Dunmore Cave

Family value here: we were recommended here by my sister in law who is local. The adults paid in 5 euro each and the children who were both under 12 were free. We had to wait 25 minutes for the guided tour so walked to and from the nearby unusual church ruin and graveyard in the interim. There was an informative film on the caves first then John the guide took over with a burst of impressive song based on Pure imagination. The tour of the cave was excellent and appealed to adults and both our children aged 7 and 5 alike. We enjoyed spotting the buffalo, meringue, casper, the hand around the largest stalagmite in Ireland and all the various rock formations. You need to be relatively fit as there are a fair amount of steps that are steep and I noticed someone struggling on the way back to the centre. Good footwear is essential as it can be wet and potentially slippery in multiple places: no high heels. There is ample parking on a quiet winter day but I'm not sure if there would be sufficient parking on a busy summer day. There were 4 portaloo toilets outside the centre for the public which were clean and well equipped. Overall, I thought the film and tour was excellent with an engaging, enthusiastic and knowledgeable guide in John and it was super value for money as we were weighing here against another family outing in Kilkenny city that was over 6 times the price!! Note: no cafe/coffee on site. Delighted we saw the caves and highly recommended for families and others!

Dunmore Cave is a fascinating underground adventure just outside Kilkenny. Stepping inside feels like entering another world, with dramatic limestone formations, towering chambers, and a cool, echoing silence that adds to the atmosphere. The history here is just as gripping as the geology, with Viking-era discoveries giving the cave a mysterious edge. The guided tour is informative and engaging, bringing the cave’s natural and historical stories to life. Be prepared for plenty of steps, but the effort is well worth it. A unique and memorable stop for anyone exploring the south east of Ireland.

Very cool experience. Not a huge cave system but very enjoyable with lots to see. Very good guide, lots of information and stories. Well worth the visit. Best part, total darkness when the lights are turned off. Awesome.

Day trip with my family. The tour was amazing, the guide (guided tour only available) explained the history of the caves and it's contents. Lots of steps down to the cave so take your time. Constant cool temperature, take a light jacket.

Very interesting cave and the guide was sound. Also great value at only 10 euro for 2 adults and kids under 14 were free. The woman at the desk had lovely smile greeting us. Top place for all.

Tried tk cstch the farries tap dancing. Wonderful cave though not the largest I've been to. Tour guide gave a lot of insight on the history of the cave and the mythical aspect of it as well. Highly reccomend.

A good place to visit with kids to know prehistoric ages history of Ireland to current state of the limestone cave.

Cave was a cool place to explore literally! It’s cold inside, so dress warm. The rock formations were interesting, and the guide shared some fun facts. No underground pool like we expected, but still worth a visit if you’re into nature and caves.

This was awesome the staff beyond friendly it was the greatest experience. guy at the desk messing around keeping the humor in the air.in the cave was unbelievably beautifuit was raining but I don't care I'm coming back!!!!.l

To me a cave is a cave. Big or small it's still a giant hole in the ground. This tour is about forty minutes long. Not because of the sites to see, but because of how long the tour guide takes to share some interesting history. Overall, it's a nice cave to visit. The people who work there are beyond friendly, happy to help you with any tourist questions and serve as a great guide. Plus a lovely little dog is there to visit! So the cave has five main areas. Each where you stop to look at the wall and learn about the water, rocks, animals and history. I wasn't super enthused but of all the things you can do in Ireland, it's not so bad. Heard it's the best of the caves to see, depends on what you're into and your attention span. At the very end we had the option to stand in complete darkness, it was so scary! You couldn't even see your hand front of your face. We did get to see a bat though!

On our tour of Kilkenny we were given the option of taking the Dunmore Cave tour. Well, when else will I get the chance to explore a cave in Ireland?! Probably not ever again so we decided we were going down, down, down into the Dunmore Cave. The guided tour of the cave took about 30 minutes. There was a lot of information provided about the history of the cave, the physical traits of the cave, ect. ect. I wasn't that interested about the cave's physical makeup but it was definitely interesting to see something that was part of Irish history. I would recommend this tour if you have time to spare in/around Kilkenny.

We spent a night in Kilkenny on our way to Dublin, so we stopped here on the way. It feels like you're in the middle of nowhere, but what a great place! You go down these massive steps straight underground. The tour guide was the best part. He was so enthusiastic and a wonderful storyteller! He told about a massacre that happened there and at the end of the tour he briefly turned out all the lights to illustrate how truly pitch black it it's down there. He really made the whole thing memorable. If you're anywhere nearby, this is worth checking out.

It's pretty weird reviewing a cave that costs €5/person, but here goes. It's cold, dark, and very cave-like. We went on a self-guided tour and it was pretty cool listening in on the guided tours that were happening nearby. Needless to say, there's some interesting history here.

Dunmore Cave is a geological wonder. Carved out of the limestone by melted glaciers that formed underground streams and rivers, it has many beautiful formations, stalactites and stalagmites. The guide and staff were welcoming. The guide was entertaining and informative. It's a fun day out. NOTE: it's a lot of steps to climb down into. May not be suitable for little kids.

For €4, this place is a steal and well worth the visit if you're visiting Kilkenny (it's inly about six miles north of the town). The tour guide we had was quite informative. She told us not just about how the cave was formed, but also about historical human activity in and around the cave. There is also a small cafe with sandwiches, muffins, coffee, and various bottled drinks at reasonable prices.

The tour greatly exceeded our expectations. Hearing the historical background was fascinating, guides were knowledge. Highly recommend this if you are in the area. It's a lovely drive from Kilkenny. Cost was only €5. Might want to bring a sweater, it's chilly in the cave.

Awesome cave, didn't have a long wait due to the off season, discovered it was a site of a Viking massacre. Another must see in Ireland!! lots of steps so bring your walking shoes

We loved our tour guide, the experience, and the pup in the parking lot who greeted everyone coming in. Worth the stop for kids and adults.