Kilkenny Observer 6th May 2022

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Oil price likely to soar Ireland will be fully exposed to price hikes if and when an oil and gas embargo is imposed on Russia, according to Energy Minister Eamon Ryan.

The EU has warned member states to prepare for the possibility of a full disruption of Russian gas and oil by the Kremlin.

EU energy ministers met recently in an emergency meeting in Brussels following Russia’s move to cut gas supplies to Poland and Bulgaria.

Both countries were due to make payments to Russian state Gazprom gas company but refused to give into new demands by the Kremlin to convert their payments into a second ruble bank account at Gazprombank.

“All member states have to have plans in place for full disruption,” said European Commissioner for Energy Kadri Simson.

“We started planning for this in January, but it requires full

solidarity and co- ordination from all 27 members,” she told a Press conference after the meeting.

The decision by Gazprom to suspend gas supplies to Bulgaria and Poland “marks a turning point in the current crisis, and is a warning that any member state could be next,” said the commissioner.

Paying in rubles is a clear violation of EU sanctions as it provides assets for the sanctioned Russian Central Bank.

Minister Ryan said Ireland was fully exposed to the global price hike that will ensue if and when an oil embargo is implemented..

The European Commission is due to propose a sixth sanctions’ package which will include targeting Russian oil imports.

Meanwhile, an Irishman has been included on the latest list of people facing sanctions imposed by the UK, as part of sanctions targeting

major media organisations in Russia just announced.

Journalist Bryan MacDonald, whose place of birth is recorded as in the Kilkenny/ Carlow area in the documents, is listed due to his work for Russian news outlet RT, formerly known as Russia Today which was taken off air in EU countries and the UK at the beginning of the war.

Going against Putin Ukraine: Analysis, Page 15

Caped Crusader!

It’s Toddle Time as the Barnardos children’s charity is joined by a group of toddlers and Ambassador Karen Koster to launch their 19th annual Big Toddle.

At the launch is Charlie Maher, age 4.

It hasn’t gone away, you know In more than two and a half years, the coronavirus has had billions of chances to reconfigure itself. With yet another variant emerging, scientists, globally, are saying that even more emerging variants may see a frantic search for new vaccines Special Report, Page 14

With rifles under their ruffles Tens of thousands of Ukrainian women have taken up arms during the war sparked by Russia’s invasion. Women constitute as much as 15% to 17% of the Ukrainian fighting force.

Ukraine offers a unique insight into the roles women play in defending a nation and as leaders in their own right.

Paul Hopkins, Page 8

PHOTO: Patrick Bolger Full story, Page 4

The North votes

To many in the North of Ireland, the 26 counties are seen as a different country and there are plenty of people in Ulster who think like that, not necessarily those who are voting Unionist in the Northern Assembly elections...

Marianne Heron, Page 12

INSIDE Paul Hopkins ....................... P8 Marianne Heron...............P12

We’re a fat lot of obese people, says study We Irish are one of the most obese nations in Europe, according the the World Health Organisation (WHO) which says the condition has reached epidemic proportions Levels of obesity in Ireland, which affect more than one in EVERY FRIDAY

four adults, are now above the European average and the condition has reached epidemic proportions, a major WHO report warns.

Obesity prevalence for men and women in this country has now climbed to 25.3% com-

The Kilkenny

Observer UNIT 7, FRIARY STREET, KILKENNY, R95 VHY7

pared to a European average of 23.3%.

The difference is most striking for Irish men, 25.1% of whom are obese compared to an 21.8% on average across Europe.

Ireland ranks ninth in a table of 53 countries for obesity. It is

in 11th place for people who are either overweight or obese.

Among children aged five to nine, Ireland is in ninth place for overweight and obesity.

Among those aged 10 to 19 Ireland is in 10th place.

The report warns obesity has

reached epidemic proportions across Europe and is still escalating. Obesity is linked to at least 13 types of cancer.

Overall, six in 10 adults in Ireland are now overweight or obese, including 66.1% of men and 55.2% of women

John Ellis ...........................P16 Health & Science..............P18 Travel & Leisure ...............P19 Gerry Cody P32-33, 39, 42-43 Food & Drink.....................P36 TV & Streaming ...............P37 Picture Special .......... P40 - 41 Sport............................. P48 - 51

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GETTING IN TOUCH WITH THE TEAM

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 06 May 2022

News Barnardos children’s charity has launched their 19th annual Big Toddle, this year celebrating the Big Toddle’s Little Heroes — Ireland’s youngest fundraisers who help vulnerable children their own age by completing a fun half-mile sponsored walk in their creche, childcare group, pre-school and with their families.

In the last 19 years these Little Heroes have toddled more than 300,000 miles and raised €4.2 million in support of Barnardos Early Years Services.

Big Toddle Ambassador Karen Koster said: “I’m delighted to be part of Barnardos’ Big Toddle and proud of the hard work of all the little fundraisers across the country. Every child taking part should see themselves as a Little Hero. What could be more special than children helping children to have happy childhood memories?

“I’m encouraging crèches, pre-schools, community groups and families to get involved to help raise money to support Barnyards’ Early Years services across the country. To join in the fun, register today at www.barnardos.ie/bigtoddle. Enjoy and happy toddling everyone! “ Barnardos Director of Fundraising Mary Gamble said: “Barnardos has worked with children and families in Ireland for 60 years to transform the lives of vulnerable children, because childhood

Kids, it’s Toddle Time in Kilkenny! lasts a lifetime. We know that as a result of the cost of living increases the families we support are under more pressure than ever before.

“This is why this year’s Big Toddle is so important – because with the help of Ireland’s littlest fundraisers we can reach more children who need us. I urge you to

register your family or creche online at www.barnardos.ie/ bigtoddle.’

Whether you’re a local crèche, a parent or a childminder you can organise your own Big Toddle anytime in May or June by registering at www.barnardos.ie/bigtoddle . Your support ensures that some

of the youngest and most vulnerable children Barnardos works with are given the best possible start in life. * For information on Barnardos services in your area, please contact: Barnardos Press Office: communications@barnardos. ie / 086 0445966

Child’s play: with Karen Foster at the launch of Toddle Time in Dublin’s Herbert Park are, from left Charlie Maher (4), Zara Bayam (4), and Charley Buttimer (4) PHOTO Patrick Bolger

AT A GLANCE

• Barnardos Big Toddle, a fun half-mile sponsored walk for crèche and pre-school aged children in Kilkenny is launched

by Barnardos Ambassador Karen Koster • Over 750 toddlers in Kilkenny are already taking part, that’s over 350 miles – a lot for little legs!

• This year Barnardos celebrates Big Toddle’s Little Heroes Ireland’s youngest fundraisers who help vulnerable children their own age • Register for the Big Toddle here www.barnardos.ie/bigtoddle

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News

Increase in rural suicides Farming communities are at particular risk with mental health issues in rural Ireland coming under increasing scrutiny. Farm communities are particularly at risk of rural isolation and depression.

On average, 25 farmers die every year by suicide, according to figures released by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) to the Farming Independent.

Mental health in rural areas has become a particular point of concern, especially in the wake of a number of high-profile murder/suicide cases in the country last year.

While the latest figures from the CSO only go back as far as 2019, there has already been considerable concern in certain areas this year, with Cork County Council recently informed of several farmer sui-

cides in local communities.

The news is likely to upset many living in rural Ireland, but the rate of farmer suicide has decreased over the years from a high of 34 cases in 2014 to 25 cases in 2019, and an ever-growing awareness of depression and mental health issues in communities is being supported by charities such as Make A Move And Embrace Farm.

However, farmers are still a vulnerable group of society with a previous Men’s Health Forum report highlighting the stigma that is felt by many male farmers in opening up about their feelings of depression.

The most recent National Self-Harm Registry Report also highlighted that at hospitals considered to be in rural areas, such as Bantry and

An Post ‘sold our private data to companies’ Private information about householders, including economic and marital details, have allegedly been sold to private companies by An Post, according to the Irish Council for Civil Liberties.

The organisation has complained to the Data Protection Commissioner about the sale

by GeoDirectory, a subsidiary of An Post, of the data, which is filtered by individual address and Eircode.

A typical entry on the GeoDirectory database includes records of an address, Eircode, type of building, year of build, electoral division, and GPS coordinates.

The company’s ‘GeoPeople’ database categorises residents of an address by socioeconomic and marital status, with labels such as “affluent city singles”, “struggling older families”, or “deprived urban families”.

Marketing material from GeoDirectory recommends combining the different data sets to build a full profile.

The source of the socioeconomic information is unclear.

GeoDirectory’s website states it is “backed by An Post and Ordnance Survey Ireland, and combine the manpower of the former, with the cutting-edge technology of the latter to provide you with the most exhaustive data available in the market”.

The firm’s website says GeoPeople categorises “every address in Ireland into five broad neighbourhood clusters”, these being “affluent”, “advantaged”, “striving”, “struggling”, and “deprived”. It then breaks those categories down further to include family information such as “affluent empty nesters” or “struggling families”.

It adds that “each dimension” of the dataset for sale “is based on data points from the national Census”. Census data is bound as confidential, and is generally withheld for 100 years.

GeoDirectory said it only uses publicly available information. was unaware of a complaint to the DPC but is happy to engage if required.

A spokesperson said it has been corresponding with the ICCL for some months on the

matter and denied that the records in question constitute personal data as, they said, no one is identifiable.

UCD law professor and chair of Digital Rights Ireland TJ McIntyre said of GeoDirectory’s activity: “The most obvious question is what is the source of the data.”

To say it is not personal data is hogwash. Personal data includes inferred data about someone, not just data directly or indirectly supplied by that person.”

“There are a few different issues — maybe 80% of it is looking at An Post, the other is at the entities who’re giving that data,” he added.

“The Census suggestion is huge as it has huge confidentiality statutes.”

The information sold by GeoDirectory is used by insurance and healthcare companies, although anyone can purchase a dataset, at a cost of €150 for 1,000 records.

‘Incredibly personal information’ Ahead of making the complaint, the ICCL’s human rights officer Olga Cronin said she had been “able to buy data about each of my neighbours, how much money they have, and whether they are single or not”.

Ms Cronin also said that such “incredibly personal information” is “specially protected under EU law”.

In its complaint, seen by the Irish Examiner, the ICCL argues that in selling that data, GeoDirectory has infringed Article 5 of the GDPR in numerous ways, including in terms of lawfulness and transparency, accuracy, purpose limitation, and accountability.

The GDPR states that profiling peoples’ “economic situation” creates a high risk to them.

Ms Cronin said the sale of the data in question was “deeply problematic”.

Ennis, self-harm cases have almost doubled. Men were more likely than women to need treatment for alcohol abuse and self-cutting.

“Men who engaged in selfcutting required more intensive treatment than women,” the report said.

“Respectively, in 2019, 22% of men received sutures and 3% were referred for plastic surgery compared to 18%

and 1% of women,” sit says.

While the report is from 2019, many will be concerned that the pandemic exacerbated issues around accessing mental health services, particularly in rural areas. * If you have been affected by this story, the Samaritans is a free support service. Freephone 116 123 or visit samaritans.org.

Kilkenny cleans up its act

More than 100 Kilkenny groups joined the National Spring Clean 2022 campaign with highest results yet achieved In the past 23 years, the initiative has been highlighted the collective responsibility we share in tackling and preventing our national litter problem.

National Spring Clean is operated by the Environmental Education Unit of An Taisce in partnership with Local Authorities and supported by the Depart-

ment of Communications, Climate Action and Environment and Mars Wrigley Ireland.

This year, the campaign returned to it’s usual month long clean up after two years of restricted clean-ups due to the pandemic.

More than 100 groups from Kilkenny registered to carry out clean-ups throughout the country, an increase on the number of registered groups this time last year making #SpringClean22 Ireland’s

largest anti-litter campaign to date.

Almost 5,000 Kilkenny volunteers have participated in organised clean-ups throughout the county.

Nationwide, volunteers collected an estimated 2,800 tonnes of litter. Furthermore, National Spring Clean has been a starting point for a large number of groups to organise regular clean-up events all year long!

National Spring Clean 2022 has been an amazing opportunity for communi-

ties to come together and do their bit for their local environment, contribute to creating a more sustainable community, be with like-minded people and make a difference.

This year the theme of community pride was at the forefront of the campaign with The National Spring Clean urging people of all ages to gather friends, family, classmates, neighbours or colleagues to unite in cleaning their shared green spaces together.

Calls to set up domestic violence register Those convicted of violence against women should be placed on a register of offenders. Such a registry could be accessible to women, through An Garda Síochána, who are in a relationship with someone who has previous convictions.

Fianna Fáil TD for Dublin Bay South, Jim O’Callaghan, told Newstalk Breakfast this idea came about after speaking to the families of women who have been murdered.

“We spoke to Claire Lott, the mother of Nadine, we spoke to Jason Poole, the [brother] of Jennifer.

“What became apparent, particularly from speaking

to Jason Poole, was that the man convicted of murdering his sister Jennifer he had previously, violently assaulted a previous partner.

“There’s an incidence of previous assaults happening and a lot of women, and this is particularly the case with Jennifer Poole, she’d no awareness of this detail about the person she was in a relationship with.

“And we recognise that that’s something that maybe women should be given access to”.

Deputy O’Callaghan says this could work similarly to the Sex Offenders Register.

“On conviction of domestic violence, information about

the individual convicted would be provided to the Gardaí.

“It wouldn’t be publicly available... but it would be available that the Gardaí could make a decision that they were going to disclose it to individuals if they thought it was appropriate in order to protect that individual”.

He explains how such a system would work.

“If it was the case that a woman reported to the Gardaí that she had been attacked, and the Gardaí were investigating a case of domestic abuse, if the Gardaí were aware in that situation that the person who is alleged to have committed

the abuse had previous convictions - in that situation the Gardaí may believe it’s appropriate to warn the woman in the relationship about the fact that this guy has previous convictions for domestic violence”.

He adds that while the discretion is on Gardaí, “the primary focus would have to be to ensure that women who are in relationships with men who are known to be violent are informed of that, if they’re not aware of it already”.

Anyone affected by issues raised in this article can contact the Women’s Aid 24hr national freephone helpline on 1800-341-900

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News Opinion

The Fact Of The Matter PAUL HOPKINS

Women with their rifles under their ruffles Three months into the pandemic I interviewed the globally-renowned photographer Kim Haughton for the Sunday Independent. During a wideranging interview from Washington DC, where — masked up and sturdy Nikon to hand — she was covering the #blacklivesmatter protests, the Dublin native told me she would wish to have photographed Countess Markievicz.

“That idea of her in petticoats but with her rifle under the ruffles appeals. She’s at once feminine and then not feminine,” said Haughton.

Women have played many roles in warfare down the centuries, from keeping the home fires burning to supporting the military with domestic back-up to taking up nursing roles near the frontlines of the Crimean War and the trenches of WW1.

It was WW2 that saw the role of women expand, with millions working to supply the militaries on all sides with the weapons of war. I had two Irish aunts

who joined the Wrens, Britain’s women’s naval service, as did many young Irish women.

Markievicz aside, women’s contribution here in 1919 was in setting up Cumann na mBan branches, providing safe houses and distributing money from the White Cross. They procured and smuggled arms. They were spies, too, described as “the eyes and ears” of the conflict.

Ukraine offers a unique insight into the roles women play in defending a nation and as leaders in their own right.

Tens of thousands of Ukrainian women have taken up arms during the war sparked

by Russia’s invasion. Women constitute as much as 15% to 17% of the Ukrainian fighting force. In the first two weeks of the conflict, social media was replete with images of women training for combat.

Ukrainian women have historically shown strength, bolstered by enjoying an independence not common in other parts of the world. One

reason for this is, actually, the country’s geography. A temperate climate and fertile land has combined to enable independence for hardworking people.

Fathers didn’t need to trade their daughters for a dowry to plough the land, nor were they indebted serfs to wealthy landowners. A widow could remain unmarried if she chose to and thrive by cultivating her garden and tending to her animals.

In Ukrainian folklore, there is a recurrent character of a single woman, often a widow, who can survive and thrive without a man.

Since the war began, the Ukrainian Government has been highlighting the country’s tradition of women’s empowerment. However, their representation at government level could be a lot better and, no doubt, the life of many Ukrainian women has been no fairytale, given the history of Soviet domination and the ongoing conflict since 2014 and, indeed, further back.

A mindful workplace is a successful workplace ANDREW MCDONALD HYPNOTHERAPIST

Mindfulness makes the workplace a more productive environment for both employees and employers.

Once simply a Buddhist practice firmly rooted in the East, mindfulness has seen a popularity boom in the Western world. Yet, it is something which is still frequently misunderstood.

Neither weird nor wonderful, mindfulness is beautiful in its simplicity. All it means is being aware of what is going on both in the external and internal world. In other words, awareness of occurrences within, and outside the practitioner’s body.

The first benefit to the workplace is an increase in focus.

Places of employment are, by nature, busy. With so much going on, it is easy to get distracted. Concentration quickly becomes very difficult.

In fact, despite being an overly used buzzword, there is good evidence that multitasking is impossible for human beings. Workers are almost

expected to do what they cannot by nature. No wonder then, that, with mindfulness training, employees score higher in tests on readingcomprehension, working memory capacity and ability to reduce the frequency of distracting thoughts.

A focused worker is a healthier, less stressed, and more efficient worker. Not only is this advantageous for the employee, but the employer benefits from a more productive workforce. Potentially, it also cuts down on sick leave, too. Productivity increases and burnout reduces. A study conducted in a chemical factory in America demonstrated that a mindfulness programme led directly to a $22,000 saving per employee for the company.

As a direct result of being less stressed, mindfulness practitioners become more helpful. A study carried out by five leading international education institutions found that employees who are mindful are more willing to spend time helping colleagues. Again, the plus points for both workers and bosses are obvious.

Communication also improves dramatically. When a boss is mindful, it signals humility, compassion, and

authenticity to staff. A manager becomes a team player.

A leader, yes. A dictator, no.

By being more approachable, heads of companies encourage their employees to engage both with them, and with each other in a more honest and productive manner. This also filters down through an organisation’s hierarchy.

It seems almost silly to point out that teams comprised of helpful, more communicative co-workers encounter less conflict. Workplace arguments and power politics demotivate staff, leading to them being less efficient, and cost employers serious time and money in bringing resolution.

Furthermore, it causes another headache for bosses through high turnover.

Whilst it is, in reality, easy to understand, it does take time to build mindfulness as a habit. You simply cannot go from near zero to fully aware overnight. All this means, however, is regularly taking a couple of minutes to be mindful and increase that time, and the frequency of those periods, over weeks and months.

Don’t be hard on yourself if you struggle at first, you’ll get there. And when you do, your workplace will be transformed!

Since the start of this invasion, several remarkable videos have shown Ukrainian women opposing armed Russian soldiers.

One woman was famously shown offering sunflower seeds to the troops, instructing them to “at least put these seeds in your pockets, so sunflowers will grow when you all die here”. Another showed a woman yelling at a heavily armed Russian soldier atop his tank in Konotop: “Don’t you know where you are? You’re in Konotop. Every other woman here is a witch. You’ll never get an erection, starting tomorrow.”

Ukrainian women not already in the armed forces or confronting Russian soldiers with sharp tongues have been volunteering on the frontlines.

This practice traces its roots to the 2014 Revolution of Dignity, when volunteers created a de facto second State while the official State failed, crippled

by Russian-led corruption and cronyism.

In 2014, female volunteers

delivered meals, clothes and fuel to the men who defended Maidan – Kyiv’s Independence Square, which became the stage for months-long protests against riot police and proRussian mercenaries. Volunteers supplied hospitals and ambulances with medicines; they assembled rapid-response defence teams to shield locations where attacks were imminent; and they made camouflage nets and hid the wounded from persecution.

In 2022, some of the same Ukrainian women have stepped into what are now familiar roles, working day and night to address the needs of the army and of the volunteer forces, stranded civilians, the disabled and elderly, medical practitioners and even abandoned pets.

Grandmothers are using their sewing machines to make flak jackets and military uniforms. A joke on Ukrainian social media is: “If you tell Ukrainian volunteers that a nuclear warhead is needed, it will take them about

two hours to put one together and deliver it to the specified address. Along with tea and biscuits.”

While not every volunteer in Ukraine is a woman, reportedly they do form the majority of the volunteer force.

As with the Kurdish women known as the ‘Daughters of Kobani’ who fought in Syria and Iraq, there are powerful psychological effects when women take up arms. Soldiers who perceive they could lose against women might feel emasculated, which was the effect of YPJ, the Women’s Protection Units of the Syrian Democratic Forces, on Isis fighters in 2014-2016.

Like those women, Ukrainian women now have rose to the occasion. They are courageous and deadly effective.

Behind every successful man is a woman goes the old adage.

This war shows that, perhaps, behind the relative success of the Ukrainian army is an army of Ukrainian women.

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€500,000 for women's refuge Twilight Community Group and Amber Women's Refuge, in Co Kilkenny are among 68 community projects to receive financial support from Bank of Ireland’s Begin Together programme in 2022.

In total, €500,000 is being allocated to groups across the island of Ireland in year three of the fund, delivered in partnership with the Community Foundation for Ireland. This

will bring the total value of grants issued via the Community Fund to €1.5m.since 2020.

The fund is one strand of the Bank of Ireland Begin Together programme, a threeyear, €4 Million initiative to support community groups, local enterprise and the arts across the island of Ireland.

The Community Fund aims to support initiatives that

are improving the financial, mental, or physical wellbeing with initiatives receiving up to €20,000 each for projects spanning financial literacy and wellbeing, mental health, disability, inclusion and diversity and social isolation.

Laura Lynch, Chief Marketing Officer, Bank of Ireland, said: “We’re immensely proud to support a wide range of community groups,

charities, and social enterprises working across Ireland.

What they do unites, supports and protects local communities and the most vulnerable in society.

“Communities across Ireland still face many challenges. At this time, we are acutely aware of the pressure on resources of community groups, and notably those supporting migrant

groups, like Together-Razem, who, along with their existing range of counselling and educational supports, are providing urgent assistance to Ukrainian refugees.

"It’s our hope that support from the Begin Together Fund will help them continue to provide the practical financial counselling and also provide education that is vital to the wellbeing of the communities

that they support,” she said.

Together-Razem provides financial counselling, education and supports in native languages for Polish, Romanian and Ukrainian immigrants – have been recipients of the Begin Together Community Fund since its inception. The 2022 Begin Together grant will benefit a new financial education project taking place over 14 weeks.

Ballykeeffe Reserve will benefit from capital fund Following the launch of the NPWS Review and Action Plan at Ballykeeffe Amphitheatre in Kilkenny, Minister of Housing and Heritage Darragh O’Brien TD and Minister of State Malcolm Noonan TD have announced capital funding for infrastructure works at the nearby Ballykeeffe Wood Nature Reserve.

Ballykeeffe Wood Nature Reserve is a popular woodland walk, 55 hectares of a young ash woodland, pedunculated oak and an abundance of bramble and bluebells.

The car park at Ballykeeffe Wood is used for access to the Nature Reserve and also to Ballykeeffe Amphitheatre and currently has limited capacity for visitors. A greater number of visitors could be facilitated at this picturesque site if parking capacity was improved.

Minister O’Brien and Minister Noonan are happy to announce that capital funding of €30,000 has been secured in order to improve the infrastructure and car park, extend the tarmac cover and provide revised pedestrian access.

CUT

Have you seen sisters Helen and Melissa?

At time of going to press, sisters Helen and Melissa McDonnell are missing from Killeshin Road, Carlow, since early Sunday morning, May 1. Helen (right) is 15 and described as being 1.54m (5'1") in height, of slim build and with brown hair and blue

eyes. Melissa is 14 and also 1.54m (5'1") tall and of slight build. It is not known what either girl was wearing when they left home.

Gardaí are concerned for their safety and anyone with any information on their whereabouts should

contact Carlow Garda Station on 059 9174300, the Garda Confidential Line 1 800 666 111 or any Garda station.

We here at The Kilkenny Observer hope that, by the time your are reading this, both girls have been found safe and well.

Calling agri-innovators Agri-innovators and entrepreneurs in Kilkenny are invited to enter Enterprise Ireland’s Innovation Arena Awards 2022, which will return to this year’s National Ploughing Championship event.

The Innovation Arena competition, which is run in partnership with the National Ploughing Association, is an annual competition that invites businesses and innovators in the agritech sector to enter their pioneering agrirelated products and services for consideration.

For the last two years, the awards have been held virtually. However, this year will see the return of the hugely popular ‘Enterprise Ireland Innovation Arena’ at the three-day National Ploughing

Championship, one of Europe’s largest outdoor events, which is being held in Ratheniska, Laois from September 20 to 22.

There are a number of prizes across several categories, and those who are short-listed will be invited to showcase their products and innovative agritech solutions at the ‘Enterprise Ireland Innovation Arena’, alongside the winners from the virtual competition in 2020 and 2021.

Ireland has a long and proud history in the agricultural sector, and now global leaders are increasingly turning to Irish ag-tech innovators for solutions. At the Innovation Arena at the National Ploughing Championship, the future of Irish agritech will be on dis-

play, including a wide variety of future proofing solutions along with the latest advances in agri machinery.

Kilkenny-based innovators and entrepreneurs in the agriculture sector are invited to enter the competition now, and the closing date for applications is June 1.

Last year’s competition attracted more than 50 entries.

Categories in this year’s competition include the Established Company ‘Innovator of the Year Award’, the Start-up Company ‘Innovator of the Year Award’, the Sustainable Agriculture Award, Agri-Safety Award and Young Innovator of the Year. * To enter this year’s Innovation Arena Awards, visit www.innovationarena.ie.

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Feature

Where are you, Walter Lally …

BY NED EGAN

Part 2 Nearly seventy years ago, and I remember that kind woman. May her God be extremely good to her, and may she sit forever in His Innermost Sanctum. A Roscommon woman – bless the county and parents who produced her.

Now, I get to Walter Lally.

From the very first day I spent in the San, I had heard tales of derring-do related to him: stories about this youth, which would rank him up there with the likes of Beau Geste or Huckleberry Finn. There was no adventure he hadn’t starred in, and his prowess in all things was absolutely accepted, and beyond question.

In all gatherings of humans, whether they be male or female, little or big - you will always find a dissenter to the almost unanimous perception of an alleged hero. But in the case of Walter Lally - there was no

nay-sayer. He was revered and worshipped by one and all. Handsome as they come, he looked like Sinatra.

He had left Peamount many moons before I arrived, but had never forgotten his little friends, and arrived out, regular as clockwork, twice every month, to visit his former fiefdom.

Apparently, because of his wise ways and kind nature, and despite the fact he was well into his teens, he’d been deputised – {had ‘the nod’ – from Sister Boyle – of course!} to spend all his spare time with the children in our Wing – a good ‘big brother’ to them all.

All through the week before the Sunday of his first visit of my hospitalisation, the ward was in a state of high excitement. Close friends of his basked in his reflected glory, telling ever more dramatic tales about their hero. He had, indeed, the status of a Sultan, and we all - even those who had never met him - tried to make up tales that would add to his luminous legend.

On the Sunday he was due, we were all agog. He was, it seemed, just as popular with the staff as he was with the

children, and was escorted down to our ward by a Sister.

When he came in the door, I saw someone who was most unusual, someone who seemed out of reach - exotic as a Prince of far exotic Realms. This tanned young man, immaculately dressed, had an aura about him that set him apart from the rest of our simple raw brigade of know-nothings. He was our first contact with civilised man. Although we knew it not, at the time.

Walking around amongst his former lieutenants, he asked how were things going, and if he could be of assistance. Many a letter was handed over, to be stamped and posted - at his own expense, and uncensored to some poor mother waiting for news of her son.

For a couple of hours, he circulated amongst ‘old friends,’ giving hope and encouragement to those whom he could define, from experience, as not being in the greatest of health or form.

I had stayed over in my bed in a corner, too shy to approach this Grecian god who had appeared amongst us. Then, to my amazement, he walked down to my bed!

The other lads didn’t seem a bit surprised. Nor jealous – they were a lovely crowd of children.

“And who have we here”, he go, flashing that great big lightning-strike of a smile, “and where in Erin’s Isle are you from”?

I could hardly answer, I was so dumbstruck. He sat down on the edge of the bed, and said: “I was new here myself, a few years ago.

I was lucky that a lad from Ballyragget - Jimmy Moore - made me feel at home. I got on well with everyone, after that. Don’t believe all the stories these lads tell you about me - they have to have a hero in a place like this and I happened to fit the bill.

I tried not to let them down and they never let me down.

Now, what did you say your name was”?

So I told him I was Ned Egan, a son of the famous footballer of the same name, captain of Tipperary. It was all I had to brag about.

“Well, the great Ned Egan of Tipperary!” he go - “The famous man! Bejay, but you’re a lucky lad!” And he went on to praise the ‘great Tipperary Football Team’ to the rafters, and made me feel that, indirectly, I

amounted to something, in the great scheme of things. {It was only many years later that I realised he’d have had no idea at all about a junior match that took place in 1912. He was just boosting me up. And it worked.} He then - in a completely unexpected {by me} gesture - shook my hand and said “See you next time, Neddy boy!” and went on to the another bed, where he used his magic to cheer up Danny, a desperately long thin and lonely reclusive bed-wetting Donegal boy, who had just few painridden months to travel along, before the mercy and final comfort of the box embraced him.

All through that dark winters afternoon he talked to us, and encouraged and entertained us. He produced several bags of sweets, and some marbles for those lads - like myself - who hadn’t managed to acquire this magic glass currency.

Yes, he gave them only to those who had nothing. And not one boy tried to cheat their way into getting a tiny shimmering ball: his magic rubbed off on all - even on the tough chaws - or what passed for hard cases in that

innocent place.

He sometimes brought his beautiful girlfriend along, and she was as kind – and as welcomed – as himself.

When he finally left, although we were sad to see him go, we gave him a great cheer. He assured us that he’d be back in a few weeks, and waved to us all the way down the driveway, until cut off by the trees.

I saw him many times afterwards, and he never changed.

The only sad thing about it was that when I went home, it was a sudden thing, and I never got the chance to say ‘good luck’ to him.

So, if you ever see this story, Walter Lally, you’ll know that your legacy of kindness wasn’t wasted.

You live on in my life, and always will. And, when I thank you, I am sure I speak for many other small lonely victims of a hard life, to whom you were a real hero.

Ned E DISCLAIMER The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of The Kilkenny Observer.

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Opinion AS I SEE IT MARIANNE HERON

Little things sometimes say a lot. Like the way someone mentioned the other day that they were going on holiday to Ireland. Good plan, yes, but the odd thing about it was that the person involved comes from the North of Ireland. To this individual the 26 counties are seen as a different country and there are plenty of people in Ulster who think like that, not necessarily those who have voted Unionist in the Northern Assembly elections on May 5 Like many of us here in the South, Northerners are in favour of a united Ireland, but not just yet, thank you.

It’s too early and it’s hard to see how the arrangement might work in practical and financial terms isn’t it? According to a survey carried out earlier this month only 30% of those surveyed in the North want a united Ireland now but a third would be in favour in 10 to 15 year’s time.

Aspirations are similar here and like our Northern counterparts our main concerns are around issues like the rising cost of living and the state of the health service.

But emotionally and sometime in the future it doesn’t make sense for most to have one of our four green fields

The more we share, the less the Border will matter

cut off by a border.

So we need change over the next a decade or a decade and a half before we are ready to embrace a united island. Having lived both sides of the Border I believe that trying to rush the issue and hold a border poll — as some nationalists and Sinn

Fein in particular want to do is unwise at this point, would raise Unionist hackles and delay unification.

Back in the day in the aftermath of the Troubles I reported on an experiment where schoolboys from the Protestant Shankill in the North were brought down

What will climate change mean for allergies?

CLAIR WHITTY

Many people get hayfever every year. It’s frustrating. It affects your eyes, nose, and mouth. It’s caused by pollens from grass, flowers, trees, and weeds. You cannot escape these pollens that arrive every year. But what would you say if I told you that you can expect to see longer hayfever seasons? You wouldn’t be impressed would you.

I recently listened to a lecture given by Dr Ross Walton, an Immunologist and clinical researcher. He spoke about climate change and how we may see longer hayfever seasons.

He said that increased CO2 levels leads to faster, larger growth of plants and trees and this can lead to a change in the total pollen burden with pollen being produced for longer.

Where there is a warmer climate with milder winters it can also lead to prolonged flowering of native flora. We are all familiar with the changes in the weather. We are seeing more frequent forest fires, droughts, heatwaves, thunderstorms, floods, storms,

and hurricanes. Some of you have already noticed that your symptoms last longer or are more severe in recent years.

Dr. Walton suggested a healthy diet that includes probiotic and fermented foods as well as exercise, and stopping smoking can also help. You’ll need a good strong immune system to help protect you. When you inhale pollens, your immune system reacts inducing a release of histamine which causes the symptoms that you experience. Inadequate sleep

and high levels of stress and external environmental pollutants can also have a negative impact on your immune system. Rather than avoiding going outside he surprisingly suggested the opposite, get out a little every day to help increase your resistance.

Every year I talk about Hayfever, and I talk about taking supplements in advance of the season to help lessen the problem. One of my long time favourites is A.Vogel Pollinosan, this is because I see real results with it. Start it before the season even begins, now would be a great time. You can get A.Vogel Luffa Complex for young children.

Choose A.Vogel Pollinosan Spray to cleanse the nasal passageway and to ease symptoms. You can also get Pollinosan Hayfever Eye Drops with chamomile and HLA to soothe itchy, irritated eyes. Customers love these products; I hope you will too.

Shop online at www. naturalhealthstore.ie where you’ll be able to take a look at these brands.

Natural Health Store, Market Cross Shopping Centre Phone: 056 7764538 Email: info@naturalhealthstore.ie

to visit a school in Shankill in Co. Dublin. Initially the atmosphere was tense, the Northern lads had never been south much, less to a Catholic school. Then the facilitator asked which football teams the two groups supported and which trainers they were wearing? A forest

of hands went up for Manchester United and Nikes and the ice was broken. The group became one.

We need more crossBorder initiatives like the ‘Shared Island’ projects for infrastructure, tourism and climate action. We need more co-operation — look

at the madness of having two different sets of rules operating between North and South during Covid. We can look at what can be learnt from institutions operating on an all-Ireland basis, in business, sport and the church what can we share and save by doing so.

On the one hand duplication in a small island doesn’t seem to make economic sense, on the other there is the question of how much it would cost to take on the North where the British subvention runs to £10billion a year and a quarter of all employees in the North’s less dynamic economy work in the public service.

The cost element is one of the factors that makes people say ‘not yet’ when it comes to a united Ireland.

More optimistic estimates put the cost of unity much lower when the benefits pay off. For instance, North South trade has increased dramatically since Brexit, a symptom of the way relations are beginning to normalise outside the political sphere. The more we share the less that Border will matter.

And let’s forget our shared attitudes: a majority in the North wanted to remain in the EU. And can you imagine Northerners agreeing with Boris Johnson’s latest wheeze to ship cross -channel refugees off to Rwanda rather than offering sanctuary to 20,000 Ukrainians as we have done here?

Rural communities vulnerable to loan sharks BY: DEPUTY KATHLEEN FUNCHION SINN FEIN TD FOR KILKENNY CARLOW SINN Féin TD for Carlow Kilkenny Kathleen Funchion TD has called on the Garda Commissioner to establish a specialised Garda operation to target illegal loan sharks operating in communities across Carlow and Kilkenny.

This follows a continuing and worrying trend in unofficial reports of families falling victim to unregulated illegal loan shark groups within their communities.

Teachta Funchion said: “Communities are afraid to make official reports to Gardaí for fear of the consequences.

“Pay-day money-lenders such as Provident have ceased trading, which was welcomed at the time.

“However, we now have a situation where the cost of living has vastly increased and families are struggling, so they have turned to illegal moneylenders. These lenders are often members of local criminal gangs. I am fearful that we

will see a rise in people from Carlow and Kilkenny turning to money lenders as families continue to struggle to make ends meet.

“When people are unable to meet the extortionate interest and repayment costs, they are then threatened or their property is damaged. In some circumstances, these people are being intimidated and assaulted.

“Sinn Fein have written to the Garda Commissioner to make him aware of the ongoing situation, and I have asked him to put a targeted Garda team in place to tackle the activities of these criminals who are a blight on communities.

“Due to the fear these gangs instil in their victims and the fear they have of reporting the crime, a specialised approach will be required.

“People are in such dire financial straits that they perceive these

money-lenders are their only avenue to make ends meet.

This vulnerability is being fed upon by criminals across the Carlow and Kilkenny and it cannot be allowed to continue.”

The Kilkenny Observer Friday 06 May 2022

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 06 May 2022

News More than two years ago, in those early, and dreadful, terrifying days of the Covid pandemic scientists and medics offered one piece of reassuring news about the emerging coronavirus, that was that it mutated slowly.

The earliest mutations did not appear to be consequential. A vaccine, if and when it was invented, might not need regular updating over time.

This has proved just too optimistic.

The coronavirus, SARSCoV-2, has had billions of chances to reconfigure itself as it has spread across the globe, and it continues to evolve, generating new variants and subvariants at a pace that has kept the world’s leading scientists on their toes. Two-and-a-half years after it first spilled into humans, the virus has repeatedly changed its structure and chemistry in ways that confound efforts to bring it fully under control.

And it’s not showing signs of settling down into a harmless old age. Even with all the changes so far, it still has abundant evolutionary space to explore, according to virologists who are tracking it closely.

What that means in practical terms is that a virus that’s already extremely contagious could become even more so.

“This virus has probably got tricks we haven’t seen yet,” virologist Robert F. Garry of Tulane University in Louisiana said. “We know it’s probably not quite as infectious as measles yet, but it’s creeping up there, for sure.”

The latest member of the rogue’s gallery of variants and sub-variants is the ungainly named BA.2.12.1, part of the Omicron family. Preliminary research suggests it is about 25% more transmissible than the BA.2 sub-variant that is currently dominant nationally, according to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It said the subvariant has rapidly spread in the Northeast in particular, where it accounts for the majority of new infections.

“We have a very, very contagious variant out there. It is going to be hard to ensure that no one gets covid in America.

That’s not even a policy goal,” President Biden’s new Covid-19 Co-ordinator Ashish Jha said in his inaugural news briefing.

He was answering a question about Vice-President Harris, who recently tested positive for the virus and went into isolation. Ms Harris had recently been boosted for the second time — her fourth shot of vaccine.

Her case highlights what has become painfully obvious in recent months: No amount of vaccination or boosting can create a perfect shield against infection from SARS-CoV-2.

What the vaccines do very well, however, is greatly reduce the risk of severe illness.

The vaccines currently used were all based on the genomic sequence of the original strain of the virus that spread in late 2019 in Wuhan, China. They

SPECIAL REPORT

‘The corona has had billions of chances to reconfigure itself..

It hasn’t gone away, you know...

New emerging variants may see global scientists frantic to find new vaccines

essentially mimic the spike protein of that version of the virus and trigger an immune response that is protective when the real virus shows up.

But the variants that have emerged can evade many of the neutralising antibodies that are the immune system’s front line of defence.

“It’s evolving at a fairly rapid rate,” said Jesse Bloom, a computational biologist at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Centre in Seattle, Washington.

“I do think we need to aggressively consider whether we should update vaccines, and do it soon.”

BA.2.12.1 brings the novel coronavirus up another step on the contagiousness scale.

Its close relative, BA.2, was already more transmissible than the first Omicron strain that hit the country in late 2021.

And Omicron was more transmissible than Delta, and delta was more transmissible than Alpha, and Alpha was

more transmissible than earlier variants that did not have the glory of a Greek alphabet name.

Most mutations are not advantageous to the virus. But when a mutation offers some advantage, the process of natural selection will favour it.

There are two fundamental ways that the virus can improve its fitness through mutation. The first could be described as mechanical: It can become innately better at infecting a host. Perhaps it improves its ability to bind to a receptor cell. Or perhaps the mutation allows the virus to replicate in greater numbers once an infection has begun — increasing the viral load in the person and, commensurately, the amount of virus that is shed, potentially infecting other people.

The other strategy involves the workaround of immunity.

The human immune system, when primed by vaccines or

previous infection to be alert for a specific virus, will deploy antibodies that recognise and neutralise it. But mutations make the virus less familiar to the immune system’s front-line defence.

Scientists in South Africa have identified BA.4 and BA.5, which have mutations

that were seen in earlier variants and are associated with immune evasion. Caseloads there are rising. New laboratory research, not yet peerreviewed, indicated that the emerging sub-variants are adept at eluding the neutralising antibodies seen in people who recovered from infections with the original omicron variant. The authors of the study concluded that BA.4 and BA.5 have the “potential to result in a new infection wave”.

The BA.2 ‘stealth’ Omicron variant is expected to soon become the dominant strain.

“The evolution is much more rapid and expansive than we initially estimated,” said Michael T. Osterholm, a University of Minnesota infectious-disease expert. “Every day I wake up, I fear there will be a new sub-variant that we will have to consider. ... We’re seeing subvariants of sub-variants.”

Mr Garry, the Tulane scientist, points out that mutations

in the virus do not change its appearance dramatically.

In fact, he said, even the heavily mutated variants don’t look much different from the original Wuhan strain, or different from other coronaviruses that cause common colds. These are subtle changes.

On the family tree of this coronavirus, Omicron is a distant cousin of Delta, Alpha and the other variants that had spread earlier — it came out of virologic left field. No one is sure of the origin of Omicron, but many disease experts assume it came from an immunocompromised patient with a very lengthy illness, and the virus continued to use mutations to evade the immune system’s efforts to clear it.

Omicron was mercifully less likely to kill a person than previous variants. But infectiousdisease experts are clear on this point: Future variants could be more pathogenic.

As if mutation wasn’t enough of a problem, the virus has another trick up its sleeve: recombination. It happens when two distinct strains infect a single host simultaneously and their genes becoming entangled.

The recombination process is the origin of what’s known as Omicron XE. That recombinant probably emerged from a person co-infected with the original omicron variant and the BA.2 sub-variant.

The worst-case scenario would be the emergence of a variant or recombinant that renders current vaccines largely ineffective at blocking severe disease. But so far, that hasn’t happened. And no “recombinant” has spread like Omicron or other recent variants and sub-variants.

This is the first catastrophic pandemic to occur in the age of modern genomic sequencing. A century ago, no one knew what a coronavirus was, and even a ‘virus’ was a relatively new concept. But today, with millions of samples of the virus analysed at the genetic level, scientists can track mutations virtually in real time and watch the virus evolve.

The Kilkenny Observer Friday 06 May 2022

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Ukraine Invasion ONCE upon a recent time, as recently as last November, Russian Oleg Y. Tinkov was worth more than $9 billion.

One of Russia’s few self-made business tycoons after building his fortune outside the energy and minerals industries that were the playgrounds of Russian kleptocracy.

Then, in April, Mr Tinkov, the founder of one of Russia’s biggest banks, criticised the war in Ukraine in a post on Instagram. The next day, he said, President Vladimir V. Putin’s administration contacted his executives and threatened to nationalise his bank if it did not cut ties with him. Last week, he sold his 35% stake to a Russian mining billionaire in what he describes as a “desperate sale, a fire sale” that was forced on him by the Kremlin.

“I couldn’t discuss the price,” Mr Tinkov said. “It was like a hostage — you take what you are offered. I couldn’t negotiate.”

The New York Times spoke with Mr Tinkov, 54, by phone recently, from a location he would not disclose, in his first interview since Putin invaded Ukraine. He said he had hired bodyguards after friends with contacts in the Russian security services told him he should fear for his life, and quipped that, while he had survived leukemia, perhaps “the Kremlin will kill me”.

It was a swift and jarring turn of fortune for a longtime billionaire who for years had avoided running afoul of Putin while portraying himself as independent of the Kremlin.

His downfall underscores the consequences facing those in the Russian elite who dare to cross their president, and helps explain why there has been little but silence from business leaders who, according to Mr Tinkov, are worried about the impact of the war on their lifestyles and their wallets.

In the interview with journalist Anton Troianovski and Ivan Nechepurenko, Mr Tinkov spoke out more forcefully against the war than has any other major Russian ALMOST since the beginning of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, there have been repeated rumours that Vladimir Putin is critically ill and could be set for surgery.

In the past two and a half months Russian forces have laid waste to great tracts of Ukraine under the orders of Putin, who has long enjoyed a reputation as a shrewd geopolitical operator.

As the invasion falters and the Russian army falls far short of its aim to take Kyiv in four days however, that reputation has fallen under intense scrutiny.

The apparently reckless and ill thought-out invasion have led many to wonder whether a man once considered to be a master strategist has been diminished by poor health.

One rumour that has hung over the 69-year-old leader since long before the invasion of Ukraine is that he has some kind of central nervous system condition, such as Parkinson’s.

Recently such speculation

executives and told them that any association with their founder was now a major problem.

“They said: ‘The statement of your shareholder is not welcomed, and we will nationalise your bank if he doesn’t sell it and the owner doesn’t change, and if you don’t change the name,’” Mr Tinkov said, citing sources at Tinkoff he declined to identify.

On April 22, Tinkoff announced it would change its name this year, a step it claims was long planned. Behind the scenes, Mr Tinkov said, he was scrambling to sell his stake — one that had already been devalued by Western sanctions against Russia’s financial system.

He said he was thankful to Mr. Potanin, the mining magnate, for allowing him to reached a new intensity when a video of Putin from midFebruary welcoming Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko began to circulate.

In it the former KGB operative is seen holding one hand to his chest while the other is held in a fist.

As his hand begins to tremor uncontrollably, Putin pulls it close to his chest, in an apparent attempt to stop the shaking.

Despite his efforts, as he walks toward his long-time ally and fellow election stealer he wobbles unsteadily as his legs continue to tremble.

While the secretive Russian leader — who says he “does not permit” any form of intrusion into his personal life — is unlikely to release reliable medical records for himself anytime soon, armchair physicians were quick to speculate about possible Parkinson’s.

Parkinson’s is a condition in

which the brain loses nerve cells, causing problems like shaking and stiffness that get worse over time.

Although there are now treatments to dampen its affects, there is no cure for the condition, which can lead to memory loss and make people more susceptible to deadly infections.

Some medical professionals have poured cold water on the Parkinson’s theory however.

John Hardy, a neurogeneticist at the UK Dementia Research Institute, told German news platform Deutsche Welle that the video did not suggest Parkinson’s to him.

“No sign of Parkinson’s in my view. He did not look well... but not Parkinson’s disease,” he said.

Ray Chadhuri, a neurologist at the University of London, agreed, saying: “Looking at the short clip, I can find no evidence that I can tell of Parkinson’s in Putin.”

What happens to your $9 billion when you go against Putin

Tinkov: “I couldn’t discuss the price. It was like a hostage — you take what you are offered. I couldn’t negotiate”

business leader.

“I’ve realised that Russia, as a country, no longer exists,” Mr. Tinkov said, predicting that Mr. Putin would stay in power a long time. “I believed that the Putin regime was bad. But of course, I had no idea that it would take on such catastrophic scale.”Tinkoff, the bank Mr Tinkov started in 2006, denied his characterisation of events and said there had been “no threats of any kind against the bank’s leadership.” The bank, which has announced hat Mr Tinkov had sold his entire stake in the company to a firm run by Vladimir Potanin, a mining magnate close to Putin, appeared to be distancing itself from its founder.

Mr Tinkov is widely seen as a rare Russian business pioneer,

salvage at least some money from his company; he said that he could not disclose a price, but that he had sold at 3% of what he believed to be his stake’s true value.

“They made me sell it because of my pronouncements,” Mr Tinkov said. “I sold it for kopecks.”

He had been considering selling his stake anyway, Mr. Tinkov said, because “as long as Putin is alive, I doubt anything will change.”

“I don’t believe in Russia’s future,” he said. “Most importantly, I am not prepared to associate my brand and my name with a country that attacks its neighbours without any reason at all.”

Mr Tinkov is concerned that a foundation he started that is dedicated to improving blood cancer treatment in Russia could also become a casualty of his financial trouble.

He said that his illness — he is now suffering from graftversus-host disease, a stemcell transplant complication, he said — might have made him more courageous about speaking out than other Russian business leaders and senior officials. Members of the elite, he claimed, are “in shock” about the war and have called him in great numbers to offer support.

“They understand that they are tied to the West, that they are part of the global market, and so on,” Mr Tinkov said.

“They’re fast, fast being turned into Iran. But they don’t like it. They want their kids to spend their summer holidays in Sardinia.”

Mr. Tinkov said that no one from the Kremlin had ever contacted him directly, but that in addition to the pressure on his company, he heard from friends with security service contacts that he could be in physical danger.

“They told me: ‘The decision regarding you has been made,’” he said. “Whether that means that on top of everything they’re going to kill me, I don’t know. I don’t rule it out.”

modelling his maverick capitalism on Richard Branson and morphing from irreverent beer brewer to founder of one of the world’s most sophisticated online banks.

He says he has never set foot in the Kremlin, and he has occasionally criticised Putin.

But, unlike Russian tycoons who years ago broke with Putin and now live in exile, such as the former oil magnate Mikhail B. Khodorkovsky or the tech entrepreneur Pavel Durov, Mr Tinkov found a way to coexist with the Kremlin and make billions — at least until April 19 just gone.

That is when Mr Tinkov published an emotional antiwar post on Instagram, calling the invasion “crazy” and deriding Russia’s military: “Why would we have a good army,” he asked, if

Rumours persist about leader’s health

everything else in the country is dysfunctional “and mired in nepotism, servility and subservience?”

Pro-war Russians posted photos of their shredded Tinkoff debit cards on social media. Vladimir Solovyov, a prominent state television host, delivered a tirade against him, declaring: “Your conscience is rotten.”

Mr Tinkov was already outside Russia at that point, having departed in 2019 to receive treatment for leukemia. He later stepped down and ceded control of Tinkoff, but kept a 35% stake in the company, which was valued at more than $20 billion on the London stock exchange last year.

A day after the April 19 post, Mr Tinkov said the Kremlin contacted the bank’s senior

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 06 May 2022

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Your Money

BY JOHN ELLIS FINANCIAL ADVISOR

THE Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) report has been published. The RTB is a public body set up to support and develop “a wellfunctioning rental housing sector”. They oversee the private rental market, the Approved Housing Body and accommodation specific to students Their role is to regulate the rental sector, inform policy through the provision of information and research. They also maintain the national register of tenancies. They resolve disputes between tenants and landlords. They investigate improper conduct by a landlord. For example, they will investigate and, if required, sanction a landlord for increasing rent by more than is allowed under the calculation set out in the Residential Tenancies Act. They can sanction a landlord with a formal written caution and/ or fine up to €15,000 with costs up to the same amount.

According to their latest report: “The general picture of the rental market for new tenancies for Q4 2021 can be characterised by a continued, and marked fall in the number of registered tenancies, and by an escalation in inflationary pressures on an

What latest report of rents crisis is saying annualised basis but with a slight moderation in the pace of within-year acceleration i.e. the quarter-on-quarter growth rate is negative.”

The main findings are as follows:

* New registered tenancies have fallen by 48% year on year to just under 9,350 new tenancies. * Rents on an annualised basis grew by 9% in Q4 of 2021.

Launch of ‘A Way With Words’ Poetry Trail in Windgap

WINDGAP’S first Poetry Trail and poetry booklet ‘A Way With Words’, funded through the Kilkenny County Council Arts Office and Poetry Ireland’s Writers-in-Residence programme, was launched in the south Kilkenny village on April 28th (Poetry Day Ireland). The launch was the culmination of a writer-inresidence programme with author Debbie Thomas. In eight workshops, four for children and four for adults, participants from the Windgap area explored the theme of ‘Regeneration’. Fifth and sixth class pupils from Scoil San Nioclás, and older community members, reflected on family, home, the natural world and the flow and circle of life in

Windgap. Debbie stated that the resulting poems ‘feel like a magnificent tree, celebrating the roots and branches, flowers and fruit of this wonderful community’ and that she hopes that this project ‘sows the seed for more great writing from the wordsmiths of Windgap’.

Speaking at the launch, Kilkenny County Council Arts Officer Mary Butler spoke about how the project had enhanced the sense of place across the community and how this expands the emotive bonds and attachments of a community to its environment.

She stated that it had been ‘a real joy to read the poetry developed during this project’ and of how poetry ‘provides us with new ways

of thinking about ourselves, our surroundings and our life experiences’.

The poems are now on display across the beautiful Windgap Village Loop Walk and the poetry trail will remain in place throughout the summer. Trail maps and postcard poems are available from the Lakeside Tea Rooms and all are invited to come along and enjoy ‘A Way With Words’.

* The national standardised average rent was €1,415 in Q4 2021, a decrease of €4 compared to the previous quarter. * Averaged standardised rents in Dublin stand at €1,972 while outside Dublin

T

its €1,393. The difference between rents in Dublin and outside Dublin are stark!

A one bedroom house in Dublin on average is €1,500 a month whereas a four bedroom house outside Dublin is €1,266 a month.

In Kilkenny the standardised average rents in new tenancies is above €1,000 a month whereas in Leitrim the average is €740 a month. In Kilkenny according to the report the average standardised rent increased by 1.2% quarter on quarter while the averaged rent in new tenancies increased by 8.3% year on year.

Commenting on the report, Threshold, the national housing charity, believes that the average yearly rental increase of 9% in new tenancies – as reported hides some of the incredibly worrying increases on a county and city level, particularly those subject to Rent Pressure Zones and a 2% cap on rent increases.

Threshold Chief Executive John-Mark McCafferty said: “The average annual increase was 13.8% in Limerick City and 27.6% in Waterford City, which equate to an additional €1,844 and €2,740 in rent a year …with the spike in inflation and the huge increases in the cost of energy and fuel this is money that many people do not have to spare.”

Threshold have identified that private renters have become more accepting of invalid rent increases, as

there are no other housing options available to them.

According to Mr McCaffery, 60% of rent review notices brought to Threshold in the first quarter of 2022 were invalid with more threshold’s clients seeking support with rent arrears as private renters simply cannot afford their rent. They are speaking to more and more stressed and anxious people seeking financial assistance to make payments, or who are cutting back on essential items to stay in their homes.

Threshold believe there are ways to help theses distressed renters. They propose the creation of a rent arrears fund to support renters.

Increase the HAP limits to reflect current market rents.

Changes the tax system to retain small landlords in the sector and so maintain supply as many small landlords are fleeing the market.

The 2% cap on rent increases mentioned in the report should be limiting rent increase, but the report suggests this is not the case.

You can contact Threshold on 1800 454454 or go to the website www.threshold.ie regardless of where you live; in a Rent Pressure Zone or not and they will review your case. Their service is free, independent and confidential.

The RTB report can be accessed at www.rtb.ie john@ellisfinancial.ie 086 8362633

Dear Editor

his year’s Darkness into Light event has a special resonance, I find, coming as it does after the long months of lockdown and the recent weeks of living hell unleashed by a greedy dictator. And that’s without even mentioning the Climate Emergency, rising fuel costs, debt concerns, and the countless other slings and arrows that seem contrived to keep our hearts heavy and the smiles off our faces.

There are so many reasons to be downright miserable, depressed, and yes, suicidal... as we make this often rocky, sometimes hazardous, and occasionally frightening journey across time and space.

But I say it’s still worth staying the course. No matter how desperate or overwhelming the odds appear we mustn’t lose hope.

I found the early days of lockdown oppressive and almost unbearable. It was straight out of a dystopian novel about a futuristic society where life was just not worth living. Sometimes it felt like being under house arrest, or confined to an open prison.

Except that life IS, I believe, worth living. A week or so into lockdown I found that walks in the countryside, even if restricted to two

kilometres could be uplifting and therapeutic. Like many others, I rediscovered aspects of nature I’d forgotten about or blithely taken for granted.

Padraig Pearse in his poem The Wayfarer, eulogized about seeing a squirrel in a tree, butterflies, and rabbits playing in a sunlit meadow.

When I first read the poem in primary school it meant nothing to me. I just wanted the class to end so I could get home. But lockdown recalled for me its emotional homage to nature. Breathing the clean country air during lockdown seemed a privilege. We couldn’t travel very far, or go to the pub, but we could reconnect with Mother Earth.

So, lockdown had its upside, once you began to cope with it.

Some problems that people face are not so easily resolved, but equally we know that almost every problem, however scary or devastating it might appear, can be solved, or shared, or avoided...especially if we seek help with it.

The reminder we hear so often from voluntary groups to “pick up the phone” is the best advice going, because it’s true that there’s always someone out there who can help turn things around.

A great case for avoiding suicide, I believe, is the fact that, according to research, almost every person who’s survived a suicidal attempt and had a Near Death Experience (NDE) was relieved that the attempt failed.

Some of them believed that a loved one on the “Other Side” had encouraged them to give life a chance. Whatever one’s religious belief or lack of it, I think it’s interesting that survivors of suicide invariably give the thumbs up to living, despite the often distressing or seemingly insoluble issues that led to the suicide attempt.

Sure, the world is full of horrors and dark clouds can obscure the minds and pathways of any human being, but there’s hope too; helping hands...support available by just reaching out.

It doesn’t have to be darkness for any of us, no matter how daunting the hand of cards that life has dealt us.

So, before contemplating or taking that final step, why not talk to someone? There’s light, too, in abundance, and relief, and rainbows in the sky, and solutions that maybe we hadn’t thought of.

Always...

Thanking you, John Fitzgerald

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Science & Wellbeing Sorry mammies, but your young teens have switched off and are no longer listening to ye!

Teen brains no longer find their mothers’ voices uniquely rewarding starting around age 13, and start to tune into unfamiliar voices more, according to new research.

For the study in the Journal of Neuroscience, the researchers used functional MRI brain scans to give the first detailed neurobiological explanation for how teens begin to separate from their parents.

“Just as an infant knows to tune into her mother’s voice, an adolescent knows to tune into novel voices,” says lead author Daniel Abrams, clinical associate professor of psychiatry and behavioural sciences at Stanford University.

“As a teen, you don’t know you’re doing this. You’re just being you: You’ve got your friends and new companions and you want to spend time with them. Your mind is increasingly sensitive to and attracted to these unfamiliar voices.”

In some ways, teens’ brains are more receptive to all voices —including their mothers’ — than the brains of children under 12, the researchers discovered, a finding that lines up with teenagers’ increased interest in many types of social signals.

However, in teenage brains, the reward circuits and the brain centres that prioritise important stimuli are more activated by unfamiliar voices than by those of their mothers. The brain’s shift toward new voices is an aspect of healthy maturation, the researchers say.

“A child becomes independent at some point, and that has to be precipitated by an underlying biological signal,” says senior author Vinod Menon, a professor of psychiatry and behavioural sciences.

“That’s what we’ve uncovered: This is a signal that helps teens engage with the world and

Why your teenager is not listening to you anymore form connections which allow them to be socially adept outside their families.”

The team previously found that, in the brains of children 12 and under, hearing the mammy’s voice triggers an explosion of unique responses: A study published in 2016 showed that kids can identify their moms’ voices with extremely high accuracy and that the special sound of Mam cues not just the brain’s auditory-processing areas, but also many areas not triggered by unfamiliar voices, including reward centres, emotion-processing regions, visual processing centres, and brain networks that decide which incoming information is salient.

“The mother’s voice is the sound source that teaches young kids all about the

social-emotional world and language development,” says Percy Mistry, co-lead author and a research scholar in psychiatry and behavioural sciences. “Foetuses in utero can recognise their mother’s voice before they’re born, yet with adolescents — even though they’ve spent even more time with this sound source than babies have — their brains are tuning away from it in favour of voices they’ve never even heard.”

The new study built on the previous study, adding data from teenagers 13 to 16.5 years of age. All participants had an IQ of at least 80 and were being raised by their biological mothers. They did not have any neurological, psychiatric, or learning disorders.

The researchers recorded the teens’ mothers saying

three nonsense words, which lasted just under a second. Using nonsense words ensured that the participants would not respond to the words’ meaning or emotional content. Two women unfamiliar with the study subjects were recorded saying the same nonsense words.

Each teenage participant listened to several repetitions of the nonsense-word recordings by their own mother and the unfamiliar women, presented in random order, and identified when they heard their mom.

Just like younger children, teens correctly identified their mothers’ voices more than 97% of the time.

The researchers then placed the teens in a magnetic resonance imaging scanner, where

they listened again to the voice recordings. They also listened to brief recordings of household sounds, such as a dishwasher running, to allow the researchers to see how the brain responds to voices versus other non-social sounds.

The researchers found that among teenagers, all voices elicited greater activation in several brain regions compared with younger children: the voice-selective superior temporal sulcus, an auditory processing area; salience processing regions that filter which information is important; and the posterior cingulate cortex, which is involved in aspects of autobiographical and social memory.

Brain responses to voices increased with teens’ age—in fact, the relationship was so strong researchers could use

the voice-response information in teens’ brain scans to predict how old they were.

What distinguished teenagers from younger children was that unfamiliar voices elicited greater activity than Mother’s voice in the nucleus accumbens of the reward-processing system and in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex, a region involved in assigning value to social information.

The switch toward unfamiliar voices happened in these brain centres between 13 and 14 years of age, and there was no difference between boys and girls.

The research will help study what happens in the brains of adolescents with autism and other conditions that affect how they tune into voices and other social stimuli. Younger kids with autism don’t have as strong a brain response to their mothers’ voices as typically developing children, the researchers have found.

The team is excited to have uncovered the foundations of teens’ ability to tune into new people, an important part of humans’ overall engagement with voices. The fact that the brain is so attuned to voices makes intuitive sense — just ask anyone who has ever felt an emotional jolt at hearing a friend’s or family member’s voice after a long time, the researchers say.

“The voices in our environment are this incredibly rewarding sound source that allow us to feel connected, included, part of a community and part of a family,” Abrams says. “Voices are really what connect us.”

Children’s social interactions undergo a major transformation during adolescence. “Our findings demonstrate that this process is rooted in neurobiological changes,” Menon says.

“When teens appear to be rebelling by not listening to their parents, it is because they are wired to pay more attention to voices outside their home.”

Sure, even the dogs on the street knew this Whether a dog’s breed is linked its behaviour is the study by dozens of scientists using a large citizen science database of dog genetics.

They found only a paltry association, suggesting that breed has little influence on an individual dog’s behaviour. Environment, genetics, and upbringing play larger roles. The study’s findings call into question laws that target specific breeds as inherently dangerous, and other breedspecific rules.

The new study, published in the journal Science, comes courtesy of a major effort by researchers associated with The Broad Institute at Harvard and MIT, the University of Massachusetts, and Arizona State University.

Lead author Kathleen Morrill, a PhD student studying the genomics of behaviour in dogs, and her numerous co-researchers surveyed

owners of 18,385 purebred and mixed-breed dogs and genotyped 2,155 dogs as part

of the citizen science project Darwin’s Ark. For the project, participants

were given a battery of surveys to fill out about their dogs. They then received a DNA kit to swab their pup’s saliva and send it back to the lab for genetic testing. The information was collated into a large database that was freely shared with researchers around the world. In return, curious dog owners were sent a genetic and breed profile of their dogs.

With the copious data provided to them by citizen scientists, Morrill and her team discerned a number of fascinating findings, but the biggest was this: “Breed offers little predictive value for individuals, explaining just 9% of variation in behaviour.”

In other words, a breed is far more defined by how a dog looks, and has little to do with how an individual dog behaves. “Although breed may affect the likelihood of a particular behavior to occur,

breed alone is not, contrary to popular belief, informative enough to predict an individual’s disposition,” the authors wrote.

The researchers broke down dog behaviour into eight categories: comfort level around humans, ease of stimulation or excitement, affinity toward toys, response to human training, how easily the dog is provoked by a frightening stimulus, comfort level around other dogs, engagement with the environment, and desire to be close to humans.

Of these behavioural traits, response to human training (also known as biddability) and toy affinity were most linked with breed, but the associations were slight. Biddability was very common among Border Collies and Australian Shepherds, while toy affinity was common among Border Collies and

German Shepherds.

A dog’s age was a much better predictor of behaviour.

Older dogs, for example, were less excitable and less toy-driven than younger pups.

Modern dog breeds really only go back about 160 years, “a blink in evolutionary history compared with the origin of dogs more than 10,000 years ago,” the researchers described. So it makes sense that breed wouldn’t explain a dog’s behaviour to a significant degree.

Hunting through the thousands of canine genomes on file, the researchers found eleven genetic regions associated with various behaviours, ranging from howling frequency to human sociability. Genes in these regions varied widely within breeds, providing further evidence that breed is only marginally linked to behaviour.

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Travel & Leisure TripAdvisor annually releases a list of the most beautiful beaches in the world. The list is created based on the evaluation of travellers who have visited pristine paradises with crystal-clear waters, perfect places to enjoy some quiet days.

The beaches on the list are spread over five continents. Unsurprisingly, the Caribbean has several beaches among the best ones, followed by Brazil, which features three beaches – none of them in Rio de Janeiro. For people looking for inspiration for their next holiday, here are the seven best beaches they can visit in 2022.

The 7 best beaches in the world

7. SICILY Sicily is one of the most impressive regions in Italy, offering the perfect combination of excellent food, amazing beaches, and great weather during summer. Isola dei Conigli, Lampedusa, seems to stand out among them all and was chosen by visitors as the most beautiful beach in Italy – and the only one in Europe to make it into the Top Seven.

But what makes it so unique?

The 20-kilometre-island is surrounded by clear waters that are perfect for snorkelling. The beach is heavily protected because, during the summer, hundreds of loggerhead sea turtles go to Isola dei Conigli to reproduce.

5. BAIA DO SANCHO Baia do Sancho is located in Fernando de Noronha, an island in the Brazilian Northeast. The whole island is full of panoramic views, and it is hard to believe it was once a prison during the Brazilian dictatorship. As cruises are not allowed, the only way to get there is by plane, and beaches are never crowded.

Baia do Sancho is considered by visitors the most beautiful beach in Fernando de Noronha. The access is not easy, as tourists have to go down on steep ladders. Yet, the reward after arriving makes it worth it.

4. HAVELOCK ISLAND India also has some great beaches and Radhanagar Beach, Havelock Island, seems to be the best one. The beach, also known as ‘beach number seven,’ is easily reached from the harbour, and it’s the perfect spot for watching the sunset.

The beach is surrounded by palm trees and remains quiet most of the year. For visitors who like to explore, a tenminute walk will lead to the Neil’s Cove, a little-known lagoon with pristine waters.

Radhanagar Beach is also home to some of the best hotels on the island.

6. ST JOHN ISLAND The Caribbean is filled with pristine beaches, but they are not alike. The St John Island, Virgin Islands, is home to Trunk Bay, a spot many people would easily define as ‘paradisiac’ thanks to its white sand and turquoise waters. Unsurprisingly, Trunk Despite it being a small country, Scotland has a variety of destinations and landscapes is impressive.

Edinburgh, Glasgow, Loch Lomond, Loch Ness, Ben Nevis, Glen Coe, and the Isle of Skye are all mustsees for anyone who wants to experience the magic of Scotland. In order to get the most out of your trip, you’ll want to make sure you visit at the most opportune time.

BEST TIME TO VISIT FOR GOOD WEATHER Like Ireland, Scotland isn’t particularly known for its weather. More often than not, it’s drizzly and a little dreary.

When the weather shows off, though, there’s nothing more remarkable than a sunrise peeping over a Scottish glen or the sun setting behind Edinburgh Castle.

To experience Scotland’s best weather, you’ll need to plan your trip at the right time — and have a bit of luck on your side. The spring season, from late March to May, provides slightly warmer temperatures (averaging between 45 and 55 degrees), and April is typically the driest month. The time period from September to November also gives way

Bay is the most visited beach on the island, and tourists can enjoy a self-guided underwater snorkelling trail.

It is one of the best places to do it, as the area is full of sea life and corals. On top of that, Trunk Bay also has a fantastic sunset.

3. EAGLE BEACH, ARUBA For people wondering if they should spend their next holiday in Aruba, Eagle Beach, Aruba, was elected [replace in a cozy boutique hotel (like The Fife Arms), or exploring the Christmas markets in Edinburgh.

How to get the very best out of Scotland to fall foliage and daytime temperatures in the high 40s and low 50s, but you’ll want to shift your schedule to account for shorter days.

CHEAPEST TIME TO VISIT

As temperatures drop, so does the number of tourists in Scotland — and the prices. If you want to save money, book your trip in the offseason, from November 1 to December 12, or wait

until after Christmas, from December 26 to mid-March.

While some popular sites may be closed during this time, there are plenty of other things to do, including skiing in the Cairngorms, curling up by a

MOST POPULAR TIME TO VISIT A majority of travellers make their way to Scotland in the warmer months. Tourist season in Edinburgh ramps up in June and peaks in August, with several major festivals — including the Edinburgh Art Festival and Edinburgh Festival Fringe — happening throughout the month. The capital’s summer temperatures rarely surpass 70 degrees, so traversing the hilly city is relatively pleasant.

Visitors descend on Scotland from late May to September to experience the Highland Games, a Scottish tradition that has been around for hundreds of years. Each event, held in different locations throughout the region, is typically one day and includes traditional Scottish sports (tug o’ war and the hammer throw), as well as food, music, and dancing. The Braemar Gathering, held in September, is one of the most well-known events, with the royal family

the second most beautiful beach in the Caribbean. The beach has ranked third on TripAdvisor’s list, and it is easy to understand why by looking at its crystal-clear turquoise water and white sand. More than beauty, the beach is also quiet and offers visitors privacy and the chance to relax properly during a holiday.

Eagle Beach is also home to Fofoti trees, a famous postcard from Aruba. The place also welcomes sea turtles who choose to lay their eggs there.

2. QUARTA PRAIA, BRAZIL Brazil has some of the most famous beaches in the world, but there are still hidden gems. Quarta Praia (Fourth Beach, in English) is located at Morro de São Paulo, a village in the Brazilian Northeast. The place attracts thousands of tourists, but some areas are still quiet – and the Quarta Praia is one of them.

The beach is the perfect place for people looking to slow down and have some calm days. During the low tides, visitors can enjoy natural swimming pools.

1. GRACE BAY For people wondering what the most beautiful Caribbean beach is, Grace Bay Beach, Turks and Caicos, was elected as the one. Visitors often describe it as an “absolutely idyllic setting” due to its calm, warm waters and quiet lifestyle.

The beach is never crowded, and the famous resorts haven’t set foot there yet.

Grace Bay Beach is three miles long, and people can easily explore it by walking. It is also a perfect spot for sportlovers, and the place is ideal for windsurfing, kayaking, and parasailing. making an appearance in the small town every year.

BEST TIME TO EXPLORE THE HIGHLANDS In order to have the most sunlight and best weather, many people head to the Scottish Highlands in the summer, between May and September. Starting in October, the weather can be unpredictable: freezing temperatures, gale-force winds, and snowfall are all possible. The snow-capped mountains are a sight to behold, though, so if you plan a Highlands road trip in the winter, make sure to pack a warm winter coat and that your rental car is properly equipped to handle any icy conditions.

BEST TIME TO AVOID MIDGES From May until September, travellers have a high chance of running into midges, especially in the Highlands.

These biting insects prefer wet, humid, and cloudy conditions and come out in full force in July and August.

To avoid the midges, book your trip to Scotland between late September and early May.

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News

Kilkenny cited in major road plan Kilkenny County Council, in partnership with Tipperary County Council, Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) and the Department of Transport are developing the N24 Waterford to Cahir Project. The project is included in the National Development Plan 2021-2030.

The second Public Consultation on the options developed for the project has begun fol-

lowing an online briefing to elected representatives and will run until May 20.

Colette Byrne, Chief Executive, Kilkenny County Council, said: “Public consultation is an important and integral part of the process during the various Phases of major project planning. The process is used to inform the general public, and

in particular those who might possibly be directly affected, about the proposed project, the manner by which the eventual solution will be selected and the considerations that will inform this choice, i.e. environmental, engineering, safety and financial.

“It is also an opportunity for members of the public to highlight aspects of concern or

special interest that should be considered by the Council and its Consultants in advancing the planning and design of the project,” she said.

Potential solutions for this project may include alternative transport solutions such as bus, rail and active travel modes, and different road based options. These solutions will be subject to a comparative as-

sessment of their potential impacts, and their relative success in achieving the project objectives to determine the preferred solution for the project.

Information will be available through an online consultation room on the dedicated website www.n24waterford2cahir. ie throughout the consultation period from 3 May 2022 to 20 May 2022.

* Submissions can be made using the online feedback form available on the project website www.n24waterford2cahir.ie/, or by email to N24Waterford2Cahir@ kilkennycoco.ie, or by post addressed to N24 Waterford to Cahir Project, Kilkenny County Council, County Hall, John Street, Kilkenny, R95 A39T.

New car regs are lagging behind that of pre-Covid sale levels

New hubs get homework done!

The pandemic has changed our world. It has also changed the world of work forever. Millions of people and businesses around the world had to change overnight, moving from the office to home working and from interactions that occurred in person to interactions that occurred mainly on-line.

This shift might have taken decades if it had been planned. Instead it took days. Many of us have returned to the office, but things will never be the same again. Videoconferencing will be more common and travelling for work much less so. While some people will work full-time from the office or from home, most of us will

be blended workers, working sometimes from the office and other times from home, a hub or on the go.

On balance, these will be changes for the better.

Less commuting, more time for family and leisure, and fewer transport greenhouse gas emissions will be among the benefits.

New job opportunities will be created for people who want to live in rural Ireland.

Small towns and villages will see new investment, greater footfall and spend.

But there are risks as well.

We do not want to turn our homes into workplaces where we are always on.

We want to spread jobs more evenly across the county and we want to re-

tain the creativity and innovation that flourishes from people meeting each other and do not want people to become isolated.

So, we need a plan – ‘Making Remote Work – National Remote Work Strategy’ is that plan.

Among the main actions are mandating that home and remote work should be the norm for 20% of public sector employment, reviewing the treatment of remote working for the purposes of tax and expenditure, mapping and investing in a network of remote working hubs across Ireland, legislating for the right to request remote working, developing a code of practice for the right to disconnect and doing what

we can to accelerate the provision of high-speed broadband to all parts of Ireland.

Kilkenny County Council in collaboration with local community stakeholders and funded by the Department of Community and Rural Development has developed ‘Connected Hubs Kilkenny’, based in five local facilities throughout the county and based in Broadband Connection Points.

It is an initiative that provides space for local communities to facilitate remote working and meeting room facilities in locations with high speed broadband.

The Connected Hubs in Kilkenny are based in Galmoy Community Centre,

Glenmore Community Centre, Ballyouskill Community Centre, Crosspatrick Community Centre and Connolly’s of Dunbell. * For further information or to enquire about working in one of the Connected hubs, contact (056) 7752662 or follow us on Facebook at https://www. facebook.com/connectedhubskilkenny/ Our photo shows members from Connected Hubs Kilkenny at the launch of Galmoy Connected Hub with Cathaoirleach Fidelis Doherty and Head of Enterprise Kilkenny County Council, Fiona Deegan PHOTO: Vicky Comerford

Port of Waterford looks to appoint a new CEO The CEO at Port of Waterford Mr Frank Ronan will reach the end of his seven-year term this September and the company is currently seeking a new CEO. The Chair of the Port Company Des Whelan said: “Frank Ryan has achieved an incredible amount during his time

with Port of Waterford and the board is very sorry to lose him as Chief Executive. He oversaw substantial growth during his tenure with us. He led the workforce and management team extremely well and has set down a considerable roadmap for the future leaving the business set to flourish, serv-

ing the economy in the Southeast region.

“As well as driving the business forward Frank Ryan played a pivotal role in reestablishing the port with the region’s business community and with communities living on both sides of the estuary,” he said.

“We are grateful to Frank for his leadership and considered insights and we wish him the very best on his return to the private sector,” said Mr Whelen.

Frank Ronan said: ‘’My time with Port of Waterford has been a pleasure and a privilege. I will now work closely with the Board and my fantas-

tic colleagues on the management team to ensure the best possible handover to the next CEO.” The Port of Waterford recruitment process for a new chief executive is currently live, details on the application process can be viewed at recruitireland.ie.

New car registrations for April were up 10.3% (7,886) when compared to April 2021 (7,147). Registrations year to date are up 4.7% (57,776) on the same period last year (55,177) and are 20.9% behind (73,030) that of pre-Covid levels, according to new figures from the Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI).

Light commercials vehicles (LCV) are down 31.8% (1,626) compared to April last year (2,383) and year to date are down 19.9% (10,992). HGV (heavy goods vehicle) registrations are down 36.1% (209) in comparison to April 2021 (327). Year to date HGV’s are down 15.9% (1,030).

Used car imports for April (4,223) have seen a decrease of 25.6% on April 2021 (5,676).

Year to date imports are down 34.2% (15,864) on 2021 (24,095).

For the month of April 1,286 new electric vehicles were registered compared to 590 in April 2021. So far this year 7,524 new electric cars have been registered in comparison to 3,406 on the same period 2021.

Electric vehicle, plug-in hybrids and hybrids continue to increase their market share, with a combined market share now of 43.89%. Petrol continues to remain dominant with 27.23%, Diesel accounts for 26.40%, hybrid 23.56%, electric 13.02% and plug-in electric hybrid 7.31%.

Brian Cooke, Director General SIMI said: “While new car registrations in April saw a 10.3% increase on the same month last year and are up 4.7% year to date, overall registrations still remain 20.9% behind that of pre-COVID (2019) levels. The return to more normal new car sales levels is being hampered in the short term by both supply chain issues and the uncertain global political climate.

Over the medium term both the high levels of vehicle taxation and the uncertainty over the continuation of electric vehicle supports has the potential to lead to the ongoing suppression of new vehicle demand.”

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Education

Work with ATC Language Irish School, Kilkenny College! Defence ATC is seeking enthusiastic and dynamic Principals, Managers, English Language Teachers and Activity Leaders and Coaches (Hockey and Tennis) for our summer camp located in Kilkenny College.

ATC’s Kilkenny summer camp runs from 29th June to 31st July. They aim to help internatonal summer students improve their English language skills in a stimulating atmosphere by providing an extensive educational, social and cultural programme - all delivered by motivated, friendly and skilled professionals.

ATC’s manager, teacher and activity leader rates are highly competitive and their summer camps are busy, professional and fun working environments. If this sounds like the kind of summer work you’re looking for, ATC Language Schools want to hear from you.

Email your CV to Joanne at recruitment@atcireland. ie and let them know which role you wish to apply for.

Preparatory ELT Certificate Courses

If you are a qualified Secondary or Primary School teacher and you wish to train on ATC’s Preparatory ELT Certificate Courses, either face-to-face or online, contact nadine@atcireland.ie.

Face-to-Face Course Dates: 13th – 17th June 2022 Online Course Dates:

7th – 17th June 2022, 9 days Weekday evenings, 4-6pm

Contact Us Send your CV to: recruitment@atcireland.ie Take a course with us: nadine@atcireland.ie Find out more: https://atclanguageschools. com/work-with-us/

Forces Recruitment opportunities

General Service Recruitment Applications for general service army and naval service recruits is open throughout the year. The training syllabus is designed to produce physically fit, disciplined and motivated soldiers. Army General Service recruits on completion of training and 3 star training will be posted to units throughout the country. Naval Service recruits on completion of training will be posted to branches within the naval base in Haulbolwine, Cobh, Co. Cork.

Annual Cadetship The annual cadetship competition offers a range of graduate, non graduate and school leaver opportunities

to train and become a commissioned officer in the Irish Defence Forces. Cadetships are offered in the following areas Army Line, Army Equitation, Army Engineer (graduate program), Army Ordnance, Air Corps Pilot, Naval Service Operations Branch Cadet, Naval Service Engineers branch cadet and Electrical Engineer Cadet.

Applications for the 2022 cadetship competition will open in the coming weeks. Assessments will take place over June, July and August with intake scheduled for late September and early October 2022.

Air Corps Apprentice Trainee Technician

Air Corps Apprentices Trainee Technician Competition is run annually. Apprentices complete basic military training and advance onto aviation mechanics and technologies training where they learn the skills to maintain and service our life saving fleet of aircraft.

On completion of training, technicians are awarded a level 7 Bachelors of engineering in aviation technologies from TU Dublin. This recruitment competition is closed for applications but will open in early 2023 for applications.

Direct Entry Specialists We recruit a number of direct entry specialist roles in the Defence Forces. Visit the current competitions page in our careers section on www.military.ie to find out what roles are available for application.

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Education

Kickstart your career in media ARE you interested in, or thinking about, a career in multimedia, photography or filmmaking? Join the Young Irish Filmmakers Multimedia course commencing October 2022. Applications are now open for those living in the Kilkenny/Carlow area.

“A practical course from day one, learn filmmaking techniques, on set roles, scripting, pre-production, film editing with Premiere-pro and immerse yourself in the world of Multimedia. The course provides an excellent platform for all things Multimedia while offering progression routes to higher level education”, explains Gareth Hanlon course Coordinator.

“Last year 100% of our learners received their full level 5 QQI major award”.

The recruiting process for Young Irish Filmmakers Visual Communications and Multimedia Production course is now in full swing and you can register on FETCHCOURSES.IE to be in with a chance of joining this fantastic course.

Practical from the start, your first video creations

are happening in week one.

Drama, comedy, music and documentary workshops are peppered throughout the programme. Learners can also expect a number of road trips to exhibitions, film festivals and college open days. Subject choices include Photography, Digital Media, Web Design, Graphic Design, Multimedia Production, Multimedia Authoring and Work Experience.

Each learner defines their own personal project, which will include video, audio, text, images and design. Students work collaboratively, feeding into each other’s portfolios.

It’s a creatively nurturing environment, “we even have a wellbeing officer on the team” to ensure learners have their best experience.

Every September, 20 creative people aged 16+, sign up for 44 weeks of video production, music production, podcasting, photography, graphic design, performance and video editing.

The Kilkenny City based course runs full time for 44 weeks and begins in September 2022.

Explaining the entry requirements, Gareth states, “It

is usually Level 4 or equivalent to join us, however, the real requirement is a passion for media, filmmaking, photography or film editing.”

“Throughout their modules on the course, learners will build a significant portfolio, and achieve a solid foundation in the Adobe Creative Suite, including Premiere Pro, Photoshop, After Effects and InDesign”, explains Gareth.

The feedback we get from our alumni students is excellent, one student in particular, forwarded this message to the staff upon completion of the course “Thank you all so much guys the best year I’ve ever had”.

In addition, there is generally payment for attending the course. You will need to be signed on to Intreo, on Disability payment or be an early school leaver to qualify.

There is also assistance with travel costs where appropriate.

The practical Digital literacy training will allow learners to develop a combination of valuable employable skills, helping them progress into further education and/ or employment. Training concentrates on key three areas: digital literacy, soft skills and technical ability.

We expect the course to fill up fast. To be called for an interview you must register your interest on the fetchcourses.ie website. Visit yifm.com/digitalmedia/. Feel free to contact gareth@yifm. com directly for more detailed information.

Correct supplementation alongside healthy choices key to exam success EXAM jitters are something we have all been through, or will go through, at some stage of our life and as exams approach, one of the main questions parents ask is how they can best support the student in their home during this time.

SOMEGA, Ireland’s purest brand of health supplements, has launched a special “Exam Support” health bundle which provides students with the most important vitamins to support brain health, memory, concentration and learning as well as combating stress. The “Exam Support” bundle also helps to naturally enhance energy levels and reduce tiredness and fatigue.

Formulated by food scientists and nutritionists in West Cork, SOMEGA supplements are created using the purest ingredients which are sugar, gluten, alcohol, yeast and soy free. They are also non-GMO and are sustainably packaged and produced.

SOMEGA co-founder and nutritionist Dr. Paula Gaynor says, “Anyone who has sat exams, regardless of how long ago it was, can attest to still feeling that flurry of anxiety and worry that comes with the build-up of turning over the paper. It becomes one of those memories we may try to tune out but revisits us

Dr. Paula Gaynor

at this time of the year and this same feeling can be felt again as a parent of an exam student.

To help students through this time we have chosen two of our hero products for our “Exam Support” bundle featuring our Liposomal Vitamin B-Complex plus C and our Easy Omega-3 + Vitamin D. Both are liquid supplements with high bioavailability, meaning they are easily absorbed by the body in comparison to capsules which the digestive system must work hard to break down and utilise. They also taste good which makes them more enjoyable and easier to make part of your daily routine.

While high quality supplements are important at this time, so too is the need to eat a balanced and varied diet while getting adequate sleep and exercise each day. All of this combined will ensure that the student in your life is well supported both physically and mentally during exam time.”

SOMEGA supplements can be enjoyed straight from the spoon or added to cold drinks, juices and smoothies and can be purchased in local health shops including Food for Life, The Good Earth, and McCauley Pharmacies or online at gosomega.com

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Feature

Johnny and Mary Gleason

Attending the Watergate for the production of ‘Orphans Disease’: Kathleen Curran, Brenda Sullivan , Bridie Kelly, Marina O’Shaughnessy, Geraldine Shortall Mary Kelly, Leah Sullivan

Chris Hay, Ethel Lahart

A theatrical triumph as Cronin play receives standing ovation Photos Pat Shortall Words: Gerry Cody hat, in the name of all that’s holy, possesses people to go on stage. Stage fright has afflicted some of the biggest stars the acting world has ever known. Laurence Olivier suffered years of debilitating performance anxiety, recalling in his autobiography: “My throat

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closed up and the audience was beginning to go giddily around.” In 2016, Hugh Grant told the Hollywood Reporter: “I do live in terror of an attack. I used to get three or four [on a film].” Hollywood star Jack Lemmon once observed that, without “heightened apprehension”, an actor “probably won’t give as good a performance as he should”, but that stage fright

Marina O’Shaughnessy, Brenda Sullivan and Mary Kelly who attended the Catherine Cronin show

was something else.

Actors speak of the physical “hurt” and mental anguish the anxiety would induce, with one likening it to “a death experience” and the feeling of “losing consciousness”. They detail symptoms ranging from swollen tongues to fainting, uncontrollable crying, cold sweats, breathing difficulties and palpitations.

I don’t think that people really understand what some actors go through to deliver their performances.

And worse still, is a show where you are the only person on the stage.

A ONE WOMAN SHOW So it was, when Catherine Shortall Cronin took to the Watergate stage with her one woman show ‘Orphan

Teresa Ryan, Betty Wilkie,Shelia Maher

disease’.

Certainly, if the actor suffered any pre show nerves, it wasn’t evident during her 90 minute performance.

She carried it off with the aplomb and panache usually reserved for an actor with more stage experience.

Over the last ten years or so, a few one person shows have been staged around Ireland

Gemma Muldowney, Ann Byrne and Deirdre Bergin

that not only worked but are arguably in the top five shows in the canon of Irish theatre. These include ‘The Man in the woman’s shoes’ ( Mikel Murfi) ; Forgotten ( Pat Kinevane) ; Tom CreanAntartic Explorer ( Aidan Dooley).

Other people will have their own choices, but you get the idea.

Orphan Disease can take its

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Feature Lake Productions members Ger Cody, and Mary Cradock supporting the Catherine Cronin play Orphans Disease

Margaret and John Ryan

rightful place alongside these aforementioned plays.

This one-woman show opened in Zurich, Switzerland last August with the company Close Encounters Theatre (CET). Cronin has been living in Zurich for over twelve years but Kilkenny and Ireland remain close to her heart and her work. This is certainly evident throughout Orphan Disease.

CANCER DIAGNOSIS FORCES EVALUATION In December 2018, Cronin was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer, and, later, the BRCA2 gene mutation. This incident forced her to re-evaluate her life and goals. She immersed herself in writing which emboldened and encouraged her to face her illness with strength and positivity.

During the pandemic, she joined an online writing course with CET and was later approached by the company’s artistic director to write a play about her experience with cancer and the impact the BRCA2 gene had on her family. The journey of Orphan Disease has been a cathartic experience for Cronin and her family. Cronin’s paternal grandmother, Annie Dwan, passed away at a very young age from breast cancer and, likely, carried the BRCA2 gene also. Orphan Disease explores the two very different journeys these women had in two very different time periods, all while walking the line between tragedy and comedy.

I AM MY MOTHER Interestingly The Playbill on

Sisters Margaret Shortall and Catherine Cronin With their Grandmothers photograph in the background

the night contained a poem ‘I am my mother’ by the actors father Pat Shortall. The final verse reads “But I live for the mother I never knew She was without choice, Selected as one, who must not survive Two thirds of her existence, pilfered, This is the son, Bereft of mothering.

Each time a lady, such as his mother is gifted with motherhood She, and all others become Mother’s forever-it is their destiny.

Six years are not forever Six years are but a sample Of mother and son moments” TICKED ALL THE BOXES The play ticked all the boxes.

Entertaining, sad, funny, audience engagement. Yes to all.

What makes these plays stand out so much ahead of all others? Honesty. Pure and simple. Yes of course, it takes a great actor to carry these shows. But if the words in the script do not have the main ingredient of honesty then you are on a hiding to nothing.

And boy oh boy does this Cronin play have honesty.

Orphan disease sees the author and actor discuss openly her life after being diagnosed with breast cancer.

It looks at how this diagnosis affects her life, her family and especially her grandmother who also was diagnosed with breast cancer, and who was to die from the disease in 1959 at the age of forty one.

Catherine relates to

the audience how, when researching her families medical history, she was able to trace the gene that was handed down from generation to generation.

Cronin leaves no stone unturned as she describes the trials of undergoing cancer treatment including the horrific extent of sickness, sadness and bewilderment.

Strangely enough some of the symptoms described in the introduction to this article about actors come to mind once again. Hurt, anguish, palpitations, sweating, cold sweats. And some.

But if Cronin’s ability to perform the darker side of this piece stood out, so too did her ability to inject snippets of black humour throughout the show. Her movement and timing was perfection personified and she crossed from serious to comedy with natural ease.

Set in an attic and a hospital room, the play sets the audience with a challenge to confront our fears and to find happiness in our everyday lives.

It not only sets out, but proves beyond doubt that when the chips are down family and close friends will get you through.

DESIGN AND COLOUR HIT THE SPOT A special word of praise should be given to the set designer who transformed a stage into both the attic of a house, and a hospital.

The colours chosen seemed to deliberately throw out a sense of calm onto the

audience. There seemed to be nice relaxing colours of blue and green and lilac creating an effect for the audience as if to say that all is ok, you can relax and enjoy the performance.

And when change was needed to portray a darkness to the show this was captured by swapping the pastels to more muted colours.

IMPORTANCE OF A TEXT MESSAGE According to Cronin, it is amazing the strength you get from good friends and family members. The actor also offers one piece of advice to people who are unsure about contacting people who have been diagnosed with a serious disease.

“Make contact, or send a quick text to say you are thinking of them. It will mean the world” Today, Catherine continues her treatment for cancer but thanks to an excellent medical team and a life enriched by following her passion for writing, the prospects for a longer, healthier life are now much more realistic than back in 2018.

Orphan Disease was written and performed by Catherine Cronin, directed by Tara Brodin, with dramaturg by Emma Kelly. It was dedicated to the author’s grandmother Annie and her close friend Karen.

The author’s parents and family as well as neighbours and friends attended the Watergate performance and the standing ovation at the final curtain was not one bit surprising.

Paul and Eileen Clifford pictured at The Watergate

Joyce Kerr, Niamh Holohan

Author and actor Catherine Cronin on stage at the Watergate theatre in her one woman show Orphan Disease

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 06 May 2022

Food & Drink

Dine Me Come

With

Asparagus risotto Prep: 10 mins Cook: 25 mins Serves: 2

Put asparagus centre stage in this satisfying risotto. Top with a sprinkling of parmesan for an easy midweek meal for two.

Ingredients • 1 bunch asparagus (about 200g) • 800ml vegetable stock • 1 tbsp olive oil • 25g butter • 1 small onion , finely chopped • 175g risotto rice • 100ml white wine or vermouth (optional) • 25g parmesan or vegetarian alternative, finely grated

Treat yourself to elderflower wine

Method STEP 1 Snap the woody ends off the asparagus stalks and tip them into a saucepan with the stock.

Put on a low heat to very gently simmer.

Meanwhile, cut off the tips of the asparagus, add to the stock for exactly 1 min. Scoop out with a slotted spoon and set aside. Finely slice the rest of the stalks into rounds.

STEP 2 Heat the oil and half the butter in a heavy, wide pan. Cook the onions gently for 5 mins until soft, stirring often. Add the chopped asparagus stalks and cook for 2 mins more. Add the rice and continuously stir for a few minutes until it turns semi-transparent and makes a hissing sound.

STEP 3

Prep: 10 mins plus 6 weeks fermenting, and up to a few months to clear Makes: 4.5 litre/1 gallon batch Make your own delicious elderflower wine with our fabulous summery recipe. This delectable alcoholic drink is perfect for using our favourite seasonal ingredient.

Stir in the wine, if using – it will evaporate almost immediately. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Add the stock, a ladleful at a time, stirring between each addition until it is absorbed, about 15 mins.

STEP 4 Try the rice – it should feel just cooked with a slight bite to it. Stir in the asparagus tips and any last dregs of stock and cook for 1 or

2 mins more. Remove from the heat and top with the remaining butter and most of the parmesan. Season generously, cover and leave for a few minutes to settle.

STEP 5 Give the risotto a thorough stir to incorporate the butter and cheese and serve straight away with the remaining parmesan for sprinkling over.

Lemon and elderflower traybake Prep: 40 mins Cook: 1 hr and 10 mins plus chilling and cooling Serves: 12 to 15

Ingredients • 25 heads elderflower • 200g sultanas , roughly chopped • 1 lemon , zested and juiced • 1kg sugar • 5g citric acid • 75ml cold black tea • 5g sachet wine yeast • 1 campden tablet Method STEP 1 Read our guides on how to clean brewing equipment and home brewing safety tips before you get started. Trim the elderflower florets off the stems with scissors or a wide-toothed comb into a clean bucket.

For the icing • 200g icing sugar • 2 lemons juiced (use the zested lemons above) • 2 tbsp elderflower cordial

cool for a few minutes before spreading over the lemon curd, leaving a 2cm border around the edges (it will spread out when the cake batter is poured over). Turn the oven down to 180C/160C fan/gas 4.

STEP 2 Add the sultanas, lemon zest and juice to the bucket. Dissolve the sugar and citric acid in 2l boiling water and pour into the bucket. Cover and leave for 8 hours or overnight to steep.

Ingredients • 250g lemon curd, plus extra to decorate • 250g butter, softened • 250g caster sugar • 2 lemons, zested • 4 eggs • 100g self-raising flour • 150g ground almonds

Method STEP 1 First, make the pastry. Tip the flour, butter, sugar and lemon zest into a food processor and blitz until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Tip in the egg yolk and ½-1 tbsp cold water and blitz again to bring everything together into a dough. If the dough isn’t coming together, add more cold water, ½ tsp at a time, and blitz again. Roll the pastry out on a lightly floured surface to a 3mm thickness, then use it to line the base of a loose-bottomed traybake or brownie tin (ours was 20 x 30cm).

Transfer to the fridge and chill for 20 mins.

STEP 3 Beat the butter, sugar and lemon zest together using an electric whisk or in a stand mixer until pale, light and fluffy, about 8 mins.

Beat in the eggs, one at a time along with 1 tbsp of the flour, then fold in the remaining flour and the ground almonds. Carefully spoon the batter over the lemon curd and gently spread out using the back of the spoon, then bake for 35-40 mins until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin completely, then carefully remove to a board.

STEP 3 Add the tea and 2.5l cold water, stir, then sprinkle the yeast over. Cover and leave in a moderate (1520C) spot, out of the sunlight, to ferment until the foam has died down – this usually takes five days, but could be up to 14.

For the pastry • 200g plain flour, plus extra for dusting • 125g cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes • 1 tbsp caster sugar • 1 lemon, zested • 1 egg yolk

STEP 2 Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Line the chilled pastry case with baking parchment and baking beans, then bake for 15 mins. Remove the parchment and beans and bake for 5 mins more until the pastry is lightly golden. Leave to

This clever twist on the classic bakewell has a delicate floral flavour, making it ideal for serving at spring garden parties or bake sales.

STEP 4 To make the icing, combine the icing sugar, lemon juice and elderflower cordial until loose enough to drizzle over the sponge, then swirl over extra lemon curd, if you like. Cut into squares and serve. Will keep in an airtight tin for up to three days.

STEP 4 Transfer into a clean bucket or demijohn, leaving the sediment behind. Top up to 4.5l with cooled boiled water if desired. Cover tightly (a lid with an airlock is recommended). Leave to ferment, this usually takes six weeks (little trails of bubbles are a visual indicator).

STEP 5 When the liquid stops bubbling and clears a little, transfer to a clean bucket, leaving the sediment behind and adding the campden tablet. Leave to clear, which may take a few months, then decant into sterilised bottles. Store in a cool, dark place.

The wine will improve for up to 18 months.

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Advertisement TV & Streaming COMING soon to Netflix is a new dark fantasy series with a huge budget of $165 million – called The Sandman, it comes from mind of Neil Gaiman, the writer behind American Gods, Good Omens and many others, and the new series has a seriously huge budget.

If there’s one thing that Netflix does well, it’s helping you escape into another world.

From The Witcher to Sabrina, the streaming service knows how to keep you on the edge of your seat and in between realms.

Now, The Sandman looks set to be no exception, and the highly anticipated 2022 release has the budget to back it up.

Based on the bestselling Neil Gaiman comic book series created for DC, the story centres on the immortal embodiment of people’s dreams – and we’ll give you one guess what his name is...

Morpheus. Bet you didn’t see that one coming, right?

He’s also called the Sandman but we think his given name is way more fun.

DC Comics explains that the story centres on a ‘vast hallucinatory landscape housing all the dreams of any and everyone who’s ever existed’. It continues: “Regardless of cultures or historical eras, all dreamers visit Morpheus’ realm – be they gods, demons, muses, mythical creatures or simply humans who teach Morpheus some surprising lesson.”

The series is sure to thrill fans, with a typical Gaimanesque premise of a magical figure having more than a few flaws. Or, as a synopsis for the series reads: “The Lord of Dreams has been summoned, and captured, by mortal men. Once free from his captivity, this eternal ruler of Dreams will realise that his troubles are only just beginning.”

And if those troubles were money-related we certainly see why, because the series

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A psychological thriller from 2020 that dives deep into the surreal. I’m Thinking of Ending Things definitely won’t be for everyone, but it connects you to the frustrations of the young woman (Jessie Buckley) at its heart, who grapples with breaking o` her seven- week-relationship with her boyfriend Jake (Jesse Plemons). While it overstays its welcome a little, I’m Thinking of Ending Things always keeps you on your toes, with atmospheric cinematography and strong performances from Toni Collette and David Thewlis as Jake’s fairly odd parents. Fans of director-writer Charlie Kaufman will be pleased.

New dark fantasy has biggest ever budget budget was $165 million.

Still, the cost is a small price to pay if the series is as successful as other fantasy stories on the platform, withThe Witcher reaching 76 million households in its first few weeks, as Digital Spy reports.

And, in comparison, The Witcher had about half the budget of The Sandman, at $70-80 million for the first season.

The new series set to star Tom Sturridge as the Sandman, Gwendolyn Christie as Lucifer, Sanjeev Bhaskar and Asim Chaudhry as Cain and Abel.

Writer Gaiman is also determined to keep you entertained throughout the series, with the writer explaining that each episode is as varied as the characters.

“You watch Episode 1 and

think, ‘Oh, I get this thing: it’s like Downton Abbey, but with magic,” he told Empire.

“Then you’ll be wondering, ‘What the hell is this?’

by Episode 2, when you’re meeting Gregory The Gargoyle in The Dreaming.

Episode 5 is about as dark and traumatic as anything is ever gonna get, then you’ve got Episode 6, which is probably the most feelgood of all the episodes.”

Finance crisis sees Meghan Markle dropped AS we reported last week, Netflix has been having a tough time financially. Their stock prices are falling to a new low, and subscribers are rapidly leaving the streaming service due to a sharp hike in subscription prices and dwindling quality of content, prompting the streamer to cancel some shows and films to save costs. Meghan Markle’s animated series Pearl happens to be one of them.

Founded by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Archewell Productions announced Pearl last year, where Markle would serve as executive producer.

super movies to watch right now on Netflix

The series would revolve around the escapades of a 12-year-old girl whose journey is inspired by the stories of various women in history.

Markle had previously said: “Like many girls her age, our heroine Pearl is on a journey of self-discovery as she tries to overcome life’s daily challenges”, where the series was meant to celebrate “extraordinary women throughout history”.

While Netflix has cancelled Pearl, they are continuing their partnership with Archewell Productions on the documentary series Heart Of Invictus, focusing on the injured veterans competing

in the Invictus Games in The Hague this year.

Besides Pearl, the streamer has also cancelled other animated children’s series like Boons and Curses and Dino Daycare.

The streaming service saw a sharp fall in subscribers in April 2021 and is anticipating two million other subscribers to quit their subscriptions by July 2022. This has led to a $50 billion decrease in Netflix’s market value, causing the streamer various problems.

After a successful 2021 with shows like Squid Game generating massive revenue, Netflix’s ambition for expansion grew exponentially. They

began investing in creating more content to tap other demographics, including subscribers in India and Africa.

However, the streamer’s decision to increase subscription prices in the United States, Ireland, the UK, Canada and Australia has proved to be detrimental. It led to a massive loss in the subscriber base who are now moving to other competitive streaming services like Amazon Prime, Disney+, Hulu, etc.

Netflix has recently laid off writers and journalists from its editorial fan site Tudum owing to the website’s financial loss in the first quarter, aiming to curtail finances.

Two movies named The Call came out in 2020. Watch the South Korean one, a time travel thriller revolving around, yep, a phone call.

Twenty-eight-year-old Seo- yeon finds a phone buried in a closet in her childhood home. It rings -- and the caller, it turns out, is living in the same house 20 years earlier.

Twists right up to the final moment, plus a wild cat-and- mouse chase that alters the past and present make this a must-watch.

This taut 2018 thriller set in the remote Scottish Highlands is far from an idyllic getaway. Prepare for a full-on nerve-wringing nightmare that its protagonists are desperate to wake up from. Vaughn and Marcus set out on a lads’ weekend hunting trip, but after a night of drinking, they find themselves facing events they never could have planned for. Calibre lives up to its name, delivering a slick package of grim, gripping drama. Let the full force of this one wallop you.

The fifth film on Angelina Jolie’s directing CV turned out to be her best. Based on Cambodian author and human rights activist Loung Ung’s memoir, the 2017 biographical thriller recounts the horrors Ung suffered as a child under the rule of the deadly Khmer Rouge.

With an empathetic lens framing a shocking story from the perspective of a child, First They Killed My Father is a unique war movie made with control and finesse.

If you’ve had a bad day, this might be the movie for you. When the police refuse to help with a robbery, nursing assistant Ruth and her weird neighbour Tony take matters into their own hands. The 2017 I Don’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore spots the idiosyncrasies of everyday life, before escalating its story into dark places with even darker humour. With a touch of Coen Brothers’ flair, its perfectly packed 96 minutes will leave you surprisingly emotional.

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Feature damage from rifle fire. The position was made so hot for the occupants that they surrendered in quick time.

They were then made prisoners and taken to the military barracks.

The regulars then proceeded to dislodge the occupants of Mr. O’Rourke’s premises at the other side of the bridge.

A machine gun was placed in position on Greens bridge and trained on the premises, and almost During the fighting, the Executive forces immediately evacuated the City Hall. On resumption of the place was operations regular soldiers attacked John surrendered Street Barracks and after a brief but fierce and the occuencounter the barracks was surrounded and pants taken the occupants taken prisoners prisoners.

After a lull of about an hour, firing between the rival forces was resumed at about 6.30 on Tuesday evening and was continued with great intensity up to about 10.30.

During the evening the Executive forces evacuated the City Hall. On resumption of operations regular soldiers attacked John Street Barracks and after a brief but fierce encounter the barracks was surrounded and A 1922 photograph of Cleere’s Bar on John Bridge the occupants taken prisonshows owner Joh Cleere and his son John Jnr ers. Earlier in the afternoon a regular soldier was wounded in the face, a second regular was wounded during the John street attack by a sniper.

During Tuesday night or early Wednesday, Parliament Barracks , St. Francis Abbey Brewery, and the Workhouse building were evacuated by Executive troops. Many of them succeeded in gaining entrance to the Castle and their comrades. Practically every vantage point around the city was occupied by Greens bridge. City Hall, The forces from G.H.Q. and there forge at St Canice’s steps, and was considerable sniping the Police barracks in Parliaincluding St. Canices’ Tower. ment and John Street.

Now a rifle shot resounded from the Tower then an anPREMISES TAKEN OVER swering volley from another Shortly after 11 0’clock a point. This continued for party of regular soldiers hours with an occasional from the Military Barracks burst of machine gun fire. marched in the direction It was reported on Wednesof Greens bridge and were day that a young Kilkenny soon in action. The first lady occupied a position as a position of the occupying sniper. force to be attacked was On Wednesday an incident the residence of Mr John occurred in High Street, Lacey of Greens bridge. This when three young ladies, house to which a licensed members of Cumann na bar is attached was recently mBan were held up by two purchased for a big price soldiers as they entered the from John Kerwick of the General Post Office. They Parade by John Cleere of were escorted into the Post Johns Quay who intended Office and detained for some to open the grocery and time. About to be searched licensed business there. and questioned an officer Without much ado the attack gave the order for their was opened, it did not last release. The ladies were Miss very long but such was the Una Egan, Miss Stallard, and intensity of the firing the Miss Dooley. outside of the house was Part two of The Civil War dotted with bullet marks. in Kilkenny continues next The interior also showed week evidence of considerable

The Civil War in Kilkenny 25th April to May 03rd 1922

In early May 1922, nearly two months prior to the official beginning of the Civil War, Kilkenny anti-Treaty IRA units took over 15 buildings in Kilkenny City, most notably St Canice’s Cathedral and Kilkenny Castle.

Over the next three weeks,The Kilkenny Observer in conjunction with Cois Céim take a closer look at events of the time

T

he opening salvos of the Civil War had yet to be fired. This did not happen until June 28TH 1922, when the Four Courts in Dublin was bombarded by the National Army. There was military activity in Kilkenny in the last week in April when a large force of Army Executive invaded the city on the Monday night April 25th into Tuesday morning.

The citizens were greatly perturbed to find that these forces had taken possession of business and strategic positions throughout the city.

Business however continued as usual, people began to gather at an early stage to discuss the situation that had arisen. There was great activity on the part of the invading force. Young men visited various shops commandeering food supplies, cooking utensils, sacks to be used as sand bags, mattresses etc., and were conveyed by lorry to the

various premises occupied by them. This was the first indication the public had, that the invaders planned a prolonged stay. It was understood the invading force were made up of various panels from Tipperary, Waterford and Kilkenny. Many of the young men came from Kilkenny city itself.

What was it all about was the question passing through the minds of the citizens.

Whatever was going to happen would happen at 9 o’clock that evening. The stage being set, developments were not long delayed.

At least twelve buildings were occupied by the Executive forces by the early hours of Tuesday morning. The workhouse, the Imperial Hotel, Arthur J.Wilsdon’s premises. The Working men’s club in Kieran Street, the Belfry and Round Tower of St Canice’s Cathedral, Kilkenny Castle, John O’Rourke’s premises in Green Street, Mr John Lacey’s residence at

Armoured car ready for action at Kilkenny Military Barracks

A photograph of Cleeres Bar on Greens Bridge

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Picture special A pidgeon that insisted on getting its photo taken

Trish Rhatigan Andy Bateman Eamon Doran

The Gleeson family

Busking in Kilkenny

The Mahers enjoying the bank holiday in Kilkenny

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Picture special Steenach and Reshme from Dublin enjoying a break in Kilkenny

Glyn Carolan

Declan O’Hanrahan

About Out &

Tim Hegarty, Mary Gubisch and Lynn and Steve patton from Washington enjoying a day in Kilkenny

WITH

Danny Lahart

Joanne and Eddie Frisby

Fionn Brannigan

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 06 May 2022

Feature

Dawn gathering commemorates Anzac day with dignitiy and pride

Rehearsal time. Planning the ANZAC celebrations at the WW1 memorial Donal Croghan ( chair of the Great War memorial committee) and Cllr. Pat Fitzpatrick, chair of the Joint Policing committee

PHOTOS BY PAT SHORTALL

A

s settings go, this was picture perfect.

Commandant Larry Scallan (retired) hoisted The Irish flag to full mast and Reveille echoed from the Great War memorial at The Peace Park in Kilkenny city.

Representatives of the Army, O.N.E., and Gardai stood to attention and saluted the Tri-colour.

Blowing gently in the dawn April breeze the flags of New Zealand and Australia waved in approval.

The 0.600 gathering on John’s quay was to commemorate ANZAC

day, a national day of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand that broadly commemorates all Australians and New Zealanders “who served and died in all wars, conflicts, and peacekeeping operations” and “the contribution and suffering of all those who have served”.

The thirty plus gathering saw representatives from Kilkenny County Council,(Fideles Doherty, Andrew McGuinness, Eugene McGuinness as well as Kilkenny Fire brigade( John Collins) , Kilkenny Gardaí,( Sgt David Gorman) Army Barracks, (Commandant Stephen McEoin) Scouting Ireland ( Aidan Brennan)

as well as guests from both the Australian and New Zealand diaspora.

Guest of honour, and speaker on the day was Mr Daryl Owens representing the New Zealand Embassy in Ireland.

Apologies were received from Mr Tim Millikan, deputy head of missions at the Australian embassy.

A TIME TO REFLECT Speaking with the Kilkenny Observer , Daryl Owens said that it was a great privilege and honour for him to speak at the service organised to honour those who took part in the conflicts.

Addressing the thirty plus attendance Mr Owens said: “Each Anzac Day we

Berni Egan from the Kilkenny Great War Memorial committee who read a prayer at the Anzac dawn celebrations

take time to reflect and remember the impact of conflict and war in our history. And although the name ANZAC Day specifically refers to the Kiwis / New Zealanders and Australians who landed in Gallipoli, it also serves as a day to remember those who fought and served in all conflicts, from all countries.

P.J Norton at the Anzac dawn celebrations

We acknowledge their service and honour their contribution, while not forgetting the huge amount of sacrifice and personal cost to these people and their families.”

Turning to his fellow New Zealanders Mr. Owens said: “Ka maumahara tonu tatou ki a ratou” (We will remember them) The New Zealand representative went on

to specifically remember those Irish who fought and served together with the Anzacs. While people have often heard of the Anzacs, less known is the fact that as many Irish soldiers died at Gallipoli as Kiwis did.

3000 people - with 15,000 Irish soldiers serving there in total.

Some of whom were from Kilkenny.

This year in New Zealand

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Feature Candles were lit and placed at the memorial

by Fideles Doherty ( chair of the County Council) Andrew McGuinness ( Mayor of Kilkenny), Bernie Bass (New Zealand), Trudy Buckett (Australia) .

Bobby Kearney ( O.N.E) receives a wreath from Paddy Hourihan ( President of the Kilkenny Great War memorial committee).

Bobby laid the wreath on behalf of O.N.E

John Joe Cullen, Kilkenny Historical re-enactment group at The Anzac Day celebrations

Commandant Stephen McEoin deputy commanding office 3rd Inf’ Bn, Stephens Barracks

and Australia the theme for Anzac day is Acts of Service. This not only covers all those from around the world giving their service in conflicts of war, but all acts of service.

Daryl Owens asked those in attendance to spare a thought for those in Ukraine. “Cities laid to waste, homes destroyed, men, women, children - families separated are

images that greet us on a daily basis, and we hope and pray for an end to all this bloodshed” CANDLES REPRESENT THE ETERNAL FLAME On behalf of the Great War memorial committee, chairman Donal Croghan welcomed the attendance and expressed his delight at being able to host this special ceremony.

ETERNAL LIFE The Flame is a symbol of eternal life. The Flame of Remembrance at the Anzac Memorial burns to symbolise the gratitude of the Australian people to those who gave their lives in the service of their country in time of war.

A prayer to remember those who died was read

by Berni Egan while the names of Kilkenny soldiers who are listed on the Peace Park monument were read

by Tony Parker ( Australia) and Rob Brown (New Zealand) and Larry Scallan ( Kilkenny).

Wreaths to honour fallen soldiers were laid by Donal Croughan, Daryl Owens, Tony Parker, Stephen McEoin, Fideles Doherty, Andrew McGuinness, Bobby Kearney, Gus Hennessy and John Collins.

Following a minute’s silence an ‘Ode of Remembrance’ was read

by Ronan Bass.

The Francis Ledwidge poem ‘The Irish in Gallipoli’ was read to the gathering .

His poem ‘The Irish in Gallipoli’ paints a picture synonymous with the poets work.

‘The Irish in Gallipoli’ Where Aegean cliffs with bristling menace front The Threatening splendour of that isley sea Lighted by Troy’s last shadow, where the first Hero kept watch and the last Mystery Shook with dark thunder.

Hark! The battle brunt!

A nation speaks, old Silences are burst.

‘Tis not for lust of glory, nor new throne This thunder and this lightning of our wrath Wakens those frantic echoes, not for these Our Cross with England’s mingle, to be blown on Mammon’s threshold.

We but war when war Serves Liberty and justice Love and peace.

Who said that such an emprise could be vain?

Were they not one with Christ, who fought and died?

Let Ireland weep: but not for sorrow.

Weep - That by her sons a land is sanctified For Christ arisen, and angels once again Come back, like exile birds, and guard their sleep.

The national anthems of New Zealand, Australia and Ireland were played before Donal Croghan concluded the ceremony by thanking all for their attendance.

CQMS Garry McCarthy, Mr Rory O’Mahony, Lt Col ( Retired) David Foley, at The Anzac morning of Remembrance in Kilkenny

Guests at The Anzac Day celebrations : Mayor Andrew McGuinness, Cathaoirleach Fideles Doherty, Commandant Stephen McEoin, John Collins, Kilkenny Fire Services, Sergeant David Gorman

Members of the New Zealand community living in Kilkenny pictured with Daryl Owens ( 3rd from right) the New Zealand Embassy

Commandant Larry Scallan (retired) and Donal Croghan part of the organizing committee for Anzac day

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 06 May 2022

The Kilkenny Observer Friday 06 May 2022

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Feature

Casey’s dream for Kats Theatre lives on in energetic night of poetry and prose You could almost sense the presence of Michael Casey in the room. Founded almost forty years ago, Kats theatre group gathered on the eve of ‘Poetry Day’, in Cleeres theatre on Parliament Street.

Michael When Department of Casey Agriculture employee Michael had decided to stage a production of Sean O Casey’s “Bedtime Story”, he could hardly have envisaged the growth of the drama group he christened Kats Theatre Group.

That was in 1986, when along with seven other likeminded folk they set out on a mission to form a theatre company.

To say they succeeded would be an understatement.

Today, the reins of the chair of Kats is in the more than capable hands of Delia Lowery.

Along with her committee, Delia arranged the night of poetry and told the Observer that it was essential to celebrate Poetry Day.” We have a wealth of talent in the town and county including actors and writers and it seemed to be the natural thing to bring them together to celebrate the written word”, said Delia.

And how right she was.

POETRY AT ITS FINEST We were treated to some fantastic work that included poetry from established American, English and Irish poets as well as new work from young emerging Kilkenny based poets.

While it is always nice to hear the familiar words of the more established poets’ it was

especially inspiring to hear the new poets read their sometimes radical take on life.

If we needed to be reminded that the world is changing, then these new poets did just that. And some. It was refreshing to say the least and gave great hope that the written word is in safe hands.

The fifty plus attendance were treated to what MC Lowery described as a “welcome back to live theatre night”.

The two hour show flew by in the newly refurbished Cleeres theatre.

Welcoming the audience, joint owner of the Parliament street venue, Johnny Holden expressed delight in seeing a full house and the return to live entertainment.

Mr Holden even kicked off the night by reciting one of his favourite poems.

Thanking everyone who attended the evening Ms Lowery said: “Kats Poetry night was an opportunity for an estranged group of people to find countenance and comradeship with their chosen poetry.

The calibre of the poetry was up there with the finest, raw and undulating, temperate and refined. Poetry itself is an encapsulated succinct piece of theatre, three minutes of vulnerability that allows you to be.

It’s theatre that’s accessible to everyone and it’s about community.”

So well done to Kats on their poetry initiative and to Delia Lowery for an excellent job as MC. Michael Casey would definitely have approved and no doubt was looking on with that loveable smile he carried.

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 06 May 2022

kilkennyobserver.ie

Community & GAA Notes

SENIORS WIN Clara played their first game in the St. Canices Credit Union Senior League Division One on Friday evening in Clara. County champions Ballyhale Shamrocks provided the opposition. Few would have predicted such an easy win for the home side but it has to be remembered that Ballyhale were missing a whole raft of starters.

Clara led at the break 1-10 to 0-7. They could easily have been out of sight at that stage but they shot 12 bad wides in that first half. The first half goal was scored by Dara Glynn, who was set up by a pass from Ciarán Prendergast.When Ciarán Prendergast added a second goal 12 minutes into the second half it put Clara 2-15 to 0-9 ahead and they maintained this advantage for the rest of the match. It finished 2-21 to 0-15. Best for the winners were Sean O’ Shea, Jack and David Langton, Shane Staunton, Martin O Connell, Liam Ryan and Ciarán Prendergast.

Team - Kevin Nolan, Sean O Shea 0-1, Jack Langton 0-1, Tom Ryan.

Conor O Shea, Lester Ryan, Conor Cody 0-2. David Langton 0-1, Shane Staunton 0-5. Jason Byrne 0-3, 0-1f, Martin O Connell 0-2, James Nolan 0-1. Ciarán Prendergast 1-1, Dara Glynn 1-0, Liam Ryan 0-4.

Subs used James Casey, Bill Carrigan, Joe Connolly, Rory O Keeffe.

MINOR HURLING The Clara minors made it three wins out of four in the Roinn A league on Monday of last week in Clara as they toppled Dunnamaggin 3-14 to 1-11. They bounced back from a heavy defeat to James Stephens in the previous round. This despite not having four players available to them for various reasons. It was a great performance by the boys, as they held Dunnamaggin to just 1-5 from play over the hour, while scoring 3-10 themselves.

They led 2-8 to 1-5 at half time, the goals having come from Tommy Delaney and Luke Lawlor. This time around they kept up the intensity for the whole second half, and after Dunnamaggin started the second half with two points, Clara put together an unanswered 1-5, to move 12 points clear and wrap up the contest long before the finish. The goal this time came from Dillon Cummins, with a sweet ground strike after a ball broke to him. Dunnamaggin scored four of the last five points, all from frees, as the Clara defence made sure there were going to be no more goals conceded.

This was a most pleasing performance by the Clara boys, as they kept the pedal to the metal throughout the game. It was physical, but they never took a backward step. They also tried hard throughout to play the ball to the man in the best position, and this led to some great team scores. Next up for the squad is a long trip to unbeaten Piltown.

Team - Cian Kelly, Alex McDonald, Ben Crow, James Cody. Alex Firbank, Zach Lawlor, Ben Murphy. Conor Hoyne 0-6, 0-4f, Tommy Delaney 1-1. Harry Boyle 0-1, Sean Carrigan 0-3, Luke Lawlor 1-1.

Dillon Cummins 1-0, Davy Barcoe 0-2, Joe Power. Subs used John Bergin, Eoin Corr. Sean Byrne, Conor Galvin, Daniel Ryan, Orí Phelan, Tom Boyle, Tom Murphy, Bill Kealy.

FEILE FOOTBALL Clara lost at the quarter final stage to Danesfort on Saturday in the Feile football on Saturday in Thomastown.

CLUB LOTTO There is no winner of this week’s Club Lotto (April 26th). Numbers drawn were 1, 11, 13, 24 Bonus 20. Next Week’s Big Prize will be €8,200 (May 3rd).

Play Now at www.oloughlingaels.com/lotto Promotors Draw: 1. Michael Dreelan c/o Padraig Leydon. 2. Dick Brennan c/o JJ Cullen 3. Seanie Barry c/o Esther Maher. 4. Martina Tyrrell c/o Noel Tyrrell 5. Sarah Doran c/o Moxie Doran. 6. Tilly c/o Mick Nolan 7. Brendan Cullen 8. Lizzie Kavanagh c/o Online9. Andy Comerford c/o Online.10.

Caroline Hickey c/o Online Thank you for your continued support LEINSTER CHAMPIONS Congratulations to u16s O’Loughlin Gaels Camogie Club players Aoife Shealy and Ava O’Grady who were part of the Kilkenny Camogie teams to win Leinster Titles on Saturday. Also Riona Crowley who was on the successful Minor B team that won the Leinster Final the previous weekend. Lovely hurling.

Emeralds U15 Football team who are through to the Regionals on June 4th

EMERALDS GAA CLUB Mega Bingo: Every Sunday, 4pm at Urlingford GAA pitch. Gates open at 3pm. Single books and one sheet €10; Double books and two sheets €15. Extra jackpot sheet €3 or two for €5. Please support.

U15 FOOTBALL Emeralds U15 football team: took part in the the Féile Peil division 3 on Saturday, April 30. They beat Bennetsbridge in the semi final 0-8 to 0-3. They Played St Patrick’s in the final coming out victorious in a very close match. Final score: 1-5 to 2-1.

They are now through to the Regionals which will take place Saturday, June 4. Venue to be confirmed.

Team: Callum Broderick, Philip Campion, Richard Costello, Bill Cussen, Conor Holohan, Darragh Cleere, Cian Hickey, Simon Zhang (captain), Oisin Quinlan, Callum Lawlor, Dara Sweetman, Jack Power, Nathan Barnaville, Cillian Deegan.

Subs: Padraig Kavanagh, Mikey Manton, Ronan O’Shea, Cormac Joyce, Daithí Cussen, Conor Gibbons, Daniel Tobin, Cathal O’Dwyer.

Management: Kevin Joyce, Ger Sweetman, James Quinlan, John Wilson.

EMERALDS URLINGFORD AND GRAINE LOTTO April 25th prize fund was: €7,600. Jackpot: €5,600.Numbers drawn: 12, 14, 18, 29, bonus no 21. No winner and one match 3 winner: Anne Byrne. Promoters prize: The Girls. Five lucky dips of €20 each: M.R.J. Coady, Shane O’Dwyer, Aidan Quinlan, Noel Butler, Michael Power.

Next draw takes place on Tuesday, May 3 in the Clubrooms. Results next week.

MILL FAMILY RESOURCE CENTRE LTI Pathway to Employment course QQI Level 4 September 2022: LTI is recruiting for the new programme in September 2022. If anyone is interested in completing this full-time course, please contact us for an expression of interest form. More details can be found on our website www.millfrcurlingford.com BTEI Healthcare Course QQI Level 5 September 2022: We are currently taking names for the Healthcare QQI Level 5 programme starting September 2022. Please contact us if you are interested in completing this course.

Senior Alert: If you need to apply for a Personal Alarm, please contact Sue or Josephine.

Counselling Services: Our low cost Counselling Services, includes One-to-One, Family & Teens, aged 12 plus.General Counselling: Bereavement, Stress, Anxiety & Depression.Other Counselling Services available: Drug, Substance & Gambling Addictions.Please contact Sue for more information or to make an appointment.Appeal for Clothes Donations: Any clothes donations would be appreciated in aid of our counselling services. Donations can be left into the Centre, please call before dropping off.Contact number for the Centre 056 8838466.

URLINGFORD ARMS SPLIT THE POT This week’s winner of Split the Pot was Faith Woods who won €385.

O’Loughlin Gaels U9s who visited the Kells Road to play Football v The Village on Sunday morning. Well done all involved

Congrats Faith!Tickets €2 on sale in participating businesses in town with proceeds this week going to Urlingford and Graine Community Text Alert for next week’s draw. Be in it to win it!!

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.

FEILE LACHTAIN 2022.

Féile Lachtain 2022 continues with the Edmund Fitzpatrick/Margaret Allen celebrations over the coming weekend. Ned Kennedy’s booklet on the life and work of the Freshford-born artist, Edmund Fitzpatrick, will be launched on Friday, May 6 at 8.00 p.m. in St. Lachtain’s Church of Ireland. The book will be launched by Lord Bellew of Barmeath Castle whose ancestors, from nearby Jenkinstown House, commissioned paintings from the artist. An exhibition of available paintings and illustrations by Fitzpatrick will be open at Ionad Lachtain Heritage Centre from 11.30am to 4.30pm on Saturday and Sunday. Proceeds from the sale of the booklet will go to the Heritage Centre.

Also on Saturday Dublin-based author Derville Murphy will deliver a lecture on the life and work of artist Margaret Allen who was the first female member of the Royal Hibernian Academy. Derville Murphy has written a novel based on the life of Margaret Allen. She ended her days at Brookville, Lisdowney. The lecture will be held at St. Lachtain’s Church of Ireland beginning at 3.00 p.m. on Saturday, 7th May. As these are amongst the signature events of Féile Lachtain, your support would be greatly appreciated. Entry is free to both events.

SQUASH The Home Internationals took place in Galway Lawn Tennis/Squash Club recently. Local lad Pat Morrissey represented Ireland in the over 40s. Friday night they played Scotland and Ireland won 5-0. On Saturday morning they played Wales and won 5-0, then unfortunately lost the final round to England on a 4-1 score. Ireland had a Great strong team of Keith Moran from Sligo No1, Kevin Knox from Waterford No2, Pat Morrissey, Freshford No3, Ronan Peyton from Dublin, No 4. Neil Pollack from Belfast No5, Brian Butler from Dublin No 5. They enjoyed a Great Weekend getting back into big competitions and Pat and The team would like to thank Damien Lennon THM for the Team sponsorship.

In The Munster Junior Invitational at Thurles recently young local boy Nathan Walsh from Freshford finished 3rd Overall in a great competition. Well done Nathan.

TOM HONOURED A special tribute was paid to well known local character Tom Hayes, Ard Lachtain in the Community Hall recently. There was a big attendance and some well known characters and visitors attended.

The event reflected on Toms involvement in the community over the years. Tom was elected Lord Mayor of Freshford a few years ago as a fund raiser also. MC for the evening was John Maher and he read details of Toms life and involvement and family photos were shared and some special guests were there to speak about Tom and pay their tributes including school friends, classmates, his employers, referees and umpires whom he worked with over many years, Chairperson of Irish Coursing Club, and GAA Circles with former GAA President Nicky Brennan also in attendance. Messages were also sent from the Sisters of Prague House over the years where Tom spent many years selling tickets and helping to raise funds for same. Also special message via web cam were sent from the his friends in Dungiven Gaa club. Donal Heaphy and Paddy Butler gave a rendering of Tullaroan Victory Ball and also songs from John Guinan and Michael Rafter. Tom joined the singers in the final rendering of “the Rose of Mooncoin”. Tom received many gifts and token on the evening and thanked everyone for the lovely evening and finished by saying he “really didn’t know anything about it “ this time around. He is wished many years of happy retirement and good health.

BIRTHDAY BOY Special birthday wishes go out to local lad John Paul Kavanagh who celebrated a very special birthday last week. JP reached the big 40 and celebrated the occasion with family and friends at party in Kavanaghs Pub on Saturday night last.

SPLIT THE POT The weekly split the pot draw took place on Wednesday last week and the winner was Ruarc Shefflin from Ballyhale who own €115.

Tickets are just €2 and the winner gets half of the takings. The draw is held each Wednesday and boxes and envelopes can be found in Kavanaghs Bar, Mace, O’shea’s corner shop, Girls& Guys Hairdressers,

Oasis Creche, Freshford Creamery, Freshford Butchers and Prague House. This months proceeds are going to Freshford Community Café. The Committee would ask you to Please support this fund raiser.

SOCCER Freshford Town Junior side had their last game of the league for this season last weekend. Forced to field without a number of regulars they lost out 3-0 to River Rangers. There were no games in the schoolboys section last weekend either.

Congratulations to Freshford U10 side and their management who won the final of the Gerry O’Reilly plate final on Saturday morning defeating Freebooters boys in the final.

The training sessions for U8s commenced back on Saturday last after the Easter break and will continue each Saturday morning (weather permitting) are on their Easter break at present and will resume when the kids return to school each Saturday from 12noon to 1pm at the Sportsfield at Woodview. All boys from 5-8 are most welcome to come along and join in TALKS Threecastles Community Hall Committee are at present holding their Spring Series of informative talks and Coffee morning as well as a” movie” night. The series consists of three talks, a Coffee morning and one “movie” night. The Committee are hoping that local people as well as the public from Kilkenny City and County will come along to our Community Hall, Tulla Road, to hear very interesting information as well as being able to catch up with friends and neighbours and be entertained at the “Movie” night.

The first talk titled – “Fire Safety in the Home” took place on Wednesday 30th March This talk was given by Jason Bowden, Station Officer, and other members of the Freshford Fire Brigade and was very informative for all of us to stay safe at home.

“Waste and Recycling at Home” is the second talk and will be given

by Bernadette Moloney, Environment Awareness Officer, Kilkenny County Council. We are all probably recycling but we can always learn how to manage our waste and recycle better.

“Magical Memories at the Movies” is next . This will be a night to remember as the renowned videographer Tommy Butler, from Freshford, will show hours of footage from events, hurling matches, shows, school pantos and lots more which he has recorded over years and years. You will enjoy recognizing familiar faces and reliving memorable events. (This is the only event that will have a charge of 5euro.)

“Easter Social Coffee Morning” is next in the serioes. This is a chance for everyone to enjoy a chat and a cuppa in our Community Hall. We will also have a raffle so you might even go home with a prize!!

“Discovering the Archaeology of Threecastles” is the third talk and this will be given by widely acclaimed archaeologist Coilin O Drisceoill, on Wednesday 11th May at 8pm. Coilin has vast experience in successful “digs” both locally and nationally.

Everyone is welcome to come along to one or all of these events.

Refreshments will be provided at each of the talks and “movie” night.

We would love to see you there and be sure to let other people know about our Spring Series. For further information contact Brenda Cooper Phone 0871369253 COMMUNITY ALERT Freshford /Three castles Community Alert group held their AGM recently . This was their first AGM since covid restrictions were enforced and the attendance was small due to numbers still been quite high. The following officers were elected for the forthcoming year; Chairman – John Bergin, Secretary – Jacinta Power, Treasurer – Mick Cormack PRO – Anna Morrissey Anyone wishing to join the text alert scheme or have a personal alarm installed should contact any of the above Committee. It is 10 euro per phone number. New members are always very welcome. The group wish to thank everyone who has joined for their continued support. Please contact any of the committee members to discuss, John Bergin 0862592535, Jacinta Power 0877658672, Mick Cormack 0863535293 or Anna Morrissey 0858277965.

GAA St.Lachtains Club were well represented on the Kilkenny Senior Hurling side on Sunday last when they were narrowly defeated by Galway in round three of the Leinster Championship round robin.

James Maher started at midfield with Darren Brennan on the bench as sub keeper. Congrats also to Aidan Tallis and Alan Hickey who were on the winning Kilkenny U20 side on Monday when they made a great comeback in extra time to defeat Galway in the Leinster semi final. Aidan was in goal for the Kilkenny side while Alan was the sub keeper. Another local man David Brennan was on the management side.

On this Wednesday evening the U15 hurlers take on Tullogher at Pairc Lachtains.The U13s take on Naomh Eoin on Friday evening at 7.30pm in Freshford.

The Junior B hurlers ace Barrow Rangers in Freshford on Saturday evening at 78pm. While the Junior F are ouit against Young Irelands in Gowran on Sunday evening at 7m.

MACRE NA FEIRME Macra na Feirme are looking to establish a new club in the Freshford area. Macra na Feirme is an organisation for young people between the ages of 17 and 35 who are interested in getting involved in sports, travel drama, debating or just want to meet new people and have some fun. To be a member of Macra you must join a Macra club in your area. This will open the door to new fiends and new activities.

There are hundreds of clubs across Ireland bursting with activity who always welcome a new face. For more information please contact Training and Development Officer – Michael Wall on 0868359891 or email him at mwall@macra.ie

DUNNAMAGGIN GAA Kilmoganny Footballers. A huge well done to all our u6 ,7 & 8 Kilmoganny footballers who finished up with a great training session this evening .They trained all through the winter months and improved week on week. They are a great bunch of young lads and it’s a credit to their parents and coaches .They were presented with their hard earned medals and goodie bags after training. A big thanks to all the coaches involved, you are doing a great job.

The Kilkenny Observer Friday 06 May 2022

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kilkennyobserver.ie

Community & GAA Notes GAA Juvenile Club Race night Please share and donate to the GoFundMe campaign, for the Dunnamaggin Juvenile GAA Club Race Night. Name after Jockey and Trainer €20, Name the horse €20 all entries must be in by 9th May so cards for night (28th May) can be printed. See link https://gofund.me/e7c6255a BRIDGE Kilmoganny Bridge Club results for 27/04/2022: 1 Tina Ronan and Josie O’Gorman. 2 Emer Wallace and Gerry FitzGerald. Bridge is every Wednesday night at 7.30pm in St. Eoghans Centre, Kilmoganny. All welcome.

LOTTO Local Lotto Results Winning Numbers for April 25th: 3,6,9. No winner.

Winners of Draw for 5 x € 30. Helen F Martin ( Helen F Martin ), Izzy ( Pat Comerford),Edward Moran ( Edward Moran ),Shane Noonan ( Johnno Reid ),Maud Doherty ( Maud Doherty ) Jackpot for May 2nd € 1,750.

Draw takes place in Dunphy’s Kilmoganny at 9pm.

DUNNAMAGGIN LADIES FC Dunnamaggin Ladies FC there’s 9 weeks to SUMMER HOLS so let’s get FIT for summer together and have lots of FUN along the way! Join us Tuesdays at 8pm. NO EXPERIENCE required at all. We get new players every season with no previous football or any team sport experience.

The only requirement is that you are aged 25 yrs up,we have ladies in their twenties, thirties and forties playing and all fitness and ability levels are well catered for. Any queries contact Eléna on 0877691174 IROUTE Iroute conference - integrated rural and urban transport evolution.

Do people living in rural Ireland have the same right to access public transport as those living in cities?How vital is a properly functioning public transport service quality of life in Rural areas ? This conference, organised by Kilkenny LEADER Partnership (KLP), Kilkenny County Council and Ring a Link, will hear from National and International speakers and aims to ask challenging questions around the basic human right to have a properly functioning public transport service.

Date: May 5th, from 8.45am to 17.30pm in the Newpark Hotel in Kilkenny. To book your place click on the link, https://www.eventbrite. ie/e/integrated-rural-urban-transport-evolution-iroute-conferencetickets-166805392419 SUMMER GARDENING COURSE Summer gardening course with Eddie from Kilkenny and Carlow Education and Training Board (KCETB) KCETB will be holding a six week free online course on summer gardening, every Tuesday evening from 7-9pm starting on 3 May 2022 If you would like further information of if you would like to book a place on the course please contact Fiona at fdunne@kcetb.ie 1922 SIEGE OF KILKENNY CASTLE The 1922 Siege of Kilkenny Castle talk, OPW Kilkenny Castle will mark the centenary anniversary of the siege of Kilkenny Castle in 1922 with a talk by Eamonn Kiely, retired army Commandant and former guide with Kilkenny Castle, on Saturday 30th April @3pm in the Parade Tower. Eamonn will relate the events that took place during the siege of Kilkenny Castle and around the city. Free event but registration is required. Booking at https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/the-1922-siege-ofkilkenny-castle-tickets-321242453827 MARKETS Markets at Madge’s Garden: Dates for your diary the last Sunday of every month from May until October inclusive and then our fourth annual Christmas Market on December 4th - May 29th – Flower Theme: June 26th– Mid Summer Theme: July 31st– Fairy Village Theme (celebrating 1 year of Slí na nAingeal): August 28th – Vintage Theme (Best Dressed Competition – Afternoon Tea Tent): Sept 25th – Harvest Theme (Scarecrow Competition – Apple Pressing): Oct 30th – Halloween Theme (Get your scare on!): Dec 4th- 4th Annual Christmas Market with Santa. At Every Market Pop Up Café – Eamo’s BBQ – Food & Craft Stalls – Competitions – Raffles – FUN for all the FAMILY DROICHEAD FAMILY RESOURCE CENTRE Droichead Family Resource Centre on West Street in Callan has a Fully Funded Part Time Course starting in September 2022 on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9.30am-12.30pm. If you are interested in Healthcare and would like a QQI Level 5 Healthcare Support Qualification, contact Back to Education Initiative on (056) 7701020 or email btei@ kkadulted.ie for more information.

Want to know what is happening at Droichead Family Resource Centre? Text “what’s on “to (085) 8564950 or (083) 2098069 to be added to our What’s On at Droichead FRC WhatsApp Group. You can also follow Droichead FRC on Facebook or Instagram or give us a call on (056) 7755660 to keep up to date with all the services, supports and community groups available at Droichead.

FAILTE ISTEACH Would you like to volunteer? Fáilte Isteach is a national project providing free conversational English classes for migrants. We are currently recruiting for volunteer language tutors in Droichead Family Resource Centre, no experience necessary as full training and all materials provided. For more information on how to get involved, please contact Carmel on (083) 2098069 or email familysupport@ droicheadfrc.ie KILKENNY AGE FRIENDLY COMMUNITY GATHERINGS Kilkenny Age Friendly Older Peoples Council would like to hear from you. It is important that we hear the voice of all older people throughout the county and to ensure that we are doing so we are holding a number of Age Friendly Community Gatherings where we invite older people to come along and let us know what they see as the issues that are relevant and important to them.

These Community Gatherings will be run at the following locations and dates: Urlingford FRC 6th May 2022. Ferrybank Community Centre. 20th May 2022 Castlecomer Community Hall. 15th June 2022Mullinavat Community Centre. 30th June 2022 Graiguenamanagh Hub. July 2022 tbc Please come along and bring some friends. It will start with Registration Tea/Coffee at 9.15 and finishing at 12.30/1pm. If you would like further information please email agefriendlycounty@gmail.com or text 0876210589.

GOWRAN ATHLETIC CLUB A huge congratulations to Gowran AC on winning best overall club at

St Abban’s . Another strong turnout from Gowran AC, thanks to the parents and coaches as always, and thanks to the hosts St. Abban’s AC on a great event. Here are the Gowran AC athletes, results U8 – Toshia Bielska (2nd 60M, 3rd 300M), Olivia Kelly U9 – Cian Larkin, Ava Kelly, Emma Kelly U10 – Ted Kelsey, Sarah Mulrooney (1st Turbo Javelin), Eli Hayes, Orla O’Keeffe (3rd Turbo Javelin), Abigail Hunt (2nd 60M, 3rd 300M, 2nd Turbo Javelin) U11 – Ross Hutton (3rd Long Jump), Seán Farrell (1st Long Jump), Matthew Byrne, Daniel Greene (1st 60M), Lauren Larkin, Emer O’Callaghan, Fionn Smith, Róisín Moseley – Boys 4 x 100M Relay (1st) – Daniel Greene, Ross Hutton, Sean Farrell, Matthew Byrne U12 – Lucy Brennan, Heidi Ryan, Roisin Smith, Kate Mulrooney, Avery Hayes, Laura Beatty, Ellis Beatty, Rose Kennedy, Emily O’Keeffe (3rd High Jump), Oren Deniefe, Liam Houlihan, Oisín Doyle U13 – Rachel Duff (1st 60M, 1st Long Jump), Eimear Cottrell, Evan Ryan (2nd 500M, 2nd Shot Putt), Michael O’Keeffe, Lucy Cunningham, Charlie Gardener – Girls 4 x 100M Relay (2nd) – Lucy Cunningham, Emily O’Keeffe, Rachel Duff, Eimear Cottrell.

– Girls 4 x 100M Relay (4th) – Kate Mulrooney, Heidi Ryan, Lucy Brennan, Laura Beatty.

– Boys 4 x 100M Relay (4th) – Michael O’Keeffe, Evan Ryan, Liam Houlihan, Oisin Doyle.

U14 – Odhrán Prendergast (2nd 80M, 1st U15 Long Jump), Aoibhlinn Steger (1st High Jump, 3rd Shot Putt), Joe Hayes (2nd High Jump) U15 – Charlie Ryan, James Kelsey (2nd U16 High Jump), Charlie Goff, Noah Denieffe (2nd Shot Putt) – Boys 4 x 100M Relay (3rd) – Charlie Ryan, Noah Denieffe, Odhrán Prendergast, Joe Hayes subs James Kelsey and Charlie Goff.

U16 - Chloe Lynch U17 – Rachel Gardiner (2nd Junior Women Shot Put) THE KILKENNY COUNTRY MUSIC FESTIVAL The festival is back this year in Gowran Park, and it will take place on Sunday 3rd July featuring a host of top-class Country Singers. Performing on the day will be Mike Denver, Cliona Hagan, Robert Mizzell, Trudi Lalor, Jimmy and Claudia Buckley with backing band The Conquerors. Tickets now on Sale and for further information, check out kilkennycountrymusicfestival.ie or email kkcountrymusic@gmail.com GOWRAN FESTIVAL OF SPEED The festival is taking place on Sunday, 21st August. Tickets available online,www.gowranpark.ie DOG FUNDRAISER Gowran GAA will hold a fundraiser on Sunday, 29th May at Kilkenny Greyhound Track.

GOWRAN PITCH AND PUTT Well done to Robert Middleton on his win at St Bridget’s Scratch Cup. Two steady rounds of 56 and 52 and level par total secured first place in the junior section.

SPORTS ROUND-UP MICHAEL O’LEARY FEILE GLORY FOR FANTASTIC FOOTBALLERS Huge Congratulations to the Young Irelands U-15 Footballers and Management Team on a Fantastic Triumph as they won the Division Two Final in Thomastown on Saturday.Having received a walkover off Glenmore, they defeated Danesfort 3-3 to 0-0 in the Semi-Final, before cruising to a 5-6 to 0-1 win against St. Martins in the Final.They will now go forward to the Feile Regional Final on the June Bank Holiday Weekend, Saturday June 4th.

It was a great week for the U-15 Hurlers, as they got their Hurling League campaign off to a winning start following a 5-16 to 4-9 win against Carrickshock having led 5-9 to 1-4 at half-time.

There were some outstanding performances including Top Scorer Thomas Langton with 0-9(0-6 frees), Ciaran Carter who scored a Superb goal, while the highlight of the night was an amazing solo goal by double goalscorer Ben Drennan.A long clearance down the left-wing from Eoghan Phelan found Ben about 50 metres from goal.

Ben went off on a menacing solo run as he skipped by defenders while heading towards goal. He was at an acute angle while lining up the shot, but his goalbound attempt crashed to the net for a sensational finish that was most fitting following the build-up in the run-up to the goal.

INTERMEDIATES SUFFER NARROW LOSS The Young Irelands Intermediate Hurlers suffered a narrow loss in their opening game of Division 3 of the Senior Hurling League on a wet and miserable evening in Gowran on Saturday night.Losing 2-12 to 2-11 against Conahy Shamrocks following a thrilling battle, Young Irelands looked set for victory when leading 1-11 to 1-7 with 10 minutes remaining.

However, the Conahy Men fought back and 1-5 without reply proved hugely significant, before a late Ted Drea goal - He also scored a goal at the start of the match - narrowed the deficit, but unfortunately ran out of time to gain at least a share of the spoils.

MIXED FORTUNES FOR U13’S A Superb Team Performance saw the U-13 B Team make it two wins from two following an emphatic 6-5 to 1-4 win against James Stephens last Saturday Evening.They led 2-3 to 0-0 at Half-Time, before extending the lead with another goal early in the Second-Half.

James Stephens replied with 1-3, but the Gowran lads responded magnificently with three further goals to run out highly impressive winners.

Unfortunately, there was major disappointment for the U-13 A Team last Friday night, as they were beaten 6-10 to 1-4 also against James Stephens.

They will be looking to bounce to winning ways on Friday Evening at home to Naas.

PRIMARY SCHOOL TEAM CONTINUE WINNING RUN The Gowran National School Hurling Team made it 4 from 4 as they defeated Clara 2-10 to 1-8 in the latest round of The Primary Schools Competition.

Today (Wednesday), they play Scoil Phadraig Ballyhale in Round 2 of the Country Cup. CAMOGIE WRAP UP Steffi and Tiffany Fitzgerald were part of the Kilkenny Senior Team that defeated Wexford 0-13 to 0-4 in the Leinster Championship on Saturday with Pat O’Neill as Selector, while Ciara O’Keeffe was on the Kilkenny Intermediate Team that lost 0-9 to 0-7 against Laois also in the Leinster Championship.

Meanwhile, the U-16 Camogie Girls were unfortunate to lose out by a

solitary point 3-4 to 2-6 against Danesfort.

CLUB LOTTO Dicksboro GAA Club LOTTO Results April 25th . Nos: 28–31- 18– 3.

Jackpot: €9,400–not won. Draw Prizes – €50: Kate Kavanagh c/o Shane Kavanagh. €25 each Bobby Fitzgerald c/o online. €25 each Dolores Walsh c/o online. €25 each Brian Fitzpatrick c/o online Co op draw ticket Paty o’ Neill c/o P and J Cody. Promotors prize Davy Dalton Next weeks draw €9,550 5th of May KILKENNY REPRESENTATIVES Great to see 11 Dicksboro players representing Kilkenny GAA and Kilkenny Camogie at Senior, Intermediate and U20 levels at the weekend. Well done to Aoife, Niamh, Asha, Niall, Harry, Timmy, Padraic, Jane, James, Ciara & Cillian NEW CLUB GAMES PROMOTIONAL OFFICER ( GPO) We had the opportunity to meet and welcome our club’s new Game Promotional Officer, Philip Campion. Philly joins us in partnership with Kilkenny County Board and Leinster GAA to help and assist in the promotion of Gaelic Games in our community, our local schools and in our club. His role will involve hosting skills and coaching sessions for Hurling and Gaelic Football in our three parish schools, St Canice’s, CBS and Presentation, and along with this Philly will be working with our juvenile coaches to help them upskill their own coaching knowledge so that all children in our club will benefit from his expertise. We wish Philly all the very best in his new role.

SENIOR HURLING Our Senior hurlers defeated James Stephens on Friday night in Palmerstown in the Senior League. 2-22 to 1-12.

JUNIOR Our Junior Hurlers were defeated by Naomh Eoin on Monday in Palmerstown.2-11 to 0-16 JUNIOR D Our Junior D hurlers were beaten on Sunday by St Martins in Coon.

1-15 to 1-14 MINOR HURLING Dicksboro Minor team drew with Young Irelands on Monday in Gowran. Our B team lost to St Lachtains U15 FOOTBALL Dicksboro U15 team defeated James Stephens in the Feile Semi Final.

Our lads lost the Final to Thomastown.

U13 HURLING Dicksboro U13 team had a great win on Friday evening against Barrow Rangers in Paulstown.

CLUB REGISTERATION Many thanks to all those who have registered to date. The closing date for registration this year of March 31st has passed, all members must be registered now to take to the field. Registration is available through the membership option on ClubZap and a phased payment option is available. Any members who are having difficulty paying online can contact a member from the executive to arrange a cash payment facility. Many thanks.

CLUBHOUSE Dicksboro Clubhouse Bar is reopened Thursday from 8.30pm and every Thursday going forward . Thursday nights is Lotto Draw and Cards Night.All are welcome out for a social drink, a chat and if there is interest, a beginners cards table .We are offering a particular welcome to all of our senior citizens members, it’s been a difficult past two years and we would be delighted to see you out to the club for a chat.

We have a selection of non-alcoholic beers, barista coffee and all the usuals.

KITTY BRETT After a long and fruitful life a unique and wonderful lady in the person of Kitty Brett, Foxcover has entered eternal life. She was the essence of all that is good, which Kitty possessed to the highest degree. Her greatest attribute was her thoughtfulness and kindness towards all who needed help. Her door was always open and there was always a warm welcome to all who crossed her threshold. One thing was certain, whoever visited Kitty never left her home without the cup of tea. She was born in Kilcready, Ballyhale in 1925. Following her primary education both her sister Molly and herself were employed

by Miss Walsh of Derrynahinch House. Kitty had great praise for Miss Walsh whom she said prepared her for a happy and fulfilled life. In due course Kitty met Jack Brett of the Foxcover. They subsequently

married and Kitty was welcomed by all as she settled in to her new home. Undoubtedly her whole life was centred around her daughters Helen and Margaret, grandchildren Tracy, Sinead, Sean, Niall and Katie, great grandchildren Aaron, Ben, Ruby, Heidi, Robyn, Kitty, Emmy and Lauren. They in turn adored their gran. For the final two years of her life Kitty spent them in Strathmore Lodge where her family and friends visited her. She made many friends and she was so happy to meet her great friend Fr. Benignus, who happened to be in the home for a short period. Fr. Phil was a wonderful asset to all in Strathmore. On April 16th, the Feast of the Resurrection of Our Lord, Kitty died a peaceful death. Sadness filled the hearts of all as the news spread near and far. Crowds paid their respects as she lay in repose in the funeral parlour. Her requiem mass was celebrated by Fr. Liam Taylor, P.P. in St. Molua’s church, Killaloe. The choir sang appropriate hymns and, at the conclusion of the celebration, Sinead gave a brilliant eulogy depicting the life and times of her gran. Kitty was laid to rest in the family grave in St. Mary’s cemetery, Ballykeeffe. Kitty, may your gentle soul rest in the Peace of the Risen Lord.

MASS TIMES Thursday – Ballycallan at 7pm. Friday – Kilmanagh at 10.00 am.

Saturday – Kilmanagh at 6.30pm and online. Sunday – Killaloe at 9.00am and Ballycallan at 10.15am. Confessions will be held by request or after any mass.

VISIT OF THE BISHOP On Wednesday 4th May, Bishop Denis Nulty lead evening prayer for the parishes of Tullaroan, Freshford and Ballycallan, at 7pm in Tullaroan church.

CEMETERY MASS It is proposed to hold the cemetery mass in Ballykeeffe cemetery on Sunday 29th May at 7pm.

GAA CLUB SECRETARY Congratulations to Eamonn Butler who has been ratified to take up the role of Club Secretary for Graigue Ballycallan GAA Club. We would like to thank outgoing secretary Paddy Dalton and wish him well in his new role with Naomh Brid GAA. KILMANAGH NOTES Anyone wishing to submit news items, events, announcements etc. can do so by email only to elanigan18@gmail.com. If you have any photos that you would like included, please send as an attachment.

MENS RESULTS Open Gents Singles Stableford Results May 1st. Overall Winner: John O’Hara (22) 38pts.

Overall Runner-up: Denis Lawlor (15) 37pts.

2 Person Team event Results April 30th. Overall Winners: David Morris and Eddie Culleton 44pts. Overall Runner-up: Brian Hudson & Barry Hudson 42pts. (countback) April Monthly Medal Results Overall Winner: Peter Ryan (15) 70 Net. Division 1: Josh Doheny (10) 71 Net. 45 Lowest Gross: Paul Madigan (02) 75 Net. Division 2: Gerard Carroll (15) 70 Net. (countback). Division 3: Patrick Farrell (21) 71 Net. LADIES RESULTS Tuesday 26th 18 Hole Stroke Medal 1st Bridget Holohan 70 (29). 2nd Eileen Cuddihy 71 (24). 3rd Joan Phelan 72 (36) 4th Anne Croke 74 (25) 9 Hole S/F 1st Brid Brett 18. 2nd Alice Walsh 17 Senior Ladies Thursday 28th 12 Hole 1st Sheelagh Foster. 2nd Shiela Kirby. 3rd Anna Corr. 4th Bridget Holohan. 5th Patsy Murphy JUNIOR FORESOMES Callan Ladies secured victory over Kilkenny Golf Club in the Junior Foursomes on Saturday April 30th. Great credit goes to team manager Bernie Lyons and all the team. Their next outing will be against Millicent Golf Club.

PLAY IN PINK Play in pink, May 20th In aid of Breast Cancer Research. Booking is open via website or by ringing the clubhouse LOTTO Callan Golf Club Week 12 Lottery Results. JACKPOT €2,350,28th April 2022 Drawn Numbers 8,11,36. JACKPOT - No Winner. Lucky Dip Winners €30 each: Louis Tyrell, Ann O’Shea and Willie Hartley. Sellers – Joe Cuddihy & Ann O’Shea.

Our new GPO Philly with Cillian Breathnack, Cathreine Heir, Peter and Jim Murphy

We welcome all GAA Club and Community notes for publication in The Kilkenny Observer email to sales@kilkennyobserver.ie

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 06 May 2022

Hurling matters

Sport

BY NIALL SHERRY SPORTS EDITOR SPORTSEDITORKILKENNYOBSERVER.IE

Leinster Senior Hurling Championship Pearse Stadium, Salthill, Galway 1-24 Kilkenny 3-17

GALWAY emerged 1-point victor’s following an enthralling encounter at Pearse Stadium last Sunday, where drama was certainly in no short supply. It appeared that Kilkenny had secured a share of the spoils when John Donnelly’s injury-time shot, deflected off the home keeper and across the line to bring the sides level at a windy Salthill.

The home sides goalkeeper, Éanna Murphy could have been forgiven for dropping his head and wishing that the Pearse Stadium turf would swallow him up, but he did exactly the opposite, and took a quick restart. His searching puck-out was arrowed in the direction of Tom Monaghan, who had been outstanding over the course of the near-75 minutes of action.

Kilkenny centre-half back Paddy Deegan charged towards the unmarked Monaghan and strongly contested the Galway puck-out. The O’Loughlin’s man appeared to flick the ball away from his tribesman opponent, but Cork whistler Colm Lyons adjudged the challenge illegal and awarded the contentious injurytime free to the westerners. St Thomas’s Conor Cooney stepped up and slotted over what was his 6th point from the placed ball, and arguably his most important to secure a famous one-point win for Henry Shefflin’s side.

Let’s go back to the start of proceedings in Salthill. The crowd, a little over 14,000, was less than many had predicted would attend to witness the master vs the apprentice. But those that did, were given full value for money as both sides contributed to a game that felt like a ‘winner takes all’ encounter.

Captain for the day, Eoin Cody elected to play against the wind in the opening period, and Galway were quick off the mark as they raced into a 3-point lead, including two in the first minute, thanks to scores from the Mannion’s, Padraic and Cathal, along with one from Killmordaly forward, Brian Concannon.

The Cats got on the score board shortly after, thanks to a nice point from Tullaroan’s Padraig Walsh. Another Walsh, TullogherRosbercon’s Walter then struck over a lovely point having taken possession from Eoin Cody and going on one of his trade mark runs, to reduce the gap to just one, with just under four minutes on the clock.

Brian Cody’s side then struck what was to be the first of three majors on the day, in the fifth minute. Walter had dropped deep

Injury time drama in Salthill showdown Galway tried nearly every defender on Ballyhale’s Eoin Cody Photo: Inpho

Tribe by on

TJ was replaced at half time Photo: Danny Lahart Walter was in top form Photo: Danny Lahart

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Hurling matters

smen e!

We’ll meet again - Brian Cody & Henry Shefflin Photo: Inpho

for the Galway puck-out and collected the ball before firing a lovely pass to the illusive Eoin Cody. The Ballyhale man out-fought and out witted a number of maroon-shirted defenders, including his then marker, Jack Grealish, before unleashing a one-handed strike which gave goalkeeper Éanna Murphy no chance.

This put the visitors two ahead and left manager Shefflin scratching his head, following his side’s fast start.

Eoin Cody’s pace and movement was causing the Galway defence problems, and the diminutive attacker was then fouled as he looked to escape the clutches of his marker. TJ stepped up to take his first free of the day, but he somehow struck his effort wide, much to the disbelief of all in attendance.

Galway free-taker Conor Cooney then punished this miss by slotting over a free from deep inside his own half, demonstrating the significant wind advantage that his side had at their backs in the first half. Another great catch from Walter allowed him to drive forward, show great stick work and rifle over fine point in the ninth minute. Another of the St Thomas’s contingent, Fintan Burke, then showed great skill and technique, when he pointed from a sideline cut out on the left, to leave just one between the teams again.

From the puck-out, Eoin Murphy found centre-forward Padraig Walsh, who wasted no time in splitting the posts, and again show why he has been deployed further up the pitch this season. Tom Monaghan then fired over a lovely point, his first of the day, as the home crowd found their voices. Placed ball specialist, Conor Cooney then sent over a monster free from his own ‘45 to level things up on 12 minutes. Some sloppy play in the Kilkenny defence was then punished by Cianan Fahy, who raised a white flag, before Fintan Burke repeated his sideline cut exploits when he sweetly struck over a carbon copy to put Galway two points

ahead.

TJ Reid who was struggling to get into the game, then pointed his first free of the day, against the wind, to keep his side in touch. Kilkenny’s second major of the day then followed. A lovely pass from Mikey Carey was collected by the electric Eoin Cody who setoff for the Galway goal. As the defence closed in, Cody had the presence of mind to strike a hard pass to the supporting Billy Ryan, who cut inside his man before dispatching a firm low shot beyond the keeper to the back of the tribesmen’s net.

The Cats now led by two.

Galway number 14, Brian Concannon then showed some nifty stick work and wrist movement to fire over a point from what appeared to be an impossible angle, close to the end line to leave just the minimum between the sides, with almost 17 minutes played. Scoring efficiency was very much Galway’s strength, as they had scored from all eight attempts in the opening quarter. Another long-range free from Conor Cooney deadlocked matters again.

The home side were working really hard, they had the look of a Brian Cody – managed Kilkenny. Hunting in packs, aggressive in the tackle and covering every blade of grass, there was no doubt that Galway were up for this game, and wanted to deliver for Ballyhale’s Henry Shefflin. Sarsfields Joseph Cooney then capitalised on a rare Paddy Deegan mistake and fired over a point, to edge the hosts ahead. One point could well have been three, had it not been for the scrambled Kilkenny defence.

Padraig Walsh then battled hard to secure possession, before passing to TJ, who fired over his first and only score from play. Reid then pointed from the placed ball after his club mate, Eoin Cody was again the subject of some over-aggressive tackling by the Galway defence.

The tribesmen then raised CONTINUED >>>

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 06 May 2022

kilkennyobserver.ie

Hurling matters

Sport >>> CONTINUED their only green flag of the day with almost 24 minutes on the clock. Again, some unusually sloppy play in the Cats defence, starting with keeper Eoin Murphy’s loppy hand-pass, saw Shefflin’s charges take possession. Cianan Fahy found Brian Concannon, who passed to late inclusion, Johnny Coen, and the Loughrea man fired beyond Murphy in the Kilkenny goal.

With the wind at their backs, and their tails up, Galway smelt blood and set about ravaging their more illustrious opponents.

The impressive Tom Monaghan then powered forward from midfield and slotted over a fine point. This was quickly added to with points by corner-forward, Cathal Mannion and midfielder Joseph Cooney, who intercepted an under-hit pass from Eoin Murphy that was meant for Mikey Carey, before adding to his side’s points total. This was yet another example of the sloppy play that was contributing to the rising number of turnovers forced by Shefflin’s team. Five points down, Brian Cody had seen enough and made a change with just 30 minutes on the clock. Glenmore’s Alan Murphy replaced St Lachtain’s James Maher in midfield, as the Kilkenny boss sought to toughen things up in the engine room.

To compound his somewhat mixed performance, TJ then struck another wide via the placed ball. Something didn’t seem right with the legendary hurler’s game. It was now some eight minutes since the Cats troubled the umpire’s flags.

Craughwell’s Tom Monaghan then registered another fine score for the home side, before his midfield partner in crime, Joseph Cooney rifled over a lovely point from half way.

Galway led by seven in the 34th minute. Kilkenny needed a score, and it would be last year’s captain, Adrian Mullen that provided it. The Shamrocks star showed great strength and battling qualities before striking over a fine point, as the first half

entered additional time. Referee Colm Lyons then blew for the interval with a score line, Galway 1-17, Kilkenny 2-8.

Henry Shefflin will no doubt have been reasonably satisfied by his charges first half efforts.

They had outscored the Cats, 1-8 to 0-3 in the 2nd quarter. More worrying for Brian Cody would have been the fact that 1-10 of the oppositions half-time total came from turnovers. Galway were doing a Kilkenny on Kilkenny.

As the sides emerged from the Pearse Stadium changing rooms, there was one noticeable absentee, TJ Reid. Conahy Shamrocks Tom Phelan had been sent on to replace the Ballyhale man. Alan Murphy had been practicing free-taking before the home side took to the field and this was clearly the reason.

The tribesmen opened the scoring in the second period, thanks to a monster free struck

by Conor Cooney, inside his own ‘65. This would be the only score the home side would muster until the 56th minute. Alan Murphy then slotted over a cracking point from play, as Brian Cody became increasingly animated on the sideline. You could clearly see the manager asking his players to lift the intensity.

Kilkenny’s outfield Murphy then struck a long range free from his own ‘65, after Adrian Mullen was fouled. From the Galway puck out, Walter picked up possession and showed his growing confidence by striking over a stunning long-range point. Alan Murphy then fired over another free, again from around his own ‘65, as the Cats sought to clawback the westerner’s lead. David Blanchfield was then introduced in place of the Village’s Conor Browne. Galway also sprung star-man Conor Whelan from the bench, as they looked to use the Kinvara man’s attacking prowess to see them home.

The powerful direct running of Tom Monaghan almost produced a second Galway goal on 45 minutes. It took a save of the highest order from All-Star goalkeeper Eoin Murphy to deny the free-scoring midfielder.

Paddy Deegan and Conor Cooney battle it out.

Paddy Deegan was harshly adjudged to have fouled in injury time Photo: Danny Lahart

Padraig Walsh hit 2 lovely points Photo: Danny Lahart The good, the bad, the keeper! - Eoin Murphy had a mixed day between the sticks.

Photo: Danny Lahart

Photo: Inpho

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Hurling matters Kilkenny then pointed via Walter Walsh after good work from GraigueBallycallan’s Billy Ryan. There was just 2 points between the sides with 47 minutes of blood and thunder gone.

Young Irelands Mikey Carey then hit a magnificent point to make it a one-point game. The home supporters began to shift a little uneasily in their seats. The sides were level for the fourth time on 55 minutes when Eoin Cody pointed after some lovely play.

Kilkenny had tagged on seven points, to just the one from the home side. Thomastown’s John Donnelly entered the fray, in place of Dicksboro’s Cillian Buckley.

Shefflin’s men then got just their second score of the half in the 56th minute. Bustling full-forward Brian Concannon sent over a nice point to help settle the Galway nerves.

Midfielder Cooney then sent over a lovely point from out on the left, before Conor Cooney pointed after taking Fintan Burke’s short side line cut. The men in maroon had now edged 3 points ahead. Kilkenny substitute Tom Phelan was then illegally stopped as he made for the Galway goal. Alan Murphy popped over the resulting free and his 4th score since being introduced in the first half.

Conor Cooney, who had been near flawless from the dead ball, then struck an almighty free from near enough his own ‘45, into the wind to bring the home crowd to their feet.

The Noresiders then sent on Mossy Keoghan in place of goal scorer, Billy Ryan as they sought to add a touch more physicality to their attack. Eoin Cody, who appeared to be on his 100th marker of the day, was again fouled and Alan Murphy pointed from the placed ball on 66 minutes to leave his side trailing by 2 points.

Free-taker Cooney then turned provider, as he set up Concannon for his 4th point of the game to leave Henry’s men three ahead as the game entered 3 minutes of additional time. Surely Kilkenny’s race was run. As the saying goes, Kilkenny are never beaten, till their on the bus home. A long ball into the Galway defence resulted in a little bit of pinball, before Eoin Cody emerged with the ball. The Cats most dangerous attacker on display somehow managed to pop a pass to John Donnelly and the Thomastown star struck a fierce shot towards the home sides goal. In his attempt to block Donnelly’s effort, keeper Éanna Murphy diverted the shot to his own net. Goal. The sides were now level again.

Surely time was up.

The Galway keeper restarted the game while the Kilkenny travelling support rejoiced. Then came the most contentious decision of the game, as Cork referee Lyons signaled for a free to the home side for what he deemed to be a foul on Tom Monaghan by Paddy Deegan.

Conor Cooney stepped up and after a slight delay, slotted over the pressure free to give his side a 1-point victory in Salthill. Final score, Galway 1-24, Kilkenny 3-17.

Eoin Cody was a constant threat Photo: Danny Lahart

Cody & Co will need to regroup for Dubs clash Photo: Danny Lahart

Scorers for Galway: C Cooney (0-6, 0-6 frees); B Concannon, J Cooney (0-4 each); T Monaghan (0-3); J Coen (1-0); F Burke (0-2 sidelines), C Mannion (0-2 each); D Burke, P Mannion, C Fahy (0-1 each).

Scorers for Kilkenny: E Cody (1-2); A Murphy (0-5, 0-4 frees); T Reid (03, 0-2 frees), W Walsh (0-3 each); B Ryan, J Donnelly (1-0 each) P Walsh (0-2); M Carey, A Mullen (0-1 each).

Galway: É Murphy; D Morrissey, Daithí Burke, J Grealish; P Mannion, G McInerney, F Burke; J Coen, David Burke; T Monaghan, C Cooney, J Cooney; C Mannion, C Fahy, B Concannon.

Subs: T Killeen for Grealish (temporary, 40-41); C Whelan for Fahy (45); G Lee for Grealish (53); TJ Brennan for Coen (72).

Kilkenny: E Murphy; M Butler, H Lawlor, T Walsh; M Carey, P Deegan,

C Browne; J Maher, A Mullen; W Walsh, P Walsh, C Buckley; E Cody, B Ryan, TJ Reid.

Subs: A Murphy for Maher (30); T Phelan for Reid (HT); D Blanchfield for Browne (43); J Donnelly for Buckley (55); M Keoghan for B Ryan (66).

Referee: C Lyons (Cork).

>> SHERRY SAYS...

The Salthill showdown. Shefflin vs Cody. May Bank Holiday weekend. This was the fixture that everyone looked to when the draw was made for the group stages of the Leinster Championship.

In terms of excitement, energy, aggression, skill and the usual twists and turns of championship hurling, this game had it all... and then some!

Kilkenny went against the wind in the opening period and found themselves 6 down at the interval. The wind advantage was probably worth the lead that Henry’s men had gained.

Having said that, had it not been for a couple of uncharacteristic misses from TJ, the Cats may have been a little closer at the break.

From the throw-in, TJ didn’t look like his normal self. His manager pulled him ashore at half time. The Shamrocks man had notched 3 points in his 35 minutes of action. Don’t worry, TJ will be back.

The most dangerous of Kilkenny’s attackers was captain for the day, Eoin Cody. This was the most encouraging sight for the black and amber faithful watching the Salthill spectacle. Cody must have had nearly all the Galway defenders marking him at some stage of this epic contest. It was only when Henry Shefflin deployed Padraic Mannion on the Ballyhale attacking star did Cody’s influence lessen.

The introduction of Alan Murphy proved instrumental in Kilkenny getting back into the game, especially in the second half. The Glenmore man has been unlucky not to start the last couple of games. His free-taking was exemplary and he ended up hitting 0-5 in total.

Along with Eoin Cody, I feel Walter Walsh was the next best in terms of his overall contribution to his side’s attacking threat.

It really is a delight to see the Tullogher-Rosbercon man fit and firing, and looking like the player we all know was there.

His powerful runs, aerial ability and non-stop work-rate make Walter a must on the current starting XV. In defence, the O’Loughlin’s spine of Lawlor and Deegan did well and this will be encouraging was we get deeper into championship hurling. Tommy Walsh and Mikey Carey have shown enough to suggest that they will become regular fixtures in the Cats defensive unit.

Ok, I think it’s now time to address the major talking point of last week’s Salthill encounter, the ‘elephant in the room’. Paddy Deegan DID NOT foul Tom Monaghan for the injury-time free that gave Galway the chance to snatch victory.

Colm Lyons, for my money, had done a really good job for the majority of the game. He played some, good advantages, tried to allow the game to flow and let the players get stuck-in, as should be the case in championship hurling.

I for one would demand that Paddy Deegan goes for the next ball in exactly the same manner.

Well done to Galway. Hopefully we will see you again.

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 06 May 2022

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 06 May 2022

55

kilkennyobserver.ie

Miracle Prayers

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.R

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. JCB

St. Anthony Prayer,

O Holy St. Anthony gentlest of Saints, your love for God and charity for His creatures, made you worthy, when on earth, to possess miraculous powers.

Encouraged by this thought, I implore you to obtain for me (request).

O gentle and loving St. Anthony, whose heart was ever full of human sympathy, whisper my petition into the ears of the sweet Infant Jesus, who loved to be folded in your arms.

The gratitude of my heart will ever be yours.

Amen M.R

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.F

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. E.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. M.M

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 06 May 2022