On a tightrope
Family staycations can be a trial – but not for Nicola Byrne
You can spend a lot of money bringing your little ones on all kinds of glamorous, exotic holidays, but sometimes just a pool and a cracking breakfast buffet will do. So it was with the Springhill Court Hotel in Kilkenny, which the youngest has already asked me to book for a week this summer.
Seven days might sound a bit long, even in this most amenable of cities, but judged on our recent quick trip, there are enough attractions to keep a family entertained. First among them, is Castlecomer Discovery Park about a 20-minute drive from the city.
Closed in the off season, the centre kindly opened their Tree Top rope walk earlier this month, to allow us to try the 140m trial which, apparently, gives great views around the 70 acre natural woodland park. In the end, they needn’t have bothered as, fearful of heights, both my children refused to go up, opting instead for the junior woodland adventure course, navigating a number of obstacles and ending up at an elf village.
We then set off on their 6km of walking trails... and got lost in the woods. We spent three hours here despite the freezing temperatures – and the boys loved it. At the end of the circuit we had a great lunch at the Jarrow Cafe before checking out the interactive coal mining exhibition. The discovery park was established to fill the gap left by the end of the mining industry in the town.
The Park also has Ireland’s longest zip line, which is 300 metres long and over 35m at its highest point. People zoom down the wire over a lake, even looking at is enough to make some ill.
If that’s not your idea of fun, you might be better off in the Craft Yard. It’s a hub of creativity and home to a number of crafts people including Andrew Ludick, whose work has been featured at the Design Fair in London.
About a half-hour drive away in Gowran is another venue where kids could easily spend half a day.
The last time I was in this village was for a very enjoyable race meeting, but since then it’s become home to the National Reptile Zoo, featuring Ireland’s longest snake, Pearl, a 17ft Burmese Python.
The centre promises some of the the world’s rarest and most unusual animals, including American alligators, tarantulas, snapping turtles, scorpions and more.
There were several opportunity to touch, hold and even walk among iguanas and exotic lizards in a specially constructed dome. The heat lamps in here were especially welcome on a freezing day!
The snakes’ handler explained to us that all the animals were ‘ambassadors for their species’ and this means that they are housed here to allow you to better understand the plight of some of these animals in the wild, and how important they are to our ecosystem.
The biggest trick was pulling the kids out of the place. After two hours, they didn’t want to leave.
Although we didn’t have the weather for it, there’s a great deli/ grocery in the village, perfect for picking up a picnic during the summer months.
Back in the city, the MacDonagh Junction Famine Experience is one of the newest attractions, launched just a few months ago. Located on the site of the former Kilkenny Union Workhouse, it tells the story of the discovery of over 970 human remains there in 2005.
The people are believed to have died during the years from 1845-52 and represent a cross section of Kilkenny inhabitants who suffered starvation and disease as a consequence of the Great Famine. It’s a harrowing story, but a great way to bring history to life for older children.
Back at the Springhill Court, a swim in their leisure centre was the perfect way to wrap up the day for the kids. Just an hour and half from Dublin on the motorway, or less than two hours form Cork, it’s a great option for a family holiday.