Welcome to Kilkenny Castle and Parklands

 

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.

Today, Kilkenny Castle is open to visitors all year round and is largely a Victorian remodelling of the thirteenth century defensive Castle.

Each year, hundreds of thousands of visitors come to see this grand country house and walk through its fifty acres of rolling parkland with mature trees and an abundance of wildlife.

Other features include a formal terraced rose garden, woodlands and a man-made lake, which were added in the nineteenth century.

There is also a tearoom, playground and several orienteering trails for visitors to enjoy.

Please note that Free admission on the first Wednesday of each month is no longer applicable at Kilkenny Castle. Click here for the full list of participating sites.

Please Note CCTV system is in operation at Kilkenny Castle and Park. Images are recorded for the purposes of security and personal safety.

OPW Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) Systems Privacy Statement

OPW Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) Systems Data Protection Policy

 

What's On

Check out the full calendar of events here.

The Castle Blog

Read the latest posts below, and click through to the full Castle Blog for all news updates.

Mary Shelley, Richard Rothwell and James Butler

Mary Shelley, Richard Rothwell and James Butler

  As you enter the Main Hall of Kilkenny Castle today one of the most striking portraits on display on the right hand side is of James Butler (1774 -1838) 1st Marquess (3rd creation), 19th Earl of Ormonde and Chief Butler of Ireland. In the portrait, the Marquess...

Vita Sancti Kannechi (The Life of St. Canice).

Vita Sancti Kannechi (The Life of St. Canice).

John Butler (1808 – 1854), 20th Earl and 2nd Marquess of Ormonde was born in Dublin and like other members of his family he was educated at Harrow and then Christchurch Oxford. Like his father James Butler (1774 -1838) he was elected a Whig M.P. for Kilkenny (1833...

The Theatre and the Dukes of Ormonde

The Theatre and the Dukes of Ormonde

The Theatre and the Dukes of Ormonde Throughout his long and eventful life James Butler (1610 -1688), First Duke of Ormond showed a keen interest in the theatre. At a young age while in London, his biographer Thomas Carte (1686 – 1754) recalled that his family were in...