Kildare Covid restrictions to be lifted immediately

Covid-19 restrictions on Kildare are being lifted this evening by the Government, with immediate effect, following advice from the National Public Health Emergency Team.

Restrictions on travel outside the county and on cafes and restaurants and gastro-pubs were imposed on 7 August due to Covid-19 cases in meat factories in Kildare, Laois and Offaly.

The restrictions were lifted for Laois and Offaly two weeks later.

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New Accessible Toilet and Wet Room in Community Centre

Kilcullen Community Centre has been at the heart of the community since 1982 and many improvements have taken place since then, writes Centre Manager Enda O'Neill. Our newest improvement a new top of the range accessible toilet and wet room/changing area.

The toilet and wet room was completed last week by Tommy Duggan Construction who has experience in installing these areas.

Kilcullen Community Centre Management would like to thank the Board Members who secured a HSE National Lottery Grant to start this project and the support given to the Centre from Kilcullen Drama Group. The management and the board would also like to thank, Martin Murphy, Murphy Design and Building Solutions and Occupational Therapist Carol O’Donnell for their valuable input in to the project.

This project being completed was an important milestone to Kilcullen Community Centre Board and Management as we collectively strive to make our Community Centre an all-inclusive and accessible venue for people who live in our community.

Should you wish to contact the Centre in relation to any bookings, please phone Enda on: 087 9681040.

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Next Bridge production closes for copy this evening

A reminder that the next issue of The Bridge magazine is scheduled to be published on the coming weekend of 5 September, writes Brian Byrne.

As the magazine is in its production phase, this is a last call for anyone who wants to have something published in this issue. Production closes this evening, Monday 31 August.

Though many of the summer events which normally would be among the contributions didn't happen this year, there's still much to report.

The email address is as usual kilcullenbridge@gmail.com.

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Looking Back: Byrne's General Merchants on Main Street

Looking back a little further this morning, this is the frontage of my grandfather's general merchants shop in 1922, where Eurospar is now, writes Brian Byrne.

The Model T Ford in the picture was stolen from the yard of his shop on 28 July 1922, as well as £30 worth of boots and damage to the door of the shop to the cost of £5. The car was found burned out in Hollywood.

Pic courtesy David Byrne.

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Weatherday: Goodbye England's Rose

Dry with sunny spells throughout the day. Cloudy from around teatime.

Breeze from the south will be light to moderate. Highest temperatures 15deg locally.

On this day in 1997, Diana, Princess of Wales, died in a car crash in Paris.

(Headline from Candle In The Wind 1997, performed by Elton John.)

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Tai Chi classes reorganised for autumn

The Tai Chi classes being run online and in the open air by Yuki Kobayashi are being reorganised from the coming week.

On Mondays the Zoom series will be '24 Forms' for beginners and improvers. Tuesdays will be Gentle Tai Chi for beginners and improvers, and Thursdays Tai Chi on request.

All Zoom sessions will begin at 10am. Outdoor Tai Chi at Moyleabbey Organic Farm will now be at 12 noon.

Zoom classes are €40 a month for attending one class a week, or €70 a month for attending as many as the participant wishes. A link for payment will be sent following text queries to 086 3412006. The Outdoor Tai Chi fee is €10 a session, payable directly at the session.

(No classes tomorrow 31 August.)

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'He paid too much' — Judge

The Irish Civil War only lasted eleven months, ending in May 1923, but it left a terrible legacy in death and economic destruction. The conflict is said to have cost up to £50m, in actually waging the war and in dealing with subsequent compensation claims. But it's the local claims which give an insight into the real money. Produced by Brian Byrne.

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On a Sunday morning sidewalk ...

Sunday morning and Kilcullen Community Action is out in full swing, taking advantage of the fine day.

These are just two of the four crews involved in today's painting of gates on the Curragh Road and the pump.

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Weatherday: Changing time

Sunny this morning and in the early evening. Some cloud expected around lunchtime. Expected to be dry.

Light northerly breeze will shift southerly and maximum temperature only 14deg.

On this day in 1911, the Chamber of Commerce called for Ireland to adopt Greenwich Mean Time instead of Dublin Mean Time, which was 25 minutes behind. The move actually happened on October 1st 1916.

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Looking Back: Back to School 1938

Another Looking Back contribution today, this time from Anna Groves, a topical back to school one from 1938. She has given a good few of the names, but maybe someone out there might be able to fill the gaps?

Back Row: Mary Deegan, Breda Berney, Patty Bagnall, ? , Peg Aspell, Sheila Johnson, Madge Bathe (?), Evelyn Mitchell.

Middle Row: Pearl Groves (nee Ennis),   ?,   ?, Terri O'Meara, Joan O’Keefe, B. Brophy (nee Dowling), May Blaney, Maria McHugh, Peggy Murphy. Carmel Kennedy.

Front Row: Sheila Dowling (nee Browne), B. Kelly, Nuala Brennan, Agnes Coleman, ? , Una Waters (nee Rankin), Geraldine McKenna, Kit Byrne, Kitty Cummins, Peggy Aspell

Seated: PJ Quinn, Tom Myers, Brendan Dowling, ? St Leger.

(Three of the four missing names are Eileen Whittle, B. White and E. Lallaway.)

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Have your say on the Council's Draft Litter Plan

The current public consultation on the Kildare County Council Draft Litter Management Plan 2020-2023 finishes next Friday 4 September, writes Brian Byrne.

The document replaces the Plan which ended in 2019, and details the Council's proposals for the new Plan under a range of headings.

These include Communications with the public, Litter Prevention and Control, Enforcement, Community Involvement, and Recycling and Recovery.

The schedule for the implementation of an Action Plan is also provided, along with a list of Bring Bank sites and the county's Street Sweeping Schedule.

The Draft Plan can be downloaded from here. It is also available to view in the Library, for which an appointment is necessary under current Covid-19 restrictions.

Submissions can be made online from the Plan's dedicated website here.

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Deadline tomorrow for Social Inclusion Week contributions

Tomorrow, Sunday 30 August, is the last day for expressions of interest in participating in the Kildare Social Inclusion Week 2020, writes Brian Byrne.

The annual week this year is from Monday 28 September to Friday 2 October, and because of the Covid-19 restrictions it will be an online event.

A number of webinars will be held to mark the week, and the Kildare Public Participation Network has invited groups to make and send in a short video clip on the theme of ‘Creativity, Conversations and Celebrations’.

Kildare PPN are offering a grant of up to €400 for each group to help them to make their video clip. The grant can be used for materials and equipment needed to make the clip, including refreshments for the group during filming.

If you are interested in participating, please complete the attached expression of interest form here by tomorrow.

Further information and guidelines on contributions are available on the Kildare PPN website here.

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Biodiversity training resumes next week

Pic: Green Pine Consultants.

The resumption of the biodiversity training workshops in the Kildare Community Biodiversity Project will be on Tuesday 1 September with a webinar for all ten communities involved, writes Brian Byrne.

It will run from 7-9pm and will cover general habitat types typically found in most community spaces and how to create and manage them. Everyone must register with Brian Gaynor in advance of the training programme so that he can send the Zoom invitations. Email greenpineconsultants@gmail.com with your name, the town/village you are living in, and your email address. If you do not have a Zoom account yet, sign-up for one in advance at zoom.us/ and download the programme to your laptop or phone.

Following the opening webinar for all ten communities, there will be a 'virtual walk' around each town or village over Zoom to replace the session that was originally planned to take place outside. These will include lots of photos and Google map screenshots of different spaces and features within each community to identify opportunities and actions for the Local Biodiversity Action Plans.

The Kilcullen one will be on Saturday 5 September between 9.30am-12.30pm. This will be followed up by another webinar for Kilcullen only on Tuesday 15 September from 6.30-9pm. Those two last are only for Kilcullen participants.

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Weatherday: When the levee breaks I'll have no place to stay

Good sunny start, and sun spells through most of the day. It will be dry, but moderate to fresh northerly winds will keep things cool for the time of year.

Maximum in late afternoon around 13deg.

On this day in 2005, Hurricane Katrina struck the US Gulf Coast, claiming 1,800 lives and becoming the costliest natural disaster in American history at an estimated $100 billion in damage.

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