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The Kilkenny Way
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The Kilkenny Way

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The Kilkenny Way
5
About
We Provide a unique sporting experience giving you an insight into the worlds Oldest (3000 yrs) and fastest field game in the true Home Of Hurling Champions - Kilkenny. Join us for 2 hours of Hurling fun in the Home of the Famous Kilkenny Cats.
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See what travellers are saying
  • Adventurer259355
    1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    We loved the Kilkenny Way experience
    This was a fantastic activity for our family! From Grandpa to our 8-year-old, everyone had a great time. We knew nothing about hurling when we began the day, but after a couple of hours with Colum, we were all excited about the sport! It was a damp day, and after some practice on the pitch we were all pleased to go back to the pub and enjoy the delicious included lunch. Overall a great learning experience and a lot of fun!
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 1 November 2023
  • Passenger46011176969
    1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Perfect afternoon
    We had a blast learning how to Hurl in the GAA through Lanigan’s. Our coach was a very fun teacher and brave enough to play goalie for us all. The food was great and service was very kind and receptive. We will recommend this to any of our friends looking to get a taste of culture and a workout. Go Black and Gold!
    Visited June 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 26 June 2024
  • sjriutta
    Milwaukee, Wisconsin63 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Fascinating experience
    We had a great time learning the sport of Hurling! We walked in with zero knowledge and left with a great foundation of how to play the game. You will learn a few of the key moves used in the game and get a chance to practice these moves - which makes it even more impressive to watch hurling know how tricky some of the moves can be! This experience was also a fantastic way to break up our drive between Dublin and County Kerry. The only thing to keep in mind is that there is a fair bit of a walk from the meeting point to the field where you play. We had no problem with it, but some individuals with mobility issues in the group had to order a taxi for the ride back to the meeting point at the end of the experience.
    Visited June 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 12 July 2024
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sjriutta
Milwaukee, WI63 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Fascinating experience
Jun 2024 • Couples
We had a great time learning the sport of Hurling! We walked in with zero knowledge and left with a great foundation of how to play the game. You will learn a few of the key moves used in the game and get a chance to practice these moves - which makes it even more impressive to watch hurling know how tricky some of the moves can be! This experience was also a fantastic way to break up our drive between Dublin and County Kerry. The only thing to keep in mind is that there is a fair bit of a walk from the meeting point to the field where you play. We had no problem with it, but some individuals with mobility issues in the group had to order a taxi for the ride back to the meeting point at the end of the experience.
Written 12 July 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Margaret J
1 contribution
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Hurling in a schoolyard
Aug 2024 • Family
We totally enjoyed the young gentleman who taught us the game of hurling. Unfortunately, we made some assumptions about the tour based on the descriptions. We thought we would be touring the hurling Arena/stadium. Instead, we went to a primary school yard. Lunch was great, even though it took a long time to arrive.
Written 2 August 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
LItraveller2016
Cold Spring Harbor, NY1 contribution
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Good Coach, Poor Experience
Aug 2016 • Family
The good part about this "Experience" was the time on the Hurling Field and learning some of the skills and rules. Now for the bad... Actually we were on the secondary practice field, not even the proper practice field which was being used by a local club. There was NO "Tour of Nolwan Park Home of the Kilkenny Cats" as advertised, which was chained and locked. There was NO "Visit to the Legends Hurling Museum" as advertised although I think we might have been in it in the upper bar at Lanigans but no one mentioned it to us or discussed a museum! We got a demonstration of equipment use on the second level only. There was NO "Introduction Video on the GAA," as advertised. We did NOT "Watch a game at Legends Hurling Bar" as advertised, probably because all of the televisions, including the very large ones, were showing what appeared to be an important soccer match and we were told that it could not be changed. We did "enjoy a bowl of lamb stew" but found out as we left that sodas for the 4 of us were extra. So you get only part of what you would think is a typical lunch with food and a drink. (I could understand charging extra for alcohol.) That would be OK if we were told sodas were extra when ordering and we probably wouldn't have gotten a second round, I ended up having to pay for 8 sodas unexpectedly.

Basically we felt like there were misrepresentations made that could have been avoided with some actual communication from Lanigans. We got a confirming email the day before but no mention that Nowlans would be chained closed. This is something you would expect a group that includes it in it's tour to know! We got to Lannigans promply at 12:00 and were told that the Coach was running 20 minutes late. That's not a problem, but we found our from the Coach (a 20 year old college student who plays on a local team,) that he wasn't told he was coaching until 11:30 that day. Once we got the equipment and left the bar, we had a 25 minute walk to the secondary practice field. I don't think it is mentioned that the tour includes a 20 minute walk - each way - to and from Nowlans which is slightly closer. In addition, once we were well into the walk to the secondary practice field, our coach got a call that another person was joing us so we had to wait10 more minutes for him to run to where we waited for him on the street.

The only reason I didn't give this "Experience" an even lower rating is because our Coach was a nice young man, who did his best but doesn't have the support of the organization. I complained to the Manager about the soda charges and missing parts of the tour but she told me to call the owner when he is back in town.

My tour should have been called, The Kilkenny Disaster or The Kilkenny Money Grab.
Written 4 September 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Traveloverzz
Singapore, Singapore172 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
NOT what it could be . . . a disappointment.
Aug 2016 • Family
Sorry to say it, but our family of 4 were let down. First -- we met in a bar, but were not even offered a glass of water. There was one and only one guy with our group (16 people). He was a nice enough young kid, but he didn't even introduce himself, and he gave a really minimal intro to hurling for a couple minutes, then passed out equipment. They had no hurlys (sticks) the right size for our boys, even though they'd had our reservations for a couple months, so the kids had to use stuff too big for them. They provided no helmets, which are standard equipment in hurling. Then he told us we'd have a "brisk 12 or 15 minute walk" to the pitch. Well 25+ minutes later, we finally got there. This seemed like a real bait-and-switch, like they wanted to make the location seem central and convenient, when it's neither. The walk is round-trip of course, so 1/3 of the time was spent just getting to and from the pitch. Once there, there wasn't a lot of instruction, and it was hard to hear the guy on the pitch. Hurling is a great game, and we still had some fun, but this was NOT up to snuff.

By the way, if you pick the meal option, it's just pub grub on your own afterwards, and you'd better like lamb stew, because you can't have anything else from the menu.
Written 12 August 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
chrisb_in_MI
Winterville, NC85 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Fun new experience of an ancient sport…
Jun 2015 • Couples
We opted for the basic “tourist package” as a way to check-out hurling – a popular Irish sport (think a mix of field hockey, rugby and US baseball). There were only four in the group and my wife and I enjoyed ourselves and our guide (Connor or Colin? Sorry, misplaced his name…) was very educational and a fun guy all around.

The tour started at Lanigan’s Pub – a fairly central spot if you are visiting the city (not far from the castle). There you get some history on Hurling and how the game is played. Afterwards, you grab your gear (helmet, balls, hurl) and walk to the local stadium where the Kilkenny team plays and then to the nearby practice field (pitch).

At the practice field, we were taught some very basic skills of hurling and given time to practice. It was quite instructional and gave us a new respect for the level of skill the game requires, but it was a lot of fun.

Unfortunately, we had to cut our experience short due to prior commitments, but we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and recommend it to others who might be interested. But please bear in mind the following:

TIP #1: While educational, this is an activity that will require some physical exertion – including a 1-2 mile walk to the practice field and then practicing with the hurl / ball on the (grass) field. It’s nothing really strenuous, but something to keep in mind. Never know, you may have so much fun, you don’t even notice…

TIP #2: Wear comfortable clothing, especially shoes. With the walk and exertion, wouldn’t recommend anything too dressy or unstable (high heels, expensive outfit, etc.)

TIP #3: Learn from our mistake – budget about 3 hours for the experience. The walk to the field(s) alone will take a bit of time and we had to cut our overall experience short because we did not reserve enough time – our loss…
Written 14 June 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lilultra
1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
A must do !
If you visit Kilkenny this is an activity you simply must do. Fabulous day out , amazing guide, live the passion that is hurling in Kilkenny. This is the best value for money you can get, includes the tour, how to play the game and lunch. I even got to pull my own pint. The best tour bar none. Jim is an absolute gent and a great guide. Do it !
Written 18 December 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
lea1188
Cork, Ireland12 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Fun activity!!
Sept 2019 • Friends
Had a great time playing Hurling in Kilkenny. What a nice sport! And Andrew make it very fun and interesting! We watched a short and funny movie, walked to the pitch, got the rules and played away!! Definitely recommended!
Review of: The Kilkenny Way: Ultimate Hurling Experience
Written 24 September 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Andrew Donovan
Guelph, Canada15 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
A fun, active introduction to Irish sporting heritage
Aug 2019
You check-in for the hurling experience at Lanigan's Bar & Hostel, which is in the heart of Kilkenny and brimming with locals and tourists alike. We were greeted by a gentleman named Peter and shortly after arrival (and a drink!), we walked as a group -- of which there were six total -- roughly 20 minutes to the field in which we'd be learning this historic Irish game.

The Ultimate Hurling Experience is for anyone and everyone with basic motor skills, beyond that, regardless of one's physical nature, they will enjoy themselves as they try to conquer passing, walking, running, and shooting in the sport of hurling.

Peter kept the experience light, fun, but also competitive in an enjoyable way for this who wanted a little bit extra from their foray into the sport. The two hours flew by and we felt as though we got great value for our money spent. We had the option, for an extra €5 to eat at Lanigan's afterward. We had places to be, so we didn't take up the offer, but the rest of the group did and I'd highly recommend it if you have the time because you'll be peckish after an afternoon of running around learning a new sport.

If you've any interest at all in learning about Irish sport, history, or experience a piece of the soul of Kilkenny, don't miss this!
Review of: The Kilkenny Way: Ultimate Hurling Experience
Written 25 August 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Claire W
Newton, MA169 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Great Introduction to a New Favorite Sport
Aug 2019
My husband and I and our 19 and 23 year old sons had a great time today learning from Peter about the game of hurling. The group had 5 in total, so we were able to pair up or do some 2 on 2 teams. We purchased our tickets at Lanigan's bar which sponsors the activity and where the activity begins - we had stopped in the day before to learn the time and let them know we would be joining. We had the option to do so with or without food - it seems like a deal to do the tour with food (just €5 additional for 1 of 4 hearty choices). We watched a short video and walked to the field, with Peter answering questions along the way. Once at the field, we spent our time learning the basics of hurling and then got to try out a few things. My family is from the US and didn't know much about hurling, however, we know baseball, tennis, field/ice hockey and have watched lacrosse. Hurling seemed like a little bit of all of that, plus catching the ball (according to rules!). We had a great afternoon. Peter was great at explaining and a wonderfully patient teacher as we all caught on at different speeds. He was also very personable. We got caught up in the excitement around the All-Ireland Hurling Final between Kilkenny and Tipperary which is tomorrow (and ended up watching the semi-finals for the Women - Hurling for them is called Camogie - which Kilkenny will also be in. I would highly recommend this.
Review of: The Kilkenny Way: Ultimate Hurling Experience
Written 17 August 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
167mutley
Bundaberg, Australia40 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
A unique Irish sporting experience
Jun 2019 • Family
My husband and I and our adult twin daughters participated in The Kilkenny Way Hurling Experience on our recent self drive tour of Ireland.

We had planned to do quite a few walks/hikes on the west coast of Ireland so it was great to participate in a different uniquely Irish experience in our travels down the East coast of Ireland.

Apart from a mix up with our booking, which they honoured, we had a very enjoyable afternoon out on field with Andrew. He taught us a few skills of the game. I must admit my daughters and I are not natural athletes and were pretty hopeless but Andrew was very positive and encouraging. As avid followers of sport mainly cricket, rugby and swimming it was very interesting to learn about a sport that is only played in Ireland. Great insights also from Andrew about what it was like to play Hurling as a child right up to present day.

After our time out on the field we enjoyed a very generous served meal at Lanigans Pub and were able to choose any main course on the menu.
Review of: The Kilkenny Way: Ultimate Hurling Experience
Written 27 July 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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