Kilkenny heraldry the theme for series of John Bradley memorial lectures

Details have been announced for this year's John Bradley memorial lectures by Gerard Crotty, a retired teacher who has been interested in heraldry for many years.

He has contributed articles to the Old Kilkenny Review and other publications, most notably a series on Heraldry in Ireland in Irish Roots magazine from 1997 to 2003. In 2009 his essay on the heraldry of the ‘civic’ families of Kilkenny appeared in Kilkenny Through the Centuries, edited by John Bradley and Michael O’Dwyer. His booklet, Heraldic Memorials in Fethard was published by Fethard Historical Society in 2012. 

He has studied the earlier armorial seals among the Ormond deeds with a view to elucidating the origins of Irish heraldry, and is particularly interested in the connection between heraldry and genealogy.

Making Sense of Heraldry

Kilkenny Castle, Friday October 27 at 7pm: Coats of arms have been borne by families and individuals ever since they first appeared in battle and tournament in the twelfth century. As brightly coloured devices on banner and shield, they served to distinguish one mail-clad knight from another. With the passage of time, they became hereditary and can be seen today on monuments and as decoration in manuscripts, stained glass and many other media, where they can convey much information about the families who bore them.

Reception at Kilkenny Castle 6pm.Conference Supper, Club House, Kilkenny, 8.15pm (Optional). Lecture and Reception €15.  Conference Supper €30.

The Heraldry of the Civic Families of Kilkenny

Rothe House, Kilkenny Saturday, October 28 at 11am: The Shees, Rothes, Archers, Langtons and a small group of other families who almost exclusively provided sovereigns, mayors and other civic officers to Kilkenny between 1500 and 1650, have left us many reminders of their existence in the form of heraldic stone carvings on houses and monuments. This talk will examine this rich Kilkenny heritage. Lecture and Coffee reception €10.