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power. Cyber Monday, which falls on November
What is the Back to Education Initiative?
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From BTEI to realising a career dream
The Back to Education Initiative (BTEI) provides free, part-time further education courses mainly for young people and adults who have not completed the Leaving Certificate or an equivalent qualification. It provides the opportunity to combine learning with family, work and other responsibilities. Anyone who has left full-time education can take part in a course, but priority will be given to those without a Leaving Certificate. You can qualify for free places if you: • Have less than upper-second level education (Leaving Certificate, or • Are getting a jobseeker’s payment or means-tested social welfare payment, or • Are getting Working Family Payment or • Have a medical card or • Are CE participants BTEI is part of KCETB (Kilkenny & Carlow Education & Training Board).
Former BTEI Kilkenny Horticultural Learner, Aimee Moore competed on RTÉ’s Super Garden TV show during the summer of 2022. Aimee has worked in the gardening sector for many years. Having dedicated her life to raising her daughter Khia and working for other gardening and retail companies, Aimee made a lifechanging decision to prioritise her dream and her future career as a garden designer – beginning with gaining her qualifications through BTEI. She now runs her own business: Botanical Graphics – Garden Design by Aimee. BTEI Kilkenny can help get you started on your journey to fulfil your employment goals. Get in contact with the team at Unit 7, Danville Business Park, Kilkenny.
Learning to grow with BTEI Kilkenny
Kilkenny’s Back to Education Initiative (BTEI) programme based at Danville Business Park continues to expand with new classrooms and courses added for the New Year.
Since the early 2000s, BTEI Kilkenny has been offering a second chance to study for local people who left school with few or no formal qualifications.
Its programme of free, part-time further education courses aims to provide the marginalised and disadvantaged members of our community the opportunity to return to learning and improve their employment opportunities along with their self-esteem.
Starting off in a small office at Butler Court on Patrick Street, BTEI Kilkenny initially had to rely on outreach classrooms throughout the county to deliver its courses. However, a more accommodating home was eventually found at Seville Lodge with room for their own classrooms. There it remained for a number of years until increasing Learner numbers meant it needed to move again to larger facilities at Unit 7 Danville in 2014.
This has become its permanent home, expanding into a further two newly refurbished units this year to provide nine state-of-the-art classrooms, offices and canteen in total.
Building confidence Claire Jackman heads up the BTEI Kilkenny programme as Coordinator / Centre Manager backed up by her team, Mary Roche and Michelle Keary.
“We are here to support people who previously experienced strong barriers to going back to education,” explained Claire. “People who are unemployed, are lone parents, have low literacy levels, where English is not their native language or who left school without formal qualifications.
“Many of our Learners have previously had bad experiences in school and maybe left early because of that. They come to us as adults and take a leap of faith. When they do that, we’re here to catch them, so they don’t fall. We aim to give them the opportunity to build confidence in themselves
“My job is about supporting them so they can achieve their potential – whatever that might be. Success for them doesn’t necessarily mean going on to study for a degree or something in the future, it can simply be the decision to invest in themselves now, through education.”
Courses BTEI Kilkenny courses are available at Levels 3,4,5 and 6 QQI in office administration and healthcare support. Early Learning and Care (Childcare) is offered at Levels 5 and 6. Attaining the healthcare support QQIs opens the door to work as a carer including within the HSE care system. The ELC qualification is needed to work in childcare settings.
New this year are the Sports recreation Level 4 and 5 QQI courses. “We’re expanding our programme of courses all the time,” said Claire. “In the New Year we will be adding tourism, ecommerce and digital marketing courses. We listen to what people tell us they need to qualify in the job market today. We also study the job boards to know what kind of qualifications businesses are actually looking for.
“For example, a couple of years ago, a former healthcare support Learner contacted me to say that they really wanted a job in the HSE but they were looking for certain modules which were not part of our existing major award. So we put out some feelers, advertised, and we now run a summer school covering that module.”
The part-time teaching staff members are recruited from within the field they teach in. “We have nurses teaching healthcare, childcare centre managers teaching ELC,” Claire said. “There is a strong emphasis on education through practical learning, in addition to the academic side of things. Some people learn better with practical instruction.”
Courses are part-time, making them accessible to people who either work part-time, or have family commitments. “We are very flexible,” explained Claire. “Learners can come and study one module with us then dip out for a while if there are personal things going on in their lives and then can come back to us at a later date to continue.”
Morning classes run from 9.30am12.30pm making them accessible to lone parents of small children. “The times were longer, but we shortened them so parents could drop off their children, pop into class for three hours in the morning and then collect them from their childcare providers without rushing and panicking about being late for pick up.”
Evening classes run from 6.30pm9.30pm.
BTEI also delivers courses at outreach centres in Ferrybank, Callan, Castlecomer and Urlingford and from January at Graignamanagh. “If they can’t come to us, we’ll go to them,” said Claire. Guidance If you’ve been out of the education or work system for a while, it can be daunting to know what course and what career direction is right for you. But Claire and the team are on hand for an informal chat to help guide.
“Often people are undecided on what they want to do,” explained Mary Roche. “We’ve had people come in to sign up for a health care course who then end up doing office administration, or the other way around. When they come in to speak to us, we let them know the full range of courses available and what options these courses can give them – what jobs they will be qualified to do.”
Claire added, “It’s very much what floats their boat. I’ve said to people if I had a magic wand, and you could work in anything you wanted, what would it be? And then we work from there.”
So, is there a typical BTEI Learner? “We have people from every type of background,” said Claire. “We have many lone parents, ex-army service personnel and people from a wide range of nationalities. The diversity is incredible.
“We offer support to people with literacy and language barriers through other local ETB centres to help break down those obstacles to learning and training.” Team spirit BTEI is proud of the high levels of success their Learners achieve, which Claire puts down to “great team spirit.”
“All the admin team and the teachers work very closely together to put the
Learners enjoy state-of-the-art classroom facilities in BTEI’s newly opened Unit 7 additional accommodation
needs of the Learners first. Yes, a lot of work goes into the administration of the courses, building management and so on, but the one thing that we all keep focused on is: will this help our Learners achieve what they need to? That’s what we bring ourselves back to. We are public servants, here to serve the public and thankfully we get very positive feedback.
“At first many of our Learners don’t think they will be able for it, but then they really surprise themselves by completing the course and finally obtaining a qualification to give themselves the opportunity to find a good job.”
Feedback from Learners describe BTEI as a ‘beautiful environment’ with a ‘great team who support Learners’ and that it’s ‘not in the least bit intimidating.’
“Many people come to us based on personal recommendations from past Learners, with one Learner telling us that BTEI Kilkenny is the place to be to study.
“We offered horticulture courses a few years ago, and one of our horticultural Learners went on to study at Kildalton Agricultural College and Carlow IT. He’s now a teacher tutor under Kilkenny Carlow ETB, proving that you can go full circle!”
For more information on courses, or just to have a quiet chat about your future education plans drop in to Unit 7, Danville Business Park, Kilkenny – call: 056 7701020 – email: btei@kkadulted. ie – visit: www.fetchcourses.ie
Scan the Q-code to register for courses in January and keep an eye on the BTEI FaceBook page for the latest course promotions.
Daytime Courses BTEI January 2023 Module Code Time Venue
Spreadsheet Methods 5N1977 9.30am – 12.30pm Danville
Tourism Information and Administration Introduction to Healthcare 5N0636 9.30am – 12.30pm Danville 4N3776 9.30am – 12.30pm Danville
Work Experience Care Support 5N1356 9.30am – 12.30pm Danville 5N0758 9.30am – 12.30pm Danville
Office Skills
4N1108 9.30am – 12.30pm Danville Customer Service 5N0972 9.30am – 12.30pm Danville Infection, Prevention and Control 5N3734 9.30am – 12.30pm Danville Communications 5N0690 1.30pm – 4.30pm Danville Intellectual Disability Studies 5N1652 9.30am – 12.30pm Danville Safety & Health @ Work 5N1794 1.30pm – 4.30pm Danville Communications 5N0690 9.30am - 12.30pm Danville Business Calculations 4N2279 9.30am – 12.30pm Danville Word Processing 4N1123 9.30am – 12.30pm Danville Text Production 5N1422 9.30am – 12.30pm Danville All the above classes will run subject to numbers and meeting eligibility criteria
Evening Classes in Danville January 2023 Module Code Time Venue
Care Skills 5N0758 6.30pm – 9.30pm Danville Medical Terminology Skills 6N4329 6.30pm – 9.30pm Danville Accounting Manual and Computerised 5N1348 6.30pm – 9.30pm Danville Palliative Care 5N3769 6.30pm – 9.30pm Danville Business Administration Skills 5N1610 6.30pm – 9.30pm Danville ESOL 5N1632 6.30pm – 9.30pm Danville All the above classes will run subject to numbers and meeting eligibility criteria
Outreach Centres – Callan, Castlecomer, Ferrybank, Graignamanagh BTEI January 2023 Day Module Code Time Venue
Monday Palliative Care 5N0758 9.30am – 12.30pm Urlingford Tuesday Infection Prevention and Control 5N3734 9.30am – 12.30pm Callan Environmental Sustainability Awareness 9.30am - 12.30pm Graignamanagh Wednesday Communications 5N0690 9.30am - 12.30pm Castlecomer Care Skills 5N0758 9.30am - 12.30pm Urlingford Thursday Palliative Care 5N3769 9.30am - 12.30pm Ferrybank Care Skills 5N0758 1.30pm – 4.30pm Ferrybank Infection Prevention and Control 5N3734 9.30am – 12.30pm Ferrybank Communications 5N0690 9.30am – 12.30pm Callan Infection Prevention and Control 5N3734 9.30am - 12.30pm Urlingford
Friday
Infection Prevention and Control 5N3734 9.30am - 12.30pm Castlecomer Communications 5N0690 9.30am - 12.30pm Urlingford Communications 5N0690 9.30am – 12.30pm Ferrybank Office Skills 4N1116 9.30am - 12.30pm Castlecomer All the above classes will run subject to numbers and meeting eligibility criteria Skills demonstration – practical instruction plays an important role in BTEI courses
The new facilities at BTEI include a canteen and friendly meeting spaces
BTEI Kilkenny, Danville Business Park
What Learners are saying…
“I returned to education with the BTEI in 2014 to study Health Care Support having been made redundant in the construction industry. I found the courses to be excellent preparation for my career change. The support I received from tutors and fellow students was top class and has given me the confidence to take on new challenges in life. I would have no hesitation in recommending the BTEI to anyone who wishes to return to education.”
Michael Ryan.
“BTEI has increased my selfconfidence and my feeling of selfworth. I have received support from both tutors and other classmates. We are given direction and lots of friendships have been made.”
Orlaith McCullagh.
“The tutors are very professional and friendly and I have developed new friendships with other Learners. I am in the process of completing a Level 5 Health Care Support and thanks to BTEI I have obtained full-time work because of my participation in this course.”
Elaine Brennan.
“Fourteen months ago, I came into BTEI looking for a career change, I was previously in construction. But the building work dried up, now I have almost finished my QQI Level 5 in Healthcare and with thanks to the great tutors who gave me the confidence and knowledge to gain a full-time job in the Health Care sector. With their open-door approach, they are always at hand to help. I would highly recommend BTEI to anyone looking for a career change or to upskill themselves.” Damien Donoghue.
How to sign up for a course
There are a few different ways to sign up for a course: drop in to unit seven Danville Business Park for an informal chat – phone: 056 7701020 – email: btei@kkadulted.ie – visit: www. fetchcourses.ie. Scan the Q-code here to register for January courses and keep an eye on the BTEI FaceBook page for the latest course promotions.
In Jail with John Lacey
“What am I in for, Ned?” he exclaimed, almost in shock - “I’m in here ‘cause I’m a bloody thief, that’s why, just like all these other chancers!”
So Shelton was not, after all, a hot spot on the Amnesty books; nor need we fear recruiting teams from Maynooth making potential-priest dawn kidnapping raids on our little dormitory.
Lacey then went on to explain to me the ethics and morals of the thievery trade.
In these esoteric things, he believed: A thief, he told me, should never grass on another thief, nor should he let the family of an incarcerated colleague go short, or hungry. ere were good thieves, he explained, and bad ones. e bad eggs targeted old people, and harmed them. e good ones only went after the loot of big companies, where the ‘men at the top’ were nicking fty times more than all the thieves combined.
He also liked to imagine - in fact was convinced - that his was a trade, just like plumbing, or painting. He’d go: “Ned - these nine to vers go out and get their dough, and often cod the householder up to the eyebrows! And the Taxman too! Isn’t that thieving? ey do their work to “dress” their kids. I do mine, for the same reason. e only di erence is that I’m likely to be ung in the nick for my job, while they are free to come and go as they like”.
He also mentioned the unsociable hours that a thief had to put up with, and alleged that normal workers ‘wouldn’t last kissing time’ at his game.
I don’t remember if he’d had a good education. What I do know is that he had one of the sharpest minds I ever encountered. Amend that to: the sharpest. Tell him something - and he had it.
I’ll give an example or two, as I go along.
He’d bring in, every night, the ingredients for a four course meal. One evening we were chatting, after he’d cooked up a big feed using just the Primus. e ingredients – wherefrom? He ‘worked’ down on the prison farm, where he’d wangled a handy little number. His bomber jacket must have had twenty pockets - most of them sewn in by himself. Now you know … e cooks and warders were also very co-operative, as he provided them with surprisingly sharp betting tips And he never bet himself! ‘A mugs game, Ned’, he’d go – ‘all them bloody jockeys are crooks! Couldn’t trust ‘em an inch!’ It was his old Dublin charm - he had charisma to die for - that got John accepted – in circles that other would swiftly be drummed out of.
And he had a certain understated presence that deterred people from crossing him. I remember one night when a little red-haired cur came up to our level, smirking and sniggering. It turned out that he’d defecated in the working boots of a lad he didn’t like, so as to encourage him to leave the dormitory he slept in.
Nobody laughed or commented on this lthy act, so he tried to extricate himself with some semblance of ‘face’ by blustering to John: “What would you do, Dub, if you found a ‘boot-full’ when you came back from the pool room”? Lacey reached under his bed, pulled out a boot, and said, as he pro ered it to the scum: “Take that away, Red, and do your little trick. When you bring it back, you’ll nd out”. at, with the thinnest smile I ever saw on a man.
Funny boy didn’t accept the o er. Lucky old him. He wasn’t seen on our level again.
One night, after the grub, John asked me to teach him how to play chess, as I had a small set with me. He said he could play draughts well, but I told him that chess was a far more complex game, and that it would take a good while just to get familiar with the rules.
He grinned, in his usual self-con dent way, at this statement, and I thought – ‘OK Johnny - let’s see how you go with this one!’ He’d already wiped the oor with me at pool, so I was going to have a bit of fun with him. Revenge, sez I, is mine tonight!
I had fun all right. For just one game. I had all the trouble I wanted cornering him in the second, and barely scratched home. He beat me - fast - in the third. And wiped me out in the fourth. He asked me if I had ‘let him’ win. I assured him I never let anyone win, if I could help it. We played many times after that. I never won again. e next night he produced a draught set. I always considered myself a good draughts player - much better than I was at chess. Good, was I? I didn’t even get a look in. He cleaned me up, big time. Cards - the same. I was also told he could have played professional soccer - if he’d wanted to. But that would mean he’d have a boss…
But, as he stressed to me when I asked him why he never changed his ways - “what’s wrong with thieving, Ned”? To John Lacey, it was a way of life. He considered it more honourable than being the CEO of a big robbing Company. {I’m neither condoning nor condemning his actions – just telling it like it was.}
One morning he told me he was doing a runner that afternoon. Apparently there was some family crisis that required his attention, and he wouldn’t say exactly what. I was the only person he told about the ‘skip’, and he asked me to contact him up Ballyfermot way whenever I was in Dublin. And assured me he would provide me with a wardrobe of the very best new ‘threads’!
I was out of Shelton a few days after he’d scarpered. O I went, back to Australia for a while, running amok with the wine and the women. No change there, then.
I came back after a fair spell, and was sitting in my lady-friend’s house when a Sunday paper was laid on the table. She said to me: “isn’t this John, the man you were friends with in Shelton?”
It was. John in his pomp, standing with his back to the bar, in an old snooker pub.
But it was the carnage on the rest of the page that told a terrible story.
Eight people, late at night, had been coming home from some celebration. Eight people, in a Mini. e car hit an icy patch, and skidded into the Royal Canal.
It landed upside down. e horror and terror would have been unbelievable and unthinkable. ey all died.
Including the driver.
John Lacey
Ned E
Disclaimer
e opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not re ect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of e Kilkenny Observer.
The Lonesome West comes to Thomastown
The Fionn Mac Cumhaill Players are currently on tour with the Martin Mac Donagh classic play ‘The Lonesome West’ . Following two successful performances to date, they are coming to The Concert Hall in Thomastown this weekend
e Lonesome West features the persistently arguing brothers Coleman and Valene, whose father has just died in a shotgun ‘accident.’
Valene is only interested in his religious ornaments and drinking poteen.
Coleman is only interested in eating, and attends funerals to collect free sausage rolls and vol au vonts. Valene goes out to help drag the body of Garda omas Hanlon (character in “A Skull in Connemara”) out of the lake with Father Welsh. Hanlon had just killed himself. Coleman pretends to follow, delaying to tie his shoelace, despite the fact that he was wearing loafers. While alone in the house, he destroys all of Valene’s plastic gurines, by placing them in Valene’s new stove.
Only Father Welsh, the alcoholic parish priest, attempts to x their relationship, but his advice mostly goes unheard. It is revealed later in the play that Coleman had shot his father because he insulted his (Coleman’s) new haircut.
Valene agreed to provide a false alibi for Coleman, stating that their father’s death was accidental. In exchange, he demanded Coleman’s share of the inheritance money. Neither of the brothers show any grief or remorse at their father’s death. e two brothers ght over everything and anything.
Valene attacks Coleman over eating his crisps, and they ght over whose turn it is to read the magazine, and who left the top o Valene’s pen.
Father Welsh, depressed because of the hatred between the brothers, and with a low self-esteem, writes a letter begging the brothers to get along, asserting that he will stake his soul on it.
Father Welsh then proceeds to drown himself in the lake. is act is signi cant, as there has already been a lengthy discussion about suicide in the play. e characters believe that damnation follows suicide for the victims. When Coleman and Valene read his letter, they attempt to reconcile themselves, and a “confessions” scene ensues, in which the brothers take turns to admit the wrongs that they had secretly done to each other in the past, and to forgive each other’s “sins.” Coleman loses his temper when Valene admits to shoving a pencil down the throat of a Coleman’s old girlfriend, causing her to then fall in love with the doctor that removed it. Valene says “Try and top that one for yourself.” Coleman delivers an even more terrible confession, revealing that he cut the ears o Valene’s dog two years previously, presenting the evidence of the evidence of the severed dog’s ears in a brown paper bag.
In shock, Valene attempts to murder Coleman with a kitchen knife, but Coleman in turn destroys Valene’s stove with multiple shot gun blasts, and smashes his new collection of ceramic religious gurines. After a stando , they calm down and Coleman apologises sincerely; they concede that “Maybe Father Walsh’s Welsh’s soul’ll be all right so.”
Director Anne Williamson. Stage manager Eugene O Meara.
Cast : Valene Connor ,Noel Clancy. Coleman Connor, Will Condon. Fr. Welsh John Morris, Girleen, Louise Fallon.
e Lonesome West will be staged at omastown on Sunday November 27 Photos, John D Kelly
Yulefest promotes the green route with a Santa cycle around Kilkenny’s Medieval City
is Saturday, 26th November Santa will choose the green route as he arrives by boat at 2.30pm before taking to the streets of Kilkenny on his bike at 3pm!
As we all know, a special Christmas magic allows Santa to travel on his sleigh through the sky on Christmas Eve without causing any environmental damage. In his visits to check in on all the children of Kilkenny before Christmas, Santa wants to make sure he is as environmentally-friendly as possible and chooses to arrive in Kilkenny by boat to launch Yulefest 2022, Kilkenny’s Christmas Festival!
Watch Santa as he travels up the river Nore from Greensbridge to Canal Square accompanied by Kilkenny Civil Defence and the Nore Dragon Paddlers, and line the river banks and bridges to give him a warm welcome to the Marble City!
Meet him in person as he nishes his journey on the river at Canal Square and join him for the second leg of the trip – Santa’s City Cycle - where Yulefest is partnering with Cycle Kilkenny to help Santa on his journey. ‘Bling your bike’ and join eco-conscious Santa as he hops on his special, elf-powered machine for a cycle through Kilkenny before nishing at the Castle Park. Pedal power and perhaps some elf magic will transport Santa on the cycling invention through the City Centre. Artist and inventor, Paddy Bloomer, designed the eco-elf mobile from recycled materials - six elves at a time will pedal this fun machine!. Children of all ages are welcome to join in!
Festival Director Marian Flannery said: “We’re delighted to welcome Santa and Mrs. Claus back to Kilkenny this year! ey told me after Yulefest last year how much they had enjoyed their trip and couldn’t wait to come back again. We’ve worked with the Civil Defence, Nore Dragon Paddlers, Cycle Kilkeny and Kilkenny County Council to make sure they have a fun and environmentallyfriendly time in Kilkenny!
We’d love for you to come out and welcome them to our lovely City, and enjoy some free music and entertainment - you can even get a head start on your Christmas shopping at our Markets on the Parade!”
Christmas will truly begin when, after his cycle, Santa turns on the Christmas lights on e Parade! e turning on of the lights o cially marks the launch of Yulefest 2022, join us at the Yulefest Bandstand on the Parade from 4.30pm to take part in the fun. On the launch day there will be Christmas Markets, live music and street entertainment for all the family to enjoy. It’s the most wonderful time of the year so put on your favourite Christmas jumper and join us to light up Kilkenny!
Yulefest ‘Christmas in Kilkenny’ returns at the end of November and brings the festive spirit to Ireland’s Marble City from Friday 25th November to Friday 23rd December! Kilkenny’s Medieval City will transform into a Christmas Wonderland of festive cheer for all the family. After the success of last year’s festival, this year Yulefest has grown - with a larger Christmas Market on e Parade and an extended Christmas week programme.
Kilkenny County Council Cathaoirleach Pat Fitzpatrick spoke about the upcoming festival: “Yulefest has something for all age groups, whether you’re looking for a festive staycation or family fun activities to create a magical Christmas for the kids. ere will be lots of free or low-cost events, ensuring everyone can enjoy the magic of our medieval city this Christmas”. e 5-week festival welcomes visitors to Kilkenny with a packed programme of Christmas activities including live music on the Yulefest Bandstand; the Kilkenny Christmas Market where you can pick up perfect presents for the ones you love; the annual Medieval Mile Run; Yulefest Outdoor Movie Night; and Elf Village in Castlecomer, plus some very special events soon to be announced! New for Yulefest Kilkenny 2022 is an extended Christmas week programme beginning on Tuesday 20th December. e Kilkenny Christmas Market will be open throughout the week, along with live music on the Yulefest Bandstand and some very special treats that you won’t want to miss.
Yulefest Kilkenny is programmed, produced and marketed by Kilkenny County Council.
Santa arriving up the Nore Santa’s City Cycle
1922 marks the year of the completion of the ex-servicemen’s cottages in Skeagh & Minnauns, built under Scheme 20 by the Irish Sailors & Soldiers Land Trust.
To mark this centenary, a plaque will be unveiled outside cottage 22 in Skeagh at 2pm on Sunday 27th November 2022.
All are welcome
Please note this will be an outdoor event, be prepared for bad weather conditions.
The night sky had just cleared. e moon was shining brightly when the snow lled clouds parted. e stars twinkled down from the heavens. e footpaths of the Old Golf Links road had a light sprinkle of snow. As I walked home all I could see was the little faces that probably needed matchsticks to keep their eyes open, peeping out through the curtains, wishing, and hoping for a white Christmas Eve. Of course the snow would make it easier for Santa to get around with his reindeers and sleigh. Oh yes and let’s not forget the sacks full of presents for every child, not only in Newpark, but around the world.
Walking up the path I could hear the noise from inside that sounded like a pack of excited hyenas awaiting their turn to feed on the presents that their parents had brought home. Key in the door and then the wall of noise, “Daddy, Daddy”, and a big hug, “Ma, Daddy’s home.” e little exciting face of a 3-year-old who is now getting the real meaning of Christmas. No, not the baby Jesus, but Santa! Now with her tiny little hand holding mine that from years of hard labour were like shovels, she called out to her mother, “Now can the Angel go up on the top of the tree?” she cried out with her high pitch voice a few decibels higher than usual with excitement. “Will ya let your Da take o his coat and sit down for his dinner,” my wife said with a little laugh and a squeeze on our little daughter’s sides as she giggled loudly from her mother’s tickling. “It’s alright. O you go, get your angel,” I said . “She has you wrapped around your little nger. Did you pick up all that we need for her for tomorrow?” replied my wife. “Of Course! Sure, hasn’t she got me wrapped around her little nger,” I said with a grin.
Arriving back with her little Angel she made in school on the last day before the Christmas holidays, now was the ritual of the youngest in the family placing the Angel - or should we say a toilet roll with a crayon face and a little piece of tinsel for her halo - on top. Up it went and we all stood back and admired the great work of a future Picasso. Now for dinner.
Dinner now over, a little excited girl was running up and down the hall stopping only to take another look out the hall window to see if the snow was falling again. Now, it was time for the second of our rituals in Newpark. e candle in the window. As we lit the Red Candle, as all good children do, she was full of questions. Yes, we can all remember the day when your young child learns the two dreaded words of “But Why?”
“ But why do we put the candle in the window Daddy?”
As time goes by…
“A candle in the window is a symbol of friendship, a sign of welcome for anyone, friend or stranger, who might be passing by on Christmas Eve. e sight of a candle in a window from a distance acted as a sign of hope and welcome to any passer-by who wished to visit.”
“Right so that’s how Santa nds me, got it!” she shouts out.
“Ah yes, I suppose, and it’s for your Uncle Tom. e candle’s welcoming light and burning ame is considered to be a silent prayer for those who could not be with us at Christmas time. e candle in the window at Christmas was lit as a prayer for the safe return of an absent person or loved one like Auntie Anne, that she would get home safe, or if that’s not possible, a candle burning is as a sign of connection and remembering. It signals to our family and friends that there is always someone waiting, tending the re and thinking of family members far away.”
Looking down she had now dozed o and up the stairs I carried her and placed the kisses for wishes on her forehead. “Good night Princess.”
Back down the stairs I went. Herself had left a little gemmy and a drop of water by my favourite armchair in front of the open re and after one or two more glasses, I slipped o into the land of nod like my little angel upstairs …
After what seemed like a few minutes and a few digs in my ribs I awake with a jump in a haze of where am I? I look at the little angel that certainly resembles my daughter I was telling stories to before I fell asleep but something was not right. “Grandad, Grandad! It is time for the Angel on top of the tree game.” Grandad? Is my hearing failing? I stood up very slowly as if my legs were as heavy and as sti as a poker. “Here’s your stick. Granny said you are not to be walking without it.” Very puzzled, I looked in the mirror that is over the replace. e same one my mother gave us as a wedding present. e re ection that looked back at me was a grey haired, elderly man with the lines in my face marking years of memories that were now slowly returning to me as I woke from my slumber, what now seemed like decades of sleep. en I saw my little angel who was now a fully-grown woman with her own little girl. “Come on let’s put the Angel on top of the tree!” My granddaughter ran into the room with what was a replica of her mother’s all those years ago. A toilet roll, crayon face and a tinsel halo. I laughed to myself and thought some things never changed. ey may not have changed, but where have all those years gone?
I watched the full family laughing and playing together under the Christmas tree and every time the line came on ‘I saw mommy kissing Santa Clause’ my granddaughter covered her mouth and with that giggle we all did when we said our rst bad word in front of our parents, looking forward to it coming around again in the next verse when she could sing it again!
I thought back to that crispy frosty night in Newpark as I arrived home from work and told my daughter the story of the Candle in the window. Now I listen to my son-in-law tell my granddaughter the same fable and the folklore of the welcoming light for all the weary travellers on Christmas Eve. I sighed a little sadness. Where have all the festive seasons in between gone? We should cherish every moment, every Christmas Eve and Day, and every birthday as time goes by.
e o cial launch of the Kilkenny Civil War Calendar will take place in the Club House Hotel on Tuesday 29th November at 8 p.m. e calendar will be launched by renowned Kilkenny historian Jim Maher with a presentation by calendar author Jim Hayes. e launch is free and open to the public, all are welcome to attend. e Kilkenny Civil War 100th Anniversary Calendar is an informative document detailing a number of events that took place in and around Kilkenny during the tragic Civil War period. It includes some great stories and pictures of local IRA volunteers who lost their lives during this tragic period of our history. It also includes photos and stories of local women of Cumann Na mBann from this period. e calendar was produced by Kilkenny man Jim Hayes and was hailed by Kilkenny historian Jim Maher as a very ne publication. It is for sale in all Kilkenny City book shops and in many book shops and in many other outlets across the other outlets across the county. It is selling very well county. It is selling very well even before the launch even before the launch due to its local historic due to its local historic signi cance. e Civil War in Ireland began on June 28th 1922 and ended on the 24th of May 1923. is con ict arose between Irish Nationalists over the terms of the Anglo-Irish terms of the Anglo-Irish Treaty. e Calendar covers large parts of the covers large parts of the Civil War in Kilkenny City Civil War in Kilkenny City and County. It is a great and County. It is a great source of local historical information for any Kilkenny home or classroom.
Events that led to Civil War in Ireland:
In July 1921, a truce was arranged between British and Irish republican forces in the War of Independence (1919-1921) and negotiations were opened. e treaty was debated in Hans Place in London and signed on 6th December 1921 by the British Government including Winston Churchill and the then Prime Minister David Lloyd George and by representatives of the Irish Republic; including Michael Collins and Arthur Gri th, founder of Sinn Féin. e contents of the Treaty divided the Irish Republic’s leadership, with Eamon de Valera leading the AntiTreaty minority. e Treaty gave the 26 southern counties of Ireland – now the Irish Free State – a degree of independence. e British military were to be withdrawn and the Royal Irish Constabulary disbanded. However the settlement dissolved the Republic declared in 1916 and pledged Irish TDs or members of parliament to swear allegiance to the British monarch. e British retained three naval bases along the Irish coast at Cobh, Bearhaven and Lough Swilly. It also con rmed the partition of Ireland between North and South. e Dáil rati ed the treaty in January 1922 by a vote of 64 to 57. De Valera resigned as president of Dail Eireann and was replaced by Arthur Gri th on a vote of 60 to 58. e narrow division in both ballots led in part to the split on both sides over the treaty and ultimately led to the Irish Civil War (1922-1923).
Known in Gaeilge as “Cogadh na gCarad”, (war of friends), the eleven month con ict resulted in an estimated 1,500 deaths and left Ireland in a state of a airs that would mark Irish politics to the present day.
Just one of the many stories from the calendar:
EXUCUTED IN KILKENNY MILITARY BARRICKS
Anti-Treaty republican soldiers John Murphy aged 22 from Bennettsbridge, and John Phelan a married man with three young children from omastown, were involved in a raid for arms on the home of British Lieutenant Colonel Shee at Sheetown House near Bennetsbridge. Shee later reported the raid.
In follow up raids by Free State forces on Anti-Treaty members John Phelan and John Murphy were arrested and taken to Kilkenny Military Barracks. After a court martial hearing both men were found guilty of the raid and of being in possession of arms and ammunition. ey were sentenced to death by ring squad. e sentence was carried out at 8am on the 29th of December 1922 in the exercise yard of Kilkenny military barracks. ey were the rst executions to take place outside of Dublin or the
Pale. eir bodies were buried the grounds of the military barracks.
of friends), the eleven month con ict resulted in an estimated 1,500 deaths and left Ireland in a state of a airs that would mark Irish politics to the present day. stories from the calendar:
disbanded. However the
EXUCUTED IN KILKENNY MILITARY BARRICKS
Anti-Treaty republican soldiers John Murphy aged 22 from Bennettsbridge, and John Phelan a married man with three young children from omastown, were involved in a raid for arms arms and ammunition. ey were sentenced to death by ring squad. e sentence was carried out at 8am on the 29th of December 1922 in the exercise yard of Kilkenny military barracks. ey were the rst executions to take place outside of Dublin or the
Pale. eir bodies were buried the grounds of the military barracks.
