countykilkenny

In the Ashbourne News Telegraph - Friday 06 May 1904 (where else would it be?) is a feature entitled "Kilkenny Castle", which includes:

In the drawing-room two mascots of the family are_preserved—a crystal ball and an old key. The crystal ball is of extreme age, and its origin is entirely legendary. In Pagan times such halls were used for divination, even as they are now by Bond-street soothsayers, but in Ireland and Scotland they became • valued possession of the early Christian saints. They were always associated with the working of miracles, and were believed to possess healing properties of supernatural power. The 'Osiden Key" was the chief butler's symbol of office, and hung at his girdle when he attended the King. The rise of the Ormondee is, indeed, marked by this little key. The founder of the great family which for seven centuries has borne the surname of Butler was an Anglo-Norman, by name Theobald Walter, eon of Herveius Walter by his wife Maude de Valois, and brother of .Archbishop Hubert Walter. who occupied the See of Canterbury in the reigns of Richard I. and John. Theobag Walter came to Ireland with Henry 11., and, for services rendered in the King's cause, had conferred upon him the title of "Chief Butler of Ireland." This Theobald Walter's only son was the first to assume the surname of Le Botiler, or Butler.

and this illustration

Symbol of office

Yes, a similar story in 1912 via Trove -
"... One relic preserved within its walls is the "Golden Key," which is a symbol of the office of Butler granted to the head
of the family more than seven centuries ago. ..."
See - trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/170952979?searchTerm=%...

The key doesn't look very C13th. More like C18th.
O Mac will unlock the mystery ...

My wife's maiden name is Butler and she was the 2001 representative from South Australia for the Rose of Tralee quest. Her name resides on a glass wall in Tralee.

“Lady Anne returned to Castlecomer to live, and began a major reconstruction of the town, church, and manor house. The new Castlecomer House, completed in 1802, was much larger and grander than the original. The house had 365 windows, one for each day of the year”

familynibbles.com/2022/08/17/234-castlecomer-and-the-wand...

'Monkey' swung by in November 1956 - catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000737720

Calendar houses were popular. So we’re there 52 rooms, and maybe 12 chimney stacks, or 12 staircases?

www.countrylife.co.uk/property/country-houses-for-sale-an....

suckindeesel Quite Adept I think this is our first (knowing) encounter with a calendar house?

Evidently Adare Manor is also a calendar house ...
"... The building is a calendar house, featuring 365 windows and 52 chimneys, among some other design characteristics. Along the top of the building an extract of psalm 127:1 is made from carved stone: "Except the Lord build the house, then labour is but lost that built it"."
via - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adare_Manor

Congratulation for your beautiful Album.

Streetview.

Dog overload - I see at least FOUR! That length of exposure, along with the dress of the lady in the background, points to early in the date range, perhaps 1880s?

BultacoFan I thought 2 dogs, but both managing to be in two places at once!

Flickr is sometimes amazing! A painting via John Duggan