Kilkenny Castle

Overview

Few buildings in Ireland can boast a longer history of continuous occupation than Kilkenny Castle. Founded soon after the Norman conquest of Ireland, the castle has been rebuilt, extended and adapted to suit changing circumstances and uses over a period of 800 years. Kilkenny Castle is open all year round and is largely a Victorian remodelling of the thirteenth century defensive castle furnished with the family paintings and tapestries and objects d’art. Visitors can choose to explore the ancestral home of the Butler family with either a self guided visit or a guided tour. The visit of the Castle includes the dining room, Victorian nursery and the picture gallery with its hand painted hammer beam roof. Other features include 50 acres of rolling parkland with mature trees, a formal terraced rose garden, woodlands and a man-made lake, which were added in the nineteenth century. There is also a tea room, playground and several orienteering trails for visitors to enjoy.