| content | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| County Kilkenny Contae Chill Chainnigh |
||
 |
||
|---|---|---|
| Location | ||
|
||
| Statistics | ||
| Province: | Leinster | |
| County seat: | Kilkenny | |
| Code: | KK | |
| Area: | 2,061 km² (796 sq mi) | |
| Population (2006) | 87,558 | |
| Website: www.kilkennycoco.ie | ||
County Kilkenny (Irish: Contae Cill Chainnigh, meaning Church of Cainneach)is the area that contains the city of Kilkenny, the smallest city in Ireland, and the towns of Ballyragget, Callan, Castlecomer, Graiguenamanagh, Mooncoin and Thomastown. Kilkenny is located in the south east of Ireland in the province of Leinster. It is named after Kilkenny City, the main city in the region. Kilkenny has a population of 87,558.[1] Kilkenny is in the South-East regional authority of Ireland and is part of the Carlow-Kilkenny (Dáil Éireann constituency).
The highest point in County Kilkenny is Brandon Hill (515m).
Contents |
Villages and Towns in Kilkenny
- Ballyhale, Ballyragget, Bennetsbridge
- Callan, Carigeen, Castlecomer, Castlewarren
- Flagmount, Freshford,
- Galmoy, Goresbridge, Gowran, Graiguenamanagh
- Inistioge
- Jenkinstown, Johnstown, Johnswell
- Kilkenny, Killinaspick, Kilmacow, Kilmoganny, Knocktopher
- Mooncoin, Mullinavat
- Paulstown, Piltown
- Redhouse
- Slieverue, Stoneyford
- Thomastown, Tullaroan
- Urlingford
- Windgap
County Colours
The County Kilkenny hurling team, Tullaroan, were the first Kilkenny team to wear the famous black and amber colours. In 1886, after winning the first-ever county championship in Kilkenny they held a fund-raising event in Tullaroan to provide the team with a playing strip. After intensive debate and consultations the club chose the black and amber stripes as the design for the jerseys that they would wear against Limerick that August.[2]
History
County Kilkenny formed part of the Kingdom of Osraige, which existed from at least the 2nd century until the 13th century A.D. The current Catholic ecclesiasticaldioceses of that area is still known as Ossory however the original kingdom was bounded by two of the Three Sisters the rivers Barrow and Suir. The northern limit was, generally, the Slieve Bloom Mountains.
Three qualities of County Kilkenny are; ground without bog, fire without smoke, land without coast. These references are to the small amount of bogland, the anthracite coal from Castlecomer and the minimal exposure of the county to salt water.
Archaeological sites
Duiske Abbey in Graiguenamnagh founded in 1204 was one of the first and largest Cistercian monasteries in Ireland. What remains of the monastery is a large gothic church which beutifully dominates the town centre in Graiguenamanagh. The abbey derives its name from the river Duiske or Dúbh Uisce which flows through the town on its way to the river Barrow which also flows through this pretty town. Original floor tiles from the original building can be seen in the abbey alng with the beautiful gothic and romanesque architecture.
Kells Priory is one of the largest medieval historic monuments in Ireland. It is a National Monument and is in the guardianship of the Commissioners of Public Works. The priory is scenically situated alongside King's River, about fifteen kilometres south of Kilkenny. One of its most striking feature is a collection of medieval tower houses spaced at intervals along and within walls which enclose a site of just over three acres. These give the priory the appearance more of a fortress than of a place of worship and from them comes its local name of "Seven Castles".
Foulksrath Castle is a 15th century Anglo-Norman tower house located in Jenkinstown in County Kilkenny. It was built by the Purcell clan, who also constructed several others nearby. After over three centuries as owners, the family was reduced to living as peasants in the castle stables after it was confiscated by Oliver Cromwell and given to his officers after the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland.
The Callan Augustinian Friary is situated in Callan. It is known locally as the "Abbey Meadow" and is located at the North East of the town on the banks of the Kings Rover. Edmund Butler of Pottlerath, a noted patron of literature, successfully petitioned Pope Pius II for the foundation of the friary in 1461. After Edmund died in 1462, the actual buildings were erected by his son, James, probably after 1467 when he received a papal dispensation to marry his concubine, to whom he was related.
Jerpoint Abbey is a Cistercian abbey near Thomastown. It was constructed in 1180, probably on the site of an earlier Benedictine monastery built in 1160 by Domnall Mac Gilla Patraic, King of Osraige.[3] Jerpoint is notable for its stone carvings, including one at the tomb of Felix O'Dulany, Bishop of the Diocese of Ossory when the abbey was founded.
Demographics
County Kilkenny's population is 87,558. The main religion is Catholic, however there are Church of Ireland, Presbyterian, Methodist, Jewish and other religious traditions living in Kilkenny[4] There are 39,809 people currently working in kilkenny.[5]
Sport
- Further information: Sport in Ireland
GAA
- Further information: Kilkenny GAA
In hurling, the dominant sport in the county, Kilkenny compete annually in the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship, which they have won thirty times, the Leinster Senior Hurling Championship, which they have won sixty-four times, and the National Hurling League, which they have won thirteen times. Kilkenny, along with Cork and Tipperary, are regarded as 'the Big Three' in the world of hurling. Brian Cody has been manager of the Kilkenny senior hurling team since 1998. The current senior hurling captain is James ‘Cha’ Fitzpatrick.
See also
Notes
- ^ "Population of each Province, County and City, 2006". Central Statistics Office.
- ^ Fitzgerald, John. Kilkenny a blast from the past. Callen Press, 69.
- ^ Illustrated Dictionary of Irish History. Mac Annaidh, S (ed). Gill and Macmillan, Dublin. 2001
- ^ "Population (Number) by County, Year and Religious Denomination". CSO.
- ^ "Persons Over 15 years of Age (Number) by County, Year, Sex and Principal Economic Status". CSO.
External links
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||
