St Canice's Cathedral

Saint Canice's was built between about 1202 and 1285 in Early English Gothic, on a monastic site that gave Kilkenny its name - Cill Chainnigh, the church of Canice. It is the second longest cathedral in Ireland and holds a remarkable collection of sixteenth-century monuments, mostly in local black limestone, including Butler family tombs with carved effigies and the tomb of Piers Butler and Margaret FitzGerald. Cromwellian troops stabled horses in it in 1650 and defaced much of the glass and sculpture, and the damage is still visible. Beside the cathedral stands a round tower of about thirty metres, ninth-century, one of only two in Ireland open for climbing - the ascent is by a series of steep internal ladders through the floors to a small opening at the top, with a view over the city. Children under twelve are not permitted up.

History

The present building dates from the 13th century and is the second longest cathedral in Ireland, after St Patrick's in Dublin, and beside it stands a 9th-century round tower 30 m high (Wikipedia, St Canice's Cathedral).

The main sights

• The round tower - ninth-century, climbable by internal ladders.
• The black limestone tombs - sixteenth-century Butler monuments with effigies.
• The Cromwellian damage - defacement from 1650 still legible.
• The Gothic interior - built between about 1202 and 1285.

When to go

April to October for the tower, which is seasonal and closes in wet or windy weather. The cathedral is open year-round with reduced winter hours and closes for services.

Before you go

The tower is climbed by steep ladders, not stairs - no under-twelves, and unsuitable for anyone uneasy with heights or confined spaces. It closes in bad weather. Cathedral access is limited during services.

Nearby

Kilkenny Castle and the Medieval Mile are a short walk; Rothe House is on Parliament Street.

Key facts