Overview
The reason to stop in Thomastown sits three kilometres outside it. Jerpoint Abbey, one of the best-preserved Cistercian monasteries in Ireland, has a 15th-century cloister carved with rows of small stone figures – knights, ladies, saints – and holds the tomb of its first abbot, Felix O’Dulany. If you have time for one thing here, make it Jerpoint. The town itself (Irish: Baile Mhic Andáin) is a compact, stone-built market town on the River Nore, about 17 km south of Kilkenny city, with more working pottery and glass studios than a town of 2,300 has any right to.
History and heritage
The town began as Grennan, at a crossing point on the Nore. In the 13th century the Anglo-Norman Thomas FitzAnthony built a castle here, walled the town and gave it his name. The first walls went up in 1449; only fragments survive, most visibly the towers near each end of the bridge and the ruined 13th-century St Mary’s Church. Grennan Castle, FitzAnthony’s stronghold, still stands by the river – it was abandoned after a Cromwellian siege, when the garrison surrendered after two days rather than holding out, and was quarried for its stone in the 1800s. The ruins are open to walk around, though there are often cattle in the field.
Local legend gives Thomastown a stranger claim. At Jerpoint Park, on the site of the deserted medieval village of Newtown Jerpoint, a grave slab carved with three heads at the ruined Church of St Nicholas is said to mark the resting place of St Nicholas of Myra – the bishop whose feast day became Santa Claus – supposedly carried back from the Crusades. Historians treat it as folklore, but it makes for a good detour. The town also has ties to the philosopher George Berkeley, who spent time at nearby Dysart Castle, and the musician John Martyn, who lived here until his death in 2009.
What to see and do
Historic ruins and gardens
Jerpoint Abbey (open March to November, daily 10am to 5pm; €5, concession €4, child €3) is the headline. Its Romanesque church, cloister carvings and tomb effigies reward a slow look. Further along the Nore, Sweetman Castle sits low on the bank, its roof gone to vegetation, with picnic tables beside it.
For gardens, Kilfane Glen is a Romantic-era glen with a waterfall and a thatched cottage orné laid out in the 1790s. The catch is the season: it opens only in July and August, 11am to 6pm, €7, card only (free car park, no dogs), so it is shut for most of the year – check dates before planning a day around it. Near Kilfane House stands the Cantwell Fada, a tall 13th-century limestone effigy of a knight.
Riverside walks and outdoor activities
The Grennan Loop Walk is a 7 km route from Market Street that crosses the five-arched bridge and follows the Nore through Grennan Woods, with QR audio points narrated by Trail Kilkenny along the way. It is largely flat but has stiles and a few narrow woodland stretches, so it is not fully wheelchair-friendly. The adjacent Nore Valley Walk shares sections of it, with wider river views and a decent chance of herons and kingfishers.
The Nore is a salmon and trout river; day permits come through local clubs, and Goatsbridge Trout Farm north of town does family catch-and-release. Island Weir Pool is the local river swimming spot, with stepped access to calm water and lifeguards in summer.
Craft studios
Milling was Thomastown’s main industry until the early 1960s – twelve water-powered mills once worked the parish, and Pilsworth’s Mills, the last of them, closed in 1963. That mill is now the Grennan Mill Craft School, running courses in weaving, pottery and textiles, with a shop showing resident makers’ work. The bigger craft names are close by: Nicholas Mosse Pottery, where you can watch spongeware being thrown, Jerpoint Glass Studio with its hand-blown glass and gallery, and Brid Lyons Ceramics on Low Street.
Golf and equestrian
The Mount Juliet estate dominates the sporting side of things – a championship parkland course with green fees from about €110, and an equestrian centre alongside offering lessons and treks through the private demesne.
Food, drink and local life
The town centre runs to independent cafés and pubs. Unwind Coffee Co does cold brew and local pastries; Blackberry Café, in a converted shoemaker’s shop, is known for toasted sandwiches and cakes. For an evening drink, the Salmon Pool Bar has riverside seating and O’Hara’s the traditional stone-walled pub. Wattie’s Ice Cream, in a former mill building, is the stop for salted caramel cones. A monthly farmers’ market in the square brings regional produce and live music.
Practical information
Getting there
Thomastown is on the Dublin–Waterford line, roughly two hours from Heuston with trains about every two hours. The station is unstaffed for most of the day, but there is a ticket machine for booking and collecting pre-booked tickets. As of 2026 there are no toilets at the station. Parking is free, both at the station and at the Quay Car Park, though there is no bike parking at the station.
Bus Éireann’s Expressway route 4 links Dublin (Airport, Busáras and Heuston) to Waterford via Carlow in around 2.5 hours, but that route was due to be withdrawn at the end of May 2026, so check current timetables before relying on it. The 73 also passes through twice a day on the Athlone–Waterford run. By road, come off the M9 onto the R700; the town centre runs a one-way system, so allow a little extra time by car.
Accessibility and dogs
The station has level access, but many historic sites have uneven stone surfaces and limited facilities. The Grennan Loop is mostly flat but has stiles and narrow stretches. Dogs are welcome on the outdoor trails and riverside paths on a lead; most indoor attractions do not allow them.
If you have a day
Start early at Jerpoint Abbey before the coach groups arrive, walk a stretch of the Nore down to Sweetman Castle, and finish with a coffee and something from Wattie’s in the town. Only Kilfane Glen keeps really short hours (July and August), so build the day around what is actually open.