Kilkenny Clubs

Doolin

New to area and told a lot of people in their twenties, early thirties are in same position as me i.e finding it very hard to meet people and to settle in, was wondering if thats true?

road_high

Doolin wrote:

New to area and told a lot of people in their twenties, early thirties are in same position as me i.e finding it very hard to meet people and to settle in, was wondering if thats true?

I'm in my early twenties and live hereso have a network of friends there. Did you know many people here before you arrived? It's always hard to move to a new area and settle in.
What are your work-colleagues like? They're usually your first point of contact between you and a new place. Could you socialise with them?

A lot of young people have to leave KK and go to university (as unfortunately the govt couldn't be bothered providing one here.Or anything else for that matter..). But in college you kind have all people your own age and many with same interests so it's much easier- sorry for rambling on here...

Can you get involved in clubs like tennis, badminton or something? Nightlife is very good in KK- Langtons is v popular with people in their 20s/30s if you're into clubbing. Sorry I couldn't be of more help, I'm sure other peole will have better advice!

Hmm_Messiah

......still likes the idea of a boards/kilkenny poker night thingy

Spocker

Hmm_Messiah wrote:

......still likes the idea of a boards/kilkenny poker night thingy

Poker! - Sign me up! (I'll even drive in from Callan )

kilkennymusic

true about the college. bit of a mass exodus of people in their early 20s to get to or finish college, summer is usually quite busy! langtons is grand for the 20-30 group. gigs are usually a handy place to start, usually something around and about. if you're working, how about a work night out? organise a drinking sessions or something, never know...

Firetrap

I'm a blow-in as well and have found it tough (it's probably true for other places as well, not just Kilkenny). I began to meet new people through my housemates. I guess the usual advice is to join something. There is/was a book that lists almost every club/society in Kilkenny which was for sale in some of the newsagents in town. It's probably also in the library.

Langton's is a funny sort of place and not always the best for meeting new people. One of my friends says the front bar is full of people just standing looking at each other.

djpaul

allie_e17 wrote:

Langton's is a funny sort of place and not always the best for meeting new people. One of my friends says the front bar is full of people just standing looking at each other.

Your Friend Speaks The Truth!:o

Firetrap

Oh don't get me started on Langton's... A wrecking ball wouldn't cure the place

Lump

Ah it's great really :rolleyes:

Nightwish

So great that only about 8% of its clientele on a Sat night actually from Kilkenny.

Lump

Tell me about it!

Doolin

All sounds like good advice but the problem Im having is finding people to go to pubs, gigs etc with, didnt know anyone when I arrived and didnt grow up in KK so am a bit screwed. Flatmates lovely but coupled up so not always around. Went to college but all my friends in different parts of the country and the world!!! Heard the hockey club is good craic, anyone know anything about it?

road_high

allie_e17 wrote:

Langton's is a funny sort of place and not always the best for meeting new people. One of my friends says the front bar is full of people just standing looking at each other.

That is so true! Full of people who actually think theyre somebody like Kilkenny hurlers etc- I don't think they know anybody else doesen't give a damn who they are or could even care less!

Firetrap

I know nothing about the hockey club I'm afraid but it's as good a start as anything. Also, you could strive to improve your basket-weaving and beginners Spanish if you took up nightclasses - the ads for the next lot of classes should be in the papers after Christmas.

I do know where you're coming from and some day will get around to taking my own advice

Doolin

Yea was thinking nightclasses would be good alright, there seems to be some good ones in the VEC, any other suggestions are welcome! At least Im not the only one that found it hard:)

MsFifers

Yes - have to agree Kilkenny is a hard place to get to know "the locals". I know people who gave up after a couple of years and moved away again. I don't know if its particular to Kilkenny or not but I've moved around a lot but never found settling in anywhere as difficult as when I moved to Kilkenny. Its worse than Dublin! You guys are darn unfriendly!

Maybe its because so many tourists visit - if you are out, people don't bother striking up a conversation because if they don't know you already they reckon they aren't ever going to see you again.

Nightclasses aren't a bad idea - I met a good few people that way. I heard that the drama groups in Kilkenny are brilliant craic and good for meeting people. And a few people said to me the tennis club is good that way too - if you like tennis!

So I decided ages ago, if I ever came across someone new to Kilkenny I would invite them out and be really friendly, and wouldn't leave them to their own devices the way I was. But then was talking to a girl recently who was saying how hard she found moving, and I was all sympathy but had walked away thinking - can't invite her out, she won't know anyone else & will feel left out and out of place! How stooopid! Must make a point of inviting her next time I see her!

General suggestion to Kilkenny people - open up and be nice to newcomers! We promise not to mention the fact Kilkenny isn't really a city.

Hmm_Messiah

I would of seen Kilkenny as a friendly place- and friends I had visiting found it so . But then I'm a virtual recluse do any one saying "hi" I consider an intimate friend


The nightclass thing is an idea- but still you have to push it a little
I am doing one in the VEC and was nearly a year before people in general spoke to each other. 4 of us did start chatting (mostly to plan some way of passing exams!) but no matter how much we encouraged the others to join in, coffee, study meets etc it didn't happen.

You could always try some kind of Kilkenny Boards meet - but in kilkenny thats limited to drinking or the cinema. or the theatre. THere are poker nights but they dont exactly emphasis friendly interaction - though I've always liked the poker night imagine from the Odd Couple tv show ( if your old enough to remember it )

When people do chat in pus sometimes it can seem a little suspicious - I was having a pint in the Hibernian while waiting for a mate off the bus. this chap started a conversation, which was nice - except he kept mentioning his wife, and the fact she wasn't with him. Started to sound a little .......odd.


So when we all going to Christmas Carol in the Watergate ??

Doolin

Yea I actually have gone and done stuff i.e sport and stuff and where people are happy to make chit chat they are very reluctant to make new friends but I suppose if Im around long enough people will be more used to seeing my face and less suspicious!!:rolleyes:
Dont think its just Kilkenny though, I imagine it would be the same in any irish city or town, we are not as much of a friendly country as we think!

road_high

As a KK native I have to say I find people from the Midlands (KK is kinda Midlands too I guess ) and the west a lot friendlier than here.KK people tend to be quite serious in a lot of instances (maybe thats just me again!)
Most of my better friends would be from other counties.
For instance if you're not part of the 'hurling/GAA' clique in KK then you're a nobody in a lot of peoples eyes. I find this very sad myself indeed.
Still in all it is a great place to live though...

JohnMc1

Doolin wrote:

All sounds like good advice but the problem Im having is finding people to go to pubs, gigs etc with, didnt know anyone when I arrived and didnt grow up in KK so am a bit screwed. Flatmates lovely but coupled up so not always around. Went to college but all my friends in different parts of the country and the world!!! Heard the hockey club is good craic, anyone know anything about it?

I know what you mean. All the women I know from work and at the health club, etc are already involved. At this rate I'll be single until I'm dead [30 going on 31]

Dooloin wrote:

Yea I actually have gone and done stuff i.e sport and stuff and where people are happy to make chit chat they are very reluctant to make new friends but I suppose if Im around long enough people will be more used to seeing my face and less suspicious!!
Dont think its just Kilkenny though, I imagine it would be the same in any irish city or town, we are not as much of a friendly country as we think!

Sadly I must agree with this too. My health club has a kickboxing team and last Nov they had a show at O'Loughlins. Some of them had a "What the Hell is he doing here" look on their face that Dec they had a Christmas party at Rafter Dempseys and the same thing happened. Now i just keep to myself when I am at the club and barely talk to any of them.

clairesheara

out of curiousity...are any of you still in Kilkenny and did you settle in and meet people

JohnMc1

clairesheara wrote: »

out of curiousity...are any of you still in Kilkenny and did you settle in and meet people

Still in Kilkenny. Still single though. I guess I'm a bachelor for life.

Yea John, I've experienced that sort of thing too! Clubs advertising for new members ("new members always welcome"), but the core clique doesnt really want to include you in the social end of things. Its ok to join and pay your membership and swell the numbers but it doesnt automatically mean you will be embraced to their bosoms!!!

JohnMc1

inthehat wrote: »

Yea John, I've experienced that sort of thing too! Clubs advertising for new members ("new members always welcome"), but the core clique doesnt really want to include you in the social end of things. Its ok to join and pay your membership and swell the numbers but it doesnt automatically mean you will be embraced to their bosoms!!!

Thanks inthehat. I've also experienced that cliqueish-ness with some of my Cousins here too so I won't say its just a club thing. I just go about my business and keep to myself. It does tend to put one off and does help with motivation when you realize that no matter what you don you'll never truly be accepted.

KKMusicals

Just after reading what some people have said here I said I'd let you know that Kilkenny Musical Society really do always welcome new members, and our membership is usually only around the 30 euro mark, just to cover insurance. It's one of the cheapest in the country.

Now I know musicals might not be everyone's cup of tea but I just said I'd post here in case anyone might be interested in joining. Every year we have new members joining, and hopefully they become involved as much as those involved for years. In fact we have a very high number of members who are not from Kilkenny originally. It's very social and good craic.

Anyway, if anyone is interested they can PM me or keep an eye in local press or listen to KCLR for details. We'll be starting up again some time in the Autumn and staging "Oliver!" at Easter.

newarrival

Doolin wrote: »

New to area and told a lot of people in their twenties, early thirties are in same position as me i.e finding it very hard to meet people and to settle in, was wondering if thats true?

i see the last post was many years ago but wondered if anyone had any new ideas.. im new to kilkenny and work slightly different hours to the norm.. clubs and societys always an option but all ideas welcome.. female by the way and late 20's if it makes any difference. Thanks : )

Welcome to KK Newarrival:).
If you're free on Sundays I'd say give the walking clubs a shot. There are a few clubs, - although they will be finishing up now for the Summer and starting up again in September. Its always a great option for making friends of all ages.
Check out the Tyndall Club here - http://tyndallmountainclub.blogspot.ie/
And another one, - Kilkenny Walking Club -contact number is 056 7765835. Both of these do easy and harder walks on Sundays and weekends away.
Also there's the Glanbia Walking Club, - I'm not sure if it's restricted to Glanbia workers only but you can find them on Facebook.
There are a few Book Clubs if that's your thing. One meets in Langtons Tearooms on the first Wed of every month at 8o'c, -thats next Wed. The library would have details of others.

newarrival

hi inthehat,
thanks for that the book club sounds good to me and perhaps a musical society when they are back up and running for the winter...
thanks again : )

inthehat wrote: »

Welcome to KK Newarrival:).
If you're free on Sundays I'd say give the walking clubs a shot. There are a few clubs, - although they will be finishing up now for the Summer and starting up again in September. Its always a great option for making friends of all ages.
Check out the Tyndall Club here - http://tyndallmountainclub.blogspot.ie/
And another one, - Kilkenny Walking Club -contact number is 056 7765835. Both of these do easy and harder walks on Sundays and weekends away.
Also there's the Glanbia Walking Club, - I'm not sure if it's restricted to Glanbia workers only but you can find them on Facebook.
There are a few Book Clubs if that's your thing. One meets in Langtons Tearooms on the first Wed of every month at 8o'c, -thats next Wed. The library would have details of others.

mahamageehad

newarrival wrote: »

hi inthehat,
thanks for that the book club sounds good to me and perhaps a musical society when they are back up and running for the winter...
thanks again : )

Hi!
Whereabouts are you living, in Kilkenny city or further away in the county?
I'm new as well, also female and 20s and don't know anyone, I moved up on Monday. I think the musical society is a great idea and I'm going to maybe try one of the walking clubs but walking ain't really my thing!

rustopher

would the walking club be mostly older people??? as in 40-60 plus??? Tennis, babmington sounds good.

volunteering is good way to meet people also. A lot of people out of work or part time doing this now.. but i suppose u all have jobs... unlike me!!!

Captain Havoc

If you're into cycling, Marble City Cyclers.