Beer was originally brewed at St. Francis Abbey Brewery – at the site of a Franciscan abbey, whose ruins are now at the centre of the modern brewery – since the 14th century.

In its commercial form, it is Ireland’s oldest operating brewery (operating since 1710), founded by John Smithwicks on land owned by the Duke of Ormonde.

http://www.diageo.ie/Company/Brewing/KilKenny/CompanyBrewingKilkenny