KILKENNY is a city of Ireland, and the capital of the county of Kilkenny. It is delightfully situated on the ri ver Nare, over hich there are two handsome stone bridg es ; and with the borough of St. Canute, or the Irish town, it Nuns a large town, which is considered as one of the neatest and pleasantest in the kingdom. The houses are decorated with the marble dug in the neighbourhood, and the streets of the town are paved with the same material. Many of the buildings are large and good. The most re markable are, the bishop's palace, the castle of the Earl of Ormond, and the celebrated college or free school, a thea tre, an asylum for decayed house-keepers, &c. The col lege, of which there is a fine view from the walks, on the banks of the river, was founded by James Duke of Or mond, in 1682. The present building was erected in 1784, at the expence of L.5000, granted by parliament. The number of students is about 70, of whom 50 are boarded in the house. The appointment of the mas ter belongs to the provost and senior Fellow of Trinity College, Dublin. Ormond Castle is a magnificent and noble Imilding, on the banks of the river, having its en trances flanked by two large and unequal round tow ers. The stables on the opposite side of the road are
very fine. The little cathedral is a fine gothic struc ture, with round towers. The theatre is small, but neat. It is private property, and is opened about a month annu ally. Amateurs of the first rank perform, the female per formers being engaged from Dublin. The ruins of three monasteries, St. John's, St. Francis, and the Black Abbey, still exist. The windows of the latter are much admired. There are only two churches in the city, but there are se veral Roman Catholic chapels, each of which has congre gations more numerous than both the churches. The city sends only one member to parliament. The Earls of Or_ mond and Desart arc alternately the patrons.
The principal manufactures are those of starch, coarse woollens, and very fine blankets. The town contains 2870 houses, and 14,)75 persons.. West Long. 7° 15', North Lat. 52° 58'. See time works quoted in the last article, and Cares Stranger in Ireland.