At the end of May, Woodstock Gardens and Arboretum marked another important milestone in its ongoing mission to make one of the counties true amenity jewels more inclusive, accessible, and welcoming for people of all abilities with the launch of two new all-terrain wheelchairs. Speaking at the launch, the Cathaoirleach of Kilkenny County Council, Cllr. …

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By John Fitzgerald (Part One) Catholic clergy have, for centuries, wielded authority and given leadership in the social life of Callan. In recent years, that all-pervasive influence has been tempered somewhat by changing times, as in the rest of Ireland. Overall, the church has been a force for good in Callan. And the Big Chapel, …

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BY CLAIR WHITTY None of us like to get bitten by insects whether it’s when out walking, running or gardening, or when abroad on holiday. Insect bites are unsightly, itchy, sore, they can become infected, inflamed, and swollen. Prevention can be better than cure and there is certainly nothing lost by trying this approach. Incognito …

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Stripeywomen march on in search of silverware BY NIALL SHERRY, SPORTS EDITOR SPORTSEDITOR@KILKENNYOBSERVER.IE Glen Dimplex Senior Camogie Championship Group 2, Round 3, UPMC Nowlan Park  Kilkenny 5-15 Offaly 3-9 On the day that Irish boxing legend Katie Taylor visited UPMC Nowlan Park, our senior camogs put on a winning performance, hitting five majors as they …

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By John Ellis My daughter as a journalist has written many holiday and hotel reviews and I asked her how I should go about compiling a piece of my recent stay in Mount Juliet. She said try and get an initial impression and put it in a few words or one sentence. So, my first …

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By Niamh Holohan The story of Bloomsday invites your spirit and being to perpetually partake in the greatest expression of love. It is a covenant that vows to never die which has given rise to the creation of James Joyce’s epic saga; Ulysses. Bloomsday is the celebration of the love exchanged between James Joyce and …

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Photos by jbs A lively gathering from across the globe filled the Fr McGrath Centre on Wednesday morning, as a diverse range of cultures came together for the annual end-of-term Fáilte Isteach Awards. The celebration marked the culmination of a full year of learning English, shared effort, and growing connections among attendees. Over the past …

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Photos jbs A powerful celebration of Traveller culture and community development was officially launched at the Mayfair Library to mark this year’s Traveller Pride Week. Hosted by the Kilkenny Traveller Community Movement (KTCM), the event combined a stunning arts and crafts exhibition with a showcase of local frontline community projects. Centred around the national theme, …

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FURTHERMORE By Gerry Moran A few weeks back I came upon Shay Kirwan. Shay is a young man from inner-city Dublin; his mother died young and his father is a bitter, aggressive, alcoholic with whom he has issues. Shay has just been released from prison where he was incarcerated for his part in a botched …

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BY JOHN ELLIS, FINANCIAL ADVISOR A while back I got a call. The chap on the other end said he was from Microsoft and that my computer had a serious virus. He was very calm, very professional and he wanted to help me fix it right there and then, over the phone. All I had …

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