From arrival of St Carthage in AD 636 to JFK's visit - South Kilkenny Historical Society visits Lismore

This year’s South Kilkenny Historical Society coach trip was to Lismore, County Waterford.

On arrival at Lismore the group were welcomed by Alice and Gearoid at the town’s heritage centre and treated to a 30-minute audiovisual presentation detailing the history of Lismore from the arrival of St Carthage, in AD 636, to the present day.

This presentation outlined how the Book of Lismore was discovered behind a wall in the castle in 1814, and gave details of John F Kennedy’s visit in 1947. It also gave some facts on Robert Boyle the ‘father of modern chemistry’, who was born in Lismore Castle.

The group was then brought on a walking tour of the town where the story of a colourful history of the town was imparted by Alice and Gearoid, and various places of interest pointed out.

Lismore Castle was built by King John in 1185, to guard the river. The castle was lived in by Sir Walter Raleigh, who sold it to the Earl of Cork, whose family lost the castle twice – the second time through the marriage to the Cavendish family. The Cavendish family, as the Dukes of Devonshire rebuilt the castle to the gothic structure that it is today.

PLACES OF INTEREST
Other places of interest were also pointed out, including the Catholic church of St Carthage and St Carthage’s Church of Ireland Cathedral. Visitors to the area, including Fred Astaire, were also recalled.

In the afternoon MaryAnn Vaughan, who has family links to the town, accompanied the group to the site of the former Lismore Workhouse. The workhouse, which was designed by architect George Wilkinson, was erected in 1840-41 on a four-acre site and received its first admissions on May 18, 1842.

When it was in operation the workhouse consisted of a masters quarters, a male wing, a female wing and accommodation for children. MaryAnn gave details of conditions within the workhouse during the famine and how it was funded. She also pointed out, in the local cemetery, where those who died in the workhouse were buried.

The business end of the trip concluded with a visit to Lismore Castle Gardens, before participants retired to Foley’s on the Mall for an evening meal.

The society would like to thank Duggan Coaches, Alice and Gearoid at Lismore Heritage Centre, MaryAnn Vaughan, Lismore Castle Gardens and Foley’s on the Mall, for ensuring all participants had an enjoyable day.

READ MORE: Society's next outing to Tory Hill