 The 'Kilkenny' name was originally used during the 1980s and 1990s to market a stronger version of Smithwick's for the European and Canadian markets due to difficulty in pronunciation of the word 'Smithwick's'.It now refers to a similar yet distinct beer.Kilkenny was brewed in St. Francis Abbey Brewery in Kilkenny, which was the oldest operating brewery in Ireland until its closure in 2013.