Oscar Wilde and Micheál MacLiammóir help to fundraise for the Rothe House Renaissance Project.

A unique link is being revived between Rothe House and Micheál MacLiammóir this month, with a performance of his play ‘The Importance of Being Oscar’ at Kyteler’s Inn on 31st of January at 8 pm ( with pre-show reception at Rothe House at 7 pm).

The eloquent actor, stage designer, wit and playwright, wrote his tribute to Oscar Wilde in 1960 and performed it in New York and London as well as Dublin.  This piece is now being presented by Banba’s Crown Theatre Company, in an informal setting at Kyteler’s Inn, as part of the fundraising campaign for the Renaissance Project at Rothe House.

Michael Judd, of Banba’s Crown, has had a long relationship with ‘The Importance of Being Oscar’:

“From the first reading, I felt an affinity for Micheál MacLiammóir’s beautifully written tribute to Oscar Wilde. I first performed excerpts from it in March 1997 in Soho, New York, as part of a festival of Irish Culture.  I went on to work on other projects over the years, but always felt a desire to revisit this play and explore it more fully.

In 2012, my wife Sinéad and I re-established “Banba’s Crown”, a Production Company which we started in New York City to adapt and revive older Irish works.  We began work on adapting “The Importance of Being Oscar” with a view to presenting it to modern audiences. We both had a sense that it would be more interesting to present the work in diverse settings other than conventional theatres. Since then, our journey has taken us to some unexpected and remarkable spaces! ”

– Michael Judd

Micheál MacLiammóir is well remembered for his outstanding performance at Rothe House in 1968, when he was invited to visit during the filming of ‘Lock Up Your Daughters’.  In an extract from Maureen Hegarty’s memoir of that visit, she suggested that ‘he come back later and give us a night?’ And he did.  In November 1968, he performed ‘I Must Be Talking to My Friends’ in the stunning Phelan Room, which was packed to the rafters. Maureen’s amusing account of that night is captured forever in the 2010 Old Kilkenny Review – the Journal of Kilkenny Archaeological Society.

This charming account will be recited on the 31st January, at a pre-show reception to be held at Rothe House.

Tickets for this event are €15 (€20 to include the pre-show reception and recitation), and are available at Rothe House, by telephoning 056 7722893, emailing reception@rothehouse.com, or calling in.

All proceeds from the night go to the Renaissance Project at Rothe House (www.rothehousefundraising.com).

Looking forward to our Christmas Market on December 13th?

Why not treat yourself beforehand and drop in on the 10th of December at 8pm for our annual Christmas Miscellany!

Seasonal readings and essays, traditional music with a festive touch and mulled wine will make this a perfect evening! 

Admission is €10.

Dr. Radu Zagreanu from The Museum Complex of Bistrita-Nasaud and Dr. Marius Ardeleanu from History and Archaeological Museum of Baia Mare county (Romania, Transylvania) invite all members and guests for an informal lecture on ‘’ The Celts of Transylvania”. In this lecture the audience is invited to travel along on a journey of the Celtic migration and interaction with Dacian culture of the eastern part of Europe, the return of the Celtic world through the Roman armies in this region during the Roman conquest of Dacia, Celtic elements reminiscent in local folklore and popular culture. It will be a unique experience focused onan area of the Celtic world poorly known in Western Europe. Celtic influence on Dacian population seems to have been very large, but several issues require further careful research and debates.

The lecture will cover some few topics such as: The Migration of Celtic people in the Balkans; Interaction with the native population (Dacians); Presentation of archaeological artifacts of Celtic origin from Transylvania; short presentations of La Téne culture in Transylvania; Celtic tribes in Transylvania; The Celtic Helmets from Transylvania (One of the best known and most often reproduced piece of Celtic art is the helmet found in awarrior’s chieftain’s grave at Ciume?ti, Romania); The Roman conquest and the arrival of Celtic auxiliary troops in Roman Dacia province; elements of Celtic influence in Transylvanian folklore and popular arts.

It will be an intriguing experience for those who want to make an imaginary journey to the ancient world of the Eastern Europe, by the time of the highest expansion of the Celtic civilisation to it’s end. Archaeological artifacts, linguistic reminiscences, artistic and cultural influences are extremely important for a greater understanding and clarity of events which helped to shape Europe history and forming an invisible ‘’bridge” of connection between different parts of the world.

Wednesday26th November 8pm

admission €5 for KAS members, €7 for non-members

Patrick Nolan, chairman of the Kilkenny Archaeological Society and Director of Irish Origins Research Agency will once provide a family history course in Rothe House.  This hugely popular course will take place over 6 Tuesdays between October 21st and December 9th with a field trip to Dublin on December 9th.

The course is designed for those who would like to undertake their own family history research and provides the applicant with the tools and know how to materially advance their family history.

Places on this course are limited so advance booking is highly recommended.  Price per participant is €95 and can be paid in cheque or at reception.  For more information or to pick up a course brochure with further reading  please contact us or call into reception at Rothe House.

Rothe House & Garden,
Parliament Street,
Kilkenny.

056 77 22 893
info@rothehouse.com

On Tuesday afternoon, 26th August, as part of the National Heritage Week events, Colm Murray whom is the architectural officer with the Heritage Council gave two very insightful tours to a number of very interested visitors!

Colms tours looked at the early history of the house in its social, political and religious context but focused for a greater part of his tour on the architectural elements of the houses and courtyards; helping the visitors understand what the fabric of the building can teach us about times past and not only the founders of the house, the Rothe family, but subsequent tenants of all social classes whom inhabited the house since.

As a functioning set of buildings it has existed for over 400 years in various guises; from the grandeur of a fine cloth and fabric shop to dark and dire tenements, but, that each one of these layers and what they have added to the history of the houses is important.  The conservation of the house has been ongoing for over a hundred years Colm explained when Timothy O’Hanrahan took ownership of the complex in the late 19th century, at a time of Gaelic revival.  His alterations to the house, although very much of their time, incorporated some features of the original house, but unfortunately aren’t true to the late Tudor origins of the house.  However, these alterations, or modernization’s done with the best of intentions in that particular time made the house habitable and possibly saved it from ruin; thus adding another fascinating element to the old story.

Its worth noting too that the restoration and preservation of Rothe House goes on; and has done since the Kilkenny Archaeological Society took ownership of the buildings in the 1960’s.  Even today, with the Renaissance Project, the preservation of the houses and garden is paramount so that such a fine, and unique site can be maintained and enjoyed by all whom visit.