According to Travel and Leisure Magazine, Kilkenny is the most haunted city in Europe and it is quite possibly the most haunted place in Ireland, too.
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In its list of the “Top 10 Most Haunted Places in Europe,” published in August 2023, the popular travel magazine had this to say:
“If you’re on the hunt for some ghostly figures, you’ll want to explore Kilkenny, Ireland. This Irish city has a storied past, filled with tragic events that allegedly left behind spirits that visitors still witness today.
Kilkenny, located about 80 miles from Dublin, was the site of Ireland’s first witch trial.
Another tragedy struck in 1763 when 16 people drowned in the river after a bridge collapsed during a flood. Today, people report seeing creepy figures in the River Nore that rise above the mist in the early morning.”
Based on these facts alone, is it any wonder that Kilkenny is the most haunted place in Ireland?
History of Kilkenny
Kilkenny is a popular city any time of year.
Before it was known as one of Ireland’s most important inland medieval cities, it was first a monastic settlement founded by Saint Canice.
This early monastic site was replaced by the impressive St. Canice’s Cathedral (also known as Kilkenny Cathedral), which started out in the 13th century as a Catholic church.
The cathedral was not always in the hands of the Anglican faith.
Following the English Reformation in the 16th century, the Reformed Church in Ireland was established and became the state church in all of the country, taking possession of most church property, including this one.
Today, the Gothic-style building is a cathedral of the Church of Ireland and is in the ecclesiastical province of Dublin.
Take a Walking Tour of Kilkenny with John Britton of Ormonde Language Tours
It is Ireland’s second-longest cathedral after St. Patrick’s Cathedral (the national cathedral of the Church of Ireland) in Dublin.
The only reminder of the previous monastic settlement is the round tower that is located beside the cathedral.
During the Middle Ages, Kilkenny was the unofficial capital of Ireland, having its own Anglo-Norman parliament.
Oliver Cromwell’s takeover of the city in 1650 and the subsequent surrender of the Ormond family, who lived in Kilkenny Castle, ended the city’s political power and influence in Ireland.
The Kilkenny Witch Trials, which involved local woman Alice Kyteler, is a fascinating story of intrigue that you can read about on the Kytler’s Inn website. In fact, the building that houses the popular restaurant and bar is a protected structure due to its historical significance.
The city’s narrow lanes and historic buildings are a huge draw for tourists visiting the southeastern part of Ireland.
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Her Kind: The Story of the First Irish Witch Trial
Some of its popular attractions include Kilkenny Castle, the Medieval Mile Museum, St. Canice’s Cathedral, the Rothe House & Garden, and the Black Abbey.
In 2016, four female skeletons, between the ages of 8 and 25, were found a mere foot underneath a disused parking lot in the city.
Archaeologists believed they were among the first Anglo-Normans to move to Kilkenny, somewhere between 1250 and 1350.
One of the skeletons, a teenage girl, lived a life of hardship, researchers believed.
Her spine was damaged from lifting heavy weights and one of her legs appeared to be shorter than the other. Researchers believed she may have walked with a limp.
The skeletal remains are now housed at the Medieval Mile Museum in the city.
Spooky Tours of Kilkenny
Visitors who enjoy ghost tours will find plenty in Kilkenny. They include the following:
The Kilkenny Ghost Tour
This dark tour is one that is popular, especially around Halloween.
The tour includes stops at Kilkenny Castle; The Shee Alms House; the Medieval Mile Museum (formerly St. Mary’s Church), where the remains of Kilkenny’s merchant families were buried during the 13th century; Kyteler’s Inn, today a popular pub and restaurant; Grace’s Castle, and more.
Kilkenny Haunted Dark Tours
Includes tales of real-life events that happened in Kilkenny, such as the plague, the witch trials, and the various murders that occurred. The evening tour also includes a retelling of the ghosts and spirits that seemingly haunt Kytelers Inn, the Shee Alms House, and Kilkenny Castle.
The Ghosts of Kilkenny
Participants will hear about the ghosts of the 16 people who died after falling into the River Nore in 1763, the mysterious lady who appears in a white dress on the grounds of Kilkenny Castle, and much more from this fascinating tour led by guide Pat Tynan.
Dark Kilkenny: Ghosts & Witches
In this tour, also from Pat Tynan, visitors will learn about the medieval city that was far removed from the glitter of ball gowns and gentlemen players, telling a story instead of a crowded city where the poor lived in squalor and where public executions was common.