//
Town in County Kilkenny, Ireland
Photo: Andreas F. Borchert, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Thomastown (Irish: Baile Mhic Andáin) is a town in County Kilkenny, with a population of 2300 in 2022. It was originally called Grennan and grew up at a crossing point on the River Nore, 17 km from Kilkenny. It was re-named for Thomas Fitzanthony, who built the castle and town walls in the 13th century; only a few scraps of those survive, but Jerpoint Abbey 3 km southwest is a substantial ruin. Other attractions are Kilfane Glen gardens and Mount Juliet Golf Course.
From the travel guide. Select a place for details, a map and what is nearby.
Extensive ruin of a Cistercian monastery, founded 1180 (probably over an earlier Benedictine abbey) and dissolved in 1541. There's an impressive cloister arcade, tower, tombs and carvings, and the abbey remained an upmarket burial ground after the Dissolution. The visitor centre has a small exhibition.
Gardens, cottage orné and woodland dell with waterfall prettified in the 1790s - they were aiming for the Hameau style of Versailles, only without the subsequent beheadings. The site was restored in the 1970s. No dogs. Free car park.
Woodstock House was built from 1747, and the gardens laid out in the late 19th century. The house was torched in 1922 in the Irish civil war and remains a ruin, but the Victorian gardens and arboretum were restored from the 1990s, with many exotic species. There's an avenue of Monkey Puzzle trees, a charming glass house, and a panoramic view over Inistioge village from the entrance.
It used to be a golf club, but it's nowadays an event space for weddings and the like.
Decent Indian food.
formerly Barrows Keep
Cheerful place for tapas.
Lively trad pub with beer garden and live music. No food but you can fetch from the pizza takeaway.
Comfy welcoming B&B in historic building in town centre.
Upscale resort hotel in Georgian mansion, gets great reviews for comfort, service and dining. The main Manor House has 32 bedrooms; Hunter's Yard outbuildings are cheaper. With spa and pool, golf courses, fishing and horse-riding.
Welcoming B&B with four ensuite rooms open April-Oct.
Charming pub B&B in Inistioge village.
Pottery studio making contemporary original designs.
A family run glass studio.
By bus
Expressway Bus 4 runs every hour or two from Dublin Airport, Busáras and Heuston station, taking 2 hr 30 min to Thomastown via Carlow and continuing to Waterford.
By road
You need wheels. Grennan Castle is an easy walk but attractions such as Jerpoint Abbey are some 3 km away, along a busy road with no sidewalk. A bike would do.
Read in the guideChoose an airport to see hotels, stations, taxi ranks and car rental desks around it.
Dublin · International · DUB
Loading places around the airport…
Articles and travel topics about Thomastown and Ireland.
Travel tipsFind the cheapest countries to fly to from the US and UK in 2026. Compare realistic round-trip flight deals, budget airlines, and prime booking windows.
8 min read
InspirationExplore the best places to visit in March across Japanese cherry blossoms, explosive Spanish fiestas, desert wonders in Jordan, and Irish music sessions.
7 min read
InspirationExplore the best castle and gothic hotel stays in Europe. Discover historic fortresses, medieval estates, luxury châteaux, and Spanish parador hotels.
6 min read
Ireland's rail network fans out from Dublin and Belfast to almost all the major cities and towns on the island. It's a relatively small, diesel-hauled network, but quick, comfortable and inexpensive, so it's a great way…
Wikivoyage
Every section of the guide. Open one to read it in full.