In mediaeval Irish lore, massive burrow-dwelling cats —Banghaisgidheach — ruled the Kilkenny region. Having fought and killed Luchtigern, the local mouse chieftain and his army, the monsters probably had none but one another to turn to.
Until there were none. Whatever the triggers, an extended limerick came to be:. Over time, the thoughtless Irish cats entered popular culture.
It is difficult to ascertain whether the following, from Notes and Queries of 28 th May , by a person signing themself Juverna, is a serious contribution or a hoax:.
I have often wondered why none of your correspondents who are natives of, or residents in, Kilkenny have given you the real version of the tale of the Kilkenny cats. This is manifestly an Irish exaggeration; and when your readers shall have learned the true anecdote connected with the two cats, they will understand why only two tails were found, the unfortunate owners having fled in terror from the scene of their mutilation. I am happy in being able to state that neither Ireland nor Kilkenny is at all disgraced by the occurrence, which did take place in Kilkenny, but which might have occurred in any other place in the known world.
During the rebellion which occurred in Ireland in or it may be in , Kilkenny was garrisoned by a regiment of Hessian soldiers [ note 1 ] , whose custom it was to tie together in one of their barrack rooms two cats by their respective tails, and then to throw them face to face across a line generally used for drying clothes.
The cats naturally became infuriated, and scratched each other in the abdomen until death ensued to one or both of them, and terminated their sufferings. The officers of the corps were ultimately made acquainted with these barbarous acts of cruelty, and they resolved to put an end to them, and to punish the offenders. In order to effect this purpose, an officer was ordered to inspect each barrack room daily, and to report to the commanding officer in what state he found the room.
The cruel soldiers, determined not to lose their daily torture of the wretched cats, generally employed one of their comrades to watch the approach of the officer, in order that the cats might be liberated, and take refuge in flight before the visit of the officer to the scene of their torture. One of the troopers immediately seized a sword from the arm-rack, and with a single blow divided the tails of the two cats. I heard this version of the story of the Kilkenny cats in Kilkenny, forty years ago, from a gentleman of unquestioned veracity, and I feel happy in submitting it to your numerous readers.
Likewise, one can only hope that the following by one S. Redmont, published in Notes and Queries of 18 th February , is merely humorous:. Great Battle or Cats. I was very young at the time, and the story made a strange impression on my mind.
Two cats fabled, in an Irish story, to have fought till nothing was left but their tails. It is probably a parable of a local contest between Kilkenny and Irishtown , which impoverished both towns. Log in or register to write something here or to contact authors. Kilkenny cats. This phrase generally refers to two people or organizations fight ing until both are reduced to very little.
There are several versions of its origin.
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