Magnates and Merchants in Early Modern Kilkenny

Jane Fenlon & Sarah Maguire

"One of the significant successes of the 'decade of centenaries' has been the upsurge of interest in local histories. Knowing what happened in one's own town or village in the past often appeals more to the general reader than a national history. Hopefully, this renewed interest in local history will now extend to previous centuries, and this publication is a very good place to start. Originating from a study day and exhibition held in Kilkenny Castle, the book is divided into a number of essays by specialists in their respective fields ... The expertise of these contributors is much wider than in the usual history publication, with architectural historians, art historians and historical geographers in the mix ... The scope of the book is much wider than the title suggests. Earlier and later centuries are incorporated in some details to give background context and postscipt to the lives of these merchant families ... this book is perfect for budding historians or students of late medieval/Tudor Ireland. The essays usually include a historiography of the sources, while of enormous benefit is the placing of footnotes at the bottom of each page rather than in an endnote section ... Four Courts Press have also given the book a luscious presentation. Images are dispersed throughout, rather than in a central plates section. This is extremely beneficial, as many of the essays reference the illustrations, while it is also vitally important to see visual representations as your read about the architecture or tomb art being discussed. In general, the book is also accessible to the more general reader not familiar with this period of history." Eoin Within Walsh, History Ireland, May/June 2024