Kilkenny
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Kilkenny Cill Chainnigh |
||
 |
||
|---|---|---|
| Location | ||
|
||
|
WGS-84 (GPS) Coordinates:
|
||
| Irish grid reference S506563 |
||
| Statistics | ||
| Province: | Leinster | |
| County: | County Kilkenny | |
| Area: | 3.74 km² | |
| Elevation: | 60 m (196 ft) | |
| Population (2006) | 22,179 | |
| Website: www.kilkennycity.ie | ||
Kilkenny (Irish: Cill Chainnigh, meaning Church of Cainneach) is the county town of County Kilkenny, Ireland. Kilkenny is located in Leinster and is located on the River Nore. Kilkenny City and environs has a population of approx. 25,000. Kilkenny is Ireland's smallest city both by area and population. Kilkenny, spanning the river Nore, is the only city in the Ireland that is not tidal. It is also the only city in the Republic that has neither an institute of technology nor a university; although the National University of Ireland, Maynooth maintains an outreach centre at St. Kieran's College.
Contents |
[edit] Name
Kilkenny City is named after Cainnech of Aghaboe. Kilkenny was granted a Royal Charter in 1609 by King James I of England. This gave it city status. Its status as a city was most recently recognised by Section 10(7) of the Local Government Act 2001, which allows "the continued use of the description city", although it does not have a city council like the other Irish cities, but rather a borough council instead.
[edit] History
Kilkenny was an important town, even from pre-Christian times. Its origins appear to be focused on the high ground now occupied by St Canice's Cathedral. The round tower here is the only above ground remnant of the early medieval monastery founded by the Irish saint - Canice himself. The surrounding area of the Irishtown, as it has been known since the Norman invasion, is therefore the oldest part of the city. The earliest church is presumed to have been built of wood being replaced eventually in the later medieval period by a romanesque-style stone church. This was in turn replaced by the current imposing medieval cathedral.
A number of other religious sites around the city have given their names to many of the streets including Michael St., John St, Abbey Street and Patrick St.
The Norman presence in the town is still the most palpable. Located at a prominent bend in the River Nore, where an outcrop of rock presents a natural vantage point, the castle is built. This lies on the site of earlier wattle and mud structures and was the site of the fortifications of the Fitzpatricks and the O'Carrolls (840 A.D.), amongst others. Though the religious origins of the city are well documented, it is not known as yet quite how early these secular structures are. Later medieval life in the city was often lively with a series of walls built to protect the good burghers.
The kingdom of "Ossory", delineated by the rivers Suir and Nore, was governed by Kilkenny. In early Norman times - until the late 12th century - Kilkenny was the capital of the colony in Ireland. It also became the home of a preceptory of the Knights of St Thomas.
Friar John Clyn witnessed the effects of the Black Death in kilkenny, after its spread in August 1348:[1]
The pestilence gathered strength in Kilkenny during Lent, for between Christmas day and 6 March, eight Friars Preachers died. There was scarcely a house in which only one died but commonly man and wife with their children and family going one way, namely, crossing to death.
The Statutes of Kilkenny (1366) got their name from the then Irish Parliament in Kilkenny. The statutes contained nineteen clauses, their general provision being to reduce the influence of the Irish on the Normans. They prohibited intermarriage as well as the customs and language of the Irish, which were considered to have had an adverse effect on the Norman settlers. The statutes also attempted to outlaw Brehon Laws.
Kilkenny was the capital of Confederate Ireland between 1642 and 1649, until it surrendered during the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland.
Kilkenny is the home of two noted schools, both of which are historically important. One is the Church of Ireland Kilkenny College, founded in 1538 and one of the oldest schools in the country. This school has had several notable students, including both Jonathan Swift and George Berkeley. St. Kieran's College, founded in 1782, was the first Roman Catholic secondary school in Ireland and was created as Grattan's Parliament caused some relaxation of the Penal Laws in the country. St. Kieran's is a noted centre of the ancient Irish sport of hurling and has seen many famous hurling stars wearing the school's colours.
Set approximately in the centre of the ancient Kingdom of Ossory, Kilkenny is still the seat of the Roman Catholic Bishop of Ossory and the Church of Ireland Bishop of Cashel and Ossory.
[edit] Transport
Kilkenny railway station opened on 12 May 1848.[2] Kilkenny acquired railway links to Dublin in 1850, Waterford in 1854, Portlaoise in 1876 and Castlecomer in 1919. Córas Iompair Éireann closed the Castlecomer and Kilkenny Junction lines in 1962. Kilkenny railway station was renamed McDonagh in 1966. Kilkenny remains an important stop on Iarnród Éireann's Intercity route between Dublin and Waterford.
Unlike other countries, the location of railway stations in Ireland was closely related to military matters rather than trade or public transport. Kilkenny railway station is a fine example of this peculiarity, with the military barracks being closely positioned to the railway station - a very short march for troops. In 2008,it was proposed that an extra 2 railway links would potentially link up to Kilkenny, one going to Dublin via Waterford and one going to Galway.
[edit] Architecture
|
The city is famous for its many medieval buildings and has been referred to as the "Marble City" for centuries. The black stone with decorative white fossils that forms the backbone of many of Kilkenny's fine buildings was quarried locally, particularly from the Black Quarry located by the roadside, 1.6 km (1 mi) south of the city, past the castle. An exposed rock face can still be seen from the road. Kilkenny Marble or Black Marble was exported to all corners of the British Empire.
The city is dominated by both Kilkenny Castle and Saint Canice's Cathedral, the latter built beside an excellent example of a well-preserved Round Tower. The Church of Ireland Cathedral is named after Saint Canice, who also gave his name to the town (Cill Chainnigh is Irish for "Church of Canice"). Also of note is the Dominican 'Black Abbey', founded in 1225, lying just off Parliament Street.
[edit] St. Canice's Cathedral
The 13th century cathedral of St Canice is the second longest cathedral in Ireland . The site on which the cathedral stands has been a site of Christian worship since the 6th century. The architectural style of the cathedral is Early Gothic and it is built of limestone. The cathedral has been carefully preserved in its original style and form. It is richly endowed with many stained glass windows including the East window which is a replica of the original 13th century window. The cathedral contains some of the finest 16th century monuments in Ireland . The memorials stretch right across the social spectrum from the great figures of the house of Ormonde to the humble shoemaker and carpenter. The baptismal font is original and the ancient stone of enthronement for bishops still exists under the seat of the mediaeval throne in the North Transept, where to this day the bishops of Ossory are enthroned. The continental carvings on the choir stalls and the hammerbeam roof are not to be missed. Beside the cathedral stands the 9th century round tower. It may once have been a watchtower and a refuge and it can be climbed to give an unsurpassing vantage point to view the city of Kilkenny and the surrounding countryside (weather permitting).
[edit] Industry
The town has a history of brewing and is home to St. Francis Abbey Brewery which was founded in the early 18th Century by Messrs Cole and Smithwick. The Guinness Ireland Group had owned this brewery since the 1960s. At the beginning of the 21st Century, Guinness merged with Grand Metropolitan plc to form Diageo, the world's largest alcoholic beverage business, and the brewery is now a part of Diageo Global Supply. Smithwick's Ale now forms only a small percentage of production there. Another product is Kilkenny ale , a close relation of Smithwicks ale. Some 80% of beer produced at the brewery is Budweiser, a brand not owned by Diageo, but produced under licence.
Kilkenny is also home to the head offices of Glanbia foods, one of the world's top dairy companies. Glanbia was formed by the merger of two dairy businesses: Avonmore and Waterford foods, it employs a total of around 4000 people and has interests in Ireland, the UK and the USA.
Recent developments in Kilkenny have attracted further investment from local businesses as well as attracting new industry. Leggetsrath Business Park was opened in 2003 and is home to Glanbia's innovation centre, Wellstone Clinic, KCLR (local radio station) headquarters, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Premier Recruitment and other businesses.
There are two retail warehouse parks in Kilkenny City; Kilkenny Retail Park and Ormonde Retail Park. Kilkenny Retail Park has expanded with several big names occupying its premises; Byrne's toystore, Woodie's Home and DIY store, Carpet Right, Land of Leather and D.I.D Electricals with Meubles furniture coming soon.
Ormonde Retail Park on the Dublin Road is home to Chadwick's Builder-providers, Electrocity, Furniture Depot, Doyles Hire, Noyeks Ltd and Pat Mc Donnell Paints. It is also set to expand in 2007/08 as a result of increased demand for such development and increasing competition from the likes of Carlow and Clonmel.
Hebron Business Park was constructed in 2002 and is a privately owned extension to the Hebron Industrial Estate, the main centre for industry in Kilkenny. The new link road to the N9 between Dublin and Waterford will improve access to Hebron Business Park and Industrial Estate.
[edit] Sport
- Further information: Sport in Ireland
[edit] Hurling
- See also Kilkenny GAA
County Kilkenny's chief claim to sporting fame lies in the ancient Irish game of hurling, and the city is one of the centres of hurling in the county. The Kilkenny county team have won the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 30 times. They are in fact the current champions, having overcome Limerick GAA in the 2007 All-Ireland Championship final.
Kilkenny is also home to St. Kieran's College, a secondary school that is possibly the country's top hurling academy. Many of the most famous names of hurling history have worn the black and white of St. Kieran's, including Eddie Keher, Brian Cody and DJ Carey.
As well as the famous inter-county team, Kilkenny has many local hurling clubs including O'Loughlin Gaels, James Stephens and the 2007 All-Ireland club champions, Ballyhale Shamrocks.
[edit] Soccer
Kilkenny City AFC played in the first division of the Football League of Ireland until January 2008. It entered the league as EMFA in 1986, but resigned their position in the league after 22 years citing “lack of finance, poor results and paltry attendances”. Kilkenny and District Soccer League run leagues at schoolboy, youths and junior level throughout the county. It is affiliated to Leinster Football Association, Football Association of Ireland and the Schoolboy’s Football Association of Ireland.
The Kilkenny Floodlit Football League was formed in 2002 with 10 teams in on division. Since then the league has gone from strength to strength and today has 34 teams competing in 3 divisions. At the end of each season all clubs compete for the Floodlit Cup and the Floodlit Shield. All profits go to the O’Neill Centre/Enable Ireland here in Kilkenny.
[edit] Gaelic football
Gaelic football is also played in Kilkenny, although it is not as popular as it is in most Irish counties. It lags well behind the other traditional GAA game of hurling. Indeed, Kilkenny GAA's county football team is not considered good enough at present to compete in the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, although they have recently been promoted to play in Division Four of the National Football League.
[edit] Rugby
Kilkenny Rugby Football Club has a very strong and successful Rugby Union club based at Foulkstown on the Waterford Road. The club has provided many players for the Ireland team including Ernie Ridgeway, Bill Tector, Jack Notley, Willie Duggan, Ned Byrne, Ronan Kearney and Gary Halpin. Ian Dowling playing for the Munster Rugby team was the winner of a European Rugby Cup medal at Cardiff in May 2006.
[edit] Golf
Kilkenny is home to Mount Juliet Golf Course which hosted the World Golf Championship - American Express Championship in 2002 & 2004 as well as the Irish Opens of 1993-95. The par 72, 7300 yard layout boasts rolling fairways, many feature water hazards and contoured greens, all superbly blended into the spectacular setting of this famous old Irish Estate.
[edit] Ice Hockey
Despite the city's lack of an ice rink, Kilkenny is home to the Kilkenny City Storm ice hockey team, who play in the Irish Ice Hockey Association Development League. The Storm are one of the top two teams in the league, which is currently in its inaugural year. The Storm consists of both local and foreign players, who travel to Dundalk Ice Dome every week for training and matches, with the players themselves footing transport and ice rental costs. The team also enjoys moderate success as an inline hockey team, playing in the Northern Inline Hockey League.
[edit] Music
Kilkenny has a rich and vibrant music scene which reaches out to all walks of life.
The medieval Kilkenny Castle and the Zoo nightclub are just some of the current music venues, that host up and coming local acts.
Cleere's pub and theatre in Parliament Street is one of the best venues for touring Irish and international bands - indie, jazz, blues - a good mix. They also have a trad music session once a week as does Ryan's on Friary Street. John Street caters to the more mainstream musical tastes with a number of nightclubs playing charts etc. The Kilkenny Arts Festival embraces Musical acts of all ages and styles.
More classical tastes can be catered for in St. Canices Cathedral itself where classical music and choirs often perform. The Klikenny Choir and a gospel choir meet frequently and sing in the churches especially.
[edit] Tourism
Kilkenny is a popular tourist destination in Ireland as well a weekend getaway for the Irish themselves. Well regarded for its cultural life it always tended to attract a more refined visitor. Recent years have seen its popularity with Stag and Hen parties rise dramatically. These are drawn to the 'vibrant nightlife' in the city, mainly on John Street. The streets thrive with life at night and the pubs enjoy an atmosphere to which everyone flocks to enjoy the craic.
Art galleries, craft and design workshops, a cartoon studio, theatre and a film club, historic buildings such as the castle with its public gardens and even a small museum are some of the culprits making Kilkenny unusually attractive considering its size. Similarly sized towns in many other parts of the country are often cultural backwaters.
[edit] Festivals
Kilkenny plays host to the annual Smithwicks Cat Laughs Comedy festival which makes Kilkenny the "Comedy Capital of the World". There is also an annual Arts Festival, usually in late August. During this time Kilkenny is flooded with traditional and foreign music, beautiful paintings and sculptures and many other creative things.
The rhythm and roots festival brings more music, but from a broader spectrum, and the annual concerts in Nolan Park have brought acts such as Rod Stewart, Shania Twain, Bob Dylan, Paul Simon and Andrea Bocelli. Recently it has been announced that Dolly Parton is to be the 2008 headliner at the concert.
[edit] Awards
Kilkenny was named as the Academy of Urbanism European Great Town for 2008. The Academy Chairman, John Thompson, said "it is great to have an Irish town coming through in this year's awards, especially Kilkenny which is coming to terms with economic growh without losing its wonderful character and humour".[3]
[edit] Additional reading
- Katherine Lanigan & Gerald Tyler, Kilkenny: Its Architecture and History (Appletree P, 1987) (ISBN 0-86281-180-5)
- Robert Wyse Jackson, Story of Kilkenny (Mercier P, 1974) (ISBN 0-85342-391-1)
- Mayor F White "The Castle on Kilkenny" (Folens, 1999)
- Sean Kenny Every Stick and Stone That Stands Kilkenny (2003) (ISBN 0-9545741-0-9)
- David Edwards, The Ormond Lordship in County Kilkenny, 1515-1642: The Rise and Fall of the Butler Family (Four Courts Press, 2000) (ISBN 1-85182-578-9)
- John Leonard, A university for Kilkenny: Plans for a royal college in the seventeenth century (St Canice's Press, 1996) (ISBN 0-9528076-0-2)
- Colm Corcoran, "The Life and Times of Kilkenny's Citizens"
- Andrew Bush, Bonnettstown: A House in Ireland (Harry N. Abrams, Inc., 1989) (ISBN 0-8109-0748-8)
- Hogan, "Kilkenny"
- Sparks, "Pen & picture"
- Gleeson, "Ely O'Carroll's Territory"
- Joseph C. O'Carroll "Historic Kilkenny" (Kilkenny People Ltd. 1994)
- The Heritage Council, Kilkenny, A conservation Plan for the Walls of Kilkenny.
[edit] Gallery of Images
 Jerpoint Abbey |
 Kilkenny Beer |
 Smithwick's Beer, formerly brewed in Kilkenny |
[edit] See also
- List of abbeys and priories in the Republic of Ireland (County Kilkenny)
- List of towns in the Republic of Ireland
[edit] External links
- Kilkenny.ie Portal Site for Kilkenny
- Kilkenny Borough Council
- Irish Architecture Online - Kilkenny City
- Kilkenny GAA official site for hurling and football in the county
- Kilkenny Floodlit Football League
- Kilkenny and District Soccer League
- Kilkenny hurling fansite
- Photos of Kilkenny on Flickr
- Cat Laughs Comedy Festival
- Mount Juliet Golf Course
- Kilkenny Tourism website
- Kilkenny's architectural highlights on the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage website
- Kilkenny is at coordinates Coordinates:
[edit] References
- ^ Williams, Dr. Bernadette. (2007).The Annals of Ireland by Friar John Clyn. Dublin: Four Courts Press. ISBN 978 1 84682 034 2
- ^ Kilkenny station. Railscot - Irish Railways. Retrieved on 2007-09-05.
- ^ Academy of Urbanism
 |
This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (January 2008) |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||
