KILKENNY -- Mirroring incidents reported in Dublin during St Patrick's Day, Carmel Hayes gives front page coverage to several violent attacks in Kilkenny on the national holiday.¹ The effects of violence trickle over to the editorial page where it is the lead editorial. The second editorial meekly endorses bin charges. On the same page, a letter questioning the "Future of Rothe House" contains more words than either editorial.²
Two other articles play out on the front page.
- "James Taylor to play in Nowlan Park in July."
- Two Kilkenny players were hospitalised following the hurling team's win in Ennis. John Knox explains they may be sidelined for an important test against Dublin.³
Eight other items merit front page mention.
- Parents fight for school: Katherine Blake spoke to a group of Kilkenny parents about their battle to win funding for a school for autistic children in Goresbridge.
- The People's Champion: The City of Kilkenny has named a new scheme of houses Tommy Martin Place, honouring th man who served as mayor, councillor and nurse.
- A free 16-page agriculture supplement falls out of the paper.
- Joyful Joanne: Kilkenny sprinter Joanne Cuddihy has been named as the EBS Young Athlete of the Year for 2003. Her picture appears in the paper four times this week.
- Smoking ban: It will hurt local business, according to a survey the newspaper conducted.
- Cocaine plea: A 39-year old Bolivian man pleaded guilty at Kilkenny Court to having a large quantity of cocaine for sale or supply. The used car salesman pleaded guilty through an interpreter.
- Kilkenny first: Michael Lyng claimed top honours for the Number One Dealership in the European Mitsubishi network.
- Match of the day: A Kilkenny club received a home draw in the semi-final of the FAI Junior Cup. The competition involves 650 teams. The big date with Carrick United is on Easter Sunday at Derdimus Park.
There is no mention of a pig on the front page of the paper, but the "lonesome rasher" gets a half-page given by Jim Rhatigan, including the largest picture in the weekly paper.
Nine pictures are on the front page, including two females, three males, jewellery, shoes and an elephant. None of Tom Brett's excellent pictures of St Patrick's Day parades make the front page. Eleven of them fill page 10 this week.
Seven advertisements make the front page, featuring offers for jewellery, brunch, kitchens,burglar alarms, and clothing.
When Edwina Grace posed her "voxpop" question about Mother's Day to eight people, she tallied three sets of flowers, two cards, one drive in the country, one lottery ticket and one "something special."
Josephine Gräfin Plettenberg says this St Patrick's Day in Graignamanagh was her "best St Patrick's Day parade ever."
¹Carmel Hayes -- "Garda appeal after vicious city assaults"
²John Kirwan, Ardeevan Cottage, Sorrento Close, Dalkey, County Dublin, Ireland.
³John Knox -- "Shefflin and Mullally doubtful for crunch tie against Dublin"
Info extracted from The Kilkenny People, March 26, 2004
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