Editorial: Kilkenny's sea of green was a joy to behold over St Patrick's weekend

Kilkenny was a sea of green over the weekend as locals and visitors alike came together for a fantastic four days of St Patrick’s celebrations, with parades and events taking place across the city and county.

Up to 100,000 visitors flocked to the city over the bank holiday weekend, taking in the sights and sounds of what we have to offer. They certainly enjoyed it.

From the Tradfest performances, to marching bands, to the festival funfair, there was something for all. The city parade was a winner, with a great number of floats and colourful contributors adding to the sense of spectacle. The consensus from attendees seemed to be that the new route was also definitely an improvement on previous years, allowing plenty of access and visibility for people. CLICK HERE FOR MORE PARADE PICS

Brilliant creativity and national pride was also in evidence at events and parades in Urlingford, Goresbridge, Graignamanagh and Thomastown, to name a few.

There was another reason to smile on Saturday, with the senior hurlers back to winning ways in the league, with a victory over high-flying rivals Limerick.

One swallow does not a summer make, but it was a sweet victory given recent results against that opposition, and a timely one given the doom and gloom from some about the Cats’ prospects. Write them off at your peril.

Brazen thuggery
The scenes of a savage public brawl in Callan at the end of last week, with multiple people involved and two hospitalised, have no place in civilised society.

We cannot permit this kind of violent thuggery in our towns and villages at any time, let alone in broad daylight on a weekday. Young schoolchildren were horrified and traumatised at what unfolded in front of them, while traffic and general business was brought to a standstill.

Those involved should be punished to the fullest extent of the law, with an example made in the hope of deterring repeat or retaliatory engagements. Local TD Peter ‘Chap’ Cleere is right in that our rural garda stations need greater resources to support them.