Kilkenny Observer 25 April 2025

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Pope Francis Full coverage of the passing of pontiff  Pages 3,14, 20 and 30

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Life is likely elsewhere, but what if we’re alone?  Page 18

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Remembering Francis INSIDE

------------------------------------* Pope’s visit to Ireland, and attempts to fix the church Paul Hopkins Page 14 *In a Kilkenny pub on the night of his election Gerry Moran Page 20 * Good and evil – and God and papal humour Page 30 * Who’s likely to succeed the Bishop of Rome?

Page 30

When Pope Francis in 2016 wanted to appoint Paloma Garcia Ovejero, a 42-yearold Spanish woman, as deputy head of the Vatican press, he quickly faced the ire of the Catholic Church’s maledominated hierarchy. “I had to fight,” he said.

Asked why the leader of the world’s 1.2 billion Catholics could not put a woman into a middle-ranking Vatican role without a fight, the Pope smiled and said: “Bosses cannot always do what they want.”

But it was not for want of him trying.

As head of the Roman Church for 13 years, Francis’ ambition had been for less centralised and more responsive decision-making.

His training as a Jesuit – the first such elected pontiff – had taught the Argentinian to cast as wide a net for information as possible. That too was the scientist in him, for Francis came from an academic background in physics rather than theology, which led critics to accuse

him of lacking the theological and philosophical acumen necessary for the job.

Being, though, the first Latin American pope – the continent is home to 40% of the world’s Catholics – he brought aspects of Liberation Theology to the role, as in his outspokenness on global refugees and the Syrian and Gaza and Ukrainian wars, as well as his denunciation of the death penalty and of laissez-faire capitalism and the ills of globalisation.

Such remarks irritated the many with other agendas, as did he irk traditional Catholics with remarks that, for example, all human beings, even atheists, could be redeemed.

Some even dared ask: “Is Francis, in fact, Catholic?”

But for many others, and following two conservative leaders, the Argentinian’s pastoral approach gave the Catholic Church a new glow — less judgmental, more merciful, more concerned with pastoral matters than

EDITOR’S COMMENT church politics. Some would even regard him as a Pope for all, not just for Catholics, his humble streak having won him global popularity.

In symbolic acts, he visited prisons to wash the feet of inmates, including women and Muslims, stressed mercy over exclusion, forgiveness over punishment and openness over what he had described as “a Christ who is locked in” church buildings.

In his slow but arduous fight to change the culture of the Vatican, and to turn the Church of Rome beyond its walls into a more efficient, inclusive and forgiving institution, Francis had some success.

He succeeded in some reforms that even his critics acknowledged, such as making Vatican finances more transparent, but the Pope still had his work cut out for him and his advancing years were not necessarily on his side.

Not least were the huge moral and complex issues of divorce, homosexuality and abortion, and the role, or rather lack of it, of women in the Catholic Church – these matters fomenting critical discussion and a backdrop to his Irish visit in 2018.

Then there was the debilitating matter of clerical abuse, the fallout from the latest such scandal still escalating. Cue, the Jesuits in Ireland.

“It’s all about the bishops.”

That was the single most damning line from a 1,300page report, released by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court the year Francis visited Ireland The report found that 300 priests in the US state had abused more than 1,000 children since 1947.

In the four decades that Ireland had to wait for another papal visit, much changed. In 2018 Francis found a modern, secular

society where only 54% of people regarded themselves as practicing Catholics and just 29% of those attended mass; divorce and gay marriage were now legal, the 8th Amendment repealed, and the State and its law-makers no longer kowtowed to Rome’s rule.

The Pope’s battle for reform was not only with Vatican bureaucracy, known as the Curia, but was also for the hearts and minds of the faithful, not least here in Ireland.

Francis’s stance on abortion, divorce and same-sex marriage are as rigid as the Curia’s, if only echoed in a more compassionate way.

He did, eventually say samesex couple could have a Catholic blessing upon their union. In his 2018 visit here, he choose not to largely speak out on such matters.

In the end Francis may well be remembered also for what he did not say.

That said, one of his last remarks, before entering hospital, was when he said that

laughing at God “is not blasphemy” as he met more than 100 comedians from around the world at the Vatican, encouraging them to use their powerful gift of humour to spread laughter “in the midst of so much gloomy news”.

The pontiff, himself having been prone to the odd quip, invited comedians, including Patrick Kielty, Tommy Tiernan and Ardal O’Hanlon, Jimmy Fallon and Chris Rock, to the audience at the Apostolic Palace as part of his attempt to engage with contemporary culture.

“In the midst of so much gloomy news, immersed as we are in so many social and even personal emergencies, you have the power to spread peace and smiles,” Francis said.

“You are among the few to have the ability to speak to very different people, from different generations and cultural backgrounds. You unite people, because laughter is contagious.”

Rather special final words.

In a world at war.

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News

Blas: now, here’s thought for food ...

Calling all food and drink producers in Kilkenny — entries are now open for Blas na hÉireann 2025, the Irish Food Awards, with Best in County supported by Kilkenny LEO. Now in their 18th year, Blas na hÉireann is the largest competition for quality Irish produce on the island of Ireland, created to recognise and celebrate the very best of Irish food and drink. Entries are now open for producers across all categories and the deadline for all entries is Thursday, May 15.

“It’s an exciting time when we begin our annual process again,” says Artie Clifford, Blas na hÉireann Chairman.

“Every year for the past 18 years we have gone into the competition looking forward to discovering new products and welcoming new producers participating, right across the island, and every year our expectations have been exceeded.

“With more than 3,000 entries in 2024, this year’s bar has been set very high, but we have every confidence in the innovation, talents and commitment of our food producers, and no doubt there will be much to excite and delight in Blas na hÉireann 2025,” he says.

Winning in 2024: Callum Johnston, Bart Pawlukojc, Mateusz Majewski of Arán Bakery & Bistro, Kilkenny receiving their award at the annual Blas Na h-Eireann / Irish Food Awards in Dingle, C0. Kerry from John Sheehy, Blas na hEireann and Colin Lavery, Andrews Ingredients, sponsor PHOTO: Don MacMonagle

The Blas awards are the biggest blind tasting of produce in the country, and the criteria on which the product is judged as well as the judging system itself, which was developed by Blas na hÉireann with the Food Science Department of UCC, is now recognised as an industry gold standard worldwide. The tasting takes place throughout June and July, building towards the biggest celebration of Irish food and its producers when the awards are presented in the Blas Village in Dingle in October.

Last year more than 3,000 products from every county in Ireland were entered to win bronze, silver or gold awards in over 170 food and drink categories, as well as key awards like Supreme Champion and Best Artisan Producer.

Winning at Blas makes a significant business difference to winners, with research showing that the Blas accreditation has the highest recognition amongst Irish consumers. Seeing the award logo on packs guarantees shoppers a top quality Irish product.

For full rates and further details, please visit www. irishfoodawards.com

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News

Junior Cert changes this year Pupils sitting their Junior Cycle exams this year will have more chance of achieving distinctions and higher merits under a new system introduced by the Department of Education.

Grades are currently marked under distinction, higher merit, merit or achieved.

However, by the time pupils

sit their Junior Cycle exams in June, the marking element will be transformed with evenly distributed bands of 15 percentage points.

The current grades for a distinction are from 90 to 100.

The new band will use 85 to 100, giving more children an opportunity of the distinction grade.

The current grade for a

higher merit is between 75 and 90, and will change to between 70 and 85.

A merit is currently between 55 and 75 and will now be between 55 and 70. Achieved, partially achieved and not graded will remain the same.

It’s hoped the changes will give more clarity to pupils and parents about levels of attainment.

The State Examinations Commission (SEC) has confirmed these changes can be made for this year’s exams.

Education Minister Helen McEntee said: “I’m delighted to confirm the grade bands at Junior Cycle will be amended.

“These changes will apply to the more than 73,000 students due to sit their exami-

nations in the coming weeks.

“With the top four grade bands now becoming evenly distributed, this will have a positive impact on students, ensuring their grades are ­ more reflective of their work and effort, as well as of the work of our teachers.

“It can be expected that higher numbers of students will achieve distinction and

higher merit grades with this change.”

Ms McEntee also said the final ­report of a new study on the enactment of the Junior Cycle Framework – commissioned by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) and the University of Limerick – was under consideration by the NCCA Council.

Speech and language therapy to begin 2026 In special schools Speech and language therapy is to be introduced in a number of special schools next year, with an expansion of the service to follow, according to Education Minister Helen McEntee.

The roll-out of these therapies in schools is part of the introduction of the national therapy service in education, which will begin in special schools in the later part of the next academic year.

Occupational therapy will also be introduced alongside speech and ­ language support and will, over time, be ­expanded into other therapies, including physiotherapy.

The minister’s announcement comes following a commitment in the Programme for Government to create a dedicated therapy service in education to provide students with access to the services they need.

While therapists working in schools will work with individual students, they will also support teachers and SNAs working with students with special educational needs.

Therapies will begin in some special schools in the later part of the 2025/26 school year and a wider roll-out is expected to begin at the start of the 2026/27 academic year.

It comes as the Government looks to move therapies back into the school setting to improve access, after a move away from providing these services in educational settings.

In-school therapists were removed from schools in 2020

and with the HSE’s Progressing Disability Services, services were reconfigured.

With the HSE’s Children’s Disability Network Teams (CDNTs), the aim was to offer a multidisciplinary service to children in their communities. However, parents and school principals were critical of the change, and former Junior Disability Minister Anne Rabbitte last year described the removal as a “key mistake” that “should not have happened”.

Later in 2024, the Government announced a pilot project that looked to enhance the delivery of inschool therapy supports to children in a number of special schools in Dublin and Cork.

The move towards the reintroduction of therapists based in schools comes after the Government sanctioned 399 new special education classes for the next academic year. The additional classes will see the creation of 2,700 new spaces for children with special education needs.

Ms McEntee said previously it was her intention to see 400 classes sanctioned. With just one school left to come on board, the minister has said she is willing to use powers, known as Section 37A, to get that final class sanctioned.

“It’s not always easy, and it can be a complex process.

The one school that is remaining, I will use the 37A. I don’t want to have to, so I would encourage the school to continue engaging with us,” Ms McEntee said.

Kilkenny’s Teac Tom is among finalists for Red Cross award Among the finalists for the Irish Red Cross Humanitarian of the Year Award, the most prestigious individual category recognises extraordinary humanitarian commitment is Angela Hayes from Kilkenny/ Laois, founder of Teac Tom (The Thomas Hayes Trust).

Teac Tom provides immediate walk-in crisis interven-

tion, counselling, and family support for those affected by suicide and mental health challenges.

In 2024 alone, Teac Tom delivered nearly 5,000 therapy sessions while raising €300,000 annually to maintain these critical services.

The awards will be presented on May 8.

Kilkenny youth have their say...

Eleven young people from Kilkenny joined Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Minister Norma Foley at Dublin Castle recently for Comhairle na nÓg’s National Showcase 2025 The castle became a hub of youth empowerment as over 400 young people, aged 12-17, from every county in Ireland gathered . Hosted by presenter and podcaster Fionnuala Jones, the event brought together the Taoiseach Michaél Martin, Minister Norma Foley, members of Government and senior Government officials to engage directly with young people on the issues that matter most to them.

Hosted by the Depart-

ment of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY), the bi-annual showcase provided a vital platform for the 31 Comhairle na nÓg groups to present their work and connect directly with decision-makers on policies that impact their lives. The Showcase highlighted the power of youth-led action and demonstrated how young people are influencing policy development at local and national levels.

Minister for Children, Disability and Equality, Norma Foley, highlighted the importance of youth participation, saying: “Comhairle na nÓg is a fantastic forum for young people across Ireland,

Kilkenny youth empowerment: Back row, from left: Lilyanne Holden, Rory O’Reilly, Cían Holden, Teagan Emmett, Alexksa Petrova, Diana Petrakova.

Front row:Katie Byrne, Tallia Donnelly, Kayla Doyle, Lia Conway, Alex Conway

giving them an opportunity to share their views and influence policy development on a local, regional, and even national level. Today’s event provides these young people with an excellent opportunity to speak directly with policymakers, Government representatives and those having a direct impact on their lives on a wide range of issues, and I have thoroughly enjoyed witnessing it first-hand.”

Throughout the day, young people participated in panel discussions, interactive exhibitions, and networking sessions with policymakers and government representatives. These discussions tackled pressing issues such

as mental health, education reform, climate action, transport and youth rights, reinforcing the significant role young people play in shaping Ireland’s future.

Cían Holden from Kilkenny Comhairle na nÓg shared their perspective: “The Comhairle na nÓg Showcase is more than just an event, it’s a chance for young people like us to actually be heard. It gives us the opportunity to speak directly to decision-makers and influence real change on the issues we care about most. For many of us, it’s the first time we get to stand in a room where our opinions aren’t just listened to, they’re respected.”

Local charity awarded for ‘vital work’ A Kilkenny-based charity is among four Irish charities that have been recognised for their vital work in local communities, from rescuing animals to supporting mental health and youth development.

Teac Tom based in Kilkenny and Laois, Meath’s Last Hope Animal Charity, Dublin Youth Theatre (DYT), and Pancreatic Cancer Ireland have each received €1,000 through the Movement for Good Awards, a charitable giving programme from the Benefact Group, parent company of specialist insurer Ecclesiastical Insurance Ireland.

The awards, now in their sixth year, are part of a wider

initiative donating over €1 million to charities across Ireland and the UK in 2025.

Nominations were open to the public, who voted in support of these four charities.

Each charity is being recognised for its unique and meaningful contribution to life in Ireland: • Last Hope Animal Charity (Meath) is a voluntary fosterbased group dedicated to rescuing, rehabilitating, and rehoming domestic animals.

The charity recently launched a stray cat neutering scheme to address rising numbers of unneutered strays.

• Teac Tom (Kilkenny and Laois) is a mental health and

suicide bereavement support organisation offering immediate, affordable services. Its work is sustained through the generosity of individuals and community support.

• Dublin Youth Theatre (Dublin) is a creative space for young people to explore and express themselves through theatre, offering inclusive opportunities from high-profile productions to supportive first performances.

• Pancreatic Cancer Ireland is a national charity raising awareness and offering support to those affected by pancreatic cancer, while advocating for improved outcomes and a greater public under-

standing of the disease.

A spokesperson for Teac Tom said: “Our mission as a community and voluntary organisation is to provide affordable and immediate services to help those struggling with their mental health or who have been bereaved by suicide.

“Teac Tom receives no government funding to provide these vital services, and without the generosity and support of individuals, businesses and the wider community, including the Benefact Group and Movement for Good, we would not be able to keep our doors open,” said the spokesperson.

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Opinion

The Fact Of The Matter Paul Hopkins

We’re talking about their generation... GenZ Gen Z come in for a lot of flack, unfairly perhaps, being often considered by older generations as timid and privileged. One recent European survey found that 40 per cent of employers prefer not to hire Gen Z workers because they find them to be ill-prepared for the workforce, while another survey found they are having more difficulty achieving so-called work milestones than their parents did.

Generation Z refers to people born between 1996 and 2010. They’re the secondyoungest generation, between Millennials and Generation Alpha (don’t ask!). Gen Z identity has been shaped by the digital age, climate anxiety, and a shifting internet.

Like every generation, Gen Z’s behaviours are dictated by how they grew up. Young people today have come of age in the shadow of climate doom, pandemic lockdowns, wars and fears of economic

collapse – now, even more so with Trump and his yo-yo tariffs.

The earliest Gen Zers were born when the internet had just achieved widespread use. They’re called ‘digital natives’ — with the internet part of daily life. The generation spans a wide range: the oldest Gen Zers have jobs and mortgages (if lucky), while the youngest are still teens.

Gen Z make up more than 20% of Ireland’s population.

Data released earlier this year by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) reveals a bit more about this generation of young people who will shape the country in years to come.

The Growing Up in Ireland study tracked the thoughts and experiences of a group of Irish citizens born in 1998, making them 27 years old this year.

Housing – no surprises here – is the biggest concern for this generation. Virtually all of those surveyed (98%) are

either “somewhat or very concerned” about getting a house. The majority still live at home with their parents. This varies from 63.5% of 27-yearolds in the Midland region (Laois, Longford, Offaly and Westmeath) to 82.% in the commuter counties of Kilkenny, Meath, Kildare and Wicklow.

According to another survey, last week from PTSB, 61 per cent of those between 18 and 24, say they will apply for social housing instead of trying to buy a home.

More than six in 10 (62.4%) of those still living with their parents say it is mostly due to financial reasons. For those who do live independently from their parents, most are renting privately but, out of the cohort of 27-year-olds who took part in the survey, just 3.8% own their own home.

The CSO study found that 27-year-olds are highly educated and more than 80%

have transitioned smoothly into the workforce – which would seem to mitigate against the (European) survey mentioned at the beginning.

The median weekly salary for the group is €558.

Isabelle is the daughter of friends of mine. She is 22.

Having grown up with social

Gen Z make up 20% of Ireland’s population...

media, she tells me Gen Zers curate their online selves more carefully than those in previous generations have, and they are more likely to turn to trends of anonymity, more personalised feeds, and a smaller online presence, even as they voraciously consume media online.

Video-sharing social media sites have seen a meteoric rise. TikTok currently rules trends, feelings, and culture for Gen Zers, who make up 60% of the app’s one billionplus users. Says Isabelle: “The internet is where they, we, can discuss their passions and interests with those who share them, bonding with both people they know in real life and ones they’ve only met online.”

Moving on, she says: “My generation, I would say, is also generally known for its idealism — part of a new wave of ‘inclusive consumers’ and socially progressive dreamers.”

Progressive dreamers?

“Yes, kind of. Generally speaking, I think most of us believe in doing our part to help stop the intensifying climate change and to establish greater equity for all.

More than any other generation, I would say we collectively demand purpose and accountability, the creation of more opportunities for people of diverse and underrepresented backgrounds, and rigorous sustainable and green practices.”

Most older people think Gen Zers are just known for working, shopping, dating, and making friends online. Or turning to the internet when looking for any kind of information, including news – fake or otherwise.

I mean who am I – a Baby Boomer – to say? Typecasting all achieves nothing. We are all individuals at the end of the day.

Generational cutoff points aren’t an exact science.

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News

Beef trade a big factor in 80% fall in calf kills The dramatic drop in calf slaughterings in Ireland, which have fallen by nearly 13,000 since 2023, according to ICMSA President Denis Drennan, is largely "due to the state of the beef market".

Calf slaughterings have seen a four-fold decrease compared to the same period in 2024 and an eight-fold decrease from 2023 levels.

Figures from the Department of Agriculture (DAFM) show that 2025 calf slaughterings are back by just shy of 80% on 2024 levels or 12,884 head.

In the first 15 weeks of this year, 3,453 calves were slaughtered compared to 16,337 calves during the same period in 2024.

The 2023 figures were higher, with 29,685 calves slaughtered, 88% higher than 2025.

Drennan said there were a number of reasons for the "very notable fall-off in the estimates”.

He said that, while the introduction of measures by the individual co-ops aimed at ensuring outlets for calves had "obviously had an effect within its own supplier base”, the "very positive” market for beef in 2025 has also been a factor.

"The market for beef has logically found its way back to the price of calves, with all categories of calves finding an improved trade,” he said.

"But we'd also point to the slow, but steady, emergence of the dairy beef sector that's based on rearing of dairy calves for beef.

"We had long argued that this was the best option in terms of sustainability, profitability, and as a viable choice for farmers looking to step back from more intensive milk or beef production.

"It has been very tentative and stop-start, but we see the DAFM now slowly grasping what ICMSA has been saying for a decade, and we see the levels of support and participation growing year on year.

"The other factor is the real engagement by foreign buyers in our live exports and that is a testament to the excellence of the calves and the efficiency and administration of the transport system that gets the calves to market in excellent condition.”

Drennan said the "relatively healthy” prices being achieved in marts and factories would "almost certainly encourage” the dairy calf-to-beef option, and that "must be supported” by the department.

"The payment-per-head is still inadequate, but the figures are very encouraging and the fact that the DAFM took on board our last suggestion regarding payments to both the breeder and rearer shows that the real potential of this emerging sector is now being grasped.

"It was a long struggle to get the idea accepted and acted on, but we're confident that this sector is going to go from strength to strength and will become the best option for dairy calves as we go forward.

Kilkenny dancers on their toes ...

Young dancers from the Deirdre Maher School in Kilkenny achieved remarkable success at the recent World Irish Dancing Championships held in Killarney.

These young dancers had been training diligently throughout the year to prepare for this premier

event, said Deirdre Maher In the U10 Championship, Eva Hoyne took home two world medals and placed 8th overall and Evelyn McCormack took home three world medals and achieved 11th place out of 107 competitors.

In the U12 Championship, Ella McCormack proudly

took home three world medals and placed 26th overall out of 160 competitors.

Deirdre Maher expressed immense pride in all her dancers who participated this year. She has classes at The Watershed Kilkenny and Xquisite Dance Studio in

Hebron Industrial Park.

Newcomers welcome. For more information, contact Deirdre at 087-2430110.

Our main photo shows Evelyn and Eva, while the subsidiary photo the full troupe from the Kilkenny dance school.

Well done alll...

CAP rules to change The European Commission is preparing sweeping revisions to the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) aimed at cutting red tape by easing environmental requirements and reducing on-site inspections, but also by creating more incentives for farmers, says a document obtained by Euractiv.

In an annex to proposals being considered as part of the third omnibus package – due for adoption on May 14 – the commission is considering the removal of two legal provisions that require EU member states to adapt their CAP strategic plans in line with new climate and environmental legislation.

But the commission's agriculture department has advised EU Agriculture Commissioner Christophe Hansen's cabinet to be cautious.

"The impression this could

give is breaking the interlinks in general between the CAP and environmental/climate legislation,” reads the document, noting that "is a political choice for the commissioner to make”.

The commission is also targeting the remaining Good Agricultural and Environmental Conditions (GAECs) standards – on which CAP payments depend – that were not affected by the 2024 simplification package.

For mandatory requirements to protect wetlands and peatlands (GAEC 2) – crucial carbon sinks – the commission would give member states more freedom to define these practices and to pay farmers to adopt them.

This follows requests from member states, including Ireland and Latvia, which had called for a derogation.

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Opinion

As I See It Marianne Heron

Wanted: a troubleshooter for children We have an epidemic of gender-based violence, with horrifying reports of violence, coercive control, rape and murder almost on a daily basis. We have an ongoing housing crisis, where the Government seems incapable of providing affordable homes for a generation that are priced out the market.

But what about broken promises to children that plague the news headlines with equally dismaying regularity?

The 2015 Children’s Act undertook to put children first but given the litany of failure it seems thousands of them, especially the most vulnerable, are being put last. In 1992 Ireland became a signatory to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) which endorses the right of children to enjoy the highest standard of physical and mental health. Too many, who have been failed by the State, are not able to enjoy that right.

In the last month a number of different stories illustrate just how low down the list of priorities children are. Parents of children with special needs staged a sleep in outside the Dail in protest at the lack of school places for their children – one mother involved had applied to no fewer than 15 schools.

The scandal where three children were treated like guinea pigs with the use of unauthorised springs for their scoliosis surgery has been condemned by the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQUA). The Authority’s report found that failures in controls by the by Children’s Health Ireland (CHI) “meant that children were not protected from harm”.

In addition, scores of children face still face treatment barriers, with long, painful waits for surgery for scoliosis, despite a commitment by the Government following the Children’s Ombudsman’s 2017

report drawing attention to the issue. There is the further scandal of the unnecessary hip operations carried out over a two- year period at Cappagh and Temple Street hospitals.

Even measures meant to benefit children can backfire.

The hot school meals programme for primary schools was found to be offering the very foods high in salt sugar and fat that should be avoided for health reasons.

Guidelines to safeguard children from restraint and exclusion at school have been the subject of complaint to a top official UN official on torture and degrading treatment.

To add to all these concerns there is the plight of over 4,000 homeless children and the hundreds of children waiting for years for essential therapies for conditions like autism and ADHD and the failure to majority of the Mother & Baby Homes to contribute to the redress scheme to support survivors.

Most shocking of all are the numbers of children who die or are abused while under the watch of Tusla/ the Child and Family Agency, the very organisation set up in 2014 to

protect children. In the last three years 53 have died, a situation highlighted by the fate of Kyran Durdin who was on Tusla’s radar but whose disappearance was not reported for two years. Disturbingly, UCD’s Sexual Exploitation Research Programme (SERP) report found that children, mainly girls, were being abused and sometimes raped by men while under Tusla’s watch.

All of the above suggest that action on behalf of children is urgently needed to address the systemic failures, lack of oversight and accountability, poor record keeping and lack of co-ordination between different agencies and department bedevilling the situation.

Minister Norma Foley now has overall responsibility for Children having taken over from Roderick O’Gorman, whose track record in handling his responsibility for International Protection Applicants hardly inspires confidence. Other departments

involved include Education, Health and Justice.

Minors do have a champion in the Ombudsman for Children, (OCO). Since the office opened in 2004 the number of complaints have grown every year from760 in 2006 to 1,790 in 2023. The biggest proportion of complaints concern education, health, housing and child protection.

But, while the Ombudsman can issue reports and draw the Government’s attention to problems. the office doesn’t have the kick ass function to go in and sort things out.

Maybe we should copy Minister for Housing James Browne’s excellent idea for a troubleshooter or tsar (unfortunate word) to sort out the logjams holding up progress with housing, from water, to electricity to infrastructure.

Children need more than one individual to fight their cause, a sheriff with a posse perhaps or a wizard with an army of elves.

Master your mind for exam success

ones that I have used myself for this and have found they can help with alertness.

Foods to eat for healthy cognitive function would include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, protein, and good quality healthy fats.

Avoid foods that contain too many sugars, refined carbohydrates, and caffeinated drinks.

My favourite supplement to help support mental performance is Mastermind

by Revive Active. This is a fantastic Irish made super supplement. It is the perfect way to prepare for a busy study and exam schedule. It contains nutrients to support normal mental and cognitive function, and energy. Including 250mg of DHA from a sustainable Marine Algae, Choline, as well as B Vitamins and Zinc can help support normal mental and cognitive function. I love the fact that students (15-17 years old) only need to take three sachets per week meaning one box of 30 sachets will last you three months. Mature students would benefit from taking it every day for the study period. You don’t have to be a student to take Mastermind.

I have taken it from time to time to support my memory and recall and I always find my brain is sharper for it.

Wishing you all the best of luck in your exam preparation and exam results.

What about broken promises to children...?

CLAIR WHITTY Are you studying for exams, and worrying about all the information you will need to recall? This is a common problem that we get asked about at this time of the year.

You are not alone in this.

Lack of sleep, stress, work overload, inadequate diet, not drinking enough water, and simply not being present and concentrating in the moment will all affect your memory.

Some of these are easy to fix through small changes and

there are supplements that can help you to top up on nutrients to support cognitive function. Small changes like looking at your sleep hygiene so that you have a decent night’s sleep, aiming to go to bed at a regular time.

Not bringing your phone to your bedroom, and avoiding caffeinated drinks late in the evening, could all make a difference to your sleep.

To help focus, something as simple as drinking water regularly throughout the day could help. Burning essential oils in a diffuser are a great way to help sharpen the brain. Rosemary or Atlantic Aromatics Study Blend are

Shop online at www.naturalhealthstore.ie where you’ll be able to take a look at these brands. Natural Health Store, Market Cross Shopping Centre | Phone: 056 7764538 | Email: info@naturalhealthstore.ie

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 25th April 2025

Pope Francis

Francis visit to Ireland: and trying to fix a broken church

COMMENT: PAUL HOPKINS

Ireland: August, 2018. He came, we saw, and, if Francis did not exactly conquer, well he certainly got a warm welcome from his Irish congregation, even if the number of dedicated followers dwarfed beside the figures for the papal visit 1979.

It was, is, of course, a very different Ireland to when John Paul visited. If Pope Francis was in any doubt about that, the then Taoiseach Leo Varadkar respectfully reminded the pontiff that Church and State are, these days, two very different kettles of fish.

The Taoiseach in pointing the finger at the Catholic Church’s institutions for their litany of systemic abuse and decades of denial and cover-up did not exonerate the Irish State nor our society from collective culpability in the horrific sins of the past.

Our culpability, however, was largely shaped back then by a church steeped in centuries of secrecy and patriarchy and misogyny, and preoccupied with the mortal grievance of sin and the fires of damnation. We have grown up since, and the attendances way down on 1979’s visit were testament to not every one of us wishing, or willing, to doff the cap to His Holiness.

For those who did turn out there was a genuine welcome from a lot of happy, shiny people of all ages and circumstance, reminiscent in ways of families and neighbours “going up for the match”.

There was genuine applause too for Francis when on the Saturday he said that the church’s failures to address sexual crimes had “rightly given rise to outrage,” an acknowledgment of the traumas that are challenging his papacy and have greatly diminished the authority of the Catholic Church in Ireland. Francis described the “repellent crimes” and the church’s inability to deal with them as “a source of pain and shame for the Catholic community”.

Francis later compared corruption and the cover-up of abuse to human excrement, using the word “caca,” according to survivors of abuse who took part in a 90 minute private meeting with him on the Saturday.

Those who said they wanted the Pope to ask forgiveness for the Vatican’s role in facilitating the cover-up of sexual crimes heard Francis begin Mass in the Phoenix Park by doing just that. In a handwritten address, he said: “We ask forgiveness for the abuses in Ireland; abuses of power, conscience, and sexual abuses perpetrated

“Taoiseach Varadkar respectfully reminded the pontiff that Church and State are, these days, two very different kettles of fish...

by members with roles of responsibility in the church… we ask pardon for all the abuses committed in various types of institutions run by male or female religious and by other members of the church.”

And still not everyone was satisfied — and understandably so — saying his remarks lacked any mention of concrete steps for reform.

“It is not enough just to say sorry,” said the Archbishop

of Dublin, Diarmuid Martin.

“Tell us instead what you are going to do to hold those [abusers] accountable,” said abuse survivor Marie Collins.

On his return to the Vatican, Francis did not, if the truth be told, set out specific policies nor any semblance of concise action.

Of the broader Catholic Church today, on the eve of the death of Francis, nothing is about to change. There will be no sweeping announce-

ment of a reconstituted priesthood (married people and women ordained), full transparency of all procedures, laity empowered at every level of Church. Nor will there be the announcement of a brave, new sexual morality with a yes to female sexual autonomy and full acceptance of homosexuals – a church blessing conceded by Francis for married same-sex couples, aside – and transgender people.

There are those who believed, hoped even, that the Jesuit Pope could find a way of heralding an open Catholic Church looking to the future, in which there was true female equality, lay power, sexual maturity, and real accountability of church leaders.

But try as much as he could muster, Francis’s hands were firmly tied. The powerful Curia of bishops — secretive, patriarchal and misogynistic — he constantly found himself up against made it otherwise.

I suspect, looking back, that few among the many who braved the weather that weekend in 2018 to see and

hear Francis expected him to be able to fix an institution that has been so badly broken.

Even as the Pope’s plane cleared Irish air space that Sunday evening in 2018, the putrid whiff of another scandal accompanied the pontiff. Former top Vatican official Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano called on him to resign, accusing Francis of having known of allegations of sex abuse by prominent US Cardinal Theodore McCarrick for five years before accepting the latter’s resignation the month before his visit to Ireland.

See also Pages 20 & 30

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 25th April 2025

Opinion

Your Money & You John Ellis

Unravelling the cuts in the mortgage rate Another interest rate cut from the European Central Bank (ECB) may sound like welcome news for mortgage holders but for those looking for a new home in Kilkenny and across Ireland it’s not all good.

Despite ECB Governor Christine Lagarde’s previous comments that rate reductions might slow, escalating global tensions, most notably trade threats from the US, have renewed fears of a European recession. In response the ECB announced a further 0.25% rate cut, its seventh since last June, bringing the main lending rate down to 2.4% from 4.5% just a year ago.

The immediate winners are the 126,000 tracker mortgage holders. For every €100,000 owed they will save about €13 a month. A household with a €250,000 loan will now be paying approximately €33 less each month. Even those with smaller balances,

around €150,000, are seeing monthly repayments drop by €150 yearly compared to 12 months ago.

It is not all good news though. While falling ECB rates may suggest relief for all borrowers the connection is not straightforward. Variablerate mortgage holders and those tied to so-called ‘vulture funds’ may eventually see reductions but experts warn this will not be immediate nor guaranteed.

Financial advisors caution that Irish banks often price in predicted cuts ahead of time. While trackers respond directly to ECB movements, fixed and variable rates are influenced by broader market strategy. Notably, fixed mortgage rates under 3% may become available by mid-year but those coming off older more favourable fixed rates might still see an increase in monthly costs unless they switch providers.

For first-time buyers and

young families falling mortgage rates are little comfort in the face of soaring house prices. New figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) show national property prices are now nearly 20% above their pre-crash 2007 peak. The

average national house price has reached €359,999 with prices in Kilkenny and the wider south east up 8% yearon-year.

Housing stock remains “stubbornly limited”. In February alone house sales dropped

14% from the previous month but this has done little to halt rising prices. The simple equation of high demand and low supply continues to drive up costs, particularly outside Dublin where the rise is even more pronounced.

With Irish borrowers still paying among the highest mortgage rates in the eurozone, the onus is on prospective homeowners to search for the best deals. Industry experts strongly encourage those looking to use a mortgage broker and explore all available lenders especially as competition among banks begins to rise again.

But the bigger question remains, will policymakers finally act to address the root causes? Trevor Grant of Irish Mortgage Advisors says it plainly, if the housing crisis is to be solved “the new Housing Minister must deliver an exponential increase in home building”.

Without more supply price growth will continue to rise no matter how low interest rates go and for future homeowners the message is clear, secure the best deal you can. john@ellisfinancial.ie 086 8362633

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 25th April 2025

News Science & Wellbeing From the recent discovery of exoplanets to the sheer vastness of the cosmos, we have good reasons to suspect that humanity is not alone in the Universe.

Still, we’ve yet to find evidence of extraterrestrial life, raising the possibility that we are a singular rarity in an otherwise barren cosmos.

If that’s true, it presents humanity with both a philosophical problem and opportunity.

The idea that we might have cosmic neighbours has captivated the human imagination for decades. It’s not just sci-fi enthusiasts who ponder the possibility of extraterrestrial intelligence (ETI) — we, the public, seem to lean strongly towards the belief that we’re not alone.

Columbia University Professor David Kipping often finds that, when discussing astronomy and the potential for life elsewhere in the Universe, people almost universally insist, “Surely we can’t be the only ones!” And who can blame them?

With billions of galaxies, each teeming with stars andplanets, the odds of life existing only here, on this pale blue dot, seem impossibly slim. Many scientists and media personalities reinforce this idea, turning the conversation from “if” life exists to “when” we’ll find it and “what” it might look like.

In this atmosphere of excitement and speculation, the anticipation of meeting another intelligent species feels almost inevitable — unless, of course, you believe the aliens are already here.

The “crowded Universe scenario” has a way of pulling at our intuition, echoing some of the simplest yet most profound philosophical ideas.

Occam’s Razor (or Ockham’s Razor) is a principle from philosophy. Suppose an event has two possible explanations. The explanation that requires the fewest assumptions is usually correct. Another way of saying it is that the more assumptions you have to make, the more unlikely an explanation.

So, Occam’s Razor nudges

Life may seem likely elsewhere, but what if we’re alone? us toward the notion that “life out there” is the easiest explanation — it just feels right. The principle of mediocrity chimes in, reminding us that our little corner of existence is probably not all that unique.

And the Copernican Principle gives a knowing nudge, sweeping away humanity’s old, self-centred fantasy of cosmic importance.

To believe we’re alone in this vast, wild expanse feels not only improbable but strangely outdated, like clinging to some universal map where Earth is still at the centre of it all. Perhaps it’s this same wonder that Carl Sagan so beautifully captured in his novel Contact, a tale imagin-

ing humanity’s first encounter with intelligent life beyond Earth. “All those billions of worlds going to waste, lifeless, barren?” he asks. “Intelligent beings growing up only in this obscure corner of an incomprehensibly vast Universe?”

The film adaptation, if anything, sharpened the sentiment: “The Universe is a pretty big place. If it’s just us, seems like an awful waste of space.”

But this belief in cosmic neighbours isn’t just about intuition — it’s grounded in science that sparks both curiosity and awe. With the discovery of exoplanets, we’ve learned that our galaxy overflows with diversity.

Billions of planets orbit stars

in the so-called habitablezone, where conditions might support liquid water.

Once, Earth’s oceans seemed unique; now, hidden seas on moons like Europa and Enceladus suggest that watery worlds may not be so rare after all.

On Earth, life has proven to be remarkably resilient, thriving in boiling volcanic vents, acidic lakes, and even radioactive wastelands — extremes that stretch the imagination of where life could exist.

Alien organisms might evolve in entirely different ways, shaped by biochemistries we can’t yet conceive.

And, while the silence of the cosmos might seem deafening, it’s worth remembering that our search has barely

begun. In cosmic terms, we’ve only just learned to listen, with future technologies poised to open entirely new windows into the Universe.

Statistically, the odds seem undeniable: With trillions of stars and untold planets, how could life not emerge elsewhere?

Even the discovery of a humble microbe on a distant world would be revolutionary, reminding us that Earth’s story is but one chapter in the Universe’s endless possibilities.

However, these thrilling reasons for scientific excitement shouldn’t distract us from a sobering truth: This is still a leap of faith. The question of whether we are alone remains one of science’s great-

est enigmas.

However, these thrilling reasons for scientific excitement shouldn’t distract us from a sobering truth: This is still a leap of faith.

The question of whether we are alone remains one of science’s greatest enigmas. As Professor David Kipping aptly points out, the data paints a tantalising picture — just as compatible with a Universe brimming with life as it is with one where we stand solitary under the stars.

To insist there must be life out there, he reminds us, is to trade evidence for optimism.

The most honest answer to this cosmic mystery is a simple, awe-filled: “We don’t know.”

Walnuts: thanks for the memory While keeping your memory sharp doesn’t come down to eating one specific food and can’t be controlled through diet completely, a neurologist says there’s one food that many people who have a great memory even in their old age have incorporated into their diets.

It’s been scientifically linked to support long-term memory when eaten regularly. Walnuts...

It bears repeating that no one can control their memory completely through what they eat. Memory loss is complicated and it doesn’t just come down to

one factor. That said, diet does play a significant role in brain health, including long-term memory.

According to a 2024 analysis of 23 different scientific studies that took into account diet and memory of people in old age, researchers found that maintaining a whole foods diet (such as the Mediterranean diet) in old age can lead to significant effects on memory and may play a role in protecting against dementia.

“When considering brain health, whether related to Alzheimer’s disease or not, it is best to focus on a broad

and well-balanced diet such as the Mediterranean diet ,” says neurologist Dr Greg Cooper, MD, PhD. This means eating lots of vegetables, fruit, whole grains, legumes, fish, herbs and unsaturated fats (found in foods like avocado, nuts and seeds, in addition to fish).

If you want to add one food to your diet that is scientifically linked to supporting memory, walnuts is a good one to stock up on.

“Walnuts are a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids as well as antioxidants, both of which are thought to be

important for brain health, possibly by reducing oxidative stress and inflammation,” Dr Cooper says.

Scientific research shows that a diet including walnuts is linked to better memory, learning, motor co-ordination and less anxiety than a diet that doesn’t include walnuts. As Dr Cooper explained, this is because the nutrients in walnuts — specifically omega-3s and antioxidants — help lower inflammation.

Lower inflammation in the brain means better overall brain health, including memory!

The Kilkenny Observer Friday 25th April 2025

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Travel & Leisure Thailand and Vietnam will always be amazing —b ut if you’re craving less touristy, more immersive experiences, these alternative destinations deliver.

Whether you’re into temples or beaches, food or nature, these underthe-radar gems prove that Southeast Asia still has secrets left to share.

Sumba, Indonesia Why you’ll love it: Raw beauty and authentic island life.

Often called “Bali before the tourists” with its wide open beaches, hilltop villages, and tribal traditions.

Luxury eco-resorts (like Nihi Sumba offer off-the-grid bliss. Perfect for honeymooners, slow travellers, cultural adventurers.

Luang Prabang, Laos Why you’ll love it: Tranquil, spiritual, and packed with old-world charm.

Choose from a variety of hotels near the majestic Borobudur Temple and vibrant city life.

Uncover the beauty of Yogyakarta through exciting tours with Viator. Explore ancient temples, vibrant markets, and art scenes that bring this cultural hub to life.

Discover the wonders of Yogyakarta with Discover Cars. Rent a car and wander between stunning rice fields and iconic temples at your own pace!

UNESCO-listed town on the Mekong River.

Golden temples, French colonial architecture, and saffron-robed monks Don’t miss the Kuang Si Waterfalls and the sunrise almsgiving ceremony.

Slower pace than anywhere in Thailand or Vietnam.

Perfect for cultural travellers, photographers, slow travellers.

Kampot, Cambodia Why you’ll love it: Laid-back

From untouched islands to mountain hideaways riverside town with a creative expat vibe. Known for worldfamous Kampot pepper and scenic countryside, French colonial buildings, riverside cafés, and nearby caves.

Rent a scooter and explore salt fields, temples, and waterfalls.

Perfect for foodies, chill nomads, digital detox seekers.

Hpa-An, Myanmar Why you’ll love it: Dramatic landscapes and sacred caves off the tourist trail.

Karst mountains, scenic

hikes, and vast cave temples like Saddan Cave. Authentic village life and peaceful boat rides.

Very few tourists, but incredibly rewarding. Perfect for adventurous travellers, photographers, explorers.

(Please, check current travel advisories).

Langkawi, Malaysia Why you’ll love it: Island paradise with nature and luxury.

Beaches, waterfalls, jungle hikes, and the famous Sky Bridge. Fewer crowds than

Phuket, but with similar scenery and better prices.

Duty-free shopping and laid-back beach towns.

Perfect for couples, families, beach lovers.

Siargao, Philippines Why you’ll love it: Surf, sunsets, and serious island vibes.

Surf capital of the Philippines, but great even if you don’t surf with its palmlined roads, lagoons, hidden caves, and chill beach bars.

Still relatively untouched compared to Boracay

or Palawan. Perfect for adventure seekers, solo travellers, digital nomads.

Bandar Seri Begawan Brunei Why you’ll love it: Unique, peaceful, and packed with surprises.

One of Southeast Asia’s cleanest and safest capitals Visit the Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque, water villages, and lush rainforests.

A rare glimpse into one of the region’s lesser-known nations.

Perfect for curious

travellers, off-the-beatenpath explorers.

Dili, Timor-Leste Why you’ll love it: Southeast Asia’s final frontier.

Emerging destination with unspoiled beaches and incredible scuba diving.

Portuguese influence, mountain hikes, and few foreign tourists.

You’ll feel like you’ve discovered something totally new.

Perfect for off-grid travellers, divers, and adventurers.

Venice’s battle with overtourism by the numbers €5–10 The fee charged to visitors who are not overnighting in Venice to enter its historic centre during the second year of the day-tripper tax.

Visitors who download a QR code at least three days in advance will pay €5 —the same amount charged last year throughout the pilot programme. But those who make last-minute plans pay double.

The QR code is required from 8:30am. until 4pm. and is checked at entry points to the city, including the Santa Lucia train station, the Piazzale Roma bus depot and the Tronchetto parking garage.

54 The number of days this year that day visitors to Venice

will be charged a fee to enter the historic centre. They include mostly weekends and holidays from April 18 to July 27. That is up from 29 last year. The new calendar covers entire weeks over key holidays and extends the weekend period to include Fridays. €2.4 million That is the amount Venice

took in during a 2024 pilot programme for the tax. The city’s top budget official, Michele Zuin, said last year the running costs for the new system ran to €2.7 million, overshooting the total fees collected. This year, Zuin projects a surplus of about €1 million to €1.5 million which will be used to offset the cost of trash collection and other services for residents.

450,000 The number of day-trippers who paid the tax in 2024.

Officials say 8,000 daytrippers paid in advance to enter the city on Friday, among the 77,000 who have already registered so far to enter the city this year.

Another 117,000 have registered for exemptions, which apply to anyone born in Venice, those paying property taxes in the city, studying or working in the historic centre, or living in the wider Veneto region, among others.

75,000 The average number of daily visitors on the first 11 days of 2024 that Venice charged day-trippers. That’s about 10,000 people more than the number of tourists

recorded on each of the three important holidays during the previous year.

City council member Giovanni Andrea Martini, an opponent of the measure, said the figures show the project has not deterred visitors.

48,283 The number of official residents in Venice’s historic centre composed of over 100 islands connected by footbridges and traversed by its famed canals.

The population peaked at 174,000 in 1951, when Venice was home to thriving industries.

The number shrank during Italy’s postwar economic boom as residents moved to the mainland for more modern housing — including

indoor plumbing, which was lacking in Venice. It has been shrinking dramatically over recent decades as local industry lost traction, families sought mainland conveniences, and housing prices rose.

Activists also blame the “mono-culture” of tourism, which they say has emptied the city of basic services like shops for everyday goods and medical care.

51,129 The number of beds for tourists in Venice’s historic centre, including 12,627 in the less regulated short-term rental market, according to April data from the Ocio housing activist group.

The number of tourist beds surpassed the number of permanent residents in 2023.

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 25th April 2025

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Pope Francis

Furthermore Gerry Moran

Papal bull! Remembering election of Francis We don’t normally talk about the Pope in the pub. Soccer, rugby, horses, hurling – yes.

But the Pope – no. One night in March 2013, however, was an exception. That night we had a new Pope. It was Wednesday night, the night the Pope was elected, so we were ‘full of it’ so to speak even though we couldn’t speak his name or rather we didn’t know how to pronounce it.

First. we couldn’t decide whether he was Cardinal Pergoglio or Bergoglio; when we established that it was Bergoglio we couldn’t decide on how to pronounce it – was it BER-GOG-LIO or was it BERGOLIO with a silent G? And our little ‘conclave’ in the pub was far from silent as we pontificated on the pronunciation of the new Pope’s name.

We even pontificated on papal matters that we knew little or nothing about – except perhaps for the man in our

company whom I shall refer to as ‘The Monsignor’ because of his knowledge of the papacy which was indeed superior to ours but then that wouldn’t have been hard.

It was ‘The Monsignor’ who teased and tormented us all night with questions about the papacy. “Who was the last pope?” he asked. “Benedict XVI,” our ‘conclave’ answered confidently. “Good, very

good,” said ‘The Monsignor’.

“Now what was his real name?” “Ratzinger,” we shot back like proud little five-yearolds. “But what was his first name?” And for the first time our ‘conclave’ fell silent. Very silent. We were stumped. Until someone recalled ‘Joseph’.

‘The Monsignor’ gave a benign smile and would, I feel sure, have given that person a papal blessing or at least a

lollipop or a star if he’d had a lollipop or star. And now ‘The Monsignor’ was really getting into his stride: “Who did Benedict come after? And what was his name?”

Naming the popes was relatively easy but coming up with their real names was challenging. And this went on all night going right back to Pope Pius XII which was about as far back as any of us could go and which was too far back as far as I was concerned.

And because the Pope had taken the name Francis after St Francis of Assisi, founder of the Franciscans, ‘The Monsignor’ wanted to know what was the difference between The Franciscans and The Capuchins, who reside in the Friary.

And, of course, we didn’t know. Which is when ‘The ‘Monsignor’ slipped out for a smoke (more white smoke) while we ordered more drink.

Later we got to thinking

about the Pope’s name Francis and started listing all the Francises we knew, starting with the Francis in front of us, the late Frank Coyne, our barman, Frank rattled off several Francises: Francis Albert Sinatra, Frank Zappa, Frank Stapleton, Frank James (brother of Jesse), Frank Bruno, Frank Lampard, Frankie Dettori and now the entire ‘conclave’ was in on the act and the Franks were coming fast and furious: Francis Bacon, Frank Muir, General Franco, Franco Zeffirelli, Francis Ford Coppola, Frank Ifield, Franc, the wedding organiser, Frank Lloyd Wright, Frankie Vaughan, Frank Aiken, Frank Kelly, Frank McCourt, Francis Ledwidge and, of course, Frankie Byrne aka ‘Dear Frankie’.

Then someone threw in ‘Frankie Goes To Hollywood’ and Frank-en-stein! And we knew we were scraping the barrel then. Which is when

we focused on all the Kilkenny Francises or Franks: Frank Cummins, Frank Kavanagh, too many Franks to mention really including Frank Morrissey, patron of this very pub.

We were still working on that list when Francis, the Boss, as opposed to Francis the Pope, drew our attention to the late hour – to be Frank he’d had enough of our pontificating for one night.

Finally, as we drained our glasses, the general consensus of the ‘conclave’ in the pub was that Pope Francis was, in Cheltenham terminology, “a sure winner”.

PS: So, what is the difference between the Franciscans and the Capuchins because ‘The Monsignor’ didn’t actually know, thereby committing a cardinal pub sin – asking a question to which he didn’t know the answer.

We were seriously thinking of excommunicating him!

See also Page 30

Climate Change

– are we all playing our part?

WEEK 115

"Today we still have a window of opportunity "

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News

Culture Night 2025 call out for funding and event information Woodblock Print Workshop Callan

Culture Night 2025 will be taking place on the 19th September all around the country from 4pm until late!

The Kilkenny Arts Office in association with the Arts Council are actively planning towards Culture Night Kilkenny 2025 and are looking

forward to an exciting line-up of events. We are issuing an Open Call for funding towards the running costs of events taking place in Co.

Butler Gallery Culture Night Event 2024

Kilkenny. This year Kilkenny City is designated as a night time economy pilot city. Under the Kilkenny City Night Time Economy Action Plan 2024-2025, additional funding has been provided this year to ensure Culture Night can facilitate more inclusive and innovative late-night arts events that are suitable for all ages. This includes funding for events that take place in cafés in Kilkenny City after 6pm under the Café Late’s @ Culture Night initiative.

Please note that if you are planning an event for Culture Night you are responsible for securing your own venue/space for your event. The Arts Office does not arrange venues for events. We provide support through funding, marketing and promotion. This involves uploading event information onto the official Culture Night Website, creation of a printed brochure and posters to be dispatched around the County.

Promotion in local press, radio and social media.

To Apply for Funding: For full details on how to apply for funding please visit the art office website at: www.kilkennyartsoffice.ie or scan QR code: FUNDING IS LIMITED - It may not be possible to offer funding to all applicants and it may also not be possible to offer the full amount requested to any individual applicant. (However, inclusion in the programme will be open to all suitable applicants).

The deadline for the return of applications is no later 19th May 2024 4pm

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Opinion

The Last Word Pat Coughlan

Asthma in Ireland: A fight for recognition Asthma in Ireland is a silent struggle, often overshadowed in the policy landscape.

Despite its prevalence, the Government has yet to formally recognise asthma as a disability, leaving many without the support they desperately need. Politicians, both local and national, ignore the issue. This oversight not only limits access to resources but also impacts the daily lives of those affected.

As someone who has witnessed these challenges firsthand, I aim to shed light on the urgent need for policy change. By recognising asthma’s impact, we can push for the necessary reforms to improve the lives of asthmatics across the country.

Asthma is a significant health crisis in Ireland, especially in Kilkenny. The Asthma Society of Ireland reports over 380,000 sufferers nationwide, with 12,000 in Kilkenny. Despite its preva-

lence, asthma lacks attention from policymakers, leaving sufferers with inadequate support.

A 2022 HSE study revealed only 30% of asthma patients in Ireland have an action plan, showing a gap in healthcare. Financially, asthma costs Ireland €472 million annually, according to the Asthma Society.

This lack of comprehensive healthcare affects many people’s quality of life, leading to costly treatments without institutional support.

Ireland trails behind European asthma management.

Improved healthcare access and awareness through legislation are crucial to ease the burden on affected individuals and communities.

Recognising asthma as a formal disability in Ireland could be transformative.

It would open doors to essential accommodations and State aid, significantly easing the burdens on fami-

lies. Legal recognition could ensure asthmatics receive necessary workplace adjustments, safeguarding their employment rights.

By acknowledging asthma’s impact, we can foster a more inclusive society, where those affected are supported

and empowered to lead fulfilling lives.

Having asthma recognised as a disability could be a game-changer for patients in Ireland, particularly in Kilkenny. Such recognition would grant access to tailored healthcare services and

financial support, thus reducing the economic burden on families. Furthermore, workplace adjustments could be more readily available, ensuring asthmatics maintain employment.

The current position is that each patient must pursue an independent legal declaration of disability.

Ireland’s health system struggles during asthma emergencies, as seen in the 2019 flu season, which overwhelmed resources. Insufficient investment in asthma research and treatment stretches healthcare thin. A shortage of specialised clinics means patients often turn to GPs who lack expertise and resources in severe cases.

This gap became evident in 2020 when Covid-19 spiked asthma attacks, compounding strain on services. Improving asthma outcomes requires more healthcare resources like hospital beds and specialised training, and

prioritising asthma in health agendas.

In Kilkenny, grassroots initiatives hold significant promise for advancing asthma policy recognition.

Local leaders can amplify affected voices and foster community engagement.

For example, in New Zealand’s ‘Asthma Voice’ program united communities to advocate for better healthcare, resulting in improved asthma medication access.

Canada’s ‘Breathe Easy’ campaign started small but achieved national support.

Initiatives like California’s ‘Clean Air Right Now’ resulted in stricter air pollution regulations.

The Asthma Society of Ireland, The Irish Wheelchair Association and our own Kilkenny Access Group should have the cause of asthma sufferers at the top of their agenda.

Let’s make this a collective effort for meaningful change.

The Kilkenny Observer Friday 25th April 2025

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Advertisement News The Delines

Kilkenny Roots 2025 Final preparations are underway for the 27th Smithwick’s Kilkenny Roots Festival, which runs from the 2nd to 5th May. The organisers, led by Festival Director Gary Kehoe, have put together an exciting music programme for the four days.

Jim Lauderdale

There are 25 ticketed events featuring artists from Ireland, UK, USA, Denmark, Brazil, Australia and

Canada. The hugely popular Smithwick’s Music Trail will run throughout the weekend, with over 60 gigs planned in venues throughout the city.

Some of the highlights include the return of The Delines, led by Willy Vlautin, for a “Sold Out” show at The Set Theatre on Sunday May 4th. Willy also appears in conversation with legendary UK music journalist, Allan Jones, in The Pembroke Hotel on Saturday.

New York musician Jesse Malin will also take the stage with his band at The Set on Sunday, for what promises to be an exciting and emotional event. Just over two years ago Jesse suffered a rare spinal stroke that left him unable to walk.

Since then, he’s undergone severe rehab in Argentina in an effort to resume his career. He returned to live action with packed out shows in New York and London and arrives in Kilkenny for his only Irish date. Musician friends have rallied to his aid, releasing an album of Malin covers, featuring Bruce Springsteen, Lucinda Williams, Billie Joe Armstrong, Elvis Costello, and many more.

He then returns to New York to prepare for a new musical, “Silver Manhattan,” which will be part concert, part play, and document the punk-rock songwriter's life, including his efforts to recover from

Arborist

the paralyzing stroke and is scheduled to run for four months.

The Watergate Theatre will host two amazing American performers during the festival.

Jerron Paxton (seen recently on Later With Jools Holland) takes the stage on Friday May 2nd. A songwriter, inheritor of tradition, and a walking, talking jukebox, Paxton approaches his craft with equal part wit and reverence, with a knack for leg-pulling and cracking wise. Things Done Changed is an album of original songs that sound beamed in from nearly a century ago, when jazz and blues were performed as a means of both personal and cultural survival. Lick by lick, Paxton builds a bridge between generations gone and generations to come, singing the heartaches and joys of the past and present.

Grammy winner Jim Lauderdale flies in from Nashville for an exclusive

show on Saturday afternoon in The Watergate. Since 1986, he has released 37 studio albums and his songs have been recorded by dozens of artists, notably George Strait, Gary Allan, Elvis Costello, Blake Shelton, the Dixie Chicks, Vince Gill, and Patty Loveless.

The Smithwick’s Music Trail will showcase an amazing range of acts in 25 venues throughout the city. The music runs from early afternoon until late into the night with a mix of local, national and international acts.

The festival kicks off with highly rated Belfast singer/ songwriter, Arborist, at Billy Byrnes on Friday 2nd May at 7pm and will continue with over 90 events until the closing show at Kytelers Inn on Monday May 5th with American artist Carsie Blanton and her band.

Full details of all shows are on the festival website https://kilkennyroots.com/.

Duiske Players to stage Wanted - One Body!

The well-known and much loved Duiske Players Drama Group are currently in rehearsals for this year’s production of Raymond Dyer’s Wanted - One Body!, which takes place on Thursday - Saturday, May 1st-3rd under the capable direction of group newcomer Joanne Hennessy. This play was last produced by the group 20 years ago and they are delighted to revisit it with three of the original cast reappearing in this production.

The group was delighted to welcome Joanne Hennessy to the director’s chair this year, bringing to it a wealth of experience from other drama adventures, including and not limited to recent directorial works with the well-respected Barnstorm Theatre Company.

Wanted – One Body! by Raymond Dyer is an hilarious murder mystery play set in the gloomy old house of the recently deceased Mr. Barraclough. When his body mysteriously vanishes, chaos ensues among the suspicious staff and guests. As secrets unravel and strange events unfold, the play delivers a clever mix of suspense, slapstick, and farce. With its quirky characters and fastpaced twists, Wanted – One Body! keeps the audience

Director Joanne Hennessy will direct Wanted - One Body!

by Raymond Dyer for Duiske Players Drama Group, May 1st-3rd

laughing while trying to solve the mystery.

The cast is as follows: John Meaney, Nathan Dunne, Edel Bolger, Margaret

Whelan, Rebecca Murphy, Caroline Cotter, Adrian Kavanagh, Peter Prendergast, Jim Kielthy and Lily Brennan Speaking last week at the launch of the performance

schedule, director Joanne Hennessy commented “This has been a wonderful play to work on, and it really encapsulates all that is good about an ensemble in theatre

- the blend of suspense and comedy ensures that the audience is kept laughing while eagerly trying to piece together the truth.”

Group Chairperson,

Lily Brennan added “This is a light-hearted and entertaining play that parodies the traditional haunted house genre,” she continued “An amount of work has gone into this play with the director, cast and crew working tirelessly in pursuit of perfection and we look forward to hearing the audience's reaction to our efforts.”

The group boasts great talent in terms of stage management and set design and again this year Eamonn Doherty is in charge of creating the set, with Liz O’Neill looking after set dressing and stage management. Feekie O’ Brien will look after the lights and Mark Bolger will operate the soundscape.

Stas Bolger will be looking after continuity and Bonnie Prendergast, Nancy Moloney, Marian Kielthy, Liz Whelan & Edward Hayden will lead the front of house along with other members and friends of the Duiske Players Drama Group.

The play will take place in the Abbey Hall in Graiguenamanagh at 8pm on Thursday - Saturday, May 1st-3rd. Tickets are €12.

Seating is unrestricted and is allocated on a first come, first served basis.

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 25th April 2025

Opinion

Rationing: Black bread and a pinch of tea …

Part one

BY JOHN FITZGERALD

A few months ago I recounted how Callan man Seamus O' Brien, a future newspaper correspondent, took the train with friends to Dublin for the famous Thunder and Lightning All-Ireland of 1939.

While the storm had been belting away over Dublin that day, the Dail was in session to tackle the deadly challenge to Ireland’s security and wellbeing that seemed to be brewing in Europe. After an intense but necessarily brief debate, it passed the Emergency Powers Act to secure the nation’s neutrality in the upcoming conflict.

The Germans quickly overran Poland, and, following their victory, the war seemed to “settle down” a bit, with no great land battles, but plenty of activity on the high seas as the dreaded U-boats sank British ships on a daily basis.

The war on the oceans affected Ireland badly. With imports taking a big hit from submarine warfare, and aerial bombing of anything flying an English flag in the Atlantic and Irish seas, rationing was introduced in an effort to ensure a reasonably fair distribution of imported foodstuffs.

At first the rationing was not compulsory, but as the war progressed, it became a legally binding measure affecting a range of goods and fuels. Petrol, oil, coal, timber, and clothing became scarce too. Travel passes and identity cards were issued to citizens.

When Ireland’s petrol pumps ran dry early in 1941 after the British distributors indicated they might be cutting off supplies, the government instigated an immediate clampdown on petrol usage. When the petrol started to flow again it was severely rationed.

Ration books were distributed to every citizen of the State. The government asked people to tighten their belts and knuckle down to what promised to be an austere and frugal existence. Not a very pleasant message for a nation still reeling from the ravages of the 1930s worldwide depression. And nobody knew how long the war, and its accompanying threat to Irish neutrality, would last.

In Callan, as elsewhere, a few far-seeing and possibly greedy individuals acquired huge stocks of tea and sugar, among other commodities, to

offset the big squeeze they saw coming.

Under the draconian rationing regime, every citizen was allocated a half-ounce of tea and a half-pound of sugar. This wasn’t so bad for large families, but people living alone were badly hit and many tried, some more successfully than others, to switch to drinking cocoa.

Rita O’ Neill, in her essay for the Callan 800 book on the affairs of a local grocery in the 1940s, mentions that each of Somers’s 501 registered customers was allocated two

ounces of tea, six ounces of sugar, and four ounces of butter, per week during the Emergency.

Grocer/publican Jimmy Somers in Bridge Street was a very considerate man and ensured that customers afflicted by the dreaded TB received more generous rations: They received Health Board coupons for one and a half pounds of butter, weekly, and an egg and a half pint of milk per day.

The milk came from Fennelly’s dairy herd next door, as mentioned in the open-

ing chapter on Upper Bridge Street in the 1920s. Mrs. Tobin of Castletobin got an extra twenty pounds of sugar per month as she ran a small business making sugar candy.

Quite a few Callanites, in Seamus O’ Brien’s recollection, attempted a kind of Irish solution to an Irish problem by mixing the puny pinch of tea they were given with either coffee or cocoa- or both, to produce a new taste.

Some found the resulting concoction acceptable-or bearable, but many were revolted by it and opted to either

not mix beverages or, or in the cases of a courageous few, go in search of a “fix” of their beloved tea on the flourishing black market. This could prove more trouble than it was worth.

Firstly, the tea might cost a great deal more than its normal shop value as no price control restriction applied in the black economy.

Secondly, there was a risk involved in such shady dealing.

If you were caught procuring illicit tea you could end up in jail, possibly for months. Any breach of the rationing laws was mercilessly chastised.

A Kilkenny newspaper editorial of 1942 slammed illegal purchasing of tea as a “glaring and immoral transaction…not just a violation of the law of the land, but of the moral law.”

It went on to ask: “what chance have poor people of

getting their miserable ration of tea if such rapacious and scandalous profiteering is allowed to proceed unchecked?”

The editor urged people with knowledge of illegal tea transactions to report the culprits to the Gardai, adding that, while those who sold the tea were the more dangerous and irresponsible law-breakers, the buyers were keeping the “dreadful” practise alive by dealing with those “rapscallions”.

To underline the supposed ethical issues involved, the editorial quoted an old rhyme: Great fleas have little fleas On their backs to bite ’em.

And little fleas have lesser fleas And so add infinitum.

(Extract from my book Are We Invaded Yet?) To be continued..

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Creative Ireland Living Artfully Project

Living Artfully celebrates at the Plan Celtic Festival 2025 – Photograph by Freddit Grennall

Creative Ireland Kilkenny and Carlow, in collaboration with Forward Steps Traveller Women’s Support Group, proudly presents "The Long Grazing Acre" concert as part of the Pan Celtic Festival. This special event will take place on Saturday, 26th April at 3pm in the Carlow Methodist Church, Athy Road, R93 RW31.

We are thrilled to welcome a host of talented performers from the Traveller Community, including renowned

Uilleann Piper Paddy Keenan, award-winning traditional singer Thomas McCarthy, and singer-songwriter Trish Reilly.

Other gifted artists such as Marty Barry and Elizabeth Connors will also be sharing traditional and original music, songs, and stories.

This event is part of the Creative Ireland funded project “Living Artfully,” which supports creativity for health and wellbeing in our communities. The evening will feature performances by Keenan, Mc-

Carthy, and Reilly, showcasing a variety of traditional and original works, interwoven with stories that celebrate their shared cultural heritage. Members of the Tullow Traveller Community, who have been participating in the “Living Artfully” project, will also join the performance.

Additionally, there will be a display of artworks created during the Living Artfully project, highlighting the creative contributions of the Traveller Community.

Paddy Keenan, a founding member of the Bothy Band, is one of Ireland’s most celebrated Uilleann Pipers. In 2024, he collaborated on the development of "The Long Grazing Acre," a tribute to the traditions of Irish Travellers and their interactions with local communities. These traditions include providing

seasonal agricultural labour, sharing news, teaching and playing music, making and repairing instruments, and mending household items in a pre-plastic era.

Thomas McCarthy, from Birr, Co. Offaly, is an awardwinning traditional singer and storyteller from a long line of musicians who have pre-

served an extensive archive of stories and songs. Trish Reilly, a singer-songwriter, draws inspiration from her Traveller heritage and strong family musical tradition.

This event is free and open to all. We look forward to celebrating the rich cultural contributions of the Traveller Community with you.

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 25th April 2025

Lisa Byrne Getting married is one of the most significant milestones in a person’s life. However, in Ireland, there are specific legal requirements and procedures that must be followed to ensure that your marriage is legally recognised. This week, The Kilkenny Observer takes a closer look at the requirement of getting married with a particular focus on the celebrant.

We caught up with Lisa Byrne, who describes herself as a reverend and a solemniser.

Aside from the legal process, it’s important to remember that marriage brings about significant changes in many areas of your life — including your legal status, inheritance rights, taxation, and pension entitlements.

Legal requirements for marriage in Ireland Marriage in Ireland is open to both same-sex and oppositesex couples. To legally marry, both parties must meet the following criteria: • Minimum age - You must be at least 18 years old. This applies regardless of whether you're getting married in Ireland or abroad (if you are ordinarily resident in Ireland).

• Capacity to marry - Both individuals must have the mental capacity to understand the nature of marriage and must freely consent to it.

• Marital status - Both parties must be single, divorced, or widowed. If previously married or in a civil partnership, you must provide proof that the previous relationship has been legally dissolved.

• Relationship - You cannot marry a close relative as defined under Irish law (e.g., parent, sibling, etc.).

Notification of intent to marry If you plan to get married in Ireland - whether you are an Irish citizen or a foreign national - you must notify the Registrar of Civil Marriages of your intention to marry at least three months before your chosen wedding date.

This is a legal requirement under Irish law.

It is advisable to book this appointment well in advance, as registrar offices can get fully booked quickly, particularly during peak wedding seasons. When attending your notification appointment, you will need to provide certain documents, such as passports, birth certificates, proof of address, and PPS numbers (if applicable).

If you or your partner were previously married, you will also need to provide relevant divorce or death certificates.

Most couples will tell you planning a wedding involves a lot more than just showing up, saying “I do,” and heading off to a party. You’re often dealing with two families, extended relatives, friends, and countless logistics to make the day go off without a hitch.

Lisa Byrne The Observer caught up with Lisa Byrne, a reverend and a

Getting married in Ireland: What you need to know

Lisa Byrne officiating at a recent celebration

Lisa explains that being both a celebrant and a solemniser allows her to conduct ceremonies that are not only deeply personal and meaningful but also legally recognised

Lisa Byrne, reverend and solemniser

solemniser. So, what exactly does that mean?

In Ireland, a Solemniser is a person who is legally registered with the General Register Office (GRO) to conduct legally binding marriage ceremonies. Not all celebrants are solemnisers, so if you want your wedding to be legally recognised, your chosen celebrant must be on the official Register of Solemnisers.

Solemnisers can be religious, civil, or secular, and they may represent different religious denominations or humanist organisations.

Some are independent and can tailor the ceremony to your prefer-

ences, provided it meets legal requirements.

Lisa explains that being both a celebrant and a solemniser allows her to conduct ceremonies that are not only deeply personal and meaningful but also legally recognised. Marriage in Ireland is both a legal contract and a deeply personal commitment. Understanding the legal obligations, planning ahead for your notification appointment, and choosing the right solemniser are key steps to ensuring your wedding day is as stress-free as possible - and fully compliant with Irish law.

A wedding ceremony led by a reverend who is also a registered solemniser in Ireland is more than just a symbolic event - it's a legally recognised act under Irish law. A solemniser is someone officially authorised by the General Register Office (GRO) to conduct legal marriages.

Their role includes ensuring that the ceremony complies with all relevant legal requirements, such as verifying the Marriage Registration Form (MRF), confirming the couple's identities, and ensuring the marriage is conducted in line with Irish legislation. Once the ceremony concludes, the solemniser completes and signs the MRF — making the marriage legally binding.

When we sat down with Lisa Byrne, she told us about the personal journey that led her to become both a celebrant and a registered solemniser.

“It all began at my young-

est brother’s wedding five years ago,” she recalls. “The ceremony was so heartfelt and personal - it really stood out from the more traditional weddings I’d been to. It was genuine, emotional, and tailored to the couple. That experience lit a spark in me.”

She immediately started looking for a course that aligned with the kind of ministry she envisioned: one that embraced everyone - people of all faiths, mixed faiths, semi-faith, or no faith at all, including same-sex couples. Lisa went on to explain how that one day opened her eyes to the power of personalised ceremonies and inspired her to help other couples celebrate their love in a way that reflects their values, story, and personalities - all while fulfilling the legal requirements for marriage in Ireland.

Lisa continued “I wanted to be able to offer meaningful, inclusive ceremonies — ones that honour all backgrounds and beliefs. If a mixed-race couple wanted to weave elements of both their traditions into a legal wedding, I wanted to be the person who could make that happen.”

After a lot of searching and nearly giving up, Lisa eventually came across a new organisation called FuturFaith, which was developing a course that completely aligned with her vision. At the time, the course wasn’t yet live - it was still in development - and she had to wait two years before she could enrol. But she held out, and informed the paper that she is so glad she did.

And it transpired that Lisa became their very first student, a point which she is incredibly proud of. Since qualifying, Lisa has already officiated her first wedding and it was exhilarating for her. “I truly can’t wait to be part of many more love stories,” said a proud Lisa.

So what is FuturFaith?

Lisa takes up the story. “I’m honoured to have trained and become a legal solemniser through FuturFaith, an innovative and inclusive organisation shaping a new path in modern ministry. I now hold the legal title of reverend.”

According to Lisa, what makes FuturFaith unique is its deeply inclusive philosophy. Their approach to ceremony and spirituality is open, non-judgmental, and welcoming to all - whether someone identifies with a specific faith, a mix of beliefs, or none at all.

FuturFaith officiants are trained to honour the diversity of modern life, offering ceremonies that reflect the values, backgrounds, and identities of the people involved. Whether for weddings, family celebrations, or farewells, FuturFaith enables its officiants to create meaningful moments for everyone — from the deeply religious to the spiritual-but-not-religious to secular individuals.

“This kind of inclusive, heart-led ministry is exactly what I was searching for and I’m proud to be part of a movement that puts love, respect, and individuality at the centre of every ceremony,” concluded Lisa.

The Kilkenny Observer Friday 25th April 2025

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Ó hArgáin warmly welcomes The Jack Grace Band performing at the Kilkenny Roots Festival re-routing of KK2 public bus route It's one you won't want to miss!

The Jack Grace Band is making a welcome return to Kilkenny for the Kilkenny Roots Festival this May Bank Holiday weekend.

The Kilkenny Roots Festival is a renowned celebration of Americana and roots music, held annually in Kilkenny, Ireland.

Jack has just released his latest Studio Album, "All the Above," and will be playing tracks from the album, along with many favourites from the Jack Grace Band set list.

All the Above is Jack's 9th Studio Album and features many outstanding musicians, including Earl Poole Ball on Piano and Bruce Martin (Tom Tom Club) on drums.

Earl Poole has played with Johnny Cash, Graham Parsons, The Byrds, Buck Owens, and Jack feels honoured to have a musician of this calibre playing on the Album.

Jerry Lee Lewis, upon seeing Jack perform, commented, "He's like that Cash kid but good."

Jack Grace and Band will perform 3 shows on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at the Roots Festival.

Jack Grace Band, who

consistently bring a rich musical heritage to each show and their Kilkenny appearances are always memorable events for local music enthusiasts.

So, if you're looking for a band that delivers pure, unfiltered rock energy with a Southern soul twist, the Jack Grace Band is one not to miss. With Jack's gritty vocals and witty storytelling, every performance is a wild blend of country, rock, and honky-tonk charm. They’re

known for unpredictable, high-energy shows that blur genre lines and keep crowds dancing. Whether they're playing a dive bar or a festival stage, the band brings a raw, authentic sound that's both nostalgic and refreshingly original. For music lovers who crave honesty, humor, and a damn good time—this is your ticket. Don't miss them.

They are looking forward to meeting fans this weekend in one of their favourite places, Kilkenny.

Labour Party Councillor for Kilkenny City, Seán Ó hArgáin, has warmly welcomed the official announcement by the National Transport Authority (NTA) that the route for the KK2 bus service will be rerouted as a result of Vicar Street becoming a one-way street in coming months. The Authority have accepted Kilkenny County Council’s recommendation that the bus service will now travel along the Grange’s Road between St. Canice’s roundabout and the Freshford Road, rather than via St. Francis Bridge, Greensbridge Street, Green’s Bridge itself and Green Street.

Speaking after the announcement, Cllr Ó hArgáin said that residents in the area will be relieved at this news: ‘Residents of the Green’s Bridge area felt very strongly that the routing of the bus route to travel through the very narrow Greensbridge Street, before turning left from the street to cross the ancient Green’s Bridge, on an already very dangerous junction, would have a hugely detrimental impact on all of us as residents living in the area. I was glad to make that case to the council and I welcome the acceptance by the NTA today that this will no longer happen.

The change will be of great benefit to the residents and businesses on the Grange’s Road, including Ayrfield Medical Centre and in particular the school students and staff of St.

Canice’s Primary School and Loreto and CBS Secondary schools. Hopefully, this will also allow extra capacity to deal with the current shortfalls in provision.

It will also allow us to focus properly again on the urgent need to upgrade Green’s Bridge, as I have been calling for over twenty years. We must deal urgently with the speed of traffic entering the bridge from New Road.

We have discussed a raised pedestrian crossing at the junction in order to slow traffic down and this must be done urgently. It is simply a miracle that there has not been a fatality on this junction despite the many accidents over the years.

It also raises the need for expansion of the current city bus service. I was the first councillor to call for a public city bus service two decades ago and despite it’s Covid-era start, it has proven to be a huge success. Now we need extra routes to service some of the most disadvantaged communities on the edge of our city. I also want to see connections between the Rural Link services and park and ride facilities on the city’s approach roads, which would remove much unnecessary traffic from our streets.

Finally, it also brings into sharp focus the need to finish our Ring Road. We need Transport Infrastructure Ireland to fully support this demand and for the work to begin as soon as possible to relieve so much unnecessary traffic from the St. Mary’s and St. Canice’s parish areas of the city.’

A Misty Morning in Callan…

Stephen Murphy has a mega following online and has wowed vast audiences with his magical poetic recitations and mind-blowing compositions that fuse words and music.

But last weekend he performed at an altogether different venue, albeit one arguably more in keeping with the theme of his presentation than any of the previous ones he’s visited.

The courtyard of Fennelly’s in Callan, the ex-pub converted to a bustling café and arts hub, could have been designed especially for his performance of A Misty Morning, which has animals… farm domestic and wild, conversing about a host of subjects, shedding their own light on the possible meaning of life, or the lack of it.

In a previous incarnation Fennelly’s Courtyard echoed to the clucking of hens, the cock-a doodling of a rooster and the rattle of egg buckets, with cats and dogs freely joining in the bucolic chorus and a horse or two trotting past occasionally, all of the livestock having to nimbly avoid being rolled over by

the hearse that might be edging out of the courtyard: A perfect setting for A Misty Morning.

Stephen conceived the idea for the poem when he called to a friend’s house in Belleek and listened to an odd but charming tale. His friend told him about the day he saw a pine martin in his kitchen, calmly eating chicken from a plate. Instead of killing the pine martin, he scolded it, suggesting that it could at least have left a “thank you” note.

Days later, Stephen had a nifty notion forming in his head, He mused that if the pine martin did in fact get to write a note, the chickens on the farm should have a right of reply, and the many other farm animals too.

Thus, the great conference of the animals in the barn, and beyond its confines, took shape.

In the Hearse Room at Fennelly’s Stephen took us on a long odyssey that offered all sorts of insights, with smatterings of humour, Celtic mythology, the complexity of human relationships, and some mind-bending tenets of eso-

teric philosophy weaving in and out of the breath-taking dialogue.

It was a master class in anthropomorphic fantasy, delivered with unerring virtuosity and with barely a break for a glass of water throughout.

We were transported to a parallel world where the animals had their say, illuminating many a human and cosmic riddle.

The gathering at Fennelly’s was left speechless when the recitation ended, but Stephen was soon preparing for his next outing, at nearby Kells, where he’d perform another of his works in the historic village.

It was a great evening at Fennelly’s, following on from a succession of gigs and creative events, including the Open Mic earlier this month that drew an unexpectedly large attendance to hear a lineup of poets, singers, and musicians, and to see a selection of crafts and artwork.

The patrons filed out of the Callan arts hub, apart from those who lingered for another sampling of Fennelly’s award-winning cuisine.

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 25th April 2025

Pope Francis

The likely successors for Bishop of Rome

Good and evil ... and God and a papal sense of humour

COMMENT: PAUL HOPKINS

Pope Francis, just before he was first hospitalised some weeks back, said that laughing at God “is not blasphemy” as he met more than 100 comedians from around the world at the Vatican, encouraging them to use their powerful gift of humour to spread laughter “in the midst of so much gloomy news”.

The pontiff, himself prone to the odd quip, invited comedians including Tommy Tiernan, Ardal O’Hanlon, Jimmy Fallon, Chris Rock, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus to the audience at the Apostolic Palace as part of his attempt to engage with contemporary culture.

“In the midst of so much gloomy news, immersed as we are in so many social and even personal emergencies, you have the power to spread peace and smiles,” Francis said.

“You are among the few to have the ability to speak to very different people, from different generations and cultural backgrounds. You unite people, because laughter is contagious.”

Francis said he has prayed to

God for 40 years and asked him for “a good sense of humour”, before adding that it was not blasphemous to “laugh at God”, in the same way we “play and joke with the people we love”. However, he warned the comics that humour can be used “without offending the religious feelings of believers, especially the poor”.

The majority of the comedians present were Italian, followed by 12 from the US. Three came from Ireland – our own Ardal O’Hanlon, Tommy Tiernan and Patrick Kielty.

The Irish comedians were criticised for their attendance in an opinion piece on the The Journal.ie. “It seems grossly offensive, at best, that an organisation which presided over and aided in the cover-up of systemic child abuse could have the audacity to suggest it is now time for some laughs,” wrote Simon Tierney, who said that after hearing about the event he recalled another Irish entertainer “who took a rather more defiant approach to a different Pope”.

Tierney was referring to the late Sinead O’Connor, who in 1992 caused a severe backlash after tearing up a photo of Pope John Paul II on live TV in protest against child sexual abuse in the Catholic church.

God has a sense of humour?

Probably one of the greatest

challenges faced by Christianity and Christians is the reality of evil and suffering. Look right now about what’s happening in Gaza, Ukraine, Syria and South Sudan. Great thinkers have been concerned by the seeming contradiction between the existence of a loving God and the fact of evil.

Upon the death of his wife, CS Lewis, the renowned writer who converted to Catholicism in his latter life, wrote: “Meanwhile, where is God? This is one of the most disquieting symptoms ... But go to Him when your need is desperate, when all other help is in vain, and what do you find? A door slammed in your face, and a sound of bolting and double bolting on the inside.”

Fortunately, Lewis came to grips with his grief and in the end realised that God not only exists, but that He is indeed all loving despite our sufferings.

Still, for Christians and nonChristians evil and suffering are often at the forefront of our minds, particularly when we ourselves are suffering. How could a good God allow so much evil? Why doesn’t He do something about it? Couldn’t God have created a world without evil?

Solving the seeming contradiction between a loving God and the reality of evil is usually referred to as a theodicy.

A theodicy attempts to solve the apparent tensions in what is often termed the problem of evil. But the problem of evil is really a series of problems. Like many large problems, sometimes it is helpful to break them down into their components.

Evil actually extends not only to the moral world, but also to the natural world. When human beings do bad things to one another, like what has been happening in Gaza and the West Bank, this is moral evil. But so-called natural disasters, like earthquakes and tsunamis, are often considered evil as well because of all the suffering they cause.

One helpful approach to solving the problem of evil has to do with defining evil. Christian thinker Augustine of Hippo defined evil not as a thing in and of itself, but as a parasite on good. Something that is lacking is not a thing in itself.

For instance, if you have a hole in your jacket, the hole is not something, but rather is something that is lacking. Similarly, Augustine considered evil something that is missing. Indeed, it requires good to exist because it is a parasite. In this sense, Augustine defined evil as a privation – a lack of something – rather than a thing or substance.

So then, if evil is not an ac-

Peter Erdo Among the conservatives there is Peter Erdo, a Hungarian cardinal and Archbishop of Esztergom-Budapest.

“Erdo is a leading contender for the conservative wing of the church. P ­ eople like him because he is a strong canonist − he’s proficient in church law,” Edward Pentin, a Vatican expert and the author of The Next Pope: The Leading Cardinal Candidates, said.

“Many Catholics feel that the church needs to be brought back from a sense of ecclesiastical lawlessness that evolved under Francis. Erdo would be a safe pair of hands.”

tual thing, then God cannot be the author of evil. God is the author of good, but we make moral choices that result in evil. That’s the thinking of those who would argue in favour of Augustine’s stance.

Atheists, skeptics and other critics of Christianity would argue against God on the basis of the reality of evil and suffering. Since evil and suffering exist, God must not exist, they argue. Sometimes they will argue that God may exist, but perhaps He is a weak god, an incompetent one or even an evil one!

In order to call something good or evil, there must be an underlying standard of right and wrong. Theists argue that this standard is rooted in God and His nature. We know His moral law exists so we recognise the reality of evil and suffering. But unless there is a moral standard, we have no real basis for calling anything good or evil.

My own thinking would be that if there is a God, a Divine Originator, then by very definition no one thing can exist outside of God, otherwise that would defeat the very definition of God. Ergo, evil, as we understand it, must exist within God. Such a concept is, of course, way beyond mere human comprehension.

Luis Antonio Tagle For liberals, the name of Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle looms large. Dubbed the ­ rancis’ for his good hu‘Asian F mour and progressive views, he comes from the Philippines and if elected he would be the first Asian pope.

He has some of Pope Francis’s humility; at the seminary in the Philippines where he lived for about 20 years, his room had no air-conditioning nor television. Even when made a bishop, he eschewed a car.

Five or six years ago he was Pope Francis’s favourite to succeed him. His age may count against him, however − cardinals are wary of appointing a relatively young man because his papacy could last decades, thwarting their own ambitions.

Pietro Parolin Pietro Parolin, the current Secretary of State for the Vatican − in effect, its prime minister − is also considered to be a leading candidate.

His profile rose during the Ukraine war as the Vatican presented itself as an honest broker that could ­ eventually mediate with Moscow to bring the conflict to a close.

“He’s a very competent diplomat,” Thomas Reese, an American Catholic priest and the author of Inside the Vatican, said.

He is tarnished, however, by a property scandal in which the Vatican lost millions of euro through the bungled purchase of a former Harrods showroom in London.

Other candidates From the liberal wing of the church is Cardinal Jose Tolentino Calaca de Mendonca, from the island of Madeira.

Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, the Archbishop of Bologna, is another Italian in a progressive who is regarded as having been close to Pope Francis.

Cardinal Mario Grech from Malta, the Secretary-General of the Synod of Bishops, is thought to have a decent chance.

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 25th April 2025

Workshop

Wood you believe?

Close to Lady’s Island is the Pier of Carnagh where the first Christians landed in Ireland around 300AD

Fr Jim Cogley who will facilitate three workshops

A wonderful capture of Edmund Rice house at Callan where workshops will take place. Photo

by Ignatius O’Neill

- Three workshops facilitated by Fr Jim Cogley As we have just celebrated Easter week, a wonderful opportunity for people of Kilkenny and further afield is about to take place in Callan in County Kilkenny.

Fr Jim Cogley will host a wonderful three day course on ‘healing and hope’ at the Edmund Rice centre in Callan in the month of May. Those attending will discuss being able to find healing and hope from personal and ancestral issues. There will also be a chance to delve into the areas of loss, trauma and victimhood.

Fr Jim's wood turnings and carvings are used to great effect as symbols to explore core human issues. This week The Kilkenny Observer met with Fr Cogley and got an insight into his life…

Surrender “I grew up as an only child

on a farm in Cleariestown and went to secondary school at CBS Wexford.

My father died when I was eleven and the expectation was that I would follow in his footsteps and continue the family line of which I was the last survivor. I seemed to understand from a young age the importance of surrender and that only in God’s will would I find my true life. So, at sixteen, I gave my life to Christ as an open cheque.

Later, feeling a surprise call to Priesthood.”

Fr Jim trained in Maynooth and took degrees in English, Philosophy and Theology.

He told The Observer that a big influence on his training was Charismatic Renewal, and it was a blessing to be one of the early leaders. In 1980 Jim was ordained in Rosslare Harbour and spent his first year in Cushin-

stown. Later he was based in Kilmore Quay as curate and ‘part-time’ fisherman for 28 years. During that time Fr Jim says he was privileged to be at the heart of so many developments there, from the Stella Maris Centre, to the Memorial Trail and Garden. “I also taught for twelve years in Bridgetown BVC as well as being a part time chaplain on cruise ships,” said Fr Cogley.

A lot of training followed, including work in Jungian Psychotherapy and Advanced Supervision. Jim takes up the story. “ It was around the year 2000 that I first began making wood symbols for use in seminars and teaching. These quickly took on a life of their own, and spawned over a dozen books in the ‘wood you believe series’. Over the years I have been privileged to con-

duct retreats and seminars throughout Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales.”

In 2009 he was appointed to Oylegate/Glenbrien as Parish Priest. Some projects that greatly enthused him during that time was the creation of ‘Raphael’s healing garden’ and the Remembrance and Narrow Gate gardens in the Church Grounds.

It was also during that time he managed to write three more books as well as recovering from a serious time of burnout. There followed a move to Our Lady’s Island/ Tacumshin in August 2016.

According to Jim, this was a dream appointment, and he cherished his role as Director of Pilgrimage. The entire focus of Lady’s Island is on mission rather than maintenance and this perfectly suited his lifestyle. “I have loved overseeing the refurbish-

ment of both churches and particularly the complete upgrading of the Community Centre and catering facilities. We now have state of the art visitor facilities with first class views,” explained Fr Cogley.

Continuing, Fr Jim said “Our pilgrimage each year slowly moves away from being a religious event to spiritual experience that meets the deeper needs of the thousands who come here. Our outdoor Stations of the Cross provide a miniretreat that is accessible all year round, with the script available in booklet form.”

Close to Lady’s Island is the Pier of Carnagh where the first Christians landed in Ireland around 300AD. It is a place rich in fascinating history and for those who would like to learn more the little book, History &

Folklore provides a lot of information.

Finishing our conversation, Fr Cogley said that his life-long belief is that God neither wants our ability or our inability, but our availability. “In over forty years as a priest I have found this to be entirely true,” concluded Fr Jim. If you have not yet experienced his unique workshops you are strongly advised not to miss this opportunity.

Dates: Thursdays May 1st, 8th and 15th Venue: Edmund Rice Centre, Westcourt, Callan R95 RX83 Times:7pm - 9.30pm Cost: €20 per night. €50 for all 3 Bookings to Jim Maher 086 127 6649

The Kilkenny Observer Friday 25th April 2025

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Motors

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 25th April 2025

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Food & Drink

Dine Me Come

• 1 red onion chopped • 2 peppers (mix of red, yellow or orange), chopped • 1 courgette halved lengthways, cored and chopped • 1 small garlic clove crushed • 1 lemon juiced and zested • 4 tbsp yogurt • 250g quinoa cooked

With

STEP 1 Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and cook the cauliflower for 5 mins. Drain and spread out on a surface so any excess water evaporates.

STEP 2 Crush the fennel and coriander seeds using a pestle and mortar and mix with the paprika and a pinch of seasoning Put the cauliflower in a large bowl, drizzle with half the olive oil and sprinkle over the spice mix. Toss the florets to fully coat them.

Fennelroasted cauliflower with quinoa

STEP 3 Tip the florets onto a baking tray and space them apart. Put the red onions, peppers and courgettes on a separate baking tray, drizzle with the remaining oil, and cook both for 30-35 mins, turning halfway through so they brown all over and turn slightly crisp in places.

Prep: 15 mins Cook: 40 mins Serves: 4

STEP 4 Mix the garlic with lemon juice and stir through the yogurt, adding a little extra water to loosen if needed. Stir the roasted onions, peppers and courgettes into the cooked quinoa along with the lemon zest and a pinch of salt.

Pile this colourful vegetable quinoa salad onto a plate, top with roasted cauliflower and drizzle over the garlic yogurt for a healthy, glutenfree dinner.

Ingredients • 1 large caulifloweror 2 small ones, separated into florets • 1 tbsp fennel seeds • 1 tsp coriander seeds • 1 tsp smoked paprika • 2 tbsp olive oil

STEP 5 Pile the quinoa salad onto a plate, then top with the cauliflower florets. Drizzle over the garlic yogurt.

Aromatic prawn & cashew curry Prep: 30 mins Cook: 1 hr and 10 mins Serves: 4

• 400g raw king prawn • 150ml pot natural yogurt • 50ml double cream rice and Indian breads, to serve

Garam masala provides the base spice for this creamy fish curry with nuts, green chilli and a tomato yogurt sauce. It’s freezable.

Method STEP 1 Put the onion, ginger, garlic, chillies and coriander stalks in a small food processor, or pestle and mortar, and mix to a paste.

Meanwhile, heat the butter or ghee and oil in a large pan. Add the paste to the pan and stir-fry for 5 mins to soften. Add the garam masala and cook for a further 2 mins until aromatic.

Ingredients • 1 onion chopped • thumb-sized piece ginger peeled and roughly chopped • 4 garlic cloves peeled • 2 green chillies seeds removed • small bunch coriander stalks roughly chopped, leaves picked • 1 tbsp butter or ghee • 1 tbsp sunflower oil • 2 tbsp garam masala • 150g bag unsalted cashew • 400g can chopped tomato • 400ml chicken stock

STEP 2 Meanwhile, toast the cashew nuts in a small pan until golden. Tip half into the food processor and blend until finely ground. Set aside the remaining cashews.

STEP 3 Add the blended cashews, the tomatoes and the chicken stock to the pan. Season and bring to a boil, then lower the heat and

simmer, covered with a lid, for 45 mins. Add the prawns and cook for a further 2-3 mins until they turn pink, then add the yogurt and double cream and stir well.

Scatter with the coriander leaves and the remaining cashew nuts, and serve with rice and naan bread.

The Kilkenny Observer Friday 25th April 2025

Oklahoma City Bombing: American Terror

Oklahoma City Bombing: American Terror (now on Netflix) arrives on the 30th anniversary of the worst act of domestic terrorism in American history. American Terror adds anything new or relevant to the story, or just rehashes the story most of us already know all too well.

The Gist: Amy Downs worked as a clerk at the credit union inside the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City.

One day, she brought her video camera to the office, filming friends and coworkers so she could show her mother where she works.

A few days later, those cubicles and corridors no longer existed, and a bewildered Amy lay in a hospital bed, fielding phone calls from families of co-workers wondering if she’d seen or knew anything about their missing loved ones.

A massive bomb exploded at the Murrah, leaving Amy buried in the rubble for hours before rescuers found her, began to dig her

out – and were forced to leave her there when a second bomb was spotted in the building. It was a false alarm. They returned and pulled her out, stunned but almost miraculously without serious injury.

Renee Moore worked as a bailiff in a courtroom a few blocks away from the Murrah building. Every day she’d drop off her sixmonth-old son Tony at the daycare centre in the Murrah, and would often visit him during her lunch hour.

She spent countless hours fretting before authorities found Tony’s body in the wreckage along with a number of other dead children.

Dr. Carl Spengler had just finished a long, gruelling shift in the emergency room when he joined a friend for breakfast at a diner, foregoing his usual routine of going home to rest. The explosion shook the restaurant.

He rushed to the scene and began “mass casualty triage” – determining which victims were treatable, and which were hopeless.

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To this day, he’s haunted by the memory of a child he couldn’t help and the people who cursed at him for making that impossible decision.

These are three stories that director Greg Tillman weaves into the narrative of American Terror, which chronicles the events of April 19, 1995, when Timothy McVeigh, aided by Terry Nichols and Michael Fortier, left a rental truck full of explosives outside the Murrah and drove off, unaware the blast had killed 168 people, until he was sitting in a police station, watching a news report, after being arrested for weapons and licence misdemeanours.

Two years earlier, McVeigh was outraged at the US Government for the Waco disaster; six years later, McVeigh would be executed.

There’s no denying the power of Moore, Spengler and Downs’ first-person testimonies. After McVeigh was arrested, Moore used to drive to the prison where he

was being held and simply park outside the building.

“I’d just sit out there in the dark, wondering how I could get in so I could hurt him.”

Tillman dedicates the film to the victims and survivors, so he clearly intends to pay homage to the people who suffered the most in the wake of this reprehensible terrorist act.

It’s a dutiful, well-meaning presentation of their stories, and even if the film suffers from tell-me-somethingI-don’t-know-ism, it’s a simple and effective collection of subjective and objective points-of-view, pieced together into an easily consumable 84-minute chronology .

It’s almost alarmingly basic, a reiteration of events that works as an educational piece or, to be more cynical, an easily consumable chunk of content for interested parties.

Its personal stories are moving, a worthy capturing of the human condition .

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Advertisement Advertisement TV & Streaming

to watch right now on Netflix 1. You (Season 5)

You stars Penn Badgley as the obsessive serial killer Joe Goldberg. Now entering its fifth and final season, this show has been a star-making turn for Badgley and has been one of the streaming giant’s more popular shows.

For those who haven’t watched, Joe appears mild-mannered on the outside, but is secretly a serial killer with destructive traits that have caused him to need to start over more than once.

He’s gone from bookstore manager to English professor, from obsessive stalker to father to framed for murders he (shockingly) did not commit.

But for the show’s final season, Joe is back in New York City, wealthy, married and ready to leave his past behind.

There’s just one problem: His past isn’t done with him ... yet.

2. Havoc

Havoc stars Tom Hardy as Walker, a hardened detective in a city ravaged by crime and corruption.

One day, he shows up at a crime scene to watch the security footage of a bloody shootout. But when Walker recognises one of the people involved, he knows his day just got a whole lot worse.

Not only is the cast great, with Forest Whitaker and Timothy Olyphant starring alongside Hardy, but the movie’s director, Gareth Evans, directed The Raid –one of the best action movies of this century.

3. Pangolin: Kulu’s Journey Nature documentaries aren’t for everyone, but you should make time for this one, the latest documentary from Pippa Ehrlich, the Academy Award-winning director of the acclaimed My Octopus Teacher.

In this new film, the subject is Kulu, a baby pangolin, and the man who rescued Kulu during a sting operation in South Africa. Reinvigorated with newfound purpose, the man decides to rehabilitate Kulu and prepare it for a return to its natural habitat.

4. Bullet Train Explosion

Reacher star Ritchson goes wild in War Machine War Machine, the action film starring Reacher’s Alan Ritchson [pictured], has been teased as “wild” by actor Dennis Quaid.

The upcoming Netflix film depicts the journey of the final recruits at a special operations boot camp, with the trainees being thrust into the action quicker than they anticipated after a deadly force from another world threatens Earth.

Written and directed by Patrick Hughes, anticipation for War Machine has been rising after filming began in September, with Quaid telling MovieWeb that his

co-star Ritchson would be getting his hands dirty “I had a blast down there in Australia for a couple of weeks,” he said. “It was great, because I got to play the general and I never got my uniform dirty at all.

Wonderful. Alan was up to his chest and mud. He’s really good in [the film] and it’s going to be wild to watch.”

In addition to Quaid and Ritchson, the stacked cast for War Machine includes Stephan James, Jai Courtney, Esai Morales, Daniel Webber and Jake Ryan, with Hughes co-writing.

Not to be confused with Bullet Train, but similar in storyline. In Bullet Train Explosion, the speed and stakes are high.

A bomb is placed on the Hayabusa 60 Shinkansen bound for Tokyo and will detonate if the train slows below 100 km/h.

The only way to stop it?

Pay the bomber a ransom of 100 illion yen.

5. A Tragedy Foretold: Flight 3054

This is a new docuseries that investigates the crash of TAM Airlines Flight 3054 in July 2007.

This Brazilian flight from should have been like any other. But a combination of factors led to the Airbus jet failing to stop on a rain-soaked runway, ultimately exploding upon impact with a TAM Express warehouse, killing 199 and injuring 27 more.

It’s the deadliest aviation accident in Brazilian and South American history and brought about sweeping changes in the Brazilian aviation sector.

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The Eastern Environs Community group

Sunshine, history and cakes

The Eastern Environs Community group had a fantastic tour of the iconic Black Abbey on Wednesday last, courtesy of local historian Paddy Neary.

The sun shone brightly as the knowledgeable and erudite Paddy guided the group through the amazing and diverse history of the Abbey. Beginning with the founding of the Manistir Dubh (The Black Abbey) in 1225.

Having set the scene, Paddy brought the group on a journey of discovery across the centuries; the granting of a water conduit from Kennyswell by Geoffret de Turville Bishop of Ossory, the rent exemption granted by Gilbert de Clare in 1274, the

erection of the central tower in 1507, the granting of the Abbey and its possessions to Burgesses of Kilkenny forever

by King Henry 1543, the use of the Abbey as a courthouse, the return of the Abbey during the Confederate of Kilkenny 1642-1652, the abandonment of the Abbey under pressure from Cromwellian forces, the re-establishment of the Abbey in 1840, and the complete restoration organised by Fr Connolly 1854.

Paddy concluded his talk with the renovations of 1980, when drainage of the river Nore ensured the Abbey would be free from flooding.

Afterwards the well-informed group adjourned to Cakeface for light refreshments and convivial chat.

The Kilkenny Observer Friday 25th April 2025

The Kilkenny Observer Friday 25th April 2025

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Community & GAA Notes

KilkennyGAA clubs and Communitynews CLARA CAMOGIE Clara seniors played their first game of the year on Sunday morning in Tullaroan. It proved to be a tough opener as they were short a large number of girls who were on county duty. They have five on the Kilkenny U23 panel and one each on the minor and senior panels. As well as these they were short a number of other girls and had just 14 players togged for this one. Tullaroan sportingly agreed to match these numbers.

The first 15 minutes were very competitive as both defences were well on top. The first score was always going to be decisive and it was Tullaroan that got it and crucially it was a goal. That gave them the confidence to dominate the rest of the half and they reached the break with a 3-5 to 0-1 lead.

Clara were far more competitive in the second half but found it very difficult to get past the magnificent Grace Walsh at centre back. The most they could muster were a couple of Claire Nolan frees but there were some great performances from newcomers to senior hurling like Onagh Fitzgerald, Caragh Brennan and Katie O Connell as well as Wexford import Noelene Shanahan. The final score was 3-9 to 0-3.

Team - Aoife Glynn, Aoife Treacy, Rebecca Nolan, Onagh Fitzgerald. Caragh Brennan, Lucy Cody, Sarah Dunne.

Claire Nolan 0-3f. Niamh Ward, Noelene Shanahan, Emma Shortall. Peig Carrigan, Gráinne Glynn, Katie O Connell.

Well done to Laoise Nolan, Rachel Whelan and Keara Ryan who were on the Kilkenny U23 team that had a narrow win over Meath in Trim on Sunday afternoon.

Katie Ryan and the injured Grace Barcoe were among the subs.

Good luck to Lucy Boyd in next weekend’s All Ireland minor final against Cork.

CAPTAIN Well done to David Barcoe who captained Kilkenny to the Leinster U19 Leinster league title in Nowlan Park.

Luke Lawlor was also on the bench for this one.

Congratulations also to Pádraic Meany who was a panelist for the Kilkenny minors as they easily disposed of Wexford’s challenge in Nowlan Park on Sunday.

And finally well done to Shane Staunton and John Murphy for their part in Kilkenny’s senior victory over Galway on Saturday afternoon in Nowlan Park.

CLUB LOTTO Lotto results for 15th April -;Numbers drawn 8, 13, 25.

There was no Winner. €30 Lucky dip went to Eve Brennan, Liam Nolan, Roisin Byrne, Ali Butler and Jimmy Coogan.

O’LOUGHLIN GAELS SUCCESSFUL EASTER CAMP Despite the mixed weather a large number of over 130 boys and girls attended O’Loughlin Gaels Easter Camp last week.Where they enjoyed a fun filled week, with lots of activites while also developing their skills. Well done to all of the coaches and to the camp organisers Stephen Murphy and Paddy Deegan. Watch out for details of the Summer Camps which will be released soon.

PEDAL TO THE SEA Preparations are continuing and anticipation is growing for O’Loughlin’s Gaels. The cycle is part of O’Loughlin Gaels fundraising drive to help with current and future projects. The ‘Pedal to the Sea’ is a two day cycling event from St. John’s Park to Dungarvan Co. Waterford via the Waterford Greenway and back again on 2nd/3rd May. All levels of ability are welcome. The event includes an overnight stay at Lawlors Hotel Dungarvan and the training programme is continuing for the novice cyclist.

This promises to be right craic. Some places are still available so get in touch ASAP if you wish to participate at oloughlinsevents@gmail.com ON GOING PROGRESS Over the coming weeks works will begin on a new wall ball, astro turf and dressing rooms at St. Johns Park and the club is embarking on the development of a new greenfield site at Dunmore to include new pitches over the coming years. All help is greatly appreciated. Use the link below for more details on how to donate. https://www.idonate.ie/crowdfunder/OLoughlinGaels COUNTY REPRESENTATIVES Kilkenny Senior and Minor hurlers enjoyed successful starts to their Leinster campaigns last weekend and O’Loughlin Gaels were well represented on both teams.

No fewer than six of the club’s players played against Galway on Saturday in the senior game as Mikey Butler, Huw Lawlor, Paddy Deegan, Jordan Molloy, Fionán Mackessy and Luke Hogan all played their part in Kilkenny’s success.

In the minor game, on the following day, O’Loughlin

Front row.Anthony Coogan, Ciarán Brennan and Charlie Kirwan Meagher Back row.Sam Chadwick, Luke Hennessy, Noah Callanan, Joe Ryan, Cian McIntyre

Gael’s David Mc Gee, Cian Byrne, Conor Holohan and Adam Maher all played their part in Kilkenny’s win over Wexford.

The club is extremely proud of all their players. Best of luck to them and to Kilkenny next weekend as the seniors travel to Belfast to play Antrim and the minors host Dublin in UPMC Nowlan Park.

UNDER 14 FOOTBALL WIN The O’Loughlin Gaels Under-14 footballers continued their campaign with a quarter-final win in the Duggan Steel Under 14 football championship over Dicksboro by 6-8 to 3-3 in Palmerstown on Sunday last.

MINOR HURLING The minor hurlers minus their county players and a couple of others lost out to Dunnamaggin in the Kilkenny Vehicle Centre Minor A Hurling league in St. John’s Park on Friday last.

CAMOGIE DEVELOPMENT SQUADS Congratulations to four of O’Loughlin Gaels current Under-14 players, Chloe Collins, Lauren Daly, Stephanie Cooney and Millie Lennon, who lined out last weekend for the Kilkenny development squads against Wexford.

Well done to all four girls and all the best against Tipperary this weekend!

INDOOR SOCCER Kilkenny U10 Indoor Soccer Boys team played against Carlow recently in the Leinster Round of the Cairn Community Games. The boys who are all O’Loughlin’s hurlers and from St John’s Parish.

CLUB LOTTO There was no winner of O’Loughlin Gaels club Lotto dated April 15th. The numbers drawn were 2, 8, 11, 12 and the bonus number was 6. Play now at www. oloughlngaels.com Promotors Draw. 1. Vicky Trehy c/o JJ Cullen. 2. Paddy Buckley c/o G Buckley. 3. Rose Hayes c/o B Maher. 4.

Michael O’Halloran. 5. Kay Campion. 6. Trish Burke c/o The Bar. 7. Nuala Bryan c/o Dan O’Driscoll. 8. Michael Butler c/o Online. 9. Marina Tyrrell c/o Online . 10 Catherine Murphy c/o Online. Thank you for your continued support.

BOOKINGS FOR OCCASIONS O’Loughlin Gaels Club boasts the best club facilities for its members in the city. With plenty of free parking, kitchen, bar and lounge facilities available it can cater for all your party needs. Contact 086-8919312 to book your special occasion-christening, communion, confirmation, birthdays and anniversaries, special wedding guest gatherings or any group occasion you require. The large Hall is available for larger community events and the space outside is safe and secure for all.

NOTES

If you wish to have any item included in the St. John’s Parish notes please email it to pro.oloughlingaels. kilkenny@gaa.ie FRESHFORD EASTER COMMEMORATION The annual Easter commemoration ceremony was

held at The Green at noon on Easter Sunday. The event was organised by the Freshford branch of Fianna Fail.

Members of Kilkenny Ceoltas musicians led a parade followed by eight members of the royal volunteers. MC was John Meagher who opened the ceremony. The proclamation was read by newly elected TD for the area Peter (Chap) Cleere. Poems and letters were read by Eleanor Cantwell and Rita Campion and a young visitor from County Galway read a poem in the Irish language.

Gillian Queally gave a beautiful rendering of “The Dying Rebel “ and “Grace” accompanied by Mary Kelly and Gary Barnaville. Local Councillor and Cathaoirleach of Kilkenny County Council Mick McCarthy laid a wreath and the flag was raised by local man Jim Dalton. Cllr.

McCarthy thanked all who attended and all those who participated or helped in any way. Refreshments were served afterwards in the Community Hall. There was also a very successful cabaret on the eve of the commemoration.

GAA NEWS St Lachtains Minor hurlers were in action on Friday evening last and had a good win over Tullogher on a final scoreline of 3-16 to 0-9.

The Junior B hurlers meanwhile finished all square with neighbours The Fenians on Saturday evening last.

EASTER CAMP Thanks to Michael Farrell and all the volunteers that helped to run another successful Easter camp in Páirc Lachtaín last week. The children had a great time again this year despite the weather taking a turn towards the end of the week and everyone is already looking forward to summer camp.

FAMILY FUN DAY St. Lachtain’s will host a family fun day in Páirc Lachtaín on bank holiday Sunday May 4th. Activities on the day will include bouncy castles, amusements, dunk a hurler, target practice and an U12 hurling blitz. Music will be

by Eoghan Bergin and there will be food, ice cream and coffee available. Keep an eye on our socials for more information.

DARKNESS INTO LIGHT 2025 St. Lachtain’s GAA club will host a darkness into light walk around our walkway on the morning of May 10th again this year. All moneys raised will go to suicide awareness charities.

FIXTURES The Minors, Junior Fs, Intermediates and U16 hurlers have league fixtures this week. Check the Kilkenny GAA website and follow their social networks for up-to-date fixtures and results.

Captain Philiip Byrne and his brother Jamie received the cup and medals for winning the league and cup

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 25th April 2025

Community & GAA Notes Freshford squash team

SOCCER Freshford Town Junior side lost out 6-2 to Fort Rangers in their game on Sunday last.

In the schoolboys/girls section the U12 girls had a great win over Clover Utd in the cup winning 3-1 with goals from Siun McCarthy(2) and Katie Ryan..

The club are presently planning for the regeneration project which was put together and permission for development of a synthetic grass playing surface to the existing grassed area is intended, erection of LED floodlighting to both the existing main grassed and proposed synthetic grass pitches with additional car parking provisions, Two new sports dug outs to grassed pitch and upgrade of existing boundary walls and fencing drainage and all associated works.

IRISH DANCING The Malone school of Irish dancing has started and continues every Monday evening at 5.15pm in St.Lachtain’s GAA Clubhouse. All those interested should go along or for more information contact Michelle on 087 2063912 SQUASH WIN Freshford squash club finished off the season by winning the cup final in Dublin when they beat Westwood of Dublin on a score of 3-2. It was a great season for the club winning the League and the cup for the first time.

ON HOLIDAY On holiday in Freshford over the Easter holiday period were the Dunne family from Norway, Michael and Maura O’Donnell from the UK and Michael Dooley home from Wales.

BINGO The North Kilkenny Wheelchair Association weekly bingo continues each Friday evening in Freshford Community Hall at 8pm. They ran a special bingo for Easter with extra sheets and extra prize money and a raffle. The usual weekly session will resume this Friday evening with “eyes down and away you go” at 8pm. So why not go along and bring a friend or two along with you for a night out and a chance to win some good prizes and money while supporting a very good cause as well. It will help keep the event going in the village.

NUENNA GROUP People are living longer stronger and healthier lives now, so why not have fun while improving your fitness with the local Nuenna social community group. Membership to Nuenna AC club for the year is €60. It’s cheaper than a trip to the Doctors.

SPLIT THE POT The winner of Split the pot last week was Rowan Carroll winning €172. The proceeds for the month of April go to St.Lachtain’s Bord na nOg. Entry cost just €2 and envelopes are available in all local shops and pubs.

Revolut is also available on 08330411011 remember to include your name and address. Draw will take place each Saturday.

LOOP CAFE

The Loop Community Café in the village is open Monday to Saturday from 9.30am to 4pm. They are always looking for people on both sides of the counter. So why not support your own local café and stay local. You can meet a friend or two for a chat and a cup or something lovely, try their homemade food or sample one of their new tarts. The Loop also hosts a variety of community activities. The Loop is looking for volunteers as well as customers. Use your skills and develop new ones. If you’re great at fixing a door hinge, baking a cake, or working in a kitchen – or just willing to learn they have lots to do.

Find the Loop on Facebook to keep up with events, or stop by any time. If you’d like to volunteer, please call the café at 056.883.2650 and speak with Rhiannon.

IONAD LACHTAIN Ionad Lachtain will host a lecture on Saturday 26th April

by John G O’ Dwyer, Irish Times Contributor and chairperson of Tipperary Tourism and Pilgrim Paths Ireland, on ‘Walkways Walking Trails, Pilgrim Paths and their stories’. At 2.30pm. All welcome!

St Lachtain’s Church Museum and Arts Centre is now open every Saturday and Sunday.

FOROIGE Foroige youth club meet each Monday evening from 6.30pm to 8pm in the Community Hall. They have music, a free library, stationary corner, games, chat and treats each week. New members are always very welcome. The youth club is members only so if you are interested in joining please go along and sign up. They are also looking for adult volunteers. For more information contact Aidan on 086 0674485 or Aidan.gleeson@ foroige.ie PARISH NEWS Mass is held in the Parish Church each Wednesday morning at 9.30am and each Sunday morning at 11am.

Mass in Tulla Church on Saturday evening at7.30pm The parish newsletter is available on their website every week. Please note community notices for the parish newsletter should be left in or emailed to the Parish Office by 11am on Thursdays. Parish office hours are Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 9am to 1pm.

Mass Cards:Special printed parish cards are available at the Parish Office or from Annette at Tulla Church signed

by Monsignor Kennedy. You can contact the Parish office on 056 8832843 or by email – freshfordd@ossory.ie.

Contact Mongr Kieron Kennedy on that number or on 087 2523521.

JAMES STEPHENS GAA AND CAMOGIE CLUB LEINSTER U-19 FINAL Kilkenny U-19 Bainisteoir Matt Ruth (Jnr) anxiously manned the sideline encouraging his charges as they fought out a nerve tingling closing 5/6 minutes to hold out for a thrilling 1-24 to 3-16 victory over a determined Dublin side in the Leinster U-19 Development League

final in a bitterly cold UPMC Nowlan Park. Playing a leading role in the hard-won victory were clubmen Sean Deely who gave a masterful display of defending at wing back together with a tight marking Dara Behan at cornerback against a lively Dublin full forward line. Selected at wing forward, Bill McDermott was unfortunate as he was a late withdrawal due to an injury while Zac Scanlon was also unavailable for selection due to a muscle injury. Substitute Ruairi Harrison completed The Village compliment of players on the victorious squad. A nice success for Matt Ruth (Jnr) on his debut as a Kilkenny team bainisteoir.

MINOR LEAGUE Despite lining out without their county players two strong minor teams, James Stephens and Dicksboro fought out a competitive and at times techy 3rd round minor hurling league fixture in rain drenched Palmerstown on Friday evening. Dicksboro shot into an early lead with a penalty strike in the 2nd minute and continued to dominate, building a 2-04 to 0-01 lead at the 17th minute. Combined with a tightening of the defence led by Conor Heffernan, Tuan Hyland, James Bergin and Dara Behan, a three pointer from a goalmouth scramble in the 22nd minute sparked the James Stephens players into action as they seized control over the 2nd quarter to reduce the arrears to a minimum at 2-06 to 2-05 thanks to a goal finish by Conor McEvoy in the 26th minute. After the break, the in-form Conor McEvoy levelled the game with a point in the 2nd minute after which Dicksboro put over three points without reply before substitute Conor Leahy finished to the net for the Village in the 17th minute to level matters again at 3-06 to 2-09. A brave save by Padraig Joyce in the 21st minute preserved a two point lead courtesy of earlier points registered by Conor Leahy (14th min) and Conor McEvoy (15min). Over the closing 10 minutes James Stephens took charge once again and went on to claim a hard won 3-11 to 2-10 victory. Well done to Joe Murray and his selectors on a fine achievement for all involved in difficult conditions U14 FOOTBALL Both teams were in action at the same time on Easter Sunday in Championship quarter finals.

The A team were beaten by Roinn A League Champions Young Irelands in Gowran on a scoreline of 5-6 to 2-3.

The B team beat Emeralds in Roinn C at Kells Road on a scoreline of 5-5 to 4-4.

Roinn C Semi-final vs Lisdowney is scheduled for Friday evening 25th. April. in Lisdowney at 6:30.

LEINSTER SENIOR HURLING Congratulations to Kilkenny and clubman Cian Kenny on their first round Leinster Senior Championship victory over Galway in UPMC Nowlan Park on Saturday last.

Cian lined out at midfield, contributing two points in this comprehensive victory. Kilkenny travel to Corrigan Park in Belfast to take on Antrim in round two on Sunday 27th.

MOTHERS AND OTHERS A call has been put out to all mothers and others in the parish area by Maz (083 3921464) and Norah (087 9431800) to gather expressions of interest for a weekly exercise playing camogie and or Gaelic football in a fun, non-competitive social environment during the summer months. Why not register your interest with Maz or Norah for the prospect of setting up an entertaining programme of fun filled exercise, in an open air environment, with the benefit of restoring yourself to a degree of aerobic fitness levels. Nothing to lose, but everything to gain.

AUSSIE SUCCESS Having only landed a few weeks ago in Sydney, club camogie star Hannah Scott is already making a name for herself in the Australian camogie scene. Thanks to an outstanding display in last Sunday’s 3rd round NSW Camogie league fixture Hannah was presented with the “Player of the Match” award. Well done Hannah and continued success in next weekend’s 4th round fixture.

J.S GOLF SOCIETY Last weekend the James Stephens Golf Society got their season of outings off to a dream start in glorious sunshine on Gowran Golf Club’s pristine circuit. Cyril Lawlor was the overall winner having accumulated an impressive 40 points on the testing course. In the category A class Frank Hogan on 39 points claimed top spot followed by Richie Manogue on 38 pts ahead of Michael Grogan and Padraig Larkin in joint third place on 37 pts. In the category B class, Philly Parsons claimed the first prize with 37 points followed by Roddy McMyler also on 37pts and Richie Hogan and John Scott claiming third place on 35 pts. The nearest the pin prizes went to James Kelly on the 10th and Brian Leahy with his shot on the 13th hole. Congratulations to all the winners with a reminder that the society’s next outing takes place on Saturday, 17th May in Callan Golf Club.

APRIL BONUS BALL The winners of the April Bonus Ball are Tomas Dwyer and Jackie Tyrrell with number 44. Congratulations to the winners and thanks as always to all for your continued support. Next Draw is 17th May 2025.

LOTTO

Last week’s numbers were 1, 24, 27, 28. There was no winning ticket. The €40 consolation winners were Kay Ryan, Mick Drennan, Darren Dalton, Francis Malone and Cyril Lawlor.

GOWRAN GOWRAN FC Congratulations to all athletes who competed in the St Senans Open Track & Field. For many it was their first event at track and field, and they all throughly enjoyed the day. Thanks to St Senans AC for hosting another great event.

U8 Jazmine McPartland 80m, U9 Aine Dalton 80m, 300m, U10 Con O’Farrell 80m, 300m U11 Emma Hayden 80m silver, 300m silver, Aoife Dalton 80m, 300m, Harry O’Regan 80m, 300m, Conor Maher 80m, 300m, U13 Robyn Goodwin 1000m Walk, Cian Larkin 100m, 300m silver, Jay Pollock 100m, 700m, U14 Zoey Kelly 100m, Matthew Byrne 100m, 700m, Shot, U15 Aoibheann Brennan 700m, Ellie Doran 700m, U15 Oren Denieffe Javelin gold U16 Lucy Cunningham 700m bronze, U16 Evan Ryan Javelin silver, U18 James Kelsey 100m gold, Javelin silver, 3000m bronze.

QUIZ AQuiz taking place in Paddy’s Country Pub on Friday, April 25th in aid of Dalton House Daycare Centre . Even if you’re not a part of a team come along and the pub will arrange a team for you on the night GOWRAN PARK Racing Wednesday, May 7th and it’s €10.Courtesy bus from Castle Gates at 3pm.

GOWRAN PARK GOLF Well done to all juniors who played in our Easter competition 15th April. Results are.

Boys:- 1st Lee Harkin 45pts. 2nd Eabhan Kehoe 41pts.

3rd Jamie ODwyer 40pts.

Girls:- 1st Anna Kelsey 36pts. 2nd Dearbhla Convery 32pts.

We hope to run another 18 hole competition next Tuesday and we will update you all soon.

KEY DATES IN DAIRY FOR 2025 Tues 12th August Harry Cup Tues 19th August Junior Captains Interclub junior team managers will be appointed soon and will put together teams for the following:Boys and girls under 18 interclub Boys foursomes Boys under 15’ Junior subs and 2025 on course policy are being sent to all listed junior members. If your junior is not a member but would like to join please call Gowran park golf directly.

Regards Junior Committee 2025 is made up of: Darren Carroll - Junior Convenor Club Children’s officer-Jane Naughton Designated Liason Officer- Dominic Bolger Boys junior captain Tomas Carroll Girls junior Captain- Katie Comerford Committee members Judy Dick Lottie Booth John Leamy Lorcan Lynch GOWRAN LITTLE THEATRE Summer one act plays on 27th and 28th May in Gowran Parish Hall.

BENNETTSBRIDGE HOLY WEEK CEREMONIES Holy Week Ceremonies were well attended in both churches. Fr Pat Duggan welcomed everyone to the various celebrations. Thanks went to all who helped with preparations during the week. Fr Duggan was most appreciative of all the help. Both churches were decorated with fine floral displays. The Parish Choirs were in good voice and a video recording of the passion was enjoyed in St Bennett’s Church.

MASSES DURING THE WEEK Thursday and Friday at 10.30 am EASTER OFFERINGS Easter offerings can be handed in this week. Thanks to all who have already subscribed.

WELL DONE! Several young people in The Ring in Bennettsbridge have been high achievers in their various interests.

First up we meet Finian Ready, a learner with College of Further Education and Training, Kilkenny. Finian introduces himself as, ‘As a proud person with a disability, I thought this would never happen’. After completing his

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Community & GAA Notes CAMOGIE Hard luck to Holly and Erin who were part of the Kilkenny team beaten by Cork in the Eir U16A Camogie All Ireland Semi Final. Final score, Kilkenny 1-9 Cork 1-11. It was disappointing for the girls and management.

CAMOGIE FRIENDLY Well done to our Camogie under 10s who took part in their first friendly blitz in O’ Loughlin’s on a cold, wet morning at the weekend.

EAST END East End U13s wrapped up their league campaign with a solid 2-0 win over Evergreen. Goals from Ellie Killian and Sophie Doran.

A great battle in the U12 Division 1A League last week saw East End hosted Freshford. Two evenly matched sides played with fantastic spirit throughout. Goals from Robbie Dobbyn and Isaac Neary, with Robbie O’Malley leading the team as captain for the night.

GAA Club Games Well done to our under 14 football team who qualified for the Roinn A semi-finals with a good six point win over Callan. Our junior B team lost out to Dicksboro by 7 points in the opening round of the league.

The junior E team play Danesfort at home next Sunday evening. Our minor hurlers received a walkover in the last round, while our under 16 hurlers are at home to Dunamaggin next Monday. Please see the Kilkenny GAA website for fixture details and changes.

Signage Campaign Bennettsbridge GAA club have launched a Pitch signage campaign. This will be used to pay off the outstanding loan on our development. A sub-committee has been formed so any businesses wishing to have their name advertised on the surrounding pitch wall should contact the subcommittee members for the terms and details: Alan Flynn, Alan Morrissey, Tommie Hughes, Tim Dooley and Mary Blanchfield. The first signs have been erected in the past week and look very impressive. Thanks to all the business owners who have supported so far.

Club membership Club membership for the coming year is now due.

Membership can be paid to Samantha McGarry or to any committee member. Fees for non playing members €40, student players €80 and adult players €120. Membership can also be paid online through club spot. Early payment would be greatly appreciated as the bills for 2025 are coming in.

Intercounty Games Well done to David Blanchfield who came on for the Kilkenny senior team against Galway in the opening round of the championship. Jamie Walsh was on the Kilkenny minor panel who had a big win over Wexford in their opening round. Eoin Walpole and Liam Keogh were on the Kilkenny minor football team who lost out by three points to Wicklow in the Leinster football shield.

Best wishes to the lads in their upcoming games and to all ‘Bridge players on the squads at the moment.

Last Man Standing The last man standing is up and running again for this year’s championship Details are on the clubs social media pages. Thanks to all for their support this year.

Split the Pot The next draw takes place each Friday at 6 pm in the clubhouse. Thanks again for the continued support.

Camogie Club Friendly Blitz in O’Loughlin’s

Junior Cert with National Learning Network, Finian is now completing a Level 5 Media Studies course. With a background in blogging and video creation, this course has enabled him to take his passion and skills to the next level. In following his interest he has met up with various celebrities including, the Corona’s, Lyra and others. The Kilkenny student is grateful for his supportive family as his star continues to shine. He is the eldest son of John and Sabrina Ready.

Zahra Khodabacksh, World Irish Dancing Champion, lives just a few doors away from Finian. Last week she was invited to meet Mayor Andrew McGuinness who presented her with an award on behalf of Kilkenny County Council to celebrate her achievement. Family and friends were invited to the special event. Zahra will be a Special guest at the 2025 World Irish Dancing Championships. Sofia is following in her big sisters footsteps and won 2 world medals recently.

Finian Ready, Learner Adult Education, pictured with Lyra

GORESBRIDGE PAULSTOWN ACTIVE RETIREMENT The Active Retirement Group meets each Thursday at 11am in the Paulstown Community Hall.

BRIDGE UNITED Premier division result Bridge A 0-3 Evergreen A. The Bridge lotto draw of 14 April: winners were Willie Murphy and Tom Doran (€50 each).

CHURCH SERVICES Weekend masses on Saturday in Goresbridge at 7.30pm and on Sunday at 10am in Goresbridge and at 11.30am in Paulstown.

Holy Communion (COI) at 11.30am this Sunday in Grange Sylvae (Goresbridge).

TALK THE TALK Cupla focal (Irish language conversation circle) continues this Friday at 11am in the Goodly Barrow.

SHANKILL CASTLE Shankill Castle has reopened to the public each weekend (11.00am - 5pm).

SPLIT THE POT Split the Pot in aid of Goresbridge Rural Development has gone online. Simply scan the QR code or go to lottoraiser.ie YOGA A yoga course is running every Monday 7-8pm in the Paulstown Community Hall. Info: Caroline 087 937 1939

Tom Healy

East End U 13s who beat Evergreen in the League

Zahra receives Award from Mayor Andrew McGuinness

Congratulations to Mandy Simpson, also from The Ring who received a QQI Further Education and Training Award recently. Mandy was presented with a Component Certificate in Life Science, Listening and Speaking and Personal Safety.

LOTTO There was no winner of the Jackpot. Numbers drawn

were, 19, 20, 24, 26. Consolation Prizes, Pat Comerford, Kilkenny, Olive Morrin, Kilfane, Marie Fitzpatrick, Ballyhale, David McGrath, Kilfane, Eanna Cleere, Station Road, Bennettsbridge.

GATHERING The weekly meetings will resume on Wednesday, 30th April at the usual time.

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 25th April 2025

Community & GAA Notes ST MARY’S PARISH MEDIEVAL AND PLANTATION ERA KILKENNY ARTEFACTS AT TY LOCAL HISTORY CBS TY Local History students recently explored Medieval and Plantation-era Kilkenny with renowned heritage expert Mr Dave Swift. Mr Swift brought a fascinating collection of historical artefacts from these periods, giving students a close-up look at the material culture of Kilkenny’s past. The session also included a guided walk near CBS Kilkenny, where students visited significant local sites that revealed the city’s medieval and colonial history.

ST MARY’S DAY CARE CENTRE. St Mary’s Day Care Centre, Haughney Green, Gaol Road, Kilkenny (near the Fair Green) has been serving the needs of St Mary’s Parish and the wider community since 2001. The centre is not just for St Mary’s Parish and there is no age limit, everyone is welcome. If you would like to take advantage of this amenity, contact the care manager on 056 7770789 or office@stmarysdaycarecentre.com Monday-Friday 9.00am to 5.00pm. It provides Bingo, Hair Dresser, Chiropody as well as Arts & Crafts among other services.

CATHEDRAL CONCERT Kilkenny Unity Singers and Montgomery High School USA held a very successful concert recently in aid of the Cathedral Restoration Funds. The Concert featured violin soloist Roberto Hirko and local Uileann Piper Liam Carrigan.

LENT, EASTER AND TROCAIRE ENVELOPES A gentle reminder to return your envelopes. Thank you to those who have already done so. Your support is appreciated.

POETRY DAY To mark Poetry Day Kilkenny Writers Anonymous will host a public reading of their original work in The Mayfair Library from 6.00-7.00pm Thursday 1st May on the theme ‘May Day’. No booking is required. All are welcome!

OSSORY DIOCESAN PILGRIMAGE TO LOURDES 19TH25TH MAY 2025 The Ossory Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes will take place from 19th-25th May 2025. Bus transport from Loughboy Shopping Centre and Castlecomer GAA pitch to Cork Airport. Full religious programme. Choice of 3* & 4* hotels €949 and €995 respectively. Bookings JWT 01-2410800 or info@joewalshtours.ie. Assisted pilgrims contact Fr Anthony O’Connor 087-2517766.

KILKENNY MEDJUGORJE PILGRIMAGE Direct Flight to Mostar Medjugorje 4th–11th June 2025.

(Month of the Sacred Heart and includes Pentecost Sunday). Hotel near the church cost €875 accompanied

by Spiritual Director. For bookings contact Ann on 086 1991620 or 086 8825622 KILKENNY BEREAVEMENT SUPPORT SERVICE Kilkenny Bereavement Support Service provides free one to one support to people who are bereaved and can be contacted on 086 0670566 to arrange an appointment or make an enquiry.

FAMILY CARERS IRELAND Are you caring for a loved one at home with additional needs? A spouse, partner, child, close relative or neighbour? Then you are a family carer! Become a member of Family Carers Ireland, the national charity supporting Ireland’s 500,000+ family carers nationwide. Contact 057 93 70221 and hear how we can support you or for more info visit www.familycarers.ie.

ST MARY’S CATHEDRAL CAFE Our Volunteers: Everyone who greets you in St. Mary’s Cathedral café are volunteers giving their time freely.

They believe in making our café a space where people of the community can connect and know they are not alone. All profits from St Mary’s Cathedral Café go directly to supporting mental health services & suicide intervention provided by Teac Tom. We’re open at the moment Saturday 10am-4pm and Sunday 10am-1pm BUS ESCORT Mother of Fair Love School is looking for a Bus Escort and to form a panel for Bus Escort positions that may arise over the coming months. Please apply with CV to principal@motheroffairlove.ie or by post to The Principal, Mother of Fair Love School, James’s Street, Kilkenny or call the office at 056-7721352 for more information.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED Can you spare approx. 1 hour per week? The “Meals on Wheels” service need new volunteers to deliver meals around Kilkenny city. Must be a car driver. If you would like to join our team please ring the Kilkenny Social Services at this number: 056 7721685

Tomás Breathnach to notify them if bags need collection and for further information.

COUNCIL WORKS Bridge rehabilitation works by Kilkenny County Council on the L3405 at Strangsmills West are scheduled to continue to the end of this week. There will be no through traffic. Diversions will be in place. Local access only for the duration of the works.

COUNTY HERITAGE STRATEGY The Heritage Office is asking communities for their input in to the next Kilkenny County Heritage Strategy, 2026-2030. As part of the consultative process Kilkenny County Council will host a workshop in Ferrybank Library from 6.0pm to 8.00pm on Wednesday, 7th May. KILMACOW LOTTO The winning numbers in last week’s lotto were 1, 3, 11 and 23. There were four Match 3 winners.

ROSEDALE PROJECT Rosedale are looking for smooth stones between 6cm and 10cm in length for an inhouse project. Please contact Claire Fogarty at 051 885125 for details.

CLOVER CENTRE Digby Brady were selected as consultants for the Clover Centre in Ferrybank by Kilkenny County Council. They have arranged the first public consultation evening at the Ferrybank Primary Care Centre for 7.00pm on Thursday, 1st May. SOUTH KILKENNY HISTORICAL SOCIETY Anticipating that the level of external funding available to the Society for 2025 will be down on previous years membership fees received will be very important regarding future lecture programmes and other projects which the society has planned. The Society thanks all who have renewed their 2025 subscription and encourages those with fees outstanding to pay as soon as possible.

The annual subscription is good value for the impressive events which the Society organises on an ongoing basis.

This year’s coach trip is to Fethard and Clonmel on Saturday 31st May. The expected cost of the trip will be similar to 2024 (€70 for members and €75 for nonmembers). The committee is currently organising a programme of events for the summer and lectures for September, October and November. Plans are also being put in place for the Night of Reminiscing and Lá an Dreoilín.

KREATIVE SPACE Kilmacow Youth Club will host a Kreative Space in the Community Centre from 7.00pm to 9.00pm on Mondays, commencing 12th May. The space will be used for sharing skills, learning new ones, being creative with like-minded people and socializing. Tea and coffee will be available. There will be wheelchair accessibility.

Admission is €5. Please contact the Youth Club by e-mail

Darkness into Light Walk will be held in Mullinavat at 4.20am on Saturday, 10th May

at kilmacowyouthclub@gmail.com or by telephone on 087 672 1976 for more information.

MULLINAVAT KILBEACON GRAVEYARD RESTORATION PROJECT This project was awarded €30,000 under the Community Monuments Grant Scheme (Measure 3) announced last week by the Department of Housing, Local Government

KILMACOW ANNUAL SPRING CLEAN The annual Spring Clean in Kilmacow will be held on Sunday, 27th April. Meeting point is at the Church Gates at 12.00 noon. Please bring hi-vis jackets, gloves and litter pickers. As in previous years people may wish to collect litter on Saturday and can leave bags out for collection. Please contact Edward Doyle, David Williams or

Kilbeacon Graveyard Restoration Project was awarded €30,000 last week under the Community Monuments Scheme

and Heritage for ‘urgent repair works to the boundary wall’. A working group, formed in April last year, decided to apply to Kilkenny County Council in January. The application under Measure 3 was chosen by the Council to submit to the Department and great credit is due to Regina Fitzpatrick, Heritage Officer of Kilkenny County Council, for her work, not only with this application, but also for the other six applications across the county which received a total award of €500,000. These funds can now be invested in the restoration and retention of archaeology in the county. The working group for the project includes Patricia Ryan, Catherine Bolger, Mark Kenneally, Michael Kenneally, Paddy Dungan, Seán Maher and Tomás Breathnach. The working group is due to meet next month and will keep people locally apprised of progress.

DARKNESS INTO LIGHT The fourth annual Darkness into Light walk will be held in Mullinavat from 4.20am on Saturday, 10th May. The walk will commence from the Community Centre and will follow a circuit to return there where tea and refreshments will be served afterwards. Donations can be made online to the Mullinavat Darkness into Light account. All support is welcome.

SOUTH KILKENNY HISTORICAL SOCIETY The Society will host a lecture by Bridie Keneavy on Bridie Aylward in the Parish Hall, Mullinavat at 8.00pm on Friday, 25th April. Bridget Mannion from Rosmuc, Co. Galway was born in 1865 and emigrated circa 1883 to St. Paul, Minnesota. She went to Alaska in the early 1890s where she met and married Edward Aylward of Kilkenny.

After mining for gold in Napoleon Creek for a few years they settled in Seattle and invested in properties. Edward died in 1914 and is buried in Seattle.

Bridget moved home to Rosmuc in 1949 and died in the 1950s. She is buried in Rosmuc. She left money in a Trust Fund for the education of the children of Rosmuc.

This Trust Fund was used to pay for scholarships until free education came in the 1960s. Since then the Trust Fund is used by the local secondary school Coláiste na bPiarsach to pay for cultural activities, art, drama etc.

In 2009 the school opened the Bridget Aylward library using money from the fund.

Bridie Conneely Kineavy is one of the last generations to grow up on the tiny island of Inis Treabhair in Cuan Cill Chiaráin, Co. Na Gaillimhe. Her background as a Science and Maths teacher brought her on her teaching journey to the Meath Gaeltacht of Rathcairn, Inis Oírr (the smallest of the Aran Islands) and ending up for almost 25 years in Coláiste na bPiarsach in Ros Muc where she also had the role of school librarian and archivist. While in Coláiste na bPiarsach she began her research into the story of Bridget Mannion Aylward – the ‘Queen of Alaska’ and has since journeyed in Bridget’s footsteps to the city of St. Paul in Minnesota, on to the gold mines of Napoleon Creek on the Fortymile River in Alaska where

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Community & GAA Notes Bridget mined in the 1890s with her husband Edward Aylward of Weatherstown and then to the city of Seattle where the Aylwards retired when their mining days were over. Bridie’s most recent research has brought her back to the tenant farm holdings of the Aylwards of Weatherstown, Glenmore in the mid-late 1800s.

It should be a most interesting lecture. Admission is €5 for non-members. All welcome to attend.

GENTLE SLEEP TALK Cuidiú (Caring Support for Parenthood) will host Dr. Miriam Liston of Care to Sleep, who will answer questions and offer tips on getting a better night’s sleep in the Community Centre, Mullinavat from 10.00am to 11.am on Tuesday, 29th April. Parents are welcome to bring their babies to the session.

COMMUNITY & CULTURAL FACILITIES CAPITAL GRANT SCHEME ‘25 Kilkenny County Council is inviting applications from community groups and organisations for its Community & Cultural Facilities Capital Grant Scheme. The closing date for completed applications to the Community Department, Kilkenny County Council, John’s Green, Kilkenny is Wednesday, 30th April.

FERRYBANK LIBRARY The Library will host a workshop with Deirdre Lindy ‘Then and Now: The Wisdom We Carry’ from 10.30am to 12.30pm on Friday, 23rd May. The workshop is a space to reflect on the strengths we’ve built over the years and to explore how they can support us in everyday life now. Through conversation, life coaching and mindful practices, the focus will be on resilience, self-kindness, and valuing our own journey. Places are limited. Please telephone the Library at 051 897200 or email ferrybank@kilkennylibrary.ie to book a place.

ANTI-LITTER AND ANTI-GRAFFITI GRANT SCHEME ‘25 Kilkenny County Council is inviting applications from community groups under its Anti-Litter and Anti-Graffiti Grant Scheme. Application forms can be downloaded from the Council’s website. The closing date for completed applications to Deirdre Trait, Environment Section, Kilkenny County Council, County Hall, John Street, Kilkenny is Friday, 23rd of May 2025. Please contact Deirdre at 056 779 4366 for more information.

3-20 to 1-7 victory.

The junior E team will make an equally long trip to take on Piltown tonight Friday in Piltown in the JJ Kavanagh and Sons Junior E League. The throw in time is 7.30 p.m.

CLUB LOTTO The numbers drawn in the most recent GAA Lotto draw were 2, 10 and 42. There was no jackpot winner so the consolation prize winners of €30 each were Eamonn Delaney, Mary Tierney, James and Mary Brennan, the Dollard grandchildren and Eugene Butler. The promoter prize winners were Brian Lacey, Teresa Dollard and Julie Jackman. Many thanks to everyone who continues to support the GAA Club Lotto.

HUGGINSTOWN NEWMARKET STONEYFORD

BALLYRAGGET BALLYOUSKILL OUR ROSE Local lady Katelyn Cummins from Ballyouskill will represent Laois in this years’ Rose of Tralee. She is the daughter of Noel and Siobhan Cummins sister of Molly and Jack Cummins, Castlemarket. Grandaughter of Mary Jacob and the late Fabian Jacob Toor and the late Kathleen and Larry Cummins, Castlemarket. She is truly a great representative and all are wishing Katelyn the very best of luck going forward.

SAY NO TO BALLINALACKEN WIND FARM There will be a public information meeting in the Canon Malone Hall on Monday 28th at 8pm. It will be discussing the proposed Wind Farm and Substation development in the Ballinalacken/Ballyragget/Ballyouskill area.

All support welcome There will be a Drive to survive Car Run on Sunday 27th at 12 noon from Ballinakill Square travelling the proposed route of the wind turbines finishing in Ballyouskill Hall and it will be followed by a workshop in Ballyouskill and Ballinakill halls to help people complete and submit their objection letters This is the final chance to PROTEST against and halt this unwanted decimation of our community and ruination of our homes.

This will show people the areas that are going to be directly affected by this monstrosity that is planned for our area. The last chance to prevent our beautiful rural area being transformed into an industrial zone. Please spread the word and come support our drive to survive.

COIS NORE Ballyragget Cois Nore Outreach Service is available to anyone seeking Cancer Support, information, or registration to Cois Nore’s free of charge and confidential services at Dr. Hogan’s Rooms, The Square, Ballyragget every Monday morning from 10am to 12 noon. All are welcome.

GORTNAHOE GLENGOOLE EUCHARISTIC ADORATION Glengoole Wednesday 10am to 2pm, Gortnahoe Thursday 10am to 1pm. The rosary is recited before Mass in Glengoole every Saturday evening.

EASTER CEREMONIES It was great to see such a large attendance from our parish at our Easter ceremonies in both Churches. A special word of thanks to Fr Walton also to the Sacristans, Readers, Musicians, Ministers of the Eucharist, Servers, Collectors and anyone else who helped over the Easter period.

SACRAMENTAL DATES First Holy Communion for the school children in the parish will be held on Saturday 17th May at 11am.

Katelyn Cummins TROCAIRE BOXES A sincere thanks to everyone who returned their Trocaire boxes over the weekend. You can still return them over the next couple of weeks.

SENIOR SOCIAL GROUP Every Wednesday afternoon from 1pm-3pm the Senior Social Group meet. This includes a 2 course meal followed by tea/coffee and live music, with transport to and from the centre available. Please contact Alice Teehan on 083-1014313 for further information.

CASHEL AND EMLY PILGRIMAGE June 13th - 18th. Cost from €969, flights from Shannon.

Pilgrimage Director: Rev. Jimmy Donnelly. Bookings and Enquires: Contact Joe Walsh Tours @ info@joewalshtours.ie or 01 241 0800. Assisted Pilgrims only, please contact: Very Rev. Joe Tynan, PP: lourdesassistedpilgrimage@cashel-emly.ie or 087 222 5445.

GORTNAHOE BINGO Bingo will continue this Saturday evening at 4.00pm with doors opening from 3.00pm and will continue each Saturday evening at the same time. Over €2,660 in prize money on offer including a special €500 game. A sincere thanks to everyone who supported the Easter special bingo. We had a full Hall and delighted with the support from the Parish.

400 CLUB DRAW The results for April, 1st prize €200 Liam and Mary Fitzgerald, Glengoole North, 2nd prize €100 Maeve and Brendan Maher, Littlefield. Other prize winners were Paul Farrell, Glengoole South, Margaret McCormack, Poynestown, William and Marian Fogarty, Graigue, Joan Carroll, Gortnahoe, Seamus Dunne, Boulick, Claire and Declan Prendergast, Glengoole, Larry Tierney, Lanespark and Thomas Kavanagh, Urlingford. Promoters prize winner was Carmel Troy.

TUESDAY BRIDGE Bridge is being played each Tuesday night in Gortnahoe Hall at 7.30pm. If you would like to join or find out more information please contact this number 089 434910 SPLIT THE POT Congratulations to Louise Cleere who won €254 in the Split the Pot draw last Sunday. Envelopes are available in Cahill’s Gortnahoe, Hogans Grange and at the usual

outlets, you can also Revolut to 0876777220. For the month of April Split the Pot will be in support of the Youth Club. The draw takes place each Sunday at 12pm in Gortnahoe Hall. Your support would be appreciated.

RUBBISH COLLECTION It was great to see individuals and groups picking up rubbish on the side of the road throughout our parish over the last few weeks. The tidy towns inspections will be taking place soon and it is hoped that groups in every village work together to impress the judges. It would be great if people would volunteer to pick up rubbish in their own area to keep our parish tidy. We would appeal to motorists to refrain from throwing litter out of cars as plastic items, etc., can be harmful to the environment and does nothing for the beauty of our countryside.

It is also noted that cans and plastic bottles are now recycled in all shops and credit is given for each item returned.

BRIDGET LOUGHNANE RIP The death has occured of Bridget Loughnane (née Kenny) Clyduff, Shinrone, Birr and formerly of Boulick, Gortnahoe, Thurles, Co. Tipperary. Peacefully at Midlands Regional Hospital, Tullamore, surrounded by her loving family following a short illness. Pre-deceased by her husband John, son Vincent, mother and father Neil and Ellie Kenny and her sister Teresa. Sadly missed by her heartbroken daughters Lisa and Lorraine, grandchildren Eoin, Libby, Jade and Rhys, brothers Richard, Michael and Con, sisters Mary, Patricia and Aileen, her extended family and friends and her beloved dog Bailey.

Bridget reposed in Tierney’s Funeral Home, Roscrea last Monday evening. Removal from her residence took place yesterday Tuesday morning arriving in St. Cronan’s Church, Roscrea for Funeral Mass followed by burial in the adjoining new cemetery. May she rest in peace.

CONAHY HURLING The junior B side made the long trip to Glenmore on Friday night last to take on the home side in their latest game in the JJ Kavanagh and Sons Junior B League. It was a tough night for Conahy, as Glenmore cruised to a

MASS TIMES AGHAVILLER PARISH Hugginstown: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at 9.30a.m. Vigil - Saturday at 8.00p.m.

Sunday at 10.00a.m. Stoneyford: Vigil - Saturday 26th. at 6.30p.m.

Friday 25th. Feast of St. Mark (Evangelist) PRAY FOR Paddy Ganly, Ennisnag who died during the week.

Anniversary Masses, Seamus Connolly, Stonecarthy: Mass in Stoneyford Church on Saturday 26th. April at 6.30p.m. Paddy Farrell, Kyleva: Mass in Hugginstown Church on Saturday 26th. April at 8.00p.m. Jim Comerford, Carrickmerlin; Mass in Hugginstown Church on Sunday 27th. April at 10.00a.m.

ROTA Reader, Stoneyford: Saturday 6.30p.m. Rita O’Farrell.

Hugginstown: Saturday 8.00p.m. Tommy Murphy: Sunday 10.00a.m. Noreen Kenneally. Eucharistic Ministers: Stoneyford: Saturday 6.30p.m. Bernie Grace. Hugginstown: Saturday 8.00pm. Teresa Broderick; Sunday 10.00am. Ann Power SAFEGUARDING IN THE DIOCESE OF OSSORY: Diocesan Designated Liaison Person: Ms. Ailish Higgins Tel: 087 100 0232. Aghaviller Parish Representatives are: Deirdre Rohan and Catherina Roche.

EASTER COLLECTION Envelopes for the Easter Collection are available in the Church. Your contribution is for the support of the priests of the Parish and the Diocese. (To donate directly.) Use IBAN: IE19 AIBK 9330 9000 0561 20 (BIC: AIBKIE2D). All Parish Property and Accounts are registered under the (Diocese of Ossory, Reg. Charity No. 20015831) OSSORY DIOCESAN PILGRIMAGE TO LOURDES The Pilgrimage to Lourdes will take place from 19th to 25th May. Bus transport from Loughboy Shopping Centre to Cork airport. Direct flights to Lourdes. Full religious programme. Bookings at JWT 01- 2410800 or email info@joewalshtours.ie.

LOUGH DERG PILGRIMAGE Jubilee Year of Hope, Pilgrimage to Lough Derg; Join Bishop Niall Coll on Friday 30th. May to Sunday 1st.

June 2025. Pilgrimage is organised by the Diocesan Youth Ministry Team. For further information please contact the Ossory Diocesan Office; Tel.056 776 2448 or Email at admin@ossory.ie.

DATES TO REMEMBER FOR 2025 First Holy Communion: For Stoneyford School on Sunday 11th. May at 11.00a.m. in Stoneyford Church. For Monroe/Newmarket Schools on Sunday 18th. May at 11.00a.m. in Hugginstown.

TRÓCAIRE COLLECTION We ask that all Trócaire Contributions be returned as soon as possible please.

LOTTO Aghaviller Parish and Carrickshock G. A. A. Draw: Monday 14th. April 2025. Numbers: 31; 24; 15; 22. No Winner of First 3 Numbers Drawn. No Jackpot Winner. €30.00. Winners: Rita Long and Ber O’Leary, Stoneyford. Angela Barron, Romansvalley John Irish, Kyleva: John Fitzgerald, c/o T. Fitzgerald; Luke and Katie Hudson, Ennisnag. 3 x €15.00 (Sellers): James Irish; Tommy Murphy; Padraig Crowley.

SOUTH KILKENNY HISTORICAL SOCIETY A Lecture on “Bridget Aylward”, Queen of Alaska: South Kilkenny Connections. The Speaker will be Bridie Kineavy. Lecture on Friday 25th April 2025 at 8.00p.m.

Venue: Mullinavat Parish Hall (opposite Church) COOLAGH COMMUNITY C.E. SCHEME Worker required for Indoor/Outdoor employment for 19 Hours per week. Work includes mowing lawns, garden maintenance, hall maintenance, upkeep of cemetery, painting. If interested contact 056 772 5502 MONROE SCHOOL Clothes Collection will take place on Tuesday 29th. April.

Unwanted clothes can be dropped into school shed over the Easter break.

CONFERENCE ON STROKES The 2025 National Conference on Stroke, organised by the South Tipperary Stroke Communication Group, will take place on Monday April 28th. from 9.30a.m. to 1.30p.m. at the Cashel Palace Hotel, Cashel, Co. Tipperary. All are welcome.

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 25th April 2025

Hurlng matters - Review

Sport Cats tame

BY NIALL SHERRY SPORTS EDITOR SPORTSEDITOR@KILKENNYOBSERVER.IE

Leinster SHC – Round 1 Kilkenny 3-24 Galway 0-21 UPMC Nowlan Park Referee: Sean Stack (Dublin) Kilkenny got the defence of their Leinster crown up and running last Saturday with a comprehensive win over Galway in UPMC Nowlan Park with 12 points separating the sides at the long whistle. While the result was a huge positive for the home side, they were dealt some injury blow’s ahead of and during the round 1 fixture, losing the legendary TJ Reid before throw-in and then seeing the returning Adrian Mullen and Glenmore’s Shane Murphy leave the field during the opening 35 minutes due to ankle and leg injuries respectively. The smaller than expected crowd in attendance were treated to three majors from the hosts, courtesy of Adrian Mullen, Eoin Cody and this season’s sharpshooter, Mossy Keoghan.

The visitors got off to a quick start, registering the first score of the game, thanks to a nice effort from Loughrea’s Tiernan Killeen but a ‘65 from Fionan Mackessy, who was making his championship debut for the Cats levelled things up seconds later. Centre forward, Cathal Mannion nudged his side ahead before the first of three green flags were raised by the Noresiders. Billy Ryan, who had a great game, took a fine left-handed catch before striking his effort towards the opposition posts.

It wasn’t the cleanest of strikes from the Graigue Ballycallan man, but it caused a lot of difficulty for Galway netminder, Darach Fahy, who failed to get his stick under the ball. As panic ensued, Mossy rifled his effort towards goal which the sprawling Fintan Burke did well to keep out, but Adrian Mullen reacted fastest to tap the sliotar to the net.

It was very much to and frow after Mullen’s major with Galway outscoring the Cats over the next eleven minutes, five points to three.

The Westerners had white flags raised by Cianan Fahy (2), rising star, Declan McLaughlin and a brace from Meelick’s John Fleming. The men in black and amber had the impressive Jordan Molloy and the broadcaster’s player of the match, Mikey Carey to thank for the response. The home side were then dealt the first of two first half injury blows when Adrian Mullen, who was making his first appearance of the season, was forced off with an ankle injury, the Shamrocks man replaced by Thomastown’s Stephen Donnelly.

Billy Ryan, Cian Kenny and the

Tribesmen in Leinster opener!

Majors see Kilkenny claim win

Martin Keoghan Strikes over another Point For Kilkenny

newly introduced Donnelly registered scores for the hosts, while Cathal Mannion added a pair of frees to deadlock matters by the 21st minute. Then came the second enforced change for Derek Lyng and his management team, Glenmore’s Shane Murphy leaving the field with a leg injury, his place in defence taken by David Blanchfield. The double setback appeared to galvanise Kilkenny, as they reeled off the next four scores, courtesy of Mossy, Jordan, Eoin Cody and the creative Billy Ryan to go four clear of the men in maroon. Again, it was Ahascragh’s Cathal Mannion that reduced the deficit, before Eoin Cody struck over his sides first free

Eoin Cody Poised to shoot

in the 31st minute. Former Kerry star, Mackessy then pointed from distance, a sweet strike but again, Cathal Mannion responded for the travelling side. O’Loughlin’s Jordan Molloy, who was covering every blade of grass in UPMC Nowlan Park added his third sore of the game before captain John Donnelly popped over a point to leave his troops six ahead at the interval.

The Cats started the second period brightly, extending their lead, thanks to points from the dynamic Mikey Carey and two efforts from Eoin

The Kilkenny Observer Friday 25th April 2025

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Hurling matters - Review Gavin Lee fails to block JordanMolloys Shot at Goal

Adrian Mullen sustains his Injury

Mossy gets his shot away, despite pressure from Gavin Lee

Fionan Mackessy attempts to stop Darach Fahy from clearing

Cody (1f). Galway, who had secured a league victory at the same venue earlier this year were relying on that man Mannion, and he tagged on two more efforts (1f) to reduce the Kilkenny lead to seven points after 40 minutes of action. The next two scores came from the home side, both Stephen Donnelly and Eoin Cody pointing from play while the Tribesmen added one of their own from, well, you know who.

Micheál Donoghue then made a double change, the experienced Conor Cooney and Ronan Glennon replacing Declan McLaughlin and Tom Monaghan respectively. Fionan Mackessy struck over a monster placed ball while The Village’s Cian Kenny, making his 20th championship, fired over another quality score to stretch the lead to ten points with just under twenty minutes remaining.

One of Galway’s main threats, their captain Conor Whelan had been kept largely quiet by Mikey Butler then notched what would be his only score of the day before referee Sean Stack issued a yellow card to another Conor, Cooney, for an off the ball tussle with Mr Butler. Cathal Mannion (f) and TJ Brennan rifled over scores for the Westerners, but Kilkenny cancelled these efforts out with points from O’Loughlin’s Mackessy and the second major of the game, courtesy of Eoin Cody. As the ball was loose on the ground the Shamrocks Ballyhale man poked the ball away from a defender, before kicking it clear to run onto. The former captain flicked the ball up,

created the angle and fired past the helpless Darach Fahy in the Tribesmen’s goal.

Manager Lyng then decided to make a couple of changes, Tommy Walsh and Harry Shine replacing David Blanchfield and John Donnelly. Sandwiched between these two changes was a lovely score from Mossy Keoghan. Clarinbridge’s Gavin Lee then split the Cats posts and the defender’s point was added to by efforts from Conor Cooney (2) and Cathal Mannion. The latest change from Kilkenny saw Luke Hogan replace the talented Billy Ryan, and the O’Loughlin’s man got on the scoresheet with 70 minutes on the clock. There would still be time of the third major of the game.

Stephen Donnelly picked the ball up on halfway and looked forward for options. The Thomastown man played a searching delivery towards his inside forwards, Cody and Keoghan. The ball broke to Mossy and the Tullaroan man, who had been denied minutes earlier by Fahy, made no mistake as he rifled the ball past the Ardrahan clubman.

Job done in round 1. Full time score,

Kilkenny 3-24, Galway 0-21.

Scorers for Kilkenny: E. Cody 1-5 (2f); M. Keoghan 1-2; F. Mackessy 0-4 (1 65, 1 f); A. Mullen 1-0, J. Molloy 0-3; B. Ryan, C. Kenny, M. Carey, S. Donnelly 0-2 each; L. Hogan, J. Donnelly 0-1 each.

Scorers for Galway: C. Mannion 0-10 (6f); C. Fahy, J. Fleming, C. Cooney 0-2 each; T. Killeen, D. McLoughlin, C. Whelan, T. Brennan, G. Lee 0-1 each.

Galway: D. Fahy; J. Grealish, F. Burke, D. Morrissey; P. Mannion, G. Lee, TJ. Brennan; C. Fahy, T. Monaghan; J. Fleming, C. Mannion, T. Killeen; C. Whelan, B. Concannon, D. McLoughlin.

Subs: C. Cooney for McLoughlin, R. Glennon for Monaghan (both 48), R. Burke for Killeen (53), D. Burke for Fleming (60), A. Burns for Brennan (64) Kilkenny: E. Murphy; M. Butler, H. Lawlor, S. Murphy; M. Carey, R. Reid, P. Deegan; C. Kenny, J. Molloy; A. Mullen, J. Donnelly, F. Mackessy; B. Ryan, M. Keoghan, E. Cody.

Subs: S. Donnelly for Mullen (17 – Inj), D. Blanchfield for Murphy (22 – Inj), T. Walsh for Blanchfield (61), H. Shine for J. Donnelly (63), L. Hogan for Ryan (66) Referee: S. Stack (Dublin)

>> SHERRY SAYS...

It’s always nice to start the provincial campaign with a win, and Kilkenny were full value for the victory in UPMC Nowlan Park last weekend. I temper my optimism with the caveat that Galway were not good, they didn’t look like the same side that rocked up on Noreside during the league and claimed maximum points. It is likely that these two teams will be the main protagonists for the Bob O’Keefe Cup, and chances are we will have to defeat the Tribesmen again to secure a 6th consecutive Leinster crown.

Injuries to Adrian Mullen and Shane Murphy will hopefully not be too serious, and if the pair have to miss Sunday’s trip to Corrigan Park, then so be it. Derek Lyng’s squad should have enough quality to follow up victory over Galway with another win over the colourful Davy Fitz’s Saffrons. If we can quieten the Antrim faithful early on, we should be sitting on maximum points after two rounds of the championship played.

We had eleven scorers against the Tribesmen and the management will hope that those selected in black and amber on Sunday will keep the scoreboard ticking over. Billy Ryan, Fionan Mackessy and Jordan Molloy were all excellent against the men in maroon, while Mikey Carey continues to look a class act. Fingers crossed the trip north will be a winning one.

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Planning notices

Planning notices KILKENNY COUNTY COUNCIL

I, Sophie McKenna and Eamonn Roche intend to apply for retention planning permission for development consisting of:An attic conversion to include a bedroom and ensuite To convert attached garage to include, small TV “Snug” Room, Utility and W/C at 47 Meadow Way, Castlecomer Road, Co. Kilkenny, R95DP8X. 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: Sophie McKenna

KILKENNY COUNTY COUNCIL

I, Micheal Moloney wish to apply to the above authority on behalf of Richard and Donna Grace for full planning permission to construct a bungalow, garage, entrance, wastewater treatment system, borehole, soakpits and all other associated site works at Roscon, Windgap, 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

We, James Tobin and Niamh Cullinane, intend to apply for permission for development at The Ridge, Urlingford, Co.Kilkenny.

The development consists of a proposed new dwelling house, domestic garage, new site entrance, septic tank treatment system with percolation area, soak pit and all associated site works.

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 for a standalone garden store / studio to the back garden ancillary and associated with the main residence to include all external works and landscaping at no 20 Talbotsinch, Freshford Road, Kilkenny which is a Protected Structure with reference C217 and is located in the Talbotsinch Architectural Conservation Area.

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. The Planning Authority may grant permission subject to or without conditions or may refuse to grant permission.

Applicant: Gerard Casey

KILKENNY COUNTY COUNCIL

We, David Tennyson and Mary Tennyson intend to apply to Kilkenny County Council for Planning permission for a two-storey dwelling, vehicular entrance, borewell, detached garage, foul treatment tank and percolation area and all associated site works at Ballyvool, Inistioge, 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 9.00 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. The Planning Authority may grant permission subject to or without conditions, or may refuse to grant permission.

Signed: Nextgen Design & Build Ltd. www.ngdb.ie

The Kilkenny Observer Friday 25th April 2025

The Kilkenny Observer Friday 25th April 2025

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Memoriams / Miracle Prayers

The Miracle Prayer

The Miracle Prayer

Dear heart of Jesus, in the past I have asked many favours.

This time I ask you this special one (mention favour).

Take it dear heart of Jesus and place it within your heart where your father sees it. Then in his merciful eyes it will become your own favour not mine. Amen.

Say this prayer three times for three days and your favour will be granted.

Never been known to fail.

Must promise publication of prayer. M.D.

Dear heart of Jesus, in the past I have asked many favours.

This time I ask you this special one (mention favour).

Take it dear heart of Jesus and place it within your heart where your father sees it. Then in his merciful eyes it will become your own favour not mine. Amen.

Say this prayer three times for three days and your favour will be granted.

Never been known to fail.

Must promise publication of prayer. I.L.

The Miracle Prayer

Prayer to St. Jude

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.S.

I promise, O Blessed St. Jude, to be ever mindful of this great favor granted me by God and to always honor you as my special and powerful patron, and to gratefully encourage devotion to you. May the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus be adored, and loved in all the tabernacles until the end of time.

Amen. F.OB

The Miracle Prayer

Dear heart of Jesus, in the past I have asked many favours.

This time I ask you this special one (mention favour).

Take it dear heart of Jesus and place it within your heart where your father sees it. Then in his merciful eyes it will become your own favour not mine. Amen.

Say this prayer three times for three days and your favour will be granted.

Never been known to fail.

Must promise publication of prayer. M.M.

The Miracle Prayer

Dear heart of Jesus, in the past I have asked many favours.

This time I ask you this special one (mention favour).

Take it dear heart of Jesus and place it within your heart where your father sees it. Then in his merciful eyes it will become your own favour not mine. Amen.

Say this prayer three times for three days and your favour will be granted.

Never been known to fail.

Must promise publication of prayer. A.B.

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. F.OB.

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.

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 25th April 2025

Classifieds Motors

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

087 2587745

The Kilkenny Observer Friday 25th April 2025

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 25th April 2025