Margaret Butler

Margaret Butler, the Great Countess of Ormond, was born around 1473 in Kilkenny Castle, the daughter of Gerald, 8th Earl of Kildare, and Alison FitzEustace. She married Piers Butler, 8th Earl of Ormond, in 1485, and together they navigated the dangerous politics of the Geraldine dynasty. In 1501, she rebuilt Gowran Castle and decorated St. Mary's Collegiate Church, leaving a mark of strength and patronage across the region. She died in Kilkenny on 9 August 1542, remembered as one of the most remarkable women of her age.