Smithwick's Experience Kilkenny

Smithwick's Experience Kilkenny
Smithwicks Experience Exterior
The Exterior of the Smithwick's Experience
Established Brewery: 1706,[1] Current Brewery Tour: 2014[2]
Location 44 Parliament St, Kilkenny, Ireland
Website http://www.smithwicksexperience.com/

Smithwick's Experience Kilkenny (formerly St. Francis Abbey Brewery and Kilkenny Brewery) is a brewery-turned-brewery-tour located on the Medieval Mile in Kilkenny, Ireland.[3]

The Smithwick's Experience Kilkenny is the original site where Smithwick's was brewed from the 1700s until 2014. Previously, the site was owned by Franciscan monks who also brewed beer before they were dissolved during the Reformation in 1537.[4][5] The site is now a brewery tour that includes tastings, visual effects including holograms, and a gift shop.[3] The brewery tour is laid out over two floors and sits on the original abbey foundations.

Site History

Recognised as one of Ireland’s oldest breweries, the site originated as a notable Franciscan monastery called St. Francis Monastery.[5] In fact, during the expansion of Smithwicks Brewery in 1854, the nave and chancel of the abbey were discovered within the grounds of the brewery. The sacristy has been restored as an oratory at the brewery. The well was dedicated to St Francis and long held in great veneration, is located about 45 metres to the northeast of the friary and is now underneath one of the brewery buildings.[6] The Abbey and brewery closed after 300 years due to the Reformation in Ireland in 1537. Many years later in 1705, the land was leased to John Smithwick and Richard Cole, who started a brewing business. The land at that time was owned by the Duke of Ormond. In 1710 John Smithwick became the owner, but this was not publicly known because according to the penal laws, as a Catholic, John was not allowed to own property. After John Smithwick's death, penal laws were revoked in 1782, allowing the Smithwick family to publicly claim ownership.[7]

Many years later, John Smithwick's grandson Edmond Smithwick picked up the business. The brewery stayed entirely in the Smithwicks family until 1964 when Guinness and Company (Diageo) bought a controlling share of the brewery.[8]

The site operated as a brewery until December 2013 when all brewing was moved to St James’ Gate in Dublin to centralise Diageo's brewing efforts.[9] The site reopened as an attraction in late July 2014.[10]

The Tour

The attraction boasts that it is a fully immersive experience that involves all the senses. Those who take the tour can smell the hops, taste fresh wort, feel the temperature of roasted barley, see a seven foot high hologram monk, hear the sounds of monastery halls, and taste a pint of Smithwick's at the end of the tour.[11][12] There is also a gift shop at the entrance.

References

  1. ↑ "St.Francis's Abbey". Kilkenny.ie. Retrieved 17 December 2014.
  2. ↑ "Smithwick's Experience Opening in Summer 2014". VisitKilkenny.ie. Retrieved 17 December 2014.
  3. 1 2 Keane, Sean. "Hogwarts and Holograms at Smithwick’s Kilkenny Experience". www.kilkennypeople.ie. Kilkenny People. Retrieved 17 December 2014.
  4. ↑ "The Smithwick's Story" (PDF). Smithwick's Official Site. Smithwick's. Retrieved 17 December 2014.
  5. 1 2 The Journal of the Kilkenny and South-east of Ireland Archaeological Society, Volume 6; Volume 9. Indiana University. 1871. p. 179. Retrieved 3 June 2015. |first1= missing |last1= in Authors list (help)
  6. ↑ Kilkenny.ie http://www.kilkenny.ie/eng/About_Kilkenny/History/Famous_Landmarks/St_Francis_Abbey.html. Retrieved 3 June 2015. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  7. ↑ de Beaumont, Gustave. "IRELAND". Google Books. Harvard University Press. Retrieved 22 January 2015.
  8. ↑ Cleere, Ray. "300 years of brewing is no small beer for historic ale". independent.ie. Irish Independent. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
  9. ↑ Reilly, Gavan. "100 jobs to go as Diageo centralises brewing in Dublin". thejournal.ie. The Journal. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
  10. ↑ "Smithwick’s Experience Kilkenny is officially open!". easyfood.ie. Easy Food, Zahra Media Group. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
  11. ↑ "Museums and Attractions Smithwick’s Experience Kilkenny". Discover Ireland.
  12. ↑ "Kilkenny brewery set to be distilled into €3m visitor centre". Irish Examiner.

Coordinates: 52°39′14″N 7°15′15″W / 52.6539°N 7.2542°W / 52.6539; -7.2542

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