The passing of May Keogh (nee Crone)

The death has occurred of May Keogh (nee Crone), The Hill, Kilcullen, on 9 July, 2026, in the tender loving care of Curragh Lawn Nursing Home.

Predeceased by her parents, Robert and Margaret, May's passing is very deeply regretted by her loving husband, Kevin and her loving friend Stella, sister-in-law Mary, brother-in-law Michael, nieces, nephews, relatives, and friends.

May will be reposing at her residence, (R56 AV97), on Friday, 10 July, from 4pm until 8pm with prayers at 7.30pm.

House private at all other times.

Removal will be on Saturday morning, 11 July, to The Church of the Sacred Heart & St Brigid, Kilcullen, arriving for 11 am Funeral Mass, which may be viewed on this link.  This will be followed by burial in St Brigid's cemetery.

Family flowers only, please. 

Rest in Eternal Peace, May.

Designated bathing area sought for Kilcullen

File photos: Kilcullen Diary.

Waterways Ireland and Kildare County Council have carried out a risk assessment on potential designated bathing areas in the Liffey at Kilcullen, writes Brian Byrne. This follows requests from local swimming enthusiasts to have an official swimming location established.

The initiative is one of a list of project ambitions produced by Kilcullen Community Action earlier this year. Cllr Tracey O'Dwyer, who says it is 'a worthy project worth pursuing', has previously walked the Liffey area with representatives from the Kildare Sports Partnership, "to start the discussion about various locations."

Following the recent assessment visit by Waterways Ireland and KCC, the next phase in this project is an environmental impact analysis, followed by a water quality analysis to ensure there is good water quality if people are going to swim. At that point, a detailed design would be done and costings assessed.

The matter has come into sharp focus with the current and earlier heatwave spells, with scores of mainly young people cooling off at what were traditional swimming places in the river, but which are now fenced off from public access. 

KCA's Tony Gahan, a keen swimmer, is leading the call for Designated Bathing, suggesting that a pontoon structure that would rise and fall with the flood could be located on the Riverside Manor bank side of the river. The location had a temporary wooden dock for many years while the new Kilcullen Canoe Club premises were being constructed as part of the Market Square development in the late 2000s. It fell into disrepair when it was no longer needed by the club and was dismantled for safety reasons several years ago.

A request that KCC designate a generationally popular swimming spot at Carnalway, made by Cllr O'Dwyer last year, didn't succeed. Identified bathing waters are monitored, managed, and assessed under the requirements of the 2008 Bathing Water Quality Regulations. The regulations followed the transposition of the Bathing Water Directive (2006/7/EC) into Irish law in 2008, aimed at enhancing the protection of bathers' health and introducing stricter standards for water quality. Local authorities are required under the legislation to identify such locations.

In 2024, KCC sought public assistance in identifying such locations so a profile of each could be developed, including an assessment of the risk of pollution and what action would be taken if pollution occurs. Among details requested from the public were how swimming areas have been used up to now, how many people use the site, what facilities (eg, signage, parking, toilets, etc.) exist at the site, how accessible it is, and what safety issues exist. 

To our knowledge, there are as yet no Designated Bathing Waters in County Kildare.

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New self-storage facility opens in Halverstown

A new self-storage business has opened in Halverstown, Kilcullen, offering secure and flexible space for both household and commercial customers.

The Self Storage Yard Ltd is a modern container yard that provides new, clean, dry and fully insulated storage units with flexible rental options. The fully gated facility features 24/7 CCTV, secure access control and well‑lit surroundings.

The site offers easy drive-up access and a simple online booking process, designed for anyone needing extra space for household items, tools, business stock, equipment or vehicle storage in the Kilcullen, Kildare, Naas and Newbridge areas.

Contact 089 4149738, info@tssy.ie, or visit the website at tssy.ie for full information and booking.

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Dowling Property: 38, Brownstown Manor, The Curragh

Dowling Property is delighted to present to the market one of the finest three-bedroom, semi-detached homes to be offered for sale in recent times. This modern A-rated home is presented in show-house condition throughout both inside and out and is located just a c. 4-minute drive to the M7 at Newbridge.

This elegant home sits on a large corner site and boasts a very impressive feature list. The accommodation, which is spacious and well laid out, consists of an entrance hallway, a sitting room, a guest WC, a utility, a kitchen/dining room, and a downstairs bedroom, which is also ideal for a playroom. Upstairs are two double bedrooms with a master en-suite and a family bathroom. The kitchen is bright and enjoys a dual aspect with many appliances included in the sale, and all complete with a breakfast bar and stools. The large rear garden is a real highlight as it is designed with low maintenance in mind and is fully walled. 

There is garage space to the side with obvious scope for further development (STPP) and off-street parking for 2/3 cars on the cobble lock driveway. All amenities are located on your doorstep, which includes a creche/Montessori, chemist, Centra, public house, restaurant, churches, and primary and secondary schools. Kilcullen is c. 5km, Newbridge is c. 5km, and Kildare Town is c. 4km. The M7 interchange at Newbridge is just a 5-minute drive away, along with the M9 interchange at Kilcullen. Kildare village is just a c. 6-minute drive away, with a host of first-class shopping. 

With its superb location and presentation, we must now advise on early viewings, as this property is not to be missed. A true gem!

AMV €395,000. dowlingproperty.ie. Kildare Office 045 482189. 

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Looking Back: Tidy Towns 1969

In the month of Tidy Towns judging, with KCA, residents' associations, and individuals all very busy to show Kilcullen in its best light, we thought it appropriate to show these pics from 1969, of members of the Nicholastown Tidy Towns Committee at work and relaxing. They come courtesy of indefatigable newspaper archives burrower, Joe Murray.

 

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Library celebrations

There was a steady stream of friends and patrons of Kilcullen Community Library on Saturday morning to mark the 100th year of the Kildare Library Service. Refreshments were hosted by Librarian Ita Casey (inset above).

Meanwhile, there'll be a Movie Afternoon for children next Wednesday in the Kilcullen Library, with a PG film screening from 3pm. All welcome.

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Book your slot at Culture Night 2026

Last year's Culture Night crew.

A reminder that Culture Night 2026, a nationwide event, will be held this year on Friday, 18 September, writes Esther Reddy. Last year's event in Kilcullen Town Hall was an evening of great entertainment, including poetry, dancing, drama excerpts, and song, and the steering committee hopes that this year's event will be even better! 

Culture Night will be held again in Kilcullen Town Hall, in a supportive and friendly atmosphere. If you would like to be involved — recite a poem, read a piece, sing a song, share a dance, showcase a talent — whatever you can bring to the event, you will be so welcome. Culture Night encompasses all cultures which make our town such a lovely place in which to live; please contact us to get involved. Text or call 087 4707652 to log your interest or contact any of the organising committee: Ray Kelly, Colette Fitzgerald, Joan Murphy, Gerry O'Donoghue, Letitia Hanratty, Eilís Phillips, Fiona Kelly, or Esther Reddy. 

Looking forward to celebrating the strength of our community at a warm, welcoming, and inclusive event!

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Public consultation on CCTV for St Brigid's Cemetery

Image: KCC.

Kildare County Council has opened a public consultation on a proposal to install CCTV at the entrance to St Brigid’s Cemetery in Nicholastown, Kilcullen, to tackle repeated illegal dumping, writes Brian Byrne. The site has experienced ongoing fly-tipping in recent years, with household waste and other refuse affecting the amenity and dignity of the area. 

Under the proposal, the installation would include an overview camera, a licence plate recognition camera, a decoy camera and supporting infrastructure such as poles and signage.

The live monitoring period would run for six weeks if approved. The council said the plan is designed to deter dumping, identify offenders and support enforcement under waste and litter laws.

Submissions can be made through the council’s consultation portal until 5pm on Friday, 17 July 2026. 

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Parish Lotto Draw results

The numbers drawn in the Kilcullen & Gormanstown Parish Lotto Draw held on 7th July 2026 were 14, 15, 21 and 31. 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 €7,400.

The winners of the €50 Open Draws are Jim Keogh (Promoter Vanessa Clarke), John Berney (Vivian Clarke) and Ber Clifford (Vivienne Clifford).

The winner of the Promoters Draw was Ger Hillery, and the winner of the draw for those in the Parish Centre on the night was Ronan Murray.

The Parish thanks all who support the Lotto.

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Tracey O’Dwyer outlines her community priorities

In a newsletter update circulating in the Kildare-Newbridge MD, Cllr Tracey O’Dwyer has detailed her local agenda focused on roads, safety, community facilities, and planning across Kilcullen, Athgarvan, Newbridge, and related areas, writes Brian Byrne. The Kilcullen-based councillor was recently elected as the Leas-Cheann Comhairle of Kildare County Council.

For Kilcullen, the Fine Gael councillor says a major priority has been securing the future of Teach na nDaoine. She notes the building, which she hopes will become a dedicated space for senior citizens’ groups, was secured from the HSE for a nominal fee, with €180,000 in Local Property Tax funding allocated for essential repairs and works expected to begin before the end of this year. She also highlights progress on the Old Kilcullen Heritage Trail, saying she worked with the Old Kilcullen Committee and Kildare County Council to propose amendments after public consultation.

Road safety remains another major focus. She said she continues to push for improvements at Thompson’s Cross in Old Kilcullen, where work is hoped to commence this year, road widening in Athgarvan, and safety upgrades at several junctions, including Corbally, Mile Mill, Grangebeg, Baroda, and Kennel Bridge. Traffic calming on Kilcullen approach roads is a priority concern, and works are due to begin later this year on a €50,000 traffic calming project on the Curragh Road in Athgarvan. 

Cllr O’Dwyer has also been working with KCC to deal with parking pressures in Kilcullen — including in Kilcullen estates Bishop Rogan, Cnoc na Greine, and Riverside — on road and path upgrades, and on better bus stops and shelters for Two Mile House, Kilcullen, and Kinneagh Cross, and those recently provided in Athgarvan. She is also seeking improved access from the M9/M7 to Newbridge.

On community services, the councillor said she is addressing the lack of medical card dental services in Kilcullen and the shortage of childcare and after-school places. She also confirms €100,000 has been secured for a skatepark in Kilcullen, with a suitable site now being sought.

In Newbridge, she is working towards achieving a swimming pool, a municipal sports hub and a cultural centre, while in Athgarvan, she is supporting a new community space. She is also seeking a columbarium wall in St Brigid’s cemetery in Kilcullen.

The update also covers estate taking-in-charge projects, with work ongoing in locations including Hillcrest and Riverside in Kilcullen, Moorehill Wood in Brannockstown, and Walshestown Abbey and The Meadows in Newbridge. Cllr O’Dwyer says the adoption of the Kilcullen and Newbridge settlement plans in 2025 gives the area a roadmap for balanced development, and she points to zoning wins for school capacity in Kilcullen, and a new swimming pool and a sports hub for Newbridge.

She says her overall aim is to support safer communities and to keep local development aligned with infrastructure, accessibility and the needs of residents.

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New special class for CPC

Image: NCSE.

Cross and Passion College, Kilcullen, is getting a new special class for the 2026/2027 school year, writes Brian Byrne. This brings the total of new special classes established across Kildare this year to 33.

Meanwhile, families seeking a special school place for the 2027/2028 school year can now seek the facility on the Parents Notify online portal operated by the National Council for Special Education, which opened yesterday.

Parents or guardians must notify the NCSE through the online portal by 1 September and provide required documentation by 15 September 2026, or as soon as practicable thereafter.

Acknowledging that the deadline for Parents Notify is earlier than last year, Kildare South-based Senator Fiona O'Loughlin said it will help ensure there is a clear sense of demand, which can feed into the budget process in the autumn. "Early notification is essential to ensure sufficient places, staffing, and accommodation can be planned for the year ahead," she said.

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Curious Cubs Summer Camp in Ballymore Eustace

Curious Cubs Summer Camp 2026 is set to run from July 27 to July 31 at The Band Hall in Ballymore Eustace, Co Kildare. Designed for children aged 3 to 7, the camp will offer a mix of arts and crafts, music, sensory play, dance, mindfulness, storytelling, imaginative play, and games.

Running Monday to Friday from 10am to 1pm, the camp aims to build confidence, encourage friendships, and support children through the early school years. Places are limited, with a price of €100 and a 10% sibling discount available.

To book or request more information, contact multiactivitycampkildare@gmail.com or text 085 1892353.

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