Heritage and Conservation

Did you know that…?

County Kilkenny has the only known population in Ireland of the rare, beautiful and protected plant, Autumn Crocus.  
    
Photo grassland
 
Kilkenny has a rich and diverse stock of built, natural and cultural heritage.  The built heritage of County Kilkenny includes upstanding archaeological remains, a legacy of Early Christian, Norman and Late Medieval structures and a collection of eighteenth, nineteenth and early twentieth century structures.  
 
The county’s natural heritage is focused around the rivers and river valleys that dissect the county and the wide range of wildlife habitats including grassland, woodland, hedgerows, fens, heath, blanket bog, rivers and wetland.  Our cultural heritage is steeped in the Arts & Crafts, creativity, festivals and, of course, hurling.
 
What are the issues facing Heritage and Conservation in Kilkenny today?
 
Photo Butler House Kilkenny
 
Questions:
  • How can we manage change to maintain the quality, character and amenity value of our landscapes? And of our streetscapes?
  • Are there buildings or other structures that should be Protected as part of our Heritage ?
  • How can we manage Kilkenny’s natural heritage while sustaining local populations and facilitating economic and rural development?
Photo Kilkenny Castle Rose Garden
 
 
 

Comments

This suspension bridge was built by Ellen Countess of Desart to link Talbot’s Inch village to the Greenvale woollen mills on the far bank. The bridge was built to accommodate mill workers crossing the river Nore from their residences at Talbot’s Inch in the early 1900’s. The bridge was swept away in the flood of ’47 and has not been rebuilt since. The footings of the bridge can still be seen today at Linear Park (Bishop’s Meadows) which is now a scenic walkway that stretches from Talbots Inch to Riverside Park. I urge the County Council to construct a replica of this  bridge crossing at some point along the river Nore linking the canal walk to the 1.6km Lacken Walk . An ideal part of the river for the bridge to cross would be opposite the county council office so as to link the canal walk to the Lacken walk which would form a circular walk where local’s and tourist’s could stroll down the canal over the new suspension bridge, along the Lacken walk, as far as the ring road where they could then travel to the Bennettsbridge roundabout, down by the Black Quarry and back onto the Canal walk. This bridge was part of Kilkenny’s history and it would be breathtaking to see it back over the river Nore in the 21st century.

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Thank you for your comments. The Council are considering various short, medium and long-term possibilities to enhance connectivity across the River Nore as part of the overall plan for the Linear Park.  Issues such as pedestrian linkages in the city will be discussed at tomorrow’s public meeting in the Parade Tower, Kilkenny Castle at 7.30 p.m. and all are welcome to attend.   

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