One in two adults in Kilkenny and throughout the country cannot afford health insurance nor setting up a pension, nor indeed life insurance or a savings account.
Women and those on lower incomes are most affected when it comes to being able to purchase insurance. Similarly,
more people in this category struggle to set up a pension or put by savings for a rainy day.
That’s according to a survey commissioned by insurer Aviva Life and Pensions Ireland.
And a separate survey, commissioned by AIB, found that cost-of-living challenges and the energy crisis are affecting
consumers’ appetite for taking greater sustainable action in their personal lives.
This is despite the fact that people remain positive towards more sustainable living, particularly in relation to wind farms, electric vehicles, recycling, reducing food waste and plastic use.
The Aviva survey found more than half the population (53pc) are prevented from taking out insurance policies due to a lack of financial resources.
The research was carried out by iReach Insights on behalf of Aviva among 1,000 adults aged between 25 and 65, with an equal split of men and
women. Researchers found more women than men say they face difficulties when it comes to being able to afford financial protection. This was particularly the case for single women.
More than two in three single women said affordability is preventing them from tak-
More than 4,300 families in the Kilkenny and Carlow-area now receiving the Enhanced Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance, according to Fine Gael TD, John Paul Phelan.
Deputy Phelan said Fine Gael Minister Heather Humphreys increased the rates of payment this year by €100 a child to reflect the ongoing cost of living pressures facing families. In Carlow, 2,238 families benefit while in Kilkenny, 2,119 families will receive the payment.
Deputy Phelan said: “This means that €260 will be paid in respect of children aged four-11-years-old. And €385 will be paid in respect of children aged 12 years and older in second level education. Overall, payments totalling over €72 million will be made automatically to over 131,000 families, in respect of over 231,000 children, across the country.”
A notification of the automated payment is sent to customers by post or through their MyWelfare account.
The Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance remains open for applications until September 30.
Kilkenny have secured their place in the 2023 All-Ireland final with 1-25 to 1-22 victory over Clare in the semi-final in Croke Park. A goal from captain Eoin Cody proved to be the difference at the final whistle, with great performances all over the pitch. The final will take place on Sunday, July 23 and all here at The Kilkenny Observer wish the team and management well in their preparations.
ing out financial products that they would like to have. Some 49% of single men struggle to the same extent.
On a better note, the survey shows that older people appear to have more financial resources to afford the likes of health insurance and to save for a rainy day.
Ryan Tubridy has said he has been ‘cancelled’ over the RTÉ secret payment row when the former Late Late Show host addressed the backlash during an appearance before Ireland’s Public Accounts Committee.
The 50-year-old presenter said that his name had been “sullied” by claims RTÉ had understated his earnings in public documents by €345,000 between 2017 and 2022.
Full story, Page 6
A former business partner of disgraced former hockey star Catriona Carey has been arrested by Gardaí investigating a €500,000 mortgage fraud. Patrick ‘Paddy’ Maher was questioned by detectives with the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau. He was released without charge the next day. The arrest marks the final stages of one of the bureau’s most high-profile fraud investigations.
Full story, Page 6
The American humorist and novelist Mark Twain said: “I have never let my schooling interfere with my education.” He might well have been addressing the 67,000+ students who this year completed Junior Cert and who, in 90% of cases, have the option of doing Transition Year (TY).
Paul Hopkins, Page 8
PAUL HOPKINS
Telling it like it is. And with no holds barred
MARIANNE HERON
A straight shooter. Considerate and wise words
JOHN ELLIS
Great advice. Your money in mind
GERRY MORAN
Quirky take on bright side of life
Kilkenny’s Susan O’Neill of Sulu Solutions has won e Most Innovative Business Idea Award at the New Frontiers class of 2023 showcase at South East Technological University (SETU).
Sulu Solutions is a blockchain payment system that saves time in e ecting payments.
“ e New Frontiers programme has been a brilliant experience for us, we learned so much over the six months. We were thrilled to win the most innovative business idea award, especially considering all the brilliant businesses in our cohort,” said Ms O’Neill. Members of the South East start-up community were in attendance in Waterford to meet the New Frontiers class of 2023. As part of the programme, entrepreneurs have developed solutions for markets such as a renewable energy storage system, a blockchain payment system, software for designing 3D structures, an online identity veri cation system, a car sharing app, a portable gym, a facelift system, a avoured vodka and a system for learning how to surf.
e founders of three of the South East’s best start-ups in 2023 were honoured for their
entrepreneurial spirit in developing innovative business solutions for international markets.
e Best Business Plan award went to Praveen Kaur, of Waterford-
based Uoto, which is a peerto-peer car rental system that allows people to park free at the airport and potentially earn rental income from their car while they are away.
e Best New
Product award went to Tipperary’s Chris McGarry of Migim who supply a portable, full body training system to personal trainers and sporting facilities. Migim is a multi-function gym that can
be used for 50 exercises.
Speaking to the award winners, New Frontiers National Programme Manager at Enterprise Ireland, Paula Carroll said: “Your hard work and dedication in launching
new businesses deserves to be recognised. e New Frontiers programme at SETU Waterford has a strong record in supporting entrepreneurship development. Nationally, Enterprise Ireland continues to support entrepreneurial talent and we wish the New Frontiers Class of 2023 every success in further developing their businesses.”
New Frontiers Programme Director, Dr Eugene Crehan said: “ ese award-winning entrepreneurs have worked hard on Phase 2 of New Frontiers to increase their knowledge of their target markets. ey have engaged with target customers in a meaningful way to achieve the best product-market solutions for customers’ problems. ey are now part of the New Frontiers community of innovative entrepreneurs who have completed the Waterford New Frontiers Programme at SETU.”
During the previous funding cycle 2016-2021 48 of the SETU Waterford participants secured follow-on funding, totalling almost €20m. is equated to €6.7m in IPO on London and Dublin Exchanges, €9.4m from the Enterprise Ireland Disruptive Technology Innovation Fund, €2.5m in private investments, and €1.5m in other state funds.
A former business partner of Kilkenny hockey star Catriona Carey was arrested recently by Gardaí investigating a €500,000 mortgage fraud. Patrick ‘Paddy’ Maher was questioned by detectives with the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau. He was released without charge the next day. The arrest marks the final stages of one of the most
high-profile fraud investigations, which was launched after victims exposed Carey’s alleged scam on Prime Time Investigates in February last year.
Maher, already a convicted fraudster, is suspected of helping to devise the mortgage scam that involved tricking distressed mortgageholders into paying a fee to secure more favourable loans.
Carey (45), who played hockey for Ireland, was arrested in April on suspicion of conspiracy to commit deception. She was released without charge.
A third man who is suspected of being involved in the scam was arrested by Garda fraud detectives in March, also on suspicion of conspiracy to commit deception. Files on all three individuals
are now being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions.
The fraud investigation began after 18 people came forward accusing Carey of conning them out of tens of thousands of euro by promising to refinance their loans. Carey demanded deposits ranging from €5,000 to €60,000 for the service.
However, the new loans
never materialised, and some people lost their homes as well as their deposits. Bank records linked to her company, Careysfort Assets Estates, revealed that around €400,000 in client funds was lodged to a company bank account.
Leaked bank records revealed how €200,000 in client funds was withdrawn from the account and spent
on holidays, clothes and travel, including a €7,000 trip to Switzerland and a €20,000 trip to Miami. About €55,000 was withdrawn from the company account in July 2020 to buy a white BMW. The car was later seized by Gardaí.
Maher received a suspended sentence last month after he pleaded guilty to an unrelated fraud.
Ryan Tubridy has said he has been ‘cancelled’ over the RTÉ secret payment row when the former Late Late Show host addressed the backlash during an appearance before Ireland’s Public Accounts Committee.
The 50-year-old presenter said that his name had been “sullied” by claims RTÉ had understated his earnings in public documents by €345,000 between 2017 and 2022.
His agent Ned Kelly also claimed that the star had “undeservedly” been made the “poster boy” for the scandal.
The claims sparked a backlash against the presenter – already RTÉ’s highest-paid broadcaster with a salary of €440,000 in 2021 – because they came at a time at which the cash-strapped broadcaster was making cuts elsewhere.
They also sparked a spending review at the broadcaster, which revealed so-called ‘baRTÉr’ accounts used by top executives for lavish expenses, including tickets to watch the Ireland rugby team and to a Champions League final.
Before the parliamentary committee in Dublin, Mr Tubridy addressed the backlash.
“This is my first rodeo being in the public eye [like this],” he told the Public Accounts Committee.
“I’ve never seen anything like it. I don’t know if any of you’ve been cancelled before but let me tell you, you don’t want to be there.
“My name has been desperately sullied, I think my reputation has been sullied.
“I’m deeply upset. I’m hurt. It’s hard to leave the house if you really want me to be honest about it.”
His agent, Noel Kelly, also
addressed the committee, and said Mr Tubridy had been the victim of “horrendous reporting”.
“We weren’t invited [to the committee], we asked [to come],” he said.
“I’m truly sorry for all of this,” Ireland’s highest-paid television presenter told politicians at the very outset of an intense day of public grilling.
But it was clear that Ryan Tubridy felt the real responsibility for this debacle lay with the broadcaster that made him famous.
Time and time again, he and his agent Noel Kelly emphasised they were “just following instructions” from RTÉ with regards to how invoices were raised with the misleading description of “consultancy fees” for Mr Tubridy’s services.
In fact, Mr Kelly used the phrase so often he was told by one politician, Catherine Murphy, that he was using the ‘Nuremburg defence’.
Mr Tubridy at times looked strained and tired. He spoke of being “cancelled” and the impact it has had on him, finding it difficult to leave the house. He emphasised his love of his job and his desire to get back to “his team”, something his new RTÉ Director General Kevin Bakhurst has been distinnoncommittal about, preferring to see how events play out.
That’s why the presenter repeatedly admitted that “I could be out of a job by Friday”. But if he did a solid job in blaming the executives at a station he wishes to return to, he also exposed vulnerabilities in his case.
He was forced to apologise repeatedly for not speaking out publicly when the false figures were published.
Marianne Heron, Page 12
Music Network have announced six musicians taking the helm for RESONATE 2023, Music Network’s artist residency programme in partnership with glór (Ennis), Ionad Cultúrtha (Baile Mhúirne), The National Opera House (Wexford), Triskel Arts Centre (Cork City), The Dock (Carrick-On-Shannon) and Regional Cultural Centre (Letterkenny).
This year’s RESONATE artists-in-residence are Zoé Basha at glór, Niamh O’Brien at Ionad Cultúrtha, Ali Comerford at The National Opera House, Vicky Langan at Triskel Arts, Ultan O’Brien
at The Dock and Phil Robson at Regional Cultural Centre. The programme brings some of Ireland’s most established professional musicians to six cultural spaces across Ireland between July and December.
Now in its third year, RESONATE provides support for professional musicians with a strong track record in music performance to develop new work and/ or collaborations. Each residency provides a grant of €6,000 to enable the selected musicians to devote time to the creation of new work, in addition to a range of in-kind supports from both
Music Network and each venue partner along with opportunities to showcase the work through live performances and digital updates. Commenting on the announcement, Music Network’s CEO Sharon Rollston said: “We’re very pleased to be offering RESONATE together with our partners for a third consecutive year. It’s the most extensive of our musician residency programmes and offers lots of scope for musicians to develop imaginative new work, including crossartform ideas where music is central. We are really looking forward to seeing what
these exciting artists share with audiences when they perform live in their host venues later in the year.”
Violinist, violist and songwriter Ali Comerford will take up residence at The National Opera House in Wexford to develop a new project titled Just This Once. During her residency she will invite members of the public to submit stories about themselves or other people in their area. Inspired by the lives of the local community, Ali will share their stories through the medium of song in her live performance, at the end of the residency.
Top-quality cheddar produced at Tirlán’s Wexford and Ballyragget, Co Kilkenny plants has won eight medals at this year’s International Cheese & Dairy Awards in the UK, beating off competition from among over 5,000 international entries.
Among the top prizes won by Tirlán were gold in the Longest Vegan Stretch Cheese competition and the Volac trophy for the Best Medium Creamery Block Cheddar.
Garry Sheehan, Product Manager, Plant-based Cheese, said they are thrilled to win gold in the Longest Vegan Stretch category.
“This is the first time we’ve entered our vegan cheese in any awards and to win a gold medal on our first outing is phenomenal.
“We launched our plantbased cheese concept for pizzas in December 2021.
Oat-Standing™ Plant-Based Grated Pizza Mix has been developed specifically for use
on pizza. It is an excellent plant-based alternative to give consumers a cheese like experience.
“We knew ourselves that we had a good product. But to win this award is a huge boost to the entire plantbased team and an incredible seal of approval from the international judging panel.”
Gerry Warren said the judges commented that the texture and flavour of Tirlán cheddar really stood out. This, he says, is down to the
top quality milk supplied by Tirlán’s dedicated farm families. It helps them produce the highest quality, sustainable, grass-fed cheeses which win awards year after year.
“We are delighted to have achieved such a strong performance at the International Cheese and Dairy Awards yet again this year. We were once again up against stiff competition from other leading cheddar producers to win three gold, four silver and one bronze medal.”
The American humorist and novelist Mark Twain said: “I have never let my schooling interfere with my education.” He might well have been addressing the 67,000+ students who this year completed Junior Cert and who, in 90% of cases, have the option of doing Transition Year (TY). The programme varies hugely from school to school. Some offer TY on a select basis, or don’t offer it at all, while others mark the year as mandatory.
The programme has been running since 1992 and is, in its own words, “designed to give teens a year to mature, learn new skills and gain both work and life experience”. The Irish entrepreneur Bill Cullen notoriously once said Transition Year was nothing but a “doss”. Fifteen years on, that notion still lingers among some parents and educators, despite the huge growth in
popularity of the ‘gap’ year. There were just 27,000 pupils doing TY in 2009 when the outspoken businessman suggested it should be scrapped. Last year, more than 45,000 chose that avenue.
Nearly 80% of pupils surveyed by the Irish SecondLevel Students’ Union (ISSU) found TY to be a worthwhile experience, according to the report, ‘Transition Year: Exploring the Student Experience’. But what about parents, who are one step removed from what’s really going on?
Undoubtedly. some find it hard to adjust to the effect a dramatic change in school routine can have on their children. Even those who embrace the whole idea can look on aghast as their teenagers seemingly ‘party, party, party’.
“I just couldn’t wait for it to be over – it was a total
waste of time,” one mother told me, seemingly desperate for school-enforced study to once again rein in her 15-year-old wild child. Another saw it as akin to “a dangerous breeding ground for bad habits and excess socialising”.
But, of course, the beauty of the TY experience is that freedom that it offers: a chance for young people to forget about learning for exams and concentrate, perhaps – and Mark Twain would undoubtedly concur –on learning for life. Whether this concept works in reality depends on the criteria of such – so varied – ranging from the quality of the programmes in schools and success in securing worthwhile work experiences, to the attitudes and personalities of individual children. While the obligatory school trip is tops with most in TY, travel a broadening of minds
and all that, though often a financial burden on some parents, and ‘dossing’ can lend itself to new friendships and experiences, even if some not always desirable,
the prevailing conundrum seems to be the lack of workplace opportunities and, where there are such places, the lack of any meaningful ‘work experience’.
In short, the student is invited in, given somewhere to sit, and left to his or her own devices.
A spokesperson for one large company told me: “We stopped such a facility. Ours is not the right environment –the place is too busy and fast paced and really there’s little that a 15-year- old can help on. We now tend to focus on more structured college placements now.”
The website of one local community school says: “Schools and students [must] understand that due to the short nature of the placement, the tasks assigned may be of a low level and routine in nature. However, it is important [for employers] to ensure that during their work
placement, students have the opportunity alongside the tasks they are assigned to observe as many processes as possible and to interact with staff and customers where feasible.”
A tall order it seems, with many companies just simply not geared up for such. According to the ISSU, rural schools have more students unable to find work experience of interest. Students, who live in urban areas with access to public transport, have greater opportunities to choose for their work experience.
Like most things in life, the TY programme is not an exact science. In the end it may well be down to the individual, to their maturity, their enthusiasm and their commitment.
After all, you only ever get out of life what you put into it. Though that in itself can take a lifetime to learn...
“Like most things in life, the TY programme is not an exact science...
Shortages in the civil legal aid system are leaving people exposed to "serious and potentially catastrophic consequences”, according to the latest report by the Free Legal Advice Centres (FLAC), The report also said it was "gravely concerned” that one in four people who rang its helpline could not get
through when they had been seeking help.
Last year, FLAC's telephone line answered 13,556 calls with a further 4,400, or roughly 24% of all calls, going unanswered. Over 30% of all calls made to the legal charity dealt with issues around family law including divorce, separation, domestic
Judge Eugene O’ Kelly at Waterford Circuit Court last week imposed a fine of €75,000 on Gleeson Concrete Unlimited, Donohill, Co. Tipperary for breaches of health and safety legislation.
The company pleaded guilty to the following offence under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005: Section 8 (2)(a) of the Safety, Health & Welfare at Work Act 2005 as it relates to Section 77 (9)(a) in that they failed to manage and conduct work activities in such a way as to ensure the safety of employees.
The prosecution arose after an incident occurred on March 31, 2021 at the concrete block making plant at
Donohill, Co. Tipperary. An employee of the company suffered serious injuries when his right hand was amputated while clearing a blockage of cement from an auger.
Mark Cullen, Assistant Chief Executive, Health And Safety Authority (HSA), told the court : “Certain work activities will involve hazards that may have significant higher level of risks, risks that give rise to the potential of serious personal injury if not identified and managed appropriately.
"It is essential that employers manage and conduct the work activities being carried out at the place of work to ensure the safety, health and welfare of all employees,” said Mr Cullen.
Independent Trinity Senator Dr Tom Clonan has introduced a Bill that will make it legally obligatory for the state and the HSE to provide therapies, interventions and supports outlined in any assess-
ment of need.
Ireland is the only country in the EU with no legal requirement to provide the supports listed in an assessment of need or other equivalent document.
violence, and maintenance issues.
The second highest number of queries related to employment issues (15.2%) followed by civil law (7.5%).
The report also noted that FLAC continues to receive queries and complaints about the service of the Legal Aid Board, including people
who can't get in contact with their solicitor while seeking interim information.
The charity, which was established in 1969 to provide legal assistance to people of limited means, also noted 2022 was a year with an important milestone with the announcement of the Civil Legal Aid review.
FLAC said that this was a "golden opportunity” for a fundamental reform of the system and the reimagining of public legal assistance.
Eilis Barry, Chief Executive of FLAC, said there was "huge unmet demand” for early legal information.
This was particularly the case in areas that impact on
people's day-to-day lives.
"FLAC sees first-hand the dire consequences (including the risk of extreme poverty and homelessness) of unmet legal need in areas such as housing, social welfare, and discrimination which are outside the scope of the current scheme of Civil Legal Aid,” said Ms Barry.
Minister of State for Employment Affairs and Retail Business, Neale Richmond TD, visited Kilkenny Local Enterprise Office (LEO) recently where he met council officials and members of the LEO team as well as some of their client companies.
The Minister was greeted by Interim Chief Executive of Kilkenny County Council, Sean McKeown and Acting Director of Service, Denis Malone as well as Acting LEO Head of Enterprise, Aileen McGrath.
Minister Richmond said: “Kilkenny is a county with so much to offer and it is great to see the dedication the LEO team has to local businesses here and their commitment to the growth and success of their clients.”
The Minister had the opportunity to meet the LEO Kilkenny team members before meeting a selection of LEO Kilkenny clients, including Luke and Roisin McIntosh of Dakota Irish Crafts. Established in 2017, Dakota Irish Crafts manufactures and assembles a range of prod-
ucts for tabletop gaming and sells online via the website shop and via gaming conventions/trade shows. Products include handcrafted wooden boxes, trays, towers, vaults as well as unique metal, wood, polymer, and stone dice, as well as 3D printed items and other accessories.
Minister Richmond also met Patrick and Tammi Brennan who own Brennan Knives and Jewellery which manufactures a bespoke range of handmade knives designed and crafted to meet individual needs; handcrafted fine leather goods including an individual sheath for every knife and matching belt (and cuff links) for example. They also handcraft a jewellery range for both men and women made with precious metals and stones using specialised techniques.
The Minister then spoke to John Doyle of Signiatec. This company established in 1998, specialises in the manufacture of all aspects of interpretative and commercial signage and associated engineering works for the tourism
and semi-state sectors.
Following this, Minister Richmond met Yellow Deer Designs owner Cáit Mackey Maher. The company produces a range of handcrafted, bespoke greeting cards. Cáit was the winner of the Best Business Idea in the Ideas Kilkenny Competition in 2022 for her plans around digitalisation of her product range.
Richie and Pat Murphy met the Minister next. They run a company called CHI Environmental which is a construction and demolition waste recovery operation. This means the business recycles construction and demolition waste into reusable aggregate products.
Finally, Minister Richmond met Irene Frisby, director of Frisby Quality Services (FQS), an Irish pharmaceutical consultancy and aviation security training firm established in 2005. The business has evolved its service offering over the years to meet with market trends, regulatory changes and new product innovations.
How does working for RTÉ feel to the majority of its 1,800 or so sta ? Unfair at very least, I imagine. It’s not great to be in an environment with a ‘them and us’ culture. One where you are denied spending in order to do your job properly or have to make do with faulty equipment while the top echelons and ‘talent’ have salaries 10 times your takehome pay and get to head o on expensive junkets.
e revelations, as RTÉ Executives were grilled by the Public Accounts Committee and the Oireachtas Media Committee, have resulted in a loss of con dence in the national broadcaster. ese may come as news to the public but for the disenchanted RTÉ workforce they are an everyday reality in an organisation where the lines between State-funded
public service broadcasting and the commercial side suppoRTÉd by advertising and sales have become blurred.
Following the crisis of condence remedial action is on the cards in three critical areas – RTÉ’s nances, the structure of the organisation, and its culture. e rst will involve forensic investigation into RTÉ’s accounts, the second will involve a review about the future make-up of RTÉ and how it is nanced. But just how do you go about creating a healthy culture and restoring it to one where, as Minister for Media and Arts Catherine Martin puts it, there is an environment of trust?
A big question and one that doesn’t only apply to RTÉ but in situations across the board from troubled
companies to poorly performing sports teams. If the ethos isn’t right in a particular organisation, results fall short of what could be achieved by workers or team members. It sounds easy to say that, if employees feel valued, if there is equality and respect for diversity in the workplace employees will be more engaged and ourish.
But where on earth do you start restoring a culture that has become toxic? Go in with guns blazing, demand that the heads of top brass roll and engage in some serious retraining?
None of the above, according to Cathal Divilly, CEO of Great Place To Work. “Whether you like it or not every organisation has a culture and if you are looking to rebuild or build a culture you need to measure
Fungal nail infections are common. Your nger or toe nails can be a ected. ankfully they are not serious, they are unsightly, and unfortunately, they can be very slow to clear up. Your nails will appear thicker, they will change colour, often a yellow or greenish colour, and they can become brittle. e infection often starts at the outer edge of the nails and spread then to the middle of the nail. e nail can lift o the skin, they can break o in pieces, sometimes there can be pain and swelling.
Over the counter antifungal creams, or prescribed medication can take up to 12 months to clear infection and even at that may not work. Plus there can be side e ects from these antifungal medicines that can include headaches, loss of taste, diarrhoea and itching. ese medications could also damage your liver.
Natural remedies can be slow too and patience will be required, but the di erence is that you will work from the inside out to resolve the problem and this can make the di erence.
e cause of these fungal nail
infections varies, it could be that you had athletes’ foot and the fungus that caused the athlete’s foot spread to your toenails. You could have walked barefoot where someone else walked and picked it up that way. You are more likely to get fungal toe nail infections if you have sweaty feet.
Don’t delay if you have an infection, don’t keep putting it o , deal with it quickly to try to stop the spread to other nails.
A combination of diet, supplements, and external treatments will be needed. Natural antifungal remedies include Garlic, Olive leaf, Oregano, or one of my favourites is A.Vogel Spilanthes. is is a traditional herbal remedy that I have recommended many times over the years. Fungus thrives on sugar and yeast so avoid these as best you can.
Soak your feet in a basin of warm water with tea tree essential oil added. Dry your feet well and afterwards paint your nails with Jasons Tea Tree Nail Saver. Tea tree oil has natural antifungal properties. Keep your feet dry, change your socks daily, and allow footwear to air and swap shoes around daily if you can.
I hope this information helps.
Shop online www.naturalhealthstore.ie
what that culture is and come up with hard data. You want to take the emotion out of it.”
Culture consultants Great Place To Work are involved with around 60,000 personnel a year in both public and private sector workplaces as they support organisations to build stronger cultures, with certi cation. Data gathering involves talking to everyone in the company to get a full picture. Situations change and evolve and there will always be areas where the organisation is doing better than in others.
“Once the research is done one of the non-negotiables is that leadership have bought into improvement. Often where things have gone wrong is that HR have tried to lead on improvement but have got no support. at support needs
to be tangible and not just lip service,” says Cathal Divilly.
Consultants also need to look at the trust levels and communication in relations from top down and down upwards. “ en you have to prioritise what needs to be done and to have an absolute obsession with the basics.”
According to Divilly, these are:
Communication: how the information ows up and down the organisation where people are prepared to listen as well as speak Rebuilding trust and integrity: where people deliver on their promises. “ e purpose of the organisation needs to be articulated clearly and honest leadership where it is stated that ‘we are going to improve’ is a great message.”
Regenerating a culture can take years and, as more
revelations emerge about the carry-on at RTÉ, there is clearly a great deal of room for improvement. Public indignation ss down to ignorance about schmoozing of clients which is par for the course in some industries. ere isn’t room for Schadenfreude, for RTÉ is a cautionary tale with lessons to be learned for workplaces everywhere. Great Place To Work has found that many employees feel adrift in their organisations with only one in four strongly agreeing that they feel connected to their culture and only one in three strongly agreeing that they belong at their organisation.
Let’s hope that the crisis at RTÉ will be cathartic and that our public service broadcaster emerges on a sounder footing with a culture of trust restored.
you are low in folic acid, B vitamins or vitamin C.
Vertical ridges in the nails can indicate low iron, or there could be something going on in the lung area.
Horizontal ridges could be associated with gout, and circulation problems.
Small bulges can be a sign of iron de ciency.
Yellow nails might be a sign of gallbladder problems.
Brown nails could mean that your adrenal glands are under stress.
For overall nail health there’s New Nordic Hair Volume Plus Nail Strong. is contains important nutrients for healthy hair and strong nails.
Your nails can be an indicator of your overall health so it is worth looking at them to see what information you’ll nd. Healthy nails should be pink with a mild sheen and have a nice round shape. ey shouldn’t be brittle or break easily, nor should they have spots or grooves. Here are some health indicators from your nails: nails that are weak, peeling or brittle can be a sign that you have
low stomach acid, this might be the only indicator that this is the case. It could be a sign that you are low in Vitamin A, B vitamins or Silica. Taking Apple cider vinegar mixed in water could be a simple way to help balance your stomach acid.
White spots on the nails can indicate a zinc de ciency. Meat, sh, shell sh, and pumpkin seeds are the top sources of zinc.
Fungal nail infections can be unsightly and embarrassing. Dietary changes and supplements to kill of the fungal overgrowth will be needed.
Hangnails can be a sign that
It contains horsetail (a natural source of silica), amino acids, biotin, zinc, apple extract and orthosilicic acid, each tablet nourishes and activates the life processes of hair follicle cells and nail matrix cells. It’s suitable for men and women.
I think it’s fantastic that our nails can give us clues as to what’s going on inside our body. is could be a nutritional de ciency that is easily resolved, or a medical problem that needs attention. If you have ongoing issues sitting down with a Nutritional erapist could be a good idea. ey will look at your overall health, diet, and lifestyle and help you get back on track. Take a look at your nails and see what tales they will tell.
Shop instore or shop online
CLAIR WHITTY
Your nails can be an indicator of your overall health
Kilkenny Arts Festival this year (August 10-20) has an exciting programme ranges from classical music to contemporary dance; visual art to immersive theatre. It celebrates renowned artists from home and abroad, and features collaborations platforming new voices and familiar faces. Alongside a truly international programme, KAF 2023 includes a number of locally based artists and companies. Central to the programme is Kilkenny itself. Once again, the beautiful buildings that adorn the Marble City will be locations for magical artistic encounters.
Explore, experience and enjoy.
Highlights include an audio visual installation projected on the walls of Kilkenny Castle; the return of the Architects of Air - this time with their Timisien luminarium; the premiere of e Local, a new site immersive theatre work from Asylum Productions; an exciting musical programme ranging from Beethoven’s 5th Symphony performed by the ICO & omas Zeheteimar, to Grammy Award winning Malian Wassoulou musician Oumou Sangaré; a visual arts exhibition exploring e Art of Sport; the Hubert Butler lecture delivered by acclaimed journalist, Ben Judah; a special performance by Iarla Ó Lionáird and the RTÉ Concert Orchestra of Neil Martin’s Sweeney, with narration by Ciarán Hinds and a discussion series commemorating Seamus Heaney’s appearance at the very rst Kilkenny Arts Festival 50 years ago.
Festival Producer Marjie Kaley said: “We’re very excited to announce this year’s programme. It’s a land mark year for the Festival, and although it’s not been without its challenges, we believe that this year’s Festival represents the very best of what has put Kilkenny Arts Festival on the map for half a century – world class talent from across a diverse spectrum of arts prac tices, transforming, and being transformed by, Kilkenny’s truly unique places and people.”
landpracin-
will delight all ages. e KAF team have been working with members of the migrant communities based in Kilkenny and John Scott of Irish Modern Dance eatre, to create Migration Sonata, a moving exploration of our similarities and di erences through a rich blend of movement and song which will premiere in the Watergate eatre.
will also be the setting for Chamber Choir Ireland to perform some deeply spiritual works by Arvo Pärt, an Irish premiere of Rhona Clarke’s Requiem and Caroline Shaw’s much-anticipated piece, “How to fold the wind”. e conductor will be Paul Hillier, one of Arvo Pärt’s most celebrated interpreters.
residency at this year’s Festival, where they’ll work on a brand-new piece mixing music and dance, and you can catch a sneak preview of the artists at work in these open rehearsals.
livering his own lecture in association with Poetry Ireland, Kwame will also lead a Poetry Masterclass, and will speak at the launch of the latest Kilkenny Poetry Broadsheet with editor Aifric McGlinchey.
Fic-
To kick o the 50th Festival a specially commissioned audio-visual installation called ‘In Good Hands’ will be projected on the walls of Kilkenny Castle. is lm, in spired by Damien Harrington, is a breathtaking tribute to the beauty of handmade art and design in the surrounds of the Rose Garden. Created by Fic tions Picture Company and directed by Jack Phelan.
Kilkenny Castle Parklands will also be hosting the return of Architects of Air and the highly anticipated Luminarium, Timisien, a giant in atable structure lled with colour, shape and light, which
For the past 50 years, music Cathedral
has been at the forefront of Kilkenny Arts Festival, and this year is no exception. KAF 2023 will see the return of festival stalwarts Irish Chamber Orchestra (ICO) in the majestic St Canice’s Cathedral for two concerts. e rst features a special collaboration with Philip Selway, the drummer of Radiohead, while the second will feature omas Zehetmair performing pieces including Beethoven’s iconic fth symphony, alongside Cork composer Linda Buckley’s ‘Fall Approaches’. e beautiful St Canice’s
Two of Ireland’s leading artists, ddle player Aoife Ní Bhriain and dancer Colin Dunne will also take up a
Crash Ensemble make a welcome return to Kilkenny, and as part of a festival residency will present Andrew Hamilton’s ‘Friendly Piece’ twice in the Cathedral Garden, one performance
being specially tailored for families in a relaxed environment. Crash Ensemble will also collaborate with Diamanda La Berge Dramm and Sam Amidon, delivering mesmerizing compositions as part of a double bill in the Watergate eatre, while a Crash quintet will join Japanese virtuoso Ichiko Aoba to perform new arrangements of her delicate, haunting songs. KAF 2023 Poet-inResidence will be the distinguished Kwame Dawes from Ghana (Progeny of Air) whose masterclass will explore the murky waters of voice in language. As well as de-
Acclaimed journalist Ben Judah (Fragile Empire, is is London, is is Europe) will deliver the 2023 Hubert Butler Lecture and the Hubert Butler Essay Prize will be presented in the Parade Tower alongside an exciting line-up of talks. ese will include conversations between Nicole Flattery and Cristín Leach, Liz Nugent and Úna Mannion and a special reading from Fergus Cronin, accompanied by acclaimed musician Kevin Doherty.
audi
Dumbworld wowed audiences at KAF 2021 with their installation in the Abbey Quarter skatepark and will return this year with two installations, including A New Topography of Love, an opera video game played on a bespoke arcade console, and Scorched Earth, a series of three apocalyptic street art operas.
e Butler Gallery in partnership with Kilkenny Arts Festival will present an exhibition featuring a stellar line-up of artists, exploring the relationship between art and sport. e Art of Sport explores how artists have captured the spirit of sport in their work conveyed through disparate mediums such as video, photography, painting, print and sculpture. It will
include works by Josh Begley, Charles Brady, Paul Carroll, Vincent Cianni, Michael Craig-Martin, Dorothy Cross, Vanessa Daws, Rineke Dijkstra, Andy Fitz, Jona Frank, Marcus Harvey, Nicolai Howalt, Nevan Lahart, Louis le Brocquy, Jeannette Lowe, Colm MacAthlaoich, Colin Martin, Fearghus Ó Conchúir, Kenneth O’Halloran, Mandy O’Neill, Tony O’Shea, Julian Opie, Martin Parr, Paul Pfeier, Luis Alberto Rodriguez, Amelia Stein, Sarah Walker and Elinor Wiltshire. is year, the Festival Gallery plays host to the work of Cork-artist Deirdre Frost. Big Crush looks at the phenomenon of desire, considering how it shapes the world in which we live.
e Secret Garden Music series will be free events scattered across gardens in special spaces including Rothe House, Butler House and the Heritage Council, with the artists remaining a secret until the show begins.
In the Encounters series of intimate concerts, leading artists from across the programme (including the likes of Martin Hayes, Aoife Ní Bhriain and Colin Dunne) will embed themselves in locations around the city, o ering mini performances for individuals or small groups of up to six people.
* Booking is open online now and by phone and in person from July 19 at: +353 56 775 2175 e Festival Box O ce 76 John Street, Kilkenny
In 1982 e Clash asked the age-old question: “You got to let me know should I stay, or should I go now?” e selfsame question is being asked by clients in de ned bene t schemes (DB) – should I stay in the scheme, or should I go?
A DB pension is a rarity. It is an occupational pension scheme that promises to provide a set level of pension at retirement, the amount of which normally depends on your service and your earnings at retirement or in the years immediately preceding retirement.
Depending on the scheme, it may have very valuable underlying guarantees and deciding whether to stay in the scheme or take a transfer value requires careful consideration of the various factors and risks involved.
e rst consideration is, should you stay put in the scheme. ere are risks associated with leaving the bene t in the scheme, which may result in you not receiving the
full pension promised. Normally, by staying put, your pension will undergo annual adjustments until you retire called your normal retirement age (NRA). ese adjustments are typically the lesser of 4% a year and the Consumer Price Index (CPI), which could be negative or positive.
With in ation running higher than 4% a fear your pension should see the full 4% increase applied. is is okay for solvent schemes, but insolvent schemes may be put under pressure causing employers to consider the longterm nancial commitment and their capability to fully fund the scheme.
Some have applied to reduce bene ts for active and deferred members instead of winding up the scheme or have reduced the pension in payment for those in receipt of a pension (if not secured by an annuity) through a Section 50 order.
As has happened in the past,
due to market conditions and bad investment decisions, trustees have applied to wind up a scheme altogether and have the assets distributed to all members in a prescribed way. After winding up expenses the assets are distributed according to a particular set of rules. ( is article doesn’t
allow the space to outline the rules fully, but I would be happy to send you the details.)
Su ce to say that those who have yet to take their pension and those still active, ie. contributing to the scheme, are particularly exposed in a wind up because if there are not
enough assets to go around their transfer value can be less that the standard transfer value.
In one sense then, a deferred pension is a form of IOU, a piece of paper backed by current scheme assets with anticipated future employer contributions and investment growth, promising a future bene t.
One way to check the health of your de ned bene t pension scheme is to look for a transfer value. is is a lump sum payment in lieu of your deferred pension. Basically, you forego the proposed annual pension for a once-o payment. is is typically calculated in line with Pensions Authority Guidance.
In the past clients who have asked for transfer values have commented that the lumpsum o ered is “very small” in comparison to the pension promised at retirement date. But you must remember that the actual amount o ered (TV) broadly
represents the value you would actually receive from the scheme if it wound up today.
In e ect, the transfer value gure is the only asset currently backing your promised pension with the rest coming from future contributions and investment growth, which may or may not happen.
According to Standard Life, “the transfer value is therefore often the canary in the coalmine. A very low transfer value compared to the alternative deferred pension tells you there’s probably a hole in the scheme funding”.
Ultimately the decision is yours and next time we will look at your options in more depth but remember whatever decision you make it should align with yournancial goals, risk tolerance, and long-term retirement objectives.
john@ellis nancial.ie
086 8362622
Arti cial Intelligence (AI) could be taken to the next level with the help of the brains of bees, according to scientists in the UK.
e team at the University of She eld has conducted a study that it says reveals the underlying mechanisms that drive the creatures’ ‘remarkable’ decision- making capabilities, which could be transferred to AI technologies, according to a report by the BBC.
Using 20 honey bees, the team carried out various tests to examine how the ying insect decides which owers to explore for nectar, with particular attention paid to the speed and accuracy of their decisions to accept and reject di erent owers.
e creatures were tracked with a camera to see how long it took them to decide which ower to y to. e results revealed that they wasted no time in heading straight to owers they thought would have food — landing there in an average of 0.6 seconds — but were equally quick to reject owers that they judged as having no food.
e team then created a computer model designed to replicate the honey bees’ decisionmaking process. “ is approach o ered insights into how a small brain could execute such complex choices ‘on the y,’ and the type of neural circuits that would be required,” the team said in its research paper, adding that the sophistication of honey bee decision-making processes “rivalled that reported for primates”.
Now it’s up to tech developers to consider how the ndings might be adapted to re ne the design of their AI-powered creations, with the scientists suggesting the results could be harnessed “to design more e cient decision-making algorithms for arti cial systems, and in particular for autonomous robotics”.
e leader of the study, Dr HaDi MaBouDi, said the research could be used to create “better, more robust and riskaverse robots and autonomous machines that can think like bees — some of the most efcient navigators in the natural world.”
In the early 20th century, the chemists Fritz Haber and Carl Bosch gured out how to cheaply turn atmospheric nitrogen into ammonia, a nitrogen-rich compound that plants can use to grow, unlocking a powerful new way to help crops reach their maximum potential yield. e Haber-Bosch process.
e profound impact of this single technology cannot be overstated. Farms in the year 1900 required nearly four times as much land as in the year 2000 to grow the same average crop yield. is dramatic gain in e ciency over the last decades ranks as one of the greatest breakthrough stories of the modern era.
e Haber-Bosch process requires major amounts of energy and its output, synthetic nitrogen fertiliser, is notorious for its pollutant e ect on waterways and its greenhouse gas emissions. By some estimates, agriculture accounts for 25% of the world’s greenhouse gases, and Haber Bosch alone accounts for 3%.
It’s clearly time to do better, again. If the 20th century was a major innovation success story, the 21st century must top it. Because the challenges we face today are just as steep. Our changing climate is constricting arable land and threatening the livelihood of many farmers already, while our growing population is set to hit 10 billion by 2050. Put it all together and it seems like an impossible task: How will farmers be able to grow more food, with less land, decreasing their reliance on the status quo, while facing more droughts, heat waves, and oods?
e good news is that with the latest technological tools at our disposal, another transformation in agriculture is quietly beginning. In the next few decades, the use of gene editing in agriculture will become increasingly prevalent because of its speed and speci city in developing desirable crop traits.
Rather than using a gene from a di erent species – like that of a bacterium put into corn to protect it from a common pest — biologists can now engineer changes directly in the crop’s own DNA, silencing or tweaking certain of its own genes to make versions of the crop that are more heat resistant, pest resistant, better tasting, or drought tolerant, for example.
Traditional crop breeding takes upwards of a decade, but with our new biotech tools, enhanced by our rapidly evolving digital ones like arti cial intelligence, the development timeframe can shorten to mere months.
“CRISPR-Cas 9 is some -
thing that’s really changed that way plant biologists have been able to approach engineering crops because now you can do things that were essentially impossible previously or very di cult,” says Robert Jinkerson, an assistant professor in the Department of Botany and Plant Sciences at the University of California, Riverside. “So the timelines to create new traits or new varieties is rapidly decreasing and this allows us to imagine new traits and also to stack new traits that are known from other varieties into more commercially relevant varieties.”
While many plant biologists are experimenting with ways to improve crops through gene editing, Jinkerson is working on a particularly futuristic project: to decouple plant growth and food production from photosynthesis itself. Why? Because, Jinkerson explains, plants are very inefcient at converting sunlight into plant biomass: in other words, to grow. A crop like rice can only take 1% of its solar energy and convert it into biomass. Maize or sugarcane take about 1.5%. By contrast, a solar panel is 22% e cient. But that only makes electricity, which we can’t eat. Jinkerson’s lab, which is funded by NASA, is developing a new approach using arti cial photosynthesis to make food.
A solar panel captures sunlight and converts it into electricity for use in a process called CO2 electrolysis. is process takes the CO2 and makes it into compounds like acetate, which the scientists then feed to food-producing organisms in the dark. ey have already demonstrated that the approach works to grow yeast, algae, and mushrooms, and now they are working on plants. But plants haven’t evolved to grow without light, so his lab is using genome engineering to try to get them to grow more e ciently in the dark.
Aside from the immediate applications to space travel, their approach would allow the growth of more food with a smaller land footprint on Earth.
“It would be essentially the next version of vertical farming,” he says, explaining that you could in theory produce more food with arti cial photosynthesis indoors than you could by relying on plants’ own inefcient processes to grow outside in the sun.
“Ideally, with our approach, we could turn agricultural land back to natural lands by increasing this e ciency. So we could take a quarter of what land is being used now and put solar panels on there and produce food, and take the other three-quarters of the land and turn it back to forests or prairies again.”
How bee’s brains could shape AI future
Johannesburg, South Africa’s capital, is a massive city, the largest in South Africa. It is South Africa’s nancial centre, a city that has shaped the country’s history and politics, and one that is lled with treasures. Jo’burg, or Jozi is what locals a ectionately call it, or sometimes E’Goli or the City of Gold because of its historical links to gold mining. Located in the eastern part of the country, Johannesburg is a city of contrasts. On one hand, there’s the poverty and struggles of Soweto, and on the other, there are the glitzy skyscrapers and ‘super homes” of Sandton, which is often referred to as Africa’s richest square mile. Despite its complicated past, the City of Gold has a lot to o er tourists.
A great way to start your Johannesburg experience is by heading into the city centre, which is full of historic buildings. e city’s reputation can make it a bit intimidating for solo travel, so a good option for getting a feel for South Africa’s biggest and richest city is by joining the safety and security of a guided walking tour. Visit Chancellor House, where Nelson Mandela and Oliver Tambo set up South Africa’s rst black-owned law rm.
Get a 360-degree view of Johannesburg from the Carlton Centre, a 50-story skyscraper located in central Johannesburg. Admire heritage buildings on historic Main Street. Visit the Workers Museum and Museum Africa. Get a feel for the hustle and bustle of the people, lifestyle, and culture of this complex city.
If you’re visiting South Africa, spend some time learning about apartheid — a brutal period of national segregation that lasted 43 years. A visit to Constitution Hill will give you a better understanding of this troubled era.
1. Deia, Mallorca
Located on the island of Mallorca, one of the most beautiful islands in Spain, Deia is among the prettiest small Spanish towns to explore.
Occupying the heart of Serra de Tramuntana Mountain
Range, Deia is among the best towns in Spain for retirees, and one will nd a large and supportive community of ex-pats who choose to stay here because of the cli s that o er breathtaking views of the Mediterranean Sea.
Best time to visit Deia: Between June and August Best attractions in Deia: Son Marroig, Iglesia de San Juan Bautista, Monestir de Miramar, and Mirador Sa Foradada.
2. Llastres, Asturias
A beautiful view of Llastres, Asturias, Spain
Situated about 30-minute drive east of Gijon, Asturias’ largest city, Llastres, is one of the most beautiful small
Constitution Hill was once a notorious complex of prisons, known as e Fort, where political activists and ordinary citizens alike were incarcerated throughout the apartheid era. ousands of men and women — of all races, ages, social statuses, and political beliefs, including Nelson Mandela and Mahatma Gandhi — were imprisoned and tortured here. Constitution Hill overlooks the city and has been transformed into beautiful, thought-provoking museums focussing on the promotion of human rights. Some interesting exhibits include Number Four Museum (once male prisoner cells), the Old Fort Museum (where the whites-only prison was located), and the Women’s Gaol Museum. You’ll also
have the opportunity to enter the still-functioning High Court, if no proceedings are in progress.
e Apartheid Museum will give you glimpses of apartheid, the laws of segregation according to racial groups, and South Africa’s painful journey to freedom.
On arrival, you’ll receive an entry ticket that will randomly classify you as white or nonwhite and you may only enter through the gate indicated for the race you have been allocated. at’s just to give you a taste of the reality of the past and set the atmosphere for the rest of your visit.
ere are two main exhibitions in the Apartheid Museum, e Permanent Exhibition and e Mandela Exhibition, as well as rotating
temporary exhibits that explore di erent aspects of the issue more in depth. e permanent exhibition takes you through some of the painful events of South Africa’s struggle for liberation. e Mandela Exhibition gives you an opportunity to learn about the leading statesman who was at the forefront of the country’s struggle against apartheid, including his time as a prisoner for 27 years.
About 12 miles from Jo’burg, Soweto is the largest township in South Africa with around 1.3 million inhabitants. During the apartheid regime, Soweto was at the heart of the movement to end apartheid and was a no-go area for tourists. More recently, the South African government has focussed on developing tourism in Soweto, making it a
enjoy exploring its superb restaurants.
Best time to visit Llastres: Between June and September
Best attractions in Llastres: Capilla de San Roque, Clock Tower, Palacio de los Vallados
3. Cadaques, Catalonia
Home to colourful buildings and cobbled streets, Cadaques is one of the besthidden gems in Spain. It is a charming small hillside town that’s famous for once being home to Salvador Dali, an incredibly talented artist with some of the most impressive works. It also makes one of the best day trips from Barcelona, thanks to its location, which is only about two hours away.
safe, dynamic, and interesting place to visit with some wonderful historical areas to explore, as well as an upand-coming adventure sports scene.
e best way to experience Soweto is on a guided tour with someone who’ll take you to the main landmarks and tell you about their relevance, including Vilakazi Street, the only street in the world to have housed two Nobel Peace Prize winners (Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu).
If you’re looking for a di erent side of the township, check out the activities at Soweto Towers. ese striking structures, which were once part of a power station, now serve as an entertainment center and adrenaline-junky paradise. Bungee jumping,
House, Museu de Cadaques, Cala Nans Lighthouse, and Paratge de Tudela.
4. Ainsa, Huesca
Located between the Cinca and Ara Rivers, Ainsa is a fascinating medieval town with about 2,000 inhabitants. Its position, right in the shadow of the Pyrenees Mountains, makes it an excellent retreat for mountaineering and enjoying outdoor opportunities.
e town’s art and culture scene is very vibrant. e Ainsa Castle, which is among the most beautiful castles in Spain, is one of the town’s main highlights.
from a 328-foot- high suspension bridge, is the big attraction here. You can also try paintball or base jumping.
Another fun thing to do in Johannesburg is take a tour of the super cool Maboneng Precinct. Once a rundown part of town, a renovation project has turned it into an up-and-coming neighbourhood where you’ll nd great restaurants, cafés, bars, boutiques, and art galleries. Maboneng is a Sesotho word meaning “place of lights,” and the name perfectly describes the district. It is Johannesburg’s downtown fashion corner, buzzing lifestyle playground, and one of the city’s major creative hubs. Maboneng is lled with remarkable works of art, beautiful murals, and colourful gra ti.
One of the best parts about exploring the region of Andalusia (one of the most beautiful places in Spain to visit) is the existence of pueblo blancos (the white towns of Spain), and Ronda is one of them. Ronda comes with some of the most breathtaking architectural features of the Moorish, charming streets, and a fantastic location in the mountains, allowing vacationers to enjoy spectacular views of the valley below.
towns to visit in Spain. is is a typical shing village with a fascinating history and an incredible shing tradition that travelers will love exploring.
One of the nicest areas to visit in the Llastres is its
old town, which is home to plenty of gorgeous historic buildings, including the Clock Tower and the Palacio de los Vallados.
e place o ers a delicious culinary scene, and vacationers will
Holiday-makers can take a full day to take in the town’s unique atmosphere, stroll down its gorgeous streets, and try some of its delicious culinary delights.
Best time to visit Cadaques: May through October
Best attractions in Cadaques: Salvador Dali
Some portions of the castle date back to the 11th century, with some of it coming from the 16th century.
Best attractions in Ainsa: Ainsa Castle, Fauna EcoMuseum, Santa Maria Church
Best time to visit Ainsa: MidJune through early September.
5. Ronda, Andalusia
It is also home to stunning ancient ruins, and history bu s will love to include it in their Spain road trip itineraries. Tourists can choose to spend a couple of days strolling along its historic bridges and cobbled streets and taking in some of the most impressive sunset views.
Best attractions in Ronda: Puente Nuevo, Plaza de Toros, Banos Arabes, La Casa del Tajo Best time to visit Ronda: June through October.
Ba é buaicphointe na hóiche an bhean a cheol
The Green Glens of Antrim i nglór binn álainn agus dh’obair gur phléasc mo chroí Aontramach i lár Chill Choinnigh. Beidh mé ar ais.
I don’t often start a column as Gaeilge. In fact I never have but here’s the thing, and I’ll get back to the Gaeilge in a moment; the night you stand up and sing a song or recite a poem in a public house you never quite know who’s in the audience apart from tourists and local punters having a pint and enjoying the music and craic. Thing is, you never really know.
Sitting quietly at the bar, sipping a pint, and keeping their own company, there may well be a journalist, or writer, observing things, assessing things, even taking notes. Or there could well be a talent scout in situ who so loves your
singing that they approach you at the night’s end, slip you their calling card, saying: “Call me at your convenience.”
Or there may well be a publisher in the house who is so enamoured with your ‘poems’ that he offers you a contract there and then.
On the spot. The stuff of dreams of course. Mad dreams. Crazy dreams.
Much more likely is the anonymous journalist sipping a pint, or savouring a G & T, at the bar. Which is exactly what occurred one Monday night recently at the music session in Cleeres Bar (the longest running session in Kilkenny).
The journalist, however, is no longer anonymous, his name is Robert McMillen who writes for The Irish News and gave Kilkenny a full page, wonderful write up – albeit as Gaeilge.
Robert was visiting Kilken
ny and was so full of praise for our Medieval City that The Irish News gave a full page to Robert’s reportage which won’t do Kilkenny tourism any harm.
After Robert’s wanderings, and meanderings, about Kilkenny he ended his night in Cleeres Bar. Which he thoroughly enjoyed. Which is where that opening sentence above comes from. My opening sentence, his finishing sentence . Here’s more of what Robert wrote about his night in Cleeres: “Finally, we ended up in Cleeres Pub, old fashioned and chock-a-block with visitors and locals singing songs, from a love song in French to Oró Mo Bhádín and a funny song about Aldi and Lidl. And it was lovely to hear the listeners sing, females and males, almost like a choir. There’s nothing as lovely as songs being sung beneath the
soft light of a tavern late in the night. But the highlight of the night was the woman with the beautiful
sweet voice who sang The Green Glens of Antrim. My Antrim heart almost burst in the middle of Kilkenny. I will be back. (that being my opening sentence above).
Now the lady with the beautiful sweet voice is Vasso. Lundberg from North Carolina, and originally from Greece. I met Vasso and her husband David in Cleeres Bar about seven or eight years ago. We got on like a house of fire, as they say, and we’ve been friends ever since. Vasso and David are married 45 years. “I think it may work out,” David confided in me that Monday night in Cleeres.
Vasso is one of the loveliest ladies I have ever met and she and David visit Ireland, Kilkenny in particular, regularly. They visit Ireland because of Vasso’s love of Irish songs which she loves to sing. Vasso
sings in Cleeres, in The Field and at the Kitchen Session in JB Burke’s. In fact Vasso will sing wherever there’s a music session that hosts an open mic, plus, she sings wonderfully well with a “beautiful, sweet voice” to quote Robert McMillen again. And here’s what’s strange about it all” Vasso Lundberg has a stack of Irish songs about four inches thick (believe me, I’ve seen that stack) so why she chose The Green Glens of Antrim as apposed to any other song in her repertoire I shall never know – not least because there was an Antrim man, a journalist, in the pub which she was totally unaware of (as we all were).
Coincidence or what? Who knows?
And Robert McMillen, on behalf of Cleeres Pub, and Kilkenny tourism, mile, míle, buíochas.
“So full of praise for our Medieval City...
As if the still high cost of living (CoL) for Irish consumers was not painful enough, the world is soon headed for a period of serious economic disorder, warns Ray Dalio, founder of the world’s largest hedge fund, Bridgewater.
And his alarming warning is seemingly backed up by historical experience and by current trends.
e essence of Dalio’s message: Economic disorder looms as a result of the combination of three factors all too reminiscent of the infamously economically turbulent 1930s.
e rst: e world has never been indebted before as it is today.
e second: Populism driven by income inequality has become the order of the day in all too many countries, including most importantly the United States.
Finally: Rivalry between major world powers like China, Russia and the US has echoes of the world geopolitical tensions experienced in the rst half of the 20th century with the rise of Germany as an economic powerhouse.
e European Union has raised interest rates to combat in ation at the fastest pace since the early 1980s.
Anyone who thinks that the world does not have a major debt problem hasn’t been paying attention.
According to the Institute for International Finance, world debt at the end of 2022 hit a record $300 trillion, or some 350% of world GDP. at is around 50 percentage points of GDP higher than it was on the eve of the 2008-2009 crash.
India recently sealed an arms deal with Vietnam, sided with the Philippines over China on sovereignty disputes in the South China Sea, and enhanced defence co-operation with Indonesia.
e majority of southeast Asian governments have long made it their policy not to choose geopolitical sides.
at said, China’s aggressive posture in and around the South China Sea is driving India and its partners in the region together.
India recently signed o on an arms deal with Vietnam, sided with the Philippines over China on sovereignty disputes in the South China Sea, and enhanced defence co-operation with Indonesia.
As yet, none of these relationships are on the level of alliances or include a serious force deployment component, but the trend is clear –India is fast becoming a main player in Southeast Asia.
And even though the US and its Asian treaty allies are not involved, India’s moves raise the possibility that it will increasingly complement the United States’ Indo-Paci c strategy to counter China in the coming years.
India’s strategic outreach had its humble beginnings in 1991, when New Delhi announced the Look East policy—a recognition of the
Meanwhile, per the Bank for International Settlements, if interest rates were to reach the levels of the mid-1990s, the debt-service burden for developed economies would be the highest in history.
Unfortunately, there is every prospect that interest rates in the developed countries will reach or surpass their mid1990s level.
In the past year, both the Federal Reserve and the European Central Bank have raised interest rates to combat in ation at
the fastest pace since the early 1980s.
At the same time, both Fed Chairman Jerome Powell and ECB President Christine Lagarde are warning that interest rates might need to be raised further in light of in ation’s current stickiness.
ey have also warned that interest rates will stay high for longer than the market currently expects.
e one sector for which high interest rates could be particularly problematical is the real
commercial-property space.
Already struggling with low occupancy rates in a post-Covid world, the last thing this sector needs is high interest rates.
e political calendar suggests that debt problems could coincide with increased domestic political strife, especially in the US. Polls indicate that that nation has never been as politically polarised as it is today in the post-war period.
ey also suggest a divisive Donald Trump very likely could be the Republican Par-
ty’s nominee in the 2024 presidential election.
As if the debt and domestic political problems were not a su cient challenge for the global economy, there’s the real prospect that the world’s already di cult geopolitical environment could take a turn for the worse.
is would be particularly the case were China’s President Xi Jinping to take a page out of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s playbook and embarking on a Taiwanese military adven-
ture to divert attention from a struggling domestic economy. It hardly helps that Taiwan supplies around half of the world’s electronic chips and an even higher proportion of the more sophisticated of these chips.
All of this suggests the Fed and the ECB could be playing with re in their single-minded quest to defeat in ation with ever higher interest rates. Cutting back to a hawkish monetary policy by allowing banks to fail and the money supply to contract wasn’t the wisest of monetary policy decisions in the 1930s when the world economy was plagued as it is today with high debt, political strife and large geopolitical challenges. ere is every reason to think monetary-policy overkill would not be a good idea today as well.
geo-ostrategic signi cance of southeast Asia to Indian security. More a vision than a concrete set of measures, Look East was followed by the Act East policy in 2014, when India began to proactively engage with the region to prevent it from succumbing to Chinese domination.
Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who rst announced Act East, India in recent years has steadily strengthened key partnerships across southeast Asia, particularly with countries along the maritime rim of the Indo-Paci c.
ese moves are clearly designed to co-operate with southeast Asian partners who also seek to maintain the rules-based international order in the face of rising Chinese assertiveness in the region.
To strengthen relations further, Hanoi and New Delhi have also been considering a potential trade deal.
ese recent moves reinforce the “comprehensive strategic partnership” India and Vietnam have maintained since Modi’s 2016 visit to Vietnam. Hanoi maintains just four partnerships at this highest of levels— with China, India, Russia, and most recently South Korea. at underscores the high strategic value Hanoi places on New Delhi.
Plagued with high debt, political strife and large geopolitical challenges...
e 1932 strike for higher pay brought hardship to the workers of North Kilkenny and their families, against the background of a crippling economic recession.
To add to the workers’ plight, the Castlecomer clergy again backed the bosses, mounting ferocious attacks on Boran and the union at Sunday masses. e Parish
Priest banned the workers from meeting at either the local school, or the old church building at Gazebo, despite the fact that they had raised money for two schools, a new church, and a state-of-the-art residence for the PP.
e miners and quarry workers resumed work on November 28th, having secured a small wage rise. Boran and his men thwarted the PP by planning to build a “Workers Hall” in Gazebo to eliminate the need to use church property. is infuriated the clergy, and 1932, the year of the Eucharistic
Congress in Ireland, was not the most opportune time to challenge the Church’s in uence!
Catholic fervour swept the country. e faith of the people burned more brightly and passionately than a million sacred heart lamps.
Conscious of this, the bosses elected to play the religious card. ey wheeled in the Big Guns. e Bishop of Ossory, Dr. Collier, made a surprise appearance at Moneenroe church on December 11th to preach against Boran and the union. To add to the drama of the occasion, and to reinforce his authority, uniformed Gardai armed with batons anked the bishop. It was a sight that parishioners found mind-boggling and completely over the top Bishop Collier, it seemed, saw “reds under the bed” in Comer, to coin a phrase from McCarthyism. “I’m telling ye now”, he fumed, “Nixie Boran is the Devil and anyone who joins his union is the Devil’s Disciple. Oh, think about Our Lord, up there on that cross. Will ye support HIM, the Son of God, or those reds that have cut themselves o from HIM? Ye must decide. Your souls are in the balance. Will ye wave the red ag and forsake the Faith of our Fathers?
“Will ye? How foolish that
would be, my dear people! Eternity is a very long time. Hell is a hot place where the temperature is higher than you can imagine. It’s hard for ye to think of that today, in the middle of winter, but ye’ll know when the Devil gets his paws on ye!
“I ask ye: What would it bene t a man if he were to gain the biggest pay rise in the world and then lose his soul?”
e bishop knocked splinters out of the pulpit as he banged away, shouting about hell re and damnation. He called on mass-goers to renew their baptismal vows and renounce Satan before his service ended.
A lady at the back of the church muttered to her friend: “Glory to be to God. I thought those fellows only wanted a few extra bob for the miners!”
Bishop Collier issued a Pastoral letter in January 1933 to be read at all masses in the Comer district: is warned that Catholics could not be communists, or vice versa, and threatened a tough time in the afterlife for Boran and his followers.
Boran tried as best he could to hold the line against this clerical onslaught, writing articles and making speeches
to boost the morale of the workers. He sought to win over the local population. But the church held all the aces. e Hammer and Sickle proved no match for the mighty crozier. e Miners and Quarry Workers Union melted away as members and their families feared for their immortal souls or just felt the blast of heat from the pulpit. e ITGWU re-organised in Comer to ll the vacuum, and the church had no objection to its moderate form of activism. Nixie Boran devoted the rest of his life to ensuring that the union stood rmly behind the workers.
Today, he remains a potent symbol of justice in the workplace.
A new bus service, CLARA TO KILKENNY every Friday has recently launched. This service has been highly sought by the local community for many years and TFI Local Link Carlow, Kilkenny and Wicklow are pleased to say that the service is now in operation. Starting in Market Yard in Kilkenny at 10:20am with pickups in areas such as Hurlers Cross, Clarabricken, Paddy’s Pub, Hegarty’s Garage and Cummins Cross, returning to the Market Yard in the afternoon.
All are welcome to travel on this service every Friday:
• Free Travel Pass holders welcome
• Children under 5 FREE
• Adult Fare €2 Single / €4 Return
• Young Adult Fare €1 Single / €2 Return
To request a timetable or for more information on this service or other services we cover, please call the office on 0818 42 41 41 or 056 771 5912, Monday to Friday 08:30am to 16:30pm.
A decline is looming in the area of land growing tillage crops in Ireland despite a further investment of €10m by the Government in its Tillage Incentive Scheme. The latest figures from the Department of Agriculture show that the overall tillage area is down 0.45%, or 1,574ha, in 2023 when compared to 2022 figures, with larger falls seen in the
area under cereal crops. The figures are bad news for Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue, who has targeted an increase in the area under tillage crops to 400,000ha by 2030. Ireland is believed to be over 50,000ha short of the target.
According to department figures, this year’s winter barley is down
A bigger risk of getting ovarian cancer faces workers in hairdressing, beautician and accountancy industries, according to a new study which has also found that those working in the sales, retail, clothing and construction industries may also be vulnerable.
Exposure to particular agents, including talcum powder – which is now banned in the US because of its associations with certain cancers – ammonia, propellant gases, petrol and bleaches may have an important role.
The findings, published in the journal Occupational and Environmental Medicine, come from a Canadian study from the Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Université de Montréal.
Working for 10 or more years as a hairdresser, barber, beautician and in related roles was associated with a three-fold higher risk, while employment for 10 or more years in accountancy was associated with a doubling in risk.
And for those working in construction, there was a tripling in potential risk.
Long-term work in the clothing industry, including embroidery, was associated with an 85% heightened risk of developing the disease. For those in sales it was 45% and retail 59%.
Environmental factors, including those associated with the workplace, may increase the risk but few studies have evaluated the occupational hazards faced by women, say the researchers.
Around 400 women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer each year in Ireland and it causes 300 deaths.
20,354.4ha, winter oats is down 4,921.7ha, and winter wheat is down 9,020.9ha. Meanwhile, spring barley is up 15,577ha, spring beans is up 5,717.8ha, winter oilseed rape is up 6,034.7ha and maize is up 3,683.8ha.
Irish Grain Growers Group (IGGG) Chairman Bobby Miller told the Farming Independent that he was not
surprised the area is down, with 2023 turning into a difficult year for the tillage sector.
“There was a lot of fanfare last year around the Climate Action Plan and the only sector which the Government wanted to increase was tillage,” he said.
“The Government is now going to have to show commitment to the sector.
The Climate Action Plan is already failing for the tillage sector.”
Mr Miller believes the area has been impacted by changes to Ireland’s Nitrates Action Programme, which has seen increased demand for land from the dairy sector, along with unfavourable growing conditions in late 2022 and early 2023.
“In 2024, there will be extra pressure and the situation is going to be worse,” he warned.
“Ireland faces a reduction in its nitrates derogation, which could see demand for land increase further from the dairy sector in order to offset pressures created by changes to permissible stocking rates,” Mr Miller said.
Ovarian cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer death in women in Ireland, after lung, breast and colorectal cancer. More than 7% of patients present with late-stage disease, partly due to the vagueness of symptoms and the similarity with other conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome.
The researchers drew on lifetime employment histories from a population-based case-control study, to carry out analysis looking at two dimensions of the workplace environment: employment in a particular role or industry, and specific occupational exposures.
They included participants in the Prevention of Ovarian Cancer in Quebec (PROVAQ) study, all of whom were aged 18-79, and who had been recruited from seven Montreal hospitals between 2010 and 2016 after being diagnosed with epithelial ovarian cancer.
In all, 491 of these women meeting the inclusion criteria for the current study were matched for age and electoral roll district with 897 women who didn’t have ovarian cancer.
Information was collected from all the participants on socio-demographic background, medical history, prescribed medicines, reproductive history, weight and height, lifestyle factors and lifetime employment history.
More of the women with ovarian cancer had lower educational attainment, shorter oral contraceptive use and either no or fewer children than women in the comparison group. These are all potential risk factors for the disease.
Kilkenny native Anita omas has been appointed Country Manager for Emirates airline in Ireland.
Ms omas has been central to the growth and success of the Irish operation, having joined Emirates when it launched its rst ight between Dublin and Dubai in January 2012. Anita omas succeeds Enda Corneille – and thereafter interim country manager ani Al Ansari – and brings signi cant experience to the role having worked in the aviation
industry for more than 30 years. Ms omas started her career in Ryanair in 1992 and has worked for a number of international carriers in the UK and Ireland.
Adnan Kazim, Chief Commercial O cer at Emirates said told e Kilkenny Observer: “ is is a welldeserved promotion for a professional that has been with Emirates on every step of its journey in Ireland.
Anita has the expertise, customer relationships and unique insight that will
complement our ambition for a market that is very important to our global operations. Having started with the team as a sales executive, Anita’s appointment is an excellent example of the opportunities for growth with the world’s largest airline.”
Speaking about her new role as country manager for Emirates in Ireland Anita omas told e Kilkenny Observer: “We have a fantastic team on the ground in Ireland and it’s a great honour to be a part of and
now to lead such a passionate and ambitious group. I’m really looking forward to further realising the potential within the Irish market and promoting not only Emirates’ extensive global network, but also showcasing the onboard product to both existing as well as new customers in our market.”
Emirates’ extensive network spans more than 150 destinations, across six continents with two daily departures from Dublin to Dubai onboard a state-ofthe art Boeing 777.
People in Kilkenny and throughout the country believe that housing is the biggest issue facing Ireland, far more than the cost of living and healthcare.
A total of 61% of Irish people consider housing to be the most important challenge for Ireland, the EU’s latest Eurobarometer survey said. at is far higher than the 10% of Europeans who say the same about their own country, despite house prices rising well above in ation across the bloc in the last decade.
e cost of living is a distant second in importance for Irish people (44%), with healthcare coming third (27%).
When asked about the biggest issues facing the EU, Irish people put immigration at the top.
It is a perception that is also out of step with our European neighbours, who consider the cost of living to be the bloc’s most important issue.
A total of 33% of the more than 1,000 Irish people surveyed in June said that immigration was the most im-
portant issue facing the EU, compared with 24pc of Europeans.
Immigration came third for our EU neighbours, after the cost-of-living crisis and the international situation.
Cost of living came a close second for Irish people, with 31% saying it was the most important issue facing the EU.
at compares to 27% of Europeans in general.
Although there are housing pressures in most of the EU countries, Irish people are far more concerned about it, ac-
cording to the survey’s ndings.
It comes as the Irish construction sector is starting to pick up following 10 months of contraction, according to BNP Paribas Real Estate Ireland, with housing starts and completions on the rise.
House prices in Ireland are continuing to slow down, the latest property report from online portal MyHome.ie shows. However, Davy economist Conall MacCoille predicts asking-price in ation of 1.5% this year.
by Pat
A heavy shower midway through the festivities failed to dampen the enthusiasm of the neighbours and friends gathered to celebrate at the Newpark Community Field Day.
e Kilkenny Observer was present to see Mayor Joe Malone o cially open proceedings and compliment the organisers on the scope and diversity of the event. Face painting, homemade burgers, deli stands, tea, co ee, bingo, books, ra es, exotic plants and Mary Wong’s idiosyncratic ‘Lucky Dip’ were just some of the attractions that captivated the attendance.
Special mention must be given to Leah Tyrrell, Aoife Lennon, Holly Scanlon and Ava McGuirk whose ‘Buns & Bracelets’ stall raised much need funds for the ‘Kilkenny Helping the Homeless’ charity.
roughout the afternoon the musical entertainment was provided by the Seán Shortis Big Band.
Concluding the day, Michael Deegan, on behalf of the committee, thanked Kilkenny County Council and all who helped make the community gathering such a great success.
It is very easy to dismiss literature, or to pigeonhole it into a box that doesn’t suit our narrative. However, it’s in these uncomfortable stories and texts that we should challenge our pasts, look at ourselves in the mirror and hopefully make the future a better place. One such story is Patricia Burke Brogan’s Eclipsed.
Eclipsed deals with Ireland’s dark past, that place we would rather not go, but one that can’t be cancelled, no matter how hard some might have tried. It was originally identified for production by KATS regular Niall O’Riordan and he tells how he felt this was an important story people should hear. “I came across Eclipsed when a colleague (I’m a secondary school teacher) told me she was teaching it to her 5th year group. As soon as she mentioned the setting, a Magdalene laundry, I immediately wanted to read it. When I did, I couldn’t get over how tenderly Brogan managed to tell such a harrowing story, and I was glad it was being
read by students. I was often asked what made me as a man want to direct this play for women. It is true, this play has an all-female cast, but I’ve never considered it a play for women. To me, it’s always been a play for those who’ve felt othered by society, the way the forgotten Magdalene’s were.”
Patricia Burke-Brogan was born in in Kildysart, Southwest Co. Clare. She grew up with a love for reading, and many decades later made a career as a painter, poet and novelist. In the 1960’s at 21 years young, she joined the Sisters of Mercy (Foster St, Galway) to help the poor as a postulant nun, but after working briefly in the Magdalene laundry she left the order. She then returned to her writings and worked to highlight the plight of the women in the laundry and what she had witnessed there, first in a short story and then in the 1980’s with a play, Eclipsed, which was first performed in 1992, by a small fledgling Galway theatre company called Punchbag Theatre Company. The play, credits the characters as ‘fiction’, however, it is no secret that the humane,
caring and likable Sister Virginia is based on Brogan’s experiences at the laundry.
She told of the brutal and harsh imprisonment of women for breaking strict moral codes; having a baby without being married. But it wasn’t just single pregnant women who were signed in, women who were deemed too “fast” or a little bit “slow” or even those who were a burden to their family were also confined within those walls. They worked without pay in laundries, run by the all-important church in collusion with the State, and most heartbreakingly, their own families.
As expected, the responses were mixed. She received hate mail and demonstrations were held outside the theatre. She told The Times in 2013 how many of the larger theatres rejected the play. But she remained steadfast and committed to telling the story of these fallen women. In her interview she also recalled her first day in the laundry. “She was “brought down this long, brown corridor and every time we went through doors, they were locked behind. I was brought into
this huge space with these machines — the noise of the machines, the deafening noise — and then out of the haze I saw these women, young women, old women, and they looked at me like I was another of the people who’d locked them up ... It was like I was in Dante’s inferno. I was given the key, so that transferred the authority to me, and I wondered if I should just open the place and let them out. But most of them had no place to go ....”
“It’s all about the stigma, really: that’s why it was covered up, that’s why nobody talked about it.”
Since Punchbag, the play has had more than 61 productions on three continents and won many awards globally. KATS production is the first since Patricia’s passing in September 2022. She was awarded the Freedom of Galway city early in 2022 for her work in protecting and assisting the laundry residents and a plaque was unveiled closed to the site where the laundry was located.
KATS Present Patricia Burke Brogan’s Eclipsed in the Watergate Theatre: August 31st – September 2nd at 7.30pm nightly.
Our Twilight Seniors all enjoyed a wonderful morning in a beautiful setting of Eamonn Langton’s, The Set Theatre as they completed the Protecting Assisting Senior Services.
To explain the reason for the gathering of senior community groups in ‘The Set’ we have to take a step back over twelve months. There are many services that are freely available to all our Communities that at times go unnoticed and eventually unclaimed.
Twilight Community Group became very aware of this through their interaction with the Senior Citizens of Kilkenny. With this in mind, its talented volunteers devised a programme to ensure the seniors were made aware of these services. The concept behind this came to light when Twilight discovered despite the best efforts of organizations to get the information down to the grassroot levels, like Ronald Reagan’s trickle-
down economics, it doesn’t work.
So, the plan went into motion. Twilight decided to get the people who has the information into the room with the Senior groups and answer their concerns directly. It was decided that there would be no power points, just display tables and person to person interaction. Some thought this was a risk. Would the seniors be comfortable asking the questions of concern to them? and how would the service providers respond to this new format?
We had no reason to be even slightly concerned. It was a tremendous success. Seniors spoke freely to the experts and they in turn gave the information to the seniors in the correct way it was always meant to be provided and transferred. One to One. This however could only be a success if the service providers were also enthusiastic about PASS. Each and every one of them deserve the highest of praise. Our Community Garda Section with Shirley Bergin or-
ganizing the Garda participation and she was helped by a great friend of Twilight and all our diverse community groups from across the world, Garda Andy Neill.
The Fire Chief John Collins and his dedicated team gave excellent tips on fire safety and some very useful hand tools to assist with checking the ceiling fire alarm. Both these groups have kindly made themselves available to do a full home security and fire security inspection.
On Wednesday last we were delighted to have Ms. Eva Lalor, Solicitor, Kilkenny Law Centre. On board. The legal minefields that growing old can hold are daunting. So much so, many of our seniors decide to leave well enough
alone and believe it will be all right, as they are all siblings, they won’t argue! Well never a truer word was ever spoken when that first person pronounced “Where’s there a will, there’s family”. This is where a solicitor with the experience of Eva Lalor is a must and we at Twilight know your needs are safe and sound in her hands. Thank you Eva Lalor for your contribution.
As everything now goes online and banking becomes a transaction that in some cases a degree in IT is nearly required, @Press this., Please do not press delete! . It is a constant worry especially when we hear of the Seniors whose savings have been scammed on Joe Duffy, so to hear the guarantee that our Credit
Union will always have clerks and counters opened to the public, again providing one to one interaction is assuring. Big Banks and now our humble supermarkets could take a leaf from our Credit Unions and the guarantee Jackie Kealy gave to our Seniors. Thanks to you Jackie.
Protecting Assisting Senior Services is just one of the many programmes the Twilight Community Group provide for all the communities of Kilkenny. Unfortunately, a lot of their good work goes unnoticed or unacknowledged.
Twilight are currently building a wonderful new cultural Hub 15A Hebron Business Park. Our seniors have a unique knowledge that, they and only they can have. The knowledge of Life. In fact, at Twilight we have a name for it. The ‘Degree of Life’
So all the members of the Clara Seniors Group , Newpark FRC Nifty Fifty group, our Ukraine friends, and a great turnout from Joe Butler and his seniors from Carlow, Twilight’s latest expansion plan to develop another centre where all men , women , boys and girls are welcome in all their diversity.
We would like to thank all who supported the day.
We need your support
and help as volunteers and facilitators in our Digital Media Training Centre. Last week the group completed an 8-week course for people with intellectual disabilities. In two weeks’ time the group brings 12 Ukrainian refugees to Kilkenny as part of an educational programme which also has French Nationalist, Irish, Polish, Latvian, Romanian and Hungarians taking part in the Twilight Developed programme, Virtual Inclusion Programme (VIP) in Digital media Training, but! no two days are the same in Twilight. Twilight’s Integration through sport programmes are endorsed by the FAI and regional Development officer Mr. Will Kinsella will hold a workshop with all the participants as part of the week long programme.
People often ask - Who or What is Twilight Community Group?
We work across all communities, including very importantly the Irish Communities as we endeavor to create an equal and socially inclusive society where Men, Women, Boys and Girls are welcome in all their diversity Twilight Community Group was named Business of the Year 2022 for Diversity, Inclusion and Equality by the Chamber of Commerce
With the warmer weather nally upon us, it's almost time to pack your swimsuit, sunscreen, bucket and spade, and get ready to explore some of the most beautiful beaches located right across the country! Whether it’s refreshing sea swims, adrenalinepumping water sports, or just laying back and soaking up the sun, you’re spoiled for choice when it comes to cracking coastal destinations. From the sheltered cove of Keem Bay on Achill Island, to Portmarnock’s sandy shores, read on to
check out Aviva Car Insurance’s top ve picks for the best Irish beaches for a sunny day...
Inchydoney Beach, Co.
Cork Located a stone’s throw from the charming village of Clonakilty in West Cork, Inchydoney Beach is adored for its golden sands and Blue Flag waters. e beach is divided into two parts –East and West – with both o ering stunning views and an atmosphere the whole family is bound to enjoy. A popular area for sur ng
and other water sports, there are a number of surf schools nearby if you fancy testing your skills on the waves. Parking is located on the western side of the beach, but spaces can ll up quickly during peak season – so it’s recommended to drive down early so you can secure your spot!
Banna Strand, Co. Kerry Banna Strand stretches for a staggering 10km along the Wild Atlantic Way in Co. Kerry. Known for its striking sand dunes, it has long been a haven for wildlife enthusi-
asts. It’s also accessible for wheelchair users, with free beach wheelchairs available for use between June and September.
e beach is lifeguarded during the summer months, with plenty of facilities including toilets and food trucks on site to keep the family energised. With plenty of nearby accommodation options too, a trip to this scenic area of Kerry is a great staycation option.
Keem Bay, Achill Island, Co. Mayo
For those who prefer a more
secluded beach experience, Keem Bay on Achill Island is the perfect spot. is small, horseshoe-shaped beach is nestled between the cli s, o ering shelter from the wind while you enjoy incredible views out towards the Atlantic.
e crystal-clear waters have made it a popular spot for swimming, snorkelling and even spotting dolphins, if you’re lucky! e drive to Keem Bay is an adventure in itself, taking you across the winding roads of Achill Island with its rugged terrain and steep cli s.
Portmarnock
Co. Dublin
Handily situated within striking distance of Dublin city centre, Portmarnock Beach is a popular destination for both tourists and locals alike. Known as ‘ e Velvet Strand’, it boasts 5km of smooth golden sands, and panoramic views out towards the Howth Peninsula and Ireland's Eye. With lots to see and do in the nearby area, why not try your hand at golf at Portmarnock Golf Club, one of the most well-known clubs in the country? Or, head to nearby Malahide to visit its 800 year old castle and gardens for a fun- lled family day out.
Silver Strand, Co. Donegal
Located in Co. Donegal, Silver Strand is a remote, crescent-shaped beach with ne white sand and crystal clear waters. e surrounding cli s provide a dramatic backdrop and a sense of seclusion – ideal for a quiet and relaxing summer’s day. ere are a handful of nearby car parking spaces situated on the cli top. And, if you’re looking for something to eat, the Silver Strand Café o ers light bites and drinks, while a little further a eld you can nd the shing port of Killybegs with even more amenities.
When hot weather strikes (which is not often here in Ireland but most likely in Kilkenny). It’s important to know what to do to make sure you don’t give yourself heat exhaustion or worse. Hot weather can catch a lot of us out and maybe I’m an optimist after the last month of rain but here are some tips when exercising. Just in case the weather gets better.
1. Hydrate
Your number one enemy when exercising in the heat is dehydration. As your body struggles to cool itself down in the high temperatures it will start to sweat more, which will expel electrolytes from your body. Even if you don’t feel thirsty you can still be dehydrated, so it’s extremely important that you consistently take on uids throughout your workout – preferably in the form of low-sugar energy drinks that contain electrolytes. Don’t just drink
water, try put lemon juice or electrolytes into it. is will help replace the salts we use when sweating and not just the water. I see more muscle injuries in the summer because of muscle cramping. Taking electrolytes for my patients is always part of my strategy.
2. Wear a running hat ere’s nothing worse than exercising outside and having to battle with the sun blinding you at every turn, sweat dripping into your eyes, and suffering from sunburn on your face. is can all be avoided by wearing a hat while you exercise in the heatwave. It can’t just be any old hat though. A regular hat will just serve to heat up your head even more and turn your hair into an uncomfortable sweaty mess. Instead, grab yourself a running hat. Running headwear is speci cally designed to keep your head cool with air vents and mesh construction.
3. Switch up your schedule
If you have a traditional midday run, it’s time to change your schedule when the heat hits. Try to t your exercise in at
cooler times of day, such as an early morning workout before you head to work. Alternatively, you could even exercise late in the evening due to the longer daylight hours. If you absolutely have to head out in the sun, make sure you stick to the shade as much as possible. Dr Cli ord Bassett of the NYU School of Medicine suggests nding shade is particularly important for your cool down, as it’ll allow your body to return to a more comfortable temperature much more quickly.
4. Pre-cool
One of the easiest things you can do to help with heatwave
workouts is to cool yourself down before you exercise. is could include an ice bath, wrapping a cold towel around your neck, or even something as simple as a cool drink. Researchers from University of California found that people who ‘precooled’ before exercise found their workout easier than those who didn’t, with both lower internal and external temperatures. Pre-cooling works to lower your core temperature, which means when things start to heat up during your workout, it has further to go before it reaches levels that will a ect your performance.
5. Choose wicking fabrics/ Dry t t-shirts
Do you want to be that guy in the park wearing an old cotton college T-shirt that looks like he’s fallen into a pond mid-workout? ought not. When temperatures rise you are going to sweat more, and if your clothing traps this sweat you are not going to have an enjoyable workout. Specially designed workout clothing will have wicking fabrics, which draws sweat away from your body and allows your body to cool itself e ectively, as shown in a study at the Georgia Institute of Technology in 2004. e colour of your clothing is important too – dark fabrics will absorb heat and make you feel even hotter, whereas lighter clothing will have the opposite e ect.
6. Forget the Personal Best
Sometimes you need to accept that you’re not going to be able to perform at your highest level – a heatwave is one of those times. With your body struggling with dehydration and electrolyte-sapped muscles, the last thing it’s going to be doing is pushing itself to the limit. To do so will
risk injury or illness. Even if you want to ignore our warnings and go for your PB in the heat, your body probably won’t even let you. A 2004 study into heat storage during exercise published in the Journal of Physiology theorised that the human body detects heat levels before exercise and actively slows you down to prevent critical internal temperatures being reached.
7. Take a dip
When the heat gets too much for you, it’s time to head to the local pool. Swimming is a fantastic cross training exercise no matter what sport you’re in to and will keep you cool at the same time. It’ll also help with all the excess sweating you usually do when exercising in the heat. A study published in the International Journal of Physiological Performance found that swimmers sweat less than runners and non-athletes because of the aquatic environment they work out in. However, this also means that what you do sweat out will have a higher concentration of electrolytes, so be sure to pack an energy drink for after your swim.
ey keep telling us that the summers were warmer and the winters were colder and we put it down to the ramblings of a romantic, or in my case, a doddery auld lad. Well, I don’t think anyone will deny my doddering of the sizzler of ‘76.
What a summer! e sun shone from the rst day of the holidays til long after we went back in September. To make matters a rst class case of discovering ourselves, it was indeed the rst year we went to the secondary of the ‘Crazy Beating School’ or CBS on James’ Street. e building facing James’ Street was part of the old school and by the state of the inside of it, it could easily have been one of the rst schools Edmund Rice opened in his native country. Peeling paint, windows that rattled and a heating system that was out of order, or only heated the arse of the brother who parked himself there for the full 45 minutes of a scheduled class. But on the Friday of the rst week in June when that bell rang, I had no more interest in the windows or the heating as I was free for 3 whole months.
e gates were opened and it was like a prison break in the magni cent seven as we were out the gate like bats out of hell and we scattered to the four ends of the county. I headed across the Nore to our faithful Newpark.
After a very quick lunch it was down the middle of the block and we gathered on the corner. It didn’t take long to decide a few plans for the evening to come. O across the bog we went, and into Statham’s Wood. Now, as the sun was high in the sky it made us lazy, but not too lazy that we didn’t make the e ort to make our way to the front of the main house to watch the boarders also head o on their breaks. It was funny to see the di erences between us in the gang.
Some were more interested in the birds ying above us in the trees while a few of us had di erent thoughts. e only connection was the sap in both the trees and for some of us, it was rising. De nitely rising.
Now, 3 months is a long time when it starts, but very short when it’s coming to an end. So, you better make the most of it. Now the dogs, our best buddies would be by our sides all day long.
Rise and shine with the sun, on the tracksuit or wrangler -
or lee denims as in those days it was the fashion of the cool dudes to wear denim jeans and a jacket suit, strutting their stu like John Travolta on the look out for a Sandy for some summer lovin’. In a strange twist of fate a few summers later, one did hook up with a Sandy that was to last a lifetime, a story I will tell another day.
Now up you got, a quick splash of water to wash the sleep out of your eyes, jump a few steps as you headed to the kitchen for the Golden
sun drenched Kellogg’s Corn akes. For the younger reader, we had our milk delivered to the door every morning, not in cartons, but in bottles. e night before you would leave out the empties from the day before. Leave two empty bottles and you would get two new ones. Many of you, like me, will remember the cream on top of every bottle. If you made it down rst, you had cream on the crispy corn akes. Oh my mouth is drooling just thinking of it all these years later… Sometimes someone may have got to your cream before you, even if you were the rst down the stairs! e Jackdaws and Crows. Yes, those birds made famous by Alfred Hitchcock in the lm ‘ e Birds’. ey too had discovered a taste for our creamy topped milk bottles. e caps were just tinfoil paper, so a few picks and pecks and the damn monsters would sip away your cream with their dirty beak. God knows what worms they had had for dinner the night before.
Once you had the quick bit of substance it was out the door and never returning till the 9.30pm curfew. Two items were taken with you; towel and togs. Of course there was no way you were getting away for the day without the old faithful request, “Hey ma, can I have a few pennies?”
Most days you got the lottery style winnings of a full 10
new pennies! Or two shillings in old money as it was in 1971, February 18th to be precise, that we moved from pound shillings and pence to the decimal currency. Even 5 years later that was still causing confusion for our seniors. ey were still adding in the old currency and then trying to convert to the new one. “How much is 10 bob note, 4 shillings and 7 pennies in the new money?”
Now, 10 new pennies in 1976 would get you a packet of Taytos at 2p, a can of Fanta at 6p and 2 penny to ee bars. A young lad’s dream lunch. e Sizzler of 76 was something we only saw, on the monster of a TV - with the one station RTÉ. Every young lads dream - Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn weaving and winding Mississippi. But, ‘76 was a reality and not a dream anymore! Long lazy days of fun and mischief as the sun turned our pale skin red, and eventually tanned. We all remember the trips to the popular swimming spots on the Nore, our Mississippi. Devil’s Island, the Weir and Dinan Bridge. Not an iPhone or iPad in sight. No texting the good looking girl on the bank of the Nore, you spoke one to one and if lucky, headed down to the shop to share your 2 shillings pocket money.
Oh, how I wish it was still the Sizzler of ‘76, and like Tom Sawyer, still in my rst teenage year.
Summer is the time to learn new skills and try new things. Check out our top 50 summer bucket list ideas below! Stick this cutout on your wall and tick off the boxes as you go along!
Photos: Pat Shortall
On Sunday July 2nd, over forty people assembled at the war memorial at Kilkenny’s Peace Park as a mark of respect to those who died at the Battle of e Somme.
Organised by e Great War Memorial Committee, the event included Music, poetry, prayer and wreath laying.
e Kilkenny Observer attended the annual commemoration of e Battle of the Somme, also known as the Somme O ensive, which has become a special day in the city.
e battle was fought during the First World War from 1 July
to 18 November 1916.
Gathering at the Great War memorial, at e Peace Park, a special commemoration took place to remember those from Kilkenny who died at the Somme.
e short ceremony focussed in particular on the one hundred and twenty six Kilkenny people who lost their lives during the Somme battle.
Chair of the committee, Donal Croghan, delivered a re ection on the battle.
John Joe Cullen read the Siegfried Sassoon poem ‘ e Death Bed’ while Fran O’Neill read the prayer ‘O God of Love’. Wreaths were laid by Michael
O’Neill (Chair of Kilkenny County Council), Joe Malone ( Mayor of Kilkenny), Paddy Horohan, ( President of Kilkenny Great War Memorial Committee), Liam Barry ( Post 8, U.N. Vets’, and Bobby Kearney (O.N.E)
Following the ‘Ode of Remembrance’ which was read by O.N.E. representative Gus Hennessy, Commandant Larry Scallan (retired) played Reveille.
Mr Croghan thanked everyone for attending and said he very much appreciated the ongoing support from Kilkenny County Council.
Donal paid tribute to the Great War Memorial committee for their untiring work.
chutney
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 30 mins
Makes: 16
Try your hand at this version of vegetable tempura- sparkling water makes the batter super light and crisp. Serve with homemade dip.
Ingredients
• vegetable oil, for frying
• 250g fine asparagus, cut into 3cm pieces
• 2 large courgettes, cut into matchsticks
• 140g plain flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp chilli flakes
• 1 large egg
• 100ml sparkling water
For the chutney
• 50ml white wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp golden caster sugar
• thumb-sized piece ginger, finely chopped
• 4 large ripe tomatoes, finely chopped
Method
STEP 1
Heat enough oil to come 2.5cm up the side of a large,
Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 30 mins
Serves: 6
Light a barbecue and grill these sausages with a smoky tomato sauce, perfect for kids and adults. ey’re great for a family barbecue or a camping holiday.
Ingredients
• 24 chipolata sausages
For the smoky tomato sauce
• 100g low-sugar ketchup
• 100g passata
• 100ml cider vinegar
• 100g light brown soft sugar
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1 tsp chipotle paste
• 2 tbsp butter
You will need
• 8 wooden or metal skewers (if
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 2 mins
Serves: 1
Master the art of the classic Tom Collins cocktail, plus three twists. Gin, lemon, sugar syrup and soda water are the ingredients for your cocktail cupboard.
Ingredients
•50ml gin
•25ml lemon juice
•25ml sugar syrup
•125ml chilled soda water
Method STEP 1
Build the drink over plenty of ice in a Collins glass, stir gently and garnish with a slice of lemon.
3 TWISTS
Raspberry Collins
Raspberries give this twist on the classic Collins a pretty splash of colour. Start by gently muddling a handful of raspberries in the bottom of an empty Collins glass, then add the ice, all the other ingredients and mix well with a long handled spoon. Garnish with an orange slice.
Brandy Collins is is a really refreshing way to enjoy cognac. For best results, use a young-ish VS or VSOP cognac that’s nice and fruity. Just make the drink as normal, substituting cognac for gin, then garnish with a slice of ginger or a ribbon of lemon peel.
Elder ower Collins
deep frying pan. Put the asparagus and courgettes in a large bowl. Whisk the remaining ingredients together to make a batter. Pour it over the vegetables with some seasoning, then mix.
STEP 2
Use a large spoon to drop bhaji-sized spoonfuls of the mixture into the hot oil – you’ll have to do this in batches. Cook for 3 mins, until golden brown, then flip over and cook for another 2 mins. Drain on kitchen paper. Leave to cool before packing into containers.
STEP 3
To make the chutney, pour the vinegar and sugar into a saucepan and put over a medium heat to dissolve the sugar. Add the ginger and tomatoes, then turn up the heat and boil for 10 mins until thickened. Cool completely before storing in a tub.
one stick through one end of all the sausages and the other stick through the other end, so the sausages look like a ladder (leave a gap between each sausage). Repeat with the other sausages in batches of six. Cook on the grill for 20 mins, ipping halfway. When they have 3 mins left, baste with 5 tbsp of the sauce.
STEP 3
Elder ower and lemon is a winning combination. You can make it with elder ower cordial or liqueur for something a touch more boozy. Mix the drink as normal, but use the liqueur or cordial in place of the sugar syrup. Garnish with a lemon slice.
Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 5 mins
Serves: 1
Dust o that cocktail shaker and mix yourself –or your dinner party guests – a classic whiskey sour. You can make it without egg white, but it won’t be as silky.
Ingredients
•50ml bourbon
•35ml lemon juice
•12½ml 2:1 sugar syrup
•2 dashes Angostura bitters
•½ fresh egg white
•ice
using wooden, soak in water for at least 15 mins rst).
Method
STEP 1
To make the sauce, combine the ingredients in a saucepan, then season. Bring to the boil and bubble for 3-4 mins until the sugar has completely dissolved
and the sauce is glossy. Leave to cool. e sauce will keep in the fridge for up to two weeks or freeze for up to two months.
STEP 2
Heat the Ninja Wood re to medium, setting the timer to 20 mins. Lay six of the sausages next to each other and push
Brush once more with the sauce before serving, and serve the rest of the sauce on the side for dipping.
If you’re worried about the sausages cooking through, simmer them in water rst until they’re completely cooked. Chill until needed, then use the barbecue to brown them and cook the sauce on.
•50p-sized piece of lemon zest
For the garnish
•slice of orange and a cherry on a stick
Method
STEP 1
Shake all of the ingredients (except for the lemon zest) hard with ice and strain into an icelled rocks glass. Squeeze the lemon zest, shiny side down over the drink so the scented oils spray across the surface. Discard the zest, add the garnish and serve.
e show that the creator of Line Of Duty and Bodyguard, Jed Mercurio, calls “the drama I’m most proud’ of’ was so overlooked back in 2004. Now the medical thriller is streaming on Amazon Prime Video – two seasons, 17 one-hour episodes – and it will leave you an emotional wreck
Set on an obs and gynae ward of the ctional South Central In rmary, Bodies follows new registrar Rob Lake (Max Beesley) as he realises that his consultant Roger Hurley (Patrick Baladi) is a dangerously incompetent surgeon with a high patient-mortality rate who is retained only because his research brings money into the hospital. Women die or su er per-
manent injury because of Hurley, but while the research money keeps owing in, a code of omerta prevails as management and medics form a protective shell around one of their own. Lake must therefore tiptoe over laser beams as he gures out whom he can trust. Doctor Maria Orton (Susan Lynch) and ward sister Donna Rix (Neve McIntosh) know Hurley is a menace, but who will be brave enough to speak up? reaten the golden goose and dark forces gather. Administrators pursue a threestar rating for the hospital and if they have to trample over a few bodies to get it, then so be it. We all know what happens to whistleblowers.
In Bodies, we see precursors of the themes that de ne Jed Mercurio’s later work. He has always xated on people behaving badly in dysfunctional systems. Much like Tony Gates in Line of Duty massaging his gures with ‘laddering’, senior surgeon Tony Whitman (Keith Allen) dodges any seriously ill patients in case they hurt his fatality gures. It takes the life-and-death stakes of Bodyguard then doubles them. e graphic high-tension surgery is cranked up brutally with botched procedures that make Dead Ringers look like Doogie Howser. All of which may make you feel like this is one best avoided, the kind of worthy statement TV you watch out
1. Trial by Fire
Based on a real incident, Trial by Fire can be a challenging but necessary watch. e gritty crime drama is based on the book Trial by Fire: e Tragic Tale of the Uphaar Fire Tragedy by Neelam Krishnamoorthy and Shekhar Krishnamoorthy. Starring Abhay Deol and Rajshri Deshpande as the Krishnamoorthys, the couple who lost both their children to a theatre re caused by gross negligence, the series explores the devastating Uphaar Cinema tragedy and its long-winding legal aftermath.
2. Class
of duty rather than pleasure. In fact, it’s totally addictive. A brilliant seam of dark humour runs through the show, lightening the load considerably. e minutiae of hospital politics are enthralling and it does its best work in morally grey areas. Hurley, after all, is no moustache-twirling Harold Shipman gure. Even Orton concedes “(he) may be a good guy, he’s just not that good a doctor”. And even the good doctors have chalked up a decent body count in their time.
It is strange how a show named as one of the Guardian newspaper critics’ Top 20 of all time can be so little known. Five stars and rest...
Inspired by the Turkish thriller, Fatma, Unseen is a South African drama that follows a lonely house cleaner named Zenzile ‘Zenzi’ Mwale. When her husband is released from prison but does not return home, she sets out to nd him and leaves a trail of dead bodies in her wake.
While Zenzi claims to be “just a cleaner” that upkeeps the homes of the prestigious and wealthy, her life couldn’t be more of a mess. What makes this show an absolute must-watch is that the writing draws the viewer into the mystery from the very rst scene. Episode one begins with a group of women placed in a police lineup. One by one, each person steps forward until Zenzi (whose face is beaten and battered) is called in as a main murder suspect.
Unseen does a stellar job
e thriller drama Class is adapted by Ashim Ahluwalia from the Spanish hit Elite. With eight episodes, it tackles pressing social issues like casteism, child neglect, corruption, homophobia, religious discrimination, and income inequality in contemporary Indian society. It has certain visual similarities with shows like Euphoria, contemporising the drama.
3. Good Girls
If you’re in the mood for a heist comedy, Good Girls is the perfect choice. is series revolves around three suburban mothers who, struggling with nancial woes, decide to rob a local grocery store. As they delve deeper into the world of crime, they nd themselves entangled with dangerous criminals and unexpected consequences. It stars Christina Hendricks, Retta, and Mae Whitman.
4. Full Swing
of showing the life of a person who society deems as unworthy. roughout the rst episode, Zenzi is trying to nd her missing husband, and asks who ever she can for help, but everyone (including the police) dismisses her because of the mere fact that she is a woman of low economic status. But things take a sudden turn when she starts killing the men connected to her husband’s disappearance.
e rst season of Unseen has a total of six episodes. I won’t say too much about the show’s ending, but judging by the way the nal episode concluded, there may be a second season on the horizon.
As of right now, Net ix hasn’t renewed the show for another season. But after watching that major cli hanger, I am holding out hope that I’ll get to see the continuation of this story.
Centred on the gruelling PGA Tour season, , Full Swing features some of the biggest names in the sport including Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheaer, Jordan Spieth, Justin omas and Brooks Koepka. Plus, the show also tackles the controversial creation of the Saudi Arabianbacked rival LIV Golf tour, which adds an extra element of melodrama to the mix. Don’t be surprised if after watching you feel the urge to hit up your locate driving range, or at the very least nearest mini golf course.
5. Love
Focusing on the budding romance between an unlikely pair, Mickey (Gillian Jacobs) and Gus (Paul Rust) are easy to root for as individuals and as a couple, even if both of them are highly dysfunctional in just about every conceivable way. Yes, this is very much a boy-meets-girl TV show, and it doesn’t really evolve past its simple formula, but thanks to strong writing, an excellent supporting cast (Claudia O’Doherty as Mickey’s roommate Bertie is a standout) and well-developed character arcs, Love is a show that is very easy to...love.
The Kilkenny Football Team are shaping up for what they hope will be another big weekend within the county, as they will attempt to defend their All-Ireland Junior crown they won last year.
Tonight (Friday), in a repeat of last years
Semi-Final Kilkenny play London at 7.15pm in The All-Ireland Junior SemiFinal in The GAA Centre of Excellence in Abbotstown, and that will be preceded by The clash of New York and Warwickshire at 5.30pm.
If Kilkenny win tonight, they will play The AllIreland Final on Sunday once again as a curtain raiser to an All-Ireland
Senior Football Semi-Final as Kerry play Derry.
Football has been busy throughout The County over The past 5 months since February with several Club matches played in Senior, Intermediate and Junior, with The Senior County Final played two weeks ago that was won by Mullinavat In a final that produced a thrilling conclusion, Mullinavat won 3-7 to 1-9 against Thomastown as late goals by Liam Fennelly and Oisin Knox secured their 7th Senior Football crown.
In last years All-Ireland Junior Championship, Kilkenny won their Semi-
Final 3-11 to 2-9 against London before defeating New York 3-12 to 1-9 in the decider in Croke Park.
In that Semi-Final, Mick Kenny and Team Captain Mick Malone accounted for 3-7 of their sides total, while Mick Kenny starred again in The Final with 1-4 of the overall total.
Four-times All-Ireland Senior Medal winner Paul Murphy was part of The Kilkenny Team last year, and he acheived the unique distinction of having won Hurling and Football All-Irelands with The Black and Amber.
Last years All-Ireland Triumph was most memorable for Kilkenny, with The Final played as a
curtain raiser to the epic All-Ireland Semi-Final clash between Kerry and Dublin,
The All-Ireland Junior Championship provides a perfect opportunity for Kilkenny to win Silverware in a level playing field, and with the competition restricted largely to overseas teams, it provides a perfect incentive for players to tog out for the county.
The Semi-Finalists are made up of Kilkenny, New York, along with The British Junior Finalists London and Warwickshire. Warwickshire have already defeated London twice in The British Junior
Championship, both in The Group Stages and in The British Junior Final as Warwickshire won 1-18 to 1-15.
London have won The Junior Football All-Ireland on 6 previous occassions with their last triumph coming back in 1986 against Cork.
After a number years of threatening to make a breakthrough, New York Senior Footballers managed to upset the odds in April when defeating Leitrim on Penalties in The Connacht Senior Football Championship. However, both London and New York won't be as strong as their Senior counterparts that competed in both The Connacht Championship and Tailteann Cup. Having the experience of winning last years AllIreland, hopes are high that success can be replicated this year.
WALKATHON
A huge thank you to everyone who contributed to making the Clara Walkathon a successful and enjoyable fundraiser for our GAA, Camogie and LGFC club. We raised a brilliant €8k for the ongoing running of our club. The walkathon started at 7am with the first group not only walking but also cutting back some of the hedges as they went around. E icient!
Throughout the day representatives from committees and all teams from u6’s right through to the senior camogie girls and senior hurlers, who also pushed along the next generation in buggies, continued the walking.
By the time the final group finished at 7pm we had walked a total of 1,045kms, greatly helped by the U15 boys and U14 girls who walked and sang their way round with a total of 234kms. We enjoyed their enthusiasm.
During the a ernoon we also hosted an LGFA blitz for the U8’s and U10’s girls which everyone enjoyed and our U11 boys battled it out against Young Irelands. The gear sale, to which many members donated tops, boots and helmets, also contributed to the fundraiser, with many younger members picking up some great bargains.
We were fortunate to have sunshine and dry weather for most of the day and to be able to sit out and enjoy the hot food generously sponsored by Langtons. We are also grateful to all our sponsors who provided ra le and sponsorship card draw prizes and to our senior teams’ sponsors Langton’s Hotel and Freshco Shop and Pharmacy for their ongoing support.
Finally, to say a special mention to all parents, coaches and players who walked, stewarded, sponsored, bought ra le tickets, organised and helped out on the day, showing their continued support for our club. Thank you.
CLUB LOTTO
There was no winner of the Lotto on Tuesday 4th July. The numbers drawn were 1, 7, 9.
€30 consolation prizes to Emma Murphy, Anne Marie Gleeson, Mary Meany, James Murphy, Richard and Patricia Nolan. Thanks for the support.
JUNIORS LOSE
Clara played Lisdowney in the first round of the Junior League/Championship on Saturday evening in Ballyraggett and came out on the wrong end of a 1-25 to 1-14 scoreline. It was 0-13 to 0-8 for the winners at hal ime but they asserted themselves better in the second half. Clara weren’t helped by the dismissal of one of their players for helmet interference during a schmozzle. Lisdowney are strong on numbers and Clara should compete better with teams like this when they get some injured players back.
Team - Jason Barcoe, James Dowling, Tom Ryan, Zach Lawlor. Harry Boyle, Peter Nolan 0-1, Ben Crow. Jim Kehoe 0-3, Luke Whelan 0-1. Rory O Kee e 0-1, Joe Connolly 0-6, 0-5f, Sean Carrigan 1-1. Conor (Curly) Phelan, Ben Nolan 0-1, Adam Harding. Subs Patrick Phelan, Mick McDonald, Evan Whearty.
U19 HURLING
The Clara U19s had their first game of the season on Thursday night when they played hosts to Glenmore. With no player up to the age and short 5 of their U18s it was thought that this might be a struggle and so it proved. The first half was even enough until the last five minutes, when a more direct approach by the Southerners yielded two goals that propelled them into a 3-8 to 0-8 hal ime lead. Conor Hoyne provided five of the Clara points, four from frees, and Luke Lawlor, Harry Boyle and Eoin Corr registered one each.
Glenmore continued to control proceedings for the second half and although Harry Boyle gave Clara some hope with a goal the visitors never looked like losing and ran out comfortable 4-16 to 1-12 winners. However this is very early days and
Clara will be looking for great improvement in the coming games. Alex Firbank, John Bergin, Tommy Delaney and David Barcoe along with those already mentioned were best here. Team - Joe Power, Alex Firbank, Zach Lawlor, John Bergin. Philip Carrigan, Ben Crow, Tommy Delaney. Conor Hoyne 0-8, 0-6f, Luke Lawlor 0-1. Eoin Corr 0-1, Sean Carrigan, Dillon Cummins. Harry Boyle 1-2, David Barcoe, Tom Murphy. Sub Bill Kealy.
POC FADA
For the second year running a Clara man has won the Leinster Poc Fada contest held at Mount Leinster. Matt Kenny was the victor on this occasion and he won it in 34 strikes which was over two strikes better than the second placed man from Westmeath. Last year it was Killian Phelan who claimed the title and Killian went on to claim the All Ireland crown in the Cooley Mountains. Killian was also present on Saturday to support his club mate Matt and now the two friends must face o against each other on the August Bank Holiday weekend for this year’s All Ireland. As champion Killian has automatically qualified for the final.
It is fitting that Clara has such strong representation because the late Lester Ryan was so instrumental in keeping this ancient tradition alive for so long, a fact that this years organisers acknowledged during the presentation on Saturday. Let’s hope that either Matt or Killian can keep the title in Kilkenny this year.
CAMOGIE
Hard luck to Aisling Curtis who was on the Kilkenny senior camogie squad that was beaten by Cork in the quarter final on Sunday in Croke Park. The Kilkenny girls lost out by a single point to the Rebelettes.
Well done to Olivia Power who hurled at half time in front of 50,000 people on Sunday. Olivia, who had captained Clara School to the Roinn A School’s Championship earlier in the year, looked right at home at GAA headquarters. Finally well done to Conor Phelan and John Murphy who were part of the Cats background team as they defeated Clare on Sunday and qualified for yet another All Ireland. Kilkenny have lost the last three finals they have contested and will be ultra keen to break that sequence on July 23rd.
CLUB LOTTO
There was no winner of club lotto July 4th. Numbers drawn 8, 12, 13, 17 Bonus 15 Play Now at www.oloughlingaels.com/lotto. Thank you for your continued support Promotors Draw. 1. Seanie Barry c/o E Maher. 2. Michael Rowe c/o P Greene. 3. James Houlihan c/o G Buckley. 4. Sean Hickey c/o M Deegan. 5. Anne Eardley c/o N Tyrrell. 6. Patricia Burke
A Cullen. 7. Ml Murphy c/o Ml Nolan. 8. Helen Morrissey c/o online. 9. Ellen O’Brien c/o Online. 10. Denis Brett c/o Online
ALL-IRELAND FEVER
What performances by our three O’Loughlin Gaels players in last weekend’s All-Ireland Semi-Final’s win over Clare. Mikey, Huw and Paddy continue to do us proud. Well done also to panelist Conor Heart, Fitness Coach, Micky Comerford and Team Doctor, Tadhg Crowley. Another big day to look forward to.
TICKETS
Kilkenny v Limerick July 23rd- members only can apply for tickets by adding names to the list in club bar before Saturday 15th. To check membership, log in to your Foireann accounts or contact Niamh Carroll, registrar.
GET YOUR COLOURS OUT
Supporters are encouraged to wear, decorate and paint black and amber to support Kilkenny hurlers in the lead up to the
ALL-IRELAND FINAL BUS
Contact Stephen at 086 1993711for full details. Payment in advance please, confirms booking
Hon the cats !!
CAMOGIE
Well done to Laura Greene (Player of the Match) and Danielle Quigley who helped Kilkenny Intermediates advance to the All-ireland semi-final with a win over Wexford. Unfortunately it wasn’t to be for Laura Murphy (Senior) or Ena Lawlor and Síofra O’Leary (u16s) as they lost out to Cork and Galway respectively in their jousts for Semi-Final berths. We thank all our players for their continued commitment to games development.
VOLUNTEERS
O’Loughlin Gaels wish to thank all volunteers for their continued good work. More are needed to maintain standards so if interested in anyway please contact any committee member with your details. Volunteers for stewarding, grounds maintenance, co ee dock, umpiring, first aid etc. All new help welcome.
SUMMER CAMP
Looking forward to this!! Those who got places get ready for a great two weeks. Attend all your training and games in the meantime and be fully ready for two weeks of pure hurling.
Sponsors: McCarthy’s Eurospar, Newpark Shopping Centre
DIARY DATES
Summer Camp - July 24th to August 4th. Details available on clubs social media and team managers
Golf Classic - Aug 17th and 18th. Race night - August 25th
Tickets on sale through players and committee in the coming weeks
U13 WINNERS
Congratulations to St.Lachtains National School U13’s who won the Corn Ui Bhrian final. The local school team beat St John’s at Nowlan Park on a scoreline of 3-07 to 1-04. Well done to Mr. Flood and all the management on their great win.
Team: M.O’Neill, J.Bolger, H.Carroll, L.Dermody, A.Walsh, M.Hickey (Capt) F.Martin, I. Carroll, N.Walsh, L.O’Gorman, P.McCarthy, J.Geraghty, P.O’Connor, J.Marnell, T.Dalton, subs P.Dermody, S.Eardley, F.Condon, L.McCarthy, I.Carroll, B.Looby, S.Walsh, A.Dalton
ATHLETIC CLUB
Members of the Newly formerly Nuenna Athletic Club in Freshford and surrounding areas attended their first County B Championships in Thomastown Contesting against other Athletic Clubs in the County, the young boys and girls did the Club proud in winning gold silver and bronze medals in various di erent events. Congratulations to all those who participated and to the Mentors involved also. It was a very successful outing for the Club in running, turbo javelin, shot put and long jump. They are wished all the very best in their continued work and success to everyone in the Club FIT4LIFE
Nuenna Athletics club have launched fit4life in the Freshford area. All abilities are welcome from walkers wanting company, to runners training for marathons and everyone in between. Very experienced leaders are leading a program established by Athletics Ireland that caters for all experience and abilities. They meet each Tuesday morning and Wednesday evenings in Freshford GAA club. If you are interested please contact us on nuennaac@gmail.com or call Caoimh on 0874175550
BIRTHDAYS
Birthday wishes go out to Kyle Dawson of Nuenna Court who celebrated his 21st birthday last week. Kyle marked his coming of age with family and friends in Kavanagh’s bar on Saturday night last. Also birthday wishes go out to Cathal Hickey and his sister Niamh who both celebrated birthdays last week. Cathal celebrated his 18th while Niamh celebrated her 21st along with family and friends on Friday night last in Kavanagh’s Bar.
CABARET
In November last a young local girl Aoife Cahill su ered life changing injuries following a tragic road accident. A cabaret with music by Eoghan Bergin will be held in Conahy Shamrocks GAA Club, tonight, 14th July which will allow the local community the opportunity to give support to Aoife as she continues on her road of recovery and rehabilitation. This will be a no ticket event and donations can be made on the door or to any committee member or you can donate on gofundme page online.
PLAYGROUND
Freshford Playground is now fully open and kids and families seem to be enjoying it. The long awaited playground which is situate at Kilkenny Road is looking well and is a great facility to the children and families in the village and surrounds. Much credit is due to the hard working committee who have worked so hard and kept on plugging for the playground over the past few years to achieve this outcome.
CAMOGIE
Kilkenny U15 camogie girls had a good win over Cork at the weekend winning on a score of 1-9 to 1-6. Local girls Ciara Hickey, Emma O’Connor and Aoibheann McCarthy were part of the panel. Another local girl Sinead Farrell was on the Kilkenny Intermediate panel who took on Wexford on Saturday last.
SUMMER CAMP
Freshfords longest annual summer camp will be held again this year from the 31st July to 4th August at the GAA Grounds. This camp has been organised and run for the past two decades almost by local man JJ Grace and his aids. For bookings or more information please contact JJ on 086 8629666
GAA
St Lachtains Junior hurlers took on Windgap recently in the semifinal of the All County League. A close game throughout saw the local lads come out on the wrong side of a final score of 0-17 to 0-16 beaten by the narrowest of margins
Team: J Burke, H.Burke, S.Ra er, C.Bergin, B.Kennedy, B.Quinn, C.Donnelly, A Ra er, L.Hickey, P.White, D.Maher, P Campion, S.Donnelly, C.Dawson, A Ra er
Local hurling star Darren Brennan was part of Kilkenny Senior Hurling panel who defeated Clare in the All Ireland hurling semifinal at Croke Park on Sunday last. Darren is the sub keeper.
ALL IRELAND TICKETS
St.Lachtains GAA Club wish to inform members that anyone looking for Tickets for the All Ireland Final should apply to Bryan or Sheila. Paid up members only
POC FADA
Congratulations to local girl Michelle Killeen who won the U16 poc fada recently. She now goes forward to represent Kilkenny in Leinster.
ON HOLIDAY
Spending a holiday at his home in Freshford at the moment from Barcelona is Alan Cass. Alan will be joined by his family at the weekend when they will all enjoy a family reunion.
GRANTS
Cllr. Michael McCarthy announced recently that funding of €10,000 had been granted for the Loop walk in Freshford for the replacement and relocation of existing map board stans and also for the installation of three age friendly benches He also welcomed €10,000 to the Gathabawn walk for resurfacing. The money was allocated under the 2023 walks scheme development fund Funding was announced recently for the lighting of the proposed new walkway project in St.Lachtains GAA Club. The money has been allocated under the Committee Recognition fund and will be of great benefit to the community and surrounding areas.
LOOP CAFE
Loop Café is proving very popular indeed. The Cafe has been open for the 7 months or more is now open on Sundays from 11am to 4pm and is open each week from Tuesday St.Lachtains National School U13’s who won the Corn Ui Bhrian final
to Saturday from 9.30am to 4pm. Serving some beautiful snacks and food from homemade scones, homemade soup and brown bread and lovely salads they have added some new delicious items to their menu. They served beautiful iced co ee also during the hot spell recently. This is a great addition to the village and the community value it and are proud that they now have somewhere to meet with friends for that co ee and scone.
The group are looking for volunteers to help with the running of this community café and also more customers and community ownership so that the café is really a community café. The group thank all those who have support the café since its opening. If you have a few hours a week to spare as a volunteer they would love to hear from you and if you don’t have few hours to spare why not call in and support the local cafe and bring your family or friends and help support this amenity.
TIDY TOWNS
The Tidy Town group are out again doing Trojan work and can be seen every Wednesday evening out around the village and surrounds. If you have an hour or two to spare or would like to help out please come along any Wednesday evening to the Village Green when they meet up
IONAD LACHTAIN HERITAGE CENTRE
Ionad Lachtain Church, Arts and Heritage Centre is open every Saturday and Sunday from 11.30 to 4.30. Gi s on sale to suit every occasion.
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 O ice. Please note community notices for the parish newsletter should be le in or emailed to the Parish O ice by 11am on Thursdays. Parish o ice hours are Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 9am to 1pm.
Mass Cards
Special printed parish cards are available at the Parish O ice or from Annette at Tulla Church signed by Monsignor Kennedy. You can contact the Parish o ice 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 di icult or feeling isolated at this time GROW is there to help you. Their Mental Health support Groups are free and confidential and open to all no referral or booking is needed. For more information on same you can contact Mary on 087 284342 If you can’t cope and need support text HELLO to 50808.
SAMARITAN - Whatever you’re going through a Samaritan will face it with you – available 24 hours a day 365 days a year –Freephone 1161Alone is available for older people who need support and you can call them on 0818 222024 (8am to 8pm)
AMBER KILKENNY WOMENS REFUGE – is available for confidential support relating to domestic violence - call them on 1850 424244 (24/7) or on 056 7771404 or email into@amberwomensrefuge.ie.
GOWRAN PARK
Ladies Day takes place on July 29th! There will be an Après Racing experience with AFTER DARK LIVE in The Ladies Day Pavilion.
For more information and to purchase you tickets, visit our website: www.gowranpark.ie
GOWRAN PITCH AND PUTT
Congratulations to Jack McShane on retaining his Leinster U16 Matchplay title on his home course. Jack made it to the final where he played Harry Tiernan from Ryston. Jack winning out 4 and 3 a er a good battle between the players throughout the final. Well done Jack.
Gowran players Tomàs Carroll and Aidan O Connell also picked up beaten semifinalists medals for the Championship and Shield sections.
KILKENNY COUNTRY MUSIC FESTIVAL
Gowran Park enjoyed a most wonderful day on Sunday as The Kilkenny Country Music Festival took place on a most glorious Summers day.
The a ernoon’s entertainment began with local musicians
Paul Brett and Young Irelands goalkeeper Peter Hutchinson taking to centre stage.
Colin Kenny was up next before the main acts began to take centre stage with The Conquerors once again returning as backing band for this annual Young Irelands fundraiser.
Claudia Buckley, the daughter of Jimmy Buckley performed before the ever popular Trudi Lalor once again returned this year.
Brendan Shine made his debut appearance at The Kilkenny Country Music Festival, before Jimmy Buckley took to stage again this year.
The Limerick native was followed by Olivia Douglas who made her maiden debut in Gowran Park, with Mike Denver once again the main headline act.
Mike had the crowd rocking on the dance floor for two hours as another superb Festival drew to a close a er a wonderful day.
There was disappointment for Ste i and Ti anie Fitzgerald along with Ciara O’Kee e and Pat O’Neill as Kilkenny’s late rally saw them come up a point short against Cork on Sunday in The All-Ireland Quarter-Final.
Young Irelands Gowran 1-20 Bennettsbridge 2-12
The Young Irelands Intermediates produced a storming second-half performance to overturn a six point deficit late in the first-half and run out five point winners against their neighbours Bennettsbridge in Gowran on Friday Night. Meanwhile, The Young Irelands U-19s made an emphatic start to the defense of their U-19 League campaign as they easily dismantled Lisdowney 4-23 to a 1-8 in Gowran on Thursday Night on a rotten night for Hurling.
YOUNG IRELANDS: Jason Brennan, Philip O’Donnell, Emmet Byrne, Sean Middleton, Patrick Brennan(0-1), Sean Farrell, Paddy Langton, Seamus Farrell, Luke Farrell, Geo Brennan(01), Jack Brennan(0-2), Tommy Phelan(0-7 0-4 Frees 0-1’65), Jimmy Lennon(0-3) , Ted Drea (1-3) , Killian Carey(0-3) Subs: Gavin Manning, Conor Fitzpatrick
JUNIOR HURLING
Both Young Irelands Junior Teams are scheduled to be in Championship action next weekend in Gowran.
The Junior A Team are at home to St. Patricks, Ballyragget on Saturday Night at 7pm, while at the same time on Sunday Night, The Junior F Team are at home to Mullinavat.
UNDERAGE HURLING
Young Irelands Minors made it 7 from 7 in their first game back since The exam break as they easily defeated O’Loughlin Gaels on Monday Night.
They were in action again on Monday nightlast, at home to James Stephens but lost out on a score line of 0-7 to 4-19. There was defeat for both The Young Irelands U-15 and U-13 Teams this week.
The U-15 Team gave a much improved display before losing out to Dicksboro 2-23 to 3-15, while The U-13 Team lost out 2-16 to 0-11 away to Danesfort on Friday Night.
MARY HOLDEN
Very Best Wishes to Gowran Native Mary Holden who recently retired as Principal of Scoil Bhride in Paulstown.
A retirement Mass was held for her in The Church of The Assumption in Paulstown and a number of presentations were made to her at the end of Mass.
Wishing Mary all the very best in her retirement.
TIDY TOWNS NEWS
The local Tidy Towns Volunteers continue to work hard to keep the village looking well and they deserve great credit for their work in this regard. Recently the group planted herb containers at The Village Pump at Powers Butchers. Locals are invited to take some for their own use.
CARDS RESULTS
First Prize. John O’Brien/Patsy Gibbons 11 games. Second Prize 3-way split, Michael Kenneally/Andrew Barcoe, Martin Clarke/Pauline Keating, Michael Fitzpatrick/Eddie Walsh. Table Prize Alice Kelly/Bridget Murphy. Cards are held each Tuesday night and new members are encouraged.
LOTTO
No winner of Jackpot. Numbers, 6, 8, 13, 25. Jackpot now €1,450.00. Consolation Prizes, Sadhbh O’Mahony, Shangarry Syndicate, Margaret Simpson, Bennettsbridge, Liz Gri iths, Gowran Road, Cleere x 5.
SYMPATHY
Sympathy is extended to the Forristal family on the death of Bridget Forristal (nee Boyle), “Keyma”, Gowran Road, Bennettsbridge at St. Luke’s Hospital. She is survived by her husband, John and was mother of Declan, Danela and
Melvina. Bridget will be sadly missed by her husband and family, brother Luke, sisters Liz and Nancy, grandchildren Sarah, Ellie, Jack and Ned, in-laws Rosanne and James, extended family, neighbours and friends. Bennettsbridge GAA formed a guard of honour and escorted the cortege to St Bennett’s Church for Requiem Mass. Interment took place a erwards in St. Michael’s Cemetery, Danesfort.
Sympathy is extended to Seamus Quigley and family, Thomastown on the death of Seamus’s mother, Mary Quigley, Kells, Co Kilkenny.
Seamus is the welcoming face behind the Concert Hall in Thomastown and is always ready to help visiting groups. Several Bennettsbridge groups have experienced his help down through the years.
Sympathy is extended to Johnny Dunne and his sister Angela on the death of Johnny’s youngest daughter, Debbie, in England.and Angela’s daughter, Veronica, who died in Scotland. The cousins died on the same day.
Johnny is a former resident of Woodlawn and a member of a
well-known Bennettsbridge family. In hurling circles his father, “the lovely Johnny Dunne” was a hurler of note.
HOME CARE TEAM
A letter has been received from the Carlow /Kilkenny Home Care Team acknowledging the donation of €360.00 raised as a result of the Annual Irish Dancing Display held on St Patrick’s Day in the Bennettsbridge Community Hall. The event is a collaboration between Stella Carroll School of dancing and Bennettsbridge Ladies Club.
CLODAGH AND TONY CULLEN MEMORIAL
The Clodagh and Tony Cullen Memorial Feis was held last week in Bennettsbridge community hall. Annmarie and Keelin Cullen were there to present the trophies. Forty five children took part. The joint winners of the Clodagh Cup were, Donovan Ga ney and Grace Dooley. The Tony Cullen cup was won by Lucy Maher.
CHURCH NEWS
MASS TIMES
Weekly mass times. Wednesday 10.30am. Friday 10.30am FRANCISCAN MISSIONARY SISTERS
The sisters will be speaking in Tullaherin and Bennettsbridge on 22nd and 23rd July respectively. A collection will be taken up outside the church inviting donations for the work of the sisters abroad.
GRAVEYARD MASSES 2023
Graveyard mass in Tullaherin for 2023 will be celebrated on Saturday, 29th July at 8pm.
Bennettsbridge Cemetery Mass will take place on Sunday morning, 30th July at 10.30am.
THOMASTOWN GRAVEYARD MASS
Graveyard Mass for 2023 in St Mary’s graveyard, Thomastown, will be held on Friday, 4th August at 8pm.
GAA
All-Ireland Semi-Final
Well done to David Blanchfield and the Kiikenny team who qualified for the All Ireland final with a great win over Clare on Sunday. Please note that only fully paid members will be eligible for inclusion in the draw for tickets for the final.
Club Games
The seniors lost out to Gowran in the Byrne Cup. The minors played Mount Leinster Rangers on Monday last winning 2-13 to 0-15. The under 15 teams were away to Slieverue last Wednesday. The junior B team play Fenians away at midday next Sunday while the junior E team play O‘Loughlin’s at home at 7.30pm also on Sunday.
FIELD DAY
The 2023 Field Day takes place on August 20th this year. Any new ideas for this year are most welcome. Please contact Andrea Flynn with suggestions.
SPLIT THE POT
The next draw takes place today at 6 pm in the clubhouse.
PILTOWN DRAW
Bennettsbridge Club had three winners in the July Piltown Draw. Carmel Ryan, Knocktopher won €300.00 and Bernard Sheerin and Nuala McGrath each won €150.00
ROSARY
Tuesday July 18th in Donoughmore Old Graveyard, Johnstown at 7.30pm
MONTHS MIND
The months mind Mass for the late Fr. Frank Maher will be celebrated in St. Kieran’s Church on Sunday next July 16th at 12 noon.
PAT SAUNDERS RIP
North Kilkenny Wheelchair Association would like to send sincere sympathy to the family of Pat Saunders who died recently RIP. Pat was a long time member of the association.
JOHNSTOWN TOWN TEAM
The town team would like to express thanks to the many people who worked so hard to make the Field Festival such a success.To the local businesses who donated prizes, those who supplied equipment needed in the field, parking facilities, Spa United and the Fenians, Kilkenny Co.Co. and their local sta , all the volunteers who worked tirelessly the whole weekend, schoolchildren and their teachers, catering ladies, kiddies tractor run and field games organisers, dog show organisers, judges and search and rescue with the dogs, MC’s, photographers, music DJ’s and band.
The MC asked for a minute’s silence before the activities began to remember our late PP Fr. Frank Maher, who was a great advocate of all local activities and marked our 250 celebrations with a special Mass. He was loved by all and is greatly missed. Sympathy to his family, Bishop Coll and his fellow priests of the Diocese, relations and many friends.
RAFFLE RESULTS
Ra le results 1st Marie Tobin, 2nd Ellen Costelloe. Any monies made on the day will go to support the fund for the Yulefest Project.
SPA UNITED AFC....
A great evening was enjoyed by everyone recently at the schoolboys and schoolgirls end of season awards in Mackeys, Gathabawn. Well done to all the teams who were presented with their medals and the individual boys and girls who got their player of the year awards. It brings to an end a very successful season for the club both on and o the pitch.
SPA UNITED/FENIANS LOTTO...
Winning numbers 6,9,10,20, there were eight match threes Dan Shiel, Paul Dermody, The Fenians, Sean Tobin, Jerry Fogarty, Sinead O’Gorman, Paddy Murphy and Elizabeth Cashin.
LOURDES INVALID FUND
The Ballyragget/Ballyouskill Lourdes Invalid Fund received a cheque for 409.00 Euros raised by Aileen McInerney in the recent Mini Marathon in June 2023 in aid of the fund.
ST PATRICKS GAA
The Minor side took on Dunnamaggin on Monday the 3rd it was a draw result St Patrick’s 3-9 Dunnamaggin 1-15.
In the Paddy Cahill final the junior side overcame Tullogher Rosbercon on a scoreline of St Patrick’s 2-14 Tullogher 0-13. Under 15 player Thomastown and we’re successful on a one pint win St Patrick’s 2-13 to Thomastown 1-15.
The under 19’s had their first outing against Kilmacow at home and came away with a comprehensive win St Patrick’s 7-14 to 1-14. The junior a side will take on Gowran on Saturday 7pm in Gowran.
The lotto continued at €20,000 many thanks to all who continue to support.
TIDY TOWNS
Lucky Dip winners were Mary Barry, Michael Dermody, Galmoy and Sean, Billy, Cormac and Rian Burke. Sellers’ prizes went to Mary Murphy and Eddie Brennan. Next week’s jackpot will be €14,400 and will take place on 26th June at 9pm.
Results for 26/06/23. Numbers drawn were 6; 8; 10; 12. Lucky Dip winners were Margaret O’Donoghue, Laura Butler and James T. Murphy. Sellers’ prizes went to Teresa Corcoran and Padraig McCluskey. Next week’s jackpot will be €14,600 and will take place on 3rd July at 9pm.
Results for 03/07/23. Numbers drawn were 1; 2; 12; 21. Lucky Dip winners were Billy Butler Senior, Leslie Sweeney and Francie Harrison. Sellers’ prizes went to Martina Butler and Bree Harrison.
VOLUNTEER DRIVERS REQUIRED FOR PRAGUE HOUSE
Prague House is looking for volunteer drivers to take residents to medical appointments as the need arises. If you are willing and able to be on a list of people who could be called, or want more information, please contact the manager Caroline on 056 883 22 81.
TULLAROAN CEMETERY MASS
The annual cemetery Mass will take place on Tuesday, 15th August at 7 pm in the cemetery.
KILMANAGH NOTES
Anyone wishing to submit news items, events, announcements etc. can do so by email only to elanigan18@gmail.com. If you have any photos that you would like included, please send as an attachment.
CONAHY
Wednesday, July 12th, 2023
FUNDRAISING CABARET
On November 18th last, a local young girl, Aoife Cahill, su ered Life changing injuries following a tragic road accident. A cabaret, with music by Eoghan Bergin, will be held in Conahy Shamrocks GAA Clubhouse on this Friday, July 14th, which will allow the local community the opportunity to give support to Aoife as she continues on her road of recovery and rehabilitation. This will be a no ticket event. Donations can be given on the door on the night or to any committee member. An online fundraising page has also been set up where those who might like to donate but cannot attend the cabaret may provide a donation – a link is available on the Conahy Shamrocks GAA Club Facebook page.
HURLING
The under-15 hurlers scored a fine win over Graiguenamanagh in the Duggan Steel Roinn B League in Graiguemanagh on Wednesday night last. Conahy showed good teamwork throughout to score some excellent goals and points and eventually won out on a 4-10 to 1-7 scoreline.
TEAM: Neil Webster, Rory Dunne, Tadhg Hennessy, Bobby Dooley, Billy Rowe, Rory Rhatigan, Darragh Horgan, Ceirin Murphy, Jack Rhatigan, Adam Morrissey, Michael Lawler, M.J. Buggy, James Byrne, Joe Boland, Brian Phelan, Padraig Quinn, Camryn Kenehan.
The under-19 hurlers commenced their activity when they traveled to Callan to face John Lockes in the Revise.ie Roinn D League. Both the junior B and junior E hurlers are also in action this coming weekend in their respective championships. The junior B side host Emeralds in Jenkinstown on tonight at 7.00 p.m. while the junior E side travel away to Danesfort on Saturday at 7.00 p.m.
GAA SUMMER CAMP
Conahy Shamrocks GAA Club Bórd na nÓg will once again host a ‘Future Stars’ Summer Camp this year. It will take place in the Polo Grounds, Jenkinstown from Tuesday 1st August to Thursday 3rd August (inclusive). The Camps is open to Boys and Girls between the ages of five and twelve and will take place on each of the three days from 10.00 a.m. to 2.00 p.m. (with a lunch break from 12.00 p.m. until 12.45 p.m. Detailed and quality coaching will be given to all participants and Kilkenny Inter-County Players will contribute to the coaching, subject to their availability. Registration can be done online via the GAA club website – www.conahyshamrocks.gaa.ie .
CLUB LOTTO
The numbers drawn in the Conahy Shamrocks GAA Club Lotto were 29, 30 and 38. There was no jackpot winner so the consolation prize winners were Aisling Maher, Jenny Long, Emma Mulhall, Ger Hooban and Teddy Kerr McGrath. The promoters’ prize winners were Kay Phelan, Toddy Lacey and Julie Jackman.
EUCHARISTIC ADORATION
Glengoole Wednesday 11am to 2pm, Gortnahoe Thursday 11am to 1pm
CEMETERY MASSES
Following discussions with the priests in the combination group of parishes, it was decided that the cemetery masses for 2023 will take place in the churches at the weekend masses over the summer. 15th July at 6pm in Glengoole for Glengoole and Ballinalacken cemetery, 23rd July at 10.30am in Gortnahoe for Aglish cemetery, 30th July at 10.30am in Gortnahoe for Fennor cemetery, 6th August at 10.30am in Gortnahoe for Good Shepherd cemetery and 13th August at 10.30am in Gortnahoe for Boulick cemetery.
PILGRIMAGE
Cashel and Emly Pilgrimage to Knock. The annual pilgrimage to Knock will take place on the 6th August led by Archbishop Kieran O’Reilly. Anyone that requires further information please contact the parish council.
Cashel and Emly Pilgrimage to Lough Derg. The pilgrimage will take place from Monday 24th to Wednesday 26th July.
For information and bookings please contact Bridget O’Dea at 086 6792754.
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
GORTNAHOE BINGO
Bingo continues this Saturday night at 7.00pm with doors opening from 6.00pm and will continue each Saturday night at the same time. Over €2,660 in prize money on o er 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, Orla Guilfoyle from Fennor, who won €318 in the Split the Pot draw. Envelopes are available at the usual outlets. Split the Pot for the month of July will be in support of the Gortnahoe Mast. The draw takes place each Sunday at 12pm in Gortnahoe Hall. Your support would be appreciated
EAMON MOORE RIP
The death has occurred of Eamon Moore, late of Sandyford, Dublin, surrounded by his loving family, in the wonderful care of the sta at Wicklow Hospice. Beloved husband of Florence and loving father to Dervilla, Cliodhna, Mella and Blanaid. Predeceased by his twin brother Martin; he will be sadly missed by his wife, daughters, sons-in-law Paddy, Tim and Redvers, his cherished grandchildren Conor, Aoife, Rhianna, Saoirse, Caoimhe, and Aedamar, sisters-in-law, brothers-inlaw, niece, nephews, and all extended family, neighbours and friends.Eamon’s ashes were interred in the Good Sheppard cemetery in Gortnahoe a er 10.30 mass last Sunday. May he rest in peace.
CLUB LOTTO
GAA Club LOTTO Results 6th July 2023. Nos: 1 3 26 30 .
Jackpot: €10,550 Not Won
Draw Prizes – €50: Helen Nitschke c/0 Jimmy McGarry. €25 each Barbara Moloney c/o Paddy Maher. €25 each Maeve O’Neill c/o P and J Cody. €25 each Katrina Fitzpatrick c/o Brian Fitzpatrick. Hurlers Co Op Draw Mary Dwyer c/o Gerry O’Neill. Promotors prize F and E Morrissey. Thank you for your continued support SUMMER CAMP
Final Bookings for Summer Camp. The Camp is suitable for kids of primary school age 5-13. Week 1 Monday July 17thFriday 21st July. Week 2 Monday Aug 14th - Friday 18th
Please Book Early as Spaces are Limited. See our ClubZap for more details or any Committee Member
KILKENNY CAMOGIE
On Saturday in Semple Stadium Thurles the Kilkenny Intermediate Girls had a 2 point victory against a strong Wexford side that books them a place in the All Ireland Semi Final against Derry on 22nd July in Semple Stadium. Well done to all involved and especially our own Club Players Niamh Phelan, Jane Cass and Katie Byrne. Hard luck to the Seniors who were defeated narrowly on Sunday in Croke Park by Cork. To our own girls Aoife Prendergast, Jenny Cli ord , Ciara Phelan and Asha McHardy all in Dicksboro are very proud of you representing the club in the Black and Amber. We look forward to seeing you back playing soon in Palmerstown.
KILKENNY GAA
Kilkenny are through to All Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Final a er a 1-25 to 1-22 defeat of Clare on Sundays All Ireland Semi Final. A second half goal from Captain Eoin Cody and a spectacular late save from Goalkeeper Eoin Murphy saw Kilkenny advance to the All Ireland Final on the 23rd July. Huge congratulations to all involved and our Senior Club Players Cillian and Timmy.
LOTTO RESULTS Results for 19/06/23. Numbers drawn were 12; 21; 25; 29.
MASS NTIMES
Aghaviller Parish. Hugginstown: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at 9.30a.m. Vigil - Saturday 15th. at 8.00p.m. Sunday 16th. at 10.00a.m. Stoneyford. Wednesday at 7.00p.m. Vigil – Saturday 15th. at 6.30p.m. Saturday 15th. Feast of St. Bonaventure.
PRAY FOR
Anniversary Masses:
Maura Roche, Lawcus. Mass in Stoneyford on Saturday 15th. July at 6.30p.m.
Ellen Doyle, Hugginstown; Mass in Hugginstown on Saturday 15th. July at 8.00p.m.
Kathleen Tennyson: Remembrance Mass in Hugginstown on Sunday 16th. at 10.00.
ROTA
Week-end: 15th and 16th July. (Fi eenth Sunday of Ordinary
Time)
Readers. Stoneyford. Saturday 6.30p.m. Sheila Raggett. Hugginstown: Saturday 8.00p.m John Barron. Sunday 10.00a.m. Mary Foran.
Eucharistic Ministers. Stoneyford: Saturday 6.30p.m. Pat
Kenny. Hugginstown: Saturday 8.00p.m. Teresa Broderick. Sunday 10.00a.m. Ruth Crowley
JUNE COLLECTION
The “June Collection 2023” for the support of the priests of the Parish and the Diocese will be taken up during the months of June/July. Envelopes for this collection are available at the back of the Church. Many thanks to those who have already contributed.
CEMETERY MASSES
Mass in Sheepstown Cemetery is postponed to a later date. Mass in Stonecarthy Cemetery on Friday 4th. August at 8.00p.m.
SAFEGUARDING CONTACTS
Diocesan Designated Liaison Person: Ms. Kathleen Sherry Tel: 087 100 0232.
Aghaviller Parish Representatives are: Teresa Broderick and Carmel O’Toole.
PILGRIMAGE TO KNOCK
The Annual Pioneer Pilgrimage to Knock will take place next Sunday 16th. July.
Mass at 3.00p.m. with Anointing of the Sick beforehand at 2.30p.m.
EMBLEMS AND NEWSLETTER
Emblems and Newsletters available at P.T.A.A. Stand in St John’s Rest and Care Centre or via www.pioneers.ie
YOUTH 2000 SUMMER FESTIVAL
Join young people between 16 and 35 this August at the Youth 2000 Summer Festival. The festival takes place in Clongowes Wood College, Clane, Co Kildare. from Thursday 10th. August to Sunday 13th. August 2023. The festival includes inspiring talks, music, prayer, concert, workshops, dramas, share groups, reconciliation and healing service and Mass. Donation only and we have buses going from all over Ireland. For more information and to book your place go to www.youth2000.ie
LOTTO
Lotto: Aghaviller Parish and Carrickshock G. A. A. Draw: Monday 3rd. July 2023 Numbers: 26; 25; 15; 32. No
Winner First 3 Numbers Drawn. No Jackpot Winner: 5 x €30.00. Winners: Pat O’Neill, Stonecarthy; Simon, Eddie. c/o James Irish; Bridie Murphy, Dunbell. Tessie Maher, Kyleva Jason Barden, Danesfort.
3 x €15.00 (Sellers). James Irish. Eamon Irish. Ann Power.
All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Semi-Final, Croke Park Kilkenny 1-25
Clare 1-22
Kilkenny are through to another All-Ireland senior hurling nal after seeing-o a dogged challenge from Clare at headquarters last Sunday. Having built up a 5-point interval lead, Kilkenny allowed a rejuvenated Banner side back into the game after the short whistle and Brian Lohan’s charges led for the rst time on 52 minutes when David Reidy pointed. In true Kilkenny fashion, Derek Lyng’s men stood tall and raised a green ag shortly afterwards and were never behind for the remainder of a pulsating contest and ran-out winners by 3 points. at introduction barely does justice to the semi- nal battle. We witnessed TJ Reid once again surpassing Cork’s Patrick Horgan to become the leading scorer in championship history. Eoin Murphy produced one of the most outstanding saves in the history of hurling when he de ed all logic to deny Clare’s Peter Duggan a certain goal which would have levelled matters deep into injury time. And just for good measure Eoin Cody was sensational, notching 1-5 in an eyecatching display of skill, leadership and non-stop work rate. Mikey Butler got even closer to Tony Kelly, if that was possible.
e Noresiders lined out as selected while Clare surprisingly made one change, with Sixmilebridge’s Seadna Morey starting in place of Ian Galvin. is change saw Brian Lohan’s side deploy an extra defender, but you wouldn’t have known that during a riveting 35-odd minutes of rst thalf action.
When Cork whistler Colm Lyons got matters underway, it would be Kilkenny that got the scoreboard moving. Captain Eoin Cody was fouled by Rory Hayes and his Shamrocks clubmate TJ Reid popped over the resulting free for the rst score of the day. ClooneyQuin’s Ryan Taylor got e Banner’s opening score with a ne e ort less than a minute later. Conahy’s Tom Phelan then produced some good work before passing to his captain who sent over a lovely score from out on the right. e Clooney-Quin brigade were at it again seconds later, this time Peter Duggan splitting the posts with a nice score.
Eoin Cody was looking lively and drew another free which TJ dispatched before David McInerney burst forward to take a classy point.
Tom Phelan then pointed after a lovely pass from O’Loughlin’s Paddy Deegan before Shane O’Donnell hit a magni cent sole e ort to deadlock matters with 10 minutes played. e
Cats hit the next two scores; a long range free from TJ and a tidy e ort from Adrian Mullen, after the former captain had won a great turnover in mid eld.
Scari s Mark Rodgers got his rst point of the day with a lovely placed ball from distance to settle his nerves, having missed an earlier opportunity before a cracking pass from Bennettsbridge’s David Blanch eld was fetched and pointed by Billy Ryan with the GraigueBallycallan man’s rst involvement in the game. en came one of the scores of the game. Huw Lawlor came bursting out of defence and despite an attempted high tackle by Cathal Malone, the O’Loughlin’s man somehow steadied himself to split
the posts from near-on halfway. e men in black and amber then almost raised a green ag when TJ’s goal-bound shot was somehow de ected behind for a ‘65 by Clare netminder Eibhear Quilligan, brilliant reactions from the Feakle clubman. Kilkenny didn’t leave empty-handed, as TJ slotted over the resulting ‘65. e Cats now led by four. e Banner needed a score, and it came from their main man Tony Kelly. e Ballyea man pointing after a lovely ick pass from the dangerous Shane O’Donnell.
e next two scores were both booming e orts from distance, rst up was TJ with a free from his own’65 but the Clare response was a lovely strike from half-way by mid elder
David Fitzgerald. Tom Phelan was then halted illegally on the ‘21 and this free saw TJ edge ahead of Cork’s Patrick Horgan in the championship scoring stakes. Simply the best, TJ. Clare then created a fantastic goal scoring chance. A lovely freeowing team move up the pitch saw Shane O’Donnell throw a pass to Mark Rodgers whose batted e ort was somehow blocked by the hurl of the stretching Conor Fogarty, who had burst a gut to get in that position. Take a bow Mr. Fogarty. Referee Lyons had been playing an advantage, so the free was then popped over by the denied Mark Rodgers. TJ then struck over another placed ball after the marauding Mikey Butler was upended by Ryan
Taylor, who received a yellow card for his e orts.
Eoin Cody then collected the ball before turning inside his man and ring over a stunning e ort that was awarded with the aid of Hawkeye. e Cats had pushed their lead out to ve points with 26 minutes gone. Cathal Malone then split the posts with another e ort from almost halfway before Kilkenny registered their rst wide of the game via Mossy Keoghan’s shot on 29 minutes. After a little bit of pinball TJ won the ball, despite being surrounded by at least 3 Clare players and was fouled in the process. e Shamrocks man made no mistake and restored his teams 5-point lead.
e Banner were forced to make a
Shamrocks contingent
‘electric’ as Murphy makes wonder save to deny Duggan
change when Ryan Taylor was unable to run-off a belt across the legs, and this injury saw David Reidy enter the fray with a couple of minutes remaining in the opening period. The next passage of play saw Clare on the attack, but somehow TJ Reid found himself inside his own 13 metre line gaining possession and drawing the free. That Avonmore milk must be super stuff as TJ marked his 142nd appearance in the black and amber of his beloved county. Two more scores followed before the short whistle sounded, another lovely effort from Eoin Cody and a free from Mark Rodgers after Shane O’Donnell was fouled. Half-time, the Cats up by five, Kilkenny 0-15, Clare 0-10.
exploded toward the Kilkenny goal. Having taken a fair few steps, his low shot was superbly saved by Glemore’s Eoin Murphy, who deflected the shot behind for a ‘65 which Mark Rodgers pointed. The gap was now back to two points. Clare were hurling like Clare should, on the front foot.
Eoin Cody then picked up the ball and cut-in along the endline. As the captain struck his shot towards goal, keeper Quilligan batted the effort away, but referee Colm Lyons pulled play back as he had spotted Adam Hogan’s swipe across the legs of the Cats captain. Could or should the card have been black? TJ did what TJ does, and the lead was now three. Clonlara’s Ian Galvin and Shamrocks Adrian Mullen exchanged scores, both classy points. Walter Walsh then joined the party as Mossy Keoghan departed. Clare then rattled off five scores on bounce as they turned the game on its head. Mark Rodgers struck four of those scores, the other coming from sub David Reidy as Brian Lohan’s men took the lead for the first time. The Banner had outscored Kilkenny by 9 points to 2 in the second half. Worrying times for Derek Lyng as the momentum was with the opposition.
Derek Lyng’s men were out early for the second half, or perhaps Brian Lohan’s Clare side were late? When The Banner did reappear, Ian Galvin had replaced his replacement, Seadna Morey. An extra attacker on the pitch for the beaten Munster finalists, and this proved very rewarding when play resumed.
A fast start from Clare was Mark Rodgers split the posts from play in the opening seconds of the second period. Rodgers then set up David Fitzgerald for his second point of the day, this time from the right sideline.
Eire Og Inis’s Shane O’Donnell thenThe Kilkenny manager then sent on Cian Kenny in place of John Donnelly and this change proved highly effective. The Village player expertly picked out Paddy Deegan who sent over a lovely score to leave just the bare minimum between the sides after 54 minutes of topsy turvy action. Then came the score which ultimately swung things back in favour of the Noresiders. From a restart, Clare went short. Keeper Quilligan passed to Rory Hayes, who returned the sliotar to the Feakle man. The Clare netminder took a few steps before passing ahead to Hayes. The Wolfe Tones man didn’t see Billy Ryan chasing him down from behind and the Cats player flicked the ball away from Hayes into the path of TJ Reid. TJ sprinted into the ‘D’ before sending the most perfect hand-pass to his captain and clubmate Eoin Cody who rifled a fierce shot beyond Quilligan. Kilkenny now led by two. The sort of score that knocks the wind out of the opposition.
Leinster final goal scoring hero Cillian Buckley then replaced the tiring Conor Fogarty, who along with that stunning block, had gotten through a mountain of work. Clare hit back with another score from the impressive David Fitzgerald. Danesfort’s Richie Hogan then joined the action as Tom Phelan was withdrawn. The only thing TJ hadn’t tried was a sideline cut – and the
veteran sent over a sumptuous one with some nine minutes of normal time remaining. Tj then turned provider, as his pass to Cian Kenny resulted in the James Stephens man striking over a sweet score. Lohan’s men needed another spark, and it came from Shane O’Donnell. Diarmuid Ryan’s long delivery was diverted into the path of O’Donnell who turned his marked and headed for goal. The No.14 outmuscled Tommy Walsh before rifling an unstoppable shot beyond the diving Eoin Murphy into the roof of the Cats net. 63 minutes gone, the sides level 1-20 apiece. What now?
Walter Walsh then drew a foul which saw David McInerney receive a yellow card. TJ slotted over the free to nudge his team ahead. TJ repeated this process a couple of minutes later after Richie Hogan was elbowed to the ground by Mr. McInerney who remained on the pitch. Tullaroan’s Padraig Walsh then replaced Billy Ryan before the irrepressible Eoin Cody fired over a classy point following another accurate delivery from Paddy Deegan, whose distribution across the game was top level.
Three minutes of additional time were signaled. Three too many for Kilkenny supporters, nowhere near enough for Clare players or supporters. Mark Rodgers then sent over his 3rd ‘65 of the day after Peter Duggan’s effort was deflected behind. Eoin Cody then notched his fifth point of the day after brilliant work from Mikey Butler and the hugely influential Adrian Mullen.
A goal was required by The Banner to force extra time. A little bit of a ruck was developing around the Kilkenny penalty spot. Somehow David Fitzgerald emerged with the ball and burst forward. The midfielder gave a hand pass to his right where Peter Duggan was waiting. The Clooney-Quin forward instinctively volleyed the pass
towards the goal. Somehow, defying the laws of physics, goalkeeping and every other area of logic, Eoin Murphy managed to deflect the goal bound effort onto the crossbar. I think in the madness of it all, Padraig Walsh swung his Hurl at the ball, and it landed at the edge of the ‘D’. David McInerney decided to split the posts and take the point.
There was still enough time for Adrian Mullen to win possession and play a short pass to Padraig Walsh who rifled over from close to the sideline near the Clare ‘65. That was to be the last score of a rip-roaring, heart-stopping game. The Cats had set up a repeat of last season’s decider with the Limerick machine, but that’s a matter for another day. Full-time score at Croke Park, Kilkenny 1-25, Clare 1-22.
Scorers for Kilkenny: T.J. Reid (0-12, 10 frees, 1 65, 1 sideline); E. Cody (1-5); A. Mullen (0-2); T. Phelan, B. Ryan, H. Lawlor, P. Deegan, C. Kenny, P. Walsh (0-1 each).
Scorers for Clare: M. Rodgers (0-10, 5 frees, 3 65s); S. O’Donnell (1-1); D. Fitzgerald (0-3); R. Taylor, P. Duggan, D. McInerney, T. Kelly, C. Malone, I. Galvin, D. Reidy, D. Ryan (0-1 each).
KILKENNY: E. Murphy; H. Lawlor, D. Blanchfield; R. Reid; T. Walsh, M. Butler, P. Deegan; C. Fogarty, A. Mullen; M. Keoghan, J. Donnelly, T. Phelan; E. Cody (c), T.J. Reid, B. Ryan.
Subs: W. Walsh for M. Keoghan (44); C. Kenny for J. Donnelly (55); R. Hogan for T. Phelan (61); P. Walsh for B. Ryan (68).
CLARE: E. Quilligan; A. Hogan, C. Cleary, R. Hayes; S. Morey; D. Ryan, J. Conlon, D. McInerney; C. Malone, R. Taylor; D. Fitzgerald, T. Kelly (c), M. Rodgers; P. Duggan, S. O’Donnell. Subs for Clare: D. Reidy for R. Taylor (inj 33); I. Galvin for S. Morey (h-t); A. Shanagher for D. Reidy. Referee: C. Lyons (Cork).
Glen Dimplex All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship Semi-final, Croke Park Cork 2-14 Kilkenny 2-13
Brian Dowling’s team exited this year’s Glen Dimplex All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship by the narrowest of margins when they went down ghting against old foes Cork at Croke Park last Sunday. It was roles reversed in last weekend’s quarter- nal tie, after Kilkenny had beaten the Rebels in last season’s nal.
Cork looked to be heading to a comfortable win until Player of the Match Denise Gaule dragged her side back into the contest with a well-taken goal on 58 minutes. e Windgap wonder followed this up with a point less than 60 seconds later and take her personal tally to 1-10, to leave just the bare minimum between the sides, but that was to be the last score of the game, despite both teams having strong claims for fouls late on, but inexplicably, referee John Dermody waved both sides protests away.
e Noresiders made one change to the selected team, with Aoife Doyle starting ahead of Michelle Teehan. When play got under way, Cork struck an early wide in the opening seconds and the rst score of the game came shortly after, when Denise Gaule slotted a free after Michaela Kenneally was fouled. e next score came from the stripey women also, St Martins Katie Nolan’s pinpoint pass to Aoife Doyle was superbly dispatched by the Piltown attacker.
Referee Dermody then showed an early yellow card to Ste Fitzgerald, claiming she led with her shoulder as she tried to get past her opponent.
Former Down star, Sorcha McCartan got the Leesiders
up and running with a ne brace of points, while Denise Gaule popped over a placed ball after Aoife Prendergast was halted illegally. Multiple All-Star Gaule, then turned provider as her accurate pass saw Mullinavat’s Julieann Malone split the posts to give Kilkenny a twopoint lead.
e rst major of the day came on 14 minutes, and it would be the black and amber that got it. Lisdowney’s Claire Phelan sent a long-range free deep into the Cork Defence. Denise Gaule rose high with a couple of Rebel defenders,
and the ball broke to the alert Aoife Prendergast who side-stepped the defender before batting the sliotar past Amy Lee in the Cork goal. Dowling’s charges were now 5 clear.
Chloe Sigerson got a muchneeded score for Matthew Twomey’s side from a placed ball before their top scorer, Amy O’Connor struck for a major. A pass sent in from mid eld saw the St Vincent’s attacker take possession and turn and burn her marker Ste Fitzgerald. O’Connor had only one thing on her mind, and she ri ed a well-struck shot beyond netminder Aoife Norris. Twenty
minutes gone, all square.
Killeagh’s Hannah Looney, starting in place of Cliona Healy then sent over a lovely point to give the Rebels the lead, but the deadly Gaule red over a placed ball to restore parity a minute later. e next 3 scores came from the Leesiders, two points from the evergreen Katrina Mackey and a ‘45 from Amy O’Connor after Aoife Norris had done brilliantly to prevent a certain goal. Sandwiched between this trio of points was a nasty arm injury to Kilkenny’s Laura Murphy. e game was held up while the O’Loughlin Gaels players
received attention and this injury would force her withdrawal from the clash and see Michelle Teehan take her place.
e Noresiders hit 3 consecutive wide’s before who else, but Denise Gaule got them going ahead with another ne placed ball e ort. Westmeath whistler Dermody blew for half-time with Cork leading by two points, 1-8 to Kilkenny’s 1-6. When play resumed, Denise Gaule red over a ‘45 to leave just one between the sides, but the next score would see another green ag raised for Matthew Twomey’s side.
Saoirse McCarthy picked up the ball
around mid eld and showed a great turn of pace to get away from her trailing black and amber opponents. McCarthy struck her e ort towards goal, but it was excellently blocked by Aoife Norris. e ball rebounded straight to McCarthy who was challenged heavily by Grace Walsh.
e Courcey Rovers player managed to play a pass to Katrina Mackey who struck the ball under the unlucky Norris in the Kilkenny goal.
e Rebels built on this major when
Amy O’Connor red over a free to make it a 5-point Cork lead.
e Stripey women needed a score and Piltown’s Aoife Doyle got her second score of the day on 37 minutes. Cork’s hard-running style was causing huge problems for Brian Dowling’s team. Netminder
Aoife Norris was called into action again to deny Katrina Mackey a second goal with a brave block. Denise Gaule then went on a 3-point
scoring burst, including two ne e orts from play to narrow the ladies in red’s lead to just one point by the 45th minute.
Aghabullogue’s Cliona Healy then struck over a nice point to settle the Cork supporters’ nerves as Kilkenny made a change with Sophie O’Dwyer replacing Katie Nolan, the latter who had been starved of any quality ball before departing. Amy O’Connor and Densie Gaule swapped scores, the latter in particular, a stunning e ort from halfway. Cliona Healy then struck her second point of the game, one which should have been ruled out following Aisling ompson’s clear obstruction on Katie Power.
St Vincents
O’Connor then beat Ti anie Fitzgerald for pace and red over a nice point to push the Cork lead to four. is would soon be ve as the deadly O’Connor was fouled and converted the resulting free.
e Leesiders were looking tter, faster, stronger.
Kilkenny needed an urgent spark, and it came in the form of a goal from Denise Gaule.
Katie Power picked up the ball and headed for goal. e Piltown player advanced and did brilliantly to pick out Gaule who cleverly had pulled into space on Power’s left. e Windgap player stepped inside her rst defender, then slipped between two others, before batting the ball past Amy Lee. e gap was down to two points in the 58th minute. Determined to try and force extra time, Gaule then
took a superb catch before being fouled. Calmly, she dispatched the free between the Cork posts. Just one more point needed.
Cork went on the attack to try and put matters beyond the black and amber. It looked like Amy O’Connor was about to bat the ball into the Kilkenny net, but goalkeeper Aoife Norris tested the quality of the nippy forward’s jersey as she hit the ground. e sliotar rolled towards the net, but the Noresiders scrambled the danger away. We were all waiting for Dermody’s whistle to signal penalty but play continued. As the stripey women went in search of an equalising score, Ste Fitzgerald got caught in two minds and was blown up for over carrying, small margins. ere was still time for one more opportunity. Katie Power picked up the ball and surged forward. It looked to everyone that Katie was being fouled, but perhaps to make up for the previous decision, John Dermody saw no reason to award a free. With that decision went the chance to draw level. e long whistle sounded; Kilkenny’s reign as All-Ireland champions was over; Cork would advance to a semi- nal meeting with Galway. Final score, Cork 2-14, Kilkenny 2-13.
Scorers for Cork: A O’Connor (1-6, 0-4 frees, 0-1 ‘45); K Mackey (1-2); S McCartan, C Healy (0-2 each); C Sigerson (free), H Looney (0-1 each).
Scorers for Kilkenny: D Gaule (110, 0-7 frees, 0-1 ‘45); A Prendergast (1-0); A Doyle (0-2); J Malone (0-1).
CORK: A Lee; P Mackey, L Coppinger, M Murphy; M Cahalane, L Tracey, I O’Regan; H Looney, A Healy; C Sigerson, F Keating, S McCarthy; A O’Connor, S McCartan, K Mackey.
Subs: C Healy for Sigerson (36); O Cronin for McCartan (42); A ompson for Looney (44); L Hayes for O’Regan (58).
KILKENNY: A Norris; G Walsh, C Phelan, S Fitzgerald; L Murphy, N Deely, T Fitzgerald; K Power, K Doyle; J Malone, A Doyle, M Kenneally; K Nolan, D Gaule, A Prendergast.
Subs: M Teehan for Murphy (32); S O’Dwyer for K Nolan (46); A McHardy for Prendergast (50); J Cli ord for Kenneally (62). Referee: J Dermody (Westmeath).
Significant Further Information/Revised Plans
I, Richard Walsh intend to apply to Kilkenny County Council for planning permission for a Proposed new single storey side and rear extension to existing dwelling, Demolition of existing garage, stormwater soakaways, landscaping and all associated site works at Tullaroan, Co. Kilkenny. Ref. No. of the application: P.23/106.
Significant Further Information/Revised plans have been furnished to the Planning Authority in respect of this proposed development, and is available for inspection or purchase at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy, at the Offices of the Planning Authority during its public opening hours of 9:00 a.m. to 1.00 p.m. and 2.00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
A submission or observation in relation to the further information or revised plans may be made in writing to the Planning Authority within a period of 2 weeks from the date of receipt of the revised public notices. A submission or observation must be accompanied by the prescribed fee of €20, except in the case of a person or body who has already made a submission or observation and such submission or observation will be considered by the Planning Authority in making a decision on the application. The Planning Authority may grant permission subject to or without conditions, or may refuse to grant permission.
We, David Crowley & Maeve Ayre intend to apply to Kilkenny County Council for Planning permission for the Proposed renovations to existing dwelling, proposed two storey rear extension, proposed stormwater soakaways, landscaping and all associated site works. Existing rear extension to be partially demolished. This dwelling is in an architectural conservation area at 13 St Johns Terrace, Dublin Road, Kilkenny. The planning application may be inspected, or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy, at the offices of the Planning Department, Kilkenny County Council, County Hall, John Street, Kilkenny, during its public opening hours 9.00 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. The Planning Authority may grant permission subject to or without conditions, or may refuse to grant permission. Signed: Nextgen Design, www.ngdb.ie.
I Aidan Kelly Agricultural Design & Planning Services (085 7466211, www.adps.ie) intends to apply to Kilkenny County Council on behalf of my client Jimmy Campion . Permission to construct slatted shed with underground effluent tanks and all associated site works at Connahy, Ballyragget, Co. Kilkenny. The planning application may be inspected, or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy, at the offices of the Planning Department, Kilkenny County Council, County Hall, John Street, Kilkenny, during its public opening hours 9.00 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.
We, Glanbia Management Services Limited, hereby intend to apply to Kilkenny County Council for Planning Permission for a replacement totem sign on site and erection of a new sign to the front facade of Glanbia House, Gallowshill, Kilkenny.
The planning application may be inspected, or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy, at the offices of the Planning Department, Kilkenny County Council, County Hall, John Street, Kilkenny, during its public opening hours 9 a.m.- 1.00 p.m. and 2.00 p.m. – 4.00 p.m. Monday to Friday, and a submission or observation in relation to the application may be made to the Planning Authority in writing on payment of the prescribed fee (€20.00) within the period of 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the Authority of the planning application, and such submissions or observations will be considered by the Planning Authority in making a decision on the application. The Planning Authority may grant permission subject to or without conditions, or may refuse to grant permission. Signed: Brian Dunlop Architects Ltd.
KILKENNY COUNTY COUNCIL
Outline permission is sought Dymphna & Liam Maher for a single storey dwelling, new vehicular site entrance, soakpits, and all other associated site development works at Thornback Road, Keatingstown, Co Kilkenny. The planning application may be inspected, or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy, at the offices of the Planning Department, Kilkenny County Council, County Hall, John Street, Kilkenny, during its public opening hours 9 a.m.- 1.00 p.m. and 2.00 p.m. – 4.00 p.m. Monday to Friday, and a submission or observation in relation to the application may be made to the Planning Authority in writing on payment of the prescribed fee (€20.00) within the period of 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the Authority of the planning application, and such submissions or observations will be considered by the Planning Authority in making a decision on the application. The Planning Authority may grant permission subject to or without conditions, or may refuse to grant permission.
KILKENNY COUNTY COUNCIL
I, Shane Hennessy intend to apply to Kilkenny County Council for Retention Planning Permission to retain existing shed/store and all associated site development works at Rathealy, Ballintarsna, Tullaroan, Co. Kilkenny, R95 E0V8. 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.
13TH ANNIVERSARY
In loving memory of Paul Dawson of 447 Mill Street, Callan who died on July 16th 2010
BABY SOPHIA HUDSON
DIED MAY 27TH 2023
Also remembering Paul’s granddaughter baby Sophia who died on May 27th 2023.
Fondly remembered always by Mam, Dad and family
10TH ANNIVERSARY
In loving memory of David, late of 36, St. Kieran’s Crescent, Johnswell Road and Drakelands, Kilkenny, who died on 9th July 2013. R.I.P
Will those who think of him today
A little prayer to Jesus say.
Sadly missed by his loving family.
Carmelite and Martyr
God of peace and justice, you open our hearts to love and the joy of the Gospel, even in the midst of every hatred and degradation of our brothers and sisters. Make of us your witnesses in today’s world, so that, like Saint Titus Brandsma we may see the tenderness beyond the horrors of inhumanity to your glory that shines through the martyrs in every age. Amen. Favours Received. M.B.
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.
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.F.
Dear heart of Jesus, in the past I have asked many favours.
This time I ask you this special one (mention favour).
Take it dear heart of Jesus and place it within your heart where your father sees it. Then in his merciful eyes it will become your own favour not mine. Amen.
Say this prayer three times for three days and your favour will be granted.
Never been known to fail.
Must promise publication of prayer.P.L.
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.B.T.
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.L.M.
Always loved, Never forgotten, Forever missed.GAFFNEY (DAVID JNR)
