Kilkenny

Kilkenny is quite the loveliest of Irish towns and it is easy to spend a day here sightseeing and shopping. Entering the town, turn left at the first traffic lights along the main street and park your car outside the castle. Undoubtedly, the best way to see the medieval buildings of Kilkenny is on foot. A walking tour starts from the tourist office in the Shee Alms House, just a short distance from the castle. Stroll up High Street into Parliament Street to Rothe House. The house, built in 1594 as the home of Elizabethan merchant John Rothe, is now a museum depicting how such a merchant lived. You should also see St. Canice’s Cathedral at the top of Parliament Street. The round tower dates from the 6th century, when St. Canice founded a monastic order here. Building began on the cathedral in 1251, though most of the lovely church you see today is an 1864 restoration. Alleyways, with fanciful names such as The Butter Slip, lead you from the High Street to St. Kieran Street where you find Kylters Inn, the oldest building in town. This historic inn has a lurid history—supposedly a hostess of many centuries ago murdered four successive husbands, was then accused of witchcraft, and narrowly escaped being burnt at the stake by fleeing to the Continent. This is an area noted for its craftspeople (leatherworkers, potters, painters) and culinary artists, resulting in a plethora of restaurants and craft shops in the surrounding villages, making this a very interesting area in which to spend several days. I always head for the Nicholas Mosse Pottery in Bennetsbridge where you can purchase quality seconds, as well as watch skilled potters making and decorating this classic spongewear.