Visiting undesirables 'have got message that they are not welcome in Kilkenny'

While the streets of Kilkenny showed little of the festival hustle and bustle of earlier years, the Beer Festival just ended is being hailed as one of the most successful to date with attendances considerably increased at most venues.

“Certainly there were no massive crowds on the streets,” observed Festival Chairman Sean McManus. “The people went where they wanted to go and where we wanted them to go.

“Our long-term plan which we have been working on the past five years is succeeding.

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“With this year’s festival I think we have achieved what we have been striving for - a family festival with no undesirables coming to our city.”

Organising secretary Michael McGuinness was very happy.

“I made a very careful study of all the people coming by train and they were different to the types who came some years ago.

“I think the undesirables have got the message that they are not welcome in Kilkenny and they are staying away.

“Of course, we had some minor incidents which you can expect at any time - but by and large it was a fairly trouble-free festival.”

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The Gardaí confirmed this. Said Supt T Sloyan:

“It was most satisfactory and quiet from our point of view. There were a couple of assaults but nothing more than one could have expected from a large gathering of people.”

One of the major successes of the week was the Beer Tent which attracted the biggest crowds since the festival began 12 years ago.

The big band sound of Jim Cantwell band and his singers created a very enjoyable festival atmosphere and the fact that Kilkenny boasts such an outfit was noted by many visitors.

Another group of Kilkenny musicians who created a tremendous impression with visitors was Noel Power and the Four Aces, whose eminently slick nightclub music delighted dancers at the Festival Club.

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FIFTY MILE WALK

Podge Dack of Thomastown will set off on a 50 mile-plus walk as part of the Thomastown Festival fundraising campaign on Saturday. He will travel through Gowran to Carlow, returning to Thomastown through Castlecomer.

Holder of an All-Ireland junior medal with Kilkenny and junior and senior medals with Thomastown, he is one of Thomastown’s best known sports personalities.

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The exact distance has not been given as a prize will be awarded to the person giving the correct distance to the nearest yard.

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