Open day at county Archives & Local Studies

An open day at County Kildare Archives and Local Studies will give people a chance to explore the county’s documentary heritage on Tuesday, 21 April, writes Brian Byrne. The event takes place at Harbour View, Naas, with doors open from 9.30am to 12pm and again from 1pm to 5pm. No booking is required, and visitors are welcome to drop in at any time during the day.

People will be able to view and examine a selection of Kildare County Council’s archival collections and browse the Local Studies collection of books, postcards and maps. Staff will also be on hand to demonstrate the Irish Newspaper Archives website.

The open day will highlight the role of the County Archives in preserving the Council’s records and local heritage, and will showcase how the KCC-Files App, Cotton Mills Records Store and County Archives support records management in line with the national retention policy.

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Creative in Clay Workshop

Local artist Lesley Kelly is offering a series of creative clay workshops next month, writes Brian Byrne. The four-week course will run from 1 May to 29 May at Kilcullen Community Centre, with classes taking place each week from 7–9pm. 

A professional ceramic artist with more than 20 years’ experience, based in Kilcullen, Lesley will guide participants through a range of techniques designed to help them create unique ceramic pieces.

Costing €225, the fee includes all materials and firings. The classes are suitable for all levels, from complete beginners to those looking to build on existing skills, with participants asked only to bring their curiosity.

Each week will introduce a new technique that builds on the previous lesson, and the course will conclude with a functional ceramic piece for each participant to take home and treasure.

For more information or to book a place, contact lkceramics1@yahoo.com or visit www.lesleykellyceramics.com.

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Have you got your tickets for The Walworth Farce?

A reminder that there are still tickets available for The Walworth Farce for tonight, Friday (Gala Night to benefit the Community Centre) and Saturday. 

Outstanding performances from all concerned in Kilcullen Drama Group.

Tickets on Eventbrite and from Woodbine Books.

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KCA presented with Tidy Towns gold medal

Health Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeil presented KCA representatives with the Gold Medal awarded for the 2025 National Tidy Towns Competition, at a special awards ceremony in The Royal Marine Hotel in Dun Laoghaire recently.

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The passing of Willy Meenahan

The death has occurred of William (Willy) Meenehan, late of Conroy Park, Kilcullen, on 15 April 2026 at Naas General Hospital.

Beloved husband of the late Bernie, Willy's passing is deeply regretted by his loving sons Dermot, Paddy, Terry, Clifford and Wesley, daughter Sharon, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, brothers, sisters, son-in-law, daughters-in-law, nieces, nephews, neighbours, relatives and friends.

He will be reposing at his daughter Sharon Meenehan's residence, Moate View, Kilmead, Athy, R14 TW72 from 5pm to 8pm today, Thursday 16 April, with prayers at 7.30pm. Removal from there is on Friday 17 April to the Church of the Sacred Heart and St Brigid Kilcullen, arriving for the 10.30am funeral mass, which may be viewed on this link. The mass will be followed by burial in St Brigid's Cemetery.

Rest in Peace.

Reports from Kildare-Newbridge MD meeting

Kildare County Council is to assess the possibilities of providing pull-in bays for Bishop Rogan Park, Nicholastown, and Cnoc na Greine to prevent service trucks from mounting paths and green areas, writes Brian Byrne. This is on the foot of a motion at yesterday's meeting of the Kildare-Newbridge MD, placed by Cllr Tracey O'Dwyer.

However, the MD engineer noted that it does not have funding available to construct such bays.

The councillor was also told that a design has been prepared for Thompson’s Cross and is currently being reviewed by the Council's Transport Section. The design includes traffic calming measures, and there will be an update on a commencement date following a tender process.

A question Cllr O'Dwyer asked about plans to upgrade the crossing at Two Mile House Primary School received a negative response.

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Punchestown Charity Race jockeys visit renal unit

Photos: PKRF.

The Punchestown Kidney Research Fund had its annual visit to the Varty Renal Unit at Tallaght University Hospital yesterday. The 35th annual running of the PKRF Charity Race takes place on Saturday, 2 May, at the Punchestown National Hunt Racing Festival. 

Four of the PKRF Charity Race Jockeys (Alice Murphy, Kate O’Leary, Lydia Dodds and Cormac McEvoy) were in attendance. 

In a Dialysis Unit, they witnessed firsthand the challenges kidney patients face on a daily basis.

Kilcullen was also well represented as James and Emma Nolan, along with Sandra Wixtead, Owen Farrell and Nicky Egan, were also there.

"All the visitors were simply blown away with the trip to the Dialysis Unit," says James Nolan, "which gave them a great understanding of the hardship and the challenges that face kidney patients on a daily basis. 

The common comment from all the people on Dialysis was that they would give anything to be the recipient of a life-saving kidney transplant, which would enable them to return to a normal life and not have to visit the hospital three times a week for their life-saving treatments.

 Over €2 million has been raised through this Charity Race to date, and these funds have been invested in various projects to improve the quality of life for patients on Dialysis and to maximise the lifespan of those lucky enough to receive a life-saving kidney transplant.

In tandem with that, race organiser James Nolan emphasised the importance of having the discussion with your family and friends on the subject of Organ Donation. "It is so much easier if your family knows what your wishes are regarding organ donation, should anything happen to you,"  

James pointed out, saying that the main message behind the running of the Race was simply described best in the title of the race:

 “Have the conversation - say YES to Organ Donation”

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Attracta Gill book aims to heal childhood trauma survivors

Kildare psychotherapist and poet Attracta Gill has finally published her collection of poetry and creative writing, Poems for Trauma Recovery, Love, Loss and Belonging, written to support individuals navigating the difficult journey of healing from childhood trauma, writes Rose Barrett O'Donoghue. It will be launched on 7 May at The Queen’s Bar, Dalkey, from 6.30pm.

Born in Ballymore Eustace, Attracta is married to fellow psychotherapist Austin Breslin. Attracta blends lived experience and clinical insight from nearly three decades as a trauma-trained specialist. She’s currently pursuing a Doctor of Professional Studies in Psychological Trauma at the University of Chester, focusing her research on survivors’ disclosure of childhood sexual abuse through the creative approach of poetic inquiry.

“Statistics show that one in three females will experience childhood sexual abuse," she says, "and 52 per cent of females will experience sexual violence in their lifetime. This means that there is a high number of people living within our community and the surrounding communities that my book will help. We all need to play our part in society to break the silence and shaming of survivors.”

Already, Attracta’s book has been put forward as an important resource for rape crisis centres in England (SARC) and Wales, and rape and sexual abuse centres in the UK (RASASC). This book is going to be a vital resource for any woman impacted or affected by sexual violence.

Poems for Trauma Recovery, Love, Loss and Belonging is published by ShadowScript Publications.

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Lions club holding scrap metal collection

Image: Alfo Medeiros, via Pexels.

A reminder that Kilcullen Lions Club is holding a scrap metal collection fundraiser at the rear of the Kilcullen Community Centre building on Saturday, 18 April, from 10 am to 12 noon. 

The organisers welcome all types of domestic metal, including pots and pans, old bicycles, golf clubs, garden tools, radiators, and trampoline poles.

At spring cleaning time, a perfect way to clear that metal junk.

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Parish Lotto Draw results

The numbers drawn in the Kilcullen & Gormanstown Parish Lotto Draw held on 14th April 2026 were 2, 3, 16 and 26. 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 €5,000.

The winners of the €50 Open Draws are Jim Brady (Promoter PJ Lydon), Kay Broughall (Vivian Clarke) and Kay Tyrell (Nancy Fitzpatrick).

The winners of the Promoters Draw were PJ Lydon and Valerie McTernan, and the winner of the draw for those in the Parish Centre on the night was Vivian Clarke.

The Parish thanks all who support the Lotto.

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Congratulations, Chloe and Ross

Photo courtesy the Clarke family.

Congratulations to Chloe Kelly and Ross Clarke, who were recently married in Suncroft Parish Church. The wedding reception was held afterwards in Rathsallagh Country House.

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GAA club Lotto won again

Ber Clifford has scooped the Kilcullen GAA Lotto jackpot, taking the €1,200 top prize in the latest draw. The winning numbers were 4, 10, 13 and 20, with the lucky ticket sold by John Lambe.

A long-standing supporter of the club’s jackpot, Ber is the second jackpot winner in just three weeks.

The next Kilcullen GAA Lotto draw will take place on Monday, April 20th, with the jackpot reset to €1,000. Entries close at 7pm on the day of the draw. 

Supporters can play via the Clubforce Connect app or through the link on www.kilcullengaa.ie, with auto-renewal available for those who don’t want to miss a draw.

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Cnoc na Gréine AGM

The Cnoc na Greine Residents Association will hold its Annual General Meeting on Monday, 27 April 2026, at 8pm in the Carter room at the Community Centre. 

The meeting is open to all residents to voice their opinions and share their ideas for the estate. 

Residents interested in joining the committee or contributing suggestions are invited to participate in the meeting or contact the association via message. 

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Financial foundations for food entrepreneurs

Food entrepreneurs in Kildare are being offered a practical opportunity to strengthen the financial foundations of their businesses at an upcoming event hosted by the Local Enterprise Office (LEO) Kildare. The location will be the Athy Food, Drinks and AgriTech Hub, on 21 April.

The session, aimed at both start-ups and growing food businesses, will focus on helping owners to build clear financial strategies, understand funding options, and plan for sustainable growth.

The meet-up is open to entrepreneurs launching new food products, opening cafés, or expanding catering and food service operations. Participants will be guided through key financial decisions that can determine the long-term success and viability of their ventures.

Speakers include John Nugent of Bord Bia, Ellen Ní Cleirigh, Senior Development Advisor at Enterprise Ireland, and members of the LEO Kildare Grant Team. They will outline the range of funding supports available, eligibility criteria, and the application process for business owners seeking to invest in growth.

The event is designed to give food entrepreneurs a clearer picture of their financial position and the external supports that can help them scale.

Registration is now open at this link. 

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