Seamstress May Byrne leaves history record to cherish
Words: Kilkenny Observer Photos : Pat Shortall A RECENT GATHERING AT Kilkenny castle saw the Byrne family come together with family and friends to remember a mother and grandmother. The story of May Byrne is a story similar to many of her generation when young boys and girls took up employment at a very young …
Kilkenny Outdoor Music Festival 2023
One of the most popular Summer events of the region, the Kilkenny Outdoor Music Festival 2023 makes its annual return on Saturday, 1st July. Set amidst the scenic surroundings of the rolling countryside in Castlecomer GAA Grounds in Co. Kilkenny, this year’s line-up is exciting and exceptional. Headlining the festival is Irish sensation Imelda May. …
The Magic of Castlemorris
BY JOHN FITZGERALD Part 1 Paddy Hearns of Hugginstown could recall a different time in Ireland, so far removed from our own fast-track age as to be almost beyond present-day comprehension. In 1989, he told Radio Kilkenny listeners about what he called “growing up in Paradise.” In his young days, Paddy lived in a cottage …
You must remember this, a kiss is just a kiss – and more!
FURTHERMORE By Gerry Moran Every morning I see them. Two men kissing. Two elderly men in their 60s or more. Two, not very attractive men, locked in a passionate kiss. A full on, mouth to mouth, kiss. I see this every morning when I go to my fridge for milk. What I’m looking at is …
The rising popularity of the PRSA pension
BY JOHN ELLIS, FINANCIAL ADVISOR The increasing popularity of a Personal Retirement Savings Account (PRSA) for pension provision in over the last decade is reflected in the recent Pensions Authority data. Currently there are 355,706 PRSA contracts in place with an asset value of €9.986 billion whereas in 2010 there were 181,711 such contracts with …
Maintaining weight naturally
BY CLAIR WHITTY Are you post-menopausal and trying to maintain your weight naturally? Being post-menopausal myself, I know that this can be difficult. But I think a balanced diet, not worrying about calorie counting, looking after gut health, adequate sleep, and keeping stress under control, as best I can, all help. My personal way is …
This sporting life: the good and not-so good
AS I SEE IT MARIANNE HERON Two aspects of sport – not something I write about normally apart from a one-off piece about boxing for grannies – really grabbed my attention over the last couple of weeks. One is the debate around the GAA’s Go Games policy, the other is RTE’s documentary series ‘Gaelic In …
Letter from America
THE FACT OF THE MATTER PAUL HOPKINS If you think Donald Trump is bad – and he is; crass, misogynistic, and purveyor of non-truths – then you ain’t seen nothing yet in the guise of the new man who has stepped into the Republican ring as contender for America’s next president, Florida’s Governor Ron DeSantis. …
Everything but the win!
BY NIALL SHERRY, SPORTS EDITOR REVIEW Cats Croker bound for provincial decider Leinster Senior Hurling Championship Chadwicks Wexford Park Wexford 4-23 Kilkenny 5-18 It’s hard to know where to begin. This contest had a little bit of everything, a delayed start, goals galore, injuries, points, Eoin Cody at the treble, the enigmatic Lee …
Tullaroan Marathon
BY MICHAEL O’LEARY The Tullaroan Marathon is a staple in The June Bank Holiday Weekend Calendar and with the event making a welcome return last year following the Covid outbreak, this year’s event can expect to have greater numbers with participants registering from across Ireland and abroad. There is a variety of distances for anyone …
