TY Local History students recently climbed the remarkable round tower beside St Canice’s Cathedral, one of the most iconic landmarks in the city. The tower is one of only two round towers in Ireland that visitors can still climb, offering spectacular views across the city.
Built around the 9th century, the tower is the oldest surviving structure in Kilkenny and formed part of the early monastic settlement associated with St Canice. Irish round towers typically served as bell towers, lookouts and places of refuge during times of danger.
The climb itself is an adventure: 121 steep steps and seven wooden ladders lead visitors nearly 30 metres (100 feet) to the top, where a rare flat viewing platform provides a full panorama of Kilkenny.
One fascinating detail students learned is that the tower is slightly leaning, about 0.7 metres (2.2 feet) off-centre, despite having foundations only around 40 cm deep. Considering its height and age, the real surprise is that it has stood for more than a thousand years.
The visit gave students a vivid sense of how Ireland’s early monastic communities shaped the landscape of Kilkenny, leaving behind structures that still dominate the skyline more than a millennium later.