IRELAND - Europe by Eurail 2015: Touring Europe by Train - page 328

Average Train Time: 1 hour, 49 minutes
City Dialing Code: 56
Tourist Information Office: Shee Alms House, Rose Inn Street, Kilkenny
Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone]
www.kilkenny.ie
E-mail: [e-mail]
Hours: October-April: 0930-1700 Tuesday-Saturday; May-September: 0930-
1730 Monday-Friday, 1000-1700 Saturday and Sunday
Notes: To reach the tourist office, turn left onto John Street after leaving the sta-
tion, and walk to the bridge crossing the river. Cross the bridge, and John Street
then becomes Rose Inn Street. Continue walking up Rose Inn Street, and you will
find the office in the Shee Alms House on the right.
Kilkenny may be Ireland's smallest city, but it is one of the most popular destin-
ations from Dublin. Kilkenny Castle (by guided tour only), a 12th-century grand
stone fortress on the River Nore, dominates the scene and sets the theme. It was
the chief residence of the Butler family from 1391 until 1935—almost 550 years.
Recently restored to the majesty of the 1820s, it is now home to the National
Furniture collection and the modern Butler Gallery. The castle is impressive and
reminiscent of the great bastions along the Rhine River.
The Kilkenny Design Centre is a unique shopping experience with more than
200 craft shops under one roof offering the best in Irish design and workmanship
in ceramics, glass, metal, clothing, jewelry, and other traditional and contemporary
crafts. To add to the ambience, have a luscious Irish lunch at the upstairs restaur-
ant overlooking the quaint cobbled courtyard of Kilkenny Castle.
Other sites include the 13th-century St. Canice's Cathedral, reputed to be one
of the most beautiful in Ireland; Rothe House, home of the Kilkenny Archaeologic-
al Society; and Shee Alms House, a restored 16th-century building that houses
the tourist information office.
Though small, Kilkenny is cosmopolitan, with a pub and club life that draws vis-
itors from major cities. In fact, the Paris Texas Café Bar has to close its doors
by 2100 because of the crowds. Langton House Hotel, a four-time winner of the
National Pub of the Year award, is a traditional pub and restaurant in grand sur-
roundings, with a disco club that stays open to the wee hours of the morning. (A
hotel facility is adjacent to the disco; www.langtons.ie ; Tel: [056] 77 65133.)