Christmas Party 2024
Cross community co-operation and appreciation were celebrated in bright lights in Kilkenny at the weekend.
The Kingsriver Community in Ennisnag extended a seasonal ‘thank you’ to their welcoming neighbours in Stoneyford by donating a Christmas tree to the village.
The majestic tree, which was sourced in Owning in South Kilkenny, stands 25 feet tall and it will remain in situ on the Main Street in Stoneyford as a symbol of co-operation and thanks during the festive season.
“We wanted to do something to show our appreciation and thanks to the people of Stoneyford for the warm way they have welcomed and supported us, and donating the Christmas tree seemed an appropriate way to do it at this time of the year,” explained Kingsriver Community COO Donna Murphy of the thinking behind the gesture.
Members of the Stoneyford Development Association, headed by chairperson Adele Walsh, plus services users, family members and staff from the Kingsriver Community were on hand for the symbolic handing over of the tree on Friday.
That ever beaming man of the season, Santa Claus, was in attendance too when the official switching on of the Christmas lights was performed by Kilkenny hurling manager, Derek Lyng, who extended season’s greetings to everyone.
“The Stoneyford Development Association is delighted to be in a position to host and welcome the Kingsriver Community day service participants while their buildings are being refurbished,” said Adele Walsh.
“Their gift of this year’s Christmas tree in return to our community was hugely welcomed and we are very thankful. Having our Community Centre used so much during the day has brought life and a buzz to the area that can be felt by all,” she added.
The tree was procured, transported and positioned in its place of honour by Kingsriver maintenance crew, Seamus Hurley and Jimmy O’Dwyer.
The Day Service centre at the Kingsriver base is currently undergoing major refurbishment at an anticipated cost of around €850,000. The redevelopment will be carried out in three phases over the next two years.
With their own Day Service centre out of bounds because of the redevelopment work, the Kingsriver Community reached out to the Stoneyford Development Association for help, which was immediately forthcoming. Currently the Kingsriver day services operate from the nearby Stoneyford Community Centre, which meant there was the minimum of disruption for service users.
The Kingsriver Community is funded by the HSE. It is a social care service provider primarily based in Ennisnag. The Community is committed to providing a home and quality person-centred opportunities, including training, for people of various abilities and to strive to empower them to realise their full potential as contributing members of society.
In addition to the Day Service centre in Ennisnag, the charity also operates a hub in Kilkenny City. It also has four residential centres, in Ennisnag and one each in St Canice’s, St John’s and St Patrick’s parishes in the city.
Source: Kilkenny People (https://www.kilkennypeople.ie/)
Massive thank you for all our staff's hard work making the event possible! Huge thank you to Harry Reid for capturing some excellent photos, and of course to our special guests Derek Lyng and Santa!