Co. Kilkenny

Business loans in Kilkenny for limited companies

Business loans in Kilkenny for limited companies in agri-food, financial services, tourism and retail, arranged with specialist non-bank lenders by phone and online.

Population: 27,184 (Kilkenny city)
County: Co. Kilkenny
Local Enterprise Office: LEO Kilkenny
Our fee: €0 to you; The lender pays us commission

Quick eligibility check

See what your company could borrow

Step 1 of 3 · about 60 seconds

What do you need finance for?

About 60 seconds · no credit search · not recorded on the Central Credit Register

Prefer to talk? +353 1 536 9910

Population: 27,184 (Kilkenny city)
County: Co. Kilkenny
Local Enterprise Office: LEO Kilkenny
Our fee: €0 to you; The lender pays us commission

Irish limited companies
Several lenders, one request
No fees for your company
No obligation

At a glance

Funding for Kilkenny companies in three steps

1
Tell us what you need
Three taps: purpose, amount, business type. About 60 seconds, no credit search and not recorded on the Central Credit Register.
2
We match you to lenders
We check your profile against lender criteria and approach only those likely to consider it. One request, only to lenders likely to consider it.
3
Compare any offers
See the rate, fees, security and any personal guarantee side by side before you decide anything.

Start my 60-second check

Overview

Doing business in Kilkenny

Kilkenny companies looking for business loans trade in a compact but busy market: the city had 27,184 residents at Census 2022, yet it draws shoppers, visitors and commuters from across the South East. Our panel of five specialist non-bank lenders can consider working capital, unsecured loans, stock finance and merchant cash advances for trading limited companies. The local economy mixes agri-food, including the dairy co-op Tirlán, which has its head office in Kilkenny, with financial services at State Street’s Kilkenny operation and a strong visitor trade around the Medieval Mile.

There is no Welcome Finance office in Kilkenny, so we work with Kilkenny companies by phone and online instead.

Lenders we work with

We are a broker, not a lender. Lender names and logos are trademarks of their owners and are shown with permission. Their inclusion does not mean the lender endorses Welcome Finance. Finance is subject to each lender’s own approval, which is not guaranteed.

Key industries in Kilkenny

Agri-food and dairy
Financial services
Tourism and hospitality
Retail
Construction
Craft and design

Finance in Kilkenny

Business finance for Kilkenny companies

Popular finance for Kilkenny businesses

What shapes the Kilkenny economy?

Kilkenny is a small city with an outsized role. Agri-food and dairy link it to farms and processors across the county, financial services bring office employment to the city, and tourism and retail fill the streets between the castle and St Canice’s Cathedral. Construction and trades firms serve a growing commuter belt.

Kilkenny County Council and the Local Enterprise Office publish a Local Enterprise Development Plan for 2026 to 2027, which sets out how they will support micro and small businesses over the period.

The nearest deep-water port is Belview, on the Suir 8 km downstream from Waterford city, where the Port of Waterford handled a record 1.81 million tonnes of bulk cargo in 2024. That gives Kilkenny importers and agri businesses a short route for bulk goods and containers.

How does seasonal trade affect Kilkenny businesses?

Hotels, restaurants and gift shops in the city earn much of their year between Easter and the autumn festivals, yet rent, rates and wages arrive every month. Agri-food suppliers face their own peaks around spring and the main milk season. Planning for these swings is usually cheaper than borrowing in a hurry, but a short-term working capital facility can help when timing goes against you.

Where do business loans in Kilkenny usually go?

Common needs include stock before the tourist season, refurbishing a premises, and covering a VAT bill after a strong quarter. Opening in a long-vacant unit? Kilkenny County Council’s vacant premises rates rebate can reduce costs in the first three years. Exporters and larger manufacturers deal with Enterprise Ireland’s Waterford office, as there is no Enterprise Ireland office in Kilkenny.

Local support

Business support in Kilkenny

Local Enterprise Office Kilkenny

Part of Kilkenny County Council and based at County Hall on John Street, it offers grants, training and mentoring under its 2026 to 2027 development plan.

Small Business Vacant Premises Incentive Scheme

A council rates rebate of 75%, 50% and 25% over three years, up to €7,500 in total, for small businesses opening in units vacant for six months or more.

Commercial Premises Paint Scheme

Kilkenny County Council grant towards painting business frontages and hand-painted shop signs across the city and county; the 2026 round closed on 17 April 2026.

Enterprise Ireland, Waterford office

Kilkenny has no Enterprise Ireland office. Exporting manufacturers and internationally traded services companies deal with the South office at Waterford Industrial Park.

Microfinance Ireland

Kilkenny micro-businesses with fewer than 10 staff can borrow €2,000 to €50,000 from this State-backed lender, with 1% off the rate through LEO Kilkenny.

National schemes

State-backed supports

SBCI Growth and Sustainability Loan Scheme

€25,000 to €3m over 7 to 10 years, open until 30 June 2029. Get an eligibility code from the SBCI, then apply directly to a participating lender.

About SBCI loans

Credit Review Service

Reviews refusals by AIB, Bank of Ireland or PTSB of €1,000 to €3m. Apply within 30 days of the bank’s final decision.

SEAI business energy grants

Grants towards solar PV and energy upgrades for businesses.

Estimate your monthly repayments

Loan amount

€5,000€2,000,000

Interest rate (annual)

0%40%

Term

3 mo10 yrs

How the annual rate is applied

Estimated monthly repayment

€3,179.97

Total interest: €14,479
Total repayable: €114,479
Equivalent APR (effective): 9.38%
Factor rate: 1.1448
Equivalent flat rate (per year): 4.83%

Check eligibility for this amount

Illustrative only. Actual rates, fees and terms depend on your circumstances and the lender. This is not an offer of finance.

How we work

Welcome Finance is a commercial finance broker, not a lender. We arrange finance for limited companies for business purposes only; this is not regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland. Finance is subject to status and the lender’s approval. This page is general information, not financial, tax or legal advice. We are paid commission by the lender when finance completes. We do not charge your company a fee and never ask for payment upfront.

Business loans in Kilkenny: FAQs

What is Kilkenny’s Small Business Vacant Premises Incentive Scheme?

It is a Kilkenny County Council rates rebate for small businesses opening in premises that have been vacant for at least six months. It pays 75% of rates in year one, up to €3,750, then 50% in year two and 25% in year three, up to €7,500 in total. Annual rates must be under €5,000 and you must apply within 12 months of opening.

Is there a grant for painting a shopfront in Kilkenny?

Kilkenny County Council runs a Commercial Premises Paint Scheme towards painting the front of business premises and hand-painted shop signs, in the city and county. The 2026 round closed on Friday 17 April 2026 and conditions applied. If you are planning works for 2027, check the council’s grants page early in the new year, because rounds tend to open and close quickly.

Is there an Enterprise Ireland office in Kilkenny?

No. Enterprise Ireland lists ten regional offices in Ireland and none is in Kilkenny. The nearest is the South office in Waterford Industrial Park on the Cork Road, Waterford. It works with manufacturers and internationally traded services companies that export or plan to. Smaller Kilkenny companies usually start with LEO Kilkenny at County Hall, which can refer them on.

Can a Kilkenny hotel or restaurant borrow for the quiet months?

Possibly. Our panel can consider short-term working capital loans and merchant cash advances for trading limited companies, and a cash advance is repaid as a share of card takings, so repayments fall in quieter weeks. Lenders will want recent bank statements and card-terminal history. A cash advance can cost more than a loan overall, so ask for the total amount repayable.

Can a Kilkenny agri-food supplier fund stock ahead of the busy season?

Stock finance is one of the products our panel may be able to help with. A lender funds the purchase of stock, such as feed, packaging or ingredients, and your company repays over an agreed term as it sells. You will usually need management accounts, a stock list and recent bank statements. Sole traders and farm partnerships cannot apply through us.

Which Kilkenny companies can apply through Welcome Finance?

Kilkenny companies registered in Ireland as an LTD, DAC, PLC or ULC can apply, including start-ups, although most lenders look for some trading history, so options may be fewer. Sole traders and partnerships cannot apply; LEO Kilkenny and Microfinance Ireland work with smaller businesses across the county.

Check in 60 seconds

Check your eligibility in 60 seconds

No credit search and nothing recorded on the Central Credit Register. No obligation.

No credit search, not recorded on the Central Credit Register
One request, several lenders: we’re a broker, not a lender
For limited companies registered in Ireland
No fees for your company: we’re paid commission by the lender