Kilkenny Observer 20th August 2021 by Kilkenny Observer

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The Kilkenny

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Friday 20 August 2021

Stardom Shines Ellie-Mae in second Modern Love series  See page 3

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On Friary Street 13 page Special Feature  See pages 29-41

The Kilken ny Observer

Friday 20

August 2021

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The Kilke nny

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On Friary

Street

A vibrant str happy to no eet full of local bu siness w call Friary abundanc Street home es new and old; at e of indep the Kilkenn . Read on ende opportunit nt shops and busin to discover the ric y Observer we are h his so ess y to wand er down an es located here. Do tory of our street and d explore n’t forget Friary Str to eet for your take the next self

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 20 August 2021

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EVERY FRIDAY

The Kilkenny

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Nursing home closure warning A RESIDENTIAL care centre in Co Kilkenny has been warned it is in danger of being closed down by the health authority after serious failures to improve health and safety were identified by inspectors. The home is in Kyle. Acccoring to the Irish Times Another care home in Ballymoney, Co. Wexford has received a similar warning. Both are run by Camphill Communities of Ireland. The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) has just published 27 inspection reports on designated centres for people with disabilities. Inspectors identified non-compliance with the regulations and standards on 15 inspections. In the case of the Ballymoney centre, the facility was inspected under 13 different regulations and every one was found to be non-compliant. A HIQA spokesman told the Irish Times the centres were found not to be effectively managed with significant concerns over residents’ safety. “There was a discrepancy in the amount of money it said it was holding for residents and the amount of money that was actually there which is a concern because potentially that could be financial abuse.” The inspection also highlighted a lack of staff in the premises and that a lot of maintenance was required. It read: “Inspectors noted holes in walls, areas requiring redecoration, flooding/drainage issues externally, windows and banisters that required maintenance, bathrooms and laundry room EVERY FRIDAY

requiring maintenance and cleaning. “A number of hazards in the external areas were apparent with flooding, drainage holes, septic tank access, broken glass, tools and unlocked sheds to the rear,“ the report read. “In one property, more than three quarters of the external site/gardens were inaccessible to residents. “A staff smoking area was located at the front of the house next to the front door.” Camphill’s interim CEO Louise Gorman Told the Irish Times the HIQA reports were based on inspections last spring and the regulator carried out inspections in Kyle and Ballymoney in July and approved both for registration purposes along with certain conditions. “Camphill sincerely regrets the regulatory challenges that we experienced at two of our centres and the impact on our residents and their families. “The staff and management of Camphill — locally and nationally — put in a huge effort to tackle the issues highlighted by HIQA and to achieve compliance since HIQA inspections last February and March. “Last month HIQA carried out detailed inspections at both Ballymoney and Kyle and found very significant improvements had taken place at both centres.” Last October the Irish Times reported a number of residents in Camphill homes were asked to pay for their beds and headboards, while money belonging to others was misappropriated, according to a series of reports from HIQA.

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Ellie-Mae shines in Modern Love

Escape call for 36 Irish As the Government seeks international help to get 36 Irish citizens out of Afghanistan, questions need to be asked — and answered — about President Biden standing by the decision to withdraw American troops, according to Kilkenny-born journalist, now aid worker Miriam Donohoe. We have also have a report on refugees seeking asylum in Ireland. Special report, Page 6

How not to be a hoarder

Decluttering need not be a nightmare. Our new columnist Marianne Heron on how not to be a hoarder... and start that clear out. Page 12

Your paper needs YOU! Your favourite local paper, The Kilkenny Observer, in print and online every Friday, wants your stories, your reports, your club notes, your photos, so we can bring our readers the best local news coverage possible. If you are in PR, a community worker, a club organiser or just have an interesting story or snippet or photo, please send it to us at editor@kilkennyoberver.ie

INSIDE Paul Hopkins...............P8 John Ellis ...................P16 WEARING Kilkenny’s amber, Carlow-born EllieMae Siame appears in the new season of the critically acclaimed series Modern Love now streaming on Amazon Prime. In Series 2, Episode 8, entitled A Second Embrace, With Hearts And Minds Open, the child actress, now living in England, plays one

of two sisters whose parents are divorced but fall in love all over again. The episode, the final in Series 2, is directed by John Carney, the Dublin-born writer known for Sing Street and Begin Again. Carney directs two other episodes in Series 2, with those storylines set and filmed in Ireland.

The show, which boasts five Oscar nominees, is inspired by a long-running weekly column in the New York Times which explores modern love. Most of the storylines in Series 2 are shot against the backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic. Streaming, Page 43

Health & Science ......P18 Travel & Leisure .......P19 Biance Rallis..............P20 Gerry Cody ......... P26 -28 Food & Drink.............P42 TV & Streaming .......P43 Picture Special .... P46-47 Sport...................... P50-55

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GETTING IN TOUCH WITH THE TEAM

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News

Time to bring those big knits home KILKENNY County Council’s Arts Office community art project Knitted Together 2 was launched in June. Hundreds of Knitters and crocheters across the county took part in completing eight-inch woollen squares which will become beautiful handmade blankets to donate to local charities. Now, the team is calling its Knitted Together 2 project members to return their knitted squares to the Arts Office in Johns Green House or via specially designated drop-off points throughout the county during the week to August 28. From Friday, August 20 onwards drop-off points are located in stores around the city and county where participants can leave the beautiful squares or blankets knitted or crocheted. The Arts Office will accept donations via post to Arts Office, 2nd Floor, Johns Green House, Johns

Green, Kilkenny Local Supervalu stores in Ballyragget, Callan, Thomastown and Loughboy plus Centra in Knocktopher and Mullinavat will collect completed woollen square or full blankets. For those centrally located Kilkenny County Council, County Hall – Front Lobby or the Arts Office in Johns Green House will collect knitted offerings. Mary Butler, Kilkenny Arts Officer said: “We want to send out a huge thank you to all our communities and volunteers who are knitting or crocheting squares or blankets for donation to support the Kilkenny Charity shops at this challenging time. We have really enjoyed working with you all and the charity shops are delighted to be involved. “ For those taking part in this beautiful project, the arts office have this advice before returning knitting.

Finished products: Mary Butler and Bernadette Roberts with a selection of your work

Darn in all loose ends. • Bundle large numbers of squares into 10s • If you are posting squares wrap them in a plastic bag or postal envelope with an inner plastic coating to keep them moisture-proof. (reuse old envelopes if pos-

sible) • Please send your squares flat, do not roll them. • If you are dropping off completed blankets please package them securely to make sure that nothing happens to your beautiful blankets

• Please do use cling wrap as squares could develop an odour Competed blankets will be donated to the Jack and Jill Foundation, National Council for the Blind Ireland (NCBI), The Samaritans, Irish Cancer

Society, Enable Ireland and St Vincent de Paul (SVP) to help their fundraising opportunities in light of a difficult year in lockdown. For more information see http:// kilkennyartsoffice.ie/

Getting back on vitamin D3 CLAIR WHITTY

VITAMIN D3 is the hero supplement we’ve all been talking about this past year. Many of you have taken it to help support your immune system in an attempt to ward off colds and viruses. Some of you have taken a break from it and are wondering if it’s too soon to start yourself and your family back on it. I think it’s worth starting back on vitamin D3 supplements. Especially young children and teenagers who are heading back to school later this month. I would start taking it now to help prepare and support their immune system during the school year. Vitamin D3 is also important for bones, teeth, normal muscle function, as well

as a healthy immune system. The question you may have is which vitamin D3 is the best one to take? One of our customers’ favourites is Better You Vitamin D3 Oral Spray. It’s so easy to use, you simply spray it onto the inside of your cheek where it’s scientifically proven to deliver the vitamin D straight into your bloodstream. Choose the Infant Oral Vitamin D Spray for infants and children under 3 years of age and Junior Oral Vitamin D Spray for children over 3. Adults can choose between 1,000IU in the blue box or 3,000IU in the green box. Each bottle contains 100 doses, this is one of the most cost-effective vitamin D3 supplements we have. The Department of Health suggest that the following “at-risk” groups should strongly consider supplementation. The list includes pregnant and breastfeeding women; infants

and young children under 5 years of age; older people over 65 years of age; and those of you with little to no exposure to the sun, and people with darker skin. Don’t take vitamin D3 all year round on its own without considering its relationship to calcium, magnesium, and vitamin K. These nutrients work synergistically together. A healthy balanced diet will help provide most of the nutrients you need. Pop us a message or give us a call in to see us at Market Cross shopping centre to find out more about how you can achieve this balance. In the meantime, I think it’s a good idea to get you and your family back on your vitamin D3 supplements. Natural Health Store, Market Cross Shopping Centre 056 7764538 Shop online at www. naturalhealthstore.ie

The Kilkenny Observer Friday 20 August 2021

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 20 August 2021

News: Special report on Afghanistan

‘There was a sense of panic and fear over the city...’ AN Irish woman in Kabul has made it across the border into Pakistan and has said she is hoping to return home in the next 48 hours. Aoife MacManus, from Ashbourne in Co Meath, had been in the Afghan city for two years working in the primary education sector. She was one of the small number of Irish citizens

(about 40) still in Afghanistan and trying to flee from the Taliban. “There is a sense of panic and fear all over the city,” Ms MacManus told the PA news agency. while still trapped in Kabul. “This last 24 hours has been so crazy, I don’t know how many places I’ve been.” There have been dramatic

scenes at Kabul Airport as Afghans rushed onto the tarmac of the capital’s airport with thousands trying to escape the country. Ms McManus said uncertainty was driving some of the fears: “There is a sense of panic and fear all over the city. It’s the fear of the worst expectations.” She described the scenes as

her and her colleagues left their work compound as the Taliban descended on Kabul: “We were all crying. Everybody was crying because of the expectations of what things are going to be like. “All the work we’ve put into education, that it might all be for nothing.” In recent months, as the situation worsened across the coun-

try, she had been in contact with the Irish embassy in Abu Dhabi and that contact has intensified in recent days as the Taliban drew closer to the Afghan capital. Now, she hopes she will be able to leave Pakistan in the next few days, on a flight for Dublin. “From what I’ve heard, it will take at least two days for the

Kabul airport to be put back in order,” she said, in relation to the remaini9ng Irish. Ms MacManus has been in contact with her family. “They’re really worried. They’ve been worried for the last couple of weeks. I have people lighting candles and saying Mass and all kinds of things. What can I say? It’s not a normal situation.”

Kilkenny journalist questions US move WHAT is happening in Afghanistan is devastating. And questions need to be asked — and answered — about the US decision to withdraw troops, according to Kilkenny-born journalist Miriam Donohoe. Writing on social media, the former Asia Correspondent for The Irish Times says: “Despite the fact that billions of dollars have been pumped into the country in the last 20 years, including money to build up the Afghan army, it is now back to square one with the Taliban in control. “With this comes repression for Afghan women, “ says Donohoe. “I covered the War Against Terrorism when I was Asia Correspondent for the Irish Times in 2001. Going over the border from Pakistan to Afghanistan when the Taliban were routed by US forces. “I slept on a dirty floor in Jalalabad that had been occupied by a Taliban commander a few nights previously. I worked with Michael Lev of the Chicago Tribune — and we did our best to reflect what was happening to the world, “ says the awardwinning journalist who also worked for the Independent newspaper group. “Thoughts with the people of Afghanistan — for whom hope for a better life must seem so out of their grasp today.” The former journalist who takes up the post of Communications Director with the aid agency Trocaire at the end of the month, was one of 50 international journalists who crossed the border from Pakistan into Afghanistan following the fall of the Taliban two decades ago.

Taliban terror: men, women and children fleeing Kabul

Miriam Donohoe: ‘Taliban means repression for Afghan women’

Four journalists were killed during the border crossing. Donohoe spent three months reporting from Afghanistan. Miriam Donohoe was born in Goresbridge 56 years ago, the second eldest of 10children. Her late father, Ned Donohoe, died at 45 after from a mayor heart attack. His wife Kitty was eight months pregnant with her 10th child. Kitty took over running the family business, Goresbridge Horse Sales, and Miriam at the age of 14 helped her mother raise the young family. At 17 she went to the college of Commerce in Rathmines to study journalism. Miriam was a Journalist for 27 years working for all the main Irish daily newspapers at different stages. After her years in journalism Donohoe set up a PR agency, MD Media, in Kilkenny. She took time out and volunteered for a charity in Uganda for eight months in 2016. On her return she was appointed Communications Manager with the National Lottery. She has worked as Communications Manager with Irish humanitarian aid agency, Goal, for the last two years.

Up to 150 refugees will ‘bypass’ direct provision, says O’Gorman UP to 150 Afghan refugees will not have to go into direct provision upon their arrival into Ireland, according to a report in the Irish Independent. The Government is set to receive refugees from Afghanistan as the country is taken over by the Taliban regime and thousands at-

tempt to flee to safety. Up to 195 people will be able to come in to the country from Afghanistan, including 150 refugees and 45 people who will be granted visas and will have their applications assessed on arrival. Minister for Children and Equality Roderic O’Gorman

will issue refugee status on a humanitarian basis to individuals chosen by the Department of Foreign Affairs. This means that they will not have to go into direct provision, a system which Minister O’Gorman is seeking to abolish. The refugees will be

brought to Ireland under the Irish Refugee Protection Programme, a spokesperson for the Minister confirmed. There is also “no question” that any people with a deportation order to Afghanistan who live in Ireland will actually be deported, a spokesperson for the Department of Justice said.

Efforts to get 36 out are hindered MINISTER for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney has said Ireland is now working to get 36 Irish citizens out of Afghanistan, including dependents and dual nationals. Three Irish citizens have been successfully evacuated from Afghanistan, including Aoife MacManus. “So there are people managing to get out, albeit in small numbers,” Mr Coveney told RTÉ’s Today with Philip Boucher Hayes.

He did not disclose how Ms MacManus, from Ashbourne, Co Meath, managed to leave Afghanistan for Pakistan. “I don’t think it is helpful to reveal how she got out or where she is as we are trying to get many people out,” he said. Ms MacManus is now in Pakistan. Mr Coveney said with each day that passes there is a slight change in the number of Irish citizens

seeking assistance. Most of them are working for international organisations or NGOs. “We are working with EU partners, the UK and US to make sure there are places on flights leaving Kabul for them,” the Fine Gael TD said. All of these are military flights and added that the biggest obstacle is getting these people into Kabul airport, with reports of chaotic scenes.

He said there was a significant military presence in Kabul airport which was hindering matters and he did not think it would be helpful to send Ireland’s military personnel into that mix. It would “complicate rather than simplify things”. “I think the most effective way to get the 36 Irish citizens out is to work with partners on the ground that are managing the situation in very difficult circumstances.”

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 20 August 2021

News Opinion

The Fact Of The Matter PAUL HOPKINS

It was tough going, living together in lockdown MY late father, very much a man at his best in just his own company, once said to me that loving someone was one thing but “liking them and living with them another matter altogether”. He and my mother were one year short of 50 years married when they died within 10 weeks of each other in the Millennium year. Such a lengthy time with my mother may have, down the years, got under my father’s skin — his shortcomings more at fault than her’s — but breaking up was never, would never have been, a consideration. Mind you, they annually holidayed separately. I doubt, though, my father would have survived lockdown with my mother. And, if that remark seems somewhat unkind, well, so be it. He obviously would not have been alone. Applications for divorce reached their highest level ever last year, according to

data from the Courts Service. Some 5,266 applications were made, an increase of 29% on 2019, and by far the highest annual figure since divorce was introduced in 1997. Legal experts put the massive rise down to changes in the law in 2019, which reduced the waiting time for divorce from four years to two, and to the impact of pandemic lockdowns on struggling marriages. Sadly, the Covid-19 effect can also be seen in data on domestic violence applications which jumped by 12% last year. “One factor driving the increase is a whole new cadre of people became eligible for divorce in December 2019 as a result of the referendum,” says solicitor Keith Walsh SC, a member of the Law Society’s Child and Family Law Committee. “Another factor is Covid. The effect of the pressure of lockdown on individuals was huge.

Marriages already under pressure maybe crumbled a little bit quicker.” In the decade up to 2020, the number of divorce applications annually ranged between 3,330 and 4,314. In the first global lockdown there was much debate about whether the pandemic would prove a boom time for the birth rate or for divorce lawyers. Debated, because, when the world went into quarantine in March of last year, it was regarded by those who concern themselves with such matters as one vast social experiment. And we now know the pandemic has had life-changing effects on so many aspects of global society, not least relationships. Early signs were not promising. A report from north-west China, a year on, in March 2021, described a record number of applications for divorce as the registration offices reopened. In 2020 the UN called the rise in

global domestic abuse cases the “shadow pandemic”. Other data, too, suggested falling birth rates across Europe. Over a lunch of tapas the other day my psychologist friend from Magherafelt said: “I don’t think anyone who got married in the past 50 years expected they were making a vow to spend 24/7 in the same small living space with a spouse, while educating their children at home, working at home, and having no real outlet.” As we ordered a shared desert of apple crumble, he argued that, if a relationship was troubled to start with, lockdown likely exacerbated the situation. I agreed that, without the distractions of separate workplaces and nights out with friends or whatever, many couples perhaps wondered what they had in common. That said, the rising death toll made us all acutely aware of the fragility of life. Lockdown sparked an exis-

tential line of self-reflection that many of us are no nearer solving all these months later. Many couples, however, have found their time of enforced togetherness beneficial. They’ve had more time together, family time together. They haven’t had the stress of the daily commute.

‘The impact lay somewhere between affection and affliction ...

”

Figures for those wanting to continue working from home would suggest this, as would the many happy families and couples I have seen out and about, minding their social distance. My psychologist friend proffered that, for most couples, the impact of the pandemic on their relationship probably lay “somewhere between affection and affliction”. I am divorced, but my ex-wife and I, the last eight years, have had an amicable relationship. Indeed, as I spent more time that she the last year and a half confined to barracks, the mother of my three adult children — a frontline worker — more than rose to the occasion in checking on my welfare, making sure I was fed and watered. I thank her for that. Meantime, for many relationships negotiating the road back to ‘normal’ as restrictions ease could prove challenging.

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 20 August 2021

News

Amazing Ros Tapestry in full view at Kilkenny Castle

Picture this: the wonderful displays of the Ros Tapestry exhibition in Kilkenny Castle

HISTORIC Kilkenny Castle is playing host to an exhibition of the Ros Tapestry The Office of Public Works (OPW) has provided space at the castle for the tapestries which were moved for their protection from the Tapestry Centre on the quays in New Ross, Co Wexford last year. The temporary new home set the tapestry housed in a castle built by Isabel de Clare and William Marshal in the early 13th Century, and whose life stories are entwined in these tapestry panels. Minister of State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works Minister Patrick O’Donovan, said: ‘This collaboration between the board of The Ros Tapestry and the OPW is a

great opportunity to showcase these exquisite panels, which commemorate the Norman history of New Ross and South East Ireland. “We should also appreciate the wonderful embroidery skills and sheer dedication of the many craftspeople who have for over 20 years worked tirelessly in bringing these characters to life.’ The Ros Tapestry exhibition, which was launched by journalist and Carlow native Olivia O’Leary earlier this month, has drawn in thread the story of the Normans and their arrival in the south east and the consequent development of the dynamic port of Ros is depicted in a series of fifteen large striking embroidered panels.

The Ros Tapestry project is the thinking of Rev. Paul Mooney of St Mary’s Church, New Ross, who was inspired by the famous Bayeux Tapestry in France. He conceived the idea of creating a series of tapestries to commemorate the Norman history of New Ross and South East Ireland. The first tapestry was completed in 2002 and to date 14 of the 15 tapestries are finished. The final one is being stitched in Kilkenny and is nearing completion. Volunteers throughout the country have done all the stitching, with well over 150 stitchers contributing, working both at home and in local venues. Each tapestry is embroidered on to Jacobean linen twill fabric with

woollen thread using a multitude of different stitches, such as ‘Long and Short’, ‘French knots’ and ‘Bullion knots’. It takes about an hour to stitch one square inch and can take anything from three to seven years to complete a panel. Mary Lou O’Kennedy from the board of The Ros Tapestry said: ‘We are delighted to partner with the OPW who have created a stunning display of the Tapestry in the wonderful surroundings of Kilkenny Castle. This exhibition will bring the extraordinary work of its creators and stitchers to a wider national and international audience which we hope will continue when it returns to its permanent home in the Norman Centre, currently under devel-

opment in New Ross.” The tapestries can be viewed at The Gallery, Kilkenny Castle,

up until September 2023, from 9:30 am till 5:30 pm daily (last admission 5 pm).

The story of this community project ... THE Ros Tapestry Project is a major community arts and history project centred on New Ross. The project is dedicated to producing a tapestry a in 15 panels which tells the story of the coming of the Normans the to Ireland in the 12th century and the foundation of the port and town of New Ross at the beginning of the 13th century.

Each tapestry panel is approximately four and a half feet deep (1.5m) by six feet (1.8m) wide and tells of a unique aspect of the epic story. Six panels were finished for an Exhibition in 2007 and a further nine panels are now (2020) completed. The project began in May 1998 with an idea to make a tapestry telling the story of

the coming of the Normans to Ireland in tapestry form and to hang this tapestry in the historic St Mary’s Church of Ireland Church in New Ross. The idea originated with the Rector of the Church, Reverend Paul Mooney, who then consulted with Alexis Bernstorff, an art historian and professional in the field of tapestry and fabric restoration.

Throughout the summer of 1998, Dr. Mooney and Alexis Bernstorff consulted with local artist Ms. Reiltin Murphy to create a visualisation of how the tapestry could be best displayed in the Church of Ireland parish church. At that time the focus of the tapestry widened from the story of the Norman expansion into Ireland in the latter part of

the 12th century to include the founding of the port and town of New Ross at the beginning of the 13th century. A provisional list of 15 themes for tapestry panels was outlined, as well as the measurements for the panels to be hung from the gallery of the late Georgian, early 19thcentury church. Countess Ann Griffin Bern-

storff, professional artist and mother of Alexis Bernstorff, was approached to consider designing the tapestry and offered to paint the cartoons for the fifteen panels. Countess Bernstorff began with some experimental pieces in the Autumn of 1998 and a draft plan for the project was produced and circulated at that time.

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 20 August 2021

Opinion

Here’s how to de-clutter your Covid hoarding AS I SEE IT MARIANNE HERON

THE Japanese call it Suteru! and it’s the answer to TMS (too much stuff ) syndrome and the literal translation is ‘throw away’. De-cluttering sounds a bit less threatening and was the topic of a long running BBC2 TV series called The Life Laundry which liberated hoarders from paralysing accumulations of possessions. TMS goes to heart of a paradox in consumer society. We love acquiring stuff: clothes, books, music, ornaments, electronic gear… But the other frugal side of our nature refuses to get rid of our possessions. It seems wasteful to part with them and, before we know it, we are mired in clutter. Suteru! is the title of a best-selling book by Nagisa Tatsumi translated from Japanese, the English title being The Art of Discarding. According to Nagasi holding onto things from the past that we no longer use holds us back from our current selves, quite aside from the depressing untidiness it causes. If you find yourself hunting desperately for a document

amid stuffed files or unable to find the pair of trousers you want in a crammed wardrobe, maybe it’s time to learn the art of de-cluttering. So how do you make a start on clutter cleansing? • Parting with possessions can be quite emotionally tiring so it’s a good idea to tackle one area, or even one drawer at a time. • Tidying things into storage boxes isn’t necessarily the answer, it simply hides objects from sight and puts off getting shot of them. • Hanging onto things ‘in case’ you might need them has more to do with that security blanket feeling than with practicality – out with them! • Try on those clothes at the back of the cupboard you don’t wear – if they don’t look or feel right it’s time to part with them. • If you are a hoarder enlist the help of a ‘chukker‘ in order to help with clearance. My Mum used to sort things into piles 1) keep, 2) maybe and 3) you must be joking! • No need to feel guilty about de-cluttering when there are charity shops and, hopefully, post- pandemic car boot sales where your discards can raise funds for others or for yourself.

• Once you have sorted out an area you will discover how liberating it is to declutter and you will be enthused to carry on doing more. But why do we hoard possessions and in extreme cases allow clutter to take over our homes? It can be the way that we attach undue emotional importance to objects, they

remind us of people dear to us or of special occasions. Hanging onto them brings back memories but it also pulls us back to the past rather than being in the present. Another reason apparently is that we overimagine the usefulness of the object but fail to make the object useful. Like the outdated jacket you mean to

alter but never do or the table with the broken leg which sits in the garage and never gets mended. Understanding this can help us to see clutter for what it is. Clutter doesn’t have to be thrown away; it can be recycled and made useful by resourceful, needy folk, brought to charity shops or sold at a car boot sale or

a vide grenier (French for empty the attic) but of course there is always the temptation to acquire more stuff if you go to one of those! * Marianne Heron is a journalist and author of Irish Life’s Rewire Don’t Retire. She is also studied fashion at St Martin’s College of Art, London

Be a fighter, put down the lighter! ANDREW MCDONALD HYPNOTHERAPIST

AMONG the most difficult of habits to quit, smoking is pretty high up there. The mere idea of it is daunting enough. Should it really be? The truth is yes and no. If you’re a long-term smoker, you’re almost certainly addicted to smoking. However, since 1965 over 40% of those who smoke have quit. Furthermore, 1.3 million people around the world stop per year. This number might seem small compared to the billion people worldwide who do smoke but it means a huge amount of people do achieve their goal of binning tobacco. A further consideration is that among those billion people, many, perhaps the majority, have no real intention of quitting. Some may say they’d like to but how many actually take action is a much lower number. Additionally, in that billion, there will be people who do smoke but aren’t habitual smokers. People

who perhaps have a cigar at Christmas or puff on a shisha when they go on holiday. Technically, they’re smokers but it’s unlikely to be a problem for them. Finally, with a good smoking cessation programme, 20-40% of quitters keep tobacco out of their lives permanently. In short, whilst nobody would say quitting smoking is easy, it is possible. By far the most important thing is that you find your reason for giving up smoking. It has to be your own reason. If all you have is other people wanting to, success isn’t impossible but it is going to be much harder. Spend time exploring what makes you want to quit, not the reasons other people give you. Do your preparation before you quit! Make sure you have some kind of support in place in advance. Your GP is there to help you. Ask them about all the methods that will help which including quit-smoking classes and apps, nicotine patches and gum, medication and hypnosis which is a particularly powerful method of quitting. There

are plenty of other methods too. Ask your friends who have already quit for ideas. Whilst talking to your doctor you can ask about prescription pills. There are medicines which curb cravings and also ones which make smoking less enjoyable if you do light up. There are also medications which can help with withdrawal symptoms. Make sure to lean on loved ones! People who love you and want you to enjoy good health are certain to support you in your desire to quit. Ask them for help. This is particularly the case if they have already successful quit themselves. You should also take time to explore and pinpoint your triggers. For example, many people find drinking alcohol induces them to smoke. When you know what encourages you to light up, you can look at avoiding or limiting those activities. With a good plan and a little willpower, you can and will quit smoking for good! It will be tough but millions have done it and so can you!

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 20 August 2021

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News

Planning for castle to get more than a lick of paint RENOVATION plans for Kilkenny Castle include the construction of a permanent outdoor archaeological display, a universally accessible lift and toilet facilities, new roof structures and extensive landscaping and futureproofing works. These are all included in a recently granted planning application made by The Commissioners of Public Works in Ireland to Kilkenny County Council. The approved plans aim to improve universal access to the castle and grounds and are broken into thirteen lots, listed as follows: 1) The installation of a universally accessible lift to the north turret of the mid-nineteenth century Long Gallery with associated works, including part demolition of a late twentieth century intermediate floor (12m2) and late twentieth century flat roof (11m2) and the construction of a new, leadclad, roof structure. 2) The construction of external steps and ramps adjacent to the north turret to provide access to the basement level. 3) The removal of late 20th century steps (6m2) and partial removal of 20th century plant room(5.5m2) and nineteenth

century store (33m2) to facilitate new universal access. 4) The provision of universally accessible WC and additional WC facilities (45m2) in the existing nineteenth century basement, semi-vaulted area, external to the castle. 5) New landscaping works to the Castle Courtyard and curtilage, involving the permanent display of the recent archaeological excavations of Marshal’s Gate (medieval entrance) which is to be partially uncovered with the formation of new embankments, a new pedestrian route and associated treatment. 6) Resurfacing works to the Castle Courtyard, including the removal of twentieth century grassed areas and replacement of existing tarmacadam surface with a new surface(2692m2). 5 7) Rationalisation of futureproofing of services within the courtyard, to include the installation of new drainage. 8) Conservation and restoration of Kilkenny limestone pavement and earthenware channels to the perimeter of the Courtyard. 9) Resurfacing works to the formal garden to the northwest of the Castle with the replacement of the existing tarmacad-

Breathtaking: Kilkenny Castle due for major refurbishment

am surface treatment with a new surface(2238m2). 10) New sloped paths to provide universal access to the perimeter of the formal garden

(22m2). 11) Resurfacing works to the linking path between the formal garden and Castle courtyard with the replacement of

the existing tarmacadam surface treatment with a new surface (872m2). 12) The replacement of existing temporary security cam-

Vicky Phelan: “I am very emotional at the moment, I did not want to come back to the US ...’ VICKY Phelan has returned to the US after spending some time with her family in Ireland but has since received some bad news. In a post shared by the Mooncoin resident on social media this week, the women’s health campaigner told followers that she is moving to a new trial in the US after her doctors weren’t “seeing the

results that they would like” from her current treatment procedure. “I am back in the States since Sunday evening and met with my doctor Tuesday to discuss a plan going forward,” she writes. “Basically, my team are not seeing the results that they would like and think it would be best if I come off my cur-

rent trial and start on a new (but similar) trial which has just started enrolling patients on it this week. “And so, following a LOT of thinking over the past month I decided after yesterday’s meeting and results from my last scan which showed growth in 2 of my tumours, that I would move to this new clinical trial and give it a shot.”

Vicky will undergo a series of scans and tests before starting this new treatment regime but she notes that it will be very similar to the clinical trial that she was on. “I will post a video update once I know more and once I have settled back in over here,” she says before thanking everybody for their support during such an emotional time.

“I am very emotional at the moment. I did not want to come back! I spent the first two days this week crying every time I thought of my kids and I found it so difficult trying to hold it together when I spoke to them on FaceTime... I am feeling less homesick and less teary today. I will just take it one day at a time at the moment so please bear with me.”

Democrats in plea to TDs on climate THE Carlow Kilkenny branch of the Social Democrats has written to their TDs in which they say our country’s record on climate change is poor. The letter addressed to TDs Malcolm Noonan, John Paul Phelan, Jennifer Murnane O’ Connor and

John McGuinness says that last year we missed our agreed emissions reduction targets. Signed by Chairperson William Sainsbury reads: “We cannot procrastinate any longer. We are already seeing the devastating effects of climate

change across the globe. We must rapidly implement massive wholesale changes in order to prevent catastrophic temperature increases. “We must face this challenge head on by working together. Therefore, as an elected representative of our constitu-

ency we are calling upon you to stand up and speak up on our behalf. “This is about the future of our children and grandchildren. They will look back on our actions over the coming years and they will hold us to account.

As a member of Government, you have the opportunity to bring about real change. We implore you to do so.” The letter concludes by saying: “The first step we ask you to take is to introduce a moratorium on the construction of new data centres.”

eras with permanent cameras and fixtures. 13) The installation of emergency lighting at high level to the Castle courtyard facades.

Deadline looms for €250k. arts fund ARTISTS in Kilkenny planning to apply for project funding from the new ESB Brighter Future Arts Fund, in partnership with Business to Arts, have until 5pm on Wednesday, September 8 to submit their application online. The €250,000 fund is open to artists working with organisations on creative ideas that will engage the public on energy transition. These artworks and arts projects can be in any art form that takes place on the island of Ireland including visual arts, spoken word, music, theatre and much more. Potential themes include environmental sustainability, climate change, sustainable development goals and imagining what a brighter future might look like. For more information on the fund and for details visit: www. businesstoarts.ie/artsfund/ esb/.

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News

Long Covid link to blood clots PATIENTS with Long Covid continue to have higher measures of blood clotting, which may help explain their persistent symptoms, such as reduced physical fitness and fatigue. This is according to a study was led by researchers from RCSI University of Medicine

and Health Sciences and is published in the Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis. Previous work by the same group studied the dangerous clotting observed in patients with severe acute Covid-19. However, far less is known about Long Covid, where symptoms can last weeks to

months after the initial infection has resolved and is estimated to affect millions of people worldwide. The researchers examined 50 patients with symptoms of Long Covid to better understand if abnormal blood clotting is involved. “Because clotting markers

were elevated while inflammation markers had returned to normal, our results suggest that the clotting system may be involved in the root cause of Long Covid syndrome,” said Dr Helen Fogarty, the study’s lead author. Speaking to RTÉ’s News at One, Dr Fogarty said: “Long

Covid is a new condition and very little was known about it to date and really it’s a collection of symptoms in patients who have recently had Covid-19 and it’s quite a heterogenous bunch of symptoms. “It includes things like reduced physical fitness, shortness of breath, fatigue and these

Women Of The Year get down to the annual business of awards NETWORK Ireland has launched its annual conference and Businesswoman of the Year Awards, with Enterprise Ireland as its event partner. The gala event will be streamed live from Theatre Royal Waterford on October 8 and tickets are now on sale. All proceeds from streaming ticket sales will go to Network Ireland’s charity partner for 2021, Focus Ireland. The audience will enjoy a programme packed full of expert business insight, real-world advice and entertainment, as well as the excitement that goes along with the Businesswoman of the Year awards each year. The award categories are: • Solo Businesswoman • Emerging New Business • Established Business • Employee – Rising Star: recognises professional women in a company who have made important advances as they start out on their career. • Employee – Shining Star: professional women, who demonstrate ambition and dedication to their careers • Creative Professional • STEM: recognises professional women in STEM. • ‘Power Within’ Champion:recognises women who have used their Power Within to great impact.

That’s the business; Catherine Moroney, AIB’s Head of Business Banking; Aisling O’Neill, Network Ireland’s National President; and Sheelagh Daly, Entrepreneurship Manager, Enterprise Ireland at the launch of the Businesswoman of the Year Awards PHOTO : Mary Browne

A total of 435 applicants put their names forward for the awards through 14 regional branches of Network Ireland, and a hectic season of selection events across the country in recent months has resulted in the selection of 72 finalists to go forward to October’s event. Network Ireland’s National President Aisling O’Neill said: “We’re preparing a

fantastic line-up of guests who will be sharing expert insight and real-world advice on areas including science, food, investment for your business or your own portfolio and more.” Sheelagh Daly from Enterprise Ireland said: “Acknowledging and recognising the talent and expertise demonstrated on a daily basis by women busi-

ness leaders contributes significantly to increasing women’s entrepreneurship, resulting in better business and faster economic growth in Ireland.” AIB’s Head of Business Banking, Catherine Moroney, a judge at the awards, paid tribute to the hard work that goes into this event each year: “The awards are the very visible

evidence of the ethos of Network Ireland following on annually from a year of purposeful networking, learning and the development of a strong peer network of outstanding businesswomen. It has been particularly important through lock-down and will be equally so as we develop our ‘new normal’ for business and communities.”

Government failing our children, says TD THE continuing increase in childcare fees show the Coalition is continuing to fail children, according to CarlowKilkenny TD Kathleen Funchion. Despite repeated Government promises to tackle childcare costs, Deputy Funchion said fees are instead getting more expensive for hard pressed parents. The TD, who is Sinn Féin’s frontbench spokesperson for children, said the Government was failing working parents.

Deputy Funchion said: “Last year the Government announced a series of ambitious commitments to reform the childcare sector. “A year on from the Programme for Government, not only have childcare fees not fallen, but they have actually risen. “The reality is, as revealed in Potable’s 2020 Early Years Sector Profile Survey, fees have continued to rise across the board in both private and public creches. Families across the

State are struggling to cope with skyrocketing childcare fees. “The Government has dismally failed working parents who need affordable childcare in their first year. Families are crying out for this crisis to be addressed, but the Government is failing to act.” The Carlow-Kilkenny TD said those young parents who were also frontline workers “have suffered terribly over the past year”. And she urged the Govern-

ment to immediately make childcare affordable for all, adding: “The repercussions of our broken childcare system were exposed starkly during the public health emergency as vital frontline workers struggled to juggle their jobs and find appropriate childcare. “I have consistently raised the issue of women being adversely affected in their career choices by the cost of childcare. “Cost and access to local childcare remain the greatest

challenge for so many families, and I think at this stage it is obvious to everyone, except perhaps the Government that the current system is not working. “Childcare should be affordable and it should be accessible locally, it’s a place where children go to learn, develop and grow – that’s why it’s vital we get it right. “There can be no more delays. They must act and reduce childcare fees to give families a much-needed break,” Deputy Funchion said.

symptoms can last weeks and many months after their acute illness of Covid-19. “While doctors have made significant gains in the acute Covid-19 illness, much less is known about Long Covid Syndrome, which is now estimated to affect millions of people worldwide,” she said.

Strike up the fiddles, lads ‘n’ lassies... A TOTAL of 90% of Ireland’s adult population would have to be fully vaccinated in order for music to return to pubs and restaurants across the country, according to the thinking of the Government and Nphet. Indoor music in Irish pubs is a cornerstone of the entire Irish pub experience — part and parcel of the craic — but it has been missing for almost two years. The good news is we are now up the 83% jab mark, so keep the faith. While indoor dining has resumed for those who are fully vaccinated or recovered from Covid, the whole atmosphere is still lacking when compared to pre-Covid times. However, that target for music to return to pubs across the land is edging closer ... According to the Global Covid tracker, 81.7% over over-18s have full vaccination, while 90.1% have had first jab. The Government is also talking about fast-tracking an annual booster. Meanwhile, the Covid financial supports will stop on September 7 but entertainers are still without a return to work date.

2,409 of locals on the PUP THERE were 2,409 Kilkenny people in receipt of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) as of Wednesday, August 18, a slight drop from 2,521 last week. The greatest reduction was in the area of accommodation and food services sector. The PUP figures published were in addition to the 184,213 people who were on the Live Register at the end of July. The number of Kilkenny people on the PUP during the 2021 peak (February 9) was 8,957 while at the 2020 peak (May 4) there were 11,491 on the payment. In total across Ireland there were 153,309 people in receipt a Pandemic Unemployment Payment (valued at €45.4 million). There were 602,100 people availing of the payment during the 2020 peak.

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News Your Money

How choices we make impact on the world BY JOHN ELLIS FINANCIAL ADVISOR

IN a pdf that arrived on my computer recently an insurance company said: “The challenges we face as a global society have never been so visible and within our control.” Insurance companies in the main have been asking themselves, what can we do to take more responsibility in tackling our biggest challenges such as climate change, inequality and how can we grow our investments while dealing with unsustainable production and consumption? They seem to agree that the first step must be to acknowledge that the choices we make affect not only our investment returns but the very world we live in. In the past couple of decades some insurance providers issued what was called an ‘ethical fund’. This fund excluded certain sectors and industries, removing so-called ‘sin’ stocks from their funds. But when these funds were

presented to clients the rather basic approach was off-putting as the process in some cases did not specifically consider performance or investment returns as a driving part of the investment process. And as all investors know investment performance is the reason for investment. Along comes the Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) investment philosophy – whereby sustainable investing is promoted so that you can align your values with your financial goals, thus helping to bring about a brighter future for the world. Using the ESG approach investment providers and investors look closely at three areas– Environment issues. What’s the company’s impact on the environment, among others how much energy it uses, carbon emissions, fossil fuel exposure and waste levels? Social Issues. What’s the company’s relationship with its employees, employees’ wellbeing, gender diversity, due diligence over human rights and even suppliers’ relationships? Governance issues. Who’s running the Company, how is it managed, what is its

corporate outlook, how are its finances managed? What is the company’s record on exposure to corruption, bribery or other scandals and its approaches to salaries and strategies? Again, the misconception

arises that to be a responsible investor you must sacrifice returns or the fund in question will underperform the market. According to Aviva Investors though, there can and will be periods of underper-

formance of an ESG fund when compared to its standard counterpart. Taking the recent asset allocation of the UK equity market as an example, it is heavily weighted to the tobacco, oil, and mining sectors with

companies such as Shell, Rio Tinto, British American Tobacco accounting for over 25% of the index, these are companies that tend not to score highly from an ESG perspective. If you have a period where these types of stocks perform well ESG funds which may hold little or no weight in these Companies will underperform the broader index But, according to a report issued by Bank of America Merrill Lynch Research issued in 2019 covering the period 2005 to 2015, it was found that ESG analysis could have helped investors avoid 90% of company bankruptcies that occurred within the S&P 500; 15 out of 17 company bankruptcies during this period involved companies with poor ESG scores over the previous five years. As investing involves not only making money but keeping your initial capital the sensible conscientious route seems to be do your due diligence with the help of your financial advisor and make SEG funds a bigger part of your investment portfolio into the future. * john@ellisfinancial.ie. 0868362633

Community Group

Whatever is the best for your family, but, most importantly, your happiness IN last week’s edition we spoke about the Housing Adaptation grants for our Seniors. We believe in our Seniors staying in their home they have raised their families in and have memories through the years that cannot be replaced by ones in the new communities we think they should ‘right size too We are all better served by remaining in our local communities, with our friends and community support structure, trust and friendships built over many years, sometimes decades of living, working in your local community. The Twilight Community group is a fair and balanced inclusive group, therefore, we must also show the benefits that were highlighted in a recent review conducted by the Health Research Board (HRB) This new evidence review explores the perspectives of older people from around the world on housing with sup-

port and examines the impact of this kind of housing on their well-being The review will support development of a policy framework for housing for older people in Ireland, which is being jointly developed by the Department of Health and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. Housing with support refers to non-institutional accommodation where older people have their own front door and access to support or care services, with the aim of providing independent, accessible housing options that can improve quality of life. The implementation of this kind of housing has been rapidly expanding in recent years – a trend that is likely to intensify in the context of COVID-19, which has made clear the risks of relying primarily on nursing homes. Key findings from the international evidence review include:

Individual choice and autonomy are important for successfully transitioning to housing with support. The change is made easier where the housing location allows older people to maintain their existing social networks. While personal care and support services are a key aspect

of housing with support, opportunities to socialise are also essential for well-being. The report findings are brought together in an aspirational model of housing with support that will inform future policy, with the aim of improving quality of life for older people.

Age Friendly Ireland has supported the development and implementation of the joint departmental policy document ‘Housing Options for an Ageing Population’ 2019 (DHPLG and Department of Health). This is a new policy that aims to put more housing choices in place for people as they age. A key principle underpinning Government housing policy is to support older people to live in their own home with dignity and independence for as long as possible. The aim is to ensure that older people will have greater choice by developing a range of housing options that are suited to their needs, so they

can plan and, insofar as possible, choose the right home for them. In response to Action 4.13: ‘Local Authorities will identify and assign an individual on their housing teams to work with older people in terms of sourcing appropriate accommodation’, all local Authorities have assigned a staff member to undertake the role so that we will have this resource available in all the 31 local authorities across the country. So in conclusion we can see the efforts to get the housing for seniors to the highest of standards possible. We can adapt our current homes and remain within our own community and neighbourhood?, or we can build purpose-built senior ‘villages’? where, we can live our lives out in dignity and happiness What is the better option? Honestly, whatever is the best for your family but most importantly, your happiness

The Kilkenny Observer Friday 20 August 2021

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 20 August 2021

Science & Wellbeing hydration. In 2007, fitness instructor David Rogers died after finishing the London Marathon, not because he drank too little but because he drank far too much. His was far from the only such death. Today, it is thought that more athletes die from overhydration than dehydration. The problem is that when we feel really thirsty, it can take a while for the body (specifically, the hypothalamus in the brain) to register that it has enough water. If someone drinks five litres of water drinks in a short space of time, the body will whisk the fluid away to cells far too quickly. This causes sodium levels to become diluted (a state known as hyponatremia), which in turn causes organs like the lungs and brain to take on too much water and swell dangerously. This could cause you to faint or even die. Hyponatremia highlights just how fragile our body’s homeostatic balance really is. While the human body can endure a great many things — and it really is hugely adaptable most of the time — it is also in many ways incredibly fragile. Even a day without a glass of water can impede our performance. After a few more days, you will be dead. So, the next time you notice your urine darkening, remember that this is the first step your body is taking to prevent serious organ damage.

Why you need, but only, five pints of water each day IT has long been known that hydration is essential to a properly functioning body. Our bodies are 50 to 70 percent water, which means an average man will contain up to 40 litres (10.6 gallons). This can differ on any given day, and it largely explains why our body weight also can fluctuate by about five pounds a day, according ti a report on BigThink.com It is recommended that we each drink roughly thee litres (say, five pints) of water a day to replace the stuff we lose through breathing, sweating, and urinating. While this seems like a lot, for most of us, that water comes from drinks like coffee or soda, and up to 20% of it can come from the food we eat. Yet, on some days, we just do not drink enough, and it shows. When we are mildly dehydrated, our bodies start to creak. We get headaches because, without water, the brain will contract ever so slightly, causing it to pull away from the skull. We get constipated because our body draws needed water from the large intestine. We get tired and find it hard to focus because, without water, our blood literally thickens, meaning the body has to work harder to get nutrients and oxygen to the organs. It is thought that even a 2% drop in hydration levels can noticeably impede performance in a variety of areas. Usually, this can be easily resolved, but what happens if you continue to dehydrate? And why is it thought to be one of the most painful and protracted deaths that we can experience? When the body is forced into extreme situations like heat, cold, or water deprivation, it makes a tactical decision to withdraw resources from the

least essential parts first. With dehydration, this initially happens in the kidneys. Our kidneys will reabsorb water that would have been used in urine, so this is why your urine gets darker when you are dehydrated — the urea concentration increases. When this is still not enough, the body will draw water from your cells and organs to retain the necessary blood pressure to keep you ticking. Your eyes will contract to expose the conjunctiva, your lips will shrivel away entirely, your teeth and gums will project outward like on a skeleton, your skin blackens and dries out, and your tongue becomes a tiny piece of beef jerky. If you are cut, you are too dry to even bleed. Only after days of this slow torture will you die. With less and less water, the blood in your body will thicken, and your blood pressure will drop drastically. This means that all of the oxygen and nutrients in your blood will take a lot longer to get to your organs, and so they become deprived. Your brain, heart, kidneys, and liver begin to fail. Ultimately, your brain will start to shrink from osmosis in an attempt to hydrate the body (the brain has a lot of water), which eventually will cause you to die. When blood volume changes — that is, decreases through dehydration or increases through overhydration — the careful balance of electrolytes is disrupted. These electrolytes (potassium and sodium, mainly) are responsible for muscle contraction and conducting nerve signals, so an imbalance is extremely serious and potentially lethal. This is why rehydration needs to be treated as carefully as de-

This asteroid is one of the most likely to hit Earth but don’t lose sleep over it NEW exact measurements show that the asteroid Bennu has a higher chance than originally thought of impacting our planet sometime in the next 300 years, according to American space agency NASA. For hundreds of millions of years, a top-shaped rubble pile called Bennu has orbited the sun in relative isolation, writes Michael Greshko in National Geographic. The asteroid, about a third of a mile wide at its equator, poses no immediate threat to our planet. But hundreds of years from now, there is a small chance that Bennu could slam into Earth, reports Greshko. In a new study published in the scientific journal Icarus, scientists used data from NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft to make a precise calculation of Bennu’s orbit and its future proximity to our home planet. The researchers then analysed the impact hazard between now and the year 2300. The study finds a one-in-1,750 chance of a future collision over the next three centuries — a slightly higher probability than previously estimated. Nearly all of the riskiest encounters with Benny will

occur in the late 2100s and early 2200s, with the single likeliest impact coming on the afternoon of September 24, 2182. On that Tuesday, Bennu has about a onein-2,700 chance of hitting Earth. The team — led by Davide Farnocchia, a navigation engineer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory —reached its revised estimate by pinpointing Bennu’s distance from Earth to within about seven feet at dozens of times between 2019 and 2020. That level of precision is like measuring the distance between the

Empire State Building and the Eiffel Tower to within a few thousandths of an inch. “Bennu is by far the best characterised asteroid in the solar system,” says University of Arizona planetary scientist Dante Lauretta, OSIRIS-Ex’s principal investigator and the study’s senior author. “We know where it’s going to be over 100 years into the future, within meters. No other object in the solar system has that level of fidelity to its orbital solution—even Earth!” University of Arizona planetary scientist Amy

Mainzer, an expert on near-Earth asteroids who wasn’t involved with the study, lauded the team’s “absolutely white-glove” calculations. “If you want to be able to predict where [an asteroid] is going to go in the future, that prediction is entirely determined by how well you can measure where it is today,” she says. “This team has made an extremely precise measurement.” Despite the slightly higher chance of impact, the risks from Bennu shouldn’t keep anyone awake at night. There’s more than a 99.9 percent chance that Bennu will not hit Earth in the next three centuries, and an impact from Bennu wouldn’t cause a mass extinction like the dino-killing Chicxulub impact 66 million years ago. That asteroid was probably about six miles across; Bennu is less than a third of a mile wide, on average. Even so, a collision with Bennu would be regionally devastating. An impact would pack the energy of more than 1.1 billion tons of TNT, roughly two million times the energy of last year’s devastating port explosion in Beirut, Lebanon.

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Travel & Leisure

A romantic cruise down beautiful Blue Danube Budapest by night ...on the River Danube

THE River Danube runs through much of eastern and central Europe and is one of the most popular rivers in the world for a river cruise. It’s up there with the Nile (although the experience is incomparable). The Danube is large and navigable, the longest river in Europe proper (excluding the Volga of Russia). It flows from Germany’s Black Forest (aka the Schwarzwald) and finally empties into the Black Sea. It has long been an important river, for hundreds of years it was the frontier of the Roman Empire. It passes through some

BY FIONN DAVENPORT

QATAR Tourism and Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) UK & Ireland have announced a new partnership. The agreement is designed to enhance Qatar’s brand awareness across the region and with CLIA’s wider community of cruise lines, travel agents and stakeholders. As part of the partnership, Qatar Tourism will be one of the main headline sponsors of the CLIA Selling Cruise Day on November 4, 2021 in Southampton and will also sponsor the annual CLIA Cruise Forum in December 2021. An extensive tourism development is under way in Qatar as the country works to diversify and build upon its offerings and broaden its appeal for visitors ahead of and beyond the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and achieve its long term goal of becoming a world-class destination and welcome more than six million visitors a year by 2030. As of 12 July 2021, Qatar re-opened its borders to fully vaccinated international travellers by vaccines approved for use by the Ministry of Public

of Europe’s most stunning cities like Vienna and Budapest ... and there are many great reasons to visit Budapest! Always the best time to visit Europe is in the summer as well as late spring and early autumn. The only reason to visit in the winter would be if you were going skiing in the Swiz Alps or to see the Northern Lights in the far north. The Danube runs through 10 countries, with The Nile next with nine. It is 1,770 miles or 2,850km long. It flows through four capital cities, predictably some of the

most beautiful cities to see in the world. And so if you take a cruise down the Danube you can see old city after wonderful city. The capital cities along its banks include Vienna, Budapest, Belgrade and Bratislava, capital of Slovakia Other countries it passes through include Germany, Croatia, Romania, Bulgaria, Moldova, and Ukraine. Other cities are linked to the Danube by their tributaries including Bucharest and Munich. There are numerous other non-capital European cities lining its banks

including Novi Sad in Serbia, Drobeta-Turnu Severin of Romania, Linz in Austria, Passau in Germany, and many more. For thousands of years, the Danube has been the traditional trade route deep into Europe and a highway for travel. That is why cities in Europe are traditionally built on navigable rivers. It is possible to navigate all the way through Europe from the Black Sea to the North Sea via the Rhine-Main-Danube Canal. Take a cruise down the Danube and you will find much more than European cities. You

will find a host of national parks, river wildlife, scores of castles and fortifications, and much more. Some of the greatest tourist attractions along the Danube are the Wachau Valley in Austria, the Iron Gate in Serbia and Romania, the Danube Delta in Romania, the Naturpark Obere Donau in Germany, and more. Onne of the best ways to see the Danube and Central Europe is with a leisure cruise down the river. It is possible to find some ships going all the way from the Danube Delta as it empties into the Black Sea to Passau in

Germany. At peak season some 70 cruise liners are meandering up and down the river. There are numerous tour companies to choose from. One example of a Danube River cruise is one from Budapest to Regensburg with Viking River Cruises. With this cruise, you will visit Budapest’s Castle District and cross the famous Chain Bridge. Explore monasteries in Austria, spend two days in jaw-dropping Vienna, and visit various medieval towns. * See https://www. vikingrivercruises.com

New partnership will promote Qatar as destination for Irish

Health. Andy Harmer, CLIA UK & Ireland Managing Director, said: “We’re very excited to welcome Qatar Tourism to the CLIA family. “Their support for the trade is a clear indication they are looking to build positive cruise momentum. “The region was proving increasingly popular with cruisers and we’re all looking forward

to seeing ships start visiting the exceptional facilities of the Doha port and its surroundings again.” Chief Operating Officer of Qatar Tourism, Berthold Trenkel, said: “As Qatar has re-opened its borders, we are looking forward to welcoming back cruise travellers from around the globe. “Qatar is a fantastic destination for every type of traveller. “It is the safest and one of the

most cosmopolitan destinations in the Middle East, rich in art, culture and tradition. “With a range of assets including world class hotels, restaurants, stunning beaches and a bustling atmosphere, we offer the best of the Middle East all in one place. “Adventure-seekers can enjoy the thrill of dune bashing across the desert, cultural enthusiasts can explore our world-famous

museums and galleries, and there is a variety of fine dining options serving local and international cuisine to suit all tastes. Qatar defies expectations.” In 2019/2020, Qatar welcomed 207,000 cruise visitors to Doha. With the Doha port undergoing a multi-millionpound refurbishment recently, the destination has set its sights on meeting and exceeding this

number moving forward in the 2021/2022 season, starting November. *Fionn Davenport is the Editorin-Chief of the ITTN group, including ITTN and ITTN Ireland. He’s one of Ireland’s best-known travel journalists and writers, with nearly 30 years’ experience writing guidebooks for Lonely Planet and others.

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Community Group

A Transylvanian girl adopted by New York city (via Kilkenny) BY BIANCA RALLIS

PART 2 MY first stop was Forest Hills, Queens, the place where my husband, Demetrios, grew up. It was love at first sight! Green trees everywhere, beautiful houses where rich families enjoy their life in the heart of the huge city, apartments in old 1970s and 80s style with fancy yards and fancy entrances, or new glass buildings where the doormen dress as 5-star hotel valets. After two days came the magic moment: the first trip to Manhattan, the heart of New York. It was the day of our anniversary: two years of marriage and three years of relationship. The sunset embracing the high buildings, the people walking around or enjoying their time with friends on the terraces or restaurants, the music, the

smells, the sky reflecting into the dark blue glass walls; it was a magnificent symphony of life! We had dinner in a small cozy French restaurant. The menu was written in the French language, the music gave us the feeling of being in Paris. We walked on the streets afterward, discovering old buildings lost between the giants. I couldn’t stop thinking of the old times, imagining all the immigrants that chose, like me, to start a new life in this magnificent city! The days to come were full of new adventures and beautiful places to discover. I had the chance to walk for a few minutes in Central Park. By the entrance, we were welcomed by a live jazz band. Live music was something that I really missed during the pandemic. I was also happy to see many Irish pubs, with green, white, and orange flags hanging on their facades; this gave me the feeling of being back in Ireland. I could write few pages only after spending two weeks in NYC. There is a big Romanian community in NYC and New Jersey.

They offered me a warm welcome on the Facebook group, and a Romanian woman invited me to a Romanian community meeting in New Jersey at the end of the month. This will

‘You’re A Star’ quilt raffle for Teac Tom There’s still plenty time to get your tickets for the ‘You’re A Star’ quilt raffle in aid of Teac Tom... THE beautiful quilt featuring 72 star blocks was part of an exhibition by the South Midlands Branch of the Irish Patchwork Society, held at the Chapter House at St Mary’s Cathedral last week. There were a number of fabulous quilts, cushions and other decorative pieces on show, but the star of the show was the ‘You’re a Star’ quilt, made during lockdown and being raffled for a good cause. The members were delighted with the response to the exhibition and there were a steady stream of people visiting over the four days. The quilt would make a wonderful addition to any home and will comfortably fit a double bed. It’s a one of a kind piece and would be a piece to cherish and pass

down through generations. The quilt will be raffled with all proceeds going to Teac Tom, a well-known mental health support charity based in Kilkenny. Founded in 2014 by Angela Hayes and her family, Teac Tom provides suicide intervention and support services for those affected by or bereaved by suicide. The charity was founded in response to the death of Angela’s own son Thomas, on the anniversary of his dad’s death. Teac Tom provide a 24-hour helpline, immediate intervention and professional counselling services to those in Kilkenny and the surrounding areas. Last year a new centre was opened in Stradbally, Co. Laois. Angela Hayes, CEO of Teac

Tom, says that the last 18 months have been extremely challenging as the pandemic has severely restricted the charities’ fundraising capabilities, while at the same time they have experienced an increased demand for services. Tickets for the raffle are available online or at Teac Tom. The members sincerely hope that it will be well supported and raise vital funds for Teac Tom. The raffle will be held in early September and tickets are just €5 each or 5 for €20. www.idonate.ie/raffle/irishpatchworksociety Teac Tom, 15 Ormonde Rd, Kilkenny 056 7796592 www.thethomashayestrust. com

be a chance to form new relationships and to become an active member of my Romanian community in New York City, the way I was in Kilkenny. Being a spiritual person, I was

hoping to find Romanian orthodox churches in New York City, and I was happy to discover that there is a small one just a few blocks away from our neighborhood. Although I have not yet had the chance to visit a Romanian church, I have been inside the biggest catholic cathedral of NYC – St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Newly renovated, inside you discover magnificent architecture, beautiful sculptures, and hypnotizing stained glass windows. Again, I felt like I was back in Ireland. Regarding another important aspect of life that is still with us, I would like to mention a few impressions of NYC during the Covid 19 pandemic. Even though I was a bit nervous at the beginning, I became more relaxed after witnessing a responsible population around me. In NYC, the majority of people, even the fully vaccinated ones, are still wearing their masks on the streets, not just inside. Watching the news, I could see that it is not the same story in other states, where people are encouraged to protest

against masks and other covid restrictions that may soon be imposed with the delta variant spreading fast. Without a doubt, hard times are still to come, and many protests will take place in USA as they did in some European countries. I just hope to be safe as much as we can, and in the next months not to face, once again, a huge number of cases and overflowing hospitals. So, these are my first impressions after spending two weeks in NYC, with many more weeks ahead, as this city has become my new home! I know I will face more experiences along the way, but I am confident that I will handle them, having beside me the man I love and a lovely family! We are wishing you all the best, Kilkenny, and we are sending greetings to all our Irish and Romanian friends. Keep safe, all of you!. This article is supported by the Romanian Twilight Community Group Contact: kclw.ro@twighlight.ie

Community Group

Let’s go forward together SPORT is a great indicator for integration. The Twilight Community Group and the local South Sudanese Community Group have been working closely together as they involved all our ‘new communities ‘ in sport. The success of this collaboration can be seen in the success the African Community teams have secured over the past number of seasons. They are the current holders of the Twilight Integration Cup . They were first victorious in 2018 and regained the title in 2019 and based on their strength in depth they would have been favorites to retain in 2020 title but unfortunately covid cancelled last year’s event. Arts and Drama pre-covid was another way in which the Twilight group and Samuel Morgan’s led South Sudanese Community association of Ireland (SSCAI ) to collaborate on ways for young adults to meet and have fun in a safe and secure environment. The

Intercultural Miscellany was an excellent success, and we hope to reintroduce it to our programme this year subject to a sponsor coming forward to Twilight (0863255840) This programme, under the professional guidance of Mr. Ger Cody, encouraged all the participants to discove, and develop their talents to not only perform a one act play but to write it. Kevin Azalt a student in Waterford IT wrote

the play called ‘Ananse and the GUM’ which then performed by Mina Helen, Yona Samuel, Gift Obasogie, Joao Macumbu, Emmanuel Boahen , Abdullah Abdullah, Emmanuel Tacina , who also performed the monologue ‘I and Me’ the struggle of an immigrant as they settle in their new home. The Twilight Community Group and SSCAI can and will continue to support each other. The new Twilight Youth Inclusion group will be an open and inclusive association. Their members will come from all our diverse community group backgrounds. Our African communities are now an important part of the Kilkenny Community scene.

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 20 August 2021

News

Tributes paid to young woman killed in freak accident TRIBUTES have been paid for a Carlow woman after she died in a freak accident in Donegal in what is being described as a “freak accident” over the weekend. The road incident at Ardnawark, Barnesmore Gap, near Donegal Town, when Amanda Kinsella (27) fell from a vehicle and under a vehicle on the oppo-

site side of the road. Ms Kinsella was home in Ireland to attend the wedding of a friend in the area. Amanda, from Carlow, was based in the Middle East. She was well-known in GAA circles and played football for Irish clubs in Bahrain. A number of touching messages have been shared across

social media. Many of the emotional posts have remembered Amanda as a wonderful ladies football player. Bennekerry/Tinryland Ladies Football said: “Our Bennekerry Tinryland family and community are deeply saddened and devastated to hear the news of the utterly tragic passing of club mate Amanda Kinsella. Our

hearts are broken. “We can’t begin to describe how beautiful, talented and truly amazing she was. “We offer our deepest sympathy’s to her parents Mono and Patricia and siblings Aisling and David. A super star 100 times over, we will never ever forget her. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a hanam.”

Carlow’s Palatine GAA said: “An immense loss to our club and community. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Kinsella family on the passing of Amanda. She was a superstar and our hearts are broken.” The Middle East and the Arabian Celts club in Bahrain said: “Arabian Celts, past and present and members of the Middle

Eastern GAA, it is with a heavy heart that we share this sad news with you all. “Our Arabian Celt and most loved friend, Amanda Kinsella, has passed away after a tragic road accident yesterday evening.” Gardai have launched an investigation into the circumstances around her sudden death.

Gardai await DPP move on cold case of 37 years THE Director of Public Prosecutions is examining a file on the brutal murder of innocent mum-of-two Marie Tierney. And the Irish Sun on Sunday can reveal the DPP is expected to make a ruling on whether a man should be charged with the mum’s murder. The file relates to a man who was arrested regarding Marie’s murder back in October 1984. The suspect was arrested at his home by investigators from Kilkenny Garda Station and released without charge. A source said: “Gardai have recommended that this individual be charged with murder and the decision rests with the DPP. “It’s hoped that a decision on whether or not to charge the suspect will be made over the coming weeks. “Ms Tierney and her family deserve justice.” The murder of Marie Tierney is just one of many unsolved cases where women have been murdered in Ireland over the years. The shopkeeper, from Clintstown, Jenkinstown, Co Kilkenny, was last seen leaving her

home on October 21, 1984, in a Renault 18 estate. She was a married woman with children, aged 12 and 13. At the time she was reported missing by her family. Her body was found lying in a ditch along Bleach Road in Kilkenny on December 21, 1984. A post mortem revealed she had been strangled. Gardai believe the killer had driven her car to the scene before leaving in another vehicle. The fresh investigation into the killing is being run by detectives under the command of Supt Derek Hughes. The arrest was the first made in the case. The investigation also led to the exhumation of the body of Marie Tierney with Gardai using new DNA techniques in the case. Ms Tierney’s brother John Bourke and sister Breda Fay told of their pain. Breda said: “To imagine your sister, that somebody would murder her. Take her life and then that her body was dumped in a ditch. That person must pay for that.”

Issues over privacy hinder planning for family homes A NEW development of family homes planned for a Kilkenny village has been refused following some objections from local residents. Developer CSC Construction had requested planning permission from Kilkenny County Council to create a 13-home development in Dangan, near Kilmacow. However, the council recently refused permission for the development after hearing objections, including pri-

vacy issues, access issues and whether it was in-keeping with the zoning set-out in the county development plan. CSC Construction had sought to build nine, threebed two-storey dwelling houses and four two-bed, two-storey dwelling houses on the site. The developers have leave to appeal Kilkenny County Council’s decision to An Bord Pleanála by the end of the month.

€120k. in line to aid local fisheries MORE than €770,000 has been awarded to 17 projects to support fisheries conservation across Ireland including €120,000 for project on the River Nore. Inland Fisheries Ireland, the state agency with responsibility for the protection and conservation of freshwater fish and habitats, is awarding funding to the 17 projects in 11 counties under the ‘Habitats and Conservation Scheme 2021’. In Kilkenny, €120,000 in funding has been announced for the construction of a rock ramp on an ‘impassable’ weir. The aim of the funding is to improve fish migration up-

stream and downstream for salmon, eel and lamprey at Brett’s Weir, on the River Nore. Under two separate funds, the Salmon and Sea Trout Rehabilitation, Conservation and Protection Fund and the Midland Fisheries Fund, eligible angling clubs, commercial fishermen and fishery owners were invited to apply for financial assistance to support fisheries conservation projects in their local areas. €774,000 in funding for 17 projects has been approved so far this year, going to projects based in Kilkenny, Carlow, Cork, Donegal, Galway, Laois, Limerick, Mayo, Wexford, Westmeath and

Wicklow. Examples include: • construction of rock ramp passageways to make it easier for fish to migrate upstream and downstream of impassable weirs • improvements to water quality by installing fences to stop livestock from entering the river and providing water pumps and troughs for livestock to minimise agricultural impacts • encouraging wild river regeneration by planting native Irish trees and shrubs along riverbanks in combination with fencing • enhancement of spawning and nursery habitats for salmon and sea trout

• research to inform and improve national management decisions around sea trout • carrying out catchmentfocused feasibility studies, habitat management plans, aquatic invasive species plans and environmental assessments to improve river habitats and species • soft engineering works to help regenerate the land and water adjacent to rivers. Since 2016, Inland Fisheries Ireland has made more than €4 million available through its various funding schemes, including the two 2021 funds.

Fighting it out for the Feile finals HUNDREDS of Kilkenny school children are contesting matches as they battle it out for John West Féile county honours. The local GAA stars of the future will battle it out for the chance to play in the Feile na nGael camogie and football finals in Croke Park in October. Kilkenny’s Féile na nGael hurl-

ing finals will be staged at Palmerstown, St John’s Park, MW Hire O’Moore Park and Nowlan Park. The camogie games will take place at Glenmore, Danesfort, Freshford, Gowran, Clara and Tullaroan. The Féile Peile na nÓg ladies football games will be staged at

the James Stephens GAA Kells Road pitches. Organisers of the 2021 Féile have honoured their commitment that no child would be left behind this year after the pandemic caused the cancellation of the 2020 festival. This year’s event is being run on a county basis, with the age

grade moving to under 15. This year’s festival also marks 50 years of the Féile competitions. All dates and venues are provisional and attendees are advised to check with their local Féile co-ordinator or County Board before attending matches.

The Kilkenny Observer Friday 20 August 2021

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 20 August 2021

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New poems

Greetings from Grass Valley, California Christmas 1906

N 2019, ‘The Kilkenny Involvement Centre’ published a book of poems with the wonderful title ‘Poems from a Kilkenny Laneway’. The ninety page publication features forty poems with contributions from members at the centre as well as work from Kilkenny’s wider writing community. In conjunction with The Involvement Centre, The Kilkenny Observer newspaper will reproduce these poems over the coming weeks. The Kilkenny Observer is delighted to promote this project and we hope you enjoy the poems. Week seven sees poems from Frank Marshall, Willie Joe Meally, and Cathal McFarlane.

Incomparable i.m. Jack O Leary S.J. Gazing on the Promenade in Tramore, absorbed Remembering your ancestors sailing tentatively from this coastline settling in North America. Still gazing, almost mockingly and surprisingly you recall our visit to an Irish Pub in San Francisco. A dedicated missionary in Africa over thirty years, reluctantly returning to a deeply troubled homeland. Untiringly in later years, avoiding the Retirement Home living and ministering on a Sioux Reservation where you were cherished for your dedicated service. Frank Marshall

Bogey Jaunt Give me a sense of that time That easy journey From field to haggard Horse and bogey Faded cocks of hay Hauled up That ringing sound of cog on iron Secured with rope He steers her down through September aftergrass Out through gaps Hedgerows claw at trawneens They hang like unlit chandeliers We sit on the back of a bogey Legs dangling Chattering All the long Saturday to dally Martin talks to the mare Wey girl, steady, easy now There’s rain in that wind But it won’t come until tomorrow. Willie-Joe Meally

I’m drinking in the sunshine Livin’ it up in style But oft my mind returns To dear old Eireann’s Isle As I sailed across the oceans wild To this land of dimes and dollars My thoughts return to kinfolk In the land of Saints and Scholars How is Martin Stafford doing? God he must be a good age It seems that life just passes by Like the turning of a page How is my old friend Bridget? Did she ever marry Pat? I oft picture them together A garsoon upon her lap And how are the O’Donohue’s ? And big stout Jim McCarthy Tell ’em that I send regards And hoping they’re all hearty How are Danny Boylan’s folk? He oft helped us save the hay I knelt and prayed a rosary When I heard he’d passed away Oh the buildings here they tip the clouds They have every modern thing But you’ll never see a fox at night Nor hear a blackbird sing Oh these Christmas lights would blind you And these Yanks they talk all flash But you’ll hear no talk of cattle Or which priest served Sunday Mass So may you have a Christmas goose And spiced beef on your table To celebrate the birth of Christ To Mary in a stable It’s often in my labour I stop and think a while Of turf-filled white washed cottages In dear old Eireann’s Isle I write this from a small room In Grass Valley, California A Happy Christmas to ya all May the Lord’s light shine upon ya Cathal McFarlane

The Kilkenny Observer Friday 20 August 2021

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 20 August 2021

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Feature

Kilkenny’s industrial history is a bustling tale of innovation, struggle and perseverance. Much of the city’s industrial life circled around its many mills. The ruins and remnants of many of these historic mills remain visible around the city today, making known their historic significance within the context of Kilkenny’s development as a city and centre for industry. The history of the mills of Kilkenny weaves its way through family trees, tells of political power struggles and, significantly, highlights the relevance of the mill industry to the economic growth of the city.

HE AUGUSTINIAN’S ARRIVAL: The Long Mill Stream The Flemings who came to Ireland with the Normans are reputed to have dug this long stream sometime after 1170. It is significant that the construction of the mill stream coincided with the arrival of the Augustinians in Kilkenny, for it is generally recognised that the Augustinians played a major part in the development of water powered mills in this country. The Long Mill Stream began its course at Noremount in Friars Inch and, running more or less parallel to the Nore, re-entered the river’s main course at Maudlin St. The entire stream is about 1.1 miles long. The upper section entered the Nore below Greensbridge, while the lower section flowed along by the quay, through St John’s Priory, across John St. and through the former St John’s College where it finally entered the Nore. These mill streams were constructed in the 12th Century alongside allocated sections of the river where there was a long stretch of water. The stream was constructed on slightly higher ground so that, when the stream eventually joined back up with the river, there would be a forceful ‘fall back’ of water into the river. CHANCELLOR’S MILLS: The nearest mill to Greens Bridge was owned by the Bishop. It was named Helias Mill by James Tovey, Vice Choral of St Canices Cathedral, in a 1723 lease. The entrance to this mill was through Green St. The mill was slated and partly thatched. There were two other mills on this side of the river, adjacent to each other. Entry to these mills was through Mill Lane on Vicar Street, while entrance to Helias Mill was found on Green Street. The income from these two mills paid for the upkeep of the Chancellor of the Cathedral, hence the name. The woollen mill was described in 1835 as being in good order with four lofts. Thomas Bradley and Thomas Bibby were occupiers at that time. In 1841, a sheriff’s sale was conducted which included the sale of a

The arrival of the Augustinians and their influence on Kilkenny mill streams and mills To coincide with Heritage week 2021 (14th to 22nd August) The Kilkenny Observer in association with Cois Céim and The Saturday Walkers Group Present a history of The Mills of Kilkenny Photos: jbs photos Kilkenny tuck mill, grist mill, a spinning mill, and adjoining houses and land. In 1849, Thomas, Joseph, John, and James Bibby were charged with assaulting Michael Connors and Patrick Ryan and attempting to put them out of the mill. Thomas Bradley had been in possession since 1848. On March 5th, 1849, the Bibbys declared they were taking forcible possession of the mill. In 1850, the woollen mill had changed to a corn mill due to economic circumstances. The Chancel-

lor Rev Francis Sandys (1838 -1863) leased the mill to a Michael Costelloe. Richard Sullivan was now petitioner. He was a former MP and High Sheriff of Kilkenny. He was also the owner of Fennessy’s Mill. When Richard Sullivan died in 1855, his widow Frances became lessor and, following her death, her son James stepped into the role. Her daughter married a Carlow man named Daniel O’Connell Leyne in 1881 and he became a tenant. Following his death, John Dalton of Vicar St.

became tenant and occupier until he eventually purchased the property. The mill was driven by water-power up to the late 1940’s, at which point electricity was introduced. Business continued on the site until 1961 when the first store was built on the Freshford Road. The move to the new premises was completed in 1969. The original mill was sold to Smithwicks for £60,000. Nothing remains of the mill, the grinding stones, or the mill wheel. All the archaeological remains were destroyed.

HIGH CROSSES AT SHAMROCK MILL: In 1890, Mrs O’Connell Leyne leased part of the mill, which was no longer in use as a woollen mill, to Edward O’Shea, a monumental sculptor. O’Shea moved his monumental works from Callan to Kilkenny. He had an international reputation for sculpting High Crosses and had been awarded many prizes for his work at Dublin, London and Boston exhibitions. During the 1890s, O’Shea leased a floor of the mill to P. Doyle

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Feature

The Mill Race at The Ormonde Mills . This mill was also known as Kilkenny Scotts Mill

Fennessy’S Mill situated down river from The Ossory Bridge

The Lacken Mill

An industrial milling complex was uncovered. The earliest structure appears to date from before 1620. A fine collection of mill stones and mill related machinery parts were discovered. The mills at Green’s Bridge Street were first leased in 1749, when the Church of Ireland Bishop leased the three mills to Thomas Goddard of Back Lane. The Goddards were a prominent Kilkenny family in the 18th Century. The mills passed through several hands throughout the years. From 1891 to 1911, John Bibby leased the mill, but production ceased after 1911. The building was in poor repair and was amalgamated with the adjoining corn mill. In 1913, Nicholas Walsh from Wexford, known to everyone as ‘Walsh the Miller’, became sole occupier. He was an electrical engineer and was responsible for generating electricity using the water wheel. There was a fire in June 1914. The buildings were not damaged, but some of the contents were lost. The business continued to operate until 1960. Frank Nolan was the final proprietor and the last person to run a commercial corn mill in Kilkenny. The mill closed in the mid 1960’s This was the end of woollen production and corn milling in the area. Though the historic buildings were worthy of preservation, they were demolished some years after the closure.

The remnants of the great Mill wheel at Ormonde Mills

who used the space as a sawmill. In January 1899, a large fire broke out in the mill. The fire spread rapidly, given the mill’s contents, causing the roof of the building to collapse. Only the four walls were left standing. Fortunately, the fire did not spread to the nearby corn mill used by John Dalton. An application for compensation was made, asking for a total of £776 to account for the loss of machinery and stock. An engineer estimated that the cost of replacing the machin-

THE FASTFLOWING BREGAGH: Jenkins Mill A document dated January 18th 1561 makes reference to the granting of a mill in Kilkenny called ‘Genkines Mill’ to Robert Shee. It is fair to assume this ‘Genkins’ was Jenkins Rothe of Jenkinstown. The lane which leads to Smithwick’s Brewery from Parliament Street is called ‘Jenkins Lane’ and commemorates the same man who lived in the area. This mill was in the vicinity of the fast-flowing river Bregagh. The Brewery used the Bregagh as a power source into the 1930’s and especially during World War II. SUPPRESSION OF THE MONASTERIES: The Black Mill About two hundred YARDS upstream from the Black Abbey stood the Black Mill. The name suggests that, at one time, the mill was owned by the Black Abbey. In 1274, Gilbert le Clare, Earl of Gloucester granted the Dominicans an exemption from paying toll for grinding their corn at this mill. He also granted them the privilege of having their corn ground before anyone else had the opportunity to do so. In 1540, the mill was confiscated with the suppression of monasteries. There was a mill in operation at this site throughout the 19th Century and it is documented that in 1850, Thomas Bradley had a kiln and a corn mill here.

ery would be £700/£800 while repairs to the building would amount to £700. The Judge awarded £219 for stock destroyed and awarded £700 for machinery. He also allowed £250 for building costs to be levied on the County Council. DISCOVERIES AT PEACE PARK: Green’s Bridge Street Mills During the drainage scheme of the Nore, excavations were carried out downstream of Greens Bridge at Mill Island in the present-day Peace Park.

The new river side walk which shows the ruins of The Chancellors Mills which was later Daltons Mills in the foreground

MEDIEVAL MILLS: Lacken Mill The medieval origins of Lacken Mill, which stands across the River Nore, opposite Ormode Mill, remain visible today. Discoveries made in the 1980s revealed a medieval stone arch as well as a stone slab bearing an incised carving of a man in 16th century costume, part of the Archer’s coat of arms. The mill’s brick façade is also built on a 15th/16th century structure. In the 19th century, the Sullivan family, who lived in Lacken Hall and owned the Brewery on James’ Street, renovated the mill, bringing it up to 19th century standards. ST. FRANCIS’ ABBEY AND ST JOHN’S ABBEY: In 1231, Richard the third Earl Marshall founded the Abbey of St Francis a few hundred yards downstream of the Bregagh, near the river’s confluence with the Nore. In 1540, a list of Abbey properties was compiled to coincide with the suppression of the monasteries. There was a similar list prepared referencing other properties within the Abbey’s precincts. The mills mentioned are possibly those in Friar’s Inch, Bleach Road, and Dunmore, referred to in the 17th century as “Abbey Land”. LOCAL CONVERSION PROJECT: Fennessy’s Mill Below Ossory Bridge on the west bank of the Nore stands the ruins of Fennessy’s mill. The owner was Richard Sullivan during the mid-

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1850’s. The Kilkenny Moderator in 1891 described this mill as disused but about to be converted to a bone crushing plant. Business continued until the 1930’s when production ceased. Some years later, locals closed the window openings, had the walls plastered and used the building as a handball court. The Archer family owned all the land in the area and their coat of arms is on the wall of the mill. A grant was made in 1426 of the Stone Mills of Kilkenny by the Earl of Ormonde to William Archer and Robert Waryn.

the sole mill now operating on the Nore in Kilkenny City. MAUDLIN STREET MILL: Rocque’s map of 1782 shows that there was a mill at the top of Maudlin Street. In 1850, Louis Kinchella operated a flour mill there, which was also a kiln. Much later, in the years between 1920 and 1930, the mill wheel was still turning, operated by the Bergin family, who were wheelwrights and builders of mill wheels. They used the mill not to grind corn, but to operate lathes and saws.

QUARRYLAND MILL: On the East bank of the Nore, opposite Fennessy’s Mill, another mill stood in the area now known as ‘Quarryland’. Reference to this mill is made in an inquisition that took place at the Tholsel in Kilkenny on May 6th , 1633: “Ald Nicholas Ley was seised of a moiety of one water mill, 76 acres of arable pasture and furze, one moiety of a fishery and one quarry in the tenement of Phinnel and St. Mallagge.”

A WONDER OF WATERPOW ER: Maddoxtown Mill The mill at Maddoxtown, a massive structure with two mill wheels, in operation during the 19th century, was considered to be one of the great wonders of water-power when in its prime. At the site, the remains of a 16th century building can be seen. It was converted to a dwelling house but is now partly roofless.

‘THE STILL’: Warrington Mill Further downstream on the west bank of the river is Mount Warrington distillery, locally known as ‘The Still’. There was also a flour mill here. The mill at Warrington likely dates from the 17th or early 18th Century. There is a drying kiln outside with a flue from it through the outer wall of the mill. The great depth of the mill stream suggests that it had a very large wheel. In 1830, The Kilkenny Moderator advertised the sale or letting of the distillery. By 1850, the distillery and mill were vacant and were never reopened after this point. THE LAST OF ITS KIND: Inch Mill Patrick Brett, a wheelwright from Ballycallan, started a small mill in Maudlin Street, at the bottom of Windgap Hill. In 1866, he bought Inch mill and started a flourishing business, manufacturing egg boxes, food troughs, and coffin boards. On his death in 1916, his son William took over the business, carrying on the trade. When William died in 1961, his son Liam stepped into his father’s shoes. Inch mill is now over 150 years in the Brett family and is

The Ormonde Mills

The Mill Race leading into The Lacken Mill

THE MILL RACE: Coming from Greens Bridge and Greens hill was probably the first Mill Race constructed in Kilkenny. It served a mill at St. Maul’s, and later down river to St John’s Priory

LADY DESART AND KILKENNY WOOLLEN MILLS Ellen, Countess of Desart was responsible for the establishment of this mill in 1906. Here, the most advanced use of water-power was in use, a large turbine driving a D.C. generator to provide electric power for the plant. Lady Desart generated significant employment for the people of Kilkenny through the establishment of this mill, as well as through a variety of other projects and businesses. On her death in 1933, the O’Shaughnessy family of Co. Cork took over the business and produced tweeds of a very high quality. However, a fire in 1962 destroyed the premises and operations never resumed.

WHERE THE DININ MEETS THE NORE: Mount Eagle Distillery A few hundred yards downstream from where the Dinin joins the Nore,

there was a distillery known as Eagle Rock on the river’s west bank. The distillery fell on hard times due to Fr. Matthew’s temperance campaign and

went out of business in 1840. Twenty years later, a flour mill is known to have been in operation in the area, owned by a Thomas Little, though whether this mill was run in the same building as the distillery is unknown. Today nothing remains of the building except dried up mill streams filled with masonry from historic buildings. ORMONDE WOOLLEN MILLS: These mills date back to the construction of Kilkenny Castle in the 12th Century. Originally called the Castle Mills, they came to be known as the Ormond Mills in 1391 when the castle was purchased from the De la Spencers. The Civil Survey for Kilkenny City of 1654 describes the mills as being three in number under one roof, ‘whereof two are corn mills, and ye other a tucking mill, ye walls being of stone’. During the Industrial Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars, there was a boom in grain exports and corn mills were flourishing. Some years later, after the Battle of Waterloo in 1815, grain exports fell and the corn mill was converted to a woollen mill. Five hundred people were employed in the woollen mill during the first half of the 19th century. A fire destroyed the mills in 1969. The mills were never to reopen.

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The Kilkenny

Observer

On Friary

Street

A vibrant street full of local businesses new and old; at the Kilkenny Observer we are so happy to now call Friary Street home. Read on to discover the rich history of our street and abundance of independent shops and businesses located here. Don’t forget to take the next opportunity to wander down and explore Friary Street for yourself

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 20 August 2021

On Friary Street

Capuchin friars have a long history in kilkenny With thanks to the Saturday walkers group for this information The first recorded reference to the Friars in Kilkenny is 1643, when they were granted accommodation in St John’s Abbey by the Corporation. In 1678 they had a chapel and convent in St John’s Abbey, the community consisted of three. In 1682 Fr. James Tobin procured a plot of “waste ground on the South side of Walkin Street within the City Walls” from the Duke and Duchess of Ormonde on which he built a Poor House. In his will, he mentions of build-

ing a stone house covered with slate containing sixty foot in length, designing the same for the reception of “twelve poor distressed men and women, natives of this city, wherein I desire my own relations to be preferred.” Having served its purpose for almost 200 hundred years, it was taken down in 1897, the site been handed over to the Capuchins for the erection of a college. It is recorded in 1756, the friars had a convent in Walkin Street close to the Poor House. Their very small chapel stood to the rear of the poor house and became known as the Poor

House Chapel. Fr. Tobin who died in 1699/1700, had family connections with Lyrath. Tradition says one of the friars acting as a book vendor kept a stand in the Tholsel and he received the sick calls during the day. When evening came, he deposited his bookstall in the poor house and tended to his sick calls. Two of the friars associated with the poor house are interred in the old St John’s graveyard. One was Fr. Martin St John who died in 1780 aged 93 years, and Fr. McDonnell who died in 1782 aged 66 years. Fr. Forrestall, born at Bennetsbridge in 1758, ordained in

1784, served in St Canice’s from 1785 to 1799. He then served in Callan until 1820 then came to live in Kilkenny where he died in 1829 and interred in the old St John’s Graveyard. He was the last Franciscan in Kilkenny. Hogan viewed the headstones in the 1850’s, but writing in 1884 stated they were not to be found. These headstones are to be seen to day along with more modern markings at the foot of the graves. The next guardians were Fr. Thomas Murphy and Fr. William Berry who were educated on the continent. According to the customs of the times they brewed their own ale and baked their own bread. Fr. Murphy died in June 1817, aged 73 years. Fr. Berry died in October 1822 aged 80 years. Both these friars are interred in the present Friary chapel. Mention is made in 1826 of Fr. John Mulligan as living in the Community and was the next guardian who in 1848 undertook the building of a new chapel. No one knows where he obtained the money for the project as it was built during the Famine. It was he who was responsible for the ringing of the bells in 1829 announcing Catholic Emancipation. The bells were named O’Connell

in honour of the Liberator and Sheil, a local Catholic. Fr. Mulligan had a cross erected on the highest gable of the chapel which gave much offence to non-Catholics. One Sunday in the 1840s he had the high altar decorated with green boughs, flowers and candles. As 12 o’clock approached, four men carried a local merchant Tom Prince in an arm chair to the Altar where he read his recantation and was received into the church. Tom Prince saved a man’s life in the 1798 rebellion, perhaps it was he who paid for the building of the chapel. Fr. Mulligan died in 1853 after which there was no representative of the Order until 1855 when Fr. Edward Tommins was appointed guardian, he was the first friar to wear the Order’s habit in public since the Reformation. Many improvements to the Friary took place during his time, the section parallel with Friary Street was completed in 1874. Fr. Tommins died in 1889 and is interred in the friary chapel. The pillars, cornices and pediments surrounding the high Altar were taken from the old St Mary’s known as the Old Cathedral adjacent to Wellington place. Another capuchin of note

was Fr. Theobald Matthew, the Apostle of Temperance. He joined the Kilkenny community soon after his ordination in 1814 and transferred to Cork in 1816. Fr. Albert Bibby regarded as a Kilkenny native, was born in Bagenalstown (1877), came to live with his family in High Street, where they a had a drapery business. After his education at the local C.B.S. he joined the Capuchins, ordained a priest 1902, came to live in Kilkenny in 1904 before moving to Dublin, became very involved with the Republican movement in 1916. The Order arose in 1528 when Matteo da Basscio, a Franciscan friar, sought to return to a more primitive way of life of solitude and penance St. Francis had envisaged. His superiors were not in agreement, so Friar Matteo and his followers were forced to flee and were given refuge by a group of monks known as the Camaldolese. In gratitude they adopted the hood (cappuccio) worn by that order, and the practice of wearing a beard which was the mark of a hermit in Italy. In 1529 they had four houses and held their first chapter at which their particular rules were drawn up. Simplicity, poverty, austerity the simple things of life as near to St Francis’ ideals. They were to wear the brown habit with the distinctive pointed hood, girdled by the woollen cord with the three knots. The cappuccino coffee is named after the shade of brown used for their habit.

The Kilkenny Observer Friday 20 August 2021

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On Friary Street

The Kilkenny Observer Friday 20 August 2021

kilkennyobserver.ie

On Friary Street

Simply Skin Beauty and Laser

Simply Skin Beauty and Laser is one of the newer and very welcome additions to Friary Street. Lorraine and her team of highly qualified therapists will look after your skin and beauty needs with expert service and a luxurious experience. The salon has recently been recognised by the Good Salon Guide and awarded five stars. Laser treatments are one of their many areas of expertise and this week, Lorraine answers some of the most common questions and concerns. What are the laser treatments available at Simply Skin? • Hair Removal • Skin Rejuvenation / Photo Rejuvenation • Thread Veins on Face / Thread Veins / Spider Veins on Legs • Rosacea on Face What do I need to do before embarking on a Laser Treatment programme? If you are interested in Laser Treatments at Simply Skin, the first step is to book a free consultation and patch test. This will ensure the treatment is right for you and your skin. How do I prepare for my patch test? Make sure to shave at least 24 hours before coming into the salon. Avoid using deodorant, fake tan and any lotions and creams on the area. What to expect when getting patch test done?

The area to be tested will be cleaned by the Therapist and a cool gel will be applied to the area. Several shots of the laser are applied to the area. You can expect a slight elastic band sensation on the skin from the machine. The gel is cleaned off and pure Aloe Vera is applied to the area following treatment.

the second layer of your skin (dermis) without harming the top layer (epidermis), so it causes less damage to your skin. Pigment cells in your skin absorb the light energy, which is converted into heat. The heat destroys the unwanted pigment to clear up pigmentation damage and it destroys the hair follicle to prevent the hair from growing again

What to expect from your free consultation? The therapist will go through your needs and preferences to tailor your individual and personal treatment plan. Each client varies on their journey to their desired result, as blonde, red, grey, white, black, brown or silver hair will respond differently to the laser machine. The therapist will advise how many treatments will be required. What is IPL? Intense-pulsed light treatment know as IPL is similar to a laser treatment. Laser treatment focuses just one

wavelength of light at your skin, while IPL releases light of many different wavelengths, like a photo flash. The light

from IPL is more scattered and less focused than a laser. IPL penetrates down to

Some other treatments also require a patch test – please contact us or call in for your free patch test and consultation before booking your appointment. Phone 087 4097600 or Email info@simply-skin.ie

Is there any adverse effects? No there is no adverse effects, IPL is completely safe. What is Photo rejuvenation? Photo-rejuvenation/ Skin rejuvenation is a non-invasive treatment which helps treat skin damage without disruption of the skins surface thus helping to promote younger and healthier looking skin on the face, neck, chest and hands. IPL is used to treat broken capillaries which Irish skin is very prone to. It can help reduce enlarged pores and pigmentation damage, dark spots and redness of the face and neck. Will I feel safe visiting Simply Skin? We strictly adhere to Covid regulations. Names and numbers are recorded for contact tracing, hand hygiene is practised and PPE is worn. A stringent cleaning regime is adhered to and social distancing between clients is a must.

The Kilkenny Observer Friday 20 August 2021

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On Friary Street

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 20 August 2021

On Friary Street

Residents and shops in Friary Street about 1950 In 2007, a St Rioch’s community Group published a book commemorating St Rioch’s graveyard. The booklet contained the following article on residents and shops on Friary Street which makes for interesting reading. THERE have been many changes in Friary Street since 1950. It was originally called Lower Walkin Street before being changed to Friary Street. A number of houses were demolished to make Friary Street car park and in more recent years apartments and houses have been built on the site of the old car park. The following gives the reader some idea of the changes that have taken place. Beginning at the junction of High Street and Friary Street on the left coming from High Street we find Murphy’s Woollen store, which extends up Friary Street. A curtain shop and Fennelly’s Fish shop occupied the next two premises. These were built by Tommy Grace who was the owner of the present Book Centre, in the 1970’s. The Halifax bank has now replaced the ESB premises, which in turn replaced Leahy’s tea rooms. Paddy Phelan’s coal yard and hackney business was replaced by Grahams shoe shop and the Friary Hall. Paddy was an outstanding left half back on the Kilkenny Senior team for many years and was on the team of the century. Slaters poultry and fish shop was a well-known business and during the war years there was a great business in the export of rabbits to England. The sale of rabbits to Slaters was a great source of income for country men. Slaters also had a yard at the opposite side the street for

Kenna’s butcher shop, opened in 1932, and continues to be a hugely successful business. Picture shows Paddy in the centre with his sons Michael and John . (photo: jbs photos Kilkenny)

Coal man for forty years, Richie Moore pictured prior to his retirement at Moore’s fuel yard. (photo: jbs photos Kilkenny)

Carrying on a tradition, Matt Gargan of Gargan Sculptors at work at Friary Street. (photo: jbs photos Kilkenny)

killing and skinning rabbits and plucking poultry. John Slater was mayor of Kilkenny in 1917 and 1918. He died in 1945. The large building past The Friary was used as a dispensary. Doctors White, Mitchell and Healy were well known doctors working there. There was a Relief office at the back of the building to assist people who had fallen on

hard times. The row of houses leading to Pennyfeather lane was known as Walkin street Sconce. Doctor Dan Divilly lived there for many years. Thomas Hennessy and family lived in the building next to the dispensary and the house was known as ‘the long hall’. The next three houses were occupied by Coyle’s, McDonalds and Williams. Coyle’s had been printers in Kilkenny for many years. The Gargan family have been stone craftsmen and monumental sculptors for many generations and still have a very successful business. Born in Walkin Street, Matt Gargan was one of the most outstanding hurlers Kilkenny produced and played with the famous Kilkenny team of the 1904 -1913 period, when they won no less than seven All-Ireland titles. Five of his sons played hurling, the most notable being Jack who was on the Kilkenny team that won the 1939 All Ireland final. The following three house were

Friary Hall dinner dance: Tess Buggy, Fr Andrew and Andy O’Brien

Friary Street resident Joseph O’Carroll (extreme right, back row) in a production of ‘The Quaker Girl’; produced by St Marys. Choral Society at Stallard theatre in 1956. Also in the photo: (Back) Peter Farrelly, Cora Broderick, William Brennan, Siobhán Dowling, and Marie O’Neill. (photo with thanks to Peter Farrelly’s book ‘600years of Theatre in Kilkenny’)

occupied by Lynch’s, Hogan’s and Buggy’s. Dick Buggy was chauffeur to Bishop Collier. Ned Buggy has been a very prominent member of Kilkenny GAA for many years. Joe Carroll, another resident on this side was well known in the theatre and was a local historian. He published ‘A guide to Kilkenny’ which still serves as a reference book. He was also manager of the bottling stores further up Walkin street. In recent years Mullins butcher shop moved to this side of the street from across the road. Ray Cody lived here since the 1960’s farther up the street. There is a very well-known popular chip shop called ‘Breda’s Chipper.’ The Morrissey family have had a very successful business premises at the corner of Friary Street and New street for many years. The family had a bakery for some years and were involved in politics. Moving to the right hand side of the street (from High street up Friary street) Liptons (later the L&N supermarket) and Lenehans had a shop on the corner. Pauls now occupy the premises. The Vogue clothes shop was owned by Thomas Murphy from the

Woolen Hall is now part of Pauls premises. Next was Joe Egan’s Delph shop. As well as selling delph, he would hire out delph for large social functions and gatherings such as threshing. Kenna’s butcher shop, opened in 1932, now occupy Egans shop and have a very successful business. Andrew Ryan’s public house was next and Billy Burke had a private house next door. Rafter Dempsey’s public house had been Tynan’s bar and grocery. The premises that had been demolished to make the Friary street car park include O’Keeffe’s hardware, Jimmy Allen plumbers and Joe Burke blacksmith. Other houses were occupied by Frank Flood, Paddy Lysaght, Jimmy Dunne and Jenny Lee. Following those were two alms houses organised by the Capuchin Friars. The Flood-Morrissey family lived in the corner house, adjoining Garden Row and dealt in antiques. The Lawlor family lived at the opposite corner of Garden Row. Mr Lawlor was the manager of The Regent Cinema. Occupants further up the street were Boyles and Tom, a member of that family

was secretary of Kilkenny County Council and author of its history. Other residents were Hennessy’s, Doyle’s (Mrs. Doyle was a piano teacher) Milo Butler, who was a builder and local councillor, Kiely’s and Armstrongs. A hairdressers now occupies the premises that previously housed Mullins Butchers. Ritchie Moore ran a very successful fuel yard. Jack Moore had been a second hand dealer for many years. Mullins butchers used the abattoir next door to the fuel yard. The Ryan family had a very successful bakery here for many years, with their bread and blas having a very good reputation. Tom Ryan succeeded his father Jack and they also ran a sweet shop here. Tom’s son Paddy was a very successful manager of the L&N and later became manager of The Market Cross shopping centre. The Devane family lived next door. The large premises at the corner of Friary Street and Parnell street is owned by the Doherty family, they have been here for generations. The public house was previously owned by Hacketts.

The Kilkenny Observer Friday 20 August 2021

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On Friary Street

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On Friary Street

Luke Parsons Hair Salon - bespoke wig fitting and custom made pieces available LUKE Parsons Hair Salon is a 5 star boutique style salon located on Friary Street just metres off Kilkenny’s bustling High Street, where a highly skilled team awaits all your hair and beauty needs. Stockists of high-end products like Matrix, Morroccan oil and Nioxin to offer you a luxury experience. 2021 sees the salon emerge from Covid-19 lockdown with a renewed hunger to create the best experience and amazing hair for their loyal customer base. The salon is thriving and run by creative director and local Luke Parsons who has been working in the hairdressing industry for 15 years with a huge passion for his craft. Over the years Luke noticed the need for a wig specialist and hairloss service and decided it was time to gain knowledge and upskilled to be able to provide these services for clients at his salon. Luke offers a bespoke wig fitting service. Also custom made pieces for alopecia etc. Contact us in the utmost confidence to arrange a private consultation. HSE funding available. Please contact our Front of House to arrange a free consultation. 0567721703 email: lukeparsonshairsalon@ gmail.com

The Kilkenny Observer Friday 20 August 2021

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On Friary Street

The Kilkenny Observer Friday 20 August 2021

kilkennyobserver.ie

On Friary Street

Kitty Drohan a woman of vision and vitality

ment. And while it may not have been synonymous with comfort, it had that one ingredient that mattered. Soul.

BY GER CODY MANY people reading this will be of the opinion that the history of theatre in Kilkenny rests

within the walls of such venues as The Set, Cleeres, The Watergate and The Hole in the Wall. Not so. There were three or four others. For today, we will focus

on The Friary Hall, which was the home to Musicals, Theatre, Tops of The Town, Feis Ceoil and a myriad of other forms of entertain-

A DEDICATED CREW KEPT THEATRE ALIVE There are many reasons why musical theatre is so strong in Kilkenny. Equally, there are many people to whom our thanks should go to for carrying the musical baton down through the years. We remember Fr Con Sherin, St Mary’s choral society, those who performed on an amateur basis year in year out, the front of house and backstage crew who volunteered, and many more. In recent years the local Kilkenny Musical Society have produced some wonderful shows. How many of the current members know about the people who founded the society and those who ensured its survival? Not many I would suggest. That, however is life. Time and tide etc. Time and Tide.

BLOOD SWEAT AND TEARS There was one couple who put body and soul into local musicals. Blood sweat and tears would probably be closer to the truth. Kitty and Maunsell Drohan must take a special place for their unselfish promotion and dedication to music in general and the local musical society in particular. Kitty, along with Donal O Brien founded the society in 1974, and the rest as they say is history. While Kitty was almost the resident director of shows staged at the Friary Hall from 1974, Maunsell took charge of all things technical. There were times when you would be forgiven for thinking Maunsell had left the room as he was so quiet. ‘A man with a tam’ who put the head down and got on with the work. Considering the very basic equipment he had, it was nothing short of miraculous to see what he produced. I know little of the man, but that he was intelligent and well-read was never in doubt.

A sort of a Google before it was invented. He lit shows (and his beloved pipe) to a quality that was brilliant. When, as often happened, things broke down, Maunsell, with no fuss tied a thing to a yoke and saved the day. A MacGyver type. NO SHORTAGE OF ENERGY Kitty was the go to theatre person in Kilkenny. Space does not allow to tell of her work with other societies, schools and a hundred and one different groups. She gave and then gave some more. When you thought her tank was empty she went up another gear. Suffice to say that they both left a wonderful mark on musical theatre in the city. Many people walked various stages in this County and beyond thanks to the energy, vitality and vision of Kitty Drohan, aided by Maunsell. Whenever a musical was staged at The Friary Hall, it was the highlight of the theatrical year.

The Kilkenny Observer Friday 20 August 2021

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On Friary Street

kilkennyobserver.ie

The Kilkenny Observer Friday 20 August 2021

kilkennyobserver.ie

On Friary Street

The Friary Street Ambush: 1921 ON February 21st, 1921, three man lost their lives in what has become known as ‘The Friary Street Ambush’. Two of those were members of the local IRA. The plaque which is positioned at the junction of Pennyfeather lane and Friary Street reads as follows. ‘At this spot, Capt. Thomas Hennessy and Michael Dermody (NCO), two brave soldiers of The Irish Republican army, gave their lives ithe cause of Irish Freedom on February 21st 1921, during the War of Independence. To perpetuate their memories, this plaque was erected by the members of the 1st Battalion Kilkenny Brigade I.R.A.’ INNOCENT PASSER BY The third person to die was a local Council worker called Thomas Dullard, who was an innocent bystander.

100 YEARS LATER One hundred years to the day, in

2021, The First Battalion of the Kilkenny Brigade re-enactment group, laid wreaths to remem-

ber all three who died. Having first called to St Patricks graveyard, where they laid a wreath on the grave of Thomas Dullard,

the small group then travelled to Friary Street, where those who lost their lives were remembered. Fr Dan Carroll said a

prayer at the site, and following a few words from Commandant Larry Scallan, a minutes silence was held.

kilkennyobserver.ie

Dine Me

The Kilkenny Observer Friday 20 August 2021

Food & Drink

Come

Wines to go with veal ... and with fish

With

Sourdough pizza Prep: 1 hour Cook: 1 hour plus 4 days for the sourdough and 4-18 hrs resting Ingredients For the base • 1 batch white sourdough (see step 1) • strong or plain flour , for dusting For the topping • 2 x 400g cans plum tomatoes • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil , plus extra to serve • 1 tsp dried oregano • 300g mozzarella , torn into chunks • small bunch of basil , leaves picked (optional) Method STEP 1 Make a batch of our white sourdough, following the recipe to the end of step 10. When the dough is ready, tip it onto a lightly floured surface and divide into six equal pieces. Roll into balls and leave to rest on a floured tray, covered with a damp teatowel, in the fridge for at least 4 hrs, and up to 18 hrs – the longer you leave the dough, the more sour it will taste. STEP 2 Meanwhile, make the tomato sauce. Drain some of the juice from the plummed tomatoes and tip the rest into a bowl with the olive oil, oregano and a generous pinch of salt. Combine by either scrunching everything together with your fingers (this will make a chunky sauce) or blitz with a stick blender (this will make a smooth sauce). Chill until needed. STEP 3 To make the pizzas, heat a grill to high and prepare an ovenproof frying pan. On a floured surface, push and stretch a ball of dough into a circle roughly the same size as the pan. Get the pan very hot, then working quickly and carefully, drape it into the pan, spread over some of the sauce, a handful of mozzarella and some basil, if using. STEP 4 Cook for 2 mins, until little bubbles appear, then put the pan under the grill for another 2-4 mins until the sides are puffed up and the cheese has melted. Remove, drizzle with a little olive oil and cut into wedges. Repeat with the remaining dough.

Can I use sourdough starter to make pizza dough? Yes, in fact we use our basic white sourdough bread recipe as our sourdough pizza base. The key to this is white flour – classic pizza is made using 100% white flour and not all starters are made with just white flour so bear in mind that if your starter has been made with brown or rye flour your pizza dough will be a bit more ‘wholemeal’. Our basic white sourdough recipe has less water than others which is why it can be straight swapped for pizza dough but other recipes that use more water might be a little too wet and sticky to stretch out. Ideally, for pizza dough you’ll never need more than 650g of water per 1kg of flour. Can I freeze sourdough pizza dough? Balls of dough and stretched out pizza bases can be frozen for up to three months. For the balls, you’ll need to wrap them well individually and then defrost fully for 8 hours at room temperature or 24 hours in the fridge before using. For the stretched out bases, you can freeze them piled up with baking parchment between them, then top and bake from frozen on a hot tray or pizza stone. You could even top them and freeze them and bake from frozen. How do you shape a sourdough pizza base? The best way to shape pizza dough is to roll it into balls, then leave it to rest for the gluten to relax. This resting time can be anything from 15 mins on the counter to up to 24 hours in the fridge. The balls can then be stretchedout on a lightly floured surface. The most traditional way, and for the best defined crust, is to do it with your fingers then pick it up and stretch it over your fist. This takes some practice and you can still get good results simply using a rolling pin. Can sourdough pizza be cooked in the oven? For the best cooking results, we recommend the frying pan method which replicates a pizza oven, but you can still get good pizza using a hot baking tray or and a very hot oven. Pre-heat the oven to 240C/220C fan/gas 8 with a tray in it. The pizzas can be assembled on another floured tray then slid onto a hot tray and baked for 10-12 mins.

Tips for making sourdough pizza from scratch • 100% white flour is traditionally used in pizza which also extends to the sourdough starter you use. Organic or stone-ground strong white bread flour works best in the starter can also be used for the main dough as well as Italian white ‘00’ flour. • Ideally a pizza dough is around 60-65% hydrated, you’ll never need more than 650g of water per 1kg of flour. Our basic white sourdough recipe has less water than others which is why it can be straight swapped for pizza dough. Other recipes that use more water might be a little too wet and sticky to stretch out. • Sourdough pizza can be made 15 minutes after the dough has been divided into balls and rested but the longer you leave the balls to prove in the fridge the more flavour the dough will develop. For the sour flavour to be obvious, you need to leave the dough in the fridge for at least 8 hours and up to 24 hours. • Getting your raw pizza to the oven can be tricky, so either use the frying pan method (see below) or make your pizza up on a floured flat tray which you can slide onto your hot oven tray or pizza stone. • In our opinion, you don’t need a cooked tomato sauce to top pizza. Just use finely chopped canned or crushed whole tinned tomatoes with a potato masher or through your fingers. • Good-quality mozzarella can become watery when melted, so bear that in mind and if you want to avoid that, use the cheaper pre-grated or block mozzarella that doesn’t come in a water. • If you wish to reduce portion size, the dough and toppings recipe can easily be halved to make three pizzas.

VEAL pains best with crisp and rich whites or fruity and smooth reds. Also consider aromatic whites and powerful reds. Veal is similar to Pork, in that it occupies the middle ground between red meat and white meat and can pair well with either red or white wine. The delicate flavour and tender texture of veal should be taken into account when making your wine selection, as well as the fact that it is naturally low in fat. How the veal is cooked and any accompaniments should also be considered. Lighter dishes, and those prepared with cream or lemon juice, go very well with crisp style whites and fruity style reds with good acidity. More substantial dishes call for rich style whites or smooth style reds, and the weightiest dishes, such as veal stew, can take a powerful style red. If the dish is spicy, or has a sweet ingredient (such as Veal Marsala with a sweet, rather than a dry Marsala), then an Aromatic style white would be ideal. Meanwhile, fish pairs best with crisp whites. Also consider aromatic and rich whites with good acidity and, by exception, fruity reds. Fish are generally light in texture and flavour, and are therefore best paired with white wine. The lighter the flavour and softer the texture of the fish the lighter the wine should be. Equally, heavily flavoured and chunkier fish require a more full bodied white. A sauce, if used, will also be an important determinant in deciding on the overall weight of the dish. Look for good acidity in the wine, as this will cut through any oil or saltiness in the fish and bring out its delicate flavours. Generally, crisp style whites are best with fish, while rich style whites are also very good when the dishes are weighty enough to take them. Aromatic whites, with good acidity, can also be excellent. By exception, some fruity red wines with good acidity and low tannin, such as a Pinot Noir (light), can work very well with salmon, for instance.

The Kilkenny Observer Friday 20 August 2021

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TV & Streaming

Is Netflix really worth your monthly sub?

to watch now on Amazon

Not just another show about a small town where strange things happen, Tales from the Loop has a lot more underneath the surface. Drawing from a narrative art book by Swedish artist Simon Stålenhag, the series is stunning to look at, meticulous as can be with symmetrical frames. Light and space are infused with a painterly feel. The interconnected townspeople are similarly nuanced, their stories exploring loneliness, ageing, the impact of technology and more through sci-fi ideas.

The Black Mirror vibes are strong in this British series about technology gone wrong. The Feed is set in a futuristic London where a family develops an implant that lets people livestream their lives without needing to press a button on a phone. No, absolutely nothing can go wrong with that! Some pretty impressive actors in the cast, including David Thewlis and Michelle Fairley. While it’s not as polished or deep-cutting as Black Mirror, it’s still worth a look -- just grab your phone during the less gripping parts.

IT was 2013 when Netflix put out its first original series — House Of Cards — and some people thought the company was crazy. The first season alone cost tens of millions of dollars, and suddenly thrust Netflix into competition with other streaming channels. The bet paid off, however, and today Netflix is debuting an original show or movie nearly every week. In spite of this, there’s a substantial undercurrent of people choosing to cancel their subscriptions. The company lost 430,000 and the rest subscribers in the second quarter of 2021 alone. That doesn’t spell doom but obviously suggests it could be doing better. So is Netflix still

worth subscribing to? Netflix is still the leading premium streaming service, with over 200 million worldwide subscribers. It offers thousands of movies and TV shows to binge watch, including its always growing list of original films and series, including Stranger Things, The Witcher, Bridgerton, and many more. Just on the basis of Netflix originals, there’s a lot to watch exclusively on Netflix. While House Of Cards may have fallen out of favour due to Kevin Spacey’s involvement, there are still solid shows. You can choose from Stranger Things, Black Mirror, Castlevania, The Punisher, and The Witcher, to name a few. Quality can vary

drastically, but there’s often something worthwhile in any given genre, except perhaps current affairs. The company’s movies have had mixed success critically, but there are still solid and occasionally award-winning fiction titles like Okja, Roma, Beasts oP No Nation, and The Trial of the Chicago 7. Arguably, some of the best films on the service are documentaries. These include Ava DuVernay’s 13th or Werner Herzog’s Into The Inferno — which, once again, you can’t watch anywhere else. One major issue is that Netflix is quick to cancel originals that don’t achieve, say, Stranger Things levels of success. An infamous example

is The OA, which, despite a cult following, had its second and ultimately final season end on a cliffhanger. Netflix is not a service you can count on to complete story arcs, or sometimes even keep a good show alive. A bigger concern, however, is that the rise of new services has robbed Netflix of popular third-party content, with (sometimes) more consistently appealing selections offered elsewhere. Most if not all Marvel, Pixar, and Star Wars titles have been moved to Disney Plus. Also, some choices cancelled this month include Terminator 2, Django Unchained, Inception, and Team America.

Spy series Q-Force as funny as it is gay NETTFLIX has released a trailer for Q-Force, and it’s the funny, animated queer spy series we didn’t know we needed. The series begins with Steve Maryweather – also known as Agent Mary – graduating at the top of his class at the American Intelligence Agency (AIA). During his graduation speech, Maryweather reveals to his classmates that he is gay. AIA director Dirk Chunley is

visibly shocked by the revelation and quickly cuts Maryweather off, revealing that another (straight) agent was now the top of the class. After the ceremony the agency is unable to fire him, but decides to send Maryweather to West Hollywood to “disappear into obscurity”, as per the show’s description. Instead, Maryweather joins forces with a misfit squad of LGBT+ superspies to fight back at

the agency that underestimated them. He recruits expert mechanic Deb, master of drag and disguises Twink and hacker Stat. After the rogue team solve a major crime, they gain the reluctant approval of the AIA and become “active secret agents”. But they are also told they must welcome a straight man, Agent Rick Buck (voiced by Stranger Things‘ David Harbour) to their team. It’s revealed that the AIA nick-

named the group the ‘Q-Force’, with the ‘Q’ standing for queer. Their leader says they could ask the agency to stop it, but Maryweather reveals that he kind of likes the moniker. The Netflix series is created by Gabe Liedman, who has been a writer for Brooklyn Mine-Nine. Liedman will also join the starstudded LGBT+ cast of voice actors on the series, playing the role of Benji in the series.

Amazon rescued The Expanse from the realm of canceled TV, bringing us a fifth season with a sixth to come. Thank goodness it did, because The Expanse is smart sci-fi with realistic characters, high production values and a dash of detective noir. Set in a future where humanity has colonised the Solar System, a conspiracy threatens to start a cold war between the largest powers. A band of antiheroes find themselves at the centre. Look forward to more space western themes in the consistently excellent later seasons.

If you’re in a particularly meditative mood, reflecting on life, relationships and the big choices we make in life, Forever will gently set your world on fire. June (Maya Rudolph) and Oscar (Fred Armisen) are a married couple cruising through their suburban life until vastly unexpected turns take them into otherworldly territory. Stick through the slow-burning first episode and you’ll be rewarded with an exceptionally crafted eight-episode series, gently wrapping you in its visually beautiful and meaningful dream.

The premise of Hanna, a Joe Wright action thriller from 2011, is so good Amazon fleshed it out for a TV series. Starring Esme CreedMiles as the skilled young assassin living in the Romanian wilderness, Hanna the TV show expands the teen’s backstory and explains why the CIA’s Marissa Wiegler has an obsession with capturing her.

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 20 August 2021

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Community Group

Dreaming of becoming an Olympian WHILE the whole of Ireland rejoiced in the fantastic performances of our Olympians and Kelly Harrington’s Gold medal our Irish ladies’ rowers also made the entire country proud as they have won Bronze at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics on the Sea Forest Waterway. These Irish female rowers made history winning Bronze at Tokyo 2020 The crew of rowers includes Aifric Keogh, Eimear Lambe, Fiona Murtagh and Emily Hegarty by becoming the first Irish female team of rowers to secure a medal. And of course, let us not forget our great Gold Medal Rowers Paul O’Donovan and Fintan McCarthy. It was Ireland’s first Olympic gold medal since 2012, its 10th in total, and its first in rowing. While in Poland their Rowers

returned home with their medals Polish kayakers composed of Karolina Naja, Anna Puławska, Justyna Iskrzycka and Helena Wiśniewska . The girls won a bronze medal in the K-4 500 m competition in Tokyo. A few days before this success Karolina Naja and Anna Puławska became Olympic runners-up in the K-2 500 m competition. Our 2 great nations showed what skill, effort, and endurance our athletes displayed to win their medals. It is an achievement that may take some time for all, Paul O Donavan included, to realise what achievement it is not only to be an Olympian but to actually win one of the 3 most coveted medals in the world A Gold, Silver or Bronze Olympic medal. Sport in both our countries is

so inextricable linked to our societies and right down into the very communities our Olympians come from. The local Parishes display the colours of our nations as the roar their neighbour to a success that they could only dream of. But dreams are what make us. The winners will now inspire a new generation

of athletics right across all disciplines. For many years Ireland relied on the Gold medal success of Ronnie Delany in Melbourne ‘s 1500 metres. He inspired the Eamon Coughlans, Sonia Sullivans as we gain notoriety on the track. World Championship medals and the breaking of

hearts as fourth finish became our history. The bridesmaid but never the bride. Now we can aim for the stars. and in a few Olympics after the 4-year cycles have past We hope the winners of Tokyo 2020 Olympics will have inspired our

young fledging competitors not just to stand on the podium watch our nations flag rise to the sounds of our national anthem but to compete and one day become an Olympian.

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 20 August 2021

Picture special

Lorraine Murphy and Keira Griffin and Ziggy the dog

Martin and Aine O’Shea

Rory Mcloughlin, Sarah Goss and daisy out for a stroll

Vanessa Angel from Italy and Johonnes Wainrib from Germany

Shane tobler and Kevin Bruce

Brion Walsh enjoying a walk with his dogs

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Picture special

Paddy and Grace O’Keefe

Ray Pembroke and Alfie

Carl Dalton

Caroline Haughney, Kieran Dylan and Zach

About Out &

Mary Tyrell out for a walk with her dog Millie

WITH

Danny Lahart

Sisters Edel Holmes and Ber Heffernan enjoying a coffee

Patricai Keely exhibiting her art work on the Mayors walk

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Community & GAA Notes

Kilkenny GAA clubs and Community news JUNIOR LOSS The Clara Juniors were beaten for the first time this year away to Erin’s Own, Castlecomer on Thursday. Although short a few players this was one they would have hoped to take the points from but they left themselves too much of a hole to dig out of and eventually lost 4-19 to 3-19, with a last minute blasted free by Killian Phelan saved and cleared to safety. Clara found themselves 10 points adrift with about 20 minutes to go when ‘Comer had a man dismissed and this prompted a comeback which fell just short in a niggly affair. Team - Killian Phelan 1-0f, Dermot Nolan, Bill Carrigan, Sean O Shea. Paddy Ryan, Tom Ryan, Peter Nolan 0-1, James Casey 0-1, John Murphy 0-7. Conor Cody 1-7, Joe Connolly 0-1, Alan Coleman. Conor Booth, James Nolan 1-1, Luke Whelan. Subs used Noel Kehoe, Noelie O Brien. JUNIOR Ds The Junior Ds bowed out of this year’s championship, but not before a spirited effort to stay alive in this lively encounter against Barrow Rangers in Clara on Tuesday of last week. The Paulstown club led by six points at half time and when they pushed that lead out to eight at the second water break, they seemed well on their way to victory. But five Noel Kehoe points on the trot, two from play, had this down to a single score game. Clara will regret the fact that Noel had earlier been off the field for about five or six minutes having sustained a heavy knock. They were down to 14 players for that period. Paulstown responded with two pointed frees. A long range Dermie Nolan free followed by a cracking Conor Booth goal left the bare minimum between the sides and Barrow Rangers were craving the final whistle. Fortunately for them it arrived and they deservedly lived to fight another day. All credit to the Clara men for not giving up. 2-19 to 1-21 was how it finished. Team - Conor Cody, Nick O Keeffe, James Dowling, John Brennan. Noelie O Brien, Dermot Nolan 0-2f, Brandon Ryan. Luke Whelan 0-1, Alan Coleman 0-1. Adam Barcoe, Noel Kehoe 0-8, 0-6f, Conor (Curly) Phelan 0-1. Conor Booth 1-1, Mick McDonald 0-5, 0-2f, Bill Cody. MARTINS MAUL MINORS Clara minors were beaten by St. Martins in the final group game of this year’s league on Monday of last week in Clara. The Muckalee boys ended the campaign unbeaten, winning all nine games they played. Nevertheless they had to fight hard for this win and the Clara lads showed that they won’t be prepared to roll over and die when the two sides meet again in three weeks time in Muckalee in the championship. St. Martins will have their county minor Cathal Keegan back for that engagement and will start as overwhelming favourites on their home patch. The physically stronger Martins lads were full value for their 2-15 to 1-14 win here but it wouldn’t take huge improvement to close the gap a little tighter and give Clara a fighting chance on knockout Monday 6th September. Clara got a goal midway through the third quarter of this one through Davy Barcoe. This gave them a two point lead but St. Martins responded immediately with a goal of their own and maintained that lead to the end of the game. Team - Cian Kelly, Philip Carrigan, Ben Murphy, Ben Crow. Rory Glynn, Harry Boyle 0-1, Sean Carrigan. Alex Firbank, Conor Hoyne 0-11, 0-10f, Ned Langton 0-2, Zach Lawlor, Luke Lawlor. Alex McDonald, Jamie Agar, Davy Barcoe 1-0. Six of the above minor team featured in an U16 Celtic challenge game v. Wexford in Ferns on Saturday, when

Kilkenny were victorious. Harry Boyle, Rory Glynn, Sean Carrigan, Zach Lawlor, Ben Crow and Cian Kelly all saw action at some stage, and all acquitted themselves quite well. Good stuff lads. U15s LONG TREK The U15s made the long trek south to Mooncoin on Wednesday and came home empty handed as the home side cruised to an easy win. 6-15 to 4-7 was how it finished and Clara could have few complaints. They were missing a few big players but they have a big panel and probably need to get a bit more consistency in their play with a championship meeting against St. Martins looming. CAMOGIE Our U14 Camogie team contested the League Final during the week, but went down to a very accomplished Ballyhale Shamrocks outfit in Larchfield. The girls tried really hard and were unlucky not to get a few early scores but once the Shamrocks got motoring they had little answer for them. COUNTY Good luck to the Clara girls who are representing their county in championship matches over the coming days. Mary O Connell and Aisling Curtis (injured) at Senior, Claire Nolan at Intermediate and the Minor sextet of twins Keara and Katie Ryan, Laoise Nolan, Emma Shortall, Rachel Whelan and Gráinne Glynn all have important forthcoming fixtures. Best wishes girls. SUMMER CAMP 21 The McCarthy’s Eurospar Ireland O’Loughlin Gaels GAA Summer Camp continues for its second week this week. We’re having a great time as over 260 young Gaels enjoy the Gaelic Games Activities provided by a team of mentors and coaches selected from our adult and youth teams. Last week our New Sponsors McCarthys Eurospar of Newpark Shopping Centre visited the Camp and were thrilled to see so many community members enjoying the occasion. We encourage all our members to support our sponsors... Shop local and join the Eurospar / O’Loughlin Gaels Loyalty scheme. Kill two birds and support the club while you shop. Your support will insure our sponsors continued support of your young Gaels. Lovely Hurling, Football & Camogie

CLUB LOTTO: WE HAVE A WINNER Congratulations to Mick Shepherd and Mags Rigney who won Tuesdays (Aug 10th) Bonus Jackpot of €17,800 . We are delighted to see Mick and Mags scoop our big prize, reward for their continued support of our club lotto. Well done and thanks to promotor Gerry Buckley. This week’s Jackpot is €6,000 (Aug 17th) Play Now at www.oloughlingaels.com/ lotto CHAMPIONSHIP Hard luck to our Junior A and E teams who both excited their respective championships at the weekend. Thanks to players and management teams who’ve continued this year to show an unconditional commitment to O’Loughlin Gaels GAA. Over the coming weeks we begin to see our teams compete in their championships and we e encourage everyone in the community to please support. Every player and mentors has put massive time and effort into the game and these next few weeks is what it’s all for. On Saturday the u15 boys and girls will compete in Feile 21. The hurlers will go to Palmerstown where their group games throw in at 9:30am, while the girls are hosted at Danesfort commencing at 10am. Best of luck to both teams GOLF CLASSIC The annual Golf Classic went ahead on Thursday and Friday last with a full card competing. It was a super two days with everyone participating in good form. The highlight of the weekend must certainly have been this scribes birdie on the 18th. ...the gallery went wild. !! This was the first classic since we lost Lou, a constant face in the classic’s organising committee. All who participated took a moment to share or take a memory of Lou Leydon missed by all. UNDER AGE HURLING Great to see Palmerstown and James Park buzzing this evening with our youngest hurlers back in the Boro! Well done everyone involved. Parents are advised to download Clubzap to follow the Covid Protocols. Please see relevant clubzap groups for training schedules. JUNIOR B The junior B hurlers had a great win over Danesfort on Saturday in Palmerstown in the championship.

Ameila McCarthy & Rioghnach O’Sullivan (Grandchildren of John and Margaret McCarthy, and O’Loughlin Gaels Camogie Club players) receiving a framed jersey from Keeva and Hazel who made the presentation on behalf of O’Loughlin Gaels. Pictured from left: Miriam, John and Margaret McCarthy with Brian Fox Juvenile Chairman to the right of picture

4-17 to 0-14. The lads now play semifinal next weekend against Freshford. JUNIOR E The junior E hurlers had a great win over Danesfort on Sunday in Palmerstown in the championship. 2-16 to 2-09. The lads now play a semi final next weekend against Lisdowney. JUNIOR F The junior F hurlers exited the championship on Sunday night against Dunnamaggin in Dunnamaggin. This was the first time the club entered a fifth team. Hard luck to our lads who gave it their all. MINOR HURLING Hard luck to the Kilkenny minor team who were defeated by Galway in Thurles on Friday night. We are very proud of the boro contingent, captain Harry Shine, Cillian Hackett, Johnny Keane, Kevin Moore and Manager Richie Mulrooney.

3. Participants with Covid symptoms please stay away from the Camp. 4. Please ensure participants have sun cream on them & are wearing a hat or rain gear as weather dictates. Emergency Contact Phone Number for the Camp is 085 2168353 PITCH SIDE BUSINESS ADVERTS Should your business want to arrange an advertising hoarding at our Club grounds click here for details: https:// www.dicksborogaa.com/products For any queries contact any committee member. https://www.dicksborogaa. com/contact (Camogie contact runai Ted Carroll (086) 837 6544)

MEMBERSHIP REGISTRATION Registration is now due and should be in place prior to resumption of play. This needs to be paid before entering the pitch. https://www.dicksborogaa. com/membership_products

MOUNT CARMEL GOLF CLASSIC The annual Golf Classic in aid of Mount Carmel Supported Care Home is taking place on the weekend of the 27 and 28 of August in Callan Golf Club. This event is the main fund raising event for Mount Carmel. Last year’s classic was cancelled because of the Covid-19 Pandemic and the organising committee are very much aware that a lot of the businesses that would usually support the Classic are struggling because of the effects of the pandemic and because of this the same level sponsorship is not expected. Over the last couple of weeks we have seen Mount Carmel moving closer to the normal life, with visitors returning and people living in Mount Carmel returning to the Community. There are two projects that highlight this return to the norm “The Re-connect Art Project” funded by the Kilkenny ETB and also the “Cycle without Age” project which was supported by Kilkenny Sports & Recreational Sports Partnership. The Golf Classic is a fantastic day in Aid of Mount Carmel. There is an array of prizes for the successful teams who compete in the Classic. The fee is €80 per team of four and there is also the opportunity of availing of a 3 course meal on the day for an additional €15 p.p.. If you are interested in entering a team, sponsoring a team prize, making a donation, or purchasing raffle tickets please contact the following by text or phone: John Healy on 086 166 4256 or Margaret Maher on 087 960 6440.

SUMMER CAMP 1. As we will have participants in the Summer Camp with a severe nut allergy please ensure that your children do not have any product with a nut ingredient. 2. We will not be catering for walk up entries on Monday.

COLÁISTE ÉAMANN RÍS It’s the last call for inclusion of any memories, photographs, articles or little stories from you or your loved one’s time at CBS Callan (Coláiste Éamann Rís). The school history book will be ediOed and the lay out compiled during September, so if

U15 HURLING The maroon team were very unlucky to lose to O Loughlins on Wednesday night in the league. 1-1 to 1-09 U13 HURLING The b team were very unlucky to lose to St Martins on Sunday. CLUB LOTTO Dicksboro GAA Club LOTTO Results August 14th 2021 Nos: 3– 1– 4– 18 Jackpot: €4000– not won Draw Prizes – €50: paddy phelan c/o joe phelan €25 each michelle hayesc/o online €25 each ann ramsbottom c/o joe phelan €25 each cillian starr c/o online €25 each brian dunne c/o online Promoters prize - brian fitzpatrick Next week’s (aug 19th) Jackpot – €4,100 We are encouraging every Dicksboro family to support the Clubs Fundraising efforts by signing up to the Club Lotto. https:// dicksborogaa.com/categories/lotto/ products

we don’t have your information / photographs they will not be in the book. Anything for inclusion can be emailed to Martina Griffin- schooldays@cbscallan.ie or photographs can be left into the school to be scanned and returned to you from August 25th. Teacher Martina Griffin has given up a lot of her summer to put things together for the book so it would be great if you had any old photos and stories to share. IRON MAN STEVIE Well done to Stevie Dermody, the Ballycloven Iron Man star, who competed in his 19th competition recently, the first of the post-pandemic era. The Estonian city of Tallinn was the venue and amidst the UNESCO world heritage sites, our local hero came 21st in his category. An Ironman Triathlon is one of a series of long-distance triathlon races organized by the World Triathlon Corporation (WTC), consisting of a 2.4-mile (3.86 km) swim, a 112-mile (180.25 km) bicycle ride and a marathon 26.22-mile (42.20 km) run, raced in that order. It is widely considered one of the most difficult one-day sporting events in the world. Most Ironman events have a limited time of 16 or 17 hours to complete the race, course dependent. The race typically starts at 7:00am; the mandatory swim cut off for the 2.4-mile (3.86 km) swim is 9:20am (2 hours 20 minutes), the mandatory bike cut off time is 5:30pm (8 hours 10 minutes), and the mandatory marathon cut off is midnight (6 hours 30 minutes). Any participant who manages to complete the triathlon within these time constraints is designated an Ironman. PARISH DEFIBRILLATORS The Code for the Defibrillator at Ballycallan Community Hall is 9999. Kilmanagh Church and Killaloe Church both have a defibrillator outside. There are no locks on these, but they are protected by CCTV cameras. VOLUNTEERS NEEDED SOS Kilkenny - Recreational Support Volunteers Needed to support individuals attending various activities. Girl Guides Kilkenny - Brownie Leaders Needed to assist with weekly activities. Thomastown Credit Union looking for Board / Committee Members- It’s an opportunity to gain skills and support the work of the Credit Union. Amber Womens Refuge: Star Project - Looking for Star Weavers and Installation Assistants - this is a lovely project for groups or individuals to help highlight domestic abuse. Retail Assistants Urgently needed for local charity shops. Please get in touch on www.volunteerkilkenny.ie or call 087 116 5658. GBC ATHLETICS CLUB Every year, members of our amazing little club travel to Dublin to take part in the Dublin City Marathon, but like many events, this is not going to happen this year. We at GBAC have decided to grasp the silver lining and take this as an opportunity to give something back. Our members will complete the 26.2 mile marathon in our own locality and we are asking for your support to help us raise funds for Carlow Kilkenny Home Care Team. We are acutely aware, every time we lace up our runners, how fortunate we are to be able to do so. Many of us will run this marathon in memory of dearly missed family & friends. Please share this near and far so we can raise as much money as possible and consider making a donation via our Go Fund Me page. Every cent will go towards Carlow Kilkenny Home Care Team. Thank you in advance for your support, https:// gofund.me/4343ffd6. FIRST HOLY COMMUNION The date for our First Holy Communion is September 25 at 11am in Ballycallan

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Community & GAA Notes Church (next year’s 3rd class). This is a larger venue and will allow for better social distancing during the ceremony. FACEMASKS A reminder that face masks must be worn inside our churches during Masses. This will continue, regardless of whether you are vaccinated or not. For everyone’s sake, wear your mask. DATA PROTECTION If you are looking to search parish records for genealogy purposes, this service is suspended until further notice due to the pandemic. Due to GDPR regulations, records less than 125 years old are restricted. If you are requesting a baptismal/marriage cert, you must have photo id and fill out a consent form. PARISH WEBCAM We broadcast Mass via the internet from Kilmanagh Church on Saturday evenings at 6.30pm, on Tuesday and Friday at 10am and Some Saturday’s at 10am (All times GMT). The service is free and is available across the world. For best experience use Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge. PARISH CLUSTER & MASS TIMES As you will know, Ballycallan Parish is clustered with Tullaroan and Freshford. This means the priests work closely together and provide cover whenever it is necessary. Our Mass times in the three parishes are: Saturday: Kilmanagh 6.30pm, Tullaroan,7.30pm and Tulla 8pm. Sunday: Killaloe 9pm, Ballycallan 10:15am and Freshford 11am. This schedule allows for one priest (Fr. Liam) to cover all parishes should the need arise. CCTV All our churches and the parish house are monitored by CCTV. Notices are in place to draw attention to this fact. Access to records is restricted to the Parish Priest only and, where required, the Gardaí. KILMANAGH NOTES Anyone wishing to submit news items, events, announcements etc. can do so by email only to elanigan18@gmail. com. If you have any photos that you would like included, please send as an attachment. 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. Piltown tickets: Are available from the usual sellers or any committee member. Total prize fund of €115,000. First draw takes place on September 28. Junior C’s: Well done to the Junior C’s who defeated Threecastles in the second round of the Championship in Urlingford on Sunday. Final score: Emeralds 3-15, Threecastles 1-09. They will be taking on the Fenians next weekend in the semi-final. Best of luck lads. 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. Piltown tickets: Are available from the usual sellers or any committee member. Total prize fund of €115,000. First draw takes place on September 28. Junior C’s: Well done to the Junior C’s who defeated Threecastles in the second round of the Championship in Urlingford on Sunday. Final score: Emeralds 3-15, Threecastles 1-09. They will be taking on the Fenians next

weekend in the semi-final. Best of luck lads. EMERALDS URLINGFORD & GRAINE LOTTO August 9 prize fund was: €4,100. Jackpot: €2,100. Numbers drawn: 5, 23, 27 and 30, bonus no 22. No winner and no match three winner. Promoters prize: The Chemist. Five lucky dips of €20 each: Adam Joyce, Linda Murphy, Ann Moroney, Breda Ahern, Joe Burke. Next draw takes place on August 16 in the Clubrooms. Results next week. URLINGFORD ON THE MOVE WALKING TRACK Works are commencing shortly for Urlingford on the Move’s new Community Walking Track in Emeralds GAA Clubgrounds, Urlingford, Co Kilkenny. The walk way consists of: Walking surface, lighting, fencing, wheelchair friendly and own access gate. Our vision is to provide a facility in Urlingford where everybody has the opportunity to be welcomed, to participate, to grow and be inspired to continue with a lifelong engagement in our community. Urlingford on the Move have been successful in raising funding from various sources but there is still a shortfall, therefore we need and value your support. You can support this wonderful amenity by donating €20 on their GoFundMe page https://gofund. me/84e0e081 for your chance to win one of three prizes: 1st: €2021; 2nd: €200; 3rd: €50 Donate €50 - three chances to win; donate €100 - seven chances to win a prize. Envelopes have also been distributed to households in the locality, please return these envelopes to the Post Office. For the next three week’s the Split the Pot for the Walking Track so please support, thank you. URLINGFORD LIBRARY Children’s Summer Stars Reading Adventure is finishing on Friday August 27 at 5pm. Don’t forget to return your completed Summer Stars Card, filled in with all the titles you have read and you will be entered into our raffle with great prizes. MILL FAMILY RESOURCE CENTRE Centre Closed for Holidays: The Centre is now closed for holidays and will re-open on Monday, August 16 at 9am. The Mill Allotments: The allotments and Community garden are open to the public from 9am to 6pm Monday to Friday each week. Courses for September 2021: Health Care Level 5: We are recruiting new learners for the Health-care Level 5 course commencing in September 2021. Pathway to Employment Course, Level 4: We are also recruiting for the Pathway to Employment Level 4 course which will be commencing in September 2021. Please contact Sue or Kevin in the Mill Family Resource Centre for more information on these courses and application forms on 056 8838466.

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. LOCAL LOTTO DRAW for 9th August 2021. Winning numbers : 3 , 5 , 27. No Winner. Winners of Draw for 5 x € 30 Dan Breen ( Dan Breen ),Patricia Fitzpatrick ( Petes Shop ),Jim McCormack ( Jim McCormack Kells ), Michael O Sullivan ( Ml O Sullivan ), KCE ( Ciss Ryan.) Jackpot for 16th August € 1600. Venue St Leonards Hall, Dunnamaggin every Monday @ 9.00 pm all welcome. VINTAGE FAIR AND TEDDY BEARS PICNIC The Vintage Fair and Teddy Bears Picnic take place on August 29th in Madge’s Garden, Dunnamaggin from 11am. You are invited to a Beary Special Teddy Bears Picnic to celebrate Dunnamaggins Development Group’s Vintage Fair on Sunday August 29th. Bring along you picnic blanket and teddy bear for lots of fun. DUNNAMAGGIN LADIES FOOTBALL CLUB Dunamaggin Ladies Football Club are taking a stall at the Vintage Fair in Madge’s Garden on August 29th selling pre-loved gear. Please drop any unused gear you have to Bob’s Shop in Kells, to Amy Connery or Sabina Bass by August 22nd. DUNNAMAGGIN GYMKHANA Dunnamaggin Gymkhana takes place this year on September 5th. Proceeds to Carlow Kilkenny Homecare Team and St Joseph’s Home Kilmoganny. OUR STORIES THROUGH OBJECTS EXHIBITION AT BUTLER GALLERY Our Stories Through Objects exhibition at Butler Gallery is in collaboration with the Fr. McGrath Family Resource Centre (Immigrant Services) and Kilkenny Adult Learning Service, part of Kilkenny and Carlow Education and Training Board, present a project in which people who have migrated or had to seek refugee status in Ireland tell their stories through personal objects. The onsite exhibition will be up from July 22nd and will run until September 17th.

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

RECOVERY COLLEGE SOUTHEAST Recover College Southeast online workshops for your mental health - 10 Keys to Happier Living AUGUST 24th 2021 -11am to 12noon - ”Happiness is not something ready-made, it comes from your own actions” (Dalai Lama). We all want to lead a happy life; our actions and our choices can affect our happiness. This 60-minute workshop will look at practical tips in which you can take control of your own wellbeing and happiness, by incorporating the ten keys to happier living into everyday life. hanging Habits - AUGUST 31st 2021 - 11am to 12 noon - Have you ever stopped to think about your habits or how they impact your daily life? While some habits can be detrimental, such as wasting an hour on Twitter when you should be studying, others can be great to have around. Learning to brush your teeth when you were young helps you have good dental health when you are older. However, everyone has some habits they would like to change and by breaking down the cycle of a habit, you can identify what triggers the routine and begin to address what really needs to change. This 60-minute workshop will help you better understand habit formation and provide you with some practical tips on how to create and maintain beneficial habits. To book email enrolrecoverycollegesoutheast@ gmail.com or phone 0861746330

URLINGFORD NEWS

KILKENNY RECREATON & SPORTS

URLINGFORD ARMS SPLIT THE POT Draw takes place every Sunday evening in the Urlingford Arms Hotel. Last Sunday’s share of the pot was €426 and was won by Bríd Moore, well done Bríd! For the next three week’s, half the pot goes to Urlingford on the Moves Walking Track and the other half could be yours. So don’t miss out, get your envelopes in participating businesses or from any member of the Walking Track committee.

PARTNERSHIP NEEDS YOUR VOICE KRSP are in the process of completing a Strategic Plan for 2022-2025 and are at the Public Consultation phase. They are hoping to get as many members of the wider Kilkenny public to complete a survey to gather views on the issues and challenges you or your group are facing in relation to sport and physical activity and how these issues could be tackled in the future. The link to the survey is: https://www. surveymonkey.co.uk/r/NWKJFVG. WHAT HAS THE CAT DRAGGED IN The Kilkenny Heritage Office need your help. Our small mammals are an important part of Ireland’s biodiversity. Without mice, shrews and voles, iconic species like the barn owl would disappear. Please share photos of any small mammals that you find or that your cat brings home! Send your photos, along with the location to heritage@kilkennycoco.ie ART EXHIBITION Studies of ‘Loughlin’s Public House and Grocery Shop, Gowran’ By Stacey Williams are now on view as part of ‘The Secret Garden’ outdoor sculpture exhibition presented by The Kilkenny Art Gallery in conjunction with The Berkeley Gallery at Grennan Mill. Exhibition is located at the historic Grennan Water Mill, Mill Street, Thomastown. The Exhibition is open daily from 11am - 6pm daily and runs until the 25th August 2021. GOWRAN PITCH AND PUTT Gowran Scratch Cup takes place on Saturday, 4th September. Entry fee is €10. Please contact 0863796495 by text with name and registration numbers to book a time. GOWRAN AC Congratulations to Mary FitzGerald who has been selected for the Tokyo Paralympics. GOWRAN PARISH Mass is being streamed every morning on Gowran Parish Facebook page, masses this week Gowran Sunday at 11.30.am, Monday at 9.30.am, Wednesday at 9.30am, Thursday at 9.30.am and Friday at 9.30.am. GOWRAN PARK The restaurant is serving food and beverages and is now reopen for indoor dining. All guidelines will be adhered to at all times so please remember to bring photo ID / vaccination card as it is required, outdoor space is still operating. All staff are fully vaccinated, and you do not have to be a member to dine. Booking is advised, to book a table please call William on 0860230255 or Edwina on 0830345224. GOWRAN FESTIVAL OF SPEED Gowran Festival of Speed will take place on August 22nd. This is a ticketed event and a limited number are available online at https:// www.gowranpark.ie/racing/buytickets/?ftredirect=1 tickets are €15 plus booking fee and U12’s go free. Final few tickets remaining. KILKENNY VOLUNTEER CENTRE Volunteers Needed : SOS Kilkenny - Recreational Support Volunteers Needed to support individuals attending various activities Girl Guides Kilkenny - Brownie Leaders Needed assist with weekly activities Thomastown Credit Union looking for Board / Committee Members- It’s an opportunity to gain skills and support the work of the Credit Union Amber Womens Refuge: Star Project - Looking for Star Weavers and Installation Assistants - this is a lovely project for groups or individuals to help highlight domestic abuse Retail Assistants Urgently needed for local charity shops

Please get in touch on www. volunteerkilkenny.ie or call 0871165658 SPORTS ROUND-UP – MICHAEL O’LEARY Suirsiders blistering start sinks juniors fate County Junior A Championship Quarter-Final ,Young Irelands Gowran 0-17, Mooncoin 3-21 The Suirsiders blistering start proved too much for the Young Irelands Men to claw back, as they built up an astonishing 2-9 to 0-1 in the 13th minute. Mooncoin’s pace was causing serious problems for the Gowran defence & goals from Danny Purcell & Stephen Wall already made it mission impossible for their opponents. Young Irelands began to get to grips with the situation, but they were outscored 0-7 to 0-4 throughout the Second Quarter as Mooncoin held an unassailable 2-16 to 0-5 lead at the interval. Ethan Ryan added three points from frees, while Martin Gannon, Danny Purcell, Lee Tracey (free) & Adam Croke also contributed on the scoring board throughout that Second Quarter. Young Irelands to their credit battled valiantly in difficult cirumstances during the Second-Half, with JP Treacy leading the way, dominant from Centre-Back. The Gowran Men narrowed the deficit to 11 points with 6 unanswered points from JP Treacy(2), Davy Carter, Conor Fitzpatrick, + Tommy Phelan (2 frees). 2-17 to 0-12. The Suirsiders maintained their 11-point lead entering the final 10 minutes - 2-19 to 0-14 - & Young Irelands continued to plug away with points from Ted Drea & Tom Drennan narrowing the gap further - 2-19 to 0-16 -. However, the Gowran Men couldn’t get that all important goal that would in any way seriously threaten Mooncoin, & it was the Suirsiders who finished the strongest with a Superbly, constructed third goal as they ran out resounding winners. Meanwhile, there was huge disappointment for Killian Carey & the Kilkenny Minors as they were convincingly beaten 0-23 to 1-12 by Galway in Friday Nights All-Ireland Minor Semi-Final in Thurles. Killian operated as an extra defender/ midfielder & performed well, but his attacking threat was sorely missed as the Forward Division struggled to make the desired impact. Also, on Friday Night, the Young Irelands U-15s A Team finished their League campaign with a morale boosting 3-13 to 2-8 win away to Dicksboro, but there was further disappointment for the U-13 13-A-Side Team as they suffered another heavy defeat against near neighbours Blacks & Whites. 5 star performance as 4 goal Gowran stroll to league title U-13 Roinn A1 League Final, Young Irelands Gowran 4-15, Danesfort 0-7 A Superb Team Performance saw the Young Irelands U-13s take control from an early stage, as they easily dismantled Danesfort in Clara last night (Thursday). The Gowran Boys lost to Danesfort in their opening Group Match in the League back in June, but they their intentions & determination right from the outset, with Captain Fantastic Keelan Barcoe leading the way from Centre-Back. Young Irelands bossed the opening quarter as they led 1-6 to 0-2 with their points coming from Aidan Keating 3(0-2 frees), along with Tomas Carroll, Harry Byrne & Josef Walsh, while the goal was a Sublime Piece of Beauty in the 17th minute. A long delivery near the Sideline from Tomas Carroll saw David Brennan brilliantly time his run to angle the ball to the net. It was a Superb goal & similar to DJ Carey’s brilliantly executed goal in the 2002 All-Ireland Senior Final against Clare.

The Gowran Boys maintained that 7-point lead at the interval - 1-10 to 0-6 - with further points coming from Conor Carroll, Aidan Keating with a Superb effort from play from 50 metres & two from Josef Walsh. Young Irelands put themselves in a commanding position in the early stages of the restart, when Aidan Keating went for goal with a rasper of a shot. His strike was saved by the Danesfort Goalkeeper, but it was too powerful shot to be kept out & Young Irelands now led by 10 points. 2-10 to 0-6. Further points from Keating, Josef Walsh & Conor Carroll stretched the advantage to 12 points - 2-13 to 0-7 before they finished strongly. Aidan Keating added his Second goal in the 56th minute latching onto Ciaran Carter’s brilliantly directed sideline effort. Keating & Josef Walsh who contributed 2-11 of their Teams total between them added late points, while David Brennan added his Second goal to complete a Superb, Dominant & Authorative Performance. A Strong Platform to their Dominance was the Defence with Keelan Barcoe giving an Exceptional Exhibition at Centre-Back from start to finish. Conor Brennan was Imposing & Dominant from the edge of the square at Full-Back, while the determination & valiant efforts of Fintan Byrne, Darragh Roche Corcoran, Jonathan Dunne & Charlie Ryan along wih goalkeeper Dylan Brennan ensured that a clean sheet was kept intact. Ciaran Carter & Joseph Langton worked hard in midfield, while in attack Aidan Keating & Josef Walsh led the way with the rest of the forward division playing their part in a Superb Team Performance. They will be re-acquainted with Danesfort in the Championship Quarter-Final in three weeks’ time, Friday 3rd September. O’DONNELL’S HAT-TRICK EXPLOITS SECURE PRICELESS VICTORY Young Irelands Gowran 3-6 Glenmore 2-8 A Superb Contest in Gowran on Wednesday Night saw the Gowran Minor Girls strike late, as they secured a precious & priceless victory against a well drilled Glenmore outfit. In a low scoring first-half, Glenmore led 1-3 to 0-3 at the interval with Young Irelands points coming from Sarah O’Donnell & Ella Middleton(2 frees). Sarah O’Donnell grabbed her first goal in the early stages of the restart with a superb effort from an acute angle, before adding her Second Goal when displaying great determination to break free of the Glenmore defence before firing home. Ella Middleton added two further points from frees to keep the scoreboard ticking over as they led 2-6 to 1-5 heading into the final quarter. A significant moment came just before the Water Break, when Goalkeeper Rebecca Lennon Superbly denied Glenmore a Certain goal with a Point Blank Save. It proved decisive. Glenmore started to gain Supremacy during the Final Quarter, & a goal narrowed the advantage to the minimum. 2-6 to 2-5. Buoyed on by that goal, Glenmore added two further points to regain the lead (2-7 to 2-6) with just a few minutes left, before the Kilkenny Minor Co-Captain struck the winning goal with a brilliantly struck effort. 3-6 to 2-7. Glenmore were not finished yet. They replied with a point immediately, but they couldn’t manufacture the all- important equaliser as the Young Irelands defence held firm with strong defending. The Half-Back Line of Julia Patterson, Ciara Bryan & Julie Lennon in particular were Superb, while Emma Farrell was of great assistance doing a lot of sterling work around the middle third area. A thrilling conclusion to a titanic battle.

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

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 20 August 2021

Camogie news

Sport Knock-out time as cats seek to advance BY NIALL SHERRY SPORTS EDITOR SPORTSEDITORKILKENNYOBSERVER.IE

BRIAN Dowling and his team make the long trip to Páirc Uí Chaoimh in Cork tomorrow for the quarter-final clash with Wexford (Throw-in 5pm). For those without tickets, the game will be live on RTE2 from 4.30pm. Both teams came through the group stages in second spot, ensuring they would go into the draw with Kilkenny, Waterford and unlucky roundrobin winners, Tipperary, for the last six clashes. The winners from the two ties will go into the draw with Cork and Galway to determine the semi-final line-up. It has been far from plain sailing for the cats in the championship this year, as opponents have raised their game when facing the defending champions, something that all-star defender Claire Phelan alluded to in her interview with the Kilkenny Observer earlier this week (SEE PAGES XX-XX). Dowling’s team began their campaign in Sixmilebridge against the Banner, and emerged winners on a score line of 0-22 to 0-16, but had to battle hard to earn the opening day victory, with Windgap’s Denise Gaule top scoring with ten points. The

second group game saw the team hit the road again, this time to TEG Cusack Park in Mullingar, where they faced-off against Darren McCormack’s Westmeath. This was probably expected to be the easiest of the roundrobin games, but in true sporting fashion, the Lake County hadn’t read the script and put in an incredible display and led up until the secondhalf water break, when a superb Miriam Walsh goal kickstarted the cats and pushed them on to record a nine-point victory, 2-17 to 1-11. Kilkenny welcomed last year’s beaten finalists, Galway to John Locke Park, Callan for the stand-out tie of the group stages. In a titanic battle, reminiscent of December’s decider at Croke Park, Galway player for almost 45 minutes with fourteen player and outfought their rivals to secure a onepoint win, and in doing so, secure a semi-final berth and send the cats into a quarter-final shoot-out with the Slaneysiders. In the aftermath of the defeat, manager Dowling spoke of his disappointment at seeing his side outfought by the tribeswomen. I expect his side will not be second best in

terms of desire or hunger for the remaining part of the season. Wexford come into tomorrow’s game as massive underdogs, but no doubt, Kevin Tattan will have his team primed for their toughest assignment of the season so far. Wexford will point

to the cats difficult outing in Mullingar, when Westmeath were the better side for large chunks of the game, before the cats pushed on after the second water break. Having beaten Westmeath with ease in the league earlier this year, Tattan will know his charges are at a level above Darren McCormack’s side, and he will hope that this translates on the Cork turf tomorrow. At the time of writing, neither manager has declared their starting XV, but both will have a

The Kilkenny Observer Friday 20 August 2021

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Camogie news

Cork trip will be no holiday for champs

picks up a lot of breaking ball. The Sinnotts, both Maeve and Orla have announced themselves on the camogie inter-county scene with some fine performances in defence and midfield respectively. Tattan will be aware that his side will need to rack-up a decent total to seriously trouble the Nore siders. To that end Wexford will look to Parrock, Joanne Dillon and Chloe Foxe to keep the scoreboard ticking over. Kilkenny will know what lies ahead at Páirc Uí Chaoimh. The tactics will have been drawn up to deal with the physical challenge that tomorrow’s opponents will bring. To secure a place in the last four, Kilkenny will look to the ‘usual suspects’ to shoot them to victory. Denise Gaule, Katie Nolan and Aoife Doyle will look to show their clash and quality against the yellowbellies defence and will certainly be hopeful of raising a green flag or two. The midfield will try to provide a platform for the forwards to shine, but more energy and tempo will be required to win the engine room battle. In defence, Claire Phelan will look to anchor the fullback line, where she should be ably assisted by Michelle Teehan and Davina Tobin. They will need their wits about them in dealing with a lively Wexford attack spear-headed most likely by Katrina Parrock.

Thomastown’s Meighan Farrell will captain the side from the number 6 berth and look to drive the team on and dominate possession. As defending champions, there is a different kind of pressure attached. You are there to be shot at. Opposition this year have Kilkenny in their sights, and the team will have to respond in the manner of champions. Training since the Galway defeat has been ramped up. All players know that the person in form will get the nod and take the jersey, and that is clearly a motivating factor in each training session. As shown in the win against Westmeath, manager Brian Dowling is not one to shy away from making changes, if things are not going well. In that group game, four of the five subs were used by the 37th minute. At Launch of the 2021 Camogie Association Knockout Stages of the All-Ireland Camogie Championships with Charity Partner ISPCC Childline, Claire Phelan said that the pressure of being both League and All-Ireland winners is not weighing heavily on the squad. “Look, it’s a position of strength that we are coming from, whereas in the past we were probably coming into these games from a different angle.” Brian Dowling will not allow his panel to rest on their laurels, he demands more and this team wants more. Expect the cats to purr tomorrow.

>> SHERRY SAYS........... useful array of talent to choose from. In Katrina Parrock, Wexford have a player who has a keen eye for goal, and the four-time All-Ireland winner will pose a serious threat to the cats defence. The Wexford boss has introduced a number of your camog’s during this year’s campaign, including dual star Sarah Harding-Kenny. The Shelmalier club-woman has cemented her place in the defence and is proving to be a great marker and a player that

OK, it’s not the most direct route to Croke Park, but games are better than training – aren’t they? While Cork and Galway use the break in action to rest up and treat any niggles, our ladies hit the road again with a trip to the banks of the Lee. lying in wait are neighbours Wexford. It will be a competitive physical battle as Kevin Tattan’s team have somewhat of a ‘free-shot’ at the champions. The yellowbeliies are now in bonus territory. The defeat to Galway will have hurt the team. Dowling will be hoping his team gets another crack at the westerners before the season concludes. This bunch of players has navigated through some difficult situations both last year and this season. They know they have the ability. Desire and hunger will be the ingredients required to make the last four. The hunt to reclaim the O’Duffy takes us to Cork. Let’s quiten the ‘noisy neighbours’. Empty the tank girls.

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 20 August 2021

Camogie news

Sport Wexford will pose serious threat to AllIreland crown BY NIALL SHERRY SPORTS EDITOR SPORTSEDITORKILKENNYOBSERVER.IE

ALLSTAR defender Claire Phelan believes her county are ready to meet the challenge of Wexford, and any other county as Kilkenny continues their quest to retain the O’Duffy cup this weekend in Páirc Uí Chaoimh. Speaking to the Kilkenny Observer ahead of the quarter-final clash with the Model County, the Lisdowney clubwoman says the recent group game defeat to Galway has made the panel ‘re-focus’. “Obviously we’d rather have beaten Galway the last day out, but they played an unbelievable game and outworked us, especially when down to 14 players.” “It was a game that could have gone either way, and towards the end their keeper made a great save, but that’s the way it goes sometimes.” “I had a shot near the end myself, and perhaps it would have been better falling to Denise (Gaule) or Katie (Nolan), but we live to fight another day and, in my mind, the better team won on the day.” After the defeat in Callan, manager Brian Dowling hinted that training would be taken up a notch or two in preparation for the Wexford game, and Phelan admits the intensity has risen. “Look, all our sessions are pretty intensive, but the lads have cranked things up since the last game and it’s pretty competitive on the field, as all the players battle for a starting place.” When asked about the upcoming challenge from the Slaneysiders, Phelan is in no doubt about what lies ahead this weekend. “Wexford are a savage outfit; we’ve played them a few times over the last year in challenge games and they are a very physical side with a strong running game, and we know they will keep going right to the end, but listen, it’s more about what we do and our game that’s whats important.” “We have looked at the last game and know the areas that we have to improve on, firstly we need to match the oppositions hunger and work rate and I know our management team will have a plan for the players in terms of the tactics for the Wexford game.” On the panel’s fitness and player availability for

Cat’s Phelan good ahead of rebel county road trip tomorrow’s game, Claire appeared happy with the bill of health in the Kilkenny camp. “At this stage of the season you will always have some players with little niggles, but that’s par for the course, we are all raring to get back on the field and

hopefully get the win.” The Primary school teacher’s first experience of playing at Páirc Uí Chaoimh came in last year’s All-Ireland semi-final win over the rebel ladies, and Phelan is looking forward to getting back on the Cork turf. “It’s a fantastic pitch and great

stadium, and that’s what it’s all about in championship Camogie, you want to have day’s out like this at the best venues.” Phelan first joined the senior panel in 2011, and the defender has been something of a permanent fixture in the

Cats defence since. Camogie has changed since her debut, and Claire believes it’s all positive. “The game has come a long way, it’s definitely much more physical and faster.” “The whole approach to training, especially the area of strength and conditioning has brought

players on immensely, and all the girls take it seriously and know that it’s vital to compete for All-Ireland’s. “When you look back at last year’s final, it was an intense physical battle and we know the hard yards must be put in at training in order to challenge.”

The Kilkenny Observer Friday 20 August 2021

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Camogie news single camogie player. Phelan is hoping that the increased coverage will change this. “It’s great to meet the young ones at Cul Camps, especially this year when we were able to bring the cup.” “They were lifting the cup pretending to be the players – look at me, I’m Anne Dalton.” You can sense the pride that Phelan feels when she recounts these memories. Claire says that supporters around her club and in the county are now recognising the players, and are quick to let her know how they have performed. “You will get people now saying that they saw the game on TV and they will let you know if you went well or not!” The engaging Phelan says that she hopes the current panel’s exploits will encourage the youth and being on the next generation of camog’s and hurlers. “I hope they say “well if she can do it, why can’t I?” On the appetite for further success, Phelan states that the desire remains as strong as ever to win more titles and ensure December’s All-Ireland final victory is just the beginning for the cats. “In previous years,

there has always been the hunger, perhaps we just weren’t lucky enough or good enough to get over the line, but I can see in this group that we all drive each other on, especially the younger, newer additions to the panel.” “Like I said before, there’s huge competition for places in the starting fifteen, and all the girls are determined to give everything to get back to another final in Croke Park, and hopefully see Meighan (Farrell) climb the steps to lift the O’Duffy cup.” As defending All –Ireland champions, Phelan is in no doubt that each opposition team raises their game when they play the cats. “For sure, we would have done the same in previous years, you always want to test yourself against the best, the champions and see where you’re at.” “This year we are in a different position, teams are throwing the kitchen sink at us and pushing us to the wire in every game we play, but that’s the pressure that comes with being All-Ireland champions, and to be fair it’s the position you’d rather be in.” On the more recent additions to the Kilkenny panel, Phelan is full of admiration and praise for their contributions to the squad in general. “When you look at the likes of Katie

(Nolan), Mary (O’Connell) and Michelle (Teehan), it’s like the shackles are off, they play with absolutely no fear, they are buzzing around the place in training, bringing huge energy, which drives the rest of us on in each session or match, because we know that no one’s place is safe in the team.” When looking back on last year’s magnificent achievement, Phelan speaks glowingly about the ‘split season’ and now believes that this is the format that the camogie calendar should look to implement going forward. “It was really great last year, you got to have the time with the club, before getting stuck in with the county.” “It’s hard to be at the pitch every night of the week, it gets harder to bring the same energy, as we all need some down-time due to our personal lives or our jobs and that, so last season was it was great to get the summer with the club, then onto the winter with the county, and to be honest, I think most of the girls felt the same.” The Lisdowney club is synonymous with camogie – many legends have represented both club and county, and Phelan is proud to continue that proud tradition. With Lockdown restrictions

easing, the news that a large number of supporters will be in attendance going forward, is welcomed be the player, as December’s title win at headquarters was a somewhat different occasion. “Winning the final last year was a little different in terms of the post-match experience, as we had no family there to celebrate with.” “However, in a strange way it allowed the team to be together and reflect on a fantastic achievement in that unforgettable moment.” Phelan beams with pride and emotion when discussing that night in December. “We all want to get back to Croke Park, and have our families and loved one’s there – they deserve the day out too, they’re the ones that sacrifice so much to help us all reach these moments, getting us to training and matches all over the country, and the atmosphere it adds is incredible, as you saw recently when our hurlers played.” As our chat draws to a close, I sense that Phelan is focused and determined to help Kilkenny defend their title. “Our thoughts are purely on Wexford and the challenge they’ll bring, if we get over that, we can then look ahead to the next one.” Next stop, Cork.

‘Look Who’s T alking’

Player Name: Cl aire Phelan Club: Lisdowney Position: Half Ba ck Sporting highlig There have been ht so far: the most recent a few but Ireland was very 2020 All and probably on special, biggest sporting e of the highlights for me. If you could only to 1 singer or ba listen the rest of your nd for would you choolife, who Very tough one, se? I like my music but I’d prob ably go for Coldplay.

Pet hate: Tuna, it turns m y stomach. Best Holiday De done & to do: stination Did the West Co as America a few ye t of probably the highars ago, saw some amazing plac Australia or New light of the trip. Would love to es. Yosemite was get to see some Zealand some da of y. Sporting Idol & Lots of people towhy: she has achieved choose from but Katie Taylor is definitely up ther so much in her sp e, ort. If you had to de I’m sure my teamscribe yourself in 3 words: mates would an swer this better than me.

Party of 6

Camogie has started to gain a little more prominence in terms of television and media coverage, and viewing figures show that the interest is certainly there for the sport. In a survey earlier this year, it was revealed that 89% of the population couldn’t name a

You are allowed 6 chosen guests to invite 6 famous people for dinner.....name • 6 famous peop & reasons for inviting! the le for dinner, a qu FRIENDS, would ick and easy one. love to have sat in on the reunio The cast of n! Team mates! • Best trainer • Worst trainer Grace Walsh • Queen of styl - ? • Best Taste in e - Davina Tobin m • Worst taste in usic - Colette Dormer • Most difficult music - Katie Power opponent - Deni se Gaule

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 20 August 2021

Camogie

Sport

Pictured (L-R): Linda Collins (Cork), Amy Cardiff (Wexford), Niamh Hanniffy (Galway), Hilda Breslin, Camogie Association President, Meighan Farrell (Kilkenny), Niamh Rockett (Waterford) and Cait Devane (Tipperary).

Camogie Association proudly supporting ISPCC Childline for 2021 All-Ireland Championships The Camogie Association are delighted to announce they are proudly supporting ISPCC Childline, through the final stages of the 2021 All Ireland Senior, Intermediate and Premier Junior Championships THE Camogie Association are delighted to announce they are proudly supporting ISPCC Childline, through the final stages of the 2021 All Ireland Senior, Intermediate and Premier Junior Championships. Childline, Ireland’s 24-hour active listening service for all of those aged up to and including 18, is always there to listen to and support any child or young person around any issue which might be on their mind. The service has remained available every day and night since Covid-19 restrictions were first introduced in the country. It continues to receive up to 800 online contacts, texts and calls every day and night from children and young people who reach out for support in relation to topics including school, friendships, loneliness, mental health difficulties and more. In partnering with Childline, the Camogie Association is highlighting supports available to children and young people across Ireland and the positive impact that involvement in sport can have on an individual’s wellbeing. Speaking at the official announcement of this partnership, Uachtarán of the Camogie Association

Pictured at the Launch Of The 2021 Camogie Association Knockout Stages Of the All-Ireland Camogie Championships With Charity Partner ISPCC Childline Meighan Farrell (Kilkenny) and Amy Cardiff (Wexford).

Hilda Breslin said “I am delighted that the Camogie Association is supporting ISPCC Childline. As a volunteer community-based organisation, active in units across the island the Camogie Association plays a vital role in supporting young people. We are particularly conscious that the COVID pandemic has had impact on

all of us but in particular for children and young adults across our communities. As a volunteer community-based association we are conscious of the need to support each other and in this regard working in partnership with ISPCC Childline will provide us with an opportunity to support their vital reach out into our communities. We

all have a responsibility to help equip young people with the tools to help them face challenges not just on the sporting field but in life and to make a positive difference in the lives of young people. Working together #WeMakeADifference Our players are role models on the field but they also play a positive role in the

example they provide to young people in life. Young girls need positive visible role models and the knockout stages of our exciting All Ireland Championship provides us with the platform to re-enforce the positive aspect of sport on wellbeing and also in building support for individuals within a safe and supportive environment. Our Senior Championship knock-out stages live across RTE, in conjunction with our streaming of other grades culminating in our All-Ireland Championship finals in Croke Park on the 12th of September provide us with this great opportunity. We are delighted to promote and support the vital work ISPCC Childline does to support our young people, providing a much-needed service to children and young people across all sectors of Irish society”. ISPCC Childline Chief Executive John Church said: “ISPCC Childline is delighted to have the support of the Camogie Association through the final stages of this year’s All Ireland Camogie Championships. Children and young people have experienced huge upheaval in their lives over the past 16 months, with restrictions meaning they were cut off from school, extended family

members and friends and the sport and activities which can bring them great joy and stability. They will continue to face challenges as Ireland recovers and rebuilds over the months and years ahead. We are very grateful to the Camogie Association for letting them know they don’t have to go it alone. “Camogie players pursuing their sport at the highest levels, as well as their mentors, can be important role models to children and young people and can lead by example by demonstrating the benefits of being active and of utilising support available. Childline is always there to listen. Any child or young person can reach out to us at any time, online, by text or by phone and we will be there to listen to them, support them and to help to strengthen their resilience – so they can cope with any challenge that comes their way.” This exciting announcement comes just ahead of the quarter-final stages of the AllIreland Senior Championship which will see Kilkenny take on Wexford and Tipperary face Waterford in what promises to be a thrilling double-header, broadcast live on RTÉ, from Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Saturday 21st August. The All-Ireland finals for Senior, Intermediate and Junior Championship are scheduled for Sunday 12th September in Croke Park.

The Kilkenny Observer Friday 20 August 2021

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Sport

Golf NOTES

CASTLECOMER GOLF CLUB Q Health Pharmacy (formally known as Quirke’s Pharmacy) has been in existence on Kilkenny Street, Castlecomer since 1995. February 2019 saw it move up to the street to its present location just at the corner of the square in what was used to be known locally as Hahessy’s drapery. Lady Captain Patricia, Lady VC Helen, Committee Members and our ladies would like to thank Q Health for generously sponsoring last week’s competition which was played over a three-day period. We would urge all members to support this local enterprise. Everyone was eager to enter the event. Once again, the players found the course in immaculate condition. Many thanks to our ground staff and volunteer group. Results: Freida Campion 41 pts LC Patricia Brennan 40 pts Delia O’ Donohoe 37 pts

Our All-Ireland Women’s Fourball and Cullen Cup panels are looking forward to the next round of their respective competitions.

was 4 under par GROSS which included 5 birdies on the back 9. Sunday 15th August Men’s Single Stableford Overall Cyril Lawlor (15) 44 pts Division 1 Gordon Peppard (13) 41 pts Gross Billy Walsh (5) 36 pts 31 gross Division 2 Michael Kavanagh (23) 39 pts

Congratulations to Mary Brophy and Jo Costigan who paired together and secured third place in the Team of Two held recently in Gowran GC. Presentation of Prizes for Open Week was held Tuesday August 10 while adhering to guidelines. Lady Captain Patricia was present to congratulate those who featured in The Festival of Golf. Best wishes to Mr. Captain John Lacey for an enjoyable Captain’s Prize Event. The final round will be played on Saturday August 21. The ladies raised €210 for NCBI. Thanks to those who participated in The Granard Cup Qualifier. Friday 13 August Scramble Results: 17 net Clodagh O’ Reilly Helen Hennessy Catherine Campion Marty O’ Shea 17 1/8 net Daniel O’ Donnell Regina Butler Dara McGrath Paudie Mulhall CALLAN GOLF LADIES The Annual Emerald Trophy Competition was held on

Lotto Results Thursday 12th August overall No Winner Numbers drawn 8,9 and 6 Match 2 Brian Hennessy, Paddy Holohan, Eddie Cunningham, John Kinchella, Cathal O’ Reilly Sandra Moore, Mick Halpin Each receiving €30 We thank our Committee, the sellers and the players for their continued support.

John Lacey (Captain) Michael O Neill, Seamus Coogan, Pat Murtagh, Murty Coonan, Eamon Holohan, Patricia Brennan (Lady Captain)

Tuesday August 10th and with the course in great condition it lent to good scoring on the day. Noeleen Quinlan emerged as the winner with 65pts 2nd Anne Croke 70pts 3rd Jean Grace 71pts 4th Ann Wemyss 72pts 9 Hole S/F 1st Mary O’Shea 23pts 2nd Margaret O’Shea 19pts Senior Ladies Thurs 12th August 12 Hole Comp Results: 1st Mary Manning 28pts 2nd Ann Needham 27pts 3rd Marie O’Riordan 27pts c/b 4th Helen Tuite 27pts 5th Betty McGrath 26pts

CALLAN GOLF MENS Great news for Callan Golf Club as the locally based O Dwyer Golf have agreed to extend their Sponsorship of the O’ Dwyer’s Men’s open Singles each Wednesday. This Wednesday Open Singles Competition has been very popular for our members and the many visitors. Booking is available on the club Web site www. callangolfclub.net Wednesday 4th August Overall Winner Jim Wellwood (13) 39 pts Division 1 Jimmy Dunne (13) 34 pts Back 9 Gross Ross Holden (1) 33 pts

Division 2 Tommy Kilbane (25) 39 pts Sunday 8th August Men’s Single Stableford Overall Gerry Doyle (23) 44 pts Div. 1 Darren Comerford (7) 38 pts Gross Ross Holden (1) 35 pts Back nine Div. 2 Derek Hally (29) 42 pts Wednesday 11th August Overall Jeff Lynch (2) 42 pts Division 1 Thomas Leahy (8) 41 pts Gross Ross Holden (1) 34 pts Division 2 Thomas Grinsell (17) 42 pts Top of the bunch with 42 points was Jeff Lynch which

Covid 19 Reminder Callan like so many golf clubs has been fortunate to see a large number of new members with the increased participation in outdoor sporting activities. Golf remains a relatively safe activity and we welcome our new and existing members to the club to partake in this sporting and social activities in a safe environment. A gentle reminder to all to adhere to the current protocols and if you are feeling unwell we ask you to please stay at home and take the necessary advice from your doctor and adhere to the guidelines provided to keep yourself and fellow players and staff safe.

Low back pain or shoulder pain when golfing? EOIN EVERARD

Make sure you are moving in the right places. Low back pain is a very common complaint I see with both golfers, tennis players and hurlers who come to my clinic. The reason? They all need a

lot of rotation. Especially for a golfer where they try to go to the end range of motion in order to generate all the force required to hit the ball as far as possible. However, in a lot of the cases they are getting the rotation in the wrong part of the back. The thoracic spine (Upper back) is often a neglected section of twelve vertebrae stuck between the much more talked about lumbar spine (lower

back) and the forever-painful cervical spine (neck). By definition, the thoracic spine is the twelve vertebrae that connect with the rib cage and is located between the lumbar spine and the cervical spine. Because we rarely get thoracic pain we tend to overlook this critical area. Neck and low back pain are rampant so the thoracic spine is often completely overlooked. Unfortunately, a big key to avoiding both lower back pain and neck pain may lie in the movement of your thoracic spine. In the simplest terms, the body does what is easy, not what is best. As we age the thoracic spine (Upper back) stiffens. As a result we tend to turn the head at the neck (cervical spine) or rotate at the lower back (lumbar spine). A mobile thoracic spine can help to avoid or relieve both low back and neck pain by allowing rotation in this key area. For years we have been warming up the wrong area with the wrong exercises. Lots of “experts” recommended exercises like hip crossovers and scorpions to “warm-up” the low back. However, looking at the research behind these exercises and the great work of Dr. Shirley Sahrmann, I recommended that athletes,

particularly golfers, avoid most exercises that rotate the lower back and instead focus on developing motion at the hips and thoracic spine. The truth is that good motion in golf comes from turning the hips and the shoulders not from rotating the lumbar spine. Therefore, a way to get good hip motion and good shoulder turn is to focus on the hips and thoracic spine, not the low back. Bottom line, bad golfers turn at the low back. Good golfers, who stay injury free turn at the hips

and shoulders. Mobility at the thoracic spine is actually simpler to develop than you think. It doesn’t even involve rotation. What you are going to do to mobilize the thoracic spine is to perform a series of simple crunch type exercises while lying on a foam roller or two tennis balls taped together with masking tape or. It’s a simple exercise that you can do at the gym or even in front of the TV. Lie on your back with a foam roller placed in the middle of

your back. Your feet and buttocks should be on the ground, with your hands placed behind your head. From the starting position, slowly extend the upper back. DO NOT extend the low back; it may help to think of “bracing” the stomach to ensure that the movement comes from the upper back. Slowly work the roller up and down the back, repeating the extension at the various spinal levels. Hopefully this will help with any back pain or shoulder pain you have.

Motoring

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 20 August 2021

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Motoring

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 20 August 2021

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Memoriams/Miracle prayers

News Planning notices

Planning notices KILKENNY COUNTY COUNCIL Planning Permission is sought by Michael Lyng Motors Ltd to erect a single storey extension to the side of existing car showroom with all associated site development works at Michael Lyng Motors, Hebron Industrial Estate Hebron Rd. Kilkenny. R95YV00 The planning application may be inspected, or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy, at the offices of the Planning Department, Kilkenny County Council, County Hall, John Street, Kilkenny, during its public opening hours 9 a.m.1.00 p.m. and 2.00 p.m. – 4.00 p.m. Monday to Friday, and a submission or observation in relation to the application may be made to the Planning Authority in writing on payment of the prescribed fee (€20.00) within the period of 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the Authority of the planning application, and such submissions or observations will be considered by the Planning Authority in making a decision on the application. The Planning Authority may grant permission subject to or without conditions, or may refuse to grant permission. Signed: Gittens Murray Architects Ltd., No. 5 William Street, Kilkenny. Tel No: 056-7753933. web:www.gmarch.net KILKENNY COUNTY COUNCIL I, Kate Brennan intend to apply to Kilkenny County Council for Retention Planning Permission to retain existing extension to the rear of existing dwelling house and for the change of use of garage to bedroom and all associated site development works at Westcourt North, Callan, 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 Planning Permission is sought by Dr. Venkata Subbaiah Chetty Peteti for the retention of : A) A single storey garden room extension to the rear and partially to the side of the existing dwelling B) A single storey covered glassed canopy / domestic store to the side of the existing dwelling C) All associated site works and landscaping at 67 Talbot’s Gate, Freshford Road, Co. Kilkenny R95 E9X4. The planning application may be inspected, or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy, at the offices of the Planning Department, Kilkenny County Council, County Hall, John Street, Kilkenny, during its public opening hours 9 a.m.1.00 p.m. and 2.00 p.m. – 4.00 p.m. Monday to Friday, and a submission or observation in relation to the application may be made to the Planning Authority in writing on payment of the prescribed fee (€20.00) within the period of 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the Authority of the planning application, and such submissions or observations will be considered by the Planning Authority in making a decision on the application. The Planning Authority may grant permission subject to or without conditions, or may refuse to grant permission. Signed: Gittens Murray Architects Ltd., No. 5 William Street, Kilkenny. Tel No: 056-7753933. web:www.gmarch.net

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 20 August 2021

Motors Classifieds

Classified section To advertise your business in our classified section call in or telephone: 056 777 1463, or email: accounts @kilkennyobserver.ie

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Classifieds Motors

NOW OPEN SATURDAY MORNINGS 9.30am to 12.00pm

CAR WASH – 056 7726289 TYRE BREAKDOWN SERVICE

Glass & Glazing Services Window + Door Repairs Units, Hinges, Locks Repaired or Replaced Mirrors Cut Toughened Glass/Security Glass All Domestic & Commercial work undertaken

Call Jerry 0894976758 jerharding66@gmail.com

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Memoriams / Miracle Prayers

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. J.M

The Miracle Prayer

A prayer to the Blessed Virgin

The Miracle Prayer

(never known to fail). O most beautiful flower of Mount Carmel, Fruitful vine, Splendour of Heaven, Blessed Mother of the Son of God, O Star of the sea, help me and show me herein you are my Mother. O Holy Mary Mother of God, Queen of Heaven and Earth, I humbly beseech you from the bottom of my heart to grant my request. (Please state request). There are none that can withstand your power. O show me herein you are my Mother. I place this cause in your hands (three times). Thank you for your mercy towards me and mine. Amen. This prayer must be said for three days and after this the request will be granted. This prayer must be published immediately. M.B

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Memoriams / Miracle Prayers

TO PLACE YOUR NOTICE IN THE KILKENNY OBSERVER IN MEMORIAM DEATH NOTICE ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS BIRTHDAY REMEMBRANCES

Beloved St. Clare,

by your trust in God’s providence, obtain help for all the poor and needy; by your love for the Infant Jesus, obtain the protection of our families; by your love for Jesus crucified, obtain for us courage in every trial; by your love for Jesus in the Eucharist, obtain our request……….. by your attentiveness to the Holy Spirit, obtain for us the grace of prayer and devotion; by your likeness to Mary our Mother, obtain peace in our hearts our homes and our world. Amen. A.ON

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The Miracle Prayer

CALL TO US AT THE OFFICE AT ANY TIME Monday – Friday 9.30am to 5.30pm (We are open during lunchtime) Bring the picture and the verse, we can scan the picture and return it to you while you are at the office. EMAIL TO accounts@kilkennyobserver.ie Email the picture and the verse to us accounts@kilkennyobserver.ie and include your telephone number. We will call you to confirm and you can pay by card over the phone. BY PHONE 056 7771463 You can also place your notice by phone. We can take the verse from you over the phone and the picture can be sent by WhatsApp. PLEASE NOTE All pictures and verses will be held on file for future years

The Miracle Prayer

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 20 August 2021