a county of Ireland, in the province of Leinster, bounded on the south by the county of Waterford, on the north by the Queen's county, on the west by the county of Tipperary, on the east by the counties of Wexford and Carlow, and on the north-west by Upper Offory. The greatest length of this county from north to south is 38 miles, the breadth from east to west 18; and it contains 10 baronies. It is one of the most healthful, pleasant, and populous counties of Ireland. It contains 287,650 Irish plantation acres, 96 parishes, 9 baronies, and 7 boroughs. Gilbert Clare, earl of Gloucester and Hereford, marrying Isabella, one of the daughters and co-heiresses of William earl Marshal, received as her dower the county of Kilkenny.

the capital of a county of the same name in Ireland, situated in the province of Leinster, 57 miles south-west of Dublin. It takes its name from the cell or church of Canice, who was an eminent hermit in this country; and is one of the most elegant cities in the kingdom. It is the seat of the bishop of Offory, which was translated from Agabo in Offory, about the end of Henry II's reign, by Bishop O'Dulany. The city is pleasantly situated on the Neor, a navigable river that discharges itself into the harbour of Waterford. It is said of Kilkenny, that its air is without fog, its water without mud, its fire without smoke, and its streets paved with marble. The two latter are indeed matter of fact; for they have in the neighbourhood, a kind of coal that burns from first to last without smoke, and pretty much resembles the Welsh coal. Most of the streets also are paved with a stone called black marble; of which there are large quarries near the town. This stone takes a fine polish, and is beautifully intermixed with white granite. The air too is good and healthy, though not remarkably clearer than in many other parts of the kingdom. The city is governed by a mayor, recorder, aldermen, and sheriffs. It comprises two towns, viz. Kilkenny so called, and Irish town, each of which formerly sent two members to parliament, and both together are computed to contain about 20,000 inhabitants. This city was once of great consequence, as may be seen by the venerable ruins yet remaining of churches, monasteries, and abbeys, which even now in their dilapidated state exhibit such specimens of exquisite taste in architecture as may vie with any modern improvements; and the remains of its gates, towers, and walls, show it to have been a place of great strength. Here too at different times parliaments were held, in which some remarkable statutes were passed. It has two churches, and several Catholic chapels; barracks for a troop of horse and four companies of foot; a market is held twice in the week, and there are seven fairs in the year.—Irish town is more properly called the borough of St Canice, vulgarly Kenny; the patronage of which is in the bishop of Offory. The cathedral, which stands in a sequestered situation, is a venerable Gothic pile built about 500 years ago; and close to it is one of those remarkable round towers which have so much engaged the attention of travellers. The bishop's palace is a handsome building, and communicates by a covered passage with the church. The castle was first built in 1195; on the site of one destroyed by the Irish in 1173. The situation in a military view was most eligible; the ground was originally a conoid, the elliptical side abrupt and precipitous, with the river running rapidly at its base: here the natural rampart was faced with a wall of solid masonry 40 feet high; the other parts were defended by battlements, curtains, towers, and outworks; and on the summit the castle was erected. This place, as it now stands, was built by the ancestors of the dukes of Ormond; here the Ormond family resided; and it is now in the possession of Mr Butler, a descendant of that illustrious race. The college originally founded by the Ormond family is rebuilt in a style of elegance and convenience. The tholled and market house are both good buildings; and over the latter is a suite of rooms, in which during the winter and at races and affaires times, assemblies are held. There are two very fine bridges of cut marble over the Neor; John's bridge particularly is light and elegant. The Ormond family built and endowed a free school in this city. Here are the ruins of three old monasteries, called St John's, St Francis's, and the Black abbey; belonging to the latter are the remains of several old monuments, almost buried in the ruins; and the courts of the others are converted into barracks. The manufactures chiefly carried on here are, coarse woollen cloths, blankets of extraordinary fine quality, and considerable quantities of flax. In the neighbourhood also are made very beautiful chimney-pieces of that species of stone already mentioned, called Kilkenny marble: they are cut and polished by the power of water, a mill for that purpose being invented by a Mr Colles. The Kilkenny coal pits are within nine miles of the town. This city came by marriage into the ancient family of Le Defpencer. It was incorporated by charter from King James I. in 1609. The market cross of Kilkenny continued an ornament to the city until 1771, when it was taken down; the date on it was MCCC. Sir James Ware mentions Bishop Cantwell's rebuilding the great bridge of Kilkenny, thrown down by an inundation about the year 1447. It appears also that St John's bridge fell. Killaloe, fell down by a great flood in 1564; and on 2d October 1763, by another like circumstance, Green's bridge near the cathedral fell.—The borough of St Canice, or Irlh town, always enjoyed very ancient prescriptive rights. A close roll of Edward III. A.D. 1376, forbids the magistrates of Kilkenny to obstruct the sale of victuals in the market of Irlh town, or within the cros, under the pretence of custom for marge: and lest the ample grants made to Kilkenny might be interpreted so as to include Irlh town, the corporation of the latter secured their ancient rights by letters-patent, 15 Edward IV. A.D. 1474. These renew their former privileges, and appoint a portreeve to be chosen every 21st September, and sworn into office on the 11th October. The portreeve's prifon was at Troy-gate. Whenever the mayor of Kilkenny came within Water-gate, he dropt down the point of the city sword, to show he claimed no pre-eminence within the borough.