Kilkenny Observer 08th August 2025

Ah sure, we’ll be grand

TDs’ pay rise; pensioners in ‘tax debts’; and Revenue ‘no-show’ staff overpaid

TDs have received a pay rise of more than €1,000 a year under the latest national public sector wage deal.

Their basic annual salary rose by 1% from €115,953 to €117,113. A senator’s basic pay jumped to €82,018.

The Ceann Comhairle’s gross pay has increased to €263,231, consisting of basic pay of €117,113 and an allowance of €146,118.

Politicians may be set for further wage hikes of up to 4% in the coming months under the deal that applies to more than 400,000 public servants.

This includes a potential 2.5% increase for TDs from September 1.

Meanwhile, the Revenue Commissioners have written to 68,000 pensioners to warn of incorrect tax payments.

Supposedly, many owe mon-

Horses for courses ...

Farmer Wellbeing Workshops for farmers and farm families in August, September and October will take place in Kilmogue, Piltown, Co. Kilkenny at the Horses & Harmony venue.

These interactive, experiential workshops with horses help participants to develop strategies to reduce stress, develop emotional resilience, manage anxiety and reconnect with themselves.

Private individual one to one sessions or family sessions for up to four participants are available. Workshops take place weekly over 5-10 weeks. Each weekly session is one hour long. No experience with horses is required.

Our picture shows equine assisted learning facilitator Jacqueline Wills with her four-legged pals.

ey to the tax authority because they have an occupational pension in addition to their State pension.

State pensions are paid gross and no tax is deducted at source, but if a person also has an occupational pension, they owe tax on the State payment.

Revenue hasn’t a great history of dealing with pensioners and the taxing of the state pension.

It was forced to apologise to pensioners in 2012 after a controversy in which letters were sent to 115,000 pensioners informing them they were underpaying their taxes.

Meanwhile, yet again, the value of salary overpayments to Revenue staff reached almost €1.7 million at the end of 2023 as more than one in seven of its workforce got paid above their proper salaries, ac-

cording to an internal audit.

An audit report has revealed that 61 Revenue employees had received overpayments in excess of €5,000, while a further 424 staff members had been overpaid sums of between €1,000 and €5,000 during 2023. Overpayments of €55,645 were identified as having been paid to 100 individuals who had not taken up employment as expected.

Enact Israel Bill now, says senator

The Government must enact the Occupied Territories Bill (OTB) without delay following last week’s finding by the Foreign Affairs Committee that there is no legal impediment to including services, as well as goods, in the legislation, according to Carlow/Kilkenny Senator Patricia Stephenson.

Senator Stephenson, who is the Social Democrats’ foreign

affairs spokesperson, said:

“The committee’s report clearly demonstrates that for Ireland to be fully compliant with the International Court of Justice’s advisory opinion – which states that Israel’s continued presence in occupied Palestinian territory is unlawful and countries like ours should not support the maintenance of those settlements.

“Services must also be included in the Bill.

“The report provides powerful evidence of a strong legal pathway for the Government to pass a Bill which includes both goods and services. So much so, in fact, that the committee agreed on a cross-party basis that any potential legal challenges should not be legitimate grounds for the removal of ser-

vices from the OTB,” she said.

“Ireland has a real chance to be bold and brave – and to lead by example. There are countries in Europe and globally that will be closely watching what we do over the next few weeks. This is an opportunity for Ireland to take a strong moral stance in the face of genocide, a stance which says we will not continue to support illegally occu-

pied settlements in Palestine through trade.

“Once enacted, this Bill could be the template for other countries to follow. Our conclusion is that there is no legal impediment to this Bill including services. The Government should not shy away from Ireland being a test case for this legislation if challenged through an EU court,” said the senator.

Revenue auditors also described guidelines governing work processes, procedures and controls for the management of overpayments were “dated and fragmented”. And only “partial assurance” could be provided of such controls. Meanwhile, judging by our reports inside, the rest of us just struggle on...

See Pages 14 & 16

Mystery as woman from Carlow is found dead on NY yacht

Mystery surrounds the death of a Carlow woman found on board a boat at a yacht club on Long Island in New York.

Martha Nolan-O’Slatarra (33), who lived in Manhattan, was discovered unconscious on the boat at Montauk Yacht Club in the early hours of Tuesday, August 5. She was later pronounced dead at the scene by emergency services.

A post-mortem examination was due to be carried out by the Suffolk County Medical Examiner’s Office. The Department of Foreign Affairs has said it is offering consular assistance. Ms Nolan-O’Slattara, originally from Carlow, was the founder of fashion brand East x East. Police responded to a 911 call from a man reporting a woman unconscious on a boat at the dock at 12am, Police said: “Good samaritans attempted CPR on the woman, pronounced dead by first responders. The preliminary investigation and exam were inconclusive. Causeof death will be determined by an autopsy conducted by the Suffolk Medical Examiner,”

Murder hunt after Tipp man found dead Page 6

Hurlers in the pitch for annual cancer game

The annual exhibition game of Hurling for Cancer Research, to raise vital funds for the Irish Cancer Society takes place on Monday August, 18 in Netwatch Cullen Park, Carlow at 7.30pm.

All proceeds raised from the event will support the Irish Cancer Society and the life-saving research they do.   Centra has announced their new partnership with Hurling for Cancer.

Kilkenny’s TJ Reid said: “I’m involved for 10 years.

“It’s become a very special day in the calendar, especially for the kids who get to meet and get autographs from their heroes, but also because so many people come and it creates so much awareness, especially among men.

“I’m always telling males, especially men over 40, to go and get their bloods done and get their prostate checked. It only takes 10 minutes at your doctor’s and those 10 minutes could potentially save your life.”

Bernard Dunne, one of the galaxy of Irish sports superstars supporting this year’s annual Hurling for Cancer Research game, has disclosed why the event means so much to him. The former WBA super bantamweight world champion revealed that his family has had direct experience of cancer, and that the shocking news came when he least expected it, on his return from the Tokyo Olympic Games in 2021 where he was the High-Performance Director for Irish boxing.

“We’ve had it in my family with my wife. I found out the day I came home from the Olympic Games. It was aggressive but thankfully she is fabulous

now and we enjoy and appreciate every day.”

The annual Hurling for Cancer Research fundraiser was the brainchild of horseracing’s Jim Bolger and Davy Russell 13 years ago.

Since 2011 has raised over €1.6million, directly funds 100 cancer researchers each year and is hoping to pass the €2million mark this year.

With Centra now supporting the event, tickets are even more accessible — available from selected Centra and

SuperValu GAA ticket agent stores, as well as online at www.hurlingforcancer.ie (€10 for adults, €5 for children). Don’t miss the match on August 18 at 7:30pm in Netwatch Cullen Park, Carlow.

Rachael Blackmore and Danny Mullins will be among the stars of the turf involved again this year.

Recently retired Blackmore said: “Everyone knows someone who has been affected by cancer so it’s just a brilliant cause to support and the

event is growing every year.”  Mullins, whose dramatic haircut has caused such a stir in and out of the weigh room at last week’s Galway Races said: “I’m one of the lucky few who hasn’t had cancer knock on our door yet, but you know inevitably that it’s going to come at some stage, and you want to do your bit.”

Centra Director of Strategy & Business Des O’Mahony said their involvement was a natural extension of their involvement with the Irish

Cancer Society and 16-year sponsorship of the All-Ireland hurling championship.

*Pictured are Hurling for Cancer Research organiser Una Manning and Ursula Jacob, Kilkenny’s TJ Reid and Centra Interim Manging Director Des O’Mahony, Director of Clinical Affairs at the Irish Cancer Society Amy Nolan, Jockey Danny Mullins, Jockey Rachael Blackmore and Bernard Dunne

Tipp man’s murder hunt

Gardaí have launched a murder investigation into the death of a man who was found lying in a pool of blood in his home in south Tipperary.

Ian Walsh (49) was found at the property in Carrick-on-Suir early on Monday morning, July 28, when family members and neighbours went to check

Mark Zuckerberg was turned down when he wanted to buy Irish estate

The Irish-American billionaire John Malone has revealed that he turned down an offer for one of his Irish estates from Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Meta. Malone, whose Liberty Media is the ultimate owner of Virgin Media, has not disclosed how much he was offered for Castlemartin by his fellow American.

After O’Reilly’s death last year, The New York Times published a correction to its obituary of the Irish businessman, saying it had mis-stated the price that Malone had paid for Castlemartin which was “close to €28m, not €7.4m”.

“He said, ‘I’ve heard it was one of the most beautiful places in Ireland’,” Mr Malone said in an interview with The Wall Street Journal. “And I said, ‘Yeah, probably, but it ain’t for sale’.”

The businessman paid €28m for Castlemartin Estate in Co Kildare in 2014. The previous owner was the late Tony O’Reilly, who bought the estate from Lord Gowrie in the early 1970s when it was in a “condition of stately decline” as he described it.

It had been vacant for a number of years, and before that was rented to the Rolling Stones and the singer Donovan. Originally built in 1713, it has 28 rooms and is 26,000 sqft. There are 10 ensuite bedrooms upstairs, while the six reception rooms downstairs all overlook the Liffey. The coach house on the estate was converted into guest accommodation, and was once used by Nelson Mandela, the former president of South Africa.

Although O’Reilly’s parents were buried in the graveyard of an old church on the estate, the former newspaper tycoon was forced to sell Castlemartin in 2014 when he got into severe financial difficulties. It was said to have been a condition of the sale that O’Reilly would be accommodated by the new owners if he wanted to visit the burial grounds.

on him after becoming concerned.

Gardaí announced the murder inquiry after the results of a post-mortem examination at University Hospital Waterford (UHW) were considered at a special case conference.

Mr Walsh [pictured] is understood to have suffered what

are believed to be stab injuries after apparently being confronted at his home.

There are fears he may have been dead in the property for several hours before being found. He had not been seen locally for two or three days.

Mr Walsh met with family and friends every Sunday, and

they became concerned when they were unable to contact him despite repeated attempts. He was found unresponsive with visible marks and injuries to his body in the house, off Cregg Road, at 3am. He was pronounced dead at the scene before being transferred to University Hospital Waterford.

The Office of the State Pathologist was notified and a post-mortem examination was conducted.

Gardaí are not disclosing the results for operational reasons. It is understood there was no sign of forced entry or a burglary at the house. The case continues.

The US businessman, who has Irish roots, bought Humewood Castle in Co Wicklow in 2013, reportedly for about €8m. He has said that it was his wife Leslie’s “fancy”. She renovated Humewood, and oversaw 320 craftsmen, Malone told The Wall Street Journal. The couple also renovated Castlemartin.

The Malones are among the biggest landowners in America, with about 2.2 million acres in their portfolio. They have begun to sell off some of their “recreational” properties of late, including a private island in the Bahamas for $26m (€22.75m).

The 84-year-old businessman has said that he wants to make sure much of the land remains open in perpetuity. “We’re big into conservation,” he said. “Our biggest push right now is to make sure that the, give-ortake, 2 million acres we own are going to be kept open.”

He is currently selling RiverEdge, a 510-acre equestrian estate in Maryland, that has an asking price of $29.8m. Malone, whose nickname is the ‘Cable Cowboy’ and whose fortune has been estimated at $10bn, has explained that he doesn’t need the money, and will give the estate to a non-profit company if a buyer doesn’t emerge.

The show barn on the estate has stained glass, ornate ceilings and cupolas. Its oak doors weigh about 1,000 lbs each.

The Malones are now based in Florida, where they bought a $38m home on Jupiter Island a decade ago.

Picture this ...

To celebrate the launch of their exhibition as part of the Alternative Kilkenny Arts (AKA) Festival which runs until August 17, Four An Chéad Tine Studio artists have created a one-of-a-kind, original piece of artwork, available for just €100! With only one piece an artist priced at €100, once they’re gone, they’re gone!

with their paintings are Mary

Reilly

We breathe life into Waterford clean air

Following its success in Dublin, Cork, Galway and Limerick cities, Clean Air Together is moving to Waterford. And Kilkenny is playing its part.

Clean Air Together: Waterford is an exciting citizen science project led by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in partnership with Waterford City and County Council, with support

from Kilkenny County Council and the Environmental Education Unit of An Taisce.

The project aims to recruit 400 participants to measure levels of the traffic-related air pollutant, nitrogen dioxide (NO2), across Waterford city and environs with four main objectives:

• To increase public knowledge and awareness

• To help people better understand and take action to improve air quality in their local area

• To use the data to help inform EPA air quality modelling

• To work collaboratively with stakeholders in support of relevant national policy.

Want to help?

Register your interest to participate on www.cleanairto-

gether.ie between August 25 and September 17. If chosen to participate, you will receive a NO2 measurement kit in the post (by late September) and an online survey to complete.

* For further information, please contact us at: cleanairtogether@epa.ie, or visit www.cleanairtogether.ie

Pictured

Doyle Burke, Marco Di Sante, Breda Greaney and Roger O’

The Fact Of The Matter

Paul

Hopkins

Those heady days of the hell-raisers

It seems like yesterday when Oliver Reed appeared on The Late, Late and was obviously three sheets to the wind but Gay Byrne, with great aplomb, carried on interviewing an incoherent Reed who kept nodding off. As he told Byrne, he and his cohorts “didn’t live in the world of sobriety”. Reed, back then, was what we called a hell-raiser, as too were our own Richard Harris and Peter O’Toole and the mercurial Richard Burton.

The ‘70s and the ‘80s saw a subculture of such hell-raisers – intriguing characters known for their flamboyant, often selfdestructive lifestyles, particularly within the entertainment business. They had the money to enable such egomaniacal extravagance. As George Best told Michael Parkinson: ‘’I spent a lot of money on booze, birds and fast cars… the rest I squandered!” And: “I’ve stopped drinking but only while I’m asleep.”

The escapades of the hellraisers in making the headlines contributed to their notoriety and the public fascination with their emboldened behaviour.

Ozzy Osbourne embodied the hell-raising rockstar when he first found fame as the frontman of Black Sabbath. He even penned a song called Hell-raiser: “I’m living on an endless road/Around the world for rock ‘n’ roll/Sometimes it feels so tough/But I still ain’t had enough...”

The gothic stage persona and the heavy rock with Osbourne’s trademark vocals made songs like Paranoid well known across the airwaves.

The Prince of Darkness never failed to shock, his most infamous moment being, arguably, when he bit the head off a bat that someone had thrown on stage. Another time, he snorted ants during a gig.

In her book The Nine Lives of Ozzy Osbourne, wife Sharon claims he tried to strangle her

when high on drugs. The cops arrived but Sharon declined to file a complaint. With addiction issues dogging him, it was his wife who would eventually help him clean up his act, and settle into domesticity with her and their family. Sharon’s managerial acumen ensured that a more respectable lifestyle in Los Angeles was ideal reality TV fodder as the hell-raiser toned his act down.

To understand the significance of popular culture in the ‘70s and the ‘80s, one must understand that the 1960s –this writer’s early rock ‘n’ roll years – was a Pandoraʼs box of sorts. The ‘60s were explosive insofar as racial barriers were breaking down, and the young, the hippies, were having their voice, as the conscience of America over Vietnam was loudly proclaimed as the beginning of questioning the operations of governments – and then the influence of

radical new ideas in film and music. Rock and pop musicians exhibited their own personal identities in their music. From Clearwater Revival to Kraftwerk and everything in between, the music was innovative and original – and sometimes outlandish and provocative.

By the next decade, films

“I’ve stopped drinking but only while I’m asleep...

began exploring subjects and topics in realistic and thoughtprovoking ways that exceeded and expounded on what had begun in the ʼ60s. And while the ‘70s was an era of experimentation and new ideas, as epitomised by Osbourne and others, the ‘80s brought film and music to a new sense of gloss and exuberance – but continuing those hell-raising days. Actors and musicians were elevated to a new sense of celebrity which had not been seen since the Beatles invaded America in the ‘60s. Artists like Osbourne were worshipped by fans to almost the level of deity. Everyone knew who they were, whether or not they listened to their music.

As Peter Sellers noted back then: “Burton, Harris, O’Toole and Ollie Reed were the greatest drinkers of all time. They’re from pretty much the same generation. They all worked together. There was a lot of

cross-fertilisation going on. They drank together, they whored together, and they worked together. So it made perfect sense to group them together.”

If that set of credentials is their lasting legacy, what is the legacy of Ozzy Osbourne, one of the last of the rock ‘n’ roll hell-raisers to cast of the mortal coil?

Undoubtedly, he helped shape an entire music genre and subculture. Osbourne’s legacy lies, perhaps, in how we understand performance, rebellion, and the expressive power of sound itself. The music industry is filled with tales of excess and wild behaviour, some of it suspiciously sinister. The age of the degenerate, uncontrollable rockstar hell-raiser is fast fading, with the passing of Ozzy Osbourne, but there will always be the stories to revel in, to be wowed by – and sometimes appalled by.

Poll: people don't want Trump coming here

The majority of people in Ireland do not want the Government to invite Donald Trump to Ireland during his presidency, a new poll has shown.

The Irish Independent/ Ireland Thinks poll found that 74% of those surveyed were against Mr Trump making a state visit, with just 20% in favour and the remaining 6% having no opinion on the matter.

The question was: "Should

the Government invite US president Donald Trump for a state visit?”

The US president visited Scotland recently, where he agreed a tariffs deal with European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen, though he's now rethinking pharma tariffs.

Trump used the trip to play his golf courses in Scotland. He has visited his golf course in Doonbeg, Co Clare, on previous occasions in Ireland.

A 3 % drop in the national herd 'just the beginning'

There has been a 3% drop in the national cattle herd in the past 12 months, with this downward trajectory set to continue in the coming years, accord ing to the latest figures from the Department of Agriculture.

The 3.8% drop in the national cattle herd – more than 276,000 head in 12 months – is just the beginning, with ICSA Beef Chair John Cleary warning that the decline could double next year if current trends continue.

The figures also show that the number of young cattle in the country are back.

The number of cattle under 12 months has fallen by 3.3%, while the number of cattle between one and two years of age is back 3.2%, and the number of cattle between two and three years is back 8.8%.

If the trend continues, it could see the national herd fall by another 400,000 or more in the coming years.

According to Cleary, the numbers are not a surprise to farmers on the ground, but they should be a wake-up call for policymakers. "The national herd is declining at a worrying pace and, unless there is urgent intervention, the exodus from cattle farming will only accelerate.

"What we are now witnessing is the cumulative impact of policies that just keep making it increasingly difficult to keep cattle. Beef-sired cattle numbers are down over 92,000 head in just 12 months and if this trend continues, we could see a decline of

Trump met with then-Taoiseach Leo Varadkar in 2019, during his first term as US president.

The meeting was held at Shannon Airport, during a brief stopover, with Trump spending one night at his Trump Doonbeg resort.

The sentiment of the Irish public towards the secondtime US president is markedly different to previous incumbents at the White House, who have been wel-

comed here with open arms. In 1995, Bill Clinton addressed a crowd of 80,000 people in College Green, Dublin. There were similarly large crowds for Barack Obama in the same place in 2011.

President Obama and his wife Michelle have been invited by Dublin's Lord Mayor Ray McAdam to formally accept the Freedom of Dublin next month, when the former US president arrives

in the capital for a live talk at the 3Arena in Dublin.

In a letter to the Obamas, the Lord Mayor urged the couple to come to the Mansion House to formally accept the city's highest accolade.

"President Obama led his country through a time of deep economic crisis and political division with a sense of hope, dignity, and calm leadership,” Mr McAdam said.

"His presidency inspired people around the world, in-

cluding here in Ireland.”

However, the proposal to award the Freedom of Dublin was not met with the approval of the full Dublin City Council chamber.

"Obama is just as complicit in the [Gaza] genocide and ethnic cleansing of Palestinians as his successors Biden and Trump,” People Before Profit Councillor Conor Reddy said.

"He should receive no welcome in Ireland.”

double that magnitude next year. "This is not sustainable, and it signals real danger for the future of our family farms and rural economies.”

ICMSA Dairy Chair Noel Murphy said the fall in dairy offspring points to more systemic issues affecting the sector.

He said the most startling figure of all is the 13pc drop in female dairy calves born in 2025 from 2024, and this is on the back of a 5pc reduction in the previous year.

"For context, there will be 48,000 less dairy females available for the national herd in two years' time and will mean a significant fall in the national herd in future years.

"Dairy replacement stock has fallen year-on-year for the last three years and while some of this can be explained by the emergence of sexed semen, we've no doubt but that a general drop in confidence about the future is also playing a significant role.

"That's the most logical explanation for the cumulative fall in all births in the dairy herd between 2024 and 2025: the degree of uncertainty and confusion about dairy farmers' ability to keep farming and whether that's even going to be feasible.

"There's a tipping point that it becomes very unwise to ignore where the degree of uncertainty just stops and then reverses a whole sector. That's where we are now in terms of our multi-billioneuro dairy sector,” he said.

Saddle up ... and take the reins

Farmer Wellbeing Workshops for farmers and farm families in August, September and October will take place in Kilmogue, Piltown, Co. Kilkenny at the Horses & Harmony venue.

The workshops are fully funded by the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine for Farm Safety, Health and Wellbeing 2025.

These interactive, experiential workshops with horses help participants to develop strategies to reduce stress, develop emotional resilience, manage anxiety and

reconnect with themselves.

Private individual one to one sessions or family sessions for up to four participants are available.

Workshops take place weekly over 5-10 weeks. Each weekly session is one hour long.

No experience with horses is required, all sessions take place observing and interacting with horses on the ground in the field, arena or barn.

No riding is involved and no equestrian skills are necessary. Sessions are suitable

for adults and young people. Sessions are guided and facilitated by an equine assisted learning coach . Participants are gently coached through guided reflections while observing and interacting with horses to gain a wider perspective and make connections to better assess and expand their thinking.

Experiential learning with horses allows participants to experience what making a change feels like in their body rather than just talking about how to make a change.

Participants are encouraged to open themselves up to the intuitive guidance of horses, to gain clarity, insight and understanding in their lives.

Early booking is recommended as places are limited.

* For more information and to check availability of times and dates that suit you please contact: Jacqueline Wills, Tel: 086 8592467  Email: jacqueline.wills@ live.ie   Web: www.horsesandharmony.ie

Booze... blame it all on the Great Apes

Human drinking culture may owe a debt to great apes who forage boozy fermented fruit from the forest floor, scientists believe.

Although intentionally fermented drinks date from the Neolithic period, humans' ability to metabolise alcohol happened far earlier, and is likely to have evolved in our primate ancestors.

A new study, by the University of St Andrews and Dartmouth College, shows that our closest relatives still "scrump” fallen fruit.

Scientists believe that similar behaviour millions of years ago could have driven the single amino acid change in human biology that allowed our ancestors to safely process ethanol.

"Scrumping by the last common ancestor of gorillas, chimpanzees and humans about 10 million years ago could explain why humans are so astoundingly good at digesting alcohol,” said Nathaniel Dominy, a Professor of Anthropology at Dartmouth. "We evolved to metabolise alcohol long before we ever figured out how to make it, and making it was one of the major drivers of the Neolithic Revolution that turned us from hunter-gatherers into farmers and changed the world.”

Scrumping – as in the slang name for cider – is the act of gathering or sometimes stealing wind-fallen apples and other fruits.

Previous studies of the

human genome have shown that the ability to process alcohol dates from around 10 million years ago, about the same time when our ancestors were moving from the trees to the ground.

Great apes such as gorillas, who shared an ancestor with humans between eight and 10 million years ago also possess the same enzyme that helps them efficiently break down ethanol like humans.

For the new study, researchers looked into how often apes such as chimpanzees, gorillas and orangutans foraged fallen fruit from the ground.

The researchers found that African apes "scrump” on a regular basis, but orangutans do not.

Scrumping fruit may have also triggered social drinking. Experts believe that metabolising ethanol may let African apes safely eat the ripe, fermented fruit they find on the ground, and give them an extra advantage over monkeys who could only eat unripe fruit from trees.

Scrumping fruit on the ground may also have triggered another human trait − social drinking. Catherine Hobaiter, a professor of psychology and neuroscience at St Andrews said: "A fundamental feature of our relationship with alcohol is our tendency to drink together, whether a pint with friends or a large social feast.”

The study was published in the journal Bioscience.

As I See It Marianne Heron

Economic plan: penny wise or pound foolish?

The Government’s Summer Economic Statement puts me in mind of a couple who have mismatched ideas about money. You know the kind, one half is the big spender, money no object character, and the other is a cautious watch-the-centssort. That statement – a kind of run up to the Budget – might as well be called Spend or Save (SOS).

The document reflects both kinds of thinking and you can see there will be rows ahead over who spent what. There is money there all right, the couple are the envy of less well-off European relatives, already shivering at the prospect of the chilly Trumpean tariffs ahead. There’s loadsa money – for now at least – it’s just a bit bewildering trying to make sense of the think ing behind it. Is it penny wise or pound foolish?

Of course, spending is needed on maintenance, aka infrastructure. You can’t have housing needs falling apart for lack of water and electricity or due to planning problems. So there’s a whopping €275 billion to be set aside for infrastructure projects in the coming decade, the biggest tranche going to housing and water. There better be, with the annual housing target jacked up from 33,000 homes to 83,00 but who will do the building? You know the way profligate types like to spend on shiny new toys like a flashy car? Well, there is the future spending on the Metro, with a cool €2 billion set aside for that, just for starters. You can almost hear the pennywise half arguing, yes, I know you need to be able to travel from the airport to Dublin city centre but how about a more economical

solution, like extending the Dart?

On the other hand, there are some belt-tightening warnings in the statement. The future may not be quite so rosy. We don’t know how much impact those 15% tariffs on goods going to the US is going to have on our economy or suppose that pharma, which accounts for 45% of our exports and IT industries decide to up sticks and head back to big daddy Trump. Bear in mind here that Foreign Direct Investment is a big pillar in the Irish economy, accounting for 70% of our exports whic h reached €223.8 billion with € 72.6 billion of that going to the US last year, according to the CSO. So no, better not to give away too much in the Budget, despite the cost of living crisis – so don’t count on cost of living packages to help tide us over

or any double payments of benefits. And don’t expect energy credits like the €250 we got last year, despite rising prices.

“There are some belttightening warnings in the statement...

The hospitality industry hoped for the delayed cut in the Vat rate to 9%, back from 13.5%; well they can’t count on that, as it might cost as much as a billion euro and the cut has been delayed until next year.

Never mind the way 612 cafes, restaurants and gastro pubs closed after the hike to the higher rate.

Then, like some families there are the irresponsible members who make serious holes in the budget. There’s Auntie HSE for instance, with her insatiable appetite and careless accounting. Look at those tens of millions auditors found in wasted money for stuff becoming obsolete and costly mistakes including payments from health insurers wr itten off due to delays, not to mention two different departments paying €700,000 for the same invoice. Or there is troubled

relative RTE, with license revenue down by €58 million due to loss of public trust over the way the station has been run. They will be looking for another €725 million bail-out soon. There’s the staff bill for keeping the whole show on the road to consider too, the number of civil servants having ballooned to 400,000 and the cost of the increase is estimated at €27.97 billion and how accountable are they about value for money?

We are a great country with a success to be proud of but one that has made us the second most expensive place to live in Europe. It might help if our financially mismatched couple had a spot of marriage counselling or accountancy tuition. It’s not really fair when one half – that’s us – is trying to make ends meet while the other half is splurging.

LIVE HEALTH EVENT

In association with Natural Health Store Kilkenny

Are you struggling to get a good night’s sleep? Is stress and anxiety now a daily part of your life? Unfortunately, these issues are now everyday problems. Many of you are lying awake with your mind racing, feeling overwhelmed, anxious, or emotionally drained. Stress and anxiety can become aggravated from lack of sleep, having too many balls to juggle and not enough time to do everything. Health, illness, family can feel like sources of stress. Stress, anxiety and sleep problems are intertwined these days with one often compounding the other. The consequences of not being able to sleep can be disastrous causing tiredness, stress, irritability, and inability to focus and concentrate. I have fantastic news to share that might be of help. Natural Health Store is organising a live health event with in two weeks with Dr Marilyn Glenville PhD. Marilyn is the UK’s leading

expert in women’s health. You may have heard me talk with her on Community Radio Kilkenny City with Mick Cummins where we have chatted about various health issues, including bone health, mood, hormone health, menopause and sleep to mention a few. Marilyn’s talk will be a transformative live event, where you’ll discover the science-backed strategies to improve sleep quality and reduce stress naturally - including the foods, nutrients, and lifestyle changes that

info@naturalhealthstore.ie

can make a real difference. Marilyn will also share practical tools and expert insights to take charge of your sleep, reduce stress and anxiety, and restore long-term balance in your life. The event “How to Get a Good Night’s Sleep & Overcome Stress and Anxiety in Your Daily Life” will take place in Hotel Kilkenny on Tuesday 9th September from 6.30pm -9pm, including time for questions and answers. And more great news, Dr Marilyn Glenville will also give a talk on “Hormonal Balance at All Stages of Life” in Wexford’s, Talbot Hotel on Monday 8th September at 6.30pm-9.00pm. Marilyn will offer suggestions for PMT, Perimenopause, and Post Menopause. Tickets are €15 and you can get them at in person at our stores in Kilkenny or Wexford, or online at www. naturalhealthstore.ie/events, and if you prefer, phone the shop to order your ticket. Look forward to seeing you there.

If you have any questions about these events please contact us by phone or email and we will happily help.

CLAIR WHITTY

Our dear little Ireland

Families faced with an extra €1,400 in living costs this year

Ireland the second-highest costs for goods and services across the EU, with the average family faced with an extra €1,400 in living costs this year, with food being around €300 of that.

Some families with children in secondary school and a child in college could be as much as €2,500 to the black from the cost-of-living crisis.

For those with private health cover, insurers are hiking premiums every other month on an almost monthly basis, accounting for, in some cases up to €1,000 a year.

Energy costs are on the up, a situation that is pushing thousands of households into arrears.

School

It’s that time of year again, August is indeed a wicked month, but going back to school is also more expensive every year.

The Irish League of Credit Unions’ (ILCU) latest survey shows just how tough things are as the new school year beckons.

This year parents of primary school children will spend an average of €1,450, up by €364 on last year. For secondary school families it’s €1,560, up €159. One in three parents are going into debt to cover costs up an average of €376 a household. Last year it was only one in four taking on extra debt of €368. More than a third are having to say no to

at least one item their children need, with new gym gear the most deferred.

What’s driving these costs up? After-school care heads the list for primary schools. Then there’s the pressure to buy branded items with 59% of parents feeling the strain. And as for those ‘voluntary’ contributions that 78% of schools ask for, it’s no wonder 61% of parents think schools aren’t pulling their weight to keep prices down. Overall, 64% of parents find back-toschool a real financial burden, up from 62% in 2024.

College

These coming months will see thousands of young people heading off to college. Parents could be hit with a double blow if they have children in third-level education.

Higher Education Minister James Lawless recently said that “as things stand” a costof-living reduction of €1,000 in the student contribution fee that was made available in the last three budgets will not be continued in Budget 2026. In the past three years the third-level fees were reduced to €2,000 as “once-off” costof-living measures. And it emerged recently that the continuation of the rent tax credit available to the parents of third-level students has been thrown into doubt. The credit can be claimed by students or their parents up to the end of this year.

Students can claim up to €500 back if they are paying tax, or €1,000 can be claimed by their parents.

Food

Continuing rises in the cost at the supermarket and/or local shop is putting pressure on household budgets.

Food prices, in particular, are rocketing, rising at three times the rate of general inflation. Some meat prices are up 22% in the past year alone, with butter up by 30%.

Food and non-alcoholic beverage prices are rising at more than twice the level of general inflation, up by 4.6% in the year.

The cost of a pound of butter is up by €1.10 in the year.

Irish cheddar cheese is almost €1 dearer a kilogramme, and two litres of fullfat milk cost 27c more.

The cost of striploin steak is up more than €5 a kilogramme in the past year to €28.63.

Cheaper cuts of meat have also risen in price. Diced beef is €13.26 a kilo, a rise of €2.42 in a year. This is an increase of 22%.

Research on food prices are up more than a third in the last four years, seeing many families forced to come up with an additional €3,000 a year due to the price rise in food.

Meanwhile, the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission has promised to

update a 2023 study it did to work out why grocery prices are rising so much.

Health insurance

On top of huge jumps in health cover, those with private cover are being hit with cuts in the benefits they get. This is despite VHI, Laya and Irish Life facing competition from new player Level Health since the end of last year.

There have been four premium cost rises imposed by Irish Life Health in the last year, with VHI and Laya also announcing price hikes in the last year.

Many families renewing on the same policy are being hit with extra costs of up to €500 in cumulative price rises when they renew their cover.

In June, the regulator, the Health Insurance Authority (HIA), said the premium hikes in the last year meant the average cost of a plan is now close to €2,000.

This is an increase of almost €200 compared with the average price for the previous year, the HIA said.

And there have been more premium hikes since that calculation was made.

Health insurers blame a surge in claims, especially in private hospitals, forcing them to increase costs and restrict benefits.

Energy Households in Ireland are

paying 30pc more on their electricity bills each year than the EU average. That amounts to almost €350 more a year than our European counterparts.

Energy bills have shot up in the last few years in this country after Russia invaded Ukraine.

The revelation comes after the Government set its face against paying energy credits in the upcoming budget.

If there are no energy credits this year, it will mean that households lose out on €250 that would have come off their bills.

Next month, Flogas will hike the cost of its electricity unit rates and standing charges for its electricity customers.

SSE Airtricity has already increased its prices.

The expectation is that other energy providers will increase their prices.

All of this helps to explain why 300,000 domestic electricity customers are in arrears on their bills.

Insurance

Motor insurance premiums shot up in the first six months of last year.

The average premium is now €616, a rise of €67 since 2022, new data from the Central Bank shows. This is an increase of 12pc in the last two years alone.

The sharp rise comes despite the Government introducing a number of reforms in an

attempt to bring down the cost of insurance for motorists.

A typical home insurance premium of €500 is up about €40 in the last year.

Rents

The cost of renting continues to rise. Rental costs for a new tenant hit €1,680 across the country in the last four months of last year, the State’s Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) said. This is a rise of €89 a month compared with the same period last year. It is a rise of 5.5%, which is down from the 6.2% rise recorded in the previous quarter of last year.

Dublin city has the highest new rental rates at €2,120 a month.

Existing tenants have seen a rise of 4.6% in the last year in the cost of accommodation. They are now paying an average of €1,440, or €63 a month more than last year.

Telecoms

The cost of broadband, TV subscriptions and mobile phone service went up in April.

Sky, Eir, Vodafone and Three Ireland all imposed higher costs for various services. The increases meant many families are now forking out an extra €100 a year, leaving them paying well over €100 a month for standard packages.

See John Ellis Page 16

Opinion

Look after the pennies as prices increase... Your Money & You

In a time of increasing prices, looming September bills and back to school costs, the adage, “look after the pennies and the pounds will look after themselves” can create a comfort zone if used prop erly. Practical strategies can help save extra money monthly through smart saving, switching, or “side hustles”. From auditing subscriptions to setting up “float” accounts, these tips ease the burden without drastic lifestyle changes. Make changes to your utility providers. Shop around for better deals on electricity, gas, broadband and/ or mobile plans. Use sites like Bonkers.ie or Switcher.ie. As a “new customer” you could save up to €1,200 an nually.

Have you a skill you

John Ellis

could sell – a “side hustle” as social media says. Can you teach, freelance, sell crafts, walk a dog even! Begin with enjoyable or skill-based activities. Alternatively, ell unused items like old clothes, phones, electronics, or furniture on atforms including Adverts.ie, DoneDeal.ie, or Facebook Marketplace. uple of sales a month could yield a surprisingly amount of money.

A straightforward streaming tip from one expert; cancel Netflix for four months. You will not incur cancellation or re-joining fees. Your account data and

viewing history will remain intact for up to a year which will allow you to seamless reactivate with new content. In the meantime, try the free alternatives like RTÉ Player and Channel 4 Player that we constantly run pass. Set up Revolut’s ‘roundup’ feature. From experience, you will be surprised how the spare change adds up from your card transactions into a vault. These cents accumulate often surpassing €100 monthly. Or what about a “no-spend day”, avoid coffees, takeaways, or impulse purchases.

Review your direct debits. How often have you opened your account and see a lump has disappeared to a subscription that you had forgotten about and worse haven’t even used. So, hunt for forgotten subscriptions, gym memberships, streaming services or outdated

insurance. Are you a PAYE worker? Check your tax entitlements, such as “flat-rate expenses”, medical costs, or work-from-home reliefs, which can save hundreds yearly.

Make minor adjustments: Downgrade subscriptions, like switching Spotify from family to individual (€5 saved monthly) or merging Amazon Prime accounts (€7 saved). Replace gym fees with home setups like running shoes and weights. Focus on convenient small wins and they will compound.

For foreseeable costs like car servicing, holidays, Christmas, birthdays, and school expenses, establish a savings account. Then calculate the annual totals, divide by 12, and set up an automatic monthly transfer. This eliminates surprise spending, credit reliance and stress, optimizing cash

flow without reductions. Review your life insurance that you set up in the last 10 years. Especially review your mortgage or income protection plan. For example, one provider is offering a15% discount on new income protection plans. Review your mor tgage protection as you could save more than 20% of your current premium, saving hundreds annually. Not only could you have that saving but you most likely will have better cover. These approaches reveal how slight shifts deliver substantial benefits.

(Atomic Habits by James Clear anybody!) Amid rising costs, implementing these small changes now could add “pennies” to your account and the “pounds” will follow on their heels.

john@ellisfinancial.ie 086 8362633

More than 400 million metric tons of plastic is globally produced annually, and only a small fraction is recycled. The rest ends up in landfills, or leaks into the natural environment, which is impacting everything from human health to the climate.

Representatives from countries around the world gather in Geneva this month to try to finalise a legally binding UN treaty to combat plastic pollution. Environmentalists hope that could help limit plastic production and better manage waste, but countries have failed to reach agreement in previous meetings.

Many experts and advocates agree that structural, societywide change will be required to address the problem. But in the meantime, they say that consumer efforts can still have an impact. While many people already make efforts to switch to reusable tote bags, water bottles and straws, there are plenty of other ways to make life greener, from the kitchen to the bathroom.

Here are some ideas on how you can use less plastic in your daily life.

Greener partying

When it comes to gifts, we suggest reusable fabric wraps instead of wrapping paper, which can contain plastic – or gifting experiences or vouchers instead.

Hosts can also request that guests not bring gifts and do away with items like glitter, which is mostly made with a plastic called polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Microplastics from glitter are commonly found in sewage sludge, according to researchers at the University of Melbourne, and could harm lakes and rivers, according to another study. Greener hygiene products

Plastic impacts everything from health to climate

Every minute, 300,000 disposable nappies are sent to landfills globally, according to the World Economic Forum. Nappies can contain plastic polymers like polypropylene and polyethylene to aid absorption and prevent leakage. By some estimates, it can take a baby’s nappy 400 years to decompose.

Mark Miodownik, a Professor of Materials & Society at University College London (UCL), says nappies are around 40% plastic, adding that “they are going to landfill, into oceans, into rivers, or getting burnt openly”.

Some brands offer lowerplastic versions, but they still release climate- warming methane when they decompose in a landfill, and while washable nappies are an option, they come with their

own environmental cost, including the water and energy consumed when washing and drying them.

Prof. Miodownik says that thinking outside the box is necessary.

Parents might consider early potty training to be more environmentally friendly.

He points out that in wealthy countries, the average age of potty training is trending upwards, increasing the length of time parents rely on disposable nappies.

Many wet wipes also contain plastic. There are similar environmental issues with tampons and pads.

Switch to reusable menstrual products. Period underwear and menstrual cups are available as are reusable tampon applicators.

Plastic wasted in Ireland

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in Ireland 28% of plastic waste was recycled. Nearly 320,000 tonnes of plastic packaging waste was managed. Preventing plastic waste being created in the first place is the most important way to tackle the plastic pollution problem. Preventing plastic waste can happen at many stages in the lifecycle of a product such as in the design, production, distribution, consumption and use. Consumers can prevent plastic waste by choosing not to purchase single use plastic products such as beverage bottles, balloons and wipes or products over-packaged in plastic packaging.

Plastics is a priority area for the Circular Economy Programme, linked to its importance in circular economy policy and legislation. The types of activities that we deliver to prevent plastic waste and to drive circular economy activities include running national surveys to gauge attitudes, behaviours and preferences of Ireland’s consumers to plastics. Completed surveys have shown strong public interest in curbing plastic waste.

Get creative in the kitchen Packaging comprises nearly 40% of the planet’s plastic waste. Instead of buying snacks off the shelf, exercise your creativity in the kitchen, by making your own crackers. A quick and easy recipe consists of slicing a baguette thinly, putting a bit of olive oil on it, and grilling for a few minutes. Make your own granola using ingredients purchased without packaging. And make stock at home, storing bones and vegetable scraps in the freezer until you have enough or needs stock.

Cook your own beans, and buys unpackaged. Canned foods are often coated with a layer of plastic to keep the metal from corroding. Also there are items you won’t be able to find suitable replacements for like tortilla wraps.

Bhavna Middha, a senior research fellow at Melbourne’s RMIT University, focused on sustainable consumption, says that re-thinking things like bringing homemade food to work or school instead of relying on packaged granola bars can have a positive environmental and health impact.

A study she did found that the installation of microwaves on RMIT’s campus enabled .people to eat food they brought in from home. But she believes that cultural change around plastic use is needed, instead of putting the onus on individual consumers. Going totally plastic free today isn’t possible, says PrinceRuiz, but that’s not the point. “It’s about people making small changes that add up to make a difference and create cultural change, which then puts pressure on business and government,” she says, “rather than just a few zero wasters.” being perfect.”

The evolutionary tail of that Puppy Love!

By Laura Elin Pigott

Your dog tilts its head when you cry, paces when you’re stressed, and somehow appears at your side during your worst moments.

Coincidence? Not even close.

Thousands of years of coevolution have given dogs special ways to tune in to our voices, faces and even brain chemistry.

From brain regions devoted to processing our speech to the “love hormone” or oxytocin that surges when we lock eyes, your dog’s mind is hardwired to pick up on what you’re feeling. The evidence for this extraordinary emotional intelligence begins in the brain itself. Dogs’ brains have dedicated areas that are sensitive to voice, similar to those in humans.

In a brain imaging study, researchers found that dogs possess voice- processing regions in their temporal cortex that light up in response to vocal sounds.

Dogs respond not just to any sound, but to the emotional tone of your voice. Brain scans reveal that emotionally charged sounds – a

laugh, a cry, an angry shout – activate dogs’ auditory cortex and the amygdala – a part of the brain involved in processing emotions.

Dogs are also skilled face readers. When shown images of human faces, dogs exhibit increased brain ac-

tivity. One study found that seeing a familiar human face activates a dog’s reward centres and emotional centres – meaning your dog’s brain is processing your expressions, perhaps not in words but in feelings.

Dogs don’t just observe

your emotions; they can “catch” them too. Researchers call this emotional contagion, a basic form of empathy where one individual mirrors another’s emotional state.

A 2019 study found that some dog-human pairs had synchronised cardiac patterns during stressful times, with their heartbeats mirroring each other.

This emotional contagion doesn’t require comple reasoning – it’s more of an automatic empathy arising from close bonding.

Your dog’s empathetic yawns or whines are probably due to learned association and emotional attunement rather than literal mind-mirroring.

The most remarkable discovery in canine-human bonding may be the chemical connection we share.

When dogs and humans make gentle eye contact, both partners experience

a surge of oxytocin, often dubbed the “love hormone”. Beyond eye contact, dogs are surprisingly skilled at reading human body language and facial expressions. Experiments demonstrate that pet dogs can distinguish a smiling face from an angry face, even in photos.

Dogs show a subtle righthemisphere bias when processing emotional cues, tending to gaze toward the left side of a human’s face when assessing expressions – a pattern also seen in humans and primates.

* Republished from The Conversation UK under the Creative Commons licence.

Laura Elin Pigott is a senior lecturer in Neurosciences and Neuro-rehabilitation, Course Leader in the College of Health and Life Sciences, London South Bank University

Bar Tontine

The scene: White collar workers and hotel guests.

The view: Skyscrapers, the East River and Brooklyn Bridge Park.

Manhattan’s Financial District has experienced something of a renaissance in recent years, from the opening of the French retail expat, Printemps; to the transformation of a humdrum office building into WSA, the buzziest workplace in town; to the conversion of a former ferry terminal into Casa Cipriani.

The Wall Street Hotel, which opened three years ago, has become the go-to downtown escape for its plush atmosphere – think scenic wall murals; layered patterns; and original BeauxArts details – and stiff drinks. The hotel has opened a 15thfloor rooftop bar this season, a Mexican concept called Bar Tontine.

The indoor-outdoor roost has all the attention to detail visitors admire about the hotel – pretty fabrics, cut glass water tumblers, Riviera-ish iron café seating –but with a relaxed, summery feel.

The menu features four margarita variations, which can be tailored to your preferences with additions like a black salt rim, passionfruit, and your favourite of tequila or mezcal. Go for La Sandia, a dangerously refreshing concoction of dry curacao and reposado, topped with a whimsical watermelonshaped variation of a JELL-O shot/ Load up on fancy nibbles like caviar nachos, corn esquites presented on bibb lettuce, or a particularly-tasty serving of guacamole, which comes loaded with pepitas, black sesame and zingy micro-greens. Salud!

Bar Blondeau

The atmosphere: Industrial cool in Williamsburg.

The scene: Brooklynites and hotel guests.

The view: panoramas of Manhattan’s East Side, from the Empire State building to the Chrysler Building. Williamsburg has evolved over the last decade or so. Most of my favourite backin-the-day haunts have shuttered, due to rent hikes, BMW dealerships or Vice (another relic of another time). One place that’s had staying power is the Wythe Hotel, which opened in Williamsburg in 2012.

Say what you will about the Wythe’s role in transforming the neighbourhood, but – nearly 15 years since it’s opened – its rooftop bar, Bar Blondeau, still slings some of the best cocktails around.

Go for the Martini Blonde, which incorporates cucumber vodka and lemon oil into the gin-based original.

The Upstate Spritz, meanwhile, has hints of basil and elderflower.

If you’re feeling naughty, up

Look Ma, top the world!

Simply the best rooftop bars in New York City

If it’s a view you crave, do yourself a favour and book a table at Harriet’s, the rooftop bar that crowns the 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge. From this garden-like 11th-floor deck, tucked into Hamptons-feeling outdoor timber furniture, you’re treated to what’s likely the best aerial vista in the city, a panorama that sweeps from the Brooklyn Bridge, the Financial District, Lady Liberty and – on a clear day –the Verazzano Bridge. The menu at Harriet’s is Asian-inspired, with sharable snacks and larger portions alike. There’s Kyó No Hana, a pale purple potion made from gin and lavender, and then nibbled on crispy rice and spicy tuna , a ‘Dumbo’ sushi roll with shrimp tempura and a bowl of crispy shoestring truffle fries.

In late afternoon, the atmosphere was relaxed (hotel guests can use the adjacent rooftop pool). If you’re looking to party, though, snag tickets to one of Harriet’s summer DJ events.

Laser Wolf

above all the hoi polloi in the sixth floor, order the Trust Fund, a potion of vodka, lime, vanilla bitters, pandan and passion fruit, that comes with a Champagne shooter. Not to be missed is the food, dreamed up by chef Aidan O’Neal and pastry chef Leanne Tran, which involves fancy takes on comfort staples (think: fried chicken and duck hot dogs).

If you’re feeling fancy but you can even order Bar Blondeau’s new tea service.

The hotel, located in brick 1901 factory building, was designed by in the industrial-chic style that became a Williamsburg hallmark.

The interiors of Bar Blondeau are softer, with a marble bar, sage-green upholstered banquettes, all against floor-to-ceiling

windows.

Step outside and you’ll find wrap-around planters filled with greenery and broad, offwhite umbrellas.

Peeringvout to the toysize Chrysler building, you might just feel like you have a trust fund, whether you’re drinking it or not.

St Cloud Rooftop

The atmosphere: Above it all in Times Square. The scene: In-the-know office workers and hotel guests.

The view: Times Square lights and Manhattan heights Bars are plentiful in and around Times Square. But unless you want to head tovMargaritaville’s 5 O’Clock Somewhere Bar you’ll encounter a dearth of tourist-light roof terraces.

St Cloud is perched atop

the Knickerbocker Hotel on 42nd Street.The Beaux Artsstyle hotel was originally financed by John Jacob Astor IV and completed in 1905. You’re keenly aware of this history on the roof, with its verdigris crests and urns, which surround the stylish roof terrace.

But then again, you might also be distracted by the hustle and bustle of Times Square, the living wall that clads part of the building or – more likely – the three different variations on the martini, which, by some accounts, was invented at the hotel.

If you’re in the mood for food, there are elevated bar bites, but recommend skipping in favour of Japanese nibbles, like yellowtail crudo and spicy tuna-topped crispy rice from

Akoya, a new indoor sushi bar on the site.

From this vantage point, 16 stories up, you can gaze directly into the former headquarters of Condé Nast. There’s something devilishly satisfying about watching office workers toil away with a drink in hand.

Harriet’s Rooftop

The atmosphere: Laid-back luxe or party time – choose your own adventure.

The scene: hotel guests, dates and party-goers.

The view: Postcard vistas of the Brooklyn Bridge, the Statue of Liberty and more There are few things more infuriating to a New Yorker than a walk across the Brooklyn Bridge, between the selfie sticks, tchotchke merchants and impromptu marriage proposals.

The atmosphere: tropical, breezy and buzzy. The scene: foodies and locals in a celebratory mood. The view: Sweeping views over the east river and Manhattan’s East Side. A fair warning: securing a reservation at Laser Wolf in Williamsburg can be tricky. But it’s so well-worthwhile that, even when a heatwave sent the mercury up to nearly 95F degrees, the rooftop Israeli restaurant was packed with hungry diners. The design makes for a perfect hot-weather oasis, thanks to rattan furniture, ‘70s-inspired lighting, lemon-yellow behind the bar and loads of potted plants. The drinks offer fun takes on Israeli cooking and ingredients found throughout the Middle East. The Wolf’s Fang, for instance, features a mix of rums, arak, orange, passion fruit and, curiously, oat milk. No Big Dill is a refresher that includes olive oil vodka, cucumber, gin and herbs. There’s also a frozen cocktail to be had, the Get Shishlik’d (in reference to the restaurant’s grilled cuisine), which combines vodka, aperol, guava and lime into a heavenly brain-freezer. Once you’re well-sated, it’s time for the food, which is done prix-fixe-style. You’ll start with a platter of divine dips – like housemade hummus and baba ganoush, roasted beets, and (my surprise star of the night) pineapple with celery – before diving into your selection of a grilled entree. Do yourself a favour and order the grilled cauliflower, which comes charred and crisp and piled high with pine nuts. So stuffed you will likely have to take a lap around the terrace, where we were greeted with views almost as good as the grub

Opinion

Furthermore Gerry Moran

Confessions of an Art dealer ... of sorts

Like many a student I had a number of jobs throughout those long summer vacations from college. I have been a fruit picker, a waiter, a window cleaner and a bottle-washer. The most ‘colourful’ of my student jobs, however, was my stint as an ‘Art dealer’.

Now ‘Art dealer’ may not be the correct terminology for what I was up to. Nevertheless I was dealing in Art and there was an art to that dealing. It was the mid-70s and I was failing dismally to find summer work to help fund my fees for the following term. As it happened, a friend of mine, Steve, made me an offer I could easily have refused – but didn’t. Because he was emigrating to London, Steve, for a modest enough sum of money, would let me have his portfolio of paintings, which he had been selling,

successfully, or so he said, from door-to-door in the suburbs of Dublin for the past year.

Now Steve was no artist, a con-artist yes, but a painter – no. Where or how he acquired the portfolio of paintings – moody, pastel landscapes on a velvet type material – God only knows. Steve and I sealed the deal over a drink (which I bought – as usual) during which he explained to me the three rudimentary rules of selling art door-to-door. Successfully. First, I should look artistic and slightly undernourished. Being a student that was not difficult. Second, I must emphasise that the paintings are all my own work and that I am selling them to put myself through Art college. Third, I should look utterly dejected should people seem disinterested. That look of despair and

dejection, Steve said, may well help clinch the deal. “Oh, and one last thing”, said Steve, “if none of the above work – sell the portfolio to someone else.”

He drained his pint and smiled.

Lady Luck smiled on me as I set out the following day to flog my portfolio of paintings. There was a busstrike in Dublin and I was hitchhiking from my flat in Drumcondra across town to upmarket Rathgar. Within minutes a car pulled up. I was immediately struck by how well dressed the driver and his front-seat passenger were – dark suits, sharp white shirts and matching dark ties. Placing my portfolio of paintings beside me in the back seat, the conversation began.

About my own age, they were from the States, and on the missions here in Ireland

preaching the word of the Lord. I explained that I too was on a mission – selling

“The missions in Ireland preaching the word of the Lord...

my paintings to get me through Art college. The deal was done before we reached O’Connell Street. They bought one of ‘my’ paintings and in return they could call to my flat the following evening to share their beliefs with me.

A good start they say is half the battle. And I couldn‘t have asked for a better one. The battle, however, hadn’t even begun. And when it did – I, the artistic, undernourished-looking foot soldier, legging his portfolio of paintings from door to door, failed miserably in the line of duty.

Door-to-door selling left me despairing and despondent. Unlike Steve I had neither the neck, nor the talent for the business. In a two week period I sold one more painting. The rest I bartered for LPs and a small discount on my rent.

All this came back to me

when a young gentleman, looking quite artistic, but not undernourished, stood on my doorstep some summers back with a large A3 folder under his arm. He explained that he was an Art student and was selling his work to put himself through college. I leafed through his portfolio of drawings, good quality black and white photocopies I reckoned, of some famous Irish landmarks, all the while thinking of Steve and the two missionaries who, I have no doubt, called to my flat the following evening, but I was out – selling my art. “How much?” I asked the young man. “They’re €12 each,” he said, looking quite intense. I picked out two and handed him a €20 note. “Deal?,”I smiled. A short pause. And then: “Yes…. deal….thank you.” Forty years on, I was still an Art dealer – of sorts.

The ‘Bridge Collective 2025

On Friday night 8th August, Bennettsbridge Art Group members will gather in the Community Centre for the launch of their 2025 exhibition. Senator Malcolm Noonan will do the honours this year. Artists have been working hard for the past few months and are delighted to present the fruits of their labour to the public. The ten strong group have been together for a good many years and are very appreciative of the support of Siobhán O’Brien and her team at the KCETB.

Artists showing their work this year include, Una Gibbons, Daphne Hunt, Lin Cowley, Joan Cleere, Tom Barrett, Marion Murphy, Elma Kharaghani, Mary Dunny, Mary KIng, Marie Griffin and Joan Healy. This annual exhibition mounted during Kilkenny Arts Week attracts a large number of visitors and gives the artists a chance to discuss their work. It also affords the opportunity to encourage new members. The wide range includes work in oils, acrylics, watercolour, pastels and collage. Under the guidance of their tutor, Julie Moorhouse, this group continues to explore alternative ways of making art while encouraging each individual’s artistic interests.

You are invited to come along to the Launch on Friday, 8th August at 7pm. All are welcome!

Tom Barrett- Swimmers

Inistioge Vintage and Fun Day

Inistioge Vintage and Fun Day

Inistioge Vintage and Fun Day, much-loved annual event was held last Saturday 3rd August in the beautiful riverside village of Inistioge, Kilkenny. Celebrating local heritage and community spirit, the day drew visitors from near and far for a fun-filled experience that blended nostalgia with entertainment for all ages. One of the main attractions was the impressive display of vintage vehicles, including classic cars, tractors, and farm machinery, lovingly restored and showcased by passionate collectors. These exhibits offered a glimpse

into rural Ireland’s agricultural and motoring past. The event also featured a vibrant mix of family-friendly activities. Children enjoyed pony rides, face painting, and bouncy castles, while adults browsed craft stalls, listened to live traditional music, and sampled delicious local produce from food vendors. There were also games, raffles, and novelty competitions that added to the festive atmosphere. Organised and supported by local volunteers, Inistioge Vintage and Fun Day raised funds for Carlow/Kilkenny Homecare Team, giving the

event real meaning beyond the fun. It was a celebration of village life, history,

and togetherness — a true highlight of the summer calendar.

John O Rourke and Jonnie Denieffe Vintage Lovers At the Inistioge Show

Becky With George at the Dog Show at the Inistioge Vintage Day

Terry O Brien And Paddy Knox At The Inistioge Vintage Day

Lisa O Neill Mary King with Nala Taking Part in the Dog Show at The Inistioge Vintage Day

Lisa And Michael Grennan Supporting The Inistioge Vintage day

John O Rourke and Jonnie Denieffe Vintage Lovers At the Inistioge Show

Frances Kearney Tricia O Brien and Jenny Holohan Relaxing at the Inistioge Vintage day

Our inner biology is influenced by how fair the world around us is. This is not an alternative idea –this statement is backed by science. Equality is healthy. Inequality has been growing globally since the 1980s. This was a time when there was a shift in western economic policy, implemented by politicians like Margaret Thatcher in the UK and Ronald Regan in the US. Inequality in Ireland has followed this trend, while our tax and social support policies have helped to steady the decline somewhat. According to the Central Bank, at the end of 2024, Ireland’s wealthiest 10% of households owned approximately 50% of all wealth, while the bottom 50% of households owned just 8.7%. How might this steady decline in economic inequality be impacting on health?

Equal Countries are Healthier

Mind and body in harmony

By Paul Bolger Chartered Physiotherapist at Nano Physiotherapy,

Equality is healthy

Feeling like you have a place in the world influences biology and health

The more economically equal a country is, the more physically and socially healthy its citizens (based on things like life expectancy, mental health issues, crime and social mobility). This is independent of how wealthy the country is – wealthy countries like the UK and US score significantly lower on these health scores than countries with greater income

equality such as Sweden and Belgium.

These differences can only partially be explained by things like access to care and reduced risk of danger. Researchers have shown that less than half of health issues associated with inequality

are explained by risky habits like smoking and unhealthy food choices, or protective factors like access to quality healthcare and exercise clubs. It goes deeper than this – into the mind and body.

Feelings of Fairness Matter

Inequality causes biological changes in people. These changes are driven by the stressful psychosocial (i.e. psychological and social) consequences of low socioeconomic status (i.e. being poor in an unequal society).

This isn’t just about how poor you are – it’s just as much about how poor you feel. Being poor amid plenty is worse for health on just about every measure (infant mortality, life expectancy, obesity, murder rates, etc) as just being poor.

Changes in Biology

While there are many ways that the body responds to an unfair world, there are three key areas that scientists have identified: chronic inflammation, chromosomal ageing and impaired brain function.

Chronic Inflammation

There is nothing wrong with inflammation in small doses - it helps us to heal from injuries and fight off infections. But prolonged, chronic inflammation has widespread negative effects throughout the whole body. The persistent stress associated with growing up and living in poverty in an unequal society upregulates the body’s pro-inflammatory response.

DNA Damage

Chromosomes contain DNA, which holds instructions for the development of proteins – the building blocks of the body. Long-term, persistent stress is associated with faster ageing of these chromosomes within the body’s cells. Children who grow up in poverty show more rapid aging of chromosomes – leaving them more vulnerable to health problems throughout life.

Brain Function

Brain function is impacted by poverty, particularly in children. Key brain areas associated with emotional

response and mood regulation (limbic system), memory (hippocampus) and planning and impulse control (pre-frontal cortex) are all impacted by poverty.

These changes likely make it harder for people to drag themselves out of poverty and up the social ladder.

Signing Off

As a healthcare professional, I feel it is important to share this information. I hope that this small nation of ours a strives to be a fair, just place to live and grow in. Human choices are made every day that shape the society we live in. What choices will push our society towards greater inequality? And what choices might offer all children, no matter their background, the opportunity to lead a healthy, fulfilling life?

This will be my final article for the Kilkenny Observer (perhaps there will be oneoffs to come down the line...). I feel so grateful to have had the opportunity to offer my articles to you each week.

Thank you for readingPaul.

Passion, energy, beauty and rhythm

BY GER CODY

Well that’s it for another year. The Liam McCarthy cup rests in Tipperary. An All-Ireland that saw the Premier county come out on top with a score of 3-27 to Cork’s 1-18. To be fair, you couldn’t deny Liam Cahill’s charges' victory. They were mighty in their approach and execution, especially in what can only be described as a majestic second half. It is back to the drawing board for Pat Ryan and the Leesiders. One can only imagine the atmosphere in the Cork dressing

room being one of profound disappointment and dejection. The Cork decision to cancel the homecoming shows the hurt. The cruelty of sport. It was a case of so near and yet so far for Kilkenny. Talk of the rights and wrongs of the Semi-Final by Kilkenny supporters have all but disappeared. The scoreboard malfunction - a faded memory. But as we become immersed in club hurling, talk of AllIreland panels and selectors are filed away. July 20th belonged to Tipp’, and deservedly so. Of course in the end, hurling was the winner, proving, as Brian Cody always said “It’s all on the day.” So, this week, The Kilkenny Observer newspaper, to bring to an end another intriguing championship, contacted three poets, Sean Casey from ‘The Rebel’ county, Ben

In the Week to Come ( written the day after the Tipperary victory) By

Frank Callery

There won’t be child washed in Carrick, And pint glasses in Thurles are scarce; And those who were dying for McCarthy Have cancelled the use of the hearse!

Clonmel will be draped in the colours

The buntings will cover each street, And in every pub in the county, The crowds will be out on their feet.

There’ll be kids bouncing heads off each ceiling

Going up for the high ball in style, And catching the Sliotar with feeling Thinking they’re Shelly or Doyle.

The young and the old “Pure Elated!” And thinking of ‘three-in-a-row!’ And the rebels? Well totally deflated

As back to the Lee-side they go!

But in Tipp, every man, child, and women Will be singing that auld Sleibhnamon! When the crowds there in Thurles see coming The lads with McCarthy come home!

In Ahenny and far Toomevara, There’ll be lads on the sick for a week, And joyful the tears and mascara Will roll down each Tipp granny’s cheek!

Mac Caoillte a Dunnamaggin man and Frank Callery from Dublin. All three poets have very kindly given their offerings showing their love of hurling.

Poetry and hurling

And there is no doubting the connection between hurling and poetry, particularly in Irish culture. Hurling, a traditional Irish sport, has inspired numerous poems, and poets have drawn parallels between the sport's intensity, passion, and rhythm

By

for Jim, my father and after Christy Ring

At twelve Christy stood in goal, his first minor match for Cloyne. Those who held the keeper’s hurl must have the gift of positioning

They must not lack courage must be prepared to put up with the knocks and accept the abuses that go with it

I wait for you outside Arrivals and who looms through the static about to belt one onto the runway

Hurley tilted to a bronze wing the heel swept away into legend where everything is shining and breathing with the king, who knew a patient wrist the steady, vigilant burn had you turn in the rain with no camán, pelting close-range waterlogged cannonballs, hairsplit bones fracturing ash-white in this unyielding father of men, who now walk tall as Histories.

Odd things happen thinking it. Did something of him enter me to face you in the calm goal of fatherhood? To lash you

and the creative process of writing. Both hurling and poetry are seen as embodying qualities like passion, energy, beauty and rhythm. Several poems directly address hurling, such as Theo Dorgan’s The match down the park. There are also poems that use the imagery and themes of hurling to explore broader ideas and emotions. Hurling is deeply embedded in Irish culture and its representation in poetry helps to solidify its place in the national identity.

Ben Mac Caoillte

Ben Mac Caoillte hails from Dunnamaggin and is a bilingual poet, writing in both Irish and English. Over the last year he has been touring with his poetry performance show, Lifting the gate and has travelled across Ireland, UK and Europe. His chosen poem is The Link , referring of course to Jimmy Walsh, a neighbour from Dunnamaggin, who was the holder of 7 Leinster titles, 4 All-Ireland medals and 1 NHL medal.

Paul Casey

Paul Casey’s poems have been widely published and he is working on his third collection. Virtual Tides was published by Salmon Poetry in 2016, which followed Home more or less (Salmon, 2012) and a chapbook, It’s Not All Bad (Heaven tree, 2009). His poetry film The Lammas Hireling has been screened worldwide. He edits The Unfinished Book of Poetry and promotes poetry & poetry film in his

role as director of Ó Bhéal. Both his father and grandfather played for Cork, and both played for Glen Rovers with Christy Ring. His grandfather Michael (Mick) Casey was born in Kilkenny in 1907 (to Cork and Tipperary parents), lived in Fiddown until the family moved back to Cork city in 1920, the same year Ring was born. He went on to play goalie for the Glen with Jack Lynch, in the same team that won eight county finals in a row. Paul's father Jim Casey (also a Glen goalkeeper) played with Ring for three years during the mid 1960's. Hence the poem, Rain in the Glen. Mick was always proud to have been born in Kilkenny, even though he lined out for Cork.

Frank Callery

As a poet, Frank has had work published in national and international journals; selections of his work have also been published in six anthologies and some of his poems have been broadcast on RTÉ 1 radio and provincial radio stations. He has previously won the Allingham Award (1983) and the Gerard Manly Hopkins Bicentenary Award (1989), and the Public Services Award (1986). In 2014 he published his collected poems: The Whole Shebang, as a kind of goodbye to poetry. He is currently compiling four volumes of poems in his Ceangaílte series under his imprint The Scribbler’s Head as another ‘goodbye’ to the scribbler’s art.

By Ben Mac Caoilte

This road reminds me of that place

with endless silvered accolades per carpal fissure, the net holding still as the blue in your eyes on the ball, and this inky sliothar

pucks out letters from a stirred pen up & above

Finbarr's spire the divisions of rivers and men

A nodding and bristling show to a poker face, The trees sit hunched resilient, the leaves their best hand, It’s not the space that reminds much but more how he would stand, Thrown over a wrought rust gate watching the rain draw in,

All overcoat and threadbare cap as I stared, ‘dormer hands’ on chin,

‘The link’ was how I knew him and it suited him truth be told,

A connect to a time of hard men with decent hearts now grown old, I’ve taken with me the decent and left behind the hard, I’ve lived my poker face and shuffled each and every card. Rain draws in as I head for home and I hang on wrought rust gate,

The clouds drift so slowly under that heavy weight, Of lake and sea and pothole fill, I stand as he stood and wait until I feel the need to wait no more.

The Link

Rain in the Glen

Paul Casey

Kilkenny All-Ireland Senior hurling champions 1957: Kilkenny were victorious beating Waterford 4-10 to Waterford’s 3-12

Back: Syd Bluett (Trainer), Jim ‘The Link’ Walsh, Dick Rockett, John Sutton, Mick Brophy, Sean Clohosey, Mick Kenny, Ollie Walsh, Bob Aylward (County Board Chairman). Front: Johnny McGovern, Billy O’Dwyer, Paddy Buggy, Denis Heaslip, Mickey Kelly (captain), Mick ‘Browly’ Walsh, Tom Walsh, John Maher. (photo from The Stripy Men book)

Glen Rovers Team 1967: Back, from left: Denis O’Riordan, Patsy Harte, Denis Coughlan, Mick Lane, Maurice Twomey, Dave Moore, Jerry O’Sullivan, Tom Corbett. Front, from left: Mick Kenneally, Jackie Daly, John Young, Seanie Kennefick (Capt.), Bill Carroll, Christy Ring, Finbarr O’Neill. (photo Cummins sport.ie)

The Tipperary hurler by Sean Keating ( Hugh Lane Gallery)

Christy Ring, whose league and championship career at senior level with the Cork county team spanned 24 years (1939 -1963)

An Andrew Small drawing of Jimmy ‘The Link’ Walsh as depicted in the poem by Ben Mac Caoillte (courtesy of Lake Productions)

Climate Change

– are we all playing our part?

WEEK 130

"It’s the future generations as well"

Thousands in Kilkenny stand against genocide in Gaza

On Saturday, August 2nd, Kilkenny bore witness to one of its most powerful and emotionally charged public demonstrations in recent memory. Nearly 2,000 people gathered for the “March for Palestine,” organised by the Kilkenny Community Palestine Solidarity Group (KCPSG). The demonstration united people from Kilkenny and surrounding counties in a peaceful but determined stand against the violence unfolding in Gaza.

The march began at 1 p.m. at the Castle Gate, where a striking mix of Palestinian, Irish, and Kilkenny flags filled the sky. From young children to elderly citizens, entire families, individuals, and community groups assembled in solidarity. For many, this was their first protest, a powerful testament to the widespread grief and outrage felt across the region.

As the procession moved down the Parade, a hush fell among spectators. At the front, flag bearers moved solemnly to the beat of a single drum. One of the most moving moments came as four women carried whiteshrouded bundles symbolising the innocent children killed in Gaza. Behind them, four men bore a small white coffin, a stark and heartbreaking reminder of the lives lost. The image brought many to

tears. Marchers held banners from KCPSG and solidarity groups from Carlow and Laois, with messages like “Stop the Genocide,” “End the Occupation,” and “Stop the Bombing.” Homemade placards carried personal appeals: “Stop killing children like me,” and “Our Government is Complicit with Genocide.” The raw emotion displayed highlighted the deep sense of injustice felt by many.

Support came from a broad coalition of community and national organisations. Members of the Irish Travellers Movement, the SIPTU trade union, and Kilkenny Pride joined the march. Rainbow flags waved alongside the Palestinian ones. Religious communities were also strongly represented—Father Tom Jordan of the Black Abbey Dominicans marched in his white habit, joined by members of several local parishes

and religious orders. Political figures from across the spectrum participated. Sinn Féin TD Natasha Newsome Drennan marched shoulder to shoulder with Green Party Senator Malcolm Noonan, Councillor Maria Dollard, and Councillor Adrienne Wallace from People Before Profit. Labour Councillor Seán Ó hArgáin, a long-time supporter of KCPSG vigils, sent a message of support. The turnout was so vast and

diverse that listing every participant was impossible.

As the crowd moved through High Street, Bateman Quay, and Rose Inn Street, chants filled the air: “Stop the Bombing,” “Let Food and Water In,” “End the Occupation,” and “Freedom for Palestine – From the River to the Sea.” Some bystanders, visibly moved by the scene, spontaneously joined the march. Back at the Parade, the event concluded with speeches and

performances. KCPSG Chair Kevin Shore, also a member of People Before Profit, condemned the catastrophic humanitarian conditions in Gaza, especially for pregnant women. He urged the Irish government to pass the Occupied Territories Bill and enforce an arms embargo on Israel. “There is nothing antisemitic about opposing genocide,” he said.

Wesam Akram of KCPSG criticised the government’s failure to prevent arms shipments to Israel through Shannon Airport. Emotional poetry readings from Enya Kennedy and Martin O’Neill of the Social Democrats addressed themes of grief, resistance, and justice.

KCPSG Secretary Katharine Larkin encouraged the crowd to stay engaged. “We are part of a global movement. Everyone must do something, no matter how small,” she said, inviting attendees to the weekly Wednesday vigils held at the Parade from 5:30 to 6:00 p.m.

The weekend concluded with a “Gig for Gaza” at the Set Theatre on Sunday. Hosted by KCPSG and Kilkenny Indie Collective, it featured artists like Ned Byrne, Jack Keeshan, Elise, and The Accidental Rapper, raising vital funds for UNRWA and humanitarian relief in Palestine.

Healing hands

BY JOHN FITZGERALD

(Recalling the doctors of a very different era who served the people of Callan and district... Part One can be read on the Observer website...)

Born in Callan, Dr Richard Ryan lived in the shadow of the Augustinian Abbey in Mill Street. He wed Michael Heron’s daughter (Charlotte Heron’s aunt) and was appointed to his position about 1850.

He was also a doctor to the hospital. Dr. Ryan was well known and loved for his wise cracks and seemingly endless repertoire of jokes. No matter what ailment a patient complained of, he would laugh heartily and make the wittiest remarks: He told one man he suspected was a bit of a hypochondriac: “Don’t worry, me lad, if I can’t cure you and you drop off, you’ll go straight to Heaven, which as you and I both know, is a lovely place.

“If I can’t relieve your troubling pains and aches, sure maybe I can offer you the joys of the next life?” He always had soothing words of comfort for the terminally ill, and patients appreciated his tactful way of breaking bad news to them.

He sat them down, looked them straight in the eyes, and never failed to make even the most direful diagnosis or medical opinion quite palatable to them. He was something of a “spin doctor” as well as a medical one. He added “silver linings” to the black

clouds of sadness, anguish, and despondency.

Dr. Ryan passed to his own Eternal Reward in 1893 and his grave is in Kilbride cemetery. He had two children, Jack and May. Jack boasted that his daughter- Dr. Ryan’s granddaughter - had the “signal honour” of having married a Dr. Drumm of County Meath, who achieved fame as inventor of the Drumm Battery Train. Old Dr. Ryan would probably have some apt witticism to offer regarding that celebrated invention.

Dr. J. P. Marnell came to Callan from Mullinahone and replaced Dr. Ryan as doctor to the hospital in 1894, leaving this post in 1900 when he was appointed dispensary doctor in Kilmoganny.

As a child, he had always wanted to be a doctor, telling his parents of dreams he had in which he sliced people open and banished all their ailments with the help of God and medical ingenuity.

At the age of ten, he was supposed to have cured the family cat of a rare condition that the local vet thought incurable. He never explained how the “miracle cure” was applied, but the cat allegedly lived to the remarkable age of eighteen years, a fair achievement for a member of the feline species. He married an English woman and had two children. His daughter Winnie married a Paddy Walsh of Cooliaghmore. After moving to live at Rogerstown, Kilmoganny, Dr. Marnell acquired livestock, dividing his time between caring for his patients and extensive farming interests. He had a flair for oil painting, which he found therapeutic and relaxing. It provided him

with well-deserved breaks from his medical practice. He liked especially to paint landscapes that included long horned cattle and sleepy-eyed sheep.

It gladdened his heart to see them grazing contentedly, against backdrops of blue summer skies and picturesque hills…in the un-spoilt meadows around Callan or Kilmoganny.

Dr. John Shee hailed from Seven Acres, Mullinahone. When Dr. Ryan vacated the position of Doctor to the Hospital, Dr. Shee took over and served the area with distinction until his death in 1915. He was a regular participant in local concerts. Patrons especially liked his Magic Lantern shows. He married a Fitzgerald of Kilmanagh and they lived in

the house in Mill Street once occupied by Dr. Stuart Ryan. (The Bergins resided there in later years). They had one child, Christine.

Dr. Shee showed no favouritism in his practice, a blessing in an age when society held doctors and clergy in absolute awe. He is reputed to have gone out of his way to tend to people who couldn’t afford any form of medical treatment. He believed passionately that poverty-stricken patients were entitled to the same standard of health care and treatment as the wealthiest folk in the land.

Dr. Patrick F Walsh was a graduate of the College of Surgeons; Dr. Walsh arrived in Callan in 1878 from Ballyhale. He took up his post at the dispensary in the same year and served as an assistant to Dr.

Stuart Ryan at the hospital. His wife was Kathleen Comerford of Ballyfoyle.

Dr. Walsh is best remembered for his heroic work in the closing years of the 19th century, when a killer epidemic nicknamed the “Black Croup” afflicted thousands of children nationwide.

Dr. Walsh saved many young lives and fought valiantly to ease the suffering of countless others whose condition had reached the point of no return before he could treat them. He broke down on many occasions when a child died. Though he did everything he could in every case, some children inevitably failed to pull through.

He shared the pain and almost unbearable grief of their families. He knew that that no words of assurance, or wellworn platitudes, could assuage their heartache and irreplaceable loss.

His heroism was remarkable, especially given the everpresent risk of contracting the dreaded disease himself. His contemporaries hailed him as a kind and compassionate doctor, and all his patients gave him the “thumbs up.”

One of Dr. Patrick Walsh's sons, Frank, followed in his footsteps.

He took up his post as dispensary doctor in Callan in 1924. He had a stanch loyalty to his regular patients and made a name for himself as a valued contributor to the Old Kilkenny Review, an annual magazine that published high quality articles of historical and archaeological interest.

He dusted off the intriguing but largely forgotten aspects of Callan’s heritage like the Cromwellian attack, the

drowning of King Niall Caille in the local river, and stories about town’s great achievers; and brought these to life for readers of all ages.

Dr. Walsh is credited too with ensuring that the priceless Callan Mace did not go the way of so much of Ireland’s heritage. The Mace, which dates to1632, was the traditional staff of office of Callan’s mayors or Sovereigns.

After the disbandment of the Town Commissioners in 1940, it went missing, but turned up again decades later, only to be accidentally thrown away. It might well have been lost to the community but for Dr. Walsh’s presence of mind. He rescued it from a dump, had it cleaned, and then carefully preserved it so that future generations of locals could appreciate this precious heirloom.

Dr. Walsh’s research and erudition as a local historian paved the way for the formation of a heritage group in Callan, which, alas, he did not live to see.

A man of tremendous energy, he continued to attend his patients after his retirement in 1970 right up to the day of his death in 1978. His wife, Dr. Flora O’ Riordan, and daughter Finola, shared his commitment to local history and Dr. O’ Riordan was a driving force behind Callan’s success in the national Tidy Towns competition in the early 1960s.

The Walsh home Collaire was a former barracks occupied by a James Poe who left it to live at Harleypark. An imposing structure, it stands at Callan’s east corner and is one of the most attractive houses in the area.

To be continued...

Lower Bridge Street in 1900s

Medicare has advanced a lot since the 19th century

Oh baby, look at you now!

Thaddeus Pierce: the miracle

30 years in the making

Pierce was developed from an embryo that had been in storage for 30 and a half years.

“We had a rough birth but we are both doing well now,” says Lindsey Pierce, his mother. “He is so chill. We are in awe that we have this precious baby!”

Lindsey and her husband, Tim Pierce [pictured], who live in London, Ohio in the US “adopted” the embryo from a woman who had it created in 1994. She says her family and church family think “it’s like something from a sci-fi movie.”

“The baby has a 30-year-old sister,” she says. Husband Tim was a toddler when the embryos were first created.

“It’s been pretty surreal,” says Linda Archerd, 62, who donated the embryo. “It’s hard to even believe.”

Three little hopes

The story starts back in the early 1990s. Archerd had been trying — and failing — to get pregnant for six years. She and her husband decided to try IVF, a fairly new technology at the time. “People were [unfamiliar] with it,” says Archerd. “A lot of people were like, what are you doing?”

They did it anyway, and, in May 1994, they managed to create four embryos. One of them was transferred to Linda’s uterus. It resulted in a healthy baby girl. “I was so blessed to have a baby,” Archerd says. The remaining three embryos were cryopreserved and kept in a storage tank.

That was 31 years ago. The healthy baby girl is now a 30-year-old woman who has her own 10-year-old daughter. But the other three embryos remained frozen in time. Archerd originally planned to use the embryos herself. “I always wanted another baby desperately,” she says. “I called them my three little hopes.” Her then husband felt differently,

them in storage, still hopeful she might use them one day, perhaps with another partner.

That meant paying annual storage fees, which increased over time and ended up costing Archerd around a thousand dollars a year, she says. To her, it was worth it.

“I always thought it was the right thing to do,” she says.

Things changed when she started going through menopause, she says. She considered her options. She didn’t want to discard the embryos or donate them for research.

to meet the parents and any resulting babies. “It’s my DNA; it came from me … and [it’s] my daughter’s sibling,” she says. Then she found out about embryo “adoption”.This is a type of embryo donation in which both donors and recipients have a say in whom they “place” their embryos with or “adopt” them from.

There are several agencies that offer these adoption services in the US, but not all of them accept embryos that have been stored for a very long time. That’s partly because those embryos will have been

are thought to be less likely to survive thawing and transfer to successfully develop into a baby.

“So many places wouldn’t even take my information,” says Archerd. Then she came across the Snowflakes program run by the Nightlight Christian Adoptions agency.

The agency was willing to accept her embryos, but it needed Archerd’s medical records from the time the embryos had been created, as well as the embryos’ lab records.

So Archerd called the fertility doctor who had treated her

now in his 70s, is still practicing at a clinic in Oregon.

He dug Archerd’s records out from his basement, she says.

“Some of [them] were handwritten,” she says. Her embryos entered Nightlight’s “matching pool” in 2022.

Making a match

“Our matching process is really driven by the preferences of the placing family,” says Beth Button, executive director of the Snowflakes programme.

Archerd’s preference was for a married Caucasian, Christian couple living in the US.

“I didn’t want them to go out of the country,” says Archerd. “And being Christian is very

Most of the “adopting parents” signed up for the Snowflakes program were already registered at fertility clinics that wouldn’t have accepted the embryos, says Button.

“I would say that over 90% of clinics in the US would not have accepted these embryos,” she says.

Archerd’s embryos were assigned to the agency’s Open Hearts program for embryos that are “hard to place,” along with others that have been in storage for a long time or are otherwise thought to be less likely to result in a healthy birth.

Copyright: MIT Technology Review

IVF ... And storing embryos

What IVF is IVF is where your eggs are removed from your ovaries and fertilised with your partner’s or a donor’s sperm in a laboratory.

When an egg is fertilised, it is called an embryo. Usually, a number of embryos are produced. A specialist will select the best and put this (or sometimes 2) in your womb. Sometimes others can be frozen for future use.

How to get IVF

In Ireland, you may be able to get IVF through the HSE. The first step in getting tests and treatment is to talk to your GP. You can also get IVF privately - this is where you pay for it yourself.

How IVF is done

You will be given medicine to help your ovaries to produce eggs.

Once the eggs have been produced, you will have an operation known as ‘egg retrieval’.

The eggs are then mixed with sperm. This sperm is from your partner or a donor.

When the eggs and the sperm meet, the aim is for embryos to form. This can take a few days.

When embryos have formed and have been graded for quality, 1 or sometimes 2 of these can be put into your womb. This is through your cervix (the neck of your womb).

Storing embryos

If the rest of the embryos are of good quality, they can be frozen (cryopreserved) for the future.

Kilkenny’s Black Abbey – wh

BY PAT GRIFFIN

For a moment, just picture this:

Firstly, an iconic building steeped in 800 years of history, which has lived through turbulent times.

Secondly, imagine the presentation of a story which has resonated through the ages – a story which itself has emerged from some of history’s most dramatic events.

Merge both together and be prepared to experience a memorable performance by Lake Productions enactment of the Mystery Play, The Man Born to be King, in Kilkenny’s famous Dominican Black Abbey. This priory is its elf a repository of history in every stone and pillar. It has lived through wars, revolts, religious persecutions, massacres, deface-

ment and reconstruction.

This year it also celebrates its 800th anniversary. It will be the perfect setting for this exciting presentation of a timeless story.

But just for now, let us step back a little and try to understand the significance of mystery and history presented to us. We need to go back through time to the 13th century when these Mystery Plays were at the height of their popularity. The term Mystery Play derives from the Latin word ministerium, meaning occupation, or the French word mestier which means craft or guild. These plays presented the great Biblical stories with which we are familiar, regardless of our religious convictions or affiliations: the moment of Creation – ‘Let there be light’: the first appearance of life on earth – Adam and Eve: the stories of downfall and redemption: the Biblical final times of the Last Judgement. In between are

all the stories of mankind’s experiences of war and peace, famine and plenty, fall and rise. In other words, all human life is there.

Sprinkled throughout all of this vast mosaic of human existence are the miracles, the encounters between humanity and divinity and all that makes us the complex beings we are. But the presentation of these stories in the form of plays stirred up lots of unrest and controversy when they rose in popularity during the 13th century. These dramatisations used the ordinary everyday language of the people. This in turn moved them away from the formal structure of the sacred scrolls which formed the basis of the Biblical language and style with which w e are more familiar.

But, deviating from the elegance of the earliest manuscripts depicting mankind’s relationship with something other worldly or divine, allowed other non-

The Black Abbey Catholic priory of the Dominican Order, dedicated to the Holy and Undivided Trinity. The Abbey was established in 1225 as one of the first houses of the Dominican Order in Ireland (Photo by Ed Murphy)

The community of The Black Abbey in 1894 at the opening of the present priory. Standing (from left) Fr Michael Taylor, Br Bernard Dunleavy, Fr Pius Boylan. Seated (from left) Fr William Spence, Prior, later Archbishop of Adelaide

ere history meets mystery

Biblical elements to creep in. New characters were invented and non-Biblical stories were added. This created a major decline in the religious nature of the stories. It was viewed as sacrilegious by church authorities and subsequently the established churches shunned the plays.

Pope Innocent III, enraged by what was happening, issued a papal edict forbidding clergy from acting in public places. This had the effect of moving the plays to non-religious venues. The original Latin texts had been changed to the vernacular, the language of the people, and this resulted in making the plays more accessible to all.

Despite the mayhem stirred up by their presentation, or maybe because of the unintended notice drawn to them, the plays rose in popularity and achieved what they set out to do – namely to bring these time-honoured stories

to the people.

As recently as the Second World War, less than 100 years ago, BBC Radio created a furore when it produced a radio drama based on the life of Jesus. A major storm erupted, even before the play was broadcast. Believers from various religious persuasions as well as non-believers objected strenuously. Each blamed the other on a variety of issues. One of the main points of contention was the very idea that anyone would even dare to have real human beings impersonating Jesus and other members of the Gospel stories on stage. So, as we can see from that

brief potted summary of the Mystery Plays, they certainly caught the attention of the people. As we know, every play needs a suitable stage or theatre and Lake Productions could not have chosen a more suitable venue in which to perform The Man Born to be King, than Kilkenny’s Black Abbey. This year this stunning Dominican Priory, whose beginnings date back to the 13th century, has seen more than its own share of

drama. It was established in 1225, just 15 years after the above mentioned edict by Pope Innocent III. Now, in this stunning setting, we have the opportunity again to view a Mystery Play. You can witness a performance of the last dramatic weeks in the life of Jesus, with a cast of thirty players and a musical backdrop by The Kilkenny Gospel Choir, all in this most befitting location, the Black Abbey, where history and mystery meet.

The production has been made possible by the sponsorship of The Kilkenny Public Commemoration scheme 2025, in association with Kilkenny County Council.

‘The Man Born to be King’, was adapted for stage by John Morton, is directed by Darren Donohue and will run at the Black Abbey from September 9th to 11. Booking is through eventbrite.

One of the many beautiful windows at the Black Abbey church, Kilkenny. In Christian church architecture, the east-facing orientation, particularly the east window, holds significant symbolic meaning, often representing the rising sun as a metaphor for Jesus Christ and the promise of resurrection and new life (jbsphotoskilkenny)

An alabaster statue of The Trinity at The Black Abbey. Carved in Bristol about 1400, it is situated beside the Rosary window (jbsphotoskilkenny)

The Kilkenny Gospel choir (celebrating 25 years) who will take part in the forthcoming production of The Man Born to be King presented by Lake Productions

Food & Drink

Come Dine WithMe

Braised pork with plums

Meltingly tender meat in a spicy, fruity sauce, this meal is guaranteed to impress

Prep: 25 mins

Cook: 2hours

Serves: 8 Ingredients

• about 1.6kg/3lb 8oz pork shoulder

• 5 tbsp rice wine

• 5 tbsp light soy sauce for flavour, 1 tbsp dark for colour

• generous thumb-size piece fresh root ginger

• 5 garlic cloves

• 1 red chilli deseeded and finely chopped

• 2 tbsp vegetable oil

• bunch spring onions finely sliced

• 2 star anise

• 1 ½ tsp five-spice powder

• 1 cinnamon stick

• 2 tbsp sugar any type

• 1 tbsp tomato purée

• 500ml chicken stock

• 6 ripe plums halved and stoned

STEP 1

Cut the pork into big pieces about the length of your thumb and twice as wide. Put into a bowl or food bag,

Baked raspberry & lemon cheesecake

Prep: 20 mins

Cook: 1 hr 45 mins

Serves: 8

A rich and creamy baked cheesecake that makes a great dinner party dessert.

Ingredients

• 200g di gestive biscuit

• 75g b utter melted

• 600g full-fat soft cheese

• 250g g olden caster sugar

• 150g t ub natural yogurt

• 3 me dium eggs

• finel y grated zest 2 lemons juice of 1

• 50g pl ain flour

• 200g raspberry

• icin g sugar to decorate

STEP 1

Heat oven to 120C/100C fan/ gas and line the base of a 20cm round springform tin with greaseproof paper. Crush the biscuits in a food processor or

in a food bag using a rolling pin. Tip into a bowl with the melted butter and mix well. Push the biscuits into an even layer into the base of the cake tin and chill until needed.

STEP 2

In a separate bowl use an electric whisk to beat the soft cheese with the sugar. Next beat in the yoghurt then the eggs one at a time. Finally beat in the lemon zest, lemon juice and flour. Fold through two thirds of the raspberries crushing them very slightly so they start to bleed into the mix then tip the mix on top of the biscuit base and smooth over the top. Bake for 45 mins to an hour, then turn off the oven, leave the cake inside for another hour then cool at room temperature. Chill overnight. To serve, remove from tin, scatter with remaining raspberries and dust heavily with icing sugar.

and add the wine, soy sauces, half the ginger, half the garlic and half the chilli. Marinate for at least 1 hr or up to 24 hrs.

STEP 2

Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/ gas 3, then heat the oil in a large casserole. Tip in half the spring onions, remaining ginger and garlic, the star anise, five-spice powder and cinnamon. Fry gently until fragrant and soft. Stir in the sugar, turn up the heat, then lift the pork from the marinade and turn in the oniony mix for about 3 mins until the meat is just sealed but not browned. Tip in the marinade, tomato purée and stock, give it a stir, cover, then braise in the oven for 2 hrs.

STEP 3

After the first hr is up, add the plums to the pan. Take the lid off and carry on the cooking, uncovered. The meat should be completely tender, turning golden brown where it breaks the surface of the sauce. Spoon off any excess fat from the surface, then scoop the meat and plums carefully from the pan with a slotted spoon. Turn up the heat and boil the sauce for 5-10 mins until reduced and slightly syrupy. Return everything to the pan, gently warm through, then scatter the rest of the spring onions over the top to serve.

RECIPE TIPS IF YOU WANT TO USE A SLOW COOKER...

Adapt this recipe by preparing the pork according to step 1. Then cook the spring onions, remaining ginger, garlic, chilli, cinnamon, star anise, five-spice, sugar and 2 tbsp tomato purée. Fry until soft then add the pork, frying until sealed. Put it all into the slow cooker with the marinade and stock, cover and cook for 8-9 hours on Low. Skim off surface fat halfway through. Stir in the plums an hour before the end. Scoop out the plums and meat then make the sauce and serve according to step 3.

Western perfect for Taylor Sheridan fans

Netflix has now landed the release of a 2025 Western that’s perfect for Netflix Taylor Sheridan fans. Not only does the drama take a similar neo-Western approach that’s been popularised by the Yellowstone creator, but it has also received critical acclaimand finds an MCU star and a Hollywood icon at the forefront.

Released by Sony Pictures back in May, Thunderbolts star Wyatt Russell takes the lead as a struggling rodeo rider who finds hims elf fighting for survival after being trapped in a blizzard. Reflecting on his life and whether he made the right decisions, he battles to survive the merciless storm and the dangers it brings in this Western that’s a blend

of genres and has been praised by both critics and audiences alike.

The rest of the cast includes, Auden Thornton, Mary McDonnell, Johnny Berchtold, and Tom Skerritt, and is now all set to land on Netflix on August 21. You can check out the official synopsis below.

It is a contemporary western following the story of True Brandywine, a bareback bronc rider clinging to his fading rodeo career. When True gets trapped in a freak spring blizzard, he must battle injuries, illness, and the bitter cold.

While fighting for his survival, True is forced to face his choices and the circumstances that led him to his tenuous situation.

The movie has been met

with rave reviews, and currently stands at a hugely impressive 91% from critics on Rotten Tomatoes alongside an equally promising 86% from audiences on the Popcornmeter.

Luna Guthrie of Collider said of the contemporary Western/survival movie: “The director has a tenderness for its characters and for the little worlds they build around themselves, bursting full of hopes and dreams that we really want to see them achieve.”

While FandomWire’s MN Miller declared it “a thoughtful, even lyrical, suspenseful, and deeply moving. The film’s theme is perseverance, a love letter to resilience.”

Much praise has been sent in the direction of Wyatt Russell, who is set to

star in Avengers: Doomsday and the as-yet-untitled new movie from directing icon Steven Spielberg. Casey Chong of Casey’s Movie Mania said, “Wyatt Russell delivers his best performance so far in this gritty rodeo drama.”

Tessa Smith of Mama’s Geeky, meanwhile, called the movie a “touching film that is likely to have all viewers looking back and analysing the decisions they have made in the past” before adding, “Wyatt Russell absolutely nails it.”

Finally, Sarah Manvel of Critic’s Notebook concludes: “In every way Mr Russell’s movie, and he handles it all with ease. It’s a pleasure to see someone understand their character down into their bones.”

Carrie Bradshaw should thank her lucky stars

If you’re not including And Just Like That… Season 3 in your best streaming shows of 2025 list, you can be hardly blamed. Since its debut in 2021, the Sex and the City (SATC) sequel has had a rocky ride onscreen, frequently being lambasted on social media for how it’s changed the core personalities of Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker), Charlotte (Kristen Davis) and Miranda (Cynthia Nixon). While Miranda left Steve (David Eigenberg) in the dust and transformed into a legal intern lesbian, Charlotte felt out of touch with her helicopter parenting of kids Rock (Alexa Swinton) and Lily (Cathy Ang).

Can you even tell who any of the middling re-

placements for Samantha (Kim Cattrall) are, with Cattrall herself making the career move of a lifetime by staying well away from this absolutely underwhelming car crash (well, all except for that excruciating Season 2 finale cameo). The point is, none of our other stars come anywhere near her, but as much as we might want Samantha’s miraculous return in the Season 3 finale to scold everyone for making such terrible television, it’s not going to happen. So, what will happen, or perhaps the more important question is: what needs to happen?

If you’ve been managing to stay awake while watching the show, you’ll have noticed Carrie is slowly

edging closer to the version of herself she used to be in Sex and the City . She’s easily the biggest stumbling block in And Just Like That… (ATLJ ), and if we have to watch two more episodes until it’s over, she better have the best fictional U-turn TV has ever s een.

If you’re a seasoned SATC watcher, you’ll have probably thought Carrie was the w orst of the quartet in the ‘90s too… and you’d be right.

Watching her make the same mistakes over again was relatable and somewhat charming for the first few s easons but, after six seasons, two standalone movies and now three seasons of a sequel series, it all w ears awfully thin.

good ones streaming on Netflix now 5

We’ve got to have some kind of sympathy for her, right? Wrong! For the bulk of ATLJ , Carrie’s been a burden on her friends, an even bigger burden on us, and the biggest burden of all to herself. All those years of living life in the city on screen, and she doesn’t seem to have learned a single lesson from them. In the most dramatic case, the best thing for Carrie would be to get out of New York completely, which could mean moving back to England with Duncan. Frankly, I don’t care where in the world she ends up, both Carrie and AJLT need to not be insufferable the first time ever in its final moments.

We know it’s hard, but pretty please...

1. Birdbox

Based on Josh Malerman’s 2014 novel of the same name, this post-apocalyptic thriller was a massive hit for Netflix when it was released in late 2018. It stars Sandra Bullock as a woman forced to navigate a terrifying new reality in which catching sight of mysterious entities drives people insane and suicidal, so the only way to survive is to move about the world completely blindfolded.

2. Carry-On

As if air travel during the holidays wasn’t stressful enough! This Netflix original kicks up the 2024 drama several notches, with Taron Egerton playing Ethan, a TSA agent wrapped up in an under-the-radar mercenary’s criminal plot on Christmas Eve. Despite growing threats from the killer (Jason Bateman) and escalating action, Ethan is relentless in his race to both stop the crime and keep the people he loves safe.

3. Leave the World Behind

Be warned: This is one of those apocalypse movies that feels a little too real. Adapted from Rumaan Alam’s 2020 novel of the same name, Leave the World Behind stars Julia Roberts and Ethan Hawke as a married couple who take their family on a weekend getaway that delves into chaos when the owner of their rental house (Mahershala Ali) returns in the middle of the night looking for a place to stay.

4. Luckiest Girl Alive

Mila Kunis stars in this Netflix adaption of Jessica Knoll’s hit 2015 novel, which should come with a trigger warning for sexual assault and gun violence. The title is very much a sarcastic one: The main character, Ani, had an extremely traumatic childhood, during which she survived both a horrific sexual assault and a school shooting—but it’s not until the movie goes on that we find out the full, devastating extent of each event.

5. Luther: The Fallen Sun

Idris Elba’s gritty detective returned after a few years away from TV screens in Luther: The Fallen Sun, the first feature-length addition to the Luther series. In the movie, which picks up where the fifth season of the show left off — spoiler alert for the final episode! — Luther escapes from prison to help end the crimes of a wealthy serial killer.

Kilkenny GAA clubs and Community news

CLARA

GREAT WIN

Clara began their 2025 championship campaign with a one point victory over Graigue Ballycallan on Saturday in Bennettsbridge. This was a very hard earned win by the Clara men and was achieved despite shooting 15 wides to their opponents 14. Both sides hit 10 wides into the country end but Ballycallan’s seemed more significant as they were hit at the business end of a finely balanced tie. Ballycallan had started well and led 6-2 after 12 minutes. This could have been much more serious but for the excellence of Kevin Nolan in the goals. Twice he denied county man Billy Ryan with brilliant saves and Matt Kenny also helped him out early on with a great block of a goal bound shot. Clara eased their way into the contest and the defence settled down and began to look a little more comfortable. At the other end some early ball was beginning to pay dividends and three points in a row by Conor Hoyne (2) and Paul Cody had the sides level at 0-8 apiece after 20 minutes. Then a long ball from Martin O Connell was grabbed over his shoulder by Rory Glynn and before his marker even realised that he had it he was bearing down on goal. He let fly and the net shook. Further points by Davy Barcoe and Rory kept Clara 1-10 to 0-11 ahead at the interval.

Matt Kenny opened the second half scoring with a long range free but GBC replied with two of their own. Joe Power, who had come on at halftime, then stepped up to a difficult free in his first adult championship game. He nailed it and with confidence soaring he went on to add three more second half frees, each one harder than the other to leave an indelible mark on this game. For good measure he also drove a peach of an 80 yarder from play between the posts. Further points in this half from Paul Cody (2), Rory Glynn and Chris Bolger were enough to get Clara across the line by the narrowest margin. The match was level twice but crucially a wasteful Ballycallan side could never get their noses in front after Clara had first taken the lead. A great two points to collect. Tullaroan next up on Friday evening.

Team - Kevin Nolan, Conor O’ Shea, Shane Staunton, Harry Boyle. Martin O Connell 0-1, Matt Kenny 0-1f, Jack Langton. Dara Glynn, David Langton. David Barcoe 0-1, Paul Cody 0-4, Liam Ryan 0-1. Rory Glynn 1-2, Chris Bolger 0-1, Conor Hoyne 0-4, 0-2f, 0-2 x65s. Subs used Joe Power 0-5, 0-4f, Joe Connolly, Conor Cody.

JUNIORS DENIED

Although Clara scored 20 times to the Village’s 19 in Clara on Sunday evening the old adage of “goals win matches “ was very much on display as Clara fell to a 7-12 to 1-19 defeat. The writing was on the wall at halftime as the James Stephens men led 3-8 to 0-8. Clara turned with the breeze for the second half and did score the first two points but they definitely needed to get the first goal of the half. As it happened it was the Village who scored the first two goals of the half, the first from a penalty, and they added two more very late in the game to take a somewhat flattering 11 points win. The standard of hurling was high here and it was well contested for the most part but the Village had a better mix of size and guile in their forward line. Clara started with four minors and introduced two more along the way and were down a few players from their good win over Castlecomer last week also. But they will know that a game can never be won when conceding seven goals. It was just one of those evenings and one to quickly forget.

Team - Cian Kelly, Hugh Kelly, Tom Ryan, Zach Lawlor. John Murphy 0-3, Conor Cody, Philip Carrigan. James Bergin 0-4, Conor Hoyne 0-5, 0-3f. Joe Connolly 0-2, Joe Power 0-2, Rory O Keeffe. Jake Maher 0-2, Lester Ryan, Sean Carrigan 1-1. Subs used Daniel Ryan, Evan Whearty, John Bergin, Dillon Cummins.

BRIDGE CLUB

Clara Bridge Club is running Bridge lessons for beginners and improvers starting on Monday 25th of August. The club will resume playing after the summer break on Monday 15th of September. The club meets on Monday nights in Connolly’s in Dunbell. New members are most welcome to join our bridge club. If interested please message Barbara on 086 8629171.

CLUB LOTTO

The Lotto results for 29.07.2025, numbers drawn - 1, 18, 28. There was no jackpot winner, €30 Lucky dip winners Michael Dreeling, Helen Kenny, Joanne O’Connell, Pat O’Neill, Neans Nolan.

O’LOUGHLIN GAELS

ELECTRIC IRELAND TEAM OF THE YEAR

Congratulations to O’Loughlin Gaels clubman Cian Byrne on being selected on the Electric Ireland GAA Minor Hurling team of the year 2025. Cian’s selection is an acknowledgement of his performances with Kilkenny in winning the Leinster title before going down to eventual champions Waterford in the All Ireland semi-final. Cian was most impressive throughout the campaign registering scores for his team in every game. Well done also to Shamrocks Ballyhale player Jake Mullen who was Kilkenny’s other representative in the Minor Star team.

SENIOR CAMPAIGN BEGINS

All roads led to Mullinavat on Saturday evening for O’Loughlin Gaels Supporters as they travelled south for their first game in this year’s St. Canice’s Credit Union Senior Hurling League against Glenmore. It proved an exciting and close game with O’Loughlin’s prevailing in the end by two points 0-25 to Glenmore’s 0-23. Next weekend sees the

team’s second game against Lisdowney in Canon Kearn’s Park in Castlecomer on Sunday 10th August at 6pm. Hopefully the supporters will be out in force again.

DATE FOR YOUR DIARY

O’ Loughlin Gaels annual Greyhound Race Night will be held on Friday August 22nd at Kilkenny Greyhound Track. It is always a most enjoyable night out and is also the club’s single most important fundraiser of the year. Ticket sellers will be calling to every house in the parish and your support would be much appreciated.

HANDBALL SUCCESS

Congratulations to O’Loughlin’s Joe Daly who had a great win in the Leinster Final Golden Masters on Saturday last in Carlow against a strong Laois opponent. Joe won in two straight games and now goes forward to play the Munster champion in the All-Ireland semi-final. We wish him the best of luck.

Congratulations also to Ollie Morrissey and Robbie Geoghegan of O’Loughlin’s Handball Club, winners of the 60x30 Junior Softball Nationals Kilkenny/Carlow Boys Under 13 Doubles. Well done boys.

SUMMER CAMP CONCLUDES Friday last saw the conclusion of the 2025 O’Loughlin Gaels Summer Camp. With large numbers attending both weeks the Camps were

a huge success as the children enjoyed the many activities and games while having fun with friends, old and new. The Camp concluded with a visit from Kilkenny County players Mikey Butler and Fionán Mackessy. Well done to all the boys and girls who attended and a special word of thanks to all of the coaches and helpers.

CLUB LOTTO

There was no winner of O’Loughlin Gaels club lotto dated July 29nd. Play Now at www.oloughlingaels. com

Promotors Draw: 1 Tasha Webster c/o P Greene. 2. Liam Walsh c/o Ml Doran. 3. Eileen Kinchella. 4. Niall Cody c/o M Cody. 5. Jimmy and Ann Doyle c/o B Maher. 6. Mags Cahill c/o Mick Nolan. 7. Sarah Doran c/o Ml Doran. 8. Helen Morrissey c/o Online. 9. Ben Fogarty c/o Online. 10. Cian Byrne c/o Online. Thank you for your continued support.

CAMOGIE TEAM SUCCESSFUL START

Well done to O’Loughlin Gaels Under 16 Camogie Team on their win last weekend against St Martin’s in the 1st round of the Roinn B Championship. The final score was St Martin’s 2-12 O’Loughlins 4-12.

FRESHFORD

GAA NEWS

The new digital scoreboard at St. Lachtains GAA grounds was used for the first time on Saturday last at the opening round of the St.Canices Credit union game when Dicksboro took on Lisdowney in the Senior hurling league. The club thank their generous sponsors for supporting this project: The Fitzpatrick Family Ballydowel, Carroll’s Pharmacy Freshford, M and A Coaches Ballyragget and Brennan Sister Takeaway Freshford. The new scoreboard is just one of several improvement projects currently underway in Pairc Lachtain and thanks also goes to the hard working committee members and volunteers who help to complete the project.

St. Lachtains Junior F hurlers defeated Tullaroan in the JJ Kavanagh and Sons Championship quarter final on Sunday last in Tullaroan. Tullaroan raced into an early lead scoring 1-1 before St Lachtains registered a score. The Freshford side fought back and went in at half time break leading by 6pts. Tullaroan started the second half stronger and began to eat into the St.Lachtains lead. However the Freshford men found another gear and a goal from Jonathan Doheny eight minutes from the end was enough to seal the victory for them on a score of 2-17 to 2-9.Best for St.Lachtains were Shea Buirke, James O’Connor and Colin McGree.

Team: M.Murphy, J.Denieffe, F.Tobin, J.Cantwell, C Bowden, S.Burke, J O’Connor, C.McCabe C.McGree, M.Durnan, B.Hughes, D.Killelen, B.Dermody, M.Nolan, S.Counihan Subs – L.Phelan, J.Doheny, J.Dalton and \L.White.

St.Lachtains Intermediate hurlers opened the Michael Lyng Motors League with a heavy defeat to Danesfort in a game that finished on a score of Danesfort 2-28 St.Lachtdains 1-17 They now take on Young Irelands In the second round in Muckalee on Saturday next at 2pm.

Team; D.Brennan, J.Bergin, C.Donnelly, S.Rafater, P.Donnelly, B.Kennedy, C.Hickey, A.Rafter, B Quinn, C.O’Leary, P.Kileen, C.Donnelly, C.Dawson, S.Donnelly, Subs – A Rafter, L.Hickey, J.Fitzpatrick, C.Power

While the Junior F side face Mullianvat in the Championship semi- final in Danesfort on Sunday next at 3.30pm

The U8 boys travelled to Tom Ryall Park last weekend to play in Go Games and played enjoyable matches against Graigue Ballycallan, Piltown and Emeralds with great teamwork, skills and work rate on display from the local boys. Well done to all involved.

SYMPATHY

Sympathy is extended to Mrs. Marie White of Inch, Freshford on the death last week of her mother Mrs. Mary Meany late of Cellarstown, Kilkenny. Funeral mass took place in St. Johns Church, Kilkenny followed by burial in St. Kierans Cemetery, Kilkenny. HOME AND AWAY

Visiting his native Freshford is Michael Doyle. Meanwhile returning back to Australia this week after a month long visit to his native Freshford is Declan Rafter.

OSSORY SHOW

Congratulations once again to David Condon and his son Gyll who had another super day out at

Cian Byrne of O’Loughlin Gaels

O’Loughlin Gaels Joe Daly receives his Leinster Final Golden Masters winners medal from Leinster Handball Secretary Tony Breen.

Community & GAA Notes

the Ossory Agricultural show recently with their homebred ram Gill Vale Bentley winning in his class and been tapped for Charollais champion and then tapped for overall show champion

SPLIT THE POT

This month’s split the pot proceeds are going to Freshford Boxing club Last week’s winner was Tadgh O’Flaherty who won €80. Thanks to all for supporting. Envelopes are just €2 each and can be purchased at any of the local pubs or businesses and the winner gets half the pot. Revolut is also available on 08330411011 remember to include your name and address.

IONAD LACHTAIN

St Lachtains Church Museum and Arts Centre is now open every Saturday and Sunday from 11.30am to 4.00pm.

EGM

North Kilkenny Wheelchair Association will hold their upcoming EGM on Wednesday 20th August at 7.30pm in the Avalon Inn, Castlecomer. All are welcome to attend.

BRIDGE

Freshford Bridge club will host Open Summer Bridge in Threecastles Hall each Monday at 7.30pm all bridge players welcome.

TIDY TOWNS

The Committee are busy at minute cleaning up and painting and would ask all local residents and visitors to the village to support their application by doing your part where you live or visit. They would welcome all painting, cleaning, litter picks, planting for pollinators and all activities that enhance our beautiful village.

Tidy town’s volunteers meet each Wednesday evening in the village so please come along for a chat and to lend a hand to your community if you can spare an hour.

CAMP

Freshfords longest running camp took place last week from Monday to Friday at GAA Grounds. The camp was founded by local man JJ Grace and has been running for over 20 years and was a week full of activity and fun. Well done to JJ and all his helpers

LOOP CAFE

The Loop Community Café in the village is open Monday to Saturday from 9.30am to 4pm. They are always looking for people on both sides of the counter. So why not support your own local café. You could meet a friend for a chat and cuppa or some lovely homemade food. 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. 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.

PARISH NEWS

Mass times have been rescheduled for Freshford Tullaroan and Ballycallan. Starting from next weekend,as follows: Saturday evening- Killaloe -6pm Tullaroan 730pm. Sunday – Ballycallan 9.30am Freshford 11am. Killaloe,Tulla and Kilmanagh will share the 6pm Mass on a 1,2,3 basis. There will be no weekday masses for the summer months and it will return in September.

Fr. Liam Taylor PP Ballycallan has taken on administrative and pastoral duties in Freshford for the moment. Freshford will be clustered with Tullaroan, Ballycallan and Fr.Liam is co ordinator of the cluster until August. You can contact Fr.Liam on 086 8180954. Fr. Tony O’Connor has been offering masses in our parishes for past few weeks. With the recent clerical changes in the diocese Fr Mark Condon has been appointed PP for Freshford Tullaroan and Ballycallan.and will take over in late August. The parish newsletter is available on their website every week and also on the website. Any anniversaries or parish office business or community notices for the parish newsletter can be done by phoning the office during horse of 9.30am to 1.30pm on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays or by calling to the office during those hours

CHOIR

The parish choir are taking a well-deserved break for the summer months and will resume again in September.

later with a 1-20 to 0-17 victory after a not overly impressive performance but with the valuable league points secured. Trading points over the early minutes, a brace of quality points by the lively winger Ruari Harrison in the 9/10th minutes, showed serious intent by the Village men. With the score at 0-06 each in the 14th minute a touch of wizardry and graft by Tadhg O’Dwyer set up the inrushing Luke Scanlon to rattle the St. Martins net for the game defining score. With St. Martins held scoreless for the next 10 minutes, points by Sean Deely (18min), Cian Kenny (19min), Tadhg O’Dwyer (20 and 26mins), and Oisin Bateman (22min) stretched the James Stephens lead at 1-11 to 0-08 at the halftime break. With Cian Kenny exerting huge influence from centre back, backed by assured performances from defenders Luke Murphy, Sean Bergin and Ben Lawlor, the Village continued to counter the point scoring of the battling St Martins attackers who posed serious danger throughout the hour’s hurling. Others who contributed positively with a high work rate were up-front target man Tadhg O’Dwyer (0-05), Sean Deely (0-04), Oisin Bateman (0-03), Jamie O’Keeffe (0-01), and Niall Mullins but over the closing quarter, with the heat and hard ground taking its toll on players, the introduction of Ed Lauhoff, Noah Minogue, Conor McEvoy and Conor Heffernan freshened the Village line-up as St. Martins piled on the pressure adding three late points. However, amid the helter-skelter of the final few minutes substitute Conor McEvoy finished the scoring for James Stephens in the 34th minute for a hard earned 1-20 to 0-17 victory. A further testing fixture lies ahead against Tullogher-Rosbercon on Saturday next in Thomastown.

GOING TO DOGS

On Friday evening next, 8th August, club members and friends will be going “To the Dogs” in the Kilkenny Greyhound track in support of the club’s ongoing development projects in Larchfield and on the Kells Road. Tickets for the family fun evening cost €10 with free entry for accompanied children. All admission tickets will be entered in a draw on the night. Why not come along enjoy the craic and the racing while hopefully winning a few bob, all for a good cause.

HANDBALL CHAMPS

Congratulations to the club’s multi-talented sportsman, Joe Hennessy and his trusty partner, Johnny Brennan (St. Martins) who retained their All-Ireland Ruby Handball Doubles title with an energy draining 21-17, 21-17 victory over their Galway opponents in the Croke Park Handball Arena last weekend. In the semi-final they accounted for a strong Limerick partnership. This was the 14th All-Ireland Doubles title, seven 40x20 and a further seven 60x30 championships the dynamic duo have won over the years.

U-14 LEAGUE SEMI-FINAL

INTERMEDIATE HURLING LEAGUE

A notable piece of club history was made when the James Stephens hurlers took to the field on Saturday evening for their first round Intermediate league/championship fixture against St. Martins on a well-presented Ballyragget playing surface. Happily, they returned to the city just over an hour

With tension mounting in the 29th minute the pressurised Village defence conceded a free which gave Bennettsbridge the narrowest of leads as time was running out for the city lads. In the frenzied added time James Stephens won a long free which Henry Phelan despatched towards the square, deceiving the defenders and was scrambled over the line for the match winning score. Feeding off the relief, points by Joe Hanrahan and J.J. Fogarty finished the scoring to give The Village a hard earned 4-09 to 3-07 victory.

JAMES STEPHENS – A LIFE AND LEGACY

On Tuesday morning, 19th August, the Loughboy Library will host a talk by local historian Larry Scallan on James Stephens -- A Life and Legacy -- as part of Heritage week. James Stephens, a Fenian and founding member of the IRB, was born in 1825. He took part in the Young Ireland Rising and inspired leadership in the struggle for Irish Independence. Attendees will learn about the patriot’s life and the history of James Stephens Barracks. Places are limited so phone 056-7794175 or email loughboy@ kilkennylibrary.ie to book a place. The talk will be repeated on Tue. 26th. @6pm in Mayfair library. Booking is essential. Phone: 056 779 4174 / Email: mayfair@kilkennylibrary.ie

WISDOM AND WELLBEING

A two-part workshop on Wisdom and Wellbeing by Deirdre Lindy will be hosted by the Loughboy Library on Thursday, 21st and 28th August from 10.30 to 12.30 on both mornings. The two-part workshop gives space to reflect on the strengths we have built over the years and explores how they support us in our wellbeing in everyday life. The workshops are for adults of all ages and attendance at both sessions is required. As places are limited phone or email (see above) the library to book a place

JERSEY ON TOUR

We are at the height of the holiday season so members, players and supporters, are urged to include the famous Village colours in the suitcase. Shop supervisor Breda Manogue has issued a challenge to determine how far in the world the famous Red and Green jersey has travelled during the holiday season. To be included in the search send a photo of yourself wearing the club colours from the resort /country you are holidaying in to let the folks back home see how far the colours have travelled. Entries must be posted to with Breda at bmanogue36@gmail.com before the 1st. September. A prize of a €50 voucher from the club shop will be awarded to the winning entry.

SUMMER CAMP

James Stephens and Bennettsbridge supporters were treated to a battle royal as their U-14 hurlers fought out a pulsating contest with fortunes seesawing throughout the hour in their determination to win a place in the 2025 Kilkenny U-14 “A” league final. Such was the competitiveness of the fixture with both defences in command that it took 4 minutes for Bennettsbridge to register the first score of the game followed 3 minutes later by a similar score for James Stephens. The ‘Bridge were the first to breach the Village defence with a goal in the first quarter to take a 1-04 to 0-01 lead at the 15th minute mark. Points from Jeffrey Cleere (16min), Aston Maher (17 and 21mins) kept The Village in touch before a long delivery from Jim Clune ended in the net to level up at 1-04 each in the 24th minute. A scramble finish to the net by Aston Maher in the 26th minute shot The Village lads into the lead but, it prompted a swift response from the home club who engineered two three pointers, the 2nd a deflection from a mishit free to give Bennettsbridge a 3-04 to 2-04 lead at the break. From the 2nd half throw-in, lightning fast J.J. Fogarty won possession, soloed through the ‘Bridge defence for an equalising goal. With tight marking the hallmark of both defences scores continued to be hard earned but points from Donal Power (2min) and Aston Maher opened a two point lead for James Stephens at the 13th minute. All the while the James Stephens defence, marshalled superbly by centre back Henry Phelan with solid support from the full back line of Art Cowhig, Jack Ryan, Codie Owens (also substitute Jack Hennessy for the injured Jim Clune) together with wing men Conor O’Hara and Aidan O’Shea gave little away to their dangerous opponents. A point from Yehor Ahalakov in the 21st minute was followed by a vital reflex save by goalkeeper James Hennessy forfeiting a point instead for the home team which levelled matters at 3-07 each.

helped with the liturgy, readers, choir, Eucharistic Ministers and sacristans. He paid tribute to Kevin Davey and Sean Galway who maintain the graveyard all year round. A committee has now been formed to oversee all matters relating to the graveyard. This group includes, Pat Lawlor, Kevin Davey, Owena Kinsella, Richard Comerford and David Dowling. A comprehensive list of all graves has been compiled by Pat and can be seen in the church porch.

EXHIBITION LAUNCH

Months of work will come to fruition today, Friday when members of the Bennettsbridge Art Group launch their 2025 Art exhibition in the Community Centre. Senator Malcolm Noonan will perform the opening ceremony at 7pm. All are welcome.

LOTTO

There was no winner of the Jackpot. The numbers drawn were, 2, 4, 14, 24. Consolation Prizes went to, Charlie Hoyne, Shangarry Syndicate, Ann Ryan, Woodlawn, Seamus Cummins, Dunbell, Bernard Minogue, Thomastown.

CLARA BRIDGE CLUB

Clara Bridge Club is running Bridge lessons for beginners and improvers starting on Monday 25th August. The Club will resume playing after the summer break on Monday 15th September. The Club meets on Monday nights in Connolly’s, Dunbell. New members are most welcome to join our Bridge Club. If interested, please message Barbara on 0868629171.

SYMPATHY

Sympathy is extended to Brigid O’Neill, Ballyreddin on the death of her mother, Mary Meany (Née Kerwick), Cellarstown, Kilkenny and formerly of Corstown, Kilmanagh, Co. Kilkenny.

Mary passed away on 29th July 2025, in the wonderful care of the staff in the Barrow Ward at St Luke’s Hospital, Kilkenny. Predeceased by her husband Pat, her infant son Patrick, her parents Philip and Bridget Kerwick and her brother Joe. Beloved mother of John, Josephine, Patricia (Patsy), Brigid, Marie, Philip and Liam. Mary is also mourned by her daughter-in-law, sons-in-law and partners, sister Ella, her many grandchildren, great grandchildren, nephews, nieces, neighbours, friends and all at the Alzheimer Day Centre and Side by Side Club. Reposal was in Johnston’s Funeral Home, John’s Green, with Rosary and Vigil Prayers recited. Requiem Mass was celebrated in St. John’s Church, Kilkenny. Burial took place in St. Kieran’s Cemetery. CAMOGIE

The numbers are filling up fast for the club’s popular Summer Camp to start on Monday next 11th August and finishing on Friday 15th. The camp is for club members, boys and girls between the ages of 5 and 12 and will take place in Pairc Sheamuis Stiophan, daily from 10am to 1.30pm. The fee is €50 per child and €40 for each additional child in a family. The young participants are assured of an enjoyable week’s coaching in the skills of our national games hurling, Gaelic football and camogie in a fun filled and safe environment. Microsoft application forms need to be filled out to confirm a place on the camp. Each age group’s lead coach will have all the details.

HURLER’S CO-OP DRAW

Unfortunately, the club had no winners in the final draw of the 2025 Hurler’s Co-op draw, which has never happened before but that’s the luck of the draw as the saying goes. Nevertheless, the club’s Finance Committee would like to thank the many club members, players, their families, supporters and sponsors who contributed to the draw which is a major fundraiser for the ongoing development projects being undertaken by the club.

LOTTO

Last week’s numbers were: 2, 7, 25, 29. There was no winner. The €40 consolation winners were Margaret Breen, Mick Walsh, Orla Neary, Paddy Foley and Rachel and Milo.

BENNETTSBRIDGE

CEMETERY MASSES

The annual cemetery masses in the parish were observed last weekend with a large crowd attending in both venues. In Tullaherin Fr Pat Dalton was the celebrant, the lessons were read by Pamela O’Keeffe and the choir sang accompanied by Christine O’Neill. Thanks went to all concerned with the preparations leading up to the mass. In Bennettsbridge mass was celebrated by Fr Pat Duggan with the lessons being read by Mary Walpole. The parish choir sang and Christine O’Neill once again was the organist. The graveyard was in pristine condition and Fr Duggan thanked all who

Senior Inter County Camogie Goalkeeper Aoife Norris was welcomed to Bennettsbridge last week. She did a session with the under 12s and 14s and a second session with the under 16s and minors. A small presentation was made to her on behalf of the club, and she kindly stayed around to sign jerseys and hurls after training. Thanks, Aoife, for taking the time to visit our club.

GAA

Club Games; Hard luck to the seniors who lost out to Shamrocks on a scoreline of 3-22 to 1-21 in the opening round of the league. We hope to bounce back against Dicksboro in round two this Saturday at 6 pm in Clara. Best of luck to all the lads, all support appreciated. Hard luck to our junior E team who lost out in the quarter final to Glenmore. We hosted Clara and Graigue Ballycallan last Saturday in the senior league with a big crowd in attendance. Thanks to all who helped out with stewarding on the day. Best wishes also to Jamie Walsh in action with the Kilkenny under 16s at the minute and to Ben Fitzgerald, Reuben Morrissey and Evan O’Dwyer with the Kilkenny under 14s. Darragh McCormack is in action for the Kilkenny under 16 football team at present. Well done to all.

SIGNAGE CAMPAIGN

The Bennettsbridge GAA Pitch signage campaign is having great success with many local business people availing of the opportunity to promote their products. There are still places available and many thanks to all the business owners who have supported so far. If interested please contact Alan Flynn or Alan Morrissey.

PILTOWN DRAW 2025

The fifth and final draw of 2025 took place on July 29th. Well done to Shane Doyle who followed up a win in the last draw by winning 300 euro in this draw. Thanks again to all who supported a vital fundraiser for the day to day running of the club.

HEALTHY CLUBS

To raise awareness of the dangers of Skin cancer the Bennettsbridge Healthy club, in association with the NCCP, has installed a sun screen dispenser in the old dressing rooms for use and uploaded information on the dangers of skin cancer on the club’s social media pages.

JAMES STEPHENS GAA AND CAMOGIE CLUB

FIELD DAY 2025

This year’s field day will take place on Sunday, August 31st in the club grounds. Anyone wishing to help out or display any craft or other items, please contact Andrea Kelly.

NEW AWAY JERSEY AND BASEBALL HAT

Our new away jersey is now for sale online on the club’s O’Neill’s shop. A baseball hat has also now been added to the range. Go to the website and simply enter Bennettsbridge in the search box to see the New Jersey and all other Bridge gear for sale.

SPLIT THE POT

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

ST MARY’S PARISH

LAKE PRODUCTIONS PRESENT

Lake Productions present ‘The man born to be King’. A performance of the last dramatic weeks in the life of Jesus, with a cast of thirty players and featuring The Kilkenny Gospel Choir, at the Black

Abbey church Kilkenny, where history and mystery meet. ‘The man born to be King’, is adapted for stage by Stephen Street author John Morton, and directed by Darren Donohoe. Presented by Lake Productions, it will run at the Black Abbey from September 9th to 11th. - 7.30 nightly. Booking, now open through Eventbrite. Supported by Kilkenny County Council through the Public Commemoration Scheme.

SAMARITANS SHOP

Samaritans shop in St Kieran’s Street would welcome volunteers to help in the shop. If you have three hours a week to spare and would enjoy working in a shop environment please contact Ann on 086 6038985.

BLESSED STATUE OF THE SACRED HEART

In this Jubilee Year of Hope 2025, the Pilgrim Statue of the Sacred Heart, blessed by Pope Francis on 8th January 2025, continues its pilgrimage throughout Ossory and Ireland. Monday, 4th - 16th August 2025: Church of the Sacred Heart, Moneenroe, Co. Kilkenny. Saturday, 16th August 2025: Bishop Niall will celebrate Mass at 6.00 p.m. in the Church of the

Heart, Moneenroe, Clogh, Co. Kilkenny, after which the Statue will leave the Diocese of Ossory.

BOOK FAIR

A book fair with a wide range of second hand books in good condition will take place in St John’s Parish Centre from 11am to 6pm on Friday 8th, Saturday 9th and Sunday 10th August. All proceeds will go to The Rise and Shine Trust (formerly Irish Pilgrimage Trust) of which Fr Dan is the spiritual director. The Trust provides a fun Trip to Lourdes each Easter for young people with additional needs. Books may be dropped to the Sacristy or Presbytery during the week. Have a look - choose a book - support a trip!

MEN’S JUBILEE CAMINO

Men’s hike - Sat Sept 13th 20kms, on greenway, from Dominican Abbey (ruin) in Carlingford to Newry (St Catherine’s) via Newry Cathedral (Jubilee Indulgence). Mass, Adoration, Rosary, Confessions and Fraternity. Registration and details on www.dominicans.ie/events/ €70 (Lunch, dinner & bus), over 18s male event. Enquiries to op.evangelisation@ gmail.com.

BOOKSHOP

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

GORESBRIDGE PAULSTOWN

ANTIQUES AUCTIONS (GORESBRIDGE)

Our next auction takes place August 18th. Suitable items now being accepted. Contact 087 2569496 for more details or email goresbridgeantiques@gmail.com

BARROW RANGERS

Barrow Rangers Camogie Joanne Barcoe Memorial day took place on Sunday 3rd August in Paulstown.

It was a special day with plenty of tears as people enjoyed watching photos of Johanne’s days wearing the Barrow Rangers jersey and when they played her signature song “You’ll never walk alone”. Never to be forgotten.

LOTTO

There was no jackpot winner of the lotto on 30th July. No Match 3 winner. The winners of the monthly 300 Club draw of 27th July (for €1,000) were Ben and Trish Healy.

BRIDGE UNITED

There was no winner in last week’s lotto draw. Match 3 numbers prize of €100 to Ross Whitford. Promoter’s prize to Chris and John Barcoe. Tickets cost €2 and can be bought locally or click on the Clubforce link.

There will be a summer soccer camp for children

aged 4-14 from 19th to 21th August. Information on the club facebook page.

The Youth and B Team awards night will be held in Maher’s pub, Goresbridge this Friday (8th August) at 7.30pm

CHURCH SERVICES

Weekend masses are held on Saturday in Goresbridge at 7.30pm and on Sunday at 10am in Goresbridge and at 11.30am in Paulstown. Weekday masses at 10am in Paulstown on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday and at 10am on Wednesday in Goresbridge. Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament takes place each Tuesday from the end of mass in Paulstown to 5.45pm. Church of Ireland services take place at 11.30am in Goresbridge this Sunday 10 August.

TALK THE TALK Cupla focal (Irish language conversation circle) continues this Friday at 11am in the Goodly Barrow. FOR THE DIARY

Carlow County Council is delighted to announce a Bulky Waste Drop-Off event taking place from Monday, 19th August to Friday, 23rd August 2025 at Powerstown Civic Amenity Site, Kilkenny Road, Carlow (Eircode: R93 RF22) during normal opening hours. Please note: This offer is strictly for householders only.

HORSE SALES (GORESBRIDGE)

Go for gold 3-year old selections take place 25-26 August. Entries close very soon for the International Sport Horse Sale and Performance Connemara Sale to take place on 3-10 September.

SHANKILL CASTLE

Shankill castle is open to the public each weekend (11.00am - 5pm).

SPLIT THE POT

In aid of Goresbridge Rural Development has gone online. Simply scan the QR code or go to lottoraiser. ie Results of the draw of 3rd August were: 1. ‘The Brannach’ (€100), 2. Deirdre Moloney (€20), 3. Maire Burke.

DONATIONS

Tar Isteach is looking for good quality bric a brac, household items, it comes in and goes out twice as fast - also good quality men’s clothes, handbags etc. we have enough toys and books for the moment!

TRADITIONAL MUSIC CONCERT

Mick McAuley and John Doyle will perform in concert at Ionad Dara on Friday 5th September at 8.30pm. These artists have toured the World with USA based Supergroup Solas and also as a duo. They have performed with some of the biggest names in the music business. Support on the night will be provided by local Kilkenny musician and singer Gerry Walsh. This promises to be a fantastic night. Tickets €23 available from Gerry Kavanagh 086-0443152 or Eventbrite.ie

KILMACOW

Sacred

Senior Intercounty camogie goalkeeper, Aoife Norris, visited Bennettsbridge Camogie Club last week

Senior intercounty camogie Goalkeeper Aoife pictured with Bennettsbridge Camogie players.

Tom Healy

Community & GAA Notes

KILMACOW LOTTO

The winning numbers in last week’s lotto were 4, 7, 22, and 28. There were five Match 3 winners.

ROSEDALE CLASSIC

The annual Rosedale Classic will be held on Friday, 22nd August at Waterford Golf Course. The cost per table of four is €120. Please contact Martin Bolger or Éamon Rice for details and tee times.

MAINTENANCE OF OLD GRAVEYARD

The working group for local graveyards will continue its work for this year at the Lower Street,

Kilmacow from 2.00pm on Saturday, 9th August. All offers of assistance appreciated.

ECUMENICAL SERVICE OF REMEMBRANCE

Kilmacow Parish Old Graveyard Committee will host an ecumenical service of remembrance in the graveyard in Lower Kilmacow on Friday, 22nd August. It will also include a heritage talk as part of the programme of events for Heritage Week in Kilkenny.

GO FUND ME

The Sports Complex Committee’s Go Fund Me page is still open for donations. The funds received will

be used for the maintenance, repair and enhancement of the facilities and amenities at the Sports Complex.

MULLINAVAT

HERITAGE WEEK IN MULLINAVAT

As part of Heritage Week in Kilkenny there will be a tour and description of the operations of the water powered Corn Mill and Drying Kiln at Deerpark, Mullinavat from 1.00pm to 4.00pm on Sunday, 17th august. This event will also feature a Vintage Machinery display from Buckstown Vintage Club. For more details please ring 087 798 8275 or e-mail jjeck.dunphy@gmail.com.

HERITAGE FUNDING

The Built Heritage Investment Scheme is now open for applications. It provides support of between €2,500 and €50,000 to assist with the repair and conservation of historic buildings and structures. In doing so it helps owners of buildings with statutory protection to meet their obligations under the Planning and Development Acts, and supports the employment of conservation professionals and craftspeople in the repair of the historic built environment. The closing date for applications is 5pm Friday, 26th September 2025. Also open is the Built Heritage Historic Thatched Buildings Grant Scheme. The purpose of the scheme is to protect the heritage value of historic thatched roof buildings across Ireland, including dwellings and other structures. All applications are assessed under the Significance of the Structure, Efficacy of Works, Quality of the Works and the Contribution to Public Amenity. The closing date for applications is 5pm Friday, 26th September 2025. Please see the Kilkenny County Council website for further information and application forms or telephone Francis Coady, Conservation Officer at 056 7794376.

FAMILY OPEN DAY

Óglaigh na hÉireann are hosting a Family Open Day at Stephens Barracks, Kilkenny from 11.00am to 2.00pm on Wednesday, 13th August. Everyone is welcome to come and enjoy this family day out.

BALLYRAGGET BALLYOUSKILL

THANK YOU

Many thanks to all who supported the run in

Castlecomer Discovery Park in aid of Cois Nore as it celebrated its first year in the communities. Remember Aileen is available in Dr Hogan’s rooms each Monday morning.

SYMPATHY

Sympathies are sent to the Delaney family in Brookville on the passing of Philomena. To her husband Andrew, children Sinead and Trevor, grandchildren Fergal and Laura, daughter-in-law Dearbhla, son-in-law Derry, sisters Kathleen, Mary and Sheila, brother Martin, sisters-in-law, brothersin-law, nieces, nephews, relatives, neighbours and friends. May her gentle soul rest in peace.

ST PATRICK’S GAA BALLYRAGGET

The junior side had their opening game against John Lockes Callan on Sunday finishing on a scoreline of St.Patricks 2-25 to John Lockes 3-20. The next game is this Saturday in Cloneen against Barrow Rangers at 2pm.

KILMANAGH

MASS TIMES

Saturday August 9th: Tulla at 6pm and Tullaroan at 7:30pm. Sunday August 10th: Ballycallan at 9:30am and Freshford at 11:00am. Saturday August 16th: Kilmanagh at 6pm and Tullaroan at 7:30pm. Sunday August 17th: Ballycallan at 9:30am and Freshford at 11:00am. Killaloe, Tulla and Kilmanagh will share the 6pm mass on a 1,2,3 basis.

McALISKEY SCHOOL OF DANCING

Come and join our dancing school. Now enrolling for September for Children aged 4 and above. Classes available on Tuesdays in both Callan and Kilmanagh. Contact Seána on 083 863 8436 for further details.

GOLF CLASSIC

Mount Carmel Supported Care Home Annual Golf Classic on Friday 29th and Saturday 30th August 2025. Team Entry Fee €100. For Tee Times contact John Healy on 086 166 4256 or Margaret Maher on 087 960 6440.

We are appealing to your generosity for this very worthy fundraiser, which you have so kindly supported in the past. Your Sponsorship can be given in any of the following ways; 1. Monetary Donation; 2. Donation of prizes for the Golf Classic; Bank Account Details: IBAN: IE53AIBK93309014719192 ; BIC: AIBKIE2D

MOUNT CARMEL DRAW

We would like to thank you very much for your continued support to all our residents in Mount Carmel by supporting our monthly draw. The time has come to join up again if you wish, we would really appreciate it. You can join at www.mountcarmelcallan.ie It’s still €25 for the year (12 draws).

CEMETERY MASSES

Killaloe Pattern will take place on 9th August at 8:30pm. Tulla Cemetery mass will also take place on 9th August at the earlier time of 6pm. Tullaroan Cemetery mass will take place on Friday 15th August and St. Michael’s Pattern will take place on Sunday 28th September.

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.

JOHNSTOWN

JUMA

MUSIC AND ART

Kilkenny Co.Co. Creative Ireland Team ,Music Generation, KCETB youth office in partnership with Ossory Youth, Foroige and the local community in Johnstown and Urlingford are offering creative opportunities to young people to benefit from creative workshops in September. Explore your creativity through poetry, creative writing, illustration, painting, felt and ceramics in St Kieran’s Hall on Thursdays 6pm to 8pm from Sept 4th to November 6th. Creative music production and live looping on Mondays from 5pm to 6.30pm from Sept 1st to November 3rd in same venue and clay making in Urlingford Community Childcare on Tuesdays from 6pm to 8pm from Sept 2nd to Nov 4th. Children 10plus and teenagers 14 plus. Book your place before August 21st at 0567786896 or email youthoffice@kcetb.ie or musicgenerationkilkenny@kcetb. ie.

FENIANS SUMMER KIDS CAMP

Fenians Summer Kids Camp will run from August 12th to 14th from 10am to 1pm. Three days of fun, enjoyment and skill development for children age 4 to 13 years. Bring a packed lunch. Cost € 30 per child, € 25 for second child, € 20 for third/fourth child.

High Field at Sports Complex

Barrow Rangers Camogie clash with Myshall

The winning numbers were 3,8,13,28. No jackpot winner and two match three Eimear Power and

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.

THE ROSARY

Will be recited at Our Lady’s Grotto, Glengoole on weekday evenings at 6pm, Saturday before 6pm Mass and Sunday 12 noon.

BOULICK CEMETERY

Boulick cemetery mass will take place next Tuesday 12th August at 7.30pm. If anyone wishes to take part in the choir you would be very welcome.

FENNOR CEMETERY

There was a very large attendance at the annual Fennor Mass. Fr James Walton was the concelebrant of the Mass. Brian Norton did the first reading and the second reading was read by Geraldine Moriarty. The prayers of the faithful were recited by Liam Hogan, Olivia Wall, Paula McCormack, Rita Langton, Louise Norton, Pat Rochford and Grainne O’Dwyer. Special prayers were offered for all buried in Fennor, especially Sean Dunne, Dublin and formerly the Glebe Fennor, Kitty Norton, Ballingarry, Michael Hogan, Ballysloe, Elizabeth Eyres (nee Moriarty), Manchester and formely Fennor also her husband Robert Eyres, Manchester. Minister of the Eucharist was Breda Hickey and Marian Teehan. Reflection after Holy Communion was read by Michelle Barnaville. A special word of thanks to the wonderful choir which included musicians and singers from Gortnahoe and Urlingford choirs, under the direction of Margaret Maher and Sean Hennessey. The selection of hymns on the night were uplifting and added greatly to our special Mass, sincere thanks to all concerned. Families must be commended for putting beautiful flower bouquets on their family graves and it is also appreciated to see flowers throughout the year as a tribute to those who departed this life. A special word of thanks to Jodie Moriarty for his care of the graveyard and also the dedicated Committee who help throughout the year and especially in the organising of the Mass and the collection. A sincere thanks to everyone who contributed to the upkeep of the graveyard.

BALLYNONTY FESTIVAL

The festival will take place this weekend the 9th and 10th August.

MUSIC ON THE REEN

Music on the Reen will take place on Sunday 17th August commencing at 2pm. All are welcome.

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. A sincere thanks to everyone who supported the special bingo last weekend. Your continued support is always appreciated by the Committee.

hurlers recording good wins.

The juniors were first in action when they faced Piltown in the opening round of the JJ Kavanagh and Sons Junior League in Dunnamaggin. Having been behind by a point by half time, Conahy produced a strong finish in the final minutes to win out by 0-24 to 1-19. They can now look forward to their next league game tonight against Emeralds in Freshford at 7.00 p.m.

TEAM: Karl Downey, Darragh Hennessy, Philip Cass, Liam Cass, Darren Cuddihy, Brian Healy, Eoin Cahill, John Kennedy, Ciaran Rice, Thomas Rice, James Bergin, Mark Gunner, Rob Ring, Kieran Mooney, Bill Murphy. Subs.: Sean Brennan, Jack Murphy, Brooklyn Synott.

The junior E hurlers took on Windgap in a Junior E relegation playoff, and produced a great performance to win out by 4-20 to 0-15 to maintain their status for 2026. A great blend of youth and experience was a credit to all involved.

TEAM: Brian Gallagher, Patrick Nolan, Tom Nolan, Conor Hennessy, Martin Fitzpatrick, Denis Kelly, Michael Bergin, Tommy Mulhall, Jake Dooley, Pat Byrne, Declan Buggy, John Wallace, Padraic Nolan, Gary Kavanagh, David Kennedy. Subs.: Brian Rossiter, Kieran Delaney, Tom O’Shea, Padraig Conway, Sean Walsh.

CLUB LOTTO

400 CLUB DRAW JULY

1st prize €200 Eoin Teehan, Grangecastle, 2nd prize €100 Maura Norton, Graiguewood. Other prize winners were Tony and Mary Wall, Fennor, Darragh Scott, Inchorourke, Jamie, Conor and Killian Hannigan, Glengoole South, Mary Harding, Glengoole, Maeve and Brendan Maher, Littlefield, James Tobin, Coalbrook, Hannah and Sarah McCormack, Poynstown and Tom and Marie Duggan, Foilacamin. Promoters prize winner was Nic Wilson.

400 CLUB DRAW AUGUST

1st prize €200 Liam Lanigan & Georgina Crowe, Clonamondra, 2nd prize €100 Mary Fogarty, Longfordpass. Other prize winners were Billy and Statia Walshe, St. Anne’s Terrace, Teresa Bartley, Rathbeg, Joan Morris, Foilacamin, Anne Stokes, Gortnahoe, Denis Large, Urard, Tom and Dolly Ryan, Boulick, Michael Campion, Graigue and Fr. Tomas O’Connell, Pallasgreen. Promoters prize winner was Joan Morris.

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 Pat Barnaville, who won €249 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. Split the Pot for August is in aid of Ballysloe Tidy Towns. The draw takes place each Sunday at 12pm in Gortnahoe Hall. Your support would be appreciated.

HOPE FOUNDATION

Lucy Keogh Barnaville is going to India with the Hope Foundation next year. To raise money she has an idonate raffle setup and the prizes are signed Tipperary jersey and signed Munster jersey. To donate go to https://www.idonate.ie/raffle/HopeLucykeogh

PEADAR MCMONAGLE RIP

Sympathy to the family of Peadar McMonagle who died recently in England.

ELIZABETH MORIARTY EYRES

The death has occurred of Elizabeth Moriarty Eyres, Middleton Manchester and formerly Fennor, Urlingford, Thurles. Elizabeth and her husband Bob’s ashes were interred in Fennor cemetery on May 30th. Elizabeth is survived by her son Robert and daughter-in-law Tanya and her cherished grandchildren Charlize, Bobby, Jack, George and Poppy. She is also deeply missed by her brothers Eddie and Thomas and her sisters Bridget and Joan and her sister-in-law Pamela, her much loved nieces and nephews and all her extended family and friends. Her memory will forever be treasuered by those who knew and loved her. May they rest in peace.

CONAHY

HURLING

Last Saturday was a very successful day for Conahy Shamrocks hurling with both the junior and junior E

The numbers drawn in the most recent GAA Lotto draw were 11, 18 and 24. Kevin Healy was the lucky winner of the €1,800 jackpot. The promoter prize winners were Nora Delaney, Teresa Dollard and Toddy Lacey. Many thanks to everyone who continues to support the GAA Club Lotto.

“FUTURE STARS” SUMMER CAMP

Conahy Shamrocks GAA and Camogie Club’s “Future Stars” Summer Camp will take place from Tuesday, August 12th to Thursday, August 14th for all primary school children. Registration costs €40 per child can be made through ClubZap or by contacting Conor Brennan on 086-8100167.

POLO GROUNDS SPONSORSHIP

Recently, Conahy Shamrocks GAA and Camogie Club has undertaken a pitch side sponsorship programme, and this has been a huge success todate. Over the last 12 weeks, the club have placed 53 advertisements around the main playing pitch in the Polo Grounds. Another 17 advertisements can still be accommodated around the pitch, and in this regard the club is asking members and parishioners for help to secure additional sponsors. If any business / family / group of friends would like to discuss this option please contact Brian Gallagher on 087-1365666.

COIS NORE OUTREACH SUPPORT

Cois Nore Outreach cancer support service will be visiting Ballyragget every Monday morning from 10am to 12 noon at Dr. Hogan’s Rooms, the Square in Ballyragget and in Castlecomer on Wednesday mornings from 10am to 12 noon at the Old Courthouse, Kilkenny Street, Castlecomer. Please call in to Aileen for a chat, cup of tea and support, or for registration to the free and confidential services available in the Cois Nore Cancer Support Centre in Walkin Street in Kilkenny. All enquiries are welcome.

CASTLECOMER LIBRARY EVENTS

Some upcoming events in Castlecomer Library include the following:

Lego Club - Enjoy making Lego with other Lego fans starting on Saturday, August 16th from 11.30 to 12.30. Each month we will have a different theme/ set a new building challenge for the session. This is suitable for 7-12 year olds. Booking is essential by contacting 056-4440561 or emailing castlecomer@ kilkennylibrary.ie.

Wonder Wander walking trail challenge (Heritage Week Event) - From Saturday, August 16th to Sunday, August 24th, we are encouraging everyone to lace up their walking boots and set off on the historic Wonder Wander Walking trail of Castlecomer as part of National Heritage Week. Enjoy the historic sites along the route while you get your steps in! All those who complete the trail and send a picture of their favourite historic site to castlecomer@kilkennylibrary.ie will be entered into a raffle draw.

Explore the Past with Digital Tools: A Workshop by Kilkenny Library’s Local Studies Team - On Thursday, August 21st, from 11.00 a.m. from 12.30 p.m., join the Kilkenny Library Local Studies team for an engaging and hands-on workshop exploring the rich world of digital newspaper archives. Discover how to access and navigate historical newspapers online, uncover local stories, trace family histories, and bring the past to life through digital research tools. Booking is essential by contacting 0564440561 or emailing castlecomer@kilkennylibrary. ie.

THREECASTLES HERITAGE WEEK EVENT

Threecastles Heritage Group invites you to join them at Threecastles Graveyard, Ardaloo Road, on Wednesday, August 20th at 7.00 p.m., to celebrate the history of this important landmark. After months of clean-up by a dedicated group of Volunteers, we are delighted to welcome everyone to this special evening. Access to the graveyard is by a small number of steps. Light refreshments will follow.

HUGGINSTOWN NEWMARKET STONEYFORD

MASS TIMES

Aghaviller Parish, Hugginstown: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at 9.30a.m. Vigil - Saturday at 8.00p.m.; Sunday at 10.00a.m. Stoneyford: Vigil - Saturday at 6.30p.m Friday 8th. Feast of St. Dominic; Saturday 9th. Feast of St. Teresa Benedicta PRAY FOR

Anniversary Masses: Declan Fennelly, Oldtown: Mass in Stoneyford Church on Saturday 9th. August at 6.30p.m.

ROTA (NINETEENTH SUNDAY OF THE YEAR) Reader, Stoneyford: Saturday 6.30p.m. Margaret Ryan. Hugginstown: Saturday 8.00p.m. John Barron: Sunday 10.00a.m. Deirdre O’Shea. Eucharistic Ministers: Stoneyford, Saturday 6.30p.m. Jakub Smolen. Hugginstown: Saturday 8.00pm. Teresa Broderick. Sunday 10.00am. Ruth Crowley. 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.

STONEYFORD TEXT ALERT AGM:

On Wednesday the 3rd. of September, Stoneyford Text Alert will hold their AGM at 7.30p.m. in the Community Centre and everyone is invited to attend. Existing committee members are stepping down and a new committee will be elected.

ST PATRICK’S PONTIFICAL UNIVERSITY, MAYNOOTH:

Applications are still open at St Patrick’s Pontifical University, Maynooth for programmes in Theology and Pastoral Liturgy (Higher Diploma/Diploma options). Visit their website for more details at www. sppu.ie/courses.

BLACK ABBEY

Lake Productions will present “The Man Born to be King” on the 9th, 10th and 11th September at 7.30p.m. each evening in The Black Abbey, Kilkenny. This religious play will be presented in conjunction with the Black Abbey in celebrating of their 800th. Anniversary.

BLESSED STATUE OF THE SACRED HEART

From Monday 4th. to 16th. August in the Church of the Sacred Heart, Moneenroe. On Saturday, 16th. August: Bishop Niall will celebrate Mass at 6.00p.m. in the Church of the Sacred Heart, Moneenroe, Clogh, after which the Statue will leave the Diocese of Ossory.

LOTTO

Aghaviller Parish and Carrickshock G. A. A. Draw: Monday 28th. July 2025 Numbers: 27; 24; 06; 10. No Winner of First 3 Numbers Drawn: No Jackpot Winner: €30.00. Winners: Shauna Kelly, Ennisnag: P. and C. Hudson, c/o James Irish; Eileen Walsh, Garrygaug; Martina Delaney c/o Kenneally’s; Martin Bambrick, Hugginstown. 3 x €15.00 (Sellers): Kathleen Fennelly; Pat Power; Breda O’Meara THOMASTOWN LIBRARY

Opening Times, Tuesdays: 10.00a.m. to 1.00p.m. and 2.00p.m. to 5.00p.m. Wednesdays: 10.00a.m. to 1.00p.m.: 2.00p.m. to 5.00p.m.: 5.30.m. to 8.00p.m. Thursdays: 10.00a.m. to 1.00p.m. and 2.00p.m. to 5.00p.m. Fridays: 10.00a.m. to 1.00p.m. and 2.00p.m. to 5.00p.m. Saturdays: 10.00a.m. to 1.30p.m. (closed on Saturday of Bank Holiday weekends)

HOPE FOR OUR PILGRIM JOURNEY

The Priory Institute, two week on-line Summer School is reflective, informative and interactive and will run from 11th. August. The course includes eight recorded presentations and two on-line zoom discussions and is very flexible as it is delivered entirely online. Find out more and register at prioryinstitute.com

MEN’S JUBILEE CAMINO

Men’s Hike – On Saturday September 13th. Distance 20kms. Walking on Greenway from Dominican Abbey (ruin) in Carlingford to Newry (St Catherine’s) via Newry Cathedral (Jubilee Indulgence). Mass, Adoration, Rosary, Confessions & Fraternity. Registration and details on www.dominicans. ie/events/: over 18’s male event. Enquiries to op.evangelisation@gmail.com.

Michelle Carroll.

Deerpark Mill, Mullinavat

Sport

BY NIALL SHERRY SPORTS EDITOR SPORTSEDITOR@KILKENNYOBSERVER.IE

St. Canice’s Credit Union Senior Hurling League

So, we are up and running on the club front. All teams have got a little action under their belts as spectators were treated to plenty of rip-roaring action during round one of the St. Canice’s Credit Union Senior Hurling League. Proceedings got underway with the meeting of Shamrocks Ballyhale and Bennettsbridge in Thomastown. As you would expect, there was a decent crowd in attendance to witness the return of Henry Shefflin to managerial duties with his beloved south Kilkenny club. Supporters of both sides and many neutrals watched an extremely competitive game which yielded no fewer than four goals and over 40 points as Shamrocks ran out 7-point winners.

Despite being renowned as slow starters to league action, there appeared to be more of a spring in the step of Henry’s charges as they lined out with the likes of TJ and Richie Reid, Eoin Cody and returning travellers, Corcoran’s Darragh and Ronan, and Evan Shefflin. Veteran legend, TJ Reid led the way early on for his side and was the only scorer in the first quarter for the Holden Plant Rental’s sponsored side as he notched 0-5, while the honour of being the 2025 league’s opening scorer fell to the ‘Bridges Bill Hughes inside sixty seconds. Hughes’s Bill and James, along with Jamie Harkin and Liam Blanchfield saw the Bridge trail by just the bare minimum after 15 minutes. The first goal of the game came as Dean Mason utilised the wind at this back to send a booming delivery towards TJ. The forward took the catch before giving a hand pass in the direction of the on-running Niall Shortall, who flicked the sliotar up before rifling his shot past Enda Cleere.

Intercounty star Eoin Cody notched the Shamrocks second major of the evening on 22 minutes and that goal gave Henry’s side a five-point lead but one thing Bennettsbridge always do is battle, and that they did and their endeavor was rewarded with points from Timmy Kelly and Hugh O’Neill and a brace from the impressive Jamie Harkin. As the short whistle approached, Enda Cleere denied Liam Barron a certain goal, his second vital save, having prevented TJ earlier in the game. A pair of placed balls from James Hughes cancelled out efforts from Ronan Corcoran and Richie Reid, the former looking right at home in the engine room following his travels as Shamrocks went into the interval 7-up.

TJ popped over a placed ball to get the second half scoring underway, but with the wind now at theirs backs, the Bridge raised a green flag of their own when some fine work from Timmy Kelly saw the ball moved to young Jack Campion who blasted beyond Dean Mason.

We have lift off!

Cracking ties during round 1 action

Any prospect of the gap narrowing further was quashed when the eye catching Darragh Corcoran struck the third Shamrocks major following a strong run by the number 18 who took a nice pass from Niall Shortall before rifling his shot high beyond the unfortunate Enda Cleere. Shefflin’s side had good performances all over the pitch, household names TJ Reid and Eoin Cody hit 0-11 and 1-4 respectively, while Corcoran’s Ronan and Darragh notched 1-6 between them. There’s no doubt the Shamrocks looked sharp and will be keen to put last season’s disappointing campaign behind them.

Last season’s league champions,

O’Loughlin Gaels had a highly entertaining clash with Glenmore in Mullinavat which saw them win out with just two points to spare. This game swung any matter of ways, and had it have not been for an excellent stop late on from Stephen Murphy which prevented a near-

certain goal for Jason Cody whose effort was brilliantly deflected over for just a white flag, when green looked likely. Brian Hogan’s charges had county stars Huw Lawlor, Mikey Butler, Paddy Deegan and Jordan Molloy all in action, while the men from the south had Cats netminder Eoin Murphy between the sticks and

brother Shane at centre back.

The St Johns Park side had Conor Kelly in lively form and the talented forward finished his evening with 0-11, five of which came from play, while they had telling contributions from Fionan Mackessy (03) and four points shared between Paddy Deegan who was operating at centre forward and second half sub, Conor Heary. Along with his wonder save from Jason Cody,

OLG keeper Stephen Murphy

Jack Buggy cleverly Flicks the Ball Past Padraic Gahan

Liam Blanchfield Heads for goal Chased by Killian Corcoran

also saved smartly to deny Charlie Phelan just before the short whistle. Glenmore will have been disappointed not to take something from the opening weekend, having contributed massively to the contest thanks to good performances from Ian Byrne (0-11), Cathal Beirne (0-6) and County champions, Thomastown got off to a winning start in Callan, edging Tullaroan by two points in a interesting affair, having gone in trailing by five at the interval.

Ken Coogan’s team started quickly and raced into a 2-point lead with nine minutes played in John Locke Park. The game’s first major was struck two minutes later, and it came from The Sash. Jack Keoghan played a long diagonal ball towards Shane Walsh who showed his class in beating Eddie Donnelly before dispatching a fierce shot beyond Diarmuid Galway in the ‘Town goal to extend the lead to five points. Noel Doherty’s side emerged from the changing rooms a different side and set about reducing

the arrears, which seemed to take no time at all as they took the lead with just over five minutes played of the second half. A brace of goals from youngster Colm Treacy coupled with plenty of Donnelly input saw Thomastown claim victory.

There were also wins for Mullinavat, who shot themselves into a commanding 13-point lead, but to their credit the Castlecomer side fought back to make things a little more interesting, but the Vegas Boys did enough to claim the points. Bennettsbridge was the venue for Clara’s narrow win over Graigue Ballycallan as one of the Cats U20 side, Rory Glynn crucial green flag that helped secure the win, having taken a pass, turning and racing towards goal before firing to the net after 19 minutes. Senior county star, Billy Ryan was denied a goal of his own, when Clara netminder Kevin Nolan, somehow managed to deflect the GBC man’s shot behind when a goal seemed likely.

Dicksboro got off to a flier, running out comfortable winners against newly promoted Lisdowney in Páirc Lachtain. Fresh from his USA travels, the talented Cillian Hackett bagged a brace of goals for the Palmerstown based team, while rising star Patrick Lacey put in an eye-catching performance in the absence of more established attackers, Shane

Stapleton and Matthew Kelleher. This round one win will bring renewed hope that the ‘Boro can really lay down a credible challenge this season, with an interesting blend of youth and experience. Round two this weekend will see six games taking place across both senior groups. For me, the most interesting encounters will take place In Clara and Pairc na Ratha. First up, on Saturday evening see’s the meeting of Bennettsbridge and Dicksboro. The Bridge will be looking to bounce back following the opening round defeat to Shamrocks, while ‘Boro will want to build on the victory over Lisdowney. Sunday give’s Gaels the chance to take in the clash between Glenmore and Shamrocks Ballyhale. These near neighbours will relish this derby and no quarter will be given on either side. In other news, it appears that there will be a number of changes on the county front, with bother the minor and U20 sides seeking new managers ahead of the 2026 campaigns. Coming in the wake of the news that Kilkenny great Michael Fennelly will not look to extend his time as Performance Lead with the Na Cait Óga. Lots of sterling work has been done on Noreside in recent seasons and there are some big decisions to be made over the summer.

Sean Ryan gets away from Shane Staunton

Martin Keoghan feels the pain as hes heavily Challenged by Ned Kirwin

Planning notices

Planning notices

KILKENNY COUNTY COUNCIL

I, Thomas Burke wish to apply to the above authority for the retention for the following at 73A Hebron Industrial Estate. Extension to rear of 73A1 measuring 9.140 x 3700m and Extension to rear of 73A2 measuring 9.140 x 4130m.

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.

Signed: Thomas Burke

KILKENNY COUNTY COUNCIL

Significant Further Information for Planning Register No 256

For the construction of a silage pit with an underground seepage tank, concrete apron and all ancillary site works Has been furnished to the Planning Authority in respect of this proposed development, and is available for inspection or purchase at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy at the Offices of the Planning authority during its public open hours of 9:.00 am to 4:00pm.

A submission or observation in relation to the further information or revised plans may be made in writing to the Planning Authority within a period of 5 weeks from the date of receipt of the revised public notices. A submission or observation must be accompanied by the prescribed fee of €20, except in the case of a person or body who has already made a submission or observation and such submission or observation will be considered by the Planning authority in making a decision of the application. The Planning authority may grant permission subject to or without conditions or may refuse to grant permission

KILKENNY COUNTY COUNCIL

I, Micheal Moloney wish to apply to the above authority on behalf of Peter Boland and Jessica Scriven for permission consequent on the grant of outline planning permission ref: 2460533 to construct a 2 storey dwelling, entrance onto laneway, wastewater system, borehole, soakpits and all other associated site works at Rossmore, Callan, Co. Kilkenny. The planning application may be inspected, or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy, at the offices of the Planning Department, Kilkenny County Council, County Hall, John Street, Kilkenny, during its public opening hours 9 a.m.- 1.00 p.m. and 2.00 p.m. – 4.00 p.m. Monday to Friday, and a submission or observation in relation to the application may be made to the Planning Authority in writing on payment of the prescribed fee (€20.00) within the period of 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the Authority of the planning application, and such submissions or observations will be considered by the Planning Authority in making a decision on the application. The Planning Authority may grant permission subject to or without conditions, or may refuse to grant permission.

KILKENNY COUNTY COUNCIL

We, Hannah Lacey and Gary Kelly intend to apply for Planning Permission to construct a new two storey dwelling house, new two storey detached garage, new vehicular site entrance, new proprietary sewage treatment system and percolation area and all associated site development works at, Keatingstown, Co. Kilkenny. The planning application may be inspected, or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy, at the offices of the Planning Department, Kilkenny County Council, County Hall, John Street, Kilkenny, during its public opening hours 9 a.m.- 1.00 p.m. and 2.00 p.m. – 4.00 p.m. Monday to Friday, and a submission or observation in relation to the application may be made to the Planning Authority in writing on payment of the prescribed fee (€20.00) within the period of 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the Authority of the planning application, and such submissions or observations will be considered by the Planning Authority in making a decision on the application. The Planning Authority may grant permission subject to or without conditions, or may refuse to grant permission.

KILKENNY COUNTY COUNCIL

Planning Permission is sought by Loretta Reidy for demolition of rear two storey extension, sun room, and single storey side extension, erection of single storey extensions to side and rear of existing dwelling, installation of external wrap insulation to existing building fabric, internal modifications and renovations and all associated site works at 8 College Road, 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.

Signed: Gittens Murray Architects Ltd., No. 5 William Street, Kilkenny.

Tel No: 056-7753933.

Web:www.gmarch.net

KILKENNY COUNTY COUNCIL

I, Trina Miller intend to apply to Kilkenny County Council for Retention Planning Permission to retain detached garage, shed and extension to the side of existing dwelling house and all associated site development works at Grove, Cuffesgrange, Co. Kilkenny R95 X6F5.

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

KILKENNY COUNTY COUNCIL

We, Kevin Kenny and Claire Nolan intend to apply to Kilkenny County Council for Planning Permission to build a two storey dwelling house, detached garage, private bore well and effluent treatment system and all associated site development works at Ballinaboola, Bennettsbridge, Co. Kilkenny.

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

KILKENNY COUNTY COUNCIL

I, Micheal Moloney wish to apply to the above authority on behalf of Orla Phelan and Stephen Ahearne for outline planning permission to construct a dwelling, garage, entrance, wastewater treatment system, borehole, soakpits & all other associated site works at Kilbraghan, Callan, Co. Kilkenny

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

KILKENNY COUNTY COUNCIL

I, Micheal Moloney wish to apply to the above authority on behalf of Frederick Alan Vickerman for full planning permission to install a new wastewater treatment system & associated works at Windgap, Co. Kilkenny R95 KH6E

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

KILKENNY COUNTY COUNCIL

Planning permission is sought by Niamh Quinlan to construct a new two storey dwelling house and a detached garage, a new entrance driveway, provision of a new sewage treatment plant & percolation area and all associated site developments works at Cloghala, Dungarvan, 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.

Signed: Gittens Murray Architects Ltd., No. 5 William Street, Kilkenny.

Tel No: 056-7753933.

web:www.gmarch.net

KATHLEEN BROPHY 13TH ANNIVERSARY

With loving thoughts of Kathleen, late of Derdimus, Callan Road, Kilkenny, who left our home on 14th August 2012.

Our hearts broke the morning you died

There was no way to ease the pain inside

We wondered how life could go on

Trying to understand that you were gone

We miss you more as time goes by

A thought of you brings a tear to our eye

And all the days we will be sad

We are grateful for the years we had.

We miss you Mam Siobhan & Jack X

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,

1ST ANNIVERSARY OF A DEVOTED HUSBAND AND FATHER

Noel Byrne, late of Parnell Street, Kilkenny, who died on 12th August 2024

This month comes back with sad regret It brings back a day we will never forget The blow was hard the shock severe We never knew your time was near

We miss you more than anyone knows

As each day passes, our emptiness grows The tears we shed will wipe away

But the heartache in our hearts will always stay

In life you toiled In heaven you rest God bless you Noel You were the very best

Always loved and remembered by his loving wife Marian and son Joseph.

Anniversary Mass will take place on Sunday 10th August at 11am in St. Mary’s Cathedral

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. D.C.

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. P.M.

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

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. S.M.

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. S.M.