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KIL
ground more or less varied with white marks, which
appear more conspicuously when exposed to the air;
but the jet black specimens only are esteemed at Kil-
kenny. This marble contains a great variety of im-
pressions of madrepores, and of bivalve and turbinate
shells: the spar which occupies the place of the shells
sometimes assumes a greenish yellow colour. In some
places there are iridiscent spots: and sometimes mar-
tial pyrites is imbedded in the marble. A small speci-
men of pink fluor was found in it; but this is a very
rare occurrence. The analysis of the most common
kind gave 98 per cent, soluble in marine acid, and 2 per
cent. of a black powder of carbon, which burned with-
out leaving any ashes. The blocks raised at this quarry
are finished principally at a marble mill at some distance,
which presents a very elegant combination of simplicity
of structure with powers of execution: it performs the
work of forty-two men daily; water never fails, and
from the excellence of its construction it is scarcely
ever stopped on account of repairs.
The woollen manufacture owes its introduction into
the county to Pierce, Earl of Ormonde, who died in
1359, and his wife Margaret, who brought artists in
tapestry, diaper, and carpets from Flanders; some of
their tapestry is still in the castle of Kilkenny. James,
Duke of Ormonde, also incurred great expense, in the
middle of the seventeenth century, in establishing both
the linen and woollen manufacture. This latter branch
was chiefly carried on at Carrick, where it gave employ-
ment for many years to the population of the surround-
ing district: its decline is attributed to the fraudulent
practice of stretching the cloths to augment the mea-
surement, until the Dublin merchants refused to buy
them: the manufacture was principally carried on by
large farmers and their families. In the hilly districts
a constant manufacture of frieze and ratteen prevails:
the yarn is spun by the women; both sexes are em-
ployed in carding the wool; and the farmers’ sons, who
are taught to weave, manufacture it into cloth. On
the decline of the frieze trade, that of wool-combing
succeeded; the combers converting their coarse offal
wool into blanketing, which has gradually become a
staple branch of trade. The linen trade was introduced
towards the close of the 17th century, and prospered
for fifty or sixty years; but within the last century it
has so decayed as to leave few traces of its former pros-
perity, only the coarser cloths for domestic consumption
being now made: many of the bleach-greens were con-
verted into mills of various kinds, but there are three still
tolerably well employed. In the hilly districts every
farmer grows a little flax for his own use, and generally
bleaches his own linen: he also often has a little hemp
to make sacking. The number of flour-mills is very
great; there are twenty-two on the Nore between Durrow
and Innistiogue; on the King’s river, from Callan to the
Nore, ten; on the part of the Barrow within the county,
three or four, and several on the streams which fall into
the Suir and other great rivers. Rape-mills have been
erected, but are not profitable; the exportation of the
seed being found more advantageous than the manufac-
ture of the oil. The principal part of the grain raised
is sent to Dublin in the shape of flour, malt, and meal,
the preparation of which is another source of internal
wealth: the wheat and barley find a ready sale among
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KIL
the numerous millers, maltsters, and distillers, so that
very little is brought to the market-house.
The rivers were formerly famous for their salmon,
much of which was sent to Dublin, both fresh and pre-
served in ice; but the quantity has decreased during the
last century, caused, as is supposed, by the increased
number of mills. The salmon trout is not uncommon
in the rivers; its usual length is from eighteen to twenty
inches. The shad comes up the Nore in April and
returns in May; the sturgeon appears but rarely; por-
poises sometimes follow the salmon beyond Waterford;
the conger eel is sometimes taken; lampreys are thrown
away by the fishermen, not being even kept for bait.
All the aquatic birds usually found along the course of
large rivers are met with here: the common gull follows
their course to a great distance, devouring many insects
pernicious to the farmer, and returns to the sea at night:
the common people call it the white crow. The king-
fisher and water-ousel are not uncommon.
The river Suir forms the southern boundary of the
county for twenty miles; vessels of 100 tons navigate
it to Carrick, and of a much larger burthen to Water-
ford. An act has been recently obtained for removing
rocks and other obstructions in its bed, which will enable
large vessels to proceed to Carrick. The Barrow skirts
the eastern border of the county for about twenty-six
miles. Large sums of money have been expended in
improving its navigation to Athy: the boats which ply
on it are from twenty to forty tons’ burthen, but the
locks last constructed admit boats of eighty tons. The
river forms the course of the navigation, except in a few
instances, where inland cuts are connected with it. The
Nore more peculiarly belongs to this county, flowing nearly
through its central part in a winding course of not less
than forty-six miles, from the neighbourhood of Durrow
to its junction with the Barrow near Ross: after pass-
ing Kilkenny, it receives the King’s river from the west,
whence in its course by Thomastown and Innistiogue it
presents a rich variety of picturesque scenery: after its
junction with the Barrow, the united stream takes the
name of the Ross river. Like all mountain rivers, it is
subject to great floods, which are highest when the wind
has blown for some time from the north-east, accompa-
nied with rain: the clouds thus driven on the hills to
the north of the county, and quickly succeeding each
other, convert into torrents all the streams that feed
the Nore; on such occasions the water has risen eigh-
teen feet at Innistiogue. It has long been an object of
importance to establish a navigation from Kilkenny to
the sea by means of this river; much money was ex-
pended in the attempt, and many plans proposed, but
none accomplished: the boats navigating it to Thomas-
town carry thirteen or fourteen tons down the river
when it is full, and bring up ten tons, but only three or
four when the water is low; they are drawn up by eight
men, and require two more to work them. The roads
are numerous, and are generally well laid out and kept
in good repair. Several new lines have been recently
made: the principal are those from Kilkenny to Piltown,
Carrick-on-Suir, Freshford, and Roscrea respectively,
and those from Castlecomer to Ballynakill, from Callan
to Johnstown, and from Innistiogue to Waterford. The
construction of these numerous lines, particularly
through the hilly districts, has afforded to the farmer
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