Kilkenny Observer 29 May 2026

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The new home rules Plans to change rural housing law to increase supply Plans to relax the rules for rural housing, aimed at allowing for increased supply, are expected to be brought to Cabinet next month.

Restrictions on one-off homes in ribbon developments along main roads and on new homes behind existing houses would be eased under the plans that have been discussed within Gov-

ernment.

Currently, rural housing policy varies from county to county.

The aim of a new National Planning Statement (NPS) on rural housing is to ensure clarity and consistency across Ireland. Factors that feed into securing planning permission for rural homes include prior residency in an

area, family ties and a need to live in the locality for work reasons such as farming.

There is to be a loosening of the definition of what satisfies an economic or social need, thereby allowing more people to build in areas where they are from or where they work, without the need to have an agricultural enterprise.

Of the new NPS, a Government source said: “The overarching principle shall apply that each proposal for rural housing development must be assessed on its individual merits.

“It will enable those who have an economic or social need to live in a rural location, including returning emigrants, to build a house,

subject to meeting normal planning considerations.”

The source characterised the proposals as a “loosening” of the current rules but “not a free-for-all”.

The plans were considered at a recent meeting involving Micheál Martin, Simon Harris, Minister for Housing, James Browne, and Minister of State for Local Govern-

From Canice’s to Carnegie ...

And they’ve won it again!

American ensembles The New Caledonia Folk Orchestra and Heartland Harp Ensemble USA travel to Ireland for a special one-night-only performance at St Canice’s Cathedral on Thursday, June 18.

Joining them on stage will be Kilkenny’s own Lady Desart Choir [pictured] and the Music Generation Waterford Harp Ensemble.

All ticket proceeds will go towards the Lady Desart Choir’s costs for its Carnegie Hall performance in New York on January 16, 2027.

Lady Desart gifted the John’s Quay site to Andrew Carnegie for Kilkenny’s first library, which she formally opened in 1910.

Kilkenny-based travel professional Martina Hayden is part of the award-winning Travel Counsellors Ireland team, which has been named Business AllStar Travel Company of the Year.

The accreditation was awarded by the All-Ireland Business Foundation (AIBF), an independent national accreditation body that recognises businesses demonstrating outstanding performance, trust and customer-centric excellence. This is Travel Counsellors Ireland’s second consecutive year of national recognition.

Commenting on the award, Managing Director of Travel Counsellors Ireland, Cathy Burke, said: “Receiving the Business All-Star Travel Company of the Year award is a fantastic achievement for our team and reflects the passion, care and expertise our Travel Counsellors bring to their clients every day.”

Pictured are Travel Counsellors Rosemary Chawke (Tipperary), Martina Hayden (Kilkenny) and Catherine Maguire (Tipperary) as Travel Counsellors Ireland is named Business All-Star Travel Company of the Year.

Major cancer breakthrough

PHOTO: Eden Photography

‘Failures’ of Mother & Baby redress Kathleen Funchion, Sinn Féin MEP for Ireland South, has called on the Government to use the upcoming review of the Mother and Baby Home redress scheme to ensure that no survivors are left behind.

Speaking after a joint press conference with Patricia Carey, the Special Advocate

for Survivors, MEP Funchion said: “We are now in the month of May and there has still been no indication from Government as to when the review of the Redress Scheme legislation will commence. The lack of urgency from the Government in this area is extremely disappointing, especially for those

ment and Planning, John Cummins.

It is expected that the plans will go to Government in early June and will be published after that for consultation and environmental assessment.

It is understood that the rural housing NPS will also include policy on Gaeltacht housing.

survivors who have been excluded.

“When the review does go ahead, we want to see the current rule – which excludes anyone who stayed in a Mother and Baby Home for less than six months from applying – scrapped. These survivors should be included, regardless of how long

or short their stay was,” she said.

“We also want to see recognition given to those children who were boarded out and forced to work as unpaid slaves on farms and in private houses. There must also be recognition of the distinct experiences of mixed-race children in these institutions.

“One key element that must be addressed is ensuring all relevant institutions are covered by the scheme to ensure that no survivors are left behind.

“It is imperative that the religious orders pay their outstanding contributions towards the overall redress costs,” the MEP said.

Chinese scientists have built a handheld device to detect early signs of lung cancer from just a drop of blood, a groundbreaking advance that could enable easier and more timely diagnosis.

The new device contains a sensor that works by determining how molecules bend light rather than how they change its properties.

Competition winners

Congratulations to Frances Uí Cheallaigh, Ballyvourney, Co. Cork and Eddie Tobin, Carrigeen, Kilkenny, who were the winners of this year’s competition (sponsored by The Kilkenny Observer) for tickets to the Bord Bia Bloom festival.

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News

No foul play as Dustin keeps eye on the kids With six weeks to go, Kaleidoscope presented by Glenveagh at Wicklow’s Russborough House from Friday, July 3 to Sunday, July 5, has officially appointed Dustin the Turkey as its ‘Festival Site Supervisor’. For today’s parents, Dustin isn’t just a familiar face, he’s a cornerstone of their childhood.

From The Den to Eurovision, he’s been part of Irish family life for more than 30 years.

Commenting on new upgrades, Shell Holden, Director of Marketing at Kaleidoscope presented by Glenveagh, says: “This year we’ve invested heavily in all three, from fully flushable toilets across the whole festival site to improved access, upgraded campsites and hundreds of activities included in every ticket. With Dustin The Turkey as our Festival Site Supervisor, we’re highlighting these upgrades in a way that’s fun, but the improvements themselves are very substantial and are rooted in real feedback from more than 1,500 families.”

Dustin says: “I’ve been on the tools for months making sure this place is ready for the 20,000 families landing in July. The portaloos are gone and replaced with proper flushable toilets I’ve person-

ally inspected. I’m talking cleaner-than-a-whistle stuff.

If anyone wakes the smallies in the Quiet Camp after 11pm, they’ll be dealing with me too. I’m running a tight ship here.”

Families will have a choice

of two dedicated campsites, including a Quiet Camp with a strict 11pm curfew designed to support better sleep for children and a Closer Camp positioned for easier access and shorter walks for younger children. New Camp

Kitchens in both campsites will offer BBQ zones and wash-up stations, helping families manage costs and cook on site without relying on purchased meals. Daytrippers will also benefit from a new bus stop located much

closer to the arena.

Kaleidoscope remains Ireland’s only festival built entirely around families, with hundreds of activities included in every ticket. In addition to music headliners Pete Tong Ibiza Classics,

Natasha Bedingfield and The Saw Doctors, this summer’s family programme features Niall de Búrca, Mark the Science Guy, the Gaiety School of Acting, the National Reptile Zoo, Danspire, Wobbly Circus, Circus Factory, Planet Science Kidz, Go Fly Your Kite, Fighting Words, the National Gallery, Pocket Forests, School Fitness Ireland, Clap Handies, MTU Robotics and many more.

Across the weekend, families can expect circus shows, creative workshops, science and nature zones, dance, music, sensory play, teen activities, sports, wellness and baby-friendly programming, all included in the ticket price.

The festival’s previously announced cost-of-living supports continue to offer families more flexibility and better value. The Buy Four, Get One Free offer is available on both adult and child tickets while under twos and OAPs go free. Every KaleidoClub Lounge upgrade also includes two complimentary children’s passes, adding further value for families planning their weekend. *Weekend and day tickets now available at Ticketmaster and kaleidoscopefestival.ie

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Convicted criminal non-nationals will be deported The Justice Minister has said he intends to continue his approach to non-Irish nationals who commit serious criminal offences in the State, following the deportation of 34 men last week.

Jim O’Callaghan was at Dublin Airport to launch upgraded eGate facilities, part of the border management system operated by the De-

partment of Justice.

The 25 new and upgraded gates will offer a “significant development” in making sure there is a “safe and secure” border at Ireland’s largest airport, he said.

Mr O’Callaghan was speaking to reporters a day after 34 Polish and Lithuanian men were deported on a flight from the airport.

“These were all people who had been convicted of serious criminal offences,” he said.

EU citizens are permitted to live and work in Ireland under the free movement directive, but Mr O’Callaghan said that comes “subject to very serious conditions”.

“If people have committed serious criminal offences,

they lose the privileges that come under the free movement directive.” However, Mr O’Callaghan said he also needs to be “conscious of the concerns of victims”.

He said he looks for the consent of victims of serious sexual offences before the perpetrator is removed and said: “no one is removed from prison in the jurisdic-

tion until they are serving the final year in custody”.

“I’m taking a very serious approach in response to people who have come to Ireland and have committed serious criminal offences, and that’s something I intend to continue.”

Discussing the new gates, Mr O’Callaghan said around 6.3 million people used the

eGates at Dublin Airport last year and that this was expected to increase this year.

He said they were designed to increase efficiency, as they will also be compatible with identity cards.

They include improved facial-recognition technology to compare the person using the system with the photo on their ID.

1,750 more nurse staff are needed, admits HSE Ireland now needs almost 1,750 additional nurses and midwives every single year simply to maintain existing staffing levels, according to the HSE. Despite the health service workforce growing from 126,000 staff in 2020 to more than 153,600 in 2026, the HSE says demand continues to outstrip supply.

The health body has confirmed: • The HSE is actively recruiting internationally • Overseas recruitment campaigns are targeting jurisdictions including the UK • Relocation packages are being offered • “Project Home” is targeting Irish healthcare workers abroad International healthcare workers make a tremendous contribution to Ireland and are hugely valued.

But serious questions now arise: • Why are we struggling to retain enough Irish-trained staff?

• How many healthcare workers are leaving Ireland?

• What are the attrition rates?

• How dependent has the system become on overseas recruitment?

Elsewhere, more than 20,000 children are currently on welldocumented waiting lists for an assessment of need to determine if they have a disability. Under the law, this should happen within six months, but delays are stretching to an average of more than two years.

Around one in three children undergoing assessment are waiting for a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder.

The HSE has launched a new autism protocol in a bid to relieve some of this logjam, which will start to come into operation regionally from July and in the following months. It aims to provide a faster diag-

nosis, not just for children, but also for adults.

The aim is to have a tiered system in place for assessment. Children or adults who are suitable for a quicker diagnosis will therefore take less time than those who need a more lengthy examination.

It will be scaled according to the particular individual. This means that some children may face shorter delays, which in turn opens the way for them to apply for more services and school places.

The assessment system is also being standardised across the health service.

The HSE said that the autism protocol has been developed with input from people with lived experience, clinicians involved in autism assessments and staff in disability, primary care and mental health services. Among those involved in providing advice was autism charity AsIAm. Its founder, Adam Harris, said the objective was for clinicians to determine how long they need to provide an assessment and also decide if it should take longer.

The HSE said it will apply in secondary care services, such as Children’s Disability Network Teams (CDNTs), Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) and Primary Care Autism Assessment Teams (PCAATs) in primary care.

It said that in cases where there was autism with moderate-to-severe mental health issues, different secondary care services such as CDNTs and CAMHS “will undertake assessments in consultation with each other and, if possible, in unison”.

Part of the rollout will include new in-reach teams, which will be able to work in areas of mental health or primary care to implement the protocol and bring their expertise to the particular system.

Poetry in motion ...

Poetry Ireland / Éigse Éireann coordinates Poetry Day Ireland, an annual celebration of poetry and creativity across the island of Ireland. Poetry lovers, schools, libraries, community groups, artists and organisations across the country recently took part in a nationwide celebration of poetry.

The theme for Poetry Day

Ireland 2026 is ‘Home’, a concept that reflects one of the most resonant and predominant themes of our times. This theme is also significant, as poetry has found a new ‘home’ on the island of Ireland, with Poetry Ireland / Éigse Éireann returning to its newly renovated headquarters at No. 11 Parnell Square.

There are over 50 poetry events taking place all over the island to celebrate Poetry Day, including two events in Kilkenny. Details below.

Poetry Day Ireland events in Kilkenny included: “Scroll Break” for Poetry Day at The Cookie Co-op and Wildflower Cafe, with an evening of poetry featuring award-winning artist

Lisa-Marie Johnson and local guests. · Pictured at The Seamus Heaney Poetry Library and joining Catherine Connolly are, from left, Claire Power and members of the Heaney family: Mick Heaney, Marie Heaney, Catherine Heaney and Chris Heaney, as they tour the library.

Food for thought on salmonella poisoning Salmonella infections reached a 17-year high in Ireland last year, with many people catching the stomach bug on trips abroad.

Last year, 419 cases were recorded – although the real number of people who suffer food poisoning is much higher.

It is the largest number of cases of salmonella since 2008, according to the Health

Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC).

The watchdog said that where travel history was known, 55% of cases were contracted in Ireland and 45% were travel-associated, which is “typical for salmonellosis reported in Ireland”.

Among the outbreaks was an international foodborne illness outbreak, which led to nine people in Ireland becom-

ing unwell.

Another travel-related outbreak saw the infection spread among members of a family.

Salmonella is most commonly contracted from contaminated food, usually through meat or dairy products. Those infected are warned to make sure they maintain their fluid levels.

The incubation period can range anywhere from six hours to three days.

Campylobacter infection, the most common cause of food poisoning, has also been rising year on year.

There were 4,482 cases of campylobacter illness last year, with nearly one in four among people over 65, a percentage that has been increasing.

The watchdog is planning to undertake a study to understand the reasons.

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Opinion

The Fact Of The Matter Paul Hopkins

It’s time for honest debate on migrants In the week when a Congolese man, allegedly shoplifting in Dublin, dies while being restrained by security guards, the State brings out stamps to honour the Traveller community – a people we have ignored for so long – and the 2026 Dublin Rose of Tralee, medical scientist Suad Mooge, goes on national radio to tell of her racial abuse.

In that same week, former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern steps into the fray, secretly recorded as saying he is concerned over Congolese people immigrating to Ireland and “fears” the next generation of Muslims.

Presumably, those born and raised here.

Sligo-born Mooge (25) said there were some 4,000 posts on X, most racially hostile to her Dublin win. TikTok notifications “were relentless”.

Racism can take many forms and affects many

in Ireland today. There’s the obvious, where people are called names, abused and harassed – like the recent attacks on Indian people. Then there’s the kind of racism that is more subtle; that makes it harder for people to get jobs or housing because of their colour or nationality.

There’s more. The European Commission Against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) raises serious concerns about housing provision for Travellers, refugees and those it calls “other vulnerable minorities”. It also calls on the Government to tackle “an undercurrent of low-level racist violence”.

The ECRI calls for an enforced strategy to reduce “prejudice against Travellers, Roma migrants and Muslims”. Since 2007, it has been “investigating legislation, hate speech and efforts at integrating minorities in

Ireland”. It reports every five years. In 2007, then Taoiseach Ahern said: “Migration cannot continue at its current rate if the country is to integrate successfully the thousands eager for a slice of its growing wealth.”

One of the report’s authors, Ukrainian-born civil rights activist, Volodymyr Kulyk, told me some time back via email that Ireland’s Prohibition of Incitement to Hatred Act was ineffectual in combating online hate speech. “There are no provisions in Irish law that define common offences of a racist, homophobic or transphobic nature, nor recognise hatred as an aggravating circumstance,” he said.

All forms of racism involve making assumptions and generalisations about people who are of different colour. These stereotypical views see other people as in-

ferior and are used to justify the exclusion of people from opportunities, resources and power. Today, some politicians, minority groups and agitators promote racist ideas to justify their views on particular issues. These might include housing shortages and street crime.

We only have to look to the Dublin Rose to see racism rear its ugly head. And, in a perverse way, Bertie Ahern’s contentious remarks may have brought into the open a debate on thoughts some people think but dare not speak when it comes to migrants into, and refugees arriving in, this country.

We need to be cautious.

Concern about migration and racism are not the same. We need a very open and honest debate about where we really stand as a people and where we want to be in a generation from now. We need vision – and

clarity. Where would our health service and other industries be were it not for those who have come here for a better life and to contribute? And legally, as should always be the case.

Ahern’s off-the-record, unedifying remarks about the generation of Muslims yet to be born here ring a bell with me. Unless we see them as fully-fledged members of Irish society, with all the rights which that entails, we do risk an us/them ghetto scenario. I don’t believe racists are born racist.

Racism is taught in society, a learned behaviour towards persons with dissimilar characteristics.

As former chief of the Irish Times Bureau in South Africa, Seamus Martin, says: “Bertie Ahern’s comments on immigrants have borne out some thoughts that have bothered me for some time. We sometimes pride

ourselves that the Far Right fail miserably in elections in Ireland. But they don’t need electoral support. They can, by other means, set the political agenda for others.”

The other week I passed pupils emerging from school, the world their oyster. Two were holding hands, in a gesture of ‘first love’. A gangly lad and a girl of dark skin, no doubt Irish-born. That she is Black never enters their equation.

Let’s hope her experience of growing up in Ireland is not sullied one day by uncaring and racist remarks.

Over coffee, Pakistani Rayyan, whom I have known for about a year, says: “I feel invisible in groups of white people because it seems like no one really listens when I speak. And why are Asians compelled to emphasise their hygiene and moral character when applying for housing to landlords?”

Morrissey Motors launches 262 Open Week with exceptional offers across the Peugeot range Morrissey Motors has announced its exciting 262 Open Week event, taking place from 2nd to 6th June with a range of exceptional offers available across the Peugeot passenger car and commercial vehicle line-up.

Customers visiting the dealership during the event can discover the latest Peugeot models, including the stylish Peugeot 2008, award-winning Peugeot 3008, spacious sevenseat Peugeot 5008, as well as the wider hybrid, electric and commercial vehicle range.

As part of the 262 Open Week event, customers can avail of a range of attractive offers including competitive finance, deposit contributions of up to €3,000, low APR finance op-

tions, a 5-year unlimited mileage warranty, and enhanced EV offers including a free home charger and free 3-year EV service plan on electric models.

The event gives all motorists and businesses the perfect opportunity to explore Peugeot’s latest hybrid and electric range, speak with the expert sales team, and test drive models designed to suit every lifestyle, from compact city driving to growing families and commercial needs.

Darragh Phelan, Dealer Principal at Morrissey Motors said: “We’re looking forward to welcoming both new and existing customers to our 262 Open Week event. Peugeot now offers one of the strongest

and most stylish ranges on the market, with fantastic hybrid and electric options available alongside excellent value and peace of mind for customers.

We’ll have great offers across the range during the week and we at Morrissey Motors are going above and beyond with some exciting offer of our own.

Our team will be on hand to help customers find the right vehicle for their needs.”

Customers are encouraged to visit Morrissey Motors between (2-6th June) to experience the range first-hand and take advantage of the limited-time 262 offers. For more information visit: www. morrisseymotors.ie or call the team on 056 7752199.

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Kilkenny's invisible homeless The reality of “invisible homelessness” and the growing impact of Ireland’s housing crisis were brought into sharp focus at a Kilkenny event last week.

'More Than A Job: Women Working With The Homeless', hosted by the Good Shepherd Centre, saw frontline workers sharing insights into the increasing number of people living without a secure home,

many of whom remain largely unseen.

Keynote speaker Deirdre Healy, Regional Manager with the Good Shepherd Centre, highlighted her work, including the experience of a young woman who became homeless after losing her rental property. Her situation is one services are encountering more frequently as housing pressures intensify,

with people in full-time employment finding themselves couch-surfing or in unsafe accommodation.

“Mina’s homelessness was invisible,” Deirdre Healy said.

“She showed up to work every day, but behind the scenes she had nowhere safe to sleep.”

Mina’s story reflects a growing reality. Homelessness increasingly affects people who are working and trying to

remain independent, particularly as rents rise and tenancies come to an end.

The Good Shepherd Centre recently warned that the situation is set to worsen, with a 51% rise in notices of termination recorded in the first three months of 2026. With 17,517 people already in emergency accommodation, the organisation has called for an immediate ban on evictions to

prevent further homelessness.

The event also highlighted more complex pathways into homelessness, including 'Leah', who experienced years of trauma and instability before sleeping rough and eventually engaging with support through a Housing First approach.

Ciara Quinn, Chief Operations Officer at the Good Shepherd Centre, said: “Every

day we see the real and often hidden impact of homelessness in our communities.

Our work is about more than accommodation. It is about restoring dignity, building trust and supporting people to rebuild their lives.”

• The Good Shepherd Centre is currently recruiting.

Details from gsck.ie/recruitment.

Arran is library's new Maker In Residence Kilkenny County Council Library Service is delighted to announce the launch of an exciting new Maker-in-Residence programme at Mayfair Library, running until August 2026.

The new Maker-in-Residence is Arran Quigley. Arran is a multi-disciplinary freelance artist, designer and creator with over 15 years of experience in design and fabrication. He will work closely with library staff to develop a rich and engaging programme and establish a vibrant and sustainable maker-space at Mayfair Library.

The initiative supports both technical development and creative expression, encouraging the growth of a diverse maker community with Mayfair Library at its centre.

A key aim of the programme

is to cultivate a welcoming and supportive environment which will cover areas such as 3D printing, coding and digital design.

“The initiative hopes to foster digital literacy and practical skills across all age groups, from young learners to older citizens,” comments Executive Librarian Paul Daly.

Running until August, it will provide opportunities for individual exploration, collaboration and peer learning, fostering a growing maker community within Kilkenny.

Kilkenny Co. Council Library Service Maker in Residence is supported by The Creative Ireland Programme, an all-of-government fiveyear initiative from 2023 to 2027, which places creativity at the centre of public policy.

Coach Tourism body get Senate vote The leading representative body for the commercial bus and coach sector in Ireland, the Coach Tourism & Transport Council of Ireland (CTTC), has confirmed the news that it has been formally appointed to the roll of nominating bodies for the Seanad Éireann elections. The council has been admitted as a nominating body to the Industrial and Commercial Panel.

The CTTC’s designation as a nominating body means that, at the next Seanad elections, the CTTC will have the right to nominate a candidate to contest the election on the Industrial and Commercial Panel, providing the potential opportunity for the sector to contribute to national policymaking through the Seanad electoral process.

The coach tourism and bus

sector plays a vital role in Ireland’s strategic connectivity, inbound tourism and economic activity across the country. The commercial bus and coach sector carries more than 85 million passengers each year, supports approximately 11,000 jobs and contributes over €600 million to the Irish economy.

Should a CTTC-nominated candidate be elected when the elections are next expected to take place in 2030, this will only serve to strengthen engagement between policymakers and the organisation, contributing to more informed, practical and sustainable bus policy outcomes. As a nominating body, the CTTC looks forward to working closely with its members to identify and support candidates who can effectively represent the sector.

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Opinion

As I See It Marianne Heron

Why are figures for domestic abuse still rising?

Every hour, six people – generally women – will suffer domestic abuse in Ireland.

The figure is shocking, even more so given that violence or abuse of intimate partners in the home is going up every year. So far this year, the Gardaí have received 1,000 notifications of domestic violence a week, an increase of 10% over the same period last year.

These figures may be only the tip of the iceberg, as support agencies believe that fewer than 40% of cases of domestic abuse are reported.

Equally shocking is the fact that the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre received its highest number of calls – at 24,000, a 5% increase – since the centre was founded 47 years ago.

Dismayingly, these increases are happening at a time when the Government has declared a ‘transformative policy’ of zero tolerance for gender-based violence. Cuan, the agency dedicated to do-

mestic, sex and gender-based violence, is already a year into its three-year plan, based on a four-pillar policy of protection, prevention, prosecution and policy co-ordination.

Abuse survivors are at the heart of their work, while initiatives to tackle the root causes and to challenge the myths and misconceptions which underlie abuse are among Cuan’s aspirations.

So far, their plans don’t seem to be working very well, given the continually rising figures. Prevention should be about doing something effective to change the behaviour of the perpetrators, predominantly men, who, among other causes for what they do, may feel “entitled” to beat, rape or control women.

The main initiatives undertaken by Cuan include an increase in the maximum penalty for offences from five to 10 years in prison, a campaign around sexual consent and a plan to double the

number of women’s shelters from 141 to 282, with 52 new units by next year.

Worthwhile though these may be, they fall into the repeating pattern where abused partners and children may have to take refuge, punitively losing their homes. Barring orders are another option but perhaps abusers should be contained elsewhere and helped to heal. Advertising to raise awareness features help for the abused or refuges for abused women. It doesn’t call out the unacceptability of abuse or offer abusers help.

In many cases the abuser is free to continue the pattern of abuse without remedial intervention. The disturbing case of Garda Paul Moody, sentenced this month, is a chilling example. Previously jailed for three years for the abuse of one woman, he then subjected another partner and the mother of his child to horrific psychological and physical abuse.

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Many cases of abuse are either withdrawn or dropped due to lack of evidence.

According to Ruth Coppinger, speaking to a Private Members’ Bill, last year 35% of women experienced physical, psychological or sexual abuse from an intimate partner, while only 5% of those who experience sexual violence report it to the Gardaí and

“In many cases abuser is free to continue…

only 14% of those cases make it to trial. The Gardaí now have specially trained Protective Service Units in every division, with domestic abuse as part of their remit.

Remedial interventions – like the exemplary organisation Men Ending Domestic Violence (MEND) – are few and far between.

The underlying reasons for men’s abusive behaviour include poor self-esteem, anti-social personality, rigid attitudes to gender roles, substance abuse or depression. Without intervention or consequences, abuse may continue.

“One positive factor may be an increased willingness by survivors to seek support and report abuse,” says Nadine O’Brien, Director of Saoirse Domestic Violence Services.

“Thanks to raised awareness, victim-survivors are recognising behaviours as abuse.

At the same time, frontline services are concerned that

levels of abuse are increasing in severity and complexity.”

“The housing crisis and rising cost of living add to stress and the pressure on families. We are also increasingly concerned about online misogyny and harmful narratives, particularly ‘manosphere’ influencers and platforms that normalise hostility to women, entitlement and coercive behaviour.”

Easy access to violent and degrading pornography may be shaping harmful attitudes and expectations around sex, relationships and power. Increased reporting is a sign of reaching out but also a sign of the prevalence and seriousness of domestic abuse.”

At present, the approach to the spreading epidemic of domestic abuse is like dealing with the consequences of a disease rather than treating the cause.

Until that happens, I believe those chilling figures won’t go down.

Climate Change

– are we all playing our part?

WEEK 170

"We have to work with the wheels of time"

offers the best of both worlds. It supports both the breakdown of food and the balance of gut bacteria, making it ideal for those with mixed symptoms, for example, bloating alongside irregular bowel habits. It’s a practical, all-in-one option for many people.

Microbiome Challenge is a more targeted, short-term programme designed to help rebalance the gut microbiome. It’s especially useful after illness, antibiotics, or periods of poor diet or stress. It may support individuals with IBS too.

Travel Probiotic, contains S.Boularidi, it is designed for use when travelling, helping to support gut balance when exposed to unfamiliar foods or environments. It can be used for diarrhoea associated with IBD, food sensitivities, or the 24-hour bug, making it an ideal one to have in the cupboard.

A healthy gut is a healthy body & mind and is well worth striving for.

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

The Kilkenny Observer Friday 29th May 2026

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 29th May 2026

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KILKENNY FOOD SHOW Here are some of our exhibitors

1. Company Profile Blenders is a second-generation Irish, family-owned sauce manufacturer, proudly perfecting sauces since 1989. With modern facilities in Dublin and a growing team, we supply foodservice, retail, and manufacturing partners across Ireland and the UK with high-quality, scalable solutions.

Our strength lies in combining culinary expertise with flexible manufacturing to deliver both an extensive branded range and bespoke, customer-specific products. From bulk formats to sachets and dip pots, we support evolving menu trends with fast, responsive new product development and hands-on chef collaboration.

Quality, consistency, and trust are at the core of our operation. We operate to globally recognised food safety standards and maintain rigorous processes across sourcing, production, and delivery. Alongside this, we are committed to responsible growth, focusing on sustainable sourcing, efficient production, and continuous improvements in packaging and waste reduction.

Recognised with industry awards and certifications, Blenders is built to support our customers’ success. With dedicated sales, marketing, and culinary support, we offer more than just sauces. We provide partnership, insight, and solutions designed to perform in real kitchens and on shelves.

2. Brief Overview of Products and Services Blenders manufactures a wide range of high-quality branded sauces and condiments for foodservice, retail and manufacturing customers across Ireland and the UK. The Blenders range is designed to support professional kitchens and retail shelves with trusted, consistent products that deliver on flavour, quality and performance. Key products include: • Mayonnaises • Flavoured Mayonnaises & Dressings • Cooking & Dipping Sauces • Table Sauces & Relishes • Bouillons & Dry Sauces • Sachets and dip pots

Overview of Keelings Select Keelings Select prides itself on its renowned work with national and international growers, supplying Ireland’s foodservice, catering, and hospitality sectors with the freshest and highest-quality produce available.

Our core value, ‘Better Food, Better World’, means a great deal to us as a family business and represents our past, present, and future. Our team continually strives to deliver better food so that people everywhere can eat better and live healthier, happier, and more productive lives.

At Keelings Select, customer satisfaction is our top priority. We believe in open communication, flexibility, and consistently going above and beyond to meet the needs of our customers. Our team of 150 passionate and dedicated people works tirelessly to ensure that Keelings Select remains a trusted and reliable supplier for customers, chefs, and business owners throughout Ireland.

We have been recognised with numerous awards, including BRC AA+, Freight Transport Association Ireland Gold, Freight Transport Association Green, and Bord Bia awards for our work with small producers. Our dedication to excellence and passion for foodservice are what set us apart in the industry.

Supply: We supply everything from fruit, vegetables, dairy, cheese, eggs, herbs, sauces, pasta, rice, oils, ambient goods.

Website and Social Media Links • Website: https://blenders.ie/ • Instagram: https://www. instagram.com/blenders.sauces/ • LinkedIn: https://ie.linkedin.com/company/blenders-mayonnaises-sauces • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BlendersIreland • Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@blenders.sauces

Website & Social Media • www.keelings.com • Instagram - @keelingsselect • TikTok - @keelingsselect • LinkedIn – Keelings

Since Ivan Allen began growing tomatoes in Shanagarry, Cork in the late 1930s, the Allen family has built a world grounded in a simple philosophy of good food.

In the 1950s, Ivan’s wife, Myrtle Allen created the original Ballymaloe relish recipe using surplus tomatoes - a practical idea that became a much-loved family staple.

PizzaSi is a specialist foodservice brand focused on helping hospitality operators deliver high-quality pizza with ease, consistency and great flavour. Working with pubs, hotels, cafés, restaurants and catering operators across Ireland, PizzaSi offers practical pizza solutions designed to support busy kitchens while meeting growing consumer demand for premium pizza experiences.

The range includes hand-stretched pizza bases, premium pre-topped pizzas and speciality Italian breads, giving operators flexible solutions that save preparation time while maintaining authenticity and quality. Designed for consistency and ease of use, the products help businesses deliver a reliable offering across dine-in, takeaway and grab-and-go occasions.

At this year’s Kilkenny Food Show, PizzaSi will showcase a range of products designed to meet growing demand for premium, artisan-style pizza experiences. Visitors will have the opportunity to discover innovative menu ideas, explore authentic ingredients and speak directly with the team about tailored solutions for their business.

Driven by quality, innovation and customer support, PizzaSi is proud to support Ireland’s vibrant foodservice industry and inspire operators with exciting pizza concepts that deliver both flavour and commercial success.

Brief Overview of Products & Services • Hand-stretched pizza bases • Premium pre-topped pizzas designed for consistency and ease of use • Speciality Italian breads • Menu development and foodservice support • Trend-led pizza concepts and innovation

The Ballymaloe story continued with the founding of Ballymaloe Foods in 1990, established by Myrtle’s daughter Yasmin Hyde - bringing the original recipe to kitchens everywhere and becoming an iconic Irish household staple. Maxine and Rose, Yasmin’s daughters, joined the company in 2008 and 2016. Working together, their family business is constantly innovating and creating new delicious products for the evolving taste buds of the Irish public.

Today, Ballymaloe Foods is all about family, food and a passion for bringing the best ingredients and taste to our customers, in the most sustainable way possible. We’re committed to very high standards in food production and integrity in business. We’re proud to be a trusted brand and strive every day to bring our ethos of hard work, dedication and Ballymaloe warmth to everything we do.

Ballymaloe Foods range Ballymaloe has a wide range of delicious products produced in small batches in Little Island, Co. Cork. Our hero product, Ballymaloe Relish is a sweet & tangy tomato relish created from the original family recipe at Ballymaloe House in East Cork, Ireland. Made with carefully selected tomatoes, onions, and a distinctive blend of spices, it has a unique sweettangy flavour profile that's become Ireland's most-loved relish.

Ballymaloe Irish Beetroot really is grown, cooked, pickled and packed in East Cork, making it the only 100% Irish locally produced beetroot available nationwide.

Ballymaloe Mayo is made in small batches using Irish free-range eggs and a blend of oils and seasoning, making sure that the traditional recipe is respected. We think that this is what gives it a really good consistency and a rich flavour; just right for any sandwich.

Company Ethos PizzaSi is the foodservice specialist for authentic pizza solutions. PizzaSi is focused on making great pizza simple for foodservice operators through highquality, easy-to-use products that deliver consistency, convenience and authentic flavour. The brand combines practical kitchen solutions with trend-led innovation to help operators grow their pizza offering with confidence.

Ballymaloe Pasta sauces are slow cooked and made in small batches, using 100% natural ingredients. Available in stir in and larger family friendly formats, they are the perfect solution for quick and delicious meals.

Website and social links • Website pizzasigroup.com • Instagram: pizzasigroup • LinkedIn: PizzaSi

Website & Social Media • Instagram: @ballymaloefoods • Linkedin: Ballymaloe Foods • Website: www.ballymaloefoods.ie

Ballymaloe Roasting Sauces are available in a variety of flavours; Cranberry, Mint Jelly, Ham Glaze and an Irish Bramley Apple Sauce.

The Kilkenny Observer Friday 29th May 2026

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 29th May 2026

Opinion

Your Money & You John Ellis

When marriage often comes after the mortgage More couples are choosing to live together without marrying. According to the Central Statistics Office, cohabiting couples without children have grown at more than twice the rate of married couples without children in recent years.

They rent together, with plans to buy a home first and tie the knot later. With the average age of first-time buyers now around 37, marriage often comes after the mortgage.

While cohabitation offers personal freedom, it brings tax situations that married couples simply do not face.

Unmarried partners are treated as ‘strangers’ for tax purposes. This means they miss out on the generous tax breaks available to spouses and registered civil partners.

Married couples can transfer assets between each other during life or on death without paying Capital Gains Tax, Stamp Duty or Capital Acquisitions Tax (CAT).

They can also choose the most tax-efficient way to be assessed for income tax. Cohabiting couples get none of those advantages.

For inheritance tax (CAT), cohabiting partners fall into Group C, with a lifetime

tax-free threshold of just €20,000. Anything above that is taxed at 33%. This low threshold can create a serious problem when one partner dies and assets, such as a shared home, savings or investments pass to the

survivor.

A common situation involves a couple buying their first home together.

Mortgage lenders usually require a mortgage protection policy. When this policy is assigned to the bank, the payout clears the loan directly. In this case, no CAT arises for the surviving partner because they do not receive the money personally. However, if the payout exceeds the remaining mortgage, or if the policy is not assigned to the lender, the excess can trigger inheritance tax.

Beyond the mortgage, other assets can create bigger issues. If a couple owns their home as joint tenants, the surviving partner automatically inherits the deceased’s share.

For many young couples, the Dwelling House Exemption, which can remove the tax on the family home, may not apply. To qualify, the survivor generally needs to have

lived in the house as their main home for at least three years before the death, must not own another property and must continue living there for six years afterwards.

Many first-time buyers simply have not met the three-year rule yet. And longer-term cohabiting couples face the same rules as there is no special ‘common law’ status in Ireland that gives tax relief.

To protect against this, couples should take out a life insurance policy lasting at least three to four years to cover any potential tax bill if one partner dies early.

This type of cover needs careful planning. The recommended approach is often a ‘Life of Another’ policy. Each person takes out insurance on the other’s life and pays the premiums themselves.

This way, the payout goes directly to the policy owner without creating a CAT bill, as they are receiving the benefit of a policy they paid

for themselves. This can cover both inheritance tax and loss of income if one partner was the main earner.

Couples assume long-term cohabitation gives them similar rights to marriage. It does not. The simplest and most complete solution is marriage, which removes these tax pressures entirely and allows assets to pass taxfree between spouses.

Financial advisors recommend that cohabiting couples review their situation carefully, identify what would happen if one partner died, calculate any potential tax exposure and structure protection policies to pay out efficiently. Professional advice is essential, as rules can be complex and individual circumstances vary.

Getting to grips with these rules early can save couples from extremely expensive surprises down the line. john@ellisfinancial.ie 086 8362633

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News

Funding boost for Kilkenny music venues – McGuinness

Five venues in Kilkenny have been awarded funding under the government's Grassroots Venues scheme according to local Councillor Andrew McGuinness.

Three venues in Kilkenny city are to receive a total of €20,000 each. Set Theatre, Billy Byrnes and Cleere’s Theatre will benefit from the allocations.

In Thomastown the Salmon Pool will receive €5,000 and in Graiguenamanagh Abbey Lane will be allocated €6, bringing the total allocation for Kilkenny to €71,000.

Welcoming the news Councillor Andrew McGuinness said, “this is fantastic news for live music venues in Kilkenny and it is testament to the fact that these venues have gone above and beyond to not only provide us with

Andrew McGuinness with Roots Festival musician Lizzie Ni in Billy Byrnes venue

great live music and comedy, but with professional stage, sound and lighting that just brings performances to the next level. It’s great to see them rewarded like this.”

“Weekends like The Roots festival show us just how special these venues are, when you see them full to capacity with people taken to another place by the music and atmosphere. We are so lucky in Kilkenny to have great venues like Set, Cleeres and Billy Byrnes and of course outside the city like

the Salmon Pool and Abbey Lane,” he said.

“On a personal level I want to thank these venues for doing what they do and doing it so well. I spend so much of my spare time standing in crowded rooms looking at live music in these places and have grown up in venues like Cleere’s. So, to see funding awarded and hard work paying off makes me very happy because I know they all have the next great gig just around the corner,” concluded Cllr. Andrew McGuinness.

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 29th May 2026

News Former hurler Derek Deegan, a married father of two toddlers living in Graiguenamanagh, Co. Kilkenny [pictured], who spent two years waiting for a kidney transplant, has spoken during Organ Donor Awareness Week of the overwhelming joy and gratitude he felt after finally receiving the life-changing call this month.

The transplant call came after a long and difficult health journey that began unexpectedly eight years ago.

“When you get that call out of the blue, you’re trying to take everything in and then suddenly your whole life changes,” Derek, a native of Threecastles, said.

The young dad, who had lived and breathed hurling all his life and won All-Ireland titles along with numerous county medals, spoke publicly during Organ Donor Awareness Week about the harsh realities of life on dialysis and waiting for a transplant. Now, a year later, he says receiving a donor kidney has given him renewed hope for the future and allowed his family to start planning life beyond hospital appointments and treatment schedules.

Speaking during this year’s Organ Donor Awareness Week (May 16 to 23), he described the moment he learned a donor kidney had become available as “the best phone call you could ever get”.

After two years of living with severe restrictions due to kidney failure and dialysis, he said the transplant has already transformed both his physical health and his outlook on life.

“I remember waking up after the surgery and asking if it was working,” he recalled. “It felt like I got my life back. Physically, you are sore and tired after the surgery, but mentally I just felt overwhelming relief and happiness, though it was tinged with both sadness and gratitude for the donor’s family.”

Recovery after transplant surgery has been gradual, with hospital walks and careful monitoring becoming part of daily life in the days afterwards.

“It was a slow start physically, but every day gets easier,” he said. “I had what was described by my doctors as a sleepy kidney after the transplant, so it took a little while for the new kidney to properly kick in, but thankfully things started improving day by day.”

He said within a few days after the transplant his wife Anita noticed a change in him and his pallor. “Anita said my colour was back and my eyes were clearer almost straight away,” he said.

The father of two spent two years on dialysis while, along with his wife, raising his young daughters, Méabh, aged two and a half, and Róisín, who is 17 months old [pictured], describing the period as both the best and hardest years of his life.

“My kids are everything to me, so in one sense they made those years special, but dialysis controlled everything,” Derek said. “You’re constantly

‘I Got My Life Back’ Former hurler and dad of two shares joy of life after kidney transplant planning around treatments and hospital visits. Now, for the first time in a long time, we can start looking ahead again.”

Derek also spoke emotionally about the generosity of organ donors and their families. “One family made the decision to give someone else a chance at life while going through unimaginable grief themselves,” he said.

“I’ll never be able to properly express what that means to me and my family.”

While Derek recovered in Dublin’s Beaumont Hospital following the transplant, Anita

stayed nearby at the Irish Kidney Association National Kidney Support Centre on the hospital grounds so she could remain close to him when he underwent surgery and recovery. The couple also relied heavily on the support of Anita’s mother Ann, who cared for the couple’s two little girls.

In 2018, a routine work health screening discovered high levels of protein in his urine. Initially there was little cause for alarm and Derek continued with annual nephrology appointments while

carrying on with everyday life.

That changed dramatically in 2023 when follow-up blood tests revealed a sharp decline in his kidney function. Derek

was 35 when a kidney biopsy led to his diagnosis with IgA Nephropathy, also known as Berger disease, which is a chronic kidney disease that

ORGAN TRANSPLANT IN IRELAND For most patients with end-stage organ failure, the only acceptable long-term treatment is organ transplantation.

Invariably, the demand for organ transplantation consistently exceeds supply. Last year in Ireland, 234 life-saving transplants were undertaken. However, on average between 30 and 40 patients die every year while waiting on an organ transplant.

The national team of Donor Coordinators from Organ Donation Transplant Ireland (ODTI) manage the overall process of donation and retrieval in Ireland and work closely to support families at the time of their loss and throughout the journey of donation. In addition, there are specialist organ donation personnel in each hospital group throughout the country.

They provide advice, staff training and education on donation.

Organ donation and transplant surgery are well established in Ireland. There are three specialist transplant centres in Ireland, as follows: • The National Kidney Transplant Service is located in Beaumont University Hospital, where both living and deceased kidney transplants occur.

• Paediatric kidney transplants are performed in Temple Street Children’s University Hospital.

• The Mater Misericordiae University Hospital hosts the National Heart and Lung Transplant Service.

• The National Liver Transplant Service has been running at St. Vincent’s University Hospital since 1993. More recently, in 2016, the National Pancreas Transplant Centre moved to St. Vincent’s University Hospital.

can cause inflammation and irreversible kidney damage.

Within months, Derek had reached end-stage kidney disease. “To get that diagnosis was soul destroying,” he previously recalled. “I remember bursting into tears after the appointment. I had gone in on my own and then had to ring my wife, Anita, to tell her the news.”

In May 2024, Derek began dialysis treatment at University Hospital Waterford, travelling three mornings a week for four-hour sessions that left him physically exhausted.

Despite the toll dialysis took, Derek continued working as a calibration engineer and remained deeply involved in hurling through coaching and management with local clubs. He said the club were very supportive of him, and he can’t thank Avery WeighTronix enough for their understanding, encouragement and flexibility throughout his treatment journey.

In support of Organ Donor Awareness Week (16-23 May), which is organised by the Irish Kidney Association in collaboration with Organ Donation Transplant Ireland, Derek is encouraging people to speak to their loved ones about organ donation and let their wishes be known.

“There are hundreds of people waiting for a transplant and hoping for that phone call,” he said. “Organ donation changes lives. I’m living proof of that.”

For more information about the campaign and how to get an organ donor card (now also available in digital format to store in your phone wallet), visit the Irish Kidney Association donor week page.

The Kilkenny Observer Friday 29th May 2026

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News

First-Class relic of Saint Carlo Acutis for exam mass A Diocesan Mass for Leaving and Junior Certificate students will take place on Monday, 1st June 2026 at 7.30 p.m. in St. Canice’s Church.

Bishop Ger Nash will celebrate mass for Leaving and Junior Cert’students, their parents/guardians, grandparents, teachers, school staff, and families. Everyone is invited and welcome to the Mass.

The Mass is organised by the Diocesan Youth Ministry Team, who invite priests, religious, and people to come and pray with and for all who are preparing for their state exams.

The First Class relic of Saint Carlo Acutis will be present at this Mass for blessing.

Saint Carlo Acutis (3 May 1991 – 11 October 2006) was an Italian Catholic teenager known for his deep devotion to the Eucharist and his pioneering use of digital media to share the faith. Born in London and raised in Milan, Carlo had an early passion for technology, teaching himself programming and web design. He used these talents to assist his parish and school, as well as to create a now-famous online catalogue of Eucharistic miracles and Marian apparitions.

Active in parish life, Carlo served as a catechist and inspired many people to a deeper relationship with Christ. In 2006, he was diagnosed with acute promyelocytic leukemia and died at just fifteen years old.

Following his death, devotion to Carlo spread rapidly.

His exhibitions on Eucharistic miracles have travelled worldwide, and pilgrims continue to visit his resting place in Assisi.

In 2020, Carlo was beatified after a miracle in Brazil was attributed to his intercession.

A second miracle in Italy was confirmed in 2024, and on 7 September 2025, Pope Francis canonised Carlo Acutis as a saint, together with Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati.

Often called the “patron saint of the Internet”, “God’s Influencer”, and the “first millennial saint”, Carlo’s life continues to inspire young people and families around the world.

The faithful and the wider community are warmly invited to attend this special Mass at St. Canice’s Catholic Church and venerate the relic of Saint Carlo Acutis.

St. Canice's Parish Priest Fr. Willie Purcell commented: ‘St. Carlo Acutis was a young man who struggled like all young people, but found hope in knowing God; he too had to sit exams, so he knows the stresses of doing so. He is the patron saint of young people and a powerful intercessor for all their needs.’ Everyone is invited to the Mass.

Kilkenny Older Peoples Council

Invites you to a Gathering of Older People & Information Talks St. Mary’s Parish Hall, Slieverue, X91EK88 Wednesday 10th June 2026 Registration starts at 10:30 a.m.

Conclude with a light lunch at 1:00pm Information Talks: • Role and function of Kilkenny Older Peoples Council • Managing Your Finances Safely • Planning Ahead - Assisted Decision Making • Keeping Safe in your home We want to hear from older people in Slieverue about their issues and what they would like to see for older people in the area.

If you are interested in attending please text Susan on 087 6745336 or Kay on 086 8214078 Please book by Friday 5th June 2026, 5:00pm

Paulstown Community Hall, R95NY93 Thursday 11th June 2026 Registration starts at 10:30 a.m.

Conclude with a light lunch at 1:00pm Information Talks: • Role and function of Kilkenny Older Peoples Council • Planning Ahead - Assisted Decision Making • Health and Wellbeing We want to hear from older people in Paulstown about their issues and what they would like to see for older people in the area.

If you are interested in attending or would like more information, please contact Mary 085 1942174 Please book by Friday 8th June 2026, 5:00pm

Galmoy Community Hall, Wednesday 24th June 2026 Registration starts at 10:30 a.m.

Conclude with a light lunch at 1:00pm Information Talks: • Role and function of Kilkenny Older Peoples Council • Managing your Finances Safely • Healthy Homes Co-Ordinator • Assisted Decision Making We want to hear from older people in Galmoy about their issues and what they would like to see for older people in the area.

If you are interested in attending or would like more information, please contact Mary 085 1942174 Please book by Friday 19th June 2026, 5:00pm

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 29th May 2026

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Opinion

Furthermore Gerry Moran

From Clarendon St Church to Grafton St My brother John passed away a year ago. He had Alzheimer’s. The following was written by John’s daughter, Aideen. It was selected as one of several short stories included in a self-guided tour (on audio) through the heart of Dublin. The stories capture the atmosphere, and memories, of a particular place or walk. My tears flowed freely reading it.

“When everything else was changing, our gentle stroll remained constant. My Dad and I, arm in arm, following a path that made sense to only us, a quiet loop through a small corner of Dublin that held him longer than the rest of the world could. As his memory clouded, this walk became our way of keeping hold of something familiar.

“Clarendon Street Church [pictured] was where we always began.

He loved it for reasons that were never clear, even before Alzheimer’s began its insidious work, but he felt safe here, anchored. Sometimes he’d run his hand along the cool stone of the wall as if greeting

an old friend. The city buzz never reached those moments. There was a stillness here, the kind that makes you breathe a little more slowly without even noticing.

“Standing beside him, I always felt that the city paused with us here. An escape from the madness

for a little while. Sometimes, as we moved on down Clarendon Street, he would pause at the jeweller’s window. His favourite was the one with the softest yellow lighting that made the diamonds glow and the silver shine even on the dullest Dublin morning. The sparkle caught something in him that the fog hadn’t quite claimed yet. I never hurried him on, content to enjoy his fascination. It seemed like the city was offering him something bright to hold on to and I was happy to stand beside him, grateful for anything that lit him up, however briefly.

“From here, we would drift towards Bewley’s. His pace changed on that stretch. Sometimes he had a determined stride, seduced by the deep aroma of fresh coffee. I learned over time to walk at his rhythm, not mine. Safe inside, the clink of cups and the warm comforting smells seemed to brighten him. He always paused to take in the stained glass, the wooden chairs and the soft hum of conversation. Here he’d smile

with an ease I treasured. In the early days, he remembered stories, mornings spent here decades before. Later on, he simply lived in the moment, content, and that was enough.

“Coffee done, we’d make our way down Grafton Street. No matter how his world had narrowed and grown smaller, the flower sellers never failed to catch his attention.

Buckets overflowing with colour and fresh scents. Bright tulips, soft roses, wild bunches, were inviting and intoxicating and he always stopped to admire. He’d lean in, breathe deeply and the kind flower sellers and I would watch as something opened deep within him, however briefly. The colours and the scents reached a place deep inside him that Alzheimer’s could never touch.

“While he looked and admired, I looked at him, really looked.

There was so much love in those precious moments. So much grief too, although I carried the grief quietly. He had enough of his own, he never needed to see mine.

His world was already shifting so much, my role, and my privilege, was to steady it where I could.

A hand at his elbow, a patient answer to a repeated question, a walk that remained the same when everything else was changing and changing utterly.

“On the days when his confusion was intense, I’d steer us gently back along our route, letting the familiar landmarks, sights and smells gather around him like soft warm blankets. On the days he was more lucid, clear and present, we’d walk just like we always had, two people moving through his beloved city in step together. I think now that Dublin held us during those walks, it made room for the moments of tenderness, the desperate sadness and the small joys.

“I know he doesn’t remember them anymore. But I do. I remember them for us both. Now I stop to light a candle in Clarendon Street Church and always buy some blooms from the sellers who were so kind to him. I remember, Dad. I always will.”

The Kilkenny Observer Friday 29th May 2026

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News magnifying glass) • Water Ecology Kit (Includes a kick sampling net, bathyscope and magnifying jars)

Become a nature detective with the Kilkenny County Council Library Service

Left to Right: Lorcan Scott from the Kilkenny Naturalist Field Club, Karyn Deegan from the Kilkenny County Council Library Service, Meadhbh Bolger from The Heritage Council and Bernadette Moloney, Kilkenny County Council’s Biodiversity Officer

The Kilkenny County Council Library Service in association with the Biodiversity Officer is delighted to announce the relaunch of the Environmental Science Kits for Ecological Recording (ESKER) kits. They are designed for a curious person, seeking to explore

their local biodiversity.

ESKER kits are borrowable boxes of ecological recording equipment. The programme was launched as a pilot in 2023 and after some fine tuning, they have been relaunched making the ecology equipment more user

friendly as they are packaged in themed boxes specific to the user’s needs.

• Bat Exploration Kit (Includes a Bat Detector and an Identification Guide to Irelands Bats) • Bird Observation Kit (Includes a binocular, a tally

counter and a Birds of Ireland Book) • Plants and ecological Exploration Kit (Includes a compass, ID Guides for Wildflowers and Grasses) • Insect Exploration Kits (Includes a sweep net, ID Swatches for Insects and a

Originally created by the Heritage Council in partnership with Kilkenny County Council Library Services, the ESKER kits are designed to support citizen science, biodiversity awareness, and community ecological recording to help individuals to actively respond to biodiversity loss and climate change.

Virginia Teehan, Chief Executive Officer with the Heritage Council said “We developed the ESKER project as we were witnessing an increase in the number of communities seeking to become more action-focused when faced with the crises of biodiversity loss and climate change. We were keen to support and nurture this energy so were pleased to partner with 17 County Libraries, including Kilkenny, on the ESKER pilot initiative.

Although the pilot has ended, we remain active and available to support Librarians and Biodiversity Officers and are delighted that Kilkenny County Council is taking a step forward in making the kits more accessible and userfriendly.”

Aideen McDonald, Executive Librarian with Kilkenny County Council Library Service, commented: “We are delighted to announce the relaunch of

the ESKER Kits, which are now available to borrow from our Mayfair and Loughboy Library branches. These kits offer a fantastic opportunity for individuals and groups to connect with nature, learn new skills and explore the rich biodiversity on their doorstep.

We would encourage anyone with an interest in local wildlife, ecology or citizen science to check out the ESKER Kits and make the most of this unique and engaging resource.”

Bernadette Moloney, the Biodiversity Officer with Kilkenny County Council said: “As National Biodiversity Week draws to a close, the ESKER Kits provides you with a helping hand to explore nature. The kits are full of identification swatches with equipment that caters for everyone’s level of learning. I ask that borrowers return the kits back to the library clean and ready for the next user and to log your recordings on Ireland’s Citizen Science Portal via their mobile app www.biodiversityireland. ie as capturing accurate snapshots of nature and setting reliable baselines is essential to understanding how biodiversity is changing, and how we can act to protect it. It’s a great project to have been involved with as it aligns with the Kilkenny Biodiversity Action Plan 2025-2030.”

The kits are available to borrow from the Mayfair and Loughboy Libraries in Kilkenny City.

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 29th May 2026

Opinion

Choices Shape Your Future

By Judith Ashton

Living with animal friends A few days ago, I was driving through Thomastown at twilight. Between showers, it was a beautiful clear evening.

I counted seven people, accompanied by their dogs, out for their nightly stroll. Just people and dogs, no solitary walkers. Earlier on, I had been listening to “Newstalk” about pet grief. I wrote about this a few months ago. Once again, the distraught interviewees had had very significant, loving relationships with their family pets, most of which were dogs.

However, there are many other creatures, both tame and wild, that have been our companions over the centuries.

Domesticated animals are an integral part of our lives and an important part of our shared story. Horses and dogs have long held important roles in society. Horses mainly for travel and hunting, and dogs, particularly the larger breeds, for security and hunting and, like horses, they were

also used in war. The idea of keeping animals purely as pets developed later. Historically, kings and queens had favourite animals that travelled with them and some breeds were developed as lapdogs, as seen in China, where Pekingese dogs were symbols of royalty.

Many different types of animals and birds have played important parts in people’s lives both in the past and present times, and there are many reports and stories of horses, dogs, dolphins, apes, cats, parrots, pigs and even rats who have saved the lives of humans.

When one reads or hears such accounts, it is difficult to deny that animals have intelligence and feelings. One of the recurring themes in these articles is the interconnection of all things. We are becoming increasingly aware of our dependence on nature: on the soil, on biodiversity and indeed on everything around

us, including all creatures great and small. Like it or not, we depend on worms and other creeping creatures for healthy soil and, in turn, agricultural productivity. We may sit at the top of the food chain, but human greed has destroyed much of what we need to survive. We must become more conscious of how the devastation of natural habitats has also destroyed the lives of so many animals.

Let me tell you about some of the wonderful creatures who have helped humans in the past: Cher Ami was a homing pigeon in World War I and, despite being shot in the chest and leg, managed to keep flying and deliver a message that saved 200 American soldiers.

Koko the gorilla touched millions of people through her empathy and her ability to communicate using sign language. She died in 2018 at the age of 46. After the deaths of her long-time companion

Michael and later her pet cat, All Ball, she appeared to grieve deeply for several months.

According to her trainer, Dr Penny Patterson, a message Koko conveyed shortly before her death was later read at the COP21 climate conference: “I am a gorilla. I am flowers, animals, I am Nature. Man, Koko love. Earth Koko love, but

“Animals teach us love, loyalty, and connection daily

man stupid. Koko sorry, Koko cry. Time hurry. Fix Earth! Help Earth! Protect Earth… Nature see you.”

David Attenborough has voiced similar warnings for decades, and we now need to take them seriously and act before it is too late.

I highly recommend the beautiful film My Octopus Teacher, which vividly shows an octopus’s ability to communicate and respond to humans in a meaningful way.

I also suggest watching the YouTube video “How Diablo Became Spirit”, concerning a leopard. Both animals clearly demonstrate intelligence, awareness, empathy and feeling.

We’ve all heard about rescue dogs in war zones and natural disasters; those who sniff out drugs or cancers; guide and therapy dogs and those who alert humans before epileptic seizures or diabetic episodes.

Florence Nightingale rescued

a baby owlet in Athens during the Crimean War. It was tiny, and it became her companion for many years. It lived in her pocket, and she trained it to cheer up wounded soldiers in her care. When she returned to England, “Athena” went with her and Florence was distraught when the little owl died.

Creatures of every kind show intelligence and emotion. We need to recognise this and allow it to shape the way we treat them. We are interdependent co-habitants on Planet Earth.

Our lives depend on animals.

They are crucial in rewilding natural habitat projects, flood relief schemes and much more. They are our co-workers, helping us restore balance in the natural world.

For that reason, they deserve our respect, love, care and protection.

We are all intimately connected! www.judithashton.com

Churchill NS cheers on inspirational FTD brothers There were huge cheers, waving banners, and plenty of excitement at Cuffesgrange as pupils and teachers from Churchill National School turned out in force to support the inspirational FTD Brothers, Cian and Jordan, during Marathon No. 24 of their incredible journey across Kilkenny city and county.

The atmosphere was electric as the brothers powered through another leg of their remarkable fundraising challenge, greeted by smiling faces, loud applause, and a sea of encouragement from the school community.

Children lined the route with handmade signs and endless energy, giving the local heroes a welcome to remember.

What started as an ambitious goal to raise €1 million for dementia awareness and support has now become something truly extraordinary. Thanks to the overwhelming generosity and support from communities far and wide, Cian and Jordan have smashed through their target, with the fundraising total now standing at an incredible €1.2 million.

Their hard work, positive attitude, and determination continue to inspire people

all over the country, while also raising awareness about dementia and the families living with it. The warm welcome from Churchill National School was another special moment in a journey full of support, kindness, and community spirit.

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Opinion Rita Wallace chatting to Margaret Fennelly In Bridge Street

Hard to believe?

Looking down Green Street 1940s

BY JOHN FITZGERALD

The true story of a football match that Bill Walsh, the postman, and his brother Larry played in on Callan's Fair Green would take some beating: Their side was losing by four points and only a minute remained in the game.

But then Larry was fouled and the ref awarded a free. Bill got to take the free. Tension mounted as hundreds of fans waited to see if he would settle for a point or go for a goal. Either way, they presumed, the opposing team was heading for victory.

Bill blessed himself and sent the ball hurtling towards the goal. The unthinkable happened: the ball, which was made from pig’s bladders, hit the crossbar and burst in two.

Half of it went over the bar and the rest of it went under.

As the rules of the game had not allowed for such a development, Bill was deemed to have scored both a goal and a point, making the sides level. Seconds later, the final whistle blew. Bill had held the opposition to a draw!

Martin Walsh of Slade bosheen had his own peculiar sense of logic that sometimes baffled his contemporaries.

One evening, some locals asked him why he was pushing a bike with a broken chain up Green Street on a rainy day in winter. “Sure ‘tis better than walking” he told them.

Jim Kearney was a renowned joker in the town.

One day, he called aside Johnnie Roughan in a pub and asked him if he could tell him something in confidence.

After swearing Johnnie to secrecy, Jim claimed that he had got a peep at Molloy’s order book for coffins and had seen Johnnie’s name down as number six on a list of “Probables.”

Shaking his head in disil-

lusionment, Johnnie said, “Well, that’s finished me with Pat Molloy. I’m going straight down to Ben Delahunty and he’ll make my coffin when the times comes.”

“Ah, I wouldn’t do that either Johnnie”, Jim retorted, “I had a look at his order book too, and you’re down as number three on the list.”

Jack Molloy, a Callanbased County Councillor, was so popular among a section of the local electorate that voters repeated the well-worn mantra that “the man could walk on water”. While he can hardly be said to have literally followed in the footsteps of Jesus by performing that time-honoured feat, he came remarkably close to it.

It is said that Jack was swept away from an armchair in the house he was sleeping in by the raging waters of the King’s River. This allegedly happened during the Great Flood of 1932. Josie Cuddihy remembers the day he was seen floating like “a vessel

adrift” or a runaway torpedo along Callan streets.

He appeared as stiff and as solid as a boat, his arms by his side and eyes closed, oblivious to the danger he faced, as the flood waters bore him past mortified householders who watched his progress from their upstairs windows and shouted at him to wake up.

Jack was rescued eventually, and calmly explained that he had fallen asleep after a few whiskeys and that the alcohol had “anaesthesitised” him against the effects of his frightful experience.

In the 1940s, Vincent Lanigan was a well-known local entrepreneur and businessman. He was never slow to

identify a niche in the market and to turn it to his considerable advantage. He ran a “cheap jack’s” outlet from a building on the cross, situated where Vaughan’s chip shop now stands. He sold all sorts of household items, clothes, footwear, bicycle spare parts, and other gadgets. He had a strict policy of allowing customers to fit on or examine items of interest before a potential purchase.

He had an impressive collection of chamber pots.

These were in demand at a time when toilets were a luxury. One morning, a refined and elegant lady from a neighbouring town approached the counter of his shop, which was packed with

customers, and whispered: “Mr. Lanigan, I wonder if I might purchase a suitable chamber pot, I’m told you have them in many different sizes.”

Instead of directing her to the relevant corner of the shop, Vincent produced one of the unmentionable but very necessary contrivances and planked it loudly on the counter. “Try that for size, missus!” he advised.

Another day, somebody asked him why he had so many babies’ prams: He had twenty of them lined up on the path in front of his shop.

“Didn’t you hear?” he said, “the Eighth Battalion is spending a week out in Desart…”

Farmers delivering milk to the Co op creamery by ass and cart

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LET OUR READERS KNOW ABOUT YOUR LOCAL BUSINESS: NEWS, LAUNCHES OR EVENTS ACROSS HEALTH & BEAUTY? CONTACT: FEATURESEDITOR@KILKENNYOBSERVER.IE

Health & Beauty

Build up with the HSE app

Eryk Piotr Munk

EXERCISE Daniel Reche

Slushie warning for under 10s HEALTH Parents are being advised not to give slush ice drinks containing glycerol to children aged 10 and under, following updated advice from the Food Safety Authority of Ireland.

The FSAI says the warning comes after a new risk assessment by the European Food Safety Authority. While glycerol is an approved food additive and is generally not harmful, concerns have been raised about its use at high levels in slush ice drinks, particularly for younger children.

Glycerol is used to give

slushies their icy, semifrozen texture. It is also being used by some manufacturers as part of efforts to reduce the sugar content of drinks.

However, the FSAI says children aged 10 and under may be more vulnerable to side effects after drinking slush ice drinks containing glycerol. These can include headaches, nausea and vomiting. In rare cases, more serious symptoms such as shock, low blood sugar and loss of consciousness may occur.

The advice is simple: children aged 10 and under should not consume slush ice drinks if they contain glycerol.

The FSAI has also updated its voluntary guidelines for the drinks industry. It says manufacturers should use only safe levels of glycerol in slush ice drink concentrates.

Prepacked slush drinks and make-at-home syrup concentrates containing glycerol should carry a warning on the label.

Retailers selling unpackaged slush ice drinks are also being asked to display clear warnings at the point of sale, stating that the product contains glycerol and is not recommended for children aged 10 and under.

FSAI Chief Executive Greg Dempsey said the authority’s

advice is based on the most up-to-date scientific information available. He said the latest EFSA assessment had led the FSAI to reassess its position.

He also noted that slush ice drinks are placed on the top shelf of the Department of Health’s healthy eating food pyramid, meaning they are not considered part of a healthy, balanced diet.

For older children and adults, the advice is moderation. Slushies should be treated as an occasional treat rather than an everyday drink, particularly during warmer weather when they can be tempting for children.

Getting active doesn’t have to mean throwing yourself into a tough workout on day one. The HSE’s Get Active programme, available through the HSE app, is designed to help people build up their activity levels gradually over 10 weeks.

The idea is simple: start where you are. If you are not active at the moment, the programme begins with 10 minutes of walking, three times a week. If you are already a little active, you can start with 20 minutes of walking, three times a week.

The programme also includes muscle-strengthening exercises using resistance bands, beginning once a week and building up to twice a week. These can help with strength, balance and confidence, especially when combined with regular walking.

You can follow video classes with a trainer or do the exercises in your own time using easy-to-follow videos.

The key message is to build up, not burn out. Small, steady steps can make exercise feel much more manageable.

Clear your head for sleep WELLNESS HACK Polina

The parent’s guide to exam-week nerves WELLBEING With Junior Cycle and Leaving Certificate exams beginning next week, the Department of Education and Youth has issued wellbeing guidance for parents and carers on how best to support young people during what can be a stressful time.

The advice is simple and practical: parents should try to stay calm themselves, as young people often pick up on both spoken and unspoken signals at home. It can be a challenging period for parents too, who may be trying to judge when to step in with advice and when to give space.

For students, the Department encourages the basics: regular meals, plenty of water, physical activity, sleep and time to unwind. Even a short walk or a small break from study can help reduce stress.

Parents are also encouraged to keep communication open.

cottonbro studio

Some students may want to talk through worries, while others may simply need to know someone is nearby.

Staying connected with friends and family can help young people feel less alone.

Relaxation can be simple: music, sport, cooking, draw-

ing, a funny film or a few minutes of quiet breathing.

One suggested breathing exercise is to breathe in for four seconds, hold for four, and breathe out slowly for eight.

The advice is also to help students keep exams in perspective. Young people should

be encouraged to be kind to themselves and remember that doing their best is enough.

There is no single “right” way to feel during exams. Calm reassurance, routine and a little patience can make a real difference at home.

A busy brain is one of the biggest enemies of sleep. Before bed, take five minutes to create a simple ‘landing strip’ for the next morning.

Put out anything you know you will need: keys, glasses, handbag, school uniforms, gym gear, work bag or the clothes you plan to wear. Then write down the top two or three things you need to remember tomorrow. Keep it short - this is not a full to-do list.

The idea is to stop your mind from rehearsing the next day when you are trying to switch off. Once it is written down and set out, you do not have to keep holding it in your head.

This small routine can make bedtime feel calmer and mornings less rushed. It’s especially useful during busy weeks, exam season or any time life feels a bit scattered.

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Curated by Rain, Eamon Colman

EAMON COLMAN

Curated by Rain at Solomon Fine Art Gallery

Opened by Des Whelan, Board Member, Mount Congreve Gardens, Waterford Thursday 28 May 2026, 6-8 pm Eamon gave a tour of the exhibition at 5 pm before the opening, to coincide with the new Dublin By Dusk: Last Thursdays initiative, in conjunction with Dublin City Council, Dept. of Culture, Communications & Sport, Failte Ireland and Dublin Town.

The exhibition continues until Saturday, 20 June 2026 Opening hours: Tuesday to Friday 10.00 am – 5.30 pm / Saturday: 11 am – 4 pm

A million light-years later

The snow tree recalls a tale of a spider wind

In Curated by Rain, Eamon Colman extends a lifelong engagement with landscape, observation, and the lived experience of nature into a body of work shaped by immersion, duration, and chance. Developed following his 2025 artist residency at Mount Congreve Gardens, the exhibition emerges from sustained encounters with one of Ireland’s most celebrated horticultural environments, a place where cultivated order and natural unpredictability exist in constant dialogue.

Colman’s practice has long resisted spectacle in favour of attention. Like his recent exhibition One at the Tea House in Kilkenny, these works arise from prolonged looking: sitting, noticing, waiting, and returning.

The paintings carry the atmosphere of repeated visits through changing weather and seasons, where colour, texture, natural forms, smell, and shifting light accumulate slowly into visual thought. During the residency, Colman created sketches, photographs, notes, and gathered plant material directly from the gardens, translating these experiences into paintings that move between observation and memory, structure and intuition.

The exhibition’s title originates from necessity, when, during the

installation of several paintings in Mount Congreve’s charming derelict Peach House, ‘the frequent showers of rain became an integral element of the curation due to the numerous leaks in the roof. The artwork was placed safely in the dry areas - curated by rain.’ What began as a practical necessity evolved into a central metaphor within Colman’s thinking. In this accidental choreography, weather assumed authorship.

From this moment, Curated by Rain expands outward into a wider reflection on human behaviour and vulnerability. Rain determines movement: whether we venture outside, what we wear, where we gather, and what we avoid. Increasingly, climate and extreme weather shape not only individual routines but collective futures. Floods, environmental instability, and climate change now alter landscapes and lives on a global scale. Colman suggests that, in different ways, all of us are becoming curated by the weather.

Yet these paintings are not didactic. Rather, they remain rooted in close observation and sensory experience. The garden becomes both subject and thinking space, a site where beauty, fragility, growth, and uncertainty coexist. Colman’s immersion in Mount Congreve

There you go now, the trees are singing to you

Gardens deepens his longstanding research into the relationship between culture and ecology, while reaffirming painting itself as an act of sustained attention in an accelerated world. Ultimately, Curated by Rain is less about depicting the gardens than about inhabiting them and recognising how deeply human life remains entangled with forces beyond our control.

Biography Eamon Colman was born in Dublin in 1957 and has lived and worked in County Kilkenny since 2003. He has been an elected member of Aosdána since 2007 in recognition of his major contribution to Irish culture.

His professional career spans from 1979, during which he has created forty-five solo exhibitions presented nationally and internationally.

In 1997, he was invited to host a major mid-term retrospective exhibition of his work entitled ‘Post Cards Home’ at the Royal Hibernian Academy, Dublin, at the age of 39. This was accompanied by a monograph on his work by writer and art critic Brian McAvera entitled ‘Dreams from The Lion’s Head, The Work of Eamon Colman’, published

by Four Fields Press. A 25-year retrospective of his work is featured

The vastest things are those we may not learn

in a substantial publication by Gandon Editions, Kinsale: ‘Profile 25 – Eamon Colman’ (2006).

In 1989, he won the First Prize Painting Award in EVA International; in 2001 First Prize Painting Award in Eigse, Carlow Arts Festival; in 2002, he was the first Irish artist to be awarded Full Fellowship Award from the Vermont Studio Centre, USA; in 2005, he won a CCAT Interreg Major Award for touring an exhibition in Wales, UK and in 2018 he was awarded a Culture Ireland GB18 Award. In 2023, he was invited to exhibit ‘28-Acres’ at The Butler Gallery and Museum, Kilkenny, which was accompanied by a new film by Kevin Hughes, Wallslough Studios, about the artist and his local environment, where he finds inspiration.

His work has been featured in many international exhibitions showcasing contemporary Irish art, such as ‘Woven Fine Grain’ at Sasse Museum, Los Angeles, USA, curated

by Ciara Hambly (2023), ‘Ground Zero 360’, BUH Museum, Texas, USA (2021). He has also exhibited in Brussels; Denmark; France; Spain; the UK; The Netherlands; Hong Kong; Canada, and the USA. Colman’s work is held in numerous prominent public collections including The National Gallery of

There’s a moon in them there puddles (a walk with U and M)

Ireland; The Arts Council of Ireland; The Danish Arts Council; The Office of Public Works - Government Collection; The Irish Museum of Modern Art (Gordon Lambert Collection); Butler Gallery and Museum; Tralee Regional Technical College; Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast; AIB Bank; Bank of Ireland; Ulster Bank; KPMG; Smurfit Ireland Grp.; Citibank; Deutsche Bank; Arthur Anderson; Fyffes Ireland; Delta Airlines; De Vere’s private collection and various private collections worldwide.

Solomon Fine Art, Dublin, Ireland, represents Eamon Colman. www. eamoncolman.com

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Childhood memories rooted in nature

destroying the very life support system that we depend on.

I see the many actions that are undertaken across the county,

BY MARIA to reduce litter, plant trees DOLLARD and pollinator plants and enhance communities for Good memories from future generations. The launch childhood can be very last year of the Biodiversity powerful. They can take Action Plan by Kilkenny County Maria Dollard, 1974 us back in time, to feelings Council, was a huge leap forward Scoil Mhuire of contentment, peace or in laying out realistic actions that Callan connections. When I think about should be taken over the next four my good memories as a child, I years. The plans and expertise is there to always remember outdoors. Playing stop the destruction but resistance to change in the fields where I grew up out the country, challenges us as individuals, communities, picking hazelnuts with Daddy in the autumn, businesses, state organisations and government. tending the vegetable garden, picking amongst World Environment Day is a reminder that rock pools with my sister or sitting in a hedge, protecting our environment requires strong taking a break from the long walk back from the leadership and urgent action. We can only shop and catching the sweet almond scent of influence what’s around us and we all have furze. power in different ways. In Kilkenny and across Who can fail to notice the beautiful Whitethorn Ireland, local and national leaders, in every and Cow Parsley adorning the hedges of our walk of life, must take action. We must provide country right now? There was a time when we clean energy, protect green spaces, improve took this for granted, not anymore. We used to public transport, and reduce pollution. Councils paddle in the Oldtown and Munster rivers near and government departments have the power home. We had so many pristine rivers and now to protect communities and safeguard nature just one left in Kilkenny. The degradation of our for future generations. Climate change and rivers is just one aspect of the challenges we biodiversity loss demand more than promises. face. Once you could drink water straight from This World Environment Day is a call for the river. So many birds are on the endangered leadership, accountability, and meaningful list and the collapse in insects since the 70’s has environmental action from those in power to been immense. Why does it matter? build a sustainable future.

Without birds and bees, we can’t have food, So, wherever you have influence, in because plants depend on them to grow. government, in business or in your own home, Without clean water, we depend more and do not underestimate the power of a small group more on chemicals to clean it. We are part of of people to change the world, in fact it’s the only nature ourselves. Despite our technological thing that ever has. Happy World Environment advancements as humans, we seem intent on Day.

The Kilkenny Observer Friday 29th May 2026

Cycling is one of the most environmentally friendly forms of transport available today.

As concerns about climate change, pollution, and rising fuel consumption continue to grow, more people are recognising the importance of reducing their reliance on cars.

While driving is still necessary for some journeys, cycling offers a cleaner, healthier, and more sustainable alternative for many everyday trips.

One of the greatest environmental benefits of cycling is that bicycles produce no harmful emissions. Cars release carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and other pollutants into the atmosphere every day. These gases contribute to global warming, climate change, and poor air quality.

In towns and cities with heavy traffic, vehicle pollution can seriously affect public health and the environment. Bicycles, however, run entirely on human energy and create no air pollution at all. Every journey completed by bike instead of by car helps reduce the amount of greenhouse gases entering the atmosphere.

Short car journeys are particularly damaging to the environment because engines are often less efficient over short distances. Many trips to local shops, schools, or workplaces could easily be completed by bicycle instead. Replacing even a few of these journeys each week with cycling can make a significant difference over time. If more people

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Cycling helps protect our environment

cycled regularly, overall pollution levels would fall and communities would benefit from cleaner, fresher air.

Cycling also helps reduce traffic congestion. Modern roads are often overcrowded with cars, especially during rush hour. Traffic jams not only waste time but

also increase pollution, as vehicles sit idle with engines running. Bicycles take up far less space than cars and can move through busy areas more efficiently. Encouraging more people to cycle can help reduce the number of vehicles on the road, creating quieter and less stressful towns and

cities.

Another major advantage is the reduced dependence on fossil fuels. Petrol and diesel are non-renewable resources that require energy-intensive extraction, transport, and refining. These processes can damage natural habitats, pollute water sources, and

contribute heavily to carbon emissions. Cycling requires no fuel other than human effort, making it one of the most sustainable transport choices available. Using bicycles more often can help reduce society’s dependence on environmentally damaging fuels.

The environmental impact of

manufacturing bicycles is also far lower than producing cars.

Cars require large quantities of metal, plastic, rubber, glass, and electronic parts, along with huge amounts of energy during production. Bicycles are much simpler machines that use fewer materials and are easier to repair and maintain. Many bicycles remain in use for decades, reducing waste and limiting the need for constant replacement.

Cycling can also make towns and cities greener. Roads, car parks, and motorways often take up large areas of land and can destroy green spaces and wildlife habitats. Bicycle lanes and bike parking require much less space, allowing more room for parks, trees, and recreational areas. Communities that support cycling often become cleaner, quieter, and more pleasant places to live.

In addition to helping the environment, cycling benefits personal health. Regular cycling improves fitness, strengthens the heart, and reduces stress. Healthier lifestyles can also reduce pressure on healthcare systems and improve overall wellbeing.

Although cycling may not replace every car journey, especially in rural areas or for long distances, it can greatly reduce unnecessary driving. Choosing to cycle whenever possible is a simple but effective way to help protect the environment and create a cleaner, healthier future for everyone.

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Living sustainably is no longer simply a lifestyle choice; it has become an important responsibility for everyone. Every decision we make each day has some effect on the planet, from the food we eat and the clothes we buy to the way we travel and heat our homes. Climate change, pollution, habitat destruction, and the decline of wildlife are challenges facing every country, and while governments and large organisations have a major role to play, individuals can also make meaningful changes in their daily lives.

One of the simplest ways to live more sustainably is to become more mindful about shopping. Modern consumer culture often encourages people to buy more than they truly need.

Every product requires raw materials, energy for manufacturing, transport, and packaging before it reaches the shelves. Even recyclable items still leave an environmental footprint.

Before making a purchase, it is worth pausing and asking whether the item is necessary. Buying secondhand goods, repairing broken items instead of replacing them, and choosing products with minimal packaging can all help reduce waste and conserve

resources.

Plastic waste is another major environmental problem. Millions of tonnes of plastic enter the oceans every year, harming marine ecosystems and threatening wildlife. Sea birds, turtles, whales, and fish often mistake plastic for food or become trapped in discarded waste. Because plastic takes hundreds of years to break down, much of it remains in the environment indefinitely. Fortunately, small everyday changes can help reduce plastic pollution.

Using reusable shopping bags, refillable water bottles, reusable coffee cups, and avoiding single-use plastics where possible can make a significant difference over time. Choosing products packaged in glass, cardboard, or recyclable materials also helps reduce dependence on plastic.

Celebrations and holidays are often associated with joy and togetherness, but they can also create large amounts of unnecessary waste. Decorations, wrapping paper, disposable plates, party favours, and excessive gift packaging all contribute to environmental damage. Weddings, birthdays, Christmas, and other events can still be special while being more environmentally friendly.

Reusing decorations,

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Simple changes can protect our planet

The Kilkenny Observer Friday 29th May 2026

choosing locally made gifts, reducing food waste, and selecting reusable tableware are all simple ways to celebrate more sustainably without losing the spirit of the occasion.

Food production and farming practices also play a huge role in environmental health. Choosing organic produce where possible can help reduce the use of pesticides and harmful chemicals that damage soil, water, insects, and wildlife habitats. Intensive farming methods can have devastating effects on biodiversity, while pesticides can contaminate rivers and threaten pollinators such as bees and butterflies.

Supporting local farmers, growing your own vegetables, and choosing seasonal produce can all help lessen environmental impact.

Even small gardens or window boxes planted with pollinator-friendly flowers can support wildlife and encourage biodiversity.

The fashion industry is another major contributor to pollution and waste. Over recent decades, fast fashion has encouraged people to buy cheap clothing that is often worn only a handful of times before being discarded. Clothing production consumes vast amounts of water and energy, while synthetic fabrics contribute

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to microplastic pollution.

Animal-based textiles can also lead to habitat destruction and environmental damage. A more sustainable approach is to buy fewer, better-quality items that last longer. Repairing clothes, shopping in charity or vintage stores, swapping items with friends, and recycling textiles are all positive alternatives to fast fashion.

Transport is one of the largest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions.

Cars powered by fossil fuels release harmful pollutants into the atmosphere, contributing to climate change and poor air quality. While not everyone can completely avoid driving, there are ways to reduce transport emissions. Walking, cycling, car-sharing, and using public transport whenever possible can all help reduce environmental impact.

For people purchasing a new vehicle, electric or hybrid cars are becoming increasingly accessible and environmentally friendly options.

Making homes more energy efficient is another effective step towards sustainability. Proper insulation, energy-efficient windows, LED lighting, and smart heating systems can significantly reduce energy consumption while lowering household bills. Renew-

able energy options such as solar panels and solar water heating systems are also becoming more common.

Many governments now offer grants and incentives to encourage homeowners to make greener improvements to their properties.

Perhaps most importantly, people can use their voices to support positive environmental action. Voting

for leaders who prioritise climate policies, supporting organisations that protect wildlife and natural habitats, and encouraging stronger environmental laws can all help create wider change. Individual actions may sometimes feel small, but when communities work together, they can have a powerful impact.

Living sustainably does

not mean living perfectly or giving up comfort and enjoyment. It simply means making more thoughtful choices and recognising that the planet’s resources are limited. Small actions carried out consistently by millions of people can help protect wildlife, preserve natural habitats, and create a healthier world for future generations.

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 29th May 2026

Best Environmental Measurement Services 2026 - Co. Kilkenny Pioneering business, Concept Solutions, is innovating for a sustainable future. Providing and servicing pollution measuring equipment, the company also educates businesses and organisations on how to reduce air and water pollution levels. Based just outside Kilkenny city, Concept Solutions’ mission is to make our environment cleaner and greener. We chat with Managing Director Edward Keating to find out more.

Across Ireland, challenges in managing industrial discharges and wastewater treatment are increasing.

According to a report published by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in October last year, wastewater from 59% of Ireland’s existing treatment plants fail to meet standards designed to prevent pollution. As a result, poorly treated effluent can enter rivers, lakes and coastal waters, putting ecosystems at risk. Many industrial facilities are also struggling to monitor and optimise discharge processes effectively, leading to compliance risks and environmental damage. As regulatory pressure increases and infrastructure continues to age, the requirement for accurate environmental monitoring and smarter waste optimisation has never been greater.

Concept Solutions offers a comprehensive range of solutions and services to customers including food and beverage companies, pharmaceutical manufacturers, and wastewater treatment plants. By working only with world-class suppliers and partners, Concept Solutions is committed to offering innovative, reliable and practical solutions to these challenges.

With more than 35 years of experience in the water and wastewater industry, Edward Keating, Managing Director of Concept Solutions, brings extensive knowledge and practical expertise to every project undertaken by the company. Speaking about the company’s approach, Edward explained that integrity and long-term value are at the heart of everything they do. “We are invested in every project to ensure the best possible outcome for the client.

Our intelligent systems provide real long-term benefits, not only for our clients but also for the environment,” he said.

To support industries and municipalities in managing environmental challenges more effectively, Concept Solutions has developed a range of integrated monitoring

solutions designed to improve operational control and deliver accurate, real-time data. www.industrialdischargemonitoring.com Their Frame-Mounted Monitoring System is a fully assembled, ready-to-install unit that simplifies environmental monitoring. Equipped with samplers, sensors, valves, control equipment, and cloud-based reporting technology, the compact system allows operators to monitor discharge flows and water quality quickly and efficiently.

For more detailed analysis, the company also provides advanced Analytical Monitoring Stations capable of measuring key wastewater parameters including Total Nitrogen, Total Phosphorus, Ortho-Phosphate, Total Organic Carbon, pH, turbidity, and temperature. These systems provide continuous analysis, helping operators identify potential issues early, improve process control, and ensure discharge standards are consistently achieved.

Keeping pace with the latest technology is a major priority for the team at Concept Solutions. Staff regularly attend specialist “train the trainer” programmes, while the company is also investing heavily in CPD certification to ensure clients receive expert support and up-to-date solutions.

Managing Director Edward Keating says the company is focused on long-term results rather than simply selling products. By partnering with manufacturers producing cutting-edge systems, Concept Solutions delivers innovative technologies that help industries and local authorities operate more sustainably.

The company’s frame-mounted monitoring units play a key role in optimising wastewater treatment plants, many of which are ageing or operating at full capacity.

Using advanced monitoring, data analysis, and AI-driven optimisation, Concept Solutions can improve efficiency, reduce chemical and energy use, and lower environmental impact. Their Opti-Box system allows algorithms to be tested and refined before full implementation, already delivering efficiency improvements of up to 30%.

Concept Solutions has also invested in a mobile workshop and laboratory, enabling faster on-site diagnostics, reduced downtime, and more effective rollout of treatment plant improvements.

Concept Solutions driving smarter water monitoring Concept Solutions specializes in delivering and install practical and effective bolt down solutions for • Discharge Monitoring , • Environmental Monitoring, • Wastewater Treatment Plant Optimization, We have just launched our newly focused website on these topics www.industrialdischargemonitoring.com We have a strong focus on quality, sustainability, and client satisfaction & we partner with organisations to help our clients achieve better environmental performance and operational efficiency.

As part of our value proposition we include • Environmental data delivered via Bluegate Cloud Access • Technical consultancy and implementation support • Tailored solutions for water, air, and resource management • Ongoing service and support for equipment and systems • A broad range of professional training programmes to support clients in the effective use of environmental technologies and best practices – Basic Level Laboratory Training for WWTP Testing Methods – Basic Level Industrial Measurement ( Instrumentation ) Theory & Practise – Basic Water & Waste Water Analytics Theory & Practise – Advanced Water & Waste Water Analytics Theory & Practise – Basic Level Waste Water Process Design for ETP and STP – Optimization of Wastewater Treatment Processes – Streaming Current Analysis and Coagulant Control Our approach is based on: • understanding client needs • applying tailored technology and methods • ensuring results that support compliance and long-term performance We are currently looking to develop collaborations with environmental consultants and related service providers and would welcome the opportunity to discuss how we can support your projects and clients.

For more information, please visit our website. www.industrialdischargemonitoring.com

The Kilkenny Observer Friday 29th May 2026

Kilkenny community groups receive funding for climate action projects

Members of Coolagh Community, in their Community Garden

Kilkenny County Council and the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment are delighted to award €577,659 to 20 Kilkenny communities who will deliver a variety of local climate action projects.

Following a second round of funding and another competitive selection process

20 groups were awarded support under Phase 2 of the Community Climate Action Programme. The objective of this programme is to support and empower communities to take climate action and build low carbon, sustainable communities which help to contribute to national climate and energy targets.

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Welcoming the funding, Cathaoirleach Cllr. Mary Hilda Cavanagh said “This funding is a tremendous support for the communities across Kilkenny who are bringing meaningful climate action to life, delivering real, hands-on efforts that make a difference. It not only supports their efforts but

acknowledges the dedication behind them. With this much needed funding, we’re hopeful that even more community led sustainability projects will continue to emerge and grow.”

The projects funded range from energy and lighting upgrades on community buildings, bike shelters to

Applicant

Funding Received

Castlecomer Enterprise Group

€15,000

Kells Sports Centre

€14,000

Kilkenny Allotment & Community Gardens Association

€3,200

Marian Hall

€7,000

TCAT – Three-fold Community Asset Trust

€800

The Acorn Project

€12,000

The Rower Community Hall

€24,667

Tullahought Community Centre

€32,500

Kilmacow Community Centre

€29,000

Ferrybank AFC

€39,500

SOS Kilkenny CLG

€16,000

Ballyfoyle Development Group

€42,500

Thomastown GAA Club

€37,000

Hugginstown District & Community Centre

€35,500

Stoneyford Development Association

€23,500

St.Canices Community Action

€23,000

Piltown GAA Club

€41,992

Urlingford Town Team

€61,500

Graiguenamanagh Canoe Club

€55,000

CRKC – Community Radio Kilkenny City

€64,000

encourage cycling, water fonts to reduce plastic bottle use, planting for wildlife, community allotments, rainwater harvesting, hedgerow planting and much more.

The Climate Action Office of Kilkenny County Council will support the communities in the delivery of the projects and will share updates on the projects as they progress.

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Art and heritage The historic Abbey Meadow played a big part in the Open Doors festival

Art and heritage shine in summer-fest Lord Barnard holds forth in the workhouse garden drama

BY JOHN FITZGERALD

A highpoint of this year’s Callan Open Doors Festival, for me at least, was the performance of a play, The Deeds of Lord Barnard.

Scripted by Iarla O’ Neill, who also acted in the drama, it was set during the Great Famine of the 1840s.

And what better stage than the garden of the old Callan Workhouse, itself a monument to that catastrophic era.

Thousands passed through its doors, and, despite its fearsome reputation, it saved many people who otherwise would have perished in their hovels or on the roadsides.

The play had two desperate fellows brooding on their plight, as hunger stalked the land. One of them suggested that maybe appeasing one of the pre-Christian deities might banish their pain and misery…that maybe a human sacrifice might satisfy the ancient gods and end the famine.

Lord Bernard appeared as the typical haughty Lord of the Manor, decked out in red foxhunting gear, complete with a token hound in tow to remind them of their status: A scintillating black comedy resulted that amused and repelled in about equal measure.

The drama elicited laughter but also reflection on the stark injustices and inequalities of the time: the cruel arrogance of the ruling classes amid the poverty and helplessness of the people, who had to battle hunger and brutal repression, on empty stomachs and devoid of hope.

Iarla O’ Neill, Rose Creagh, and Muiris Wallace gave captivating performances and the setting was ideal…a grassy rural backdrop with a gate, and all in the shadow of Callan Workhouse. This was the play’s debut and I’m sure it’ll be well-received elsewhere in Ireland.

The whole town basked in a summer of celebration for the Open Doors festival. For four wonderful days, music, visual art, gripping talks and a string of creative workshops drew the crowds as the town highlighted a wide range of talent and ingenious projects.

All sorts of normally hushed hubs of the locality came to life for the event. The Power House in Mill Lane, once a bacon factory and before that Callan’s electricity generating station; was back in action, but not to give light or get pigs worried.

It served as a venue for informative talks by artists from Callan and Kilkenny, each offering his or her unique perspective on their sources of inspiration…the people, places, and situations that acted as an impetus for their art.

Kilkenny-based artist Susan Horsch cast a spell with her Swimming in Space display, granting viewers an insight into her work with soft sculptures and textiles, which she uses as metaphors for aspects of the human experience. The Power House proved an apt milieu for her work It also accommodated musical acts that blended electronic techniques with the use of Head Fiddle and traditional Mongolian throat singing… possibly a first for Callan Fennelly’s of Bridge Street hosted Trad, Bluegrass and American Country sessions and residents of Mount Carmel savoured American folk music, while impromptu art lessons and guidance were given and gratefully received at the Macra Hall, and L’Arche Café.

Inflatable giants and pup-

pets meandered around the scenic Abbey Meadow, and the Droichead Resource Centre echoed to the rhythms of African drumming.

Exhibitions brightened up many a venue, including the window of the Green House in Bridge Street, which showcased Views of Callan, by artists Martina Rosi (Italy) and Louise Boutant (France) whose “take” on the local landscape was influenced by their stay in the town.

Lessons in portraiture had budding artists lining up to improve their drawing and painting skills, and Ruth Lydon offered an introduction to the Irish Harp.

Artist Jan Michell’s first solo exhibition Ladies of Substance at the KCAT Centre charmed visitors, with her application of multiple media, including ink, markers, and paint to create expressionistic portraits.

The town’s commitment to biodiversity featured prominently, with talks and trails to highlight the enhancing of Callan’s precious ecology.

Locals have been active in tree planting, especially in the Moat Field and Abbey Meadow, each of which contains a national monument, a 13th century Norman Motte and the ruin of an Augustinian abbey respectively.

Stalwarts such as Etaoin Holahan, Nicola Teehan, Rosie Lynch, and Joe Kennedy (to name just a few) have made heroic strides in elevating Callan’s status as a town that really cares about both its built and natural heritage.

The Walled Garden at Westcourt had its annual plant sale, which coincided with exhibitions at this veritable time capsule. Jim Jobsen displayed bowls carved from windfall wood, and artist Luke Cassidy ran a workshop titled 100 Tiny Moments of Care, in which he invited people to ponder the ways they can look after their native town.

Visitors shuffled about in deep philosophical mode, reflecting on this challenge, as others examined the herbs and plants in the organic garden, or just relaxed in the

The lads contemplate a human sacrifice to appease the old gods

sun.

The four-day event culminated with a long-table feast at the Power House. Chef Connor Higgins offered his culinary expertise and the diners had a rare treat.

Part of the walled garden at Westcourt

It was better than any medieval banquet, one local enthused, as this year’s festival came to a joyous and rhapsodic close, and quiet returned to the Town on the King’s River.

The Kilkenny Observer Friday 29th May 2026

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At The Waterline - Exhibition The Tea Houses is delighted to invite you to At the Waterline, a new exhibition by artist and ecologist Tasneem Khan exploring the concept of islandness as a lens for change, adaptation and thinking about our relationship to place.

Opening Friday 29 May, 5.00pm. All are welcome. Curated by Shannon Carroll.

This exhibition emerges from an ongoing body of artistic research exploring how islands can be understood not only as geographical locations or terrain, but as spaces through which to consider ecological systems and human experience in a time of environmental instability. In these edge environments, change is often accelerated and magnified. The edges between land and water become a site of attention, a space in which to witness where systems shift, overlap and transform together.

Developed through Khan’s longterm engagement with coastal, riverine and island environments, At the Waterline brings together mixed media photography, video and text, using layering as part of a process of mapping and remapping place through experience and observation. It is the artist’s documentation of water journeys, through field-based observation and images, that functions as a form of visual note-taking. Across the work, Khan approaches the water’s edge as a threshold, where a special set of conditions provide ways of understanding connection, isolation, evolution and interdependence across systems.

The exhibition transforms into a working space: part studio, part field station. At the Waterline invites visitors into an active process of research and exploration, the gallery provides a quiet, contemplative space to encourage slow looking: a moment to pause, breathe, notice and reflect on how we encounter and understand the world around us. Alongside the works, visitors are encouraged to contribute their own observations and responses into a shared logbook. In this way, the exhibition extends beyond viewing into a collective act of mapping, creating a living text holding the thoughts and experience of all those involved.

Presented as part of the Kilkenny County Council Arts Office Programme. As part of the exhibition, the artist will be running a Climate Cartography hands-on art workshop at the water's edge, engaging with the River Nore through observation, mapping and creative response. Open to anyone (18+) with an interest in art, ecology or place and no prior experience necessary. Taking place on the afternoon of Friday the 5th of June to celebrate the United Nations’ World Environment Day. Tickets available via Eventbrite.

Artist Tasneem Khan is a photographer, artist, biologist and educator whose practice moves between coastal ecologies, island environments, intertidal detail and the intimate patterns of marine and freshwater worlds. Her work is shaped by two decades of exploring, studying and

Artist Tasneem explores concept of Islandness Tasneem Khan (2022) by Evelyn McNamara Photography

Climate Cartography Workshop Image

documenting waterscapes across the Indian Ocean, the Atlantic and beyond, and by a sustained curiosity about how place is understood through both scientific attention and lived experience. Working across photography, field-based research and science communication, she develops bodies of work that hold observation, memory and ecological change in the same frame.

Recent exhibitions and writing include: Time and Tide series of 8 photo essays (2025), MaraTime exhibition at the Coastguard Centre, Tramore (2025), Parallel Worlds

'Islands Of Tomorrow' Tasneem Khan for At The Waterline exhibition 2026

photo exhibition at SETU, Waterford (2024), ‘The Subverse-Of Relationality and Water: Stories of Kinship, Care and Belonging’ Podcast (2023), The Story of Salt & Water exhibition

at Vitamin Sea Festival Tramore (2023), ‘Nature in Focus’ Jury member at the Conservation & Wildlife Photography Awards (2020), Ecosystems In Change photography exhibi-

tion at Sublime Galleria, Bangalore, India (2017).

Exhibition runs from May 30 to June 5th.

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Homes & Gardens

Make a “nursery pot hotel” GARDEN NOTES Freepik

Garden treasures at Rothe House

GARDEN

Most gardeners have a pile of empty plastic nursery pots somewhere: behind the shed, under the bench, or wedged into a corner of the greenhouse. Instead of letting them become a messy stack, turn them into a simple “pot hotel”.

Sort pots by size and store them upright in an old crate or large basket. Keep plant labels, ties and small canes in one of the pots so everything is together when you need to divide perennials, pot on seedlings Make sure you wash and dry pots before storing them. This helps reduce pests, old compost and disease being carried from one planting job to the next. Keep the crate near your potting area and you’ll always have the right size to hand.

There is something special about buying a plant from a garden with roots dating back to the 17th century. At Rothe House and Gardens, visitors will have the chance to do just that when the annual plant sale takes place on Saturday, June 6, from 11am to 4pm.

This year’s sale once again promises a vibrant selection of over 40 varieties of plants.

All of which are grown with care by Rothe House’s Head Gardener, Mary Pyke, using bulbs, seeds and cuttings nurtured in the historic Rothe House Garden.

For Mary, the event is about much more than selling

plants. It’s a chance to welcome people into the garden, answer questions and share some of the hardy, well-loved varieties that have earned their place there.

The garden itself is rare and remarkable: a restored 17thcentury garden in the heart of Kilkenny, planted with an eye to history as well as beauty.

Rothe House Trust was established in 2004 to protect, promote and preserve this historic house and garden, Ireland’s only intact merchant house and garden.

“We’ve tried to keep the planting historically correct,” Mary explains, “We use the oldest plants possible, for example, the roses are

16th-century varieties.” The orchard is home to 40 native apple trees.

There are also plenty of herbs with old stories attached. Winter savoury, Mary says, is “a little bit like thyme, but there’s a peppery taste behind it”. Borage, once used for “the giddiness of the mind”, has a cucumber-like flavour and pretty blue flowers, often frozen into ice cubes for cocktails today.

Above all, Mary chooses plants that are tough and used to our climate. “The kind that settle in well and quietly get on with growing.”

Plants available to buy at the annual sale will include campanula, foxglove, rose-

mary, pasque flower, shasta daisy, astrantia, delphinium, lavender laurentia and peony.

However, with a limited stock of plants available, we recommend arriving early to secure your favourites. “Once they’re gone, they’re gone,” Mary says.

For visitors, the annual plant sale offers a chance to find something a little different for the garden, while enjoying Rothe House at a beautiful time of year. The Merchant Shop will also offer a 15 percent discount on its range of Irish products on the day. Visitors can browse at their own pace, explore the garden and even bring a picnic to enjoy in the peaceful surroundings.

Could one-off homes make a comeback?

HOMES For many rural families, the dream of building a home on family land has become increasingly difficult to realise.

A new report from Hardware Association Ireland argues that planning reform could help more people build oneoff homes in rural areas, while still meeting modern standards for sustainability and good planning.

The association says demand for rural homes remains strong, but completions have fallen sharply since the height of the building boom. According to the report, more than 23,000 one-off homes were built in 2006, compared with 5,929 completed in 2025.

HAI believes that, with planning reform and updated regulation, that figure could potentially rise to more than 12,000 homes a year.

The findings are contained in The Potential for Rural Family Homes – A Survey Review Spring 2026, which surveyed 239 stakeholders, including builders’ merchants, architects, estate agents, councillors and local authority officials.

According to the survey, 92 per cent of respondents believe there is a gap between demand for one-off rural homes and the number currently being built.

HAI identifies the “housing need” requirement, sometimes referred to as the localsonly rule, and the complexity of the planning system as two of the biggest obstacles facing self-builders.

The report comes as the Government has announced plans to relax rules around ribbon development.

HAI President Tara Brennan said the research points to the

need for “practical solutions that balance good planning practice and regulatory reform”.

She added that modern rural homes can now be built to

much higher environmental standards, with heat pumps, solar panels, battery storage and low-carbon construction methods increasingly common.

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Food & Drink

New potatoes, pea and herb salad RECIPE Freepik

Early summer on the plate

RECIPE This delicious salad makes the most of simple seasonal ingredients: new potatoes, peas, scallions, soft herbs and crisp leaves.

It is fresh enough for lunch in the garden, but hearty enough to serve with roast chicken, grilled fish or a barbecue.

Serves 4 Ingredients • 500g new potatoes • 150g fresh or frozen peas • 4 scallions, finely sliced • A handful of radishes, thinly sliced • A large handful of mixed salad leaves • 2 tbsp chopped parsley • 1 tbsp chopped mint • 1 tbsp chopped chives For the dressing • 3 tbsp olive oil • 1 tbsp lemon juice • 1 tsp Dijon mustard • 1 tsp honey • Salt and black pepper Method Wash the potatoes and cut any larger ones in half. Boil in salted water until tender, then drain well and allow them to steam dry for a few minutes.

While the potatoes are still warm, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, honey, salt and pepper. Pour half the dressing over the warm potatoes and toss gently. This helps them absorb the flavour.

Cook the peas for a minute or two in boiling water, then drain and refresh under cold water to keep their colour. Add them to the potatoes with the scallions, radishes, parsley, mint and chives.

Just before serving, fold through the salad leaves and add the remaining dressing. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.

This is a very flexible recipe. Add crumbled feta or goat’s cheese for a richer salad, or top with boiled eggs for a more filling lunch.

Smoked trout or crispy bacon also work beautifully if you want to make it more substantial.

The key is not to overcomplicate it. Good new potatoes, a bright dressing and plenty of fresh herbs will do most of the work.

Served slightly warm or at room temperature, it is the kind of easy, colourful dish that tastes like the beginning of summer.

Freepik

FOOD Early summer is one of the loveliest times to cook. The food starts to feel lighter, brighter and more colourful, but there is still enough freshness in the air (bye bye heatwave) to make simple, comforting dishes welcome at the table.

This is the season for new potatoes, young carrots, scallions, salad leaves, radishes, spinach, rhubarb, strawberries and early herbs. In gardens, allotments and markets, the first proper signs of summer begin

to appear, and the best approach in the kitchen is often to do very little.

New potatoes are a perfect example. Boiled until tender and tossed with butter, sea salt, parsley or mint, they need almost nothing else. They are just as good served warm with grilled fish, roast chicken or a spoonful of mayonnaise and chopped scallions for a quick potato salad.

Early summer greens also deserve a place on the plate.

Spinach, chard and young kale can be quickly wilted with a little garlic and olive oil, folded

through pasta, added to an omelette or served beside eggs for a simple weekend lunch.

Salad leaves, meanwhile, are at their best when dressed lightly with lemon juice, oil and a pinch of salt.

Rhubarb is one of the great seasonal treats, especially when gently stewed with orange zest or ginger. It works beautifully with yoghurt, custard, cream or porridge, and can also be baked into crumbles, tarts and traybakes.

As the season moves on, Irish strawberries begin to take over, bringing their own kind of

sweetness to pavlovas, sponge cakes, breakfast bowls or simply a bowl with cream.

Herbs can transform early summer cooking. Mint, chives, parsley, dill and basil all add freshness without much effort.

Try chopped chives through scrambled eggs, mint with peas or potatoes, dill with salmon, or parsley scattered over almost anything savoury.

The joy of early summer produce is that it does not need complicated recipes. Buy what looks good, keep things simple and let the ingredients do the work.

Garden to glass DRINKS As herbs, rhubarb, elderflower and the first Irish strawberries come into season, simple homemade drinks can feel every bit as special as a dessert or a weekend bake.

One of the loveliest seasonal options is elderflower cordial.

Traditionally made by steeping elderflower heads with lemon, sugar and water, it captures that soft, floral flavour of early summer. Served with sparkling water, plenty of ice and a slice of lemon, it makes a refreshing drink for warm afternoons.

A simple rhubarb syrup can be made by gently cooking chopped rhubarb with sugar, water and a little orange zest or ginger, then straining it once the colour has deepened. Add a splash to soda water, lemonade or tonic for a

bright pink cooler.

Mint, lemon balm, basil and rosemary can all lift a summer drink. Try steeping mint and lemon balm in hot water, then chilling it for a gentle iced tea, or muddling basil with strawberries for a fragrant twist.

For something very simple, cucumber, lime and mint in cold water is hard to beat.

Leave it in the fridge for an hour and it becomes crisp, cooling and gently elegant.

Strawberries and basil are a surprisingly good match.

Mash a handful of ripe strawberries with a few basil leaves and a squeeze of lemon, then top with still or sparkling water. Strain it if you want it smooth, or leave it slightly pulpy for a more rustic summer drink. It’s simple, colourful and a good way to use berries that are slightly soft but still full of flavour.

William ZALI

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What’s On

Live at the Barrel Yard

Tony Cleere

TOP SHOWS, BOOKS, MUSIC, GAMES AND MORE - OUR QUICK GUIDE TO WHAT’S WORTH YOUR TIME THIS WEEK What to Watch: John Carney’s Power Ballad opens in IMC Kilkenny this week, bringing a homegrown music comedy to the big screen. Starring Paul Rudd and Nick Jonas, it follows a washed-up wedding singer and a pop superstar whose paths collide through one song.

Expect romantic chaos, big feelings and Dublin-flavoured charm from the director of Once and Sing Street, as questions of fame, ownership and second chances strike just the right note.

ORACLE VILLA | SATURDAY, MAY 30 AT 5PM | TONY CLEERE | SUNDAY, MAY 31 AT 4PM MUSIC The Barrel Yard will welcome music lovers for a weekend of live performances, bringing together Kilkenny’s thriving music scene, great company and one of the city’s most atmospheric settings.

Set against the distinctive backdrop of the Barrel Yard, where heritage and contemporary culture meet, the weekend

programme offers two very different but equally entertaining live music experiences.

On Saturday evening, Oracle Villa will take to the stage.

Fresh from their success as winners of the Kilkenny Battle of the Bands, the rising threepiece are fast making a name for themselves on the local circuit. Their sound blends guitar-driven indie rock with classic rock ’n’ roll influences,

creating a powerful and energetic live set.

Known for their melodic edge, tight rhythm section and raw, driving energy, Oracle Villa have built a loyal following across the region.

On Sunday afternoon, the weekend closes in a more relaxed but equally memorable style with Tony Cleere, a long-standing favourite of the Kilkenny music scene. With a

repertoire spanning the timeless artistry of David Bowie to the soulful depth of Tom Waits, Tony brings versatility, musicianship and warmth to the stage.

Blending familiar songs with personal interpretation, his performances create an easy-going atmosphere that is perfectly suited to a laid-back Sunday afternoon.

Admission is complimentary.

Gather to welcome The Guardian JUNE 6 | BUTLER GALLERY | 12PM - 4PM STORYTELLING Butler Gallery is hosting a storytelling event for Cruinniú na nÓg, inviting children, families and visitors to help welcome The Guardian.

Created by Trickster in collaboration with children from St John’s National School, the project imagines a Resident Guardian of Butler Gallery - a spirit shaped by local voices, memory, imagination and place.

The event brings together performance, artwork and hands-on creativity in a “playful celebration of local folklore”. Visitors can experience a live interactive promenade performance in the gallery grounds, where the story of The Guardian will be told for the first time. Members of the public are welcome to watch or join in as the story parade

unfolds.

Inside, an exhibition of children’s artwork will show how pupils from St John’s developed the story and character of The Guardian in the leadup to the performance. Their drawings and ideas form part of the wider project, giving young voices a central role in creating this new piece of Kilkenny folklore.

Drop-in workshops will also take place in the Learning Centre, giving children and families the chance to respond creatively to the work on display and add their own mark to the project.

Cruinniú na nÓg is Ireland’s national day of free creativity for children and young people, with events taking place across the country. This Butler Gallery project is supported by the Kilkenny Creative Ireland Programme.

Your picks for this week

What to Read: Vicki Notaro’s Long Story arrives in paperback this week, offering a sharp, glossy Irish read with plenty of heart. Set between Ireland and the US, it follows movie star Tara and pop-culture podcaster Alex, best friends whose bond is tested when a rockstar memoir drags old secrets into the light. Expect celebrity sparkle, friendship drama, social media chaos and an easy page-turning pace for the bank holiday weekend and summer holidays.

What to Stream: Netflix’s Rafa lands this week for sports fans and documentary watchers alike. Rafael Nadal’s career is one of sport’s great stories, built on 22 Grand Slam titles, fierce rivalries and unforgettable claycourt dominance. Across four episodes, the docuseries uses unseen footage, daily-life access and testimony from peers to offer an intimate, human portrait of an athlete whose discipline, resilience and sportsmanship made him a tennis legend for generations to come.

What to Listen to: Paul McCartney’s The Boys of Dungeon Lane arrives this week, bringing a new release from one of pop’s most recognisable songwriters.

Details around the album remain limited, but McCartney’s late-career work has often balanced melody, memory and studio craft without trying to chase current trends. For listeners interested in classic songwriting and reflective pop, it is one of the week’s notable music releases, especially after recent archival projects and collaborations.

What to Play: Unrailed 2: Back on Track rolls onto Switch, Switch 2 and PC this week, offering frantic co-op fun for players who enjoy teamwork under pressure. The idea is simple: build railway tracks fast enough to keep the train moving, while the landscape throws obstacles in your way. Expect shouting, laughing, last-second saves and the kind of cheerful chaos that works best playing together with friends on the sofa or online.

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 29th May 2026

News

Garda advice for Eastern Environs Sgt Steven Allen and Garda Mark Nolan, members of the Community Engagement team, returned to St John’s Parish centre last Wednesday to deliver the second instalment of their proactive community safety advice programme to members of the Eastern Environs Community group.

On this occasion Steven & Mark focused on the scourge of ‘bogus callers’ and how people can ensure their online safety. Utilising an extremely detailed power point presentation Steven & Mark gave pertinent detailed information that allows individuals, families and communities to secure their personal space.

An interactive session saw Steven & Mark impart critical knowledge and the relevant actions required to ensure safety. The information was reiterated using scenarios, role play and personal testimonies . The Eastern Environs group was enthused by the Garda programme. On behalf of the group Miriam Griffin thanked Steven and Mark for the beneficial, information, kindly interactions and humorous anecdotes.

The afternoon concluded with fun and laughter as Steven & Mark joined the group for the obligatory chat, tea and chocolate biscuits.

United in collaboration College of Further Education and Training Kilkenny

The annual Furniture Design and Making Exhibition, held at the MacDonagh Junction Shopping Centre Kilkenny from 18th May to 22nd May, was an outstanding success, drawing large crowds and celebrating the immense talent of local learners.

Presenting works under the banner of the College of Further Education and Training, Kilkenny, the showcase highlighted a masterful blend of traditional woodwork craftsmanship and modern innovation, with pieces from the ceramics and art groups adding to the diverse range of talent on display.

A vibrant launch and community endorsement The exhibition’s official launch brought together education leaders, civic representatives, and the public to honour the students’ hard work. Mayor John Coonan praised the high calibre of the learners’ work and noted how such exhibitions enrich the cultural and creative fabric of Kilkenny City.

Joan Griffin VTOS Coordinator and Peter O’Carroll Co-ordinator of the Furniture and Design group from the

Representing the student cohort, Alex Cahill delivered an insightful address.

Alex thanked the teachers, families, and the wider Kilkenny community for their support, emphasising how the hands-on curriculum empowers students to transition smoothly into the professional design industry or start independent businesses.

Stunning Craftsmanship on Display The busy thoroughfare of MacDonagh Junction Shopping Centre provided an ideal backdrop, ensuring high visibility from shoppers and craft enthusiasts. The collection featured a diverse range of bespoke items.

The exceptional standard of finish on each item proved that these adult learners have reached a professional level of technical proficiency.

United In Collaboration Launch

College of Further Education and Training spoke passionately about the dedication

required to complete these complex pieces. The class was commended for their ex-

ceptional technical development, and the sheer creativity embedded in every design.

Future Opportunities for Graduates Beyond a public display of artistic talent, the exhibition serves as a critical launching pad. By engaging directly with the public, students gained valuable experience

in marketing their skills and discussing design concepts with potential buyers. Many pieces drew high praise for their commercial viability, signalling bright careers ahead for the Class of 2026.

The Kilkenny and Carlow Education and Training Board (KCETB) and the college staff extended their gratitude to the management of MacDonagh Junction for providing the vibrant public space. Ultimately, the fiveday event was a resounding triumph, proving that the future of Irish furniture design, wood craftsmanship, art and ceramics remains in highly capable hands.

For individuals interested in applying for the Furniture Design and Making course, the Art and Design Course or learning more about other educational pathways, the College of Further Education and Training, Kilkenny can be reached through the following channels.

Address: Ormonde College Campus, Ormonde Road, Kilkenny, R95 W2XN. Phone: +353 56 776 3321.

Email: info@cfet.ie.

Website: ormondecollege.ie

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Community & GAA Notes

KilkennyGAA clubs and Communitynews CLARA

O’LOUGHLIN GAELS

MINOR MISFORTUNE Hard luck to the Meany brothers who were part of the Kilkenny minor team that lost by a single point after extra time to Galway in the Leinster final in Portlaoise on Monday of last week. Micheál played well at corner back, but his older brother Padraic missed out through injury.

Davy Barcoe’s U20 Kilkenny side also came up short in their Leinster final v. Galway two nights later at the same venue.

Emma Shortall had better luck in the county jersey as the Kilkenny senior camogie side easily beat Limerick in Nowlan Park on Saturday. Emma contributed two points in a 3-19 to 1-11 win for the stripey women.

HALFTIME APPEARANCE Tom Cody of Clara lined out for the Kilkenny Primary School’s team at halftime of Sunday’s big championship game between Kilkenny and Dublin in Parnell Park. Unfortunately, Kilkenny lost out to Dublin in that and failed to qualify for the knockout stages of the championship for the first time. However, Tom caught the eye as one to look out for in the future.

JUNIOR Clara lost out narrowly in Inistioge when the host team had the best of a 4-17 to 3-17 score line in a very lively and entertaining encounter. Two goals in quick succession by Dillon Cummins and Bill Carrigan gave Clara a late lead but the Rower struck back for one of their own. Then Joe Connolly and Dillon Cummins gave Clara a three point lead but again the home side replied with a goal and two points to shade the outcome.

Team - Ben Murphy, Paddy Ryan, Bill Carrigan 1-0, John Bergin. Paddy Bolger, Lester Ryan, Sean Carrigan 0-1. Peter Nolan 0-2, Jake Brett. Ciaran Prendergast 0-1, Conor O Shea, Joe Connolly 0-4, 0-1f. Stephen Quinlan, Killian Phelan 1-8, 0-7f, Killian Fitzgerald. Subs used Dillon Cummins, Ben Nolan, Mick McDonald, James Dowling.

DISAPPOINTMENT FOR THE CATS The last week was a disappointing one for Kilkenny teams at minor, Under 20 and senior level as they lost out in Leinster finals at two levels. However, it is important to remember the effort players and management put in and the huge commitment required. Thanks to all of the O’Loughlin’s players who have worn the black and amber this year at all levels. Kilkenny will be back.

Beidh lá eile.

HANDBALL SUCCESS There was one piece of sporting good news last weekend. It came on the handball front for O’Loughlin Gaels, when the club’s handballers won the 60 by 30 Junior B All Ireland final in Virginia, Co Cavan beating Bohermore from Limerick in the final. On the way to the national title the men in green beat St. Mellons from Monaghan in the semi-final and two Wexford teams to win the Leinster title. The winning team was Keith Clifford, Mikey Power, Dylan Clifford, Mason Clifford and Sean Morrissey. Big thanks were extended to Virginia Handball Club for officiating and for their hospitality.

CLUB LOTTO There was no winner of O’Loughlin Gaels club lotto dated May 19th. The numbers drawn were 2, 21, 24 and 27. The bonus number was 28. Play now at www.oloughlingaels.com.

Winners of the Promotors Draw were: 1. John Skehan c/o The Bar. 2. Joan O’Connell c/o D O’Connell. 3. Mick and Mags c/o G Buckley. 4. Ber and Lorraine c/o B Maher. 5. Mags Cahill c/o Ml Nolan. 6. Vicky Trehy c/o JJ Cullen. 7. Lorraine Scanlon c/o B Maher. 8. Declan McCann c/o Online. 9. Ben Fogarty c/o Online. 10 Kieran Canavan c/o Online. Thank you for your continued support.

SCHOOLS WINNERS Congratulations to O’Loughlin Gaels’ Under 14 players Andrew Phelan, Ollie Morrissey, Leon Delaney and Noah Power and the rest of the St

O’Loughlin Gaels, Stephanie Cooney, Ruby Hogan, Áine Morgan and Sarah Ryan who were part of the winning Presentation Secondary camogie team.

O’Loughlin Gaels handball team, winners of the All Ireland 60x30 Junior B title, Keith Clifford, Mikey Power, Dylan Clifford, Mason Clifford and Sean Morrissey.

Four O’Loughlin Gaels players, Andrew Phelan, Ollie Morrissey, Leon Delaney and Noah Power who were part of the St Kieran’s team which won the first year Leinster hurling final..jpeg

Kieran’s team which won the first year Leinster hurling final against Good Counsel, New Ross.

There was also an O’Loughlin’s representation on both local school teams Loreto Secondary School and Presentation Secondary School in their Leinster Camogie final played in Palmerstown.

Well done to the winners from Presentation, Stephanie Cooney, Ruby Hogan, Áine Morgan and Sarah Ryan and commiserations to Loreto players, Lauren Daly, Chloe Collins, Millie Lennon and Hayley Hawe.

VOLUNTEERS

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 29th May 2026

Community & GAA Notes Kilkenny parkrun is seeking Parkrun Support Volunteers every Saturday from 9.30am, for several volunteer roles which ensure the smooth operation of Parkrun each week. Kilkenny Parkrun is a free weekly 5 km run in Kilkenny Castle Park.

It is inclusive to all abilities to attend. No skills required; all training will be provided.

Samaritans Kilkenny Carlow is looking for Samaritan Listening Volunteers to provide confidential, non-judgemental emotional support to people experiencing distress or crisis. Available 24/7, Samaritans offers a vital listening service to those in need. Volunteers will support individuals via phone or email, offering empathy and understanding during difficult moments. Full training and ongoing mentoring are provided. This is a long-term opportunity requiring a minimum commitment of 2 years and approximately 3 hours per week.

NOTES If you wish to have any item included in the St. John’s Parish notes, please email it to communications.oloughlingaels.kilkenny@gaa.ie JAMES STEPHENS GAA AND CAMOGIE CLUB JUNIOR ALL COUNTY LEAGUE The top of the table All County Junior league clash in Pairc Sheamuis Stiophan between James Stephens and Thomastown proved to be an entertaining and competitive contest with the home club coming out on top with a 4-20 to 2-21 victory. Thomastown were quick off the mark taking a 1-03 to 0-04 lead inside the first 10 minutes. In the 16th minute a daring solo run by wingback Dara Behan finishing the sliothar to the net sparked The Village men into action. A 2nd green flag score by Fionn Cody from a goalmouth scramble pass by Liam Rafter followed minutes later. The all-action Thomastown forward line continued to cause difficulties for the James Stephens defence scoring from outfield and from placed balls through their accurate free-taker Rob Barron. Responding with a succession of points from Mattie McWey, Andrew Brennan (2) and Liam Rafter the half ended on level terms at 2-11 to 1-14. After centre forward Dinny Stapleton opened with a point in the 4th minute of the 2nd half the inform Mattie McWey fielded a long delivery in the 5th minute, turned and crashed the sliothar to the net and quickly added a 2nd three pointer minutes later to open a 4-12 1-15 lead for James Stephens. Andrew Brennan and Liam Rafter added points before Thomastown struck back for a breakaway three pointer in the 19th minute just after goalkeeper Cian Dermody had come to the home club’s rescue with two excellent diving saves. With their lead reduced to four points, quality long range scores from Dinny Stapleton and Conor Leahy restored confidence in the home club. A determined Thomastown side continued to bring the fight to James Stephens, but their final three scores were balanced by the accuracy of Andrew Brennan’s free taking -- 0-10 in total -- and Rory Glynn 32nd minute point to deliver a 4-20 to 2-21 victory for James Stephens. Besides the scorers there were impressive performances from Micky Byrne, Sam McEvoy, Adam O’Connor, Luke Hickey and Paddy Keogh over the hour to help deliver this hard-won victory against a strong Thomastown team.

SENIOR / INTER LEAGUE After five rounds of the Senior/Inter. League the James Stephens hurlers remain undefeated following a comfortable 2-23 to 3-12 victory over Tullogher Rosbercon in Pairc Sheamuis Stiophan.

After Ed Lauhoff set the ball rolling for The Village, in the 4th minute, Tullogher responded with a goal in the 7th minute and added three points to take a 1-03 to 0-03 lead at the 20th minute. A quality piece of skill followed in the 22nd minute when Mattie McWey gained possession on the wing, turned and soloed through the Tullogher back line to plant the sliothar in the net and level the game at 1-03 each. Buoyed up the Village went on to register seven more points courtesy of Eoin Guilfoyle (0-05) and Oisin Bateman (0-02) to race into a 1-10 to 1-05 lead at the break. Wind assisted in the 2nd half James Stephens took full control and led by 1-20 to 1-12 at the 22nd minute before Willie Spencer found the net to put the game out of the reach of the southern club at 2-20 to 1-12. In an overall fine team performance, there were notable performances from defenders Dara Behan, Sam McEvoy and Paddy Keogh with solid support from Sean Bergin and midfielders Willie Spencer and Niall Mullins. Solid centre back Luke Scanlon contributed with two long range specials

(19 and 23 mins) as did Ed Lauhoff in the 8th and 10th mins of the 2nd half. Defiant to the end Tullogher finished with goals in the 28th and 31st minutes but the result was well out of their reach at that stage.

SOCIAL CAMOGIE The James Stephens Social Camogie team took part in the Munster blitz organised by Carrigaline GAA on Saturday last. Eight teams played in the event, and it was a fantastic way to meet others and enjoy playing camogie on a glorious sunny day. Training continues on Thursdays from 7:30 to 8:30 in Páirc Sheamuis Stiophán, Kells Road.

As always, new players, at all levels, are welcome.

Come along and give it a go. For more information call Norah 087-9431800 or Maz 083-3921464.

HURLER’S CO-OP DRAW Members are reminded that tickets for the annual Hurler’s Co-Op Draw to help fund training expenses for both Club and County teams are now on sale. Tickets remain at €50 each for the FIVE draws with a car on offer as first prize in three of the draws. After the major prize is won there are 31 other cash prizes to be won in each draw.

The first draw takes place on Tuesday 16th June.

Co-ordinator Tom Keane (086-3481882) advises that tickets may be secured from any committee member, team coaches.

LOTTO (CRANNCHUR) Na huimhreacha don seachtain seo caite 2, 4, 5, 7. Ni raibh aon buaiteoir. Na mion duaisneanna €40: Breda O’ Dwyer, Ned Costigan, Sarah Doyle, Mac McCarthy, Margaret Cullen. Mar is gnath, go raibh maith agaibh go leir as bhuir dtachtaoicht.

(As always, our thanks to all for your continuing support).

FRESHFORD GLEN WHELAN COMING TO TOWN Former Irish international soccer star Glen Whelan will visit Freshford town soccer club on Sunday next to officially open their new astro turf pitch at Woodview. The club are holding a fun day on Sunday in conjunction with the opening with plenty fun and games. There will be special penalty tournaments with teams of five including goalie at €100 per team. Do you fancy yourself as a penalty taker why not have a go. The winners will receive €1000 and the Gerry O’Reilly cup. There will also be fun and games music and food starting at 12 noon. So go along for a great day of entertainment and fun.

BIRTHDAY BOY Special birthday wishes go out to Joe Dermody, Sart, Freshford who celebrated a very special birthday last weekend. Joe marked his 60th birthday with family and friends at party in Kavanagh’s bar on Saturday night last.

GAA At Lachtains Intermediate hurlers had back to back wins in the Senior/Intermediate league Div 2 last week. First against Glenmore in Pairc Lachtain when they came out winners on a scoreline of 4-19 to 2-20. Bennettsbridge also travelled to Freshford, and the home side came out convincing winners on a final score of 7-18 to 0-20pts.

Meanwhile the u 14 boys were defeated by Bennettsbridge in the Roinn B league on a score of 3-13 to 4-9.

The junior F hurlers take on Windgap in Pairc Lachtain on Friday evening next at 7.30pm LOTTO There was no winner of the jackpot last week. The lucky dip winners were Helen O’Gorman (€50) B Quinn and K Kelly (€25 each) Tickets are €2 each

Freshford town U12.

and you can play online through Clubzap or from any of the local sellers.

BRIDGE Summer bridge commences in Threecastles Hall (R95WK45) on Monday 8th June at 7.30pm. All are welcome.

SPLIT THE POT Split the pot this month is going to St Lachtain’s camogie club winner of last week’s draw was Honora Bergin and she won €346 Tickets are just €2 and can be purchased in any of the local pubs or businesses and the club would like to thank you for your support during the month.

CAMP Freshford’s first and longest running camp will take place again this year under the helm of local man JJ Grace and his helpers. This camp has been running for almost 20 years and will be held from the 27th to 31st July and has a wide range of activities for all kids from junior infants to 6th class places available. For more information pls contact JJ on 086 8629666.

SOCCER Congratulations to Freshford Town U12 boys who had a great win on Saturday last winning 6-0 with five goals from Jack Costelloe and an own goal. Also well done to the mentors Derrick, Dan, James and all involved.

The u14s were beaten 4-1 by Callan Utd at the weekend with the goal coming from boot of Lochie McCarthy.

The u 15boys had a good win against Evergreen in the semi final of the cup winning on a scoreline of 4-1 with goals from Patrick O’Connor (2) Jamie Maher and Sean Moran.

CAMOGIE Local girl Maria Brennan of Bohergloss Freshford was a member of the Kilkenny senior camogie side who defeated Limerick on Saturday last.

Maria plays her club camogie with Gautiers in Waterford.

GATHABAWN NS Gathabawn NS are excited to announce a summer party night on June 13th at Mackey’s Bar Gathabawn. Sweet Freedom will be performing on the night to ensure a great night. Additionally, they are organising a summer raffle with the top prize being an overnight stay at The Brandon House Hotel. Tickets can be purchased through their donate page and your support would be greatly appreciated.

BANK HOLIDAY SUNDAY FUNDRAISER NIGHT Join us on Sunday, May 31st for a fantastic night in The Crosspatrick Pub in aid of the North Kilkenny CFR Group!

Doors open from 8pm with just €5 entry, and we’ll have live music from Pio Luby from 9pm, plus plenty of raffle prizes on the night — 3 strips for €5!

This is a great way to spend the Bank Holiday Sunday, enjoy some music, have the craic, and support an incredible local cause.

A huge thank you to everyone for your continued support — we really appreciate it and hope to see as many people there as possible for a great night out!

PARISH NEWS Masses each Tuesday and Friday morning in St Lachtain’s church at 9.30am. Mass on Sunday morning at 11am. Mass in Tulla Church every third Saturday evening.

CEMETERY MASS The annual cemetery mass will take place in St Lachtains Cemetery Freshford on Friday 3rd July

at 7.30pm. The annual mass in St Nicholas cemetery Tulla will take place on Saturday 1st August at 6.00pm.

WEBCAM The mass webcam has been installed by Church Media Ireland. All masses at Lachtain’s church will be livestreamed through the webcam at Https// church media.ie/st-lachtains-church-frffreshford.

OUTREACH CENTRE Cois Nore Outreach Centre visits Ballyragget every Wednesday. It’s located at Dr. Hogan’s rooms, The Square from 11am to 1pm. All those seeking cancer support are very welcome. For appointment phone 0874833941.

RADIO If you wish to listen to live broadcast of mass on Tuesdays, Fridays or Sundays from Freshford Church you can tune in to 105fm on your radio.

NEWSLETTER The parish newsletter is available every week and it is also on the website. Any anniversaries or parish office business or community notices for the parish newsletter can be done by phoning the office during the hours of 9.30am to 1.30pm on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays or by calling to the office during those hours.

MASS CARDS Mass Cards and Mass Bouquets are available in the Parish office and also from Annette at Tulla.

VISITS Fr. Mark is happy to visit the sick and if you would like to receive a visit from Fr. Mark, you can contact him by phone or through the parish office.

LOOP CAFE The Loop Community Café is open Monday to Saturday from 9:30am to 4pm and is a welcoming hub in the village. They’re always happy to see more people on both sides of the counter, so why not drop in to support your local café, meet a friend, enjoy a chat, and savour some delicious homemade food? Along with great refreshments, The Loop hosts a variety of community activities that bring neighbours together. The café is also seeking volunteers to help keep these services thriving. If you’re interested in getting involved, please call 056-883-2650 and ask for Rhiannon.

MABS The Money Advice and Budgeting service is a free confidential and independent money Management and Advice service. MABS assist people in dealing with their existing debt problems who have difficulty paying a mortgage or those facing legal action because of debt. They also provide information and access to Insolvency services including free Debt Relief Advice under the Personal insolvency options. For more info or for an appointment contact MABS on 0818072610.

BENNETTSBRIDGE BASKETBALL Congratulations to Kayla Wall who won Basketball Ireland U16 school player of the year. This award capped off a super season for Kayla that saw her win two schools All Ireland A titles with Presentation Secondary school and an u18 All Ireland title with her club Kilkenny Stars.

MASS TIMES Bennettsbridge (Please note change of times) Thursday 10.30am. Sunday 10,30am. Tullaherin Saturday 8pm.

CEMETERY MASSES The dates for the Cemetery Masses have been announced, Tullaherin Cemetery, Saturday, 1st August. Bennettsbridge Cemetery, Sunday, 2nd August 10.30am.

CORPUS CHRISTI On Corpus Christi, Sunday 7th June, there will be a Mass of Thanksgiving. As is traditional first communion children will dress in their first Communion clothes. The mass will be a little more special this year as the chief celebrant will be Bishop Gerard Nash, the children will take part in the offertory gifts and Prayers of the Faithful. Mass will be at the earlier time of 10am to facilitate the bishop celebrating mass in Gowran at 11.30am MASS FOR LEAVING AND JUNIOR CERT On Monday, 1st June, Bishop Gerard Nash will celebrate mass for Junior and Leaving Cert students in St Canice’s Church at 7.30pm. The mass is organised by the Diocesan Youth Ministry Team, and all are welcome.

SCOUTS The 14th Kilkenny Bennettsbridge scout group are having their 30th anniversary get together on Sunday July 5th in the hall from 11am to 12:30pm.

All past and present participants are invited for tea, cake and a reflection of the last 30 years of

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Community & GAA Notes SIGNAGE CAMPAIGN Bennettsbridge GAA club continues to promote our Pitch signage campaign. There are still places available and many thanks to all the business owners who have supported so far. If interested, please contact Alan Flynn or Alan Morrissey.

SPLIT THE POT The next draw takes place this Friday at 6 pm in the clubhouse. The draw can also now be entered online on the club spot app under fundraising.

Thanks again for the support.

Presentation U14s Roinn B League and Championship winners.

GRAIGUENAMANAGH

Kayla Wall, Basketball Ireland u16 school player of the year.

scouting in Bennettsbridge.

LOTTO There was no winner of the jackpot, the numbers drawn were 5, 8, 12, 27. The Jackpot of €12,000.00 is still there waiting. Consolation prizes went to Cian Dowling, Marian Place, Breda McEvoy, Gowran Road, Pearl Egan, Norewood Heights, Mark Dowling, BB. Tim Drea, BB. FLOWER SALE The Kilkenny Flower Club has thanked all who supported their Plant Sale with Tea/Coffee Morning in Dunmore Hall last week. Proceeds were in aid of Breast Cancer Ireland and Amber Women’s Refuge, Kilkenny.

ART GROUP Submissions from Bennettsbridge Art Group have been accepted for the 2026 AKA Alternative Arts Brochure and the TCAF Thomastown Creative Arts Festival Brochure. It’s all systems go now as the artists prepare for their annual exhibition.

As usual tutor Julie Moorhouse has been most encouraging, and her support means a lot.

EAST END SOCCER East End Soccer Club is looking for volunteers to help with the running of the club for season 26/27. If you can help in any capacity, contact any committee member or coach.

GAA Intercounty Games: Hard luck to David Blanchfield and the Kilkenny seniors who bowed out of the championship after their defeat to Dublin.

Best wishes to Jamie Walsh and the Kilkenny minor team on their upcoming quarter final game.

SENIOR GAMES Our seniors lost out to Freshford in the Byrne cup. Our junior B team lost to Piltown away in

the league while our Junior E team defeated Tullogher away. In the coming week our seniors play Erins Own, Junior B play Conahy and our Junior E team play Danesfort. Please see the Kilkenny GAA website for details. Best wishes to all teams.

MEMBERSHIP 2026 Membership for the season is now due and can be paid to any committee member or online via clubspot. For non-playing members the membership remains at €40. Adult players membership is €150 and student players €80.

UNDERAGE GAMES Huge congratulations to our under 14 team who defeated a very good Erins Own in the Roinn B county football final last week to complete the

league / championship double. The lads then played Freshford in the opening hurling league game and came away with a one point victory after a great game, well done to all. They now play St Martin’s this Friday in the second round. Our younger age groups are now in action in go games while our under 16s and minors take a break for exams. Well done to Jack Minogue and Elliot Morrissey who featured on the winning team that won the First Years Leinster A final with St Kieran’s.

PILTOWN DRAW This year’s Piltown draw is approaching fast with the first draw at the start of June. Tickets available again this year from committee members. Great prizes on offer again from cars to cash prizes.

HIGHVIEW ATHLETIC Massive congratulations to Lily Sheehan and Caoimhe Barron from the u/14 Highview girls’ team who were victorious with St. Mary’s Secondary School, New Ross in 1st Year Division 1 Leinster Final v Rathcoole Community School.Brilliant Achievement Girls.

Our u12 blue team travelled to the Kells Road to take on a very good Evergreen team in the Div1 Cup semi final. A quick start saw them take an early lead through Joey O’ Brien after 5 mins.

An end to end game with chances at both ends looked like it was going to be 1-0 at halftime until Evergreen caught us with a brilliant counterattack just on the stroke of halftime. It was1-1 at the break. Second half turned into a battle and the boys were outstanding. Noah, Eoin, Shane and Conor leading by example keeping the defence rock solid and Howard, Daniel, Pauric and Neil putting in a huge effort in midfield working their socks off, the game was always looking like we were going to be in for a long night 1-1 at fulltime.

Onto extra time, Fresh legs were required and on came Finn and Sam who took over where the boys left off and kept the work rate up with excellent performances. The boys started to settle once again and began to take over the game. A quick break away saw us earn a free kick on the edge of the box which Charlie Walsh cooly slotted into the bottom corner leaving a very good Evergreen keeper no chance. So, it was 2-1 with 15 mins to go and the lads never stopped pushing to try the get the third goal and finish game. Evergreen pushed hard to try to find an equalizer in the last few mins but thankfully the lads stood strong and saw the game out. Onto the cup final we go!

ABBEY HALL We are delighted to offer an introduction to batik workshop at the hall, running over 2 Fridays, 5th and 12th June, from 10am to 1pm, all materials supplied. €20 fee, tea and coffee included. Places are limited text WhatsApp to 0858011781 to book.

Thanks to @community education Kilkenny for providing the tutor hours.

FIRE BRIGADE A car wash in memory of Kyle Comerford is been held on Saturday the 30th of May at Graigue-

Bennettsbridge U14s Roinn B League and Championship winners 2026.

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 29th May 2026

Community & GAA Notes namanagh Fire Station or any of the 7 stations around the county raising funds for The Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust.

WOMEN SHED Last week, The Brandon Belles took part in the River Barrow Cycle, one of the Bike Week events organised by Kilkenny County Council. Some ladies were brave and enthusiastic to give it a try after many years not using a bicycle. We cycled along the river Barrow up to Clashganny lock, where we had a picnic, a bit of rest, and then back to Graiguenamanagh.

Big thank you to Brigid and Brian Roberts from Waterside, who provided bicycles for us and prepared lovely scones, tea, and coffee for our picnic. Thank you to Kilkenny County Council for organizing. It was a very enjoyable event, and we hope to do it again.

GAA We are looking forward to welcoming Ruaile Buaile to O’Driscolls Bar and Beer Garden on Saturday 27th June for our annual fundraiser for Graignamanagh Juvenile GAA and Graiguenamanagh Camogie Club. Always a fantastic night of ceoil and craic. Doors open at 7pm. DJs John and Andrew will get the night started, followed by Ruaile Buaile. Tickets €20 are available later this week from O’Driscoll’s and both Clubs.

Our Annual Hurlers Co-Op (Piltown) Draw Tickets are available from the usual sellers now with the First Draw on June 16th. We hope that you can support once again this year this hugely important Fundraiser for the Club - Thanks again for your support.

GRAIGUEFEST 2026 Graiguefest 2026 takes place on August 7th, 8th and 9th, with a full weekend of music, camping and great atmosphere in Graiguenamanagh. This year we are expanding the camping options. As well as campervans, caravans and tents are now welcome too. Camping Weekend Tickets are €75 per motorhome, caravan or tent. Early Bird Weekend Music Passes are €30 per person. This covers Saturday and Sunday in the Hub. Music in the Meadows Friday night is Free. All camping will be based in The Meadows: Field 1: Motorhomes.

Field 2: Caravans. Field 3: Tents. The festival itself will take place in The Hub, with: Friday in The Meadows featuring Men in Black and Mean Streets. Saturday at The Hub with 80s bands and DJs. Sunday at The Hub with folk bands and DJs. Tickets available now at gr8events.ie/graiguefest26.

FERRY BRIDGE Local people should be aware that the Ferry Bridge is due to close for repairs. The closure is set to begin June 24th and is expected to last until the end of August. Local Diversions will be in place.

CUSHENDALE A celebration of our heritage craft of wool making hosted by Cushendale is set to take place on a gorgeous afternoon with lots for the family to enjoy on Saturday 30th May from 12pm -4.00 pm.

Come meet the sheep as they arrive from mill road to Cushendale yard, enjoy wool shed talks about the entire process, from caring for the sheep to the beautiful heritage craft of woolmaking and the magical history and stories about Graiguenamanagh and the important part the town has played over the years in keeping the tradition alive ROWING CLUB Two regattas, two sides of the River Liffey, one weekend. The club attended Trinity Regatta on Saturday the 16th and Commercial Regatta on Sunday the 17th of May. It was a weekend of pure summer rowing, staying super busy all day long, with plenty of rain spills to remind you it’s still Ireland. Plenty of greatness came out of the weekend, with three wins.

Congratulations to: Men’s J15 2X Kyle and Erik.

Women’s J15 2X Eva and Katie. Women’s Club 1 1X Kayley. Well done to all the competitions who went and thank you to parents and to coaches for all you do. With plenty more races coming up this month, we shall be busy.

CAMOGIE We have set up a GoFund me for our fabulous 2026 Féile team. Graiguenamanagh Camogie Club would be so grateful to receive any small amount.

We want to give the team a great send off and to make this occasion especially memorable. These girls are making history for the Club as it is the first time we are taking part in the National Féile.

TIDY TOWNS Thanks to everyone who turned up for our litter pick on Saturday last. Only one bag was collected

from the whole town. Thanks to Tracy and staff at the Daisy Chain for the cuppa and to Michael Doyle and the lads on the CE scheme who are out daily keeping Graiguenamanagh looking so well.

GORESBRIDGE PAULSTOWN BARROW RANGERS There was no winner of the jackpot lotto draw of 19 May. The Match 3 winner was Jamie S. A summer camp for 4–14-year-olds will take place 7-9 July in Goresbridge. Information from Conor English 085 132 1589.

On Sunday 31st May 2026, Barrow Rangers Intermediate team will host their annual tournament day in honour of the Club’s dear friend and teammate, Johanne Barcoe. All proceeds will be donated to the cancer support group, Éist. If there are any teams interested in playing, please contact Club on social media. Following the tournament there will be’ a retro jersey night in Mahers bar Goresbridge where there will be music from 8pm.

Well done to Abbey, Eve, and Sadbh, who represented the Kilkenny u14 Camogie Development Squads in Limerick recently, recording wins over both Cork and Limerick.

The new Barrow Rangers Clubspot App is now available to download from the Apple App or Google Play Store.

BRIDGE UNITED Well done to Bridge United Under-15s, who won the Division 2 league on Saturday with a 1–0 victory over Spa United. Thanks to Sean, Darren, and Decky for all the work they’ve put in with this group throughout the year. Well done, boys.

The winners in the Lotto draw of 18th May were (€20 each): Biddy Begley, Christine Holden, Justyna O’Neill, Padraig Butler and Kathy Gahan.

CHURCH SERVICES/EVENTS Congratulations to all the girls and boys in Paulstown who received their first Holy Communion last weekend. Congratulations, also, to the boys from Saplings School last weekend.

Weekday Masses for this week: Goresbridge at 10am on Wednesday; Paulstown on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday at 10am.

The recitation of the rosary will continue, daily, at 8pm at Our Lady’s grotto to the rear of Paulstown church.

The annual diocesan pilgrimage to Knock takes place on Sunday 7th June. Information: Brenda at 085 782 2933.

The Legion of Mary meets each Thursday at 3pm in the parish hall, Paulstown. New members welcome. The Sacred Heart prayer group gathers every Friday after 10am mass in Paulstown.

Advance notice of cemetery mass at Ballyellin: this year the Mass will be on Friday 12 June at 7.30pm.

CROSS COUNTRY RUNNING Congratulations to Daniel Greene for his success in the minor boys’ Leinster Schools final 800 metres race in Tullamore. He goes on to the all-Ireland Schools Track and Field Championship before the end of May. TALKING THE TALK “Cúpla Focal” is a welcoming Irish language conversation circle held every Friday at the Goodly Barrow Cafe. The gathering provides a relaxed and friendly environment where people can practice speaking Irish, improve their confidence, and meet others with a shared interest in the language and culture.

Open to everyone from complete beginners to fluent speakers, the group focuses on informal conversation, encouragement, and learning through everyday chat. Whether you want to revive your school Irish, sharpen your fluency, or simply enjoy a social evening with fellow Gaeilgeoirí, Cúpla Focal offers an enjoyable and supportive space to use the language in a natural way.

MAHER’S PUB (GORESBRIDGE) Karaoke with Tony Dempsey and live music from Pierce Blanchfield will provide a great night’s entertainment from 8pm on Saturday, 30th May. Expect plenty of singing, music and atmosphere, with everyone welcome to come along for an enjoyable and lively social evening.

MENS SHED The next meetings of the Mens Shed will be on Tuesday 2nd June at 11am in in the cabin by the Paulstown Community Hal (R95 NY93). New members welcome.

OLDER PEOPLES COUNCIL There will be a gathering of older people on Thursday 11th June at 10.30am in Paulstown Community Hall, R95NY93. The topics to be

covered include the role of the Kilkenny Older People’s Council, planning ahead and assisted decision making as well as health and wellbeing.

The gathering will conclude with a light lunch at 1:00pm. Information: Mary: 085 1942174 SAINT PATRICK’S DAY COMMITTEE A fund-raising annual Ball Run on Saturday 30th May at 5pm is been organised in Goresbridge by the St. Patrick’s Day Committee. Music and BBQ afterwards in the Barrow Breeze from 7.30pm.

SPLIT THE POT In aid of Goresbridge Rural Development is also online. Simply scan the QR code or go to lottoraiser.ie. The results of the lotto draw for 24 May were: 1 Jessie King (€100) 2. Tommy Bolger (€20) and 3. Olivia Condon (€20).

STROKE SUPPORT Meetings of the Kilkenny and the Carlow Stroke Support Groups are open to survivors and carers; they are informative and social. The next Kilkenny meeting is at the Tuiscint Day services meeting rooms at St Canice’s Hospital complex this Friday 29 May at 2.30pm. Information: Lynda 087 7814697.

KILMANAGH CEMETERY MASS Mass will be celebrated in Ballykeeffe Cemetery on Sunday 31st May at 7pm.

BRIDGE Summer Bridge games will commence in Threecastles Hall, Tulla - Eircode R95WK45 on Monday 8th June 2026 at 7.30pm. All are welcome.

BALLYKEEFFE AMPHITHEATRE EVENTS June 27th: Mick Flannery & Susan O’Neill. July 18th: Heaven Can Wait - Meat Loaf Experience.

July 25th: Rebel Rebel - David Bowie Tribute. Aug 8th: Hothouse Flowers. Aug 15th: Derek Ryan and Guests. Aug 22nd: Cry Before Dawn. Tickets: ballykeeffeamphitheatre.com ACTIVE LADIES GROUP Naomh Aodhan Active Ladies Group held a very successful village clean up event on Saturday 9th May. A total of 44kg of rubbish was collected from the roads directly leading into the village. We have noticed a considerable amount of rubbish further out from the village and the group hope to be out and about collecting again over the coming weeks. We would ask everyone to please bring home your rubbish and dispose of correctly as it looks unsightly when dumped on the roadside. It would be nice to keep the village looking well as Ballykeeffe Amphitheatre summer season begins with lots of visitors coming to the area.

The group will meet again on Monday 22nd June at 7pm. New members are always welcome.

BINGO Bingo continues each Tuesday in Ballingarry Community Hall. Eyes down at 8.15pm.

S.W.E.A.T. S.W.E.A.T. (Strength: Wellbeing: Endurance: Aerobic: Timing). Full body workout for all levels. Improves overall functional fitness. Targets multiple muscle groups. This 3 week block fitness will take place in Ballycallan Hall starting 3rd June from 6:30 to 7:30pm. Cost is €30. For bookings contact 087 916 1996.

BROTHER RICE CENTRE Healing of Childhood Trauma and Abuse - Born out of immense suffering in the Christian Brothers Order and arising from revelations of Sexual Abuse within their schools, a significant initiative has been launched at the birthplace of their founder Blessed Edmund Rice in Callan to create a Garden of Healing. This will be 15 large Stations of the Heart, sculptured in marble, which will reflect essential stages of the journey towards recovery.

A unique seminar will be offered on Saturday 20th June where the models, originally made in wood, will be used to guide participants through a process of healing. It will also be an opportunity at this time of new beginnings for those taking part to refine the vision based on their own experience and create a legacy for the future. This will be facilitated by Jim Cogley and Luba Rodzhuk from 10am to 4pm and bookings can be made to Jim Maher on 086-1276649. Early booking is advised.

RESIDENTIAL RETREAT A 5 day residential retreat will be given by Jim Cogley and Luba Rodzhuk in the Spiritan Retreat Centre in Navan June 22nd to 26th. This will be entitled Coming Home to Ourselves –The healing Journey. As these events tend to fill up quickly early booking is advised on 046-9078973.

SOCCER NEWS Results: U17 Shield Semi Final: River Rangers 6

Newpark 1 RIVER RANGERS WORLD CUP PREDICTOR To enter please follow the link https://sites. google.com/view/riverrangers-aft/home. If you have problems or cannot do it online, there will be paper tickets available soon. 1st Place = €500, also prizes for 2nd and 3rd places.

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.

PILGRIMAGE A Pilgrimage to Knock Shrine will take place on Saturday 27th June. A bus will leave Freshford at 7.30am, Jackmans Jenkinstown at 8.00am and Ballyragget at 8.15am. Bus fare €30. Bookings call 0567767676/0863655418.

SUMMER PARTY A Summer Party fundraiser in aid of Gathabawn National School will take place with Sweet Freedom at Mackey’s Bar on Saturday, 13th June.

Organisers are promising a fantastic night of music, entertainment and community spirit, with all proceeds going directly towards supporting the school and its activities. As part of the fundraiser, a special summer raffle is also being held with a range of excellent prizes on offer. The top prize is an overnight stay at the Brandon House Hotel, along with several other exciting prizes to be won.

The event is expected to attract strong local support and offers a great opportunity for the community to come together for an enjoyable cause.

Raffle tickets can be purchased online through the official iDonate page: iDonate Raffle Page KILMACOW WELL DONE PAUL Huge congratulations to Paul Atkins on completing the mammoth 13-hour charity run in aid of the Jack and Jill Foundation at the Sports Complex on Saturday last, 23rd May. Paul started his run at 6.00am and continued his multiple laps of the grounds until 7.00pm. He was accompanied by well-wishers and supporters all through his run.

Well done to them and to all who volunteered throughout the day to provide refreshments to everyone who came along in support of the event.

It was a great community event in support of a very worthy cause. People can still donate by using the QR code on the Kilmacow Community Newsletter.

BUS ÉIREANN 365 The 365 Bus Éireann service, which has been operating twice daily on Thursdays between Thomastown and Waterford via Mullinavat and Kilmacow, has been enhanced on an interim basis to provide four daily return journeys from Monday to Saturday and three on Sundays. The service has also been extended northward to Carlow. The NTA, in partnership with Bus Éireann, will continue to monitor and review the service to ensure it meets passenger needs. The full timetable and further information including route map is available at www.transportforireland.ie Waterford to Carlow - Monday to Saturday. Departures from Kilmacow at 7.01, 12.01, 15.36 and 20.51. Waterford to Carlow – Sunday. Departure from Kilmacow at 8.31, 13.11 and 17.41 Carlow to Waterford – Monday to Saturday. Departures from Kilmacow at 11.06, 15.06, 19.30 and 00.06. Carlow to Waterford – Sunday. Departures from Kilmacow at 12.01, 16.21 and 21.21. The timetable is subject to change.

LOTTO The winning numbers in last week’s lotto were 7, 18, 22 and 26. There was one Match 3 winner.

KILMACOW HERITAGE The working group on graveyards will be carrying out maintenance work in the graveyard in the Lower Street from 2.00pm on Saturday, 30th May. All offers of help will be welcomed.

MOONCOIN DAY CENTRE The Centre hosts bingo at 1.30pm every Wednesday with cards being available in the Supper Room at the same time for those who do not play bingo. Fr. Tobin will celebrate Mass at 3.00pm as part of the Day Care Centre gathering and everyone is warmly invited to attend. Tea, coffee and refreshments will be served afterwards.

Please ring 087 929 2005 for more information. All welcome.

KILMACOW GLAS Kilmacow Glas now has its own e-mail address, kilmacowglas@gmail.com. People can contact the group with ideas for projects and events, com-

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Community & GAA Notes

Participants in the Paul Atkins Challenge in aid of the Jack & Jill Foundation at Kilmacow Sports Complex.

munity or biodiversity suggestions and to seek information on environmental issues locally. The next meeting of GLAS in the Community Centre is at 8.00pm on Tuesday, 16th June.

CAMOGIE AND LGFA CLUB GAELIC FOOTBALL Training for girls born 2009 through to 2015 continues on Friday evenings from 5.30pm to 6.30pm in the Complex. Any girls in the parish or surrounding areas who are curious about Gaelic football are encouraged to come down and join in the fun — all are welcome. Contact Kieran 087 6983541 or Brid 086 1712145 KILMACOW YOUTH CLUB Kilmacow Youth Club will host Éire mo Dhúchas as part of the Cruinniú na nÓg/Creative Ireland Programme in the Community Centre from 6.00pm to 8.30pm on Saturday, 6th June.

This exhibition will showcase artwork from local youth (aged 10-17 years) who have been brought together through art. Everyone is welcome to attend.

COMMUNITY CAR WASH Kilmacow Camogie and LGFA will host a Community Car Wash at the Sports Complex from 10.00am to 4.00pm on Monday, 1st June. Cost is €15 including tea, coffee and refreshments.

MULLINAVAT BUS ÉIREANN 365 A new enhanced 365 service, operated by Bus

Éireann on an interim basis, will provide four daily return journeys, ensuring access for passengers travelling between Waterford, Carlow and intermediate communities. The NTA, in partnership with Bus Éireann, will continue to monitor and review the service to ensure it meets passenger needs. The full timetable and further information including route map is available at www.transportforireland.ie Waterford to Carlow - Monday to Saturday. Departures from Mullinavat at 7.11, 12.11, 15.46 and 21.01. Waterford to Carlow – Sunday. Departure from Mullinavat at 8.41, 13.21 and 17.51. Carlow to Waterford – Monday to Saturday. Departures from Mullinavat at 10.56, 14.56, 19.20 and 23.56. Carlow to Waterford – Sunday. Departures from Mullinavat at 11.51, 16.11 and 21.11. The timetable is subject to change.

SONG OF OUR PLACE A free song-writing workshop with Luan Parle will be held in the Parish Hall, Mullinavat from 10.00am to 1.00pm on Saturday, 30th May. E-mail Eddie Synnott for more information at edsynnott@yahoo.co.uk.

MULLINAVAT GAA Mullinavat lost to an injury time goal to Dicksboro in the Byrne Cup Senior Hurling match in Palmerstown last Friday evening. The final score was 2-23 (29) to 3-18 (27). (Full report in the sports section of this newspaper) MUSIC WORKSHOP

The Parish Hall will host music workshops at 5.00pm (beginners) and 6.00pm (intermediate) from Thursday, 11th June during which people learn to play the tin whistle, keyboard or the piano accordion. Please contact Suzanne on 087 248 5850 for more details.

SUMMER CAMP St. Beacon’s National School will host a Summer Camp for Junior Infants (including incomers) to Sixth Class from 10.00am to 2.00pm from 10th August to 14th August. Cost per child is €65 (sibling discount will apply). E-mail Conor Duggan at conorduggan96@gmail.com to register.

IRISH CIRCLE Ferrybank Library hosts its popular Irish Circle every Tuesday at 2.30pm, offering a warm and welcoming space for people to come together and enjoy the Irish language in a relaxed setting.

The weekly gathering provides an opportunity to chat informally, improve conversational Irish, learn new phrases and build confidence while meeting others with a shared interest in Gaeilge.

The group welcomes everyone, from complete beginners hoping to practice a few words to fluent speakers looking to keep the language active in everyday conversation. With a friendly atmosphere and plenty of encouragement, the Irish Circle is a great way to connect socially while celebrating and promoting Ireland’s rich language and culture.

FERRYBANK CLOVER CENTRE The Masterplan for the Clover Centre has been put on display until Friday, 12th June. It includes provision for a multi-use playing pitch, a community building, dog park, Women’s/Men’s Shed Compound, Council Compound, Padel Court, Ball Wall, Biodiversity, coach, vehicle and bicycle parking and access facilities. Submissions on the Masterplan can be made on the consult website, by e-mail at cloverfield.ferrybank@kilkennycoco. ie or by post to the Planning Department, County Hall, John Street, Kilkenny. The closing date for completed applications is Friday, 26th June.

FERRYBANK RESIDENTS’ COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT GROUP The next meeting of Ferrybank Residents Community Development Group will be held from 2.00pm to 3.00pm today, Wednesday, 27th May. New members are welcome to attend.

FERRYBANK SOCCER CLUB Well done to all in Ferrybank AFC who were awarded €39,500 to install lighting and solar pv, to reduce the club’s energy spend and carbon footprint. The estimated 50% saving in carbon, if works are completed, will encourage sustainable practices such as EV transport. The award provides for the installation of motion sensors in rooms where lighting is upgraded. The club has a good record of delivering on previous projects,

Ger Malone drives for Mullinavat into the Dicksboro half in the Byrne Cup Senior Hurling match in Palmerston.

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Community & GAA Notes including the development of facilities, synthetic pitch, mini pitch, floodlights etc. The Club will partner with Transition Year pupils in Abbey Community College on aspects of the project.

KILKENNY OLDER PEOPLE’S COUNCIL Kilkenny Age Friendly will host a gathering and information talks in St. Mary’s Parish Hall, Slieverue from 10.00am to 1.00pm on Wednesday,10th June. Talks will cover the role of the Council, managing finances, assisted decision making and keeping safe. The gathering will conclude with a light lunch. Please contact Susan at 087 674 5336 or Kay at 086 821 4078 for more information.

JOHNSTOWN CEMETERY MASSES Cemetery Masses for 2026 Tuesday June 16th the Mill Cemetery, Urlingford at 7.30pm. Sunday June 21st Crosspatrick Church at 9.00am, Sunday June 28th Graine Church 11.30am, Thursday July 9th Johnstown Cemetery 7.30pm, Friday July 17th Galmoy 7.30pm.

GATHABAWN N.S. The parents’ council are hosting a summer party to support Gathabawn National School in collaboration with Sweet Freedom and Mackeys Bar on Saturday. June 13th. It promises to be a fantastic night. There will also be a raffle with great prizes including a 1st prize of an overnight stay at Brandon House Hotel. All funds raised will go to the school. Tickets may be purchased through I donate page https://www.idonate.ie/raffle/gathabawnnationalschoolendof.

SUMMER BRIDGE Summer Bridge commences in Threecastles Hall, Tulla R95WK45 on Monday June 8th at 7.30pm. All welcome.

ART FOR ARTS SAKE Art classes are being held in the Community Hall, Galmoy, beginning on Tuesday June 6th for six weeks. Adults from beginners to seasoned. Time 10.30am to 12.30pm. All materials supplied but if you wish you may bring your own.

JOHNSTOWN COMMUNITY SPORTS FIELD PROJECT Johnstown community sports field project is being delivered in phases with a total investment of over € 1 million. Phase 1 is due for completion in August followed by Clubhouse facilities and Spa Astro Turf pitch. A fundraising campaign is seeking€100,000. Families and the Diaspora are invited to support the project through the Family Donation Scheme of €250, (larger donations are also welcome). Donating families will be named on a memorial board outside the building. Contributions via bank transfer to Community Concern IBAN IE97AIBK93333303753043 or by cheque to Community Concern c/o John Renehan, Violet Hill, Johnstown, Co. Kilkenny. Any questions call 0868511190 Sec. Johnstown Sportsfield project.

SPA UNITED AFC Results: U15 boys league division 2 Spa 0 Bridge Utd 1, U15 boys shield Deen Celtic 0 Spa 3, U14 boys cup Spa 1 Lions 3, U13 boys league division 1A Spa 1 Bridge Utd 5, U13 boys shield Thomastown 4 Spa 2, U12 boys cup Spa 1 Southend 0 AET, U14 girls cup Spa 3 Stoneyford 0, Deen Celtic 0 Spa 2.

SPA DEVELOPMENT/FENIANS LOTTO The winning numbers drawn were 4,7,9,13, There was no jackpot winner. The six match three winners were Tim Tobin, Richard Beehan, Alan Beehan, Mary Garrett, Eva and Zoe Power, Anne Holmes. There are always winners, are you in?

BANK HOLIDAY SUNDAY FUNDRAISER NIGHT Join us on Sunday, May 31st for a fantastic night in The Crosspatrick Pub in aid of the North Kilkenny CFR Group!

Doors open from 8pm with just €5 entry, and we’ll have live music from Pio Luby from 9pm, plus plenty of raffle prizes on the night — 3 strips for €5!

This is a great way to spend the Bank Holiday Sunday, enjoy some music, have the craic, and support an incredible local cause.

A huge thank you to everyone for your continued support — we really appreciate it and hope to see as many people there as possible for a great night out!

MILL FAMILY RESOURCE CENTRE The Mill Family Resource Centre continues to provide a wide range of supports, services, and activities for individuals and families within the local community. The Centre is a welcoming and

inclusive space, offering opportunities for learning, wellbeing, and social connection for people of all ages.

One of the upcoming opportunities available is the Local Training Initiative (L.T.I.) Programme.

This free L.T.I. course will be starting soon and includes Driving Theory and Driving Lessons, providing participants with valuable life skills that can support employment and independence.

Anyone interested in applying is encouraged to call into the Centre or make contact directly for further details and application information.

The Centre also offers weekly Maths Grinds, which are currently taking place on-site. These grinds are suitable for students preparing for the Junior Certificate as well as 5th year students and provide additional support to help build confidence and understanding in mathematics. Parents and students seeking more information are invited to contact the Centre for times, availability, and fees.

The Mill Family centre is offering free courses for September, SNA level 5 and 6, Childcare and computer QQ1 level 4, Early learning and care cert. and advanced cert. QQ1 level 5, LTI level 4 and Office admin. and payroll QQ1 level 5.

A variety of essential community services are available through the Mill Family Resource Centre. These include the provision of Senior Alert Alarms, which offer peace of mind and safety for older members of the community, as well as clothes donations for those in need. The Centre also facilitates a Youth Club, community allotments, and the Cois Nore Advice Clinic, ensuring access to practical advice and supports close to home.

Counselling services are available for both adults and teenagers, offering a confidential and supportive environment. Counselling supports include bereavement counselling, addiction support, and general counselling, helping individuals navigate life’s challenges with professional guidance. In addition, Play Therapy is available for young people aged 4 years and over, providing a child-centred approach to emotional wellbeing and development.

The Centre’s Active Retirement Group meets every Thursday from 2pm to 4pm. This group offers a relaxed and social setting where members can enjoy activities, conversation, and companionship. New members are always welcome, and the group continues to grow as a valued part of the Centre’s weekly programme.

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

EXAMS Best of luck to all who are doing the Junior and Leaving Certificate exams. A candle will be lit for all exam students in both Churches during the exams.

CEMETERY MASSES The following dates has been set for the annual cemetery masses in the parish. All mass times will be at 7.30pm. Tuesday 23rd June, Glengoole Church graveyard, Aglish cemetery, Thursday 25th June, Thursday 9th July, Good Shepherd cemetery, Tuesday 28th July, Fennor cemetery and Tuesday 18th August, Boulick cemetery.

PADRE PIO Padre Pio National Pilgrimage 2026 will be held in Holycross Abbey this Sunday, May 31st. Ceremonies will begin at 1.30pm with concelebrated Mass at 3pm. All welcome LOUGH DERG Three Day Lough Derg Pilgrimage takes place on June 29th, 30th and July 1st. Contact Fr Martin Murphy (Drom and Inch) 086-3868877 for further details.

CASHEL AND EMLY ARCHDIOCESAN The pilgrimage to Lourdes will take place from June 12th, (five nights) led by Archbishop Kieran O’Reilly. For information and booking contact Joe Walsh Tours @ 01 2410800. Assisted pilgrims contact Fr Joe Tynan, 087 2225445, New Helpers contact Jacqueline 089 4913351. Email lourdespilgrimage@cashel-emly.ie PILATES WITH RUTH Pilate classes continue in Glengoole Hall every Monday at 6.30pm. €10 pay as you go. To book, message 0872049418, Instagram @pilates_ruth.

Bring mat and water.

GORTNAHOE BINGO A special June bank holiday weekend bingo will be held this Saturday evening 30th May at 4.00pm

with doors opening from 3.00pm. Over €4,100 in prize money on offer. All single and double lines €50 payout. The weekend bingo includes a special €500 game and a June bank holiday special game for €800. Split the Pot on the day. It will be a great afternoons’ entertainment for all on the bank holiday weekend.

SPLIT THE POT Congratulations to Nikki and John who won €220 in the Split the Pot draw last Sunday. Envelopes are available in Cahill’s Gortnahoe, Hogans Grange, Mary Willie’s, Gortnahoe Hall and any member of the committee, you can also Revolut to 0876777220. Split the Pot for May is in aid of Gortnahoe NS. The draw takes place each Sunday at 12pm in Gortnahoe Hall. Your support would be appreciated.

SYMPATHY Sympathy to the family of Michael Power, Templederry formerly Poynestown and to the family of William Brennan, Cabra, Dublin and formerly Ballysloe.

CONAHY HURLING The junior E hurlers played Piltown in their latest game in the JJ Kavanagh and Sons Junior E League in Piltown. Despite being short of a number of players, Conahy put up a great fight and only narrowly lost out by a single point, 1-19 to 4-9.

CAMOGIE The junior D camogie girls hosted Dicksboro in the Junior D League in Jenkinstown. The young Conahy side put up a decent showing, but the city girls were winners in the end by 4-6 to 1-8.

The under-14 girls were also in action away in Graignamanagh. After a great battle, the home side were winners by 4-3 to 2-3.

GAA CLUB LOTTO The numbers drawn in the most recent GAA Lotto draw were 21, 23 and 31. There was no winner of the jackpot so the consolation prize winners of €30 each were Brian Gallagher, Toddy Lacey, Miriam Mulhall, Declan Downey and Martin Fitzpatrick. The promoter prize winners were Helen Cahill, Julie Jackman and Margaret Buggy. Many thanks to everyone who continues to support the GAA Club Lotto.

WORLD CUP PREDICTION COMPETITION Conahy Shamrocks adult hurling and camogie players are joining forces to raise money for the GAA and Camogie Club, and are looking for support from club members, family and friends.

They are running a 2026 FIFA World Cup Prediction Competition, in advance of it starting next month. Entries cost €10 and a prediction sheet can be got from any adult hurler or camogie player. Alternatively, check the club’s social media channels for an online entry form. All support is welcome.

FUTURE STARS SUMMER CAMP Registration is now open for the annual “Future Stars” GAA and Camogie Summer Camp taking place from Tuesday, August 4th to Thursday, August 6th in the Polo Grounds, Jenkinstown. Any child attending primary school in August 2026 is welcome to attend. Each day runs from 10.00 to 1.45 and the cost per child is €40. Check out the ClubZap app or the club’s social media channels for further information.

KILKENNY GAA HURLERS CO-OP DRAW GAA and Camogie Club members are encouraged to buy a Kilkenny GAA Hurlers Co-Op Draw ticket and get a free Kilkenny Camogie Raffle ticket, with some fantastic prizes on offer in both the Draw and the Raffle. Kilkenny Camogie Raffle tickets can also be purchased separately if members so wish. All support is appreciated.

KNOCK SHRINE PILGRIMAGE The annual local Pilgrimage to Knock Shrine takes on Saturday, June 27th. A bus will leave Freshford at 7.30 a.m., going to Jackman’s in Jenkinstown for 8.00 a.m., and on to Ballyragget for 8.15 a.m. If interested in travelling, names as soon as possible to 056-7767676 or 086-3655418. The bus fare is €30.

CEMETERY MASSES The annual Cemetery Masses will take place in Conahy Cemetery on this Sunday, May 31st at 11.00 a.m., and in Kilmacar Cemetery on Thursday, June 4th at 7.30 p.m. There will also be a cake sale and tea/coffee as a fundraiser for the Annual senior Christmas party after the Mass in Conahy Cemetery.

FIRST HOLY COMMUNION Congratulations to all the boys and girls in Second Class in Clinstown N.S., Conahy N.S. and Lisnafunchion N.S who received their First Holy

Communion on Saturday last in Conahy Church.

FRESHFORD BRIDGE CLUB Summer Bridge commences in Threecastles Hall, Tulla (Eircode R95 WK45) on Monday, June 8th at 7.30 p.m. All are welcome.

NEWMARKET HUGGINSTOWN STONEYFORD ALL SAINTS PASTORAL AREA Parishes - Aghaviller; Ballyhale; Mullinavat.

Priests in the Pastoral Area: Sean O’Connor (Ballyhale) - Parish Priest of the three Parishes in the Pastoral Area). Telephone 056 776 6696 or 086 389 5911: Email: rsoc1973@gmail.com. Liam Cassin (Hugginstown). Telephone 087 231 2354: Email: liamcassin@ossory.ie. Liam Barron (Mullinavat).

Telephone 087 272 2824: Email: mullinavat@ ossory.ie. Peter Hoyne (Newmarket - Retired).

Telephone 056 776 8678 or 086 373 8492 MASS TIMES IN AGHAVILLER PARISH Hugginstown: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday at 9.30a.m. Vigil - Saturday at 8.00p.m. Sunday at 10.00a.m. Stoneyford Vigil – Saturday at 6.30p.m: Mass will be offered in Hugginstown Church on Sunday 31st. May at 10.00a.m. for all Students sitting Public Examinations this year.

Months Mind Mass: Freda Murphy, Kyleva. Mass in Hugginstown Church on Saturday 30th. May at 8.00p.m. Anniversary Mass: Jim Doran, Stoneyford; Mass in Stoneyford Church on Saturday 30th.

May at 6.30p.m.

ROTA (FEAST OF THE MOST HOLY TRINITY) Readers: Stoneyford: Saturday 6.30p.m. Neill O’Grady. Hugginstown: Saturday 8.00p.m. John Barron. Sunday10.00a.m. Mary Carroll. Eucharistic Ministers: Stoneyford: Saturday 6.30p.m. Barbara Smolen. Hugginstown: Saturday 8.00p.m. Marion Barron. Sunday 10.00a.m. Lillian Carr.

PASTORAL AREA PILGRIMAGE TO KNOCK Fr. Sean O Connor will lead the Pilgrimage to Knock on Saturday July 11th. and returning Sunday July 12th. Bookings are now being taken, please contact Larry Cody 087 983 4031; Eamon Murphy 087 294 0598 or Pat Bradshaw 086 456 7852. Travel agenda will be issued closer to the time.

ALL IRELAND ROSARY RALLY The 41st. All Ireland Rally will take place in Knock Shrine on June 6th. The Rally is focused on Peace in the World and Renewal of the Faith in Ireland.

Over 10,000 pilgrims are expected to attend and so far over 50 buses are travelling from the four corners of Ireland.

CEMETERY MASSES Mass in Calvary Cemetery on Friday 5th. June at 8.00p.m. Mass in Kilkeasy Cemetery on Friday 19th. June at 8.00p.m. Mass in Stoneyford Cemetery on Friday 3rd. July at 8.00p.m. Mass in Hugginstown Cemetery on Saturday 4th. July at 8.00p.m. Mass in Sheepstown Cemetery on Friday 10th. July at 8.00p.m.

The Cemetery Masses are commencing in early June; please help to clean and tidy the Cemeteries by taking away all old wreaths and withered flowers. Please try to cut weeds and grass around your family graves. Your help much appreciated.

IRISH SYNODAL PATHWAY We’ve reached another important moment on the Irish Synodal Pathway. Following on from our original question “What does God want from the Church in Ireland at this time?” Seven priority areas were discerned by the People of God across Ireland. These point to where we are being called to focus are: Belonging; Co-responsibility and Lay Ministry; Faith Formation and Catechesis; Family; Healing; Women; and Young People. Please contact the Catholic Communications Office, in Maynooth, if you need assistance in anyway info@ catholicbishops.ie and on +353 (1) 505 3017.

LOTTO Aghaviller Parish and Carrickshock G. A. A. Numbers drawn were 04; 11; 20; 16. There was no winner of the first 3 numbers drawn. There was no jackpot winner. €30.00. winners: Shannon Wall, “On-Line”. Deirdre Kent, “On-Line”. Donal Foley, Hugginstown. John Fennelly, Stoneyford.

Barry Hudson “On-Line”. 3 x €15.00 (Sellers): John Power; Pat Dwyer; Teresa Fitzgerald.

PILGRIMAGE TO ASSISI AND ROME Pilgrimage takes place from 25th to 30th October 2026. It includes visits to the Tombs of St. Francis of Assisi, Saint Carlo Acutis and St Clare of Assisi.

Spiritual Director will be Fr. Marius Tomulesei OFM. Full itinerary available or to book your place contact Marian Pilgrimages 01 878 8159. Early booking is advised.

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St Canice's Credit Union Byrne Cup Solo run

Looking for a pass Trying to block the pucker

Narrow loss for Mullinavat Seniors St Canice's Credit Union Byrne Cup. Dicksboro 2-23 (29) Mullinavat 3-18 (27)

By John Power at Palmerstown Mullinavat suffered heartbreaking defeat in round five of the Byrne Cup senior hurling league when an injury-time goal handed Dicksboro a dramatic two-point victory at Palmerstown.

Despite the disappointment of losing at the death, there was plenty for the Vegas camp to take from what was unquestionably their most encouraging performance of the competition so far. Having already suffered defeats to Tullaroan, Graigue Ballycallan and Thomastown, Mullinavat arrived at Palmerstown seeking a response and, over the course of a highly entertaining contest, they showed far greater intensity, attacking threat and resilience.

Dicksboro, meanwhile, entered the game in strong form having won four of their previous five outings.

Victories over Lisdowney, Graigue Ballycallan, Thomastown and Shamrocks Ballyhale had established the city side among the early pacesetters in the competition, with their sole reversal coming against neighbours O’Loughlin Gaels. That experience and confidence appeared evident during a dominant opening quarter.

The Boro settled quickly and controlled much of the early exchanges through a commanding half-back line that repeatedly cut out Mullinavat attacks before launching dangerous counter moves.

Their sharpness in possession and accuracy from placed balls allowed them to build early momentum, and by the 25th minute they had opened up a five-point advantage, leading 0-12 to 0-7.

Mullinavat, however, continued to

Collecting the breaking ball

battle and gradually began to create openings closer to goal. Several promising attacks were denied

by Dicksboro goalkeeper Brian Manogue, who produced a number of fine saves to keep the visitors at bay. The Vegas side refused to become discouraged, and their persistence was finally rewarded in the 28th minute when Brian Phelan broke through for a crucial goal that reignited the contest and lifted their support.

Looking for support

That score transformed the momentum of the game. Mullinavat finished the half strongly, tightening up defensively and carrying greater urgency in attack. Their improved work-rate around midfield also began to pay dividends as they matched Dicksboro score for score in the closing stages of the opening period.

By the time the half-time whistle sounded, the sides could not be separated, with Mullinavat’s late rally

leaving the scoreboard reading 1-9 to 0-12.

The Vegas side carried that momentum into the second half and immediately struck the front.

Brian Phelan converted a free before Conor Walsh added another point from play to put Mullinavat two clear and force Dicksboro onto the back foot for one of the few periods in the match. Dan Carroll responded with an important point for the visitors to steady their challenge, but Mullinavat continued to hurl with growing confidence. Patrick Walsh and Joe Sheehan traded points before Conor Walsh and Carroll again exchanged scores as the intensity of the contest continued to rise.

The game then swung decisively in Mullinavat’s favour entering the final quarter. Robin Davis split the posts with an excellent point before Liam Fennelly struck for a superb goal that pushed his side into a commanding 2-14 to 0-15 lead. At that stage Mullinavat appeared in control, with their attacking play carrying far greater purpose and energy than in previous outings.

Yet Dicksboro showed why they have been among the competition’s most consistent teams this season.

Refusing to panic, they gradually chipped away at the deficit through the accuracy of Mark Nolan from placed balls. Each free narrowed the gap and restored belief within the city side ranks. The crucial moment in their comeback arrived following an excellent passing movement that carved open the Mullinavat defence. Dan Carroll finished the move emphatically to the net, turning the game on its head and giving Dicksboro a 1-20 to 2-14 lead entering the closing minutes.

Even then Mullinavat were not finished. Displaying tremendous character, they responded immediately when Ger Malone struck for another vital goal to level matters once more and ensure a tense finale. With both teams committing fully in search of victory, the closing stages were played at championship intensity.

As the game moved into injury time it appeared the sides might have to settle for a draw. However, Dicksboro produced one final attack and managed to force home a dramatic winning goal deep into added time, breaking Mullinavat hearts after one of their best displays of the campaign.

While defeat was difficult to take, there were many positives for Mullinavat manager and supporters alike. After several disappointing results earlier in the league, this performance showed signs that the team are beginning to find rhythm and cohesion. Their attacking play caused major problems for one of the form teams in the competition, while their work ethic and determination never wavered throughout the hour.

For Dicksboro, meanwhile, this was another valuable victory that maintained their strong league momentum. Their ability to recover from five points down in the second half and still find a winning score under pressure highlighted both their experience and composure.

In the end, it took the latest of goals to separate two sides who contributed fully to an exciting and competitive Byrne Cup encounter at Palmerstown.

MULLINAVAT TEAM: Sean Fitzpatrick, CJ Fitzpatrick, Tom Aylward, Eoin Dempsey, Donnacha Walsh, George O’Connor, Robin Davis, Adam Mansfield, Patrick Walshe, Conor Walsh, Ger Malone, Michael Malone, Brian Phelan, Simon Aylward, Liam Fennelly.

Substitutes: - Jack Walsh for Simon Aylward, Fiachra Knox for Brian Phelan, Ian Mansfield for CJ Fitzpatrick.

DICKSBORO TEAM: Brian Manogue, Stephen Dermody, Niall Rowe, Bill O’Shea, Tom McPhillips, Eoghan Moylan, Evan Murphy, Ollie Walsh, Alan Phelan, Mark Nolan, James Carroll, Joe Sheehan, Edward Moylan, Matthew Carroll, Dan Carroll.

Referee: Johnny Dooley.

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 29th May 2026

Hurlng matters - Review

Sport

BY NIALL SHERRY SPORTS EDITOR SPORTSEDITOR@KILKENNYOBSERVER.IE

Leinster GAA Senior Hurling Championship 2026 Dublin 1-26 Kilkenny 0-22 Round 5, Parnell Park And that’s a wrap for the senior hurlers of Kilkenny in 2026, as they bowed out of championship action with another below par performance in the Capital.

Dublin were full value for their 7-point win in a sundrenched Parnell Park and advance to the provincial final where they will face off against Galway in Croke Park on June 6th. This result coupled with Offaly’s win over Kildare in Newbridge saw the Faithful County leapfrog the Cats and snatch third position in the table, meaning Johnny Kelly’s side will take on the beaten Munster finalists in a month’s time. For Derek Lyng and the County Board it will be a summer of discontent as the soul searching begins, and answers need to be found as to why those in black and amber are so far off the pace in intercounty hurling.

The Noresiders got the first two scores of the round 5 clash; thanks to efforts from the ‘Bridge’s David Blanchfield and Emerald’s Killian Doyle. Dublin had made three changes to the named line-up and one of those, St Vincent’s John

Over and OUT!!

Kilkenny’s early exit confirmed with Dubs defeat

TJ Reid finds it difficult to get past Paddy Doyle

Hetherton got the Metropolitans up and running with a brace of points, either side of Cian Kenny’s opening score of the afternoon. The next two scores came from the placed ball maestros on both teams, Na Fianna’s Donal Burke and Cats captain, TJ Reid. Niall Ó Ceallacháin’s side then got a foothold in the encounter, as they frequently varied their style of play, going long and direct to the towering Hetherton at times, was paying dividends as the Kilkenny defence struggled to cope with the bustling forward’s hunger. All-Star

St Brigid’s player Cian O’Sullivan then fired over a tidy score, and they built on this with points from Erin’s Isle’s Conor Donohoe and a second free of the game via Donal Burke, to leave the home side two ahead.

Kilkenny responded with a trio of scores themselves, all from Ballyhale, two for TJ and the first of a five-point haul from Eoin Cody as the Cats edged ahead, but this would be the last time that Lyng’s charges would do this in the clash. Lucan Sarsfield’s John Bellew, who was picking up Cody, struck over two booming scores and another score followed, courtesy of Kilmacud’s

Brian Hayes; who impressed throughout. The wonderful Donal Burke then took over, hitting five of the games next six scores, including three from placed balls, with the Cats only mustering a point from Eoin Cody as the boys in blue went six clear after half an hour of action in Parnell Park. The Village’s Cian Kenny, one of very few bright lights in a dark season for his side, notched his second point but again the hosts found it easier to pick off scores, John Hetherton adding to his tally as the Dubs restored their 6-point lead. Derek Lyng made his first change of the day; Dicksboro’s

Liam Moore replaced former captain John Donnelly. The Thomastown player was welcomed to proceedings early on by Conor Donohoe, several times, under the eyes of the officials, but it would be the Kilkenny man that picked up a yellow card from the Waterford whistler. The last two scores of an entertaining first half came from the visitors, a nice effort from the improving Conahy Shamrocks player, Tom Phelan and a placed ball from TJ, to leave the Cats trailing by four at the short whistle.

When play resumed, the

The Kilkenny Observer Friday 29th May 2026

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Hurling matters - Review Tom Phelan Bearing down on Goal Chased by Chris Cummy

Eoin Cody Makes a Fine Catch as hes tackled by Paddy Smyth

Cian Kenny knocks over a Kilkenny Point tackled by Darragh Power

first passage of play suggested Kilkenny were hungry, but again, a free was awarded to

Dublin which Donal Burke converted from way out the pitch. Lyng’s team then notched three on the bounce, another for Eoin Cody, one for Mossy, who was being well marked by Conor McHugh and a free from TJ, to leave the home sides lead at two points.

Niall Ó Ceallacháin made his first change, sending on the talented Ronan Hayes in place of Crokes teammate, David Purcell.

Another of the Kilmacud contingent, Conal O’Riain then struck over a sweet score, but again, the Shamrocks Ballyhale duo of Cody and

Reid responded for the men in black and amber.

Na Fianna’s Donal Burke split Eoin Murphy’s posts with another cracking point which Kilkenny replied to with midfielder Killian Doyle’s second of the day.

Cian O’Sullivan doubled his tally with a fine point before another score from the Hayes clan, this time sub Ronan registering for the home side.

A second change from the Kilkenny management team saw Adrian Mullen enter the fray, replacing the quiet Harry Shine in the Cats attack. The accurate Donal Burke dispatched a ‘65 after Michael Carey’s intervention prevented Brian Hayes from raising a green flag for his 10th point of the day. Then came a defining score in the round 5 clash. As Lyng’s men sought to play out from the back, Killian Doyle’s attempted pass to David Blanchfield was cut out by the alert Fergal Whitely. The ball was collected by Ronan Hayes who powered towards the goal. A combination of Paddy Deegan and Doyle attempted to halt Hayes’ run, but referee Walsh penalised the Cats. Killian Doyle had his name noted, penalty to Dublin. Up stepped Donal Burke who struck his effort hard and low beyond the unlucky Eoin Murphy to give his side a 7-point lead inside the final twenty minutes. More fresh legs were then sprung from the bench, Diarmuid O’Dulaing replacing Cian O’Sullivan and the experienced Richie Reid coming on for young Ivan Bolger.

Conahy’s Tom Phelan notched his second point, while Eoin Cody, who was having his most productive game of 2026 added to his personal tally. ‘Boro’s Timmy Clifford replaced the now booked Doyle as Kilkenny looked for a spark. TJ struck his 7th point of the afternoon, but again the Dubs cancelled the effort out with one of their own, thanks to a fine score from Commercial’s Diarmuid O’Dulaing. The speedy Conal O’Riain then notched a couple of quickfire

scores with The Village’s Cian Kenny rifling over his third of the sunny afternoon. Stephen Donnelly was then sent on in place of Mossy Keoghan in a last attempt to salvage something, but it was more in hope than expectation. Na Fianna’s Donal Burke struck over a second ‘65 just ahead of additional time, but there was still time for one more score, courtesy of sub Ronan Hayes to put the finishing touch on a historic afternoon for Dublin as they defeated Kilkenny for the first time in the Leinster championship since 2013. Full time score: Dublin 1-26 Kilkenny 0-22.

Kilkenny scorers: TJ Reid 0-7 (0-4f, 0-1 65), Eoin Cody 0-5, Cian Kenny 0-4, Killian Doyle 0-2, Tom Phelan 0-2, Martin Keoghan 0-1, David Blanchfield 0-1.

Dublin scorers: Donal Burke 1-11 (0-6f, 1-0 pen, 0-2 65), John Hetherton 0-3, Conal Ó Riain 0-3, John Bellew 0-2, Cian O’Sullivan 0-2, Conor Donohoe 0-1, Brian Hayes 0-1, Ronan Hayes 0-2, Diarmaid Ó Dúlaing 0-1.

Kilkenny: Eoin Murphy; Ivan Bolger, Mikey Carey, Mikey Butler; David Blanchfield, Darragh Corcoran, Paddy Deegan; Killian Doyle, Cian Kenny; Liam Moore, Harry Shine, Tom Phelan; Martin Keoghan, TJ Reid, Eoin Cody.

Subs: John Donnelly for Moore (32), Adrian Mullen for Shine (50), Richie Reid for Bolger (51), Timmy Clifford for Doyle (54), Stephen Donnelly for Keoghan (65).

Dublin: Eddie Gibbons; Paddy Doyle, Paddy Smyth, Conor McHugh; Chris Crummey, John Bellew, Conor Burke; Brian Hayes, Conor Donohoe; Fergal Whitely, Donal Burke, Cian O’Sullivan; David Purcell, John Hetherton, Conal Ó Riain.

Subs: Ronan Hayes for Purcell (40), Darragh Power for Donohoe (50), Diarmaid Ó Dúlaing for O’Sullivan (51), Paddy Dunleavy for Conor Burke (55-56), Conor Groarke for Whitely (70), Dunleavy for Crummey (73).

Referee: Thomas Walsh (Waterford).

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 29th May 2026

Planning notices

Planning notices KILKENNY COUNTY COUNCIL

KILKENNY COUNTY COUNCIL

We, CHMK Partnership, hereby intend to apply to Kilkenny County Council for Retention Permission, to retain indefinitely the original dwelling house (previously granted outline permission under reference No. 98 990059), a single storey bedroom extension to the rear of the property and 3 no. rooflights at first floor level to the rear of the property.

Planning Permission is also sought for the construction of a single storey extension comprising of an ensuite and laundry room to the rear of the existing property, connection to existing services and all associated site works at The Laurels B&B Guesthouse, Circular Road, Kilkenny R95 CX40.

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: Brendan Moore Architects, 38 St. Kieran’s Street, Kilkenny, 087 4120718.

I, Arnoldas Navickas, hereby intend to apply to Kilkenny County Council for Planning Permission for a new vehicular entrance, domestic wastewater treatment system and all associated site works at Kilmanagh, 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: Brendan Moore Architects, 38 St. Kieran’s Street, Kilkenny, 087 4120718.

KILKENNY COUNTY COUNCIL I, Micheal Moloney wish to apply to the above authority on behalf of Paul Madigan for full planning permission to extend existing car park, construct new boundary wall with all associated works at No 1 Father Delahunty Terrace, Old Callan Road, Kilkenny R95 CK8P. The planning application may be inspected, or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy, at the offices of the Planning Department, Kilkenny County Council, County Hall, John Street, Kilkenny, during its public opening hours 9 a.m.- 1.00 p.m. and 2.00 p.m. – 4.00 p.m. Monday to Friday, and a submission or observation in relation to the application may be made to the Planning Authority in writing on payment of the prescribed fee (€20.00) within the period of 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the Authority of the planning application, and such submissions or observations will be considered by the Planning Authority in making a decision on the application. The Planning Authority may grant permission subject to or without conditions, or may refuse to grant permission.

KILKENNY COUNTY COUNCIL I, Anthony Murphy, hereby intend to apply to Kilkenny County Council for Planning Permission for a new vehicular entrance and all associated site works at 17 Castlecomer Road, Kilkenny R95 T9TF. 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: Brendan Moore Architects, 38 St. Kieran’s Street, Kilkenny, 087 4120718.

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Memoriams / Miracle Prayers

KITTY KEARNEY 1ST ANNIVERSARY Kitty Kearney, late of De La Salle, formerly of 18 Stephens Street, Kilkenny In memory of our beautiful sister Kitty on her first Anniversary in Heaven One year ago we said goodbye to our sister.

A year has passed yet in many ways it still feels like it only happened yesterday and yet alongside the sense of loss there is also gratitude that she was in our lives We smile at the memories she left behind We think of you always Kitty.

The Miracle Prayer

Dear heart of Jesus, in the past I have asked many favours.

This time I ask you this special one (mention favour).

Take it dear heart of Jesus and place it within your heart where your father sees it. Then in his merciful eyes it will become your own favour not mine. Amen.

Say this prayer three times for three days and your favour will be granted.

Never been known to fail.

Must promise publication of prayer. B.ON.

The Miracle Prayer

Dear heart of Jesus, in the past I have asked many favours.

This time I ask you this special one (mention favour).

Take it dear heart of Jesus and place it within your heart where your father sees it. Then in his merciful eyes it will become your own favour not mine. Amen.

Say this prayer three times for three days and your favour will be granted.

Never been known to fail.

Must promise publication of prayer. B.ON.

The Miracle Prayer

Dear heart of Jesus, in the past I have asked many favours.

This time I ask you this special one (mention favour).

Take it dear heart of Jesus and place it within your heart where your father sees it. Then in his merciful eyes it will become your own favour not mine. Amen.

Say this prayer three times for three days and your favour will be granted.

Never been known to fail.

Must promise publication of prayer. L.B.

You will never be forgotten.

We hold you close within our hearts and there you will remain to walk with us throughout our lives until we meet again.

With love from your sisters Mary, Dena and Eileen, brothers Jimmy, Mike and Tom and all your dear friends.

XXXXXX Anniversary Mass for our sister Kitty is at 5.40pm on Wednesday 3rd June at the Friary Church, Kilkenny

The Miracle Prayer

Dear heart of Jesus, in the past I have asked many favours.

This time I ask you this special one (mention favour).

Take it dear heart of Jesus and place it within your heart where your father sees it. Then in his merciful eyes it will become your own favour not mine. Amen.

Say this prayer three times for three days and your favour will be granted.

Never been known to fail.

Must promise publication of prayer. R.B.

The Miracle Prayer

Dear heart of Jesus, in the past I have asked many favours.

This time I ask you this special one (mention favour).

Take it dear heart of Jesus and place it within your heart where your father sees it. Then in his merciful eyes it will become your own favour not mine. Amen.

Say this prayer three times for three days and your favour will be granted.

Never been known to fail.

Must promise publication of prayer. M.M.

The Miracle Prayer

Dear heart of Jesus, in the past I have asked many favours.

This time I ask you this special one (mention favour).

Take it dear heart of Jesus and place it within your heart where your father sees it. Then in his merciful eyes it will become your own favour not mine. Amen.

Say this prayer three times for three days and your favour will be granted.

Never been known to fail.

Must promise publication of prayer. P.K.

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 29th May 2026

Classifieds

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

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 29th May 2026