Kilkenny 'plunged into inky darkness' due to dispute

Kilkenny People Archive (1921) - During the present week, after the shades of evening fell, Kilkenny has been plunged it into inky darkness, darkness that could almost be felt. Not a single gas lamp was lighting in the streets and even the "wandering moon in heaven's wide pathless way" failed to function. Possibly it caught the prevailing infection and went on strike.

In times like these when all other means of outdoor recreation are denied to them, the citizens have no opportunity of enjoying the open air after the day's work is done except to devote the couple of hours available before retiring to rest to a pleasant walk in the streets or suburban roads. Now even this opportunity is denied to them under anything like agreeable conditions.

The reason, we understand, why the public lighting has been cut off is that there is a dispute between the Gas Company and the Corporation as to the amount to be paid for the lighting. 

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The Corporation are an honourable body of men and if the dispute goes against them we have no doubt that they would be found quite willing to discharge whatever cost is incurred by the Gas Company in keeping even a few lamps lighting while the dispute is pending.

The Gas Company in our opinion have treated the citizens in a particularly mean and shabby manner, and their complete disregard for the comfort of the citizens only emphasises what we believe is the general view that such an indispensable service as the public and private lighting of the city should be controlled by local people and not by absentee monopolies.

Surely there is sufficient enterprise on the part of the merchants and traders of the city to induce them to come together at the first favourable opportunity with a view to forming a Company to provide an up-to- date public and private lighting scheme which would bring Kilkenny into line with all other progressive towns and cities in Ireland.

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