Kilkenny came together for Lagarde's visit to Kyteler's

The history and heritage of Kilkenny was on show as the city and county came together for a special group of visitors.

A large garda presence drew attention to the heart of Kilkenny City, where uniformed gardai patrolled around Market Yard and High Street with groups of plainclothes detectives seen on Kieran Street and opposite the courthouse.

The heightened security was for the visit of Christine Lagarde, President of the European Central Bank and former Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, who was in town with the ECB council. The group were treated to a special Irish celebration at the famous Kyteler’s Inn, with history and heritage at the heart of the night.

“This event was more than six months in the pipeline and involved working with many different parties from security to Kilkenny County Council and the Gardai,” said JD Flynn of Kyteler’s Inn.

Kyteler's Inn hosted the banquet for Ms Lagarde and the ECB Council

“Kilkenny came together for this authentic Irish night. Our guests were treated to a three-course dinner complemented by sean-nós singing and dancing. The party also featured whiskey tasting and bodhran lessons, which the guests loved. Ms Lagarde was so interested in the people and the place, as well as the history of Alice Kyteler, who was the daughter of a Norman banker - and a moneylender herself.”

The ECB governing council had been holding a two-day retreat at Mount Juliet. The 26 members of the council, including Ms Lagarde, Central Bank of Ireland governor Gabriel Makhlouf and the ECB’s Irish chief economist, Philip Lane, were staying at the luxury local hotel.