Month: March 2022

The city charter in 1609 on 11th April is written on animal skin. The power of symbolism reflects in the image of the lion of England, the unicorn of Scotland and the fleur de lys of France. Not in colour as the 1608 charter with its brilliantly decorative illumination, but yet poignant in written script.

The charter is an updated version of the first charter which concentrates on power, law and the council members. The ecclesiastical centres are mentioned and a description of Kilkenny and it’s wishes of it to be a ‘city of peace to the terror and fear of the wicked’. The charter gives power and rights to the people of Kilkenny and makes for a development of early city organization of its areas. The merchant class were now on the up.

Edward Shee was elected Mayor. Three weekly markets were permitted and three yearly fairs on the holy days of St Canice, St Patrick and John the Baptist.

During a time when conflict was occurring in Ireland because of a division in the Irish parliament involving the distrust towards Catholics, the Catholic bishops held a meeting in Kells, County Meath in March 1642. The bishops suggested that a council consisting of lay people and clergy should be formed to enforce law and order. This is how the Confederation of Kilkenny came about. It was decided between the bishops and the Old English gentry that a type of parliament would be held in Kilkenny.

Representatives would come from the four provinces. It couldn’t be called a parliament, because it wasn’t called by the king, so it was known as an assembly. The members of this assembly called themselves confederates because it was a coming together of Old English, Native Irish and some New English Catholics. The confederate coin which was found during the excavation of St Mary’s now the medieval mile museum is displayed in the unearthed exhibition. The coins were referred to as Kilkenny money or Rebel money.

The coin was specifically designed with no Royal image to reflect on a parliamentarian run country rather than a Royal institutional ruling. The half penny coin is a copper alloy disc in a rugged circular shape overstruck with the castle. A very rare type from this period.