Calverstown Easter Egg Hunt

There's an Easter Egg Hunt planned for Saturday afternoon at Calverstown Green.

There will also be face-painting and a DJ, and an Easter Bunny welcome.

Beginning at 2.30pm, the event is free to all.

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Another Drop-in & Draw Easter Saturday

Participants at the last event.

Just a reminder that the Drop-in & Draw initiative in Kilcullen Heritage Centre is back again on Easter Saturday, writes Lyn Worrall. Drop-in and draw for all the family between 11am-1pm, have a cuppa, pick up a pen, or don't. This event is for everyone — artists, non-artists, children, teens, adults.

There will be a children's table with Easter-themed sheets for drawing and colouring.

There is a big table for everyone with chalks, charcoal and pencils, table top easels and paper.

Space for easels overlooking the river and bridge (bring your own easel for this). If it's dry, there's loads of space for outside easels or braver souls by the water.

There will be a small library of art books for inspiration

Tea and coffee available. It's again a free event but donations to LittleHill Animal Rescue & Sanctuary are requested.

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Break-ins force weekday closure of Gormanstown church

Gormanstown Church will be closed on weekdays until further notice, writes Brian Byrne. This is due to a break-in that occurred early this morning, which follows a number of other recent similar incidents. 

The church will be open as scheduled for Stations of the Cross on Good Friday at 7.30pm and for Easter Sunday Mass at 9.30am.

Also, the parish church webcam is now back online.

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Maintain Hope street collection Good Friday

Maintain Hope will be holding a street collection on Good Friday March 29 and on Saturday March 30, writes Gerry O'Donoghue. All contributions will go directly towards supporting our children and young adults in Ngong, Kenya. 

A permit for the collection has been granted by An Garda Siochana and we are grateful to Nolan’s and Eurospar for allowing us to locate outside their shops. We will be grateful for any support as every coin counts and enables life enhancing opportunities for our families in Kenya. For the first time we will be able to accept contributions by card.

Meanwhile, there is still time to buy raffle tickets in Berneys Chemists for a chance to win an enormous Lindt Gold Rabbit, just in time for Easter.

Maintain Hope is a registered charity and is regulated by the Charities Regulator for Ireland.

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Landers duo brought craic to Saint-Contest Patrick's weekend

A performance by Michael Landers and his son Daniel in Kilcullen's twin town, Saint-Contest in Normandy, helped to make the local St Patrick's weekend festivities go with a zing. Michael was part of the Jennifer Landers Dance Group that travelled in October last year with the Kilcullen Twinning Group to attend the official twinning ceremony in the French town, and he had been invited back by the Saint-Contest group.

Their committee put on a wonderful night on March 16th, and the event was a sell-out. "The meal was Irish Stew," says Michael, who was raised in Kilcullen and now lives in Clare. "The drink was Guinness. The craic was mighty!"

Michael performed on vocals and guitar, and also took to the floor to teach the French some Irish dancing (Geraldine O’Dwyer would be very proud). Daniel played reels and jigs from his native East Clare, on piano and concertina, and together they performed a range of Irish folk songs, as well as some numbers by The Pogues, Glen Hansard and Christy Moore. They also took the opportunity to celebrate Ireland’s Six Nations win. Allez les Vertes!

The night was a huge success, and has helped cement great friendships between the two communities. We look forward to welcoming the Saint-Contest group to Kilcullen in 2024.

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Very generous Daffodil support

The amount raised in the Daffodil Day collection in Kilcullen this year was €7,294, write Trish Dowling and Ann Lamb. Once again a big thank you to everyone who supported our local collection.

Eurospar, Nolans, Berneys Chemist, Daybreak (Kilcullen and Athgarvan) and Centra, your support is much appreciated and the money raised will be greatly appreciated by the Irish Cancer Society. 

Thank you so much to our regular volunteers and to the new volunteers who came on board this year —  your time and help on the day is so important to the success of the day.

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Clean up at Old Kilcullen

The hedgerows around Old Kilcullen look a lot cleaner this week following Saturday's Spring Clean of the area carried out by local residents, writes Brian Byrne.

The weather was cold, but it stayed dry for the event, which was in association with the National Spring Clean organised by An Taisce.

It was hosted by the Old Kilcullen Area Community Association. Photos here courtesy of the Association.

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Podcast: The Book of Kildare

The Kilcullen Diary Podcasts · The Book Of Kildare

When The Book of Kildare was recently published as part of the celebrations of Brigid 1500, it marked the end of five years of work by artist and calligrapher Josephine Hardiman. It was also something which, after a lifetime of honing her art, had always been waiting for her to create. 

Produced by Brian Byrne for Kilcullen Diary

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Beginners course planned by Kilcullen Canoe Club

Kilcullen Canoe Club is organising beginner classes in April, aimed at all ages and designed to introduce people safely to kayaking, writes Sinéad Dunleavy. The course will run over an evening and morning on Friday 26 April (7pm) and Saturday the 27th (10am). 

Completion will give participants a Level 1 Kayak Skills Award, which covers essential techniques such as basic safety rules, paddling manoeuvres, and capsize drills.

The fee is €30, which includes instruction and equipment. An option will be to take up club membership at €200 for the remainder of 2024, with renewal on 1 January 2025. Family and U18 memberships are also available. Booking for the course and membership options is available via Eventbrite, for Seniors,  Family, and U18. 

Meanwhile, the club recently marked International Women's Day with a delightful celebration of the women within its community. The event, held at the KCC Clubhouse, was a testament to the club's commitment to fostering inclusivity and empowerment.

The evening commenced with a rejuvenating session of Pilates led by Lisa from Body Pilates. Attendees had the opportunity to engage in mindful breath-work guided by club member Deirdre Groves, who practices at Balanced Bodies Holistic Centre. This session not only promoted physical well-being but also emphasised the importance of mental health and relaxation techniques. "It was a fantastic night, celebrating the diverse talents and contributions of the women in our club," a club member said. "We wanted to create an environment where everyone feels valued and supported."

The festivities included treats for all ages, reflecting the club's dedication to inclusivity and community spirit. Members came together to celebrate the achievements of women within the club and beyond and also the moms looking after our athletes!

KCC has also secured grants from the Kildare Sports Partnership through the Women in Sport and Her Moves campaigns. These grants will support female members of the club in the upcoming season, furthering the mission to empower women through water sports.

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Barry Cowen canvasses Kilcullen for MEP bid support

Cllr Rob Power and Deputy Barry Cowen.

The Fianna Fail candidate for the Midlands-North-West constituency in the upcoming European elections, Barry Cowen, has been canvassing today in Kilcullen, writes Brian Byrne. Accompanied by Cllr Rob Power and local party members, he's been on walkabout meeting Kilcullen people and seeking their support. 

The Laois-Offaly TD was chosen to run at a party convention in Mullingar, Co Westmeath last February. He will be seeking a seat for Fianna Fail in the European Parliament alongside sitting Dublin MEP Barry Andrews and Cork MEP Billy Kelleher, selected to run for the party in the Dublin and Ireland South constituencies respectively. 

Deputy Cowen has been a TD for Laois–Offaly since the 2020 general election, and previously from 2011 to 2016. From 2016 to 2020, he was a TD for the Offaly constituency. He served as Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine for a period in 2020. He is an active member on a number of Dail committees.

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Creche and Daycare chain sets up HQ in Kilcullen

Annette Akerlind, Amanda McManus and Audrey Murray.

A rapidly expanding Kildare-based chain of creches have established their administration headquarters in Kilcullen, writes Brian Byrne. Tots Creche & Daycare currently have eight locations across Kildare, and expect to increase that number to 12 by September.

The new HQ is in the former Reidy Stafford offices suite in the Market Square building, and it was officially launched last evening with a reception. The administration facilities include a bespoke IT system that can keep a real-time tally of children and staff in each room of every location.

Tots Creche was established in 2002 by two sisters, Audrey Murray and Annette Akerlind, with four children in just one room. They were joined by Amanda McManus in 2006, and today the business has more than 100 staff looking after some 600 children in fully-equipped facilities. That there is an extensive waiting list for their service is one reason why Tots Creche & Daycare are in expansion mode since last year. "We have doubled our facilities in a year and simply outgrew our office space," Amanda McManus told the Diary last evening at the launch event. "We came to Kilcullen because the Market Square offices are the perfect space for us, and we have been made feel very welcome in the community."

The current Tots Creche & Daycare facilities are in Newbridge, Naas, Sallins, Prosperous, and Maynooth, and further ones are planned this year for Newbridge, Naas and Kildare town. Each has a dedicated space for babies and cruisers, wobblers and toddlers, pre-schoolers and after-schoolers. Parents have the option of using a Parent Portal app which provides individual daily updates about the care of their child. The portal can also be accessed on the business's website. A fleet of private buses drop off and collect the children who attend 'big school' and come back for after-school care or need to be transported to or from other activities such as dancing or football during the afternoons.

In addition to the facilities within Kildare, the company has plans in train to expand outside the county over the coming year. As smaller creche operators close, in part because of the increased administrative requirements that come with expanding state support, an enterprise like Tots Creche & Daycare is trying to fill a widening gap between demand and availability for child care spaces. "We have the central administration to manage growth," Amanda says, acknowledging that it is 'very sad' that smaller individual creche operations are closing. "But the increased state provision for daycare does mean that more women can afford to go back into the workforce."

Tara Murphy, Liz Murphy and Lisa Midleton.

Rachel Akerlind, Ben Murray and Ella Hannon.

Martina Daňhelová and Zenka Daňhelová.

Melissa McEvoy, Natasha Enright, and Lisa Gaffney.

Alan O'Connell and Malcolm Akerlind.

Alex Lyons and Greg Curran.

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Photography Club exhibition opens

Club treasurer Carmel O'Connor hands over a cheque to Ronan Collier and Laura Begley of Kilcullen Community Responders.

The examples of member photographs on display at the Kilcullen Photography Club exhibition are 'truly amazing', the club's chair and secretary Dave Byrne said at the event opening last night. He said all contributors to the exhibition should be very proud of their work. 

He added that quite a few of the photographs on display had been taken with mobile phone cameras, showing that one doesn't need a big expensive camera to make good pictures.

Reflecting on the progress of the club since it was established in 2018, he said the ethos was to "enjoy your hobby and have fun."

The club runs regular workshops in the Kilcullen Parish Centre, covering all aspects of photography and catering for all from complete beginners to those who like to brush up on their photographic skills. Themes are chosen each month on which members submit photographs via a Facebook page where friendly critique is encouraged. Photography outings and family days are held during the year.

The club's largest project is the production of the annual Calendar, first published in 2019 to mark Kilcullen 700. "Little did we know how successful this Calendar would be," Dave said, observing that it is sent all over the world to the Kilcullen diaspora by family members and friends.

Funds generated by the sale of the Calendar are used to buy club equipment and a portion is also allocated to a nominated charity or community organisation. From the 2024 publication, a cheque for €500 was handed over to Kilcullen First Responders last evening.

On behalf of the club Dave expressed his thanks to all who had contributed to and helped with the Calendars, and in setting up the exhibition which continues through this Saturday morning. Prints are available to buy, and anyone interested in joining the club can leave their contact details at the exhibition.

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The passing of Ethna Dempsey (née Baxter)

The Diary has learned of the death of Ethna Dempsey, nee Baxter, Old Kilcullen, Kilcullen, (Eircode R56 K535) who died on 21 March 2024, peacefully in the company of her loving family, in the wonderful care of the nurses and staff of St Brigid's Hospice, The Curragh.

Predeceased by her loving parents William and Mary Baxter, her husband James and son William, her sisters Ann and Maureen, Ethna is sadly missed by her loving family Seamus, Michael, David, Mary, Sue, Paul, Dermot and Annie, brothers Liam and Maurice, sister Jean, sons-in-law, daughter-in-law, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, relatives and friends.

She will be reposing at her family home on Saturday 23rd from 4pm to 8pm and also on Sunday 24th from 4pm to 8pm with prayers at 7.30pm. Removal from there will be on Monday morning 25th to The Church of the Sacred Heart and St Brigid, Kilcullen, arriving for 11am funeral Mass, which may be viewed on this link. Burial afterwards will be in St Brigid's Cemetery.

House private on Monday morning, please.

Rest in peace.

Today is Daffodil Day, for cancer support

A reminder that today is Daffodil Day, with collectors in Kilcullen at the usual spots outside Eurospar, Nolan's Butchers, Daybreak and Centra.

It's the 37th year that Kilcullen has been involved in the initiative, and well in excess of €100,000 has been donated by Kilcullen people to Daffodil Day over the three and a half decades — the Kilcullen collection last year raised €6,448.

All funds raised go to the Irish Cancer Society.

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