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Top 10 Places in County Kilkenny

Most popular landmarks and natural wonders in Kilkenny

Explore the highest-ranked historic sites, natural landmarks, and attractions across County Kilkenny (Cill Chainnigh).
Gorteens Castle (ruins) — photo by Blimey74 (talk) (Uploads) / #1
Castle County Kilkenny

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.

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Kilkenny Castle — photo by No machine-readable author provided. Tolivero~commonswiki assumed (based on copyright claims). #2
Castle County Kilkenny

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.

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28
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Kilbline Castle — photo by Paddy O'Shea #4
Castle County Kilkenny

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.

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25
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Clomantagh Tower House — photo by dougf #5
Castle County Kilkenny

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.

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23
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Dunmore Caves — photo by Jan-Philipp Litza #6
Cave County Kilkenny

Dunmore Caves

Dunmore Cave (from Irish Dún Mór 'great fort') is a limestone solutional cave in Ballyfoyle, County Kilkenny, Ireland. It is formed in Lower Carboniferous (Viséan) limestone of the Clogrenan Formation. It is a show cave open to the public, particularly well known for its rich archaeological discoveries and for being the site of a Viking massacre in 928.

Popularity
23
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Duiske Abbey — photo by Andreas F. Borchert #8
Church County Kilkenny

Duiske Abbey

Duiske Abbey National Monument, also known as Graiguenamanagh Abbey, is a 13th-century Cistercian monastery situated in Graiguenamanagh, County Kilkenny in Ireland. Duiske Abbey was founded by William Marshal in 1207 and is one of the first, largest and perhaps the finest of the thirty-four medieval Cistercian monasteries in Ireland. The Abbey is the parish church of Graiguenamanagh town and beautifully dominates the town centre. The Abbey is located in the valley of the river Barrow, on a site between the main river and the Duiske tributary. The abbey derives its name from the Douskey River Irish: An Dubhuisce, meaning 'Black Water'.

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Castle Corluddy Castle
#9
Castle County Kilkenny

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".

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21
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Brandon Hill — photo by Sarah777 #10
Peak County Kilkenny

Brandon Hill

Brandon Hill (Irish: Cnoc Bhréanail) is the highest mountain in County Kilkenny, Ireland, with an elevation of 515 m (1,690 ft) and prominence at 448 m (1,470 ft). The South Leinster Way, a long-distance trail, meandering through the Barrow Valley and traverses Brandon Hill. The village of Graiguenamanagh and River Barrow are at the base of the hill. It is classified as a county high point, an Arderin, a Myrddyn Dewey, and a Marilyn.

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