'Lovers' is a must-see

It takes a really good playwright to see and set up the little things that make lives on a stage larger than the detail. In any of his productions that I've seen, Bernard Farrell has shown his mastery of that art.

But the skill of the dramatist is absolutely useless if there's not a good interpretation of it. And without doubt, Kilcullen Drama Group's performance of 'Lovers at Versailles' is a tour de force in terms of getting the most of the poignancy, drama and comedy that underpins the play.

As an ensemble the cast play what might well go down in the Kilcullen annals as a performance at least equal to any previous best from the group, especially with this kind of play. As somebody who has to admit having occasionally fallen asleep at shows in the past, I can truthfully say that every word and movement in this one gripped all in the audience last night.



Every part is very well played, and it can sometimes be unfair to single out individuals in such a production. But I doubt that anyone will disagree that the performances of Dick Dunphy and Esther Reddy are exceptional. There is a chemistry between them on stage which transcends mere acting, and nobody in the theatre — on stage or in the seats — can't help but become totally involved in their father-daughter relationship.



Daffydd O'Shea's performance as the bumbling and lecherous stage husband of Teresa Biddulph must also be singled out as superb.



'Lovers' is a comedy. But it is more than that, reflecting as it does through the foibles and the failings of its characters the major shift in attitudes and lifestyles that brought Ireland from backwater small town to the sometimes traumatic pounding surf of the shores patrolled by the Celtic Tiger. There are times to laugh, and there are times when it is too uncomfortably close to home to do so.

Direction is by Eilish Phillips, who certainly gets the best possible balance from all the talents at her disposal. and, as usual, the set building and dressing are to the most professional standards.

If you haven't seen 'Lovers at Versailles', do so, or you will have missed one of the Kilcullen highlights of 2005 so far, one which will be hard to beat by any yet to come in this year.










— Brian Byrne.

Gala play opening

Last night's Gala opening of 'Lovers at Versailles' marked an end and a beginning, the end of yet another long period of preparation and rehearsal by Kilcullen Drama Group and the beginning of a week of excellent live entertainment by Kilcullen people for Kilcullen people and their friends.

The proceeds of the night went to Kilcullen AFC towards their clubhouse fund.

The pictures below of those attending the evening are courtesy of Pat Dunlea.



Herbie Sheehan, Elke Bajjaoin and Maurice O'Mahony.



Madge Clarke, Nuala Egan, Eithne Dempsey and Stephanie Sheehan.



Richard Higgins and Karena Fay.



Peg and Noelle Donaghue, Darl Phillips, Sinead Donaghue and Paul Phillips.



Ber Egan and Selena Regan.



Angela Keogh.



Sheila and Hugh Peacocke.

National Spring Clean 2005

Play your part in keeping Kilcullen clean and green!

Kildare County Council is supporting An Taisce’s National Spring Clean — an anti litter campaign that runs for the month of April.

If you are an individual, community group, school, business or residents association and you want to organise a clean-up operation in your area, the Council can provide a limited number of gloves, litter pickers and refuse sacks. The Council will also, by prior arrangement, organise to collect suitable materials gathered as part of the Spring Clean and you need a clean-up application form from the Council for this.

Last year, over 263,692 volunteers participated in 3,147 events nationwide; and an estimated 717 tonnes of litter was collected, of which 23% was recycled.

If you are interested please register with An Taisce. There are a number of ways to register:

Ring the National Spring Clean Hotline at 01 7077066;
Register Online;
Collect a registration form from Kildare County Council Head Office and public libraries.

For more information, contact the Environment Section, tel.: 045 873838, fax: 045 873848, Email.

Cafe Tomat at Berneys

The Cafe Tomat restaurant which was a key element of the Red House in recent years has now moved to Berney's of Kilcullen, following the recent disastrous fire which destroyed its original base.

'Cafe Tomat at Berneys' has been operating all the food business at the famous Kilcullen pub/restaurant since Saturday last.

The enterprise will provide all the bar food and lunch requirements of the Berney's customers, as well as operating an evening restaurant of the same high quality for which the Red House business was famous.

The restaurant area has been refurbished in the bistro style by which Cafe Tomat was best known, and a separate upstairs private dining room is also part of the facilities.

The venture is likely to be a good marriage of the two businesses, with the Cafe Tomat at Berney's expected to enhance the bar and food operation run by Mario Kelly, while the well-known Kilcullen watering hole is a highly-recognised location with a good pedigree as a restaurant and pub and will thus attract the regulars of the old Cafe Tomat.

Cafe Tomat at Berney's is being run under the direction of Tom Tinsley, who worked in the Red House Inn since 1979, and Red House owner Brian Fallon. The menu style is an extensive range of Irish cuisine with an imaginative Mediterranean influence.

— Brian Byrne.

'Lovers' gets under way

Dick Dunphy can't remember how many Kilcullen Drama Group productions he's been in, but he does remember the first — 'Two on a String', produced in 1959 by Fr Smith.

Tonight he hit the boards again in Kilcullen, as the father in Bernard Farrell's 'Lovers at Versailles'.



Directed by Eilish Phillips, marking her involvement in no less than 15 productions with the group since making her stage debut in Hugh Leonard's 'Da' in 1997.

With Catherine Poufong as Dick's stage wife and Esther Dooley and Teresa Biddulph their children, 'Lovers in Versailles' charts the ups and downs of a family's life as the children work their way through adolescence into young adulthood.

Other cast members include Daffydd O'Shea, Roy Thompson, Sabina Reddy, Susan McGinley and Siobhan Murphy.

The play runs until Saturday night.

Tonight's preview show, as is traditional, had an audience which included Kilcullen's senior citizens.

"Every year, there are a few no longer with us," Pat Dunlea mused as they drifted in before curtain up. "But it's great to have our community's older people here."



Arriving with Bernard Berney are Sheila Kehoe and Theresa Kelly, and Peter O'Rourke.



Nuala Egan, Pat Dunlea and Madge Clarke.



Vivian Clarke and Roy Thompson.



'Somebody has to do the washing ...' Daffydd O'Shea lends a hand.



'Anyone for tea?' — director Eilis Philips.

— Brian Byrne.

Yankee Star, Second Edition, sold

The Yankee Star restaurant operated by the Egan family for many decades has been sold to Alex Macari of Kildare, who already has a long-established food business there.

It will be continued as a restaurant under the new ownership.

The property was acquired for a figure understood to be in the region of €1m, and was sold by Dowling Fitzsimons Auctioneers.

Meanwhile, John Egan has bought the Second Edition property next door.

— Brian Byrne.

A Blossom of Better Times

Well, the weather of Saturday didn't hold, but it has still been a reasonably dry Easter weekend, and the cherry blossom gives us a beautiful, if brief, promise of better to come.

Later: Promise fulfilled already ... it's a beautiful morning.

— Brian Byrne.

Easter Sunday 2005

One of the nice things about this day is the Easter Garden built in the side altar area of the church.

National Childminding Week

3-10 April 2005
Caring & Learning in the Family Home

The Kildare County Childcare Committee & Childminding Advisory Service of Health Service Executive are holding workshops in conjunction with Kildare County Library & Arts Service to celebrate national childminding week.

The workshops will be facilitated by professional artists Alison Holinshead and Joannie Murphy and are open to Childminders (caring for children in the family home), Parents and Children.

Date: Friday 8th April 2005

Athy
Puppet- Making
11.00 - 12.30am

Naas
Story-Telling
11.00 - 12.30am

Celbridge
Story-Telling
2.30 - 4.00pm

Places are limited: For booking please contact: Julie McNamara, Kildare County Childcare Committee; Tel: 045 861307 or Email

Website: kildarechildcare.ie

'Lovers' Gala Night Tuesday

Kilcullen Drama Group presents Lovers at Versailles by Bernard Farrell from Monday next, March 28 in the Town Hall Theatre, performances beginning at 8pm. Monday is preview night.

Bookings should be made with Bernard Berney at 045 481497. The Gala Opening Night proceeds on Tuesday go to Kilcullen AFC towards funds for a new clubhouse.

©2005 kilcullenbridge.blogspot.com as published and individually to the contributors concerned. Email us or phone 086 8267104

Wonder what happened?

While doing a Google search for something else, I came across this story I wrote on KNN back in 2001.

Wonder what happened to the idea?

— Brian Byrne.

Council response to safety issue

Kildare County Council has responded to the recent Diary and KCA discussions on road safety at Hillside, and says it is a matter of driver behaviour.

In a statement, the council notes that the junction is inside the 50 km/h speed limit which indicates a built-up area.

"Motorists should drive in accordance with the local conditions, just as they must do further along the road at the bridge and at Bardons," the statement reads. "If anyone comes over the hill or even up the hill at sixty [ED NOTE: the original reference at the KCA meeting referred to 60mph], his behaviour shows either ignorance of the rules of the road or disregard for the safety of others.

"The double yellow lines outside the supermarket prohibit the kind of parking seen in the photograph of the red van. Even in the absence of lines such parking is illegal.

"The issues raised are really based on concerns about driver behaviour rather than the width of the road."

Editor's Note: The difficulty continues, as the above picture taken on Good Friday morning shows.

©2005 kilcullenbridge.blogspot.com as published and individually to the contributors concerned. Email us or phone 086 8267104

Congratulations, Noel Clare

Editor —

May we use this space to congratulate Noel Clare, our indomitable Chair of KCA, on the attainment of the School Vice Principalship.

Celia and Des Travers.

Editor's Note: The Diary also extends its congratulations on an appointment which many in the community will feel is well deserved.

©2005 kilcullenbridge.blogspot.com as published and individually to the contributors concerned. Email us or phone 086 8267104

No KCA report

There are no reports from Monday's KCA meeting as the Editor was out of the country on business. If anyone at the meeting would like to provide a summary of the proceedings, we would appreciate them.

This, of course, also applies to reports of any other events which happen in Kilcullen.

— Brian Byrne.

A tease of summer?

Working in the Garden.

Community Notice Board

UPCOMING

If you have upcoming events that you would like featured here, email us or text 086 8267104.

November 13: St Bridget's Pitch & Putt Club AGM, Clubhouse, 7.15pm.

November 19: Miscellany on Sunday, Bermingham's of Mooretown, 2.30pm.

November 20: KCA Meeting, Town Hall, 8pm.

November 23: 'Kindly Keep it Covered', Town Hall, 8pm.

November 27: Kilcullen Credit Union AGM, Parish Centre, 8pm.

December 1: GAA Disco. Pre-paid tickets only. Clubhouse, 8pm.

December 3: Christmas Fair, Parish Centre, 12.30pm-2.30pm.

December 4: KCA Meeting, Town Hall, 8pm.

December 6: Riverbank, Newbridge -- The Safe Home Project, 8pm.

December 8/9: Riverbank, Newbridge -- The Year of the Hiker, evenings and matinees.

December 15: Riverbank, Newbridge -- Rambling House, 8pm.

December 16: Riverbank, Newbridge -- Susannah de Wrixon & Trio Con Brio, 8pm.

December 27: St Stephen's Day Mystery Walk; starts at The Hideout, 12 Noon.

ONGOING

Karate Classes in Community Centre on Tuesdays, Children 5.30-7pm; Adults 7-8.30pm. Info from 086 3465728.

Premiere School of Dancing in Ballyshannon Hall, Tuesday and Saturday. Info 045 485369.

Kilcullen Bowls Club in JFK Boxing Club hall, Friday nights 7.30-10pm. Info 045 485369.

Kilcullen Credit Union opening hours: Tuesday-Friday 10am-4pm; Saturday 10am-1pm.

Unislim meetings in Parish Centre on Monday evenings at 6pm. Info 086 8326615.

Badminton in Community Centre on Tuesdays and Thursdays for adults, 9-11pm; Juveniles on Saturdays 10-11.30am. Info 087 9050999.

Indoor Hurling for Juveniles every Monday night at GAA Clubhouse, 7-8.30pm. Info 087 2596313 or 045 482172.

Kilcullen Community Library opens Tuesdays 10am-2.30pm & 3-4pm, Fridays 3-5pm & 7-8.30pm, and Saturdays 10am-1pm.

Hillside safety raised again

The question of road safety at the exit from the Hillside development was again raised at a recent meeting of Kilcullen Community Action.

J J Warren said the road had been narrowed by the development and that Kildare County Council's Enforcement Officer had asked the Roads Department to investigate.

"Somebody has to be accountable," he said, "or do we have to wait until somebody is killed?"

He added that there was no point in saying that cars only drove up the hill 'at 30mph'. "At night they'll be doing sixty. The problem is there and we have to be constructive about it."

Saying that the problem lay with the 'sight line' for exiting traffic from the development, he suggested that the solution would involve bringing out further the footpath on the uphill side of the Hillside entrance, and the provision of some kind of 'island' on the road.

— Brian Byrne.

EDITOR's NOTE: The pictures below, taken this afternoon, probably well illustrate Mr Warren's view. But they also suggest that it is not necessarily the fault of the development.



The first of the sequence is taken with my car lined up with the exit line (still notional) which would extend from the path on the uphill side (picture above).



As can clearly be seen, the sightline downhill is difficult enough, but with a car and a van both parked on the double yellow lines outside the Gala store, and another car further down on the actual bend of the path, it is practically impossible to see upcoming traffic safely. The double-parked An Post van across the road doesn't help either.

The other two pictures are the views as I tried to move out, and the sightline was completely obscured. I only got across when a downward driver to the north of me flashed me out, but I was still going 'blind'. As a professional driver, I don't think I or any other road user should be put in that position by, at best, thoughtlessness.

Double yellow lines are usually painted for a good reason. And they work, if drivers believe they will be enforced. At the moment it seems nobody believes so.


©2005 kilcullenbridge.blogspot.com as published and individually to the contributors concerned. Email us or phone 086 8267104

Grants available

Kildare County Council is offering grants to residents associations in local authority estates.

These might be of interest to such estates in Kilcullen, as there are a number of them.

The council is inviting applications from the Housing Section at St Mary's or by telephoning 045-873837.

Applications will be dealt with on a first come first served basis and no applications will be accepted after Friday 15th April, 2005.

©2005 kilcullenbridge.blogspot.com as published and individually to the contributors concerned. Email us or phone 086 8267104

Road closures

Kildare County Council has given notice of the following temporary road closures, which may be of interest to residents in and around Kilcullen.

The road closures are required to carry out the pipe installation for the Wastewater Collection/Disposal – The Curragh Project.

(1). The Lurge Lane (L7035) between the Ballymany/Kilcullen road and the Brownstown/Kilcullen road, from 14th March, 2005 to 17th April, 2005.

Alternative Route: Traffic will be diverted around the closure via the Ballymany/Kilcullen road (R413), the Butts road (L7034), and the Brownstown/Kilcullen (L6075). Advanced warning signs will be erected at all junctions.

(2). Brownstown/Kilcullen road (L6075) from Butts road as far as Lurge Lane from 19th April, 2005 to 3rd May, 2005.

Alternative Route: Traffic will be diverted via the Butts road (L7034), across the Curragh Plains, and onto Lurge Lane (L7035). Advanced warning signs will be erected at all junction.

(3). The local road between Brownstown Cross and Cutbush Village, from 4th April, 2005 to 22nd April, 2005.

Alternative Route: Traffic travelling east from Brownstown cross will be diverted north (L3007) towards the Curragh ranges, west along the Brownstown/Kilcullen road (6075) and south to Cutbush. Traffic travelling west from Cutbush will be diverted along the same diversion.

(4). The Cutbush to Curragh ranges road (L7033)from 25th April, 2005 to 6th May, 2005.

Alternative Route: Traffic from the Kilcullen side of the village (L7030) will be diverted west towards Brownstown cross, north towards the Curragh ranges (L3007), and east along the Brownstown to Kilcullen road (L6075). Similarly traffic travelling south from the Currish ranges will be diverted along the same route.

Local access will be maintained at all times. All alternative routes will be clearly signposted throughout. Any objections to these closures should be lodged in writing to Mr. Patrick Whelan, Senior Executive Officer, Transportation, at the address below on or before Wednesday 16th March, 2005.

©2005 kilcullenbridge.blogspot.com as published and individually to the contributors concerned. Email us or phone 086 8267104

Hideout development discussed

Although a previous meeting of Kilcullen Community Action had registered 'no negative vibes' about a proposed development at the Hideout, it was discussed again at the recent meeting.

J J Warren said the drawings that they were shown at the earlier meeting were 'quite scant', and he said he didn't think 'a dormer dogbox' was in keeping with the streetscape.

After further discussion around whether an 'incomplete application' for the development had been sorted out, KCA chairman Kieran Forde said 'we'll leave it at that, unless something drastically different comes up'.

— Brian Byrne.

©2005 kilcullenbridge.blogspot.com as published and individually to the contributors concerned. Email us or phone 086 8267104

KCA to tell Mayor of council concerns

The Mayor of Kildare, Cllr Billy Hillis, is to be invited to attend a meeting of Kilcullen Community Action to hear concerns of the community about lack of actions by Kildare County Council.

These include the failure to have lines painted on the road near the national school, months after it was resurfaced.

Esther Kiely also said there was a need for ramps on the road to slow down traffic near the school.

There's also anger at lack of action or communication from the council over queries on alleged illegal development in Kilcullen.

And the lack of enforcement of double yellow lines to control parking in town was also raised at the most recent meeting.

"The lines are almost worn out from people parking on them at this stage," one person commented.

It was decided that a list of items to present to Cllr Hillis would be prepared, and he would be invited to attend a meeting in the future.

— Brian Byrne.

©2005 kilcullenbridge.blogspot.com as published and individually to the contributors concerned. Email us or phone 086 8267104

Stirring it at KCA

A query about the 'credits' signs for the Kilcullen Sewerage System Upgrade was made at the recent meeting of Kilcullen Community Action.

Esther Kiely asked how long the signs would stay up. "They're now there for six years," she said.

J J Warren said such signs were required to be retained for two years after the completion of the project they referred to, apparently a regulation relating to the money being granted for the works.

Vivian Clarke quipped that the original query was just a case of 'stirring the s**t'.

— Brian Byrne.

©2005 kilcullenbridge.blogspot.com as published and individually to the contributors concerned. Email us or phone 086 8267104

Four decades of the feis

Nearly four decades after it was first run, Kilcullen Parish Feis was held today in the Community Centre, a faithful fundraiser for the parish needs.

Some 200 dancers took part, ranging in age from two to 20 years, in an event that started at 9.30am. They came from as close as Kilcullen itself and from as far as West Cork.

They competed in various age-related classes in reels, jigs, slip jigs and hornpipes.



Adjudicators were Alison Norney (NI), Jacqueline Curtis, and Linda Sherry, and the music was provided by Declan Devlin, also from the North of Ireland.

"The first year we organised it we made £59," says Elizabeth Landers, whose daughters Jennifer and Mary are long-time dancing teachers. "And last year's one, after all expenses were paid, raised €4,250 for the parish funds."



The Feis started out as one of the events held in the marquee during Kilcullen's annual Carnival, later moved to the JFK Hall, and is now a regular in the Community Centre.

She says there is still a very strong interest in Irish dancing, though as yet not so many of the new estates are highly represented. "Those who danced before they came here are coming in, but I suppose it will take time for new youngsters to get involved."



Local dancers included Eimer Byrne, Jayne O'Brien, Kelly-Anne Ryan, Muireann Fagan and Laura Kennedy.



From further afield came Joseph and Eilis Casey of Abbeyleix and their grandmother Lynne Hinton from Australia.



©2005 kilcullenbridge.blogspot.com as published and individually to the contributors concerned. Email us or phone 086 8267104

A bit more colour

Just for the time that's in it, here are a couple more touches of Spring from nature.





©2005 kilcullenbridge.blogspot.com as published and individually to the contributors concerned. Email us or phone 086 8267104

Welcome, Spring!

Well, the primroses are peeking out and the early lambs doing likewise. And I see the daffodils on some back roads stretching to meet the burgeoning year.



Spring is definitely here even if we still need to bundle up warm in the early morning.



By the way, there's some real neat information on primroses here.

— Brian Byrne.

©2005 kilcullenbridge.blogspot.com as published and individually to the contributors concerned. Email us or phone 086 8267104

The tree and us

I wrote a piece six years ago about Kilcullen being on the cusp of change, and that things would never be the same as they were when many of us long-time Kilcullen residents were kids.

And indeed they have changed. It is a different town, with different people, and more people, different homes and businesses, and more homes and businesses.

But in one of those funny 'wow' moments this week, I realised how much has also changed in terms of childrens' relationships with their environment. Particularly with trees.

— Brian Byrne.

Holly tree planted at school

by Brian Byrne.



"They're really clued in, it's great, not like it used to be when I first started talking to young people in schools many years ago..."

Parks Service ranger Roy Thompson had just spent most of half an hour talking about trees to students at Scoil Bhride, and fielding questions that were as probing as at any Tribunal about all aspects of trees and their essential part in our environment.

It was all part of an event sponsored by the Heritage Group, who had donated a holly tree to be planted in the grounds of the school as part of National Tree Week.

At the end of the talk, the tree was planted with the help of Principal Maurice O'Mahony, under the watchful eyes of a representative group of young people.

"This was really successful," the Heritage Group's Nessa Dunlea said afterwards. "Maybe next year we'll take it further and plant a small grove?"



"What d'you mean, did I ever fall out of a tree...?"



"Can you say that again?...I can't hear for the rustle of the leaves!"



Roy Thompson hides behind a tree.



"They didn't tell me I had to dig the hole too!"



"There, that should do it..."



"Easy does it...leave the roots on, at least!"



"I think it'll stand on its own now."



Job done: the overseeing gang with Principal O'Mahony, Roy, Des Travers and Nessa Dunlea of the Heritage Group.

©2005 kilcullenbridge.blogspot.com as published and individually to the contributors concerned. Email us or phone 086 8267104