Sir Walter Raleigh lived at Killua Castle, Clonmellon, Co Westmeath and occasionally at Youghal Co Cork, during his time as a landlord in Ireland from 1585 to 1602. He was born in Devon, England in 1552. He took part in the suppression of the Desmond uprising in Munster and was present at the siege of Smerwick in 1580. Following this he was granted large estates in Munster including the towns of Youghal and Lismore by Queen Elizabeth I. He did not manage the estates very well and after 17 years in Ireland he sold them to Richard Boyle 1^st Earl of Cork. He then went on to explore North America and helped prepare for settlements to be established in Virginia. From Virginia he introduced tobacco to Ireland and England. Raleigh later led expeditions to South America and it is said brought the potato to Ireland. In 1603 he was found guilty of treason and imprisoned. Sir Walter Raleigh was beheaded at the Palace of Westminster in the year 1618 On This Day

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Theatre and the Arts have always had a special place in Kilkenny. Today The Watergate Theatre provides entertainment with performances from home and abroad. In 1802 Sir Richard Power of Kilfane established a theatre in Kilkenny called The Athenaeum. Thomas Moore, ‘The Bard of Erin’ met his wife while performing at the theatre in 1811. The theatre attracted famous actors of the day. Performances were held over eight weeks, two weeks in the Summer season and six in Winter and many visitors came to the city to enjoy a great festival experience. Charitable organisations in the area were given most of the profits. The Athenaeum closed following a performance of Richard the Third in the year 1819 On This Day

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Nick Vincent Murphy co-writer of MOONE BOY was born and raised in Kilkenny. Having graduated from TCD (Trinity College Dublin) in 2000 with a degree in English and History he did a master’s degree in film production at DIT (Dublin Institute of Technology). Apart from MOONE BOY he is also known for his work on the feature film Hideaways and the television drama The Running Mate. Winner of many awards Nick Vincent Murphy was born in Kilkenny in the year 1977 On This Day

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Opera composer Michael Balfe was born in Dublin in 1808. The Bohemian Girl which contains the aria ‘I Dreamt That I Dwelt in Marble Halls’ is regarded as his most famous composition. There is a large statue of Balfe in the entrance foyer of the Drury Lane Theatre Royal, London. Michael William Balfe died in the year 1870 On This Day

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The world famous Sydney Opera House was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in June 2007. Danish architect Jørn Utzon won an international competition to design the building in 1957 and the building work began in 1958. Fifteen years later Sydney Opera House was officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II of England in the year 1973 On This Day