A number of events have been planned for Hospice Week, including a demonstration and explanation of Comfort Touch Therapy by complementary practitioner Denise O’Connell and a practical workshop exploring ways to enrich your daily life, with life coach Siobhan Sims, author of ‘Did Your Day Count?’. This event will take place in the Ormonde Hotel on October 12, which is Susie’s anniversary at 7pm. Other events include the film night at Billy Byrne’s Pub on John Street, featuring “Like Water For Chocolate” one of Susie’s favourite films at 8.30pm. There will also be a Bag & Accessories Sale at Ryan’s Bar (theatre) on Friary Street on October 16 from 3pm-6pm.


Other highlights include the Willie Meighan and Davy Holland Alternative Disco on October 16, in the Set Theatre from 10pm. A Celebration of a Life: Music by The Barflies to celebrate Susie Long’s life will take place at The Pumphouse onOctober 17 at 9pm.


There will also be daily radio features on the theme of hospice on The Sue Nunn Show and The Edwina Grace Show on KCLR 96fm, plus Martin Bridgeman’s ‘People in Profile’ featuring Siobhan Sims, and a very special edition of Martin Bridgeman’s ‘Eclectic Light’, featuring Susie Long’s Top 10 favourite albums, introduced by Malcolm Noonan.


Announcing details of Hospice Week this week, Malcolm Noonan, Chairperson of the Susie Long Hospice Fund, said “Hospice Week gives us an opportunity to renew and invigorate our collective energy towards reaching our goal of providing a hospice in Kilkenny, for the people of Kilkenny and Carlow, in line with national policy. By planning Hospice Week around Susie’s anniversary, we are keeping her vision alive and continuing to take inspiration from this incredible champion of many causes, who spent her final days in the calm, peaceful and supportive environment of Our Lady’s Hospice, Harold’s Cross. The wide range of events and speakers involved in Hospice Week also gives us an opportunity to celebrate in different ways the immense voluntary input of individuals and groups across Kilkenny and Carlow who continue to fundraise tirelessly for the Susie Long Hospice Fund. We call on as many people as possible to join us for Hospice Week events as, at the end of the day, the hospice is for all of us,” he said.

Anyone who would like to organise an event in aid of the Susie Long Hospice Fund, or to assist at any events during Susie Long Hospice Week should contact the Fundraising Co-ordinator Tommy Roche on (087) 2070737.

There will also be an information point at the Tholsel (Town Hall), High Street, Kilkenny on October 16.

10th September 2010

Poetry theatre, art and film at Castlecomer Writers Festival - Kilkenny Advertiser

By John Cleary

Castlecomer will ignite in a celebration of literature, theatre, film and just general fun-for-all as the town hosts its third annual ‘Writers and Arts Festival’ this month.

The festival will launch on Friday, September 24 at the Thomas Coogan Library at 6.30pm, with a cheese and wine reception, readings by local writers and a special guest and a presentation of prizes for the children’s and young people’s competitions.

The launch will be followed by a traditional music night in The Vaults at 10.30pm and all are welcome.

A number of writing workshops will be held in the Community Hall on Saturday 25 from 2.30pm to 4.30pm, including a poetry writing workshop hosted by Grace Wells, ‘writing your family history’ hosted by Dr Maire Downey, ‘how to get published’ by Siobhan Sims and writing for children by David O’Donoghue. The entry fee for the workshops is €5.

There will also be plenty of comedy and drama for patrons of the festival to soak up over the weekend with theatre performances in the Community Hall on Saturday 25 and Sunday 26 at 8.30pm.

John Coogan and Backstreet Productions will deliver a performance of ‘Laundry and Bourbon’ while the Kilquan Players Productions will perform renditions of ‘Football Fever’, ‘Jimeen and the Gander’ and ‘Philadelphia, Here I Come’.

The comedy and drama performaces at this year’s Castlecomer Writers and Arts Festival will be held in aid of Friends of Castlecomer Hospital and entry will be €10, or €5 for OAPs. For bookings call (056) 4441330.

This year’s festival will also include a movie element with a screening of Kilkenny’s own Oscar-nominated animated film, ‘The Secret of Kells’, in the Castlecomer Library.

The critically-acclaimed fantasy movie about young Brendan’s quest for enlightenment was not only the brainchild of local animator and director Tomm Moore, but was animated and produced by the Kilkenny-based production company Cartoon Saloon.

And of course there will be a wide range of art and photography on exhibition over the weekend, including an exhibit of the works of Tom Shelly in the Chatsworth Street Art Gallery as well as a photography and art exhibition in the Castlecomer Discovery Park.

The Black Diamond Poetry Competition is open to everyone who feels like writing a verse or thinks they have the talent. First prize is €500 with some cash prizes and highly commended certificates for runners-up. Prizes will be presented at 11am on the Saturday morning in the Castlecomer Discovery Park.

There will also be poetry and short-story competitions for primary school children, with prizes awarded to the three best poems and short-stories, and a poetry competition for secondary school students, with prizes awarded to the three best poems.

To add a little bit of extra fun to the festival, the Castlecomer ‘festival of fun for the children’ will take place in the Discovery Park on the Sunday, with a host of activities including a bouncy castle, face painting, fancy dress, stories in the wood, a treasure trail, pony rides and a barbeque with a finale featuring All Ireland Talent Show runners-up the Pyrothnicx Boy Band.

And due to the enormous success of last year’s Open Mic, another one will be hosted this year in Bollard’s Lounge Bar on the Saturday from 5.30pm to 7.30pm with compere Michael Hester. All are welcome.

7th August 2010

Making every day count

Susie Long made a lasting impact on the healthcare debate in this country when she talked to Joe Duffy about the lengthy HSE waiting list that resulted in her delayed diagnosis, a delay that proved fatal.

Though she passed away in 2007, her legacy lives on in the Susie Long Hospice Fund, which raises money for hospice care in Kilkenny. To help raise funds, a new book by Kilkenny life coach Siobhan Sims will donate €1 to the fund for every copy sold.

The book, Did Your Day Count ?, costs just €6.99 and is full of bite-sized practical advice on how to improve your life one day at a time. For more information, see siobhansims.com or susielonghospice.com.