Ireland from a Polish perspective

Not so far away from Carlow, about 40 minutes by train, beautiful town Cill Chainnigh lies, commonly known in English translation as a Kilkenny. It was my first weekend trip I did about two weeks after my arrival to Ireland, and it was the first sunny day after two weeks.

Irish name of the town comes from the name of the saint Choinnigh who founded a monastery on the hill over the bank of river Nore in 4^th century. The only trace of that monastery is of course the tall round tower built about 9^th century.

Round towers, as the example in Kilkenny were built during the Viking period, when the hordes of norsemen were plundering the monasteries through out Ireland and Scotland. Those towers were the point of the last resort with a small narrow entrance usually placed about 2 or 3 meters above the surface of the ground. So far I have visited the roundtowers in Kilkenny, Glendaloch, Cashel in Ireland and Brechin in Scotland.

About 13^th century on the place of former monastery the cathedral of St. Kanisius was built. In the same century on the surrounding hills and river valley a few abbeys were built – Black Abbey of Dominican order and Abbey of St. Francis. The Black Abbey was abandoned and ruined, but finally has been regained by the Dominican order. St Francis abbey had not so much luck. It is in ruins surrounded by the Smithwicks brewery, and visitors are not allowed.

The history of the city is very turbulent. During the middle ages the city was divided into English and Irish parts. In the 14^th century in Kilkenny were passed a Kilkenny Statutes that prohibited using Irish language and multinational Irish-English marriages. Some centuries later, after the Catholicism became not welcomed in the English kingdom, the catholic English (an Old English as they called themselves) citizens in Ireland changed their minds about their superiority and due to the repressions they faced, became equal to the Irish people. In the year of 1641 both Old English and Irish catholic citizens created a confederation against protestant England. Unfortunately 9 years later the commonly know war criminal Oliver Cromwell with his army and guns put those ideas out of their heads. That was the fall of the city.

Novadays Kilkenny is cozy and beautiful town with its small streets and houses. Of course there is a castle, but it is boring. The former Norman castle was changed to a palace.

One of the churches and cemetaries

Streets of Kilkenny

Bridge over the Nore

Town centre


16th century house

Castle

High Street and Town Hall

Town Hall

Town Hall

Parliament Street

Parliament Street

Narrow streets

Typical narrow street that runs stright from the main street to the top of one of the hills

Parts of the city walls

Old court and prison

Parliament Street

a court of the Rothe House

Rothe House

Cathedral hill and the Cathedral of St Kanisius

Stairway that leads to the cathedral

13th century cathedral of St Kanisius and the round tower, the only remains of the monastery founded by Kanisius (Choinnigh) in 6th century.

Cathedral cemetery

Cathedral cemetery

Cathedral portal

13th century St. Francis abbey surrounded by the Smithwicks brewery

Narrow street that leads through the city gate to the Black Abbey

Piece of city wall

City wall fragments

Dominican Black Abbey founded in 1226

Burial cists.

Burial cist

Burial cists

Inside the Black Abbey

Inside the round tower

Kilkenny from the top of the roundtower

View on the cathedral and cemetery

St Francis abbey

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