Crime up 104% in ‘Comer

Castlecomer Garda Station has seen an increase of 104% in crime rates since 2019, with the rate jumping from 80 in 2019 to 163 in 2022.

e Kilkenny garda station made it onto the Irish Independent list for the largest increase in crime rates since pre-pandemic levels. It came third highest of small garda stations across the nation. In Castlecomer, theft was the most prevalent crime e increase was not unex-

46 incidents out of the total 163 o ences recorded in 2022. Public order o ences amounted to 28, while 24 incidents of assaults/threats were also documented. According to the Irish Independent report, crime levels nationally were up 12% last year with almost 211,400 offences recorded – more than 22,600 extra crimes compared to 2021.

Kilkenny Castle earns spot on historic gardens list

Kilkenny Castle Gardens has been included in the O ce of Public Work’s (OPW) newly launched Visitor Guide to Ireland’s Historic Gardens, which OPW holds in trust for the nation.

is comprehensive guide to each of the OPW’s 32 stunning gardens includes some of Ireland’s most iconic gardens and celebrated plant collections.

Digital copies of the guide are available at: www.gov. ie/opw restrictions associated with the Covid-19 pandemic. Cities outside of Dublin recorded the highest spike in crime rates compared to pre-pandemic levels.

One of the crime categories with the biggest increase nationwide was homicides, which have risen by 30% in comparison to before the Covid-19 pandemic.

“ is is despite major garda successes in recent years in and reducing gangland murders to unprecedented low levels,” writes the Irish Independent. e busiest garda station in the country last year was unsurprisingly in Dublin city centre, which dealt with more than 25 crimes on average, every day.

According to the article, sources have said that garda resourcing issues, particularly in stations outside of Dublin, spike in crime rates. e most dramatic increase nationally was at Moate Garda Station in Westmeath, which saw crime increase by 125%.

On a positive note, there were 257 stations where crime levels fell during 2022, with signi cant reductions in places such as Salthill, Kinsale, Finglas, Bray, Mayorstone Park in Limerick, Ballymun, Ballinrobe, Irishtown,

Kilkenny’s retained firefighters on strike Leaving Certi cate advice for parents

Retained re ghters in Kilkenny started a week-long campaign of industrial action nationwide on Tuesday morning.

eir union, SIPTU has accused the Government of failing to address a worsening recruitment and retention crisis in the service.

e action will see members engaging in a campaign of non-co-operation with work outside of responding to emergency calls.

is will involve refusing to engage in training exercises and will see members using only analogue rather than digital technology.

Kilkenny’s SIPTU County

Shop Stewart Philip Byrne told KCLR, “We started industrial action at midnight last night (Monday). We will be attending all calls this week for the rst week. Everything we’re doing is internal, so we’re not cooperating with training, that’s our in- dustrial action.”

If there is no resolution to the dispute, rolling strikes will begin from June 13, which will see a series of one-day work stoppages at 50% of re stations at any given time.

If there is still no resolution, an all-out strike will begin on June 20.

SIPTU represents around 2,000 retained re ghters across 200 stations around the country.

Turn2Me, a national mental health charity, has stated that parents should be “supportive and quietly kind” during the Leaving Certicate period. e charity has seen an increase in parents whose teenagers are sitting the Leaving Certi cate sign up for its services.

“Many parents feel lost,” Fiona O’Malley, CEO of Turn2Me said, “ ey’re not sure what to say or how to get the balance between

‘No foul play’ in man’s death in Kilkenny

e death of a man in his 30s at a residential premises on Church Lane in Kilkenny is not being treated as suspicious, according to Gardai.

Emergency services were called to the scene on Saturday evening at approximately 7pm. An investigation has been initiated, but there is no suspicion of foul play. e identity of the deceased has not been disclosed. Gardai are preparing a le for the Coroner as part of the ongoing inquiry into the incident.

Kilkenny Queen of Blue Jeans

Niamh Sheehy was crowned winner of the Blue Jean Country Queen Festival on Sunday – the rst Kilkenny Queen to win in the festival’s 36-year history. e 24-year-old pharmacist assistant, part-time singer and member of Kilkenny City Macra na Feirme was awarded the top prize of €1,000 at Athboy, Co Meath where the festival made its return following a four-year hiatus due to Covid-19. Niamh and her 21 fellow Queens took part in a hectic and fun- lled weekend of competition before she was ultimately crowned the winner.

Full story: Page 6

Over €90K for local biodiversity projects

being supportive and not putting too much pressure on their teenagers. You don’t need to give a long Ted Talk every time you see your teenager but giving them words of encouragement can be really powerful. Popping into their room every hour when they have a study break with a cup of tea, a glass of water, healthy snacks and being quietly kind can make a hugely positive di erence.”

Minister of State for Heritage and Electoral Reform, Malcolm Noonan TD, has allocated €99,252 in funding for six biodiversity projects in Kilkenny. Silaire Wood and Woodstock Gardens and Estate will receive €27,200 for Invasive Alien Species Treatment. Other projects include a Hedgerows Survey (Phase 1) a Swift and Barn Owl project, Biodiversity and Pollinator Corridors project in Kilkenny and a Biodiversity Awareness Programme. is fund supports local authorities in achieving Ireland’s national objectives for nature conservation and restoration.

Full story: Page 10 e Climate Heroes challenge competition is an initiative of Global Action Plan, involving 68 community groups from around Ireland. It is the rst national climate competition for community groups in Ireland, aiming to show how simple measures by individuals can help to reduce their climate footprint on a daily basis – both at home, in their free time and at work.

Community groups all over Kilkenny county achieved dramatic reductions of greenhouse gas emissions, by making small changes to their everyday lifestyles.

A total of 19 local Kilkenny based groups took part in the rst ever national ‘Climate Heroes’ competition, and achieved a total saving of 8,500 kg of CO2 emissions.

Saving more than 68 kg of CO2 per person was a marvellous e ort by our civil society groups, showing that individual actions and small changes to behaviour can result in a wonderful, eco-friendly, community outcome.

Keep Kilkenny Beautiful (KKB) Sustainable Energy Community launched the event at their Earth Day Celebrations in April. Launching the Challenge, Minister Malcolm Noonan said: “ e people of Kilkenny want to see action on climate change and the degradation of nature. People want to act