Kilkenny Archaeological Society lecture celebrates local historian

Kilkenny Architectural Society is hosting a lecture on October 28 from 6:00 pm - 9:30 pm on  Kilkenny historian, archaeologist and scholar John Bradley. Titled the John Bradley Memorial Conference Lecture: “John Bradley: From Osraige To Kilkenny” it will explore the career of this accomplished academic. 

John Bradley, a native of Kilkenny, was a renowned archaeologist, historian and scholar of medieval Ireland, on which he lectured in UCD and NUIM. He was also director of the Urban Archaeological Survey during the 1980s, which included Co. Kilkenny, on which he engaged Ben Murtagh to conduct measured surveys of many of the county's monuments and pre-1700 buildings.

Both had many discussions as to how and when the ancient kingdom of Osraige (Ossory) was transformed into the Anglo-Norman county of Kilkenny, centring on how an apparently insignificant ecclesiastical site and church on a hill overlooking the River Nore became an episcopal seat and surrounded by a town, known as Cill Chainnigh or Kilkenny, city and county. 

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This early Irish town later had an adjoining Anglo-Norman twin, which as chronicled by John Bradley, was eventually elevated to the status of a city in 1609. In addition, some of these events and developments he summarised and discussed in a joint paper with the lecturer, which was published posthumously following John's untimely death in 2014. This extraordinary story, for which the city owes a great debt of gratitude to the late John Bradley, will be recounted at the forthcoming lecture.   

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Ben Murtagh MA is a longtime member of KAS and served for several years on its council. He is an archaeologist and architectural historian, specialising in the study and conservation of built heritage, primarily in the southeast of the country. He worked for many years excavating and on the restoration of Kilkenny Castle, as well as on the city walls. He has written extensively on the archaeology, history and built heritage of the county, including for the society's journal. He studied under John Bradley for his BA and MA degrees, as well as later working with him on the Urban Archaeological Survey, including in Co. Kilkenny, recording its monuments and pre-1700 built heritage.

Book tickets at: 

https://kilkennyarchaeologicalsociety.ie/event/john-bradley-memorial-conference-lecture/