Marathon meeting

Those who have volunteered to take part in the Womens Mini Marathon on behalf of the Punchestown Kidney Research Fund, or who wish to do so, will have an organising evening on Thursday night, April 4, in Kilcullen Parish Centre.

"This is important for participants who do not know anybody else on the team," says organiser Phena Bermingham. "We'll also be checking that everyone has registered to get a race number and a medal on the day."

yaris.ie

At the meeting, tee shirt sizes will be taken and seats on the bus can be booked if required.

Entry forms are published in the 'Evening Herald' on Thursday and Saturday and entry can also be made online at www.florawomensminimarathon.ie

Further information from Phena Bermingham, 045-485232, mob 087-9767531; Lorraine Hegarty-Kelly, 045-481062, mob 085-7268116; and James Nolan at Nolan's Victuallers, Kilcullen.

Brian Byrne.

Pool tournament

There's a Pool Tournament every Friday in McTernans with cash prizes and a chance to win free entry into a 1,500 euros tournament.

Entry is 10 euros, ladies and juniors 5 euros. World rules apply, and county players are ineligible.

Sunset at Anzac Earth Hour

On the horrible afternoon that's in it, here's what the sunset looked like several hours ago (or is it several hours tomorrow?) from Irene McDonnell's verandah in New Zealand.

Pic forwarded courtesy Niall McDonnell.

Local history 'gives future credibility'

People involved in local history groups don't just preserve the past, but ensure that the future is not held to ransom by the activities of some in the present.


Fr Sean Doherty, president of the Federation of Local History Societies; Ger McCarthy, chairman of Naas Local History Group; Cllr Mary Glennon, Mayor of Kildare; and Larry Breen, chairman of the Federation of Local History Societies.

That was the strong view expressed by the Mayor of Kildare, Cllr Mary Glennon, when she opened the AGM and Annual Seminar of the Federation of Local History Societies, held in Kilcullen today.

"In this age of more and plenty, we are so much being held hostage to people who think nothing of tearing out history and replacing it with as many storeys as they can get away with," she said. "They forget that if we tear out everything and abandon our past, then our future will have no credibility."

Mayor Glennon added that local history enthusiasts weave together the threads of people's lives into 'tapestries that live forever'.

She recalled how a recent visit to New York to lead the Kildare Society in the St Patrick's Day Parade had reinforced this view in a very personal way. The occasion was a dinner hosted by the Kildare Society during her visit.

"I was in a room with some 60 people from all over Kildare, many who had left in the 50s and early 60s when times were bad," she said. "It was amazing how many of them either myself or my husband could connect with, either because we knew their parents or uncles or brothers, or even their children returned to Ireland."

Recalling that her knowledge of her own family's history was incomplete because of the death of her father when she was young, she said that 86 year old Tom O'Shea, who had walked the full length of the parade, was able to tell her stories about her own family's history that she didn't know.

Delegates to the meeting came from many parts of Ireland, including the North, from where Lisburn, Downpatrick and Carrickfergus were represented.


Frank Taffe, Athy Local History Group; and Nessa Dunlea, Kilcullen Local History Group.

Naas man Larry Breen has been the chairman of the Federation for the past year and he said it was very welcome to see that links between the Ulster Federation and the groups in the South were being strengthened after being absent for a number of years.

The chairman of the Kildare Federation of Local History Groups, Ger McCarthy of Naas, gave the keynote talk for the Seminar, on the Eustace family of County Kildare, whose connections go back to Norman times.

The Monasterevin-based Lord Edward's Own Reenactment Group also attended the event. Pictured below are John Walsh, Eamonn Dunne, Gemma Dunne, Thomas Dunne and Barry Walsh.



After concluding the business of the National Federation, the delegates had lunch in Fallons and then went on a tour of Palmerstown House in Naas.

Brian Byrne.

(A slide show from the event can be viewed here.)

Table Quiz for church refurbishment

A Table Quiz is being held in Lumville House this evening to raise funds towards the refurbishment of St John's Church in Yellow Bog.

Built in 1815, the church requires considerable work, the most urgent of which is the roof.

The church is attached to the Newbridge Church of Ireland parish.

Brian Byrne.

Good Vintage Run

There was a big turnout for the recent Vintage Drive to raise funds for work on St Joseph's Church in Gormanstown.



The church is a chapel of ease for Kilcullen parish, and though historical details are sketchy it is believed to be up to 130 years old, making it one of the oldest churches in the area and preceding the main parish Church of the Sacred Heart & St Brigid.

The run was organised by Alfie Haslam and John Dunne and included a variety of tractors old and new, many vintage and veteran cars, classic motorcycles, and old commercial vehicles.

The organisers' target was 12,000 euros, which is needed for painting and electrical work in the church.

There were in excess of 100 entries committed to the event, all from the general area around mid Kildare and west Wicklow. Among the many old cars at the event was a 1976 Rolls Royce owned by Richard Higgins of Naas, originally owned by comedian Dick Emery.

A Singer Gazelle owned by local man Pat Goulding was also an unusual participant, as Singers were not sold in numbers in Ireland.



Further donations to the church fund are welcome, and can be made by calling 086 0571570.

Brian Byrne.

Litter? Do it yourself!

Communities which are doing very well in the National Tidy Towns Competition are working themselves to keep their towns and villages litter free.

That was the point made to Kilcullen Community Action by Noel Clare, when he cited Birdhill as a case in point.

"Their Tidy Towns people organise that their litter is picked twice a day," he said, adding that the local organisation had actually paid school leavers to do the work, for fairly nominal sums.

J J Warren said that Aughrim -- a visit to which had been extensively discussed at a previous meeting -- was a similar example. "Really, the communities that are successful in keeping their towns tidy do it themselves," he said.

Brian Byrne.

Signs of the times

Only recently was Kilcullen properly signposted on the M7 to give motorists unfamiliar with the area a chance to turn off on the M9 Kilcullen bypass. That's good.



And last week, in the town itself, the last of a new set of direction signs was erected to facilitate motorists passing through from various directions. But there's no indication on them directing to the motorway. That's ... curious.

Brian Byrne.

Books: The Appeal

The Appeal. John Grisham. American legal fiction.

The background is straight out of the Love Canal environmental disaster that became apparent in the 1970s, but brought modern.

A community nicknamed 'Cancer County' because of the effects of reckless waste management by big industry in the locality.

A lawsuit which resulted in a $41m verdict in favour of a widow and bereaved mother, thanks to the efforts beyond the call of duty of a small husband and wife law firm, efforts which brought the firm itself to the brink of bankruptcy and beyond.

The verdict gave the community hope. Even if the corporation that lost would appeal the decision to the Supreme Court of Mississipi. But hope and corporate money makes for a tough fight. Especially when the corporation enlists the aid of a company that can 'buy' an elected seat on that Supreme Court.

As always, Grisham writes a taut and compelling tale. His own legal and state legislature background founds well his narrative in its legality, but his writing gift is making it understandable even to us far from the American Way of Justice.

He has a deft way of drawing his characters, which is maybe a bit too clinical for some. We never get too deep into their psyches, but we have just enough detail to emphatise. Or dislike, if that's what is needed.

In 'The Appeal', John Grisham's 20th novel, we follow zeniths and nadirs in the timelines of the main protaganists through the story. We get to feel for the underdogs and to abhor, though with a certain sense of growing despair that there is really any justice, the 'black hats' of corporation in the midst of ordinary people.

As I read it, and knowing the extent of such corporative evil in the much more serious matter of the Iraq war, for instance, I could establish parallels that would scare anyone who doesn't want to know such things.

In this, the story of 'The Appeal' set in a small community could be a metaphor for what's happening between America and the rest of the world. I'm not saying that Grisham was thinking this way when he wrote this one.

But if the notion is carried through, the ending of this particular piece of fiction is one that is definitely worth some thought.

Recommended. But I might be on a judicial panel where the dissenters haven't been bought. BB

Carmel Kennedy, an Appreciation

When I heard that Carmel Kennedy had died, the news brought back a flood of memories. All of them relating to Carmel and the Hideout. For many people Carmel was the Hideout. At the very least, an integral part of it in its heyday.

For me growing up as the eldest son of the Byrne house in my early teens, it seemed that she had been there forever. While a day student in Newbridge College, I'd cycle home after class and get a quick mid-afternoon lunch before pedalling the five miles back to early study -- a matter that reflected both my antipathy to playing sports and to the quality of the food in the college itself.

Carmel was most of the time the person who cooked that food. Looking back, I realised I was a very fortunate person indeed to be raised on Nolans steaks, but even more fortunate that there was somebody to cook them for me!

For many years beyond those days, Carmel was the person in charge of the kitchen in the Hideout. She was the one to whom regulars would make their case if they arrived in after the food service was ended. Mostly they were from the racing fraternity, because that was an era when the Hideout was Mecca for that group, a place to unwind after a long day at the horses, whether as owner, trainer or punter.

It helped their cause that Carmel had an interest in the horses herself, and even if the griddle and deep fryer had been turned off, she could be persuaded to switch them on again if she was in good form. Though that form might well be dependent on whether the pre-races advice from those same people had been productive ...

For years the cooking area in the Hideout was wide open in the front bar, and there were many who liked to sit at the counter and chat with Carmel, some even preferring to eat there instead of the restaurant on the other side of the wall. The food itself was an attraction, but equally so was Carmel's banter and chat about ... well, mostly horses.

The front bar wasn't always the easiest place for a woman to be. Language could be robust, and tempers might not always be held in check. But my recollections of Carmel, quite apart from the obvious soft spot she'd had for me since I was a youngster, include her ability to absorb uncouthness with unfailing good humour, and to calm the obstreperous with a skill equalled only later by Ireland's UN peacekeepers.

She wasn't just a passive member of staff -- Carmel got involved in everything that was going on at the edges. Such as playing darts with the lads in the front bar when things quietened down, and even being a member of the bar team when it travelled to other pubs around the county like Nolans of Kilteel. She threw a mean dart, and when she was on form the only one to equal her was horse trainer Con Collins.

Con was one of her favourites in the racing game. More, he was one of her best buddies. There were others, like the late Tom McCallion, who was a perpetual punter and the only one for whom we kept Johnnie Walker Black Label. Neither of those gentlemen ever had to plead for a late meal.

In matters of who might be accommodated with late food, my father was the owner of the Hideout but never the boss. He could suggest, but Carmel decided. On nights that she wasn't on duty he had a better chance to go beyond the boundaries, usually by getting myself to do the cooking.

Carmel didn't marry, but she had her admirers and she had her admired. The confluence of both didn't happen, but that's life. In her own life in the Hideout she touched very many people, in formative ways to some, and she was never less than a lovely person.

When I left the family business I had known Carmel for two decades. It is probably true to say that she knew me better than I knew myself, and her wisdom as somebody a decade older was on a number of occasions something that put me back on track when I might have been in danger of slipping off. As far as I know she had never worked anywhere else than the Hideout, but I was no longer involved when she finally retired.

I went in my own directions when I left. And it is only my own fault that I didn't keep in touch. That she had been ill and I didn't know it is a reflection of the gap that I allowed to happen.

It is a strange thing that on the day before I heard Carmel had died, she came into my mind for no reason, and made me wonder how she was?

How she was, over the years that I did know her, was a warm and caring woman of great humour and humanity.

May she rest in peace.

Brian Byrne.

Auctioneers asked for donations

Auctioneering and estate agents who have been involved in sales in the Castlemartin and Cnoc na Greine estates have been asked to contribute to the cleaning of Pinkeen stream.

This follows recent discussions at Kilcullen Community Action which heard that much of the debris in the stream comprised old estate agent 'For Sale' signs.

KCA member Ray Kelly has sent photographs of the signs to the relevant companies, asking them for donations towards the cleanup.

Brian Byrne.

Clean up planned

Cnoc na Gréine Woods Residents Association is leading a clean-up of the long road and Pinkeen Stream between Castlemartin Estate and Cnoc na Gréine on Saturday, 5th April at 10am.

All welcome, particularly people with waders to take rubbish from stream. Bags and gloves supplied, bring high-viz jackets if you have them.

For further information contact Orla on 087 2569661.

Fundraiser for St John's

A Table Quiz to raise funds towards the restoration of St John's Church in Yellow Bog will be held in Lumville House on Friday March 28.

Entry is 12.50 euros and the night begins at 8.30pm.

Happy Easter

Easter greetings all, with this theme from Ger's Fruit & Veg shop window (above) and something equally nice from optometrist Nichola Kennedy's window (below).

Sunrise through the spear

It was looking like disappointment from very early on. An absolutely clear sky everywhere ... except for the big bank of cloud over towards Wicklow. For the surprisingly large crowd that turned out from six onwards on this spring equinox morning, it seemed the only consolation would be the crisp fresh air.

But, as if the gods of ancient times were playing with us, teasing and then relenting, the cloud bank first edged pink and gold and then seemingly retreated as the sun rose and conquered it. And we got our first glimpse of what sculptor Noel Scullion had intended and painstakingly measured and cut for.

At first just a brightness, then a starburst, Sol shone straight through the hole in the javelin sculpture, into the mouth of the four-faced 'life' section and out to the west, the arrival and departure of the soul.

It was plain awesome. And while nothing special had been planned for this first equinox of the sculpture commissioned by Kilcullen Community Action, it was uniquely special indeed and a real privilege to be there this morning.

Newgrange has been doing its tricks with the sun for thousands and thousands of years. Noel's javelin sculpture at the Dun Ailline Interpretive Park is a newbie at it. But it's great to have been there at the beginning. There's always only one first time.

Thanks, Noel (fourth from the right, with the camera), and everybody else involved, for bringing this noble concept to our town.



Brian Byrne.

(There's a sequence here.)

Parish sharing a 'challenge'

Parishioners have been asked to indicate which neighbouring parishes Kilcullen should align with for sharing resources, including priests.

This is against the background of a looming shortage of priests in Ireland, not least in the Dublin Diocese of which Kilcullen is a part.

Chairman of Kilcullen Pastoral Council Howard Berney said the research was the second phase of consultation with parishioners, following an initial discussion document distributed last August.

"We already have the phenomenon in Ireland of the 'priestless parish'," he noted. "Kilcullen parish will be affected in the future in one way or another ... even if there continues to be a priest in our parish, he will likely have additional responsibilities in adjoining parishes."

Describing the situation as a 'challenging prospect' he said it was nevertheless heartening to know that it is being addressed. "Planning is ongoing with a view to determining how best to ensure that faith continues to be enhanced and that an infrastructure continues in place to ensure that it is passed on to future generations."

Kilcullen is one of 12 parishes in the Blessington Deanery, which is itself one of 16 deaneries in the Dublin Diocese. The local survey last Sunday was part of a wider one in the pastoral area of which the Blessington Deanery is a part.

"There is a widespread concensus that the only way forward is to develop a concept whereby neighbouring parishes will cooperate by working together and sharing resources," Howard Berney said.

He added that there is no intention of closing any churches and it is accepted that the vast majority of parishioners want to maintain their parish identity.

The survey offered the names of Dunlavin, Ballymore and Narraghmore parishes as optional 'partners', though there was comment space for further views.

Any sharing would include priests, sisters, and pastoral workers, as well as physical resources such as parish centres and meeting rooms, as well as electronic equipment.

"Your views will have a significant influence on any decisions being made," Howard Berney concluded. "We should embrace this wholeheartedly and accept our shared responsibility to ensure that we maintain an environment which facilitates the enhancement of our faith, and that we are in a position to pass this faith on to future generations."

Brian Byrne.

Move on bollards mooted

Kilcullen Community Action is to ask for support from the Kilcullen Access Group to get a more aesthetic system of making bollards visible to people with sight problems.

This follows a considerable negative reaction to the reflective tape stuck on to the bollards recently by Kildare County Council.

Although the Council says there are no guidelines for the issue in relation to bollards, in most other places the practice is to use gold paint on the top to make them visible for those with such sight problems.

At a recent meeting of KCA, it was suggested that they might not put flowers on the bridge this year in protest at what is seen as a tasteless and unconsulted action by the Council.

However, chairman Kieron Forde said that they should look at what alternatives are available and work in a coordinated way with all parties to get something better.

Brian Byrne.

Susie in Fair City role

If you're a 'Fair City' junkie, there's now a Kilcullen interest in the RTE TV show.



Four years old Susie Power from Calverstown is now playing the role of Eleanor, the daughter of characters Heather and Dr Brendan. She will be featured in many dramatic and emotional scenes from 1 April onward. She's pictured above with her screen 'Nana', 'Renee', and 'Heather'.

Susie’s first ever stage appearance was at nine months old when she starred as the baby Simba in a rendition of the song 'The Circle of Life'. When she was lifted up by the monkey in the song, many of the audience at first thought that she was a teddy bear because she was so small.

She then went on to play a baby elephant in the 'Dream Warp Show'.



Last Christmas Susie starred as an Angel and as an Elf in 'The Lost Toys Christmas Show' in aid of Teenline Ireland. The show ran in the Moat Theatre, Naas for a week and made over 7,600 euros for the charity.

Susie is a member of Talented Kids Performing Arts School and Agency. She is currently preparing for her first ever Speech and Drama Feis. She also takes lessons in singing, ballet, tap dancing and ballroom dancing, and will be doing her Kindergarten ballet exam after Easter.

Niamh's song for US

Harmoneey half Niamh Traynor's own song for Jesus has been picked for a US recording.

Her 'The Lord is Here' was written for the Christian Arts and Musicians Festival last year and is to be recorded by an American group.

The gospel style song could also become a local favourite if Niamh's ambition to form a gospel choir in this area became a reality.

Interested? Call her. She also sings operetta with Festival Productions, whose 'Mikado' won most categories at last year's international Gilbert & Sullivan Festival in Buxton, England.

Here at home, Niamh and her friend Laura Clifford sing at weddings and christenings as Harmoneey.

Brian Byrne.

Sculpture sunrise hope

An informal gathering will take place on Saturday morning next at the new sculpture in the Dun Ailinne Interpretive Park.

Although the official unveiling won't take place until July, this weekend offers the first potential opportunity to see the effect of the Spring Equinox on Noel Scullion's work, which is formed in the shape of an ancient javelin.

Parts of the edifice are designed to provide special effects at the equinoxes and the solstices. This weekend, if the sun is visible, it should shine at sunrise through a hole in the sculpture.

The sculpture was commissioned by Kilcullen Community Action and was paid for with grants from KELT and Kildare County Council. The Heritage Council funded an explanatory sign.

Though no special ceremonies are planned for the 6.20am event this Saturday, everybody who wants to come is welcome.

Afterwards they have the chance to take part in a litter pickup in the area before going home.

Brian Byrne.

More funds from Feis

The profit raised by the Parish Feis two weekends ago was 5,150 euros.



The event was as usual organised by the Landers family. The famous dancing family have been running the event for some four decades now.



The Feis started out as part of Kilcullen's annual Carnival, and later moved to the JFK Hall. It is now an annual regular in the Community Centre.

Mrs Elizabeth Landers recalled that their first parish feis resulted in benefit to the parish of £59, but these days it raises several thousand euros each year.

Brian Byrne.

Parish exhibition opened

There was a good response to the first phase of an exhibition of Kilcullen's parish history, which was recently put on view in the Parish Centre.



The exhibition is part of the run up to a Chroinniu Chriost parish gathering planned for 25 May, and consists of photographs, newspaper clippings, a video made from local filming from the 50s, and artifacts such as Holy Communion medals.

The oldest item so far goes back to 1777, and is an extract from the Baptismal Record of the church of the time.

Organiser John Martin said it was envisaged that the launching of the exhibition will prompt other parishioners to lend mementoes of their own.

(Full story later this week in the Kildare Nationalist.)

Brian Byrne.

St Patrick's Day

Happy St Patrick's Day, everyone ... with a seasonal display from the Mini Me children's boutique at Hillcrest.



And, while you're enjoying the festivities, please try and heed this notice posted in Berneys Saddlers window.



Brian Byrne.

Steady now...

To look or to leap – that is the question

Caution or impulse – those are the choices.

Proceed with trepidation or blunder in with blind indifference?

On the one hand it is prudent to consider the implications and weigh the possible outcomes; on the other bold adventure may bring its own reward.

Consider this: you are precipitously perched on a precipice high above the reaches of normal human endeavour, having struggled and striven and resolutely defied even your own lack of expectation. This is new territory; you are boldly going, as it were: these are uncharted waters. Your next move will perhaps dictate the shape of things to come: you are at a crossroads; one road leads to glory, the other – well, best not to go there, perhaps.

So, you consider, you analyse, you mull, in short - you agonise. Inner torment in full flight you weigh it all up.

If you proceed with a tentative toe in the tide you may well avoid, or at least see coming, the one in five wave that knocks you on your ass every time. Alternatively, if you plough straight in, by the time you realise you’re out of your depth you’ll already be swimming – slicing a swathe over the deep to re-evaluation island.

Ultimately you must decide: consider or act. So, what’s it going to be?

And then it hits you; in a moment of brilliant clarity like never before, while perched there on the edge of your morass-like abyss of self doubt, you see in that moment this one inalienable truth: the moment is lost.

Procrastination has defeated spontaneity yet again and robbed you of the opportunity to truly live in the moment.

Deep down you know it would have been better to have felt the fear and done it anyway. Always after the fact.

Next time - definitely. Maybe.

Roy Thompson.

Poker for Moldovia

A Poker 49 competition will be held in the Stray Inn on March 28, in aid of the Outreach Moldovia orphanage project.

Entry to the event, which starts at 9pm, is 20 euros.

Anyone wanting to take part can contact Frank Bathe on 087 2349926 or landline 481016.

Brian Byrne.

The passing of Dick Hendy

We have learned of the death of Dick Hendy, Tippeenan.

He is reposing at his son Samuel's residence at Tippeenan, where a funeral service will take place today at 1.30pm.

Burial will follow afterwards in St Conleth's Cemetery, Kildare Town.

May his soul rest in peace.

'Sacred Space' project launched

If they said they were building a chapel for the students of Cross & Passion College, people might understand it more.

'Sacred Space' is a bit wooly, kind of sandals and incense. And maybe part of the reason why not that many people turned up Thursday night to the launch of the project in the college.

What they missed was the beginnings of the realisation of a dream. A dream which will become a place for reflection and spiritual reinvigoration not just for the pupils of the college, but for anyone else in the town who wants to go there. Kind of a bridge between the community and the school and the pupils and the inner self of all three.



The project will be unique in many respects. Not least in how it fits into the environment of the school itself, and its sustainability.

But that's sandals stuff, too. The important thing is that it will be a place where those going there will feel 'relaxed, safe and protected', as local engineer J J Warren put it.

J J got involved in working up the architectural details after the concept had been well developed by CPC staff members Margaret Aspell and Dennis Dennehy. RTE architect Duncan Stewart provided his own thoughts during a visit to the site last year.

Originally conceived as an extension to the main school building, to provide a place for liturgy left vacant when the Cross & Passion sisters departed the convent and its associated chapel, the idea quickly 'moved away' to be a central part of the grass 'quad'. The evolution of the design, with the proposed building being semi underground and incorporating a grassy roof garden, quickly led to an in-house labelling of 'our own little Newgrange'.

Planning permission has been granted, and the work will begin this coming July as soon as the school is vacant for the summer. It is expected that it will take two summers to complete.

Funding for around 60 percent of the cost has been donated. In effect, more money is not what the developers are looking for, rather the expertise and involvement of parents and other members of the community.

It will happen. How you can help, we'll detail in later stories.

Brian Byrne.

New local web business

A Kilcullen based company has recently launched an innovative online coupon website that makes it easy and very affordable for local advertisers to create coupons that consumers can conveniently access to enjoy savings from their local businesses.

CLICKnSAVE.ie lets consumers download and print coupons at no cost and redeem them at a variety of local businesses including restaurants, retail stores, hairdressers, gyms etc. Although available on a national level, initially most of the coupons will be posted from businesses in Co Kildare region.

The new website fills an important niche in the electronic coupon market, according to spokeperson Brian O'Grady. "There are large, national coupon sites, but none adequately meets the needs of the local community,"

CLICKnSAVE gives local businesses the benefit of having a direct marketing channel to promote their products, services and brand image to customers. Using the Coupon Builder, advertisers can create attractive print-quality coupons in minutes without any special knowledge, skills or equipment. A variety of coupons, discounts and special offers can be generated through the site, including percentage off, 2-for1 awards, reduced admissions, free access/VIP admission, special event access and upgraded service benefits. Spotlight advertising also will be available to prominently feature companies on the site.

Brian O'Grady said that coupons and discount vouchers is one of the most searched terms on the internet and as such are an ideal low cost way for local businesses to get people through their doors.

To start saving or find out more check out www.CLICKnSAVE.ie local businesses can also avail of a two months free trial.

The passing of Kevin Enright

Kevin Enright, Conroy Park, Kilcullen, Co Kildare, died recently in England.

He will be reposing at the family residence from 12 o'clock this Thursday afternoon.

Removal will take place tomorrow (Friday) morning at 10.30 to arrive at the Church of the Sacred Heart and St Brigid, Kilcullen, for Requiem Mass at 11. Burial afterwards in St Brigid's Cemetery.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.

'Cash' cashes in

A reprise of 'Cash on Delivery' performed for four nights last week by Kilcullen Drama Group was another resounding success.



The extra performances were staged to meet demand following the earlier very successful run of the Michael Cooney comedy before Christmas.

The Kilcullen Town Hall Theatre saw more packed houses, with many of the audience coming from much further afield than the immediate Kilcullen area.

(Read the full story in this week's Kildare Nationalist.)

Brian Byrne.

Ad: Ford Mondeo

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Interactive makes school difference

A whole new era in teaching started a few weeks ago in Brannoxtown NS when the Parents Association presented the school with an interactive whiteboard.



It is the first of four the parents have committed to buying for the school in a programme that will cost them over €22,000.

But principal Esther Reddy says the first board is already showing educational dividends both for pupils and teachers at the school, founded in 1885.

(Read the full story in this week's Kildare Nationalist)

Brian Byrne.

Book Clubs mooted

Interest has been expressed by a number of people to form a Book Club associated with Kilcullen Library.

According to Librarian Julie O'Donoghue, the interest has been both from children and adults, and she is prepared to facilitate any such group.

"Libraries are ideal for such things," she told the Diary. "We usually have access to enough copies of any current book to make it work. It can also be a great sociable thing."

If anyone wants to get involved in setting up a club, they can contact Julie at 045 482193 or Email.

Brian Byrne.

John's play goes over the top

Local writer John Martin is having his first play performed in the Riverbank Theatre in Newbridge for four nights later this month.

The play, 'Over the Top', is set in WW1 and is described as having a realistic adult theme that depicts some of the trials and tribulations which the soldiers in that conflict went through.

John was one of nearly a hundred writers throughout the county who expressed an interest in the project at the end of 2006 nearly. Each of them -- aged from eight upwards -- submitted a one page outline of a play they wished to write.

Nine were selected by an independent panel of readers to develop their outline stories into plays and they worked with Mary Linehan, Peter Hussey (Crooked House and Kildare Youth Theatre) and with award winning playwright Eugene O'Brien to transform their outlines into finished scripts.

Now, after much hard work and waiting the end of the process is in sight. An independent panel of readers has chosen one script from each age group to be given a full production at the Riverbank. The other scripts from each group will receive a full rehearsed reading.

John's play will be performed on the nights of 19-22 March, while the primary and secondary school winners' productions will be performed earlier on each day.

"It has been going very well in rehearsals," John told the Diary this week. "It's fascinating to sit there and watch the characters come to life, people that were in your head as characters."

He says that the interpretation of the director can be different from what the writer does, and that it has been interesting to see the elements that the director has picked out and highlighted.

"Some of them might not be what I would have highlighted if I was directing it," he admits, "but that's also an interesting aspect of it, and there are things there that I must have put in sub-consciously."

Brian Byrne.

Help the 'sacred space'?

The provision of a proposed 'sacred space' in Cross and Passion College would be a constant reminder of the contribution of the Cross and Passion sisters to Kilcullen.



This was noted by Fr Paddy Ryan on Sunday when he asked people to attend a meeting on Thursday night in the school aimed at progressing the project, which was first mooted some time ago.

He said the schools and the many sports facilities around the former convent grounds are already such a reminder, and the building of the sacred space would 'go one step further'.

"It will be another testament to the spirit of the sisters," he said, adding that there are many ways that parishioners can help.

Brian Byrne.

Call for Fairtrade interest

Could Kilcullen become a Fairtrade town? According to Julie O'Donoghue, our librarian, it could.

"Newbridge has just been awarded the status, and Naas is nearly there," she told the Diary. "And, remembering our good Kilcullen motto, 'Anything they can do ...', I'd like to see if there's any interest here."

The Fairtrade Mark is based on a set of criteria that guarantees producers of items like coffee and tea and fruit get a fair price that ensures a sustainable life for them. Becoming a Fairtrade town -- there are currently 25 in Ireland -- involves local schools, shops and businesses using and stocking goods with the Fairtrade Mark.

Anybody interested in pushing for Kilcullen to join this movement should email Julie or contact her at 045 482193 at the Library.



Brian Byrne.

It Says in The Bridge: March 08

Very happy faces on the front of the Bridge this month, in two pictures. The top one is the crew and 'consultants' lined up after their successful raising of the new sculpture at Nicholastown, commemorating the Dun Ailline royal site; the other is Bridget Aspell and her family, celebrating her 98th birthday. Both pictures represent great congratulations to all involved.

With the Parish History exhibition due to begin this weekend, it is probably not coincidental that there seems to be a lot of looking back in this month's issue, which is also the first one of the Bridge's 38th year in production. That last is a matter for mention in the Editorial, as also is the local reaction to the 'tatty, gaudy, cheap, loud and garish' reflective additions to the bollards on the bridge throughout the town. Not for the first time, the lack of consultation with the local community on such matters is highlighted.

News items include details from the Scoil Bhride Day of Action on its efforts to gain a Green Flag. There's also notice from the Sacred Space project in CPC of a meeting to progress the idea, on 13 March at 8pm. And the Kilcullen Scouts both highlight the results of their Christmas time Coin Laying event and also make a plea for an old-fashioned cart to use in their upcoming Jamboree.

The Parish Page's main focus is on the history of St Joseph's Church in Gormanstown, one of the oldest in the parish. There's also a promo for a Vintage Rally planned on 16 March to raise funds for renovating the church.

There's strong photographic coverage of the Kilcullen Community Games winners in the Art and Draughts competitions, and also from the local GAA Club awards. From further back in time there's a picture submitted by Sean Landers, one of his brother Michael on stage in New York at the age of five and already with a singing career. The other is from Brannockstown Field Day in the 70s, taken by Noel Clare. There's also a picture of the 'Rags' Kildare Junior A Champions in the mid 50s, some of whom are still with us but many sadly gone.

Still on the looking back theme, Robert Dunlop recalls the life and times of the late Ben Atkinson, who died recently after having live to be over a hundred. Pastor Dunlop also looks back on his own life in an extended piece, well worth the read about a man who has been quietly one of the prime movers of the direction of his parish and adopted village of Brannockstown.

Sean Landers in his turn provides us with a portrait of Percy La Touche, a man who 'amused many ... but himself most of all'. Sean's letter from Taiwan about his own current life has him recalling the previous evening's outing in an American style sports bar to watch the Super Bowl. "It is wonderful to have some western food from time to time," he writes, "to remind yourself that there is more to life than fried rice and beef noodles."

Finally, Billy Redmond goes Off the Cuff on a number of things, including the new sculpture in Nicholastown which will be a wonderful point of reference when giving people directions to his house. He finishes by referring to the poem 'Mother Nature' written by Jerry Kelly more than 20 years ago, which is reprinted in this issue and is always worth a revisit.

Brian Byrne.

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'Volunteer for marathon' appeal

Phena Bermingham has renewed an appeal for volunteers to help fundraise for the Punchestown Kidney Research Fund by taking part in the Womens Mini Marathon in June.

It will be the third year the event is used for the PKRF, which was founded by local man and kidney transplant James Nolan.

Entry forms are in the Herald on Thursdays and Saturdays or entries can be made on line.

"Don't wait, do it today," Phena says. "Join our team to get fit, feel good and enjoy the fun while helping to make life a lttle better for people on dialysis."

Sponsor cards are available from Lorraine at 085 7604806 or 481062; Phena at 087 9767531 or 485232; or from James at Nolans Butchers.

Cheque for Hospice

A cheque for 5,000 euros was handed over recently to Dr Dillion of the Kildare Hospice by John Reidy of the 'Moon and Sixpence' music group.

The money was the proceeds from two concerts held last year in Kilcullen Town Hall Theatre, and from one held in Andrews Lane Theatre before Christmas.

'The Moon and Sixpence' was founded by the late Des Byrne and some friends to play gigs for charity causes.

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Hospital Table Quiz

A Table Quiz in aid of St Vincents Hospital in Athy will be held in The Stray Inn on Tuesday 20 March.

The event begins at 9.30pm and tables for four cost 30 euros. There will be spot prizes and a raffle.

The evening is being organised by Josie Connolly.

Thompson's Thoughts: Imitation

Imitation they say, is the truest form of flattery - or something like that.

I’m not convinced. For sure, in some areas it’s true. I’m thinking of the natural world, where birds like the Mynah and our own Starling are superb mimics.

In my own field of interest – music – there is in my opinion little space for imitation that can’t be filled by interpretation.

Songs and instrumental pieces (with the exception of scored classical pieces) cannot be easily replicated to provide afacsimileof the original. It may not even be desirable to so do.

No, music performance is more about feeling. No amount of technical proficiency on the part of the cover artist can replace the original sense of the performing composer communicating with the listener on a deeper level.

My friend Larry, having listened to and watched with me a young guitarist performing a complex Bruce Mathiske piece, remarked that the lad played all the notes in their correct order but they seemed somehow unconnected.

That is “feel” - and you can’t imitate that.

It also goes someway to explaining why great players make playing their own intricate creations look so easy: they don’t have to think about it in quite the same way as the covering artist does.

They are playing a thing of their own making; it is familiar to them and may indeed transport them, in the moment of performance, back to the time in which it was composed.

That perhaps is one of music’s greatest powers: its ability to transport the listener and represent the sights, sounds, tastes and smells of the scene in which a piece of music first took on its significance for him.

But only an original can do this: a cover version cannot.

Music may possibly be imitated, copied; memory may not.

While an imitation may tantalise and remind, any promise of real similarity of experience is short-lived.

Perhaps in that sense, imitation merely flatters to deceive.

Roy Thompson.

Books: The Righteous Men

The Righteous Men. Sam Bourne. Modern thriller with historical religious theme.

I'm writing this in a small restaurant in Genoa, with just a small way to go before I finish the book.

It is almost as if I don't want to finish it, because I've put it down with mere pages to go. And through the day when I was travelling between Lisbon and Milan, and then by train to where I am now, I kept doing the same thing. It is kind of the reverse of the 'unputdownable' thesis. But not because the book was bad, rather 'saving' it to savour it. That's not my style.

Which doesn't mean it is a really great book. The writing needs a bit of tighter editing, and some of the descriptive narrative is naively drawn.

But it's a good yarn. A compelling one if, as I am, you have an interest in the conspiracy potential of organised religion. They've put a 'Dan Brown' comparison on the cover, so you know where it's coming from.

Brown's commentary was based on Christianity, specifically the Catholic Church. Sam Bourne's tale brings us into the arcane parts of the Hassidic Jew ethos, therefore going before Brown. And, believe me, there's an awful lot more stuff in Jewish tradition for convulated fiction than the Vatican could ever be the prime source of.

The simple storyline is about a New York Times journalist whose wife is kidnapped, and in his attempts to find her he uncovers an 'end of the world' scenario in which good people around the globe are being deliberately assassinated to bring about that very thing.

It's cleverly done. It offers a lot of thought-provoking interest. And it is fast-moving to the point that you put it down so that you don't get left behind.

At the time of writing, I still don't know where the kidnapping of the protagonist's wife fits into the story. I'll find out before I sleep tonight

You'll have to wait until you pick up the book from Julie at the Kilcullen Library. Tell her I sent you.

But wait until I get a chance to bring it back.

Brian Byrne.

Cruinniú Chríost exhibition

As part of the preparation for Cruinniú Chríost an exhibition is being organised which will reflect the History of Kilcullen Parish.

The initial phase of the exhibition will be open for viewing in the Parish Centre after 11 o’clock Mass on Sunday 9th March.

All are welcome.

Jim Dempsey, an appreciation

Before the day of the developer, the local community arguably had much more connections with their local builders than is the case today. Whether for the provision of a new home, or renovation and maintenance of older ones, we knew who to go to. Not a company. Not a consortium. A person.

For many of my generation, Jim Dempsey was one of the cohort of such local builders in this part of County Kildare. And when a piper played 'Amazing Grace' as he was brought on his last visit to Kilcullen Parish Church, most of us in attendance would have had some interaction with Jim, whether as a friend, or because he worked on our homes, or most likely both.

This writer's home is just one example of Jim's work, and his passing adds to the list of those who toiled with him to build it four decades ago and who are no longer with us. Willy Baxter, electrician, Tony Dempsey, plasterer, Noel Hegarty, foreman, and so on.

In the chill outside the church on Saturday, there were remembrances too many to retell. "Jim always did good work, and he always had good work," it was noted, as was the fact that midday dinner was sacrosant. "No sandwiches would do Jim," someone mentioned. "He always had to have a proper dinner, usually in McTernan's along with a couple of bottles of Guinness."

McTernan's was Jims 'local', and much of that building today has his work in it. Walls knocked, others built, and girders raised. All part of the job for a big man in what was then a small town. Jim, and Tony, were big men, with big hands. "They knew work, they were building before there were hydraulic hoists and mixing cement with shovels before the bulk deliveries came along."

Fr Supple celebrated the Requiem Mass, recalling the image he had of Jim regularly at Sunday Mass, his preferred place beside where the Baptismal Font is. "He was always faithful to this church, always faithful to the Sacraments," he told the congregation. "In his life he gave testimony to the Christian family, and through his hard work and industry he was an unfailing provider for his family."

Fr Supple noted how two and a half years ago, Jim's life took on what he termed 'a new apostolate, the apostolate of suffering', following his incapacitation by a stroke. "Jim bore the frustration of his illness with Christian courage and fortitude," he said. "And that suffering became redemptive, not only for himself, but for others too. His suffering, like that of Christ, became a source of blessing, for his family and for the whole community."

Jim is survived by his wife Ethna, and their children Seamus, Michael, David, Mary, Suzanne, William, Paul, Dermot and Annie, along with their grandchildren and extended family.

From soon after he was stricken, Ethna had Jim brought home to Old Kilcullen, where she nursed him herself, giving him twenty-four/seven care through his remaining time in this life. It wasn't easy, and it made her almost reclusive in a town where she had always been visible, cycling each day to the shops, being involved in every charity and fundraising event that was happening.

"I loved him, that was all," she shrugged when somebody complimented her as we all listened to the piper and watched the preparations to bring Jim into the church that last time.

And that's what it is all about, isn't it? We could talk for as long as we like of the physical or intellectual 'monuments' left after a person's life's work, or the 'redemptive' value of his suffering. But Ethna's comment is the most important story in the life and death of the late Jim Dempsey.

To be loved is the best reason to live.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.

Brian Byrne.

Brannockstown NS Cake Sale

Parents, teaches and helpers at the Brannockstown NS fundraising Cake Sale held in the Parish Centre.

The Passing of Carmel Kennedy

We have learned with a deep personal sadness of the death of Carmel Kennedy, Knockbounce.

Your editor has lasting memories of Carmel over many years when she worked for my parents, Jim and Monica Byrne, in the Hideout, and later for my late brother Des. Her unfailing good humour is what stands out most in my recollections of her.

She is survived by her sisters Helen, Bridie, Kay and Mary, and her nephew Niall and niece Louise.

Carmel is currently reposing at Doyles Funeral Home, Ballymount. Removal will take place at 10.30am tomorrow (Monday) to arrive at Kilcullen Parish Church at 11 o'clock. Interment will take place immediately after Requiem Mass in New Abbey Cemetery.

May her soul rest in peace.

Our man in Nanchang celebrates

Kilcullen-born Gary Byrne celebrates the Chinese New Year at a special lunch in the University of Nanchang, China, where he teaches English.



The event was a special lunch for any staff and students remaining in the university over the holiday season.

Gary tells us that last week he was able to access the Diary for the first time in two months. Chinese censors regularly block out parts of the Internet as part of their efforts to stop dissident conversation.

Brian Byrne.

Signs of Kilcullen times

It's purely coincidental, but further to our recent report on the need for signs indicating how to get to Kilcullen from the M7 motorway southbound, it seems that we are now actually on the National Roads Authority's radar!

There are several fine new overhead signs on the stretch before the M9 junction, and Kilcullen is mentioned on all of them.

Let's not dwell on how long it took to bring the signs up to international standard. Just say thanks, NRA.

Thanks, NRA.

Brian Byrne.