Council says it is adequately prepared for heatwave response

Kildare County Council says it is adequately prepared to deal with heatwave events as part of its emergency planning, writes Brian Byrne, while warning that prolonged hot weather can put pressure on health services, water supplies, transport networks and vulnerable people. The matter had been raised on the agenda at yesterday's full June meeting by Cllrs Pádraig McEvoy, Angela Feeney, Tim Durkan and Brendan Wyse.

In a report to the councillors, the council said it will respond to extreme temperatures under the Framework for Major Emergency Management and the Met Éireann Weather Warning System.

The authority said its Severe Weather Assessment Team monitors yellow, orange and red heat warnings, and can meet when warnings escalate, or local impacts become too severe.

It said the team can recommend activating the Severe Weather Plan and escalating matters to the Chief Executive and Crisis Management Team if needed.

The report also outlined actions including road monitoring, fire service support, liaison with Uisce Éireann, help for vulnerable tenants and displaced people, and the use of community support centres.

The council said it is satisfied with its emergency planning, risk assessment and governance arrangements, but accepted there is scope for more training, scenario planning and review of resources and capacity.

It added that the Severe Weather Plan is being reviewed for prolonged periods of extreme high temperatures.

The report noted that the HSE is the lead agency for public health impacts.

Photographs use Policy — Privacy Policy

Residents Association issues dog control reminder

The Cnoc na Greine Residents Association has circulated a reminder to residents about key dog control regulations aimed at keeping communities safe, clean, and enjoyable for everyone, writes Brian Byrne. The leaflet is a summary of information provided by Kildare County Council to homes throughout Kilcullen in recent weeks.

The Association says the estate is still having issues with dog waste not being picked up on paths, front gardens, and green areas.

The notice highlights the rules that apply to restricted breeds and other responsibilities of dog owners, including licensing, microchipping, control in public places, and the need to clean up after dogs.

Owners of certain breeds and types of dog, including American Pit Bull Terriers, Staffordshire Bull Terriers, Rottweilers, and others listed under the Control of Dogs Regulations, must ensure their dogs are muzzled and kept on a strong lead no longer than two metres in public places. The dog must also be handled by a person over 16 who is capable of controlling it. Failure to comply can result in an on-the-spot fine of up to €300.

The council also reminded residents that every dog must have a licence. A one-year licence costs €20, while a lifetime licence costs €140. Licences can be purchased at local post offices or online at licences.ie. Not licensing a dog can lead to a fine of up to €150 per dog.

Microchipping is also a legal requirement, with owners facing a fine of up to €200 if their dog is not microchipped and registered on an official database. Microchipping greatly improves the chances of reuniting lost dogs with their owners.

Dog owners are also being urged to keep their pets under “effective control,” which generally means on a lead in public spaces, and to prevent nuisance behaviour such as excessive barking. Persistent barking can be reported to the District Court using Form No. 5 after first raising the issue with the dog owner.

The summary further warns against dog fouling in public places, describing it as a health hazard that can spread infections such as toxocariasis. Owners are urged to “bag it and bin it” and dispose of waste properly.

It also notes new restrictions on XL Bully-type dogs, under an effective ban since 1 October 2024 on importing, breeding, selling, or rehoming them unless exempt.

Photographs use Policy — Privacy Policy

Applications open for KCC education bursaries

Kildare County Council has opened applications for its 2026 education bursary schemes, with a deadline of 5pm on Friday, 18 September 2026.

The bursaries are designed for students from County Kildare who face significant barriers to third-level education. Available schemes include the William G Carroll Bursary (Community), the Kildare Education Bursary for People with Disabilities, and the Kildare County Council Memorial Bursary for DEIS School Students.

Applicants must live in County Kildare and provide supporting documents, including proof of income or disability-related evidence where relevant, an academic reference, a second referee, statements outlining their course choice and barriers, exam results, and bank or credit union details. Successful applicants will also need to show proof of registration before payment is issued.

Full details here. 

Photographs use Policy — Privacy Policy

Going to Camp this summer?

Summer Camp season starts today. Just in case you might have missed what’s available, here’s a list of events, locations and dates.

1.
Kilcullen Badminton Club Summer Club

• Location: Kilcullen Community Centre, Kilcullen

• When: Starts Tuesday, 2 June 2026; then every Tuesday (8–11pm) and Thursday (8–10pm) throughout the summer

2.
Soccer Skills Academy (1st camp)

• Location: Kilcullen Community Centre / All Weather Pitch, Kilcullen

• When: 29 June – 3 July 2026

3.
Camp Kilcullen

• Location: Scoil Bhríde, Kilcullen

• When: 29 June – 3 July 2026 (9:30am–2pm)

4.
Born to Strum Music Summer Camp (1st week)

• Location: Crookstown

• When: 29 June – 3 July 2026

5.
Brannockstown Baptist Church Summer
Kids Club

• Location: Brannockstown Baptist Church, Brannockstown

• When: 6 – 10 July 2026 (10am–3pm)

6.
Kilcullen Activity Summer Camp

• Location: Kilcullen Community Centre / All Weather Pitch, Kilcullen

• When: 6 – 10 July 2026

7.
Born to Strum Music Summer Camp (2nd week)

• Location: Crookstown

• When: 6 – 9 July 2026

8.
Kilcullen AFC Summer Football Camp

• Location: Kilcullen AFC grounds, Kilcullen

• When: 13 – 16 July 2026 (10am–3pm)

9.
Badminton Ireland Camp (1st week)

• Location: Kilcullen Community Centre / All Weather Pitch, Kilcullen

• When: 20 – 23 July 2026

10.
Latin and Ballroom Camp

• Location: Kilcullen Community Centre / All Weather Pitch, Kilcullen

• When: 20 – 24 July 2026

11.
Badminton Ireland
Camp (2nd week) 

• Location: Kilcullen Community Centre / All Weather Pitch, Kilcullen

• When: 28 – 31 July 2026

12.
Soccer Skills Academy (2nd camp)

• Location: Kilcullen Community Centre / All Weather Pitch, Kilcullen

• When: 4 – 7 August 2026

13.
Irish School DIY Camp

• Location: Kilcullen Community Centre / All Weather Pitch, Kilcullen

• When: 4 – 7 August 2026

14. Let’s Go! Summer Camps

• Location: Kilcullen Community Centre / All Weather Pitch, Kilcullen

• When: 10 – 14 August 2026

Photographs use Policy — Privacy Policy

AFC seeks U16 players

A reminder that Kilcullen AFC is inviting expressions of interest from players for its U16 Premier squad ahead of the 2026/27 season. Sessions start 6th-30th of July.

The club is offering young footballers the chance to train and play on quality astro and grass pitches under UEFA-qualified coaches in a positive, player-focused environment. 

Interested players or parents can contact Mark on 087 1528118 for more information.

Photographs use Policy — Privacy Policy

Applications for Credit Union educational bursary

A reminder that applications are open for the Chris Kelly Educational Bursary for 2026, continuing a long-running initiative that honours one of Kildare Credit Union’s founding members.

Open to KCU members attending third-level education for the first time in 2026, including mature students, the bursary offers the successful applicant €1,000 per year for up to three years to support the cost of further education. An application can be made here.

The bursary, which has been running since 2005, will be awarded by draw from all eligible applicants. Applications can be submitted using either the downloadable application form or the online application form.

The closing date for completed applications is Wednesday, 30 September 2026.

Photographs use Policy — Privacy Policy

Eileen Tan bringing her fragrances enterprise to the next level of a roller-coaster ride

Eileen, centre, with participants at the workshop.

Kilcullen entrepreneur Eileen Tan conducted a workshop on fragrances today for influencers and practitioners in various aspects of the beauty and wellness industry in Kildare, writes Brian Byrne. The event at Keadeen Hotel invited participants to learn the building blocks of perfume and create a fragrance of their own.

Introducing the afternoon, Eileen provided a short background of her childhood in Malaysia, where her interest in scents came from visits to her aunt's garden. "It was full of plants, trees and flowers, and I remember the smell of lemongrass, the green sweetness of the pandan leaves, the warmth of the earth, and the little mimosa plant that I used to play with." As a teenager, she inherited a box of perfumes from her aunt, and one of them stayed in her memory, not as a smell but how it made her feel.

She told how another major interest, music, shaped how she thinks when composing a perfume. "In music, we compose notes and chords, and it's very similar in perfume: you have top notes, middle or heart notes, and base notes. We also have 'chords' in perfumery — we call them echoes." Suggesting that a perfume's effect is unique to each person, it can be considered a story about the wearer. She invited the workshop participants to 'write their own story' by creating their own fragrance.

The Compose Your Own Story: Mini Fragrance Experience session guided attendees through the basics of fragrance design using a curated palette of scent accords created by Eileen. Rather than focusing on whether a perfume was “right” or “wrong,” she encouraged people to notice what they were drawn to and what memories a scent might bring up.

Participants were introduced to three key layers of perfume: Top notes — the opening impression, often bright, fresh, sparkling or citrusy; Heart notes — the emotional core, which can feel floral, soft, romantic or spicy; and Base notes — the lasting memory, adding warmth, depth, musk or woods.

The experience was structured as a hands-on fragrance lesson. Attendees first smelled different accords, then chose one from each layer, and began blending by weight in a 10ml bottle. They started with 0.50g of each selected accord, then adjusted the formula in small increments until the scent felt balanced.

The workshop emphasised observation and reflection. Participants were asked to write down first impressions, describe the mood or memories each accord evoked, and record their final formula so the perfume could be recreated later. At the end, they were encouraged to name their fragrance and describe the story behind it.

Eileen first came to Ireland in 2008, having met and married Irishman Peter Farnan in Kuala Lumpur. An initial craft venture in making cute crocheted animals, along with developing scented candles, gave her the opportunity to renew previous entrepreneurial activities. Advised by Cllr Tracey O'Dwyer to approach the Local Enterprise Office Kildare, they put her forward for Enterprise Ireland's New Frontiers programme, where she pivoted to working on a fragrance development idea that could be scaled as a business. She first showcased her perfumes at Styled for Success on International Women's Day last October, as five fragrances under the banner of Maison d'Eileen, and recently completed the third and final phase of the New Frontiers programme.

"It has been a real roller-coaster ride," she told the Diary today, but is looking forward to the next twists and turns on her entrepreneurial journey.

Photographs use Policy — Privacy Policy

Gormanstown graves blessing today

The Gormanstown Church blessing of the graves will take place today, Sunday, 28 June, after the 9.30am Mass.

Families and parishioners are invited to attend this special time of prayer and remembrance.

On Sunday, 6 September, prayers and blessings of the graves will be held at 2pm in New Abbey Cemetery. At 3pm, Mass will be celebrated in St Brigid’s Cemetery, followed by the blessing of the graves.

Photographs use Policy — Privacy Policy