Amid all the doom & gloom of the Covid-19 pandemic, it seems we’re taking our social gatherings a little differently.
Take the open air markets that are proving popular in both counties, some have been staples for quite a while but new ones have been added, their fare boasting food, drink, art & crafts.
Kilkenny City’s Thursday’s grouping on The Parade got the go-ahead to set up stalls again each Saturday last July (details of that here). Now, the idea of extending it to a third day each week has been raised with the public representatives of the county council.
Cllr Joe Malone’s told KCLR News that he and council chair Andrew McGuinness have been approached by one of the vendors who has asked that the local authority consider running the market on Fridays as well.
He says “we were asked would we do it three days a week, Thursday, Friday & Saturday, because it’s very good, it’s one of the busiest markets around, so we have to take that on board and we would be open to it, once it wouldn’t impinge on the local business people as well, it’d be an idea to look at it, if there’s a will there why not”.
Cllr Malone added “this is a major space here on the Parade, there’s a lot of stuff going on here and it’s great to use it, a lot of money spent here over the years so great to see it being used, you see traders here, people walking around and that’s great, you’d hear musicians singing & playing their instruments which is great too”.
Our Ken McGuire’s been catching up with a pizza maker who can be found on The Parade – listen back here:
So, you can have yourself a pizza party – or mix it up with dishes from the other vendors.
It’s not just food though with everything from organic hand made body balms by My Skin Integrity on the Ballycallan Road to a range of lavender products by Tullaroan based Purple Cloud
Meanwhile, for fans of such events Sundays could be spent in South Kilkenny.
The Artisan Farmers Market is back at Mountain View in Ballyhale this weekend as they announced on Facebook:
Just a pathway down from the popular restaurant & wedding venue a sea of tents and picnic tables are set up each weekend bursting with goodies.
Our John Purcell has been talking to some of those involved for his Bottom Line business show:
If you’re going there this weekend watch out for new local start-up The Little Lime whose vegan adventure starts at the market – it’s offering a range of classic treats & some hot food.
There’s a great set up too in Carlow Town every Saturday from 9am to 2pm at the old Potato Market beside the main town centre car park. Full details on that here
Similar, smaller events pop up in both counties now & then, some of them seasonal, others local to the area hosting them so keep an eye open and don’t forget to let us know so we can tell everybody else about it!
