The reason to stop in Bennettsbridge is what happened to its old mills. The village sits on the River Nore six kilometres south of Kilkenny city, and the mill buildings by the weir, once grinding grain hauled in by barge, now turn out pottery and candles you can watch being made. If you do one thing here, make it Nicholas Mosse Pottery: through the glass you can see the spongeware being thrown, glazed and hand-decorated in a technique that goes back to the 18th century. The studio has been working out of this riverside mill since 1976.
The other maker worth your time is Moth to a Flame, where Larry Kinsella has been hand-pouring candles since 1999. Beyond those two, this is a working village rather than a tourist set-piece, so keep expectations level: a good bridge, a couple of studios, a riverside walk and a farm for the children, not a day’s worth of attractions. Opening hours at the studios shift with the season, so it is worth a quick check before you drive out.
The bridge
The stone bridge over the Nore is the village’s anchor and the source of its name – Bennettsbridge, for Saint Benet, to whom the first crossing here was dedicated in 1285. That medieval bridge lasted until a flood swept it away in 1763. The present one is an elegant 18th-century replacement, its design attributed to George Smith; the Kilkenny architect William Robertson later worked on it in 1826. It still carries the R700 across the river, and it is the obvious spot for a photograph, looking back up the weir to the mills.
The village belongs to the parish of Tullaherin, which has an almost intact 9th-century round tower a little way out – a detour for anyone with an interest in early monastic sites. Bennettsbridge also punches above its size in hurling: the local club has contested Kilkenny county finals, no small thing in the county that wins more All-Irelands than any other.
Walking
The flagship walk is the Nore Valley Walk from Kilkenny city, a mainly riverside route of roughly 10 to 12 km that takes about two hours one way, passing farmland, woods and ruined mills before it drops you under the bridge in the village. It is the nicest way to arrive if you have the legs and a lift home.
Closer in, O’Gorman’s Lane Loop is a short, easy waymarked circuit (purple arrows) along country lanes, an old laneway and the riverbank, starting and finishing near the primary school. Dogs aren’t allowed, to protect grazing livestock.
Nore Valley Park
About 3.2 km out, Nore Valley Park is an open farm and activity centre built for a family afternoon: bottle-feeding lambs and calves, a hedge maze, crazy golf, go-karts, picnic areas and camping pitches. There’s an admission charge for the farm; the tea room does its own baking.
Practical information
- Getting there: On the R700 between Kilkenny city and Thomastown, a ten-minute drive from the city.
- Public transport: Limited. Bus Éireann route 73 (Waterford–Kilkenny–Athlone) calls daily; Kilbride Coaches run a New Ross–Kilkenny service (no Sundays). A summer Ring A Link bus links the craft outlets.
- Parking: Spaces near the primary school; on-street parking in the village is limited, so mind local signage.
- Eating: The Corner House on Main Street is the village’s well-regarded spot for food.
Nearby
- Callan – a medieval market town with a ruined friary, a short drive west.
- Black Abbey – the working Dominican friary back in Kilkenny city, with fine stained glass.
- Thomastown and Jerpoint Abbey lie a little further down the Nore for a longer day out.