My Kilkenny Life: Martin Bridgeman

What’s your idea of a perfect day, or perfect weekend out in Kilkenny?
My weekend starts early on Saturday on KCLR with Saturday Breakfast; I would normally head to Kieran Street then, usually The Yard for coffee first and Rollercoaster Records to feed my music habit. Night times are usually at gigs. We’re so lucky to have some excellent music venues: Set Theatre, Cleere’s, The Watergate Theatre and the wondrous St Canice’s Cathedral, all of whom have made our TradFest gigs so special over the years.
Likewise the many fine pubs that host traditional music during the year and who move up a gear for TradFest to bring the best of local and visiting musicians.
On Sundays I try to get to Jenkinstown for a ‘proper’ walk with my wife and our terrier. Best of intentions! Newspapers then!

Who has made the greatest contribution to Kilkenny in your lifetime - and why?
Without a doubt, the late and very great Willie Meighan, a dear and much missed friend and someone who has made the music scene what it is today. So much great music has been found and supported by him. He also convinced us that Kilkenny TradFest should be undertaken in the first place when it was just a notion. The city and the wider economy owes him a huge debt of gratitude.

What’s your first Kilkenny memory?
As a young child walking around the castle but later coming to Kilkenny as an adult to see the prospective in-laws! The city left a mark on me that weekend and I did my utmost to get back. Best move I/we ever made.

What’s your favourite part of the county - and why?
It’s a number of things: the view from the Dublin Road across the Nore to the castle (my route to work for many years), Inistioge and Woodstock Gardens, Jenkinstown, the sweep of the Castle Park.

What do you think gives Kilkenny its unique identity?
The sense of the possible; the sense that if you’re going to do something that you can do it to be the very best at it, hurling and festivals being two examples. The warmth of welcomes was my first impression, the banter, especially around hurling!

Do you have a favourite local writer or author?
I had the pleasure of meeting so many talented writers and poets over the years, many of who come to the Open Mic in Ryan’s each month. Way too many to mention!

What’s the biggest challenge facing the county today?
Undoubtedly the balance between keeping the medieval and the modern. We have unique challenges in the city. Equally, the county needs its own identity preserved and protected. We have many treasures and fine people who need services.

If you had the power to change on thing in, or about Kilkenny, what would it be?
I’d try to help in making the city ‘breathe’ again. There’s many challenges to keeping the city alive, both culturally and economically outside of festival times. We have a great city and county!My Kilkenny L