Kilkenny goes back three hundred years to a time when the city was the cultural centre of Ireland.
Kilkenny is the city of Dame Alice Kyteler, who was burnt at the stake as a witch in medieval times. For the entertainment of tourists, Kilkenny delves back in history to the times of the Confederation of Kilkenny in the 1600s.
At that time, there was a parliament held in Kilkenny and for seven years, Kilkenny was the capital. The city had a military presence from all over Europe and with this came a mixture of languages and culture. For Roisin McQuilan, this is what the Summer Festival is attempting to recreate.
We're bringing Kilkenny back to where it should be, as capital of Ireland.
Kilkenny city does very well out of tourism as a result of the history that surrounds the streets. Pat Murphy of ROSC, reminds the crowd gathered in the city for the opening of the festival.
Kilkenny was then the centre of Ireland, the cultural centre of Ireland, the area to which the envoys from all over Europe came. It was a glorious past that Kilkenny had. It is a glorious present that it has today.
The opening parade featured medieval knights and jousters from the period.
The emphasis is very much on free family events in the city streets and parks. The laneways of the city which are now home to many buskers have been sensitively restored by Kilkenny Corporation.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 20 June 1993. The reporter is Michael Ryan.
