The 4th Kilkenny Tradfest returns from the 16th to 20th March 2016. The festival showcases the best of Irish traditional music, in a variety of unique venues across Kilkenny city. Held across St.Patrick’s Day weekend, the festival is accessible to everyone, with both free and ticketed events.
Kíla (ABOVE) are bringing their hip-shaking, smile-making, funky, groovy brand of trad to Kilkenny Tradfest on St. Patrick’s Day for an outdoor concert in the magical grounds of Kilkenny’s Castle Park.
Visit Kilkenny for five days of world-class acts, including; music from Hothouse Flowers, Damien Dempsey, Duke Special, Iarla Ó Lionáird, Steve Cooney and many more fantastic traditional Irish musicians and bands. There are events for all ages, with the TradTrail, music & dance workshops, family activities and more.
Don’t miss St.Patrick’s Day for the fantastic annual Parade, taking place within the heart of our Medieval City!
Damien Dempsey plays the Set Theatre Sun 20th
Hothouse Flowers play Billy Byrnes Sun 20th
Uí Bhriaín Ceili Band at The Kilford Arms, Saturday 19th March
Iconic film producer and animation innovator Walt Disney has Kilkenny roots. His great-grandfather Arundel Elias Disney emigrated from Gowran, County Kilkenny, in the 19th century.
Film star George Clooney’s great-great-grandfather was baptised Nicholas Clooney in Windgap church, Kilkenny, on July 23, 1829.
Kilkenny is 117 kilometres (73 mi) away the capital Dublin and 48 kilometres (30 mi) north from the nearest city Waterford. Wexford is 80 kilometres (50 mi) to the south-east and Limerick is 122 kilometres (76 mi) to the west.
All-time top scorer in the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship is TJ REID with 641 points in 82 games, scoring 30-551.
As of 2011, Kilkenny had played a total of 371 championship games, winning 265, drawing 16 and losing 90. They had played Dublin the most times(82) .
The last witch in Ireland, reputedly Dame Alice Kyteler, was born in Kilkenny in 1280. Widowed four times, she was accused of poisoning all of her husbands. Although her former home was burned down, you can now dine at Kyteler’s Inn on the site of the house
Kilkenny Castle has soared past some incredible competition to take the title of the most popular paid visitor attraction managed by the Office of Public Works (OPW) in Ireland.
AKA is a voluntary run arts festival that showcases the hard work and talent of independent artists and community groups across Kilkenny county and city.