The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-07-13
KILKENNY CASTLE.
The Most Stately of Ireland's Many
Stately Homes.


Sketch
Kilkenny Castle, where the King and
Queen had expected to make a short stay
next autumn, can count as being perhaps
the most stately OF the many statey
homes of Ireland. In these days there are
not many great estates which nave re-
manned in the possession of the same no.
BILE family for over 700 years rms is;
however, true OF Kilkenny Castle, nHu
there are portions of the building, notably
the first two stories, which are almost
exactly as they were close on a thousand
years ago, though among CromWell
many acts of vandalism none is more to
be regretted than the fact that ne De
stroyed one of the four great towers tnat
We're a striking and unique feature OF tine
structure which owed it's being to that
Earl of Pembroke known as 'StrongboW.
Many additions have been made to the
castle during the last hundred years
The most important of these Is stone
corridor where is now placed the main
entrance to the castle, and through Whlcn
access to the far-famed Diamond Hall
is obtained. The hall is hung with splen-
did stamped and gilt Spanish leather, ana
among other treasures to whlcn II tormS
background sportsmen always regard
with special interest four antlers OF the
now extinct Irish elk.
The grand staircase OF solid poHsneu
mahogany, is also hung with Spanish
leather and set of the ancient tapestries
for which Kilkenny Castle has long been
noted. Off the staircase is the dinlnS
room, and here some notion can be oo-
tanned of the extraordinary age OF the
structure. for the embrasures are close on
fifteen feet deep 1t Is in this room that
is kept the old plate, including the unique
collection of cups formerly used oy tne
sovereign during the coronation banquet
| in Westminster Hall, and which on each
occasion became the perquisite of the
Marquis of Orlando, as Chief, Butler or
Ireland.
The picture gallery of Kilkenny Castle
| M
room by Lord and Lady Ormonde and
| their guests, and 1t is here that some his
| toric royal gatherings have taken place:
| To the connoisseur this collection or
| paintings is veritable delight. for Lord
| Ormonde possesses one of the finest sets
| of old masters In the Kingdom. as well
as an unrivalled collection of family por,
traits by Lelv, Kneller. Lawrence and
| REYNOLDS. One curious feature OF the gal
lery itself is the marble chimney piece,
| on which are embossed scenes from the
history of the Butler family.
| China enthusiasts naturally prefer 70
4 the art treasures hanging on the walls
| the absolutely unique tea -and-cotfee ser
| vice of the old Hague ware, of which one
piece, when put. up for pubic auctlon.
| excites the llveliest competition among
| collectors, owing to the fact that no
| complete SETS apart from that existing
at Kilkenny Castle and those in certain
| continental royal palaces, are known TO
| exist. ~,
that national Irish product, silk tabouret.
a very rich kind of poplin of deep. yellow
coloring, which throws UP in admlrable re-
lief the fine eighteenth-century cabinets
French, Italian and Spansh-in which
are stored much rare old china. In the
drawing room hangs Madonna ana
| Child" by Correggio and also portrait
of Vandyke, painted by himself.
| Lord and Lady Ormonde are devoted to
| Kilkenny and there spend very con
siderable portion of each year Lord Or
| monde, as n young man. Travelled Wen
| and widely and in his study at the castle
are many sporting trophies of great value
| and interest. There also is a curious col
| lection of prints of royal personages, pre-
| scented by the late Queen to various mem
| bers of the Butler family, for the connec-
| ZION of Lord and Lady Ormonde with the
| court has always been exceplonaliy
| close partly owing to the fact that Lady
Ormonde's mother, the first Duchess OF
| Westminster, was one of Queen Nlcto-
ria's close personal friends, Lady Or
| monde has often entertained royal vis-
| tors at Kilkenny, but this would nave
been the first time in the history OF the
grand old stronghold since the days or
! Richard II. that King and Queen had
| sojourned under its roof.
| Kilkenny has a long and romantic his
tory. 1t passed into the possession or the
| Butler family at tho end of the fourteenth
century, and, as has so often happened
| with the more noted of the stately homes
| of the United Kingdom. through wo-
man. sister of the last Earl of Glouces-
ter and Hereford, who fell at Bannock-
| burn.
Both Lord and Lady Ormonde take a
keen and intelligent interest in the his
tory of their home. and the imminent
rooms contains a priceless series of doc
uments and relics of a past day. includ-
| ing a document to which is affixed
| 'Strongbow's" seal. Lady Ormonde and
her daughters often spend an hour in the
| imminent room, especially when there
| happens to he staying a the castle some
| learned antiquarian or diletante versed in
| archaeological lore.
| Ireland should truly be a land of flowers,
ewing to +he peculiar softnes and damp
ness of the climate. Tho gardens and
grounds which surround the castle owe
much of their beauty to Lady Ormonde' S
incessant care and real knowledge of
|