KILKENNY

WAS A MAJOR EUROPEAN BREWING CENTRE

William Murphy

I SEE HIS BLOOD UPON THE ROSE

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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.

LACKEN MILL AND WELL ON THE RIVER NORE

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KILKENNY ON A REALLY WET DAY IN MAY 2016 REF-227165-000

I used a Sony A7RII and a Zeiss Batis 24mm lens and it was lashing rain at the time – it rained for the duration of my visit.

When I photographed this in May 2016 I dd not know that it was Lacken Mill and did not pay much attention to it as I was focused on the well that is attached. At the time I thought that the well was a holy well.

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.

The inscription over the doorway leading to the well reads “Lacken Well, Altered and Improved, July 1831.”

THE NEWER BOARDWALK SECTION OF THE LACKEN WALK

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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

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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.

THE TEA HOUSES AT BATEMAN QUAY IN KILKENNY

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ALSO THE TREE OF HEAVEN

There were two buildings on the banks of the river Nore and they were collectively known as The Tea Houses and as part of the ongoing development of the Abbey Quarter site, Kilkenny County Council recently completed the refurbishment of the Tea Houses on Bateman Quay. The buildings are located at the entrance to the new Riverside Garden and Skatepark amenity area which was officially opened in the summer of 2021. The Tea Houses are also strategically located adjacent to the bus stops for the City Bus Service and the Market Yard car park.

The Houses, dated 19th Century, and were known as “Pleasure Houses” have a history of operating a coffee/café type service as historically they were used by the gentry to take their afternoon tea on the banks of the River.

There is also a memorial tree here the “Tree Of Heaven” erected by the Bereaved Parents Support Group Kilkenny

There is now a pedestrian bridge connecting John’s Quay to Bateman Quay which is home to a courthouse and the new Thomas Woodgate Memorial.

On the former Smithwick’s Brewery and Bateman Quay sites, historical maps reveal that the area was subdivided into long plots of ground with one end on the main street known as burgage plots. These burgage plots were first established by William Marshall in 1207. A ‘burgess’ rented a burgage plot for a shilling a year and built a house on the street. Behind the house stretched a long narrow garden for growing fruit and vegetables. The burgesses built sheds in these gardens and in some instances, a dovecote, which ensured a supply of fresh meat for the family all year around.

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