Eighteenth-Century Kilkenny – An Exceptional City?

Kilkenny Archaeological Society presents its second lecture of the year, and its first ‘in-person’ event, at Rothe House on Wednesday with David Dickson, Professor Emeritus of Modern History, Trinity College Dublin presenting his lecture ‘Eighteenth-Century Kilkenny: an Exceptional City?’ 

In the long history of Irish urbanization, Kilkenny is exceptional in many respects. David Dickson focuses on the 'long' eighteenth century, the time when the first true cities emerged in Ireland, bursting out beyond their ancient walls during what was an era of internal peace.  These 'first cities' were all maritime ports, except for Kilkenny.  Why was there such emphatic port-city growth at that time, and how was Kilkenny's own expansion linked to this?  What was distinctive about the city's 18th century economy? The lecture will consider the social and religious make-up of the 18th century city, and  ask if the religious conflict and exclusion, so evident in most Irish cities, was replicated in Kilkenny.

David Dickson has been writing about Kilkenny history for over thirty years. He authored a key chapter in Kilkenny History and Society in 1990. He is the author of the popular history book for students, New Foundations, Ireland 1660-1800. In 2018, he contributed to the comprehensive  four-volume Cambridge History of Ireland. He has lectured widely, with a number of articles and books published on his specialities, most recently, ‘The First Irish Cities: An Eighteenth-Century Transformation’ published by Yale University Press. 

This is a Kilkenny Archaeological Society lecture but all are welcome to attend. Non-members pay €10 on the door; members pay €7. The lecture takes place on Wednesday, February 16 at 8pm at Rothe House. Annual society membership is €40 (individual) or €50 (family). Find out more: www.kilkennyarchaeologicalsociety.ie/join