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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BUSY DAY FOR KILCULLEN IN CAEN

Photos: Kilcullen Twinning Group.

Kilcullen's Twinning Group, who are in Normandy being hosted by Saint-Contest, twinned with Kilcullen, spent the morning in Caen with their French friends, visiting the castle built by William The Conqueror in 1060.

After that, they went for a rainy walk to Luc-sur-Mer, and some of the group went to the Memorial Museum in Caen. There's a civic reception at the Town Hall this evening.

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KILCULLEN ADVANCES TO 400 MARKS IN 2026 TIDY TOWNS

Kilcullen achieved a milestone score of 400 marks in the SuperValu National Tidy Towns Competition 2026, writes Brian Byrne. It's an 11-point increase from the 2025 total of 389. 

Competing in the Small Town Category D, with populations between 2,500 and 5,000, the 2026 result marks 30 consecutive years of Kilcullen participation in Tidy Towns. The adjudicator praises the town's 47-page detailed submission as an 'excellent example for many other towns to follow'.

The work under Nature and Biodiversity in the extensive tree, native hedge and bulb and flower planting undertaken to protect the ecosystems in the town is noted, as is the significant task of removal of invasive species including Himalayan Balsam from the river banks and Dogwood from the Valley Park. The children’s workshops with Dulra Forest School for Biodiversity Week is also marked. The long-term work of reclaiming Pinkeen Stream is singled out for praise, and the 5,000 trees planted in the last three years across the Community Centre, GAA, and schools campus are commended. Under Tidiness and Litter Control, a high standard in all of the public areas visited is commented on. Takeaway littering is described as a scourge.

There is praise for the pedestrianisation of Lower Main Street and Market Square, and for shopfronts including Kilcullen Opticians, The Little Brew Cafe, 5 A Day, An Tearmann, Woodbine Books, The Hideout Gastro Pub, and McTernans. The art installations on utility boxes, and the 'outstanding' butterfly installation in the Valley, are praised, while the Library Garden is described as 'a great refuge'. 

Under Sustainable Action & Community Collaboration, the report highlights the Cross and Passion College students’ repurposing of old metal lockers into plant containers, the KCA polytunnel, the seed-swapping network, and the orchard in the Camphill Community.

In the area of energy transition, credit is given to the Lions Club Sheltered Housing retrofit insulation across four homes with SEAI and Kildare County Council backing, and the installation of rooftop solar panels on premises such as The Spout Bar.

Other observations include the Green School programmes at Scoil Bhríde and Cross and Passion College, while housing estates such as Nicholastown (winners of the 2025 KCA Best Biodiversity Impact award) and St Brigid’s Avenue receive top marks for community care.

The contribution of the volunteers, CE workers, sports and community organisations, and the support from businesses and Kildare County Council are all acknowledged in the report.

(NOTE: In an earlier version of this story I misread the notes and consequently the commentary on Nature and Biodiversity and Tidiness and Litter Control was incorrect.)

THE FULL ADJUDICATOR'S REPORT CAN BE DOWNLOADED HERE.

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KILCULLEN TWINNING GROUP IN SAINT-CONTEST

After a long day travelling, the Kilcullen twinning delegation arrived in Saint-Contest in Normandy last evening to a warm welcome, writes Tanya Flanagan. We are delighted to be here.

There are eleven of us on the trip, including Twinning Committee members, representatives from Scoil Bhride and CPC and Irish dancers.

The dancers and a musician will be performing at the civic reception organised for us in their Town Hall tonight, Saturday.

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FOLK GROUP SEEKS MUSICIANS

Kilcullen Folk Group is looking for new musicians to play in our group. We meet on the first Saturday in the Church of the Sacred Heart & St Brigid at 5.30pm to practice – with Mass starting at 6pm.

Interested in more details? Please contact Frances on 087 9746000.

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CROSSING AT CPC TO BE UPGRADED NEXT WEEK

Works will commence next week to upgrade the Zebra Crossing at CPC to a signal-controlled pedestrian crossing, with push button units.  

The works will include the removal of Zebra Crossing equipment and the installation of new pedestrian crossing equipment, road lining, and all associated site works. 

Traffic and pedestrian management will be in place for the duration of the works. Kildare County Council apologies for any inconvenience caused.

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