Kilkenny Castle, Ireland

The Kilkenny Castle is a medieval castle located in the city of Kilkenny, County Kilkenny in Ireland. The castle was built in 1172 by Richard de Clare (Strongbow) probably from wood. The wooden structure was about 1204 rebuilt in stone by Strogbow's son-in-law William Marshal, Earl of Pembroke. In 1391 was the castle sold to the Butler family which lived continuously in it until 1935 when they decided to leave and sold the castle's content on an auction. In the 1640's the Kilkenny Castle served as the site for the meeting of the General Assembly of the Confederate Ireland government.



After it was damaged in 1650 during a siege of Cromwell's forces during the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland was the castle in 1661 remodelled as a "modern" château but in the 19th century the Butlers partly rebuilt it in its medieval appearance. The castle suffered damage also during the Irish Civil War in 1922 but the damage was later repaired and the Butler family continued to live in it until 1935. Afterwards was the Kilkenny Castle abandoned and decayed until 1967 when it was sold to the Castle Restoration Committee. The castle's restoration was carried out by the state under the National Monuments and Historic Properties Service of the Office of Public Works and in 1976 was the Kilkenny Castle opened to the public.