its history. We even got a free concert! What a treat! (iykyk) The stone stairway up to the oubliette is the original stone staircase to the top, curves around a bit and has decades of wear. So cool. The room at the top is open and unfinished, just as it would have been. You have to get up there yourself to experience the history of it and stare down into the pit. Take in the views while up there as well. Beautiful country. I'm not sure how often the family offer tours or host events at the castle, but if you ever have an opportunity, jump on it! Whether you are hoping to see the 'entity' that haunts the castle, or you are curious about Irish castles this is a very interesting stop hosted by a lovely gentleman. There is information online if you would like to read up on it's history. For us, this visit is a true gift we will cherish for the rest of our lives. Thank you so much Sean!

This place is amazing! It's currently being restored, so a lot of the old original structure is…read morestill in place. The man who runs it puts a lot of care into maintaining the castle and knows the whole, very long and very interesting, history! Also, the view from the top of the castle is absolutely breathtaking. Truly a magical experience.

If you are in Kilkenny Ireland, you must visit the Kilkenny Castle. This place is well preserved…read moreand gives such a great tour of history. The stunning sites in every room will take you back hundreds of years ago. With every turn of the corner, you're faced with beautiful Furniture, paintings, and tapestries. Photos don't even capture the magnificent history in this castle. Be sure to visit the Kilkenny Castle on your next trip to Ireland

We decided to tour the Kilkenny castle grounds on the last day that we spent in the city. It is…read morequite a lovely spot! The tour was self guided and took about an hour. You get to tour a good number of the rooms throughout the castle, and here/read about the history of the place. It's amazing how many of these places have been around in some form for 1000 years or so! Perhaps the most impressive thing here was the giant set of an ancient moose antlers that were absolutely massive! Don't forget to check out the dungeon where there was a nice movie playing explaining some more of the history of the place. This is a must do if you're in the area!