WERE YOU IN 'CROSSROADS' IN 1976?

This one is a difficult challenge for recognising faces, as the reproduction in the Leinster Leader of July 3rd 1976 is pretty poor. But there may be some in the picture who remember themselves as playing their part in the Orford's Knockaulin Bar production of 'Crossroads' for the Kilcullen Capers that year. Contributed by Joe Murray.

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PRESIDENT LETTER FOR KILCULLEN BOSNIA WAR DRIVER

Brian Stuart of Old Kilcullen has received a congratulatory letter from President Catherine Connolly to mark his recent 82nd birthday. Brian, who was at the time in the haulage business, demonstrated bravery and community spirit during the mid-1990s Balkan crisis when he worked as a volunteer driver for Refugee Trust, delivering vital supplies to civilians in Bosnia. 

He undertook up to ten missions, navigating heavy goods vehicles through active war zones. On one of these, he was arrested in the company of two other drivers and detained for a period following a trip under UN escort into the Muslim side of the besieged town of Mostar. At gunpoint, they were accused of smuggling arms to the Muslims, and at one point, Brian was struck on the head.

Longford-born, he had served with the British Army in Germany and subsequently worked from there for several years before coming back to Ireland in 1974 and setting up Transland International Transport from Kilcullen. As he spoke fluent German and was familiar with Yugoslavia, which he had visited many times from Germany, he volunteered because he believed he could be of practical help. 

President Connolly sent her warmest personal congratulations, expressing her hope that on his birthday he was "surrounded by the warmth of happy memories and secure in the knowledge that you continue to make this world a better place for all who love you."

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ALBERT COMPLETES 150TH PARKRUN

Albert Keenan, pictured with his son David and grandson Luke after completing his 150th parkrun in Naas yessterday morning. This is a fantastic milestone achievement for Albert, who is still going strong and proving that age is simply just a number.  Well done, Albert. 

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TRANSPLANT FOOTBALLERS TRAINED IN KILCULLEN FOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

Back: Glen Clinton, James Reynolds, Mark Moore, Pat Huddleston, Brian Carney; Front: Mike Keohane, John Paul O’Neill, Val Weblin, Tim Lyons, Shane Riordan.

Ten Irish athletes who are taking part in the Transplant Football World Cup in Frankfurt from 13–18 September have been training over the last several months at Kilcullen Community Centre's Astro pitch, writes Brian Byrne. This morning was their last session at Kilcullen before the event.

As Team Ireland, they will be joining transplant recipients from around the world, in more than 60 teams celebrating life, resilience, friendship, and the extraordinary gift of organ donation.

Each athlete has a remarkable story. Just a few examples: Kilkenny-born JP O’Neill, who lives in Athy, has spent almost three decades showing what life after a kidney transplant can look like — as Football Sports Captain, he will lead the Transplant Sport Ireland team in Frankfurt. Val Weblin was in a wheelchair and on oxygen for two years and is now playing in this World Cup having received a double lung and kidney transplant. Mike Keohane was given just weeks to live and has been fit and healthy for 19 years since his liver transplant. For Shane Riordan, who had a life-saving bone marrow transplant in 2019, representing Ireland on the football pitch is something he never imagined would be possible.

Each of the other team members' stories is just as remarkable. "Tonight, the whole country will be rooting for the great Katie Taylor," says Kilcullen's own kidney transplant athlete, James Nolan. "But each of these guys is in the same brave league as Katie in terms of what they are achieving in their sport." Members of the team visited Nolan's Butchers this afternoon before returning home.

Players will compete in three preliminary rounds to qualify for a knockout semi-final. Each game is 20 minutes a side, with a 10-minute break. Transplant Sport Ireland team manager Harry Ward, watching today's training, said the players will be on the training pitch in Frankfurt tomorrow week just two hours after getting off the plane. "Then they'll show what they're made of through the week."

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TIDY TOWNS EFFORT APPRECIATED AT KCA GATHERING

A presentation was made last evening to Ann Cashman at a gathering of Kilcullen Community Action volunteers, CE workers, and supporters to mark recent years' Tidy Towns successes in winning bronze, silver and gold medals, writes Brian Byrne. Ann retired as KCA chair earlier this year after serving in the position for eight years.

Current chair Noel Clare paid tribute to all who have previously led KCA, including Kieran Forde, Niall McDonnell, Ray Kelly, and Esther Kiely. "The foundations of what has been achieved was laid down over those years, with those people," he said, adding that the key to success is 'having good people around, to do things'. "It does take a lot of energy, a lot of effort from a lot of people. And the more successful you are, the bigger you get, the more it demands."

Thanking all who had helped achieve major improvements to Kilcullen through the years, he expressed particular appreciation for the Community Employment teams, currently comprising Wayne Aspell, Ilona Brede, Joe Winder, and Michael Haslam. "We have been extremely fortunate, because their dedication and their skills are quite incredible."

Noel outlined some of the key projects undertaken this year, including the new Heritage mural, the revitalisation of the 'Fish' area at Hillside, refreshing of the Dun Ailinne Interpretive Park, and improvements in the Valley including new picnic tables recently installed. He specifically recalled the KCA input for the public realm work recently completed in downtown Kilcullen. "That's one of the most fantastic things that has happened in a long time in Kilcullen," he said, noting that the impetus had come from KCA's promotion of an overall plan for the Market Square area several years ago.

The table decorations at last night's event in Fallons were flowers grown by KCA's gardening crew, Black-eyed Susans, or rudbeckia. The particular variety was Goldstrum. With the judging for the 2026 Supervalu Tidy Towns completed a while ago, it was a reminder to the gathering that Kilcullen's hopes are high for another good performance at the upcoming results event.

Wayne Aspell, Ilona Brede and Joe Winder.

Derek Hoey presenting Ann Cashman with a bouquet — flowers all grown by KCA.

All about gold.

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KILCULLEN SISTERS' MEDALS HAUL IN WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS OF PERFORMING ARTS

Photos courtesy Liam Raftery.

Three Kilcullen sisters who took part in the World Championships of Performing Arts in Las Vegas brought home a total of 23 world medals across solo, trio and group dance, vocals and variety acts. Sofia (12), Nicole (10) and Lara (8) Raftery also won the overall Junior Ethnic Dance Division Award.

The three were proud members of 29 talented performers representing Team Ireland during an unforgettable 12-day trip in July. In total, the Irish team brought home 197 medals. WCOPA is the premier global talent competition, often cited as the official ‘Talent Olympics’ of the performing arts world. Managed by Worldstars International, it is where elite performers from over 70 countries compete in front of top industry judges, talent scouts, and producers. 

Among the Raftery sisters' medals haul were Sofia's Gold for Dance Acro and Bronze for Dance Ethnic, Nicole's Gold for Dance Open, and Lara's Golds for Variety Act Contortion and Dance Musical Theatre. As a trio they also won Golds for Vocal World, Dance Ethnic, and Variety Act Contortion, as well as scoring a semi-final medal in four different acts, and several invitations for meetings with professional agents. As members of the overall Team Ireland they contributed to wins of Silver for Vocal Open Group and Bronze for the Grand Final Group Vocal.

The Raftery sisters were coached by Katie and Niamh Conlan of the KNC Performing Arts Company, which led Team Ireland. Their family has expressed their gratitude to the coaches for helping the girls achieve remarkable success. They also thanked sponsors and supporters Glanbia, Marsh, Align Advisory, Moreton & Company, Kildare Credit Union Kilcullen, and Eurospar Kilcullen.

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BLESSING OF GRAVES AT NEW ABBEY, ST BRIGID'S

File photo.

A reminder that this 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.

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KILCULLEN HAS ONLINE ORDERING FROM LOCAL BUSINESSES

Cllr Tracey O’Dwyer officially launched Tap Retail in Kilcullen last evening, the first town in County Kildare to offer this online order and delivery service for local businesses, writes Brian Byrne. The initiative provides a platform for local businesses to reach a wider customer base, offering a convenient online shopping experience, with all deliveries free to the customer within 3km of Kilcullen. 

The initial participating businesses in Tap Retail Kilcullen are Eurospar, CarryOut, River Cafe, Kilcullen Opticians, and D Brennan & Sons. The Diary understands several other local businesses are interested in joining the scheme.

Cllr O'Dwyer congratulated Stephen Hallahan, founder and CEO of Tap Retail, and the local participating businesses. She also acknowledged the contributions of Nichola Kennedy, Lucia Brennan, and Dawn Behan as the driving forces bringing the project to life, as well as the support from Andrew Gaynor and Local Enterprise Office Kildare.

At last night's event, the Tap Retail team gave a presentation in the Town Hall Theatre, detailing the app which can be downloaded by anyone. A key element is that items from multiple shops can be ordered for the online 'basket', with all being delivered to the customer at the same time. Several local delivery drivers have been recruited by Tap Retail, who will operate on a per delivery basis. Each business is provided with a quota of renewable delivery 'credits' as part of their annual fee for participation. 

Discussions at the local level with Kilcullen Town Promoters began about 18 months ago, and the availability of 50 per cent funding for the businesses through the Digital for Business and the Grow Digital Voucher schemes operated by LEO Kildare was key to getting it off the ground.

Stephen Hallahan says he established the concept to give local independent businesses the ability to fight back against larger online players. "This is all about levelling the business playing field and making it easier for customers, if they can't get into town, to order online from their favourite local retailer and get that stuff delivered to their house by a local person. Or they can order ahead and click and collect it themselves."

Following an initial project developed in Dublin's Foxrock area, Tap Retail is also now operating in Enniscorthy in County Wexford, and Hallahan says the initiative will be launching in another nine towns this year.

Leaflets are being distributed to the customers of participating Kilcullen businesses with details of how to download the app and order.

(Photos for the Diary by Noel Clare.)

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