John Keane - Hidden Kilkenny: Knaves, Knights, and Norman Abbots

Contents

T hanks to Brian Keyes, editor of the Kilkenny People for his encouragement; to Rothe House, the Kilkenny Archaeological Society and the Old Kilkenny Review . The library in Rothe House is a wonderful resource and thank you to the staff: Mary Flood, Risn McQuillan, Edward Law, Catriona Dowling, Daphne Coad, Victoria Barnes and Winifred Long.

Thanks to Susan Garret of Clomantagh Castle for her great assistance on that section and the one on Ballyspellan Spa, and for all her support. Thanks to Moira Cashin and her husband Joe for opening my eyes to a wonderful way of life in the thatched villages of South Kilkenny. And to Mooncoin (born Mick) Purcell in Idaho, USA thanks for planting the seed and for the slogan: Guinnesss for porter and the Purcells for pigs. To my mother for all her love and all my friends who didnt scold me about St Francis of Assisi (private joke too painful to share). Much of the history of Grannagh Castle is thanks to a wonderful article by Mrs T. G. Lanigan in the Old Kilkenny Review of 1960. Thanks go to Mire N Fhaircheallaigh of the Office of Public Works; to Damien Brett at the local studies section of Kilkenny City Library; and to Ben Murtagh, archaeologist, renowned for his work in places like Kilkenny Castle and Grennan Castle.

I am indebted to Ciln Drisceoil and his late wife Emma Devine for their great work in investigating the Rathbeagh site, and Ciln for his work on many of the pieces in this book. His help was invaluable. Thanks go to Margery Brady for her help and kindness in preparing the piece on Jenkinstown House and to Geoffrey Marescaux for giving such a wistful history of his family, the Swifts, in the Old Kilkenny Review of 1974. And thanks to the local man who knew all about the secrets of Swifts Heath. Ill leave a drink for him in the Fireside Inn, Castlecomer Road, Kilkenny.

I am indebted to Robert Duggan for his vast knowledge of Tybroughney; the local people owe him a huge debt of gratitude for piecing together so much about the castle and its hinterland. Mary OShea, another local historian, has done so much to enlighten us about our past in heritage-rich South Kilkenny. Patrick Comerford, writing in the Old Kilkenny Review of 1994, provided a wonderful insight into the life of the Comerfords after they left Ballybur Castle, and Canon Carrigans history of the diocese was invaluable. Thanks to Billy Hoare for giving us so many of the songs associated with Brandon Hill. The book by Michael Holden, Freney the Robber The Noblest Highwayman in Ireland, is a major addition to our knowledge of the master highwayman and it is referred to a number of times in this book.

There are few people as kind or as generous with their time and knowledge as Owen Doyle of Tinnahinch and his friend Colm Walsh. Thanks to Jackie Jordan of Kilkenny Castle for allowing me to sit and ponder the waterfall; to Maelle Champenois for a riveting and insightful tour; to John Walsh of Callan for filling in the blanks; to Noreen McDonald for reading the manuscript; and to Mr Kilkenny Castle, Frank Kavanagh, for his encyclopaedic knowledge of all things to do with the Butlers and the castle. Thanks also to the late Sean Power of Knockroe; Claire Goodwin of Kilkenny County Council for her time on Woodstock; Dr Breda Lynch for the tour of Jerpoint Abbey; John Kirwan for his advice; Gerry Moran for his encouragement; Eileen Little for her help and the painting of Jenkinstown Castle; Susan Mosse for letting me sneak into Kilfane, my Shangri-La; Gerry and Christine Byrne for allowing me to visit Kilcreene Lodge; Sen Maher for his help with Tory Hill; the beautiful Eoin Hennessy for his patience; Charlie Maher; Dylan Vaughan; Michael Keogh for being himself and showing me Dunmore Cave; the Great Scot, the miraculous Frank Gray of Ballybur Castle hope the recovery continues; Jimi Conroy for illuminating all things to do with nature for me; Philip Cushen of Cushendale Woollen Mills for sharing the secrets of his art; the Byrnes of Mount Loftus; Liam Scott, Ian Doyle and Colm Murray of the Heritage Council located in the Bishops Palace; the Cummins family, Rossenarra, Kilmoganny, for tea, duck eggs and a mild scolding; to Brigitte Lennon (ne Dorpmund) from outside Hanover, Germany, for maintaining Swifts Heath, Jenkinstown, with such perfection, enthusiasm and love; Cllr Toms Breathnach for his passion for Grannagh Castle; Rhonda Evans, Ian Hamilton and Ronan Morrissey of Diageo and the St Francis Abbey Brewery; Denis Byrne, town sergeant of Kilkenny Borough Council, for allowing me in where I should not have been; Elizabeth Keyes of St Canices Cathedral and staff, where there are no ghosts; Shirley Lanigan for giving me hope; Gertie Keane for her passion and insight into Tudor Kilkenny; Damian Hogan of the Kilkenny People for his patience; the glamorous Norah Flynn and Marie Brennan at the front desk of the Kilkenny People ; Billy Lahart for help with lots of things; and, finally, the Dowleys, for allowing me to roam around their home, Tybroughney Castle, with Robert Duggan.

W hen I first mooted the idea of writing a series on the hidden heritage gems of Kilkenny for the Kilkenny People , my editor, Brian Keyes, was delighted. We drew up separate lists and then checked if either of us had come up with a few the other hadnt thought of on his own. It started from there and I plunged myself into the work.

Little did I think that the project would cause me such worry. By far the most beautiful private home in Ireland that I have seen is Castletown Cox, outside Piltown, County Kilkenny, and close to Carrick-on-Suir. I wrote the piece about it for the Kilkenny People and a few people said they had enjoyed it, people like Jim Brennan of the Club House Hotel, Patrick Street, Kilkenny. His wifes family, the Blacques, owned the estate at one stage. Then a bombshell. Someone had made an anonymous complaint about the piece to the police ombudsman of Northern Ireland, the police ombudsman of England and the garda. It claimed that I was subversive, that I was working with dissident Republicans and putting the lives of the owners, Lord Magan and his family, at risk because I mentioned that his Irish-born father had been a member of MI5. I re-read the piece and felt that I had been honest and fair, and had praised Lord Magan for restoring the place so lovingly.