Explore County Kilkenny: castles, holy wells, abbeys and ancient sites
Cill Chainnigh · Leinster. 1,159 heritage sites, 38 trails, 0 bathing waters and 48 upcoming events.
Photo: Dunmore Cave · Jan-Philipp Litza · CC BY-SA 4.0
Map of County Kilkenny
Switch layers on and off to combine monuments with walks, beaches, forests and events.
Folklore and traditions recorded in County Kilkenny (48 sites).
Castles and forts
Castles 247
Visitor site Kilfane Castle
Castle - tower house · Kilfane Demesne
Visitor site National MonumentKilkenny Castle, Kilkenny City
Castle - Anglo-Norman masonry castle · Dukesmeadows (Shillelogher By., St. Patrick'S Par.)
Visitor siteGrace's Old Castle
Castle - unclassified · Gardens (Kilkenny City By., St. Mary’S Par.)
Visitor siteThe Hole In The Wall
Castle - unclassified · Gardens (Kilkenny City By., St. Mary’S Par.)
All castles in County Kilkenny
Ringforts 403
All ringforts in County Kilkenny
Hillforts 4
All hillforts in County Kilkenny
Promontory Forts 1
On the map only (no named sites yet).
Prehistoric monuments
Megalithic Tombs 32
Kilmogue Portal Tomb
Megalithic tomb - portal tomb · Harristown,Kilmogue
National MonumentKnockroe Passage Tomb
Megalithic tomb - passage tomb · Knockroe (Kells By., Killamery Ed)
Newmarket Portal Tomb
Megalithic tomb - portal tomb · Newmarket
Owning Portal Tomb
Megalithic tomb - portal tomb · Owning
All megalithic tombs in County Kilkenny
Stone Circles 1
On the map only (no named sites yet).
Standing Stones 43
All standing stones in County Kilkenny
Ogham Stones 13
Religious heritage
Holy Wells 113
Bastionfort Well
Ritual site - holy well · Castle Ellis
Church Well
Ritual site - holy well · Aughatubbrid Or Chatsworth
Cruckny Well
Ritual site - holy well · Drumgoole
Hermit's Well
Ritual site - holy well · Clontubbrid
All holy wells in County Kilkenny
Ancient Churches 247
Visitor site National MonumentSt. Mary's Church, Gowran
Church · Gowran
National MonumentAghaviller Church and Castle
Church · Aghaviller
National MonumentBallylarkin Church
Church · Ballylarkin Upper
Ballynaboley Church
Church · Ballynaboley (Gowran By.)
All ancient churches in County Kilkenny
Abbeys & Friaries 13
Visitor site National MonumentJerpoint Abbey
Religious house - Cistercian monks · Jerpointabbey
Visitor site National MonumentKells Priory
Religious house - Augustinian canons · Rathduff (Madden)
National MonumentBlack Abbey
Religious house - Dominican friars · Gardens (Kilkenny City By., St. Canice Par.)
National MonumentCallan Augustinian Friary
Religious house - Augustinian friars · Callan North
All abbeys & friaries in County Kilkenny
Monastic Sites 23
All monastic sites in County Kilkenny
Round Towers 5
National MonumentAghaviller Round Tower
Round tower · Aghaviller
National MonumentGrangefertagh Round Tower
Round tower · Grangefertagh
Kilkenny Round Tower
Round tower · Gardens (Kilkenny City By., St. Canice Par.)
National MonumentKilree Round Tower
Round tower · Kilree (Kells By.)
All round towers in County Kilkenny
High Crosses 11
Caves and waterfalls
Caves 2
Waterfalls 1
Get outdoors
Trails 38
- North Kilkenny Cycle RouteRoad Cycling Trail · 80.5 km
- East Kilkenny Cycle RouteRoad Cycling Trail · 62.6 km
- South Kilkenny Cycle LoopRoad Cycling Trail · 43.2 km
- North Kilkenny Cycle LoopRoad Cycling Trail · 24.0 km
- Brandon Hill LoopWalking Trail · 15.7 km
- Gathabawn LoopWalking Trail · 11.3 km
- Nore Valley Walk - Inistioge to Thomastown SectionLong Distance Waymarked Way · 10.9 km
- Nore Valley Walk - Kilkenny to Bennetsbridge SectionLong Distance Waymarked Way · 8.2 km
+ 30 more on the map.
Nature reserves 4
- Ballykeefe Nature Reserve
- Fiddown Island Nature Reserve
- Garryricken Nature Reserve
- Kyleadohir Nature Reserve
History and things to do
Walled towns 5
- Callan
- Gowran
- Inistioge
- Kilkenny
- Thomastown
Excavations 9
- E2386 Islands AR 44, County KilkennyExcavation report (TII)
- E2387 Islands AR 45, County KilkennyExcavation report (TII)
- E2388 Islands AR 46, County KilkennyExcavation report (TII)
- E2389 Islands AR 47, County KilkennyExcavation report (TII)
- E2390 Warrenstown AR 48, County KilkennyExcavation report (TII)
- E2391 Foulkscourt AR 49, County KilkennyExcavation report (TII)
+ 3 more on the map.
Attractions 38
- Ardaire Springs Angling CentreNature and Wildlife
- Ballyrafton WoodNature and Wildlife
- Black AbbeyHistoric Houses and Castle
- Kilkenny Boat Tours by BoatTrips.ieNature and Wildlife
- Coille an Fhaltaigh Millennium ForestNature and Wildlife
- Duiske AbbeyHistoric Houses and Castle
- Dunmore CaveMuseums and Attraction
- Edmund Rice Heritage CentreHistoric Houses and Castle
+ 30 more on the map.
Stay and what's on
Historic stays 1
Events 48
- Pa Sheehy The Magic We Found Tour2026-11-05 · Watergate Theatre
- Kilkenomics2026-11-06 · Kilkenny City
- Kilkenomics2026-11-07 · Kilkenny City
- Limitless With Mark The Science Guy!2026-11-08 · free · Watergate Theatre
- Kilkenomics2026-11-08 · Kilkenny City
- Yulefest Kilkenny 20262026-11-28 · free · Kilkenny
- Yulefest Kilkenny 20262026-11-29 · free · Kilkenny
- Yulefest Kilkenny 20262026-11-30 · free · Kilkenny
+ 40 more on the map.
Places to stay
46 properties in County Kilkenny are on the Fáilte Ireland register of approved accommodation.
Neighbouring counties
Sources: Archaeological Survey of Ireland (NMS); Sport Ireland National Trails Register; EPA bathing waters; Coillte; NPWS; Heritage Council; Fáilte Ireland attractions, events and accommodation; TII; all CC BY 4.0, consulted 5 November 2026. Events listed for the next 120 days.