A light side to the hour of darkness

THERE WAS a light side to an hour of darkness in Kilkenny on Saturday night.

Large chunks of the city went back into the dark ages in support of the Earth Hour initiative.

And as darkness descended on many Kilkenny homes, pubs and business premises in the city, the wags had a field day.
It was 8.30 and it was half time in the Republic of Ireland versus Bulgaria World Cup match in Croke Park. The funny man drinking the pint of black summed up the feelings of many.

"Pity they don't turn off the lights in Croke Park too," he said. He was echoing the feelings of his pals who felt that it would be a miracle if Ireland held on to an early lead goal by Richard Dunne.
The miracle never happened and the mood soon became as dark, if refreshingly lighthearted, as the night, as fans bemoaned the negative tactics of Republic boss Giovanni Trapattoni.

A mix of Arthur Guinness, bar stool football knowledge and good humour helped to keep spirits high as the Republic stumbled to a draw.
No one cursed the darkness but the same could not be said of the rather mediocre performance of the inexperienced Irish team.

And the prize for the wit of the night went to the amateur comedian who broke into a rousing verse of ‘We're caught in a Trap.'

But wits and half wits apart, Saturday was an evening when Kilkenny could take a deserved bow.

The main streets of Kilkenny were as dim as the much criticised tactics of the Irish team. Kilkenny had played its part in helping Ireland to avoid an estimated 30 tonnes of environment-choking CO2 emissions by turning out the lights.

The global protest for climate change was a rousing success. And Kilkenny was there with its shoulder to the environmental wheel.