Why Statham's at Pembroke Kilkenny Is A Birthday Venue Worth Booking

Why Statham's at Pembroke Kilkenny Is A Birthday Venue Worth Booking

Food & Drink, Events

Calendar Wednesday, 01 July 2026

Birthdays deserve more than a generic restaurant booking and a candle stuck in a dessert. They deserve a venue that actually makes the effort, one where the food is genuinely outstanding and the person being celebrated feels it from the moment they walk in.

At Stathams Bar & Restaurant in Pembroke Kilkenny, that is exactly what we do.

 

Every Birthday is a Big Deal to Us

Whether it is a 30th, a 50th, a 70th or simply a birthday that deserves a proper fuss, we believe every milestone is worth marking well. From an intimate dinner for two to a brunch with the girls, a family gathering or a full celebration with friends, we have options to suit every occasion and every group size.

And if Orla's experience is anything to go by, you are in safe hands. She recently celebrated a surprise birthday with us and shared: "I am completely blown away by how amazing everything was. The staff were incredible - so kind, friendly, and genuinely attentive. No request was too big. The food was absolutely amazing and received rave reviews from everyone there."

 

Dining Options to Suit Every Celebration

One of the things that sets Stathams apart for birthday celebrations is the flexibility. There is no one-size-fits-all approach here, you choose what works for your group.

For a sit-down celebration, our brunch menu starts from €15 per person and is perfect for a relaxed daytime gathering. For something more formal, our celebratory lunch and dinner menus offer two or three course options crafted by Chef Ken Harker. Sit for your meal in Statham's Restaurant, awarded Ireland's Best Hotel Restaurant 2026 (YesChef awards). 

Prefer something more social and relaxed? Our finger food option from €15 per person is ideal for larger groups who want to mingle, and our Boutique Bowl Food from €20 per person offers a stylish and flavourful alternative to a sit-down meal.

As Viv, who celebrated her 30th with us put it: "I couldn't recommend it enough. The staff were extremely helpful from the outset. On the night, everything worked out perfectly. The food, drinks, and the service were all fabulous. No ask was too big. The space also has an area for a DJ, which really added to the night. 10/10 service and a great venue."

 

The Full Birthday Experience

A birthday celebration does not have to end at dinner. For those who want to make a proper occasion of it, our 84 beautifully appointed rooms and suites are available for overnight stays, including our stunning Castle View rooms with views over Kilkenny Castle. Perfect for a special night away.

Add a treatment at Mint Medispa, our wellness and aesthetic clinic, and you have a birthday experience that covers every indulgence from arrival to checkout. Our gift vouchers are also a wonderful birthday gift option.

 

Why Pembroke Kilkenny

We are Ireland's Best Hotel Restaurant, the No. 1 rated restaurant in Kilkenny on TripAdvisor, Boutique Hotel of the Year and one of Ireland's Best Workplaces 2026. But more than any award, what we are most proud of is what our guests say about us, and when it comes to birthdays, they say it better than we ever could.

Luiza, who celebrated her birthday with us, shared: "I would like to thank everyone for organising my birthday party. We all had an amazing time. Food was excellent, compliments to Ken and his team. Nothing was a problem for them. They made sure we had everything."

Whatever your birthday looks like, we will make sure it is one worth remembering.

 

Plan Your Birthday Celebration

Getting started is easy. Simply get in touch with our team and we will take care of everything from there.

 

πŸ‘‰ Enquire About Your Birthday Celebration

Stathams, Pembroke Kilkenny, 11 Patrick Street, Kilkenny
056 778 3500
reservations@pembrokekilkenny.com

Birthdays deserve more than a generic restaurant booking and a candle stuck in a dessert. They deserve a venue that actually makes the effort β€” one where the food is genuinely outstanding, the team goes above and beyond, and the person being celebrated feels it from the moment they walk in.

At Stathams Bar & Restaurant in Pembroke Kilkenny, that is exactly what we do.

Every Birthday is a Big Deal to Us

Whether it is a 30th, a 50th, a 70th or simply a birthday that deserves a proper fuss, we believe every milestone is worth marking well. From an intimate dinner for two to a brunch with the girls, a family gathering or a full celebration with friends, we have options to suit every occasion and every group size.

And if Orla's experience is anything to go by, you are in safe hands. She recently celebrated a surprise birthday with us and shared: "I am completely blown away by how amazing everything was. The staff were incredible β€” so kind, friendly, and genuinely attentive. No request was too big. The food was absolutely amazing and received rave reviews from everyone there."

Dining Options to Suit Every Celebration

One of the things that sets Stathams apart for birthday celebrations is the flexibility. There is no one-size-fits-all approach here β€” you choose what works for your group.

For a sit-down celebration, our brunch menu starts from €15 per person and is perfect for a relaxed daytime gathering. For something more formal, our celebratory lunch and dinner menus offer two or three course options crafted by Chef Ken Harker, Ireland's Best Hotel Restaurant 2026 β€” because yes, that is where your birthday dinner will be taking place.

Prefer something more social and relaxed? Our finger food option from €15 per person is ideal for larger groups who want to mingle, and our Boutique Bowl Food from €20 per person offers a stylish and flavourful alternative to a sit-down meal.

As Viv, who celebrated her 30th with us put it: "I couldn't recommend it enough β€” the staff were extremely helpful from the outset. On the night, everything worked out perfectly β€” the food, drinks, and the service were all fabulous. No ask was too big. The space also has an area for a DJ, which really added to the night. 10/10 service and a great venue."

The Full Birthday Experience

A birthday celebration does not have to end at dinner. For those who want to make a proper occasion of it, our 84 beautifully appointed rooms and suites are available for overnight stays β€” including our stunning Castle View rooms with views over Kilkenny Castle, perfect for a special night away.

Add a treatment at Mint Medispa, our award-winning wellness and aesthetic clinic, and you have a birthday experience that covers every indulgence from arrival to checkout. Our gift vouchers are also a wonderful birthday gift option β€” for the person who is impossible to buy for and deserves something genuinely special.

Why Pembroke Kilkenny

We are Ireland's Best Hotel Restaurant, the No. 1 rated restaurant in Kilkenny on TripAdvisor, Boutique Hotel of the Year and one of Ireland's Best Workplaces 2026. But more than any award, what we are most proud of is what our guests say about us β€” and when it comes to birthdays, they say it better than we ever could.

Luiza, who celebrated her birthday with us, shared: "I would like to thank everyone for organising my birthday party. We all had an amazing time. Food was excellent β€” compliments to Ken and his team. Nothing was a problem for them. They made sure we had everything."

That is the Pembroke promise. Whatever your birthday looks like, we will make sure it is one worth remembering.

Plan Your Birthday Celebration

Getting started is easy. Simply get in touch with our team and we will take care of everything from there.

πŸ“ Stathams, Pembroke Kilkenny, 11 Patrick Street, Kilkenny
πŸ“ž 056 778 3500
βœ‰οΈ reservations@pembrokekilkenny.com

πŸ‘‰ Enquire About Your Birthday Celebration


Would you like a shorter social media version of this to accompany the blog post, or an email to send to your database promoting birthday celebrations?

This is the I used to invite our top clients to an event. Now i need a version to send to the whole database, create. Dear Client First Name

As one of our most valued clients, we want you to be among the very first to experience something we have been quietly working towards for some time. We are thrilled to invite you to our exclusive Mint X BTL Launch Event, an evening where you will get to discover, experience and ask questions about six transformative new treatments we are introducing to the clinic.

Thursday 16th July | 5.30pm – 8.00pm | Mint This is your personal invitation before we open it to anyone else.

What to expect on the night:

  • A guided experience across six dedicated treatment rooms, with live demonstrations, before and afters, and complimentary expert consultations
  • Meet our clinical team and our specialist BTL representative in person
  • Exclusive launch-night offers available on the night only - providing incredible value, not available anywhere else
  • A luxury goody bag worth over €150 to take home
  • A raffle prize including a complimentary EMFUSION facial and Lymphastim treatment
  • Prosecco, canapΓ©s and food

    The treatments you will discover: ✦ EMFUSION Barrier repair, glow and skin rejuvenation. Pregnancy safe. ✦ EMFACE Non-surgical facelift. Facial toning and collagen support without needles. ✦ EXION Skin tightening, collagen stimulation and microneedling. ✦ EMSCULPT NEO Body contouring, muscle building and fat reduction. ✦ EMSELLA Pelvic floor confidence and women's wellness. No surgery, fully clothed. ✦ Lymphastim Recovery, detox and circulation. Compression boot demonstrations.

    Tickets are €50 - fully redeemable against any treatment booked on the night. Places are limited, and as a valued client, you have first access before we open registration publicly.

Show more

Here is the whole database version:


Subject: Something exciting is happening at Mint β€” and you're invited


Hi [First Name],

We have been working on something really exciting and we would love for you to be part of it.

On Thursday 16th July, we are opening our doors for a very special evening β€” the Mint X BTL Launch Event β€” where we will be unveiling six transformative new treatments coming to the clinic.

Thursday 16th July | 5.30pm – 8.00pm | Mint

Whether you are a long-standing client or have been thinking about visiting us for the first time, this is a wonderful opportunity to discover what these treatments can do for you β€” in a relaxed, welcoming and genuinely exciting atmosphere.

What to expect on the night:

✦ A guided experience across six dedicated treatment rooms β€” live demonstrations, before and afters and complimentary expert consultations

✦ Meet our clinical team and specialist BTL representative in person

✦ Exclusive launch-night offers β€” incredible value, available this evening only

✦ A luxury goody bag worth over €150 to take home

✦ A raffle prize including a complimentary EMFUSION facial and Lymphastim treatment

✦ Prosecco, canapés and food throughout the evening

The treatments you will discover:

✦ EMFUSION β€” Barrier repair, glow and skin rejuvenation. Pregnancy safe.

✦ EMFACE β€” Non-surgical facelift. Facial toning and collagen support without needles.

✦ EXION β€” Skin tightening, collagen stimulation and microneedling.

✦ EMSCULPT NEO β€” Body contouring, muscle building and fat reduction.

✦ EMSELLA β€” Pelvic floor confidence and women's wellness. No surgery, fully clothed.

✦ Lymphastim β€” Recovery, detox and circulation. Compression boot demonstrations.

Tickets are €50 β€” fully redeemable against any treatment booked on the night.

Places are strictly limited to 50 guests and are available on a first come first served basis.

πŸ‘‰ [Secure Your Place Here β€” Eventbrite Link]

We would love to see you there.

Warmly,
The Mint Team

πŸ“ [Clinic Address]
πŸ“ž [Phone Number]


The key differences from the VIP version are that the exclusivity and "first access" language has been removed since this is going to the full database, the tone is warm and welcoming rather than exclusive, it acknowledges both existing clients and potential new clients, and the urgency is now around limited places on a first come first served basis rather than priority access. Would you like a follow up reminder version for this audience too?

Rewrite this paragraph, as it's only going to people who are already clients. The first bit about 'long-standing clients' is fine. It's the second part that needs to change, as some clients may have only come for massage or a non-skincare treatment. Whether you are a long-standing client or have been thinking about visiting us for the first time, this is a wonderful opportunity to discover what these treatments can do for you β€” in a relaxed, welcoming and genuinely exciting atmosphere.

Here are a few options:


Option 1
Whether you are a long-standing client or newer to Mint, this is a wonderful opportunity to discover a whole new side of what we offer β€” in a relaxed, welcoming and genuinely exciting atmosphere.


Option 2
Whether you are a long-standing client or have not yet explored our skincare and aesthetic treatments, this evening is the perfect introduction β€” in a relaxed, welcoming and genuinely exciting atmosphere.


Option 3
Whether you are a long-standing client or this is your first time hearing about our aesthetic treatments, we would love for you to come and discover what is possible β€” in a relaxed, welcoming and genuinely exciting atmosphere.


Option 4
Whether you are a long-standing client or are only just discovering this side of what we do at Mint, this is a wonderful opportunity to see what these treatments can do for you β€” in a relaxed, welcoming and genuinely exciting atmosphere.


My favourite is Option 4 β€” "this side of what we do at Mint" acknowledges naturally that there are different aspects to the clinic without drawing too much attention to it. Which feels closest to your tone?

I'm going on maternity leave in 10 weeks and my boss has asked for this. How do i answer it? Could you give me a short headline doc of the main activity to be covered during your maternity leave so I can start recruitment? Website Social E-marketing Design, etc and the split % roughly of time/competency levels and knowledge needed

Here is a structured document you can send directly:


Marketing Activity Overview β€” Maternity Leave Cover
Prepared by [Your Name] | [Date]


WEBSITE
Approx. 15% of role

Content updates, landing page creation, blog publishing, SEO copy, event listings and offer pages. Requires basic CMS knowledge β€” no development skills needed. Full handover document and login details to be provided.

Competency needed: Intermediate β€” comfortable working in a CMS, basic understanding of SEO, confident with copy and imagery.


SOCIAL MEDIA
Approx. 20% of role

Ongoing management of Instagram and Facebook β€” content creation, scheduling, community management and responding to comments and messages. Monthly planning of content calendar across hotel, restaurant, spa and events. Occasional paid social campaign management.

Competency needed: Intermediate to strong β€” creative eye, confident copywriter, understanding of social media strategy and analytics. Familiarity with scheduling tools such as Hootsuite or Later an advantage.


EMAIL MARKETING
Approx. 15% of role

Regular database campaigns across hotel, restaurant and spa. Seasonal campaigns, event promotions, booking driving campaigns and post-stay follow ups. Built and scheduled in [platform β€” e.g. Mailchimp / Klaviyo].

Competency needed: Intermediate β€” experience with an email marketing platform, strong copywriting, comfortable with segmentation and basic performance reporting.


DESIGN AND CONTENT CREATION
Approx. 20% of role

Creation of digital and print assets across all departments β€” social graphics, email headers, event flyers, signage, menus and promotional materials. Primarily created in Canva with occasional agency liaison for more complex print work.

Competency needed: Intermediate β€” confident in Canva or equivalent, strong visual sensibility and attention to brand guidelines.


CAMPAIGNS AND PROMOTIONS
Approx. 15% of role

Planning and executing seasonal and tactical campaigns across all revenue departments β€” accommodation, F&B, spa and events. Includes briefing paid media agency, tracking performance and reporting on results.

Competency needed: Intermediate to strong β€” understanding of integrated marketing campaigns, comfortable with basic analytics and reporting.


EVENTS AND PARTNERSHIPS
Approx. 10% of role

Supporting the promotion of hotel events, supper club, spa launch evenings and external partnerships. Coordination of collateral, communications and on-the-night content capture.

Competency needed: Intermediate β€” strong organisational skills, confident communicator, experience promoting events across digital channels.


INTERNAL LIAISON AND ADMINISTRATION
Approx. 5% of role

Working closely with department heads across rooms, F&B and spa. Attending relevant meetings, managing marketing calendar and coordinating with external agencies and suppliers.

Competency needed: Strong communication and organisational skills, ability to manage multiple priorities across departments.


TOOLS AND PLATFORMS TO HAND OVER

  • CMS / website platform
  • Social media accounts and scheduling tool
  • Email marketing platform
  • Canva account and brand assets
  • Google Analytics access
  • Paid media agency relationship
  • Brand guidelines
  • Marketing calendar

OVERALL COMPETENCY PROFILE NEEDED

A well-rounded generalist marketing candidate with two to three years of experience in a similar role β€” ideally within hospitality, lifestyle or a multi-faceted consumer brand. Strong copywriting and content creation skills are the most critical requirement. Agency management and basic analytics experience an advantage.


A full handover document covering all ongoing projects, contacts, login details and schedules will be prepared in advance of departure.


Would you like help preparing the full handover document itself, or a job description based on this breakdown?

Here is the website section updated to include that:


WEBSITE
Approx. 20% of role

Content updates, landing page creation, blog publishing, SEO copy, event listings and offer pages. Requires basic CMS knowledge β€” no development skills needed. Full handover document and login details to be provided.

A more technical but important element of the website role is the set up of new rates on the booking engine and website. This involves creating and configuring new rate plans, ensuring they are correctly displayed on the website and booking engine, applying relevant restrictions and ensuring accurate pricing is live at all times. This process can be complex and will require a thorough handover and initial support period to ensure confidence and accuracy. Any errors in rate set up can directly impact revenue, so attention to detail and a methodical approach are essential in this area.

Competency needed: Intermediate β€” comfortable working in a CMS, basic understanding of SEO, confident with copy and imagery. Must be able to apply brand guidelines accurately to all website content. For the booking engine element specifically, a methodical and detail-oriented approach is critical. Prior experience with a hotel booking engine or property management system is an advantage but full training will be provided during handover.


Would you like the full document regenerated as a clean version with this updated section included?

yes

Here is the clean final version with all updates included:


Marketing Activity Overview β€” Maternity Leave Cover
Prepared by [Your Name] | [Date]


OVERVIEW

The Marketing Manager role is a broad generalist position covering all aspects of marketing across the hotel, restaurant and spa. The role works closely with department heads and manages relationships with external agencies and suppliers. A strong understanding of and commitment to brand guidelines is essential across every area of the role β€” all communications, assets and activity must consistently reflect the Pembroke Kilkenny brand to the highest standard.


WEBSITE
Approx. 20% of role

Content updates, landing page creation, blog publishing, SEO copy, event listings and offer pages. Requires basic CMS knowledge β€” no development skills needed. Full handover document and login details to be provided.

A more technical but important element of the website role is the set up of new rates on the booking engine and website. This involves creating and configuring new rate plans, ensuring they are correctly displayed on the website and booking engine, applying relevant restrictions and ensuring accurate pricing is live at all times. This process can be complex and will require a thorough handover and initial support period to ensure confidence and accuracy. Any errors in rate set up can directly impact revenue, so attention to detail and a methodical approach are essential in this area.

Competency needed: Intermediate β€” comfortable working in a CMS, basic understanding of SEO, confident with copy and imagery. Must be able to apply brand guidelines accurately to all website content. For the booking engine element specifically, a methodical and detail-oriented approach is critical. Prior experience with a hotel booking engine or property management system is an advantage but full training will be provided during handover.


SOCIAL MEDIA β€” AGENCY MANAGED
Approx. 10% of role

Social media content is created and managed by a local agency on our behalf. The cover candidate will not be responsible for hands-on content creation. Day to day responsibilities include:

  • Leading and preparing for the monthly strategy meeting with the agency, providing clear direction on upcoming campaigns, events, offers and key messages
  • Maintaining and managing the social media content calendar, ensuring all activity is aligned to the wider marketing strategy and business priorities
  • Reviewing and approving all content before it goes live β€” checking for brand guideline compliance, spelling, tone of voice and accuracy
  • Monitoring live posts to ensure content is presenting correctly across platforms
  • Liaising with the Events department to ensure their upcoming events, promotions and requirements are captured in the content calendar and communicated to the agency in a timely way
  • Following up with the agency as needed to ensure Events department needs are delivered on time and to standard

Competency needed: Intermediate β€” able to brief and manage a creative agency clearly and confidently, strong attention to detail, good understanding of social media strategy, excellent communication and organisational skills. A thorough understanding of brand guidelines and the ability to apply them consistently is essential. No hands-on content creation required.


EMAIL MARKETING
Approx. 20% of role

Regular database campaigns across hotel, restaurant and spa. Seasonal campaigns, event promotions, booking driving campaigns and post-stay follow ups. Built and scheduled in [platform β€” e.g. Mailchimp / Klaviyo].

Competency needed: Intermediate β€” experience with an email marketing platform, strong copywriting, comfortable with segmentation and basic performance reporting. All email communications must reflect brand guidelines in terms of visual presentation, tone of voice and messaging.


DESIGN AND CONTENT CREATION
Approx. 20% of role

Creation of digital and print assets across all departments β€” social graphics, email headers, event flyers, signage, menus and promotional materials. Primarily created in Canva with occasional agency liaison for more complex print work.

Competency needed: Intermediate β€” confident in Canva or equivalent, strong visual sensibility and meticulous attention to brand guidelines across all designed assets. The ability to interpret and apply brand guidelines accurately and consistently across every touchpoint is a critical requirement of this area of the role.


CAMPAIGNS AND PROMOTIONS
Approx. 15% of role

Planning and executing seasonal and tactical campaigns across all revenue departments β€” accommodation, F&B, spa and events. Includes briefing paid media agency, tracking performance and reporting on results.

Competency needed: Intermediate to strong β€” understanding of integrated marketing campaigns, comfortable with basic analytics and reporting. All campaign activity must be produced and presented in line with brand guidelines.


EVENTS AND PARTNERSHIPS
Approx. 10% of role

Supporting the promotion of hotel events, supper club, spa launch evenings and external partnerships. Coordination of collateral, communications and on-the-night content capture.

Competency needed: Intermediate β€” strong organisational skills, confident communicator, experience promoting events across digital channels. All event collateral must meet brand guideline standards before going live or going to print.


INTERNAL LIAISON AND ADMINISTRATION
Approx. 5% of role

Working closely with department heads across rooms, F&B and spa. Attending relevant meetings, managing marketing calendar and coordinating with external agencies and suppliers.

Competency needed: Strong communication and organisational skills, ability to manage multiple priorities across departments simultaneously.


TOOLS AND PLATFORMS TO HAND OVER

  • CMS / website platform
  • Booking engine and rate management system
  • Email marketing platform
  • Canva account and brand asset library
  • Google Analytics access
  • Paid media agency relationship
  • Social media agency relationship and monthly meeting cadence
  • Brand guidelines document
  • Marketing calendar

BRAND GUIDELINES β€” KEY REQUIREMENT

The ability to understand, interpret and apply the Pembroke Kilkenny brand guidelines accurately and consistently across all areas is a critical requirement of this role. This applies to every piece of work produced β€” from a social media post to a printed flyer, an email campaign to a website page. The cover candidate must be comfortable working within a defined brand framework and confident in identifying and correcting any deviation from it across internal work and agency output alike.


OVERALL COMPETENCY PROFILE NEEDED

A well-rounded generalist marketing candidate with two to three years of experience in a similar role β€” ideally within hospitality, lifestyle or a multi-faceted consumer brand. Strong copywriting, email marketing and design skills are the most critical day to day requirements. The social media element is largely agency-led, so the ability to brief and direct a creative agency confidently is more important than hands-on social media execution. A meticulous eye for brand consistency across all touchpoints is essential. Experience with hotel booking engines or property management systems is an advantage. Basic analytics experience and agency management experience are also desirable.


A full handover document covering all ongoing projects, contacts, login details, agency relationships and schedules will be prepared in advance of departure.


Would you like me to now draft the job description for the maternity cover role based on this, or move on to the handover document?