Kilkenny Shopping and Districts

(Kilkenny, Republic of Ireland)

As befits the major city in County Kilkenny, shopping here is comprehensive and sophisticated, appealing to visitors as much as to locals, who come from across the county on shopping trips.

Tourists hunting for a souvenir of their visit will discover that Kilkenny is a great place for handicrafts, as it is the centre for traditional Irish crafts, supported by the Kilkenny Design Centre. Lead crystal and other designer glass products are famed for their quality, leather items are a great buy, and Irish linens are famous the world over.

When to Shop and Where

A plethora of malls, stores and individual shops, mostly concentrated in and around High Street, make shopping a real pleasure, with plenty of choice. The Kilkenny Design Centre's outlet, opposite Kilkenny Castle, displays the best of local crafts, both in design and quality, and is open between 10:00 and 19:00.

The High Street is a shoppers' paradise, with its hordes of boutiques and well-known chains. The Market Cross Shopping Centre is located just off the main street, while the new MacDonagh Junction Shopping Centre next to the rail station is proving popular for its stores, as well as its many cafes, which enjoy a prime location next to a renovated workhouse.

For local designer fashion in Kilkenny, the boutiques along Kieran Street, parallel to the High Street, are sure to please. For an informal and fun shopping experience, try the regular Thursday morning farmer's market held in the city centre's market yard.

The Cillin Hill car boot sale has run every Sunday since the mid-1990s and is nothing short of a treasure-trove of clothes, knick knacks, antiques and collectables - and even has its very own website.