Happy New Year

Please wish all my relatives in Kilcullen/Kildare area a Happy New Year

Margo Myers, Scotland

Class of 1990 get together

Twenty years on from the time they left CPC as the last all-girls Leaving Cert Class in the college, many of them had a great get-together last night in O'Connells.

Another 'Log On' programme success

Certificates were presented recently to participants in the latest 'Log on and Learn' course at Cross & Passion College, in which Transition Year students teach members of the wider community how to deal with computers, writes Brian Byrne.

With 11 participants in this latest course, it means that that number of people are now less afraid of using computers in the community of Kilcullen.

And the youngsters who taught them also got a real hands-on experience in communicating with older people, and helping them deal with the computer revolution that is now something all-pervasive in their lives.

"It was very successful," says course coordinator Glenda Groome. "It was really quite intensive. Instead of the one class a week for eight weeks, we decided to do it twice a week for four, and that worked out much better. The students and tutors bonded very well."

It's the third year that TY students from CPC have participated in the 'Log on and Learn' initiative, and Glenda says both the tutors and the people who come in to learn gain a great deal in self-confidence during the courses.

"A great camaraderie develops between all the members of the group, and in fact so many pupils wanted to sign up as tutors that we are running two more courses, as well as one with the Camphill Community."

Suggesting that many commercial computer courses don't work for older people because they are afraid that they'll have to answer questions on their work, Glenda says the 'Log on and Learn' initiative is a much more 'positive experience' for those who come on board. "It's one to one, and if they miss a week, or want to go over something again, it doesn't matter. They can pick it up again later."



Participant Mick Maher said he was delighted with what he had learned. "Before this I could read an email that somebody had sent me on the family computer, but I didn't know how to send one, or how to attach documents," he said. "That, and other things, mean that I can use a computer to make a lot of things a lot easier, like organising motor tax and other things on line instead of having to queue at a desk."

The presentation of certificates didn't have all participants there because of the inclement weather.

Reclaiming The Valley’s slopes

The walkway from the Church down into The Valley was overgrown with a berberis bush which was never cut since it was planted 33 years ago in 1977, writes Jim Collins. The nature of the bushes was such that it could not be handled, but Alan, the local Fas worker, decided some weeks ago to painstakingly cut each growing branch, work which took him over two weeks.

Because of all this pruning there was an enormous amount of thorny bush waste lodged on the side of the steep incline to the lower path. Calling in the skill of Albert Keenan and his trusty JCB, the bushes were pulled to the lower path. Seven trailer loads of thorny bushes were then removed from The Valley.

On the very evening the work finished the big snowfall of 2010 started.

Our picture shows Albert Keenan and Jim Collins on site.

Cottonwood Tree courses for January

The Cottonwood Tree has a number of classes lined up in the coming month.

They include a Florence doll-making class on Saturday January 8. It runs for four hours and the cost is €50 including materials.

A similar class, this time for making Tilda dolls, will be held on Saturday January 15. The 5-hour session costs €60, including materials.

A 3-hour Tapestry Workshop will be held on Saturday January 22. It costs €45 including kit.

Quilting workshops will be held on Saturday January 29, from 10am-1pm and 2pm-5pm. More details from 045 484482.

Happy Christmas!

A HAPPY AND PEACEFUL CHRISTMAS TO ALL OUR READERS.

Wags & Wellies off

The Kilcullen GAA Wags and Wellies fun match planned for St Stephen's Day has been postponed.

It's the weather thing again. Jayne Peacocke is devastated ...

Santa on recce gets a helping hand

Santa made a recce trip to Bridge Camphill today in advance of the big one tomorrow night.



Still, even his very experienced team got into trouble in the Kilcullen conditions, despite the trojan work of the Army this morning to clear to footpaths.



But the man in the red suit and his reindeer got a helping push from local people, to make sure he got back to the North Pole in time for the big journey around the world.

M9/N7 'lethal'

Just for local information, the Diary has had a report from friends who have driven from Carlow to Dublin Airport that the M9 and N7 are 'lethal' because they were effectively untreated. On their journey they saw at least three cars on the M9 which had skidded into roadside drifts.

Slush and ice to Rathcoole. The M50 from the Red Cow interchange is described as a 'disgrace'. But with care all can get through.

At home, local temperatures in Kilcullen haven't even got up to freezing at this point. If you have to travel, the AA is emphasising that you do it during daylight hours, as the latest snow and the slush will freeze again and make things even worse.

Take it handy out there.



Meantime, the traditional Christmas Eve traffic congestion in Nolans, 'Ireland's Best Butcher Shop', has moved forward to today. The good news is that traffic management is going well, and those queuing can avail of coffee, Cadbury's Roses, and hot soup as they wait.

Carol service postponed

The Carols by Candlelight service scheduled for tomorrow night in Brannockstown Baptist Church has been postponed due to weather and poor road conditions.

The service will now be held on Wednesday, 29th of December, 8pm.

Sentinel for the sun

A moody spear monument stands guard for a misty frozen mid-winter risen sun. Brian Byrne/Kilcullen Diary

If you're at home, stay at home

It's been pretty bad out there for the last few hours.



AA Roadwatch is saying avoid Kilcullen 'because of a number of collisions and abandoned cars'.



Your editor is staying put. You should too.

Kilcullen Homeless Awareness Group

Unfortunately, this year we were not in a position to hold our annual fundraiser for Michael Garry House Hostel for the Homeless, located in Newbridge, writes Roy Thompson.

Tim Gallagher of the St Christopher Conference of St Vincent de Paul, which runs the Hostel, tells me that demand is greater than ever and funding to keep providing this essential service is stretched to the limit.

The plight of the Homeless is even more acute in the current climate - both meteorological and fiscal; recent news reports of the deaths of homeless people sleeping rough in Dublin bear this out all too well.

I urge all readers, in this season of goodwill, to remember the homeless and if you can spare a few euros it would do so much to provide hot meals, warm beds and hope to the numerous people and families who turn to the hostel for shelter.

You can donate at Bank of Ireland, Kilcullen - Sort Code: 90-11-40 Account No. 11430516 Account Name: Kilcullen Homeless Awareness Group.

Thank-you for your kindness, and have a Happy, Peaceful and Safe Christmas.

Have you lost your cat?

We live in Castlemartin Lodge and have had this lovely little cat sleeping in our hall for the last few nights.

She's very well behaved, trained and great with kids so someone must be missing her.

My number is 087 8197604 if anyone recognises her.

Laura.

Christmas Fair at Scoil Bhride

Pictures from Scoil Bhride Christmas Fair last Sunday.

'twas the weekend before Christmas...

There was a big turnout for the Scoil Bhride Christmas Fair on Sunday morning ...



On Saturday, Kilcullen Lions sang carols as part of their Christmas Appeal fundraising ...



... Santa met up with a few young friends in Bernard Berney's Christmas Shop ...



... while the parents shared seasonal mince pies ...



... and in the bitter cold outside, the Council was dealing with the icy footpaths.

Narraghmore school bus problem being resolved

Pupils from Crookstown and Narraghmore who have had to walk to a pickup point in order to avail of the school bus service to Cross & Passion College, may not have to do so in the next term.

This follows representations by Sean Power TD and local councillor Martin Miley to the Minister of State at the Department of Education & Science, Sean Haughey TD.

"The school bus service from the Crookstown/Narraghmore area to the Cross & Passion Secondary School Kilcullen refused to pick-up the children in the village of Narraghmore," says Deputy Power. "The children had to walk a mile to the pick-up point outside the village even though the bus passed through the village and often passed them on the road to the pick-up point."

Following the representations, Bus Eireann has been requested to review the situation, and Deputy Power says he is 'expecting a positive outcome early in 2011'.

Credit Union pays out 0.5%

Kilcullen Credit Union is paying a dividend of 0.5% for 2010, following its AGM last night.

Chairperson Philomena Griffin said it was lower than previous years, but that they must look to the 'continuing stability' of the Credit Union and continue to manage it in a prudent manner.

It was Kilcullen CU's 40th AGM, and the current membership is 2,503.

A full report from the AGM will be published later.

Paul and 'Fleadh' hit the top

Remember last week when we reported that Germany-based Kilcullenite Paul Durney and the band he plays with, 'Fleadh', had been nominated for a prestigious award by the German Musicians Union?

Well, the even better news is that they came top of their category. There's no money in it, but it is a recognition by their peers of their place in the very busy Irish and folk music scene in Germany.

Your editor has an extensive piece about Paul and 'Fleadh' on the Kilcullen Page in this week's Kildare Nationalist.

John runs the mountains

A Kilcullen auctioneer and four friends came 14th out of 96 teams which took part in the recent 123km Wicklow Way Relay Race.

John Dowling and his companions were competing on behalf of Dublin Wicklow Mountain Rescue, of which John has been a member since 2008.

The teams, which came from Ireland and across Europe, started out from Marley Park in Dublin and finished in Clonegal, Co Carlow.

Each team member did an average of 25km in the relay, and the team were very well pleased with their result considering the large international field.

"I'd really like to thanks all those who sponsored us," says John, who was no stranger to the route because of his activities with the DWMR.

And, given the current weather difficulties, he's urging anyone thinking of doing mountain walking to think again, as he'd rather not have to go out to rescue them. "They should look up www.dwmrt.ie for advice," he says.

Pictured are John Dowling (second from right) with team mates Dave Butler, Roundwood, Co Wicklow; Declan Cunningham, Dublin; Pat Reid, Naas; and Wayne Jenkins, Newbridge.

Free competition

Nichola Kennedy's Optometrist practice is taking part in the 'Eyezone' Christmas Competition, in which there's a chance to win a 42" TV, Nintendo WII or an Apple iPod, amongs other items.

No purchase is necessary, anyone can just pop in an fill an entry form for free.

The closing date for the competition is January 6.

An entry form can be downloaded from eyezone.ie, but the form must be dropped in to your local Eyezone optician, in this case Nichola.

Wags & Wellies challenge again

Kilcullen GAA's third annual Wags and Wellies match will take place once again this year on Stephen's Day.

The lads will once again take on the ladies, in their third attempt to come away with victory!
This year the club hope to raise money to go towards recent work done on the pitch and also the local Kare school.

So come down on Stephen's Morning for what is guaranteedto be a funfilled and entertaining morning for all!

Christmas drama is uplifting

Even if you have to use snowshoes or hitch a ride on a passing sleigh, be sure to get to one of the remaining Christmas Drama performances from Kilcullen Drama Group.

'Operation Christ Child', from the younger members of the group and produced by Eilish Philips, is an absolute gem and beautifully played.

And though, because of other commitments yesterday afternoon, your editor only got to see the last part of 'Poppa Panov's Christmas' with Dick Dunphy in the title role, that was enough for me to want to get to see the whole piece if I can this week.



Tuesday and Wednesday nights only. Bernard Berney has tickets. Just go: we all need the bit of uplift the evening provides.

NRA plan 'fails those living in villages and countryside'

Kildare County Council shpould work with farming and community organisations to make sure that rural roads and housing estates are cleared quickly of snow in any future cold snap.

That's the background to a motion put down by Cllr Martin Heydon for today's meeting of the Council's Athy Area Committee.

He says the system which has put the National Roads Authority in charge of providing grit to local authorities leaves the Council's 'hands tied' in relation to rural and minor roads.

“They (NRA) don't care about people who live on side roads or away from motorways and regional roads," he says. "They are not supplying our council with enough salt so as to allow us to keep access clear to villages and rural dwellers.”

Cllr Heydon says now is the time to ensure that plans are put in place to keep access to isolated areas clear. "We need to be out much quicker with snow ploughs to clear the snow this time before it compacts and also have grit in strategic positions so that local members of communities can spread it themselves. Farmers are willing to do this to maintain access to their areas."

Seniors Christmas Party 2010

Kilcullen Seniors and friends enjoying their Christmas Party in Keadeen Hotel on Sunday afternoon.

Cancelled GAA events for new year

Kilcullen GAA has decided to hold its AGM and Christmas Social early in 2011.

Both events were cancelled because of the bad weather over the last two weeks.

Chemist shop robbed

Gardai are searching for two youths who robbed Burkes Pharmacy this afternoon.

The two entered the shop at around 12.30pm and threatened the staff with some sort of 'implement'. They were masked and wore scarves, and took a sum of money as well as grabbing some drugs from behind the counter.

The pair then escaped on foot, walking towards the town centre. Nobody was injured in the incident.

Business people get together

A pre-Christmas gathering of local business people and friends was held in Fallons on Friday night.

Third time lucky hopes for CU AGM

The twice-postponed Credit Union AGM has now been rescheduled for next Wednesday, 15 December.

The venue this time is the Credit Union Building, with a starting time of 8pm.

Great night of music for Christy

Music is no stranger to The Hideout these days, writes Brian Byrne. Since they took over the pub the Boyces have invested heavily in bringing the best of all musical genres to their customers.

But last night it was the musicians themselves who packed the place, providing both audience and a range of music rarely heard on the one night under one roof.



"It is musicians getting together because one of our own is down," said Tony McCabe, who organised the evening as a benefit for Christy 'Gypsy' Davy, a Naas-based performer who has fallen ill.

Read more »

Wild bird hunting closed

The Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government has temporarily closed the hunting season for wild birds due to the recent freezing conditions across the State, writes Roy Thompson, C/R Kildare South of the National Parks & Wildlife Service.

The Wildlife Act 1976 (Temporary Suspension of Open Season) (No.2) Order 2010 suspends temporarily the hunting of wild birds due to the severity of weather conditions from Wednesday 8 December 2010 up to and including Tuesday 14 December 2010.

The species concerned are Mallard, Teal, Gadwall, Wigeon, Pintail, Shoveler, Scaup, Tufted Duck, Pochard, Goldeneye, Golden Plover, Snipe, Jack Snipe, Red-legged Partridge, Cock Pheasant, Woodcock, Woodpigeon, Canada Goose, Greylag Goose and Ruddy Duck. It does not affect shooting of pen-reared birds where a licence to do so has been issued under Section 22(9)(b) of the Wildlife Acts. Applicants for such a licence should immediately contact:

National Parks and Wildlife Service, Main Street, Ballybay, Co Monaghan. Tel: (042) 9748712.

The National Parks and Wildlife Service urges all hunters to respect this measure which clearly has a conservation benefit for the long-term populations of these wild game species.

The situation will be reviewed by Wednesday 15th December.

Christmas Drama postponed

Due to the weather problems, Kilcullen Drama Group has amended its performance dates. The shows scheduled for Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of this week are cancelled.

Instead, performances will take place, weather permitting, beginning Saturday 11 December at 8pm, and on December 14/15 at the same time.

A Family Day performance with children's tickets for €5 will take place on Sunday 12 December at 3pm.

The plays are 'Operation Christ Child' by Daniel Wray and 'Papa Panov's Magic CHristmas' by Paul Thain, based on a story by Leo Tolstoy. Music from local singers and musicians will be performed at the beginning of each programme.

Bookings from Bernard Berney's Chemist 045 481497.

Brannoxtown NS opens, and closes ...

Brannoxtown School opened yesterday, Monday 6, writes Esther Reddy, because a team of over 40 people including fathers, mothers, some children and a grandfather gathered at 3pm Sunday and cleared pathways to all the doors around the school. They then cleared the paths outside the school for about 100 metres in both directions.

One parent brought a tractor with a front load bucket and between him and many shovellers the road and edges of footpaths were cleared. The children present spread salt and gave out chocolate! The feeling of generosity of spirit and good will towards the school was palpable and this sort of response from parents is not surprising.

The quote of the day from one parent was "We'd do anything to get them back to school!", but on a more serious note parents were agreed that safety is the most important consideration. School opened on Monday but the roads around the Brannockstown area were very dangerous.

Unfortunately school couldn't open today, Tuesday, due to fresh snowfalls and freezing conditions. The text-a-parent service was down so parents couldn't be told about today's closure in that way. Again parent power kicked in and all homes were contacted.

The Board of Management is very aware of how a school closure can impact negatively on parents; not all employers are sympathetic to road conditions in country areas. However the health and safety of all of the community of Brannoxtown School has to be the priority of the Board. School will be closed tomorrow December 8 and we hope for a fresh new start on Thursday 9th.

Thanks, guys ...

There's been a lot of praise locally for the work of the Council in keeping the main roads through Kilcullen open, and for the Army who worked to clear footpaths in the housing estates and on the Chapel Road.

Thanks, guys, on behalf of all of us.

Band with Kilcullen man up for German award

Germany-based Irish music band Fleadh, of which Kilcullen-born Paul Durney (Saoirse Mhór) is a member, has been nominated for the Rock & Pop Awards organised by the German Musician's Union, writes Brian Byrne.

The nomination means the band has already secured at least third place in the Best Folkrock Band category. The final results will be announced 11 December in Weisbaden.

Fleadh was formed in 1999, but the current lineup was set in 2007 and comprises uilleann pipes player Frank Weber, Frank Dürschner (mandolin, banjo, vocals), Tommy Gorny (guitar, vocals), Anna Hachulla (vocals), Saoirse Mhór and fiddle player Marcus Eichenlaub

Regular visits to Ireland keep them constantly in superb playing form.

Paul was musical even when he lived in Kilcullen, singing as a youngster in the Kilcullen Community Capers back in the 70s. In 1980 he left Ireland and busked his way across England and Germany, where he settled in 1987. After a period working with various local bands, fronting them and writing many songs, he collaborated with producer, sound engineer and singer/songwriter Andy Horn in ‘The Dolldrums’ CD featuring Paul's songs ‘Skin’ and ‘Mirror’.

On a trip to Ireland in 2004, after hearing Luka Bloom playing in The Riverbank in Newbridge, he picked his pseudonym Saoirse Mhór and began his current life of entertaining on the streets and on the Irish pub scene in Germany.

In 2006 his CD 'Skin' was released, featuring Belgian busker flute player Tom Drost.

Last August, Fleadh released their 13 track CD titled 'Humpy 'n Lumpy'. Saoirse contributed guitar, bass and percussion tracks and his own song 'Grey' to the production. Saoirse's daughter Blue guests with her Bodhrán on 'Maids of Mount Cisco'.

Butterflies: a reaction

The butterfly strikes again, after 30 years, writes Jim Collins.

My view is, that the present TDs have lost touch with the the people and the people have definitely lost faith and touch with the TDs. For example, during the present adverse weather conditions, with six TDs representing Co Kildare, I have not heard one comment from any of these people regarding the day-to-day difficulties of their constituents; they must have no contact with the people of Kildare.

Would anyone walk through the snow to vote for these representives? I don't think so.

I have a suggestion: pay the TDs their present high salaries and expenses but have half the number of TDs in the Dail, or else keep the present number of TDs and cut their present salaries in half. If one were starting or running a business, would you employ any of the people at present in the Dail? Looking at their track record, I for one would not.

Ciorcal Gaeilge i gCill Cuillinn

The monthly Kilcullen Ciorcal Gaeilge, organised by KCA, takes place next Tuesday, 7ú Nollag, writes Orla O'Neill, ag a 8i.n. sa Hideout with a short Tráth na gCeist (Table Quiz).

Má tá suim agat sa Gaeilge, beidh fáilte romhat teacht. The Irish Circle is for anyone with an interest in speaking an teanga, and fluency is not necessary. The objective is craic a bheith againn and to have an opportunity to use the cúpla focail and improve through speaking with others.

Last month's inaugural meeting drew a lot of interest, with a range of fluency and ages from Leaving Cert students to people who are retired. Tuille eolais ó Orla Ní Néill 087 2569661 or anyone in KCA.

Tuesday, 7th December at 8pm in The Hideout.

Opinion: We need new butterflies

Right, we've hit the iceberg, writes Brian Byrne. Maybe we'll soon stop taking water. Maybe we won't. But somewhere along the way - and I'll listen to arguments that while bailing out the boat is not necessarily the best time to restructure the crew - we're going to have to put in place some of the lessons we've learned from this fiasco.

I think the first one is how we govern, and are governed. Because one thing is sure, we haven't been doing either very well.

I'm not advocating going radical, like a socialist or communist state. That system has been proved wanting too. Besides, having a democracy does mean at least that we do have the power to change things.

But here are a couple of ideas for the mob who will succeed the one that brought us to this particular shipwreck. An apt metaphor, actually, because the Titanic was built on this island, and just as it was billed as 'unsinkable', our Celtic Tiger was hailed as 'unstoppable'. Both were hostages to hubris.

Read more »

Noel Brady parties with the Kildare team

The Kildare Football Team was in Boston last week, and met up with Noel Brady, formerly Mile Mill and now living in Boston, in the Banshee Pub. Noel sent the Diary these pictures.

More Kilcullen in snow

Another winter picture below, 'Sunrise' from David Byrne.



This picture below of a winter wonderland Carnalway was taken by Colin Goode of Brannocktown.



More Kilcullen in the snow pics below, this time from Henry Barrett.

Congratulations, Lorraine & Pat

Pictured at their recent wedding are Lorraine McStay and Pat Kelly. Picture by Louise Byrne.