Skip to content
IE IrelandMap

Castles in County Kilkenny

Cill Chainnigh · Leinster · 82 places

View on interactive map →

County Kilkenny (Cill Chainnigh) in Leinster features 82 mapped castles, led by Gorteens Castle (ruins), Kilkenny Castle, and Kilbline Castle. Across these 82 listings, 48 feature verified photography, 2 offer free entry, and 47 include mapped nearby public parking. Medieval fortresses, Norman keeps, and tower houses.

Showing 24 of 82 places

Gorteens Castle (ruins) — photo by Blimey74 (talk) (Uploads) /
CastleKilkenny

Gorteens Castle (ruins)

Gorteens Castle is a ruined castle situated on private land in south-east County Kilkenny near the village of Slieverue close to Waterford city. It is in the historic parish of Rathpatrick in the south-east of the Barony of Ida. Along with the ruins of Rathpatrick church and another church, it is one of several ruins in Rathpatrick Parish. The ruin consists of a gatehouse that may have belonged to a larger structure. Gorteens comes from the Irish goirtín or na goirtínidhe which means "little field" or "little garden". Archaeological excavations near the castle in 1993 indicated that the site was used between the 16th and 18th centuries, with further excavations in 2003 identifying additional castle walls and outbuildings.

Kilkenny Castle — photo by No machine-readable author provided. Tolivero~commonswiki assumed (based on copyright claims).▶ Video
CastleKilkenny

Kilkenny Castle

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.

Kilbline Castle — photo by Paddy O'Shea
CastleKilkenny

Kilbline Castle

Kilbline Castle is a fortified 16th century tower house in County Kilkenny in Ireland. It is set on the Kilbline Estate in the parish of Tullaherin, within the historical barony Gowran, approximately 1 mile southeast of Bennettsbridge. It is recorded as a protected (listed) structure by Kilkenny County Council. The tower house was originally owned by the Comerford family. It was forfeit to the crown by Thomas Comerford in 1566 "on his attainder for rebellion". By the early 18th century, the castle was in the possession of the Candler family, ancestors of Coca-Cola founder Asa Griggs Candler. It was later occupied by members of the Ryan family "for several generations", before passing to the Lannon/Lennon family in 1969. It remains in private ownership. Attached to the castle is a later two-story house, with a larger and more modern house in the grounds. It is roofed, with a low, two-storey, three-bay house with narrow windows and simple doorcase added. In the tower is a chimney-piece dated 1580 and a panelled room. Beside the house are early brick walls with blank arches.

Clomantagh Tower House — photo by dougf
CastleKilkenny

Clomantagh Tower House

Clomantagh Castle is a 15th-century tower house located near Freshford, County Kilkenny, in Ireland. Originally constructed in the 1430s, additional buildings and outbuildings were added in the subsequent centuries - including a connected 19th century farmhouse. Carvings on the castle's walls include a Sheela na gig relief (a symbolic pagan nude). Situated on lands owned by the Earls of Ormond, on the death of Pierce 'Ruadh' Butler, 8th Earl of Ormond in 1539, the castle was inherited by his son, Richard Butler, 1st Viscount Mountgarret. It remained in the hands of the Butlers of Mountgarret through the 16th and 17th centuries, until its confiscation following the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland. The castle was subject to renovations in the late 20th century (which received an award from the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland), and is now managed as a holiday rental property by the Irish Landmark Trust.

Clara Castle — photo by liam murphy
CastleKilkenny

Clara Castle

Clara Castle is a tower house (caiseal) located in County Kilkenny, Ireland.

CastleCorluddy Castle
CastleKilkenny

Corluddy Castle

Corluddy Castle is a ruined Norman-era tower house close to the village of Carrigeen in County Kilkenny, Ireland. It is historically associated with the Grant family of the Barony of Iverk. In The History and Antiquities of the Diocese of Ossory, published by the priest and historian William Carrigan in 1905, Corluddy Castle is described as "strongly built" but "roofless". Carrigan describes the location of the 5-story tower house, which was built "not on level ground, but on the sloping side of a hill", as "very unusual". Writing in 1985, Owen O'Kelly states that the ruined castle was "in a good state of preservation, the bottom arch showing traces of osier-rod work. It is on an open hillside east of the village and belonged to the Grants until confiscated during the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland. Peter Grant, chief of the family, died 1510 and is buried in St. Canice's Cathedral".

Foulksrath Castle — photo by User Postdlf on en.wikipedia
CastleKilkenny

Foulksrath Castle

Foulksrath Castle (Irish: Caislean Ratha) is a 14th-century Anglo-Norman tower house located in Jenkinstown in County Kilkenny, Ireland.

CastleBurnchurch Castle
CastleKilkenny

Burnchurch Castle

Burnchurch Castle is a well-preserved 15th century Norman tower house with a round gate tower, located in the parish of Burnchurch, County Kilkenny, Ireland. Burnchurch Castle and tower, along with the nearby Church of Ireland church and lime trees, became a National Monument in 1993. The tower house is said to have been built and owned by the Fitzgeralds of the house of Desmond in the 15th or 16th century. It continued to be occupied until 1817. It is 6.5 km (4.0 mi) south west of Kilkenny, off the Clonmel Road, 6 km from Ballybur near Cuffesgrange, outside the town of Callan, near to Kells Priory. It is located in Burnchurch parish and was in the barony of Shillelogher.

CastleTinnahinch Castle
CastleKilkenny

Tinnahinch Castle

Tinnahinch Castle (Irish: Caislean Tigh na hInse) is a ruined tower house located near River Barrow in Tinnahinch, County Carlow, Ireland. It has a rectangular structure with a stair tower at the southwest angle, a machicolation between the angles of the two towers protecting the doorway, and a bartizan on the north east angle. All of the windows in the north wall have been stolen. At the eastern corner nearest to the river was a barbican which was constructed on corbels projecting from the walls which defended the northern and eastern sides. The tower is planned to be destroyed due to safety concerns.

Cantwell's Castle (ruins) — photo by A.-K. D.
CastleKilkenny

Cantwell's Castle (ruins)

Cantwell's Castle is a tower house located in the townland of Sandfortscourt in County Kilkenny, Ireland. It served as the main residence for the head of the Cantwell family, While debated of who owned it in its final days the facts point to the Cantwell Family. Before a siege of the Cantwell castle from Oliver Cromwell's army which led to Cromwell's army being forced away with the Cantwells taking control even though two of the three castles were significantly damaged.

Dysart Castle — photo by Kieran Campbell
CastleKilkenny

Dysart Castle

Dysart Castle a castle ruins and property just outside Thomastown in County Kilkenny, Ireland.

Grace's Old Castle — photo by Eirian Evans
CastleKilkenny

Grace's Old Castle

Grace's Old Castle is a historic castle building in the centre of Kilkenny which has been extended to create the city's modern courthouse structure. It houses one of the oldest courthouses in the country.

Balleen Castle (ruins) — photo by Mike Searle
CastleKilkenny

Balleen Castle (ruins)

Balleen Castle (ruins) is a historic castle located in County Kilkenny. The site consists of the remaining ruins of the structure.

Ballynaboley Castle — photo by kevin higgins
CastleKilkenny

Ballynaboley Castle

Ballynaboley Castle is a historic castle located in County Kilkenny. It is one of the historic fortifications found within the county.

Boolyshea Castle — photo by kevin higgins
CastleKilkenny

Boolyshea Castle

Boolyshea Castle is a historic castle located in County Kilkenny. It represents one of the region's historic fortification sites.

Brady's Castle — photo by Humphrey Bolton
CastleKilkenny

Brady's Castle

Brady's Castle is a historic castle situated in County Kilkenny. It is categorized under historic castle structures.

Cloghscregg Castle — photo by A.-K. D.
CastleKilkenny

Cloghscregg Castle

extents of the ruin measure about 10x10m with a wall thickness of 1.14 m. One window and one corbel stone in northern wall remain (survey 2021-06-22)

Foulkscourt Castle — photo by Mike Searle
CastleKilkenny

Foulkscourt Castle

Foulkscourt Castle is a historic castle situated in County Kilkenny. It stands as a notable architectural feature in the region.

Garryhiggin Castle (ruin) — photo by Mike Searle
CastleKilkenny

Garryhiggin Castle (ruin)

Garryhiggin Castle is a castle ruin located in County Kilkenny. Visitors can observe the remaining structural elements of the ruin.

Holdensrath Castle (ruins) — photo by A.-K. D.
CastleKilkenny

Holdensrath Castle (ruins)

Holdensrath Castle (ruins) are the remains of a historic castle located in County Kilkenny. Visitors can observe the extant ruin structure.

Other categories in County Kilkenny

Ruins & Archaeological Sites (87) Family Attractions & Zoos (20) Museums & Galleries (12) Historic Houses & Forts (11) Mountains & National Parks (11) Megalithic Sites (9) Round Towers & High Crosses (9) Abbeys & Monasteries (3) Sea Cliffs & Rock Formations (3) Scenic Viewpoints (2) Waterfalls (2)

More Castles across Leinster

All Castles in Ireland →
Westmeath (42) Dublin (27) Meath (25) Laois (24) Wexford (23) Kildare (22) Offaly (17) Louth (14) Carlow (9) Wicklow (5) Longford (2)