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Foulksrath Castle Hostel
Jenkinstown, Conahy Rd, County Kilkenny | Tel:+353-(0)56-7767674 Email: foulksrath@eircom.net

**This Hostel is Now Permanently Closed**

This historic 16th century Kilkenny hostel is located only 8 miles from Kilkenny Town. This medieval castle is the oldest hostel in Ireland! Feel like a king or queen and stay in your very own castle!!

Kilkenny, a county steeped in tradition and history offers many attractions. Kilkenny City itself is the former medieval capital of Ireland and today offers visitors the opportunity to explore its historic castle, browse its quaint streets and dine in its fine restaurants.

The county boasts such attractions as Dunmore Caves – Ireland’s finest calcite formations, the Famine Village, Licketstown to the south, and also the birthplace of Jonathan Swift.

"Best hostel I've stayed at. Ever. The surroundings are fantastic, you are staying in a REAL castle." Bobbi, Australia, August 2005

"It was excellent to be able to stay in a place with so much history for so cheap.The price is fairly cheap given how much you would normally pay to stay in a castle. Jack the owner is really cool and is really helpful. He will tell you most of the ghost stories attached to the castle. well worth the stay would recommened it to anyone". Amber, New Zealand, February 2006

Managers

Jack Macken

Features

Foulksrath Castle, a striking 16^th Century Norman House Tower has successfully transformed into a hostel. Its medieval features include a magnificent dining room with enormous fireplaces and a spiral staircase to the upper floors. The staircase appears to end up by the dorm, but there is indeed a secret passageway out to the roof. Finding this will be rewarded with stunning views across Jenkinstown and a feeling of really being King of the Castle!

This is Irelands oldest hostel and celebrated its 50th anniversary in 1998. The castle has a stone walled dining room, with under floor heating and a stone spiral staircase to the upper floors, all keeping with first impressions.

Many guests gather in the evenings where they like to eat by candlelight and share travel tales. A BBC television team of British Ghost hunters visited the hostel and sent back a report to say that ‘their machines recorded the best ghostly sounds of any place they visited in Ireland’.

It is believed that the daughter of the owner (Dean Swift) fell in love with an Irish boy and was locked away by her father in the ‘Cuckoo Nest’ room to stop her from seeing him. The girl is believed to have finally been killed by her father in this room and it seems that the ghost of the girl still can be found in this ‘Cuckoo Nest’ room.

Another story has it that in 2002 an An Óige member was sleeping in this room and awoke to find her duvet moving in a wave like motion. Therefore the stories continue as to whether Foulksrath is actually haunted or not!

Directions

Road/Car: From Kilkenny, follow the signs for Durrow (N77) for about 12 km. The Hostel is signposted from the N77.

Bus: Limited daily bus service via Kilkenny (8 miles) except Sundays.

Coach: Buggys Coaches: Tel: 056-4441264. From the Parade (outside Castle), catch Buggys Coaches to Conahy Cross, which is 300m from the youth hostel. The cost for Buggys Coaches is €3.50. There are transfers throughout the day; the last one is at 17.30.

Taxi: Tel: 087-7944122: Cost is €20

From Dublin Airport:
At Airport Roundabout take second exit onto M1(Dublin), Leave the M1 at Junction 3, then at roundabout take 3rd exit onto M50(Southbound). Leave the M50 at Junction 9 (City Centre, The South) then at the Red Cow Roundabout take 3rd exit onto the N7. Continue forward to join the Motorway M7(Limerick, Cork) Leave the M7 at signpost for Cork, Limerick, Portlaosie, then at the roundabout take the 1st exit onto the N8(Cork). Continue on Portlaoise Rd to Abbeyleix. Continue on N8 to Durrow and in Durrow turn left to the N77(Kilkenny). Continue through Ballyragget and the hostel is signposted 4 km after the village

View map

Things to do

Foulksrath Castle Youth Hostel provides the perfect place to stay for those interested in walking, cycling, river swimming, horse racing and especially fly-fishing in the nearby River Nore.

Use your Hostelling International Membership card to receive discounts in the following attractions in the area:

Night Life

Ballyragget Café: For breakfast, packed lunches and dinners near the hostel at great prices 00353 (56) 8833254

Langtons Bar and Nightclub: Bar with great food and music. Open until late with DJ and large T.V. for sport.

Matt the Miller’s: Near the main street in Kilkenny, Customers are spoilt for choice with great food, lively bar & music venue in a pub that has retained it’s medieval character.