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- Once
the legislative capital of Ireland, Kilkenny is now at the centre
of a hugely important cultural and artistic scene with a number
of select festivals and an internationally renowned craft industry
- it could justly be called the Creative Capital of Ireland.
Kilkenny City is characterised by many beautifully restored
buildings and winding slipways - it is small and compact enough
to explore on foot, yet full of fascinating historical buildings
and contemporary shops, design galleries and restaurants. The
ancient city of Kilkenny was named after a 6th century monk
St Canice. His memory lives on in the beautifully restored St
Canices Cathedral built overlooking the city in the thirteenth
century. The Normans arrived in the 12th century and their legacy
remains in the beautifully restored Kilkenny Castle. The Castle's
image is one of the most enduring of Kilkenny. Established on
the site of older fortifications, the first stone castle was
built by William the Earl Marshall in 1170. There have been
many additions over the centuries, but the basic structure of
the building has remained the same.
- The
Castle provide guided tours, an art gallery, a cafe during the
summer season, extensive pleasure grounds and a well equipped
outdoor play area for children.
- Kilkenny
has been referred to as the Marble City for hundreds of years,
the black stone with decorative white fossils that forms the
backbone of many of Kilkenny's fine buildings is actually polished
limestone which has been quarried from around the city for centuries.
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