Freynestown, County Kilkenny facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Freynestown, County Kilkenny
Baile an Fhreinigh
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Townland
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Country Lane: nr.Freynestown, County Kilkenny
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 Freynestown, County Kilkenny
Location in Ireland
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| Country | Ireland |
| Province | Leinster |
| County | County Kilkenny |
| Time zone | UTC+0 |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-1 |
Freynestown (which means "town of Freyne" in Irish) is a small area of land called a townland. It is located in County Kilkenny, Ireland.
This place got its name from an old family called "de la Freyne." They were a Norman family who came to Ireland a long time ago. Freynestown was once part of an ancient kingdom known as Kingdom of Ossory.
The story of Freynestown began around 1171. This was after the death of Diarmait Mac Murchada, who was an Irish King. His son-in-law, a powerful Norman knight named Richard de Clare, 2nd Earl of Pembroke, also known as Strongbow, took control of the area.
However, Diarmait's son, Domhnall Caomhánach, was also declared King by local Irish leaders. They followed old Irish laws called Brehon Laws. Strongbow started building castles and towns. He also gave land to his knights for their military help.
In 1192, another important Norman knight, William Marshal, 1st Earl of Pembroke, became the Lord of Leinster. He married Strongbow's daughter, Isabel de Clare, 4th Countess of Pembroke. William Marshal continued to give out land. Much of the Ossory area was given to his knights.
Land Grants and the Freyne Family
Around this time, Ossory was divided into large areas called cantreds, which later became known as baronies. Two of these were Odogh and Oskelan.
These areas were shared between the Bishop of Ossory and Norman knights. A knight named Fitzwarin, whose family later became "de la Freyne," received parts of this land. These cantreds eventually became the baronies of Fassadinin and Gowran.
In 1247, a man named Geoffrey de Fraxino (de la Freyne) held a quarter of a Knight's fee in Kilmenan. A Knight's fee was a measure of land that required a knight's service.
Later, in 1306, Odo de Fraxineto (Freyne) held even more land in the barony of Gowran.
A famous member of the family was Fulk de la Freyne. He was the sheriff of Kilkenny in 1327. He was knighted in 1335 in Ireland for his bravery by James Butler, 1st Earl of Ormond. Fulk's son, Patrick de la Freyne, was a high-ranking official called a Seneschal in Leinster.
John, Fulk's son, was given lands in Rathcash, which is in the same area as Freynestown. He also received land in Lavistown.
In 1347 in Ireland, Lord Fulk de la Freyne was called by the King to go to France. He took part in the Siege of Calais. This was a long and difficult battle where the French city of Calais was surrounded. Eventually, the French had to give up the city to the King of England.
After these events, Freynestown, like the rest of County Kilkenny, became part of the Lordship of Ireland. Over time, it settled into a peaceful, rural way of life.
Early History of the Area
The ancient kingdom of Ossory was formed a very long time ago, around the 2nd century. A tribe called the Osraighe, led by their King Aengus Osrithe, created their own state within the lands of the Laigin (Leinster).
Freynestown is part of this old territory. In the early Middle Ages, this area was home to the Ui Duach people. They were descendants of Duach and lived on these lands from the mid-6th century. The old barony of "Fassadinin and Idough" roughly matches their lands.
The ancient cantred of Oskelan was home to the "Ui-Scellain." These were the descendants of Scellan, who was related to Aengus Osrithe, the founder of the kingdom of Ossory. This information comes from a 1933 book by Edmund Curtis.
The "Feilire of Aengus the Culdee" also mentions the Ui Scellain. It says they were in Sliabh Mairge, a mountain area that stretches into Kilkenny from Carlow. This area includes the hills around Castlewarren, Johnswell, and Kilmogar, in the north of the Barony of Gowran.
For many centuries, powerful families like the Ua Braonáin (O'Brennan), Ua Donnchadha (Dunphy, O'Donoghue), Ua Cearbhaill (O'Carroll), and Mac Giolla Phadraig (Fitzpatrick) were important in this part of Ossory.
Freynestown townland is also where an old monastery of St. Scuithin was located. St. Scuithin was an Irish saint from the 6th and 7th centuries who had strong connections to Wales. This monastery, called Tiscoffin Monastery, is listed among the important monastic houses in Ireland. The nearby town of Castlewarren has a church named after St. Scuithin to remember him.
There is another Freynestown located near Dunlavin in County Wicklow. It also gets its name from the same "de la Freyne" family.
