World beaters, festive good will and Kilkenny blows away in December - Kilkenny Live
The Kilkenny Live Year in Review
Storm Darragh certainly left its mark on Kilkenny in December as gusts of wind surpassed 100km/hr, reaching speeds not seen since 2018. Many trees and branches fell, large items such as trampolines took flight and there were some instances of structural damage recorded across Kilkenny city and county.
December was a record breaking month for one local broadcaster as Kilkenny native Kieran Cuddihy and Newstalk colleague Andrea Gilligan broke a new Guinness World Record for the fastest time to dress a person as a Christmas tree.
Tinsel and festive good will were in no short supply in December too. The Gospel Choir Christmas Homeless Outreach Group supplied 200 dinners to local homeless people on Christmas Day, while over 100 meals were delivered to those in need across Kilkenny on Christmas Day, as members of the Defence Forces, the Lions Club and 30 other volunteers teamed up for the admirable cause.
A host of Kilkenny people lended their voices to the nativity story, which aired on RTÉ this month. Well known local faces such as Brian Cody, Michelle Teehan and Myles ‘Elvis’ Kavanagh were among those to feature.
Kilkenny walkers got a much needed boost just a week before Christmas as the Lacken Boardwalk reopened this month.
The new boardwalk is now more accessible to wheelchair users, to people with reduced mobility and to those with prams as well as dog walkers.
The locality also got a brand new landmark this month as a new mural was revealed. Unveiled by Street Art, the artwork was inspired by the world-renowned Wolfwalker animation and is located on Coote’s Lane in the city.
Penney’s officially opened its newly renovated store in the Market Cross Shopping Centre in Kilkenny City shortly before Christmas.
A total of €2 million has been invested in giving the store a full refurbishment. The store recently celebrated its 30th birthday alongside Market Cross Shopping Centre, having first opened its doors in September 1994