Kilkenny Castle

Kilkenny Castle began as an Anglo-Norman stronghold above a crossing of the River Nore and became the seat of the Butler family, who held it for close to six centuries. What stands now is mostly a nineteenth century remodelling: three of the four original corner towers, a long wing of state rooms, and a picture gallery running the length of it under a painted and beamed roof. The family left in the 1930s and the contents were auctioned, and in 1967 the castle was handed over to the city for a nominal sum, which is why the interiors had to be slowly refurnished. The parkland behind, fifty acres of lawns and trees, is open without a ticket.

What you actually see

• The Long Gallery - the picture gallery under a painted timber roof, hung with Butler portraits.
• The state rooms - restored nineteenth century interiors along the main wing.
• The corner towers - three medieval drum towers surviving from the Norman castle.
• The parkland - fifty acres of lawns, a lake and tree walks running towards the river.

When to go

The castle opens year round with longer summer hours and timed tickets in the busy months, so book online for July and August. Spring and early autumn give you the rooms and gardens without the queue. The parkland is worth an evening walk, and Kilkenny's summer festivals fill the city and its hotel beds.

Honest expectations

The interiors are a restoration rather than a survival, and the original contents were sold off long ago, so some rooms feel thin. Peak season means timed entry, queues at the ticket desk and a one way route through the house. Photography rules vary by room, and the medieval fabric is largely hidden behind Victorian work.

Nearby

St Canice's Cathedral and its climbable round tower stand at the other end of the Medieval Mile.