Kilkenny Observer 14th October 2022

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Climate Activists Putin Turns 70 Kilkenny agency for first From a lowly KGB agent ‘near zero emissions’ zone to a political tyrant Special Report, Page 14

Global Report, Page 22

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Our suicide risk One in four farmers is considered a suicide risk, according to a new study on farmer mental health in Ireland.

The study, by UCD School of Agriculture and Food Science and funded by the HSE National Office for Suicide Prevention, also reports that more than 50% of farmers are experiencing “moderate to extremely severe depression”.

The publication of the results from the year-long re-

search project coincides with Ag Mental Health Week.

Alongside the study’s oneto-one interviews and focus groups, 256 farmers (185 men, 71 women) aged 21-70 (average 39 years) participated in a national survey to identify risk factors for poor mental health and suicide among the community.

Most participants farmed 25-49ha (28%) or 75-100ha (28%), worked an average of eight hours a day on farm,

with enterprises including dairy (52%), beef (25%), mixed (10%), sheep (8%), tillage (2%) and other (3%).

According to the results, seen by the Farming Independent, the survey found that “23.4% of farmers were considered at risk for suicide, with more than half of farmers currently experiencing moderate to extremely severe depression”.

It also stated “almost 40% of farmers were experiencing

moderate to extremely severe anxiety and stress”.

Based on the scale used for the study, the authors said the term “at risk of suicide” means participants reported having suicidal thoughts or urges during the previous two-week period.

The study showed that farm holders reported higher suicidal ideation and higher distress than non-holders, suggesting farm holders are at greater risk for suicide.

Key triggers of farm stress included Government policies designed to reduce climate change, outsiders not understanding farming and concern over the future of the farm. The authors say the study findings tally with the team’s qualitative work whereby farmers mentioned feeling “scapegoated” for climate change, being “misrepresented” in the media, and “worrying” about succession.

Direct humanitarian aid will be provided to families in Creeslough who were so sadly affected by the explosion which killed 10 people in Donegal, the Cabinet has ag reed.

The Government’s humanitarian fund would be extended to families who were directly impacted by the tragedy.

Full story, Page 10

Kilkenny is one of the top three counties with the most households that have welcomed Ukrainian refugees into their own homes or pledged their holiday houses to these fleeing the Russian invasion.

9% growth forecast The Irish economy will grow 9% this year and 4% next year, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) predicts, as it forecasts a global slowdown starting from this winter.

Almost half of the world’s economies are looking at two successive quarters of negative growth — in 2023, the IMF estimates, with Germany, Italy and Russia facing a full-on recession.

Waterford has the most pledged accommodation currently hosting refugees through the Red Cross.

And a total of 119 housing pledges have been filled in Waterford, the highest number per 100,000 population when compared to other counties.

Full story, Page 4 Global Report, Page 22

Glanbia settles ‘salt loss’ of €3.2m EVERY FRIDAY

Glanbia Ireland DAC and Glanbia Foods Ireland Ltd sued the Irish Salt Company Ltd, of Tramore Road, Cork, and British Salt Ltd of Northwich, Cheshire, England, for alleged losses of some

The Kilkenny

Observer UNIT 7, FRIARY STREET, KILKENNY, R95 VHY7

More than 7,500 people in Kilkenny are to benefit from Fuel Allowance to be paid for 28 weeks. National fuel allowance scheme will help 7,532 households in the county with their winter heating costs.

There are other one-off and two-off social welfare payments as well.

Full story, Page 6

Humanitarian aid for grieving Creeslough

Refugees feel more at home here

A dispute over allegedly contaminated salt which was provided to food producer Glanbia for cheese making has been resolved following mediation, the Commercial Court heard.

Fuel booster will benefit 7,532

€3.2m after pieces of wood, bird feathers and shards of metal were found in salt supplied for cheese making.

Conal Ellis BL, for Glanbia, told the court that the mediation between the parties was successful and the case could be put back for a

month for implementation of the settlement.

Mr Justice Denis McDonald congratulated the parties on the outcome of the mediation and adjourned it to November 14.

In its action, Glanbia claimed the defendants sup-

plied or manufactured allegedly contaminated salt which was found in two separate incidents in 2020.

The first was in Glanbia’s Ballyragget plant in Kilkenny, and the second at its Rocklands production facility in Wexford.

INSIDE Paul Hopkins.........................P8 Marianne Heron.................P12 John Ellis .............................P16 Health & Science................P18 Travel & Leisure.................P19 Gerry Moran........................P20 Ger Cody ..................P21 & P33 Food & Drink.......................P36 TV & Streaming .................P37 Sport.................................P42,43

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GETTING IN TOUCH WITH THE TEAM

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News Kilkenny is one of the top three counties with the most households that have welcomed Ukrainian refugees into their own homes or pledged their holiday houses to these fleeing the Russian invasion.

Waterford has the most pledged accommodation currently hosting refugees through the Red Cross. And a total of 119 housing pledges have been filled in Waterford, the highest number per 100,000 population when compared to other counties.

Wexford comes in second with 108 pledges taken up and Kilkenny third, followed

by Leitrim and Dublin.

Sligo and Donegal have the smallest number of people in pledged housing per 100,000 population when compared to other counties.

Three pledged properties are accommodating Ukrainians in Sligo and seven in Donegal.

A total of 540 properties have Ukrainian refugees living in them in Dublin, with 97 in Cork, and 70 in Meath.

Meanwhile, 1,467 pledges have been filled by refugees through local county and city councils, with a further 213 housed through the Irish Refugee Council.

Over 4,500 Ukrainian refugees live in pledged housing.

Despite more than 20,000 initial pledges by members of the public at the start of the war, only 1,680 properties around the country have

We offer more homes for Ukrainians

seen Ukrainians actually move in.

Half of the 20,000 pledges fell through and 10,485 properties were passed on to local councils and NGOs to work through. However, a further 5,377 offers were withdrawn because the owners were unreachable or properties deemed unsuitable.

Out of the remaining 5,108, so far only 1,680 properties now have Ukrainian refugees living in them. Over 50,000 Ukrainian refugees have

arrived in Ireland and over 39,000 of these have needed state accommodation.

The figures were released by the Department of Integration via parliamentary question to Labour leader Ivana Bacik.

The State is facing increasing challenges in accommodating refugees not just from Ukraine but also asylum seekers from other countries.

“It is expected that not all of those remaining pledges will result in beneficiary place-

ment for various reasons,” said Integration Minister Roderic O’Gorman.

“Overseeing provision of accommodation on this scale during this timeframe for all those who require it remains immensely challenging.

“Due to the urgent need to source accommodation, a broad range of accommodation types have been contracted, including emergency accommodation.”

There are 38,212 Ukrainians with a status of “beneficiaries

of temporary protection” that live in temporary or emergency accommodation in Ireland.

Ms Bacik said the rate at which people gave up their homes to Ukrainians was a “testament to the generosity and solidarity shown to those fleeing the war”.

She raised concerns over the “low conversion rate” from properties being pledged to people moving into them.

“The Government and local

authorities must do more to convert that goodwill to meet the accommodation needs of our new arrivals.

“Clearly, there is a need for sufficient vetting and due diligence where a home is offered, but the low conversion rate detailed by Minister O’Gorman may be indicative of the need for greater coordination across state agencies, as sought by the Ukraine Civic Society Forum.”

Global Report, Page 22

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News

Political parties fail to submit their accounts An alarming 13 political parties have failed to meet their statutory obligations to provide the ethics watchdog with a statement of their accounts, according to a new report from Ireland’s ethics watchdog.

Ten parties, including all of Ireland’s main political groups, were found to be compliant.

Political parties registered in Ireland are required to

disclose their annual accounts to the Standards in Public Office Commission (SIPO) by June 30 every year under the Electoral Act 1997.

Four registered parties did not provide accounts to SIPO: Identity Ireland, Renua Ireland, the National Party and the Workers’ Party.

Nine parties submitted accounts which were unaudited, including the Human

Dignity Alliance and Right To Change.

The Human Dignity Alliance was founded by NUI Senator Rónán Mullen, but he is listed as an independent on the Oireachtas website.

Right to Change is represented in the Dáil by Joan Collins, but she is officially listed as part of the Independents 4 Change bloc.

None of the other parties

have any representatives in the Dáil or Seanad.

According to the Irish Independent, The report said that Right To Change submitted “unsigned finatcial statements in the required format”, as well as bank statements. “They have not been audited and have not been reviewed in detail.”

Other parties that submitted unaudited accounts were the Irish Freedom Par-

ty, the Communist Party of Ireland and Direct Democracy Ireland.

The 10 parties which were found to meet their statutory obligations were: • Aontú • Fianna Fáil • Fine Gael • Green Party • Independents 4 Change •Kerry Independent Alliance • People Before Profit/Soli-

darity • Sinn Féin • Social Democrats • Labour In its report SIPO called for a minimum income threshold below which parties do not have to submit audited financial statements. It has made this recommendation in previous reports, but this year noted that the Electoral Reform Act 2022 did not include such a change.

Over 7,500 in Kilkenny will benefit from fuel allowance The national fuel allowance scheme will help 7,532 households in Kilkenny with their winter heating costs, according to the Minister for Social Protection, Heather Humphreys TD, whohas announced the start of the National Fuel Allowance Scheme, which will be paid over 28 weeks.

Many more people in Kilkenny also qualify this year. Deputy John Paul Phelan said: “Figures show that in all 7,523 people in Kilkenny who are entitled to the Fuel Allowance will now be able to avail of it as we approach the winter.

“The payment is made at the weekly rate of €33 or, by way of two lump sum payments if people prefer.

“In addition, as part of Budget 2023, Minister Humphreys secured funding for the largest ever expansion of the Fuel Allowance scheme.

This expansion will bring many more Kilkenny households (81,000 more nationally) into the scheme. This will be of particular benefit for older people with a new means test taking effect for

over 70s from January,” he said.

“Under this new over 70s means test, a single person can have income of €500 per week and a couple can have income of €1000 per week.

In the case of a couple where one person is under 70 and one person is over 70, they will be assessed under the over 70s means test criteria.”

The weekly means threshold for those aged under 70 will also be increased by €80 a week, from €120 to €200 above the weekly rate of State Pension Contributory.

Minister Humphreys said: “I am very conscious that older people are particularly vulnerable to the cold however many pensioners currently fall just outside the income thresholds to qualify for fuel allowance.

“For that reason, I am introducing a new over 70s means test for fuel allowance from January.

“Under this, a single person can have income of €500 a week and a couple can have income of €1,000 a week and still qualify for fuel allowance.”

New chapter: our columnist’s book launch The Kilkenny Observer columnist and opinion writer Paul Hopkins pictured with his adult children Niamh and Paul at the launch of his book of writings culled from some three million words printed in numerous newspapers the past 20 years.

Entitled ‘Affairs Of The Heart ( And Other Writings)’, it is published by Monument Media and is available in selected bookstores and outlets and can also be ordered online at

www.monumentmediapress.com at €14.99 plus postage.

The launch took place in The Snug in Skerries, north Co. Dublin where Hopkins lives and was attended by family, friends and members of the media.

From family life to farflung travel, this treasure trove of stories and musings capture a story of a life well lived. Laughter, tears, hope and sadness — and love — all feature in this beautiful book of selected writings,

that has something for everyone ... bringing together the very essence of what it means to be human.

Hopkins is an Irish journalist of nearly 50 years standing, in a career working for many national titles including The Irish Press, The Irish Independent, the Sunday Tribune and the Belfast Telegraph. He has variously worked as reporter, copy editor, senior editor, and award-winning newspaper designer.

He has covered three

conflict zones, namely the Rhodesia/Zimbabwe war of the 1970s, undercover to report on the IRA Three in Colombia in 2003, and the Kenyan civil war in 2008.

His award-winning travel writing has taken him halfway around the world and he has also spent stints as music columnist and book critic.

His column, The Fact Of The Matter, appears every Friday in The Kilkenny Observer.

PHOTO: Willie Dillon

Milk Quality event Back on the boards, Gowran Little Theatre for Tirlán suppliers Tirlán, formerly Glanbia Ireland, is hosting a series of Autumn Milk Quality events for milk suppliers, with the final in its series aimed at suppliers in the South East. It will be taking place at Teagasc, Kildalton College, Piltown, on Thursday, October 27, beginning at 11am.

The interactive event will focus on maintaining milk quality throughout the autumn and winter as well as the new

Sustainability Action Payment for 2023.

Speakers will showcase best practice around managing and maintaining low TBC, Thermoduric and SCC levels though autumn and winter.

Expert advice will also be offered on parlour routines and minimising residues, managing lactose levels and actions to take now to qualify for the full Sustainability Action Payment of 0.5 cpl for 2023.

Gowran Little Theatre is delighted to announce that it’s ninth production will be Brian Friel’s comedy ‘The Communication Cord’.

Set in a restored thatched cottage close to the sea in the remote townland of Ballybeg, Co. Donegal, the acclaimed farce is preoccupied with language and its powerful effects.

Returning to the director’s chair is Declan Taylor who previously directed the group’s acclaimed 2019 production of ‘The Odd Couple’.

Mr Taylor has experience

both on and off the stage in plays, pantomimes and musicals from groups across the county.

This year’s cast includes both new and existing members. Audiences will see Peter Madden play the role of Tim Gallagher, Alan Grant as Jack McNeilis, Judith McCormack as Nora Dan, Orna Hayes as Claire Harkin, Derek Lawler as Senator Doctor Donovan, Kevina Hayes as Susan Donovan, John Kennedy as Barney the Banks and Claire Gibbs as Evette Giroux.

Judith McCormack, Chairperson of Gowran Little Theatre, said: “Like many others, the pandemic held us back for the past two years but we’re delighted to be making our grand return to the stage in Gowran later this month.

There is an excellent group of people working around the clock both on and off the stage to make this a great show and I’m very excited to welcome audiences back to Gowran Little Theatre to see Brian Friel’s hilariously fastpaced ‘The Communication Cord’.”

Tickets for the play in Gowran Parish Hall from October 21 to 24 are available now on www.gowranlittletheatre. com.

Founded in 2012, Gowran Little Theatre in the past 10 years the group have performed plays including ‘Moonshine’, ‘Lend Me A Tenor’ and ‘The Cripple of Inishmaan’.

Ms McCormack said the group was always open to new members interested in performing on stage or getting involved backstage or front of house.

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Opinion

The Fact Of OfThe Matter PAUL HOPKINS

Magnificent obsession with the weather What is it, this obsession of ours with the weather? When it’s hot, it’s ‘very hot, isn’t it?’

And when it floods it’s a great excuse to close schools or hospitals and take a day off work. We’re obsessed with climate, though sadly not with climate change and its potential powers of destruction for future generations.

At the bus stop, in the taxi, in the lift, bumping unexpectedly into people we know in the laneway, the talk is invariably of the weather. Maybe it’s a way of getting over our initial awkwardness at being in proximity with our fellow man while trying to avoid any misconstrued intimacy.

We have a considerable cache of cliches in our conversation confined strictly for weather: It’s a soft day thank God; hmmm that cloud looks ominous; I’d bring the ump’ if I were you, just in case; it’s weather for the ducks; if you sit too long in that sun, you’ll

get cancer; when I was a kid the summers ... and so on.

Speaking of which, I reckon it’s just a trick of the mind, of ageing, that we think the summers of our childhood were sunnier and hotter.

Here, and around the world, the Eighties were unusually warm. Globally, seven of the 10 warmest years since accurate records began about a century ago occurred in the Eighties. And the trend has continued, with 1990 the hottest and 2003 the second on record, then 2006 — or was that 2007? And, floods aside, 2015 is set to join that sunny set.

In the mid-Seventies it was the drought; during the late Eighties it was the greenhouse effect. In the Nineties, some reports suggested we were being poisoned by the poor quality of the air we breathed.

Our obsession is perhaps due, in part, to the fact that we are predominantly an in-

creasingly urban society, and our climate is so relatively temperate that we seem to have no collective feel for the traits of the seasons.

More of us increasingly live in cities than is the norm for many Europeans. Even in comparatively small country towns where local, and therefore seasonal, produce ought to be available, we pick our fruit and vegetables off the supermarket shelves … always available, uniform, and imported when out of season.

We now move in an artificial world, from our domestic central heating, which insulates us from the winter chills to our offices, where the air-conditioning tempers the fierce heat of the summer sun.

And so, our obsession continues.

I enjoy weather ... well most of it. Hurricanes, floods, dense fog and extreme tem-

peratures don’t have a lot going for them, but I cannot imagine living in a country where the weather is the same all year round.

The truth is we find a consistently harsh climate, either tropical or arctic, strangely unlike us. We’ve always preferred moody clouds and atmosphere to clear skies

and sharp horizons. “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?” the poet asks his dark lady. “Thou art more lovely and more temperate.” Variety, coolness, and doubt are what we crave.

Weather is braided into the national psyche. Those of us who are destined to live on this damp, foggy archipelago

Extracted from Affairs of the Heart (And Other Writings)

by Paul Hopkins, out now, priced €14.99, and available in selective outlets.

The collection, culled from writings of the past 20 years, has been described as a selection of stories that will “warm your emotions and light your soul... bringing together the very essence of what it means to be human”.

The bookcan now also be ordered online at www.monumentmediapress.com, with worldwide shipping.

are sapped and disorientated by prolonged heat. We are conditioned never to expect a full day’s sunshine, let alone a month or two of scorchers.

Our classic excursion begins with grey skies, and brightens at lunchtime, before the heavens open and we traipse home, having had, we tell ourselves, “the best of the day”.

Limited, not great, expectations are what sustain us.

Perhaps the threat of climate change, if this is what the current severe floods suggests, is more the threat of extremes than the onset of ecological disaster.

In the end, we need to work with the weather, adapt to the conditions and celebrate that which is good.

Besides, what would happen to the fine art of conversation at the bus stop or in the taxi if it could not celebrate the great tradition of sunshine and showers?

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Pension deal is welcomed Government approval of the General Scheme of the Automatic Enrolment (AE) Retirement Savings System Bill paves the way for every €3 saved by a worker towards their pension to be topped up with a €4 credit to their savings account, according to Fine Gael TD John Paul Phelan.

The announcement

marked “historic progress on the delivery of an Automatic Enrolment System in Ireland” and would help younger people in particular starting out in the working world to plan and save towards their retirement, Deputy Phelan said.

The new system was designed to simplify the pensions decision for workers

and make it easier for employers to offer a workplace pension, he explained.

“Under Auto Enrolment employees will have access to a workplace pension savings scheme which is co-funded by their employer and the State.

"A key feature of the system is that although participation is voluntary, it operates

on an ‘opt-out’ rather than an ‘opt-in’ basis.

“In order to encourage workers to participate, people who remain in the system will have their pension savings matched on a one-for-one basis by the employer. The State will also provide a top-up of €1 for every €3 saved by the worker. This means that for

every €3 saved by the employee, a further €4 will be invested by the employer and the State combined,” Deputy Phelan said.

Key features of Auto Enrolment are: * Initially 750,000 workers will be enrolled into a new workplace pension scheme, which will grow significantly over time;

* Participation in the new scheme will be voluntary workers will have the ability to opt-out or suspend participation periodically; *The scheme will include matching employer contributions and a State top-up; * For every €3 saved by a worker, a further €4 will be credited to their savings account.

Government aid for Creeslough families bereft by tragic deaths Direct humanitarian aid will be provided to families in Creeslough, Co Donegal who were so sadly affected by the explosion last Friday, the Cabinet has agreed today.

Social Protection Minister Heather Humphreys said: “Cabinet gave approval to extend access to the humanitarian fund to households directly affected by last Friday devastating incident on Creeslough.”

This fund was previously reserved for households that had been impacted by flooding. Under the plan, households can earn up to €70,000 and still avail of the aid.

“This is to help people that that may need to purchase personal items or may need to buy something for their home

or repair something that has been damaged,” said Minister Humphreys.

The Minister said that there were community welfare officers “on the ground” in Creeslough and that the Government would work to provide “any assistance we can in the days ahead”.

“The fact that we’re including the humanitarian fund as part of our other supports gives us even more flexibility to ensure that we can give them all the support that they need at this at this most difficult time,” said Ms Humphreys.

Ten people died in the explosion which is under forensic examination.

The deaths in the small Donegal community of just 400 people has touched so many people.

They're teaming up, to clean up!

RehabCare was first out of the gates recently to take part in Kilkenny County Council’s 'Let’s Team Up to Clean Up, Together for Kilkenny', a day of environmental action. Eager to get going, the service users at RehabCare organised themselves into two teams and planned their litterpicking routes throughout the city. Mayor David Fitzgerald came to meet the teams along with the council’s Environmental Awareness officer.

The inaugural litter-picking activity was stalled by the weather but the sense of excitement and city pride

swelled in the room as discussion took place on why it's so important to keep Kilkenny City tidy. The Mayor compared Kilkenny’s hurling success to how well Kilkenny City is cared for, it takes a great team to keep Kilkenny looking so well and this initiative helps the community to provide a helping hand.

He said: “Every team needs star players and I see a great team in front of me today.”

The registration for 'Let's Team Up to Clean Up, Together for Kilkenny' is now closed. There will be 55 groups active on the morn-

ing of Kilkenny Day between 10.30a.m.-12.30p.m., picking loose litter and reporting illegal dumping hot spots to the council for investigation.

A representative of each group has attended a health and safety information session and each group have been given a litter kit from the James Stephen's Army Barracks where army personnel came on board to lend a hand and assembled the litter kits.

The day will see more than 6,000 flowering bulbs planted which will increase the floral displays around the city next spring. The initia-

tive provided over 600 litter pickers and 600 hi-vis vests along with ancillary health and safety equipment to community groups and schools across Kilkenny City.

For any group who missed the opportunity to participate this month, a county wide initiative is planned for next February and the registration portal is open via https://cleanup.kilkenny.ie/, groups are welcome to apply now. * Our picture shows Mayor Fitzgerald chatting with service users of RehabCare Photo: Vicky Comerford

Clune backs new EU disease plan Ireland South MEP Deirdre Clune has backed new EU plans to protect people from major disease outbreaks and cross-border health emergencies.

The European Parliament has agreed measures to strengthen the European Centre for Disease Control and the European Medicines Agency.

MEP Clune, a member of the European Parliament’s Special Committee on Covid-19, said lessons had been learned from the pandemic.

"These agencies have become household names over the past two years, but in fact they did not have enough powers to work with Member States, in our case with the Government and the HSE, to

share information, promote best practices, and prevent shortages," she said.

They had now been strengthened with more resources to monitor national health systems, identify gaps, provide science-based recommendations, and procure medicines and medical devices.

"These measures also allow the EU to formally recognise

a public health emergency, triggering stronger cooperation in the development, purchase and stockpiling of required products," said Ms Clune.

"The structures are now in place for a stronger European Health Union that protects people from major disease outbreaks and cross-border health emergencies.”

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Opinion

As I See It Marianne Heron

In deep water, when the water dries up Last month we were without water for a day and a half together with a swathe of north Wicklow due to work on a filtration plant. On day one it meant no showers, no loo flushing, dish or other washing.

By day two we were buying bottled water and I had belatedly purchased a rain water barrel. It’s extraordinary how much we depend on something we take for granted.

Last month, too, a month-long hosepipe ban was introduced in West Cork where rainfall is down by 60% where the local supply of H2O is at a historic low. Everywhere else in the country we were asked to be careful about our use of the liquid but are we not overly com-

placent about our water security given the amount of rainfall here?

It’s hard to accept the idea that we can be short of water yet we do have economic water scarcity, that’s the kind due to inadequate infrastructure and increased demand and our summers are getting drier due to climate change. It can seem, though, that there is water aplenty, the world is a watery place, 75% of it is covered with water, only 3% of that is drinkable and 75% is locked up in ice so that leaves us with 1%.

The amount of rain elsewhere can distort our view too, but climate change is making wet areas wetter with catastrophic results as well as dry places drier.

In the last month more than 1,000 people in Pakistan lost their lives in flooding, a third of the country is under water and millions are homeless.

Scarily, though, areas in major food producing countries like the US, India, Australia and Spain are experiencing drought driven water shortages while China is facing a water crisis as rivers dry up.

Here we have abundant water resources between rivers, lakes and surface water. But a lot of the water which is saved in dams never comes out of our taps. In 2018, 49% of our water supply was lost through leakage. Now Irish Water have reduced that to 38% and hope to

UPMC Nowlan Park Sunday 16th October Purchase tickets HERE

12.15pm – Revise Under 19 Roinn C Co Final St Martin’s v Tullaroan 2.30pm – St Canice’s Credit Union Snr Co Final Shamrock’s Ballyhale v James Stephens General Admission €15 These tickets can be purchased online or in Supervalu or Centra Supermarkets.

Students & Pensioners €10 These tickets can only be purchased online.

Under 16’s are free.

Please make sure to come early and have your ticket purchased in advance to avoid any delays. We also ask supporters to please park responsibly and to be respectful of our neighbours in the area around UPMC Nowlan Park.

have it down to 25% by 2030 and increase supplies by 40% by 2044.

My attitude to water will never be the same after I experienced a serious drought while living in Cape Town. The Western Cape depends on winter rainfall to fill dams both for public water supply and private dams on farms. After three consecutive dry winters a crisis was declared and everyone in Cape Town was rationed to 100 litres of water a day for everything (in Ireland we use three to four times that a day.) The only way to get extra water was to drive to collect water at springs where fights broke out. I began to believe the gloomy prediction that the next major

‘Safeguarding a precious resource...

war will be over water.

To this day I grit my teeth when people run water needlessly, I don’t run the tap when I brush my teeth, this takes about 4.5 litres. A small example: I run off at least a litre waiting for the tap to

run hot for washing up, so I save that water for pot plants. The amount of water for showering depends on the shower head, having a daily five minute shower with an older style showerhead uses about 36,500 litres of water a year!

It all adds up when safeguarding a precious resource. Meantime my new water barrel is fitted to a down pipe to catch all that water that runs off the roof when it rains.

It’s full now, next time there is a dry spell I can water my plants with a clear conscience, if the water gets turned off at least we will have nondrinking water.

It really is a precious resource.

Symptoms of the Perimenopause CLAIR WHITTY

The menopause is a journey that is for sure. I know it was for me, but thankfully, I am at the other side now and l feel great. Some of you will begin with perimenopause symptoms in your early thirties but for most women it could be in your late forties.

There are many symptoms associated with the perimenopause. You may experience just one symptom at a time or several together: hot flushes and night sweats. Anxiety, mood swings, sleep problems, low libido, or low energy. Anger, frustration, and irritability. You could have aches and pains in the joints and muscles. Your skin and hair can lack lustre. Bloating

and constipation can be a problem too. Memory and cognitive problems are also possible. Vaginal dryness too, the list goes on.

Natural Remedies, a healthy diet, exercise, sleep, and stress reduction are all part of helping you deal with the symptoms. I took many different remedies on my journey to help deal with the various symptoms I went through. There are lots of new supplements on the market since then. I will talk about some of them next week.

A.Vogel Sage is possibly the most well-known supplement to relieve hot flushes and night sweats, it’s still the go to supplement for hot flushes today.

Up to date research shows that Sage is also beneficial for cognitive function. It combines well with the A. Vogel Menopause Support Supplement to help with

low energy and low mood.

For hormone balance, improved mood, energy, good skin, and intimate dryness, then Cleanmarine Menomin is a great place to start. I like it because it’s an all-in-one Omega 3, Phytonutrient and Vitamin Blend with Vitamins B1, B2, B6, to regulate hormonal activity. B12 to reduce tiredness and fatigue. As well as Soya Isoflavones, Folate and Biotin Plus, it contains Vitamin D to help maintain normal healthy bones. I get brilliant feedback about it.

Comments I hear include: I just feel fantastic on it.

My mood is brilliant. And, I can look at myself in the mirror again, my skin looks great. Most women love it, it’s worth taking a look at, see what you think. I will go through a couple of other supplements next week.

If you have a question about the perimenopause why not pop in and see us at Market Cross, we would be delighted to help you figure out what is the best supplements to suit your needs.

Natural Health Store, Market Cross Shopping Centre Phone: 056 7764538 Email: info@naturalhealthstore.ie Visit us in store or check us out online at www.naturalhealthstore.ie

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 14 October 2022

News Energy experts with a trusted 20 year track record of delivering low carbon energy solutions across the South East of Ireland from their Kilkenny headquarters are now bidding to create the country’s first near zero emissions rural region.

The newly-formed South East Energy Agency is working across Carlow, Kilkenny, Wexford and now Waterford and its mission is to help the four counties become a further magnet for low carbon, energy efficient and sustainable enterprise.

It all builds on the trojan work completed over two decades by the now-expanded South East Energy Agency, formerly the 3 Counties Energy Agency (3CEA) and its predecessor, the CarlowKilkenny Energy Agency.

Over that time, the not-forprofit Energy Agency has been leading the regional and national fight against climate change. Its activities since its foundation have resulted in a CO2 reduction of 71,225 tonnes, saving 328Gwh of total primary energy and an avoided spend of €24 million on energy for its partners, much of which is produced using fossil fuels and over this decade needs to transition to clean energy sources.

Launching the new Agency, Marie Donnelly, Chairperson of the Climate Change Advisory Council, said: “One million euro an hour is leaving this country to purchase imported fossil fuel. Ireland’s dependence on fossil fuels is a root cause of high energy costs, supply instability as well as high levels of carbon dioxide emissions.

“We must quickly unlock Ireland’s vast renewable energy resources, increasing our targets for onshore wind, solar renewable electricity and BioEnergy projects as well as the pace of delivery through improvements to planning, regulatory and connections processes,” she said.

“By expediting the delivery of these crucially important indigenous resources we will secure our long - term energy future, protect households and businesses against cost volatility and support our climate change objectives. This will need strong political and policy support at both a national and local level as well as support to local sustainable energy communities.”

Their expansion into Waterford and drive to create

SPECIAL REPORT

Kilkenny energy agency bids for first ‘near zero emissions’ rural zone a sustainable energy rural zone further demonstrated the newly-formed South East Energy Agency’s mission to create a low carbon, energy efficient region, said CEO Paddy Phelan.

The agency would work in partnership with the community of the transport industry, home owners, local authorities business and farming sector to raise awareness and provide support to those who want to become more energy efficient, he said.

With recent energy security and price shocks impacting all homes, business and communities, we all needed to play our part.

“The analogy I use is that

we all find ourselves all meeting at the same narrow gate to find the gate locked.

The combination to that gate is complex. Everyone is looking around to see who has the combination code.

The Government have one number, supply chain has another and finance has another. Infrastructure have the final two numbers.

“The South East Energy Agency is here to help to solve the complex combination, open the gate, widen the gate and ensure safe passage through that gate for every citizen in the region.

Without that code made available to everyone, we cannot transition smoothly,” Mr Phelan said.

“We are supporting energy users in the South East towards a zero carbon future.

Ireland didn’t deliver on our 2020 targets. We can’t wait until the oil runs out to make a switch. Our 2030 targets are much stiffer. We have to start accepting responsibility as individuals and understand there is a way, we will get there, but we all need to play our part in our homes, in our communities and in our own back yards.

“The South East Energy Agency team and its members are not just delivering through communities in terms of Energy Efficiency but now also looking ahead, starting to plan for what the next number of decades will

need to look like, particularly when it comes to the transition of both Energy Infrastructure and Energy supply at a Regional Level.

“Through our work we want to partner and facilitate the key stakeholders to ensure that the regional is transitioned and ready to support the now increasing appetite of its citizens to take action,” Mr Phelan said.

South East Energy Agency is working at local, regional, nation and EU level to ensure that the policies that are not working are fixed and the infrastructure that will be required is considered and delivered on time.

Through strategic partnerships it aims to enable all

the communities in this region to make that transition, not just in energy use or source, but also in terms of their planning for the low carbon region of the near future. 2030 is only eight short years away. * Pictured above: at the official launch at Grow HQ in Waterford were, from left John Carley, Chairman, South East Energy Agency; Michael Walsh, CEO, Waterford City & County Council; Marie Donnelly, Chairperson of the Climate Change Advisory Council and Paddy Phelan, CEO, South East Energy Agency.

Picture: Dylan Vaughan

The Callan community experience The South East Energy Agency has helped numerous groups, individuals, businesses and the local authority in Kilkenny all reduce their carbon footprint and cut costs.

Among them is the Callan Community Energy

Company (CCE). It is set to re-energise Callan, with an ambitious plan for the town to transition to producing all of its own carbon-neutral energy by 2030.

CCE signed up to the National Energy Communities programme with SEAI in

2016 and work is ongoing on its energy masterplan to measure how much energy Callan uses, its potential to generate energy from renewables as well as exploring opportunities for saving energy reducing emissions.

With the agency’s as-

sistance the Callan Community will benefit from the potential of grant aid for energy upgrades, lower energy bills, lower carbon emissions and envisions creating direct and indirect jobs and economic benefits as a result of the activities

of the company.

Other activities include workshops and energy training courses for all community stakeholders and a point of contact for all energy related ideas and energy related enquiries locally.

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 14 October 2022

Opinion

Your Money & You John Ellis

The value we place on a stay-at-home parent Are you thinking of reviewing your life insurance plans and wonder what the proper amount is to insure you and your stay-at-home partner? What monetary value would you use?

Before you state a value look at what the average stay-at-home parent does each day; childcare provider, cleaner, general cook, teaching assistant, gardener, and taxi driver to name a few.

What should the figure be?

Probably, like nine out of 10 people, you underestimate the figure and put a value of €28,460 a year. And using a rule of thumb of putting cover in place of 10 times a salary, you would assume cover of €280/300k to be adequate.

There are approximately 349,500 people in Ireland who work as stay-at-home parents – and the vast majority of these (94%) are

women. According to the findings of a new Irish nationwide survey of 1,000 participants for Royal London Ireland, conducted by iReach earlier this year and seeking to understand people’s perception of the value of stayat-home parents, found the work they do is invaluable for their families and irreplaceable for the community.

And more than eight in 10 people agree that the role of the stay-at-home parent is either under-supported or undervalued by society in Ireland.

Royal London Ireland compared these perceptions with their own research into the monetary value of the homemaker.

According to the provider’s calculations, which are based on real-world wage data, the cost to employ someone to do the ‘duties’ performed by a stay-at-home parent would

be an estimated €53,480 a year.

Yet, according to the survey 31% of people estimated the stay-at-home parent’s ‘salary’ to be €20,000 or less with only 12% estimated it to be between €40,000 - €50,000, and just 8% of people estimated it to be more than €50,000.

Commenting on the findings, Karen Gallagher, Interim Head of Proposition at Royal London Ireland, said: “While the role of the stay-at-home parent could be described as ‘priceless’, it is interesting to gauge the public’s perception of its value through our annual survey. And when it came to putting a monetary value on the work pitched it at €28,460, which is similar to last year’s estimate by survey respondents of approximately €28,000. But it is also well below what we have calcu-

lated as the economic cost in 2022, which is €53,480.”

Ms Gallagher went on to say: “While 18% of people believe the role of the stayat-home parent is held in high esteem by Irish society, it’s interesting to see that a large majority (82%) believe

‘There are 349,500 people in Ireland who work as stayat-home parents – and the vast majority of these (94%) are women...

homemakers are not supported enough or valued by society.

“What is somewhat less surprising, given that this role is predominantly filled by females, is that more women than men (88% vs 75%) believe that Irish society doesn’t support or value the contributions of stay-at-home parents. This is despite the number of stayat-home dads more than doubling in the 10 years from 2009 to 2019, rising from 7,000 to 19,900.”

So, what are the average costs covered by the stay-athome-parent. The calculations reveal that the annual cost to employ someone to do the household jobs usually completed by a stayat-home parent would be up to €53,000 a year. The weekly cost for example would be: child care provider, €356 a week; cleaner, €86

a week; cook, €157 a week; teaching assistant, €60 a week; and taxi driver, €288.

The duties and responsibilities of the stay-at-home parents will vary from family to family and, interestingly, the evaluation of the cost above is more than that reported by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) as the average annual earnings of a person in full-time employment.

It is understandable that, without doing the calculations, many people will not accurately estimate what the cost would be to replace the stay-at-home parent. But based on the above figures the amount of cover required would be in the region of €500k.

Maybe its time to call your financial advisor for a review. john@ellisfinancial 086 8362622

Julie Anne Ryan visits Kilkenny A warm welcome is being extended to Julie Anne Ryan who is visiting Kilkenny at present. Julie Anne is visiting her Aunt Anne Ryan and Uncle Martin Ryan of Ryan’s Electrical, High Street.

Julie Anne is a daughter of Richard Ryan, Anne and Martin’s brother, who emigrated to Australia in the late 1970’s.

Julie Anne hails from Brisbane, Australia where she is a senior member of the police force. An avid sports person Julie Anne has participated in various sports at a level others only dream about. She has played College tennis in the USA before switching to amateur boxing and represented Australia at the World Championships in Russia along with winning Australian championships in 2004 and 2005. Julie Anne took up running in 2012 and although she prefers to run 5k or 10k she did stop off in London on her way to Kilkenny to run the London Marathon clocking a time of 3hours 36 Minutes.

Julie Anne is enjoying her stay in Kilkenny where she is visiting some of the historical sites and enjoying the local hospitality.

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Opinion

The Worshipping of Helena

BY NED EGAN

Part 2 All young lads within my ambit had these dreams and fantasies, and little else. We were still only children – but didn’t believe it. Ted Ryan, one of my closest pals, was a local gossoon, of about my age.

He used to sing this ‘song’ he’d made up: “Oh fish in the sea will you listen to me, ‘cause me wife Raileen Murphy has twins to rear!”

This girl he referred to was a teacher’s daughter, and as such would forever remain unattainable to lads such as Ted – or me. For just as many reasons as you want to think up, reader. And a few more. Quite apart from the fact that Ted had more spots than Binty the fox tarrier. {They were never ‘terriers’ in those days.} Incidentally, Ted was destined never to work, toil,

or mullock; never bothered, never mustered up any ambitions at all regarding such yokes. He took infinite care not to even get close to the four-letter ‘W’ word. As indicated, he was a martyr to boils and wild forests of blackheads, which left his face a bit like he’d stood too close to an exploding tincan full of gravel.

But do you know – he ‘pulled’ the most beauteous of birds, no worry!! Married one of them, too – had the jolliest of marriages – the happiest of lives - eleven or twelve kids – {he wasn’t quite sure} – never missed a night in the pub - and not a day’s labour interfered in his good life! We won’t mention the late-night shifts ….

Anyway, back to my own ‘dreamboat.’ I used to watch her, like an owl, to make sure she wasn’t ‘tricking about’ or ‘being unfaithful’ with any other quare fella.

Unfortunately, I could only see half of the public bar, so when she went out of sight - I had to run around the back to peer in through a small rear window. But by

the time I got there, she’d often be gone back to the main bar! Then I’d have to double back round to that!

This constant rushing round the building used to attract amused attention from the ‘prime boys’ hanging about, and I’d invent excuses like ‘incontinence,’ or ‘meeting a lad at the back door.’

However, the biggest problem was my rival. Yes, dear reader, I had one.

Lots, really, but this lad was a real danger to my future happiness.

You can see why he created panic and worry in my jealous heart. He was twenty-two, stood to inherit a big farm, and owned a Raleigh bike with a Sturmey-Archer threespeed-gear and dynamolamp! Lots of reasons there that could sink me – any one of them! Better keep tabs on this slieveen, or he’d wipe me eye for sure!

So, in order to get a few clues about grown-up romance, I set my cap at making regular shillings, so I could visit the ‘Pictures’ in Callan. That’s the place to get the hang of this

romance craic! My visits to school also became even fewer than my preobsession days.

Instead, I was off picking stones and cutting thistles for ‘Jack Nail’ – {John O’Neill,} one of the best men I knew. When I told Jack why I wanted to earn the bobs, he reckoned it ‘a sound ambition.’ The fact that I paid dearly in hammerings whenever I deigned to go to school, didn’t matter. The beatings lasted five minutes: set that against the freedom of days out in the wild fields, and trips to the Gaiety Cinema at night – and it was no contest.

My pals were a bit miffed that I was getting to see so many pics. Also, why was I going to the despised ‘Love Stories,’ instead of the much more exciting Westerns? I couldn’t really explain to them that Roy Rogers and Gene Autrey only kissed the girls after they’d wasted good hours slaughtering hundreds of Red Indians – or other cowboys – who stupidly qualified for instant

bulletty death by wearing the jinxed and fatal ‘black hat.’ Not many tips about love, either, from old wooden-chops, John Wayne.

Still, in spite of much studying of form in the bird-pulling game, I didn’t pick up a lot I could use.

Well, not in my slightly different circumstances.

When Ronald Coleman was getting close and very personal {for the days that were in it} with some lady-star or other {none of whom could compare with my Helena!!} - he would murmur: “shall we go back to my suite in the Ritz, my deah, and imbibe some Dom Perignom Champers, my precious, whilst listening to that jolly chap Beethoven’s ‘Moonlight Sonata, what-what, old flouwah?”’

This didn’t seem to tie in very well with my somewhat lower position in life; and such posh lingo wouldn’t travel well in Dunnamaggin village.

Then, when I’d spy Clark Gable catching a mot in a rather unusual grip - I

knew Helena wouldn’t put up with that craic for a minute! He’d be out on his ‘a’, pronto! No good Catholic girl should have to put up with a maulin’ oul divil like that!

Finally, I was nearly convinced to employ a manly-sounding phrase ‘told to me’ by Humphrey Bogart. Gazing into his loved one’s glimmering violet lamps, he murmured: “Gorgeous, you sure look stunning in that outfit.” But this, too, diidn’t seem quite right.

Trouble was, there was no script that could handle the love of a scrawny schoolboy for a comely demure young woman, in all of her flowering ethereal beauty.

So I took the decision ……..

To be continued.

Ned E Disclaimer The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of The Kilkenny Observer.

HSE/South East Community Healthcare launches 2022/23 flu vaccination programme The HSE is asking people in counties Carlow, Kilkenny, South Tipperary, Waterford and Wexford to get the flu vaccine.

The HSE/South East Community Healthcare (SECH) organisation launched its campaign today. Clinics for its own employees are running at venues across the South East this week and next. The flu vaccine is free of charge to HSE staff and to recommended groups.

Today also marks the rollout by the HSE of the adapted bivalent vaccines. Three adapted bivalent mRNA COVID-19 vaccines have been recommended for use for booster vaccination by the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC), following approval by the European Medicines Agency.

Those aged over 65 and all aged 12 and over with a weak immune system are invited for their next COVID-19 vaccine.

Speaking at today’s SECH launch in Kilkenny, its Chief Officer Kate Killeen White said: “As the weather becomes cooler and the nights become

multi-media advertising campaign encouraging all eligible groups to come forward for their recommended vaccines will be rolled out from this week on radio, press, TV, digital and social media.

See https://www2.hse.ie/ conditions/flu/getting-thevaccine/ for further information, call HSELive on 1800 700 700 or talk to a participating GP or Pharmacy.

Who should get the free flu vaccine?

darker, all of our thoughts turn to how best we can protect ourselves and our loved ones from the worst impacts of COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses that circulate at this time of year.

“The HSEs roll out of its winter vaccination programme will facilitate booster doses of COVID-19 vaccine and seasonal flu vaccines being administered at the same time in GPs and Pharmacies.

We know that vaccines offer good protection from both COVID-19 and seasonal flu and I urge everyone eligible to avail of their opportunity as

soon as possible.”

Dr. Catherine Lynch, Specialist in Public Health Medicine with the HSE’s Public Health Dept. in the South East, received her flu vaccine at today’s launch (a clinic at the HSE’s offices in Lacken, Kilkenny): “This winter, both the flu and COVID-19 viruses are expected to circulate. It is very important that all those who are invited get both their free flu vaccine and COVID-19 booster vaccines. Flu and COVID-19 are caused by different viruses but both can cause serious illness. That is

why it is important that if you have had a COVID-19 vaccine, you should still get your free flu vaccine. Both Flu and COVID-19 vaccines will be available from participating GPs and Pharmacies and can be given at the same time.”

From October 17th the children’s flu nasal spray vaccine will also be available free for all children aged 2 to 17 years from GPs and Pharmacies.

The HSE will continue to be active over the next few weeks in our services, in the media and online, encouraging people to come forward for both flu and COVID-19 vaccines. A

­

This year the free flu vaccine is recommended for you if you are in one of these groups: • Aged 65 or over • A healthcare worker • Children aged 2 – 17 • At any stage of pregnancy • People with certain long term medical conditions that put them at increased risk from the complications of flu For a full list of recommended groups visit www.hse.ie/flu Additional Flu Vaccine Information: This year, there are 2 different types of flu vaccine being offered to different groups: • Quadrivalent influenza vaccine (QIV) for at-risk groups including people who are 65 and over; are pregnant; are aged 18 to 64 and have a long term medical condition; or are a healthcare worker.

• Nasal spray flu vaccine for children aged 2 to 17 years.

There are 2 brands of QIV vaccine available this year: • Quadrivalent Influenza Vaccine (split virion, inactivated) manufactured by Sanofi Pasteur • Influvac Tetra manufactured by Mylan

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 14 October 2022

News & Wellbeing Science Scientists have achieved a major breakthrough toward unraveling the mystery of how life first arose on Earth and whether it might exist elsewhere in the universe, reports a new study.

A new study shows that ingredients for life can form from non-living chemicals on any given beach, and it could help develop new drugs and search for alien life.

A longstanding mystery — perhaps the mystery, existentially speaking — is how life originated from nonliving, or abiotic, chemicals.

For the first time ever, researchers at Purdue University have shown that peptides, which are strings of amino acids that are crucial building blocks of life, can spontaneously form in droplets of water during rapid reactions that occur when water meets the atmosphere — for example, when a wave hits a rock and throws up a misty spray. This could occur in conditions similar to those that existed on Earth some four billion years ago, when life first took hold on our planet.

The discovery provides “a plausible route for the formation of the first biopolymers,” which are complex structures produced by living organisms, according to a study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The team says the discovery could even speed up the development of novel drugs and medical treatments by providing a new medium for fostering rapid chemical reactions.

“There are a very large number of studies showing peptide formation, but they all use catalysts or modified amino acids to make species unlikely to exist naturally,” said R. Graham Cooks, who serves as the Henry B. Hass Distinguished Professor of Analytical Chemistry at Purdue and senior author of the study, in an email.

Cooks and his colleagues have now shown that peptides readily form in the kinds of chemical systems that existed on ancient

Scientists may now know Life’s origin ... and it could help develop new drugs and search for aliens Earth, such as sea spray from our planet’s primordial oceans or freshwater dribbling down slopes.

“The most interesting implication is that similar chemistry explains other essential biological polymers, not just peptides,” he noted, adding that his team plans to publish more on this topic soon.

In other words, the new study has opened a rare window into the murky early years on our planet when nonliving compounds somehow assembled themselves into living organisms, a still-unexplained transformation known as abiogenesis.

The formation of peptides is an important step in abiogenesis because these structures form the basis of biomolecules such as proteins, which can perform the self-replicating mechanisms that are necessary for life.

The team was able to reconstruct the possible formation of these peptides by running “droplet fusion” experiments that simulate how water droplets collide in the air, which Cooks described as “like two kids with garden hoses spraying each other.”

These experiments show that the surface of the droplets, where water meets air, is a region that can be exceptionally productive at spinning peptides out of the types of amino acids that have been delivered to Earth by meteorites for billions of years.

As a result, the experiments offer a possible solution to what’s known as the “water paradox,” a problem that has puzzled scientists in the abiogenesis field for years.

“The water paradox is the contradiction between (i) the very considerable evidence that the chemi-

cal reactions leading to life occurred in the prebiotic ocean and (ii) the thermodynamic constraint against exactly these (water loss) reactions occurring in water,” Cooks explained. “Proteins are formed from amino acids by loss of water” and “loss of water in water will not occur because the process will be reversed by the water (thermodynamically forbidden).”

Put another way, peptides need some level of dehydration to form, but that is very hard to accomplish in a hydrated environment like a water droplet. For more than a decade, Cooks and his colleagues have shown that microdroplets have many unique characteristics, including an accelerated reactivity at their surfaces.

These air-water interfaces are like a reverse oasis—that is, a dry refuge in the watery world of a droplet—that

enables the loss-of-water reactions needed to build peptides out of amino acids.

“Expressing this colloquially, we claim that the surfaces of water microdroplets are not wet, they are dry,” Cooks said. “So the water paradox is broken.”

The discovery has implications off of Earth as well. The study suggests that sea spray droplets on ancient Earth, and other air-water interfaces, may have been peptide factories that enriched environments with the ingredients for life. The same processes may be common on other planets with similar conditions, which is useful information as scientists continue to search for life in our own solar system, and beyond it.

Indeed, Cooks said that the results “reinforce the NASA mantra ‘follow the water,’” referring to the priority that researchers

searching for aliens give to planets that might host liquid water.

He suggested an additional mantra —“seek rough oceans”— based on the findings, especially due to the potential role of sea spray as a key driver of peptide formation.

In addition to revealing insights about the exotic embers of life in the deep past, the study also has practical medical applications for the present and near future.

“The droplet accelerated reactions have wide applications, some just beginning to be realised in the area of drug discovery,” Cooks said.

“Because reactions are so fast they can be performed automatically, on a small scale, to make drug candidates and then tested for biological activity, still automatically in high throughput fashion. We have built instrumentation to do this.”

Israelis in breakthrough on causes of ADHD A new study by Israeli scientists has been lauded as a breakthrough to better understand the genetic causes of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

This new study was carried out by researchers from the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and Soroka-University Medical Centre and was published in the journal Nature Communications.

ADHD is one of the most common neurological disorders that usually first show up during childhood.

This disorder in particular is characterised by inattention, hyperactivity, impulsivity and difficulty focusing.

But what causes it?

It is obvious that there is a genetic predisposition to it.

But how exactly does it work?

Which genes are affected?

According to the new study, that gene may just be CDH2, should that gene mutate.

CDH2 is a gene that encodes N-cadherin, which is responsible for helping in brain synapse activity and formation. A mutation in CDH2, however, alters this activity. This, in turn, impacts molecular pathways and dopamine levels in two specific brain structures: the ventral midbrain and the prefrontal cortex, both of which are involved in ADHD. This was tested by using CRISPR to insert this type of mutation in homologous mouse genes, which caused hereditary hyperactivity.

The implications of this finding could help pave the way for further understanding

how ADHD works, and how it can be treated and managed.

“We raised mice with exactly the same mutation in their genes and put them through 15 behaviour tests, which show they clearly have ADHD,” one of the authors, Prof. Ohad Birk, said in a statement.

“In addition to the scientific importance of finding a clear delineation of a novel genetic basis and molecular pathways for ADHD, both the mutant human cells and the mouse strain carrying the human mutation can serve as an effective model system for the discovery of novel medications for ADHD,” said

Prof. Birk.

“These mice, and others like them, will become a standard tool for researchers studying ADHD, including those finding medications. Normally, it’s very hard to create a good animal model for studying ADHD, as several genes can be involved, and possibly also environmental factors.

Here there’s just one gene that causes ADHD, and all the symptoms we look for are there, which is what makes ours such a reliable model.”

Further studies have been initiated by the Birk team at BGU’s National Institute for Biotechnology in the Negev (NIBN).

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Travel & Leisure Italy’s Amalfi Coast, a World Heritage Site since 1997, is renowned for its preservation of incredible architecture and art dating back to the Middle Ages. This far southern region in Italy hugs the Mediterranean Sea and is marked by steep coastal cliffs. Hikes or village strolls are right out your door, the beaches are stunning, and the Aperitivo bar scene is one of the best in Italy.

Although there are many beautiful Amalfi Airbnbs to choose from hoteliers here have really stepped it up a notch. Hotels capitalise on the waterfront setting when building out their interior design, so you can wake up to beautiful vistas or maybe even see it all from bed. Here are seven design-oriented Amalfi Coast hotels in villages and the towns of Positano, Amalfi, Ravello, and Praiano. All are adorned with luxe amenities such as pools, spas, darling cafes, beautiful gardens, and romantic restaurants.

1. Grand Hotel Convento di Amalfi While within a former 13th Century monastery, this hotel also embraces modern amenities such as an infinity pool and spa. But if you do like the nod to earlier times, you’ve got options: the Presidential Suite was once the Capuchin monks’ refectory room, and another suite’s frescoed ceiling dates back to the 1800s. All rooms were once the monks’ sleeping quarters.

Two restaurants specialise in Italian and Mediterranean fare, with Dei Cappuccini’s terrace flaunting unobstructed views of the Amalfi Coast. It’s a brief walk into Amalfi’s centre for when you want to explore.

Where: SS163, 8, 84011 Amalfi SA 2. Le Sirenuse In 1951 four siblings opened Le Sirenuse, weaving in their personal art collection, which has since expanded to contemporary-art installations commissioned by a London curator. The

Hong Kong attracted around 56 million visitors a year before the pandemic, and now the popular destination is taking significant steps to win tourists back after over two years of some of the world’s toughest travel restrictions.

Just days after dropping its longstanding mandatory hotel quarantine requirement, Hong Kong has confirmed plans to give away half a million airline tickets in a bid to boost tourism.

The move, first announced two years ago, was confirmed to CNN Europe by a spokesperson from the Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK), which said that the 500,000 tickets, worth around €254.8 million, would go to global visitors, along with residents.

“Back in 2020, Airport Authority Hong Kong

7 great hotels on the Amalfi Coast Michelin-starred La Sponda’s outdoor terrace is so romantic many couples decide to get married while dining there. For guests who crave pampering, a spa, pool, and a wellness centre are on the property. They include breakfast in their rates no matter which of the 10 room categories you book — and nearly all have ocean views.

Where: Via Cristoforo Colombo, 30, 84017 Positano 3. Casa Angelina Casa Angelina‘s design by architect Gennaro Fusco is so chic you can buy much of the lifestyle vibe and interior décor in the hotel’s shop, including handcrafted furnishings, and cozy sweaters.

Ten room categories prove how individualised your stay can be. An outdoor plunge pool is artfully shaded by

lemon trees. Farm-to-fork, wine-paired dinners at the glass-walled Un Piano Nel Cielo on the top floor showcase Campania produce, meats and fish, and its vegetarian tasting menu is a rare find.

Where: Via Gennaro Capriglione, 147, 84010 Praiano SA 4. Hotel Tramonta Rooms at Hotel Tramonta — owned by the same family since the 1950s — are decked out in bold, fun patterns and prints against a stark-white backdrop so you feel like you’re sleeping in a modern art gallery. And with a pool on the rooftop, you’re nearly guaranteed a killer Amalfi Coast view while swimming or lying under a yellow-andwhite-striped umbrella. Other wellness amenities include a sauna and Turkish bath.

Hong Kong offers 500,000 FREE plane tickets

Where: Via Gennaro Capriglione, 119, 84010 Praiano SA 5. Villa Magia Located at Positano’s highest point, there isn’t a bad room at Villa Magia. All look out on either the sea or the Positano rooftops and feature a private terrace with a sunbed for lounging and a dining set. In addition to two pools (and a third if you’re lucky enough to book the suite with its private pool), the spa is also top-notch in the wellness department with a Turkish bath as well as massage treatments in a canopied four-poster bed.

Luna at Villa Magia, the onsite restaurant, specialises in tapas folding in locally sourced ingredients along with craft cocktails. As the villa owns both a luxury speedboat and a wooden gozzo boat, getting out on the water is a breeze

purchased around 500,000 air tickets in advance from the territory’s home-based airlines as part of a relief package to support the aviation industry,” said a spokesperson.

“The purchase serves the purpose of injecting liquidity into the airlines up front, while the tickets will be given away to global visitors and Hong Kong residents in the market recovery campaign.”

Further details will be announced once the relevant arrangements have been made with airlines, they said.

Hong Kong has been largely cut off from the rest of the world due to its Covid-19 quarantine rules, which at one stage required incoming travellers to spend 21 days in a hotel room at their own expense, with only Hong Kong residents permitted entry.

— and it’s even stocked with Prosecco and snorkelling gear.

Where: Via S. Giovanni, 19, 84017 Positano SA 6. Hotel Eden Roc Positano Hotel Eden Roc Positano is a true destination for wine lovers as the bar specialises in pouring local varietals. While rates do not include breakfast, a buffet is served. Each of the 12 room categories, such as a suite or an apartment, have a view of Positano and the sea (plus a Jacuzzi soaking tub in the bath) but for the ultimate splurge, book one of the two villas for your own infinityedge pool and full kitchen.

There are also two restaurants: Adamo Ed Eva, with a terrace; and Roc Pizza & Steak in a moody, dramatic dining space. The hotel features a pool for guests, too, and a sauna and Turkish bath.

Where: Via G. Marconi, 110,

The quarantine period had been reduced from seven to three days when it was officially scrapped on September 26, prompting droves of residents to log on to airline websites to book flights.

Cathay Pacific, the city’s flag carrier, set up a virtual ‘waiting room’ to access its website at one point, while online travel booking service Expedia saw a nine-fold surge in search for flights from Hong Kong to Tokyo and 11-fold for flights from Hong Kong to Osaka – although interest in flights to Hong Kong remained unchanged, according to Lavinia Rajaram, Expedia’s Asia head of public relations.

“We hope to give the maximum room to reconnect Hong Kong, and to revitalise our economy,” Hong Kong’s Chief Executive John Lee said

84017 Positano SA 7. Monastero Santa Rosa Hotel & Spa Perched on a cliff with Gulf of Salerno views and four tiers of gardens, Monastero Santa Rosa Hotel also homes Michelin-star restaurant, Ristorante il Refettorio. It serves dinner only, with wines pulled from the cellar and many ingredients from the organic gardens and naturally, there’s a terrace on which to dine. Guests can unwind in the hotel’s infinity-edge pool and wake up in what was once the nuns’ quarters, paired with a sea view.

The hotel also has a wellrounded spa with features such as an ice fountain, sauna, steam room, and tepidarium for the ultimate in wellness pampering.

Where: Via Roma, 2, 84010 Conca dei Marini SA

in a press conference.

But while the hotel quarantine may have been lifted, visitors to Hong Kong still face various rules and restrictions before and after arriving.

Incoming international travellers must submit a preflight vaccination certificate, as well as a negative PCR test and rapid antigen test, before entering.

Once they’ve been permitted to enter, visitors are required to undergo a three-day selfmonitoring period, during which time they’re prohibited from eating in restaurants or visiting bars.

Visitors also need to complete PCR tests on days 2, 4, and 6 after arrival, and a rapid antigen test every day for seven days.

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 14 October 2022

Opinion

Furthermore Gerry Moran

All the twos ... and one Citizen Cane!

Had a most interesting, and informative, morning last Saturday in the old Auxiliary Hospital in Wolfe Tone St (once called Hospital Road).

I was at the opening of Reflections, ‘a creative community project celebrating local history, collected memories and creative responses of our participants to the Auxiliary Hospital’.

(The exhibition, Reflections, continues throughout October, feel free to pop in), My childhood memory of the Auxiliary is of a gaunt, grey, sombre building.

Now, it is a bright, bustling centre for well-being and mental health recovery with a charming garden perfect for a little solitude or meditation. It also has very tasty tomatoes (and thank you, Cathal, for those. Much appreciated).

I found myself in the company of two Patrick

Nearys! Sitting to my left was an old friend, Patrick Neary the archaeologist, while in front of me was local historian Patrick Neary (better known as Paddy) who enthralled us with the history of the Auxiliary and Wolfe Tone St. And more.

And then there were two past pupils of mine: Mayor David Fitzgerald who opened the exhibition and who said some apt, and important, words about mental health. David reminded us that mental health wasn’t about others, as all of us, he said, struggled with it at times.

After tea and coffee, and scrumptious confectionary, I came upon my other past pupil, artist Eoghan O’Driscoll, painting away in his studio upstairs. Over the years Eoghan and myself have become good friends — indeed, I opened

an exhibition of his in the Watergate Theatre some while back and have one of his painting hanging in my studio. Apart from the work in progress I loved Eoghan’s work table — a glorious, colourful, chaotic conglomeration of paints and brushes and cloths. A work of art in itself! (Francis Bacon’s famous studio came to mind).

Then there were the two Ukrainians, Liliya and Oksana, who entertained us with a love song and one about the beauty of Ukraine. The two women have become a fixture here in Kilkenny; you may have seen them busking on the Parade as Oksana plays that most unusual, stringed instrument, the Bandura.

And then, the following (part of the exhibition) caught my attention: Citizen Cane

Robert Cane was born in Kilkenny in 1807; he trained as a doctor in Trinity College, and the Royal College of Surgeons.

He qualified in 1832, aged 25, and was appointed to the Fever Hospital (later the Auxiliary) in 1847. He also became Medical Officer to the Union Workhouse and the county and city prison.

Kilkenny at this time was a city in despair due to a cholera outbreak. Dr Cane observed the standards of health among the poor and wrote papers on the squalor being suffered in the city.

He was the physician for the Marquess of Ormonde but equally served the medical needs of the poor.

Elected Mayor of Kilkenny in 1844 he also helped to establish an Archaeological Society.

Robert Cane was a Nationalist. He was one of the city’s

leading repealers and was seen as the spirit and soul of the Nationalist Movement in Kilkenny. Strongly opposed to violence he took no part in the 1848 Rising.

Despite this, he was imprisoned for a lengthy period much to the fury of a large crowd who had gathered at his house in William St. While in prison, one of his young sons became seriously ill. Dr Cane’s request to visit his son was cruelly denied and only when his son sadly died was he allowed to attend the burial.

Minutes of the Borough Council of Kilkenny 1844 –1858 give some insight into the issues that Dr Cane so passionately advocated for the welfare of Kilkenny citizens: better sanitary and health conditions; improvement of gas street lighting and provision of land for a mental hospital.

As Mayor he built, with his own money, the castellated gatehouse on Canal Square and donated two elaborate, gilded chandeliers to the assembly room in the Tholsel.

Robert Cane died, aged 52. His funeral, to quote the Kilkenny Journal, August 1858, “was the biggest ever in Kilkenny, all businesses were closed, never was there such a demonstration in the city of respect and grief, from rich and poor alike”.

His coffin was carried by eight men from his home in William St to St John’s graveyard on the Dublin Road.

The Borough Council members of Kilkenny paid tribute: “Pure and straightforward, honourable, a gentleman, a man of wisdom, no man was his actual foe or his private enemy, praised by both rich and poor.”

Adam’s Hug becomes immortalised in Kilkenny Statue The now famous and celebrated Virtual Hug, which leapt to national prominence at the height of the COVID19 pandemic on RTÉ’s Late Late Show, immortalised in Kilkenny as a major piece of sculpture has been unveiled in Kilkenny. President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins sent a special letter of congratulations to the young Cork man who inspired the nation at a crucial time and praised his positivity, which lifted the nation.

The sculpture piece was unveiled by Adam and inspiring Paralympian and Kilkenny native, Mary Fitzgerald as part of yesterday’s Kilkenny Day celebrations in the city.

President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins, in a special message read at the event, said of the statue: ‘May I say that your positivity and uplifting personality shone through this beautiful artwork. I would like to thank you for your important piece of citizenship by which we have all been touched.

It is young people like you who, through your creativity, enthusiasm, generosity, willingness to engage and participate, are contributing to the creation of a kinder, more compassionate and inclusive Ireland for us all’.

Adam and his family were delighted to be present at

the event and the family said that they were delighted with the finished product: Speaking on behalf of the family, Adam’s Dad said; ‘We are delighted that Adam’s appearance on the Late Late Show with Ryan Tubridy touched such a nerve with people. Adam’s message at that time was that we needed to show love and kindness to everyone and particularly to those who were working so hard to get us through tough times.

Adam saw it on a daily basis with nurses, doctors and other health workers doing so much to lift our spirits.

Adam wanted to reassure people to keep believing that we would get through the

hardest of times. He wanted to help people to feel a little more positive, when some of the real fears they were suffering seemed overwhelming.

We have all learned the lesson that in standing together, we learn the best about ourselves.

Now as we thankfully emerge from the pandemic, Adam’s hug continues time and again to be the symbol of choice for Irish people at home and all over the world to connect with loved ones, especially at times when it is challenging to do so. It is hard to believe that such a tiny gesture has had this much of an impact on the world.

We are incredibly proud and grateful to everyone who has

embraced Adam’s Virtual Hug.’ Cathaoirleach of Kilkenny County Council, Cllr. Pat Fitzpatrick said that the statue is a fitting memorial to the most challenging health epidemic in over a century: ‘Our grandparents, who lived through the flu epidemic of 1919 could hardly have believed that we would face such a challenge, just over a century later. Despite the fantastic leadership of people like Tony Holohan as Chief Medical Officer and the local and national voices who did so much to reassure us during the COVID19 crisis, Adam’s simple message rang through.

At a time when local and

national media came to the fore for a nation in crisis, Adam stole the show. His simple, yet complex message, showed us all the way that we needed to return to the basics of community, family and interpersonal solidarity. That is what, despite awful losses for so many families, got us all through.’

Director of Services for Kilkenny County Council, Tim Butler said that Kilkenny always led in celebrating public achievement through the visual arts: ‘From the creation of Kilkenny Design Workshops in the seventies, we have always led the way in celebrating human endeavour through art. This piece, created by Adam and produced by CDS Engineering from Kilkenny, captures a unique moment in time but will also stand as a monument to the struggles our County and nation went through, in the most challenging of times.

Just as Kilkenny woman Vicky Phelan captured the essence of public emotion at a very difficult juncture in our public lives, so too did Adam capture the spirit of the nation.

A hug, whether virtual as the times demanded, or in real life, as we all prefer, encapsulates our most basic

need for support, nurturing and reassurance, which was sadly denied to so many at such a crucial time’ Project Manager, Marian Flannery, described the day as momentous: ‘The putting in place of any piece of public art is always a time of collegiality and we are grateful to all those involved in making this happen, Adam and his family, Kilkenny County Council and CDS Architectural Metalwork. We are hopeful that the public message of positivity will ring through and that Kilkenny people of all generations, but particularly of Adam’s generation, will see this installation as a symbol of hope.

By sticking together, we can overcome the most challenging obstacles placed in our path.

Whether we are battling a future health pandemic or the sometimes daunting battle against climate change, Adam’s message is clear. We must stick together, hold each other tight and keep on smiling and being positive.

Hopefully, our future generations will experience this as they walk, run or wheel along this peaceful stretch of our city centre green space.’

For further info, please contact Marian Flannery on 083 8722444

The Kilkenny Observer Friday 14 October 2022

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Feature

BY GER CODY

Photos: Freddie Greenall I can’t say I knew Frank McEvoy very well. Whenever we met on the street, we would stop and chat and invariably he would enquire about the arts scene.

According to a report in The Irish Times in 2012, the paper described Frank’s death at the age of 86 as ‘bringing to an end an important era of Kilkenny’s literary history.’

It was in the early ‘90’s when I discovered what an absolute fount of knowledge Frank was regarding Kilkenny, its people and its history.

I visited his bookshop, Hebron Books, on Kilkenny’s High Street in search of a particular book and Frank engaged me in conversation on the subject.

It was then I realised not only the wealth of knowledge the man had, but the absolute love and passion he had for the history of Kilkenny city and county.

He planted a fantastic literary seed in Kilkenny, and his written work has proved to be a great source of information for those interested.

Thankfully, many people and organisations continue to promote the history of Kilkenny and one doesn’t need to go any further than the Kilkenny Archaeological Society to experience the quality of research that is available.

And so, it was quite a pleasant experience to attend ‘The Untold Tales of Freedom’ production at Rothe House.

The project was a coproduction between Radical Acts and Heritage Tales and the package told the stories of women in Kilkenny in 1922.

It was obvious from the performance that many hours of research had gone into the planning, rehearsal and production.

The sixty minute show focussed on individual women and the stories they had to tell.

It gave a wonderful insight into family life of Ireland of 1922, the political and economic climate, with a lot of attention on the Civil War and its fall out.

It painted a picture of how families were divided and how much hardship and pain was created.

Seven different women told stories of seven different families. Much of the information was garnered from tales handed down from family members, while more were created from local authors who placed themselves in the hearts and minds of the women of the time.

Some stories told of how women took on the huge responsibility of the family life; how the smallest gift, such as a present of a cup, was so appreciated; how for some, love conquered all, while others had their hearts broken.

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Life, love and loss of Kilkenny women in 1922

It portrayed a time in Ireland, for some at least, when the man made the decisions and when the woman kept a closed mouth.

It showed above all else, how resilient women were and indeed needed to be.

Credit must be given to each performer who embraced their characters, and one could sense all the emotions on show.

Although seated in the

magnificent setting of Rothe House, one felt like each actor transported you back to their particular dwelling.

Linking the show together was Jim Carroll, a member of the Barn Owl Players who carried off this role with his usual professionalism.

The project was part of the Kilkenny County Council ‘Decade of Centenaries’ programme and was devised and directed by Ita Morrissey with production by Cara O’Doherty of Heritage Tales.

Actors taking part included, Mags Whitely, Aoibheann Holden, Rosey Hayes, Bernie Brennan, Helena Duggan, Nicola Ryan and Muireann Ryan.

Writers included, Cara O’Doherty, Róisín Sheehy, Rosey Hayes, Bernie Brennan, Helena Duggan and Elizabeth Ruth.

The project worked on two counts: it showed off some wonderful local talent, while at the same time giving us a taste

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of our local history.

At the end of the performance it was quite evident that the audience delighted in the work.

The words of poet Donna Ashworth came to mind and in particular her poem ‘When God Created Woman’ which relates a conversation between an angel and God on the creation of women.

The last verse reads:

“Lord, you are a genius. You thought of everything.

A woman is indeed marvellous!”

The Lord said “Indeed she is.

She has the strength that amazes man.

She can handle trouble and carry heavy burdens.

She holds happiness, love and opinions.

She smiles when she feels like screaming.

She sings when she feels like crying.

Cries when happy and laughs when afraid.

She fights for what she believes in.

Her love is unconditional.

Her heart is broken when a next-of-kin or friend dies but she finds strength to get on with life.”

The angel asked, “So she is a perfect being?”

The Lord replies, “No. She has just one drawback. She often forgets what she is worth.”

I can only imagine that Frank McEvoy would have given his seal of approval.

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 14 October 2022

Global Report He began his adult life as a KGB agent in East Germany and rose up through the ranks to the very heights of the Kremlin. In so many ways, the story of the Russian Federation is in many ways inseparable from that of Vladimir Putin who has turned 70.

Growing up in the shadow of the Nazi siege of Leningrad, Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin was born in the Soviet City of Leningrad on October 7, 1952.

Two brothers died before he was born; his brother Viktor lost his life as Nazi forces laid siege to Leningrad during the Second World War. Later in his life, Putin recounted that his grandfather Spiridon Putin worked as a cook for Soviet leaders Vladimir Lenin and Joseph Stalin.

Putin grew up in Leningrad (modern-day St Petersburg) where he trained in martial arts and studied law at university.

After graduating from Leningrad State University in 1975, he joined the Soviet intelligence service, the infamous KGB. “I was driven by high motives. I thought I would be able to use my skills to the best for society,” the Washington Post reported him saying in 2000.

He was posted to Dresden in 1985, where he looked for East Germans who had plausible reasons to travel abroad and then recruited them to help spy on the West.

Unconfirmed reports also have Mr Putin working in New Zealand in the 1980s.

During his time in the KGB, he worked as a case officer and reached the rank of lieutenant colonel.

Mr Putin was recalled to Leningrad in 1990 as part of the KGB’s “active reserve”, as the USSR was on the verge of collapse.

He became an adviser to one of his former law professors, Anatoly Sobchak, who eventually left to become chairman of Leningrad’s city council and later the city’s first democratically elected mayor.

Putin became widely known as ‘Sobchak’s fixer’ and rumours swirl around some of his activities during this time in St Petersburg.

In 1996 he moved to Moscow and started work in the Kremlin, where he was eventually appointed head of Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) — the successor to the KGB — in 1998.

Barely a year later he was named one of Russia’s first deputy prime ministers and then acting prime minister

by President Boris Yeltsin.

When President Yeltsin resigned Putin was made acting president and officially elected president in March 2000.

Just months into his premiership, President Putin was criticised for his handling of the Kursk submarine disaster.

Vladimir Putin at 70: from a lowly KGB agent to a tyrant who rules with fear The nuclear-powered Kursk submarine sank on 12 August 2000 in a catastrophe that claimed the lives of all 118 crew and caused an international outcry.

Mr Putin initially elected to continue a holiday in Sochi and let days go by before accepting international assistance.

By the time British and Norwegian divers finally opened a hatch on board the submarine where survivors had been holding out, seven days had passed and nobody was left alive.

On October 23, 2002, 40 Chechen militants led by Movsar Barayev took 912 hostages at the Dubrovka Theatre in Moscow.

Three days later special forces were sent in to resolve the situation after an unknown gas was pumped into the hall and all the militants were killed, along with 130 hostages including foreigners.

The attack led to President Putin taking harsher measures against Chechen separatists.

On October 7, 2006 — President Putin’s birthday — journalist Anna Politkovskaya was shot in the lobby of her apartment building.

Before her death, she had exposed corruption in the Russian army and its conduct in Chechnya. Her killing led to claims that President Putin had not done enough to protect the media.

He described the murder as “abominable in its cruelty” and commented that her death caused more problems for the Kremlin than her work.

In November 2006, a former KGB agent who went on to work for MI6 after fleeing to the UK fell ill after meeting two fellow ex-KGB agents at a hotel in London.

Alexander Litvinenko, a British citizen, had been a vocal critic of President Putin.

He died an agonising death after being poisoned with tea laced with Polonium 210, a rare and very potent radioactive isotope.

From his deathbed, he accused President Putin of ordering his killing, but the Kremlin has always denied any role.

In 2008, when his second term as premier was coming to an end, President Putin faced the problem of the Russian constitution barring anyone from serving three consecutive terms.

Instead, first deputy prime minister Dmitry Medvedev was elected president and immediately appointed Mr Putin as prime minister, leading to the assumption that power had not really changed hands.

In 2011, with Mr Putin once again seeking re-election as president, tens of thousands of people took to the streets to protest against alleged electoral fraud.

In March 2012 he was indeed re-elected as president with 63.6% of the vote in an election marred by allegations of fraud.

In February 2014, a number of military bases in Crimea including the Ukrainian Navy’s headquarters in the Black Sea port of Sevastopol were seized by proRussian forces.

President Putin then signed a treaty to annex the peninsula to Russia following a referendum criticised as illegal by Ukraine and condemned internationally.

Similar scenes played out in other areas of eastern Ukraine, where pro-Russian forces took control in the socalled Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics amid the start of the Russo-Ukrainian War. In September 2015, Putin

‘He trained in martial arts and studied law at university...

involved Russia in another conflict abroad, this time helping his ally President Bashar Al-Assad in the Syrian Civil War. Russian forces conducted air and missile strikes and sent in special forces as part of the effort to crush resistance to the Syrian government.

The actions of Russian troops in Syria have been condemned and accusations of atrocities have been rife.

In March 2018 a former Russian spy was once again the target of an assassination attempt using a niche poison on the streets of

Britain. Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia were poisoned with the Sovietdesigned nerve agent novichok and found slumped on a bench in Salisbury.

They were admitted to hospital in critical condition and were later discharged.

Fingers were immediately pointed at Russia. The Kremlin has always denied being behind the attack.

A defining thread of Putin’s reign has been his efforts to crush opposition, in particular his struggle with vocal critic and opposition leader Alexei Navalny.

The anti-corruption activist organised demonstrations against the government and Putin, who refuses to refer to Navalny by name.

In August 2020 Alexei Navalny collapsed while onboard a domestic flight in Russia and the plane had to be diverted to another airport in Siberia.

After recovering in Germany he levelled blame at Russia’s intelligence services and the Kremlin itself.

Despite calls to stay away, he returned to Russia to continue his fight and was later imprisoned on dubious charges. He remains in prison.

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 14 October 2022

News Before the children came along, you probably never gave daylight saving time a second thought but now you’re a parent, there’s nothing you hate more (well, except for maybe when your child stiffens their whole body when you’re trying to get them in their car seat!). To help your children adjust to the clock change we have some simple tips for you!

When the clocks change at the end of this month, it can negatively impact your child’s mood and routine. Children who were able to fall asleep quickly at 7 pm may now find themselves becoming restless or waking much earlier. With the clocks due to go back on 30th October make sure that you are prepared. In this post, we give you some tips and tricks to help your little one adjust to this time change so that you can maintain their routine (and keep your sanity!).

Slowly change bedtime About a week before the clock change, start adjusting your little one’s sleep routine by putting them to bed ten minutes later each night. For example, if your child’s sleep time is 7 pm, adjust this to 7.10 pm on the first night, 7.20 pm on the second night, 7.30 pm on the third night and so on.

Pushing their bedtime routine by 10 minutes every night helps kids adjust to their new schedule and by the time the 30th of October comes around they will wake at the correct time and you will have been able to get a good night’s sleep!

Ensure they have a good bedtime routine Having a good bedtime routine is essential if you want to get your kids to sleep when daylight saving time ends.

As humans, our brains are wired to enjoy routine. If your child has a bedtime routine such as bath, story, and then

Spend as much time outdoors or in the daylight as possible Aligning your child’s body clock to the course of the day helps with their energy and mood. When we gain an extra hour when the clocks fall back, this can be extremely beneficial to older kids. Where possible, try to limit screen time at least an hour before bed (ideally two) as this can give off blue light exposure which causes your little one to struggle with sleep.

Control the lights Melatonin helps to regulate our body’s internal clock. It increases at night-time when it becomes dark and this helps us fall asleep. Production of melanin shuts down when it’s dark and this can lead to wakefulness and alertness.

To help with this, it’s recommended dim the lights in your little one’s bedroom about 30 minutes to an hour before they should be going down to sleep. This will help improve sleep quality, sleep time and make your child want to sleep as it allows the brain to relax.

In the morning, especially at wake-up time, you want to ensure your child gets as much light as possible. Open the curtains wide to let in natural sunlight and try and get them out for a walk, weather permitting.

Ensuring your child’s sleep when the clocks go back sleep, they understand this and are more likely to relax.

In the days leading up to the clock changing, if you simply move your usual routine forward a bit, your children will still know what’s coming next so should be able to settle when going down to sleep.

If younger children need

extra soothing, try to not get into bad habits as these might stick. To help kids adjust to the clock change you can try popping some lavender oil in a warm bath or on their pillow.

If you don’t manage to make the adjustment to your child’s bedtime in advance of the clocks changing, don’t worry.

You may find that your child’s

biological clock is a little out of sync in the few days following the clock change and that’s okay.

Stick with your usual routine, ensuring that your little one gets quality sleep and it will sort itself out in a day or two.

If you would like ongoing sleep advice don’t forget to

check out our Sleep Series courses. These come with support from our lead Sleep Consultant, Erica Hargaden, via a private Facebook Community. If your child is still napping you will need to apply the same principle to their napping routine as well by shifting it 10 minutes later each day too.

Help kids with healthy sleep associations You should always try to put your child to bed awake, but sleepy. If your child needs feeding before going down to sleep, you should try to do this a little earlier to try and avoid them drifting off into a peaceful slumber before bed.

When possible, you should try and work on healthy sleep associations with your children. Things such as cuddling a comforter, thumb sucking, and humming are all great examples of positive associations.

Phelan welcomes revised permit to allow unlimited solar panels on homes Revised planning exemptions for the installation of rooftop solar panels on houses and other buildings, signed by Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien, TD, are a common sense move that will pave the way for far more homes, businesses, schools and other buildings to become far more sustainable, according to Fine Gael TD John Paul Phelan.

“This is a common sense measure. We now need a similar approach to attic and wall insulation to reduce the cost at point of purchase, rather than those

carrying out retrofit works having to go through a laborious grants process and wait weeks, if not months, to make such insulation works.

“The new solar regulations are timely and will remove the requirement for planning permission to be sought and approved for the installation of rooftop solar PV (Photo Voltaic) on the majority of buildings in the country.

“This will act as a significant driver of the rollout of micro- and small-scale solar PV generation, increasing Ireland’s generation of solar energy and strengthening

our energy security at a time when this is so badly needed. It will also help families, businesses and communities future proof against further energy price hikes.

“The revisions also extend the exemptions to new classes of buildings, such as apartments, community, religious and educational buildings. These changes will have a positive impact, allowing a greater number of people and organisations to generate their own electricity through solar, and in doing so reducing their energy costs and carbon footprint,” Deputy Phelan said.

By reducing admin-

istrative barriers, these regulations will facilitate the achievement of our climate action and renewable electricity targets, particularly the 380MW of installed capacity targeted by the Micro-generation Support Scheme, Minister Ryan said.

“The signing of these regulations represents the achievement of one of our major Climate Action Plan ambitions, and is a fine example of interdepartmental and cross-Government cooperation. The regulations remove a major barrier to those wishing to install solar PV, and will facilitate an even greater number of

households, schools, communities, farmers and businesses, among others, to produce their own clean, renewable electricity and play an active role in the energy transition.

“The regulations come at a time when we are continuing to roll out supports for domestic and non-domestic solar PV installations through the Micro-generation Support Scheme, as well as progressing the design of a support scheme for small-scale generation.

The new exemptions will open up the huge solar scope that these schemes can provide.”

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News

HSE’s National Breastfeeding Week marked in Waterford and Wexford A number of events have taken place across the South East to mark the HSE’s National Breastfeeding Week.

It happens at a time when breastfeeding groups are back meeting in person, providing important peerto-peer support for parents on their breastfeeding journey.

In addition (building on the “ Expert Help for Every Step of the Way” theme of this year’s awareness week) the four maternity hospitals in the South East – University Hospital Waterford, Wexford General Hospital, St. Luke’s General Hospital Carlow/Kilkenny and Tipperary University Hospital – are to be joined in having a Lactation Consultant by South East Community Healthcare (SECH)’s primary care services.

According to HSE figures, there has been a five point increase in the number of babies breastfed at the first Public Health Nurse visit between 2019 and 2021 (a rise to 59% overall).

Among events happening in the South East this week are Wexford Children and Young People’s Services Committee (CYPSC) support campaign and “Rhyme Time for Babies and Toddlers” at all Wexford Public Library branches (Enniscorthy on Tuesday, Buncl-

ody and Wexford Town on Wednesday and Gorey and New Ross on Thursday) – where a Lactation Consultant and/or a Public Health Nurse were on hand to have a chat about breastfeeding and answer any questions.

Aoife Kehoe (Public Health Nurse/Lactation Consultant, SECH Wexford) also hosted a special Coffee Morning on Thursday in the Kilcannon Garden Centre, Enniscorthy. Catherine Kehoe (Public Health Nurse, SECH Wexford) and Orla Gallagher (Cuidiú Breastfeeding Counsellor, Wexford)

also attended and spoke to mums with their babies.

The “Rhyme Time” event in Wexford Library was attended by Stephanie Murray (Clinical Midwife Specialist, Wexford General Hospital) and Alex Fenton (Cuidiú Breastfeeding Counsellor), who were on hand to speak about breastfeeding and answer any queries for parents. Speaking at the event in Wexford, Siobhán Sinnott (Child Health Programme Development Officer, HSE/ South East Community Healthcare) said: “Every breastfeed makes

a difference because any amount of breast milk is beneficial for mother and baby. If a mother can breastfeed for a short amount of time, it will be helpful and the longer you breastfeed the greater protection for mother and baby. We want every mother to know about all the free supports available to help her to breastfeed for longer if she wishes.”

A focus of the HSE’s National Breastfeeding Week in Waterford is a specially created exhibition of photographs and personal

breastfeeding testimonies in a montage at the Library in Gracedieu, Waterford.

Curator of the exhibit is Claire Bulfin, a Midwife and Lactation Consultant at University Hospital Waterford. Claire also hosts ante natal classes weekly at the Library in Gracedieu, on the afternoons of a breastfeeding support group’s gathering there that morning.

Encouraging visitors to the Library to see the exhibit and speaking at an occasion there this week to formally to launch the ongoing exhibit, Claire Bulfin said: “While breastfeeding rates are increasing locally around the country, we want to continue to build on this progress by supporting every parent who may need help on their breastfeeding journey. I am looking forward to colleagues taking up the new infant feeding/ lactation roles around the country, and although not everyone will need their services, their support will make a big difference for parents who do.

“As well as the new posts, we have breastfeeding preparation and antenatal classes, our midwives and public health nurses and a growing number of in-person groups resuming post pandemic. The Cuidiú organisation (see

www.Cuidiu.ie) have been fantastic, in addition to the Library services.”

“There are also a range of online resources such as virtual breastfeeding groups and mychild.ie, which has practical breastfeeding advice and the ‘Ask Our Expert’ live chat and e-mail breastfeeding support service, available 7 days a week.”

One of the mothers featured in the Waterford exhibit is Brianna Connaughton, who is also a Health Promotion and Improvement Officer with HSE/South East Community Healthcare’s Health & Wellbeing Division. In her testimony, Brianna says: “Breastfeeding has been one of the most challenging and one of the most rewarding experiences of my parenting journey so far. I have been very thankful that I have been able to feed both my girls Willow and Luna.

The support and encouragement of my partner really helped getting me through these times. With patience, persistence, sleep and time, each time each feed got better. We both learned a little more and in a few weeks we found our groove.

As a family, it has brought us connection – and shown us how resilient we are and how well we can all work together!”

The Kilkenny Observer Friday 14 October 2022

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Christmas

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Christmas

The Kilkenny Observer Friday 14 October 2022

The Kilkenny Observer Friday 14 October 2022

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Christmas

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 14 October 2022

News

And so, it begins

Yes, the evenings are closing, the daylight fades and the beautiful sunsets are a

wonder to behold. The light in the kitchen is now on, no more salads as we need that little bit of heat to warm up these ageing bones. The radio plays away and all we hear is doom and gloom.

“There will be cuts to our ESB if we don’t stop using it a peak time” “Gas is going to increase and heating our homes will be more expensive” Well it is time to say STOP!

Yes, stop! Enough of the BS and scare mongering our Seniors who have been isolated and living in fear for the past 24 months due to Covid 19. How about ensuring we can all have warm

homes, the light on when we need it, boil a kettle when we want to, have a cuppa and a biscuit in the afternoon. And what is so annoying is the doom Sayers won’t even turn down the thermostat when the weather outside is frightful (to use the words they will be singing at the Christmas parties) How could they even begin to understand when we are on €14300 and they ‘feel and share our pain’ while on minimum of €100’000 plus expenses to €188’000 that Pascal has to keep himself-dry and warm this winter. Oh yes and sure he gets €200 off each of his next three ESB bills. It would be funny if it was not true!

Give to those who need it.

Don’t just give to everyone! is there no one in the department that could come up with a more favorable way to share the cake. Or would that mean exercising the grey matter which seems to be a no no these days, unless you get a pay increase to do the work you were hired to do in the first place !

Now the brains that be, decided to give everyone the €600 and therefore next March we all revert back to square one and believe me I have spoken to Seniors who are worried about next March already.

Here’s a thought. Next time look at your ESB bill. There is a standing Charge of approx. €25.00 then we add 13.5 % Vat (which is 1.35 for every €10 ESB used)

Let’s waive the Standing order of €25 on all in receipt of the Fuel Allowance and Zero VAT. That would equate to approximately €38.50 per bill. And as we have €600 per household to play around with this would mean we can alleviate all the stress and worry for our seniors by giving them the security that they will only pay for what they use for the next 15 ESB bills. Yes! peace of mind till March 2025.

Just a little thinking outside the box!

So, to conclude, my dear seniors, please don’t cut back on your comfort. Heat your homes, have that cuppa of tea when you feel like it, watch your favorite TV programmes and leave the google box on in the corner.

Heat your bedroom and fill your pantry and fridge. Enjoy you senior years and remember this is not a dress rehearsal, it is our main show.

A little word to our family and neighbours. We are all in this together. And together we need to support each other and check-in on your elderly neighbours, and to the younger generations remember to call your Mothers and Fathers and return to them what they did for you.

After all they made you what you are today. Make sure they are warm and safe not just this winter but for everymore.

Always remember, ‘Communities Are Stronger Together’

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Feature

‘Reflections’ exhibition opens at Auxiliary Hospital Photos: jbs photos Kilkenny The T.A.S.K organisation opened the ‘Reflections’ exhibition at the old Auxiliary hospital on Wolfe Tone Street last Friday.

Speaking at the opening, Susan Fahy and Una Lennon from TASK thanked all for attending and paid special thanks to all who contributed in making the exhibition possible.

Paddy Neary, himself a resident of Wolfe Tone Street gave a wonderful talk on the street and the history of the

hospital from its origins in the 18th century.

Paddy informed the group gathered that the first Charitable Society was founded in 1726 by the tradesmen of the city for the relief in their homes of destitute tradesmen and their widows.

Explaining about the history of hospitals Paddy reported: “In the early nineteenth century, hospitals were established in the city but not as we know them today. They were just ordinary houses or even single rooms where accident cases and patients with curable diseases were

treated.

In 1761 Kilkenny Corporation gave a site free of charge for the erection of a county infirmary. The site was at Gallows Green close to the present John’s Green. Building in fact did not commence until 1765, five years later the hospital opened. It had male and female wards, each bright, airy, white washed, and had accommodation for forty patients.”

Fever hospital Speaking specifically about the Fever Hospital, Mr Neary continued: “On November

14th 1801, the newspapers reported that a Fever Hospital or a House of Recovery was to be established in Kilkenny city. Under the patronage of the Duke of Ormonde and the Bishop of Ossory, the project was supported by many gentlemen and citizens. One year later they were still talking but by Nov.25th trustees were appointed. They were empowered to lease a house suitable for use as a hospital. If this proved impossible they were to take ground and contract for one. In March 1803 the hospital opened on Hospital

Road, now Wolfe Tone St.” Mayor praises task Mayor David Fitzgerald said he was thrilled to be in attendance and said it was wonderful to see the work being done in the area of mental health. The Mayor thanked all the staff at TASK for their contribution and urged the people of Kilkenny to support the project by visiting the exhibition.

Liam Dalton gave a brief history of the work being carried out at TASK and invited people to attend the Exhibition which runs throughout

October.

‘Reflections’ is a creative project celebrating local history, collected memories and creative responses of participants to the Auxiliary Hospital. Art pieces are situated in the garden area and the exhibition is on display within the building.

Over forty people attended the opening, many of them residents of the area.

Two members of the Ukrainian community- Lilia Kurovets and Oksana Kurovets -Ovcharenko rounded off proceedings with music and song.

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Feature

RESIST Hand Hygiene campaign launched at St. Columba’s Hospital, Thomastown

St. Columbas Hospital Thomastown in Co. Kilkenny recently joined in the implementation of the national “RESIST” hand hygiene campaign.

“RESIST” is the campaign branding for a number of hand hygiene and infection prevention and control initiatives under the National HSE Antimicrobial Resistance and Infection Control Programme (AMRIC). One of these initiatives is a rollout of the RESIST hand hygiene awareness programme to all residential care facilities and the long stay older persons care St. Columbas Hospital has partaken in this initiative.

The programme builds on the work already done to date by all healthcare facilities and healthcare workers in promoting and complying with hand hygiene standards.

Hand hygiene has been at the forefront of all the initiatives that the HSE has been implementing to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and other infections which can cause harm to care facility residents.

Speaking at the recent launch of the RESIST campaign in St. Columbas, Julie Meally (Clinical Nurse Specialist Infection Prevention and Control for Carlow/Kilkenny) said: “As a programme, RESIST is aimed not just at those delivering care but at everyone who comes into a hospital or residential care facility, including patients and visitors. We will be intensifying the campaign across the South East over the coming months and are delighted that St. Columbas Hospital is promoting such an important programme.”

“When healthcare workers like nurses, care assistants, cleaning and catering staff, doctors and patients keep

their hands clean, they help to prevent the spread of serious health care associated infections (HCAIs). These are infections that can happen in any healthcare service.

In addition to healthcare workers and their need to clean their hands very regularly throughout their work, patients and visitors also play a part in reducing the spread of infection by following advice on hand decontamination.”

Also speaking at the launch, Catriona Kirwan (Director of Nursing, St. Columba’s Hospital, Thomastown) added: “Here in St. Columbas Hospital there is an excellent record in hand hygiene. We are always, however, looking to improve our standards.

The RESIST programme and the local IPCN and Link practitioners will help us to do that and we are delighted to have been selected to be part of the rollout in HSE residential care services.”

“Along with our own staff, our residents and visitors to Columba’s all have a role to play to help stop the spread of infections and join the

superbug resistance. This programme will help us to refresh and energise our hand hygiene approach among both staff of the hospital and patients. The link nurses, our Hand Hygiene Trainers and our Infection Control Nurses help us to do this”.

“Residents can also play a big part in reducing the

spread of infection. There are things we can encourage and assist the residents to do to protect themselves from picking up an infection or super bug: We are very conscious of the role of our antimicrobial pharmacists in making us very aware of proper use of antibiotics and antimicrobial stewardship.”

“To this end we can follow the guidelines: • Clean your hands regularly, using the alcohol hand gel in the hospital.

• Clean your hands before you eat and wash your hands after you go to the toilet.

• Avoid sharing your personal things with other residents – for example, your phone.

• Do not let anyone sit on your bed and avoid sitting on other residents beds • Remember it is OK to remind a staff member or your visitors to clean their hands • It is OK to tell a staff member if you see anything that is not clean.

See https://www2.hse.ie/ wellbeing/how-to-washyour-hands.html

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 14 October 2022

Dine Me Food & Drink

Come

With

Creamy pumpkin pasta Prep: 15 mins Cook: 15 mins Serves: 4

Classic French aperitifs... Part 2

Make the most of pumpkins this autumn.

When puréed and combined with mascarpone and parmesan, their flesh transforms into a silky, delicious pasta sauce.

Ingredients • 2 tbsp olive oil • 1 onion, finely chopped • 2 garlic cloves, crushed • 500g pumpkin or squash, peeled and cut into roughly 3cm cubes • 50-100ml whole milk • 2 tbsp tomato purée • 2 tbsp mascarpone • 350g short pasta (rigatoni or penne work well) • 40g grated parmesan or vegetarian alternative, plus extra to serve Method STEP 1 Heat the oil in a large, shallow, flameproof casserole or frying pan over a low-medium heat and fry the onion with a pinch of salt for 10-15 mins until softened and translucent. Add the garlic and fry for 1 min more. Remove from the heat and leave to cool slightly.

STEP 2 Meanwhile, cook the pumpkin in a pan of boiling salted water for 10-15 mins until tender when pierced with a cutlery knife. Drain and tip into a blender (or use a hand blender). Blitz with 50ml milk and the onions until completely smooth, gradually adding more milk until the mixture is thick enough to just coat the back of a spoon (you may not need all the milk). Tip into a large frying pan with the

tomato purée and mascarpone, and bring to a simmer over a low heat.

STEP 3 Cook the pasta in a large pan of boiling, salted water following pack instructions.

Drain, reserving a cupful of the cooking water. Toss the pasta with the pumpkin sauce, parmesan and 50-100ml of the reserved water to loosen. Season and scatter with extra parmesan.

Microwave mug cake Prep: 5 mins Cooks: 2 mins Serves:1 Need a quick chocolate fix? Try making this easy microwave mug cake with basic ingredients. It’s even more delicious with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Ingredients • 4 tbsp self-raising flour • 4 tbsp caster sugar • 2 tbsp cocoa powder • 1 medium egg • 3 tbsp milk • 3 tbsp vegetable oil or sunflower oil • a few drops of vanilla essence or other essence (orange or peppermint work well) • 2 tbsp chocolate chips, nuts, or raisins etc (optional)

Method STEP 1 Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Mix tAdd 4 tbsp self-raising flour, 4 tbsp caster sugar and 2 tbsp cocoa powder to the largest mug you have (to stop it overflowing in the microwave) and mix.

STEP 3 Add the 3 tbsp milk, 3 tbsp vegetable or sunflower oil and a few drops of vanilla essence and mix until smooth, before adding 2 tbsp chocolate chips, nuts, or raisins, if using, and mix again.

STEP 2 Add 1 medium egg and mix in as much as you can, but don’t worry if there’s still dry mix left.

STEP 4 Centre your mug in the middle of the microwave oven and cook on High for 1½ -2 mins, or until it has stopped rising and is firm to the touch.

St Germain Spritz The St Germain spritz is made with prosecco and sparkling water to exactly the same measures, just with the fragrant St Germain elderflower liqueur in place of a bitter base.

The result is a light and floral drink made for long summer nights, usually garnished with a twist of lemon or slice of cucumber. If you’re perfecting the art of the aperitif at home, the art deco bottle is also an enviable addition to any vintage bar cart or sideboard.

Pét-nat Especially in Paris, ordering a glass of bulles (bubbles) doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be served champagne. Pét-nat, shorthand for pétillant naturel, has become le nouveau kif (the new jam) at norm-challenging wine bars like Lolo and Déviant.

It’s easy to see the appeal. Made by the méthode ancestrale, a single fermentation in-bottle during which the CO2 produced is trapped as delicate bubbles, pét-nats are fizzy, fruity, and often lowish in alcohol. Do they have the elegance and complexity of champagne? No. Are they more fun?

Always.

Cap Corse A bottle of Cap Corse is an apéro essential on the island of Corsica. The liqueur was created in 1872 as a medicinal tonic by wine merchant LouisNapoléon Mattei, who combined wine made from the local muscat and vermentino grapes with extracts of cinchona bark. Today, the recipe remains much the same, with the addition of Corsican lemon peel and other secret flavourings.

The complex and bittersweet drink, bold enough to drink neat over ice, has floral notes that shine in cocktails or when it’s served simply with tonic.

Pastis Nothing divides the French like the sight of a glass filled with intensely anise-flavored pastis.

First there are the geographic battle lines: No true Marseillais or Marseillaise would denounce the city’s most famous drink, but Parisians are quick to turn up their noses. Then there’s the issue of age; despite Ricard’s best efforts, the quintessential image of a pastis drinker remains that of a grayhaired pétanque player.

The only thing that really matters is if you like it— and how you serve it. Never make the mistake of drinking it neat. You should start with a small pour of pastis in the bottom of a tall glass to which you add still water, watching it transform from a clear spirit to a milky yellow (usually four parts of water to one of pastis). Only at the end do you add ice, if you’d like, before sipping slowly in the sunshine.

Concludes next week

The Kilkenny Observer Friday 14 October 2022

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5

Best horror on Amazon Prime for Halloween

Advertisement TV & Streaming

to stream right now on Netflix 1. Travelers

Full disclosure: Netflix sadly canceled Travelers (2016-2018) after its third season, but this tightly plotted sci-fi out of Canada does manage to end with an ambitious bang. We start with Marcy, a disabled woman who’s beaten up after helping a friend escape thugs. She dies -then comes back to life. This strong character-driven sci-fi reveals its secrets in clever ways, following operatives from the future tasked with preventing the collapse of society but also navigating the tricky territory of living a double life.

2. Extraordinary Attorney Woo

Keep your warm-coloured lights and green pine trees.

For some of us, October is the most wonderful time of the year. You can smell it as autumnal leaves drifting across the grass; you can hear it as children laugh in their most beloved Halloween costumes; and you can see it with the cornucopia of horror movies to watch.

Aye, horror flicks are the most important part of the season to some. For 31 days, you don’t need an excuse to indulge in the wicked and the weird, and to hopefully scare yourself silly. But in an age of streaming, and when countless mounds of content is being thrown at you, how do you decide what to watch?

Well, at least when it comes to Amazon Prime Video, we have a few ideas...

Final Destination (2000) Of all the new franchises that have popped up this century, Final Destination has to be the most purely fun. Fun, and of course, stressful. The

first one sets up the premise that the sequels would expand upon (there’s a Final Destination 6 in the works): A character has a premonition about an impending disaster (in the original FD, this is a plane crash) and escapes death with a bunch of others.

But death isn’t have any of it: a series of random accidents start picking off the survivors in the order they would have passed. Inducing a fear of loose screws and dangling cables forevermore, the next four instalments (all available on Amazon, by the by) prove there is no end of damage that can be done by household objects.

lionaire who offers a group of strangers $10,000 each if they can survive the night in a haunted house. Hey, $10k went a lot further back in the day, not that any of the contestants will necessarily live to spend it.

The movie is hammy, utilising carnival barker tricks and tropes to scare the audience, and today it’s become allages fun. Alas, modern viewers will never have the proper Castle experience from 1959 where some theatres lowered a skeleton with glowing red eyes during the climax of the film, which involves a skeleton rising from a vat of acid on the screen.

House on Haunted Hill (1959) The original House on Haunted Hill, which is not to be confused with The Haunting of Hill House, is a camp classic worthy of a watch every October. As the brain child of B-movie king William Castle, it stars Vincent Price as an eccentric mil-

Let the Right One In (2008) Tomas Alfredson wistful, delicate vampire movie, based on John Ajvide Lindqvist’s book and screenplay, is rightly recognised as a modern classic within the genre. In it a bored and bullied little boy in ‘80s Stockholm meets an odd little girl

who’s a lot older than she looks.

It’s a story of friendship and sacrifice, with multiple layers ripe for further exploration. So much so, in fact, that as well as the US remake and stage adaptation it inspired, a TV series based on the material and starring Demián Bichir is on its way.

Possum (2018) Matthew Holness, aka Garth Marenghi, makes his feature directorial debut with this haunting and disturbing horror that sets out to make your skin crawl. It’s mostly a two-hander with Sean Harris as a former children’s entertainer returning to live with his grubby stepfather Alun Armstrong and his own trauma. This is artsy, grimy stuff, and even the look of the film is unsettling (including the poster), with a horrible reveal that might leave you wanting a shower.

Not a fun film, then, Possum is still a unique and disturbing watch.

New series has the most jump scares You can’t beat a good jump scare. We’re hardwired to engage with them because our reaction is often entirely physical. Unlike the slow build of a spooky story, they immediately get the blood pumping and adrenaline coursing.

Thankfully, Netflix’s new horror series has a dose of both.

In fact, Mike Flanagan’s new series, The Midnight Club, offers up more jump scares in the first episode than any previous outing

in TV history, according to the Guinness Book of Records. Thus, you might want to make all necessary preparations before you comfortably press play.

This news comes with a fair serving of irony for the show’s creator. “My whole career I completely s**t on jump scares as a concept, and I wanted to make sure it was pinned to me, too, as much as it is to the show, to Netflix, and all of us who have inflicted this on everyone,” Flanagan said.

“Now, I have my name in the Guinness Book of World Records for jump scares, which means next time I get the note, I can say, ‘You know, as the current world record holder for jump scares, I don’t think we need one here.’”

With that in mind, it is worth noting that the show doesn’t just aim to get the heart racing, it also seeks to engage the mind. This classic ghost story trait has been evident in all of Flanagan’s other works

like The Haunting of Hill House and Midnight Mass.

The Midnight Club comes with the following synopsis: “A group of terminally ill teenage patients resides at Brightcliffe Hospice, and together they create the Midnight Club.

They meet in secret at midnight to tell horror stories.

Together the group forms a pact that whoever dies first would make the effort to contact the rest of the Midnight Club members from beyond the grave.”

Extraordinary Attorney Woo (2022—) hasn’t even finished airing its first season on Netflix, and it’s already a runaway winner. Its unique concept: A woman who has autism becomes a lawyer in South Korea, elevated by her brilliant and unexpected ways of approaching cases. An inspiring heroine, Woo Young-woo (Park Eun-bin) brings extraordinary representation to the screen. Charming, heartwarming, and as radiant as the sun ...

3. Borgen

Denmark’s bleaker answer to the West Wing. Borgen (2010—) is the epitome of sophisticated political dramas, chronicling the inspiring fictional underdog story of how, against all odds, Birgitte Nyborg Christensen (Sidse Babett Knudsen) becomes the first female prime minister of Denmark.

Produced by the same company behind The Killing, Borgen is four influential seasons of one woman’s complicated, intricate rise to power.

4. Unorthodox

This miniseries is based on a memoir and told primarily in Yiddish with painstaking detail.

Almost a thriller, Unorthodox follows 19-year-old Esty Shapiro, who escapes her arranged marriage in an ultra-Orthodox community in Brooklyn. She ends up in Berlin, exploring a new life outside the strict beliefs she grew up in, but her community doesn’t let go that easily. Featuring a stunning performance from Shira Haas, Unorthodox (2020) lets you take a step into a relentlessly compelling world.

5. Godless

This miniseries carves itself firmly into the Western genre, with a female-led cast boasting Merritt Weaver and Downton Abbey’s Michelle Dockery. With its 1880s New Mexico vistas swirling around it, Godless (2017) draws up the violence in a tale that sees an outlaw on the run from his boss seek refuge with an outcast widower.

Oh, JeA Daniels is in this too, if the show wasn’t enticing enough.

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 14 October 2022

News

And the band played on…

BY JOHN FITZGERALD

On the eve of the 1884 Manchester Martyrs parade, the police decided to nip the Kilkenny band’s planned seditious behaviour in the bud. RIC Head Constable Meek went to the band hall to warn that any parade that year would be decisively broken up and dispersed.

Reluctantly, the band called off its anticipated outing.

Parades for the following four years were low-key and without incident, but all hell broke loose at the 1888 event. St. Patrick’s band spearheaded a long column of protesters. The music came to an abrupt halt in Upper Patrick Street when a strong police cordon blocked its passage.

Simultaneously, the Workingmen’s Club Fife and Drum Band had entered High Street from Walkin Street, only to meet an equally determined line of constables. Pitched battles erupted all over the city.

Stones and bottles greeted batons, and blooded flowed

in the streets. The main force of police was at the Town Hall. People darting out of the network of laneways showered them with missiles and then melted back into the shadows.

The band remained a thorn in the side of the RIC for decades. It backed anti-eviction protests, including ones staged outside the homes affected. In February 1889, the band turned up to offer moral support to political prisoners due to arrive at Kilkenny Gaol. Crowds gathered around the platform at the railway station to await the prisoners.

When the train pulled in, a huge cheer went up. The protesters jeered at police assembled under the Railway Bridge. Then St. Patrick’s band headed towards the gaol at the head of a torchlight procession. The police blocked this as it neared the prison. Scuffles followed, and a major riot ensued that enveloped the entire city.

In Stephen Street, band members were badly beaten with batons, and the big drum was damaged when an RIC man kicked a hole in it. The parade dispersed amid further chaotic scenes.

Police and marchers nursed

their wounds, and scores of people ended up in hospital.

Later that week, an irate local, John Brennan, walked up to a constable in High Street whom he thought had smashed the drum during the parade. A heavily built man, he caught the constable and heaved him through Gregg’s window. He was immediately arrested by other RIC men and thrown into the lock-up under the courthouse.

Sixteen men were charged in relation to the riots and the judge, in summing up the case, laid the blame for the disturbances on St. Patrick’s Band. Of those charged, two later became prominent band members: Matt Darcy; its gifted euphonium player, and Tom Ryan, grandfather of the band’s Centenary Year chairman.

In December 1890, St. Patrick’s led a group of bands that welcomed Charles Stuart Parnell to Kilkenny. It played outside the Victoria Hotel- where the Munster and Leinster Bank later stood. Ten months later, it was present at the funeral of the great agitator.

Throughout the turbulent period leading up to the 1922 Truce and Treaty, the band

was in thick of the political drama that unfolded across Kilkenny City and county.

It accompanied Sinn Fein candidate W.T. Cosgrave to several big rallies during the 1917 by-election to give backing to his electoral bid.

And the band hall on the Kells Road was raided almost twice weekly from the day

the War of Independence got underway. The RIC and Tans loved to tear the old hall apart whenever they felt the need to retaliate for rebel activities.

The band was at the centre of the last RIC baton charge in Kilkenny, which occurred, ironically, on St. Patrick’s Night. The police issued a

proclamation banning a Gaelic League concert in the city theatre on the basis that it might provoke a “breach of the peace and promote disaffection.”

(Picture shows the band at Nowlan Park in 1949) -John Fitzgerald To be continued…

Consular duty in Kilkenny WHEN: October 20-21, 2022 (ThursdayFriday) WHERE: Honorary Consulate of the Republic of Poland in Kilkenny Address: 15A, Hebron Business Park, Kilkenny, Co. Kilkenny, R95DD29 OBJECTIVE: submission of passport applications – priority for children, the elderly and those who have difficulties in getting to Dublin, e.g. due to disability.

REGISTRATION: by e-mail to: dublin.dyzur.zapisy@msz. gov.pl Sending an e-mail is not tantamount to a subscription, each person qualified for duty will receive an individual confirmation with an indication of the time of passport visit.

The order of applications is decisive.

Please enter “DUTY AT KILKENNY” in the subject line of the e-mail and the following information in the body: • name and date of birth (applies to persons enrolled for passport visits); • the type of matter being handled (e.g. submission of 1 application/2 passport applications for a biometric/temporary

passport); • telephone number; • in the case of passports for children, the following must also be provided: • the name and surname of the parent/guardian and the contact details of the parent/ guardian and confirm that the parents have a valid ID card or passport), • information whether the child has a Polish birth certificate (a child born in Poland or whether a foreign birth certificate has been transcribed into the Polish civil status register).

NOTE: parents/guardians presenting themselves at a passport visit in order to consent to the issuance of a passport for a child present valid ID cards / passports – if the parent / guardian has Polish citizenship, but does not have a valid ID / passport should first submit a passport application to the Consular and Polonia Department of the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Dublin or on consular duty. Only after obtaining a passport is it possible to accept permission to issue a passport for a child.

FEES: The only form of payment on consular duty is POSTAL MONEY ORDER available at any An Post point.

Detailed information on this form of payment will be sent to all registered persons.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: requirements for submitting passport applications https://www.gov.pl/web/ irlandia/paszporty Please monitor the website of the office, where information about the next planned consular duty will be placed.

DYŻUR KONSULARNY W KILKENNY

KIEDY: 20-21 października 2022 r. (czwartek-piątek) GDZIE: Konsulat Honorowy RP w Kilkenny Adres: 15A, Hebron Business Park, Kilkenny, Co. Kilkenny, R95DD29 CEL:składanie wniosków paszportowych – priorytetowo dla dzieci, osób starszych oraz mających trudności z dojazdem do Dublina, np. z powodu niepełnosprawności.

ZAPISY:mailowo na: dublin. dyzur.zapisy@msz.gov.pl Wysłanie maila nie jest równoznaczne z zapisem, każda osoba zakwalifikowana na dyżur otrzyma indywidualne potwierdzenie ze wskazaniem godziny wizyty paszportowej.

Decyduje kolejność zgłoszeń.

Prosimy o wpisanie w temacie e-maila „DYŻUR W KILKENNY”, a w treści następujących informacji: • imię i nazwisko oraz data urodzenia (dotyczy osób zapisywanych na wizytę paszportową); • rodzaj załatwianej sprawy (np. złożenie 1 wniosku/2 wniosków paszportowych dot. paszportu biometrycznego/tymczasowego); • numer telefonu; • w przypadku paszportów dla dzieci należy podać również:  imię i nazwisko rodzica/opiekuna oraz dane kontaktowe rodzica/opiekuna oraz potwierdzić posiadanie przez rodziców ważnego dowodu osobistego lub paszportu),  informację, czy dziecko posiada polski akt urodzenia (dziecko urodzone w Polsce lub czy dokonano transkrypcji zagranicznego aktu urodzenia do polskiego rejestru

stanu cywilnego).

UWAGA: rodzice/opiekunowie stawiający się na wizycie paszportowej w celu wyrażenia zgody na wydanie paszportu dla dziecka okazują ważne dowody osobiste/paszporty – jeśli rodzic/opiekun ma obywatelstwo polskie, ale nie posiada ważnego dowodu/paszportu powinien najpierw złożyć wniosek paszportowy w Wydziale Konsularnym i Polonii Ambasady RP w Dublinie lub na dyżurze konsularnym. Dopiero po uzyskaniu paszportu możliwe jest przyjęcie zgody na wydanie paszportu dla dziecka.

OPŁATY: Jedyną formą płatności na dyżurze konsularnym jest POSTAL MONEY ORDER dostępny w każdym punkcie An Post.

Szczegółowe informacje nt. tej formy zapłaty zostaną wysłane do wszystkich zapisanych osób.

DODATKOWE INFORMACJE: wymagania przy składaniu wniosków paszportowych https://www.gov.pl/ web/irlandia/paszporty Prosimy monitorować stronę internetową urzędu, gdzie zostanie umieszczona informacja o kolejnych planowanych dyżurach konsularnych.

The Kilkenny Observer Friday 14 October 2022

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 14 October 2022

kilkennyobserver.ie

News Community & GAA Notes

LOTTO Lotto Results: Numbers drawn. 8, 22, 23. No jackpot winner. Next week’s jackpot €5,600.

Winners of €30. Marjorie Moore, Emma Murphy, Fintan Murphy, Marie O Reilly, Olive and Antonia-Ly Pierce.

Thanks for supporting the local lotto.

GAA U15s LOSE SHIELD Clara lost out to Young Irelands of Gowran on Thursday evening in Dunmore in the U15 Roinn A Shield semi final on a scoreline of 1-15 to 2-10. It was a disappointing display from the Clara lads who got going all too late. It took 40 minutes for them to register their first score from play despite having loads of possession but a strong Gowran defence has to be credited for this statistic also.

Early Clara pressure saw a ball cleared off the line (some might say it had crossed the line!) before Joe Power opened the scoring with a pointed free. Thomas Langton responded in kind for Gowran. The same pattern was repeated for the next two scores but then Langton, who was a constant thorn in Clara’s side, edged his side two points clear, one of his scores a sweet one from play. Joe Power then pointed a ‘65 before Gowran broke the game open with an unanswered 1-2 to move 6 ahead. That margin was maintained to the halftime break. Young Irelands 1-7 Clara 0-4.

Davy Barcoe opened the scoring in the second half with a monster free but Gowran replied with two of their own.

Davy then registered his team’s first point from play and Hugh Kelly, who had been Clara’s best player up to now, added another one. Thomas Langton scored one for Gowran but then Orí Phelan got around his marker and stormed forward before cleverly batting the ball home.

This prompted a supreme effort from the Clara lads and although Thomas Langton scored the next point from a free a relocated Davy Barcoe was now on the rampage and scored the game’s next two points before Joe Power accurately dispatched a penalty to the Gowran net to tie the game with five minutes to go.

Disappointingly the comeback petered out there.

The Gowran full forward put them back ahead and two converted Thomas Langton 65s gave them some breathing space. A late late Luke Lawlor attempt at an equalising goal looked destined for the net but was deflected over by a defender for a point. In truth Clara had left it too late to get going and may rue not moving Davy Barcoe into the forwards earlier. They had strong performances from goalkeeper Padraic Meany , Davy Barcoe, Daniel Ryan and Hugh Kelly but they will know themselves that they didn’t produce their best form here.

Credit to Gowran for not allowing them.

Team - Padraic Meany, Tom Murphy, James Cody, Daniel Murphy. Conor Galvin, David Barcoe 0-4, 0-1f, Daniel Ryan. Philip Carrigan, Hugh Kelly 0-1. John Bergin, Luke Lawlor 0-1, Eoin Corr. Joe Power 1-4, 1-0 penalty, 0-3f, 0-1x65, Orí Phelan 1-0, Bill Kealy. Sub used Lukas Healy.

CAMOGIE The Clara U14 girls were rather unlucky losers of their county final on Saturday morning at the Kells Road. Both themselves and their opponents Erin’s Own/ Naomh Bríd each recorded six scores but four of the Comer/ Ballyraggett scores were goals, some of them of the soft variety. Clara enjoyed the bulk of possession but left themselves a gaping hole to get out of when they trailed 3-1 to 0-1 after 15 minutes. The Clara point had come from the stick of Emily Phelan.

Then a speculative well struck sliotar from Olivia Power ended up in the top corner of the net and this changed the pattern of the game. Amy Bergin added a point and the lead was down to five at the break.

Clara continued on top in the second half and Moya Kelly finished to the net after a goalmouth scramble. Emily Phelan scored her second point to cut the deficit to the minimum and Clara were playing with real momentum.

Then a breakaway goal really deflated the challenge and put a pep back in the Erin’s Own/Naomh Bríd step.

They added a point and although Clara kept trying to the bitter end an Olivia Power point was all that they could manage. The Clara girls gave a very good account of themselves and their days of winning championships will come. They had star players here in Maria Hogan, Lucy Kealy, Caragh Brennan, Onagh Fitzgerald, Moya Kelly, Olivia Power and Emily Phelan but they all hurled really well. Well done also to the management team of Padraic Brennan, Dan McDonald and Aine McDonald.

Team - Aoibheann McDonald, Katie O Connell, Maria Hogan, Lucy Kealy. Danica Tervit-Kruger, Caragh Brennan, Caoimhe Kenny. Cella Leamy, Onagh Fitzgerald. Moya Kelly 1-0, Amy Bergin 0-1, Olivia Power 1-1.

Katie Boyd, Amy Lynch, Emily Phelan 0-2. Subs used Eva Dreeling, Alice Kennedy. Also Katelyn Shortall, Amelia Ryan, Claragh Roche, Doireann Corr, Brooke Flynn, Orla Carrigan, Aoibhe Callery (inj)

CLUB LOTTO There was no winners of this week’s club lotto (Oct 4th).

Numbers Drawn 9, 21, 25, 28 Bonus 15. Next Week’s top prize will be €12,800 (Oct 11th). Play Now at www. oloughlingaels.com/lotto Promotors Draw : 1. Sheila Hanlon. 2. Biddy Fogarty c/o Damien O’Connell. 3. Noel & Martina c/o Noel Tyrrell.

4. Siobhan Kelly c/o Esther Maher. 5. Richie Kearns c/o Damien O’Connell. 6. Mick & Mags c/o Gerry Buckley. 7.

Tom O’Shea c/o Eileen Cleere. 8. Andy Comerford c/o Online. 9. Paul O’Brien c/o Online. 10. John Mallon c/o Online Thank you for your continued support ALL-STAR NOMINEES Congratulations to Laura Murphy who has been nominated for this year’s Camogie All Stars. Brilliant reward for a great year for Laura. Congratulations to Brian Dowling who has also been nominated for Manager of The Year. Lovely hurling COUNTY SEMI-FINAL The best of luck to our U16 Camogie team in their Championship semi-final on Sunday. The match is versus Mullinavat in Mullinavat at 11am. Your support would be greatly appreciated

EMERALDS GAA CLUB Mega Bingo: Every Sunday, 6pm at Urlingford GAA pitch.

Gates open at 5pm. Single books and one sheet €10; Double books and two sheets €15. Extra jackpot sheet €3 or two for €5. Please support.

EMERALDS URLINGFORD AND GRAINE LOTTO October 3rd prize fund was: €9,800. Jackpot: €7,800.

Numbers drawn: 18, 19, 26 and 29, bonus no 25. No winner and no match 3 winner.

Five lucky dips of €20 each: N. Bambrick, Killian and Neasa Doyle, Joe Shortall, Jayme and Catherine, N. Healy. Last draw took place on Monday, October 10th in the Clubrooms. Results next week.

MILL FAMILY RESOURCE CENTRE Save the date: Knitting and Crochet Christmas Fair and Coffee Morning on Friday, December 2nd in the Centre, Main Street, Urlingford from 11am-1pm. Hope to see you there.

LTI Pathway to Employment course QQI Level 4: LTI is recruiting for the new programme in the Centre. If anyone is interested in completing this full-time course, please contact us for an expression of interest form.

More details can be found on our website www.millfrcurlingford.com Defibrillator: Please note that there is a defibrillator located in the Mill Family Resource Centre if and when it may be required.

Senior Alert: If you need to apply for a Personal Alarm, please contact Sue or Josephine.

Mindfulness: Can help reduce anxiety and stress and improve overall mental health. We are running a 5-week Mindfulness programme beginning Thursday, November 3 from 11am-12 noon in the Centre. If you would like to attend please contact us at the number below.

Counselling services: Our low cost counselling services, includes one-to-one, family and teens, aged 12+.

General counselling: Bereavement, stress, anxiety and depression. Other counselling services available: Drug, substance and gambling addictions. Please contact Sue for more information or to make an appointment.

Appeal for Clothes Donations: Any clothes donations would be appreciated in aid of our counselling services.

Donations can be left into the centre, please call before dropping off.

Contact number for the Centre 056 8838466.

SET DANCING Urlingford Community Centre, starting Tuesday, November 1st, at 8.30pm. Dancing to live music with Danny Webster. Sets called by Paddy Martin. Come along for a great night of dancing!

URLINGFORD ARMS SPLIT THE POT This week’s winner of Split the Pot is Reece Stranger who won €354. Congrats Reece!

Tickets €2 on sale in participating businesses in town, with proceeds this week going to Clomantagh Heritage Club, thanks to everyone for their support.

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

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

MINOR CHAMPS Congratulations to St.Lachtains minor hurling team who won the county final on Wednesday evening of last week at Dunmore. It was a very tough game against The Emeralds of Urlingford. The game finished at full time level. Having not led in the game until the last couple of minutes in extra time the local lads gave it their all and came away 1 point winners on a final score line of 1.11 to 0-13 points. They were giving a rousing reception on Saturday evening last in the village when they were driven around the village to a cheering crowd of supporters and were treated to refreshments later on.

Team: M Murphy, J. Denieffe, L Phelan, L Landers, C. Bowden, J. Bergin (Capt), C. McCabe, S. Kennedy, M. Campion, C. Dalton, C. Hickey, J. O’Connor, M. Tiernan, S. Counihan, C. Donnelly, Subs E. Dalton Well done to all the team and to the Management Ollie O’ Connor, James Burke, Jason Bowden, Patrick Donnelly and Owen Dalton.

RACE NIGHT The Club will hold a race night in Kilkenny greyhound stadium on Friday 28th October at 7.30pmFurther details on prizes etc will be posted on social media in the coming days LENA MACKEY The death took place last weekend of Mrs. Lena Mackey late of Gathabawn following a short illness. Although unwell recently her passing caused widespread shock and regret. A friendly and kind lady both her and her family are widely known and respected in the locality and ran a family public house for decades in Gathabawn.

Her remains were taken to St.Munchin’s Church Gathabawn on Tuesday evening Funeral mass took place on Wednesday at 11 clock with cremation on Thursday last in Island crematorium, Ringaskiddy, Co. Cork. She is mourned by her husband Richard Snr., son Richard Jnr. Daughters Catriona and Cora, grandchildren, daughter in law, sons in law, brothers, sisters, brothers in law, sisters in law, nephews nieces and extended family to whom deepest sympathy is extended.

FEILE LACHTTAIN CONCERT The showpiece event of Féile Lachtain took place on Saturday evening last when the Rafter Family performed in concert at St. Lachtain’s R.C. Church. A local Kilkenny family and very talented and musical family they performed before a big attendance who were to and entertained wirh some great music and singing. Thanks to all those who supported and helped to organise the event.

DAY CARE CENTRE Freshford day care centre recommenced recently and continues each Wednesday in the GAA Centre at 2pm.

New members are most welcome SYMPATHY Sympathy is extended to Siobhan Crosby of Graigueswood and Martina Hayes Woodview and all their family on the death last week of their mother Mrs. Joan Hayes late of Main Steet, Rathdowney. Funeral mass took place on Thursday last in Church of Most Holy Trinity Rathdowney followed by burial Bealady Cemetery.

SOCCER The junior soccer season began recently and also the schoolboys section. Freshford Town Junior side were beaten in the first round of the Maher Shield and drew away to St.Johns recently in on a 3-3 scoreline.

SPLIT THE POT The weekly lucky winner of last weeks split the pot draw was young Aoibheann O’Flaherty of Clashacrow who won €81. The draw takes place each Wednesday. Tickets are just €2 and the winner gets half of the takings. Boxes and envelopes can be found in Kavanagh’s Bar, Mace, O’Shea’s corner shop, Girls& Guys Hairdressers, Oasis Creche, Freshford Creamery, Freshford Butchers and Prague House. Please support this fund raising draw and Big thanks to all for their continued support.

PARISH NEWS Mass is held in the Parish Church each Wednesday morning at 9.30am and on Sunday morning at 11am. wiith Mass in Tulla church on Saturday evenings at 7.30pm.

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

Mass Cards Special printed parish cards are available at the Parish Office or from Annette at Tulla Church signed by Monsignor Kennedy. You can contact the Parish office on 056 8832843 or by email – freshfordd@ossory.ie.

CAMOGIE AGM St. Lachtain’s Camogie Club will hold its AGM on Friday 11th November 2022 at 8pm in the St. Lachtain’s Club rooms.

LOOP CAFE Big Work is ongoing at the Community Cafe at Buncrussia Street and it is hoped to be open this month.

Huge credit is due to the volunteers who have worked so hard to get all the work done. The Committee thank all those who supported their fund raiser and all who have donated in any way over the past months. They are looking for certain equipment such as fridges etc. at present and would be obliged if people had some they could donate.

HARVEST THANKSGIVING Harvest Thanksgiving Service took place in the St Lachtains old Church recently with a good crowd in attendance. Sermon was giving by Monsignor Kieran Kennedy.

HELP FOR ALL Are you struggling with anxiety or depression or finding life difficult 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

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kilkennyobserver.ie

News Community & GAA Notes Below: St. Lachtains minor hurlers who won the Roinn C County Final

for you.

KILMOGANNY BRIDGE CLUB The bridge results for 5/10/2022: 1 Elizabeth Lanigan &Grace Landy 2 Josie O’Gorman & Philip Brennan. 3 Rita Houlihan & Mary Comerford. Bridge is every Wednesday night at 7.30pm in St. Eoghans Centre, Kilmoganny. All welcome.

FUNDING ‘Where to find funding - tips for Small Organisations’ free webinar. Whether you have a couple of paid employee or are completely volunteer run and operated, The Wheel invite you to attend their Where to Find Funding - Tips for Small Organisations free webinar on Friday, 21 Oct (10am - 11am). In this tightly packed 1-hour session, you can expect to get a practical set of guidelines for: Understanding your current income mix and how to play to your strengths when seeking new sources of funding Identifying the key tool and knowledge required to put your nonprofit on a sustainable financial footing.

Deploying the ‘10 Step Approach’ and how this tried and tested formula can help your organisation thrive.

Register at https://www.wheel.ie/training/2022/10/ where-find-funding-tips-small-organisations-webinar.

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.

Local Lotto Winning numbers for October 3rd: 4, 22, 36.

No winner. Winners of draw for 5 x € 30. Maria Staunton ( Townsend’s ), Alice Moore ( Townsend’s), Chloe Power ( Pauline Flynn ), Leah,Alan and Daniel ( Malachy Hogan ), Kevin O Neill ( Olive Buckley). Jackpot week October 10th € 2,800 Venue : Delaney’s Kells at 9pm All Welcome.

MARK THE CALENDER Dunnamaggin GAA’s Dinner Dance. Mark the calendar the GAA club will host a Dinner Dance on Sat 26th November in Hotel Kilkenny. Something to look forward to as the nights draw in.

WHATS HAPPENING IN DUNNAMAGGIN Monday yoga with Sharon at 10.30am in the Old School Dunnamaggin. Contact Sharon 086 8159441 to book a place.

The fourth Community Spirit Award will be awarded in November. This year, as last, we have a nomination process in place for people to nominate someone they feel should be acknowledged for their voluntary work and contribution to the parish of Dunnamaggin which encompasses the three villages of Kells, Dunnamaggin and KIlmoganny. Nominations can be sent via private message to our facebook page (Dunnamaggin Community News) saying why your nominee should receive the award. Nomination forms will also be available in local shops soon.

Dates for your diary:Sunday October 30th 11.30am to 4pm - Halloween Fun - Pumpkin Carving Competition - Children’s Halloween Games - Eamo’s Beef Stew to keep you all warm - Facepainting - and lots more to be unveiled.

Saturday December 3rd in Madge’s Garden - turning on the Christmas Lights with MInce Pies and Hot Chocolate Sunday December 4th our annual Christmas Market with Santa and Mrs Claus 11.30am to 4pm.

A new Whats App Group has been set up Parish News and Events to inform the whole community of forthcoming events across the three villages of Kells, KIlmoganny and Dunnamaggin. If you wish to be added please text 087 9665020 or 087 7565376 to be added to the group.

It is an information only group so admins are the only ones that can post but there are admins from the three villages so if you have some event to highlight or news to impart you contact one of the admins and they will post

Club lotto. Dicksboro GAA Club LOTTO Results 3rd October . Nos: 13 14 16 25 Jackpot: €4850 Not Won. Draw Prizes – €50: Abby and Adam c/o Phil Hogan €25 each 2 Melons & 2 Lemons c/o P & J Cody. €25 each Murt Morris c/o Doherty’s Bar €25 each Katrina Fitzpatrick c/o B Fitzpatrick. Co op draw ticket Maryina Lynch c/o online Promotors prize Phil Hogan. New weeks draw €5000.

Thank you for your continued support JUNIOR HURLERS Dicksboro and Windgap had to be separated by penalties in JJ Kavanagh and Sons Junior Semi Final in UPMC Nowlan Park Saturday. Unfortunately it wasn’t to be our day. Our lads determination and heart did not go unnoticed. All in the Boro would like to thank the players and management team for their dedication and hard work this year.

U15 A In Kilmacow on Saturday morning our u15 A team played a very physical Mooncoin side in the u15 A Championship Semi Final with Dicksboro coming out victors.

60 mins of team effort and hard work sees the boys meet our neighbours James Stephens in the Co Final scheduled for Sat 22nd October.

U15C On Sunday morning our u15C team played in horrendous conditions in Jenkinstown. They bowed out of the Championship to a fantastic Emeralds Team. These young players have worked hard and improved all year and we look forward to seeing them all back in Palmerstown in 2023. Well done lads.

U16 CAMOGIE Hard luck to our u16 girls who lost out to a very strong Tullaroan/St Anne’s team in Saturdays County Final.

Thanks to all these young players and their management team who worked hard all year. All in the Boro are very proud and have enjoyed watching all your games this year. We look forward to seeing you back on the pitch in 2023.

BEST OF LUCK We are wishing our Senior Camogie ladies and our u14 girls all the success in their Co Finals Saturday 15th October. The Seniors will play Thomastown at 3pm in Freshford while our u14’s will play John Locke’s in the Kells Road Venue. Let’s all get behind these fantastic girls and give them all the support they and their Management Teams deserve.

WEDDING The wedding of Gemma Butler and Ger Hall took place in St. John’s Church, Kilkenny recently. The celebrant of the nuptial mass was Fr. Dan Carroll, Adm., St. John’s.

Gemma’s bridesmaids were Marie Butler, Louise Butler and Aideen Talbot. Ger’s groomsmen were Joe Maher, P.J. Delaney and Paul Harrison. The flower girls and page boys were Ellie Cantwell, Katie Butler and Abigail Dalton, Dylan Hall and Ryan Tennyson. Readers of the faithful were Rita McGrath, Michael McGrath, Rita Foley, Siobhan Dawson, Deirdre Herlihy and Tracey Keogh. The mothers of Gemma and Ger brought the offertory gifts to the altar. Ger’s sister Michelle recited a beautiful communion reflection. The appropriate music for the occasion was beautifully rendered by Maria Fitzgerald. After the church celebration the happy couple, their relations and friends retired to Hotel Kilkenny for a wonderful evening of a beautiful meal, music and dance. Our parish community, of which Ger was a member, wish both Gemma and Ger many years of happiness and good health.

JOE RYAN The death of Joe Ryan, Ballyhendricken, after a prolonged illness, has brought sadness to his family and relations, our parish and well beyond its environs.

Joe was born and lived all his life in the townsland of Ballyhendricken. A large attendance attended on both occasions of his obsequies. Requiem mass was celebrated in St. Brigid’s Church, Ballycallan by Fr. Liam Taylor, P.P. with burial afterwards in St. Mary’s cemetery, Ballykeeffe. Our parish community express their sympathy to his wife Mary, daughter Maria, sons Thomas, Richard and Anthony, relatives and friends.

MARY HALLY The death of Mrs. Mary Hally of Ballwaters, Callan has caused profound regret, not alone in her own family, but also to many people in our parish. Mary was a very popular lady, especially in the good old days when the IC.A. were an active organisation, and indeed one can say when any celebration or other events were taking place, Mary and her colleagues were in the forefront with help. She was also an avid card player and when the whist drives were held in our parish, Mary never missed a game. She was also a loyal and dedicated member of Callan Golf Club. Her requiem mass was celebrated by Fr. William Dalton in the Church of the Assumption, Callan and burial afterwards in Kilbride cemetery. Sympathy is expressed to her daughter Caitriona and Noreen, son Eddie, sisters, sister in law, brothers in law, grand children, other relatives and many friends.

DEFIBRILLATORS There will be a church door collection on Saturday 22nd and Sunday 23rd October for the purchase of new defibrillators for the parish. We currently have three defibrillators in the parish, two of these units are due to be replaced and the third is in need of a service. This will be an expensive upgrade. Gabriel Wall is heading this fundraising and overseeing the maintenance of the machines.

Do give him your support and we thank him for taking on this important role. It is vital that these machines are kept up to date and in good condition in case they are ever required.

OSSORY PILGRIMAGE TO ROME The Adult Faith Development in our diocese is planning a pilgrimage to the eternal city from March 9th to 14th 2023. The cost of this trip is €710 per person. See all the major sights of Rome and learn the rich history of our church. A €300 non refundable deposit is required to book your place. Contact Kieran & Laura Troy on 057 935 5050 or email info@myriam.ie.

LITURGY GROUP In the next few weeks, we will be resurrecting the liturgy group in our parish. The liturgy group helps plan special occasions in our parish as well as preparing the church for liturgy. Anyone interested in joining please contact Fr. Liam Taylor.

KILMANAGH NOTES Anyone wishing to submit news items, events, announcements etc. can do so by email only to elanigan18@gmail.com. If you have any photos that you would like included, please send as an attachment.

MASS TIMES Mass Times in Aghaviller Parish: Hugginstown Church: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at 9.30a.m.

Vigil. Saturday 15th. at 8.00p.m. Sunday 16th. at 10.00a.m.

Stoneyford Church:Wednesday 12th. at 7.00p.m. Vigil.

Saturday 15th. at 6.30p.m.

Saturday 15th. Feast of St. Teresa of Avila.

PRAY FOR Months Mind Masses: Joe Murphy, Thomastown and Lawcus: Mass in Stoneyford Church on Saturday 15th. October at 6.30p.m.

Bishop Seamus Freeman: Mass in St Mary’s Cathedral on Sunday 16th. October at 5.30p.m.

Anniversary Masses.

Philip Murphy, Lawcus: Mass in Stoneyford Church on Saturday 15th. October at 6.30p.m.

Tom and Kathy Noonan, Aghaviller: Mass in Hugginstown Church on Saturday 15th. October at 8.00p.m.

Nellie and Bill Barron, Croan: Mass in Hugginstown Church on Sunday 16th. October at 10.00a.m.

Remembrance Masses for the Faithful Departed will be celebrated on Saturday 5th. November: In Stoneyford Church at 6.30p.m. and in Hugginstown Church at 8.00p.m. We will remember all who have lost a family member during the past twelve months. Families will be invited to bring a candle to the altar in remembrance of their loved ones during Mass.

FIRST HOLY COMMUNION First Holy Communion will be celebrated in Stoneyford Church on Sunday 14th. May for Stoneyford School.

First Holy Communion will be celebrated in Hugginstown Church on Sunday 21st. May for Monroe/Newmarket

Schools.

ROTA Rota for week-end: 15th. and 16th. October 2022. (Twenty-Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time).

Readers: Stoneyford: Saturday 6.30p.m. Ronan Murphy.

Hugginstown: Saturday 8.00p.m. Pat Power. Sunday 10.00a.m. Noreen Kenneally.

Eucharistic Ministers: Stoneyford: Saturday 6.30p.m. Pat Kenny. Hugginstown: Saturday 8.00p.m. Mary Cuddihy.

Sunday 10.00a.m. Ann Power.

OCTOBER STATION October Station Envelopes 2022 are available at the Church Porch. Your contributions are for the support of the priests of the Parish and the Diocese. Your contribution can be left into the Collection Boxes at the Churches or you may donate directly - Use IBAN: IE19 AIBK 9330 9000 0561 20 (BIC: AIBKIE2D).

LOTTO Aghaviller Parish and Carrickshock G. A. A. Draw: Monday 3rd. October 2022. Numbers: 30; 24; 27; 10. No Winner First 3 Numbers Drawn: No Jackpot Winner: 5 x €30.00 Winners: “The 4 Girls” c/o James Irish; Maeve Murphy, Rockhall; Cleeve Cuddihy, Ballinteskin; Marian Barron, Tuitestown; Rita Long, Stoneyford; 3 x €15.00 (Sellers): John Power; Jimmy Sheehan; Teresa Fitzgerald.

Next Draw on Monday 17th. October 2022. Please submit returns by 8.30p.m. Draw at 9.00p.m. Next week: Match 3: €500.00; (First 3 Numbers Drawn) Jackpot: €5,600.00. (4 Numbers in any order) PILGRIMAGE TO ROME The Adult Faith Development Group are holding a pilgrimage to Rome this coming March (9th. to 14th.) 2023.

Rome has a remarkable array of religious art - frescos, paintings, sculptures, mosaics and stuccos. Over the centuries these treasures have inspired, educated and uplifted countless people. This pilgrimage will explore the religious and catechetical meaning of some of these masterpieces. For further information or for booking please contact: Kieran or Laura Troy at info@myriam.ie or by calling 057 935 5050.

WESTPORT HOLIDAY 5 days/4 nights. From the 31st. October to 4th. November 2022. Coach from Stoneyford; Outings every day; A great hotel. €395.00 p.p. sharing; €475.00 single room. More details on www.stoneyford.ie or Telephone: 087 641 4038 CONFERENCE Hail Holy Queen Conference 2022 is live on Radio Maria Ireland from 2.00p.m. on Saturday 15th. October.

Speakers include Fr. Vincent Stapleton: Antonia Moffat: Fr. Brian McKevitt O.P: and Katrina Leyden. Radio Maria Ireland can be listened to by downloading the Radio Maria Ireland App, Saorview Channel 210 or listen live at (01)4373277 HOAX TEXT MESSAGES An Garda Siochana have alerted us to a series of hoax text messages purporting to be from the HSE, currently in circulation among the public and similar to the following: HSE: You have been in contact with someone who has the COV-19 Variant. Please follow instructions here (link included) to order a testing kit.

These are scam messages. Should you receive such a message please delete it immediately from your phone.

Tuesday Oct 4th 18 Hole Stableford 1st Kathleen Phelan (14) 35pts. 2nd Ann Wenyss (15) 35pts. Good scoring in tough conditions.

Senior Ladies 12Hole Thurs 6th 1st Rose Brophy 22pts. 2nd Patsy Murphy 21pts. 3rd Ann Needham 20pts. 4th Mary Croke 20pts GLENS TROPHY The Annual Glens Trophy Foursomes Competition was held at Birr Golf Club on Wednesday Oct. 3rd. With 22 Clubs represented by a team of 4 ladies playing in pairs.

Sisters Berna Walshe and Anna Starr came in with the best score of the 44 pairs on the day.

DATE FOR YOUR DIARY Saturday October 22nd the End of Seasons Prizes will be held. This always proves a well supported day with all hoping to bag the last Big Prize of the season. There’s always a celebratory atmosphere after a year of competitive golf

We welcome all GAA Club and Community notes for publication in The Kilkenny Observer email to sales@kilkennyobserver.ie

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 14 October 2022

Hurling matters

Sport

Adrian Mullen will hope to trouble The Village defence

BY NIALL SHERRY SPORTS EDITOR SPORTSEDITORKILKENNYOBSERVER.IE

St Canice’s Credit Union (Kilkenny) Senior Hurling Championship County Final UPMC Nowlan Park, Sunday 2:30pm James Stephens vs Shamrocks Ballyhale Thoughts of five consecutive county titles will be put on hold for at least 60 minutes of battle; as holders Shamrocks Ballyhale take on the challenge of James Stephens at UPMC Nowlan Park this weekend.

Both sides will take to the pitch at Kilkenny headquarters knowing that victory leads a merry dance to a provincial title shot in Leinster. For Shamrocks, this a road well-travelled, and has led to greater success on the national stage on numerous occasions. There is still a lot of hurt and frustration at Páirc Na Seamróg about a certain Mr. Harry Ruddle and his late, late, late intervention in the club decider at Croke Park earlier this year.

For James Stephens, they will view this as an opportunity to get their hands on the Tom Walsh Cup after a hell of a gap. 2011 was the last time that The Village got over the line in the county showpiece.

Ironically, it was Ballyhale that were conquered by Niall Rigney’s side following a replay. For a club like James Stephens, eleven years without a county title is a long sit.

Let’s start with the challengers – James Stephens.

Placed in Group B of the St. Canice’s Credit Union Senior Hurling League, Seamus Dwyer’s side endured a disappointing campaign, winning only once, against Graigue Ballycallan and then found themselves featuring in a relegation semi-final.

Once the inter-county season finished up and a rest was had by all involved, Brian Cody was integrated into The Village management team you could see an upturn in performance, if not results immediately.

Defeats followed to city rivals O’Loughlin Gaels and Dicksboro, but you could sense the tide was beginning to turn. Better days lay ahead.

With some of their more prominent players returning to form and more importantly shaking off niggling injuries, James Stephens recorded a 7-point victory over Lisdowney in Ballyragget to secure their place at the top table and set up a quarter-final tie with Bennettsbridge. Wille Maher’s troops were coming off the back of a very poor league final defeat to Tullaroan and many pundits were struggling to call the winner of the encounter.

A Tadhg O’Dwyer goal and several vital scores from the deadly Niall Brassil saw The Village come out of the game 5-point winners and advance to a second consecutive county semi-final. Things were certainly looking up for Seamus Dwyer’s side as they began to prepare for a last four battle with those rivals from Palmerstown.

Dicksboro came into the semi having secured a 4-point win in the earlier league encounter, but knowing that The Village would bring more fire to this vital encounter. This game delivered much in terms of excitement and entertainment to those in attendance at UPMC Nowlan Park.

A goal from county man Conor Browne proved crucial as The Village overcame Michael Walsh’s side by 3-points to claim the first final berth. The real preparation could start now.

While James Stephens have had a couple of weeks to get themselves right, their opponents haven’t had that luxury. A delay to the playing of their last eight clash with Clara, has meant Shamrocks will have been out three weeks on the bounce, but this panel of players have been conditioned for such situations.

So, what of Shamrocks Ballyhale?

Well, they took the longer route to the decider, thanks to a final round defeat in the league to The

James Stephens Mentors Brian Cody Seamus Dwyer John Surgrue Peter Barry

Shamrocks Selectors Pat Hoban Jimmy Maher Niall Lacey

Golden Ballyhale seek fab 5 as The Village plan upset The battle for Tom Walsh reaches the last stand

The Kilkenny Observer Friday 14 October 2022

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Hurling matters

T J Reid - his placed ball battle with Niall Brassil will be key

Sash. Things didn’t start any better for Pat Hoban’s charges, as they surprisingly lost by the minimum to Clara in the opening round fixture.

A 13-point win followed over Mullinavat, and this was built on with victories over soon to be relegated Lisdowney and Erins Own. Then came the defeat to Tullaroan, but they would get the chance for revenge shortly.

A first-round championship clash with Glenmore was next up for Shamrocks. This much anticipated clash with last season’s intermediate champions proved to be a little easier than some expected. Eoin Cody was looking sharp and got an early goal, Adrian Mullen was firing over some classy scores as Ballyhale had an 11-point lead at the short whistle. As good teams do, Shamrocks managed the second half and without overstretching themselves and came home 15-points clear at the final whistle.

Next-up for the 5-in-a-row chasing Shamrocks was a last eight battle with Clara. Pat Hobin’s men were not going to get caught twice in one season by the opposition and a masterful display by Ballyhale, spearheaded by the wonderful Adrian Mullen helped his side romp to a comfortable victory and in doing so, set-up another meeting with Tullaroan.

Despite putting in a great shift, there was to be no repeat of the league win for Ken Coogan’s men.

As mentioned in last week’s preview, Mossy Keoghan has an eye for goal and he registered a wonderful solo effort to give The Sash faithful hope, after Shamrocks had raced into an early 4-point lead. The sides were level at the short whistle, as the Gaels in attendance wondered what would happen in the second half. A Colin Fennelly goal would set Ballyhale up for a tough finish to the semi-final and see them home by 4 as they progressed to the county final.

The final two....

If James Stephens are to cause an upset, and it would be an upset, they will need their main men to be firing on all cylinders at UPMC Nowlan Park. Niall Brassil has been instrumental in The Village’s scoring returns this season. His accuracy from the placed ball will be key to Seamus Dwyer’s men and Brassil will need to punish every opportunity that is afforded to him in the final.

Other key components for the city side will be the influence on the game of Eoin Guilfoyle and Tadhg O’Dwyer. Like Brassil, Guilfoyle troubles the score board on regular occasions. O’Dwyer comes alive in and around the square and Shamrocks will need to guard against this kind of threat.

There have been decent contributions from the likes of Andy Parsons and Luke Scanlon also this season and The Village will hope that these players deliver on the biggest of occasions. In midfield Conor Browne will relish the battle that Ronan Corcoran and his midfield partner in crime will bring. Since returning from inter-county duty, Cian Kenny has been operating in a deeper role, normally the centreback position. The young star is an intelligent hurler and clearly the James Stephens management clearly think this change has a good effect on the team.

Shamrocks Ballyhale have been ticking along nicely this season.

Manager Hoban

Eoin Guilfoyle will look to test Richie Reid & Co

wasn’t happy that they had to navigate a 1st round championship match, following their loss to Tullaroan in the league, but since then they have been building a decent head of steam.

The standout player for Shamrocks this season, for my money, has been Adrian Mullen. The former Kilkenny captain has been in inspirational form and has struck over many sumptuous scores during the club season to date. It’s quite difficult to define Mullen’s position, as he crops up all over the pitch and always gets through a mountain of work across every game. By his standards, he had a quieter than expected semi-final against the Sash, I wouldn’t expect two games like this on the bounce.

Mullen’s attacking county colleagues, Eoin Cody and TJ Reid will be hoping to deliver on the big stage again. These players thrive on the pressure and will be keen to see their clubs 50th Anniversary

celebrations start in earnest with a 5th Tom Walsh Cup in a row. Like Niall Brassil, TJ Reid’s free-taking will be of huge importance to Shamrocks cause. Reid was in ominous form in the semi-final win over Tullaroan, hitting 0-11.

In defence, Richie Reid will look to sweep in front of his full-back line from the ‘6’ position while his halfback team mates Evan Shefflin and Darragh Corcoran will look to make the half-forwards of James Stephens track back while they augment the Shamrocks attack.

If it comes down to the benches, Shamrocks would appear to hold the stronger men in reserve. Joe Cuddihy was sprung from the bench last time out and notched two important points against The Sash.

There are enough plots and subplots for this final to really deliver.

One hopes that it is a spectacle worthy of the Tom Walsh Cup decider.

Intermediate news...

This year’s Michael Lyng Motors Hyundai Intermediate Hurling Championship County Final will see Danesfort take on Thomastown at UPMC Nowlan Park on Sunday 23rd October. Danesfort gave themselves a chance of returning to the top table at the first attempt following a 6-point win over Rower Inistioge last weekend.

Thomastown will try to prevent Danesfort’s return to the senior ranks having seen off the challenge of Carrickshock by four points in the second semi-final. Noel Doherty’s side will know that a stiff task awaits them when they face-off against Niall Bergin’s highly fancied side.

>> SHERRY SAYS...

So, Brian Cody is scheming to derail Shamrocks Ballyhale’s 5-in-a-row bid. No doubt Seamus Dwyer had exactly this in mind when he asked the recently departed Kilkenny manager to lend a hand in The Village set up.

You can clearly see that things have improved, is this part of a ‘Cody bounce’? Their semi-final win over city rivals Dicksboro will have put a spring in their step ahead of the decider with Shamrocks, but facing the holders in the decider will be a step-up for James Stephens.

They may well look to history and their last lifting of the Tom Walsh Cup in 2011, earned with a replay win over this weekend’s opponents. Cian Kenny and co. will need everything to go their way and will perhaps a little bit of luck as well, but in a 2-horse race you never know.

Like we said earlier... There’s definitely a sense of unfinished business for Ballyhale. Yes, they want to secure a coveted fifth consecutive county title, but that is merely the gateway to provincial gains and then a possible rematch with those down the road in Ballygunner. But Croker can wait for now.

The business in hand for Pat Hoban’s side will take place at UPMC Nowlan Park and they will be as driven as ever to hold onto Tom Walsh.

Matthew Ruth willhope to find hole’s in the Ballyhale defence

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 14 October 2022

Motors Classifieds

Classified section To advertise your business in our classified section call in or telephone: 056 777 1463, or email: accounts @kilkennyobserver.ie

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Classifieds Motors

FOR SALE •04 Toyota Avensis D-4D – Diesel •Two Wheel car trailer •Four Wheel car trailer

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Call 056 7771463 for all your classified advertisements

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 14 October 2022

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Planning notices

Planning notices KILKENNY COUNTY COUNCIL:

We, Tim & Aimee McSherry intend to submit Significant Further Information to Kilkenny County Council subsequent to Planning Application Ref Number 22/14, for revised plans and all associated site development works at Damerstown East, Muckalee, 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.

Contact us at 056 7771463 or email sales@kilkennyobserver.ie

for your planning notice requirements.

The Kilkenny Observer is an approved newspaper by Kilkenny County Council for the entire functional area.

KILKENNY COUNTY COUNCIL:

I, Jane Naughton intend to apply to Kilkenny County Council for Planning Permission to build a single storey extension to the rear of my dwelling house and all associated site development works at Main Street, Gowran, 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, Niamh O’ Brien intend to apply to Kilkenny County Council for Retention Planning Permission to retain existing agricultural entrance on my lands in conjunction with Planning Application 22/505 and all associated site development works at Gowran Road, Bennettsbridge, Co. Kilkenny.

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

TO PUBLISH PLANNING APPLICATION, CONTACT US: Call to our office at: Unit 7 Friary Street Telephone: 056 777 1563/086 2395370 Email: sales@kilkennyobserver.ie

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Memoriams / Miracle Prayers

The Miracle Prayer

The Miracle Prayer

The Miracle Prayer

Dear heart of Jesus, in the past I have asked many favours.

This time I ask you this special one (mention favour).

Take it dear heart of Jesus and place it within your heart where your father sees it. Then in his merciful eyes it will become your own favour not mine. Amen.

Say this prayer three times for three days and your favour will be granted.

Never been known to fail.

Must promise publication of prayer. H.D.

Dear heart of Jesus, in the past I have asked many favours.

This time I ask you this special one (mention favour).

Take it dear heart of Jesus and place it within your heart where your father sees it. Then in his merciful eyes it will become your own favour not mine. Amen.

Say this prayer three times for three days and your favour will be granted.

Never been known to fail.

Must promise publication of prayer. M.R.

Dear heart of Jesus, in the past I have asked many favours.

This time I ask you this special one (mention favour).

Take it dear heart of Jesus and place it within your heart where your father sees it. Then in his merciful eyes it will become your own favour not mine. Amen.

Say this prayer three times for three days and your favour will be granted.

Never been known to fail.

Must promise publication of prayer.M.M.

The Miracle Prayer

The Miracle Prayer

The Miracle Prayer

Dear heart of Jesus, in the past I have asked many favours.

This time I ask you this special one (mention favour).

Take it dear heart of Jesus and place it within your heart where your father sees it. Then in his merciful eyes it will become your own favour not mine. Amen.

Say this prayer three times for three days and your favour will be granted.

Never been known to fail.

Must promise publication of prayer. A.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. T.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. D.ON.

The Miracle Prayer

Dear heart of Jesus, in the past I have asked many favours.

This time I ask you this special one (mention favour).

Take it dear heart of Jesus and place it within your heart where your father sees it. Then in his merciful eyes it will become your own favour not mine. Amen.

Say this prayer three times for three days and your favour will be granted.

Never been known to fail.

Must promise publication of prayer. M.M.

The Miracle Prayer

Dear heart of Jesus, in the past I have asked many favours.

This time I ask you this special one (mention favour).

Take it dear heart of Jesus and place it within your heart where your father sees it. Then in his merciful eyes it will become your own favour not mine. Amen.

Say this prayer three times for three days and your favour will be granted.

Never been known to fail.

Must promise publication of prayer. M.M.

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 14 October 2022