Cerball mac Dúnlainge (patronymic sometimes spelled Dúngaile, Irish: [ˈcaɾˠuːl̪ˠ mək ˈd̪ˠuːn̪ˠl̪ˠəɲə]) (died 888) was king of Ossory in south-east Ireland. The kingdom of Ossory (Osraige) occupied roughly the area of modern County Kilkenny and western County Laois and lay between the larger provincial kingdoms of Munster and Leinster.

Cerball came to prominence after the death of Fedelmid mac Crimthainn, King of Munster, in 847. Ossory had been subject for a period to the Eóganachta kings of Munster, but Feidlimid was succeeded by a series of weak kings who had to contend with Viking incursions on the coasts of Munster. As a result, Cerball was in a strong position and is said to have been the second most powerful king in Ireland in his later years. Upon his death, he was succeeded by his brother Riagan mac Dúnlainge.

Kjarvalr Írakonungr ( Old Norse: [ˈkjɑrˌwɑlz̠ ˈiːrɑˌkonoŋɡz̠]; Modern Icelandic: Kjarvalur Írakonungur [ˈcʰarˌvaːlʏr ˈiːraˌkʰɔːnuŋkʏr̥]), a figure in the Norse sagas who appears as an ancestor of many prominent Icelandic families, is identified with Cerball. ( Full article...)

The peerage title Earl of Ormond and the related titles Duke of Ormonde and Marquess of Ormonde have a long and complex history. An earldom of Ormond has been created three times in the Peerage of Ireland. ( Full article...)

Kilkenny Castle ( Irish: Caisleán Chill Chainnigh pronounced [ˈkaʃlʲaːnˠˈçiːl̪ʲˈxan̪ʲiː]) is a castle in Kilkenny, Ireland, built in 1260 to control a fording-point of the River Nore and the junction of several routeways. It was a symbol of Norman occupation, and in its original 13th-century condition, it would have formed an important element of the town's defences with four large circular corner towers and a massive ditch, part of which can still be seen today on the Parade.

In 1967, Arthur Butler, 6th Marquess of Ormonde, sold the castle for £50 to the Castle Restoration Committee for the people of Kilkenny. The castle and grounds are now managed by the Office of Public Works, and the gardens and parkland are open to the public. The Parade Tower is a conference venue. Since 2002, ceremonies for conferring awards and degrees on the graduates of the Kilkenny Campus of the National University of Ireland, Maynooth, have been held at the castle. ( Full article...)

The barony of Knocktopher ( Irish: Cnoc an Tóchair, meaning "'Hill of the Causeway'") is a barony in the west of County Kilkenny, Ireland. The barony is 46,765 acres (189.25 km²) in size. There are 16 civil parishes made up of 125 townlands. It is one of 12 baronies in the county. The chief town is Mullinavat and it contains the settlements of Stonyford, Ballyhale, Hugginstown, Knocktopher, and Dunnamaggan. The M9 motorway bisects the barony. ( Full article...)

Welcome sign (Fáilte go Bearna na Gaoithe)

Windgap ( Irish: Bearna na Gaoithe, meaning "the wind gap"), is a village in County Kilkenny, in Ireland. Windgap is located in the south-western part of Kilkenny on the border with Tipperary, just south of Callan. The village is located on the R689 regional road, the nearest main road being the N76 from Kilkenny to Clonmel. ( Full article...)

The River Nore ( Irish: An Fheoir [ə ˈn̠ʲoːɾʲ]) is one of the principal rivers (along with the River Suir and River Barrow) in the South-East Region of Ireland. The 140-kilometre-long (87 mi) river drains approximately 2,530 square kilometres (977 sq mi) of Leinster and Munster, that encompasses parts of three counties (Tipperary, Laois, Kilkenny). Along with the River Suir and River Barrow, it is one of the constituent rivers of the group known as the Three Sisters. ( Full article...)

The Nore Valley Way is a long-distance trail under development in County Kilkenny, Ireland. When completed it will be 34 kilometres (21 miles) long and begin in Kilkenny City and end in Inistioge. It is designated as a National Waymarked Trail by the National Trails Office of the Irish Sports Council and is managed by Trail Kilkenny, a group made up of representatives of Kilkenny County Council, County Kilkenny LEADER Partnership, Kilkenny Sports Partnership and local landowners. Two stages are open at present: the first from Kilkenny to Bennettsbridge and the second from Thomastown to Inistioge. The final section – linking Bennettsbridge and Thomastown – is under construction. ( Full article...)

• ... that the Black Abbey in Kilkenny was one of the first houses of the Dominican Order in Ireland?
• ... that the earldom of Ormond was originally created in 1328 for James Butler? ( Full article...)

Title page of Constantia Grierson's edition of Publius Virgilius Maro, P.V.M. opera. Nunc emendatiora (Dublin: G. Grierson, 1724) ( Google Play)

Constantia Grierson (née Crawley; c. 1705 – 2 December 1732), was an editor, poet, and classical scholar from County Kilkenny, Ireland. She is notable for her achievements as a classicist, which were all the more remarkable given her labouring-class background. ( Full article...)

John O'Donovan ( Irish: Seán Ó Donnabháin; 25 July 1806 – 10 December 1861), from Atateemore, in the parish of Kilcolumb, County Kilkenny, and educated at Hunt's Academy, Waterford, was an Irish language scholar from Ireland. ( Full article...)

Miniature of Bushe by Joseph Browne

Letitia Bushe ( c.1705/1710 – 17 November 1757) was an Irish watercolourist and miniaturist. ( Full article...)

Hubert Marshal Butler (23 October 1900 – 5 January 1991) was an Irish essayist who wrote on a wide range of topics, from local history and archaeology to the political and religious affairs of eastern Europe before and during World War II. He also travelled to Nazi Austria on his own initiative and at his own expense and helped save Jews from being sent to concentration camps. ( Full article...)

Shefflin in 2009

Henry Shefflin (born 11 January 1979) is an Irish hurling manager and former player who is the current manager of the Galway senior hurling team. In his playing career he was nicknamed "King Henry" because of his directive style, dominance, competitive spirit, and leadership on the field. He is the only player to win 'hurler of the year' three times, in 2002, 2006, and 2012. Cian Lynch is the only other player to win the title more than once, winning it in 2018 and 2021. He is widely regarded as the best player in the history of the game. A versatile forward who started out in the corner, Shefflin made his name in more commanding positions as a centre or full-forward. He is widely regarded to be one of the greatest players in the history of the sport, with many former players, commentators and fans rating him as the number one player of all time.

Raised in Ballyhale, County Kilkenny, Shefflin served an obligatory but underrated hurling apprenticeship at St Kieran's College. He joined the Ballyhale Shamrocks senior team as a goalkeeper at the age of 17 in 1996 and spent the next 21 years as one of the club's key outfield players. He is one of only a handful of men to have won the All-Ireland Club Championship as a player and as a manager. Shefflin's association with Kilkenny began as a member of the minor team in 1996. He progressed through the under-21 and intermediate ranks before making his senior debut in 1999. Shefflin brought his 18-season association with the black and amber jersey to an end when he announced his inter-county retirement on 25 March 2015. ( Full article...)