Rothe House Trust is delighted to announce that funding has been granted towards a major new project at Rothe House and Garden!
The project, being funded by LEADER, will improve public access to the Kilkenny Archaeological Society’s collection, archive and research library at their historic Kilkenny City headquarters.
“This is wonderful news for Rothe House, for Kilkenny Archaeological Society and for Kilkenny,” says Ann Mulrooney, Chairperson of Rothe House Trust. “The collection and archive at Rothe House represent generations of local care, curiosity and scholarship. They tell the story not only of the house itself, but of the people, families, streets, trades and communities that shaped Kilkenny over many centuries.
“This funding will allow us to bring more of that material into public view, improve how it is cared for, and create better access for visitors, researchers, schools and the wider community. It is a major step towards making Rothe House a richer, more engaging and more sustainable heritage experience.”
The project will transform underused areas of the historic property into new public heritage spaces, including museum-standard visible collections storage, a public reading room, archive display areas, a family-friendly interpretation and learning space, and supporting digitisation infrastructure.
The investment will allow visitors, researchers, schools and local communities to engage more directly with historical documents, maps, artefacts and collections relating to the history of Kilkenny city and county. Much of this material has been carefully collected and preserved by the Kilkenny Archaeological Society over many generations but has not previously been widely accessible to the public.
“We are delighted to receive this support from Kilkenny LEADER Partnership through the LEADER programme,” says Valerie O’Sullivan, General Manager of Rothe House Trust. “Rothe House is already loved by many visitors for the quality of its guided tours, garden, shop and genealogy service, but this project will allow us to tell a much fuller story. It will help us open up more of the house, improve access to the archive and collections, and create new reasons for local people and visitors to return.”
Rothe House and Garden, located on Parliament Street in the heart of Kilkenny’s Medieval Mile, is one of the city’s most important heritage sites. Built by merchant John Rothe from 1594, the property comprises three interconnected houses and a restored garden on a rare surviving medieval burgage plot. The property is owned by Kilkenny Archaeological Society and managed by Rothe House Trust.
The LEADER-funded project marks an important step in Rothe House Trust’s long-term plan to conserve the property and collections, enhance the visitor experience, and strengthen Rothe House’s role as a cultural, educational and tourism asset for Kilkenny.
The project has been developed in partnership with key stakeholders, including Kilkenny Archaeological Society, Kilkenny County Council, Fáilte Ireland and local heritage and education partners. It aligns with Kilkenny LEADER’s objective of realising the social and economic potential of Kilkenny’s unique cultural heritage and hidden histories.
Rothe House Trust will now begin the next phase of detailed planning, procurement and delivery. Further updates will be shared as the project progresses.
