Kilkenny holds many of the fine records which were donated to the Kilkenny City Council over the years. The archives include nine books of records which belong to the Old Corporation.

The Liber primus which begins in the year 1230 and ending in the year 1538.

The White Book begins in 1656 ending in 1687.

The Clasped Book begins in the reign of William III ending in 1717.

The Mace

In 1672, a proposal was made by the Common Council that a city mace be provided for the city. It is of excellent workmanship, and the silver of which it is composed shows us that it was originally gilt.

The Sword:

The Sword is a fine article and the handle is of silver and tracery shows it to be about the time of King James 1^st in 1609, when the great Royal Charter was presented to the city by King James 1^st.

The Chain:

The chain was presented to the Corporation in 1884 by Mr. Joseph Greene who was the Mayor of the city that year. The chain is made of brass adorned with a wash of superior metal.

Even though Kilkenny was a charming and well-to-do city in the 18^th century, it was also a world of savage punishments and sudden violence! The spectacle of public execution was frequent enough, though most of those found guilty were commuted or transported out of the country.

In 1778, Eland Mossom was sentenced to death where he was hanged for murder. Whipping through the streets was frequently inflicted on women. Honor Burke was whipped from the Parade to the Watergate for stealing 3 ½ yards of flannel; two women were whipped for stealing a blue petticoat. John Fennel was whipped for a very minor crime of stealing cabbage plants.

In 1768, a cartload of beggars was whipped to the Watergate and expelled from the city. The city also had its brothels and these could be raided when a Mayor of high moral standards came to office. Anthony Blunt became Mayor in 1770 and he was determined to whip the town into morality. He became known as Whirligig Blount for the spinning cage he erected between the pillars of the Tholsel, where minor offenders could be exposed to public ridicule and spun around by those who would a wicked sense of humour!

He also rounded up prostitutes and put them in milk churns and carted them around the city with a placard on their heads to testify to their sinful occupation. They were also whipped at different intervals.

Some of the crimes and punishments:

Sheep Stealing – One year in prison

Pig Stealing – 6 months in prison & seven years of transportation

Passing of forged bank notes – 14 years of transportation

Stealing a piece of cloth – 7 years of transportation

Highwaymen – death penalty

It is great to city Kilkenny has become a much more civilised city these days and a great place to visit where you will ceol, caint agus craic!!!

If you visit Kilkenny, you cannot but notice the number of pubs in Kilkenny City somewhere between 60-70!

Kilkenny has had a long tradition of brewing in the city going right back to the arrival of the monks in the 12^th century. John Smithwick began his brewing tradition in 1710 which was the famous Smithwick’s brewery.

At the turn of the 18^th century, four common brewers were listed in Kilkenny City.

So here are some of my famous pubs:

• • Kyteler’s Inn – St. Kieran Street, the oldest pub in Kilkenny dating to 1324 and the home of Dame Alice Kyteler the famous witch of Kilkenny. Be mindful of the spirits of Dame Alice!
  • Langton’s Pub and Restaurant – John Street, a long associated name with Kilkenny going back to the 1600s. Langton’s was the Pub of the Year in Ireland four times in the 1980s, a remarkable feat.
  • Syds Pub – Rose Inn Street, was founded in the 1800s and situated in the street which became famous for its Inns and taverns. Noted for its great pint of Guinness and Smithwick’s. Formerly known as the Bush Inn where Thomas Moore the poet proposed to Betsy Dyke an actress in 1817.
  • John Cleere Pub – in Parliament Street is noted for its famous Theatre at the rear of the pub and for its famous Irish Trad nights on Monday.
  • O Riada – a beautiful pub in Parliament Street for its real old-style ambience inside as Irish pubs use to be.
  • Tynan’s Bridge House Bar – in Batemen Quay or the Horseleap Slip was founded in 1703 and was the Pub of the Year in Ireland in 1978.