Weekends on the move: disappointment in Jurassic NewPark, Kilkenny
During the pandemic, a new attraction opened in Kilkenny – a dinosaur theme park. Unfortunately, the dinosaurs weren’t real, but I still wanted to visit, and this summer I finally managed to do it!
I took my mom, her best friend, and her friend’s son along (it was a belated birthday gift for him). The park is located about a 15-minute walk from the train station and is part of the local Newpark Hotel. To get in, you have to walk across the parking lot, and honestly, the layout isn’t very well thought out; all the signs directed us right through the parking area, so we had to watch out for cars.
You’ll find the entrance – featuring just a single ticket counter – tucked away behind the hotel; there, they scan your tickets and hand you a map of the grounds. Honestly, the place is so small that you probably don’t even need the map. Fortunately, even though certain time slots were already fully booked online, we didn’t have to wait in line.
The park offers plenty of amenities for children, ranging from climbing frames and swings to foosball (which is what my friend and I had the most fun with) and pedal go-karts. There is also a bouncy castle (not included in the admission price), a little train, the aforementioned dinosaurs, live animals (llamas, sheep, deer, peacocks, chickens, etc.), and a few fairground-style rides.
We visited in early August – right after two heatwaves – and it really showed. All the animal enclosures were parched; the animals were likely being fed pellets, as the deer were trying to reach the green grass beyond the fence. And while I understand it’s a commercial attraction, one peacock was literally hiding inside a dinosaur model. I’m not sure if it was due to the noise – from children or just general commotion – but the poor little thing.
There is a trail winding through the grounds, lined with dinosaur figures and informative signs. There are also a few other attractions, such as fairy houses (very popular in Ireland) and various wooden animal carvings. There is an empty section at the far end of the park, too; I’m not sure if they have future plans for it. The animal enclosures felt rather empty. You can walk around the entire park in half an hour.
They have their own fast-food spot for meals. Their rules discourage people from bringing their own food – though I’ll get to that later. Food is actually one area where they could have put in a bit more effort. I mean, selling a “T-Rex burger” that looks totally ordinary – without even a dinosaur paw print stamped on the top bun – is bound to disappoint any kid. The breaded chicken pieces aren’t even shaped like dinosaurs… surely that’s the bare minimum?
As for the dinosaurs themselves, they have several species – from the T-Rex, Brachiosaurus, and Dilophosaurus to the Triceratops. They make sounds and move a little, and they’re positioned so that you can see them clearly even when it’s crowded. It’s a cool attraction, but after my visit, ads for similar parks around Ireland and beyond featuring the exact same dinosaurs started popping up on my social media feeds… Honestly, once was enough.
To be honest, I would have been pretty disappointed if I’d gone alone just for the dinosaurs. I’m glad I turned it into an outing for a friend and her son – he was the one who enjoyed it the most. After all, the park is really nothing more than an overpriced playground.
I was already feeling a bit “meh” about it before the visit. As I mentioned, their website states that outside food and drinks aren’t allowed in the park. At the same time, their FAQ says that if you have health issues or reasons requiring you to bring your own food, you just need to send them an email to let them know. I sent an email because my mom has gluten and dairy intolerances—foods that usually aren’t sold anywhere there. They replied saying she still couldn’t bring her own food; they claimed they weren’t sure exactly what food they sold that she could eat, and suggested we go to their expensive hotel for a meal instead… I love it when the website says one thing and the email says something else. We didn’t go to the expensive hotel. In the end, Mom had loaded fries and survived. Ironically, their menu actually lists gluten-free rice noodles with vegetables. Of course, people around us were eating homemade sandwiches. Well, I certainly wasn’t impressed by this. I’d say that if you have kids and money to burn, this is the perfect place. And if that’s not enough, the overpriced gift shop will definitely drain your wallet.
Okay, though, I have to admit that our female dog loves the plush sheep we bought there for an arm and a leg.
