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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 29 October 2021

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Observer Holohan’s growing fear of turn for the worse A FURTHER 2,193 more people have contracted the coronavirus as the number of patients in hospital with Covid-19 surpassed the 500 mark on Wednesday, October 27, the Department of Health has confirmed.

As of that date, the number of patients being treated in hospital for the virus now stands at 513 patients, of whom 97 are in intensive care. Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan said he was “increasingly worried about the rising

incidence of the disease nationwide”. Dr Holohan said “our primary focus” now must be to protect the most vulnerable from Covid-19. “We are seeing a continuing increase in hospitalisation and

intensive care admissions – a substantial amount of whom are not fully vaccinated – placing our frontline healthcare services, including non-Covid care, under significant pressure. “It is essential that we do everything we can to break the

chains of transmission of the Delta variant in the community, in the workplace and in our homes.” Meanwhile, our own St Luke’s hospital is among 10 hospitals across the country that are now classed as being in the ‘red

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zone’ due to overcrowding. The others on the overcrowding list include hospitals in Galway, Tullamore, Mayo, St Vincent’s in Dublin and Cork University Hospital. See also Page 10

Major reform for CAP The Government has made a number of key announcements regarding the future of farm payments under the CAP reform due to come into force from 2023. Under the new reforms, many aspects of farmers’ EU payments will change radically, with some farmers gaining significant sums and, equally, others in line for income cuts. Page 22

Epic win for our museum EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum has been voted as Europe’s Leading Tourist Attraction at the World Travel Awards for the third year running. EPIC is the first visitor attraction to be voted as Europe’s Leading Tourist Attraction award three times in a row. Page 6

No claims ‘bonus’ The European Parliament has approved the introduction of revisions to the Motor Insurance Directive (MID) which, in effect, means a unified no claims bonus for motorists through the EU. See Page 22

INSIDE THE public should have their say on the new Climate Action Plan, according to Waterways Ireland This is the cross-border navigation authority’s first climate action plan. Focused on the decade to 2030, it sets out the vision for how Waterways IreEVERY FRIDAY

land will reach its key climate action targets. This includes reducing emissions by at least 51% and improving energy efficiency by at least 50%. It also addresses Waterways Ireland’s aim to be a net zero organisation by 2050.

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Waterways Ireland CEO John McDonagh said: “Waterways Ireland is the custodian of Ireland’s inland navigable waterways and we see climate change as a critical challenge for our organisation and its stakeholders. “As the body responsible for

vital shared heritage across the island of Ireland, we have both an opportunity and a responsibility to take a leadership role in climate action. We will enthusiastically take on that mantle by identifying transformative and innovative ways to engage in climate

action initiatives over the lifetime of the plan.” The draft Waterways Ireland Climate Action Plan can be found on the Waterways Ireland website. Submissions can be made via email or post. The closing date for submissions is January 17, 2022.

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Top 10 tips to protect pets this Hallowe’en THINGS that go bump in the night may be great fun for us humans, but for our furry friends it can be very a disruptive and anxious time. Irish pet retailer and grooming studios, Petmania is reminding pet owners of the importance of keeping pets safe throughout the Halloween season. The experts are urging pet parents to protect their fourlegged family members through the spooky season. To help, Petmania has shared its Top 10 tips to minimise the impact on pets through this stressful period. 1. Bring your pet to a quiet room and create a safety den, away from the main noise source such as the front door, doorbell and fireworks. Provide a covered crate and comfortable bed and keep them company. 2. Keep chocolate out of reach – sweet treats can be fatal for pets.

3. A treat puzzle is a fantastic distraction to get pets through loud or stressful periods. 4. Costumes are optional – make sure that any pet costume is comfy and if your pet looks unhappy, don’t persist. 5. Stay indoors – the safest place for your pet is indoors, in a quiet, calm, space away from the visiting covens of trick or treaters. 6. Karma wraps are stressrelieving coats that hug dogs tight to help calm and relax them. 7. Candles and lanterns – can easily get knocked over by an excited pet. Keep them out of reach or use a batteryoperated version instead. 8. Wear reflective accessories – stay visible outdoors with reflective collars, leads and coats. 9. Pheromone diffusers and natural calming tools such

as Pet Remedy, Adaptil or Feliway ranges are available in Petmania. 10. Check ID Tags – to make sure that they are secure and the details correct. If your pet gets spooked and runs away, it will be easier to get him/her home safely. Emily Miller of Petmania says: “Halloween is a time where we need to take extra care of our pets. It can be very frightening for pets but with a little planning, they can remain calm and feel secure. The most important advice we can give is to keep pets safe and comfortable indoors when there are loud activities outside and trick or treaters knocking at your door.” For more information on keeping pets safe this Halloween, contact a Petmania pet expert in one of Petmania’s 13 stores nationwide or visit the free pet care advice centre on www.petmania.ie

Solutions for sinus problems CLAIR WHITTY

SINUSITIS is a common problem; you may have one bout of it or be suffering with it on an ongoing basis. It can be difficult enough to get to the bottom of, simply because there are so many possible causes and contributing factors. The symptoms can include pain in the sinus area in the forehead or over the jaw bones. Headaches, nasal congestion, post nasal drip are also common. Your sense of taste and smell can be affected too. A sinus problem could be the result of a cold, flu, infection, or after a period of lowered immunity. Chronic sinus can be difficult to treat because

it could be caused by a viral, bacterial, or fungal infection. Which one is it? Food intolerance or allergy could be aggravating the problem causing increased inflammation or histamine response. These foods can include dairy, red meat, wheat, or sugar. Do you eat much of these foods? Your sinus problem could be triggered or aggravated by airborne allergens. Low levels of good gut bacteria could be a factor too. This is why you get asked so many questions when you ask us about sinus infections. You may need to tick off more than one box to find a solution. Over the years I have mentioned supplements to help but you may need to take a targeted approach in order to resolve the problem long term. No one answer fits all.

For congestion and nasal drip A.Vogel Plantago, Garlic, or Irish Botanica All Seasons Complex are worth taking a look at. Relieving congestion may also help ease painful headaches and sinus pain. If you know your sinus problem is associated with allergies consider natural anti-histamine supplements like Irish Botanica All Seasons, Vitamin C, Nettle, or Quercetin. If you have taken antibiotics and they haven’t worked, it may indicate that it’s a fungal infection and not bacterial. New Nordic Dida is one option to consider as it contains several herbs and spice recipe with gastrointestinal support. Combine Dida with a good probiotic supplement for optimal results. It’s also a good idea to top up on good gut bacteria after antibiotics. For symptomatic relief of nasal congestion try A.Vogel Sinus Spray. If you would like some advice why not give us a call or drop in to see us we would love to help. Natural Health Store, Market Cross, Kilkenny Phone: 056 7764538 Email: info@ naturalhealthstore.ie Shop online at www.naturalhealthstore.ie

The Kilkenny Observer Friday 29 October 2021

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 29 October 2021

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Restaurant Covid cert legal challenge A GALWAY restaurant is the first business in the State to challenge the Covid-19 cert at court on the grounds of discrimination. Almost €70,000 has been raised to support Italian restaurant Il Vicolo’s bid to legally challenge the use of the pass proving vaccination or recent recovery from the virus.

A GoFundMe campaign has been set up to support the restaurant on Lower Dominick Street to bring a court action to challenge the ongoing implementation of the EU Digital Covid-19 Certificate on the grounds of discrimination and breach of privacy law. The Galway city restaurant claims that due to its refusal

to comply with the measure, it has been constantly inspected by HSE compliance officers. Four days ago, Il Vicolo began the online crowd fundraising campaign to become the first business in Ireland to challenge the Covid cert on the grounds of discrimination and breach of privacy law. According to their fundrais-

ing page, those behind the campaign believe that the cert discriminates against people who may not be able to get a vaccine or who choose not to get a vaccine. The campaign raised almost €70,000 in support of plans to mount a legal challenge. The organisers said: “We believe that this divisive law is legally, morally, and ethi-

cally wrong. It discriminates against people who may not be able to get a vaccine or choose not to get a vaccine. “It raises serious privacy law (GDPR) concerns about the processing of private sensitive health data. This law is dividing friends and families and risks destroying the entire social fabric of Irish society.” The restaurant was served

Boys will be boys at Ferrybank Park... THE Ferrybank Neighbourhood Park was the centre of attention as the Cathaoirleach of Kilkenny County Council, Cllr. Fidelis Doherty, Members of Kilkenny County Council, Mayor of Waterford City and County Council, Joe Kelly and elected members, invited guests and members of the local community gathered to mark the official opening of the new neighbourhood park by the Cathaoirleach of Kilkenny County Council and Mayor of Waterford City and County Council. The Park secured funding from Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government under the Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund (LIHAF) together with funding from Kilkenny County Council and Waterford City and County Council. It includes a playground, a meeting point for teenagers, outdoor gym, kickabout area, walking track, tree planting, a wildflower meadow and a terraced seating area for informal gatherings and events. Local residents were involved in the planning and design of the Park through a very successful public consultation process carried out by Kilkenny County Council. Speaking at the event,

Cathaoirleach of Kilkenny County Council, Cllr. Fidelis Doherty explained that the benefits of the Park to the community are far reaching saying “This Neighbourhood Park is a welcoming addition to our Parks and Green spaces and will play a major role in improving the health and well-being of the people of Kilkenny and Waterford.

‘The new play area is also a fantastic addition for our children to explore and have fun. “With South East Greenway cycling and walking route from Waterford to New Ross which passes close to the park currently under construction, the future is certainly bright in terms of the availability of amenity facilities for both

local residents and visitors to Ferrybank.” The park opened for use in October last year and is already much loved by local residents which is evident in the numbers using the facility. With so many features and elements, the park has something for everyone to enjoy. Mayor of Waterford City and County Council, Cllr.

Joe Kelly, in addressing those at the event said: “Waterford City and County Council are delighted and proud to be associated with this Project. It is a wonderful addition to community life in the Ferrybank area. I know the park will have a long-lasting and positive impact on the lives of local residents,” the Mayor said.

Landlocked Council criticised for lack of serious commitment to wind farms

THE State’s planning watchdog has criticised councillors from a landlocked county for watering down plans to allow wind farms in their area because they wanted a greater emphasis on offshore renewable energy. Planning regulator Niall Cussen suggested Kilkenny County Council would not make a fair contribution to meeting national targets on renewable energy if its members tried to move the focus to wind farms based at sea. A row has erupted between

Mr Cussen and the council over the refusal of councillors to adopt his recommendations concerning renewable energy, particularly wind farms. Councillors rejected recommendations made by the Office of the Planning Regulator to reinstate parts of Co Kilkenny as “acceptable in principle” for wind farm development in a new county development plan on the basis that there should be a greater emphasis on offshore wind and solar farms. However, Mr Cussen claimed

the reference to offshore wind farms was irrelevant. “Kilkenny is not, however, a coastal county and the reference to offshore wind is not obviously relevant to the contribution of the county to realising overall national targets on renewable energy,” said Mr Cussen. He said councillors did not address how alternative renewable energy sources could compensate for the restrictions they had placed on wind energy development. Councillors came under

pressure from local communities including the Save Our Hills group to change the original proposals in relation to wind farms with more than 600 submissions pleading for alterations to the wind energy strategy section. Mr Cussen claimed the reference to offshore wind farms was irrelevant. “Kilkenny is not, however, a coastal county and the reference to offshore wind is not obviously relevant to the contribution of the county to realising overall national targets

on renewable energy,” said Mr Cussen. He said councillors did not address how alternative renewable energy sources could compensate for the restrictions they had placed on wind energy development. Councillors came under pressure from local communities including the Save Our Hills group to change the original proposals in relation to wind farms with more than 600 submissions pleading for alterations to the wind energy strategy section.

with a notice by a number of HSE compliance officers appointed under the Health Acts, otherwise known as the Indoor Dining Legislation, and has been inspected on several occasions due its stance. It was shut down for two days in September following a HSE application for an emergency cessation order.

Protesters gather outside home of Joe Duffy A SMALL number of protesters gathered outside the home of RTÉ radio broadcaster Joe Duffy. Gardaí responded to reports of a “small group of people staging a protest” outside a private home in Clontarf, north Dublin, at about 4pm, a Garda spokesman told The Irish Times. “It’s understood the group involved had dispersed without incident prior to the arrival of gardaí,” the spokesman said. In recent times, people opposed to Covid-19 vaccines have held protests outside the homes of a number of public figures, including Tánaiste Leo Varadkar, Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly, and chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan. It appeared that people opposed to the Covid-19 vaccines were also involved in the protest outside Mr Duffy’s home. Both RTÉ and Mr Duffy, who hosts the RTÉ Radio 1 programme Liveline, declined to comment on the matter.

419 drivers are caught speeding A TOTAL of 419 drivers were caught speeding by gardai as part of thei recent national ‘Slow Down Day’ . During the 24 hours of the event, An Garda Síochána and GoSafe checked the speed of 192,333 vehicles and detected 419 vehicles travelling in excess of the applicable speed limit. Examples of motorists detected putting themselves and others at risk include: • 140km/h in a 120km/h Zone on the M4 Towlaght, Clonard, Meath • 135km/h in a 100km/h Zone on the N7 Brownsbarn • 116km/h in a 80Zone on the M50 Kilmore Big,

The Kilkenny Observer Friday 29 October 2021

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 29 October 2021

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The Fact Of The Matter PAUL HOPKINS

Finding yourself as the pandemic alters The now lifting of the so many restrictions imposed on us the past 20 months is great room for cautious optimism. But the so-longed-for return to normality may, just may, not be what we imagine or would necessarily like. The changes that have occurred globally — in societies, in economics, in science and, predominately, in our lifestyles and relationships — may be with us for some considerable time to come, with some changes here to stay. The countless deaths and illnesses and job losses and God-knows-what-else awfulness aside, the pandemic has changed the way we were and, in some instances, irrevocably. To cite some obvious changes, technology has allowed many to work from home, Zoom being the new buzzword, whatever its drawbacks; social distancing has become a kind of norm, down with that huggy-touchy-feely

sort of thing, and mask wearing the new fashion accessory. Above all, none of us could have imagined the isolation, the stress, the loneliness, the disconnect that the last two years would visit upon us. I have seen many I know go through their own Private Idaho, utter meltdown, quite contrary to character or expectation. The toll on people’s mental well-being is a reality we should not underestimate. We all need to reach out now to those poor in spirit. Others have been more resilient. My own age group have been, I would suggest, a lot more at ease with the lockdowns — as we age, it takes less to please us, perhaps — whereas the young, by nature needing to forage in packs, have suffered the most; for example, the college experience, and all the wonderful discoveries that that should entail, being confined to the box-room.

This pandemic has changed many of us, even if only in how we will now value what we previously took for granted, a change – and I’m taking a giant leap here in restoring my faith in human nature – that’s for the better. I see it in little interactions every day. The lockdowns have given us a chance to pause and take stock and re-evaluate ourselves and our fellow travellers and what really matters — family and friends and not the dreaded daily commute or the job or must-have gizmo. Hopefully, this rethinking is not merely momentary. Directly or indirectly, the pandemic has caused a major change in many people’s circumstances. Maybe it has resulted in a new career, perhaps family circumstances changed, or there was a reconnecting with old friends, or new ones found. And so it goes. It might do us the world of good to be taking stock of

our lives and rearranging priorities to match values, newly learned or realised. My psychologist friend from Magherafelt says a crisis of this scale can enable people to pull the trigger on major life decisions they had been putting off, such as moving in with a partner, quitting a job they hate for a more satisfying one, or getting married – or divorced. The person who emerges from quarantine doesn’t have to be the same old you. Scientists say that people can change their personalities well into adulthood. And what better time for transformation than now, when no one has seen you for a year, and might have forgotten what you were like in the first place? It was long thought that people just were a certain way, and would remain that way forever. The Greeks, in particular the physician Hippocrates, long ago believed that people’s

personalities were governed by the amounts of phlegm, blood, black bile and yellow bile that flowed through their bodies. Modern science, of course, has long since discarded notions of bile and being good or bad humoured. And, now, it appears the idea that our

‘Has changed the way we were..

”

personalities are immutable is also not quite true. Researchers have found that adults can readily change the five traits that make up personality — extroversion, openness to experience, emotional stability, agreeableness and conscientiousness. Changing a trait requires acting in ways that embody that trait, rather than simply thinking about it. Richard Wiseman, a psychology professor at the University of Hertfordshire, puts it in his book ‘The As If Principle’ (Simon & Schuster) that you can behave “as if” you are the person you want to be. And pretty soon you might find that it is that you underneath that badly needed hairdo. Give yourself time, though. The pandemic will end, in that it, like flu, will become endemic, but its scars may take a good while to heal — if ever...

The Kilkenny Observer Friday 29 October 2021

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 29 October 2021

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Rapid test to last at least five years, says expert PEOPLE could still be taking rapid tests for Covid in five years time, a senior UK Government scientist has said. Speaking to MPs, Lucy Chappell, chief scientific adviser at the Department of Health and Social Care, said the British government overnment was committed

to testing between now and January. “In the short term I think we should be continuing with testing, particularly symptomatic individuals,” she told the Commons science and technology committee. “I know that other groups are evaluating at what point

we reconsider testing asymptomatic individuals beyond January, beyond Spring. “I would like to think in five years time we won’t all be lateral flow testing. There is a stretchable point between now and five years clearly.” Asked if the government was currently looking at

when to “turn off” testing of asymptomatic people, she added: “That is being considered, yes.” It came as Downing Street defended its Plan B contingency for controlling Covid over the winter. Documents leaked to Politico suggested enacting the

measures for five months could cost the economy up to £18 billion. The Plan B includes re-introducing workingfrom- home guidance and the mandatory use of face masks. Boris Johnson’s official spokesperson said the sug-

One in four businesses fail to follow Covid rules ONE business was ordered to close for 72 hours for ”persistent” breaches of Covid indoor dining rules following countrywide inspections by environmental health officers. The HSE revealed that the District Court granted an emergency cessation order in relation to a single employer “where persistent non-compliance was observed”. However a HSE spokesperson said it “does not comment on individual cases” when asked to identify the business. Under the rules, those offering indoor dining must ensure only people who can prove their immunity can dine or drink indoors. A total of 69% of employers were found to be compliant by the HSE inspectors, following 5,621 compliance checks in businesses offering indoor dining under the regulations. Another 28% were found to

require additional compliance measures, and around 2pc found to be non-compliant. A spokesperson said more than 300 HSE environmental health officers were designated as compliance officers under the indoor dining regulations. She said enforcement action starts with verbal warnings and can escalate to an emergency cessation order. Separately, one in five employers did not have Covid-19 response plans in place, according to the lead agency carrying out workplace checks on Covid safety measures. A Health and Safety Authority spokesperson said 81pc of workplaces had Covid response plans, 91pc had taken Covid measures and 78% had appointed a lead worker representative. It carried out 6,192 inspections between January and October 8 this year, of which 6,152 related to Covid-19.

Casual trading byelaws under review A REVIEW has been carried out by Kilkenny County Council of the Casual Trading Bye-Laws for the Municipal Districts of Castlecomer, Callan/Thomastown and Piltown. The review entailed examination of the current bye-laws and existing trading bay areas and the consideration of new trading bays that may be suitable in certain areas. When deciding whether to designate any land as a casual trading area, the local authority is required to have regard to the proper planning and development of its functional area, any traffic that may be generated by the casual trading and to all other

matters it considers relevant. The draft bye-laws set out the procedures for licencing for casual trading including for special events. The bye-laws also set out certain conditions attached to casual trading in relation to litter management, food hygiene, insurances, fees, penalties and other matters. Part 3 of the Draft ByeLaws provides a schedule of the proposed Casual Trading Bays. Draft Bye-Laws will be on public display until December, 2 with submissions now being invited from the public. The Draft Bye-laws will be available for public inspection at Kilkenny County Council Offices, County Hall, John Street, Kilkenn.

gestion of five months of tighter rules was not “government policy and is not something we’re planning to”. They said Plan B would only be bought in when “pressure on the NHS is unsustainable”, which he said “is not the case currently”.

Future of our visitor top spots assured to a degree

Donations give SPC paws for thought... THE Board of Kilkenny SPCA wants to send our “heartfelt thanks” to the people of Kilkenny for their support for our flag day. It was a relief for us to see our volunteers back on the streets! Our fundraising plans for 2020 were scuppered with COVID restrictions, so the much welcome donations of €975 from Kilkenny City, €159 from Callan and €532 from Thomastown are quite honestly a lifeline for us. For the last year and a half

plummetour income has plummet ed, yet our service continues to be as busy as ever. For each callout we make, for each animal investigation, for each animal rescued and rehabilitated there is a cost to us. Our annual costs run at €45k with our Animal Welfare service making up the lion’s share of our costs. We are grateful to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine for an annual grant of €15k, but it isn’t enough. We rely on

donations from members of the public to make up the shortfall and you have been a constant support to our charity for over 140 years. We want to convey our thanks and appreciation to the people of Kilkenny. It was heart-warming for our volunteers on the day to hear of the trust and good wishes from the public. And thanks also to our volunteers who braved a strong and cold breeze on the day. * Pictured is SPCA volunteer Aislinn Duune.

Second-hand car prices jump 16% A SECOND-HAND car is worth 16% more than it was this time last year, a new report reveals. The big increase is due to a perfect storm in the marketplace, experts say. One of the main factors for the increase is restrictions

on UK second-hand imports following Brexit. Additionally, slower sales of new cars has led to drivers holding off on trading in. An analysis by Cartell.ie and CarsIreland.ie found that a 2016 Volkswagen Passat was valued at €14,900

in 2020, but is now worth €17,200. A 2008 Opel Corsa was worth €1,650 last year, but is now €2,050. Jeff Aherne of Cartell. ie said that since the company database was set up in 2006, “they have not seen anything like this”.

THE Association of Visitor Experiences and Attractions (AVEA) has announced its new Visitor Attraction Management Certificate of Completion in partnership with Technological University Dublin’s (TU Dublin) School of Hospitality, Management and Tourism. Having commenced in September 2021, the certificate aims to elevate the career and learning opportunities within Ireland’s visitor =experience and attractions, establishing a strong pipeline of talent for the sector. Both undergraduates and mature students can achieve the new certificate via two routes by either completing: • Four visitor experience optional modules as part of TU Dublin’s BA in Tourism Management, or • TU Dublin’s new continuous professional development Diploma in Visitor Attraction Management which is aimed at individuals working in the visitor attraction sector or those who wish to work in the sector. Launching the new Visitor Attraction Management Certificate of Completion, Minister of State at the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Niall Collins TD said: “This collaboration is a fantastic example of higher education and industry working together to enhance the learning and career options for a sector which is so critical to Ireland’s tourism industry. “Despite a tough 18 months, future planning by educating the next generation of tourism students about the amazing attractions and experiences we have in Ireland is a true testament to the vision, resilience, and optimism by both AVEA members, the employers and TU Dublin, the educators. “As a sector, visitor attractions are not only responsible for Ireland’s most important strategic tourism assets but also significantly contribute to our indigenous economy.”

The Kilkenny Observer Friday 29 October 2021

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 29 October 2021

Opinion

Toxic masculinity... Do we want mice or men? AS I SEE IT MARIANNE HERON

YOU know that situation where something goes wrong and you can’t fix it? I remember it happening once when I was facilitating a preretirement course held in a school in Cape Town. I went to the loo and found to my horror that the handbasin tap wouldn’t turn off. There was no janitor around as it was an evening course, so I went back to the class room and asked if anyone could help. With one accord the men present raced off loo-wards in a posse and stopped the flood in a trice. Men have a way of coming to the rescue. It happened the other day too when our local electricity supply failed. There were about 10 ESB guys dealing with the outage, putting up poles,wires, wielding machinery, sawing up a tree that nearly decapitated them in the midst of the proceedings and they had the power back on by evening like they promised. I think it’s time to hear some praise for men for a change. Not just for fixing things, not all men are handy, I once wrote about a guy who

had business called Hire A Husband. The title led to occasional misunderstandings with husbands who thought they were being usurped but led to a lot of small jobs around people’s homes getting fixed. To me, men can often be heroic, shouldering the burden – or part of it – of providing for their families,

chained to their jobs and working their butts off for 40 years or more. I take my hat off to all those stalwarts: crane operators, long-haul truck drivers, plumbers, electricians men down mines, tree surgeons, firemen and all those guys whose work would scare the wits out of me even if I were trained to do such chal-

lenging jobs. They keep the world working and they are, in a sense, modern knights in shining armour. There’s a risk though these days that perceptions about men and men’s view of themselves get tarnished by all the negative publicity about the male sex, it’s enough to turn knights in shining armour into shites in whining armour.

The expression ‘toxic masculinity’ is bandied around these days by judges and others in relation to for crimes and brutal murders of women. But is it hardly the masculinity that is toxic surely it’s the behaviour of the men involved. It seems that that term toxic has been linked with masculinity due to outdated constructs around what it means to be a man, like

the cult of machismo or the hard man and the effect that such attitudes may have on men’s attitude to women. Violence against women, coercive control, to the point where an individual feels entitled to take life in order to gain control, sexual abuse and rape are all abhorrent but I don’t buy the idea that they are attributes of masculinity. They are crimes. The attributes of masculinity are after all partly a social construct and partly the innate characteristics of being male. Men have changed a great deal over the last half century, we all have. Back in the day you would never see a man pushing a pram much less complaining that that maternity hospital Covid regulations have prevented them attending their partner’s scans and labours and of course there is far more to the way things have changed, the word partner says a lot about the way relationships between the sexes are now. We need to call out the bad stuff with campaigns like “Me Too, making behaviour like coercive control an offence has been long overdue. But let’s leave men their masculinity and remember the positive qualities associated with manliness, courage, valour, chivalry and not forgetting their ability to fix things.

Tudor Kitchen at Rothe House is venue for Kilkenny group Sola NEWS Of the lifting of certain Covid restrictions brought reason for hope amongst many groups and individuals. Music venues in Kilkenny gave a sigh of relief as the Minister for the Arts, Catherine Martin announced the reopening of venues which will bring life back to the many venues in Kilkenny city and county. One Kilkenny group who were waiting for the green light was the folk-harmony group Sola. No sooner had the green flag been raised, Sola were out of the traps to announce their next gig on November 13th, at The Tudor Kitchen in Rothe House. The group have been together now for four years and release their EP ‘Forgotten Things’ in May 2020. The EP was warmly received and was featured on ‘RTE radio one’s Recommends Watch list’ and also on ‘Radio nan Gaidheal’ on BBC. The group also feature regularly on both local radio stations in Kilkenny as well as Dublin City f.m and Kildare

f.m. During the Covid 19 Pandemic, they took part in an online concert series filmed at John Cleere’s theatre, which was supported by ‘The Live Performance Support Scheme’. More recently, they performed at the Castle Park in Kilkenny as part of Kilkenny Day 2021. The indoor and seated concert is certain to be a wonderful night and will feature Bridget Cody, Clare Lynch and Siobhán Cody. The night will include many of the groups original songs as well as some cover songs.

Booking for Sola is through Rollercoaster Records on Kieran Street or online through Eventbrite Doors open at 8.00pm. Tickets €15

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 29 October 2021

News THE Before You Flush Campaign, operated by Clean Coasts in partnership with Irish Water, is urging the people of Kilkenny to stop flushing wipes down the toilet. In doing so, everyone will help combat frightening fatbergs, wastewater blockages and scary sewage related litter on our beaches this Halloween. Afterall, there is nothing spookier than waste that comes back to haunt you! When waste items like wet wipes and sanitary items are flushed down the toilet, they can reappear in the form of frightening fatbergs much to our horror. When flushed, wet wipes can cause blockages in the sewer pipes at your home or in the public wastewater network. Wet wipes can also cause blockages at pumping stations and can clog screens at wastewater treatment plants. Unlike toilet paper, which disintegrates quickly when flushed, the synthetic materials in items like wet wipes, cotton buds, sanitary products and even dental floss makes them very strong leading to blockages and overflows that can harm our beaches, seas and marine life. Speaking about the campaign, Sinead McCoy, Coastal Communities Manager, Clean Coasts said: “This Halloween we are urging the public to always Think Before You Flush and throw any wipes used for removing scary make up in the bin to avoid frightening fatbergs! ‘The Think Before You Flush campaign aims to increases education and awareness about sewage related litter, enabling people to realise the consequence of their simple bathroom routine, and letting them know that small changes can prevent items like cotton bud sticks and wet wipes washing up on Ireland’s spectacular beaches.” Talking about the size and scale of the problem associated with flushing the wrong things down the toilet, Tom Cuddy, Irish Water said: “In 2021 we found out that one in four people living in Ireland were still regularly flushing the wrong things down the toilet — that’s almost a million people. “The impacts of flushing the wrong things down the toilet are very real in our day to day lives, as we are still removing thousands of sewer blockages from our network every month.” Removing blockages can be a nasty job; sometimes workers

SPECIAL REPORT

Remember to flush in these scary times This holiday Clean Coasts and Irish Water remind the people of Kilkenny to never flush wet wipes down the toilet as they might come back to haunt you! have to enter sewers to remove blockages with shovels. Some blockages can be removed with jetting and suction equipment. I’ve seen pump blockages that workers have had to literally clear by hand in order to get the pumps up and running again in a race against time to avoid sewage overflows to the environment, onto local beaches or into rivers and streams. “Our message is simple, only the 3 Ps, pee, poo and paper should be flushed down the toilet. All other items including wet wipes and other sanitary products should go in the bin even if they are labelled as flushable. We all have a role to play in protecting our beaches, seas and marine life.

“A small change in our flushing behaviour can make a big difference — put wipes, dental floss and even hair in the bin and not down the toilet to help us avoid frightening blockages this Halloween.” Think Before You Flush Think Before You Flush is a public awareness campaign highlighting the problems caused by flushing sanitary products and other items down the toilet. Consequences include blockages in our household plumbing, our wastewater network and littering our marine environment. The campaign is operated by An Taisce’s Clean Coasts programme in partnership

with Irish Water and has been running since 2015. Each year, the campaign runs regionally in cities, towns and villages across Ireland. The campaign works with the local community, businesses and schools to promote changes in flushing behaviour through workshops, events and clean ups. The goal of the campaign is to encourage people to always #thinkb4uflush. www.thinkbeforeyouflush.org Clean Coasts Clean Coasts is a charity programme, run through the Environmental Education Unit of An Taisce, which engages communities in the protection of Ireland’s beaches, seas and

marine life. Clean Coasts works with communities to help protect and care for Ireland’s waterways, coastline, seas, ocean and marine life. Clean Coasts thrives to create tangible and immediate improvements to Ireland’s coastal environment, involving thousands of volunteers removing large quantities of marine litter from our coastline each year. Clean Coasts has grown over the years and now includes two main national clean-up drives. Other initiatives include the Green Coast Award, the Love Your Coast Photography competition, the Clean Coasts Roadshows for coastal communities and the Ocean Hero Awards.

All these initiatives are aimed at celebrating the beauty of our coast and the efforts of our volunteers across all of Ireland. There are more than 1400 registered Clean Coasts volunteering groups. There are a variety of group types such as community groups, residents’ associations, tidy towns groups, sports clubs, schools, usinesses, universities etc. xClean Coasts organises hundreds of beach clean-ups annually mobilising thousands of volunteers, removing considerable quantities of marine litter from Ireland’s beaches and waterways. Our volunteering has expanded to also include corporate colunteering.

Switch on to these free energy audits UP to 150 Kilkenny businesses are invited to avail of free energy audits in order to begin their sustainability journey. The audits are offered by 3 Counties Audit Agency (3CEA) whose aim is to

help businesses improve sustainable measures and reduce costs. Businesses must have fewer than 50 employees and be from one of the following sectors: nursing homes and healthcare

providers, food producers, convenience grocery stores and supermarkets or office blocks and property management companies.3CEA has arranged a free online information session on Tues-

day, November 2 at 12pm. “The free audits are an opportunity for businesses to reduce energy usage and costs, lower their CO2 emissions and make a very positive impact on climate change,” Alexandra Ham-

ilton, Senior Energy Engineer with 3CEA said. Businesses that are interested in exploring can visit https://3cea.ie/cancap-offers- free-energyre p o r t s - f o r- i r i s h -s m e s / and express their interest

by filling out the enquiry form. If your business qualifies, you may qualify for further grant assistance for items such as solar panels and energy-efficient heating.

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Part-time farm worker rights WHILE employing part-time workers can reduce the workload of other employees and/ or increase business capacity, ifac, Ireland’s farming, food and agribusiness specialist professional services firm, is advising farmers to fully understand the rights and entitlements of part-time workers. TOURISM Ireland’s ‘drive’ to restart golf tourism to Ireland is under way this week – at the International Golf Travel Market (IGTM) in Wales. Sixteen (16) golf and tourism operators from Ireland – including Mount Juliet Estate – have joined Tourism Ireland at this important event for the global golf travel community – which brings together golf travel professionals from around the world, including top golf tour operators. The companies from Ireland are engaging in four days of one-to-one, pre-scheduled appointments and networking – which provide an excellent opportunity to negotiate and exchange vital contracts for 2022. As we begin to rebuild our overseas tourism business, promoting golf holidays in Ireland will be a focus for Tourism Ireland in key markets around the world. Louise Finnegan, Tourism Ireland’s Head of Business Partnership, said: “We’re also taking every opportunity to highlight the fact that The Open will return to Royal Portrush in 2025 and the Ryder Cup will take place at Adare Manor in 2027. Tourism Ireland will be pulling out all the stops once again to leverage the tourism potential of these prestigious

A part-time employee is defined as someone who works fewer hours than a comparable full-time employee carrying out the same type of work in the same business. There are no minimum hours. Depending on the number of hours worked, a part-time employee’s annual leave entitlement is one of the following:

Four working weeks in a leave year in which the employee works at least 1,365 hours (unless it is a leave year in which they change employment) • 1/3 of a working week per calendar month provided the employee worked at least 117 hours • 8% of the hours worked in

a leave year (subject to a maximum of four working weeks) If your part-time employee has worked at least 40 hours in the five weeks before a public holiday they are entitled to a day’s pay provided the public holiday falls on a day they normally work.

If they do not usually work on the day in question, they are entitled to one-fifth of their weekly pay. Unless they work less than 20% of the normal hours of a comparable full-time employee, part-time workers are entitled to the same pension benefits as their full-time peers.

‘Big Drive’ to grow golf tourism to the county

sporting events in our important golf markets around the world.” • Tourism Ireland is the

organisation responsible for promoting the island of Ireland overseas as a leading holiday destination. • In 2019, we welcomed al-

most 11.3 million overseas visitors to the island of Ireland, delivering revenue of over €5.8 billion. • Tourism Ireland’s interna-

tional website is www.ireland.com, 33 market sites available in 30 different countries in 11 language versions around the world.

€187,625 grants for safer county trails A TOTAL of €187,625 has been awarded for the development of outdoor recreational infrastructure across Kilkenny. The Kilkenny projects to receive funding are: • €19,800 to Trail Kilkenny and local community groups for the establishment of a countywide network of community walks. This application includes four proposed routes ranging from 2kms to 5kms in length in the villages of Johnstown, Stoneyford and Skeoughvasteen. • €19,125 to Kells Region Economic Enterprise Ltd for the rehabilitation of a 200m section of walking trail along the King’s River and repairs to the pedestrian bridge over the river which connects the walk to the Kells Augustine Priory. • €19,800 to Trail Kilkenny and Coillte for the Tory Hill Looped Walk Enhancement Works. Sections of the

trail have deteriorated and are in need of significant rehabilitation, particularly along the approaches to the summit. The proposal also includes for the supply and installation of interpretative signage.

• €19,350 to Kilkenny Water Safety for enhancements to the traditional open water swimming area located in the Nore Valley Park in Kilkenny City. Improvements include facilities for smarter travel.

• €13,500 to Trail Kilkenny, Coillte and Kilkenny Tourism for the further development and continuation of the promotion and marketing campaign for Woodstock Estate. • €18,000 to Kilkenny Tourism, LEO, Trail Kilkenny and outdoor activity providers in the county for the continuation/ development of the promotion and marketing campaign for ‘Outdoor Kilkenny’, a new brand and website that promotes all outdoor attractions. • €19,800 to Trail Kilkenny and Kilkenny Tourism to extend the existing walking trail at Silaire Wood by 500m, giving a total trail length of 1.5km. • €19,350 to Mountain Grove Community Group to upgrade and strengthening of a 300m section of the trail surface. • €20,000 to Kilkenny Leader to upgrade and strengthening of a 300m section of the

trail surface on the South Leinster Way at Mullinavat, to include improvement works at the trail entrance. • €18,900 to Kilkenny Leader for the Installation of built heritage and habitat interpretation boards along 22km route of the Nore Valley Walk, Kilkenny’s most popular trail. This is aimed at enhancing the visitor experience. The locations are along a 10 km route between Kilkenny and Bennettsbridge and 12km route between Thomastown and Inistioge. Fine Gael TD John Paul Phelan has welcomed the funding and says the infrastructural improvements will support the economic and tourism potential of Kilkenny for both local communities and tourist visitors alike, further enhancing unique natural amenities and supporting rural Ireland as a destination for adventure tourism.

While a part-time employee who works less than 20% of normal full-time hours does not have an automatic entitlement to access pension benefits, there is nothing to stop an employer from allowing them to access the same benefits as a comparable full-time worker.

Search for duo missing is ended THE search of a site of a wooded area of interest in the case of JoJo Dullard and Deirdre Jacob in Co Kildare has now been completed. “Nothing of evidential value to these investigations was recovered,” Gardaí have said. The search was conducted over the last number of weeks after a review of evidence deemed information on the site in Taggartstown to be of more interest than previously thought. A person was witnessed acting suspiciously in the wooded area in the hours after Deirdre Jacob vanished from Newbridge, Co Kildare in 1998. An Garda Síochána says it continues to keep the families involved updated on the progress of these investigations. While the search has been completed, Gardaí remain at the scene to complete necessary site works on these private lands. “During the course of the search the remnants of a previously undiscovered historical settlement were identified and the National Monuments Service have been notified,” they confirmed. An Garda Síochána has no further comment at this time.

A new toy storey for Christmas A NEW business has opened in Kilkenny’s Hebron Industrial Estate.Educational and sensory toy specialist McTivities has joined forces with Huggable Home to open their new shop just in time for Christmas. Emma McGuinness and Denise Simpson expanded and grew a business during lockdown, trading online and at Mountain View Market in Ballyhale where they met and decided to open a physical store. Emma prides herself on sourcing high quality educational, sensory and wooden toys that allow the kids imaginations to run wild. The kids have fun while also working on major developmental skills.

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News Your Money

Good news, if you know where to look... BY JOHN ELLIS FINANCIAL ADVISOR

WE work hard and try to save for a rainy day, our retirements, and other eventualities like our children’s education. We look for guidance as to the best way to save our money with as little risk as possible but feel pressed from every side According to Deloitte the taxation system for individuals and entrepreneurs remains quite complex and there remains a significant burden on the individual tax payer. The hope in future Budgets and Finance Bills is that consideration will be given to changing the tax system so the tax burden can be more equally spread instead of it continuing to fall most heavily on a relatively small group of people. For instance, in the Finance Bill, something that won’t affect everyone, but the change signifies the Government feels there is extra to be found. It’s the change to the tax treatment for capital acquisitions tax purposes on what is called the “free use of money”. For example, you give your child an interest-free loan. Previously where an annual

gift was deemed to be taken, the “cost” was determined by reference to the amount you would expect to earn if your money remained in a deposit account. But given the very low levels of interest on deposits over recent years this meant that the gift was very low. The proposal is that the gift to your child will be the best rate available as if your child borrowed from their own Bank! Therefore, there is a significant increase in cost as lending rates are significantly higher than current deposit rates. The bank levy has been extended for one more year, with a review of the scheme to be completed next year. There was no specific mention of DIRT in the Budget – the last reduction in DIRT tax was 2020 when the rate was reduced to 33%, the same as the rate of Capital Gains Tax – 33%. The 1% Insurance Levy remains on Life Assurance Policies and Investment Funds and the exit tax is still 41%. The current corporate exit tax rate remains at 25%, in line with corporation tax for non-trading income. (Maybe instead of taking money personally from your Company and saving it an Investment Bond with returns taxed at 41% leave it in the Company and look at a Corporate Bond, where returns are

currently taxed at 25%) But it’s not all bad news if you know where to look. The Bill allows for the Pandemic Payment to student nurses to be made tax-free. This is worth about €100 per week to those who are eligible. A tax credit of €1,500 to Naval Service personnel who are at sea for over 80 days a year has been extended.

The Bill builds on the Government’s commitment of achieving Net Zero by 2050, according to PwC Ireland, It Includes several positive measures to tackle climate change and reduce Ireland’s overall greenhouse gas emissions. For example, the introduction of a tax relief for micro-generation of electricity by households who sell residual electricity

(which they generate) back to the grid. To some this might even be a ray of sunshine – from next year before your name goes on the tax defaulters register the settlement must be over €50,000, previously €35,000. There are significant pension changes which will allow the implementation of some of recommendations detailed

in the report by the Inter-Departmental Pensions Reform & Taxation Group (IDPRTG). Should you be in an occupational pension scheme you can now decide in the event of your death in service, how your spouse and or children are provided for as either an annuity or the benefits transferred to an Approved Retirement Fund (ARF). And where benefits are transferred to an ARF for a spouse or for dependants of a deceased member of a scheme who dies in service, the legislative rules applying to ARFs and the conditions relating to ARFs shall apply. The requirement to have an Approved Minimum Retirement Fund (AMRF) will be removed. on 1 January 2022. At which time current AMRF plan shall become an ARF and the legislative rules applying to ARFs shall apply. For those who have taken out Approved Retirement Funds (ARMF) remember how you had to put up to €63,500 into an AMRF and could only take 4% per annum from the fund. Now you will be able, if you wish, to take some or all the funds, paying tax at your marginal rate. These are significant and welcome developments and allows control of funds in way not possible up to this point John@ellisfinancial.ie - 086 8362633

The Kilkenny Observer Friday 29 October 2021

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 29 October 2021

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Science & Wellbeing RESEARCH has linked excessive screen time to cognitive and behavioral problems in the general population of children, leading the American Academy of Pediatrics to recommend that parents limit their children’s daily screen exposure to no more than two hours per day. But the connection between screen time and cognitive or behavioUral challenges had not been previously studied in very premature kids. In the study in JAMA Pediatrics, more than two hours of daily screen time was correlated with lower IQ and a variety of behavioural issues in 6- and 7-year-old children who were born 12 to 16 weeks early, or around the fifth or sixth month of pregnancy. These children may be especially vulnerable to detrimental effects of excess screen time because of the neurological risks due to premature births, researchers say. The finding is part of an effort to understand how to help high-risk preemies thrive years after they’ve left the hospital. “It’s clear that the environment of preemies’ lives after they leave the neonatal intensive care unit is so critically important,” says senior author and neonatologist Susan Hintz, who directs the Fetal and Pregnancy Health Program at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford University. “We need to move our work into a different zone and ask how can we support these children and families as they transition home, and then help them in the years to come.” For more than a decade, Hintz and her colleagues closely followed a group of hundreds of children born at least 12 weeks early, meaning they are “extremely preterm,” and considered to be the highest-risk category. (Any birth more than three weeks before

S.O.S = Stamp Out excess Screentime Children born very prematurely are at risk for cognitive and behavioural problems linked to excess screen time, a new study shows. the due date is considered premature.) The study began as a way to evaluate how best to support preemies’ breathing from the time of delivery, but has expanded to many other areas of their growth and development. The newest work focused on links between the children’s screen time and various cognitive and behaviour outcomes, including measures of intelligence such as IQ and verbal comprehension; the children’s ability to regulate behaviours and problem-solve, also known as executive function;

social communication; and signs of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, including inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity. At the school-age follow up visit, when children in the study were 6 or 7 years old, families answered questions about the amount of time the children spent using screens, including watching TV and playing video games. (The data was collected before the global pandemic, meaning the effects of online learning were not part of the study.) The children also had a bat-

tery of standardized assessments and exams at the visit. The researchers compared 238 children who spent more than two hours per day using a screen with 176 children who had less than two hours of daily screen time. After adjusting for possible confounding factors, researchers saw that children in the high screen time group had IQ scores that were about 4 points lower. They also had worse scores on assessments of executive function and tests of inhibition (impulse control) and inattention.

Children with a TV or computer in their bedroom also had worse inhibition scores, as well as hyperactivity and impulsivity scores. While the findings suggest that parents of preemies may want to limit screen time as their kids grow up, the researchers say that there is more to learn about the relationship between the amount of time spent using a screen and how children fare. For one thing, the results can only point to an association between high screen time and some cognitive, execu-

‘More than two hours of daily screen time was correlated with lower IQ and a variety of behavioural issues...

”

tive function, and behavioral challenges. They cannot say whether excess screen time causes these difficulties. Because the data was collected before the pandemic, the study also could not evaluate the many new ways screens are now being used. For instance, says Hintz, video chats that help children engage with extended family, friends, and educational activities may have different associations with cognitive outcomes than watching TV. “What we, as experts, need to focus on now is supporting these families in their goals for their children,” Hintz says. “Families are not only focused on cognitive test scores; they care about everyday skills, such as children’s relationships with family members and other kids. “We tend to look narrowly through our little telescope of neurodevelopmental outcomes, and we need to start thinking more broadly with families about what they consider to be important.”

How plants know when it is winter... PLANTS know winter is coming. But exactly how they detect this change in seasons has never been clear. Researchers took a new approach to uncover this plant secret: They asked one. The answer they received— in the form of changes in the gene expression of a common weed known as Arabidopsis— has implications for farmers and conservationists alike as climate change increasingly makes native ecosystems less hospitable, forcing some plants to migrate. The study appears in the journal Developmental Cell. Most research on plant seasonality has focused on how they know when to flower, an understandable emphasis since it is key to almost all agricultural production. Plants are able to detect not only changes in the lengths of daylight, but even the arrival of dusk or dawn.

As days become longer in spring, a welldescribed set of genes begin actively signaling to the plants that it is time to flower. “It is an extremely elegant system,” says Joshua Gendron, an associate professor of molecular, cellular, and developmental biology at Yale University. “Almost everyone thought it was the whole story.” Scientists have thought that a plant’s ability to adjust to the shorter daylengths that accompany winter was simply a reversal of the genetic processes that plants use at spring’s onset. But Gendron and col-

leagues thought there might be more to the story. The question becomes increasingly important in an era of global climate change. As the Earth warms, plants still maintain their ability to detect changes in day length, but other variables such as temperature and availability of water are rapidly changing. That means optimal growing conditions for agricultural crops may be found closer to the poles or at higher elevations. Studies have shown that many plants are indeed shifting to higher latitudes where conditions are wetter and cooler.

“Plants are moving north, chasing water,” Gendron says. Plants use daylength to try and predict when those optimal temperatures and water conditions might come, but climate change is causing them to arrive at different times of year. So understanding how plants detect changes in daylength to predict the seasons becomes especially critical. For their study, Gendron and his colleagues “asked” the weed Arabidopsis how it detects the arrival of winter by following changes in its gene expression. To do this, they tagged winter- expressed genes inside of living plants with bioluminescent markers. Then they mimicked different seasonal daylengths in specialised plant growth chambers and watched as the plants’ responses would reveal what season they “thought” it was.

“This is like taking a peek at the plant’s calendar in real time,” Gendron says. The researchers found that during periods of decreasing light many genes become highly expressed. In a series of experiments, they found that one gene in particular, PP2-A13, is crucial for the plant to survive the shorter days of winter. Surprisingly, they found, the expression of these “winter genes” is controlled by the metabolic networks of the plant, distinct from the system that controls flowering. The findings indicate that this newly discovered daylength measurement system is crucial to maintaining vegetative health during winter, Gendron says. As days grow shorter, plants go into recycling mode and convert available nutrients into winter storage to prevent starvation. They do this even if days are

warm and there is plenty of moisture available. “We often think of winter as a time of inactivity for plants, but it’s really a time of a lot of cellular activity,” he says. “A plant needs to take every bit of usable energy and store or use it to survive winter.” With this information in hand, a plant’s genetic “calendar” can theoretically be manipulated, which can help keep crops healthy in different environments, even as the climate changes. For instance, scientists may be able to extend a plant’s growth period by genetically overriding its winter storage signals. “We can also begin to understand the changes that a plant must make to migrate to new areas of the Earth,” Gendron says. “This is critical to ecosystem survival because animals, such as pollinators, coordinate their development with the plants in their environment.”

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Travel & Leisure TRAVEL is a matter of personal taste. Where you go depends on what you like to do when you’re away from home. You might choose locations based on the nightlife, or the swimming and athletics, or the hiking trails. No matter how you choose, there are some locations that everyone brings up when they talk about travel. Among the many tourist destinations around the world, some are simply way overhyped. Avoid these twelve destinations when planning a trip, unless you want to be disappointed.

The Dirty Dozen

12. San Fransisco’s Cable Cars San Fransisco’s cable cars are quintessential to the vibe of the city, but many consider this a tourist trap. Paying a handful of dollars to go up and down the hill and see everything you can see on foot doesn’t seem worth it. It is, however, an experience and might be worth it for some. 11. Copenhagen’s The Little Mermaid One of Copenhagen’s popular tourist attractions is The Little Mermaid sculpture along the waterfront. Almost everyone who visits Copenhagen ends up walking along the waterfront to view this city icon, but many have admitted that the attraction is underwhelming. The sculpture is quite tiny and tends to often have crowds surrounding it. 10, Las Vegas strip Unless you’re really into gambling, Las Vegas will be an impressive half hour and a weekend of remorse. The strip is more theme park than city, but if you stray too far in the wrong direction, you end up in a bad neighbourhood. Really, the average visit is more likely to end up like The Hangover than Casino Royale. 9. The London Eye The London Eye is one of the top tourist locations in London, which is a shame. The city is full of fabulous attractions, from historic sites to museums to monuments. There’s no reason

12 overrated world attractions to visit a glitzy Ferris wheel just because it dominates the skyline. There are better monuments and better amusement parks. 8. Dublin’s Temple Bar Dublin is known for its pubs, and it seems like visiting one billed as the cultural center of the city would be a great idea. Unfortunately, the culture you’ll experience in the Temple Bar is the tourist culture. There are far better pubs within walking distance with a better atmosphere and better prices. 7. The Hollywood Walk of Fame Are you excited by handprints and sidewalks? Unless you are,

the walk of fame isn’t going to excite you. It’s not exactly impressive to say you’ve walked on concrete that a celebrity had their hands in. At the same time, you’ll face crowds of tourists, the constant noise of tourist trap vendors and glimpses of the homeless just around the corner. 6. Capri’s Blue Grotto A natural wonder filled with shockingly blue water is amazing to see. Unfortunately, you have to skip across to Capri on overpriced boats, and that’s assuming you can even access it. Chances are good that the weather will turn foul and your chances to see the grotto are ruined.

5. Stonehenge Stonehenge is one of those ancient wonders of the world that crop up in bad sci-fi movies and pseudo- science babble. Regardless of the actual purpose of this mysterious collection of standing rocks, it’s not very interesting to visit. You can’t access the stones themselves due to a protective fence, and nearby highways thoroughly kill the mystical ambiance. 4. Loch Ness Located in a dreary, out of the way corner of Scotland, Loch Ness has been the center of rumors about prehistoric monsters and dinosaurs for ages. Today, all you’ll see are gray skies, dull water and a load

of vendors selling stuffed Nessie dolls. There are far better places to visit in Scotland than this dull narrow lake. 3. Prague Prague is known as something of a cultural center for writers, hipsters and those indie artists who can’t seem to actually reach fame. It has beautiful architecture, but so do a thousand other European cities. You don’t need to waste your time with thieves and tourists in this particular corner of the world. 2. Egyptian Pyramids The great pyramids are massive feats of ancient engineering and construction. They’re also

incredibly old and falling apart. Not only are they hardly visually impressive after their media saturation, they’re also off-limits to the public. You won’t be fighting off a mummy’s curse, but you might be caught in a political uprising. 1. The Leaning Tower of Pisa If you drive for a few hours, you’ll probably find a local university near your home. Chances are this university has some kind of bell tower. Does that bell tower sound like an amazing tourist attraction? If not, you probably won’t enjoy it any more if it’s tilted a few degrees and crowds of people are taking pictures pretending to push it back.

Why has this been voted the best airport in Europe for the last 18 years? SWITZERLAND’S largest airport has remained undefeated since 2004 thanks to its customer satisfaction rates and high quality services. This year, Zurich Airport has been praised for implementing a wide range of health and safety protocols to keep both travellers and employees safe during the Covid pandemic. This included providing plexiglass panels at check-in counters and over 200 hygiene stations with masks and disinfectant. The airport is only 11 minutes by train from the city centre, which makes it quick and

easy to reach by rail or car. Infrastructure is modern, with over 80 shops to browse and a fast WiFi connection is available to use for free for up to two hours. “In these difficult times, in particular, the award is a great honour for us. It is recognition for the excellent cooperation between all our airport partners and the huge commitment of everyone working at Zurich Airport,” says CEO of Flughafen Zürich AG, Stephan Widrig. Having started as early as 1991 to assess energy consumption and climate

emissions, to date Zurich Airport has reduced its carbon emissions by almost 50 per cent. This matches Switzerland’s national

commitment for 2030 at the Paris Agreement. Over the same time, traffic and infrastructure has increased by almost 60 per

cent. The World Travel Awards is a prestigious programme which rewards industry leaders in the tourism, airline,

hotel and hospitality sectors. It is regarded as the leading authority in celebrating excellence across all sectors of global travel and tourism.

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 29 October 2021

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 29 October 2021

News

Unified no claims bonus for EU

THE European Parliament has approved the introduction of revisions to the Motor Insurance Directive (MID). Speaking in the European Parliament, Ireland South MEP Deirdre Clune welcomed the vote and declared it a “good day for consumers”. MEP Clune said: “The updated motor insurance rules

aim to ensure that citizens are better protected and treated equally in the EU when accidents occur and when insuring their vehicles. “We voted for a new motor insurance legislation and this is a significant win for people everywhere in Europe, including in Ireland. The new rules will better protect victims when acci-

dents occur in any EU member state. “It is essential that Irish consumers and Europeans are better protected and treated equally in the EU when accidents occur and when insuring their vehicles. This legislation makes sure that people are compensated for road accidents even where the insurance com-

pany goes bankrupt. It creates new tools for all citizens to be able to compare prices, tariffs and coverage from insurance providers.” The new rules mean that now, as a consumer, if someone moves from one European country to another they can bring your claims history with them and the no-claims bonus they have built up.

“While vehicles like eBikes, segways or electric scooters are not included in this European legislation, I think it is important that each country does look at how to manage the huge increase we have seen in the use of these vehicles, especially in urban areas, so we can keep all pedestrians and road users safe,” Ms Clune said.

The Directive provides better protection for consumers in the event that an insurance company becomes insolvent. Now all Member States must set up bodies to compensate injured parties in a timely manner. Until now, there have been no EUlevel rules to ensure that injured parties are swiftly compensated in such situations.

Go bananas and let’s find the fittest school!

€2.3 billion in national funding announced THE Government has agreed an Exchequer contribution of €2.30bn for the CAP Strategic Plan 2023-202, The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue TD, has announced. This brings total funding for the plan to €9.8bn. Taoiseach Micheal Martin TDsaid: “The investment of €2.3 billion of national funding in Rural Development measures over the 2023-2027 period emphatically demonstrates the Government’s

continuing commitment to farmers, to rural areas and to the rural economy. It also demonstrates my own, and this Government’s, determination to follow through on commitments made in the Programme for Government, for example in relation to the allocation of carbon tax funding to a flagship agri-environment and climate measure to encourage farmers to farm in a greener and more sustainable way, and in relation to the alignment of Ireland’s

organic farming area with the current EU average. “It is an enormous vote of confidence in the sector’s ability to meet the considerable challenges it faces, and to secure an economically, socially and environmentally sustainable future, for farming families and for society more widely.” Commenting at the announcement of the funding, Minister McConalogue said: “The announcement today is a real commitment to our

farm families. It will support our farmers in doing what they do best – produce top class, world famous food while helping them make a real impact in meeting our climate ambitions. Farm income and environmental sustainability is at the centre of everything I believe in and I know farmers will recognise the range of supports put in place.” “I am delighted to announce national funding of €2.30bn for rural develop-

ment interventions under the CAP Strategic Plan. When combined with EU funding, it will provide for a rural development package of some €3.86bn. “This funding will place farmers in a very strong position to address climate and environmental challenges while also supporting the economic viability of the agriculture sector and rural communities, while delivering significant public goods,” the Minister said.

Collapse in dental services ‘at crisis point’ DENTAL services for Kilkenny and Carlow are at a ‘near collapse’ in the last two years, according to Sinn Féin TD for Carlow Kilkenny Kathleen Funchion who has expressed alarm at situation. Dentists have said that this has reached crisis point as waiting lists for dental and orthodontic treatments soar

and dentists drop out of medical card scheme in record numbers. Ms Funchion said: “The collapse in dental services for Carlow and Kilkenny is at crisis point, with more than 30% of dentists in the Carlow and Kilkenny area having left the medical card dental scheme in the last five years.

This crisis is underlined in the collapse in spending on dental treatment in Carlow and Kilkenny by 39%. “The Irish Dental Association highlighted their concerns recently in the Health Committee, stating that difficulty in accessing dental treatment contributes to poor oral health and greater

healthcare costs, “ she said. “The burden of this disproportionately falls on lower income groups, especially those who rely on medical cards. “Dentists have expressed ethical as well as practical concerns about unilateral cuts to the dental scheme imposed during austerity. “This devastated dentists’

ability to deliver quality care to medical card patients. “The HSE dental and orthodontic waiting lists continue to spiral out of control’” she said. “Care delayed is care denied and the crisis in health continues to get worse under this Government,” the Sinn Fein TD said.

SCHOOLS throughout in Kilkenny are being called upon by ace sprinter Phil Healy and fellow athlete David Gillick in a quest to find ‘Ireland’s Fittest School’. The Irish Olympians have recorded a series of workouts which they say are ‘fit for even the least active’ – exercise routines they hope schools will adopt as part of their PE curriculum. The athletes have teamed up with Fyffes for the fitness initiative. Coupled with monthly and spot prize rewards, one successful school will have the distinction of being chosen as ‘Ireland’s Fittest School’, the prize for which will be a visit from the Fit Squad ambassadors Phil and David and €5,000 worth of sports equipment. Registration for the Competition, which runs from November until April, can now be made online at www.fyffesfitsquad.ie. The overall winner will be announced in May.

Man charged in €460,000 drugs haul A MAN arrested in connection with the seizure of €460,000 of suspected cannabis in Carlow has appeared before Kilkenny District Court. The man has been charged and is scheduled to appear before Kilkenny District Court this afternoon. As part of this ongoing investigation, a follow up search was conducted of a residence in Bunclody Co. Wexford, resulting in the seizure of €304,000 in cannabis and cocaine and the arrest of the man in his 30s.

1,000 new jobs Grant Thornton Ireland has announced plans to hire 1,000 new recruits across its seven offices over the coming three years. The new roles will comprise of a mix of experienced hires and graduate roles.

The Kilkenny Observer Friday 29 October 2021

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What is Keto? ANDREW MCDONALD HYPNOTHERAPIST

KETO, short for ketogenic, is a low carbohydrate, high fat diet which claims to get you losing weight quickly. According to keto experts, up to 90% of your daily calories should be made up of fat. At least in the shortterm, as it is inadvisable to stick with keto for longer than three to six months in any period. Like any diet, there are people who rave about it and those who are convinced that it is all hype and no substance. It’s certainly a strange idea when contrasted with traditional advice. For years, low fat diets have been the normal recommendation. Now, there are many advocating a high fat one. It is a little more complicated than gorging on chocolate and crisps though. Whilst chocolate can be an integral part of a keto diet, it should be unsweetened, dark chocolate which contains at least

70% cocoa solids. No Dairy Milk, Galaxy or Yorkie then. That’s because the fats consumed on a keto diet are ones which are good for our bodies. Olive oil, avocado oil, nuts and seeds, yes. Battered sausage, chips and burgers, no. Deep fried Mars bars probably aren’t recommended either. Does it work? In theory, yes. Eating very few carbohydrates supposedly results in your body losing its reliance on sugar for energy to using ketone bodies which your liver develops when it burns fat stores. Turning your body into a fat-burning machine sounds good on paper. It’s also undoubtedly true that many people have achieved great results following keto diets. In the short term. This has fed into a business boom with books and seminars on keto diets selling well. Foods which fit with keto eating practices are also flying off the shelves. All this has fed into the hype surrounding keto. I mentioned a critical point in the first paragraph though. Keto is not advis-

able in the long term, far less permanently. Any nutritionist or medic will tell you that what we need is a balanced diet. This consists of eating carbohydrates, proteins and fats. Advice suggests we aim for between 45-65% carbs, 1035% protein and 20-35% fat. Clearly then, keto is not consistent with a balanced diet, hence why it should only be adhered to, if at all, for a relatively short timeframe. Let’s imagine we embark on a keto diet, we lose the weight and get to our target in the three to six months it’s suggested we stick on keto. Then we start back on our old diet. Suddenly the pounds start piling on again. This is not a strange phenomenon. In fact, it’s pretty standard for almost every diet out there. The problem is what we truly need to acknowledge is that to lose the weight healthily and to keep it off, what we must do above all is change our lifestyle. Adopting a healthy balanced diet and ensuring we exercise regularly is the surest way to reach and stay at our target weight.

The Kilkenny Observer Friday 29 October 2021

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 29 October 2021

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Much More Than Words THIS WEEK, in our look at the recently published book of poetry and prose by The Kilkenny Involvement Centre and The Recovery College, we feature poems from three of our guest writers, each one from Kilkenny: Helena Duggan, Gerry Moran and John Morton.

If ever a book deserved the award for ‘The Perfect Title’ surely that accolade must go to a new compilation of poetry Much More Than Words. Indeed its very title describes comprehensively the diversity of the treasures to be discovered within its covers. This volume of carefully crafted poems, interspersed with prose and enhanced with well-chosen

Helena Duggan

images, is the second collection produced by The Involvement Centre Kilkenny and the first in a joint venture with The Recovery College. The Kilkenny Observer Newspaper is delighted to promote the work of The Involvement Centre and The Recovery College, and so, will publish a selection of their work over the coming months.

Gerry Moran

Gerry Moran, former Principal of St. Patrick’s De La Salle Primary School, is a columnist with the Kilkenny People; his work has featured in various newspapers, magazines, poetry publications and on RTE’s Sunday Miscellany. He presented the Arts Show on the original KCR (Kilkenny Community Radio) and is the author of a local history book: ‘Kilkenny City & County’. Gerry is a past winner of the Toastmasters International Humorous Speech Competition.

Burying the Cat (for Richard)

‘Much More Than Words’ can be purchased at the following Kilkenny outlets: Bargain Books, The Butterslip Khans Bookshop, James’ Street & The Book Centre, High Street. Price: €10

John Morton

John is an actor, writer and filmmaker. He has written and directed a number of short films as well as the television series Dead Still on RTÉ. For the stage he has written the plays Taboo, War Of Attrition, Scratcher, Smitten and Heart Shaped Vinyl and co-wrote the historical plays The Hellfire Squad and The Roaring Banshees with Peter McGann. He also wrote the adaptation of Thomas Kilroy’s novel The Big Chapel for Kilkenny Arts Festival in 2019. He is a founding member of Devious Theatre in Kilkenny.

What is it to dream? To hold it so near and not utter a word, For fear. Life likes to laugh, At spoken dreams of broken men. And so we whisper, To similar souls, Whose dreams slip quietly from lying eyes, Unknown.

There are better ways for males to bond Better ways for fathers and sons: Sport, the old reliable, Booze, the common denominator. But you’re not into sport And you won’t drink in my old haunts And I’m too old for bars that quake, vibrate. You heard me roaring in the garden Came running to see me running Chasing in vain a greyhound running With our cat between its teeth, dropping her Only to leap the fence. Escape. It wasn’t pretty. You nursed her torn and tattered body While I went to phone the vet. I needn’t have bothered. We buried her beneath the beech hedge You taking the spade because of my bad back. Together we slid her into the shallow grave Father and son bonding over blood And guts and gore. There are better ways for men to bond But for now this will do. For now, this is fine.

Any home you want for the choosing any patch you claim maybe Wellington Square neat shape of place rarely a sinner barely a soul to pick up debris I’ll pick it up try stop me whatever small musty corner to lay a coat in cold air smells smoking this is mine, victory great rights for squatting birds choose any home freely squatting on roofs try stop me they challenge of a morning I pick up a six pack ring in case one gets trapped as they tip about

Helena Duggan

Gerry Moran

John Morton

Helena Duggan According to Helena, the idea for her first book, ‘A Place Called Perfect’, “came from a pair of glasses I picked up while backpacking in Australia. I bought them in an antique shop with the intention of changing the lenses to suit my sight. The more I carried them however, the more I began to think about their past owner and how their memories might have become locked inside the lenses. That’s how Perfect began.” Helena’s other work includes ‘The Battle for Perfect’ and ‘The Trouble With Perfect’.

Unspoken Dreams

Quiet Now By Wellington Square

The Kilkenny Observer Friday 29 October 2021

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 29 October 2021

Feature

Continuing our series on The approaches to Kilkenny City in the 18th century, The Kilkenny Observer newspaper, with the assistance of Cois Céim and The Kilkenny Saturday Walkers group, takes a look at the approach roads to Kilkenny in the 18th Century. This is part 2 of a three part series. In week 2, we look at the Old Freshford road, The Old Dublin Road and Greenridge

Presentments in the 18th Century saw changes to the Dublin and Freshford roads and Greenridge Old Freshford Road In 1718 the following Presentment was made. “ Whereas the great Roade on the hill near Thornback, within the Parish of St Kenny ‘s in the County of this City, is by reason of the narrowness thereof , very dangerous for Coaches, Carrs, and Carts passing that way. We therefore Present that the inhabitants of the Parish of St. Kenny doe before the next Assizes with the assistance of their six days labour widen and enlarge the said Road in the Rock of the said Hill four foot and sink the same in the height thereof three foot at the least more than now it is and bring the gravell and dirt so dug away unto the great road on the foot of the same hill. The Summer assizes of 1829, the Commissioners

were to form, fence ,level and make 712 perches of a new intended line of road between Kilkenny and Freshford beginning at the small bridge near Mr. Atkinson’s and ending at the county bounds near Daniel Kerwicks . This proposed new road would lead around by Troyswood and under the hill of Barrnaglissane. The sum of £625 be raised at 5% at each Assizes until the principal sum and interest be paid off. This being the first instalment of £31/5 shillings. The Old Dublin Road At the same Presentment relates to the Dublin road and the dangers of Windgap. “Whereas the great road leading from this Citty to Dublin, commonly called Wind Gapp, is very narrow,

The Kilkenny Observer Friday 29 October 2021

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Feature steep and dangerous, for passengers and travellers who go on the said road. We therefore present that the sum of £5 be raised in and throughout the said Citty and County thereof and paid unto Alderman Haydocke, William Percival, James Oldfield, and William Hogan, for and towards the levelling

Wingap Hill At the same presentment relates to the Dublin road and the dangers of Wingap. “Whereas the great road leading from the citty to Dublin, commonly called Wind Gapp, is very narrow, steep and dangerous, for passengers and travellers who go on said road.”

and enlarging the said road, who are fitt persons to see the same done accordingly” In 1757 it appears that this road was still in a dangerous state. For “We present the sum of seventeen pounds and five shillings to be raised as aforesaid on the four parishes of the City and paid George Carpenter Mayor, and John Blount as overseers for building a wall of lime and stone at Wind Gapp to prevent carriages and passengers falling over the precipice. The same to be sixteen perches sixteen feet long and five feet high above the ground on the upper side and two foot thick, the said wall to be flattened at the top and covered with large stones. In 1818 the Commissioners were instructed to lay out, form, fence, level and make with foot paths thereon 70 perches of a new Mail Coach road from Kilkenny to Carlow, between the Pound in Upper John Street and the top of Wind Gap Hill. £212 – 1 shilling- 1 penny be raised, one twelfth be raised at this Assizes and an equal sum at each succeeding Assizes until all is raised. Greenridge: The Assizes of 1718 the following presentment was made “Whereas the bridge on the Causeway in the Great High Road on or near the lands of Greenridge within the Liberties of the Citty is four foot at the least too narrow for Coaches Carrs and Carts to pass safely thereon and that the same Causeway is so very much broken and out of repair that the same are very dangerous for passengers and travellers who go on the same Road. We therefore Present that the sum of three pounds sterling be forthwith raised in and throughout this Citty and County thereof and paid unto Mr. Nicholas Knaresborough of Purcell’s Inch and Richard Lamb of Garricreene, Mason, for and towards the sufficient making and new building addition of an arched addition of four foot in the cleer in the breadth to one end of the said bridge with a wall on each end thereof three foot high, all of lime and stone and for the sufficient and well gravelling of the said Causeway on both sides of the said Bridge. NEXT WEEK PART THREE

Thorn back In 1718 the following Presentment was made. “ Whereas the great Roade on the hill near Thornback, within the Parish of St Kenny ‘s in the County of this City, is by reason of the narrowness thereof , very dangerous for Coaches, Carrs, and Carts passing that way”

Greenridge The Assizes of 1718 the following presentment was made “Whereas the bridge on the Causeway in the Great High Road on or near the lands of Greenridge within the Liberties of the Citty is four foot at the least too narrow for Coaches, Carrs and Carts to pass safely”

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Community Community Group

Calling all seniors

SINCE in formation over 10 years ago the Kilkenny older people’s council has served the seniors of our city and county with distinction. From the very first chairperson the wonderful but unfortunately now departed Nora Webster to the current incumbent Betty Dewberry, have continued to raise issues of concern not just locally but nationally. It was the ongoing lobbying and not taking no for an answer for Mags Leahy keeping the City Bus Service to the

fore and now we have one we should all not just use, but be proud of. To many the work they do may go unnoticed. Like the pedestrian crossing at the top of the castle road. That came from your Seniors forum, as it was once known, informing the Local Authority it was a requirement for not just Seniors but all citizens of Kilkenny to avail of our wonderful Kilkenny Castle Park. A current programme and a project everyone should

support is the requirement of public toilets in our city. This, to be honest, does not serve the image we wish to portray, that we are one of the top tourist destinations in the world when with public toilet facilities that are more in line with our title of the Medieval Capital of Ireland. Access to a toilet is not a luxury but a necessity for all ages regardless of your place of abode Would you like to be part of the new executive committee?

Now is the chance for you to put your name forward for a position on the older peoples Council. The executive has 12 elected members and 4 who are co-opted to the executive by the elected members. Several of the current executive are remaining and their names will go before the members for ratification at the upcoming AGM. There will be 4 vacancies on the executive for next year as 4 have served their 6-year term and under the constitution must now relinquish their post. Sadly, the Council will lose some very experienced and valued members. But this gives the opportunity for new blood and new ideas So now could be your time to come on board and serve your community. OPC is a county wide organisation, so they wish to have countywide representation. If you are interested or know someone who may wish to join the executive of the Older People’s Council you must put your name forward by the closing date of the 10th November 2021 by contacting the Age friendly Office, Unit 1, Hebron House, Macdonagh Junction, Kilkenny Email agefriendlycounty@ gmail.com So here’s Calling all Seniors to put you best foot forward

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 29 October 2021

Community Community Group first-year student, her love for her cat she adopted back in Poland and now rules the roost in the residence. Anna is very active and promotes her love for cycling and takes to her bike around the suburbs whenever she has the time. She has instrumental in getting all the female diplomats to come together on ‘Girls Day’ and broadcast a wonderfully professionally produced YouTube video, which will be broadcasted by Twilight during their upcoming programming between now and the end of 2021. She spoke about her hopes and plans for her appointment here in Ireland and to build the Polska Eire festival footprint, which has been held in Kilkenny since

2015, in 2022 and beyond. Gender equality is a very positive campaign taking place right across Europe and she understands, she and the other female diplomats included in the ‘Girls Day’ are viewed as role models for not just young girls but all genders who may see a career in political life as their goals. She stressed education is the corner stone of not just to gain a life in the diplomatic Corp but to reach the pinnacle of all professions. On the day in the Clayton Hotel Dublin, she was in good company as she was joined by HE Lahcen Mahraoui , Morocco Ambassador, HE laurenţiu-mihai ştefan Romania Ambassador , Dr Jasbir Singh Puri , Chairperson IFIC, and Deirdre Finley, Leargas,

Ireland, who also took part in a series of one to one Interviews where each Ambassador talked candidly about their lives outside their duties while also sharing their ambitions hopes and the legacy they wish to leave behind when the call comes to move to their next post in another country. When they and their families must once again build new relationships and collaborations and continue to be the representative of their home country in another capital city in new setting and surroundings. Tune in to the Twilight European network TEN to view the full interview. Time and date of Broadcast will be published in the Kilkenny Observer over the next few editions

BY LIVIU IFTIME

music performance as a cellist from the Bucharest Music University and a First Class Honours Bachelor of Arts in Jazz performance as a vocalist from Newpark Music Centre – Dublin. As a cellist she has toured around Europe with orchestras and chamber music ensembles: Romanian Youth Orchestra, Sonoro Interferente Project. She was part of the soundtrack recording of the movie ‘Youth Without Youth’ by Francis Ford Coppola. Her career as a jazz vocalist developed in Romania and Ireland playing with musicians like Luiza Zan, Alex Man, Albert Tajti, Ciprian Pop (RO), Rick Condit (US), Chris Guilfoyle, Barry Donohue, Izumi Kimura, Cora Venus Lunny, Matt Jacobson, Ronan Guil-

foyle, Conor Guilfoyle, Cello Ireland, Michael Buckley (IE). She is currently teaching as a lecturer in the Jazz and Contemporary Music Programme at Dublin City University and is artistic director of the DCU Jazz Choir. In 2018 Aleka sang in Tommy Halferty’s ‘7 Musical Steps to Camus’. In 2019 Aleka played ANAM Festival with Ronan Guilfoyle’s project Kanda, collaborating with Indian percussionist Ramesh Shotam muas well as Irish traditional mu sicians Martin Nolan, Ellen Cranitch and Peter Browne. Both her debut EP, ‘Aleka’ from 2016 and her latest CD release in April 2019, ‘Person I Knew’ with the stellar band of Chris Guilfoyle, Michael Buckley, Ronan Guilfoyle and legendary Dutch drummer Eric Ineke have received 4 star reviews in the Irish Times. (alekasings.com) The performance will take place on the 4th of November 2021 at Billy Byrnes Pub during one of their famous “Sofa Sessions”. Aleka will be singing with Tudo Bem, a project led by bassist Ronan GuilGuilfoyle with Chris Guil foyle on guitar, Leopoldo Osio on piano and Andre Antunes on drums. You can find out more and view Aleka Potinga online at alekasings.com

A day in the life THE Polish Ambassador to Ireland Anna Sochańska took part in the Twilight Community Group’s Series of Interviews as part of their Communicating EU Programmes and gave us an insight in to the person behind the

Title of Ambassador. The interview took place in the wonderful and comfortable surroundings of the Clayton Hotel, Ballsbrigde, Dublin. The conversation took place in a relaxed settings as they spoke

about the ambassador’s life and interest outside of the Embassy and her duties. She discussed how proud she was of her son and having to sit his leaving cert here in Ireland during the lock down and now attends UCD as a

Community Group

Lifetime music stories

Alex Potinga

KILKENNY is set to host at the beginning of November just before her birthday, Aleka Potinga, the Romanian rising jazz singer in Ireland. Born in Timisoara, Romania, Aleka has fast become one of the rising jazz vocalists on the Irish jazz scene. She has a Bachelor of Arts in classical

The Kilkenny Observer Friday 29 October 2021

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 29 October 2021

Community Community Group

TYI goes digital THE ever-expanding Twilight community Group are currently involved in two government supported projects. Over the past number of weeks, the finishing touches of their ‘International Community festival’ supported by the Department of Justice and Department of foreign Affairs supported programme ‘Communicating EU’ project. The communities and countries involved in the International Community festival are from a very diverse background with contributions from Africa, South America, India, Bangladesh, and our European partners from Poland, Romania & France. South America makes their first contribution to a Twilight activity with Esther de Camargo, Press & Management Booking Agent Press

Officer Human Resources Twilight South American Group based in Sao Paulo, Brazil and Mirella Casagrande promoting Integration, inclusion and solidarity among the ever-growing Brazilian diaspora our South American Twilight Ireland group based in Dublin. Twilight Chairperson has worked with Esther on several projects since 2016 and have put together a demonstration to show other communities the traditional ‘O Forro musical style’ Having collected personal testimonies from Dr Jasbir Singh Puri, Irish Foundation of Indian Communities (IFIC), Ambassadors, Ministers and Local Community groups will give all participating communities to see what we they can offer to each other. Twilight travelled to film local initiatives that were arranged to coincide

with the Virtual festival. The good news is that it is hope that Kilkenny can be the venue for 2022 International Communities Cultural festival where all nationalities will be invited to contribute to this unique festival of integration and inclusion. The Communicating EU is a virtual report to communicate what the EU has for Migrants, Refugees, and Asylum Seekers when they come to Europe and in particularly Ireland. The Irish Refugee Protection Programme (IRPP) was established by Government decision of September 2015 as a key part of Ireland’s response to the global humanitarian migration crisis. It committed Ireland to accept 4,000 persons under various strands, including the EU Relocation Mechanism and UNHCR-led Resettlement

Programme. During an Interview to be relayed on Twilight European Network (TEN) YouTube channel, Minister for European Affairs told Twilight Chairperson, Murty Brennan that they

fell just short on 3370 been relocated to Ireland. Included in the Virtual 4-part programmes will be interviews with local members of the ‘New Communities’ telling their experiences in the UN

settlement programme. Under the new plans, a new phase of the Irish Refugee Protection Programme (IRPP) will see 650 UNHCR resettlements in 2020, 700 in 2021, 750 in 2022 and 800 in 2023. The arrivals for the first two years will largely comprise Syrian refugees’ resident in Jordan and Lebanon, along with a pilot group of 150 Eritrean refugees’ resident in Ethiopia. The European Commission provided funding of €9m to support the resettlement of 900 people between early 2020 and June 2021. To learn more and hear what the public representatives, nationally, locally, and European wide have to say, you can tune in on YOUTUBE Twilight European Network TEN with the series of programmes been broadcast between now and end of 2021. All dates and times will be listed in Kilkenny’s Free Newspaper, Kilkenny Observer over the next few editions. If you, or a member of your family wish to join the Twilight Community Group and gain access to their European programmes, call to their Kilkenny Head Office at International Cultural House 15A Hebron Business Park, Kilkenny or call 056 7813105

The Kilkenny Observer Friday 29 October 2021

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 29 October 2021

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Competition winners

Kilkenny Observer voucher winners Noreen & Kate THANK YOU to all who entered the draw to win a gift voucher sponsored by The Kilkenny Observer.

Lorna Fletcher, The Kilkenny Observer presents the gift voucher for Goods, High Street to Noreen Dowd

There were two shopping vouchers on offer, €100.00 voucher and a €50.00 voucher. Congratulations to Noreen Dowd, 39 Walkin Street, Kilkenny who won the €100.00 voucher for Goods at High Street and also congratulations to Kate O’Carroll, Lisdowney, Co. Kilkenny who won the €50.00 voucher for MacDonagh Junction Shopping Centre. The gift vouchers were presented to Noreen and Kate by Lorna Fletcher, Features & Advertising Consultant with The Kilkenny Observer.

Lorna Fletcher, The Kilkenny Observer presents the gift voucher for MacDonagh Junction Shopping Centre to Kate O’Carroll

New local company embraces Kilkenny’s whiskey heritage KILKENNY company launches this week with plans to share a taste of Irelands long famed

whiskey heritage. “The Whiskey Shelf”, a new company fronted by local duo

Brian Hennessy and James McPartland, will offer bespoke and Irish made high quality

whiskey memorabilia. Brian Hennessy, a whiskey enthusiast and blogger, who regu-

larly reviews some of Irelands (and the worlds)finest whiskey offerings under the name “the whiskey chaser”, and James McPartland a long time enthusiast and whiskey collector, have joined up to help deliver some of the finest whiskey memorabilia on the market. They have launched with their first product a Distilleries of Ireland calendar 2022. This, features for the first time a collection of some of Irelands finest distilleries, printed in high quality, that people may not have seen before. The distilleries of Ireland calendar will be available online through Irishmalts.ie and in local stores such as Recharge

Cartridges Irish Town and White Feather in John Street and selected Select Carry out off licenses Commenting on their first release, Director Brian Hen Hennessy, said “ It’s an incredibly exciting time for the Irish Whiskey spirit category worldwide. Ireland was once regarded as the pinnacle of whiskey throughout the world. Its decline in the early practi20th century saw it practi cally decimated. 10 years ago there was only 4 licensed distilleries operating on the island, compared to 39 today with more under construction and in planning stages, it’s a testament to the resilience of the sector and people involved. I have always wanted to help in some way spread the word about Irish whiskey, and now I can spread the word along with its beauty”. Director James McPartland commented: “We are very excited to bring this product to market which for the first time a number of distilleries has featured on a calendar. It is very exciting to bring a product that gives a fantastic insight into the home of some of Ireland’s finest products such as Jameson, Tullamore Dew and our own local distilleries such as Ballykeefe and Royal Oak”. The Distilleries of Ireland calendar goes on sale Friday the 29th of October in Select stores nationwide for €11, with every €1 of that sale going to Kilkenny Helping the Homeless who provide food for those affected by homelessness in Kilkenny and Dublin city.

The Kilkenny Observer Friday 29 October 2021

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 29 October 2021

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 29 October 2021

Food & Drink

Dine Me Come

With

Rhubarb Crumble

Preparation and cooking time Prep:15 mins Cook:45 mins Serves 4-6

Use up a glut of rhubarb and apples for this simple crumble. Ground ginger adds a nice spice to the topping, but leave it out if you’d prefer. Ingredients • 450g rhubarb , cut into 3cm slices • 350g apples (Bramley or Granny Smith work well), peeled and cut into 3cm chunks • 1 vanilla pod , split open or 1 tsp vanilla paste or extract • 120g golden caster sugar • ice cream or custard, to serve For the topping • 200g plain flour • 1 tsp ground ginger (optional) • 100g cold salted butter , chopped • 70g light soft brown sugar

Method

STEP 1 Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Toss the rhubarb, apples, vanilla and sugar together in an ovenproof dish and roast for 10 mins. STEP 2 Mix the flour and ginger, if using, together in a large bowl. Rub in the butter with your fingertips to create a chunky breadcrumb textured mixture. Stir through the sugar. Sprinkle the crumble topping onto the fruit and cook for a further 30-35 mins or until the topping is lightly golden brown. Serve with ice cream or custard.

Green pestominestrone Prep:10 mins Cook:25 mins Serves 4 A generous grating of parmesan balances the citrus in this fresh, healthy pesto soup. A simple veggie supper you can serve with fluffy garlic flatbreads Ingredients • 2 tbsp olive oil • 1 large onion , finely chopped • 2 celery sticks , finely chopped • 1.4l vegetable stock • 2 small lemons , zested and juiced • 170g orzo • 120g frozen peas • 250g frozen spinach • 50g pesto • garlic flatbreads , to serve (optional)

• 60g parmesan (or vegetarian alternative), grated Method STEP 1 Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add the onion, celery and a pinch of salt, and fry for 8 mins until soft. Add the stock with the zest and juice of the lemons, and season. Stir in the orzo and cook for 5 mins, then add the peas and spinach, and cook for a further 5 mins. Swirl though the pesto and season. STEP 2 Heat the flatbreads, if using, following pack instructions. Ladle the soup generously into bowls and top with a handful of parmesan. Serve with the flatbread to dip.

Top 10 easy gin cocktails PART 1 Use up a bottle of dry gin with our easiest ever cocktail ideas. This versatile spirit can be used in everything from classic G&Ts to martinis and more. Gin is more popular than ever, so it’s a good time to learn some simple serving options to take it to another dimension. You don’t need any fancy equipment for these speedy gin cocktails – even a jam jar will do as a shaker. It’s all about the love you put into the preparation. For more inspiration, see our top 10 fruity gin cocktails and best pink gin cocktails. To get you started, here are a few tips to boost your cocktail-making confidence: The key to making drinks is the balance between sweet and sour/bitter. Try not to let one element overpower the other Taste your drinks before you serve If serving over ice, fill your glass to the top with it Ensure your garnish is fresh and stacked close to the straws Remember that we drink in three steps: with our eyes first, then with our nose and finally with our mouth As a general rule, we recommend using 50ml gin for each cocktail unless otherwise stated. If using a liqueur, reduce this to 40ml gin and use 10ml liqueur. Balance 20ml fresh citrus juice with 15ml sugar syrup that’s been made from equal parts sugar and water (you’ll find a recipe at the bottom of the page). 1) Bramble You’ll need: • 40ml gin • 20ml sugar syrup • 20ml lemon juice • 10ml crème de mure • berries or lemon zest, to garnish Tip the gin, sugar syrup and lemon juice together in a shaker, then pour this over crushed ice and drizzle with the crème de mure. Garnish with lemon zest or fresh seasonal berries. 2) French 75 This one uses smaller amounts of spirits to allow the fizz to flourish. You’ll need: • 10ml gin • 10ml orange liqueur • 10ml lemon juice • 5ml sugar • fizz of your choice, for topping up Mix the gin, orange liqueur and lemon juice together in a champagne flute and top with chilled fizz. 3) Elderflower collins If you’ve not made your own elderflower cordial, you can buy it from most big supermarkets. You’ll need: • 50ml gin • 20ml lemon juice • 10ml sugar syrup • 10ml elderflower cordial • soda water, for topping up • herb sprigs, to garnish Shake the gin with the lemon juice, sugar and a dash of elderflower cordial in a cocktail shaker. Pour over rock ice and top up with soda water. Garnish with a sprig of your favourite herb. * Continues next week

The Kilkenny Observer Friday 29 October 2021

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TV & Streaming

You cannot aFord to miss Harrison

films to inspire your wanderlust:

Cinema’s most countercultural road trip, Dennis Hopper’s 1969 film Easy Rider is a hippie romp that would become part of the fabric of the late 20th-century movement. Chronicling a modern American odyssey, perpetuated by the ideals of the bohemian subculture, Easy Rider is one of the 1960s most iconic films and one that would be celebrated for years to come. Featuring a two-wheeled road trip across America’s dusty wilderness, Peter Fonda, Jack Nicholson and Dennis Hopper solve the world’s problems with their liberal musings whilst absorbing the soundtrack of the 1960s.

With an innate passion for pure exploration, 180 Degrees South tracks the adventurer Jeff Johnson, retracing the steps of his heroes Yvon Chouinard and Doug Tompkins who journeyed to Patagonia in 1968 in their Ford E-Series Econoline Van. A sprawling, frenetic documentary, Chris Malloy’s captivating film is suffused with the true essence of travel, exploring the boundaries of human fear and curiosity whilst realising the benefits of the journey over the destination.

HARRISON Ford doesn’t have a major role in Apocalypse Now considering this movie was at the onset of his career. He plays a young information chief who helps to set the events of the movie in action. Apocalypse Now takes place amidst the horror and dysfunction of the Vietnam War. It follows the story of Captain Benjamin Willard who is tasked with a near-impossible mission. He’s to take a boat upriver in Cambodia to dispatch a Special Forces

Colonel who has gone off the proverbial reservation. At the beginning of the film, it is Harrison Ford’s Colonel Lucas who passes along the mission and from there we are basically taken through a slow burn into madness. Willard and his crew head upriver to find their mark, Colonel Walter Kurtz, and along the way we are essentially taken on a nightmare tour of the Vietnam war, replete with the savagery, atrocities, mental anguish, torture, sadness,

and death that came with it. It’s a war movie, the Ride of the Valkyries scene among many others hammers this home, but it’s more of a psychological study than anything else. Eventually, Willard and his crew make it to their destination, but there are no real winners with Apocalypse Now. Describing the movie is a bit folly because it’s, in some ways, more than a film. Generally considered among the very best films ever made,

Apocalypse Now is viewed as one of the greats though its brutality is what sets it apart from some of the other flicks that would make the list. Francis Ford Coppola adapted a script from John Milius who loosely based the central themes and ideas on Joseph Conrad’s novel Heart of Darkness. He brought in an amazing cast after original director George Lucas exited the film. Harrison Ford being named Colonel Lucas was a hat tip to the Star Wars legend.

$250 million for Ring prequel STUNNINGLY enough, Amazon secured the series’ global television rights for Lord Of The Ring prequel for a nauseating $250 million, before it had even sketched out any sort of plan or asked anyone if they wanted to be involved on the adaptation. Luckily, when your compa-

ny rakes in about $17.2 million in revenue and scores 12 Academy Award nominations and two wins for its original projects, these things tend to sort themselves out. Set thousands of years before the events of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, this show will offer a new set

of stories for familiar fans and fantasy mavens to sink their teeth into. As you might have guessed, the first season was filmed in New Zealand in order to maintain the artistic vision. “We’re going to have to go somewhere interesting that could provide those loca-

tions in a really authentic way, because we want it to look incredible,” said head of Amazon Studios Jennifer Salke in an interview with Deadline. “There’s no shortage of ambition for the project. We’ll go where we need to go to make it happen.”

One of British director Danny Boyle’s earliest career successes, The Beach also featured the arrival of writer Alex Garland who wrote the original novel and would later be responsible for Ex Machina and Annihilation. Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, The Beach is the dream of an adventurous, love-fueled gap year rolled into the excitement of a two-hour film that accurately captures the freedom and insanity of such wild journeys. Also featuring the likes of Tilda Swinton and Robert Carlyle, The Beach would quickly become a cult classic

With stunning cinematography and an excellent central narrative, Walter Salles’ The Motorcycle Diaries features an awe-inspiring trip across South American by a young, ambitious revolutionary named Che Guevara. A biographical retelling of the Cuban revolutionary’s young life, The Motorcycle Diaries stars Gael García Bernal and Rodrigo De la Serna and is based primarily on Guevara’s trip diary of the same name. Such a journey would sow a seed in Che Guevara’s mind that would soon germinate, starting a revolution.

In 1990, a young college graduate from Emory University renounced the materialism of modernity, rejected the wealth of parents, donated his college fund to charity and set out into the wild. Such is the story for Sean Penn’s great American roundtrip that recounts the real-life tragedy of Christopher McCandless, a man who disappeared from reality and died in the search of true individual freedom. Well-capturing the bohemian essence of the real free spirit

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 29 October 2021

News Sport

Golf

President’s Prize winners

NOTES

President Glen Wilson and Betty McGrath

CALLAN LADIES GOLF October 12th. President Glen Wilson hosted the last major of the season in very favourable weather on Tuesday October 12th. With a huge number taking part, Betty McGrath with a great score of 68pts emerged a very popular winner. President Glen said it was an honour and thanked the ladies. He congratulated Betty and all who took part.

Results Winner Betty McGrath 2nd Caroline Somers 3rd Anne Croke B.G. Rita O’Neill 4th Berna Walshe 5th Claire Hendriques F9 Catherine Gibbons B9 Carmel O’Sulluvan 9 Hole 1st Mary Kennedy 2nd Margaret Comerford October 16th Marking the last 18hole on the

calendar *The End of Season Prizes *again proved a very competitive event. After a super round of 40pts a very delighted Anna Corr took home the trophy. Results: Winner Anna Corr 2nd Bridget Holohan 3rd Maria Gorey 4th Rita O’Neill 5th Carmel O’Sulluvan 6th Catherine Dore 7th Anna Starr

7th 8th 9th F9 B9

Noelle O’Driscoll Patsy Murphy Catherine Davis Pauline O’Brien Eilish Ahearne

9 Hole Winner Jean Grace Tuesday 26th will be 15 Holes The Winter Social Mixed takes place each Friday 2. pm booking online

5 ways to stay active and prevent colds and flus as we get ready for winter EOIN EVERARD

IF you haven’t looked outside at all the rain in the last week let me tell you…It’s officially Autumn going into Winter! You can already feel the days becoming a lot cooler and shorter. The morning air will start to feel brisk, and before you know it, it’ll be time to start thinking about winter coats and woolly hats – which is why the sudden transition from summer to cooler months can feel like a challenge. And with that also comes the time for the annual onslaught of winter bugs and the odd spell of feeling under the weather as our bodies adapt. But it doesn’t have to be that way – well, not

entirely at least. While you can’t completely avoid catching bugs and colds, you can give yourself and your immune system a helping hand to make sure you feel healthy, and great, this season. And no, that doesn’t mean drinking all of those ‘vitamin-boost’ drinks, and fizzy tablets to make sure you’re set-up. If you follow these 5 simple steps it will make the transition a lot smoother and keep you healthier. 1 BOOST YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM This one can tie in with both autumn and winter, but that’s because it’s an important one. You need to boost your immune system to help prevent those annoying colds and sniffles that always happen as the weather changes. Drink plenty of water, wash your hands often

to prevent sickness and eat nutritious foods that are proven to help your immune system such as; broccoli, garlic, almonds, kiwi and poultry. You can also drink green tea as a way to warm up on those bitter mornings and fill your shopping trolley with in season fruits and vegetables. 2 EMBRACE THE CLOCKS GOING FORWARD This is the one that always trips people up! Switching from light mornings where the sun naturally wakes you, to darker mornings that still feel like night, can be a big struggle. But by going to bed earlier, especially straight away as the clocks have changed can have a massive impact on how you deal with the clocks changing. Longer periods of

darkness = longer periods of sleep! And you’ll find it easier to throw that duvet off in the morning. 3 BUY INSEASON FOODS There’s so many great choices, but here’s just a few; apples, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, leek, onion, parsnips, pumpkin…I could go on but these are just some of the choices you have for in-season foods. Usually what is cheap in the supermarket is what is in season. Try to buy local foods as they are usually fresher. Think delicious slowcooked dinners, hearty soups and roasted vegetables. Probably one of my favourite times of year when it comes to food. Roll on Turkey and ham! 4 STAY ACTIVE! This is my favourite one.

It can be really easy to sit around during the day when it starts to get colder, but it’s important to get in some daily movement. Getting outside and going for a walk is a great one – it can help get rid of your stress, lowers your risk of Alzheimer’s, tones you up, keeps you moving no matter what your age and burns calories! What’s not to love about going walking during the autumn months with all of the scenery we have at our doorstep? Go down by the Castle Park and canal and you will see such an array of changing leaves it is amazing. 5 MAKE PLANS FOR THE COLD MONTHS A lot of us will just ‘hibernate’ if we don’t have things to do during the day as it starts to get colder… The best way to help with this is to make plans.

It’s so simple! You can even use the time to kill two birds with one stone and make plans to go for a walk with friends – that way you’re keeping active and you’ve made sure that you don’t spend the day hibernating on the sofa. Don’t get me wrong, it can be good to do occasionally when you need to relax – but it’s important to make sure you do things so all of those good habits you created during the warmer months don’t get left behind. We have traditional, healthy aging and Sports Pilates classes on that a lot of our clients say are great just to have something in the diary that keeps them active when the motivation is not as high in the winter. For a free copy of Secrets to a Healthy Spine please visit www.backawarebelt. com/backbook

The Kilkenny Observer Friday 29 October 2021

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Community & GAA Notes

Kilkenny GAA clubs and Community news CLUB LOTTO KILKENNY MOBILE LIBRARY On Friday November 5th, the Mobile Library will be in Clara NS at 9.30a.m, Gowran at 11.35a.m and Clara Community Centre at 12.15pm. Membership, including access to a range of online services, is free. Enquiries to Library HQ 7794160. CAMOGIE The Clara seniors qualified for their second successive county semi final on Sunday when accounting for hosts Gowran on a 4-12 to 3-5 scoreline. It was comfortable in the end but this was a real game for a long time. Clara opened with the breeze and Emma Shortall got the first two points of the match. Shortly after Gowran replied with a pointed free, Margaret O Connell goaled to give Clara a four point lead. Any illusions of a handy game were quickly shattered when Gowran broke through for a goal of their own. A pointed free from newly named All Star nominee Mary’O Connell left Clara 1-3 to 1-1 ahead at the first water break. Gowran took the lead with another goal early in the second quarter but then Clara regained the initiative with two points each from Emma Shortall and MaryO’Connell to leave the half time score at 1-7 to 2-1 to the Clara girls. Niamh Byrne came on for the second half and this move, coupled with the resiting of Siobhán Curtis to full forward, had a big bearing on the outcome. After an early exchange of points Clara produced a scoring burst of 1-3 unanswered to take a nine point lead. The goal came from a revitalised Siobhán Curtis, with points coming from Emma Shortall, Niamh Byrne and Mary O Connell. Gowran had a pointed free to leave the Clara lead at 2-11 to 2-3 at the second water break. Clara kept their noses in front with a eight points ahead for most of the last quarter and when Siobhán Curtis scored her second goal it was over as a contest. Mary O Connell added a penalty goal after a foul on Siobhán. Gowran didn’t give up and scored a late, late goal to add respectability to the scoreboard but in truth they were beaten a long way out here. This was a much improved performance from Clara on their last game against St. Martins and they will be hopeful of a favourable draw in the semi finals. Avoiding champions Thomastown will be a priority. It would be a huge achievement for this young team to reach a final in only their second year. Good luck to the girls in that quest. Team - Lucy Cody, Gráinne Glynn, Laoise Nolan, Katie Ryan. Tamsin English, Aisling Curtis, Claire Nolan. Aisling Nolan, Rebecca Nolan. Keara Ryan 0-1, Siobhán Curtis 2-0, Mary O Connell 1-6, 1-5f. Emma Shortall 0-5, Margaret O Connell

1-0, Catherine Murphy. Subs used Niamh Byrne, Rachel Whelan. U16 CAMOGIE Clara u16’s Camogie faced Bennetsbridge in their Roinn D Semi final on Sunday in Bennetsbridge. From the start Clara played well, dominating the midfield battle, feeding ball in to the forwards who duly converted, and defending strongly to snuff out any Bennetsbridge scoring threats. Clara took an early lead and built on it throughout the game, winning the first quarter 1-3 to 0-1. The two sides swapped scores in the second quarter, but after the half-time break Clara drove on to build an impressive lead of twelve points. Bennetsbridge attempted to fight back and scored their goal to bring the margin back to nine points going in to the second half water break. This was Bennetsbridge’s last score however as Clara kept them out for the rest of the match, and scored three points themselves to restore the winning margin to 12. Final score of 2-14 to 1-5. Well done to the girls and onto the final. Team - Ava Kenny, Danica TervitKrueger, Rachel Brickell, Rachel Lakes, Samantha Tervit-Kruger, Faye Lannen, Sarah Dunne, Aisling Hayes, Emma Corr, Pia Langton, Jessica Brennan, Lucy Boyd, Katie Agar, Claire Murphy, Brooke Flynn, Maria Hogan. CLUB LOTTO There was no winner of this weeks Club Lotto ( October 19th) Numbers Drawn were 3, 8, 11, 17 bonus 23 Next weeks Jackpot will be €7,800 (October 26th) Play now at www.oloughlingaels. com/lotto Promotors Draw: 1. Jimmy McGarry c/o Esther Maher 2. Tom Hickey c/o Brian Murphy 3. Sammy Corcoran c/o Ann Cullen 4. Patty Power c/o Noel Tyrrell 5. Eamon Martin c/o Neil Loy 6. Catherine Coyne c/o Mick Nolan 7. Ollie O’Driscoll c/o Dan O’Driscoll 8. Catherine Stevenson co Online 9. Bridget Butler c/o Online 10. Charlie Parson c/o Online Thank you for your continued support COUNTY SEMI FINAL St. Canice’s Credit Union Official Kilkenny GAA Senior Hurling Championship Semi-Final O’Loughlin Gaels 1-18 to 0:18 Tullaroan Nowlan park, Oct 24th at 1:30pm Referee : D Hughes After a tense game the Gaels are the ones to advance to the County Final on November 7th against the same opposition they defeated in their last success in 2016. Scores weren’t easy get in Nowlan Park so when Owen Wall netted in the 13th minute it was destined to be a pivotel moment. There were other opportunities of course..Owen Wall was denied a second goal deep into the second half by Tullaroan keeper James

Buggy, and a penalty earned by the lively Robbie Buckley in the closing stages of the game was scuppered by taker Paddy Deegan - Scores that would have seen sizeable distance put between the two sides. On the other hand O’Loughlin Gaels keeper Stephen Murphy was rarely called to task over the 60 odd minutes of anxious hurling. Tullaroan started well, but Walls 13th minute goal edged the Gaels in front prior to the first water break, by which time the sides were levelled. On the restart Cian Loy got the Gaels in front and the sides traded scores up to half time, with the winners edging it by the minimum at the break , 1-9 to 0-11. Mark Bergin converted the first free of the second half to go two ahead, and the game continued in the same veign as the first with both teams exchanging pleasantries, and no one team getting a total foothold in the game. Robbie Buckley was introduced before the half time break and his energy added a little extra trouble for the Tullaroan defence. Buckley would convert two points from play and force a penalty. Paddy Deegan helped to steady the ship when moved out to midfield and the Gaels looked more dominant in the final quarter. But they couldn’t cash in on the dominance so when Deegan failed to hit the target from the penalty spot, Tullaroan would equalise straight away and their confidence would soar. However two quick frees from them failed to deliver the required scores and the Gaels kicked on in the dying moments of the game through Deegan (90 yards from play), David Fogarty after a magnificent run from corner back , and Bergin, a final converted free. The Gaels prevailed with a three point advantage but more importantly a date in this year’s County Final. The date for your diaries is November 7th, the opposition is Ballyhale Shamrocks, and your support IS required. Well done all involved Lovely Hurling Team: S Murphy, D Fogarty (0-1), A Forrestal, M Butler, J Molloy, H Lawlor, C Heary (0-2), C Loy (0-1), J Nolan (0-1), M Bergin (0-9, 6f) P Butler, E O’Shea, P Deegan (0-2), O Wall (1-1), C Kelly. R Buckley, J Ryan, S Bolger Sponsors : Pat and Robert Carroll TEAM NEWS Congratulations to our senior Hurlers who advance to the County Final on November 7th. Please support the team on the day and over the next two weeks. We need sponsors, supporters and lotto players. Everything helps as we prepare for championship honours. Hard luck to our Camogie Intermediate team that lost our in the quarter final against Mullinavat. It was a tough pill to swallow as these girls worked so hard all year. They’ll be back again to make another assault on the championship next year

no doubt as massive strides have been made in the promotion of camogie amongst our girls. Thanks to sponsors MacDonagh Junction Shopping Centre for all their support this year. U19s will play Mooncoin this weekend in the quarter final of the Roinn A championship. Fixture details will be posted up on the clubs social media as soon as all details are confirmed. Please support EMERALDS GAA CLUB Mega Bingo: Every Sunday, 6pm at Urlingford GAA pitch. Gates open at 5pm. Single books and 1 sheet €10; Double books and 2 sheets €15. Extra jackpot sheet €3 or two for €5. Please support. EMERALDS URLINGFORD AND GRAINE LOTTO October 18 prize fund was: €5,000. Jackpot: €3,000. Numbers drawn: 9, 13, 27 and 28, bonus no 12. No winner and one match three: Thomas Kavanagh. Promoters prize: Brendan Joyce. Five lucky dips of €20 each: John McCarthy, Karen Delaney, Orla Kennedy, Helen Cahill, Tuesday Club. Next draw takes place on Tuesday, October 26 in the Clubrooms. Results next week. URLINGFORD ON THE MOVE WALKING TRACK The Walking Track Committee would like to thank everyone for their support for the GoFundMe draw. The draw took place in Urlingford Arms Hotel on Sunday last and the lucky winners were: 1 (€2021): Colin Byrne; 2 (€200): Marie & Bríd Doyle; 3 (€50): Sheila Doyle. Congrats to the lucky winners! MILL FAMILY RESOURCE CENTRE Pumpkin Picking: The Centre are having Pumpkin Picking at the Mill Allotments (located behind Urlingford Fire Station) on Friday October 29th from 11am to 1pm each day. Prices range from €3 large, €2 medium to €1 small. Weekly Food Donations: We are now working with “Food Cloud” to ensure that unsold food from supermarkets does not go to waste. Every week we receive food donations which we distribute in Urlingford and surrounding areas. If you, or anyone you know, would benefit from this, please make contact with the Centre. Save the Date: Christmas Knitting, Crochet & Craft Fair on December 2nd in the Centre from 11am to 1pm. All items on sale will be handmade by the Mill FRC Knitting and Crochet group. Courses Beginning Soon: QQI Level 4 LTI, Pathway to Employment course: We are currently enrolling for the QQI Level 4 LTI course which will be commencing in November. This course covers a wide variety of modules and includes Driver Theory and Lessons. Places are

limited so don’t miss out, call us today on 056 8838466. Community Bank Savings: Are available at the Centre. Please contact us for more information on opening an account. Senior Alert: If you need to apply for a Personal Alarm, please contact Sue or Josephine on 056 8838466. Counselling Services: Addiction support, adult, teen (aged 12 plus) and family low cost counselling services are available, please contact Sue for more information or to make an appointment on 056 8838466. Appeal for Clothes Donations: Any clothes donations would be appreciated in aid of teen addiction and general counselling services. Donations can be left into the Centre. Contact Sue on 056 8838466. For full details of the services we provide, please call in, or alternatively, visit our Facebook page Millfrc or website www. millfrcurlingford.com URLINGFORD ARMS SPLIT THE POT Draw takes place every Sunday evening in the Urlingford Arms Hotel. Last Sunday’s share of the pot was €5321 and was won by Margaret Browne, well done Margaret! Next week half the pot goes to Urlingford Town Developments Christmas Lights Fundraiser and the other half could be yours. So don’t miss out, get your envelopes in businesses in town or from any member of the committee. UPGRADING WORKS Are being carried out on the two Public Lights at the Creche, at Assumption Place, Urlingford. Cllr McCarthy is delighted that following representations by him on behalf of residents and service users that these works will commence shortly. These lights will enhance the surrounding area. COMMUNITY ALERT Online crime and fraud is on the increase at present. Money can be stolen through your phone or computer. Gardaí advise not to engage with these hackers. If you are caught then report incident immediately to your bank and garda station. It is advisable not to use public wifi systems as they are not secure. Back up your data on a storage system or memory stick. Community alert tips for the dark nights of winter With the approach of winter you are advised to lock up your house and premises at night time. Put in security lighting and if possible a few cameras. During the coming week report any fire works incidents to the local gardaí. These are dangerous and can cause massive injuries. The new CCTV cameras in Urlingford are a great deterrent to crime in the area. One should report anti-social behaviour to the Gardaí and incidents can be picked up on camera. URLINGFORD / GRAINE DEFIBRILLATOR GROUP

In case of emergency, call: 085 2726396. URLINGFORD NEWS Anyone wishing to submit news items, club events, announcements etc can do so by emailing urlingfordnotes@gmail. com. If you have any photos you wish to include, please forward them to the email address. TOM RETIRED There was a special get together last weekend in Kavanaghs to mark the recent retirement of Fire Station officer Tom McGrath. Tom had been a member of the Freshford Fire services for the past fourty years as did his late father for many years also. He served as fireman for decades and in more recent years acted as Station Officer. He retired a few months ago but it is only now the retirement could be marked. Chief Fire Officer John Collins was in attendance and paid tribute to Tom for his work and dedication over the years. Local Cllr Michael McCarthy also attended as did members of Fire Services for all other areas of the County to pay their tribute to a colleague . Tom is wished all the very best and many years of happiness in his retirement CAMOGIE CHAMPS Congratulations to the U14 camogie girls who were crowned U14 Roinn B Shield winners last weekend when they defeated Thomastown in Thomastown on a final scoreline of 2-6 to 1-3. Well done to all the girls involved and their management on their great win. The shield was presented to team Captain Michelle Killen by County Treasurer Michael Ryan. Team: K.O’Connor, C.Maher, E.O’Connor, S.Hickey, A.McCarthy, K.Burke, S.Hickey, C.Hickey, R.Campion, A Whitty, M.Phelan, C.Nolan, K.Dalton, M.Killeen, C.Dermody, M.Dermody, L. Ryan, E.Dalton, G.Cleere, A.Gibbons, I.Carroll, K.Walsh and N.Gibbons. JOINS TEAGAS Congratulations and best wishes are extended to local lady Dr. Ann Marie Butler who commences her new role as head of Teagasc Education. Ann Marie who is from Cooleshall Freshford replaces Tony Petit who retired during the summer. She will lead the Teagasc education programme which is delivered through agricultural and horticulturall colleges. She is an agricultural scientist and joins Teagasc from Ulster Bank where she held a leadership role as senior Agricore Manger and Relationship Director. Ann Marie qualified with first class honours in a Bachelor of Agricultural Science Degree from University College Dublin winning the Hussey Prize. She went on to obtain a PHD from UCD. She is daughter of Mary Butler and the late Johnny Butler. She is married to Derek Walsh and has two children. BOOK LAUNCH The launching of the Book “In

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 29 October 2021

News Community & GAA Notes

Kilkenny GAA clubs and Community news Slips” took place recently at a function in the Community Hall. The Book which was produced to mark 100 years of Freshford Coursing Club was due to be launched last autumn but had to be postponed due to the pandemic. The book was compiled by Ned Kennedy, John Meagher and Ned Cuggy. If you haven’t already got the book which is on sale for some time and is still available in the local shops you should purchase one or it would make a lovely present for someone away from home. The book which contains some great pictures and information was launched by local Councillor Michael McCarthy and there was a good attendance at the event. NEW BABY Congratulations are extended to Nicholas Grace and his partner Sarah of Woodview Freshford on the birth of their baby boy last week. The couple already have a son Conor, a big brother for baby Cillian. GOLF Freshford Golf Society had their outing to Mount Juliet at the weekend with a good turn out on the day. Well done to all the winners on the day. Captains prize winner – John Bowden, Player of the year went to Liam Hickey for the second time .Category A winner on the day was Paul Buggy -36pts B/9 – 20pts -2nd Mark Unwin 36pts 3rd – Shane McGree 30pts – B/9 winner John Guinan - Category B winner – John Bowden -35pts 2nd – Josh McCarthy – 34pts 3rd – Jordan Burke -32 pts B/9 winner – Ciaran Colclough. Also congrats to all nearest pin winners on all par 3’s they all received 4 green fees for different courses and longest drive on the18th hole in both catagories received green fees . The Society pay a massive thanks to all the sponsors as without their sponsorship these excellent prizes would not be on offer. They say 2021 has been a great success and here’s to an even better 2022. DAY CENTRE Freshford Day care centre reopened on this Wednesday last and will continue each Wednesday at 2pm in the GAA Club rooms. The Centre has been closed since the start of the pandemic. It is hoped to see all the former members return and new members are also very welcome both male and female. You will get a cup of tea and have a chat and a game

of bingo. The Day care centre was greatly missed by the people during the pandemic and so it is great to see it back open. BIRTHDAYS Special birthday wishes go out to young local people who celebrated birthdays last week. Molly Fortune of Clashacrow Freshford and Aaron Maher, Woodview Freshford both celebrated their 18th birthdays at the weekend. ON HOLIDAY Enjoying their visit to Freshford at the moment at their home at Buncrussia Street from Norway are Bjorg and Andrea Dunne and her boyfriend Bent Ove. The family are regular visitors home to Freshford but due to the pandemic they haven’t been back since Christmas 2019. SOCCER Freshford Town had two teams in action in the schoolboys section at the weekend. The U15 boys were in action on Saturday and were unlucky to lose out on a 3-2 scoreline. The U10 boys had their first game of the league and gave a very good account of themselves under management of Derek Walsh and William Looby U8s The training sessions for U8s will resume on Saturday next at the Sportsfield at Woodview from 12noon to 1pm with Gary in charge as usual. All boys from 5 to 8 years old are welcome so go along and join up. IONAD LACHTAIN St.Lachtains Church Museum and Arts Centre is open each Saturday and Sunday from 11.30am to 4.30pm on Saturdays and from 12.30 to 4.30pm on Sundays. New display cabinets have been installed and filled with a host of interesting artefacts and some beautiful craftwork is also on sale. So why not drop in and see for yourself TIDY TOWNS Freshford tidy towns committee expressed thanks recently to all their loyal volunteers who helped out over the past weeks on Church Street clearing weeds along the pavement on each side . The seat opposite the local butchers was painted in vibrant red. Almost all the street furniture throughout the village have now been painted in their trademark vibrant red since the group returned after the pandemic. If you spot a seat that has not yet been painted please

let them know. The volunteers continue working behind the scenes to keep the village looking so well GAA NEWS After a good win over Carrickshock in their last game St.Lachtains Intermediate hurlers now play in the championship semi final at Nowlan Park on Sunday next when they take on The Fenians of Johnstown with throw in at 12.15pm Match ticket details and streaming details will be shared during the week on St.Lachtains GAA Facebook page. The Club would encourage all supporters to wear the black and amber St.Lachtains GAA Gear in support of the team. DOG NIGHT St.Lachtains GAA will host a Race night at the Kilkenny Dog Track on Friday November 5th with the first race starting at 8pm. Admission is €10 which will include Race Card. Great prizes on the night 1st prize – 2 Premier League Tickets flights and accommodation or €500 in Cash. 2nd prize – weekend away to any Flynn Hotels. 3rd prize - €100 Dunnes stores voucher. 4th prize €50 voucher – 5th prize – Ahern fuel voucher. So please go along and support your local Club. WALKING GROUP A walking group has started and will continue on Thursday evening leaving the GAA clubrooms at 8pm. All new members regardless of fitness levels are most welcome. It is open to all and everyone is encouraged to bring a friend along . PARISH NEWS There is an increase in attendance at Masses up to 50per cent of the capacity now since the lifting of further restrictions in September .Mass in the Parish Church each Wednesday morning at 9.30am and on Sunday morning at 11am. wiith Mass in Tulla church on Saturday evenings at 8pm. While the obligation to attend Sunday mass is still suspended you are encouraged to return. At this time all safety measures will remain in place which includes wearing of masks, social distancing and hand sanitising and full sanitation of the Church after every celebration There is work going on at the Church grounds presently. The flagpoles are being erected beside the Parish Church and you are asked to please be careful in the area until the work has concluded. NOTICES The parish newsletter is available

Comogie Champs. U14 Roinn B Shield Winners

on their website every week and also on the website you are free to pay your dues and make donations or any other contributions and you can find out more about it on the website or feel free to contact Jennifer in the Parish Office. Please note community notices for the parish newsletter should be left in or emailed to the Parish Office by 11am on Thursdays. MASS CARDS Special printed parish cards are available at the Parish Office or from Annette at Tulla Church signed by Monsignor Kennedy. You can contact the Parish office on 056 8832843 or by email – freshfordd@ ossory.ie. Contact Mongr Kieron Kennedy on that number or on 087 25235 AUTUMN IS HERE With Autumn upon us now and the nights getting darker so much earlier you are reminded to take care of yourself and take care of your elderly neighbours or friends. Make sure get out if you can during daylight and get some exercise. HELP FOR ALL Are you struggling with anxiety or depression or finding life difficult or feeling isolated at this time GROW is there to help you. Their Mental Health support Groups are free and confidential and open to all no referral or booking is needed. For more information on same you can contact Mary on 087 284342 If you cant cope and need support text HELLO to 50808. SAMARITAN - Whatever you’re going through a Samaritan will face it with you – available 24 hours a day 365 days a year – Freephone 1161Alone is available for older people who need support and you can call them on 0818 222024 (8am to 8pm) AMBER KILKENNY WOMENS REFUGE – is available for confidential support relating to domestic violence - call them on 1850 424244 (24/7) or on 056 7771404 or email into@ amberwomensrefuge.ie. On Saturday October 30th a clean up of Dunnamaggin Graveyard will take place from 2pm. Organised by Dunnamaggin Development Group all are welcome to help. On Sunday October 31st at the Old School We are Creeping it Real at our Halloween Market which begins at 11.30am. Alongside the lovely craft and food stalls there will be a pumpkin carving competition, an opportunity to have your scary photo taken by Cyndi from 12.30pm to 1.30pm, and a games area for the children to engage in all the Halloween activities. We are encouraging everyone to dust off their Witches Hats and Broomsticks and come in fancy dress. All entries for the Pumpkin Carving Competition to be left with Cyndi of KeepSake Photography between 11.30am to 12.30pm. . As usual there will be a Pop Up Café and a Raffle. Don’t forget your nomination for the Community Spirit Award for drop off in the box. Remember nominations from all parts of the parish, Kells,

Kilmoganny and Dunnamaggin are welcome. DUNNAMAGGIN GAA County Final Sponsorship, A big thank you to Bill McCormack Groundworks Ltd for Sponsoring Kit for the U15’s ahead of their County Final . U15 Roinn B Hurling County Champions, Well done to the Dunnamaggin U15 Hurlers who were crowned county champions in a very windy Dunmore on Saturday Last. In a repeat of the league final they were placed against fellow southern side Piltown who had won out on that occasion. It as a bright but very breezy day in Dunmore and Piltown elected to play with the strong breeze in the first half. Dunnamaggin got a great start when Scott McDonald opening the scoring with a point from play which was closely followed with one from Cathal Buckley. These were however to be Dunnamaggins only scores of the quarter with Piltown owning the quarter. They put huge pressure on the Dunnamaggin backs and Dunnamaggin Goalie Tim Doherty who had some very dangerous high ball to contest with. Eoin Hogan got in for a well worked goal and the O’Brien brothers of Niall and Cathal added four points between them. Dunnamaggin 0:2 to Piltown 1:04 at the water break. Dunnamaggin used the water break to good effect to reset and make a few positional changes. Niall got another point for Piltown to stretch their lead but Dunnamaggin were playing better and creating scoring chances. Cathal Buckley put over a free which he immediately followed Captain Eoin Shiel receiving the trophy from Willie Dempsey Bord nOg Chairman

up with a goal when he found himself in the right place at the right time from a long ball in to bring it to a 3-point game. Piltown and Dunnamaggin traded points but that gap remained at half time which the Dunnamaggin lads would take considering they were 6 down at one stage against a strong breeze. HT Dunnamaggin 1:05 Piltown 1:08 The second half would turn out to be a much different affair as with the Piltown puck outs now not going as far against the strong breeze the Dunnamaggin forwards were able to put huge pressure on and within a few mins of the restart it was a draw game. Cathal Buckley then popped over a free and then a bit of luck fell the Dunnamaggin lad’s way when a shot in by Cathal took a deflection and into the back of the net. 1:04 on the bounce. Piltown are too good a side to just lie down and they responded immediately with 3 points to leave just one point between the sides. The Dunnamaggin players however were hurling with huge belief as we headed to the second water break the backs lead by Captain Eoin Shiel and Full back Pierce Costello were putting in a ferocious effort in to snuff out any further scores. Cathal put over another free and then Noah Cahill popped over one from play, just reward for the effort he put in throughout. Cathal tagged on another free just before the water break to give it Dunnamaggin 2:12 Piltown1:11 at the water break. The last quarter served up some super hurling, displaying heart commitment and will to win on both sides. No side wanted to lose and were fighting for every ball

The Kilkenny Observer Friday 29 October 2021

kilkennyobserver.ie

News Community & GAA Notes

Sponsor Bill McCormac presenting Juvenile Chairman Alan Buckley with team kit , with U15Captain Eoin Shiel and Alan McCormac

such was the contest that it yielded only one score a piece Brian Hickey popped over a point and Piltown matched it. This was enough to give Dunnamaggin a 4-point win to crown them County Champions after a super game of hurling from both sides. Full time Dunnamaggin 2:13 Piltown 1:12. Panel:- Tim Doherty, Conor Lawton, Pierce Costello, Sean Rossiter, David Moore, Eoin Shiel (C ), Thomas Deegan, Ciaran Hickey, Jamie Tallon, Scott McDonald, Sean Lawton, Brian Hickey, John Hayes, Cathal Buckley, Noah Cahill, Daniel Hayes Darwish, Liam Davis, Cathal Rossiter, Ian McDonald, Jake O’Neill, Jake Butler, Conor Aylward, Darragh Lyons, Ross O’Neill, Shay Delaney, Aaron McCormack, James Moore, Edward Moylan, Cormac Holden, Stephen Walsh. Management Noel Lahart, Niall McCormack, William Phelan, Brian O’Shea, Philip Tallon. Sponsors:- Hughes Farming & Bill McCormack Groundworks Ltd. LOCAL LOTTO Local Lotto Draw for the 18th October 2021. Winning Numbers : 5,7,33. No Winner. Winners from the Draw for 5 x € 30. K Peters ( Jimmy McCormack ), Pat Delehunty ( Ellen Delehunty ), E H & M Ryan ( Ciss Ryan), Emer Wallace ( Ellen Delehunty ),Paddy Leahy ( Ciss Ryan ) Jackpot Monday October 25th : € 3,100 Venue Delaneys Bar Kells, at 9pm all welcome. BINGO Bingo every Saturday @ 8.30 pm in Kilmoganny. All Welcome MOBILE LIBRARY Mobile Library-will visit Kilmoganny at 3.30pm and Kells at 4.10pm next on November 3rd. Membership is free, including online books, magazines and learning courses. Enquiries to Library HQ 056 7794160 DROICHEAD FAMILY RESOURCE CENTRE Droichead Family Resource Centre on West Street in Callan is now taking new referrals for our Counselling and Play Therapy services. If you or your child is struggling with anything and

you’d like support we may be able to help. Contact Olive on 056 7755660. Creative Parenting Workshop – a one day workshop with Droichead FRC Play Therapist Marie will focus on creative and playful ways to interact with your child while reflecting on the joys and struggles of parenting. The workshop will help parents find ways they can have a more fulfilling relationship with their children as well as finding ways for self-care. €10 per person including lunch. Saturday 6th November. Booking essential as numbers are strictly limited. Olive – 056 7755660 or manager@droicheadfrc.ie Droichead After Schools have some places available. Working families can get help towards the cost using the National Childcare Scheme. Droichead After Schools pick up from Bunscoil McAuley Rice at 2pm and 3pm and the service runs until 6pm. Contact Lorraine on 087 3413970 or email afterschool@ droicheadfrc.ie Callan Men’s Shed are selling bags of kindling for €2 – pop up to the shed 11am – 4pm Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays or Fridays to pick up a bag or two and support your local Men’s Shed.Droichead FRC is running a Saturday Morning Club for children aged 6-12 years with Dyspraxia/ DCD. It starts on Saturday 6th November and is €35 for 6 weeks. Booking is via Eventbrite, search ‘Droichead Family Resource Centre’. For more information 0567755660. NOTES Kilkenny Volunteer Centre: Nominations are in ! We had a fantastic response and are thrilled to see all the amazing work happening in the county. Thank you to all who have sent in nominations and best of luck to everyone ! We have lots of new roles coming in Arthritis Ireland - Kilkenny branch would love the support of new board / committee members Kilkenny Helping the homeless are looking for Volunteers to help them pack food parcels for families in need. Droichead Family Resource centre in Callan are looking for Board

Members and also the support of Afterschool’ Programme Volunteers English Conversation Volunteers are also needed in various Community Centres around the county.Anyone wanting to get involved or find out more please get in touch on www. volunteerkilkenny.ie GOWRAN BINGO IS BACK Gowran Bingo will resume on Thursday night at 8pm in Gowran Parochial Hall.Only bingo patrons with a Covid Digital Certificate which must be presented on entry, will be admitted to the Bingo. Single book €5 Double Book €10 Single sheets €2 and €3. GOWRAN DEVELOPMENT SPOOKTACULAR. As part of Gowran Development’s fundraising efforts for Christmas Lights for Gowran Village they are hosting a Halloween Spooktacular Event on Halloween evening 5.30pm to 6.30pm at the Green in Gowran. Costume / Fancy Dress and FUN is compulsory! All children must be accompanied by an adult at all times. Please donate just €5. All funds go towards decorations and our village Christmas lights fundraiser. Drop your donation to Hennessy’s Garage, Glasrai & Goodies or Gowran Pharmacy or donate via gofundme. Keep an eye on Gowran Development Facebook Page (@ gowrandevelopment) for more information. KILKENNY COUNTY COUNCIL MOBILE LIBRARY SERVICES The mobile library will next visit Gowran from 11.35-12.00 on November 5th, December 3rd. Membership is free. Just bring ID. The staff look forward to meeting all the locals. Enquiries to Library Reception 7794160 KILKENNY VOLUNTARY AWARDS CENTRE Lots of new volunteer roles coming in. Arthritis Ireland - Kilkenny branch would love the support of new board / committee members. Kilkenny Helping the homeless are looking for Volunteers to help them pack food parcels for families

in need. English Conversation Volunteers are also needed in various Community Centres around the county. Anyone wanting to get involved or find out more please get in touch on www. volunteerkilkenny.ie or 0892584946 GOWRAN AC If you are looking to run a marathon, 10mile, 10k, 5k or just get out for a run then you need to join the club on Thursdays at 8pm at Applegreen in Paulstown. There is a run, then a coffee/tea/water and chat afterwards. Try a night for free and then join the club for €30 if you want to run weekly. Text Eamonn 086 878 2489 if you are trying out a night. GOWRAN PARISH Mass is being streamed every morning on Gowran Parish Facebook page, masses this week. Gowran Sunday at 11.30.am, Monday at 9.30.am, Wednesday at 9.30am, Thursday at 9.30.am and Friday at 9.30.am. October Station Offering Envelopes Sincere thanks to all who have subscribed to the October Stations Collection. Subscription envelopes are still welcome. November Mass Offering Envelope Collection The envelopes for this collection were posted out with the October Station Envelope. November masses for the dead will begin on November 2nd (Tue week). Envelope Offerings will be gratefully received from next weekend. There will be a special evening mass for the Faithful Departed on Tuesday 2nd November at 7.30pm. The novena of masses for the dead of all subscribers will begin on Tuesday 2nd and continue for 9 days. PARISH DRAW The Parish Draw will begin on the 11th of November. Lines on sale with promoters at present or at the Parish House. SPORTS ROUND UP MICHAEL O’LEARY Celebration of under-age finalists. A great turnout was had on bank holiday monday afternoon at the Young Irelands pitch, as a Celebration Day was held to celebrate the various under age teams who won and reached County Finals. The victorious U-13 Hurlers who achieved the League and Championship Double were honoured along with last year’s U-13 Team (2020) who won the A1 County Final. Also honoured were the U-14 Camogie Girls who won the County Final last Sunday Week and the U-12 Camogie Team who reached a County Final. The Afternoon began with Hurling Exhibition matches, before there was a Parade of Victorious 2021 U13 hurlers, U14 Camogie team and U12 Camogie finalists for their exploits. That was followed by a Presentation of medals to U13 2020 Roinn A1 Champions by Kilkenny senior hurler Mikey Carey. Once the formalities were complete, there were refreshments for the players along with tea/ coffee for parents.

Great support was provided by the parents in supplying refreshments, and the day was rounded off by the U-16 Camogie Team who played their County Shield Final against Windgap. CIARA RECEIVES SOARING STAR NOMINEE Young Irelands Senior Player Ciara O’Keeffe has been rewarded for her performances with the Kilkenny Intermediates, after she was named amongst the nominees for this year’s Camogie Association Soaring Stars nominations. Playing in her debut year with the Inter-County Adult Team, Ciara was an ever present who impressed for the Intermediate Team that reached the All-Ireland Intermediate Final before losing to a very strong Antrim outfit. The 2021 Soaring Stars team will be announced at a gala banquet at the Osprey Hotel in Naas, Co. Kildare on Friday November 26th subject to government guidelines, where the 2021 All-Stars team and Players’ Player of the Year Awards will also be announced. GOWRAN TRAINER CONTINUES WHIRLWIND RUN Jimmy Barcoe’s whirlwind run continues as he trained another two winners over the last week. Influential Lady - Which he also owns - followed up her victory in Gowran Park a few weeks ago, as she landed the spoils to win the Premier County Mares Handicap Hurdle in Thurles last Thursday afternoon with Cathal Landers on board. Cathal was also in the saddle, as the Yvonne Hennessy owned Jiving Jerry displayed great determination to get on the finishing line in Galway last Saturday afternoon to oblige as favourite and win the W.B. Gavin & Co. Handicap Hurdle. Jiving Jerry also won in Galway on the October Bank Holiday Weekend Festival last year, and last Saturday’s victory was Jimmy’s 4th winner over the past three weeks, and he is currently enjoying his best spell as a trainer. He also trained 40/1 outsider Kingston Retreat to win a Maiden Hurdle in Downpatrick recently, and Jiving Jerry’s win last Saturday in Galway meant that he hit the winning target in each of the four provinces. JUNIOR HURLING The Junior Hurlers played James Stephens on Monday Johns Park in the Section B Final. Our lads lost by three points. Hard luck to our lads. 1-12 to 0-18. CLUB BAR The Clubhouse Bar re-opened on Friday for the first time since March 2020! The Committee have been busy, the lights are on and the shelves are stacked. We will be launching the Dicksboro Development Draw for 2021 also. Vaccination Certs required and table service will be in place. All are welcome DEVELOPMENT DRAW Tickets now available from any committee member, team mentors

and others. The Club really appreciates everyone who has agreed to sell tickets again this year. We encourage all of the Dicksboro Community to try and support when asked. Go raibh mile maith agat Dicksboro GAA and Camogie Club are delighted to launch the 2021 Development Draw. We are very grateful to all who supported it in 2020. It’s success resulted in the fabulous new Ball Wall and Mini Astro Pitch facility. We have also completed significant drainage works to Pitch 2 in Palmerstown. As we have now formally merged under the “One Club” structure our ambitions and efforts are unified and we want to continue to develop our facilities for our 1000 members. In 2022 we are planning further work on the upgrade of our pitches and facilities. We are again asking that you support this fundraiser and the weekly lotto to help make it happen. Following on from there we hope to expand our facilities in preparation for a significant population increase in the parish over the next 5-10yrs. Taking inspiration from all those who have come before us, we will continue to work hard to achieve all these development goals. It takes a community effort to fulfil these dreams and it would not be possible without your continued support. Coffee Dock Our new coffee machine was up and running in our clubhouse coffee dock area on Saturday morning for the Boro camogie County Minor semi final match vs St_Brigidscam in Palmerstown at 11.30am. Thanks to Aidan Maher & Catherine Hehir Peters for organising. CLUB LOTTO Dicksboro GAA Club LOTTO Results October 25th Nos: 7 –29 – 24– 23 Jackpot: €5000– not won. Draw Prizes – €50: Conor O’ Loughlin c/o online. €25 each Lisa Handrick c/o online €25 each Ann Kerwick c/o Ann Kerwick . €25 each EJ Ryan c/o online €25 each Daniel Cullen c/o Seamus Rochford Promoters prize – F and E Morrissey Next week’s (October 30th) Jackpot – €5,100 We are encouraging every Dicksboro family to support the Clubs Fundraising efforts by signing up to the Club Lotto. https:// dicksborogaa.com/categories/lotto Pitch Side Business Adverts: Should your business want to arrange an advertising hoarding at our Club grounds click here for details: https://www.dicksborogaa.com/ products For any queries contact any committee member. https:// www.dicksborogaa.com/contact (Camogie contact runai Ted Carroll (086) 837 6544)

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 29 October 2021

Hurling matters

Sport

BY NIALL SHERRY SPORTS EDITOR SPORTSEDITORKILKENNYOBSERVER.IE

Shamrocks 2-20 James Stephens 1-17 Semi-finals are about getting over the line, and credit to Ballyhale for showing why they are the team to beat. In a game that at times was scrappy and not as free-flowing as the watching crowd had hoped, it would be that man TJ Reid whose tally saw his side continue their quest for four-in-a-row county titles. For long periods of this game, the Village more than matched their victorious opponents, and indeed lead by one point early in the second half, but once James O’Connor’s team started moving through the gears, their big game experience was clear for all to see. Shamrocks came out of the blocks quickly and registered two quick scores through the impressive Eoin Cody and the returning Adriann Mullen, who was making his first appearance in this year’s championship. The city side were playing with a very strong wind to their backs in the first period, and drew level following two quick scores from Luke Scanlon and Conor Browne. The Village tactic of using the wind to play searching balls into the danger zone was evident. Referee Quilty pulled play back and awarded a free from which Eoin Guilfoyle made no mistake. The very impressive Niall Brassil played a lovely pass inside to the lively Cian Kenny, who finished in style to leave the Village 0-4 to 0-2 ahead after 9 minutes. The conditions underfoot were affecting the players ability to play a smooth game, and many passes went astray, or simply the sliotar didn’t hop as usual on the surface. By the 10th minute the James Stephens side had registered their 3rd wide of the day, and this would have a large bearing on the result, come the long whistle. Undeterred by some horrible misses, the Village almost raised a green flag when a surging Brassil run saw Guilfoyle take the pass and shoot, only to be denied by a tremendous block by Shamrocks full-back Joey Holden, which saw the ball deflect over the bar for a point. Ballyhale were struggling greatly to get any momentum going, and lots of poor passes and bad decision making was allowing the Village to retrieve possession easily. County forward Eoin Cody then went on a great run which was ended abruptly by the oppositions defence, and a free was rightly awarded, from which TJ made no mistake. From the next play, Colin Fennelly received an early yellow card from the referee, the veteran forward was failing to get a foothold in the game, and his frustration told. Brassil duly dispatched the free to leave his side 0-6 to 0-3 ahead. The Village looked hungrier, quicker to every breaking or second ball and when Ballyhale did get possession of the ball, the city side hunted in packs to deny the space and force the turnover. Cian Kenny, who was proving a handful for the Shamrocks defence, made a darting run, only to be halted and fouled by TJ Reid. From some 60 metres out Brassil nailed the free to register his team’s 7th score of the day. You could sense that the Village believed that victory was possible. They attacked again, but were dispossessed by Joey Holden, who laid a nice pass off to Richie Reid who in turn found TJ to round off a lovely move. Once again, the city boys replied, Brassil again making no mistake from the placed ball to leave his side up by 4 points. Just when it appeared that James Stephens were pulling away, Ballyhale struck. TJ stood over a free a long way out and drove it in towards the Village posts. Unfortunately for the keeper, he mishandled the shot and the ball broke nicely for Eoin Cody, who was ready to pounce and finished to the net. And just like that the Shamrocks were only 1 point down. The game continued to be rather start-stop, again the conditions played their part in this. Rocked by the green flag, the city side replied with a fine point from Matthew Ruth. TJ then added another point from a free, following a foul on his county colleague Adrian Mullen. The hard-running Village then struck again, following a lovely passage of play involving Luke Hickey, Niall Mullins and score taker Ruth. Brian Cody then set up a scoring opportunity for midfielder Ronan Corcoran, who slotted between the sticks. James O’Connor then made a positional switch which saw TJ move into the edge of the square and Colin Fennelly roaming further out the field. This had an immediate effect, as Fennelly, anonymous for large parts of the game was fouled after emerging from a posse of players. TJ popped the free over from some 75 metres to leave the sides level

Testing the jersey

Colin Fennelly in control

TJ’s tally see’s Shamrocks home by 6! Ballyhale will face O’Loughlin Gaels in final showdown

The Kilkenny Observer Friday 29 October 2021

kilkennyobserver.ie

Hurling matters

Luke Scanlon driving forward

TJ keeps an eye out for the ball

Making his point

at the shirt whistle, 1-7 to 0-10. Like the first half, Ballyhale started fast and took the lead following another placed ball score from – yes, you guessed it TJ Reid. Again, the Village responded. This time some nice inter-play between Conor Browne and Guilfoyle resulted in a free being given, which the latter split the posts with. They notched another point when Tadhg O’Dwyer took a slick pass from Cian Kenny and slotted over. Luke Scanlon then made a terrific surging run into Shamrock’s territory, offloaded to O’Dwyer who was upended by Joey Holden. Guilfoyle again delivered from the placed ball. Richie Reid then began to show more of his ability. He found Eoin Cody who in turn, laid the ball off to TJ who hit a wonderful score from play. TJ then returned the compliment to Eoin Cody when he presented the classy attacker with a scoring chance following nice play from wingback Evan Shefflin. Eoin Cody did the needful. For the first time in the game, the Village looked uncomfortable. The pressure was mounting, the mistakes continued. Brassil lost possession which forced Henessey to foul the quiet Joe Cuddihy off the ball. Tj Struck from the free to leave his side 1-11 to 0-12 ahead. Cian Kenny then exchanged passes with Guilfoyle who was then fouled. Kenny stepped forward and converted the free from the side line. The Ballyhale manager then sent Eoin Reid into the battle, and his experience would prove vital as the Shamrocks stepped it up. TJ fired another free over. At last, the crowd appeared to be getting involved. Cian Kenny then took the bull by the horns and went on a mazy run before passing to Connor Browne to take the score. Another foul by the Village presented a long-range opportunity to TJ – opportunity taken. Mikey Drennan then pointed for the challengers to leave them just one point behind. The Cody brothers then kept it in the family by combining to allow Brian to strike a lovely score. From the

next play, Adrian Mullen gathered possession before striking a luscious point, that was eventually awarded following a chat between referee Quilty and his umpires. Ballyhale now up by 3. Luke Scanlon was then played in by Connor Browne and rifled over a great point. The champions responded again, Eoin Cody pointing from 40-odd metres. Shamrocks could sense victory. Brian Cody then provided a nice assist for TJ to push the lead to four. James Stephens most impressive forward, Cian Kenny then struck a score to leave just a green flag between them. More great support play from Brian Cody allowed TJ to strike another scrumptious score. Ballyhale then had keeper, Dean Mason to thank when the young netminder prevented a certain goal. Spurred on by this, Shamrocks strode forward and went for the kill, impressive second-half sub; Eoin ‘Rio’ Reid was through on goal before being fouled by Luke Hickey. Penalty. Tj Stepped up and rifled a fierce shot past the Village keeper. Killer blow. From the puckout. Ballyhale gained possession and the move finished with Evan Shefflin hitting a lovely point. Keeper Mason would again deny the Village with another fine stop. TJ again turned provider, slipping the pass to Ronan Corcoran who ran through unchallenged before striking the point. James Stephens did raise a green flag deep into stoppage time when Mason saved initially, only to see Eoin Guilfoyle finish to the net. Niall Brassil would also strike the woodwork before the long whistle, but their race was run. The champions are the champions for a reason. Where there’s a will... there’s Shamrocks of Ballyhale. Ballyhale Shamrocks scorers: TJ Reid (1-11, 7 frees, 1 pen); E Cody (1-3); A Mullen & R Corcoran (0-2 each); B Cody & E Shefflin (0-1 each). James Stephens scorers: E Guilfoyle (1-3, 2 frees); N Brassil (0-3, 3 frees); Matt Ruth, C Browne, L Scanlon & C Kenny (2 frees) (0-2 each); T O’Dwyer, C Kenny & M Drennan (0-1 each). BALLYHALE SHAMROCKS: D Mason; D Corcoran, J Holden, D Mullen; E Shefflin, R Reid, B Butler; B Cody, R Corcoran; L Barron, TJ Reid, E Cody; A Mullen, C Fennelly, J Cuddihy. Subs: E Reid for Barron (39); C Phelan for B Cody (64). JAMES STEPHENS: S Manogue; L Hickey, D Cody, S Donohue; N Delaney, N Brassil, D Hennessy; L Scanlon, N Mullins; M Ruth, C Browne, W Spencer; E Guilfoyle, T O’Dwyer, C Kenny. Subs: M Drennan for Spencer (h/t); E Larkin for Hennessy (48); L Murphy for Hickey (60). Ref: G Quilty

Eyes on the prize

The Kilkenny Observer Friday 29 October 2021

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Hurling matters

Sport BY NIALL SHERRY SPORTS EDITOR

Rock on Tommy!

SPORTSEDITORKILKENNYOBSERVER.IE

O’Loughlin Gaels 1-18 Tullaroan 0-18 2016 county champions O’Loughlin Gaels will face-off against Shamrocks of Ballyhale in this year’s St Canice’s Credit Union SHC final on November 7th following a 3-point victory over Tullaroan at UPMC Nowlan Park last Sunday. In our Observer preview last week, we said this game was too close to call, and both teams ensured that this would be the case. The teams could not be separated on no fewer than TEN occasions during a pulsating encounter, and the intermediate champions of two years ago battled well throughout against the 2016 senior winners. The bookies had O’Loughlin’s as favourites coming into Sunday’s semifinal, but it was the Sash that registered the first score of the day when No.14 and this seasons prolific scorer, Shane Walsh fired over a nice point from play. The home side’s top scorer, Mark Bergin then levelled things up with a well struck point from a placed ball. The sides continued to trade blows and there was two between the teams after Thomas Dunne hit a beauty of a point from his own half to give the Tullaroan faithful hope. This hope would be tempered almost immediately. Bergin delivered a lovely long pass towards the corner, where the tricky Owen Wall was waiting. He collected the pass before cutting inside his marker, Stevie Maher, before striking to the net with a lovely batted finish. The Sash were now behind, but Shane Walsh pulled them level just before the water break with another point. The second period saw both sides jostling for superiority. Scores were exchanged and the sides clung to each other, with some exquisite shooting from Conor Heary and Shane Walsh, before two excellent points from danger-man Wall and defenderturned striking star Paddy Deegan put the home side two points ahead. Tullaroan to their credit continued to ask questions of the O’Loughlin’s defence, and Shane Walsh’s ability from the placed ball kept them in touch. Another fine strike from Thomas Dunne edged the Sasha head, before a lovely point from midfielder Cian Loy and one from Bergin left the Gaels one up at the short whistle. The second half failed to spark as both sides were guilty of giving away possession and being wasteful in the attacking third. This period was broken when the accurate Bergin and Tullaroan number 13, Dylan Simpson notched a brace of scores each. First-half substitute Robbie Buckley then hit his first point of the day, before Sash net minder Paul Buggy denied Owen Wall a second major of the day. The sides reached the second water break with Andy Comerford’s charges two points to the good, 1-12 to 0-13. Liam Keoghan’s brief words appeared to spur his side on as the third quarter got under way. A couple of points from Mossy and Padraig Walsh got the Sash on an equal footing again. Robbie Buckley

Gaels final bound! Wall’s goal the difference as brave sash go down fighting Jack Nolan

Battle ready!

The Kilkenny Observer Friday 29 October 2021

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Hurling matters

Steady as she goes

Padraig’s ball!

Wing-Back Conor Heary

Shane strikes!

notched his second point of the day, before Shane Walsh levelled with another placed ball. O’Loughlin’s wing-back and army officer, Conor Heary struck another lovely long-range effort to put the home side ahead before the impressive Robbie Buckley was judged to have been fouled by Tullaroan’s corner-back John Moore. Kilkenny defensive star, Paddy Deegan stepped up but didn’t make a good connection and his penalty went to the left and wide. Tullaroan then surged forward in search of the equalising score and right on cue, substitute Jim Moore hit a point that their faithful thought had clinched extratime. The 2016 champions had different ideas. Deegan, fresh from his penalty miss, showed his class and leadership by hitting a fine score to push his team ahead. David Fogarty and their top scorer, Mark Bergin also registered points in stoppage time to see their side home and break the hearts of the Tullaroan camp. The great Tommy Walsh, who departed the game injured in the final 10 minutes, looked forlorn at the long whistle. Was this his final hurrah? O’Loughlin’s through to the final. Just the small matter of Ballyhale between them and a county title. Scorers for O’Loughlin Gaels: M Bergin (0-9, 6 frees); O Wall (1-1); C Heary, P Deegan & R Buckley (0-2 each); C Loy & D Fogarty (0-1 each). Scorers for Tullaroan scorers: S Walsh (0-10, 8 frees); T Dunne (0-3); D Simpson (0-2); M Keoghan, P Walsh & J Moore (0-1 each). O’LOUGHLIN GAELS: S Murphy; D Fogarty, T Forristal, M Butler; J Molloy, H Lawlor, C Heary; J Nolan, C Loy; E O’Shea, M Bergin, P Butler; O Wall, P Deegan, C Kelly. Subs: R Buckley for O’Shea (26); J Ryan for Nolan (54); S Bolger for Kelly (65). TULLAROAN: P Buggy; J Moore, Tommy Walsh, S Maher; M Walsh, P Walsh, J Keoghan; J Walton, T Dunne; B Gaffney, Tommy Walsh, M Keoghan; D Simpson, S Walsh, B Walton. Subs: J Moore for B Walton (47); T Walton for T Walsh (52); S Cuddihy for Simpson (64). Ref: D Hughes.

>> SHERRY SAYS... November 7th UPMC Nowlan Park. Ballyhale Shamrocks Vs O’Loughlin Gaels. 4-in-a-row seeking Shamrocks, against 2016 champions O’Loughlin’s. The city side will be using the next fortnight to hatch a plan to topple Kilkenny’s top cats. The semi-final double-header last Sunday at Nowlan Park didn’t perhaps show the real class and talent within Kilkenny club hurling, but the penultimate game is all about the result. First up was O’Loughlin’s vs the Sash. Neither side appeared to be able to pull away, in fact the sides were level on something like TEN occasions. I would imagine when Paddy Deegan’s 58th minute penalty was badly struck wide, Tullaroan must have smelt blood. However, it was Deegan that gave his side the lead in stoppage time, before two further points sealed the 3-point win. To their credit the Sash battled hard, and it was sad to see former county legend Tommy Walsh leave the field at a crucial time due to injury. You had to feel for him at the long whistle. Andy Comerford will have to ensure he gets his match-ups right to give his side a fighting chance in the final. Shamrocks who took to the field as red-hot favourites against the Village showed their winning experience in the 2nd half. Goals win games, and it would be two majors from county stars that proved the difference in the end. Tj finished the day with 1-11, which was over half of his sides total. It will be interesting to see if Huw Lawlor is given the job of curtailing the great man’s influence on final day. It was great to see Adrian Mullen back in the starting line-up, and he hit a couple of fine points to boot. The performances of midfielder Ronan Corcoran won’t have gone unnoticed by county management. He is a talented midfielder, who knows where the posts are. Like I said earlier, match-ups will be crucial. Eoin Cody who hit 1-3 will also have to be closely watched. Roll on the final. Then we can start to think about provincial bragging rights.

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Memoriams/Miracle prayers

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Memoriams / Miracle Prayers

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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 29 October 2021