News
Rodney Crowell & Big Star Quintet lead 2026 Smithwick’s Roots Festival Line-up
Ireland’s premier Americana and roots festival returns to Kilkenny from 1–4 May 2026 Kilkenny, Ireland – Ireland’s leading Americana and roots music event, the Smithwick’s Kilkenny Roots Festival, returns for its 28th edition from 1–4 May 2026, bringing an outstanding line-up of international artists from America, Europe and the UK to venues across Kilkenny’s historic city …
Lake navigate The Weir to present classic theatre
By Tom Dayton Photos: Ken McGuire Growing up in Clare in the 1980’s, two topics were always up for discussion. Traditional Irish music, and Fairies. Mind you they were never referred to as fairies. Rather, they were addressed as ‘The Good People (An Dea Daoine) for fear of insulting them. The music, whether in Miltown …
Environment Department Launches Anti-Dumping and Anti-Litter Campaign Across Kilkenny
The Environment Department of Kilkenny County Council has launched a new public awareness campaign aimed at tackling illegal dumping, fly-tipping and littering across the city and county. The campaign, which will run over the coming months, features a series of short online videos highlighting well-known locations throughout Kilkenny that have been adversely affected by illegal …
Natural Menopause
BY CLAIR WHITTY The journey from perimenopause to post can be an easy one with very little symptoms or a difficult one dealing with everything that could be thrown at you. Symptoms can include anxiety, low mood, memory and sleep problems, or aches and pains. You might not suspect perimenopause just yet. Hot flushes and …
Shoot-out at Garryricken
By John Fitzgerald (Part three) In March1921, six members of the Callan IRA Flying Column sought shelter at the Luttrell farmhouse: Paddy Ryan, Ned Aylward, Jimmy Leahy, Paddy Luttrell, Sean Quinn, and Jim McKenna. The Luttrell family welcomed them and the spent the night in the unoccupied Garryricken House. But someone had tipped off the Tans …
Spring Into Storytime – April at Kilkenny Libraries
Kilkenny County Council Library Service is delighted to launch Spring into Storytime 2026, an annual Irish library initiative running throughout April that celebrates children’s love of books and storytelling. Spring into Storytime is part of the national Right to Read programme, which encourages family reading and supports literacy development for children of all ages. Sophie …
Kilkenny Filmmakers Gather for Artist Connect Day
Filmmakers and creatives from across Kilkenny will gather this April for the Artist Connect Film Day, a one-day event focused on collaboration, discussion and developing new work. Taking place on Saturday, April 11th, 2026, from 10am to 5pm at Thomastown Community Centre, Marshes Street, Kilkenny, the event will be hosted by writer and filmmaker Gillian …
EASTER CEREMONIES
GOOD FRIDAY, 3RD APRIL 12.00 noon Stations of the Cross, St. John’s Church 12.00 noon Stations of the Cross, Foulkstown Church 3.00 p.m. – THE LORDS PASSION St. Canice’s Church St. Fiacre’s Church St. John’s Church St. Patrick’s Church Bishop Ger Nash will celebrate The Lord’s Passion in St. Mary Cathedral 7.00 p.m. Stations of …
Easter old and new
CHOICES SHAPE YOUR FUTURE By Judith Ashton Like many people I never know when Easter will be because it moves every year. The Christian reasons for this were determined centuries ago by The Council of Nicea. It decreed that Easter had to fall on the first Sunday following the first full moon of the spring …
Brains v. belief and the Holiday Psalms
FURTHERMORE By Gerry Moran I was quite taken aback when I first learned that Easter was more important than Christmas. How in God’s name, I wondered, could the Easter Bunny be more relevant than Santa Claus? Obvious, I guess –Easter is the most important religious festival because Jesus was born at Christmas but He rose …
