Overview
Kyteler’s Inn is one of Ireland’s oldest pubs, on the pedestrianised St Kieran’s Street in the heart of Kilkenny City – a six-minute walk down the Medieval Mile from Kilkenny Castle. The lower level is a vaulted stone undercroft dating to the 1300s. Over the centuries the site has been a merchant’s house, a coaching inn and a pub, but it’s best known today for two things: nightly trad music in the undercroft, and the story of Dame Alice Kyteler.
Dame Alice Kyteler and the witch trial
The inn takes its name, and much of its pull, from Alice Kyteler. A wealthy Norman-Irish merchant and widow, she is said to have established and run an establishment on this site in the early 14th century – the inn’s own history dates the founding to 1263, other sources to 1324. In 1324 she was accused of witchcraft, heresy and murdering her husbands, one of the earliest recorded European cases to link witchcraft with demonic pacts. The building has housed a licensed inn since at least 1639, making it one of the oldest continuously operating pubs in Ireland.
For much of the 20th century, the building’s historic character was hidden behind layers of plaster and modern renovations. In the late 1960s, a major restoration stripped away the later additions, revealing original medieval stonework and timber roof beams. The Flynn family acquired the inn in 1986 and committed to restoring it as a dedicated venue for traditional Irish music. It has the awards to show for it: Best Music Bar in Ireland in 2012, and Tourist Bar of the Year at the National Bar Awards in both 2013 and 2014.
Live Music & Traditional Sessions
Live music is the heart of the place. Through the high season there’s trad every night: Monday to Thursday from 8pm, and Friday to Sunday at 6.30pm and again at 10pm. The vaulted ceilings and thick stone walls make a naturally resonant room, so fiddles, tin whistles and bodhráns carry without heavy amplification.
Local and touring musicians take turns leading sets that run from jigs and reels to slower airs, and the sessions are informal – expect people singing and clapping along. Cover charges occasionally apply for special guest nights, but many sessions are free. The undercroft’s seating is limited, so if you want a spot for a busy weekend session, come well before it starts.
Food, Drink & Atmosphere
Kyteler’s spreads across three floors and four bars, each with its own feel. The ground-floor bar is roomy and family-friendly, with a fireplace and comfortable seating for daytime visits. The medieval undercroft below is the intimate room for evening sessions, and the upper floors hold quieter bars and dining space – the Top Bar, added in 2008, doubles as an events and theatre space during Kilkenny Arts Week.
The kitchen sticks to classic Irish pub fare with local suppliers, including sausages made by a Kilkenny butcher. Behind the bar you’ll find Guinness and Smithwick’s alongside beer from Sullivan’s, the original Kilkenny brewery, and the pub’s own small-batch Kytelers Irish Whiskey, matured in bourbon casks and sold in the shop. Groups of 10 to 120 can book experiences built around the pub – whiskey tasting, Irish-coffee making, or a musical pub-dining night – though you’ll need to arrange these ahead.
Practical Information for Visitors
- Location: St. Kieran’s Street, Kilkenny City, on the pedestrian-only Medieval Mile – an easy walk from most city-centre accommodation and six minutes from Kilkenny Castle.
- Opening Hours: Open daily from 12pm; last orders are around 12.30am Monday to Saturday and 11.30pm on Sunday. Live-music times change with the season.
- Admission: Entry to the pub is free. Cover charges may apply for specific live-music nights or guided tasting experiences.
- Accessibility: The ground-floor bar is at street level, but the historic stone staircases up to the other bars and down to the undercroft are steep and uneven, so the medieval spaces are hard going for anyone with mobility restrictions.
- Parking: On-street parking around the pedestrian zone is very limited; use one of the city-centre car parks and walk in.
- Booking: Walk-ins are fine for drinks and casual meals, but book ahead for group lunches, private events or tasting sessions. Check the website for current schedules.
Exploring the Medieval Mile
A visit to Kyteler’s Inn is best combined with a walk along the surrounding historic district. The Medieval Mile stretches for roughly a kilometre through the city centre, lined with 13th- and 14th-century buildings, boutique shops, and independent cafes. Just a six-minute stroll away, Kilkenny Castle has expansive grounds and a museum dedicated to the Butler dynasty. Further along the street, Rothe House gives a glimpse into 16th-century merchant life with its timber-framed architecture and craft exhibitions. The Black Abbey, a short walk away, is a restored Dominican friary known for its stained glass.
Yes, it’s on every Kilkenny tour route and it fills up in high season. Go anyway – but go early. Arrive before the evening rush, get a seat near the fireplace or down in the undercroft, and you’ll have the stone walls and a pint to yourself before the session starts and the room fills. Check the music schedule online first, since the good sessions are the reason to be here rather than in one of the quieter pubs up the street.