Celebrating Ukrainian Independence Day in Kilkenny
On 24 August 2025, the heart of Kilkenny was bathed in blue and yellow as more than 300 people assembled on The Parade to commemorate Ukraine’s 34th Independence Day. It was a deeply bittersweet celebration—a vibrant mix of joyful performances and heartfelt reflection that spoke of freedom, resilience, and solidarity. A spokesperson for the Ukrainian …
Kilkenny Bereavement Support: Thirty Five Years of Compassionate Care
For over three decades, Kilkenny Bereavement Support has been a quiet cornerstone of compassion and understanding in the local community and beyond. The voluntary organisation, founded in Kilkenny more than thirty years ago, offers free, confidential support to those experiencing the pain of bereavement. At the heart of the service lies a simple but profound …
Brewing up a storm with Gerard (aka Gerry)
FURTHERMORE By Gerry Moran So, fame at last. Kind of. I have recently been shortlisted. For the Booker Prize? No. For the Nobel Prize for Literature? Don’t be daft. I have been shortlisted – or at least my name, Gerard, has – for the name of a possible upcoming storm! So, Gerry, or rather, Gerard, …
So, will that be cash then sir, or Zippay?
BY JOHN ELLIS, FINANCIAL ADVISOR In a significant development for Ireland’s financial sector, AIB, Bank of Ireland and Permanent TSB have announced plans to launch Zippay. An instant mobile payments service to be launched in early 2026. This initiative is aimed at counteracting the rapid rise of fintech competitors such as Revolut and is a …
Boosting brain health tips for college students
BY CLAIR WHITTY What can we do to boost our brainpower, especially for students going back to college? Discover the key factors that can boost cognitive function and focus, empowering you to reach your full potential and set yourself up for success. The brain contains more than 100 billion cells working together to process information, …
Time to celebrate the lengthening of life
AS I SEE IT BY MARIANNE HERON You might think that one of the greatest achievements of the last century, a gain of 30 extra years of life, would be celebrated from the roof tops. But, instead, those extra years are more frequently perceived in negative terms, with whinges about the cost of pensions and …
All or nothing!
Relegation on the minds of many as round 5 arrives BY NIALL SHERRY, SPORTS EDITOR SPORTSEDITOR@KILKENNYOBSERVER.IE St. Canice’s Credit Union Senior Hurling League Tomorrow sees round 5 of this season’s St. Canice’s Credit Union Senior Hurling League following the ‘Electric Picnic break’. Not that any of our senior clubs would have been downing hurls and …
Country folk and the Emergency
BY JOHN FITZGERALD (Part One) Farmers kept the country “fed and watered” throughout the Emergency years (1939-45). So recalled Nell Leahy. They coped better than most urban dwellers with the wartime restrictions and shortages, she confirmed, being well used to riding bikes or pony and traps in preference to motor cars, having their own meat …
Nature-inclusive parks and open spaces key objectives under Kilkenny Biodiversity Action Plan
18 month-long consultation between statutory agencies, landowners, elected members, biodiversity specialists and communities already reaping rewards Kilkenny is leading by example with its comprehensive Kilkenny County Biodiversity Action Plan 2025-2030, committing to record, conserve and restore habitats, protect and, where possible, restore ecological corridors. The five-year Action Plan unveiled at Woodstock Gardens & Arboretum, Inistioge, …
The Black Abbey and the drama of religion over eight centuries
Photos by Ken McGuire PM O’Sullivan The Black Abbey, one of Kilkenny’s treasures, possesses a quiet magic. Fr Damian Polly, the current Prior, immediately noticed this quality on his arrival two years ago. “A lot of people get that sense of peacefulness,” he nods. “Even the tourists. They are sort of brought up short by the …
