Last day for Vintage Drive sponsor cards

Today is the final return date for sponsorship cards relating to the very successful 2011 Mac & Norman's Vintage Rally.

“I just can’t believe that people are still able to be so generous, given the times that are in it," says organiser Ann Sully of Kennycourt, who is once again fulsome in her praise of all those who supported the latest run.

“We had 316 vehicles taking part, and that was similar to last year, and on the Monday afterwards we lodged over €10,000 to the account for the Irish Cancer Society.”

Ann is now confident that the final tally this year will bring the total raised for the charity to over €285,000 since the drive was inaugurated.

“And we couldn’t have done it at all without the usual local people who helped me organise the event. They just came from everywhere, asking could they help in any way, and there are far too many to thank individually.”

The 2011 event was the ninth one since the idea was proposed by Mac Sully and neighbour Norman Eagar.

Kilcullen ladies bring home medals

Pictured is Chrissie Byrne from the St Bridget’s Pitch & Putt Club in Kilcullen with the Elvery Cup after her recent win in the National Ladies Senior Pitch and Putt Championship.

The competition was held in the Ring Common Club in Balbriggan, Co Dublin on 10 July. Chrissie has become only the 10th lady player in the history of the game to become multiple winner of the National Strokeplay Championship while bringing her personal tally of Senior All Irelands to five.

It was an exceptional day for the club with three members taking home gold, silver and bronze to the club. Before this championship, no club had ever supplied the top three placed players in a single year in the National Ladies Strokeplay championship.

Well done Chrissie, Marian and Tara on their unprecedented achievement for St Bridget's and Kilcullen.

There will be a full report on the Kilcullen Club's current contribution to county and national competition in next week's Kildare Nationalist.

Six positions going with KCA survey

Kilcullen Community Action is recruiting six research assistants for the upcoming Community Survey.

Expenses will be paid and training given, and hours are flexible. The positions might suit someone unemployed or working part-time.

Those involved will get an opportunity to work with a professional research organisation and will be involved in interviewing local residents and compiling the resultant data afterwards.

The closing date for applications is 4 September. Contact KCA at 085 1372710 or info@kilcullencommunityaction.ie and details of the positions will be sent out.


Click on the ad for details

John at the top of Europe

Keith Garvey, Colorado USA; David Doyle, Punchestown, Naas; and John Dowling, Kilcullen; at the summit of Mont Blanc.

As they say, when the going gets tough, the tough get going, writes Brian Byrne.

And that's just what Kilcullen auctioneer John Dowling and two friends did when attempting a climb on Europe's highest mountain recently.

Along with Keith Garvey from Colorado, USA, and David Doyle of Punchestown, John was climbing Mont Blanc as part of a programme to highlight the work of the Dublin Wicklow Mountain Rescue Team, of which the Kilcullen man has been a member since 2008.

A snowstorm came in and the trio were forced to shelter in the Tete Rousse Hut on their way to the 4,810-metre summit of 'La Dame Blanche' which tops the French and Italian Alps.

"We were lucky enough to finally find a decent weather window and we made a burst for it," says John, who has previous climbing experience in the Andes, South America, Grand Paradiso Italy and Island Peak at Everest Base Camp. "It was a very tough climb, and we were glad to be back down safe and sound a few days afterwards."

The Dublin Wicklow Mountain Rescue Team is a voluntary organisation which is on call 24/7 and 365 days a year. "Our rescue callouts have seen a massive increase over the last two years, and that's going to increase further as Failte Ireland steps up its campaign to market Ireland as an outdoor destination."

Back home to the business of dealing in properties, there's a good reason why John might have a faraway look as he nails up a 'For Sale' or 'To Let' signs across mid Kildare and west Wicklow. He's probably thinking of his next ambitious adventure project.

"My ultimate dream is to cross Antarctica to the South Pole," he admits. "And I hope I can do it in the near future."

This article was first published in The Kildare Nationalist.

Recalling the Playground opening day

The recent opening of the Kilcullen Community Playground can be recalled by visiting this video edited by Ray Kelly.

A great day to mark a great occasion.


Click on the ad for details

River Festival 2011 Day

18.30: O'Connells won the Raft Race, Bardons won the Obstacle Course, and The Spout won the Tug O War.



16.39: The water section of the festival has been in full swing for some time now, with a fully-sponsored Duck Race gathering lots of attention from the banks and the bridge.

But it was the Inter-Pub Raft Race that really caught the imagination of the crowd, with some hilarious thrills and spills and inevitable wettings adding to the fun.

Winners? We'll leave those to a later results piece. The real winners are the crowd, who are having a great day in Kilcullen.



13.45: All in full swing now and the aroma of cooking food is irresistible. As is the convoy of army vehicles parked on the bridge to the youngesters all coming down to get their eyes behind the sights of a gun.



11.45: Well, the work has been done, with tremendous verve, good humour and even a bit of efficiency!



Now all that are needed are crowds. And with the sun making superb efforts against an indifferent forecast, it's all looking good.

Get on down there ... and smile for the Diary!




10.15: Now there's action everywhere with stalls being set up, stallholders arriving, all being directed by Festival Crew Geri and Tara, resplendent in pink crew t-shirts.



Just one overnight car remains to be removed at the moment, but if the owner doesn't get there quickly, it won't be moveable. KFM has arrived, so you can start listening to live broadcasting from Kilcullen soon.

Paul takes a look at the pig in roast ... it'll soon be ready for rolling down to the square.


Click on the ad for details




9am: Paul Carey is the first to arrive to set up his Good Food Gallery gazebo. "The pig has been turning on the spit since 6am," he says. "There's a lot to do with it, but we'll parade it down the street at 11am."





Meanwhile, there are a number of motorists who couldn't read the 'tow away' signs last night who are getting phone calls about now to get their cars out, pronto (or probably stronger words to that effect).



And there's some hint of blue sky, a hopeful sign that all the rain is on the other side of the Atlantic for today.

Irene in Boston

I just read the previous reports of the antics of Irenes' path along the eastern seaboard, writes Noel Brady. It dumped a lot of rain earlier here in Boston.

We had to clear up some of our storm drains and bail out some water to save our basement. Thankfully, that did the trick and the rain is not now as torrential but next comes the wind event with 65mph gusts. So who knows, but so far so good?

Another Irene story

In response to your piece on your son’s cat “Jasper”.  My name is Suzanne Dixon from Kilcullen, daughter of Jimmy and Bridget Dixon.

My husband and I are in Washington, DC.  We are still feeling the brunt of Hurricane Irene, with tens of thousands without power and many others battling fallen trees and pouring rain.

The hurricane has dumped at least a foot of rain on us and is being blamed for at least six deaths. Hurricane Irene is still bringing wind gusts over 60 mph.  We still have power, a good thing!

Thanks for your daily posts on the Diary! It’s great to stay connected!

Jasper flees Irene

Your Editor's son Carl in Jersey City is sitting out the storm with his wife Livea in their 4th floor apartment.

He reports the rain on the windows as 'like being in a car wash', and their cat Jasper, who normally sits on the ledge has retreated to the bathroom.

"We found him in the tub," Carl says. "In six years I've never seen Jasper hide from weather."

Smart cat.

(Any other Kilcullenites with Irene stories, let the Diary know.)


Click on the ad for details

Otis Gibbs – Fanning the Flames of Discontent

Venue: Mick Murphy's Bar, Ballymore Eustace, Tuesday August 30, 9pm Sharp. Adm: €12 on the door. More details: Roy Thompson 086 3270780. Join the Ballymore Acoustic Gigs mailing list by emailing ballymoregigs@gmail.com

Otis Gibbs is a man in search of an honest experience, who is performing at Mick Murphy's Bar as part of Ballymore Acoustic Gigs presented by Roy Thompson.

Some people refer to him as a folk artist, but that is a simplistic way to describe a man who has planted over 7,000 trees, slept in hobo jungles, walked with nomadic shepherds in the Carpathian Mountains, been strip-searched by dirty cops in Detroit, and has an FBI file. 

Much of his work concentrates on the world that is ignored by pop culture. Sometimes forgotten, obsolete or simply marginalized, it is a world that doesn’t fit into a 20-second sound bite or a White House talking point.

He has spent the last 15 years traveling across America and abroad documenting this world, and has a story to share about each stop along the way.

Otis grew up in the rural town of Wanamaker, Indiana. He first stepped on stage at the age of four, when he sang Jimmie Rodgers’s 'Waiting for a Train' at a neighborhood honky tonk.

He started working when he was in high school. He stacked concrete blocks, flipped burgers, drove an ice cream truck, pumped gas, and did countless other crummy jobs. After discovering writers like Edward Abbey, Henry Miller and Lawrence Ferlinghetti, he started questioning what he was doing with his life. Tired of working jobs that didn’t stimulate, or interest him in the least, in his own words, he decided to just “drop out.”

Over the next four years, Gibbs earned and lived off less than $3,000 a year and had never been happier. He got rid of his car and shared apartments with artists, musicians and radicals (often living with 5-10 people). He also took advantage of the free time and wrote hundreds of songs. The next few years were spent touring and releasing four indie records.

In 2004, his critically acclaimed, 'One Day Our Whispers' was released. It was an unpopular time to speak truth to power, but the album’s optimism and anti-war undertones resonated deeply with people who felt uncomfortable with the direction America was heading. One song from that CD - 'The Peoples Day' was later included in a Wall Street Journal list compiled by Billy Bragg of the 'Top Five Songs with Something to Say'. This placed Gibbs in the company of Bob Dylan, The Clash, Sam Cooke, and Chuck Berry.

In 2009, Gibbs released 'Grandpa Walked a Picketline'.  He spent most of the year touring to support the record, including four tours of the UK, Ireland and Holland.  The album spent six weeks in the Top 5 on the Americana Radio Chart (USA), peaking at Number 4. It reached Number 2 on the Euro Americana Chart.

If Gibbs’ current album, 'Joe Hill’s Ashes', leaves you with one lingering thought, it might be that the great challenge of adulthood, is keeping your idealism once you’ve lost your innocence.

Lion ducks for sale

Help your Lions in their work helping our community: Ducks on sale all day today for the Festival Duck Race.

Great entertainment lineup for festival

From the official start of the Kilcullen River Festival at midday tomorrow there will be a stream of events to entertain visitors, in addition to up to 30 stands and attractions, writes Brian Byrne.


Childrens Magic Shows will feature each hour from 1.45 through to 4.45.

The Battle of the Bands will run right through the afternoon from 2pm, and the Kilculle Art Group Exhibition is open in Fallons through the day from opening time.

The Lions Club Duck Race floats off at 3pm, and the Inter-Pub Raft Race at 4pm.


Then the Obstacle Course in the river from 5pm will be followed at 6pm by the Tug O War and the Inter-Business Inflatable Race.

MC and commentaries will be provided by Tracy Piggott and Fergal Sloan.

In the meantime, the Taste of Kilcullen (and beyond) stalls will have food for sale through the day, including a full roast pig on a spit.

Street performers, face painting, the Army display, Farmers Market, Craft stalls, and Information points representing many local groups and organisations will be all centred around Market Square, with vantage points on the bridge, The Valley, and the Boardwalk.

The Festival Information stand will be located outside Bank of Ireland, and will have for sale vouchers for food and childrens amusements, in books of €12 value for €10.

Participants in the water-based events will be required to register at the Festival Information stand before being allowed to take part.

CLICK ABOVE FOR LATEST  OFFERS

Finding homes for the lonely teacups

We know them all too well, those lonely pieces of china that are survivors of full tea or dinner sets once proudly trotted out for the celebratory family meals, writes Brian Byrne.

Now there are barely enough left of a set to service an afternoon tea for two. Beyond that, if it is to be china rather than those strange Croation mugs which seemed such a good idea during the Celtic Tiger hols, it may have to be a mismatched mix of the remnants of the good stuff.

But these days, that's the new home cool. Mismatched vintage china is all the rage, and even at formal events it can be a feature of meals settings.

Kilcullen-based Karen Rooney has picked up on this trend, and her new business, The Lonely Teacup, has evolved from her own keen interest in old things.

From her online boutique, operated from her home in Kilcullen, she is offering vintage china home accessories and event styling pieces.

"I began collecting vintage and antique china to create unique teacup candles and mismatched cake stands," she says. "But that has expanded to include hand knit tea cosies and other home accessories."

Now Karen has such a large collection, picked up by trawling through markets and antique shops throughout the country that she offers china hire for events such as weddings, fashion shoots, and charity tea parties.
 
“At present The Lonely Teacup vintage china is available to buy on the online store and at craft fairs around the country," she says. "We are also hoping to develop a number of stockists nation-wide."
 
Karen calls it 'up-cycling'—recycling of materials to create something pretty. "It is a passion of mine. Why buy a mass produced product when you can have a unique piece made to your specifications, full of original charm and character?"
 
The Lonely Teacup launches at the Kilcullen River Festival tomorrow. Watch out for Karen and her stand.

More information on The Lonely Teacup
Or facebook. Phone 045 484903 Mobile 086 0593851.

Kilcullen group art exhibition in Fallons

There was an excellent turnout last evening for the opening of the third annual Kilcullen Art Group Exhibition, in Fallons Function Room.

Group leader Sabina Reddy says that despite the recession, a number of pieces were sold—the first time this has happened on opening night.

RADIO DIARY: Sabina Reddy talks to Brian Byrne about the Kilcullen Art Group's latest exhibition, which runs in Fallons until September 1.
(Audio: 3'12")

CLICK ABOVE FOR LATEST OFFERS

Countdown to River Festival

Despite some small—and inevitable—hiccups, the preparations for Sunday's Kilcullen River Festival are well advanced, according to Geri Dineen.

She says the Festival has helped to knit the business community together, as well as attracting people to Kilcullen on the day from far and wide.

RADIO DIARY: Geri Dineen talks to Brian Byrne about where the organisation of the 2011 Kilcullen River Festival is at.
(Audio: 2'42")

Paver runs out of control

That nobody was killed or seriously injured was described as a 'miracle' this evening by witnesses to a runaway road machine incident on Hillside this afternoon, writes Brian Byrne.

Kilcullen Main Street was closed for a period after a paving machine careened from the top of Hillside and ran into a corner of Brennans Hardware.

The runaway machine hit a number of cars before coming to a stop against the building.

"The cars were hit outside our premises," says Paul Carey of The Good Food Gallery. "The situation was made more dangerous because cars coming from the bridge end had been given the green signal to drive on, and the machine was heading directly for them."

The part of Brennans against which the machine came to rest is one of the oldest buildings on that section of Main Street, and juts out from the rest of the streetscape. One bystander suggested the driver may have deliberately steered into it to avoid hitting oncoming cars.

The Diary understands that the driver of the machine and some occupants of the cars received minor injuries and were ’shaken’. Emergency services attended the incident and at least one person was taken to hospital.

The machine was involved in the road surfacing currently in progress in the town.

Traffic was diverted by gardai until the machine and the damaged vehicles were removed.

KCA stand at River Festival

KCA will have a tent at the River Festival this Sunday, writes Orla O'Neill. Come along and sign up to our Facebook page so you can be entered into a draw for €50 cash.

You'll be able to find out about all the activities in which KCA is involved, including the proposed gift to Kilcullen of a sculpture by the renowned and controversial artist, Eamonn O'Doherty, who died recently.

KCA is sharing a tent with Kilcullen Community Childcare Group on the boardwalk beside the door of the Riverside Restaurant.


Click on the ad for details

River Festival—Parking and Attractions

The organisers of Kilcullen River Festival have provided details of parking arrangements for the event, during which the Main Street will be closed to traffic from 12 noon to 6pm next Sunday, 28 August.

Motorists coming from the Naas Side can use parking facilities behind Cross's Centra and Burkes Pharmacy on Hillcrest. Those coming from the Athy, Dunlavin and Curragh directions will have access to the Church Car Park, the Cattle Mart, and the Eurospar Car Park. Some parking is also available on the road in front of Scoil Bhride and at the Community Centre.

Meanwhile, such has been the interest in this year's event, there are now more than 40 stalls and attractions lined up for the day. On offer are Sweets & Drinks, Crystal based products, Craft Stalls, Cakes, Giftwares, Caricature Sketching, Flowers & Balloons, Home made lemonade, Knitted Goods, Paintball Target Practice, Kids activities, GAA Merchandise, Homemade Sausages, Giftwares, Ice cream, Temporary Tattoos, Vintage Crafts, Plants & Shrubs, Hairdresser, Jams & homemade drinks, Toys & Jewellery, Handcrafted Slate based products, Scarves, Handbags & Costume Jewellery, Information Stand for SVP, Tarot Card Reader, Jewellery & Toys, Clothing & Shoes, Fundraising & Information, Magic Show, Reptile Stall, Coffee Stall, Ask the Pet Vet Stall, Beautician, and KFM Broadcasting.

The Defence Forces will also have a display of military vehicles, and a number of river-based entertainments are part of the day, as well as live music.

Challenge and fascination in New Abbey research

History researcher Colette Jordan found the story of New Abbey very complicated when she began working on a commissioned history of the historic Kilcullen stud.

But she said she received full support from everybody in the community whom she approached for help or information.

RADIO DIARY: Colette Jordan talks to Brian Byrne about the challenge of researching New Abbey.
(Audio: 3'43")

CLICK ABOVE FOR LATEST OFFERS

Nature trail project at Camphill

"When I came here 20 years ago, there wasn't a single tree—it was just an empty field."

Now there are many trees in the field where The Bridge Camphill Community in Kilcullen established itself, writes Brian Byrne. And a lot of other things besides, as Mischa Fekete is very happy to point out.

Homes for the co- workers and those they care for. A weavery. A community hall. An organic produce store. A coffee shop and resource centre. And lots of small farm animals—chickens, geese, pigs, turkeys, all part of an almost self sufficient operation that has become an important part of the heart of Kilcullen.

Now there's going to be a fully-fledged nature trail, which could become one of the most important attractions in Kilcullen, especially for youngsters and families.

Read more »

Fascinating and entertaining New Abbey talk

At last night's Heritage Week talk on New Abbey were Miriam McDonnell, Nessa Dunlea of Kilcullen Heritage Group, and Colette Jordan, who gave the talk.

Given the length of New Abbey's history—the first recorded monastic settlement there was 1486—and the short time available to her, history researcher Colette Jordan's talk on 'New Abbey and its Ever Changing Times' last evening covered a lot of ground and time, writes Brian Byrne.

Based on a history of New Abbey commissioned from her by the stud's current owner, Prince Khalid Abdullah, Colette's presentation had the mix of chronology and intimate detail which always make her contributions both fascinating and entertaining.

She spoke in Kilcullen last year about the women of Carton House, and brought new insights into the life and times of that Maynooth 'big house' history, but she admitted that talking to an audience about a local historic house was more 'daunting', not least because people would have their own stories of the more recent owners.

Colette went swiftly through a myriad of early owners and renters of—and visitors to—New Abbey's lands and house from the time the original monastery was dissolved by Cromwell in 1539. Among these were Fitzgeralds, FitzEustaces, Edmund Spencer, Harringtons, and Hobsons. The property was acquired by the Brereton family in the late 18th century, and it was that name which, on and off, was to prove the most important over more than a century of the estate's story. In particular William Robert Brereton, who became the Magistrate of Kildare and was well thought of for his sense of justice and charity.

The acquisition of New Abbey by one Captain Dixon in 1909 brought a strong focus to the property as a stud farm of distinction. Dixon was High Sheriff of Co Kildare, and after being elevated to the rank of Lord Glentoran he lived most of the time in Northern Ireland, but entertained regularly at New Abbey.

In 1951 the property was bought by Ken and Isabella Urquhart, against competition from the Aga Khan, for the then very substantial sum of €50,000. They ran it as a working farm, and Colette noted that they are 'warmly remembered' in the town to this day. New Abbey was bought by Prince Khalid Abdullah in 1990, some 16 years after the death of Ken Urquhart. It is today a thriving and successful stud farm.

RADIO DIARY: Colette Jordan talks to Brian Byrne about the challenge of researching New Abbey.
(Audio: 3'43")


Click on the ad for details