Archive - House builds scaled down in Kilkenny and U-21 hurlers win miraculous All-Ireland (1974)

House building in Kilkenny is being scaled down with 20 men, now under notice, being laid off within the next week.

“We are slowing our operations,” Joe McNamara, director of McInerney Construction, told the People, “It’s not because there is no demand for our houses. The demand is great, but people can’t get the finance to buy houses.”

McInerney Construction, who have built 256 houses in four separate schemes in Kilkenny, started work on a new 102 house scheme at Ardnore on the Bennettsbridge road just over one year ago.

Fifty houses have been completed, with the majority occupied. Thirty are in the course of construction, but only about 20 of these are now to be finished. Plans for a 50 or 60 house scheme opposite Ardnore have also been laid aside.

Break with sterling
A suggestion that Ireland cut the link with sterling was made when TJ Maher addressed about 1,000 farmers in Kilkenny cattle mart on Monday. It was the first step taken in Kilkenny in the demonstrations planned for the weeks ahead.

Mr Maher said that the moment they were planning to cut purchases to minimum, delay payments and hold mass demonstrations throughout the country.

On the question of breaking the link with the British pound, he said that the British economy was sinking fast and he did not see why they, as an independent Irish state, should go down with her.

Last gasp point earns first title
Kilkenny put in a blistering finish to pip Waterford by a point (3-8 to 3-7) in the All-Ireland under-21 hurling final at Thurles on Sunday.

It was a third All-Ireland crown for the black and amber - the seniors won the All-Ireland a week before, while the under-14 hurlers beat Tipperary on Saturday.

This was a finish loaded with drama and high tension as Kilkenny battled against apparently impossible odds to wipe out a seven point deficit and get the winning point with the second last puck of the game. They literally stole the title from Waterford’s grasp.

This was Kilkenny’s first under-21 hurling title. Despite the fact they won some minor All-Ireland titles since the grade was introduced Kilkenny rarely came out of Leinster.

Eight of the team - Kevin Fennelly, Brian Cody, Ger Henderson, Mick Tierney, John Dowling, Ger Woodcock and Billy Fitzpatrick - are eligible for next year, as are subs Bobby Sweeney and Pat Dunphy.