For over 55 years, Al-Anon (which includes Alateen for younger members) has been offering strength and hope for friends and families of problem drinkers. It is estimated that each alcoholic affects the lives of at least four other people... alcoholism is truly a family disease. No matter what relationship you have with an alcoholic, whether they are still drinking or not, all who have been affected by someone else’s drinking can find solutions that lead to serenity in the Al-Anon/Alateen fellowship.

Families and friends of problem drinkers are most welcome and meetings are free, anonymous and confidential.

Contact - Tel. 01-8732699

Meetings

Alcoholics Anonymous® is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from alcoholism. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking. There are no dues or fees for AA membership; we are self-supporting through our own contributions. AA is not allied with any sect, denomination, politics, organization or institution; does not wish to engage in any controversy, neither endorses nor opposes any causes. Our primary purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics to achieve sobriety.

Contact:  Kieran 056-7722439

Meetings:

Ballyragget Convent of Mercy
Thursday, 8.30 p.m.
Contact:  John 056-8833149;  Phelim 056-7721148 (evenings).

Callan, C.B.S., Kilkenny Road
Thursday 8.30 p.m.
Contact:  Chrissie 056-7725108; 056-7725371;  Paddy 056-7725311.

Castlecomer Presentation Convent Primary School
Saturday, 8.30 p.m.

Durrow, Old School, Ballyragget Road
Sunday, 8.30 p.m.

Good Shepherd Centre, Kilkenny
Sunday, 11.30 a.m.
Monday, 12.30 p.m.
Wednesday, 8.30 p.m.
Thursday, 12.30 p.m.
Friday, 8.30 p.m.

Kilmoganny National School
Monday, 8.30 p.m.
Contact: Paddy 051-643463

Rathdowney, CYMS Hall, Church Street
Friday, 8.30 p.m.
Contact: Canice 0505-41137; Tommy 0505-41132

Social Service Centre, Kilkenny
Sunday, 8.30 p.m.
Tuesday, 8.30 p.m.
Saturday, 8.30 p.m.

Thomastown, St. Columba's Hospital
Friday, 8.30 p.m.

Alpha is an opportunity for anyone to explore the Christian faith in a relaxed setting over ten thought-provoking weekly sessions, with a day or weekend away.

The Alpha course is designed for not only for those who attend church but also for those people who aren't regular church goers.  Each course is open to everyone who would like to attend.  Most courses attract a diverse range of guests of different ages and backgrounds, holding many different viewpoints.

Contact:
Very Rev. Joseph Delaney
1 Mount Carmel Bungalows
Callan
Co. Kilkenny
Tel. 056-7755746
Mobile. 086-8206730

Alzheimer’s disease is an illness of the brain. It causes large numbers of nerve cells in the brain to die. This affects your ability to remember things and think clearly. Doctors don’t know what causes the disease. They do know that it usually begins after age 60. However, it is not a normal part of aging.  The disease often starts slowly. In fact, some people don’t know they have Alzheimer’s disease, blaming their forgetfulness on old age. Over time, memory problems get much worse as the disease progresses.

People with Alzheimer’s disease lose the ability to drive a car, cook a meal, or even read a newspaper. They may get lost easily and find even simple things confusing. Some people become worried, angry, or violent. At some point, people with Alzheimer’s disease may need someone to take care of all their needs (feeding, bathing, etc.) at home with a caregiver or in a nursing home.

The Alzheimer's Day Care Service open Monday to Friday 9.30am to 4.00pm

Caredoc, Waterford Road, Kilkenny
Contact:
Ms. Elaine Bradshaw or Ms. Una Curtin.
Tel. 056-7771230

The Apostolic Society makes and sews vestments, altar cloths, and linens for world missionaries.  They also raise funds for the purchase of Mass kits, silverware, candlesticks etc., for these missionaries.

Aware is a voluntary organisation formed in 1985 by a group of interested patients, relatives and mental health professionals, whose aim was to assist that section of the population whoses lives are directly affected by depression. 400,000 different people suffer from depression in Ireland at any one time but many hide their condition and never get help. Sadly, over 500 people take their own life each year. Since its foundation in 1985, Aware has been working energetically to bring support to depression sufferers and their families, and to dispel the myths and misunderstandings of this devastating illness.

Meetings are held every Wednesday night in Claddagh Court, College Road, Kilkenny, at 8.00 p.m.

Contact: 
Ms. Sheila Dalton, Mrs. Mary Lynch, Auxiliary Hospital, Wolfe Tone Street, Kilkenny.
Tel.  051-565693
www.awarese.com

Brainwave was established in 1966 by a group of individuals concerned to improve the quality of life of people with epilepsy in Ireland.  Over the 44 years since our inception, the Association has grown and expanded and now provides a range of services from headquarters in Dublin and from regional offices in Cork, Dundalk, Galway, Kerry, Kilkenny, Letterkenny, Limerick, Sligo and Tullamore.

BRAINWAVE OBJECTIVES

• To provide support, information and advice to people with epilepsy.
• To provide information and advice to health professionals in dealing with epilepsy.
• To improve public understanding of epilepsy (in order to eliminate fear and prejudice) through awareness campaigns and education programmes.
• To undertake, encourage and assist research into the causes of, cure for and management of epilepsy and into the social and psychological effects of the condition.
• To promote legislative and civil rights for people with epilepsy and to campaign to eliminate all discriminatory practices and policies affecting them.
• To assist in the development of support groups for people with epilepsy in the area of training and employment.
• To provide information on issues related to driving: insurance, changing legislation.
• To provide practical aids to people with epilepsy (pillows, bracelets).
• To operate as a public forum and an advocate for the condition of epilepsy.
• To raise funds to support its work in an awareness-creating manner.

Contact: Deirdre Cummins Tel. 056-7784496

Contact:
Ms. Cathleen Shorthall
Main Street
Urlingford
Co. Kilkenny
Tel. 056-8831061
email: cathshort@eircom.net

The Community Addiction Treatment Service provides a confidential counselling, information assessment and treatment service.  It is located in St Luke's General Hospital, Kilkenny.

Contacts:
Mark or Hilary.  Tel. 056-7763677

The Focolare Movement is an international movement, inspired by the gospel, working for unity in all spheres of life.

For over sixty years it has drawn together people of all Christian traditions and from many of the world's religions, alongside people with no formal faith, who share the aim of building a united world.

World of Life Group:  New Families.
Contact: Declan and Sarah O'Brien, Tel. 045-892674

GAMBLERS ANONYMOUS is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from a gambling problem.

The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop gambling.

Meetings:

Kilkenny, Good Shepherd Centre:
Thursday 7.30 to 9.00 p.m.

Kilkenny, St. John's Day Centre:
Thursday 7.30 to 9.00 p.m.

Contact:  Hanna, Tel. 056-7721783

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. GROW, founded in Australia in 1957 by former mental sufferers, has a national network of over 130 Groups in Ireland. Its principal strength is the support members give each other from their own experience in matters to do with mental health. GROW is grant aided by all of the Health Boards and by the Department of Health and Children.

GROW has a network of 20 mutual help support groups around the South East aimed at helping people with mental health problems.  It also gives talks to schools and the public on mental health.

The Fraternity is a community of the Church, a place where Jesus meets us. like the disciples at Emmaus, sharing our cares and sharing the Word and the Eucharist, we discover the ever active presence of the risen Jesus, the Saviour of the world.  A fraternity usually consists of five or six priests, who meet together once a month, to relax, share a meal, review of life, Gospel sharing, and silent and prolonged prayer in the prescence of the Blessed Sacrament.  Some priests come for friendship and to experience trust among brothers, others to be listened to and accepted as they are.  The fraternity is inspired by the life and witness of the hermit of Tamanrasset, Charles de Foucauld, who imitated the simple life of Nazareth and "shouted the Gospel with the whole of his life".  He was searching for new ways the Church could be present among people.  The Fraternity offers a spirituality for the diocesan priest.

For further information, you are welcome to contact:

Rt. Rev. Mgr. Michael Ryan, P.P., Castlecomer, Co. Kilkenny.
Tel. 056-4441262
Fax. 056-4441969
Mobile: 086-3693863
email: castlecomer@ossory.ie

Very Rev. Daniel Bollard, P.P., Thomastown, Co. Kilkenny.
Tel / Fax. 056-7724279
Mobile: 087-6644858
email: dbollard@eircom.net

Kilkenny Bereavement Support provides a one to one confidential and free service to those who are bereaved and who may be experiencing some difficulty with regard to a loss or losses in their lives. 

The group meets at Villa Maria, Talbots Inch, Kilkenny and referrals may be made by telephoning 056-7756538

Order of Catholic laymen dedicated to the service of Christ.  We welcome into our ranks catholic men, in full communion with the Church, who wish to bring to the service of Christ their talents and skills towards the promotion of Christian values and principles in society, for the greater honour and glory of God the Father.  The Order was founded in 1915, by James K. Canon O'Neill, in Belfast.  Kilkenny Council, C.K. 43 was founded in 1927, and has an active membership, with both spiritual and charitable activities.  Council meetings are held monthly, and information nights for interested persons are held periodically.

For further information please write to:

The Secretary
Council of Knights
c/o Villa Maria
Freshford Road
Kilkenny.

The Legion of Mary was founded in Dublin, Ireland on 7 September 1921. It is a lay catholic organisation whose members are giving service to the Church on a voluntary basis in almost every country.

The object of the Legion of Mary is the glory of God through the holiness of its members developed by prayer and active co-operation in Mary’s and the Church’s work.

Narcotics Anonymous believes one of the cornerstones of its success is the therapeutic value of addicts working with each other to achieve recovery. In meetings members regularly share their personal experiences with each other, not as professionals but as ordinary people who have discovered that sharing brings about solutions to their problems.

St. John's Church Basement
Thursday at 8.30 p.m.

No Name Club is a National Voluntary Youth Organisation founded in 1978 with clubs throughout the country.

No Name Clubs are run by and for young people aged 15 years + who come together in a safe and lively environment where there’s fun, friendship and enjoyment without the pressure of alcohol or other drugs

No Name Clubs were founded to provide an alternative to pub culture for young people in Ireland. They demonstrate a lifestyle in which the use of alcohol or drugs is seen as unnecessary to the enjoyment of a happy, cheerful and fulfilling social life for young people.

Contact: 

Mr. Eamonn Doyle
Archersrath
Cellarstown
Co. Kilkenny
Tel. 056-7762202

Overeaters Anonymous offers a program of recovery from compulsive eating using the twelve steps of Overeaters Anonymous. Meetings provide a fellowship of experience, strength and hope where members respect one another’s anonymity.

Overeaters Anonymous is not just about weight loss, gain or maintenance; or obesity or diets. It addresses physical, emotional and spiritual well-being. It is not a religious organization and does not promote any particular diet. If you want to stop your compulsive overeating, welcome to Overeaters Anonymous.

Meetings:

PTAA members seek to address alcohol-related problems in society, mainly through prayer, self-denial, and the promotion of positive life-styles.

The strength of the Association comes from the power of prayer. Members commit to saying the Pioneer prayer daily, and all Pioneer events include a prayer. In many centres, prayer is a key component of the meetings. It may take the form of a short reflection, the recital of the rosary, and some time set aside for reflection and meditation. Prayer, we must remember, is time spent with the Lord. Therefore, some of our prayer time should be spent in listening.

Northern Deanery: 

Very Rev. Thomas Canon Murphy, P.P.
Ballyragget
Co. Kilkenny
Tel. 056-8833123

Middle Deanery: 

Rev. Liam Taylor
St. Fiacre's Garden's
Loughboy
Kilkenny
Tel. 056-7764400

Southern Deanery: 

Very Rev. Liam Barron, P.P.
Mullinavat
Co. Kilkenny
Tel. 051-898108

Samaritans offer confidential emotional support to anyone distressed or in crisis and we have special concern for those who are feeling suicidal.  Samaritans can be contacted 24 hours a day, every day of the year or by personal visit to any branch.  Visit to Kilkenny Branch form 2.00 p.m. to 8.00 p.m. or by letter at any time.

Barrack Street
Kilkenny
Tel. 056-7765554
email: jo@samaritans.org
National No. 1850 60 90 90

Scouting Ireland is the National Scout Association for Ireland and a member of the World Organisation of the Scout Movement. Scouting Ireland was formed on 1st January 2004 from the two original Scout associations in Ireland, Scouting Ireland S.A.I. and Scouting Ireland (CSI).  Both associations voted to join together to form a new single association in 2003, following a decision to set this process in motion in 1998.

Scouting Ireland has over 40,000 members across Ireland.  The association is supported by a team of Professional Staff who look after the day to day running of the Association.

South East Regional Office

Unit 16
The Arcade
High Street
Kilkenny
Tel. 056-7761644

St. Joseph's Young Priests' Society is a Catholic lay organisation which exists to help student clerics on their journey to priesthood. The Society fosters vocations to the priesthood and religous life. It assists students for the priesthood both financially and by prayer. It promotes the vocation of the laity and fosters a greater understanding and love of the Mass.

Branches of St. Joseph's Young Priests Society should be set up in every parish to foster and encourage vocations to the priesthood.