April 2026 will mark 60 years since the historic Rothe House & Garden officially opened to the public in 1966.
The restoration of the only surviving 16th-century merchant mansion in Ireland was the very first project undertaken by the newly-established south-eastern branch of the National Monuments Service.
Rothe House has been a landmark on Parliament Street in Kilkenny City since 1594, when it was first built by prominent merchant, John Rothe fitz Piers, and his wife, Rose Archer.
More than 360 years later – to save it from dereliction and possible demolition – in 1962 it was purchased by the Kilkenny Archaeological Society. This was followed by four years of tireless restoration and conservation work on the first of the three historic buildings on site by a team of dedicated local craftspeople.
It was 1995 when the last of those buildings opened to the public, with President Mary Robinson in attendance to cut the ribbon, while the ‘jewel in the crown’, the restored renaissance garden, was finally unveiled by then-President, Mary McAleese, in 2008.
In advance of the launch of a special exhibition on the restoration of Rothe House & Garden, we are appealing to members of the public who may have been present/involved in the opening or in the restoration itself to get in touch. Alternatively, we would love to hear from the children/descendants of those involved who may have stories to share about the house.
As well as possibly featuring in the exhibition, these recollections will be part of a special archive being collected to mark the 60th anniversary of the opening. No memory or story is too big or small!
We are also especially interested in obtaining copies of any photographs or footage of the house from the 1960s and before, which may be held in private collection.
Please contact reception@rothehouse.com, or phone 056 7722893.
