Smithwick's Experience to reopen its Kilkenny City doors

Good news for Kilkenny with the announcement that the Smithwick’s Experience is to reopen its doors.

The popular tourist attraction had closed in March 2020 and it was announced in April of this year that it would permanently shut.

Diageo had said it was impossible for them to adapt the experience for it to be a viable business and experience going forward.

But KCLR News understands that an update was given to stakeholders this morning and Mayor Andrew McGuinness confirmed that he’d been informed the facility will reopen next year, 2022.

He says “As Mayor of Kilkenny I’m delighted to see that the Smithwick’s Experience has been saved and will continue to play an integral part in our tourist and visitor offering. Well done to our vintners and all involved in the process”.

Here’s the email sent to local councillors:

“I wanted to inform you that we are delighted to announce that Smithwick’s Experience will reopen next year. We look forward to sharing the reopening plans in 2022.

We would like to sincerely thank all the parties involved for their very positive engagement in the consultation process. The discussions have been constructive and wide ranging, during which we collectively explored many options.

We appreciate all the support we have received to date, and we are delighted to continue with these discussions as we work towards creating a viable and sustainable solution for Smithwick’s Experience Kilkenny for the future.

It follows a campaign by a number of people and groupings who’d called for its return”.

Anthony Morrison is Chair of the Kilkenny City and County and our Edwina Grace has been speaking with him: