Conor and Ethan working for their Gaisce in Kilcullen

If you have noticed a couple of young men in hi-viz vests, tidying up around town, they're a couple of local lads doing their Community Work section for the President of Ireland's Gaisce Awards programme, writes Brian Byrne.

Conor Mullen from Grangecon and Ethan McGlinchey from Gilltown are in Transition Year at St Kevin's Community College in Dunlavin, all of whom are doing the programme, and they have been cleaning up in The Valley, on the river area behind the Heritage Centre, and also helped out during the recent Monster Auction in aid of the Teach na nDaoine project.

The Gaisce programme has a number of modules to be completed — in Personal Skills building, Community Work, and Physical Achievement among other things, all during a 13-week period. Conor and Ethan chose to do their Community Work module in Kilcullen because they live close to here. In addition, for their Personal Skills module, Conor is learning to play the drums, and Ethan the piano.

"It has been really useful to have the input of the lads into our tidy towns and other community work," says Noel Clare of Kilcullen Community Action. "They are a great example of today's young people."

Noel has also issued an invitation to any other local young people who might be interested in doing something to help improve Kilcullen. "They don't need to be doing a Gaisce programme or anything like that, just be available to lend a hand in our own projects now and then."