Nolans 'chuffed' at win

"It's completely down to the wonderful staff we have, and to my father who built up the business from scratch."

It is typical of James Nolan to step back from the success of the recent national award won in the FBD Retail Excellence Awards 2008. And all who know him appreciate that the sentiments expressed above are felt from the heart. But the truth is, the magnificent butcher shop on Main Street which scooped top place in the Large Retail Store category in the Awards is the fulfillment of James's own dream for the business from the time he began working in it as a youngster.

It was opened almost exactly two years ago after an extensive building programme, During which the business temporarily transferred two doors down to the shop where James's grandfather set up the family's first butcher stall. The development provided a brand new abbatoir and meat processing plant under one roof, directly accessing the new state-of-art shop which has now proved to be the best of its kind in the country.

"I was told I was mad to spend the money on the property in the middle of town, that it was much more valuable for other purposes," he says. "But this was a place to suit our customers, and the town itself."

The Nolan roots in Kilcullen run deep, and so is the family's commitment to the town, and that's where James's own focus is. It's also why so many of the business's staff have been there for so long -- many over 20 years -- because the sense of loyalty is infectious right across the enterprise.

Go into Nolans, and you're in a fine shop, wonderfully stocked and presented. More important, though, whichever part of the counter you go to, whether your need is fresh meats of all kinds, cooked meats, fish, or accessories like wine and vegetables, you get a top class shopping experience.

"The people behind the counter know their stuff, are there to help you ... and are never pushy," one regular customer sums up why she is a regular, and why four out of five shoppers on any given day are repeat customers.

But the other reason is because those who shop in Nolans know the quality will always be at the top of the class. Because the tradition established by Andy Nolan, of buying from only the best farmers in the area, of finishing animals on their own farm and then doing the killing themselves, is now even more under the enterprise's control.

James recalls the night of the presentation itself as 'like being at the Oscars'. "There were six stores in our category and when Miriam O'Callaghan finally announced our name, it was like my numbers coming up in the Lottery, or winning the Challenge Race at Punchestown. I was just so surprised and chuffed."

It was the second 'run' for the shop at the competition. Last year Nolans got into the Top 50. And when he went up to get his certificate for that, James quipped to Miriam O'Callaghan that he'd 'be back next year to win'.

"When I went up this time, she remembered that," James says with a grin. "Actually, I'm told that it is very rare for a store to move from the top 50 into the top 24 in a year, let alone become the winner. We did a few things over the year than made the place a bit warmer looking, and improved presentation. But the big thing according to the 'mystery shopper' report was the atmosphere in the place along with the service. She said there was 'a great buzz' amongst the staff, and their interaction with the customers."

James says the win is also very good for Kilcullen itself, as it focusses attention on a town which has a great range of very good and unique retail businesses. "Look at Bernard Berney's Pharmacy next door, a lovely new shop; and there's Ger Peacocke's shoe repairs, Bardons pub, Fallons and Paul's restaurants, Berneys Saddlery, and many more."

It has been a really great year for James Nolan, with his outstanding performance in the Transplant Games -- he had a kidney transplant many years ago and constantly fundraises for kidney research -- and his engagement to Emma McHenry. "I didn't think it could get any better, but here we win this, and it really put the icing on the cake."

Brian Byrne.

New light on Garda Station

Did you notice the new Garda lantern erected on the front garden of the station?

It's actually not secondhand, as the state of the pole might suggest. It has just been lying around for several years until the OPW decided to put it up.

The Diary understands that the lantern part was languishing in a cell in the station until last week when the OPW boys came along and sprung it.

Anyhow, it does add something to the place. Now, when the gate is fixed ...?

GAA party tonight

The Kilcullen GAA Christmas Party & Presentation Night is being held in Lumville House tonight from 'eight till late'.

There's a buffet, live DJ, and lots of craic. Admission €20.

The passing of Ronan Conway

The Diary has learned of the death of Ronan Conway, Calverstown Lawns, Kilcullen.

He will be reposing at Doyle's Funeral Home, Ballymount, from 4pm today, Friday.

Removal will take place on Saturday morning at 10.20am via Calverstown to Crookstown Church, arriving for 11 o'clock Requiem Mass.

Interment will follow in the adjoining cemetery.

We extend our condolences to Ronan's family and friends in their loss.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam

Man dies in industrial accident

The Health & Safety Authority has begun an investigation into the death of a man in Kilculllen yesterday.

The man, who hasn't been officially named by the authority, died after an accident at O'B Hire & Sales Ltd, Carlow Road, Kilcullen.

Steiner fundraiser tomorrow

A fundraising Coffee Morning will be held tomorrow, Friday 28 November, at the O'Connor-Nolan family home, The Orchard in Carnalway.

The event is being held in aid of the Kildare Steiner School and will run from 10am-1pm.

The Orchard is the first house after The Hermitage, Nolans thatched house. All are welcome.

Martin speaks on climate

The new Fine Gael candidate for the Kilcullen/Athy area in the upcoming local elections, local farmer Martin Heydon, was invited to speak during the discussion on the climate change module during the recent FG National Conference in Wexford.



He's pictured here (on right) with Tony O Donnell, FG candidate for the Kildare district; Cllr Mary O Sullivan, Athy; and FG Leader Enda Kenny.

Tidy Towns cheque

Kilcullen Community Action was presented with a cheque for €300 at a recent function in Kildare County Council.

The money was given in recognition of the extra marks achieved by the town in this year's National Tidy Towns Competition.

More entertainers for 'Miscellany'

Even though the event isn't taking place until next Sunday, donations are already in for the 'Miscellany on Sunday' annual fundraiser hosted by Tom and Phena Bermingham.

The list of entertainers for the event, which helps to support Michael Garry House hostel for the homeless, continues to firm up.

They include Clifford Meenehan, Roy Thompson, Ludaigh Moran, Kilcullen Drama Group, Denise Healy -- Kildare Rose of Tralee -- Nessa Dunlea, Annie Morris, Philomena Breslin, Dick Jeffers, Phil O Donnell, Aoife Kelly, Jo Doyle, Andrew Buchanan, Michael Barry, and Eoin OToole. Dorley O'Sullivan has arranged a celloist to deputise for her, as she is unable to participate as usual.

"Let's hope the cold weather will prompt generosity to those who have no roof over their heads," says Phena. "Indeed, it could be any of us."

Tim Gallagher, President of St Christopher's conference of the Vincent de Paul, Newbridge, which administers Michael Garry House, will speak briefly on homelessness and will take questions.

Chapel Road 'black spot' for action

A 'black spot in the town' is to be made a special project in the new year for Kilcullen Community Action.



A plan will be drawn up for action on the Chapel Road, following a discussion at the most recent KCA meeting, during which the completion of painting of the Library was commended. But there was considerable negative comment on the state of the rest of the area, expecially the condition of the footpaths.




Celia Travers also raised the issue of the crumbling wall on the Valley side, which is getting worse because no repairs have been carried out.

"It is being used now as a short cut by school children, and this is dangerous," she said.

Noel Clare said the group would 'come up with a plan, some paint, and some flowers' for the area in January.

Brian Byrne.

CU will weather 'turbulent seas'

The coming year will be a 'challenging' one for Kilcullen Credit Union, chairman Pat Stafford said at the organisation's 38th AGM held last night.



"We are sailing through the most turbulent of financial seas," he added. "However, there is an experienced crew aboard in the form of the Board, Supervisors, Staff and Auditor, and I can assure you that they will do their utmost to maintain a justifiable and beneficial course."

He noted that the Kilcullen CU continues to grow in both membership and financial senses, due in no small measure to the 'tremendous commitment and belief' in the organisation from the members.

He also recalled the sad matter that during 2008, Kilcullen Credit Union in particular and the movement in general had lost a good friend and colleague with the untimely death of Anne O'Byrne of Blessington CU.

"Even though her death has left a vacuum, I am sure her legacy and example will be long remembered by all," he said.

The total net assets of Kilcullen Credit Union now stand at €7,741,750, an increase of 5.7 percent on 2007. These include €6,473,273 in members shares and deposits, with the balance comprising a statutory reserve of €800,000 as well as the Building Reserve and Undistributed Surplus.

Treasurer Sheila Schwer said there had been an increase in Shares of some €340,000, or 5.5 percent. Loans had increased by €540,000, or 13 percent. Bad Debt amounted to €60,369, of which €32,743 had already been recovered. She said the Board was recommending a Dividend of 2.25 percent on Shares, and a Loan Interest Rebate of 10 percent.

In all, 804 loans were granted during 2008, an increase of 91 over 2007 and some €404,000 more in value than in the previous year.

Once again, the largest single group of loans were for cars purchase, at €821,309 up by almost a fifth on 2007. The €746,550 given out for Minor Home Improvements was up 11.7 percent, and holiday loans at €168,105, increased by 11.2 percent. Loans for Debts and Bills at €124,722 was substantially down by 11.2 percent, while the School Fees loans were up by 50 percent to €82,480.

The membership of the Credit Union now stands at 2,376, of whom 649 have loans. Some 588 members are Juveniles and 30 local Clubs and Associations have membership.

In the annual Schools Quiz organised by the Credit Union, 20 teams took part, one of whom made it through to the National Finals in the RDS where they acquitted themselves very well.

The Credit Union provided sponsorship during 2008 to the Family Mass Group, Kilcullen Scouts, League for the Blind, Kilcullen Lions, Kilcullen Community Games and Kilcullen GAA.

Among the highest management expenses in the year was the €40,276 for Loan Protection & Life Savings, while the optional Death Benefit Insurance cost €18,067.

Guest speaker Michael Fehily of Mountmellick Credit Union said Kilcullen had by any standard shown a good return on the year. In addition to the work of the directors and the staff, he said this was due to a 'very loyal membership' which year on year has supported Kilcullen Credit Union.

He also noted how Credit Unions are carefully monitored, both internally and externally, and said that if the banking system had been as tightly regulated, what has happened in recent months 'would have been minimised'.

"The turbulence and its associated credit crunch has particularly brought small business to its knees," he said. "But this gives the Credit Union movement a chance to show its worth to its community, because that's where the movement came from."

And he added that the Credit Union is a 'beacon of light' in how cooperative lending can operate.

After the election of directors Pat Goulding, PJ Fagan and new member of the Board Martin Burke, and the election of Mary Carroll as a Supervisor and reappointment of Rory Dowling as Auditor, the meeting concluded with the traditional draw for a variety of prizes.

Brian Byrne.

Slideset from AGM here.

CPC students learn driving skills

Some 87 fourth year students in the Cross & Passion College signed up for a Driving Course operated in Maynooth by the Leinster Driving School.

The course was offered as an option by the school, and includes theory and experience of such vital road safety matters as braking distance and the Driver Theory Test. It also includes supervised driving.

The LDS has a private road network of some two kilometres, on which it offers courses of four hours’ duration to such pupils.

CPC launches own website

The Cross & Passion College has now launched its own website.

The site includes a blog which will be regularly updated with reports of the many events which make up the rich tapestry of life in the College.

It also incorporates basic information on the College itself, including the Curriculum, a Mission Statement, Staff lists, a school Calendar, Parents and Student Councils, CPC History, Transition Year, and Sports.

The site is still very much in its development stage, and will be considerably extended as time goes on.

The site can be accessed here.

Christmas Cracker boxes

The 'Christmas Cracker' entertainment currently in rehearsal in the Town Hall Theatre has a very expensive set ... or maybe not!



In fact, just three tea-chests are all that will appear on the stage apart from the performers, comprising members of Kilcullen Drama Group and friends. Pictured here are Marlena Healy, Dick Dunphy, Mischa Fekete (producer), and Vivian Clarke.

Should be great.

Brian Byrne.

Ann to keep on tractoring

The woman behind the extraordinarily successful ‘Mac & Norman’s Vintage Rally’ has decided to continue with the event that has raised hundreds of thousands of euros for cancer research.

“I had thought I’d retire from it after this year,” says Ann Sully, of Kennycourt. “But after getting the Kildare Person of the Year nomination, and seeing the success yet again of this year’s event, I can’t really quit now.”

The drive, which brings together an eclectic mix of old and new tractors, vintage and veteran cars and an assortment of motorcycles, this year raised over €41,000 for the Irish Cancer Society. The total raised in the six years of the event now stands at more than €200,000.

“We’re very pleased with the way it went this year, especially given the economic situation,” Ann says. “In fact, I was very surprised at the number of individual donations of €500 which came through.”

The rally is accepted amongst the vintage tractor fraternity as one of the top three of the dozen or so such events which are held around the country every year.

“The people who come to ours might also just do the Hillbillies, or the Glen event, but that’s it. They just like coming to ours.”

Preparations are in train for next year’s rally, which will be held on the 16th of August 2009. It is being envisaged as a Fun Day, with less of an emphasis on getting people involved in its support.

“With the times that are in it, we’ll just have a day out and whatever money we get, that’ll be fine. We don’t want to put any pressure on people.”

In addition to Ann herself, the committee members include her husband Mac, Norman Eagar, John Kennedy, Dermot Fitzgerald, Tommy Dillon and Ger Markey.

The Vintage Drive was originally planned as a once-off to raise funds for cancer research, but then it took a life of its own.

“There’s a lot of work involved, both coming up to it and afterwards, but I get a great buzz out of it. Meeting the same people year after year, we’re all old friends at this stage. And I suppose, since I started driving my own tractor, it keeps me even more involved.”

When a cheque for €41,500 was handed over recently to Kevin Delaney from the Irish Cancer Society, Kevin said that the Tractor Rally was ‘one of the society's biggest fundraisers’ throughout the year.

Brian Byrne.

'Be worried about superdump' - Usk

The Usk & District campaign against the Greenstar ‘superdump’ which recently was given planning permission in their area says Kilcullen people should also be very concerned about it.

“Kilcullen has already suffered for years with the KTK facility to the north of the town, which has just recently closed,” says the campaign’s chairman Pat Higgins. “But if the one in our area goes ahead, Kilcullen is downwind of it and it could be even worse for a long time to come.”

And he described it as ‘arrogance’ that Greenstar had announced the closure of the Silliot Hill facility at the same time claiming they had the Usk facility coming on stream to take over.

“They had to retract that, as we have a judicial review under way against the An Bord Pleanala decision,” he noted.

Meanwhile, following last week’s visit by Fine Gael Leader Enda Kenny to the Usk campaigners, at the behest of Martin Heydon, the local Fine Gael Candidate in next year's County Council elections, the organisation says it has been given a ‘new sense of hope’.

“He’s the first party Leader to come and listen to our plight,” says Pat Higgins. “We’ve been campaigning for eight years, and the local councillors have been very good, but we’ve had no success getting the other politicians ‘on high’ to come down and hear us. Mr Kenny’s visit was a breath of fresh air, and hopefully he’ll be able to bring our situation to some notice.”

Pat Higgins said the Fine Gael Leader clearly outlined the limitations of what he could and couldn’t achieve as a politician in opposition, but he had promised to see what he could do to raise the profile of their case.

“We’re devastated that the situation has reached where it is,” Mr Higgins says. “It has the potential to destroy our community and no one seems to realise that, least of all An Bord Pleanala, who seem to over-rule even their own inspectors. They don’t appear to have any respect for even High Court judges, they seem to be a law unto themselves.”

In 2006 An Bord Pleanala granted permission to Greenstar for the Usk Dump against its own inspector's recommendations, and despite the fact that Kildare County Council had previously nominated a site at Drehid in North Kildare as the location for a new ‘super’ waste facility for the county.

The campaign obtained a successful High Court judicial review of the decision of the Bord. However, following three oral hearings and many deferrals the permission was again granted in August of this year. The campaign now has an application in for another High Court judicial review to be heard in early 2009.

Brian Byrne.

Playground to go to planning

A planning application for the Community Playground is to be lodged soon with Kildare County Council.

JJ Warren told the recent meeting of Kilcullen Community Development that any remaining issues over the project could be 'decided in the planning process'.

He said that concerns raised by the clubs and other organisations around the site of the playground 'are being taken on board' in the application.

He added that there were still issues about ownership of the road through which the new entrance to the Community Centre and the playground will be established. An insurance concern from the developer of the estate which the road accesses was also mentioned.

"We've decided to have it all decided by the planners, otherwise we'll miss a window to move the project on," JJ added.

Brian Byrne.

Fr Andrew back in Ireland

After a year in Rome studying Canon Law, former Kilcullen curate Fr Andrew O’Sullivan is now working in Mount Merrion Parish in Dublin, based in the Church of St Therese.

“My year in Rome was a wonderful experience, and a privilege to have the chance to live in The Vatican,” says Fr Andrew, who served in Kilcullen for seven years up to July 2007.

The Vatican experience also had its challenges, as Fr Andrew was living in a German religious house, and his lectures were in Italian and Latin. So he had a fairly intense language learning experience.

He passed his various examinations on the first year of Canon Law, as well as passing formal examinations in the Italian language.

“But Rome wasn’t for me in the sense that I missed parish life very much, and so asked if I could come back to a parish and continue with my studies in Dublin. In Rome I was basically spending seven days at a desk with books. I like books, but not that much!”

The Archbishop agreed to his return and appointed him in September to Mount Merrion. In addition to his parish duties, he is continuing his HDip in Canon Law at The Milltown Institute.

Brian Byrne.

'Make sure you can vote': KCC

The first obligation to make sure that people are on the Register of Electors is on the electors themselves, Kildare County Council says.

And the Council has appealed to people to make sure for themselves that they are properly on the Electoral Register.

Charlie Talbot says the Council believes the recent Referendum on the Lisbon Treaty did give people an impetus to make sure they were registered, a matter that was encouraged by the Council in a series of initiatives.

These included the identification of housing estates where there were only a small number of people registered and sending letters to the householders who weren’t.

An effort to identify and eliminate duplications in the Electoral Register was also undertaken, partly through establishing the dates of birth of those on the Register. This resulted in the identification of some 1,200 electors who had been registered twice in County Kildare. In addition, forms and posters were sent to the Principals of every second level school in the county to encourage students eligible to vote to actually register.

“We also put Registration Forms with the 500 or so application forms for Higher Education Grants which we sent out earlier this year. And we participate every year in the national advertising campaign in newspapers and on radio to make sure people know they should register.”

The passing of Declan Wall

We have learned with sadness of the untimely death of Declan Wall BL, of Castleknock and formerly Kilgowan.

He will be deeply missed by his wife Fiona, son James, his mother Peggy, mother-in-law Frances, and his sister, brothers, sisters-in-law, brother-in-law, and all his extended family and friends.

Declan is reposing at his sister Annette's residence, Rockmount House, Colbinstown, today.

Removal will take place this (Thursday) evening at 7.15pm to the Church of SS Mary and Lawrence, Crookstown, to arrive at 8 o'clock. Requiem Mass will be celebrated tomorrow (Friday) morning at 11 o'clock and burial will take place immediately afterwards in the adjoining cemetery.

We extend our own condolences to the Wall family, who have been an integral part of the greater Kilcullen area for generations.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.

Credit Union AGM

Kilcullen Credit Union will hold its AGM on Monday next, in the Town Hall Theatre.

All are welcome. There will be refreshments and spot prizes.

Time 8pm.

Nolans win top retail award

Nolans Butchers have received a major national award for their shop, opened just two years ago.



“I didn’t think the year could get any better, with the Transplant Games success and getting engaged, but this is just great,” James Nolan told the Diary today, about topping The FBD Retail Excellence Ireland Awards in the Best Large Store category.

Stressing that it was a win for all the staff, and for his father Andy who ‘built up the business from nothing’, James also said it was a great occasion for Kilcullen business as a whole.

And he noted the other high quality shops which Kilcullen has, including Bernard Berney’s new pharmacy, the traditional Berney Brothers Saddlers, Fallons and Paul’s restaurants, and the new enterprises in town such as several shops on Hillcrest.

“Last year we were in the Top 50 in the competition, and when I accepted the plaque from Miriam O’Callaghan, I told her I’d be back this year and I’d win it,” James grins. “When she handed me the first prize this year, she remembered that.”

Brian Byrne.

(ED: Well done, from the Diary, to all on the team who made it possible, and once again put Kilcullen on the national map.)

Helpers wanted Sunday

Anyone who wants to help out in dismantling the last of the window-boxes on Main Street should turn up on Sunday at 9am.

It's the last of three Sunday morning operations to take down the boxes, which have brightened the town through the summer.

The operation should be completed by 11am.

Getting into balance

Rory O’Toole first got involved in Yoga when it was part of the training programme for a running club he used in the US.

But the sessions he conducts in Kilcullen Parish Centre are not the ‘power yoga’ used in that scenario. What he teaches here is the Hatha variant of the discipline, which he studied at Yoga Therapy Ireland when he came home from America.

Yoga is based on achieving a balance in life, using physical and breathing exercises to get as far as possible to a real equilibrium. It begins with breath work and then you move into postures and put them together to get ready for meditation.

Rory says that not everybody wants to go as far as meditation, but take the relaxation route. Most people taking up yoga are really there to use it to deal with the stresses of modern life

It takes time, and doesn’t work after just a couple of sessions. And Rory encourages people to find 20 minutes in the day to practice. The breathing exercises can be done anywhere, even in a few spare minutes at your desk, or even walking down the street.

Rory’s current seven-week session ends just before Christmas. Further information at 087 1270338.

Brian Byrne.

Another Holy Land trip mooted

Consideration is being given to another Parish Pilgirmage to The Holy Land in 2009.

In order to assess the level of interest, Fr Murphy would like anyone who might like to go to give in their names.

The previous such pilgrimage proved to be both an excellent spiritual experience and most enjoyable.

Scoil Bhride Christmas Fair

A Christmas Fair to raise funds for Scoil Bhride will be held in the school grounds on Sunday 30 November.

This is one of the important fundraisers held during the year to make up the shortfall in providing teaching aids and other resources for the pupils.

It is also a timely opportunity for local parents to beat the credit crunch and pick up some good value bits and pieces for the coming festive season.

The Fair will take place between 12-2.30pm. All welcome.

Lions for Jack & Jill

Kilcullen Lions Club are hosting a Cheese and Wine tasting night on Thursday night, 20 November 20th. There is no admission charge, but donations are welcome and they will be passed on to the Jack and Jill foundation.

There will also be a collection of any unwanted mobile phones and these will be passed on to the Jack and Jill foundation also.

Aside from the cheese and wine there will also be an opportunity to sample the delights of Lily O'Brien chocolates.

Frances Clare.

GAA 'must improve security'

The recent break-in and robbery at Kilcullen GAA Club could mean the club having to spend thousands of euros improving security.

Items of clothing and soft drinks were among things stolen from the new club shop, and there was considerable damage.



Club chairman John Mulhall -- pictured here looking at the wrecked high-security lock forced open during the robbery -- says the club now has to consider a CCTV system and new security lights. The damage caused by the perpetrators of the break-in a couple of weekends ago also had to be repaired.

John estimates that up €6,000 will have been spent when the upgrade is done. In addition, the estimated €2,000 of goods stolen has to be absorbed by the club, as there’s a €5,000 deductible on their insurance policy, meaning that claims under this amount are not entertained.

Brian Byrne.

Wall application in

The application for lowering the wall around the old convent is due for decision by 16 December.

The planning application was lodged to Kildare County Council on 22 October, and details how the wall will be lowered to 800mm high and topped with a railing.

The idea is that it will open to view the parkland area inside the wall, as well as making visible the old convent building.

The project includes making two recessed sections along the front, suitable for inserting seats.

Full information is available by asking to see File Number 081804.

Hitler, Mars bars, and Kilcullen

A village ‘very near’ Kilcullen is the setting for part of a book about a little-remembered episode in post-war Ireland.

The book, ‘Hitler and Mars Bars’, is a fictionalised version of ‘Operation Shamrock’, under which German children were brought to Ireland to take them out of a very difficult situation.

In many cases, when their mothers let them go, they never saw them again.

Author Dianne Ascroft, a Canadian now living in Co Fermanagh, used The Model School in Athy as one location, because one of the real children on which she based the book went to school there.

He also lived in a rural setting near a small village ‘not far’ from Kilcullen, she says.

The fictional character in the book, Erich, is really an amalgam of stories of many of the children who were brought here after the war.

‘Hitler and Mars Bars’ is the story of Erich's journey to manhood, from a Children's Home near Essen in Germany through a new life in Ireland. His brother Hans comes too, but they live with different foster families.

“The book came out of an exercise for a writing group, which I subsequently completed for ‘Ireland’s Own’ magazine,” Dianne says. “I developed it as a fiction book because it was probably a better way to show the different experiences of various people involved in ‘Shamrock’.”

The book is available in local bookshops such as the Athy Heritage Centre, Easons at the Whitewater Shopping Centre, or from Trafford Publishing.

Brian Byrne.

Remembering 'The Boyfriend'

The transition year students of Cross and Passion College recently took part in the annual musical which this year was ‘The Boyfriend’. Everybody in the year was heavily involved in one way or another and their contribution was greatly appreciated. Along with Miss Byrne, Phionagh Gibson, Brian Brady, Anne O’ Connell, staff members and all the students, the musical was a fantastic success and shall be remembered for a long time to come.



At the start of the play we were introduced to Hortense (Zainab Afolabi), a French maid, who works for Madame Dubonnet (Fiona Murphy) in the Villa Caprice, a school for young ladies. Mme Dubonnet is the headmistress. Maisie (Ellie McMahon), Fay (Niamh Corrigan), Nancy (Fiona Shirran) and Dulcie (Orna Whyte) are very excited about the carnival Ball and have just returned to the Villa having collected their costumes for the ball at Monsieur Gasten’s.

Polly Browne (Lisa Kennedy) is the only girl who dosen’t seem to have a boyfriend - so she invents one and pretends to get letters from him. However, the messenger boy from Gaston’s arrives with the costume for Polly Browne and when they meet – it’s love at first sight.

When Percival Browne, Polly’s father (Chris Walsh), arrives at the school, Mme Dubonnet remembers that he and she had had a fling together in their youth. At first Percival is rather embarrassed but Mme. Dubonnet’s charm wins him over. Hortense finds Polly and Tony together, but promises not to tell Mme Dubonnet. Lord and Lady Brockhurst (Jack Rigby & Lorraine Clarke) are on holiday in Nice and soon discover their son Tony .

Towards the end of the Carnival Ball, all the troubles of the day seem to be sorted out and as Mme. Dubonnet says, ‘La, la, it seems that love is in the air to-night’. Each member of the cast put a huge effort into the production, doing their best in order to make the show as enjoyable and as fun as could be. We think it is fair to say that they accomplished that!

Everyone in 4th year undertook a job in relation to the production. Jobs included set design, stage management, programme, costume and make-up, props, ticket selling, front of house and building the set. All of these jobs were done and fulfilled by everyone involved to an exceptional standard. They not only worked hard but they enjoyed it and had fun and without them it would not have been able to be staged.

Each show began on the dot at 8 o’clock and was finished by 9.45 pm. An interval took place for 15 minutes during which a tuck shop was in operation and raffle tickets were sold. We would like to thank anyone who donated spot prizes to the raffles. It is most definitely appreciated!

The experience of taking part in the show was great and everyone is truly delighted on how well it was performed by the cast and all the dancers. Each night the cast and dancers performed to a packed hall boosting confidence within themselves to do better than the last time. ‘The Boyfriend’ will live on for a long time to come.

Ellen Kelly and Carmen Lau.

FG Leader visits Usk

Fine Gael Leader Enda Kenny paid a visit to the site of the proposed 'superdump' at Usk last week, and promised that he would do what he could to highlight the plight of local residents.

Mr Kenny was there at the behest of local authority elections FG candidate Martin Heydon, who will be contesting in Kildare South.

Afterwards, noting that Mr Kenny was the first party Leader to visit the campaigners against the waste facility, campaign chairman Pat Higgins said the visit had given them 'new hope'.

The campaign has succeeded in getting another judicial review of the recent An Bord Pleanala decision to locate the dump at Usk.

Cancer rally raises €41,500

For the sixth successive year Mac and Norman's Vintage Tractor rally has raised a very substantial sum for the Irish Cancer Society.



A cheque for €41,500 was handed over to Kevin Delaney from the society on Saturday night last in the Stray Inn. In accepting the cheque, Kevin said that the Tractor Rally was one of the society's biggest fundraisers throughout the year.

The cheque was presented by Ann Sully who just a week previously was among those nominated for the Kildare Person of the Year Award because of her work in helping to organise the rally.

Noel Clare.

Electoral Register

Just a clarification on the state of the local Electoral Register. In case it might have been thought from our previous post that it contains significant errors, our librarian Julie O'Donoghue would just like to point out that there ARE errors, but the Register is substantially correct.

It can be viewed in the Library, and also checked on www.checktheregister.ie

Youth Pastoral Forum

The parish is looking at the possibility of setting up a Youth Pastoral Forum.

Parish priest Fr Michael Murphy has asked that any young people between the ages of 16-35 who would be interested in participating should give their names to one of the priests of the parish.

An outline of the proposed forum was given at masses today.

Christmas tree for town

Jim Collins is to sponsor a Christmas tree for Kilcullen, which will be located in the market square.

This was revealed at the recent meeting of Kilcullen Community Action, where those present heard the cost will come out of donations made at Jim's recent 70th birthday party. Instead of presents, Jim said that he'd accept contributions towards the upkeep of The Valley Park and similar community work.

The last time there was a town Christmas Tree was before the Heritage Centre was built. It was won on Joe Duffy's 'Liveline' by Phil and Una McGrath, and presented to the town. It was set up beside the Town Hall Theatre, where the Heritage Centre is now located.

Race Night tonight

A Race Night in aid of Brannoxtown NS will be held tonight in The Spout.

A great night is promised. Everybody welcome.

Tidy Towns winners

The recent local winners of Tidy Towns Awards on Kilcullen’s Community Awards Night were as follows:

Jim Roche Cup – Best Community/Public Facilities: Kilcullen Canoe Club.

Brendan Dowling Cup – Best Business Premises: Bernard Berney’s Pharmacy.

Byrne Cup – Landscape Award: Conroy Park

Jerry Kelly Memorial Trophy – Best Large Estate: Laurel Wood.

Best Small Estate: Cnoc Na Greine Woods.

Most Improved Estate: Lui Na Greine.

Best Green Area: Moanbane Park.

Most Improved Premises: The medical Centre.

Best Commercial Premises: Downey’s Gates & Paving.

Best Window Display: Ger's Vegetable Shop, Mini Me Boutique.

Break-ins at GAA, Community Centre

Kilcullen GAA Club and the Community Centre were broken into at the weekend, and the GAA lost several items of sports clothing from its shop as well as suffering damage.

Gardai are investigating, and have taken fingerprints from the GAA shop.

The incidents happened late Sunday night or early Monday morning.

No Comment

Dump review fashion show

A fundraising Fashion Show is being run by the Usk & District Association, at Toughers in Naas, on Thursday 20 November.

The funds raised will be used towards the cost of a High Court judicial review which the association has asked for in relation to the granting of planning permission for a 'superdump' in the area.

The tickets, at €20 each, can be booked by phoning 087 7450703 or 087 6182213.

Lights targeted by sad vandals

The small minority who don't appreciate where they are and the community in which they live were again active during last weekend.



This time they targeted the pedestrian traffic lights outside Scoil Bhride, making things not just more difficult for those who need to use them, but also potentially much more dangerous.

Further comment is probably superfluous, but they're sad people, aren't they?

Brian Byrne.

Diary date for 'Miscellany'

Our annual 'Miscellany on Sunday' fundraiser for the Michael Garry House shelter for homeless people in Newbridge takes place on Sunday 30 November, between 2.30-6pm.

As always it will be hosted at our home in Mooretown, on the Kilcullen-Athy road, three miles from Kilcullen.

Entertainment will be provided by Kilcullen Drama Group, Denise Healy -- the Kildare Rose of Tralee -- Ludhaidh Moran, Philomena Breslin, Phil ODonnell, Aoife Kelly, Dorley O'Sullivan's classical musicians, Roy Thompson, Clifford Meenehan, Michael Barry, Jo Doyle, Nessa Dunlea, Andrew Buchanan, Dick Jeffers, Annie Morris and many more.

The afternoon of music, readings, song, and recitation can be enjoyed with mulled wine and mince pies, and tea, coffee, and minerals will also be available.

Please come and support this worthy local charity. If you don't know us, don't let that stop you, you may that friend we haven't met yet. Feel free to stay 5-10 minutes or all afternoon -- people drop in and out all the time. Balloons and posters will identify the house and you can park your car inside.

Phena Bermingham.

Check your electoral register

Our town librarian, Julie O'Donoghue, has asked us to let people know that the Draft Register of Electors is available for consultation in the library and that changes need to made before November 25th.

"So far, there seems to be many incorrect entries so it is in everyone's interest to check their own information," she says.

Don't say you didn't know.

Brian Byrne.

Christmas lights plan

Planning is now well under way for the Kilcullen Christmas lights, which are organised by Kilcullen Community Action.

The lights this year will use low-energy LED systems, which will also offer more interesting designs of 'profiles' -- the seasonal shapes which are fixed to buildings.

KCA members are themselves making the profiles this year, a number of which have already received commitments of sponsorship from local businesses.

"We're aiming to have 12 or 14 profiles in all," says JJ Warren, who is managing the operation.

In addition, it is planned that star-shaped profiles will be made for the bridge, to be placed where the flower baskets hung during the summer.

Last night's KCA meeting also heard that a sponsorship offer has been received for a large Christmas tree in the Market Square.

Brian Byrne.

Mass for the Dead reminder

A reminder that the annual Mass for the Dead of the parish is being organised by the Kilcullen Bethany Bereavement Group for this Friday 7 November.

The time is 7.30pm, and there will be refreshments afterwards in Kilcullen Parish Centre.

All are welcome to attend, especially those who have had bereavements in their families over the last year.

Christmas Crackers 'explained'

Now that the ‘Celtic Tiger’ is dead. (May he rest in Peace) What we really need is something to dispel all the doom and gloom, something to distract us from banks in crisis, stock markets in free fall, government in disarray and old age pensioners in revolt.

As luck would have it, I have just the thing. No it’s not a general election, its not a Novena of prayer (though, I think, that might help), its not a cholesterol lowering drug, which now seems to be a panacea to cure all ills”. What is it?” I hear you cry in anguished tones.

Well I’ll tell you and please don’t laugh, at least not yet, the Kilcullen Drama Group and friends are presenting a Christmas show on Friday 5th Dec and Sat 6th Dec, in the Town Hall, which will brighten your spirits, lighten your heart and much more….. (Read on)…

The show examines how Christmas is experienced in quite a different way by different people, the down-and-outs in New York, the farming community in Monaghan, the more affluent people in Dublin 4 and it demonstrates how Christmas can be a life-changing experience for those who embrace its message. “Ok”, I hear you say again…. (I’m hearing a lot of voices in my head recently)…..!!!.. “But how can two hours of comedy, music and drama, dispel the gloom brought about by the prospect of years of economic recession?” The truth is, its not the show that will work this magic, it is our coming together to support this small event which clearly shows our regard and support for one another, our oneness, our joy in community, our ability to have fun together and the certainty that, in straightened economic circumstances, the focus changes to more important human interactions to the benefit of us all. I’m not saying that the recession is a good thing but, it has its upside.

This is amazing, what started off as a promotional piece for a show in the Town Hall wound up as a philosophical dissertation on the spiritual meaning of the current economic crisis. That’s what happens when you give your PR job to a man who hears voices in his head!

Basically, what I was asked to do was, tell the general public that there will be a show in The Town Hall, for two nights only, on Friday 5th Dec and Sat 6th Dec, proceeds from which will go to the St Brigid’s Cemetery Fund. Tickets may be booked at Bernard Berney’s Chemist. Truthfully and regretfully I can say; “if you don’t book early you wont get in.”

We would love to do this show for a week but that is just not possible. I hope to see you there and together we will proclaim that Kilcullen understands there are more important things in life than foreign holidays, expensive cars, golf clubs, nights-on-the-town. There is friendship, community spirit, caring and love, and that’s why they called their show, “A Christmas Cracker”

Maybe they should have called it, “Christmas, Crackers!!!!!!”

(The Voices.)

KTK finishes landfill

The level of truck traffic through Kilcullen should be substantially reduced following the closure of landfill operations at the KTK facility.

The facility was opened in 1999 and is now full. After a three year period of restoration, the site will be restored to agricultural use.

More than €250,000 was donated to local community projects by the operators Greenstar over the life of the facility.

CPC hosting public speaking heat

Three students from CPC Transition Year, Jamie Pounch, Brogan Breathnach Jones and Kate Hennessy will represent the school in The National Forum on Europe Public Speaking Competition.

Our question ‘Should the European Union take the Lead on Climate Change?’ is of great interest to us all.

The students are working very hard with their coach Des Groome and will compete in the County Kildare Heat on 6th November. The competition is being hosted by CPC.

Jude Harkin.

Great Moon & Sixpence NY gigs

Local band The Moon and Sixpence are no strangers to fund-raising, having done much of it during their 12 year existence, throughout Kildare and beyond. My dad, Des Byrne, was a founder member of the band and had always dreamed of playing a gig in New York. Unfortunately Des passed away three years ago, but Friday 17th and Saturday 18th of October this year saw his dream come true as The Moon and Sixpence played a pair of gigs in the Irish Arts Centre in New York.

The performances came about through another local connection. Des was previously proprietor of the Hideout pub in Kilcullen, which was for many years the home of Dan Donnelly's arm. As reported previously in the Bridge, Dan Donnelly's arm has been part of an exhibition of Irish boxing called 'Fighting Irishmen'. This exhibition was organised by Jim Houlihan, curator of of the Irish Arts Centre, in conjunction with Josephine Byrne, and has been on display in a number of venues in New York and Boston. Upon hearing about Des's dream, Jim very kindly offered to organise for the band to play at the IAC.

The band played to about 100 people each night, raising $25,000 for the IAC in the process. The performances were attended by a number of prominent members of the Irish-American community in New York, including the Irish Ambassador to the United Nations Paul Kavanagh (who generously hosted the band at a reception at his home on the Sunday following the gigs). The reception was rapturous on both nights, with dancing in the aisles and much singing along. Josephine Byrne also attended, as well as a number of local 'groupies', including Nessa Dunlea and Vourneen McGeogh. Those attending the gigs were also treated to an exhibition of photography by world famous Athy-born photographer John Minihan, featuring photographs of senior citizens who had emigrated from Ireland to the US.

A great time was had by all of the travelling group. I would like to thank Jim and all at the Irish Arts Centre, as well as the band, for helping to make Des's dream come true.

Daragh Byrne.

Kilcullen to the fore at CU celebrations

Kilcullen was well represented at the recent 40th anniversary celebrations of Chapter 7 of the Irish League of Credit Unions, held in Monasterevin.



Not alone is the current chairman of that regional group of the Credit Union movement, Pat Goulding, a stalwart of Kilcullen's branch of the organisation, but Christy Sheridan, one of Kilcullen's founder members, was among those given special commendation for his work at local, regional and national level.

A strong Kilcullen supporting contingent at the event was led by current local chairman Pat Stafford and his wife Bernadette.

In his address, Pat Goulding recalled that in the year when Chapter 7 was founded, Martin Luther King had been assasinated, the forerunner of VAT, Turnover Tax, was 2.5 percent, and that he was working in Naas for £3.10s a week.

Reading from the Minutes of the first Chapter meeting, he noted that four Credit Unions from the area were represented, Athy, Kildare, Naas and Edenderry.

Over the four decades, the Chapter evolved and played a very important role in the Irish League of Credit Unions, including providing League Board Directors in Christy Sheridan and James Kevin, and the first woman President of the organisation, the late Anne O'Byrne.

He quoted from John Hume, who is on record as saying the Credit Union movement has done more for the people of Ireland than any other organisation.

On this occasion of celebration for Chapter 7, Pat reiterated his own belief in the importance of Chapter to the Credit Union movement, as a place where groups involved can share ideas for the betterment of each other.



"Now in 2008 we have 17 Credit Unions in Chapter 7," he noted, "with over 100,000 members, and assets of €500m. That shows how far we've come."

He concluded by thanking all those who 'sowed the seed' of Credit Union in Ireland 50 years ago.

Brian Byrne.

Sod turned in the snow

As all of us living here know, yesterday was a bit of a cold shocker weatherwise, with the first snow in October for many years making it pretty miserable outdoors.



However, the snow didn't stop the turning of the sod for the new Sacred Space project in Cross & Passion College. Braving the elements here are Paul Tyrrell, CPC Principal; Sr Anne; project manager JJ Warren, and Sr Maura.

Brian Byrne.

Review: The Broken Window

The Broken Window. Jeffery Deaver. Detective thriller.

It's been a while since I did a review, but that doesn't mean I haven't been reading. Just too many other things on my plate to write about them. But in stolen time I've just finished another Jeffery Deaver thriller. It was, typically from Deaver, the kind of yarn that grips, and I took every opportunity to read on. And of the half dozen or so books I've read in the last month, it was truly the most thought-provoking.

It features the writer's paraplegic hero, the gruff Lincoln Rhyme, and his associate and lover Amelia Sachs. A serial killer who frames others for his crimes is at the core of the story, and Deaver exploits well the technique of telling 'around' the most grisly bits, making them through imagination even more terrifying.

The story moves fast, leaving the detectives playing catch-up for a while until they suddenly start to see a shape to the pattern of their unknown activities. But what really grabs us by the scruff is the background story, how the killer learns so much about his victims and those he's using to frame them. And ultimately to deal with his pursuers.

It's all based around the fact that these days everything we do leaves a trail somewhere, and everywhere there are people harvesting -- 'mining' -- data about us. Storing it, analysing it, using it to check our histories and predict our futures. Believe me, as Deaver writes it, things are much more chilling than Orwell's '1984' ever suggested.

Read this for two stories, the thriller and the information age chiller. I guarantee you won't be able to put it down. And whenever you do, you'll not be able to avoid the feeling you're being watched.

When it's true, it isn't paranoia.

Brian Byrne.

More food at Bardons

At the historic Bardons Pub, owner Eddie Cross is to extend the lunchtime food business he has been developing since the summer, until 8.30pm each evening.



In addition, food will also now be available on Saturdays, to cater for the shoppers in town to get their weekend provisions.

“It will be different from our lunch menu, but not into the heavy meals end of things,” says Eddie, who has owned the former hotel for five years and has invested significant funds in its refurbishment and development.

“We’re looking at options like Beef & Guinness Casserole, Steak Sandwich, Home-made Burgers, salads and snacks. I’m thinking of the commuters who get back into town around six or seven in the evening, and maybe want to go out for something inexpensive and unwind.”

With two full restaurants already in Kilcullen -- Fallon’s and Paul’s -- Eddie has no wish to go head to head in an area already well catered for.

“At the end of the the day, we’re a pub first. That’s what we have built up, and what will always be our priority.”

That said, the reaction to the lunch operation in Bardons has been very good, with appreciative customers coming in from local offices, other businesses, and teachers from the schools.

The chef at Bardons is Ellen O’Driscoll, originally from Cobh where she trained at the famous Trade Winds Restaurant. Up at this end of the country she has worked in The Thatch in Ballymore and Monread Lodge.

Brian Byrne.

More on Tom's 80th

When popular local man Tom Healy was given an 80th birthday celebration with family and friends recently at his home, St Martin’s, Hillside, he expressed his ‘delight and sense of fulfillment’ in being able to have children and grandchildren there to share his celebration.



“Pride is known as one of the seven deadly sins,” he said, “but I must confess to some pride in my family -- you gathered here. You have fulfilled in your lives many of the ambitions I did not dare to entertain in my own early lifetime.”

He also spoke of his appreciation of good fortune derived from the close association he had enjoyed with the Berney family, which has added considerably to the enhancement of his lifetime.

“My family in turn are lucky and blessed to have experienced and adopted many of the values inculcated by the Berney grandparents -- particularly a sense of altruism, which quality has become somewhat rare in the society of today.”

Tom recalled many clear memories, even from his early childhood growing up in Blessington. Among these was, at the age of three years and ten months, hearing John McCormack sing the Panis Angelicus from the high altar during the official ceremonies of the Eucharistic Congress in the Phoenix Park in Dublin.

Another recollection was of journeys on the Blessington Steam Tram -- subsequently taken out of service in late 1932. “The roadway accommodating the tram was sometimes referred to as ‘the longest graveyard in the world’ because of memorials by the
wayside commemorating those killed by this steam tram.”

As a young man, Tom played a lot of GAA, and was also a Table Tennis Champion in UCD and County Kildare.

Tom studied at UCD’s College of Engineering, and subsequently worked as a Junior Engineer with Kildare County Council. After that he spent 27 years with the Valuation Office, the independent state body which provides property valuing services to local authorities. He was made a Fellow of the Institute of Engineers in ireland in the 1980s.

Tom and Lilian’s children are John (deceased), Tom, Marie, Bernard and James.

Brian Byrne.

Think about unsightly wires

Now that Kilcullen has improved its tidiness situation, with the help of Kildare County Council, some residents and businesspeople think that something should be done about the tangle of overhead wires which blight the streetscape.

“It’s time the matter was looked at, and plans made to deal with it,” says local estate agent John Fitzsimons. “Kilcullen has all the elements of being a really pretty place, but the wires take substantially from it.”

Pat McEvoy from the ESB says that in general terms, the local authority and the ESB would run a joint venture in putting electric wires underground in any town.

“The ESB would do the design for the underground network, while the local authority would deal with the way-leaves for the premises affected, which would have mini-pillars in front of their property instead of tall poles.”

The cost of the installation would be carried by the local authority. Some grant aid is available from the Department of the Environment towards the costs, which would be substantial.

However, the benefits of putting the wires underground are very visible in towns such as Portlaoise, Abbeyleix, Mountmellick and Durrow.

Putting electricity wires underground also means that public lighting standards can be stylish and attractive, instead of having lights ‘tacked on’ to unsightly ESB poles.

In these straitened times it is unlikely to be something which could happen soon.

“But times will get better, and at least there should be some planning done, and costs worked out,” says John Fitzsimons.

In the first instance, a community group has to approach Kildare County Council to look for a scheme. Then the ESB would do a plan and provide its own costs, an exercise that doesn’t cost anything.

Brian Byrne.

Community Awards, a great night

Well, it was a really great night in the Heritage Centre when the annuall Community Awards were handed out last evening.



Your editor is under a bit of pressure this morning, so we'll get to reports and captions later. But enjoy the slide-show anyhow.

Library computerised

Kilcullen’s Branch Library, which has recently been substantially extended, is now part of the county-wide computer system in the Kildare Library Service.

The system means the end of the old ticket regime in the Library, replaced by a bar-code card which is provided to each member.

“Now Kilcullen Library members can take out as many as 10 books at a time,” says Librarian Julie O’Donoghue. “It also allows them to access on the Internet the Library Service database and see where any particular book is available, and they can order it on-line.”

Of course, it also means that Julie can more easily keep track of books that are out on loan from Kilcullen, so helping to keep the inflows and outflows in better control.

Community Awards tonight

The annual Community Awards event will take place in the Heritage Centre tonight.

The awards are operated by Kilcullen Community Action and are designed to show appreciation for community effort over the year, especially in the area of Tidy Towns.

Awards will be presented for a number of categories, including Best Large Estate, Best Small Estate, Best Green Area, Best Landscape, Best Business Premises, Most Improved Business Premises, Best Commercial Premises, Best Window Display, Best Community/Public Facilities, and Best Apartments.

In addition, nominations have been given in for a number of Community Awards, which are given to groups and individuals who have contributed significantly to the life of Kilcullen.

All are welcome to the Awards event.

Next CPC Car Boot Sale

Just to give people plenty of notice so that they can clear out their attics, garages, etc, the next car boot sale in aid of the Cross and Passion Parents Association, Kilcullen, will be held in the car park of the College on Sunday, 2nd November, 11am-3pm. Cars €10, Vans €15.

Walk postponed, but breakfast served

The bad weather this morning caused the postponement of the planned annual charity walk by St Joseph's NS pupils from Old Kilcullen to the school. But their 5th and 6th classmates nevertheless went ahead with the traditional breakfast.



The walk itself will take place tomorrow. The funds are in aid of Barretstown. Meantime, enjoy the pictures.

Pastoral Council elections

Parishioners have been invited to submit nominations for six places on the Parish Pastoral Council.

The current council was appointed for a three-year term in November 2005, and is now to be replaced.

There are 14 members, 12 lay people and two priests. Six of the lay people are elected by nomination and voting (if more than six are nominated) and the others selected selected to ensure a good balance of age, gender and area representation.

Any parishioner who is eighteen years of age or more is eligible for nomination and election, and that includes any existing member of the pastoral council. Parishioners can nominate themselves.

The latest date for nominations is Sunday 2 November, and nomination forms are available in Kilcullen and Gormanstown churches.

The Boyfriend at CPC

The musical produced this year by the Transition Year students in CPC got under way last night. Here's a slide-show of pictures taken before the performance.



We'll get a review later. There are performances tonight and tomorrow night.

Christmas Cracker

Due to difficulties in casting, a proposed farce for Kilcullen Drama Group's winter production has been abandoned. Instead, the group will work with other local entertainers and artists to produce a 'Christmas Cracker' revue, scheduled for performance in early December.

More news later.

Community Awards Friday night

The Annual Community Awards Night hosted by Kilcullen Community Action takes place on Friday, 24th October at 8pm in the Town Hall, Kilcullen.

Tidy Towns Awards includes those for Best Estate and Best Business and presentations will also be made to a number of local people who have made a significant contribution to their community over the past year or number of years.

Certificates will also be presented to those in each estate who have helped in any way to bring about improvements which may have contributed to the Tidy Towns effort.

This is an open event and all are welcome.

Orla O'Neill.

Church Car Park deal mooted

A proposed deal involving the existing Church Car Park could solve a number of problems relating to the facility, as well as providing the Parish with a source of income.

The deal, with the owner of the adjoining undeveloped property between the car park and the Hideout, would involve the creation of a new 55-spaces Church Car Park behind the Parish House, and give the Parish a 2,800 sq m retail unit within a new development.

In return, the Parish would give the existing car park to the landowner, to facilitate a more efficient use of the combined land.



The existing car park has 70 spaces, but this is both more than required and needs expensive proper surfacing and landscaping, at a cost beyond the resources of the Parish.

Inability to secure the area has also given rise to anti-social behaviour at night. The new car park would be properly surfaced and secure.

Plans for the proposal, which is subject to planning permission, are on view in the Parish Centre. Full details are also on the Parish Website.

Brian Byrne.

Credit Union celebration

A group from Kilcullen Credit Union travelled to Monasterevin last night for the 40th Anniversary celebrations of Chapter 7 of the Irish League of Credit Unions. Some are pictured here with Pat Goulding, chairman of Chapter 7.



Absent from the picture are Pat and Bernadette Stafford, who also attended.

Brian Byrne.

Writers meet next Monday

The Kilcullen Writers Group meets again on Monday next, October 20.

The format for the sessions, which are held in An Tearman, has changed for this year. Instead of concentrating on writing exercises, participants are being encouraged to bring in their own work for presentation and discussion.



"We're two and a half years in existence now, and we feel the group is mature enough to have gone beyond the basic exercises stage," says Pauline Fagan, chairman of the KWG. "Most members are actively writing by now, and the meetings would be more useful as opportunities to bring this work to a forum where advice on improvement can be found."

The meetings start at 8pm, and new members are always welcome.

Over the last couple of years, the group has organised workshops on poetry and story-writing, as well as hosting two reading nights in the Town Hall Theatre in association with groups from Newbridge, Naas and Clane.

Brian Byrne.

CPC Produces 'The Boyfriend'

The annual musical from the Transition Year in CPC will have a three night run from next Tuesday, 21 October. This time it is 'The Boyfriend'.



The story itself is set in a school for young ladies and is run by Madame Dubonnet, the headmistress (Fiona Murphy). The girls attending the school include Maisie (Ellie McMahon), Fay (Niamh Corrigan), Dulcie (Orna Whyte) and Nancy (Fiona Shirran). They are excited due to a ball that is taking place Monsieur Gaston’s palace.

All the girls have a boy to accompany them to the ball yet Polly Browne (Lisa Kennedy) is the only one who hasn’t a boyfriend. So in desperate need of a partner, she invents a boyfriend and pretends to get letters from him. However, it is not until she meets the messenger boy, Tony (Jack Scullion) from Gaston’s palace, that she realises that it's love at first sight and that she may have found a boyfriend.

The show is directed by Lucy Byrne, choreographed by Anne O’ Connell, the musical director is Brian Brady and the singing director is Phionagh Gibson. The show starts each night at 8pm and tickets are priced at €15 for Tuesday and Wednesday shows and €20 for Thursday night shows. Tickets are available from the school (045 481524).

Jude Harkin.

'Miscellany' date set

The annual Miscellany on Sunday fundraising afternoon hosted by Tom and Phena Bermingham will take place this year on Sunday November 30.



The event, held at their home in Mooretown, has raised many thousands of euro for the Michael Garry House hostel for the homeless in Newbridge.

It brings together hundreds of local people, who come along to Tom and Phena's for chat and entertainment by a wide range of entertainers (above) from the area.

Brian Byrne.

Church painting complete

A repainting of Kilcullen's Parish Church is almost complete, and weekday masses have resumed in the church.

During the painting project, weekday masses were held in the Parish Centre.

Fr Michael Murphy PP says that when the bills for all the work are paid the parish purse 'will be quite empty'. "Of course, it is all money well spent, but we are going to have to engage in some serious fundraising for the parish to build up our funds again so that we can continue to implement our five-year Pastoral Development Plan for the parish."

A day on Dun Ailinne

If there was any doubt about the interest local people have in the heritage of Kilcullen, it was definitely dispelled during a recent guided walk on Dun Ailinne, the ancient royal site a few kilometres outside the town.



A large crowd turned up in the afternoon to walk up the hill, courtesy of the landowners Robert and Adrienne Thompson.

Dun Ailinne is ranked in archaeological importance with Tara, Knoc Cruachain (Co Roscommon), and Amhain Macha (Navan Fort, Armagh) although it has never received the same public attention because it is on private land.

The site was the subject of intensive excavations during the 1960s and 1970s, by Professor Bernard Wailes of the University of Pennsylvania. He revisited the site during this summer past to mark the opening of an interpretive park in Kilcullen relating to the hill. Other more recent investigations Dr Susan Johnston, Professor of Anthropology at George Washington University, have mapped about 25 percent of the site and revealed the existence of other ancient elements under the ground.

Dun Ailinne is the largest pre-Norman earthen enclosure in Ireland, covering some 44 acres. The ditch or 'henge' which circumscribes it is the best preserved and largest such feature in Ireland.

Giving the talk to those on the hill recently, local historian Des Travers suggested that from a tower-like structure which was erected on the apex of the hill around 100BC, it could be possible to observe the Royal Site of Tara 50 kms away.

"There is much evidence of fires being lit at the base of the tower and these fires occurred with greater frequency and intensity than anywere else within the royal site," he notes. "It could be presumed that signalling by fire is likely to have occurred at both sites."

He also poses what he terms as 'unresolved questions' regarding Dun Ailinne. "How did a society then succeed in excavating 30,000 tons of rock and shale to create the ditch around the site, for instance?" he asks.

Local environmental geophysics graduate Alan Corcoran spoke about recent investigations he carried out using magnetic gradiometer equipment. Warning that his methods were 'highly interpretive', he nevertheless made images which indicated ancient ploughlines and circular structures under the modern topography.

"I believe a wealth of archaeology is still to be found around Dun Ailinne," he says.

In addition to the many local Kilcullen people, a contingent from the County Kildare Federation of Local History Societies also visited Dun Ailinne later in the afternoon, following their annual seminar held in the Kilcullen Heritage Centre.

The walk was organised by Kilcullen Community Action.

Brian Byrne.

Tom Healy celebrates 80th

Tom Healy of Hillside celebrated his 80th birthday last night with family and friends. Below is a slide show of the event, pictures courtesy of James Healy.



We'll put words to the event later.

Cemetery fund grows

The fundraising for the tarmacadam work at New Abbey Cemetery has now reached around €12,000. Here are some pix from last night's Table Quiz in The Stray Inn.

Early Confirmations next year

Confirmations in Kilcullen parish will take place very early next year, with the date set for 28 January 2009.

There are approximately 80 candidates for Confirmation, and the event will be held in both Kilcullen and Gormanstown churches on the same day.

There are also around 80 candidates for First Communion in Kilcullen Parish for next year.

CPR in CPC

You're never too young to learn how to save a life. And it could be a schoolmate's.



That's one thought behind a series of training in emergency resusitation being offered to Transition Year students at the Cross & Passion College.

In the two-hour sessions, students are told the basics of how to assess and provide first responder service to anyone who suddenly collapses. Then they get first-hand practice in the use of a defibrillator.

The instructors involved in the CPC programme are Esther Kiely and Ann Bathe from Kilcullen First Responders (KFR), with Rob O'Brien of the Ambulance Service, Garret Skerrit --- pictured above demonstrating demonstrating the use of the defibrillator -- and Pat Behan from Calverstown Responders.

Kilcullen Lions Club has supported the purchase of defibrillators for Kilcullen First Responders, and CPC is shortly to purchase its own to have one readily available in the school.

The next sessions will be held on 8 October and the final one on 15 October.

Parish business administrator

A proposal that a part-time Pastoral Assistant for Administration be provided to help with the running of Kilcullen parish has been made by parish priest Fr Michael Murphy.

Noting that during the next ten to 15 years, the number of priests working in the Archdiocese of Dublin will be less than half those here now, he said it is nevertheless hoped that there will still be a priest available 'in some capacity' to every parish.

Fr Murphy is proposing the employment of a Pastoral Assistant for Administration as a pilot project, part-time, for one year, so as to enable the priest to function for the purpose for which he was ordained.

"The problem is funding," he said at a recent mass. "If anyone has any ideas on how to fund such a person for one year please let us know."

Central location for Carry Out

With their classy new sign above the shop, the new Carry Out off-licence being operated by Paddy and Christine Nugent in Market Square now fits in well in the scheme.

Having had their eye on the location for some time, Paddy and Christine figure its the best site in town for the franchise supported by Galvins of Cork.

Being right beside Paul's Restaurant is another plus, as customers who are into good wines will be regularly passing the door.

But the Carry Out has something for everyone, and Paddy says they hope to get a sense over time of the range of tastes of local people.

Brian Byrne.

Jobs Club

The Kildare Jobs Club offers free training and support with CVs, Cover Letters, filling out Application Forms and in Interview Techniques.

The courses are aimed at people who either want to return to work or break out of unemployment.

The Club is operated by the County Kildare LESN and in addition to providing a focus for people who either want to go for further education, or find jobs suited to their current level of education, it is also useful to lone parents and school leavers.

Phone 045 522900 522821 for further information.

Organic guide

A publication of interest to everyone who likes good food, The Organic Guide to Ireland, has been published.

It was edited by Kilcullen-born Marella Fyffe, who now lives in Omagh where she runs an eco-friendly hostel with her husband Bill.

The Guide is the definitive guide to Licensed Organic Products & Services for sale to the public on the Island of Ireland. All listed organisations are certified organic. The Guide also features a Business-Business organic marketplace.

Details are available here.

Badminton time changed

Kilcullen Badminton Club has made a change to its weekend timing for Juveniles.

The session is still at the Complex on Saturday mornings but has moved to the earlier time of 10am to midday.

Meanwhile, there will be no Thursday session this week, as the hall is being used by the Blood Donor Service.

(From the club's website.)

It Says in The Bridge: Oct 08

A couple of congratulations stories make the front page of the October Bridge, which is a nice way to face into the winter. The first is to the Kilcullen U16 Gaelic squad, which won the County Final in Newbridge. The second is for Ann Sully from Kennycourt who has been nominated for the Kildare Person of the Year Award for her work in helping to organise the Mac & Norman Vintage Rally, which has raised €212,000 for the Irish Cancer Society.

Inside, there's considerable food for thought in the full reports from the 2008 National Tidy Towns Competition, for Kilcullen, Brannockstown, and Calverstown. Too much to mention here, but there are strong positive conclusions for all.

Much space is also given over to the success of the Ladies Mini Marathon effort for the Punchestown Kidney Research Fund, including a report from Phena Bermingham and a letter of thanks from PKRF founder James Nolan. James also contributes an article of recollection from the recent Transplant Games in Germany, in which he makes the point that for most contenders, medals were secondary to the fact that they 'had won their own personal race just by being there'.

Reaching the Big Seven-Oh is also winning an important lap in the race of life, and there's a double spread on the surprise party held for him in Markeys to show community appreciation for his work for Kilcullen and Brannockstown over many of those seven decades.

There are the usual full sets of pages from the local schools, now well bedded in for the new school year. And the usual writing suspects are back in harness, with Billy Redmond musing on GAA, the national pay talks, and the current financial crisis. Sean Landers writes on a Taiwan mix of subjects, including a local penchant for people to have an English name as well as their given one. Robert Dunlop writes on how important the light of day is to us, against so many dark-filled nights.

Finally, we take the liberty of republishing one of the contributions to this month's 'Spout' page of local writing. It is a poem, The Tree's Story by Daniella Traynor of Sixth Class in Brannockstown NS.

I was a lime tree tall and green,
these are a few of the things I've seen.
The quiet time of the horse and cart,
bringing goods to the weekly mart.
The noisy time of the car door's slam,
dropping off kids to where I am.
The seasons pass, birds come and go,
all kinds of weather, rain, hail or snow.
Christmas, Easter, Halloween.
These are a few of the things I've seen.

We like it.

Brian Byrne.

He hasn't gone away

For those of us who remember Paul Aspell's many contributions to The Bridge over the years, well here's a bit of news.

Paul opted out of The Bridge quite some time ago, but in an amended version of the deathless phrase from the Bearded One Who Was Never In The IRA, 'he hasn't gone away, you know'.

Paul continues to write poetry and prose and make it available to all on the website he has been running since March. Your editor met him in the street this morning, and he promised to do a piece for the Diary, 'sometime when I'm in a mellow mood'.

Might be a while. As Paul is the first to admit, he doesn't do mellow.

Brian Byrne.

Family Group mass

The Kilcullen Parish Family Mass Group has resumed practices in the Parish Church on Tuesday nights from 7-8pm.

The Group sings at the Saturday Vigil Mass. Children from 8 years are welcome to join. New adult members and musicians would also be very welcome.

Belly dance for fun and fitness

A new series of Belly Dancing classes got under way in Kilcullen Community Centre this week.

The moring classes are from 10.30-11.30am and are aimed at absolute beginners.

They're described as being a great way of keeping fit, toning up and are great fun for women of 'all ages, shapes and sizes'.

Further information available from 045 861173. It's a six-week course.

Des shows his talent

Kilcullen native Des Dillon is a young artist who is determined to follow his dream. And in some cases, that's quite literally, as the inspiration for some of his more intriguing work comes from his dreams.



Living in Naas for the past year, he held his second exhibition recently in Naas Library, showing a mixture of styles and interpretations, all done in oils.

Themes included landscapes of various kinds as well as abstract pieces, many of which were clear representations of his interest in strong colours.

There is also a strong element of fantasy in Des's work, some of which he is unable to explain.

"There are pieces here which come from something that I dreamed, that were perhaps the last thing that I remember before I woke up," he says. "I don't try and explain it to people who ask about a specific one, because each of them actually sees something different in them."

Des, who is just 24 but already has a substantial body of work under his brushes, didn't have formal training. But he says he was always interested in art from his time as a student in Kilcullen's Cross & Passion College. There, he was impressed by the work of art teacher Noel Scullion and his late wife Brenda, who also taught at the school.

"I actually got started painting myself when I looked at the work of Jack Yeats, and decided that I wanted to do something like that," he says.

It's not easy to make a living as an artist, especially when starting out, and Des has on his own admission gone through a number of different kinds of jobs to keep him going while he develops his art.

"The trouble is, after a full day's work at something else, you come home too tired to get stuck in to painting. I've tried a number of different jobs, pub work and nine-to-five, but it isn't easy. I do have a job now that gives me a block of time off at certain times of the month, and that's working out better."

Des would like to study formally, and plans to apply as a mature student next year for a place in art college. An earlier attempt to develop a portfolio at a PLC course didn't work out. But now he has his own body of work to show.

He also has the real-world feedback from people who have come to see his work at the local exhibitions. In particular, they were opportunities to hear the opinions of strangers.

"I don't mind if they say something isn't good, because everybody is entitled to their own take on it. And you can get something from any kind of criticism, positive or negative. But it is nice to when somebody says they're good. And sometimes you get people who actually spend time in front of every piece, discussing it between themselves."

If you can get people to do that last, there's definitely something there. A dream worth following.

Brian Byrne.

FG office launch

The Leader of Fine Gael, Enda Kenny TD, officially opened a new constituency office in Newbridge for the party's activities in Kildare South.



Pictured at the launch are Martin Heydon, who has a nomination to run for FG in the Athy District in next year's local elections, with Phena Bermingham of Kilcullen and local councillr Billy Hillis.

The office is beside Newbridge Credit Union.

Backups

There have been a couple of changes to recent local stories, at parish level and from the Lions.

In the first instance, the arrival of a Pastoral Parish Worker has now been deferred, because of the travel difficulties it would entail for the person nominated.

The parish assistant was to be seconded to the parish for three months in a placement as part of their training.

Meanwhile, Kilcullen Lions Club has extended its photographic competition's closing date to December 1, from the original September 30, to facilitate the Transition Year in CPC.

The students are anxious to participate in the competition as a class project, but are tied up at the moment in the annual musical.