Gerry Cody..............P24, 26

BY FRANK CODY

Saturday mornings, during childhood, brought freedom from classroom con nes. ere was an escape from ‘bhfuil cead agam”’and the equally repetitive ‘cuir amach do lámh’. Released from the spirit-numbing repression, we welcomed frivolous weekends with exuberance.

Admittedly they got o to a slow start, courtesy of mundane chores. Yards had to be tidied, shopping expeditions made, ‘messages’ collected. Yard duty saw me ensconced in the shed, seeking the soft path, perusing the exploits of Desperate Dan or e Bash Street Kids. Again, my easily distracted amblings meant serious delay in obtaining shopping items. erefore it was my lot to procure the coal.

O with the wheelbarrow, down Ballybought Street across the ’Comer Road, descending into the bowels of the Gas House to collect a half hundred weight of sea coal. If there is a more technical name for this pulverized bituminous fuel, I am unaware of it. e working environs to a young mind was a wonderland. Men were stripped to the waist shovelling coal into sacks and casually throwing them on large scales to be weighed. large scales to be weighed. Satis ed, they would heft Satis ed, they would heft it into the wheelbarit into the wheelbarrow and you were row and you were ready. ready.

Jim Langton: Poetry in motion and one of Kilkenny’s greatest stylists. His name was certain to be mentioned as men waited for their haircut at Finns. PHOTO: Courtesy of ‘the Stripy men book’.

Sacred Saturdays, and wonderful memories of shops from John Street to Newpark

Initial enInitial en deavours, with deavours, with the stu ed sack the stu ed sack lying at along lying at along the bottom of the the bottom of the barrow, made the barrow, made the return journey a return journey a struggle. Enlightenstruggle. Enlighten ment came when my ment came when my father showed me how father showed me how to ease the burden by to ease the burden by bringing the sack upright bringing the sack upright to the front of the barrow. My to the front of the barrow. My obvious joy at this discovery obvious joy at this discovery delighted him: “Typical… delighted him: “Typical… You’re so busy learning You’re so busy learning the tricks of the trade you the tricks of the trade you haven’t time to learn the trade” (aka ‘ e Parable of the Radical Son’). e day, ammable material safely home, was all mine – well, almost.

Two other impediments, on alternate Saturdays, halted progress. e rst was Confession. Why a preteen needed to attend this service with such regularity ba ed me. Attendance during teenage years was, perhaps, a tad more necessary. Reciting my misdemeanours, I appreciated the darkened box. Always did so until a long time cleric of the parish interrupted “Bless me, Father” with “Hello, Frankie, how are you?” Never again, I pledged, as I regained the daylight. e second impediment was a haircut. Like confession, the twice monthly trip to the barber seemed a smidge excessive. Neither my sins nor my hair, I thought, needed such minute attention. e family barber of choice was John Finn. Making my way, I clutched a ‘tanner’ for the haircut and ‘thruppence’ for a treat afterwards. Distractions multiplied as I neared the destination. Mac Tiernan’s sweet shop had a collection of exotic confectionery. Daly’s ensured a vast array of comic books were visible through the window. e Mascot was full of creamy delights. Entry into the barber shop seemed a visit back in time, even in the 1960s. is emporium was old fashioned. e brightly lit room had, parallel to the back wall, a

Wilsdons shop on John Street

John Street Kilkenny. A rich array of shops attracted many customers to the Eastern side of John’s bridge. PHOTO: by Oliver of Kilkenny from the archive ‘Oliver’s old Kilkenny’. A weekly trip to Gas House Lane to collect a half hundred weight of sea coal. The name is all that remains. PHOTO: Peter Martin

A 1956 photo of Michael Bretts hardware shop on John Street

Extra photos with thanks to Denis Brett

Legends of John Street, Billy O Sullivan ( RIP) and John Joe Cullen

long timber bench polished by generations of queuing bottoms.

Ageing men crammed the shop. Squeezing in, you waited, patiently. Talk and cigarette smoke engulfed the room. Hurling chat dominated. Here I rst heard of Jimmy Langton and relished the exploits of the county’s most potent goal scorer, Sam Carroll.

Two high-backed chairs, for clients, fronted mirrors. Shelves along the wall contained jars of Brylcreem, various hair oil preparations, combs, scissors, wigs and other paraphernalia of the trade. Gazing at the scarcity of hair on seated heads, you would imagine the visit would be a quick one. Not a chance! John Finn was a perfectionist who took particular pride in his work. Each head got the full treatment. Clippers and scissors were wielded expertly, with a step back, a slight adjustment, until the tonsorial result satis ed the master. Young or old, the cut was the same, short back and sides, no deviation.

Adjustable seating had yet to discover John Street. So children sat perched on a board placed across the arms of the chair. On completion, a generous amount of oil was massaged into the scalp prior to the nal comb. If nothing else, it kept ying insects at bay.

Departing, anxious to spend the thruppence, I would recall my mother’s prophesy that I was bound for Borstal. I laughed to think, if it was to be, I had the haircut for it.

Ignoring earlier attractions, I would race to Paddy Kirwan’s on the corner of the ’Comer Road and Ballybought Street. Within those walls tobacco, bread, biscuits, sweets, butter, jams lived in close proximity, producing a glorious and unique aroma. My choice was bullseyes and acid drops, packed into paper bags.

A pragmatic choice, since Paddy always gave extra. I would venture onwards, my penny change allowing the purchase of two Black Jacks in Meaney’s.

Carefully, for it was to last three days, I would divide the bounty, storing it safely under the mattress. A few surreptitious visits to sample the goods saw a mental realignment and acknowledgement that the booty would only last the weekend. ree o’clock brought consternation and devastation on discovering the stockpile had completely disappeared. I always suspected there was a little man residing under my bed. e remainder of the afternoon passed in a urry of activity with friends, before the nal bit of tradition. Every Saturday, seven o’clock onwards, all the boys had a weekly bath ¬-- whether we needed it or not. Afterwards, sitting around the wireless, the family listened to ‘Dear Sir or Madam’ with John O’Donovan, as busy day eased into somnolent evening.

Today, as I stroll the city, I often glimpse, in shop windows, an overweight man, a constant companion. And I realize, however belatedly, who it was that lived under my bed and devoured all those treats.

Nearly two thirds worry about struggling to pay the bills

Alone, the organisation that supports older people to age safely and securely at home, has called on the Government to increase the State Pension by €20 for older people in Budget 2023.

In its pre-budget submission on Friday to the Department of Social Protection, it calls for minimum increases of €20 to the State Pension, the Living Alone Allowance, and the Fuel Allowance. e organisation is asking for an expansion of the Fuel Allowance Scheme from 28 to 35 weeks.

Research carried out with older people who use Alone’s services has shown that nearly three quarters are “very” or “extremely” concerned about the increases in cost of living. Nearly two thirds worry about struggling to pay the bills.

As we head into an Autumn and winter that is now the land of the unknown due to matters outside our control as international events are hitting our standard of living especially our seniors. Increases in heating, food costs and housing maintenance are the highest areas of concern. On a national level, CSO data shows that those aged 65 and over were the only group to see increases across all three poverty rates between 2020 and 2021, according to Alone.

Almost 92,000 older people are at risk of or experiencing consistent poverty in Ireland today.

“Government have committed previously to benchmarking the State pension, which was due to begin in 2021, and on several occasions previously,” said Alone CEO Seán Moynihan, “ is did not happen”. If it had, older people would not be struggling to the extent they are today with the increases in the cost of living.

“We are hugely concerned about what the ongoing impact of in ation on older people will look like this winter and in 2023. e organisation is calling for Government to make a two-year commitment of increases of a minimum of €20 to the State Pension, in line with benchmarking promises made in the Roadmap for Social Inclusion.

Even with this increase the senior’s pension will still be less than what the government calls the poverty line of €295 per week. e requested increase of €20 will bring State pension to €273, €22 less than the poverty line, which is now an out of date gure as it was set prior to the current in ation we are now experiencing across the board.

Should we be aiming for the state pension to be at a minimum the poverty line that the researchers promote as fact based.

Cuckoo festival lays a nest egg for Teac Tom

Saturday July 9th saw the ‘Cuckooland’ collective’ gather together for their second ‘Cuckoo’ festival at Ryan’s pub on Friary Street.

Apart from what all agreed was a brilliant weekend of music, the charity Teac Tom bene tted to the tune of €1,400.

Friary Street publican Arthur Drohan complimented all involved while Angela Hayes from Teac Tom said she was thrilled that so many people were prepared to give so freely of their time to raise funds for the charity.

‘Club Cuckooland’ was conceived over the pandemic as a loose collection of friends, musicians and DJ’s who occasionally gather to perform pop – up events with fun and frolics. is year’s festival saw superb performances from local Kilkenny acts such as e Cuckoos, Banjaxed, Captain Anchor, and Oracle Villa. DJ duties was in the capable hands of Model T, Johnnie Jukebox and Bootsy Butle .

All in all a great festival was had with over €1,400 raised for Teac Tom.

A spokesperson for the festival thanked all who made the weekend work and said they were thrilled to be able to hand over the funds to such a great cause.

Further plans from Cuckooland include ‘All together now’ and e Electric Picnic festival.

Anyone interested in helping Teach Tom are asked to phone 056 7796592.

And that’s a wrap. Band members, DJ’s and organisers present Angela Hayes from Teach Tom with a cheque for €1,400. Also in the photo is Arthur Drohan from Ryan’s pub.