Kinnitty
KINNITTY
A PLACE OF MAGIC
& WONDER
Nestling in the shadows of the magnificent Slieve Bloom Mountains is the quaint and picturesque village of Kinnitty.
The Slieve Blooms form a natural link between Offaly and Laois. They are the cross-roads of Ireland and Kinnitty is just a 30 minute drive off the M7 Dublin to Limerick motorway and is just a 90 minute drive from both Dublin and Galway while the magnificent heritage town of Birr is just ten minutes away. It is easily accessible from all of Ireland’s airports, ports and motorways and its central location makes Kinnitty the perfect base to explore the unspoilt natural beauty of the gentle rolling hills the make up the Slieve Blooms and the magical wonders of the Irish midlands.
The village has all the necessary amenities visitors need including the historic Kinnitty Castle – known the world over as the venue for fairytale weddings – two pubs with traditional Irish music, including the multi-award winning Giltraps, historic churches, top class accommodation including yurts and luxurious log cabins at the purpose built Giltraps Townhouse & Glamping Bed & Breakfast accommodation in the centre of the village – one of the best glamping sites in Ireland!
The village itself is steeped in history and was the home of one of Hollywood’s greatest silent era directors, the Irish exile, Rex Ingram. Best known now for The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (1921), this handsome, strong willed visionary was responsible for a succession of films for Metro Pictures, later M-G-M that topped the box office and were hailed as masterpieces by the critics. Kinnitty also boasts Ireland’s first ever pyramid burial vault located at the rear of the Church of Ireland in the village. It is an exact replica of the Pyramid of Cheops in Egypt and was built in 1834 by the Bernard family who lived in Kinnitty Castle.
It is believed that the idea was derived from a visit to Egypt by one of the family members during his military service in the country. Six Bernard family members are buried in the tomb. In recent years Kinnitty Castle has established itself as one of Ireland’s premier wedding venues. The popular wedding venue is located one kilometre outside the village and attracts thousands of extra visitors to the area.
