The new reptile village at the Demense in Gowran continues to thrive in its first year of business.
There have been many visitors in the past months, with school tours coming from far and wide. One school group travelled from as far as Limerick to see the fine collection of reptiles on display.
Owner James Hennessy, a collector and devotee of rep
tiles, invertebrates and amphibians for over the past 20 years, has his amazing collection available for viewing seven days a week. The latest addition is a cayman from South America (a small alligator to you and me), which is just one year old.
Bull snake eggs are on display and small baby bull snakes are currently hatching out. The impressive monitor is taken regularly from his enclosure to do his walkabout, much to the delight of the children.
Visitors of the intrepid variety also have a chance to hold a chameleon or a lizard under the careful supervision of the skilled staff, Pam, Nick and James, all reptile enthusiasts themselves. Gowran reptile village is certainly well worth a visit.
ATHLETICS - Gowran Athletic Club had a successful Leinster track and field championship held during the month of June. Christine O'Donnell set the ball rolling by winning a gold award in the under 9s.
Her brother, Philip, won silver in the under 10s, with Finn Connolly winning a bronze award also under 10. Patrick Butler won a gold award under 11. Rose Kennedy won bronze in the under 12 600m.
Conor Fenlon won silver in the under 13 600m and was fourth in the high jump. He was also on the county under-13 relay team that won silver.
Diarmuid Hickey won silver in the under-13 shot putt and also competed in the javelin under 13. Ben Lahart competed in the 600m and the javelin under 13. John Curtin competed in the 65m hurdles and shot under 12.
Eoin Murphy competed in the ball throw and javelin under 13. Sorcha O'Connor was seventh in the heat of 600m under 13 while Genevieve O'Mahoney was sixth in the discus in both the shot and discus under 15.
Brian Connolly won gold in the under 15 shot and he also won silver in the discus. Aidan O'Dowd won gold in the under-16 250m hurdles, bronze in the 100mts hurdles and was fifth in the triple jump.
Darren Evans won gold in the under-16 300m walk and was sixth in the 3,000m. Joseph Murphy won bronze in the under-16 javelin, was fourth in the discus and fourth in the high jump.
Padraig Mahon finished fourth in the under-17 shot and Gary Mahon won bronze in the under-19 discus.
Emma Butler won silver in the under-17 high jump, bronze in the 300m, finished fourth in the 100m hurdles and fourth in the 250m hurdles. Emma also won bronze with the county relay team.
Lisa Nolan won bronze also with the same team and she finished fifth in the high jump, fifth in the 300m and seventh in the 100mts final.
Dairine O'Connor won gold in the 100m hurdles, gold in the 300m hurdles under 17 and also won silver in the 300m and silver in the javelin.
Yvonne Hickey kept the best wine 'til last, winning four gold medals in the under-19 championships. She won gold in the shot putt for the fourth year in a row and took gold medals in the discus, hammer and javelin too.
Well done to all the athletes. Next stop is the All-Ireland Championship in Tullamore and Cork this month. Training for all is held every Monday and Friday in Gowran Park racecourse car park from 6.30pm and every Wednesday in Scanlon Park, Kilkenny from 7pm to 8pm. All are welcome.
CONCERT – Following on the success of the Liam Lawton concert last year, it has been announced that the tenor, Finbarr Wright, will start his Irish tour with a concert appearance at Gowran Church on October 5. Tickets will be on sale next month and will cost E30 each.
Further details will be available later, but for now add it to your diary for a guaranteed night of musical lightness and enjoyment in the darker evenings of October.
Email your Gowran notes to gowran@kilkennypeople.ie or use the box in Cullen's shop.
