Grace's Old Castle - 4 Things to Know Before Visiting

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.

This is the last remaining gate from the medieval stone walls of Kilkenny, Ireland. This is the only gate from the old Norman city walls still standing, albeit with the help of metal bracing these days. Crumbling sections of the old walls remain throughout the city centre.

This is a medieval Franciscan abbey and National Monument. Founded in the 13th century by Richard Marshal, 3rd Earl of Pembroke. It is located in the northeast of Kilkenny's historic Hightown district, behind the old Smithwick's brewery site, immediately south of the point where the Breagagh River enters the Nore.

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’.

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 Black Abbey of Kilkenny, Ireland, is a Catholic priory of the Dominican Order, dedicated to the Holy and Undivided Trinity. Black Abbey was established in 1225 as one of the first houses of the Dominican Order in Ireland.The history of the Black Abbey is marked by several reversals of fortune under different governments.