Photo Credit: Dylan Vaughan
Draft County Kilkenny Heritage Strategy, 2026-2030 now available for Review
KILKENNY County Council has been developing a new County Heritage Strategy. This strategy will help preserve, protect, and promote the rich heritage of our county within a local, regional and national context. After extensive research and consultation a draft strategy has been prepared and all residents, local organisations, and stakeholders in Kilkenny’s heritage are now invited to review and comment on this draft.
County Kilkenny Heritage Strategy, 2026-2030 [DRAFT] is available for review and comment until 2nd January 2026 in all library branches and on https://consult.kilkenny.ie/ or on request by emailing: heritage@kilkennycoco.ie
Written submissions can also be sent to: Heritage Office, Community and Culture Section, Kilkenny County Council, Patrick’s Court, Patrick Street, Kilkenny City, R95 N28F.
Applications Open for Community Monuments Fund 2026
Applications are now open for the Community Monuments Fund 2026. This Fund is operated by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and administered by the Heritage Office, Kilkenny County Council. The Fund provides investment in Ireland’s archaeological heritage and is prioritised for Local Authorities, private owners, custodians and community groups. The aim of the fund is to: Enable conservation works to be carried out on monuments which are deemed to be significant and in need of urgent support; Build resilience in our monuments to enable them to withstand the effects of climate change; Encourage access to monuments and improve their presentation. The closing date for applications is 4pm, Friday 30th January 2026. For more information, please see Community Monuments Fund 2026 – Kilkenny Heritage
Winter Solstice at Knockroe
The Lingaun Valley Tourism Group would like to invite you to join us to celebrate the Winter Solstice at the Knockroe Passage Tomb on Sunday December 21st. Knockroe situated on the Kilkenny/Tipperary border close to Tullahought is the only Passage Tomb which records both the morning and evening Winter Solstice events with the morning Solstice occurring at 8.40am while the evening Solstice occurs at 3.40pm. Lingaun Valley Tourism volunteers will be on hand on the day to oversee parking facilities and provide refreshments to visitors, with a guest speaker scheduled to attend the event. Visitors should be aware that this is an important National Monument and should take care not to cause any damage to the stones.
For those attending the solstice events at Knockroe, wellies or good boots would be advised, also plan on arriving early to allow for the short walk in to the site.
Help shape the future of the Heritage Council’s website
As a part of the Heritage Council website redevelopment project, they are conducting a short survey to better understand how you currently use the existing website and identify areas where improvements are most needed. Your experiences and insights will help ensure the new website is easy-to-use, effective, and able to meet the needs of all those using it. The survey should take no more than 15 minutes to complete. All responses will be confidential and used only to guide design and development decisions, you will find more information here.
Appeal for memories and photographs of Rothe House
2026 will mark the 60th anniversary of Kilkenny’s historic Rothe House officially opening to the public on the 17th of April, 1966. The day represented a significant milestone in the history of Rothe House, ushering in a new era for the property first built in 1594. A six-month programme of events is being planned to mark the 60th year – a major part of which will be an exhibition on the restoration itself – including the later restoration of the third house (officially opened in 1995) and the garden (2008). To that end, the team at Rothe House are very interested in hearing from anyone who may have memories, stories, and especially photographs/footage of the buildings before and during the restoration. The recollections gathered, some of which will be used in the exhibition itself, will be put together in a special archive as part of the commemoration efforts. Please email reception@rothehouse.com or phone 056 7722893.
Applications Open for Heritage Stewardship Fund 2026
Applications are now open for the Heritage Council’s Heritage Stewardship Fund 2026. The scheme is designed to assist staff whose core remit may not be fully focused on heritage but whose work has a significant impact on heritage. This includes employees of state agencies and educational institutions proposing heritage-focused projects, as well as local authority-based museum curators, archivists, archaeologists, and architectural conservation officers. The application deadline is 5:00 PM on 19 January 2026. For more information see: https://www.heritagecouncil.ie/funding/heritage-stewardship-scheme-2
Applications Open for Heritage Organisations Support Fund 2026
The Heritage Organisations Support Fund provides core funding to non-profit organisations working in Ireland’s heritage sector. Through this fund, the Heritage Council aims to support organisations to: Build long-term strength and stability; Plan for the future and grow strategically; Adopt environmentally friendly practices and contribute to climate action. This fund supports core operational work, not standalone projects. It helps heritage organisations to remain stable, plan for the future, invest in staff and governance, and contribute to climate action and public benefit. For more information see: https://www.heritagecouncil.ie/funding/heritage_orgs-fund
Nollaig Shona Daoibh go Léir
The Heritage Office of Kilkenny County Council would like to thank you for all of your support and engagement in 2025 and we look forward to working with you all in 2026. In the meantime, we wish you and your family a happy and peaceful Christmas and every good wish for 2026. Nollaig Shona agus athbhliain faoi mhaise daoibh go léir.
