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 …
The Right Reverend Monsignor Kieron J. Kennedy
Monsignor Kieron J. Kennedy, Parish Priest of Freshford, Co. Kilkenny and Episcopal Vicar for Social and Family Affairs, died unexpectedly, but peacefully, at his residence on Tuesday, 10th June 2025, in his seventy-fifth year. THE EARLY YEARS Born in Dublin, where his father was a serving member of An Garda Síochána and where Daniel J. …
Unhappy Island to open at the Powerhouse, Callan
Saturio Alonso is exhibiting a selection of works at The Powerhouse, Callan, Co. Kilkenny. Using paper, leather and wood, Unhappy Island can be seen as a cabinet of curiosities, an eclectic collection of objects. As in an ethnographic museum, the objects in the exhibition were created raiding personal memories in what can, ironically, be defined …
Remembering Thom McGinty, the iconic Diceman
FURTHERMORE By Gerry Moran This year marks the 30th anniversary of the death of Thom McGinty, The Diceman, who died at the untimely age of 42. Thom was renowned on the streets of Dublin in the 1980s and early 1990s for his outrageous costumes and poses; he was also a regular visitor to Kilkenny when …
Digital currencies … and financial meltdowns
BY JOHN ELLIS, FINANCIAL ADVISOR From rural Tipperary to running Stripe, a $100 billion payments giant, Patrick Collison is a proud Irish success story. In March he told a US congressional committee that stablecoin, a digital currency tied to real money like the dollar or euro, could make the US dollar the top dog in …
A guide to B complex vitamins
BY CLAIR WHITTY There are eight B-complex vitamins, and they are known either by their numerical name or another name for example B1 is Thiamin, B2 is Riboflavin. Vitamin B1, Thiamin plays a critical role in energy metabolism, and therefore, in the growth and development of cells. Vitamin B2, Riboflavin is a key component of …
Why not give 16-year-olds the right to vote?
AS I SEE IT BY MARIANNE HERON Cross the Border into the North and things change. For one thing your average life expectancy will be two years less in the North, you will have far less chance of having Third Level education – in the South we are just about the most educated nation in …
School’s back – so are those hoary old chestnuts
THE FACT OF THE MATTER BY PAUL HOPKINS Ted: “I never miss the Lovely Girls Festival. My absolute favourite time of year. How is Miss Lovely Girl doing?” Organiser Fr Damo: “Ted, we had to strip her of her title. We found out she’d been in a film called Stallion Farm…” Fr Ted, chuckling: “I …
Crowds Flock to Kilkenny Classic Show
The Kilkenny Motor Club’s Annual Classic and Vintage Show took place yesterday, drawing huge crowds to St. James’ Park for one of the county’s most eagerly awaited events of the summer. It was a colourful celebration of motoring heritage, with rows upon rows of lovingly maintained vintage cars, polished classic models, and gleaming motorbikes catching …
Congratulations to Tom Gill, Kilsheelin
Congratulations to Tom Gill, Kilsheelin who was the inaugural winner of the Irene Purcell Memorial Cup for his wonderful upcycling project, repurposing an old ironing board into an amazing garden sculpture and planter.
