Kilkenny City Railway Heritage Tour is launched at MacDonagh Junction
Some of the landmarks in Kilkenny City are the the Railway Hotel (Kilford Arms Hotel), Woodlock’s Railway Saloon (JB’s), the Station Master’s House (Dunamase), the war memorial
The Kilkenny Railway Heritage Society (KRHS), established in 2025, launched Railway Heritage Trail No 1 this week at MacDonagh Junction. S
Mayor of Kilkenny Andrew McGuinness was on hand to welcome the addition of the trail to the city’s rich layer of tourist trails in and around the city.
“The railway’s rich heritage deserves to be preserved, protected and promoted so as to hand it on to the next generation as well as to showcase it to tourists and visitors alike to our beautiful medieval city,” he said.
Railway Heritage Trail No 1 focuses on Kilkenny City and North Kilkenny and will be rolled out in phases. Stations at Ballyragget, Corbetstown, Castlecomer and Kilkenny feature prominently in the new brochure. Eventually it is intended by the KRHS to mark these location with etched zinc wall plaques.
Some of the landmarks in Kilkenny City are the Great Western Railway Office (Blaa-Blaa) at Canal Square, the Railway Hotel (Kilford Arms Hotel) upper John Street, Woodlock’s Railway Saloon (JB’s), the Station Master’s House (Dunamase) Dublin Rd, the World War Memorial at MacDonagh Station, The Good’s Shed, the Famine Memorial Garden at MacDonagh Junction SC, John’s Green Viaduct, the ‘Kissing Gate’ at Broguemaker’s Hill and the Weir Bridge.
The more rural landmarks of North Kilkenny will feature Dunmore Park (former railway bed), Dinin River lattice bridge, Ballyragget Station, several railway level crossing gate lodges, Corbetstown Station just south of the Cave Bar, Dinin Bridges’ at Dysart, Station Master’s House at Kilkenny Street, Castlecomer, Clohogue Bridges, Castlecomer and Deer Park Colliery.
At present Railway Heritage Trail No 2, which will cover south Kilkenny, is being developed and this will cover Bennettsbridge, Goresbridge, Thomastown, Mullinavat, Glenmore, Kilmacow, Grange/Mooncoin and Fiddown/Piltown. Again this will proceed in phases. All of this work is proceeding with the assistance and support of Kilkenny Leader, Kilkenny Tourism and the Heritage Department of Kilkenny County Council.
The core aim of the KRHS is to preserve, protect and promote the heritage of the Railway in Kilkenny City and County. The Society is open for membership and it starts at €20 per annum for ordinary members and €100 for Business membership. Members will receive a unique Membership Card, quarterly Newsletter and notification of upcoming events. All enquiries to Administrator, 9 Troy’s Court, Loreto View, Kilkenny. Email: [email protected] Tel: 087-315 6359.