County Kilkenny Guide: Local Services, Businesses and News

Kilkenny at a glance

Kilkenny combines a medieval city with rich farmland and beautiful river valleys. The city's Medieval Mile, Kilkenny Castle and packed festival calendar draw visitors all year round.

Beyond the city, the Nore and Barrow valleys are home to craft studios, food producers and pretty villages like Inistioge, Thomastown and Graiguenamanagh. North Kilkenny, around Castlecomer, is known for its woodland and outdoor activities.

Independent shops and family-run firms still dominate here, which makes Kilkenny a great county for shopping local.

Kilkenny County Council handles planning permission, roads, housing, libraries and local property tax queries. Report potholes, dumping or broken street lights directly to the council.

• Bins and recycling: household waste is collected by private operators, so compare the providers that serve your area.
• Water: managed by Uisce Éireann. Many rural homes use private wells and septic tanks.
• Motor tax: renew online at motortax.ie.
• Getting around: Kilkenny and Thomastown have trains to Dublin Heuston and Waterford, and the M9 links the county to both cities.

Many city-centre buildings are protected structures, so check with the council's planning team before changing windows, shopfronts or roofs.

Finding the right tradesperson in Kilkenny is easier with a few simple checks:

1. Get three written quotes for any job over a few hundred euro, and confirm whether VAT is included.

2. Ask for proof of insurance before work starts, especially for roofing, building and tree work.

3. Check registrations: electricians should be registered with Safe Electric, and gas installers with RGII. For home energy grants, use an SEAI-registered contractor.

4. Older buildings: for stone, lime and period properties, ask for examples of similar work, as these need specialist skills.

5. Septic tanks: use a contractor with a valid waste collection permit for desludging.

6. Book early for winter: boiler services and chimney cleaning get busy from October.

Search Kilkenny tradespeople on Leinster Local and send an enquiry directly to the business, with no account needed.

Kilkenny's visitors and loyal locals give businesses two strong markets. Here's how to reach both:

• Local Enterprise Office Kilkenny offers mentoring, training and grants for small businesses, including Trading Online Vouchers.
• Plan around festivals: the Cat Laughs comedy festival in early summer and the Kilkenny Arts Festival in August bring big crowds. Promote food, drink and accommodation offers well before them.
• Show what makes you local: visitors look for Kilkenny-made food, craft and experiences, so say so on your listing.
• Complete your listing: businesses with photos, opening hours and a full description get more enquiries.

List your Kilkenny business free on Leinster Local, and upgrade to Premium for featured placement and more photos.