Kilkenny couple 'virtually have their own private army'

A Kilkenny couple virtually have their own private army.

The eight sons of Kieran and Ellen Phelan, Butts Green are all members of the Defence Forces.

Three hold rank, a fourth is a Corporal and the remainder are private soldiers.

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Between them, six sons have 69 years military service.

And the last two sons passed out with the 18th Platoon A Company 3rd Infantry Battalion at Stephens Barracks, Kilkenny last week.

But this is nothing new to Mr and Mrs Phelan. Mrs Phelan’s father, the late James Gorey from Mooncoin and who later lived in Muckalee, fought in the Boer War. And Mr Phelan did his service in the early 1930s.

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“I am glad the boys chose the army,” said Mrs Phelan. “It is a fine, good and healthy life and the prospects are good for anyone who wants to get on.”

COUNTY BOARD PLANS THWARTED

The plans laid by the Kilkenny County Board to have the senior hurling championship ended on Sunday week have been thwarted by the semi-final draw between James Stephens and the Shamrocks. It would have been the earliest end to the campaign for some time.

The replay has been fixed for October 5. On the following Sunday the Kilkenny under-21 team play Cork in the All-Ireland final at Dungarvan while Kilkenny have a National League engagement with Galway on the following Sunday, October 19.

That means the county final cannot be played until October 26.

Kilkenny will send the strongest side possible to Galway.

JAMES STEPHENS DEVELOPMENT

One of the biggest GAA club developments in the provinces - certainly the biggest in the county - is approaching its third stage at the James Stephens hurling ground, popularly known locally for the past 40 years as ‘the hurling field’.

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A considerable amount of work, all voluntary, has already been done and it is hoped to have a section of the club premises, dressing-rooms, showers, toilets, kitchen and meeting rooms completed by Christmas.

The hurling field has been used for training for the past 40 years but it was only in the past five years that it was decided to buy the property from Kilkenny Corporation. The necessary funds were raised in the parish and the purchase was successfully negotiated.

Stage three of the plans involves the complete fencing of the field.

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