This well written book deals with the families of Agar of Gowran, Blunden of Castleblunden, Bryan of Jenkinstown, Butler of Mount Juliet, Butler of Maidenhall, Butler (Lords Mountgarret) of Ballyconra, Butler of Ormonde, Cuffe of Desart, De Montmorency of Castle Morres, Flood of Farmley, Langrishe of Knocktopher, Loftus of Mount Loftus, McCalmont of Mount Juliet, Ponsonby of Bessborough, Power of Kilfane, Smithwick of Kilcreene, St. George of Freshford and Wandesforde of Castlecomer.
Here you will read all about the hitherto hidden lives of the landed gentry and aristocracy – their family feuds and hidden skeletons, their numerous exploits in the fields of politics and war, their loves and infidelities, their lives and deaths, their descendants and their properties.
In the pages of this book you will meet Naughty Margaret who turned the royal heads of Europe, Henry Flood the giant of 17th century Irish politics, John Eaton who lost his estate to the Rt. Hon. Nicholas Loftus in a card game, the Blunden daughter who was obliterated from the family memory for almost a century and James Agar of Gowran who was the purchaser of the greatest amount of land in Kilkenny following the forfeitures of the 1690s.
Other equally interesting stories include the Thomas Moore (the famous poet) connection with Jenkinstown, the naming of Mount Juliet by the Butler Earl of Carrick, the life and times of Hubert Butler of Maidenhall, the series of duels by the Butlers of Mountgarret with attorneys acting for plaintiffs, the antics of Herky Langrishe that resulted in his being snubbed by King Edward VII.
Another most interesting character, George Agar of Callan, had no legitimate family when he died but he left sixteen illegitimate children to whom he left £1000 each when they came of age and £1000 for the education of each.
These are but a few of the delectable tidbits awaiting the reader of this most fascinating study of some of the Kilkenny gentry families. The families were chosen on a random basis having regard to geographical distribution. A second volume is planned in the not too distant future.

Art Kavanagh has written numerous books in the past - In the Shadow of Mount Leinster (1992), The Wexford Gentry volumes 1&2 (1994 and 1996) Ireland 1798 – the Battles (1998), O'Nolan the History of a People (2000), The Kavanaghs Kings of Leinster (2003), The Tipperary Gentry (with William Hayes 2003) and The Landed Gentry & Aristocracy of Kildare ( with Turtle Bunbury 2004).

A schoolteacher in one of his past lives, Art Kavanagh has Kilkenny connections, having attended the CBS in Kilkenny in 1952. During that period he lived in Rioch Street in Kilkenny with his Doyle cousins – Joe Doyle a former An Post employee and Mairead the wife of Tom Dollard of The Black Aces showband fame.

The Landed Gentry and Aristocracy of Kilkenny (Volume 1) by Art Kavanagh – The book is a 256 pg. Hardback with over 60 illustrations (black & white).

Price: €49.90  US $59.97
(incl. postage)