County Kilkenny ( gle, Contae Chill Chainnigh) is a

county A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesChambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

. It is in the

province A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or sovereign state, state. The term derives from the ancient Roman ''Roman province, provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire ...

Leinster Leinster ( ; ga, Laighin or ) is one of the provinces of Ireland, situated in the southeast and east of Ireland. The province comprises the ancient Kingdoms of Meath, Leinster and Osraige. Following the 12th-century Norman invasion of Ir ...

and is part of the South-East Region. It is named after the

city A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Routledge. It can be def ...

Kilkenny Kilkenny (). is a city in County Kilkenny, Ireland. It is located in the South-East Region and in the province of Leinster. It is built on both banks of the River Nore. The 2016 census gave the total population of Kilkenny as 26,512. Kilken ...

Kilkenny County Council Kilkenny County Council ( ga, Comhairle Chontae Chill Chainnigh) is the authority responsible for local government in County Kilkenny, Ireland. As a county council, it is governed by the Local Government Act 2001. The council is responsible for ...

is the

local authority Local government is a generic term for the lowest tiers of public administration within a particular sovereign state. This particular usage of the word government refers specifically to a level of administration that is both geographically-loca ...

for the county. As of the 2022 census the population of the county was just over 100,000. The county was based on the historic

Gaelic Gaelic is an adjective that means "pertaining to the Gaels". As a noun it refers to the group of languages spoken by the Gaels, or to any one of the languages individually. Gaelic languages are spoken in Ireland, Scotland, the Isle of Man, and Ca ...

kingdom of

Ossory Osraige (Old Irish) or Osraighe (Classical Irish), Osraí (Modern Irish), anglicized as Ossory, was a medieval Irish kingdom comprising what is now County Kilkenny and western County Laois, corresponding to the Diocese of Ossory. The home of ...

(''Osraighe''), which was coterminous with the

Diocese of Ossory The Bishop of Ossory () is an Episcopal polity, episcopal title which takes its name after the ancient of Kingdom of Ossory in the Provinces of Ireland, Province of Leinster, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. In the Roman Catholic Church it remain ...

Geography and subdivisions

Kilkenny is the 16th-largest of Ireland's 32 counties by area, and the 21st largest in terms of population. It is the third-largest of Leinster's 12 counties in size, the seventh-largest in terms of population, and has a population density of 48 people per km2. Kilkenny borders five counties -

Tipperary Tipperary is the name of: Places *County Tipperary, a county in Ireland **North Tipperary, a former administrative county based in Nenagh **South Tipperary, a former administrative county based in Clonmel *Tipperary (town), County Tipperary's na ...

to the west,

Waterford "Waterford remains the untaken city" , mapsize = 220px , pushpin_map = Ireland#Europe , pushpin_map_caption = Location within Ireland##Location within Europe , pushpin_relief = 1 , coordinates ...

to the south,

Carlow Carlow ( ; ) is the county town of County Carlow, in the south-east of Ireland, from Dublin. At the 2016 census, it had a combined urban and rural population of 24,272. The River Barrow flows through the town and forms the historic bounda ...

and

Wexford Wexford () is the county town of County Wexford, Ireland. Wexford lies on the south side of Wexford Harbour, the estuary of the River Slaney near the southeastern corner of the island of Ireland. The town is linked to Dublin by the M11/N11 N ...

to the east, and

Laois County Laois ( ; gle, Contae Laoise) is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Eastern and Midland Region and in the province of Leinster. It was known as Queen's County from 1556 to 1922. The modern county takes its name from Loígis, a medie ...

to the north.

Kilkenny city Kilkenny (). is a city in County Kilkenny, Ireland. It is located in the South-East Region and in the province of Leinster. It is built on both banks of the River Nore. The 2016 census gave the total population of Kilkenny as 26,512. Kilkenn ...

is the county's seat of local government and largest settlement, and is situated on the River Nore in the centre of the county. Kilkenny city is approximately from

, from

Dublin Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of th ...

and from

Cork Cork or CORK may refer to: Materials * Cork (material), an impermeable buoyant plant product ** Cork (plug), a cylindrical or conical object used to seal a container ***Wine cork Places Ireland * Cork (city) ** Metropolitan Cork, also known as G ...

Physical geography

The

River Nore The River Nore ( ga, An Fheoir ) is one of the principal rivers (along with the River Suir and River Barrow) in the South-East Region of Ireland. The river drains approximately of Leinster and Munster, that encompasses parts of three counti ...

flows through the county and the

River Suir The River Suir ( ; ga, an tSiúr or ''Abhainn na Siúire'' ) is a river in Ireland that flows into the Atlantic Ocean through Waterford after a distance of . The catchment area of the Suir is 3,610 km2.

forms the border with

County Waterford County Waterford ( ga, Contae Phort Láirge) is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster and is part of the South-East Region, Ireland, South-East Region. It is named ...

Brandon Hill Brandon Hill () is the highest mountain in County Kilkenny, Ireland, with an elevation of and prominence at . The South Leinster Way, a long-distance trail, meandering through the Barrow Valley and traverses Brandon Hill. The village of ...

is the highest point with an

elevation The elevation of a geographic location is its height above or below a fixed reference point, most commonly a reference geoid, a mathematical model of the Earth's sea level as an equipotential gravitational surface (see Geodetic datum § Vert ...

of . Most of the county has a hilly surface of moderate elevation with uplands in the north-east, the north-west and the South of the county; the middle is lower by comparison. The county is located at and has an area of

The county extends from 52 degrees 14 minutes to 52 degrees 52 minutes north latitude, and from 6 degrees 56 minutes to 7 degrees 37 minutes west longitude. The north–south length of the county is ; and its greatest breadth from east to west, is about and its narrowest part is about from where it widens irregularly towards the north. Kilkenny extends southward from

to the valley of the Suir and eastward from the

Munster Munster ( gle, an Mhumhain or ) is one of the provinces of Ireland, in the south of Ireland. In early Ireland, the Kingdom of Munster was one of the kingdoms of Gaelic Ireland ruled by a "king of over-kings" ( ga, rí ruirech). Following the ...

–

border to the

River Barrow The Barrow ( ga, An Bhearú) is a river in Ireland. It is one of The Three Sisters; the other two being the River Suir and the River Nore. The Barrow is the longest of the three rivers, and at 192 km (120 mi), the second-longest ri ...

. The

bisects the county and the

and

are natural boundaries to the east and south of the county. County Kilkenny is bordered by

and

Rivers

The main rivers in County Kilkenny, called the Three Sisters, are the

Nore The Nore is a long bank of sand and silt running along the south-centre of the final narrowing of the Thames Estuary, England. Its south-west is the very narrow Nore Sand. Just short of the Nore's easternmost point where it fades into the cha ...

, Barrow and

Suir The River Suir ( ; ga, an tSiúr or ''Abhainn na Siúire'' ) is a river in Ireland that flows into the Atlantic Ocean through Waterford after a distance of . The catchment area of the Suir is 3,610 km2.

. The River Nore bisects the county and flows through

Ballyragget Ballyragget () is a small town on the river Nore in the north of County Kilkenny in Ireland. Ballyragget is on the N77 north of Kilkenny. As of the 2016 census, it had a population of 1,082 people. Toponymy The name 'Ragget' is Anglo-Norm ...

Kilkenny City Kilkenny (). is a city in County Kilkenny, Ireland. It is located in the South-East Region and in the province of Leinster. It is built on both banks of the River Nore. The 2016 census gave the total population of Kilkenny as 26,512. Kilkenn ...

and the villages of

Bennettsbridge Bennettsbridge () is a village in County Kilkenny in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is situated on the River Nore south of Kilkenny city, in the centre of the county. Bennettsbridge is a census town, and has population of 745 as of the 2016 ...

Thomastown Thomastown (), historically known as Grennan, is a town in County Kilkenny in the province of Leinster in the south-east of Ireland. It is a market town along a stretch of the River Nore which is known for its salmon and trout, with a number of ...

and

Inistioge Inistioge (; ) is a small village in County Kilkenny, Ireland. Historically, its name has been spelt as Ennistioge, Ennisteage, and in other ways. The village is situated on the River Nore, southeast of Kilkenny. Situated along the River No ...

. The River Suir forms the border between

and County Kilkenny. River Barrow forms a boundary to the east of the county. Kilkenny river

Although County Kilkenny lies inland it has access to the sea via Belview Port,

Port of Waterford "Waterford remains the untaken city" , mapsize = 220px , pushpin_map = Ireland#Europe , pushpin_map_caption = Location within Ireland##Location within Europe , pushpin_relief = 1 , coordinates ...

, on the Suir Estuary and via

New Ross New Ross (, formerly ) is a town in southwest County Wexford, Ireland. It is located on the River Barrow, near the border with County Kilkenny, and is around northeast of Waterford. In 2016 it had a population of 8,040 people, making it the ...

on the

. On the River Barrow, from the villages of

Goresbridge Goresbridge () is a small village located in the east of County Kilkenny, in the province of Leinster, Ireland. Goresbridge is named after a 1756 bridge, built by Colonel Ralph Gore, which provides a crossing of the River Barrow between County ...

and

Graiguenamanagh Graiguenamanagh or Graignamanagh () is a town on the River Barrow in County Kilkenny, Ireland. Part of the settlement, known as Tinnahinch, is on the County Carlow side of the river, and Carlow County Council refers to the whole village as "Grai ...

, there is a navigable river with traditional barges to the

River Shannon The River Shannon ( ga, Abhainn na Sionainne, ', '), at in length, is the longest river in the British Isles. It drains the Shannon River Basin, which has an area of , – approximately one fifth of the area of the island of Ireland. The Shan ...

or to

Dublin Bay Dublin Bay ( ga, Cuan Bhaile Átha Cliath) is a C-shaped inlet of the Irish Sea on the east coast of Ireland. The bay is about 10 kilometres wide along its north–south base, and 7 km in length to its apex at the centre of the city of Du ...

. Kilkenny's river network helps drain the land giving the county a highly fertile lower central plain. Kings River and the Dinan are used for canoeing and kayaking as they contain stretches of peaceful waterways and a number of weirs and rapids. The wide and meandering Rivers Nore and Barrow are used for angling, boating and water sports.

Protected areas

Special Areas of Conservation, under the European Union

Habitats Directive The Habitats Directive (more formally known as Council Directive 92/43/EEC on the Conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora) is a directive adopted by the European Community in 1992 as a response to the Berne Convention. The E ...

, in County Kilkenny includes

Hugginstown Fen Hugginstown (, historically anglicised as ''Ballyhuggin'')Placenames Database of Ireland
(see archival records)

(SAC IE0000404)
Site Synopsis
- National Parks and Wildlife Service,

Republic of Ireland Ireland ( ga, Éire ), also known as the Republic of Ireland (), is a country in north-western Europe consisting of 26 of the 32 counties of the island of Ireland. The capital and largest city is Dublin, on the eastern side of the island. A ...

Natura 2000 Natura 2000 is a network of nature protection areas in the territory of the European Union. It is made up of Special Areas of Conservation and Special Protection Areas designated under the Habitats Directive and the Birds Directive, respectively ...

data set
) -

European Environment Agency The European Environment Agency (EEA) is the agency of the European Union (EU) which provides independent information on the environment. Definition The European Environment Agency (EEA) is the agency of the European Union (EU) which provides i ...

. south-west of

Ballyhale Ballyhale () is a village in the south east of Ireland. Located in the south of County Kilkenny, south of the city of Kilkenny and roughly halfway to Waterford city. The sport of hurling is popular in the area, and the local Gaelic Athletic Ass ...

, The Loughans The Loughans (SAC IE0000407)
Site Synopsis
- National Parks and Wildlife Service,

data set
) -

. near

Urlingford Urlingford () is a town, as well as a civil parish within the barony of Galmoy. It is located in the north west of County Kilkenny, along the boundary with County Tipperary, in Leinster, Ireland. Access The town lies on the R639. The M8 motorwa ...

Cullahill Mountain Cullahill Mountain () is listed as a marilyn hill and a Special Area of Conservation in County Laois, Ireland. Cullahill with an elevation of gives its name to the local townland. It is also called Knockmannon Hill. Cullahill Mountain takes ...

(SAC IE0000831)
Site Synopsis

Conservation Plan
and maps
123
) - National Parks and Wildlife Service,

data set
) -

. on the

Castlecomer Plateau The Castlecomer Plateau, or 'South Leinster Coalfield', is an upland area in the North of County Kilkenny, Ireland, extending into County Laois and County Carlow at its northern edge. The plateau is bounded on the east and south by the R44 ...

near Johnstown,

Spahill and Clomantagh Hill Spahill and Clomantagh Hill is a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) in County Kilkenny in the Republic of Ireland. The SAC is in the parish of Balleen and includes the townlands of Clomantagh (Mt Garrett) and Spahill, in Irish Spahill is ''Cnoc ...

(SAC IE0000849)
Site Synopsis
- National Parks and Wildlife Service,

data set
) -

. which form part of an escarpment which links the

Slieveardagh Hills The Slieveardagh Hills are a low range of hills on the County Tipperary - Kilkenny border, mainly in the Tipperary barony of Slievardagh. The highest point is Clomantagh Hill

with the Castlecomer Plateau,

Galmoy Fen Galmoy may refer to: * Galmoy, County Kilkenny, village in Ireland * Galmoy (barony), administrative barony centred on the village * Galmoy Mine, mine near the village * Viscount Galmoy, title in the Peerage of Ireland See also * Galmoy Hurdle ...

(SAC IE0001858)
Site Synopsis
- National Parks and Wildlife Service,

data set
) -

. north of Johnstown, Lower

Lower River Suir (SAC IE0002137)
Site Synopsis
- National Parks and Wildlife Service,

data set
) -

. south of

Thurles Thurles (; ''Durlas Éile'') is a town in County Tipperary, Ireland. It is located in the civil parish of the same name in the barony of Eliogarty and in the ecclesiastical parish of Thurles (Roman Catholic parish), Thurles. The cathedral ch ...

, the freshwater stretches of the Barrow/

River Barrow and River Nore (IE0002162)
Site Synopsis
- National Parks and Wildlife Service,

data set
) -

. and

Thomastown Quarry Thomastown (), historically known as Grennan, is a town in County Kilkenny in the province of Leinster in the south-east of Ireland. It is a market town along a stretch of the River Nore which is known for its salmon and trout, with a number of ...

, near

(SAC IE0002252)
Site Synopsis
- National Parks and Wildlife Service,

Natura 2000 data set
-

. In 2005 Coan Bogs was defined as a ''Natural Heritage Area'' under section 18 of the Wildlife Act 2000. The

blanket bog Blanket bog or blanket mire, also known as featherbed bog, is an area of peatland, forming where there is a climate of high rainfall and a low level of evapotranspiration, allowing peat to develop not only in wet hollows but over large expanses o ...

consists of two small areas of upland blanket bog located near

Castlecomer Castlecomer (Irish: ''Caislean an Chumai'' meaning "the castle at the confluence of the waters") is a town in the north of County Kilkenny, Ireland. It is positioned at the meeting of N78 and R694 roads about north of Kilkenny city. At the ...

in the townlands of Coan East and Smithstown. Bedrock geology for both areas is shale overlain locally by glacial till and blanket bog vegetation is well developed.

Fiddown Island Fiddown Island is a national nature reserve of approximately located in County Kilkenny, Ireland. It is managed by the Irish National Parks & Wildlife Service. Features Fiddown Island was legally protected as a national nature reserve by th ...

is a 62.6 ha state-owned ''Nature Reserve'' established in 1988. Near

Fiddown Fiddown () is a small village in Kilkenny, Ireland. It is located in the south of the county just off the N24 road, 58 kilometres from Kilkenny city. The village is on the banks of the River Suir, near the border with County Waterford to whic ...

along the

it consists of a long narrow island of marsh/woodland covered in willow scrub and bordered by reed swamps - it is the only known site of its type in Ireland.

Wildlife

The wildlife of County Kilkenny is part of the county's biodiversity and is an environmental, economic, amenity and resource.

Fauna Fauna is all of the animal life present in a particular region or time. The corresponding term for plants is ''flora'', and for fungi, it is '' funga''. Flora, fauna, funga and other forms of life are collectively referred to as '' biota''. Zoo ...

of County Kilkenny includes

hedgehogs A hedgehog is a spiny mammal of the subfamily Erinaceinae, in the eulipotyphlan family Erinaceidae. There are seventeen species of hedgehog in five genera found throughout parts of Europe, Asia, and Africa, and in New Zealand by introduction ...

otters Otters are carnivorous mammals in the subfamily Lutrinae. The 13 extant otter species are all semiaquatic, aquatic, or marine, with diets based on fish and invertebrates. Lutrinae is a branch of the Mustelidae family, which also includes wea ...

badgers Badgers are short-legged omnivores in the family Mustelidae (which also includes the otters, wolverines, martens, minks, polecats, weasels, and ferrets). Badgers are a polyphyletic rather than a natural taxonomic grouping, being united by the ...

red fox The red fox (''Vulpes vulpes'') is the largest of the true foxes and one of the most widely distributed members of the Order (biology), order Carnivora, being present across the entire Northern Hemisphere including most of North America, Europe ...

es, and bats such as

Leisler's bat The lesser noctule, Leisler's bat or the Irish bat (''Nyctalus leisleri''), is a species of insectivorous bat belonging to the vesper bat family, Vespertilionidae. The species was named to honour the naturalist Johann Philipp Achilles Leisler ...

Daubenton's bat Daubenton's bat or Daubenton's myotis (''Myotis daubentonii'') is a Eurasian bat with rather short ears. It ranges from Ireland to Japan (Hokkaido) and is considered to be increasing its numbers in many areas. This bat was first described in 181 ...

, the

brown long-eared bat The brown long-eared bat or common long-eared bat (''Plecotus auritus'') is a small Eurasian insectivorous bat. It has distinctive ears, long and with a distinctive fold. It is extremely similar to the much rarer grey long-eared bat which was on ...

and the

common pipistrelle The common pipistrelle (''Pipistrellus pipistrellus'') is a small pipistrelle microbat whose very large range extends across most of Europe, North Africa, South Asia, and may extend into Korea. It is one of the most common bat species in the Brit ...

. There is also

sika deer The sika deer (''Cervus nippon''), also known as the Northern spotted deer or the Japanese deer, is a species of deer native to much of East Asia and introduced to other parts of the world. Previously found from northern Vietnam in the south to ...

fallow deer ''Dama'' is a genus of deer in the subfamily Cervinae, commonly referred to as fallow deer. Name The name fallow is derived from the deer's pale brown colour. The Latin word ''dāma'' or ''damma'', used for roe deer, gazelles, and antelopes, ...

stoat The stoat (''Mustela erminea''), also known as the Eurasian ermine, Beringian ermine and ermine, is a mustelid native to Eurasia and the northern portions of North America. Because of its wide circumpolar distribution, it is listed as Least Conc ...

red squirrel The red squirrel (''Sciurus vulgaris'') is a species of tree squirrel in the genus ''Sciurus'' common throughout Europe and Asia. The red squirrel is an arboreal, primarily herbivorous rodent. In Great Britain, Ireland, and in Italy numbers ...

and pygmy shrew. The bird nesting period is from 1 March until 1 September. Woodlands, trees and hedgerows form a network of habitats, ecological 'corridors' essential for wildlife to flourish and move between habitats.

Flora Flora is all the plant life present in a particular region or time, generally the naturally occurring (indigenous) native plants. Sometimes bacteria and fungi are also referred to as flora, as in the terms '' gut flora'' or '' skin flora''. E ...

of County Kilkenny includes the endangered autumn crocus, also rare species such as the bog orchid, the Killarney fern and the tufted salt-marsh grass.. Npws.ie. Retrieved on 2010-10-08. There are also vulnerable species like lesser snapdragon,

meadow barley ''Hordeum brachyantherum'', known by the common name meadow barley, is a species of barley. It is native to western North America from Alaska to northern Mexico, coastal areas of easternmost Russia (Kamchatka), and a small area of coastal Newfou ...

, small-white orchid, opposite-leaved pondweed,

betony Betony is a common name for a plant which may refer to: *''Stachys'', a genus of plants containing several species commonly known as betony in Europe **'' Stachys officinalis'', a historically important medicinal plant *''Pedicularis ''Pedicular ...

, red hemp nettle, narrow-leaved helleborine, lanceolate spleenwort,

annual knawel ''Scleranthus annuus'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Caryophyllaceae known by the common names German knotweed and annual knawel. It is native to Europe, Asia, and North Africa, and it is known throughout the rest of the temperate ...

and basil thyme.

Woodlands

Surveys of woodlands of County Kilkenny include ''A Woodland Survey of Kilkenny'', undertaken in 1997 to identify woodlands in the county and ''A survey of broadleaved woodlands in three special Areas of Conservation, Barrow-Nore, River Unshin and Lough Forbes (2000)'' which covers some of County Kilkenny, and ''National Survey of Native Woodlands (NSNW) 2003-2008'' which was one of the largest ecological surveys to be completed in Ireland and did its fieldwork in the county in 2003.() Estimates of the woodlands in County Kilkenny include the ''Forest Inventory Planning System (1998)'' which estimated Kilkenny had 2251 ha of mixed woodland and broadleaf woodland not dominated by beech, representing 1.09% of the county and the ''National Forest Inventory 2004 and 2006'' which estimated that 4430 ha of the county is native forested land,

Scots pine ''Pinus sylvestris'', the Scots pine (UK), Scotch pine (US) or Baltic pine, is a species of tree in the pine family Pinaceae that is native to Eurasia. It can readily be identified by its combination of fairly short, blue-green leaves and orang ...

was regarded as non-native, representing 2.15% of the county. The best quality sites in the county in terms of their conservation value include

Kylecorragh Wood Kylecorragh Wood is an old oak woodland along the freshwater stretches of the River Nore in County Kilkenny, Ireland. Located west of New Ross, it consists of . Kylecorragh Woods are of regional importance as an relatively undisturbed example ...

(SAC) along the

and

(SAC) (IE0002162)
Site Synopsis
- National Parks and Wildlife Service,

data set
) -

. Grenan Wood (SAC), Knockadrina, Garryricken North (NHA/SNR), Ballytobin/Ballaghtobin, Brownstown Wood (NHA/SAC), Kyleadohir Wood (NHA/SNR), Brown's Wood,

Ballykeeffe Wood Ballykeeffe Wood is a national nature reserve of approximately located in County Kilkenny, Ireland. It is managed by the Irish National Parks and Wildlife Service, part of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage The Depa ...

, Cullentragh, Rossenarra, Newrath and Garryricken South. The most threatened forested area in the county is Greatwood. The main governmental organisations responsible for ensuring the development of forestry within Kilkenny are the National Parks and Wildlife Service (

Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage ( ga, An Roinn Tithíochta, Rialtais Áitiúil agus Oidhreachta) is a department of the Government of Ireland. It is led by the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage who is ...

) and the Forest Service (

Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine ( ga, An Roinn Talmhaíochta, Bia agus Mara) is a department of the Government of Ireland. According to the department, its mission is to "lead the sustainable development of a competitive, con ...

). There are legislative measures which recognise the importance of trees woodlands and hedgerows and provide for their protection including the ''Forestry Act (1946)'' and ''Wildlife (Amendment) Act (2000)''. These stop trees being cut down unless a notice of intention is given and prohibit the cutting of hedges within the bird nesting period. The main threats come mainly from invasive species, heavy grazing and damaging activities such as non-native planting, native felling and dumping. There are instances of felling (both legal and illegal) of ash trees for the production of

hurley Hurley may refer to: Places ;In the United Kingdom: * Hurley, Berkshire * Hurley, Warwickshire * Hurley Common, Warwickshire ;In the United States: * Hurley, Alabama * Hurley, Mississippi * Hurley, Missouri * Hurley, New Mexico * Hurley, New Y ...

s. There are around 180 significant trees in County Kilkenny included in the

Tree Register of Ireland The Tree Council of Ireland is a voluntary non-governmental organisation. It was formed in 1985 as an umbrella body for organisations involved in the establishment, care and conservation of trees in Ireland, through the promotion of a tree cultur ...

, compiled by the

Tree Council of Ireland The Tree Council of Ireland is a voluntary non-governmental organisation. It was formed in 1985 as an umbrella body for organisations involved in the establishment, care and conservation of trees in Ireland, through the promotion of a tree cultur ...

, based on characteristics such as age, height, diameter, historical or folklore connections. The tallest tree in Kilkenny is a

silver fir Silver fir is a common name for several trees and may refer to: *''Abies alba'', native to Europe *''Abies amabilis'', native to western North America *''Abies pindrow ''Abies pindrow'', the pindrow fir or west Himalayan fir, is a fir native ...

of 5.39 x 43m located at Woodstock Gardens in

and the tree with the largest girth is a common lime of 9.01 x 27m located at Coolmore House in

. At present there under the ''Planning and Development Act (2000)'' there are 4 Tree Preservation Orders (TPO) in County Kilkenny for the protection of trees, groups of trees and woods of amenity value. These include Oldcourt in

, Keatingstown, Barna in Freshford, Sawney's Wood in

and the Castle Gardens in

. Important trees in county Kilkenny include two

cedars of Lebanon ''Cedrus libani'', the cedar of Lebanon or Lebanese cedar (), is a species of tree in the genus cedrus, a part of the pine family, native to the mountains of the Eastern Mediterranean basin. It is a large evergreen conifer that has great religi ...

at ''Kildalton Agricultural College'' in

Piltown Piltown (), historically known as Ballypoyle, is a village in County Kilkenny, Ireland. It lies on the R698 regional road, which was the N24 national primary road before the locality was bypassed in 2002. Approaching Piltown from Carrick-on- ...

, a

Monterey cypress ''Hesperocyparis macrocarpa'' is a coniferous tree. It is commonly known as the Monterey cypress and is one of several species of cypress trees endemic to California. The Monterey cypress is found naturally only on the Central Coast of Califor ...

beech Beech (''Fagus'') is a genus of deciduous trees in the family Fagaceae, native to temperate Europe, Asia, and North America. Recent classifications recognize 10 to 13 species in two distinct subgenera, ''Engleriana'' and ''Fagus''. The ''Engle ...

and two

coastal redwood ''Sequoia sempervirens'' ()''Sunset Western Garden Book,'' 1995:606–607 is the sole living species of the genus ''Sequoia (genus), Sequoia'' in the cypress family Cupressaceae (formerly treated in Taxodiaceae). Common names include coast r ...

at Woodstock Gardens in

. In

there is a common lime at ''Coolmore House'', an English/common oak at ''Stoneen Kilfawe'', an English/common oak at Mount Juilliet Estate and a Wellingtonia, giant sequoia,

, sweet/Spanish chestnut and a holm oak/evergreen oak at ''Kilfane Glebe''. There is also a

Turkey oak Turkey oak is a common name for several species of oaks and may refer to: *''Quercus cerris'', native to southeastern Europe and Asia Minor *''Quercus laevis ''Quercus laevis'', the turkey oak, is a member of the red oak group of oaks. It is nat ...

at ''Threecastles House'' in

, an

ash Ash or ashes are the solid remnants of fires. Specifically, ''ash'' refers to all non-aqueous, non- gaseous residues that remain after something burns. In analytical chemistry, to analyse the mineral and metal content of chemical samples, ash ...

and two English/common oak at ''Ballytobin House'' in

Callan Callan is a given name and surname of Irish and Scottish origin. It can derive from Ó Cathaláin, meaning ''descendant of Cathalán''. Callan can also be an Anglicized form of the Gaelic Mac Allin or Mac Callin. Notable people with the name includ ...

, a common lime, Wellingtonia giant sequoia and two

Shankill Castle Shankill Castle and Gardens is set in parkland near Paulstown on the Carlow/Kilkenny border. Visitors are invited to walk in the grounds and gardens, and there are guided tours of the house. Shankill Castle started as a Butler tower-house near t ...

Paulstown Paulstown () is a small village in County Kilkenny in Ireland. Paulstown is located at the (northern) junction of the N9 and N10 National primary roads. It is 21 km south of Carlow and 19 km east of Kilkenny. Scoil Bhride is the p ...

, an English/common oak at ''Ballykeefe House'' in Kilmanagh, an English/common oak at Fanningstown House in

Owning Ownership is the state or fact of legal possession and control over property, which may be any asset, tangible or intangible. Ownership can involve multiple rights, collectively referred to as title, which may be separated and held by different ...

and a

at ''Castlecomer Golf Club'' in

Climate

The climate of County Kilkenny, like the

climate of Ireland The climate of Ireland is mild, humid and changeable with abundant rainfall and a lack of temperature extremes. Ireland's climate is defined as a temperate oceanic climate, or ''Cfb'' on the Köppen climate classification system, a classificati ...

, is a changeable

oceanic climate An oceanic climate, also known as a marine climate, is the humid temperate climate sub-type in Köppen classification ''Cfb'', typical of west coasts in higher middle latitudes of continents, generally featuring cool summers and mild winters ( ...

with few extremes. It is defined as a

temperate In geography, the temperate climates of Earth occur in the middle latitudes (23.5° to 66.5° N/S of Equator), which span between the tropics and the polar regions of Earth. These zones generally have wider temperature ranges throughout t ...

, or ''Cfb'' on the

Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...

system. Kilkenny lies in plant

Hardiness zone A hardiness zone is a geographic area defined as having a certain average annual minimum temperature, a factor relevant to the survival of many plants. In some systems other statistics are included in the calculations. The original and most wide ...

9. Weatherwise, the county is generally representative of wide river valleys in the region with low temperatures on cloudless nights,From th
official website
of

Met Éireann Met Éireann (; meaning " Met of Ireland") is the state meteorological service of Ireland, part of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. History The history of modern meteorology in Ireland dates back to 8 October 1860, wh ...

; see and is significant in that it records some of the highest summer and lowest winter temperatures in Ireland. The highest air temperature ever recorded in Ireland was , at

Kilkenny Castle Kilkenny Castle ( ga, Caisleán Chill Chainnigh, IPA: �kaʃlʲaːnˠˈçiːl̪ʲˈxan̪ʲiː is a castle in Kilkenny, Ireland built in 1195 to control a fording-point of the River Nore and the junction of several routeways. It was a symbol of N ...

on 26 June 1887.From th
official website
of

; see The

Kilkenny Weather Observing Station, 2 km north-west of

centre, on the Duningstown Road, opened in May 1957, and observations ceased in April 2008.From th
official website
of ''kilkennyweather.com''; see A climatological station is currently in operation within 1 km of the old site, and as of March 2010, was providing live weather data to the general public and climate data to

. The maximum temperature recorded at the Met

Station Station may refer to: Agriculture * Station (Australian agriculture), a large Australian landholding used for livestock production * Station (New Zealand agriculture), a large New Zealand farm used for grazing by sheep and cattle ** Cattle statio ...

was on 2 August 1995. Extremes recorded at the station include the highest air

temperature Temperature is a physical quantity that expresses quantitatively the perceptions of hotness and coldness. Temperature is measured with a thermometer. Thermometers are calibrated in various temperature scales that historically have relied o ...

of on 29 June 1976, the lowest air temperature of on 2 January 1979 and the lowest ground temperature of on 12 January 1982. The maximum daily sunshine was 16.3 hours on 18 June 1978. The warmest and sunniest month on record in Kilkenny was August 1995 with a total of 274.9 hours

sunshine Sunlight is a portion of the electromagnetic radiation given off by the Sun, in particular infrared, visible, and ultraviolet light. On Earth, sunlight is scattered and filtered through Earth's atmosphere, and is obvious as daylight when th ...

and very high temperatures throughout. The maximum daily sunshine was 16.3 hours on 18 June 1978. The overall trend in temperatures has been on the rise with a marked increase from 1988 onwards.From th
official website
of ''kilkennyweather.com''; see Annual temperatures are running over 0.5 degrees above 20th-century levels. The maximum daily rainfall recorded at Kilkenny station was on 17 July 1983. The late 1950s and early 1960s were wet but rainfall had been steady throughout the century. 2002 was a very wet year and since 2005 annual rainfall has been increased steadily, with 2009 being the wettest year since records commenced in 1958. At the centre of the county,

is in a sheltered location, over 60 km inland and is surrounded by hills over 200m, which ensures that it is not a windy location. The highest wind gust of 77 knots, from a south-west direction, was recorded on 12 January 1974.

Geology

The geology of Kilkenny includes the

Kiltorcan Formation The Kiltorcan Formation is a geologic formation in Ireland. It preserves fossils dating back to the Devonian period. See also * List of fossiliferous stratigraphic units in Ireland See also * Lists of fossiliferous stratigraphic units ...

which is early

Carboniferous The Carboniferous ( ) is a geologic period and system of the Paleozoic that spans 60 million years from the end of the Devonian Period million years ago ( Mya), to the beginning of the Permian Period, million years ago. The name ''Carbonifero ...

in age. The Formation is located around Kiltoncan Hill near

in the

and

Knocktopher Knocktopher (historically ''Knocktofer'' and ''Knocktover''; ) is a village in County Kilkenny, Ireland. It is situated on the R713 road between the villages of Stoneyford to the north, and Ballyhale to the south. It was formerly situated on ...

areas. It forms the uppermost part of the Old Red Sandstone and is the distinctive

Upper Devonian The Devonian ( ) is a geologic period and system of the Paleozoic era, spanning 60.3 million years from the end of the Silurian, million years ago (Mya), to the beginning of the Carboniferous, Mya. It is named after Devon, England, wher ...

–

Lower Carboniferous Lower may refer to: *Lower (surname) *Lower Township, New Jersey *Lower Receiver (firearms) *Lower Wick Lower Wick is a small hamlet located in the county of Gloucestershire, England. It is situated about five miles south west of Dursley, eight ...

unit in southern Ireland. It contains non-red

lithologies The lithology of a rock unit is a description of its physical characteristics visible at outcrop, in hand or core samples, or with low magnification microscopy. Physical characteristics include colour, texture, grain size, and composition. Lit ...

, green

mudstone Mudstone, a type of mudrock, is a fine-grained sedimentary rock whose original constituents were clays or muds. Mudstone is distinguished from '' shale'' by its lack of fissility (parallel layering).Blatt, H., and R.J. Tracy, 1996, ''Petrology. ...

s, siltstones, fine

sandstone Sandstone is a clastic sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized (0.0625 to 2 mm) silicate grains. Sandstones comprise about 20–25% of all sedimentary rocks. Most sandstone is composed of quartz or feldspar (both silicates) ...

s and yellow sandstones. There is a

fossil A fossil (from Classical Latin , ) is any preserved remains, impression, or trace of any once-living thing from a past geological age. Examples include bones, shells, exoskeletons, stone imprints of animals or microbes, objects preserved ...

assemblage containing Cyclostigma and

Archaeopteris ''Archaeopteris'' is an extinct genus of progymnosperm tree with fern-like leaves. A useful index fossil, this tree is found in strata dating from the Upper Devonian to Lower Carboniferous (), the oldest fossils being 385 million years old, ...

and Archaeopteris hibernica. Most of the county is principally limestone of the upper and lower group, corresponding with the rest of Ireland. A large area in the north and east contains beds of coal, surrounded by limestone strata, alternated with shale, argillaceous ironstone, and sandstone. This occurs eastward of the

around

, along the border with Laois. It is generally accompanied by culm, which was used extensively for burning lime. The natural environment and resources of County Kilkenny includes its rivers, wildlife (mammals, birds, plants), woodlands, hedgerows, and diverse landscapes and geological features. The main land use is grassland, dairy farming and tillage farming especially around Kilkenny City and in the fertile central plain of the Nore Valley. Conifer forests are found on the upland areas. Habitats of international and national importance, are designated under

European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational political and economic union of member states that are located primarily in Europe. The union has a total area of and an estimated total population of about 447million. The EU has often been des ...

and national legislation. The four categories of designated site in effect in County Kilkenny are

Special Areas of Conservation A Special Area of Conservation (SAC) is defined in the European Union's Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC), also known as the ''Directive on the Conservation of Natural Habitats and of Wild Fauna and Flora''. They are to protect the 220 habitats and ap ...

, Natural Heritage Areas, Statutory Nature Reserves and Wildfowl Sanctuaries. The 2008-2014 county development plan recorded 36 designated natural heritage sites of international and national importance in County Kilkenny, covering approximately 4.5% of the county.

Mountains and hills

County Kilkenny is comparably low compared to other mountain ranges in Ireland with the highest peak being

(), at above

sea level Mean sea level (MSL, often shortened to sea level) is an average surface level of one or more among Earth's coastal bodies of water from which heights such as elevation may be measured. The global MSL is a type of vertical datuma standardised g ...

. The majority of rest of the county is hilly except for the centre of the county, just south of the city of

, which is comparably lower than the rest of the county. There are highlands in the North-East, the North-West and in the South of the county. In the north of the county the uplands of the

district, the

includes the Culla Hills to the west of the

Valley with Castlecomer Hills and Slieve Marcy to the east. These hills are divided by the valley of the

Dinan Dinan (; ) is a walled Breton town and a commune in the Côtes-d'Armor department in northwestern France. On 1 January 2018, the former commune of Léhon was merged into Dinan. Geography Its geographical setting is exceptional. Instead of n ...

river which joins the

from the east. The highest point of the Castlecomer Hills is , and located North-West of the town of Castlecomer and near the border with

. The highest point of the Culla Hills is in Laois at , but its undulating slopes spread over a considerable area of Kilkenny in the north-westerly area. In the west of the county the

Slieveardagh Hills The Slieveardagh Hills are a low range of hills on the County Tipperary - Kilkenny border, mainly in the Tipperary barony of Slievardagh. The highest point is Clomantagh Hill

and

Booley Hills Duke Special (born Peter Wilson; 4 January 1971) is a songwriter and performer based in Belfast, Northern Ireland. A piano-based songwriter with a romantic style and a warm, distinctly accented voice, he was previously known for his distinctiv ...

extend westwards to County Tipperary. The highest point in the Slieveardagh Hills is

Knocknamuck Knocknamuck () is a mountain in County Tipperary, Ireland. Etymology Its name means "Hill of the Pigs". Geography At 340 metres (1,115 ft) Knocknamuck is highest summit in the Slieveardagh Hills and the 916th highest summit in Irela ...

at . The Booley Mountains partly divide from

Tory Hill Mullinavat () is a town in south County Kilkenny, Ireland. Its main industries are tourism and agriculture. It has a renowned sporting history, particularly in hurling. The town's name in Irish translates as 'The Mill of the Stick' which, acc ...

to the valley of the Kilmacow River which flows into the

. In the south of the county is

, at and is near the Barrow and

. The area enclosed between the rivers

and Barrow towards their point of joining is elevated. Along the west of the Barrow and

is mostly covered by hills of nearly equal elevation except along the left bank of the river Suir. Here there is a rich area of land between the river and the hills.

Baronies

The county is subdivided into twelve

baronies Barony may refer to: * Barony, the peerage, office of, or territory held by a baron * Barony, the title and land held in fealty by a feudal baron * Barony (county division), a type of administrative or geographical division in parts of the British ...

which are in turn divided into

civil parishes In England, a civil parish is a type of administrative parish used for local government. It is a territorial designation which is the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties, or their combined form, the unitary authority. ...

and

townland A townland ( ga, baile fearainn; Ulster-Scots: ''toonlann'') is a small geographical division of land, historically and currently used in Ireland and in the Western Isles in Scotland, typically covering . The townland system is of Gaelic origi ...

s. There are about 800 townlands in Kilkenny. Each barony was made up of a number of parishes or parts of parishes. Both civil parishes and baronies are now largely obsolete (except for purposes such as legal transactions involving land) and are no longer used for local government purposes. Ireland - 1885 Map of County Kilkenny

(''Callainn'') #

Cranagh Cranagh is a small village in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It is in the Glenelly Valley, about seven miles from Plumbridge In the 2001 Census it has a population of 60 people . It is within the Strabane District Council Strabane Dist ...

(''Crannach'') #

Fassadinin Fassadinin (), sometimes written Fassadining, is a Barony (Ireland), barony in the north of County Kilkenny, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is one of 12 baronies in County Kilkenny. The size of the barony is . There are 19 Civil parishes in ...

(''Fásach an Deighnín'') # Galmoy (''Gabhalmhaigh'') #

Gowran Gowran (; ) is a town located on the eastern side of County Kilkenny, Ireland. The historic St. Mary's Collegiate Church is located in the centre of Gowran close to Gowran Castle. Gowran Park race course and Golf Course is located one km from t ...

(''Gabhrán'') #

Ida Ida or IDA may refer to: Astronomy * Ida Facula, a mountain on Amalthea, a moon of Jupiter *243 Ida, an asteroid *International Docking Adapter, a docking adapter for the International Space Station Computing *Intel Dynamic Acceleration, a techn ...

(''Uí Dheá'') #

Iverk Iverk () is a barony in the south-west of County Kilkenny, Ireland. The size of the barony is . There are 15 civil parishes in Iverk. The chief town today is Piltown. The N24 crosses the barony. Iverk lies at the south-west of the county, wit ...

(''Uíbh Eirc'') # Kells (''Ceanannas'') #

Kilculliheen Kilculliheen ( ga, Cill Choilchín) is a civil parish, electoral division and barony in Ireland, on the north bank of the River Suir across from the centre of Waterford City. Historically, it has been transferred several times between the coun ...

(''Cill Choilchín'') #

(''Cill Chainnigh'') #

(''Cnoc an Tóchair'') # Shillelogher (''Síol Fhaolchair'')

Civil parishes and townlands

For religious administration, the county was divided into parishes. Every parish had at least one church. The barony boundaries and the parish boundaries were not connected. From the 17th to mid-19th centuries, civil parishes were based on early Christian and medieval monastic and church settlements. The civil parishes are divided into

s (See

List of townlands in County Kilkenny This is a list of all townlands (over 1600) in the County of Kilkenny. Each column header is a link to an article explaining it. Townlands written in capitals are towns, villages etc. these correspond with ''xx'' in the area box. ''Muni.'' stan ...

). As the population grew, new parishes were created and the civil parish covered the same area as the established

Church of Ireland The Church of Ireland ( ga, Eaglais na hÉireann, ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Kirk o Airlann, ) is a Christian church in Ireland and an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. It is organised on an all-Ireland basis and is the second ...

. The Roman Catholic Church adapted to a new structure based on towns and villages. There 2,508 civil parishes in Ireland, which often break both

barony Barony may refer to: * Barony, the peerage, office of, or territory held by a baron * Barony, the title and land held in fealty by a feudal baron * Barony (county division), a type of administrative or geographical division in parts of the British ...

and

boundaries.

Towns and Villages

Carrigeen Carrigeen () is a village to the south-east of Mooncoin in County Kilkenny, Ireland. Carrigeen is situated on a hillock within the Suir Valley, contains St. Kevin's Church and belongs to the parish of Mooncoin. There is a primary school and ...

Castlewarren Castlewarren (), previously known as Buile (pronounced "Boula"), is a small village in County Kilkenny, Ireland, located some north of the N10 national primary road at Flagmount. The castle site, from which Castlewarren takes its name, is o ...

* Clogh * Coan *

Danesfort Danesfort () is a small rural area in County Kilkenny, Ireland, located approximately 6 km from Kilkenny City on the N10 (Waterford to Kilkenny). It is also the name of a civil parish in County Kilkenny. The local area consists of one prima ...

Dungarvan Dungarvan () is a coastal town and harbour in County Waterford, on the south-east coast of Ireland. Prior to the merger of Waterford County Council with Waterford City Council in 2014, Dungarvan was the county town and administrative centre of ...

* Dunnamaggan * Ferrybank * Freshford * Galmoy *

* Glenmore *

Hugginstown Hugginstown (, historically anglicised as ''Ballyhuggin'')Placenames Database of Ireland
(see archival records)

* Jenkinstown * Johnstown *

Johnswell Johnswell () is a village in County Kilkenny, Ireland. On the village green is a powerful spring and well dedicated to John the Baptist which was traditionally the venue for a local "pattern" (religious fair) of note, while the moat north of t ...

Killinaspick Killinaspick () is a small village in the south of County Kilkenny, Ireland. Its name is also sometimes spelt Killinaspic, Killnaspic or Kilnaspic. Killinaspick is situated in the north of Mooncoin parish. It borders the parishes of Mullinavat, ...

Kilmacow Kilmacow ( — otherwise known in Irish as ''Cill Mhic Bhúith'') is a small village and townland in County Kilkenny, Ireland. Geography Situated about 7 km (4 mi) south of Mullinavat and 8 km (5 mi) north from Waterford Ci ...

Kilmoganny Kilmoganny (officially Kilmaganny; ) is a small village in the County Kilkenny in the south-east of Ireland. Saint Mogeanna was an Irish virgin whose feast day in the Irish Calendar of Saints is 29 January. It is home to a primary school, post ...

* Kilmanagh *

Moneenroe Moneenroe () is a townland, electoral division and village in north County Kilkenny, Ireland. It is located in the province of Leinster along the N78 road about from Kilkenny city in the south-east of the island of Ireland. , the population o ...

Mooncoin Mooncoin () is a census town in County Kilkenny, in Ireland. The population was 1,175 in 2016. Historically part of the Gaelic kingdom of Osraige, today it is in the far south of the county of Kilkenny, located in the valley of the River Suir. I ...

Mullinavat Mullinavat () is a town in south County Kilkenny, Ireland. Its main industries are tourism and agriculture. It has a renowned sporting history, particularly in hurling. The town's name in Irish translates as 'The Mill of the Stick' which, accor ...

Rosbercon Rosbercon () is a village in Ireland, on the opposite side of the River Barrow from New Ross, County Wexford. Although the village was originally in County Kilkenny, much of it is now in Wexford for administrative purposes. It had a populati ...

Slieverue Slieverue, officially Slieveroe, () is a village in South County Kilkenny, Republic of Ireland. It is located in the historical barony of Ida. Despite the name, the land is relatively low-lying and fertile. Slieverue's population, as of the ...

* Stoneyford *

Tullaroan Tullaroan () is a village in the western part of County Kilkenny in the Slieveardagh Hills near the County Tipperary, Tipperary border. Tullaroan is also the name of the local civil parish. Sport Tullaroan GAA are the most successful Gaelic Ath ...

The Rower Rower or The Rower () is a small village in County Kilkenny, Ireland. The Rower is on the R705 regional road, roughly 30 km from both Waterford and Kilkenny. It is within the parish of the same name, which is about five miles (8 km) i ...

* Windgap

European region

For statistical purposes at European level, the county is part of the South-East Region, a NUTS III entity; this is in turn part of the level II NUTS entity, Southern Region.

Governance and politics

Local government

Local government in County Kilkenny is governed by the Local Government Acts. The

Local Government Reform Act 2014 The Local Government Reform Act 2014 (No. 1) is an act of the Oireachtas which provided for a major restructuring of local government in Ireland with effect from the 2014 local elections. It merged some first-tier county and city councils, ...

established a unitary structure of

local government Local government is a generic term for the lowest tiers of public administration within a particular sovereign state. This particular usage of the word government refers specifically to a level of administration that is both geographically-loca ...

. This single-tier structure consists of

. For the purposes of local government, Kilkenny is divided into 4

local electoral area A local electoral area (LEA; ga, Toghlimistéir Áitiúil) is an electoral area for elections to local authorities in Ireland. All elections use the single transferable vote. The Republic of Ireland is divided into 166 LEAs, with an average po ...

s – Callan–Thomastown (6), Castlecomer (6), Kilkenny city (7) and Piltown (5) – which return a total of 24 members to Kilkenny County Council. The 2019 Kilkenny local elections had a voter turnout of 53%, a decrease of 4.1% on the 2014 election. The highest turnout was in Callan–Thomastown (56.4%) and the lowest was in Kilkenny city (50.4%). In the 2019 local elections,

Fianna Fáil Fianna Fáil (, ; meaning 'Soldiers of Destiny' or 'Warriors of Fál'), officially Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party ( ga, audio=ga-Fianna Fáil.ogg, Fianna Fáil – An Páirtí Poblachtánach), is a conservative and Christian- ...

and

Fine Gael Fine Gael (, ; English: "Family (or Tribe) of the Irish") is a liberal-conservative and Christian-democratic political party in Ireland. Fine Gael is currently the third-largest party in the Republic of Ireland in terms of members of Dáil � ...

emerged as the two dominant parties, holding 20 of the 24 seats between them. The Labour Party hold 2 seats, the

Green Party A green party is a formally organized political party based on the principles of green politics, such as social justice, environmentalism and nonviolence. Greens believe that these issues are inherently related to one another as a foundation ...

hold 1 seat, and there is 1 independent.

Sinn Féin Sinn Féin ( , ; en, " eOurselves") is an Irish republican and democratic socialist political party active throughout both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. The original Sinn Féin organisation was founded in 1905 by Arthur Gri ...

, which had held 3 seats, failed to gain a seat in the 2019 election. Council elections are held every 5 years, with the next election due to be held in May 2024. As the county is part of the South-East Region, some county councillors are also representatives on the Southern Regional Assembly.

Former districts

Until 2014, the second tier of local government consisted of

Kilkenny Borough Council Kilkenny (). is a city in County Kilkenny, Ireland. It is located in the South-East Region and in the province of Leinster. It is built on both banks of the River Nore. The 2016 census gave the total population of Kilkenny as 26,512. Kilkenn ...

which was a

town council A town council, city council or municipal council is a form of local government for small municipalities. Usage of the term varies under different jurisdictions. Republic of Ireland Town Councils in the Republic of Ireland were the second ti ...

. The city of

was allowed to use the title of "Borough Council" instead of "Town Council", but Kilkenny Borough Council had no additional responsibilities. Since the enactment of the aforementioned Act on 1 June 2014, which abolished the borough, the county council is solely responsible for local services.

National politics

The county is part of the Dáil constituency of Carlow–Kilkenny (5 TDs). The constituency has been in use since the 1948 general election. Kilkenny has been represented through several parliamentary constituencies in the past. From 1918 to 1921, County Kilkenny was divided between the

United Kingdom parliamentary constituencies The Parliament of the United Kingdom currently has 650 parliamentary constituencies across the constituent countries (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland), each electing a single member of parliament (MP) to the House of Commons by th ...

of North Kilkenny and South Kilkenny. In 1921 the Carlow–Kilkenny Dáil constituency was created and continued until the creation of a separate Kilkenny constituency in 1937, which existed until 1948. The county is part of the

South South is one of the cardinal directions or Points of the compass, compass points. The direction is the opposite of north and is perpendicular to both east and west. Etymology The word ''south'' comes from Old English ''sūþ'', from earlier Pro ...

constituency for elections to the

European Parliament The European Parliament (EP) is one of the legislative bodies of the European Union and one of its seven institutions. Together with the Council of the European Union (known as the Council and informally as the Council of Ministers), it adopts ...

. The constituency has 5 seats.

History

Kilkenny St Canice Cathedral SW 2007 08 28

County Kilkenny takes its name from the

. Kilkenny is the anglicised version of the Irish ''Cill Chainnigh'', meaning ''Church (Cell) of Cainneach or Canice''. This probably relates to the church and

round tower A fortified tower (also defensive tower or castle tower or, in context, just tower) is one of the defensive structures used in fortifications, such as castles, along with curtain walls. Castle towers can have a variety of different shapes and ful ...

, now St. Canice's Cathedral, which was built in honour of

St. Canice Cainnech of Aghaboe (515/16–600), also known as Saint Canice in Ireland, Saint Kenneth in Scotland, Saint Kenny and in Latin Sanctus Canicus, was an Irish abbot, monastic founder, priest and missionary during the early medieval period. Cainne ...

. The

Kingdom of Osraige Osraige (Old Irish) or Osraighe (Classical Irish), Osraí (Modern Irish), anglicized as Ossory, was a medieval Irish kingdom comprising what is now County Kilkenny and western County Laois, corresponding to the Diocese of Ossory. The home of ...

was one of the ancient

Kingdoms of Ireland This article lists some of the attested Gaelic kingdoms of Early Medieval Ireland prior to the Norman invasion of 1169-72. For much of this period, the island was divided into numerous clan territories and kingdoms (known as ''túatha''). The ...

. The

Kings of Osraige The kings of Osraige (alternately spelled ''Osraighe'' and Anglicised as ''Ossory'') reigned over the medieval Irish kingdom of Osraige from the first or second century AD until the late twelfth century. Osraige was a semi-provincial kingdom in s ...

, the

Mac Giolla Phádraig Mac or MAC most commonly refers to: * Mac (computer), a family of personal computers made by Apple Inc. * Mackintosh, a raincoat made of rubberized cloth * A variant of the word macaroni, mostly used in the name of the dish mac and cheese * Mac, ...

family, reigned over

Osraige Osraige (Old Irish) or Osraighe (Classical Irish), Osraí (Modern Irish), anglicized as Ossory, was a medieval Irish kingdom comprising what is now County Kilkenny and western County Laois, corresponding to the Diocese of Ossory. The home of t ...

and Cill Chainnigh was their stronghold. The

Kingdom of Ossory Osraige (Old Irish) or Osraighe (Classical Irish), Osraí (Modern Irish), anglicized as Ossory, was a medieval Irish kingdom comprising what is now County Kilkenny and western County Laois, corresponding to the Diocese of Ossory. The home of t ...

existed from at least the 2nd century until the 13th century AD. The current

ecclesiastical {{Short pages monitor