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Kilkenny |  |
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Parishes and Towns |
KILKENNY CITY
"Kilkenny", a city and, including Irishtown, a county
of itself, and the seat of the diocese of Ossory, locally in the county
of Kilkenny, of which it is the chief town, and in the province of Leinster,
24 miles (N. E. by N.) from Clonmel, and 57 1/2 (S. W.) from Dublin, on the
river Nore and the mail coach road to Cork; containing 23,741 inhabitants.
This place is supposed by some writers to have derived its name from
Coil or Kyle-Ken-Ni, "the wooded head, or hill, near the
river;" and by others, with more probability, from the dedication of its
church to St. Canice, on the removal of the ancient see of Ossory from
Aghavoe to this place, about the year 1052, which had been originally founded
at Saiger, now Seir-Keran, about 402. Of the earlier history of the
town little is recorded previously to 1173, when Donald O'Brien, King of
Thomond, assembled his forces to dispossess the English invaders under
Strongbow, who had established thenselves and erected a fortress here soon
after their landing in Ireland. On this occasion Strongbow retreated to
Waterford, and abandoned the castle to the enemy, by whom, together with the
town, it was demolished, and the surrounding country laid waste. In 1192,
the English appear to have settled themselves firmly at this place; and in
1195, William Le Mareschal, who had succeeded to Strongbow's possessions,
rebuilt the castle on a larger scale and restored the town, which became
one of the principal residences of his successors, and the head of the
palatinate of Kilkenny. About this time arose that portion of the present
town which is more especially called Kilkenny, and which was more
immediately connected with the castle, in contradistinction to the original
town on the opposite bank of a small river flowing into the Nore, called
Irishtown. Each had its separate and independent municipal government,
the former under the lords of the castle, and the latter under the bishops
of Ossory, who ceded a portion of it to William Le Mareschal, by whom the
burgesses of Kilkenny were incorporated and endowed with many privileges,
among which was exemption from toll in all his territories of Leinster.
Gilbert de Clare, Earl of Gloucester and Hereford, marrying a duaghter of
William Le Mareschal, obtained as her dower the county of Kilkenny, which
subsequently passed by marriage again to Hugh, grandfather of Thomas Le
Spencer, from which it was purchased by James Butler, third Earl of
Ormonde. A great council of the barons of the English pale was held here in
1294; and in 1309 a parliament assembled at this place, in which severe
laws were enacted against such of the English settlers as should adopt the
Irish customs; and anathemas against all who should infringe them were
denounced in the cathedral by the Archbishop of Cashel and other prelates
who assisted on that occasion. In 1317, Lord Roger Mortimer, justiciary of
Ireland, and the English nobles, held a council here to deliberate on the
most effectual means of opposing the ravages of Edward Bruce; and an army
of 30,000 men was assembled, and great numbers of families sought refuge in
the town under the general alarm. ...
The city, which comprises an area of nearly a square mile, is intersected
from north to south by the river Nore, dividing it into two very unequal
portions, of which the large, containing the castle, is on its western bank;
and near the northern extremity, on the same side of the river, is that
portion called Irishtown, containing the cathedral, and separate from the
former by the small river Breagh, which here falls into the Nore. The
streets are very irregular, but the city has an air of venerable magnificence,
from its castle, cathedral, and the numerous and imposing remains of its
ancient religious edifices, and is seen to great advantage from the high
eastern bank of the river, and from the rising ground on the road to
Clonmel. The houses in the principal streets are generally built of stone,
and many of them are spacious and handsome, especially in that part of it
properly called Kilkenny, in which the chief modern improvements have taken
place; the total number of houses, in 1831, was 2800, since which time the
number has increased. There are two elegant stone bridges over the Nore,
erected after designs by Mr. G. Smith, to replace two which were destroyed
in 1763 by a great flood; St. John's bridge consists of three arches, and
Green's bridge connects Irishtown with the opposite bank. ...
The county of the city comprehends the parishes of St. Mary, St. Patrick,
St. John, and St. Canice, and comprises 16,400 statute acres. The parishes
of St. Mary and of St. Maul is entirely within the city.
[From A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland (1837)]Church Records
Cross reference to Family History Library microfilm (double-check with the Library)
Earliest Records: b. Apr 1768; m. Jun 1768.
Earliest Records: b. Jan 1789; m. Jun 1789.
Earliest Records: b. Jan 1754; m. Jan 1754; d. Jan 1754 to Jul 1787.
Earliest Records: b. Aug 1800; m. Jul 1801.
Earliest Records: b. Apr 1768; m. Jun 1768.
Civil Roman Catholic Time FHLC
parish parish period number
St Canice’s St Canice 1768-1810 0926195
St John’s St John’s 1817-1880 0979701
St Mary’s St Mary’s 1754-1810 0926196
St Mary’s St Mary’s 1762-1858 0926197
St Patrick’s St Patrick’s not available
Historical Geography
Townlands (1851) - vicinity of Kilkenny City
Edited by Dennis Walsh, last updated 9 May 1999
Parish Townland Acres Diocese
St. Canice Archerstreet Lot 88 Ossory
St. Canice Ardboy 43 Ossory
St. Canice Ayresfield 43 Ossory
St. Canice Ballynalina 290 Ossory
St. Canice Bishops Demesne 54 Ossory
St. Canice Bishopsfurze 71 Ossory
St. Canice Bishopsmeadows 32 Ossory
St. Canice Bonnetstown 574 Ossory
St. Canice Boolyshea 168 Ossory
St. Canice Burntfurze 32 Ossory
St. Canice Cappagh 140 Ossory
St. Canice Cashel 39 Ossory
St. Canice Cloranshea 353 Ossory
St. Canice Coolgrange 159 Ossory
St. Canice Crokershill 25 Ossory
St. Canice Deerpark 530 Ossory
St. Canice Dukesmeadows 8 Ossory
St. Canice Dunningstown 467 Ossory
St. Canice Gardens 81 Ossory
St. Canice Jamesgreen 33 Ossory
St. Canice Jamespark 40 Ossory
St. Canice Keatingstown 733 Ossory
St. Canice Kilcreen 42 Ossory
St. Canice Kingsland East 161 Ossory
St. Canice Kingsland West 75 Ossory
St. Canice Lacken 267 Ossory
St. Canice Loughmacask 56 Ossory
St. Canice Lousybush 107 Ossory
St. Canice Lyons 40 Ossory
St. Canice Maidenhill 45 Ossory
St. Canice Marnellsmeadows 19 Ossory
St. Canice Newtown 902 Ossory
St. Canice Oldpark 17 Ossory
St. Canice Palmerstown 162 Ossory
St. Canice Raheennagun 46 Ossory
St. Canice Robertshill 67 Ossory
St. Canice Sugarloaf Hill 6 Ossory
St. Canice Talbotsinch 303 Ossory
St. Canice Troyswood 507 Ossory
St. Canice Walkinslough 71 Ossory
St. John's Archersrath 107 Ossory
St. John's Baun 157 Ossory
St. John's Blanchfieldsland 116 Ossory
St. John's Bleachgreen 12 Ossory
St. John's Bonnetsrath 269 Ossory
St. John's Brownstown 537 Ossory
St. John's Cellarstown East 167 Ossory
St. John's Cellarstown Lower 100 Ossory
St. John's Cellarstown Upper 87 Ossory
St. John's Cellarstown West 299 Ossory
St. John's Charterschoolland 34 Ossory
St. John's Collegepark 9 Ossory
St. John's Dukesmeadows 69 Ossory
St. John's Dunmore 105 Ossory
St. John's Dunmorepark 111 Ossory
St. John's Friarsinch 43 Ossory
St. John's Gardens 55 Ossory
St. John's Garrincreen 116 Ossory
St. John's Glendine 123 Ossory
St. John's Greenridge 163 Ossory
St. John's Highhays 10 Ossory
St. John's Kingsland 104 Ossory
St. John's Kyleroe 170 Ossory
St. John's Lacken 24 Ossory
St. John's Leggetsrath East 215 Ossory
St. John's Leggetsrath West 245 Ossory
St. John's Loughmerans 369 Ossory
St. John's Lyrath 74 Ossory
St. John's Maudlinsland 53 Ossory
St. John's Middleknock 55 Ossory
St. John's Neworchard 208 Ossory
St. John's Newtown 134 Ossory
St. John's Pennefatherslot 87 Ossory
St. John's Purcellsinch 177 Ossory
St. John's Quarryland 19 Ossory
St. John's Radestown North 584 Ossory
St. John's Radestown South 168 Ossory
St. John's Roachpond 31 Ossory
St. John's Seixeslough 49 Ossory
St. John's Sionhermitage 30 Ossory
St. John's Templemartin 28 Ossory
St. Maul's Newpark Lower 151 Ossory
St. Maul's Newpark Upper 160 Ossory
St. Patrick's Archergrove 102 Ossory
St. Patrick's Archersleas 147 Ossory
St. Patrick's Ardscradum 12 Ossory
St. Patrick's Baunreagh 151 Ossory
St. Patrick's Birchfield 158 Ossory
St. Patrick's Castleblunden 190 Ossory
St. Patrick's Clonmoran 127 Ossory
St. Patrick's Cox's Fields 12 Ossory
St. Patrick's Danville 143 Ossory
St. Patrick's Deansground 35 Ossory
St. Patrick's Dicksborough 136 Ossory
St. Patrick's Donaghmore 53 Ossory
St. Patrick's Drakeland Lower 104 Ossory
St. Patrick's Drakeland Middle 230 Ossory
St. Patrick's Drakeland Upper 40 Ossory
St. Patrick's Dukesmeadows 37 Ossory
St. Patrick's Gallowshill 86 Ossory
St. Patrick's Gardens 30 Ossory
St. Patrick's Holdensrath 320 Ossory
St. Patrick's Joinersfolly 116 Ossory
St. Patrick's Kilcreen 118 Ossory
St. Patrick's Kylebeg 211 Ossory
St. Patrick's Loughboy 109 Ossory
St. Patrick's Margaret's-fields 34 Ossory
St. Patrick's Mortgage Fields 48 Ossory
St. Patrick's Palmerstown 57 Ossory
St. Patrick's Poulgour 131 Ossory
St. Patrick's Raggetsland 97 Ossory
St. Patrick's Reviewfields 138 Ossory
St. Patrick's Shellumsrath 128 Ossory
St. Patrick's Smithsland North 106 Ossory
St. Patrick's Smithsland South 66 Ossory
St. Patrick's Springhill 148 Ossory
St. Patrick's Warrington 487 Ossory
St. Patrick's Wetland 65 Ossory
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