Butler Gallery - 4 Things to Know Before Visiting

This is a medieval Augustinian abbey and National Monument located in Kilkenny City, Ireland. The Lady Chapel of the Abbey is now used as a parish church of the Church of Ireland. The roofless remains of the chancel of the old priory church with a seven-light east window. Inside the ruins are late mediaeval tombs including the altar tomb of a Purcell couple with carvings of the Crucifixion and the Apostles.

The former St Mary’s Church has been converted into a modern museum, and is a venue for select events and exhibitions. Designed to enrich the cultural life of the city and provide a new international standard attraction for visitors the museum has several functions: as the starting point for understanding Kilkenny’s medieval history, to display Kilkenny’s Civic Treasures and replicas of some of Ossory High Crosses and to provide a space for temporary exhibitions and cultural events.

The Tholsel in Kilkenny is known as a tax office and was built in 1761. The building consisted of 5 arched arcades which served as a covered marketplace. Originally built to collect taxes, the place was used for many purposes including as a custom office and as a court house.Today the Tholsel is a platform for many exhibitions, street theatre and other cultural activities for which the centre is nicknamed as ‘Kilkenny’s Times Square’.

Located in the heart of Kilkenny City and situated at the mid point of the Medieval Mile is one of Irelands true hidden gems. The complex was built by John Rothe Fitz-Piers between 1594–1610 and is made up of three houses, three enclosed courtyards, and a large reconstructed garden with orchard. As a museum, it is accessible to the public. The garden to the rear of the house has been reconstructed to reflect a typical 17th-century garden.

Kilkenny Castle is located in Kilkenny City at a strategic location that commands a crossing on the River Nore. The site had previously been the chief residence of the local Gaelic Kings of Osraige before the Norman invasion. It was a symbol of Norman occupation and in its original thirteenth-century condition it would have formed an important element of the defences of the town with four large circular corner towers and a massive ditch, part of which can still be seen today on the Parade.