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74-575: Bull-baiting is a blood sport involving pitting a bull against dogs with the aim of attacking and subduing the bull by biting and holding onto its nose or neck, which often resulted in the death of the bull. Crowds in London during the Royal Entry of James VI and I in March 1604 were entertained by bull-baiting. During the time of Queen Anne , bull-baiting was practiced in London at Hockley-in-the-Hole , twice

148-640: A Royal Charter giving it the status of a city. Following the Rebellion of 1641 , the Irish Catholic Confederation , also known as the "Confederation of Kilkenny", was based in Kilkenny and lasted until the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland in 1649. James II of England spent most of the winter months from November 1689 until January 1690 at Kilkenny, residing in the castle. Stephens Barracks , built in

222-556: A Royal Charter , giving it the status of a city. Following the Irish Rebellion of 1641 , the Irish Catholic Confederation , also known as the "Confederation of Kilkenny", was based in Kilkenny and lasted until the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland in 1649. From 1840 onwards, Kilkenny has not been administered as a city under local government law, but the Local Government Reform Act 2014 provides for "the continued use of

296-421: A moral panic . Contemporary examples such as Street Fighter , Mortal Kombat and Tekken make up much of the fighting game genre, and first-person arena shooters such as The Finals , Quake III Arena and Unreal Tournament , as well as vehicular combat games like Twisted Metal likewise depict some form of armed combat with firearms in a gladiatorial setting. Such games typically offer

370-426: A "city". Accordingly, a clause was added to the 2001 bill: the continued use of the description city in relation to Kilkenny, to the extent that that description was used before the establishment day. It remains both common and permissible in law to describe Kilkenny as a city; section 10(6) of the 2001 Act, as amended by the 2014 Act, provides that "the continued use of the description city in relation to Kilkenny, to

444-450: A bear was baited , and likewise, a wild, fierce bull, before they were brought by vaqueros to an arena in a small amphitheatre in Monterey, California , to fight each other. He called the fight "a favorite, though barbarous sport." In this case, he said that the bear used its sharp claws against the nose of the bull, before catching its tongue, after being repeatedly gored by the bull. Then

518-417: A common setting for video games, going as far back as the early years of the medium itself. Games about blood sports attracted controversy from newspapers and civic organisations due to their graphic content , in particular the 1976 vehicular combat game Death Race whose game mechanic of scoring points by running over humanoid figures (marketed by Exidy as "gremlins" in their official literature) generated

592-415: A hole in the ground. A variant of bull-baiting was "pinning the bull", where specially-trained dogs would set upon the bull one at a time, a successful attack resulting in the dog fastening his teeth strongly in the bull's snout . The extinct Old English Bulldog was specially bred for this sport. Bull-baiting was not only practiced as a form of recreation; there was a long-held belief that baiting improved

666-417: A laconic if not nominal plot or backstory to flesh out the characters and settings, which often take place in a large tournament attracting combatants from various locales. While Unreal Tournament and Quake III Arena do portray the game's violent combat as a "real world" blood sport within the games' fictional settings, some, such as The Finals , attempt to downplay the games' violent themes by presenting

740-475: A number of historical buildings and landmarks. Kilkenny is a well-preserved medieval town and is dominated by both Kilkenny Castle and St. Canice's Cathedral and round tower. Surviving examples of the city's medieval architecture include Kilkenny Castle and parts of the Kilkenny City Walls. These walls define the extent, layout and status of the medieval town. The town grew from a monastic settlement to

814-428: A population of 22,179 in 2006 which was an increase of 1444 persons over the 2002 figure of 20,735 or 7.0%. People from Kilkenny are often referred to as 'Cats'. Disposable household income per person as of 2005 was €18,032 and the index of disposable household was 89.4. Kilkenny is multilingual but predominantly English-speaking , with Irish being the second most commonly spoken language. In recent decades, with

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888-495: A series of walls were built to protect the burghers of what became a Norman merchant town. William Marshall , Lord of Leinster , gave Kilkenny a charter as a town in 1207. By the late 13th century, Kilkenny was under Hiberno-Norman control. The Statutes of Kilkenny , passed at Kilkenny in 1367, aimed to curb the decline of the Hiberno-Norman Lordship of Ireland . In 1609, King James I of England granted Kilkenny

962-541: A successor to both the corporation established under this charter and of the borough of Irishtown. In 1899, under the Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898 , the area became an urban district , but its council retained the style of a borough corporation. In 2002, under the Local Government Act 2001, Kilkenny Borough Corporation became a borough council. On 1 June 2014, under the Local Government Reform Act 2014 ,

1036-639: A thriving Norman merchant town in the Middle Ages. St. Canice's Cathedral and round tower are an example of the monastic settlement. Rothe House on Parliament Street is an example of an Elizabethan merchant townhouse located on the only completely surviving burgage plot in Ireland. It also features a restored 17th-century garden on an area of half an acre behind the house, complete with herbs, vegetables and an orchard. The black stone with decorative white fossils that forms

1110-511: A very handsome MOROCCO COLLAR, stitched with Silver, and a Silver Plate for a Label, of a Guinea and Half Value. Each Dog is to be let three Times at the first Bull, four Times at the second, and only one Dog run at a Time. The Owner of each Dog that runs, pays One Shilling for Entrance. Proper Judges will be appointed before running to determine who may be the Winner, A good Ordinary at the King's Inn, between

1184-411: A week – and was also reasonably common in provincial towns, for instance at Birmingham 's Bull Ring . At Tutbury , a bull was tied to an iron stake so that it could move within a radius of about 30 feet. The object of the sport was for the dogs to immobilize the bull. Before the event started, the bull's nose was blown full of pepper to enrage it before the baiting. The bull was often placed in

1258-583: Is 3.74 square kilometres (1.44 sq mi). The first edition of the Ordnance Survey map for Kilkenny was in 1837 and is held by the County Library. The climate of Kilkenny, like the climate of Ireland , is a changeable oceanic climate with few extremes. It is defined as a temperate oceanic climate , or Cfb on the Köppen climate classification system. Kilkenny lies in plant Hardiness zone 9 . At

1332-757: Is a city in County Kilkenny , Ireland . It is located in the South-East Region and in the province of Leinster . It is built on both banks of the River Nore . The 2022 census gave the population of Kilkenny as 27,184, the thirteenth-largest urban center in Ireland . Kilkenny is a tourist destination, and its environs include historic buildings such as Kilkenny Castle , St Canice's Cathedral and round tower, Rothe House , Shee Alms House , Black Abbey , St. Mary's Cathedral , The Tholsel , St. Francis Abbey , Grace's Castle, and St. John's Priory . Kilkenny

1406-477: Is a plan by the inhabitants of Kilkenny, Kilkenny Borough Council, the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government, An Taisce, The Kilkenny Archaeological Society and The Heritage Council to ensure the long-term survival of the city's walls. St Canice's Cathedral , also known as Kilkenny Cathedral, present building dates from the 13th century and is the second longest cathedral in Ireland. The cathedral

1480-468: Is also known as Talbot's Bastion or Castle. It is the larger of the two surviving towers of the defences of the medieval High town of Kilkenny. There are walls on Abbey Street, and the adjoining Black Freren Gate is the only surviving gate/access remaining on the High town Circuit into the old city. A wall also runs through the brewery's grounds beside St. Francis Abbey . The Kilkenny City Walls Conservation Plan

1554-630: Is also known for its craft and design workshops, the Watergate Theatre, public gardens and museums. Annual events include Kilkenny Arts Festival , the Cat Laughs comedy festival and music at the Kilkenny Roots Festival. Kilkenny began with an early 6th-century ecclesiastical foundation within the Kingdom of Ossory . Following the 12th-century Norman invasion of Ireland , Kilkenny Castle and

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1628-513: Is currently in operation within 1 km of the old site, and as of March 2010 , was providing live weather data to the general public and climate data to Met Éireann . Extremes recorded at the station include the highest air temperature of 31.5 °C (88.7 °F) on 29 June 1976 , the lowest air temperature of −14.1 °C (6.6 °F) on 2 January 1979 and the lowest ground temperature of −18.1 °C (−0.6 °F) on 12 January 1982 . The warmest and sunniest month on record in Kilkenny

1702-475: Is named after Saint Canice, who also gave his name to the town. Cruciform , the cathedral was built in the Early English , or English Gothic, style of architecture , of limestone , with a low central tower supported on black marble columns. The exterior walls, apart from the gables, are embattled , and there are two small spires at the west end. The cathedral is seventy-five yards long, and its width along

1776-408: Is no mention of Cill Chainnigh in the lives of Cainnech of Aghaboe , Ciarán of Saighir or any of the early annals of Ireland suggesting that Cill Chainnigh was not of ancient civil importance. Kilkenny's foundation began with an early 6th-century ecclesiastical settlement, with a church built in honour of St. Canice . Now St. Canice's Cathedral , this was a major monastic centre from at least

1850-566: Is open to visitors. Part of the collection of the National Art Gallery is on display in the castle. There are ornamental gardens on the northwest side of the castle, and extensive land and gardens to the front. It has become one of the most visited tourist sites in Ireland. The first stone castle was begun in 1204 by William Marshall the site was completed in 1213; it was a symbol of Norman occupation and in its original thirteenth-century condition it would have formed an important element of

1924-599: Is significant in that it records some of the highest summer and lowest winter temperatures in Ireland. The highest air temperature ever recorded in Ireland was 33.3 °C (91.9 °F), at Kilkenny Castle on 26 June 1887 . The Met Éireann Kilkenny Weather Observing Station , 2 km north-west of the centre of Kilkenny, on the Duningstown Road, opened in May 1957 , and observations ceased in April 2008 . A climatological station

1998-572: The Acts of Union 1800 , Kilkenny City was represented in the United Kingdom House of Commons by one MP from 1801 to 1918, and as part of North Kilkenny from 1918 to 1922. In 1921, the Carlow–Kilkenny Dáil constituency was created. This continued until 1937, when there was a separate Kilkenny constituency, but from 1948 there has been a continuous constituency of Carlow–Kilkenny. While

2072-656: The Dominican Black Abbey , St. John's Church , Butler House , Kilkenny 'Slips' and St. Francis Abbey Brewery. Gardens include the Castle Rose Garden, Rothe House Garden, the Famine Memorial Garden and the garden of Butler House. In the county other attractions include Kells Priory , Jerpoint Abbey , Dunmore Caves , Woodstock Estate and Jenkinstown Park . Local Kilkenny marble or black marble

2146-498: The Local Government Act 2001 , as amended by the Local Government Reform Act 2014 . In 2002, under the Local Government Act 2001, the former five county boroughs were redesignated as cities. At the same time, the historic city status of Kilkenny was acknowledged in law. When this legislation was being debated, local TDs Phil Hogan and John McGuinness successfully lobbied that Kilkenny could continue to be referred to as

2220-457: The River Nore , at the centre of County Kilkenny in the province of Leinster in the south-east of Ireland . It is 117 kilometres (73 mi) away the capital Dublin and 48 kilometres (30 mi) north from the nearest city Waterford . Wexford is 80 kilometres (50 mi) to the south-east and Limerick is 122 kilometres (76 mi) to the west. The elevation is 60 metres (200 ft) above mean sea level. The area of Kilkenny borough

2294-496: The 13th century onwards and one of the most important of these is Liber Primus Kilkenniensis . The Kings of Ossory , O'Carrolls and Fitzpatricks, had residence around Cill Chainnigh. The seat of the diocese of Kingdom of Osraige was moved from Aghaboe to Cill Chainnigh. Following the Norman invasion of Ireland , Richard Strongbow , as Lord of Leinster , established a castle near modern-day Kilkenny Castle . William Marshall began

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2368-464: The 13th century to the end of the 16th, the chief magistrate was known as the sovereign, and since then as the mayor. It was granted a royal charter as a city in 1609 by James I of England and Ireland . This was a county corporate which included the borough of Irishtown , which fell within the city. The borough corporation established under the Municipal Corporations (Ireland) Act 1840 is

2442-525: The 24 members of Kilkenny County Council . This area is defined as the Municipal District of Kilkenny City. Local government bodies in Kilkenny have responsibility for such matters as planning, roads, sanitation and libraries and are governed by the Local Government Acts 1925 to 2019, the principal Act being the Local Government Act 2001 . Kilkenny's first council was elected in 1231. From

2516-518: The 8th century. The Annals of the Four Masters recorded the first reference Cill Chainnigh in 1085. Prehistoric activity has been recorded, suggesting intermittent settlement activity in the area in the Mesolithic and Bronze Age . Information on the history of Kilkenny can be found in newspapers, photographs, letters, drawings, manuscripts and archaeology. Kilkenny is documented in manuscripts from

2590-706: The Cornmarket and in Smithfield . On St Stephen's Day 1789, a riot followed a bull-bait: soldiers fired on the crowd and four were killed. In Wexford , the activity arrived in 1621, brought by the Guild of Butchers. Bulls were baited twice a year and their hides presented to the Mayor. The area where bull-baiting took place is still called the Bullring. In Kilkenny it took place at the site called The Ring, first in 1609, and commonly on

2664-467: The Irish Cill Chainnigh , meaning Cell/Church of Cainneach or Canice . This relates to a church built in honour of St. Canice , an Ulsterman , on the hill now containing St. Canice's Cathedral and the round tower . This seems to be the first major settlement. The early Christian origin of the round tower suggests an early ecclesiastical foundation at Kilkenny. Ceall-Cainnigh was for

2738-572: The Ossory Pedestrian Bridge. Each of the bridges spans the River Nore . Green's Bridge, also known as the 'Great Bridge of Kilkenny', crosses the River Nore in St. Canices Parish in the townland of Gardens, and is an important element of the architectural heritage of Kilkenny City. First built before 1200, the bridge has been rebuilt several times since the twelfth century due to flooding, including

2812-586: The Times of Baiting the Bulls. Bull baiting advertised in 1780 appears to indicate that it was organized by a local hostelry. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, THAT an exceeding good BULL will be baited on Wednesday the 27th day of December 1780, near the DOG and STAR at Alresford, Hants, when and where a dinner will be given gratis to every person that shall produce a good bull-dog; likewise a Silver Collar of twenty-four shillings value, to

2886-749: The backbone of many of Kilkenny's fine buildings was quarried locally, particularly from the quarry located 1.6 km south of the town on the R700. Kilkenny marble was used for the plinth of the new tomb of Richard III in Leicester Cathedral in England. Visitor attractions in Kilkenny and its environs include Kilkenny Castle and Gardens including the Butler Gallery , St. Canice's Cathedral and round tower, Rothe House and Garden, Shee Alms House , Kilkenny Courthouse , St. Mary's Cathedral , The Tholsel ,

2960-405: The bear to death with its horns, or toss the bear into the air. Bull-baiting dogs, including Old English Bulldogs , Bullenbeissers , Spanish Bulldogs , Ca de Bous and bull and terriers , were bred to bait animals, mainly bulls and bears. During bull-baiting, the dog would attempt to flatten itself to the ground, creeping as close to the bull as possible, then darting out and attempting to bite

3034-695: The beginning of June. Kilkenny is also where the Irish ale , Smithwick's , was first brewed. Kilkenny is referred to as the Marble City , and people from Kilkenny are often referred to as ' Cats '. The seat of the Roman Catholic Bishop of Ossory is at St. Mary's Cathedral and the Church of Ireland Bishop of Cashel and Ossory is at St. Canice's Cathedral . Kilkenny is situated in the Nore Valley on both banks of

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3108-681: The borough council was dissolved and administration of the town was amalgamated with Kilkenny County Council. County Kilkenny is part of the Southern Region . It is part of the Carlow–Kilkenny Dáil constituency and the South European Parliament constituency . In the Irish House of Commons , both Kilkenny City and the bishop's borough of St Canice (or Irishtown) were represented with two MPs each. From 1801, following

3182-567: The bull in the nose or head area. The bull would often be tethered by a collar and rope, which were staked into the ground. As the dog darted at the bull, the bull would attempt to catch the dog with his head and horns, and throw the dog into the air. In 1835, the Cruelty to Animals Act was passed in Parliament that outlawed "Blood Sport" in the United Kingdom. The bulldog's work was suddenly over and

3256-477: The bull overturned it "with a desperate effort", and then "dispatched" it rather easily. Blood sport According to Tanner Carson, the earliest use of the term is in reference to mounted hunting, where the quarry would be actively chased, as in fox hunting or hare coursing . Before firearms , a hunter using arrows or a spear might also wound an animal, which would then be chased and perhaps killed at close range, as in medieval boar hunting. The term

3330-456: The bulldog rapidly started dying out. Around 1865, dog fanciers began developing dog clubs which eventually culminated into conformation shows . Many fanciers utilized various remnants of the dog utilized for "Blood Sport" to resurrect the "Bull" dog and ultimately developed today's modern English bulldog. Washington Irving , in his 1837 book, The Adventures of Captain Bonneville , wrote that

3404-477: The bulls that fought the bears, at least while California was part of the United States, were not domesticated Hereford bulls, but Spanish Fighting Bulls , whose weight, agility, speed, sharp horns, and hot temper were said to be dangerous to both bears and humans, and Wistar (1937) said that those bulls were fearless. In a case of the bull winning, victory could come early, when the bull used its strength to gore

3478-599: The cathedral stands is believed to be the centre of the first major settlement at Kilkenny, and the round tower suggests an early ecclesiastical foundation. Dominican Black Abbey was founded in 1225, and lying just off Parliament Street. Kilkenny has four main bridges — Green's Bridge , John's Bridge, the Ossory Bridge and the St Francis Bridge — and two pedestrian/cycle bridges — the Lady Desart Bridge and

3552-526: The census, had a population of 27,184 in 2022. Changes as of the 2006 census, by the Central Statistics Office , Kilkenny Town Borough had a population of 8,661 which was an increase of 70 persons over the 2002 figure of 8,591 or 0.8%. The Town Environs had a population of 13,518 which was an increase of 1347 persons over the 2002 figure of 12,144 or 11.3%. Overall both the Borough & Environs had

3626-429: The centre of the county, Kilkenny is in a sheltered location, 66 kilometres (41 mi) inland and is surrounded by hills over 200 metres (660 ft), which ensures that it is not a windy location. The highest wind gust of 77 knots , from a south-west direction, was recorded on 12 January 1974 . Kilkenny is generally representative of wide river valleys in the region with low temperatures on cloudless nights, and

3700-468: The culture. Bullfighting aficionados, for example, do not regard bullfighting as a sport but as a cultural activity. It is sometimes called a tragic spectacle , because in many forms of the event, the bull is invariably killed and the bullfighter is always at risk of death. Trophy hunting and fox hunting in particular have been disparaged as blood sports by those concerned about animal welfare , animal ethics and conservation. Recreational fishing

3774-558: The defences of the town. There were four large circular corner towers and a massive ditch, part of which can still be seen today on the Parade. This was a square-shaped castle with towers at each corner; three of these original four towers survive to this day. Kilkenny Walls protected the medieval town of Kilkenny. The town was surrounded by walls with regular towers and gates. Remnants of the Town Walls survive such as Talbot Tower (1207), which

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3848-410: The description city". Kilkenny was a brewing centre from the late 17th century, and still houses a number of breweries. The Heritage Council offices are at Church Lane in the former Bishop's Palace. The seat of the Roman Catholic Bishop of Ossory is at St Mary's Cathedral and the Church of Ireland Bishop of Cashel and Ossory is at St Canice's Cathedral . Kilkenny is the anglicised version of

3922-478: The development of the town of Kilkenny and a series of walls to protect the burghers. By the late 13th century, Kilkenny was under Norman-Irish control. The original ecclesiastical centre at St. Canice's Cathedral became known as Irishtown and the Anglo-Norman borough inside the wall came to be known as Hightown. Kilkenny was the site of Ireland's earliest recorded witch trial. Occurring in 1324 and instigated by

3996-402: The extent that that description was used before 1 January 2002 and is not otherwise inconsistent with this Act". As of 2014, Kilkenny does not have an administration separate from the county. However, under Local Government Reform Act 2014 , the municipal district is distinctly acknowledged as "the Municipal District of Kilkenny City". Kilkenny's architectural heritage is represented through

4070-560: The feast-day of John the Baptist (December 27). The last recorded bull-bait was in 1837, after they had become illegal under an 1835 Act. Bull-baiting also took place in Waterford , Naas , Drogheda , Tuam , Carrickfergus , Belfast and Athlone . In the 19th century, and during Spanish Colonial Rule , bulls used to be pitted against bears in California and Mexico. Kingsley (1920) said that

4144-561: The game as a virtual reality simulation within a fictional game show instead, devoid of any in-story human casualties. The film Battle Royale also notably inspired the battle royale genre, where players compete against each other for survival in a shrinking area, popularised by games such as PUBG: Battlegrounds (2017), Fortnite Battle Royale (2017), Apex Legends (2019) and Call of Duty: Warzone (2020). Kilkenny Kilkenny ( Irish : Cill Chainnigh [ˌciːl̠ʲ ˈxan̠ʲəj] , meaning 'church of Cainnech ')

4218-461: The ghosts of Alice and Petronella haunting downtown Kilkenny. Alice's house, Kyteler's Inn, still stands and is now a pub. The Hiberno-Norman presence in Kilkenny was deeply shaken by the Black Death , which arrived in 1348. The Statutes of Kilkenny passed at Kilkenny in 1367, aimed to curb the decline of the Hiberno-Norman Lordship of Ireland . In 1609, King James I of England granted Kilkenny

4292-504: The increase of immigration on an all-Ireland basis, many more languages have been introduced into Kilkenny. The main religion is Catholicism, however, there are Church of Ireland, Presbyterian, Methodist, Jewish and other religious traditions living in Kilkenny. Kilkenny is now administered as part of County Kilkenny . The local electoral area of Kilkenny contains the electoral divisions of Dunmore, Kilkenny No. 1 Urban, Kilkenny No. 2 Urban, Kilkenny Rural and St. Canice, and elects 7 of

4366-476: The meat quality and tenderness when consumed. By the early nineteenth century, the sport began to die out, both because the baiting caused a public nuisance and because of new concerns about animal cruelty. The Bull Baiting at Wokingham was advertised in the newspaper in 1774. BULL BAITING. On Wednesday next, being St. Thomas's Day, Two Bulls will be baited in the Market-Place, Wokingham, which will be run for,

4440-410: The most part burned. The Annals of the Four Masters recorded Kilkenny in 1085. Prior to this time the early 6th-century territory was known as Osraighe, referring to the whole district or the capital. The Four Masters entry was the first instance where the capital was called Ceall-Cainnigh (modernised Kilkenny). Cill Chainnigh was a major monastic centre from at least the eighth century. There

4514-407: The owner of the dog that shall pin the bull oftenest and fairest, and seven shillings and sixpence to the owner of the second best dog. But if none shall pin him, seven and sixpence will be given to the owner of the best, and five shillings to the owner of the second dog. N.B. No dog will be allowed to run unless produced at the place before ten o'clock in the forenoon. A Bill for the suppression of

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4588-399: The practice was introduced into the House of Commons in 1800 by Sir William Pulteney . The Bill was defeated by a one-vote margin. A second Bill was introduced in 1802 by John Dent , but was defeated by thirteen votes. Bull baiting was still taking place, a newspaper reported in 1818 that a bull being taken from the stake to a stable had killed a man at Bilston Wake. Bulls were excluded from

4662-424: The present-day settlement is administered as a municipal district , the appellation "city" is an emotive subject in Kilkenny. Historically, city status in the United Kingdom , and before that in the Kingdom of Ireland , was a ceremonial designation awarded by the crown . It carried more prestige than the alternative municipal titles " borough " or " town ", but gave no additional legal powers (the qualifying factor

4736-557: The protections afforded to other cattle in the Cruel Treatment of Cattle Act 1822 . Bull-baiting was not finally outlawed until parliament passed the Cruelty to Animals Act of 1835 , which forbade the keeping of any house, pit, or other places for baiting or fighting any bull, bear, dog, or other animals. Bull-baiting ( Irish : tarbh-ghríosú ) was widespread in Ireland in the 17th–19th centuries. In Dublin , bull-baiting took place near

4810-420: The site, except for educational purposes, such as in public service announcements . Limitations on blood sports have been enacted in much of the world. Certain blood sports remain legal under varying degrees of control in certain locations (e.g., bullfighting and cockfighting ) but have declined in popularity elsewhere. Proponents of blood sports are widely cited to believe that they are traditional within

4884-460: The then Bishop of Ossory , Richard de Ledrede , the trial involved Dame Alice de Kyteler and her servant Petronella de Meath . Petronella would be the first person recorded in Ireland to be burned alive at the stake for witchcraft, after Dame Alice presumably fled the country. This trial was also one of the earliest recorded witch burnings in Europe and inspires much folklore about the possibility of

4958-407: The transepts is forty-one yards. Beside the cathedral stands a 100 ft 9th century round tower. St. Canice's tower is an excellent example of a well-preserved early Christian (9th century) Round Tower . Accessible only by a steep set of internal ladders, it may once have been both a watchtower and a refuge, and the summit gives a good view of Kilkenny and the countryside around. The hill on which

5032-588: The years following the 1798 Rebellion , was completed between 1800 and 1803. The Kilkenny Design Workshops were opened in 1965 and in 1967 the Marquess of Ormonde presented Kilkenny Castle to the people of Kilkenny. Today, it has a lively cultural scene, with annual events including the Kilkenny Arts Week Festival in the last two weeks of August, and the Cat Laughs Comedy Festival at

5106-410: Was August 1995 with a total of 274.9 hours sunshine and very high temperatures throughout. The maximum daily sunshine was 16.3 hours on 18 June 1978 . The overall trend in temperatures has been on the rise with a marked increase from 1988 onwards. Annual temperatures are running over 0.5 degrees or 0.9°F above 20th century levels. The maximum daily rainfall recorded at Kilkenny station

5180-428: Was 66.4 millimetres (2.61 in) on 17 July 1983 . The late 1950s and early 1960s were wet but rainfall had been steady throughout the century. 2002 was a very wet year and since 2005 annual rainfall has been increasing steadily, with 2009 being the wettest year since records commenced in 1958. The majority of the population of Kilkenny live outside the borough's boundary. The urban centre of Kilkenny, as defined by

5254-624: Was once described as a blood sport by those within the recreation. Blood sports have been a common theme in fiction. While historical fiction depicts real-life sports such as gladiatorial games and jousting , speculative fiction , especially dystopic science fiction , suggests variants of blood sports in a contemporary or future society. Some popular works themed on blood sports are Battle Royale , The Hunger Games , The Running Man , The Long Walk , Fight Club , Death Race 2000 , Amores Perros , Squid Game , Bloodsport , and The Most Dangerous Game . Blood sports are also

5328-616: Was popularised by author Henry Stephens Salt . Later, the term seems to have been applied to various kinds of baiting and forced combat: bull-baiting , bear-baiting , cockfighting , and later developments such as dog fighting and rat-baiting . The animals were specially bred for fighting. In the Victorian era , social reformers began a vocal opposition to such activities, claiming grounds of ethics , morality , and animal welfare . Many online video-sharing websites such as YouTube do not allow videos of animal bloodsports to be shown on

5402-519: Was the presence of a cathedral , resulting in some very small cities such as Wells , with a population 12,000 as of 2018 and St Davids , with a population of 1,841 as of 2011). A city in Irish law has special legal meaning with corresponding powers for local government. From a local government perspective, Kilkenny has not been administered as a city since at least 1840. The present-day legal, political and administrative jurisdictions in Ireland are set out in

5476-517: Was used to decorate many of the city's buildings, and Kilkenny referred to the "Marble City" for this reason. Kilkenny Castle in Kilkenny city was the seat of the Butler family. (Formerly the family name was FitzWalter.) The castle was sold to the local Castle Restoration Committee in the middle of the 20th century for £ 50. Shortly afterwards it was handed over to the State, and has since been refurbished and

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