Sport and Recreation in Kilkenny

Adventure Sports Noreside Adventure Centre caters for Canoeing, Rock Climbing Orienteering, Archery, Absailing and Hill walking. Countryside Leisure Activity Centre includes facilities for Quad-Bike Racing, Archery, Indoor Rifle Targets and Clay Pigeon Shooting Ranges.

Athletics Kilkenny City Harriers, cater for all levels of athletes are based at Scanlon Park, an all-weather tartan running track. One of Ireland's leading athletics clubs, KCH currently have seven international athletes including Sinead Delahunty who competed in the 1500m at the European Championships and Emily Maher who won gold in 100m and 200m events at the World Youth Championships in 1998.

Badminton There are three badminton clubs - St Canice's, St Mary's and Ye Fair City. They all compete in the Kilkenny County Badminton League.

Kilkenny Judo Club: The home of Judo in Kilkenny since 1964. A place to have fun, learn a traditional martial art and compete in an Olympic sport all at once. Call 086 250 0517

Boxing Marble City Boxing Club is a boxing club based in the city providing coaching to all levels from juvenile upwards.

Bridge Club There is a purpose built bridge centre in the city.

Camogie Camogie is very similar to hurling, played by women only. Like hurling, Kilkenny has won several All-Ireland camogie titles and the three GAA clubs in the city have teams of all levels.

Chess Kilkenny is the host of an internationally recognised chess congress and the local chess club has strong links with the schools. The club's president is the former World Chess No. 1 - Boris Spassky.

Clay Pigeon Shooting The South Eastern Sporting Clay Target Club hold two annual 100 bird competition shoots in April and May.

Equestrian Warrington Top Flight Equestrian Centre run by the Moloney family who have been involved in all aspects of the horse industry for many years, and have competed internationally in showjumping and eventing. The centre has excellent facilities including dressage, trekking and cross country, Members of the club compete in both national and international events. The Riding Club provides tuition for students at all levels.

Fishing Game angling on the Nore generally yield salmon and trout. There are two clubs in the city and licences and information can be sought from Hook, Line and Sinker on Rose Inn Street beside John's Bridge.

Game Shooting Kilkenny Shooting and Conservation Council can provide a list of venues which organise game shooting.

GAA Hurling is by far the biggest sport in Kilkenny, running in the lifeblood of every Kilkenny person. The GAA (Gaelic Athletic Association) is very well represented in the city with 3 clubs catering for all age groups. Nowlan Park is the county headquarters of the GAA in the county and co-ordinates the activities of over 50 clubs. James Park (James Stephens), Dicksboro and O'Loughlin Gaels are the three city grounds. James Stephens have a large number of pitches where hurling, football, handball, camogie and Gaelic Football are played. Additionally these clubs have developed facilities at their centres to cater for their wider communities. O'Louglin Gaels GAA centre has a leisure complex, which includes two indoor handball alleys, a multi purpose gymnasium that accommodates basketball, badminton, and volleyball. Michael St and Larchfield have handball alleys and basketball courts, the James Stephens GAA centre has a squash court.

Golf Kilkenny Golf Club is an 18 hole parklands club with a mature course which is over 100 years old and a big tourist attraction. It is a 5857 meters par 71 course and has been host to the Golf Union of Ireland and Irish Ladies Golfing Union. Its top class facilities include dining-room, showers and a pro-shop. Pockcocke Golf Club is a 18 hole par 3 flat course and is a 'pay as you play' course. Lacken is a Pitch and Putt Club.

Greyhound Track There is a greyhound track in James' Park, Freshford Road. Meetings take place every Wednesday and Friday. The McCalmont Cup/ Redmills Stakes and the Redmill Champion Race are the major events of the year. Famous Greyhounds who have raced at the track include Mr Pickwick and Spiral na Nikita.

Gymnastics Kilkenny Gymnastics Club represents gymnastic interests in the city.

Handball One of the world's greatest players of this Irish version of an international sport with celtic origins, hails from Kilkenny. Michael 'Ducksie' Walsh has won 34 senior All-Ireland titles and has been a finalist in two World Handball Championships. There are excellent handball facilities throughout the city with two outdoor alleys in every parish. There are also excellent indoor facilities at the O'Loughlin Gaels Club and Talbot's Inch. Kilkenny-men Billy Burke and Michael Reade are also All-Ireland Champions.

Hill Walking There are two hill-walking clubs in the city; An Oige and Tyndall Walking Club.

Hockey The Kilkenny Men's and Ladies Hockey teams compete in the Leinster League Division One and are based at Kilkenny College.

Horse Racing Gowran Park is the Kilkenny race track. The major events include the Thystes and Kilkenny Racing Festival. It is both a Flat and National Hunt Course set in some one of the most picturesque grounds of any course in Ireland. The first meeting, a programme of flat and steeplechases races was held in 1914. Some of the famous horses that have graced its course are Arkle, Danoli and Flying Bolt.

Hurling is played by thousands in Kilkenny. It is an ancient Irish sport played with an ash stick called a hurley or camán. Two teams of 15 players play two halves of thirty-five minutes scoring goals and points by hitting the ball (sliothar) into the net or over the crossbar respectively.

Ice Hockey
Kilkenny has its own Ice Hockey team, Kilkenny City Storm. The team was formed around June 2007, and contains local players as well as a mixture of foreign talent.


Rugby Kilkenny Rugby Club is based in Foulkstown and play in division one of the Leinster League.

Soccer Schoolboy and amateur soccer are well served by the Kilkenny & Districts Junior League.

Swimming The Civic Swimming Pool is the focal point for swimming and water sports in Kilkenny.

Tennis Kilkenny College has public tennis courts and there are eight floodlit savannah courts at the Kilkenny Tennis Club.