Overview
In 1967 the 6th Marquess of Ormonde sold Kilkenny Castle to a local restoration committee for £50 – the end of almost 600 years in which the Butler family held the place, and the moment it became the city’s rather than a dynasty’s. The state took it over in 1969, and the Office of Public Works runs it today as both a paid interior tour and a free public park. The medieval walls and four corner towers anchor the Medieval Mile; behind them, 21 hectares of grounds roll down to the River Nore.
If you only have an hour, spend it in the parkland – it costs nothing, the terraced rose garden and the river views are the best of the site, and you can picnic on the lawns. The paid highlight inside is the Long Gallery, hung with the Butler portraits and the Rubens-design tapestries. One thing worth knowing before you plan around it: the old free-admission-on-the-first-Wednesday deal no longer applies at Kilkenny Castle.
The Butler Dynasty and Confederate Ireland
Strongbow – Richard de Clare – threw up a wooden fortification here in the 1170s to hold a crossing on the Nore. The stone castle that replaced it was completed by 1260, its square plan and circular corner towers still setting the silhouette today. In 1391 the castle passed to the Butler family, who would hold it as Earls, Marquesses and Dukes of Ormonde for the next six centuries.
Between 1642 and 1648 the castle was the political capital of Confederate Ireland: the Supreme Council of the Catholic rebellion met inside these walls. There is an irony to that, since the Butler earls of Ormonde were themselves Protestant royalists and not in residence at the time. The building survived Cromwell’s siege of 1650, though the east wall and north-east tower were badly damaged and later dismantled.
By the 19th century, the Butler family transformed the medieval fortress into a fashionable country estate. They added a north wing, extended the south curtain wall, and laid out the formal gardens that frame the castle today. A royal visit from King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra in 1904 highlighted the castle’s restored status. The Butler connection ended in 1967 when Arthur Butler, 6th Marquess of Ormonde, sold the property to the Castle Restoration Committee for the symbolic sum of £50. This transaction ensured the castle’s preservation and opened its doors to the public.
State Rooms and Collections
The interior tour focuses on the Victorian era, showcasing the opulence of the Butler family. The State Rooms include a drawing room, a picture gallery, and a marble-clad dining hall. Visitors can view an extensive collection of 17th-century portraits depicting the Ormonde lineage. A highlight of the collection is the set of Decius Mus tapestries. These intricate works feature original designs by the Flemish master Peter Paul Rubens and have hung in the castle for over three centuries.
The Withdrawing Room keeps its rare hand-painted Chinese wallpaper, brought in through the trade networks that supplied houses like this one. Audioguides run in English, French and German, either as a QR-code guide on your phone or a printed one; a live guided tour (40–50 minutes) is the alternative if you would rather have a person walk you through it. Photography is allowed inside, but no flash.
The Park and Gardens
The 21-hectare parkland is free to enter and operates as a green lung for the city. The formal gardens near the castle feature a terraced rose garden, axial pathways, and lead statues of Hermes and Diana the Huntress. Beyond the manicured lawns, the grounds open up into mature woodlands and rolling pastures that drop towards the river.
There is a children’s playground and an ornamental lake, and the grounds are crisscrossed with marked walking routes, including the Blue Trail and the Tree Trail. A seasonal parkrun uses the park on Saturday mornings. For a break, the Kilkenny Design Centre nearby has a tea room and gifts, while the Butler Gallery, in the adjacent Evans’ Home, shows rotating contemporary art.
Practical Information
Opening Hours
| Season | Opening Times |
|---|---|
| October – March | 09:30 – 17:00 (last admission 16:30) |
| April – September | 09:15 – 17:30 (last admission 17:00) |
The parkland has extended seasonal hours, often opening earlier and closing later than the castle interior. Check the official website if you plan a late-afternoon stroll.
Admission Fees
| Ticket Type | Price (€) |
|---|---|
| Adult (self-guided) | 8.00 |
| Adult (guided) | 12.00 |
| Senior / Group (20+ adults or seniors) | 6.00 (self-guided) / 10.00 (guided) |
| Child (12-17) / Student | 4.00 (self-guided) / 6.00 (guided) |
| Family (2 adults + up to 4 children) | 20.00 (self-guided) / 30.00 (guided) |
Tickets can be booked up to 7 days ahead online, with a limited number held back for the door. Book the official site, kilkennycastle.ie, and nowhere else: the OPW has warned of lookalike and resale sites, and tickets bought from third parties will be refused at the gate. A guided tour runs 40–50 minutes and a self-guided visit about an hour; allow one to two hours for the interior and grounds together.
Accessibility
- The park’s pathways are designed for wheelchair users and are marked as accessible.
- Some interior rooms have limited access due to historic staircases. Staff can advise on the most accessible route on arrival, and a Braille guide leaflet and accessible toilets are available on request.
- Assistance dogs are welcome; other dogs must be on a short lead.
Nearby Attractions
Several historic sites sit within easy reach of the grounds. The Black Abbey is a 13th-century Dominican friary with Gothic architecture, a short walk north of the castle. Further along the river, Inistioge is a small village with a ten-arch medieval bridge. From there, a short drive or bus ride leads to Jerpoint Abbey, where the Cistercian ruins carry some of the best medieval carving in the country. These can be strung into a full day of heritage walking, with cafés and shops along the Medieval Mile.
Getting There
Kilkenny Castle lies in the centre of Kilkenny City, a short walk from the main bus station and Kilkenny Station, and Bus Éireann runs regularly from Dublin (about 1.5 hours) and Cork. There is no parking at the castle itself: drivers should use one of the public car parks nearby, such as Market Yard, or those off Castle Road and Ormonde Street, then follow the pedestrian signs to the Parade Gate.
Book your timed slot online in the summer months to avoid queues. Afterwards, pick up the river path below the castle and follow it downstream – it is the quiet way out of the grounds, and it puts you on course for the Black Abbey.