Kilkenny

First Stop of the day was Kilkenny Castle

The Kilkenny Castle stands dramatically on a strategic height that commands a crossing on the River Nore and dominates the 'High Town' of Kilkenny City. Over the eight centuries of its existence, many additions and alterations have been made to the fabric of the building, making Kilkenny Castle today a complex structure of various architectural styles.

After the castle was taken over by the Office of Public Works, new entrances were created to give access to the park. The entrance near the Parade Tower has nineteenth-century cast iron gates that came originally from Saint Stephen's Green. The open parkland to the south of the castle been replanted with emphasis on trees and shrubs that provide year round colour.  Pathways have been restored and some have been extended.

On the west side of the castle a formal garden with axial paths radiating from a central fountain retains much of the basic form that could have been there during the ducal period. The existing fountain is probably the base of an original seventeenth century water feature. Two lead statues stand on pedestals near the castle: one is of Hermes after the original in the Vatican Collection, and the other is of Diana the Huntress. All of the garden features, including the terracing, have been recently restored.

Kilkenny was the focus for the Catholic Confederacy and had suffered badly when under siege by Cromwell's forces in 1650. A detailed survey, carried out between 1654 and 1656, contains valuable information, and describes the castle as having only three towers by this date. The survey also informs us that the 'top of the battlements' were 132 foot long by 20 foot wide and that there were twentyfive rooms in the castle. Also described in the survey were: a hall, a kitchen, an unnamed building and a long, narrow, brick 'house built for soldiers' containing eleven rooms. Outside the castle gate were an 'outergate court' and a huge double 'great stable block'.

The second Stop was Rothe House

Rothe House was built between 1594 and 1610 by John Rothe Fitz Piers who constructed it on the Burgage Plot he acquired as one of the city’s leading citizens. The Rothe Family, along with less than a dozen other wealthy families, controlled Kilkenny’s trade and dominated its civic government from the late Middle Ages until the 17th Century.

There are 3 houses built one behind the other.  The first house was completed in 1594 and this is where John Rothe carried out his business as a merchant and lived upstairs with his family. The second house was completed in 1604 and included additional family living space.

The third house, completed 1610, included a kitchen on the ground floor with a large hearth and bake oven, as well as additional rooms on the first and second floors.

Behind the third house are the gardens that contained an orchard, herb and vegetable gardens, a pigeon house, a well, and a summerhouse at the far end.

Okay and here is the story behind the house:

John Rothe was involved in the political life of the city serving as the mayor of Kilkenny in 1613. He married Rose Archer, the daughter of another influential Kilkenny family, and had twelve children with her. Their eldest son Peter was born in 1590, followed by eight daughters and three more sons. Following John’s death in 1620 his son Peter inherited the bulk of his estate.

Like his father, Peter Rothe entered local politics. With the outbreak of rebellion in Ireland in 1641 and civil war in England the following year, the leading families in Ireland (both Gaelic Irish and Old English) formed the Confederation of Kilkenny to safeguard their political and religious rights. Peter Rothe, as one of Kilkenny’s leading citizens, took a seat in the General Assembly of the Confederate government. As a cousin of Bishop David Rothe (leader of the Confederate Bishops), he allowed Rothe House be used as the meeting place of the Assembly of Bishops of the Confederation.

With Charles I defeat in the English Civil War his enemies turned their full attention to subduing Ireland. Peter Rothe was punished for his participation in the Confederation by the confiscation of his property and was banished to Connaught by Oliver Cromwell, where he died in 1654.

In the late 1890s and early 1900s, the house was home to the Gaelic League or Conradh na Gaeilge.  Thomas Mc Donagh, a signatory of the 1916 Proclamation, taught here in 1903.

In 1962 the Kilkenny Archaeological Society as the headquarters of the Society and as a place to exhibit its collection of artefacts purchased Rothe House. In 2004 the Society formed the Rothe House Trust to manage the house as a museum of John Rothe’s life and times, and as an exhibit museum of Kilkenny history.

Today was a very fun and enlightening day. There are as many picture because the Kilkenny castle didn't allow camera and our teachers had us do a more intensive study of the house. All the professors had assignments for us that made you actually stop ad write certain things down. Like if you pick a certain artifact to write about you have to say what it was and why'd you picked it and how can you relate it to the course your currently taking.... so the pictures are very lacking. 

But here is the LINK to see all the pics from today.

Miss everyone!

Peace, Love, and Scones!

Kalie 

XoXo