Page 127 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Europe

IRELAND  125

5 Kilkenny + Kilkenny Castle
Co. Kilkenny. * 26,000. £ @ The Parade. Tel 056-770 4100.
n Shee Alms House, Rose Inn St Open daily. Closed Good Fri,
(056-775 1500). _ Kilkenny Arts Christmas (see website). & 8
Festival (Aug). ∑ kilkenny.ie obligatory. ^ 7 limited.
∑ kilkennycastle.ie
In a lovely setting beside the Riv er
Nore, Kilkenny is Ireland’s most
attractive inland city. Many of its 6 Waterford
houses feature the local black Co. Waterford. * 49,000. £ @ 4
limestone, known as Kilkenny n 120 Parade Quay (051-875 823).
marble. The city is proud of its ( Sat. _ International Festival
heritage and hosts a major arts of Light Opera (Sep).
festival. It is also a brewery city, ∑ visitwaterford.com
filled with atmospheric old pubs.
Kilkenny Castle is a Ireland’s oldest city, Waterford
12th-century castle that was was founded by the Vikings
remodeled in Victorian times. It in 914, and later extended
Round tower at Glendalough is set in extensive parkland, and by the Anglo-Normans. Its
was the seat of the Butler family commanding position on the
4 Glendalough for almost 600 years from around Suir estuary made it southeast
Co. Wicklow. @ St. Kevin’s Bus from 1391 until 1967, when it was Ireland’s main port. The 18th
Dublin. Ruins: Open daily. 8 in presented to the people of century saw the establishment
summer. Visitor Center: Tel 0404- Kilkenny. Two wings of the castle of local industries, including the
45352. Open daily. Closed Dec 23–28. have been restored to their world-famous glassworks.
& 7 limited. ∑ glendalough.ie 19th-century splendor, and The remains of the city walls
include a library, a drawing define the area fortified by the
The steep, wooded slopes of room, and the magnificent Normans. The largest surviving
Glendalough, the “valley of the Long Gallery. The River Wing structure is Reginald’s Tower,
two lakes,” harbor one of houses the Butler Gallery of overlooking the river. Despite
Ireland’s most atmospheric Contemporary Art. the city’s medieval layout, most
ruined monasteries. Founded by The area known, in the days of its finest buildings are
St. Kevin in the 6th century, it of segregation, as Englis h Georgian, including Christ­
functioned as a monastic center Town boasts the city’s gran- church Cathedral, designed
until the Dissolution of the dest buildings, such as in the 1770s by local
Monasteries in 1539. Rot he House, a fine architect John Roberts.
Most of the buildings date Tudor merchant’s From June to August,
from the 10th to 12th centuries. house, built arou nd there are pleasure
The reconstruction (see pp126–7) two courtyards. The Waterford Crystal decanter cruises on the river.
shows how the monastery may area of narrow alley- The Waterford
have looked in its heyday. The ways, or “slips,” is part of Kilkenny’s Crystal Factory lies 2.5 km (1.5
main ruins lie near the smaller medieval heritage. miles) south of the center. The
Lower Lake. You enter the The Irishtown district is original factory was founded in
monastery through the double dominated by St. Canice’s 1783, but closed in 1851. A new
stone arch of the gatehouse, Cathedral and a round tower factory opened in 1947.
from where a short walk leads that offers views of the city. The
to a graveyard with a restored Gothic cathedral dates from the E Waterford Crystal Factory
round tower in one corner. 13th century. It has a finely Kilbarry. Tel 051-317 000. Open Apr–
Other ruins include the roofless sculpted west door and an array Oct: 9am–4:15pm daily; Nov–Mar:
cathedral, the tiny Priest’s House of 16th-century tombs, with 9:30am–3:15pm Mon–Fri.
and St. Kevin’s Cross. Below, beautiful effigies of the Butler Closed Dec 21–Jan 4. & 8 7
nestled in the lush valley, stands family, in the south transept. ∑ waterfordvisitorcentre.com
a small oratory. It is popularly
known as St. Kevin’s Kitchen,
because its belfry resembles a
chimney.
A path along the south bank
of the river leads to the Upper
Lake and some of the other
buildings associated with
St. Kevin. Here, the scenery
is wilder and you are better
able to enjoy the tranquility
of Glendalough. Tomb of 2nd Marquess of Ormonde in St. Canice’s Cathedral, Kilkenny

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