Picture Special.. P34

Community Group

Friends for life

KILKENNY is twinned with 6 cities across the world. One of those cities is Malbork Poland. What are twinned cities and what benefits can we get from having them at all? The benefit of a wellrun Twinning is immeasurable. The connections should not be just the once-a-year trip for the current Mayor to have a perk of the job trip abroad, but to make tangible connections with the sister city.

In 2016 Murty Brennan, chairperson of the Twilight community group was approached by the then and now late The Polish Ambassador to Ireland Ryszard Srakowicz and his deputy head of missions Piotr Rakowski to look at the Twinning of Kilkenny and Malbork. Both have world renowned Castles and are medieval cities with thriving tourist industry. Having reviewed the process and what a Twining meant to a city, its communities and citizens, Murty decided to write Twinning Protocols and present to the Kilkenny Local authority Twinning committee then chair Mr Brian Tyrell and they are now the recognised template for Twining of our Municipal district. “when looking at the possibility of Twining with the Polish city of Malbork, it was important that we built it from the bottom up, a twining has to have community involvement and access for all to benefit from any agreement”

Having got the support of the then Mayor and who is now the current Mayor Andrew McGuinness the process began, and the agreement was signed in Kilkenny on March 17th 2017 and subsequently in Malbork May 2nd of the same year.

The idea of bottom-up approach of a twining is clear between Kilkenny and Malbork. While Mayors of Kilkenny have visited Poland’s medieval city more importantly so have members of the Community. The CBS primary school Stephens Street have been invited to Malbork to perform on two occasions and are now close and ‘twined’ friends of the Balbiny Arts and drama performing of the arts group, who have been in Kilkenny on 3 occasions. “This has allowed the exchange of students as young as 13 to experience life in both our cities,” Murty told the Observer. “We also had the leading European Secret gardens choir in Kilkenny on several occasions. This is what makes our twining such a success as we have ongoing interaction and to have a successful relationship, we must have vibrant and regular contact”

One of the deciding factors to open the Polish consulate in Kilkenny and appointment of Murty Brennan as Hon Polish Consul General to the Republic of Ireland is the strong relationship the city has with Malbork, and of course the large diaspora located in the Southeast of Ireland. Can we continue to develop this relationship? Most definitely says Murty. “We can continue to grow the community aspect of the twining but with a little bit of imagination grow connections of commerce and tourism. Without doubt last week’s participation by Kilkenny man Dylan Nolan in the Medieval world combat games is another boost to our interaction. Next year the world championships are in Iceland why not bring them to Kilkenny? We all remember the incredible excitement of the jousting in the Castle during Arts weeks a few decades below, Insurance I hear you say? Surly the benefits to the city would out weigh that argument and I doubt they had no insurance in Malbork this year or next year in Iceland?”

Twinings when community based and from the bottom up are of tremendous benefit both culturally and economically to our citizens. Castlecomer have one with Prevance in France without political interference just good community spirit. Let’s continue to grow all our twinnings by using our imagination. Europe is open for business and easy access for all our schools and communities and cost effective to travel too. With English as the language of all European programmes let us reap the benefits of Twinnings like Malbork and Kilkenny’s Community based Agreement

IRELAND of 1968 was a much di erent place than the Ireland of today. It was a year when Taoiseach Jack Lynch and Terence O’Neill met for talks in Dublin: When Minister for Education Donogh O’Malley died while campaigning in County Clare and when a seat to commemorate the poet Patrick Kavanagh was unveiled beside the Grand Canal in Dublin.

On the Arts scene we saw the rst English-language production of Samuel Beckett’s ‘Come and Go’, while Tom Murphy’s plays Famine and e Orphans were rst produced in Dublin.

Wexford beat Tipperary in the All-Ireland hurling nal; George Best and Tony Dunne became the rst Irish footballers to collect European Cup winner’s medals, and Down beat Kerry in the Football nal.

In Kilkenny, one news story that made news was that SOS was launched.

Leading the project was Bishop Peter Birch. He called a meeting in Sion House with a few interested people who formed a committee with the vision of providing care, employment, and accommodation for people with a learning disability. at vision has taken root and SOS has more than ful lled its dream. e Kilkenny Observer spoke to three of the original committee members -Michael Hogan, Vivian Good and Paddy McAlinney.

All three agree that it was the forward thinking of Peter Birch that kick started the idea.

Paddy McAlinney spoke of the former Bishops drive in every project that he undertook.

GROWN IN LEAPS AND BOUNDS

Fast forward fty years, and today, SOS has grown beyond peoples wildest dreams.

SOS Kilkenny CLG has been operating in Kilkenny City and County for over fty years. ey support adults with intellectual disabilities and autism to develop their talents and interests. ey help to build and maintain meaningful relationships, to enjoy opportunities for further education and employment and to feel a valuable part of their local community.

SOS Kilkenny strives to tailor their supports to meet each person’s needs. Based on the Cllan road, SOS now boasts over twenty community houses in various neighbourhoods around Kilkenny and a variety of locations where people spend their days

Vivian Good and Paddy McIlinney, who were on the original committee in the setting up of SOS Kilkenny

Dreamtime radio - a jewel in the crown at SOSkilkenny

Gemma Haire on Air

in Kilkenny City and its environs, in addition to autism speci c services in Cahir.

Trevor Colclough Exhibition Image

JEWEL IN THE CROWN

One section of SOS, which, for many is the jewel in the crown, is Dreamtime Radio. e radio started in 2009 when a few people attending SOS Kilkenny services said they want to do radio, and when funding became available, SOS approached the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland about a license to broadcast. It all went well and Dreamtime Radio was born. e Kilkenny Observer met up with Pat Ryan who heads up the team. We asked Pat how it all began

“We began with 6 or 7 presenters and over the years it became more and more popular. It now has 30 presenters who have developed many skills and experiences in radio broadcasting and are very proud of the radio”.

Dreamtime Radio is a licensed campus based radio station that re ects the lives and interests of its listeners; the people it supports at the campus, family and the community. e station aims to develop the skills of the people involved, o ering experience of running a radio station while also providing a local news and entertainment service to people on campus.

Pat explained that programming comprises a mix of music request shows, chat shows, news and event guides that inspires people to tell their story, changes peoples beliefs and understanding, communicates life experiences that everyone can connect with and o ers an opportunity for people to feel listened to, giving a voice, on a larger scale, to people. is, according to Pat allows for selfempowerment, independence and a means for self-advocacy.

When asked about the various o shoots at the centre, Pat pointed out that, “We develop podcasting, live radio, community vox-pop, photography, lm making and social media content as a means to make stronger community connections. Guided by the belief that empowerment of the people who attend is the most e ective means of ensuring a person cantered service, it also challenges preconceived ideas that ordinary citizens may have about people with disabilities.”

Some of the supports that Dreamtime provide are playlist development, ensuring a fresh developing show, understanding genre and song mixing and show structure, research for speech content, IT skills, linking and speech development, presentation skills, fun and authenticity, understanding and education in relation to using technology.

For example mixer desk/ audio recorders, planning and preparation, recording and editing, working to deadlines, interviewing deadlines, interviewing and other community based content and skills development, current a airs, news and sport and promoting local and national artists.

Mr Ryan was particularly pleased to tell the Observer that currently they have a presenter who has stepped up to Community Radio Kilkenny City.

“He plays a fantastic dance show on Friday evenings at 8.30pm, which is a great achievement for him and rewards the hard work and determination he has demonstrated”, boasted Pat.

Another broadcaster is Kilkenny man Brian Manning.

When asked by e Obsever what his work at Dream time meant to him, Brian replied: “It gives me experience of being a Radio Presenter and it lets me do what I love, it’s my dream job. ere is a great buzz in the radio and I learn a lot from being there and involved in everything it o ers. I’ve done many interviews and have met lots of interesting people.” Brian went on to explain that they have also created a few lms which have won national awards and that he is also involved in producing the SOS magazine called Rewind. “I feel important in the radio and I look forward to coming in here every morning”, Brian said.

Giving us a guided tour of the premises , with Covid rules adhered to, Pat Ryan pointed out that the team also aim to stimulate creativity with their photography programme called Focus, Dreamtime Studios lm making, in which they have won the ‘National Able Vision Ireland Festival’ on two

Dreamtime Radio Team_L-R_Cian Doolan, Billy Culleton, Emily Quirk and Pat Ryan

occasions. e bi-yearly magazine called Rewind is a means for people to express creativity and ability while also enabling the SOS a means to communicate across the service and to family and friends all the great stories and achievements over the previous 6 months.

Dreamtime Radio broadcasts on 92.6fm on a limited range and also internet radio. if you would like to experience Dreamtime Radio for yourself just go to www.soskilkenny.com scroll down and hit that play button, weekdays 10am to 4pm or drop a line to dreamtime@ soskilkenny.com, also check out their youtube channel at www.youtube. com/dreamtimestudio.

The Derek Watson Show ‘Rewind’ Cover