CastleKilkenny Castle
The Parade, Kilkenny, R95 YRK1
Kilkenny Castle, begun in the twelfth century, was for almost 600 years the chief seat of the Butler family, who held the Ormond titles of earl, marquess and duke; the Irish State has owned it since 1969. From April to September it opens every day from 09:15 to 17:30, last entry 17:00, and its parkland stays open from 08:30 to 20:30 in June. A self-guided visit costs €8 an adult and €20 a family, and a guided one €12 an adult. The Office of Public Works refuses tickets bought from any other seller.
Brewery tourSmithwick's Experience
44 Parliament Street, Kilkenny
The Smithwick's Experience tells 300 years of the ale's story on guided tours of about an hour. From March to October it is open every day from 10.30am to 6.30pm, the last tour at 5pm, and in June tours leave every 30 minutes from 11am to 5pm. The Signature Experience, from €21, ends with a free pint; the 75-minute Masters of Ale, from €50, adds a tasting masterclass and a lesson in pouring a pint. Soft drinks are served to anyone under 18, and the castle is less than 10 minutes' walk away.
MuseumMedieval Mile Museum
2 St Mary's Lane, High Street, Kilkenny
The Medieval Mile Museum opens from Wednesday to Sunday, 9.30am to 5pm, so it is shut on the festival's last day, a Monday, and on the Tuesday after. An audio tour of the museum costs €8 an adult and €20 a family, guided tours leave at 10am and 2pm for €11, and the Medieval Mile Trail, a walk through the old city, sets off at 11am and 3pm for €18. A family ticket covers two adults and up to two children under 16.
House and gardenRothe House & Garden
16 Parliament Street, Kilkenny, R95 P89C
Rothe House went up between 1594 and 1610 as the home and business of John Rothe and Rose Archer, among Kilkenny's richest merchant families, and its rooms open on to cobbled courtyards that climb to a restored walled garden. Guided tours tell how the Rothe family rose and fell, and visitors may also go round alone at any time while it is open. It stands on Parliament Street, 10 minutes' walk from Kilkenny Castle and 5 from St. Canice's Cathedral.
