Mayor’s annual Christmas Charity Fundraiser
Mayor John Coonan launched the 2025 Mayor’s annual Christmas Charity Fundraiser last week. Speaking with The Kilkenny Observer, Cllr Coonan said that for many in our community, the approach of Christmas can be a frighteningly difficult time “struggling to put a meal on the table or being able to to buy even a small gift …
Shamrocks late show sees them nick final berth
Wexford’s St Martin’s next up for Henry’s men BY NIALL SHERRY, SPORTS EDITOR SPORTSEDITOR@KILKENNYOBSERVER.IE AIB Leinster Club SHC Semi-Final Shamrocks Ballyhale 1-18 Clough Ballacolla 1-15 As expected, Laois champions Clough Ballacolla pushed Shamrocks Ballyhale all the way in their Leinster semifinal encounter in UPMC Nowlan Park last Sunday. When Laois legend Willie Dunphy fired over …
Carmel Kealy Remembers…
By John Fitzgerald (Part two) (Carmel Kealy’s recollections of life in early 20th century Callan provide a fascinating insight for people of present and future generations. Part one can be read on the Observer website.) It was Carmel’s father, Pat Maher, who built the houses on the Callan Green in 1914-at the behest of the Town …
Those that fought didn’t just sacrifice their life – they sacrificed their future
Photos: jbs Each year, on Remembrance Day, millions of people take a moment’s silence to remember those who have died in wars across the world. On Remembrance Sunday, many services across the world take place at churches, memorial sites and cenotaphs to commemorate fallen soldiers, comrades and civilians lost to conflict. Many of our older …
Shamrocks look to un-Laois power against Clough-Ballacolla
Leinster final berth awaits Sunday’s winners BY NIALL SHERRY, SPORTS EDITOR SPORTSEDITOR@KILKENNYOBSERVER.IE AIB Leinster Club SHC Semi Final UPMC Nowlan Park, Sunday 1:30pm Shamrocks Ballyhale vs Clough-Ballacolla UPMC Nowlan Park is the venue for the semi-final clash between Kilkenny kingpins Shamrocks Ballyhale and Laois champions Clough-Ballacolla this Sunday (Throw-in 1:30pm). Both sides know that securing …
Ireland’s Oldest Brass Band Celebrates Centuries of Music
Graiguenamanagh’s historic Brass Band has celebrated its centuries-long legacy with a jam-packed weekend of music and memories. Proudly established in 1760, the oldest Brass Band in Ireland performed to more than 300 people in Abbey Hall on October 18th and 19th. The event featured an exhibition of historic music books, photographs, uniforms and memorabilia, charting …
Sinéad Keane – A girl of ambition
By Ger Cody Photos jbs As people made their way to the St Canice’s Neighbourhood Hall at the Butts Green, fireworks lit the sky overhead. It was Halloween night – Oíche Shamhna. The term literally translates to ‘Samhain Eve’ referring to the ancient Irish festival of Samhain, which marked the end of summer and the …
Stars Shine at the Weekend
It was an action-packed weekend for Kilkenny Stars teams across a variety of competitions and all over the country. After the heroics of our U18 Ladies the previous weekend, up stepped our U20 Ladies this weekend with a home draw against Dublin Raiders in the Ken Clarke U20 National Cup Competition. The Stars put in …
Kilkenny Science Festival 2025 breaks all records
Kilkenny Science Festival attendances have broken all previous records, preliminary figures show. As many as 4,500 people attended an extended programme of events run in schools, pubs, a theatre, a museum, Kilkenny Castle and elsewhere and extra room had to be added at several venues to accommodate public demand, Nollaig Healy, Project Manager with CALMAST, …
A wrong number and I knew I’d lost my Penny
The Kilkenny Observer Newspaper is delighted to present our ‘2025 Christmas short story series’. We invited five Kilkenny based writers to submit a short story or poems each week, which we hope you will enjoy. This is the Observers fifth year promoting creative writing in the community. We welcome Dr Joseph Kearney to week one …
