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NodeConf EU is widely regarded as Europe's longest-running Node.js conference, tracing its roots to Node Dublin in 2012 before adopting its current name a year later. The 2026 edition describes itself as a sharper, warmer Node.js gathering for Europe, aimed at engineers who build with the runtime every day, including project maintainers, staff engineers, library authors and teams shipping JavaScript products. After many years in Ireland, the event has moved to Italy for 2026, with a single-venue programme at the Hotel Savoia Regency in Bologna. Talks and conversations are planned around Node.js applications, runtimes, tooling, observability, architecture and production systems, with generous breaks intended for networking and a group dinner included for attendees. The OpenJS Foundation and several local JavaScript communities are listed among the event's supporters. Developers attending NodeConf EU gain insight into where the Node.js platform is heading, practical lessons from people running it at scale and time with core contributors in an intimate setting. As a long-standing meeting point for the European Node.js community, the conference helps connect the people who maintain the runtime with the engineers who depend on it.
NodeConf EU 2026 takes place November 8–11, 2026 in Kilkenny, Ireland.
NodeConf EU 2026 is an in-person event.
Travel questions? See Good to know in the travel guide below.
NodeConf EU has made Kilkenny its home, and it is a deliberate choice: a small medieval town in the Irish south-east, walkable end to end in twenty minutes, where a conference effectively takes over the pubs for a week. November brings short damp days and turf smoke, and the town's Medieval Mile, a single route linking a Norman castle to a cathedral, gives the whole visit its structure.
Dublin Airport (DUB) is the standard arrival point. Trains from Dublin Heuston reach Kilkenny MacDonagh station in about ninety minutes, though getting from the airport to Heuston needs a bus or taxi across the city first. Direct coach services also run from the airport to Kilkenny in roughly two and a half hours. Cork (ORK) is about two hours by road.
Skip the taxi queue — pre-book a fixed-price airport transfer with Kiwitaxi. Exploring beyond the city? compare rental cars on Auto Europe.
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Coverage in the town is solid, but the surrounding countryside has genuine gaps. Since the UK and Ireland are separate for roaming purposes, an eSIM covering Ireland specifically is worth checking before travel. Set up an eSIM with Airalo before you board and you're online the moment you land.
Kilkenny Castle. The Butler family seat guards the river at the southern end of the town, its Victorian interiors restored and the parkland behind it free to walk. Guided tours run through the day and take about an hour. The gardens are the better option if the weather cooperates, which in November it may not. Tickets on Tiqets →
Medieval Mile and St Canice's. A single walkable route links the castle to St Canice's Cathedral at the far end of the town, passing the Black Abbey and the medieval merchant houses on the way. The round tower beside the cathedral can be climbed by a steep internal ladder for a view over the rooftops.
Smithwick's Experience. The former brewery in the centre of town traces three hundred years of Kilkenny brewing on the site of a medieval abbey, ending with a tasting. It takes about an hour, runs several times a day, and is the most conveniently located indoor activity when the rain sets in.
Rock of Cashel. An hour west by road, a limestone outcrop carries a ruined cathedral, a round tower and a Romanesque chapel with surviving wall paintings. It is one of the most dramatic sites in Ireland and needs a car or tour, plus about two hours on site including the climb.
Is a car needed?
Not for the town, which is entirely walkable, and not for the train from Dublin. A car helps considerably for the surrounding countryside and sites like Cashel, which have no useful public transport.
What is the weather like in November?
Highs around 9 to 11°C, frequent rain and early darkness by half past four. Nothing extreme, but consistently wet, so waterproofs and spare footwear are worthwhile.
How long does the transfer from Dublin Airport take?
Allow two and a half to three hours in total by public transport, whether by direct coach or by transferring across Dublin to a Heuston train. Booking rail tickets in advance reduces the fare substantially.
Travel notes written for NodeConf EU 2026 attendees. Links marked above are affiliate links — we may earn a commission at no cost to you. Verify schedules and opening hours on official websites before you travel.
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