When pronounced correctly with the emphasis in the right places, Kilkenny sounds like two distinct words: Kill and Kenny (because in Irish, it is two words, though the pronunciation differs slightly). As in, “Oh, my God, they killed Kenny. Those bastards!” So perhaps you can understand why the city’s name has always been a little threatening to me. Yet as I discovered during a recent daytrip to the city, Kilkenny is anything but threatening and every bit an enjoyable, captivating city. Following our arrival from Waterford, Helen and I started with lunch at Kyteler’s Inn, whose first proprietor was known for ritual sacrifices and eventually accused of practicing witch-craft waaaaay back in 1320’s. Now it’s a charming pub complete with high definition televisions to watch the footy. I can’t imagine Dame Alice Kyteler envisioned this is
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