Calverstown seeks volunteers for village maintenance

A call for volunteers to help maintain village green areas and flower beds has been issued by the Calversown Action Network. If you’re already a gardening expert, great. If not, great too.

The work will be happening every second Wednesday from this evening, Wednesday 14th.

Meetup at the Village Green at 7.30 pm.

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First Responders group for Calverstown

A First Responder group is being established in Calverstown and they have set up an iDonate page to raise funds for necessary equipment, writes Brian Byrne.

The gear needed includes a defibrillator and accessories, training equipment, and uniform clothing including hi-viz jackets.

The group coordinator is Corey Delahunt, who is leading the appeal for support from the Calverstown and area community.

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Calverstown Table Quiz

The annual 'Craic for Calverstown' Table Quiz will be held in Dowlings Bar in Ballyshannon on Friday 18 October. 

The event is scheduled for an 8pm start, and there will be a raffle on the night.

Tables of four for €40.

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Calverstown achieved grant matching funds

The community of Calverstown has succeeded in raising the required matching funds to access the €22,000 grant they were allocated under the Rural Rejuvenation Scheme, writes Brian Byrne. The combined funding will go towards the eventual provision of a Community Space for the village.

According to the Calverstown Action Network, an iDonate fundraiser provided over €17,000 towards the money required before the deadline of 31 July. CAN's available funds for basic maintenance jobs around the village such as the grass cutting were used to provide the balance.

The network has thanked all who helped them meet the deadline, saying they were 'overwhelmed' with the response. Noting that they must continue to fundraise, both to replenish the maintenance accounts and for the cost of the next stage of the project, CAN called for continued generosity and support for the 'next push'.

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Santa coming to Calverstown

Santa is coming to Calverstown next Sunday, 10 December, arriving on the Village Green at 5.30pm.

The seasonal event will also include lighting the village Christmas tree, festive treats for all, and face painting.

All welcome.

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Easter Eggs Hunt in Calverstown

An Easter Eggs Hunt will be held in Calverstown on Saturday next, 8 April.

The event on the Village Green will include a visit from the Easter Bunny as well as face painting and fun games for children.

Admission is free and all are welcome, with the hunt beginning at 2pm.

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Calverstown Litter Pick planned

A Litter Pick will be held in Calverstown on Saturday 1 April as part of a Village Tidy Up.

Anyone wishing to help should meet up at McCann's Shop, at 2pm.

All volunteers welcome.

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Busy CAN meeting last night

At the CAN meeting: Féile Morris (Sec), Mary Young, Avril Moran (PRO), Robbie O'Sullivan, Aisling O'Sullivan, Harry O'Neill and Pat Donnelly (Chairman).

Strengthening the links between all estates in Calverstown was discussed at last night's meeting of the Calverstown Action Network, held in Dowling's Bar, Ballyshannon. The initiative is designed to ensure that CAN events and information can be shared more easily with all residents. It was agreed that members will make contact with people they know in various estates.

The meeting also discussed signage, with one quote for new approach road signs already received and another pending. A suggestion that a Village Notice Board be placed in a central location was agreed, and a request for a quotation is to be made.

The meeting heard that the committee had met with the developer of a new housing estate in the village, and that he was keen to work with the group in order to enhance the village. Both parties are in agreement that a boundary wall on the road side of the stream is not in the best interest of the village.

Pending the eventual aim of getting a footpath between Calverstown and Ballyshannon, the committee discussed the possibility of cutting a narrow strip of the  grass verge along the roadside between the village and Ballyshannon crossroads. This would allow walkers to step off the road to avoid on-coming traffic.

The meeting also discussed upcoming activities — a Litter Pick/Clean Up on Saturday 29 October, starting at 2pm; A Pub Quiz on 18 November in Dowling's Bar, from 8pm; and a Christmas event provisionally planned for 3 December, details of which are still to be worked out.

The next meeting will be on 9 November in Dowling's, at 8.30pm.

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Calverstown meeting discussed walkway, fundraising ... and Christmas

A proposed walkway between Calverstown and Ballyshannon was a key item on the agenda at a public community meeting last evening organised by the Calverstown Action Network.

The meeting in Dowling's Bar was chaired by Pat Donnelly and was attended by Cllr Ivan Keatley along with committee members and people from the Calverstown community. Those present heard that CAN are awaiting a response from Kildare County Council about the walkway, following the submission of a petition requesting the facility.

The general aim of the meeting was to bring people together to share ideas of developing the Calverstown area and enhancing community spirit. The guest speaker was Bernard Higgins of Narraghmore Community Development who provided insight into how Narraghmore has improved and developed over the last few years. 

A number of possible initiatives to bring the community together and meet neighbours were discussed. An event to turn on the village Christmas lights has been arranged for Saturday 3 December 2022, with light refreshments and additional festive activities planned. A fundraising quiz night will also be held in mid-November — details to follow. 

The next meeting will be held on Wednesday 19 October in Dowling's Bar. All welcome.

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Calverstown public meeting tonight

A reminder that a public Community Meeting has been arranged by the Calverstown Action Network for this evening, Wednesday 28 September, to generate ideas for development and improving the area.

The brainstorming session will take place in Dowling's Bar, Ballyshannon, starting at 8.30pm.

The group is seeking input from the many Calverstown residents of how to better the area and local community life.

All welcome.

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Footpath campaign walk from Ballyshannon to Calverstown

Image: Google Maps.

A walk from Ballyshannon to Calverstown will take place on Friday 10 December to highlight the need for a footpath between the adjoining communities, writes Brian Byrne.

The walk is being organised by the Calverstown Action Network, and begins at 10am. CAN is actively seeking the construction of a footpath and would appreciate all support at the event.

The 2.6km route takes around half an hour, but without a footpath it is considered a dangerous undertaking. From the junction with the R418 at Dowling's Pub is 1.4km.

The section from Dowling's Pub to Ballyshannon itself is threatened with very heavy truck traffic if the ABP decision to allow a quarry to be developed at Racefield is upheld.

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Works at Calverstown for Tidy Towns 'can be considered' — Council

Image by Google.

A request to Kildare County Council to help Calverstown Tidy Towns with the renovation of the stream area, the wall and the paving in the village centre, 'can be considered further', writes Brian Byrne.

The request was the subject of a motion by Cllr Ivan Keatley at today's meeting of the Athy Municipal District.

According to District Manager Annette Aspell, the matter can be further considered 'subject to the identification of funding'.

The works have been recommended in a succession of Tidy Towns reports, according to the councillor.

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Calverstown Table Quiz Friday

A Table Quiz in aid of the Calverstown Action Network will be held on Friday night, 22 November.

It will be in The Stream Inn, starting at 9pm.

Tables of four, usual Ts & Cs. Spot prizes on the night.

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Halloween Costume Competition in Calverstown

A Halloween Costume Competition will be held on Calverstown Village Green on Thursday 31 October, writes Brian Byrne.

Organised by the Calverstown Action Network, the event begins at 7pm.

There will be prizes for the best home-made Halloween costumes.

The organisers emphasise that competitors should be 'creative' and make their costumes with whatever materials they have to hand, 'instead of buying cheap, environmentally-unfriendly alternatives'.

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Calverstown Fun Day today

Pic: Calverstown Action Network.

A reminder that musicians, poets and storytellers will entertain at the Calverstown Fun Day being held today Sunday 15 September, writes Brian Byrne.

The event is on the Village Green between 2pm-6pm and will include novelty races, penalty shoot-out, a tug of war, other games and a treasure hunt.

Everyone is invited to bring a picnic and a deck chair. The day is being organised by the Calverstown Action Network.

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