Ford

The National Monuments Service's description

Fording the Kings River, formerly called the river Rye. When discussing Callan, Carrigan (1905, vol. 3, 291) relates the story of King Niall Caille, who, in 844, was drowned at a fording point on the Caillainn river. Carrigan goes one to say that while, 'Many are of the opinion that our Callainn river was so called from its connection with the death of King Niall Caille, and that it has been called the King's River for the same reason. But there is nothing in our historical records to show that this was the Callainn in which the King was drowned; and, moreover, Keating expressly writes that Niall was called Caille from the river in which he met his death, and not vice versa. With regard to the name "King's River," by which the Callainn river is Ossory is now known, it is nothing more or less than a misnomer' (ibid.). Walsh (1952, 17-18) disagrees with Carrigan, arguing that the Kings River is where Niall Caille drowned, and suggests that the ford, 'leads from the Abbey meadow up Clothiers' Lane to the centre of the town'. This would seem to be the location of the 'New Bridge' (KK026-010025-) which features on Thomas Stuish's map of 1681 (Manning 1998, 63, fig. 13).
Whether the story of Niall Caille's drowning at this location is true or not, it is likely that there was a fording point on the Kings River, probably in the vicinity of the main bridge (KK026-010084-) on Bridge Street. The precise location of the fording point is unknown.

Compiled by: Jean Farrelly

Date of upload: 24 June 2022

References

Manning, C. 1998 The Civil Survey of Inistioge and Callan, Co. Kilkenny. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries 128, 48-73.

Walsh, F.R. 1952 Callan. Old Kilkenny Review 5, 16-22.

Carrigan, Rev. W. 1905 (Reprint 1981) The history and antiquities of the diocese of Ossory, 4 vols. Kilkenny. Roberts Books and Wellbrook Press.