[1] Sir Richard Shee founded the alms house, originally called the Hospital of Jesus, during the period when the family was a powerful merchant family in Kilkenny.

Lucas Shee, his son, arranged a royal charter for the Almshouse which was granted 4 November 1609.

Sir Nicholas Power O'Shee of Gardenmorris, County Waterford took back ownership of the house in 1756 and it operated as an almshouse until 1830.

The Alms house was in 1978 acquired by Kilkenny Corporation and restored to its original condition.

[1][3][4] The building is a terraced two-bay two-storey gable-fronted rubble stone house, with cut-limestone features, and a half-dormer attic.