Kilcullen News Update

Footpath works put off until January ... Floods warning on roads ... Registrations open for Run, Run, Rudolph! 2025 ... PPN Kildare survey on land use and environment ... New link for CPC celebration of 30 years of TY ... Bookings for Kilcullen Drama Group One-Acts night ...

Reporting since 2005 from a Village Grown Bigger. Produced by Brian Byrne for Kilcullen Diary.

Photographs use Policy — Privacy Policy

Watch out for floods on roads

File photo.

After a night of rain, there are floods reported at various points between Kilcullen and Newbridge, writes Brian Byrne.

Spots of particular concern include the entrance to Cnoc na Greine-Castlemartin, at Lurgh Lane, along the Athgarvan Road, and at The Gables.

Concern has also been expressed about early morning motorists leaving their estates without full lights.

Photographs use Policy — Privacy Policy

Registrations open for Run, Run, Rudolph! 2025

Registration is now open for this year's Run, Run, Rudolph organised by Kilcullen GAA, writes Brian Byrne. This year, it's different, being split into two events: the evening of Saturday, 13 December, and the morning of Sunday, the 14th.

The Saturday evening event will be the community and family 2.5km Walk and Run on the Community Walkway, kicking off at 7pm. Santa is expected to attend, and a special Christmas tree will be lit at the walkway. Hot chocolate and other goodies will be available at the finish, and fancy dress is encouraged.

The running events on the Sunday morning will comprise the 5km and 10km courses and a new half-marathon course taking in part of the Curragh. The half-marathon will have a 10.30am start with the other races starting afterwards. Only the 5km event is open to walkers. As usual if bringing a dog with you on the 5km route, they must be kept on a lead at all times & controlled. All events will start to the sound of Chuck Berry’s Run Rudolph Run.

This is Run Run Rudolph’s 4th year and it has grown to be one of County Kildare’s biggest Winter and Christmas running events with more than 500 participants last year. The organisers welcome support through spot prize donations and business partnerships.

Photographs use Policy — Privacy Policy

An emigration revisit story

A visit to Kilcullen on Sunday from USA-based Kevin Shanley and his son Gavin closed a family circle story that goes back to the 1800s, writes Brian Byrne. They met up with relatives Sabina and Esther Reddy.

"Our great, great-grand aunt Sarah Tougher, sister to our great-grandfather Pat, emigrated to the USA in the 1800s," Sabina told the Diary. "Kevin is her great-great-great-grandson. Sarah had married a local man from Hacklow, whose surname was Melia, and they settled in the Boston area. It was a lovely visit."

The four are pictured at Old Kilcullen.

Photographs use Policy — Privacy Policy

New link for TY30 Reunion

There's a new registration link for those who want to take part in the Cross and Passion College celebration of 30 years of Transition Year, writes Brian Byrne. The event is a TY30 Reunion on 5 December 2025, open to former students and teachers.

A previous link had to be discontinued for technical reasons.

The organisers are also seeking photographs from different TY year groups, which can be emailed to TY30@cpckilcullen.com.

Full details will be announced soon for what promises to be an evening of celebration, storytelling, and reminiscing, with registration closing on 30 November.

Photographs use Policy — Privacy Policy

Downtown footpath works postponed to new year

The footpath works due to start in downtown Kilcullen have been put off until January, writes Brian Byrne. This will be a pre-Christmas relief to local traders. 

It appears that the contractor could have started in December, but it would only have been a ‘token’ start. 

Originally scheduled for a start this month, the Kilcullen business community had been anticipating traffic management disruption that would have had repercussions the full length of the main street. 

The latest update has been given by Cllr Tracey O’Dwyer. 

Photographs use Policy — Privacy Policy

Kilcullen News Update

AFC Fun Run ... Kilcullen Bridge Cinema for November ... Kildare has high-ranked Coillte parks ... Kildare Draft Heritage Plan ... Cannonball 2025 cheque presented ... Vote for Hazel Gaynor's book Before Dorothy ... Deaths of Breda Sherry and Jim Connolly ...

Reporting since 2005 from a Village Grown Bigger. Produced by Brian Byrne for Kilcullen Diary.

Photographs use Policy — Privacy Policy

Ballad of Wallis Island is November cinema

The Ballad of Wallis Island is the November movie showing on Tuesday, the 18th, at Kilcullen Bridge Cinema, writes Teresa Nurse.  

A 2025 comedy-drama filmed in Pembrokeshire in Wales, it was a success at the Sundance Film Festival and has developed an almost cult following. Richard Curtis called it one of the best British films of all time. It is directed by James Griffiths and stars Tom Basden, Tim Key, Carey Mulligan, and Sian Clifford. 

The film tells the story of musician Herb McGwyer, who made his name in a popular folk duo with former creative and romantic partner Nell Mortimer. Now a struggling solo artist, Herb accepts a lucrative offer from eccentric lottery winner Charles Heath to perform a private gig on a remote island. 

The appearance fee will fund Herb’s new album. But it turns out Charles — who has very personal reasons for organising the gig — has also invited Nell to play, forcing Herb into an unexpected McGwyer-Mortimer reunion. 

Described as “a big hug of a movie”, it is the perfect film for dark November evenings. Tickets are €7, on sale in Woodbine Books, Kilcullen, and Eventbrite.

Photographs use Policy — Privacy Policy

Two Kildare parks in Coillte top 20

Mullaghreelan Wood near Athy.

Two Coillte parks within easy reach of Kilcullen are among the top 20 recreational parks operated by the state body's lands, writes Brian Byrne. Donadea Forest Park recorded nearly 217,000 visits in 2024, while Mullaghreelan Wood saw over 75,500 visits in 2024.

The Avondale Forest Park in Wicklow is the most popular nationwide and has the Beyond the Trees visitor attraction.

Over three million people visited Coillte’s top 50 most popular recreational woodlands and parks in 2024.

An autumn view in Donadea Forest Park.

Photographs use Policy — Privacy Policy

Good turnout for AFC Fun Run

More than 280 registered participants took part in this morning's Kilcullen AFC Fun Run, writes Brian Byrne. An unregistered number of children also ran their own 2 km event around the Kilcullen GAA track.

It was a busy run centre at the AFC's premises on the Kilcullen Community Centre campus before the event, all in beautiful autumn sunshine. In addition to groups of people arriving to get their numbers, there were also a range of vendor stalls. Several of the participants spent time warming up on the nearby Scoil Bhride track.

The run was timed by justrunevents, and results can be found on their website.

Photographs use Policy — Privacy Policy