Kilcullen News Update

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Little Irish language in 19th century Kilcullen

Images: VRTI and Chris Bellew/Fennell Photography.

Just three people were recorded as being able to speak both Irish and English in Kilcullen in 1871, and there was nobody who spoke Irish only, writes Brian Byrne. Two of the three were males. That's just one local nugget in a newly released trove of recovered documents which have been digitised and made public in the Virtual Record Treasury of Ireland. 

The documents cover some seven centuries of Irish life from the Anglo-Norman conquest up through the 1798 Rebellion and 19th-century censuses. They were recovered from copies of material destroyed in the burning of the Irish Public Records Office at the Four Courts in 1922 during the civil war. In all, there are 797 references to Kilcullen.

The VRTI project was initiated in 2022 on the centenary of the burning, led by Trinity College Dublin and involved a global collaboration of academics, historians, computer scientists and other specialists to digitally recreate parts of the lost archive. The work included searching for duplicates and transcripts of the destroyed documents, in libraries and archives in Ireland, the UK, and other parts of the world.

The results are three dedicated portals — The Age of Conquest, The Age of Revolution, and Population — along with 16 'Gold Seams' of documents including a 1766 Religious Census, and 16 curated collections.

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First Responders seek new members

Kilcullen Community First Responders are looking for volunteers to join their current cohort. The group's volunteers work alongside the National Ambulance Service, responding to emergencies in the local area.

You may have met them already, they may have helped you or those close to you, but now they need your help to keep doing what they're doing.

If this is something you may be interested in, email kilcullenfirstresponders@gmail.com or message on their Facebook page, and they'll get back to you.

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Bord Pleanala appeals on Oakway Homes New Abbey permission

Appeals have been lodged with An Bord Pleanala in relation to the planning permission granted to Oakway Homes for their proposed 180-home development at New Abbey Road, Kilcullen, writes Brian Byrne. The case is due to be decided by 6 October 2025. 

A first-party appeal by the developer takes issue with 13 of the conditions attached by Kildare planners to the permission, while a third-party appeal by residents of Sunbury Close objects to both the overall design of the development and to the proposal to introduce a pedestrian-cycle link through their estate. A third appeal by Liam and Maureen Keogh was deemed invalid by the Bord. 

The Oakway appeal submitted by David Mulcahy Planning Consultants refers to conditions which the applicant describes as 'very ambiguous, unreasonable, or entirely unworkable or enforceable' and which should be omitted or amended.

They include the requirement to lower the height of a four-storey commercial block, which the consultants submit is contrary to national planning policy on building height guidelines for urban areas.

A condition on the phasing of the development and provision of childcare facilities is described as ambiguous and unclear.

A tree and hedgerow bond of €50,000 for a duration of eight years is 'excessive and unjustified', according to the submission.

The developer wants a condition that includes a €1.5 million special development levy contribution towards the design and cost of a Relief Road objective to be removed entirely, being 'wholly unreasonable and unworkable' and 'legally impossible' to impose on the applicant.

A condition requiring the provision of a two-metre footpath towards the cemetery at McGarry's Lane, at an estimated cost of €325,000 to the developer, is described as 'unreasonable'.

A requirement to provide footpath works between the two New Abbey Road entrances to the estate, at an estimated cost of €141,000, is considered unfeasible both because of the road geometry and requiring access to lands not in the ownership of the developer.

The applicant also takes issue with the condition relating to the design of proposed permeability link(s), as being both 'highly ambiguous' and 'unreasonable', and that the 'highly likely' position of agreement with affected residents not being possible, will 'hold up the entire development' as the condition requires that the issue be resolved before any occupancy of the development. The developer also says that a further condition requiring them to liaise and cooperate with the local authority and third parties in the creation of safe routes for cycling and walking is 'unclear, vague, and ambiguous'.

The submission also says the developer should not be required to pay the full estimated €280,000 cost of an upgrade of the signalised junction at Main Street, when a similar financial requirement was not imposed on the planning permission given to Cross & Passion College for their school extension, a project that also recommended upgrades to the junction.

A condition requiring the developer to provide two new Toucan crossings on the R448 is claimed to be 'entirely unreasonable' on the basis that these are part of the overall Active Travel design for the Cross and Passion school, and that one is already in place as the existing pedestrian crossing at the Daybreak shop.

The developer also wants clarifications on two conditions requiring Road Safety Audit, and change to one about Surface Water Run-off. The removal of a timeframe in a Taking in Charge condition requiring a €360,000 bond lodged with the council is also requested because other conditions imposed make such a timeframe outside the applicant’s control.

The applicant also takes issue with the calculation of €1,407,471 as a Development Contribution, saying it did not take into consideration a 33 percent exemption for lands zoned Town Centre.

There's also a request to replace a condition on electric vehicle charging points, to remove ambiguity.

The third-party appeal by Sunbury Close residents was submitted by Marston Planning Consultancy. It states an opinion that the overall design of the development is 'poor' in position, size, and orientation, and amounts to an overdevelopment of the site. The submission raises issues with poorly considered phasing and inadequate public space, and seeks an overturning of the permission given by Kildare County Council, on the grounds that the development is contrary both to policies and objectives of the Kilcullen Settlement Plan and to proper planning and sustainable development of the area. If the Board is favourably disposed to granting the permission, the Sunbury Close submission asks that conditions are attached to reduce the number of units and provide a more appropriate layout, so as to achieve the required public space requirements of the County Development Plan, and that the pedestrian-cycle link to the estate be omitted.

The full appeals documentation can be accessed on Kildare County Council's planning portal.

READ: All posts on the Oakway development here.

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Start Your Own Business course

A Start Your Own Business course is being run by the Kildare Local Enterprise Office over two weekends in July. The in-person programme is designed to help people develop their ideas into actual businesses.

The fee is €50 and bookings can be made at this link. 

The course takes place on one Friday evening and two successive Saturdays.

Kildare LEO also offers an eight-week online Start Your Own Business course — details here. 

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Cricket summer camp programme

The Smash It! and It's Wicket! cricket summer camp programmes hosted by Halverstown CC will run on Friday evenings from 11 July to 23 August at the club's grounds in Brannockstown. Smash is for boys and girls aged 5-9 and Wicket is for girls only aged 12-15.

The sessions will be from 7pm to 8pm, and the cost of €70 includes a participant equipment pack.

Registrations can be made at this link until 10 July. 

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Féile Nás na Ríogh today

Féile Nás na Ríogh is taking place in Naas today with lots of free family fun. The festival runs from 10am to 8pm.

Music from the Ballymore Eustace Band, The Raspberries, Sonas agus Siamsa, Celtic Allstars, The Druids, After Dark, and a Tribute to ABBA.

The venues include the Nás na Ríogh Plaza, the Farmers Market, and the taxi rank area on South Main Street.

All is free; the event is supported by Kildare County Council.

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Maintain Hope coffee morning well supported

There was a strong turnout from supporters and friends of the Maintain Hope charity this morning at the Coffee Morning hosted by Esther Reddy and Joe Dooley and their family, writes Brian Byrne. The event is an annual fundraiser at White Hall Cottage.

Charity founder Gerry O'Donoghue told the Diary that the community in the Ngong area outside Nairobi has come through a severe winter with outbreaks of cholera and typhus and other waterborne diseases due to floods. Many of the Maintain Hope-supported people there are HIV-positive single-parent families who required extra medical support. "What are now curable diseases for most people could carry them off, so we had to be very vigilant," he says. “Fortunately, we had the resources to look after them, but that did mean some of our other programmes had to be curtailed or postponed." He adds that things are back on an even keel, and the children they support within their families are healthy and will be able to go back to school at the end of the summer.

The charity currently supports 82 children, of whom just under half are in primary school, around 20 attend second level, and the balance in vocational training or third level. From the early years of support, there are now Maintain Hope graduates in computer science, teaching, nursing, marketing, and languages. "It's extraordinary progress from what is a minuscule organisation in the grand scheme of things. The vast majority of our resources and our help come from the wider Kilcullen areas, and that's the effect which that support has had."

(We'll have a further post from the conversation later.)

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The passing of Anthony O'Sullivan

The Diary has been informed of the death of Anthony O’Sullivan, of Dublin, and late of Nicholastown, Kilcullen, on 27 June 2025, peacefully at his niece's home in his 87th year, in the presence of his loving family. 

Predeceased by his parents, brothers, and sisters, Anthony's passing is deeply regretted, and he is sadly missed by his loving family, his sister-in-law Breda, nieces, nephews, grand-nieces, grand-nephews, relatives, and friends.

He will be reposing at his niece Patricia Byrne's home in Gormanstown, Kilcullen, R56 VW32, on Sunday the 29th from 4pm, concluding with prayers at 7.30pm. Removal from there will be on Monday morning to St Joseph's Church, Gormanstown, arriving for 11am funeral Mass followed by burial in New Abbey Cemetery, Kilcullen.

Rest in peace.

Frances Clare retires from St Joseph's NS

Pics: St Joseph's NS.

Frances Clare has retired from St Joseph's NS Halverstown after serving as School Secretary for seven years. 

At a recent tea and cakes event, staff and pupils expressed their appreciation for her with flowers, poems, and sketch portraits.

She was thanked for being a supportive, caring, and valuable asset to the school, and she and her husband, Noel, were wished lots of enjoyment in their next chapter.  

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Celebration of St Thérèse and her parents

A celebration of the feast day of saints Louis and Zelie Martin, parents of St Thérèse of Lisieux, is planned for 12 July in the Carmelite Friary Church in Kildare. It will include veneration of relics of  St Thérèse and her parents.

The day will begin with Mass celebrated by Most Rev Bishop Tom Deenihan DD, the Bishop of Meath, at 10am. Veneration of the relics will be open from 11am until 9.30pm.

There will also be an exhibition of historical items from the life of St Thérèse and the Martin family throughout the day in Carmel Hall.

Further information is available by phoning 085 8887549.

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Maintain Hope Coffee Morning

A reminder that the annual Coffee for Kenya at White Hall Cottage will be held TODAY, Saturday, 28 June.

The event is hosted by Esther Reddy and Joe Dooley and family and will run from 11am to 2pm.

Everybody is welcome, and all who visit will be entered into a free raffle for a beautiful vase created by the renowned ceramist, Thomas Wollen.  

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After-school care needs survey

A parent of three young children has initiated a survey to establish how many such parents are affected by a lack of after-school childcare in Kilcullen.

She is meeting with a local representative soon and would like to have an estimate of the number of those who need the service.

The link to the survey is here: https://form.jotform.com/251753526515054. The parent is happy for the link to be shared with any other parents of children in Scoil Bhride or who may be starting school there in the future.

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Jiving lessons in Narraghmore

A three-week Jiving lessons series starts in The Old Hardware in Narraghmore on Monday 7 July. 

The sessions will be on Monday nights from 7.30pm-8.30pm and will include line-dancing.

Contact donoghue.emma@gmail.com or call 086 2011244.

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The passing of Frankie Morrow

The Diary has learned of the death of Frankie Morrow, Moorehill, Brannockstown, on 25 June 2025 at Tallaght Hospital. 

Frankie's passing is deeply regretted by his loving wife Sheila, brothers-in-law Liwa and Tommy, sisters-in-law Kathleen, Eileen and Mary, cousins, nieces, nephews, neighbours, relatives and a large circle of friends.

Frankie will be reposing at Murphy Brothers funeral home, Church Lane, Naas (W91 VY71) on Friday 27th June from 4pm to 7pm with prayers at 6.30pm. Removal from there will be on Saturday morning 28th to The Church Of The Scared Heart and St Brigid, Kilcullen, via Brannockstown, arriving for 11am funeral mass which may be viewed on this link. The mass will be followed by his funeral to New Abbey Cemetery.

Family flowers only please. Donations, if desired, can be made to the Kildare Animal Foundation, for which purpose there will be a donation box in the funeral home and church.

Rest in peace.