Kilkenny Castle Park playground reopens with sensory wall and wheelchair-friendly roundabout

There's good news for Kilkenny families this week - the children's playground at Kilkenny Castle is open once again.

The newly-refurbished playground is more accessible for children with different needs than ever before. Locals and visitors can now enjoy a wheelchair-accessible roundabout as well as a sensory wall, specifically designed for kids with special needs. The upgrades come thanks to a €100,000 investment from the Office of Public Works (OPW). The re-opening was announced by Kevin 'Boxer' Moran, Minister for State with responsibility for the OPW, who noted its popularity in the community.

"I am delighted to be able to make an investment of this scale at this park," he said. "The playground was opened almost 11 years ago and in that time many hundreds of thousands of children have played here. "The current upgrade will ensure that all children can now access these facilities and play in a safe and comfortable environment."

The OPW's next plan for the playground is to instal a wheelchair accessible swing "to complement the newly installed wheelchair accessible roundabout". It is hoped that this will be added to the park by the end of the year. The OPW has thanked the public for its patience during he refurbishment and said it hopes the playground will now be a more inclusive and enjoyable place.