Category: Blog

Categories
Blog What's On

A Sensory Journey Through the Museum

An Evening of Renewal, Reflection and Holistic Self-Care

This spring, we invite you to experience its historic spaces in a completely new way. In partnership with Festina Lente, this unique evening of holistic self-care offers a guided Renewal Trail through the museum’s most iconic zones.

Designed to restore balance, encourage reflection and awaken the senses, the experience blends history, nature and mindful practice within the calm and atmospheric surroundings of St Mary’s Church at the Medieval Mile Museum.

 

Experience the Medieval Mile Museum like never before.

During this event, participants will move gently through a series of curated spaces, each offering a restorative activity inspired by renewal, wellbeing and the season of spring.

This guided journey encourages stillness, creativity and connection, allowing you to slow down and engage with the building and its stories in a meaningful and personal way.

Your Renewal Trail Experience
Your ticket includes a guided journey through six historic zones:

  1. Grand Nave – Mindful breathwork grounded in the ancient foundations of the church.
  2. North Aisle – Private one-to-one Nature Card readings offering clarity and reflection.
  3. Rothe Chapel – Hand-binding aromatic herbal smudge sticks using natural materials.
  4. Kilkenny Room – Blending revitalising Easter teas while enjoying views across the city.
  5. The Chancel – Creating therapeutic bath salts and fresh-flower corsages.
  6. The Garden – Sowing microgreen “intentions” in portable, sustainable pots to nurture at home.

A Seasonal Kit to Take Home
Participants will depart with a complete handcrafted seasonal kit, created during the experience. Each item serves as a tangible reminder of renewal, intention and self-care, offering a gentle anchor for the weeks ahead.

Event Details

Date: 2 April 2026
Time: 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Price: €45 per person

Places are limited and booking is essential.

Click Here to Reserve Your Place
Renewal in a Historic Setting

The Medieval Mile Museum, housed in the beautifully restored St Mary’s Church, offers a peaceful and reflective setting for this journey. Surrounded by centuries of history, participants are invited to pause, breathe and reconnect with themselves, with nature and with the changing season.

In Partnership with Festina Lente


This event is presented in partnership with Festina Lente, a Wicklow-based social enterprise dedicated to wellbeing, sustainability and inclusive horticulture. Their work encourages people to reconnect with nature through therapeutic gardening, environmental awareness and mindful practice.

 

Begin a New Chapter

Join us for an evening of calm, creativity and renewal. Whether you are seeking rest, inspiration or simply a meaningful seasonal experience, this guided sensory journey offers a gentle way to welcome spring.

Reserve your place and begin your renewal journey.

Discover more about Medieval Kilkenny through our guided tours, immersive exhibits, andspecial events.

Click here to book your visit today.

 

For more info
Visit: www.medievalmilemuseum.ie
Call: 056 781 7022 | Email: info@medievalmilemuseum.ie

Categories
Blog What's On

Easter Floral Wreath-Making Workshop

floral Easter wreath

A Mindful Evening of Creativity and Spring Renewal

As the first signs of spring begin to appear across Kilkenny, we invite you to welcome the season with creativity, calm, and a little floral beauty of your own.

This spring, the Medieval Mile Museum invites you to slow down, create and celebrate the season of renewal at our Easter Floral Wreath-Making Workshop, presented in partnership with Festina Lente.

Taking place in the calm and historic surroundings of St Mary’s Church, this special evening offers a chance to welcome spring through creativity, nature and gentle reflection.

spring wreath workshop

Celebrate the Season in Bloom

As the days grow longer and the first signs of spring appear, this workshop offers a meaningful way to mark the Easter season. Participants will craft their own beautiful floral wreath using sustainably sourced blooms and natural materials. You can choose between a traditional single-tier wreath or an elegant two-tier design, creating a piece that reflects your own style while embracing the colours and textures of spring.

 

A Mindful and Sensory Experience

This is more than a craft workshop. It is a restorative experience designed to nourish creativity and wellbeing.

Your evening includes a sensory garden walk, floral journaling inspired by Kilkenny’s rich heritage, and expert guidance throughout the wreath-making process in a tranquil setting. Herbal teas will be served to soothe and inspire.

Together, these elements create a peaceful and reflective atmosphere, allowing participants to slow down and reconnect with nature and creativity.

Event Details

Date: 26 March 2026
Time: 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Price: €45 per person

Places are limited, and booking is essential.

All materials are ethically and sustainably sourced, honouring both the environment and Kilkenny’s tradition of craftsmanship and connection to the land.

Click Here to Book Your Ticket

 

In Partnership with Festina Lente

This workshop is delivered in partnership with Festina Lente, a Wicklow-based social enterprise renowned for promoting wellbeing, sustainability and inclusive horticulture. Their work combines therapeutic gardening, environmental education and community engagement, encouraging people to reconnect with nature in meaningful and restorative ways.

Let Your Creativity Bloom

Join us for an evening of creativity, calm and seasonal celebration. Whether you come alone or with a friend, you will leave with a handcrafted wreath and a renewed sense of connection to the season.

Book your place and welcome spring in a meaningful way.

Discover more about Medieval Kilkenny through our guided tours, immersive exhibits, and special events.

Click here to book your visit today.

 

For more info
Visit: www.medievalmilemuseum.ie
Call: 056 781 7022 | Email: info@medievalmilemuseum.ie

 

Categories
Blog

Liber Primus Kilkenniensis Now Online

Liber primus kilkenny

Liber Primus Kilkenniensis – Kilkenny’s Oldest Civic Record

Some objects do more than record facts. They give us a living sense of a place and the people who shaped it. In Kilkenny, few documents achieve this as profoundly as Liber Primus Kilkenniensis, often called the First Book of Kilkenny.

liber primus

At first glance, it is a modest manuscript: a vellum book bound in oak boards, measuring approximately 23.5 by 17.6 centimetres and written in multiple medieval hands. Yet within its 174 pages lies a remarkable journey through more than two centuries of city life, spanning the early 1200s into the 1500s.

This was no book of saints or scripture. It was a town book, meticulously maintained by the Corporation of Kilkenny, documenting how the city governed itself. Here, one can trace early civic ordinances, elections of town officials, appointments of freemen, and even rules governing the price of bread and ale.

One entry, dated 1231, marks a defining moment in Kilkenny’s municipal life: an annual gathering of the community to elect its leaders. This is among the earliest independent records of its kind in Ireland, revealing a community actively shaping its own future.

As the centuries pass, the entries grow richer in detail. They record not only routine civic business, but also disputes, legal agreements, public works, and the rules that determined civic status. Liber Primus Kilkenniensis is more than ink on vellum, it is a testament to the real people, leaders, merchants, tradespeople, and citizens, whose choices shaped the city.

When you looking at the Liber Primus, you are not simply looking at old writing. You are connecting, page by page, with the living heart of Kilkenny’s past.

 

Kilkenny’s Oldest Civic Record Goes Digital

Some books are more than objects, they are voices carried across centuries, holding the memories, decisions, and daily lives of those who built our cities. For Kilkenny, that voice lives in Liber Primus Kilkenniensis, now carefully digitised and made available worldwide through Irish Script on Screen (ISOS).

What was once accessible only to a select group of scholars can now be explored by anyone with curiosity and a love of history.

liber primus

A Book Born with the City

Liber Primus is no ordinary manuscript. This small vellum volume, consisting of 86 folios bound in oak, records civic life in Kilkenny from 1230 to 1538. At nearly 800 years old, it is one of Ireland’s most significant surviving town books.

Its pages preserve:

  • Grants and charters from the 13th century
  • Early civic regulations issued under William Marshal and his son
  • Legal agreements between feudal lords and townspeople
  • Records of governance, authority, and responsibility within the medieval city

 

Through these entries, we see how Kilkenny functioned as a living, breathing community: who held power, how disputes were resolved, and how order was maintained.

Yet what makes Liber Primus so compelling is not only its political significance, but its humanity. Its pages reveal the lives of ordinary people: stubborn, hopeful, ambitious, flawed, the same qualities that shape communities today.

 

The Ordinary Lives Behind the Ink

Between formal records lie glimpses of daily life: penalties for misconduct, notes on behaviour, and rules designed to keep peace in a bustling medieval town. These details animate the manuscript, transforming it from a historical record into a personal connection with Kilkenny’s past.

 

Preserving the Past, Opening Access

Manuscripts are fragile. Vellum ages, ink fades and handling leaves its mark. Digitising Liber Primus ensures its long-term preservation while opening it to the world.

Through the work of ISOS, part of the School of Celtic Studies at the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies (DIAS), every page has been captured in exquisite detail. Readers can explore the texture of the vellum, the medieval handwriting, and marginal notes that reveal centuries of civic life. The manuscript is no longer confined to a single archive. It can now be studied in schools, universities, libraries, and homes worldwide. Kilkenny’s story has become part of the world’s story.

 

Collaboration and Expertise

This work has only been possible through dedication and collaboration. Special thanks are due to Dr Anne Marie O’Brien, Professor Pádraig Ó Macháin (University College Cork), and the continued support of Kilkenny County Council. Their scholarship ensures that one of Kilkenny’s greatest cultural treasures is preserved with care, accuracy, and respect.

liber primus digital

Returning to Public Display

Following a period of conservation, Liber Primus Kilkenniensis will return to public display at the Medieval Mile Museum. Visitors will once again encounter the book not merely as an object behind glass, but as a witness to nearly three centuries of civic life.

For locals, it offers a tangible connection to the foundations of their city. For visitors, it presents a rare opportunity to engage with one of Ireland’s most significant civic manuscripts in its original context.

 

Why Liber Primus Still Matters

In a world where history can feel distant, Liber Primus reminds us that communities are shaped slowly, collectively, and carefully. Its pages speak of responsibility, identity, fairness, and belonging, values as relevant today as they were in 1230.

By bringing this manuscript online, Kilkenny does more than preserve its heritage. It invites curiosity, conversation, and connection. The past is no longer silent. It is here to be read, questioned, and understood.

 

Explore Liber Primus Online

Click Here to View the Liber Primus Manuscript.

And when it returns to display, we invite you to visit the Medieval Mile Museum and experience the real manuscript, where ink, vellum, and centuries of history meet in the heart of Kilkenny.

Discover more about Medieval Kilkenny through our guided tours, immersive exhibits, and special events.

Click here to book your visit today.

For more info
Visit: www.medievalmilemuseum.ie
Call: 056 781 7022 | Email: info@medievalmilemuseum.ie

 

Categories
Blog What's On

What’s On This Autumn & Halloween

halloween at the medieval mile museum

This October, the Medieval Mile Museum is summoning a season of magic, mischief and music to the heart of Kilkenny. Whether you’re chasing chills and thrills with the kids or fancy dancing the night away, there’s plenty to enchant your midterm break.

Magic & Mischief on the Mile

From 28th to 31st October, families with children aged 4 to 14 are invited to step into a world of enchantment with Magic & Mischief at the Medieval Mile Museum. Delivered in collaboration with Home of Halloween and Kilkenny Tourism, this spooktacular event is tailor-made for curious children and brave parents alike.
Step inside the ancient stone walls of the Medieval Mile Museum where shadows whisper and secrets linger… the perfect setting for a Halloween adventure steeped in folklore, fun and frightful surprises.

Each 60 – 75 minute session tricks up:

Spooky Storytelling with The Grim Chronicler, spinning eerie tales of witches, folklore and ghostly goings-on from Kilkenny’s medieval past. Expect flickering lanterns, goosebumps, and a tale or two you’ll never forget. Secure your place… before the witches do!

Potion-Making Workshop, where little witches and wizards can brew their own bubbling concoctions. There’s just enough mystery in the mix to spark wide-eyed wonder.
Claim your potion-making pass while supplies last!

Halloween Scavenger Hunt – Creep through the museum’s nooks and crannies on a quest filled with strange clues and chilling giggles, ending in a trick-or-treat surprise for every child.
Book now… if you dare step inside the Mile!

With spot prizes, themed décor and plenty of frightful fun, Magic & Mischief is set to be one of Kilkenny’s most memorable Halloween happenings. Sessions run twice daily at 10:30am and 2:30pm, but beware, spaces vanish fast, with just 25 children per session.

Cost: €7.50 per child
Dates: 28th, 29th, 30th and 31st October
Daily Times: 10:30 am and 2:30 pm
Ages: 4–14 and their families (children must be supervised).

Book your spooky spot before it disappears into the mist!

Latin Dance Nights – Bachata & Salsa

If ghosts and ghouls aren’t your thing, swap broomsticks for dance shoes! On Wednesday nights in November, the museum transforms into a dance floor for Latin Dance Nights, presented by The Dance Club Kilkenny and supported by Kilkenny County Council and the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport.

Originating in the Dominican Republic, Bachata is known for its soft, romantic rhythm and close partner connection. It’s expressive, smooth, and easy to learn. Salsa, with its roots in Cuban and Afro-Caribbean traditions, is faster and more energetic full of spins, footwork, and joyful movement that lifts the soul. Whether you’ve danced before or you’re stepping out for the first time, these Latin styles bring people together through rhythm, laughter, and pure fun.

• 6:30pm – Bachata: smooth, romantic and full of flow.
• 7:30pm – Salsa: fiery spins and high-energy moves that will lift your spirits.
No partner required, all levels welcome, just bring your best moves (and maybe a little courage).
Cost:
• €12 for one class
• €18 for both classes on the same night
• €45 for all six classes
Dates: 5th, 12th, 19th November

Reserve your spot now and make your November nights sizzle with dance!

A Season of Spells & Steps

This autumn, the Medieval Mile Museum is alive with stories, spirits, and salsa. From eerie legends to sizzling Latin rhythms, we promise a season that’s equal parts spine-tingling and toe-tapping. And as always, our tours continue, whether you choose a guided tour, explore at your own pace with our interactive self-guided experience, or set out on a Medieval Mile walking tour. There’s no better way to encounter history than along the Medieval Mile in the golden glow of the autumn, with plenty of things to do in Kilkenny this autumn.

Dare to join us? Book your tickets now… if you’re brave enough.

Visit: www.medievalmilemuseum.ie
Call: 056 781 7022 | Email: info@medievalmilemuseum.ie

 

Categories
Blog What's On

Culture Night 2025

Culture Night 2025
Culture Night 2025 at the Museum

This Culture Night, Kilkenny’s Medieval Mile Museum invites you to experience an evening where history, harmony, and heart come together in perfect tune. On Friday 19th September 2025, from 6.30 – 7.30 pm, the museum’s historic walls will resonate with the sublime sounds of the Phoenix Choir, performing a special set in aid of local charity Teac Tom.

The Phoenix Choir is a Kilkenny-based choir with over 30 members singing in four-part harmony. They cover a wide range of music genres including pop, country, and music from the 1960s to the present day. Their passionate and emotive performances promise to bring warmth, joy, and energy to Culture Night, making this a truly special occasion for audiences of all ages.

Culture night 2025

Teac Tom provides vital mental health support and suicide intervention services to those in need. Their mission as a community and voluntary organisation is to provide affordable and immediate services to help individuals struggling with their mental health or who have been bereaved by suicide. All donations and support from this performance will go directly to helping Teac Tom continue their essential work in the local community.

Expect a night filled with live music, community spirit, and the enchanting atmosphere of one of Kilkenny’s most iconic cultural landmarks. This free event promises to be a highlight of Culture Night, offering families, friends, and music lovers a chance to celebrate creativity, community, and Kilkenny’s rich cultural heritage.

Culture Night 2025

Come along, enjoy the music, and support Teac Tom make this Culture Night one to remember at the Medieval Mile Museum.

For more information, please get in touch with the Medieval Mile Museum:

Phone: 056 779 4180
Email: info@medievalmilemuseum.ie

 

 

Categories
Blog Uncategorized

National Heritage Week 2025 Events at the Medieval Mile Museum

kids interactive activities
National Heritage Week 2025 – Free  Events at Medieval Mile Museum

August 16 – 24 | Exploring Our Foundations

Every August, National Heritage Week invites us to slow down, look closer, and reconnect with the traditions, places, and people that shaped Ireland. This year’s theme, Exploring Our Foundations, is about discovering the stories beneath our feet, from the stones of ancient churches to the words of storytellers and the creativity passed from one generation to the next.

At the heart of Kilkenny’s Medieval Mile, the Medieval Mile Museum will once again be a hub of activity for National Heritage Week 2025. Families, history lovers, and curious explorers are invited to step inside this historic landmark and take part in a series of special events designed to bring Kilkenny’s past to life in exciting, memorable ways.

Whether it’s uncovering myths during story time, hunting for LEGO figures, or tracing the artistry of Kilkenny’s tombstones, each event offers a different lens through which to explore our heritage.

things to do in kilkenny

Story Time at the Museum

Daily on 20th, & 22nd August | 9:45 AM – 10:30 AM | Free but Booking Required

Start the day with a little magic inside the museum walls. Our 30-minute storytelling sessions will whisk families into a world of local legends, quirky tales, and Kilkenny myths. Specially created for younger audiences, this engaging event is all about sparking imaginations and helping children connect with the heritage around them.

From knights to curious characters of the past, each tale weaves a thread between history and imagination, giving young listeners a fresh way to understand the city’s medieval story.

 

LEGO Heritage Hunt

Daily on August 20th, 21st & 22nd | Drop-in from 09:45 – 16:45 | Kids Go Free

For those who like their history hands-on, the LEGO Heritage Hunt is a playful way to connect with the past. Hidden throughout the museum are mini LEGO figures, each connected to a real piece of Kilkenny’s history. Armed with an activity sheet, young explorers will set off on an adventure to match characters with their historical stories.

Along the way, families will discover tales of kings, knights, and medieval life-proving that even the smallest brick can build big connections to the past.

No booking is required, just drop in and get hunting.

 

Lunchtime Tombstone Tours

August 20th, 21st & 23rd | 1:00 PM | Free but Booking Required

Step outside and take a walk through St. Mary’s Graveyard, where centuries of Kilkenny’s history are etched in stone. These guided lunchtime tours, led by expert museum guides, uncover the artistry, symbolism, and hidden stories carved into the city’s tombstones.

Over the course of 45 minutes, you’ll:

  • Trace the evolution of grave markers from medieval to modern.
  • Hear stories of prominent Kilkenny families buried on site.
  • Discover religious and cultural shifts reflected in burial practices.
  • Learn about the skills of local stonemasons whose work still endures today.

 

It’s a chance to reflect on Kilkenny’s built heritage, while gaining a new appreciation for the craftsmanship and memory woven into the graveyard’s stones.

 

Why Visit During Heritage Week?

Heritage Week is not just about looking back, it’s about making the past part of the present. At the Medieval Mile Museum, families can experience history in ways that are interactive, creative, and fun. From early morning story time to afternoon hunts and reflective tours, there’s something for every age group to enjoy.

And because these events are free to attend, they’re a perfect way for both locals and visitors to celebrate Kilkenny’s role in Ireland’s heritage.

So, this August, gather your family, bring your curiosity, and step inside Kilkenny’s stories. National Heritage Week 2025 promises to be a celebration of the foundations we all share, and the Medieval Mile Museum is the perfect place to begin.

Contact us to book;
056 781 7022 |  info@medievalmilemuseum.ie

Categories
Blog Uncategorized

The Ahenny High Crosses, Preserving Ireland’s Early Medieval Craftsmanship

Ahenny High Crosses

Planning a visit to Kilkenny? Make sure the Medieval Mile Museum is top of your list. Located in the heart of this historic city, the museum is home to some of Ireland’s most remarkable artefacts, including the stunning Ahenny High Crosses, masterful replicas of 8th and 9th century Christian stonework that offer a rare glimpse into our early medieval past.

The Ahenny High Crosses on display at the Medieval Mile Museum date to the 8th / 9th Century.
In 1906, the Director of the National Museum of Ireland, concerned about the deterioration of the original stonework due to exposure to the elements, commissioned Signor Orlandi to create detailed casts of the crosses.
These faithful replicas serve as a testament to the exceptional artistry and craftsmanship of early medieval stone carvers, preserving intricate designs that might otherwise have been lost to time.

Today, visitors can admire these crosses up close, experiencing the beauty and symbolism of one of Ireland’s most iconic Christian art forms without damaging the precious originals still standing in Ahenny, County Tipperary.

While you’re here, be sure to explore the rest of the Medieval Mile Museum. Take a guided tour through the centuries, marvel at ancient tombs beneath your feet, and uncover stories etched into stone. Whether you’re a history lover, a curious traveller, or simply enjoying a day out in Kilkenny, the Medieval Mile Museum offers a truly unforgettable experience that brings Ireland’s medieval past to life.

For more information on the Museum, please don’t hesitate to get in touch directly at info@medievalmilemuseum.ie

By Curator : Sharon Kavanagh

Categories
Blog Uncategorized

International Museum Day May 18th 2022

The Museum from above

800 years of history under one roof…

It’s International Museum Day and we wanted to give you a little background information on the Medieval Mile Museum, Kilkenny.

The History of the Building

Following an award-winning restoration by McCullough Mulvin Architects, the former St Mary’s Church has been converted into a modern museum. Designed to enrich the cultural life of the city and provide a new international standard attraction for visitors the museum has several functions: as the starting point for understanding Kilkenny’s medieval history, to display Kilkenny’s Civic Treasures and replicas of some of Ossory High Crosses and to provide a space for temporary exhibitions and cultural events.

The Museum Today

We are delighted to be among the many fantastic attractions along Irelands Medieval Mile. As the starting point of the Medieval Mile trail, the Museum brings to life Kilkenny’s history as Ireland’s premier medieval city.

Visitors to the museum will marvel not only at some of Ireland’s finest examples of medieval sculpture, but also the country’s largest collection of Renaissance tombs. Stepping into the Rothe Chapel you will find the best surviving example of a medieval chantry chapel in Ireland.

Stories of power and wealth written and preserved in magnificent stone carvings – Our High Cross exhibition introduces the High Kings of Ossory and the foundation of the monastery of Kilkenny by St Canice. The displays describe how Kilkenny has the finest stone sculptural tradition in Ireland extending from the Neolithic period of 5,000 years ago to the modern era.

Books, Letters, Petitions, Leases… Kilkenny holds a unique set of civic records, tracing the city’s history right back to the 1200s. The ancient papers and treasures tell fascinating stories about daily life in a medieval city governed by wealthy merchants and are on display in the Kilkenny Room along with the Liber Primus – Kilkenny’s extraordinary town book.

Our cutting-edge exhibition, 3 lives, 3 deaths, One life unlived welcomes the return of three skeletons that were excavated at the main gate of the museum in 2016. We have learned a lot about these individuals’ lives through scientific analysis and historical research.

The atmospheric medieval graveyard – A place of rest for the great and good of Kilkenny for 800 years, the graveyard is now an oasis for wildlife in the centre of the city. Bats, butterflies and bees have made their homes here as well as a variety of plants.

Our wonderful, expert storytelling Tour Guides give visitors a wonderful introduction with Guided Tours and a Medieval Mile Trail City Walking Tour running daily. We also offer an Interactive Audio Tour allowing visitors to explore the Museum at their own pace.

Education

The Museum’s education and outreach programmes for schools and the wider community are central to its operational strategy and are a key priority. We offer a range of engaging educational experiences tailored to each group. Our School Tours and Workshops link closely with the primary and secondary curricula. We also offer tours for Third-Level and Language School Students.

Events

Ideally located in the heart of the city centre the Medieval Mile Museum also provides a stunning, atmospheric backdrop for a private function or corporate event striking the perfect balance of traditional and contemporary features. We have hosted many great local festivals and events, most recently Kilkenny Tradfest and April Sounds, along with beautiful, unique wedding ceremonies.

For more information on the Museum, please don’t hesitate to get in touch directly at info@medievalmilemuseum.ie

Categories
Blog Uncategorized

What Made Kilkenny a City?

The city charter in 1609 on 11th April is written on animal skin. The power of symbolism reflects in the image of the lion of England, the unicorn of Scotland and the fleur de lys of France. Not in colour as the 1608 charter with its brilliantly decorative illumination, but yet poignant in written script.

The charter is an updated version of the first charter which concentrates on power, law and the council members. The ecclesiastical centres are mentioned and a description of Kilkenny and it’s wishes of it to be a ‘city of peace to the terror and fear of the wicked’. The charter gives power and rights to the people of Kilkenny and makes for a development of early city organization of its areas. The merchant class were now on the up.

Edward Shee was elected Mayor. Three weekly markets were permitted and three yearly fairs on the holy days of St Canice, St Patrick and John the Baptist.