New tables ordered for the Valley

Image: KCA.

Four new picnic tables have been ordered for the Valley and will be in place in September, writes Brian Byrne. The July KCA meeting in the Heritage Centre heard that the cost has been fully funded by donations from Applegreen and Nuala Collins.

The tables are made from recycled plastic and will last a very long time. Noel Clare noted that the wooden tables, which they are replacing, had been repaired prior to recent repainting and remain 'fairly functional'. 

"They are usable until the new ones are installed," he said. 

Since 2020, several new seats have been installed in the Valley by KCA, most of them made from recycled plastics.

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Placenames workshop for Heritage Week

A free drop-in workshop on local placenames will take place at Teach Diarmada, Main Street, Castledermot, on 19 August from 2pm to 7pm. The event focuses on recording minor local placenames – such as field names and crossroads – on the Meitheal Logainm website, helping to preserve valuable insights into the local landscape and its past. 

Visitors can call in at any time during the afternoon for a chat and a cup of tea, learn how to register placenames, and contribute entries on the day. 

Organised by Kildare County Council as part of National Heritage Week 2026, under the theme “Heritage at Risk”, the workshop offers a practical response to the loss of unrecorded placenames. No experience is necessary. 

For further information, contact Kildare County Council, 045 980200 or email heritage@kildarecoco.ie.

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Kilcullen AFC seeks new U16s

Kilcullen AFC’s U16 Premier (born 2011) squad is recruiting new players ahead of the coming season. The club is seeking enthusiastic footballers to strengthen its panel. 

Training is with qualified coaches focused on player development, teamwork, and enjoyment of the game. 

Anyone interested in joining is encouraged to contact Mark on 087 1528118 for further details.

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Parish Lotto Draw results

The numbers drawn in the Kilcullen & Gormanstown Parish Lotto Draw held on 21st July 2026 were 8, 9, 18 and 22. There was no Jackpot winner, and next week's main prize will again be €20,000. The value of the follow-up draws is €20,000 and €7,800.

The winners of the €50 Open Draws are TJ O’Neill (Promoter PJ Lydon), Clarke & Murphy (Vivian Clarke) and Stephen McCormack (Breda McCormack).

The winners of the Promoters Draw were Eilis Phillips and PJ Lydon, and the winner of the draw for those in the Parish Centre on the night was Ger Kelly.

The Parish thanks all who support the Lotto.

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Proposal to decoratively link lanes

More decorative use of the Town Hall laneway is planned, following a decision by Kilcullen Community Action to allocate money for seasonal decorations, writes Brian Byrne. The matter was raised at the July meeting of the group.

Antoinette Buckley noted that some Christmas and Easter decorations had been put in the lane in previous years, but none last year, except for a small Halloween element. She suggested that money previously used for one-off seasonal art installations might be better spent on quality decorations for the laneway that could be used year after year for the different seasons.

The discussion evolved into suggestions that the lane across the road, leading down by Fallons, could also be similarly decorated, visually linking it with the Town Hall and the improved public realm area in downtown Kilcullen.

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Women's cricket team planned for Halverstown

It has taken a little while — 141 years to be precise — but Halverstown is now hoping to field an adult female cricket team. Recent years have seen an explosion in cricket at the club, moving from one league team and a social team to two league teams, a social team, and five youth teams. The youth teams do include two girls’ teams: Under 13 and Under 15, both shared with North Kildare. However, Halverstown now hopes to go one step further and field a women’s team.  

To this end, Secretary Stuart Conroy has been putting out a message that there will be an information evening at 7pm on Thursday, 30 July, together with some basic coaching, to be held at the Halverstown cricket ground at Brannockstown. “The idea is to get enough numbers to form a team, have a couple of coaching/rules sessions in August, and play our first women’s game in September."   

Chairman Des Drumm added, “This has been a long time coming, but we feel now that the time is right. Moreover, Cricket Leinster is pushing for all clubs to have a women’s section, particularly since the Women’s national team is doing so well. It will also create a pathway for the next step up from the youth teams that we have. No experience of cricket is necessary!”  

Stuart added, “The ground is at W91 T8P3, and we suggest those interested come along no earlier than 6.45pm, when the gate will be opened. Just proceed straight through and past the house to the cricket pitch behind it, where our clubhouse is situated. We look forward to interest in what is a growing part of the sport.”  

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Orange fire risk warning

A Status Orange high fire risk warning has been issued for County Kildare, effective from 12 noon on 20 July 2026 until 12 noon on Friday 24 July.

The alert follows a prolonged spell of dry weather, which has left grass, heather and gorse highly flammable and increased the danger of wildfires, including underground peat fires on bogs. While overall temperatures are forecast to be lower, soil moisture levels continue to fall, and larger fuel types are now more likely to burn, making fires harder to control. Winds in some areas may exceed 20km/h at times, further worsening fire behaviour.

Kildare Fire Service is urging the public not to light barbecues or outdoor fires in forests or recreational areas, and to fully extinguish barbecues used at home. Landowners are reminded that burning growing vegetation on uncultivated land is illegal between 1 March and 31 August and must comply with all restrictions on land burning.

People visiting rural and recreational areas are asked to park considerately so emergency vehicles can access sites if needed, and to be especially vigilant in areas with dry vegetation. The public is advised not to approach or attempt to extinguish fires themselves.

Anyone who sees a fire is urged to call 999 or 112 immediately, move to a safe location, and provide clear details of the fire’s location, size, wind direction and proximity to homes or forestry. Suspicious or illegal activity should be reported to An Garda Síochána.

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Camphill celebration of achievements

Participants in the My Dream Job programme with their certificates.

An event on Thursday to present certificates to Camphill clients participating in the My Dream Job programme was "a celebration of how far everybody has come", according to the programme manager, Emma Jane Meredith, writes Brian Byrne. A total of 79 certificates were presented to 21 participants in the project, designed to provide work experience and personal development opportunities for Camphill clients.

Adding that the programme "opens doors and empowers and supports the dreams of everyone taking part", Emma Jane noted that the initiative during the past year had involved eight workshops, several work experience opportunities, and 12 weeks of social farming. The workshops included sessions on confidence building, effective communications, and first aid and CPR training. 

Four of the local service users of Camphill took part in work experience opportunities during the year, in JYSK in Naas, St Brigid's NS in Kildare town, An Post, and Mr Price. 

Farmer Fergal Byrne with Emma Jane Meredith of My Dream Job, and participants in the Social Farming segment.

With the support of Social Farming Ireland, four of the Camphill group did a 12-week stint working at Fergal Byrne's farm in Calverstown. It was the second year for some of them, and in addition to the certificates presented to the participants, a special presentation was made to Fergal in appreciation of his support.

Annie Shiffer, presenting the Employer of the Year award to Caroline Nash of Russborough House, with project manager Emma Jane Meredith.

A presentation to mark the Employer of the Year was made to Russborough House & Gardens, represented at the event by Caroline Nash. Annie Shiffer, making the presentation, related how she had initially undertaken work experience at the popular Blessington visitor attraction, and afterwards was offered paid employment, a transition she said has made "a huge difference" to her life and confidence. On behalf of the group, Annie also thanked Emma Jane Meredith for her work on the My Dream Job programme.

Those who received certificates were Karolina Karolak, Eimear Ryan, Lukasz Cisowski, Liam Dermody, Tavian Dolan, Lynden Healy, Evan Bowes, Karen Bourke, Annie Shiffer, Stuart O’Neill, Holly Pallister, Laura Dunne, Maggie Ellison, Christine Malone, Paula Kelly, Liam Mc Donnell, Jack O’Callaghan, Michelle Hughes, Alan Beale, David Moore, and Esther Loakman.

Among those present were last year's recipients of the Employer of the Year award, David Hogan and his wife, Salima, who operate the nearby An Tearmann café, and Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon TD.

Agriculture Minister Martin Heydon with Stuart O'Neill and his certificate.

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Rugby summer camp

Newbridge Rugby Club has announced its Summer Camp 2026 for boys and girls aged 6 to 12. The camp runs from Monday, 17 August to Friday, 21 August, from 10am to 1pm each day. 

Places are limited to 60 and cost €80 per child. Fully accredited and vetted coaches, overseen by the club’s Leinster Rugby CCRO, will lead the sessions, and each participant will receive a complimentary T-shirt. 

For more information or to book, visit this link. 

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