Photos: A.-K. D., Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 瑞丽江的河水, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo credits
Photos: A.-K. D., Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 瑞丽江的河水, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Rothe House and the merchants of Kilkenny
Your local guide
Niamh Brennan
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Highlights
- A Tudor merchant's three courtyards
- Four centuries under one roof
- A stableyard turned craft workshops
- Stonework worn by generations of use
- Kilkenny's working design scene
About this tour
This session looks at how Kilkenny's merchants and makers used the same stone buildings across four hundred years, from a Tudor townhouse to a converted stableyard of craft workshops. You see the three courtyards of Rothe House and the working studios of the Design Centre in the same short walk. It stays close to detail: doorframes, worn steps, and the marks tools leave on old stone.
We open with a brief sound check, then I move slowly through each courtyard so you can see the proportions properly before I explain their history. Questions come in as we go, and I answer them in the moment rather than at the end. I follow up afterwards with a short note on where to see more local craft work.
It suits anyone interested in how old buildings get a second working life, and in the craft side of Kilkenny rather than only its castle and cathedral.
Included
- Live video walk with a local guide
- Questions to your guide all the way
- A short list of places to visit later
Not included
- Internet connection
- Travel to the city
Itinerary
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Welcome and sound check 5 min
The guide joins the video call, checks the picture and sound with you, and gives you a quick sense of Kilkenny before heading out.
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Rothe House 15 min
You look into the first of three linked courtyards of this Tudor merchant's townhouse, and I explain how a single family ran their trade from these rooms four centuries ago.
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Kilkenny Design Centre 15 min
The camera moves through the old castle stableyard, now craft workshops, and I show how the stone buildings were adapted for makers rather than horses.
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Your questions 7 min
Time to ask anything about Kilkenny: prices, safety, food, or whatever you are curious about.
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A short list to keep 3 min
Before you go, the guide sums up with a few things worth remembering: a dish to try: Irish stew and John Street Quarter, worth a slower look.
Good to know
- A stable wifi or mobile connection makes the picture smoother than a shaky one.
- Any phone, tablet or laptop with a camera works. You watch, the guide does the walking.
- Times are shown in Dublin time, so check the time where you are before you book.
- The session is not recorded, and recording it yourself is not allowed. Feel free to take your own notes.
- Ask questions any time, out loud or in the chat. The guide will pause to answer.
- Sessions run in small groups, up to 7 people, so there is room for everyone to ask something.
Questions about this tour
What will the session cover?
The guide walks through Kilkenny, showing you Rothe House and Kilkenny Design Centre live on camera, plus whatever else you would like to see.
What happens if my connection drops?
Rejoin with the same link within a few minutes and the guide will catch you up on anything you missed.
Can I ask the guide questions during the session, or is it a fixed script?
Anything, any time. Sessions leave room for your own questions throughout, not just at the end.
Do I need any background in art?
No. The guide explains what matters as you go, whatever you already know or do not.
How it works
- You get one join link after booking.
- Join from any device: phone, tablet or laptop.
- We meet on Google Meet; the link comes with your booking. I walk Kilkenny live with my phone.
Times shown in Dublin time (GMT)
Cancellation
Flexible
- Cancel up to 24 hours before the start: full refund.
- Cancel less than 24 hours before the start, or no-show: no refund.
- If the guide cancels or the date does not reach its minimum group: full refund.
- Cancel in My Account → Bookings; the refund is calculated from the start time in the tour's local time.
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Next: Tue 3 Nov · 7 seats left From 19,00 €
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