Thomastown Active Retirement Monthly Meeting

Thomastown Active Retirement Group meets in the boardroom of St Columba’s Hospital on the first Tuesday of every month, giving retired men and women in the town and surrounding area a standing monthly date for company and organised activity. It is one of a network of local groups affiliated to Active Retirement Ireland found across County Kilkenny, each usually built around a particular town or parish, and Thomastown’s has run for years as a fixture on the town’s community calendar.

What to expect

The meeting runs from 2:30pm, with time for members to settle in, catch up and take part in whatever is on the programme that month, before moving into the group’s usual mix of activities. As part of the wider Active Retirement Ireland network, the group offers holidays, outings and socials, creative and learning programmes, and community involvement on top of the standing monthly meeting itself. Membership is open to men and women aged 55 and over, and the format leans toward conversation and organised group activity rather than anything strenuous, making it accessible to members with a wide range of interests and mobility. St Columba’s Hospital gives the group a steady, familiar meeting point in the middle of town, and the boardroom setting keeps things informal rather than institutional. Like similar groups elsewhere in the county, it depends on volunteer committee members to keep the monthly programme running, and new members are generally welcomed without a lengthy sign-up process.

Getting there

St Columba’s Hospital is in Thomastown, a short walk from the town centre and the River Nore. On-site and on-street parking is available.

While you’re in Thomastown

Thomastown is a heritage town on the River Nore, close to Jerpoint Abbey and Kilkenny’s wider walking and river trails. There is more to see in Thomastown and across Co. Kilkenny.

Good to know

• Date and time: first Tuesday of every month, from 2:30pm
• Venue: Boardroom, St Columba’s Hospital, Thomastown
• Open to men and women aged 55 and over
• Activities include holidays, outings, socials, creative and learning programmes, and community work
• Free to attend as a member; contact Active Retirement Ireland, 01 8733836, for details