Kilkenny Observer 17th June 2022 by Kilkenny Observer

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Friday 17 June 2022

For Father’s Day Modern dads show their true emotions

 Paul Hopkins, Page 8

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The Good Fats The importance of a healthy omega-3 diet  Page 18

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 17 June 2022

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More consumer aid

Energy customers are in line for a further helping hand, a €127 saving in their electricity bills later this year, under new legislation agreed by the Government. The Cabinet has signed off on plans to allow the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) to set the Public Service Obligation (PSO) levy on bills to a negative rate. It was originally believed the rate would be set to zero

saving customers around €52 a year. However, the new legislation will allow the CRU to set the levy at a minus rate leading to expected reimbursements of €75 for electricity customers. The PSO levy is charged to all bills and supports the generation of electricity from sustainable and renewable local sources of energy such as wind and solar power.

The rate is calculated annually by the CRU and energy suppliers are required to collect this levy from customers through bills. Levy payments are calculated on the basis of estimated generation and wholesale electricity prices for the year ahead. The payments are then corrected for actual generation and prices. The CRU estimated the funding to be raised from

the levy will decrease from €263m for 2021/2022 winter to a figure of minus €408m for the forthcoming year. This equates to an ‘indicative’ annual saving of €75, excluding Vat for householders and consumers. Including the saving of €52 from the PSO going to zero, customers are potentially inline to save €127 on their bills for the coming winter. The CRU will issue a final

decision at the end of July on the exact PSO levy that will apply from October 2022 to September 2023. Separately, the Cabinet signed off €350m for the purchase of 450 megawatts extra emergency capacity for the electricity grid. Consumers are struggling with major price hikes in basic food items, diesel and home heating oil as well as electricity as inflation hits a 40-year high.

What Katie did next...

War, inflation our biggest worries In the second quarter of this year, Bank of Ireland’s Savings and Investment Index dropped significantly (to 90 from 96 in February), with consumers now citing the war in Ukraine (32%) and inflation (22%) as their biggest worries. There has been a significant drop in consumers who are saving regularly (40% in May compared to 47% in February) and investor confidence has dropped as markets fell back. Full story, Page 28

Protocol moves will hit trade There have been strong warnings that trade between Ireland and Great Britain will grind to a halt if the UK government succeeds in scrapping the Northern Ireland Protocol. Economists, policy makers and industry representatives who spoke to the media, both on and off the record, believe London’s withdrawal from the agreement would lead to a suspension of the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA), which regulates the relationship between the UK and the EU, including Ireland. Special report, Page 14

Kilkenny students are being urged to consider an accountancy apprenticeship programme which will create 140 jobs nationally this year. Katie Mikulan, 23, initially pursued a degree before deciding to begin the apprenticeship in 2020, says it is the best move she ever made. “I began an accounting and finance degree after my Leaving Certificate, but university was not what I expected; I did not enjoy it as much as I thought and left after a year and a half.” Full story, Page 4

Solar, so good...

Now, we’re losing out on tourists Tourists are shunning Kilkenny and elsewhere are cancelling holidays because of the high cost of car rentals. Desperate tour operators are even buying cars and reselling them after tourists leave because the price of car rental is so prohibitive. Others EVERY FRIDAY

are hiring buses rather than leaving their clients to pay massive car rental charges. Some tourists are being quoted nearly €20,000 for a week’s car rental, others have cancelled tours after being told they would be charged €7,000 a week or more.

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As inflation soars, experts are now calling for a Government investigation into price-liking by car rental companies and say it is adding to the stress faced by tourists after the ‘nightmare’ of long queues and missed flights at Dublin airport.

Tourism Ireland has said there is “undoubtedly” a problem, with no easy answer in sight. One tour operator had to buy a second-hand minivan in Scotland because it was cheaper than the €500-a-day cost of car rental he was quot-

ed. The tour operator bought the minivan for €7,000 and then resold it when his guests had left. Elsewhere, it was reported that Canadians coming here were quoted €7,000 for a minivan rental for just a week and a day.

Proposed revisions to the existing planning exemptions for the installation of solar panels on the roofs of houses and certain non-domestic buildings in Kilkenny have been published. Full story, Page 10

INSIDE

Paul Hopkins.............................P8 Marianne Heron.................... P12 John Ellis ................................ P16 Health & Science................... P18 Travel & Leisure.................... P19 Gerry Cody.........................P30,34 Food & Drink.......................... P36 TV & Streaming.................... P37 Sport.....................................P40-41

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GETTING IN TOUCH WITH THE TEAM

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 17 June 2022

News Kilkenny students have been urged to consider an accountancy apprenticeship programme which will create 140 jobs nationally this year. Applications are now open for the Accounting Technicians Ireland (ATI) Apprenticeship, based in colleges in Waterford, Wicklow, Cork, Dublin, Galway, Limerick, and Monaghan. And a graduate of the programme has advised Leaving Certificate students currently sitting their exams not to feel pressurised into entering fulltime third level education. The ATI Apprenticeship is a funded, two-year, work-based learning programme in which apprentices work, learn and earn at least €21,060 a-year. Large firms and smaller practices, as well as industry and the public sector, have all embraced the programme. Dublin-based ATI graduate Katie Mikulan, 23, pictured here, who initially pursued a degree before deciding to begin the apprenticeship in 2020, said it was the best move she ever made. “I began an accounting and finance degree after my Leaving Certificate, but university was not what I expected; I did not enjoy it as much as I thought and left after a year and a half,” said Katie, from Skerries, North Dublin. “College can be expensive, but a funded apprenticeship programme is a great alternative. Starting the ATI apprenticeship was the best decision I have ever made. I wish I had begun sooner.”

Great opportunity for our accountancy students

After quitting university and working as a customer assistant at Tesco and a beauty adviser in Boots, Katie opted to pursue a career in accounting after taking on an account manager role with Clarins and gaining a certificate in book-keeping.

She completed her two-year apprenticeship with Grant Thornton, where she worked in the international corporate tax team whilst studying part-time through the ATI Academy, located at the Institute’s headquarters in Char-

tered Accountants House on Dublin’s Pearse Street. “I would recommend the apprenticeship if you are unsure about full-time third level education. Leaving Certificate students should not necessarily feel pressurised to go straight

to university when there are so many other options available.” Katie now works as a tax operations officer with Citibank and hopes to become a fully qualified tax advisor with the Irish Tax Institute. “The apprenticeship is also a

great pathway to becoming a fully qualified accountant, as it offers exemptions for many of the top professional accounting bodies. The work-based element gives a great advantage in terms of career options, as experience is critical.” Grant Thornton Managing Partner Michael McAteer said the programme was a win-win for the employer and the apprentice, allowing firms broaden their client offering and provide excellent career prospects for students. Gabriela Airini, Head of Education at ATI, said the apprenticeship enabled employers to recruit and upskill staff in a cost-effective manner as training fees were covered by the state agency, SOLAS. “The Accounting Technician Apprenticeship continues to contribute towards job creation and business growth in Ireland with over 612 jobs created since the programme’s foundation in 2017,” she said. “Graduates gain a professional QQI Level 6 Advanced Certificate in Accounting and have acquired the skills needed to fill a range of accounting and finance roles across all sectors. “Each year, more employers sign up and we now partner with over 331 across 22 sectors.” School leavers, Leaving Certificate students, career changers and mature learners can all apply through Accounting Technicians Ireland. For more details see accountingtechniciansireland. ie

The Kilkenny Observer Friday 17 June 2022

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 17 June 2022

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News

The next bus will be electric The National Transport Authority has ordered 120 double decker batteryelectric buses which will enter passenger services next year in Kilkenny and elsewhere. It is part of a plan to decarbonise the country’s public transport fleet. The double decker buses were purchased from a company called Wrightbus at a cost of €80.4 million.

Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan said the buses were a sign of where the country was going. He said the buses were already being used in Belfast and were working very well. Electric buses would become the norm in every city across the country, he said. “This is the future, electrifying everything in transport, cutting out the

carbon, using our own local fuels and our own local buses.” These buses will be the first battery electric double decker buses to be added to the national fleet. It is part of a framework which will provide 800 zero emission double decker buses over five years. National Transport Authority CEO Anne Graham

said: “Well it represents a significant order first, but it’s also a change now in moving our fleet from fully diesel to fully electric. “We need to encourage more people to use public transport, walk and cycle and to reduce their use of the private car.” One hundred of the buses are destined for Dublin Bus and 20 will go to Bus Éireann.

Bus Éireann Chief Executive Stephen Kent said: “We will be putting it firstly into the streets of Limerick. “By next year that will all arrive in, which means we will have zero emission for the first time on double deck buses. It will be a quieter ride for our customers and most of all good for the environment as well.” The buses are expected to

enter passenger service next year. “This deal further cements the reputation we have built in the zero-emission sector, and follows hot on the heels of historic deals in Australia and Germany. “This shows our ambition to be at the forefront of the zero emission drive in cities, towns and rural areas across the world,” he said.

Asylum seekers on floor ‘shame’ Pictures of asylum seekers being forced to sleep on the floor of a Dublin hotel have been described as “shameful” by a group seeking to end direct provision. Photographs taken from inside the Red Cow Moran Hotel and posted on social media show duvets and bedding lying on the floor while chairs are pushed together to fashion makeshift beds. The Abolish Direct Provision Campaign has described the situation as “shameful”. The Department of Children, Integration, and Youth, which is responsible for allocating accommodation for asylum

seekers rather than the hotel, said the accommodation shown in the photographs falls far short of what it would wish to offer. “However in very difficult circumstances at present, it was necessary”. The RTÉ This Week programme spoke to a number of people who are staying at the hotel, including a Somali man who said: “There are many people sleeping on the ground.” Asked if there were families with children sleeping on the floor, he replied “everybody is sleeping there”, adding some people were there for a few days and others for a few weeks.

When asked if it was safe, he said it was and that there wass security in the hotel. The Irish Refugee Council said the accommodation situation for the asylum seekers was “concerning”. CEO Nick Henderson told This Week that he had seen beds in close proximity to each other in conference and meeting rooms at the hotel while around 30 people were sleeping on makeshift beds in two ballrooms. “It’s contradictory to basic health and raises issues around fire safety and also the use of public money to accommodate people in such a manner,” he said.

Allanah’s enterprise pays dividends South-East Technological University student Alannah Pardy, founder of RecaptureOne, has won the Grant Thornton High Achieving Merit Award and €5,000 at Enterprise Ireland’s 2022 Student Entrepreneur of the Year Awards. The student was presented with the award at a ceremony at Trinity College Dublin. RecaptureOne is a cloud-based multimedia company specialising in the development of personalised bereavement memorials. RecaptureOne was one of ten finalists at the awards. Responding to the increasing use of mobile technology and social media across all age groups, RecaptureOne’s customised products move bereavement memorials into the multimedia age.

Alannah’s aim is to ensure that the memories of loved ones are easily accessible to family and friends through innovative solutions. This is the 41st year of Enterprise Ireland’s Student Entrepreneur Awards, which are cosponsored by Cruickshank, Grant Thornton and the Local Enterprise Offices. The awards are open to all third level institutions across the country. Along with the prize money, the winners will also share in a €30,000 consultancy fund that will enable them to turn their ideas into a commercial reality. Speaking at the awards Minister of State for Trade Promotion, Digital and Company Regulation Robert Troy TD, said: “Congratulations to all the participants. The calibre of the entries this

year are a credit to the student entrepreneurs and their institutions. The projects presented today address a range of challenges facing Irish society from sustainability and the environment to health and wellness with innovative solutions to not only meet the needs of an Irish market but with potential global appeal also. “Today’s awards highlight a vibrant and thriving entrepreneurial spirit within Ireland’s universities and colleges across the country, and I look forward to following each of the entrants on their entrepreneurial journeys over the coming months and years.” * More information on on www.student entrepreneurawards. com.

The Kilkenny Observer Friday 17 June 2022

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 17 June 2022

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News Opinion

The Fact Of OfThe Matter PAUL HOPKINS

Modern dads show their true emotions It’s been long a given that there’s a whole generation of the New Man out there. They use moisturiser, they stroke the cat, they have women friends, they make brown bread, and they clip their toenails on a regular basis. But they also workout regularly and are conscious of diet and antioxidants (which had not been invented when I was younger), while still managing to appear virile and in charge. And many make for great dads. My father’s generation — that born on the edge of the First World War and which lived through the second one — were not known for their tactility, their embraces or voicing their feelings — especially when it came to their sons. Such matters were better left unsaid; not acted upon, they reasoned, so that the boy might become the man. My first memory of my father was he coming to share my

bed, when I was about three because my baby brother was acting up and had inveigled himself into my mother’s affections. But that memory is largely of his broad back, turned against me, and he hogging the old eiderdown, and muttering: “Go back to sleep now, son.” My sons, two grown young men, and I still embrace or have the odd hug when we meet, which these days is not as often as I would like. Such acts of endearment are matterof-fact and unselfconscious. It’s just something we’ve always done. My eldest son Paul and his wife Genevieve are parents to wonderful Madeleine, heading for four years and Mariele, seven months. Like many dads of their generation, my son and my son-inlaw Gary, father to Faye, 17 months, are very much hands-on in every aspect of my grandchilden’s rearing, tending to their every

need and teaching them the practicalities and the wonders of life as each new day unfolds. A man’s entry into fatherhood might not be accompanied by the same hormonal, physical, and emotional changes that a woman experiences throughout pregnancy, childbirth, and motherhood... but the changes that happen in the male due to fatherhood are no less important. Researchers have been looking into the connection between a father and his newborn child, and there have been several studies that show a man’s brain undergoes several changes in the first weeks of fatherhood. Those folks in the white coats compared brain activity in new parents as they watched videos of their children. The study examined the mothers (who were, in this specific case, the primary caregivers), fathers who worked outside the home but frequently helped with

childcare, and gay fathers who raised a child without the help of a female. In all three groups, the parts of the brain linked to emotions and social interaction were buzzing. Interestingly, the fathers who raised a child without a woman’s assistance showed almost identical emotional activity in the brain as mothers do. The study at the renowned Princeton University shows there is an increase in oestrogen and other predominantly female hormones in fathers. Several other studies (including at Queen’s University in Ontario) have shown that the male testosterone (known as the male sex hormone) and cortisol (a stress hormone) levels drop in the first weeks of fatherhood. While oestrogen has been considered the female sex hormone, estradiol (the predominant form of oestrogen) plays a key role in nurturing

instinct and in male sexual function. When this form of oestrogen is overly present in a man, it promotes greater nurturing when he becomes a father. Oxytocin, commonly known as ‘the love hormone’, also surges in men after the birth of

‘So that the boy might become the man...

a child and promotes bonding, empathy, and altruism in the new father. So, the one-time argument that women are more naturally the nurturing parent no longer holds sway. Men can show just as much emotion and care and tactility towards their young. To bring a child into the world, humans spend a lot of time and energy choosing their partner. But another new study from Stockholm University and Manchester University shows that human eggs can ‘choose’ sperm. “We wanted to know if eggs use chemical signals to pick which sperm they attract, and they do,” says Professor John Fitzpatrick. “Sperm have only one job — to fertilise eggs — so it doesn’t make sense for them to be choosy. Eggs on the other hand can benefit by picking high quality or genetically compatible sperm.” It seems intending mothers do have the final say...

The Kilkenny Observer Friday 17 June 2022

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 17 June 2022

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News

Rooftop solar panels for us The Minister of State for Planning and Local Government, Peter Burke, TD, has published proposed revisions to the existing planning exemptions for the installation of solar panels on the roofs of houses and certain non-domestic buildings in Kilkenny and elsewhere in the country. A public consultation as part of the Strategic Environmental Assessment process is now open and will run until July 13. The proposed changes are aimed at increasing Ireland’s generation of solar energy and national action on climate change. Commenting on the draft

regulations, Minister Burke TD said: “These draft regulations will help facilitate the rollout of rooftop solar energy across Kilkenny. They will enable individuals, communities, businesses and farms in the county to play their part in creating a future fuelled by renewable energy and acting against climate change. "They will help people and businesses in Kilkenny to reduce their energy bills and increase Ireland’s energy security, a major challenge given developments in Europe and the need to rapidly reduce dependence on Russian fossil fuels.”

Under the draft regulations the following is proposed: • For solar panel installations on houses: it is proposed to increase the existing planning exemptions for installing solar panels on rooftops of homes, regardless of their geographical location. Solar installations will be able to cover the entire roof of a house, subject to minor setback distances from the edge of the roof. • For solar panel installations on rooftops of all other existing classes of development (Industrial; Light Industrial and Business Premises; Agricultural): rooftop

solar installations covering the entire roof are proposed to be exempt from requiring planning permission. However, in 43 proposed solar safeguarding zones, the existing exemption of 50 square metres or less is proposed to be increased to 60 square metres per building. These proposed solar safeguarding zones, which constitute less than 3% of the country’s land area, are necessary to address aviation safety concerns due to the potential impact of glint and glare arising from increased solar developments in proximity to sites such as airports and hospi-

tals (which have helipads). Anyone seeking to avail of larger rooftop solar installations within solar safeguarding zones can apply for planning permission. • Apartments; educational/community/religious/ health/recreational buildings and libraries: for the first time, it is proposed to exempt the installation of solar panels on the rooftops of such buildings from requiring planning permission, subject to conditions and the rooftop area limit in proposed solar safeguarding zones. • Exemptions for wallmounted and free-standing

solar panel installations: free-standing solar panel installations for houses are exempted from the requirement to obtain planning permission subject to a 25 square metre area limit and conditions requiring a certain amount of private open space to be maintained for the use of occupants. The exempted area for all other categories except apartments is proposed to be increased to 60 square metres. In addition, wall mounted solar installations of 60 square metres will also be exempted for industrial and agricultural buildings.

Vicky Phelan takes a break in sunny Spain CervicalCheck campaigner Vicky Phelan recently jetted off on the well-deserved break with her two children, Amelia and Darragh and her former partner Jim. After the recent delays in Dublin Airport, Vicky opted to fy out of Shannon Airport, bypassing the hustle and bustle of Dublin. Kilkenny native Ms Phelan shared and update on her health as condition 'stable enough' for her holiday in

stunning Spanish villa with her family. Posting to Instagram, the author wrote: "Just back home since yesterday evening from a much-needed, wonderful week away in Spain with Jim and the kids." "I got the go ahead a couple of weeks ago from my medical team that my disease was stable enough for me to go away on holidays and I jumped at the opportunity." Vicky and Jim, who separat-

ed in 2017 but live together with their children as a family unit, opted to go through a travel agent for the trip. "I got in touch with my travel agent @jean.cusack at @icontravelwaterford who did an amazing job putting together our epic three week holiday to New Zealand just before Covid-19 came into our lives, to see about putting together a package that would suit my current circumstances," she wrote.

Lovely hurling: Jim Rohan celebrating his 50th birthday at Carrickshock GAA Club

The Kilkenny Observer Friday 17 June 2022

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 17 June 2022

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Opinion

As I See It Marianne Heron

Why The Firm is better than all the others tried What’s this? Are we really monarchists at heart wishing that Michael D could wear a crown on ceremonial occasions? Maybe not. But in a recent survey her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II turned out to be more popular than all our political leaders, even Mary Lou. It’s easy to be popular when you aren’t responsible for running anything in this country but there is general admiration the increasingly frail Queen for her dedication to her job as the longest reigning monarch, beating Queen Victoria by six years. There’s a sympathy vote for her too, for the way that she has remained steadfast as the head of a family where recent crises rival the plots for Downton Abbey, ranging from the tragedy of Diana’s death to the scandal of Andrew to high drama of Megxit. Whatever the affection for this constant queen who

endearingly produced a marmalade sandwich for Paddington Bear from her handbag during the Platinum Jubilee celebrations, how will her subjects feel about Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla? Currently a majority of Brits are in favour of the monarchy but will a time come to end an outdated institution which is out of step with the rest of Europe? The future of the monarchy depends a good deal on the personality and performance of the sovereign and on members of the Royal ‘Firm’. Charles will never be as popular as his mother but Royal biographer Tina Brown suggests in her book Palace Papers that Charles will be a better King than people expect and that his preoccupation with sustainability and the environment, which used to appear old fogeyish are now spot on. Memories of Camilla as the third party in what Diana called a ‘crowed

marriage’ may be fading. At 73 Charles will be an interim sovereign with a chance to rebrand the monarchy, before making way for Prince William, and Kate, the most popular royals after the Queen. They will need to make a difference with crusading causes like William’s concerns around climate change and Kate’s with early childhood development. What the Royals badly need is more of the common touch Princess Di had in spades. Prince Harry has the most of this quality, look at the success of his Invictus Games. But, sadly, if he goes ahead with his $20m. memoir of anti-palace revelations, it’s extremely unlikely that he and Meghan will come back to The Firm. Charles has promised to slim down The Firm, presumably without members who are PR disasters. Back in the day beheading for treason was a handy way to dispose

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of black sheep like Prince Andrew who was recently bailed out by the Queen to avoid a lawsuit involving alleged underage sex with Virginia Guiffre. He needs to be banished from view. Despite grumbles, the Royals don’t actually cost much. Incomes for Charles, William and Harry and their families come from the Duchy of Cornwall, while the Queen pays tax on the revenue from Crown estates, and the pomp and mystique surrounding the Royals generates huge tourism revenue. Certainly, the institution requires modernising; who needs all those royal residences and servants, (over a thousand, with vacancies for a vase polisher and butler if anyone is interested). Getting rid of stuffy, controlling courtiers in favour of modern advisors would be a great idea. One modernising move was to open parts of Buckingham Palace for tours

(fascinating!) A pervasive argument in favour of monarchy, especially now in troubled times and with wobbly Brexiteer Boris at the helm of Government, is the stability it provides. The monarchy has been an enduring part of British history for a thousand

‘A chance to rebrand the monarchy..

years with just one blip (as the DAA might put it) after Charles I was beheaded and Cromwell headed the Commonwealth period from 1649 to 1660 before Charles II was restored to the throne. If there wasn’t a monarch at the helm who would become the head of the armed forces, appoint Prime Ministers, be titular head of the Church of England, head the Commonwealth of Nations representing a quarter of the world’s population, bestow honours, have an audience with Boris every week (wonder how that goes?). That’s aside from performing a mind- boggling number of public ceremonies and hosting other heads of state. For the Brits now a misquote of Winston Churchill on democracy seems appropriate: “Monarchy is the worst form of institution except for all the others that have been tried.”

The Kilkenny Observer Friday 17 June 2022

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 17 June 2022

News

SPECIAL REPORT There have been strong warnings that trade between Ireland and Great Britain will grind to a halt if the UK government succeeds in scrapping the Northern Ireland Protocol. Economists, policy makers and industry representatives who spoke to the media, both on and off the record, believe London’s withdrawal from the agreement would lead to a suspension of the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA), which regulates the relationship between the UK and the EU, including Ireland. Without that set of standards, British-Irish trade would revert to WTO rules — precisely the economically ruinous outcome all parties have been trying to avoid since the UK voted for Brexit in June 2016. “If this were to play out, I actually think the first immediate hit would be south of the Border,” said Paul Mac Flynn, the Belfast-based co-director of the Nevin Economic Research Institute. “Without the TCA, trade from Great Britain to the Republic of Ireland is going to grind to a halt.” According to an economic impact report published by the Department of Enterprise before the TCA was ratified, that outcome would result in a slower-growing Irish economy that would be 7% smaller by 2030 than it would have been without Brexit. But in the short term, both Ireland and the UK would be scrambling to get to grips with the abrupt end of essentially free trade between them and disruption would be severe. Ironically, all-island trade would likely continue under the status quo regime for a while at least, as the EU is

Scottish whisky exports into the EU, and the transport of car components in and out of the English midlands and north, will be hit by retaliation against Britain in a looming trade conflict with Brussels. The EU is now expected to launch legal action against the UK after ministers controversially claimed an emergency loophole allowed them to scrap post-Brexit checks and standards in the North. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson argued changes in new legislation finally announced yesterday were “relatively trivial” measures designed to ease trade disruption between the North and England, Scotland and Wales, as the bill was published yesterday. But EU Brexit chief Maros Sefcovic warned Brussels will launch legal action for infringing the Northern Ireland Protocol. At the same time a majority of members of the North’s Stormont assembly accused Mr Johnson of recklessly destabilising the 1998 Good Friday Agreement.

Trade between Ireland and Britain will halt if protocol move goes ahead

What, not a drop of Scotch in the house... Under the plan the UK government would scrap checks on goods from Britain destined for the North rather than the EU via the Republic. There would be a “green lane” with a “red lane” allowing existing checks for goods destined for EU countries. British firms exporting to the North could choose between meeting EU or UK standards.

Crucially, changes would also remove the role of the EU Court of Justice in resolving single market disputes, replacing it with independent arbitration. Mr Sefcovic said the changes were “damaging” and he said the commission will revive a legal action put aside last year. Brussels officials said there was “zero sympathy” in any

EU quarter for the UK’s ongoing efforts to wriggle out of deals it signed in October 2019, and confirmed in December 2020, all of which were later ratified by the European Parliament. “This is seen entirely as an internal struggle within the British Conservative Party. It’s about Boris Johnson’s battle to remain as leader and oth-

understood to have little appetite for imposing an internal border and the infrastructure doesn’t exist to do so if it wanted to. The significance of crossBorder economic interdependence was underscored yesterday with the announcement that Ballymena bus manufacturer Wrightbus had won a deal worth a potential €562m to sell up to 800 battery electric buses to the National Transport Authority The NTA said the deal could potentially become the singlebiggest bus procurement deal in the history of the State. Sinn Féin East Derry MLA Caoimhe Archibald said the major contract is also “a vote of confidence in the skills and expertise of the local workforce”. “As the British government today introduce legislation to undermine the protocol and breach international law, it is a timely reminder of the North’s unique ability to continue to access the EU single market and create jobs,” she said. That interconnectedness is perhaps even more pronounced in agriculture where supply chains and processing relationships have created effectively a unified industry that is the biggest indigenous sector in each jurisdiction, after the public sector. One policy source gave the example of the numerous cross-Border journeys the cream in Diageo’s Baileys liqueur must take before getting to the consumer: the milk comes from Fermanagh farms before it is sent to Glanbia in Cavan for processing, then onward to Belfast for further processing and finally to Dublin for mixing and bottling. “The protocol works,” they

said. “If that milk is no longer equal, you have to segregate it and fundamentally alter the logistics of agriculture and the food sector.” For a sector already struggling with supply chain issues due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the after-effects of the pandemic, another trade disruption could be devastating. The certainty that getting rid of the protocol would be dramatically damaging to all parties has led many to conclude that the current protocol bill will not become law. The more lasting effect, however, will come from the cloud of political risk and economic uncertainty that hangs over Northern Ireland as long as the Conservative Party refuses to come to terms with Brexit. “The more lasting effect of this bill will be to destroy any policy certainty surrounding Northern Ireland’s trading relationship,” said Mr Mac Flynn. “Even if they do come to a deal eventually, how could any potential investor be sure that deal will not eventually suffer the same fate as the protocol?” he added. But not everyone agrees that the fight over the protocol is pointless and destructive. The Irish Road Haulage Association is hoping the scrap over post-Brexit T&Cs will finally produce a compromise to smooth trade in all directions. “I’m in favour of whatever will relieve our trade problems,” said IRHA president Eugene Drennan. “We don’t have smooth operations now and it’s costing too much. “The UK is the country that left, but Ireland is paying the most.

ers, such as Liz Truss, to oust him,” the official said. “This is a reasonable, practical solution to the problems facing Northern Ireland,” foreign secretary Liz Truss said in a statement. “It will safeguard the EU Single Market and ensure there is no hard border on the island of Ireland.” It was confirmed that a “hit list” of UK export and import products has been developed to retaliate if the British draft law become reality. The list has a political edge targeting Scotch whisky and car products in the English midlands and north where Mr Johnson’s party made gains in the 2019 general election. Under the new draft law, expected to face considerable opposition in the London parliament, the government would scrap checks for firms selling goods from Britain destined for the North rather than the EU via the Republic. Proposed changes would also allow British firms exporting to the North to choose between meeting EU or UK

standards on regulation, which are expected to increasingly diverge. Crucially, changes would also remove the role of the EU Court of Justice in resolving single market disputes, replacing it with independent arbitration. Mr Sefcovic said the changes were “damaging” and he threatened to take UK ministers to court. “As the first step, the commission will consider continuing the infringement procedure launched against the UK government in March 2021. “We had put this legal action on hold in September 2021 in the spirit of constructive cooperation to create the space to look for joint solutions. “The UK’s unilateral action goes directly against the spirit,” the Slovakian Commission vice-president said. DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson said it was right that the UK government has acted on the protocol and said he would read the bill against his party’s tests for removing the Irish Sea border.

The Kilkenny Observer Friday 17 June 2022

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 17 June 2022

Opinion

Your Money & You John Ellis

Your tax affairs after two years of the pandemic Back in 2020 businesses impacted by the Covid lockdowns were throw a number of lifelines by the Government. They suspended debt collection and charging of interest on late payment of VAT and PAYE (payroll tax) liabilities due from March of that year. They allowed the “Warehousing” of tax debt. They confirmed that Tax Clearance Certificates would not be affected by business availing of tax debt warehousing under this arrangement. The aim of these initiatives was to assist businesses experiencing cash-flow and trading difficulties due to the pandemic. Businesses could defer paying some of their eligible tax liabilities until they were able to financially deal with the debt with lower interest rates being applied — 0% initially and then 3% from January 2023 to the final repayment date. There were/are three phases

to the scheme. Phase 1, the ‘Covid-19 Restricted Trading Period’ began in January 2020. This covered the period when the business first experienced cash flow trading difficulties arising from the impact of Covid. Phase 2, the ‘Zero Interest Period’ which began January of this year and ends on December 31, 2022. During this period no interest will be charged during Period 2 on the warehoused liabilities from Period 1.

Period 3, the ‘Reduced Interest Period’ beginning on January 1, 2023. and will continue until the date on which the Covid-19 deferred liabilities are discharged in full. This is the phase where a reduced interest rate of 3% per annum applies until the warehoused debt has been fully discharged. The facility was open to businesses with tax liabilities in the areas of VAT, PAYE, Temporary Wage and Employment Wage Subsidy, but was conditional on the filing of all

tax returns and payment of all tax liabilities that fall due while the warehousing scheme is in effect. Taxes that fell due during the warehousing agreement had to be maintained for the duration of the warehouse period and for any subsequent arrangement period to guarantee the reduced interest rates of 0% (while in warehouse) and 3% (after the warehouse period ends). This was/is a very welcome cash flow measure for businesses, but this level of tax debt tolerance is coming to an end as recently Revenue issued warning notices to taxpayers who are availing of the Debt Warehousing Scheme but have overdue tax returns. According to Revenue, businesses availing of the Scheme had been provided with a deadline of April 30 last to file overdue tax returns and have confirmed they are beginning to issue ‘Final Notices’ to taxpayers whose tax returns still

remain outstanding. The Final Notices provide a 10-day timeframe to businesses to file all outstanding returns, with the notices warning that the benefits of the Debt Warehousing Scheme will be lost if the returns are not filed within this period. If lost, the warehoused debt will immediately become due for payment and the lower rates of interest that apply to warehoused debt (of 0% and 3%) will no longer apply. Revenue confirmed approximately 60% of the Final Notices were issued by post with the remainder issued to the taxpayers’ ROS Inbox. “Further notices will issue on a rolling basis over the coming weeks as cases with outstanding returns come to Revenue’s attention.” In addition, businesses need to be aware that tax debts before and after the “Covid-19 restricted trading” period are not included in the warehous-

ing arrangement. For many businesses the way ahead seems bleak, and many must be wondering how they will trade their way back to profitability and be able to repay the amounts due. If there are difficulties meeting tax return filing obligations due to Covid-19 the advice from Revenue is “submit all returns as they are due on a best estimate basis and if there is a difficulty in paying tax liabilities as they fall due engage with Revenue to make suitable arrangements for the discharge of these debts. They will take each case on its merits and will work with businesses to come to a suitable solution. But it can’t be repeated enough, tax returns must be up to date. Go to www.revenue.ie, where you will find all the information required.. John@ellisfinancial.ie 0868362633

‘The Courting of Katie Earls’ BY NED EGAN

PART 2 The question of a dowry for Katie was hardly thought about, and not discussed at all between the courting pair. In case you wonder, reader, a dowry was practically mandatory within the middle-class fraternity in a lot of the country, and was generally settled by the fathers down the pub, or round an oil lamp-lit kitchen table - or maybe on a Fair Day. Dan wasn’t worried even a little bit - had no fears at all – nor should he. Katie would be the last of his children to ‘fly the coop’. He’d miss her badly, as she was a light in all their lives. A sweet jokester, happy and funny, and bright as a button. When the message came asking ‘if he might call up to Mattie’s house one night to have a little chat,’ Katie knew the score, and

sat home with her mother, playing the local card game - ‘25s’. She knew the whole courtship bandwagon was rolling along nicely, and a few months would see a delightful end to the tensions and frustrations that torment all young things, betimes. In an agreeable-enough way, of course. But she also well knew that such feelings weren’t peculiar just to the ladies … A bit later than she thought would be the case, the latch lifted, and her father came in. The mammy had gone off upstairs, a firm believer in the old ‘early to bed etc’ craic. So, Katie put the kettle on straight away, and sat down at the fire, across from Dan. He didn’t say anything for a few minutes; then - in a very un-Irish gesture for the times that were about – he leaned across, and took her hand in his: “You’re a great girl, K,” he said, “and lucky the man who will have you for a wife. You’ve been a right good daughter to herself and me..” Then, after a few

seconds, he released her hand, sat back in his chair, and went silent again A calm girl was Katie, so she said nothing – but she wondered. The kettle boiled, she took it off the crane, made the tea, then brought it over to the fire, with a few cuts of brown bread, plastered with their own home-made butter. Still saying nothing, she stirred the fire, ‘readied’ the ashes, got up again, cleared the table, and sat down once more. At last her father spoke, quietly. She’d guessed something was amiss, from when he’d walked in. Katie knew his ways well – so she ‘waited him out.’ That was the way they operated. “Katie” he said, “I’m not going to stand in the way of you being happy. I’m going to do everything in my power to set you on the high road in life. I liked your young man, and I’ve always got on well with his parents.” He paused again. A long one, this time. {What was this ‘liked’ business?} … Katie’d pricked her little ears up at that one. She

knew that however things went, this night at the fire would affect, in one way or another, the rest of her life. So, better get on with it…. When Katie spoke, it was in her usual straightforward fashion: “Daddy, we’re walking round each other a bit now, in big circles. There has to be a problem – that I can tell. It is the dowry - isn’t it? Talk, Daddy, please.” But in her heart she was thinking: ‘That rotten dowry! Surely that bloody thing can’t ruin everything! Can it?’ “Aye, we got round to the dowry after the tea” said her father. “Old Seamus go ‘whatever you think is a fair thing, Dan.’ I didn’t think young Mattie was going to be staying, sitting in at the other end of the table, listening – it wasn’t that way with Mona’s or Nora’s men. I thought it a bit odd. But I got round to the main point, anyway, and said: ‘I gave my other girls five hundred pounds each, Seamus. What do you think of that?’ Before he could reply, Mattie stood up and said: ‘You’re

dealing with me now, Dan – not my father. It is I who’ll be marrying Katie, and I know you have plenty, so the least I will accept is a thousand pounds. And I’m not going to argue about it, either.’ “I must admit I was very surprised, Katie. The demand was a bit high, all right – but it was the look on his face that really shook me. It was the face of a very hard man – one I had never dreamt existed in the frame of young Mattie McCann. A face that told there’d be no ‘go-back’ in that quarter. “Still, I put my point of view. I told him that my other two girls, not all that long married, had each received half of what he was now asking, and there’d never been a wrong word about it. As a matter of fact, their future husbands had been delighted, not expecting so much. So I go; ‘now, Mattie - how am I going to face them all, and tell them you’d be getting as much as both of them together? And this farm that you’ll get in the end is a lot

bigger than those of my son-in-laws..’ But I could see, Katie, that I was ‘up against it.’ Now, had I given the others a thousand each, I couldn’t complain about his demand. But we can’t change the past. So I continued, quiet enough: ‘We won’t fight over it, Mattie. I’ll have a word with Katie, and see how it goes’. At this, he stood up and said, in a very tight, controlled voice: ‘I don’t see what it has to do with Katie, Dan. You came up tonight to discuss the dowry – it’s got nothing at all to do with her.’ At this, I got a bit nettled, and said: ‘Well, if that’s the way with you, Mattie - I was actually asked up for a chat. Nobody mentioned the word ‘dowry.’ And if Katie is to be ruled out of the bargaining - why not you, too?’ 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.

The Kilkenny Observer Friday 17 June 2022

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 17 June 2022

Science & Wellbeing By now you’ve probably heard all about the health benefits of omega-3 fatty acids, but as a quick refresher: “Omega-3 essential fats are very important in our diet to support skin, eye, brain, and immune health,” says Jefrey Bland, PhD, a clinical biochemist and co-founder of the Institute for Functional Medicine. The need for us to have an adequate intake of omega-3 fatty acids can n to be overemphasised. Our bodies can’t produce omega-3s, and so you must obtain them from either your food or supplements. “There are three main types of omega-3 fatty acids— docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and alpha-linolenic acid (ALA),” says registered dietitian nutritionist Alice Figueroa, RDN, CDN, founder of Alice in Foodieland. “It’s necessary to consume between 250–500 mg of combined DHA and EPA on a daily basis to stay healthy, and the adequate intake (AI) of ALA is 1.1 grams for women and 1.6 grams for men. Unfortunately, in general, most Americans do not meet the daily adequate intake,” she says. Currently, there’s no standardised test for omega-3 deficiency, so it can be hard to detect, though there are certain signs and symptoms that indicate you may need to consume more sources of omega-3s like nuts (walnuts in particular) and seeds (chia seeds pack an entire days worth of ALA), seafood, fatty fish like salmon, cod, sardines, or mackerel, algae (aka sea greens), or supplements like fish or algae oil. “Because omega-3 oils are members of the dietary fat family, they are best absorbed when taken with foods that contain some fat,” Dr Bland says. While not all indicators of omega-3 deficiency are visible—like chronic inflammation and heart problems—

shown that omega-3 supplementation has reduced hair loss in women.

The importance of a healthy omega-3 intake

3. Joint pain and stiffness Because omega-3s produce an anti-inflammatory response in the body, it’s believed that joint pain and stiffness, particularly the kind caused by inflammation like rheumatoid arthritis (RA), can be a sign of omega-3 deficiency. And studies have found that proper supplementation eases symptoms for people with RA and joint pain associated with lupus. 4. Brain fog and loss of cognitive function “Some clues that you are not getting enough omega-3s include difficulty concentrating or memory issues,” says registered dietitian Maya Feller, RD. Alzheimer’s disease and dementia have also been connected to omega-3 deficiency. 5. Depression Low levels of omega-3 fatty acids are also associated with depression, as well as other psychiatric disorders like bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), according to research.

there are some common ways your body will clue you in that it’s running low. Before starting any new supplement or food protocol, though, it’s always best to check with your doctor. Here are seven signs of omega-3 deficiency: 1. Skin irritation, rashes, or acne It’s easy to dismiss dry skin for

a few different reasons (dehydration being a common culprit), but it is associated with omega-3 deficiency, both Dr Bland and Figueroa say. Fatty acids help keep cell membranes healthy, which includes helping them retain moisture. So dry skin can be an early warning sign that you’re not consuming enough omega-3s to make this happen.

There’s even been some research that indicates that omega-3 supplementation can help with skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis because of this, and their ability to reduce inflammation in the body. People who took fish oil containing 1.8 g of EPA saw a reduction in eczema symptoms after 12 weeks, according to one study. And an increase in acne is also a

symptom of low omega-3 levels; it’s believed to be caused by an elevation in inflammation as well. 2. Brittle/thinning hair Similar to your skin, if your hair starts to become dry, dull, frizzy, and the ends begin to split —or it starts falling out—these can all be signs of omega-3 deficiency, according to Figueroa. Studies have

6. Dry eyes About 14 percent of all adults in the West suffer from dry eyes, which is at least in part caused by inflammation. In a large study of women 45 to 84 years old, those with the highest level of omega-3 intake saw a 17 percent reduction in dry eyes. 7. Fatigue Both Feller and Figueroa note that fatigue is a common sign of omega-3 deficiency, and research conducted on the effects of omega-3 supplementation on lupus (which is characterised by joint pain and fatigue), found that omega-3 fatty acids were able to alleviate both symptoms.

Robots will have living skin and hair Scientists, for the first time learned to grow humanlike skin on a robotic finger using cells, a new study revealed. According to a CNN report, unlike artificial skin that is commonly used when building robots, this skin is alive, said lead study author Shoji Takeuchi, project professor in the department of mechanical and bio-functional systems at the Institute of Industrial Science at the University of Tokyo. “Living skin is the ultimate solution to give robots the look and touch of living creatures,” Takeuchi said. His research team chose a robotic finger for the experiment because this mechanism is well studied and a critical part of a robot, he said. The humanlike skin is made using the same building blocks as human skin, Takeu-

chi said. The robotic finger was first submerged in a solution of collagen, which is a fibrous protein, and human dermal fibroblasts, the two major components that make up human skin. Dermal fibroblasts are the primary cell type in the connective tissue of the skin. After the solution conformed around the finger, Takeuchi applied human epidermal keratinocytes to the outside. A keratinocyte is the main type of cell that makes up the human epidermis, the outermost layer of skin, he said. In the trials, the elastic human skin moved freely while the finger made different motions, Takeuchi said. His team put a collagen bandage on a part of the finger that had been inflicted with a wound to mend it, and the robot was able to move freely after the protein repaired

the skin.Collagen is a major c omponent of human skin and has healing properties, according to a 2021 study. The skin could also repel water, which expanded what tasks the robot could perform. When researchers used a robot with wet surface material, polystyrene foam beads stuck to it, according to the study. These beads are commonly used as filler material in products such as beanbags and some stuIed animals. When the scientists tried the same experiment with the water-repellent humanlike skin, the robotic finger could flick the foam beads away without them sticking, the authors said. Designing robots in our own image Humanoids are robots that perform tasks that involve interacting with humans in settings such as the medi-

cal, nursing care and service industries, according to the study. It’s important to have humanlike robots when they are in places humans commonly frequent, said Pulkit Agrawal, Steven and Renee Finn career development professor and assistant professor in the department of electrical engineering and computer sciences at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge. He was not involved in the study. “Humans design spaces around them, so having a humanlike robot is useful in those scenarios,” Agrawal said. For example, robots that may one day be in a household need to be able to pick up items and move around the way a person does, he said. If a robot were to be made

of metal, it would need to be extremely precise to pick up another hard object such as a mug, Agrawal said. There would be a small amount of contact between the two objects since neither is flexible. If the hand were soft like human skin, the robot could be less precise since more surface area on the mug would be covered as the soft skin conforms to the handle, he said. The discovery is an important one, Agrawal said, but development of the humanlike skin still has a long way to go. Skin is a living organism, so it needs to sustain itself by being constantly nourished while removing waste, Takeuchi said. Unfortunately, the current skin that was grown does not have that ability built in, so it cannot sustain itself, he said.

The Kilkenny Observer Friday 17 June 2022

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Travel & Leisure Ireland is one of Portugal’s growing overseas tourist market. Thanks to the easing of Covid travel restrictions, thousands of Irish travellers are expected to head back there this summer, drawn mainly by its sunny south coast. But Portugal has so much more to offer than the beaches and bars of the Algarve. Marvão, Alentejo Tourists driving south to the Algarve or east to the Spanish border may think of the Alentejo (meaning ‘beyond the Tagus’ river) as an endless stretch of cork oaks and olive trees that takes forever to cross. Barrel across its vast plains and the only thing you’ll notice is that it is big; Alentejo is the largest and flattest of Portugal’s provinces, occupying more than a third of the mainland. But in its north-east corner, close to the Spanish border, the Serra de São Mamede is a mountain range that defies this idea of the Alentejo (there might even be snow in the winter). Some of the towns in this range have breathtaking settings, particularly Marvão, a serene and storied medieval village dramatically set 862 metres high on a granite crag. With its narrow lanes, whitewashed houses and formidable castle, Marvão offers views across the Alentejo plains and over the mountains into Spain. Nearby Castelo de Vide is another beguiling walled town, its castle rising above the town’s dazzlingly white houses, flower-lined cobbled lanes and peaceful squares. Locals are proud of the crystal-clear mineral water that spouts out of the pretty public fountains in this former Roman spa town. Those in search of a beautifully unspoilt Portugal will find much to love in this part of the country, where life

Inside the Hidden Portugal

eases along at a slower tempo. And there is no better way to soak in the mood than taking one of the two scenic routes offered by Rail Bike Marvão (from €20) along a disused railway line. Between June and September, the company runs “full moon” night tours three times a month (€35 including drinks, petiscos and live music). Visitors use customised, two-person pedal-powered rail bikes to zigzag through megaliths in the stunning Serra de São Mamede natural park with views over Marvão and Castelo de Vide.

Ponte De Lima, Alto Minho Portuguese holidaymakers are rediscovering Alto Minho, the country’s greenest area, tucked away in its north-west corner. Its rich soil, ample rainfall and thermal springs keep it perennially verdant, unlike much of the rest of the country. On a hot summer’s day there is little better than taking a shady walk in the hills and enjoying a chilled bottle of vinho verde, the distinctive white wine of the region. Green only in name, it is slightly effervescent, with a fruity nose and acidic

bite, making it one of the great delights of travelling in northern Portugal. Alto Minho’s main town is Viana do Castelo, in a delightful setting on the Lima estuary. Its medieval centre has elaborate mansions, windy streets and pretty squares. It makes a great base for exploring the Atlantic coast; the unspoilt beaches of Cabedelo and Moledo are popular with locals, who regularly brave the cold Atlantic waters. But the highlight of the region is Ponte de Lima, a half-hour drive east from

Viana do Castelo. This market town is one of the oldest and loveliest in Portugal, yet it sees comparatively few visitors. Built along the mellow banks of the Lima, the town is named after its elegant medieval bridge; five of the bridge’s 13 stone arches date back to Roman times. The small, historic centre with winding alleys has cafes and mansions, but it’s also worth seeking out the romance of Ponte de Lima’s leafy outskirts. Centro Aventura organises guided kayak and paddle trips (from €30), and there are eco-trails and bike

Three alternatives to Venice for an Italian city break 1. Chioggia Located at the southern end of the Venetian lagoon, Chioggia is becoming more and more popular as an alternative to Venice. Be aware, though, that this isn’t quite the mini Venice you might think from photos. Rather, it’s something totally different — but equally fascinating. In fact, the only similarity Chioggia has with Venice is its canal network, rippling through the town, and crisscrossed by pretty bridges. Instead, Chioggia is working fishing town. Forget the rarefied hush of Venice — this is a place where life is lived loudly. Cars, as well as foot passengers, cross the bridges, and chunky fishing boats

are parked up in the canals, instead of gondolas. Don’t expect countless museums: Chioggia is a place to live the lagoon as locals do (in fact, the best way to get here is with the summer vaporetto from the Venice Lido, which cuts through waters that only fishermen usually ply). Of course, there’s Venetian history — from the Lion of Saint Mark adorning the city gates to the Vittore Carpaccio painting in the Church of San Domenico. But really, Chioggia is all about lagoon life. 2. Genoa There are more similarities between Venice and Genoa than first meet the eye —

perhaps that’s the reason these two have been feuding for centuries. In medieval times, the two cities battled to be the port of choice for pilgrims heading to Jerusalem; today, they’re still two of the biggest ports in Italy. But move inwards from Genoa’s bustling port and you’ll find a maze-like tangle of narrow, medieval alleyways, full of hidden artistic treasures that

are best experienced when you stumble across them by chance. Sound familiar? That’s because, like Venice, Genoa still lives its history, instead of putting it into museums. Grand palazzos, built for Renaissance nobility, now house shops (like Via Garibaldi 12) and bars (try Les Rouges). Look up wherever you walk, and you’ll see grand balustrades, neoclassical

columns and balconies built to overlook the water, glittering in the distance. For your own sea view, take the art nouveau public lift to the Castelletto neighbourhood, where you’ll enjoy sweeping views of the Med glinting like diamonds. 3. Palermo For an absolute rush of coastal culture with as strong an identity as Venice’s, you

paths on both sides of the river. Further afield, the delightful Lima valley is sprinkled with ancient towns, historic manor houses, Romanesque churches and lush vineyards. Historic Quinta do Ameal, one of the top vinho verde producers, offers tastings and tours (€25) of the attractive vineyard and winery, only 15 minutes’ drive from Ponte de Lima. The river remains an undiscovered gem in the region. A boat trip upriver offers the chance to enjoy the silence while gliding through the landscape, admiring the birds on the banks. It’s a picture-perfect tableau even most Portuguese don’t know about. Mil Emotions offers a variety of trips departing from Milfontes (€10-€30). In this region, the Atlantic coast offers scenic beaches galore, plus the Rota Vicentina’s network of walking trails. Milfontes itself has great beaches on river and sea, but 20 minutes away is the stunning Praia do Almograve, perfect for enjoying the sunset. Other lesser-known options include Brejo Largo and Praia de Nossa Senhora. In this region, the Atlantic coast offers scenic beaches galore, plus the Rota Vicentina’s network of walking trails. Milfontes itself has great beaches on river and sea, but 20 minutes away is the stunning Praia do Almograve, perfect for enjoying the sunset. Other lesser-known options include Brejo Largo and Praia de Nossa Senhora. A little further away, Praia da Amália is named after the most famous fado singer in the country, Amália Rodrigues, who had a holiday home there. Also nearby is the promontory of Cabo Sardão, where dramatic high cliffs face the unrelenting Atlantic waves – certainly one of the best natural viewpoints in the region. need the Sicilian capital. Sometimes, Palermo feels as crowded as the lagoon city on its busiest days — but the good thing about that is it’s almost always locals piling into the streets. And just as laconic Venetians couldn’t come from anywhere else, neither could the Palermitani, as they chatter in rapid-fire dialect and chow down on arancine (ragu-filled rice balls: the equivalent of Venetian cicchetti) with the swagger that comes from knowing few cities compare to theirs. Like Venice, Palermo has culture oozing from every pore. This is a place whose history is as stratified as that of Venetian palazzos, layered up from the lagoon bed. It’s still influenced by its former Arab and Norman rulers — the sweet and spicy food comes from the former, and much of the architecture from the latter. It’s a place of spectacular churches, just like Venice – Norman-built Monreale Cathedral, with its glittering Byzantine-style mosaics, is easily the equal of Saint Mark’s Basilica.

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 17 June 2022

News

Mens HealthWeek Mens health week takes place from Monday the 13th of June 2022 finishing on Father’s Day on the 19th June. This week aims to highlight some of the key issues uniquely affecting men in Ireland. In conjunction with the HSE Mens Health Forum in Ireland has provided statistics to these issues to help bring awareness and reduce loss of life to men from preventable diseases in Ireland. These include higher rates of alcohol and drug abuse, homelessness, and loss of life through suicide. Men are also more susceptible to certain forms of cancer, the leading causes of death in men, and heart disease with men accounting for over 70% of the overall figure. Key attitudes that contribute to these statistics are lack of health lifestyle choices and a reluctance for men to seek help. At Teac Tom we have always strived to reach out to men of all ages to let them know

support is available. Our approach to talk openly about mental health issues is having an impact on men reaching out for help with nearly half of all the service users of Teac Tom being male. Reaching out through school talks to schools and doing presentations in traditionally male dominated workplaces has ensured that, when it comes to mental health in particular, awareness is made support is there. Reducing loss of life through suicide is one of Teac Toms key primary goals and men are estimated to be three times more likely to end their life. These key engagements have placed Teac Tom in the unique position that have made men access our service at near the same rate as women. The advice we give to friends and families that are worried about their husbands, sons and male friends is always the same. Don’t be afraid to ask. Men are very prone to very impulsive and violent behav-

iour towards themselves when in a state of distress. When you see signs of their mental health deteriorating as in withdrawal, not as active, poor self-care. Or are aware that life events such as job loss, family/ relationship breakdown etc are happening. Ask them – Are they ok? Would they benefit support? To the men we have a unique message. The term “Man up” needs to change. The courage it takes to say you are not ok is huge. Be brave and strong in the right way. By seeking help. Man-up in its current form means to deal with things on your own and not get support. We now know this cost lives as it stops men from getting the right help at the right time. So Man-up by Speaking up. If it’s in relation to health or mental health. Support is there once you ask. Teac Tom do not have a waiting time and you will get therapeutic support immediately if needed. We have trained therapists on hand ready to provide counselling assistance for a range of issues. All information in this article was obtained from MensHealthForum Ireland @ https://www.mhfi.org/ mhw/about-mhw.html and statistics from The Thomas Hayes Trust

Beating bullies needs smart action ANDREW MCDONALD HYPNOTHERAPIST

‘Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me.’ So states the children’s nursery rhyme, familiar to most of us from our schooldays. First appearing in a text known as ‘Eothen’ written in 1830, it has been around a long time. What most people don’t know is it is predated, by a couple of millennia, by a statement of the complete opposite. ‘The blow of a whip raises a welt, but a blow of the tongue crushes the bones.’ This comes from the largest book of wisdom to have survived from antiquity, The Book of Sirach, or Ecclesiasticus, an ancient Jewish work of ethical teachings. In 2022, it is the 19th Century ditty which seems outdated. Rightly so. Whilst physical victimisation is harrowing, and in no way acceptable, spoken abuse leaves scars which reach deep into a person’s character. Indeed, it is

not uncommon for an adult to still be trouble by things which were said to them as a child, even when those taunts have proven untrue. Bullies are cunning. We will never completely eradicate this phenomenon. As soon as one prevention is put in place, a way to circumvent it will be found. What we can do is prepare our children to deal with bullies in helpful ways. Bullying can, but very often is not, the result of the bully alone. There are usually enablers, some of whom, in the background, may be even crueller. Recognising all of them is important. So too is discovering who sympathises with the victim, peers who are willing to stick up for him or her. Once they are established, the child on the receiving end needs to make them aware of their torment so they can help. Frequently, there can be bullying patterns. It might be worse in the morning or at night. Maybe it’s online. Once the habitual nature of the bully is noticed, it’s easier for a child to sur-

round themselves with adults or friends at peak times. Finding a strong voice can be powerful. Usually, the bully wants their victim to react in a way that grabs attention. It gives them a sense of achievement, a reward, and it is something they can play on for laughs. Using a low, but firm, tone frequently works better. It’s more important than ever that children learn good online practices. Parents who are approachable regarding internet concerns open the door to their kids feeling they can confide. Seeking support is crucial. The vast majority of teachers and schools take very strict lines on bullying. However, they can only act if they are aware. Unfortunately, bullies are often very clever at hiding their behaviour. Therefore, informing staff at school is a fundamental part of resolving bullying issues. No child should have to suffer bullying. Sadly, many will. However, by reacting appropriately and consistently, you can hopefully stop it before it gets worse.

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 17 June 2022

Global Report A man sat in the shade on his farm outside New Delhi and cupped a handful of this season’s disappointing wheat between his calloused palms. The grains were brown and the size of cumin seeds, shrivelled by heat. “I can speak for my village: Everybody has had the same fate,” said Jeetram Yadav, a 70-year-old who grows wheat and rice on his 2.6-acre plot. The temperature is touching 110 degrees. Yadav’s shrivelled grains are a small part of the dangerous feedback loop between climate-linked weather disasters and the war in Ukraine that have sent food prices soaring around the world and raising the risk of an epidemic of starvation. When Russia invaded earlier this year, threatening Ukraine’s exports of grains, crop-rich India was seen as a global buffer, making up for the shortfall. But this spring’s erratic rains and scorching heat killed crops and made it dangerous for farmworkers to harvest, devastating India’s production. In response, India announced in May it would shut down all grain exports, staving off famine in the country but threatening starvation abroad. It was yet another climatedriven shock to a global food system already in upheaval, and a sign of the hunger crisis that looms as the planet warms. As of last week, about 750,000 people around the world were facing a food security “catastrophe” — at which “starvation, death, destitution and extremely critical acute malnutrition levels are evident” — according to the Food and Agriculture Organization, the UN agency tasked with fighting global hunger. About 49 million are at risk of falling into famine conditions in the months ahead, according to a Hunger Hotspots report published last week by the FAO and the World Food Programme (WFP), the UNs’ food assistance branch. “These are millions of people who literally don’t know

Nine million face famine as Ukraine war goes on

where their next meal is coming from,” said Brian Lander, deputy director of WFP’s emergencies division. Climate change is not the only contributing factor, he noted. Supply chain issues and economic instability linked to the coronavirus pandemic have raised costs for fuel, fertiliser, shipping and other agricultural inputs. The war between Russia and Ukraine has also disrupted exports from two of the world’s biggest wheat producers, increasing the price of the grain that supplies one-fifth of all calories consumed by humans. With Black Sea shipping blocked and Ukrainian ports heavily mined, millions of tons of grains are trapped in the region. Russia has also seized wheat, bombed silos and blocked many railways, leading US and European officials to accuse Moscow of ‘weaponising’ the world’s food supply to gain an upper hand in the war. At talks in Turkey recently, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov indicated support for a UN proposal that would create shipping corridors to ease the ports blockade and allow Russia to export grain and fertiliser. Ukrainian officials expressed skepticism that Russia would not exploit the corridors for an amphibious attack, and the prospect of a deal remains elusive. But, while the Ukraine war and the pandemic might fade with time, experts say, climate change has become a persistent threat to food security, making it more difficult to respond to unforeseen shocks. Human greenhouse gas emissions have fuelled increasingly unpredictable weather events that can wipe out harvests for an entire region, studies show. Waves of punishing heat can kill livestock and make it unsafe for farmworkers to do their jobs. Floods and other natural disasters can devastate the infrastructure needed to transport food to hungry communities. A February report on climate impacts and adaptation

from the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change found that current warming levels of about one degree Celsius (1.8 degrees Fahrenheit) have already cut into yields of staples like wheat, sorghum and rice. If global temperatures rise an additional degree, the chance of simultaneous crop failures in different parts of the world rises to almost 1 in 10 for a given year. By the end of the century, the report projects, as much as 30% of current agricultural land could become unsuitable for farming. “It does feel as though what we had in the report is just playing out in live stream when I read the news,” said Rachel Bezner Kerr, a professor of global development at Cornell University and coordinating lead author for the IPCC. “We have consistent robust evidence of increased extreme events from climate change, which exacerbate some of these other non-climatic factors and can lead to real spikes,” she said. Climate change impacts on food production are most felt in low-income countries that rely on a tenuous mix of locally grown and imported food, Kerr said. These communities are increasingly struggling to ensure their own harvests but cannot afford to pay everhigher prices on the global market. In few places is the situation more dire than in the Horn of Africa, where recent rainfall has been just half of average and a historic drought is stretching into its fourth consecutive season. Hunger mortality rates for the region have been ticking upward, and as many as 29% of Somali children younger than five are experiencing acute malnutrition. About seven million livestock in Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia have died since last fall, according to the US Agency for International Development’s Famine Early Warning Systems Network, which analyses food security for governments and humanitarian groups.

Some reasonable moves on US gun laws One common refrain when group of Senate negotiators announced they had reached a tentative deal on a package of gun-related measures was that the package was too modest. But the agreement, if passed by Congress, would be the most significant piece of gun-safety legislation in more than 25 years, and for that, it should be applauded. The 20 senators —10 Democrats and 10 Republicans — have put together a framework that would join some new gun restrictions with new investments in school security and mental health services. Among the gun provisions: incentives for states to pass and implement red-flag laws

to remove firearms from potentially dangerous people; stricter gun background checks for people between the ages of 18 and 21 to include a mandatory search of juvenile justice records; and closing what is known as the “boyfriend loophole” to bar dating partners — not just

spouses — from owning guns if they have been convicted of domestic violence. Under the deal, billions of new federal dollars would go to mental health care and school security programmes. “Families are scared, and it is our duty to come together and get something done that

will help restore their sense of safety and security in their communities,” said the statement signed by the senators, who have worked closely to find some common ground in the weeks since the backto-back mass shootings at a New York grocery store and a Texas school galvanised national sentiment for action to be taken. The proposal has not been written into legislative text, and that can be a fraught process with no guarantee of final action. But the willingness of Democrats and Republicans to negotiate and find agreement on an issue that has so deeply divided the two parties for so long is noteworthy and a hopeful

sign our government is not completely broken. President Biden quickly embraced the deal, saying: “Obviously, it does not do everything that I think is needed, but it reflects important steps in the right direction, and would be the most significant gun safety legislation to pass Congress in decades.” Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer (Democrat, NY) pledged to put a bill on the floor as soon as possible once legislation is written. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (Republican, Kentucky) released a statement praising the negotiators but stopped short of pledging to support an eventual bill.

The other reforms are needed. Notably, addressing the danger posed by assault weapons and high-capacity magazines — either banning them or, at the very least, raising the minimum age for buying them from 18 to 21, the same as is required for handgun purchases. But the compromise that has been worked out is reasonable and meaningful. It won’t save all lives lost to gun violence, but it will save some. Meanwhile families deserve answers about how police responded to Texas school shooting. They are still waiting for such. The US Congress must natch the courage shown by families affected by gun violence

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Summer days

DAYS

The Kilkenny Observer Friday 17 June 2022

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Summer days

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Art Summer Camps full day! Art It is a wonderful airy space at MacDonagh Shopping Centre run by artist DiDi Dobree-Wilson that offers ever changing and exciting summer camps for 5 to 13 year old children. They are always stimulating, educative and fun, and often include other activities such as sewing, cooking, crystal art, string painting and much more. The age 5 to 7 camps run in the morning 10 am- 1 pm. For the 8 to13 year children, bring a packed lunch for a full day’s entertainment. Art It also offers a walk-in experience for all ages. You can have fun painting pottery, glass, a canvas, a papier Mache piece, experimenting decoupage, or enamelling a piece of jewellery, by yourself, with your friends or with your family.

During the year children enjoy oil and acrylic painting classes, and of course, the fun Saturday afternoon class. Children’s

birthday parties and hen parties are great craic! Visit our website page www.artit.ie or call us at 086 3085270.

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News

Thousands of farmers may lose payment support Many farmers could be without an agri-environmental payment next year, despite news that a new agrienvironmental scheme is to open later this summer. Applications to the new flagship €1.5bn scheme that will replace GLAS will open this summer, according to Agriculture Minister Charlie

McConalogue. However, in a response to a query from the Farming Independent on whether the new scheme would be able to accommodate all farmers currently in GLAS, the Minister said: “I am exploring all options to ensure that no farmer currently in GLAS, who wants to join the new scheme, will be without

an agri-environmental scheme payment as we transition from GLAS to the new programme. “It’s crucial that we get as much continuity as possible.” It is feared that thousands of farmers could be affected. The Agri-Environment Climate Measure (AECM) will be a results-based scheme and will offer a maximum payment

of €7,300 to farmers generally and €10,500 to those who adopt co-operation projects in high-priority geographical areas. IFA President Tim Cullinan said the new scheme was far from a ‘new REPS’, is “extremely complicated” and will exclude many farmers. “The Government and the

War, inflation worries for consumers as savings fall In the second quarter of this year, Bank of Ireland’s Savings and Investment Index dropped significantly (to 90 from 96 in February), with consumers now citing the war in Ukraine (32%) and inflation (22%) as their biggest worries. There has been a significant drop in consumers who are saving regularly (40% in May compared to 47% in February) and investor confidence has dropped as markets fell back. Consistent with international surveys, Covid has dropped rapidly from the list of top concerns, cited by just one in 20 as their biggest concern, below cost of housing (13%), climate change (11%) and global recession (11%). This significant shift has influenced how Irish consumers view their savings and investment plans. The index also pointed to significant differences in concerns between generations (see above). Inflation/cost of living is most significant amongst the core working age population (ages 30-59), 27% of whom cite it as their biggest worry, while this drops to 21% amongst 16-29 year olds. In contrast, amongst those aged 60+, just 15% cited inflation/ cost of living as their main worry, with 46% seeing the war in Ukraine as their main concern. One in four of under 30s are most worried about the cost of housing and rent. During the pandemic, the Savings Index had risen considerably reaching a high of 108 in March 2021. At the end of last year, attitudes to saving looked to be normalising but this has given way to a

much greater focus on the cost of living and the Savings Index has now dropped to 91, its lowest level since prepandemic times. With inflation rising, there was a significant drop in the proportion of consumers saving regularly this quarter (40% v.. 47% in February 2022). The survey results suggest consumers are possibly dealing with inflation by dipping into their savings and also recognise that with interest rates at near zero, savings may lose real value. Less than four in 10 (38%) of consumers now think it’s a good/very good time to save, which is back to the level seen in February 2020 before Covid drove up savings (the peak stood at 55% in May 2020). According to Kevin Quinn, Chief Investment Strategist at Bank of Ireland: “The significant increase in inflation in the past quarter has led a lot of consumers to re-think their savings habits. The results of our May survey suggest that consumers are both deeply concerned by the tragic events in Ukraine but also very focused on the cost of living challenges now a reality for so many families in Ireland.” When asked to look forward six months, these same consumers are somewhat more optimistic with just 32% believing it will remain a bad/very bad time to invest and 29% believing it will be a good/very good time to invest. Despite this, 53% believe they are not investing enough, which is only 2% lower than February ’22 and higher than most scores since 2019.

We still come out clean with Euro litter award The latest survey by Irish Business Against Litter (IBAL) shows Kilkenny retaining its ‘Cleaner than European Norms’ status, rising to 8th in the ranking of 40 towns and cities. The An Taisce report

acknoweldged the fact that Kilkenny is consistently highranking and noted that this ‘takes a lot of work on the part of many within the community with all approach roads got the top litter grade, creating a positive first impression.

Minister have been trying to spin this as a ‘REPS-type scheme’ since it first appeared in the Programme for Government,” he said. “However, it has little or nothing in common with the original Rural Environmental Protection Scheme (REPS).” The AECM proposes to have up to 50,000 farmers

participating and it is planned to open the scheme over at least two tranches, which IFA says could cause a lag in payments. The IFA presidnet in conclusion said: “I am calling on the Minister to ensure no farmer is without an environment scheme payment for 2023.”

Final call to Kilkenny artists for Zurich entries The National Gallery of Ireland has announced the judges for the 2022 Zurich Portrait Prize and Zurich Young Portrait Prize competitions. Judges for the Zurich Portrait Prize are Anna O’Sullivan, Director of the Butler Gallery, Kilkenny; Nick Miller, artist; and Diana Copperwhite, artist (pictured above). Judges for the Zurich Young Portrait Prize are Una Sealy RHA, artist; Nick Roche, comic illustrator and Janet McLean, curator, National Gallery of Ireland. The closing date for entries to the Zurich Portrait Prize and Zurich Young Portrait Prize is June 22. For the Zurich Portrait Prize,

the competition showcasing contemporary portraiture, the Gallery invites submissions from across the island of Ireland, and from Irish artists living abroad. The Zurich Young Portrait Prize, now in its fourth year, is open to young people aged 18 and under. The Zurich Portrait Prize aims to encourage interest in contemporary portraiture and to showcase the National Portrait Collection at the National Gallery of Ireland. The winner of the competition will receive a cash prize of €15,000 and will be commissioned to create a work for the national portrait collection, for which they will be awarded a further €5,000.

Two additional awards of €1,500 will be given to highly commended works. The Zurich prize, which aims to foster and support creativity, originality and self-expression in children and young people returns for its fourth year in 2022. The competition is split into four age categories and is open to young people of all abilities aged up to 18 from across the country. Winners in each age category and an overall winner will be chosen from a shortlist of 20 works. Winners will receive a bespoke art box and a cash prize. Exhibitions featuring shortlisted works in both competitions run at the National Gallery of Ireland

between November 26 and April 2, 2023. The exhibitions will then travel to Donegal where they will run at Regional Cultural Centre in Letterkenny from June 3, 2023 to September 2 2023. This is the first time that the competition exhibitions will be on display in Ulster. Highly commended artists and an overall winner for the Zurich Portrait Prize, as well as category winners and an overall winner for the Zurich Young Portrait Prize, will be announced in early December 2022, after the exhibitions have opened at the Gallery. Find out more at www. nationalgallery.ie.

Two jailed for ‘horrendous’ cruelty to dogs Two men have been jailed for four months for neglecting 56 dogs that were living in “horrendous conditions” in Co Waterford. In Dungarvan District Court on May 13, 2022, Judge Brian O’Shea handed down fourmonth custodial sentences to Patrick and Michael O’Brien of Monaman, Lismore, Co. Waterford who had pleaded guilty to offences under the Animal Health and Welfare Act (AHWA) 2013. Both brothers have also been disqualified from owning any dogs for life and were ordered to pay costs of €1,330 and €1,979 in veterinary fees. In September 2020, ISPCA Animal Welfare Inspector Alice

Lacey followed up on a report from the local dog warden regarding the O’Brien’s premises. Ms Lacey said it was one of the worst cases of animal cruelty she had ever come across, as the dogs had no natural light, little ventilation, little access to water, and there was a build-up of faeces in the premises. The dogs were also suffering from a range of health issues including untreated skin conditions, malnourishment, bite wounds and matted coats which were caked in faeces and urine. A number of the dogs were also blind which it was believed was as a result of inbreeding and most of them were feral and terrified of

human contact. “This was an extremely challenging and distressing case to deal with in terms of the number of dogs and the severity of their suffering,” Ms Lacey said. “The smell was indescribable and the living conditions were horrendous. “It is so very difficult to comprehend how anyone could let a situation get so out of hand and let so many animals suffer. “The majority of dogs were not used to being outside in fresh air, and shuddered at any sign of human touch. “Despite what we had experienced – just a snippet of the dogs lives before intervention and rescue, it was miniscule

compared to what I believe, was an existence of desperation and hopelessness for these animals. “Unfortunately, they were completely powerless with regard to their upbringing and the result of that came in the form of one of the most tragic and upsetting cases of animal cruelty I have ever come across, in my time as an Animal Welfare Inspector”. She added that due to the severity of their physical and psychological states, many dogs were euthanised to end their suffering. The others were rehabilitated after spending considerable time in ISPCA care and have now gone to loving homes.

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 17 June 2022

Feature This week in The Kilkenny Observer, Cois Céim in association with The Saturday Walkers Group, takes a look at the life and times of one of Kilkenny’s well-known characters from Walkin Street by the name of Bryan Reilly In the 1830s there lived in Walkin Street a man named Bryan Reilly. He occupied the house for over forty years, which was in later years (1880s) a stone cutters yard. No one knew who he was or where he came from as he never claimed a relationship with anyone. He wore a piece of cloth folded like a turban round his head which gave him an Oriental appearance. Indeed it was widely believed he originally had been a Turk, had settled here and assumed the name Bryan Reilly to conceal his origin. His house consisted of two large rooms on the ground floor, the inner one served his domestic needs. The outer one was his ware house or store in which he carried on all his transactions. To understand the details of his stock it is necessary to know the class of merchants from whom he purchased his goods. There was nothing ever offered him for sale that he did not offer something in the shape of money to purchase. As a result of this trade he had on his hands every roughish servant, apprentice, and assistant in the city, as he was sure to offer them something no matter what it was they could pilfer from their masters, mistresses or employers. A result of the merchant’s rule of business was that his stock in trade consisted of the most varied materials ever piled over each other on the floor as there was neither counter nor shelving in the ware room. In this pile on the floor was broken bottles, horse shoes, balls of twine, crockery ware, arithmetic’s, boots, shoes, and brogues without heels, and cobblers lasts. There was Carpenters tools, ‘Reading made easy’ without covers, thimbles, brushes, kettles, tea pots without spouts, pewter plates, candle sticks, bundles of tape, and bags of marbles. In fact his museum was stored with something of everything under the sun. Every drunken tradesman in the city was sure to visit this repository of curiosities on a Monday morning where they deposited their tools for the first three days of the week. The old hedge school masters of the county formed an important part of his business as he always had a large stock of old school books which he readily bought up from the mitching urchins of the city. For nearly forty years he carried on the business. None of his customers were ever admitted within the precincts of his sale room, for whether the weather was wet or dry the party selling or buying should stand in the street and carry on the business over the half door. SPECIAL PLACE FOR ECCENTRICS AT THE HALF DOOR No person lived in the house but himself, and he entertained a special regard for the eccentrics of the

Above: St Rioch’s graveyard today. Reilly’s last will and testament stated that he wished to be buried at St Rioch’s graveyard on Walkin Street . Photo jbs photos Left: For nearly forty years Bryan Reilly carried on his business within the precincts of his sale room for whether the weather was wet or dry the party selling or buying should stand in the street and carry on the business over the half door. (Drawing by Andrew Small)

The Wake of Bryan Reilly, his last will and testament and an assault on the honour and dignity of King George city. Amongst them was Joe Quigley from Kilmanagh who usually spent the night in a ditch under a black thorn bush counting the stars. Jack Cullen better known as the Lord of the Lough. Peter Bronnach remarkably known for the originality of his curses. Tom Crow the best bootmaker in

the city but always bare footed himself. Ned Lanigan an old surveyor but an infidel. Bryan himself was thought to be of the same way of thinking for he was never seen at church, mass or meeting and as he lived so did he die. He usually opened his establishment each day at eight o’clock in the

morning but on this occasion it remained closed all day. Bryan, not having made any appearance since the previous day, the suspicions of the neighbours became aroused, the door was forced open towards evening and the poor old merchant was found dead in his bed.

THE LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT A piece of paper was found on a table near his bed and it purported to be the last will and testament of Bryan Reilly. It stated that £20 would be found in the oak chest, £2 be given to the Lord of the Lough, £2 to Bronnach, £2 to Tom Crow, also that his coffin would be found in the room and that the £14 remaining after the three bequests was to be applied to the expenses of his wake, which was to be kept up as long as the £14 would supply tobacco, snuff and whiskey and he was then to be buried in Saint Riochs grave yard. The money was found in the chest, the coffin was also found standing in an upright position furnished with shelves and appeared to have been used as a cupboard. The report of his death and the nature of his will spread rapidly through the city, when all the eccentric characters who had enjoyed the friendship of the merchant determined to respect his memory by waking him with an unusual degree of fun, frolic and whiskey. The latter being copiously indulged in, the scene soon became boisterous, and attracted the attention of Sam Prince the town constable who lived only a few doors up the street. Assuming an air of great authority he entered the wake room and commanded immediate silence or he would clear the house. There was at that time a street ballad sung through the city on market or fair days. Sam Prince had already made many arrests for the singing of the ballad. The company knowing it to be especially annoying to the constable, the Lord of the Lough, Peter Bronnach and Tom Crow commenced to sing it. Each verse of the song ended with the line “God Damm George King” was taken up by the whole house. The constable hastily retreated but returned with his great sword to the wake. This was the signal for the renewal of the disloyal

song, which he interrupted and asserted he would arrest the first person who cursed the King’s name. The Lord of the Lough stood up and said it was George King they were talking about and not King George. Peter Bronnach then stood up and addressing the constable said: “Sam you are a petty Orangeman and I have to inform you that whether Kings name is King George or George King I won’t curse him or bless him but I pray the Holy Father to take him in his arms and pitch him to the devil.” The merriment of the company rose to boiling point, in the midst of which the constable unsheathed his long sword and made his way to arrest any of the three who had assaulted the honour and dignity of the king. As he made his way to arrest the Lord of the Lough a fellow named Keeffe seized the constable’s arm by the wrist and succeeded in pulling down the arm until he got the blade of the sword flat under his foot when he snapped it in two. The handle of the sword in the possession of the constable. The scene now turned into one of laughter at the sheepish appearance of the constable who retired but swearing vengeance against the enemy. He made his way to the home of his superior officer Billy Williams, Prince stating his case with exaggerations of the attack on himself, Williams immediately ordered out the civic force. With the force marshalled the order was given to march on the wake house, take as many prisoners as possible but not to leave behind, Tom Crow, Peter Broonach and The Lord of the Lough. The three prisoners were dragged through the crowd to the street and taken to the city gaol. Having being secured for the night they awaited their trial next morning. Sin scéal eile. Source: History of Kilkenny 1884. John Hogan

The Kilkenny Observer Friday 17 June 2022

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 17 June 2022

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Feature

Castlecomer is venue for the story of the Leadville miners

Castlecomer in county Kilkenny is the venue for a forthcoming talk on a memorial being built in Leadville, Colorado

At 10,200 Feet in Elevation, Leadville is the highest town in North America. It’s also the site of the largest and most politically important Irish immigrant communities in

the Rocky Mountain West, consisting of approximately 20% of the population during the early 1880s. This working class immigrant community occupied the most difficult

twenty-three and nearly half of them are children. Today, a major memorial to these 19th century Irish immigrants is under construction, naming those in the unmarked graves and standing as a visual reminder of the human toll that industrial labour took on Irish immigrant communities across North America. Many of the graves belong to people from Castlecomer. In the centre of the Evergreen Cemetery will be a memorial. A spiral pathway will lead to the top of a mound where a sculpture will sit. It’s reminiscent of ancient Irish burial mounds. The names of each person in the plots will be carved into glass walls or onto plaques. Jim Walsh is an historian and researcher at Colorado University in Denver. When he was working on his doctoral thesis, he decided to focus on the Irish in Colorado. Following a visit to a local graveyard in Leadville, his life

was about to change forever. In a section that is recognisable by what looks like snowdrifts, are 1,400 people, of different denominations, whose stories of trial and triumph had been lost to time. That was until Professor Walsh came upon them. According to Jim “The sorrow of that journey is lost. It was so traumatic that it was not passed on in oral tradition. “So this Memorial is pausing that narrative for just an instant, to turn around and just look at from whence we’ve come and that offers us our humanity back, maybe.” Anxious to spread the news and indeed the history of the Irish who travelled to Colorado in the 1800’s, Jim Walsh is undertaking a tour of Ireland to impart his knowledge. One of the venues will be the Library in Castlecomer on June 21st at 6.30pm. Booking to attend this talk can be made by phoning the library on 0564440561

jobs, struggled unsuccessfully to improve their working conditions, many died very young from harsh winters, sickness, mining accidents, and epidemics. The Catholic

Free section of Leadville’s Evergreen Cemetery holds the remains of thousands of Irish immigrants, buried in sunken, unmarked graves. The average age of death was

RTE Toy Show supports Twilight The Twilight Community group, A registered Charity, once again received the support of the RTE TOY SHOW appeal for their upcoming programmes. The fund is administered by the Community Foundation of Ireland who continue to be great supporters of the groups work and activities and it is through this national institution that Twilight has qualified for funding to run such programmes as their very popular Protecting and Assisting Senior Services (PASS) This fund will assist the group in developing physical and mental wellness of Twilight members. It will support Creative play and the very important sector of Personal Development. The group caters for all ages and backgrounds. It

serves the diverse communities that have made Kilkenny their home. It assists with the Ukraine refuge crisis and a major event planned for July 3rd 2022. Just under a year ago the group began to develop their Twilight Youth Inclusion Group. TYI will benefit from the kindness and support of the RTE TOY SHOW

appeal award. Twilight hold a strong believe in our youth being the future. Today’s youth or tomorrow’s leaders. With the planned activities of fun and personal development projects Twilight will give their TYI members the foundations that will one day allow its members to take full advantage of the opportunities that will come their way. That is why the Twilight Community Group are honoured that the RTE TOY SHOW appeal and the Community Foundation of Ireland believe in our Kilkenny Community group and International Cultural House programme. CEO/ Chair person Murty Brennan would like to thank the CFI & RTE and said “ If we had a bigger premises just imagine what we could do for Kilkenny” he also mentioned that 10 of the TYI members will head to Margny Les Compiegne July 16th with 10 from France and another 10 from Malbork Poland returning to Kilkenny July 23rd for seven days. This can only enhance Twilight and Kilkenny’s reputation abroad. Twilight is an open and fully inclusive Group where all men, women, boys and girls are welcome in all the diversity

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Feature In this, the second week, The Kilkenny Observer looks at the life Of Lieutenant Colonel James Frederick Plunkett, born into a Kilkenny military family, and who was to see war at first hand in many parts of the world Soldiers of 2nd Battalion, the Royal Irish Regiment, who survived the attack on Bellewaarde Ridge, 1915

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Medal 1: Distinguished Conduct Medal awarded to Regimental Sergeant Major James Plunkett, 17 December 1914 Medal 2: Military Cross awarded to Regimental Sergeant Major James Plunkett, 1 January 1915 (NAM. 1995-03-91-3 ) Medal 3: Distinguished Service Order with two bars, awarded to Lieutenant Colonel James Plunkett

A dedicated professional soldier, Plunkett became an expert in trench warfare Life in the trenches Plunkett’s indefatigable efforts throughout this grim period earned him the further reward of an officer’s commission. Thereafter, he served with a variety of units - notably including 12th Battalion The Suffolk Regiment, 19th Battalion The Royal Welsh Fusiliers, and 13th Battalion The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers - in various sectors - including Loos, Gouzeaucourt, Cambrai, and Bullecourt. During this time, Plunkett experienced all the dangers and discomforts of life in the trenches. He stoically endured the misery of the cold, wet, mud and lice, and the ever-present threats of gas, sniping, shelling and mines. His penchant for taking pot-shots at the rats which plagued the trenches almost resulted in a ghastly accident, when a stray bullet narrowly missed his commanding officer. Trench warfare A dedicated professional soldier, Plunkett became an expert in trench warfare. He developed a special talent for the difficult and dangerous business of trench raids. These were essential for keeping the enemy under pressure and for gathering intelligence from prisoners, but they

often ended in disaster when carried out under careless or inexperienced officers. Plunkett not only appreciated the finer points of raiding tactics, but also the importance of leading from the front, serving as an example and an inspiration to his men. Emerging as a first-class battalion commander, his service thoroughly merited his award of the Distinguished Service Order, bestowed upon officers in recognition of their courage, leadership and meritorious service. Bourlon Wood Plunkett’s finest hour came during the Battle of Cambrai in 1917. This is famous for being the first time that tanks were successfully employed on a large scale. The attack initially enjoyed great success, breaching the Germans’ formidable ‘Hindenburg Line’ defences and bringing in a large haul of prisoners. However, things soon went awry. The British found themselves unable to exploit their success and vulnerable in the face of a powerful German counterattack. While the offensive ultimately ended in failure, Plunkett and his men performed their role magnificently. They played a prominent part in the

capture of Bourlon Wood on the left flank, a feat made more remarkable by the fact that tanks and smoke shells, which had been promised to support the attack, failed to materialise. They then held the wood for three days against a ferocious series of counterattacks, engaging in some of the most vicious

The memorial cross at Mons commemorating the officers and men of 2nd Battalion The Royal Irish Regiment who fell in the First World War (Photo taken by Mary Anne Maher, Sec. 18th Regiment of Foot Royal Irish Regiment (& South Irish Horse) Association)

close-quarter fighting of the war. ‘I have fought with many regiments in this war, but the achievements of the 19th Bn Roy Welch Fusiliers & remainder of 119 Brigade taking Bourlon Wood on 23rd November 1917, with no assistance from tanks, smoke barrages, etc, and only a few minutes preliminary artillery bombardment, capturing at least 500 prisoners with many machine guns, then repelling counter-attacks for 3 days without sleep, subsisting on iron ration food only, handing over the wood intact, marching 15 miles to the rear, after the brigade had suffered 75% casualties both in officers and men, and finishing the last mile of the march in high spirits, I place second to none of any other.’ Plunkett on the conduct of his troops at Bourlon Wood, November 1917 Contempt of danger Plunkett had been recommended for the Victoria Cross for his bravery at Bourlon Wood, but this was later downgraded to a bar to his Distinguished Service Order. Nonetheless, the citation to this award fully recognised the leadership and heroism that he had displayed. Further heroics were to follow during the final

victorious Allied offensive of 1918. On 27 August, Plunkett led his battalion in a daring flank attack against a German position at Rue Pruvost, which enjoyed complete success and saw the capture of seven machine-gun posts. For this, he was awarded another bar to his DSO, with the citation praising his ‘absolute contempt of danger’ and highlighting ‘his determination and fine personal example’ as the chief cause of their success. ‘For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty during sixty hours’ handto-hand fighting. When our line was pressed back by a counter-attack and the men began to waver on the right, he reorganised them and succeeded in reestablishing our old line. When reinforcements arrived, he organised and led a successful counter-attack. He carried out in person many daring reconnaissances, and undoubtedly saved the situation at many critical moments by his prompt action.’ Citation for Plunkett’s first bar to his Distinguished Service Order, 1917 Close shaves In the course of his service, Plunkett had innumerable close shaves. During some periods, these were almost a daily experience. On many occasions, shells landed nearby, but either failed to go off, narrowly missed him, or left him only lightly wounded. Several times, he described leaving a place only for it to be immediately obliterated by shell fire. Perhaps most remarkable was an incident at Bourlon Wood. Plunkett spotted an enemy who was about to take aim at him, but by quick thinking, lightening reactions, and sheer good fortune, he was able to take aim and get his shot off first.

A heavy toll Despite escaping serious injury, the war still took a heavy toll on Plunkett’s health. His many ailments included deafness and respiratory problems, as well as a heart attack. His service at the front was interrupted by several long bouts of convalescence. At one stage, he had trouble persuading an Army medical board that he was fit to return to action. And, ultimately, it was owing to poor health that he retired from the Army in 1922. Full honours Plunkett was clearly in his element as a front-line commander. Indeed, the end of the fighting in 1918 came as something of a disappointment to him as it prevented his promotion to brigadier-general, a rank he felt was in his grasp had the conflict continued a little longer. He was, however, able to console himself with the cheering thought of returning to his wife and family, and the satisfaction of a job well done. His full wartime honours were: Distinguished Service Order with Two Bars; Military Cross; Distinguished Conduct Medal; French Croix de Guerre; and five mentions in despatches. In May 1930, he was given the further honour of joining the Military Knights of Windsor, one of Britain’s most ancient military establishments. He resided at Windsor Castle for the next 17 years. However, as he continued to be dogged by illhealth, he was then permitted to move to Sussex, where he died in 1953 aged 75. The Kilkenny Observer wish to thank the following for information used in this article: Mary Anne Maher, The National Army Museum, and curator at the National Army museum, Justin Saddington.

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Feature

Kilkenny’s Golden Age comes to an end... With the war in England going badly for the king, the Kilkennybased Confederate leadership decided it would be tactically wise to put aside their grievances with the Crown and support Charles against the feared Oliver Cromwell. So in January 1649, what became known as the Second Ormonde Truce was signed to end hostilities between the Confederacy and forces loyal to the Crown. This agreement committed the Confederacy to dissolving itself.

It was to be replaced by the Commissioners of Trust and this new body would direct the Royalist war against Cromwellian forces in Ireland, uniting all factions in a bid to stave off a “Roundhead” victory. The Confederation did not convene again after January 1649. Unfortunately, the Confederacy had not picked the winning side in the English Civil War. It was Cromwell who triumphed across the water. Just a few weeks after the Truce agreed by the Confederation, Cromwell

and his henchmen put King Charles I on trial for his life at Westminster. The monarch was beheaded, and Britain’s new strongman replaced the Crown with a British Commonwealth. He ruled like a dictator until his death in 1658. Having suppressed all opposition to his regime in Britain, Cromwell turned his attention to Ireland. He promised to avenge both the Irish uprising of 1641, in which thousands of Protestants had been massacred, and to crush the remain-

ing Royalist forces in Ireland. From the moment the King’s head rolled onto the floor of that grim hall at Westminster, Kilkenny’s fate was sealed. Fourteen months later, Cromwell and his powerful army would be at the City gates. This proud centre of Irish freedom, government, and culture would be trampled into the ground. The former seat of an independent Irish parliament was destined to yield to the tyranny of occupation. Kilkenny’s Golden Age was over.

Rith Beo’s Perfect 10

On Sunday 29th May 2022 crowds of people descended onto the quiet carpark of Gaelscoil Osraí, each for their own reasons. Some were there to complete a chipped 5K race and get a new personal best, some were there to tackle a serious and tough chipped 10K route. Others were there to enjoy the 3K Family Fun Run, eat ice cream and bask in the glorious sunshine. As the sun beamed down from the blue sky Donna Dunne started an energetic

and soul lifting warm up - our first since 2019, due to Covid restrictions. At approximately 10:15 mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, grandparents, babies, buggies and dogs took to the start line and headed in mass out the gate and up along the Waterford Road to complete the annual Rith Beo 3K Family Fun Run. The grounds of the Gaelscoil were quiet again momentarily! Within minutes again a steady stream of runners began to fill up the carpark as

they came to register for the chipped races, collect their numbers and examine the maps around the school displaying the routes. It wasn’t long before the grounds of the Gaelscoil were awash with athletes waiting patiently for their individual races to begin. At 11:00am the 10K racers took to the post and were off. There was a fine spread of runners and they were about to embark on one of the toughest courses in the locality. Who knew Kilkenny was so hilly!?

CROMWELL’S ARRIVAL On March 22nd 1650, the city was confronted with one of the greatest threats ever to its security and wellbeing. Kilkenny had faced, and overcome, many great challenges in the course of its turbulent history. But the countdown to its darkest hours began on a frosty day in 1650. On March 22nd of that year, a powerful military force under the command of Oliver Cromwell appeared at the city gates. Kilkenny was a target of great strategic value to his army in Ireland. And its famed reputation as the seat of the rebel Confederacy elevated its importance and status even higher in the estimation of Cromwell and his anti-royalist forces. James Butler, the Earl of Ormond, was Lord Lieutenant of Ireland and in command of all the forces battling Cromwell’s invading army. He allocated command of his men

The 5K runners were next off at the post. They hit the Outrath Road with a steady pace gently progressing along the Waterford Road with Pat Kavanagh first to cross the finish line at 17.22 minutes. It would be another 20 minutes before the first person crossed the 10K finish line- Paddy Walsh at 38.19 minutes. The winners and finishers continued to race home for the next hour. They were welcomed over the finish line by pupils from the school

in Leinster to Lord Castlehaven. Castlehaven in turn had appointed James Walsh governor of Kilkenny Castle and Sir Walter Butler governor of the city. In the weeks preceding his arrival at the city gates, a combination of plague sickness and low morale among Royalist troops had weakened the defending Kilkenny garrison. Lord Castehaven had reinforced the garrison with 1000 foot soldiers and 200 horsemen, but half of these had died of plague by the eve of the siege, and less than half of these, around 300, were fighting fit. Lord Dillon’s army, a force of 1,500 foot and 600 horse; could have greatly augmented the ranks of the defenders. But these men flatly refused to come to Kilkenny’s defence. They saw resistance to Cromwell as hopeless... John Fitzgerald Continued next week...

and other supporters, claps, cheers, cold drinks, fruits and snacks. As each finisher crossed the line they were presented with their very own bespoke Rith Beo medal marking the race’s 10th edition. Rith Beo 2022 was a huge success. Hosting it as a real event after 2 years of virtual running made the organising and hard work worth it all. The organising committee and the entire school community would like to thank the sponsors, Daly Farrell Chartered Accountants, Tip Top Toes Shoe Fitting Specialists, Fran Grincell Properties and Tower and Castle, John Street Kilkenny. Without these generous sponsors Rith Beo 2022 would not be possible. They would also like to thank the people who gave their time so generously and volunteered as stewards on the day. These are the people who make the race safe and possible for us all to enjoy. To all the people who donated food for the big spread in the school halla, to

the people who donated spot prizes, to those who donated on the GoFundMe page, followed, liked and shared the pages on social media, spoke about Rith Beo and supported it in any way they could, the committee thanks you from the bottom of their hearts. Rith Beo Fun Run will continue past it’s 10th year with the help and support of the local and wider community. Since its inception in 2013 over 100,000 euro has been raised with all monies going to fund the development of facilities such as the astro turf, the playground and the library to name but a few in the school. You can still support our fundraising efforts by donating to our GoFundMe page; https://gofund.me/8c4b6477 or by signing up to do our race virtually. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook; Rith_beo_fun_run for the link on how you can get your hands on one of our beautifully crafted bespoke medals.

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Food & Drink

Dine Me Come

With

One-tray roast chicken dinner Prep: 20 mins Cook: 1 hr Serves: 4

STEP 3 Tip the potatoes into your largest roasting tin, add the garlic cloves (no need to peel them first), thyme and drizzle with 2 tbsp oil. Season well and use two spoons to turn the potatoes to coat them in the oil.

Inspire budding young chefs to make our easy chicken traybake. The recipe is specially created for children to follow, with detailed instructions.

Ingredients • 800g floury potatoes, such as Maris Piper or King Edwards • 4 garlic cloves, unpeeled • 5 sprigs of thyme, leaves picked • 3 tbsp vegetable oil , plus a little extra for drizzling • 4 chicken legs • 4 carrots • 150g frozen peas • gravy, to serve (optional) Equipment • chopping board • vegetable peeler • sharp knife • large saucepan • colander • large roasting tin • measuring spoons • 2 spoons • oven gloves Method STEP 1 Put a chopping board on your work surface. Use a vegetable peeler to peel the potatoes (but

STEP 4 Put the chicken legs amongst the potatoes or on top. Drizzle with the remaining oil and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Use your oven gloves to carefully place the tin in the centre of the oven and roast for 30 mins. STEP 5 Carefully remove the tin from the oven and use your spoons to turn the potatoes again – be careful that the hot fat doesn’t splash you. Return the tin to the oven for a further 15 mins.

make sure you save the potato peel – see our tip below). Cut the potatoes into chunks, about the size of golf balls. Put them in a pan and cover with cold water. STEP 2 Put the pan on the hob and turn

the heat to high, when the water boils, reduce the heat to medium and set a timer for 8 mins. When the timer beeps, carefully drain the potatoes through a colander in the sink. Leave to dry for a few minutes. Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.

Top this classic carrot cake with moreish icing and chopped walnuts or pecans. Serve as a sweet treat with a cup of tea any time of the day. Ingredients • 230ml vegetable oil, plus extra for the tin • 100g natural yogurt • 4 large eggs • 1½ tsp vanilla extract • ½ orange, zested • 265g self-raising flour • 335g light muscovado sugar • 2½ tsp ground cinnamon • ¼ fresh nutmeg, finely grated • 265g carrots (about 3), grated • 100g sultanas or raisins • 100g walnuts or pecans, roughly chopped (optional) For the icing

STEP 2 Add the wet ingredients to the dry, along with the carrots, raisins and half the nuts, if using. Mix well to combine, then divide between the tins.

Capture a taste of summer in this thirstquenching spritz cocktail made with prosecco, gin and elderflower liqueur, and garnished with slices of lime. Ingredients • handful of ice • 25ml elderflower liqueur • 20ml gin • 90ml prosecco • 35ml soda water, for topping up • lime slices, to garnish Method STEP 1 Fill a tumbler with ice, then pour over the elderflower liqueur. STEP 2 Add the gin and prosecco, then top up with soda water and garnish with lime slices to serve.

Pink gin spritz Prep: 3 mins Serves: 1 Pair fruity pink gin with lychee liqueur to make this refreshing spritz cocktail. It’s beautifully delicate and floral – ideal for an al fresco gathering.

STEP 7 Push the potatoes and chicken to one end of the tin and put the carrots at the other end. Return to the oven for 10 minutes.

Ingredients • handful of ice • 50ml rose-flavoured gin • 35ml lychee liqueur • sparkling water, for topping up Method STEP 1 Fill a highball glass with ice. STEP 2 Pour over the gin and lychee liqueur, then top up with sparkling water.

• 100g slightly salted butter, softened • 300g icing sugar • 100g soft cheese Method STEP 1 Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/ gas 4. Oil and line the base and sides of two 20cm cake tins with baking parchment. Whisk the oil, yogurt, eggs, vanilla and zest in a jug. Mix the flour, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg with a good pinch of salt in a bowl. Squeeze any lumps of sugar through your fingers, shaking the bowl a few times to bring the lumps to the surface.

Prep: 8 mins Serves: 8

STEP 6 Peel the carrots and cut them into long batons, then drizzle with a little extra oil and season.

Easycarrot cake Prep: 35 mins Cook: 30 mins Serves: 10-12

Elderflower spritz

Campari spritz Prep: 4 mins Serves: 1 Serve this classic crowd-pleasing aperitif spritz before a dinner party. It’s made with red amaro liqueur, prosecco and garnished with an orange peel twist.

STEP 3 Bake for 25-30 mins or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. If any wet mixture clings to the skewer, return to the oven for 5 mins, then check again. Leave to cool in the tins. STEP 4 To make the icing, beat the butter and sugar together until

smooth. Add half the soft cheese and beat again, then add the rest (adding it bit by bit prevents the icing from splitting). Remove the cakes from the tins and sandwich together with half the icing. Top with the remaining icing and scatter with the remaining walnuts. Will keep in the fridge for up to five days. Best eaten at room temperature

Ingredients • handful of ice • 50ml Campari • 90ml dry prosecco • 15ml sparkling water • orange peel twist, to garnish Method STEP 1 Fill a tumbler with ice, then pour over the liqueur and prosecco. STEP 2 Top up with sparkling water and stir, then drop in the orange peel twist to garnish.

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Advertisement TV & Streaming

Westerns to watch now On Netflix

One of the more successful Stephen King adaptations, this horror drama from 2017 based on the novella 1922 is a slow burn with a mesmerising performance at its core. Thomas Jane, who you’ll also know from Boogie Nights and 2004’s The Punisher, gives one of his career best performances as the ever proud Wilfred James, a farmer who makes the totally wise decision to murder his wife with the help of their teenage son. The consequences are harrowing on multiple levels (if you don’t like rats, you really won’t like rats after this).

Fangs for the memories with new Netflix series Netflix is staking its claim on the supernatural teen romance genre with its latest series: First Kill. Just days after premiering, the show is already proving to be a big hit with viewers, but critics aren’t quite as convinced by the steamy drama series. The show centres on two warring families: The Fairmonts, a coven of bloodthirsty vampires descended from an ancient lineage, and the Burns, a family of monster hunters. The show begins with the youngest Fairmont, Juliette (Sarah Catherine Hook), preparing to make her first kill, but the situation is complicated when she begins to develop romantic feelings for her chosen target, Calliope Burns (Imani Lewis). Their forbidden romance brings to a head the simmering tensions between the two clans, not to mention the fact that both Juliette and

Calliope are sort of destined to kill the other, which is a pretty big obstacle in the path of their blossoming relationship. Well, nobody ever said that young love is easy. The show is based on a short story of the same name by series creator Victoria Schwab. And with clear similarities to the likes of Twilight, The Vampire Diaries and True Blood it’s no surprise the show has rocketed up Netflix’s most-watched list. It’s currently ranked third behind Stranger Things season 4 and the streamer’s latest true crime docu-series, Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey, which well made but dark and disturbing. Viewers seem particularly impressed with the teen drama, and right now First Kill scores a very impressive 89% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. Curiously the show hasn’t been quite such a hit with critics, managing only

a fairly disappointing 50%. CNN described it as “ripe for mockery,” but some outlets were more positive with The Hollywood Reporter labelling it a “pleasant distraction that goes down easy enough”. First Kill looks set to be another series where audiences and critics don’t quite see eye to eye. But ultimately for Netflix, keeping subscribers happy is a top priority so the streamer is almost certainly pleased with the show’s initial reception. Plus, the first eight-episode series seems primed for a follow-up, so we could see more from this fantasy world inhabited by vampires and vampire hunters. Time will tell if First Kill season 2 is given the green light by Netflix. Meanwhile, the director of a recent Netflix sleeper hit has expressed surpriser over the film’s success. Earlier this month, action thriller Interceptor topped

the streaming service’s charts in several countries, including here. The film achieved the feat despite receiving a flurry of bad reviews. Additionally, many Netflix users concluded that it was one of the streaming service’s “worst” original films to date. It currently sits at number two after being surpassed by a brand new Adam Sandler film, which has broken an impressive record on Rotten Tomatoes. “It’s blown me away,” director Matthew Reilly said of the film’s success to Variety. “I was hoping to sneak into the top 10 on Netflix, but coming in at No 1 everywhere? “I don’t think anybody was expecting it to take the world by storm. I’m just as confused as everybody else.” Interceptor follows an Army captain (played by Elsa Pataky) as she attempts to avert a missile attack on the US.

Squid Game will see second season Squid Game, the South Korean survival drama, created by Hwang Dong-hyuk, has been given the green light for a second season Netflix. The series ollows a cast of characters in financial ruins who risk their lives to play a sequence of deadly children’s games to win a prize of €35 million. Feeling pressured by the immense public demand for more bloodshed, Hwang in November said that “there will indeed be a second sea-

son.” At that point, though, the show was “in my head,” he said. “I’m in the planning process currently.” Now that Netflix has given the go-ahead for season two, Hwang may have to put his film aspirations on hold: Back in September, he revealed plans for an intergenerational war movie, tentatively called KO Club (short for ‘Killing Old Men Club’), Variety reported. It’s unclear exactly what’s next for Gi-hun (Lee Jungjae) and his remaining

teammates. Hwang did, however, tease the divorced father and gambling addict’s return, alongside the Front Man (Lee Byung-hun), and maybe the man in the suit with ddakji (Gong Yoo). “You’ll also be introduced to [giant animatronic doll] Young-hee’s boyfriend, Cheol- su,” the director said, introducing a second motion-sensing figure sure to give audiences even more nightmares. There’s no word yet on when the dystopian K-dra-

ma will return; the second season is “still in its early stages,” according to Netflix. “We are working on the script right now and making the form of the story,” exec producer Kim Ji-yeon said. In the meantime, Netflix is streaming some of Hwang’s South Korean feature films, including Silenced and Miss Granny, as well as Lee Jungjae vehicle Svaha: The Sixth Finger. The platform also has some suggestions for inventive Korean shows to try next.

If you were intrigued by The Haunting Of Hill House, then Mike Flanagan’s adaptation of Stephen King novel Gerald’s Game (2017( is a must-watch. A couple goes on holiday at an isolated lake house, where one thing leads to another... and Carla Gugino’s Jessie ends up handcuced to the bed with no visible escape. Gugino puts in an immense performance, packing out the enclosed bedroom setting. Expect narratively and emotionally satisfying conclusions, with melancholy- sucused horror that surges into quiet triumph for its haunted characters.

More than a decade after her previous film, Bright Star, extraordinary filmmaker Jane Campion has unfolded the director’s chair again to oversee The Power of the Dog. She ended up winning an Oscar, so it was a good move. The 2021 Western centres on Phil Burbank, a domineering rancher who uses the power of toxic masculinity to have his way, mocking his brother for falling in love. The Power of the Dog is a mesmeric exercise in the subtle shifts of emotion and power in relationships. Benedict Cumberbatch, Jesse Plemons and Kirsten Dunst are immense, helping to bring Campion’s masterful vision to life.

Paul Greengrass (Jason Bourne) directs Tom Hanks in in this moving 2020 Western. Civil War veteran Captain Jecerson Kyle Kidd discovers a young girl years after she was captured by Native Americans as a baby. While helping return her to her family, he does his usual job of traveling to towns and reading newspapers for a small fee. Don’t expect high-octane action: This road movie is fuelled by great character development.

The Coen Brothers kick up the western dust with an anthology film from 2018 that gives you six vignettes all set on the American frontier. One of them is about the titular Buster Scruggs, a chipper singing cowboy who casually sets off a shoot-up in a cantina. But there’s a dark twist that keeps you on your toes. Sewing the rest of its stories together with a constant black humour, The Ballad Of Buster Scruggs is a Coen Brothers winner.

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Community & GAA Notes

Adam Quigley (1-7,0-5F), Conor Manogue (0-2), Ryan Farrell, Souley, Andrew Holohan, Felix Fwamba (1-1), Christopher Hayes Sponsors : McCarthy’s Eurospar Ireland

The Clara LGFA FEILE team recently qualified for a Leinster Final JUNIOR HURLING Clara Juniors travelled to Castlecomer on a wet Tuesday evening last week to take on the hosts in a quarter final of the Kevin Fennelly Cup. They had the bare 15 players and the fear was that a drubbing would follow. But what followed was a spirited display that almost brought an unlikely win. Killian Phelan and Rory O Keeffe posted the first two points of the game before Erin’s Own replied with three of their own. Joe Connolly squared matters and the same player repeated the trick four minutes later after ‘Comer had retaken the lead. Then Joe turned provider when a clever ball to Dara Glynn gave Dara the chance to beat the home goalie for a neat goal. Scarcely a minute had passed when Dara had the ball in the net again and Clara found themselves six points clear. This prompted Castlecomer into action and they reeled off seven points in a row, all from play, to take the lead again. However a Stephen Quinlan point and a Joe Connolly free left Clara with their noses in front at the break 2-6 to 0-11. In truth they were slightly flattered by that lead as Erin’s Own had played most of the hurling. Joe Connolly claimed three of the first four points of the second half to ease Clara a goal ahead but Comer fought back with a point and then a goal to go one up. Clara regained the lead with a Joe Connolly free and a Killian Phelan point from distance. Castlecomer looked to have taken the initiative when they scored a second goal followed by a point. But Clara bravely came again and after a great Tom Ryan run, Dara Glynn crossed a ball to the inrushing Ben Nolan, who finished sweetly to the net. This was to be their last hurrah however, as Castlecomer rattled off five points in a row against a tiring Clara to close out the scoring. It was a brave performance from the Clara men who were just a couple of players short to pull out the win. Final score was 2-19 to 3-11. Team - Jason Barcoe, Brandon Ryan, Tom Ryan, Jack Carrigan. Alan Coleman, Mick McDonald, Brian Nolan. Stephen Quinlan 0-1, Killian Phelan 0-2. Rory O Keeffe 0-1, Joe Connolly 0-7, 0-4f, Bill Cody. David Mulrooney, Dara Glynn 2-0, Ben Nolan 1-0. LGFA FÉILE The Clara U15 girls recently won the county Feile title and went on to represent Kilkenny in the Leinster competition. Drawn against teams from Westmeath, Dublin and Louth the girls put on some magnificent performances to qualify for the final, where they were narrowly beaten. COUNTY CAMOGIE Well done to Mary O Connell who played for Kilkenny seniors as they defeated Antrim at the weekend. Also well done to Aisling Curtis who hurled for Kilkenny Intermediates in their narrow victory over Derry. GRAVEYARD MASS Clara Annual Cemetery Mass will take place in Clara on Sunday 26th June at 4.00p.m. There will be no 10.00am. mass on this Sunday, June 26th

The OLG boys made the journey to Piltown on Friday evening and they put in a great performance in this round 8 fixture on the league. Piltown played with the wind in the first half but OLG started strongly scoring a great early goal and 4 points in the first 10 minutes and conceding 2 points from frees. Piltown had a strong end to the first half scoring a goal and 4 points but OLG maintained the lead with some fine points from play and accurate free taking. Half Time Score OLG: 1-10(13) Piltown: 1-06 (9) OLG had the advantage of the wind in the second half and we made it count. Piltown battled bravely and kept it tight but we got a goal and a point in quick succession and from there our boys didn’t look back. We added a couple of more points from frees and midway through the first half another goal which gave OLG a great cushion. Piltown never gave up and fought all the way through the match and our lads had to work hard and were rewarded with some lovely points from play and right at the final whistle we added our fourth and final goal to give OLG a fine victory. It was well deserved based on the hard work and commitment shown by all the team. Well done OLG and keep it going! Full Time Score OLG: 4-16 (28) Piltown: 1-09(12) O’Loughlin Gaels Team Dan O’Brien, Diarmuid Kealy, Kyrell Mtinsi, Lucas Duggan, JJ Cahill, Andrejs Kirilovs, Emmet Cooney, Ben Fahey, Shane Comerford (1-1), Harry Egan (1-1), Samuel Briers (0-3), Ronan Treacy (0-1),

Presentation time for the O’Loughlin Gaels boys

CLUB LOTTO There was no winner of this week’s Club Lotto (June 7th). Numbers drawn 1, 5, 8, 17 Bonus 15. Next week’s top prize will €9,400 (June 14th). Promotors Draw: 1. Breda Carter c/o Eileen Kinchella. 2. Jim McMahon c/o Peter Dowling . 3. Ricky c/o Michael O’Halloran 4. Patsy Phelan c/o Hugh Mahon. 5. Johnny Phelan . 6. Sandra Murphy c/o D O’Driscioll 7. Naomi & Serina c/o Aidan Fogarty . 8. Patsy Kelly c/o online . 9. James O’Keefe c/o online. 10. Linda Murphy c/o online Thank you for your continued support CEMETERY MASSES The dates for St. John Parish Cemetery Masses: Friday June 24th at 7:30pm - St Kierans Cemetery. Friday July 1st at 7:30pmDunmore and Johnswell Cemetery’s U13s LEAGUE NEWS Duggan Steel U13A Hurling League Round 8. Piltown v. O’Loughlin Gaels. St. John’s Park Friday 10th June 2022, 7.00pm.

Lawlor greets the O’Loughlin Gaels Players

EMERALDS GAA CLUB Mega Bingo: Every Sunday, 6pm at Urlingford GAA pitch. Gates open at 5pm. Single books and 1 sheet €10; Double books and 2 sheets €15. Extra jackpot sheet €3 or two for €5. Please support. Monster Bingo: On Sunday, June 26 at 6pm. EMERALDS URLINGFORD AND GRAINE LOTTO June 7 prize fund was: €8,200. Jackpot: €6,200. Numbers drawn: 7, 15, 17, 27, bonus no 3. No winner and two match 3 winners: Emer O’Dwyer, Mags Ceaser. Five lucky dips of €20 each: Sam, Caroline Irwin, Ciara Sheehan, Brigid Tobin, Bridget Barnaville.Promoters prize: Doyles. Next draw takes place on Monday, June 13 in the Clubrooms. Results next week. MILL FAMILY RESOURCE CENTRE Save the date: Mill Family Fun Day, July 10 in the Centre 1.30pm4.30pm in support of our Counselling Services. 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 BTEI Healthcare Course QQI Level 5 September 2022: We are currently taking names for the Healthcare QQI Level 5 programme starting September 2022. Please contact us if you are interested in completing this course. Senior Alert: If you need to apply for a Personal Alarm, please contact Sue or Josephine. Counselling Services: Our low cost Counselling Services, includes One-to-One, Family & Teens, aged 12 plus. General Counselling: Bereavement, Stress, Anxiety & Depression. Other Counselling Services available: Drug, Substance & 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. URLINGFORD ARMS SPLIT THE POT This week’s winner of Split the Pot was Kieran Costello who won €383. Congrats Kieran! Tickets €2 on sale in participating businesses in town, with proceeds this week going to Urlingford Town Team. Be in it to win it!! 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. FRESHFORD IONADH LACHTAIN Local artist Kevin Buckley of Woodview Freshford has presented the museum at Ionad Lachtain Heritage Centre with a bust of the late Sr.Patricia founder of Prague House. It will be unveiled at a short ceremony in Ionad Lachtain on Sunday next the 19th June at 12noon. All are welcome to attend. FEILE LACTAIN 2022 Féile Lachtain continued last weekend with open air painting on the Green in Freshford. On Saturday June 11 participants took part in a Cruinniú na nÓg event to mark the National Day of Free Activity for Children and Young People. A family friendly art workshop took place under cover in the marquee on the Green in creating a celebratory painting of St. Lachtain. On Sunday the Plein Air event continued at the tent Ionad Lachtain Church, Arts and Heritage Centre is open every Saturday and Sunday from 11.30 until 4.30. Kevin Buckley’s replica of the Shrine of St. Lachtain’s Arm is currently on display in the museum courtesy of Freshford Community Club. Also on display is another replica of the shrine created by Pádraig Donnelly. There are gifts for every occasion on sale in the crafts shop. New additions here include souvenir Freshford greeting cards and carrier bags and clocks set in miniature hurleys and sliotars. While these sport the Black and Amber colours, they can be ordered in any county colours. Ned Kennedy’s book “Edmund Fitzpatrick Artist and Illustrator” is on sale at O’ Shea’s Shop and all Kilkenny bookshops. Cost €12. It can be ordered by post from O’Shea’s by adding post and packing. SUMMER CAMP The annual summer camp will take place at the GAA Grounds from 25th to 29th July with organiser JJ Grace and his team of helpers. Bookings are now been taken for the camp which is the oldest camp in the village and has been going for the past number of years very successfully. For more information or for booking please contact JJ on086 8629666 SYMPATHY Sincere sympathy is extended to Ms. Sheila Mackey, Gathabawn and all her family on the recent death of her brother Pat White late of Glenvale Ballyragget and formerly of Ballycondra. Funeral mass took place in St.Patricks Church, Ballyragget on Tuesday morning followed by burial in St.Finnans Cemetery, Ballyragget. CEMETARY MASS The Cemetery mass in St.Lachtains Cemetery Freshford will take place on Sunday 26th June at 11a.m. This is the first time in past three years that the mass will take place as the event didn’t take place for past two years due to the pandemnic. People are

reminded to let family members know who wish to travel and to clean their family graves for the event. SPLIT THE POT The weekly lucky winner of split the pot draw was Nicky Bergin, Kilkenny Street who won himself €108. The draw takes place each Wednesday. Tickets are just €2 and the winner gets half of the takings. The draw is held each Wednesday and 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. This months proceeds are going to Freshford Community Café. The Committee would ask you to please support this fund raiser. EXAMS Best of luck to all local students sitting their Junior and Leaving Certificate examinations at present. The exams started last week and continue this week also. SOCCER All is quite on the field of play for Freshford Town as the season has now finished for Juniors and schoolboys. The training sessions for U8s which was held each Saturday morning from 12noon to 1pm at the Sportsfield at Woodview finished up on Saturday last for the summer holidays HOME FROM USA Visiting Freshford recently from the USA was Teresa Doyle Woodview. Teresa spent a holiday with her mam and family, her first trip since before the pandemic. COMMUNITY ALERT Freshford /Three castles Community Alert group remind you that anyone wishing to join the text alert scheme or have a personal alarm installed should contact any of the above Committee. It is 10 euro per phone number. New members are always very welcome. The group wish to thank everyone who has joined for their continued support. Please contact any of the committee members to discuss, John Bergin 0862592535, Jacinta Power 0877658672, Mick Cormack 0863535293 or Anna Morrissey 0858277965. 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. MACRA NA FEIRME Macra na Feirme are looking to establish a new club in the Freshford area. Macra na Feirme is an organisation for young people between the ages of 17 and 35 who are interested in getting involved in sports, travel drama, debating or just want to meet new people and have some fun. To be a member of Macra you must join a Macra club in your area. This will open the door to new fiends and new activities. There are hundreds of clubs across Ireland bursting with activity who always welcome a new face. For more information please contact Training and Development Officer – Michael Wall on 0868359891 or email him at mwall@ macra.ie 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 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. ROSARY Rosary in Dunnamaggin: The rosary will take place the first Monday of every month during the summer at 8pm at Our Lady’s Grotto Baurscobe, Dunnamaggin. All are welcome. CEMETARY MASSES Cemetery Masses: will take place in Kilmoganny Friday on 8th July at 8.00 pm: Dunnamaggin on Friday 15th July at 8.00pm. Kilree to be arranged DUNNAMAGGIN DEVELOPMENT GROUP Dunnamaggin Development Group has received funding from Kilkenny County Council’s Amenity Fund to develop a Remembrance Walk through the trees to the side of St Leonard’s Church. This inclusive, reflective, meditative space will remember all those we have lost, particularly those who have died during the pandemic and especially those we could not grieve for in the usual Irish way due to the restrictions in place at the time. We are hosting a planning meeting to listen to the thoughts and ideas of all the residents of the Dunnamaggin Parish area. This will take place in early July (date to be confirmed) and we would encourage young and old to attend and share with us how they envisage the Remembrance Walk. BARN DANCE Get your dancing shoes and cowboy hats on and come on down to Madge’s Garden on Saturday June 25th 7pm to 10pm for some Line Dancing. Ray Cahill, line dancing maestro will be on hand to put us through our paces, a BBQ will be available and Ray’s will be open to quench the thirst. €5 on the gate - €10 to include a Burger and mineral. MONTHLY MARKET Sunday June 26th our monthly market takes place from 11.30am to 4pm. From 1pm to 3pm Ray will be on hand to give free Chil-

The Kilkenny Observer Friday 17 June 2022

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Community & GAA Notes dren’s Line Dancing Lessons - spot prizes throughout and one especially for best dressed cowboy and cowgirl. Connect with neighbours and friends. Will’s BBQ, Real Lemonade from Gwen’s Stall and lots of craft and food stalls. BIRD WATCH IRELAND The Swifts are back and they need your help. Birdwatch Ireland and the Heritage Office, are undertaking our second county wide Swift survey in Kilkenny this summer. They need your help to record and report swifts in your town or village. Last year with your help we recorded 199 swift nests throughout the county. They are now starting the second county wide survey to see how many Swifts there are this year and where they are nesting. Please get involved and record any Swifts in your area on https://records. biodiversityireland.ie/record/swifts#7/53.455/-8.016 If you’re new to birdwatching and would like to get involved, don’t worry, as Kilkenny County Council are running Swift training workshops this summer. If you’d like to be involved please email us at heritage@ kilkennycoco.ie for more information. This project is co-funded by Kilkenny County Council and The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, through the National Parks and Wildlife Service’s National Biodiversity Action Plan Fund. It is also kindly supported by the Heritage Council. NATURE IS GOOD FOR YOU Spending time in nature is good for you. Hearing birds sing and the buzz of bees reduces stress and lowers blood pressure. So why not make a home for nature in your garden? You can attract birds and butterflies by planting native trees and butterfly friendly flowers or by making a log pile or wildlife pond. If you live in Kilkenny and want to make your garden, school or workplace more wildlife friendly, email Kilkenny County Council Heritage Office for a free “Gardening for Biodiversity” book, at heritage@kilkennycoco.ie GOWRAN DEVELOPMENT Community Employment Scheme (CE) - The scheme currently has a number of positions vacant in the area. If interested, contact the CE office in Goresbridge, on; 059 9775675 or 086 8566242. Thanks to all participants who worked on the scheme in Gowran throughout the years maintaining public places and helping to keep Gowran litter free. ST MARY’S CHURCH GOWRAN The church opened again last week for the Summer season following two years closure due to COVID. Entrance to the church is free. Guides will be only too delighted to guide you through the long history of this National Monument. Visitors can view the many monuments of national importance on display within the church. TIDY TOWN Tidy Town - is back. Due to COVID, Tidy Towns didn’t take place in 2020. The event was a virtual event last year. However, this year the judges will visit again. Gowran has entered the competition for almost 40 years. Thanks to all who plant and look after flowers, paint their premises and generally look after the area. GOWRAN AC Gowran AC Awards night takes place on 24th June at 8pm at Gowran Park. 2021 and 2022 so far have been very successful for Gowran AC. There have had a lot of success in both juvenile and senior at County, Leinster, National and International Level in Track and Field, Cross Country and Road. The awards night will celebrate the competitive success but also the success and participation of the athletes, parents, coaches and committee working together. The awards are for club members of all ages and disciplines. All our current and past members are welcome to the awards night. KILKENNY COUNTY TRACK AND FIELD CHAMPIONSHIP Friday last was Kilkenny County 2022 Track and Field championships, seniors day out. Marie Deegan kept her recent good form going with a four medal haul, including a gutsy finish in the 200M to stay 3rd. Adrian Cunningham matched Marie with a four medal haul. Ice cool Adrian showed he can mix the slow and fast twitching muscles by medaling in the 3000M and 100M, some feat. Tom Corrigan completed a clean sweep in Senior this year by adding the 100M and 200M to his 400M from a few weeks ago. Tom retains his county senior track shield as a result. Tom didn’t stop there, he won the long jump and triple jump too, and adding the two relay medals he won, that made it six Gold medals on Friday. John Leamy thought Tom shouldn’t have to do it all with his own eight medal haul, these two will surely have to race it out over 50M at the Gowran AC club Awards night on June 24th. In the 3000M Dean Rowe ran a brilliant senior race to finish 2nd in a large field, as did Matthew Holland in the juniors. Bill Lahart didn’t let a tugged hamstring get to him, by winning the senior 110 Metre hurdles. The relay quartet of Tom Corrigan, Adrian Cunningham, Matthew Ryan and John Leamy completed a gold relay double in the 100M and 400M relays. 2022 COUNTY SENIORS Ladies 200m: Senior 3 Marie Deegan (G). 100m: Novice 1 Marie Deegan (G). Long Jump: Senior 3 Marie Deegan (G). Weight for Distance: Senior 1 Marie Deegan (G) Men 3000m: Senior 2 Dean Rowe (G). 3000m: Junior 2 Matthew Holland (G). 3000m: o/40 3 Adrian Cunningham (G). 110mH: Senior 1 Bill Lahart (G) 2 John Leamy (G). 200m: Senior 1 Tom Corrigan (G). 200m: o/45 1 John Leamy (G). 100m: Senior 1 Tom Corrigan (G). 100m: o/35 1 John Leamy 3 Adrian Cunningham. 4x100m Relay: Senior 1 Gowran (Matthew Ryan, Adrian Cunningham, Tom Corrigan, John Leamy). 4x400m Relay: Senior 1 Gowran (Tom Corrigan, Matthew Ryan, John Leamy, Adrian Cunningham). Long

Jump: Senior 1 Tom Corrigan (G) Long Jump: o/45 1 John Leamy. Shot Put: o/45 2 John Leamy (G). Weight for Distance: Boys u16 1 Noah Denieffe (G). Triple Jump: Senior 1 Tom Corrigan (G), 3 John Leamy (G) GOWRAN PITCH AND PUTT Scratch cups takes place on Sunday, 26th June. Timesheet is now open for booking. It will be a 36 hole event. GOWRAN PARISH Next Sunday is Corpus Christi (The body of Christ). The First Holy Communion children are invited to this special Sunday mass at 11.30am on the feast of the Blessed Eucharist (Corpus Christ). Thanks to those who continue to respond to the weekly envelope as well as contributing to the Offertory collection. The annual subscriptions that come in at this time each year are very welcome as the renewal of the annual insurance of parish properties is due in early September. The June collection envelope is being collected before masses this weekend. The June Envelope was posted out with the Lenten Station and Easter Envelopes in March. Thanks to all who do subscribe for their donations. Cemetery Masses will take place in Gowran on Tuesday, 5th July 7.30pm and Dungarvan on Wednesday, 6th July at 7.30pm. THE KILKENNY COUNTRY MUSIC FESTIVAL The festival is back this year in Gowran Park, and it will take place on Sunday 3rd July featuring a host of top-class Country Singers. Performing on the day will be Mike Denver, Cliona Hagan, Robert Mizzell, Trudi Lalor, Jimmy and Claudia Buckley with backing band The Conquerors. Tickets now on Sale and for further information, check out kilkennycountrymusicfestival.ie or email kkcountrymusic@gmail.com GOWRAN FESTIVAL OF SPEED The festival is taking place on Sunday, 21st August. Tickets available online, www.gowranpark.ie SPORT ROUND UP – MICHAEL O’LEARY JUNIOR A HURLING ROUND 4 Young Irelands Gowran 2-12 Thomastown 1-15 A Pulsating contest saw the Young Irelands Junior A Team recover from a five-point deficit early in the Second Half to salvage a welldeserved and well-earned draw against Thomastown on a Sunny if somewhat blustery Summer’s Evening in Gowran last Thursday, as the draw meant that both Teams qualified for the League Semi-Finals. Playing with a strong wind advantage throughout the First-Half, Young Irelands struggled somewhat as they trailed 1-7 to 0-6 at the interval.A Padraig Naddy goal in the 36th minute narrowed the gap to two points (1-9 to 1-7) before Thomastown replied and led 1-12 to 1-8 entering the final quarter.The Gowran Men replied again and a superb Thomas Drennan goal in the 48th minute gave them the outright lead (2-10 to 1-12), before Dylan Carey pointed from play shortly afterwards to double the lead (2-11 to 1-12).Thomastown outscored Young Irelands 0-3 to 0-1 over the closing 10 minutes as the match ended all square and overall, it was a fair result. Meanwhile, the Young Irelands Junior F Team won 4-7 to 1-5 away to Rower-Inistioge in The Rower, and they were also in action again on Sunday Evening away to Blacks and Whites in Tom Walsh Park. The Intermediate Team are in action on Friday night at home to Danesfort in Division 3 of the Michael Lyng Motors Senior League Semi-Final at 7.15pm. U11’S QUALIFY FOR SEMI FINAL The U-11 Hurlers qualified for the Schools Semi-Final as they produced a superb performance to win 7-5 to 3-4 against St. Johns National School. Unfortunately, there was no joy in the Country Cup as they lost out 1-7 to 1-5 against near neighbours Clara in the Semi-Final. Meanwhile, the Young Irelands U-13 13-a-side made it back-toback victories following a 3-9 to 0-5 win against St. Martins last Saturday night. BIG DAY FOR PRIMARY SCHOOLS TO LOOK FORWARD TO The Gowran Primary School girls have a huge day to look forward on Sunday in Nowlan Park as they play Rower-Inistioge in the Roinn B Final at 2pm. The girls will be very hopeful of success having scored 18 goals in their two matches against Thomastown and Carrickshock.Wishing them all the very best next Sunday. CIARA SCORES PRICELESS GOAL AS KILKENNY SECURE PRICELESS VICTORY Ciara O’Keeffe struck an early goal that proved decisive as Kilkenny Intermediates got back to winning ways following a 2-7 to 1-8 win against Derry last Saturday. Ciara’s goal gave Kilkenny a 2-2 to 0-3 lead by the end of the opening Quarter, before leading 2-6 to 0-3 at the interval. Buoyed on by a strong wind advantage in the Second-Half, Derry fought back, and they had narrowed the gap to four points as the match had entered the final 10 minutes.Despite the Ulster girls grabbing a goal, Kilkenny held out as they made it two wins from three matches. Meanwhile, the Kilkenny Seniors featuring Tiffany and Steffi Fitzgerald continued with a hard fought 1-15 to 1-9 win away to Antrim, while the Young Irelands Intermediates won 1-7 to 1-2 against St. Martins in the Junior C League last Friday night. YOUNG IRELANDS ANNUAL GOLF CLASIC Young Irelands annual Golf Classic will take place on Friday 24th and Saturday 25th of June. €3000 in prizes with Teams of four €200 including Meal. For Tee Times contact Liam Walsh on 087 2647248. CLUB LOTTO Dicksboro GAA Club LOTTO Results June 9th. Nos 15 - 8 - 12 – 30. Jackpot €2300 1st Prize €50 E & C McPhilips c/o online. 2nd Prize €25 Fran Kiely

c/o T Hackett 3rd Prize €25 Conor Doheny c/o online. 4th Prize €25 Brian Fitzpatrick c/o online Hurlers Co Op Ticket Yvonne Dunne c/o online. Promotors Prize Ann Morrissey Next week Draw €2450 SUMMER CAMP 2022 Save the date for our hugely popular Dicksboro GAA and Camogie Club Multi Activity Summer Camp.Week 1 - July 18th - 22nd. Week 2 - August 15th - 19th. Booking System Now Open. FINAL DATE FOR BOOKING 29TH JUNE NEW THIS SUMMER Dicksboro GAA & Camogie Club are delighted to launch a 3 Day Development Camp. For Ages 12-16’s. 10am to 1pm 8th, 9th &and10th of August ,€45. Organised by Dicksboro Games Promotional Officer Philly Campion. To book visit https://dicksborogaa. com/products Queries to cathmcpeters@gmail.com CONGRATULATIONS Congratulations to Fr Jim Murphy in his Golden Anniversary of his Ordination back in 1972 from all at Dicksboro GAA & Camogie Club. COUNTY REPRESENTATIVE CAMOGIE Congratulations to Kilkenny Senior & Intermediate Camogie teams who had great wins on Saturday and to our Senior Club Players Aoife Prendergast, Ciara Phelan, Niamh Phelan, Asha McHardy and Jane Cass. Well done girls. CLUBHOUSE Dicksboro Clubhouse Bar is reopened Thursday from 8.30pm and every Thursday going forward . Thursday nights is Lotto Draw and Cards Night. All are welcome out for a social drink, a chat and if there is interest, a beginners card table. We are offering a particular welcome to our senior citizens members, it’s been a difficult past two years and we would be delighted to see you out to the club for a chat. CALLAN GOLF CLUB This past week was a busy week for the Ladies of Callan Golf Club along with the usual Tuesday and Thursday competitions were the Annual Club Classic and an Invitational Game from our senior ladies Captain Mary Croke to the senior lady golfers at Kilkenny Golf Club. Results:Tuesday Tue 31st May. 9 Hole s/f 1st Susan Higgins. 2nd Margaret Comerford. 3rd Deirdre Holden 3 Person Team Event Winners: Margaret T O’Shea, Teresa Phelan, Eileen Cuddihy 83pts c/b Senior Ladies 12 Hole June 2nd. 1st Jean Grace 30pts. 2nd Rose Brophy 28pts. 3rd Mgt Comerford 27pts c/b. 4th Anne Phelan 27 pts c/b. 5th Mary Carew 27pts Tuesday June 7th Valerie Doyle Qualifier (Categories). Div 1 Ann Wemyss 31pts (14) Div 2 Noelle O’Driscoll 38pts (22). Div 3 Anne Phelan 36pts (35). Div 4. Ann Needham 36pts (43) 9 Hole 1st Maura Holden 21pts (20) 2nd Helen Tuite 16pts (22) Thursday June 9th the Kilkenny Senior Ladies visited Callan Golf Club for a very friendly but competitive 12 hole competition. This event has been on hold due to the restrictions of the past number of years. It was very well supported with over 70 ladies taking part. The rain bucketed down early in the morning leaving many ringing the office to check if the course was open. It must have been the Statue of Prague that gave Mary our Senior Ladies Captain full faith that the rain was to let up around 10.30 am. and accurately so it ceased. The camaraderie was visible to all both on the course and in the club house afterwards where some friendships were renewed and the chatter could be heard wafting down the avenue to the front entrance. Results: 1st Marie O’Riordan. Breda Comerford, Ann Gunning 56pts. 2nd Breda Costello, Marie Costello, Mary Brown 53pts. 3rd Berna Walsh, Una Crowley, Mary Moynihan 50pts c/b Well done all and thanks to the Kilkenny ladies for joining us. Date for diary: Senior Ladies Outing Gold Coast Thurs July 14th. More information later Next Tuesday will be an 18 Hole stroke TUBORG PREMIER LEAGUE Billy Murphy made a dramatic return to the Tuborg Premier League after coming back from a holiday in Canada where he and his wife Ann were visiting their daughter. Billy played fantastic darts all night, beating Mick Dwyer in the final in what was a great game to watch. In the last 16 some of the top players in the table were beat by players who were behind them, Cian Cullen beat Michael Meaney in the first of them throwing great darts, Allen Bennet beat Tommy Dalton by the narrowest of margins in another great game with Allen hitting a 127 finish to win the game he needed it as Tommy was on 32 after having a 14 darter and taking out a 143 . Liam O Brien played the current leader of the league David Murphy and he played unreal beating David 3 legs to 2 hitting 3 great finishes of 79 87 and 82 to clinch the win. Billy Murphy beat Kevin Leahy 3 / 2 , Kevin hit a 13 darter and took out a 147 but Billy was in great form on the night went on to win the game. Local players Mick Dwyer jnr played Micky O Keeffe in another good game with Mickey O Keeffe going 1 up with a 114 finish but Mick Dwyer winning 3 legs on the trot, hitting a 13 and 14 darter and taking out a 115 to win the game. Shorty Walsh and Eric Boczon had a very good game but Shorty’s experience carried him through with a 3 / 1 win. Local player Kieran Furlong came up against Michael Cummins in the penultimate game of the last 16 , Kieran hit a 14 darter and took out a 105 to win the first leg but Michael played out of his skin to win by 3 legs to 1 , Kieran is up to number 3 on the table at the moment and if he keeps playing the way he is at the moment his turn will come. The last game of the last 16 saw Jim Shanahan and Kieran Lennon play , Jim from Crettyard County Laios got off the a great start having a 13 darter followed by a 15

darter in which he took out a 128 , Kieran Lennon is not the type of player that lies down and he fought back to win the game by 3 legs to 2 . On to the Q / Final’s , Cian Cullen played a game that had to be seen against Allen Bennet , Allen played one of the best games that I have seen him play with Cian keeping up with him, Allen his a 14 darter and took out a 126 on the Bull , at 2 legs all Allen hit a 180 but Cian hit one straight after him and then took out 58 to win the game, Cian therefore took out 238 in 5 darts, any professional player would like to do that. Liam O Brien played Billy Murphy in the second Q / Final, Liam didn’t play as well as he did in his last game and suffered for it with Billy playing brilliant again. On to the 3rd Q / Final, Mick Dwyer and Shorty Walsh locked horns in a brilliant game, Shorty started very well hitting a 13 dart leg but Mick hit back by hitting a 14 darter in the next game, Shorty took the next game, taking out 108 but again Mick took out a 131 for a 15 darter, all down to the last leg and Mick won it throwing great darts. The last Q/ Final was between 2 Waterford players, Michael Cummins and Kieran Lennon, both were at the top of their game and played great stuff, Michael Cummins came out on top in this one hitting a 14 darter and taking out a 120 to win the game but Kieran also took out a 116 and also hit a 14 darter. The first S / Final was between Cian Cullen and Billy Murphy, Billy showed his class winning 3 legs to 1 with Cian missing a shot at a finish that cost him a leg. The 2nd S / Final saw Mick Dwyer jnr against Michael Cummins, again it was a great game with Mick Dwyer beating Michael Cummins by 3 legs to 1 , the leg won by Michael was done in 14 darts but Mick was on top from and cruised in to win. The Final of the 5th Tuborg Premier League was again another great game with both players playing fantastic darts, Mick took the first game Billy took the next leg and the 3rd leg which set him up with the darts in the next leg and he used it to record a fantastic leg which he had a 14 darter to win the game. Billy became the 5th player to win the final so there is nobody who has won 2 finals this year so far. A mention to a few players who are playing well but not getting the break’s at the moment, Liam Murphy from Main Street Stoneyford is playing good darts as is Richard O Hanlon from Waterford, the only Lady player is Gez Quiruga from Dunnamaggin who up to 39 on the table and who’s taking legs off of some of the men. Mick Dwyer snr is also playing great stuff as he had the highest check out on the night with a brilliant 152 finish and he also had 2 14 darters . So I will see ye all next Friday night in what is the best darts venue in the Country, Andy’s Bar Ballyhale.

Joe Coyne organiser of the Tuborg Premier League and his great friend Mick ( Flash ) Dwyer snr

Billy Murphy and Mick Dwyer jnr who played a brilliant final in the Tuborg Premier League

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 17 June 2022

Camogie

Sport Glen Dimplex All Ireland Senior Camogie Championship Pearse Park, Dunloy Antrim 1-9 Kilkenny 1-15 By Seamus McAleenan ANTRIM got their first real test of playing a top-three team in the Glen Dimplex AllIreland Senior Championship in Dunloy on Saturday and came out of the game feeling that they could maybe have pushed Kilkenny that little bit closer than the final score line read. However, the 2020 AllIreland champions showed their experience in continuing to pull away after corner forward Mary O’Connell picked up a red card in the 40th minute for a tackle on Antrim goalkeeper, Catriona Graham. It was a tough, hard-fought game and the challenge from Clara’s O’Connell didn’t look out of place. In fact, play continued until an umpire drew Westmeath whistler, Barry Nea’s attention to the incident. At 1-10 to 1-6 the Saffrons had a chance. But after eight more minutes of play, Katie Power floated over her second point, and despite a free from Róisín McCormick in reply, Kilkenny hit three further points and had sealed the result by the 55th minute. Antrim were under the Cosh for the first quarter. They conceded a point through a free from the championship’s top scorer Denise Gaule within a minute and then Tullaroan’s Miriam Walsh powered her way in from the right corner for a fourth minute goal. It was looking ominous for the home side. Points from Róisín McCormick and Caitrin Dobbin came before six minutes were up, but Kilkenny continued to make Boss & boss scorer! Brian Dowling & Denise Gaule

the running and three points in a row, two for Captain Aoife Prendergast and a super score from Julieanne Malone, opened a 7-point gap with the scoreboard reading 1-6 to 0-2 in the 15th minute. Antrim were playing Amy Boyle as a sweeper in front of the full-back line and McCormick and Dobbin as the only players inside their opponents’ 45 metre line. In the second quarter space seemed to open up for the Saffron’s front pair, despite the presence of a third defender, and they made it count. McCormick and Katie Power swopped points before a pass over the top from Lucia McNaughton put Dobbin in the clear and she pulled clear of the chasing defenders before firing past Aoife Norris to the back of the stripey women’s net. That goal came in the 21st minute and goal–scorer Dobbin and the impressive Roisin McCormick added points over the next four minutes to close the gap to just two. That was how it remained until the break, with the visitors leading 1-7 to 1-5. For the second half Kilkenny were a lot more compact at the back and, despite a quite brilliant Dobbin point from out on the side-line, the Noresiders pushed on to lead by four points with their half-forward line in particular really impressive. The home side didn’t really take advantage of the extra player with a number of passes out of defence and midfield going astray while forwards in possession simply couldn’t create openings for shots, due to great pressure from the Kilkenny rearguard.

O’Connell sees red as Kilkenny win Photos by INPHO

Julieann Malone’s return has added to the panel

The Kilkenny Observer Friday 17 June 2022

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Camogie

Saffron’s put to the sword! Miriam Walsh has been in great form

>> SHERRY SAYS... Clara’s Mary O’Connell was unlucky to see red

This game was a real test for the Saffrons and they came through it with great credit, although it will undoubtedly form part of the learning curve they must ascend before they can really challenge at the top table. Amy Boyle was superb in defence while the half-backs kept Kilkenny’s forwards under a lot of pressure. The pace of McCormick, Dobbin and Caoimhe Wright created some openings, but the experienced Kilkenny defenders were able to close

the space after the break and that allowed Denise Gaule, Julieann Malone and fullforward Miriam Walsh to keep pressure on the home defence. The returning Mullinavat club woman has certainly strengthened manager Brian Dowling’s hand. The sending off of Clara’s Mary O’Connell proved not to be costly, and the pacy attacker can count herself unlucky to have been dismissed on the word of the umpires.

Antrim now have Galway coming to Dunloy on June 25th while Kilkenny, assured now of a spot in the knock-out series, have a home tie against Offaly. Antrim: C Graham, C Drain, N Donnelly, M Lynn, C Patterson, C Conlon, K Laverty, L McNaughton capt, N O’Neill, S McKillop, M Laverty, A Boyle, C Wright 0-1, R McCormack 0-5 (4 frees), C Dobbin 1-2. Subs: Á Magill 0-1 for C Wright (46), NA Donnelly for

N Donnelly (58), C Laverty for S McKillop (58). Kilkenny: A Norris, M Teehan, G Walsh, T Fitzgerald, A Prendergast 0-2, Claire Phelan, S Fitzgerald, L Murphy 0-1, N Deely, M Walsh 1-2, J Malone 0-3, D Gaule 0-5 (frees), M O’Connell, K Nolan, K Power 0-2. Subs: M Bambrick for T Fitzgerlad (HT), S Crowley for A Prendergast (46), L Fennelly for K Nolan (54) Referee: Barry Nea (Westmeath)

A trip to Dunloy is a good way to build momentum for bigger days ahead. Going into the Saffron’s back yard and getting a result against last year’s intermediate champions will have please manager Brian Dowling. Following the harsh sending off of Clara’s Mary O’Connell, Dowling’s team re-grouped and got the job done. PwC’s player of the month for April, Miriam Walsh, is looking sharp and dangerous in the forward line. Throw in the returning Julieann Malone, Windgap’s Denise Gaule and Katie Power, to name but a few, and Brian Dowling is assembling quite an arsenal if it comes down to a shoot-out at the business end of the season. So, the stripey women’s unbeaten start to the championship continues, Down, Limerick and now Antrim defeated. Next up for the Noresiders will be the visit of Offaly on the Weekend of June 25th. Then a little trip to the west, to take on the tribeswomen in the final group game. Things are building nicely. *additional reporting by Niall Sherry*

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 17 June 2022

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Planning Memoriams/Miracle notices prayers

Planning notices KILKENNY COUNTY COUNCIL We, Jane Rafter and Padraic Delaney, hereby intend to apply to Kilkenny County Council for planning permission for construction of a single-storey dwelling, domestic garage, and associated treatment system along with all site and ancillary works at Knockgrace, Bonnettstown, 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, Mary Clancy, hereby apply for Retention Permission for (a) 2 No attic dormer roof windows and (b) flat roof single storey side/rear extension (23.2M2), for Planning Permission to convert existing attic to 2 No bedrooms, for installation of a new effluent treatment plant and percolation area together with all associated site works to my house located at Tinnamona, Callan, Co Kilkenny R95X2N4. 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. Michael Condon MRIAI, Architect, MRC Design Ltd – 1 City Wall, James Street, Kilkenny Ph. 087 2032869

KILKENNY COUNTY COUNCIL Further Information / Revised Plans: Amber Women’s Refuge CLG applicant, in regard to Planning Register No 21-983 for a standalone single storey extension to the Amber Women’s Refuge comprising a Therapeutic and Counselling space with sanitary accommodation including all associated services located at Acorn House, Lacken, Dublin Road, Kilkenny. Significant Further Information / Revised Plans have been furnished to the Planning Authority in respect of this proposed development, and is available for inspection or purchase at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy, at the Offices of the Planning Authority during its public opening hours of 9:00 a.m. to 1.00 p.m. and 2.00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. The significant further information / revised plans includes the relocation of the standalone structure and increase in floor area. A submission or observation in relation to the further information or revised plans may be made in writing to the Planning Authority within a period of 2 weeks from the date of receipt of the revised public notices. A submission or observation must be accompanied by the prescribed fee of €20, except in the case of a person or body who has already made a submission or observation and such submission or observation will be considered by the Planning Authority in making a decision on the application. The Planning Authority may grant permission subject to or without conditions, or may refuse to grant permission. KILKENNY COUNTY COUNCIL I, Nigel Daly, intend to apply to Kilkenny County Council for Retention Planning Permission to retain external covered seating, single storey toilets and all associated site development works at The Front Room, 82 John Street, 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 7771463/086 2395370 Email: sales@kilkennyobserver.ie

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 17 June 2022

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Memoriams / Miracle Prayers

Young Irish Film JUDY MOORE Makers on the set of 5TH ANNIVERSARY the National Youth Filmmemory school 2019 In loving of Judy, late of St. Anthony’s, College Road, Kilkenny whose anniversary occurs at this time. “Words of Comfort” Feel no guilt in laughter I know how much you care Feel no sorrow in a smile That I’m not here to share You cannot grieve forever I would not want you to I’d hope that you would carry on The way you always do So talk about the good times And the ways you showed you care The days we spent together All the happiness we shared Let the memories surround you A word someone may say Will suddenly re-capture A time, an hour, a day That brings me back as clearly As though I was still here And fills you with the feeling That I am always near For if you keep those moments We will never be apart And I will live forever Locked safe within your heart Sadly missed, never forgotten

Young Irish Film NOLAN JOHN (JOHNNY) Makers on the set of 10TH ANNIVERSARY the National Youth

Film school Fond memories of my2019 Uncle John Nolan 29, Lacken Drive, Kilkenny who died on 17th June 2012.

You always had a smile to share A laugh, a joke, a time to care A wonderful nature, warm and true These are the memories I have of you. Just as you are you will always be Someone special to me.

Young IrishRYAN Film PAUL Makers on the set of BIRTHDAY REMEMBERANCE the National Youth &2019 Film school

23RD ANNIVERSARY

In loving memory of Paul Ryan, 10 Greenfields, Freshford Road, Kilkenny. You remain in our hearts always Paul Missed and much loved Phil, Fran, Martin, Anne, Richard and his many friends. R.I.P

Sadly missed by your nephew Colm

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.D.M.

Your loving family

St. Martha Prayer SAY EVERY TUESDAY FOR 9 TUESDAYS PROMISE PUBLICATION

The Miracle Prayer

Saint Martha, I resort to thy aid and protection. As proof of my affection and faith, I offer thee this light, which I shall burn every Tuesday. Comfort me in all my difficulties and through the great favours thou didst enjoy when the Savior was lodged in thy house, intercede for my family, that we be provided for in our necessities. I ask of thee, Saint Martha, to overcome all difficulties as thou didst overcome the dragon which thou hadst at thy feet. In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. (Mention your request here…) Saint Martha, pray for us. Say 1: Our Father… Say 1: Hail Mary… Say 1: Glory Be… This miraculous Saint grants your wish before 9 Tuesdays, no matter how difficult. P.K - St. Martha

The Kilkenny Observer Friday 17 June 2022

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Miracle Prayers

The Miracle Prayer

St. Anthony Prayer,

O Holy St. Anthony gentlest of Saints, your love for God and charity for His creatures, made you worthy, when on earth, to possess miraculous powers. Encouraged by this thought, I implore you to obtain for me (request). O gentle and loving St. Anthony, whose heart was ever full of human sympathy, whisper my petition into the ears of the sweet Infant Jesus, who loved to be folded in your arms. The gratitude of my heart will ever be yours. Amen M.R.

The Miracle Prayer

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 17 June 2022