1Give Kilkenny a night: the castle park, St Canice's tower and Kyteler's for music2 visitors
Stay at Butler Court in Kilkenny (cold breakfast delivered to room); two nights felt too short. Train to Dublin is about 1.5 hours. · Rick Steves forum
Climb St Canice's tower in Kilkenny and skip Kilkenny Castle; Kyteler's has music. · TripAdvisor, 2022
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Driving (3)
Don't make Dublin to Kilkenny your first nervous driving day; roads are tight and curvy. · TripAdvisor, 2022
Kilkenny city traffic is busy and GPS got confused; allow extra time to find your hotel. · TripAdvisor, 2023
The M7 and M9 from Dublin to Kilkenny took about 90 minutes. · Fodor's, 2017
Getting around (2)
Small-group tours stop more often than big coaches; the Glendalough day tour then drove over an hour to Kilkenny without a break. · Fodor's, 2018
Take Bus Eireann to Kilkenny and rent a car there, since Enterprise and Europcar both have town offices; avoid driving after the flight. · Rick Steves forum
Food & pubs (6)
Book popular Dingle and Kilkenny restaurants ahead. · TripAdvisor
Cake Face in Kilkenny is good for lunch and sweets, a few minutes' walk from St Canice's Cathedral. · TripAdvisor
Left Bank and Zuni, across from the Pembroke, were recommended for dinner in Kilkenny. · TripAdvisor
Left Bank in Kilkenny had great food but poor service. · TripAdvisor, 2022
Mad Hatter in Carlow gave a good steak sandwich for lunch; Marble City Grill in Kilkenny was unremarkable. · TripAdvisor, 2023
Stop for ice cream at Murphy's in Kilkenny. · Blog, 2018
Sightseeing (7)
Cahir Castle is well preserved and a pleasant surprise; Kilkenny Castle lawn suits a picnic lunch. · Blog, 2019
Climb Kilkenny Castle tower and tour the small Smithwicks brewery. · Blog, 2018
Kilkenny Castle had many stairs and no lift at the time, which is hard for anyone with limited mobility. · Blog, 2022
Kilkenny Castle has a playground in the grounds, handy for kids; Aran Bakery and Black Abbey are also in town. · TripAdvisor, 2026
Kilkenny Castle is mostly restoration but beautiful, with a park and playground good for kids. · Fodor's, 2017
Skipping Glendalough and the Wicklow route to reach Kilkenny faster was a regret; do the slower scenic drive. · Fodor's, 2017
Smithwick's no longer brews in Kilkenny so the tour is less exciting, though the tasting at the end is worthwhile. · TripAdvisor, 2023
Where to stay (1)
Before booking a Mount Juliet Christmas package, ask exactly what it includes (dinner, bikes, pool, music); the estate keeps mixed ages busy. · Blog, 2022
Other (5)
Break the Kinsale-to-Dublin drive at Rock of Cashel and Kilkenny Castle, lunching at Kyteler's Inn in Kilkenny. · TripAdvisor, 2019
Kilkenny alone deserves several hours; move fast through Cahir and Cashel if time is short. · TripAdvisor