Graiguenamanagh

Graiguenamanagh sits along the River Barrow in County Kilkenny, built around its 13th-century Cistercian abbey whose ruins dominate the town centre. The R705 connects north to Thomastown and the M9 toward Dublin, about 120 kilometres away, while southbound it runs through New Ross to the N25 Cork-Waterford route. Local roads like the R703 to Borris and R729 to Gowran wind through typical Kilkenny countryside of stone walls and green fields. The town draws visitors to Mount Juliet Golf and other Barrow Valley attractions. What's remarkable is the medieval abbey church still serves as the parish church, so you can attend Mass in a building that's over 700 years old.