Mooncoin’s story
Mooncoin has 11 buildings on the National Inventory
7% of its homes were built before 1919, against 3% in the median of Irish towns.
- 1755House, Mooncoin
- 1815Farmyard complex, Pollrone
- 1825Graveyard, Mooncoin
MooncoinCo. Kilkenny
1,184 residents make their home in this town in Co. Kilkenny.
6 places within 19 kmMap →
Photo: A.-K. D. · CC0
Population
1,184
CSO, Census 2022 · Kilkenny County Council
Median age
41.5
21% are 65+ · Co. Kilkenny 14%
Degree level
18%
of residents 15+ · Irish towns 36%
Walk, cycle, transit
10%
of working residents · Irish towns 23%
Is Mooncoin a good place to live?
Mooncoin’s strongest subject is safety (A+): burglary and criminal damage run at 2.1 per 1,000 residents a year, violent crime at 2.2. A median €219,000 buys a home here, 3.8 years of what the median household earns. Health outcomes fall short of most towns: 120 residents in bad health and 119 with a disability for every 100 its ages predict. The rest of its grades are middling: B for walkability and C+ for hazard risk.
Figures: crime, CSO recorded crime, 2023 to 2025 · health and commuting, CSO Census 2022 · prices, Property Price Register, 2023 to 2025 · incomes, CSO · radon, EPA. Mooncoin has subject grades but no overall grade: Irish towns get one from 2,500 residents.
Rents for this town aren't published on their own, so its Cost Grade uses the county's average rent. Health less sure: few enough residents report bad health that the town's figure could be well above or below its true level.
What makes Mooncoin stand out
The 3 things Mooncoin does most differently from other towns.
How Mooncoin grades
Each subject compares Mooncoin with Irish towns of 2,500 or more, ordered by how far it is from the middle. Towns in other countries are graded separately.
SafetyAmong the best of the towns comparedA+Open →Cost of livingGraded on home prices against local incomesAOpen →Health119 with a disability per 100 predictedCOpen →Jobs & income15% unemployedCOpen →Walkability10% walk, cycle or take a bus or train to workBOpen →Hazard riskNear typical for the towns comparedC+Open →
SchoolsNot graded in Ireland: schools’ exam results aren’t published school by school (Education Act 1998, s.53)–
How TownRatings grades Irish towns →
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Mooncoin.
SafetySafety A+
Among the 156 Irish towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people, Mooncoin records less crime per resident than nine in ten them
In all, 17.1 crimes per 1,000 residents were recorded a year, below Co. Kilkenny’s towns (43.7) and Irish towns (54.3) alike. The graded crime recorded most in Mooncoin was assaults and harassment (2023–2025).
2.2violent incidents per 1,000 a yearA+Safety Grade
Compared with towns its sizeFewer incidents against residents per 1,000 than 92% of the 156 Irish towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people: less crime than most for its size. Context only, not part of the grade.
Recorded by type · per 1,000 residents a year, 2023–2025
Road traffic5.1
Dangerous acts3
Theft2.2
Assault2
Damage1.5
Drugs1
Public order0.9
Burglary0.6
Against justice0.4
Not in the gradeTheft, public order and offences found by Garda checks (drugs, road traffic, dangerous acts) are shown but left out of the Safety Grade, which counts violence, burglary and damage.
| Per 1,000 a year | Mooncoin | Co. Kilkenny | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burglary & damage | 2.1 | 5.1 | 6.4 |
| All recorded crime | 17.1 | 43.7 | 54.3 |
| Violent crime | 2.2 | 5.2 | 5.7 |
| Theft | 2.2 | 5.9 | 15.3 |
2.2
violent incidents per 1,000 a year
2.1
burglary and damage per 1,000 a year
49
incidents a year, Mooncoin Garda area
4.3
against residents per 1,000, as graded
CSO recorded crime by Garda station, 2023–2025, shared to towns by where residents live · Census 2022 populations
HousingCost of living A
Few households rent privately in Mooncoin: 13%, fewer than in both Co. Kilkenny’s towns and Irish towns
Owners make up 69% of households, above both Co. Kilkenny’s towns (60%) and Irish towns (61%). 17% of households rent from a council or housing body.
€219Kmedian sale priceACost of living Grade
Median sale price · Property Price Register, 2023–2025
Mooncoin€219K
Co. Kilkenny€289K
Irish towns€350K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Second-hand homes | €219,000 | 42 |
| Housing | Mooncoin | Co. Kilkenny | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median sale price | €219K | €289K | €350K |
| Households renting privately | 13% | 19% | 22% |
| Households owning their home | 69% | 60% | 61% |
| Households in social housing | 17% | 19% | 13% |
69%
own their home · Irish towns 61%
13%
rent privately · Irish towns 22%
€1,207
a month on new tenancies, County Kilkenny
3.8
times median household income, County Kilkenny
Property Price Register · CSO residential prices by Eircode area · RTB rents · CSO, Census 2022 tenure
HealthHealth C
For its ages, more people in Mooncoin live with a disability than in Co. Kilkenny’s towns or Irish towns: 119 per 100 expected
Asked at the census, 85% of residents of Mooncoin said they were in good or very good health. 28% of residents have a disability, above Co. Kilkenny’s towns (23%) and Irish towns (22%) alike. At the census, 2.6% of people here described their health as bad or very bad.
85%good or very good healthCHealth Grade
Per 100 expected at the town’s ages · age-standardised
Bad health120
Disability119
Co. Kilkenny98
Expected100
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 85%Fair 13%Bad or very bad 3%
| Census 2022 | Mooncoin | Co. Kilkenny | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| With a disability | 28% | 23% | 22% |
| Good or very good health | 85% | 88% | 88% |
| Unpaid carers | 6.4% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Bad or very bad health | 2.6% | 1.8% | 2% |
120
bad health per 100 expected · Co. Kilkenny 98
119
disability per 100 expected · Co. Kilkenny 107
83.1 · 79.3
life expectancy, women · men, the South-East region, 2016
27%
hold a medical card, HSE Dublin and South East
CSO, Census 2022 general health, disability and carers · CSO life expectancy by region, 2016 · HSE medical cards, 2024 · TownRatings age-standardised ratios
Work & commuteJobs & income C
Unemployment in Mooncoin, 15%, runs above Co. Kilkenny’s towns and Irish towns
The car took 83% of commuters, above both Co. Kilkenny’s towns (75%) and Irish towns (66%). 62% of people aged 15 to 64 were in work at the census. The census counted 6.3% of workers working mainly from home.
10%walk, cycle or take transit
How working residents got to work · census 2022
Car or van83%
Walk6%
Bicycle2%
Bus1%
| Census 2022 | Mooncoin | Co. Kilkenny | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment rate | 15% | 10% | 9.2% |
| In work, 15 to 64 | 62% | 68% | 68% |
| Average trip | 24.4 min | 23.8 min | 27.6 min |
| Trips under 15 minutes | 37% | 39% | 31% |
€58,060
household income, 2022 estimate · Co. Kilkenny €58,186
6%
worked mainly from home, 2022
5%
trips of an hour or more
2,100
on the Live Register, County Kilkenny, September 2026
B
Walkability: better than 57% of Irish towns
CSO, Census 2022 travel to work, work and education · CSO Geographical Profiles of Income 2022 · Live Register · Census day was 3 April 2022, with working from home still common; shares are of those who travelled.
Schools
75% of schools around Mooncoin get DEIS support, above Co. Kilkenny’s towns and Irish towns
4 schools lie within 3 km of Mooncoin: 3 primary schools and 1 secondary school. Coláiste Cois Siúire is the nearest secondary school, 0.6 km away. Since 2019/20, pupils changed −9%, lower than both Co. Kilkenny’s towns (+4%) and Irish towns (+4%).
4schools within 3 km
| School | Level | Pupils | Ethos |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scoil Mhuire DEISLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 261 | Catholic |
| Coláiste Cois Siúire DEISLargest post-primary schoolPost-primary · ETB | Post-primary · ETB | 167 | Multi-denominational |
| Portlaw N.S. DEISIn the DEIS schemePrimary | Primary | 214 | Catholic |
Schools by ethos · Schools within 3 km
Catholic3
Multi-denominational1
| Schools within 3 km | Mooncoin | Co. Kilkenny | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the DEIS scheme | 75% | 11% | 35% |
| Single-sex secondaries | 0% | 56% | 39% |
| Pupils since 2019/20 | −9% | +4% | +4% |
| Teach through Irish | 0% | 6% | 8% |
765
pupils at schools within 3 km, 2025/26
−9%
pupils since 2019/20 · Irish towns +4%
0.7 km
to the nearest primary school
0.6 km
to the nearest secondary school
Department of Education school lists, 2025/26 (preliminary) · no results are published by school · These schools carry no letter or result: Ireland doesn’t release them school by school.
Climate
Mooncoin is wetter than Co. Kilkenny’s towns or Irish towns: 1,063 mm of rain a year
Over twelve months, Mooncoin averages 10.5°C. July afternoons reach 20.2°C here, about level with Co. Kilkenny’s towns (20.2°C) and above Irish towns (19.9°C). On a January night, the temperature in Mooncoin falls to about 2.8°C.
20.2°CJuly afternoon high
Average afternoon highs by season · 1991–2020 averages
Winter9.3°C
Spring13.5°C
Summer19.7°C
Autumn14.6°C
| Climate, 1991–2020 | Mooncoin | Co. Kilkenny | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rain a year | 1,063 mm | 906 mm | 937 mm |
| Average temperature over the year | 10.5°C | 10.2°C | 10.3°C |
| January low | 2.8°C | 2.3°C | 2.9°C |
| July high | 20.2°C | 20.2°C | 19.9°C |
20.2°C
July high
2.8°C
January low
1,063 mm
Rain a year
116 mm
Wettest month
Met Éireann, 1991–2020 averages.
Outdoors
Protected nature surrounds Mooncoin: 6.8% of the land within 5 km, more than in both Co. Kilkenny’s towns and Irish towns
100% of homes are a short walk (400 m) from green space. Protected nature near Mooncoin includes Lower River Suir SAC. Walkers have 0.1 km per km² of paths and tracks, below both Co. Kilkenny’s towns (0.8 km per km²) and Irish towns (2.1 km per km²).
100%of homes near green space
Green space per 1,000 residents · per 1,000 residents
Mooncoin2.7 ha
Co. Kilkenny3.5 ha
Irish towns4.1 ha
| Outdoors | Mooncoin | Co. Kilkenny | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protected nature within 5 km | 6.8% | 2.4% | 1.8% |
| Paths per km² of town | 0.1 km per km² | 0.8 km per km² | 2.1 km per km² |
| Near a park | 100% | 96% | 92% |
| Woodland within 1 km | 3.9% | 3.8% | 2.7% |
100%
Near a park
2.7 ha
Green space
1 km
Footpaths
6.8%
Protected for nature
OpenStreetMap parks and paths, NPWS protected sites and the National Trails Register.
Weather
Mooncoin today: partly cloudy, topping out at 11 degrees
Set beside Mooncoin’s forecast, a normal November runs from 5°C at night to 11°C by day. Today stays dry but breezy, with wind up to 21 km/h and a low of 7°C. By December, a normal day reaches 9°C and a normal night 3°C.
11°C / 7°CToday
This month and the next three, normal highs · 1991–2020 averages
November11°C
December9°C
January9°C
February10°C
| Season | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter | 9°C | 3°C | 300 mm |
| Spring | 14°C | 5°C | 220 mm |
| Summer | 20°C | 11°C | 230 mm |
| Autumn | 15°C | 7°C | 313 mm |
11°C / 7°C
Today
None
Rain, next 24 hours
18 km/h
Wind
75%
Humidity
9 h 20 min
Daylight
Forecast: MET Norway (CC BY 4.0) · normals: Met Éireann, 1991–2020
Who lives here
Degrees are less common in Mooncoin than in Co. Kilkenny’s towns or across Irish towns: 18% of adults
14% of residents were born abroad. People 65 and over make up just over a fifth of the town, above Co. Kilkenny’s towns (14%) and Irish towns (14%) alike. Children are 20% of the town.
41.5median age
MooncoinCo. KilkennyIreland
Ages · share of residents
21%
Highest education · residents 15 and older who have finished education
Primary or none15%
Lower secondary23%
Leaving Cert39%
Diploma or cert5%
Degree or higher18%
Women and men · all residents
49.8% of Mooncoin’s residents are women
590 women and 594 men live here; across Ireland, women are 50.6%.
| Mooncoin | Co. Kilkenny | Ireland | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 20% | 24% | 20% |
| 15–24 | 10% | 11% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 25% | 29% | 29% |
| 45–64 | 24% | 24% | 24% |
| 65+ | 21% | 14% | 14% |
| Primary or none | 15% | 9.4% | 9.7% |
| Lower secondary | 23% | 14% | 14% |
| Leaving Cert | 39% | 37% | 35% |
| Diploma or cert | 5% | 6.1% | 5.8% |
| Degree or higher | 18% | 31% | 36% |
CSO, Census 2022 · Co. Kilkenny and Ireland: the median of their towns of 2,500+
Town hall
Fianna Fáil has 11 of the 24 seats on Kilkenny County Council, few parties hold more on a council
Mooncoin answers to one council, Kilkenny County Council; Ireland has no town tier. There is no majority on Kilkenny County Council; Fianna Fáil have the most seats, 11 of 24, short of 13. 50% of voters turned out at the last local elections, close to Co. Kilkenny’s towns (50%) and above Irish towns (46%).
11/24seats held by Fianna Fáil
Seats on Kilkenny County · June 2024
Fianna Fáil11
Fine Gael7
Independent2
Labour Party2
Sinn Féin1
Green Party1
| Turnout | Mooncoin | Co. Kilkenny | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local elections, June 2024 | 50% | 50% | 46% |
| General election, November 2024 | 58% | 58% | 59% |
5
Councillors
11/24
Fianna Fáil seats on Kilkenny County, the largest party
50%
turnout, June 2024
5
TDs elected for Carlow-Kilkenny
Department of Housing count sheets, 2024
History
Inventory buildings in Mooncoin: 93 per 10,000 residents, against 216 in Co. Kilkenny’s towns and 48 in Irish towns
6.7% of its homes were built before 1919, above both Co. Kilkenny’s towns (4.5%) and Irish towns (3.4%). 11 of Mooncoin’s buildings made the national inventory of architectural heritage, all at regional importance.
11inventory buildings
Buildings by NIAH rating · NIAH
International0
National0
Regional11
Among them
- House, Mooncoin 1755
- Farmyard complex, Pollrone 1815
- House, Mooncoin 1815
- Graveyard, Mooncoin 1825
0
sites on the Sites and Monuments Record
1755
earliest dated inventory building
7%
homes built before 1919 · Irish towns 3%
| Heritage | Mooncoin | Co. Kilkenny | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inventory buildings per 10,000 residents | 93 | 216 | 48 |
| Archaeological sites on the record | 0 | 84 | 11 |
| Homes built before 1919 | 6.7% | 4.5% | 3.4% |
NIAH, the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage · Sites and Monuments Record · CSO, Census 2022 homes by year built
Natural hazardsHazard risk C+
An estimated 7% of homes in Mooncoin sit above the radon reference level
Radon: 6.9% of homes are in high-radon areas, between Co. Kilkenny’s towns (84%) and Irish towns (0%). Landslides: none of Mooncoin lies in a high-susceptibility zone. Few of its homes stand low beside water.
6.9%of homes in high-radon areasC+Hazard risk Grade
Homes exposed · share of the town’s homes
Low-lying beside water0%
In high-radon areas6.9%
On high landslide susceptibility0%
Low-lying near a river0%
Low-lying near the coast0%
| Share of homes | Mooncoin | Co. Kilkenny | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| In high-radon areas | 6.9% | 84% | 0% |
| Low-lying near a river | 0% | 3.1% | 0.5% |
7%
of homes over the radon level
569
homes mapped for these shares
EPA radon map, GSI landslide susceptibility and our low-lying homes estimate from OPW LiDAR.
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Corluddy Castle and 3 more in and around Mooncoin
Castles, abbeys, gardens, museums and days out in and near Mooncoin. Best known first.
CastleCastleCorluddy Castle3.6 km outside town, to the southeastGardenGardenCurraghmore House & Gardens3.5 km outside town, to the westAttractionAttractionWaterford & Suir Valley Railway4.4 km outside town, to the southMuseumMuseumPortlaw Heritage Centre2.8 km outside town, to the west
Places: Fáilte Ireland open data (CC BY 4.0) · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Mooncoin
15pages on Mooncoin
The big questions
Out and about
Landmarks
11 of Mooncoin’s buildings made the national inventory of architectural heritage, all at regional importance.
Famous people from Mooncoin
19 notable people were born in Mooncoin.
Mooncoin’s neighbours
The nearest places of 1,000 or more. Boundaries: Tailte Éireann, CSO Urban Areas 2022 and Electoral Divisions.
PortlawPiltownCleaboyBallybegLisdugganKilbarryMooncoin
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | km | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mooncoin | 1,184 | — | — | A | A+ | C |
| Portlaw Waterford | 1,881 | 4.2 | — | B+ | B+ | C |
| Piltown | 1,275 | 8.6 | — | A− | B+ | B |
| Cleaboy Waterford | 3,454 | 8.8 | C | C+ | D | C+ |
| Ballybeg Waterford | 5,226 | 9.2 | D− | C+ | D | C− |
| Lisduggan Waterford | 6,216 | 9.3 | D | C+ | D | C− |
| Kilbarry Waterford | 2,758 | 10 | C | C+ | D | A |
People: CSO, Census 2022. Distances: centre to centre.
Questions about Mooncoin
How do people in Mooncoin get to work?
6% mostly work from home, and 37% of journeys take under 15 minutes.
Is Mooncoin growing?
Mooncoin had 1,184 people at the 2022 census, up from 1,156 in 2016: 2.4% more, against 7.6% in the median of Irish towns.
Is Mooncoin a young town or an old one?
The median age in Mooncoin is 41.5, against 37.6 in the median of Irish towns.
About Mooncoin
Urban area in Co. Kilkenny
1,184 people live in Mooncoin, in the area of Kilkenny County Council. TownRatings uses the CSO’s 2022 Urban Areas as Ireland’s towns: the physical town, as people mean the word, rather than a county or a council area, so its figures cover the town itself.
Built from Tailte Éireann’s boundaries and the CSO’s Census 2022 (CC BY 4.0)
- Population
- 1,184 (CSO, Census 2022)
- County
- Kilkenny
- Council
- Kilkenny County Council
- Local electoral area
- Piltown
- Dáil constituency
- Carlow-Kilkenny
- Name in Irish
- Móin Choinn
- Area
- 0.4 sq mi (1 km²)
- CSO code
- UA:07660
Sources: CSO, Census 2022 Small Area Population Statistics (CC BY 4.0) · Tailte Éireann, Urban Areas and Electoral Divisions 2022 (CC BY 4.0) · TownRatings grades, run #544 (Irish towns only). Under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0).
Contains Central Statistics Office (CSO) data, Census 2022, and Tailte Éireann boundaries (CSO Urban Areas, Small Areas, local electoral areas, constituencies), under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0).