e Interim Report arising from an Independent Review of the Provision of Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) is a damning indictment of the service provided for child and adolescent mental health care.
A lack of resources does not necessarily seem to be the crux of the matter. When ‘A Vision for Change’ was published back in 2006 on the future for psychiatric ser-
vices, the number of CAMHS teams was 40 and there were six inpatient beds for child and adolescent patients. Now there are 73 teams and some 70 beds, with more to come at the long-waited-for National Paediatric Hospital and very specialised beds in the mental health service in Portrane, Co. Dublin.
at said, our national mental health budget for 2023 is just 5.1% of the total health budget, with just 1% allocated to child mental health.
e World Health Organ-
Hub and Mullinavat village claimed prizes at the recent prestigious Pride of Place community awards.
Our picture shows Co-operation Ireland CEO Peter Sheridan (left) presenting the award to residents of Mullinavat Village who came runners up in the ‘Town with a Population between 0 and 300’ category. Judges said they were impressed with the efforts of Graiguenamnagh to boost commerce in the area.
“ is very impressive project is the primary economic driver locally. e enterprise is overseen by a six-member board described by the judges as dynamic, innovative and strongly entrepreneurial,” they said.
Full story, Page 6
isation (WHO) recommends 12%, while lobbyists Mental Health Reform argue the Government needs to increase spending to 10% by 2024.
ose working in mental health in Ireland are the lowest in numbers compared to other countries in the Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Currently, that number is 30% short of what is needed to run mental health hospitals and clinics e ciently. Sta shortages result in long waiting lists, lack of precise
therapies, and negative e ects on treatment and continuity of care. Investment now in more psychologists, social workers, occupational therapists and peer support is needed.
Investment, too, in primary care would improve access to psychology services, counselling, and social workers, with early intervention playing a critical role in reducing more serious mental health challenges.
In 2021 there were more than 2,700 children and teens on a waiting list for CAMHS.
Now there are 4,300 waiting. Mental Health Reform, also, says there are signi cant gaps in advocacy supports for people with mental health di culties. National advocacy services need to be funded in hospitals, prisons, residences and in the community. ere was a time once in Ireland when one’s mental health was not talked about. He or she was a bit ‘di erent’, ‘odd’ even. Now, we thankfully do talk about it. But talk is not enough. Action is needed. Now.
ere were 760 people on trolleys in Irish hospitals on the Monday of the second week in January, the highest since January 2020, and the second highest since records began. Yet, University Hospital Waterford (UHW) has not had a patient on a trolley awaiting admission since March of that year, however. Now, patient advocates calling for its systems
to be adopted elsewhere.
UHW General Manager Grace Rothwell monitors delays using the HSE’s trolleycounting system, which focuses on EDs only but does not count trolleys on wards.
“We haven’t had a patient on a trolley waiting for admission since March 2020, we actually hit our 1000th day on Saturday,” she said.
Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) data, which is counted di erently, shows two patients on trolleys, with 17 in total last week, compared to 115 during the same week in 2019.
Ms Rothwell identi ed a number of tactics behind this “huge work”, but was reluctant to say what could be copied.
“I will very much say that it is
not a one-size- ts-all, but very much in my opinion it is about having somebody in charge, it’s about knowing who is in the house,” she told the Irish Independent.
Specialist nurses frequently work on wards to ll gaps; they are short 70 full-time nurses despite having 300 more sta than during 2019.
“ en after that it is about
Ireland in 2023 is in better scal shape than the rest of the eurozone thanks to a budget surplus equal to 3.1% of gross domestic product (GDP).
Data from Eurostat for the third quarter of last year shows that, even though the economy here is set to slow, growth should still outperform the rest of the eurozone.
Full report, Page 6
Proposals which have gone before the Cabinet will see daily inpatient hospital charges for adults abolished. e daily rate of €80, with a maximum of €800 a year, will be removed in public hospitals for adults who are hospitalised.
e Government hopes the new law will kick in and the charges will no longer apply from April.
Full report, Page 10
Just 36 new refuge spaces were open in the last two years despite calls for the Government to drastically increase provisions across the country. Kilkenny fared a little better while Wexford and Waterford not so.
Figures show that three counties have lost refuge spaces in the last two years, while seven gained no additional places.
Full report, Page 28
Paul Hopkins .........................P8
Marianne Heron .................P12
managing demand and capacity,” she said. “So to me it’s a patient safety issue — having zero people on trolleys, that is our standard.”
Elective operations were postponed to make room for emergency cases. However, she said, in the end the hospital did not “have su cient capacity to meet demand”.
Clair Whitty .........................P12
Special Report .....................P14
Science & Wellbeing..........P18
Travel & Leisure .................P19
Gerry Moran ........................P20
Gerry Cody P30, 32 & 33
Food & Drink .......................P36
Streaming.............................P37
Sport...................... P41, 42 & 43
Consumption of plantbased dairy and meat alternatives looks set to hit the mainstream in Ireland in 2023 as new research commissioned by Oatly, the world’s original and largest oat drink company, reveals one third of shoppers are buying more meat and dairy options than they did three years ago. e research, conducted by Opinions Research, surveyed more than 1,000 adults across Ireland on their diets, attitudes towards climate change and dairy and meat alternatives.
Key ndings were:
1. e popularity of plantbased products is being driven by all age groups under 50, with 18–24 yearolds and 25–34 year-olds the most likely to consider swapping to plant-based alternatives (42% and 48% respectively).
2. More than three quarters (76%) of Irish adults are concerned about climate change, with one in four (25%) citing it as the top reason for shifting to meat and dairy alternatives.
3. 25% said they choose plant-based products because they want to cut back on red meat and/or dairy for their health.
4. e role food produc-
e National Council for the Blind in Ireland (NCBI), the Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind and Irish Wheelchair Association are urging Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan to take action with e-scooter legislation in order to protect pedestrians with access needs before it is too late. e minister has unveiled his strategy for electric charging vehicle infrastructure which will include the development of new mobility hubs, where people can charge electric cars, bikes and scooters and avail of shared-use electric vehicles.
tion plays in contributing to greenhouse gas emissions is widely underestimated, with just one in 10 (13%) adults identifying that the global food system contributes
more than a third of all greenhouse gas emissions (half of which comes from meat and dairy production).
e report coincides with the launch of Oatly’s
rst major brand campaign across Ireland, where its oat drink products can now be found in co ee shops and Tesco, Supervalu and Dunnes stores.
An interesting nding from the report was that choosing plantbased is currently less popular amongst older age groups. More than half (55%) of those aged
65 and older said they wouldn’t consider a meat or dairy alternative in the coming year, with preconceptions on taste as the most common barrier.
All three organisations have again expressed their concerns that the minister has not been available to meet with them to hear directly about the issues. However, despite their increased usage there is still no clear legislation or a regulatory framework around the use of e-scooters. e three organisations are calling on the Minister to bring forward late-stage amendments to ban the use of escooters on footpaths, mandate designated parking bays, reduce the maximum speed limit, and to ensure age restrictions.
Research shows that 73% of respondents identi ed “danger to other road users” as a negative aspect of e-scooters and 59% indicated a preference for designated parking for e-scooters.
The country in 2023 is in better fiscal shape than the rest of the eurozone thanks to a budget surplus equal to 3.1% of gross domestic product (GDP).
Data from Eurostat for the third quarter of last year shows that, in seasonallyadjusted terms, the eurozone average was a deficit of 3.3% of GDP.
Even though the economy here is set to slow, growth should still outperform the rest of the eurozone and Goodbody Chief Economist Dermot O’Leary has said Ireland would be supported by its ‘twin war chests’ of high household savings and strong fiscal position.
The Government has budgeted €7.7bn in supports to
help counter the effects of rising inflation.
The EU average was a deficit of 3.2% of GDP.
However, seasonally adjusted data was unavailable for four countries in the bloc.
In seasonally unadjusted terms — not accounting for things like extra VAT returns due to higher holiday spend -
ing or months where income or corporation taxes fell due — Ireland had the fifth-highest surplus at 2% of GDP. It was the fourth-highest in the euro area in unadjusted terms.
The EU average was a deficit of 2.7% of GDP.
The Government prefers to use different statistics to measure the strength of the
economy, as GDP can overstate the multinational sector.
The Department of Finance estimates Ireland’s budget surplus was around 2% of modified gross national income in 2022, amounting to €5.2bn — the biggest surplus since 2006 — surprising officials after it came in €4bn above Budget Day estimates.
“While the euro area and UK are expected to be in recession this year, we believe that Ireland can avoid this due to a record household savings haul and the ability for Government supports due to the best budget position in the euro area — Ireland’s ‘war chests’,” Mr O’Leary wrote in a report on Ireland’s economic outlook.
Funding of €948,063 for Kilkenny under the €50 million Community Recognition Fund has been welcomed by Fine
Gael TD John Paul Phelan. The funding was announced by Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys and Minister of State Joe O’Brien.
Welcoming the funding for the constituency, Deputy Phelan said: “This major initiative is the first of its kind. It is designed to specifically support communities across the country that have welcomed and are hosting families and citizens from Ukraine and other countries.
“Among the projects that will be supported under the fund are the refurbishment of local sports clubs and facilities; the upgrade of community facilities such as play areas, walkways, parks and community gardens and the purchase of equipment to benefit local clubs, festivals, music and arts organisations.
“This grant aid will also support the enhancement of school or parish facilities that are open to the wider community after hours or on weekends as well as transport infrastructure such as community vehicles and bus shelters.”
The €50 million has been allocated across all local authorities, based on the number of new arrivals located there and will be drawn down
during this year and 2024. Projects will be delivered by the local authorities in conjunction with community organisations. The Fund aims to support the development of facilities that will be used in the future by all members of the community.
Announcing the €50 million Fund, Minister Humphreys said: “I am delighted to announce the details of this major new investment for communities across Ireland.
“The funding now being made available will support communities in developing projects ranging from sports clubs, playgrounds and walkways, to community groups in areas such as arts, drama and music.
“Communities the length and breadth of the country have really stepped up to the plate in recent weeks, opening their homes and facilities to people very much in need,” deputy Phelan said.
“This fund is recognising the vital role our communities are playing as we continue to deal with many challenges, not least the war in Ukraine.
“I would like to encourage communities to engage directly with their local authorities in the coming weeks to ensure that high quality projects can be delivered, benefitting their towns and villages for years to come,” he said.
ChangeX has launched the Accenture Sustainable Community Challenge, supported by Accenture. The initiative, designed to enable community groups to kickstart sustainability projects in their own locality, is now open for applications.
Successful applicants will receive the resources, seed funding and support needed to start a project in their local commu-
Kilkenny’s Graiguenamnagh Tourism Hub and Mullinavat village claimed prizes at the recent prestigious Pride of Place community awards.
The awards, hosted by RTE’s Marty Whelan at the Clayton Hotel, Burlington Road, took place in in front of 400 community volunteers from across the island.
Judges said they were impressed with the efforts of Graiguenamnagh to boost commerce in the area.
“This very impressive
project is the primary economic driver locally. The enterprise is overseen by a six-member board described by the judges as dynamic, innovative and strongly entrepreneurial.
“What started as an overnight parking facility for motorhomes and campervans is now a flourishing tourism centre,” the said. Mullinavat came runner up in the ‘Town with a Population between 0 and 300’ category.
Sponsored by IPB Insurance, the Pride of Place competition was initi-
ated 20 years ago though a Co-operation Ireland programme to acknowledge the invaluable work undertaken by volunteers and those involved in local community development.
It has grown into the largest competition recognising community development achievements on the island of Ireland.
President Michael D. Higgins, who is Joint Patron of Co-operation Ireland, said the awards played an important role.
“The Pride of Place awards are a most impor-
tant initiative, reminding us that creating societies that are ethical and inclusive is a task for all of our citizens, of all ages and circumstances.”
Pride of Place founder and Chairman Tom Dowling said; “It is 20 amazing years since the very first awards ceremony and the ethos of the awards has never changed. It continues to be about acknowledging and recognising in a meaningful manner the important caring work of all our communities.”
Wee done all...
nity, empowering them to build thriving and sustainable communities.
Groups can choose from a portfolio of proven ideas that have already had a positive impact in other communities in Ireland and around the world.
* See https://www.changex. org/ie/funds/accenture-sustainable-community-challenge-ireland
The Irish Pan Celtic committee is seeking Irish traditional artists to represent Ireland during The International Pan Celtic Festival which will be held in Carlow Town from April 11 to 16. A wide range of competitions have been announced including fiddle, harp, duet, choral and dance.
The winners of Corn Uí Riada, Sean-Nós na mBan & Sean-Nós na bhFear from
the Oireachtas na Samhna 2022 festival will participate on behalf of Ireland in the traditional singing competition. The Irish song for the International Pan Celtic Song Contest will be chosen at an event in the GB Shaw Theatre, Carlow, on Saturday, 28 January 28 at 8pm.
“The Pan Celtic competitions give a great insight into the culture of the other Celtic Nations, as well as provid -
ing a new creative platform for Irish traditional performing artists”, said Máirín Nic Dhonnchadha, CEO of the International Pan Celtic Council. “Irish artists have performed well in the competitions over the years, particularly in the singing competitions. This year we would like to see similar success in the dancing, instrumental and choral competitions and promote the
wonderful rich heritage and culture of Ireland amongst our Celtic friends,” she said. Closing date for entries is March 20. Entry forms are available at http://www. panceltic.ie/ and can be sent via email to competitions@panceltic.ie or by post with the entry fee to: Comórtais Pan Cheilteach, An tOireachtas, 6 Sráid Fhearchair, Baile Átha Cliath 2, D02VH98.
Kilkenny receives almost €950,000 under €50 million Community FundWell done: Co-operation Ireland Chairman Dr Christopher Moran and IPB Chairman George Jones (from left) present the Community Tourism award to members of the Graiguenamnagh Tourism Hub
Back in the early Noughties on one of my trips to Africa
I came across a book by the writer Christopher Hope, known for his controversial works dealing with racism and politics in his native South Africa.
My Mother’s Lovers was the first of his novels I read. It chronicles Hope’s early childhood being raised by his mother, an intelligent but eccentric woman who had her own pilot’s licence and would often take off — leaving him with neighbours — for days on end in her small Cessna, travelling the continent, collecting ‘lost causes’ and photographing them into the bargain.
The book takes on a sinister twist when Hope’s mother returns one day with two pygmies in tow from the rainforests of Central
Africa, who promptly take up residence in the boy’s back garden. Of course, the book, like all Hope’s novels, is ladened with political undertones.
Hope immediately became my new favourite author. When later I attempted to track down his back catalogue, I found his earlier works — despite him being awarded the Whitbread Prize and shortlisted for the Booker in 1992 — were out of print.
But I persevered and eventually found second-hand copies of his works in a bookshop in south Boston.
I’ll never forget the thrill of tracking the package from dispatch to arrival and the adrenaline rush of ripping open the box, over-sized for the accompanying goods. Those books were my first venture into online shop
ping. It would be some years before I was to take to it full-time. And that, like for so many, was the coming of the pandemic. Stores were closed so, if you wanted new socks or whatever, then online was your only option. With a ‘lockdown’ subscription to the streaming service Amazon Prime Video, not only had I access to thousands of movies and TV shows but also free packaging and post for most of the tons of items sold by the giant online warehouse.
Three years later I’m addicted to online shopping. I have more socks, T-shirts, hoodies and man-bags than I could ever humanly need and more shoes than Imelda Marcos ever had — and she was a shoe fetishist! More gadgets and gizmos and lithium-powered flashlights that any reasonable human
could have need for. I mean some of this accumulated ‘stuff’ has not even come out of the packaging and I am literally running out of space in which to house my rapidly growing collection.
I am not alone with this addiction.
Says my psychologist friend from Magherafelt: “Online shopping addiction is very real. Like any cyber addiction, it feels anonymous. It does not require any face-face interaction. And, because it is anonymous, people with social anxiety are particularly vulnerable to this addiction.”
Well, excuse me my friend, but I am far from someone with social anxiety — though, I guess I’ve always had an addictive personality.
Still, I cannot deny I have a problem — of sorts. And
the kernel of my addiction is that, with all the stuff I buy online and, pertinently, all that cardboard packaging, I am completely remiss in doing my bit for a greener planet. A total of 26 percent of all goods purchased are now done online. ‘Bracketing’ — the act of buying products with the intention of sending them back — has become so common that around 30-40 percent of all goods bought online in Ireland and the UK are returned, according to environmental agencies. Not only is this wasteful — less than half of returned items go back on sale — but these clothes and goods enter a ‘reverse supply chain’ that emits even more carbon into the atmosphere.
Putting goods back on the shelves to be sold again doesn’t make economic
sense for the retailers. And so they go in to landfills, along with the plastic wrapping and bubble-wrap. You’ve ordered a new pair of shoes online. They arrive; you rush to the front door and cradle the box as you lift the lid. You untie the laces, guide them toward your feet and... bummer, they don’t fit. Each year, five billion pounds of waste is generated globally through returns.
However, with me, if the item does not suit or is the wrong size, I couldn’t be bothered with the effort of returning it. And such unnecessary, unwanted goods go into the black bin, which in turn... yep, that landfill. I desperately need to talk to my psychologist friend from Magherafelt. I will, as soon as I’ve hit that checkout button…
It’s time for communities to come out in force to litter pick and give back to their local area by registering for “Let’s Team Up to Clean Up, Together for Kilkenny”. e initiative is nancially supported by John O Shea Trust, Dawn Meats, Panda, PRL, Glanbia Plc and Tirlán. It’s being organised by Kilkenny County Council. Originally planned for early February, it will now take place over a weekend in March, as ground conditions will be more favourable to plant pollinator friendly owering bulbs. Bulb planting was part of last October’s pilot event which proved very popular with all volunteers so this aspect of the initiative is being repeated this March. A slight change to the initiative is its duration, as volunteers reported that the October event which took place over a threehour window on a particular day was too restrictive. erefore, schools and work places are invited to participate on Friday, the 24th of March and all other registered groups can decide the optimal time to assemble to pick litter in their neighbourhood over the weekend of the 25th/26th of March.
All types of groups are welcome to participate in this event and a special incentive is being o ered for early registrations as sports clubs, schools, residents associations, community groups and workplaces who register before the 10th of February will be entered into a draw for 5 cash prizes of €250.
Kilkenny County Council is aiming to have 200 groups litter
picking over the weekend of the 24th of March and the safety of all the volunteers is of most importance. In this regard, as it is necessary to restrict all litter picking activities to speed zones of 60km per hour or less as a health and safety measure.
e registration portal is open for groups to register is open on https://cleanup.kilkenny.ie/.
Cathaoirleach of Kilkenny County Council, Cllr Pat Fitzpatrick commented, “I am delighted that the experience of the pilot event last October has shaped the county wide initiative into a more volunteer friendly event and I encourage groups to register. It’s a marvellous opportunity for groups to come together and litter pick a local area. Strewn litter is an eye sore and this initiative creates an opportunity for neighbourhoods to tackle litter black spots in preparation for the summer”.
Participating groups will receive a litter picking pack, which will be theirs to keep. Each group is required to nominate a person to attend a brief health and safety session prior to the group receiving their litter pack. Kilkenny City groups who participated last year will be o ered bags and gloves as required, in addition to their bag of pollinator friendly owering bulbs.
Sean McKeown, Chief Executive, commented “I am delighted to see this initiative happening across the county this spring and I commend our corporate sponsors for sharing our vision of this ambitious community driven environmental initiative. Without the support of the John O Shea Trust, Dawn Meats, Panda, PRL, Glanbia Plc and Tirlán, Kilkenny County Council would not be able to organise such an impressive environmental initiative”.
People in Kilkenny and across the country are being encouraged to mark World Data Protection Day with a password 'spring clean'.
Saturday, January 28, is the 17th Data Protection Day, an event held globally to raise awareness and initiate conversations around data
privacy, protection and best practices.
Ireland South MEP Deirdre
Clune says: “With spring around the corner, Data Protection Day is an ideal time to consider updating your passwords to help keep your digital information safe.
"It can be difficult to figure
Proposals which have gone before the Cabinet will see daily inpatient hospital charges for adults abolished.
The daily rate of €80, with a maximum of €800 a year, will be removed in public hospitals for adults who are hospitalised.
Health Minister Stephen Donnelly is seeking permission from colleagues to draft the new laws, which will then have to be passed by the Oireachtas.
The Government hopes the new law will kick in and the charges will no longer apply from April.
The measure was announced as part of Budget 2023 and will be formally signed off by senior ministers. This will mean adults staying in hospital for 10 days or more each year will save €800.
Last September, charges for inpatient treatment in public hospitals were scrapped for children aged under 16.
"Since entering government we have reduced the amount that families pay for medicines every month, delivering potential savings of hundreds of euro a year to some families,” said a government source.
"We have also introduced free contraception and are
A new production gets its Carlow premiere in the George Bernard Shaw Theatre at the Visual Centre, on Saturday, February 11.
Composed and devised by Paul Linehan, ‘Annie Moore: First Immigrant’ is a musical and historical account of the first immigrant to be processed through Ellis Island, New York in 1892. This project is more than two years in the making, and has already received hugely positive reviews from audiences. The profoundly personal nature of this show is a result of the fact that Paul is Annie’s
out if someone else is accessing your accounts, but by changing passwords regularly you reduce the risk that others can see your data," she said.
The EU Science Hub also has a number of tips for password security. These include the use of pass-phrases,
which are easy to remember, but hard to guess, enabling two factor authentication and using password management software, which will help generate and store your passwords.”
MEP Clune is a member of the European Parliament's Internal Market & Consumer
Protection Committee and a lead negotiator for the new Artificial Intelligence Act.
“There has been remarkable change since the Council of Europe established the first legally binding international data protection laws on the 28th of January 1981 and constant updates are re-
quired to keep up with technological development," she told the Kilkenny Observer.
"The EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), strengthened individuals rights and placed strict requirements on businesses dealing with consumer data."
extending that to more and more women every year.”
Meanwhile, Social Protection Minister Heather Humphreys is bringing details of a €50m scheme to support communities who have taken in people fleeing the war in Ukraine and other countries.
The Community Recognition Fund will pay for the refurbishment of local sports clubs and upgrade of community facilities such as play areas, walkways, parks and community gardens.
The funding can also be drawn down for the purchase of equipment for local clubs, festivals, music and arts organisations.
It can also be used to enhance school or parish facilities that are open to the wider community after hours or on weekends.
The money will be allocated by local authorities and will be based on the number of new arrivals who are being housed in communities.
The €50m has been allocated across all local authorities based on the number of new arrivals located there.
The funding will be drawn down over the next two years, and projects will be delivered by the local authorities in conjunction with community organisations.
first cousin, three generations down, and has represented the family at a celebration in New York, which marked her extraordinary life.
Ten new and original songs, coupled with a well-crafted narration and a dramatised 'American wake, combine to illustrate a life of hardship and struggle in a bid to triumph over adversity.
Annie Moore: First Immigrant’ stars Clodagh Donnelly as Annie, Paul Linehan as Gus, Seán O Keeffe as Grandad, with Mario Corrigan as the narrator, and a great live band.
Dancing with the star!
A total of 190 people have lost their lives in farming related work in Ireland in the last 10 years , according to the Health and Safety Authority (HSA). Its twoweek farm safety inspection campaign, which began on Monday January 23, is focusing on the safe management of livestock during calving season when the risk of injury to farmers increases significantly.
Of the 190 fatalities, 34 involved livestock. Carrying out risk assessments on the work to be done and planning ahead are essential when handling livestock. Well-designed and maintained handling facilities are key factors for the safe handling of all livestock and prevention of injury to handlers.
Many serious injuries involving livestock handling could be prevented with better handling facilities.
Pat Griffin, Senior Inspector with the HSA, said: “During this calving season we urge farmers to plan ahead and put safety measures in place as cows, and in particular heifers, can be unpredictable before, during or after calving and may become aggressive.
Good holding areas and calving facilities where cows can be monitored remotely are important and can help reduce farmer fatigue.
Key questions:
•Are handling facilities including calving boxes adequate for your herd size?
•Is there adequate lighting in the yard and farm buildings?
•Do you need help?
•Are the extra resources trained and experienced?
•Is there a plan in place to minimise the risk of attack?
•Is an adequate physical barrier established between the farmer (worker) and the freshly calved cow when tagging, treating and handling calves?
•Are facilities and procedures adequate for separating, loading and unloading animals?
'Annie': the other musicalZahra Khodabacksh has won the Leinster Dance Championships under 21 staged recently in Dublin . Zahra dances for the Kilkenny Academy of Irish dancing . Her teachers are Evelyn White , Janine English and Sarah Murphy. Well done Zahra! Kilkenny is so proud of you
Not often in these postBrexit times that I advocate taking a leaf out of the Brits’ book. But here’s a good idea; PM Ritchie Sunack wants to encourage older workers back into the work force as it emerges that thousands of early retirements are holding back economic recovery. O ers to elders will include a midlife MOT to check the nancial health of retirees who may not have seen the cost-of-living impact coming, plus highlighting exible work opportunities, mentoring and skill retraining.
In contrast, here in Ireland there have been several doom-laden stories recently about the burden the country faces due to our ageing population and the pressure oldies will place on health services and re-
sources. It’s enough to make anyone over 66 feel they should be apologising for growing older. We could be celebrating our years when we have earned a bit of ease rather than being made to feel we ought shu e o our mortal coils. Here is what our National Positive Ageing Strategy says about this kind of carry on: ”What Ireland needs now is a strong vehicle to challenge assumptions about older age as a period of ill-health and decline and population ageing as a burden and a cost.” Quite frankly, you would need a bloody great bus to drive our apocalyptic vision of ageing o its wellworn track.
at bus could be armed with some relevant facts: among them the fact that 60 % of over 65s are still con-
tributing to their families, 45% volunteer and 45% are involved in caring for their grandchildren. Eight per cent are still working and I am sure more either want or need to work and would be employed were it not for ageist attitudes. Only six per cent are in care homes and 85% feel their health is good. Take a look around though: last month at 84, Mary Jerram Pyle became Trinity College’s oldest PhD graduate by completing her thesis entitled ‘Harry Potter And e Unconscious Dimension’. Her secret for successful ageing is to stay involved, echoing the World Health Organisation’s No.1 factor for ageing well – participation, ahead of staying healthy and having security.
An 84 years old mate of mine is still enjoying his work as a
gardener and time with his 24 grandchildren and great grandchildren, His secret? “Keeping on going,” he says. Yet, attitudes persist which continue to view later age as a time of decline and dependency and which prevent the very participation which promotes successful ageing as a time of fresh beginnings and of new possibilities. One of the scare statistics that get trotted out ad nauseam is that, while we currently have ve tax-paying workers supporting each retiree, the ratio will drop to three in 20 years. Okay so, as the next generation caused the birth rate to drop sharply we need more people to swell the labour force which makes it important to allow the growing tide of refugees to work.
Equally we could use the
skills and experience of older people. We have a booming economy, full employment and skill shortages, especially in the hospitality and retail sectors. So why not use a bit of imagination and incentivise involvement for older folk? What about shorter working hours, job sharing and, for heavens sake, why not give them tax incentives?
ere may be more of us but we are better educated, better o and in better health than previous generations and we have a potential to contribute to economic, social and cultural development. We need to ask about the impact of being blindsided by the sudden ending of a career and how the lack of preparation for this new stage in retirement a ects later life.
Isolation and lack of involvement without work or social contact can lead on to decline or anhedonia, a sad state where older people can become depressed and lose interest in life. Who wants to spend a time in isolation on a shelf marked retirement?
It’s worth looking at ideas like Sunak’s or those in America where people continue on to encore careers, encouraged by Life Reimagined, a programme run by the American Association of Retired People( AARP) where preferred working hours are between 11 to 30 hours a week.
It’s a matter of teaching dogs young and old new tricks with the realisation that later life is di erent now, there’s old, old age the way it used to be and there is the dynamic new old age.
Did you consider following a vegan diet for January? How did it go? Are you planning on sticking with it? Lots of people feel much healthier and resolve health issues while following a vegan diet. is is partially because dairy products and processed meats may be associated with gut health problems, imbalanced blood sugar, irritated skin conditions, sinus congestion, cholesterol, and cardiovascular health. On the other hand, meat and dairy products are an important source of nutrients like calcium, iron, b12, vitamin D, and protein, we can’t ignore that. So, if you’re going to try a vegan diet you will need to ensure that you have a source of these nutri-
ents in your diet. Keep a food diary every day to help you keep track, and if you need a few ideas on what to eat we would be happy to help. Here are some tips to keep you on track. e main thing to do is plan as there is nothing worse than going home hungry and realising that there is nothing in the house to eat. Aim to eat fresh and unprocessed food, and have a selection of vegetables and fruit. Ensure you have adequate foods to provide protein like soya, tempeh, tofu, pulses, lentils, nuts, seeds, and coconut aminos. Plantbased protein powder can be added to smoothies, homemade snack bars or added to your breakfast. Stock up on dairy free alternatives of milk, cheese, and cream. Other handy items include herbs and spices, coconut milk and cream, and jackfruit to give bulk to a dish. Engevita Yeast Flakes are forti ed
with B vitamins including B12. ey can be sprinkled on soups, pasta, and salads and have a cheesy/nutty avour. Good quality oils like olive, coconut, walnut, ax, hemp, or Udo’s Choice Ultimate Oil Blend can help ensure you have a source of omega essential fatty acids. Get into the habit of reading the labels to make sure what you are eating is not overly processed.
One Nutrition Vegan Complete is a supplement to consider when you are following a vegan diet. It can be used to support immunity, bone health, brain function. It contains vitamin B12, B6, B3, D3, Iron, Zinc, Folate, Iodine, and Selenium as well as Omega 3 DHA and EPA from a non -GMO algae. You might want to top up with a supplement like this or something more speci c from time to time. Enjoy the journey. If you have any questions or if you are looking for ideas of what to eat why not call in to see us, we would love to help 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
Dog owners expecting a baby are being urged to start training them ‘early and often’ ahead of the new arrival.
It comes after a ‘harrowing’ tragedy in which a young baby was killed by a family dog in Waterford.
Speaking at an inquest into the death of three-month-old Mia O’Connell from Clashmore, coroner Philip Comyn urged new parents to exercise “extreme vigilance” when it comes to their baby and their dog.
He said dogs are wonderful companions but are “still animals and can still be unpredictable” when a new family member arrives.
Dog trainer Lesley Townsend told Newstalk there were lots of little ways to prepare your dog for the new arrival.
“Really, the most important thing is to start early and often,” she said.
“So, as soon as you know you are expecting, you can start introducing some techniques to help your dog acclimate to your baby arriving and to really prepare everyone for what’s going to be a massive lifestyle change – and lifestyle change not just for us, but also for our dogs.”
She said one thing to remember is that dogs don’t actually understand that babies are humans.
“Babies make weird squeaky noise, the smell quite delicious – they usually smell like milk or maybe like nappies –and it’s understandable that your dog will take extra interest in something like that,” she said.
“So what we want to do is test out and see where the trigger points are.”
Ms Townsend said the rst thing to do is make yourself a ‘fake baby’ and see how your dog reacts when you carry it around the house.
“Start o by carrying a towel or a blanket wrapped up that is going to be essentially a fake baby,” she said.
“Move around the house
and see how the dog feels about you carrying something, while the dog is moving around or while you’re sitting on the couch.”
Baby noises
She said another good trick is to start playing baby noises in the home and slowly increasing the volume to see how your dog reacts.
“ e other thing they can do is, they can really start teaching their dogs some
very basic dog behaviours.
“So, for example, a ‘sit’ when carrying the baby around or they can teach the dog to go to bed, so the dog has a place to settle when they’re sharing space with the baby
“ ey also need to teach the dog some swapping and dropping cues because babies bring lots of exciting new things into the house; like toys, socks, nice plush things, bibs, nappies – lots of things
that dogs nd exciting and might want to steal.
“So, teaching dogs some really basic obedience cues can really help parents maintain control of their dogs when they are sharing space with them.
Lesley Townsend told Newstalk it was essential to have “active and aware supervision” at all times when dog and baby are together.
“ at means you are within
reach of your dog and your baby and you’re focused on what they are doing,” she said.
“A really good example of a lack of supervision whilst in the same room would be, you are in the kitchen with your dog and your baby – but you’re talking on the phone or you are cooking.
“It is really hard to do those things at the same time. Similarly, when you are driving,
you can’t supervise your dog and your baby.
“When you are sleeping upstairs, if your dog sleeps on your bed or in your room for example, you can’t supervise.
“So, you need to start thinking about all the situations where your dog might get unsupervised access to your baby – because you’re distracted or you are tired – and how can you prevent that from happening.”
Turn2Me, a national mental health charity, is encouraging people doing ‘Dry January’ to upgrade the challenge to ‘one year no beer’ – a year of sobriety. e charity has said that reducing alcohol or cutting it out completely can improve your mental health because alcohol is a depressant, it can make anxiety and depression worse, it can reduce sleep quality, and it can heighten stress levels.
According to Drinkaware, 61% of Irish adults report they drink to cope with stressful times.
“Many people like a few glasses of wine to unwind after a long day but using alcohol to numb emotions or to reduce stress is counterproductive. After the initial
relaxing e ects wear o , the problems at the root of the stress are still there and may
be heightened under the in uence of alcohol,” Fiona O’Malley, CEO of Turn2Me, says.
“Alcohol is a depressant, and it disrupts how the brain
functions. Many celebrities, including Zac Efron, Lily Allen, Bradley Cooper, Russell Brand, Eva Mendes, Blake Lively, Naomi Campbell, and Natalie Portman don’t drink. ey have spoken about how much physically and mentally better they feel, having cut out alcohol from their lives. Sober celebrities can be great role models for young people or anyone who is sober-curious.”
Excessive alcohol also leads to the development of serious health issues including heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, digestive problems, and cancer. According to Drinkaware, drinking six or more standard drinks is classi ed as ‘binge drinking’.
Turn2Me has said that set-
ting yourself the challenge of completing a year of being sober is a good way to cut out the negative e ects of alcohol from your life and to become more aware of your relationship with alcohol. e charity stated that although drinking to excess is common in Ireland, the culture of sobriety is growing.
Turn2Me is encouraging anyone who is feeling anxious, depressed, or going through a period of grief to sign up to their free one-to-one counselling sessions or their free support groups, available on the Turn2Me website, Turn2Me. ie. Turn2Me o ers free, professional mental health services 365 days a year, even on Christmas Day.
e World Economic Forum
nished last week and there is a plethora of reports available on their website on the theme of ‘co-operation in a fragmented world’. e reports show how the world today is at, they say, “a critical in ection point” and the sheer number of ongoing crises calls for “bold collective action”.
e reports examine agriculture food and beverage, cybersecurity, climate change to digital inclusion and more, all covered in the Global Risk Report 2023. In spite of all the media attention on climate change and in spite of the idea that we live in a fragmented world, there is a general consensus both business, and personally, worldwide that the No. 1 global short-term risk on people’s mind. Even in the rare ed atmosphere of Davos, is the cost-of-living crises, ranked No. 1 and 15th
in long-term global risks. is is re ected in the mood of businesses and families the world over. According to a recent Peninsula report covering many countries including Ireland, the main goal of many businesses including Ireland is not climate change and our carbon footprints but “to survive”. Moira Grassick, Chief Operations O cer at Peninsula Ireland, says:
“It’s truly staggering that we’re going into 2023 with a third of businesses saying their main goal is just to survive the year.”
e statistics in the report clearly demonstrate the drastic impact that recent world events have had; a global pandemic, political turmoil, war in Ukraine and now a recession coming in such quick succession, devastating many businesses, especially SMEs. Business owners are under pressure
like never before. ey are being squeezed on all fronts with increased labour costs, the rising cost of living, the cost of just doing business and rising energy prices re-
maining the biggest concerns for an overwhelming majority of employers in 2023. Families in Ireland are no di erent than those the world over. According to
the recently published ‘ e IKEA Life at Home Report 2022’, 46% of people in Ireland claim the state of the economy is their greatest concern, with householdnances (38%) close behind as in ation continues to soar.
Despite outranking the worries of climate change, 29% agree that the rapidly changing environment is still weighing heavily on their minds. Yet, even with these signi cant issues so present, it’s, believe it or not, the small challenges around the home, like nding room for recycling bins, that can feel like deal breakers when they stack up.
Increased living expenses, according to the report, points to signi cant impacts on life at home looming on the horizon. More than 44% expect to cancel or postpone home improvement plans, while 21% are worried about job security. e cost-of-
living crisis is also likely to a ect major life moments, with almost 11% anticipating its impact on getting married and having children. e outlook for peoples’ day-to-day quality of life is equally concerning, with exactly half of those surveyed expecting their hobbies and interests outside the home to be negatively impacted as wallets empty. is could indicate a potential ‘ nancial lockdown’, with more than 31% having faked excuses so they can avoid going out socially, increasing to four in 10 among young people.
Katie McCrory, who leads the Life at Home Report at IKEA, says: “After years of enforced lockdowns, now followed by a cost-of-living crisis, people will likely feel the need to stay at home once again to save on costs.”
john@ellis nancial.ie
086 8362622
From synthetic biology to xenotransplantation, biotech will continue to march forward in 2023, in part powered by data and AI. e key areas for dramatic change are:
Synthetic biology
Synthetic biology involves the wholesale redesign or construction of biological entities to carry out desirable biotechnological processes. It’s already revolutionised the treatment of diabetes, for example. Since 1982, insulin has been produced by inserting a human gene into a common bacterium. Today, through companies like Ginkgo BioWorks, a Bayer partner, many more opportunities are arising to use synthetic biology in everything from medicine to farming to manufacturing.
Synthetic biology applications in biotech are going to begin to take centrestage in 2023. From engineering soil bacteria for regenerative agriculture to bioproduction of key chemicals to replace sourcing from unsustainable farm practices to engineering human gut microbes for therapeutic purposes, there will be a wealth of breakthrough opportunities from synthetic biology innovations.
Cell and gene therapies
Cell and gene therapies encompass a wide range of approaches that attempt to treat disease at the cellular and genetic level. With cell therapy, patients’ cells are extracted, reprogrammed, and then injected back into their bodies, often with the goal of leveraging their own immune system to ght diseases like cancer. Of the approved cell therapies, most focus on blood cancers because they have not yet shown success in treating solid tumours. One of the next goals in cell therapy is to improve efciency by reprogramming patients’ cells in vivo — that is, inside their own bodies. In gene therapy, genetic material is delivered into pa-
Up to 27% of plants and animals will disappear by 2100, according to a European Commission study using a supercomputer scientifically modelling our Earth, and showing mass extinction of animals and plants.
The European supercomputer simulated food webs, co-extinctions, and a host of intricate possibilities.
No matter how scientists queued up one of Europe’s most powerful supercomputers, the results remained the same. Mass extinction of plants and animals isn’t slowing down... it’s only growing.
The supercomputer says 10% of all plant and animal species will disappear by 2050, and 27% of vertebrate diversity will vanish by 2100. That’s more than a quarter of our animals
tients’ bodies with the objective of replacing or correcting faulty DNA. Several gene therapies recently have been approved to treat a variety of disorders.
One limitation of current gene therapies is their delivery system. ey are typically delivered to patients via a viral vector, a harmless virus that carries its genetic cargo into the body, but this approach typically only a ects cells in the liver.
As we grapple with a changing climate, the frequent occurrence of droughts and oods will pose a challenge to farmers. One way we can
adapt is to tweak our crops to better withstand longterm environmental volatility. It is also critical that we keep up with the food demands of a growing population, which is set to reach almost ten billion people by 2050.
Today, we already are facing a worsening global food insecurity crisis due to the war in Ukraine, which has been forced to severely limit its grain exports. We can hedge against future crises by making crops more nutrient dense and easier to grow. is year will see the introduction of new crop traits that create tastier, healthier, and more sustainable food.
Traits will be developed
not just with CRISPR but by leveraging epigenetics to modify gene expression in ways that are cheaper and faster than ever before — all without changing the plant’s genetic code.
Today, agriculture accounts for 25% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions, in part due to farming’s reliance on nitrogen fertiliser.
To be sure, chemical fertiliser has enabled billions of people to eat and live, and without it, the fabric of society would crumble. But moving forward, the ideal would be to achieve a new paradigm in which highyielding crops are less reliant on fertiliser. New approaches currently in development
encourage growth while also protecting the planet.
Xenotransplantation is transplanting animal organs into humans. Researchers are concentrating on making pig hearts, lungs, and kidneys safe by genetically engineering their DNA to be accepted by human immune systems.
Last year, the rst such heart transplant took place, allowing a man with end-stage heart failure to live for an additional two months. e landmark surgery ignited hope that a future of widely available pig organs could be edging closer for the hundred and hundreds of thousands of people in dire need of transplants.
in the journal Science Advances, measured the contribution of ecological interactions on the extinction toll, modelilng how “primary” extinctions triggered directly by climate and land-use change led to additional extinctions.
The simulations observed a species’ response at monthly intervals between 2020 and 2100, finding a quick decline in diversity between 2020 and 2050 thereafter, suggesting the next few decades hold special importance on the future of biodiversity.
As advances in machine learning (ML) and arti cial intelligence (AI) rapidly leap forward, they are unlocking previously impossible opportunities in the life sciences, such as nding novel biological targets and designing better drugs. e con uence of tech and biotech holds the promise of faster, more personalised treatments for patients as well as for more resilient, nutritious foods. e year 2023 will mark the beginning of the era of design: using new technologies to engineer and design smarter molecules that will allow us to command the new biology that was discovered in the previous decade.
diversity loss amplifies by up to 184%, the study says, showing how failing to account for ecological interactions leads to a severe underestimation of the current biodiversity crisis.
In some of the worst simulations, up to half of the connections in the food webs between species disappeared. The larger the species, the higher up the food chain and the more vulnerable they became to effects following extinctions.
gone in about 75 years.
The scientists loaded up models with 33,000 virtual
species that could disperse and adapt, 15,000 adaptable food webs, and even
the potential of invasive species. The simulations, with results published
The key benefits of using the supercomputer allowed the scientists to create ‘virtual Earths’ with the lives of plants and animals directly connected to climate, land use, and other plants and animals. Thanks to this chain-reaction effect, bio -
“Unless conservation practitioners rapidly start to incorporate the complexity of ecological interactions and their role in extinction processes in their planning,” the study authors write, “averting the ongoing biodiversity crisis will become an unachievable target.”
Our plants, animals are vanishing fast
When you visit Zurich buy a Zürich Card. It is the best way to get around the city and to save money. It includes unlimited public transportation including tram, bus, train, boat and cableway. It even includes a mini lake cruise and river cruise. You get free or reduced admission to museums and 50% o an Old Town walking tour. We did all this with our Zurich Card. You can choose from 24 hours passes to 72-hour passes.
1. Lake Zürich
Hands down our favourite thing to do in Zürich spending time on Lake Zürich. Make our way to Badi Enge where you can rent paddleboards by the hour. It was so much fun to get on the water during a hot summer day.
Being on a paddleboard let’s you see the city from a di erent view, with the freedom to paddle into the Schanzenbraben Canal where you can escape the hustle and bustle as swans followed you through the calm and quiet waters.
Even if you don’t want to paddleboard, make sure to get on the water when you visit Zurich. Lake Zurich has some of the best views of the city. A boat ride is included in your Zürich Card, so if nothing else, at least hop on a boat to take in the city views.
2. Altstadt (Old Town)
When visiting any European city, the best thing to do is simply stroll through the Old Town, enjoy an aperitif and do some window shopping.
e Cobbled Streets of Zürich’s Altstadt are lined with medieval buildings and bridges lining the Limmat River. ere are countless galleries and shops where you can pick up some Swiss chocolate or delicious cheese.
A favourite thing to do in Zürich’s Old Town was to simply pull up a seat on one of the outdoor patios and
Fira, Imerovigli, Firostefani, and Oia are Santorini’s most popular towns — for good reason. Here you’ll nd bluedomed white houses draped with fuchsia bougainvillea, built into cli faces and set against the backdrop of the endless ocean.
As a general rule of thumb, the west side of the island is where you’ll nd the best Santorini hotels. If you are visiting for the rst time and want to have a hotel equally as beautiful as the surroundings, here are some of the nest options.
Delion View Hotel
Delion View Hotel has four stars and is located in the picturesque village of Fira. Each room or suite has epic views, and guests can also enjoy access to a terrace and a stunning indoor pool. is hotel is a great option if you are traveling with family or in a group. e Junior Suite, for example, sleeps four with one large double bed and two
people watch. Zürich is one of the most expensive cities in the world and watching the fashion and families walk by made for one of the most interesting people-watching afternoons of our lives.
3. Lindt Home Chocolate
It may sound cliche to visit a chocolate factory when looking for things to do in Zürich, but this isn’t your ordinary factory tour. Lindt Home of Chocolate is one of the top Zurich attractions and for good reason. is chocolate museum is a spectacle and when you visit Zurich, make sure to put this at the top of your list. Upon entering you come face to face with a giant chocolate fountain standing tall in the massive hall. It is then onto a tour to learn about the history of chocolate and eat a lot of chocolate. We picked up our audio guide and selected our chosen language (English) as we followed the displays to explore the evolution of chocolate. It was an interesting and entertaining tour, but the real treat comes near the end when you enter a room lled with chocolate fountains.
4. Seebad Enge
Zürich is the land of public baths, with six lake baths on Lake Zurich and ve other river baths throughout the city where people enjoy basking in the sun while being able to take a dip in the clear and clean waters.
Seebad Enge is easily reached by walking from the city centre, and it’s a beautiful walkway along the lakefront with parks and views of the Swiss Alps and the city. ere is a mixed and womenonly only swimming area, swimming lanes, a restaurant, and wooden sun decks.
In the winter Seebad Enge is turned into a sauna, so you can visit it year-round.
the local markets and pick up produce for breakfast or lunch on the outdoor terrace. e hotel also has a beautifully manicured garden and a hot tub.
Apeiron Blue Santorini
Apeiron Blue rests on the caldera rim close to the islands capital Fira. Respecting Cycladic design with white-washed walls, rounded corners, and at roofs, the ve-star hotel blends traditional architecture with modern luxury. e suites have an unobstructed view of the Aegean Sea and are very spacious.
5. Grossmünster (Great Minster)
Grossmünster is an imposing landmark in Zürich with its twin towers standing tall over the Limmat River. It is also one of the most important places in Zürich as it was the sight of reformation in Switzerland. You can walk up the towers to see beautiful views over Zürich and make sure to go into the crypt to see a magni cent statue of Charlemagne.
6. Fraumünster
Another church to visit in Zürich is Fraumünster. People go into this church to see the beautiful stained glass windows by Marc Chagall and Augusto Giacometti (uncle to the famous Swiss sculptor, Alberto Giacometti) Fraumünster is one of the most recognizable landmarks in the city.
Founded in 853, this church was originally a convent inhabited by aristocratic females from Europe. Five stained glass windows designed by Chagall were installed in 1970. Inside there is also an impressive pipe organ with 5793 pipes.
7. Go Up Uetliberg Mountain
Using our Zürich Card, you can board a bus and then a tram, and nally a train up to the top of Zürich’s very own mountain. Uetliberg Mountain It is only about 45 minutes to get here from the city centre and it is well worth it for the best views of Zurich
When you reach the end of the line, it is about a 10-minute walk to the lookout tower for amazing views of Zurich, Lake Zurich, and the Swiss Alps. If you have more than a day or two, you make the trip up the mountain when you visit Zurich.
After you have taken in the views of the rolling hills and the city below, you can have lunch at the restaurant or continue hiking for about two hours to the gondola that will take you back down
Apeiron Blue speci cally market to those getting married and honeymooners.
Perivolas Hotel
Perivolas is in a league of its own in Oia. Located on the edge of Oia, you come here for many reasons, the primary being the lack of crowds. e hotel’s UPS is privacy. is is unique on Santorini, it comes with a price tag, but you’ll be guaranteed a tranquil stay and exclusivity.
e hotel is a labor of love.
singles. e spacious suite also has a private balcony and an outlook over the caldera.
Sun Angelos Oia
If you’d like to be close to the action in Oia, but prefer a peaceful place to stay, Sun Angelos Oia ts the bill. e apartments are well-
equipt and come with a kitchen area with a stovetop and fridge. is makes this accommodation ideal for those who would like to go to
e Honeymoon Suite, for example, has a stunning outdoor area with a private veranda capitalising on the ocean view. And you don’t get more romantic than relaxing in the outdoor Jacuzzi hot tub — with a stunning terrace shower — watching the sunset from one of the optimum viewpoints on Santorini.
e family business opened its doors in 1983 taking a cluster of 300-year-old cave dwellings and transforming the cli area into 20 unique studios and suites. e decor is minimalistic and traditional Greek blue and white colour palettes are accented with hot pink and lilac. ere are eight di erent types of rooms, the most expensive have a private terrace with a plunge pool and steam room. And although these suites are not cheap, Perivolas is worth it.
Love may not be in the air (Valentine’s Day still some weekss away) but it most certainly was in the papers last Sunday. First up there was the legendary Gaelic football manager, Mick O’Dwyer, who proclaimed to be ‘madly in love’, so ‘madly in love’ in fact that he married his long-time partner, Geraldine McGirr, from Tyrone. Nothing too unusual about being ‘madly in love’ or getting married except Mick (the most successful Gaelic football manager of all time) is all of 86 years of age while Geraldine, his bride, is a mere slip of a girl at 65!
Asked how he was doing the morning after he said ‘I do’, Mick replied: “So far, so good.” And considered the 21 year age gap no obstacle to their love. Geraldine, his brand new wife, echoed Mick’s sentiments saying:
“Age is absolutely nothing to do with love.”
And as if further proof was needed I later read of another wonderful love story – that of astronaut Buzz Aldrin, the second man to set foot on the moon, after Neil Armstrong,. Buzz, who was undoubtedly ‘madly in love’ also married his ‘long-time love’ at a small ceremony in Los Angeles. Buzz got married on his birthday, he was all of 93 while his ‘long-time love and partner’, Dr Anca V Faur, is all of 63! Buzz said that he and Anca were as excited as two eloping teenagers while Geraldine, Mick’s bride, said they were like teenagers going around together.
I am totally in awe of these two legends (and their ‘young’ brides) and if I have learned anything from these two wonderful love stories
it’s this: love is definitely the elixir of youth.
Perhaps now is not a bad time to present some re ections, good and not so good, on marriage by folks famous and not so famous: “If he dies, he dies”, actress Joan Collins, when 68, answering questions two decades about the age gap between herself and husband Percy Gibson, then aged 36!
Curtis Petty Jr. grew up two houses away from Mary Hillman in Flat Rock, Michigan. Curtis mowed her lawn and did odd jobs for her. Eventually the couple got married much to the fury of Mary’s children, and grandchildren, Curtis, as it happened, was younger than Mary’s grandchildren; he was 24, she was 83!
“Marriage is grand, divorce is a hundred grand,” said American chat-show host Jay Leno.
It has been estimated that during the rst year of their marriage Aristotle Onassis spent more than $20 million on Jackie Kennedy.
“Trust your husband, adore your husband and get as much as you can in your
own name” was the advice to Joan Rivers from her mother.
“I never married because I have three pets at home that answer the same purpose as a husband. I have a dog that growls every morning, a parrot that swears all afternoon and a cat that comes home late at night.” (Marie Correlli 1855 – 1924)
“In Hollywood brides keep the bouquets and throw away the groom,” said Groucho Marx.
In one year, 1536, Kind Henry V111’s rst wife, Catherine of Aragon, died, his second wife, Anne Boleyn was executed and he married his third wife, Jane Seymour.
Judge: “Have you even been cross-examined before?” Defendant: “Yes, your honour, I’m a married man.”
An irate wife was waiting for her husband at the
door. ere was alcohol on his breath and lipstick on his collar. “I assume,” she snarled, “that there’s a very good reason for you to come waltzing in here at seven o’clock in the morning?” He said: “ ere is. Breakfast.” ree men were sitting at a bar. Two of them were boasting about how they controlled their wives. e third man was conspicuously quiet. Eventually they tuned to him and said: “So, what about you?’’ He replied: “As a matter of fact, only the other night my wife came crawling to me on her hands and knees.” ey said, somewhat surprised: “Really? And what did she want?” “She said get out from under that bed and ght like a man.”
Let me nish on the note I came in with – love. “If grass can grow through cement, love can nd you at any time in your life,” says Cher
‘Age is absolutely nothing to do with love...
Leaders At the World Economic Forum in Davos, world leaders are making the case for globalisation amid fears it is in terminal decline.
e Swiss resort town of Davos is the site of a vigorous debate about the future of globalisation.
e explosion in global connectivity and trade that was widely taken for granted for decades is certainly under pressure.
From the Covid-19 pandemic to the US-China rivalry, Brexit and the war in Ukraine, a myriad of factors is challenging the long-held assumption that business and investment should be able to move freely across borders.
Where once the cost of doing business drove investment decisions, rms must now consider geopolitical and national security factors that increasingly drive governments’ policymaking.
Tinglong Dai, an expert in globalisation at Johns Hopkins Carey Business School, is of the view that globalisation, while not dead, is at least struggling to survive.
“In the coming years, we may see the emergence of a ‘supply chain iron curtain’, where Western countries maintain high levels of free trade, investment and movement of people among each other but scrutinise links with China, Russia, and the like,” Dai told Al Jazeera.
“ is means that free trade in goods and services in sensitive and strategic categories will be severely restricted – eg. semiconductor chips, automotive batteries and public health products –and even mun- dane supply chains will be subject to increased regulation and public pressure.”
e relatively lacklustre attendance at this year’s World Economic Forum, one of the most closely watched annual
gatherings of key leaders in politics and business, itself seems to symbolise the shifting winds.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is the only G7 leader in attendance. In 2018, six of the seven leaders of advanced economies, including the then-US President
Donald Trump, attended the gathering.
Key leaders from the Global South such as Chinese President Xi Jinping and India’s Narendra Modi, who attended in 2017 and 2018, respectively, are also notably absent (both addressed the gathering by video link).
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who did attend, used the gathering to announce plans for green industry legislation to rival the US In ation Reduction Act, which has angered European governments with its subsidies for electric vehicles made
in North America. Even so, a key message coming out of Davos is that globalisation must endure and also, perhaps, that its demise has been exaggerated.
While China has itself turned inward towards greater nationalism and protectionism, Xi, in his virtual
address to the gathering, described globalisation as the “trend of the times” and as unstoppable as a river’s ow into the sea.
Appearing in person, Chinese Vice-Premier Liu He stressed that foreign investment is still “welcome” and “the door to China will only open up further”.
Historian Niall Ferguson went as far as to describe the idea of a major deglobalisation trend as a “mirage”, noting that Chinese apps such as TikTok and South Korean pop culture continue to be wildly popular across the globe, even if chips and hardware are increasingly subject to protectionist controls. Even if globalisation may have peaked, it is far from being rolled back completely.
While Apple is seeking to diversify its production out of China, it is notably looking to Vietnam and India, rather than bringing the bulk of its manufacturing back to the US.
In which case, it might be more accurate to say that globalisation is evolving, not retreating – a view shared by James Mittelman, an expert in globalisation and development at American University in Washing- ton, DC.
“Hard evidence shows that the combined effects of the coronavirus pandemic, Brexit, supply-chain disturbances and the Ukraine War have brought barriers to cross-border flows and inefficiencies but not a sizeable withdrawal from globalisation,” Mittelman told Al Jazeera.
“By all indications, the tides of globalisation will continue to tack back and wash forward. For the future, the perplexing issue is not globalisation versus deglobalisation, but what kind of globalisation? And how to achieve an ethically just and politically wise globalised order?”
What with the climate, energy and geopolitical crises that have been raging for some years now, it is time the world looked to Africa for energy, Samia Suluhu Hassan, President of Tanzania, said at a session on ‘Repowering the World’ at the 53rd World Economic Forum Annual Meeting.
“We have everything when we talk about green energy –cobalt, copper, nickel... You can extract and manufacture in Africa, provide energy to Africa and take it to other countries.”
Making an appeal for greater private sector investment in Tanzania, Hassan said Africa needed a lot of energy as many Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies were being applied there and a lot of related manufacturing was carried out there.
“We want to build regional power pools in East African
and Southern African... if any region has a shortage, the other could supply it,” she said. Instead of Europe, Japan or India pursuing unilat-
eral policies, more concerted e orts were needed to tackle the energy crisis that is truly global in nature, she said. Chemistry was the mother
of all industries, said Ilham Kadri, CEO and Chairman of the Executive Committee, Solvay, and it is imperative to create diversi ed supply
chains of metals and rare earths such as lithium, cobalt, nickel and copper that are essential components of EV batteries and so many other applications in the energy transition.
China had built rare earths value chains for decades and to avoid a “Russian gas supply syndrome”, she said Europe and countries around the world must Und diversied sources of these metals and minerals as well as localise battery assembly.
From reskilling workers to issuing permits, Europe needed policies that “get it done quicker”, Kadri said, when asked about the United States’ new In ation Reduction Act (IRA) that o ers funding and incentives to accelerate the clean energy transition and has raised fears in Europe of an investment drain. Europe must boost its competitiveness to
prevent de-industrialisation, she said. “ e question is what does it take for Europe to have a competitive industrial policy? I need clean energy, at cost and at scale, and 365 days a year.”
In the same vein, Mark Rutte, Prime Minister of the Netherlands, said the IRA was an opportunity for Europe to cut bureaucratic red tape, which would unleash opportunities for innovation, new jobs and working together at a European scale, or else “real action will move to Asia and other parts of the world”.
Asked if Europe had been amiss in continuing to depend on cheap Russian gas for too long, Rutte agreed that Europe could have cut this dependence sooner, but said that it was a collective failure, and not just Germany’s, as it is sometimes made out to be.
Last week I recounted how the Callan PP Dr. Doyle took a tough line against the buying and selling of sins. Far more serious, from a theological and doctrinal point of view, than sin swapping was the conduct of the Poet Ryan, who in the war years took to hearing confessions in Callan parish, rst in Coolagh church and then at the Big Chapel.
e Poet, who gets a welldeserved mention earlier in my chapter on country folk during the Emergency, was a man of rare natural wisdom and psychological insights.
Whilst not terribly religious
himself, though he would pray and have his own words with God now and then, he embarked upon a strange and high risk apostolic adventure, beginning shortly before the outbreak of war in 1939.
Noticing how the absence of a priest to hear confession sometimes led to long queues of penitents standing or kneeling in Coolagh Church, and occasionally lines of people waiting outside this rustic House of God, he decided to take matters into his own hands.
On a day when the priest was out on an urgent house call, and had been due to hear confessions, the Poet slipped quietly and unseen into the Coolagh confessional and knocked at the door for the rst penitents to enter. Within seconds, two people were
kneeling, one to his rear and the other in front of him, both unable to see him owing to the screen that prevented clear identi cation of penitents. His rst “customer”, as he would call the penitents, was a local farmer who confessed to having cursed a dozen times and thrown his pipe at a sheepdog in anger, as well as having been a minute late for Sunday Mass.
e Poet forgave him, mumbled something that sounded like Latin but wasn’t, and instructed the farmer to say one Hail Mary and a “Glory Be”. Delighted to get o so lightly, the man went on his way to pray.
e other shutter slid open.
With the Spring just around the corner, and over the next few weeks we will see that stretch in the evening. I do not know about you but I always start to feel more energetic with the beautiful twilights of the setting sun each evening
Now is the time to look outside and maybe join a walking group. If you feel really brave one of the Bike clubs who just take a wonderful leisurely cycle around the town.
If you would like to meet other seniors (50+) and enjoy a bit of activity, games and fun in a social setting?, then why not pop along to the Watershed on Monday nights at 8pm for some tutor led skittles, chatting, boccia and bowling. It only costs €20 for 10 weeks. For years I would work on
the garden getting it ready for the spring planting. From backyard gardening to running a full- edged farm, the feeling of growing your own vegeta-
A woman confessed to having gone overboard on the gossiping and admitted to impure and lustful thoughts about a Callan butcher who always smiled lasciviously at her, she con ded, whenever she called in for sausages. e Poet gave her the same penance and she exited the box reasonably content, her soul cleansed.
Over the next four years, the Poet lled in occasionally for the priest, without telling the Man of God or anyone else about his amateur priestly activities. He knew he risked excommunication if word got to the Parish Priest or the Bishop.
How he managed to keep up this astonishing act of
deception for so long remains a mystery. e tendency of penitents to be completely wrapped up in their own thoughts and concerns may have played into his hands. is was his theory at any rate. ey didn’t pay too much attention to the “priest”, he observed. ey just wanted to get sins o their chests.
Still, there were dark and persistent murmurings in the parish about the “strange priest” who never said mass but now and again heard confessions. But nobody seems to
to do is understand how a plant thrives, and you will be reaping fresh, nutritious vegetables in no time I tended to stick to the useful ones. Lettuce, nothing better than fresh lettuce leaves from your garden for the salad. Tasty and healthy dish. Spring Onions, Beetroot, Radishes and of course the potatoes. Ah yes, a plate of new potatoes from your own garden with butter and salt, an Irish meal in itself. And as my Father did say ‘the new earlies have to be in the ground by St Patrick’s day’. God rest his soul Now growing our own vegetables was a major part of my younger years as we used the large back gardens in Newpark for growing vegetables for the dinner table. Everything tasted so much sweeter and fresher and the knowledge that it was you who planted that seed earlier in the year, watered and cared for the plant, and now you can harvest it, cook it and have it on your dinner table for you and your family to enjoy.
have mentioned this to the real curate who celebrated mass in Coolagh.
e Poet slipped up one day in the Coolagh confessional. e penitent whose sins he was about to forgive asked him if he were all right after hearing the “priest” hiccupping loudly. e Poet said he was ne, but the penitent thought he could see, in the shadowy gloom of the box, a half naggin of whiskey in the confessor’s hand. e penitent was told he must have been imagining things when he recounted this story later in a Callan pub.
Tired of hearing confessions in Coolagh, e Poet opted in the autumn of 1944 to forgive sins in Callan. With his customary “Scarlet Pimpernel” precision and dexterity, he waited for his chance. He noticed that there were three confessionals in the chapel and that some days there wouldn’t be a priest in one of them. So he slipped into an empty box, dressed in a cassock he had obtained second-hand in omastown... To be continued...
(Extract from my book Are We Invaded Yet?)
Now to say me heart skipped a beat maybe true but it’s a long time since I discovered a shot of wind from my rear end can actually dripple!
All the way home she told me how milk, butter, sliced ham, bread, everything has gone up since the war in Ukraine. But hasn’t petrol dropped down which is what some store owners argued, the prices would have to go up accordingly? May I ask when will they be coming down accordingly?. Surely there is no price gouging going on?
All Older People must have access to a decent income in retirement which will allow them to live with dignity, a life, free from poverty and constant worry in decent well heated homes with good nutrition. is will support and enable them to fully participate, as equals, with all across the lifecycle.
bles is unmatched.
Spring is the best time to try your hand at building a small garden. e weather is perfect for several types of vegetables,
and you have control over the pesticides and fertilizers you use in these.
Growing spring vegetables can be simple. All you need
e reason I started to think this way was a trip recently to the supermarket. Now normally it is the Special Branded supermarkets we would frequent but this day there was speci c branded items the boss needed. So, in we went and picked up the required items, now to be honest nothing particularly special, but as usually an extra few items ended up in the basket and on to the check out. Just a few scans later and out popped the receipt €106.65!
In retirement the State Pension is the only source of income for many Older People and it must be set at a rate to allow for equal participation by Older People in society. It must re ect and fully take account of the Cost Of Ageing for Older People.
Older People in receipt of Occupational Pensions must be treated with equity and fairness and the State must never again impose levies on their scheme funds. eir rules and regulations must be transparent and have remedies for dispute resolution which are fair and do not involve costly litigation.
Dicksboro GAA & Camogie Club held a night of celebration and nostalgia at the Club’s Dinner Dance and medal presentations at a packed Langtons on Saturday, 7th January.
Under the guidance of Club Chairman Seamus Rochford and MC for the evening, Dicksboro and Newstalk’s Kieran Cuddihy, medals were presented to the successful Senior, Under-22 and Minor Camogie teams of 2021 and 2022. Also presented with their 2022 winning medals were the members of the Dicksboro Under-19 hurling side.
To mark 30 years since their success as County Senior Hurling Champions, a special presentation was made to the 1993 Dicksboro Senior team. is was followed by a social evening with music provided by Pat
A great night was had by all. anks to all who attended and also to the organising committee for all their e orts in acknowledging our fantastic young hurlers and camogie players.
Transferring the family farm while alive is the “more sensible and cheaper” option than leaving it by will, according to agricultural solicitor Aisling Meehan.
“If you have somebody that is actively involved in the farm, then leaving the land under a will is a bit mean,” she said.
“When you transfer while
alive, it’s more structured and you have time to get your ducks in a row.”
Speaking at a recent Irish Grassland Association succession event, Ms Meehan warned of the possibility of a will being challenged when people don’t get what they want or expect.
“There’s nothing stopping someone from challenging a
Just 36 new refuge spaces were open in the last two years despite calls for the Government to drastically increase provisions across the country. Kilkenny fared a little better while Wexford and Waterford not so.
Figures released to Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald show that three counties have lost refuge spaces in the last two years, while seven gained no additional places.
Tusla confirmed to the TD that 181 domestic violence accommodation units were operational in 2022.
This was up from 145 units that were normally operational in 2020 before the pandemic and 140 spaces that were in use in 2021.
A report from Tusla in February 2022 stated that 60 new family places/units need to be put in place “urgently”.
Ireland also has far fewer than the 470 refuge spaces required under the Istanbul convention.
The figures were released to Ms McDonald from Tusla following a parliamentary question to then-Justice Minister Heather Humphreys in December.
The data showed that Tipperary, Waterford and Sligo all lost one refuge space each between 2020 and 2022, while provisions in Limerick, Kerry, Wicklow, Clare, Mayo, Kildare and Wexford all remained static.
Over the two year period, 14 new spaces were created in Dublin, while 10 were created in Cork.
Capacity was increased by two spaces in Kilkenny, while one space was created in both Donegal and Westmeath.
Galway gained five refuge
will. The only person entitled to something under a will, however, is a spouse. Sometimes kids don’t have much to lose by challenging a will — and I have seen it happen too often.”
She also advised against parents holding on to a portion of land when transferring the family farm, and said drawing up a support and
maintenance agreement can be a good way of providing security for a parent instead.
“In drawing up a support and maintenance agreement, you a have to look at three things,” she said. “The first thing is: what does the parent need to live comfortably? Say their pension is €24,000 and they need €40,000 to live comfortably, there is a shortfall
there of €16,000 a year, so the child could come up with that.
“The second thing you need to ask is what can the child afford to pay? And the third thing is, what is the farm capable of generating?” she said. Where the farmhouse is being transferred with the farm, emotional security is just as important a factor as financial security for parents,
according to Aisling Meehan. Security for the child taking on the farm is essential too she warned that parents who retain too much control run the risk of “strangling the business”. She said: “The child taking over the farm should be able to get on with it and do what they want to do, without having to get the parent to sign off on it.”
spaces and three new spaces were built in Louth and Meath
In response to Ms McDonald’s query, Tusla said that “in line with the priority which the Irish government is attaching to tackling domestic, sexual and gender based violence, Tusla will double the number of refuge spaces over the lifetime of the strategy, bringing it to 280”.
It said: “It will deliver 24 new refuge spaces by the end of 2024.”
Ms McDonald said that while the publication of the Third National Strategy and Implementation Plan marked a step change by the Government in tackling and eliminating domestic, sexual and genderbased violence, more needs to be done.
“Strong as the Strategy is, it falls woefully short on refuge provision, oversight, and the multi-annual budgets needed to deliver on its commitments,” the Sinn Féin leader said.
“These are big challenges that must be overcome, and quickly.
“Ireland is not meeting its legal obligations under the Istanbul Convention on refuge provision and the stark reality is that this will not change over the lifetime of the Strategy unless there is a rapid upscaling of safe accommodation for victims and their children with the appropriate wraparound supports and services.
“It is my expectation that the Department of Justice, with the support of the Taoiseach [Leo Varadkar], and his officials will work with Safe Ireland and the existing network of local Domestic Violence services to ramp up delivery of safe accommodation and refuge places.
Local drivers are being warned not to spend big money for fake licences.
The warning comes amid reports of a fake licence scheme operating in certain parts of the country, includ-
ing Kilkenny and Carlow, with Gardaí advising of the serious legal implications of engaging with such.
Paying for a licence in this way is illegal and a serious criminal offence.
Bowie Day, Ryan’s Bar’s annual Starman extravaganza returns to Friary Street on Saturday February 4. The action kicks off at 21;30 with live music from The Blackstars with special guests (Canice Kenealy Sylvia Knox, Aoife Meagher, John Christina and Bob Murphy), Tony Cleere, The
Rays, Captain Anchor and Banjaxed, MC’d kindly by Martin Bridgeman.
In The Back Room, the Let’s Dance DJ’s (Iain Mullen, Edel Crean, Johnnie Jukebox and Chris Coffey) will have you putting on your red shoes and dancing the blues until the early hours!
According to organising committee member Aoife Meagher, proceeds from the night will go to Cois Nore Cancer Support Centre Kilkenny. “This event is in memory of three dearly departed friends, Peter Round, Willie Meighan and Roisin Fitzgerald,” she told The Kilkenny Observer.
There will also be a raffle on the night and any prizes/donations are kindly appreciated.
Bowie’s career was marked by reinvention and visual presentation, and his music and stagecraft had a significant impact on contemporary popular music.
A collapse in lamb prices in recent months will have longterm consequences for the sector, the President of the Irish Natura and Hill Farmers Association, Vincent Roddy, has warned
With prices said to be over €30/ha down on last year and feed costs significantly increasing, Mr Roddy said many farmers would not be able to sustain the losses much longer.
Farmers must see prices rise by at least 70c to €6.50/kg if they are to have any sort of return on store lambs this year.
In a letter to Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue, he has called for the urgent establishment of a sheep sector task-force.
“Our request is justified given the ongoing turbulence in the sheep sector and the need to develop a strategic long-term plan for the sector,” he said.
Mr Roddy said the task-force would need to address current lamb prices and prospects for spring 2023, including possible market opportunities, EU and international trade agreements and possible support through EU Exceptional Aid.
“There is no doubt that farmers, especially those that finish lambs, are currently taking a heavy hit as we see prices fall week on week,” he said. “There is a real concern that many of those farmers will not be buying the volumes of lamb this summer and autumn, which will also have a major impact on the store lamb trade.
“Confidence, especially amongst finishers, is very low and they need to be given some assurances regarding price and markets.”
Mr Roddy said a task-force
with clear terms of reference and timescale should be in a position to point a way forward and provide a level of clarity to all sheep farmers and “hopefully” instil a level of confidence in the industry.
Teagasc forecasted margins from sheep production to decline further this year, with current prices insufficient to cover increased costs of production.
Feed prices are to increase by 10%, with no weakening of fertiliser prices, which have increased 195% on 2021 levels, according to Mr Roddy.
IT might seem a fair way o , but the month of May and the traditional First Holy Communions will be here before you know it. It’s a time for celebration and family and an increasingly popular way to mark the occasion is to hold a Communion Party. But it’s a trend that often piles pressure and extra costs on parents to entertain visiting relatives. If you wish to go down this route, you have two options; host a party in your own home, or head to a restaurant for a family meal. For parties in the home, your best option is to hire a caterer to look after the food. It’s easy to underestimate how busy you’ll be in the lead up to the special day and
the last thing you need is the stress of making countless dishes. Find a caterer to suit your needs and tastes. Con rm exact numbers with relatives and keep the caterer informed about the party size. Choose a simple menu with popular choices that everyone will enjoy. If you get the caterer to cover the main dishes, you can easily bulk it up with a few home-prepared salads and bread rolls. Alternatively, if your guests are close friends and relatives, consider asking them to help out by bringing a dish. A couple of lasagnes and pasta salads can act as staples and you can add shop bought sliced meats, vegetables and deli coleslaws etc. Kids will be just as happy with the
party reliable of cocktail sausages, wedges and chicken tenders.
If it is not possible or practical to host guests in your home, contact your local hotel or restaurants to pick a cost friendly option. Most places will be glad to accommodate you and many o er set menus
If the weather permits and you are inviting many children, a bouncy castle is always a welcome addition to a party. Being Ireland, though, it’s a good idea to have a couple of indoor tricks up your sleeve. How about a children’s magician?
And it wouldn’t hurt to have a supply of family-friendly DVDs and games consoles, for older siblings and relatives.
of her. You could almost hear the shrill cries and pipes, and smell the strange spices and aromas of an Eastern Slave Market.
Part 2
Molly is now called downstairs to be ‘inspected’ by the dreadful Paudhaun, aka ‘The Dacent Boy’ who is on the hunt for a slavey/ wife . And his vicious mother? – I must mention her. And even their poor innocent house cat has been made savage!
When reading this tale, be aware that in those far days of doubtful birth registration, girls were often wed even younger than the legal marriage age – set disgracefully for girls at the tender age of twelve; for boys, fourteen.
…Now Molly is standing on the bottom stairstep, in the shadowy candle and fire-lit old farm kitchen; our narrator, her small sister, is hiding behind the bannister, watching and
listening…… “C’mere, young wan,” the father snapped. Molly stepped down onto the kitchen floor. Stepped no further. As soon as her feet touched the flagstones, something utterly mysterious happened. It was a night of hard frost; there was a frigid stillness all over the world, yet suddenly, from nowhere, came a tiny whirling current of air – a very small sí gaoithe {shee-gee - ‘fairy wind’}. It riffled through Molly’s hair, then brushed the candle in Paudhaun’s jam-jar lantern - and out went the light.
“That tiny breeze – it seemed to have a faint glow about it - then swiped my face – softly, gently - as it spun its ghostly way up the twisting stairs. I then heard the windows panes in our room rattle lightly, as if some wee spirit was seeking to get away, to be out of this unhappy house.
Whatever strange entity had entered our home
- drifted through our kitchen playing its own small games, and then eddying away out into the dark frigid fields – we were unafraid. Afterwards, we both felt the same way about it: maybe it was a little message from our dear mother - a reminder that love existed still, somewhere in our lives.
The two men hadn’t seemed to notice the strange zephyr; maybe they weren’t intended to. They only cursed the doused light. The candle was re-lit with a twig from the fire.
…”Go ahead, now, Paudhaun - she doesn’t look it, but she’s of age now, so nothin’ to stop you, boyo! Look all yiz wants to – yiz’ll be seeing a lot more of her soon, anyway,” laughed my father, using that coarse voice that always came on him in drink.
Molly still didn’t move. Not a muscle, not a shiver or shudder. You couldn’t say the same for me...
The Dacent Boy now moved over, right in front
He lowered the candle down, almost to her insteps, and then lifted the glimmering light slowly up along her body, lingering in a sickeningly obscene fashion over the full length - and the conjunction of - her legs. Up then along the cotton dress that clung to her hips and waist, and even more slowly on to the soft swelling outlines of her forming womanhood.
There was a sharp intake of breath - and the light swung away, sharply.
It hadn’t even reached the girl’s proud face. But her face, of course, was of no interest to him. And his glim never reached the russet brown hair - the loveliest jewel in the young life of Molly Connolly. He knew – but without caring - that she was staring coldly past him, her eyes fixed on a non-existent point, away behind him. A thousand miles behind him….
Molly, in spite of the horrible scene, effortlessly preserved her dignityand didn’t ‘give an inch.’ “Well, what d’ya think now, Paudhaun?”
asked my father, in that slleeveen-ish whiskeyvoice of his. The Dacent Boy came back with just two words. Two ignorant, degrading words “She’ll do”.
Himself and my father now moved towards the door, muttering to each other. Then the clear cold voice of Molly spun them round. “Is the Fair over, then, father? How much did that lout bid for this animal you’re selling? Was he the only bloody bidder? “ In a sudden rush of drink-fuelled fury father roared “get back up to yer bed, yeh filthymouthed young tramp, yeh – I’ll soon be rid o’ yeh – snotty little bitch! Paudhaun’ll bloody fix yeh – he’ll put bloody manners on yeh!”
Molly didn’t know how near the mark she was about another bidder. There had been another suitor – but she knew nothing of his offer. She now held father’s bullystare, until he broke; then she turned quietly and came up the stairs to the bedroom. I had just got in the door in time.
“You were listening –weren’t you?” she asked. I nodded. “No matter, I would have told you, anyway”. I started crying, but she gave me a hug -
and a little shake. “None o’ that, now, Babsie - {my ‘pet’ name} - “did you hear everything? Bloody hell!” - {language, Molly!} – “did you see the way that filthy lutheraun looked me up and down? You’re too young to know, but that kind of look spells big trouble. He’s got me in his head now, and I’ll have to watch where I walk, what I do.
“Don’t think different, Babsie – that lad’s out to get me.. I could see it in his dirty feckin’ oul eyes. If he can grab me up that lonely lane that we have to travel, the brute can do anything he wants to me. And who’ll be around to save me - or naysay him? I’m ‘promised’ - and that’s it: fair game for him now, for the tramp.
“Make no mistake, Babsie – the ‘deal’ is done. Money has changed hands. I’m afraid now, but more for you than myself… who’ll look after you if I’m gone?....
To be continued……
Ned E.
Disclaimer
The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of The Kilkenny Observer.
display was top class.
show.
In December 2022, Lake Productions produced a Christmas Concert at The Set Theatre on John Street, Kilkenny. The two-hour concert saw over ten acts perform everything from comedy, music, singing and dance. The show was a huge success and the talent on
Members of the audience on the night spoke of the calibre of performance and the two hundred strong attendance showed their appreciation with heartfelt applause.
Founding member of Lake Productions, Emily Kelly explained that the theatre company, founded in 2018, was delighted to be involved and happy to produce the
“The ethos of the group is community involvement, and when you see the quality and the talent all around us in Kilkenny you have to show it off” said Emily.
Ms Kelly also said that producing shows is not all about making money.
“Sheila Ryan does incredible work with Kilimanjaro Direct, and we felt the need to show our support, and
what better way to do that than by doing what we know best” continued Emily.
Prior to her departure to Kilimanjaro, founding member of the charity, Sheila Ryan met with sponsors and producers to accept a cheque to help fund continuing work on her project.
Speaking with The Kilkenny Observer newspaper, Sheila said she was thrilled
with both the concert and the response, by way of support.
“Fundraising is such an essential part of our work and although finance is a constant battle, you just have to keep going” said Sheila. She explained that funds raised by the Concert was going to enable the charity to purchase laptops for the students at her African school.
Sheila thanked the performers who participated, and those who attended or sent donations.
“I am truly grateful to all, and I would like to say a special word of thanks to sponsors UPMC, Fran Grincell Properties and The Leadership Partnership”, commented Sheila.
Sheila came to Kilkenny in 1979 at twenty-one years of age and taught Music and
English in the Presentation Secondary school. This post was hers for forty-one years. She now lives in Kilimanjaro, running her charity, and travels back to Kilkenny regularly to see family and friends. Her charity work began in 2005 by bringing food to families and then she and others started building houses for people with disabilities.
A teacher for 41 years at
the Presentation Secondary School in Kilkenny, Sheila knows first-hand the transformational impact education has on the lives of young people.
After a holiday in 2005 Sheila was moved when she witnessed first-hand the desperate living conditions of some people, many of them children living in mud huts with no access to a decent education.
Fast forward two years and the charity, Kilimanjaro Direct, was born. Since then a school, the Liberty English Medium Primary School, has been set up and 14 homes have been built.
The charity relies mainly on voluntary donations and over the years the people of Kilkenny have been incredible in supporting the cause. Sheila, who moved full time to Tanzania two years ago,
was recently back home in the Marble City.
Sheila explained that the rising cost of fuel and climate change was driving up costs for the charity.
“It is very difficult at the moment for everyone and people here are struggling as well with the rising cost of fuel and food,” she said.
“We are seeing this as well, as fuel prices are going up all the time and we have
four buses operating to bring the children to and from school.
The positive impact of the work of the charity is clearly evident and the youngsters continue to thrive academically”, continued Sheila.
Kilimanjaro Direct (KD) is a charity that has built 14 houses and a primary school in the foothills of Kilimanjaro, Tanzania.
Claire Phelan, general
manager of UPMC Aut Even Hospital, And Fergus Horgan of The Leader partnership joined with Ger Cody of Lake Productions to present Sheila with the proceeds of the concert.
Both Claire and Fergus commented that they found the work carried out by Sheila and her team was inspirational and that they were happy to support the cause.
By Leah McDonnell
Twilight Youth Inclusion Group was back with a bang to start the new year on Saturday 14th January 2023.
e youths have an exciting year ahead of them, with their schedule jam-packed with lots of fun activities and trips in the coming weeks.
From bowling to Zumba classes and bingo, the fun never stops. Let’s not forget about our fun, interactive and
educative workshops that we have planned for the year ahead with some fantastic people coming in to meet our youths and facilitate these workshops. We also have our Youth Exchange planned which takes place each summer as part of the Erasmus + Programme. Each week, our youths get the opportunity to meet friends, new and old, and learn about the di erent cultures and communities within the group. Coming to the club each Saturday after a long, stressful week in school allows our youth to relax, chill
out, and, most importantly, have fun!
Last week our youth group enjoyed some fun games and activities planned by their two youth leaders Leah McDonnell and Liam Mungovan. ey enjoyed some pool, team-building activities and ice breakers to welcome some of our newer members.
We are always looking for new ways to improve our youth inclusion group and ensure that all our members feel safe and welcome in the space each week.
Ania Adamowska, a Zumba and Fitness Instructor in Kilkenny brought some great music and amazing dance moves to our Youth Group.
She got our youths onto their feet, and they danced like no one was watching! ey had fun with their friends, laughed, sang and built on the con dence that they didn’t know they had. She spoke about how important it is to move your body, stay active and most importantly to love yourself for who you
are. Afterall, it doesn’t matter who you are or where you come from, everyone can dance! She truly inspired our youth with her positive attitude, that they now want a dance class every week! is Zumba Class is one of the many activities in our activeness project, that is funded by the RTÉ Toy Show Appeal. To make all of our exciting activities, trips and workshops possible, Twilight Youth Inclusion Group receives funding from Léargas, the RTÉ Toy Show Appeal and Erasmus + to name a few. We also organize fundraisers such as our successful Halloween and Christmas Ra e that were organized last year. Without the fabulous contributors and fundraising throughout the year, we would not be able to provide our youths with such great experiences and opportunities. Twilight Youth Inclusion Group Kilkenny as part of Twilight Community Groups provides a weekly youth group for young people in Kilkenny and the South East. is group operates free of charge for all our members. We are currently expanding our space, with the development of a brand new fully equipped games room. In the coming months, we will also be expanding by putting in a state of the art ‘quiet room’, which will be used by our youths as a safe space they can use when they feel overwhelmed or just need a break!
Prep:15 mins
Cook:45 mins (or 6 hrs 15 in a slow cooker)
Serves: 4
Our healthy vegan chilli recipe packs in plenty of vegetables and doesn’t fall short on the avour front. Serve it with rice or in jacket potatoes for a lling supper.
Ingredients
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into medium chunks
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 2 celery sticks, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1-2 tsp chilli powder (depending on how hot you like it)
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• 1 red pepper, cut into chunks
• 2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes
• 400g can black beans, drained
• 400g can kidney beans, drained
• lime wedges, guacamole, rice and coriander to serve
Method
STEP 1
Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/ gas 6. Put the sweet potato in a roasting tin and drizzle over 1½ tbsp oil, 1 tsp smoked paprika and 1 tsp ground cumin. Give everything a good mix so that all the chunks are coated in spices, season with salt and pepper, then roast for 25 mins until cooked.
STEP 2
Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onion, carrot and celery. Cook for 8-10 mins, stirring occasionally until soft, then crush in the garlic and cook for 1 min more. Add the remaining dried spices and tomato purée. Give everything a good mix and cook for 1 min more.
STEP 3
Add the red pepper, chopped tomatoes and 200ml water. Bring the chilli to a boil, then simmer for 20 mins. Tip in the beans and cook for another 10 mins before adding the sweet potato. Season to taste then serve with
lime wedges, guacamole, rice and coriander. Will keep, in an airtight container in the freezer, for up to three months.
To make in a slow cooker Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the onion, carrot and celery.
Cook for 8-10 mins, stirring occasionally until soft, then crush in the garlic, tip in the sweet potato chunks and cook for 1 min more. Add all the dried spices, oregano and tomato purée, cook for 1 min, then tip into a slow cooker.
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 35 mins
Serves: 2
Enjoy a delicious plant-based dinner with this vegan rice and bean one-pot. It’s packed with all ve of your ve-a-day, as well as iron, Vitamin C and bre.
Ingredients
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion (180g), nely chopped
• 4 celery sticks, nely chopped
• 1 yellow pepper, chopped
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• ½ tsp chilli akes
• ½ tsp dried oregano
• 115g brown basmati rice
• 400g can chopped tomatoes
• 2 garlic cloves, nely grated
• 400g butter beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 tsp vegetable bouillon powder
• large handful of parsley, chopped
Method
STEP 1
Heat the oil in a large pan set over a high heat and fry the onion, celery and pepper, stirring
Add the red pepper and chopped tomatoes. Give everything a good stir then cook on low for 5 hrs. Stir in the beans and cook for another 30 mins to 1 hr. Season to taste and serve with lime wedges, guacamole, rice and coriander.
occasionally, for 5 mins until starting to soften and colour.
STEP 2
Stir in the spices and rice, then tip in the tomatoes and a can of water. Stir in the garlic, beans and bouillon. Bring to a simmer, then cover and cook for 25 mins until the rice is tender and has absorbed most of the liquid. Keep an eye on the pan towards the end of the cooking time to make sure it doesn’t boil dry – if it starts to catch, add a little more water. Stir in the parsley and serve hot.
Amazon Studios’ Jack Ryan continues to enthral, as Tom Clancy’s most popular character delves into the world of CIA adventures. Jack Ryan Season 3 received rave reviews and there’s plenty of anticipation for Season 4. But so far very little is known about Season 4. However, there are a few titbits we’ve picked up on. is is everything you need to know about the forthcoming season.
Jack Ryan Season 4 release date is is currently uncon rmed but it’s been con rmed that Season 3 and Season 4 were lmed
1. AI Arti cial Intelligence
e movie on Apple + TV and Google Play Movies follows a highly-advanced and unique android, which has been programmed with the human emotion of love. He lives with Henry and Monica Swinton and develops child-like love for Monica after his imprint protocol gets activated. ings go downhill when their son, Martin, returns home after recovering from an ailment. He gets jealous and has David thrown out of the house. David is abandoned in the woods by Monica with the robotic soft toy Teddy as his sole companion. is poignant heart-warming drama o ers a unique take on the mother-son relationship and humanises robots.
2. Bicentennial Man
Starring Robin Williams in the lead role as an NDR android, Andrew, the movie on Net ix will make you laugh and cry with its moving narrative. e Martin family brings Andrew home, who is designed to do housework. However, Andrew is special and discovers his ability to feel human emotions. He requests his owner, Richard Martin, to set him free. Once free, he goes on a quest to seek other special NDR robots like him and make his dream of becoming a human reality.
back-to-back, so Season 4 is complete. We suspect that Amazon will want to spread the release out, and it would make sense to make it a winter release, so we’d speculate that December 2023 would make sense but this is uncon rmed.
Is there a trailer for Jack Ryan Season 4? No, so far there’s been very little o cial, except for conrmation.
What to expect from Season 4
So far the di erent seasons of Jack Ryan have o ered pretty much stand-alone
storylines. e thing tying those storylines together is the characters. But in that there’s a small hint about what to expect.
One of the characters expected to make an appearance is Ding Chavez, expected to be played by Michael Peña. Ding Chavez is a central character in the Tom Clancy novels, a key component of Rainbow Six, following introduction to Jack Ryan in Clear and Present Danger.
As for the storyline itself, little is known, but we’re expecting Abbie Cornish to return as Cathy, Jack Ryan’s love interest, which might suggest a slightly more sta-
ble setting than in Jack Ryan Season 3.
How many episodes in Season 4?
at’s currently unknown, but we’re predicting that Amazon Studios will stick to eight episodes.
Will there be a Season 5 of Jack Ryan?
It has already been conrmed that Jack Ryan will come to an end with Season 5, but you can never say never when it comes to television. e introduction of Michael Peña is expected by many to drive a new central character for future expansions.
Net ix is reportedly pushing for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to lm an at-home docuseries. e streaming platform wants Prince Harry and wife to capitalise on the release of his memoir Spare.
A source said: “Harry’s memoir has certainly been a talking point, and while many may think that executives would be annoyed at the volume of revelations in Spare versus the show, in truth they were di erent scenarios.
“ ey scored great viewing gures and want a second bite
of the pie,” the source said.
“ e gloves are o now for Harry, and Net ix feels they are in prime position for a second project.”
e source said: “Some in the marketing team at Net.
ix were disappointed that Meghan and Harry did not go out on a media tour for the show. Harry’s willingness to go on TV for Spare has raised eyebrows. But the hope is that they will promote future projects.”
Harry and Meghan released a six-part series in December.
e pair have signed a multiyear deal to make TV series, lms and children’s shows for Net ix, as part of their new careers away from the frontline of the royal family.
“Our lives, both independent of each other and as a couple, have allowed us to understand the power of the human spirit, of courage, resilience and the need for connection,” the couple said in a statement.
“ rough our work with diverse communities and their environments, to shining a light on people and causes
around the world, our focus will be on creating content that informs but also gives hope. As new parents, making inspirational family programming is also important to us, as is powerful storytelling through a truthful and relatable lens.”
“Harry and Meghan have inspired millions of people all around the world with their authenticity, optimism and leadership,” said Ted Sarandos, a co-chief executive and the chief content o cer at Net ix.
3. Better an Us is Russian series on Net ix o ers a scary glimpse into a human-robot relationship. e story is set in the year 2029 (imagine, just a few years from now!) with super-advanced androids working alongside. Arisa is one such advanced robot illegally smuggled into Russia from China. Arisa is housed in Cronos Corporation. However, she ees after killing a man who wants to use her for his sexual needs. She then meets a little girl named Sonia and ends up living with her family comprising her father, Georgy Safronov, and her anti-robot brother Egor. e series follows three narratives – one of Arisa and her relationship with the three; second of Egor, his girlfriend and their anti-android group; and third Viktor Toropov, the head of Cronos.
4. Her e movie on Amazon Prime o ers a poignant take on the human-AI relationship through the protagonists’ story. It follows eodore Twombly (Joaquin Phoenix) and his relationship with Samantha (Scarlett Johansson, in voice), an Arti cial Intelligence-enabled virtual assistant. Following his impending divorce, a depressed eodore buys an operating system that has an in-built virtual assistant that can evolve and grow by absorbing her surroundings. eodore is fascinated by Samantha and the two develop a special bond. e movie is scary yet thought-provoking.
5. Westworld
Set in a dystopian world, the series now on Disney + is based on the 1973 movie of the same name. Set in the 2050s, the events in the series take place in a futuristic amusement park called Westworld. e ‘Hosts’ of the park are human-like in appearance and are built to ful l every human wish — including sexual and violent activities. e Hosts are programmed not to harm humans in any way. eir every human interaction is based on a narrative and their memory is wiped out after the narrative is complete.
LOTTO
Lotto Results - Tuesday 17th January. Numbers: 1, 5, 14. No Winner. Next weeks Jackpot is €1600.Lucky Dip winners - €30 each to Michael Bergin, Bill O’Kee e, Sinéad Murphy, Ronan Phelan, David Partridge.
COUNTY HURLING
Paul Cody started again for Kilkenny as they exited the Walsh Cup in front of a bumper 15,000 plus attendance in Wexford Park on Saturday evening. The home side struck late to claim a narrow victory but Paul Cody impressed again by scoring two points and getting fouled for two more. He worked diligently throughout and such an experience in front of a big crowd will surely stand to him going forward. John Murphy and Conor Phelan were also involved in the Kilkenny backroom.
LAST MAN STANDING
Last Man Standing Clara Fundraiser. One week to go to the start of Last Man Standing Allianz Football League Competition. Join the fun, your chance to win €500. Competition entry €10 up until 12 noon on 28th January when games start. Play now on Klubfunder (same app as Lotto!) Log in, Pay entry fee, select your team and you are in. Link also on club social media , share with friends, follow progress on Klubfunder. Thanks for your support.
HANDBALL NEWS
Well done to our u12 boys on Friday night, Stephen McCormack and Fionn Brannigan who put in a fine performance to claim a county title. Great job again at O’Loughlin Gaels Handball.
LEINSTER CHAMPION
Well done to O’Loughlin Gaels Camogie player Aoife Shealy who was part of the Loreto Kilkenny Camogie Team that won the schools Junior Leinster Final at the weekend. Lovely hurling.
CLUB LOTTO
Funds raised from club lotto help our juvenile teams with training and playing equipment. Your support is greatly appreciated. Please play our lotto. Sign up for weekly, monthly or annual options and be in with a chance to win up to €20,000. Tickets on sale in the club or at www.oloughlingaels/lotto. We wish to thank all of those currently signed up for their continued support.
EMERALDS GAA CLUB
Mega Bingo: Every Sunday, 4pm at Urlingford GAA pitch. Gates open at 3pm. Single books and one sheet €10; Double books and two sheets €15. Extra jackpot sheet €3 or two for €5. Please support.
EMERALDS URLINGFORD AND GRAINE LOTTO
January 16th 2023 prize fund was: €11,200. Jackpot: €9,200. Numbers drawn: 9, 15, 25, 27, bonus no 30. No winner and no match 3 winners. Five lucky dips of €20 each: Patricia Brennan, Ann Guilfoyle, Sean Doherty, Fiona Joyce, William Lowry. Promoters prize: Bingo.
MILL FAMILY RESOURCE CENTRE
LTI Pathway to Employment course QQI Level 4: LTI is recruiting for the new programme in the Centre commencing shortly. If anyone is interested in completing this full-time course, please contact us for an expression of interest form. More details can be found on our website www.millfrcurlingford.com
Defibrillator: Please note that there is a defibrillator located in the Mill Family Resource Centre if and when it may be required.
Senior Alert: If you need to apply for a Personal Alarm, please contact Sue or Josephine.
Counselling Services: Our low cost Counselling Services, includes one-to-one, family and teens, aged 12+. General Counselling: Bereavement, Stress, Anxiety and Depression.
Other Counselling Services available: Drug, substance and gambling addictions.
Play therapy is now also available. Please contact Sue for more information or to make an appointment.
Appeal for Clothes Donations: Any clothes donations would be appreciated in aid of our counselling services. Donations can be le into the Centre, please call before dropping o .
Contact number for the Centre 056 8838466.
THANKS
The organising committee of the New Year’s Eve Happy Valley Tractor Run wish to thank everyone involved who helped make this fundraising event such a great success.
Sincere thanks to Norton Engineering for providing their yard as a base, to all the sponsors, stewards, road marshals, ticket sellers, those who donated ra le prizes and items for the auction and everyone who took part on the day. All proceeds are being donated to Cois Nore Cancer Support Centre, Kilkenny.
SET DANCING
In Urlingford Community Centre, every Tuesday at 8.30pm. Dancing to live music with Danny Webster. Sets called by Paddy Martin. Come along for a great night of dancing!
URLINGFORD ARMS SPLIT THE POT
This week’s winner of Split the Pot is Lorraine Bourke who will receive €505. Congrats Lorraine.
Tickets €2 on sale in participating businesses in town with proceeds this week going to Urlingford NS Parents’ Association, thanks to everyone for their support.
SUPERVISED STUDY
In Graine Hall every Saturday from 9am to 1pm and 2pm to 5pm.Cost: €5 half day, €8 full day. For enquiries, please contact Siobhan 087 2601490.
URLINGFORD / GRAINE DEFIBRILLATOR GROUP
In case of emergency, call: 085 2726396.
URLINGFORD NEWS
Anyone wishing to submit news items, club events, announcements etc can do so by emailing urlingfordnotes@gmail.com. If you have any photos you wish to include, please forward them to the email address.
COURSING WINNERS
All roads lead to Clonmel in February with some local winners over the weekend at the Coursing. Greyhound
“Handsome Tim”, owned by Stacey and Tim Davies, trained by local lad Tommy Flynn won Derby Trial Stake in Tubercurry, Sligo. Last year the Late Tom Beckett won the same Trial Stake with Handsome Rusty. While back in Sevenhouses in Kilkenny, local syndicate of Willie Walsh, Eoin O’Donnell, Jonathan Doheny and Denis Lennon, won Oaks Trial Stake with greyhound ‘ Fiadhs Future”, this greyhound is trained by Denis Lennon. So big congrats to all local success over the weekend and best of luck to all involved in the National Meeting in Clonmel for the three day event, starting Sunday 5th February.
SYMPATHY
Sympathy is extended to Ms. Noreen Frazer, Woodview,
Freshford on the death last week of her sister Teresa in the UK. Funeral will take place later. Sympathy is also extended also to Ms.Pat Anderson of Woodview on the recent death of her brother Eric Roche late of Skeaugh, Callan. Funeral mass took place in the Church of the Assumption Callan followed by burial in Kilbride Cemetery.
CAFE
The new Community Café at Buncrussia Street which opened just before Christmas and had a busy period over the Christmas period is proving to be very popular in the village to date. The Loop Café is serving some beautiful homemade food. The Café which is run on a voluntary basis is open Tuesday to Saturday each week from 10am to 4pm, so why not go along for a co ee or a snack and meet your friends for a chat as well as supporting the new venture
BABY GIRL
Congratulations are extended to Paul Phelan and his partner Grace of Woodview, Freshford on the birth last week of their baby daughter and also to her big sister Eilis.
SQUASH
Congrats to young local lad Nathan Walsh from Sart, Freshford who won the Munster U13 Junior closed recently winning the final without dropping a set. Well done to young Nathan who is a promising young player with a bright future ahead.
COMMUNITY ALERT
Freshford /Threecastles Community Alert Group remind people that the annual text Alert scheme membership is now due. It cost just €10 per phone number for this service and to enrol or pay up your fee you can contact any of the following committee members. John Bergin, Jacinta Power, Anna Morrissey, Mick Cormack. New members are always very welcome and the group thank all those for their continued support. They would like to remind people that during these dark evenings to be vigilant towards your property and your neighbours and keep an eye out for anything suspicious and report same to Kilkenny Garda Station on 056 775500
The AGM will be held in Freshford Community Hall this week. All welcome.
GAA
St.Lachtains held their AGM recently with a good crowd in attendance. The following o icers and committee were elected for the forthcoming season: President – J Dermody – Vice Presidents – P.Butler (Bowsie), Tom Hayes, Paddy Butler, and Paddy White – Chairman – Johnny Fitzpatrick, Vice Chairman- Kevin Dalton, Secretary – Sheila Killeen, Ass. Secretary – Mary McGree, Treasurer – Bryan Kavanagh, Ass Treasurer – JP Kavanagh, PRO – Brendan Quinn, Bord na nOg Chairman – Owen Dalton Child Welfare O icer – P. Murphy, Health Club O icer – M.McGree, Safety O icer – P.Donnelly, Players Reps – P.Killeen and P.Campion. Co Board Rep. P White, Irish O icer – L.Kennedy. Registers – K.Dalton and S., Committee – E.Hickey, E.Ryan, O.O’Connor, M.Ryan, T.Kennedy, T.Campion, J.Kavanagh, J.Bowden, J.Burke, M.McCarthy and L.McGree.
Bord na nOg Annual Meeting will be held on Friday 27th@7:30pm in Clubrooms. All Welcome especially Parents/Guardians/Coaches. If at all possible can one parent from each family attend.
LAST MAN STANDING
That time of year again when the national hurling league comes back into action. St Lachtain’s will again this year be running a Last Man Standing competition with fantastic prize of €350 for the winner and €50 for the seller of the winner. Starting on the 4th of February and Entries must be in at 12 noon on the day of the first game each weekend.
Entries can be given to any player or committee member. Please read the rules carefully
DARTS
The Freshford and District Darts League is now back in full action a er a break over the Christmas period and continues each Friday night and Sunday evenings.
BIG THANK YOU
The Woodview residents association have through their Chairman expressed satisfaction for a job well done by Treeline. The trees have got a well-earned pruning and topping in a most environmentally clean manner. The Association also paid tribute to the Parks Department of Kilkenny County Council and singled out Local Cllr Mick McCarthy who coordinated the work and ensured the topping was carried out to a very high standard.
SOCCER
Freshford Town junior side got a well-earned result
when they shared the points on Sunday last when they drew 2-2 in an away game to Stoneyford Utd. Shane Donnelly and Alan Ra ae rscored for Freshford. Meanwhile the U14boys lost out to Evergreen in their home league game on Saturday last.
PARISH NEWS
Mass is held in the Parish Church each Wednesday morning at 9.30am and on Sunday morning at 11am. With Mass in Tulla church on Saturday evenings at 7.30pm.
Notices
The parish newsletter is available on their website every week and also on the website you are free to pay your dues and make donations or any other contributions and you can find out more about it on the website or feel free to contact in the Parish O ice. Please note community notices for the parish newsletter should be le in or emailed to the Parish O ice by 11am on Thursdays. Parish o ice hours are Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 9am to 1pm. Mass Cards
Special printed parish cards are available at the Parish O ice or from Annette at Tulla Church signed by Monsignor Kennedy. You can contact the Parish o ice on 056 8832843 or by email – freshfordd@ossory.ie. Contact Mongr Kieron Kennedy on that number or on 087 25235 21
HELP FOR ALL
Are you struggling with anxiety or depression or finding life di icult or feeling isolated at this time GROW is there to help you. Their Mental Health support Groups are free and confidential and open to all no referral or booking is needed. For more information on same you can contact Mary on 087 284342
If you can’t cope and need support text HELLO to 50808.
SAMARITAN - Whatever you’re going through a Samaritan will face it with you – available 24 hours a day 365 days a year – Freephone 1161Alone is available for older people who need support and you can call them on 0818 222024 (8am to 8pm)
AMBER KILKENNY WOMENS REFUGE – is available for confidential support relating to domestic violencecall them on 1850 424244 (24/7) or on 056 7771404 or email into@amberwomensrefuge.ie.
KILMOGANNY BRIDGE CLUB
The bridge results for 18/1/2023: 1st Catherine Burke and Helan Lanigan BG Gerry FitzGerald and; Kitty Meagher. 2nd Jackie Kenneally and Betty Cuddihy. Bridge is every Wednesday night at 7.30pm in St. Eoghans Centre, Kilmoganny. All welcome.
LOCAL LOTTO
Results for 16th January 2023 Winning numbers 7,15,35. No Winner. Draw for 5 x €30. John Fitz (Dunphy’s), Rita Grace (Ellen Delehunty,) CKE (Niamh O Donovan) Billy O Meara ( Aidan Farrell) Aoife O Neill (Anne Hickey).
SCHOOL ENROLMENT
St Leonards National School Dunnamaggin is now taking enrolments for September 2023. Please email dunnamagginschool@gmail.com or phone 083 1208221 for a form. Closing date is March 16th.
WORLD WETLANDS DAY
Birdwatch Ireland Kilkenny Branch have organised an outing to Newpark Fen on Saturday 4th February @10am (meet at Newpark Fen) to celebrate World Wetlands Day. It will follow the path around the marsh and point out the various species of birds that are seen and heard, identify bird calls and song and some plants along the route. Please wear suitable hiking boots and warm waterproof clothing in case of inclement weather. Email patandmarydurkin@gmail. com for further details.
DATE FOR YOUR DIARY
March 5th the Dunna Dash is happening in aid of St Leonard’s National School.
KRSP
Kilkenny Recreation and Sports Partnership present a10-week programme of Chair Based Exercises each Monday morning at 9.30am in Droichead Family Resource Centre, Callan. Cost for this 10-week programme is €20. This programme is a gentle exercise programme with plenty of chat and we welcome all older adults and adults with additional needs. The programme starts on 16th January until 27th March excluding February 6th. For anybody who needs help with booking call Seamus on 087 3567884 or email seamus@krsp.ie The link to register online is https:// krspcallancbejanuary2023.eventbrite.ie
DROICHEAD FAMILY RESOURCE CENTRE
Food Bank available in Droichead FRC, The Old CBS, West Street, Callan R95V380- take what you need. Selection of foods and personal care products available. Deliveries also available, private and confidential service for more info contact Carmel (083) 2098069 or familysupport@droicheadfrc.ie . Inclusive Pilates with Shane Whelan, a 10 week programme to improve core strength, flexibility and mobility begins in Droichead FRC todayWednesday 25th January from 11.30am-1pm. The programme costs €40 and for more info or to book contact Carmel (083) 2098069 or familysupport@droicheadfrc.ie . Knit/ Crochet & Natter returns to Droichead FRC on Friday 13th January from 10am-12pm. A tutor will be on hand to show new skills and classes are open to all beginners/improvers/ advanced. €2 per class to cover the cost of tea and co ee and sewers and fans of other yarn cra s are also welcome. For more info or to book contact Carmel (083) 2098069 or familysupport@droicheadfrc.ie .
GOWRAN PANTO HANSEL AND GRETEL
Panto tickets have gone on sale. Shows run nightly from 14th Feb and finish with a Sunday matinee on 19th (except Thursday as Bingo is on). Tickets are available online at www .gowranpanto.com or by phoning 089 494 1 494. Look out for specials o ers for Valentines and for Families.Special online o er. Family ticket (2 adults + 2 children) only €35 for Tuesday and Wednesday night shows. Don’t miss out!Book now on www.gowranpanto.com (booking fee applies) This years show is Hansel and Gretel
GOWRAN AC
Gold for the U12 boys Sean Farrell, Ross Hutton, Matthew Byrne, and Daniel Greene in the Leinster cross Country Relays in Avondale.
Sixth place for the boys U16 with Odhrán Prendergast, Tómas Carroll, Charlie Ryan and James Kelsey. Well done to all the boys.
GOWRAN ON THE MOVE
Draws are back for of 2023 don’t forget to get your envelopes.
YOUNG IRELANDS GAA
Young Irelands is once again participating in this year’s step challenge. Please join and help out club in the e ort to win an O’Neills voucher up to €2,500.The aim is to collectively walk or run the equivalent of a circuit of Ireland, approximately 4,000kms to be entered to the draw. Steps are tracked on your activity tracker and added to our collective team total so you can add distance in your own time and place.
To join up : Download the MyLife by Irish Life App. Go to the ‘social’ tab at the bottom of the screen. Choose ‘challenges’. Choose ‘Leinster GAA - Every Step Counts 2023’. Select ‘Join’ and ‘Young Irelands’. Don’t forget to sync your trackers in the ‘track’ tab so your steps are recorded.
The club will be running Ireland Lights Up separately at the end of the month on Monday evenings from 30th January.Watch this space for details.
CLUB LOTTO
Dicksboro GAA Club LOTTO Results 19th January.
Nos:15 26 28 30. Jackpot: €6950 Not Won
Draw Prizes – €50: Philip Hogan c/o Phil Hogan. €25 each Orla Morrissey c/o Ian Morrissey €25 each Sophie Phelan c/o Joe Phelan. €25 each Declan Phelan c/o Joe Phelan Hurlers Co Op Ger Power c/o Online. Promotors prize Paddy Maher. Thank you for your continued support.
CLUB REGISTRATION
Members can now renew their membership directly through ClubZap for the 2023 season and instalment options are available. The club asks that all members renew their membership as soon as possible and in particular before teams return to training or games over the next number of weeks.
DICKSBORO COMMUNITY GAMES
Dicksboro (St Canices and St Mary’s Parish) Community Games are looking for volunteers to help with this year’s Games. Please contact club member Conor Hogan if you are interested.
JUNIOR B CAMOGIE
Hard luck to our Junior B Camogie Team who just fell
short to Thomastown Camogie in the Junior B County Final Sunday morning in Palmerstown. Great for the club to have a 3rd Adult Camogie Team and we wish them well for the coming season.
POST PRIMARY SCHOOLS LEINSTER FINAL
Well done to our boro girls who played for Loreto Secondary School over the last week. A huge representation for the club in both Senior and Junior A Teams. Both teams were victorious in winning the Leinster Schools Finals in both divisions. Congratulations to Cara Duggan, Ayesha Belalaoui, Katie Chambers, Angela Carroll, Eimear O’Neill, Sinead Carroll, Eva Tynan, Katie Meighan, Kate Dowling, Aoibhinn Deegan and Emma Hogan on the Junior Team. And to Caoimhe Carroll, Angela Carroll, Amy Cli ord, Rose Kelly, Rachel Dowling, Aishling Browne, Tara McGrath, Isabelle Fahy, Izzy Egan and Izzy Roberts on the Senior Team.
WEDNESDAY PRAYER SERVICE
A Prayer Service is held every Wednesday night at 7pm in Kilmanagh Church. It is 35-40 minutes of quiet time, prayer and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. All are welcome to attend.
ST. VINCENT DE PAUL
The society raised €505 at their recent church door collection. A donation of €120 was also received. Thank you for your support. Remember, if you have di iculties contacting the society for help, you can text the word SVP to Fr. Liam, and he will pass on your number to the society.
MARY’S MEALS
The charity would like to thank all who donated money over Christmas to their work, feeding children in schools in some of the poorest countries of the world. €500 was donated over Christmas, and €500 was also sent in November, again from donations by parishioners. Mary’s Meals are presently feeding over 2.2 million children every day in their place of education. This can only be done through the generosity of people like you. Thank you. www.marysmeals.ie.
FIRST CONFESSION
The first confession will take place in Kilmanagh on March 7th at 7pm.
FIRST HOLY COMMUNION
The First Holy Communion will take place on the 20th May at 11am in Kilmanagh.
CLOGHOGE MONTESSORI
Cloghoge Montessori in Ballycallan Hall is now
enrolling for September 2023. Limited ECCE places available. Beautiful indoor and outdoor environment. Open Mon to Fri 9am to 12pm. Contact: Carmel Everard 086-3768305.
LOCAL LOTTO
Results for 16/01/2023. Numbers drawn were 6; 11; 18 24. No jackpot winner. Lucky Dip winners were Tim Cashin, Linda Murphy & Muireann Walton. Seller’s prizes went to Philomena Brennan and Michael Murphy. Next week’s jackpot will be € 10,000. Draw takes place each Monday at 9pm.
CHRISTMAS ACORN
There are a very limited number of issues le . Contact 086 373 99 83.
RIVER RANGERS SOCCER
Under 14 League Division 2. River Rangers 2 Stoneyford United Boy’s 2 Goalscorer’s were Conor Egan and an O.G. Rangers scored in the 7th minute from a dangerous corner put in from Billy Ronan and it was put in the net by a Stoneyford player. Stoneyford equalised from the penalty spot on the 10th minute, it was 1-1 at half time. Stoneyford scored a second goal on a breakaway from a Rangers corner with 10 mins le . The lads pushed hard for the equaliser and they got their rewards with 2 mins to go when Conor Egan scored from a Billy Ronan corner. The lads battled hard in tough playing conditions and, with a few key players missing, it was a good result in the end.
Team: Donnacha Kenny, Dara Barut, Martin Wall, Joshua Malone, Darragh Burke, Billy Ronan, Conor Egan, Rory Buckley, Nathan Young, Sean O’Dea, Dean Smith, Leo Clarke, Luke Hayes.
Junior KCLR McCalmont Cup. River Rangers B 1 Clover
United 5
A massive day for our B team who play premier Division with Clover today in the 1st round of the cup. On paper you would think Clover should have things handy but that was not the case. Rangers were really playing well and had a few chances in the first half to take the lead but could not finish. A quick Clover free kick caught the Rangers o guard for the first goal to give them the lead. Rangers stuck to the plan and were at times the better team. Unfortunately just before the break Clover got a second goal and at the restart the referee blew for half-time. 2-0 down these lads could have easily put their head down but this was not the case as they stayed plugging away and got a great goal from a header from Murt Doheny who was fantastic throughout.
At 2-1 Clover knew they were in a game as Rangers were now chasing an equalizer and did have chances. A foul on the edge of the box from Rangers allowed Clover to make it 3-1 with a well struck free kick. Rangers were now chasing and pushed on to try make something happen and, as what can happen did, with clover putting 2 more past the Rangers keeper. A close game for most of it and a superb performance from Rangers, every player gave a massive e ort and never threw the towel in. Something definitely to build on going forward and things looking very positive.
Team: Keith Co ey, Peter Murphy, Dean O’Brien, Cathal Dermody, Martin Doheny, Finn Lanigan, Brian Kearney, Dylan Lanigan, Jake O’Brien, Billy Dowling, Jack Fitzpatrick, Ben Hayes, Kieran Dowling, Willie O’Neill, Conor Hogan, Joey Brennan.
Under 19 League Division 1A. River Rangers 2 East End United 2
Another big game for our U19s this week. A er losing 4-1 just 2 weeks ago we were going to try put that right today. We started strong and the lads were well up for it. Showing strength and energy we went 1 up a er about 20 minutes with James Casey the scorer. We pushed on with plenty of pressure and got to hal ime in the lead. Second half was a tight a air with both teams going for it. Rangers Manager Kieran Dowling made a few changes to try and press for another goal. Eastend soaked up the pressure and got the equalizer to make it 1-1. Some tough tackling on a sloppy and heavy pitch, Rangers pushed on again and got their reward with Jake O’Brien slotting home to give Rangers the lead. Eastend never gave up and, with time just up, they got their equalizer for the second time from a corner which was nicely slotted home. A good performance from both sides and a positive step for Rangers who are starting to get things together nicely.
Team: Charlie Cleere, Aiden Cahill, Dean O’Brien, Patrick Foley, Pat Purcell, Billy Dowling, Jake O’Brien, Eoin Egan, James Casey, Michael Harrison, Ben Young,
Billy O’Neill, Aaron McEvoy, Ryan Corcoran. Manager: Kieran Dowling, Assistant Manager: Willie O’Neill. Junior Division 2 League. River Rangers A 2 Tullaroan 6 Rangers started very strong and had gone 1-0 a er 5 minutes a er Billy O’Neill swept a breaking ball into the back of the net. Tullaroan got back into game with a goal. Almost from kicko , Rangers crossed a ball in for Jack Walton to head to the net. The game changed from there on as Rangers were down to 10 men a er 25 minutes for 2 yellow cards. Before hal ime Tullaroan got another goal. An early Tullaroan goal in the 2nd half forced River Rangers to gamble and Tullaroan were able to pick them o and run out 6-2 winners.
RIVER RANGERS FIXTURES
Saturday 28th January. Under 15 St Canice’s Credit Union Division 1A : River Rangers v Stoneyford United in Clonard Park at 11:00am
KILMANAGH NOTES
Anyone wishing to submit news items, events, announcements etc. can do so by email only to elanigan18@gmail.com. If you have any photos that you would like included, please send as an attachment.
MASS TIMES
Aghaviller Paris. Hugginstown. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at 9.30a.m. VigilSaturday 28th. at 8.00p.m. Sunday 29th. at 10.00a.m. Stoneyford. Wednesday 25th. at 7.00p.m. VigilSaturday 28th. at 6.30p.m.; Saturday 28th. St. Thomas Aquinas.
Pray for, Anniversary Masses next weekend: Val Lee, Stoneyford: Mass in Stoneyford Church on Saturday 28th. at 6.30p.m. Walter and Sr. Canice Broderick, Croan. Mass in Hugginstown on Saturday 28th. at 8.00p.m. Tess Farrell, Kyleva: Mass in Hugginstown Church on Sunday 29th. at 10.00a.m. Rota for next week-end: 28th. and 29th. January 2023 .
(Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time)
Readers: Stoneyford: Saturday 6.30p.m. Margaret Ryan. Hugginstown: Saturday 8.00p.m. Tommy Murphy, Sunday 10.00a.m. Noreen Kenneally.
Eucharistic Ministers. Stoneyford: Saturday 6.30p.m. Kitty Wallace. Hugginstown: Saturday 8.00p.m. Mary Cahill, Sunday 10.00a.m. Ruth Crowley. Note: New Rota for Stoneyford Church is now available is Stoneyford Church Sacristy.
MOBILE LIBRARY
Kilkenny County Council Mobile Library will visit Hugginstown on Tuesday 31st. January from 2.20p.m. to 3.00p.m.
FIRST HOLY COMMUNION 2023
Meeting for all Parents of the First Holy Communion Classes will be held during this week: For Monroe/Newmarket Schools: In Hugginstown Church on Tuesday 24th. Jan. at 7.30p.m. For Stoneyford School : In Stoneyford Church on Wednesday 25th. January at 7.30p.m.
AGHAVILLER PARISH FINANCE COMMITTEE
A Meeting of the Committee will be held in the Parish House, Hugginstown on Thursday 26th. January at 8.00p.m.
LOTTO
Lotto. Aghaviller Parish and Carrickshock G. A. A. Draw: Monday 16th. January 2023. Numbers: 24; 10; 29; 14. No Winner First 3 Numbers Drawn. No Jackpot Winner. 5 x €30.00 Winners. Eamon Irish, Knocktopher. Trish Power, c/o Eamon Irish; Liam Barron, Sheepstown. Liam Duggan, Ballinteskin. Bernie Grace, Ballycaum. 3 x €15.00 (Sellers). Teresa Fitzgerald, Caitlin Roche, James Irish.
Next Draw on Monday 23rd. January. Please submit returns by 8.30p.m. Draw at 9.00p.m.
GAA
Carrickshock G.A.A. and Carrickshock Camogie Clubs are hosting a joint Dinner Dance on Saturday 11th. February. Tickets are now on sale for the Dinner Dance at 086 257 1713 or https://tinyurl.com/356wyse4
Kilkenny G.A.A. with Dunnamaggin G.A.A. invite all to a Wellbeing and Drug Awareness Talk on Wednesday, January 25th. in Dunnmaggin School Hall at 7.30p.m. to focus on mental wellbeing and addiction. This is a free Community Event with Garda Siochána and Guest Speaker, Conor Harris. All are very welcome.
An enthralling encounter between local rivals Wexford and Kilkenny was settled late on under the new oodlights at Chadwicks Wexford Park last Saturday evening. An injurytime major from Faythe Harriers Richie Lawlor saw the home side clinch a dramatic victory which meant Galway’s opponents would not be known until Laois faced O aly a day later.
e Faithful County took the win, which meant it is the Yellowbellies that will face-o against Henry’s Tribesmen in an ‘double up’ xture which will combine the Walsh Cup nal and the Allianz league xture in Wexford next weekend.
Darragh Eagan’s charges started brightly, with the talented Conor McDonald and mid elder Diarmuid O’Kee e taking early scores before e Village’s Cian Kenny hit two quick- re points to level matters.
Tom Phelan and McDonald swapped scores as the cagey start continued.
Glenmore’s Shane Murphy and Rapparees Oisin Pepper did likewise as the sides couldn’t be separated. Two points in quick succession from Wexford great Lee Chin and the lovely Pepper pushed the home side two points ahead with about 14 minutes played.
Niall Brassil in for a start struck over a free to reduce the de cit and the sides continued to swap scores and another Brassil free left just the bare minimum between the sides after 21 minutes of entertaining action. ere was a temporary lull in the scoring until Conahy’s Tom Phelan levelled matters on 28 minutes.
A 3rd Brassil placed ball put the Cats into the lead, but this was shortlived as a string of Wexford scores p including a couple from that man Chin including a ‘65, put the host’s back in command to lead by three points. Derek Lyng’s men hit back with scores from O’Loughlin’s Paddy Deegan and the free-take on duty Niall Brassil.
Dublin whistler Seán Stack then blew for half-time as a lively game of hurling took a well-deserved break.
Darragh Eagan will no doubt have been happy to lead by one at the interval, but his side had coughed up seven wides during that opening period. Kilkenny had registered four wides of their own, but this experimental line-up had acquitted themselves well during the rst 35 minutes.
Darragh Eagan replaced Lee Chin at the break and replaced the icon with Ross Banville who would go on to notch 0-3 from placed balls during the second period. e Model County men made a fast and clinical start to the second half,
hitting 4 four points to Kilkenny’s one, again courtesy of Niall Brassil, to leave Wexford 0-16 to 0-12 ahead. Lyng’s Cats then got themselves back into the game when they hit the rst major of the evening. Conahy Shamrocks Tom Phelan netting after great work from e Sash’s Gearoid Dunne. en Paddy Deegan struck over a nice point to deadlock matters again.
e sides then shared the next six scores, with John Donnelly, Tom Phelan and Clara’s Paul Cody weighing in for the Noresiders. e home side then notched two further points from sub Corey Byrne-Dunbar and Ross Banville, before manager Lyng introduced Ian Byrne and Des Dunne in place of the impressive Tom Phelan and former U20 captain Padraic Moylan. en what appeared to be a crucial moment in the game saw Niall Brassil’s replacement Bill Sheehan raised a green ag with virtually his rst touch in the game. e alert Dicksboro man read Wexford fullback Liam Ryan’s back-pass to his keeper before nishing to the net. Kilkenny where now in the lead by one. e next score was also a Cats one, this time Glenmore’s Ian Byrne popping over a point to make it a 2-point game. Conor McDonald and Ross Banville replied for Wexford to tie things up again before Tullaroan’s Shane Walsh struck over a free, to the delight of the travelling support.
Wexford substitute Conall Clancy brought the sides level again from distance and it seemed that a share of the spoils was on the cards for the teams. en well into additional time, a long ball into the Cats defence from Liam Ryan was collected by Charlie McGuckin who slipped the pass to Richie Lawlor who ri ed beyond Cats Keeper Aidan Tallis to the net.
that erupted from the home support was deafening.
e nal score of the game came from Conor Hearne which left the full-time scoreboard reading Wexford 1-25, Kilkenny 2-18.
Wexford: James Lawlor; Shane Reck, Liam Ryan, Conor Devitt; Simon Donohoe, Damien Reck (0-01), Ian Carty (0-01); Diarmuid O’Kee e (0-02), Richie Lawlor (1-01); Mikie Dwyer (0-01), Conor Hearne (0-03), Charlie McGuckin (0-01); Oisín Pepper (0-02), Conor McDonald (005), Lee Chin (0-03, 0-01 free, 0-01 ‘65).
Subs: Ross Banville (0-3fs) for Chin (ht), Conor Foley for Donohoe (44), Kevin Foley for Dwyer (49), Corey Byrne-Dunbar (0-01) for Pepper (49), Conall Clancy (0-01) for O’Kee e (54), David Clarke for Carty (69), Kyle Scallan for D. Reck (72). Kilkenny: Aidan Tallis; Mikey Butler, Evan Cody, Niall Rowe; David Blanch eld, Pádraic Moylan, Pádraig Walsh; Paddy Deegan (002), Shane Murphy (0-01); Paul Cody (0-02), Cian Kenny (0-02), Tom Phelan (1-03); Gearóid Dunne, John Donnelly (0-01), Niall Brassil
(0-05, 0-05fs).
Subs: Cillian Buckley for Blanch eld (41), Cillian Doyle for Murphy (43), Shane Walsh (0-01, 0-01f) for Dunne (49), Niall Brennan for Kenny (52), Des Dunne for
Moylan (54), Ian Byrne (0-1) for Phelan (58), Bill Sheehan (1-0) for Brassil (59), Colum Prendiville for P. Cody (66), Niall Mullins for Donnelly (68).
Referee: Seán Stack (Dublin).
Well, that felt more championship like than Walsh Cup! On a wonderful night for our hosts, Wexford emerged winners after goals, points, fireworks, light shows - you name it this occasion had it all.
Unfortunately, Willie Maher’s Laois couldn’t get a result against Offaly, so its Darragh Eagans men that will face Henry’s Galway in rescheduled final next week.
This was another good run-out for Derek Lyng’s panel and he was able to cast his eye over players including Niall Brassil, Paul Cody, Aidan Tallis amongst others. That’s what this competition is about, trying out different players, systems etc. And I think overall, the new manager will have been reasonably content with the January workout.
It was a shame that due to his Fitzgibbon Cup commitments, rising star Billy Drennan had the day off, considering his impressive start to senior hurling.
There’s not much time to re-group before the league kicks-in. Attention now turns to February 4th’s encounter with Antrim at Corrigan Park. That isn’t an easy place to go and the players that are selected will need to be ready to battle glens man style!
We wish Derek and his panel the very best for their upcoming National League Campaign.
BY NIALL SHERRY SPORTS EDITOR
SPORTSEDITORKILKENNYOBSERVER.IE
Shamrocks Ballyhale 1-22 Dunloy Cúchullains 1-15
A 9th All-Ireland club title was achieved by Shamrocks Ballyhale at Croke Park last weekend when the South Kilkenny side defeated Ulster champions Dunloy by seven points in a hard-fought encounter.
On a day when Adrian Mullen was cruelly ruled-out of the decider with a hamstring injury, it was one of his inter-county colleagues, Eoin Cody that stepped forward and showed just why he was twice-crowned young hurler of the year. e diminutive attacker was in inspirational form notching 1-5 as he helped propel his beloved club to victory at headquarters. Having su ered horribly in last year’s decider against Ballygunner, there has been a steely determination from this Shamrocks panel, that righting that wrong was the only target for this season. is certainly wasn’t vintage Shamrocks hurling, but the result was always going to be more important that the performance. e game started with TJ’s rst ‘65 of the day dropping short, but some good recycling by the Shamrocks saw Joey Cuddihy register the opening score of the day. e Antrim and Ulster champions response was emphatic. Keelan Molloy sent in a lovely ball that was collected by full-forward Conal Cunning. Dunloy’s ace marksman cut inside Joey Holden before popping a pass to the on-running Ronan Molloy who ri ed a erce shot across
Dean Mason to the Shamrocks net. e Dunloy faithful in the stands were in ecstasy. Pat Hoban’s men were level by the 5th minute. Firstly, Colin Fennelly pointed after great work from Adrian Mullen’s replacement Niall Shortall. TJ then pointed from the touchline under the Hogan Stand before he edged his side ahead with a ‘65 following
good pressure on the Dunloy keeper Ryan Elliott. e young Dunloy netminder then made a great save to prevent Eoin Cody from raising a green ag with eleven minutes played.
e next two scores came from Gregory O’Kane’s men, the rst from his captain Paul Shiels then a stunning e ort from corner-back Oran Quinn who seemed to waltz
through the Shamrocks defence before pointing to edge his side ahead on 14 minutes.
en in the fteenth minute Eoin Cody struck for his sides major. Cody himself picked up a loose sideline cut from Dunloy before sending in a pass towards Eoin Kenneally and Colin Fennelly. e veteran forward battled to win possession before intelligently
nding Eoin Cody with a nice hand-pass. Cody managed to reach the sliotar before keeper Elliott and nish to the net to leave Shamrocks ahead by two.
e Antrim men tagged on the next couple of points before SETU Carlow student Cody struck two on the bounce including a nice one o his left-side. Conal Cunning’s accuracy from the placed ball was keeping his side in touch and his latest e ort from distance was a ne score. Cody was denied a second major when Ryan Elliott again got the better of their duel after Colin Fennelly had again slipped in Cody for a batted strike on goal. TJ popped over a free before Fennelly and Cody combined again for another quality score to extend the Kilkenny side’s lead to 4 points. e nal two points of a keenly contested opening period came from Dunloy with Seaan
Elliott and Cunning registering to leave the half-time score Shamrocks Ballyhale 1-9, Dunloy Cúchullains 1-7. Despite having more possession in the opening half, O’Kane’s men trailed by two at the short whistle.
Like the opening period, Shamrocks opened the scoring when play resumed. Golod work from Joe Cuddihy saw TJ Reid slot over a ‘65. Again, the Ulster side hit back with another free from Cunning, this time after Evan She in was blown up. Eoin Kenneally then struck over a wonderful score from under the Cusack stand before TJ red over a nice point from play, the 3-point gap restored.
TJ Reid and Conal Cunning swapped points before Keelan Molloy landed a lovely score, following a badly executed sideline cut from Shamrocks. Paddy Mullen then saw yellow for a foul which Cunning punished to leave the gap down to just 1 point. With 45 minutes of action, the worrying stat for Pat Hoban’s men was that they had registered 7 wides to Dunloy’s two. No wonder Shamrocks couldn’t shake the Ulstermen o .
Colin Fennelly who had been a constant thorn in the Dunloy defence then won a free which TJ converted, before an error from the same player led to Ronan Molloy striking over a point to reduce the Kilkenny sides lead to one point. Pat Hoban then made another change with injury plagued Brian Cody replacing young Niall Shortall. Eoin Cody then notched another point following a lovely pass by captain Ronan Corcoran.
Paddy Mullen then bene ted from some ne work by Eoin Cody before sending over a ne point before some great battling by TJ allowed Corner-back Killian Corcoran to take a sweet score.
Colin Fennelly now roaming a little
deeper out the Croker pitch then ri ed over a beautiful point from distance to push the Shamrocks lead out to 5 points.
Paul Shiels then did likewise from distance before Cunning struck over a free from around ½ way for what was to be the Ulster champions last score of the game.
Darren Mullen introduced in place of young Killian Corcoran played a nice pass to Eoin Cody who registered his 5th point of the day as the game entered additional time.
Shamrocks used their experience and superior tness to tag on a further three scores from captain Ronan Corcoran, sub Brian Cody and wing-back Darragh Corcoran. When Limerick whistler Johnny Murphy sounded the long whistle, Shamrocks Ballyhale were AllIreland Senior Club Hurling Champions for an unbelievable 9th time on a scoreline of 1-22 to 1-15.
Ballyhale Shamrocks: Dean Mason; Joey Holden, Brian Butler; Richie Reid; Evan She in (0-01), Killian Corcoran (0-01), Darragh Corcoran (0-01); Ronan Corcoran (0-01), Paddy Mullen (0-01); Joey Cuddihy (0-01), TJ Reid (0-07, 0-03f, 0-03 65), Niall Shortall; Eoin Kenneally (0-01), Colin Fennelly (0-02), Eoin Cody (1-05)
Subs: Brian Cody (0-01) for Shortall 51, Darren Mullen for Killian Corcoran 59.
Dunloy Cuchullains: Ryan Elliott; Phelim Du n, Ryan McGarry, Oran Quinn (0-01); Kevin Molloy; Eamon Smyth (0-01), Eoin McFerran, Conor Kinsella; Keelan Molloy (0-01), Paul Shiels (0-02); Nigel Elliott, Nicky McKeague (001), Ronan Molloy (1-01); Seaan Elliott (0-01), Conal Cunning (0-07, 0-07f).
Subs: Decky Smith for McKeague 45, Chrissy McMahon for Nigel Elliott 54.
Referee: Johnny Murphy (Limerick)
So what more is there to say about Shamrocks Ballyhale? You are always very wary of the underdog, sometimes they can bite you in the, well you know.
Having witnessed Ballygunner’s robbery last February at the Jones’s Road venue, I for one refused to believe that there could be any other outcome to last weekend’s decider that didn’t involve a win for Pat Hoban’s men.
This game was a right ding-dong battle for 50 minutes. As I mentioned, Shamrocks just couldn’t shake off the Antrim side. Dunloy can be proud of their efforts. To be honest the scoreline probably didn’t re ect the titanic performance that Gregory O’Kane’s side produced.
I was gutted that we didn’t get to see Adrian Mullen in action. The former Cats captain has been one of the standout performers in the Shamrocks run to glory this season. Having said that, the Croke Park surface was very poor and not conducive to niggling muscle injuries. Perhaps time for a re-think on what matches are held at headquarters in such condensed calendars.
Eoin Cody. Lively, constructive, battling, skillful, accurate. In short excellent. Eoin looked really sharp and stepped up to show the hurling world just what he is all about. Make no mistake, Eoin Cody is up there with the best forwards around at present.
Yet again Colin Fennelly produced another performance worthy of high praise. There are very few No.14’s around that offer you his skillset. He must be an absolute nightmare to mark. His strength, his ability to win ‘dirty ball’ and his awareness the being others into play is superb. Have a word Derek.
As Eoin Cody alluded to in his interview afterwards with TG4, Joey Holden is another who has been instrumental in Shamrocks County and provincial defences, and ultimately their 9th All-Ireland club title. We wish Joey safe travels around South America, you certainly have earned the break!
At the final whistle TJ sought out Joey and ran to him to celebrate. TJ knows.
Congratulations Shamrocks Ballyhale. What a club. Enjoy the celebrations.
KILKENNY COUNTY COUNCIL
I Seamus Tynan intend to apply to above authority for permission for the the following at Granges Road
Kilkenny:
Erection of Dwelling House.
Upgrade of existing entrance from Public Road as required and transfer from use by Seamus Tynan to use for Proposed House.
Upgrade as required of existing driveway and transfer from use by Seamus Tynan to use by Proposed House.
Installation of New Entrance from Public Road for Seamus Tynan to existing house.
New Wastewater and Stormwater connections to existing Public Sewer.
Associated 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.
Seamus Tynan
We at Mahon | Fox hereby give notice of an application to Kilkenny County Council for Permission for the proposed erection of a Security Cabin on site comprised of Security Office, Canteen and WC together with Treatment Plant and associated Polishing Filter and all associated site works and ancillary services on site at Gorteens, Slieverue, 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.
Signed : Mahon | Fox, Iberius House, Common Quay Street, Wexford. Phone: 053 9122601, on behalf of Target Fertilisers Ltd.
KILKENNY COUNTY COUNCIL
I intend to apply to the above Authority for Retention Permission for extension to existing dwelling house consisting of Sun-Room, Kitchen-Dining Room, Bedroom/Ensuite, living Room, Play Room, and Office and associated site works on my lands at Rathpatrick, Galmoy 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.
Signed: Gerard Maher
KILKENNY COUNTY COUNCIL
I, Paul Farrell, hereby intend to apply to Kilkenny County Council for permission to construct an above ground slurry tank and associated site works. at Whitechurch, Garryduff, Paulstown Co. Kilkenny R95 K224. 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, 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: - Paul FarrellPlanning Permission is sought by Joe Bolger and Rebecca Shivnen of Bodal, Gowran, Co. Kilkenny to construct a single storey, tiered, 4 bedroom dwelling with integrated garage, new site entrance off an existing laneway, tertiary waste water treatment system and bored well at Annamult, Stoneyford. The application may be inspected or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost making a copy at the offices of the Planning Authority during Office hours i.e. 9.00 a.m. to 1.00 p.m. and 2.00 p.m. to 4.00 p.m. and a submission or observation in relation to the application may be made to the authority in writing on payment of the prescribed fee (€20) within the period of 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the authority of the 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.
Today
God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference
Sadly missed by your loving family
O Holy St. Anthony gentlest of Saints, your love for God and charity for His creatures, made you worthy, when on earth, to possess miraculous powers.
Encouraged by this thought, I implore you to obtain for me (request).
O gentle and loving St. Anthony, whose heart was ever full of human sympathy, whisper my petition into the ears of the sweet Infant Jesus, who loved to be folded in your arms. The gratitude of my heart will ever be yours.
Amen M.R.
(never known to fail).
Always remembered by your
O most beautiful ower of Mount Carmel, Fruitful vine, Splendour of Heaven, Blessed Mother of the Son of God, O Star of the sea, help me and show me herein you are my Mother. O Holy Mary Mother of God, Queen of Heaven and Earth, I humbly beseech you from the bottom of my heart to grant my request. (Please state request). There are none that can withstand your power. O show me herein you are my Mother. I place this cause in your hands (three times). Thank you for your mercy towards me and mine. Amen.This prayer must be said for three days and after this the request will be granted. This prayer must be published immediately. B.R.
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.
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.B.L.
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.O.W.
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.T.
