Kilkenny Gives Back

The COVID-19 pandemic is a global issue affecting travel and tourism on an international scale. Kilkenny Tourism are working closely with our partners in Kilkenny County Council, Fáilte Ireland and other industry bodies to provide the best advice and up to date information to support members and the general public. The health and safety of visitors and residents is of the utmost importance to us and to help you stay safe. A number of Tourism providers in Kilkenny have found alternative ways of doing business during the pandemic. From restaurants bringing a Taste of Kilkenny to your homes to retail offering online shopping and visitor attractions bringing a piece of Kilkenny to your home with virtual tours. We are here to help the public and businesses through these unprecedented times. If you are looking for some escapism visit our social media pages Facebook, Instagram and Twitter or if you are a business with a story to tell email us on info@kilkennytourism.ie. Stay home, stay safe and together we will come back stronger. 

Kilkenny County Council Library buildings may be closed at the moment but you can always pay a virtual visit and access all the amazing online library resources available FREE OF CHARGE! One such resource is the Annual Spring into Storytime, in a digital format, with short podcasts and videos for you to enjoy from the comfort of your own home!

This April, library staff in Kilkenny and around the country are working together to bring storytime to children and families, to encourage everyone to continue reading and sharing stories.

Spring into Storytime online:
Podcasts and videos of storytimes will available on on the Kilkenny County Council Library  website (www.kilkennylibrary.ie – news) and on their facebook and twitter pages (@kilkennylibrary) on Mondays and Fridays at 11.30am, and book recommendations for children on Wednesdays at 11.30am, beginning Monday 13th April.

Kilkenny based Printing company Surfbox is using 3D printers to produce 600 visors a week in order to protect our front line staff. Public libraries across the country are also lending their 3D printers to make face shields to help in the fight against Covid-19. Like many tech firms around the world, SurfBox is coming up with innovative ways to help meet the demand for personal protective equipment – a shortage of which is putting healthcare workers at risk. The face shields produced by SurfBox consist of a reusable plastic headpiece and a disposable PVC screen. Managing Director Thomas Marry said the company got involved in the project because its core business – providing self-service printing to libraries – ceased when libraries closed. About 300 face masks have already been produced. Mr Marry says the company is working directly with local care homes, GPs and hospitals, as well as providing the product to Engineers Ireland and the HSE. The firm created its own design for the visors, following production guidelines from the US National Institutes of Health. To date, libraries in 13 local authorities have provided printers for the project. Surfbox also plan produce other supplies, including Door Opener attachments and Ventilator parts. Visit: www2.surfbox.ie

Under new measures introduced by the Government on  March 24th, a large number of retail and ‘non-essential’ businesses and services are closed. This is all in an attempt to ‘flatten the curve’ of the COVID-19 pandemic. Business needs to continue around Kilkenny and KCLR are doing all they can to promote those who remain open in these uncertain, challenging times. So while restrictions remain in place until at least May 5th, if you are open for business they want to know about it. Let them know about your local business staying open by filling out the form below and see the list below of Kilkenny and Carlow companies that remain open during this time. 

Complete form HERE

Shopping & Retail Open
Pharmacies & GPs Open
Banking & Finance Open

Kilkenny students send message to fellow students – Stay safe and mind yourself!  NO SELFIES!  A group of students from one South Kilkenny secondary school have come together – virtually – to encourage their peers to stay home and stay safe. The student council members from Colaiste Cois Siuire, in Mooncoin, recorded the message from them to their fellow students, as cases of coronavirus continue to rise in counties Kilkenny, Tipperary and Waterford. The school is located where the three counties meet and have students from all sides.

View message from Colaiste Cois Siuire students, to other students. 

Story via Sian Moloughney KilkennyPeople.ie

The NeighbourFood Callan, Callan’s new online farmer’s market offer an array of different, carefully curated products from brilliant producers. They are overwhelmed from the support they are receiving from their loyal customers. Owner of Fennelly’s Etaoin Holahan said “It went so well, we are really delighted to provide this service connecting small producers to customers in a safe relaxed and pleasant environment. We were moved by people’s support, their respect for each other and our systems! All the flowers in our courtyard are in full bloom as if they know people will be glimpsing them!  We have a table set up at the entrance of the courtyard inside the double doors where the customer tell us their name and order number (one person from each household, one customer at a time). We place the crate with their order on the table and step back and they fill their bags with all the goodies they ordered! The next customer waits on the kerbside on designated chalk crosses for safe social distancing and steps aside to allow the customer to pass before being beckoned inside the courtyard to the table, where it starts safely all over again! We were really moved by how important this service is to so many people from the producers, to vulnerable customers and also for us! We feel connected to our community again.”

As they continue to grow, they hope to be able to offer everything you would need for your weekly shop. This is one of the best ways to shop, support your local community, while making sure that small producers are given a helping hand during this tough time. Callan NeighbourFood Market is hosted by Fennelly’s of Callan, a cosy, independent, cultural coffeehouse. They serve cakes, coffee, breakfast, lunch & more using beautiful ingredients sourced from local farms alongside hosting regular Arts, Music, and Cultural events.

Collection on Fridays (16:00 to 19:00)
For more information click here.

Savour the gourmet flavours of some of Kilkenny’s top restaurants right from the comfort of your own home. Enjoy the great taste of Irish Italian fusion from La Rivista with a choice of a daily Take Away or Weekend Catering, order an award winning brunch as well as freshly baked breads from Áran Bakery, enjoy gourmet cakes and coffees and Sunday dinner from Face2, sample a flavoursome Asian Street Food with a take away from Aroi, bring home a Sunday roast dinner from The Glendine Inn or try out the menu of Pizzas and Pastas from the new Sams Kilkenny. With payment over the phone and curb side collection, these fantastic Kilkenny restaurants are working hard to bring you their usual delicious dishes in a safe environment for their team and customers alike.

Visit Kilkenny’s Take Away Restaurants Here

A Castlecomer company is helping to keep the show on the road and providing an essential service to frontline staff during the COVID-19 crisis. IntoSport usually manufactures sports kits for soccer, basketball, athletic and up to 15 local GAA clubs, but in these unusual times things have been re-set and the factory has begun making scrubs for local healthcare workers. Jonny Dowling, Managing Director of the company, told The Kilkenny People that not only has he been able to keep his staff on but has taken on extra staff to cope with demand. As with many local companies, when the Corona virus restrictions first came in, IntoSport had to lay off staff. Jonny said that orders had started to get quiet from February, so they knew “something was coming.” He had a look at the fabrics and resources already at the Castlecomer business to see what they could do. After getting some samples of scrubs Jonny saw it was something they could turn their skills and resources to. That and medical clothing is in demand in Ireland. Once he knew they could produce scrubs that would wear well, IntoSport reopened. “We’re keeping the doors open and keeping the lads going.” IntoSport is producing the scrubs at cost price. A GoFundMe page has been set up by local woman Mary Harrington to provide IntoSport scrubs to healthcare staff at a number of different care units. If you would like to contribute to the fundraiser go to ‘Scrubs for Frontline Workers’ on Go Fund Me.

The people of Kilkenny were asked to support people living with cystic fibrosis and their families by donating online at rosesday.ie on April 10. The annual fundraising flag-day is the largest fundraising event of the year for Cystic Fibrosis Ireland and collections were cancelled due to COVID-19. Among the well-known faces to lend their support to this very worthy cause, and encouraging the public to rally behind it, are Kilkenny TDs, John McGuinness and Jennifer Murnane O’Connor who recently attended the national launch of the fundraising campaign. Ireland has the highest incidence of CF in the world and some of the most severe types. There are almost 1,400 people living with CF in Ireland and the number is increasing each year as a result of improvements in treatment and care. People can support 65 Roses Day by: 

Text: Fight CF to 50300 for €4
Donate online: at RosesDay.ie
Email: fundraising@cfireland.ie LoCall: 1890 311 211

During this time of uncertainty surrounding COVID 19, as we are all keeping our social distance, it is important that we look after our own well-being and the well-being of those around us. Kilkenny GAA has put together a list with the aim to support the community to do just that. Their tips cover the areas of Physical Health, Mental Health and Social Health. Click HERE to see the full list of tips. The Samaritans is the GAA’s national mental health partner and can be contacted any time for a friendly chat on: 116123

On Thursday the 26th March we saw hundreds of thousands of Irish people join in a national round of applause for workers who are responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. ‘Clap For Our Carers’ is now taking place on a weekly basis in the UK, every Thursday at 8pm and we are encouraging Ireland to do the same. Let’s take a moment, together as a nation, to say thank you to the health care staff who are working tirelessly to keep us all safe.

Communities across Kilkenny and the country came together to shine a light at home on Easter Saturday night. The Shine Your Light campaign was organised in tribute to front line health workers and all those affected by the coronavirus pandemic at home and abroad. The gesture is intended to express hope as well as remember those who have died and their loved ones.