News Opinion

MICHAEL WOLSEY: Heard the one about the jockey, the nun and two TDs?

By Kilkenny Now 25th December 2019 0

We could tell which was the party house because it was festooned in balloons and banners, like people do for children’s birthdays. It didn’t seem like the host’s style and I was going to tease him about it but the door was opened, not by him, but by a mutual acquaintance from work. So I […]

News Opinion

MICHAEL WOLSEY: Bad little Benny is an elf and safety issue

By Kilkenny Now 11th December 2019 0

BENNY is back. I thought I had seen the last of this uninvited house guest a year ago when he departed without even saying goodbye. But, no, he’s back – along with my grandchildren. I meet him every morning in a different part of the house. Today he was at the foot of the stairs […]

News Opinion

WINE O’CLOCK: A winter warmer that is also nice chilled

By Kilkenny Now 6th December 2019 0

Last week I looked at wines you might like to try before the Christmas dinner. Afterwards, when the pud has been scoffed and the cheese is on the table, many of us will sip a glass of Sherry, that good old staple for winter days. It is one of the two great fortified wines. The […]

Food & Drink News Opinion

WINE O’CLOCK: More bang for your Buck’s Fizz

By Kilkenny Now 29th November 2019 0

I celebrated Black Friday by not doing any shopping at all. But now that the madness is out of the way, ’tis the season for buying wine. I’ll run through some selections between now and Christmas, starting with the sparkles. In our family, after Santa’s wonders have been revealed and applauded, we like a glass […]

Business News Opinion

MICHAEL WOLSEY: Here’s my Christmas SOS – Save Our Shops

By Kilkenny Now 27th November 2019 0

The Christmas shopping splurge marks a new round of hostilities in a war that has been raging for a decade or more over the future of the retail industry. It has been a pretty one-sided affair, with store after store waving the white flag while online traders occupy their territory. Well, not literally. For online […]

Food & Drink News Opinion

WINE O’CLOCK: Some like it hot – but not me

By Kilkenny Now 22nd November 2019 0

I am not a fan of mulled wine. I like the idea of it spreading warmth on a winter’s day and I like the smell of the fruit and spices, but the drink is always disappointing and it has ruined many a party at this time of year. I am expecting a nice glass of […]

News Opinion

MICHAEL WOLSEY: It’s the €3bn National White Elephant Plan

By Kilkenny Now 20th November 2019 0

WORK on installations for the National Broadband Plan will begin in January and the Government believes it will all be completed by 2027. Well, that’s what it says. But there are elections looming and politicians would say Mass if they thought it would get them a few extras votes. Judging by other State projects, 2037 […]

News Opinion

WINE O’CLOCK: Try Madeira, it’s not just for cakes

By Kilkenny Now 15th November 2019 0

I am loathe to mention the C-word before November is out, but there are only five wine-buying weeks to Christmas so it’s time I started looking at seasonal wines. We buy two types of wine specially for Christmas: sparkling and fortified. There was a time when most houses had a bottle of Sherry or Port […]

News Opinion

MICHAEL WOLSEY: We’ll miss RTÉ when it’s gone

By Kilkenny Now 13th November 2019 0

A lot of important GAA club matches have been played in recent weeks – county and provincial finals for both hurling and football. RTÉ radio has covered them all and RTÉ television has shown extracts from many of them. RTÉ doesn’t get much thanks for this service and that, I suppose, is fair enough. It’s […]

News Opinion

WINE O’CLOCK: Sweets for my sweet with a hint of honey

By Kilkenny Now 8th November 2019 0

SOME people like to drink a dessert wine with, reasonably enough, their dessert. I like to drink them as my dessert. The sweetness of the wine combined with the sweetness of most puddings is just too much for my taste, but a glass of Sauternes, sipped just by itself, is a lovely end to a […]