From our house its a short drive into Kilkenny city which has plenty of cheap parking (2 euro per day). There you can visit Kilkenny castle (if you are going to do one castle tour in Ireland do this one), pop into the art gallery below (Sean Scully has been) take a walk around the grounds which border the Nore river and has the most amazing mature trees. Stroll down St Kiernans medieval street and pop into Kytelers Inn which was home to Irelands first witch (who luckily escaped burning but not so her poor maid-intrigued?) where the food is good and great music there every night. We are also the home of Smithwicks beer (light brown beer) and while the distillery is gone, there is a tour of history of brewing in the area (complete with Harry Potter style portraits of historical figures talking). Kilkenny has more than its fair share of festivals worth checking out on www.visitkilkenny.ie Visit Jerpoint Abbey 10 km away which is home to the burial site of Saint Nicolas and visit Jerpoint glass. A must if you are a lover of nature and quiet is the picture postcard village of Inistogue over the river Nore (so beautiful Hollywood has come knocking quite a few times! Circle of Friends, The Secret Scriptures). Park the car and walk up to Woodstock through the forest trail to the old family estate of the Tigue family who were landowners in the last century. Don't expect lots of 'stuff' in Inistiogue but the place has a peace and tranquillity to it possibly beacuse of it!