Sean Hurley

Joint Editor Sean Hurley has over fifty years experience in journalism. He started his career in the \\Kilkenny Journal, was invited to join the Kilkenny People as a senior reporter and went on to become Chief Reporter, News Editor, Deputy Editor and Editor. He did part-time work for the Kilkenny Voice and over the years did freelance work for all the national dailies, a number of cross-Channel titles including The Sunday Times, and also RTE and the BBC. He was instrumental in setting up the Print Journalism course in Ormonde College and still teaches classes there. He is a former winner of the Irish Provincial Journalist of the Year Award.

Sean is a Board member of the international relief organisation VITA, formerly known as Refugee Trust International, and he is Vice-Chairman of the Kilkenny-based professional theatre company Barnstorm. He is married to Noreen (Frawley) and they have five daughters, Martine, Karyn, Aisling, Cathy and Faye.

 

Stories from Sean Hurley

Council launches mentoring scheme for writers

By: 
Sean Hurley
FOLLOWING Kilkenny County Council's very successful 2009 Writer in Residence Programme, the Arts Office and Library Service are now launching a writers' mentoring scheme.

The programme will enable

Glanbia Co-op move gets IFA approval

By: 
Sean Hurley

THE PROPOSAL by Glanbia Co-Op to purchase the Irish business of Glanbia Plc has been described as a “welcome development” by Kilkenny IFA President John Bryan.

“The move holds out the prospect of outright farmer ownership of Ireland's largest milk pool as well as much greater direct farmer control of the Irish dairy industry, facilitating greater consolidation and cost efficiency”, he said this morning (Wednesday).

Mr Bryan said he and Dairy Chairman Kevin Kiersey would be meeting with Glanbia tomorrow (Thursday) morning to review the details of the negotiations and their implications for farmers both within Glanbia and nationally.

Union pickets Fleming's Kilkenny concert

By: 
Sean Hurley

A CONCERT by singer Tommy Fleming in the Watergate Theatre, Kilkenny, tonight (Friday) was picketted by members of the Musicians Union of Ireland.
The union is calling on the singer to comply with the findings of a Labour Court investigation which recommended that a member of the union be awarded a fee of €4,600.
The Court ruled that the MUI member was entitled to the fee after her performance contract was cancelled with less than 24 hours notice.
MUI Organiser Des Courtney explained to Kilkenny Alive that the freelance musician was engaged by TF Productions, a company controlled by Tommy Fleming, for various performances between January 16 and April 4 of last year.

Health plan would target waiting lists

By: 
Sean Hurley
DESPITE the best efforts of dedicated staff in Carlow-Kilkenny hospitals, many people are suffering and are in pain as they await critical tests and surgical procedures.

That was the 'sad message' of Senator John Paul Phelan at a Fine Gael public meeting on healthcare in Kilkenny, last night (Monday).

Hurlers gear up for big cycle

By: 
Sean Hurley
HURLING greats, past and present, and some of Ireland's top handballers were at the O'Neill Centre in Kilkenny this (Tuesday) morning to announce the final details of a major cycle event.

The entire 30-strong squad for last year's three-in-a-row All-Ireland hurling win are expected to be in the line-up for a 12 stage cycle spectacular around the city on March 6, in aid of Enable Ireland.

The Cats pedalling team will include current stars such as Henry Shefflin, Derek Lyng and Tommy Walsh, as well as former giants of the game DJ Carey, Joe Hennessy and Noel Skehan.

Jobs go as arts funding is cut

By: 
Sean Hurley
A SEVERE cutback in funding by the Arts Council will result in the loss of jobs at the Kilkenny-based professional theatre company Barnstorm

A special meeting of the Board of Directors on Monday night, ratified “with much regret” a revised budget and programme for 2010 which will mean the laying off of one full-time and two part-time workers.

Kilkenny village sets fundraising record

By: 
Sean Hurley
THE PEOPLE of a village on the Kilkenny/Laois border have become the biggest fundraisers in Ireland for the Third World charity Vita.

Volunteers from Ballyouskill in the parish of Ballyragget, who formed the Friends of Father Kevin Doheny group last year, have already raised over €20,000.

Lent: Say goodbye to negative emotions

By: 
Sean Hurley

AS LENT begins tomorrow, Wednesday, a leading Kilkenny-based author and complementary health practitioner has some novel suggestions for season resolutions

While many people choose Ash Wednesday to give up smoking, alcohol or chocolate and do something positive for their health during Lent, Breda Gardner suggests that people should consider giving up something completely different.

'Emotional' exhibition opens at The Watergate

By: 
Sean Hurley

A VISUAL journey through art which shows how emotions influence perception – always changing, unpredictable, always in motion – opens at the Upstairs Gallery of the Watergate Theatre on this Friday (February19).

Fundamentally, artist Katja Wittmer's latest work, shown under the title E(MOTION), deals with the motion of emotion.

Ghost Gallery looking for kindred spirits

By: 
Sean Hurley

A MOVE to build up an artist community in and around the area of the Coach Road – the hill leading up to St Canice's Cathedral in Kilkenny – is being initiated by the Little Ghost Gallery.

Lions pour a third of a million into community projects

By: 
Sean Hurley

SINCE the launch of their community help projects in 2002, the Kilkenny Lions Club have boosted the funds of local groups by a massive third of a million euros.

The latest beneficiaries are SOS Kilkenny, the Father McGrath Centre, Kilkenny Carers' Association, the Susie Long Fund and the Kilkenny Drugs Initiative.

And at a function in Bollard's Lounge, St Kieran's Street, last evening (Friday), representatives of the groups were presented with cheques by Kilkenny Lions President Lt Col Liam O'Carroll, OC of James Stephens Barracks.

The President stressed that all their money was raised locally and was distributed to local voluntary organisations, the members of which gave freely of their time to helping others.

New city cultural quarter goes ahead

By: 
Sean Hurley

THE DEVELOPMENT of a major new 'cultural quarter' for Kilkenny City is to begin shortly.

The first step will be the relocation of the Butler Gallery from Kilkenny Castle to a refurbished and extended Evan's Home at Barrack Lane off John Street.

Fantastic voyage as Suitcase Boy returns

By: 
Sean Hurley
WHEN Barnstorm’s 'Boy With a Suitcase' started its maiden voyage last year, little did the team know they’d be remounting the production just 12 months later for a major national tour and that they’d be invited to perform in the prestigious international 'Opening Doors' festival in Wales.

Photo evening at the Parade Tower

By: 
Sean Hurley

PLAN Ireland has issued an invitation to people to join them for a Supporter Evening, incorporating a wonderful exhibition of photographs, including images from World Press Photo winner (2005), Finbarr O’Reilly, entitled ‘Because I am a Girl”.

The photographs reflect the central themes that make up Plan’s work – health, education, livelihoods, habitat and relationship building – through the lives of girls.

An exhibition that shouldn't be shattering

By: 
Sean Hurley
AN EXHIBITION celebrating the work of glass artists working in Ireland and the South West of England has opened in the National Craft Gallery at the Castle Yard Kilkenny

The exhibition – 'On the Edge' - features a stunning selection of contemporary glass, which demonstrates the complexities and possibilities of the medium.

 

Kilkennyman to lead 30,000 sheep farmers

By: 
Sean Hurley
A KILKENNY MAN is to become chief of the IFA's National Sheep Committee.

James Murphy from Fiddawn, Inistioge, will take over the position of Chairman from Henry Burns at the annual meeting of the IFA tomorrow (Tuesday).

A sheep farmer, Mr Murphy also farms livestock and tillage with his wife Chris and family.

Major fire closes Kilkenny City centre

By: 
Sean Hurley

A MAJOR fire at Supermac's Restaurant and Takeaway, closed the centre of Kilkenny City last night.

 

Six units of Kilkenny Fire Brigade rushed to High Street to tackle the blaze which was spreading rapidly.

 

And a large force of Gardai shut the street and all access routes to traffic and pedestrians.

Over €1m to secure heritage site for city

By: 
Sean Hurley

GOVERNMENT funding of over €700,000 has been secured by Deputy John McGuinness to bring St Mary's Church and Graveyard off High Street, Kilkenny, into public ownership after a lengthy campaign.

The State grant will be supplemented by funding of €300,000 from the Kilkenny Local Authority and a further €100,000 from the Heritage Council.

New Rehab Centre gets Tubridy treatment

By: 
Sean Hurley
KILKENNY'S new €7.35million Rehab Centre got the Ryan Tubridy treatment today (Wednesday) when the RTE radio and television personality declared the building officially open.

 

Earlier, Ryan presented his daily RTE Radio One 'Tubridy Show' from the new flagship centre, featuring a host of Kilkenny guests.

 

Record numbers elect President Bryan

By: 
Sean Hurley

RECORD numbers from the IFA’s 947 branches throughout the country voted to elect John Bryan, a suckler beef  farmer from Inistioge, Co Kilkenny, as the 13th IFA President.