Kilkenny has a strong tradition of playing Bridge dating back to the 1930’s.

The Kilkenny Bridge Club is the oldest bridge club in Kilkenny.  In circa 1932 the game of Bridge was started to be played in 20 Patrick Street, the home of Dr. Hackett, and also played at the home of Herr Ross, a German professor who taught at St Kierans College and also lived on Patrick Street.  Bridge was also played at the home of Gracie Dean, whose husband was a dentist on William Street.   The participants held the inaugural meeting of the Kilkenny Bridge Club in November 1941.  Mrs Henrietta Duggan of Butler House was the first president, and held that office for very many years. 

A number of years later the Nore Bridge Club was founded and the first president was William Quinlan who was a pawnbroker on John Street. 

Other clubs sprung up in the seventies, namely the Ormonde Castle Club which was founded in 1972 by chemist Bridget McEneaney, and the Abbey Bridge Club which was founded in 1976. 

The Friary Bridge Club was set up in 1984, and the Rothe Bridge Club and Club ‘97 were founded in the nineties.

The concept of a dedicated bridge centre building was first promoted by the Kilkenny Congress Committee which had it’s inaugural meeting in June 1987.  The enormity of the task of providing a Centre necessitated a separate committee, and one was formed in November 1988.  This committee undertook the tasks involved in designing, siting, funding, building, furnishing, etc..

The Kilkenny Bridge Centre on Bohernatounish Road was opened in September 1990 with an extension added in 1999.