Kilkenny - City of Ireland

Kilkenny, is the county town of County Kilkenny in Ireland. It is situated on both banks of the River Nore, at the centre of County Kilkenny in the province of Leinster in the south-east of Ireland. Kilkenny City is administered by a borough council and has a Mayor. The majority of the population of Kilkenny City live outside the borough boundary.

Kilkenny is famous for its medieval building and castle. The town has been referred to as the "Marble City" for centuries. People from Kilkenny are often referred to as 'Cats'.

Weatherwise, Kilkenny is generally representative of wide river valleys in the region with low temperatures on cloudless nights. Overall, Kilkenny has a mild, but changeable, oceanic climate with few extremes. Kilkenny is significant in that it records some of the highest summer and lowest winter temperatures in Ireland.

Kilkenny is a popular tourist destination in Ireland. Well regarded for its cultural life, it has always tended to attract culturally aware visitors. Art galleries, historic buildings, craft and design workshops, theatre, comedy, public gardens and museums are some of main reasons Kilkenny has become one of Ireland's most visited towns and a popular base to explore the surrounding countryside.

Points of interest within the city and its environs include Kilkenny Castle, St. Canice's Cathedral and round tower, Rothe House, St. Mary's Cathedral, Kells Priory, Kilkenny Town Hall, Black Abbey and Jerpoint Abbey.

The recent rise in "stag" and "hen" parties in the city has seen attempts made at local level to discourage such activity, without impinging on the vibrant nightlife the city is known for.

Kilkenny has a rich and vibrant music scene. The Kilkenny Arts Festival held every August embraces musical acts of all ages and styles.

The 'Source' annual concert in Nolan Park attracts mainstream musical performers such as Rod Stewart, Shania Twain, Bob Dylan, Paul Simon and Andrea Bocelli. Dolly Parton headlined at the 2008 event.Graiguenamanagh is also the hometown of Scuba Dice a local pop punk band which entered You're A Star in 2006 and came fourth in the competition they also have a loyal local following which continue to support them.

Kilkenny is the only city in the Republic that has neither a Institute of Technology nor a university, although the National University of Ireland, Maynooth maintains an outreach centre at St. Kieran's College.

As many children from Catholic families were sent to Europe to be educated as priests, in Louvain, Salamanca & Rome etc. these returned with the new liberal ideas emerging on the mainland at this time. To prevent further spread of European liberalism, the establishment in Ireland decided to allow the Catholics to be educated in Ireland, where they could be monitored. Thus the emergence of such colleges as St. Kierans and Maynooth.

St. Kieran's is a noted centre of the ancient Irish sport of hurling and has seen many famous hurling stars wearing the school's colours, though its influence has waned in the city in recent years with the success of the largest boy's school in the city, the Christian Brothers School.