Fire disaster averted by four quick thinking men in Kilkenny

A possible major fire disaster in Callan was averted by the quick thinking of four men.

Smoke was seen billowing from the premises of Philip Morrissey, Bridge Street. The alarm was raised but there was no fire brigade available.

The Callan unit was out fighting a blaze at the home of Tom Dalton at Ballyphillip, Ballingarry. So the call was passed on to the Kilkenny brigade.

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As the fire was in danger of getting out of control the four men decided to force their way into the house. With fire extinguishers they battled the blaze until the Kilkenny unit arrived.

The prompt action of the men possibly saved several other buildings. If the outbreak had got out of control the strong wind would have made it very difficult for the firemen to work.

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The four men were Michael Cunningham, Peter Finnerty and Noel Morrissey, Callan and Gus Carey, Kilkenny.

Soccer Star Weds
Kathleen Ramsbottom, one of Ireland’s leading soccer players, was married on Saturday.

One of the stalwarts of the local team that won two Irish cups and were runners-up in the League of Ireland, Kathleen was selected to tour France with an Irish selection in 1972.

On that tour she was approached by the Stade de Rheims manager to sign for his team. Although she would work part time in a local factory, Kathleen was offered very good money to go to France but she declined.

Stade de Rheims visited Ireland later and had been unbeaten on their Irish tour when they visited Kilkenny - in fact, they had not been beaten for two years previously. However Kathleen, with local girls Connie Jordan and Anne Griffith, helped an Irish selection win 2-1.

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As well as her two Irish caps Kathleen is the proud holder of two Irish Cup medals, a runners-up medal and a League of Ireland runners-up medal, as well as many other awards for both outdoor and indoor football.

The football interest doesn’t end there as she married John Brennan, who plays with Freebooters in the Kilkenny first division.

Kay also played Gaelic football with the Club Kilkenny team and the county, basketball with Scorpions and Kilkenny and table tennis with Club KK.

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