Kilkenny

Kilkenny (Irish: Cill Chainnigh, meaning 'church of Cainnech') is a city in County Kilkenny, Ireland. It lies in the South-East Region and the province of Leinster, built on both banks of the River Nore. According to the 2022 census, Kilkenny has a population of 27,184, making it the thirteenth-largest urban centre in Ireland.

The city is a popular tourist spot, featuring historic buildings such as Kilkenny Castle, St Canice's Cathedral, and Rothe House. Visitors can also see Shee Alms House, Black Abbey, St. Mary's Cathedral, The Tholsel, St. Francis Abbey, Grace's Castle, and St. John's Priory. Kilkenny is known for its craft workshops, the Watergate Theatre, public gardens, and museums. Each year, the city hosts events like the Kilkenny Arts Festival, the Cat Laughs comedy festival, and the Kilkenny Roots Festival.

Kilkenny's history dates back to the early 6th century as an ecclesiastical foundation within the Kingdom of Ossory. After the Norman invasion of Ireland in the 12th century, the castle and town walls were built. In 1207, William Marshall, Lord of Leinster, gave Kilkenny a charter as a town. By the late 13th century, it was under Hiberno-Norman control. In 1609, James I of England granted Kilkenny a Royal Charter, making it a city. The city was also the base for the Irish Catholic Confederation from 1641 to 1649. Today, Kilkenny remains known for its breweries and rich cultural heritage.

Toponymy

Kilkenny comes from the Irish name Cill Chainnigh, which means "Church of Canice". This name refers to a church built to honor St. Canice, who was from Ulster. The church stood on a hill where St. Canice’s Cathedral and a round tower are now located. The round tower shows that there was an important Christian site there a long time ago.

The Annals of the Four Masters first mentioned Kilkenny in the year 1085. Before that, the area was known as Osraighe. Even though Cill Chainnigh became an important religious center by the eighth century, it wasn’t very well-known in earlier times.

History

Main article: History of Kilkenny

See also: History of Ireland and History of Europe

Kilkenny has a long and interesting history. It started in the 6th century with a church built for a saint named Canice. This place became an important center for learning and religion. By the 13th century, new walls were built around the town to protect it.

Over the years, Kilkenny has seen many changes. It was once a place where important leaders lived and made decisions. Today, Kilkenny is known for its arts and festivals, and it has a rich cultural life. The city is also famous for a special kind of beer that was first made there.

Geography

See also: Geography of Ireland and Demographics of Ireland

Kilkenny is found in the Nore Valley, sitting on both sides of the River Nore. It is right in the middle of County Kilkenny, in the province of Leinster, in the south-east part of Ireland. The city is not too far from big places like Dublin, Waterford, Wexford, and Limerick.

Kilkenny has a changing weather, just like the rest of Ireland. It is warm but not too hot or too cold, which helps plants grow well. The city is protected by hills, so it is not very windy. Sometimes, Kilkenny gets very hot in the summer or very cold in the winter. The weather station there has kept track of temperatures and rain for many years, showing how the climate is slowly getting warmer.

Demographics

Kilkenny has many people living outside the city limits, but inside the city there were 27,184 people in 2022. In earlier years, the number of people in the city grew slowly. For example, in 2006 there were 22,179 people in the city and its nearby areas.

Kilkenny is mostly an English-speaking place, but Irish is also spoken. Because of people moving there from other places, many other languages can be heard too. The most common religion is Catholicism, but people of other faiths also live in Kilkenny.

Administration

Kilkenny is managed as part of County Kilkenny. The area includes several neighborhoods and elects seven members to the Kilkenny County Council. Local leaders take care of important tasks such as planning, roads, cleaning, and libraries.

Kilkenny has a long history of local leadership. Its first council was chosen in 1231. Over time, the leaders were called different titles. In 1609, it received special permission from the king to be called a city. Today, Kilkenny is still often called a city, even though its leadership joined the county council in 2014.

County Kilkenny is located in the Southern Region and is part of the Carlow–Kilkenny area for elections.

Landmarks

Kilkenny has many special buildings and places that show its rich history. The city is famous for Kilkenny Castle and St. Canice's Cathedral, which are important landmarks. The city also has old walls that were built a long time ago to protect it. These walls still have some parts left, like Talbot Tower.

St. Canice's Cathedral, also called Kilkenny Cathedral, is one of the longest cathedrals in Ireland. Next to it stands a tall round tower from the 9th century. This tower might have been used to watch for danger or as a safe place a long time ago.

Kilkenny has several bridges that cross the River Nore. The most famous is Green's Bridge, which has been rebuilt many times because of floods. Another bridge, John's Bridge, was finished in 1910 and was once the longest single-span bridge in Ireland or Britain.

The Old Woollen Mills, built in the 1800s, used to be a big workplace. It has a tall red brick chimney and is now a place where people can find old building pieces and antiques.

Culture

See also: Culture of Ireland and Irish people

Kilkenny is a popular place for visitors in the South-East Region of Ireland. People enjoy its art galleries, old buildings, workshops, theatre, comedy shows, gardens, and museums. These attractions make Kilkenny one of Ireland's most visited towns and a great spot to explore the nearby countryside.

Kilkenny hosts many festivals and events throughout the year. The Kilkenny Tradfest happens in March for St. Patrick's Day, with parades and music. The Kilkenny Roots Festival in May features many kinds of music. The Cat Laughs comedy festival occurs in June, and the Kilkenny Arts Festival in August includes art, theatre, dance, and music. There is also a food festival called Savour Kilkenny in October, and Kilkenomics mixes economics with comedy in November.

Infrastructure

Education

Kilkenny is home to many well-known secondary schools. One of the oldest is Kilkenny College, founded in 1538. Notable past students include famous people like Jonathan Swift and George Berkeley. Another important school is St. Kieran's College, founded in 1782, which was the first Roman Catholic secondary school in Ireland. There are many other schools in the area, each offering different programs and activities.

Roads

Kilkenny is connected by several important roads. The N10 links to Dublin, N77 goes to Portlaoise, and N76 leads to Clonmel. These roads help people travel easily within the region.

Railway

Kilkenny has had a railway station since May 12, 1848. Trains connect Kilkenny to Dublin, Waterford, and other towns. The station was renamed McDonagh Station in 1966 to honor Thomas MacDonagh, a famous Irish poet and playwright.

Air

Kilkenny Airport is used mainly for private planes. For regular flights, people travel to Dublin Airport or Cork Airport, both about 150 kilometers away.

Industry

Kilkenny has a long history with brewing. The famous St. Francis Abbey Brewery, later known as Smithwick's, was founded there in the 1700s. Today, many jobs in Kilkenny come from companies like Glanbia, a big dairy business with operations around the world.

Hospitals

Kilkenny has several hospitals. St. Luke's offers many medical services. St. Canice's focuses on mental health care. Kilcreene specializes in orthopaedic treatment, and Aut Even is a private hospital. These hospitals provide important healthcare for the community.

Sport

See also: Sport in Ireland

Kilkenny has many sports clubs and activities. The Kilkenny City Harriers Club started in 1953 for running and athletics. In 1992, a new running track called Scanlon Park opened.

Hurling is very popular in Kilkenny, and the county has a very successful team. Schools like St. Kieran's College help train players. There are also clubs for Gaelic football, although it is not as popular as hurling here.

Kilkenny City AFC used to play in the League of Ireland but stopped in 2008. There is also a women’s football team, Kilkenny United W.F.C., in the top league for women.

Kilkenny has a rugby club, Kilkenny RFC, that has sent players to the national team. Rugby is also played in local schools.

The city has a golf club with an 18-hole course and has hosted big tournaments. There is also a golf resort nearby designed by Jack Nicklaus.

Kilkenny has cycling clubs and hosts a women’s cycling event called Rás na mBan.

The city also has an ice hockey team, Kilkenny City Storm, which plays in the Irish leagues.

Notable residents

See also: List of people from County Kilkenny

In the book Kilkenny: The Landed Gentry & Aristocracy, Art Kavanagh writes about eighteen important families from Kilkenny. These families come from different parts of the county. Some of these families include the Agar family from Gowran, the Blunden family from Castle Blunden, the Bryan family from Jenkinstown, and the Butler families, such as the Lords Carrick, Lords Mountgarret, and Earls of Ormonde. Other families mentioned are the Cuffe family (Lords Desart), De Montmorency, Flood of Farmley, Langrishe of Knocktopher, Loftus and McCalmont of Mount Juliet, Ponsonby (Earls of Bessborough), Power of Kilfane, Smithwick of Kilcreene, St George of Freshford, and Wandesforde of Catlecomer.