BILLY DOWLING RETIRES

With family, friends, and Spout colleagues last night.

Billy Dowling has retired from a career behind the bar which he began 58 years ago, writes Brian Byrne. The occasion was marked in The Spout Bar last evening in a quiet celebration with family, friends, customers and Spout colleagues.

After leaving school at the age of 14, Billy began working for Joe McTernan. When he had completed serving his time, he took a job at the Ambassador Hotel in Kill. In the later 1970s he came back to Kilcullen, working part-time in both O'Connells and Berneys bars before taking on a long stint at Newbridge Rugby Club. It's the nature of the bar business that staff move around, and over his career Billy has also worked in Ballymore. 

He made his first connection with The Spout in 1999 with the late Fergal Sloan, for a decade. After another break in Ballymore, he rejoined the bar in 2018, two years after it had been taken over by Tommy Dignam and Marian Courtney — both of whom were there last night to wish him well in his retirement. "He'll be a huge loss to the pub," Tommy told the Diary. "But at 72, you can understand."

Billy says he has no plans for what he might do in his retirement. "They're making a book on me going back to work in a bar within four weeks," he says with a grin. But after he has spent nearly six decades behind many bars, and he says he has been thinking about finishing for some time, that might not be the best bet in town.

Billy with family last night.

Flashback to June 1992 when Billy's father, also Billy, retired in The Hideout after 54 years working for the Byrne family.

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TWINNING GROUP ON THEIR WAY HOME

We had a lovely day in Mont St Michel yesterday with our hosts, writes Tanya Flanagan of the Kilcullen Twinning Group. This was followed by supper together in the Salle Municipale of Saint-Contest. 

We met up for a farewell breakfast this morning where we were joined by the Mayor, who was delighted with the engraved pen set we brought him for his desk, and their local MEP, Stéphanie Yon-Curtin, who was the mayor who helped us instigate the partnership and who visited Kilcullen as part of the first delegation in 2019. 

Now for the journey home! I would like to thank all members of the travelling group — committee colleagues and our Irish dancers and musician. We much appreciated being able to further deepen our links with Saint-Contest and were grateful for their kindness and hospitality and obvious sincere enthusiasm and ambition for the twinning partnership. 

We will now begin the work and planning involved in welcoming them back to Kilcullen on a reciprocal visit.

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NOSTALGIC FRENCH FILM FOR KILCULLEN CINEMA

The next film showing at Kilcullen Bridge Cinema is a nostalgic movie about a 13-year-old boy growing up in the Paris suburbs. Just An Illusion is a funny and charming 1980s coming-of-age film.

Vincent lives in an apartment block with his parents Yves and Sandrine and older brother Amaud. Dad, Yves has recently lost his job and is trying to hide the fact from his family. Vincent and his friends, meanwhile, are experiencing the highs and lows of early adolescence.

Louis Garrel and Call My Agent! star Camille Cottin, as the boy’s bickering parents, provide a highly entertaining portrait of a marriage in crisis.

Just an Illusion also features an impressively rich soundtrack of 80s hits. It is showing Tuesday 17 November at 8pm. Tickets are €7 and are now on sale in Woodbine Books Kilcullen and on Eventbrite.

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DEADLINE FOR SAFE AND CONNECTED COMMUNITY GRANTS

The deadline is approaching for applications to the Kildare Safe and Connected Community Grant Scheme, offered by Kildare County Council, in collaboration with the Kildare Local Community Safety Partnership. 

This initiative aims to support community groups in developing projects that enhance community resilience and foster positive engagement. Eligible projects include community safety awareness initiatives, workshops, community events, youth engagement projects, and wellbeing initiatives. 

The deadline for applications is 4pm on 30 October. For more information, visit this link.

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THE PASSING OF ROSE FARRELL

The death has occurred of Rose Farrell (née Dowling), Moorhill, Brannockstown, peacefully, at her home, following excellent care in St Vincent’s Private Hospital and from the palliative care team in St Brigid’s Hospice. Predeceased by her beloved husband Pat, brothers Nick, Joe, John and Michael, sisters Alice, Mai, Kathleen, Sheila, Brigid and Teresa.

Rose, beloved wife of Pat Farrell, Moorhill, Brannockstown, cherished mother of Alice, William and Patrick, devoted grandmother of Billy, Ben, Róisín, Max, Aoibhín, Amy, Niamh and Sorcha, she is dearly missed by her daughters-in-law Caroline, Anne Marie and Sinéad, brother Frank, sisters Nancy, Bernie and Essie, nieces, nephews, extended family, neighbours, and friends.

Reposing at her home (W91 R24V) on Monday 26 October from 4-8 pm with prayers at the house at 7pm. Removal on Tuesday morning at 10.30am to St Joseph's Church, Gormanstown, Kilcullen, arriving for Requiem Mass at 11am, followed by burial in the adjoining Cemetery. Family flowers only please, donations in lieu if desired to the Irish Hospice Foundation.

May She Rest in Peace.

CIVIC RECEPTION FOR KILCULLEN TWINNING GROUP

Photos: Kilcullen Twinning Group.

The Kilcullen twinning group enjoyed a civic reception at the Salle Municipale in Saint-Contest last evening, writes Brian Byrne. A large crowd from the local community joined the Irish delegation for dinner in the Normandy town's principal building.

Tanya Flanagan spoke on behalf of the committee, and the evening featured performances by Michael Landers, who sang and played guitar, and the Jenny Landers School of Dancing, with dancers Cara, Ruby, Saoirse, and Aoife. 

The hosts showcased photos and local press coverage from the their own previous trip to Ireland last year. 

Gifts were presented to the Mayor of Saint-Contest, M. Jean-Marc Philippe, Stéphane, and the local Twinning Committee, as well as to Juliette, a 95-year-old resident and respected figure in the town.

The Kilcullen delegation, now consisting of 13 members after the arrival late yesterday of Patrice and Aoife, is currently en route to Mont St Michel. 

Support for the twinning is provided by Kildare County Council.

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WATCH OUT FOR WIND DEBRIS

Be careful driving the roads this morning — there is likely to be a considerable amount of debris from the winds overnight.

The pictures above are of a tree down on a road in the Nicholastown area, but we weren't given the precise location.

There's also a tree down on the on left hand side before Brannockstown School.

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