There was much to celebrate in Kilkenny this week following the return home of our very own special Olympians who between them boasted a tally of three Olympic medals and two ribbons.
Ciara Trait, Conor Ryan, and Diarmuid O’Flynn truly did our country proud last week during their trip to Athens for the Special Olympics where they were in action in the bocce, the backstroke and freestyle.
If ever there were wonderful ambassadors for our country, they were on Team Ireland last week. Their was no end to the goodwill and camaraderie that surrounded the athletes and their families as they set off on a trip of a lifetime to Athens. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity for most of the people involved and one that they won’t ever forget. There are few us talented enough to represent our country in sports or anything else, and these athletes should be very proud of what they have achieved. We are so proud of them.
In other good news this week, sports reporter with the Advertiser, Angela Doyle and her partner Stephen Stuart welcomed their new baby, Steve, into the world — almost two weeks early — at a healthy 6lb 10oz. Mother and baby are doing great and we congratulate the lucky parents on their new arrival.
Last weekend saw a great day of fun and frolics in the Castle Park with La Sugradh taking place. Hoards of young children came along to play with the many games laid on and with the selection of small animals that were available to handle and touch. The event was a resounding success and luckily the weather held up, facilitating a wonderful day for all involved.
The summer is well and truly in swing now although our weather hasn’t been lending itself to this notion.
However, we are in fact two festivals down with just one more to go — Kilkenny Arts Festival. The final festival of our season was launched last week in Dublin and this week the box office opens its doors to the public. It is located on the High Street opposite the Book Centre and is quite unmissable in its decor!
There is yet another amazing programme of events on offer and once again the advice is to book early. Every year, the popular or most unusual events book out early and people are left disappointed that they missed specific events. Don’t let it happen this year to you — get your brochure and check out what you would really like to see, and get booking.
The theatre strand is always interesting and challenging in many respects — last year’s foot-washing experience was enjoyed by many, while the trip into wonderland in a wheelchair was greeted with both ecstasy and terror! Early booking is essential for these more unusual events and this year’s theatre offering is reported to be as interesting as last year’s so have a look at the programme.
The classical music strand is always enticing and this year we see the return of the festival choir which was warmly welcomed by all last year. Kaleidoscope is another event to look out for at the Design Centre which will see music from romantic and medieval musical eras combine with poetry and song from the modern day.
There is much to look forward to in the weeks to come and we will be pinpointing highlights on a weekly basis in our The Week section. This is a fabulous festival on our doorstep with events for adults and children — it’s not to be missed!
