County Kilkenny Contae Chill Chainnigh | |
|---|---|
 Coat of arms | |
| Etymology: Named afterKilkenny | |
| Nickname: The Marble County | |
| Anthem:The Rose of Mooncoin | |
 Interactive map of County Kilkenny | |
| Coordinates:52°35′N7°15′W / 52.583°N 7.250°W /52.583; -7.250 | |
| Country | Ireland |
| Province | Leinster |
| Region | Southern |
| Osraige | about 150 |
| Shire of Kilkenny | after 1172 |
| Earldom of Ormond | about 1328 |
| Earldom of Ossory | about 1528 |
| County of Kilkenny | by 1610 |
| Founded by | Óengus Osrithe |
| Named after | St. Canice |
| City | Kilkenny |
| Government | |
| • Local authority | Kilkenny County Council[1] |
| • Dáil constituency | |
| • EP constituency | South |
| Area | |
• Total | 2,073 km2 (800 sq mi) |
| • Rank | 16th |
| Highest elevation | 515 m (1,690 ft) |
| Population | |
• Total | 103,685 |
| • Rank | 21st |
| • Density | 50.02/km2 (129.5/sq mi) |
| Demonym | Cat |
| Eircode | E41, R95(primarily) |
| Area code(s) | + 353 56 & 353 51 |
| ISO 3166 code | IE-KK |
| Number plate | KK[4] |
| Website | Official website |
County Kilkenny (Irish:Contae Chill Chainnigh) is acounty inIreland. It is in theprovince ofLeinster and is part of theSouthern Region. It is named after thecity ofKilkenny.[a]Kilkenny County Council is thelocal authority for the county. At the2022 census the population of the county was 103,685.[3] The county was based on the historicGaelic kingdom ofOssory (Osraighe), which was coterminous with theDiocese of Ossory.
Kilkenny is the 16th-largest of Ireland's 32 counties by area and the 21st-largest in terms of population.[6] It is the third-largest of Leinster's 12 counties in size, the seventh-largest in terms of population, and has a population density of 50 people per km2. Kilkenny borders five counties –Tipperary to the west,Waterford to the south,Carlow andWexford to the east, andLaois to the north.Kilkenny city is the county's seat of local government and largest settlement, and is situated on the River Nore in the centre of the county. Kilkenny city is approximately 50 km (31 mi) fromWaterford, 124 km (77 mi) fromDublin and 150 km (93 mi) fromCork.
TheRiver Nore flows through the county, and theRiver Suir forms the border withCounty Waterford.Brandon Hill is the highest point with anelevation of 515 m (1,690 ft). Most of the county has a hilly surface of moderate elevation with uplands in the north-east, the north-west and the South of the county; the middle is lower by comparison.[7]
The county is located at52°35′N7°15′W / 52.583°N 7.250°W /52.583; -7.250 and has an area of 512,222 acres (2,072.89 km2; 800.347 sq mi).[1] The county extends from 52 degrees 14 minutes to 52 degrees 52 minutes north latitude, and from 6 degrees 56 minutes to 7 degrees 37 minutes west longitude. The north–south length of the county is 45 miles (72 km); and its greatest breadth from east to west, is about 23 miles (37 km) and its narrowest part is about 12 miles (19 km) from where it widens irregularly towards the north.
Kilkenny extends southward fromLaois to the valley of the Suir and eastward from theMunster–Leinster border to theRiver Barrow. TheRiver Nore bisects the county, and theRiver Barrow andRiver Suir are natural boundaries to the east and south of the county. County Kilkenny is bordered byLaois,Carlow,Wexford,Waterford andTipperary.
The main rivers in County Kilkenny, called theThree Sisters, are theNore,Barrow andSuir.[8] The River Nore bisects the county and flows throughBallyragget,Kilkenny City and the villages ofBennettsbridge,Thomastown andInistioge. The River Suir forms the border betweenCounty Waterford and County Kilkenny.
The Barrow forms part of the county's eastern boundary. Tributaries of the Barrow in the county include theGowran River and theBallyvalden River (with its tributary theMonefelim River).
Although County Kilkenny lies inland it has access to the sea via Belview Port,Port of Waterford, on theSuir Estuary and viaNew Ross on theRiver Barrow. On the River Barrow, from the villages ofGoresbridge andGraiguenamanagh, there is a navigable river with traditional barges to theRiver Shannon or toDublin Bay. Kilkenny's river network helps drain the land giving the county a highly fertile lower central plain.[9][10]
Kings River and the Dinan are used for canoeing and kayaking as they contain stretches of peaceful waterways and a number of weirs and rapids.[citation needed] The wide and meandering Rivers Nore and Barrow are used for angling, boating and water sports.
Special Areas of Conservation, under the European UnionHabitats Directive, in County Kilkenny[11] includesHugginstown Fen[12] south-west ofBallyhale,The Loughans[13] nearUrlingford,Cullahill Mountain[14] on theCastlecomer Plateau nearJohnstown,Spahill and Clomantagh Hill[15] which form part of an escarpment which links theSlieveardagh Hills with the Castlecomer Plateau,Galmoy Fen[16] north of Johnstown, LowerRiver Suir[17] south ofThurles, the freshwater stretches of theBarrow/River Nore[18] andThomastown Quarry, nearThomastown.[19]
In 2005Coan Bogs was defined as aNatural Heritage Area under section 18 of the Wildlife Act 2000.[20] Theblanket bog consists of two small areas of upland blanket bog located nearCastlecomer in the townlands of Coan East and Smithstown.[21] Bedrock geology for both areas is shale overlain locally by glacial till and blanket bog vegetation is well developed.[22]
Fiddown Island is a 62.6 ha state-ownedNature Reserve established in 1988.[23] NearFiddown along theRiver Suir it consists of a long narrow island of marsh/woodland covered in willow scrub and bordered by reed swamps – it is the only known site of its type in Ireland.[24]
The wildlife of County Kilkenny is part of the county's biodiversity and is an environmental, economic, amenity and resource.
Fauna of County Kilkenny includeshedgehogs,otters,badgers,red foxes, and bats such asLeisler's bat,Daubenton's bat, thebrown long-eared bat and thecommon pipistrelle. There is alsosika deer,fallow deer,stoat,red squirrel andpygmy shrew.[25] The bird nesting period is from 1 March until 1 September. Woodlands, trees and hedgerows form a network of habitats, ecological 'corridors' essential for wildlife to flourish and move between habitats.
Flora of County Kilkenny includes the endangeredautumn crocus, also rare species such as thebog orchid, theKillarney fern and thetufted salt-marsh grass.[25] There are also vulnerable species likelesser snapdragon,meadow barley,small-white orchid,opposite-leaved pondweed,betony,red hemp nettle,narrow-leaved helleborine,lanceolate spleenwort,annual knawel andbasil thyme.
Surveys of woodlands of County Kilkenny includeA Woodland Survey of Kilkenny, undertaken in 1997 to identify woodlands in the county andA survey of broadleaved woodlands in three special Areas of Conservation, Barrow-Nore, River Unshin and Lough Forbes (2000) which covers some of County Kilkenny,[26] andNational Survey of Native Woodlands (NSNW) 2003–2008 which was one of the largest ecological surveys to be completed in Ireland and did its fieldwork in the county in 2003.[27]
Estimates of the woodlands in County Kilkenny include theForest Inventory Planning System (1998) which estimated Kilkenny had 2251 ha of mixed woodland and broadleaf woodland not dominated by beech, representing 1.09% of the county and theNational Forest Inventory 2004 and 2006 which estimated that 4430 ha of the county is native forested land,Scots pine was regarded as non-native, representing 2.15% of the county.[b][28][c]
The best quality sites in the county in terms of their conservation value includeKylecorragh Wood (SAC) along theRiver Nore,[29] Grenan Wood (SAC), Knockadrina, Garryricken North (NHA/SNR), Ballytobin/Ballaghtobin, Brownstown Wood (NHA/SAC), Kyleadohir Wood (NHA/SNR), Brown's Wood,Thomastown,Ballykeeffe Wood, Cullentragh, Rossenarra, Newrath and Garryricken South.[28] The most threatened forested area in the county is Greatwood.[28]
The main governmental organisations responsible for ensuring the development of forestry within Kilkenny are theNational Parks and Wildlife Service (under theDepartment of Housing, Local Government and Heritage) and the Forest Service (under theDepartment of Agriculture, Food and the Marine). There are legislative measures which recognise the importance of trees woodlands and hedgerows and provide for their protection including the Forestry Act 1946 and Wildlife (Amendment) Act 2000. These prohibit trees from being cut down unless a notice of intention is given and prohibit the cutting of hedges within the bird nesting period. The main threats come mainly from invasive species, heavy grazing and damaging activities such as non-native planting, native felling and dumping.[28] There are instances of felling (both legal and illegal) of ash trees for the production ofhurleys.[28]
There are around 180 significant trees in County Kilkenny included in theTree Register of Ireland,[30] compiled by theTree Council of Ireland,[31] based on characteristics such as age, height, diameter, historical or folklore connections. The tallest tree in Kilkenny is asilver fir of 5.39 x 43m located atWoodstock Gardens inInistioge and the tree with the largest girth is acommon lime of 9.01 x 27m located at Coolmore House inThomastown. At present, under the Planning and Development Act 2000, there are 4 Tree Preservation Orders (TPO) in County Kilkenny for the protection of trees, groups of trees and woods of amenity value. These include Oldcourt inInistioge, Keatingstown, Barna inFreshford, Sawney's Wood inCastlecomer and theCastle Gardens inKilkenny City.
Important trees in county Kilkenny include twocedars of Lebanon atKildalton Agricultural College inPiltown, aMonterey cypress,beech,silver fir and twocoastal redwood atWoodstock Gardens inInistioge. InThomastown there is acommon lime atCoolmore House, anEnglish/common oak atStoneen Kilfawe, anEnglish/common oak atMount Juilliet Estate and aWellingtonia, giant sequoia,Monterey cypress,sweet/Spanish chestnut and aholm oak/evergreen oak atKilfane Glebe. There is also aTurkey oak atThreecastles House inKilkenny, anash and twoEnglish/common oak atBallytobin House inCallan, acommon lime,Wellingtonia giant sequoia and twoMonterey cypress atShankill Castle inPaulstown, anEnglish/common oak atBallykeefe House in Kilmanagh, anEnglish/common oak at Fanningstown House inOwning and abeech atCastlecomer Golf Club inCastlecomer.[32]
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The climate of County Kilkenny, like theclimate of Ireland, is a changeableoceanic climate with few extremes. It is defined as atemperateoceanic climate, orCfb on theKöppen climate classification system. Kilkenny lies in plantHardiness zone9. Weatherwise, the county is generally representative of wide river valleys in the region with low temperatures on cloudless nights,[34] and is significant in that it records some of the highest summer and lowest winter temperatures in Ireland. The highest air temperature ever recorded in Ireland was 33.3 °C (91.9 °F), atKilkenny Castle on 26 June 1887.[35]
TheMet Éireann KilkennyWeather Observing Station, 2 km north-west ofKilkenny City centre, on the Duningstown Road, opened in May 1957,[34] and observations ceased in April 2008.[36] A climatological station is currently in operation within 1 km of the old site, and as of March 2010, was providing live weather data to the general public and climate data toMet Éireann.[36]
The maximum temperature recorded at theMetStation was 30.8 °C (87.4 °F) on 2 August 1995.[34] Extremes recorded at the station include the highest airtemperature of 31.5 °C (88.7 °F) on 29 June 1976, the lowest air temperature of −14.1 °C (6.6 °F) on 2 January 1979 and the lowest ground temperature of −18.1 °C (−0.6 °F) on 12 January 1982.[34] The maximum daily sunshine was 16.3 hours on 18 June 1978.[34] The warmest and sunniest month on record in Kilkenny was August 1995 with a total of 274.9 hourssunshine and very high temperatures throughout.[34] The maximum daily sunshine was 16.3 hours on 18 June 1978.[34] The overall trend in temperatures has been on the rise with a marked increase from 1988 onwards.[37] Annual temperatures are running over 0.5 degrees above 20th-century levels.[37]
The maximum daily rainfall recorded at Kilkenny station was 66.4 millimetres (2.61 in) on 17 July 1983.[34] The late 1950s and early 1960s were wet but rainfall had been steady throughout the century.[37] 2002 was a very wet year and since 2005 annual rainfall has been increased steadily, with 2009 being the wettest year since records commenced in 1958.[37] At the centre of the county,Kilkenny is in a sheltered location, over 60 km inland and is surrounded by hills over 200m, which ensures that it is not a windy location.[36] The highest wind gust of 77 knots, from a south-west direction, was recorded on 12 January 1974.[34]
The geology of Kilkenny includes theKiltorcan Formation which is earlyCarboniferous in age.[38] The formation is located around Kiltorcan Hill nearBallyhale in theCallan andKnocktopher areas. It forms the uppermost part of the Old Red Sandstone and is the distinctiveUpper Devonian–Lower Carboniferous unit in southern Ireland.[39] It contains non-redlithologies, greenmudstones, siltstones, finesandstones and yellow sandstones. There is afossil assemblage containingCyclostigma andArchaeopteris andArchaeopteris hibernica.[40]
Most of the county is principally limestone of the upper and lower group, corresponding with the rest of Ireland. A large area in the north and east contains beds of coal, surrounded by limestone strata, alternated with shale, argillaceous ironstone, and sandstone. This occurs eastward of theNore aroundCastlecomer, along the border with Laois. It is generally accompanied byculm, which was used extensively for burning lime.
The natural environment and resources of County Kilkenny includes its rivers, wildlife (mammals, birds, plants), woodlands, hedgerows, and diverse landscapes and geological features. The main land use is grassland, dairy farming and tillage farming especially around Kilkenny City and in the fertile central plain of the Nore Valley. Conifer forests are found on the upland areas.
Habitats of international and national importance, are designated underEuropean Union and national legislation. The four categories of designated site in effect in County Kilkenny areSpecial Areas of Conservation, Natural Heritage Areas, Statutory Nature Reserves and Wildfowl Sanctuaries. The 2008–2014 county development plan recorded 36 designated natural heritage sites of international and national importance in County Kilkenny, covering approximately 4.5% of the county.[41]
County Kilkenny is comparably low compared to othermountain ranges in Ireland with thehighest peak beingBrandon Hill (Irish:Cnoc Bhréanail), at 515 metres (1,690 ft) abovesea level. The majority of rest of the county is hilly except for the centre of the county, just south of the city ofKilkenny, which is comparably lower than the rest of the county. There are highlands in the North-East, the North-West and in the South of the county.
In the north of the county the uplands of theCastlecomer district, theCastlecomer Plateau includes the Culla Hills to the west of theNore Valley with Castlecomer Hills and Slieve Marcy to the east. These hills are divided by the valley of theDinan river which joins theNore from the east. The highest point of the Castlecomer Hills is 313 metres (1,027 ft), and located North-West of the town of Castlecomer and near the border withLaois. The highest point of the Culla Hills is in Laois at 279 metres (915 ft), but its undulating slopes spread over a considerable area of Kilkenny in the north-westerly area.
In the west of the county theSlieveardagh Hills andBooley Hills extend westwards to County Tipperary. The highest point in the Slieveardagh Hills isKnocknamuck at 340 metres (1,120 ft). The Booley Mountains partly divide fromTory Hill to the valley of the Kilmacow River which flows into theSuir.
In the south of the county isBrandon Hill, at 515 metres (1,690 ft) and is near theBarrow andGraiguenamanagh. The area enclosed between the riversNore andBarrow towards their point of joining is elevated. Along the west of theBarrow andNore is mostly covered by hills of nearly equal elevation except along the left bank of the river Suir. Here there is a rich area of land between the river and the hills.
The county is subdivided into twelvebaronies which are in turn divided intocivil parishes andtownlands. There are about 800 townlands in Kilkenny. Each barony was made up of a number of parishes or parts of parishes. Both civil parishes and baronies are now largely obsolete (except for purposes such as legal transactions involving land) and are no longer used for local government purposes.
For religious administration, the county was divided into parishes. Every parish had at least one church. The barony boundaries and the parish boundaries were not connected.
From the 17th to mid-19th centuries, civil parishes were based on early Christian and medieval monastic and church settlements. The civil parishes are divided intotownlands (SeeList of townlands in County Kilkenny). As the population grew, new parishes were created and the civil parish covered the same area as the establishedChurch of Ireland. The Roman Catholic Church adapted to a new structure based on towns and villages. There 2,508 civil parishes in Ireland, which often break bothbarony andcounty boundaries.
For statistical purposes at European level, the county is part of theSouth-East Region, a NUTS III entity; this is in turn part of the level II NUTS entity,Southern Region.
Local government in County Kilkenny is governed by the Local Government Acts. TheLocal Government Reform Act 2014 established a unitary structure oflocal government. This single-tier structure consists ofKilkenny County Council.
For the purposes of local government, Kilkenny is divided into 4local electoral areas – Callan–Thomastown (6), Castlecomer (6), Kilkenny city (7) and Piltown (5) – which return a total of 24 members to Kilkenny County Council. The2019 Kilkenny local elections had a voter turnout of 53%, a decrease of 4.1% on the2014 election. The highest turnout was in Callan–Thomastown (56.4%) and the lowest was in Kilkenny city (50.4%).
In the 2019 local elections,Fianna Fáil andFine Gael emerged as the two dominant parties, holding 20 of the 24 seats between them. TheLabour Party hold 2 seats, theGreen Party hold 1 seat, and there is 1 independent.Sinn Féin, which had held 3 seats, failed to gain a seat in the 2019 election. Council elections are held every 5 years, with the next election due to be held in May 2024.
| Party | Seats | % of votes | % Change since2014 | Seat Change since 2014 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fianna Fáil | 11 | 41.1% |  3.9% | 1 | |
| Fine Gael | 9 | 32.1% | 2.2% | 2 | |
| Labour | 2 | 7.5% |  3.7% |  | |
| Green | 1 | 3.8% | 0.3% | | |
| Sinn Féin | 0 | 6.4% | 3.5% | 3 | |
| Independent | 1 | 8.5% | 1.3% | | |
As the county is part of theSouth-East Region, some county councillors are also representatives on the Southern Regional Assembly.
Until 2014, the second tier of local government consisted ofKilkenny Borough Council which was atown council. The city ofKilkenny was allowed to use the title of "Borough Council" instead of "Town Council", but Kilkenny Borough Council had no additional responsibilities. Since the enactment of the aforementioned Act on 1 June 2014, which abolished the borough, the county council is solely responsible for local services.
The county is part of theDáil constituency ofCarlow–Kilkenny (5TDs).[42] The constituency has been in use since the1948 general election.
Kilkenny has been represented through several parliamentary constituencies in the past. From 1918 to 1921, County Kilkenny was divided between theUnited Kingdom parliamentary constituencies ofNorth Kilkenny andSouth Kilkenny. In 1921 the Carlow–Kilkenny Dáil constituency was created and continued until the creation of a separateKilkenny constituency in 1937, which existed until 1948.
The county is part of theSouth constituency for elections to theEuropean Parliament. The constituency has 5 seats.[43]
County Kilkenny takes its name from thecity ofKilkenny. Kilkenny is the anglicised version of the IrishCill Chainnigh, meaningChurch (Cell) of Cainneach or Canice. This probably relates to the church andround tower, now St. Canice's Cathedral, which was built in honour ofSt. Canice.
TheKingdom of Osraige was one of the ancientKingdoms of Ireland. TheKings of Osraige, theMac Giolla Phádraig family, reigned overOsraige and Cill Chainnigh was their stronghold. TheKingdom of Ossory existed from at least the 2nd century until the 13th century AD. The currentecclesiasticaldioceses of that area is still known asOssory. The medievalDiocese of Ossory[44] and was established in 549 AD,[45] and its territory corresponded to the medievalKingdom of Ossory. In historic times, Kilkenny replacedAghaboe as the chief church in Osraige.
The kingdom was bounded by two of theThree Sisters the riversBarrow andSuir and the northern limit was, generally, theSlieve Bloom Mountains. The Osraige —their name means people of the deer— inhabited much of modern County Kilkenny and parts of neighbouringCounty Laois. To the west and south, Osraige was bounded by theRiver Suir, to the east the watershed of theRiver Barrow marked the boundary with Leinster, and to the north it extended into and beyond theSlieve Bloom Mountains. The River Nore ran through the Kingdom.
Osraige formed the easternmost part of the kingdom and province ofMunster until the middle of the 9th century, after which it was attached to Leinster. Osraige was largely abuffer state betweenLeinster andMunster. Its most significant neighbours were the Loígsi,Uí Cheinnselaig and Uí Baircche of Leinster to the north and east and the Déisi Muman,Eóganacht Chaisil and Éile of Munster to the south and west.[46]
The name Osraige is said to be from the Usdaie, aCeltic tribe thatPtolemy's map of Ireland places in roughly the same area that Osraige would later occupy. The territory indicated by Ptolemy probably included the major late Iron Age hill-fort atFreestone Hill which produced some Roman finds. Also the interesting burial atStoneyford which is of typical Roman type and probably dates to the 1st century AD.[citation needed] The Osraighe themselves claimed to be descended from theÉrainn people. Others propose that theIvernic groups included the Osraige of theKingdom of Osraige/Ossory.[47] TheBrigantes were the only Celtic tribe to have a presence in both England and Ireland, in the latter of which they could be found around Kilkenny,Wexford andWaterford.[48]
Pope Adrian IV gave Norman KingHenry II of England permission to claim Ireland 1154. The Cisternians came toJerpoint and Kilkenny around 1155/60. Jerpoint Abbey is founded by Donal MacGiollaPhadruig, King of Ossory 1158. In 1168,Dermot MacMurrough theKing of Leinster was driven out of his kingdom byRory O'Connor theHigh King of Ireland with the help ofTiernan O'Rourke.MacMurrough looked for help fromHenry II and got help from aCambro-Norman lord notableRichard de Clare, 2nd Earl of Pembroke, known to history as Strongbow. MacMurrough secured the services of Richard, promising him the hand of his daughterAoife of Leinster and the succession to Leinster. Richard and otherMarcher barons and knights by King Henry assembled an army. The army, underRaymond le Gros, tookWexford,Waterford andDublin in 1169 and 1170, and Strongbow joined them in August 1170. The day after the capture of Waterford, he married MacMorrough's daughter, Aoife.
TheLordship of Ireland was alordship created in the wake of theNorman invasion of Ireland in 1169–71. Kilkenny formed part of the lordship of Leinster. Strongbow became Lord of Leinster in 1171.
The architecture of County Kilkenny contains features from all eras since theStone Age includingNorman andAnglo-Irishcastles,Georgian urban buildings, towns and villages with unique architectures,palladian androcococountry houses,Gothic andneo-Gothiccathedrals and buildings. In the late 20th century a new economic climate resulted in a renaissance of culture and design, with some at the cutting edge ofmodern architecture. County Kilkenny contains varied architecture includingpassage graves,ringforts,Irish round towers, castles, churches and cathedrals,abbeys andpriories, bridges and roads, andtownhouses of varying style.
Evidence of Neolithic settlement can be found throughout the county. There are great burial mounds including the portal tombs and dolmens at Owning,Kilmogue-Harristown and Borrismore. There are passage graves at Clomantagh Hill andKnockroe. There were non-megalith single-grave burial tombs, Linkardstown-type Cists, excavated at Jerpoint West. These are late Neolithic and before the single-grave rite of the Bronze Age.[49] ANeolithic house was identified inGranny nearWaterford, making it the oldest house in County Kilkenny. The square house consisted of slot-trenches, internal floor surfaces, a hearth and wooden posts at each corner, one of the post-holes was radiocarbon-dated to 3997–3728 BC. A new form of early Neolithic pottery with a lip around the inside of the rim were found. This Granny pottery is similar to pottery found in the south-east of England.[50]
Ogham stones are found throughout County Kilkenny. The Gowran Ogham Stone which is on display inSt. Mary's Collegiate Church Gowran is an example of a Christianised ogham stone. The ogham lettering is from the 3rd or 4th century. The Christian cross was carvedc. 6th century following St. Patrick's arrival in Ireland in 432 AD. The ogham stone was found on the site during the rebuilding of the chancel in 1826. The Gowran Ogham Stone has survived to the present day due to the fact that it was used as a building stone in another part of the church and lay undisturbed for centuries.
Passage graves consisted of a central burial chamber, with a long passageway to the entrance.Knockroe contains a passage tomb which is protected by listing order. From some time beginning around the Iron Age, Ireland has thousands ofringforts, or "raths".Carigeen,Danesfort,Dunbell big andTullaroan all contain ring forts protected by preservation order.
Theround stone tower is one feature ofearly historic architecture not usually found outside Ireland with only three inScotland and one on theIsle of Man. The tower atSt Canice's Cathedral inKilkenny City is a good example. Other round towers are situated around the county such asTullaherin round tower, one nearBennettsbridge,Kells,Johnstown, andAghaviller nearKnocktopher.
Kilkenny Castle is acastle inKilkenny. It was the seat of the Butler family. Formerly the family name was FitzWalter. The castle was sold to the local Castle Restoration Committee in the middle of the 20th century for£50. Shortly afterwards it was handed over to the State, and has since been refurbished and is open to visitors. Part of the National Art Gallery is on display in the castle. There are ornamental gardens on the town side of the castle, and extensive land and gardens to the front. It has become one of the most visited tourist sites in Ireland.
Foulksrath Castle is a 15th-centuryAnglo-Normantower house located inJenkinstown in County Kilkenny. It was built by the Purcell clan, who also constructed several others nearby. After over three centuries as owners, the family was reduced to living as peasants in the castle stables after it was confiscated byOliver Cromwell and given to his officers after theCromwellian conquest of Ireland.
Jerpoint Abbey is aCistercian abbey nearThomastown. It was constructed in 1180, probably on the site of an earlierBenedictine monastery built in 1160 by Domnall Mac Gilla Patraic,King of Osraige.[51] Jerpoint is notable for its stone carvings, including one at the tomb ofFelix Ua Duib Sláin,Bishop of theDiocese of Ossory when the abbey was founded.
Duiske Abbey inGraiguenamanagh founded in 1204 was one of the first and largestCisterciansmonasteries in Ireland. What remains of the monastery is a large gothic church which dominates the town centre in Graiguenamanagh. The abbey derives its name from the river Duiske or Dúbh Uisce which flows through the town on its way to the river Barrow which also flows through this town. Original floor tiles from the original building can be seen in the abbey along with the gothic and romanesque architecture.
The Black Abbey in Kilkenny, founded 1225, is a Dominican abbey with two-bay double-height lean-to lower aisle to south. It was extended,c. 1325, with four-bay double-height transept to south having four-bay double-height lean-to lower aisle to west.
Kells Priory is one of the largest medieval historic monuments in Ireland. It is anational monument and is in the guardianship of the Commissioners of Public Works. The priory is scenically situated alongside King's River, about fifteen kilometres south ofKilkenny. One of its most striking feature is a collection of medievaltower houses spaced at intervals along and within walls which enclose a site of just over 3 acres (12,000 m2). These give thepriory the appearance more of a fortress than of a place of worship and from them comes its local name of "Seven Castles".
TheCallan Augustinian Friary is situated inCallan. It is known locally as the "Abbey Meadow" and is located at the North East of the town on the banks of the Kings Rover. Edmund Butler of Pottlerath, a noted patron of literature, successfully petitioned Pope Pius II for the foundation of the friary in 1461. After Edmund died in 1462, the actual buildings were erected by his son, James, probably after 1467 when he received a papal dispensation to marry his concubine, to whom he was related.
There are many 18th-century bridges in County Kilkenny. These bridges are an important element of the civil engineering and transport heritage of County Kilkenny and so are included in the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage (NIAH) Building Survey.[52]
The Great Flood of 1763 washed away many of the major bridges crossing theRiver Nore, and a comprehensive rebuilding programme was initiated. Many of the bridges are built to designs prepared by George Smith (1763–67), a pupil ofGeorge Semple, and they feature Classical-style detailing, indicating the lasting influence of the illustrations included inAndrea Palladio'sI quattro libri dell'architettura (1570). Smith designedGreen's Bridge inKilkenny,Castlecomer Bridge on the Dinin (Deen) River;Thomastown Bridge on the River Nore;Graiguenamanagh Bridge on the River Barrow andInistioge Bridge on the River Nore.
Other 18th-century bridges include; the bridges inGoresbridge,Bennettsbridge,Kells, Threecastles, Dinin Bridge and the bridge atMount Juliet.
In medieval times many fine churches in Ireland were also built such asSt. Mary's Collegiate Church Gowran, St. Canice's Cathedral inKilkenny andSt. Mary's Cathedral.
St. Lachtain's Church,Freshford was built in 1731, incorporating a portal from 1100 as its main entrance, all that is left of the original church is the Hiberno-Romanesque (Irish-Roman) architectural porch and doorway. The remainder of the present church was built for Protestant worship in 1731. In St. Lachtains time Freshford was a diocese. In 1225 a bishops palace was built at Aghore (Achadh Ur), now Uppercourt. It was used as a summer residence for over 300 years.
In County KilkennyJerpoint Abbey nearThomastown,Kells Priory atKells.Kilkenny City includingSt Canice's Cathedral andSt Mary's Cathedral,Rothe House andKilkenny Castle.
Dunmore Cave is ashow cave in Ballyfoyle, with a tourist centre established at the site. As well as a variety ofcave formations, it is also one of the most documented archaeological sites in Ireland.Jenkinstown Park is about 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) north of the town ofKilkenny and 11 kilometres (6.8 mi) south ofCastlecomer off theN78 road.
Gardens include Kilfane Glen inThomastown,Woodstock Garden inInistioge, the Discover Park inCastlecomer, Darver House garden inJenkinstown,Coolcashin Garden nearJohnstown, Emoclew Garden inGoresbridge, Shankill Gardens & Castle inPaulstown,Rothe Family Garden inKilkenny, Dahlia garden inThe Rower and the rose garden atKilkenny Castle. Hedgerows also have historical significance as townland and field boundaries.
TheNore Valley Way is along-distance trail under development. When completed it will begin inKilkenny City and end inInistioge.[53] It is designated as aNational Waymarked Trail by the National Trails Office of theIrish Sports Council and is managed by Trail Kilkenny,[54] a group made up of representatives ofKilkenny County Council, County Kilkenny LEADER Partnership, Kilkenny Sports Partnership and local landowners.[55]The scenic South Leinster Way, a very scenic trail, journeys along the lower Barrow Valley before leaving the riverside at Graiguenamanagh to traverse the lower slopes of Brandon Hill.
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1600 | 11,343 | — |
| 1610 | 15,668 | +38.1% |
| 1653 | 19,185 | +22.4% |
| 1659 | 18,427 | −4.0% |
| 1821 | 181,946 | +887.4% |
| 1831 | 193,686 | +6.5% |
| 1841 | 202,420 | +4.5% |
| 1851 | 158,748 | −21.6% |
| 1861 | 124,515 | −21.6% |
| 1871 | 109,379 | −12.2% |
| 1881 | 99,531 | −9.0% |
| 1891 | 87,261 | −12.3% |
| 1901 | 79,159 | −9.3% |
| 1911 | 74,962 | −5.3% |
| 1926 | 70,990 | −5.3% |
| 1936 | 68,614 | −3.3% |
| 1946 | 66,712 | −2.8% |
| 1951 | 65,235 | −2.2% |
| 1956 | 64,089 | −1.8% |
| 1961 | 61,668 | −3.8% |
| 1966 | 60,463 | −2.0% |
| 1971 | 61,473 | +1.7% |
| 1979 | 69,156 | +12.5% |
| 1981 | 70,806 | +2.4% |
| 1986 | 73,186 | +3.4% |
| 1991 | 73,635 | +0.6% |
| 1996 | 75,336 | +2.3% |
| 2002 | 80,339 | +6.6% |
| 2006 | 87,558 | +9.0% |
| 2011 | 95,419 | +9.0% |
| 2016 | 99,232 | +4.0% |
| 2022 | 103,685 | +4.5% |
| [3][56][57][58][59][60][61][62] | ||
As of the 2016 census, by theCentral Statistics Office, County Kilkenny's population was 99,232, of whom 38,722 people reported some level ofIrish language usage. There were 41,363 people reported as at work in the county in 2016.[61] There were 1,251 births and 546 deaths in 2007.[63] Disposable household income per person as of 2005 was 18,032 euros and the index of disposable household was 89.4.[64]
The main religion is Catholic, however there are Church of Ireland, Presbyterian, Methodist, Jewish and other religious traditions living in Kilkenny.[65]
County Kilkenny was the last county in Leinster to have native Irish speakers other than Louth (which was historically and linguistically a part of Ulster). The dialect shared the majority of its features with the surviving dialect of Ring in County Waterford. One distinct feature of the traditional Irish of Kilkenny (and Laois) as part of the Ossory dialect region was the pronunciation ofslender R [ɾʲ] as [ʒʲ] similar to but not exactly like the G in the English word "regime". This [ʒʲ] sound was devoiced to an "sh" sound when slender R was adjacent to the sound /h/. The Irish language scholar Risteárd A. Breatnach wrote an MA thesis entitled "Kilkenny Irish" but this remains unpublished.
Baile Shéamais, in Glenmore, was home to Pádraig Paor who is believed to have been the last traditional native speaker of the Irish language in County Kilkenny. Audio-recordings were made of his speech in 1936 for the Irish Folklore Commission (Coimisiún Béaloideasa Éireann) by Séamus Ó Duilearga and Risteárd A Breatnach.[66] His speech contains the well-documented Ossory pronunciation ofslender R[ɾʲ] as[ʒʲ], resembling the⟨j⟩ sound of Standard French.
In 1966, County Kilkenny village creameries amalgamated to createAvonmore Creameries, becoming Avonmore Food plc in 1988. The company joined with Waterford Food plc in 1997 to formGlanbia plc, a large multinational nutrition company with 2019 revenues of over €2.3 billion and 6,900 employees.[67]The local operations have returned to co-operative control under theTirlán brand in 2022.[68]
Iarnród Éireann (Irish Rail) provides rail services fromDublin to Waterford which pass throughKilkenny MacDonagh Station inKilkenny andThomastown railway station.Waterford railway station is located just outside County Kilkenny. The stations served are Dublin Heuston, Newbridge, Kildare,Athy,Carlow,Muine Bheag (Bagenalstown),Kilkenny,Thomastown,Waterford Plunkett. Since Kilkenny is a stub station, reversal is necessary. Non Passenger trains such as theDFDS Freight train from Ballina – Waterford avoid Kilkenny by using Lavistown loop which joins both lines going into Kilkenny. All direct services are operated by 22000 railcars. There is a service every 2 hours.
Bus Éireann andJJ Kavanagh and Sons provide bus services throughout the county.
Kilkenny Airport is a small airport located just 1.5 km West of Kilkenny. There are 6 powered resident aircraft and two gliders based at the aerodrome.
Hospitals in County Kilkenny include threepublic and oneprivate hospitals.[69]St. Luke's General Hospital is a general medical and surgical hospital built in 1942.[70] It is situated on the Freshford Road and provides a range of local and regional services, including general medicine, general surgery, obstetrics, gynaecology and paediatrics.St. Canice's is a psychiatric hospital, opened in 1852 and located on the Dublin Road.[71] It provides a range of mental health services including acute and long stay care, out-patient services throughout the county including addiction counselling services, respite care community hostel facilities and day care facilities.Kilcreene is the regional orthopaedic hospital based outside Kilkenny in Kilcreene.Aut Even is a private hospital based outside the city ofKilkenny.[72] InCastlecomer there isCastlecomer District Hospital.[73]
Most maternity services for County Kilkenny are proved inWaterford atUniversity Hospital Waterford.
There are also health centres based around County Kilkenny including inBallyhale,Ballyragget,Bennettsbridge,Callan,Castlecomer,Clogh,Castlecomer,Freshford,Gowran,Graiguenamanagh, Marley andTinnahinch inGraiguenamanagh,Inistioge,Johnstown,Loughboy inKilkenny,Stoneyford,Kilmacow,Mullinavat,Paulstown,Rosbercon,Thomastown,Urlingford andWindgap.[74]
Inhurling, by far the dominant sport in the county,Kilkenny GAA compete annually in theAll-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship, which they have won a record thirty-six times, theLeinster Senior Hurling Championship, which they have won seventy times, and theNational Hurling League, which they have won seventeen times. Kilkenny, along withCork andTipperary, are regarded as 'the Big Three' in the world of hurling.Brian Cody has been manager of the Kilkenny senior hurling team since 1998. The currentsenior hurling captain isJoey Holden fromBallyhale Shamrocks.
The Kilkenny flag or county colours are black and amber. The County Kilkenny hurling team,Tullaroan, were the first Kilkenny team to wear the famous black and amber colours. In 1886, after winning the first-ever county championship in Kilkenny they held a fund-raising event in Tullaroan to provide the team with a playing strip. After intensive debate and consultations the club chose the black and amber stripes as the design for the jerseys that they would wear againstLimerick that August.[75]
Gowran Park is a horse racing course nearGowran. The first meeting was held in 1914 and the racecourse hosts 16 race days throughout the year including the Thyestes Chase (TheGrand National of the South), one of the prestigioussteeplechases in Ireland which has been won by three timeCheltenham Gold Cup Winner,Arkle in 1964 andAintree Grand National winnersHedgehunter andNumbersixvalverde. It has 16National Hunt and Flat meetings all year round.
Mount Juliet Golf Course is agolf resort situated inThomastown. It was the venue for the 2002 and 2004WGC-American Express Championship, having previously hosted theEuropean Tour'sIrish Open on three occasions between 1993 and 1995. The par 72, 7,300-yard (6,700 m)Jack Nicklaus designed golf course opened in 1991, and was votedBest Parkland Golf Course by Backspin Golf Magazine in March 2008. There is also a full 18-hole putting course set in the grounds of Mount Juliet House, which is the venue for the annual National Putting Championship.
Kilkenny Golf Club is 18-hole championship parkland course within the town to the North West, close to town centre. It hosted several Professional Championship events. In 1984 and 1996, it was the venue for the All Ireland Mixed Foursome Finals and in 1985 hosted the All Ireland Cups and Shields Finals. The course is mostly flat terrain with an abundance of trees. Around Kilkenny City there is also a Driving Range in Newpark and an 18-hole all weather Par 3 golf course in Pocoke.
Other golf courses include Gowran Park Golf Course inGowran,[76] Callan Golf Club inCallan,[77] Castlecomer Golf Club inCastlecomer,[78] Mountain View Golf Course inBallyhale[79] and Carrigleade Golf Course inGraiguenamanagh.[80]
The Riordans (1965 to 1979) made byRaidió Teilifís Éireann (then calledTelefís Éireann) was set in the fictionaltownland of Leestown in County Kilkenny. Its use ofOutside Broadcast Units and its filming of its episodeson location rather than in studio, broke the mould of broadcasting in the soap operagenre. It was the secondIrishsoap opera and inspired the creation of its British equivalent,Emmerdale Farm (now calledEmmerdale) byYorkshire Television in 1972.
The song "The Rose of Mooncoin" is the traditional anthem of the county at GAA fixtures.[81]
The recently released,Kilkenny by the Nore sung by Alice O'Hanlon is also now considered an anthem.
In the book: "Kilkenny: The Landed Gentry & Aristocracy" by Art Kavanagh[82] (2004), he had devoted a chapter each to eighteen of the most prominent Kilkenny Families, chosen 'on a random geographical basis to ensure even distribution over the entire County', as follows – Agar ofGowran,Blunden of Castle Blunden,Bryan of Jenkinstown,Butler (Lords Carrick),Butler of Maidenhall,Butler (Lords Mountgarret),Butler (Earls of Ormonde),Cuffe (Lords Desart),De Montmorency,Flood of Farmley,Langrishe ofKnocktopher,Loftus of Mount Juliet,McCalmont of Mount Juliet,Ponsonby (Earls of Bessborough),Power of Kilfane,Smithwick of Kilcreene,St George ofFreshford andWandesforde of Catlecomer.
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