My Kilkenny Life: The story of local character Myles 'Elvis' Kavanagh

From the Kilkenny People Archives (2022)

What’s your idea of a perfect day, or a perfect weekend, out in Kilkenny?

A perfect day would be going for breakfast in a lovely café on John Street. Then bringing my grandson to the MacDonagh Junction play area, having a cup of coffee. After that I’d go and say hello to the tourists and be nice to everyone. I like to cheer people up and give them a good laugh.

Who has made the greatest contribution to Kilkenny in your lifetime — and why?

Brian Cody for the hurling anyway. He’s a pure gentleman and always stops and talks to you no matter where you meet him. He did a lot for Kilkenny and brought hurling on.

What’s your first Kilkenny memory?

When I was 15-years-old I saw the ghost of Kyteler’s Inn. I worked there as a wash-up boy and I was washing dishes and the next minute a woman was beside me in a medieval style dress. She was there for about ten seconds. I was getting paid two pounds and six pence at the time to work there. I dropped all the dishes and ran up and told my boss and I told the staff and they were all laughing. My boss told me not to be making up stories. I ran home, I was as white as a ghost.

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What’s your favourite part of the county — and why?

The whole city itself. I love Kieran Street, I sit in The Pantry and have a cup of tea or a bun.

What about a favourite local walk — or view?

The canal, definitely and Jenkinstown Woods. The canal is very good for relaxing, it’s tranquil and peaceful. Walking in the woods then and listening to the trees whistling, there’s peace and serenity at Jenkinstown Woods too.

What do you think gives Kilkenny its unique identity?

It’s the friendliness of the people to tourists and strangers. I’ve a geocache at the door and people come from all over the world. People who visit Kilkenny say the courtesy in shops and restaurants - you’d only get it here. There’s no where in the world like Kilkenny.

What’s the biggest challenge facing the county today?

Trying to get the traffic sorted out, it’s just mad.

If you had the power to change one thing in, or about Kilkenny, what would it be?

I would never have knocked the old jail and I’d have left it as a tourist attraction.

It would’ve been great. I think it was knocked in the 1930s/40s and I was born in ‘54.

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