Mooncoin

Architectural history and local stories give Mooncoin a distinct character. The Mooncoin Rose Walk draws on both the story of the song “The Rose of Mooncoin” and the well-known hurling families of Mooncoin who lived along the route. Several information panels explain these themes. There are also a variety of historic buildings and a cemetery with stone monuments from many periods. Families who enjoy discovering local stories, architecture and traditions will find plenty to explore in Mooncoin.

Song history and hurling on the Rose Walk

The Mooncoin Rose Walk was officially opened on 1 December 2023 and starts at the church car park. Along the route, information panels tell the story of both the song “The Rose of Mooncoin” and the well-known hurling families who lived there. Song history and sporting tradition therefore offer two different ways to explore the local past. On a walk together, you can talk about which stories live on in a song and how hurling families are connected to Mooncoin. The Rose Walk is particularly interesting if you would like to learn about local traditions as well as historic buildings.

Church, convent and historic cottages

St. Kieran's Catholic Church was built in 1869 in the Gothic Revival style. The detached building has seven bays and appears to be two storeys high. The Presentation Convent differs in its design: it is an attached, five-bay building with two storeys and an attic. A single-storey, projecting glazed porch completes the structure. The convent dates to 1850. Its carefully preserved early fabric, both inside and out, makes it a significant part of Mooncoin’s architectural heritage. The church and convent each offer different features that help put local architectural history into context: the church’s Gothic Revival style and date of construction, and the convent’s storey layout, bays and porch.

Mooncoin Thatched House shows another building style. The detached cottage was built around 1825; this date is approximate. It has one storey, an attic and a thatched hipped roof. Its roughcast plaster walls stand over rubble-stone masonry, with sections built using mud-wall construction. The distinctive appearance of Mooncoin Thatched House therefore comes not only from its roof covering and shape, but also from its different materials. The Thatch in Mooncoin is also a detached cottage with an attic and a thatched roof. It has three bays and one storey. If you are interested in traditional cottage architecture, you can compare these buildings by their number of bays, apparent storeys and roof covering; Mooncoin Thatched House also offers details of its wall construction and approximate date.

A cemetery with a long history

Mooncoin cemetery occupies the site of a Catholic chapel dating from the late 18th or early 19th century, around 1800. The chapel was deconsecrated in 1869 and demolished before 1903. The cemetery continues to serve as a burial ground for the surrounding area. Its carved stone monuments date from before 1840 to the present day. The site therefore brings together the history of the former chapel, its ongoing use as a burial ground and stone monuments spanning a long period.

If you would like to focus your trip on local history, architectural styles and local stories, you can narrow your search to a holiday apartment or holiday home in Mooncoin.

More destination pages

For more destinations, also explore Graiguenamanagh, Mullinvat, Bennettsbridge, The Rower, Kilkenny, Piltown, Inistioge and Freshford.

For the main travel guide, see County Kilkenny.