August: Palestine march rallies city, Rose of Tralee joy and Leaving Cert rewards - Year in Review
Year in Review on Kilkenny Live
August kicked off with one of the largest demonstrations seen in Kilkenny for years as around 2,000 people turned out to March for Palestine in solidarity with the people of Gaza.
After the march, participants gathered on the Parade to hear from speakers from the Kilkenny City Palestine Solidarity Group along with several other organisations in a huge display of support amid calls for the passing of the Occupied Territories Bill.
There was strong Kilkenny interest in this year's Rose of Tralee competition as local woman, Katelyn Cummins, took the crown as the Laois Rose.
The apprentice electrician and farmer from Ballyouskill went to school in Ballyragget and was given a huge reception when she returned home after the win.
Katelyn impressed the judges with her appearance where she spoke about her work in male dominated fields before dancing a jive with her escort.
As always, Leaving Cert results day brought smiles and relief across the county as students were rewarded for their years of hard work and studying.
Sixth years from every corner of Kilkenny made one last journey to their respective schools to collect the results on the morning of August 22 as they digested their marks and looked ahead to the future.
Upgrades arrived at St Luke's General Hospital at the end of the month as Minister for Health, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill travelled to the city to open the Medical 3 Ward on its campus.
The refurbished area was a vacant decommissioned surgical ward which was repurposed to create 14 additional new beds to facilitate winter surge capacity.
August brought about much change in Kilkenny's parishes as priest retirements and relocations were finalised. A particularly notable example was the retirement of Fr Jim Murphy from St Canice's after 21 years. Fr Jim said his last mass on August 24 before starting an exciting new chapter in his life.