Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-12-26
ANCIENT KILKENNY.


vtcissitude~ u Fortune.
From the New York sun.
The county Of KiIkenny, where Parnen waeed
his great political battle is one OF the moot his
toric spots in all Of ''Irelsnd's holy ground
Its ancient name was ossory and 10 stiii retains
that name ~ Catholic bishopric. IL vas called
ossory after angus osrsigh, who nourished IN
the first century and who distinguished him
self by defending the homes Of the people OF
the valley Of the More from the incursion OF
wandering tribes. Having conquered those
tribes and driven them from the country be-
tween the Barrow and the SUR he established
the kingdom Of ossory. which 10 now the county
OF Kilkenny. From the Christian era 30 the
English invasion the successors of Ifngus IN .
direct line were the kings Of os=ory, suffering
but one defeat nj che hands 81 the Danes In sl5.
Dombnall ~ wss the last king. He succeeded
! 70 the throne In il69 In iI70 Strongbow landed
IN ireland. and among the first places he cap
tured was the kingdom 81 Orsory. which he len
| at his death 60 his daughter. IL sas after the
advent of Strongbo~ that the name of Ossory
was changed 10 Kilkenny. which means the
Church of St ke-ny or ST. Cauice.
The city Of Kilkenny Is one Of the most an
Gent in ireland. 1t twice DESTROYED by
| IRE in loss and INA and in HIS the town WAS
demolished by the Irish themselves a. a means
/ OF embarrassing Strongbows forces which had
tnen gamer roSeetlCn OF " The foundation
| OF the present city was laid bv Farl Ma reschal
xho married Strongbow's daughter. lie built
the present castle Of Kilkenny in 1895 and sur
rounded himself with such a loyal English
retnue that henceforth Kilkenny was called
| the mos. loyal CITY Of the Pale" The de-
scendants OF Mareschai were not, however. a.
loyal 10 the English kiags rs the founder Of the
| family. Tor we find the city Of Kilkenny 20 be
| the scene Of the meeting of the Irish parlia-
| ment In l64l. This WAS the last Irish parlia-
l6r1f .xs.aw.
out the authority Of the English government
| IL Was held in the Irishtown. now the oldest
part OF the city. in a building which IL still
standing and which in the last century was oc-
cupied as hotel. Delegates were present At
! this parliament from all parts of Ireland, even
from towns within the Pale which were garri-
soned by English soldiers. The pope sent q
| representative there in the person OF Rinucini,
who was received in great state by the bishop
Of 0ssory in the cathedral Of st. Cauice, which
has since, together with all the other Catholic
churches then in existence, been confscated by
| the ProtestantS
Every one Of the seven Catholic churches
| now in Kilkenny has been built since the
abolition of the penal laws. which offered re-
ward for priests head and made n a capital
| onense To even harbor one. In those days tine
| Catholic schoolmasters shared the same fate as
| the priests and were compelled 20 resort 10
| caves and mountains or even the shelter Of n
high hedge TO carry on their profession. Hence
| came the Irish term Of Observation-Disclosures
In the days OF the Irish parliament in College
| Green Kilkenny was represented by Hood, one
| OF the leading men of the time. and who was
! the peer and equal of Henry Grattan in his de-
votion TO ireland. He went even further than
GTattan and sought the complete independence
OF his country. The descendants Of Flood live
IN Kilkenny at the present time, but have de-
! generated into the most subservient OF English
| subjects. While the Irish parliament existed
Kilkenny was one of the mos. prosperous cities
In ireland. Many factories existed there and
the WOODEN mills alone gave employment to
| over 1000 weavers.
| AT the present time there are but four wcav-
ers in the whole city of Kilkenny, and every
other industry has pinned away in n like manner.