The medieval city and county of Kilkenny offers an abundance of historic
sites, castles and abbeys, forest parks, scenic locations, excellent
craft shops, great pubs and tantalizing restaurants. Renowned as Ireland’s
medieval capital, the city’s origins date back more than 1500
years. The building prowess of the Normans is very much still in evidence
today, not alone in the shape of St. Canices Cathedral, the great
Butler Castle and the four medieval abbeys, but also in the linear
streets and attractive covered slipways. The place is simply buzzing
with atmosphere and with series of festivals such as the Kilkenny
Arts Festival and the Murphy’s Cat Laughs Festival, it is hard
to beat as a holiday destination.
The first city charter was granted to Kilkenny by James I as a result
of the actions of Black Tom, the 10th Earl of Ormonde, who was a trusted
friend of Queen Elizabeth. In 1609, a royal charter constituting Kilkenny
as a city rewarded his support of the crown. Following the Ulster
rebellion of 1641, a Confederacy was set up to unite Catholics in
defence of their common faith, rights and liberties and Kilkenny was
selected as the national parliament. Buildings such as Rothe House
and Kilkenny Castle served as useful meeting places for the parliament,
supreme council and the bishops and clergy. The Confederation sat
for six years until 1648 and governed the country during a period
of extreme turmoil. James II granted the second city charter in 1687
and Kilkenny will celebrate its 400th anniversary as a city in 2009.
Kilkenny Castle
The city of Kilkenny, as well as being an extremely
interesting place to walk around and explore, offers a wide range
of attractions to visitors. Probably the best known of course is Kilkenny
Castle, which has been an important site since Strongbow constructed
the first building (a wooden tower) there in the 12th century. The
first stone castle, a square shaped structure with towers at each
corner, was constructed in 1260 and three of these four towers survive
to this day. The Butler family bought the castle in 1391 and lived
there continuously until 1935. The property was given to the Nation
in 1967 and is now managed by the National Heritage Council. The castle
is open for guided tours, while the splendid gardens are open to the
public.
St. Canices Cathedral, Ireland’s second largest
medieval cathedral, is one of Kilkenny’s most famous landmarks.
Established as a monastic settlement by St. Canice in the 6th century,
the cathedral itself was built in the early 13th century. Following
near destruction by Oliver Cromwell’s troops in 1650, it was
restored in the 18th century and today serves as a powerful reminder
of Kilkenny’s past. Founded by William Marshall the Younger for
the Dominican Friars in 1225, the Black Abbey is also worth a visit.
At the centre of civic life in Kilkenny for centuries, it was repressed
in 1543 and served as a courthouse until the end of the 17th century.
Restored in 1778, the Abbey did not become a place of public worship
until the mid 19th century and today its antique stained-glass windows
and fascinating statues are among the main attractions.
Rothe House
Another structure that played a significant role
in local history is Rothe House, a magnificent Tudor mansion built
at the height of the Italian Renaissance by a wealthy merchant called
John Rothe. During the Confederation of Kilkenny, many dignitaries
were entertained here by John Rothe and his cousin, the Bishop of
Ossory. Today the building has been wonderfully restored and is home
to the Kilkenny Archaeological Society and the National Headquarters
of the Heritage Council.
Outside the city of Kilkenny, there are many picturesque
towns and villages, which should be visited if possible. These include
Graiguenamanagh, home to Duisk Abbey, a fully restored early Cistercian
church; Callan, the birthplace of Edmund Rice, founder of the Christian
Brothers; and lovely Inistiogue, where the movie "Widows Peak",
starring Mia Farrow was filmed. Thomastown is another place worthy
of mention. Besides being home to Mount Juliet Golf Club, the famous
Jerpoint Abbey is also located here. Founded in the latter half of
the 12th century, Jerpoint is an outstanding Cistercian Abbey, which
flourished until the 16th century when it passed to the Earl of Ormonde.
Among the highlights of the Abbey are the exquisite carvings on the
16th century tombs, the sculptured cloister arcade and the beautiful
Romanesque architecture.
