Archive - Kilkenny miners still waiting for new jobs (1973)

Despite 12 months of intensive effort to attract an industry to the area, there are still over 200 people without jobs in the Kilkenny/Tipperary border town of Ballingarry.

This was revealed in a recent Labour Availability survey carried out by the Ballingarry Development Association.

The survey was a desperate effort to bring life back to Ballingarry which was deadened by the closure of the mines over a year ago.

It revealed that the number of persons not present in full-time employment who expressed an interest in obtaining work was 228 - 159 males and 69 females.

Most of the unemployed men are former coal miners, some of whom have experience of agricultural work. There are also skilled tradesmen and labourers. Only 26 of the men and 19 women surveyed have never worked.

“We are hoping the survey will attract an industry,” said Fr P Noonan, PP Ballingarry and treasurer of the Development Association, who is hopeful for the future. “We are told we are a bit out of the way but we believe the awareness of labour availability will be an attraction.

“The position is not too good in the region at present,” he admitted. “We are not in poverty, but if we did get an industry it would be a great boost.”

New Sports Centre Opens

Kilkenny’s new sports centre will be officially opened on Sunday.

To mark the official opening there will be special indoor football and other exhibitions.

From an old factory premises the Sports Centre at Garden Row, Kilkenny has been redecorated and renovated into a modern recreation area with facilities for a big number of sports.

These include basketball, mini basketball, soccer, table tennis, judo, boxing, volleyball, netball, training facilities and other games. As well there is also a coffee lounge with television.

The centre will be in full swing from next year when a number of clubs have been given special periods to use the tarmacademed area.

Locals in Film

Kells is looking forward to the screening of the film, The Luck of Barry Linden. The film is being completed in Ardmore Studio, Bray.

The British film company who are making the film spent two days in Kells and quite a number of local people, including about 20 national school pupils, will figure in it.

The film stars and crew spent a day at the Castles in Kells.