Kilkenny Castle Highlights (6)
The Guided Tour
Join one of our knowledgeable staff on a guided tour and learn how the fortunes of Kilkenny Castle mirrored those of the Butler family through the ages. Imagine how the Butler family lived within these walls and hear how their close links to the royal family saw them rise to prominence during the Tudor and Stuart periods.
The Medieval Room
Take a seat in the 800-year-old Medieval Room and let our audiovisual display transport you back in time. Watch how the castle began its life as a Norman fortress and transformed over the centuries into a sumptuous stately home under the ownership of the powerful Butler family. In just ten minutes you can uncover eight centuries of history.
Stunning Parkland
There are over 50 acres to enjoy at Kilkenny Castle Park. Join the Park Run and jog or walk 5 km on Saturdays, take part in one of our four orienteering courses, follow the path to the pond and meet our flock of ducks and moorhens, discover the entrance to the servants’ tunnel or go back to your childhood and roll down the man-made hill. There are lots of exciting ways for you to explore this beautiful park.
The Rose Garden
Escape the hustle and bustle of the city centre and relax in our tranquil rose garden. Stand behind the fountain amid the scent of roses in full bloom and admire Kilkenny Castle in all its glory.
The Archaeological Dig
Visit the fascinating dig site at Kilkenny Castle. Discover William Marshall’s medieval gate house, see what still stands of the south wall of the thirteenth-century fortified castle and imagine what the original stone structure, built by the ‘greatest knight that ever lived’, would have looked like.
The Picture Gallery
The Picture Gallery is the second-longest room in Ireland and certainly among the most magnificent. Here you can admire the magnificent medieval-style roof, which John Hungerford Pollen made truly unique when he painted it in an eclectic array of styles in the 1860s.
