I first heard of Kilkenny around 1986. The Society for Intercultural Education, Training and Research (SIETAR), of which I was a member, announced that it would hold its next annual conference in this quaint Irish town. I didn't go to that conference, but I was excited that our bus tour of the UK and Ireland would allow us to see what I had missed. Conference members probably stayed at a hotel, but they may have held their meetings at the Kilkenny Castle--or at least they held a dinner there.
Kilkenny became a place in the early 6th century as a church. After the Norman invasion of Ireland, a castle was built in 1195 to control a fording-point of the River Nore and the junction of several route ways. It was a symbol of Norman occupation and the castle and surrounding walls protected this Norman merchant town. In 1609, King James I of England granted Kilkenny a Royal Charter that gave it the status of a city. Following the Irish Rebellion of 1641, the Irish Catholic Confederation was based in Kilkenny and lasted until the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland in 1649. Kilkenny became a brewing center in the late 17th century; it still houses a number of breweries.
Today, Kilkenny Castle is open to visitors all year round and is largely a Victorian remodeling of the castle. Each year, hundreds of thousands of visitors come to see it and walk through its 50 acres of rolling parkland with mature trees, wildlife, a formal terraced rose garden, woodlands, and a man-made lake. (Kilkenny Castle website)
Below is the castle's entrance, courtyard, an adjoining park with a walking trail, and a riverfront view of the castle.
Down the main road from the castle is the outdoor market. On this brisk day it was rather subdued and not very crowded, but it offered local products, arts & crafts, and a variety of sweet treats.
A bit of Irish music always warms one's heart. This man made it look and feel real. In fact, people in the Kilkenny enjoy and appreciate folk songs and live music. It recalls their Gaelic roots that gives them much pride and identity.
Post Office vehicles are green, of course!
The Marble City Bar recalls a bit of the city's history as a marble producing town. There is a quarry nearby.
Ireland seemed to me to present an overall element of the mysterious and macabre. This restaurant in the older part of the city on Butter Slip Lane related a short story on the life of Petronella and provided a snippet of 14th century Kilkenny culture.
Petronella de Meath was the handmaid to Dame Alice Kyteler, a 14th century Hiberno Norman noblewoman. Following the mysterious deaths of Alice's four husbands, Alice was accused of practicing witchcraft and subsequently sentenced to death to be burned at the stake.
Petronella was charged with being one of her accomplices. Alice escaped and to satisfy the large crowd that had gathered outside Kilkenny city's Tholsel, Petronella was made to take the place of her mistress and was flogged and burned alive.
Petronella de Meath was the first woman in Ireland to be burned at the stake for the crime of heresy on November 3, 1324.
The Petronella Restaurant offers Irish, European, vegetarian, and gluten-free cuisine. The building dates back to 1602. It seats 50 guests on two floors "so whether you are dining alone or with a group, you are assured of company, atmosphere and a warm welcome."
Kilkenny is a tourist destination, and it has many historic buildings. It is also known for its craft and design workshops, the Watergate Theatre, public gardens and museums. Annual events include Kilkenny Arts Festival, the Cat Laughs Comedy Festival, and music at the Kilkenny Roots Festival.
There was so much more of the city to explore, but alas, we needed to move on to Waterford for the afternoon and a one-night stay at a family-owned boutique hotel.
Resources
Andrew Speed, guide of CostSaver Travel Company
Kilkenny Castle -- https://kilkennycastle.ie/
Kilkenny -- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kilkenny
No comments:
Post a Comment