User:Mrchris/Shee Alms House

Shee Alms House is a restoration of a 16th century almshouse, founded by Sir Richard Shee, which currently acts as a tourist administrative centre in Kilkenny, Republic of Ireland.

History
In 1582, Sir Richard Shee founded the almshouse 'to accommodate twelve poor persons'. In 1752 the alms house was sold by Edmond Shee. The Shees were dispossessed during the Cromwellian era. The Shee family regained ownership of the house in 1756. The last record of any inmates in the house date back to 1830. Shee Alms House was owned by the church.

It was reconstructed in 1928, incorporating fabric of earlier 1580 house. It was renovated in 1949 where the attic was removed.

The Alms house was acquired by Kilkenny Corporation in 1978, and restored to its original condition. In 1981 it was reopened as the tourist office for the city. By 1986 the restoration of house was complete.

In 1986 the City Scope project, a miniature scaled model of Kilkenny in the 16th century, opened on the second floor of the building. The Cityscope Exhibition features a miniature, three dimensional scale model of Kilkenny City in 1640 created by artist Sean Brett.

Today, the building acts as the Kilkenny Tourist Office. It is the origin point for coach tours and key focal point of walking tours, both guided and unguided.

Structure
The grey stone building is one of the few remaining Tudor alms houses in Ireland. It is listed as a Protected Structure. It is a terraced four-bay two-storey building with attic.

A description of Shee's Almshouse in St. Mary's-lane, was given by Mr. Robertson in the Kilkenny Archaeology Society Journal (1892, p. 435). and Mr. Robertson's drawing, made in 1840, shows it probably very nearly in its original condition. It has been altered since.

Shee family
The Shees were a wealthy merchant family in Kilkenny in the sixteenth century much like the Rothes who built Rothe House. The Shee family came from County Kerry and was one of the most powerful and influential families in Kilkenny in the 16th century.

Sir Richard Shee
Sir Richard Shee was a lawyer and a member of an influential family. Richard Shee held the office of Deputy Treasurer of Ireland and received a knighthood in 1582. During Sir Richard's life time he acquired a great deal of church property probably to prevent it from falling into the hands of reformers. He was known to be a very religious man. In 1582, Sir Richard Shee founded the almshouse 'to accommodate twelve poor persons'. In 1588, Sir Richard Shee became High Sheriff of County Kilkenny.

He died in 1608. Richard in his will, said that if the house was passed away from the family the relative would be cursed, this curse would may explain some of the desperate attempts to keep the house in the family down through the years.

To do

 * Ó Cochláin, Colm, The Shee Alms House, Volume 2 of Publications reviewed in Archaeology Ireland,
 * 
 * google books