The Cat Laughs Comedy Festival was founded in 1994 in response to the burgeoning wealth of Irish comic talent with no clear national outlet for expression.

The festival has grown from a small event comprising a handful of shows to an internationally acclaimed festival which showcases the very best in Irish and international comedy acts, attracting visitors to Kilkenny city and its surrounding regions through the unusual combination of professionally-managed world class entertainment in the atmospheric setting of our charming and intimate medieval city.

The world-class programme blends the top Irish and international talent in shows featuring globally renowned comic stars as well as newcomers and break-through acts.

The festival attracts in excess of 30,000 visitors to Kilkenny, resulting in more than €8 million being invested into the local economy.