We decided to tour the Kilkenny castle grounds on the last day that we spent in the city. It is…read morequite a lovely spot! The tour was self guided and took about an hour. You get to tour a good number of the rooms throughout the castle, and here/read about the history of the place. It's amazing how many of these places have been around in some form for 1000 years or so! Perhaps the most impressive thing here was the giant set of an ancient moose antlers that were absolutely massive! Don't forget to check out the dungeon where there was a nice movie playing explaining some more of the history of the place. This is a must do if you're in the area!

What a cool castle with lots of history. The self guided tour is super affordable and interesting…read morewith lots of stuff to read and you can see many rooms. I love walking around and seeing the old history. The grounds are also beautiful. It's right downtown so easy to get to and worth a stop!

In the early days of TV, way before ESPN, sports junkies only had one place to go -ABC's Wide World…read moreof Sports on Saturday afternoon. It premiered in 1961 and thinking of it brings back memories of Jim McKay, Howard Cosell, and Cassius Clay/Muhammad Ali. The show featured mainstream sports, but established a tradition of showcasing some lesser known sports like demolition derby, lumberjack competitions, barrel jumping, and cliff diving. But I clearly remember going to school one Monday morning and the guys were all buzzing about some crazy violent game we had never seen before -Irish Hurling! The players wore no protective pads at all, and they ran up and down the field like maniacs, crashing into each other and whacking each other with what looked like wooden clubs. It was quite a spectacle, even when seen on black and white televisions in New York City. This awesome statue dedicated to Ireland's national sport was unveiled on May 26, 2016. Of course it was made from Kilkenny limestone. It shows three fourteen feet tall hurlers battling to reach for a ball. Kilkenny is a passionate hotbed for hurling, and the statue's simple description reads: Dedicated To All Who Hurl For Kilkenny

Fun experience and an adventure. Be sure to have comfortable shoes on. It's about 1/2 me from the…read moreentrance to the castle. Then it's 3 flights of spiral narrow stairs to be exposed to the elements until it is your turn. Get there early, as the wait was 15 minutes when we arrived and was over an hour when we left. There are acres to walk through manicured gardens, a poison section, and a jurassic section. There's a cave under the castle as well. Watch your head. The only detractors are the two gift shops, and the castle takes your picture and charges for copies. I bought mine, however, the pictures our group took were better. The castle's are very close up. Also, be careful when lying down, the platform angles down with handbags. The view is 80 feet below with an outcropping of rocks there.

Purchased by the department of public works years ago. It's been suitably rehabbed to reflect the…read moremany periods of time and the respective remodels. Our tour guide was excellent with great knowledge.

A must see city!! Very walkable with so much to see and do!! We took a day trip from Dublin and it…read morewas our favorite town while on 10 day tour! There were so many cathedrals (take the trolley that picks up at the castle) and things to see around town.

The second day of our Ireland tour brought us to Kilkenny and we sure loved it. There must be 200…read morepubs and restaurants clustered together on what is known as the Medieval Mile. Throw in a thousand year old castle, the Smithwicks Brewery, live music just about everywhere you go, and a great monument dedicated to the sport of Irish Hurling, and you have one fascinating and extremely eclectic city. I can't tell you enough how much we enjoyed Kilkenny.

Amazing to explore and climb! There is a ladder inside and it wasn't too difficult to get up for my…read morefamily, although I will say towards the top the space does get more narrow. Beautiful view at the top. Worth the money and would definitely recommend!

We didn't plan to visit this cathedral but stumbled upon it while wandering around. It's really…read moreinteresting architecturally and historically. There's quite a bit to read here. The round tower is worth a climb for views of Kilkenny but the steps are awfully steep.

This is a must-see in Ireland. It's beautiful and the history dates back to the 1100s. I enjoyed…read morethe views and the stunning interior architecture. There's a video that explains the history as you walk in to the right. Additionally, there are group tours provided by the castle after you pay to get in. I didn't do the tour. I missed it- it was at the top of the hour. I highly recommend seeing this on your way to the Blarney Stone from Dublin.

Rock of Cashel is undeniably beautiful. Should you want a quick stop on your way to Cork, it's…read moreworth seeing. The architecture is stunning against the beautiful Irish landscape. Walking around the exterior gives you a real sense of its age and glory. The inside holds a distinct presence. You can sense someone lived here. This is rated three stars because I was genuinely disappointed by the lack tour or even a self-guided experience. A map is provided but you learn nothing from the map. You can admire it from the outside, but you're left wondering what stories and details are hidden inside. It is a great stop for photos and a quick visit, if you're in a need of a castle experience.