Pennyfeather Lane is a minor lane connecting Friary Street (formerly Walkin Street) to High Street and Patrick Street in the centre of Kilkenny city. In the early part of the twentieth century the Capuchins held property on the Lane from Sir Lionel Harty of Belrobin, Dundalk, County Louth. In 1911, it was noted that the Capuchins held two houses on Pennyfeather Lane. On 29 Sept. 1916 a property lease was secured from the representatives of Sir Lionel Harty for 99 years at an annual rent of £60. A portion of this property was sub-let to tenants to cover some of the rent due to the Harty estate (Dr Reginald Griffin leased one house). The outright purchase of the premises on Pennyfeather Lane from the Harty Estate was accomplished in May 1940.
This section relates to two houses on Walkin Street which were formerly known as the Munster Arms. A Kilkenny newspaper, 'Finn’s Leinster Journal' (18 July 1770), included an article which referred to an old Inn known as 'The Munster Arms' on Walkin Street. The plot of ground on which this building stood was situated opposite the existing Capuchin Friary on Walkin Street. The buildings were purchased by the Capuchins in 1896 and part of the Munster Arms’ site was given over to Bishop Abraham Brownrigg in lieu of an alms house or charitable institution which was located on the opposite, Friary side of Walkin Street and which was subsequently demolished and incorporated into the existing Friary building (see CA KK/2/1/1/1/15). One of the above-mentioned houses on the Munster Arms site was retained and let to a tenant in order to meet the annual rent of £13 7s 8d on the property (see CA KK/2/1/1/2/5). The section includes deeds with numerous references to the historic owners of the Munster Arms and Alms House sites on Walkin Street including the Colles and Empson families. It is likely that part of Munster Arms site is currently occupied by a property now known as 17 Friary Street which was subsequently sold by the Capuchins (see section 2.1.1.2. below).
A clipping of an image from the ‘Sunday Herald’ (7 May 1916) purporting to show a ‘Dublin street battle actually in progress’ during the Rising. The caption also suggests that the image is ‘the only snapshot yet published of the fighting in Dublin’.
A clipping of an image of Francis Sheehy-Skeffington who was shot dead in Portobello Barracks in Dublin during the 1916 Rising, after having been detained by British soldiers.
