Kilkenny Castle in Ireland

During our trip to Ireland, we really enjoyed visiting Kilkenny Castle in the quaint city of Kilkenny. We were staying in Dublin and hired a guide to take us to a variety locations as we headed from Dublin to the coast. Seeing this wonderful castle was certainly the highlight of the tour, but just driving through the countryside made the trip worthwhile. Construction began on the castle in the twelfth century and it is truly a magnificent residence. You are able to take a self-guided tour of the interior and exterior of the castle and it is well worth taking a couple of hours to visit the beautiful castle and gardens.

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Walking to the Castle
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Beautiful Castle
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Elegant Dining Room
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View of the Garden
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Castle Entrance
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Walking Around the Castle

It may have been a cloudy day during our visit to Kilkenny, but that didn’t distract from the beauty of the historic home. It was the home of the Butler family from 1391 to 1967 when it was granted to the people of Kilkenny. The rooms have been preserved to show the day-to-day living of the previous residents and provide a glimpse into the lives of the wealthy inhabitants. They are decorated so well that you could truly imagine that someone was still living in the castle.

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Children’s Toys
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Marble Fireplace
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Tapestry
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Small Piano
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Family Art Gallery and Ballroom
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Castle Hallway

The views from the castle’s rooms as well as the lawns are spectacular. The River Nore runs next to the castle and leads towards the heart of the city, where, in the distance, the cathedral towers dominate the skyline over the heart of Kilkenny. We visited many castles all throughout Europe and Kilkenny Castle is definitely one of the best preserved castles and was well worth taking the time to visit.

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View from the Castle
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The River Nore
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Looking out the Castle Window
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Family Crest
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Kilkenny City
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Stunning Castle
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Looking Up
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Another View

8 thoughts on “Kilkenny Castle in Ireland

  1. Kilkenny is very popular here for weekend and mini breaks. I’ve never been inside the castle but I’m tempted now with these photos – the interior looks very impressive.

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