Social Groups

  • Active Retirement Association

    Active Retirement Associations aim to help retired men and women, usually over the age of 55, to lead full, happy and healthy retirements by offering organised opportunities for a wide range of activities including holidays, outings and socials, creative and learning programmes, indoor and outdoor sports and community work. There is an annual insurance and affiliation fee and a nominal charge for meetings.

  • Buddy Bench

    Buddy Bench Ireland is a school based positive mental health programme that promotes emotional resilience.  Celebrate children who act with compassion, kindness and empathy and releases the stigma of asking for help and encourages the development of conflict management skills thus relieving anxiety, stress and feelings of isolation.

  • Cairde Club

    Club for over 60s. Afternoon Tea. Activities include exercise, bingo cards, art and crafts, library and occasional speakers. People can be collected from their home and returned.

  • Cois Nore

    A community centre for people affected by cancer. Supports include: free counselling, massage and reflexology, as well as numerous group activities. Specialised counselling for children, advice and information. Open Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm for drop-in support or by appointment.

  • Family Carers Ireland

    Family Carers Ireland is a registered charity and a company limited by guarantee, emerging from the coming together of The Carers Association and Caring for Carers in 2016. The merger brings the best of both charities together whilst broadening the range of services and supports to family carers and giving one national voice to represent fairness for carers.

  • GROW

    GROW is a Mental Health Organisation which helps people who have suffered or are suffering, from mental health problems. Members are helped to recover from all forms of mental breakdown, or indeed, to prevent such happening.

    Groups meetings take place on Tuesdays, 10am and Wednesdays, 8pm.

  • Irish Countrywomen’s Association (ICA)

    County Kilkenny federation of ICA has several hundred members in 18 guilds, with an ethos based on friendship with women and further education. Hand crafts, computers and all of the old traditional Irish crafts are our main activities. Classes in computers, digital cameras, hand crafts, gardening, flower arranging, swimming and physical fitness may also be available. Visits to An Grianán in Co Louth, ICA’s Adult Education College, are arranged. Members go on weekend trips and there is an annual international trip. There is a hand-craft week in March every year.

  • Kilkenny Bereavement Support

    Kilkenny Bereavement Support, set up in 1989, is a group of trained volunteers who offer a free one-to-one support service to individuals of all ages who are bereaved and grieving. We offer talks, training and workshops on the area of loss. Bereaved people are met in a safe and confidential environment in Villa Maria.

  • Kilkenny Lions Club

     

    The Lions Club organises several annual fund-raising events for local charities including a school concert, wine fair, Christmas hamper appeal, golf classic etc. Meetings held all year round on the first Tuesday of the month at 8.30pm.

  • MACRA Na Feirme

     

    A voluntary organisation for people aged 17 to 35. Macra na Feirme is committed to the personal development of members and emphasises social interaction and participation. Activities are determined by members, are many and varied and include soccer, volleyball, basketball, drama competitions, public speaking, training programmes and travel. There are seven clubs in Co Kilkenny: Freshford, Callan, Kilkenny City, North Kilkenny (covers Castlecomer and Ballyragget area), Paulstown, Mullinavat and Suirside, Thomastown - 260 members.

  • Probus

    Probus is the association of retired and semi retired professional and business personnel in autonomous localised clubs throughout Ireland and the rest of the world. Many members are ex Rotarians. Most meetings last about one hour and they include a speaker on a topic of interest. Other meetings may consist of outings to places of interest. Kilkenny Probus Club was founded in 1998 and currently meets in the Club House Hotel Kilkenny, Tuesdays at 11am, fortnightly, except for July and August.

  • Rainbows Ireland

    Rainbows offers a 9 week listening, group support programme for children and young people, following a bereavement or parental separation.

    • Specific support groups for bereavement and separation will be formed on the basis of age level.
    • Rainbows is suitable for children and young people from age 7 and in lst Class up to Transition year (4 levels).
    • Rainbows is not counselling or professional therapy.

    Parents are invited to visit the website.

  • Rotary Club

    Rotary Clubs are based in local communities, where members meet on a regular basis to enjoy friendship, networking and to plan projects. Clubs utilise the skills, expertise and dedication of their members to help improve the lives of people in communities, both home and abroad. Meetings are held every Monday at 1pm in the Club House Hotel, Kilkenny.

  • Teac Tom

    Teac Tom is a peer led organisation which offers a warm and welcoming place for people that have been affected by suicide or mental health issues and for their families and friends. The door of Teac Tom is open Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 5.30pm (out of hours service available). We provide a safe space where people can come in for a chat and a coffee. We offer immediate counselling and support face to face and out of hours we provide support over the phone. We are community based and depend on community funding to keep the service going.

  • The Home Rule Club

    Formed in 1894 to support the Home Rule movement, today the club has no affiliations to any political party and is used as a social club.

    You will be sure of a very warm welcome at the club. You don't have to be a member to avail of our facilities. The bar is a great place to meet up with friends for a chat and a quiet pint around the open fire or to play a game of darts or pool. There's also a Beer Garden and smoking area for you to enjoy. We  have two full sized snooker tables for use.

    Open Sunday to Saturday from 7:30pm to 12am.   You can check us out on Facebook.

  • The Men’s Shed

     

    The Men’s Shed is a social outlet for men where they share their different skills. Members can partake in a range of activities i.e. bicycle up-cycling, wood turning, gardening etc.

     

    The Kilkenny Men's Shed also carries out handy-work in the community known as "Men's Shed Helping Hands". The idea is that members are available to carry out some handy-work - e.g mowing the lawn, putting up shelves, painting a door etc. - for people in the community, especially older people and those living alone. In return an individual can give a donation to the Men's Shed.

  • Young at Heart

    Meets Wednesdays, 2.30pm to 4.30pm.  Social group for men and women. Age 45 upwards.  Enjoy day trips and a wide range of entertainment and activities.  New members welcome!