Ladies take time out

A new Ladies Club which started last week has the combined aim of giving local women some time to themselves and also offer a direct connection to them with local organisations and businesses.

Set up by Olivia Byrne, the club will meet every second Monday in Kilcullen Parish Centre. She has planned a series of practical talks and discussions as part of the programme, including input from The Body Shop, The Hair Emporium, and local optometrist Nichola Kennedy.

"We'll also have a chef in to talk about healthy eating, information from the Marie Keating Foundation, and lots of other things, depending on what the ladies want themselves," Olivia says.

She also hopes that the Club will act as a focus where newcomers to Kilcullen like herself can meet up with each other, and with women originally from the town, building up the sense of community. Olivia herself has become quite involved in a number of activities in the parish, and recently revamped the parish website.

"It will be a place and time of no children, none of the outside issues, but just an hour or two where the women can be themselves. I decided to start it after a number of them asked for something like this. We'll see how it develops, but I think at least if you're in a relaxed situation you'll talk to the person beside you, even if you've never met her before."

She laughs. "That's the theory, anyhow. We'll see how it works out."

Brian Byrne.