Thursday 29 October 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 10322Arson · Co. Kilkenny · 22 Feb 1923

Burning of Desart Court in Kilkenny in 1923

On the night of 22 February 1923, a group of men demanded entrance to Desart Court, about five miles from Kilkenny City, at about 10.30pm. The occupants were two ladies and an old gardener, Mr Townsend, and the men smashed the furniture, doused the house with petrol and set it alight. A compensation claim for the house was later adjudicated by a special sitting of the District Court, and the house was razed to the ground in 1957. A March 2026 Kilkenny People feature on the burning reports no new crime, arrest or court case.

  1. Reported
  2. Arrested
  3. Charged
  4. In court
  5. Verdict
  6. Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
When
Desart Court was burnt on the night of 22 February 1923.
Where
Desart Court is about five miles from Kilkenny City in County Kilkenny.
What happened
  • A group of men demanded entrance to the house at about 10.30pm.
  • The men smashed the furniture and piled it in the centre of the rooms.
  • The men doused everything with petrol and set it alight.
Weapon
The men used a hatchet on the doors and windows.
Cause
The burning was supposedly a reprisal, and may have been incited by the Senate appointment of Lady Desart, as homes of Free State Senate members were targeted.
Other details
  • The only occupants were two ladies and an old gardener, Mr Townsend.
  • The house was finally razed to the ground in 1957.
  • A 2026 Kilkenny People feature on the burning reports no new crime, arrest or court case.
In court
A compensation claim for the house was adjudicated by a special sitting of the District Court.
11 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatA group of men demanded entrance to the house at about 10.30pm. (kilkennypeople.ie)
  • whatThe raiders smashed the furniture and piled it in the centre of the rooms. (kilkennypeople.ie)
  • whatThe raiders doused everything with petrol and set it alight. (kilkennypeople.ie)
  • whereDesart Court was about five miles from Kilkenny City. (kilkennypeople.ie)
  • whenDesart Court was burnt on the night of February 22, 1923. (kilkennypeople.ie)
  • causeThe burning was supposedly a reprisal. (kilkennypeople.ie)
  • causeThe attack may have been incited by the Senate appointment of Lady Desart, as homes of Free State Senate members were targeted. (kilkennypeople.ie)
  • weaponThe raiders used a hatchet on the doors and windows. (kilkennypeople.ie)
  • otherThe only occupants were two ladies and an old gardener, Mr Townsend. (kilkennypeople.ie)
  • otherA compensation claim for the house was adjudicated by a special sitting of the District Court. (kilkennypeople.ie)
  • otherThe house was finally razed to the ground in 1957. (kilkennypeople.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 25 Mar2026
    Otherkilkennypeople.ie, first report
    Demise of 'beautiful' Desart Court was a 'major loss' to Kilkenny

    Historical feature about the 1923 arson of Desart Court; no new crime, arrest or court case is reported.

    victim, femalevictim, Mr Townsend, maleMr Townsendsuspect, male