Busy 80th anniversary year for Carlow Little Theatre
Carlow Little Theatre Society have announced a busy autumn drama schedule to close out the year, including a One-Act Season in early October, taking a play to the All-Ireland One-Act festival circuit, performing the renowned play Gaslight in the Visual on Oct 16th to 19th, an 80th anniversary, and the launch of a long awaited …
Hungry, lost and looking for a bed
FURTHERMORE By Gerry Moran Saturday 1.05 a.m. approx. I’m bedding down for the night. I switch off the inside lights, switch on the outside ones and check to see if there are any unsavoury characters lurking in the dark. There aren’t but what I do see is a black cat sitting outside my backdoor. A …
Relic of Saint Carlo Acutis comes to St. Canice’s Catholic Church
St. Canice’s Catholic Church is honored to announce that a first-class relic of Saint Carlo Acutis will be present at the 10am mass on Sunday September 28th. Saint Carlo Acutis (3 May 1991 – 11 October 2006) was an Italian Catholic teenager known for his deep devotion to the Eucharist and his pioneering use of …
Budget 2026: Supporting families without overheating Economy
BY JOHN ELLIS, FINANCIAL ADVISOR As we gear up for Budget 2026 on October 7, the government faces a tricky tightrope walk as it tries to support the vulnerable while avoiding overheating an already bubbling economy. It is time to prioritize smart, sustainable changes over flashy giveaways. We’ve enjoyed years of lump-sum payments, tax cuts, …
Have we reached a tipping point?
AS I SEE IT BY MARIANNE HERON The assassination of right wing commentator Charlie Kirk was described by Utah’s governor Spencer Cox as ‘A watershed moment.’ His words came as a warning to stop, take heed and realise that cataclysmic change is rapidly becoming irreversible. Like Malcom Gladwell’s ‘Tipping Point’, ideas can be like a …
Poets, musicians, and a mysterious “map” of Callan
BY JOHN FITZGERALD Fennelly’s of Callan has celebrated the first anniversary of its monthly Open Mic. The brainchild of poet/artist Julia Bohan, it aimed to create a new outlet for creative talent in the district. Over the past year, the old Hearse Room at Fennelly’s, once used to accommodate the dearly departed, has hosted a …
€3.985 Million secured to safeguard Kilkenny’s Historic Carnegie Library, McGuinness confirms
Local TD’s sustained lobbying secures major funding for heritage building’s restoration and new future as archives headquarters. Fianna Fáil TD for Carlow/Kilkenny, John McGuinness, has warmly welcomed the announcement of €3.985 million in government funding for the extensive refurbishment and repurposing of the historic Carnegie Library in Kilkenny. The significant investment, confirmed to Deputy McGuinness …
A blanket of memorial and outrage for Gaza’s Children
A130-foot-long-hand crocheted quilt in Palestinian colours of red, black, green and white was displayed on Saturday in Kilkenny City Centre. The quilt is a memorial made by women across Ireland, in solidarity against the genocide of Gaza’s children. The quilt has over 2,600 squares, each one commemorating 10 of the more than 26,000 children killed …
Country folk and the Emergency
BY JOHN FITZGERALD (Part three) (In his teens, Pat from Callan helped to thin a field of turnips, during the war time “Emergency”, and was distracted by girl also working in the field. You can read Part One on the Observer Website) Taking a break from the thinning, Pat and the girl chatted about their youthful aspirations …
MEDIEVAL MARATHON EXPERIENCE
Julie Anne Ryan is visiting her father’s hometown and competed in the Medieval Marathon on 13 September which happened to be the anniversary date of her police graduation back in 2006. Julie is a serving frontline police officer in Queensland Australia. Julie comes from a sporting background, her grandad Richard Joseph Ryan, who established R.J. Ryan …
