New accessible guides launched at St Canice’s Cathedral
Press release: New accessible guides launched at popular Kilkenny heritage site
St Canice’s Cathedral and Round Tower secured funding under Community Heritage Grant Scheme 2025
St Canice’s Cathedral and Round Tower has launched its new accessible audio guides, marking an important step toward enhancing the visitor experience and inclusion at one of Ireland’s most iconic heritage sites. The project was made possible by funding from the Heritage Council of Ireland under the Community Heritage Grant Scheme 2025 to help the general public engage more meaningfully with heritage sites across Ireland.
The newly developed audio guides were carefully designed to improve accessibility and ensure a richer experience for all visitors. Descriptive Audio, providing detailed narration to support visitors who are blind or visually impaired, allows them to move freely around the Cathedral and gain a full understanding of its features. Irish Sign Language (ISL) interpretation was introduced to improve the experience for members of the Deaf community visiting the Cathedral.
The event brought together community members, supporters, and accessibility advocates to mark the official launch of the guides, with well-known local figure Tom Kennedy as Guest of Honour. Kennedy was the first person to test the new accessible audio guides at St Canice’s Cathedral.
Speaking at the launch, guest of honour, Tom Kennedy, commented, “I was really delighted to be asked to bring the new audio guides on their maiden voyage. It’s quite simple to use; it does what it says on the tin. The little apparatus itself is very easy for me to use: I can find the fast-forward and rewind buttons, and all the information is there. Even at the start, when you press play, it tells you to turn around, you have your back to the east window, and it guides you along with the details as you go.
So definitely someone with no eyesight, like me, or with limited eyesight, will be able to navigate here, which is kind of brilliant for people. As Dean Stephens said, it’s not just visually impaired people; anybody could really benefit from coming in and using the audio headsets. I think this is a brilliant step forward for St Canice’s Cathedral. I have to say I’m really positive about it, and I’d recommend it to anybody visiting.”
Dean Stephen Farrell highlighted the importance of making heritage accessible to everyone, noting that these new guides represent a meaningful step in ensuring that the Cathedral’s rich history and stories can be experienced by all, regardless of ability.
“When people come into St. Canice’s Cathedral, they walk down the ramp, turn the corner, and what is before them is a beautiful thing. It occurred to us that not everyone experiences this building in the same way, and that we had not done enough to address inclusivity and accessibility. Doing what we could, and using the technology that is out there, to ensure that as many people as possible get the fullest and best experience of the Cathedral.” Reverend Farrell, Dean of Ossory, commented,
“We are very fortunate here that we have good friends and supporters in the Heritage Council who, a few years ago, were generous in their support of the first audio guides. That was us dipping our toe in the water of trying to find a new way to explore and explain what people were experiencing at St Canice’s. Again, we put out an SOS to our friends in the Heritage Council who, through the Community Heritage Grant, have been gracious and generous in supporting us in trying to make the experience here something that is as open and as inclusive as it might be.”
The Dean acknowledged the Council’s continued support of the Cathedral, having previously funded the development of the Cathedral’s mainstream audio guides in 2023 and The Red Book of Ossory exhibition in 2024.
Virginia Teehan, CEO of the Heritage Council, said this morning, “I’m delighted that St Canice’s Cathedral and Round Tower has launched these new accessible audio guides, supported through our Community Heritage Grant Scheme 2025. This project is a standout example of how thoughtful, practical innovation can make heritage more open, welcoming and meaningful for everyone. By introducing Descriptive Audio for visitors who are blind or visually impaired, alongside Irish Sign Language interpretation for members of the deaf community, St Canice’s is helping to ensure that the Cathedral’s remarkable history, architecture and stories can be experienced in ways that reflect the needs of diverse audiences.
I want to congratulate the team on their leadership and commitment to inclusion, and to acknowledge the community spirit behind this initiative. Heritage thrives when more people can connect with it, and St Canice’s is setting a strong standard for accessible engagement across Ireland.”
The initiative is part of a broader vision to ensure that the history, architecture, and stories of St Canice’s Cathedral and Round Tower are accessible to all. The new accessible audio guides are now available to visitors as part of their tour of the Cathedral and Round Tower.
For more see: www.stcanicescathedral.ie
