Gerry Moran explores some of the history of Kilkenny Castle

 

No visit to Kilkenny, the medieval capital of Ireland, is complete without a stop off at the magnificent Castle, well over 800 years old.

In 1172 Richard Fitzgilbert de Clare (Strongbow) built a wooden fortification on the site of Kilkenny Castle. In 1192, Strongbow’s son-in-law, William Marshall, Norman Chief Governor of Ireland, built a stone castle on this site. In 1391 James Butler, 3rd. Earl of Ormonde, bought Kikenny Castle. The Butler dynasty would occupy the castle for almost 600 years.

Kilkenny Castle became synonymous with the Butler family who came to Ireland with the Normans. Originally called Fitzwalter, they changed their name to Butler on acquiring the royal title of Chief Butler of Ireland in 1185. This title required that they present the newly crowned King of England with the first goblet of wine. They also collected lucrative duty on all imported wines.

Kilkenny Castle, like any castle, boasts many colourful tales involving knights-in-armour, earls, princes and kings. Indeed when King Edward Vll visited the castle in 1904, he asked who all the people were, lining up to meet him. “They are the Butlers,” came the reply. “Then why aren’t they serving the bloody drinks then,” the monarch retorted.

The Castle almost got embroiled in the Civil War. The Marquess of Ormonde later wrote: “It was on the morning of the 2nd. May 1922 that, at the unreasonable hour of 5.30, I was awakened by a knock at the door. My butler appeared and greeted me with: “Excuse me disturbing your Lordship, but the Republicans have taken the castle.” They were immediately besieged by the Free Staters but after a two-day siege the castle was restored to the Butlers.

Continue reading in this week’s Ireland’s Own