The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-07-07
IRELAND.
KILKENNY AND HTS CAsTLEs-THE
HOME OF THE RUTLERs.

HOME OF THE BUTLERS.
The DesmOnds and the Ormonds-s0me
| of the Pictures I'm the Gallery
/ of Kilkenny Castle.
Especial Correspondence Of the Democrat
KILKENNY, June 10, 1878.
Kilkenny, in the olden time, was the
seat Of
THE IRISH PARLIAMENT,
and, therefore, the scene Of some of the
most important events in Irish history.
Its castle, in possession Of the Buffers,
or LIE Botilers, since 1928, was built by
Strongbow on his invasion Of Ireland
These Buffers, Earls of Ormond. have
ever since played conspicuous role In
public events. Even as the Desmonds
represented the opposition to English
rule, 80 the Ormonds have been the fig
urehead Of its support. The one Catho-
lie, the other Protestant; the former
notorious in it's detection, the latter
strict In it's allegiance to England,
these two families were rivals in all
things, till the tragic death Of Edward
Fitz Gerald, the last Of the titled Ger
aldines, left the Ormonds one Of the
three most ancient families In the Eng
lish or Irish peerage. Not content to
hack each other with their swords, the
mobiles Of these proud houses cut each
other with their tongues.
On one occasion
THE DESMOND,
having been defeated by the Ormond,
was being borne from the field on the
shoulders Of his enemies, one Of these
exclaimed, "Where 10 now the proud
Desmond" "Where he should be" re-
torted the quick-witted chieftain, ''on
the necks Of the ButlersP
Vain boastl The romantic, valiant
and we'll beloved Geraldines are scat
tered as the leaves of the forest. Their
monument Is the crumbling castle Of
the Geraldines, while the pennon of the
Ormonds, safe sheltered beneath royal
favor, now, as in the days gone by, floats
above the stately towers Of the well-pre-
served, magnificent pile before us.
Within Its walls are many mute wit
nesses of the antiquity of lineage, the
pussance and valor of the owners
There are coats Of mail. mementoes Of
the warfare Of other days-the days of
kniG hthood. There are swords, polished
and keen, though the arm that welded
them lives only in the chronicles moul-
dering in the archives Of the castle.
There Is tapestry deftly woven by the
fair wives and daughters of the house,
while perchance the sterner members
handled battle.ax or buckler in their
behalf. But in the picture gallery
where the past generations look back |
into our inquiring eyes in undiminished |
bravery of court-dress or blazing uni |
form, in undimmed lustre of youth and |
beauty, do we realize the life and &C.
tions of the illustrious dead.
THE GALLERY
itself is about hundred feet long by
twenty wide. It Is Gothic rooted The |
arches are terminated by elegant sup
ports In sculptured marble. The walls
are of deep brick color. The floor is of
Inlaid polished oak, over which are
scattered leopard, tiger and panther
skins, probably souvenirs of the skill of
the Buffers in the chase. On one side
range of bay windows look down on the
From the other we have a
fine view Of Johns Bridge and the Col
ege Green. This college was founded
by James, first Duke Of Ormond. A
Iife-size portrait of this nobleman occu-
pies the most conspicuous position. It
represents him in the costume of the
lime OF Charles |, by whom his title
was bestowed. He was Lord Lieuten-
ant of Ireland, with some Interruptions,
Turing the reign OF that monarch, and
although occupying an extremely peril
)us position, on account of the unsettled
state Of politics and Vaccinations OF his
numerous enemies, among whom was
he famous Buckingham, he has left
behind him reputation for encourage
ng learning and trade.
THE UNIVERSITY OF DUBLIN
vas the object of his attention. He
,rected mandatory at Clonmel and
/ wool factory at Carrick. He spared
10 expense in Introducing Workmen
rom Brabant, from Rochelle, and from
he Isle Of Rhe. Notwithstanding these
ervices to his country be was impeached
IN most trivial charge. Although the
never became a formal
he was deprived Of the gov
and spent some time at the
english court. Even in disgrace he
conducted himself with 80 much dig
lity that the witty Buckingham asked
n one occasion whether 1t was his t
nbJeSGg WHO WAS OUT Ol AbNOI WIFI VI
nond, or Ormond with his Majesty, for /
I the tWo," said he to the king, you
eem most out Of countenance. La :
GIT the king, having asked Ormond to T
up with him, informed him Of his in q
ention to restore to MIN the manage t
1ent of Ireland. "Look," said the +
ing the next morning, 'yonder comes t
)rmond. have done all in my power L
0 disoblige him and to make him as
iscontented as others, but he will be ?
0yal in spite of me-" This is the man a
hose kinsman had so valiantly, Y
nough unsuccessfully, defended Kill f
emmy Castle against Cromwell. The i
tuarts were never blessed with graft b
ldel Around this central figure are v
rouped King William " and Queen
delaide in royal robes, and Queen s
Elizabeth; not a hooked-nosed, far
lingaIad stiff old maid beiaWelad