Stalagmites
Lit up.
Jan-Philipp Litza — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Crispin Purdye — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Crispin Purdye — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Jan-Philipp Litza — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Jan-Philipp Litza — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Jan-Philipp Litza — CC BY-SA 4.0
A limestone cave on the Castlecomer Plateau, 11 km north of Kilkenny, overlooking the River Dinan valley; its Irish name means «great fort», and it is one of Ireland's show caves. The cave is known for its rich archaeological finds and as the site of a Viking massacre in 928 recorded in the old annals; coins and silver pieces from that time were found here, and the visitor centre shows some of them. The tour goes down a long stairway into wide chambers decorated with stalagmites, stalactites and calcite formations, among them a huge free-standing column, with lighting that brings out the colours and shapes of the rock. Visits are by guided tour only, and adult tickets are about €5, per visitor guides. There are many damp steps, so wear proper shoes and bring a light jacket, as it's cool inside all year.
Lit up.
From the Viking age.
Huge and free-standing.
Ballyfoyle, 11 km north of Kilkenny
No. Visits are by guided tour only; adult tickets are about €5, per visitor guides, and there are many damp steps.