Kilkenny Observer 05th July 2024

Hospital crisis growing

Patients in SE highest hit among 50,000 operations postponed

Patients in the South East are the highest hit among more than 50,000 who have had their operations, procedures and appointments cancelled in the first three months of the year as hospitals battle overcrowding.

These cancellations included people who needed surgery for cancer and other illnesses.

Hospitals in the east and south of the country were

worst hit, with the highest level of call-offs suffered by patients in February, when more than 18,400 planned treatments were put on hold, according to figures supplied by the HSE.

Most cases were a knockon from hospitals trying to juggle patients needing surgeries while managing people from overstretched emergency departments and a lack of beds. Others were

Remembering the brave 25 years on ...

Remembering four Irish Air Corps colleagues Capt Dave O’Flaherty DSM, Capt Mick Baker DSM, Sgt Paddy Mooney DSM and Cpl Niall Byrne DSM who tragically died 25 years ago in Dauphin helicopter 248 ‘Rescue 111’ while engaged in a mission to save others on Friday July 2, 1999.

On that exceptionally foggy night, an Air Corps helicopter known as Rescue 111 came flying in over the beach, made unexpected impact with the edge of an unseen dune, and tumbled catastrophically out of the air. The four men aboard, who had been engaged on a search-and-rescue mission at sea, all died instantly on impact.

Go Mairidís Beo - That Others May Live.

called off due to patient clinical reasons.

The scale of cancellations, which do not include Dublin’s children’s hospitals, meant patients who may have been deteriorating on a waiting list for months or years could have learnt at the last minute that their care was put on hold.

Some 17,708 operations were cancelled in the Ireland East Group, 10,316 in south

and south west hospitals and 9,969 in the Dublin Midlands Hospital Group.

The University Hospital Limerick Group ordered 797 postponements.

Health Minister Stephen Donnelly has set sights for 4,367 new hospital beds by 2031.

Claire Cahill, of the Scoliosis Advocacy Network, has been highlighting postponement of scoliosis surgeries in

patients for many years.

“As a scoliosis advocacy group, we stress that the frequent cancellations of essential, life-changing surgeries for children with scoliosis have severe implications, often leading to more invasive procedures and increased risks. Cancellations leave parents and children in limbo,” she said. “Provisional surgery dates are always dependent on ICU bed avail-

Vaccine to ward off measles outbreak

Due to a rise in measles cases in Ireland, the UK and Europe, the HSE has set up Measles Mumps and Rubella (MMR) catch-up clinics, which will be open each week in venues across counties Kilkenny, Carlow, Waterford, Wexford and South Tipperary this summer for five-year-olds to 46-yearolds.

The HSE has advised that the MMR vaccine is the only protection against measles. Measles is a highly infectious disease that can cause serious complications, particularly in children under one year of age, pregnant women, and the immunosuppressed.

Children in the under five year old age bracket are being

vaccinated by their local GP.

Kate Cassidy (General Manager, Vaccinations, HSE South East Community Healthcare, toldThe Kilkenny Observer: “Two doses of MMR Vaccine in your lifetime are needed to give full protection,”

“The MMR catch-up campaign is focusing on delivering the vaccine to key groups

who may have missed their vaccines in the past, for example, children, young adults and health and care workers. Those eligible are those born in Ireland since the 1st January 1978 and do not have evidence of two MMR vaccines, or if they were born outside of Ireland and do not have evidence of two MMR vaccines at

any age,” said Kate Cassidy. * MMR vaccines are available free of charge. A list of Vaccination Clinics is available here: https://www2.hse. ie/services/mmr-vaccine/ All clinics are walk-in or you can book an appointment by visiting: https://www2.hse. ie/services/mmr-vaccine/ book-an-appointment/

ability, staff, and ward space.”

Separate figures recently obtained by Sinn Féin spokesman David Cullinane also showed 71 chemotherapy sessions for children were cancelled between January and April this year.

In response, the HSE said: “These appointments and procedures are rescheduled for a later date, often within a short period of the original appointment.”

Court rules in Trump favour, Biden sticks in

The US Supreme Court’s Chief Justice John Roberts, writing for the court’s six conservatives, has held in Trump v United States that Donald Trump has “absolute immunity” from criminal prosecution for all acts that can be interpreted as part of the official course of his “core” duties, and “presumptive” immunity for all other official acts.

The move dramatically extends executive authority, insulates past and future presidents from prosecution for illegal or even treasonous actions they carry out while in office and renders the former president largely criminally immune for his role in the January 6 insurrection.

See also Page 30

Tories rally but looks like Labour win

The Tories are closing the gap on Labour, a second poll has shown, as the UK goes to the general election booths. However, it is looking like a Labour win.

The Redfield & Wilton Strategies survey put Labour on 41% (down one point), the Conservatives on 22% (up three points) and Nigel Farage’s Reform UK on 16% (down two points).

In Northern Ireland, Sinn Fein look set for a massive win making it the largest party at local and national level.

LGBTQ+ people not confident about finances

In a survey, commissioned by Bank of Ireland and conducted by Red C, questions relating to financial resilience were put to a nationally representative sample of the public aged 18+ with 12% of those who responded identifying as being from the LGBTQ+ community and the remainder identifying as heterosexual.

Given the smaller sample size of the LGBTQ+ respondents, and the difference in age profile between the LGBTQ+ respondents and the other participants, some caution needs to be exercised in interpreting the results. However, there is a general trend towards divergence – with the LGBTQ+ respondents showing less confidence and resilience in managing their finances –which should be considered.  According to the survey:

• 44% of LGBTQ+ respondents said they “feel confident about financial situation in next 12 months” – this was 48% for heterosexual respondents.

• 59% of the LGBTQ+ community said they were “confident that they would have the funds to cover an unexpected day-to-day expense such as a car breakdown or the repair or replacement of a household item” – this was 62% for heterosexuals who responded to the survey.

• When asked about their ability to raise funds to cover an unexpected bill, both groups were confident that they could raise ‘any funds’ (95%). However, while 29% of heterosexual respondents said they could raise more than €3,000 in a month this

figure fell to 25% for LGBTQ+ respondents.

• When it came to other sources of funds, the responses between the groups were more varied. A loan from family and friends was the second largest source of funds after savings, at 39% for LGBTQ+ respondents

compared with 29% for heterosexual respondents. LGBTQ+ respondents were also more likely to source the funds from a credit card (23% vs 17%), a loan from a bank (22% vs 17%) or from selling things they own (25% vs 20%).

In addition to the finan-

cial wellbeing insights, the survey also showed a clear gap in age ranges of those identifying as LGBTQ+ or heterosexual. This indicates that young people are more open to disclosing sexual identity, with 27% of those who identified as LGBTQ+ in the 25-34 age range, 32% in

the 35-44 age range, and just 16% aged 55+.

While household incomes and social segments are similar for both groups, LGBTQ+ respondents were more likely to live in private rental accommodation compared to heterosexual people – 25% versus 16%.

“Take me Home” – VTOS woodcarving exhibition 2024

It was the essence of brilliance at MacDonagh Junction, when VTOS Kilkenny launched their Annual Woodcarving Exhibition “Take me Home” on the 17th May last. It was an occasion to treasure for the class of 23/24. Their work was a culmination of passion and dedication and at times challenging. Great credit goes to their teacher

Peter O’ Carroll who guided the participants on their creative and innovative journey. M.C. for the

occasion was Geraldine Moran VTOS Co-Ordinator who welcomed guests Eileen Curtis Chief Executive KCETB, Martha Bolger FET Director KCETB and Bernadette O’ Rourke Adult Education Officer KCETB. Geraldine thanked Kilkenny and Carlow Education and Training Board for its ongoing support for the VTOS Programme.

Peter O’ Carroll in his address congratulated all the participants on an excellent display of talent.

The theme “Take me Home” allowed each participant to connect with home in their own unique way. Geraldine Moran in her address spoke about the class celebrating “Diversity, Inclusion and Connection”, she said that it was very fitting that another module studied by the class fitted in excellently with the Exhibition, The Teamworking module successfully completed by the class exemplified the spirit of teamwork in bringing together a

fantastic showcase of beautiful work, where all participants flourished through learning.

Bernadette O’ Rourke AEO congratulated all the participants on their inspiring work and wished all of them much success. Eileen Curtis officially opened the exhibition and congratulated all participants on the

excellent standard of their work, with the highest quality of craftsmanship displayed.

Geraldine Moran thanked everyone for attending and everybody was invited to The Pantry for refreshments after the ceremony. Geraldine thanked the MacDonagh Junction management for affording VTOS the space for the occasion. The exhibition took place for one week 17th May to the 24th May and it was a resounding success.

Money talks: With Oisín O’Reilly, CEO, Outhouse LGBTQ+ Centre are Oliver Wall, Group Chief of Staff, Bank of Ireland, Aine McCleary, Chief Customer Officer, Bank of Ireland and Ailish Byrne, Co-Chair of Bank of Ireland’s With Pride Colleague Network

Photographs by Harry Reid

Eileen Curtis Chief Executive, KCETB

Geraldine Moran (VTOS Coordinator), KCETB

Martha Bolger (Director of FET), KCETB

Bernadette O’Rourke (Adult Education Officer), KCETB

Better first-time buy ‘deal’

It is expected that more people in the South East will now qualify for the State home-buyer scheme that aims to help new buyers fund the price of a new home, as the price ceiling for properties that qualify for the First Home Scheme has been increased in 14 counties.

The 14 counties that are increasing are Carlow, Tipperary, Wexford, Cavan, Donegal, Kerry, Leitrim,

Limerick, Longford, Mayo, Monaghan, Offaly, Roscommon, and Sligo.

The shared-equity scheme, which is for new properties and self-builds, is a €480m fund set up to help firsttime buyers bridge the gap between their mortgage, deposit and the price of a new home.

Under the scheme, the State provides interest-free equity stake for a six-year

MEP Kelleher elected

First Vice-President of Renew Europe Group

Fianna Fáil’s Billy Kelleher has been elected as First Vice-President of the liberal and centrist Renew Europe group in the European Parliament following a meeting of MEPs.

Mr Kelleher, an MEP since 2019 for Ireland South, will now take on a deputy leadership role in the political group that includes MEPs from governing parties in Ireland, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Estonia, Sweden, and Slovenia. In addition to being First VicePresident, Mr Kelleher will

the Group’s Whip.  “I am thrilled that I have been able to secure the support of my colleagues in the Renew Europe Group. I believe my vote today is a testament to the work of the Fianna Fáil team in the group, Barry Andrews and I, over the past five years where we have been consensus builders and deal makers,” he told The Kilkenny Observer.

“With this new role, I am keen to rebuild the group after a not so stellar performance in certain countries

period for a stake of up to 30% in the home.

There are maximum property price ceilings for each local author ity area. Now those price ceilings have increased by €25,000 in 14 counties.

All new homes in Ireland worth up to €350,000 are now eligible for the scheme irrespective of location, with higher price ceilings of up to €500,000 in areas of greatest

demand, First Home Scheme said.

The ceiling in Limerick city and county will increase by €25,000 to €425,000 for houses, including self-build homes. The ceiling for apartments in Limerick remains at €450,000.

The other 13 counties’ ceilings are increasing by €25,000 to €350,000 for houses, including self-build homes and apartments.

The scheme is a joint venture between the State and three banks, currently AIB (including EBS and Haven), Bank of Ireland and PTSB, with an ability for other authorised mortgage lenders in the Irish market to join.

Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien said changes announced would make it easier for more people to avail of the scheme.

“The scheme has been a big success in making home ownership a reality for people who would have been unable to bridge the affordability gap otherwise,” he said. Critics have accused First Home of inflating property prices. Under the scheme, no payments are due to the First Home Scheme if the equity stake is bought out in the first five years of ownership.

Kilkenny pharmacies to tackle health crisis

“We are the pro-European centre. It is essential that we stand up for our

rhetoric of the far right and the extreme left,” he -

gation of Barry Andrews, Barry Cowen, Cynthia Ní Mhurchú and I will be an influential component of

and work with like-mindacross the EU to build a stron-

prosperous Union for zens,” said the MEP.

In response to the growing crisis affecting the pharmaceutical sector, pharmacies in Kilkenny have decided to join forces to face current difficulties. This collaboration is materialised through their integration into LUDA Partners’ digital network, aiming to optimise their operations and offer innovative solutions in an unprecedentedly challenging context.

Irish pharmacies are experiencing a complex situation marked by various factors. Drug shortage is a pressing issue that not only affects Ireland in general and Kilkenny in particular, but also extends globally. This shortage has forced pharmacists to seek alternative and disruptive solutions to ensure that patients continue receiving the necessary treatments.

In addition to this problem, pharmacies face significant economic pressures. Reduced profit margins, rising operational costs and competition from large chains and online platforms have threatened the sustainability of many local businesses.

Currently, more than 400 drugs are missing from the Irish pharmacies according to the last medicines shortage report updated by the Irish Pharmacy Union (IPU). In this context, the need to diversify income sources and adopt new technologies has become imperative.

To overcome these adversities, Kilkenny pharmacies have decided to join LUDA Partners’ digital network which allows them to manage their inventories more efficiently and lo-

calise medications, in the closest pharmacy, within their reach with top notch technology. Thus, collaboration among participating pharmacies is crucial for addressing shortages, as they utilise LUDA’s platform to locate out-of-stock products and provide immediate, real-time solutions to their patients.

A notable aspect of this initiative is the integration of pharmacies with new online sales channels, such as Just Eat’s quick commerce. Traditionally associated with food delivery, Just Eat has expanded its offerings to include pharmacy products as a new vertical, enabling Kilkenny pharmacies to increase sales of both pharmacy and OTC items, reach a broader customer base and enhance consumer convenience.

Adopting these new sales channels not only boosts pharmacies’ revenues but also improves the accessibility of pharmacy products for Kilkenny residents. They can now place online orders and receive them at home, reducing travel needs and providing quicker access to essential products, often within minutes.

According to Luis Martín Lázaro, co-founder of LUDA Partners, the crisis in the pharmaceutical sector underscores the importance of innovation and collaboration. Through unity and the adoption of new technologies, Kilkenny pharmacies are pioneering a more sustainable and efficient future, ensuring they can continue to serve the community despite current challenges.

The Fact Of The Matter

Paul Hopkins

Our right to die, with our dignity intact

It is quite understandable that the Catholic Church, given its fundamental credence, is against abortion, taking of life as they see it. Also, too, they have issues with the upcoming landmark legislation to deal with infertility and domestic surrogacy in Ireland. The legislation deals with domestic ‘altruistic’ surrogacy, preimplantation genetic diagnosis and embryo screening procedures. Sadly, up to 2,000 children in Ireland, born through surrogacy, are still awaiting a formal retrospective recognition of their parentage in Ireland.

So to euthanasia, the right to have a say in your own dying.

Irish bishops have written an open letter rejecting proposals to introduce legislation on assisted dying. as the “deliberate taking of human life undermines a funda-

mental principle of civilised society”.

The letter comes after the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Assisted Dying have recommended the Government introduce legislation allowing for assisted dying under “restricted” circumstances. The committee’s final report earlier this year recommended that only a person diagnosed with a condition that is incurable and irreversible, advanced, progressive and will cause death, is expected to cause death within six months, or causes suffering to a person that cannot be relieved in a manner that the person finds tolerable, is eligible to be assessed.

The bishops have said the State would “contribute to undermining the confidence of people who are terminally ill and want to live life fully as possible until death naturally comes” by introducing

the proposed legislation. They also argue that people with intellectual disabilities would be “particularly vulnerable” and the legislation would do “untold damage” to the integrity of the Irish healthcare system. It read: “Once life is taken away, autonomy is also taken away. The church does not and never has insisted on the use of extraordinary means to prolong life. Nor is there any moral obligation on a sick person to accept treatment which they feel is unduly burdensome. A decision to end life prematurely cuts off any prospect of growth or healing and represents a failure of hope.”

As far back as 2011, the European Court of Human Rights judged that “voluntary assisted dying should be legalised as a choice alongside other options ... be it palliative care or hospice work”.

Last autumn, the Oireachtas committee heard that 12 people from Ireland had availed of assisted dying with the Swiss clinic Dignitas since 2003. Dignitas has members from around 100 countries and assists in about 200 to 250 ‘suicides’ annually. More women than men seek the service but, controversially, according to reports, less than 50% are terminally ill at the time. It seems we’re caught between the rock and the hard place. Picture a society in which patients are routinely euthanised — whether they want their lives to end or not — if their suffering cannot be alleviated without dulling their consciousness, eradicating their independence, or dismissing their dignity. Defenders of such might argue that the duty to prevent suffering makes the policy persuasive. A reasoned response would be

that, while suffering and loss of independence are undesirable, only the person enduring such should decide if it is unbearable. Provided, the patient is competent to decide – and that, arguably, might prove legally dicey.

When my father died, my mother knew there was no going back. She didn’t want to go on. She was in stage four of an incurable cancer. Being of sound mind, she told the doctor she didn’t want to take any more medicine.

“I’ve had a good life,” she quietly told me.

So, one blue-skied day in September of the Millennium year, with my siblings and I by her side, she slipped into a coma, the loving hospice nurse cradling my mother’s shrunken head in her lap. A few days later she died, peacefully and relatively pain-free. At 82 years, with an incurable disease, she

Life-saving surgery for Brianna

Brianna Phelan Somers was born with Myelomeningocele

Spina Bifida and she is a full time wheelchair user. She underwent spinal surgery eighteen months ago where she had a growth rod inserted but unfortunately, this failed. Her spine is now completely twisted and affecting her lungs and other organs. She has been accepted at Great Ormond Street Hospital in the UK for spinal fusion surgery as such facilities are not available in Ireland.

Brianna is a happy 10 year old girl, always smiling no matter what she has been through and her family would really appreciate your support on this part of Brianna’s journey.

Brianna’s family have set up a GoFundMe page with the hopes that we can all help them to help Brianna. Any donation big or small would be most welcome.

The Kilkenny Observer will keep you updated as we receive news of Brianna’s surgery date.

GoFundMe link: https://www. gofundme.com/f/to-raise-moneytowards-brianna-scoliosissurgery-in-the-uk?qid=cf97bb994 b2dd926693171c76cfba704

chose her own time of going along with that last vestige of humankind, her dignity.

Under Irish law, adults have the right to refuse medical treatment, even if such is required to save their life, as long as they have ‘sufficient capacity’, to ‘understand’ in making such a decision.

Was my mother’s going not a passive euthanasia of sorts, practised already in our wonderfully caring hospices?

In the 36 years since renowned GP Paddy Leahy first broached the subject, only now are we legally seeking to rectify the matter. The bishops are wrong. I strongly believe that, ethically, we should have the right to control our own bodies and choose when and how we die. With our dignity unsullied ...

€27,000 for tackling literacy in Kilkenny and Carlow

Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science

Patrick O’Donovan TD has announced the allocation of more than €27,000 to innovative projects in Kilkenny and Carlow supporting adults with unmet literacy needs.

Some of the projects receiving funding from SOLAS through the Collaboration and Innovation Fund include:

• Climate Literacy for ALL project

• A cooking skills pilot

• Labhair Liom and Kilnaspic

One in three patients are malnourished survey finds

At least one in three patients, including older groups and people with cancer, are malnourished on admission to hospital and levels are rising, a new survey by nutrition experts has shown.

The findings from 3,662 patients surveyed across 26 public hospitals in Ireland, showed an increase in patients suffering malnutrition; rising to 34%, up from 32% in 2011 and 28% in 2010. It was carried out by the Irish Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (IrSPEN), which is calling for more patients to be screened for malnutrition.

Malnutrition rates had fallen in patients in long-stay or rehabilitation wards, at 21% compared with 36% on all other wards, and also in those admitted from other hospitals rather than from home, at 26% versus to 35%.

It said this highlighted how mandatory national malnutrition screening and treatment protocols introduced in public hospitals in 2020 are having a positive impact. However, IrSPEN said malnutrition screening should be expanded to other clinical settings such as outpatients, day-care and primary-care settings, particularly for cancer patients and frail, older people.

Survey co-author and IrSPEN director Niamh Rice said the survey identified two major reasons for the rise in patients with risk factors for malnutrition.

"The first is an increase in the age demographic of patients presenting at hospitals, with older people more likely to be malnourished, and secondly, a higher incidence of cancer, resulting in more cancer patients within the general hospital population - 22pc in November 2023 versus 16pc in 2011. This

Konnected programmes

Minister O’Donovan said: “I am delighted to see funding awarded to these innovative projects and partnerships in Kilkenny and Carlow that are supporting adults to access the vital literacy services they need, helping us to work towards a more inclusive and equal society in Ireland.

“The fund is helping organ-

isations and services to be more literacy friendly and accessible to adults with unmet needs.

“The innovation and diversity shown by these projects is fantastic to see and highlights the importance of having fun through learning, whether that is through music, arts, or comedy.

“This creative approach will help to reach commu-

nities such as older adults, members of the Traveller community, or persons experiencing addiction,” the minister said.

The Collaboration and Innovation Fund was launched in April 2023 and is part of the Adult Literacy for Life Strategy, which is focused on ensuring that everyone has the literacy skills that they need, and that literacy

is valued and supported at every level of Irish society.    Yvonne McKenna, Director of Adult Literacy for Life in SOLAS, said: “The ALL Collaboration and Innovation Fund, now in its second year, is supporting the delivery of a wide range of important literacy programmes that are supporting adults in Ireland to address their literacy needs."

patient cohort is also more likely to suffer nutritional problems resulting in malnutrition,” she said.

"The level of malnutrition presenting at our public hospitals remains too high and some is preventable if we pay more attention to improving the nutritional status of patients in the community.

"We need to expand screening and treatment for malnutrition to all settings where cancer patients receive care, particularly in day wards where they receive systemic anti-cancer therapy, to facilitate rapid access to specialist cancer dietiticians, of whom we have just a handful across the country.

"A secondary recommendation is to resource an expansion of targeted malnutrition screening and treatment for older people living with frailty, particularly those living alone and requiring home-care support.

"These patients typically present to their GP and to hospital emergency departments more frequently, and at significant cost to the healthcare system, due to falls and an increasing need for care.”

Cancer research dietitician

Dr Erin Stella Sullivan said:

"It is often incorrectly thought of as meaning being underweight or 'skinny'. However, if patients are not eating what they need during illness, muscle is broken down in an attempt to keep the tissues supplied with the protein building blocks needed to keep everything functioning normally.

"The effect of a screening and treatment programme is that patients who are losing weight or failing to eat sufficient protein, energy or other nutrients, which are typically required in higher amounts during illness, are identified early.”

Soaking up the atmosphere at the recent Kaleidoscope presented by Glenveagh in Co Wicklow – Ireland's favourite family music camping festival was Luna Brennan aged 10 from Carlow pictured with Paddy the Alpaca from K2 Alpacas. Up to 20,000 festivalgoers including families from across the country attended this weekend’s Kaleidoscope presented by Glenveagh at Wicklow’s Russborough House.  The three-day family-friendly festival featured live music performances from LYRA, The Kooks, The Waterboys, viral sensations The Kabin and Lisdoonvarna Crew and more than 100 family activities and entertaining shows for all ages.

Time for us to celebrate Water Heritage Day

The Local Authority Waters Programme (LAWPRO) is encouraging community groups to apply under the ‘Water Heritage Day Grants Scheme 2024’ to celebrate Water Heritage Day on Sunday, August 25.  LAWPRO is a national shared service working on behalf of the 31 local authorities in Ireland coordinating efforts to achieve good water quality across the country.

To make an application see: LAWPRO Small Grants and Events Scheme 2024 | Online Consultation Portal of the Waters and Communities Office

Speaking about the €30,000 grants scheme Anthony

Coleman, Director of Services at LAWPRO, said: “We are delighted to once again invite community groups to organise a water related event for Heritage Week. The theme of Heritage Week 2024 is 'Connections, Routes & Networks and our rivers play a big part in the connectivity of our island. In historic times they were networks for movement, trading and exploration.

"Water Heritage Day gives communities a fantastic opportunity to celebrate our heritage through water whether it be hosting a river safari, a talk at the riverside or launching a booklet on a local waterway there are

ample ways to get involved.”

You are asked to consult with your local Community Water Officer in advance of making an application. Their contact details are on our website here: Communities Team - Local Authority Water Programme (lawaters.ie). The deadline for making an application is Tuesday, July 16.

Virginia Teehan, CEO of the Heritage Council welcomes LAWPRO’s grant programme.

“Water Heritage Day continues to be a significant highlight during National Heritage Week every year, showcasing the creative and ingenious ways communities celebrate the impact of

canals, lakes, rivers, and the sea on our local heritage. This year, particularly given the theme of ‘Connections, Routes, and Networks’, I am excited to see what kinds of events we see for Water Heritage Day. "This LAWPRO grant scheme will enable people to explore and highlight our water-based connections, emphasising how vital they are to our natural heritage. It's a wonderful opportunity for event organisers to avail of supports that will encourage them to dive into our shared history and appreciate the incredible resource our waters provide."

PHOTO: Marc O'Sullivan

Opinion As I See It Marianne Heron

What is to be done to mend men like Cathal Crotty

After soldier Cathal Crotty walked free last month with a suspended sentence for a vicious unprovoked attack on a young woman, (The DPP has launched an appeal). I felt angry and despairing. How after all these years since the slow dawn of equality for women can this kind of gender-based brutality still be happening and not receive appropriate sentencing? Crotty is not alone. There are thousands of men engagee in gender-based abuse.

Last year the Gardai fielded more than 54,000 domestic abuse complaints, an 8% increase over the previous year. Women’s Aid refuges had more than 40,000 disclosures of abuse, an 18% increase over 2022. The Dublin Rape Crisis Centre (DRCC) received more than18,600 contacts in 2023, the highest-ever level recorded in the service’s 45-year history.

After Crotty’s brutal assault he now faces Defence Force disciplinary proceedings,

at which he might lose his job but a naval officer who pleaded guilty last year to an assault in which his former girlfriend lost an eye is still serving in the forces.

What can be done with these men and thousands like them? Damaged partners and children may leave, or seek refuge with Women’s Aid but what happens to their abusers? Will they continue to abuse, lose their families and maybe their jobs or go on to abuse women and children in other relationships?

The underlying reasons for men’s abusive behaviour include poor self-esteem, antisocial personality, rigid attitudes to gender roles, family histories of violence, drug or alcohol abuse, or depression. Without intervention or social consequences such abuse may continue and worsen, sometimes with fatal consequences.

One organisation which offers hope to end the vicious cycle is Men Ending Domestic

Abuse (Mend), a service set up by Men’s Development Network (MDN) to support men in changing aspects of their behaviour which are violent or abusive.

Part of the explanation lies in the way that boys are still socialised differently from girls, according to John Doyle, Director of Services at MDN.

“We still socialise men to be resilient. Society doesn’t equip them well enough to deal with emotional conflict.

“Women are more inclined to reach out for support whereas men may bottle things up and take out their frustration on those closest to them. Perceived inequality may play a part too,” he says. “Even though things have changed the sexes are not fully equal. Men tend to have more power and this can suggest that women are less important.”

The Mend service offers a three- stage behaviour change programme for men, with assessment, one on one sessions

Dramatic Action’s end of year showcase a sell-out!

Photography: Gary Kavanagh

Last Sunday, the Watergate Theatre was transformed into a vibrant hub of creativity and talent as the Dramatic Action Stage School took centre stage for two sold-out shows. The atmosphere was electric as students delivered stunning tributes to some of the world's most iconic musicals, creating an unforgettable variety show. Over 100 local children and young adults danced, sang, and acted with unparalleled enthusiasm, captivating the audience with their passion and energy.

Directed and produced by Rob Murphy, and supported by a team of skilled performing

arts teachers, the show was nothing short of a spectacular masterpiece. The dedication and hard work of everyone involved were evident in every performance, leaving the audience in awe.

Dramatic Action Stage School holds classes every Tuesday at the Kilkenny Rugby

Club, nurturing a profound love for the arts among Kilkenny's youth. It's truly inspiring to witness such a vibrant appreciation for the performing arts flourishing in the community.

More info on www. dramaticaction.ie

and followed up by 25 group meetings. The aim of the programme is to increase the safety of women and children with an independent integrated support programme for partners and to increase

“Thousands of men who engage in gender-based abuse...

men’s capacity to behave in a respectful, non-violent way.

“It can also help lessen men’s depression, anxiety or suicidal ideation,” says John Doyle. “And yes, the results can be positive, especially when men are invested in attending the programme, which their partners often want them to do.”

Referrals to Mend are mainly through the probation service, through Tusla or self-referral and to a lesser extent from GPs, family or the HSE. The approach is collaborative and works with the individual’s strengths and sections of the programme cover sexual respect, gender, trust and support, parenting and emotional intimacy.

Not all referrals may be suitable for the programme, some may be need to be referred on for drink and drug addiction. Currently there are six programmes running in the South East with a further one planned. To my mind, the service should be funded

nation-wide.

The increase in genderbased violence looks worrying but it may be due to more women coming forward in an area where there has been underreporting. The issue has been more high profile recently with news stories including the brutal murder of 23-year-old school teacher Ashling Murphy in Tullamore, Co Offaly in January 2022 by Josef Puska and the case of former Garda Paul Moody who subjected his terminally ill partner to a litany of coercive control.

But there is the societal sea where toxic attitudes to women still swim. I hope that gender-based violence will diminish but that hope will continue to be in vain so long as individuals within the institutions of the State harbour misogyny and where intervention to mend the men involved in violence doesn’t happen.

www.mensnetwork.ie

New products at Natural Health Store

It is time to update you on some new products that we have recently gotten into stock. Collagen is a big topic at the moment, it has been for a while now. There is a lot of competition in the market with every company bringing out their own product. I thought you might like to hear about Somega Collagen Plus, this is an Irish brand. It contains an impressive 7,000mg of marine collagen per serving and 50mg of hyaluronic acid. I think most of us are familiar with the properties of both these ingredients and their health benefits for skin. I was impressed to see that they had 100mg of Red Orange Complex and 250mg of Aronia Berry Extract, these are also superb nutrients for the skin. Clinical research shows that Red Orange Complex supports skin health by counteracting the harmful effects of UV radiation and reduces the signs of ageing. Aronia Berry extract is a natural source of polyphenols which are powerful antioxidants. They can help protect your skin from damage from free radicals that can cause premature ageing. I think it is a blend that you might be interested in.

Have you seen BetterYou Magnesium Water? This is an easy way to replace lost magnesium in the body through exercise and just living! It’s a unique electrolyterich blend of Magnesium Glycinate, Magnesium Citrate, and Irish Sea minerals formulated to maximise absorption. Magnesium is an important mineral for energy, sleep, muscle health and the nervous system. BetterYou Magnesium Water contains 180mg per can. It is the perfect way to rehydrate after exercise or a busy day. There are three to choose from, Hydrate with Lime and Bergamot, Energy with Pomegranate

and Rhubarb, and Focus with Blueberry and Mint. Fusion Allergy is a drug free way to manage allergies associated with pollen and airborne allergens. I love that most of the range is suitable for during pregnancy and while breastfeeding. The range Fusion Allergy includes a nasal spray which is suitable if your nose is congested, OR itchy, you’re sneezing or have a runny nose. The eye drops are perfect for dry, scratchy, itchy, irritated, or watery eyes. There’s a cooling mask, this is ideal to cool and soothe headaches or inflamed swollen eyes or sinus. These are all suitable during pregnancy.

CLAIR WHITTY

A group of NGOs and legal groups has cautioned that, without urgent changes to the Family Courts Bill 2022, children, couples experiencing relationship breakdown, and survivors of domestic violence will continue to face rough justice in the family courts.

Rough justice for survivors of domestic violence in family courts; calls for urgent reform SPECIAL REPORT

The group includes Women’s Aid, Rape Crisis Network Ireland, Safe Ireland, One Family, Treoir, Dublin Solicitors Bar Association, Cork Family Lawyers Association, Clinical Assessors in Family Law Ireland CLG, and the Law Society. This diverse group, representing survivors of domestic violence, children, unmarried parents, and people who ne ed to access free legal advice, is united in their view that the Family Courts Bill cannot achieve its aims without important changes.

The depth of feeling around three particular aspects of the Family Courts Bill 2022 is such that this group of independent organisations has come together to ask that Minister for Justice Helen McEntee look again at changes that need to be made in respect of the Bill.

The group is supportive of the broad intentions of the Bill and has acknowledged the work done t o progress real change and to seek to improve the experience of those going through the family justice system in Ireland. However, the group has put forward priority improvements to the Family C ourts Bill to safeguard the best interests of children, families, and survivors of domestic violence. (See Panel).

Clíona Saidléar, Executive Director, Rape Crisis Network Ireland, said: “People who have cause to use the family court are particularly vulnerable, and their experiences navigating the system can be unnecessarily difficult. Survivors of sexual and domestic violence, including children, must be at the centre of family courts reform.

‘This means the process must be accessible, with each stage easily understood and meaningful, thes e stages should be dealt with promptly, the expertise should be appropriate, and users should not be asked to pay for court ordered assessments,” she told The Kilkenny Observer.

‘Very importantly, the process should not be readily open to manipulation by a party who seeks t o continue abusive and controlling behaviour through using the process

itself. This Bill is part of the solution to this complex set of problems. We consider, along with our partners, that this Bill needs c lose scrutiny and amendment to ensure it can deliv er on its ambitious intention.

“The Family Courts Bill has the potential to greatly improve the courts experience for its users. These are real people using our courts services every day, who deserve a justice system that provides the safety, compassion, and vindication they need. Amongst many challenges faced by those navigating this system, delay in the s ystem, is one of the most impactful. Part of the answer is increasing capacity and resourcing, the l ack of which is exacerbating the problems inherent in the s ystem.

This Bill’s  proposed solution to utilise the District C ourts more is concerning

given the volume and complexity of family cases that w ill be transferred to it. We can see many risks in this proposal alongside highly uncertain wins,” she said.

“We reiterate our call inviting the Minister for Justice to meet with us as stakeholders so we can work together to ensure the Bill can deliver on her intention so that together we can progress the muchneeded reforms to build a better family justice system for all who need it.”

Peter Doyle, Chairperson of the Law Society’s Family and Child Law Committee, said: “The Family Courts Bill is long awaited and everyone who works in the family justice system welcomes progress being made in this area. However, the shared concerns of these diverse representative NGOs and legal groups should send a clear signal that it is not yet fit for purpose. We are

WHAT THE NGOs ARE PROPOSING

1.      As it stands, the family courts offer inadequate facilities, waiting areas, and processes to protect children, couples experiencing relationship breakdown including custody or access issues, and survivors of domestic violence from unsafe situations. The Family Courts Bill should include a Guiding Principle which deals with safety for all parties, including safe outcomes and safe processes to prevent further traumatisation at an extremely difficult time in their lives.

2.      While Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) is a necessary, and often positive, tool in family law cases, when properly resourced, there are circumstances in which ADR cannot be expected to be utilised. This includes cases involving domestic violence, which includes sexual violence within a relationship and coercive control. Those exceptions need to be explicitly stated in the Family Courts Bill.

3.      The proposed move of divorce, separation, cohabitation, and civil partnership cases to the already over-burdened and over-stretched District Court will make things worse, not better. It is not in the best interests of children, families, and survivors of domestic violence that such cases are heard in the District Court. The Family Courts Bill should be amended to retain divorce, separation, cohabitation, and civil partnership cases in the Circuit Court and also to invest in reform of the existing District Family Court, rather than duplicate the system that already exists in the Circuit Family Court.

all united in wanting to support Government as it seeks to make reform in this area.

“Our proposed amendments to the Bill, which are b ased on each organisation’s unique perspective and ne eds, and direct experiences of working in the famil y courts, are practical and achievable. If taken on board, the eventual Family Courts Bill would truly create a better family justice system for children, families, and survivors of domestic violence, a goal we are all committed to advancing collectively,” he said.

“We want to make the system better, not worse. The proposed move of divorce, separation, cohabitation, and civil partnership cases to the District C ourt is a step backwards. We hope that our concerns will be heard and acted on, and we urge the Minister for Justice to meet with us.”

Opinion

Your Money & You

John Ellis

Be diligent: €98.6m. in fraud in Ireland last year

Fraud is everywhere.

Whether in the day-to-day of life or when we are on holiday we need to be wide awake to the very real risk of losing our hard-earned cash.

Last year, a massive €98.6 million was stolen from bank accounts across Ireland. That is a 16% jump from 2022, according to FraudSMART and the Banking and Payments Federation of Ireland (BPFI) as criminals are getting bolder and smarter. We need to be on high alert.

One of the meanest methods is recruiting ‘money mules’. Criminals move stolen money through unsuspecting people’s bank accounts to cover their tracks. They might contact you online, in person, or even through social media and fake job ads. They will promise you easy money for letting them use your account. Sounds tempting? Do not fall for it. Being a money mule is a crime and, if you get caught, you could have

your bank account frozen for an indefinite period, closed or worse, end up with a criminal record for money laundering.

According to AIB bank, you always need to be wary of any promises of easy money. Never allow someone to move money through your bank account and do not open a bank account for someone else. Keep your bank details secure and never let anyone use your account to send or receive payments.

Deborah Kilbride from the Financial Crime Systems & Intelligence team, emphasises that teenagers and young adults are prime targets. Parents, have a chat with your children about this growing threat.

Then with summer holidays in full swing, fraudsters are also targeting eager travellers. Fraudsters have mastered the creation of fake websites that look just like your favourite airlines or travel companies.

Culture Night 2024 call for event information

Culture Night 2024, taking place on the 20th September

The Kilkenny Arts Office in association with the Arts Council are actively planning towards Culture Night Kilkenny 2024 and are looking forward to an exciting lineup of events. This year Kilkenny City is designated as a night time economy pilot city. Under the Kilkenny City Night Time Economy Action Plan 2024-2025, so we are encouraging events taking place late into the evening.

The Kilkenny Arts Office is responsible for the marketing and promotion of Culture Night Kilkenny 2024. This involves uploading event information onto the official Culture Night Website, the creation of a printed brochure and posters to be dispatched around the County. Promotion in local press, radio and social media. There is no exact theme for Culture Night but the overall programme is to focus on inclusivity, sustainability and accessibility for Culture Night 2024. In line the Night Time Economy ethos we also invite you

to consider late night programming, to spread events across the evening/night and to keep the doors open later. If you are hosting an event for Culture Night please send on the following information to be included in the above promotional material to deirdre.southey@ kilkennycoco.ie

• Event Title

• Short paragraph describing your event and artists involved (150 words)

• Event Location

• Event Times Open and Close

• Contact number + email (if applicable)

• Web address (if applicable)

• Booking information (if applicable)

Please note that this is not an application for funding towards events for Culture Night, it is just to be included in promotional material.

The deadline for the return of applications is no later than 20th July 2024.

Always double-check that the URL – the website address – is correct and matches the official site. Scammers can even fake Irish Aviation Authority licenses, so verify on IAA.ie if you are unsure. Do not fall for offers of amazing tours or activities as they may not exist. Check for verified reviews and be suspicious of poorly written ads or pressure to buy quickly.

Ads on Facebook, X, TikTok, and Instagram might promise quick and cheap getaways. They can look very convincing but often lead to fake bookings. Always check the profile’s authenticity and book directly through official websites.

Some sites mimic government services to charge hefty fees for free services like The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). So always ensure the URL is correct and look for hidden charges before entering personal information.

When hiring a car, read the

fine print, take photos, and inspect the vehicle thoroughly. To avoid unexpected costs, consider buying car hire excess cover from a separate insurer before your trip.

Eoin Clarke, Commercial Director at Switcher. ie, reminds us that while holidays are a time to relax, we should not let our guard down. “Fraudsters are ready to take advantage of carefree holidaymakers. Planning ahead and paying securely can prevent scams. Research websites, read reviews, and check the fine print to avoid being duped.” So, whether its an ordinary day in Cyberland or you are planning your holiday, be vigilant. Be cautious and, unfortunately, become more suspicious so you can protect your money, ensuring you, your children are safe and your getaway is nothing but relaxation and sunshine.

john@ellisfinancial.ie

086 8362633

Science & Wellbeing

The idea that dementia can be prevented is based on the comparison of the brain to a muscle. When people talk about the brain, they sometimes say things like “It is important to exercise your brain” or “To stay mentally fit, you have to give your brain a workout.” Although these are colourful analogies, in reality the brain is not a muscle. Unlike muscles, the brain is always active and works even during periods of rest and sleep. In addition, although some muscle cells have a lifespan of only a few days, brain cells last a lifetime. Not only that, but it has been shown that new brain cells are being created throughout one’s lifespan.

While it makes for a colourful analogy, comparing the brain to a muscle is inaccurate and misleading.

So, if the brain is not a muscle, can it still be exercised?

Once again, researchers don’t know for sure. There are now many computer, online, and mobile device applications that claim to be able to “train your brain,” and they typically tap into a variety of cognitive abilities.

However, research suggests that, although this type of training may improve one’s abilities at the tasks themselves, they don’t seem to improve other abilities. In other words, practicing a letterdetection task will, over time, improve your letter-detection skills, but it will not necessarily enhance your other perceptual abilities. Basically, solving crossword puzzles will make you a better crossword puzzle solver.

The best evidence that foreign language learning confers cognitive benefits comes from research with those who are already bilingual. Bilingualism most commonly occurs when children are exposed to two languages, either in the home (mom speaks Dutch, dad speaks Spanish) or more formally in early schooling. But bilingualism certainly occurs in adulthood as well.

Bilingualism and multilingualism are actually more common than you might think. In fact, it has been estimated that there are fewer

Learning a foreign language, and dementislowing a

monolingual speakers in the world than bilinguals and multilinguals. Although in many countries most inhabitants share just one language (for example, Germany and Japan), other countries have several official languages. Switzerland, for example, has about the same population as New York City (about eight million people), and yet it has four official languages: German, French, Italian, and Romansh.

Throughout large parts of Africa, Arabic, Swahili, French,

and English are often known and used by individuals who speak a different, indigenous language in their home than they do in the marketplace. So bilingualism and multilingualism are pervasive worldwide. And with regard to cognitive abilities, the research on those who possess more than one language paints an encouraging picture.

Multilinguals also are better at multitasking. One explanation of this superiority is that speakers of two languages are continually inhibiting one

of their languages, and this process of inhibition confers general cognitive benefits to other activities. In fact, bilingual individuals outperform their monolingual counterparts on a variety of cognitive measures, such as performing concept-formation tasks, following complex instructions, and switching to new instructions.

For the sake of completeness, it should be noted that the advantages of being bilingual are not universal across all cognitive domains.

Bilingual individuals have been shown to have smaller vocabularies and to take longer in retrieving words from memory when compared to monolinguals.

In the long run, however, the cognitive and linguistic advantages of being bilingual far outweigh these two issues.

Bilingual individuals outperform their monolingual counterparts on a variety of cognitive measures, from performing concept-formation tasks to switching to new instructions.

If the benefits of being bilingual spill over to other aspects of cognition, then we would expect to see a lower incidence of Alzheimer’s disease in bilinguals than in monolinguals, or at least a later onset of Alzheimer’s for bilinguals. In fact, there is evidence to support this claim.

The psychologist Ellen Bialystok and her colleagues obtained the histories of 184 individuals who had made use of a memory clinic in Toronto. For those who showed signs of dementia, the monolinguals in the sample had an average age at time of onset of 71.4 years. The bilinguals, in contrast, received their diagnosis at 75.5 years, on average.

In a study of this sort, a difference of four years is highly significant, and could not be explained by other systematic differences between the two groups. For example, the monolinguals reported, on average, a year and a half more schooling than their bilingual counterparts, so the effect was clearly not due to formal education.

A separate study, conducted in India, found strikingly similar results: bilingual patients developed symptoms of dementia 4.5 years later than monolinguals, even after other potential factors, such as gender and occupation, were controlled for. In addition, researchers have reported other positive effects of bilingualism for cognitive abilities in later life, even when the person acquired the language in adulthood. Crucially, Bialystok suggested that the positive benefits of being bilingual only really accrued to those who used both languages all the time.

But as encouraging as these kinds of studies are, they still have not established exactly how or why differences between bilinguals and monolinguals exist. Because these studies looked back at the histories of people who were already bilingual, the results can only say that a difference between the two groups was found, but not why that difference occurred.

Further research is needed to determine what caused the differences in age of onset between the two groups.

How intelligent chatbot could talk to our dearly departed

The artificially intelligent chatbot ChatGPT, since its launch just more than two years ago, has both wowed and frightened the world with its deep knowledge, its surprising empathy, and its undeniable potential to change the world in unforeseen, possibly miraculous or calamitous, ways. Now, it’s making it possible to digitally resurrect the dead in the form of ‘thanabots’: chatbots trained on data of the deceased.

Developed by OpenAI, ChatGPT is an AI programme called a large lan-

guage model. Trained on more than 300 billion words from all sorts of sources on the Internet, ChatGPT responds to prompts from humans by predicting the word it should use next based on both its training and the prompt.

The result is a stream of communication that’s both informative and human-like.

ChatGPT has passed difficult tests, written scientific papers, and convinced many Microsoft scientists that it actually can understand language and utilise reason. ChatGPT and other large

language models can also receive more specific training to shape their responses.

Programmer Jason Rohrer realised that he could create chatbots that emulate specific people by feeding ChatGPT examples of how they communicate and details of their lives. He started off with Star Trek‘s Mr Spock, as any good nerd would. He next launched a website called Project December, which allows paying customers to input all sorts of data and information and make their own personalised chatbots, even

ones based upon deceased friends and family.

The term ‘thanabot; derives from thanatology, the scientific study of death.

Leah Henrickson, a lecturer in digital media and cultures at The University of Queensland, thinks that thanabots could become more prevalent in the ensuing decades as more and more people with extensive digital records of texts, emails, and social media posts pass away.

“These systems may be created without prior consent from the deceased, or

may constitute part of ‘digital estate planning’ wherein someone plans or consents to the creation of their own thanabot,” she wrote in a paper published earlier this year in the journal Media, Culture, & Society.

As Facebook, Google, Apple, and Microsoft all store heaps of our digital communications, it’s conceivable that they all could create and sell thanabots in the coming years.

Considering that communing with the dead has been a consistent fixation across human cultures, it’s

likely there will be plenty of demand. Potential benefits of thanabots, include providing more suitable support for those grieving, allowing for alternative forms of estate management, and contributing to meaningful cultural understandings of death. There also could be downsides. Thanabots will only be based on digital data at first. We all know that people’s online lives can be very different from offline, so the thanabot may not accurately represent the person it was made to mimic.

Travel & Leisure

13 tropical destinations that won’t bankrupt you

While it’s easy to see the word ‘tropical’ and think ‘expensive’, there are plenty of destinations that offer stunning, palm-fringed beaches and warm weather year-round. From the idyllic Caribbean and Mexico to Asia and South America, these tropical spots are both affordable and fun.

Montego Bay, Jamaica

Jamaica is known for its gorgeous white sand beaches, Blue Mountains and vibrant culture. Montego Bay is especially popular among families for the area’s laid-back charm, relaxed beaches and calm waters, which are perfect for small children. Instead of buying your airfare and accommodations separately, look for vacation packages that combine the two and typically offer discounted rates.

Phuket, Thailand

Travellers seeking striking landscapes, affordable lodging and flavourful cuisine should look no further than tropical and intriguing Phuket. This cultural hot spot in Thailand is known for its easygoing beach atmosphere, cheap

hotels and affordable activities thanks to the favourable exchange rate (€1 equals about 35 Thai baht). While here, take a boat tour to soak in the scenery, relax in a Thai-style spa and visit the famous Big Buddha.

Zakynthos, Greece

Zakynthos features some affordable hotels (rates often run less than €100 a night), beautiful beaches and a nonstop party scene. Travellers flock to Greece beaches like Navagio and Gerakas to drink and lounge the day away in the sun. This island also offers ample opportunities to connect with wildlife: Travellers can see nesting caretta caretta sea turtles and enjoy snorkelling at the National Marine Park of Zakynthos.

Denpasar, Indonesia

Tourists are attracted to this tropical paradise for its snorkelling and scuba diving, cultural flair and close proximity to everything from beaches to the famous town of Ubud. The capital of the Indonesian province of Bali is also known for its affordability. Not only can you find four- and five-star hotels for less than €70 per

night, but your dollar will stretch far here (€1 is roughly equal to 15,000 Indonesian rupiah).

Curaçao

Regarded as one of the most affordable destinations in the Caribbean, Curaçao offers picturesque beaches and vibrantly coloured architecture. Culture lovers and outdoor enthusiasts head to Curaçao for its scenic landscapes, unique Dutch influence, and ample snorkelling and scuba spots. If you skip the resort and opt for a smaller hotel, you’ll likely find rates for less than €100 a night.

Punta Cana, Dominican Republic

Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic features beaches with soft golden sands, crystal clear waters and all-inclusive resorts. Travellers can save a bundle by choosing one of the many all-inclusive hotels available. These resorts allow guests to combine food and drink, as well as on-site and some off-site activities, for one budget-friendly price –all in an idyllic setting along the Caribbean Sea. What’s more, these resorts typically

offer numerous pools, swimup bars, and ample eateries and activities. Plus, you’ll have your pick of a variety of adults-only and familyfriendly options.

Pedasi, Panama

Pedasi is a traditional and budget-friendly small town tucked into the southeast corner of the Azuero Peninsula of Panama. Known as a cheap destination for retirees, Pedasi lures travellers with its calming beach landscapes and delectable seafood. Its hotel rates are also stellar; you can easily find accommodation in this area for less than €100 a night.

Belize

With direct flights from many major cities across Europe, affordable hotels and resorts, and activities that range from scuba diving to horseback riding to cave exploring, Belize has become a popular destination for tourists from around the world. You can book Belize accommodations for less than €100 a night, and fill your days with cheap food and outdoor fun €1 is

equivalent to about $2 in Belize currency).

Corfu, Greece

Visitors who love Greek island culture but want to skip the pricey islands like Mykonos and Santorini will want to book a trip to Corfu. This tropical paradise is brimming with beautiful architecture, amazing beaches and even a donkey rescue. What’s more, highly rated hotels are available for €100 or less per night.

Algarve, Portugal

Portugal’s beautiful Algarve region will appeal to all kinds of travellers. Located at the southern end of the country, the Algarve features incredible scenery awash with rugged, gorgeous beaches. While here, enjoy a bottle of vino for as little as 1 euro, take advantage of car rental deals for €30 or lower a day and score room rates for less than €120 a night

Menorca, Spain

Menorca is an oceanfront paradise with a prime setting along the Mediterranean Sea. Here, you’ll find lower prices on food and lodging (as well as fewer tourists) compared to other nearby

Spanish islands. Simply put, Minorca is ideal for frugal travellers who want to avoid the party scene of Ibiza and the tourists of Mallorca, and worship the sun in peace.

Varadero Beach, Cuba

Varadero Beach is one of the largest tourist areas in Cuba, offering 13 miles of powdery beaches and snorkelling opportunities. Come here for the nightlife, relaxing coastline and affordable hotels. Several properties here feature room rates for well below €100 a night. Plus, with €1 equaling roughly 24 Cuban pesos, your money will go far toward other vacation costs, such as dining, activities and getting around the Varadero Beach area.

Boracay, Philippines

Boracay has grown significantly popular among international tourists over the years, and for good reason. This island in the Philippines is known for its turquoise waters, plethora of picturesque palm trees and exquisite beaches, including the popular White Beach. Once you arrive, rest easy knowing that hotels here usually cost less than €100 a night.

Opinion

Furthermore Gerry Moran

Memories of true love and the singing ‘waiter’

There are weddings. And there are weddings. And then there was the wedding of Jade and Donagh in the intimate surrounds of St Joseph’s Church, Foulkstown, June 28 last. The wedding was a pretty normal wedding (and for sure there was no shortage of pretty faces and figures) for a while and I must compliment Fr Roderick Whearty, the celebrant, who made the ceremony wonderfully light, lovely and loving. With the emphasis on love. Young love. True love. Something that emanated throughout the church. Something that made all of us long-married couples reflect on our own love. And what it means to us. And Fr Whearty infused it all with a soupcon of humour. Thank you, Roderick. Afterwards, the photos, the chit-chat with neighbours, friends, relations and work-

mates. Onwards then to Langtons. Crowded. Chocka-block. This was no small wedding. This was one of the largest I have ever attended. I approach the bar – as one does - to order a drink for my wife and myself to discover that there’s a tab. And don’t we all love a tab. And as I spoke to my great neighbour, and friend, Jim, about our weddings in our day we knew little about tabs. Anyway, we very much appreciated the tab (open for quite a long time) and we wondered who was picking up the tab for the tab! At one stage of the proceedings I thought I was at a De La Sale School, or Village Hurling Club reunion; understandably as the groom is a past pupil of the school, as is Tony, father of the bride, and her uncles. And sure there was Jackie Tyrell and Brian Cody and Richie Minogue while

the father of the groom, Denis, although a Mayo man, is very involved in the Village Hurling club and is, I reckon, an honorary Village man. And I enjoyed bumping into another past pupil, Robbie Hayes, who during our chat talked about when he was in the military and stationed in Q’uatar and how some of them acted as personal bodyguards to various celebrities.

“Like who?” I ask. “Piers Morgan.” Robbie tells me. “And what was Piers (not one of my favourite people) like?” I wondered. “A gentleman. When he heard my Irish accent he told me about his Irish connections in Galway.”

And then there was Mark, uncle of the bride, who hated school so much that when he went to secondary he, along with a few buddies, mitched for six

weeks. “SIX WEEKS!” I exclaim. “And where did ye hide out?” I ask. “In St. Patrick’s graveyard,” he said.

“With the emphasis on love. Young love. True love...

“Ye were dead safe there,” I replied. I didn’t. Like many of my witty retorts I thought of that an hour later.

So, speeches made, food served, and several glasses of wine consumed, we all sit back and relax. And then it happened: a crash of cutlery and dishes in the middle of the floor. Immediately a flurry of waiters stoop and scoop and clean when, out of this chaotic cluster of people, a figure rises up, a waiter, with a microphone in his hand! Confusion reigns. He starts to sing: “You’re just too good to be true, can’t take my eyes off of you….” as he serenades the bride and groom.

And it’s not a once-off as we initially thought. No. He’s only just begun. Ah. So clever the introduction to this performance as he launched into one classic love song after another:

That’s Amore, Sweet Caroline, I’m A Believer. And boy did he work the room, every table, and, if perchance you had a smooth pate (ie. if you were bald), you got a gentle dusting with his serviette.

Indeed with many of the songs, not least New York, New York, we were all waving our serviettes in the air. This was party time. This was brilliant. And then the famous Conga to If I Could Walk 500 Miles and in I joined but after five laps of 500 Miles I was fairly f……I was fairly flat out (or maybe I was just fluthered). Fluthered or not I say this in all sobriety – the marriage of Jade Scanlon and Donagh Carney was one of the best I have ever been at. Thank you Jade. Thank you Donagh. Thank you Tony and Theresa. Thank you Denis and Loretto. And thank you, Alan, the Singing Waiter.

Presentation made at St. Columba’s Hospital

A recent coffee morning in St. Columba’s Hospital, Thomastown, Co. Kilkenny was the occasion for a presentation of funds raised by the Thomastown Classic Steam and Vintage Club.

Thomastown Classic Steam and Vintage Club held a very successful Cabaret Night (with music provided by Mountain Thyme) in March and Caru (Irish Hospice

Foundation) Quality Initiative Projects being undertaken in St Columbas Hospital benefitted from the €1,000 donation raised by the club.

Speaking at the presentation, Noreen Hynes (Director of Nursing, St. Columba’s Hospital) said:

“Many thanks indeed to the Thomastown Classic Stream and Vintage Club for donating the funds they

raised to these projects in St Columba’s Hospital. It is always an honour for the team here in St. Columba’s it to care for a resident as they are at the end life cycle and these funds will be used for to enhance this experience.”

The aim of the Irish Hospice Foundation’s Caru programme is to improve the delivery to residents of compassionate and person-

centred palliative, end-of-life, and bereavement care

There is a long history of dedicated care for the older person at St. Columba’s Hospital, Thomastown, Co. Kilkenny and outstanding support continues to be provided there for up to 55 residents.

Staff in St. Columba’s, however, are looking forward to the completion on an

adjacent site of the new 95 bed replacement-build Community Nursing Unit.

The 95 bed Thomastown Community Nursing Unit will comprise of three households of 25 en suite rooms. This model a personcentred approach focusses on the quality of life and supports autonomy and the opportunity to continue to direct residents’ own lives

in accordance with their cognitive and physical abilities. There will also be two 10 en-suite bedroomed dementia specific residential households. The environment will reflect the comforts of home, with assistance provided as necessary in the performance of everyday tasks. There is provision within the entire compliment for 10 short stay places.

St Columbas

Coughlan

Paying the price of Man’s inhumanity to Man The Last Word Pat

Altruism, at its core, is about selflessly helping others, driven by a desire to do good. It’s the stuff of heart-warming stories and noble deeds. But what happens when these good intentions go awry? When the very act of helping turns into something darker? This week I am going to dive into the murky waters where altruism morphs into cruelty. It sets the stage for a journey through history, exploring how the best of intentions can sometimes lead to the worst of outcomes. The complexities of man’s inhumanity to man, all starting from a place of supposed kindness. Discrimination has consistently sown division and cruelty. Racial segregation in the US under Jim Crow laws, religious persecution during the Spanish Inquisition, and the horrific genocide by Nazis against Jews are stark examples. The caste system in India has perpetuated inequality for centuries, while the ongoing

conflict over Israel underscores how discrimination fuels prolonged strife. These instances demonstrate how discrimination, in its many forms, has led to some of history’s darkest chapters.

Throughout history, leaders and societies have often put their own interests above the greater good, leading to conflict and division. Think of the power struggles in ancient Rome, where emperors would betray allies and family alike for a shot at the throne. Consider Julius Caesar’s assassination by his own senators, including Brutus, once his close friend – all motivated by personal and political ambitions.

Or consider the colonial era, when European powers carved up Africa, prioritising their own wealth and influence over the well-being of native populations. These actions, driven by personal gain or the thirst for power,

have repeatedly torn apart communities and nations, showing how easily unity can be sacrificed on the altar of ambition.

Dehumanisation has been historically wielded as a weapon, stripping groups of their humanity to justify unspeakable acts. Consider the Holocaust, where Jews were depicted as “vermin”, making their extermination seem justified. In the Rwandan Genocide, Tutsis were called cockroaches, paving the way for mass slaughter. During the Atlantic Slave Trade, Af-

ricans were dehumanised as “property”, enabling brutal treatment and enslavement. In colonial times, indigenous peoples were labelled “savages” to rationalise land theft and cultural dismantlement.

This systematic dehumanisation eases the acceptance of cruelty, turning neighbours into enemies. By reducing people to less than human, it becomes simpler to inflict pain and suffering without hesitation, transforming ordinary individuals into perpetrators of horrific violence.

Greed, an insatiable hunger for more, is often the root of exploitation and division. When individuals or groups chase wealth, they trample over others, ignoring empathy and compassion. Consider the Industrial Revolution, where factory owners exploited workers, including children, for profit.

More recently, the global financial crisis of 2008, driven by reckless banking practices, led to mass unemployment and housing crises, further polarising societies and necessitating massive bailouts to save failing banks. This intervention highlights the extent to which unchecked greed can destabilise economies and create deep social divides.

Today, in Ireland, profitdriven developers and landlords exacerbate the housing crises, increasing homelessness and dividing communities. This continuing greed highlights the deepening

societal rifts caused by the relentless pursuit of wealth. When societies lose their way, the results can be devastating. When the moral compass falters, humanity pays the price.

Understanding the negative effects of selfishness is crucial. To foster a more altruistic society, several steps need to be taken: Teaching young people about the importance of altruism through empathy, co-operation, and community programmes; ensuring public figures demonstrate altruism and share stories of selflessness to inspire others; promoting voluntarism and local initiatives to provide opportunities for practising altruism; implementing recognition programmes and incentives for altruistic behaviours; and using workshops and storytelling to enhance empathy and compassion in individuals.

Let’s get to it...

Kilkenny County Council are delighted to announce the launch of Phase 2 of Mass Paths in Memory –A Mass Paths Survey in County Kilkenny

Mass paths are an important and under-recorded part of our cultural heritage. They serve as reminders of the challenges faced by Catholics during the penal times, and also reminders of a later era when they were used by people in rural areas as pedestrian routes to mass, to visit neighbours and for going to school. If they are not recorded in the near future, their presence and value will have faded from the public memory.

In 2023, Kilkenny County Council engaged Heritage

Consultant Pat Reid of Wicklow Willow to undertake Phase 1 of this project, with the support of the Heritage Council and Kilkenny County Council. This initial phase identified Mass Paths in two areas in the county, Conahy and Goresbridge, and created a methodology for the recording of Mass Paths nationwide.

Funding has now been awarded for Phase 2 of this project by the Heritage Council and Kilkenny County

Council. This will involve the identification and recording of ten further Mass Paths throughout the county. As a key element of this phase, training will be undertaken with interested groups to provide the skills necessary for recording Mass Paths and many other heritage assets at a local level. This phase will enable community and heritage groups to continue this work into phase 3 of the project – identifying, recording and ensuring the history of their local Mass Paths is captured for future generations.

Pat Reid will once again lead this project and he is looking for information on Mass Paths all over Co. Kilkenny. If you have information on Mass Paths in your locality, please contact Pat by email at info@wicklowwillow.ie or by phone on 087 9587503. You can also contact the Heritage Office at Kilkenny County Council at heritage@ kilkennycoco.ie or 056 779 4923.

Please help us to secure the memory of Mass Paths in your area of County Kilkenny.

This is an action of the Kilkenny County Heritage Plan. Cathaoirleach Cllr. Michael McCarthy “Mass paths are a valuable part of our history. Preservation of these paths is essential. It is great to see this project take another step forward. I look forward to seeing it come to fruition’.

Stile at Kilkieran Cemetery

Community Field Day

Newpark folk out in force

Newpark Residents Association held their annual community Field Day on the upper green recently.

Officially opened by Mayor Joe Malone, the large gathering of neighbours and friends enjoyed an eclectic mix of activities catering for the young and the young at heart.

Musical entertainment throughout the afternoon was provided by ‘The Buddies’, and the Ukrainian Women’s Choir.

There was the usual array of stalls selling burgers, ice cream, flowers, books, cakes, toys and bric a brac, all embellished by Mary Wong’s idiosyncratic raffle.

Members of the Community Garda Engagement team were on hand to ensure fair play during the sporting events.

The much anticipated Bingo with the renowned Welsh caller Malcolm Goode brought the long but extremely satisfying community day to a close.

A Taste of Ashes

BY JOHN FITZGERALD

The burning down of Callan’s Gaiety Cinema in 1964 was a mortal blow to the town.

Though television had begun to eat into audience figures, the old “Picture House” in Green Street still drew large attendances for its nightly and matinee showings. W. F. Egan built it in 1941. It was a concrete structure with an asbestos roof and a seating capacity for up to 500 patrons. From day one, it provided a popular outlet for locals, an alternative to the pub, card playing, or story telling around the firesides.

One woman who had been a cinema buff almost from the day the Gaiety opened recalled for me what it meant to her and many of her friends:

“I was just a teenager the week the cinema opened its doors. There was great excitement and Green Street was full to overflowing with people lining up to get in. The big screen held us all under a spell.

“Whether it was romance,

gangster films, or westerns that were showing, we loved the films. I liked the John Garfield movies. He always got the electric chair in the end, if he wasn’t shot or hanged. He was great.

“My father, Lord have mercy on him, loved the westerns. He would light his pipe and we would talk for hours with him about Roy Rodgers and John Wayne and their larger than life heroic adventures.

“When the cinema opened in Callan, there was a certain amount of confusion about the films. I remember one fellow, who was quite clever in other ways, wondering why John Wayne had ridden his horse over a waterfall two nights in a row.

“When he went to see the film for the second time, he expected that his cowboy hero couldn’t be so daft as to risk his life again. One of these days, he said, John Wayne will be a sorry man.”

The dream turned to a nightmare in 1964. A capacity crowd had enjoyed a film called Words and Music. But somebody, it is believed, dropped a cigarette end on one of the seats, though the origin of the fire is far from certain.

What we do know is that the blaze would have caused even more grievous damage to other buildings in Green Street but for the foresight of Maurice Noonan.

At 3.30 am the morning after its last film was shown, he was awakened by what he described as a “crackling noise”. Maurice, who lived just thirty yards from the cinema on the opposite side of the street, looked out the window of his upstairs bedroom and almost fainted with the shock.

He offered a vivid account to local newspaper correspondent Seamus O’ Brien of what he saw:

“The cinema was ablaze. For a few seconds I was rooted to the spot as the fire crept up the curtains on the back window of the stage end of the cinema. I rushed out in my stockings and raised the alarm, shouting Fire…Fire.

I alerted Liam Egan, son of the owner, who lives beside the cinema and ran up to the fire station; smashed the glass panel and sounded the siren and waited a few minutes until Fire Officer, John Cuddihy, who lives opposite the station, appeared.

“Being a former member of the brigade, I assisted

Mr. Cuddihy with the fire equipment and in a matter of minutes the unit was at the cinema and we were joined by the other members of the brigade.

“By this time, however, the cinema was blazing, and the ceiling and roof timbers had already caught fire.”

Callan was devastated by the loss of its cinema, which was completely gutted in the worst fire in the town for more than thirty years. Thanks to Maurice’s quick thinking, a far greater disaster was averted.

Callan and Kilkenny fire brigades were able to confine the blaze to the cinema and prevent the flames spreading to adjoining buildings, including the Bank of Ireland premises.

On a note of black humour, two of the films due to be shown on the nights following the fire had the ominous titles: A Taste of Ashes and Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye. One wonders if the Gaiety might have been tempting fate with such a line-up…

(Callan in Words and Pictures is available from Amazon)

The cinema in Green Street Callan on left next to Bank of Ireland and courthouse buildings

Waiting for the Matinee at the Gaeity Ciinema in 1957 are Eileen Croke Gar Freaney and Rita Clarke

Multi award winning Mr Mister Menswear celebrating 25 years businessin

For over 25 years, Mr Mister Menswear has been providing quality boys’ and men’s clothing to the Irish community, first in County Cork and now in County Tipperary. The company’s extensive product range encompasses everything from casual wear like hoodies and polo shirts to formal wear like waistcoats and ties, all of which are of the highest quality. However, the company specialises in formal wear, making it the perfect place to go if you have a wedding, communion, confirmation, or funeral to attend.

In 1999, Mr Mister Menswear was established in Mitchelstown, County Cork, by Business Owner Valentine O'Gorman. While working at a similar retail business, he identified the opportunity to branch out on his own and fill a gap in the market for menswear, boys’ clothes, and footwear. Full of enthusiasm and belief, Valentine approached several banks seeking a startup loan, only to be refused. However, determined not to be disheartened, he went to his local Credit Union, who gladly provided him with the funds he needed to begin his journey in business ownership.

Standing at the helm of a newly formed business, Valentine’s first member of staff was his mother, Margaret, who proudly refused to take a wage in the early days of the company. Sadly, she retired in 2018 due to illness but continues to take an active interest in the business to this day.

Valentine is incredibly grateful to have had his mother’s help over the years. He shares, “One incredibly busy debs/graduation season, my mother brought to work her reliant Singer sewing machine. She set it up in the tightest of spaces and got to

work on the many alterations, so each young man could look and feel his best. Much to their delight, she accommodated the last-minute dash that some of us males are famous for!”

After 13 years of success in Mitchelstown, Mr Mister Menswear opened another store in Cahir, County Tipperary, marking the start of the company’s expansion. Later, it relocated to a larger, newly built facility in the area. This state-of-the-art premises is spacious and brightly lit, equipped with its own car park, internal elevator, air conditioning, specialised wedding area for private appointments, and many other features that play a role in enhancing the customer experience.

In 2014, Mr Mister Menswear was able to expand further, this time opening a store in Cashel, County Tipperary. The company renovated a beautiful historic building in the area, transforming it into a unique three floor store with old-world style décor whilst staying true to its history. Sadly, in 2019, Mr Mister Menswear’s original Mitchelstown location closed

down due to the maturing of the company’s lease. However, those keen to find some topquality menswear can visit the stores in Cahir and Cashel.

Today, Mr Mister Menswear is widely known for its vast selection of quality, stylish, and fashionable garments, available in an inclusive range of sizes between XS and 8XL. The company prides itself on its commitment to offering its customers plenty of options. Whether they are seeking something casual, formal, classic, or a bit different, they are bound to find a garment they love either in store or online. With every season, new stock is introduced to its product line, enabling it to keep up with and embrace the current fashion trends.

One of the most popular categories of clothing at Mr Mister Menswear is the wedding section, which features one of the largest collections of wedding attire available in Ireland.

“We love meeting couples, helping them choose their outfits, and making sure that they are ideally suited and perfectly fitted,” Valentine comments. “They trust us to

give them choices, sometimes mainstream but often something different, to create an outfit that’s unique for the groom and his wedding party. We absolutely thrive with the pleasure of dressing and colour coordinating a wedding party who have entrusted us with the task of getting their wedding group exactly right for their important day.”

Across all its categories of clothing, Mr Mister Menswear demonstrates unparalleled attention to detail, going the extra mile to ensure that each customer is completely cared for. The company is passionate about what it does and aims to provide customers with the highest level of service and quality. To achieve this, the team spend time making sure that every single customer leaves satisfied with the fit and style of their purchases. Furthermore, understanding the importance of individuality, they do not force people to wear certain types of clothing based on their appearance. Instead, they show the customer their options and let them decide.

Now, as Mr Mister Menswear celebrates its 25th anniversary,

Valentine reflects on some of the positive highlights that he has experienced as owner of the business since 1999. “We are grateful to have been blessed with so many wonderful loyal customers and, of course, our truly wonderful, dedicated, hard-working team of staff,” he explains.

“Together we’ve celebrated births, christenings, holy communions, confirmations, weddings, graduations, and debs, and we’ve supported some through untimely losses and funerals. We feel so privileged in many ways to be able to call our customers our friends and to thank them for their support as, without it, we simply wouldn’t be here.”

Just as Mr Mister Menswear appreciates its customers, it is clear that they also appreciate the company’s high-quality products and outstanding customer service. On Google, its stores in Cahir and Cashel have 4.9- and 4.8-star ratings respectively. The company has also received a multitude of positive feedback over the years. For example, one customer shares, “We got all our wedding suits from Val

and his team in their store in Cahir. They were great to deal with and very helpful. Val and his team took care of everything from fittings to alterations, which really took the stress out of it along with the great advice they offered. Their professional but easygoing approach really made this an enjoyable experience.”

In light of this glowing praise, it is truly no surprise that Mr Mister Menswear has been named Best for Men's Formalwear in the Irish Enterprise Awards 2024. The company is grateful for the recognition it has received in this prestigious awards programme and believes that it owes its success to its valued customers.

Following shortly after, Mr Mister Menwear was delighted to be informed of Winning in the 2024 International Wedding Awards. Valentine adds, “We are tremendously grateful to our valued customers for choosing us. Their trust fuels our commitment to excellence. We appreciate them being part of the journey and look forward to meeting and making many more happy clients.”

Photo by Tom Ryan Casey

Social Democrats believe President Biden, even with his shaky performance, is a stronger general election candidate than Vice-President Harris, who would have a good shot at the nomination if Biden withdraws from the race.

And Democratic senators have privately acknowledged for months that there’s no way to replace Biden on the ticket unless the president himself agrees to step down. He’s built up a massive lead in pledged delegates who are obligated to support him at the convention in Chicago.

Democratic lawmakers worry that, even if Biden were to drop his reelection campaign, the battle to replace him as the party’s nominee would be a messy affair and only divide their party, hurting them in the general election.

Biden served in the Senate for 36 years before leaving to serve as former President Obama’s vice president. He also served as president of the Senate for eight years as vice president, building up a deep well of support within the Senate Democratic Conference.

Senate Democrats will serve as super-delegates at the Chicago convention, and they’re signalling early that they have no intention of swapping horses in the middle of the presidential race.

The party’s nominee must win a majority of nearly 4,000 delegates in Chicago, and officeholders and party officials who make up more than 700 super delegates would vote if no candidate is able to meet that threshold.

One of the strongest statements bucking up Biden after his disappointing night came from Sen. John Fetterman (DPa.).

Fetterman noted that pundits also wrote off his 2022 Senate campaign after he bungled his lone debate against celebrity Dr. Mehmet Oz, mixing up words and failing to complete his thoughts at key moments.

“I refuse to join the Democratic vultures on Biden’s shoulder after the debate. No one knows more than me that a rough debate is not the sum total of the person and their record,” he posted on the social platform X.

He mocked “polling geniuses” who predicted after that he would lose by 2 points only to

Senate Democrats circle wagons around Biden

later swallow their predictions when he wound up winning by more than 5 points.

Fetterman offered a blunt piece of advice to Democrats and media pundits fueling chatter about finding a lastminute alternative to Biden.

“Chill the f--- out,” he said. A New York Times editorial calling for Biden to drop out of the race had little impact on his Senate allies.

Sen. Raphael Warnock (DGa.), who represents a battleground state that Biden won narrowly in 2020, said he should “absolutely not” abandon his campaign.

“I can tell you that there have been more than a few Sundays when I wish I had preached a better sermon,” Warnock, a pastor, told NBC’s “Meet the Press.”

“But after the sermon was over, it was my job to embody

the message, to show up for the people that I serve,” he said. “And that’s what Joe Biden has been doing his entire life.”

Sen. Chris Murphy (DConn.) also waved off Biden’s poor debate performance and pivoted to Trump’s support for overhauling the federal government and its implications on abortion and LGBTQ rights.

“I’m about substance, not style. After last night’s debate, I’m more panicked than ever at Trump’s agenda. So I made a short video explaining Trump’s detailed plan — Project 2025 — to destroy democracy, criminalize abortion, and target and harass gay and transgender people,” he posted on X.

The vocal support from key Democratic senators contrasted from the alarmed response

One House Democrat who requested anonymity told Fox News that a sense of “panic” had set in by the end of the debate.

“Now, with the foundation, where do we go? Obviously, there are conversations that I believe need to be had at all levels, with the realization of, this is not just about the presidency, this is about downballot [effects],” the source said.

Senate Democrats, however, have insisted privately for months that Biden would be the nominee and there was no chance of changing up the ticket after he racked up nearly 3,894 pledged delegates in this year’s Democratic caucuses and primaries.

“The general sense of folks is that we’ve hitched our wagon

to Biden, that he’s delivered a lot in partnership. It may not be Biden himself, but it’s his team. Right? And we’re already into the primaries,” a Democratic senator who requested anonymity told The Hill earlier this year.

A Democratic aide dismissed talk about finding a plan B nominee for the general election as “fanciful” and chided anonymous Democrats who have vented their private anxieties to the media.

Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.), the chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee, signalled F that Senate Democrats would stand by Biden as long as he decides to stay in the race, and that it would be up to him alone whether to continue his bid for a second term.

“I thought President Biden started off not with the enthu-

siasm, etc., necessary but it’s a difference between a bad initial debate and a very bad presidency, which Donald Trump can claim — and also a much worse presidency going forward,” Reed told a reporter from a Rhode Island media outlet in a Friday interview.

Asked about Biden stepping aside, Reed said: “That’s the president’s decision.”

“Look at a record of achievement over the last four years and two of them which had a Republican House,” he said, touting Biden’s enactment of a $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure law, historic investments in renewable energy and a $280 billion investment in domestic semiconductor manufacturing and scientific research.

“It’s his decision what he wants to do going forward,” Reed said of Biden.

How October 7 survivors make time to heal

In the months since Hamas’ surprise attack last October sent them scattering across fields or hiding in desert brush, thousands of survivors of a massacre at a trance festival in Israel have come together as a community to heal.

According to a report from Associated Press (AP) they have found solace in massage therapy, ice baths, yoga or surfing with the only people who could truly understand what they had been through. And they have built a robust support

network for themselves as the Israel-Hamas war rages on and authorities struggle to provide services to devastated communities.

For some, the way back has come through dancing again. Recently, thousands attended the Nova Healing Concert in Tel Aviv, the first Tribe of Nova mass gathering since the Oct0ber 7 attack.

“We understood that people needed to be together, and we’re a community that takes care of itself,” said Omri Sasa,

one of the founders of the Tribe of Nova, which organised the festival last October. “I’m in trauma, and I wanted to be with people who also went through this.”

He was among around 3,000 people dancing through the night in a field just miles from Gaza when rockets lit up the sky at 6:29 am. Heavily armed Palestinian militants rampaged through the festival, killing at least 364 people and taking more than 40 hostage. Many of them are still held in Gaza.

Hila Fakliro, a communications student who was tending bar at the festival, escaped by zigzagging through fields, hiding and running for over five hours, until she reached the safety of a village some 20 kilometres (12 miles) away. Six of her friends were killed and another three were taken hostage.

“Someone asked me if I can dance again, and in the beginning I said no,” she said. At a memorial in January for one of her friends, she tried to dance, had a panic attack, and then

tried again. “I was crying and dancing at the same time,” she said.

But after attending events organised by Nova survivors, she was once again able to find solace in the trance music she loves. At a recent event, she slid into an ice bath while others attended yoga and art classes in a cluster of tents.

Omri Kohavi, 35, one of Nova’s founding organisers, said they had felt abandoned by Israel’s security forces, who took hours to respond to the attack.

Now director of community programming for the Nova Foundation, Kohavi said organisers realised within days that “if we don’t care for ourselves, no one else will.” Survivors began to gather to deal with the trauma they had experienced together. On the first day, 500 showed up. That number doubled the following day. After three months, they shifted to weekly Community Day events and encouraged survivors to return to their regular lives and jobs.

that some House Democrats voiced anonymously to media outlets.

The Kilkenny Observer has linked up with Market Cross Shopping Centre, Kilkenny

With lots of retail outlets to choose from and places to grab a bite to eat, not to mention the exciting news of three new businesses joining the Shopping Centre.

Complete your entries below...

✁

one of the

Competition Rules

1. This competition is sponsored by The Kilkenny Observer

2. The prize will be €200 voucher for Market Cross Shopping Centre, Kilkenny

3. The closing date for entries is Wednesday, July 17th2024 at 5.00pm.

4. The winner will be chosen by an open draw held at the office of The Kilkenny Observer on Friday, July 19th 2024.

5. The prize is non-transferable; no cash equivalents may be claimed.

6. All competition entries must be completed on the above form only.

7. The winner will be advised by phone. Please be available to take the call

8. After being notified the name and photograph of the winner will be posted in the next edition of the Kilkenny Observer.

9. Entrants will be deemed to have accepted these rules and to have agreed to be bound by them when entering the competition.

10. The competition is not open to The Kilkenny Observer employees or their families.

Long tradition of storytelling continues as Lake stage ValentineShirley

“Y’know, I like a glass of wine when I’m doin’ the cookin’. Don’t I wall? Don’t I like a glass of wine when I’m preparing the evening meal. Chips and egg! I never used to drink wine.”- Shirley Valentine

BY GEOFF ROSE

When in 1988 Liverpool playwright Willy Russell sat down to write Shirley Valentine, which Lake Productions will stage in the Barnstorm space at the Home Rule Club from July 24 to 27th, the playwright was tapping into the oldest form of storytelling in the world of theatre, the one woman/ man solo performance.

The tradition of the Seanachaí or storyteller goes back to the foundation of early forms of theatre in Ireland.

Here in Kilkenny the tradition has been carried on for the past 40 years by “The Man from Kilmanagh”, Jim Maher, who has kept the spirit of the tradition alive with his storytelling stories and musical interludes.

In the late 1960s the actor Michael Mac Liammoir celebrated the work of Oscar Wilde with his solo show

“The Importance of being Oscar”, to worldwide audiences, and Marie Kean (Mrs Kennedy, from the radio serial The Kennedys of Castleross) scripted by Hugh Leonard, brought her one woman show “Soft Morning City” to the Friary Hall Kilkenny.

During one of the many Summer Theatre seasons held in Kilkenny in the 1980s, local actor Ann Aylward (nee Hurley), presented her own

one-woman show ‘I Remember It Well’, as well as Heno Magee’s Red Biddy, and one of Kilkenny’s finest male actors Donal O Brien, performed Myles na gCopaleens “The Brother” to great acclaim for local audiences.

In recent times Seamus O Rourke has performed “Indigestion” in the Home Rule Club to sold out performances.

In recent years, Kilkenny man

Jimmy Rhatigan’s tribute to the poet and novelist Patrick Kavanagh, Where Old Ghosts Meet, adapted for stage by Geoff Rose has been

successfully performed here in Kilkenny. Lake Productions staging of Shirley Valentine , the story of a middle-aged housewife whose life is transformed after a holiday in Greece, will not be the first time they have staged a solo show having previously produced “After Sarah Miles” by Michael Hilliard Mulcahy, performed by Michael Hayes and directed by Mary Cradock.

This production of Shirley Valentine will feature the vastly experienced Clare Gibbs in the role of Shirley with Mary Cradock once again taking on the role of director.

Willy Russell was born in Liverpool in 1947 to a working-class family, his father worked in a factory and his mother was a nurse.

After leaving school he worked as a

hairdresser and took other odd jobs including working in a warehouse. But being a hairdresser was not for him and by his own admittance “a job I didn’t understand and didn’t like”. He began to write songs and sketches and returned to college at age 20 and trained as a teacher.

After graduating, he eventually worked in the Toxteth area of Liverpool.

One of his early plays paid tribute to local heroes The Beatles, called “John, Paul, George, Ringo…. and Bert”, proved to be incredibly popular, running for 8 weeks at the Liverpool Everyman Theatre.

Another of his plays “Educating Rita”, about a working-class woman who wants to study for a degree at the Open University, was staged in 1988 and both it and Shirley Valentine were made into popular films that were nominated for Academy awards.

“Blood Brothers” (1986) a musical about twins separated at birth is one of the most popular musical theatre shows, enjoying annual revivals. Willy Russell’s first novel “The Wrong Boy” was published in 2000 and along with his screenplays for film and his writing for television, he has maintained a prolific and diverse writing life.

The 77-year-old lives and works in Liverpool, is married, and the father to 3 adult children.

The enduring success of ‘Shirley Valentine’ is a massive testament to his massive popularity with theatre goers worldwide. It is fair to say that Will Russell is a Seanachaí of the first degree.

Lake Productions will stage SHIRLEY

at the

VALENTINE

Barnstorm studio at the Home Rule Club, Johns Quay Kilkenny July 24 to 27th.

Booking now open. 083 325 0617

Kilkenny Seanchaí Jim Maher has kept the storytelling tradition alive in Kilkenny

“After Sarah Miles” by Michael Hilliard Mulcahy was performed by Lake productions actor Michael Hayes . Photo Danny Lahart

This production of Shirley Valentine will feature Clare Gibbs Photo Ken McGuire

Ann Aylward (nee Hurley), presented her own one-woman show I Remember It Well, as well as Heno Magee’s Red Biddy, Photo Ken McGuire

Jimmy Rhatigan who has performed ‘Where old ghosts meet’ , a story on the life of Patrick Kavanagh

Kilkenny actor Donal O’ Brien, performed Myles na gCopaleens “The Brother” to great acclaim for local audiences. Photo jbs photos

Marie Kean brought ‘Soft Morning City’ to the Friary Hall Kilkenny

Join us at Kilkenny Rugby Club for Relay for Life

We are calling the people of Kilkenny to come together for an extraordinary event, Relay for Life, at the Kilkenny Rugby Club on the 6th and 7th of July.

Beginning at 1pm, this weekend the weekend promises to be filled with inspiration, camaraderie, and support as we unite to fight cancer.

We are thrilled to announce that Lisa O'Rourke, the Kilkenny Rose, will be our ambassador for the event. Her presence will add a special touch to our celebration of hope and determination.

The event kicks off at 1pm, and one of the highlights will be the Survivors Lap, where cancer survivors take the first lap around the track, embodying the spirit of hope and determination. Witness their triumph and be inspired by their stories of resilience.

Key moments not to be missed include the Opening Ceremony at 1pm on the 6th of July which will set the stage for a memorable weekend. As night falls on Saturday, prepare to be moved by the Candle of Hope Ceremony at 10pm. This poignant tribute honours those who have

battled cancer, remembers loved ones lost, and symbolises the unwavering commitment to finding a cure.

Throughout the event, 15 dedicated teams who have been busy fundraising will be on hand to entice you with their creative fundraisers and activities. It's an excellent opportunity to connect with others, share stories, and support a cause that affects us all.

Relay for Life is not only a powerful fundraiser but also a symbol of unity and compassion. By attending, you can make a difference in the lives of cancer patients and their families, offering

them hope, support, and a community that stands together in the face of adversity.

So, mark your calendars for the 6th and 7th of July and head to Kilkenny Rugby Club. Let us come together, celebrate our Everyday Heroes, and make this Relay for Life an unforgettable experience for everyone involved.

You can make a donation at: www.relayforlife.ie/ event/kilkenny and follow Relay for Life Kilkenny on social media for more information.

IN BLOOM- FUTURE SOUNDS of KILKENNY -

Live gig series for young people kicks off this July

It’s set to be an electrifying Summer for the city's music scene with the launch of a gig series dedicated to young emerging musicians and bands. Kilkenny County Council Arts Office and Cleeres pub promises a vibrant showcase of fresh talent, all in a welcoming, alcoholfree environment. These events will not only provide a platform for young artists but also foster a burgeoning gig culture within the city. It's an opportunity for young musicians to connect with audiences, build a following, and energise the city with their creativity and passion. The series is more than just a set of gigs; it's a movement towards amplifying young voices and nurturing the youth arts community. Join us for a celebration of new music in the city!

Venue: Cleeres Pub, Parliament Street, Kilkenny

Tickets: €7.00

Dates:

• Sunday July 21st Join bands Joycult and Seafall for an eclectic mix of punk, pop-rock and metal from these dynamic young performers.

• August 11th Solo performances by Jack Doheny and Charlotte Mackey. Two singers of immense talent with the ability to captivate their audience.

• Sept 1st Get ready to feel the beats with DJ sets from Oram Grace and Aoife

Rhatigan, for a blend of house music, UK Garage, techno and Dub.

• Sept 22nd The Donnys and emerging band The Quincavelles will get the room heaving with their rock out tunes. Time: 2-4pm To Book: visit https://cleeres.com/in-bloom/ Strictly alcohol-free events

White Twine and Old Suitcases

The Kilkenny Involvement Centre and Recovery College South East have produced a wonderful anthology of poetry and prose. ‘White Twine and old suitcases’ comprises of 128 pages and 60 authors and is complemented by some wonderful photos and artwork by TASK camera club. It is printed by Modern Printers. It is definitely recommended reading for all lovers of poetry. The Kilkenny Observer is happy to run the poems each week to promote creative writing and to highlight these wonderful centres. Available in all Kilkenny book shops. €10

Salute for a Soldier

And there you lie, one of three, Headstones together, yet you’re free, The battle over, fought and won With your comrades now as one. In these graves beneath this sod The wording says ‘known unto God’, But from this day, you have been found, Michael we salute you beneath this ground May the rain fall gently upon you.

Written

Blackbirds

Dark and mysterious, I’d really like to know the difference between a Jackdaw and a Crow.

A Raven and a Rook, and a Blackbird aptly named, in what ways do they differ? All look mostly the same.

‘Tchack’ sounds like Jack, the sound the Jackdaw calls, a silvery headed, pale blue-eyed black crow it’s the smallest one of them all.

Blackbird not a crow type, has an orange yellow beak, related to Song Thrush, sings melody sweetly.

Ravens play ‘catch’ while in pairs or alone, drop a stick, swoop to save it from hitting the ground.

Acrobats soaring high, somersault and fly fast, roll around, upside-down all a part of the act.

Rooks in their colonies croak hoarsely and loud, their large faces bare-skinned, their wings high powered.

Crows’ deep black feathers can look like they’re shining, flying murderers in thousands, a sight mesmerizing.

Blackbirds throughout folklore and legend and magic, harbingered omens some good and some tragic, Psycho-pomps as in ‘Morrigan’ ‒ raven escort who guides deceased souls from this Earth to the near After-life.

Isobel De Barra

I Hope

There will be time to see you and hear the wonder of your poetic voice spin yarns embrace you with a hug amidst the odour of freshly baked bread buttered and jammed around your table where stories create laughter and joy and the flames of the coal fire sends a warm glow of welcome to Kilpatrick home of creative words that grow reams of poetry

Mai Dormer

John Joe Cullen

in memory of Private Michael Burke (RDF), who died in Ploegsteert, Belgium, and is buried in Trios Arbes Cemetry, France

Black bean burger Food & Drink

Come Dine WithMe

Prep: 30 mins

Cook: 20 mins

Serves: 4

Make some healthy, hearty vegan burgers layered with avocado and served with a fresh crunchy carrot and cucumber salad alongside. They’re full of goodness.

Ingredients

For the burger

• 75g wholemeal bread ,or sourdough

• 75g walnuts

• 400g sweet potato

• 400g can black beans, drained

• 1 tsp smoked paprika

• 1 tsp ground cumin

• 1/2 tsp onion granules

• 1 tbsp tomato purée

• 2 tbsp rapeseed oil, to fry

For the salad

• ½ cucumber, halved, deseeded and sliced on an angle

• 2 large carrots (about 300g) peeled into ribbons

• small bunch coriander, finely chopped

• 2 tbsp lime juice

Salted caramel cupcakes

Prep: 20 mins

Cook: 20 mins

Serves: 12

Treat yourself to these easy cupcakes with a caramel-flavoured sponge and salted caramel topping. Perfect for afternoon tea.

Ingredients

• 100g softened salted butter

• 100g golden caster sugar

• 2 eggs

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 100g self-raising flour

• 1 tbsp milk

• 6 tsp caramel sauce

For the icing

• 75g soft salted butter

• 150g icing sugar

• 200g caramel sauce

• a pinch of sea salt flakes

Method

STEP 1

Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/ gas 4. Line a 12-hole cake tin with paper cases.

STEP 2

Beat the butter and sugar together with an electric whisk until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, and the vanilla extract. Briefly mix in the flour until just combined, and stir in the milk until the batter just falls off the beaters.

STEP 3

Divide the mixture between the cases, leaving about 2 tbsp batter in the bowl. Add a pinch of salt to the caramel sauce if it’s not salted caramel, then add ½ tsp to the tops of each cupcake. Use a teaspoon to cover the caramel sauce with

the remaining batter. Bake for 1520 mins until springy and golden. Leave to cool completely on a wire rack.

STEP 4

Meanwhile, make the icing. Beat the butter and half of the icing sugar together, then tip in the remaining icing sugar and whisk vigorously until pale and fluffy. Stir in half of the caramel sauce, then spoon the mixture into a piping bag with a round or star nozzle.

STEP 5

Pipe swirls of icing on top of the cooled cupcakes. Stir the remaining caramel sauce with a pinch of salt, if unsalted, then use to drizzle over the icing. Sprinkle over a small pinch of sea salt over each, if you like.

• 1 tbsp rapeseed oil

To serve

• 4 sourdough burger buns

• 2 large tomatoes, thickly sliced

• 1 avocado, peeled, stoned and sliced

• 50g rocket

• coconut yogurt or burger sauce of choice

Method

STEP 1

Put the wholemeal bread and walnuts in a food processor and pulse to make fine crumbs.

STEP 2

Prick the sweet potatoes with a fork and microwave for 5-10 mins until soft. Cut in half and scrape the cooked centres into the food processor with the bread and walnut crumbs. Make sure the beans are drained thoroughly then add them to the processor with the paprika, cumin, onion granules, and tomato puree. Season generously and pulse until the mixture is mostly smooth and holding together. Divide the mix into 4 patties and chill for 20 mins to firm up.

STEP 3

Meanwhile make the side salad by mixing the cucumber, carrot, coriander, lime juice and rapeseed oil together. Season and put to one side.

STEP 4

Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Add the patties and fry for 4-5 mins on each side until golden and hot through. Place a small handful of rocket into each burger bun. Top with the tomato slices, burgers, and then avocado. Add a dollop of coconut yogurt or burger sauce of your choice. Serve with the carrot and cucumber salad alongside.

movies to watch now on Amazon 5

Denzel’s back as McCall in The Equalizer!

When a seemingly quiet and nice guy named Robert McCall finds himself between violent Russian mobsters and a teenage girl he befriended at a local restaurant, violence is sure to follow in The Equalizer.

The Antoine Fuqua-directed film stars Denzel Washington as Robert McCall and Chloe Grace Moretz as the endangered teenager named Teri, whom the Russian mob demands work for them or face violent consequences.

Fans of revenge stories will enjoy the quiet cool demonstrated by Washington’s character as he spectacularly turns the tables on those who would harm the girl if she doesn’t do as they say and him for trying to save her.

Washington shows his character, McCall, is much more than a quietly mysterious man. Instead, he possesses advanced and

finely honed fighting skills that make him The Equalizer, who acts as a human sledgehammer against armed and violently dangerous criminals.

Even when outnumbered by armed mobsters, McCall never sweats or panics. Instead, he surveys the room, chooses his targets, and selects his available weapons before going to work. He sets his watch and then kicks some mobster tail while demonstrating his highly advanced and finely honed fighting skills that show why he truly is The Equalizer for the oppressed.

The fight sequences are exhilarating and full of tension, and they keep viewers glued to the screen while bad guys learn the hard way that they aren’t the ones in charge.

McCall doesn’t need to carry weapons or make outlandish threats. He never loses his cool but does

show anger when forced to dispatch those who would harm Teri and others. The plot is fast-paced and action-packed, giving viewers many opportunities to learn about the violent nature of the baddest man in the room at any given time despite his quiet demeanour.

The Equalizer is a triumphant film that makes viewers feel sorry for Teri, despise the mobsters, and root for McCall as he impressively dispatches multiple bad guys at once and proves that he is the proverbial sledgehammer who single-handedly destroys criminal organizations. Bad guys don’t impose their will on him because he imposes his will on them.

What is McCall’s history? Nobody knows, and that’s a big part of the allure of The Equalizer. The 2014 film debuted on September 26, 2014, and spent a week as America’s No. 1 film film.

It earned more than $101.5 million at the domestic box office and more than $192.33 million globally. Critics generally liked The Equalizer, which earned a 61 percent critical score on Rotten Tomatoes, and fans mostly loved it and gave the film a 77 percent audience approval score. Fuqua earned an NAACP Image Award for outstanding directing in a motion picture. The film also earned several nominations, including acting award nominations for Denzel Washington and Moretz. Two film sequels were made in 2018 and 2023.

The film also spawned the television series of the same name starring Queen Latifah. The television series debuted in 2021 and aired its fourth season in 2024. You can stream The Equalizer on Netflix and rent it on Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Vudu, and Google Play.

Gervais next outing may be the death

Ricky Gervais faced backlash when his 2023 show featured a joke about terminally ill children, but that isn’t stopping him from doing it again.

The comedian announced that he is embarking on a world tour called ‘Mortalilty’ that will “laugh at death,” which some say may lead to his cancellation, according to the Daily Mail. That’s not all. He’s also planning on taking this content on tour.

Gervais said he will “laugh at the absurdities of death” as part of his new world tour and Netflix special, according to the Daily Mail. This sounds very similar to the last project the 63-yearold took when he launched “Armageddon” on Netflix. He came under fire when video clips of his material made their rounds online, featuring the comedian calling terminally ill children “baldies” and taking jabs at

the fact that they were sick. Somehow, in spite of the harsh content and overwhelming push-back from parents of terminally ill children, Gervais’s show went on to become the highest grossing comedy show of all-time.

Gervais justified the upcoming content in ‘Mortality’ by saying: “We’re all gonna die. May as well have a laugh about it. Mortality looks at the absurdities of

of him

life. And death. Bring it on.”

His tour is expected to start late in 2024, but dates for the upcoming shows and locations that he will visit have not yet been shared at this time.

Last time around, Gervais told critics that he wished them luck if they tried to have his content removed from Netflix.

Now, he is unapologetically returning for a repeat performance.

1. The Mad Women’s Ball

Mélanie Laurent directs, cowrites and stars in this emotional French thriller (2021) set in the late 19th century. Laurent is Geneviève, a nurse who attempts to free Eugénie (Lou de Laâge), a woman committed to a mental asylum when her family learns she communicates with spirits. Carried by outstanding performances from its two leads, The Mad Women’s Ball poignantly sweeps the inequities of the era into its disturbing melodrama. An accomplished watch.

2. Blow the Man Down

The Coen Brothers meet Wes Anderson in this 2019 black comedy thriller steered by two brilliant young female leads. Set in a snowy fishing town in Maine, Blow the Man Down follows sisters, played by Morgan Saylor and Sophie Lowe, who try to hide the body of a man after he attacked one of them and she fought back. While on their crime caper, they find themselves digging up the town matriarchs’ dark secrets, spinning this into a noir mystery. It’s as wonderful as it sounds.

3. The Map of Tiny Perfect Things

Following in the footsteps of Palm Springs, The Map of Tiny Perfect Things is a 2021 romcom exploring the lives of its protagonists through a time loop. Katheryn Newton and Kyle Allen star as Margaret and Mark, two teens repeating the same day over and over again. Their meet cute involves saving someone from being knocked into a pool by a beach ball. Charming and heartfelt, this is solid if not totally perfect viewing.

4. The Vast of Night

The Vast of Night is a curious indie sci-fi flick (2019) from debut director Andrew Patterson that plays with narrative in clever ways. Long, sweeping shots carry us after two young radio workers who investigate an audio frequency they think could be traced to aliens. The distinctive 1950s New Mexico setting, and characters delivering monologues with the smooth intonations of those on radio, all build an eerie atmosphere with satisfying payoff.

5. Small Axe

A sublime 2020 anthology that doesn’t drop the ball across its five films. Small Axe is a collection of distinct stories about the lives of West Indian immigrants in London from the ‘60s to the ‘80s. They’re all directed by Steve McQueen, who’s working at his exquisite best (when doesn’t he?), crafting stories such as courtroom drama Mangrove, based on the 1971 trial of the Mangrove Nine and starring Black Panther’s Letitia Wright. Take a seat and devour this massive achievement.

Kilkenny Sport Focus

Michael O’Leary

Fort Rangers

Fort Rangers Football Club celebrate 50 years in existence this year since it was found in 1974, and they will host a sequence of events in the months ahead as part of the celebrations.

They began the celebrations two weeks ago with the official opening of their new pitch in Cuffesgrange, while their was plenty of activities on the day also. A mini-academy Soccer blitz of games took place for kids from Under-6 to Under-9 with Callan United, Stoneyford United, Freshford Town and Deen Celtic all participating, while Community Radio Kilkenny City broadcast live on the day from the new pitch.

Danesfort Parish Priest Fr. Mark Condon provided the blessing, as John Sullivan cut the ribbon to officially declare the new pitch open. The official opening was

attended by a whole host of Fort Rangers players, coaches and committee members from throughout the years, and it was a joyous day for the Club that was most welcoming particularly after the difficulties of their Junior Team not been able to compete in this seasons Kilkenny and District League. The opening of their new pitch in Cuffesgrange will hopefully mark the start of a new era for Fort Rangers Football Club.

As mentioned, they will host a number of events in the months ahead to mark the 50th anniversary celebrations. They have a lot to be proud of over the past half century, and the official opening of their new grounds provides them with the perfect opportunity to look to the future and replicate the glory days of old as a new era begins.

Shhhh... The secret to daily exercise

One simple change to help regularly meet your exercise requirements

BY PAUL BOLGER

There is one simple thing that many of us can do that would allow us to easily meet our daily exercise requirements. This thing would save us money, boost our mood and improve our health. Not only that – it would help the environment, reduce local pollution and make our roads safer. What is it? Active travel.

Active travel involves using our own energy to move us around – most commonly walking and cycling (I have heard of people kayaking to work!). Allow me to make the case for active travel and how it is a win, win, win, win - for us, our health, our bank account and our local community.

Exercise – Tick!

International guidelines say we all should aim for at least 150 minutes (or 2.5hrs) of moderate intensity exercise per week. So, a commute of 15mins of walking or cycling per day would result in 30mins per day, or 150mins per working week of exercise (assuming you are raising your heartrate and breathing to a moderate level). Tick.

Now, if it is not feasible for you to walk or cycle to

work – say you live a long way from work, or you do the school run – there are still ways you can get involved. Maybe you could cycle or walk to the nearest train or bus. Or, after dropping the children off, you could get in a 15-minute walk on your way to work. Whatever works for you.

Save Money

The savings potential speaks for itself. Less fuel and car maintenance costs. No

parking fees.

Active travel drastically reduces costs to our society too – researchers in Denmark found that cycling travel costs are 8x less than driving costs when accounting for collisions, climate change, health and travel time. Scotland, a similar sized country to Ireland, could save over €4 billion per year if 40% of short journeys were made by bike. What could we spend that extra money on?

Help Your Local Community

Active travel will obviously drastically cut down on fossil fuel emissions (with research here in Ireland showing cutting out car journeys <6kms would reduce national passenger transport emissions by 21%!!).

Air pollution would fall considerably – which would have a huge impact on health and respiratory problems locally. Less noise pollution will make being in the local

area more pleasant for everyone.

One less car on the road makes the road a safer place, as well as cutting down on congestion for those who need to use the road.

Pedestrian-friendly cities give the local economy a significant boost, with local businesses benefiting from increased footfall and business.

Taking Steps to Better Travel

Safety is paramount – we cannot expect people to do something that makes them feel unsafe. Kilkenny county council can be contacted should you wish to update them on barriers to active travel in your local area. The bike to work scheme makes cycling more affordable for everybody.

Kilkenny Library Service offers very affordable e-bike rentals for those considering trying out this mode of transport – just get in touch with them.

I would love to live in a place where more people take an active role in their travel. Their health and the health of the local community will thank them - but us physiotherapists will probably be a little bit less busy...

Community & GAA Notes

Kilkenny GAA clubs and Community news

CLARA

CLUB LOTTO

Lotto results for 25th June. Numbers drawn - 9, 21, 24. No Jackpot winner.

€30 each to Niamh Langton, Eddie Langton, Mary Nolan,Noreen Brennan, Hugh Kelly.

HARD LUCK

Hard luck to Clara’s David Barcoe who was on the Kilkenny minor team that was beaten after extra time by a brave and battling Tipperary side in the All Ireland final in Nowlan Park on Saturday evening. David was one of the better Kilkenny players on the day.

CAMOGIE

Well done to Clara’s Rachel Whelan who played full back for Kilkenny Intermediates when they beat Meath in the championship on Saturday. Meanwhile the seniors, with Keara Ryan, Grace Barcoe and Emma Shortall on the panel, were beaten by Tipperary in their final group game in The Ragg.

LONG PUCK

Killian Phelan once again qualified for the All Ireland Poc Fada final which is held annually in the Cooley Mountains. Killian came second in the Leinster final held in Mount Leinster at the weekend and were it not for one lost ball he would have been crowned champion. Offaly’s Cillian Kiely, a former All Ireland champion himself, took the title on this occasion.

JUNIORS LOSE

Clara suffered a two point loss to Erin’s Own, Castlecomer on Sunday morning in Clara after a right good game. Comer led by a point at halftime and were odds on favourites at this stage to win the game as they had breeze advantage in the second half. But Clara had other ideas and scores by the likes of Sean Carrigan, Ned Langton, Harry Boyle, Joe Connolly and James Bergin had them a couple of points up with little time left. But Castlecomer, with the help of a strengthening breeze, finished stronger, and even overcame a late red card to score four of the last five points to seal a 1-16 to 0-17 win.

Team - Killian Phelan, Paddy Bolger, Lester Ryan, Evan Whearty. Cian Kelly, Sean O Shea, Zach Lawlor. Harry Boyle, Rory O Keeffe. James Bergin, Joe Connolly, Ned Langton. Killian Fitzgerald, Stephen Quinlan, Sean Carrigan. Subs used Tom Ryan, Pádraic Staunton.

SENIORS WIN

Clara secured a 0-27 to 1-21 win over Rapparees of Wexford on Friday in a challenge game in Clara despite being short a number of players. Clara held a slender 0-16 to 1-12 lead at halftime but they upped the ante in the second half and were comfortably ahead before a late Rapps rally put a bit of a gloss on the scoreline.

Team - Kevin Nolan, Paddy Bolger, Jack Langton, Sean O Shea 0-1. John Murphy 0-7, Matt Kenny 0-3f, Zach Lawlor. Harry Boyle 0-1, David Langton. Rory O Keeffe, Joe Connolly 0-3, Conor Hoyne 0-2. Ned Langton 0-2, James Bergin 0-6, 0-2f, 0-1 x 65, Sean Carrigan. Subs used Cian Kelly, Killian Fitzgerald, Stephen Quinlan.

O’LOUGHLIN GAELS

SUCCESSFUL INFORMATION SESSION

The HSE Carlow Kilkenny Integrated Care for Older Persons (ICPOP) team hosted an information session on “Ageing well in the community” in O’Loughlin Gaels GAA club on Tuesday 25th June. This talk was organised by the O’Loughlin Gaels Health and Wellness Sub-Committee. This Consultant led team works with people over sixty five years of age in Carlow and Kilkenny who may have memory or cognition issues, people who fall and those who may experience other frailty issues. The ICPOP service are temporarily based in the Newpark Primary Care Centre every Monday and they are shortly moving to a more permanent base in Loughboy in September 2024. The information session in O’Loughlin Gaels was geared for all club members and older people living in the St John’s parish. The talk focused on the importance of positive ageing and gave some practical tips on how to prevent frailty in older adults. On the night, members of the team demonstrated exercises that people can do in the safety of their own home. There was also a section on the importance of making a will, enduring power of attorney and advanced healthcare directives. If you are concerned about falls, frailty or memory issues, please talk to your GP and they will refer you to this free service if appropriate.

COMMISERATIONS

The Kilkenny minor team lost out to Tipperary after extra time in a thrilling All Ireland final in UPMC Nowlan Park on Saturday last. Hard luck to all involved especially the O’Loughlin’s contingent, Conor Holohan, Cian Byrne, Daniel Mc Cormack, Manager Niall Bergin and S and C coach James Kelly. Thanks for the enjoyment we had following and supporting you all throughout the season and no doubt there will be better days ahead in the green and white and black and amber.

BEST OF LUCK

Everyone in O’Loughlin Gaels will be wishing the best of luck to the Kilkenny Senior team in the All Ireland Senior Semi-final against Clare on Saturday in Croke Park especially captain Paddy Deegan, Huw Lawlor, Mikey Butler, Jordan Molloy, Owen Wall, Luke Hogan, Conor Heary and David

Fogarty. Also to S and C coach Mickey Comerford. It’s great to see so many from the club involved. Hoping for a Kilkenny win and another All Ireland appearance.

BUS TO ALL IRELAND SEMI-FINAL

With so many involved from the O’Loughlin’s club it’s important that members travel to the All Ireland semi-final on Saturday to support the Kilkenny team. Club stalwart Stephen Mc Cormack is organising buses to Croke Park. It’s a hasssle free and comfortable way to get to the big game. They will depart O’Loughlin Gaels club house at 10.30am sharp. Cost is €20 per Adult, €15per child under 16.Names can be put down in bar or contact Stephen @ 086 199 3711.

CLUB LOTTO

There was no winner of club lotto dated June 25th. Numbers drawn 5, 17, 24, 28 Bonus 22

Play now at www.oloughlingaels.com/lotto. Thank you for your continued support

Promotors Draw, 1. Ber, Jack, Lily c/o E Maher. 2. Willie Cody c/o Ml Nolan. 3. Pauline O’Brien c/o Ml Nolan. 4. Jimmy McGarry c/o E Maher. 5. Margaret Cummins c/o Ml Nolan. 6. Caoimhe Ryan c/o E Maher. 7. Claire Brennan c/o Ml Doran. 8. Claire O’Dwyer c/o Online. 9. David Crudge c/o Online. 10. DJ Delaney c/o Online.

FRESHFORD

LUKE CROSBIE RIP

The local community of Freshford and surrounds were numbed and shocked on Thursday last to hear of the tragic death of a young local teenager. Luke Crosbie from Nuenna Court in the village passed away following a tragic accident at a building site outside the village. The death of this young man has caused widespread shock and sorrow throughout the local community. Luke who was youngest son of Nigel and Kathleen Crosbie was predeceased by his grandmother Monica Crosby, Ballyroe. He was a very quiet and popular lad who was only 17 years old and had just finished his Leaving cert exams the previous week. He was particularly very popular amongst his friends and school mates. He loved to play pool and to hang out with his friends. His funeral mass took place in Clontubrid Church on Tuesday morning last and burial took place afterwards in Lachtains cemetery Freshford. He is mourned by his heart broken parents Nigel and Kathleen, his brothers Hakim and Jack, sister Zoe,

M.Campion, J.Doheny, M.Kavanagh, G.Dalton, L.White, K.Dalton J.McCarthy, S.Kennedy, M.Farrell, and D.Quinn (inj). Management: E.Ryan,O.Dalton, D.Burke JP Kavanagh, D.Martin and J.Bowden.

CHAMPIONS AT BALLYFOYLE SHOW

It was another great day out for local duo David and Gyll Condon Bohergloss, Freshford at the Ballyfoyle Show last weekend. Uppertown (aka Mick Jagger) came out on top taking first spot in the senior ram class and then going on to win Charollais Champion. Then it was on to compete for Supreme Show Champion and David and Gyll were thrilled on winning this class. Shearling lambs came first and second in their class and their ewe lamb came 3rd in a very strong class and they thank the Judge, Stewards and Organising Committee for a very well run show.

CAMOGIE

Local girl Ciara Hickey was part of Kilkenny U16 team who beat Tipperary on Sunday last at Park. Lachtain. Ciara lined out at centre back for the team

Congratulations to local young girl Coiling Dermody of Sart who won the u16 puc fada recently representing her club in the finals at Mount Leinster during the week

SYMPATHY

Sincere sympathy is extended to Aleihs Molloy, Buncrussia Street, Freshford on the death last week of her brother Keith Molloy late of St. Francis Terrace, Kilkenny and formerly of Ardabawn, Tullaroan. Funeral mass took place in Church of the Assumption, Tullaroan followed by a private service at Harolds Cross Crematorium.

NEW CATHAOIRLEACH

Local recently reelected County Councilor Mick McCarthy was elected Cathaoirleach of Kilkenny County Council recently which he will hold for the next year. Mick is the first local man to fill the position since Sean Gibbons of Berna Freshford held the role. He is wished all the very best in his new role and Cllr McCarthy said he was honored and proud to take up the position

GRAVEYARD MASS

The annual mass was held in St. .Lachtains Cemetery Freshford on Sunday last at 11am. The Mass was celebrated by Monsgr Kennedy PP and the weather stayed dry for the occasion. A big crowd was in attendance and people travelled distances to be there for the Mass for their deceased families and friends. Monsgr Kennedy thanked the people for attending, for looking after their family graves and all who helped out in any way.

It has also come to our attention again recently that damage or items are been removed from graves in our local cemetery. This was reported earlier in the year and has been happening again recently. You are asked to be vigilant and keep an eye on things and if you see anything suspicious please report same to the Garda Siochana.

GOLDEN JUBILEE

grandparents Liam and Siobhan Crosbie and Joe Crosby, his aunts uncles cousins and large extended family to whom deepest sympathy is extended.

JUNIORS WIN

Congratulations to St Lachtains Junior F hurlers.who won the league final on Sunday afternoon last when they defeated Gowran at Palmerstown. The game was a close contest with neither team pulling away at any stage. Having led by one point at the break the local lads found themselves 2pts behind late in the second half but rallied back and came out winners with two points to spare at the final whistle. Final score at Lachtains 0-16 Gowran 0-14 Team. M Nolan C.Bowden, L Phelan, J.Cantwell, C.Leahy, F.Tobin, C.McCabe, C.Dalton,, S.Burke, M Durnan,EB.Hughs, J.O’Connor, J.Whitty, E.Landers, D.Killeen (Capt). Subs –B.Dermody, S.Counihan, M.Murphy, J.Denieffe, C.McGree,

Congratulations and best wishes to Monsignor Kieron. He celebrates the Golden Jubilee of his Ordination last weekend.

FRAOCHAN SUNDAY ON TORY HILL

Members of the South Kilkenny Historical Society will join locals and others, on Sunday July l4th, for the annual climb of Tory Hill on Fraochan Sunday. Mass will be celebrated, by the Bishop of Ossory Dr. Niall Coll, at 3.30pm. COMMUNITY MARKET

Freshford Community Cafe launched its Community market recently and it is held in the Alley each Saturday from 10am – 1pm, selling fresh vegetables, fruit, flowers etc. All local support would be greatly appreciated. New stalls would be very welcome and anyone interested in taking a stall can contact any member of the Committee

The Loop café is open each day from Monday to Saturday from 9.30am to 4pm.with some lovely treats and food on offer at a very reasonable price. This is a great addition to

Pictured at the HSE Carlow Kilkenny Integrated Care for Older Persons (ICPOP) Information Session were Mary Miskella, Cathriona Normoyle, Philip O’Reilly, Aidan Fogarty and Liz Evans

All Ireland Under 17 Doubles Champions In 60x 30 handball. Matty Murphy and Sean Morrissey.

David Condon with his prize ram. Winners at Ballyfoyle Show.

the village so why not meet your friends there for a cupa and chat. There are free copies of your favourite newspaper available in the café so why not have some time to yourself and have a great read and a relax

SUMMER CAMP

Freshfords longest running summer camp takes place again this year at the GAA Grounds under local man JJ Grace and his coaches. JJ has been running the camp for many years now and it will take place from 29th July to 2nd August this year. For more information or for booking please contact JJ on 0868629666

IONAD LACHTAIN

St.Lachtains Church Museum and Arts Centre. is open every Saturday and Sunday from 11.30 am to 4.30pm. Mick Hanley will perform at the Centre on 26th July which promises to be a great evening of entertainment. So get your ticket for this show.

SPLIT THE POT

The local split the pot draw is back in action and last week’s winner was Mamie Cleere Woodview who won €142. The split the pot proceeds for June goes to Freshford Tidy Towns. Please support the local tidy towns. Entry cost just €2 and envelopes are available in all local shops and pubs so be in to win.

BRIDGE

Freshford bridge club continues every Monday at 7.30pm in Tulla Hall, Three castles. New members are always very welcome. For further information please contact Olive on 087 9257610.

PARISH NEWS

Mass is held in the Parish Church each Wednesday morning at 9.30am and each Sunday morning at 11am.wiith Mass in Tulla church on Saturday evenings at 7.30pm. and 11am Maas in St.Lachtains Church on Sundays.

The parish newsletter is available on their website every week and also on the website you are free to pay your dues and make donations or any other contributions and you can find out more about it on the website or feel free to contact in the Parish Office. Please note community notices for the parish newsletter should be left in or emailed to the Parish Office by 11am on Thursdays. Parish office hours are Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 9am to 1pm. Mass Cards

Special printed parish cards are available at the Parish Office or from Annette at Tulla Church signed by Monsignor Kennedy. You can contact the Parish office on 056 8832843 or by email – freshfordd@ossory.ie. Contact Mongr Kieron Kennedy on that number or on 087 25235 21 HELP FOR Are you struggling with anxiety or depression or finding life difficult or feeling isolated at this time GROW is there to help you. Their Mental Health support Groups are free and confidential and open to all no referral or booking is needed. For more information on same you can contact Mary on 087 284342 If you can’t cope and need support text HELLO to 50808 . SAMARITAN - Whatever you’re going through a Samaritan will face it with you – available 24 hours a day 365 days a year – Freephone 1161Alone is available for older people who need support and you can call them on 0818 222024 (8am to 8pm) AMBER KILKENNY WOMENS REFUGE – is available for confidential support relating to domestic violence - call them on 1850 424244 (24/7) or on 056 7771404 or email into@ amberwomensrefuge.ie.

JAMES STEPHENS GAA AND CAMOGIE CLUB

U-11’S ON TOUR

On Sunday morning the U-11 panel travelled to Gorey, Co. Wexford to take part in the Pat Shields Naomh Eanna tournament. After a slow start which saw them suffer a defeat to the eventual tournament winners, Blackwater (Wexford), they regrouped and reeled off two hard won victories over Shelmaliers and Arklow Rocks to qualify for the shield final. A fine battle ensued with Dublin club, Ballyboden St. Enda’s before they emerged winners to cap a hugely successful day’s hurling for the young Village stars. Our thanks to Naomh Eanna for their hospitality and excellent tournament management. Juvenile officer Shane O’Connor would also like to thank the many parents and team mentors who travelled to support the young lads and ensure their safe return to The Village later that evening. Well done all.

ALL-IRELAND MINOR FINAL

A huge sense of bewilderment hung over Kilkenny supporters as they departed UPMC Nowlan Park in the aftermath of the Kilkenny minors far below par performance in losing 2-17 to 3-12 to a fired-up Tipperary team reduced to13 players in the early minutes of the game, due to the issuing of red cards, in Saturday evening’s All-Ireland Minor Final. The disappointment will also be keenly felt by club players Billy McDermott who registered 1-02 from play and Larry Phelan who put in a solid display at full back along with substitute Diarmuid Behan and panellists Conor McEvoy, Conor Heffernan, Padraig Joyce and James Bergin. For Kilkenny hurling supporters the long wait to capture the Irish Press Trophy continues into a second decade.

JUNIOR HURLING

On Sunday afternoon the Junior hurlers chalked up a second league/championship victory with a 1-24 to 0-13 win over Ballyhale Shamrocks in Ballyhale. Superior in all departments, from the start, James Stephens built up a 0-05 to 0-00 lead by the 10th minute before Ed McDermott tapped the sliotar to the net from an impressive Sean Deely solo

through the Shamrocks defence. The home club eventually got into their stride but could not match the quality passing and movement of the Village who took a 1-13 to 0-06 lead into the break. Despite the harsh dismissal of midfielder James Tyrrell early in the 2nd half the James Stephens defence kept the Shamrocks attack well in check limiting them to 0-07 points over the half while the lively Village forwards added 0-11 to their tally. Over the hour, while James Stephens were dominant in every sector, there were some stand out performances from Dinny Stapleton (0-01), David Hennessy, Sean Deely and Sean Bergin (0-02) in defence while Noah Manogue (0-04), Stephen Manogue (0-05) Shane Guilfoyle (0-03), Ed McDermott (1-03) and substitute Jamie Byrne (0-03) all excelled in attack.

BRIAN CODY AWARD

Congratulations to St. Patrick’s De La Salle school pupil, and the club’s U-14 panellist, Joe Hanrahan who won the 2024 Brian Cody Hurling Award. Joe is presently injured and could not line out with the school team in competition but that didn’t prevent him from displaying his abundant skills at the end of the school year to earn the award. The award was presented to Joe by Kilkenny hurler and teacher in the school, Billy Ryan and his coach Brendan Burke. Well done to Joe and a speedy recovery from injury.

GOLF CLASSIC

Fortunate with a fine summer’s day there was a great turnout for the club’s annual golf classic which saw over 70 teams competing on a pristine Kilkenny GC layout for the attractive prize list. The winners, with an impressive 97 points, were Brian Cullen, Noel Casey, Seamus O’Neill and Joe Tierney. In 2nd place on 94 points were Peter Mulhall, Martin and Vincent O’Donnell, and Anthony Cleere while Tommy Buckley, Jerry Rowe, Paul Carroll and Dave Mulcahy took the third prize. All participants enjoyed a tasty breakfast roll break at the 10th tee before finishing the round and completing the day with dinner and a reflection on their round -- and the putts that lipped the cup -- in the comfortable surrounds of the K.G.C premises. Co-ordinator Richie Manogue would like to extend a grateful thanks to the club’s main sponsors Lahart’s Skoda Motors and Dooley Motors for their support for the fundraiser which helps finance the ongoing development of club facilities. Thanks too to the hardworking committee Dan Cody, John Grace, Richie Guilfoyle, Martin Cornally, Tom Keane, Kevin Hennessy and Pat Hyland who oversaw the preparations and supervision over the two days as well as the many tee box and prize sponsors for their contributions to the hugely successful outing.

KILKENNY CAMOGIE

Following their first reverse of the 2024 All-Ireland camogie series, a narrow 1-15 to 0-15 defeat to Tipperary on Saturday in The Ragg, the Kilkenny camogie senior team will now meet Dublin in the All-Ireland quarter-final in Croke Park on Saturday next. Determined to get back to winning ways and secure a place in the championship semi-finals we send best wishes to the club’s county players Niamh Deely, Michelle Teehan and Sophie O’Dwyer for what will be a testing contest.

HURLER’S DRAW WINNER

Congratulations to Breda Hickey, Thomastown (ticket seller Joan Cody) who scooped the top prize of a holiday to the value of €6,000 in the 2nd draw of the 2024 Hurler’s Co-Op Draw on Tuesday night last. Also in the winners enclosure was social club member, Ciaran Walsh, Hawthorn Ave., (seller Mark Noonan) who won €1,000 and to complete a successful evening in the Special Club Draw the club itself won €1,000. Once again, our thanks to all who supported the draw which down through the years has been a major fundraiser for the club.

FOULKSTOWN MASS

With sincere regret about last week’s misinformation we would remind parish folk that the annual Mass of Remembrance for deceased family members, friends and neighbours will be celebrated on Thursday evening 25th July

at 7.30pm, in Foulkstown Cemetery.

JUNE BONUS BALL

The June Bonus Ball number was 9. The winners were Ray O’Keeffe and Murty Leahy who will each receive a cheque for €500 in the next few days. The next draw will be on Saturday, 20th July.

LIBRARY SHOWS

Librarian Alan Dunne writes to advise of two upcoming shows scheduled to take place in Loughboy Library. On Friday next 5th. July, the Summer Interactive Family Gameshow will take place at 6pm. Helen, the Storyteller, will take the young folk on a spectacular time-travelling, fact or fiction adventure around the world. The gameshow is sure to be fun for young and old and is suitable for children aged 7 and upwards, with parents/guardians. Places are limited so phone 056 7794176 to book in advance. Then, on Tuesday 9th July a Talk & Enrichment for Dogs given by Dogs Trust will take place from 11 to 12 noon in the library. You can learn about the history of dogs and how they became man’s best friend and much more. You may even return home with your own ready-made dog toy as you will be shown a super easy crafting activity. The event is best suited for adults, but children are also welcome to attend. Again, it is advisable to contact the library to book in advance as places are limited.

LOTTO

Last week’s numbers were 8, 9, 18, 21. No winner. Next week’s jackpot will be €16,200. The €40 consolation winners were Kay Murphy, Sean Dunne, Caroline Hanrahan, Jim Fogarty and Sharon Duff.

GOWRAN

GOWRAN AC

Well done to everyone who ran in the County 10km at Pink Rock Road Race, and to St. Joseph’s Athletic Club for a great day. There were some great results for the club with Matthew Holland the first Gowran athlete home finishing in 4th overall and 3rd in the County 10km. The men’s team were 2nd with Matthew Holland, John Coady, Martin Desgrandchamps and Marty Moseley scoring on the team for Gowran. Katie O’Brien had a great race finishing 3rd overall and 2nd home for the county 10km.

Well done to all with overall results as follows: Katie O’Brien 3rd Overall, (2nd County). Matthew Holland 4th (3rd County). John Coady 7th. Martin Desgrandchamps 8th. Marty Moseley 11th. Shane Noonan 13th. Paddy O’Keeffe 15th. Niall Sheehan 17th. Paul Flood 34th. Dylan Campion 50th. Mick Walsh 73rd

DALTON HOUSE DAYCARE

Weekly Wednesday music session in Dalton House kicks off at 8pm. Why not join in for a sing song and some light refreshments for €5pp.

GOWRAN PARK

Ladies Day takes place on Saturday July 27th .Early bird tickets now on sale at www.gowranpark.ie

GOWRAN PITCH AND PUTT

Jack McShane retained Leinster U16 Matchplay and completed the three in a row. Eoghan Morrissey was also a winner in the shield final. Well done to all players who represented the club, Jack McShane, Harry Concannon, Aidan O’Connell and Eoghan Morrissey and congratulations and well done to Jack and Eoghan on their wins.

HANDBALL SUCCESS

Congratulations to O’Loughlin’s handball players Sean Morrissey and Matty Murphy on becoming U17 All Ireland double champions in 60x30. After a very sporting contest against Clare the boys won out in 2 clear games. Their constant commitment and determination this season has paid off in their All Ireland success.

O’LOUGHLIN GAELS GOLF CLASSIC 2024

The Annual O’Loughlin Gaels Golf Classic will take place in Kilkenny Golf Club on Thursday and Friday 15th and 16th of August. A great day’s golf is guaranteed as well as a chance to support the club. A Team of 3 costs €150 and thís includes

a meal. There are great prizes. Champagne Scramble format will be used.

To secure your tee time contact any member of the organising Committee: Michael O’Reilly 0872554300; Benny Cleere 0862671882; Paul Cleere 0868191872; Brian Murphy 0863647401; Coleman Loughnane 0863312944; Evan Walsh 0857195752; Bren Cleere 0860725058.

GRAIGUENAMANAGH

GRAIG NOTES

Should you wish to submit news items, club events, announcements etc, you can do so by emailing them to graignotes@outlook.com. Deadline is Saturday 6pm. LOTTO. GAA AND SOCCER

The numbers drawn on 24/06 /24 were 1, 8, 20, 27. there was no Jackpot winner, The following won €30 each Lynn Doherty, Pat Gill, Nuala Walsh, John Doyle, and Orola Kehoe. Tickets are available from any club member.

GRAIG TIDY TOWN DRAW

The winners of the draw which took place on 20th June 2024, were First Prize €430 Lauren Maher, 2nd Prize €50 Ann Naddy, 3rd Prize €25, Barbrara Savage. Money raised through Tidy Towns Jackpot will be used to keep the town looking well all the year round. Draw takes place at 4pm on Thursdays.

BANNOW RATHANGAN AGRICULTURAL SHOW

Just a reminder that Bannow Rathangan Agricultural Show will be held at Killag on Thursday July 11th an outing many people from Graiguenamanagh and district enjoy each year.

RAMBLING HOUSE

The Monthly Rambling House Session is on the second Friday of the month in Newtown Hall, where you can enjoy music and song from local artists and also many from the surrounding district also join in. The next Session is on Friday July 12th. At 8.00pm.

CEMETERY MASS

The Annual Cemetery Mass will be Celebrated at St Fiachra’s Church Ruins at Ullard ,Graiguenamanagh on Friday July 12th at 7:30 pm,(weather permitting).

GORESBRIDGE AND PAULSTOWN

06 FOOTBALL CLUB (PAULSTOWN)

Congratulations to the Under-13 league winners receiving their cup at the KDSL awards night last week. ACTIVE RETIREMENT (PAULSTOWN)

A meeting is to take place at 10am on 10th July in the Community Hall. Activities, outings, information sessions and learning planned.

AFTER SCHOOL SERVICE

An after school service kicks off from the beginning of September. It will run each weekday from 2.45pm onwards in the school hall of Scoil Bhríde in Goresbridge. Information: Ann O’Kelly (085 752 9485) or Michelle Cummins (089 947 3317).

BARROW RANGERS

Barrow Rangers won with a score of 06-12 against Young Irelands (02-07) in the Under-14 Roinn A League Final. The Bridge lotto draw jackpot takes place every Monday at 8pm. BRIDGE UNITED

The club needs your help with our Under-8s next season. If you are interested in helping with coaching next season please contact Colin 087 6528212.

A summer soccer academy for boys and girls aged 5-14 will be held in Goresbridge on 7th to 9th July from 10am to 1pm. Further info from Conor English tel. 085-1321578.

U-11’s on tour

Tom Healy

Community & GAA Notes

CHURCH SERVICES

Congratulations to Breda Power who has been appointed the new parish secretary.

Cemetery mass will be held on Friday 5th July in Well’s Cemetery, and the mass at Queen of Peace (Goresbridge) will be held on 19 July.

Weekend masses will be celebrated in Goresbridge at 7.30pm on Saturday and at 10.00am on Sunday and in Paulstown at 11.30am. Weekday mass is at 10am in Paulstown this Friday and the following Tuesday and in Goresbridge Wednesday, at 10am. Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament takes place in Paulstown every Tuesday after morning mass and lasts until 6pm.

COMMUNITY GARDEN

Eva Holmes is coming to the Community Garden in Goresbridge to give a four-week course funded by the Education and Training Board. It started last Wednesday 3rd July. All welcome including people from surrounding areas. This is your chance learn about growing vegetables.

CUPLA FOCAL

Weekly Friday chatting in Irish continues over a cuppa in the Goodly Barrow this Friday at 11am.

FORÓIGE YOUTH CLUB (PAULSTOWN)

New members always welcome (aged 12-17) as well as volunteers. Contact Aidan Gleeson tel. 086 067 4485.

MOTOR HOME AREA

A Motor Home Area will open in July 2024 with 32 spaces for motor homes. This is a new venture in Goresbridge at Cois Bearbha People’s Park beside the River Barrow in Goresbridge, Co. Kilkenny. Eircode is R95W7TH. The facilities are basic for the moment and the daily charge is €10. Phone (083)4748900

SHANKILL CASTLE, PAULSTOWN

Shankill Castle is now open on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays for June, July, and August, from 11 -5pm with daily castle tours at 3pm.

SPLIT THE POT

In aid of Goresbridge Rural Development has gone online. Simply scan the QR code or go to lottoraiser.ie

BENNETTSBRIDGE

IRISH DANCING

The Tony and Clodagh Cullen Memorial Feis was held last week in the Community Hall. Anne Marie Cullen presented the Tony Cup to the winner, Sophie Dowling. The Clodagh Cup was presented to joint winners, Leah Smith and Lauren Prendergast.

Others who won awards on the day were, Aveline Gaffney, Isabella Donovan, Noah Dowling, Cathal Wemyss, Hannah Tyrell, Holly Moran, Chloe Finnegan, Marie and Edward Millea, Junior and Senior infants, Isla Lanigan, Emily Hayes, Faye and Blake Prendergast, Sophie and Evie Dobbyn, Ava Nolan, Sarah Delaney, Evie Deegan, Lara Perry, Evelyn Alcorn, James Roberts, Seamus Crowley, Aine Denieffe, Zoshia Morris.

CHURCH

Masses during the week. Wednesday and Friday, 10.30am June collection for priests can be handed into the parish house. The priests of the parish are very appreciative of your support for all collections held during the year.

SCHOOL CARETAKER AND CLEANER

Bennettsbridge School is seeking applications for a Part time caretaker and school cleaner (20 hours per week). These roles can be combined for suitable candidates. Employment

is subject to Garda Vetting procedures. Letters of application with CV’s can be sent to, The Chairperson Bennettsbridge NS, Bennettsbridge. Application close on Tuesday, July 9th 2024

LIAM WALLACE RIP

Sympathy is extended to the family of Liam Wallace, 13 Legan Grange, Newtown, Thomastown and formerly of Kilbline, Bennettsbridge and 1,Fairgreen, Ballyragget Co. Kilkenny.

Liam passed away on 23rd June 2024, unexpectedly, at his home. He was pre-deceased by his parents Richard (Dixie) and Catherine, son JJ and parents-in-law Kit and John Joe. Liam will be sadly missed by his best friend Tricia, daughters Chantelle and Leona, sons Joshua and Callum, granddaughter Mollie-Mae, sisters Cathy and Samantha, brothers Richie and Christopher, in-laws, aunts, uncles, nephews, nieces, extended family, neighbours and friends.

As he lay in repose at the family home in Kilbline, family, school friends and neighbours came to pay their final respects. Requiem Mass was celebrated on Thursday morning in St. Kieran’s Church, Tullaherin. Tullaherin Choir sang throughout the ceremony, Interment afterwards took place in the adjoining cemetery.

SYMPATHY

Sympathy goes to Trish Shiel, Gowran Road who has been bereaved by the death of her brother, Dr Jack Griffin, (Ex GP Mitchelstown and Kildorrery) Stradbally, Castlegregory and formerly of Cloughleafin Mitchelstown at University Hospital, Kerry.

He is survived by his wife,Mary (nee Glasheen) and was the loving father of Lillian, Colm and the late Jack and dear grandad of Éabha, Jack, Eoghan, Cayden, Mia and Ciera. He is also mourned by his son-in-law, daughter-in-law, his

11 brothers and sisters, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nephews, nieces, relatives, neighbours and friends.

SCOUTS NEWS

Handover night took place last Wednesday in the Community Hall. Parents and friends gathered to see the handover of Beavers to Cubs and Cubs to Scouts on Wednesday night and enjoyed tea, coffee and chat. The meeting was open to all current parents and new parents that may want to join. The waitlist for Beavers (ages 6-8), cubs (ages 9-11) and scouts (ages 12-15) sections are now open! Please contact; 14thkkbennettsbridge@gmail.com

ART

The weeks are passing quickly and the artists are busily organizing their work for the annual Exhibition to be held during Kilkenny Arts Week. The exhibition will be on show in the Community Hall from 9th to 18th August.

GATHERING

Members gathered for their final meet of the summer. Gail and her team at the Crafted Cafe welcomed the ladies and looked after everyone in royal fashion. A vote of sympathy was passed to committee member, Trish Shiel, on the death of her brother.

MENS SHED

Meetings continue each Wednesday in the Community Centre. All are welcome.

LOTTO

There was no winner of theJackpot last week. Numbers, 9, 12, 15, 23. Consolation Prizes, Damian Grimes, Hillview, Nellie O’Connell, Killarney, Noel Brady, Woodlawn, Lorraine Dowling,

EAST END

East End had three players awarded player of the year at the KDL awards night Congrats to:

Hillview Crescent, Eamon McEvoy, Gowran Road.

Bennettsbridge Féile team 2024

The Gathering Group at Crafted Cafe for their coffee morning

East End Awards Night in Bennettsbridge Community Hall

Winners of the Tony and Clodagh Cullen Memorial Feis pictured with Anne Marie Cullen.

Mick O’Neill (Junior), Jack Minogue (U12 1A) and Ben Fitzgerald (U13 1A)

Also picking up awards were representatives from U12s (league 1A runner up) and U13 Greens (league 1A winners). Massive congratulations and well done to all EAST END UNITED NEWS

The Community Hall was the venue for the East End Awards night. The following players were honored: U12 Girls player of the year Leah Farrell and most improved Lily Mae Meighan. U13 Girls player of the year Leah Croke and most improved Alannah Drea. U14 Girls player of the year Katie Mulcahy and most improved Mia Rusnack. U12 Boys team were shield winners; players of the year Jack Minogue and Elliot Morrissey. Most improved Eoghan Deniffe. Golden boot Danny Martin. KDL player of the year Jack Minogue. U13 Yellows were shield finalists; player of the year Zack Hennessy and most improved Cian Mulcahy. U13 Greens were league winners; player of the year Reuben Morrissey and most improved Conor O’Malley. KDL player of the year Ben Fitzgerald. U14 player of the year Dara O’Sullivan (award collected by his brother Aidan) and most improved Glen Ryan. U18 player of the year Noah Walsh Brennan. Ladies were cup/bowl winners and league division 2 winners; player of the year Laura Keogh (award collected by her Mam Tina). Mens were Leinster Shield Finalists and Divisional Cup finalists; KDL and East End player of the year Michael O’Neill and most improved Diarmuid Greene. U11s were shield winners. Club person of the year schoolboys secretary Natasha Hayes. And special award for supporter of the year went to Michelle Kelly

GAA

All Ireland Semi-Final

Best wishes to the Blanchfield brothers and the Kilkenny team in action versus Clare tomorrow Saturday, 6th July.

Junior B League Champions

Well done to the ‘Bridge Junior B team who defeated Fenians to claim the league title last week. The Bridge came through a great game on a scoreline of 24 points to 2-16.

Field Day 2024

The 2024 Field Day will take place on August 18th this year. A great family day is in store with details to follow.

Dog Fouling in Pitch

Please note no dogs are allowed in the playing pitch, fouling has again become an issue and in the interests of health and safety we ask all to keep dogs outside the Gaa grounds.

Membership 2024

This year’s membership can now be paid to registrar Samantha McGarry or to any club committee member. Membership fees are the same as last year. Forty euro for non playing members, eighty euro for student players and 120 euro for adult players. Early payment would be most appreciated.

Membership can also be paid on the new club spot app. Please see the clubs Facebook and twitter pages for details. Split the Pot

The next draw takes place this Friday at 6 in the clubhouse. Thanks again for the support.

Hurlers Co-Op Draw

Thanks again to all who bought and sold tickets for this year’s Piltown draw. The third draw took place last night. Best of luck to all who took part.

LONG MAN RE-OPENS

The Long Man was a very popular Restaurant and Bar and a very important venue for many parish events in the nineties. Margaret and Seamus Keaney were the proprietors of the business and that partnership was a successful one. It was named after the local “Cantwell Fada” an effigy of a knight on display in the ruins of the 14th century Kilfane Church.

New owner, Brian Coll is delighted to announce, that after major investment and refurbishments, The Long Man of Kilfane is set to re-open on Sunday, 7th July. “The Long Man of Kilfane” Bar and Restaurant will re-open on Sunday 7th July. Food orders 6 to 10 pm Fri/Sat and Sun 12 to 8pm. Guest accommodation availability on booking.com. Book direct on Whatsapp for 10% discount. All bookings Whatsapp 085 8854386. Locals are looking forward to having this establishment up and running once again. Best of luck Brian!

DICKSBORO

CLUB LOTTO

GAA Club LOTTO Results 27th June 2024. Nos: 1 22 25 30. Jackpot: €18,050 Not won Draw Prizes €50. Martina Tyrrell c/o Joe Phelan. €25 each Liz Holohan c/o Online €25 each Ian Higan c/o Online. €25 each Ann Duffy c/o T Hackett. Hurlers Co Op Eadaoin Maher c/o Online. Promotors prize, Paddy Maher. We encourage all Dicksboro Families to sign up and play weekly for €2 per draw and we thank everyone who is currently doing so.

ANNUAL GOLF CLASSIC

We are delighted to launch the Dicksboro GAA and Camogie Club Annual Golf Classic at Kilkenny Golf Club which will be held on Friday 12th July. Book your tee time early as they will fill up quick. Contact Seamus Rochford for more details. Also there are limited Juvenile Tee Times at discounted prices.

SUMMER CAMP 2024

Our fantastic Summer Camp will be back again and we can’t wait. Two fun weeks packed with activities for all to enjoy. Places are filling up fast so to avoid disappointment please secure your child’s place ASAP. Monday July 15th to Friday July 19th and Monday August 12th to Friday August 16th

KILKENNY MINORS

Hard luck to the Kilkenny Minor Team and Boro lads involved who lost out narrowly to Tipperary on Saturday evening. We look forward to seeing the boys back playing in Palmerstown soon.

CROKE PARK 6TH JULY

Best of luck to the Senior Hurlers and Senior Camogie Team who will both be playing in Croke Park Saturday 6th July, the girls will take to the pitch at 12.30pm taking on Dublin to secure their place in the All Ireland Semi Final while the Hurlers have throw in at 3pm to book their place for an All Ireland Spot. We wish both teams and our Club Players involved the very best of luck.

JOHNSTOWN

CHURCH NEWS

Cemetery Masses Friday July 5th Graine, Tuesday July 9th

Johnstown (incorporating Donoughmore and Grangefertagh), Sunday July 14th Crosspatrick, masses at 7.30pm except Crosspatrick 9 am. Grangefertagh Cemetery Committee have arranged a Mass in Fertage graveyard on Tuesday July 16th at 7.30pm. June collection for the priests is now due. Envelopes for the Sacristan’s collection available in the Church porch.

WEDDING

Congratulations to Emma, daughter of Norma and John Duggan, Foulkscourt and Tom Murphy, Inistioge who were married recently at St. Kieran’s Church. They are wished a long and happy life together.

BAPTISM

A loving welcome to the parish faith community to Sophie Sarah daughter of Darragh Tobin and Laura Dooley.

KNOCK

The parish pilgrimage to Knock takes place on Thursday August 1st provided there is sufficient interest. Cost of coach €25, tea/coffee and scone in the Central Hotel, Moate €5.25, two course dinner on the way home at the Abbey Hotel, Roscommon €30. Names please to Marie Wilson 0868585158.

URLINGFORD LIBRARY

Helena the storyteller is hosting a magical workshop of stories, nursery Rhymes and dancing on Saturday. July 6th at 12 noon. Children 0-5 and must be accompanied by an adult all the time. Family game show, age 7 years with parents, grandparents, the whole family on Saturday July 20th at 10.30am. Contact 0567794182 or email urlingford@kilkennylibrary.ie.

SPA UNITED/FENIANS LOTTO

Winning numbers 11,17,26,28, congratulations to the local winner of the jackpot.

URLINGFORD

EMERALDS URLINGFORD and GRAINE LOTTO

June 24th. Numbers drawn: 13, 18, 23, 27 bonus no 29. No winner and two match three winners, Tuesday Club, Canice Sweeney.

Five lucky dips of €20 each: Patsy Healy, Tuesday Club, Mary O’Leary, Austin Cleere, Luke Kelly. Promoters prize: B. Tobin.

SET DANCING

Has ceased for the Summer months. Dancing will resume in September / October.

URLINGFORD ARMS SPLIT THE POT

June 30th winner of Split the Pot is Maria Dooley who will receive €690. Congrats Maria on behalf of Urlingford Lawn Green Bowls.

Tickets €2 on sale in participating businesses in town or Revolut 087 1613426. Thanks to everyone for their continued support. Next week’s draw is for Urlingford Lawn Green Bowls.

GRAINE CARDS

The card game in Graine hall on Wednesday nights has ceased for the summer months. We will return to our regular progressive 25 in the Autumn.

URLINGFORD GRAINE DEFIBRILLATOR GROUP

In case of emergency, call: 085 2726396.

URLINGFORD NEWS

Anyone wishing to submit news items, club events, announcements etc can do so by emailing urlingfordnotes@ gmail.com. If you have any photos you wish to include, please forward them to the email address.

MILL FAMILY RESOURCE CENTRE

SAVE THE DATE

Mill Family Fun Day Sunday the 25th August 2024, put the date in your diaries for a day of fun

ST KIERAN’S HOMES FOR THE ELDERLY

Applications are invited for the Vacant Tenancy of a onebedroom house at St Kieran’s Place, Urlingford. To be eligible to apply you must be on the Kilkenny County Council Housing list. Applications are available from the Centre.

LOCAL TRAINING PROGRAMME L.T.I.

Names been taken for L.T.I. Q.Q.I. Level 4 due to start soon.

NEW COURSES

There will be two new courses commencing in September. Office Admin, one to two mornings a week. Basic Computers,one to two mornings a week. These courses will be free of charge.

COUNSELLING SERVICES

Our low cost Counselling Services, includes One-to-One, Adult & Teens. General Counselling: Bereavement, Stress, Anxiety and Depression. Other Counselling Services available: Drug, Substance and Gambling Addictions. Play therapy is now also available. Age 5+. Please contact Sue for more information or to make an appointment.

SENIOR ALERT

If you need to apply for a Personal Alarm, please contact Sue

or Josephine in the centre.

DEFIBRILLATOR

Please note that there is a defibrillator located in the Mill Family Resource Centre if and when it may be required.

APPEAL FOR CLOTHES DONATIONS

Any clothes donations would be greatly appreciated in aid of our counselling/play therapy services. Donations can be left into the Centre, please call before dropping off.

JOBS – TRAINING BOARD

We have a Jobs Board here at the Centre, feel free to call in and take a look, we also offer help and support with CV’s and cover letters if required.

For further information please contact us here at the Centre on 056-8838466

GORTNAHOE GLENGOOLE

ADORATION

Glengoole Wednesday 10am to 2pm, Gortnahoe Thursday 10am to 1pm

GRAVEYARD MASSES

The dates for the cemetery masses are as follows, Aglish Thursday 4th July at 7.30pm in the graveyard, Good Shepherd Thursday 11th July at 7.30pm in the graveyard, Fennor Thursday 25th July at 7.30pm in the graveyard and Boulick Thursday 15th August at 7.30pm in the graveyard.

TUESDAY BRIDGE

Bridge is being played each Tuesday night in Gortnahoe Hall at 7.30pm. If you would like to join or find out more information please contact this number 089 4349106

GORTNAHOE BINGO

Bingo continues this Saturday evening at the earlier time of 4.00pm with doors opening from 3.00pm and will continue each Saturday evening at the same time. Over €2,660 in prize money on offer including a special €500 game.

SPLIT THE POT

Congratulations to the last weekends winner of Split the Pot draw, Tom Webster, Gortnahoe, who won €209. Envelopes are available at the usual outlets, you can also Revolut to 0876777220. From the following Sundays of the month it will be in support of the defibrilator. The draw takes place each Sunday at 12pm in Gortnahoe Hall. Your support would be appreciated.

FEILE 2024

Congratulations to our U15 boys who traveled to Clonlara in Co. Clare last Saturday week representing the club and the county in the Feile na nGael National competition. The team did fantastic on the day, getting to the All Ireland final. Many thanks to the mentors, to the juvenile officers and committee, to the fundraising committee and all the sponsors who supported the fundraisers in any way. Finally much praise to the parents for their continous support and most of all to that fantastic bunch of players who worked their heart out and did Gortnahoe Glengoole and Tipperary so proud. Congratulations to all.

400 CLUB DRAW

The results for June, 1st Prize €200 Liam and Biddy Hogan, Gortnahoe, 2nd Prize winner, Bridget Campion, Graigue. Other prize winners were Timmy Campion, Graiguewood, Michael Lanigan, Poynestown, Catherine Doheny, Graiguemane, Claire Barnaville, Urard, Mary Egan, Coole, Billy and Statia Walshe, Gortnahoe, Mary and John Kennedy, Rathbeg and Thomas and Kathleen McGuire, Ballynonty. Promoter prize winner Mary Ryan.

MILLENNIUM FAMILY RESOURCE CENTRE GLENGOOLE

Millennium Family Resource Centre Glengoole will run a mini camp for children with autism aged 5 – 7 years. Tuesday 9th July Music; Wednesday 10th July Art; Thursday 11th July Blossom Yoga. All classes will run from 10 am to 12 noon (approx.) and the total cost for three classes is €15. Places are limited – contact Julie on 083 1008075 to book.

DEFIBRILLATOR

A new defribillator has been installed at Glengoole Hall part funded by grant aid from Tipperary County Council. It can be accessed through the National Ambulance Service by dialing 999 or 112.

OPEN GARDEN

Will take place at Clough Farmhouse, Clonoura, Glengoole E41 K765 this Sunday 7th July at 1pm in support of MoChara Animal Rescue. Phone 086 3634071. Refreshments will be available.

FENNOR CREAMERY

Will celebrate the 125th Anniversary of its foundation this year. A booklet to commemorate the event will be published later in the year. We would appreciate any photos, newspaper articles or stories in relation to Fennor, Ballysloe and Grange creameries. All photos and articles will be returned to the owners. Please contact Liam Noonan, Denis Bowden, Michael Lanigan or Jimmy Fogarty.

MICHAEL O’SHEA RIP

The death has occurred of Michael O’Shea, Dunboyne, Co. Meath, late of Manchester and formerly Bonlea, Grange, Barna, Thurles, May 25th, peacefully surrounded by his family after a short illness in Manchester. Predeceased by his parents Tommy and Alice, and brothers Eddie and Joe. Michael will be sadly missed and fondly remembered by his loving wife Bridget, his heartbroken daughters Maureen, Siobhàn and Fiona, grandsons Seàn, Tadhg and Oisín, son-in-law John, brothers James and Richard, sisters Catherine, Jodie and Mary, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews, cousins, extended family and a wide circle of friends on both sides of the Irish Sea. Michael reposed at Doyle’s Funeral Home, Urlingford on Friday evening, June 21st. Removal took place on the following Saturday morning to the Church of the Assumption, Ballingarry arriving for

Requiem mass followed by interment in the Good Shepherd Cemetery, Gortnahoe.

CONAHY

CAMOGIE

Congratulations to the under-14 camogie girls who had a fantastic victory over Graignamanagh in their league final played in Graignamanagh on Saturday morning. The girls produced one of their best performances this year to score a big win. Well done to all the girls and their mentors Christy Kennedy, Robbie Webster, Mick Cahill, Áine Mulhall and Niamh Delaney.

TEAM: Leyla Rose Healy, Emily Kennedy, Ruth Carroll, Brid Gamble, Emily English, Eva Kennedy, Sophie Conway, Shannon O’Shea, Rachel Mulhall, Keelan Kennedy, Mary Lou Rowe, Hannah Styles, Isobel Dunne, Katie Murphy, Michelle Cahill, Lucy Butler, Fiadh Coogan, Sophie Meaney, Grace Butler, Juliette Dunne.

The camogie club also continued to be represented by Roisín Phelan (Senior) and Emma Mulhall, Danielle Morrissey, Ellen Gunner and Sofia Kerr (Intermediate) who were part of the Kilkenny Senior and Intermediate panels who lost to Tipperary and beat Meath respectively in their most recent All-Ireland Championship games on Saturday last. CLUB LOTTO

The numbers drawn in the most recent GAA Club Lotto were 10, 11 and 21. There was no jackpot winner, so the consolation prize winners were Eoin Murphy, Jimmy Tierney, Michael Healy, Mona Dooley and Marguerite Waters. The promoter prize winners were Peter Mulhall, Margaret Buggy and Nora Delaney. This week’s jackpot now increases to €2,000. Many thanks to everyone who supports the GAA Club Lotto.

HUGGINSTOWN, NEWMARKET, STONEYFORD

MASS TIMES

Aghaviller Parish: Hugginstown: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at 9.30a.m. Vigil – Saturday 7th. at 8.00p.m. Sunday 8th. at 10.00a.m. Stoneyford, Wednesday at 7.00p.m. Vigil - Saturday 7th. at 6.30p.m. Please let us know if you would like to receive Holy Communion in your home for the First Fridays or at any other time.

PRAY FOR

Tom Morahan, Clonmel; who died during the week. ROTA (FOURTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME) Readers: Stoneyford: Saturday 6.30p.m. Sheila Lennon. Hugginstown: Saturday 8.00p.m. Tommy Murphy; Sunday 10.00a.m. Deirdre O’Shea. Eucharistic Ministers: Stoneyford: Saturday 6.30p.m. Kitty Wallace. Hugginstown: Saturday 8.00p.m. Mary Cuddihy; Sunday 10.00a.m Lillian Carr

SCOIL AIREAGAIL:

School is seeking host families for Spanish students who will be joining their school next year. Please contact info@ scoilaireagail.ie or (056) 776 8632 for more details.

SAFEGUARDING CONTACTS

Diocesan Designated Liaison Person: Ms. Ailish Higgins Tel: 087 100 0232. Aghaviller Parish Representatives are: Deirdre Rohan and Catherina Roche.

SEEKING, SERVING AND SHARING CHRIST IN A SYNODAL CHURCH:

The Priory Institute, two-week on-line Summer School is reflective, informative and interactive and will run from 19th. August this year. The course includes eight recorded presentations and three on-line zoom discussions and is very flexible as it is delivered entirely online. Find out more and register click: prioryinstitute.com

CEMETERY MASSES 2024

Hugginstown Cemetery: Mass on Saturday 13th. July at 8.00p.m. Kilkeasy Cemetery: Mass on Friday 19th. July at 8.00p.m. Stoneyford Cemetery: Mass on Friday 2nd. August at 8.00p.m.

TRIP TO KNOCK

Trip to Knock on 13th. July in honour of Feast Day of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. Staying overnight in Knock House Hotel. For further information please contact Frank Aylward on 086 812 8705

JUNE COLLECTION

Many thanks for your very generous contribution during the past few weeks.

LOTTO

Aghaviller Parish and Carrickshock G. A. A. Draw: Monday 24th. May 2024.

Numbers: 31; 15; 10; 20. No Winner First 3 Numbers Drawn:

One Jackpot Winner: €5,000.00. Winner: John Raggett, Ballycaum. €200.00 Seller of Jackpot Ticket: Sean Raggett, Ballycaum. 3 x €15.00 (Sellers): James Irish; Tom Cassin Tommy Murphy.

SOUTH KILKENNY HISTORICAL SOCIETY: Members of the South Kilkenny Historical Society will join locals and others, on Sunday July 14th, for the annual climb of Tory Hill on Fraochan Sunday. This ancient tradition predates Christianity and is associated with the ancient festival of Lughanasa. John Dwyer, who has written extensively on Pilgrim Paths of Ireland, will give a talk, on the summit of the hill, on the traditions associated with Fraochan Sunday. Mass will be celebrated, by Bishop Niall Coll, at 3.30pm.

CARRICKSHOCK G.A.A.

The Club wishes to thank all who contributed to the recent fundraisers; all who purchased Piltown Draw Tickets and those who assisted and supported the Golf Classic held in Callan recently.

Hurlng matters - Review

Sport

BY NIALL SHERRY SPORTS EDITOR

Electric Ireland Al-Ireland Minor Hurling Final

UPMC Nowlan Park

Kilkenny 3-12

Tipperary 2-17 (AET)

Tipperary overcame all the odds to claim the Electric Ireland All-Ireland Minor

Hurling Final crown at UPMC Nowlan Park last Saturday and pip Kilkenny to the title. Despite playing with 13 men from the 26th minute right through to the end of normal time and then extra time, James Woodlock’s outfit showed tremendous courage and resilience to break Noreside hearts in the Marble City. No doubt the home side and management will know that this was possibly one title that they left behind, given their numerical and pitch advantage, but it’s all part of the learning curve in preparing as many of these lads as possible to wear the senior stripes.

The Premier County were first to strike, when Cillian Minogue fired over a nice point on 4 minutes, but the talented Durlas Og’s players involvement in the Minor showpiece came to an end soon after when after consulting with one of his linesmen, referee Thomas Gleeson issued the Tipp player with a straight red card for what appeared to be a striking offence with the hurl on Erin’s Own’s Bobby Brennan. Not the start that the visitors would have hoped or planned for in

Tipp 13 prove too strong for Cats

Bergin’s boys pipped to Minor crown

Kilkenny’s back yard. Kevin Buggy got the home side up and running with another trademark point, but two on the bounce from Adam Ryan and Eoghan Doughan left those in blue and yellow two up early on. The first of the game’s five majors came in the 13th minute when Cats captain Bill McDermott took a fine catch before blasting the ball past Daire English

in the visitor’s goal. Arravale Rovers Adam Ryan and Stefan Tobin tagged on scores for Tipp before James Stephen’s McDermott popped over a couple of points which the home side built on with efforts from Conor Holohan and Eoin Brennan that stretched the Kilkenny lead to 3 points with about ten minutes remaining in the opening period.

Tipperary’s frustrations grew further when midfielder Darragh O’Hora became the second visiting player to receive his marching orders for a high challenge on Glenmore’s Jack Dollard. This second body blow

didn’t make the Premier County flinch and they finished the scoring in the first half when Eoghan Doughan’s ‘65 found the back of the Kilkenny net, to leave the sides deadlocked at 1-5 apiece at the short whistle. Tipp supporters had clearly made the short journey in big numbers and when their side took to the UPMC Nowlan Park for the second half, you’d have thought you were in Thurles, such was the noise! This spurred on James Woodlock’s charges and they registered the first three scores after the interval to go three clear. Conor Holohan and Shamrocks

Patrick lacey on the run chased

by Tipp hero

Billy O Brien

Hurling matters - Review

Jake Mullen responded for the Cats, but another Eoghan Doughan point kept the visitors two up. Then came the home side’s second major of the game. A long ball into the Tipp defence was collected by Robbie Doherty who showed some nifty footwork to give the dummy before rifling the sliotar to the neighbours net. Dicksboro’s Oisin Henderson fired over a score to leave the Cats two up, as the topsy-turvy nature of the minor decider continued. Niall Bergin then made his first change of the game with Cian Byrne replacing Jason Cody, as the

management team sought to use fresh legs against their 13 opponents. The visitors hit the next two scores to deadlock matters once more as the Cats made their second substitution with Louis Raggett replacing Bobby Brennan in defence. The finalists swapped the last scores in normal time, before the Noresiders sent on another Dicksboro player in the shape of Patrick Lacey for John Lockes Ollie O’Donovan. Both sides were guilty of some bad wides, the home side, the bigger offender before Dublin Whistler Thomas Gleeson then blew for full time, we were going

to need extra time to see if a winner could be found.

The first period of extra time was predictably a little cagey, with both sides registering two points apiece and turning round all square at the shortest of breaks. The visitors hit the ground running in the second period of extra time, reeling off three scores on the bounce to give serious momentum in the quest for minor glory, despite being outnumbered on the pitch, not that you’d have known, and that’s credit to Tipperary players and management. Kilkenny’s third goal arrived, courtesy of their latest

sub, and another Dicksboro player, Anthony Clifford. The sides all square again in UPMC Nowlan Park. The latest Cats major was built upon with a nice point from O’Loughlin Gaels Cian Byrne, Niall Bergin’s boys one up as time ticked on.

But there was time for another score, and it would be one that would break Kilkenny hearts. Tipperary attacked, knowing that they needed a score to prevent what many would have thought would be an inevitable defeat, given the two reds cards in the first half. The ball was worked up the pitch and delivered to Billy O’Brien. The Nenagh Éire Óg player showed a great turn of pace as he roared straight through the centre of the Kilkenny defence before throwing an exceptional dummy and rifling his shot past Jake O’Doherty in the Cats goal. This was the final score in an absolutely enthralling game.

Tipp’s public enemy number one, referee Thomas Gleeson brought proceedings to a close in UPMC Nowlan Park, Tipperary, Electric Ireland Al-Ireland Minor Hurling Champions 2024. Comhghairdeas Tiobraid Árann.

Scores for Kilkenny: B McDermott (1-2), R Doherty (1-0), A Clifford (10), C Holohan (0-3), J Mullen (0-3, 2fs), K Buggy, C Byrne, P Lacey, E Brennan (0-1 each) Scorers for Tipperary: E Doughan (1-3, 1-0 65, 1f), E Murray (0-4), B O’Brien (1-1), J Donelan Houlihan (0-4, 3f), S Tobin, C Minogue, A Duff, K Cantwell, A Ryan (0-1 each) KILKENNY: J O’Doherty; O Henderson, L Phelan, B Brennan; D Barcoe, J Dollard, M Rohan; R Doherty, K Buggy; J Mullen, B McDermott, J Cody; O O’Donovan, C Holohan, E Brennan.

Subs: C Byrne for Cody (43) L Raggett for B Brennan (48), P Lacey for O’Donovan (55), A Clifford for E Brennan (68), E Cahill for Rohan (75), O’Donovan for Holohan (78)

TIPPERARY: D English; S Ryan, C O’Reilly, P Ryan; D Ryan, O O’Dwyer , J Donelan-Houlihan; T Ryan, D O’Hora; A Ryan, E Murray, B O’Brien; E Doughan, S Tobin, C Minogue. Subs: A Duff for Doughan (47), A Cagney for Tobin (58), K Cantwell for Cagney (65), Tobin for Murray (78) Referee: Thomas Gleeson (Dublin)

Euan Murray is held up by Robbie Doherty

Eoin Brennan and Patrick Ryan In a battle for possession

Robbie Doherty looking for support tackled by Tiernan Ryan

Hurlng matters - Preview

Sport

BY NIALL SHERRY SPORTS EDITOR

All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Semi-Final

Kilkenny vs Clare

Tomorrow, Croke Park, 3pm

Kilkenny make the wellworn path to Croke Park tomorrow, where they will face-off against beaten Munster finalists Clare in the first of this year’s Senior Hurling semifinals (throw-in 3pm). The prize for the victors; is another crack at the 5-in-a-row seeking Limerick. Something to wet the lips over, or a poisoned challenge? Well, you can rest assure that both Derek Lyng and Brian Lohan will both want to be the manager that gets to plan for a Liam MacCarthy decider with John Kiely & Co.

Tomorrow’s opponents, Clare, will feel that they should have ended Limerick’s impressive run at some point in the last couple of years and will be keen to test themselves at the Jones’s Road venue in a couple of weeks’ time. The same can be said of our boys, the team that some neutrals have talked about as the side most likely to de-throne The Treaty. In last years decider, the Cats looked somewhat in control, and went 5 points ahead, but then the ‘green machine’ stepped on the gas and outscored the Noresiders by 14 points in the final thirty minutes. In order to earn a crack at The Treaty, you have to take care of semifinal business, and that is what lies ahead of both Kilkenny and Clare tomorrow. While we have beaten The Banner in successive semi-finals, Brian Lohan did mastermind two recent wins including a League final victory over the Cats this season, and the Wolfe Tones clubman will be keen to stretch his winning streak to three games when he battles Derek Lyng’s charges in Croker on Saturday afternoon.

Having secured the Allianz League title,

Lyng vs Lohan as sides seek final calling

Cats & Clare set for semi clash at Croker

Lohan’s side began their provincial campaign with a 4-point loss to Limerick in Ennis, but got a win in their second-round game away to Cork, The Banner had two points to spare on Leeside. The next match in Ennis saw them beat Davy Fitz’s Deise outfit by the bare minimum before they finished the group stage with a decent victory over Tipp in Thurles.

The Munster decider saw Clare tackle Limerick again, this time in Semple Stadium, and a couple of missed goal chances saw Lohan fall to Kiely again, this time six points the difference at the long whistle. This result saw The Treaty County become the first side to record six provincial titles in a row.

Clare talisman Tony Kelly has been gradually getting back to match fitness and notched 0-3 in the Munster decider, while Aidan

McCarthy top scored for his side with eight points. Peter Duggan put in another strong performance and finished with 1-1.

Inagh-Kilnamona clubman, Aidan McCarthy was the second highest scorer in the provincial campaign, finishing behind TJ’s nemesis, Pa Horgan. Derek Lyng will be acutely aware that his side cannot afford to cough up easy free’s as McCarthy has shown he is an accurate and reliable place ball shooter. Peter Duggan is a player that has always caused Kilkenny problems and will be hopeful of putting in another stellar performance tomorrow. Who will ever forget the Clooney-Quin man’s goal bound effort that All-Star keeper Eoin Murphy somehow managed to save? Big moments, big players. Along with Ballyea’s Tony Kelly, they have another sprinkling of stardust in Shane O’Donnell,

another player that has impressed against the Cats in the past. Throw in Inagh-Kilnamona’s David Fitzgerald and you can see how this talented panel are a match for most sides on their day. Mark Rodgers sometimes blow’s hot and cold, but if he’s on his game he can be an important cog in the Clare attacking machine.

In defence, Diarmuid Ryan, David McInerney and John Conlon are experienced campaigners who can be relied upon, while everyone will be looking forward to Adam Hogan’s battle with Eoin Cody. Between the sticks, Eibhear Quilligan is a keeper that won’t be found wanting when facing any forward threat. Brian Lohan will know that if he gets his ‘match ups’ right in defence, that this will give his side a great chance of progressing to the final.

For Derek Lyng, he knows that

Two halves - John Donnelly And David Blanchfield key men at both ends of the pitch

Cian Kenny Gets his Pass away as Mark Rodgers moves in to challenge

his side has produced a little bit of everything this season, the good, the bad and a little bit of the ridiculous when you factor in the draw with Carlow, no disrespect to the Barrowsiders. There has been a number of mitigating factors in our senior hurlers season so far, including injuries to key players and bedding in some new lads to the panel, but perhaps slow and steady is the way to go, even in this condensed format that we currently have.

The return of Adrian Mullen to the side is a huge boost to the Cats. The Shamrocks Ballyhale man looked like he’d never been away when he returned against the Dubs, hitting a magnificent 7 points from play. His fellow clubmen Eoin Cody, and the Reid brothers have also been instrumental in helping the Marble City men reach the last four of the

senior championship. TJ won’t need anyone to remind him that the clock is ticking and his desire to add to his 7 Celtic Crosses already secured in his illustrious career to date, the last of course, gained in 2015, before the drought began. TJ is a born winner, and you feel that if he didn’t genuinely think that there was a chance of reclaiming Liam for his beloved Kilkenny, then the hard yards necessary at this level wouldn’t be something that he would put himself through. Younger brother Richie, has been deployed in a sweeping role in and around the’6’ position. His ability to sniff out and prevent danger is one of his greatest attributes, along with passing ability. These elements will be very much needed in Croker tomorrow, especially with Clare looking to unleash the likes of Fitzgerald, Kelly and O’Donnell.

It will be interesting to see who Derek Lyng selects to fill the other attacking spots in his starting XV. Thomastown’s John Donnelly is essesntial, while Mossy has had a great impact so far this year and we know he loves a goal, especially on the big stage. Graigue Ballycallan’s Billy Ryan is another that provide real menace, alongside a serious hard-working ethic, while Conahy’s Tom Phelan was certainly one of our best performers in Croker deciders. The Village’s Cian Kenny has probably not received the credit due after some serious performances

this season. He is fast turning into one of the first names on the team sheet for manager Lyng. The fullback line of Huw Lawlor, flanked by Mikey Butler and Tommy Walsh has been getting stronger with each game and they will want to put themselves in the frame for another tilt at Limerick by downing The Banner this weekend. Young Ireland’s Mikey Carey and his wingback partner David Blanchfield, are another two players that are beginning to pick themselves in this Cats side. Both players are powerful and strong runners, and

the latter is always likely to trouble the scoreboard.

All-Star keeper Eoin Murphy will hope to have a straight forward day at the office against Clare, but we all know that the Glenmore man can be counted on as Peter Duggan knows all too well. With the likes of Walter Walsh, Shane Murphy and Jordan Molloy, to name but three all pushing for inclusion, the Kilkenny faithful will be hoping that their strength in depth can help propel them to a 3rd All-Ireland Final on the bounce and another shot at ending the wait for Liam.

Eoin Cody will be marked closely at Croker

Adrian Mullen & Eoin Cody will hope to revel in Croker agaist The Banner

Planning notices

Planning notices

KILKENNY COUNTY COUNCIL

We, John and Anne Marie Britton, are applying for Planning Permission to (a) demolish existing single storey house and sheds to side and rear of the existing dwelling, (b) construct a new two storey dwelling, (c) construct a new garage and all associated site works at Hillcrest, Greenshill, Kilkenny, Co. Kilkenny, R95 DC9V

The planning application may be inspected, or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy, at the offices of the Planning Department, Kilkenny County Council, County Hall, John Street, Kilkenny, during its public opening hours 9.00 a.m. - 1.00 p.m. and 2.00 p.m. - 4.00 p.m. Monday to Friday, and a submission or observation in relation to the application may be made to the Planning Authority in writing on payment of the prescribed fee (€20.00) within the period of 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the Authority of the planning application.The Planning Authority may grant permission subject to or without conditions, or may refuse to grant permission.

KILKENNY COUNTY COUNCIL

I, Marian Lennon intend to apply to Kilkenny County Council for Planning Permission to build an extension to the front and side of existing dwelling house and all associated site development works at Pigeon Park, Danesfort, Co. Kilkenny The planning application may be inspected, or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy, at the offices of the Planning Department, Kilkenny County Council, County Hall, John Street, Kilkenny, during its public opening hours 9 a.m.- 1.00 p.m. and 2.00 p.m. – 4.00 p.m. Monday to Friday, and a submission or observation in relation to the application may be made to the Planning Authority in writing on payment of the prescribed fee (€20.00) within the period of 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the Authority of the planning application, and such submissions or observations will be considered by the Planning Authority in making a decision on the application. The Planning Authority may grant permission subject to or without conditions, or may refuse to grant permission.

KILKENNY COUNTY COUNCIL

We, Triona Costelloe and Ritchie Stewart intend to apply to Kilkenny County Council for Planning Permission to build a part two storey part single storey dwelling house, single storey domestic garage, upgrading of existing entrance to the public roadway, treatment system and percolation area, landscaping and all associated site development works at Wallslough, Co. Kilkenny

The planning application may be inspected, or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy, at the offices of the Planning Department, Kilkenny County Council, County Hall, John Street, Kilkenny, during its public opening hours 9 a.m.- 1.00 p.m. and 2.00 p.m. – 4.00 p.m. Monday to Friday, and a submission or observation in relation to the application may be made to the Planning Authority in writing on payment of the prescribed fee (€20.00) within the period of 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the Authority of the planning application, and such submissions or observations will be considered by the Planning Authority in making a decision on the application. The Planning Authority may grant permission subject to or without conditions, or may refuse to grant permission.

KILKENNY COUNTY COUNCIL

I, Seamus Carroll, intend to apply to Kilkenny County Council for Planning Permission to construct a domestic garage for the storage of vintage machinery, and all associated site works at Sheskin Commons, Callan, Kilkenny. The planning application may be inspected, or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy, at the offices of the Planning Department, Kilkenny County Council, County Hall, John Street, Kilkenny, during its public opening hours 9 a.m.- 1.00 p.m. and 2.00 p.m. – 4.00 p.m. Monday to Friday, and a submission or observation in relation to the application may be made to the Planning Authority in writing on payment of the prescribed fee (€20.00) within the period of 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the Authority of the planning application, and such submissions or observations will be considered by the Planning Authority in making a decision on the application. The Planning Authority may grant permission subject to or without conditions, or may refuse to grant permission.

PAULINE KENNEDY (NEE O’GORMAN) 22ND ANNIVERSARY

In loving memory of Pauline, late of 12 Hazel Grove, Kilkenny who passed away on July 10th 2002

Our lives go on without you

But nothing is the same

We have to hide our heartache

When someone speaks your name

No matter how life changes

No matter what we do

A special place within our hearts Is always kept for you

Loved and remembered your loving husband Colm, daughter Caroline, sons John Paul and Declan, grandchildren, son-in-law and daughter-in-law

A Prayer to the Blessed Virgin

(never known to fail).

O most beautiful flower of Mount Carmel, Fruitful vine, Splendour of Heaven, Blessed Mother of the Son of God, O Star of the sea, help me and show me herein you are my Mother. O Holy Mary Mother of God, Queen of Heaven and Earth, I humbly beseech you from the bottom of my heart to grant my request. (Pleasestaterequest).Therearenonethatcanwithstand your power. O show me herein you are my Mother. I place this cause in your hands (three times). Thank you for your mercy towards me and mine. Amen. This prayer must be said for three days and after this the request will be granted. This prayer must be published immediately. M.B.

PEGGY LANIGAN 26TH ANNIVERSARY

In loving memory of Peggy, late of 43 Assumption Place, Kilkenny whose anniversary occurs on 9th July.

A bouquet of beautiful memories Sprayed with a million tears Wishing God could have spared you If just for a few more years

A loving wife, mother and grandmother too Each one thought the world of you For us you always did your best God grant your soul eternal rest Sadly missed and always loved your daughters, sons and grandchildren

Anniversary Mass in St. John’s Church on 6th July at 6.00pm

The Miracle Prayer

Dear heart of Jesus, in the past I have asked many favours.

This time I ask you this special one (mention favour).

Take it dear heart of Jesus and place it within your heart where your father sees it. Then in his merciful eyes it will become your own favour not mine. Amen.

Say this prayer three times for three days and your favour will be granted. Never been known to fail.

Must promise publication of prayer. A.B.

The Miracle Prayer

Dear heart of Jesus, in the past I have asked many favours. This time I ask you this special one (mention favour).

Take it dear heart of Jesus and place it within your heart where your father sees it. Then in his merciful eyes it will become your own favour not mine. Amen.

Say this prayer three times for three days and your favour will be granted. Never been known to fail.

Must promise publication of prayer. J.W.

The Miracle Prayer

Dear heart of Jesus, in the past I have asked many favours.

This time I ask you this special one (mention favour).

Take it dear heart of Jesus and place it within your heart where your father sees it. Then in his merciful eyes it will become your own favour not mine. Amen.

Say this prayer three times for three days and your favour will be granted. Never been known to fail.

Must promise publication of prayer. M.B.