If stone walls could speak then Kilkenny castle would be a cacophony of voices, a different timbre arising from each new installation and extension that was added. Though initially intended upon construction as an Anglo-Norman stone castle overlooking the strategic silvery bends of the River Nore, each new successor of the castle had wanted to leave his mark upon the castle grounds as a stroke of permanence in inerasable stone. The castle gateway bears the bevels and groves of 17th Century Classical architecture. From the 18th Century arises the stables’ horse-shoe design, an elegant and apt addition while gates in heavy, wrought iron twisted into elaborate curves define the 19th Century. Housed in the unadorned circular Parade Tower are the carpeted floors of a 21st Century conference room to mark the latest addition to the castle’s timeline.

The formal gardens painted in the red and white of the Irish roses are the perfect backdrop for a stroll with a walkway resembling a Celctic cross from above, while offshoots lead into the woods where you might discover hidden lakes. Don’t forget to visit the Long Gallery within the castle, steeple roof held up by ornamental brackets and steel beams sheltering stern portraits framed in gold. As you explore the castle grounds, let the walls speak to you and let them tell you their story.