Jim Rhatigan
JOINT editor, Jim Rhatigan, is in local journalism for almost 43 years. He spent over 38 years with The Kilkenny People before joining The Kilkenny Voice as editor. He started his career as a cub reporter in 1967.
A keen sportsman, he was a founder member of Emfa, now Kilkenny City Football Club in 1966, and is still actively involved with City which is a member of the Eircom U20 League. Rhatigan was manager of the Emfa team which beat Finn Harps in the National League Shield final at Oriel Park, Dundalk in 1987.
Married to the former Ann Shanahan of Haltigan Terrace, Kilkenny, he has a daughter, Andrea who lives in Fatima Place, Kilkenny, and a son, James.
He is a teacher of journalism at Ormonde College, Ormonde Road, Kilkenny. Rhatigan was born in October, 1950.
Stories from Jim Rhatigan
Liam (18) loses fight for life
Liam Anthony Phelan of Deans Court, Waterford Road, Kilkenny City, passed away late on Wednesday.
He was only son of Liam and Ann Phelan. His dad Liam is a prominent Kilkenny publican. He has been involved with Paris Texas, The Boston Bar and is now boss at Tynan’s Bridge Bar, John’s Bridge, Kilkenny.
Funeral Mass is tomorrow, Friday at noon in St Fiacre’s Church, Loughboy, Kilkenny, followed by cremation at The Island Crematorium, Ringaskiddy, County Cork.
Home is private. Family flowers only. Donations, if desired, to The Carlow/Kilkenny Home Care Team.
Happy Sinead celebrates 21st
CASTLECOMER girl Sinead Byrne celebrated 21 years with a party for family and friends in Shortall's Pub.
Locals turned out in force for an evening of music, song and dance to mark the special birthday of the student of dance.
Sinead is daughter of Jimmy and Eileen Byrne. Also present at the party were her sisters Aisling and Collette and brothers Gordon and Barry.
Welcome home for All-Ireland champions!
THE FINAL has yet to be played but already the people of Kilkenny are planning a huge welcome home for the All-Ireland kings!
Talented trational band, Na Fianna are in the final of RTE's All-Ireland Talent Competition which will be screened live on March 12.
Just two days later big numbers of local people are expected to gather at Springhill Court Hotel for the official welcome home party for the young band.
In the meantime people are being asked to support the band by voting for them on final night.
Big turnout for Small Firms' boss
PATRICIA Callan, director of the Small Firms’ Association was lunch guest of Kilkenny Women’s Business Network on Monday.
Ms Callan spoke about the actions that firms need to take to survive the recession. Over 40, including three men, attended the Rivercourt Hotel.
Ms Dee Gibney, President of the Kilkenny Women’s Business Network, also spoke.
Soccer shocker as Tullaroan triumph
As Sunday approached, the big interest would have been in the city derby for a place in the semi-final of the Pat Maher Shield. But as weekend results filtererd in, it was the cup shock that proved to be the talking point as Tullarown, better known for their hurling prowess, made Kilkenny soccer sit up and take notice.
Had the bookies taken an interest in the game in Tullaroan, Deen Celtic ‘A’ would have been firm favourites to carry on. In fact it would not have been worthwhile placing a bet on them, the odds would have been so small.
Local lad heads Dundalk winner
KILKENNY'S Gary Breen headed an injury time winner for his new club as the FAI National League kicked off on Friday.
Gary, who was with Galway United last season, is now with Dundalk and supporters of the Louth club were delighted when he popped up with a late, late header to snatch the points from Bray Wanderers with the only goal of the game.
Audio All-Stars for Kyteler's Inn
TOP CLASS Kilkenny musician and entertainer John Travers will be among the stars when The Audio All-Stars play Kyteler’s Inn on Friday, March 26.
John has been on the music scene since he was a young boy. He started with The Fifth Degree, played for several big bands, played in Switzerland and gigged with some of the top musicians in the world.
He is originally from Fatima Place and will be remembered as a huge supporter of Emfa, later Kilkenny City, in their fledgling days at Buckley Park.
Brave Loreto Convent escape to victory
A MAGNIFICENT display of second half defending helped Loreto Convent, Kilkenny to a narrow win over BCS, Lismore in Ardfinnan, County Tipperary on Satuday.
The Kilkenny school won the Senior 'A' Schools' All-Ireland camogie crown with a gutsy showing in which they just managed to stave off the challenge of their determined opponents.
Final score was Loreto, Kilkenny 2-5, Lismore 1-7.
Loreto girls bid for hockey crown
LORETO Convent, Kilkenny, is battling to add a national hockey title to the recently won camogie crown.
The senior girls’ team from the Kilkenny City school has just won the South Eastern Final and now faces a group play-off for the Kate Russell All-Ireland Cup.
A great night to be Irish!
IT WAS wonderfully apt that a CD of traditional Irish music should be launched in a pub called Irish’s in Kilmacow, Co Kilkenny.
Sin é is a treat of music and song by Mursheen and Sean Chairde. It is a 19-track CD that has many favourites, including Rose of Allendale, Isle of Innisfree, Cliffs of Doneen, The Rose of Mooncoin and, naturally, Mursheen Durkin.
Locals turned up in big numbers for the launch by the popular quartet who play a mix of musical instruments and sing some superb ear pleasing harmony.
Magic Martin meets his match
MAGIC Martin Comerford, the hurling hero of thousands of Kilkenny supporters, met his match this Friday afternoon.
The 6’4” forward who has five senior All-Ireland hurling medals, married his sweetheart, Paula Egan, a staff member at Field’s Jewellery, MacDonagh Junction, Kilkenny City.
The couple were wed at St Canice’s Church, Kilkenny. A reception was held at Langton’s Hotel, John Street, Kilkenny.
No day for ’Shocks as Gaelscoil triumph
THURSDAY wasn’t a good day for the primary school girls’ Gaelic football team in the Carrickshock area of South Kilkenny.
The local girls were determined to put on a good show against the visiting Gaelscoil from Kilkenny City but it was the city girls who proved the stronger.
The Carrickshock side has some very young players but despite being outclassed by Gaelscoil on the day, they put their hearts and souls into the game and did their parish proud.
Hats off to brilliant ICA women!
CAKES and hats dominated at Kilkenny ICA celebrations to mark a century of their national women’s organisation.
St Kieran's crash in rousing Leinster final
St Kieran’s College 0, Salesians, Celbridge 2
CONCEDING a goal after only five minutes, St Kieran’s College had to fight an uphill battle against a physically stronger and more mature Salesians of Celbridge, at Leah Victoria Park, Tullamore today, Wednesday.
RTE's Helen leads Kilkenny Parade
RTE journalist Helen Carroll is to be the Grand Marshal at this year’s St Patrick’s Day Parade in Kilkenny City.
The Kilkenny woman who has been with RTE’s flagship agricultural programme ‘Ear to the Ground’ is daughter of the late Ted Carroll, a Kilkenny hurling legend and former secretary of the Co Board of the GAA.
The parade launch at Kilkenny on Monday was told that the guest of honour will be the Mayor of Kilkenny’s twin town Moret sur Loing in France, Monsieur Patrick Septiers.
Tots enjoy true spirit of soccer
EVERY little boy and girl who togged out was a winner as the true spirit of soccer was highlighted at a local U10 game.
The dream is over for Freebooters
FREEBOOTERS fell behind in their FAI Junior Cup tie against Leeside FC in Cork.
Leeside had the greater percentage of play in the first half but after 30 minutes the game was still scoreless as a brave Blues rearguard stood firm.
Then just six minutes later the bubble burst when Leeside were awarded a penalty for a trip in the area and goalkeeper Graham Doyle had no chance. Doyle was booked after the incident.
* Freebooters almost grabbed an equaliser three minutes from half time with a great effort on goal by Craig Wall but the home goalkeeper saved the day for Cork.
Memorable night for wheelchair students
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A NIGHT of celebration for the Kilkenny branch of the Irish Wheelchair Association (IWA) attracted a bumper crowd to the IWA headquarters on the Callan Road, Kilkenny.
It was a memorable for families and friends of students who were presented with certificates following the Skills Development Programme, accredited by FETAC.
The certificates were presented by Ms Mairín O'Shea of FETAC.
The enjoyable evening concluding with dancing to Frank Salmon's Memphis Cats.
Wonderful reunion as Josie meets Brendan
A SMASHING Kilkenny woman has been reunited with her lifetime hero.
Josie Cummins, shortly to be 81, met veteran showband singer Brendan Bowyer when he sang in Springhill Court Hotel.
She was delighted to get together with a brilliant blast from the past, a man she really enjoyed listening and dancing to in her younger years. And once more she was impressed by what she described as Brendan’s wonderful singing voice.
Josie told the singer of how her husband, as a young man, had helped boarders from a local school climb the school walls to attend a dance at which he was the big attraction.
Snow balls!
A HEAVY snowfall put paid to the first big hurling match of the year at Semple Stadium, Thurles, tonight, Saturday.
The much awaited light fantastic Allianz National Hurling League tie between arch rivals Tipperary and Kilkenny was postponed in the interest of safety by referee Barry Kelly.
At the scheduled throw-in time of 7.30pm the snow was pelting down but the match official said that he would start the match if the snow stopped within 15 minutes.
If anything the downfall got worse and within minutes it became obvious that the beautifully bright Semple Stadium would soon be plunged into darkness.
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