Travel & Leisure

5 for the sightseer in Paris

5. NOTRE DAME CATHEDRAL

e Île de la Cité is in the heart of the city and is the original point of the settlement of Paris. In Roman times it used to have a palace but today it is most famous for being the site of the incredible Notre Dame de Paris cathedral. Notre Dame’s construction began back in the 10th century and was the site of the coronation of Napoleon as Emperor. is is one of France’s most iconic and greatest landmarks and a must-see. Currently, however, it is closed due to extensive damage from the 2019 re that gutted the building. It is set to reopen just before the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics.

4. LE LOUVRE / PALAIS ROYAL

A short walk from Notre Dame is the Le Louvre, together with the Smithsonian Museums and London’s Natural History and London Museum must be one of the most famous in the world. It was once Paris’ second Royal Palace and now it is home to 38,000 artifacts of prehistory and innumerable artworks. Despite the Covid pandemic was still the world’s most visited art museum in 2020. Perhaps its most notable exhibit is the Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci.

3 . ARC DE TRIOMPHE

e Arc de Triomphe is also one of Paris’s most iconic landmarks. e monument is to honour those soldiers who fought and died in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. It has the names of various French victories and the generals inscribed on it. Additionally, it also commemorates the destructive World War I with the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier underneath it (WWI was particularly devastating for France.).

2. ÎLE SAINTLOUIS

e Île Saint-Louis is the other natural island in the heart of Paris. It is around 11 hectares in area and is connected to the mainland and to the other isle of Île Saint-Louis (that has Notre Dame Cathedral) by four different bridges. is whole island has been carefully planned and set out. e architecture on this isle and the surrounding area o er some of the best of Paris’s architecture. is area is full of quaint restaurants and boutique shops.

1 . LES INVALIDES

Les Invalides is a complex of buildings in the heart of Paris and contains museums and monuments all about the military history of France. is complex also contains some of Paris’s oldest buildings. e Royal Chapel here is called the Dôme des Invalides and is the tallest church building in all of Paris. It no longer serves as a chapel but as a shrine to some of France’s most notable military gures from history. Most notably the tomb of Napoleon is located here (Napoleon was exiled to St Helena in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean where he died, later his remains were returned to France).

Icelandic hotel offering a free stay - snap it up!

CALLING all photographers with a sense of adventure—Hotel Rangá in Iceland is o ering a unique opportunity. e hotel is looking for a “light catcher,” aka a photographer who can capture the area’s breathtaking Northern Lights.

In return for their images, the chosen applicant will receive free ights to and from Iceland, accommodation at the hotel for an entire month, and access to its stargazing observatory and hot tubs.

Hotel Rangá (pictured) is located in the countryside of South Iceland, between the villages of Hella and Hvolsvöllur. e property boasts picturesque views of Eystri Rangá, the salmon river, the famous volcano Mt. Hekla, several glaciers, and the Westman Islands. e hotel is also the ideal location for viewing the Northern Lights, which are best captured from September to March.

If you’re eager to explore Iceland’s stunning landscapes with your camera, Hotel Rangá seems like the perfect base. e chosen photographer will also have the option to visit e Highland Center Hrauneyjar, Hotel Rangá’s sister property, located in the uninhabited Iceland highlands.

For those interested in the opportunity, the hotel asks that you are available for at least three weeks during the Northern Lights season (mid-September to mid-March). During this time, you’ll be tasked with taking highquality photos and videos of the Northern Lights. Hotel Rangá will have unlimited license to the material, which will be used for promotional material in print and online.

If you’re not a professional photographer, Hotel Rangá also invites aspiring photographers to apply. You can nd out more and apply on their website.

The Louvre: once Paris’ second Royal Palace and now home to 38,000 artifacts of prehistory and innumerable artworks

Ryanair launches its Knock to Malaga ight

MAYO”S Ireland West Airport has welcomed the announcement by Ryanair of a new weekly service this winter to Malaga in sunny Costa Del Sol. e Malaga service, which currently operates during the summer season, will now continue throughout the year with Gights operating every Saturday throughout the winter for the Hrst time.

Malaga is the gateway to the popular Costa Del Sol region which stretches for just over 150 kilometres, stretching from Almeria to Tarifa and has a huge range of facilities and attractions with miles of golden sandy beaches and a year round warm climate which sees holidaymakers returning year after year. e Costa Del Sol is within easy reach of a host of resorts such as Benalmadena, Fuengirola, Marbella, Nerja and Torremolinos. e route announcement is the fourth positive route announcement by Ryanair in recent months, following the airlines announcement of brandnew services to Edinburgh and Manchester, which start in September, and the announcement of a new twice weekly winter service to Milan in Italy, meaning Ryanair will now o er passengers a choice of 12 destinations across the UK and Europe to and from the airport in 2021.

Joe Gilmore, Managing Director, Ireland West Airport, said: “We welcome yet another very positive announcement by Ryanair of a new winter service to Malaga, which will provide the People of the West and North West of Ireland with year round access to one of Europe’s most popular sun destinations.”

For further airport information log onto www.irelandwestairport. com; and for information on fares and to book Gights to Malaga visit www.ryanair.com or book with your local travel agent.

Advertorial An appreciation of our local businesses

FIt has possibly never in our lifetime, been more important to support local. We’ve all heard the campaigns, the hashtags, the pleas! And why do we, as local businesses make this plea? Well, its because we are just like you! We too are paying the mortgage, the school uniform and books have to be paid for, food on the table, run a house. We can all relate.

But do we relate, in the evening while we browse on our phones, looking for a nice treat or something speci c to buy online. Possibly and probably from a large multinational with super fast delivery. We all do it, but who are we funding? An unknown CEO, to buy his second Porsche, or his latest yacht trip in Monaco.

What happens for instance however, if you come to our shop or website, in your own county. You make a di erence that you wouldn’t even believe. You are enabling us to reinvest in the shop and renew stock. You are enabling us to pay our way through life, to fund our child’s education and you are also enabling us to pump that money back into other local business. e local co ee shop, hardware, stationary provider, orist, petrol station, they receive our business when we receive yours. Our community thrives and supports itself and you as a customer get personal one to one service. You can contact an actual person at any time if you need something, no emailing random customer service pages. You get actual customer service, the way it should be. You get service like it used to be.... being able to request items to be held for a few days, or paid o over time, or bring it back if something happens to be wrong and know it will easily be xed. ese are the attributes that form the character of our high streets and they are dying. More and more small businesses are closing, more previous shop fronts are vanishing into a residential revamp and may never return.

So when you have that hard earned cash in your hand, give your local shops and businesses a thought and a chance, before you head for an impersonal online retailer.

You are more appreciated than you will ever know.

Follow the social media hashtags of #madelocal #lovemadelocal #kilkennypottersmarket #shoplocal #supportlocal #shopkilkenny and may more, to nd out about your local shops, craftspeople and markets.

‘You’re a Star’ Quilt Raffle for Teac Tom

e members of the South Midlands Branch of the Irish Patchwork Society have been busy during lockdown and have created a beautiful ‘You’re a Star’ quilt.

THE quilt will be part of an exhibition for Kilkenny Arts Festival held at the Chapter House at St. Mary’s Cathedral. e quilt, as well as other quilted creations by the branch can be viewed from ursday 12th – Sunday 15th August. e exhibition is open from 10am to 5pm each day. e quilt will be ra ed with all proceeds going to Teac Tom, a well-known mental health support charity based in Kilkenny. Founded in 2014 by Angela Hayes and her family, Teac Tom provides suicide intervention and support services for those a ected by or bereaved by suicide. e charity was founded in response to the death of Angela’s own son omas, on the anniversary of his dad’s death. Teac Tom provide a 24-hour helpline, immediate intervention and professional counselling services to those in Kilkenny and the surrounding areas. Last year a new centre was opened in Stradbally, Co. Laois.

Angela Hayes, CEO of Teac Tom, says that the last 18 months have been extremely challenging as the pandemic has severely restricted the charities’ fundraising capabilities, while at the same time they have experienced an increased demand for services.

Tickets for the ra e are available online, at the exhibition, or at Teac Tom. e members sincerely hope that it will be well supported and raise vital funds for Teac Tom. e ra e will be held in early September and tickets are just €5 each or 5 for €20.

www.idonate.ie/ra e/irishpatchworksociety Teac Tom, 15 Ormonde Rd, Kilkenny 056 7796592 www.thethomashayestrust. com

In ation is hitting our food and drink sector

IRISH food and drink businesses are experiencing in ation due to a combination of factors including Brexit, Covid, supply chain constraints and raw material inputs, according to Food Drink Ireland (FDI), the Ibec group representing the food and drink sector.

FDI surveyed member companies in July to assess the extent and impact of cost increases. e survey found that the majority of food and drink companies experienced substantial increases across a range of inputs in the last 12 months including:

Lower but still signi cant increases were experienced for other inputs including 37% experiencing 5-20% cost increases for water/wastewater and 30% seeing 5-20% cost increases for labour.

Respondents were very clear in the main factors they attributed the input costs to: • 100% considered Brexit very relevant or relevant • 96% considered Covid impacts very relevant or relevant • 96% considered global supply chain constraints very relevant or relevant • 81% considered domestic supply chain constraints very relevant or relevant • 78% considered raw material inputs very relevant or relevant

All businesses operating throughout the Covid pandemic have had to make signi cant investments to adjust operations in line with public health guidelines.

Brexit has added signi cantly to trading costs including transport and logistics and additional administration both for trade with the UK but also for trade with the EU using the land-bridge. Transport costs have also been a ected by the major driver shortage impacting that sector and for international business, the cost of freight containers has exploded since the beginning of the year.

Food businesses are also identifying strong increases in utility costs, in particular energy and also in packaging.

Paul Kelly, FDI Director said respondents expected a continuation of in ationary trends in the months ahead and that this would impact on margins and competitiveness in export markets.

A weapon in hospitality fight against pandemic

RESTAURANTS, bars and hotels throughout the county can install Covid-eliminating ozone machines in a bid to avoid future shutdowns.

Customer demand for improved hygiene standards has seen sales of the devices rise by over 200% in recent weeks with indoor dining having returned.

Sanity System is the worldwide distributor of the portable machines, which use ozone gas to sanitise the air and surfaces of indoor spaces.

“With daily Covid cases now at almost 1,400, restaurant owners have told us they want them as another weapon to prevent any future closures,” Managing Director David Byrne told e Kilkenny Observer.

“Pubs, restaurants and cafes are dreading the nightmare scenario of having to close again in the event of an outbreak.” e devices were installed at Michelin-starred Patrick Guilbaud restaurant in Dublin at the weekend, where head chef Kieran Glennon said they would play a signi cant part in safely reopening indoor hospitality.

“Hopefully we are coming to the end of an extremely di cult time for the restaurant sector and devices such as these play a big role in re-opening because they instil con dence in customers,” he said.

“Some of them are returning for the rst time since March 2020 and clean air and sanitisation will now be seen as a priority, not an optional extra.” e ‘plug and play’ machines operate by using ozone to purify the air and surfaces of workplaces, entertainment venues or vehicles – meaning glass, carpets, walls and other areas are safely cleaned. e procedure then reverses itself to remove any remaining ozone so the premises or vehicle can be used as soon as the process nishes.

Licensed by the Department of Agriculture, the machines are used by the HSE, Revenue Commissioners, Gardai and a multitude of business and motor companies.

Heritage Week will end with a splash!

THIS Sunday, August 15, will be a special day is to celebrate water, and, in this time of climate change, Man’s need to sustain it. Sunday also marks the last day of Heritage Week 2021. e Kilkenny Archaeological Society invites you to ‘take the plunge’…into articles about water on their website. e society said several back issues of e Old Kilkenny Review (OKR) were accessible online as a result of a recent digitisation project.

How our rivers were named, for example, is one area covered well in Owen O’Kelly’s piece on place names in Kilkenny from e OKR of 1948. e Dinan which ows into the Nore at ree Castles comes from ‘An Deineen’, which translates as “the little noisy vehement river”?

Elsewhere, how rivers were harnessed as a source of power in the past is explained in an account of the Merino Factory on the King’s River in Ennisnag from the 1949 OKR.

A spa’ in Ballyspellen near Johnstown was a thriving attraction in the 18th century. e mineral waters were believed to cure illnesses ranging from blotches in the skin to obstructions of the liver.

Doing it ourselves: celebrity Baz Ashmawy with Chadwicks’ Kilkenny manager Tony Duggan and Eimear Reilly of Chadwicks

Building a better future for a family in need ...

CHADWICKS, Ireland’s leading builders’ merchants, is to host the rst on-site pop-up shop to provide vital materials and services for local families. e Kilkenny branch of the builders merchants is also delighted to provide support to the Aylward family in New Ross in the upcoming RTE series of DIY: SOS e Big Build Series 2. As the exclusive building materials supplier for the season, Chadwicks will support the Aylwards by providing essential products and materials as they prepare to take on one of DIY SOS’ biggest challenges – building a brand new, fully accessible home for the family. Johnny Aylward lives in a rented home with his wife Lynn and their two sons, Daire (8) and Mikey (6).

Last November, Mr Aylward, who is 56, was diagnosed with Motor Neuron Disease which has made their rental home unsuitable for his needs. In addition to his diagnosis, Mrs Aylward is also the full-time carer for their youngest son Daire who has non-verbal autism.

With the support of their three older children Kelley, Colin and Aaron, as well as Mrs Aylward’s young adult sons Cian and Aaron, who also live in the New Ross home, the entire family is keen to rally together during this di cult time. e family is seeking help from the DIY SOS team to provide long-term security and build a brand-new home in New Ross that will ful l the accessibility needs of the entire family.

Tony Duggan, Branch Manager at Chadwicks, Kilkenny said: “Chadwicks Kilkenny is thrilled to be involved in such an important cause in helping the Aylwards create their new family home. Community is very much at the heart of Chadwicks and we are privileged to play a role in helping them to create their dream home.”

* Now in its second series, DIY SOS: e Big Build Series 2 will air on RTÉ in November 2021.

Marianna and team in local charities drive

WOODIE’S stores across the country have been running an outstanding charity campaign, Woodie’s Heroes, an annual event that in the last six years we have collectively raised more than €2m for children’s charities.

“ is year is proving to be bigger and better than ever.,” said Marianna Traherne-Jankiewicz, local Deputy Store Manager. “Between bake-o s, selling beautifully crafted art made by our colleagues, selling ra e tickets, walking and other activities we have already raised, in Kilkenny alone, more than €6,000. And we have few days to go still!”

She said it was heart-warming to see how everyone came together. “We have got some local businesses to donate prizes for our ra e,” she said. “We have had so many generous donations from our customers.”

Ms Traherne-Jankiewicz said their “passion” would bene t four charities: • Autism Assistance Dogs • Barnardos • ISPCC Childline • Down Syndrome Ireland

Every year the campaign ends with a charity cycle, sponsored by our suppliers. Two groups of managers, executives (including the CEO) and support of ce colleagues get their cycling gear out and cover 2000km, travelling from store to store and collect the cheques for charities.

“We would also love to acknowledge our colleagues, customers and other local businesses that came on board this year: Hotel Kilkenny, National Reptile Zoo, Petmania, Sherwoods, GooDog, City Life Pet, Watergate eatre, DID Electrical, Home Focus, Sam McCauley Pharmacy, Aran Artisan Bakery and Bistro,” she said.

Housing adaptations grants for older people and people with a disability

OVER the past number of editions of the Twilight Senior’s forum we have looked at some of the proposals been put forward for our seniors to give up their homes in what our civil servant friends are terming ‘right sizing’. We believe the Right Size is the house our seniors have raised their family and have memories that can sustain them mentally as we enter our twilight years.

According to data from the 2016 census report, approximately 1.2 million of our growing population will be over the age of 65 by 2040 . As our population ages many Irish seniors are now planning for where and how they want to live in old age. In Kilkenny that gure will be over 35000. If all our seniors are sent to Nursing Homes or forced to move away from their community support system a massive strain will be put on our services. Rather than ‘rightsizing ’we should look at adapting our current house to t our needs in our elder years. Many of our homes are not designed to meet our requirements as we grow older. When areas of our home start to become unsafe or even inaccessible it may be time to look and explore how modi cations and adaptations to the home can make your home more accessible. e cost of having your home adapted for safer living can range between €18,000 and €20,000 depending on the scale of works to be done. is cost does not include carer giver hours . ere are several nancial supports available to Irish seniors which you can explore here. Depending on the scope and scale of your continuing to live in your own home there are several grants supports available to you when funding your home adaptation works . ere are several nancial supports available across a range of products and services. In the 2019 the Housing Adaptations Grants for Older People and People with a Disability issued approximately €71 Million in grants to Irish citizens across the local authority and city council network . ese grants are designed to help reduce the dependency on our health services by supporting independent living and ageing in place. ese grants are available based on means tested criteria and are categorized under 2 main schemes:

You may be eligible if you have 1. been diagnosed with a medical condition or reduced mobility 2. experienced a change in family care arrangements, or 3. experienced a recent fall or hospital admission. 4. Are unable to safely navigate your home for basic needs

Kilkenny County Council administers several grant options to assist older people and people with a disability in carrying out works which are necessary for the purposes of rendering a house more suitable for their accommodation needs. ese include: 1. Housing Aid for Older People Grant 2. Housing Adaptation Grant for a Person with a Disability 3. Mobility Aids Grant Scheme

Housing Aid for Older People

e Scheme of Housing Aid for Older People is available to assist people aged 66 years or older living in poor housing conditions to have necessary repairs or improvements carried out. e types of work, grant aided under the scheme include structural repairs or improvements, re-wiring, repairs to/replacement of windows and doors, the provision of heating, water, and sanitary services.

Housing Adaptation Grant for a Person with a Disability is grant is available to assist in the carrying out of works which are reasonably necessary for the purposes of rendering a house more suitable for the accommodation of a person with a disability who has an enduring physical, sensory, mental health, or intellectual impairment. e type of works allowable under the scheme include the provision of access ramps, downstairs toilet facilities, stair-lifts, accessible showers, adaptations to facilitate wheelchair access, extensions, and any other works which are reasonably necessary for the purposes of rendering a house more suitable for the accommodation of a person with a disability. e level of grant aid available is determined based on gross household income and shall be between 30% - 95% of

The crowning glory o f St Mary’s Cathedral

Today we share the history of e tower at St Mary’s Cathedral.

To the north the Black Abbey stands between the CBS Secondary school and the churches of Canice before the eye is drawn towards Tullaroan and Freshford.

BY FR RICHARD SCRIVEN

THE tower of St Mary’s Cathedral was described in the Kilkenny Journal of Saturday 12th, 1857, and referring to it as the ‘glory of the cathedral’. So, what of this magni cent tower that stands 186 feet and 6 inches proud over our city? Visible and di erent from so many places in the city the tower makes a statement, proclaims the gospel, draws us heaven-ward and beckons parishioner and pilgrim, visitor, and tourist alike.

In church terms things happen in threes: Trinity, Tryptic, and Shamrocks. Likewise, here in St Mary’s. ere are three levels above the sanctuary: the rst main chamber which is lit by the familiar pencil type gothic windows of green stained glass; the bells chamber which is 20 plus feet in height; and the upper outdoor level with its glorious views over the city and county. rough a series of spiral stairway and walkways access is gained to the rst chamber of the tower. In this rst level there are eight windows glazed in green glass. ere is a system of pullies that allows a central portion of the moulded plaster ceiling above the sanctuary to be opened.

Over the years many tradesmen have worked in the cathedral and a visit to the tower in recent weeks reveal names etched on doors, panels of wood and notice boards. Liam Tyrell and Michael Ryan, painters, recorded a Kilkenny win in the All Ireland in 1993: Kilkenny 2-17 and Galway 1-15 and Up Kilkenny. KH was there in 1981, J Burke in 1949 and P O Brien from Mauldin Street in June ’31. J Brennan was there in 1914, Frank Garvan in 1952 and M Cuddihy on February 1, 1948.

Ordination Sunday 1952 and there was a visit by Henry Byrne, Larry O’Dwyer and Dan McEvoy. Henry was a native of Knocktopher and was ordained for Perth, Australia, in 1956. Larry O’Dwyer was ordained in 1957 for a diocese in the USA; he was from Piltown or near Carrickon-Suir. He was killed in a car crash in America. Dan McEvoy was a student for Los Angeles. I suspect

The crowning glory o f St Mary’s Cathedral

The bell sits in a yoke on which one reads BYRNE’S PATENT ROTARY MOUNTINGS which refers to a patent that was attributed to Mathew O’Byrne in 1887. The patent refers to a cast-iron headstock with a tapered hole through which a tapered boss on the crown of the bell was inserted and bolted in place using the crown staple bolt. By slacking the nuts, the bell can be rotated, presenting a new striking face and increasing the life of the bell considerably.

that the three visited the tower after the ordination ceremony was concluded; they were more than likely in the choir. ese are only a few of the names etched in the fabric of the tower– it was a badge of honour to leave your name in the heights.

FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS

e next chamber of the tower contains the bell. e windows and reliefs of this level are described in the Kilkenny Journal of 1857: “ e upper section of the belfry tower windows is beautifully ornamented. e windows are gracefully shaped and enriched with appropriate moulding and decorative ornamentation.” Eight gothic windows are on each side of the tower; two open to allow the peels of the cathedral bell to be heard throughout the city. ere is only one bell in the tower. ere were several foundries in Dublin who made church bells: the foundries of Matthew O’Byrne ( e Fountain Head Bell Foundry), John Murphy (Murphy’s Bell Foundry in James’s Street) James Sheridan ( e Eagle Foundry) and omas Hodges (Lower Sackville Street, Dublin). (St Canice’s Cathedral is home to six bells cast by omas Hodges and two treble bells cast by Matthew O’Byrne) e bell is St Mary’s Cathedral is the work of John Murphy. Murphy started his foundry in Dublin in 1843. Bells from his foundry are in the cathedral churches of Melbourne Australia, Douglas in the Isle of Man, Cork, urles and in various churches in Dublin Wexford, Limerick. e bell in St Mary’s Cathedral is clearly marked with Murphy’s name and date: John Murphy Founder Dublin 1869. ere is a decoration on the bell of an Irish harp surmounted by a coronet above shamrocks – a motif found on many bells cast in the 19th century. e bell sits in a yoke on which one reads BYRNE’S PATENT ROTARY MOUNTINGS which refers to a patent that was attributed to Mathew O’Byrne in 1887. e patent refers to a cast-iron headstock with a tapered hole through which a tapered boss on the crown of the bell was inserted and bolted in place using the crown staple bolt. By slacking the nuts, the bell can be rotated, presenting a new striking face and increasing the life of the bell considerably.

From the top of the tower, views of e Castle, Johnswell, Ossory Hill and Cu esgrange are spectacular.

North, South, East and West never looked so good.

Liam Tyrell and Michael Ryan, painters, recorded a Kilkenny win in the All Ireland in 1993: Kilkenny 2-17 and Galway 1-15 and Up Kilkenny. To the East James’s Street leads the eye towards High Street, the River Nore and onto ‘The Continent’ towards the horizon where proudly sits Johnswell and Ossory Hill.

Cu esgrange church – the Church on the Hill - is out west as one looks towards James’s Green, CBS Primary School and the houses of Fr Murphy Square, Fatima Place, Kennyswell Rd.

MacDonagh Junction continues heritage outreach as part of national heritage week

ON 19th August at noon, as part of Heritage Week, the team at MacDonagh Junction are inviting people to join them online for a presentation from Sydney, Australia as we reconnect to the stories of our Orphan Girls.

Eighty-seven of the 4,114 young women who left Ireland between June 1848 and April 1850 during the Irish Famine were from one of the two Kilkenny workhouses: 28 from Callan and 59 from Kilkenny itself. Dr Perry McIntyre will join us from Sydney to give an outline of the background to what has come to be known as the Earl Grey scheme and focus on the lives of a few of the Kilkenny girls in Australia.

Perry has worked as an historian, archivist, and genealogist for over 40 years. She has been a councillor at the Society of Australian Genealogists, the History Council of NSW (President 2005-06), the Royal Australian Historical Society, Australian Catholic Historical Society, the Great Irish Famine Commemoration Committee - GIFCC (Chair 2012-15; 2018-20) and her local society, Mosman Historical Society. She has published and spoken widely on immigration. Her PhD on convict family reunion, published as Free Passage by Irish Academic Press in 2010 was republished by Anchor Books Australia in 2018. She is a director of Anchor Books Australia, formed to make good quality Australian history publically available. In 2020 she resigned from the GIFCC to concentrate on researching the 4,114 young women who emigrated from the workhouses in Ireland during the famine but continues to update the summary life stories of these young women on the GIFCC website: https:// irishfaminememorial. org/ searchable by name and/or county. e Great Irish Famine Commemoration Committee continues to hold an annual event onsite at the Irish Famine Memorial at Hyde Park Barracks in Sydney on the last Sunday in October, the day the Memorial was unveiled in 1999. Details can be found on the above website as the day approaches.

Centre manager Marion Acreman said “this event gives us the opportunity to continue our heritage and genealogy outreach to the families of the descendants of the young girls forced to leave Kilkenny in search of a better life in Australia during the darkest period in our recent history. Over the last ten years we have made meaningful and lasting connections to the families of some of the 59 girls who spent time in this

Workhouse and we look forward to building more connections as a result of our ongoing work around the heritage of the Kilkenny

Union Workhouse. e Kilkenny Famine

Experience, a free AV tour, which is available daily at

MacDonagh Junction has seen over 7,000 visitors to date and has become a very meaningful part of the recorded famine history of the City. To register for this

Free online event please email info@ macdonaghjunction.com