Famous
for its arts and heritage, Kilkenny is one
of Irelands favorite tourist destinations.
Known as 'The Marble City', Kilkenny contains
some of the best preserved medieval structures
such as Kilkenny Castle, Rothe House, and Canices
Cathedral, architectural treasures which give
the city an ambience and character like no other.
Host
to arguably Europe's best comedy
festival and one of Irelands oldest Arts festivals,
Kilkenny provides a choice of entertainment to
suit all tastes. Night Life in Kilkenny is second
to none with some of Irelands top pubs and clubs
and an 'atmosphere' which makes Kilkenny one
of Irelands most popular week end destination.
In
the South there is Licketstown, the world-renowned
Famine Village on the River
Suir. Thomastown is home to Jerpoint Abbey, while
in Callan the birthplace of Edmund Ignatius
Rice, founder of the Christian Brothers can be
found. Kilkenny's great hurling tradition is
celebrated at the Lowry Meagher Heritage Center
in Tullarone. Then there is the famous Dunmore
Caves outside Kilkenny City.
Kilkenny is a great sporting County. While
hurling is the premier sport, there is also
horseracing, golf, fishing, and many other
sporting activities. Mount Juliet's Golf Course
just outside Thomastown is the most beautiful
in the country.
Main Tourist Attractions Include :
Heritage Sites
Jerpoint Abbey Thomastown An outstanding
Cistercian abbey founded in the second half of the
12th century. The church with its Romanesque
details dates from this period. In the transept chapels
the visitor can see 13th - 16th century tomb sculpture.
The tower and cloister date from the 15th century.
The chief delight of the Abbey is the sculptured
cloister arcade with unique carvings. The Visitor Centre houses an interesting exhibition.
Kilkenny Castle - Kilkenny City
A 12th century castle remodelled in Victorian times
and set in extensive parklands which was the
principal seat of the Butler family, Marquesses
and Dukes of Ormonde. Due to major restoration
works, the central block now includes a library,
drawing room, and bedrooms decorated in 1830s
splendour as well as the beautiful Long Gallery.
The old Castle kitchen operates as a tea room
during the summer. A suite of former servants' rooms
is the Butler Art Gallery, which mounts frequently
changing exhibitions of contemporary art.
St. Mary's Church Gowran This collegiate
church, was built in the late 13th century on the
site of an earlier monastery. It was served
by a "college" - clerics who lived in a community
but who did not submit to the rule of a monastery.
They lived in a house, now destroyed, beside the
church. The church was a large and elaborate structure,
with an aisled nave (the main part of the church
where the congregation sat) and a long chancel (the
section of the church where the altar was placed)
and has high quality architectural sculpture used
throughout. In the late middle ages a massive tower
was inserted between the nave and chancel, and in
the 19th century this tower was incorporated into
the parish church which was built in place of the
chancel and which now takes up about half of the
building. There were also several other changes made
to the church at various periods
Dunmore Cave Ballyfoyle Kilkenny History and geology blend
at Dunmore Cave to give an interesting and unique
situation. Consisting of a series of chambers formed
over millions of years, the cave contains some of
the finest calcite formations found in any Irish
cave. The cave has been known to man for many centuries
and is first mentioned in the 9th century Irish Triads.
The most interesting reference however, comes from
the Annals which tells of a Viking massacre at the
cave in the year 928 A.D.. Exhibitions and displays
in the Visitor Centre. The cave is inaccessible for
wheelchair users
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