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Kilkenny is Ireland's smallest town, both in area and population, but that doesn't keep it from being one of the most popular tourist and hostel destinations in Europe.

If someone in Kilkenny describes the night before as "having great crack," they don't necessarily have a habit to feed. The common word for fun and lighthearted mischief, "having a craic" in Kilkenny is more likely a few drinks, a few laughs, and a long night lasting well into the morning.

There is plenty "craic" to be had in Kilkenny hostels. The nightlife is one of the most renowned aspects of the city and it's reputation as a party town has driven tourism to one of the city's leading industries in the last few years.

Kilkenny has always welcomed visitors. The Cat Laughs Comedy festival brings some of the top rated comedy talent in Europe to the city and visitors flood Kilkenny's hotels and hostels. Other Kilkenny festivals include the Arts Festival in August, a music festival and a hot air balloon festival.

All types of travelers occupy Kilkenny's hostels during these festivals and if traveling during the summer festival season it would be a good idea to book a room ahead of time online. Booking ahead of time allows you to guarantee that you will have accommodations ready when you arrive and will secure you against having to traipse around town for an afternoon trying to find a place to stay for the night.

Kilkenny has different types of hostels in the city. Two traditional hostels, with shared rooms at an extremely affordable price are available, as well as a more expensive (but still reasonable) guesthouse.

Rooms in hotels start at 45 Euros a night, but shared rooms in the hostels are about 14 Euros per night. Although you'll share a room with several people, there are more than monetary advantages to staying in the hostels.

Kilkenny is shared by tourists as well as Irish travelers getting away for a weekend to enjoy the energy and atmosphere of Kilkenny's nightlife. Staying in a hostel gives you a greater chance of meeting a local and getting an insider's tour of Kilkenny. The Irish are generally a more than hospitable people and the chance to bend the ear of a foreigner often will make figuring out the activities for the rest of your night a non-issue.

The Kilkenny nightlife is a dangerous force at some of these hostels however. Some Kilkenny hostels do leave the front desk for the night after a certain hour and any visitors attempting to check-in will be out of luck. There is also the possibility of having your hostel lock up for the night while you're still out enjoying yourself. Although more and more hostels are moving to a combination and keypad system so that guests will be able to let themselves back in at night, it is important to check with the front desk or a hostel manager about the individual hostel's policy so that you are not left enjoying Kilkenny at night longer than you want to be.

Hostels in Ireland (Kilkenny)