Kilkenny Observer 13th October 2023

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Budget Special Here's what's in store for us all in 2024  Pages: 3, 6 & 16

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Death With Dignity Why we need to debate euthanasia seriously  Paul Hopkins: Page 8

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We’re €800 better off

Most workers stand to gain up to around €800 a year, after changes in income tax were announced in the Budget.

The changes take effect from the start of next year and mean workers will be able to earn more before they are hit with the top rate of tax.

There will also be changes

to the Universal Social Charge (USC) as well as increases in the income tax credits. Credits are amounts of income people can earn before paying tax.

The income tax and USC changes will mean a single parent on €48,000 will gain €882 a year. A couple, where the husband is self-employed

and earns €120,000 a year, will gain €1,292 from the tax and USC changes.

Finance Minister Michael McGrath said: “Taking the example of a single person earning €46,000 in 2024, they will see an increase of over €2,000 in their net income as a result of cumulative income tax and

USC changes since 2021.”

However, this includes measures introduced over a number of budgets.

There was surprise when the minister increased the standard rate income tax cut-off point by €2,000 to bring entry to the higher rate of income tax to €42,000.

Beautiful work as we strike gold

What Miss Kilkenny is wishing Miss Kilkenny Caitlin Raven, a 21-years-old second year student in TUS studying social care, is fundraising for the Make A Wish foundation this year.

“In 2016 I was a Wish kid,” she told The Kilkenny Observer.

“I wished to go to New York on a shopping spree.

It was so incredible and left me with such beautiful memories that I wanted to give back to this charity to hopefully let another child feel that excitement and happiness. In 2010 I was diagnosed with type one diabetes. I hope to use my platform to show people that all disabilities hidden and shown, big and small are beautiful,” she said.

Caitlin is hosting a raffle night for her fundraiser in Bollards Pub, Kilkenny on Saturday, October 28.

Pop along and support this good cause.

Keep Kilkenny Beautiful volunteers have struck gold in the National Tidy Towns Competition becoming county winners and the Overall Southeast Regional Winner, receiving a truly well-earned gold medal.

All counties big and small, with their dedicated and hard-working volunteers attended the awards held in the appropriate Croke Park that Kilkenny is no stranger to.

Kilkenny came in joint third place overall with 274 points, advancing an impressive 12 points from last year. Abbeyleix won the National competition on 276 points.

With such a slight margin of just two points difference Keep Kilkenny Beautiful are even more driven and passionate, as the name says to Keep Kilkenny Beautiful with more projects, community involvement and maintaining pride in our picturesque medieval city.

Since 2019 Kilkenny have risen by 32 points and just like our hurling counterparts they are determined to always better themselves each year.

KKB Chairperson Cllr Maria Dollard said: “Our amazing progress this year is testament to the good humoured and dedicated efforts of all our volunteers and volunteering partners who go out week in and out contributing to projects all over the city.”

The Best Comment & Opinion in Kilkenny

This means from next year a single worker will continue to pay income tax at a rate of 20% up to €42,000 before being levied at the 40%.

At the moment a single person pays tax at 40% on income over €40,000.

Employees are set to benefit from a €100 increase each in

the personal tax credit and the PAYE tax credit. The self-employed will benefit by getting an extra €100 in the earned income tax credit.

Also on the way is a €100 increase in the Home Carer Tax Credit.

See also Pages 6 and 16

Irish Israeli Kim is laid to rest

The funeral haas taken place of Irish-Israeli woman Kim Damti (22) who was killed following a horrorific attack by Palestinebased terrorist group Hamas on a music festival in Israel.

Ms Damti – with roots in Co Laois – was at a festival targeted as part of the incursion which was the deadliest attack on Israel in half a century.

More than 2,300 people have been killed in Israel and Gaza so far.

In a statement online, Kim’s sister Laura confirmed the tragic news. “With great sorrow and gloomy grief, I announce the killing of our angel, our flower, Kim my blood, who was murdered by the cursed terrorists,” she said.

Meanwhile, Israel continues to bombard the Gaza Strip.

Global Report, Page 22

In praise of growing older Isn’t it time we dusted off the mothballs from our ideas about what it means to be older? A time too to appreciate the contribution of older people from President Michael D (82) and Mary Robinson (79), founder of Climate Justice, and on to the senior generations all around us.

Marianne Heron, Page 12

Future of travel going nowhere We all like to travel and no more so since the ending of the pandemic. At least those of us fortunate enough to be able to afford to do so. But travel as we know it could be extinct by the year 2040 due to climate change, a new report has warned.

Travel, Page 19

PAUL HOPKINS

MARIANNE HERON

JOHN ELLIS

GERRY MORAN

Telling it like it is.

And with no holds barred

A straight shooter.

Considerate and wise words

Great advice.

Your money in mind

Quirky take on bright side of life

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 13 October 2023

News A new study has found that 58% of Irish people have been ‘ghosted’ by a friend or family member in the past year. To help those reconnect with their ghosts through the medium of doughnuts, Krispy Kreme is giving away hundreds of ‘Ghosted Boxes’ this Halloween season.

The phenomenon of ghosting could be leading to Irish friendship groups shrinking.

A decade ago, the average person says they had five ‘close friends’ – but today that has fallen to just four, a drop of 27%. Furthermore, 5% say they now have no close friends at all – a 40% rise on a decade ago.

To counter this trend, Krispy Kreme is calling on you to use the most ghostly time of year, to reconnect with former friends by trickor-treating them to a free box of doughnuts. People across Ireland are encouraged to bring friendships back from the dead by sending anyone they’ve lost touch with a hauntingly empty Krispy Kreme ‘Ghosted Box’. The empty boxes will be filled with delicious Original Glazed doughnuts for free when taken into any Krispy Kreme shop.

While more than a quarter (28%) say a close friend has ghosted them in the past year, more than one in ten (13%) say their best friend has, and 17% have even been ghosted by a family member.

As well as being ghosted

Bring ‘ghosted’ friends back into your life themselves, many admit to having ghosted someone else – 46% say they have done so in the past year and there are multiple reasons

for this. More than a third of people (41%) say they have simply drifted apart and 26% say they ghosted someone because they were simply ‘in

a different life stage’.

While stocks last, Ghosted Boxes can be ordered for free on the Krispy Kreme Ghosted Box page between

9th and 13th October as a hauntingly empty box sent by mail to their chosen recipient. The Ghosted Boxes will include a ghostly recon-

nection note and can be redeemed for a four-pack of Original Glazed doughnuts at any Krispy Kreme shop from October 23 to 27.

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A ‘blow to human rights’ Inclusion Ireland has labelled the Budget’s €12 increase in disability and carers allowance “a disturbing blow to human rights” for those with a disability.

CEO Derval McDonagh told The Kilkenny Observer: “Tokenistic once-off payments ignore the plight of exclusion and inequality that exists in Ireland today. Budget 2024 has

abandoned disabled people living well below the poverty line, and marginalised carers already carrying the weight of broken systems.”

Inclusion Ireland has been campaigning for months for the disability allowance to match the poverty threshold of €291.50, and proposed a permanent cost of disability payment. “The marginal

increase is far from what is required to prevent the many disabled citizens slipping into poverty. Many of our members consider a weekly food shop a luxury,” said Derval McDonagh.

“The Covid pandemic has highlighted the important role Ireland’s social protection system can play in protecting people from poverty. However, the considerable gap between

the €350 Pandemic Unemployment Payment and the current rate of €232 for the disability allowance sends a clear signal that disabled people are not seen as equals to other Irish citizens.”

She said: “The cost of disability, coupled with an epic failure to provide therapeutic support is pushing many families into financial despair. These are de-

How children fared in our Budget 2024 There were conflicting views in how children were treated in Budget 2024 Tanya Ward, Chief Executive of the Children’s Rights Alliance told The Kilkenny Observer: “For the second year in a row, we see significant effort from Government to address the high cost of education that places a serious strain on families each September.

“The provision of free school books at primary level last year has already seen positive outcomes, with calls for support from our members St Vincent de Paul, down by 20% in the first year of the scheme.

Investing in these services puts money back in the pockets of families juggling the increased cost of living.

“The continued investment to expand free school books to second level is hugely positive. It will provide certainty that many families living in poverty do not have when it comes to how they will get their children ready for back to school. We know that the cost of books increases alongside the cost of clothes, food and activities for teenagers.

We urge the Government to progress this to ensure every student can benefit from this scheme by extending this to all of second level in next

year’s budget.”

“In order to break the cycle of poverty, we need to see ambitious investment in the early years of a child’s life to change the trajectory of their future.

Ireland has one of the highest childcare costs in Europe.

Securing a further 25% cut in Budget 2024 will go a huge way to alleviating the pressure on families. However, childcare is only one part of the picture. The evidence tells us that by the time a child turns three, many outcomes have already been determined so investment in the first few years is critical. Early years is the single biggest leveller but we know access to early childhood education and care is far from equal,” said Ms Ward.

Meanwhile, Inclusion Ireland said it was deeply concerned by the lack of clarity around plans to fund a fully inclusive model of education whereby all children get to go to school together with the supports they need.

The organisation has called for a 10-year fully costed inclusive education plan so “we can start to see the vision for real inclusion materialise”.

This would involve, amongst other measures, reducing class sizes to under 20 pupils.

pleted people with intellectual disabilities and their families fighting, hounding, begging to access the same opportunities as everyone else. Children with intellectual disabilities living their lives in poverty as their families fight daily battles to get access to the basic income and therapeutic support their child needs to live a full and healthy life.

“We know that there are thousands of people living in institutions or who are living at home with family carers who need to move into a home of their own.

“Budget 2024 has delivered a disturbing blow to the very people who face a never-ending daily cycle of pleading for their rights to be met. What will it take for Government to listen?,” said Ms McDonagh.

Our heritage: from left, Ian Doyle (Head of Conservation, Heritage Council), Kevin Higgins (Tyndall Mountain Club), Tomás Turley (Tyndall Mountain Club), Róisín Burke (Managing Director, Abarta Heritage)

Heritage award for Tyndall Mountain Kilkenny’s Tyndall Mountain Club has recognised for exceptional work under Heritage Council’s Adopt a Monument scheme.

The Adopt a Monument scheme is about empowering local communities to become involved in the care and conservation of a muchloved local monument. The scheme offers communities expertise, mentoring and support to help them to care for their local heritage.

Working in partnership with communities and state bodies, the scheme helps to ensure the sustainable

future of the adopted monuments.

Since the scheme first began in 2016, 25 groups across Ireland have ‘adopted’ monuments in their locality ranging from an enigmatic prehistoric site to 19th century industrial buildings to medieval churches as well as a Gaelic castle.

This also includes Kevin Higgins and Tomás Turley from Kilkenny’s Tyndall Mountain Club who recently received the award in recognition of their work under the Adopt A Monument

Programme. They adopted a moated site on the eastern slopes of Brandon Hill which has proved an enigmatic site to understand.

The group adopted the site in 2019 and since then have been working to understand more about the story of the site through research and a programme of geophysical surveys carried out by the Discovery Programme.

Speaking in support of the scheme Virginia Teehan, Chief Executive of the Heritage Council, at the Heritage Council, said: “The Adopt a Monument Scheme is a

wonderful way of ensuring our monuments remain an integral part of a community.

“Maintaining them and caring for them requires much-needed expertise and resources which is exactly what the scheme provides.

“We can already see the positive effect the scheme has had on the areas where a monument was adopted, and the pride of place and increased civic value brought about the efforts of our dedicated community groups is very satisfying to see,” she said.

‘Clive The Curious Kitten’ Sun shines down on Social Farming day ‘Clive The Curious Kitten’ is a picture book for younger children written, illustrated and produced in Kilkenny.

Christian Shaw is a product designer, who joined Kilkenny Design Workshops in the 1980s, and wanted to write a book for children which would capture something of the wonder of design in creation around us.

The book’s images are his professional illustrator wife Kim, who has been drawing a wide variety of pictures for

educational and story books for the last 30 years.

Clive is indeed a curious kitten, who goes exploring and encounters all sorts of animals with clever skills, and wonders where they get their wonderful abilities – perhaps with a bit of jealousy. He learns that behind an amazing creation there is an amazing Designer.

Says Mr Shaw: “It is a book which can be enjoyed as a fun little tale in itself but can also, if desired, lead to further conversation about God.”

The sun shone bright on Tuesday October 3 for the second day of National Social Farming Awareness Week 2023 when Richard and Áine Galway held a very successful Social Farming Open Day on their beautiful farm outside of Thomastown.

It was a great gathering of participants, services, neighbours and friends and farmers, some of whom had travelled from as far as Waterford, Tipperary and Kildare. All were keen to gain

an insight into what Social Farming is all about and to what the Galway farm has to offer to participants.

Social Farming is about providing opportunities and activities on ordinary family farms as a form of social support.

People come to a social farm, usually one day per week, and get to be part of whatever is happening on the farm on that day, with huge benefits and real outcomes across multiple

dimensions of health and well-being.

Social Farming Ireland National Co-ordinator Helen Doherty said: “Our social farms are both ordinary and extraordinary places. They provide such huge variety and choice for people regardless of their interests or capacities. People can get involved in every kind of activity, from caring for animals to walking the land to growing food from seed to harvest to maintenance ac-

tivities like scraping the yard or power washing to cooking in the farm kitchen.”

There are 140 social farms operating throughout the country and interest in and support for Social Farming continues to grow. Key to the development of Social Farming has been ongoing support and funding from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine which has enabled the development of Social Farming Ireland.

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Opinion

The Fact Of OfThe Matter Paul Hopkins

Euthanasia debate needs some serious thought Swiss organisation Dignitas has called on Ireland to change the law on assisted dying – a debate growing here since 2018. Dignitas, which supports voluntary assisted dying, told a recent hearing of the Oireachtas Committee on Assisted Dying, set up last January, that it had 100 Irish members.

Two representatives of Dignitas – Ludwig Minelli and Silvan Lumley – said in a submitted statement: “Voluntary assisted dying should be legalised as a choice alongside other options to soothe suffering and improve quality of life, be it palliative care or hospice work.”

The European Court of Human Rights, in a judgment as far back as January 2011, held that “it is an individual’s right to decide by what means and at what point his or her life will end, provided he or she is capable of freely reaching that decision”.

However, Dr Theo Boer, Pro-

fessor of Healthcare Ethics at Groningen University in the Netherlands, told the Oireachtas committee he “switched from being moderately supportive of the Dutch law to being increasingly critical”.

His “scepticism” had arisen from the introduction of [an updated] euthanasia, in which a doctor administers the fatal drug, as opposed to the patient taking the medication themselves.

Dr Boer said: “The [updated] legalisation has turned the whole landscape of dying, including our view of illness, suffering, ageing, and care-dependence upside down. In the slipstream of legal euthanasia, the percentage of people dying through terminal sedation has skyrocketed to 25% of all deaths in 2o22 – where most other developed countries would come no higher than 2%.”

The committee heard that 12 people from Ireland had availed of assisted dying with

the Swiss clinic since 2003.

Dignitas has members from around 100 countries and assists in about 200 to 250 suicides annually. More women than men seek the service but less than 50 per cent are terminally ill at the time.

It seems, though, we’re caught between the rock and the hard place.

Picture a society in which patients are routinely euthanised — whether they want their lives to end or not — if their suffering cannot be alleviated without dulling their consciousness, eradicating their independence, or dismissing their dignity. Defenders of such might argue that the duty to prevent suffering makes the policy persuasive. A reasoned response would be that, while suffering and loss of independence are undesirable, only the person enduring such should decide if it is unbearable. Provided, the patient is competent to decide.

The same argument can be

advanced against the current practice, prevalent in most countries, of prohibiting people from seeking assistance to end their lives. And so the conundrum. Just as it would be wrong to entice people to ‘let go’, it would be wrong to force people to endure conditions they deem unbearable.

“It is an individual’s right to decide...

There is, too, the question of a relative of someone with serious dementia signing off that person – without their ability to consent – to assisted dying. Legally dangerous ground here.

When my Father died, my Mother knew there was no going back. She didn’t want to go on. She was in stage four of an incurable cancer. Being of sound mind, she told the doctor she didn’t want to take any more medicine. “Keep it for the young people,” she told him.

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

So, one blue-skied day in September of the Millennium year, with my siblings and I by her side, she slipped into a coma, the loving hospice nurse cradling my Mother’s shrunken head in her lap.

A few days later, my Mother died, peacefully and relatively pain-free – 10 weeks after her husband. More than that though, at 82 years, with an in-

curable disease, she chose her own time of going, along with that last vestige of humankind, her dignity. Was her going not a passive euthanasia of sorts, practised already in our wonderfully caring hospices?

While assisted dying is illegal in Ireland, under Irish law, adults have the right to refuse medical treatment, even if required to save their lives, as long as they have the ability to understand the information to make such a decision.

In the 35 years since renowned GP Paddy Leahy first broached the subject, only now are we having a substantial public debate on the matter. Right and proper – if ensnared with potential conflict. It’s a human rights issue.

Ethically, we should have the right to control our own bodies and the State should not have laws that prevent those who wish to choose when and how they die from doing so.

And with their dignity unsullied ...

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Wexford's Brendan Howling to step down after 36 years Labour Party TD Brendan Howlin is to stand down at the next general election after 36 years in politics.

Announcing the decision the former part leader said: "It has been and remains the privilege of my life to

have representrepresent ed my beloved Wexford.

"I am forever grateful for the support I have received for almost four decades from the Wexford

people and the wonderful members of the Labour Party.

"I remember those friends and comrades who have passed on down the years, whose loyalty and fellowship I will always treasure.”

Coming from a politically active family, Mr Howlin (67) credited his involvement in the anti-nuclear movement

as sowing the seeds of what would become a long political career.

He unsuccessfully contested his first General Election in 1982. He was subsequently nominated to serve in the Seanad as well as being elected to Wexford County Council in 1985.

With this momentum

behind him, he put his name on the ballot paper for the 1987 general election and this time secured his seat in Dáil Éireann. He has kept it ever since.

Government would see him hold the roles of Health Minister, from January 1993 to November of 1994, Environment Minister, from Decem-

ber 1994 until June 1997, and Minister of Public Expenditure and Reform from March 2011 until May of 2016.

Highly respected within his own party, he served as both deputy leader and leader of Labour. In 2016, he took over the party reins from Joan Burton, before handing them over to Alan Kelly in 2020.

Award) and SATMA (South African Traditional Music Award). In 2015, Qadasi was honoured to receive a KwaZulu Natal Young Achievers Award for ‘social cohesion through Maskandi music.’

With two solo albums and two collaborative releases featuring friend and highly respected Maskandi artist, Maqhinga Radebe, Qadasi’s quest to revive traditional Zulu Maskandi music is well underway.

David first met Maqhinga in Durban in 2010 when enquiring about a concertina tuner.

After a ‘jam session’, thus

began their story and the two have become firm friends, with Maqhinga initially taking the role of music director and producer of David’s first solo projects.

In early 2016, Qadasi went on to record a collaborative album alongside Maqhinga titled, ‘Lashis’ Ilanga’ – an organic, acoustic record which was ultimately nominated for a 2017 SAMA Award for Best Traditional Album.

The duo released their second collaborative album in 2019 titled ‘Ungabanaki’ which recently won a 2020 SAMA Award for Best Traditional Album.

Time now for double vaccination in Kilkenny The HSE’s autumn/winter vaccination programme has begun in the South East, with the roll out of the free flu and Covid19 vaccines to recommended groups.

The Covid booster vaccine is recommended for • People aged 50 and over.

• People who have a long term health condition • Healthcare workers • Pregnant women The flu vaccine is recommended for: • People aged 65 and over.

• People who have a long term health condition • Healthcare workers • Pregnant women HSE vaccination teams will also provide both vaccines for people living in residential care facilities, including nursing homes, as well as to housebound patients. Both vaccines can be given at the same time and will be available from participating GPs and pharmacists across counties Kilkenny, Carlow, South Tipperary, Waterford and Wexford.

HSE vaccination teams will also administer vaccinations to Health and care worker taking place in many HSE workplaces across the region. Locations of these clinics can be accessed at https://healthservice.hse.ie/ staff/covid-19-and-flu-vaccina-

tion-clinics-for-staff/ Launching the campaign in the South East, upon receiving the vaccines herself at a clinic with peer vaccinators at the HSE offices in Lacken, Kilkenny, Acting Chief Officer of HSE/ South East Community Healthcare Catherine Neary said: “The Covid-19 pandemic has shown us the impact that flu and viral illnesses can have on our health and the pressure this can put on our health system.

“It has also shown us that one of the best ways of protecting ourselves and our healthcare workers is by getting vaccinated. Covid-19 and influenza will never be eliminated but we can all play our part in reducing the risk of serious illness from winter viruses to ourselves and our loved ones by getting vaccinated and following public health guidelines.”

HSE/South East Community Healthcare and the HSE’s Dublin and South East Public Health Department recently held a seminar in Kilkenny on supporting healthcare facilities to prevent and manage Covid19 and Flu. The children’s flu vaccine (a nasal spray) has also begun in schools across the region. Flu vaccine is available from participating GPs and Pharmacists for children aged two-12 years.

The rousing rhythms of Zululand On a UK and Ireland tour – which sees a performance at the Hole In The Wall, Kilkenny on Friday, October 27 – David ‘Qadasi’ Jenkins is on a quest to revive the powerful sounds of traditional Maskandi music of South Africa.

With four South African Music Award nominations, Qadasi’s fusion of traditional Zulu and western folk music is successfully making its way into local and international music scenes.

David Jenkins, also known as Qadasi, is an accomplished Maskandi vocalist, guitarist, concertina and banjo player who developed

a deep passion for Zulu culture and music at a young age while travelling through Zululand with his late father who was a journalist.

This interest grew exponentially over the years, and as a result, his love for traditional music was born.

After matriculating in 2010, Qadasi released his first studio album under record label, Sande Entertainment headed by Sibongiseni Shabalala of five-time Grammy Award winning group, Ladysmith Black Mambazo. His second solo album, released in 2014, was nominated for a SAMA (South African Music

Our youth to benefit from Big Mac programme McDonald’s has launched its Youth Opportunity Ireland 2023 programme, the second of a twoyear partnership with the Irish Youth Foundation designed to provide specialised skills and training opportunities to young people from disadvantaged areas.

The employment and skills partnership with the Irish Youth Foundation will provide

€100,000 in funding to 10 youth organisations across Ireland Ten youth organisations from across Ireland – including Aiséírí from Kilkenny – will receive a combined €100,000 in funding from McDonald’s in 2023 to deliver targeted youth employability programmes.

These organisations work directly with young people who are not in education, employment or

training. at the moment.

In 2022 more than 650 young people took part in McDonald’s Youth Opportunity Ireland funded programmes, learning new technical skills and enhancing their own personal development to help them maximise employment and further training and education opportunities.

Despite record numbers of people in employment in

Ireland, youth unemployment has remained higher than the national average. According to the Central Statistics Office (CSO), the youth unemployment rate was 11.2% in August 2023, which is almost triple the overall unemployment rate of 4.1%.

The programme aims to combat this issue and empower young people with the skills nec-

essary to kick-start their careers or explore further training and education opportunities.

The 10 youth organisations receiving funding through the McDonald’s Youth Opportunity Ireland programme in 2023 are: 1 Aiséirí (Kilkenny and Waterford) 2 The Acorn Project (Offaly) 3 Crumlin Lower Advancing

Youth (CLAY) (Dublin) 4 Spraoi agus Spórt (Donegal) 5 Venture Out Wilderness Project (Galway) 6 Youth Work Ireland (Cavan & Monaghan) 7 Way2Work (Connacht and Munster) 8 The B!G Idea (National programme) 9 InSync (Kildare) 10 Foróige Cable Project (Louth)

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Opinion

As I See It Marianne Heron

Why it’s time to be positive about ageing Isn’t it time we dusted off the mothballs from our ideas about what it means to be older? A time too to appreciate the contribution of older people from President Michael D (82) and Mary Robinson (79), founder of Climate Justice, and on to the senior generations all around us.

It’s a good time to appreciate the one in every five of our population who is over 60. This month kicked of with UN International Day of Older Persons celebrating the resilience of older people in a changing world.

Age Action’s Positive Ageing Week October 1 -7 aimsed to promote the positive aspects of ageing and challenge stereotypes of what it means to be one of the million aged 60+ in Ireland today.

To that end, Age Action

want to see a Commissioner for Older People appointed.

“A Commissioner could investigate and review the adequacy of policy, legislation and services affecting older people,” says Carrie Benn, Head of Fundraising and Communications, Age Action. ‘This would help bring an appropriate level representation and transparency on policy on ageing and older people and to help prevent scandals such as the revelations of a secret state policy to deter older persons from taking cases to challenge being charged for nursing home care.”

Currently, many older people don’t have access to the same kind of representative bodies or resolution mechanisms that employees and businesses have, points out Carrie.

There are compelling

reasons for having a positive attitude towards ageing at a personal level too. Put simply it can make all the difference to how we age.

Recent studies have found that optimism can have a protective effect against ill-health and can add extra years to a lifespan. Having a positive attitude to ageing can literally affect the way that we age too. (Remember ageing is a lifelong process!).

Professor of Gerontology at TCD Rose Anne Kenny quotes fascinating research in her book Age Proof. “How young or old one feels actually influences how quickly we age. In other words, the cellular process which characterise ageing can be controlled by attitude and perceptions.”

While we count our age chronologically in years, bi-

ological or physiological age is a far more relevant way of measuring how we are each ageing and that can vary widely. Understanding of the science of the ageing process is still developing and the search is on to find accurate ways of measuring biological age. A piece of research known as the Dunedin Study showed that, in people of the same chronological age of 38, the spread of biological can vary from 28 to 50 years.

Proof if ever there was that you are as old as you feel.

What is the recipe for positive ageing? The ingredients needn’t cost anything: they include having an optimistic attitude, staying active and involved, making good lifestyle choices when it comes to diet and exercise and thinking young!

Age has changed con-

siderably but our notions about what it means haven’t necessarily caught up with reality. Covid, with the frequent references to the vulnerable elderly, left an unfortunate legacy which is far from the reality where 71% 65-to-74-year-olds and 60% of over 75-year-olds say that they enjoy good health.

The recent arguments over pensionable age also belie the reality where many would prefer to continue working beyond 65. About 80,000 in that age group are still at work currently and many more or would like to work part-time beyond pensionable age as two thirds of Europeans would like to do. Perhaps this is the kind of issue which a Commissioner for Older People could address.

Positive Ageing Week itself is now 20 years old with

Let’s talk menopause CLAIR WHITTY

October is menopause awareness month and it’s great to see that there is so much conversation about it. I love that men are talking about it now too. In the past year I have spoken to more men about it than I have in the past twenty.

They are trying to understand perimenopause because they are worried about how it is affecting you.

There are lots of supple-

ments that you can try to help you through. Last week I was telling you about NHP MenoSupport a herbal supplement to help deal with the symptoms of perimenopause. It contains a mixture of herbs and vitamins to help deal with the symptoms. It is worth considering if you have a variety of symptoms and to help balance hormones naturally.

Every day we talk to women about the symptoms of perimenopause and you might not be needing something as comprehensive as this. For example, some of you are at the beginning of the journey

ongoing organisation of events to promote agency for older people and positive ways of thinking about how we think feel and act towards others and ourselves based on age.

The Italians have an original focus on age this month too, the Festa dei Nonni holiday celebrating grannies and grandpas, with dances in piazzas and other fun – I like that idea. When it comes to ageing, I like film star Bette Davis quote too: “So long as I’ve got my make and my hair I’m never gonna give up.”

That’s the spirit.

Age Action’s vision is a society that enables all older people to participate and to live full, independent lives. This means removing ageism and other barriers that stop people participating or living to the full . and are not sure if you have started at all. But you are noticing some changes in your monthly cycle, your energy or your mood. Some of see changes in your skin and that might be only sign of change.

If this sounds like you then a good supplement for you to start with would be Cleanmarine MenoMin. MenoMin is one of our customers’ favourites. Many women see an improvement in their energy, and find their mood is better, and that their skin looks great too. Some women have told me that they just feel great when they take it. It contains a mix of Omega 3 to support brain health, Soya Isoflavones, B Vitamins to help hormone regulation, skin and psychological function and Vitamin D all in 2 capsules daily. It’s worth considering. It can be taken before, during, and post menopause too.

We will all experience menopause differently. We won’t all get the same symptoms or have them at the same intensity. Some of you sail through it without any noticeable changes and wonder what everyone else is talking about. Sometimes you can benefit from a one-to-one consultation with a Nutritional Practitioner for a personalised approach.

We at Natural Health Store are here to chat with you, call in or give us a call, we would love to help.

Shop online www.naturalhealthstore.ie

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News

SPECIAL REPORT

By Luisa Golz

----------------------------------Without a shadow of a doubt, Kilkenny is a great spot for visitors. Take a walk along the Parade any time of the year, and you will likely hear plenty of different accents or even various languages spoken.

During the summer months, areas around Kilkenny’s main attractions are usually teeming with life.

However, during the winter months, it is quite a different picture: Kilkenny’s visitor numbers are much lower between November and March. The Saint Patrick’s Day festivities in Kilkenny mark the beginning of the tourism season, before winding down again in October.

But what if there was a missed opportunity for Kilkenny to increase visitor numbers during the off-season? The business that international and domestic visitors bring to Kilkenny’s economy is vital. Perhaps we should try to attract more tourism business into our Medieval City in the off-season, supporting Kilkenny businesses during the quieter months, when they need it most.

Ireland’s tourism governing bodies have already recognised one significant opportunity: more could be done to bring Ireland as ‘the home of Hallowe’en’ to the forefront of visitor’s minds. In recent years, significant investments have been made by Fáilte Ireland, supporting tourism stakeholders in presenting Ireland as the authentic birthplace of Hallowe’en.

The aim is to motivate international visitors to come to Ireland not just over the Hallowe’en bank holiday but also during the darker winter months. This would help generate economic benefits for cities such as Kilkenny, creating year-round sustainable employment for Kilkenny’s tourism workforce.

Staging festivals in towns and villages is a great way to encourage additional visitors during the winter months.

While some may argue that Kilkenny already has its fair share of festivals, there is another type of festival that should be considered, a type of festival that our Medieval City has yet to celebrate.

Festivals with dark and Gothic themes are staged in other locations all over

Dark and Gothic themes:

Unlocking Kilkenny’s off-season potential

Ireland: think of the various Hallowe’en festivals that take place; the Dublin Bram Stoker Festival, celebrating the author of ‘Dracula’; or the new Púca Festival in County Meath, celebrating the old mythical creatures of Samhain, Ireland’s ancient Hallowe’en tradition. Originally believed to be festivals for small, niche audiences, these events are

now a growing cultural phenomenon, attracting visitors from diverse backgrounds.

From families looking to entertain their children over the Hallowe’en weekend; to people with an interest in dark and macabre histories; to Gothic fiction enthusiasts – festivals with dark and Gothic themes show significant potential.

For Kilkenny, perhaps there

is currently a missed opportunity to explore more of its gloomy medieval past, celebrating ancient dark histories.

A new festival taking place during the winter months may be the answer.

While Kilkenny’s visitors can already embrace ancient witchcraft history through guided tours or by visiting of the atmospheric Kyteler’s Inn, there is plenty of scope

to develop festivals with dark and Gothic themes.

These festivals would celebrate Kilkenny’s rich history, attracting visitors during the off-season, at a time when Kilkenny’s tourism businesses would surely appreciate the additional influx of visitors. * Luisa Golz is a final year PhD candidate and a Kilkenny tourism busi-

ness owner of Desmond Tours.

As part of her PhD Luisa is studying niche festivals that have dark and Gothic themes (ie. Halloween festivals, the Bram Stoker Dracula Festival, Derry Halloween Festival).

She has published in academic outlets and in online magazines such as The Conversation.

Cancelling a contract online ‘must be made easy’ Fianna Fáil MEP Billy Kelleher [pictured] has said that future consumer regulations regarding online services must make it as easy for people to cancel a contract, as it is to sign one.

Mr Kelleher was speakingduring a

debate in the European Parliament in Strasbourg on the issue of ‘financial contracts concluded at a distance’.

“Nowadays, a legally binding contract can be concluded online in a matter of a few clicks and the provision of

some basic information,” he said.

“However, it is a different story when it comes to the cancellation of the subscription or a contract.

Many service providers require people to email in a request to cancel, and in some

instances, I’ve heard of requests for cancellations to be sent via a letter in the post,” said the Ireland South MEP. “We need to ensure that the ability to cancel is as easy as it is to enter into a contract. Consumers in Ireland, and across

the European Union, deserve this right. We should be facilitating the ability to switch between services as this encourages competition amongst providers, which is only to the benefit of the consumer.

“Unfortunately, this

issue fell outside the scope of this directive, but has highlighted the issues that consumers face and I will raise it when the opportunity arises when an appropriate legislative file comes before the Parliament,” said Mr Kelleher.

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Opinion

Your Money & You John Ellis

How Budget underscores Government’s commitment Finance Minister Michael McGrath with Minister for Public Expenditure Pascal Donohoe have announced a €14 Billion Package with tax breaks, housing relief, and more. In this article I want to highlight some of the areas that have been affected in the Budget package which was aimed at providing significant relief to various sections of society. In other pages in the paper more details and commentary will be available.

The package encompasses tax breaks for workers, energy credits for households, and half-price travel for individuals under 25.

These measures come in response to the challenges posed by rising inflation and interest rates.

A €2.3 billion cost-of-living package accompanied the budget announcement, including several one-off measures. Energy credits of €450, over three instalments of €150, will be provided to

households between the end of this year and April next year. Additionally, double child benefits, Christmas bonuses for social welfare recipients, and lump-sum payments are part of the comprehensive cost-ofliving measures.

The Budget addressed housing concerns by increasing the rent credit to €750 and offering tax relief for landlords at a standard rate of 20% on a portion of rental income. A temporary mortgage interest tax relief of up to €1,250 will be available to homeowners facing highinterest rates. Furthermore, the Help to Buy scheme has been extended to 2025, along with substantial funding for social housing development and renovation.

Taxpayers can expect to be around €800 better off due to Universal Social Charge (USC) reductions and adjustments to income tax bands. The top income tax rate is set to increase by

€2,000 to €42,000, while the USC rate will drop to 4%, saving an average worker €235 annually. The national minimum wage will rise to €12.70 per hour.

All social welfare rates will see a €12 a week increase, with child benefit payments extended to 18-year-olds in

full-time education. Public transport cuts of 20% are expected, and young adults aged 18 to 24 will benefit from half-price travel through the young adult Leap card. Significant investments are planned for public transportation infrastructure, including projects like

MetroLink and Cork Commuter Rail.

The Budget aims to ease the financial burden on parents by reducing childcare fees by an average of 25% and extending parent benefits but not until September 2024. Students will experience a once-off student contribution fee reduction of €1,000. The budget also supports schools and third-level education with funding for free school books, copybooks, calculators, hot school meals, and additional special needs assistant roles.

The health service is set to receive an extra €500 million to tackle waiting lists and enhance mental health services. In addressing crime, funding will increase for Garda overtime and the recruitment of new personnel. Various other measures include VAT reductions on audio books and e-books, provisions for craft apprenticeships, and improvements

to rural and community development.

Regarding climate issues it has been decided to double the relief for income received by households who sell residual electricity back to the grid. Zero Vat rate on supply and installation of solar panels will be extended to schools from January 1 next year with €380m provided for community and residential energy schemes to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and energy bills.

The Budget package addresses somewhat crucial aspects of Irish society, providing some relief and support to individuals and businesses during these challenging times. The focus on cost of living, housing, education, healthcare, and social welfare underscores the Government’s commitment to address the diverse needs of the Irish people. john@ellisfinancial.ie 086 8362622

Climate Change

– are we all playing our part?

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 13 October 2023

News Science & Wellbeing A truly smart person is not only intelligent but knowledgeable and creative. Isaac Newton — a mathematician, physicist, inventor, economist, and theologian — was the smartest person ever to have lived. His unparalleled brilliance, however, came at a very steep cost.

So, what exactly do we mean by smart? We often, sometimes regularly, interchange the words smart and intelligent, but they are not necessarily the same thing. There has long been discussions among psychologists, neuroscientists, and artificial intelligence experts on what intelligence actually is, but here, perhaps, a simple dictionary definition will suffice: “Capacity for learning, reasoning, understanding, and similar forms of mental activity; aptitude in grasping truths, relationships, facts, meanings, etc.”

Implicit in this definition of intelligence is general knowledge. An intelligent person capable of understanding quantum mechanics is useless to society if he or she is completely ignorant. So, a truly smart person will know a lot of things, preferably about many different topics. He 0r she should be a polymath, in other words.

Finally, there is the element of creativity. Creative people think in ways most other people do not. Where society sees a dead end, a creative person sees an opportunity.

Which person from history was the bodily manifestation of intelligence, knowledge, and creativity? Isaac Newton?

What was Newton’s IQ? It’s impossible to say. IQ tests didn’t exist in the 17th Century, and, if they had, Mr. Newton certainly would not have deigned to spend 90 minutes filling out ovals on a multiple choice test. Besides, he likely would have finished the test early and then spent the remaining time correcting errors and devising more difficult questions.

Nobody doubts that Isaac Newton was an intelligent man, but he also exhibited in spades the two other characteristics outlined above: knowledge and creativity.

Newton was a true polymath.

Not only did he master phys-

Isaac Newton: the smartest person in the world? ics and mathematics, but he was also a theologian. He was obsessed with eschatology (end-times prophecy), and he calculated — based on his interpretation of the Bible — that Jesus Christ would return to Earth in 2060. His dedication to religion was so great that, according to the journal Nature, more than half of his published writings were on theology.

He also became well-versed in alchemy. Do not hold that against him. Many great scientists of his time believed that any metal could be transmuted into gold. The Economist explains why the notion was

not entirely unreasonable in Newton’s time: “Alchemical theories were not stupid. For instance, lead ore often contains silver and silver ore often contains gold, so the idea that lead ‘ripens’ into silver, and silver into gold, is certainly worth entertaining.

The alchemists also discovered some elements, such as phosphorous.”

Furthermore, later in life, Newton dabbled in economics. James Gleick, author of the truly excellent biography Isaac Newton, wrote that “he wrestled with issues of unformed monetary theory and international currency”. As

Master of the Mint, Newton was tasked with tracking down currency counterfeiters, which he did, as Gleick wrote, “with diligence and even ferocity”. He showed no pity in his relentless pursuit of justice.

When notorious counterfeiter William Chaloner attacked Newton’s personal integrity, he doubled down his efforts to catch him.

Mentalfloss.com reports: “Acting more the grizzled sheriff than an esteemed scientist, Newton bribed crooks for information. He started making threats. He leaned on the wives and mistresses of Chaloner’s crooked associ-

ates. In short, he became the Dirty Harry of 17th-century London.”

Newton’s sleuthing worked.

Chaloner was caught and hanged.

Impressive as all that, what truly separates Newton from other luminaries was his unparalleled creativity. He created multiple tools that simply never existed before.

For example, in order to study acceleration, the change in velocity, a tool beyond basic algebra was required. That tool, called the derivative, is the most basic function in calculus. It didn’t exist in the 17th century. Newton invented it.

In order to find the area beneath a curve, another tool beyond basic algebra was needed. That tool, called integration, is the second most basic function in calculus.

Like the derivative, it did not exist in the 17th century. So, Newton invented it. He also invented a reflecting telescope and the ridges on coins, which serve as an anti-theft measure that prevents “coin clipping.”

Newton’s inventiveness is perhaps best summarised by the epigraph to Gleick’s biography, which was written by his niece’s husband in 1726: “I asked him where he had it made, he said he made it himself, and when I asked him where he got his tools said he made them himself and laughing added if I had staid for other people to make my tools and things for me, I had never made anything...”

Sadly, despite his fame, Isaac Newton led a very lonely life.

His incomparable brilliance came at a hefty cost; his reclusive and anti- social nature strongly suggest that he was autistic, and his obsessive and disagreeable nature suggest mental illness, perhaps obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Mental Floss not-so-charitably describes Newton as suffering from “everything”: “Historians agree he had a lot going on.

Newton suffered from huge ups and downs in his moods, indicating bipolar disorder, combined with psychotic tendencies. His inability to connect with people could place him on the autism spectrum. He also had a tendency to write letters filled with mad delusions, which some medical historians feel strongly indicates schizophrenia.”

Isaac Newton made tremendous advances, largely on his own, across many disciplines of physics and mathematics. He revolutionised gravitation, motion, optics, and co-invented calculus.

There was no invocation, nor a need to invoke, anything other than the natural laws of physics for all observed phenomena.

The more we study Isaac Newton, the more fascinating he becomes. * This article is adapted from a version originally published on RealClearScience

Now, let us consider the new ChatGPT Vision

ChatGPT can now read and respond to image prompts, and in contrast to the doom and gloom that normally comes alongside news of AI getting more powerful, this new capability seems to have captured the interest of AI users.

OpenAI calls this feature GPT-4 with vision (GPT-4V).

The ability to interpret images, not just text prompts, makes the AI chatbot a ‘multimodal’ large language model (because we really needed more AI jargon), and

has the potential to redefine how people use AI. With a €20-per-month ChatGPT Plus account, you can upload an image to the ChatGPT app on iOS or Android and ask it a question.

Give it a photo of your meal at a restaurant, for example, and ask: “How do I make this?” The chatbot will scan the image and return its proposed recipe.

The applications are seemingly endless. OpenAI says multi-modalities are a “key frontier in artificial intelli-

gence research and development,” as they expand the range of tasks these systems can help users with. A group of researchers at Microsoft called concluded GPT-4V could “give rise to new human-computer interaction methods.”

While GPT-4V is new to the public, OpenAI has been working on it since last year, possibly before the chatbot was publicly released in November 2022, according to a technical paper.

User testing and training

began in March 2023.

“As GPT-4 is the technology behind the visual capabilities of GPT-4V, its training process was the same,” OpenAI says. The company fed it more and more complex data, using the same technique as the text-based prompts— reinforcement learning from human feedback (RLHF)— to teach it how to produce answers that humans like.

Throughout this process, OpenAI uncovered enough issues to delay the feature’s

launch until now. To the company’s credit, it tried to find ways the system could fail or act unethically. This includes requests for harmful or illegal content, inaccuracies based on demographics like race and gender, and cybersecurity breaches like solving CAPTCHAs and jailbreaking.

Externally, OpenAI engaged scientists and doctors to verify GPT4-V’s advice, finding numerous inaccuracies.

Regarding disinformation and social harms, early ver-

sions of GPT-4V would comment inappropriately on sensitive topics such as whether or not to hire a pregnant woman or someone from a certain country. The system also wouldn’t recognise symbols used by hate groups or harmful phrases.

After all this testing, OpenAI says it was able to improve the system enough to be acceptable for public use, citing the fact that 97.2% of the requests for “illicit advice” are now refused, for example.

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Travel & Leisure We all like to travel and no more so since the ending of the pandemic. At least those of us fortunate enough to be able to afford to do so.

But travel as we know it could be extinct by the year 2040 due to climate change, a new report has warned.

Predictions for the future include holidaymakers “chasing the shade” and swapping traditional summer destinations like Greece and Mallorca for Belgium, Slovenia and Poland as temperatures continue to rise.

Produced by Intrepid, the world’s largest B-Corpcertified travel company, in partnership with foresight agency The Future Laboratory, the Sustainable Future for Travel report outlines what holidays could look like by 2040 if action isn’t taken now.

The report forecasts that, unless things change, lowlying destinations currently popular with tourists, such as the Maldives and Jakarta, will be nearly fully submerged by 2050. The rising mercury could also put an end to visits to see Santa Claus in Lapland, as snow becomes thinner on the ground, while ski seasons would continue to shorten.

“One of the problems with tourism at the moment is that it is the opposite of regenerative,” said Darrell Wade, co-founder and chairman of Intrepid Travel.

“It’s extractive – and this cannot continue for much longer.”

The report envisages a world in which virtual holidays become mainstream and carbon passports restrict movement, unless the travel industry makes significant changes now.

The Future Laboratory’s Martin Raymond said: “A new era is dawning for the travel and tourism industry.

Transient and transformative travel experiences will revolutionise the notion of leaving no trace. We will see hotels will be at the forefront of this extraordinary change.

1. Plymouth Rock | Massachusetts One of the more disappointing monuments on this list, Plymouth Rock is nothing more than a disenchanting boulder, says one Reddit user. The supposed site of the disembarkation of the Mayflower is a popular tourist attraction and is also frequented by nearby students on field trips. Apparently, feeling totally let down by this historical landmark is a rite of passage for most elementary school kids in New England.

2. Southernmost Point | Key West, FL The southernmost point in the continental U.S. is an unimpressive concrete buoy overlooking the ocean. It’s a necessary photo opp if you’re in Key West, but not worth seeking out if you’re in the Upper Keys. You’ll also see “90 miles to Cuba” written on

Real-time carbon footprint tracking The Sustainable Future for Travel analysis predicts that carbon tracking will become “even more individualised thanks to AI”.

It says: “Travellers will log daily emissions and track

travel metrics in real-time to reduce their footprint to meet individual carbon goals.”

A new generation of popup accommodation options combining sustainability and local craftmanship plus locally sourced materials to ensure a minimal footprint is the future when it comes to where we’ll stay on holiday, claims the report.

“Train travel will be integral to this regenerative approach and by 2040, travellers will have the option to choose between high-speed innovations and slower modes, depending on their preferences, footprint and time constraints,” reads the report. It forecasts that luxury, spaceship-style sleeper pods will provide comfort on hyper fast train journeys to “help reduce our reliance on air travel”.

In future, people will book holidays and travel experiences based on the social experience, rather than the hotel or destination, predicts the research.

“People-led travel is about the people you meet in destination and the deep human connections you form,” it explains.

Mr Wade said: “The direct, catastrophic impact of climate change has for too long been viewed as something distant in the future. But this is no longer an impending event; it’s happening now. Tourism must evolve and become regenerative, as the current model is unsustainable.

“We must recognise that the future needs to be different from business as usual, and that the climate crisis is not a competitive advantage. The clock is ticking for our planet and the future of the travel and tourism industry.

“There is limited time left and immediate collective action and innovation is needed to decarbonise travel together and truly achieve the immense potential for sustainable development within our industry,” Mr Wade said.

it; the southernmost point is closer to Cuba than to mainland Florida.

but also something you can Google. You might want to think this one through.

3. The Alamo | San Antonio, TX Complaints about The Alamo compare to most bad reviews of places you’ve already seen on TV: it’s much smaller than expected. The historic Spanish mission is where the 1836 battle between Texas revolutionary forces and the Mexican army occurred. A significant site that some Reddit users still consider a tourist trap.

5. Times Square | NYC This one was up for debate as some defended the overrun region of New York City [pictured] for its incredible theatre and twinkling lights— quite a spectacle to behold at night. Sure, the souvenir shops are crap and the street performers can be shady, but there’s definite magic to the Great White Way.

Why the future of travel may be going nowhere

“In the next decade we will see more now-yousee-it-now-you-don’t travel experiences popping-up across the world.”

Highlighting how travel could change for the better, the report outlines five key trends it predicts will shape

the future of holidays: Regulation on ‘tourism leakage’ “By 2040, governments will be required to implement regulations on travel businesses to ensure that the majority of money spent by tourists in a destination

stays in the local economy,” reads the report. “This will pave the way for a more equitable and mutually beneficial relationship between travellers and the communities they visit, elevating the quality of life of the locals.”

The six worst tourist traps in America

4. Mount Rushmore | South Dakota People visit the South Dakota site for its massive sculpture depicting U.S. presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln. The roughly 60-foot-high granite faces are a sight to behold...

6. Bourbon Street | New Orleans The strip is not for everyone, and several Reddit users consider it filthy and overrated. Still, if you’re looking for an epic party scene year-round — and on a grand scale come Mardi Gras — and massive frozen cocktails, there’s no better place than Bourbon Street.

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Opinion

Furthermore Gerry Moran

Autumn, season of mists; moderate AND mangy questions!

1. So, ‘Autumn, season of mists and mellow fruitfulness.’ Who wrote it?

2.What name is given to a group of crows?

3.What age was JFK when he was assassinated?

4.Where in Kilkenny will you find the ‘Liber Primus’ meaning ‘First Book’?

8. In which country is the wine making area of Stellenbosch?

19. On which date does All Saints Day fall?

9. With what type of animals do we associate the word Ovine?

20. How many all Ireland Hurling titles did Kilkenny have in December 2003?

10.Who hosts the TV quiz show The Chase?

11.Who is known as ‘The Big Yin’?

12.Who wrote The Great Gatsby?

13. Formerly Walton’s Grove it is now a renowned Kilkenny hotel?

14. What is kept in an ossuary?

15 What do Americans call a waistcoat?

5. Which racket sport made its Olympic debut in 1992?

16. Which fabled creature was half man and half horse?

6.Where in Dublin did the Beatles play their one and only 26 counties concert?

17.The word Yahoo first appeared in what book?

7.Who is the Minister for Education?

18. What name is given to the box in which a ship’s compass is stored?

21.The only person to have won an Oscar and the Nobel Prize for Literature?

22.What is apiphobia a fear of?

23.In which decade was Hitchcock’s ‘Psycho’ released?

24.For what newspaper did Clark Kent (Superman) work for?

25.How many men have set foot on the moon?

26.In which sport would you perform a Fosbury Flop?

27.What are cowboys called in Argentina?

28.What is the sign language of bookies?

29.What is New Year’s Day

called in Scotland?

30.What do the initials EPNS stand for on a piece of silverware?

31 Who composed the opera ‘The Marriage of Figaro’?

32.What order of friars lives in Kilkenny’s ‘Friary’?

33.What is the only musical to have won 10 Oscars?

34. In what year did the Watergate Theatre open?

35.What song was a hit for Harry Belafonte & Boney M? 36.Name the island on which The Statue of Liberty is built?

37. Declan Patrick McManus is better known as?

38. What do the initials HB stand for on a pencil?

39. How many Irish writers have won the Nobel Prize for Literature?

40.What English word is derived from the Hebrew word for ‘proper’?

41.Which chicken dish is named after a U.S. state?

42.What is the capital of Australia?

43.Where in Kilkenny will you find ‘Cromwell’s Seat’?

44.What kind of sugar does milk contain?

45. What ball game occupies the largest playing area?

46. Who wrote ‘The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas’?

47. U2’s first album?

48. Famous artist born in Callan?

49. Who wrote the play ‘Dancing at Lughnasa’?

50. What is Donald Trump’s middle name?

Answers. 1.Keats 2.A murder of crows 3. 46 4.Town Hall 5.Badminton 6.The Adelphi 7. Norma Foley 8.South Africa 9. Sheep 10.Bradley Walsh 11. Billy Connolly 12.F. Scott Fitzgerald 13.Mount Juliet 14.Bones 15. Vest 16.

Centaur 17.Gulliver’s Travels 18.Binnacle 19.1st November 20.Twenty Eight 21.G.B. Shaw 22.Bees 23.1960 24.The Daily Planet 25.Twelve 26.High Jump 27.Gauchos 28.Tic-tac 29.

Hogmanay 30. Electro Plated Silver Nickel 31.Mozart 32.Capuchins 33 West Side Story 34.1993 35.Mary’s Boy Child 36.Bedloe 37. Elvis Costello 38.Hard Black 39. Four 40. Kosher 41 Chicken Maryland 42 Canberra 43 St. Canice’s Cathedral 44 Lactose 45 Polo 46 John Boyne 47 Boy 48 Tony O’Malley 49 Brian Friel 50 John

Right then, a wee quiz to shake up the brain cells before they, along with the hedgehogs, go into hibernation for the winter.

Fifty questions. Quiz rating: 25 – 30 Fair. 30 – 40 Good. 40 – 45 Very Good. 45 plus – Excellent.

You’re definitely a bright, very bright, spark.

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Opinion

James Stephens Part two

The Kilkenny man who founded the Fenians

BY JOHN FITZGERALD

Continuing the story of James Stephens…the American Fenians became disenchanted with him. It was another of those splits that have bedeviled Irish republicanism through the ages.

Oblivious of the fact that it was dissension and infighting within the Fenian movement in the U.S. that had delayed arms shipments for the proposed rebellion, a Fenian Convention in New York denounced Stephens for what it claimed was a betrayal of the cause…a ludicrous and totally unjustified accusation.

Crushed by this development, and rendered cynical by what he perceived as a disastrous course being pursued by the American Fenians, the Kilkenny man returned to Paris where he found parttime work as

James Stephens in middle age

A depiction of the attempted Fenian invasion of Canada

a journalist and teacher.

An American Civil War veteran, Thomas Kelly, stole the limelight from Stephens.

Based in England, Kelly tried to stage an uprising in March 1867. He counted on the support of Irish emigrants to ensure success, despite the failure of an attempt to capture weapons in a raid on Chester Castle.

On September 11th, Kelly and another Fenian were arrested in Manchester.

The following res week, a rescue squad snatched them en route to jail after the court pro pro-

ceedings. In the process, they shot and killed a policeman.

Three Fenians were convicted of his murder.

The Manchester Martyrs, as they came to be known, defiantly shouted: “God Save Ireland” before they were taken to the gallows and their words were immortalized in a ballad that is still sung in pubs across Ireland, Britain, the U.S.A., and Australia.

In November 1867, a bomb planted by Fenians outside Clerkenwell prison in London as part of a jail break attempt accidentally killed civilians, sparking a wave of anti-Irish feeling. The British Prime Minister, Gladstone, said he felt the tragedy underlined the need for urgent action on the “Vexed Irish Question”.

Meanwhile, the American Fenians had mounted a series of daring but pointless attacks on British controlled Canada.

O'Mahony launched the Fenian “invasion” of Canadian territory in 1867 at Campobello Island off the coast of Maine.

It succeeded only in removing a Union Jack from a Canadian customs house.

And the US army arrested all those who took part when they crossed the border back into America. Another attack, directed by a Fenian splinter group, met with greater success but was ultimately doomed to failure. The invaders routed a force of Canadian militia at the battle of Ridgeway, but the attack ran out of steam when the U.S. prevented reinforcements from joining the offensive.

The movement founded by the freedom-loving and idealistic Kilkenny man fell apart, but it had prepared the way for the next uprising which occurred 50 years later in Easter Week 1916.

John O’Mahony, his organization in shreds, died a pauper in New York. James Stephens was expelled from France in 1886 for allegedly plotting a revolution in that country, a charge never substantiated.

He moved to Switzerland.

The disillusioned Republican returned to Ireland for the last time after friends raised money to facilitate his resettlement in his native land. He took up residence at Blackrock, Dublin, where he kept a low profile until his death on April 29th, 1901.

James Stephens is remembered as pivotal figure in the age-old quest to win freedom for Ireland. In Kilkenny, the army barracks and a famed hurling and camogie club are named in his honour.

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 13 October 2023

Global Report

COMMENT: PAUL HOPKINS

As the onslought between Israel and Palestine continues, Israel is facing rising domestic political division, growing violence in the West Bank and delicate negotiations among Israel, Saudi Arabia and the US. The slaughter of Israelis at a festival by Palestine’s Hamas seems deliberately timely.

Hamas claims it was taking revenge for a series of recent actions by Israel at a Jerusalem’s mosque.. But Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition government has been conducting an escalating crackdown against what it says are rising Palestinian terror attacks for more than a year. (In truth, the Israelis have been terrorising Palestinians for decades).

It would seem the timing of the Hamas attack was primarily aimed at disrupting negotiations between Israel and Saudi Arabia as Riyadh appeared on the verge of a historic step to normalise relations with Israel.

In recent weeks, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Biden have all expressed support for an agreement that would result in Saudi Arabia recognising Israel diplomatically.

Something Iran most definitely does not want, hence its military support of Hamas.

If Saudi Arabia agreed to recognise Israel it would likely lead other Arab states to do so. A series of such agreement would end decades of hostility between Israel and its neighbours dating back to 1948, when the State of Israel was founded on land once occupied by Palestinians.

All sides have complex conditions for such a groundbreaking agreement. Breaking with past Saudi rulers, bin Salman has signalled that he

Why the attack

by Hamas was perfectly timed

is willing to recognise Israel, given the vast economic benefits it would provide to Saudi Arabia. Before the Hamas attack, there were reports that Saudi Arabia had told the White House it would agree to increase its oil production to help cement a deal, something the Biden White House has sought for two years.

However, the Saudis want the US to help them develop a civilian nuclear programme, something opposed by hardright members of Netanyahu’s coalition and by members of the US Senate, which would

have to approve any such deal.

Separately, President Biden told Mr Netanyahu when they met in New York last month that any agreement would have to include land for the Palestinians so that they could establish a viable state, something Netanyahu’s settlement extensions in the West Bank would prevent.

The West Bank, meanwhile, remains the scene of rising attacks by Israeli settlers on Palestinians. Israeli settlers have violently attacked Palestinians at least some 700 times this year alone — the highest

number on record, according to the UN. Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar BenGvir praised the expansion of the settlements and has called for more. Netanyahu’s farright government responded with plans to build 5,000 new Israeli settlements. Israeli settlements built on Palestinian land are illegal according to international law.

As the talks with the Saudis, Israelis and Americans progressed, Palestinian fierce disappointment arose. There is a palpable frustration among

the Palestinians at seeing the Saudis and Israelis moving closer.

Netanyahu has also stoked domestic division among Israelis as he has pushed a judicial reform that would weaken Israel’s Supreme Court, a move that sparked mass protest across the country.

The first portion of reform enacted a law that protected a prime minister from being removed from power. The reform came after the Israeli leader forced multiple elections in recent years as Netanyahustruggled to remain in

power. Critics denounced the court reforms by noting that it would weaken the democratic checks of power within Israel, some even noting that it was tailor-made to keep Netanyahu in leadership after allegations of corruption.

A second part of the reforms passed in July would prevent the court from declaring government decisions unreasonable. A poll then from Israel’s Channel 13 that month found 56% of Israelis feared the reforms could lead to civil war.

The last thing Israel needs right now.

A plain man’s guide to Palestine and Hamas Hamas has fought several wars with Israel since it took power in the Gaza Strip in 2007.

Hamas is a Palestinian militant group sworn to Israel’s destruction and wants to replace it with an Islamic state.

In between those wars, it has fired or allowed other groups to fire thousands of rockets at Israel, and carried out other deadly attacks. Israel has also repeatedly attacked Hamas with air strikes, and, together with Egypt, has blockaded the Gaza Strip since 2007, for what it says is its security.

Hamas as a whole, or in some cases its military wing, is designated a ter-

rorist group by Israel, the United States, the European Union and the UK, as well as other powers. Hamas is

backed by Iran, which funds it and provides weapons and training.

The Gaza Strip is a 41km (25-mile) long and 10km-

wide territory between Israel, Egypt and the Mediterranean Sea. It is home to about 2.3 million people and has one of densithe highest population densi ties in the world.

Israel controls the air space over Gaza and its shoreline and restricts who and what goods are allowed in and out through its border cross crossings. Similarly, Egypt controls who passes in and out through its bor border with Gaza.

About 80% of the population of Gaza interna depends on international aid, according to the UN, and about one million people rely on daily food aid.

The West Bank and Gaza, which are known

as the Palestinian territories, as well as East Jerusalem and Israel all formed part of land known as Palestine [flag pictured] since Roman times.

These were also the lands of Jewish kingdoms in the Bible, and are seen by Jews as their ancient homeland.

Israel was declared a State in 1948, though the land is still referred to as Palestine by those who do not recognise Israel’s right to exist. Palestinians also use the name Palestine as an umbrella term for the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem.

Although the current attack by the militants came without warning, it happened at a time of soaring Israeli-Palestinian tensions.

This year has been the dead-

liest year on record for Palestinians in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, which could have motivated Hamas to strike Israel with a spectacular attack. Hamas might also have been seeking to score a major propaganda victory against Israel to boost its popularity among ordinary Palestinians.

The fact that it has taken so many Israelis captive is likely to be aimed at pressuring Israel to free some of the about 4,500 Palestinians held in Israeli prisons - a highly emotive issue for all Palestinians.

There is also speculation that the attack was orchestrated by Iran – Israel’s archfoe – though Iran’s ambassador the UN has denied his country’s involvement.

The Kilkenny Observer Friday 13 October 2023

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Savour Kilkenny

See Darina Allen, Rachel Allen & Rory O’Connell for free as they bring Ballymaloe to Kilkenny this October bank holiday weekend Savour Kilkenny welcomes the Ballymaloe trio of Darina Allen, Rachel Allen & Rory O’Connell to the Savour Stage as part of a stellar line-up of Cookery Demos by top Irish Chefs this October Bank Holiday weekend.

On Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th of October, nestled in the heart of the 100 stall Savour Market, overlooked by Kilkenny Castle, the Savour Stages will showcase the culinary talent of the highly acclaimed Kevin Dundon, King & Queen of Savour Edward Hayden & Anne Neary, zero waste kitchen advocate Conor Spacey, Kai restaurant’s Jess Murphy, and the Cupcake Bloke Graham Herterich. With demonstrations by up-andcoming Chefs Caomhán De Brí and Sarah Browne, no

fuss cook Maria Harte, zero waste wedding guru Orla McAndrew, and the Spice Guru Arun Kapil. Plus a patisserie masterclass with Mount Juliet’s Tom Phelan.

There is something for every taste and ability!

Alongside the top Chefs, Irish Olympian Derval O’Rourke will be chatting about eating healthy and affordably with frozen food and Nathalie Lennon will be discussing food as fuel for exercise. Wellness Warrior Catherine O’Keefe and latin-American Chef Jeeny Maltese will be helping you with tips and tricks to beat brain fog and Dr. Sinéad McCarthy will be discussing the food pyramid through a sustainability lens.

Festival stalwarts and MCs Edward Hayden and Siobhan Donohoe

promise great craic as they guide you through the fun, informative and tasty demonstrations! Entry is free to both stages and open to the public on a first come first served basis. Seats fill quickly!

Savour Kilkenny Food Festival prides itself on providing a platform where culinary brilliance meets enthusiastic food lovers.

With this year's thrilling line-up, attendees can expect a truly remarkable culinary journey, through cookery demos, market stalls and dining events.

For the full schedule of events, including dining event tickets, please visit www.savourkilkenny. com or follow us on Instagram @savourkilkenny for updates.

Rachel Allen

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News

Kilkenny female entrepreneurs and businesswomen encouraged to “empower business together” Female entrepreneurs and budding businesswomen from across Kilkenny are being encouraged to “Em-

power Business Together” and register for this year’s National Women’s Enterprise Day events.

This year the Kilkenny event is taking place in The Parade Tower, Kilkenny Castle from 12pm - 2pm.

The Kilkenny Observer Friday 13 October 2023

The Kilkenny Observer Friday 13 October 2023

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News

Eimear Ní Bhraonáin will interview Leading Light, Janet Beck of Glass Eye Productions and guest speaker Trisha Lewis of Trisha’s Transformation, about their entrepreneurial journeys, optimistic outlooks, and business wisdom they have picked up along the way The Local Enterprise Office (LEO) initiative, now in its 17th year, will take place with events across the country on Thursday 19th October. There are 14 events nationwide and they feature a range of successful businesswomen, up and coming female entrepreneurs and amazing speakers in areas of sustainability, innovation, networking and marketing.

The theme of this year’s event “Empowering Business Together” will embrace a range of themes and challenges that are being faced by women in business and will outline

the key supports that are available from financial and consultancy to training and mentoring.

The Kilkenny business lunchtime seminar is specifically designed for female entrepreneurs who are looking to enhance their business skills, gain knowledge, and network with like-minded individuals. The seminar aims to provide valuable insights, actionable tips, and practical strategies for success in the business world.

Cathaoirleach of Kilkenny County Council, Cllr Michael Doyle, said; “National Women’s Enterprise Day is an opportunity to showcase and hear from successful entrepreneurs who are building for the future.

This year is no different, but we are very much looking forward to it. The role of the Local Enterprise Office is to support entrepreneurs in County Kilkenny, to sustain and develop

their businesses and ideas going into the future.”

Aileen McGrath, Acting Head of Enterprise, Local Enterprise Office, includes; “Now in its seventeenth year, National Women’s Enterprise Day is an important milestone in the Local Enterprise Office calendar. It gives us the opportunity to highlight the success stories of women in County Kilkenny who continue to do amazing things in business, across every sector.

The day itself is also an opportunity for businesswomen to network, engage, share tips and advice and to find out what supports are available for their business through their Local Enterprise Office.”

Places are limited for this year’s National Women’s Enterprise Day Kilkenny event. For more information or to book a place visit www.localenterprise.ie/ Kilkenny/NWED-2023.

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 13 October 2023

Tomás Jackman

Tomás honoured on the double at Irish Country Music Awards Night

By Gerry Cody Tomás Jackman is a Musician known the length and breadth of the country.

He is a highly regarded musician in Ireland, and on October 2nd at The Woodford Dolmen Hotel in Carlow, he was presented with two awards for his contribution to the Irish music Industry.

His first award was for Irish/ folk artist of 2023 while the second was for duet of the year with Dan Washburn from Canada.

Tomas recorded his last two singles in Canada - ‘Dreaming my dreams with you’ and Longing for Ireland with Dan Washburn for which they got Duet of the year.

In 1986, William Bennett, former US Secretary of Education said: “The Arts are an essential element of education, just like reading, writing, and arithmetic: Music, dance, painting and theatre are all keys that unlock profound human understanding and accomplishment.”

This is (if you’ll excuse the pun) music to Jackman’s ears.

He is a great believer that everyone has a role to play in life and that the arts are vital to survival.

A son of Margaret and Denis Jackman, Tomás began his life at The Military Married quarters, his father being a member of The Defence forces.

The family later moved to Walkin Street.

Most musicians will be asked at least once in their lifetime where their love of music began.

I would happily put my pounds, shillings and pence on the fact that his parents played a big part.

And knowing both of them as I did, they would have supported any of their children no matter what dream they wished to follow.

Denis Jackman was of course a member of various singing and musical societies and no doubt the apple didn’t fall far from the singing tree.

‘Briseann an dúchas trí shuille an chait’ However, it was while they both worked as volunteers backstage and front of house at The Friary Hall and later at the Watergate that they really shone. Along with other volunteers, I noticed how they helped and encouraged all youngsters appearing in shows. And like so many other volunteers, they contributed greatly to the fundraising and

Kilkennyman Tomás Jackman pictured at The Woodford Hotel where he received Irish/folk artist of 2023 award and ‘Duet of the year’ with Dan Washburn from Canada

promotion of the Watergate, in the early years .Their contribution to Kilkenny was seen in many other areas, The Boy Scouts and Girl Guides being a case in point.

THE SEED IS SOWN At six years of age, Tomás was given piano lessons by the late and great The wonderful Maunsell Drohan who was instrumental in lighting ( and saving) many shows staged in Kilkenny

Kitty Drohan.

This sowed the seed of a love of music for Tomás.

Kitty Drohan had that affect.

Then it was onto Piano accordion with tutor Mick Brophy, and later guitar lessons from Sean Nolan.

Tomás is a great believer in thanking those who handed the baton when he was younger.

He makes the point: “ It is good to remember that no matter what you do , it is important to remember those who helped or lay the foundation stones” At fourteen years of age Tomás did his first paid gig in the NCOs Mess in the Army Barrack where his father was Mess Sergeant.

And while we are on the topic, it is worth taking a moment to speak of Kitty and her husband Maunsell.

There are many reasons why

Tomás Jackman entertaining a packed Woodford Dolmen Hotel in Carlow for the Irish Radio Award Night

Irish radio presenter and one of the MC’s on the awards night, Kilkennyman Joe Byrne presents an award to Tomás Jackman

musical theatre is so strong in Kilkenny. Equally, there are many people to whom our thanks should go to for carrying the musical baton down through the years.

The Drohan’s put body and soul into local musicals.

Blood sweat and tears would probably be closer to the truth.

Kitty and Maunsell Drohan must take a special place for their unselfish promotion and dedication to music in general and the local musical society in particular.

Kitty, along with Donal O Brien founded the society in 1974, and the rest as they say is history.

Margaret and Denis Jackman, who like so many volunteers, played a vital role in the promotion of the Arts in Kilkenny. Photo shows Margaret with Denis on the day of his election as National President of the O.N.E.

Mikey Martin and Kitty Drohan at the Kilkenny theatre in 1953. Kitty introduced a young Tomás Jackman to the wonderful world of music when he was six years of age

While Kitty was almost resident director of shows staged at the Friary Hall from 1974, Maunsell took charge of all things technical.

There were times when you would be forgiven for thinking Maunsell had left the room, he was so quiet.

A man with a tam who put the head down and got on with the work. Considering the very basic equipment he had, it was nothing short of miraculous to see what he produced.

I know little of the man, but that he was intelligent and well-read was never in doubt.

A sort of a Google before it was invented. He lit shows to a quality that was brilliant.

When, as often happened, things broke down, Maunsell, with no fuss tied a thing to a yoke and saved the day. A Mac Gyver type.

Suffice to say, that the young Mr Jackman was in good hands.

AWARDS NIGHT And so, back to the awards night.

The Irish Radio Country Music Awards Night was held on October 2nd at The Woodford Dolmen Hotel in Carlow, Gerry Byrne launched Irish Radio in 2011 in response to popular demand. Gerry enthuses: "Talented Irish singers, multi-instrumentalists and songwriters are admired worldwide. I'm passionate about bringing their music to as wide an audience of the Irish diaspora as possible and, indeed, the many who love Irish culture.”

Mr Byrne said that Tomás Jackman epitomized the character and talent in the Irish music scene.

For Tomás, receiving the awards was a great honour.

Speaking to The Kilkenny Observer Newspaper, Mr Jackman said that music was his life and his whole life centres around it.

“At the end of the day, it’s my job, but it certainly is nice to be acknowledged for your work”, said Tomás.

Tomás lists his music influences as Luke Kelly, Pecker Dunne and all things Folk and Ballads with a huge love for all Irish Artists.

He has gigged in Kytelers Inn for twenty years and has toured internationally.

Jackman is also known for his countless appearances for charity gigs and he played the proverbial blinder during Covid , performing two concerts per week on zoom.

Tomás hopes to tour to the US and Canada in 2024.

When he is not performing himself Tomás enjoys following his sons band "The Donnys".

“It is a very special feeling seeing your own son up on stage performing”, said the proud father.

And so the wheel turns. Just as his father supported him, he in turn supports his son.

The seed is sown, the flower will blossom. Ceol clainne curtha ar aghaidh ó ghlúin go gliún NOTE: On the night of the awards, Joe Byrne, another Kilkennyman and fellow parishioner of Tomás as well as MC on the night presented one of the awards to his neighbour.

Joe Byrne, presents his country and Irish radio show every Friday night on Irish radio.org.

A great day for ‘The Parish’.

The Kilkenny Observer Friday 13 October 2023

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 13 October 2023

News

Big turn-out for launch of war novel

John Fitzgerald at the launching of Invaders Books One and Two

Keogh’s bar in Callan was packed for the launching of John Fitzgerald’s Invaders.

The fashionable pub was treated to a gentle “invasion” and occupation for the event that included colourful speeches, poetry recitations, and singing.

Joe Kennedy of Joe Kennedy of Callan Callan Heritage Heritage Society Society launched the two-volume publication: Invaders (Book One) and Effusion of Blood (Invaders Book Two).

Describing Invaders as an “epic work”, Joe commended the author on the many Callan artist Paddy months of Cunningham at the research and writlaunch ing that went into the two-part story of how Callan fought against overwhelming odds back in 1650 against a supposedly invincible invading army.

Volume one takes the reader from the day Cromwell’s powerful expeditionary force landed at Ringsend in Dublin right up to the his arrival at the walls of Callan.

Volume two, titled Effusion of Blood takes up the story from there, recreating the tumultuous events that followed Callan’s decision to say NO to the invader.

Joe alluded to John Fitzgerald’s previous books detailing aspects of Callan’s rich heritage and antiquities. He expressed the hope that future generations would cherish the town’s national monuments, its cultural potential, and its wealth of local folklore.

John thanked Joe for launching Invaders and said a few words about how it came to be written…that he first conceived the idea of a story about the brave captain who led the defence of Callan many years ago when he was only ten years old, getting around to writing it only when Covid closed the country down in 2020.

He said was especially grateful to Joe Kennedy because his lengthy non-fiction article on “Cromwell in Callan”, published in the Old Kilkenny Review of 1984, proved invaluable in researching the era covered by the novel..

Historian Philip Lynch recited a moving poem recalling the Cromwellian era, elaborating on the real events that form the backdrop for Invaders. He drew parallels between Cromwell

Borris Vocational School: All-Ireland Scholarship Award recipients 2023

Congratulations to two past pupils of Borris Vocational School, Kathleen Fenlon and Philip Byrne who recently received All-Ireland

Scholarship Awards sponsored

by JP McManus. The value of each All-Ireland scholarship is valued at €6,750 per annum.

The scholarships apply for the

duration of the undergraduate programme chosen. The students in receipt of these scholarships are exceptional and have demonstrated their

dedication and ability to achieve exceptional Leaving Certificate results.

The award ceremony itself took place at the University

Patricia Lynch Bernadette Brennan and Marianne Kelly at the book launch

and present-day tyrants in the world, reminding us that human nature doesn’t change… whatever about weapons or technology.

Judy Rhatigan delighted the gathering with the recital of one of her acclaimed poems.

Kilkenny Observer readers will recall that she had a launch a few weeks ago of her own Raggedy Bush poetry collection.

Her husband Jimmy entertained also, offering a reprised version of his feted Patrick Kavanagh act, adding an unexpected cultural layer to the night’s proceedings. Jimmy sang a few verses of Raglan Road to round off his enthralling act.

Mark Townsend, who penned a scholarly book on the life and times of Brother Damien Brennan, commended Invaders too. He spoke, from his own experience, of the long hours of work and dedication that writing either

of Limerick. Guest speaker at the occasion was John Kiely, the Limerick Senior Hurling Team Manager. Also in attendance was JP Mc Manus and the Minister of State for the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Mr Niall Collins, T.D, along with recipients, their parents and principals of the schools involved.

Kathleen Fenlon from Ballymurphy is the daughter of Tom and Margaret. Although achieving an exceptional Leaving Certificate, in her citation, Kathleen attributes representing the school at camogie as being her best moment. Kathleen is currently studying Accounting and Finance in Maynooth University and credits this choice of her interest in the business world.

Philip Byrne from Graiguenamagh, Kilkenny is the son of Ann and Ger. Philip sat his Leaving Certificate in 2022 achieving the maximum of 625 points. Philip attributes his most memorable moments at Borris Vocational School to his involvement with the Amber Flag committee which promotes mental health around the school. Philip is currently studying Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences in University College Cork.

The whole school community is very proud of their incredible achievement and wish them well for their future.

fiction or non-fiction entails.

“You’d have to love doing it!” he enthused.

Peter Brabazon, author of a poetry collection launched recently in Fennelly’s, regaled the gathering with a poem carefully-chosen from his vast and beguiling repertoire.

The final word was left to Marianne Kelly of the Kilkenny Heritage Walkers.

She praised the novel and said she wondered if it might someday be adapted for a film or major drama. She grew up right beside the Fair Green where Cromwell had his guns positioned to bombard the town’s South Gate. Marianne envisages a guided tour of the Callan battle sites referenced in the novel.

Invaders, volumes one and two, is available now from Amazon in both paperback and ebook format, and will be on sale in Kilkenny bookshops later this month.

The Kilkenny Observer Friday 13 October 2023

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News

Borris Vocational School – Off to a flying start Borris Vocational School showjumping is off to a flying start for 2023/24 EII Interschools League.

The season kicked off on 17th September at Boswell Equestrian Centre, Wicklow where team of three, Rosemary Dundon, Harry Griffith and Ella Kidd defied horrendous weather conditions to secure a very commendable 4th place in the team event.

The second outing of the season was in Wexford Equestrian Centre on 24th September, where the Borris Vocational School team outshone 19 other school teams to clinch first place in an impressive victory. Flying the flag for Borris on that delighted winning team were, Harry Griffith, Darragh O’Brien, Dearbhla Sheehan and Ella Kidd. In the 90 cm Individual EII Qualifier Dearbhla Sheehan came an impressive 2nd, Rosemary Dundon was in 4th place, and Darragh O’Brien was placed 5th. This was an enormously successful result since the Borris students managed to take home 3 of the 6 prizes on offer in that individual event.

The third outing of the

season for Borris was held in Coilóg Equestrian Centre, Naas on 1st October. The students of Borris Vocational School were again not found wanting when it came to grit and determination. Ella Kidd secured a stunning 1st place in the 80cm individual event on her horse Coppenagh Otto. Ella beat more than 25 other riders from all over the country in that competition.

The Borris team, consisting of Darragh O’Brien, Dearbhla Sheehan, Rosemary Dundon and Harry Griffith jumped four double clear rounds and two clear speed rounds bringing the team in 2nd place overall.

After an impressive display of jumping the team was just pipped at the post on time.

Striking out on a solo run Darragh O’Brien competed in the 90cm individual event and secured an impressive 3rd place. Darragh is the youngest member of the team having just joined our school last September. With loads of ability and plenty of equestrian experience already behind him, Darragh is already making his mark on this team.

These young riders must be commended for the

dedication they show to their sport. They are improving and honing their skills at every competition and are certainly ones to watch as the showjumping season progresses. At the moment Borris Vocational School are top of the leaderboard. There is still much to be done and many competitions to follow, but this is an exceptionally good start, and we wish all

these young riders the very best in the events ahead.

We are as always, eternally grateful to all the parents who drive the length and breadth of the country at weekends to attend these competitions. A big thank you also to Karen Griffith for her role as Chef de Quipe of the team. We look forward to following this young and eager team as the year progresses.

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 13 October 2023

The Kilkenny Observer Friday 13 October 2023

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The ultimate guide to dressing up for the annual Christmas party The work Christmas party is an opportunity to have fun, recognise your accomplishments, and spread holiday cheer among your coworkers. One important duty, however, must be completed before you can practice your dance routines and your finest party stories: choosing

what to wear!

It's important to keep in mind that even while the office Christmas party is a chance to relax, it is still a work-related affair. Therefore, the first piece of advice is to always dress professionally. Choose clothing that complies with the dress code

at your place of business, but don't be afraid to add a little seasonal flair to your look. A formal, knee-length cocktail dress for the ladies or smart trousers and a blazer for the men will be appropriate for the occasion.

Add Christmas themed accents without making it too

tacky. For a truly festive look, women should think about wearing a dress with sequins, metallic elements, or maybe a hint of red or green. For men, adding a festive tie, a pocket square with a Christmas theme, or some cufflinks can greatly enhance your appearance without going too crazy.

The festive casual dress code achieves the ideal harmony between casual comfort and festive attire. Ladies, consider casual yet fashionable ensembles like a jumper dress with ankle boots or jeans and a lovely top. Gents, you can still enjoy the relaxed atmosphere while looking sharp in a smart-casual shirt and dark pants.

Festive parties have become synonymous with ugly Christmas sweaters. Why not fully embrace in the festivities with an outrageously fun, garish sweater if your office favours a more laid-back environment? The idea, as always, is to smile and embrace the tackiness since this can be a fantastic icebreaker and conversation starter.

If your workplace is hosting a more formal event, consider being classy and elegant.

Ladies, think of wearing a floor-length gown with spectacular jewellery in a deep shade of crimson or emerald green. For men, a sharp suit with a subdued Christmas tie or pocket square might strike the ideal note between formality and holiday cheer.

Let's move on to accessories and other adorable finishing touches you can add to your wardrobe to make it look even more festive now that you know what to wear! Your secret weapon for transforming an ordinary dress into a festive look can be accessories. Consider candy cane bracelets, snowflake-shaped

earrings, or perhaps a treeshaped brooch. These subtle adjustments can give your clothing a lively feel while still keeping it professional.

Ladies, take advantage of this opportunity to play around with your hair and makeup in ways you might not normally do. To get into the holiday spirit, consider shimmering eyeshadows, a bold lip colour, or even a little glitter. Your entire appearance can be unified with loose curls in your hair, a stylish updo, or even a festive hairpin. Men should not be forgotten either; feel free to dress glam whenever the mood strikes.

Your comfort and confidence are very crucial when choosing an outfit for a work Christmas party. After all, your best accessory is your confidence! If you feel good in what you're wearing, whether it's a sequined dress, a handsome suit, or something more casual, it will show in your demeanour and interactions throughout the evening.

The key to a successful business holiday party dress code is striking the ideal balance between fun and professionalism. There are many possibilities, from black tie to ugly Christmas sweaters, that let you show off your individual flair while staying true to the mood or topic of the event.

So go ahead, embrace your holiday spirit, and have fun with your fashion!

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 13 October 2023

The Kilkenny Observer Friday 13 October 2023

Get ready to celebrate the festive season with a difference

Indulge in Arán Bakery and Bistro’s delectable Christmas menus - two, three, five, or seven courses, craft beers from a local brewery and great-value wines - all set in a modern, bright bistro on Barrack Street, Kilkenny.

Arán is a popular artisan award winning Bistro and Bakery, offering a casual dining experience in an affordable and stylish setting. Its Michelin-star-trained chefs are creative, and the atmosphere is great, as is the food, which is why it has fast become one of the top venues in the South East. Arán works hard to be sustainable, to work with local food suppliers and to be in a

position to support the community. Being an outlet for everyday people to enjoy very good food-food made with a lot of skill and effort.

Whether it’s a festive lunch or a big night out, Arán has a range of private hire options that are perfect for a bespoke celebration with colleagues or clients. It can be used for a private lunch or dinner, with a variety of menu options offering a twist on the traditional.

You can tailor the night to suit your budget by adding live music, glasses of wine, or a selection of cocktails, and canapés.

Arán Bistro has capacity for sit-down dining, or canapés

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and drinks with menu prices for two courses starting at €31.99 and three courses from €39.99, with the option of five or seven courses with booking in advance.

Book a private event Wednesday - Sunday. Contact (056) 775 6297 or info@ arankilkenny.ie to start planning your memorable Christmas party today.

Arán Bistro has recently opened for dinner. Indulge in delectable, locally-sourced dishes every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evening. Early Birds can catch a great deal with our Early Bird menu - 2 courses for €31.99 or 3 courses for €39.99. The Early Bird menu is available all evening Thursday, and from 6pm - 6.50pm on Friday and Saturday. Walk ins are welcome. Reserve your spot at arankilkenny.ie for an unforgettable dining affair. Plus, drop by for mouthwatering brunch six days a week.

Arán Deli and Bakery, where every bite is a delight, is situated across the road from Arán Bistro. Order take-away pastries and cakes for inoffice treats on the lead up to Christmas. In December, Arán will be accepting pre-orders for collection of baked goods on 23rd and 24th December.

Award winning Sourdough bread, mince pies, citrus meringue tarts, cinnamon rolls, decadent filled croissants, savoury pastries and sandwiches are just some of the ever evolving options available at the Deli and Bakery.

How to survive the office Christmas party Throwing up, crying about your latest failed relationship, passing out and being ‘agro’ with the barman are some other etiquette faux pas.

Keep your hands to yourself Making a move at the CEO's spouse or dirty dancing with the boss on a crowded dance floor are also looked down on, to say the least. Don't use the Christmas party stage and your Dutch bravado to sneak up on the office hunk or princess. Not at the party, the after party or even the after after party. Just no.

You can regret it, be humiliated, lose your marriage, or even face charges of sexual harassment.

Most of us want to take off our shoes and have a little fun now that the year is coming to an end and most businesses want to thank their employees for their work throughout the year. Here are some top tips on how to behave so you don’t wake up with the fear!

Avoid getting absolutely hammered The last thing you want is to have a hangover the next day and no recollection of how you got home. That sort of behaviour makes for good office gossip. Even if you get along well with your

coworkers, it’s not the right time to go mad. You still have to work with these people.

Maybe buddy up for the party and look out for each other.

You can let each other know when it's time to pile into a taxi.

Remember your office etiquette We do certain things with friends at the bar that would be inappropriate for our boss. With your pals, you might swear a lot and you may slip back into it when you’re back in the pub.

Stay off social media Avoid the urge to throw your arms around your boss to take a selfie or posting pictures of your coworkers.

At best, it will be awkward the next day, and at worst, it might harm your job and relationships with co-workers in the long run. As enticing as it would be to post a pic of the boss singing along to drunken karaoke, it’s probably not for the best.

Be careful what you say

No matter what you might think of a co-worker, the Christmas party is not the time to tell Joan that you think she’s a right cow.

‘What happens at the Christmas party stays at the Christmas party’ is the biggest lie.

Spending the entire evening sulking about your job, your boss and the party is also in poor taste. It's not the right time to bring up last month's expense reports, as far as humanly feasible, avoid discussing work and keep it light and enjoyable.

Have fun You belong to the office, so you really ought to attend the party! Don't let stories of awkward office gatherings deter you from interacting with your co-workers, especially if your office has taken the time to plan something for everyone. You can start to feel the FOMO if you don't go, as your coworkers develop closer bonds.

With the help of these suggestions, you can enjoy yourself and remember the Christmas party fondly rather than with a sickening sinking sensation.

You don't want to ruin your Christmas break by stressing about returning to work!

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 13 October 2023

Obituary

Maureen Brannigan RIP The news of the death of Maureen Brannigan, on 26th August was heard of with regret in the farming community and beyond. Maureen died in the wonderful care of the staff and medical team in Drakelands Nursing Home surrounded by her family.

A member of the Mahony family of Kellsgrange, she was the youngest of six children born to Thomas and Brigid Mahony. Enjoyed a happy family life and being the youngest it was inevitable that she would be spoilt by all her siblings. Maureen would often tell her own children about her childhood, collecting kindling, walking to school in Kells and trips in the family car.

Maureen met Joe at a dance in Windgap and in 1967, they married and settled down in Drakelands where they built their house on the family farm. They had a busy life looking after the farm and rearing a family. But Maureen still found time to play an active part in the farming and social life in the community.

She and her husband Joe travelled extensively, recording each trip in the family atlas. She lost her husband twenty one years ago but she still continued

to visit foreign shores with family and friends. These trips helped her to cope after the loss of her husband. She had a wide circle of friends and she enjoyed weekends away, day trips and meeting up for coffee or a walk on the beach. Visits to the Watergate

for pantomimes, plays and musicals played a part in her life. She loved her garden and would spend hours tending to her plants.

She was a prominent member of the Kilkenny Agricultural Society and was an enthusiastic supporter of

the Kilkenny Flower Club.

She loved flower arranging and together with her friend, Maura, created beautiful arrangements for weddings and other special occasions around the county. Naturally she was called on to arrange the flowers for her daughters’ weddings.

Maureen loved having her family around her and was never happier than when there was an occasion to celebrate, be it happy or sad. She was truly a hostess in every sense of the word. Evenings in Drakelands were enjoyed by family and friends. Her grandchildren were a source of great joy and she was so proud of their achievements.

A “hands on” granny, school runs were no bother to her and she was always available.

Maureen leaves behind a family who will have great memories to look back on.

Family, friends and neighbours called in large numbers to her daughter Noreen’s home in Danesfort where she lay in repose. Rosary and prayers were recited by Fr Mark Condon.

The remains were removed on Wednesday, 30th August to St Mary’s Cathedral where Requiem Mass was celebrated

by Fr Dermot Ryan and Fr

Personal safety and staying safe this winter of our community members who may have a disability. But first let’s talk about personal safety and staying safe this winter

Over the past few editions and with the support of the Kilkenny Observer we have supplied our seniors’ tips on staying safe this winter. This week we wish to discuss the needs and safety

Personal safety – staying safe In icy weather, wear wellfitted shoes with non-slip soles if you have to go out but try to limit walking during the cold weather. Have your vision checked. Your eyesight changes as you get older; poor vision can increase your chances of falling

Mark Condon.

Fr Ryan welcomed Maureen’s family, friends and neighbours to the celebration of her life. He sympathised with them on their sad loss.

The lessons were read by Elizabeth and Lyndon, daughter and grandson respectively.

Prayers of the Faithful were recited by, Aisling, Matthew, Aidan and Johanna (grandchildren).The Offertory Gifts, which were representative of Maureen’s many interests were presented by her grandchildren.

Narration was by her daughter, Brigetta, “Aisling carries flowers, Lucy brings her atlas, it played a significant part in her life as in it she recorded all the various places visited over the years with her late husband, Joe, Aidan brings the family album, Johanna carries a photo of Joe, who died twenty one years ago and Lyndon brings her rosary beads. PJ and Elizabeth bring the Water and Wine”.

Music throughout the ceremony was by Sean O’Neill and Martina Burke.

Maureen’s granddaughter, Lucy, gave a moving rendition of, “Amazing Grace”.

Noreen spoke on behalf of the Brannigan fam-

plan for the possibility that winter weather may disrupt homecare services. In icy weather, wear well-fitted shoes with non-slip soles if you have to go out but try to limit walking outside during the cold weather.

If you use a mobility device make sure it can grip an icy surface and If you have a ramp make sure it is well gritted in icy weather

Advice on medication As you get older you may need to change the dose of your medicines – check with your doctor. Some medicines or combinations of medicines may make you feel faint or light-headed which could lead to a fall.

Consider wearing a personal alarm so that family or neighbours are alerted if you fall.

(If you do wish to discuss personal alarm for you or a family member please contact Twilight Community Seniors group

0567813105) Eat regular hot meals and drink plenty of fluids, this will keep you warm and will give you energy to keep active. If you have a fall, even a minor one, make sure you visit your doctor for a check-up.

So with our personal safety now in our minds let’s look at what we wish to chat about in this week’s edition.

Safety advice for people with disabilities People with disabilities should

Winter ready health advice for people with disabilities If your disability is affected by a drop-in temperature try and be aware of the weather forecast in order to allow you plan for pain management. Wear the correct number of layers to try and maintain your body temperature at the required level.

Individuals with reduced mobility should take extra measures to protect their hands, feet and other areas of the body that are particularly subject to cold. Eat well and avoid unnecessary travel. You should eat regular hot meals and drink plenty of fluids, this will keep you warm and will give you energy to keep active.

Food supplies Ensure you have sufficient supplies of food and of any prescription medicine you may need. If you have some mobility try and keep active indoors.

Have sufficient fuel supplies to maintain adequate heating in your home.

Ask your relatives and neighbours for help if you need it.

ily and shared some special memories of a wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt and friend.

She paid tribute to her Drakelands Nursing Home family who provided, kindness, care and security in her final years. She thanked everyone for their support especially the Danesfort community. She expressed the wish that everyone would join the family after the burial, for refreshments in Newpark Hotel. The Newpark had been the venue for many landmark events in the Brannigan family and it would have pleased Maureen to carry on the tradition.

Outside St Mary’s Cathedral, a guard of honour was formed by members of the Kilkenny Flower Club as family, friends and neighbours escorted the cortege to St Kieran’s Cemetery.

Maureen is survived by her daughters, Noreen, Brigetta, Elizabeth and son, PJ. She was pre-deceased by her husband Joe and her sisters Jennie, Lizzie and Bridget. Maureen is also mourned by her sister, Kathleen, brother Dick, grandchildren, Lyndon, Aisling, Lucy, Matthew, Aidan, Joe, Johanna, Jeffrey and Maisy, sons-in-law Robert, Ray and Stephen, daughterin-law Anna, brothers–inlaw, sisters in law, nephews, nieces, extended family and friends.

She will be sadly missed by all. Rest in peace Maureen!

Keep their phone numbers on a list beside your phone. If you cannot talk to people on the phone, make sure you have a relative or friend you can text for assistance if you need it, and register with the emergency services so you can contact them via text if necessary.

Medical equipment If you have to use medical equipment or a powered mobility device every day please make sure that you always have access to a power supply.

Ensure that you are on the vulnerable customer registers for the energy companies and Irish Water. If you have an assistance dog, be sure to keep them warm as well. Be sure to always have a blanket for the animal to rest on. Keep the animal indoors as much as possible.

Stay in contact Yes, Stay in contact. To keep our community members safe this winter, stay in touch with one another and don’t be afraid to ask for assistance. We are all willing to help. Be a good neighbour.

If you have a mobile phone that you can use make sure it has a charge and bring it with you when you are going out.

You should consider wearing a personal alarm so that family or neighbours are alerted if you fall. If you have a fall, even a minor one, make sure you can visit your doctor for a check-up.

Next week we will continue our Twilight Tips to Stay Safe this winter

COMPETITION TIME

The Kilkenny Observer Friday 13 October 2023

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The Kilkenny

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SPONSORED BY THE KILKENNY OBSERVER

The Kilkenny Observer has linked up with Goods of Kilkenny and we are holding a competition to win a €100 voucher.

Choose your Autumn/Winter collection from the wide range of style at Goods, get your entries into The Kilkenny Observer and be in with a chance of winning this great prize.

COMPETITION ENTRY FORM

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HOW TO ENTER COMPLETE THE ENTRY FORM ABOVE YOU CAN DELIVER THE COMPLETED ENTRY FORM BY POSTING OR DROPPING IN TO, THE KILKENNY OBSERVER, UNIT 7, FRIARY STREET, KILKENNY

Competition Rules 1.

This competition is sponsored by The Kilkenny Observer 2. The prize will be a €100 voucher for Goods of Kilkenny 3. The closing date for entries is Friday, October 27th 2023 at 5.00pm 4. The winner will be chosen by an open draw held at the office of The Kilkenny Observer on Tuesday, October 31st 2023 5. The prize is non-transferable; no cash equivalents may be claimed. .

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

7. The winner will be advised by phone / e-mail 8. After being notified, the name of the winner will be posted in the next edition of the Kilkenny Observer.

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

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

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 13 October 2023

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 13 October 2023

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Food & Drink

Dine Me Come

With

Beef stew with cheese scone dumplings Prep: 20 mins Cook:3 0 mins Serves: 4 Pair our comforting beef stew with fluffy cheese scone dumplings to make it extra-special – it gets a touch of heat from cayenne.

Ingredients • 1 batch of beef stew (see recipe in ‘Goes well with’)) • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard • cooked green veg, to serve For the cheese scone dumplings • 225g self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting • pinch of cayenne pepper • 1 tsp baking powder • 75g cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes • 100g mature cheddar, grated, plus extra for the topping • small bunch of parsley, finely chopped • 85ml milk STEP 1 If the beef stew is frozen, defrost overnight in the fridge first. Transfer to a flameproof casserole and stir through the mustard.

STEP 2 Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Tip the flour into a large bowl and stir in the cayenne, baking powder and 1 tsp salt. Rub in the butter using your fingertips to combine – it should have a sandy texture. Use a cutlery knife to stir in the cheese

and parsley.

STEP 3 Pour in the milk and use the knife to stir it in until the mixture clumps together. If it looks dry, add a little more milk. Tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface and

gently knead until any dry floury patches are incorporated – try not to overmix, as you’ll end up with tough scones. Roll or pat the dough until it’s roughly 1cm thick. Use a 5cm cookie cutter to stamp out the scones – we made 18. Arrange the scones on top of the beef stew in a

Easy chicken casserole Prep: 20 mins Cook: 1 hr Serves: 4 This flavoursome, low-fat chicken casserole is easy to make and freezes really well, so why not make double and freeze for speedy midweek meals?

Ingredients • 2 tbsp sunflower oil • 400g boneless, skinless chicken

thigh, trimmed and cut into chunks • 1 onion, finely chopped • 3 carrots, finely chopped • 3 celery sticks, finely chopped • 2 thyme sprigs or ½ tsp dried • 1 bay leaf, fresh or dried • 600ml vegetable or chicken stock • 2 x 400g / 14oz cans haricot beans, drained • chopped parsley, to serve Method

STEP 1 Heat the oil in a large pan, add the chicken, then fry until lightly browned.

Add the veg, then fry for a few mins more. Stir in the herbs and stock. Bring to the boil. Stir well, reduce the heat, then cover and cook for 40 mins, until the chicken is tender.

STEP 2 Stir the beans into the pan, then simmer for 5 mins. Stir in the parsley and serve with crusty bread.

single layer, leaving space for them to expand during cooking. Place any others on a baking tray lined with baking parchment. Sprinkle each with a little more cheese, cover the casserole with a lid and bake for 15 mins along with the extra scones.

STEP 4 Remove the tray of scones from the oven and leave to cool. Uncover the casserole and return it to the oven for another 15 mins, or until the scones on top are puffed and golden. Serve with cooked green veg, if you like.

The Kilkenny Observer Friday 13 October 2023

The unbelievable true story behind Netflix’s ‘Griselda’ The world of the 1970s drug trade has been explored in countless movies and TV shows over the years, and Netflix’s ‘Griselda’. narrates a semi-fictionalised version of the real life of Griselda Blanco (played by Sofia Vergara, pictured), one of the most infamous, violent, and successful drug lords of the era.

In the 1970s, the cocaine drug trade was thriving throughout South America, but especially in Colombia, where Griselda Blanco was born in 1943 and raised.

As with any crime lord, rumours about her ‘origin story’ swirled for years — some truthful, some less so.

More than likely, she was exposed to a life of crime at a young age.

By 1964, she used false passports to illegally move herself, her husband, and their children to Queens, NY, according to the London

online Independent. From there, she began establishing herself as a power player in the drug trade, a role she would continue to expand over decades.

Once she established herself in New York, Griselda began building her ‘business’. She started relatively small — even buying an underwear business so she could start sneaking small quantities of her ‘product’ inside of secret compartments in the pieces — and quickly grew.

Her first near miss with the law came in the mid1970s , when the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) closed in on her and her team. In an operation dubbed Operation Banshee, Griselda and 30 of her subordinates were indicted on drug charges in 1975. While a dozen of her collaborators were ultimately tried and found guilty of “the biggest

Colombian narcotics organisation ever uncovered” (New York Times), Griselda evaded capture by fleeing to Colombia. She eventually returned to the US, setting up her new base of operations in Miami.

As her power grew, so too did her reputation for violence. Legends about her brutality grew, mixed with real reports of enemies being gunned down with shocking efficiency. Even two of her husbands met bloody ends for crossing her in some way. Her penchant for settling scores in such violent ways, combined with her ‘rule’ over the cocaine trade, earned her nicknames like Black Widow and Cocaine Godmother. The DEA task force, led by agent Bob Palombo, searched for her for years, but her knack for disguise and her iron-fisted rule made it hard for them to catch her.

Finally, in 1985, Palombo’s team caught up to Griselda, thanks to their ongoing investigations and timely tips from a few informants (who immediately were placed into witness protection). She had relocated to California to avoid the hits that were now out on her. Ultimately, however, she was taken into custody and put on trial. According to the Independent, however, the case against her was on shaky ground, and multiple scandals — including a years-ago backroom agreement made by the judge now presiding over her case — led to a shorter sentence and plea deals for the murder charges.

Griselda was released from prison in 2004 and deported back to Colombia.

She survived for eight years before being assassinated, as three of her four sons had also been killed after leaving prison.

Dark side of online dating community If you’re captivated by cults, Amazon Prime Video’s newest docuseries is right up your alley. ‘Desperately Seeking Soulmate: Escaping Twin Flames Universe’ delves deep into the dark side of the online community and reveals the harmful practices that have gone on behind the scenes for years.

Throughout the series, viewers will finally learn the truth by hearing firsthand experiences from former members.

It’s a shocking three-part series.

‘Desperately Seeking Soul-

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mate: Escaping Twin Flames Universe’ shows the great lengths people will go to in hopes of finding their soulmates. Husband and wife pair Jeff and Shaleia Divine started an online group for individuals looking for love.

They created online courses and offered relationship advice. Their videos grew in popularity, bringing in tens of thousands of views.

However, this group that was meant to help people find their ‘twin flames’ took a dark turn. It’s now allegedly a cult with harmful practices.

Vanity Fair journalist Alice Hines began an in-depth investigation of the Divines and their online group. Now, in the docuseries, even more shocking and disturbing details are coming to light.

Allegations have arisen claiming that the Divines have used their platforms to try to influence sexual orientation. Their teachings have also prompted members to pursue their exes in extreme ways.

The docuseries examines the full history of the group and reveals where the Di-

vines and their members are today. Throughout the series’ three episodes, viewers will hear from former members and families of current members. Plus, take a closer look at never-before-seen footage of Jeff and Shaleia.

You can watch Amazon Prime Video using Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Google Chromecast, Roku, Android TV, iPhone/iPad, Android Phone/Tablet, Mac, Windows, PlayStation, Xbox, LG Smart TV, Samsung Smart TV, Sony Smart TV, and VIZIO Smart TV.

5

Advertisement Advertisement TV & Streaming

good ones to stream right now 1. Dear Edward

Apple TV + will be hoping to continue its good run of form with new family drama series Dear Edward/ An adaptation of Ann Napolitano’s novel of the same name, this 10-part story centres on 12-year-old boy (Colin O’Brien) whose life is upended when he becomes the sole survivor of a commercial plane crash that kills everyone on board, including the rest of his family.

The success of (and critical praise for) its source material could potentially land the series a spot on our list of the best Apple TV Plus shows. Its first three episodes are available to stream now.

2. Cunk On Earth

Having debuted on BBC in the UK back in September 2022, acclaimed mockumentary series Cunk On Earth now finds its way onto Netflix.

Created by Black Mirror’s Charlie Brooker, the show follows fictional investigative journalist Philomena Cunk (Diane Morgan) – a character who has appeared in several Brooker projects throughout the last decade – as she interviews unsuspecting academics about the greatest inventions in human history, Borat-style.

Guest stars throughout the series’ five episodes include Lisa Kudrow, Kumail Nanjiani, Hugh Grant and Tracey Ullman.

3, Harlem, Season 2

Girls Trip creator Tracy Oliver’s acclaimed comedy series, Harlem, on Amazon Prime Video, returns for its highly anticipated second season.

Once again following misadventures of a group of stylish and ambitious girlfriends (played by Megan Good, Grace Byers, Shoniqua Shandai and Jerrie Johnsonin) in the eponymous New York City neighbourhood, Harlem S2 finds the gang reckoning with complicated questions of fertility and parenthood.

Episodes 1 and 2 are available to stream with the remaining six instalments set to arrive in pairs on a weekly basis every Friday.

4. True Spirit

This true story-inspired new Netflix movie dramatises 16-year-old Jessica Watson’s quest to become the youngest person to complete a non-stop solo sail around the globe. Teagan Croft, Anna Paquin and Cliff Curtis all star.

Judging by the film’s trailer, we’re not expecting True Spirit to break onto our list of the best Netflix movies any time soon – but critics have nonetheless called this one “an empowering tribute to a magnificent achievement”.

5. The Great British Baking Show: The Professionals

The pro-grade spin-off to beloved UK import The Great British Bake Off is in its sixth season on Netflix.

For those not in-the-know, The Great British Baking Show: The Professionals swaps out its parent show’s tent, Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith in favour of a luxurious catering kitchen, intentionally haughty judges and – you guessed it! – professional patisserie chefs as its embattled contestants.

The bread-and-butter format of The Professionals, though, is identical to that of The Great British Baking Show.

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Sport

Kilkenny Sport Focus Michael O’Leary

KCH70 birthday th

Tonight (Friday) will be a very special night as Kilkenny City Harriers Athletic Club will celebrate it's 70th Birthday with a Gala Dinner in Langtons Hotel. It will be a night of celebration and nostalgia as the club looks back on so many wonderful memories over the past seven decades.

The club was found in 1953 by several members who were willing to volunteer, and it was a most welcome actitivity for anyone who was in living in Kilkenny City 70 years ago as there wouldn't have been the wide range of clubs and societies that are available today.

With no athletic track in Kilkenny 70 years ago, KCH used both Nowlan Park and James Park for training and to illustrate how different things were in the 1950s, official competitions were confined to men and youths, so there were no events for ladies or juvenile boys and girls.

However, things began to improve from The 1960s onwards as Athletics for juveniles became more widespread in Schools and Clubs.

One of the founding members and stalwarts of KCH Sean Byrne began to train the increasing numbers of Athletes arriving into the Club.

Over the subsequent years, Kilkenny City Harriers Athletic Club increased it's numbers across all age groups at adult and juvenile in both male and female, with The Club beginning to gain recognition in Athletics circles across Ireland.

Several Athletes competed and won medals in AllIreland Championships, while there were members of KCH who would also go on to represent Leinster and Ireland.

O'Loughlin Gaels grounds in Johns Park would also also be used as a training ground for KCH along with Nowlan Park and James Park.

Further progression was made in the 1970s with the installation of a grass track in the Loughboy area which is now Scanlon Park.

Things finally came to fruition in 1989 when Kilkenny was designated as a Local Sports Centre, and a grant of £300,000 from the National Lottery.

As a result an all weather running Track was provided, and in 1992 the new track was officially opened by the Minister for Sport, Liam Aylward and renamed Scanlon Park after Patrick ‘Rusty’ Scanlon, who had been associated with the old complex both as an athlete and as a soccer player.

Scanlon Park was perfect for training and hosting championships as it could cater for all disciplines of Track and Field, and was the perfect venue for other clubs that used it for training purposes particularly ahead of major competitions.

There was a major expansion when The Watershed

opened in 2008 adjacent to Scanlon Park, and it provided plenty of new facilities included a new Swimming Pool.

So many Athletes from Kilkenny City Harriers have worn the green signlet of Ireland throughout the years in major competitions throughout the World.

Sinead Delahunty who is now residing stateside in America competed in two Olympics in Atlanta (1996) and Sydney(2000), while her best result was in 2000 when she finished 4th in The European Indoors in Ghent, Belgium.

Geraldine Nolan represented Ireland in The 1500

metres along with Sinead in The European Outdoor Championships in Helsinki in 1994, as Sonia O'Sullivan won The Gold Medal in The 3000 metres.

Joanne Cuddihy won a host of National titles over 200 and 400 metres setting National records in the process, and she competed in two Olympics in Beijing(2008) and London(2012). Joanne also competed in World and European Indoor and Outdoor Championships, and in 2006 she reached the final of the 400 metres at The European Outdoor Championships in Gothenburg, Sweden. She was a Silver Medalist at The European

Junior Championships in 2003, while at The 2012 Olympics in London Joanne and her sister Catriona were part of The Ireland Squad that competed in The 4 x 400 metres relay. Joanne retired from professional Athletics following The London Olympics to concentrate on her medical career.

Adrian O'Dwyer competed in The High Jump at The Athens Olympics in 2004, where their were high hopes of him doing so well following a string of impressive performances on the International circuit. He had reached the final of The World Indoor Championships in Budapest, but unfortunately his Olym-

pics ended having failed to progress from the qualifying round.

Eileen O'Keeffe was a regular competitor at major Championships throughout the 2000s in The Hammer competition, as she competed in Three World Championships, Two European Championships plus The Beijing Olympics in 2008.

Her best performance in a major Championship came in The 2007 World Championships in Osaka, Japan where she finished 6th with a throw of 70.93 metres.

2007 was Eileen's best year as she won a Silver Medal at The World University Games in Bangkok, Thailand, while she set a personal best of 73.21 metres when setting a new national record at The National Championships in Santry.

She dominated The Hammer competition having won 9 national titles in a row and also won 6 titles in The Discus event.

Ciara Everard competed in The 800 metres at the 2016 Olympics in Rio De Janiero in Brazil along with The 2015 World Championships in Beijing. Her best performance was in The 2013 European Indoors in Gothenburg when she finished 6th in The 800 metres.

Her brother Eoin Everard has also competed for Ireland, and over the past 12 months he has won Gold Medals in both The European and World Masters Championships, and most recently he won The County Senior Cross Championships in Tullogher.

Emily Maher was another Athlete from Kilkenny City Harriers that enjoyed glory on The International stage, as The Hugginstown native won double Gold in both The 100 metres and 200 metres at The World Youth Olympics in Moscow, Russia.

She was also part of The Ireland Squad that competed in The 4 x 400 metres in Sydney in 2000.

Brian Maher has acheived so much throughout his Athletics career, and is still going strong to this day judging by his Third place finish in The recent Cross Country Championships.

So many other Athletes from The Kilkenny City Harriers Club have competed for Ireland in a variety of comptitions over the years, as the club continously set high standards for aspiring Athletes to follow.

Tonight will be a night of celebration as they look back on so many wonderful moments that have happened within the club over the past 70 years.

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 13 October 2023

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Community & GAA Notes

CLUB LOTTO Lotto Results 3rd October. Numbers drawn, 11, 25, 29. No Jackpot winner. €30 each to: Sean Knox, Annie Coogan, Noel Hoyne, Pat Boyle, Margaret Logue. Thanks to all for your support.

CAMOGIE The Clara senior ladies made their exit from the 2023 championship on Sunday in Graignamanagh when going under to one of the competition favourites Piltown on a 3-14 to 0-7 scoreline. The final margin was very hard on the Clara girls, who kept this game competitive for a long time. After Piltown scored the first two points of the game Keara Ryan opened Clara’s account with a free before adding one from play. Lucy Boyd then pointed superbly to put Clara ahead and a real thriller seemed in prospect.

However Piltown’s response was emphatic. They reeled off an unanswered 1-7, the goal coming first off the stick of county girl Aoife Doyle. Two Keara Ryan frees left the halftime score at 1-9 to 0-5.

Clara needed a quick start to the second half but were badly hampered by plain bad luck. After Heather Phelan had pointed a free Keara Ryan saw her effort from a free hit the post. Emma Shortall gathered the rebound and her shot hit the crossbar with the goalkeeper beaten.

Clara were to hit woodwork on two more occasions in the second half as they went after the goal that they craved to close the gap. The Piltown defence were also in top form and Clara were limited to an Emma Shortall point and a Keara Ryan pointed free the rest of the way. So Piltown marched on comfortably to a semifinal. This was the first year that Clara failed to reach a semifinal since joining the senior ranks but the absence of a few key players through emigration greatly hindered their chances of doing that.

Well done to the girls for keeping the club in the senior ranks and well done too to the management team of Peter “Chap” Cleere, John Curtis and Jennifer Dillon for their efforts for the year. Good luck also to Chap on his new role as Kilkenny senior camogie manager.

Team - Aoife Glynn, Tamsin English, Rachel Whelan, Margaret Kehoe. Emma Corr, Laoise Nolan, Grace Barcoe.

Aisling Curtis, Rebecca Nolan. Niamh Byrne, Katie Ryan, Lucy Boyd 0-1. Gráinne Glynn, Emma Shortall 0-1, Keara Ryan 0-5, 0-4f. Subs used Joanne Comerford.

CLUB LOTTO There was no winner of this week’s Club Lotto (October 3rd). Numbers Drawn were 8, 15, 24, 27 Bonus 2. Play Now at www.oloughlingaels.com/lotto. Thank you for your continued support.

Promotors Draw, 1. Bobby Woods c/o Paddy Greene.

2. Sinead Dowling c/o Peter Dowling. 3. Susan Moran c/o Dinny Tyrrell. 4. Noel Tyrrell. 5. Moira Fox c/o Paddy Greene. 6. Jim McMahon c/o Peter Dowling. 7. Shay Burke c/o Anne Cullen. 8. Tom Dillon C/O online. 9. Gerry Tyrrell C/O Online. 10. Jan Anderson C/O Online

The O’Loughlin Gaels U10s On Tour

The O’Loughlin Gaels u10s enjoying their hurling at Kilmacud Crokes

CHAMPIONSHIP MATTERS Next Sunday sees our Senior Hurlers take on Bennettsbridge in the first of the days Semi-Finals. Get the colours on and support our club team. Hon the Loughs!

The Intermediate Camogie team are also scheduled play the County Semi Final at the weekend after a good win over Glenmore last weekend.

It will be a big weekend for our club as both adult teams compete for championship honours. Please support our club teams.

U10s ON TOUR On Sunday last O’Loughlin Gaels U10s Hurlers made the trip to the Killmacud Crokes Festival of Hurling in the UCD sports complex. As per usual it was brilliantly organised and gave our boys the opportunity to compete against teams from all over the country. The boys locked horns with Kilmacud Crokes (Dublin) Naomh Eanna (Wexford), Naas (Kildare) Athenry (Galway) and O’Donovan Rossa (Antrim). All games were highly competitive, the skills and effort on show from all the boys gives us great hope for our future O’Loughlins stars. Well done to all involved.

WEDDING The wedding took place in St Lachtains church Freshford recently between Margaret O’Gorman, The Square Freshford and Ruairi O’Donnell, Bohergloss . The marriage ceremony was performed by Fr. Jimmy O’Donnell. The bride who wore a beautiful cream full length dress was attended by Aoife O’Gorman, Elaine Allis, Marie Ivors and Cathy Slattery who wore full length dresses of pale green with silver sequence. Best man was Eamon O’Donnell brother of groom and groomsmen were Laurence Cummins, Brendan Lyons and Ben O’Gorman.

The offertory gifts were brought by Helen O’Gorman and Maura O’Donnell mother of the bride and groom.

Readings were done by Bernie Murray and Carmel Gibbons and Prayers of the faithful were said by Delia Casey, Rhiannon Macklin, Darragh O’Gorman, Betty O’Connor and Marian McArdle with Reflection by Patrick O’Gorman. Music was provided in church by Jessica Brett.

Reception was held in Lyrath Hotel Kilkenny and the honeymoon was spent in Tenerife.

SYMPATHY Sympathy is extended to Mark Carroll, Gathabawn and all his family on the recent death of his mother Ms. Kathleen Carroll late of Ballyouskill. Funeral mass took place in Ballyouskill church on Friday last followed by burial in the adjoining cemetery.

HOME FROM AUSTRALIA Home from down under on a holiday at present is Seamus Hayes from Threecatles. Seamus was a prominent member of St.Lachtain’s hurling teams over the years and emigrated to Australia some years ago where he still plays his hurling in Perth with Sarsfields .

DEATH The death occurred recently of Ms. Anne Hurley late of Ballycarron, Threecastles. The deceased who was advanced in years was widely known and respected in the area. She was predeceased by her husband Michael.

Funeral mass took place in Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church, Jenkinstown followed by burial in Tulla Cemetery.

She is mourned by sons John and Liam, grandchildren, daughter in law, sisters and extended family to whom sympathy is extended.

GAA St. Lachtains Junior hurlers had good win over neighbours St.Patrick’s of Ballyragget in the quarter final of the championship at Jenkinstown on Sunday morning last.

Ballyragget were strong in the first half but a big effort in the second half saw the local lads come out winners by a four point margin to make it through to the semi final next weekend when they take on Windgap at Nowlan Park at 3.30pm. Please go along and support the lads on Saturday.

Well done to the St.Lachtains U11s who won the Fr. Delaney cup at St Martins on Sunday last TIDY TOWNS Well done to all involved in Freshford Tidy Towns who upped their overall marks this year and received ten extra marks. These people are doing Trojan work in the village

and surrounds each week and deserve great credit. Keep up the good work and new volunteers are very welcome IONAD LACHTAIN St. Lachtains Church Museum and Arts Centre are open every Saturday and Sunday form 11.30am to 4.30pm.

DON BAKER Tickets are on sale in the craft shop and locally for the Don Baker concert on Friday October 20th at 8pm SOCCER With the soccer season now started back Freshford Town remind parents that Training is being held for boys and girls every Saturday at 9.30am at Wood View. You can contact Eoin or Graham for more info on 087 7672040 or 0872639770 SAFETY WARNING With the annual deer hunting season opened and with thousands of licensed hunters entitled to shoot male animals in areas for which they have permits. The season opened on September 1st and hunters are allowed to stalk and shoot Sika, Fallow and Muntjac deer species throughout the State. Hunting for male deer is permitted until the end of the year and hunting of female deer opens on 1st November and continues until the end of February.

Local Cllr. Mick McCarthy says a cull is important, wild deer are affecting biodiversity, land management and road safety, and he was referring in particular to the R693 Freshford to Johnstown road where there have been far too many incidents in the past number of years. .

BRIDGE Freshford Bridge Club resumed play on Mondays at 7.30pm in Tulla Hall, Threecastles. New members are very welcome. For further information please contact Olive on 087 9257610.

GAA St.Lachtain’s minor and Junior finals due to be played last weekend were cancelled due to a bereavement in the Club. The minor and U13 hurlers had both good championship wins the previous weekend to see them through to the next round of their respective championships The Minor side had a comprehensive win over Blacks and Whites to set up a meeting with neighbours Tullaroan in the final with date and time now to be refixed. The U13 boys had a good win over Emeralds to go through to the semi final of their championship again with date and time to be confirmed.

LOOP CAFE Loop Café Summer Raffle for a beautiful painting “Jenkinstown Blues” kindly donated by local artist Michael Cantwell was held recently and the lucky winner of the painting was Lynn Venables. Thanks to Michael and to all those who supported the raffle. The autumn raffle will now be on sale in The Loop Café. The Loop Café is a wonderful addition to the village full of character and history and is open from Tuesday to Saturday each week from 9.30am to 4pm. Why not go along and meet a friend or try some of their lovely food and support a local community café. They are also looked for volunteers to help out so if you can give little bit of your time please do so.

FITNESS SESSIONS Fitness sessions Boxing/fitness sessions at Community Hall Freshford. Have you had a diagnoses of Parkinsons; Alzheimers or other neurological condition? If so maybe you are keen to get some level of fitness back or work on you balance or upper body strength? If so, these classes are just what you need. Classes take place each Tuesday from 11am to 12 noon - sessions cost just €10 each and are facilitated by a boxing coach. They will also give you the chance to socialise and meet other people.For more information or to sign up please contact Brenda Cooper on 0871369253 PARISH NEWS Mass is held in the Parish Church each Wednesday morning at 9.30am and each Sunday morning at 11am.wiith Mass in Tulla church on Saturday evenings at 7.30pm.

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

Mass Cards Special printed parish cards are available at the Parish Office or from Annette at Tulla Church signed by Monsignor Kennedy. You can contact the Parish office on 056 8832843 or by email – freshfordd@ossory.ie. Contact Mongr Kieron Kennedy on that number or on 087 25235 21 HELP FOR ALL Are you struggling with anxiety or depression or finding life difficult or feeling isolated at this time GROW

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Community & GAA Notes is there to help you. Their Mental Health support Groups are free and confidential and open to all no referral or booking is needed. For more information on same you can contact Mary on 087 284342 If you can’t cope and need support text HELLO to 50808 .

SAMARITAN - Whatever you’re going through a Samaritan will face it with you – available 24 hours a day 365 days a year – Freephone 1161Alone is available for older people who need support and you can call them on 0818 222024 (8am to 8pm) AMBER KILKENNY WOMENS REFUGE – is available for confidential support relating to domestic violence - call them on 1850 424244 (24/7) or on 056 7771404 or email into@amberwomensrefuge.ie.

GOWRAN AC Congratulations to senior member Johan Muller who was 3rd place in Quest Killarney over the weekend.

YOUNG IRELANDS HEALTHY CLUB Congratulations to all associated with The Young Irelands Healthy Club as Young Irelands have been awarded Healthy Club Gold, the highest recognition possible from the healthy club programme.

CAMOGIE GIRLS PLAY RELEGATION SEMI-FINAL Young Irelands Senior Camogie girls have a Relegation Semi-Final next Sunday Morning as they play Conahy Shamrocks in Tullaroan at 11.30am.

Young Irelands lost to St. Brigids in The First Round of The Championship.

GOWRAN BOYS CRUISE TO COUNTRY CUP WIN The Gowran Boys easily won 4-4 to 0-4 against Mullinavat in Round 2 of The Country Cup. The Boys are in action again away to Danesfort in Round 3 of The League.

U-12 CAMOGIE The Young Irelands U-12 Camogie girls have been successfully busy throughout The Summer, and both The Gowran Red and Gowran White girls were in action over the past two nights.

The Gowran White girls were in Castlecomer on Monday Evening for Finals Day, while The Gowran Red girls played Thomastown in Gowran. The Red Team won against Tullaroan last week, while The White Team lost to John Lockes Callan.

DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION CELEBRATED IN KILKENNY Local Councillor, Deirdre Cullen shared some special news last week when Kilkenny City Vocational School was named a School of Sanctuary Champion, a first for a post primary school in Kilkenny.

Deirdre is a teacher and Chairperson of the Board of Management of Kilkenny City Voca-tional School. Well done to all concerned.

LOURDES PILGRIMAGE The 2024 Ossory Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes led by Bishop Niall Coll will take place from Tuesday May 21stSunday May 26th inc. with places for pilgrims in need of assistance, youth helpers, support staff and able-bodied pilgrims. More later.

CHURCH NEWS Weekday mass times Wednesday 10,30am Friday 10.30am. Weekend Masses Tullaherin Saturday 8pm. Bennettsbridge Sunday 10.30am GATHERING GROUP The weekly meeting of the Gathering Group takes place today, Wednesday with the fourth session of a six week programme of Yoga. Members are really enjoying the yoga which caters for the individuality of each person.

ART GROUP Weekly classes continue each Monday from 2 to 4pm in the Community Centre. Members are finalising the format for the next few months and are looking forward to exploring a variety of ideas under their tutor, Julie Moorhouse. The group recently welcomed new member, Helen Farrell.

SR. MARY MINOGUE RIP Sympathy is extended to the family of Sr. Mary Minogue, formerly from Thomastown and late of Fitzhaven, Ashbourne Avenue, Limerick. Sr. Mary died peacefully, at The Galway Clinic, on 7th October 2023. Sadly missed by her loving sister Betty Wills, nephews Matthew and Paul, niece Penny, her Mercy Community, relatives, former work colleagues and friends.

Requiem Mass was celebrated in St. Joseph’s Church, O’Connell Avenue, Limerick.

Burial took place afterwards in St. Mary’s Convent Cemetery, Bishop Street.

Mary was well known in Thomastown, the family lived up the lane to the left of the front gates of the Catholic Church. The house is no longer there. Newtown Terrace children used the lane as a shortcut from school at lunchtime On a personal note, Mary’s mother, Mrs Minogue looked after my mother in the mid-fifties when she was ill and she came on a daily basis to cook and clean for the family.

PATRICIA (PATSY) KIRK RIP Sympathy is extended to the Kirk and Gibbons families on the death of Patricia (Patsy) Kirk (nee Gibbons) Dungarvan Village, Co. Kilkenny, in her 75th year at her daughter Paula’s residence. Predeceased by her daughter Elizabeth, her parents Andy and Statia Gibbons, brothers, Sean

Duggan Steel Roinn A Champions

Gibbons, (Clare), and Sam Gibbons (Gowran). Patsy is survived by her husband, Liam, daughter, Paula and sons, Liam and Mark.

Deeply regretted by her son-in-law Jonathan, daughtersin-law, Caroline and Catherina, her grand-children, Nicole, Jessica, DJ,,Jake, Richie, and Beth. brothers Andy, (Bunny), Lar, Shem, and sister Hannah, her Aunt Alice Minogue (Thomastown), nieces, nephews, extended family and friends.

Requiem Mass was celebrated at St. Michaels and David’s Church, Dungarvan Village and burial took place in the adjoining cemetery.

Prior to her marriage, Patsy spent some years working in Comerford’s Bakery, Thomastown in the confectionery department. She is remembered with fondness by her work colleagues.

ARTHUR SOMERS RIP Sympathy is extended to the Somers, Duggan and Mitchell families on the death of Arthur Somers, Laurel Avenue, Loughboy, Kilkenny City and formerly Newhouse, Thomastown.

Arthur died peacefully in the excellent care of all the staff in The Suir Ward, St. Luke’s Hospital, Kilkenny on Friday 6th October 2023. He is survived by his wife, Kitty (nee Culleton), his daughters Olga, Catherine, sons James and Tony, his grandson Brian and all his grandchildren.

Deeply regretted by his son-in-law, daughters-in-law, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, brothers and sisters, nieces, nephews, extended family and a wide circle of friends.

Rosary and vigil prayers were recited at Shasby’s Funeral Home, Kilkenny. Requiem Mass was celebrated on Tuesday in St. Fiacre’s Church, Loughboy, followed by burial in Foulkstown Cemetry.

CARDS RESULTS 26th September, First Prize three-way-divide, John O’Brien/Patsy Gibbons, Joan O’Gorman/Siobhán Donovan, Brian Blackmore/Annie Lehane. (11 games) Table Prize Martin Clarke/Pauline Keating.

3rd October, First Prize Three-way-divide, Siobhán Donovan/Joan O’Gorman, Michael Hanley/Alice Kelly, Charlie Hill/Michael Kwenneally (11 games) Table Prize Vinnie Horgan/Andrew Barcoe.

LOTTO RESULTS 2nd October. No winner of Jackpot. Numbers, 5, 8, 14, 22. Consolation Prizes, May Croke, Woodlawn, Teresa and Sam, c/o O’Donnell’s, Richard Moran, Station Road, Michael Costigan, Grovine, Dolores Comerford, Norewood Heights.

U13s HURLING The Roinn B U13 County final versus Carrickshock has been confirmed and will take place on 14th October in Dunmore at 11am. This team have given their all this season. They had a good league campaign and they are now heading into a County final next Saturday. Support has been phenomenal for the team so far and we really hope Saturday will be no different. Players and coaches have worked hard throughout the season to get to this county final. It’s a fantastic achievement after coming up from Roinn C last year. It’s a big day for underage hurling in Bennettsbridge and we wish them the very best of luck.

Please come out and show your support.

U11s HURLING The u11s had their final match of the season against Thomastown at the Go Games finals in Nowlan Park last week. Well done to the boys and coaches. A great season was had playing 20 matches. A great little team and improving with every game. Thanks to the coaches for giving up their time for the boys and to the parents for bringing the boys to training and matches. Best of luck to the boys going up to u13 next year.

SENIOR HURLING All roads lead to Nowlan Park this Sunday at 1.15pm as Bennettsbridge play O’ Loughlin’s in the county senior semi-final. Best of luck to all the players and management team. Bring out the colours and get behind the lads as they bid to make it to the final.

ALL STAR NOMINATION Congratulations to David Blanchfield who was nominated for an All Star last week. This is a great honour for David, his family and the club and recognition for his great form shown all year.

UNDER 9S AND 11S HURLING Our under 11 team played the go games final in Nowlan

Dan Carroll Captain u15 County Champions

park against Thomastown last week while our under nines played Graignamanagh and Dunnammaggin in their final go games. Well done to all involved on a good years hurling.

CLUB SHOP New additions of a training top and shorts have been added to the Bennettsbridge O’Neill’s club shop. To access the full range of club gear simply go to the O’Neill’s website and enter Bennettsbridge in the search box.

SPLIT THE POT Well done to Siobhán Ryan who won 98 euro, Cathy Waugh who won 30 euro and Vee Farrell who won 20 euro. The competition can also be entered online using club force. Please see the clubs Facebook page for details of how to enter on line. Envelopes are available in the usual spots around the village. Thanks for the continued support.

CLUB LOTTO Results 5th October 2023. Nos. 6 7 27 32. Jackpot: €12,500 Not Won Draw Prizes – €50: Patrick Bollard c/o Online. €25 each James Kerwick c/o Anne Kerwick €25 each Nicola Butler c/o Online. €25 each Ciara Bracke c/o Online. Hurlers Co Op Draw Johnny Walsh c/o Dohertys Bar. Promotors prize Declan Gough. Thank you for your continued support.

JUNIOR HURLING Our Junior Hurling Team faced their neighbours James Stephens on Sat 7th Oct at 12pm in St John’s Park in the JJ Kavanagh and Sons Junior Championship Section B Co Final where they had a comprehensive win. They will now play Tullogher Rosbercon in the Premier Junior Semi Final Championship in UPMC Nowlan Park at 1.30pm Sat 14th October U15’S Massive Congratulations to our u15’s and their Management Team who won the Duggan Steel Roinn A Championship Final beating Dunnamaggin on Saturday last in UPMC Nowlan Park. The boys have had a great campaign this year in this highly contested division. All in Dicksboro are very proud of these super bunch of lads and we look forward to seeing them progress with the club over the

years to come.

SENIOR CAMOGIE Well done to our Senior Girls who beat St Brigid’s 1-17 to 0-4 in the Michael Lyng Hyundai Motors Senior Championship Quarter Final on Saturday last. The girls will now play Piltown in the Semi Final, day, time and venue TBC.

CHURCH NEWS October offerings for the support of the priests are now due. Envelopes in the pack.

First communion dates. Johnstown/Crosspatrick May 4th2024, Urlingford/Graine May 11th and Galmoy May 25th COLAISTE MHUIRE Open night for prospective students for Sept 2024 will be held on Thursday Oct. 19th at 7.30pm. Come and see all the subjects on offer and the great facilities at the school.

ST. KIERAN’S HOMES FOR THE ELDERLY Applications are invited for the vacant tenancy of a one bedroom house at St. Kieran’s Place, Urlingford. To be eligible to apply, you must be on the Kilkenny Co.Co. Housing List. Application forms are available at the Mill Centre.

CLASSES The Mill Centre are holding Art Classes every Thursday morning from 10am to 12 pm. Computer classes every Tuesday 10.30am to 12.30pm. Information from the centre.

JIVE CLASSES Classes are being held on the next two Sundays in St. Mary’s Hall 15th and 22nd Oct. 6pm to 8.30pm.

URLINGFORD LIBRARY An open event with Barnstorm Theatre on Saurday Oct 14th from 10am to 11 am for 8 to 12 year olds. Read it, tell it, act with it with Barnstorm. If your child is interested contact 0567794182 or email urlingford@kilkenny library. ie so they can have some idea of numbers on the day.

HALLOWE’EN DISCO St. Mary’s Hall, Johnstown on Monday October 30th 3.30 to 5pm. Fare €3 D.J., dancing and treats. Dress up if you dare, ghouls, goblins, witches etc!!

TIDY TOWNS

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 13 October 2023

Community & GAA Notes Emeralds U14s Camogie County Final Champions

Johnstown got a very positive report from the judges in this years Tidy Towns competition. Some of the comments were, 1. Good use of social media, notice boards to reach out to the community. 2. Engagement with the local schools and involving the students in projects.

3. Well presented shop fronts. 4. Trees, seats and planting in the Square adding greatly to the centre of the village and providing a nice area to sit and chat. 5. Loop walk a great initiative that takes walkers away from traffic.

6.Village litter free on the judging day. 7 house gardens, signage ,trees and approach roads all very appealing to visitors coming from all directions. All in all good work all round and the vision for Johnstown emerging in projects started and in developments is very favourable.

SPA UNITED AFC Weekend results.. Junior league division 3 Stoneyford 8 Spa 0, U15 boys league division 1A Bridge Utd 3 Spa 3, U15 girls league division 1 Bridge Utd 1 Spa 4, U13 boys league division 1 Freebooters 5 Spa 1, U13 boys league division 2 Dean Celtic 1 Spa 1. Also in action were the U9s who played some great games on Friday against Evergreen, while the U11 boys travelled to play Dean Celtic and the U11 girls played Evergreen away.

SPA DEVELOPMENT/FENIANS LOTTO Winning numbers 7,16,17,24. No winner or no match three. Lucky dips Frances Delaney, Dolores Tynan, Richard Beehan and Martin Quinlan.

EMERALDS CAMOGIE U14 Champions: Well done to the Emeralds U14s on their recent County Final win against St Lachtains of Freshford. There was great scenes in Canon Kearns Park when Aoibhe Bourke lifted the cup on behalf of her club.

Well done to Shane, Liam, Lorraine and Sheila and the entire panel on a fantastic win. Saoirle Newman was unfortunately out through illness and we wish her a speedy recovery.

EMERALDS URLINGFORD AND GRAINE LOTTO October 2nd prize fund was €14,900. Jackpot: €12,900.

Numbers drawn: 6, 9, 19, 25, bonus no 7. No winner and no match three winner. Five lucky dips of €20 each: B. Lanigan, MRJ Coady, Ben Aherne, Mgt Hickey, Johnny Campion. Promoters prize: Mgt Peters.

CONCERT Church Concert: (Presented by Emeralds GAA Field Development). Friday, October 20th at 7.30pm in Church of the Assumption, Urlingford. Don’t miss a fantastic opportunity to experience the amazing local talent in Urlingford.

Adults: €20; Children U16: €5. Complimentary refreshments served. Monster raffle on the night. All welcome.

Enquiries: Michael 086 2206035; Colin 087 8129954; Marianne 087 6412645.

SET DANCING Graine Hall every Tuesday at 8.30pm. Live music, sets called by Paddy Martin. All are welcome. Contact Phil Fogarty 086 8638782; Mary Webster 087 7936113.

URLINGFORD ARMS SPLIT THE POT This week’s winner of Split the Pot is Sylvie Quinlan who will receive €801. Congrats Sylvie, on behalf of Clomantagh Squash Club!

Tickets €2 on sale in participating businesses in town or revolut 086 8221832 with proceeds going to Clomantagh Squash Club. Thanks to everyone for their continued support.

GRAINE CARDS

Graine progressive 25 card game every Wednesday night at 8.30pm in Graine hall. All are welcome.

URLINGFORD / GRAINE DEFIBRILLATOR GROUP In case of emergency, call: 085 2726396.

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

EUCHARISTIC ADORATION Glengoole Wednesday 11am to 2pm, Gortnahoe Thursday 11am to 1pm PARISH PRIEST Congratulations to Fr. Walton on being officially appointed as Parish priest of Gortnahoe Glengoole.

Fr Christy O’Dwyer on behalf of the Archbishop Kieran O’Reilly led the ceremony. Sincere thanks to the choir, readers, representatives of the parish who brought up gifts as part of the ceremony and Mary Egan as narrator.

Further thanks to everyone who helped in the hall afterwards for providing refreshments.

400 CLUB DRAW A sincere thanks to everyone who supported the 400 club draw in support of the Gortnahoe Glengoole parish. The new draw will commence in November and promoters will be contacting all households in the parish to renew their membership for the next 12 months. We look forward to the continued support of our parish.

TABLE QUIZ A table quiz will be held in Mary Willies on Friday 20th of October at 9pm in aid of Gortnahoe Christmas lights.

There will also be a raffle on the night with great prizes.

Your support would be greatly appreciated.

TUESDAY BRIDGE Bridge is being played each Tuesday night in Gortnahoe Hall at 7.30pm. If you would like to join or find out more information please contact this number 089 4349106 OLD SCHOOL HOUSE If anyone in the Parish has any photographs or paper clippings of the Old School in Gortnahoe, could they forward them to Richard Dunne in Graigue or phone 0866075281 or email items to richardbdunne@yahoo. co.uk. The Old School House stood on the site where the prayer garden is now situated beside the Church. It is intended to record the history of the School in photograghs and text. Any contribution will be copied and returned to the sender.

GLENGOOLE COMMUNITY CAFE Volunteers are needed to start this provisionally one morning per week as a space for people to meet. Anyone interested please contact Julie O’Halloran, MFRC, on 0871008075.

GORTHNAHOE BINGO Bingo continues this Saturday night at 7.00 pm with doors opening from 6.00pm and will continue each Saturday night at the same time. Over €2,660 in prize money on offer including a special €500 game. We look forward to the many visitors and family members home with their family, it will be a great nights entertainment for all.

SPLIT THE POT Congratulations to last weekend’s winner Bridie Fitzpatrick, Ballingarry who won €177 in the Split the Pot draw.

Envelopes are available at the usual outlets. Split the Pot for the month of October will be in support of The Gortnahoe Christmas lights. The draw takes place each Sunday at 12pm in Gortnahoe Hall. Your support would

be appreciated ELDERCARE SERVICES Eldercare services through MFRC Glengoole will include the following: meals on wheels deliveries every Tuesday and Thursday, social group every Wednesday 1-3pm,includes soup, dinner and entertainment, laundry service, senior alert scheme for Gortnahoe Glengoole area, dementia cafe 1st Tuesday of each month 11.301pm, social group every Tuesday at 11am in the Old School House, The Commons. For further information on any of the above please contact Alice Teehan 0529157992 NORA DONNELLY RIP The death has occurred of Nora Donnelly (nee Doheny), Dillonstown, Dunleer, Co. Louth and formerly Graiguemane, Coalbrook, Thurles Co. Tipperary, peacefully at St. Joseph’s Nursing Home Ardee, Co. Louth. Predeceased by her husband Bernard, brothers John and Billy and sisters Josephine, Kitty, Maryann, Ellen, Margaret and Breda. Very sadly missed by her loving nieces, nephews, grandnieces, grandnephews, extended family, neighbours and her devoted care team at St. Joseph’s Nursing Home Ardee. Nora reposed at Doyle’s Funeral Home Urlingford last Sunday evening followed by removal last Monday morning to the Church of St. Oliver and St. Patrick Glengoole arriving for Requiem Mass. Interment afterwards in the adjoining cemetery. May she rest in peace.

GAA St Patrick’s GAA bowed out of the junior championship following defeat from Freshford in a thrilling local derby.

The St Pats men gave it their all and hurled with great pride to the bitter end and having lead for over 3/4’s of the game.

PARTY Halloween costume party in Ballyouskill Hall on October 28th from 3-5pm TRACTOR RUN Annual tractor run will take place in Ballyouskill on Sunday October 29th registration at 11am departing at 12.30 all in aid of Lourdes Invalid fund, Ballyragget National School and the O Gorman Home SYMPATHY Sympathy is sent to the Carroll, and O’Rourke families on the sad passing of Kathleen last week, to her husband Ger, son Mark, daughter in law Sandra her grandchildren and siblings, nieces, nephews, and all her relatives.

Sympathy is sent to the Quirke family on the passing of Sean to his brothers Henry and Michael, sister Maura, sister in law Catherine, nieces and nephews.

May they both rest in peace.

TIDY TOWNS Ballyragget Tidy Towns picked up an extra 6 pints on last years report on differing areas and well done to all involved for their continued hard work in improving the town and surrounds year in year. It’s is much appreciated by all.

CAMOGIE The under-14 girls were unfortunately defeated by Graignamanagh in the Gaeltec Roinn E County Final on Saturday last in Danesfort. The Conahy girls put up a brave show all through, but the winners were too strong in the end, winning by 4-7 to 2-3. Well done to all the girls on what was a great achievement in qualifying for

the county final. Many thanks also to the coaching team of Christy Kennedy, Robbie Webster, Mick Cahill, James Lawless and Grace Mulhall.

TEAM: Brianna Connelly, Keelan Kennedy, Emily Lawless, Grace Butler, Ruth Carroll, Clodagh Lawless, Eva Kennedy, Rachel Mulhall, Shannon O’Shea, Caoimhe Mulhall, Sarah Murphy, Emily English, Mary Lou Rowe, Hanna Styles, Layla Rose Healy, Isobel Dunne, Katie Murphy.

The senior camogie girls will face Young Irelands in a crucial relegation semi-final in the Michael Lyng Motors Senior Championship in Tullaroan on this morning Sunday at 11.30 a.m. Best of luck to all involved.

HURLING The under-15 hurlers finished their 2023 season with a defeat to Lisdowney in the Duggan Steel Roinn B shield in Lisdowney on Saturday. The home side led by 2-9 to 0-7 at half-time and although Conahy fought back well to narrow the difference to three points during the second half, a third Lisdowney goal eventually killed off the contest. In the end, they were deserving winners by 3-13 to 0-13.

DEVELOPMENT FUNDRAISER Conahy Shamrocks GAA Club have launched a major development fundraiser, and are seeking the support of everyone in the community to ensure its success. The fundraiser will involve a ticket draw, with the winner receiving a new Hyundai Tucson car or €35,000 in cash.

Tickets for the draw will be €25 each, or three for €65, or five for €100. Tickets have and will continue to be given to club members to sell amongst their friends and relations.

A website that will allow the purchase of tickets for the draw is available on www.winahyundaituscon.ie , and the draw will also actively be promoted on social media platforms. All support would be greatly appreciated for what will be a development to benefit both young and old in the community.

CLUB LOTTO The numbers drawn in the Conahy Shamrocks GAA Club Lotto were 1, 28 and 35. There was no jackpot winner so the consolation prize winners were Ann O’Regan, Teresa Dollard, Rita Healy, Jim and Caitriona Tierney and Shem Butler. The promoters’ prize winners were Nora Delaney, Julie Jackman and Margaret Buggy.

PROGRESSIVE 25’S Progressive 25’s are continuing every Sunday night at 8.00 p.m. in the GAA Clubhouse. All are welcome.

ST. VINCENT DE PAUL The local society of St. Vincent de Paul held an American Tea Party in the GAA Clubhouse on Friday, September 29th, to raise funds for the organisation. The society will to give a big thanks to those people who hosted tables on the night, and also to thank people who donated prizes for the raffle. The event was a huge success, and everyone’s generosity was greatly appreciated.

RINGS TOURNAMENT River Rangers presents Halloween Rings Tournament / Fancy Dress on the 29th of October at 6.30pm. Entry is €20 and draws will be made in advance. It is a doubles competition with large cash prizes. To enter contact Linda Hayes on 087 686 14 18, Brendan Hayes on 087 971 87 46. A raffle will also be held on the night. Raffle cards are now with all club members.

BRIDGE GAME The game of Bridge will take place in the St. Patrick’s Parish Centre, Loughboy every Thursday from 2 - 4pm.

No partner required. All welcome. Contact Rene 086 127 1122.

LORETO ENROLMENT The closing date for applications for a First Year place in the Loreto School is 23rd October. Applications can be made via the school website: www.loretokk.ie. An Open Day will take place on Thursday, 28th September. Further information will be on our website also.

LOTTO RESULTS Results for 25/09/23. Numbers drawn were 11; 13; 15; 25.

Lucky Dip winners were Abby Bourke, Peter Brett and Eamon Maher. Sellers’ prizes went to Philip Heafey and Mary Dalton.

Results for 02/10/23. Numbers drawn were 8: 16; 19; 30.

Lucky Dip winners were Patricia O’Halloran, Gary Bourke and Dom Delaney. Sellers prizes went to Brendan Hayes and Niall Egan. Next week’s draw will take place on 09/10/23 at 9pm.

SOCCER RESULTS River Rangers 1 : Ormonde Villa 2 Great performance on Sunday last in Garringreen. The first half was quite even, then a penalty was all that separated these two sides and put Rangers 1-nil down.

Some great goalkeeping from Conor Farrell who was outstanding between the sticks today gave Rangers every chance by keeping them in the game. That chance fell to substitute Philly Doheny who buried the ball to the Villa net for the equalizer. Some great defending led by Darragh Egan and Matty Holohan in midfield, we were the better side who created most of the chances. Villa were lucky to get all 3 points as Rangers finishing on another day could have had a bag of goals. Full credit to everyone today for a great performance.

Team: Conor Farrell, James Gleeson, Andrew Gleeson,

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Community & GAA Notes Shane Murphy, Willie Brennan, Matty Holohan, Billy O’Neill, Darragh Egan, Chris McDonald, Stephen Keoghan, Richie Keoghan Aaron McEvoy, Philly Doheny, Jack Walton.

River Rangers B 3 : Deen Celtic B 2 River Rangers started good on Sunday last and were 1 up through Dan Lawlor after 15 min with a great finish.

This was a tough encounter for the young team but they stood up to anything that was thrown at them. Some lapse of concentration put Rangers in trouble at times and before we knew it, we were 2-1 down. This team has some work ethic because after the break they came out all guns blazing. Dan the man was again on target for the equalizer. The defending from young Patrick Foley was class and the two O’Brien’s were absolutely savage in attack. Dean O’Brien came up with what was the winner and some result for these lads. Another savage performance by all involved which was well deserved. The substitutes used all played a massive part today and should all take a bow.

Team: Arron McEvoy, Eric Keogh, Dean O’Brien, Patrick Foley, Pat Purcell, Murt Doheny, Jack Fitzpatrick, Dan Lawlor, Bailey Byrne, Jake O’Brien, Martin Murphy, James Casey, Sean McGrath, Jack Hayes, Dylan Kelly.

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.

MASS TIMES Hugginstown: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday at 9.30a.m. Vigil - Saturday 14th. at 8.00p.m.; Sunday 15th. at 10.00a.m.Stoneyford: Vigil - Saturday 14th. at 6.30p.m.

PRAY FOR Anniversary mass Tom and Kathy Noonan, Aghaviller.

Mass in Hugginstown Church on Saturday 14th. October at 8.00p.m.

Remembrance Masses for the Faithful Departed will be celebrated on Saturday 4th.November. In Stoneyford Church at 6.30p.m: In Hugginstown Church at 8.0 p.m.

ROTA Readers. Stoneyford: Saturday 6.30p.m. Tony Roche. Hugginstown: Saturday 8.00p.m. Catherine Dwyer. Sunday 10.00a.m. Marie Ryan.

Eucharistic Ministers. Stoneyford: Saturday 6.30p.m.

Bernie Grace. Hugginstown: Saturday 8.00p.m. Mary Murphy. Sunday 10.00a.m. Ann Power.

OCTOBER STATIONS The October Station Envelopes 2023 are available at the Church Porch. Your contributions are for the support of the priests of the Parish and the Diocese. Your envelopes can be left into the Collection Boxes at the Churches or you may donate directly, Use IBAN: IE19 AIBK 9330 9000 0561 20 (BIC: AIBKIE2D).

LOTTO Aghaviller Parish and Carrickshock G. A. A. Draw: Monday 2nd. October 2023 Numbers: 18; 09; 30; 16. No Winner First 3 Numbers Drawn. No Jackpot Winner: €30.00. Winners. Fred Malzard, Stoneyford; Richie Power, Lawcus. Bud Sadlier, Baysrath; Jim Cantwell, Lismatigue, Mary T. Power, Rathduff. 3 x €15.00 (Sellers): Pauline Doyle; Teresa Fitzgerald; Ann Power. Lotto Tickets are now €2.00.

SYNOD UPDATE This past week saw the much awaited Synodal gathering start in Rome. Normally reserved to the bishops this synod, at the request of Pope Francis, invited lay faithful, priests and religious from around the world to come together to discern the promptings of the Holy Spirit for the Church today. This is a continuance of the synodal gatherings we had in Ossory and in every Diocese throughout the world. Our ideas are carried there by the Irish delegation. With such a variety of voices from every part of the world it was recognised that at this synod tensions will exist - as each one tries to make their views heard. The Dominican priest Fr Timothy Radcliffe has preached to all gathered in these opening days - he noted, in one of these addresses, that in English we say that “we fall in love but we make friends” reminding those gathered for the synod that difference is ok, variance is to be welcomed and that we won’t fall into agreement, we will have to work to make it happen. We pray for the Synod as the first week concludes, may they make harmony happen.

ST MARYS CATHEDRAL CHAPTER HOUSE BOOKSHOP The Shop is now open five days a week on Mondays from 9:30a.m. to 1:00p.m and on Tuesdays to Fridays from 9:30a.m. to 5:00p.m.In the wide range of products you can find religious gifts for any occasion and a selection of Parish supplies. We have a large variety of Candles, Holy Water Fonts, Crosses, Pictures and Statues of the Saints.

You will find a present for Baptism, Communion, Confirmation and many other occasions. We have now in stock a great choice of Prayer Books, Gospel Reflections and Calendars for the next liturgical year.

FAITH RENEWAL EVENTS AT KNOCK SHRINE ‘What do we know about Jesus?’ Adult Faith Formation Course with Fr Eugene Duffy. Began on 3rd. October but running for 8 weeks on Tuesday evenings at 8.00p.m.

Booking required on Eventbrite (see knockshrine.ie for

direct link to book) SAFEGUARDING CONTACTS Diocesan Designated Liaison Person: Ms. Kathleen Sherry Tel: 087 100 0232. Aghaviller Parish Representatives are: Teresa Broderick and Carmel O’Toole.

MILL FAMILY RESOURCE CENTRE St Kieran’s Homes for the Elderly: Applications are invited for the vacant tenancy of a one-bedroom house at St Kieran’s Place, Urlingford. To be eligible to apply you must be on the Kilkenny County Council Housing list. Applications are available from the centre.

Counselling Services: Our low cost counselling services, includes one-to-one, adult and teens. General Counselling: Bereavement, stress, anxiety and depression. Other counselling services available: Drug, substance and gambling addictions. Play therapy is now also available.

Age 5+. Please contact Sue for more information or to make an appointment.

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

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

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

Save the Date: Friday, December 1 we will be having our Christmas Fair. Full details to follow.

Art Classes: We are running Art Classes every Thursday morning from 10am to 12pm. Places are limited, if you are interested please contact us here at the centre. Contact number for the Centre 056 8838466.

SENIOR SEMI-FINAL We send best wishes to bainisteoir, Brian Cody and the club’s senior hurlers as they set out on Sunday next to hopefully dethrone the brilliant Kilkenny and All-Ireland champions, Ballyhale Shamrocks in Sunday’s county senior semi-final. With a full and fit panel to select from there is considerable optimism within the camp that they can finally break the ‘Shamrocks stranglehold on the county’s premier title. Let’s hope !!!

JUNIOR “B” COUNTY FINAL On Saturday afternoon the Junior hurlers season came to an abrupt end following a comprehensive 1-18 to 0-11 defeat at the hands of neighbours Dicksboro in the Kilkenny Junior “B” section final on a well presented John’s Park surface. In a typical derby clash the sides gave little away cancelling each other out on six occasions over the first 30 minutes. With half time approaching and the teams level at 0-07 each, following a skirmish in which both sides lost a player to red cards Dicksboro broke the deadlock with three points in a three minute spell in added time -- a pivotal few minutes. Dicksboro were happy to take a 0-10 to 0-07 lead into the break. A further reverse for James Stephens came in the 4th minute of the 2nd half when a delivery from outfield rebounded off the goalpost and was clinically finished to the Village net to open a 1-10 to 0-08 for the Palmerstown club. With only Oisin Bateman (0-02) and Ryan Scanlon (0-05 F 0-01) making any headway against a well organised Dicksboro defence the ‘Boro continued to edge closer to victory with some quality point scoring over the closing half. To their credit the Village defence,with top quality displays from Jackie Tyrrell and Ben Lawlor, in particular, stood defiantly against a highly motivated ‘Boro attack to limit their scoring potential as much as possible. At the final whistle the stronger, better balanced Dicksboro side were worthy 1-18 to 0-11 victors securing a place in the upcoming championship semi-finals..

SEAMUS FRY TOURNEY The much valued Seamus Fry U-11 hurling tournament took place on Sunday 1st October in Pairc Sheamuis Stiophain. This was the 30th edition of the tournament run in memory of the late club president, Seamus Fry. The U-11 mentors hosted teams from Mungret (Limerick), Moycarkey-Borris (Tipp),Cualla (Dublin) to compete against the home club’s two teams. The impressive Mungret line up got the tournament off with narrow victories over the James Stephens teams and went on to deservedly win the competition. To their credit the home teams recovered well, playing some quality hurling to secure victories over the Dublin and Tipperary clubs and finish runners up. The committee would like to acknowledge the contribution of former club stars, Niall Tyrrell and David McCormack along with parents Shane O’Connor and Packie Holden who officiated over a busy day’s fixtures. The committee also appreciates the many parents who supplied the food and helped with the catering for the visiting clubs. At the end of the tournament the players were presented with over 100 hurley grips supplied by Paddy Fry, brother of the late club president and nourishing Tayto packs courtesy of John and Julie Connick. To end the day Eimear Connick presented the Seamus Fry Cup to a delighted Mungret captain to bring, yet another hurling trophy back to Shannonside. Our thanks to the Fry family for the continuing support for the long running tournament so valuable for the development of the next generation of James

James Stephens County Final Hurling Roinn C Champions 2023 Stephens players. .

FOOTBALL REUNION Organisers, Richie Manogue, Seamus “Sheasky” Maguire, John Scott and Liam “Chuck” O’Connor have scheduled a football reunion night titled “An Evening with Jim Mulvin” on Saturday, 2nd December in Larchfield to relive the six senior and one intermediate football championship victories won by the club under the Offaly native’s inspired stewardship. Testament to the popularity of the passionate Gaelic football devotee, a host of former players who enjoyed championship victories under his management have already committed to attend the night. It should be remembered that during the mid 1980’s and 1990s the club’s senior hurlers went through a lengthy barren spell - 1982 to 2004 -- which was compensated for with a run of senior football championship victories keeping the competitive spirit alive within the playing membership. Having finally broken the stranglehold the famous Railyard GAA club held over Kilkenny football with earlier championship victories in 1976 and ‘88, Jim took over the management role in 1991 and in his first campaign led the club to an exciting 1-09 to 1-07 title win over the Railyard helped by inspired performances from the club’s Deise natives, Liam O’Connor and John Grace. A further championship victory over the north Kilkenny Gaelic football specialists followed in 1993 with Brian Leahy earning a “Man of the Match ‘’ award scoring 3-03 on the day. Popularly known as “Heffo”, after the great Dublin leader Kevin Heffernan, Jim’s enthusiastic pre-match encouragement was a major factor in a battling 2-12 to 1-11 title victory over defending champions Dicksboro thanks to an extra time goal by John Larkin 1995. In May 1996 they retained the title with a back to the wall defensive display to fight off the dogged efforts of the Kilmoganny men. In May 2003 with a mix of experienced and new blood, Jim again worked his magic to get the best out of the players to secure a 2-07 to 1-06 victory in a high quality city derby final against O’Loughlin Gaels. Eoin Larkin’s contribution of 1-06 and Eoin McCormack’s early 2nd half goal were crucial in claiming a 7th Kilkenny title for the club. In 2006 the footballers after a disappointing season were relegated to the Intermediate grade following a below par display against Dicksboro in the relegation final. A quick response was the only answer to this unwelcome set back and so “Mr.Football”, once again in 2007 mustered his forces and with a show of determination swept aside the Mooncoin challenge for a 2-10 to 0-08 victory to reclaim the club’s valued senior football status. Despite a slow start to the 2008 campaign they eventually fought their way through to the championship decider and with strong leadership from Philip Larkin and sharpshooter David McCormack (1-07) they got over the line for a 1-09 to 1-08 victory over Erin’s Own to secure an 8th County title for the club. There followed an exciting journey through the Leinster intermediate championship with surprise victories over Carnew Emmets ( 2-11 to 2-07) and Cashel (Longford ) 3-07 to 0-07 thanks to 5 star scoring performances from Brian McEvoy and rock solid defences in both games. In the Leinster semi final the Co. Meath champions, St. Ultan’s brought the club’s memorable provincial journey to an end with a 2-10 to 0-03 victory which, while disappointing in no way diminished the team’s fine earlier football displays in the campaign. Soon after, for family reasons the club’s “Mr. Football” moved home to Dublin leaving a magnificent Gaelic football legacy behind for his many former players and fans to recall on Saturday night, 2nd December in Larchfield.

U-9 FOOTBALL: With the hurling season at a close the U-9 mentors have taken up Gaelic football coaching with their charges.

Indications are that the young Village players have taken enthusiastically to the challenge in big numbers and their skills have been noticeably improving with each session over the last few weeks.

SENIOR CAMOGIE On Saturday afternoon the senior camogie team bowed out of the championship following a 0-14 to 1-09 defeat to Barrow Rangers at the Q-final stage of the 2023 championship race. After a lackluster first half, the Village girls quickly fell into arrears by the wind assisted Paulstown girls and trailed 0-12 to 0-06 at half time. Three of the Village scores came from the caman of Niamh Deely with Caoimhe Moran (0-01) and Sophie O’Dwyer’s two from frees making up the James Stephens total. With a couple of positional switches and with wind advantage the Village girls fought back and thanks to a Niamh Deely finish to the net from a Rachel Leahy, and Sophie O’Dwyer passing movement the Barrow Rangers lead was reduced to two points. However despite a huge effort the Village were unable to close the gap leaving the Barrow Rangers to claim the honours at the end. Despite the disappointment of their championship exit the James Stephens girls can be proud of their first year’s performances in the senior ranks which hopefully they can build on for next year and beyond. .

U-12 CAMOGIE: Camogie officer, Brian Leahy reports that the U-12 camogie team finished their season on a high note with a well-earned 2-01 to 1-01 victory in their U-12 group final against The Rower Inistioge in Larchfield on Saturday morning. Slow to get off the mark in an evenly contested final it took until the 10th minute for the home team to break the deadlock with a point. Just before the break The Rower broke through for a goal to take a 1-00 to 0-01 lead at half time. Having repulsed a number of early 2nd half Inistioge attacks the Village girls took over and might have opened a good lead but for their failure to convert a number of opportunities. With just three minutes left on the clock they finally made the vital breakthrough with a three pointer to take the lead at 2-01 to 1-01. From there the Rower-Inistioge girls laid siege on the Village defence but solid defending won the day for James Stephens as they held fast to claim the title. Well done to the girls and their committed team mentors.

TESS LARKIN R.I.P The Committee of C.L.G. and Camogaiochta Sheamuis Stiophain extend their deepest sympathies to the Larkin family on the passing of Theresa “Tess” Larkin , River Valley, Swords and formerly of Patrick Street, Kilkenny in recent days. Tess was predeceased by her mother Kitty, father Ned a member of the 1955 Junior championship winning team, brothers, Ned a former club player and Allen a former club officer. Tess will be deeply missed by her loving daughter Joy, sisters Mary and Mairin, Joy’s partner Dave and her nephews, nieces, extended family members, and neighbours from the Patrick Street community. “Air dheis Laimh Dei go raibh a anam dilis” RITA O’LEARY R.I.P. At Wednesday evening’s management meeting the sympathies of C.L.G & Camogaiochta Sheamuis Stiophain were extended to the O’Leary family on the death of Rita O’Leary (nee Prendergast) 53, Larchfield, Kilkenny. Rita was the beloved wife of the late Jimmy O’Leary, a former club player and loyal club member. Rita was the mother of Seamus, Edmund, Mark and Conor all of whom wore the Red and Green of The Village with pride and distinction. Sympathies also go to Rita’s daughter Liz and her sisters, Bella and Betty, brother Dick and the extended O’Leary family. Rita was laid to rest in Foulkstown Cemetery following Requiem Mass in St. Patrick’s church on Tuesday afternoon. “Air dheis laimh Dei go raibh a anam dilis” LOTTO This week’s numbers were 6 : 12 : 21 : 27. There was no winner. The €40 consolation winners were B.Kearney, Des and Shane, Timmy Grogan, Liam Tyrrell and Mark Cashin

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Evergreen FC Awards Night

The Kilkenny Observer Friday 13 October 2023

Evergreen FC Aw Photos: Andy Ryan Evergreen held their Annual Schoolboys and Schoolgirls Awards night in the magnificent surroundings of the Set Theatre on Monday night.

Both floors of the theatre were packed with boys and girls decked out in their green club colours along with their proud parents.

Evergreen City U12 Player of the Year

The awards recognised the achievements of teams from u12 to u16 in what was a very fruitful season for the club.

17 teams were presented with medals and cups for local and SFAI regional success.

The following players received Player of the Year Awards for their teams in each age group;

U15 Div 1 League & Cup Winners

• U12 Girls – Ellen Butler, Sophie Holden, Sophie Kelly • U12 Boys – Dara Kavanagh, Eoghan Morrissey, James Keating, Mikey Hennessy, Hugh Chaney • U13 Boys – Fionn Doyle, Lucas Duggan, Oisin Murphy, Syd Harkin • U14 Girls – Emma Hogan, Sofia Blackmore, Emma Roche • U14 Boys – Jack Mulcahy, Paul Millea • U15 Boys – Oisin Henderson, Aaron Doyle, Jack O’Reilly Evergreen Green U14 Player of the Year

• U16 Girls – Meabh Doherty, Mia Pender • U16 Boys – Thomas Treacy, James Kenny The city club will be hoping for further success on the field for the coming season and the chance to bring home more silverware to the Kells Road grounds.

Evergreen Town U14 Player of the Year

U14 Div 1A League Winners

U12 Girls

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Evergreen FC Awards Night

ards Night U16 Div 1 Girls League & Cup Winners

U15 Div 2 Shield Winners

U13 Div 1 League & Cup WInners

U12 Div 1 Runners Up

U16 Div 1 League Winners

U14 Boys Div 1 League Winners

U14 Girls Div 1 League Winners

Evergreen United U16 Player of the Year

Evergreen White U14 Player of the Year

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 13 October 2023

Hurling matters

Sport

BY NIALL SHERRY SPORTS EDITOR SPORTSEDITORKILKENNYOBSERVER.IE

St Canice’s Credit Union Kilkenny Senior Hurling Championship

> SHERRY SAYS Semi-Final Preview After some intriguing games and the odd battle along the way, we have four teams still standing in the 2023 St Canice’s Credit Union Kilkenny Senior Hurling Championship. Needless to say, the fab four remaining will all fancy their chances of getting their hands on the Tom Walsh Cup this year.

Despite much chatter throughout the league, current holders Shamrocks Ballyhale have navigated their way to the semi-final stage and have shown that they will not relinquish the title that they have proudly held for the last 5 years. The quest for a sixth consecutive county title is very much still alive. Joining Ireland’s most successful club in the last four are James Stephens, O’Loughlin Gaels and Bennettsbridge.

UPMC Nowlan Park will stage both semi-final ties this Sunday, with O’Loughlin’s taking on the Bridge (1:15pm Throw-in) followed by Brian Cody’s Village facing-off against Shamrocks (3:15pm Throw-in). Both fixtures promise much, and we could be set for a superb afternoon’s hurling at headquarters as a place in this year’s decider is the prize for the two victorious sides.

O`Loughlin Gaels Vs Bennettsbridge Sunday, 1:15pm, UPMC Nowlan Park Referee: Conor Everard This game can certainly hold its own on Sunday’s double bill. Brian Hogan will need to have his O’Loughlin’s side well up for this game, because this Bennettsbridge Niall Brassil and TJ Reid might cross paths on Sunday

side are on a mission in this year’s championship.

The city side were given a real test in their last-eight clash with outsiders Mullinavat, but it was a titanic battle in Thomastown and Hogan’s charges got home by just 2 points. Their big players stood up last day out and the county contingent of Mikey Butler, Huw Lawlor and Paddy Deegan helped drive their team over the line and into the last four.

Mikey Butler’s surging runs from the full-back line will be something that Tim Dooley and his management team will need to plan for and ensure that the diminutive Butler isn’t given the freedom of UPMC Nowlan Park, as the corner-back is more than capable of splitting the posts from distance if given the opportunity, as he showed against the Vegas Boys.

One of O’Loughlin’s young guns, David Fogarty who has had a great season to date, is another of their rearguard that loves a long-range score to compliment his defensive nous.

Having the experienced Paddy Deegan inside him has undoubtably helped Fogarty develop and cement his place in this side. Another of the rising stars, Jordon Molloy has also been looking sharp this season, and like Fogarty can trouble the scoreboard on a regular basis. Throw Conor Heary into the mix and you can see the strength that the James’s Road side possesses.

As usual, placed ball accuracy will be crucial in deciding the outcome on Sunday, and in Mark Bergin, the Gaels have one of the best in the county. In their recent tussle with the Vat, the centre-forward notched 0-9, six of which came from dead balls. Keeping Bergin company in the forward line is likely to be Eoin O’Shea, Owen Wall and Paddy Butler. Along with Sean Bolger, this attacking unit will look to cause trouble in the Bridge back line and get the scores to give their side a fighting chance of making the county final.

Sunday’s opponents, Bennettsbridge are an improving side that look as if they have a point to prove this season.

Tim Dooley and his backroom team, including the motivational Dan Shanahan have a group of players that are hurling well at present and look determined to leave no stone unturned in their desire to claim a county title. The Waterford man’s presence has clearly added much to the Bridge, as indicated when Kevin Blanchfield spoke to the media following their win over a fancied Glenmore outfit.

The Blanchfield influence running through this Bridge team gives it real

Sean Morrissey will look to shine against OLG

Final four prepa forsemishowdo Battle for the Tom Walsh Cu Paddy Deegan will look to stick tight to his man this weekend

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Hurling matters halfway.

Liam’s return from travelling has been a timely boost to the forward line. His ability to win his own ball and constantly trouble the scoreboard means that he will need to be closely watched by the O’Loughlin’s defence, a job which Huw Lawlor might fancy in UPMC Nowlan Park. Liam hit an impressive 1-2 against Glenmore and might take a bit of stopping in this mouthwatering clash.

If Mark Bergin is deadly accurate for the Gaels, Nicky Cleere will look to do the same for his Bridge side.

Should Brian Hogan’s side cough up easy free’s you can bet that Nicky will punish these and keep the scoreboard ticking over. Three other names likely to feature on Sunday are Sean Morrissey, Ciaran Brennan and Jason Cleere. This trio have an abundance of ability and pure talent to cause even the best defender’s problems.

Morrissey is not shy about roaming out the field to get on ball and create openings for his team, while Ciaran Brennan’s return to fitness adds an extra goal threat for this Bridge side.

While perhaps more accustomed to operating at wing-back, Jason Cleere has notched some lovely scores for his team this season and hit three nice ones in their quarter-final win.

This game could be very tight, and impact from the bench might prove the difference. The Bridge’s Jack Campion certainly knows where the posts are, and his introduction could be significant. Those in attendance on Sunday should see a great game and for the neutral supporter, a clash to sit back and enjoy.

are own’s p hots up

Shamrocks Ballyhale Vs James Stephens Sunday, 3:15pm, UPMC Nowlan Park Referee: Patrick O Reilly purpose and ability across the pitch.

Midfielder Kevin has been in great nick of late and weighed in with 3 fine scores last day out. Winning the middle third battle will always be key to giving a side the platform to win games and Kevin’s partnership with James Hughes has done exactly that for Tim Dooley’s charges. County star David has been outstanding in defence and his fielding ability is a sight to behold. As we’ve seen on the inter-county stage, David isn’t shy about stepping forward and as we’ve seen on the inter-county stage, David isn’t shy about stepping forward and striking over booming scores from

Yes, you read the fixture correctly, it’s Shamrocks Ballyhale vs James Stephens in the second of Sunday’s double-header at UPMC Nowlan Park, not Dicksboro. That isn’t a dig at the Palmerstown outfit, but the way many were quick to write off the country’s best team was bordering on disrespectful. No one is saying that this Shamrocks team are unbeatable, but the way they performed against many people’s favourites for the Tom Walsh Cup should ensure that the doom merchants will now move on to backing the Village to dethrone the holders.

Now, back to the build-up.

Adrian Mullen will look to lead his team to another final

Liam Blanchfield will look to continue his fine form for the Bridge

The league campaign was by no means vintage Shamrocks, but then again, they have been known to start the season slowly. I don’t think Pat Hoban would have wanted to be involved in a relegation semi-final encounter, but his side did enough to ensure it would be Danesfort that had to continue to battle against the dreaded drop.

Their last eight encounter with Dicksboro at Sunday’s venue showed us the resolve that is still abound in the south Kilkenny club. One thing that was very evident was the physicality and controlled aggression that this Shamrocks team played with against Michael Walsh’s team. There’s no doubt that Hoban’s men went right to the line but I for one feel they needed to against a side that likes to play through the lines and are perhaps a little silkier in approach. Ok, Paddy Mullen saw red for his coming together with young Harry Shine, and to be fair, Paddy does have that in his locker, but the champions certainly brought the fire and put in several robust, spine-tingling challenges on their opponents.

The loss of Joey Holden, Brian Cody, Joey Cuddihy, Darren Mullen, and last season’s captain, Ronan Corcoran have certainly weakened this Shamrocks panel. Colin Fennelly has travelled back from the middle east for the last couple of games but looked to be struggling from the first whistle with a calf issue. Younger players have had to come into this hurling machine and fill very big gaps left by All-Ireland club winners.

Killian Corcoran, Dara Mason and Conor Welsh amongst others have come in and performed admirably in tough circumstances. Against the ‘Boro, Darragh Corcoran and Eoin Kenneally put in serious shifts against the men in maroon. Corcoran’s shift to the full-back position in the last couple of games has seen him grow in the ‘Joey’ role and allowed manager Hoban to have a slightly more experienced head gluing things together when flanked by youngsters Mason and Killian Corcoran.

Shamrocks will hope that seasoned campaigner, Brian Butler is fit to start the last four clash on Sunday, as he can bring some know-how and guile to the last line of defence.

With Darragh Corcoran needed in the full-back line, Conor Welsh has filled in at wing back, showing much promise. Having the excellent Richie Reid inside him has helped, and together with Evan Shefflin, the Shamrocks still possess great drive from this pivotal line. Again, Richie Reid was in top form last day out, sweeping up and reading the play with ease as he helped quell the Dicksboro threat.

When the opposition team sees a half-forward line of Eoin Cody, TJ Reid and Adrian Mullen, it can only but strike fear into their defence. Captain Adrian Mullen was everywhere in the win over Dicksboro. He put in serious work rate and finished the game with

1-4, his goal, right on the stroke of halftime proving the major score of the game. TJ finished with 0-10 while Eoin Cody chipped in with 0-3 and this trio of county men will know that will need to replicate this if they are to continue their quest for a 6th consecutive Tom Walsh Cup. James Stephens have been a little bit of everything this season. When they played the Shamrocks in the league earlier, they performed really well for lots of that game, but for another period, looked decidedly average. If Cian Kenny’s finger injury has healed well, you would think that he will add plenty to this Village side.

Brian Cody’s men have a strong spine, and in Niall Brassil and Luke Scanlon, they have two leaders who will die with their boots on. These two players contributed almost half their teams scores in the last eight win over Graigue Ballycallan. While Brassil’s goal before half time was a little fortunate, the No.6 is usually a threat to the scoreboard. Scanlon’s tally of 0-5 was instrumental in securing a semi-final berth for the city side.

While Eoin Guilfoyle was quieter than usual, he still contributed 3 points to his side’s winning total and the Shamrocks defence will need to be alert to curb his influence on the game. Stephen Manogue came off the bench to good effect last time out and hit two lovely scores which may put him in contention for a starting role on Sunday. Luke Scanlon’s midfield partner, William Spencer was also impressive in the quarter-final victory, notching 2 points from the engine room, and this is an area where Brian Cody will no doubt target to come out on top on Sunday.

Niall Brassil is likely to have Diarmuid Cody and Niall Delaney alongside him, or perhaps the returning Cian Kenny, although I think the county man is better creating a little further up the pitch. Keeper Gavin Costigan will need to be in top form and stand firm against some of the best forwards in the country. He will hope that the back 6 will offer him enough protection to keep the green flag raising to a minimum. If the Village are as open as they were at times against GBC, Shamrocks are more likely to punish these lapses.

The match-ups will be interesting.

If Brian Cody and his backroom team can get things right in shackling Shamrocks County men, they will be well placed to build a platform for victory. You always feel that once the champions get into UPMC Nowlan Park that they tend to perform more often than not as they showed against the ‘Boro. The Village will perhaps be more suited to the level of physicality that Pat Hoban’s men will look to bring to the semi showdown and shouldn’t be found wanting in the heat of the battle.

The stage is set. Two potentially cracking semi-finals for Gaels to enjoy.

Only two teams will be left standing and then we will know who our county finalists are for 2023. Enjoy the fare.

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 13 October 2023

Motors Classifieds

Classified section To advertise your business in our classified section call in or telephone: 056 777 1463, or email: accounts @kilkennyobserver.ie

JOEPARSONSGARDEN MAINTENANCE SERVICES INCLUDE • Hedge cutting • • Grass cutting • • Power washing • • Dry rubbish removal • • Tree pruning •

CONTACT JOE: 086-8587568

The Kilkenny Observer Friday 13 October 2023

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Planning notices

Planning notices KILKENNY COUNTY COUNCIL I, Siobhan Lawlor intend to apply to Kilkenny County Council for Planning Permission for the change of use of a garage to a kitchen/dining area, internal and external changes to existing dwelling house and all associated site development works at 5 Elm Green, Ardnore, Kilkenny R95 YW2P 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.

The Kilkenny Observer Friday 13 October 2023

The Kilkenny Observer Friday 13 October 2023

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Memoriams / Miracle Prayers

The Miracle Prayer

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

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

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

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

Never been known to fail.

Must promise publication of prayer. 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. M.K.

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.M.B.

The Miracle Prayer

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

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

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

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

Never been known to fail.

Must promise publication of prayer. M.R.

The Miracle Prayer

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

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

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

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

Never been known to fail.

Must promise publication of prayer. A.S.

St. Anthony Prayer

O Holy St. Anthony gentlest of Saints, your love for God and charity for His creatures, made you worthy, when on earth, to possess miraculous powers.

Encouraged by this thought, I implore you to obtain for me (request).

O gentle and loving St. Anthony, whose heart was ever full of human sympathy, whisper my petition into the ears of the sweet Infant Jesus, who loved to be folded in your arms. The gratitude of my heart will ever be yours. Amen M.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. H.H.

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 13 October 2023