Personal Milestones and Pesky Cameramen!!

Twenty years later, and I finally got to complete a 10k. road run. Thanks largely to a night on the canvass, when I met Irene Hennebry, whose husband Peter runs the fine Evergreen Football club blog, I volunteered for the Kilkenny City Harriers Road race series. This started with a two mile run, which yours truly had missed on that very night, and continued with a four mile and then last week, a five mile run. These leave the Smithsland retail centre near the Woodies shop on the Kilkenny Ring Road, and continue out the Waterford road and up into the country roads of Grovine and Wallslough, before coming back down to home. The road is beautiful, and it's great to see fields of rape-seed showing that farmers are finally catching on to this biofuel.

Anyway, onto Monday afternoon, and a loose mid-life crisis to myself a few months ago that I would try the 10k distance for the Carer's Association, whose National headquarters is here in Kilkenny. The pressure was on, and I was delighted to make my longest distance since 1987. That year I had trained with friends for the Dublin City Marathon, only to get injured a week before the race.

So when I made it over the line in 52.25 on Monday (no sniggering you real runners out there), I was very happy indeed. Unfortunately, tonight means another six miles, and then three next week. Then, who knows. I'll keep going I hope,, and maybe try a half marathon next-any suggestions out there??

The final humility was to see the gregarious Limerick photgrapher, Dónal Foley of the Kilkenny Voice newspaper pointing his big wide angle lens-which was needed in my case- at me as I struggled to the line. I'll post his handiwork here later to give you all a good laugh, and to remind myself to leave the t-shirt on the next time-I did promise didn't I!! Meanwhile, tonight and a 58 minute 6 miles brought the half-marathon ambitions back to earth. The Radox eased the pain though-who knows?! Watch this space......

The next video-Aoife and a year's free pre-school education

Here's our next Youtube video, which needs equally little elaboration

This is Margaret-Reasons to change the Government Part 1

This video tells its own story- Commit yourself to voting for Michael O' Brien in Kilkenny, Jim Townsend in Carlow, or your Labour Party candidate anywhere in Ireland. It surely is time for a change!

ICE- Put it in your phone now

A recent visit to my school by the local Fire Service to educate children on the dangers of fire in their homes brought up a mention of a really simple campaign. The idea is to put a number in your phone called 'ICE' which stands for 'In Case of Emergency'. Here you place the number of the person who should be contacted by the Gardai, the fire service or medical staff should you be in an accident or emergency situation. This saves the emergency personnel the hassle of going through your phone book to find the right person. Go on-do it tiday. The lads in the local fire brigade tell me they're already using it.

Ar ais aris-Back at last-Are you with us?

I'm finally back to the Blogosphere after too long a break. It's that mad election time, and being in the backroom as well as on the doorstepsleaves precious little time for getting to the machine. Tonight I'd like to draw your attention to the latest chapter of the Labour Party's 'Make a Change' campaign. Here's Pat Rabbitte's latest video contribution from Youtube

The famous 'But, are you happy?' ad which had the Irish Times 'Eats, shoots and leaves' brigade getting their knickers in a twist about where the comma was placed, was followed by 'It's Time for a change-are you with us?' It seems almost quaint now to ask people to join a political party or to roll their sleeves up and get stuck into campaigning. The 85% of people who voted in France yesterday however should buck us up. There's no point whinging about what's wrtong with society if you're not going to try and change it. For some people, that will be as simple as getting out to vote on election day-that's the basic minimum you must do to affect change. The best way to use your vote is to vote Labour, a party with a real alternative vision. A vote for us will result in changing this rotten Government, whereas others who pretend to be on the left are hedging their bets about getting rid of Fianna Fáil and co.

You can go further and go out and actively work for your local Labour candidate. Here in Kilkenny we'll welcome anybody who wants to type responses to voters, put leaflets in through doors, or actually canvass, which is better craic than you might think. Have a look at what a straight talking Pat Rabbitte is outlining here and if you like what you see, sign on for the battle.

Seachtain na Gaeilge-An Póstaer is fearr gan dabht.

Aris an gá dom a thuilleadh a rá. Seo ó shuiomh Bebo Seachtain na Gaeile. Bain triail as.

Bongos and Boogie-Fair Trade Tunes

It was a great kick-off to Fair Trade Fortnight in Kilkenny last Thursday night as the irrepressible Sophia Westwick organised a novel Drummers V. D.J's night in Cleere's Pub. Cleere's was one of the first pubs in Kilkenny to start to stock Fair Trade tea and coffee, and helped put the whole campaign on the road. We returned therefore to the best little theatre in the country for a gathering featuring world music by D.J's Andy Harte and Yuvi and drummers led by Colm Byrne.

Some us needed some encouragement to get out and boogie but the reggae sounds of Bob Marley soon got even the most senior stalwarts into action. All in all it was a good night, raising a few euro in the process, and reawakening the spirits on the committee.

Next up is Wednesday night's fashion show in Langton's. Fair Trade clothing is a new area, with people like Ali Hewson, wife of God (sorry I mean Bono) one of the highest profile designers in the marketplace, with her Edun range. People Tree is another company selling really good fashion online, with a cool animated ad to promote their products. One of my favourite multiples, if that's not a contradiction, Marks and Spencer's (they actually make clothes that fit people like me!) have also launched a Fair Trade range. On Wednesday night we join Burnchurch National School in a fund-raising fashion show, with mens and womens fashion items which are exclusively Fair Trade products. The committee have thankfully avoided being drafted as models, so we'll just be there to cheer on the volunteers. Well done to new member Niamh Mulvey who has put so much work into this and see you all in Langton's at 8.00 pm on Wednesday.

Gobshite of the month

No need to say much about this pic except that the future of so-called dissident republicanism is in safe hands- by the way this was snapped at the demo against the Croke Park battle against the 'ould enemy'. Tiocfaidh ár intleacht lá éigin luath.

Laethanta Draoichta i bPáirc an Chrócaigh

Is fada óna rabhas ag blogáil anseo i nGaoluinn, ach le Seachtain na Gaeilge agus sin uile ag druidim linn, tá sé in am dom. An chúis go bhfuilim ag scriobh an tseachtain seo ná an dá lá iontacha a chaitheas i gcomhlúadar cháirde agus clann i bPáirc an Chrócaigh le déanai. Bhios mar cheann de bhaill Chumann Lúthcleas Gael a chuir i gcoinne an dá riail seafóideacha a bhi inár dTreoir Oifigiúil (Leabhar rialacha an chumainn). Thosaios an troid i gCiarrai mar bhall de chlub an Choireáin, i gcoinne Riail 21 a chuir cosc ar bhaill na bpóilini sa tuaisceart nó sa Bhreatain a bheith mar bhaill an chumainn.

Is ait gur riailigh Seán Kelly, Cathaoirleach Bhord Chiarrai CLG ár rún as ord. Chun a bheith féareáilte leis, gan Kelly, mar Uachtarán CLG go dti anuraidh, gach seans nach mbeinn i bPáirc an Chrócaigh in aon chor le cúpla seachtaine anuas ag tacú le foireann rugbai na hÉireann gan é.

Cé go raibh an chluiche i gcoinne na Fraince an-stairiúil, is úafásach an toradh a bhi air, agus thóg an dá nóimead deireanach sin ó dhraiocht an lae. Cá fios anois conas a n-eireódh linn le Stringer agus an Drisceoladh!! Ar aon nós nach mbeadh sé deas dioltas a fháil i Stade de France i gcraobh an domhain!

Deireadh Seachtain den scoth-An almost ideal weekend

What a weekend gone by. My three passions in life(apart from the one who'll get the roses today), all rolled into three days, and with fabulous results, except for one two minutes.

It started on Friday night with probably my favourite music group of all time, the wonderful Moving Hearts. The line-up of Dónal Lunny, probably Ireland's most talented musician/producer/composer/director, Keith Donald, who can make a sax sing sweetly, Davy Spillane, master piper and whistler, the ever-smiling Eoghan O' Neill on the bass, and the super-percussive Noel Eccles on percussion and Brian Calnan on drums were joined on the night by Graham Henderson on keyboards and Anto Drennan on guitar. This was the music of my youth, therband I remember seeing at least forty times from the first occasion at Siamsa Kilkenny in Nowlan Park in 1981 I think.

One of my own personal stories relating to the Hearts occurred on my wedding day in Jenkinstown church, all of 17 years ago. The tune we had picked as a reflection piece after communion was a piece from 'The Storm', the instrumental album which the lads were celebrating on Friday. It was called 'Tribute to Peadar O' Donnell, written to celebrate the life of one of Ireland's inspirational Republican Socialists. Unfortunately, the parish priest of the time took exception to 'any tributes to communists in my church', and instructed that it not be played. A tune of another name, but bearing remarkable similarity to the arranged tune was played on the day. When I looked up at the concert in Vicar Street on Friday, who did I see except the Clara!!!! Piper, Billy Carrigan, who had played the tune on the day. Smiles all round:-)!

One of the dozens of faces I recognised was former Students Union leader, Giollaiosa Ó Lideadha, who was President of USI in 1985/86. Gizz, as we called him, is now one of the country's leading barristers, and still a charming rogue. The womens' heads still turn when he appears I noticed, although he has also kept his radical credentials alive. He even professes to occasionally reading this blog. He was also, mind you, the only USI President to send pics of himself out to every college, although he always claimed somebody else did. I remember there was a ferocious row about which union activist got to keep it! Anyway great to see you again Gizz, and it's time the USI lads organised a decent reunion again.

Back to the music, it was a fantastic gig, rolling back all the years with all of us slightly greyer, slightly fatter, slightly slower fans still lapping it up. As Eoghan quipped after a rocking version of 'McBrides', "Can we have two respirators and an ambulance please?" Here's to the Hearts taking to the road again, and maybe one or two of the former vocalists will join in. If ye can do Planxty lads, this shouldn't be too difficult!

Breakthrough at last-Policing for Slow Learners

So on Sunday, Sinn Féin finally joined the rest of Northern Ireland community and acceted the legitimacy of the newly created Police Service of Northern Ireland (I couldn't resist this funny photoshop Adams family pic which came from a friend by the way!!)


Now hopefully the process of moving on with real life in Northern Ireland can come closer. It seems astonishing that it is almost ten years since we voted so overwhelmingly for the Good Friday Agreement. The party I support in Northern Ireland, the SDLP,got it right, as usual, on policing from the start, signing up to the local police authorities across the North, and encouraging nationalists and republicans to join the force.






Now the so-called Republican leadership have at last followed suit. It's now up to the DUP to deliver. There is little doubt that the words of Gerry Adams yesterday in unequivocally advising communities to go to the police in the event of horrific crimes being carried out in their communities are historic. They didn't include a call to ship the killers of Robert McCartney, whose proud and battling sisters are pictured here with Labour Party Deputy Leader, Liz MacManus, however. It's time Adams and co. got off the pot in this regard, and that the Short Strand community did the right thing and deliver justice to the McCartney family.


Having met many members of the DUP in the last year and a half, while I represented the Labour Party in peace talks with the party through the Glencree Centre for Reconciliation, I get the strong feeling that the DUP know the end-game has arrived. I hope that Ian Paisley will seize the chance to prove so many people wrong, and to join in leading Northern Ireland forward in democracy.


For my part, as a Connolly Republican Socialist, I will continue to strive for a United Ireland, based on tolerance, diversity, and equality, as will my party and our sister party the SDLP. That is a legitimate political ambition for all Republicans on this island, and we must reclaim that title from the 'Shinners'. For now however, I hope to see Ian Paisley as first Minister, and Martin McGuinness as Deputy First Minister, although even typing these words seems strange. Of couse I hope to see my former student leader colleague. Mark Durkan, replace McGuinness, and the SDLP rewarded by the electorate of the North for their unstinting support of peace and democracy (oh and happy 70th. birthday John Hume). Ansin beidh ár lá tioctha faoi dheireadh.

Fear ann féin-The passing of Michael Meaney

Today is a sad day for the Labour Party in Carlow/Kilkenny, with the passing of our most senior councillor in the constituency. Michael Meaney from beautiful Borris on the Carlow/Kilkenny border passed away yesterday morning. We were due to have the Graignamanagh A.G.M. of the party yesterday afternoon, always one of the highlights of the year as it is one of the strongest and liveliest branches we have. Instead, the meeting paid tribute to Michael in a very fulsome way. Michael did after all represent the other side of the river Barrow, across the bridge in Tinnahinch, and many of the older members like John Bolger and Ned Fenlon remembered him bursting onto the scene in the early 70's.

Michael was known as a phenomenally hard worker, who built up an incredibly loyal support, topping the poll on all but one of the five or six local elections he contested. He also carried the banner for the party in the 1982 General election, polling almost 2,000 votes. He was never a boring figure, well able to win the headlines with sound-bites before they became a fashionable part of politics. He also had great wit, and took no prisoners in debate. He will be sorely missed by us all, and when his coffin is draped in the blue and white 'starry plough' flag of our party, he will have done more to earn that right than many others.

Fair Trade the programme that says it all

Back to the Fair Trade topic again. As I mentioned before, we succeeded in winning Fair Trade City status for Kilkenny over a year ago. Now we see more and more businesses adopting Fair Trade products. It's no longer confined to coffee and tea however, as many people think. In recent months, we've seen the yummy Ben and Jerry's ice-cream launch their Fair Trade Vanilla ice-cream which is widely available. Then in recent months, Superquinn (normally first into the breach to do the right thing) introduced Fair Trade wine onto their shelves. Like Fair Trade coffee, there's no back to the undrinkable days, however, and Los Robles red and white from Chile is decent stuff.

My reason for blogging tonight however is to bring you the news of the Worlds Apart programme from RTÉ Radio 1 over Christmas, which was a fair and hard-hitting analysis of Fair Trade, and its impact on third world producers. Anybody who has followed Rodney Rice as a presenter knows that he never accepts truisms, or popular causes without digging deep to find the truth. Have a listen to the programme here, and make up your own mind, and then hopefully get out and buy more Fair Trade products, or better again, come and join us in the Kilkenny campaign, or work to make your town or city a Fair Tade town.

Time to clean up the Breagagh

I was delighted that my motion calling for the clean-up of the River Breagagh was passed at last week's Borough Council meeting. The situation on the Breagagh has occupied me since I was elected, and I succeeded in having the Council staff do a substantial clean-up in the area near the Watergate and Blackmill Street Bridge. The Breagagh is an important feeder tributary for the River Nore and contributes fish life to the larger river. Unfortunately it is being neglected in many areas, and its wildlife is being choked. My friend and colleague Ian Coulter and his wife Daphne whose backyard almost reaches the riverbank, brought my attention to the disgraceful state of the river near their home in Rosehill Court. The ownership of the riverbank is one of the problems, and City Engineer, Kieran Fitzgerald is to examine the ownership for the residents on my behalf. He also promised me that he would ensure that the development of the area will be a central part of the roads plan of the Western Environs, which are being developed on the other side of the Breagagh. I will continue to pursue this matter and will work to defend the Breagagh for the future.

'Rosie's' Story- A National and Local Disgrace

Although I know Joe Duffy since student politics days, I rarely get to listen to his 'Liveline' show as I'm at work most days when it airs. All that changed this week however. I'm at home with a miserable viral bug, and I am listening to anything to take my mind off things. It was with huge interest then that I listened to Wednesday's show, when a caller called 'Rosie' phoned in from Kilkenny in extreme anger at the failure of our local health services to treat her in time for bowel cancer, which she has now been infrmed is treminal.

For you to make your own judgement, you can read Rosie's letter here, or listen to the podcast here where she reads it herself to the nation.

As it happens, I know 'Rosie', which is not her real name, and I share her anger at what happened to her. I'm a very strong supporter of St. Luke's and recognise the great work they are doing with very limited resources. I listened to Ian Wilson, the hard-working and dedicated surgeon in St. Luke's doing his best to defend the indefensible this morning on KCLR, and yesterday on Liveline. Ian explained the lack of resources in the hospital very well and fairly, but I would disagree fundamentally with his defence of the two-tier health system. Ian may be right that those admitted to St. Luke's are seen in order of need on the waiting lists, but he freely admitted this morning that those of us fortunate enough to have private health insurance can opt to cross the road to Aut Even hospital where he and others have private practices and can treat patients who can afford it in much shorter times. Hopefully 'Rosie' will kick start a debate locally and nationally on this Government's agenda on the Health system, which favours private care over public.

Athbhlian faoi shéan is faoi mhaise

A very happy new year to all those who pass here. Hopefully it will be a good one for you, your family, and friends.

Back to the reason for this blog-hopefully it will be a year of change for the good. In Kilkenny that will mean persuading as many of you and others as possible to vote for Michael O' Brien to be our next Labour TD, and to give your no. 2 to Jim Townsend, and right around Ireland to vote for your local Labour Party candidate to achive a society which is not just wealthy but fair also.

Along the way may there be plenty of craic, debate and liveliness is go mbeirimid beo ar an seo aris!

GOAL Mile- Working off the turkey ar Lá an Dreoilin

When I spotted that my favourite third world charity, GOAL, run by that indomitable fellow Southy Kerryman of mine John O' Shea, were holding their annual GOAL mile in Scanlon Park, our local council-run running track on St. Stephen's Day morning, I was delighted to volunteer to take part. Having spoken to Lisa O' Shea, John's daughter and a fair successor to her Dad in organisational terms, I was delighted to be able not alone to run the mile, but also to officially start proceedings as Deputy Mayor. Along with about 50 others I completed the mile at a reasonable pace and did a bit more to get rid of the excess from the day before. It was a beautiful morning in Kilkenny, and the phrase of another Kerryman, Micheál Ó Muircheartaigh, whose life story was told in a wonderful RTÉ documentary on Christmas Day was ringing in my ears- 'Nach iontach an lá é a bheith beo- Isn't it a great day to be alive'.

My thoughts went out too to those for whom our over-commercialised, stressed but very fortunate lives are a world away, particularly those in Darfur, for whom John and GOAL have campaigned so strongly. Well done to Frank, the local organiser, and the staff of Scanlon Park, particularly the master of the Boro (The GAA club not the council !) Martin Gaffney who gave his free time to open up and lock up. Hopefully the GOAL mile will be an annual feature of Christmas life in Kilkenny.

Christmas Really Begins-Bell, Book and Candle in the Cathedral

Last Sunday was the night when the Christmas season begins in style for a Kilkenny City councillor. The annual 'Nine Carols and Nine Lessons' service of the Church of Ireland community, but open to all takes place in the wonderful setting of St. Canice's Cathedral. It was presided over by the relatively new bishop, Michael Burrowes, whose consecration I unfortunately missed in February last. The singing by the cathedral choir, and by children from the Model National School was uplifting and the ideal start to the real Christmas-that of the sacred rather than the shopping frenzy and all that other madness.

The real treat came at the end of the night however, when we were invited into the bell tower, quiet a climb from the main church, where the bell ringers or 'change ringers' showed us their art in action. This was the first time that our council was invited into the private area of the church in its 400 year history. We then climbed a little higher to see the actual bells, which are up to 500 years old. Thanks a million to all the change ringers for their hospitality. I'd love to get there for the annual new year's ceremony on new year's eve at 11.30, followed by the midnight ringing of the bells.

By the way thanks to Harry Reid for the magic photos.

Murder in our midst-Sad farewell to Alan

I always said I'd try to blog it all, the good, the bad, and the ugly. Yesterday and today have had very little of the first, but far too much of the second and third. The murder of Alan Cunniffe, less than a quarter of a mile from our front door has left the city in shock, and me as a private citizen, and as a public representative deeply upset. In my 41 years so far, I've never personally known a person who was murdered until now, and I've also rarely known somebody with whom I struck up a genuine friendship in such a short time.

Alan was of course the son of a wonderful Roscommon man. Tom was the first Kilkenny City person I met when I was 'courting'. A trip to Tom's shop in John's Green resulted in my Kerry accent being immediately detected. Thus started a half-hour conversation about the 1980 All-Ireland final when Roscommon had thrown us the fourth of the 4 in a row. It also began a 15 year pattern of chats about football, which got more frequent when I moved here 5 years ago. You couldn't help liking Tom, and it was no surprise that Alan turned out to be a chip off the old block when he took over the reins last year, after Tom's early death from cancer.

The last 24 hours have been surreal. I had my last of almost daily chats with Alan on Thursday night when I picked up a few bits and pieces from the shop. In one of those moments which typified Alan, he sold a lotto ticket to the customer before me, and pressed a wrong button giving extra by mistake. He said he would buy the mistaken ticket himself, but I offered to buy my first lotto ticket in years. As I was the last customer of the night, Alan thanked me profusely for covering his mistake as he saw it. We had a brief chat and Alan asked after Mar and the kids, as always. Only a few nights earlier, Alan had spotted me walking away from the locked shop door a couple of minutes after closure at 9 o' clock. He immediately ran to reopen for the bottle of wine I wanted, not to make more money, but to provide a service to a customer. That summed him up.

I didn't believe yesterday that Alan would pass away in the few hours he was battling in St. Luke's Hospital. Talking to friends and neighbours today, they stressed the huge efforts made to save Alan's life. As for why Alan engaged his killer, who are we to know what entered Alan's mind in those fatal seconds or minutes. What I do know for sure is that protecting his family business, his workers interests, and standing up for all that is best in life was what Alan was all about.

This weekend is a tear-filled one for all of us in Kilkenny who were lucky enough to have known Alan as a friend, neighbour, and business man with a heart of gold. To his Mum Muriel, his brothers Declan, James, Enda and Thomas and to his sisters Anne, Muriel and Emily my heart-felt sympathy. Gan aon dabht oireann an sean ráiteas do Thomás Ó Criomhthain do Alan-'Ni bheidh a leithéid aris ann'. Slán go fóill Alan, go gcifimid a chéile aris.

Ceol Beo-Na Flowers hit town

I've blogged here about Hothouse Flowers in the past. They're my favourite Irish band of the 80's, and they have remained consistently one of the hardest-working bands of the nineties and early 21st century. It's hard to believe it's 22 years since the lads appeared as 'Fonn Tonn' to win Slógadh, singing blues as Gaeilge with a batch of trumpets, sax players etc. in a Blues Brothers set-up. They won the Dublin final by beating a John Denver/Stockton's Wing sub-standard set-up fronted by the current Deputy Mayor of Kilkenny!!

Soon after they were playing a very popular support to Fleetwood Mac open-air in the RDS, and seemed set to follow U2 as our next big breakthrough in international music. Despite the success of 'Don't Go', and a string of great songs, it never seemed to quite happen on that scale, but the lads remained huge favourites with Irish listeners, playing some of the best live shows I've ever seen.

They put on a great show last night in Lyrath Hotel, despite a very disappointing turnout on the stormy night it was. The sign of true pro's is that they always give it their all, and this politician and music fan has sore legs today from the bopping.

Mar leaideanna a labhair Gaeilge go fliúrseach, mar an chéad ghlúin do Ghaelscolaiocht sa tir, bhiodar mar eiseamláiri domsa agus mo chomhleacaithe a raibh ag casadh ar ais i dtreo na teangan. Choimeádadar dilis chomh maith don gceol traidisiúnta, á mheascadh mar chuid lárnach dár gceol úr féinigh.

Tá baint ar leith agam féin leis an ngrúpa, mar gur thugas ceann dos na céad gigs dóibh a sheineadar go poibli, i gcoláiste Froebel cúpla seachtain i ndiaidh dóibh Slógadh a bhuachaint. Nios tábhachtai fós, mhúineas cailini Fiachna Ó Braonáin agus Jadzia dár ndóigh (Kasia agus Liadain) i nGaelscoil Osrai. Is daoine iontacha iad araon.

Liam of course also gave us great help with the campaign against RTÉ's removal of the Rattlebag programme.

Revisiting that particular episode, I have given Derek Mooney a very patient few months, but I have to say that the programme is dire. The mish-mash of reality singing lessons, inane quizes and MOR music is exactly what we all feared. The promise to include loads of coverage of local arts events has disappeaered from my limited listening. The only saving grace is the Friday afternoon 'Mooney goes wild' section, which was already there anyway on Saturday. Meanwhile, the late-night arts offering by Pádraig Breathnach has great content, but how many people are listening. Even sombody like me who loves the arts rarely has the energy or inclination to listen so late. It will be interesting to see the next detailed JNLR figures. Maybe RTÉ and Anna Leddy might then have the good grace to admit they were wrong, and give us back Rattlebag or a similar programme in the waking hours.