Ideas for improving Kilkenny

Einhard

I think we're fairly lucky with out local authorities in Kilkenny, especially in comparison to other similar sized towns in the country. However, there are always things that could be improved, new ideas tried etc,

Just wondering then, on that note, what exactly other people would like to change in Kilkenny, or what ideas they'd implement if they had the power.

Obviously try to keep it somewhat realistic, so no gold plated manhole covers, or Manhattan style CBD suggestions allowed!

For my part, I think too little is being done to tap Kilkenny's potential as a cultural and historical site. Rothe House is a wonderful building, but it is currently under-utilised. No offence to those involved, but the museum that i houses isn't exactly top drawer. I'd like therefore to remove the museum aspect from Rothe House, and have it entirely as a working 16th century home. All the rooms would be re-created as they were 400 years ago. Instead of having artefacts in cases, suitable historical items could be used on the walls, as decoration etc. I think this would be an amazing resource for Kilkenny, and a wonderful draw for locals and tourists alike. There could be guides in period costume etc, and perhaps the kitchens could be restored to serve period food on special occasions.

Both to compensate for the loss of the RH museum, and because a city of Kilkenny's size and historical importance needs one, I'd establish a custom designed museum, dedicated to the history of the city and county. Ideally the museum would be in a new, modern building, with an architectural flourish ala Bilbao. However, even if it were created in an existing building, it would still be a great addition to the city. It could be styled on the Waterford Treasures Museum, except bigger and better obviously.

I'd do much the same with Butler Gallery. Few people even know how important a resource the gallery is to Kilkenny, and because it's space is so limited, it keeps most of its works in storage, which is a great shame. I know that there were plans afoot to turn Evans' Home on John St into a new gallery, and I'd like to see that process accelerated.

Last but not least, I'd do something about the building stock in the city. Much of it is centuries old, and one can see the old brickwork from allies and sidestreets. Yet, from the main streets, this old fabric is coated in plaster, so that the buildings are little different from newer builds in other towns. I;d like to see the plaster stripped away where possible, and the original details exposed.

So those are my ideas. Keep em coming!:)

Captain Havoc

Einhard wrote: »

Last but not least, I'd do something about the building stock in the city. Much of it is centuries old, and one can see the old brickwork from allies and sidestreets. Yet, from the main streets, this old fabric is coated in plaster, so that the buildings are little different from newer builds in other towns. I;d like to see the plaster stripped away where possible, and the original details exposed.

I love that idea.

PhilipMarlowe

Said it before so to save myself the 5,000 words:









Nuke dunnes & market yard car park & ugly bits of the brewery, build theatre and stuff on river bank instead. I'm sorry, I only think on a grand scale

Seriously, nuke the telephone exchange... It and the citizens information building beside it should be put to a much more productive, tourist-centric use, considering their prime location. New exchange in the loughboy industrial estate or something and a big fibre-optic cable to the parade... slap a junction box in the basement of the funky building that gets to replace the 70's? brick and we'll be grand, still have t'internet.

1984baby

"For my part, I think too little is being done to tap Kilkenny's potential as a cultural and historical site". I would totally agree with this. There has never been enough advertising out there for Kilkenny. If you look at TV or newspapers, Dublin, Galway and Kerry are widely advertised. Bus tours often just pull in for a few hours and move on to another town. Also, the tourist office is closed on Sundays and never stays open late!! Do they think tourists only arrive during office hours.

Rantan

agreed - Kilkenny has fantastic potential and is severely under used in many aspects. I think its incredible that the nore which is the heart of the city is almost ignored as a resource - the Trail kilkenny riverside walk is a fantastic addition but I fear one that is not used to its full potential but fair play to all relevant authorities for providing it.

re Rothe House - I agree but good luck to you proposing that to the com - it - ee of the Kilkenny Arcaeological Society who manage the building!! Dont forget that Rothe House is operated for the most part by volunteers(many are retired peolple) who do so out of civic duty - it is not a government run building or organisation so receive little in the way of funding, the day to day operation and management is by the KAS and a couple of paid staff. The society is underrepresented by younger people - I would considering joining as I have had similar ideas to the above and that would be one place that needs new and fresh blood...

road_high

Infrastructure on the west side of the city badly needed to be developed, starting with a new link from the N77 Castlecomer road to the Freshford road across the Nore for a start, and then extended all the way across to the Callan road. Will not be done now for years and years but badly needed if the west side is to develop. Also shops and servcices badly needed this side as well.
There's just so much could be done with Kilkenny, could go on all day.

holyhead

I agree that a link road from the Castlecomer Road to the Freshford Road would be handy. A Kilkenny life museum is essential one that incorporates the history of the city and the love of hurling in the county. I'd love a gate/sculpture like on the paved parade with two cats on either side holding hurleys that met in the centre. BTW well done to the lads today on making their 6th AIF in a row and their 11th final in 13 years. Remarkable.
KK is a lovely city and I'm proud to from there. Having lived away from home has helped me have a greater appreciation of what we have in KK. It's not perfect but where is.

up for anything

Getting rid of the human thrash off the streets at night and in the early morning would go a long way to improving the town. In other countries you could sit and watch the style and the goings on on the main streets or going out areas.

Last night I had to collect my daughter from babysitting at 1am. I went down John Street and up to Patrick Street. John Street and Rose Inn Street were full of the lowest common denominator. It didn't look like there was anybody out over the age of 18 or at least anybody self-respecting. It was like a tidal wave of people on both sides crossing the bridge and onto Rose Inn Street which was already full of smokers from the pubs outside on the pavement.

Some charmers were breaking bottles/glasses onto the road and the binge drinkers were falling out in front of cars. FFS! Is that what a good night out is these days? I couldn't see any tourists or Arts Week types out. I don't blame them. I felt really ashamed of the town and the youth and I'd be reasonably tolerant of people having a good time.

As for the girl leaning against the bridge opposite Matt the Millers with the lad with his hand up her skirt - not that there was much of it to go up- GET A FUCKING ROOM.

The night before when I collected her at 12am there were at least 8 gardaí in pairs out between the Parade traffic lights and Langtons. Last night there wasn't one. I wouldn't blame them. They'd have to have been on Limerick money to walk up there.

petulko

I had to call guards when i went for walk down to canal, and there was <snip> and his company injecting drugs on the broad day light. Then you go pick your car from Johns green- behind fire station, and there they are again- drinking. I see them there nearly every day. Then you have young travelers kids on the cariges and horses goind down thru city centre and ring roads and no1 is able to stop that! You park your car outside sherwoods for 5min to collect something from argos, and you get 40€ fine straight away, but horse ****ting outside post office or tower hall gets no fine!
There are dealers outside pumphouse and anakonda selling drugs, and nothing is beeing done to them? Did they pay income tax to coco?? Then you have polish escort in mac donagh apartments, and black escort in side streets beside superquinn. No1 seems to mind that either. Then you have romanian gypsies begging on every corner of the high street, collecting money and then going to argos and buy a gold chains- friend works there and told me that. There are many youngs with done up cars racing across ring roads. I wouldnt blame them- there is nowhere to go around kilkenny to go with your car and meet up and have fun. Nearest place is tullow in carlow. And if nackers can use ring roads with they horses, and holding up traffic, boyracers can do the same. At least they wont cause any traffic jams. And dont let me start with shops! We have the worst shopping centre in ireland. mc donnagh is new and should be better then old newbridge, tallagh or dun drum. Id rather drive to carlow- at least there is tesco and free PARKING! Want to buy good pair of runners- you have to go to jf in carlow or Halfies in waterford. Want to buy new Marantz, Pioneer or denon receiver you have to go to dublin or cork. I went to sherwoods, they have 2003 model pioneer amp, with no remote, and they are asking 1000€ for it, even this was 1300 when launched??? Want to buy CHEAPER designer clothes you have to go to kildare village, or you can wait for sales in pauls, and still wouldnt get good deal. No tesco, no mark and spencers, only2 dunnes and 2 lidls.
Kilkenny is only good for stag nites and parties- we have nothing spectacular to offer but dirty streets full of scum and dirty-overpriced pubs. At least we have castle with nice park and plannig officers that wont give you planning permition, even dough you complied with everything they want, because if you get the plannig permition they would have no income anymore.

catbear

Tell us what you really think Petulko!

Cabaal

petulko, what are you trying to say?

petulko

All im saying, if we want to have our kilkenny beautifull, nice place to live in and atract more tourist, we should first get things i pointed out sorted first. And people always come back to place which feels safe, looks clean and have plenty to offer.

niallhy

"ugly bits of the brewery,"
Nearly all of the brewery is in use apart from the part closest to greens bridge,so why would you want to nuke nearly the only industry left in the town??

Rantan

petulko wrote: »

All im saying, if we want to have our kilkenny beautifull, nice place to live in and atract more tourist, we should first get things i pointed out sorted first. And people always come back to place which feels safe, looks clean and have plenty to offer.

sorry , but KK generally does feel safe, looks great and does have plenty to offer, OK there are limited choices if you want to buy certain things but thats the nature of small places. there is not one town or city anyewhere in the world that doesn;t have some element of the nasties you mentioned, most places are worse, the great cities of the world(PAris, Barcelona, London etc etc) are full of street crime, KK is like towtown compared to these places

Captain Havoc

Rantan wrote: »

there is not one town or city anyewhere in the world that doesn;t have some element of the nasties you mentioned, most places are worse, the great cities of the world(PAris, Barcelona, London etc etc) are full of street crime, KK is like towtown compared to these places

I lived in Paris for a year and can confirm it is a kip but I liked it there.

petulko

It mite feel safe if you live in Ardilea or places alike, but go out on john street any weekend nite and you'll see how safe it is. Or try to rent a house in one of the unfamous housing estates and we'll see how would you njoy your sleep with partying drunks next door, or travelers going around your house looking at what could be worth it to take. And obout the shopping, we all know kilkenny is rulled by monopoly, they are all families and relations, and they dont like competition much. Thats why we have such a poor high street shop selection. Of course bigger city naturally means more crime, but as you said kilkenny is only small town, thats why i think it could be way better place, if there was enough will power and law inforcment personel visible anywhere in kilkenny, day and nite,not just on for eg. waterford road on sat nite doing speed checks. It would be grat idea if kk coco, had its ofn Kilkenny city police, which would work in coorporation with guards, and they prime role would be safety of citizens, crime prevention, vandalizm prevention, and they would respond to 2am partying complains etc. Every town in europe has his own city police force, witch is employed by local council.

Einhard

You sure you're not confusing Kilkenny with Beruit there petulko?

petulko

Do they have Polish escort and Travelers that cudn't be touched by law in Beirut as well? :rolleyes:

Cabaal

petulko wrote: »

All im saying, if we want to have our kilkenny beautifull, nice place to live in and atract more tourist,

Kilkenny attracts a massive amount of tourists, anytime you visit Kilkenny at any time of the year there is tourists in the City.

Compare that to the likes of Waterford when even at the height of the summer you "might" see one or two, sure they get bus tours to the crystal but that's feck all benefit to the other local shops etc

One final thing if your going to reply, can you please use paragraphs and spacing, makes it easier to read your posts

Captain Havoc

@petulko, another go at the travelling community and you're banned.

Asphyxia

Get a Tesco... Simple!

ethical

Put Brian Cody in charge ,he would soon whip the city into shape!

Cabaal

Asphyxia wrote: »

Get a Tesco... Simple!

It can be the new tourist attraction :pac:

I love the way people see Tesco's as the be all and end all of everything in Kilkenny and in Waterford they see M&S as the solution to everything (since they already have 5 billion tesco stores already ).

Captain Havoc

I think Kilkenny is great.

Plug

As far as places go it has fairly low crime levels. Shops and pubs aren't too bad either.

catbear

In the greater scheme Kilkenny is pretty harmless. There are more annoyances than actual dangers.
The real threats to society are financial illiteracy and nepotism.

Rantan

petulko wrote: »

Do they have Polish escort and Travelers that cudn't be touched by law in Beirut as well? :rolleyes:

if KK is such a s&&t hole why do you continue to live here? Would you not just move somewhere nicer and safer?

road_high

Captain Havoc wrote: »

I think Kilkenny is great.

It is, it's a lovely place to live in fairness. And it has good road connections now as well (mostly, the N77 and western environs roads badly need upgrading but we can't have everything). It's a very safe place, very little undesirable elements compared to tother towns and cities and is quite "middle class" without being snobby.

Ickle Magoo

A marks and spencers/tesco/anything that isn't bloody dunnes that hasn't been shoe-horned into the parking/shopping nightmare that is the town centre - and decent parking around the park. Fantastic resource and yet they slap bus parking on one side of the road, meters the other and to hell with those who like a daily run in one of the few child-friendly activities in the city.

Other than that - it's a really lovely part of the world. :cool:

fabbydabby

Captain Havoc wrote: »

I think Kilkenny is great.

I think YOU'RE great.

Captain Havoc

fabbydabby wrote: »

I think YOU'RE great.

I'm going to pretend you didn't say that with your tongue in your cheek :cool:

Fabby thinks I'm great, I am the man.