Kilkenny Castle

Staying with Kilkenny we have Kilkenny Castle, a grand structure that can trace it origins back to the 13th century. It has been rebuilt and remodelled over the years partly due to changing family fortunes but also due to conflict - Oliver Cromwell damaged the castle in the siege of Kilkenny in 1650. It underwent some rebuilding in Victorian times with an attempt to restore its medieval appearance. Over coming years the castle suffered with death duties taking their toll and was heavily damaged in the Irish civil War in 1922. Come the mid 1930s the owners auctioned off the contents and the castle was abandoned for 30 years. In 1967 it was sold to a Restoration Trust for £50 and is now managed by the Office of Public Works and open to the public.The contents largely represent the period around the Victorian remodelling.