The History of Medieval Kilkenny City
If you’re looking for places to explore to connect with your Irish family heritage, we’re here to help. Let’s check out how Kilkenny city will be valuable in your journey:
The Marble City
Kilkenny is also known as the “Marble City” because of the numerous quarries of black marble found in the area. James I, the king of England, established this land as a city.
Kilkenny was also the capital city of Ireland from 1642 to 1649. Today, the Roman Catholic Bishop is situated in the city, and so is the Bishop for the Church of Ireland. It was the first major Norman settlement, leading to many cultural influences today too.
Kilkenny Castle
The Lord of Leinster’s son-in-law, William, ordered the construction of this medieval majesty, which was finished in 1213. A ditch encapsulates the castle, which can be observed on Parade Day.
You can visit the National Gallery on your cultural tour in Ireland here. There is a lot of historical information you can extract for your ancestry research.
The Rothe House
This should be a must-visit on your heritage tour in Ireland. This landmark comprises three large houses with courtyards and a beautiful garden that transports you back to the 17th century, reliving how life used to be back then.
This place houses many historic items and artefacts from the previous eras, and the Archaeological Society looks after it in Kilkenny.
The St. Francis Abbey
Now this place has been turned into Smithwick’s Brewery. But this landmark is famous due to the Friar of the abbey who was working during the period of the Black Death plague. The abbey is in ruins, which can be explored within the brewery. You can also look for the artefacts from the Black Death era, such as the accounts of Friar John Clyn.
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