Medieval festival and witchcraft festival among ideas for Kilkenny
Other concepts suggested include festivals celebrating Kilkenny's hurling heritage, showcasing the county's craft and design sector, and building on Cartoon Saloon's international reputation...
A medieval festival featuring pageantry, re-enactments and major exhibitions, alongside events inspired by the story of Alice Kyteler, are among the ideas identified in Kilkenny County Council's new ‘Festival and Events Strategy’.
The draft strategy, which sets out a roadmap for festivals and events between 2026 and 2030, says consultation with stakeholders identified an opportunity to build a festival programme around Kilkenny's internationally recognised medieval heritage.
Among the ideas outlined is "a festival of history, pageantry, re-enactments and major exhibitions, inspired by Kilkenny's medieval knight, William Marshall, founder of Kilkenny town and Kilkenny Castle."
The strategy also proposes building Kilkenny's national profile as the Medieval City of Ireland by making greater use of Heritage Week and expanding heritage-based programming.
Another suggestion is to build on the story of Alice Kyteler and her servant Petronella, following the programme of events held to mark the 700th anniversary of Ireland's most famous medieval witchcraft trial.
The document identifies opportunities to draw on "the historical significance of Alice Kytler and her accomplice, Petronella, the first known case in Ireland or British Isles of death by fire for practising witchcraft, building on the programme of events which took place to mark the 700th anniversary."
The strategy stresses that these are among a range of ideas that emerged through consultation to help fill what it describes as a gap in Kilkenny's festival calendar during June and July while making greater use of the county's unique heritage.
Other concepts suggested include festivals celebrating Kilkenny's hurling heritage, showcasing the county's craft and design sector, and building on Cartoon Saloon's international reputation to strengthen Kilkenny's profile as a cultural and creative destination.
The proposals form part of a wider strategy aimed at growing Kilkenny's festival offering and increasing its tourism impact over the next five years. The document notes that the county already hosts around 25 festivals annually, attracting almost half a million visitors.