“Stay in Kilkenny and do your shopping” – Mayor of Kilkenny (1974)

A call to the people of Kilkenny City and county to buy Irish and buy locally was made this week by the President of Kilkenny Chamber of Commerce.

Urging people to do their Christmas shopping at home, Mr Kevin O’Donovan said spending in Kilkenny would mean greater co-operation between shopkeeper and customer and would also help safeguard employment.

He pointed out that by giving their support to local businesses, Christmas customers would be encouraging stores to improve their ranges for the future and also keep their prices as competitive as possible.

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“Stay in Kilkenny and do your shopping,” was also the message spelled out by Mayor Thomas Martin when he called on the people of the city and county to support home traders.

Mayor Martin said the people of Kilkenny had always given most of their business to local firms but now it was even more important than ever that money be kept circulating locally.

Despite high pitch inflation and much unemployment, the festive season looks like being just as busy as ever.

City shopkeepers report that trade is well up to the standard of recent years and, if anything, there is an improvement in the sale of Christmas fare.

According to the Chamber of Commerce president, it will be just as good as any other Christmas.

“In these times,” said Ald Seamus Pattison, TD, “in order to help business people and others, I would appeal to everyone to ‘Buy Irish’ and I would appeal to the business people to ‘stock Irish’. I would ask people not to be carried away by a temporary saving in foreign goods. In the long term, buying Irish will pay off.”

The call came as a city rate of £7.84 in the £ was adopted by Kilkenny Corporation at their meeting. The new rate, which comes into effect on January 1, is an increase of £1.55 on the current rate of £6.29.

But as the current rate was only for a nine month period the new rate, in proportion, is a reduction of about 56p in the £, as a rate of £6.29 for nine months would correspond to a rate of £8.40 for a full year.

Tenants Association to expand?
At the monthly meeting of the Kilkenny Corporation Tenants’ Association the question of opening the Association to tenants of private landlords, local authority or private house purchasers was discussed.

It was decided that with Corporation tenants buying their houses, provision should be made under the constitution of the Association to cover them.

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