After a very busy year ….. time to enjoy and party …. Kilkenny during the long winter evenings!
Category Archives: News
tree planting – science week
St Kieran’s College Transition year students, KKB and New Orchard Residents took part in the Science week tree planting programme, planting some 500 trees for the environment in Kilkenny City. The trees were donated by Coilte in conjunction with Science Foundation Ireland and coordinated by Orla Farrell of the easy treesie Crann project. congratulations to all. maintenance of the newly planted areas will continue in the spring.
Annual Awards 2019 – Results
A large crowd attended the 2019 annual awards ceremony which took place at the Springhill court hotel on the 29th of October 2019.
Ian McCullough Of Birdwatch Kilkenny presented a thought-provoking presentation in relation to biodiversity in our city and recommendations on how to improve planting to be insect and bee friendly.
Set out under our list of the award recipients in the various categories. Congratulations to all.
Keep Kilkenny Beautiful awards 2019 results
Best commercial floral display
Highly commended
Bollard’s, Kieran St.
Kytler’s Inn, Kieran St.
Rafter Dempsey’s, Friary St.
Langton’s, John Street.
Tynan’s Bridge house
Rothe House, Parliament St.
Winner
Hotel Kilkenny
Attractive composition of flowers complementing the well maintained hotel buildings and courtyards
Most improved commercial premises
Highly commended
Aran Bakery, Barrack St.
Crown Hair Salon, Ormonde st.
Mokum Interiors, Dean st.
Winner
The Hungry Moose, John St.,
Upgrading an existing corner building which had been vacant for a number of years with attractive decoration and colourful flowers on an important junction
Best shop front
Highly commended
Murphy Jewellers, High st.,
Maibe Carey, Parliament st.,
Newbridge Silverware, High st.
Winner
Brennan’s Bottling Store, Walkin St.,
Attractive traditional public house on corner site with appropriate signage and eye-catching decoration.
Best shop signage
Highly commended
Little Green Grocer, Parliament st.
Designer Emporium, Kieran st.
Winner
Food For Life, Kieran st.
Well decorated shop premises with attractive signage and complementary art work
Best Kilkenny hospitality
Highly commended
Springhill Court Hotel, Waterford rd.,
Mena House, Castlecomer rd.
Park Villa, Castlecomer rd.
Fanad House, Bennettsbridge rd.
Winner
Hibernian Hotel, Patrick St.
Fine city centre establishment in prominent location with external seating area on the newly revamped Patrick st welcomes visitors to Kilkenny
Best Commercial Centre
Highly commended
IMC Cinema, off Castlecomer rd.
Market Cross Shopping Centre
Winner
Kilkenny Retail & Business Park
The overall area is well presented and maintained with attractive perimeter tree planting and areas of sustainable planting
Awards for evening premises display
Commendation
Paris Texas, High st.
Billy Byrnes 39 John st. Upper
Winner
Bridie’s, 72 John st.
Entrepreneur awards
Kilkenny Boat Tours
Providing a new perspective with their river Nore tours of our City
Kilkenny Segway Tours
Providing city wide electric Segway tours of our City
Special Awards – Hidden gems 2019
St. Mary’s Daycare centre & residential units, Gaol Rd/ Haughney Green
For providing sustainable colour on the street edge.
Fushia House, Waterford rd.
For special effort in providing a colourful display and care of adjacent green spaces
Joanna McLoughlin, Magdalen Court
For special effort in providing a colourful display
38 Abbey sq.
For special effort in providing colourful displays
Mary Jo Gilligan, Tilbury Place
For special effort in reclaiming the street
Joe Carton & Niamh O’Donoghue, John’s Quay
For special effort in providing colourful planting in the city centre
McDonagh Junction shopping centre
For special effort in upgrading presentation
Mother of Fair Love school, James st.
The Tidy towns Judge remarked ”We admired three lovely new trees in the grounds of the Mother of Fair Love school near St Mary’s Cathedral.”
Kilkenny street of the year 2019
Patrick street
This street has really improved over the last number of years. The judges were impressed with the variety of shop types and businesses, the many excellently painted shop fronts and buildings, the range of flowers, planters and the overall impression was very positive. Congratulations to Patrick Street as winner of the 2019 Kilkenny street of the year
Special award 2019
Simon Walton
For his dedication and assistance as City Engineer to Tidy Towns & Kilkenny City over the last number of years
Heroes in our Community Award
Men’s Shed – Good Shepherd centre
“These award are given to those from our community who have shown leadership in their community. It is through their quiet work that many excellent projects are completed throughout Kilkenny city on an ongoing basis. During 2019 they also constructed 3 large owl boxes for KKB which have been erected at sites around Kilkenny city.
Fitzpatrick Perpetual Shield for Community Effort
Home Rule Club
We congratulate the Home Rule Club for their well presented premises on John’s quay on their 125 year anniversary.
The Brendan Lawless Memorial Award
Gardening Staff lead by Katherine Keoghan of Kilkenny Co Co
” This award is for the excellent sustainable gardening and colourful planting undertaken through out our city”
PRIVATE GARDENS 2019
PRIVATE GARDENS HIGHLY COMMENDED
ST PATRICK’S PARISH Area A & B
Siobhan Griffith, Garden Villas
5 Nuncio rd.
Cathleen Ayers, Dean’s Court
Tony Murphy, Rose Hill court
Maureen Scully, St Patrick’s close
PRIVATE GARDENS HIGHLY COMMENDED
ST JOHN’S PARISH Area A
Mary Nolan, Lacken Drive
Liam Kelly, Newpark Lower
Peggy O’Toole, Lacken Drive
Sean & Mairead Delaney, Glenview, Castlecomer road
Terence & Maire Morris, The Weir
Margaret Greene, Glendine Court
Aileen Beirne, Meadow Way
PRIVATE GARDENS HIGHLY COMMENDED
ST JOHN’S PARISH Area B
Larry Murphy, New Orchard
Brendan Burke & Joie Bourke, The Orchard
John Brophy, New Orchard
Turlough O’Dwyer, Rathullard,
Margaret Egan, Pococke Upper
Lintown Gardens
Alison & Niall Brett, Rosedale Garringreen/Whitewood
PRIVATE GARDENS HIGHLY COMMENDED
ST CANICE’S PARISH
Kilsallagh, College Gardens
Patricia Shortall, Riverside Drive
Mary Deevy, Riverside Drive
Breda Slattery, Meadow Hill
Fran Grincell, Talbots Inch
Judy Rhatigan, Riverside Drive
PRIVATE GARDENS HIGHLY COMMENDED
ST MARY’S PARISH
Helen Kavanagh, Dean Kavanagh place
Lucy Talent Upper Walkin Street
Maureen Logan, Dean Kavanagh Place
PRIVATE GARDENS OVERALL 3RD PLACE
Rebecca & Priscilla Byrne, Fatima Place
PRIVATE GARDENS OVERALL 2ND PLACE
Jacinta Brett, Meadow Hill
PRIVATE GARDENS OVERALL WINNER 2019
Liam McCormack, Greenfields Court
Residential estate competition
RESIDENTIAL ESTATE HIGHLY COMMENDED
ST PATRICK’S PARISH (Area A)
Dukesmeadows
Larchfield court
Beech Park
Westfield
Cedarwood Close Loughboy park / Cedarwood Drive/ Cedarwood Avenue/ Cedarwood Crescent/
Marble Crest
ST PATRICK’S PARISH (Area B)
Ashleigh Court
Fiacre’s Place
Mayfield
Edenvale Close
The Paddocks
ST JOHN’S PARISH (Area A)
Richview
Ardilea
De la Salle place
Glendine Heights
ST JOHN’S PARISH (Area B)
The Orchard
Ashfield / Ashfield East
Rathullord
ST CANICE’S PARISH
Talbot’s Inch
Breagagh Court
Riverside drive, Meadow hill, Greenfields road, Loreto Avenue
Broguemakers hill
The Sycamores/Aylesbury
Ayrfield
ST MARY’S PARISH
Rose Hill Court
College Court & Old Callan road
Fr Murphy sq.
Rushbrook
BEST OVERALL RESIDENTIAL ESTATES 2019
Sponsor St Canice’s Kilkenny Credit Union
Joint runners up smaller residential estates 2019 :
Lacken Drive
New Orchard estate
Winner – Best overall smaller residential estate in Kilkenny 2019
Gallow’s Hill
“the judges were impressed with the care taken by this small community to look after their estate. The small green space is neatly looked after there are attractive ivy covered walls and attractive planting in a mature tree setting. Congratulations to Gallows Hill, on their efforts and the receipt of their overall smaller estate award in 2019“
Joint runners up larger estates 2019 :
Newpark Lower /Upper
Lintown Hall
Winner – Best overall larger residential estate in Kilkenny 2019
Rose Hill (off Kells road)
“The judges were amazed by the extent of work which has been completed over the last number of years to improve this estate. The judges were very impressed by the attractive green spaces, variety of trees, Cootes lane and the green spaces adjacent. The judges found the estate litter free. Congratulations to Rose Hill on their efforts and the receipt of their overall award in 2019“
Sunny and warm September Medieval Marathon afternoon in Kilkenny
Medieval Marathon in full swing
Castle Park
Statestreet keeps Kilkenny beautiful
Statestreet continues with their strong support of Tidytowns in Kilkenny. Congratulations to the latest team to join with KKB with our regular city clean ups.
Statestreet clean up team!
Sub Aqua keeps Kilkenny trim
The Kilkenny Sub-Aqua Club Search & Rescue Unit joined with the Kilkenny Motor Club Show on last Sunday to host the annual Vintage and Classic Motor Show /field day in Kilkenny. Keeping Kilkenny Clean was part of the aims with a picker team also working throughout the event. A great day was had by all.
Sub Aqua club members Keeping Kilkenny Beautiful
River Nore top of class in IBAL 2019 report
Good news received in relation to the river Nore. Kilkenny is top of Class with “Clean to European norms”. this is an excellent result for Kilkenny in the IBAL river review.
Citation:-
River Nore – Kilkenny: This was an excellent site in terms of overall presentation and litter. There was a virtual absence of litter throughout the area surveyed and this was particularly good considering the high numbers of people. Evidence of cleaning at time of survey. Kilkenny River Nore (Kilkenny) – Clean to European norms
KKB are very proud of the success of the work along the River undertaken this year.
This success reflects on the excellent work being undertaken in conjunction with the Kilkenny Sub Aqua Club, Kilkenny aqua canoe club, Dragon boats, Kilkenny county council and other groups
Pat Durkin of Birdwatch and Pat Boyd biodiversity officer KKB lead Heritage week Water Heritage day nature walk on Canal walk
Pat Durkin of Birdwatch and Pat Boyd biodiversity officer KKB lead Heritage week Water heritage day nature walk on Canal walk
River Nore from Peace park
Nore Dragon Paddlers on river Nore
River Nore at Canal Square
Water Heritage Day
Celebrate Water heritage day ( Sunday 25th August 9.30am) meet at Canal Square! All are welcome. Bat Boyd chairman of KKB environmental sub committee and Pat Durkin of Birdwatch Ireland Kilkenny lead a biodiversity walk along the river Nore. Experience the beautiful flora and fauna of the river Nore which flows to the centre of Kilkenny city. The results of the extensive removal of invasive weeds including Himalayan balsam will also be reviewed.
There is a lot of interest along the river bank and will also review Alien Invasive Species, non natives, indigenous species and endangered species in the context of our riparian biodiversity. These include the grey squirrel , mink, signal cray fish, mitten crab, and our most recent invasive water mold asphonomyces astaci ( white claw cray fish plague).
We will also talk about immediate threats from the mollusks kingdom Asian Clams and Zebra Mussels.
Plants to be reviewed include the Impatiens glandulifera not to be confused with our native Heracluem Sphondaelium ( cow parsley) and Heracleum mantegazzianum (giant hogweed).
We will also be looking at winter heliotrope and other invasive’s present from the Gonnera family. Non-natives but not invasive’s such as the sycamore , horse chestnut and rye grasses as well as native sedge’s.
It will be great fun hope to see you there Email us at [email protected] or ring 086-1075532 to be put on out text list and to get further details of our environmental actions and clean ups.
Arts Festival Kilkenny
On the Parade! Kilkenny arts festival 
Lions Club Youth Exchange Participants keep Kilkenny beautiful
A large group of Lions Club youth exchange participants joined with Keep Kilkenny Beautiful and Kilkenny Lions club to undertake a summer cleanup right around the city this Saturday morning. The group came to visit Kilkenny for the day and spent the morning with Keep Kilkenny Beautiful assisting on our regular 10 AM Saturday morning clean up.
The group who have come from all over Europe are spending two weeks in Ireland. They are assisting voluntary groups in various projects in the south-east.
Following our recent No.1 place in Ireland in the IBAL national anti litter competition, Kilkenny is looking really well and congratulations to all who are assisting in keeping Kilkenny beautiful.
TidyTowns judges are currently judging cities and towns throughout Ireland and it is important that we keep Kilkenny looking it’s best during the summer. Volunteers or groups who would like to assist can contact our KKB secretary at 086-1687553 or [email protected]