Kilkenny Observer 07 March 2025 by Kilkenny Observer

The road from Inistioge

Public consultation set up by council for link to South East Greenway

A public consultation process has been set up by Kilkenny County Council for the link to be developed from the Woodstock Estate, near Inistioge, Co. Kilkenny to the South East Greenway.

The project, which is funded by Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), has other completed stages across the South East.

RPS has been appointed by Kilkenny council to provide “multidisciplinary consultancy services” to progress the project through the desigthe important thing is to engage, and the important thing is to reflect on that relationship today and to make sure we can protect Irish economic interests, protect the livelihoods of people in

The spectacle of support for the homeless

A supporter’s sunglasses reflect members of The Good Shepherd Centre taking to the streets of Kilkenny to highlight the deepening housing crisis – and warning that quick-fix solutions like log cabins are not the answer. The organisation is marching throughout this month to highlight homelessness and demand real action from the Government. Their first walk took place in Kilkenny City on Monday, March 3, with another planned for March 10. The organisation will also join the St Patrick’s Day Parade on March 17 to amplify their message.

Ireland - many, many workers depending on that - and also pointing out then how significant Irish investment is in the United States.”

This part of the Greenway project is in Phase 1 of the development and has entered into the first period of public consultation.

The initial consultation took place in Rosbercon

Community Centre on Tuesday, February 25, The project team has extended the invite to anyone interested in sharing their views on the development, as they said the engagement with locals “is vital”.

“It ensures that community voices are heard and considered in shaping the future of this important project,” a

statement said.

Phase One of the South East Greenway opened to the public on July 25, 2023. The 6km, Rosbercon to Glenmore stretch takes in the Pink Rock area and the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Bridge.

The Greenway is a joint initiative of Wexford County Council, Kilkenny County Council and Waterford City

There’s no one to take over the farm

Up to 42% of farmers have no family member looking to take over the farm, according to a new survey from Irish Creamy Milk Suppliers Association (ICMSA).

ICMSA President Denis Drennan said the findings of the online survey should “shock out of their complacency” those who simply assumed that Irish farming and the €16bn sector it underpins

will just carry on regardless of the challenges it faces.

The survey comes as a Commission on Generational Renewal in Farming is due in the coming months to publish a report on the challenges of attracting young people into a career in farming.

Mr Drennan said the children of farm families – particularly dairy farm families – are looking at the work and

hours that their parents put in, then looking at the financial rewards and comparing that to other sectors.

“As soon as they do that, farming is in trouble. And we had better understand that that is the most important basis and factor in the next generation making a choice about their career and what they will do,” he said. Farming was not able to

holds barred

compare with the income and prospects of comparable occupations and other sectors.

“There’s no point in pretending otherwise,” he said. “The idea that the children of farm families in any way ‘owe’ it to the rest of us or their heritage to just carry on working harder than their non-farming counterparts for less money and less time off is the kind of delusion that has got us to these

alarming survey findings.”

He said the remedy was bound to be a complex combination of facts and inducements. “We have to arrive at a situation where young people thinking of carrying on – or even going into – farming can have the same expectation of comparable and stable income that they’re non-farming friends and counterparts have.”

& County Council It is supported by the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport.

The South East Greenway is a spectacular 24 km offroad cycling and walking trail along an old railway line from the quays of Ireland’s oldest city to the Norman town of New Ross along the banks of the Barrow River.

Martin on importance of dialogue with Trump

Taoiseach Micheal Martin has insisted he will be “respectful” at his March 12 meeting with US President Trump in Washington. Mr Martin declined to be drawn on whether he would push back on any claims Trump might make in the Oval Office encounter.

“I’m honoured to be going to the White House as well as looking forward to, again, celebrating what is a major historic tradition and relationship between Ireland and United States, particularly for Irish Americans and our diaspora there too,” Mr Martin told reporters ahead of the UKIreland political summit in Liverpool.

“Patrick’s week is always a very significant week and we will be discussing a range of issues, and particularly, again, the importance of the Irish-US relationship, but today it’s about the UK-Irish relationship.

“The important thing is to engage, and the important thing is to reflect on that relationship today and to make sure we can protect Irish economic interests, protect the livelihoods of people in Ireland – many, many workers depending on that – and also pointing out then how significant Irish investment is in the US.” Global Report Page 34

Full story Page 10

PHOTO: PJ Browne

How our behaviour influenced Covid-19 cases

There was a “strong” link during the pandemic between efforts the Irish public undertook to mitigate the risk of Covid-19 infection and the number of new daily cases that were reported.

That’s according to a new report from the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) on the lessons that can be learned from the Covid pandemic on “promoting a nationwide collective response” from future pandemics or other emergencies.

The report analysed data from the Social Activity Measure (SAM), which was collected fortnightly over 18 months from January 2021 to June 2022.

SAM adapted the Day Reconstruction Method, which asked people to record their behaviour from the previous day in detail, as well as their perceptions of the pandemic and attitudes towards it.

The study was done online and anonymously, to a nationally representative sample of 1,000 people every two weeks.

It found that behaviours to prevent the risk of Covid infection were “strongly associated with the contemporaneous number of new daily cases of Covid-19”.

The report said the link to daily case numbers was stronger than with other indicators, such as hospi-

talisations and deaths, even after the vaccine became available.

The ESRI said that this “close relationship between

behaviour and the Covid-19 case numbers confirms that putting accurate, numeric indications of risk into the public domain can strongly

influence the public response”.

It said: “In future emergencies, where possible, the publication of a number linked to

the scale of a threat is likely to be similarly impactful.”

Meanwhile, the ESRI noted that co-operation with preventative measures during

the pandemic was largely voluntary, “with only a limited role for legal deterrents”.

However, it said that “voluntary collective action on this scale needs to be coordinated by the policy and communication that surrounds it”.

The ESRI further stated that in emergencies, rules need to be “simple and straightforward” and that they should be “consistently applied and communicated”.

It said: “Straightforward, explicit rules are also easier to self-police and to observe in others, making cooperation more likely.”

While the ESRI said there was fatigue with sticking to the public health guidelines as the pandemic wore on, it noted that more important was whether the restrictions were viewed as “coherent rather than contradictory”. It said that “perceptions of how much others were complying with restrictions mattered too”.

The degree to which others were perceived to be complying with the rules influenced behaviour to a greater extent than the “likelihood of being caught and fined were they to break restrictions”.

Voluntary willingness to do the right thing mattered more than deterrence, according to the ESRI.

Special needs care promised

Special Education Minister Michael Moynihan has told parents that appropriate special education school places will be made available to students in need before the beginning of the next school year. It comes after parents of children with additional needs demonstrated and staged a 24-hour ‘sleep out’

outside of the Department of Education requesting that immediate attention be brought to the lack of suitable and available school spaces. Hundreds of children with additional needs nationwide have been left without a school place or any certainty of enrolment next year due to a shortage in the necessary spaces and classes in the

‘€1.37m in unpaid court fines’ in

Kilkenny/ Carlow

Ireland South MEP Cynthia Ní Mhurchú, a former barrister, has described the extraordinary amount of unpaid district court fines in Ireland as a slap in the face to the victims of their crimes. Her comments come as the Irish Courts service released figures to Ms Ní Mhurchú, under the freedom of information act, which show that almost €45 million in unpaid district court fines are outstanding across Ireland’s district court system since 2020. €1,377,534.30 of those fines were outstanding in Kilkenny Carlow and Kilkenny.

Ms Ní Mhurchú has called for the issue of unpaid district court fines to be included in the upcoming review of the criminal justice system which was promised in the 2025 Programme for Government.

“What does this say to the victims who have been impacted by crimes such as drink driving, assault, theft, and shop lifting. We are imposing fines that a percentage of criminals are choosing to ignore and it seems there is little we are doing about it. €45 million would fund a lot of domestic violence refuges, road safety campaigns and extra Garda on our streets.

It is time for a get tough approach to those criminals who feel they are above the law. Our road deaths have been rising

in Ireland for consecutive years. How can we expect any improvement in that scenario when those fined for traffic offences may choose not to pay the fine,” she said.

The MEP Ní argues that the Fines (Payment and Recovery) Act 2014, which came into force on January 11, 2016 is clearly not working when it comes to the recovery of most outstanding fines. The Act provides for alternative orders to imprisonment in the event that a court imposed fine is not paid. The act allowed those convicted to pay fines in instalments, and introduced measures including attachment of earnings for unpaid fines, community service and the appointment of receivers to recover fines.

Ní Mhurchú feels it is time to implement the measures set out in the 2014 act aggressively.

“Clearly, the courts service are not implementing the measures set out in the 2014 act. The act allows measures up to and including taking someone’s social welfare or salary to pay the fines due. Is this being done? The courts service will say it takes time to collect fines but over €2.2m is still owing from 2020 and over €5.5m is still owing from 2021!”

Ms Ní Mhurchú’s figures show that 133, 851 fines across the state have yet to be paid in full in our district court system.

Bring your wheelbarrow on down to Thomastown

Thomastown Community Network is delighted once again to run the annual Great Wheelbarrow Parade through the street of Thomastown this St Patrick’s Day. This year’s theme is ‘Wild Rivers’.

Irish education system. Those who have been able to secure a place are often required to travel long distances, as their immediate school-catchment area does not have the necessary resources to meet a student’s additional needs.

The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) estimates that at least 130 students are in need of a school

place, though campaigners and activists claim that figure is much higher and will only climb as the years continue.

“Witnessing your child being failed is something I wouldn’t wish on anyone,”

Sarah Hennessy told the large group of parents, children and supporters in Dublin outside the Department of Education..

Asked about the protest outdie his department on RTÉ One Television’s The Week in Politics programme, Minister Moynihan said he had been engaging with the NCSE on the issue since he began in his role earlier this year.

Mr Moynihan said that the issue had been one of his main priorities and that

senior officials in his Department and the NCSE would “make sure that we are going to ensure that places are available”. He said: “Children need the best and the most-suitable places – not travelling long distances but, in so far as we possibly can, [offer school places] within their own communities.”

When local success adds up...

Kilkenny students were to the fore as Accounting Technicians Ireland conferred membership to graduates at the Talbot Hotel, Stillorgan, Dublin. School-leavers, those changing career, or looking to get back to work can avail of Accounting Technicians Ireland’s recognised

and respected qualifications, which open the door to a rewarding career in accounting.

Qualifications combine professional exams and assessments with practical work experience.

ATI delivers its programmes via a network of partner colleges all over

the island of Ireland, and online, and its syllabus is tailored to suit students in both jurisdictions.

Students can study fulltime, part-time, online and as apprentices.

Graduates were conferred across three programmes, the Accounting Technician Apprenticeship, the

Higher-Level Apprenticeship and the Diploma for Accounting Technicians.

Pictured are Harry Bland and Kelly Morrissey from Kilkenny City at the Accounting Technicians Ireland graduation at the Talbot Hotel, Dublin

Over-55s plan hopes to free up homes

on key decisions such as site selection, housing design and shared facilities.

Everyone; groups, individuals, businesses are welcome to take part – all you need is a wheelbarrow and some imagination! Registration starts in the Quay Carpark at 11.15 on Monday 17th w ith the parade starting at 12pm. Gillian Grattan from Tada Theatre Group will be MC for the event along with a dedicated and artistic team of judges.

Ireland’s first co-housing initiative for people aged 55 and older has been launched with the goal of easing the housing crisis.

Conor Graham and his West African drummers will be performing on Market Street for the duration. Come along, join in and enjoy the best of community fun in Thomastown this St Patricks Day.

€67 million for Ireland's Greenways in 2025

"Leas Ceann Chomhairle Deputy

John McGuinness is delighted with the following announcement given by the Minister for Transport Darragh O'Brien, regarding the Greenways around the county of Kilkenny.

Kilkenny will receive €1,700,000 for the greenway in the county.

Broken down as follows:

Inistioge (Woodstock Estate) to New Ross

Kilkenny County Council €400,000.00

NRO Regional Greenways Support 2025 KK

Kilkenny County Council €100,000.00

LA Eng Support AT - N76 Callan Bypass

Kilkenny County Council

€1,000,000.00

AT - N77 Kilkenny City Ring Road Cycle Facility Upgrade

Kilkenny County Council €200,000.00

Minister for Transport Darragh

O’Brien, Minister of State Seán Canney and Minister of State Jerry Buttimer have announced €67 million in funding for Greenways and National Roads Active Travel infrastructure through Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) in 2025. This allocation is dedicated to developing walking and cycling facilities that offer safe, sustainable and healthier transportation options to communities.

Funding will support the delivery of Greenway projects throughout the country

It is expected that approximately 24km of Greenways will be delivered in 2025. Further section openings are expected on the Grand Canal Greenway and the South East Greenway, and work will continue on the South Kerry Greenway and on other projects located across the country.

This allocation will also be used to fund approximately 60 Greenway schemes to move through the planning and design stages. These include the Fingal Coastal Way, Limerick to Scarriff, Burtonport to Letterkenny Greenway and the Arklow to Shillelagh Greenway.

The allocation will also be used to enable delivery of active travel infrastructure on national roads, and to progress the National Cycle Network which identifies 3,500 km of cycling corridors around the country linking cities and towns.

This allocation of €67 million for the Greenways programme is in addition to approximately €293 million allocated to fund the Active Travel programme, announced by the NTA in January 2025.The Active Travel programme supports a range of walking and cycling schemes including improved pedestrian environments, new segregated cycling lanes, pedestrian and cycling bridges, and pedestrian crossings. This combined allocation of €360 million for walking and cycling infrastructure in 2025 shows the Government’s continued commitment to safe, sustainable and healthy transport options.

The Fact Of The Matter

Paul Hopkins

Do all parents have a favourite child?

While every family has their own particular dynamic, researchers have discovered that, in most families, favouritism for a certain child can be a fact. Studies from an American and an Australian university have concluded that a parent, by and large, has a favourite child. The researchers placed parents’ actions into categories of “differential affection, differential conflict, differential resources — like how much time you spend with your children or things that you give to them — as well as differential autonomy or freedom — like how much leeway you give children,” says Alex Jensen, one of the US study’s authors, based in Utah.

Favouritism: Of course, it’s one thing to think it, it’s another matter altogether to say it out loud – not that many would.

As for my own three adult

children, I claim the Fifth. There is loving – and then there is liking. My Father once said to me: “Loving someone is one thing, but liking them and living with them is another matter altogether.” Did he love or like me more than my two younger siblings? I don’t know, nor would I want to, but I do know that, as we both got older, he and I got on much better than he and my brother did, principally, I think, because I was much more tolerant of his increasingly pronounced foibles — mainly because I had inherited such characteristics myself and had learnt to somewhat live with them. He also told me his own mother “preferred the girls over the boys”. There were four of each. It was only years later I ascertained that my grandfather was a compulsive womaniser. It then made

some sort of sense to me as to why my grandmother had had little time for the ‘men’ under her roof and that when she died a good two decades after her husband she was buried separately, having made it known to her daughters that, as he had lain with other women during his life, she would “not lie down for eternity with that man”. It’s common sense that there are inherent dangers in preferring one child over the other, the ‘less-loved’ child growing up with that sense of being, well, less loved.

Whether we admit it or not, a large number of us display consistent favouritism toward one child over another. This can manifest in different ways: more time spent with one child, more affection given, more privileges, less discipline, and so on.

Research by sociologist Jill Suitor, published in Psycholo-

gy Today, shows that, despite it being frowned upon, we consider some cases of such favouritism to be fair, necessary even. For example, giving more attention to newborns than to older children. The same goes for children

His mother ‘preferred the girls over the boys’...

who are sick or challenged.

Parents might spend more time with and feel closer to same-gender children — or, indeed, the opposite as in she’s her daddy’s girl, he’s his mother’s pride and joy.

In patriarchal cultures, parents simply favour boys over girls. The history of Ireland is written large with stories of the favoured, if prodigal, son who inherits the land, as portrayed in many Irish works of literature.

And many of us know of the parents who had one, two and three children of the same sex and then, joy of joys, along came a baby of the other. Now, there was cause for celebration.

One man of my good acquaintance had four children and each time the new baby arrived it was talk of great concern and consolation down the pub that “yet, it was another girl”.

Lovely girls, they grew up and did well and then the eldest married and became pregnant with her first. When the baby arrived into the world, word spread quickly through the village, though the sex of the baby escaped my attention.

The morning after I met him coming across the mill. Well, grandad, says I, and I ribbing him. I heard the news.

Oh, aye, he quipped. What was it then — a boy or a child? A child, says he, looking beyond me to the clouds gathering on the hill. And what are they calling your first grand-daughter? He scratched the back of his head and was obviously thinking long and hard. Jaysus, he said, I couldn’t tell you, I’ve forgotten. One of those fancy, foreign names. And he was off home before I’d time to say: Well, me boyo — another girl.

ACRES payment backlog putting farmers under financial pressure, while undermining trust in the scheme

Sinn Féin TD for Carlow-Kilkenny, Natasha Newsome Drennan, has stressed deep concerns over mounting financial pressures on farmers due to prolonged delays in ACRES scheme payments, stating the backlog is causing “a breakdown in trust”.

Over 450 farmers in CarlowKilkenny alone – with over 400 awaiting 2024 payments and more than 50 still unpaid for 2023 – face acute cashflow issues amid an important farming season.

Deputy Newsome Drennan stated:

“I have been contacted by scores of farmers across Carlow and Kilkenny, who are exhausted, frustrated, and furious. They have upheld their end of the agreement, investing time and labour into biodiversity measures on their land, yet the Department of Agriculture has left them in the dark.

Leaving farmers are checking accounts daily

- Newsome Drennan TD

in the hope of payment.

“The Minister cannot continue to hide behind excuses over the delays. With €260 million allocated to ACRES, a modern and fit for purpose IT system should be in place to ensure these payments are delivered in timely manner. These delays are eroding faith in the entire scheme.

“This is a busy season in farming and that requires cashflow. Storm Éowyn’s had its impact on countless farms. But instead of support, farmers get silence. The Minister must intervene immediately: clear the backlog, expedite payments, and provide full transparency to restore confidence. These delays certainly won’t help encourage more farmers to take part in the scheme”

“Farmers entered ACRES in good faith. The State’s failure to reciprocate this is causing a breakdown in trust. Empty assurances from the Minister won’t feed livestock or repair storm damage. The time for deflection is over, The Minister needs to urgently intervene.”

A helping hand to send tragic Aneesh back to India

More than €30,000 was raised to help support the family of a young father from India who recently passed away suddenly in Kilkenny.

Aneesh Sreedaran (38) died on Monday, February 24, following a cardiac arrest leaving behind his devastated young family.

Mr Sreedaran had moved to

Ireland from India a number of years ago and had been living in Kilkenny with his wife and two young children. His oldest child is eight, while his youngest is only 10-months-old.

To help raise money to repatriate his remains home to India for his final rites, a Go Fund Me page was launched

Partners who are bereaved to get widow pension

The widow's and widower's contributory pension is to be extended to those whose partners have died, with the Bereaved Partners Pension Bill 2025 which will extend the eligibility of the pension to qualified cohabitants.

It is expected to cost an extra €50m a year.

Those who qualify will have to either be in an intimate and committed relationship for two years where there is a child or children from the relationship, or five years if there are no children.

It is expected there will be about 500 new cohabitant recipients annually during the initial years of the policy being implemented. The name of the scheme

will be changed to the Bereaved Partner's Contributory Pension.

The payments will backdated from January 22 this year or later if the death of the partner is after this date. There will be no time restrictions on when the bereavement happened as long as the eligibility is met.

Provisions will also be included in the Bill so that anyone currently in receipt of a payment, including divorcees, will retain their payment.

The eligibility criteria for this scheme will also be introduced to other schemes, including the non-contributory version of the pension, and the Widowed or Surviving Civil Partner Grant

by the Kilkenny Malayali Association (KMA).

"We are devastated by the sudden and tragic loss of our dear friend and KMA member Aneesh,” said a spokesperson from KMA.

“His untimely departure has left an unimaginable void in the lives of his grieving wife and their two young children

who now face an uncertain future without him.

"In this time of profound sorrow, Kilkenny Malayali Association is coming together to support Aneesh’s family by organising this fundraising effort. All contributions will go directly to his wife to help with the costs of repatriating Aneesh’s body to India for

his final rites and to provide much- needed financial assistance for his wife and children as they navigate this heart-breaking loss.”

Support has flooded in for the young family as the Go Fund Me target was met in just three days with a total of €30,224 raised for Aneesh's family.

"Aneesh was a loving husband, a devoted father, and a compassionate friend who was always there for others,” said the KMA spokesperson. “Now, it is our turn to be there for his family, to stand beside them in their darkest hour, and to ensure they do not face this burden alone.”

Good Shepherd ... and homeless flock

The Good Shepherd Centre has taken to the streets of Kilkenny to highlight the deepening housing crisis, warning that quick-fix solutions like log cabins are not the answer. The organisation is marching throughout March to highlight homelessness and demand real action from the Government.

Their first walk took place in Kilkenny City at lunchtime on Monday, March 3, with another planned for March 10. The organisation will also join the St Patrick’s

Day Parade on March 17 to amplify their message.

"We are marching because homelessness is at a record high, and the crisis is only getting worse," said Noel Sherry, CEO of the Good Shepherd Centre. "People need real homes, not makeshift structures. A bed in a shed is not a home, and we cannot allow this to become the norm. We are here to show solidarity with those affected and to demand urgent action."

The latest Department of Housing figures reveal

a record high of 15,286 people in emergency accommodation at the end of January, including 4,603 children in 2,164 families. These numbers do not include those sleeping rough, couch-surfing, in domestic violence refuges, or unaccommodated asylum seekers, meaning the true extent of homelessness is likely even higher.

The Good Shepherd Centre, along with its sister agency Tar Isteach Housing, operates across

The organisation warns that delays in decision-making and funding allocations are stalling essential social housing projects, leaving thousands in limbo.

“People deserve secure, sustainable housing – not temporary solutions that don’t address the root of the problem. We are marching to remind those in power that action is needed now,” said Noel Sherry.

The number's up for uninsured drivers

Motorists will have to provide their driver number to take out or renew their insurance cover, due to new rules designed to further come down on the large number of uninsured drivers on our roads.

From the end of this month, it will be an offence for any insurance provider or broker to issue a motor insurance policy where the driver number has not been supplied. The change means that anyone who does not provide the numbers for all named drivers on their respective policy will not be legally able

to take out motor insurance.

Every motorist has their own unique driver number that stays with them for life, regardless of changes to their vehicle, insurance policy and even when they renew their driver's licence.

It is listed under section 4(d) of every driver's licence.

Currently, Gardaí have access to the Irish Motor Insurance Database (IMID) to help detect drivers operating without insurance on the roads.

When this legislation comes into effect at the end of the

month, the driver numbers will also be available to Gardaí at the roadside, according to the Motor Insurers' Bureau of Ireland (Mibi). This measure was included in the Road Traffic and Roads Act 2023 and is aimed at further enhancing road safety.

Mimi is a not-for-profit organisation that was established to compensate the victims of road-traffic accidents caused by uninsured and unidentified vehicles.

Ireland has one of the highest rates of uninsured drivers in the world.

Mibi figures show there were approximately 188,000 uninsured private vehicles on Irish roads in 2022 - representing one in every 12 private vehicles. The number of uninsured drivers in this country is four times higher than the European average. The cost of compensating drivers injured or left with a damages bill from an accident in which a driver is uninsured or in which there is an untraced driver adds around €35 a year to the average motor premium.

Kilkenny, Carlow, Laois, Tipperary, Wexford, Offaly, Westmeath, and Longford.

On the march: Shepherd Centre taking to the streets of Kilkenny to highlight the deepening housing crisis PHOTO: Patrick Browne

St Patrick: hard to tell fact from legend Opinion As I See It Marianne Heron

What’s not to like about St Patrick’s day, a national holiday and celebration for the 5th Century missionary who brought Christianity to our island. For me though, Magonus Succatus Patricius, to give the man his christened name, is a bit of a conundrum.

For one thing there is his appearance. In most representations out patron Saint looks decidedly Irish, like a stalwart version of Ronnie Drew. But in fact he was of Roman descent and might have had sultry, Latino looks. His father Calpurnius, a deacon and his grandfather Politus, a priest, were of Roman descent, so Patricus’ family were Anglo-Romans. They were Christians, spoke Latin and lived in Britain shortly before the Roman occupation petered out in 410AD. You can theorise about where they lived – near somewhere called Bannavem

Taburniae – and whether it was in England, Scotland or Wales, without fear of contradiction, since no one knows exactly where it was. The West Coast obviously, given his kidnap from his parents civilised villa by halfnaked Celtic raiders to be carried off to slavery across the sea in curraghs with hundreds of others. Scotland is unlikely though, given that Roman Administration didn’t extend beyond Hadrian’s wall and Patricius’ father was an administrator or Decurion. Leaving aside the familiar story of how Patrick brought us Christianity, one of the other puzzling things is the sheer ubiquity of the man at a time when travel was difficult. The pagan Celts were hostile, there were no towns, just a few roads , much of the country was densely wooded and travel by boat around the coast or by river the easiest option. He was here, there

and everywhere in Ireland if you believe he was in all the places associated with his name.

A while ago in Connemara I climbed to Mam Ean (The Crossing of the Birds) a pass between the peaks of the Maumturk Mountains. It’s a place of pilgrimage to a tiny chapel and site known as St Patrick’s Bed. Did he really have a sleepover in a spot where Mass is still celebrated for pilgrims three times a year, or was the name simply added at a site sacred from ancient pagan times? We can’t be sure.

Two of the earliest accounts of Patrick’s missionary travels were written two centuries after Patrick’s death and, again, there is very little we can be sure about. According to historian Muirchu’s version Patrick landed in Wicklow, at the mouth of the Vartry River, then sailed along the coast, landing near Strangford

Herbs for health

Nature provides us with many plants and herbs that can help provide us with nurturing nutrients to help us deal with a variety of symptoms. This can include herbs to support digestion, immunity, hormone support, and to help relieve anxiety and stress.

My favourite brand of herbal remedies is A.Vogel. Alfred Vogel worked with plants and herbal and naturopathic medicine since the 1920s. He later founded his company in 1963 the year before I was born. And now I have been recommending these remedies for over 25 years. Why do I like A.Vogel so much? A.Vogel is a brand that

is highly-regarded, they follow traditional herbal medicine principles while integrating scientific research. They will only use fresh herbs and organic plants in their products. The plants are processed immediately after they are harvested. Everything is grown without synthetic pesticides. I have been to the facility where the herbs are grown. I have met many of the people who work tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure that the highest standards are maintained through all stages of the plant’s life from sowing seeds to when we get it instore on our shelves.

My favourite remedies are of course the ones that I have used myself. This includes Dormeasan, which I have spoken about many times. It contains Valerian and Hops and it is perfect to help get a healthy sleep pattern back. I took it during the

early stage of the menopause when my sleep pattern changed dramatically and I could not sleep. It took several weeks but once it started to work, I enjoyed unbroken sleep and woke up feeling refreshed, it is an amazing herbal remedy.

I am never without a bottle of Echinaforce, I always have one in the cupboard. This is the perfect Echinacea to help prevent or treat a cold.

I have used Passiflora to support the nervous system and to help relax. I love the one in the spray bottle as it is easy to use and works quickly too.

Milk Thistle is my herb of choice when I want to support my liver or after overindulgence. These are just a few of the wonderful herbal remedies available in the A.Vogel range. Check them out in store or online, I hope you will like them as much as I do.

7764538 | Email: info@naturalhealthstore.ie

Lough where he makes his first convert near the Struell Wells, a sacred well and bathing place to this day. He then goes to Slemish in

“Of Roman descent and might have had sultry, Latino look...

Co. Antrim, hoping to convert his old slave master before sailing down the coast. Then Patrick goes inland to light an Easter fire on the Hill of Slane which results, after much drama, in the conversion of monarch Loegaire of Tara, before continuing on his miraculous mission.

In the other 6th Century account by Tirechan, the saint lands on the East Coast, stops near Holmpatrick to found a church, then moves on to Meath, founding several churches. Then he travels around Ireland founding, yet again, many churches, (these were probably beehive style buildings) from Mayo to Donegal and reaching as far south as Kells in Co. Kilkenny.

Patrick’s Purgatory at Lough Derg doesn’t feature and the story of his fast on Croagh Patrick may be apocryphal but this hardly matters as traditions about them are still believed.

It can be a bit difficult to sort legend from fact where the saint is concerned. The story of how he banished snakes from Ireland – nice one – isn’t true, because there never were any, as naturalists point out. Snakes never made it to Ireland. The symbolism of the three- leaved shamrock was adopted in the 17th Century, rather than being used by St Patrick to illustrate the Holy Trinity, although the plant was sacred to the Celts. We do have St Patrick’s own words to rely on. His Confession, written in old age, is both an apology and as a testimony to his mission against all the odds and his letter to Coroticus, was a complaint to a despot whose soldiers had abducted Christians from Ireland. His words reach down through 16 centuries and are instrumental in making us who we are today.

CLAIR WHITTY

Heritage and history at the heart of St. Patrick's celebrations

Irish culture, history, and heritage will be at the centre of the upcoming St. Patrick's Festival 2025, with a series of events dedicated to significant historical figures in Kilkenny.

Kilkenny recently marked 700 years since the witch trial of Alice Kyteler, the first of its kind in Ireland. The historic event saw the noblewoman escape from peril whilst her associate Petronella de Meath was executed in her place.

On St. Patrick's Day, in a dramatic display, the Kilkenny Historical Re-enactment

Group will take visitors back to Medieval Kilkenny to relive that fateful day of November 3rd in the year 1324. The re-enactment will see the infamous Bishop Ledrede lay seven charges against the wealthy woman and her employee, and parade them through the streets of Kilkenny.

Following the St. Patrick's Day Parade, the group will depict the trial and subsequent execution of Petronella de Meath in a short performance at Rothe House and Garden.

Regular performers at

the St. Patrick's Festival, the Historical Kilkenny Re-enactment Group, share history through visual displays for further generations to learn about the past.

Historic Highlights

St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, is credited with bringing Christianity to the country. St. Patrick's Day, or the Feast of St. Patrick, has evolved into a global celebration of Irish heritage and culture, featuring parades, food, music, dancing, and more. March

17th is believed to be the date of his death, and we commemorate him each year at home and around the world.

Among the historic highlights at St. Patrick's Festival Kilkenny 2025 is a chance to dive into Ireland's rich military heritage with a guided tour of the James Stephens Military Barracks Museum, led by retired Commandant Larry Scallan. Comdt Scallan will also deliver a fascinating look at Tom Treacy, Kilkenny's forgotten Commander (1919 – 1923) at Parade Tower. The talk will detail Tom Treacy's early life and explain his important role in Irish independence from 1914 to 1922.

Visitors can learn about Kilkenny’s medieval history and explore the City’s streetscapes on two walking tours, the (selfguided) Medieval Mile Street Tour and the Medieval Moments Walking Tour, with experienced guide Nevin Cody stopping at key locations to recount historical events and stories of local legends.

Festival Director Marian Flannery commented, "We hope people will join us in celebrating Kilkenny's vibrant history. As we explore our City's rich past, we invite you to discover the stories, legends, and traditions that have shaped our community."

A diverse programme of 120 events will take place

in Kilkenny City during St. Patrick's Festival Kilkenny 2025, from March 14th to 17th, celebrating Irish culture, music, and heritage. Events culminate with two days of free live performances on the festival stage and the

For the full line-up and more information, visit St

Photos by Dylan Vaughan

St. Patrick's Day Parade on March 17th, which brings the best of Kilkenny together, both past and present.

Patrick's Festival Kilkenny.

SPECIAL REPORT

Kilkenny woman and breast cancer survivor Delma Butler, from Rathmoyle, is calling on her local community to go all in against cancer for the Irish Cancer Society’s Daffodil Day, which takes place on Friday, March 28.

Delma Butler (41) was diagnosed with cancer in 2021 after finding a lump in her breast. Shortly after finishing her cancer treatment in 2022, the mother-of-two had a breast cancer reoccurrence after discovering another lump, and underwent chemotherapy and a double mastectomy.

Reflecting on her cancer experience, Delma Butler said: “I feel really happy. This could’ve happened to anyone, so I don’t feel like, ‘Why me?’. I don’t dwell on it. I did everything as normally as I could when I was going through treatment. I planned around my treatments and did everyday, normal things when I felt better. I went out for walks every day. Everything was normal for me, expect for the days when I wasn’t well after treatment.

“I am very grateful for the treatment options that were available to me, especially after my second diagnosis. I was put on a chemotherapy drug that was very tolerable and that would not have been available to me a few years previously but, thanks to research, treatment is improving all the time.”

She said: “Every euro raised on Daffodil Day is crucial and makes a real lasting difference, fuelling life-changing cancer research and vital support services. I would encourage everyone to please get out there on Daffodil Day, March 28, and show your support for those affected by cancer in your local community.”

The Irish Cancer Society is there to ensure that every person affected by cancer has a place to turn to, the support they need and the hope that there will come a day when no one in Ireland dies from cancer.

Thanks to the amazing generosity of the Irish public the Irish Cancer Society invests in ground-breaking cancer research and delivers crucial free support services for people affected by cancer, throughout Kilkenny.

In 2024, your generous support provided:

• Over 280 free lifts to bring Kilkenny-based cancer patients to their treatment

• Over 180 free counselling sessions to people living in Kilkenny

• Over 160 nights of free Night Nursing care to allow cancer patients in Kilkenny to die at home surrounded by loved ones

Delma calls for Kilkenny to go all in against cancer

• Our Cancer Nurses had over 250 conversations with people living in Kilkenny on our Support Line and in our

Daffodil Centres

Irish Cancer Society CEO

Averil Power said: “One in two of us will hear the

Ways to support Daffodil Day

• Donate at www.Cancer.ie/Donate or over the phone on 0818 10 20 30

• Sell Daffodil Pins in your area - https://www.cancer.ie/ daffodilday

• Host a fundraising event in your community - https:// www.cancer.ie/daffodilday

• Donate through Facebook, Instagram or JustGiving

• Register for our steps challenge at: https://fundraise. cancer.ie/event/daffodil-day-step-challenge/home

• Purchase Daffodil Day items on our online shop

• Revolut users can donate to the Irish Cancer Society through the ‘Donations Tab’ on the Revolut app

• By getting your primary school, secondary school or company involved: www.cancer.ie

• Text DAFFODIL to 50300 to donate €4.

Texts cost €4. Irish Cancer Society will receive a minimum of €3.70.

words, ‘You’ve got cancer’, in our lifetimes. There isn’t a family in Ireland that hasn’t felt the impact of a cancer diagnosis. Right now, a child is hearing the words, ‘It’s cancer’. A parent is holding on to hope for a treatment that hasn’t been discovered yet. And a researcher has an idea that could turn that hope into reality.

“Your support on Daffodil Day fuels life changing cancer research and vital free services and supports. We really need this year’s Daffodil Day to be the biggest yet to ensure we can be there for those who need us most in 2025. And we cannot do this without you.

“Your generosity on March 28 means patients and their families will have free supports like Counselling, Transport to treatment and Night Nursing

Cancer in Ireland

An estimated 44,000 people in Ireland get cancer each year. This figure is comprised of both invasive (cancers that can spread beyond the place they originated) and non-invasive tumours (cancers that do not spread). It includes nonmelanoma skin cancers (the most common type of cancer in Ireland).

The most recent research available shows that there are now more than 24,200 invasive cases (12,925 men and 11,282 women) diagnosed each year. This does not includes non-invasive cancers like nonmelanoma skin cancers. More people are surviving cancer than ever before.

The most common cancers diagnosed in Ireland are

1 - Skin cancer

11,358 estimated number of average annual diagnoses

• Melanoma skin cancer 1,289

• Non-melanoma skin cancer 10,069

2 - Prostate cancer

4,067 estimated number of average annual diagnoses

3 - Breast cancer

3,616 estimated number of average annual diagnoses

4 - Lung cancer

2,576 estimated number of average annual diagnoses

5 - Bowel cancer

2,500 estimated number of average annual diagnoses

services. Every year, communities across Kilkenny show up and paint the town yellow in support of cancer patients and their families.

We’re urging you to stand with cancer patients once again, by going all in against cancer and getting involved or donating this Daffodil Day . Your generous support means everyone affected by cancer in Kilkenny will have access to the support they need, when they need it most.”

Where the donations go:

• €30 can help provide transport for a patient to and from their chemotherapy treatment using the Irish Cancer Society’s Transport Service.

• €50 can help provide vital clinical equipment for an Irish Cancer Society Night Nurse.

• €55 will help pay for the cost of one hour of Night Nursing, providing end of life care to a patient in their own home.

• €60 will cover the cost of a counselling session to help a person cope with a cancer diagnosis in their life.

• €455 will help cover the cost of one night of Night Nursing, providing end of life care to a patient in their own home.

*For more information or to speak an Irish Cancer Society representative, please contact communications@irishcancer.ie | 087 645 3867. Anyone with concerns or questions about cancer can contact the Irish Cancer Society Support Line on Freephone 1800 200 700 and SupportLine@IrishCancer.ie

Opinion

New pension deal flawed, say some experts Your Money & You

The Government’s introduction of the Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings System Bill 2024 marks a significant step in tackling the pension coverage gap. Under this scheme, employees within specific age and earnings criteria and who do not already have an occupational pension will be automatically enrolled. Contributions will be made by employees, matched by employers with an additional top-up from the Government.

However, concerns are increasing over the scheme’s structure and impact, with leading actuaries and economic experts warning that the system may do more harm than good. They argue that the incentive framework is flawed, leaving high earners worse off and failing to address gender inequalities in pension provision.

Brian Woods, a self-employed actuary and former financial director at Ark Life, has highlighted a fundamen-

John Ellis

tal issue with the scheme’s incentive model. Under auto-enrolment, the State contributes €1 for every €3 an employee saves, but this is significantly less generous than the 40% tax relief higher earners currently receive through private pensions. This gap may result in nearly 200,000 workers being forced into a financially inferior system unless they opt out.

Woods, along with retired actuary Colm Fagan, argues that these misaligned financial incentives could destabilise the scheme before its official launch on September 30. “The whole thing is messy and impractical and it’s not going to work,” Woods warns. Adding to these concerns, key areas remain unanswered. No asset managers have been appointed, no fee structures established, and there is uncertainty about whether individuals can transfer between private and auto-enrolment schemes as their financial situations

evolve. This raises questions about the system’s long-term viability and effectiveness in achieving its goal of universal pension coverage. Beyond financial concerns, the new scheme has been criticised for “perpetuating structural gender inequalities within the pension system”.

A report by the National Women’s Council (NWC), ‘Still Stuck in the Gap – Pensions Auto-Enrolment From A Gender and Care Lens’, finds that while auto-enrolment will increase overall pension coverage, it will do little to close the 35% gender pension gap as auto-enrolment is tied

to paid employment. It fails to account for unpaid care work, disproportionately undertaken by women and women are more likely to take career breaks for caregiving and are mostly in low-paid, part-time work, meaning they contribute less to pensions and subsequently receive lower retirement income.

Orla O’Connor, Director of the NWC, said: “As one of the biggest reforms of our pension system in decades, the new pension auto-enrolment scheme fails to address the deep inequalities in our pension system.”

She also emphasised that older women were already at a disadvantage due to “historical structural discriminations,” such as the Marriage Bar, and were more likely to live alone or in substandard housing.

The report recommends a shift in focus toward strengthening the State pension as a more equitable means of ensuring financial security in

old age.

The Irish auto-enrolment system is modelled on the UK’s Nest scheme, which successfully increased participation in pension savings but also led to high dropout rates, low investment levels, and excessive administrative costs. Given these issues, experts believe that the Government should learn from international lessons and enhance the scheme before rolling out. The Government now faces a critical decision, push ahead with an untested and flawed system or conduct an independent review and take steps to make the necessary reforms to ensure the scheme is workable and beneficial for all participants from outset. Given the stakes, workers’ financial security in retirement, it is imperative that policymakers listen to the expert concerns raised and act before it is too late.

john@ellisfinancial.ie 086 8362633

Cortisol is often called the “stress hormone” and is released by the adrenal glands – part of the hypothalamicpituitary-adrenal axis, a bodily system that regulates stress when our bodies experience such stress. It helps our bodies respond to threatening experiences while managing several facets of our biology.

Cortisol regulates blood sugar, suppresses inflammation, regulates metabolism, is involved in our circadian rhythms and influences thefight-or-flight reaction. It’s essential for survival.

Because cortisol is a glucocorticoid hormone, and most of our body tissue has glucocorticoid receptors, cortisol can have a broad and ubiquitous effect throughout the body.

Dietary aspects can also influence our cortisol levels, according to Diogo Barardo Ph.D, Director of R&D at biotechnology company Novos Core. For instance, higher levels of sugar and saturated fats in a diet can negatively increase cortisol levels. Conversely, a diet high in fruits, vegetables and whole grains may lower cortisol levels.

Beyond diet, though, several other factors can influence your cortisol levels. These factors include some medications, alcohol, caffeine, adrenal gland tumours, athletic activity, pregnancy and a variety of health conditions.

“Excessively high cortisol levels, especially when sustained over time, can be damaging. Chronic high cortisol can also negatively affect metabolic health by promoting insulin resistance and inflammatory processes,” said Dr Barardo. Symptoms of high cortisol can vary between individuals. They include weight gain in the face and abdomen, fat buildup under the shoulder blades, purple stretchmarks across the abdomen, decreasing muscle strength, high blood sugar, hypertension, excessive hair growth in women and osteoporosis. Mental symptoms can include brain fog, memory issues and irritability.

Cortisol tests are often performed using blood samples but can also be done through urinary analysis. Because the urinary analysis test uses a series of inputs over 24 hours, this test may yield more accurate results than blood tests, which often only capture cortisol data from one point in a person’s day. As Dr Barardo has said: “This captures cortisol fluctuations throughout the day rather than at one single point in time.”

While there are dietary factors that can increase or decrease cortisol levels, the supplements that aid in this do so indirectly.

“Certain supplements like magnesium, vitamin C, Rhodiola rosea and pterostilbene [the primary antioxidant component of blueberries] are studied for their potential to help regulate cortisol and mitigate the stress response.”

Dr Barardo said that each of these compounds has the po-

Supplements and the good guide to reducing stress

“Dietary aspects can also influence our cortisol levels...

tential to affect cortisol levels. Vitamin C may be one of the top potential supplements to reduce cortisol and is readily abundant in several formats. However, how much of this supplement you should take will vary between products. To ensure you’re safe, read the product guidelines to ensure you don’t exceed the recommended amounts.

Vitamin C can be found naturally in several foods that are commonly available. All citrus fruits have vitamin C within them, but so do potatoes, peppers, strawberries, broccoli and Brussel sprouts. Elsewhere, research has pursued the idea of omega-3 fatty acids having a reductive

effect on cortisol levels. A paper published in 2021 found that participants who took high levels of omega-3 had lower levels of cortisol when compared to the placebo group. How much of this you can safely eat daily is based on your age. For men over age 14, 1.6 grams daily is recommended, while women over 14 should consume 1.1 grams daily. Those who are pregnant or lactating should consume more.

Omega-3 fatty acids are found in many foods but are especially common in fish, like salmon, mackerel and tuna, and some types of seeds, such as flaxseed, chia seeds and walnuts. Omega-3s can

also be obtained as a dietary supplement in various forms. And so to Rhodiola rosea which supports the body’s stress response by modulating the HPA (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal) axis, according to Dr Barardo. “This axis plays a central role in cortisol production, and Rhodiola’s effects help balance cortisol levels rather than simply suppress or elevate them, which is characteristic of adaptogens.”

According to a study, repeated doses of Rhodiola rosea can have “an anti- fatigue effect that increases mental performance, particularly the ability to concentrate, and decreases cortisol response to awakening stress in burnout

cortisol may be generally safe for most people, they are not the only way to regulate stress. Whether or not these cortisol supplements are necessary will vary between individuals and circumstances; most individuals without cortisolrelated illnesses should be okay without them.

“Supplements that help regulate cortisol are generally safe, but they’re not always necessary for everyone,” Barardo said. “A healthy lifestyle that includes stress management practices can help maintain optimal cortisol levels naturally.”

To help reduce stress levels without needing cortisol supplements, people may be interested in practicing meditation, yoga, pursuing other athletic activities or finding various means of coping with high stress. Research has underscored a variety of mechanisms for reducing stress, with a strong emphasis on what’s called mindfulness-based stress reduction. Although these techniques can be very effective in some cases, not everyone is equally inclined towards mindfulness practices, and learning these techniques without a guide can be difficult.

When considering cortisol supplements, it’s important to know that the FDA does not regulate supplements. Hence, the requirements for accuracy, transparency and testing are often less than expected. Barardo also points out: “Over-reliance on supplements marketed as cortisol regulators may not address the root causes of stress or high cortisol.”

What about cortisol blockers?

Cortisol blockers, like mifepristone and pasireotide, are prescription medications used to treat Cushing’s syndrome. They work by either blocking the uptake of cortisol to receptors or by preventing the release of cortisol in the first place. Beyond this particular class of medication, some people may also refer to supplements and tactics for reducing cortisol levels as blockers, but the di.erence can be vast.

Companies marketing overthe-counter cortisol blockers often rebrand cortisol supplements or other approaches for lowering cortisol.

patients with fatigue syndrome”.

Exact dosages for this compound will vary between products, but each supplement for lowering cortisol should include recommended intakes on its packaging.

Pterostilbene, an antioxidant mainly found in blueberries, has been found to improve stress-related behaviours.

Cortisol supplements utilising pterostilbene may be less common but should contain specific recommended intakes for each product if available. As for food sources, aside from blueberries, pterostilbene can be found in grapes and peanuts.

While supplements to lower

When it comes to cortisol blocker medications, there can be side effects that your doctor will discuss with you if you’re prescribed these medications.

These side effects vary between specific cortisol blocker medications. However, these medications are FDAapproved for the treatment of Cushing’s syndrome. When it comes to cortisol supplements and stresscoping techniques, how safe they are will vary between supplements and techniques. Supplements should have recommended dosages but can be cross-checked against recommended intake levels for specific compounds, like magnesium or vitamin C.

From the historic streets of London to the rugged beauty of the Scottish Highlands, these top destinations in the UK offer a journey through its rich tapestry of culture, history, and natural wonders.

Each location promises unique experiences, whether you’re exploring ancient castles, wandering through picturesque villages, or strolling around beautiful cities.

London, England

London is a must-visit as the capital and one of the most iconic places to see in the United Kingdom, boasting not just one but a few of the most famous landmarks in the world .

This vibrant metropolis offers a perfect blend of history and modernity. There’s something for everyone, from the Tower of London, and Buckingham Palace to the cutting-edge Tate Modern and bustling Borough Market.

Don’t miss a ride on the London Eye for panoramic views or a stroll through Hyde Park.

With world-class museums, West End theatres, and diverse neighbourhoods like Notting Hill and Shoreditch, London is one of the best cities to visit in the United Kingdom.

Edinburgh, Scotland

Edinburgh, Scotland’s capital, has a medieval Old Town and an elegant Georgian New Town, both Unesco World Heritage sites offering a stunning backdrop for exploration.

Edinburgh Castle, perched atop an extinct volcano, dominates the skyline and offers breathtaking views.

Lined with historic buildings, the Royal Mile leads down to the Palace of Holyroodhouse.

Literature lovers must visit The Writers’ Museum. For panoramic views of this enchanting city, climb Arthur’s Seat.

The Lake District, England

The Lake District is one of the great places to visit in the UK for nature lovers

Best places to see in the UK

and outdoor enthusiasts. This national park boasts stunning landscapes of rugged mountains, glacial lakes, and picturesque valleys.

Windermere, England’s largest lake, offers boat trips and water sports. Hikers can challenge themselves

by climbing Scafell Pike, the highest mountain in England.

The area’s literary connections, including William Wordsworth’s Dove Cottage, add cultural depth to the natural beauty.

Bath, England

Bath, a Unesco World Heritage site, is renowned for its Roman-built baths and stunning Georgian architecture.

The Roman Baths complex offers a remarkable insight into ancient life, while the modern Thermae Bath Spa allows visitors

to soak in Britain’s only natural thermal waters. The magnificent Royal Crescent and the Pulteney Bridge are architectural marvels not to be missed.

Literature fans will enjoy the Jane Austen Centre, which celebrates the author’s time in the city.

Oxford, England

Home to the oldest university in the Englishspeaking world, Oxford is a city steeped in academic prestige and architectural beauty.

Wander through the historic colleges, such as Christ Church and Magdalen, or visit the Bodleian Library, one of the oldest in Europe. The Ashmolean Museum, founded in 1683, houses an impressive collection of art and antiquities.

For a different perspective, climb the tower of the University Church of St Mary the Virgin for panoramic views of the ‘City of Dreaming Spires’.

Cambridge, England

Cambridge, Oxford’s rival university city, offers its own unique charm. Punting on the River Cam is a quintessential Cambridge experience, offering views of the famous ‘Backs’ – the riverside college grounds.

With its intricate fan vaulting, King’s College Chapel is an architectural masterpiece. The Fitzwilliam Museum houses an impressive collection of art and antiquities.

For a touch of science, visit the Cambridge University Botanic Garden or the intriguing Whipple Museum of the History of Science.

York, England York is a medieval walled city with a rich history dating back to Roman times.

The York Minster, one of the largest Gothic cathedrals in Northern Europe, is a mustvisit. For great views, walk along the city walls or step back in time on the wellpreserved medieval street, The Shambles.

The Jorvik Viking Centre

Travel & Leisure

offers an immersive experience of York’s Viking history, while the National Railway Museum will delight train enthusiasts of all ages.

The Scottish Highlands, Scotland

The Scottish Highlands offer some of the UK’s most dramatic landscapes.

The scenery is breathtaking, from the misty Isle of Skye to the imposing peak of Ben Nevis. Loch Ness, famous for its elusive monster, is surrounded by beautiful hills and castles.

The Highlands are also rich in history and culture, with sites like the Culloden Battlefield and numerous whisky distilleries.

Outdoor enthusiasts can enjoy hiking, mountain biking, and even skiing in winter at resorts like Cairngorm Mountain.

Giant’s Causeway, Northern Ireland

The Giant’s Causeway is a geological wonder and one of the most unique places to go in the UK.

This Unesco World Heritage site features around 40,000 interlocking basalt columns resulting from an ancient volcanic eruption.

The dramatic Causeway Coastal Route, which includes the vertigoinducing Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge, is worth exploring for stunning coastal scenery.

The Cotswolds, England

The Cotswolds epitomise the quaint English countryside. This region of rolling hills and picturesque villages built from honey-coloured stone is a delight to explore.

Charming towns like Bourton-on-the-Water, Snowshill village, Stow-onthe-Wold, and Castle Combe seem frozen in time.

The Cotswold Way offers beautiful walking trails, while gardens like Hidcote Manor showcase classic English landscaping.

For a unique experience, visit the model village in Bourton-on-the-Water or the quirky Mechanical Music Museum in Northleach.

Here’s to healthy snacking while 35,000ft up in the

Staying healthy during air travel can be nervewracking. If you’re facing added stress like delays or even missed connections, our attempts at staying healthy usually fly by the wayside. That being said, having the right plane snacks with you can ease stress while keeping you properly fuelled for the journey ahead. Plus, you’ll save big by avoiding those pricey airport meals. Doctors reccommend certain plane snacks but also advise on foods you should be avoiding. Avoid carbonated drinks

before your flight. Drinking carbonated drinks before your flight can lead to added bloating and gas at 35,000 feet thanks to changes in air pressure.

Avoid red meat. If you struggle with heartburn, avoid red meat before and during your flight. The same is true for fried foods. Along with heartburn, the salt in fried foods can contribute to dehydration, especially if you’re drinking alcohol onboard. Don’t drink alcohol.

Speaking of alcohol, drinking on a plane will lead to dehydration, which can,

in turn, cause nausea and headaches.

Don’t drink caffeine, either. If you need a little caffeine boost, doctors recommend drinking soda instead of coffee. Like alcohol, coffee is a serious diuretic that can cause nausea and headaches. Make sure to drink added water if you need that coffee.

Best plane snacks to have on a long flight

Now, according to doctors and nutritionists, frequent flyers, and flight attendants, these are the best plane snacks to have with you

at the airport and on long flights.

Protein bars: Protein bars give you all the right types of calories and nutrients in a condensed package, which is a hard combination to beat when it comes to plane snacks. The more natural the ingredients, the better.

Fruit & dried fruit: Always pack fruits that are easier to manage on the road, such as apples, pears, and oranges. I love bananas, but they’re hard to transport. The same for berries and grapes. That being said, feel free to bring a Tupperware with you.

Veggies: Celery and carrot

sticks are a favorite of mine.

You can usually find these inside the airport, too.

Nuts/seeds: As mentioned above, I don’t recommend bringing on raw peanuts, hazelnuts, or walnuts because they can cause allergic reactions for anyone with severe allergies by passing through the air alone. Almonds are my goto.

Crackers: Seed-based crackers and whole-grain crackers go easy on your digestive system while also giving you plenty of fibre.

That’s a win-win in air travel, even if crackers aren’t

air

the sexiest snack out there.

Banana bread: Need an excuse to finally use those frozen bananas in your freezer? A DIY banana bread (or store-bought) is an easy-to-pack snack that will fill you up and satisfy your sweet tooth.

Water: The water offered on planes is stored in tanks that are very rarely cleaned, so grab a large bottle of water at the airport or bring a reusable bottle with you, then fill it up after getting through security.

The more you drink on the flight, the better you’ll feel. Safe Journey...

Opinion

Furthermore Gerry Moran

Odette and Mabel: two mighty Kilkenny women

This week in honour of International Women’s Day (Saturday, March 8), I proffer profiles of two extraordinary women, one a Kilkenny native who made tennis history, the other made Kilkenny her home and contributed enormously to the cultural and commercial life of our city.

Lady Desart

In 1881, Ellen Odette Bischoffsheim, daughter of a wealthy London banker, married William Cuffe – the fourth Earl of Desart from Kilkenny – in a London society wedding.

William died in 1898 and Ellen, who had no children, moved to Kilkenny and became known as Lady Desart.

When her father died in 1908, Lady Desart became extraordinarily wealthy. In Kilkenny she worked closely with her brother-in-law, Ottway Cuffe, the Fifth Earl

of Desart. Thanks to Lady Desart’s fortune, they built a theatre in Patrick Street (now Zunis Restaurant) and, near Talbot’s Inch, where lady Desart lived, they revived the woollen mills, established a tobacco farm, a hosiery factory, a dairy, a school and a woodwork factory.

She also built a village of 26 houses, now Talbot’s Inch, for the factory workers and a footbridge over the River Nore to facilitate the workers getting to and from work.

The Suspension Bridge was swept away in the great flood of 1947 and it was appropriate that Kilkenny’s ‘new’ pedestrian bridge across the River Nore is called The Lady Desart Bridge.

Lady Desart also purchased the site for the Carnegie Library on John’s Quay and furnished the entire building. In memory of her brother-inlaw, Otway Cuffe, who died in 1912, she built a hospital near

her home in Talbot’s Inch which she called Aut Even, from the Irish Ait Aoibhinn, meaning pleasant place.

In 1910 Lady Desart became the first woman to be conferred with the Freedom of Kilkenny City. In December 1922, Taoiseach WT Cosgrave, made Lady Desart a senator of the Irish Free State and she remained a senator until her death, aged 75, in 1933.

Lady Desart is buried with her husband William in Falmouth cemetery, Cornwall.

Mabel Cahill

Mabel Cahill was born in 1863, the 12th of 13 children, in Ballyragget, and made history by becoming the first non-American, and the only Irish person, to win the US Open Tennis Championship in 1891. Mabel also won the Women’s Doubles the same year. In 1892 Mabel was back as defending champion and made more history by

becoming the first player to win the Singles, the Ladies Doubles and Mixed Doubles in the one year.

“Lady Desart became the first woman to be conferred with the Freedom of Kilkenny... City...

Mabel’s life, however, was short and sad. Her father, a barrister, was a man of means. Her mother died when Mabel was 12, her father remarried but died within 12 months leaving enough money to give the family a start in life.

Mabel had been introduced to tennis at an early age and in 1884, aged 21, won the Kilkenny City and County Lawn Tennis tournament.

In 1889, aged 26, she emigrated to New York. Her tennis playing caught the attention of the Brooklyn Daily Edge which wrote: “Miss Cahill is a slight, rather delicate-looking girl, yet the severity of her play is the terror of her opponents.”

Having made tennis history in 1892, Mabel did not contest the 1893 tournament due to money problems. Her father’s inheritance had run out and Mabel, without a profession, turned her hand

to romantic novel writing but with little success.

By 1897, aged 34, she was in London where she tried a career in the theatre but without success. Mabel Cahill died in Ormskirk Workhouse near Southport in Lancashire in 1905 in her 42nd year. She was buried in a pauper’s grave with no headstone to mark her resting place. In 1936 the Irish Lawn Tennis Association placed an ad in the national papers searching for a representative to come forward to accept a Gold Medal struck in honour of Mabel’s achievements in America. It is not known if the medal was ever collected.

In 1976, in appreciation of her historic tennis records, Mabel was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame.

Once again, after a search, no representative of her family came forward.

George Ralph The gentleman from Rose Inn Street

Died Saturday 8th February 2025

I first met George about 30 years ago, Then his wife Violet And later on his friend called Joe.

This was the man from Rose Inn Street.

He had time and a word for everyone, that was the character of the man.

We will miss you now George that you are gone. This was the gentleman from Rose Inn Street.

He bought and sold all kinds of antiques.

Some remained a long time, Some sold in weeks.

This was the gentleman from Rose Inn Street.

George and Joe set up a shop, business Known as D&R Antiques.

And now those two gents are gone, Gone from Rose Inn Street.

He came from Tipperary

He made Kilkenny his Business Home

As they say the rest is history He’s now gone to his heavenly home

The gentleman from Rose Inn Street

By Richard Ryan

Tale of tails: Dogs and cats in the living room The Last Word Pat Coughlan

In every living room, dogs and cats create a unique atmosphere with their charming activities. These pets, with their playful behaviour, make ordinary spaces lively and welcoming. Dogs bring energy, while cats move with quiet elegance, together creating an environment of fun and mischief.

Imagine a scene where the dog enthusiastically chases its tail, spinning like a furry tornado, only to stop abruptly and look around as if pondering the deeper meaning of life. Meanwhile, the cat casually observes from atop the bookshelf, plotting a swift leap onto the unsuspecting owner’s best sweater on laundry day. It’s like a sitcom where each tail wag and soft purr contributes to our home’s ongoing comedy saga.

In the living room, cats and dogs display their space preferences humorously. Cats claim the heights, eyeing the world from atop shelves like

tiny, furry monarchs surveying their kingdom. Meanwhile, dogs remain groundbound, ready for belly rubs and defending the house from the threat of doorbells. The dog fears heights as much as a child fears broccoli. The sofa becomes a comedic stage; cats leap with

grace, while dogs attempt and fail to match their feline counterparts, settling instead for slobbery kisses. Their behaviours highlight their personalities—cats as aloof strategists and dogs as loveable jesters.

On a rainy day, when the drops tap against the window,

pets often bring joy and liveliness. Picture a cat rocketing off the couch, convinced it’s engaging in a high-speed chase with an invisible mouse, only to crash into the laundry basket. Meanwhile, dogs, ever the show-offs, might present a flawless ‘sit’ before eagerly awaiting a

treat, only to realise it’s broccoli. These antics, whether planned or accidental, do more than just entertain; they comfort. With a purr or a wag, they turn ordinary moments into side-splitting comedy sketches.

Dogs and cats provide different types of companionship in our homes. Dogs are always loyal, following closely and showing affection with their wagging tails. Cats are more independent, offering companionship when it suits them, much like a celebrity gracing you with their presence at random intervals. Their purring adds an element of surprise and charm to life.

In the busy modern world, pets provide peace and excitement. Cats are known for their calm presence, often resting quietly, encouraging us to take a moment to relax. Imagine a cat sitting like royalty while you tiptoe around, afraid to disturb its

slumber. Dogs, on the other hand, bring energy and joy, urging us to join in their playful activities.

I think of my sister’s dog Buddy, crashing into the room like an affectionate tornado, tail wagging so hard it knocks over a plant, just to get a scratch. Meanwhile, my cat Bobi, ever the schemer, subtly saunters across your laptop keyboard, sending your emails to the printer, silently demanding a chin tickle. This playful rivalry elicits chuckles and even sparks moments of camaraderie, as they grudgingly learn to share space and affection — often, quite literally, on your lap. These animals, with their wagging tails and gentle purring, add warmth and happiness to our living spaces. Despite life’s chaos, they remind us that there’s always time for snuggles, misplaced slipper battles, and genuine joy.

Carlow Little Theatre Society present Eden

Little Theatre Society are delighted to be returning to the stage of the George Bernard Shaw theatre this coming March with Eugene O'Brien's much lauded, and awardwinning play, Eden

Eden is the powerful story of an ordinary relationship on an extraordinary weekend. Billy and Breda are approaching their 10th wedding anniversary. Breda is determined that this will be the weekend that saves their marriage. But Billy is more concerned with Imelda, the beautiful young woman he has his eye on. From the writer of hit RTÉ drama ‘Pure Mule’, Eden is a story of stale love and fresh lust in the Irish midlands. Eden was the winner of Best New Play at both the Irish Times Theatre Awards and the Stewart Parker Awards in 2001.

the

Performances: Wednesday 12th and Thursday 13th March, 2025

Tickets: €20 | €18 (early bird tickets €17 | €15 available until 31/1/25)

Carlow

Eden will mark

long-awaited return to the director's chair by Jo O'Donovan, and is presented by arrangement with Eugene O’Brien c/o of Curtis Brown Group Limited. Eden contains strong language and adult content and is suitable for ages 16+.

Cast: Billy Paul McManus and Breda Aoife Reddy. Directed by Jo O'Donovan.

Lighting by Ann Nolan. Stage Design by Tadhg McSweeney. Sound Design by Paul Dunne.

International Women’s Day 2025 – for ALL wom

This year’s theme for International Women’s Day on 8 March 2025 is ‘For ALL women and girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment.’

This theme calls for action that can unlock equal rights, power and opportunities for all and a feminist future where no one is left behind.

Central to this vision is empowering the next generation - youth, particularly young

women and adolescent girls - as catalysts for lasting change.

The year 2025 is a pivotal moment in the global pursuit of gender equality and women’s empowerment, as it marks the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. Adopted at the Fourth World Conference on Women in 1995 in Beijing by 189 governments,

it remains the most progressive and widely endorsed blueprint for women’s and girls’ rights worldwide. The Platform guides policies, programmes and investment that impact critical areas of our lives, such as: education, health, peace, media, political participation, economic empowerment, and the elimination of violence against women and girls.

The 30th anniversary also comes amid growing insecurity and compounding crises, diminishing trust in democracy and shrinking civic space. Last year alone, 612 million women and girls lived amidst the brutal realities of armed conflict, a disturbing 50 percent increase in just a decade.

Under the banner of UN Women’s global campaign to mark the 30th anniversary, this year’s International Women’s Day is a rallying cry to take action in three key areas:

1. Advance women’s and girls’ rights: fight relentlessly for women’s and girls’ full range of human rights, challenging all forms of violence, discrimination, and exploitation.

2. Promote gender equality: address systemic barriers, dismantle patriarchy, transform entrenched inequities, and elevate the voices of

marginalised women and girls, including young people, to ensure inclusivity and empowerment.

3. Foster empowerment: redefine power structures by ensuring inclusive access to education, employment,

leadership, and decisionmaking spaces. Prioritise opportunities for young women and girls to lead and innovate.

Engage media, corporate leaders, governments, community leaders, civil society

en and girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment.

and youth, and others with influence to take action in your communities. Ask leaders to take action and invest in promoting women’s rights and gender equality.

Share International Women’s Day stories and messages on digital platforms, using the hashtag #ForAllWomenAndGirls to spark dialogue and inspire action. Together, we can close the gap to achieve gender equality.

The Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action trans-

formed the women’s rights agenda:

1. Legal protection: before 1995, only 12 countries had legal sanctions against domestic violence. Today, there are 1,583 legislative measures in place across 193 countries, including 354 targeting domestic violence specifically. These laws represent a collective refusal to tolerate abuse and impunity.

2. Access to services: it demanded essential services like shelters, legal aid, counseling, and healthcare for survivors of violence. These services have expanded globally, offering critical lifelines for countless women and girls.

3. Youth engagement: it inspired a new wave of young feminists who are now shaping movements for gender justice, leveraging digital platforms, and driving activism for equality.

4. Changing social norms:

it ignited women’s rights movements worldwide, challenging harmful stereotypes, ideas and practices, and paving the way for gender equal policies, laws, and institutions.

5. Women’s participation in peace: it emphasised the need to increase women’s full and equal participation at all levels of conflict resolution and prevention, including

at decision-making levels. Today, there are 112 countries with National Action Plans on women, peace and security – a significant increase from only 19 in 2010. These have been key in facilitating women’s participation in peacebuilding and postconflict recovery, enabling their access to decision-making positions, and paving the way for new laws to address

sexual violence in conflict. Despite significant progress for women’s rights since the adoption of the Beijing Platform for Action in 1995, the world is experiencing new and overlapping crises and the erosion of rights. This International Women’s Day, join women to march forward for women’s rights. With thanks to unwomen. org

More women than ever before in the Houses of the Oireachtas, but still a long way to go

Photoshoot of women TDs and Senators marks largest ever number of women in the Houses of the Oireachtas for International Women’s Day but highlights that Ireland lags at 99th in world.

“This Dáil and Seanad has the largest number of women in the history of the State, with 71 women TDs and Senators bringing their diverse voices, perspectives, and expertise to the Houses of the Oireachtas, especially their lived experience as women,” said Aldagh McDonogh, Chair of Women for Election.

“However, with Ireland lagging at 99th in the world for the number of women in national parliament, there is still a very long way to go to have a properly functioning democracy,” said McDonogh.

The photoshoot today of women members in the Houses of the Oireachtas

marks International Women’s Day and has been arranged by Women for Election and the Oireachtas Women’s Caucus. This event celebrates those who have come through the considerable challenges women faced in getting to the Houses of the Oireachtas in recent elections. The photo is a tangible visual demonstration of the presence of women in national politics and seeks to inspire others to join them.

“Despite some progress in the last elections, our national parliament does not yet fully include women who make up half of the population, nor the diversity

of women living in Ireland. Women are 25% of TDs and overall are 30% of Oireachtas members,” said McDonogh.

Senator Fiona O’Loughlin, Chairperson of the Women’s Caucus said “It is vital for the health of our society, our economy and our democracy that women’s voices, expertise and lived experience are heard at tables where decisions are made that affect every person in Ireland. As women we shouldn’t have to keep reaching out, asking to be heard. We must expect more. Politics and society will be the better for it.”

Women remain significantly underrepresented in Gov-

ernment decision-making. Just 3 Cabinet Ministers out of 15 were appointed by the new coalition Government. Only 23 women have ever

served in Cabinet, whereas 217 men have served. The government appointed just 6 women among the 23 Ministers of State.

“Gender equality in politics is not a luxury nor an optional goal. It is a fundamental necessity for a fair and just society, a society that values the contributions of women as equal partners in addressing the nation’s challenges and shaping its future,” said McDonogh.

“We need a commitment from our Government, from our political parties and from a range of stakeholders across society to use the time until the next election to ensure that many more women, including women from diverse backgrounds, enter the next parliament,” concluded McDonogh.

A doubled life, off and on the stage

PM O’Sullivan

Clare Gibbs always had an eye.

Just for how things fit together, pattern and mosaic, the sheen of rightness. This gift led the Kilkenny native in various directions, and eventually into theatre, but first she had to be a schoolgirl. There were roads to travel in the paths of taste.

The grown woman is wry: “Drama wasn’t huge in the Presentation [School]. They did a production alright every year, and I’d go into the chorus and that. I always enjoyed it.”

“But it was certainly no thanks to any nun, my interest in costumes and design. Because I had a nun who was trying to make me sew with my right hand. I’m lefthanded.”

She continues “My mother taught me to knit. My mother taught me to sew. My grandmother, Ciss Gibbs, Daddy’s mother, found me a little hand sewing machine. I used to make dolls' clothes, from the time I was very young, from 11 or 12 years of age.”

A lost past comes alive: “There was a woman who lived in New Street called Nonie Mahony, and she used do dressmaking. I’d say she never picked up a remnant. There was a row of cottages up from where

Alan Grant and Clare in ‘Lend me a Tenor’

The Loves of Cass McGuire shows Kilkenny actors Clare Gibbs and Brendan Corcoran

Above: Clare Gibbs (front centre) in War of the Worlds staged at the Set theatre

Director of Shirley Valentine Mary Cradock with Kilkenny artist Andrew Small

Morrissey’s Corner Shop is now.

“You went into this tiny little doorway, down a step, and the whole floor was a sea of fabric. She said anything that was on the floor I could take. So I used to find little bits of remnants, and I’d be sewing and making with those.”

That girl became a young woman who started working, after a Marketing Diploma in Carlow RTC, for Kilkenny Design Workshops.

“A summer job became a fulltime job,” Gibbs clarifies. “And when KDW opened a shop in London, in the 1980s, I went there. When that closed, I came back and went into the buying department.”

Another staging post had been reached. “I got started through the New Theatre Group,” she notes. “I went up one night to meet a friend after rehearsals in [St] Kieran’s College, late 1980s or so. They were doing their stuff, dressing the set and so on.

“I love anything to do with how things look. Something clicked. I used to do the KDW shop window and the merchandising. I said to myself: ‘God, I’d love to get involved.’ I’d never thought of going on stage. It was always backstage I was interested in.”

Yet a doubled life lay in the offing. Clare Gibbs had found her way to a prompting place: “There was just this great energy for drama in Kilkenny at that time. I did a one act play, in John Cleere’s, All My Juliets, an all female cast. I shook like a flippin’ leaf, doing it. I always remember holding a cup of tea, and all I could hear was that [rattles her teacup on saucer].”

She took heart from energy all around: “When the Watergate [Theatre] opened in the early 1990s, everything took a step up from there. Between being onstage and offstage, I was busy. I’d be sitting in the corner at rehearsals, sewing costumes. “I was in a lot of pantos. I was with Watergate Productions. I did

some musicals with Kilkenny Musical Society, kind of character parts.”

A curve flexed into an arc. As Clare gratefully recalls “For any of us that were younger, going on stage with the likes of Ger [Cody] and Mary [Cradock] and Joe Murray and Brendan Corcoran and Dónal O’Brien was tremendous. Because you learned your stagecraft, really, from them. There was just a crop of people who were there. And they stuck with drama, for the long haul. “If you’re new in theatre, you can learn an awful lot by watching them. There’s a standard they set: ‘We want this to be the best.’ There’s a bar to at least meet. And you’re not going to be below that. And you don’t want to be the only one letting the side down.”

talented you are, you have to be willing to take direction. It’s not just criticism. It’s for a reason. It’s about the production. It’s a team thing.

“Even with Shirley Valentine, a solo show, it’s not about me. It’s about Mary [Cradock], as director, even more. I couldn’t do this without Mary. Not a hope. There’s always a team behind every show.”

Shirley Valentine… This experience stretched Clare Gibbs, for all her 20 plus years of doubled experience. She is honest: “You have to be half cracked, I suppose, to take on doing a one person show. One hundred per cent cracked, perhaps. It was the first solo show I ever did. An unbelievable experience… The audience were even answering me some of the time, which was a new one.

She elaborates “No matter how

“The first performance was July last year, in The Home Rule [Club].

The response was incredible. The Home Rule is a great space, but the audience are very close to you. When I take off my glasses, I can see feck all anyway… So it was fine!”

She glosses the upcoming rerun: “Thomastown will be a different dynamic, a much different kind of space. Myself and Mary have walked the stage out there, to get a feel. It’s a bigger stage, a deeper stage, and the audience is divided from you by twelve feet or more.”

Playing this role provides an unusual challenge for any actor.

Lewis Gilbert’s film of Shirley Valentine (1989) acts as a touchstone for interpretations of Willy Russell’s play. Has this factor been difficult?

Clare stays considered “Because the film is so well known, you needed to be careful you weren’t going to edit out the pieces that people will expect. They are going to remember the bit where Shirley is yelling about sex out the window. They’ll want that.”

She catches a crucial facet: “But maybe the more important point is that Shirley Valentine has aged well in a way. And I don’t know why, because the subject matter is quite tough. She’s quite downtrodden, as a lot of women were, pre 1980s. Especially in Ireland, where you had the ‘marriage ban’, where a woman had to give up her job.

“I remember my own mother when she got married. She was 26. Overnight, she is sitting at home, looking out the window. She had worked in Kilkenny County Council, but had to give up her job. That’s

where she met Daddy.”

There will be a mere nine months between the two outings as Shirley Valentine. Is there anything new for which she hopes from this second spin of the play’s wheel?

More memorable wryness: “Maybe to enjoy it a bit more? Because I don’t know if I enjoyed it, last July. I mean, ‘enjoy’ is a funny word. The audience reaction was very humbling. I couldn’t get over it. People were still stopping me months later in the town, people I didn’t know.”

She remains conscious of the demands imposed by the solo form: “Usually you’re on a team. You have somebody else with you, that you are acting off, two of you together. So you are kind of like: ‘Yes!’ But when it’s just you, you’re going: ‘Oh… Oh… Oh…’

“Because even we were rehearsing last night and I stopped it. And Mary said: ‘Well done, well done.’ And I said ‘Mary, it was rubbish!,’ I felt I had to say it to her.”

The actor inclines, turns thoughtful “I don’t know what it was. I started it strange and I couldn’t wind it up. I couldn’t… It was really weird. Whether it’s an Irish thing or something: ‘We can’t take praise…’ “But it’s never going to be perfect. Because it’s live theatre and we’re all human.”

Shirley Valentine, starring Clare Gibbs, runs at Thomastown Concert Hall from March 12 to 15 at 7:30pm nightly. Tickets available from Emily on 083 325 0617or online with Eventbrite.

Letters From the Front actors Clare Gibbs and Linda Beale

Clare Gibbs 4th from left with the cast of Steel Magnolias

Shirley Valentine

Author of Shirley Valentine Willy Russell

Brave Kilkenny women recalled…

Some of Ireland’s bravest women have been honoured at a gathering in Kilkenny

BY JOHN FITZGERALD

The men who fought for Irish freedom are lauded in ballads and epic tales, but the sacrifices of women in the revolutionary era receive far less prominence. You don’t hear too many songs sung in pubs or clubs, or at commemorative outings, about their struggle.

To redress the balance a little, the Kilkenny Heritage Walkers arranged a tribute to those women who helped us on the road to nationhood.

Starting outside the castle, they assembled under the old banner of Cumann na mBan, held by women attired in 1920s garb and brandishing weapons.

Marianne Kelly clung to a .303 Lee Enfield rifle of the kind that saw action in the 1916 uprising and the asymmetric war that followed. Wrapped around the gun was a Rosary beads, this gesture symbolizing the devout spirituality of normally peace-loving people forced to take up arms.

Standing to attention on the other side of the banner were Gráinne Quigley-Lambert, who’d proudly donned the uniform of Cumann na mBan, complete with sidearm, and Ailbe Mic Gearailt, symbolically veiled in mourning for that “Other Ireland.” Ailbe had prepared an inspirational talk on the theme to be delivered later.

In the bad old days, the wearing of the banned uniform in public might have drawn a savage response from the Tans or the RIC. But Ireland’s enemies were nowhere to be seen when

Ailbe, Marianne and Gráinne took us back in time via their act of remembrance.

Unsung heroism

Cumann na mBan (The Irishwomen's Council) was founded in April 1914, and from the outset it worked closely with the revolutionaries.

In the 1916 Rising and throughout the War of Indepedence it played a crucial role in the insurgency, aiding wounded Republican fighters, carrying vital dispatches, gathering information on potential targets and troop movements, hiding weapons for the men, as well as assist ing with the secret Republican courts.

In Kilkenny, as elsewhere, the organization proved daring and resourceful, inspired by women such as Win De Loughry, Kitty and Mary Teehan, the Luttrells of Gar ryricken, Maisie and Josie Stallard, Mary-Jo Power, and Hannah Dooley, to cite just a few of the key members.

Apart from its military activities, Cumann na mBan is remembered for its part in the anti-conscription campaign.

When Britain began to run short of cannon fodder for the Western Front, where it had sustained heavy losses (among these thousands of Irishmen), it sought to compel the Irish to fight for the empire

Cumann na mBan joined a broad alliance of groups, including Sinn Fein, the Irish Volunteers, the Gaelic League and the trade union movement

in opposition to conscription. After weeks of protests, women took the campaign to another level: A national day of action was set for St. Columcille’s Day, 9th June 1918. Cumann na mBan was to the forefront of the well-organized expression of outage.

Women from all walks of life rallied to the cause. Each town and city had its own protest, and Kilkenny women gathered on the afternoon of that historic day on the Callan road. From there they marched to the Black Abbey, before diverting to the Tholsel. Crowds cheered as two local bands played patriotic tunes in support of the women.

At City Hall (specially kept open for the occasion) women of all ages and professions from every part of the city queued up to add their signatures to the anti-conscription pledge. Others travelled from around the county to sign.

The pledge read: “Because the enforcement of Conscription on any people without their consent is tyranny, we are resolved to resist the Conscription of Irishmen.

“We will not fill the places of men deprived of their work through refusing the enforcement of Military Service.

We will do all in our power to help the families of men who suffer through refusing enforced military service.”

Riveting talk at the Mayfair Library

Leaving the Parade, the Heritage Walkers visited Rothe House. To its eternal credit, Kilkenny Archaeological Society (KAS) preserved the ledger containing all the names and addresses of the women who signed the anti-conscription pledge locally. The ledger had been donated to the KAS by members of Cumann na mBan.

This precious volume is the only surviving book of signatures nationwide from the 1918 petition. For some unexplained reason all the other records of signatures were discarded or went missing.

In reverential silence the heritage group, including relatives of some of the signatories, viewed the neatly inscribed names in the ledger.

Ailbe spoke eloquently of the sacrifice, mostly unacknowledged, of the revolutionary women, but also alluded to the achievements and life experiences of so many others, also largely overlooked by historians and balladeers, whose lives of quiet and devoted service, whether in the home, the workplace, or as the guardians of our culture, national sovereignty or civil liberties, made their mark on the country they loved.

She introduced to the large attendance a beautiful tapestry created by local women during the Decade of Commemorations, which availed of symbols, such as a pram, a baby’s bottle, a rifle, and a bike- to tell

the women’s side of Ireland’s long and often turbulent and heart rending story- before and after independence. At Ailbe’s invitation, people spoke of their own relatives who served in Cumann na mBan, including Elizabeth Walsh, granddaughter of the acclaimed Win De Loughry. Marianne Kelly recounted how she had, just days before, visited “a very special woman” in Tinnypark nursing home. Mary Burke has just celebrated her hundredth birthday. She has lived through many of the changes and upheavals that shaped our nation, but one of her outstanding memories is of a woman she had known briefly in her young days, a nurse and midwife called Elizabeth O'Farrell. This was the woman who accompanied Padraig Pearse when he formally surrendered to the British. An iconic photo showed the officers facing Pearse, with Elizabeth O Farrell, who had played a crucial and heroic part in the rebellion, partially visible alongside the Republican leader. But all trace of her was later deleted from the picture, an act that has since been held to represent the callous and mean-spirited “airbrushing” of Cumann na mBan’s hugely important role, as well as the unequal status of Irish women, especially in the opening decades of the Free State. Elizabeth O’ Farrell used to visit the owners of the house that Mary Burke stayed in on Victoria Avenue in Dublin when Mary was about 23. She remembers them talking politics, and has a clear recollection of the Cumann na mBan woman who is now, paradoxically, “remembered for being forgotten.”

The Heritage Walkers had organized many outings and memorial events and will celebrate their 700th walk later this year…but this must surely rank as one of the most poignant occasions for them. It was a revealing look-back at a time that shaped all our lives…and the women that people in “high places” wanted us to forget.

After Rothe House, their tribute continued with a wideranging presentation at the Mayfair Library by Ailbe Mic Gearailt.

Ailbe Mic Gearailt with tapestry inspired by the women of the revolutionary era

Ailbe Mic Gearailt in symbolic grieving garb with Marainne Kelly as a civilian volunteer and and Gráinne Quigley Lambert in Cumman na mBan uniform

Win DeLoughry of Cumman na mBan

Mary Burke who has just celebrated her 100th birthday in Tinnypark nursing home

The St. John’s dream

The Side by Side community group from St John’s parish gathered in the parish centre on Thursday last to celebrate the club’s 50th anniversary. The day began with a special mass celebrated by Monsignor Dan Carroll.

Joining the celebrations was the Mayor of Kilkenny, Cllr. Andrew McGuinness, a regular participant in club activities. Also in attendance were family members of the club founders as well as relatives and friends of former members.

In a positive and complimentary address to the large attendance, Monsignor Carroll congratulated the club on its longevity and on the positive impact it had, and continues to have, on the people and the parish of St John’s. He remembered with particular fondness and appreciation, Kitty Guidera, Lil Redmond and Mary Parle, the dreamers and visionaries, who initiated the concept of the Side by Side club in 1975. Monsignor Carroll also had words of praise for the present members and leaders of the club as they continue to embellish the rich tapestry and diversity at the heart of the group’s activities.

As the celebratory cake was about to be cut, Mayor Andrew McGuinness surprised the attendance by presenting the Side by Side club with a Mayor’s Award honouring the group’s long and distinguished commitment to the health and wellbeing of the community.

The great afternoon of celebration concluded with light refreshments, lots of chat and reminiscences and with the fun and frivolity of mentally stimulating interactive games.

that became a reality

After fiery spat, what next for Ukraine?

TThe US and Ukraine could be poised to sign a much-debated minerals deal after Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said the disastrous Oval Office clash with US president Donald Trump was “regrettable”.

Trump told advisers he want ed to announce the agreement in a major address to Congress. They cautioned that the deal had yet to be signed and the situation could change.

Trump has halted military aid to Ukraine as Zelensky said he wanted to “make things right”. He added that he was ready “any time and in any convenient format” to sign a deal giving the US access to Ukrainian minerals.

He had left the deal on the table during a visit to Washington after that Oval Office argument with Trump.

“None of us wants an endless war. Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible ... Nobody wants peace more than Ukrainians,” Zelensky said in a statement on X.

“My team and I stand ready to work under President Trump’s strong leadership to get a peace that lasts.”

The statement made no mention of the pause in US military supplies, Trump’s latest move to upend US policy and adopt

a more conciliatory stance toward Russia.

Zelensky’s statement was aimed at stressing Kyiv’s gratitude following the explosive confrontation at the White House, at which Trump and vice-president JD Vance scolded the Ukrainian President for being insufficiently appreciative.

“We do really value how much America has done to help Ukraine maintain its sovereignty and independence,” Zelensky wrote. “Our meeting in Washington ... did not go the way it was supposed to be. It is regrettable that it happened this way. It is time to make things right.”

He outlined a path towards a peace agreement, which he said could begin with a release of prisoners and a halt to air and sea attacks, if Russia did the same.

“Then we want to move very fast through all next stages and to work with the US to agree a strong final deal.”

Earlier, Zelensky’s Prime Minister, Denys Shmyhal, said Ukraine’s forces could hold their own on the battlefield against Russian troops, but that Kyiv would do everything possible to continue co-operating with the US.

“We will continue to work

with the US through all available channels in a calm manner,” Shmyhal said. “We only have one plan – to win and to survive.”

In Moscow, the Kremlin said cutting off US military aid to Ukraine was the best possible step towards peace, but it was waiting to confirm Trump’s move.

US Democrats have raised an outcry over Trump’s abrupt pivot towards Russia, the most dramatic geopolitical shift in generations for Washington, where governments under both parties since the 1940s have prioritised defending Europe from a hostile Moscow. So far, leaders of Trump’s Republican party in Congress have made little or no pushback to the move.

Many Republicans had earlier been vocal backers of Ukraine, which relied on US and European military aid to fight bigger and better-armed Russia through three years of warfare that has killed and injured hundreds of thousands of soldiers.

Shmyhal said Kyiv was doing more to ramp up its own military production, especially drones. But air defences could be a particular problem if US aid ends, especially the Patriot batteries that are Ukraine’s

only defence against Russian ballistic missiles aimed at its cities.

The US cut-off, while “pretty significant,” was less harmful to Kyiv than it would have been earlier, “because Ukraine is far less dependent on direct US military assistance now”, said Michael Kofman, a senior fellow at Carnegie Endowment, an international peace think tank.

Meanwhile Ukraine has been stockpiling arms and ammunition since before Donald Trump’s election victory last November, but over time the US President’s halting of military aid will be felt in air defence and other high-value weapons systems the US is uniquely placed to supply.

“ They got a lot of kit in before the inauguration,” said a senior western official, adding that it would be enough to keep Ukraine in the fight “well beyond” what they described as the period during which ceasefire negotiations were expected to last.

A defence expert in Kyiv said Ukraine had a “safety margin of about six months” and could survive at least in the short term without US military assistance. “It will, of course, be much more difficult,” said Fedir Venislavsky, a Ukrainian

’SA FUNNY OLD WORLD

Nicholas Hamlett was the subject of a weeks-long manhunt following the murder of Steven Lloyd.

US authorities say Hamlett befriended Lloyd and lured him into a wooded area in Tennessee, killing him in an attempted identity theft plot.

A man called police in eastern Tennessee claiming a bear had chased him off a cliff. But authorities arrived on the scene to find the body of a different man, sparking a multi-state manhunt for the caller that ended with his arrest on murder charges this weekend.

Authorities say Nicholas Wayne Hamlett, 45, befriended and lured his victim into a wooded area to take both his life and identity.

A couple have said they were forced to sit next to a dead body for four hours on a Qatar Airways flight.

Mitchell Ring and Jennifer Colin were travelling from Melbourne to Doha, en route to Italy, when a woman walked out the toilet and collapsed near their row about 10 hours into the journey.

MP and member of the Verkhovna Rada defence committee.

Though US military aid previously ran dry in early 2024 – because Republicans in the House of Representatives were declining to vote through new funding – a bumper package was voted through in April last year that allowed stockpiles to be built up during the final months of the Biden Administration.

But the sheer size of US military aid since February 2022 means its absence will be felt. Since the start of the war, that has amounted to $31.7bn in arms and ammunition from stocks – plus additional funding for Ukraine to buy USmade weapons, taking the total to $65.9bn.

Meantime, UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves and Ukraine’s Finance Minister Sergii Marchenko have sign the UK-Ukraine Bilateral agreedement.

This agreement will deliver £2.26 billion in funding to Ukraine, which will be paid back using the extraordinary profits generated on sanctioned Russian sovereign assets held in the EU.

This is the UK’s contribution to the G7 Extraordinary Revenue Acceleration (ERA) Loans to Ukraine scheme.

“Unfortunately the lady couldn’t be saved, which was pretty heartbreaking to watch,” Mr Ring told Australia’s A Current Affair programme.

He added: “They tried to wheel her up towards business class, but she was quite a large lady and they couldn’t get her through the aisle.”

The pair, who were the only ones in a row of four, said flight attendants put the woman in one of the spare seats for the remaining four hours of the flight.

Mr Ring told Australian media: “They said, ‘Can you move over please?’ and I just said, ‘Yes no problem’.

“Then they placed the lady in the chair I was in.”

A Colombian man has been caught trying to smuggle £8,000 worth of cocaine under a wig.

The drugs were discovered by police after the 40-yearold attempted to board a plane to Amsterdam, Netherlands, at Rafael Nunez International Airport.

The man was arrested on suspicion of trafficking, manufacturing and carrying narcotic substances, the Colombian national police said.

Police commander, Gelver Yecid Pena Araque, said so far this year more than 450 people have been arrested for drug trafficking.

Marvellous Moon show comes to Kilkenny

The ‘Museum of the Moon’, a breath-taking installation by artist Luke Jerram, opened on March 10th 2025 for an exclusive three-week exhibit at Kilkenny's St. Canice's Cathedral. And local creatives are planning a spectacular show to welcome the celestial art piece.

The large-scale installation is dramatically suspended three metres from the ground above head height. The luminous artwork features detailed NASA imagery of the lunar surface. Artist Luke Jerram's multidisciplinary practice involves the creation of sculptures, installations and live arts projects. Luke creates artworks at all scales, that deliver messages and inspire communities to recognise often challenging concepts. With many of his latest artworks, including ‘Gaia’, ‘Oil Fountain’ and ‘This Way Forward’, Jerram has been using his skills in visual communication to draw attention to planetary health.

The artwork ‘Museum of the Moon’ is one of Luke’s most successful projects to catch

the public’s imagination, so far it has been presented in different ways, more than 300 times in 30 different countries including England, Latvia, India, Belgium, and Australia and been experienced by more than 20 million people worldwide.

Over 2 million people visited the artwork when it was presented at the National History Museum in the UK, making it one of their most popular exhibits ever! Artist Luke Jerram is known worldwide for his large-scale public engagement artworks.

As part of this exciting event, MórScéal Productions - formerly known as Core Theatre - will present the world premier of their unique play entitled The Nine Moons of Ago. Written by Georgina Brennan Stynes, directed by Michael Somers, and with a production team led by Willie Ryan the play features 40 local actors, musicians, dancers and tradespeople.

Producer Willie Ryan said "We were thrilled to accept the opportunity when it came our way. Kilkenny is such a

special place, and we want to enrich our community. St. Canice's Cathedral has been incredibly supportive, both with our last production The Witch Hunt for Alice Kytler and now with The Nine Moons of Ago.”

Georgina has crafted a story rooted in local mythology and the eight Celtic festivals exploring how our ancestors might have related to the moon for farming, tides, and its influence on prehistoric societies.

“Various cultures across the globe have deep historical, cultural, and spiritual ties to the moon and Georgina has woven a story of both Irish and global rituals and reverence around the moon giving a nod to several cultures throughout the play but with

cultural sensitivity and respect,” said Director Michael Somers. The Nine Moons of Ago showcases the profound relationship of humankind, the fairy realm and the moon in the context of Kilkenny and the ancient Kingdom of Ossory. In the village of Ago, residents pay tribute to the moon and the Celtic wheel of the year, all while being watched over by the fairy realm.

“This rich history offers valuable lessons about the magic that today’s society yearns for,” said writer Georgina who used her Archaeological background to good effect in crafting the work.

“There are aspects of this play that will resonate with audiences who watch the nightly news and wonder how things

in the past are echoed today.

It also explores the idea that in a time when magic and rituals may feel far away, we realise that just because we can’t see something, it doesn’t mean it isn’t real. This work echoes

WB Yeats and Lady Gregory's explorations of the fairy realm as well as influences from Greek Roman, Egyptian and Native American writers and researchers,” she continued.

In a limited run, The Nine Moons of Ago will be performed every Tuesday night during the installation. It will open the event on March 11th, and continue on the 18th and 25th. Tickets are €20 plus fees on Eventbrite. All queries should be made to 083 408 2641.

Cast

Brigid - Megan Kelly

The Egyptian - Sarah Bergin

Weaver/Oak Queen/Green woman - Catriona Walsh

Wicker Man/Holly KingPaul Behan

Baker - Natasha Murray

Blacksmith - Ben Nunan

High Fairy Seelie - Liane

Murphy

Thery

Tailte - Dubhlacha Stynes

The Eclipse - Michael Conway

The Ghost - Nicci St George Smith (accompanied by Oksana)

The Two Wolves - Edwina

Hopkinson and Paul Daly

The Fairy Queen RhiannonAisling O'Halloran

Cuan - Kevin Tynan

Woodsman/The Light Soldier - Trevor Murtagh

Supermoon - Micheal

Somers

The Time Keeper/VillagerAoife Harte

The Reaper/Villager - Stafford Kelly

Death Soldiers - Stafford Kelly, Trevor Murtagh

The Cailleach - Delia Lowery

The Fairy - puppet provided by Carlos Mateus

Ghosts - bamboo lights made by Carpenter Chris

Stynes

Musicians - The Maudlin

Bards and friends

Dancers - cast and local set

dancers

Village Bard - Kellie Butler

The Divine King

OssoryCarlos Mateus

Writer Georgina Brennan Stynes

Megan Kelly

Paul Behan

Director Michael Somers

Sarah Bergin

Willie Ryan. Production

Food & Drink

Come Dine WithMe

Sticky onion and cheddar quiche

Prep: 40 mins

Cook: 40 mins

Slices: 8

A crisp pastry case and a just-set creamy filling, quiche is a good solution to any meal dilemma from dinner parties, suppers, picnics and even afternoon tea.

Ingredients

• 25g butter

• 500g small onion, (about 5 in total), halved and finely sliced

• 2 eggs

• 284ml pot double cream

• 140g mature cheddar, coarsely grated

For the pastry

• 280g plain flour, plus extra for dusting

• 140g cold butter

STEP 1

To make the pastry, tip the flour

Rhubarb and custard cake

Prep: 20 mins

Cook: 1 hr

Serves: 16

This recipe tastes even better with homegrown rhubarb.

Ingredients

• 1 quantity Barney’s roasted rhubarb (see recipe, below method)

• 250g pack butter, softened, plus extra for greasing

• 150g ready-made custard

• 250g self-raising flour

• ½ tsp baking powder

• 4 large eggs

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 250g golden caster sugar

• icing sugar, for dusting

Method

STEP 1

Make the roasted rhubarb first, carefully draining off the juices before you let it cool. Butter and line a 23cm loose-bottomed or

springform cake tin. Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4.

STEP 2

Reserve 3 tbsp of the custard in a bowl. Beat the rest of the custard together with the butter, flour, baking powder, eggs, vanilla and sugar until creamy and smooth. Spoon one-third of the mix into the tin, add some of the rhubarb, then dot with one-third more cake mix and spread it out as well as you can. Top with some more rhubarb, then spoon over the remaining cake mix, leaving it in rough mounds and dips rather than being too neat about it. Scatter the rest of the rhubarb over the batter, then dot the remaining custard over. Bake for 40 mins until risen and golden, then cover with foil and bake for 15-20 mins more. It’s ready when a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Cool in the tin, then dredge with icing sugar when cool.

and butter into a bowl, then rub together with your fingertips until completely mixed and crumbly. Add 8 tbsp cold water, then bring everything together with your hands until just combined. Roll into a ball and use straight away or chill for up to 2 days. The pastry can also be frozen for up to a month.

STEP 2

Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to a round about 5cm larger than a 25cm tin. Use your rolling pin to lift it up, then drape over the tart case so there is an overhang of pastry on the sides. Using a small ball of pastry scraps, push the pastry into the corners of the tin (see picture, above left). Chill in the fridge or freezer for 20 mins.

STEP 3

Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. While the pastry is chilling, heat the butter in a pan and cook the onions for 20 mins, stirring occasionally, until they become sticky and golden. Remove from the heat.

STEP 4

Lightly prick the base of the tart with a fork, line the tart case with a large circle of greaseproof paper or foil, then fill with baking beans. Blind-bake the tart for 20 mins, remove the paper and beans, then continue to cook for 5-10 mins until biscuit brown.

STEP 5

Meanwhile, beat the eggs in a bowl, then gradually add the cream. Stir in the onions and half the cheese, then season with salt and pepper. Carefully tip the filling into the case, sprinkle with the rest of the cheese, then bake for 20-25 mins until set and golden. Leave to cool in the case, trim the edges of the pastry, then remove and serve in slices.

Gritty cop thriller that keeps things simple

Netflix has just dropped a new French crime thriller, Squad 36, which follows a troubled police officer as he dives into the shocking murders of his former colleagues.

Directed by Olivier Marchal, this thriller keeps things simple with a straightforward plot that delivers all the right thrills. If you’re after a gripping crime film that keeps you on edge without being overly complicated, this one could be for you. The stakes feel personal, with the lead officer fighting to bring justice to his fallen friends. And there’s plenty of action and mystery thrown into the mix.

While Squad 36 doesn’t bring anything new to the

table and it certainly has its flaws, there’s still plenty to enjoy in this intense ride. Set in present-day Paris, Squad 36 follows Antoine Cerda (Victor Belmondo), a seasoned police officer from the elite Investigation and Intervention Brigade. After being sanctioned by the General Inspectorate of the French National Police, he is reassigned to the AntiCrime Brigade, turning his back on his former unit led by Sami Belkaïm (Tewfik Jallab).

Forced to adapt to his new role, Antoine distances himself from his past, but his world is upended when tragedy strikes.

Thirteen months after his transfer, two of his former colleagues are murdered

within 24 hours and a third mysteriously disappears. Determined to uncover the truth and find his missing friend, Antoine launches his own investigation, delving deep into a brutal police feud that threatens to consume him.

Squad 36 is worth a watch if you enjoy gritty crime thrillers with an uncomplicated storyline.

The protagonist isn’t exactly a model cop, which adds the gritty, unpredictable element to the story. We’re used to seeing law enforcement as the good guys, but the morally grey nature of these characters makes this movie an intriguing watch.

Plus, the consistently dark and serious tone ensures

there’s always some kind of tension running through every scene.

However, the runtime of two hours and isn’t necessary. Because of this, the plot often slows down in places, with a lot of repetitive scenes used as filler.

The jagged narrative structure might put a lot of people off since crime thrillers are designed to be compact and intense.

But, aside from the pacing issues and lengthy runtime though, Squad 36 is a surprisingly fun watch and a bit different from the usual crime thrillers on Netflix. The twisted politics within the French police force make things even more interesting, adding plenty of tension and drama.

Why you need to watch Mr Mercedes

Stephen King, the undisputed ‘King of Horror’, is behind a number of great TV and film hits, from 1976’s Carrie through to 2017’s Gerald’s Game and new release The Monkey.

But this ‘hidden gem’ might have slipped under your radar, having debuted way back in 2017.

Three seasons of Mr Mercedes the show is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video. Based on King’s first ‘hard boiled detective’ book released in 2014, the story is actually inspired by a true event; a woman who’d crashed her car into a McDonald’s restaurant.

Mr Mercedes (Brendan Gleeson) follows a retired detective struggling with his mental health who’s plucked out of retirement to help solve a mysterious case.

When a stolen Mercedes S-Class plows into a crowd at a job fair, eight people are killed and many more severely injured. But it’s Bill Hodges (Glee-

son) who receives a letter from an individual claiming to be the culprit. Referring to himself as ‘Mr. Mercedes’, it’s up to Hodges to find out who’s

to stream this week on Netflix 5

responsible for the horrific crime.

Across three seasons, the ‘thrilling’ TV show has been rated 91 percent by Rotten Tomatoes critics.

Reviewers enjoyed the debut seasons’ ‘tense, creepy narrative’ praising its ‘quick-witted dialogue, strong characters, and terrifying surprises’.

Meanwhile, its second season earned a perfect 100 percent, with Gleeson’s performances catching critics’ attention.

Viewers were mostly in agreement with critics, although some reckoned, despite its flawless rating, the second season was ‘too far fetched’.

This didn’t stop people from devouring all three of its seasons, though.

For Gleeson alone, it is worth the watch.

Trigger Warning

The new Netflix movie stars Jessica Alba as a Special Forces commando-turned- barkeeper whose military skills come in handy when a violent gang starts to run rampant in her hometown. Mark Webber, Gabriel Basso and Anthony Michael Hall also star. IndieWire’s David Ehrlich described Trigger Warning as “lifeless and instantly forgettable” (ouch!), but if you’re just looking for a way to switch your mind off for a few hours, this could do the trick.

Five Nights at Freddy’s

Having debuted on Peacock in the US way back in October, Five Nights at Freddy’s is now finally streaming on Sky and Now. This feature-length adaptation of the hit horror video game series stars Josh Hutcherson as a troubled security guard whose routine night shift at a oncesuccessful, now-abandoned pizzeria is disturbed by a group of murderous animatronics. Five Nights at Freddy’s was produced by the same team behind M3GAN, The Black Phone and The Invisible Man, so expect plenty of blood-curdling surprises.

3. Black Barbie

Arriving hot on the heels of the biggest film of 2023 (remember the one starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling?) is Black Barbie on Netflix.

This feature-length documentary – which comes from Shonda Rhimes’ Shondaland production company – tells the little-known story of three trailblazing women at Mattel who created the first Black Barbie. Expect talking heads and eye-opening archival footage.

4. Federer: Twelve Final Days

This week’s factual Prime Video offering is Federer: Roger Federer’s professional tennis career.

Featuring interviews from numerous rivals and friends, including Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray, Federer: Twelve Final Days has been described in one review by The Hindu as a “rudimentary yet nostalgic account of a sporting legend’s swansong,” so Federer fans – or indeed tennis fans, period – won’t want to miss this one.

5. Marry My Husband Park Min-young plays timid office worker Kang Ji-won, whose husband and friend are having an affair and who is killed when she confronts them. She wakes up in the past and, armed with knowledge of the ‘future’, begins to live her life differently in this fast-paced time-travel story

BY PAUL BOLGER

Recently, my colleagues and I underwent a mandatory manual handling training session. Many thousands of Irish workers must undergo such training every three years. The contents of that training course were completely outdated and are in dire need of catching up to the latest science.

Here are some of my thoughts on what was covered, why it is a problem and what we might do to give people training that is useful and may help to reduce the burden of pain in this country.

Outdated

While the training session wasn’t all bad, there was a central message running through it that is completely out of touch with an up-todate understanding of back health. That message was:

• There are structures in the spine that become damaged when you bend or turn your spine.

• This damage accumulates over time, resulting in injury.

• The best way to prevent this damage is to keep your spine in a ‘neutral’ position whenever you sit, stand, lie down, move or lift.

Manual handling

training updatingneeds

Old fashioned,

outdated

information in manual handling training is at best redundant and at worst harmful

These ideas are not accurate, but we have probably all heard them before. What do you think when you read through them? Would they give you confidence in your back, or cause you to worry?

Dead Pig Spines

Some of these ideas

stem from studies where researchers would take a section of a spine from a dead pig, clamp it into a machine that would then repeatedly bend and compress the spinal segment. The researchers wanted to see what this segment of

spine could tolerate before some part of it would give in and become damaged. Lo and behold, something would eventually give after many thousands of bends under load. Some people took this to mean that the tissues in our back have a

limited number of bends.

But there is a key difference between your back and these dead pig spines. The structures of your spine are living and capable of adapting over time.

A Better View

In reality, our spines are living and adapting throughout our entire lifetime. Movement, bending, twisting and lifting are all healthy things that our backs have adapted over hundreds of thousands of years to tolerate and to do well.

In fact, movement seems to be essential for maintaining a healthy back – it helps to bring nourishment to joints and discs, clears waste products from muscles, keeps ligaments strong and nerves lubricated and flexible.

Like all living things, our back gets good at what we expose it to regularly – so long as this is done in a gradual and regular manner with consistency. Instead of thinking about keeping your back ‘aligned’, perhaps it is better to think about keeping it healthy and keeping it in good condition for what your life demands of it. Considering all of this, there are still certainly physical limits to what we can all tolerate. If somebody is unfit and not strong, it’s not a good idea to jump headfirst into lifting heavy furniture around the house or heavy weights in the gym. A gradual approach is important, under the guidance of a professional where possible.

It’s time we update manual handling training to move away from this outdated view and towards an approach that considers back health. We will all benefit.

Short story 'The bit of Ashes'

Margaret bustled around the house doing the last minute chores before leaving for work. She cleaned out the grate, lit the fire and loaded the coal bucket. That should do it now, until I get home, she thought to herself. Just then her mother hobbled into the living room.

“Don’t forget now, Margaret, today is Ash Wednesday, so bring an envelope to get me the bit of ashes.”

“Don’t worry Mam, I won’t forget,” Margaret replied, as she grabbed her handbag and threw on her coat.

“See you then, Mam” she called as she banged the door shut.

She had no time to spare when she got to town, so she decided to go looking for ashes during her lunch break. At one fifteen, having had a hasty cup of tea and a sandwich, she made her way to the Capuchin Friary. She was just about to ring at the door when she saw the notice, ‘Closed for Lunch, 1 – 2.’

“Just my luck,” she muttered, as she moved away. She made a mental note to call back before going home. Things were

very busy in the office all afternoon. At five thirty, she tidied up, put the cover on her typewriter and headed for the shops, as she needed to get some things for the tea. Her mother usually shopped at the local grocers in the village, but now that she was housebound, Margaret had to see to it herself. Each place she went to she got delayed but eventually she was ready.

She glanced at her watch, five to six.

“Oh no!,” she groaned, “No time to run to the Friary now. I’ll miss my lift if I do. What am I going to do, I’ll never hear the end of it from Mam. Ah, well, it can’t be helped. It certainly wasn’t my fault the way things worked out. I didn’t plan it this way.”

She hurried on down to where her friend, Mary, was waiting patiently to give her a lift home.

“I was just about to give up on you,” she said, “Where did you get to?”

Margaret explained about her mother’s sprained ankle and apologised for the delay. On the way home

Mary was in a talkative mood, but Margaret found it difficult to concentrate

on what she was saying.

Uppermost in her mind was the blessed ashes, or, no blessed ashes. She knew her mother would be very disappointed but couldn’t come up with any solution to the problem. As she neared the back door she tripped over the ash bucket.

“I hope God will forgive me for this,” she said. Her mother greeted her as she got in.

“You’re late home, Margaret.”

Margaret began to explain what had happened as she entered the living room, but stopped short as she looked at her mother ensconced in the armchair with a distinct cross on her forehead. Her mother beamed at her and in answer to Margaret’s unspoken question said,

“The new PP missed me from morning mass and called around with the bit of ashes. He’s such a nice man”

Margaret sighed with relief and sent a silent prayer of thanksgiving heavenwards, as she hastily stuffed the bulging envelope back into her pocket.

Phil Kennedy 1992

Kilkenny GAA clubs and Community news

CLARA

CLUB LOTTO

Results for the 25th February, Numbers drawn, 11, 16, 19. No Jackpot Winner. €30 Lucky Dip Winners; John Murphy, Ray Lannen, Martina Carrigan, Jack Carrigan and Myles Kehoe.

FOOTBALL

Clara lost their third football game on the trot in Grennan on Sunday where Thomastown came out on top by 2-11 to 3-5.

An early Thomastown penalty goal was countered almost immediately by a Philip Carrigan goal. Thomastown tacked on the next two points before Alan Coleman responded with a close in free. Thomastown again added two more points, the second from a free awarded for a breach of the new “three up” rule by Clara. Philip Carrigan then crashed his second goal to the net to tie the game and just before the break Thomastown scored another point to take a slender lead to the dressing room.

Cian Kelly tied the match early in the second half before Thomastown hit a purple patch and hit for a goal and two points. Killian Phelan responded with a booming two pointer and then Dara Glynn surged forward to blast home a goal to tie the game again. After Thomastown had reclaimed the lead with a free Dara squared it up again with another point. However it was Thomastown that secured the points with the last two scores of the game, the second one a two pointer. Clara are getting closer with every match and if the levels of improvement are maintained they could yet have a say come championship time.

Team - Rory O Keeffe, Paddy Bolger, Conor O Shea, Brandon Ryan. Dara Glynn 1-1, Diarmuid Walsh, Liam Ryan. Alan Coleman 0-1f, Martin O Connell. Hugh Kelly, Cian Kelly 0-1, Philip Carrigan 2-0. Peter Nolan, Killian Phelan 0-2, Sean Carrigan. Subs Luke Lawlor, James Dowling, Daniel Ryan, Alex McDonald.

KIERANS LOSE

St. Kieran’s College relinquished their All Ireland title on Saturday in Bansha when losing 4-13 to 2-11 to Presentation College Athenry. Holders of the crown for the last years, Kieran’s never seemed to get into the same groove this year, although they did retain their Leinster title at the hands of cross town rivals Kilkenny CBS. Luke Lawlor and David Barcoe were blameless for this defeat while Conor Hoyne was an unused substitute. All three should feature prominently for Clara this year.

O’LOUGHLIN GAELS

HANDBALL VICTORY

Congratulations to O’Loughlin’s Seán Morrissey who partnered with Andrew Brennan (Talbot’s Inch) for a great victory in the minor Leinster Doubles Final against Wexford. After a titanic first game which lasted over 45 minutes Seán and Andrew pipped it 21-20. They really drove on in the second game to win 21- 5. Clare await in the All-Ireland semifinal in two weeks’ time in Croke Park.

KILKENNY HURLERS

Hard luck to the Kilkenny hurling team which lost out to Cork in last weekend’s Allianz Hurling League game in SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh. O’Loughlin’s were well represented on the Kilkenny team as Mikey Butler, Huw Lawlor, Paddy Deegan, Jordan Molloy, Luke Hogan and Fionán Mackessy all saw action in the game. There is little time for recovery as they face Tipperary in UPMC Nowlan Park on Sunday at 1.15pm. Hopefully lots of Kilkenny supporters will be there to cheer on the team.

CAMOGIE ACTION

It was a busy weekend on the camogie front for O’Loughlin’s players. Clodagh O’Callaghan was part

of the Presentation Secondary School, Kilkenny team which played in the All Ireland Post Primary Schools A Final v Maghera (Derry) in Castleblaney on Saturday. Presentation were so unlucky to suffer a one point loss to the Ulster side. Laura Greene was part of the Presentation management team but she, Laura Murphy and Danielle Quigley were busy with Kilkenny Camogie Senior team which lost out to Tipperary at The Ragg. Then on Sunday Síofra O’Leary was part of the Kilkenny Minor panel against Tipperary at MWH Training Centre, Dunmore in the All-Ireland series. The game finished in a draw. Well done to all O’Loughlin’s players.

EASTER CAMP

O’Loughlin Gaels GAA and Camogie Club’s Easter Camp will take place from the 14th to the 18th April. It is open to all O’Loughlin Gaels club members aged 5 to 13 years. Flyers are being distributed to local schools. Closing date for receipt of application forms is April 1st. Any queries contact Stephen at 085-7181325.

LOTTO

There was no winner of O’Loughlin Gaels Club Lotto dated February 25th. Numbers drawn were 3, 7, 17, 27 and the Bonus number was 1. Play Now at www. oloughlingaels.com

Promotors Draw, 1. Sheila Foley. 2. Teresa Walsh c/o Ml Doran. 3. Mag Cahill. 4. Joe Rice. 5. Ml Hayes c/o N Loy. 6. Dinny and Mags c/o JJ Cullen. 7. Tom Leahy c/o JJ Cullen. 8. Rosie Kirwan c/o Online. 9. James Kavanagh, Freshford c/o Online. 10. Brian Hogan c/o Online. Thank you for your continued support.

MAYFAIR LIBRARY

Ag ceiliúradh Seachtain na Gaeilge, beidh Caifé Comhrá ar súil i Leabharlann Mayfair. Beidh foireann na leabhairlainne i gceannas; tá alán ábhar suimiúil réidh le plé acu. Cuirfear soláistí ar fail, agus beidh ceol ann freisin. Dé Máirt 11ú Márta 6pm. Booking is advisable 056 7794174. Seachtain na Gaeilge.

Conversation Café: Tuesday March 11th 6pm. All are welcome to join the resident Irish Group for some music, conversation and craic. Booking is advisable Tel 056-7794174

MEMBERSHIP

Just a reminder if you haven’t yet paid your club membership O’ Loughlin Gaels GAA and Camogie club membership renewal for 2025 is due now. It is available on Foireann. Just log in to your Foireann account, tap the three horizontal lines to bring up the membership tab and select the membership option that suits you. Kilkenny Hurlers’ Co-op Draw tickets are available with most membership options also. All support welcome.

NOTES

If you wish to have any item included in the St. John’s Parish notes please email it to pro.oloughlingaels. kilkenny@gaa.ie

FRESHFORD

GAA NEWS

St Lachtain’s GAA Club will hold their Dinner dance on Sunday 16th March (Bank holiday weekend) in Langton’s with much to celebrate. Music on the night will be by Sweet Freedom and DJ Josie. Medals will be presented to the All-Ireland winning junior hurlers, Junior B league winners 2022 and Junior F league winners 2023 and 2024 so why not join go along and joint them together as a Club and community for a night of fun, food and dancing . Tickets are €50 each and will be on sale on this Wednesday evening in the clubhouse at 7.30pm or can be purchased from any committee member. Please note that all u18s must be accompanied by an adult AIB CHALLENGE

St Lachtains All Ireland winning Junior hurlers will take on an AIB selection this evening, Friday 7th March at

5.00pm in St John’s Park Kilkenny FOOTBALL

St Lachtains minor footballers will play in the Roinn B Championship quarter final in Pairc Lachtain on Saturday morning next at 10.30am when they take on the winners of Rower/Glenmore.

MEMBERSHIP

2025 Membership is now due for the 2025 season. There is no change or increase in the price from 2024.

BEAUTY AWARD

Congratulations to local girl Sinead Barco the Mills, Freshford who received an award for the best beauty newcomer in hair beauty and style awards 2025 at a function in Mount Wolsey Hotel on Sunday last. Sinead has been working in the industry from the age of 17 and opened her new beauty business – Beauty by Sinead –at Church Street Freshford in March 2024 and is doing very well here and is wished all the very best in the future.

IRISH DANCING

The Malone school of Irish dancing has started and continues every Monday evening at 5.15pm in St. Lachtain’s GAA Clubhouse. All those interested should go along or for more information contact Michelle on 087 2063912

SYMPATHY

Sympathy is extended to Mrs. Ann Burke, Woodview, Freshford on the death last week of her sister in law Ms. Katie Hurley late of Hillside View, Castlecomer. Funeral mass took place in the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Castlecomer followed by burial in the adjoining cemetery.

BINGO

North Kilkenny Wheelchair association weekly bingo continues each Friday evening in Freshford Community Hall at 8pm with good prize money and raffle each week. This is for a very good cause indeed and the committee are encouraging people to come along and support the weekly bingo and bring a friend for a night out and help keep this fundraiser going.

NUENNA GROUP

People are living longer, stronger and healthier lives nowadays, so why not have fun while improving your fitness with the local Nuenna Social Community Group. Its being held every Tuesday at 6.30am and Thursdays at 6pm at Freshford GAA grounds. Membership to Nuenna AC club for the year is €60. The club were invited to an indoor event in Nenagh recently and the young athletes did amazingly well and had a haul of medals coming home. Well done to all

SOCCER

Freshford Town Junior side had no game last weekend. In the schoolboys section the U12 boys had a 4-2 win over Clover Utd., on Saturday last with Tom Dalton getting a hat trick and Callum Gleeson getting the other goal. The U14 boys had a win over Spa Utd in their away game on a 2-1 scoreline with goals from Fintan Martin and Hugo Carroll. The U16 boys were defeated by Dean Celtic on a score of 3-1 with Patrick O’Connor getting the goal for Freshford Town.

The club are presently planning for the regeneration project which was put together and permission for development of a synthetic grass playing surface to the existing grassed area is intended, erection of LED floodlighting to both the existing main grassed and proposed synthetic grass pitches with additional car parking provisions, two new sports dug outs to grassed pitch and upgrade of existing boundary walls and fencing drainage and all associated works.

SPLIT THE POT

The winner of Split the Pot was John Guinan. The proceeds for the month of February goes to Threecastles Hall. Entr y cost just €2 and envelopes are available in all local shops and pubs. Revolut is also available on 08330411011 with your name and address...

COMMUNITY ALERT

Freshford /Threecastles Community Alert group are doing great work around the area. They have had cameras erected around the area which are all now up and running in the community. Text alert numbers are also very good at present and everyone is looking out for each other. Text alert cost just €10 for the year and is a great advantage to the community. You are reminded to keep an eye out for elderly neighbours and report any suspicious activity you might notice

LOOP CAFE

The Loop Cafe is always looking for people on both sides of the counter. So why not support your own local café. You can meet a friend for a chat and a cuppa or some lovely homemade food or try out their new tarts. The Loop also hosts a variety of community activities. The Loop is looking for volunteers as well as customers. Use your skills and develop new ones. If you’re great at fixing a door hinge, baking a cake, or working in a kitchen – or just willing to learn, there’s lots to do. Find

the Loop on Facebook to keep up with events, or stop by any time. If you’d like to volunteer, please call the café at 056.883.2650 and speak with Rhiannon.

IONAD LACHTAIN

On Sunday 16th March, the closest Sunday to the feast of St.Lachtain, Bishop Wilkinson will celebrate and preach at a Festal Eucharist to mark the Festival. Refreshments will be served afterwards. Iona Lachtain’s programme of events will be launched for 2025. The shop will be open on the 15th and 16th March 11.30am to 4.30pm.

St Lachtains Church Museum and Arts Centre is closed for the months of January and February and will reopen on weekend of 16/17th March.

FOROIGE

Foroige youth club meet each Monday evening from 6.30pm to 8pm in the Community Hall. They have music, a free library, stationary corner, games, chat and treats each week. New members are always very welcome. The youth club is members only so if you are interest in joining please go along and sign up. They are also looking for adult volunteers. For more info contact Aidan n 086 0674485 or Aidan.gleeson@foroige.ie

PARISH NEWS

Mass is held in the Parish Church each Wednesday morning at 9.30am and each Sunday morning at 11am.with Mass in Tulla Church on Saturday evenings at 7.30pm. The damage done to parts of the roof of the Parish Church during the recent storm has now been repaired. The parish newsletter is available on their website every week and also on the website. Please note community notices for the parish newsletter should be left in or emailed to the Parish Office by 11am on Thursdays. Parish office hours are Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 9am to 1pm. Mass Cards

Special printed parish cards are available at the Parish Office or from Annette at Tulla Church signed by Monsignor Kennedy. You can contact the Parish office on 056 8832843 or by email – freshfordd@ossory. ie. Contact Mongr Kieron Kennedy on that number or on 087 2523521.

HELP FOR ALL

Are you struggling with anxiety or depression or finding life difficult or feeling isolated at this time GROW is there to help you. Their Mental Health support Groups are free and confidential and open to all no referral or booking is needed. For more information on same you can contact Mary on 087 284342. If you can’t cope and need support text HELLO to 50808. SAMARITAN - Whatever you’re going through a Samaritan will face it with you – available 24 hours a day 365 days a year – Freephone 1161Alone is available for older people who need support and you can call them on 0818 222024 (8am to 8pm). AMBER KILKENNY WOMENS REFUGE – is available for confidential support relating to domestic violence call them on 1850 424244 (24/7) or on 056 7771404 or email into@ amberwomensrefuge.ie.

JAMES STEPHENS GAA AND CAMOGIE CLUB

KILKENNY SENIOIR HURLING

Kilkenny senior hurlers lost out to Cork in round 5 of the Allianz Hurling League in Super valu Pairc Ui Chaoimh on Saturday evening last with our own club man Cian Kenny having a major contribution of 3 points from play. Unfortunately, it was not enough to get victory where Kilkenny came out on the losing side on a scoreline of Kilkenny 2-16, Cork 1-22.

COLLEGES SENIOR HURLING

Commiserations to St. Kieran’s College who relinquish their Croke Cup title following their semi-final loss to Presentation College Athenry, in Bansha, on Saturday last on a score line of 4-13 to 2-11. James Stephens were well represented with five starters, Sean Deeley, Bill Mc Dermott, Noah Manogue, Ed Lauhoff and Diarmuid Behan. Also on the St. Kieran’s panel were Dara Behan, Larry Phelan, Conor Mc Evoy and Conor Hefferan.

COLLEGES JUNIOR CAMOGIE FINAL

Presentation Secondary School Kilkenny lost out by the narrowest of margins in their All Ireland Post Primary Schools Junior Final when playing St Patrick’s Maghera (Derry) with the scoreboard reading St. Patrick 1-10, Presentation 3-3.

KILKENNY SENIOR CAMOGIE

Kilkenny senior camogie team lost out to Tipperary in round 2 of the league played in The Ragg on a score line of Tipperary 0-16 Kilkenny 1-08. Commiserations to our three club players Michelle Teehan, Sophie O Dwyer and Niamh Deely

SYMPATHIES

James Stephens GAA would like to extend our sympathies to the McGrath family on the loss of their brother

O’Loughlin Gaels Intermediate Camogie County Champions at their Dinner Dance and Medal Presentation.

Community & GAA Notes

Tom. We extend our sympathies especially to Des and Eamon who have a long affiliation with the Club. Des, a former club registrar, is a very loyal member of our weekly Lotto committee.

LOTTO

Last week’s numbers were 3, 5, 8, 16. No winning ticket. The €40 consolation winners were Grainne Dorney, Mary Ireland, Mark Wall, Teresa Bourke and Carol McGrath

BENNETTSBRIDGE

CHURCH NEWS

Mass times, Thursday and Friday mornings, 10.30am Saturday (Tullaherin), 8pm Sunday (Bennettsbridge) 10.30am.

FIRST COMMUNION PREPARATION MASS

The next First Communion Preparation Mass will be celebrated next Sunday 9th March. First Confessions were heard during the week.

ALTAR SERVERS REVIVAL

Bishop Niall Coll has urged parishes to revive the practice of having altar servers at weekend masses. Efforts will be made to encourage boys and girls to serve at mass.

Safeguarding of children regulations would have to be strictly adhered to. Further details to follow soon.

PILGRIMAGE TO KNOCK

A pilgrimage to Knock will take place on Sunday 6th April, Contact 086 1666547 to book your place.

LOTTO

There was no winner of the Jackpot. Numbers, 4, 5, 17, 18. Consolation Prizes, Bridget O.Neill, Ballyreddin, The Dooley’s ℅ Lucy, Pearl Egan, Bennettsbridge, Mick Denieffe c./o Ann Tobin, Brendan Doran, Hillview.

CARDS RESULTS

11th February First Prize Johno and Marie Reid (11 games). Second Prize,Siobhán Donovan/Joan O’Gorman, Tom Drennan/Robbie Carroll, John Drennan/Declan Toomey (10 games). Table Prize Rose Hayes/Paul Gurry

18th February, First Prize Lar Gibbons/Nicky Fitzpatrick (10 games), Second Prize Siobhán Donovan/ Joan O’Gorman and Declan Byrne/Brendan Malone(9 games) Table Prize Toddy Skehan/Martin Hanlon. 25th February, First Prize Martin Clarke/John Shortall and Jack Kavanagh/Jack Bolger (9 games). Table Prize Declan Toomey/John Drennan.

SYMPATHY

Sympathy is extended to Paddy Meighan and family on the death of Paddy’s sister, Lily Birch, Ahascragh, Galway, in her 99th year, surrounded by her loving family in the wonderful care of the staff at Garbally View Nursing Home.

Predeceased by her husband Paddy, grandson Phelim, brothers and sisters. Requiem Mass was celebrated in St. Cuan’s Church, Ahascragh. Burial took place afterwards in Ahascragh New Cemetery

TOM MCGRATH RIP

Sympathy is also extended to the McGrath family on the death of Tom McGrath, 2 College Green, College Road, Kilkenny and formerly of Castlegarden, Thomastown, Co. Kilkenny.

Tom passed away on 22nd February 2025, unexpectedly and peacefully at home. Predeceased by his parents Mick and Bridie. Tom will be dearly missed by his loving siblings Eileen, Michael, Jim, Des, Eamonn, Kathleen, Gerry, Joe, Nuala, Brendan and Philip, brothers-inlaw, sisters-in-law, nephews, nieces, extended family, neighbours, a wide circle of friends and all he knew in the Vintners Trade and the GAA Community. Requiem Mass was celebrated in St. Patrick’s Church, Kilkenny. Interment took place afterwards in Tullaherin Cemetery, Co. Kilkenny.

ESTHER MAHER RIP

The death of Esther Maher (nee Hayes) Assumption Place, Kilkenny, was heard of with sadness by all who knew her in the parish. Esther was a member of the Hayes family, Kilree. She always kept in touch with her friends and travelled regularly on the Ladies Club outings for many years.

Esther passed away on 24th February 2025, peacefully, in the wonderful care of the staff at Archersrath Nursing Home, Kilkenny. Predeceased by her beloved husband Joe and grandson Ian. Survived by, Frances, Ber, Kieran, Rosemarie, Eamon (Eddie) and Evelyn. Esther will be deeply missed by her loving family, sister Carmel Coll (UK), sons-in-law, daughters-in-law, her 14 grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren, sister -in-law Rose (Hayes), nieces and nephews, extended family, neighbours and friends.

Requiem Mass was celebrated in St. John’s Church, with burial afterwards in St. Mary’s Cemetery, Ballykeeffe.

GATHERING

Sympathy went to Rose Hayes on the death of her sister-in-law, Esther Maher last week.

ART GROUP

Members of the Art Group joined a gathering of the Hunt family in the Newpark Hotel on Saturday last to

celebrate the special birthday of their mother, Daphne. It was great to be there to support Daphne who is a long time member of the Art group.

GAA

Buy A Brick

A wall plaque has been erected in the hall of our new clubhouse to acknowledge the people who paid €1,000 towards the clubs ‘Buy a Brick’ campaign. People that are still contributing will have their names added when the €1k is paid. A huge thanks to all who made one off donations to support our clubhouse development.

Signage Campaign

Bennettsbridge GAA club will this week launch its Pitch signage campaign. This will be used to pay off the outstanding loan on our development. A sub committee has been formed so any businesses wishing to have their name advertised on the surrounding pitch wall please contact the sub-committee members for the terms and details: Alan Flynn, Alan Morrissey, Tommie Hughes, Tim Dooley and Mary Blanchfield.

Club membership Club membership for the coming year is now due.

Membership can be paid to Samantha McGarry or to any committee member. Fees for non playing members €40, student players €80 and adult players €120.

Membership can also be paid online through club spot. Early payment would be greatly appreciated as the bills for 2025 are coming in.

Club and County Games

Hard luck to David Blanchfield, and the Kilkenny team who lost out to Cork in the national league last Saturday, best wishes in the upcoming game versus Tipperary. Hard luck also to Timmy Kelly who captained UCC freshers in the championship final loss to a star studded UL team. Bennettsbridge junior footballers defeated Railyard in the league final round while our under 14 team lost out by two points to James Stephen’s in the Roinn A League. Good luck to the lads in the upcoming round versus O’Loughlin’s next Saturday.

Pre-season Nutrition Workshop

Bennettsbridge Bórd na N-Óg and the Camogie Club are hosting a presentation evening concentrating on the important subject of nutrition and sport. Guest speaker will be Michell Kealy, a CORU registered dietitian. The event takes place on the 9th of March in the Community Hall at 7 pm and is open to boys and girls from under 12 to under 18 with one parent to attend. Hurlers fundraisers

Bennettsbridge senior hurlers are holding a Retro Jersey night in O’Donnell’s on Saturday March 15th. All kinds of jerseys welcome with a competition entry of five euro to win a prize for the best jersey. There will also be a darts competition with a prize for the winner and there will be music on the night. The one cent to twenty euro boxes will also be there on the night. This is an ongoing fundraiser from last year. The boxes will be at more events as the new season kicks off. All welcome for what should be a great night.

Split the Pot

Well done to Seamus Walpole who won 150 euro, AnnMarie Moran who won 30 euro and to Moira Hackett who won 20 euro. Thanks again for the continued support.

GRAIGUENAMANAGH

GRAIG NOTES

In the event that you might have any news items, club events, announcements etc, that you would wish to share you can do so by emailing them to graignotes@ outlook.com.or ring 0892579882.

DRAW

The Graig Tidy Town Draw which was held on 27/02 /2025 is as follows, 1st Prize €445 00, Leslie Maher 2nd Prize Annie Hamilton €50, 3rd Prize Emer Alffred €25. Money raised through Tidy Towns Jackpot will be used to keep the town looking well all the year round. .

RAMBLING HOUSE

The Monthly Rambling House Session is held on the second Friday of each month in Newtown Hall, where you can enjoy music and song from local artists and also many from the surrounding district also join in.The next Session is on Friday March 14th 2025 at 7.30pm

MASS TIMES FOR DUISKE ABBEY GRAIGUENAMANAGH

Monday to Friday 10am, Saturday 7am, and Sunday 11am LOTTO

The draw for the Graiguenamanagh GAA,and Highview Soccer Club, which was held on 27/02 /2025 produced the following numbers12, 17, 28, 32. There was no Winner, The following won €30, Pat Doyle -Coolroe Paula Chill, Aidan C/O O’Shea’s,Josie Cahill, Anna Brown, CLINIC Cllr, Brian Cleere will hold his clinic at his Office on Main Street, Graiguenamanagh on Monday evenings at 7pm.

PARADE

The St Patrick’s Day Parade in Graiguenamanagh is going ahead this year, more particulars next week.

GORESBRIDGE

ACTIVE RETIREMENT

The Active retirement Group meet next on Thursday 13th March at 11am in the Paulstown Community centre. We will be drinking tea in aid of an MND charity. Wendy Barry, Senior Physiotherapist will hold a talk on Osteoporosis, Osteopenia and Bone Health on Wednesday 19th March at 10.30am.

BARROWVALE HISTORY GROUP

The Barrowvale Local History Group will hold their 2025 AGM on Tuesday evening the 11th of March in Ionad Dara, Goresbridge, at 7pm. There will be a discussion on an interesting update on the Millett Coachbuilding factory in Borris which was featured in our 2012 Heritage Week exhibition. All are welcome, especially new members with an interest in the heritage of the area, its local history and folklore. Further information – Phone No. 087 3179442.

BRIDGE UNITED

Last weekend’s results: Bridge Utd. A 3-2 Highview A (after extra time) in the McCalmont Cup

Our Under-10 girls were in action again in a very competitive game against East End Utd Well done to the girls

Congratulations to Patrick Purcell, Eoin O’Neill, Jake Kelly, Matthew Murray and Darragh O’Neill who were part of The CBS senior team on winning the league Thomastown A 1-2 Bridge Utd in Division 1 with Bridge scores by Aidan Keating and Josef Walsh. Congratulations to our girls Under-14s who had a great win over Clover in the league Looking good in their new kit which was sponsored by Gowran Medical Centre. Among the goal scorers were Sadbh Tuite, Grace Fenlon, Leah Dreeling, Chloe McLoughlin, Roisin Smith

CHURCH SERVICES

Weekend masses are held in Goresbridge at 7.30pm on Saturday and at 10.00am on Sunday and in Paulstown at 11.30am on Sunday. Adoration each Tuesday in Paulstown from end of mass to 6pm.

The Legion of Mary meets weekly in Paulstown on

Thursday at 3pm. New members welcome. The Sacred Heart Prayer group meets weekly on Fridays after 10am mass. Lenten Trócaire boxes are available now in both churches of Goresbridge and Paulstown.

Church of Ireland: Holy Communion at 11.30am this Sunday in Grange Sylvae (Goresbridge).

CUPLA FOCAL

Cupla focal (Irish language conversation circle) continues every Friday at 11am in the Goodly Barrow.

MENS SHED

The Mens Shed will meet this Tuesday 11th March at 11am in the Community Centre Paulstown.

SCOIL BHRÍDE (PAULSTOWN)

Applications for the 2025/26 school-year to the Special Class for children with autism closes on Monday 18 March.

SPLIT THE POT

In aid of Goresbridge Rural Development has gone online. Simply scan the QR code or go to lottoraiser.ie The results of the draw on 2nd March were: 1 Margaret Whyte (€100), 2. Riley Cummins (€20) and 3 Mary Simpson (€20).

DICKSBORO

CLUB LOTTO

Dicksboro GAA Club LOTTO Results 27th February 2025. Nos: 7 10 12 31

Draw Prizes, €50: Michael Murphy c/o P & J Cody , €25 each William Barry c/o Liam Barry, €25 each Ken Maher c/o Online, €25 each Caroline Jenkinstown c/o Online. Hurlers Co Op Draw Top Gun c/o T Hackett. Promotors prize Ian Morrissey.

MEMBERSHIP 2025

Members can now renew their membership through ClubZap for the 2025 season. The Club asks that all members renew their membership as soon as possible and in particular before teams return to training and games. Any questions please refer to Jim O’Neill Club Registrar.

DICKSBORO GOES TO THE RACES

A reminder of our Club Fundraiser and Social Night will be held at Palmerstown Clubhouse on March 7th at 7.30pm. We will also be presenting and celebrating our Senior Footballers and u21 Hurling Champions with their medals. Finger Food , DJ and dancing till late

PAULSTOWN

The ‘Cupla Focal’ Irish language conversation circle at its recent weekly gathering in the Goodly Barrow in Goresbridge

Tom Healy

Please come out and support a great night. You can see ClubZapp for all the details on this important Fundraiser and how you can support or alternatively contact Club Treasuer Jason Dempsey.

EASTER CAMP

Dicksboro GAA and Camogie Club will be back hosting our successful Easter Camp secure your place asap. three days of fun filled activities from the 14th to the 16th of April. For more details see ClubZapp or any of our Executive Commitee

CLUB FOOTBALL RESULTS

On Friday evening in Palmerstown our Seniors continued their winning success with a win over Conahy Shamrocks. On Sunday morning at St John’s Park our u14 boys drew against O’Loughlins. Unfortunately our Juniors met a very strong Tullaroan side Sunday afternoon and lost out to them.

ST MARY’S PARISH

LENT AND EASTER OFFERINGS

Envelopes are ready for distribution and can be collected at Parish Office. Thank you to all who give of their time to distribute envelopes.

OSSORY DIOCESAN PILGRIMAGE

The Ossory Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes will take place from 19th-25th May 2025. Bookings JWT 012410800 or info@joewalshtours.ie. Assisted pilgrims contact Fr Anthony O’Connor 087-2517766. Medjugorje International Youth Festival 2nd to 9th August 2025. Spiritual Director Rev. David Lane.Group Leader Anna O’Shaughnessy 089 4038650 /086 2959380. Kilkenny Medjugorje Pilgrimage. Direct Flight to Mostar Medjugorje 4th–11th June 2025. For bookings contact Ann on 086 1991620 or 086 8825622

National Pilgrimage to Knock. Pilgrimage to Knock will take place on Sunday, 6th April 2025. Please contact 086 1666547.

TRÓCAIRE

As lent beings this week with Ash Wednesday you will see at the back of the church the Trócaire boxes. We invite you to take one home and to make this a part of your journey through Lent. Anything we raise helps transform the life of those who need it most. Thank you.

ST MARY’S CATHEDRAL CAFE

Our Volunteers: Everyone who greets you in St. Mary’s Cathedral café are volunteers giving their time freely. They believe in making our café a space where people of the community can connect and know they are not alone. Why Support us: Teac Tom provides affordable and immediate services to help those struggling with their mental health or who have been bereaved by suicide. All profits from St Mary’s Cathedral Café go directly to supporting mental health services and suicide intervention provided by Teac Tom. Please call in to your community cafe for a cuppa. We’re open at the moment Saturday 10am-4pm and Sunday 10am-1pm MAYFAIR LIBRARY

Ceardlann na hArdteiste 2025/Leaving Cert Irish Oral Exam Workshop 2025

A three part Leaving Cert Irish Oral Workshop which will cover all elements of the Leaving Cert Irish Oral exam will take place Johnswell Community Hall on the following date: 8th, 15th and 22nd of March. These workshops will provide an opportunity for students to learn, prepare and practice for their upcoming Leaving Cert Irish Oral Exam. To book or for further information please contact tobarnagaeilge@yahoo.com or 0876673302 (Maria Ní Thuama).

CHAPTER HOUSE BOOKSHOP

St Mary’s Cathedral, Chapter House Bookshop is open on Monday 9.30am till 1.00pm and Tuesday - Friday 9.30am till 5.00pm.

JOHNSTOWN

CHURCH NEWS

The parish office hours are changing from this week. The office will be open every Tuesday and Thursday from 9am to 4om. Please submit items for the newsletter before lunch time on Thursday by email urlingford@ ossor y.ie or call 0568838658.

SCHOOL ENROLMENTS

School Enrolments for infants for Sept 2025 and all classes, Scoil Mhichil Naofa, Galmoy contact 0831631578 or email principal@smngalmoy.ie, St. Kieran’s National school Johnstown 0568831611 or email johnstownns@gmail.com and Crosspatrick National school 0568831753 or email www.crosspatrickns.com.

SPA UNITED AFC

This week’s results junior league division 2 Thomastown 2 Spa 5, U16 girls league division 1 Freebooters 2 Spa 5, U14 girls league division 1A Callan 0 Spa 5, U13 girls league division 1 Stoneyford 0 Spa 3, U16 boys league division 2 Stoneyford 1 Spa 1, U14 boys league

division 1 Spa 2 Bridge Utd 1, U14 boys league division

2 Spa 1 Freshford 2, U12 boys league division 1A Spa 0

Southend 1, U12 boys league division 2A Bridge Utd 2 Spa 1. Also in action at the weekend the U12 girls played a friendly against Evergreen, the U10 boys hosted Southend and the U9s travelled to Callan.

SPA DEVELOPMENT/FENIANS LOTTO

The winning numbers 1, 7, 20, 22. There was no jackpot winner but there was four match three FionnQuinlan, Brandon Webster, Jennifer Dermody and Christine Neary.

MILL FAMILY RESOURCE CENTRE

RECEPTIONIST VACANCY

Mill FRC require a receptionist with IT skills. Must is also eligible for CE Scheme.

SAFE PASS

A Safe pass course will be available in Centre on the 10th April. Ring to book a space.

BASIC COMPUTERS

A Basic Computer Course is run every Friday morning from 10am – 12pm. Contact the Centre for more information.

JUNIOR CERT MATH GRINDS

Math Grinds every Wednesday 5-6pm, €10 per session. Places limited so please contact the Centre is interested.

YOUTH CLUB

The Mill Youth Club is back on Wednesday night. Juniors 5 – 6.15 pm – 8 to 11 years, Seniors 6.15 – 7.30 pm – 12 to 15 years

COIS NORE

An Outreach Advice Clinic, at the Mill is available every Friday Morning from 10am to 12pm

COUNSELLING SERVICES

Our low cost Counselling Services, includes One-to-One, Adult and Teens. General Counselling: Bereavement, Stress, Anxiety and Depression. Other Counselling Services available: Drug, Substance and Gambling Addictions. Play therapy is now also available. Age 4+. Please contact Sue for more information or to make an appointment.

SENIOR ALERT

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

APPEAL FOR CLOTHES DONATIONS

Any clothes donations would be greatly appreciated in aid of our counselling/play therapy services. Donations can be dropped off during our opening hours. Please call before dropping off. For further information, please contact us here at the Centre on 056-8838466

GORTNAHOE GLENGOOLE

EUCHARISTIC ADORATION

Glengoole Wednesday 10am to 2pm, Gortnahoe Thursday 10am to 1pm. The rosary is recited before Mass in Glengoole every Saturday evening.

SACRAMENTAL DATES

First Holy Communion for the school children in the parish will be held on Saturday 17th May at 11am.

PARISH CONFIRMATION

Congratulations to the 54 children of the three parish schools, Ballysloe, Glengoole and Gortnahoe who received the Sacrament of Confirmation last Friday. May the Holy Spirit continue to guide and strengthen them in their lives.

TROCAIRE BOXES

Trocaire boxes are available in the porches of both Churches. Please take one home with you as well as one for a neighbour who cannot attend Mass. Please support Trócaire in their work of helping communities and families impacted by climate change. A little can make a great difference for others.

WORLD DAY OF PRAYER

Annual Ecumenical Service in Glengoole Hall this Friday, 7th March at 8pm. Theme is ‘I Made You Wonderful’ All are welcome.

MEN ON THE MOVE Classes every Monday 11:15-12:15 in MFRC to book a place please contact Alice 083-1014313.

SENIOR SOCIAL GROUP

Every Wednesday afternoon 1pm-3pm. This includes 2 course meal followed by tea/coffee and live music, with transport to and from the centre available. Please contact Alice Teehan on 083-1014313 for further information.

POBAL EILE CHORAL EVENING

Last Sunday evening choirs representing Gortnahoe Glengoole, Moyne Templetuohy, Moycarkey Borris and Thurles participated in a choral service in Gortnahoe Church. Gortnahoe parish was the first to host such an event and the evening was very uplifting. It was great to see so many people there to enjoy this experience. Many thanks to the choirs, musicians and their leaders for organising such uplifting hymns. Refreshments were served in Gortnahoe Hall after the service and sincere thanks to the parish pastorial team for organising the refreshments.

CASHEL AND EMLY PILGRIMAGE

The annual pilgrimage to Lourdes will take place between June 13th-18th. Pilgrimage director is Rev. Jimmy Donnelly. Booking and enquiries contact Joe Walsh Tours.

GORTNAHOE BINGO

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

TUESDAY BRIDGE

Bridge is being played each Tuesday night in Gortnahoe Hall at 7.30pm. If you would like to join or find out more information please contact this number 089 434910

SPLIT THE POT

Congratulations to Nonie Egan, Bawnreigh who won €187 in the Split the Pot draw last Sunday. Envelopes are available in Cahill’s Gortnahoe, Hogans Grange and at the usual outlets, you can also Revolut to 0876777220. For the month of March Split the Pot will be in support of the Prayer Garden beside Gortnahoe Church. The draw takes place each Sunday at 12pm in Gortnahoe Hall. Your support would be appreciated.

MICHAEL LANIGAN RIP

The death has occured of Michael Lanigan, Poynstown, Glengoole, February 22nd, suddenly but peacefully at home. Predeceased by his parents Thomas and Anna Lanigan. Deeply regretted by his beloved wife Margaret, daughter Ann-Marie, sons Thomas and John, brothers and sisters Anne (Doheny), Nora, Mary (Leahy), Jim, Tom, Margaret (Briody) and Martin, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews, extended family, neighbours and a wide circle of friends. Michael reposed at Doyle’s Funeral Home, Urlingford, followed by removal to the Church of St. Patrick and St. Oliver, Glengoole. Requiem Mass was followed by interment in the adjoining cemetery. May he rest in peace.

KILMANAGH

SCHOOL ENROLMENT

Enrolments for September 2025 are now being accepted by St. Aidan’s National School, Kilmanagh. Enrolment forms are available on the school website, www.staidans.scoilnet.ie or by phoning Brigid on 776 9340. Enrolment forms need to be returned before March 31st.

READERS WANTED

We require volunteer readers for Ballycallan Church. If this is something you might be interested in, get in touch with Anne Murphy, Dreelingstown or contact Fr. Liam.

TRAD NIGHT

On March 16th , there will be a Trad night in The Pound, Ballycallan in aid of Cois Nore and Craobh Osraí Marble City. Admission is €5. All musicians welcome. Contact Mary Dunphy for more information 086 401 0914.

DARTS

A home tie for the Kilmanagh outfit this weekend, as they take on Johnstown side, Old Maine Road.

LOTTO RESULTS

Results for 24th February. There was no winner. Numbers drawn were 8; 16; 24; 28. Lucky Dip winners of €50 each were Joan Carroll, Mary Maher and Grace Keogh. Promoters’ prizes go to Eddie Brennan and Josie Ronan.

SOCCER FIXTURES

Saturday March 8th : U17 Schoolboys League: Deen Celtic v River Rangers.

U13 Schoolboys League: River Rangers v Stoneyford Utd.

Sunday March 9th: K & DL Division Two : River Rangers v Stoneyford Utd.

SOCCER RESULTS

U16 Schoolboys League: Highview Athletic 5, River Rangers 2. Results from Saturday 1st March were Southend Utd 2, River Rangers 0.K and DL Shield: East End Utd. 5, River Rangers 2

RE-TURN BIN

River Rangers have a Re-turn bin at Clonard Park. We are asking our players, families and the community to help raise funds by dropping off empty bottles and cans that carry the Re-turn symbol, which then will be taken to a RVM machine and the money will go to the club. The Return bin is placed at the entrance gate to Clonard Park

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.

CONAHY

FOOTBALL

The senior footballers lost out to Dicksboro in their latest game in JJ Kavanagh and Sons Senior Football League in Palmerstown on Friday evening last. The city side led comfortably at the break, but credit to the locals who were far more competitive in the second half. Yet Dicksboro were still deserving victors in the end, winning by 3-11 to 1-8.

The minor footballers faced Lisdowney on Sunday

morning last in Jenkinstown in the Roinn B championship, and came away with a hard fought one point win (1-9 to 0-11). They now look forward to a county semi-final, which will likely be taking place this coming weekend.

CLUB LOTTO

The numbers drawn in the most recent GAA Lotto draw were 11, 34 and 36. There was no jackpot winner so the consolation prize winners of €30 each were Eoin Fitzpatrick, Ciaran Rice, Caoimhe Bergin, Eadaoin Maher and Killian Lacey. The promoter prize winners were Helen Cahill, Seamus Óg Brennan and Brian Lacey. Many thanks to everyone who continues to support the GAA Club Lotto.

NEW WEBSITE

Conahy Shamrocks GAA Camogie Club has recently set up a new club website - check it out on www.conahyshamrocks.com. All GAA and Camogie Club players are members are encouraged to download the Clubzap app and pay their 2025 membership fees and keep up to date on fixtures, results and other club information.

HUGGINSTOWN, NEWMARKET AND STONEYFORD MASS TIMES IN AGHAVILLER PARISH

Hugginstown: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday at 9.30a.m. Wednesday at 7.30p.m. Vigil - Saturday at 8.00p.m, Sunday 9th. at 10.00a.m.

Stoneyford: Vigil - Saturday at 6.30p.m. Friday 7th. Feast of Sts. Perpetua and Falicity. First Friday,visitation with Holy Communion will take place as usual on Friday. Please let us know if you would like to receive Holy Communion in your home for the First Fridays or at any other time.

PRAY FOR

Anniversary Masses, Nellie O’Shea, Boolyglass. Mass in Hugginstown Church on Sunday 9th. March at 10.00a.m. Margaret Cleary, Hugginstown. Mass in Hugginstown Church on Saturday 8th. March at 8.00p.m. ROTA (FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT)

Reader, Stoneyford: Saturday 6.30p.m. Neill O’Grady. Hugginstown: Saturday 8.00p.m. Valerie Farrell, Sunday 10.00a.m. Mary Carroll

Eucharistic Ministers, Stoneyford, Saturday 6.30p.m. Barbara Smolen. Hugginstown: Saturday 8.00p.m. Margaret Kenneally. Sunday 10.00 a.m. Lillian Carr. GUIDELINES FOR LENTEN PENANCE: Abstaining from meat or some other food on Fridays. Abstaining from alcoholic drink or smoking. Making a special effort at involvement in Family Prayer. Visit to the Blessed Sacrament. Making the Stations of the Cross; Helping the poor, the sick, the old or lonely. SAFEGUARDING IN THE DIOCESE OF OSSORY Diocesan Designated Liaison Person: Ms. Ailish Higgins Tel: 087 100 0232. Aghaviller Parish Representatives are: Deirdre Rohan and Catherina Roche. EUCHARISTIC ADORATION

The Apostolate of Eucharistic Adoration National Pilgrimage to Knock will take place on Sunday 6th. April 2025. Bus will leave from Woodies Car Park in Kilkenny at 7.30a.m. Please contact 086 1666547 to book a place on the bus.

NEWMARKET NATIONAL SCHOOL:

St. Brendan’s School is now taking enrolments for September 2025. Afterschool and Breakfast Clubs are also available. Contact the Principal by email: mbrennan@ newmarketns.ie or at 056 776 8919 Newmarket School will celebrate its Centenary on 22nd. May this year. A book of articles and photographs is being planned. If anyone has stories or old photographs that they would like to share and included, please ring 056 776 8919 or email: mbrennan@newmarketns.ie LOTTO

Aghaviller Parish and Carrickshock G. A. A. Draw: Monday 24th. February 2025. Numbers: 13; 28; 21; 02. No Winner of First 3 Numbers Drawn. No Jackpot Winner: €30.00. Winners: Marie Neville, Stoneyford. Frankie McNamara, Harristown. Vivion Fennelly, “On Line”; Norah O’Dwyer, “On Line”. Maggie Kenneally, Catstown. 3 x €15.00 (Sellers), Tommy Hoyne, John Power, James Irish.

ST. PATRICK’S DAY PARADE

Call for all clubs and organisations to join this year’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Kilkenny. As part of the ongoing celebrations for St. Patrick’s Festival, the organisers invite local businesses, community groups, clubs, and charities to participate in this year’s Grand Parade on Monday March 17th. Local communities are the heart of the St Patrick’s Day Parade, and it’s a fabulous opportunity to showcase your talent. The process is quick and easy; fill out a short online application, and remember, there are prizes for the best displays!

Online: https://stpatricksfestivalkilkenny.com/ The theme is “Bí Beo, Bí Linn”: “Be Alive, Be With Us” - to embrace a vibrant, community-driven display from your town or village in this year’s St. Patrick’s Day Celebrations.

KILKENNY PILGRIMAGE TO MEDJUGORJE

Direct Flight to Mostar Medjugorje from 4th. to 11th. June 2025. (Month of the Sacred Heart and includes Pentecost Sunday) Hotel close to the Church. For bookings – contact Ann on 086 199 1620 or 086 882 5622

Hurlng matters - Review

Sport

BY NIALL SHERRY SPORTS EDITOR SPORTSEDITOR@KILKENNYOBSERVER.IE

Allianz Hurling League Division 1A

Round 5

Cork 1-22

Kilkenny 1-16

SuperValu Páirc Uí

Chaoimh

Referee: Johnny Murphy

On an emotional evening on Leeside, it would be the home side that prevailed and took maximum points, when once again a wasteful Kilkenny came away from SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh empty-handed. Prior to throw-in, a minute’s applause for the late Ray Ryan echoed round the stadium, a fitting mark of respect for Cork manager Pat Ryan’s brother who passed away. The Rebels channeled that emotion and did enough to pick up their second win of this seasons Allianz League campaign. When play got under way. It would be the visitors that opened the scoring, Emerald’s Killian Doyle passing to Mikey Carey, who struck over a lovely point from distance. The Cats would register two wide’s by the second minute, a sign of things to come on a disappointing visit to Leeside. Cork were level by the 3rd minute, Ger Millerick who had struggled in Thurles a week earlier, showed his nous and used his strength to get the better of a tussle with Harry Shine before launching a pass to Robbie O’Flynn, who picked out Pa Horgan and the Glen Rovers man split the Kilkenny posts.

Billy Ryan edged the Cats back in front on eight minutes after some nice skill but Patrick Horgan levelled matters shortly after from the placed ball after Mikey Butler has harshly adjudged to have fouled the Cork man. O’Loughlin’s Jordan Molloy pointed from the restart having taken a short pass from Cian Kenny but Pat Ryan’s charges then hit three on the trot, Shane Barrett, Darragh Fitzgibbon and Ciaran Joyce before Eoin Cody split the Cork posts from a placed ball. Tim O’Mahony then pointed to join his midfield partner on the scoresheet just ahead of Cody’s second free of the evening.

The first green flag of the game was then raised. A long probing free from Tim O’Mahony saw a clutch of players rise to claim it, but it would be a deflection off Patrick Horgan that saw the sliotar collected by Diarmuid Healy who created the angle to shoot across Eoin Murphy to the back of the visitor’s net. The Rebels now led by four points with almost twenty minutes played. Cork centre forward Shane Barrett then saw his name noted for a high challenge on Mikey Carey. The next score would be a 3-pointer. Niall O’Leary’s attempted hand pass was intercepted by Billy Ryan and the Graigue Ballycallan man raced clear before his one-handed batted effort into the ground deceived

Cork tame Cats on Leeside to take points

Tipp up next for misfiring Marble City men

Rebel keeper Patrick Collins and nestled in the Cork net, Kilkenny now just one-point in arrears. Pa Horgan popped over his third of the game, and second from frees before the home side were dealt a blow when Ger Millerick was forced off with what was later described as a

tightness in the hamstring, Damien Cahalane replacing the Fr O’Neill’s player.

Thomastown’s Stephen Donnelly, captaining the side again in absence of clubmate John Donnelly then notched the Cats second major of the round 5 clash. Some nice play

by Harry Shine saw the Dicksboro man’s effort blocked by Cahalane, but as Shine tried to collect the loose ball, Eoin Cody flicked the sliotar towards Donnelly who rifled his effort past Ballinhassig netminder Collins to edge Derek Lyng’s outfit ahead. Lisgoold’s

Diarmuid Healy then deadlocked matters again with the first of his 5-point haul on 29 minutes. Shamrocks Ballyhale’s Eoin Cody dispatched another free before Cian Kenny found his radar to give the Cats a two-point lead. four more points were registered before the

Jordan Molloy Flicks the Ball away from Diarmuid Healy as Killian Doyle looks on

short whistle, two from each side, Horgan and Healy for Cork, Paddy Deegan and The Village’s Cian Kenny for the black and amber to leave the visitors two points to the good at the interval.

Derek Lyng was forced to make a change at the break, captain and goal scorer, Stephen Donnelly was replaced by O’Loughlin’s Luke Hogan, again the dreaded hamstring to blame. The home side came out of the blocks quickly, Newtownshandrum’s Tim O’Mahoney with his second of the game before Eoin Cody opened

the visitors account with another accurate placed ball effort. Patrick Horgan split the posts with a free of his own before Cork were forced into another change, Robbie Flynn departing the action with an elbow injury, the Erin’s Own replaced by Newcestown Luke Meade. Cody then pointed from open play before Blarney’s Shane Barrett and Glen Rovers Horgan registered Cork efforts from play. Jordan Molloy doubled his tally in the 47th minute just before his clubmate Huw Lawlor was forced to leave the action with a suspected dead leg, Dicksboro’s Padraic Moylan replacing the former All-Star fullback.

Pa Horgan sent over a brace of placed balls to edge the home side ahead before Mossy Keoghan notched his only score of the game to tie things up again, with twenty minutes of normal time remaining in Páirc Uí Chaoimh. The impressive Diarmuid Healy added to his tally before Kilkenny midfielder, Jordan Molloy hit his third of the evening. Two further changes for the visitors at this point, Fionan Mackessy and Luke Connellan replacing Killian Doyle and Harry Shine respectively. Glen Rovers Horgan popped over another free before Cian Kenny levelled matters once more. Former U20 All-Ireland winner Healy raised another white flag with an hour gone before James Stephen’s Kenny departed to be replaced by the legendary TJ Reid.

Pat Ryan’s side were certainly the more accurate and Horgan’s third of the game from play moved the home side two clear before sub Tommy O’Connell split the posts to the delight of the majority in the crowd of just over 22,000. A fifth point from play courtesy of Lisgoold’s Healy gave the Rebels the cushion they needed as the game entered additional time. The Cats could only find one more point on Leeside, a fourth placed ball from Eoin Cody, their first score since the 58th minute. Johnny Murphy sounded the long whistle, and the long drive home began. Full time score in Páirc Uí Chaoimh, Cork 1-22, Kilkenny 2-16. Scorers Cork: P Horgan (0-10, 0-6 frees, 0-1 ‘65); D Healy (1-5); T O’Mahony, S Barrett (0-2 each); C Joyce, D Fitzgibbon, T O’Connell (0-1 each).

Scorers Kilkenny: E Cody (0-6, 0-4 frees, 0-1 65); B Ryan (1-1); J Molloy, C Kenny (0-3 each); S Donnelly (10); M Carey, P Deegan, M Keoghan (0-1 each).

CORK: P Collins; G Millerick, N O’Leary, E Downey; M Mullins, R Downey, C Joyce; D Fitzgibbon, T O’Mahony; D Dalton, S Barrett, D Healy; P Horgan, R O’Flynn, B Hayes.

SUBS: D Cahalane for Millerick (26, inj); C O’Brien for Joyce (40-44, temporary); L Meade for O’Flynn (46); J O’Connor for Dalton (48); C

O’Brien for Joyce (57, temporary); T O’Connell for Mullins (60) J Cahalane for Hayes (67).

KILKENNY: E Murphy; M Butler, H Lawlor, T Walsh; D Blanchfield, M Carey, P Deegan; K Doyle, J Molloy; M Keoghan, C Kenny, B Ryan; S Donnelly, E Cody, H Shine.

SUBS: L Hogan for Shine (8-10 mins, temporary); L Hogan for Donnelly (HT); P Moylan for Lawlor (48, inj); F Mackessy for Doyle (54); L Connellan for Shine (55); TJ Reid for Kenny (61, inj).

REFEREE: J Murphy (Limerick).

>> SHERRY SAYS...

Four games gone, 2 wins, 2 defeats. Our shooting on Leeside wasn’t great. Nearly twice as many wide’s as our hosts. I deliberately didn’t mention a rather big turning point in the game review – David Blanchfield blown up by Johnny Murphy after the Limerick whistler adjudged the Bennettsbridge man to have caught the sliotar three times as he powered out of defence. Hoggie nailed the free and the Cats never really shook this off. More shooting practice ahead of the Tipp game this weekend please.

Yes, table toppers Tipp roll into town on Sunday, as do the TG4 cameras. This could be a pivotal moment in the early season fare. Jordan Molloy and Cian Kenny hit 3 points apiece from play against the Rebels. Billy Ryan’s goal a reward for not switching off. Eoin Murphy was back in goals. TJ got about ten minutes or so into his legendary legs. John Donnelly and Adrian Mullen still to return. We need to be better. Mossy had a quiet evening on Leeside, notching one point. It was The Sash man that approached the grieving Pat Ryan to offer sympathies on the passing of his brother Ray. More of his Cat colleagues followed, a lovely touch.

Managers don’t normally pay much attention to the ‘noise’ that surrounds their tenure, but I’d imagine Derek Lyng is quietly aware of the views of some of the Kilkenny faithful. Like I say, we need to be better. Let’s hope Sunday see’s the beginning of green shoots.

Cian Kenny Strikes over a point for Kilkenny as Shane Barrett watches

Fionan Mackessy gets in a vital tackle on Darragh Fitzgibbon

Eoin Cody gets in his shot as Niall O Leary dives to try and prevent him

Planning notices

KILKENNY COUNTY COUNCIL

I, Micheal Moloney wish to apply to the above authority on behalf of Rossreade Dairies Ltd. for full planning permission to construct a dairy cubicle shed, underground effluent storage tank, silage pit, concrete aprons and all other associated site works at Rossaneny, Windgap, Co. Kilkenny.

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

MICHAEL (MICK) BROPHY 16TH ANNIVERSARY

With loving thoughts of Mick, late of Derdimus, Callan Road, Kilkenny, who left our home on 6th March 2009.

No words we write could ever say

How much we miss you everyday

Life goes on, we know that’s true

But we can’t get over losing you

Sometimes we laugh Some days we cry Remembering you

And the things we used to do

You are forever in our hearts

We will always love you

Siobhán & Jack XX

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. H.H.

GERALDINE RYAN 11TH ANNIVERSARY

In loving memory of Geraldine, late of Greenfields, Freshford Road, Kilkenny who died March 3rd 2014

R.I.P

Your life was one of kindly deeds A helping hand for others needs Sincere and true in heart and mind Beautiful memories left behind

Always loved and much missed Anne, Fran, Phil, Richard and Martin children, Eoghain, Niamh and Niall daughter-in-law Jen and grandchildren Eilbhe and Rían.

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. C.R.

PADDY DELANEY 40TH ANNIVERSARY

In memory of Paddy Delaney, late of Walkin Street, Kilkenny who died on 1st March 1985.

Gone from us that smiling face The cheerful pleasant ways In bygone happy days

A life made beautiful by kindly deeds A helping hand for others needs To a beautiful life comes a happy end He died as he lived, everyone’s friend.

Always remembered by his daughters Kathleen, Theresa and family.

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.

The Miracle Prayer

O powerful St. Rita, rightly called Saint of the Impossible, I come to you with confidence in my great need. You know well my trials, for you yourself were many times burdened in this life. Come to my help, speak for me, pray with me, intercede on my behalf before the Father. I know that God has a most generous heart and that he is a most loving Father. Join your prayers to mine and obtain for me the grace I desire

(Make your request...) You who were so very pleasing to God on earth and are so much so now in heaven, I promise to use this favor, when granted, to better my life, to proclaim God’s mercy, and to make you more widely known and loved. Amen. M.D

The Miracle Prayer

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

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

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

Say this prayer three times for three days and your favour will be granted.

Never been known to fail.

Must promise publication of prayer. A.B.