News
Carmel Kealy Remembers…
By John Fitzgerald (Part four) (Carmel Kealy’s recollections of life in early 20th century Callan provide a fascinating insight for people of present and future generations. Part one, two and three can be read on the Observer website.) Johnnie Roughan did odd jobs around the town and was fond of a jar. He was noted …
Brother Dunne: a true follower of Edmund Rice
By John Fitzgerald Past pupils of the old Callan CBS have said goodbye to a popular Christian Brother. Brother Jim Dunne, formerly of Portarlington Co. Laois, who taught at the secondary school in Callan in the 1970s, died peacefully on November 4th at St. Patrick’s Care Centre, Baldoyle. The Christian Brothers have been ravaged by the …
GRAIGUENAMANAGH’S GRAND OPENING
On Friday, 6th December, at 3:00 p.m., Graiguenamanagh GAA Club will celebrate a major milestone in its history with the official opening of its newly constructed Clubhouse Extension and state-of-the-art Gym at Dr. Tierney Park, Harristown, Graiguenamanagh. The ceremony will be performed by Mr. Jarlath Burns, Uachtarán CLG, whose presence marks the significance of this …
McGuinness Welcomes “Badly Needed Clarity” from Uisce Éireann on Water and Wastewater Projects Across County Kilkenny
Fianna Fáil TD for Carlow–Kilkenny, John McGuinness, has welcomed what he describes as “clear and comprehensive answers” from Uisce Éireann following a detailed series of questions he submitted on the status of water and wastewater infrastructure in Inistioge, Bennettsbridge, Rower, and across County Kilkenny. Deputy McGuinness said the information provided “brings much-needed transparency to long-standing concerns …
Rise and shine, with compassion and energy
The heart of a volunteer is not measured in size, but by the depth of the commitment to make a difference in the lives of others. Ireland is well known for its volunteerism and it comes in various shapes and sizes. Travel to any county, small town or village and you will find such a …
Christmas calls us to bring our own gifts and talents as treasure to others
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. For week two we welcome Castlecomer native Niamh …
Christmas commercials and Molly Malone
FURTHERMORE By Gerry Moran Christmas is coming. Coming! Christmas has been coming since the last of the ‘Trick or Treat’ kids skipped down our driveway with monkey nuts, sweets and some loose change. In fact, Christmas was coming even sooner. I saw Christmas cards in a certain supermarket in mid-October. Ridiculous! The first time I …
Black Friday: now, we’re boxing clever …
BY JOHN ELLIS, FINANCIAL ADVISOR This year’s Black Friday (November 28) will be quieter, according to PwC. A recent survey of 2,000 Irish consumers shows planned spending falling 14% to €283 from €329 in 2024. Almost three-quarters of those surveyed (73%) intend to spend the same or less than last year. And only 14% expect …
Crunch time for creches over funding
AS I SEE IT BY MARIANNE HERON If I were a working parent with crèche-going children, I would be praying for an available granny. Or maybe I would think of migrating to France where ecoles maternelles for three-t0-six-year-olds are State funded and free and crèches for under 3s are generously subsidised. Headlines about threatened crèche …
Huffing and puffing: another house plan
THE FACT OF THE MATTER BY PAUL HOPKINS It would be laughable if it were not serious. I think of The Three Little Pigs, the story I tell my granddaughters, and how the Big, Bad Wolf “huffs and puffs and blows their house down”. There was a lot of political huffing and puffing when the …
