Forms for joining the Kilcullen Garda District Text Alert scheme are available from The Grocery in Calverstown, Kilcullen Garda Station, Kilcullen Credit Union, and scheme committee members. Please encourage neighbours and friends to join.
Dear Editor,
There's a special event to mark the Pope John Paul II Anniversary next Sunday, April 3rd in Kilcullen Parish Church at 3pm. I know it was already advertised last week on the Kilcullen Diary. But would it be possible to put it on the webpage again today or tomorrow - as a reminder?
Regards,
Niamh Murray.
Done. Ed.
The Diary joins with his many friends in wishing Vivian Clarke all best wishes on his hitting the 'Big Five-Oh' yesterday.
A veteran of stage and the small screen (remember when Capers were broadcast to every pub in town to cater for overflowing crowds?) in Kilcullen, Vivian recently dug out some photographic memories of his Capers days, a few of which we publish here.
What a difference thirty years can make ... or have they?
Brian Byrne.
Our school extension is flying up and we finally have a roof on it! It will be ready to move into before September and we’ve all been looking forward to this for a long time.
Our wonderful Parents’ Council have tirelessly raised funds, culminating with the very successful auction which was held at the end of February In Ballyshannon Community Hall.
Anna Dillon, Principal.
I was interested to see the item re the proposed new bridge at the Square development by Mr Jim Collins recently, and indeed could not believe the luck it represented for the town. The present, for no cost to the town, of a linear park/walkway through the centre of the village, free from traffic is an item that any town in the country would jump at.
Imagine my surprise, no shock, to be informed that there was hesitation at the meeting of the local representative body in accepting this boon. The question of the upkeep of the existing amenity is one that will have to be addressed with or without this development, and the developer who is apparently to supply the footbridge free cannot be in a position to commit to ongoing maintenance of the facility.
On further thought it occurred to me that this proposal came from one of the Trustees of the valley. I assume that the Trustees have the final say in the disposition of the valley, and any further developments, additions, etc. In short, the fact that a small number of local people cannot recognise a stroke of luck such as this should not be allowed to impede the further development of the town yet again.
Donal Brennan.
A Vintage Run in aid of the Colfer family from County Wexford will be held on Sunday April 9.
Pat Colfer was the skipper of the Rising Sun fishing boat which sank off the Wexford coast last November. His body was never found.
The event, organised by Peter and Ann Sully, will start at 12.30pm from Sully's Yard in Cannycourt. There will be a pit-stop in Ballymore Eustace, and the run will finish in the Ardenode Hotel where there will be music and a raffle.
Further information 087 2430052 or 045 483700.
Donations can be made by cheque payable to 'Colfer Relief Fund'.
Brian Byrne.
Confirmation for 5th and 6th classes in Ballyshannon National School was celebrated along with Suncroft NS and Ballysax NS on Friday March 10th.
Eleven pupils from Ballyshannon school received the sacrament and enjoyed the experience of becoming an adult Christian. They were Jasmine Byrne, Trevor O’Brien, Dean Hyland, Shaun Petersons, Lorcan O’Rourke, Eamonn Kent, Linda Heffernan, Kirsty Fleming, Amy Dunne, Hannah Donnelly, and Saoirse Behan.
Bishop Jim Moriarty was the celebrant.
Anna Dillon, Principal.
The Kilcullen Community Action Town Quiz will be held in The Hideout on Monday next, April 3.
The event, which is sponsored by Tommy Healy of Healy Exhausts, is in aid of Kilcullen's Tidy Towns effort.
It starts at 8.30pm, and there will be prizes for Best Group, Resitents Team, and Business Team.
Entry for a table of four is €40.
Brian Byrne.
I always admire primroses because they seem to struggle through in the toughest of places.
This little sign of spring is in the ditch on the road to my house. Makes a change from the discarded cigarette packs and lunch roll wrappers.
Brian Byrne.
In a recent attack on the parish church, offerings boxes were broken open, and offerings are temporarily being collected in baskets during masses and other events.
Also, some time after a person left an envelope in the foyer of the church last week, two others came and stole it.
Fr Murphy PP appealed to the person who left the envelope to get in touch with the priests, as they have no idea what was in it.
Meanwhile, in yet another crime incident in Kilcullen the proprietor of Jackman's Gala Store on Hillcrest had to fight off screwdriver-wielding would-be robbers.
Kilcullen people have been victims of a number of robberies in recent months, many of the incidents taking place in homes during daylight hours.
Brian Byrne.
The construction project presently under construction in the square, when completed, will have buildings extending upriver to the old slipway on the old site of the Canoe Club. The building's footprint is already under construction. From this point upriver there will be firstly a parking area and then construction of a new Canoe Club extending to the end of the site.
From the new club site (which will be walled for security) back to the square along the riverside between the new construction and the river there will be a 15-foot wide public walkway with three boardwalk platforms from where one can view the river. The last 100 feet of the walkway to the edge of the square will have a restaurant facing the river.
The development offers the possibility to have a public riverside walk from the back of the Millrace Apartments, by the Heritage Centre, under the bridge and upriver as far as the Canoe Club. There will also be a public walkway through the new development at right angles to the river at a point 100 feet back from the square, at the back of the new restaurant.
At the car park beside the new Canoe Club the developer is prepared to build a bridge to cross the river to The Valley Park, at the famous point where Dan Breslin's machine slipped into the Liffey when the original pathway was pushed through The Valley in 1975. For the benefit of new residents, this point is near the steps which lead upwards towards the upper pathway in The Valley.
The positive effects of this development would be to open up new walkways from the north side of the town to the upper Valley, the church, the New Abbey Road, and the old right of way to New Abbey Cemetery. By allowing more people to have access to the upper Valley and the St Brigid's Well area, it could help to reverse the trend in recent years of these areas being used for drinking sessions, resulting at present in a high level of litter and vandalism, and making it a no-go area at night.
The overall effect for the future would be to have public access to both sides of the river throughout the entire centre of Kilcullen.
As a trustee of The Valley, I have had discussions with a representative of the Canoe Club regarding the Canoe Club development, and with a representative of the developer. I believe that the river walkways and the proposed bridge represents a positive step for the future of the riverside area, and that it will secure for the future the public access to both sides of the river in the centre of Kilcullen.
Based on these discussions, and having studied the proposals, I would recommend that this development take place.
Jim Collins,
Valley trustee,
19th March 2006.
The above Valley Bridge proposal was presented to the Kilcullen Community Action meeting on 20 March. Points were raised on the desirability of linking a community amenity area with a property development.
Firstly, it could result in more people using the Valley in the future. Secondly, the present cost of work, maintenance, and insurance is currently being borne by the community; should the developer contribute towards these costs in the future?
It was decided to put the project, with drawings, on display in The Heritage Centre, and to publish it on the Kilcullen Diary and in The Bridge Magazine for public comment.
A similar bridge proposal costing £100,000 was originally proposed by Jim Collins in 1978 to Kildare County Council. At that time, Kilcullen Community Council was prepared to pay for the construction, but KCC would not facilitate the Community Council with a landing area at the Council Yard.
Daffodil Day 2006 was a huge success. This was our 20th year collecting in Kilcullen and we raised in excess of €4,000.
This was the first year we had rain on Daffodil Day. In spite of that our loyal collectors were out bright and early with smiles to coax the euros from the locals who support the Irish Cancer Society every year.
Special thanks to the group of collectors who worked the new location at the north end of the town at the Gala Supermarket - Frank Kenny, Anne Brennan, Nancy Fitzpatrick and Dolores Duffy. Their collection totalled €1,000.
Another group collected in the estates the week before - Sarah and Emma, Teresa, Laura, and Anne. The faithful ladies who every year give an hour and sometimes two of their precious time to come and collect at the Supermarket, Nolan's and the Filling Station are too numerous to name but their help is greatly appreciated and without them our success would not be possible.
Thank you to the subscribers who give so generously to our worthy cause.
Nuala Collins.
From time to time I read a blog from Baghdad, Baghdad Burning.
It is an award winner, has been published as a book, and is a sobering and timely view of what it is like to live in that city over the three years of occupation.
I know nothing about the writer except from her writing, but she documents -- and clearly has herself -- the extraordinary strength of character which many in Baghdad and other cities in Iraq need to just live day to day.
In our booming Celtic Tiger economy, it is worth reading just to show how easily life can all go wrong, and how quickly.
Brian Byrne.
Guided tours of a special exhibition that will be of interest to all lovers of the Celtic tradition, in the Riverbank Arts Centre in Newbridge, will take place on Thursday 6 April, in advance of a showing for the following week.
An Leabhar Mòr - The Great Book of Gaelic - is an international celebration of contemporary Celtic culture, in the form of a 21st century Book of Kells that brings together the work of more than 200 visual artists, poets and calligraphers from Scotland and Ireland.
The exhibit has generated an international touring exhibition of 100 artworks, a book publication, a website (www.leabharmor.net), a TV documentary, a series of BBC radio programmes, a music CD, a schools pack and an events programme.
Some 100 poems were nominated for the project by great poets and writers such as Seamus Heaney and Hamish Henderson, and each poem represents such topics as comedy, tragedy, love, death and even the mundane. The project involved a hundred visual artists, fifty from each country, working in collaboration with a small team of calligraphers in response to the poems.
Fifty of the resulting pieces will be on display between 7-15 April. Also, we will be providing tours of the exhibit, for one afternoon only, on Thursday 6 April for all who are interested. Something for all the family.
The final outcome, following the exhibition tour, will be a visual anthology in one bound volume that will become a permanent visitor attraction.
Sinead Redmond.
There are pizzas and there are pizzas, and the good ones have one essential ingredient. Experience.
That's the thing, of course, that is really at the core of all cooking, but especially the Italian kind. And with the arrival in town of the latest food takeaway enterprise, the Macari Star, there is experience in abundance.
The business is a venture by two families well established in Ireland, the Macaris from Kildare and the Iafrates from Carlow. That's why on the treshold of the new premises you see the 'Mac Frate' logo.
Went orienteering on Sunday at a place called the Burren in Fermanagh, a historical ancient forest which has established itself over existing court tombs and stone circles. The whole area is powerfully spiritual, long drapes of moss hanging from old oak trees, carpets of snowdrops over a man-shaped mixed landscape of limestone and caves and raised bog. Very difficult terrain.
I came across something I had not seen for years, a court of hares: about eight hares standing in a circle, basking in the low weak winter sunshine on the south face of a small hill. Unfortunately I was on them before I spotted them, and so disturbed them and did not have long to watch. Woodcock and snipe everywhere under foot, this is really my spiritual home .
I attended Potatoes Day at the Organic Centre in Rossinver afterwards, watched a demonstration of men working with loys. Never saw it before, were they ever around Kilcullen? I went to a talk about heritage potatoes and saw samples of over 300 varieties of potatoes that have died out in Ireland. A good day for the soul, much needed.
Off to a spring solstice gathering with some like-minded people this morning. Have just finished work for the time being as the Peace Funding for the job has run out and the project has to close, four people out of work as a consequence. Much-needed community work and Intellectual capital scattered to the four winds ... what a way to run a country!
But one door closes and another opens ... I've been thinking of turning our local community arts group into a social enterprise … started on that this week, and I'll send a progress report now and again.
Marella Fyffe (formerly Byrne, of Silliot Hill), Omagh, Co Tyrone.
Kilcullen Playground Committee reported very good news at its recent meeting about a children’s playground for the area.
Preliminary talks have taken place between the school authorities in Scoil Bhríde and officials in Kildare Co Council in relation to a site on school grounds, which would be accessed through the Kilcullen Community Centre. The proposed site is visible from the Centre, has adequate parking and would be very convenient to people bringing their children to school or other activities in the Community Centre grounds.
The local Playground Committee has looked at various sites over the past 10 months, and is delighted the one deemed most suitable would seem to be available. Playground Committee Chairperson, Orla O’Neill said, “As I understand it, Scoil Bhríde is prepared to seriously consider transferring this site if proper infrastructure is put in. This would involve constructing a new exit road from the Community Centre grounds on the boundary between the national and secondary schools. There would then be a separate entrance and exit road. Even as it currently stands, this would be a great enhancement to the Community Centre – there can be serious bottlenecks there at any time of the day, not just school times.”
Orla went on to say the Playground Committee had almost reached the end of its tether trying to get a suitable and available site for the playground. She recalled more experienced members of the community outlining how they had tried several times over the years to get a playground, but to no avail.
“I really thought we were doomed to failure until this window was opened up by Scoil Bhríde. They are being very generous in proposing a possible donation of the site in return for road infrastructure, which will benefit the entire community, not just the school. We fully support their proposal and encourage those with any influence in the Council to bring this forward as soon as possible”.
The Committee is now urging people to contact their local representatives to push for the proposal to be brought forward. A lobbying and information campaign is being implemented in the coming weeks, and the Committee is certain that local pressure will ensure the Council doesn’t let this opportunity slip through their fingers. Audrey Farrell, the Committee’s secretary, who is co-coordinating the information campaign said, “it’s extremely important people send letters and make phone calls to their local reps on this issue as there’s huge pressure in the County from other towns and villages for a playground. If we don’t make our case very loudly, we could lose out on this occasion.”
Kilcullen Playground Committee meets once a month in the Community Centre and all are welcome. As well as identifying suitable locations for the playground and facilitating progress, the Committee is also working on design ideas. They are hoping a creative approach to the final design will be taken, and feel it is extremely important the playground will be accessible and suitable for children with special needs. Anyone who is interested in this work can contact Orla O’Neill at 480988.
Juno and the Paycock is currently being performed in the Riverbank Arts Centre in Newbridge and will finish next Saturday, 25 March.
Set in Ireland in the 1920s, Juno and the Paycock focuses on the complexities, conflicts and contradictions of life in Dublin’s tenement, where the themes of poverty, nationalism, religion and the Labour movement are explored. Against this backdrop, the protagonist Juno, a strong woman, struggles to hold her family together. The production is directed by Des Garrett.
The play is one of Seán O’Casey’s most powerful, and is being presented by the Melting Pot Theatre Company.
The company was founded in 1999 and derives its name from the reference, ‘The Electric Melting Pot’, the practice of borrowing different ideas and different styles and mixing them together.
Those infamous cartoons have by now had more than enough airtime but their publication has brought to the fore some interesting discussion regarding freedom of speech in multicultural society.
Western culture holds freedom of speech to be sacred and defends it against all comers. Mind you, the recent stance taken by some sections of the tabloid press as defenders of that freedom does not sit well with me. (Not when I look at their record. More words from my great musical and poetic influence spring to mind – “Could it be an infringement of the freedom of the Press to print pictures of women in states of undress” - but I digress.)
There is a bigger picture. Western culture reserves the right to poke fun, to lampoon its heads of state, its religious leaders, its ideologies, and its people. It teaches us to question and arrive at our own conclusions.
Freedom of speech has within it an implicit right to offend. We have the right to say, to write and to draw or paint subject matter that will offend the sensibilities of some. We therefore have the right to cause offence, whether through irreverence, disagreement, dissension or outright criticism.
We are free to say what we want about whatever we want and if some people take offence, so be it. We do not assume that all people must agree.
These days, however, freedom of speech has a moral guardian. The spectre of political correctness that seems to preach that every word must be examined before use and carefully sanitised lest some individual or group might take offence.
That is not to say that it is acceptable to set out to cause offence. It is not, but determining the motivation of any expression of sentiment is subjective and seeking to suppress such expressions may be construed as censorship. However, it is never acceptable to deliberately seek to offend, belittle, or judge individuals or groups on the basis of difference. There’s a word for that: Bigotry.
All this works well enough in a society where all members are of broadly similar ethnic origin. Add to the mix an ever widening spectrum of ethnicity and suddenly the collective sense of taste is altered. But this is still a democracy.
Culture, the culture of a place, is perhaps best described as: ‘the way we do things here’ and each country, each ethnic group, has its own way of going on, its own way of being and is generally comfortable in its own skin.
It is right and proper that a culture should embrace its visitors and those who choose to relocate and call the seat of that culture 'home'. But it is a mistake to dilute the pre-existing culture in an effort to avoid offending newcomers. Such an act does both parties a disservice.
Those who feel uncomfortable in a minority and disapprove of the ways, attitudes, and beliefs practised by the majority in their new surroundings perhaps need to re-examine their reasons for coming or for staying.
To personalise this for a moment; I spent three years in the UK, met many wonderful people, some of whom became life-long friends, and generally I look back on that time as a wonderful experience. But I could never live there. I found the culture of the place too conservative, too restrictive. I never felt the place was at peace with itself and I could never call it 'home'. So I didn’t and I returned to Ireland.
I was never made to feel unwelcome or inferior in the UK, on the contrary. It just didn’t feel right and so I turned my back on what was the career of my choice because I couldn’t stay in a place where I was not at one with my surroundings and did not feel fulfilled or free to be myself.
I didn’t want to be like them and I wasn’t looking for them to be like me. Had I stayed, I would have become either embittered or assimilated, and neither state leads to a productive life.
I know there aren’t huge differences between the two countries but the cultures are different nonetheless.
The key to the success of multicultural society is mutual respect for traditions, beliefs and customs. However, the age-old principle of ‘When in Rome…’ should apply.
I’m not suggesting people should assimilate and lose their identity or keep to themselves and become ghettoised, rather that they should take their place among the natives and contribute to the life of the place in which they find themselves, according to the customs and culture of the place. They will enjoy the freedom to practice their own beliefs and live by their own cultural values, subject to the laws of the land in common with their neighbours.
For those who find that life too restrictive or the prevailing culture offensive there are return tickets. To those not yet come I would say come among us, be with us, live alongside us, but if you find the way we do things not to your liking, do not presume to tell us we are wrong. Rather, accept that we have our differences, and, if they are too great, consider that you may have made a mistake and move on.
We have a responsibility to be tolerant and inclusive as our part of the deal, and not to judge newcomers and their ways too harshly. After all, we don’t like to be on the receiving end of such treatment. But we should not rush to change who we are just to avoid offending the sensibilities of peoples whose cultures may be opposed to ours to begin with.
It is people’s differences that make them interesting. The alternative is an amorphous collection of citizens of the world without nationality or identity.
The grass isn’t always greener ...
Roy Thompson.
[ED: This was originally published in The Bridge March edition.]
Hello from Surrey, England. St Patrick's weekend was spent here watching my two daughters in Irish Dancing Displays at hotels and clubs in the Surrey Area.
We are looking forward to my girls dancing in your Parish Feis in April. And visiting relatives in Kilcullen.
For my children and myself it is coming home. My family originate from Kilcullen and we lived there in the 90's as well.
Stephanie Potts (nee O'Neill).
A Commemorative Prayer Service will be held in the Parish Church on April 2, to mark the anniversary of the death of Pope John Paul II.
The service will include Benediction, and will be held at 3pm.
All are welcome.
My brother Gary has sent some more pictures from Souzhow in China, where he teaches English, mainly to business students but he also does school visits.
It's a busy time for business movements in Kilcullen.
Also at Hillcrest, that new dry cleaners and laundry has opened, and down the hill the Totalvision movie rental operation has moved to the premises at Brennan's Hardware, where the Credit Union was during the building of its new premises.
We've also heard that a new restaurant will be opened in the Square development initiated by the late Pat Dunlea.
We'll keep you posted as things happen.
Brian Byrne.
If you're interested in natural medicine, there's a Salus Information Day coming to Burkes Pharmacy on Hillcrest.
Product advisor William Haughton will be on hand to talk to people who might be feeling tired or run down, or just want to improve their general health.
The event is on Wednesday March 29.
The Naomh Bride Community Playgroup is holding a Table Quiz to raise funds, on Friday March 24.
The time is 8.30pm and the location Markey's Stray Inn.
Cost is €10 per person of €40 per table of four.
Kilcullen-born Carl Byrne, who lives in New York City and also happens to be the Editor's son, took a trip across the US the other week to store his bike in San Francisco with a view to undertaking a number of West Coast drives later in the year.
He left NYC on Saturday morning March 4, and arrived 3,400 miles later on Tuesday afternoon March 7, having driven through a variety of weathers and across many varied landscapes, most of them quite flat in the middle of the country.
On the trip, using the interstate I-80, he drove through Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska ("smelled of cows all the way"), Wyoming, Utah and Nevada into California.
He had dinner with a friend in SF that night, then flew back east to work the following day.
These are a few of the pictures he took through Wyoming and Nevada, and the last one with the sea in the background is, of course, the Pacific.
The bike is his pride and joy, a BMW he's had for some years, and the paint job is very non-standard.
Brian Byrne.
Hi Brian,
Over here in Boise, Idaho, there will be a lot of good old Irish dinners going on along with great beer, of course Boise always has great beer but now they have a real reason to enjoy it today.
My family and I for the first time will not be having our traditional corned beef and cabbage as our night is packed full with events for the kids. My 5-year old daughter is going to a Father/Daughter dance tonight at her school. She has been awaiting this event since preschool last year and now the night has finally arrived, so tonight she will get dressed up in her pretty dress and tights and go dancing with Daddy to music from the 80s.
My nine-year-old son and I will be attending the very famous Pine Wood Derby that is unique to Boy Scouts. These kids start with a rectangular piece of pinewood and eventually turn it into masterpieces of cars, trucks, hummers, etc. They race these masterpieces against each other and vie for the title of “fastest car”. The winning boy will receive a trophy and all the glory of having won.
So to me this is what St Patrick’s Day will be all about, spending time with the ones you love and soaking in every moment as time passes by so very fast when they are children, and tomorrow we will eat our corn beef and cabbage and reminisce about the memories we just created.
Happy St Patrick’s Day from Boise, Idaho, USA
Mary B Frazer.
Especially those of you in faraway places, maybe you'd like to let us know how you're celebrating the national saint's day?
Email us, and we'd love to see some pictures.
Meanwhile, for everything you wanted to know about St Patrick's Day, here's a handy piece from the National Geographic website.
I like the note about stout really being good for you.
Brian Byrne.
Traditional musicians from across County Kildare will join forces with the traditional band "Ceol Galore", from Athy, for a night of traditional music.
Writers from the four corners of the County will join in the revelry by reciting a few poems and short stories.
Everyone is welcome for a night of vibrant craic and ceol.
Wine bar and refreshments available.
Tom Horan of Brannockstown sent the Diary a note about our recent post on the 'Harry Clarke stamp'.
He says Des Bell from the Irish Stamp Philatelic Bureau has let him know that the Harry Clarke stamp, featuring the artist's famous window in Carnalway Church, will be issued on 21 March 2006 and will be available from The Philatelic Bureau in The GPO and on their website.
A €10 minimum purchase applies on the website. The stamp can also be bought by mail order from the Philatelic Bureau, Irish Stamps, The GPO, Dublin 1.
There was a great buzz last evening at the gala opening of the new Macari Star Pasta and Pizza place.
The Diary has talked with the families involved and will report in detail on the venture later, but for the moment we wish them all the best in their enterprise.
Brian Byrne.
Kilcullen Heritage Group held their AGM on Wednesday 8th March in the Heritage Centre, at which the officers appointed were: Chair, Nessa Dunlea; Treasurer, Des Travers and Secretary, Geraldine Gahan.
The Kilcullen Badminton Club Juveniles recently played Mount Pleasant from Dublin.
The club's Mark Phelan has a good report and lots of pictures on the club site here.
Great to see yet another outlet for youngsters thriving.
Brannockstown villagers are to meet with the developers of a proposed project which will see a housing and commercial development 'breach the walls' of the Harristown Demesne.
At the AGM of the local Community Council, Pastor Robert Dunlop outlined the details of a meeting which a delegation from the council's committee had with the developers on February 22.
The developers are builder Terry McGoff and Harristown owner Hubert Beaumont, and the proposed project would involve the building of eight 'substantial' homes on the Ballymore Road, and a row of 'town houses' on the village side.
The development, which would include a 'cafe' and a shop, would mean that the corner between the village and the Ballymore road would be taken off, and a 'sweep' of buildings and parkland would replace the old wall. The project would also involve the provision of car parking.
"Some of the land will be landscaped as a community park," Pastor Dunlop said, and then outlined what the delegation believed were key issues for Brannockstown.
"First, what would the removal of a substantial part of the demesne wall mean to the village? Two, are 'town houses' appropriate to an historic village like ours? Three, is 'social' housing to be included?"
Other concerns relate to the position and type of parking arrangements, and the location and type of the 'cafe' and shop.
Pastor Dunlop said it was the view of the delegation that the developers should put their proposals before a full meeting of local people, and they had agreed to this.
"As the outgoing committee, we are encouraging everyone to involve with the developers," he said. "There is no doubt that there will be change, but let us see that what happens does not fly in the face of our heritage."
Steve Schwer noted that in the County Development Plan passed by Kildare County Council last summer, the area where development is zoned at Harristown goes all the way down to the demesne entrance.
"With this proposal, they're going to develop half of it ... but the rest will surely follow."
It was agreed that the developers should be given a choice of dates for the proposed meeting, the first option being the Wednesday night of the 22nd March.
Brian Byrne.
Painting white or gold bands on all the new footpath bollards in Kilcullen is very necessary, according to Kilcullen Access Group.
This is just one of the issues raised at the KAG's most recent meeting, and is an urgent one because the bollards when painted only in black represent a danger to people with poor sight.
Geraldine Kelly (above on left with KAG members Brian Dunne, Bridget O'Rourke and Anne Daly) pointed out that such painting is done in other towns, such as Newbridge, and should be done immediately in Kilcullen.
"It is particularly important now with all the new bollards, and the flower basket standards on the bridge," she said. "It should be a matter of course that it be done."
There are also problems with poles on the footpath between the Convent Corner and Avondale.
"They also need to be painted with bands in light colours," says Bridget O'Rourke, a member of the group who has visual impairment. "And though the footpath surface is good, the wall comes out in lumps and bumps, and there are grey sign poles that need to be painted."
In addition, amember of the group has written to Kildare County Council to have old footpaths in Nicholastown repaired, after an elderly local resident fell.
KAG is very pleased with the work that was carried out last year on the crossroads, in terms of dishing of footpaths and the provision of consistent surfacing for those who depend on what they feel through their feet to know where they are at a crossing.
"But the audio signal on the crossing isn't really loud enough, and we want that adjusted," Geraldine Kelly says. "Also, the footpath surfaces from Scoil Bhride to the crossroads also need attention, as they are quite bad."
The group has also received a request that one of the parking spaces reserved for drivers with disability be moved to the opposite side of the road, near the supermarket, to facilitate people who want to park near the shops.
Tha matter of some extra crossing points in the town is also something which needs to be addressed, according to Geraldine Kelly.
"There's a need for some kind of crossing down at the bottom of the town, and also up at Hillcrest. At the moment, it's a 'run for your life' situation at those places."
Meanwhile, KAG has arranged a meeting with the Playground Committee to see what facilities for people with disability can be included in the proposed playground.
"There have been a lot of new playgrounds built in the county which are not accessible for some children, so we want to get in at this stage so we can talk to an architect, and engineer, to make sure that the facility is for every child."
Brian Byrne.
The long running saga of the leases for the business people who have contributed more than €2 million towards the development of the new Business Park on the Athy Road had apparently ended last week ... but then a new complication arose.
The Diary understands that a clause in the lease documents caused concern to the solicitors for the businesses, and the documents have had to go back to the County Council's solicitor.
One of the businesspeople, Tony Gahan, told the Diary that there's now a real sense of frustration about the matter, because none of the participants are in a position to get started on their premises.
"We've all committed our money to the project," he said. "From a developmental point of view, all that remains to be done is run a sewer line from the site to the crossroads in Kilcullen. That will cost us an additional €250,000, and there's no way we're going to do that until the leases are properly sorted."
The Diary highlighted the problem in a recent story.
Brian Byrne.
A Main Street property fetched €3.5 million at auction recently.
The property comprised three shopfront premises on a half-acre site, owned by Seamus Byrne. It recently received planning permission for full redevelopment, including apartments and new commercial premises.
The buyer was pharmacist Adrian Dunne. There's speculation that the new owner plans to build a medical centre which incorporates a pharmacy on the streetfront part of the property.
Meanwhile, a 'Pharmacy Opening Soon' sign has appeared on the old Maloney premises just down the road, which was recently bought by the owners of Burke's Pharmacy of Naas, who currently have a pharmacy business on Hillcrest.
With Bernard Berney's pharmacy long-established just a little way up the hill from the new Dunne property, it looks like there could soon be a very competitive situation developing in that particular business.
Brian Byrne.
Kilcullen Access Group member Bridget O'Rourke is conducting Disablity Awareness training sessions with staff of Kildare County Council.
Bridget has a visual impairment, and conducted a similar exercise some years ago with the Council staff when they were in the old St Mary's premises.
Brian Byrne.
Cross and Passion College Kilcullen senior girls soccer team have qualified for their first ever Leinster Schools Final.
At a cold and windy AUL soccer grounds in Dublin they defeated a hotly fancied Killester team 1-0 with almost the last kick of the game in an absorbing semi-final between two very evenly matched teams.
After an exciting but scoreless 70 minutes both teams headed into 20 minutes extra time hoping to avoid an imminent thunder storm gathering in the distant dark sky over Dublin Airport. With extra time failing to break the stalemate and the dreaded penalty shoot-out looming the Kilcullen girls launched one last attack.
A long ball beat the St. Mary's defence and Regina Hamilton took it round the ,thusfar ,unbeatable keeper and keeping an admirably cool head slotted the ball into an empty net.
There was barely time for the Dublin girls to kick off before the referee blew the full time whistle sparking wild celebrations in the Kilcullen camp.
This victory capped a very successful season for the CPC senior soccer team. The previous friday they were narrowly beaten on penalties by a strong Heywood Community School team, thus just failing to retain the midland league title they won in some style last year.
The Heywood defeat was the Kilcullen girls first loss in 12 matches over the last two seasons and qualification for the prestigious Leinster Final goes a long way to easing the dissappointment felt.
With the Leinster winners qualifying for a tilt at the All-Ireland crown, excitment and anticipation in Kilcullen is very high. The final is provisionally fixed for wednesday march 15th again at the AUL grounds near the airport, but with the other semi-final not yet resolved the CPC girls do not yet know the identity of their opponents.
One thing they know for sure however, is that if they produce the same skill and committment shown in previous rounds then their opponents , whoever they might be, will have to play extremely well to deny these girls their historic first ever Leinster soccer title.
The panel of players is: Sarah Duignan, Deirdre Burke, Amy Moran, Yvonne Schwer, Lesley Maher, Sheena Hubbard, Jenny Murphy, Shauna Cleary, Laura Gibson, Regina Hamilton, Clare Kelly, Emma Doyle, Amanda Boland, Aoife Molyneaux, Jayne Peacocke.
A Wheeler.
The old bugbear of litter in Kilcullen again took up considerable discussion time at the most recent meeting of Kilcullen Community Action, and criticism was levelled both at Kildare County Council and school pupils in the town.
The matter came up from a letter written to KCA by Cathy Flynn of the Heritage Centre, who noted that she had 'received abuse' when she remonstrated with young people for dropping litter at the back of the centre during lunchtime.
There was unanimity at the meeting that Cathy Flynn shouldn't have to make any such approaches, but equally there was again frustration that there seems to be no adequate way of dealing with the litter problem.
Noel Clare said the pupils at the Cross & Passion College were asked on a daily basis not to litter.
J J Warren suggested that the Litter Warden be asked to give a week of his time to 'blitz' the town and hand out fines.
When it was pointed out that there seemed to be no mechanism whereby children could be fined for litter offences, he suggested that the Garda be asked to chastise any young people found throwing litter.
He then broadened the criticism by wondering how in other towns in the area there were local authority operatives cleaning up 'before people were up in the morning'.
Celia Travers noted that she had been in Athy the day before and it was 'absolutely spotless'. It was suggested that because it was a 'heritage' town, and also had its own Town Council, that made the difference in providing an adequate cleaning service.
Describing the situation in Kilcullen as 'disgusting', Celia Travers said it 'can't be allowed to go on'.
Tony Gahan agreed, adding that it was equally bad on all the approach roads to Kilcullen.
The cleaning operations by Kildare County Council operatives also came up for comment again, with several of those present noting that their brief seemed extremely restricted.
"They will just pick litter that's actually on the footpaths," J J Warren said. "They won't pick up anything that has blown into the gutter."
It was also noted that the operatives wouldn't clean places such as the riverbank area behind the Heritage Centre, nor take rubbish from the decorative flower boxes maintained by the Tidy Towns Committee.
Orla O'Neill suggested that the community should undertake a photographic project, showing 'before and after' following a Council cleanup.
The photograph above, supplied by Noel Clare, shows the bus stop area in Kilcullen. "It was taken on March 3, after watching the same stretch for four days without any attempt to pick up litter," he says. "It was still much the same one week later."
Brian Byrne.
The new Macari Star Pasta & Pizza Takeaway opens for business next Thursday.
The business replaces the former Yankee Star which was operated by the late Austin Egan for many years.
The new owners have completely refurbished the premises, and plan a celebratory opening event next Wednesday night.
Brian Byrne.
The Irish Guide Dog Association is launching a branch in Newbridge Wedneday March 15.
Anyone in Kilcullen who has an interest in guide dogs, for themselves or for a friend or relative, can get further information from the Irish Guide Dog Association.
Brian Byrne.
A piece of history went tumbling down this weekend when part of the previous Hideout premises was demolished to make way for a three-storey commercial development.
The section will be remembered by many as the entrance to the Hideout bar and restaurant from 60s through the 90s, until my late brother Des sold the business.
When Louis Broder rebuilt The Hideout in recent years, he reinstated the original entrance to the pub, leaving the now-demolished section unused.
This writer remembers it much further back. When I was growing up, the section comprised two cottages, and when the owners passed on my father turned them into 'The Cottage' shop.
I used to earn pocket money on Sundays working in the shop, selling ice-creams and all sorts of other stuff, as well as reading all the books and magazines before they got to be sold.
I also remember regularly going with Dad to the Dublin Fruit Market in the car, in the early mornings during summer holidays from school, where he'd buy fruit and vegetables for the shop twice a week. Typically, he was on first-name terms with every one of the merchants in the market.
Even with a stop off in one of the 'early' pubs around the market area, he'd still have us back down home before nine o'clock, the car laden with spuds, oranges, cabbages and a whole lot more.
The world moves on, but memories are forever.
Brian Byrne.
