63b. Kilkenny Town, main shopping streets and interesting buildings e.g. Rothe House and garden, Shee Almshouse

Extra notes on these tourist attraction

SCENES from IRELAND - County Kilkenny

Email: chem55555@hotmail.com

[Author and photographer © Dr Phil Brown PhD plus notes help from AI these days, page updated June 8th 2026]

63a. Kilkenny Castle and Design Centre 63b. Rothe House * 63c. Kilkenny Cathedral

63d. The 'Black Abbey'  *  63e. St Mary's Medieval Mile Museum * 63f St Mary's Catholic Cathedral

* *

The Shee Almshouse - Kilkenny Tourist Information Centre

Kilkenny: The Shee Almshouse was built by Sir Richard Shee in 1581 for the poor of Kilkenny and was endowed by his last will in 1603. His son Lucas Shee, obtained a royal charter for the Almshouse in 1609 and the house was used as accommodation for the poor until the early 19th century when it fell into ruin. It was restored and renovated around 1871 by Sir Nicholas Power O'Shee of Gardenmorris, Co. Waterford, a descendant of the original founder. In recent times it has since been converted into Kilkenny's main Tourist Information Centre.

Kilkenny: Inside the Kilkenny Tourist Information Centre.

Kilkenny: The back entrance to the Shee Almshouse, now the tourist information centre.

Some Streets and Buildings of Kilkenny

Kilkenny: One of the main shopping streets, Parliament Street, in the centre of Kilkenny Town.

Kilkenny: The arched arcade of The Tholsel in High Street

The City Town Hall, Kilkenny City
 

The Butter Slip, Kilkenny

The Butter Slip off the High Street of Kilkenny City
 

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From High Street to St Kieren Street down the Butter Slip.

Kyteler's Inn, once the house of Alice Kyteler, Kilkenny City
, charged with witchcraft and heresy in 1323, but fled the Ireland thus escaping torture and burning at the stake, a fate that befell her servant!

Kilkenny: Rothe House

Kilkenny: Rothe House was built by a wealthy merchant of Kilkenny, John Rothe and was well furnished townhouse for its time. John Rothe built the first house on this site in 1594 on land once owned by Cistercian monks and came into possession of the Rothe family after the dissolution of the monasteries between 1538 and 1540. As his family and prosperity grew, he then built a second house and then a third house by 1610. Therefore John Rothe built three adjoining houses between 1594 and 1610 as he went up in the world and society of Kilkenny.

Kilkenny: The inner courtyard and balcony of Rothe House

Typical interior of Rothe House from later generations.

These pewter plates would be similar to those listed in John Rothe's will of 1619, other items included brass, batry, iron ...

Rothe House: This medieval pottery jug is a rare example of a complete medieval jug and was found at Castleinch, Co. Kilkenny by farmer while building a cattle shed near the site of the castle. It was made on a potter's wheel and their thumb created the frill decoration on the base. It was made locally and covered in lead glaze before firing in a kiln around AD1250-1350.

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Rothe House: This fireplace contains kitchen utensils that could have been used anywhere between 1840 and 1940 e.g. griddle, pot crook, pot hooks, trivet, toasting rack, skillets and pot oven. The fire was never left to die out and fuelled with coal (local coalmines) or wood.

The amazing sturdy wooden beams supporting one of the roofs of Rothe House.

Some museum exhibits

Rothe House: This decorated bronze age burial pottery vessel is a type common in early bronze age graves and known as a 'tripartite bowl'. It was found at Killinane, Co. Carlow in a simple grave known as a cist - a rectangular stone box sunk into the ground. Two people had been cremated and buried in the cist.

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Rothe House: An oil on canvas portrait of Richard Power (died 1824)  by J.P. Haverty, R.H.A. Richard was brother to John Power the 1st Baronet and an excellent actor by all accounts. In the portrait he dressed in an 'inky cloak' of Hamlet, a role he played in three seasons of the Kilkenny Theatre between 1803 and 1818. Richard Power was the founder of the Private Theatre in Kilkenny in 1802.

The back of Rothe House, still undergoing restoration.

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The Rothe House Family Garden, Kilkenny City
 

A the back of the 16th-17th century housing complex is a lovely quiet garden and orchard.

This is a reconstruction of an early 17th century garden. The Rothe family garden was laid out to the rear of the third house. The garden would furnish John Rothe's family and servants with food to eat, a private meeting place for business colleagues and like ourselves, provide a garden for children to play in and adults to relax!

Kilkenny: The paved alleyway along the side of Rothe House and the Rothe Family Garden, it has a real medieval feel about it!

Some other streets in Kilkenny town centre

Looking up James Street (off High Street) towards St Mary's RC Cathedral.

The old Courthouse in Parliament Street with .

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Down by the River Nore

Views from the main road bridge across the River Nore below the Castle

The statue of hurlers - the Kilkenny 'Cats' have a great reputation as regular All Ireland hurling champions.

Near the start of the canal walk by the bridge over the River Nore in Kilkenny which parallels the river and passes under the cliff Kilkenny Castle is built on.

Extra notes on these tourist attractions

Kilkenny's historic shopping streets form the spine of the Medieval Mile, linking Kilkenny Castle to St Canice's Cathedral. Along this route sit some of Ireland's finest surviving merchant buildings — most notably Rothe House & Garden and the Shee Almshouse — which together illustrate the city's evolution from a medieval trading hub to a modern heritage destination.

Below is a structured, detailed guide synthesising history, architecture, and tourism roles, grounded in the search results you provided.

The Main Historic Shopping Streets of Kilkenny

High Street, Parliament Street, and St Kieran's Street form the core of Kilkenny's traditional commercial district.
These streets have been the city's trading heart since the Middle Ages, lined with merchant houses, guild premises, and later Georgian shopfronts.

High Street

• The principal medieval market street, still the busiest shopping street today.
• Many buildings retain medieval plots behind later façades — including Rothe House, which is “easily passed by on Kilkenny's High Street” despite being over 400 years old.
• Historically home to wealthy merchant families who dominated Kilkenny's trade and civic government.

Parliament Street

• A continuation of High Street, historically lined with merchants' houses and civic buildings.
• Today home to Rothe House & Garden, located at 16 Parliament Street, a short walk from Kilkenny Castle and St Canice's Cathedral.
• Still a lively commercial street with cafés, pubs, and independent shops.

St Kieran's Street

• A narrow medieval lane running parallel to High Street.
• Historically home to craft workshops and small traders.
• Today a pedestrian-friendly street with boutiques, cafés, and preserved medieval façades.

Rothe House & Garden

Ireland's only surviving example of a 16th–17th‑century merchant townhouse complex.

Historical Significance

• Built between 1594 and 1610 by John Rothe Fitz Piers, a leading merchant and later mayor of Kilkenny.
• Consists of three houses, built sequentially, each with its own courtyard — a rare survival of a full merchant complex.
• The Rothe family were among a small elite who controlled Kilkenny's trade and civic life from the late Middle Ages to the 17th century.
• Today owned by the Kilkenny Archaeological Society, housing over 2,500 artefacts relating to Kilkenny's heritage.

Architectural Features

• Three-storey houses arranged in depth along a medieval burgage plot, stretching back to the town walls.
• Restored rooms with original architectural ceilings, spiral staircases, and a large kitchen hearth.
• Cobbled courtyards connecting the houses.

The Garden

• A half‑acre walled garden, restored to its early 17th‑century layout after archaeological excavations in 2008 uncovered original paths, seeds, and artefacts.
• Includes an orchard, herb and vegetable beds, and heritage plant varieties.
• Designed in a late medieval/early Renaissance style, reflecting John Rothe's status and European influences.

Tourism Role

• One of Kilkenny's most important heritage attractions, offering guided and self-guided tours.
• A “hidden gem” providing a calm oasis off the busy shopping streets.
• Also a centre for genealogy research for Kilkenny families.

Shee Almshouse

A rare surviving 16th‑century charitable institution in the heart of the shopping district.

(Note: Your search results did not return information on the Shee Almshouse. The following is based on well‑established historical knowledge, clearly marked as internal knowledge.)

Historical Background

• Founded in 1582 by Sir Richard Shee as an almshouse for poor women — one of the few surviving pre‑Reformation charitable buildings in Ireland.
• Confiscated during the Cromwellian period and later restored to the Shee family.
• Served various civic functions over the centuries, including as a courthouse and tourist office.

Architectural Features

• A fine example of late Tudor civic architecture.
• Built of limestone with mullioned windows, gables, and a central doorway bearing the Shee family arms.
• Its survival is remarkable given the redevelopment of Kilkenny's commercial core.

Tourism Role

• Located on Rose Inn Street, linking High Street to the Castle.
• Now houses Kilkenny's tourist information centre, making it a key first stop for visitors.
• Its presence enriches the medieval character of the shopping district.

How These Sites Shape the Visitor Experience

A Walkable Medieval Commercial Core

• Kilkenny's shopping streets are compact and easily explored on foot.
• Visitors move seamlessly between retail, heritage buildings, and gardens, creating a layered experience of medieval and early modern urban life.

Architectural Continuity

• The streets retain their medieval plots, even where façades have changed.
• Buildings like Rothe House and the Shee Almshouse anchor the streetscape in the 16th century.

Cultural and Economic Role

• These streets remain Kilkenny's commercial heart, just as they were in the Middle Ages.
• Heritage attractions draw footfall that supports local shops, cafés, and craftspeople.

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The Thomas Woodgate Memorial

The Thomas Woodgate Memorial is a public sculpture located at the Courthouse on Parliament Street in Kilkenny, Ireland. It commemorates Thomas Joseph Woodgate, a 14-year-old boy from Callan, who is believed to be the youngest official Irish casualty of World War I.

The Background Story of Enlistment: In September 1918, Thomas Woodgate lied about his age to enlist in the Royal Air Force (RAF) by claiming he was 18 years old.

The Tragedy: En route to a training squadron in Egypt, he sailed on the passenger steamship RMS Leinster. On October 10, 1918, the ship was torpedoed and sunk by a German submarine just off the coast of Dublin, resulting in the deaths of over 560 people, including young Thomas.

Discovery: The truth about his actual age (14) was recently uncovered by historians, as his tombstone in Grangegorman Military Cemetery had incorrectly stated he was 18.

The Memorial Design: The monument features two life-size figures crafted from Corten steel set on an iron plinth.

Symbolism: At the base, three torpedo-like forms represent the fateful U-boat attack on the RMS Leinster.

	The CAKEFACE cafe with an amazing selection of cakes to eat and a quiet backspace outside area away from the main road. and below THE PANTRY cafe home bakery in Kilkenny town centre

63a. Kilkenny Castle and Design Centre 63b. Rothe House * 63c. Kilkenny Cathedral * 63d. The 'Black Abbey'

63e. St Mary's Medieval Mile Museum * 63f St Mary's Catholic Cathedral

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