Activator poles sessions at Community Centre

Another heads-up that a tryout session with activator poles will be held at Kilcullen Community Centre on next Monday, 15 September, writes Brian Byrne. The event is in collaboration with Kildare Sports Partnership.

Beginning at 10am, the session will be led by activator poles expert Frank Fahy and will include a fun mix of seated and step-about activities to music.

The exercise system suits all abilities, especially those with limited mobility or balance concerns.

The event will be followed by a 4-week block of sessions every Monday morning from 10am, beginning 22 September. 

Both the try-out and the subsequent sessions are free.

Call Enda on 087 9681040 to book. [NOTE: Original number provided was incorrect.]

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Tai Chi retreat day

A Tai Chi retreat day will be held in the Old Hardware on Sunday 12 October, directed by Yuki Kobayashi. There's an option to participate for a half-day or a full day.

Sessions in the morning will feature Tai Chi for those with arthritis, and the afternoon will be devoted to 24 forms.

Booking is essential, contact Yuki at 086 3412006. The fees are €30/€50.

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Chair Yoga at Old Hardware

Weekly Chair Yoga sessions with Maryclare will return to The Old Hardware on Wednesday, 10 September.

As usual, they will be held upstairs. The fee is €5 per person, which includes a cuppa and a scone after class.

To book, contact Maryclare on 087 9011405.

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Community Walk on the Curragh

A 5-kilometre Community Walk across the Curragh is taking place on Thursday morning next as part of a Newbridge Kildare Lions community wellbeing programme.

The event starts at 10am with a meet-up at the parking area on the road to the Curragh Camp.

The walk is a trial to see the level of interest in such an event to make it a regular outing.

All are welcome.

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Council survey for recreation and sports plans

Image: Kildare Sports Partnership.

A call for submissions on  new Outdoor Recreation and Local Sports plans has been made by Kildare County Council, writes Brian Byrne. It's in the form of an online survey and all answers are anonymous.

The consultation will close on Friday, 27 June 2025.

The Outdoor Recreation Plan will guide the sustainable development of outdoor recreation in the county as well as supporting more residents and visitors to take part in outdoor activity.

The Local Sports Plan will identify priority needs and increase participation in sport and physical activity in Kildare. 

The council says that the input of individuals, organisations, clubs and groups from across Kildare is vital for the development of these two strategic plans, which are planned for implementation over the course of the next five years.

The survey can be accessed using this link and takes approximately 10 minutes to complete. 

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Yoga at Kalbarri for Maintain Hope

The postponed Yoga in the Garden event at Kalbarri in aid of Maintain Hope will be held this coming Sunday, 25 May, between 7.30am-8.30am.

Run by Warrior Wellness, the Community & Connection event promises a magical morning in a stunning garden environment.

Bookings can be made at this link. 

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Yoga for Maintain Hope

A Yoga in the Garden fundraiser for Maintain Hope will be held in the grounds of Kalbarri Cookery School on Saturday 19 April. The session will last an hour from 7.30am.

Conducted by Warrior Wellness, the event is themed on Community and Connection.

The event promises to be a magical start to the Easter weekend in a stunning location.

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Transplant Team Ireland training session in Kilcullen

A training session for Transplant Sport Ireland athletes was held at Kilcullen Community Centre on Sunday, writes Brian Byrne. The training session was for the Team Ireland contestants who will represent Ireland at the upcoming World Championships in Germany in August. 

The team members are transplant recipients of heart, lung, liver, bone marrow, kidney and pancreas organs. By their participation they are highlighting the success of organ donation, according to local kidney transplant veteran James Nolan. "Transplant Sport Ireland would like to thank Newbridge Athletic Club’s Alan Beale for doing a fantastic stretching and warm-up session with everyone," he says. "Also Kilcullen AFC’s Nicky Kelly and his volunteers for helping our soccer team out. It was great to see such a huge crowd and our thanks to all who were able to make it, especially the people who travelled a fair distance to attend."

James also expressed the appreciation of the visitors to Enda O’Neill and his team at the Kilcullen Community Centre for hosting the training day.

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Walkway lights are on, GAA mulls walking club

The lights have now been connected on the Kilcullen Community Walkway at Kilcullen GAA, writes Brian Byrne. With some evening darkness still, this extends the time the facility can be used and the club is encouraging everyone to take advantage of it.

The switch-on is somewhat later than planned, the delay due to pressure on ESB Networks staff following storm Éowyn.

The club is now considering the development of a local walking group as part of their involvement in the GAA Healthy Club initiative. Their idea is that it should be right across the community and they have issued an invitation to all groups and other clubs in Kilcullen to get involved.

Kilcullen GAA's Maurice O'Brien points to the success of a number of individual walking ideas locally, such as the Camphill-based Walkie Talkies, and the White Walkers in the shopping centre in Newbridge, as well as the Kilcullen Run Club 'who have been pounding the local paths in recent years' and can be contacted on their Facebook page. "With brighter and warmer months ahead of us now is the time to get things up and running," Maurice says. "In Kilcullen we are in the enviable position of having the Curragh Plains on our doorstep as well as being only a short drive from the Garden of Ireland that is Co Wicklow, along with many options in other neighbouring counties."  

Contact Maurice at 087 6392137, mauriceobrien@gmail.com; or Niamh Traynor at 086 1758458, niamhtraynor@hotmail.com if you or your organisation would like to help make it happen.

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Delayed Lights Up walks get under way

An enthusiastic group of people took part in the first of a series of Monday night GAA Lights Up walks last evening at the Kilcullen club's grounds, writes Brian Byrne. The opening event was postponed from last Monday due to the weather.

The sessions will take place between 7pm-8pm on Mondays until 10 February and all are welcome to join in. As the lighting on the new Field of Dreams walking track have not yet been switched on by ESB, the circuit last evening used the shorter part of the track circling the main pitch.

All are welcome to take part in the Monday evening walks, which now augment a range of other activities by the club through participation in the GAA Healthy Clubs initiative. That scheme is focusing on improving physical and mental health across the community and all organisations in Kilcullen.

And if you haven't signed up yet for the MyLife/GAA Healthy Clubs - Every Step Counts challenge 2025 through their MyLife health app, which started last Wednesday, you can do so — instructions here. 

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GAA Lights Up and Every Step Counts postponed

The following statement was issued by Kilcullen GAA: In light of weather conditions and for health and safety reasons, the Healthy Club Committee has decided to postpone the start of the Lights Up Walk and Steps Challenge tonight.

Although we still encourage anyone who hasn’t signed up to the steps challenge it’s never too late to join! The challenge begins this Wednesday (Jan 8th). You can start getting your steps challenge this week, once paths are safer!

Stay Safe and we look forward to seeing you at Kilcullen Gaa clubhouse on Monday 13th!

Kilcullen GAA Lights Up on Monday for healthy start to year

Kilcullen GAA Lights Up 2025 walk returns for a 6th year starting Monday night (Jan 6th) from 7pm to 8pm for 6 weeks to 10 February 2025 to Get Ireland walking. The aim is to make exercise more accessible on the dark winter nights and to offer our community an opportunity to get together and socialise in a healthy way.

Registration will start at 6:50pm, warmup at 6:55pm and the walk starts at 7pm sharp at the clubhouse. All are welcome - you don't have to be a Kilcullen GAA club member!

*MyLife/GAA Healthy Clubs - Every Step Counts challenge 2025 through their MyLife health app will also be kicking off next week. The Every Step Counts Challenge is a virtual challenge, this is the ideal challenge for Kilcullen GAA, its members & the wider community to get involved with.

The aim this year is to reach 4,000km target - roughly the distance around Ireland! By entering and reaching or beating targets we are up for the chance to gain a €2,500 donation to our club! We are aiming to finish in the top 5 this year with over 200 participants and break 40,000 steps. To join the challenge, follow the steps below:

1. Download the free MyLife app from Apple App Store /GooglePlay

2. Tap on the social tab on the MyLife App

3. Select challenges

4. Select the challenge for Leinster

5. Tap on Join & Select "Kilcullen GAA"

Any questions please contact bronadooley@gmail.com or mauriceobrien@gmail.com

See you Monday 6th!

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GAA readies 2025 Ireland Lights Up and Every Step Counts

Kilcullen participants in last year's Ireland Lights Up.

The new Community Walkway will be in use for the 5th year of the Kilcullen GAA's participation in Ireland Lights Up and the Every Step Counts challenge with Irish Life, writes Brian Byrne.

The 7-week series of both gets under way at 7pm on Monday 6 January, and sign-up details for the challenge will be available soon. Last year Kilcullen GAA came third in the country in the Steps competition. On average, a hundred people took part in the weekly Lights Up.

Kilcullen GAA are also now part of the Irish Life GAA Healthy Clubs initiative. This focuses on encouraging healthier lives physically, mentally and emotionally.

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Birthday party for Warrior Wellness

Warrior Wellness on Hillcrest are celebrating their one-year birthday on Saturday with a tea and cakes party and open day. All are welcome to the event which runs from 10.30am until noon.

Refreshments, festive music and a studio tour are all part of the celebrations, with a cake lighting set for 11.30am. There's a raffle for all present, winners drawn at 12 noon.

"We’re excited to invite both our beloved community members and new faces to come together, connect, and enjoy our welcoming space," says the businesses's founder Stephen Bunney. "This is a relaxed and friendly opportunity to mingle, enjoy some treats, and get to know other members in a casual, no-pressure setting and soak in a little bit of the day. 

"Whether you’re a familiar face or visiting for the first time, we’d love for you to join us."

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