Kilkenny Castle

About this place

Kilkenny Castle (Irish: Caisleán Chill Chainnigh pronounced [ˈkaʃlʲaːnˠ ˈçiːl̠ʲ ˈxan̠ʲəɟ]) is a castle in Kilkenny, Ireland, built in 1260 to control a fording-point of the River Nore and the junction of several routeways. It was a symbol of Norman occupation, and in its original 13th-century condition, it would have formed an important element of the town's defences with four large circular corner towers and a massive ditch, part of which can still be seen today on the Parade. In 1967, Arthur Butler, 6th Marquess of Ormonde, sold the castle for £50 to the Castle Restoration Committee for the people of Kilkenny. The castle and grounds are now managed by the Office of Public Works, and the gardens and parkland are open to the public. The Parade Tower is a conference venue. Since 2002, ceremonies for conferring awards and degrees on the graduates of the Kilkenny Campus of the National University of Ireland, Maynooth, have been held at the castle.

Visitor Information

Opening hours

Oct-Feb 09:30-16:30; Mar 09:30-17:00; Apr, May 09:30-17:30; Jun-Aug 09:00-17:30; Sep 09:30-17:30

Accessibility

Not accessible

Getting There & Parking

Kilkenny Castle is located in County Kilkenny, roughly 119 km (1h 45m drive) from Limerick and 131 km (1h 55m) from Dublin. The nearest public car park is 114 m away. Nearby highlights within a short drive include Kilkenny City Tours (0.1 km away).