Things to do in County Kilkenny

Spend Christmas in Kilkenny with Yulefest

Beginning November 25th

Kilkenny’s medieval city & county will transform into a wonderland of festive cheer for all the family this Christmas season!

Yulefest Kilkenny has something for all age groups, whether you’re looking for a festive staycation or to create a magical Christmas for the kids. Visitors can expect Christmas markets, live music, Christmas gardens, light displays, fire shows, Santa visits plus some very special events. All alongside Kilkenny’s great shopping and food options. See Kilkenny’s medieval city through the twinkling of Christmas lights and come celebrate Christmas in Kilkenny with Yulefest. Beginning with Santa’s arrival on November 25th 2023!

Celebrating Irish music, culture and creativity with a big festival in a small city!

15th - 18th March 2024

During the St. Patrick’s Festival, Kilkenny city and county come alive with pageantry, craic agus ceol. Centred around the St. Patrick’s Day Parade but stretching across the weekend, visitors can enjoy the thrill of American Marching Bands, a parade of local colour, interactive workshops for all ages and the best in live Irish music at Kilkenny Tradfest. All in a small intimate city that’ll make you feel right at home.

St. Patrick’s Day may be celebrated all around the world but there is nothing quite like celebrating it in Ireland. With a packed St. Patrick’s Festival programme, a wealth of heritage and culture, and so much to do and see, Kilkenny is the perfect place to spend St. Patrick’s 2024!

Festival activities include:
- St. Patrick's Day Parade
- Street Entertainment
- Live Music
- Interactive Workshops
- The Big Wheel
...Plus lots more special events to be announced!

For more information check out the website and social media channels.

Website – Facebook – Instagram – Twitter

Gaelic games form part of the flavour of Kilkenny, from UPMC Nowlan Park in Kilkenny city to each of the 41 clubs, to be found in every parish in the county, from Clooneen in the north to Glenmore in the south.  The GAA represents our national games and there is nowhere quite like Kilkenny to experience it. Kilkenny is known as the home of the hurling thanks to the county's continued success in the sport over the years.

Kilkenny GAA promotes all our gaelic games:

• Hurling
• Gaelic football
• Camogie
• Ladies Gaelic football
• Handball

The Kilkenny Senior Hurling team has, since the turn of the Millennium, been the most successful hurling team ever. This success has been founded upon our club games which are run throughout the spring, summer and autumn culminating in our local championship finals in UPMC Nowlan Park. In recent years, the Kilkenny Senior Camogie team has also been one of the most successful teams in the country, with their success again based on the thriving camogie club competitions in Kilkenny.

While football is not as strong in Kilkenny as in some other counties, our footballers participate in national competitions at the appropriate level. In recent years, our underage club footballers have competed at national level while Kilkenny Ladies Football continues to develop.

Handball flourishes in Kilkenny with many national and international champions representing Kilkenny. Handball alleys can be found throughout the the county. Click here for information on handball fixtures. Wherever you are in Kilkenny, you will find the true flavour of Kilkenny at our Gaelic Games.

Click here for a list of all GAA Clubs

Click here for fixtures and results of GAA matches

Enjoy a light-hearted evening of songs & stories from Irish folklore by the talented Ollie Grace.

Ollie is a native of County Kilkenny with a deep passion for music and folklore. He has extensive experience performing shows on his own and with others across the world. He is a registered Irish National Tour Guide with more than 20 years experience working in tourism and heritage. Ollie's previous show ran for over 14 years in the Brazen Head Pub in Dublin and he has been consistently rated on Trip Advisor as one of the top evening entertainments in Dublin.

Explore:

• Our earliest customs and beliefs from our Celtic past
• The world of the imagination, the spiritual, the mysterious, the unseen and including of course the world of The Irish Fairies
• How our people lived their daily lives, the houses they lived in and the crucial importance of the potato to their survival
• Our songs and story-telling which still have such joy, meaning and importance for us
• The lightness and laughter that shaped us as a people and helped us to survive and thrive down through many difficult centuries

Join Ollie for an insightful tour into Ireland's past.

WE PROVIDE DELICIOUS CATERING OPTIONS HEN & BRIDAL PARTIES, CORPORATE EVENTS, PARTIES AND PRIVATE DINING.

We love food and we love creating delicious dishes in our kitchen to fuel and delight your guests. We source our ingredients from local food producers to bring you inspiring catering options and bespoke menus. We offer exceptionally high-quality workplace catering and hospitality, and we will be delighted to recommend a catering menu for you. Please contact Sharon hello@musecoffeefood.ie or 083 3619617 for more details.

Download our Catering Brochure HERE

Idyllically located in the picturesque Irish countryside, just a short drive from Kilkenny City, Avalon House Hotel is an historic manor dating back to the 19th century which has been delicately and beautifully restored. Featuring both old and new world influences, this wonderful and unique food haven is a fabulous option for a quiet getaway or a more elaborate celebration.

This superb Castlecomer venue contains a host of luxurious outlets from the relaxing Lark’s Bar, the gracious splendour of our casual fine dining Lil's restaurant right through to the stunning backdrop of our elegant 250 capacity ballroom. Their ethos is simple. Providing exquisite food in an elegant setting by the vastly experienced team the hotel ensures your visit will be memorable forever. The jewel in the crown of Avalon House Hotel is undoubtedly Lil’s Restaurant.

Situated on the first floor with natural light flooding through the original windows and views of the woodland estate. The eternally cosy, stove-lit, Lark’s bar enjoys a very strong lunch and supper. This comfy backdrop is awash with decorative trinkets and unique features and is a huge hit with both local patrons and in-house guests. Both can often be seen mingling throughout the evening especially on Friday nights when there is live music.

The boutique style lends itself ideally to weddings and Avalon House Hotel is delighted to present both Á La Carte offerings & 3 enticing package options. Wedding couples are encouraged to impose their individuality on their magical day so this Kilkenny hotel have provided opportunities to tailor a bespoke menu as required. 

For reservations and more information visit: www.avalonhousehotel.ie

For Hotel Deals Click Here 

MADE in Kilkenny is a multidisciplinary craft group organised and run by its members on a voluntary basis with the mission to promote Kilkenny County as the premier destination in Ireland for authentic handmade Irish crafts of exceptional quality. Kilkenny has long had the reputation for being a centre of creativity, and the MADE in Kilkenny collective has actively contributed to this perception over the last decade. The group has striven to bring together the considerable wealth of craft talent found in Kilkenny to a wider audience, to foster excellence in craftsmanship, and to promote the economy and tourism of the county.

Now ten years on, the members of MADE in Kilkenny include a diverse collection of makers. The steady behind the scenes work of all of them, past and present has created a collective with a solid identity and a strong brand name that represents the best in craft.

In 2021, Kilkenny was named a World Crafts Council Craft City and Region - one of only four regions to achieve this recognition in Europe - through the work of MADE in Kilkenny.

Learn more about MADE in Kilkenny and their makers here.

Kilkenny Cycling Tours offers you the opportunity to visit historical and cultural sites around Kilkenny including Kilkenny Castle, The Kilkenny Design Centre, Shee Alms House, The Tholsel, St. Mary’s Church, Rothe House & Gardens, The Courthouse (Grace’s Castle), St. Francis’ Abbey, The Black Abbey and St. Canice’s Cathedral.

Experience Irish hospitality while having an enjoyable easy-paced cycling around the medieval capital of Ireland with photo opportunities and historical information provided at each destination.

Looking to get the family active in outdoor activities – then this is the perfect opportunity for you! Go with The Flow brings you adventurous Canoeing trips in Kilkenny. Our unique experience offers you the chance to explore the beautiful countryside of Kilkenny by taking you into beautiful, unspoilt and exciting waterways. Our charismatic instructors will guide you along exclusive trails and show you how to shoot weirs and ride the rapids. We will pass through dramatic landscapes, mysteries wooded valleys and old navigations once used by the Guinness barges to deliver Ireland’s favourite tipple. Bring a picnic, visit the playground of The Incredible Mr Kavanagh and take a swim in tranquil sheltered waters of our favourite remote pools.