August: Arts Festival and Olympic Games make headlines during the summer

August brought great excitement to Kilkenny, with the return of music, visual arts and theatre at the Kilkenny Arts Festival.

The excitement at Danesfort GAA Club was also unmistakable as the first sod was turned on what will be a colossal new building works project, after many years of planning.

The new development will include a state-of-the-art astro turf pitch and upgrades to the walking track, set to become an all-weather track with lighting.

On the international sporting scene Kilkenny had a lot to be proud of following the Olympic Games.

Kilkenny City Harriers athlete Cliodhna Manning was selected by Athletics Ireland for the Irish 4x400m mixed relay team.

She had a familiar colleague alongside her - former St Joseph’s AC runner Sophie Becker, whose mother Tina hails from Fatima Place.

There was a Freshford connection in the form of Australian marathon runner, Sinead Diver. Diver is daughter-in-law to Ann Cullinane, Kilkenny Street, Freshford. 800m runner Nadia Power’s mother also hails from Kilkenny.

Former Kilkenny College player Foster Horan took part in the Rugby Sevens, while the school was also represented by past pupil Lisa Jacob, manager of the Irish Ladies Hockey team.

In show jumping Cian O’Connor put on a marvellous individual performance atop ‘Kilkenny’, a nine-year-old gelding bred by the Brennans of Gowran, while Kilkenny groom Cormac Kenny saw his horse Explosion W land a gold medal for Team GB .

There was sadness this month as we bade farewell to one of Kilkenny’s greatest ever hurlers.

Liam ‘Chunky’ O’Brien won All-Ireland titles with the Cats in 1972, 1974, 1975 and 1979. He was also named on the All-Star team on four different occasions as well as claiming the Texaco Player of the Year in 1975. He had a hugely successful club career with James Stephens, claimed four Kilkenny SHC club titles with the Village, as well as two Leinster and All-Ireland crowns.