My wife's ancestors - Butler - Contents

Kilkenny Castle

Kilkenny Castle.
Click to rotate.
From Google Street View.

Kilkenny Castle was originally built by Strongbow 1172.
Rebuilt by William Marshal 1192.
Purchased by James Butler, 3rd Earl of Ormond 1391.
Sir Richard Butler born here 1395.
Seized by Piers Butler, 8th Earl of Ormond in 1498, as he asserted his claim as heir to the Earldom.
Seat of Earls, Dukes and Marquesses of Ormond (later spelt Ormonde).

After the Butlers established their seat, Kilkenny became one of the most important towns in Ireland.
It was in the 1640s the Catholic Royalist capital of Ireland.
Its period of grandeur lasted until the 18th century, leaving behind one of the most beautiful towns in Ireland, with an unusual number of pre-18th century buildings and laneways.

In the 17th century, James Butler, 1st Duke of Ormonde gave Kilkenny Castle a wonderful, unfortified, French Chateau look. (He had been in exile in France with Charles II in the 1651-1660 period.)
But sadly in the 19th century, Kilkenny Castle was restored to a more brutal (and more commonplace, in Ireland) medieval defensive look.
The castle was seat of the Marquess of Ormonde until 1935.
Now owned by the state.

Kilkenny Castle.
Photo 2013. See full size. From here.
See 2004 photo.

Kilkenny Castle.
Photo 2013. See full size. From here.

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View from river

See street view from the bridge at the river.

Kilkenny Castle.
See full size.
Detroit Photographic Company, 1905.
From The Library of Congress.

Kilkenny Castle.
Photo 2012. See full size. From here.

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• Wikimedia Commons

• Kilkenny Design Workshops was established 1963 in the old stables, opposite the castle.
• Now Kilkenny Design Centre (or via here).