The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-01-04
- $50 -
ANCIENT KILKENNY.
History of Town That Has Had Many
vicissitudes.

t1cfSsitudeS.
New York World
The County of Kilkenny is one of the
most historic spots in all of "Irelands
holy ground" Its ancient name was os-
sorry and it still retains that name as
Catholic bishopric. 1t was called ossory
after Engus 0sraigh, who fiourished in
the hrst century, and who distinguished
himself by defending the homes of the peo-
pie of the valley of the More
from the incursions of wander
ing tribes. Having conquered those
tribes and driven them from
the country between the Barrow and the
SUR, he established the Kingdom of 0s-
sorry which is now the county of Kilkenny.
From the Christian Era to the English In
vasion the successors of Engus in a direct
line were the kings of Ossory, suffering but
one defeat at the hands of the Danes in
SIS. Domhnall Nv. was the last king. He
succeeded to the throne in 1859. In ITO
Strongbow landed in Ireland and among
the hrst places he captured was the King
dom of Ossory, which he left at his death
to his daughter 1t was after the advent
of Strongbow that the name of Ossory was
changed to Kilkenny, which means the
Church of st. Kenny or ST. Canice.
The city of Kilkenny is one of the most
ancient in Ireland. 1t was twice destroyed
by IRE, in 1885 and lila, and in 1175 the
town was demolished by the Irish them
selves as a means of embarrassing Strong
bows forces, which had then gained
possession of it. The foundation of the
present city was laid by Earl Mareschal,
who married Strongbow's daughter. He
built the present castle of Kilkenny in
1875, and surrounded himself with loyal
English retinue that henceforth Kilkenny
was called the s'most loyal city ofthe Pale"
The descendants of Mareschal were not,
however, as loyal TO the English kings as
the founder of the family, for we find the
city of Kilkenny to be the scene of the
meeting of the Irish parliament in 1854.
This was the last Irish parliament ever
convened in Ireland-that is, without the
authority of the English government. 1t
was held in the Irishtown, now the oldest
part of the city, in building which is
still standing, and which in the last cen
fury was occupied as a hotel. Delegates
were present at this parliament from all
parts of Ireland, even from towns within
the Pale which were garrisoned by English
soldiers. The pope sent a representative
there in the person OF Rinucini, who was
received in great state by the bishop of
Ossory in the Cathedral of st. Canice.
which has since, together with All the
other Catholic churches then in existence,
been connscated by the Protestants.
Every one Of the seven Catholic churches
now in Kilkenny have been built since the
abolition of the penal laws, which offered
a reward for priests head and made it a
capital offense to even harbor one. In those
DAYS the Catholic schoolmasters shared the
same fate as the priests and were compelled
TO resort to caves or mountains or even the
shelter of a high hedge 10 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 Flood, one of the leading men of the
time. and who was the peer and the equal
of Henry Grattan in his devotion to Ire
land. He went even further than Grattan.
and sought the complete independence of
his country The descendants of Flood
live in Kilkenny at the present time, but
have degenerated intoahe most suhservient
of English subjects. While the Irish par
lament existed Kilkenny was one of the
most prosperous cities in Ireland. Many
factories existed there and the woollen
mill alone gave employment TO over 1000
weavers.
At the present time there are but four
weayers in the whole city of Kilkenny, and
every other industry has pined away in a
like manner. Thus can be seen the differ
ence between home and foreign rule.
In the troublous periods around i79S Kill
United Irishmen, an organization founded
by Wolfe Tone and Lord Edward FitZger-
aid for the freedom OF Ireland, and for
which both of them gave up their lives.
There was no instruction at that time in
Kilkenny, owing TO the failure of the
United lrishmen Society, but when the
patriots of Wexford arose against the
British government a short time after they
were Joined by many thousands of the
men of Kilkenny, who crossed the
River Barrow TO their assistance.
During 1898 there was only one battle
fought in Kilkenny, and that was in the
vicinity Of Castlecomer, where regiment
of Hessians where badly whipped. II was
in Castlecomer, too, where the story OF the
Kilkenny cats originated. 1t was pas
time with the Hessian soldiers-who were
hired BY England from the petty German
prince of Hesse-Darmstadt 10 put down
the Irish people--to tie two cats together
by their tails. throw them over line and
then witness them torturing each other.
They were surprised 1t this by the officer
of the day, who cut the cats down with
his sword, leaving the two bleeding tails
still hanging across the line. Hence the
story Of the very bitter light between the
two Kilkenny cats who devoured each
other all but the tails.
During the year '9s General Ashgall held
supreme command in the city and county
OF Kilkenny, and we need not add never
let an opportunity pass OF hanging and
logging the inhabitants. Hundreds were
puf TO death on mere suspicion and with
ont the slightest cause save the fact OF
their being Irish and Catholic. The tri-
angie was set up every day opposite the
iaiI and many thousands dangled from II
while being logged. One man, named
Walsh, received 80 lashes and was thrown
In cell 10 die.