Freshford Tidy Towns

Calm in the Millennium Park

Beautiful day in Freshford

2/2 cure for eye illnesses & other ailments.Patterns (social gatherings) were held at the well at the beginning of the 19th century as was the custom at all the holy wells of Ireland. However these Patterns were banned by the Bishop on the grounds of drink and brawling.

1/2 St Lachtains Well generally called by its Irish name ‘Tobar Lachtaín’ is in a picturesque setting beside the main Kilkenny Road and only a few hundred yards from Freshford. It was formerly in great repute as a holy well and was supposed to contain a cure for eye illnesses

2/2 They are associated with food storage by large establishments in medieval & possibly earlier times. They were an accompaniment of fine & luxurious living& provided foul& eggs for our ancestors.The best Dovecotes in County Kilkenny are Pottlerath in Kilmanagh and Wellbrook

1/2 Dovecote at Wellbrook - approx 2 miles from Freshford.This structure is mentioned as belonging to Sr Richard Shee in 1609. How long before that date it was built is not exactly known. Dovecotes are usually associated with monastic buildings

Clashacrow Church, Cill Chiarain, now in ruins, was dedicated to St Kieran of Ossary. It is a small rectangle measuring internally 22.5ft by 18ft with walls 3ft thick. There are two small windows on the east gable. The building dates to the late 13th century.

3/3 2 supporting columns at each side have carvings human heads&lizards.During the late 1800s, the people of Freshford began using the stone of the doorway to sharpen their knives.In response,the priest put an irongate around doorway to prevent the stone being worn

2/3 The door is the original & the Church was first built in St Lachtains time. That Church was replaced in 1100, destroyed again& rebuilt for Protestant worship in 1730. Fortunately the lower part of the Western Gable with its elaborate porch remains.The porch is deeply recessed

1/3 Freshfordians are justly proud of the magnificent porch & doorway in Hiberno Romanesque style of architecture at St Lachtains Church of Ireland. There are only two other doorways in this style in Ireland - Clonfert and Cormac’s Church in Cashel.

3/3 One of these connected Ballylarkin with Garnamanagh - Irish for ‘grave of the Monk’ which also had its monastery in olden times Ballylarkin it’s Abbey fair Garnamanagh monks at prayer The walls of Ballylarkin Abbey are 3 feet thick and the entrance doorway is still there.

2/3 It was really the parish church of Ballylarkin because in the 6th century it was occupied by Friars of some order like many other parish churches of the time. It is reputed they had caves and passages through which they fled to safety in times of persecution.

1/3 Ballylarkin Abbey is scarcely a mile past the back entrance to what was for centuries known as Uppercourt Demesne. The name Ballylarkin means Larkins Town which was the most important branch of the Shortall family in County Kilkenny.

2/2 The cross consists of a solid graduated base of limestone, supporting a square pedestal in which the cross was placed. The cross itself was removed or broken a great many years ago leaving only the graduates base and socket

1/2 Freshford Cross. This was a wayside cross erected to commemorate Lucas Shee of Uppercourt and the Honorable Ellen Butler, his wife. The cross served to remind passers by to pray for the repose of their souls.

2/2 A running fight took place for about 1/2 mile along the Nuenna and through Cooleshal. Three days of desperate fighting ensued & our 2,000 men were no match for the Normans with their long lances & far reaching arrows. It was here ‘Aughrim’ as it were ‘was lost’.

1/2 The Battle of Clashacrow - Clais an Chró or Hollow of the Slaughter was fought in 1170 AD. The Normans - trained, disciplined, well armed had no fear of the native Irish - full of the fighting spirit but alas, ill equipped with pikes & darts.

We are delighted to reveal our latest Tidy Towns project capably completed by our volunteers during lockdown. Not every village has the readily accessible skills & dedication of those who produced our wonderful village map. This project will serve to enhance our future planning

2/2 It is not known who won the case

Did you know there was a Court House in Freshford?Below a Petty Session in Freshford Court House 1853.It is known that the wealthy man in the center is accused of hitting the poorer man on the head with a stick.The poor man is supported by his wife.