Anderson: Nooks and Corners of County Kilkenny

Freren Gate, Kilkenny

Anderson, Paris. Nooks and corners of County Kilkenny.Kilkenny: 'Kilkenny People' Printing Works, 1848

Freren Gate, Kilkenny

Freren Gate, Kilkenny

Anderson, Paris. Nooks and corners of County Kilkenny.Kilkenny: 'Kilkenny People' Printing Works, 1848

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Nooks And Corners of County Kilkenny by Paris Anderson was first published in 1848. It is a series of articles about historical sites, antiquities and places of interest in County Kilkenny .

Anderson, an officer in the militia stationed in Kilkenny in the early 19th century, was also the author of The Warden of the Marshes a novel also set in Kilkenny featuring historical characters such as Dame Kyteler.The tragic 14th century story of Dame Kyteler reveals the superstitious society of medieval Kilkenny. Dame Alice Kyteler was accused of witchcraft but fled Ireland while her servant Petronilla De Meath was flogged and burned at the stake. Kyteler adopted Petronilla's daughter as her own.

The city of Kilkenny or Cill Chainnigh which means 'Cell or church of Cainnech/Canice ' began as a monastic settlement found in the 6th century by St. Canice. There is evidence that there was human settlement for thousands of years. The Kings of Ossary made Kilkenny their seat and following the Norman invasion it also became the stronghold of the Butlers of Ormonde until the 20th century. A fortification was first constructed on the site of Kilkenny Castle by Richard De Clare better known as Strongbow. Later the city walls begun by William Marshall protected a compact medieval city that sprang up on both banks of the River Nore. Anderson describes its maze of winding streets and alleys and its cathedrals and abbeys. St. Canice's Cathedral originally built in the 13th century includes the original round tower of the older monastic settlement.

County Kilkenny is named after the city and was the territory of the MacGiolla Phádraig family who were the Kings of Ossary. The Diocese of Ossary was established in 549 and roughly corresponds with original boundaries of the kingdom. Anderson describes the history of the various towns and villages, the ruins of castles, abbeys and priories and powerful individuals and their families. The Suir and Barrow rivers are the natural boundaries to the west and east respectively while the Nore River passing through Kilkenny city bisects the county.