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MICHAEL STREET IN KILKENNY AT NIGHT AND IN THE RAIN

January 18, 2024 by infomatique

MAY 2016

I made two mistakes when I decided to visit Kilkenny in May 2016 – It got dark earlier than what suited me and there was constant rain.

Saint Michael’s Gate was an approach into the priory, hence the name Michael Street adjoining. The old infantry barracks, now Evan’s Asylum, was part of the abbey.

THE TEA HOUSES AS THEY WERE IN 2016

January 18, 2024 by infomatique

THE IMMEDIATE AREA HAS BEEN REDEVELOPED

The large structure had been demolished to make way for the new scenic riverside park within an area of the town now known as the Abbey Quarter.

Marrying the old with the new, the riverside garden leads you through the former St Francis’ Abbey Brewery and into a modern skatepark that has been designed for and by Kilkenny’s own skateboarding community who now have a park of their own

The project provides a riverside walk from the Tea Houses at Bateman Quay to Greensbridge, with a temporary walkway provided in the area of the planned new Urban Park around St. Francis Abbey.

The Riverside Garden project incorporates the newly completed skate park, which opened to the public on May 1. The amenity is already well used by skaters of all abilities and ages

I SEE HIS BLOOD UPON THE ROSE

January 17, 2024 by infomatique

POEM BY JOSEPH PLUNKETT

As there were so many people taking photographs at this location in Kilkenny I was unable to capture any images that I was happy with so I decided to come back later but the weather turned really bad and I did not get the opportunity to revisit this small war memorial on the banks of the River Nore in Kilkenny City.

The captivating story of Grace Gifford and Joseph Plunkett is widely recognised as one of the most tragic love stories in Ireland’s history. Grace and Joe are brought together by their love for Ireland and their shared ideals and spirituality. They are married in Kilmainham Gaol but their life together is cut tragically short by the violence of the 1916 Easter Rising. Their love for each other and their country will always be remembered.

I See His Blood Upon The Rose

I see his blood upon the rose
And in the stars the glory of his eyes,
His body gleams amid eternal snows,
His tears fall from the skies.

I see his face in every flower;
The thunder and the singing of the birds
Are but his voice-and carven by his power
Rocks are his written words.

All pathways by his feet are worn,
His strong heart stirs the ever-beating sea,
His crown of thorns is twined with every thorn,
His cross is every tree.

Joseph Mary Plunkett (21 November 1887 – 4 May 1916) was an Irish republican, poet and journalist. As a leader of the 1916 Easter Rising, he was one of the seven signatories to the Proclamation of the Irish Republic. Plunkett married Grace Gifford in 1916, seven hours before his execution.

In his will, Joseph left everything to his widow, but his parents refused to honour it. She remained resolutely nationalist after her husband’s death and was imprisoned in Kilmainham jail for three months in 1923. She never remarried and outlived her husband by 39 years.

THE NEWER BOARDWALK SECTION OF THE LACKEN WALK

January 16, 2024 by infomatique

NORE LINEAR PARK IN KILKENNY AUGUST 2018

The upgraded walkway, which cost €110,000, is a 1.6km stretch along the Nore riverbank from Maudlin Street as far as the new Ossory Bridge, where it links up with the Nore Valley Walk. It features a ramped wooden boardwalk with fencing and handrails, as well as picnic tables and seating along the route.

The unveiling in 2012 of the walk marked the completion of the third phase of the River Nore Linear Park development, which aims to improve riverside amenities and make Kilkenny more accessible by foot.

Phase One of the Linear Park development began in 2006, comprising a 2.5km stretch connecting the weir on Bleach’s Road to the rear of Riverview Drive, north of Green’s Bridge. The second phase began in 2007, with works carried out along Canal Walk to Dukesmeadows.

An additional bridge crossing at some point along the river is now being mooted, as part of a possible future addition to the park.

Pedestrians can now walk along Lacken walk as far as the ring road, where they can then travel to the Bennettsbridge roundabout, down by the Black Quarry and onto the Canal walk.

The re-developed route is suitable for prams, however the Maudlin Street entrance is accessible by steps only. Lacken Walk is also the only section of Linear Park that is not lit at night.

THE LACKEN WALK INCLUDING THE LONG DERELICT LACKEN MILL

January 16, 2024 by infomatique

BUT EXCLUDING THE BOARDWALK SECTION

Leaca, leacain or leacan in Irish means the side of a hill.

The Lacken Walk, which forms part of the River Nore Linear Park, follows the east bank of the River Nore as it flows south for Bennetsbridge. Access from either the ring road at Ossory bridge or from the “Lacken Steps” at the end of Maudlin Street/Dublin Road (near the viewing area). The Lacken Walk comprises a mix of old pathway dating back to the 1950’s which travels to the rear of the old Health Board grounds at St. Canice’s. As the path opens out into the flood plain a board walk is provided to take walkers across the often wet and flooded ground. This in turn leads to a new pedestrian bridge which crosses over the Nore and links to the Canal Walk on the western bank of the river. From here one can walk back towards the city centre and access the Castle gardens when the pedestrian door in the Castle is open during opening hours.

The medieval origins of Lacken Mill, which stands across the River Nore, opposite Ormode Mill, remain visible today. Discoveries made in the 1980s revealed a medieval stone arch as well as a stone slab bearing an incised carving of a man in 16th century costume, part of the Archer’s coat of arms. The mill’s brick façade is also built on a 15th/16th century structure. In the 19th century, the Sullivan family, who lived in Lacken Hall and owned the Brewery on James’ Street, renovated the mill, bringing it up to 19th century standards.

A well-composed large-scale building forming an important element of the long-standing industrial legacy of Kilkenny occupying a site that has had associations with milling for many centuries: a mill is identified as having operated on site as early as the fourteenth century. Although having fallen into ruins the composition survives substantially intact as identified by the regular pattern of openings across each elevation with the mill presenting a picturesque feature of some Romantic quality overlooking the River Nore.