Berney's Inch, in blizzard beauty

At the risk of people being fed up with snow scenes at this stage, here's a shot which really captures the beauty of a particularly Kilcullen spot, Berney's Inch, in such conditions.

It is courtesy of Phil Cummins, who braved a blizzard to make the picture. Well worth the effort, we think.

A result in Castlefish

Thank you for sharing my post, writes Sabrina Rice. We are free and clear now thanks to Markus and Albert from Markus Landscape and Gardening.

CPC, Scoil Bhride, Halverstown, reopen tomorrow

Cross and Passion College will reopen tomorrow, Monday 5 March, writes College Principal Catherine Moynihan.

This is thanks to Albert Keenan and Markus Pedersen who have done marvellous work in clearing our porches, footpaths and driveways.

We would still urge all to be sensible and take good care in coming to school and on school grounds.

Particular care needs to be taken with ‘snowballs’! A lot of grit is now contained in the compacted snow and ‘snowballs' can cause serious injury in these circumstances.

We look forward to seeing all safe and well tomorrow.

UPDATE: Scoil Bhride also opening tomorrow. Also St Joseph's Halverstown (don't go by Killinane if coming from Gormanstown, use Priory road and come back).

Catriona's dig-in

There is a Kilcullen connection, writes Brian Byrne.

This is my much-loved cousin Catriona preparing to dig her way out of (or into) her ladies fashion shop in Naas.

Warning on roads 'sliding snow', road workers, fog

Photo Sindre Strom/Pexels.

Though snowdrifts on motorways, dual carriageways and local roads may have been pushed to one side, these still pose dangers to motorists, writes Brian Byrne.

The Road Safety Authority (RSA) has warned about slabs of snow and ice falling or sliding off roadside banks into the paths of cars.

As well as urging motorists to be on guard for these hazards, the RSA is asking that motorists everywhere slow down to ensure the safety of maintenance crews on roads under their jurisdiction.

At a local level, drivers should also be aware of local authority contractors and volunteers who are clearing non-main roads.

Separately, Met Eireann has warned of the risk of extensive fog over the country tonight and into tomorrow morning, especially over the midlands. Road users need to take extra precautions in such conditions, especially in areas badly affected by snow.

A few open and closed notes

A couple of quick updates on what's open and what's not (1.30pm). Basically, though, Kilcullen town is normal (and bread arrived at Eurospar an hour or so ago).

The Hideout is open for food today.

Walls of the Priory isn't doing food today, but is open for drinks.

Crean's Place is open today.

Bardons is open for food from 1pm, back to normal since yesterday.

Fallons is open, back to normal since yesterday.

The Kids Baking Class at Kalbarri Cookery School scheduled for tomorrow night, 5 March, is cancelled. Next class 12 March.

Oh yes, and JJ Kavanagh buses are not serving Kilcullen today.

People still marooned in Castlefish

UPDATE AT 3.43PM: The road is being cleared. While 'normality' is being arrived at in the local Kilcullen area itself, Sabrina Rice from Castlefish would like us to know that they're still marooned by 7' deep drifts of snow.

"Two houses here have been completely blocked for three days in both directions," she told the Diary.

Anyone nearby with a digger or blade to help?

Getting ready for back to school

Pic Markus Pedersen.

Markus Pedersen and Albert Keenan have been doing a lot of snow-clearing in Kilcullen over the last couple of days. Here's Albert getting the path down to Scoil Bhride ready for school reopening this week.

Roads note: Kilcullen-Gormanstown still blocked

Old Kilcullen after the snow, before it was cleared off yesterday by volunteers. Pic Fergus Aspell.

UPDATE AT 10.20am: Machine working on it now. Just a note to anyone trying to get to Gormanstown from Kilcullen, writes Brian Byrne. Though the road is mostly clear, the remains of drifting close to Gormanstown Church make it essentially impassible.

Anyone trying to go that way should drive to Walls of Kilgowan and take that road to the area.

Watch out for floods, though.

Meantime, Old Kilcullen (top) was cleared yesterday by a team of local volunteers.

Roads around Kilcullen are mostly passable with care

All main roads in the area are clear, writes Brian Byrne. And back roads in general are getting better at this time (lunchtime, Saturday).

You need to be a bit careful along Sunnyhill, where it's turning to slush but there are still remnants of snowdrifts (above) and also one abandoned car near Thompson's Cross.

Still a bit messy heading up towards Old Kilcullen, at the top of which drifts make that part impassible as Anne Burke's picture below shows.

Pic: Ann Burke.

The Yellow Bog road to Milemill has some snow on the surface. The real problem in a number of areas is the re-appearance of some very nasty and getting worse potholes.

The road to Brannockstown is clear, but care is still needed going from there to Carnalway Cross, though problems are likely to diminish fast.

Carnalway to Logstown is OK, but still with surface snow in spots, and slush otherwise makes it slippy.

There's probably a good reason that almost all vehicles I encountered on this short tour were 4WD SUVs.

The town itself is fine for vehicles, but snow on footpaths is an issue, so walk carefully.

The local forecast for tonight is 2degC, with wind chill making it feel like -6degC. However, with a little snow and rain, it's not likely to freeze. Still, it might be another good night for the fire (at home or in the pub!).

Snow is melting, but take care

The snow is clearly beginning to melt in the Kilcullen area this morning, but though the weather warning has been downgraded to Orange for Kildare, care is still needed, writes Brian Byrne.

There may still be a little snow falling this morning, but conditions underfoot and on uncleared roads will still be treacherous.

According to Met Eireann, rain will begin to spread from the south today and this will start the melting process with potential flooding.

The Orange Status warning is valid from 6am until 6pm today.

The Diary's list of businesses and services open or closed is here, updating as we get further information.

Email kilcullendiary@gmail.com or Text 086 8267104 if your business or service isn't updated.

Also contact us with any road conditions reports from your area.

Saturday opens and closed

Continuing the Diary's extreme weather period listing of whether businesses and services are open or closed, writes Brian Byrne, here's where things stand for Saturday as far as we are aware. We will switch entities between categories as we firm up knowledge.

(Email kilcullendiary@gmail.com or Text 086 8267104  if you want to be listed or updated.)

OPEN

Applegreen Filling Station.
Armelle's Kitchen. Kenny's bread a speciality.
Bardons Pub and Restaurant. Open from 4pm.
Berney Bros Saddlery.
Berneys Chemists. 11am-1am.
Burkes Pharmacy. From 12 noon.
Carry Out.
Cross's Centra Store.
Eurospar.
Fallons Restaurant.
Fountain Takeaway.
McTernans Bar. Normal hours.
Nolans Butchers. Open at 9am, and will assess day for closing time.
O'Connells Bar. Normal hours.
River Cafe. Open 9-3.
Steve's Daybreak.
The Final Furlong Cafe. Open for as long as the food lasts.
The Hideout Bar. Normal hours.
The Spout Bar. Normal hours.
Walls of Kilgowan Bar & Restaurant.
Woodbine Books. Open for the full day. Great weather for snuggling down with a good book.


MAY BE OPEN (Pending Information)

Oxigen Refuse Collection.
Secret Kloset Boutique.


CLOSED

Animals First. Call 045 480478 you will be given the number of the on call vet.
An Tearmann Cafe. Open Monday.
Appleton Property. Available by email.
Bank of Ireland.
Crean's Place Cafe.
Drama Dynamics. Extra time will be scheduled next week for the 80 RIA students doing exams next Saturday. Also extra rehearsals for 'Alice'.
Eilish's Hair Salon.
Eye Candy Beauty Clinic. Reopening Tuesday.
Hair Emporium.
Kilcullen Community Centre.
Kilcullen GAA.
Kilcullen Tennis Club. Coaching will be rescheduled.
Kildare Credit Union Kilcullen.
Nichola Kennedy Optometrist.
Post Office.
Shelly's Barbers. Reopening Tuesday.

Some weather pics from our readers

Here's a nice video from Niamh O'Connor that sums up the last couple of days very well.

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Podge Byrne sent in the one above and the set below, with some good snowdrifts included.

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In case all of us in Kilcullen think things are easy outside, here's a shot from a video made by Ciaran Griffin of the snowdrifts at Whitehall Cross this afternoon.

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Some nice Old Kilcullen shots above and below from Fergus Aspell.

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Greetings from Lorna Brophy in Gormanstown.

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And here's a link to the Diary's own photos from The Big Snow 2018.

Friday latest on opening and closing local businesses and services

Here are the latest updates on local openings and closures of business and facilities during the current weather situation, writes Brian Byrne. This post will be updated as any further information comes in.

If you have information on your business or facility, email kilcullendiary@gmail.com.

Fallons Restaurant will not be open today, but hopes to open as normal tomorrow.

Kilcullen Family Practice are not in a position to open. Any urgent problem that can be helped with telephone advice they can be contacted via the Kilcullen Town FB page or via Berneys's Chemist 045 481497.

Animals First is not open tomorrow. If you call 045 480478 you will be given the number of the on call vet.

Steve's Daybreak is open 'until 8 or 9'.

Berney Bros Saddlery is closed today, reopening tomorrow (Saturday).

Fountain Takeaway is open from 4pm.

Reas Chipper is open.

Carry Out has closed for the evening.

Nolans Butchers are open from noon.

The Spout is now open, and hoping to stay open through to usual closing time.

McTernans will be open from 12.30, and will remain open 'similar to yesterday's hours'.

The Hideout is open. The medium due to entertain tonight will be rescheduled.

O'Connells Bar opening today at 12.30pm.

Bardons is remaining closed today.

Cross's Centra will not be open today (UPDATE 11.30)

Eye Candy Beauty Clinic is closed today.

The Hair Emporium closed today, hopes to reopen tomorrow.

Eilish's Hair Salon won't be open tomorrow.

The River Cafe is closed today.

Crean's Place is closed today.

Kidz Academy Creche is closed today.

Secret Kloset Boutique is closed today, will reopen ASAP.

K-Doc Services are not operating for the duration of the Red weather status.

Armelle's Kitchen will be closed until Saturday.

Kilcullen Community Centre will remain closed for the weekend.

The Kilcullen Community Games medal presentation to Handwriting Competition winners planned for Friday 3 March has been postponed and a new date for next week will be forthcoming.

Steve's Daybreak opening is under weather review.

The Applegreen petrol station is doing 24-hour petrol sales.

Drama Dynamics classes are closed until Saturday. More information on class times later.

Ger Dooley's Kildare Bathroom Company is closed today. Saturday opening under review.

The Post Office is closed today.

Kildare Credit Union Kilcullen is closed today.

Bank of Ireland is closed today.

Bardons is reviewing 'day by day', no word yet of this evening.

Eurospar is closed today.

An Tearmann is closed today.

The Kilcullen Community Childcare Centre will not be open today.

Oxigen have suspended all refuse collections in the Kilcullen area until further notice.

Woodbine Books will remain closed today. The World Book Day Scavanger Hunt is postponed to 8 March, more details later.

The Final Furlong cafe will be closed today.

Berneys Chemists will be open from 11am-1pm tomorrow.

All schools in Kildare will remain closed for the rest of the week.

Nichola Kennedy's optometrist practice is closed until after the Red weather alert is lifted.

Appleton Property's offices are closed but clients can contact them by mobile and email.

Kilcullen in shutdown mode

There's a bitter east wind slicing through Kilcullen this morning, and if you don't need to be out, don't be out, writes Brian Byrne.

There's nothing to be out for, anyhow, as the town is totally closed ... it has been since last evening.

(Update at noon: a number of businesses have reopened. Latest updates on openings and closures here.)

Gardai have just issued an alert (9.50am) that all back roads in the area are impassible to normal vehicles, while all main roads will be cleared in the next few hours. They advise bringing a charged mobile if you do go out, and to be alert for the needs of neighbours. Roads to Castledermot, on Curragh, and to Naas all pose difficulties (10am).

The footpaths in town are mostly impassible this morning (9am), because of drifted snow. And walking on the more clear road is a tad dangerous, as you don't hear vehicles coming up behind you.

A deserted Kilcullen at 10.30 last night.

In an hour of trudging around to get a feel of things, I met three people on foot, two tractors, two 4WD pickups and a couple of cars whispering along on the snowed up roads. This at a time when on a Friday morning there'd be traffic lines waiting to get through the lights to school, to work, to wherever we take for granted we can go.

And I'm struck by a thought. If the Gulf Stream shuts down, as some scientists say it could because of the melting of the Arctic ice, it would be like this for two-thirds of the year.

Then maybe we'd get used to it ...