County Kildare News

Allenwood Enterprise Park have Workshop space available that would suit new small business startups.

Allenwood Community Development Association is committed to providing
facilities for new small business through provision of workspace at
affordable rates and flexible short term licence or lease.

Details at www.acdal.ie and at:

Industrial Unit - Floor area 785 sq. ft

Office To Let - Floor Area: 2,360 sq. ft

Industrial Unit - Floor area 1,000 sq. ft

Contact Ian Donald at 086 1570496.

Eligible families who are planning for the next school year should be aware of the available assistance with Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance, according to local Fianna Fail T.D. Áine Brady.

“Parents may need to spread the cost of returning to school over the summer but eligible families should be aware that assistance in purchasing uniforms and footwear is available from this month.”

“Over 190,000 primary and post-primary pupils around the country benefit from this allowance.”

“This vital allowance is to be increased by 15% from last year.”

“Those eligible can receive €200 for each child between aged between 2 and 11 years and €305 for each child aged between 12 and 22 years.”

“Parents can apply to their local HSE office for funding under the Scheme from now right until the end of September.”

“Families who are eligible include those in receipt of certain social welfare and HSE payments, those who are in receipt of Family Income Supplement or taking in part in approved employment schemes or training courses.”

“It may seem early to be planning for next year as primary schools break up for the summer, but it often suits families to spread the cost over the summer months and the Government is keen to facilitate that.”

“If parents or guardians are unsure if they qualify they should contact their Community Welfare Officer at the local HSE office for more information, check the website www.welfare.ie, or LoCall 1890 66 22 44,” concluded Deputy Brady.

The Bog of Allen Nature Centre is now taking bookings for its summer camp
running from Monday 11th ­to Friday 15th August. 

The camp is open to students from the ages of 7-13 years and is fully supervised by experienced tutors.

The camp will run from 10am ­1pm each day and activities throughout the week will include: pond dipping; an introduction to insect eating plants;
woodland creepy crawlie hunt; nature crafts and last day Bog Party. 

Places are limited.  If you are interested in booking a place for your child
please contact the Bog of Allen Nature Centre on 045-860133.

Contact Details:
Irish Peatland Conservation Council.
Bog of Allen Nature Centre,
Lullymore,
Rathangan,
Co. Kildare

Tel: 045-860133

www.ipcc.ie

The second instalment of the Mondello Masters series has attracted an even stronger line up than round one as twelve top names have already confirmed with more than a week to go the event. Round two of the invitation only, big prize money series, will headline the Fingal Motor Club race meeting on Sunday July 6th with the single Mondello Masters race scheduled for decision over fifteen laps of the ‘National’ circuit.

Round one of the Mondello Park and Motorcycling Ireland backed three race series proved to be a big draw for Irelands top overseas racers, and this time around it has also attracted one of road racings biggest stars to the County Kildare track. Making their first non-BSB Mondello appearance for a number of years will be the Relentless Suzuki by TAS team with rider Cameron Donald sure to be a major crowd favourite following his recent Isle of Man TT double.

Taking on Donald will be the top five from April’s Masters race including winner Alastair Seeley who is on course to pick up a bonus award for winning more than one Masters event. Second to fifth placed Declan Swanton, Adrian Coates, Gary Johnson and Jack Kennedy also return with the aim of spoiling Seeley’s party. Another rider coming back for a second visit is Scotland’s Keith Amor who will travel from Saturday’s Skerries road races to compete at Mondello on Sunday.

The remainder of the top twelve reads like a who’s who of Irelands best International competitors with current Irish Superbike stars Brian McCormack and Denver Robb being joined by British Superstock competitors, Nikki Coates and Marshall Neill and the returning Mark Pollock who recently made his 2008 British Supersport debut at Snetterton. Further announcements are expected over the coming days as the Masters line-up is finalised.

The Masters race will not be the only opportunity for spectators to see the stars of the event in action as a number of the riders have also entered the open races which are a standard part of the Clubman championship event supporting this Mondello Masters round. The fifteen race programme will see all of the Irish classes race twice with the Masters competitors taking part in practice an early afternoon qualifying session before the main race of the day which is scheduled for 16:00.

Students who sat the Leaving Certificate this year have an opportunity to have their say on the changes to the exam timetable in a meeting with the Education Minister in Dublin next week, according to local Fianna Fáil TD, Michael Fitzpatrick.

“The Minister for Education and Science, Mr Batt O’Keeffe TD, is inviting students who sat the Leaving Certificate this year to visit him in the Department in Dublin next Tuesday (July 1 2008) to discuss the reforms to the exam which were introduced this year.”

“Minister O’Keeffe is inviting officials from the State Examinations Commission to attend the meeting so that they can also hear the views of the students.”

“Places are limited, but I would like to encourage Leaving Certificate students from Kildare to apply to the Department to take part in this very worthwhile exercise.”

“The new revised timetable introduced by the former Minister, Mary Hanafin TD, was the most student-centred reform in decades. The changes introduced meant that most students will get a half day or two over the first few days of the exams.”

“Those taking both exams on the first day seen time spent in the exam hall shortened by 50 minutes, compared with previous years when the two English exams were taken.”

“The State Exams Commission consulted with all the partners in education over six months in an effort to make the plan for reform of the timetable a reality, and a lot of very helpful changes were made.”

“However, the Minister is keen to get feedback from students who actually sat the exam this year, to hear their views firsthand.”

“Students who would like to meet with Minister O’Keeffe can make arrangements to do so by contacting the Minister’s office at minister_okeeffe@education.gov.ie, or by contacting the Minister’s office by telephoning 01 8896637 at the Department of Education, Marlborough Street, Dublin 1,” concluded Deputy Fitzpatrick.

www.studentfinance.ie is a convenient source of information for anyone looking for financial support for higher education.

"The Maintenance Grant section of studentfinance.ie is the most comprehensive source of information on the available schemes that you will find anywhere in Ireland. It provides a handy step-by-step guide to eligibility in clear, plain English. "

They also provide a list of County Kildare colleges with courses approved for maintenance grants. 

Help protect the cultural identity of Ireland

If people feel the need to work in the bog this summer why not switch from cutting turf and help block drains on our damaged raised bog sites so as to restore their hydrology. Active raised bogs (peat forming raised bogs) are seriously under threat of extinction in Ireland. Only 0.6% of active raised bog remains today. In the last ten years over a third of active raised bog (1,000ha) has been lost as a direct result of turf cutting taking place within protected peatlands. Faced with the extinction of active raised bog in Ireland state bodies such as the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) and Coillte have begun to carry out restoration work on damaged raised bogs with the aim of restoring the bogs to actively form peat again.

The most important task to carry out when restoring a peatland is the blocking of drains. This raises the water table and prevents the bog surface from drying out. The waterlogged substrate is poor in oxygen, which makes it very difficult for bacteria and fungi to survive. With the absence to these micro-organisms the dead plant material on the bog surface is not decomposed and accumulates in the waterlogged conditions as peat. Once this accumulation of peat begins the bog has been restored to an actively peat forming habitat.

NPWS have been developing drain-blocking techniques on protected raised bogs over the last twenty years in collaboration with Dutch scientists. However, large-scale restoration cannot take place on protected sites until all turf cutting has ceased. The action of cutting turf opens up new drains on the bog and prevents the restoration of the site as a whole hydrological unit. Coillte, the state-owned forestry service, has also been carrying restoration projects on raised bogs that were planted with trees in the past. This restoration work involved the removal of conifer forestry from the bog and the blocking of drains.

The Irish Peatland Conservation Council  have been carrying out restoration works on Lodge Bog in County Kildare over the last two years and are continuing the restoration work this summer. Volunteers are welcome to participate in drain blocking and vegetation mapping, please contact IPCC at Tel: (045) 860133. If people feel the need to work in the bog this summer why not switch from cutting turf and help block drains on our damaged raised bog sites so as to restore their hydrology. This would be a positive contribution to the conservation and restoration of raised bogs in Ireland, which are an integral part of the cultural and green identity of Ireland and need to be preserved for present and future generations. It is of vital importance that all turf cutting in protected raised bogs ceases immediately if we are to save active raised bog in Ireland from extinction.

Co. Kildare based artist, Rosemary Burns provides a range of painting holidays every summer to provide people with the opportunity to learn some painiting skills while relaxing in beautiful landscapes. Her painting holiday destinations include Connemara, Spain,Croatia and Austria and she has recently announced a one day paiting trip in Co. Wicklow.

While working on paintings to illustrate the book 'The Liffey - Portrait of a river', by Dick Warner , Rosemary spent many a relaxing day with her watercolours by the banks of the River Liffey.In an effort to share this unique experience Rosemary is planning a number of one-day watercolour workshops during the summer months.

The upcoming Wicklow course is on July 12th from 10am-4pm at Cloghleagh Bridge, Co Wicklow (route R759-2kms east of Kilbride village) and costs 60euro.

All are welcome, even complete beginners can join in.

To Book
Contact Rosemary 087-9675630
Email: info@arc-designs.ie

Deputy Michael Fitzpatrick T.D. would like to advise all the teenagers and parents of teenagers of a very welcome new development just launched by Barry Andrews T.D. Minister for Children & Youth Affairs.

A website which provides information about activities and facilities for teenagers all over the country has been launched.  www.teenspace.ie will provide information on gigs, cafes, sport, arts, outdoor activities and much, much more.  You can check for things to do and you find clubs to join.

“This development was one of the top recommendations from Dail na nOg 2006/07, said Deputy Fitzpatrick, and the timing of the launch could not be better, the summer holidays are here and this website will make it easier for young people to get information on recreational opportunities and events in each county.”

This Government is committed to listening to children and young people and taking their concerns seriously, the creation of www.teenspace.ie is further evidence of this commitment, added Deputy Fitzpatrick.

All service providers are urged to register to promote their activities or clubs.  Registration is free.

"Sell raffle tickets and save bogs." That’s the urgent appeal of the Irish
Peatland Conservation Council this summer.

IPCC has commenced a major restoration project on Lodge Bog in Co. Kildare. Work is now well underway which will result in 1.5km of drains on the bog surface being blocked. The higher water table is needed to keep the bog alive.

However €10,000 or 25% of the estimated budget of €44,600 is still needed. "Selling raffle tickets to your family, friends, colleagues or in your community will help us to reach our funding target and bring this project to completion" says Oscar Duggan of IPCC.

Buying a ticket puts you in with a chance of winning a weekend break at the
Tullamore Court Hotel; an afternoon demonstration including lunch at Ballymaloe Cookery School; ladies and gents fleece jackets from Patagonia;
family visitor passes to Fota Wildlife Park or to any of the heritage sites
around the country managed by the Office of Public Works. Barbecues,
birdfeeders and books are also among the prizes for the lucky winners. In
addition, there is a special draw for ticket sellers.

Tickets for the raffle cost €3 each or a sheet of 12 tickets for €30 and each ticket entitles the bearer to a free visit to the Bog of Allen Nature Centre  in Lullymore, Co. Kildare – just a stone’s throw from Lodge Bog itself, which is accessible by a specially constructed visitor boardwalk. Normal admission to the centre is  €5.

You can also sell raffle tickets by calling IPCC on 045 860133 or phone to
donate to the Lodge Bog Habitat Restoration project on the same telephone
number.

The Save the Bog Raffle is being sponsored by Irish and other businesses. Ballymaloe Cookery School, CJ Wildbird Foods Ltd, Fota Wildlife Park, Office of Public Works, Patagonia Tullamore Court Hotel and Walker Books Ltd are all donating prizes while printing and other costs are being sponsored by
Coca-Cola Bottlers Ireland and EirEnergy.

"We are very grateful to all our sponsors for helping us to get things off on the right footing. We hope that the public will respond to this generosity by selling as many raffle tickets as possible over the summer months. The restoration of Lodge Bog will depend on whether we can keep the momentum going" says Oscar Duggan.

For further information about the Save the Bogs Raffle and other ways you
can support the Lodge Bog Habitat Restoration Project please contact Oscar
Duggan on 045 860133.

The Irish Peatland Conservation Council is a non-governmental organisation that was formed in 1982 to ensure the conservation of a representative sample of Irish bogs. Our activities include education and publicity, promoting environmental awareness, provision of information and encouraging the protection and conservation of our national heritage for the common good.  We own and manage a number of peatlands for conservation and we run the Bog of Allen Nature Centre, which is open to visitors and school groups.

The Irish Peatland Conservation Council is a company limited by guarantee,
with charitable status. www.ipcc.ie

The Bog of Allen Nature Centre is open Monday to Friday all year round
excluding Public Holidays. Opening hours are 10am to 4pm. Special weekend
open days are organised for the last Sundays of May, July and November.
Details of these and other upcoming events can be found on the IPCC website.

Admission to the centre is  €5 per adult. Admission to the shop is free. Guided tours for groups are available if arranged in advance by contacting IPCC on 045 860133.

Scoil Bhride Kilcullen are holding a Summer Picnic Fair in the School on Sunday June 22nd 2008.

Bring along a picnic. There will be bouncy castles and lots of fun things to do for all the children.

Music and Dancing displays too.

Are you a gardener?  A baker?  A craftsperson?

If so, would you like an outlet to sell your produce while making friends?

Naas Country Market is a co-operative organisation.  We are looking for new members to join us and help expand our range of products.

For a small fee, which covers membership and insurance, you can join Naas Country Market.

The producers at the Country Market come from all walks of life and work together supporting and encouraging new members.  At the Country Market no one has their own table – goods are put on sale together, like with like.  All members participate in the smooth running of the market, for example display, customer service etc.

The produce at the Country Market is made and produced locally.  All the food is fresh and genuinely home produced. 

Products currently available at the Country Market are fresh flowers and plants, knitwear.  There are many types of food available – quiches, breads, pizzas, cakes, tarts, jams, meringues and éclairs.

If you are interested in getting involved call to the Country Market any Friday morning 10am to 12 noon at Naas Town Hall or contact Pat on 045 879 536.

Mind, Body & Spirit: Treating  male & female infertility

• Find the cause and cure.
• Enhance your chances of  conceiving through IVF
• Incorporating foresight 
• 77% success rate

Workshop created, designed and facilitated by Siobhan  Connolly who personally experienced and overcame  infertility using this programme. With over 15 years experience assisting couples to become proud parents of healthy babies. Currently practising as a fertility awareness facilitator. Diploma in life, business coaching and integrated energy
therapist.

Orlaigh Fennin, who is also a fertility awareness facilitator,  Reiki practitioner specialising in Fertility, public relations consultant co creating designer, facilitator of making babies,
mind, body & spirit.

For more information please phone Orlaigh 087 7606848
or Siobhan 057 8757459

Next workshop dates Saturday 21st and Sunday 22nd
11am to 5pm, Fairgreen Holistic Clinic, Naas

For appointment 045 898243

Mondello Park will bring a new kind of event to the Irish Classic and Vintage car scene on June 22nd 2008 when Classic Car live takes to the track at the County Kildare venue.

The one day show which is being run in conjunction with ‘Irish Vintage Scene’, Irelands only Classic and Vintage car magazine, will combine the traditional classic car displays by clubs and individuals, with a day of track activity. With Mondello’s extensive experience in running car shows and the assistance of ‘Irish Vintage Scene’ the show aims to set new standards for an Irish Classic vehicle show.

With less than two weeks to go the show is filling up fast. More than 750 cars have already booked their places and trade area bookings are also busy. Anyone wishing to book a club or individual space should contact Mondello Park as soon as possible in order to guarantee their spot in the main display area in the paddock. Once the paddock area is full late-comers will be accommodated in the display areas external to the paddock. Cars arriving to book on the day will be accommodated but it may not be possible to place them in one of the many tarmac display areas.

Unlike traditional static shows, Classic Car Live will include on track activity comprising of three race car demonstrations and parade laps. The race demonstrations will feature cars from the HRCA racing championship, the Irish Mini Racing Association and pre ’55 Historic race cars, while the parade laps will be an opportunity for show visitors to see and hear cars from the static displays in motion on track.

Other Classic Car Live attractions will include show cars, many of which will have featured on the cover of Irish Vintage Scene, and the Mondello Park Motorsport museum which will be open free of charge for the duration of the event.

Classic Car Live is the biggest new show to be added to the busy Irish classic car calendar for many years. The organisers, Mondello Park, have major plans to expand the show still further in future years and are looking to make Classic Car live the stand out show of the Irish Classic Car year.

For further information on Classic Car live see www.mondellopark.ie.

To book a space or trade stand contact classiclive@mondellopark.ie or phone 045-860200.

The Heritage Office of Kildare County Council, under the guidance of the Heritage Forum, is starting the process of writing the first Biodiversity Plan for County Kildare. This plan will provide a framework for the conservation, management and enhancement of the rich natural heritage and biodiversity in the county.

The views of all members of the community are important in putting together the Kildare Biodiversity Plan. Consultation with the general public, stakeholders and all interested parties is an essential part of the process.

You can have your say by making a submission to the Heritage Office of Kildare County Council (Kildare County Council, Planning Department, Áras Chill Dara, Devoy Park) before the deadline of the 31st of July 2008. A consultation form has been prepared to assist in the formulation of submissions but general comments and submissions are also welcome.

Some of the questions the consultation process aims to address include:

• What are the most important issues concerning biodiversity or nature conservation in Kildare?
• What are the main threats to Kildare’s natural heritage?
• What are the most important actions that need to be taken to conserve and enhance nature and biodiversity of Kildare?

The Biodiversity Plan consultation form can be downloaded here.

It is also available from local libraries and the Planning Office of Kildare County Council.

When all submissions to the Kildare Biodiversity Plan have been received, the draft plan will be put on public display and additional comments will be welcomed. A public meeting will be held in September 2008 to discuss draft Biodiversity Plan and to seek further input. If you would like to get involved in the preparation of the plan, complete a consultation form and attend the public meeting.

What is Biodiversity?
Biodiversity is another term for nature, natural heritage, wildlife or the natural world. Biodiversity or biological diversity simply means the variety of all living things on earth - including people, plants, animals, fungi and micro-organisms. Biodiversity is everywhere and all around us, from gardens to hedgerows, woodlands to wetlands, rivers to bogs. We all depend on biodiversity to provide clean air and water, healthy soils, food, building materials, and medicines.

What Benefit is Biodiversity to me?
Biodiversity contributes to the following:

• Clean air,
• pollination of plants,
• pollution control,
• flood control,
• good quality soils,
• clean water,
• building materials,
• and medicines.

What habitats do we have in Kildare?
County Kildare has a wide range of natural habitats, many of which are of high biodiversity and wildlife value. Particularly important sites for biodiversity in the county include:

• Pollardstown Fen,
• the River Barrow,
• the Curragh plains,
• the Blackwood Feeder,
• Donadea Forest Park,
• the Rye Water in Carton Estate,

as well as, several important raised bogs and fens. Other more common but important wildlife habitats in the county include hedgerows, wet grasslands and road verges. Kildare’s rich natural heritage is a major part of its attraction and charm for visitors and residents alike.

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The call, from Maynooth Educate Together, follows efforts from Educate Together, the patron body for multi-denominational schools in Ireland, to lobby for an increase in this grant, which is paid to new schools in their first year of operation. The Start-Up School Grant is typically used to buy school office equipment, staff room essentials, and classroom resources.

This grant was introduced in 2001, and since then it has not been increased from the clearly inadequate sum of €6348.

Maynooth Educate Together Start Up Group claim that this grant needs to be increased to €30,000. "This figure of €30,000 is based on evidence of schools that have opened in the recent past, and would be much closer to the figure needed to sufficiently finance the opening of a school" claimed a spokesperson for the group.

Their campaign has received the support of local public representatives, including Emmet Stagg T.D., who have indicated that they will bring the matter to the attention of the Minister for Education & Science.

Fed up with old magazines in the waiting room? Leaflets of poetry will be appearing in waiting rooms up and down the county in June and July.

Poems in the Waiting Room is a pilot arts project funded by Kildare County Council. Inspired by the many public pieces of sculpture across the country, it aims to bring poetry back into public spaces, similar to Poetry in Motion, the poems on the Dart.

The poems are carefully chosen to be accessible and appropriate to the environment and are a mixture of old and new, contemporary poems including a lovely poem for children. We also feature a poem from the well known Kildare poet, Ann Egan. There is no charge for these leaflets and visitors are welcome to take one home and then recycle it, leaving it in another waiting room.

We have a website, where you can read more about the project and information on the poems and poets. Poems that are out of copyright are available download on A4 posters to print for display. Readers can also leave comments and feedback on the website.

We have 2,000 leaflets printed and are distributing them in Naas Hospital, Kildare libraries and more than 50 waiting rooms in doctors' surgeries around the county. 

Website: pitwr.blogspot.com

Look out Kildare, Poetry is coming.

Mondello Park's busy car race season continues this weekend (7-8 June 2008) with a two day event featuring two of the most exciting and close fought UK championships, and the seasonal debut for the Dunlop Supercars, which will run for the first time with their new upgraded engine.

The Carlow Car club will be in charge for the visit of the UK based 'Pickup Truck Racing' and 'Legends' championships. Both series will be familiar to Irish spectators with the Legends having been regular visitors to the circuit since its re-development in 2001 and the Pickup's having made a spectacular return to Mondello last season after a ten year break. More than twenty visiting cars will contest each class with the legends racers being joined on the grid by four Irish drivers from the fledgling Irish Legends championship.

Both the Pickup Trucks and Legends are purpose built race cars with the trucks being a close relative of the Dunlop Supercar's. Pickup Truck bodies are fitted to identical spaceframe chassis with a two litre Vauxhall engine supplying the power. Overtaking is guaranteed as the grid is decided on championship positions with the series leader starting from the back of the grid in Saturdays first race. Even if the quicker drivers make it through to the front by the flag, they will have to do it all again on Sunday as the grid for race two will be the reverse of Saturday's finishing order.

The legends will race six times over the weekend with two heats and a final on each day. Like the Pickup's, close racing is facilitated by the Legends unique system of deciding the race grids. Drivers starting positions for race one are drawn from a hat, with the positions reversed for race two. the results of the two races are combined to get the starting order for the final, with the best finishers over the two races starting from the back of the grid.

A more conventional qualifying system will be used to determine the starting order for the highlight of the Irish classes, the Dunlop Supercars. Three races are scheduled for the popular class which should be even more exciting to watch than before due to an increase in engine power for this season. All of the top runners from last season are back with the addition of twice former champion Jonathan Fildes. The start of this years series had been delayed to allow all competitors to receive delivery of their upgraded engines so the championship is sure to get off to an exciting start this weekend.

Saturday's programme includes two races each for Stryker Sports Cars and Global Lights, as well as a single Formula Sheane race alongside the Supercars, Legends and Pickup's. Sunday's schedule sees the Pickup's, Legends, the second Formula Sheane encounter and race three for the Supercars, joined by Formula Libre, Porsche Open and Fiat Punto and Uno races.

The Irish Peatland Conservation Council are delighted to announce the appointment of our newest member of staff, Cillian Breathnach. Cillian is employed as our Conservation and Reserves Officer. This is a new post created in 2008, with the aim of conserving peatlands in Ireland and showing the public how to restore damage caused to peatlands in the past.

A native of Kerry, though brought up in Offaly, Cillian brings a wealth of experience and training to the IPCC. He has a 1st class honours degree in Environmental Science from UCD. He studied for a masters degree in Peatland Restoration at the Université Laval in Québec, Canada. Cillian has previously worked in archaeological excavations of toghers in the Bog of Allen, as an inspector with the Environmental Protection Agency and as an Information Officer with the National Parks and Wildlife Service.

Cillian will be drawing up biodiversity management plans for the Reserves owned by the IPCC at Lullymore West and Lodge Bog in Co. Kildare and Fenor Bog, in Co. Waterford. He will also be leading groups of volunteers in flora and drain surveys of Lodge Bog. Cillian also plans to carry out research regarding Sphagnum moss ­ the bog building plant - regeneration on peatlands damaged by turf cutting. While some of these projects are funded by the Heritage Council, Cillian will also be contacting local businesses inviting them to participate in the projects or provide raw materials and funding to facilitate this important work.

"I grew up surrounded by peatlands in Offaly and always found them to be fascinating places. I was amazed by the results they have achieved in peatland rehabilitation in Canada and I hope to use what I learned there to help protect what remains of our peatlands and push for ecological rather than amenity-based rehabilitation of cutaway bogs in Ireland."  

The Leaving Cert starts today with over 53,000 students sitting exams in 89 subjects over 13 days. The examinations run until Thursday June 19th for Junior Cert, and Friday 20th June for the Leaving Cert. Over 110,000 Leaving Cert and Junior Cert students in total will sit exams in 4,600 centres and 3 million exam papers will be used.

The Leaving Cert results will be available on Wednesday, August 13th with Junior Cert results available in mid September. This will be the first time a new more student-friendly timetable will be put into operation. The new timetable is designed to ease the pressure during the early days of the Leaving Cert.

The first day will begin with the first of two English papers and the Home Economics paper in the afternoon. Chemistry, the first Maths paper and Geography are all in this weeks timetable, while both Irish papers will begin in the second week of exams, on Monday and Tuesday.

Leaving Cert Timetable 2008

Wed 4 June
English, Paper I
Home Economics, Scientific and Social

Thur 5 June
English, Paper II
Chemistry

Fri 6 June
Mathematics, Paper I
Geography

Monday 9 June
Mathematics, Paper II
Irish, Paper I

Tue 10 June
Irish, Paper II
Arabic
Russian
Business

Wed 11 June
French
History

Thur 12 June
Biology
Art - History & Appreciation

Fri 13 June
German
Technical Drawing, Paper I

Mon 16 June
Physics
Physics and Chemistry
Technical Drawing, Paper II

Tue 17 June
Spanish
Accounting

Wed 18 June
Economics
Agricultural Economics
Construction Studies
Latin
Classical Studies

Thur 19 June
Religious Education
Music Composing
Music - Listening

Fri 20 June
Italian
Japanese
Japanese
Engineering
Agricultural Science
Applied Mathematics

Note: This is a guide to the Leaving Cert Timetable.
You should consult the Dept of Education Website - www.education.ie -
for the dates and times of all exams.

Kildare Arts Service is excited to announce that Neil Delamare will MC this year's Platform III Oxegen Battle of the Bands Final to be held in Time Venue Naas this Thursday June 5th. Due to unforeseen circumstance PJ Gallagher had to step down for this year's competition leaving the final in Neil's very capable hands. Fresh from the Cat Laughs Festival in Kilkenny, Neil's appearance promises to make this an event not to be missed. Neil is also basking in the success of a recent sell out run in Vicar Street. The combination of one of Ireland's top comedians and the cream of Kildare's music talent ensures that this Thursday June 5th in Time: Venue is a night not to be missed.
 
This year, five bands have been chosen to compete in Time for a coveted spot on the new band stage at Oxegen this summer. Bright Light Fiasco, Lines Drawing Circles, Mary Bellos and Schmackey and the Salads and The Kill City Defectors are due to take to the stage and Thursday evening.
 
Doors open at 8:30 and the first band is due to take the stage at 9pm. Tickets €14 at the door.

Kildare Town Heritage Centre are running walking tours of Kildare Town every:

• Saturday at 11am,
• Sunday at 1pm and
• Monday at 11am

for the months of June, July and August 2008.

The walking tours take place outside Kildare Town Heritage Centre. Price is €3 per adult and €6 per Family (2A & 4C).

We cater for groups and offer discounted group rates all year round.

Discover this historically important irish town and learn about the mythology of Fionn mac Cumhaill and St Brigid, patroness of the Gaels.

Key stops along the route include St brigid's Cathedral, a Norman tower house, the site of the Turf Club, and the thirteenth century Franciscan Grey Abbey.

Why not spend the day in Kildare Town. Visit Kildare Town Heritage Centre, a restored 18th century Market House with a multi-media exhibition centre telling the story of Kildare past and present. This is FREE OF CHARGE.

You can also visit the Japanese Gardens, Irish National Stud, St Fiachra's Garden, Irish Horse Museum, Kildare Village Outlet Centre, St Brigid's Well and loads more.

For more information contact Mary at Kildare Heritage Centre: 045-530672
www.kildare.ie/kildareheritage