Travel & Leisure

1. Harry Potter Studio Tour

is is something that’s worth visiting a hundred times over for anyone who loves Harry Potter...which is a lot of us! As many people grew up with these stories, taking the Harry Potter Studio Tour is a truly magical opportunity. Located on sound stages J and K at the Warner Brothers Studio Leavesden, this permanent exhibition is a chance to see costumes, props, and set pieces from the lm series up close!

2. Check Out the Food Markets

ere is a lot of shopping you can do in London but one that you might not think to include in your itinerary are the various food markets you can nd throughout the city. Borough Market is open every day apart from Sunday and has a long history of providing fresh food to Londoners: the rst records of the market date back to the early days of the 13th century! You can start your mornings o here and buy whatever draws you in for your breakfast.

3. Have Afternoon Tea One of the many

quintessentially British culinary traditions is the concept of afternoon tea. It was started in the mid1800s by Anna, the seventh Duchess of Bedford, who would often get hungry between lunch and dinner as the latter meal was served as late as 8pm. She started ordering an afternoon tea service around 4pm that included scones, pastries, clotted cream, jams, and light nger sandwiches. You can take part in this tradition by partaking in an afternoon tea service in London of your choice and enjoying the light fare for yourself.

4. Kew Gardens

e beautiful Kew Gardens is where you can nd the largest collection of plants and fungi in the entire world — how impressive is that? You can spend time wandering the expansive gardens and stepping into the various houses to see things like bonsai trees, South African succulent plants, and tropical ferns. ere are even some ornamental buildings you can check out like the Great Pagoda which was built in the 1700s.

5. Covent Garden

If you’re in the mood for some luxury shopping, world-class food, or live theatre, Covent Garden has got you covered. Be sure to check out the colourful Neal’s Yard, a small alleyway that leads to a courtyard. e alleyway is lined with businesses where you can also shop or grab a bite to eat. It’s also where you can nd the historic eatre Royal, Drury Lane. It rst opened in 1663 and although signi cant portions of the theatre had to be rebuilt multiple times over the years, it is actually the oldest consistently used theatre in London and you can see a show there to this day.

6. Natural History Museum London’s Natural History

Museum has a massive collection of over 80 million artefacts and specimens, some of which are on display for visitors to see. One example is the Ostro Stone, a magni cent blue topaz that comes in at a whopping 9,381 carats, making it the largest of its kind. You can also see Sophie—the most intact Stegosaurus fossil skeleton ever found. e museum is a great place to spend a day wandering and seeing some incredible artefacts in person.

7. Grab a Pint at an English Pub

Even if you’re not typically a big beer drinker, make sure you take the time to visit a classic English pub and order a pint. ere are nearly 3,500 pubs throughout London so you’ll have plenty of incredible options, each with its own character and charm. If you need help narrowing down the list, consider Nag’s Head. It’s been serving the people of London for hundreds of years and hasn’t changed all that much. e Churchill Arms is another popular one! Built in 1750, it’s iconic for its exterior decked in orals. And yes, it’s lled with Churchill memorabilia. At one point in its history, it opened at 5am to accommodate the schedules of market traders! ey stock a selection of beer, wine, and spirits from various distributors so you’ll be sure to nd something you enjoy.

Se e things to see in London besides Big Ben

You’ve just nished lunch at a charming French café and received the bill. Your hand hovers over your wallet. Should you leave a tip in France? Yes—if you had good service. Tips are not expected across the board in French restaurants, taxis, and hotels because service is included in the country’s hospitality sector. Unlike some other countries, all employees, from waiters to washer-uppers, earn a decent monthly wage and have paid holidays and other bene ts. at said, customers can choose to show their appreciation for good service with a gratuity, the amount of which varies on the type of establishment and service. Use these helpful guidelines on tipping in France when you travel there. Whether you’re at a local café or a Michelinstarred restaurant, 15% is automatically included for service in French restaurants by law. is is indicated on the menu or the bill with the phrase ‘service compris’. Nevertheless, if you have a friendly or e cient waiter, you can leave a small gratuity (un pourboire), but this is by no means required.

In more touristy restaurants, you might come across audacious waiters who try to tell you that a gratuity isn’t included. Technically they’re right; service is included, a gratuity is not. Regardless, you are not obliged to leave them anything.

For a simple beverage, you can round up to the nearest euro, or leave 20 to 50 cent a drink. For a meal at a casual café or restaurant, you could leave one to two euro per person. For a ne dining establishment, where the service is much more attentive, you may want to leave 5 to 10%

It’s best to have some change or small bills for tipping because there isn’t the option of leaving a tip on French credit card slips (service is included in the price). You can ask the waiter to add a tip before he punches in the total amount on the credit card terminal; however, you can’t be sure that this actually gets paid to sta .

Tipping taxi drivers isn’t required; however, locals often round up to the nearest euro or leave up to 5%. If the driver helps you with your bags (particularly if they’re large), it’s customary to tip one or two euro a bag.

Depending on your hotel, there are a range of services for which you might want to leave a gratuity.

Luggage handlers: one or two euro a bag

A couple of euro is a small price to pay for help with your bags through lobbies, into lifts, and along corridors.

Pass on a few notes to those hailing cabs or providing a valet service.

It is courteous to give a couple of notes or coins to the sta who bring your meals. Ask at reception for change or details to the nearest ATM when you check in.

The good guide to tipping in France

New children’s picture book written to engage children with sensory difficulties but suitable for everyone

LOCAL author, Eleanor Geoghegan debuts her rst children’s picture book written for children with sensory di culties but suitable for all. ‘Popper Monster’s Magical Rainbow Lunch Adventure’ teaches the colours of the Rainbow in a fun and educational way. Eleanor is a local primary school teacher and mother of 2 autistic children. ey were the inspiration behind the book so it was important for Eleanor to launch this April to coincide with World Autism Awareness Month. Eleanor wanted to dedicate a moment in time to her children, Ava who is in 1st class and Jack who is in preschool while also providing a magical and engaging way for all children, including children with additional needs to learn rst concepts and new ideas. e book is aimed at preschool/ Junior Infant aged children and all ages for children with additional needs. e main character, the Popper Monster is a unique and loveable character who uses a magic stick to invent silly and funny monster foods and today, the colours of the Rainbow happen to be for lunch. Popper Monster must ll a grumbling, mumbling, monster belly in this rst adventure with some help from friends along the way. Eleanor’s daughter had the nickname of Popper from the time she was a tiny baby and the name for the main character grew from that. Eleanor chose to print the book onto a silk paper stock to enhance the texture of the paper and each of the 36 colour pages are full of vibrant visuals. It was beautifully illustrated by talented French illustrator Helen Crevel who perfectly brought Eleanor’s vision to life.

When Eleanor wrote the story, she wanted to include some important elements and these are represented in the educational icons on the back cover of the book. Eleanor used alot of repetition and rhyming patterns as she knew through rsthand experience that this style helped her children to learn. So the book is full of this lyrical phrasing with a sensory ow in the language to enhance engagement and morphemical learning when read aloud. is also feeds into the musical learning ability of children, a learning ability which is often a great strength in children with additional needs helping them to understand the world around them. Eleanor also wrote it to encourage children to connect the noises and sensations that their own tummies make when they are hungry to the Popper Monster’s hungry belly. Eleanor wanted to write a very interactive story and so the reader is able to ask what Rainbow colour will be eaten next and this allows children to engage in the world of imaginative play. An area universally loved by all children but an area that children on the Autism spectrum can nd di cult to tap into. Eleanor’s daughter really enjoyed engaging with Popper Monster and the magic stick and was able to connect to her own pretend play skills in a comfortable and fun way. e Time order explored with the First and Next of the Rainbow colours also helps with sequencing, an important skill that all children need to learn. Finally, Eleanor also wanted to write a book that adults would enjoy sharing and retelling over and over again with their children. ere have been lots of favourite Monster foods so far from the book from ‘Green apple and suitcase icecream’ to ‘a caterpillar’s stinky sock’. e sillier, the better! e book is available to buy o Eleanor’s website www. poppermonster.com and in the past week and a half since launching, Eleanor says that they are overwhelmed by all the positive feedback that they are getting. Eleanor is thrilled to say that Sensational Kids, an award winning and long established Child Development enterprise have also taken the book into their Home/Play/Develop /Learn Online Shop. e book is also available to buy in local bookshops Khans Books and e Book Centre.

Legend Johnny Barry wins awards

Johnny Barry, Award Winner 2019 and 2022 with Mayor Andrew McGuinness Anne Ryan, Mayor Andrew McGuinness and award winner Johnny Barry Anne a lifetime friend of Johnny Barry. R.J Ryans 70 High Street was opened by Anne’s Father Richard the same year as Johnny was born.

THE Hot Country 10th Annual Awards took place at the Slieve Russell Hotel on Tuesday 5th April. KCLR’s Johnny Barry was celebrated at the awards for his contribution to Irish Country Music. e Kilkenny Observer caught up with Johnny to hear what he had to say “I was absolutely thrilled to get this award, this is the second award, I got one in 2019 which was a big surprise but I was just amazed to get the one for 2022. I was a bit disappointed that I was unable to attend on the night to receive the award in person but I am very grateful to Brendan Hennessey for accepting it on my behalf.”

Johnny will celebrate his 80th Birthday later this year and we are told a major party is looming.

For all Johnny’s fans out there, he is hoping to be back with you all on KCLR next Sunday night from 10.00pm to 12.00pm

Dramatic €7,386 difference in paying milk processors

THERE was a €7,386 di erence between the highest and lowest paying milk processors last year, according to analysis carried out by the IFA. e gures from 12 co-ops show Drinagh paid the highest price at 41.57c/L, while North Cork co-op paid the lowest at 40.10c/L. e analysis was based on statements given to the IFA by dairy farmers supplying each of the co-ops and is based on an annual supply of 500,000L, with an average herd of 89 cows producing 5,647L a year.

Average milk price across the board was between 40.c/L and 41.57c/L, according to the analysis, while it showed that each processor paid signi cantly more for their milk in 2021 than they did in 2020. IFA calculated the revenue a dairy farmer would receive each month if they supplied 500,000L of milk per year through a spring-calving system and assumed the farmer produced milk with average solids each month.

Based on that 89-cow herd, farmers supplying Drinagh would have received €207,868 for milk in 2020, while a similar herd supplying North Cork would have been paid €200,482 — a di erence of €7,386 or €83/cow. e di erence between the highest and lowest paying coops in 2020 was over double that at €16,896.

IFA dairy chairman Stephen Arthur, said: “Dairy farmers have been working hard to improve their milk constituents over the years. is can give the impression that milk price has improved, when in reality, it’s the milk quality that has improved.”

Farmland prices to rise 6% this year

AN expected 6% rise in farmland prices on average is forecast in 2022, according to the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland / Teagasc Agricultural Land Market Review and Outlook Report 2022.

In a major survey, chartered surveyors, auctioneers and valuers say sales activity was boosted by the exit from Covid restrictions and they predict prices will continue to rise, underpinned by strong demand and a continuing low supply of land for sale. e price of good land showed the biggest increase in 2021 — up by an average of 17% nationally from €9,381/ ac to €10,962/ac. e price of all non-residential land, on holdings of less than 50ac, also showed signi cant increases: up 14% in Munster, 12pc in Leinster and 5% in Connacht/Ulster.

National average nonresidential farmland prices in 2021 range from €5,308/ ac for poor-quality land to €10,962/ac for good land; the most expensive land was in Kildare, where good-quality land fetched an average of €15,350/ac, up from €13,600/ ac last year.

However, the upward arc is not uniform. While the average price of poor-quality land was up on smaller holdings, nationally, the average price for poor-quality land dropped from €5,900/ac in 2020 to €5,308/ac last year, a fall of 10pc. is decline can be attributed to price developments for larger parcels of poor land in Munster and in some parts of Connacht/Ulster. e cheapest farmland was in Leitrim, where poor quality land on holdings under 50ac was valued at an average of €2,760/ac.

On the rental market, SCSI agents expect national rental prices to increase by 10pc this year. Last year average land rental prices rose by 1829% in Leinster, depending on land use, and demand remains strong.

James Lee, chair of the SCSI’s Rural Agency Committee, said: “In our survey 53pc of SCSI agents reported an increase in the volume of land sold compared to the previous year, while 24% reported that it remained the same.

“Two-thirds of valuers reported an increase in the percentage of valuation requests for the transfer of land. is is up from 43pc in 2020. ese are positive trends and show con dence in the market from sellers and buyers.”

€204,600 for local community groups

€204,600 for local community groups

EIRGRID, the national electricity grid operator, has awarded community groups and not-for-pro t organisations near the Laois-Kilkenny Reinforcement Project, €204,600. is is the rst of three phases of funding available in the areas adjacent to the project, of a total fund of €511,500. e Laois-Kilkenny Community Bene t Fund was established by EirGrid to recognise the important part local communities play in the development of the electricity grid, the impact works can have on communities, and to ensure funds bene t groups and projects in these areas.

Groups and not-for-pro t organisations in communities adjacent (within 3km) to the line were given priority in the allocation of funding by an independent fund administrator, with successful groups from Spink, Ballyroan and Ballinakill in Laois, and Ballyragget and Ballyouskill in Kilkenny.

Speaking about the awarding of the rst phase of funding, EirGrid’s Chief Infrastructure O cer, Michael Mahon (pictured) said: “We were delighted with the positive response from communities and would like to thank each group and organisation who took the time to submit a funding application.

“We would also like to thank the Laois Kilkenny Community Forum members who worked with EirGrid and the independent fund administrator in establishing and opening the fund,” he said.

As works progress to ensure people have a reliable, high-quality standard of electricity supply, the Laois Kilkenny Community Forum will continue to provide an integral role in providing feedback to the project team.

“We will also continue to liaise with and listen to landowners and stakeholders in the area and look forward to the projects and initiatives that will come from communities as part of the next two phases of our community bene t fund,” said Mr Mahon. e rst phase of funding will help active community groups in continuing to expand e orts, support the development of community spaces and sporting facilities, along with supports for older and younger persons in the areas.

* Visit www.eirgrid.ie/LaoisKilkenny

Cancer patients here on long waiting list

CANCER patients in Ireland are waiting on average four months longer than people with the disease in other European countries for access to new medicines, new research has revealed.

Ireland is in 27th place out of 35 countries for speed of access to the new medicines, according to the rankings in the annual patient wait survey from the biopharmaceutical industry.

It took 661 days from cancer medicines getting the green light from the European Medicines Agency (EMA) to patients here being reimbursed by the HSE. That compared to an EU average of 545 days.

In Germany, the gap is 100 days and in Denmark, 140 days.

Among western European countries, only Portugal took longer than Ireland in making new medicines available.

When it comes to orphan medicines to treat rare diseases, it takes 870 days from EMA market authorisation to availability for patients here. The EU average is 636 days.

“That makes Ireland the slowest country in western Europe to make orphan medicines available to patients. Other countries in central and eastern Europe, like Romania, Bulgaria, Slovenia and Slovakia, are faster than Ireland, the Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association (IPHA) said.

IPHA chief executive Oliver O’Connor said: “In the two most recent budgets, the Government allocated €80m for innovative new medicines.

“Although the survey predates this investment, it still demonstrates Ireland’s poor environment for speed of access to innovative new medicines. Through sustained investment and the new supply agreement, Ireland should aspire to be among the fastest countries in Europe to adopt innovative new medicines.”

WEEK EIGHT Kilkenny is home to the most famous cats in the world. For over two hundred years, people everywhere have heard of the fierce Kilkenny Cats.

They are part of our history; part of our DNA. They reflect Kilkenny in all its glorious past, its developing present and exciting future. In this, the final week, local author Donal Cadogan and illustrator Gemma Aloisi share their unique view of Kilkenny’s history and culture, as seen and told by its magnificent and ever-present Kilkenny Cats.

This, the final week, we meet Henry , the hurler’s cat , and we also learn how Kilkenny cats got the name of fighters, who never give up. These are taken from their recent illustrated children’s book We are Kilkenny Cats!

Kilkenny Cats are fighters who never give up

HENRY  THE HURLERS CAT

Hurling is the second most important thing to anyone from Kilkenny. Breathing is the most important. Hurling is a eld game played by two teams of fteen players trying to score against each other. ey use long sticks called hurls to hit a small ball. e ball travels very fast and players need to be skilful and t. ey also need to be brave. Players might try to catch a ball in the air at the same time another player is using a stick to do the same thing.

Boys and girls start to play from a very young age and the game becomes second nature to them. Some carry the hurls with them all day, even to school. e very best players in the county play for Kilkenny against the other counties.

Because they are the ercest, strongest and bravest, they are naturally called the Kilkenny Cats and the people of Kilkenny are proud to be called cats also.

We cats are proud to play our part also. Each year, the cats of Kilkenny select a mascot for the Kilkenny teams. Each hurling club puts forward a cat for the job and the county mascot manager picks one cat to be mascot for the year. My cousin Henry has been selected for the last ve years but competition is very erce. Henry’s main job is to bring luck to the team.

Kilkenny is the most successful team in the game. While some counties have won a handful or even no All Ireland Championships, Kilkenny’s men and women have won over fty titles since the game started. e team colours are Black and Amber stripes, making them look like tigers, which are also cats. If you see anyone dressed like this, looking like a cat that’s got the cream, be sure their tails will stand up if you shout out “On the Cats!” cost. e saying may have come from something that happened in Kilkenny in 1798.

Because there had been a erce rebellion in Ireland, troops were placed in barracks at important places around the country, such as Kilkenny. e soldiers were not generally welcomed by the people. ey were kept in their barracks when they weren’t out marching.

It was boring, so the soldiers came up with many ways to entertain themselves. One of them noticed that there were a lot of cats in the city. So he went out and caught two of them. He brought them to a quiet part of the barracks and tied their two tails together. en he threw them over a washing line and the two cats fought with each other, trying to escape. e soldier bet with his friends on which would win the ght. e winning cat limped away after the ght.

While setting cats to ght each other was not illegal in the army, betting on it was. Also the noise of the ghting cats was annoying everybody. e of cers banned the ghts, but the soldiers kept them going secretly.

One day an of cer heard the awful noise of two cats ghting. e soldiers had a secret ght going but their look-out man failed to warn them of the of cer’s approach in time. Hurriedly, a soldier whipped out a bayonet and cut o the cats’ tails. e two cats dropped to the ground and ran to safety. However, their tails remained tied together over the washing line. e of cer saw this and was told that two cats had been ghting each other so savagely that it had proved impossible to separate them. In fact they fought so desperately that they had eaten each other up, with the exception of their tails.

And so began the story that Kilkenny people will ght to the bitter end. Kilkenny people are called cats to remind everyone just how erce they can be.

Born within a cat’s purr of Jerpoint Abbey in omastown, Donal

Cadogan is a true-born cat, which even a few childhood years living in Cork can not erase. Some will know him from his many years working in Bank of Ireland in Kilkenny and Callan but in recent years he is semi-retired, using his time to indulge in his interest in Kilkenny’s past and its people. After writing two books on his favourite subject (Kilkenny), he has written two series on local history for KCLR, where he was persistently asked about the origin of the link between Kilkenny and Cats. Instead of answering this deep question, he has used the cats to help young people explore the story of the unique place that is Kilkenny.

Born in Italy, Gemma Aloisi studied animated lmmaking and illustration between Italy, France and Belgium. Her work brought her to Lighthouse Studios in Kilkenny, where she met Donal and learned of his passion project. Having a lifelong love of cats, she brought a new perspective on how they might look and had fun developing their character with Donal. Since then she has been working on her short lm project “Six, Maybe Seven” as a resident lmmaker at e Animation Workshop in Denmark. She doesn’t rule out a return to Kilkenny where she still has many friends, including some cats.

Commitment to the to the art

Even before recorded history, our ancestors ew birds of prey. From the Steppes of Asia, to medieval Europe, from ve thousand years ago to the present day, Falconry has become a way of life for Falconers around the world

Whether or not you have experienced Falconry before, you will get a chance to handle these magni cent creatures, letting them y from your gloved hand and returning to feed. It is a profound experience to interact so closely with a hunting animal.

At Hawkeye School of Falconry, we are totally dedicated to this Ancient Sport of Kings. is, the noblest of all eld sports, gives you the unique opportunity to personally y, handle, feed and interact with some of our trained Hawks and Owls. We adhere to a very high standard of Falconry and only use practicing Falconers for all our services. Hawkeye School of Falconry was established to Promote and Conserve the Art of falconry.

We are a small family run school not a bird of prey centre or a zoo. All our birds our birds are working are working birds and get to y free almost every y free almost every day.

We fund the everyday running of the school by holding Falconry courses, Falconry Experiences, Hawk walks, corporate entertainment, and so much more, all by appointment only.

During the pandemic in the midst of a lockdown we decided to take the opportunity while business was quiet to evolve our business into what was always

We fund the everyday running of the school by holding Falconry courses, Falconry Experiences, evolve our business into what was always

A hybrid falcon

just a dream.

We had begun with one mobile falconry unit on We had begun with one mobile falconry unit on the road and within a year had become two mobile units providing falconry to various hotels in the South-East of Ireland.

Although we really enjoyed travelling to various hotels we longed for a base – a Falconry School to call home for our feathered family. We were thrilled and very grateful when the idea that we put thrilled and very grateful when the idea that we put to Xavier McAuli e, the owner of Lyrath Estate, was to Xavier McAuli e, the owner of Lyrath Estate, was an idea he liked and was happy to make this dream an idea he liked and was happy to make this dream become a reality for us. become a reality for us.

At Hawkeye School of Falconry, At Hawkeye School of Falconry, we provide various Falconry we provide various Falconry experiences at our School experiences at our School which is set upon 170 which is set upon 170 acres of beautiful Irish acres of beautiful Irish countryside at the countryside at the Luxurious 5-star Luxurious 5-star Lyrath Estate Hotel Lyrath Estate Hotel and Spa in the and Spa in the Medieval city of Medieval city of Kilkenny. Kilkenny.

To view our To view our experiences experiences please visit please visit www. hawkeyefalconry.ie. hawkeyefalconry.ie.

Caroline guiding the eagle to land OwnersJohn and Caroline Duggan

BY JOSEPH KEARNEY

A NEIGHBOUR of ours played the mouthorgan. He was a quiet man with a full beard and indi-go eyes. But shy, you’d have to coax him to pull the harmonica from his top pocket and play.

Although he was born into our community, he was still regarded as a newcomer, a blow-in. Perhaps this was because he had chosen to reside elsewhere for many decades before coming home and living amongst us. He liked to ramble the lanes and elds of our locality. His name was Tony and his wife’s name Jane. He bought and renovated a small cottage in the town’s land of Physcianstown a few miles outside Callan in Co Kilkenny. e house was on a byroad o a byroad beside a bridge that separated two counties, Tipperary and Kilkenny. Here at the bridge you could see where the tar-and-chip from both counties butted against each other creating a variation of both texture and hue. Tony was a man who observed a small thing like this. Ours is a at inland place. When we raise our eyes to the horizon we see only elds, tillage, hedges and ditches. Our world is small but big enough to accommodate whatever it is that we need. Tony was di erent to us in this respect. He had lived in places we might only dream about. We were vaguely aware of this. He didn’t speak of living in a bohemian community in St Ives, Cornwall, or the Bahamas, or St Lucia, or Lanzarote or even the Scilly Isles. Perhaps he believed that if we were aware we might not have been interested anyway.

Growing up in that district I often thought it a place maybe overlooked by cartogra-phers. Somewhere lost forever along the worn crease of a map.

Tony and Jane liked to stroll in the evenings and often dropped by to see us, to have a cup of tea and play a few tunes. e seasons cycled along here as they do any-where else and we gradually became used to the quietly spoken man with the mouthorgan.

It was something of a surprise then when we discovered that Tony O’Malley was famous. Not just famous but world famous as an artist. His work was prized and collected. Wherever Irish art was exhibited his was there at the core. We hardly knew any of this because he just never said.

We also learned that Tony was self-taught and that he was a keen observer. His blue eyes missed little

Worktable and Silence, 1997 Oil on board 48” x 30”, 122 x 76.2cm 1997 Jane O’Malley Evening Visitor – Porthmeor, 2012 - 2014 Oil on board 61 x 45.7cm

The Good Fr iday pictures

Portrait of Jane and Tony O ‘Malley

Tony O’Malley Good Friday Wood Collage, 1968 Oil, wood and nails 63.5 x 44.5 x 5.7cm Tony O’Malley Self Portrait – Piazza Studio – St. Ives, 1960 Gouache, conté and crayon on paper 63.5 x 50.8cm

The Good Fr iday pictures

during his sojourns around our district. What to us was the work—a-day ordinary, to him was a thing pregnant with possibility.

I sometimes think of him around this time of year. Since the sixties Tony O’Malley made a new painting in or about each Good Friday. His Good Friday pictures are an important part of his oeuvre. Many of them created with blackened wood, nails and slate, they capture delineations of su ering and redemption. ey reference the rituals of Western Christianity while still o ering us nuances of older religion and beliefs. Tortured shapes re ecting the pain of cruci cation and sacri cial death.

We may be a community preoccupied with the everyday but Tony walked amongst us observing all, serene and quiet. A twisted crown of barbed wire atop a fencepost, a knotted rope of baling twine supporting a sagging collapse of farm gate, even that weathered board lopsidedly fastened with a crooked nail, all of these were symbolic images that fed into his artistic imagination.

He is recorded as once saying “Painting is a mystery like poetry. Silence is important. You have to listen. It’s available to you, as long as you don’t presume. You arrive at the work. Don’t confront the painting, asking what it means. Like the Chinese proverb – allow it to just be there on the wall, ticking like a clock…”

One year a retrospective exhibition of Tony’s work was shown in Kilkenny city. As neighbours we received invitations to attend the showing. We stood there in the gallery with our hands in our pocket looking up at the ticking clocks.

And if we quieted our minds and remained silent we might catch the ash of a trout’s belly in slow water under that old bridge, the shape of a crow’s wing against an evening sky, the contrasting shades of a halfploughed eld, a falling star or a re ection of clouds in an ice-rimed puddle. He had caught our small world using canvas, paint and collage and made us wonder.

Sadly Tony O’Malley passed away in 2003. He was 89. ere was a great turnout for his funeral. And afterwards, the mourning neighbours were agreed on one thing…he was great man on the mouthorgan.

NOTE: A wing has been devoted at e Butler Gallery, to the work of the Callan artist Tony O’Malley and his wife Jane. e following link on e Butler Gallery website tells you all about e O’Malley Collection: with possibility. him around this time of

https://www.butlergallery. ie/art-and-artists/theomalley-collection

An evening of Roses! Closing date looming!!

e Kilkenny Rose of Tralee of 2022 - Sponsored by MacDonagh Junction

Elegant, sophisticated, ambitious, passionate, friendly, a true lady- combine this fabulous cocktail of characteristics and what you will discover is..………

Photos: Anna Lalor

e Kilkenny Rose of 2022

Kilkenny Rose Co Ordinator Lyn Moloney has issued a nal call to all potential Kilkenny hopefuls for 2022. Lyn commented that “ e closing date is fast approaching and we would encourage any interested girls out there to get in touch as soon as possible. ere is still time to join this group of ladies who yesterday

were treated to an absolutely brilliant day in Kilkenny. We started out meeting all the little Rosebuds at a party hosted by Main Sponsor MacDonagh Junction where they were presented with their Sashes by our reigning Kilkenny Rose, Clodagh Cassin and were treated to a movie and goodies. From there it was over to Kilkenny Activity Centre where the girl’s competitive edge could be seen during a game of Splatball on the Activity course. ey even encountered some Rose of Tralee Escorts on the course and the game took on a whole new level. It was a brilliant afternoon for all the girls getting to know each other in a very fun environment. After a busy day, it was then time to relax over a lovely meal hosted in AROI Kilkenny. We are very fortunate here in Kilkenny with such loyal and supportive Sponsors and businesses looking after us. It really is a very fun and positive experience for any young ladies taking part and with just a few spaces left I would really encourage any girls even considering it to reach out and join us.”

On Saturday evening 14th May Kilkenny Roses will gather at the Ormonde Hotel in Kilkenny for a night full of entertainment, glamour and above all great fun as we nd out who will represent Kilkenny at the Dome in Tralee 2022.

Roses will appear on stage to speak with MC Mr.Ollie Turner and be put through their paces and encouraged by family & friends to display their personalities. ere will be prizes for ‘Best dressed Lady’, Best Dressed Man and ‘Best Banner’, as well as a ra e, and lots of nice prizes to be won. e roses have the pleasure of being paired with a ‘Rose Bud’ on the night, who are young local girls aged between 5-10years.

We would love to meet interested ladies in advance of the Final where you will have the opportunity to meet some of the other entrants and the chance to ask any questions that you may have.

As like 2019, all Roses from all over the world will land in Tralee and experience the full extent of what the Rose of Tralee Festival is all about. So if you would like to enter this year’s Kilkenny Rose event don’t delay as closing date is imminent.

For more details contact Lyn on 083 4631611 or Kilkenny Rose on all social media platforms.

Cabinet of Curiosities –

Children’s public workshops

Kilkenny Arts O ce is delighted to invite children of Kilkenny to take part in creative workshops between now and June 2022 to celebrate Cruinniú na nÓg, the national day of creativity for children. e aim is to gather and create artwork and curious things collected and made by children to exhibit in a purpose built Cabinet Of Curiosities for this special day on June 11th,. Children’s creativity will inspire the wider community through this celebratory exhibition.

WORKSHOP SCHEDULE AT A GLANCE Rothe House, Parliament Street, Kilkenny

• Sunday May 8th, Ceramics Workshop with Maeve Sookram • Sunday May 15th, Mixed Media Workshop with Carrie Lynam • Sunday May 29th, Mixed Media Workshop with Carrie Lynam

St Kevin’s Hall, Johnstown • Sunday May 22nd, Ceramics Workshop with Maeve Sookram

Cabinet of Curiosity - Ceramics Workshop with Maeve Sookram

May, Sunday 8th 11.30am -1pm (5 -8 yrs) 2pm -3.30pm (9-12yrs) Venue: Rothe House & Garden, Parliament Street, Kilkenny City

May, Sunday 22nd 11.30am -1pm (5 -8 yrs) 2pm -3.30pm (9-12yrs) Venue: St Kevin’s Hall, Johnstown, County Kilkenny

Exploring and curiosity are part of our creative nature. Children are wonderful at exploring objects. is workshop encourages children between 5 to 12 years old, to bring objects that they nd curious. We will explore how the objects work. What they do? eir shape, texture and materials. Using the objects as inspiration, children can make replicas, make a mould or design their own curiosity. We will look at pattern, texture and colour. is workshop will be packed with fun. Children are asked to bring an object they nd curious.

Cabinet of Curiosity - Natural Wonders Workshop with Carrie Lynam

May, Sunday 15th 11.30am -1pm (5 -8yrs) 2pm -3.30pm (9-12yrs) Venue: Rothe House & Garden, Parliament Street, Kilkenny City

is mixed media workshop will engage children in the art of looking, really looking! We will investigate the roof top garden of Rothe House and seek out natural materials to inspire our artwork. Participants will be guided in looking for shape, colour and pattern in the natural world. We will use what we nd as inspiration to create curious objects that showcase the wonders of nature. e workshop will focus on honing participants observation skills and encouraging them to see wonder in the everyday. Any curious objects or things related to the natural world are warmly welcomed to this workshop.

Cabinet of Curiosity – Fantastical Animals Workshop with Carrie Lynam

May, Sunday 29th 11.30am -1pm (5 -8 yrs) 2pm -3.30pm (9-12yrs) Venue: Rothe House & Garden, Parliament Street, Kilkenny City of observation by exploring colour, shape, form and pattern then working from our observations we will create our own fantastical animals. is is a mixed media workshop that will encourage children to look closer and wonder more. Any curious objects or things related to animals, birds or insects are warmly welcomed to this workshop.

Booking Information: Early booking advised as places are limited

Email: deirdre.southey@ kilkennycoco.ie Deadline for booking: Friday 6th May 2022

COST: €7 per child & €10 for two children from the same family Concessions: €5 per child €7 for two children from the same family

NB Caregivers please note: We will retain the artwork and objects at the end of each workshop and they will go on public display for Cruinniú na nÓg on June 12th in Kilkenny City, further details to follow. All artwork and objects will be carefully minded and returned safely.

Siamsa’ has been part of the Arts O ce’s programme since 2011. is fun programme has supported children in developing numerous skills including drawing, painting and making in a diverse range of media.

Carraig Donn €34.95 u Hello Spring... ...

Carraig Donn €34.95 u A new season means time to refresh our wardrobes, put away the winter clothes and bring out the Spring/Summer wear and start dreaming of fun in the sun! Do you think of pastel colours when you think of Spring? If so, then these dresses from River Island are the ones for you or how about this pretty flower skirt from TK Maxx? Want more of a bold pop of colour this Spring/Summer? Then head to Carraig Donn for these beautiful dresses that are perfect to add a splash of colour to your wardrobe. Pair any dress with white sandals from Skechers for the perfect sunny day outfit. As much as we love dreaming of the sun, we live in Ireland so a nice Spring jacket is essential. This jacket from the Rochelle Humes collection from Regatta is ideal with the tie belt, cu detailing and decorative buttons bringing the style this Spring. style this Spring. For more Spring/Summer inspiration make sure to follow For more Spring/Summer inspiration make sure to follow MacDonagh Junction Shopping Centre on Facebook and MacDonagh Junction Shopping Centre on Facebook and Instagram.

* All prices correct at time of print

p TK Maxx €12.99 TK Maxx €12.99

STAR BUY

t River t River Island Island €60.00 €60.00

p p Skechers €60.00 Skechers €60.00 t River River Island Island €70.00 €70.00

Dawn meeting at peace park to remember the dead

e 25th of April 2022 marks the 107th anniversary of the Australian and New Zealand landings at Gallipoli (now known as ANZAC cove). e sacri ce made by both countries during the eight-month long Gallipoli campaign quickly began to symbolize the emergence of their national identity

This identity quickly became to be exemplified by ANZAC day, The National Day of Remembrance in Australia, and New Zealand.

The Kilkenny Great War Memorial stands testament to over 830 men and women who paid the ultimate sacrifice during the Great War. There are included on its panels the names of 20 ANZAC soldiers and one nurse (Kathleen Power), all who were from Co Kilkenny. Surnames like, Mulroney, Deevy, Dunphy, Doyle, Butler, Purcell, Leahy, Power, and Langton all bear testament to Kilkenny roots. Parish of origin include St Johns, Clara, Paulstown, Graignamanagh, Callan, Freshford and Aghavillar to name but a few.

Like all soldiers who were recruited in Ireland during the war, ANZACS were volunteer soldiers. Conscription was never introduced in Ireland, Australia, or New Zealand.

Each year, on April 25th, Australians and New Zealanders come together to honour their people who served and died in all wars, conflicts, and peacekeeping operations.

Originally Anzac day was specific to those who fought in Gallipoli in the Ottoman Empire during World War I.

ANZAC stands for “Australian and New Zealand Army Corps” and is one of the most important national celebrations across Australia and New Zealand.

during the war, ANZACS were volunteer soldiers. Conscription was never introduced in Ireland, Australia, or during World War I.

ANZAC stands for “Australian and New Zealand Army Corps” and is one of the most important national celebrations across Australia and New

Nurse Power who is listed on the memorial Wall as a member of the Anzac forces Private Brennan, from Castlecomer, who was part of the Anzac forces in WW1