When you’ve finished exploring this wonderful medieval city, why not indulge in a bit of shopping? Kilkenny was always a thriving merchant town, so it really is no wonder that it has a reputation as one of the best destinations for shopping in the south east. Here we take a brief look at the main shopping opportunities in the city and what they offer.
Kilkenny city is a fantastic destination for a day’s shopping. It’s compact, so you can walk from one shop to the next and it’s also got plenty of parking. The main shopping street in the city is High Street. This vibrant street has lots of souvenir shops, boutiques, shoe shops, book shops, homeware shops and craft shops. One of the city’s best loved stores is located on High Street. It’s called Good’s and it’s been operating since 1927. Here you’ll find high street stores like Principles, Dorothy Perkins, Oasis, Warehouse and Coast. It also has a cosmetics, accessory and footwear section. Visit the Goods website for more.
If you’re looking for boutiques, then you’ll find them on Kieran Street, which runs parallel to High Street. You’re sure to find something special to wear in boutiques like Annabel’s, Sally West, Lorimat, Beri Boutique, Suzan Belle and Serendipity.
Kilkenny has a wide range of excellent shopping centres. A shopping trip to Kilkenny should definately feature a visit to the McDonagh Junction Shopping Centre. This shopping centre boasts not only 50 top quality retail units but a hotel, a bowling centre, restaurants and lots of performance space. Fashion stores located here include; Mexx, Next, No Name, River Island, T.K. Maxx and Dunnes. This shopping centre can be found next to the train station on the Dublin road. For times, maps and lots more information visit the McDonagh Junction website.
Another shopping centre in the city centre is the Market Cross Shopping Centre. It can be found just off High Street and is a popular spot for Superquinn’s and the city’s only Penny’s store which is located on the ground floor. It also has Heatons, Monsoon, Wallis and Japan.
Newpark Shopping Centre is located on Johnswell Road near Nowlan Park GAA Grounds. This shopping centre has over 300 free car parking spaces and features a Eurospar, a pharmacy, a home centre, a nail bar and a kids shoe shop to name a few. Visit the Newpark Shopping Centre website for more info.
Kilkenny is known as the ‘Craft Capital of Ireland’ so you’ve come to the right place if you’re after some pottery, leather goods, knitwear, custom made furniture, hand made jewellery, glass or candles. The Kilkenny Design Craft Centre is located on the grounds of Kilkenny Castle and is a one-stop-shop for craft lovers. Here you’ll see a display of some of the finest crafts and designs created by local craftspeople. Visit the Kilkenny Design Craft Centre website for more.
Kilkenny also has a very busy farmers market which takes place every Thursday morning in the Market Yard in the city centre. Here you can buy the freshest of local produce from the local farmers. The city also has a thriving car boot sale, which has been operating every Sunday for 14 years! It’s located at Cillin Hill and is a treasure trove of antiques, collectibles, clothes and knick knacks both new and second hand. Check out the Kilkenny Car Boot Sale website for more.
And if you’re heading to Kilkenny for some Christmas shopping, don’t forget the Christmas Markets, which will begin on the 5th of December.
Hope you enjoy your shopping trip to Kilkenny. If there are any other shops you would like to recommend, please do so in the comment box below. We also welcome any advice, tips or questions you may have about shopping in Kilkenny.
