A Delicious Day in Kilkenny
In spite of the weather not really getting the memo that spring is on the way, we nonetheless persevered in our pursuit of enjoying a day out in Kilkenny that won’t cost a fortune. To this end, we set off early on a Friday morning for what I lovingly dubbed a ‘magical mystery tour’ of Kilkenny. And readers, that is exactly what we had.
Arán Artisan Bakery and Bistro
Napoleon is credited with saying that an army marches on its stomach- so too does a 32 year old woman whose first love in life is food. With this in mind, we started our day at Arán, the bakery bistro powerhouse on Kilkenny’s Barrack Street. As we were there not long after opening, the bistro was quiet. The gentle hiss of the coffee machine and the soft chat of the other patrons provided a nice background noise as we sat looking out the window opposite our table. Weekdays sees Arán’s breakfast special: a choice of a meal from their small but perfectly formed breakfast menu, plus unlimited tea or filter coffee. I opted for their ‘novocado’ poached eggs on toast, while my boyfriend, Mark, went for the mini breakfast sandwich. Both served with steaming cups (coffee for me, tea for him), we enjoyed the food as much as the morning mood. By the time we left, the place had filled up significantly and would be full until closing. I was glad we went as early as we did- the calm before the storm is my favourite.
Jerpoint Glass
Stomach full, we followed the Waterford Road out through Stoneyford and down a twisty local road for a little while before we found what we were looking for: the turn off for Jerpoint Glass. We were hoping to catch a glimpse of some glass blowing before having a look in the gift shop. When we got out of the car, we were immediately greeted by a beautiful big red dog in a blue bowtie. He ran circles around us, bestowing us with vigorous whacks of his strong tail. Then he bounded off towards the entrance, looking back as if to beckon us onwards. We dutifully followed him into the glass studio where we met with James and Johnny, two veteran glass blowers who generously invited us to watch them at their craft. We sat in a specially created viewing stand, feeling like VIP guests as both men talked us through the blowing process and explained each step they were doing. The transition from taking a blob of molten glass, through watching it expand and take shape, to taking its final form is truly incredible. All the while the red dog (whose name we learned was Buddy) and
an older black dog, Molly, kept us company. Hoping for maybe five minutes of a demonstration, we stayed for an hour utterly engaged and transfixed by the whole process.
When we were finally able to drag ourselves away, we popped into the gift shop for a look. The explosion of colourful glass was the first thing we noticed. From vases in beautiful amethyst, jugs in stunning turquoise, and garden ornaments in fiery crimson and tangerine, it was as if a rainbow had been captured and transmuted into glass. We each picked up something to buy (difficult not to) and chatted to the lovely woman, Kate, in the gift shop. We mentioned our mission of finding craft demonstrations across Kilkenny, and she gave us some tips. Armed with our very own pieces of Jerpoint glass, we said a final goodbye to the dogs and headed back out on the road to continue our magical mystery tour of Kilkenny.
Knockdrinna Café
We found ourselves back in the village of Stoneyford, where we decided to visit the locally renowned Knockdrinna Café. Knockdrinna produces incredible butter, which we are lucky enough to include on our food tour, so I was very excited to call in. Their breakfast menu is fantastic- the veggie breakfast immediately caught my eye- however as neither of us were hungry enough for a second breakfast within a few hours of the first, we opted for a drink and something sweet instead. I went for a Tunisian orange cake (one of my favourites, and I make a nice one too if I say so myself) and Mark opted for the chocolate studded blondie. We sat outside in a charming enclosed yard, taking in the peacefulness of our surroundings. The treats were as delicious as expected, and we loved the gentle ambiance of the café. Before leaving, we called into the farmhouse deli, where we were blown away by the array of food on offer. From pre-made pies, to salads, to cheese, to (of course) their own incredible butter, there is such a wide variety to choose from. I couldn’t leave without picking up some Coolatin cheddar (another tasty offering on our food tour) and a vegetarian pie for later on. Now, fully stuffed, we headed back to the car to see where the road would take us next.
Winter in Kilkenny
Once the festivities of Christmas and New Years are over, the realities of January set in. Combined with the often less-than-agreeable weather, the dark evenings, and a lack of disposable income, this can be a difficult time for a lot of people, myself included.
To combat this, I’ve decided that this January I wasn’t going to wallow in the house pining for the grand stretch. Instead, I was going to explore the beautiful city and county of Kilkenny looking for fun and free (or budget-friendly) places to visit to cheer up my days. With that, here are some of the things that I got up to in January.
Bennettsbridge
Now this isn’t strictly a January thing, but there is a fantastic walk called the Nore Valley Walk that extends from Kilkenny Castle all the way out to Bennettsbridge. It’s a 10km walk each way. I’m not the fittest person in the universe, but I’ve done this walk several times and it’s a very forgiving one. I suffered no ill effects apart from sore legs the following day! The walk alone is enough to make up for any sore legs though: it leads along the river, through wooded areas, and offers magical views of the landscape. It’s so lovely to let myself be totally immersed in nature for hours. It is spiritually and mentally restorative, and something that I look forward to doing each year as soon as a nice, sunny day comes along.
When you approach the end of the walk on the Bennettsbridge side, you are treated to a spectacular view of the eponymous bridge. At this point, your stomach might give a little jump as you know that in a few minutes you’ll be filling it with something delicious at the Crafted café. A cosy, homestyle institution, Crafted has a fabulous array of desserts, soups, sandwiches, and drinks.
This January, I cheated and drove out to Crafted instead of walking. However, the café and its offerings were just as fortifying on a cold and rainy day as if I had walked the distance to get there. My boyfriend and I sat at a lovely wooden table bathed in soft light and we watched the rain falling outside in sharp drops, each clutching our cups of tea tight and eminently glad that we were warm and dry inside. I had a scone with jam and cream, while he had an orange cupcake. We stayed there for ages enjoying the pleasant and friendly ambiance.
Once we finally braced ourselves to head back outside, I had the bright idea to head back over the bridge towards the Nicholas Mosse pottery studio. This is an unmissable experience if you are in Kilkenny. A beautiful stone mill gently exerting its presence over the river and fields in its vicinity, the Nicholas Mosse pottery studio is world famous. We drove the three minutes over to the studio and after a miserable minute walking from the car to the entrance, we were quickly enveloped in the magic of the studio.
The ground floor consists of an incredible display of Nicholas Mosse pottery: plates, cups, oven dishes, serving platters, saucers- you name it. Each piece is hand-crafted and painted on site. The patterns are classic and distinctive, from beautiful flowers and botanicals, to animals and pastoral scenes. Then, as you wander your way through the shop, you emerge into the studio viewing area where you can watch the skilled potters ‘throwing down’ on the wheel. We stood transfixed as we watched one work, his deft hands transforming a lump of clay into a graceful long-necked vase. It took mere minutes to create one, but we knew full well that we were observing the work of a man who has spent years honing his craft. It was almost hypnotising: the sound of the clay hitting the wheel, the hands forming it into shape, and the gravity defying spectacle as the clay was moulded up, up, up into shape. Then it was wired off and put onto a table with many other identical vases and a new lump of clay was thrown down, about to undergo its own transformation. We could have stayed watching for hours, so relaxing and meditative the process was.
We eventually wandered upstairs where there is a café that is worth a visit in its own right. There is also a shop selling local crafts and gifts, which was fun to spend time in. I got a coffee in the café and we sat overlooking the river. The women at the table next to us commented on the ‘stretch in the evening’ and it made me smile.
Spending the day in Bennettsbridge in a cosy café and having the opportunity to watch a skilled craftsman at work made me feel so happy and grateful to be able to enjoy Kilkenny regardless of the weather. We didn’t have to spend a fortune (all in all, we spent around €20 for the day) to have a lovely day exploring together.