News
COMPETITION WINNER
Joe Walsh draws the winning entry Thank you to everyone who entered our competition to win a €200 gift voucher, sponsored by The Kilkenny Observer. We were thrilled with the fantastic response and truly appreciate the support. A special word of thanks goes to Joe Walsh, who kindly assisted by drawing the winning entry. Congratulations …
Celebrate Christmas at Smithwick’s Experience – Festive Tours, Premium Experiences & Unique Gifts Await
Smithwick’s Experience Kilkenny is the perfect festive destination this Christmas and New Year. The award-winning visitor experience is open throughout the holiday season, closed only on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and St Stephen’s Day. Last minute shoppers looking for unique gift options such as personalised, engraved Smithwick’s pint glasses and other branded merchandise will revel …
Recreation in Old Callan
By John Fitzgerald (Part two) Another absorbing pastime in Callan was card playing. In the early years of the century, the only form of transport for the men who gathered to play “25s” was Shank’s Mare. The game was played both indoors- in homes and pubs- and in the open air. It was common up …
Danesfort out to topple Tipp champs!
Upperchurch pose threat to Noresiders final hopes BY NIALL SHERRY, SPORTS EDITOR SPORTSEDITOR@KILKENNYOBSERVER.IE AIB GAA Hurling All-Ireland Intermediate Club Championship Danesfort vs Upperchurch/Drombane Sunday, 2pm, Laois Hire O’Moore Park, Portlaoise Referee: Shane Hynes All roads lead to Portlaoise for Danesfort this weekend as they bid to secure a place in this seasons AIB GAA Hurling …
Christmas is not for everyone
BY CLAIR WHITTY Christmas is not for everyone, I say this every year. But it isn’t for everyone and there are many reasons for this. It might be that your family have grown up and left home and there are no children in the house anymore. It isn’t the same without the young ones, the …
Carol service at St Mary’s Cathedral
“It is always wonderful to be part of a packed church, festive song and reflection.” So said Fr Dermot Ryan when he spoke at St Mary’s Cathedral last Sunday. Fr Dermot went on to say that a Carol service marks the start of the Christmas feeling and is a wonderful way of telling the Christmas …
Mick Dooley – an appreciation
Time spent in his company was joyous The recent death of Mick Dooley brought deep sadness to Kilkenny, both in the city and in the county. A popular gregarious man, Mick was a committed community activist, integral to many projects that enhanced our society’s fabric. He was a true stalwart and helped make Kilkenny, through …
Christmas Poems
Welcome to the fifth and final week in The Kilkenny Observer’s ‘2025 Christmas short story series’. We invited five Kilkenny based writers to submit a short story or poems each week, which we hope you have enjoyed. This week we welcome Catherine Cronin and The Kilkenny Involvement Centre. The Observer wishes to thank all contributors …
Great production at Visual for Amber and new book launched to celebrate 80 years
Photos of launch by Martin Doyle Carlow Little Theatre Society’s recent production of Gaslight, by Patrick Hamilton, which was staged in the VISUAL in October was a hit with local audiences and struck a cord, not only for its high production values, but it was also widely praised for tackling the subject matter synonymous with …
Director emphasises vital role and enormous contribution to the fabric of local life
Photos: jbs Last week, The Kilkenny Observer attended the social gathering and end of term party at the Fr McGrath Centre, Kilkenny. There was an international mix of people from around the world gathered. The occasion was the end-of-term Christmas social morning for the students of the English Language programme. What might have been an …
