Castlecomer Discovery Park

A wonderful place to escape and reconnect with nature, to discover more about local coal mining heritage and contemporary craft, and to explore an abundance of things to do in magical woodland surroundings.

This wonderful 80 acre discovery park & visitor centre, located at Castlecomer Demesne and Estate Yard is a place to escape and reconnect with nature, to discover more about local coal mining heritage and contemporary craft, and to explore an abundance of things to do in magical woodland surroundings.

The ‘Footprints in Coal’ Experience and coal mining museum comprises a 45 minute tour through Castlecomer’s past. One of Ireland’s and more specifically Kilkenny’s most intriguing exhibitions, it is an interactive multi-media display that takes the visitor on a journey through time.

There are 6km of themed woodland forest walks centered on two rainbow trout angling lakes. Picnic tables are located in the parkland by the river’s edge close to the car park and children’s playground and there are also a number of more secluded picnic spots located along the woodland walks.

Open all year. April: 10am-5.30pm; May-Aug: 9.30am-5.30pm; Sept-Oct: 10am-5pm; Nov-Dec: 10.30am-4.30pm

Adult €7; Student/OAP €6; Children €5; Family €20.00 (2A+2C) (Exhibition Only). Additional charges for educational programmes. Park itself is free to visit.

View Similar Tourist Attractions

• Corlea Trackway Visitor Centre
• Glasnevin Museum
• Rathfarnham Castle
• Kilmainham Gaol
• Aras an Uachtarain
• National Museum of Ireland - Archaeology
• National Leprechaun Museum
• Queens University
• Leopardstown Racecourse
• National Wax Museum Plus
• National Sea Life Centre
• Glenveagh National Park
• Trinity College Dublin & Book of Kells
• Ballycroy National Park
• Arigna Mining Experience
• Galway Atlantaquaria
• Navan Centre & Fort
• The Ark
• Glendalough
• Dublin City Hall - Story of the Capital
• Tayto Park
• Patrick Pearses Cottage
• Maynooth Castle
• St Marys Abbey
• Viking Splash Tours
• Russborough House
• Aillwee Cave
• Parkes Castle
• Cruachan Ai Heritage Centre
• Ormond Castle
• Wexford Wildfowl Reserve
• Kilkenny Castle
• Old Mellifont Abbey
• Donegal Castle
• The Butlers Chocolate Experience
• Thomond Park Stadium
• Castletown House
• National Transport Museum
• Listowel Castle
• Exploris Aquarium & Seal Sanctuary
• Little Museum of Dublin
• Dun Aonghasa
• National Photographic Archive
• Caherconnell Fort
• Castlecomer Discovery Park
• Natural History Museum
• Famine Warhouse
• Castle Ward House & Demesne
• Carrick a Rede Rope Bridge
• Adare Heritage Centre
• Bunratty Castle & Folk Park
• Blarney Castle
• Fort Lucan
• VISUAL Centre for Contemporary Art & The George Bernard Shaw Theatre
• Titanic Belfast
• Desmond Hall
• Ulster Folk & Transport Museum
• Saint Patricks Cathedral
• Government Buildings
• Kilbeggan Distillery Experience
• Funtasia Bettystown
• Edmund Rice Heritage Centre
• Iveagh Gardens
• Armagh County Museum
• Sentry Hill & Visitor Centre
• Lullymore Heritage & Discovery Park
• Belfast Zoo
• Tullamore Dew Heritage Centre
• St Marys Church
• Mizen Head Signal Station
• Enniskillen Castle Museum
• Dromore Wood
• King Johns Castle
• National Museum of Ireland - Decorative Arts & History
• Armagh Planetarium
• Adare Castle
• Athenry Castle
• Jameson Experience Midleton
• Skibbereen Heritage Centre
• Lahinch Seaworld & Leisure Centre
• Lusk Heritage Centre
• Crag Cave
• Belleek Pottery Visitor Centre
• The Main Guard
• Dublinia
• Dalkey Castle & Heritage Centre
• Tintern Abbey
• Ardfert Cathedral
• Dingle Oceanworld
• Derrynane House
• Ulster Museum
• Cahir Castle
• Galway City Museum
• Pearse Museum & St. Endas Park
• Dunmore Cave
• Cobh Heritage Centre
• Tower Museum
• Imaginosity - Dublins Children Museum
• House of Waterford Crystal
• Rock of Cashel
• Ros Tapestry Exhibition Centre
• Wicklow Mountains National Park
• Foynes Flying Boat Museum
• Glebe House & Gallery - The Derek Hill Collection
• Lough Key Forest & Activity Park
• Garylough Mill
• Burren National Park
• The Blascaoid Centre - Ionad an Bhlascaoid Mhoir
• Portumna Castle & Gardens
• Sligo Abbey
• Mid Antrim Museum at The Braid
• Giants Causeway
• The Burren Centre - Gateway to the Burren
• Trim Castle
• Westport House, Gardens & Pirate Adventure Park
• Clonmacnoise
• King House
• Jeanie Johnston Tall Ship Famine Museum
• Clare Museum
• Croke Park & GAA Museum
• Gallarus Oratory & Gallarus Castle
• The Science Gallery
• Desmond Castle
• Doneraile Wildlife Park
• Bushmills Distillery
• Dunbrody Famine Ship
• Dwyer McAllister Cottage
• Hugh Lane Gallery
• Irish National Stud & Japanese Gardens
• Number Twenty Nine - Georgian House Museum
• Waterford & Suir Valley Heritage Railway
• Casino Marino
• Swiss Cottage
• Dan OHaras Heritage & History Centre
• Dungarvan Castle
• Waterways Ireland Visitor Centre
• Carrowmore Megalithic Cemetery
• National Aquatic Centre - AquaZone
• Hook Lighthouse & Heritage Centre
• Reginalds Tower
• Skerries Mills
• Dublin Zoo
• Skellig Experience Visitor Centre
• Museum at the Mill
• Newmills Corn & Flax Mills
• Roscrea Castle & Heritage Centre
• Carrickfergus Museum
• St Stephens Green
• John F Kennedy Arboretum
• Hill of Tara
• Charles Fort
• Florence Court
• The Old Jameson Distillery
• Aughnanure Castle
• Ferns Castle
• Craggaunowen - The Living Past
• Ceide Fields
• Coole Park
• Skellig Michael
• Donegal County Museum
• Malahide Castle
• Christ Church Cathedral
• Scattery Island Centre
• National Gallery of Ireland
• Shelbourne Park Greyhound Stadium
• Emo Court
• Marble Arch Caves & Global Geopark
• Kerry County Museum
• Guinness Storehouse
• Boyle Abbey
• Phoenix Park
• Newgrange & Knowth - Bru na Boinne Visitor Centre
• National Concert Hall
• Ross Castle
• Avondale House & Forest Park
• Larne Museum & Arts Centre
• Funtasia Waterpark
• Somme Heritage Centre
• Farmleigh House & Estate
• Rothe House & Garden
• Phoenix Park Visitor Centre - Ashtown Castle
• National Museum of Ireland - Country Life
• Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA) - Royal Hospital Kilmainham
• The Hunt Museum
• Ennis Friary
• Aviva Stadium
• Connemara National Park
• Battle of the Boyne
• Xtreme.ie - Adventure Centre
• Jerpoint Abbey
• Cliffs of Moher - Visitor Experience
• Muckross House & Gardens & Traditional Farm
• Ulster American Folk Park
• Ballyhack Castle
• Barryscourt Castle
• Killarney National Park
• Eagles Flying

Local Recommendations

Hospitality

• Wandesforde House
  (0.1km)SE
• Jarrow Café
  (0.1km)SW
• Dunmore Country School
  (14.0km)NW
• Castle Durrow
  (14.0km)NW
• Bramley's
  (15.2km)NW
• McEvoys
  (15.3km)NW
• Gallic Kitchen, The
  (15.3km)NW
• Morrissey's
  (15.4km)NW
• G's Gourmet Jams
  (15.5km)NW
• Newpark Hotel
  (16.2km)SW
• Rosquil House
  (16.4km)SW
• Sandymount House
  (16.4km)NW
• Coolanowle Country House
  (16.6km)NE
• Rachels Garden Café
  (16.9km)SE
• Courtyard Bar and Grill, The
  (17.1km)SW
• Campagne
  (17.1km)SW
• Cramers Grove Ice Cream
  (17.1km)SW
• Lord Bagenal Hotel, The
  (17.1km)SE
• Foodworks Café
  (17.3km)SW
• Langton House Hotel
  (17.4km)SW

Self Catering

• Clomantagh Castle
  (15.5km)SW
• The Coachyard & Gardener's Cottage at Blanchville House
  (20.5km)SE
• Roundwood House - The Coach House, The Forge & The Cottage
  (32.6km)NW
• Avon Ri Blessington Resort
  (58.8km)NE

Farmers Markets

• Kilkenny - Every Thursday
  (17.7km)SW
• Carlow - Carlow - Saturdays
  (18.7km)NE
• Athy - County Kildare - Sundays
  (25.2km)NE
• Portlaoise - Co Laois - Fridays
  (26.1km)NW
• Templemore Famers - Co Tipperary - Wednesdays
  (42.4km)SW
• Thurles - County Tipperary - Saturdays
  (43.9km)SW
• New Ross - County Wexford - Saturdays
  (49.1km)SE
• Enniscorthy - County Wexford - Saturdays
  (55.0km)SE
• Naas - County Kildare
  (58.5km)NE

Tourist Attractions

• Castlecomer Discovery Park
  (0.0km)SW
• Dunmore Cave
  (8.7km)SW
• Rothe House & Garden
  (17.3km)SW
• Kilkenny Castle
  (17.8km)SW
• VISUAL Centre for Contemporary Art & The George Bernard Shaw Theatre
  (18.8km)SW
• St Marys Church
  (21.8km)SW
• Famine Warhouse
  (33.0km)SW
• Jerpoint Abbey
  (33.1km)SW
• Emo Court
  (33.4km)SW
• Roscrea Castle & Heritage Centre
  (43.1km)SW
• Irish National Stud & Japanese Gardens
  (43.3km)SW
• Dwyer McAllister Cottage
  (46.3km)SW
• Dunbrody Famine Ship
  (49.0km)SW
• Ros Tapestry Exhibition Centre
  (49.2km)SW
• Rock of Cashel
  (56.3km)SW
• Russborough House
  (56.6km)SW

Golf Courses

• Castlecomer Golf Club
  (1.3km) SW
• Kilkenny Golf Club
  (15.4km) SW
• Carlow Golf Club
  (21.7km) NE
• Gowran Park Golf Club
  (22.8km) SE
• Kilkea Castle Golf Resort
  (26.1km) NE
• Mount Juliet Golf Club
  (30.9km) SE
• Mount Wolseley Golf Club
  (31.7km) SE
• Heritage Golf Club, The
  (36.6km) NE
• Rathsallagh Golf Club
  (40.2km) NE
• Curragh Golf Club
  (45.8km) NE
• Tullamore Golf Club
  (53.0km) NW
• Tulfarris Golf Resort
  (55.9km) NE
• Naas Golf Club
  (61.8km) NE
• Palmerstown House Golf Club
  (63.4km) NE

Gardens

• Heywood Gardens
  (10.7km)NW
• Delta Sensory Garden
  (19.2km)NE
• Duckett's Grove Walled Garden and Pleasure Grounds
  (26.9km)NE
• Gash Gardens
  (27.1km)NW
• Kilfane Glen & Waterfall
  (29.2km)SE
• Hardymount
  (29.6km)SE
• Burtown House Gardens
  (29.7km)NE
• Mount Juliet & Garden
  (30.9km)SE
• Ballon Garden
  (31.6km)SE
• Altamont
  (33.4km)SE
• Woodstock Gardens
  (37.1km)SE
• Newtownbarry House Gardens
  (40.7km)SE
• Killurney Garden
  (51.3km)SW
• Coolaught Gardens
  (51.4km)SE
• June Blakes Garden & Nursery
  (63.8km)NE

Nearby Towns/Areas

• Castlecomer
  (0.6km) NW
• Durrow
  (14.0km) NW
• Ballickmoyler
  (15.0km) NE
• Abbeyleix
  (15.2km) NW
• Freshford
  (15.4km) SW
• Leighlinbridge
  (16.9km) SE
• Kilkenny
  (17.9km) SW
• Carlow
  (18.5km) NE
• Maddoxtown
  (20.5km) SE
• Gowran
  (21.8km) SE