St. Canice's Cathedral

Infobox UK cathedral
building_name = St.Canice's Cathedral
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caption = St. Canice's Cathedral and round tower.
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full_name = Cathedral Church of St.Canice
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county = County Kilkenny
country = Republic of Ireland
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Kilkenny, retains the the anglicised version of the Irish "Cill Chainnigh", which translates as "Church of Cainneach or Canice". This most probability relating the church and round tower, now St. Canice's Cathedral, which was built in honor to St. Canice.

St. Canice's Cathedral in Kilkenny,was founded in the 13th century is the second longest cathedral in Ireland . The site on which the cathedral stands has been a site of Christian worship since the 6th century. The architectural style of the cathedral is Early Gothic and it is built of limestone. The cathedral has been carefully preserved in its original style and form. It is richly endowed with many stained glass windows including the East window which is a replica of the original 13th century window.The cathedral contains some of the finest 16th century monuments in Ireland.The memorials stretch right across the social spectrum from the great figures of the house of Ormonde to the humble shoemaker and carpenter. The baptismal font is original and the ancient stone of enthronement for bishops still exists under the seat of the medieval throne in the North Transept, where to this day the bishops of Ossory are enthroned. The continental carvings on the choir stalls and the hammerbeam roof are not to be missed.Beside the cathedral stands the 9th century round tower. It may once have been a watchtower and a refuge and it can be climbed to give an unsurpassing vantage point to view the city of Kilkenny and the surrounding countryside.

The earliest church on the site is presumed to have been made of wood, being replaced eventually in the later medieval period by a romanesque-style stone church. This was in turn replaced by the current imposing medieval cathedral. List of abbeys and priories in County Kilkenny.

The "Annals of the Four Masters" recorded entries for "Cill Chainnigh" in 1085 and again in 1114;Harvnb|Graves|1857|p=23]

cquote|"

Ceall-Cainnigh was for the most part burned.

... Cill-Cainnigh, ... were all burned this year."
20px|20px|- Four Masters, "Annals of the Four Masters", 1085 and 1114. [Harvnb|Masters, Annals of the Four Masters [http://www.ucc.ie/celt/published/T100005B/index.html vol. ii] , [http://www.ucc.ie/celt/online/T100005B/text019.html p.923] from Irish:]

There is no mention of Kilkenny in the lives of Cainnech of Aghaboe, Ciarán of Saighir or any of the early annels of Ireland suggesting that it had was not of ancient or great civil importance. Harvnb|Graves|1857|p=23] The hill now containing St. Canice's Cathedral and the Round Tower seems to be the first major settlement. The early christian origin of Round Tower suggests an early "ecclesiastical fundation" at Kilkenny. [Harvnb|Graves|1857|p=25] The area surrounding the Cathedral, Irishtown , is the oldest part of the city and became the hub around which the town developed. Though the religious origins of the city are well documented, it is not known as yet quite how early secular structures were constructed.

Further reading

* cite book
last = Hogan
first = John
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = Kilkenny; the Ancient City of Ossory, the Seat of Its Kings, the See of Its Bishops and the Site of Its Cathedral
publisher = P. M. Egan
date = 1884
location =
pages =
url = http://books.google.com/books?id=vHmnGQAACAAJ
doi =
id =
isbn =
*Citation
last=Graves
first=Rev. James
author-link=
chapter=
date=
year=1857
chapter-url =
editor-last=
editor-first=
title=The History, Architecture, and Antiquities of the Cathedral Church of St. Canice, Kilkenny
place=Grafton Street, Dublin.
publisher=Hodges, Smith, & co.
publication-year=
pages=22
url=http://books.google.com/books?id=Z_IDAAAAYAAJ
isbn =.
*Citation
last=Clarendon
first=
author-link=
chapter=
date=
year=
chapter-url =
editor-last=
editor-first=
title=De Ossoriensi Dioescesi
place=Clarendon Collection (tom. li. audit. number 4796); Trintity College, Dublin (E. 4.18).
publisher=
publication-year=
pages=19-30
url=
isbn =.
*Citation
last=Masters
first=
author-link=
chapter=
date=1085
year=
chapter-url =http://www.ucc.ie/celt/online/T100005B/text019.html
editor-last=
editor-first=
title=Annals of the Four Masters
place=
publisher=
publication-year=
pages=
url=http://www.ucc.ie/celt/published/T100005A/index.html
isbn =.
*Citation
last=Ledwich
first=Edward
author-link=
chapter=
date=
year=
chapter-url =http://www.ucc.ie/celt/online/T100005B/text019.html
editor-last=
editor-first=
title=Antiquities of Ireland
place=
publisher=Banton Press
publication-year=1991
pages=
url=
isbn =1856520250, 9781856520256
*Citation
last=Chadwyck-Healey
first=Inc
author-link=
chapter=
date=
year=1856
chapter-url =
editor-last=
editor-first=
title=Notes and Queries
place=University of Michigan
publisher=Oxford University Press
publication-year=1856
pages=
url=http://books.google.com/books?id=Wn0PAAAAIAAJ
isbn =