Thomastown
Encyclopedia
Landmarks
KilfaneKilfane
The name of old gardens and townland outside of Thomastown in County Kilkenny Ireland.This is in the parish of TullaherinThis is also the site of a 13th century church, now in ruins, has an adjoining castellated presbytery or stone house...
Glen is a restored historic 1790s garden of romantic era with waterfall, woodland walks and cottage orne. The garden is listed as an Irish Heritage garden and was awarded assistance in 1993 by the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
Cultural Commission. As an amenity it covers about 15 acres (60,702.9 m²) of easily accessible natural landscape.
The romantic landscape within the demesne of Kilfane House was developed during the 1790s by a particularly cultured and sensitive landowner and his wife, Sir John and Lady Power. Sir Richard Power, twin brother of Sir John also joined in the development of the garden.
The ruins of the 12th century Jerpoint Abbey
Jerpoint Abbey
Jerpoint Abbey is a ruined Cistercian abbey, founded in the second half of the 12th century, near Thomastown, County Kilkenny, Ireland. It is located 2.5 km south west from Thomastown on the N9 national primary road. There is a Visitor Centre with an exhibition...
is located near the town.
The nearby Grennan Castle, an oblong-shaped castle, dates from the 13th century and was erected by Thomas FitzAnthony. The castle was in good repair until the beginning of the 19th century, when parts of it were removed for building purposes.
Industry
River Nore
The River Nore is a long river located in south-east of Ireland. Along with the River Suir and River Barrow, it is one of the constituent rivers of the group known as the Three Sisters. The river drains approximately of Leinster. The river rises in the Devil's Bit Mountain, North Tipperary...
, was the principal industry in the town until the early 1960s. The mills were Pilsworth's Mills. At one stage there were 12 water-powered mills, for grain and cloth, working in the parish. The last working mill in Thomastown closed in 1963. This mill is now the site of Grennan Craft School. Several mill buildings in good condition can be seen upstream from the bridge.
For centuries there was an important boat trade to carry produce to and from the port of New Ross. It went into decline at the end of the 18th century.
Transport
The N9 Dublin–WaterfordWaterford
Waterford is a city in the South-East Region of Ireland. It is the oldest city in the country and fifth largest by population. Waterford City Council is the local government authority for the city and its immediate hinterland...
road
Roads in Ireland
The island of Ireland, comprising Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, has an extensive network of tens of thousands of kilometres of public roads, usually surfaced. These roads have been developed and modernised over centuries, from trackways suitable only for walkers and horses, to...
passes through Thomastown where it crosses the R700
R700 road
The R700 road is a regional road in Ireland which runs northwest-southeast from Kilkenny City centre to New Ross in County Wexford.En route it passes through Bennettsbridge, Thomastown and Inistioge before crossing the River Barrow into County Wexford....
regional road
Regional road
A regional road in Ireland is a class of road not forming a major route , but nevertheless forming a link in the national route network. There are over 11,600 kilometres of regional roads. Regional roads are numbered with three digit route numbers, prefixed by "R" A regional road in Ireland is a...
. The town is connected to the Irish railway network
Rail transport in Ireland
Rail services in Ireland are provided by Iarnród Éireann in the Republic of Ireland and by Northern Ireland Railways in Northern Ireland.Most routes in the Republic radiate from Dublin...
on the Dublin–Kilkenny–Waterford line. Thomastown railway station
Thomastown railway station
Thomastown railway station serves the town of Thomastown in County Kilkenny, Ireland.The station opened on 12 May 1848. Unlike most other railway stations on the network, tickets are not available for purchase at Thomastown station and must be obtained on the train...
opened on 12 May 1848.
People
Dysart Castle close to Thomastown is reputed to have been the birthplace of the influential Irish philosopher Bishop George BerkeleyGeorge Berkeley
George Berkeley , also known as Bishop Berkeley , was an Irish philosopher whose primary achievement was the advancement of a theory he called "immaterialism"...
. Born in Kilmurry, Mildred Anne Butler
Mildred Anne Butler
Mildred Anne Butler, R.A. R.W.S. was an Irish artist, who worked in watercolour and oil of landscape, genre and animal subjects...
(1858 – 1941) was an artist associated with the Newlyn School
Newlyn School
The Newlyn School is a term used to describe an art colony of artists based in or near to Newlyn, a fishing village adjacent to Penzance, Cornwall, from the 1880s until the early 20th century. The establishment of the Newlyn School was reminiscent of the Barbizon School in France, where artists...
, she worked in watercolour and oil of landscape, genre and animal subjects. Butler spent most of her life at her family home in Kilmurry, Thomastown.
A bronze statue of Ollie Walsh
Ollie Walsh
Patrick Oliver Walsh , better known as Ollie Walsh, was an Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with the Kilkenny senior inter-county team from 1956 until 1972 and subsequently served as manager of the team from 1990 until 1995...
, a famous Thomastown hurler
Hurling
Hurling is an outdoor team game of ancient Gaelic origin, administered by the Gaelic Athletic Association, and played with sticks called hurleys and a ball called a sliotar. Hurling is the national game of Ireland. The game has prehistoric origins, has been played for at least 3,000 years, and...
, stands in Mill Street. Monsignor Tommy Maher
Tommy Maher
Monsignor Tommy Maher is a retired Irish hurling coach and former player. He played hurling with his local club Thomastown and with the Kilkenny senior inter-county team in the 1940s...
played hurling with the local club Thomastown and with the Kilkenny
Kilkenny GAA
The Kilkenny County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland and is responsible for Gaelic Games in County Kilkenny. The county board has its head office and main grounds at Nowlan Park and is also responsible for Kilkenny inter-county teams...
senior inter-county team in the 1940s and coached Kilkenny to seven senior All-Ireland
All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship
The GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1887 for the top hurling teams in Ireland....
titles between 1957 and 1978. Tom Walsh played hurling
Hurling
Hurling is an outdoor team game of ancient Gaelic origin, administered by the Gaelic Athletic Association, and played with sticks called hurleys and a ball called a sliotar. Hurling is the national game of Ireland. The game has prehistoric origins, has been played for at least 3,000 years, and...
with Thomastown and Kilkenny's
Kilkenny GAA
The Kilkenny County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland and is responsible for Gaelic Games in County Kilkenny. The county board has its head office and main grounds at Nowlan Park and is also responsible for Kilkenny inter-county teams...
senior inter-county team in the 1960s.
See also
- List of towns and villages in Ireland
- Thomastown (Parliament of Ireland constituency)Thomastown (Parliament of Ireland constituency)Thomastown was a constituency represented in the Irish House of Commons until 1800. Following the Act of Union 1800 the borough was disfranchised.-1692–1801:-See also:*Thomastown, a town in County Kilkenny*Irish House of Commons...