Kilkenny Castle and its hidden historical treasures

The original main entrance to Kilkenny Castle remained buried for centuries - until a dig in 2019.

A hugely exciting archaeological dig undertaken that year by Cóilín Ó Drisceoil and his team at Kilkenny Archaeology unearthed the remains of the gatehouse built in the early 13th Century by William Marshal, earl of Pembroke.

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It was constructed to guard the main entrance into Marshal’s chief castle in Leinster which turned its back to the city which was built around it.

Pieces uncovered during the dig include lead bullets from the siege of the castle by Cromwell in 1650.

The painstaking work has resulted in the discovery of over a thousand artefacts, including a medieval harp tuning peg, an Irish Volunteers button, handles of medieval pottery jugs and musket balls.

“The gatehouse was badly damaged during the Cromwellian attack on the castle in March 1650 and what remained of it was removed in around 1770,” Cóilín Ó Drisceoil said.

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“Before it was demolished its plan had been drawn, to varying levels of accuracy, by Francis Place in 1699, John Rocque in 1758 and Richard Steile in 1767, all of whom showed it comprised two large circular towers.

“In 2010 a ground-penetrating radar archaeological survey was undertaken of the structure, which identified the precise location of the gatehouse.”