Kilkenny: craft, city streets and Jerpoint Abbey

Follow an interest in making through Kilkenny, with a heritage visit near Thomastown on another day.
Kilkenny Castle, County Kilkenny

Look for the making

Kilkenny offers a way to build a break around craft as well as historic buildings. The county guide includes Kilkenny Design Centre and Jerpoint Glass Studio among its creative stops. Check current visitor arrangements before expecting to see a demonstration or enter a working area. A browse and a workshop visit are different experiences.

Out to Jerpoint

Jerpoint Abbey, near Thomastown, gives another day a heritage focus. Take time with the details and the interpretation rather than making it a quick stop between other places. It can complement an interest in materials and making while also introducing a different part of the county.

An evening in the city

Keep some unbooked time in Kilkenny city for the streets, a meal and whatever catches your attention. If an exhibition or performance matters to the trip, check the programme before choosing your date. Rural studio visits and a city evening can sit well within one break when the journeys between them have been allowed for.

Useful links

Before you go

Verify studio opening, demonstrations, abbey access and any exhibition or performance bookings.

Featured image: Ireland Kilkenny Castle BW 2025-09-15 10-18-56 — Berthold Werner · CC BY-SA 4.0. Resized and converted to WebP. No scene changes. Image retains the stated source licence.