County Kildare News

The RACE Academy is celebrating 35 years of success this year. To mark the occasion, there will be a special themed race day on the Curragh on August 10th. All RACE graduates will be invited to this reunion. The main feature will be the running of the inaugural Derek O'Sullivan Memorial Apprentice Handicap to celebrate the life of the late RACE Director.

RACE is the Racing Academy & Centre Of Education, an academy for the horse racing industry and an international centre of excellence. Over 630 trainee jockeys have graduated from RACE since they opened in 1973. For more information go to www.racingacademy.ie
 

Athy boxer John Joe Joyce has made all of Athy very proud as he set off for the Olympics this week. John Joe, who is a member of St. Michael's boxing club and four other Irish boxers will be competing for an Olympic medal in this years Olympics in Beijing in August. He will carry the flag for Athy town in Beijing. John Joe has already left for Beijing and was given a great send off last Friday in SAthy GAA Club.

Joyce, along witht he rest of the boxing squad, will spend three days in Beijing before travelling to Vladivostok, Russia, for a training camp before flying back to the Olympic village on August 6. Coaches Billy Walsh, a former Irish Olympian and seven-times Irish senior champion, and Zuar Antia, a three-times Georgian senior champion, will be working the Irish squad's corner.

Writing in his online diary on irish-boxing.com Joyce spoke of the day he found out the date he would be boxing:

The big thing that happened this week was I got my date for the first day of competition out in Beijing. I’ll be fighting on August 10 and the boxing starts properly the day before that. I wasn’t nervous at all when I got told the date.

It sounds like Joyce is taking it all in his stride. Best of luck on the 10th John.

Batteries are now to be recycled free of charge to the consumer according to local Fianna Fail T.D. and member of the Oireachtas Environment Committee, Michael Fitzpatrick.

“From the 26th of September consumers will be able to recycle their batteries free of charge as a new EU Batteries Directive comes into force.”

“Consumers will be able to bring their batteries back to any shop selling similar batteries for no charge. There will be no obligation to buy new batteries. Recycling centres run by local authorise will also accept waste batteries free of charge.”

“In an attempt to make battery recycling as convenient as possible, workplaces and schools may also be designated as collection points subject to the agreement of local management.”

“The cost of collection, treatment and recycling or environmentally sound disposal of the waste batteries will be met by battery producers.”

“This development will be a welcome one for consumers. Many people have concerns about waste batteries and their contents. Now consumers can be assured that their batteries are being recycled or disposed of safely and in an environmentally friendly manner,” concluded Deputy Fitzpatrick.

3 Water Safety classes will be held this August 11th, 18th and 25th for 1 euro per child per class at Naas Swimming Pool on Mondays at 7.00pm for 40 mins

Classes will cover simple rescue techniques- Voice , Reach, Throw and Wading rescues. How to throw a ring buoy, Simple rules to safe swimming and swimming stroke correction.

Certificates also may be awarded.

For further information email info@kildarewatersafety.ie

Dublin Bus have informed local Fianna Fail T.D. and Convenor of the Oireachtas Transport Committee, Áine Brady that they are to increase their service in Celbridge to compensate for Circle Line’s withdrawal from the route.

“This news from Dublin Bus will be a great relief to commuters who were reliant on the Circle Line service and were left high and dry as a result of the withdrawal of services.”

“As soon as I heard of Circle Line’s intention to withdraw their service I contacted Dublin Bus and the Minister for Transport, Noel Dempsey to impress upon them the importance and urgency of providing an alternative for north Kildare commuters who relied on the service.”

“I also raised the matter at a meeting of the Oireachtas Transport Committee.”

“I am delighted that Dublin Bus has recognised the need in the area and sought to increase their service and that the Department of Transport responded so speedily to their application to do so.”

“I will remain in contact with Dublin Bus on this issue and will be urging them to put the additional service in place as soon as possible. It is vital that the extra busses are running in time for the new school term,” concluded Deputy Brady.

The income limits for student maintenance grants are set to increase in time for the start of the 2008 academic year according to local Fianna Fail T.D.; Deputy Michael Fitzpatrick.

“The income limits are being increased in line with movements in the average industrial wage for students in receipt of the standard rates of grant.”  

“The top limit for grant eligibility where there are less than four dependent children has been increased from €48,335 to €49,690. This will result in over 56,000 students from households with moderate incomes not having to pay the student service charge.”  

“The increase in the income limits recognises wage increases and will increase the numbers of eligible students.”

“The annual income threshold for maintenance grants has also increased from €18,055 to €20,147 to reflect social welfare increases. This will help to ensure that students from families with the lowest incomes qualify for maximum rates of grants.”

“It is important that the financial constraints on students are recognised and practical supports are provided.”

“Anyone who thinks they might be eligible should check the ‘Students and Trainees’ section of the Department website, www.education.ie,” concluded Deputy Fitzpatrick.

The Lily White Wedding is an exciting competition which offers you the chance to win the wedding of your dreams. The competition is run by The Hazel Hotel Monasterevin in conjunction with KFM.

Couples taking part in the Lilywhite Wedding Competition will be joined by family and friends at the exciting Gala Final night on Tuesday,19th August 2008.  The night will see couples introduced to over 600 people. During the show the Camembert Quartet will be playing some music and after the wining Couple is announced.  The Camembert Quartet will play music until 1am.  After that the Elvis Extravaganza will perform in the front lounge for the rest of the Celebrations.

The lucky couple to win the breath-taking prize in the Lilywhite Wedding competition will not only enjoy a fabulous wedding reception in the Hazel Hotel for their family and friends, but also get a host of added extra prizes.  The Lilywhite Wedding couple of 2008 will enjoy a package of prizes to include a contribution towards the Wedding Dress, Wedding Stationary, Flowers, Wedding make-up, Wedding Band, Menswear Helicopter and Wedding Car.

For more information and details of how to enter, go to www.thelilywhitewedding.com

On Thursday 18th July, Penneys opened its eagerly anticipated new store on the Main Street in Newbridge. The new tore is located on the main street, near the post office. The store has been undergoing renovations for a few months in order to prepare for the opening. It is expected that up to 120 jobs will be created by the opening of the new store.

Penneys operates a total of 177 stores in Ireland Spain and the UK. When the new Primark opened in  London 's Oxford Street in April 2007, one million items were sold in its first ten days of trading. Although trading in Newbridge may not be quite as intense, the store will no doubt be very popular with local fashionistas.

The President of Ireland, Mary McAleese officially launched the Road Safety Authority’s new Rules of the Road website, www.rulesoftheroad.ie, on 9th July 2008, at Farmleigh, Phoenix Park. The new website provides an interactive version of the Rules of the Road in English, as well as foreign language translations of the Rules of the Road, catering for non-Irish road-users.

Translations of the Rules of the Road in Irish, Chinese Mandarin, Russian and Polish are available to download from the website, as well as an English language audio version of the rules. In addition, the Road Safety Authority has produced e-booklets of the foreign language translations which are available with the audio version on CD-ROM to meet the needs of those with reading difficulties. 

An exhibition of extracts from the Art Collection of the Waterford Healing Arts Trust

Naas General Hospital, 10 July – 31 August 2008

Kildare County Council Arts Service is delighted to announce the launch of Doing The Rounds, an art exhibition from the collection of Waterford Healing Arts Trust. The exhibition runs from Thursday 10 July to Sunday 31 August in the concourse of Naas General Hospital. Speaking at the launch, Deputy Mayor of County Kildare Paddy Mc Namara said the exhibition is “a great initiative and provided a unique opportunity for patients and staff to see valuable work from acclaimed artists’.

This exhibition is a collaborative project between Kildare County Council Arts Service, Naas Hospital Arts Committee and Waterford Healing Arts Trust. Since last August Nicola Dunne, Arts in Health Specialist, Kildare County Council has been working with Naas Hospital Arts Committee to develop and extend their arts programme and policy. Successful recent initiatives include creative writing workshops in the cardiac rehab unit and the launch of a storytelling CD produced by patients in the day hospital. This collaboration forms part of our commitment to the inter-agency development of arts in health projects as outlined in “Making Inroads, An Arts Development Plan for Kildare County Council 2006-2011’.

Thanks to the generosity of the Waterford Healing Arts Trust who agreed to loan the collection, we could avail of this valuable resource and share it with Kildare audiences. The Waterford Healing Arts Trust is one of Ireland’s longest running hospital arts programmes based in Waterford Regional Hospital. This exhibition has been curated by the arts co-ordinators of four hospitals, Waterford Regional Hospital, The Mater Hospital, St. James’s Hospital, Dublin and University Hospital, Galway, and features a diversity of artwork by contemporary artists. This is the first time part of the collection has toured to other hospitals and we are delighted to host its exhibition in Kildare.

Information from the Festival Committee:

There is a new, useful airport link directly from Dublin Airport to Monasterevin servicing Naas, Newbridge, Kildare, Monasterevin and Portlaoise. Buses leave approx. every 2 hours starting 7.30 am and ending 22.30.

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Lime Green Dublin Bus Times from Dublin Airport
7.30; 9.30; 11.30; 13.30; 15.30; 18.30; 22.30 hours
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You can check it out at www.dublincoach.ie  Check out the timetable (it doesn't travel through city centre).

Where to find New Bus:
From Arrivals Hall (Dublin Airport), walk across the road, through Car Park, (you will pass a Spar shop on left). Continue on to open air Coach Park. Your Coaches are a distinctive lime green colour. You can always ask.

Fare to Monasterevin is Euro 10. This Bus should facilitate your journey. If this does not work out, just head into the Bus Terminal and you will get a range of buses to Kildare and Monasterevin.

The Hopkins Festival is 21 years old this year and going stronger than ever!

The 21st Hopkins International Festival promises to be the best yet. Friends of Hopkins are ocoming from the four corners of the world. . The Festival has attracted international poets, writers, artists and scholars and enthusiasts who are coming to Monasterevin to celebrate
our 21st anniversary.

Noted international writers include: poets Salah Niazi (Iraq) - who is also engaged in translating James Joyce’s Ulysses; leading Scottish poet, Alan Riach; Vitke Janota from Czech Republic; Kirsti Simonsuuri, the star of Finland; noted Chinese poet, Li Li; and the list of Irish writers includes: Brian Keenan; Reamonn O Muirí and Desmond Egan who will be launching two new Collections of his poetry.

The Annual Group Art Exhibition is one of the most exciting yet with Wilhelm Föckersperger
from Germany; leading American artist, Ed. Navone and two of Ireland’s finest Graphic Artists, Alice Hanratty and Margaret Becker. The Photography Exhibition this year will feature the much praised work of Padraig O Flannabhra.

The list of Hopkins Scholars is particularly impressive and will include Catherine Phillips from Cambridge - a scholar with a world-wide reputation; Poland’s finest Hopkins scholar, Aleksandra Kedzierska and Peter Milward SJ from Japan who will launch a book; as well as David Axelrod, Portia Weston, and John Kerrigan - all exciting names from USA.

The Annual Classical Concert in Moore Abbey is always a sell-out because of its quality
and the refined intimacy of the setting in The Baronial Hall with the piano of John McCormack.

We are lucky this year to have arguably Ireland’s finest pianist, Paris-based Miceal O’Rourke. He will offer a concert of special but accessible appeal, featuring works by Mozart, Schubert, Beethoven and Irish composer, John Field, (creator of the nocturne) of whom O’Rourke is the acknowledged leading interpreter.

Our usual array of Workshops includes Creative Writing (expertly guided by David Axelrod); Music and Writing with guitarist/songwriter Conor Mahony in charge; and our innovative Multi-lingual Translation Workshop, which has proved over the past few years to be especially popular. It will be directed by Aleksandra Kedziersak with help from Alla Savchenko (Russia); Hatif Janabi (Iraq) and other distinguished, international translators.

This year, the Committee is happy to announce a special day in NUI Maynooth. Events include: guided tours; a lecture by Brian Keenan; a sherry reception; and the highlight of the week; the Gala Banquet. Speakers include President John Hughes.

We are especially proud that The Hopkins Festival is the only one in Ireland to offer a special, parallel programme geared to younger participants. It will be led by master - communicator, One of the highlights promises to be the session introducing young visitors to the techniques of Filmmaking during the course of which students will actually produce and edit a film under the expert eye of American filmmaker and producer, James Kelly.

And we haven’t even mentioned the convivial Festival Club every evening . ..

Print-out of the full Festival Programme is available for down-load at our website, You will also find lots more information on all aspects of our Programme.

We hope you have a pleasant trip and enjoy your visit to Monasterevin.

Making Classical music accessible to people in Kildare, Keep Up The Classics, at the Moat Theatre in Naas on August 9th, promises to be an enjoyable evening of entertainment.

Operatic arias and duets, Musical Theatre excerpts and Classic songs sung by:

•  Bryan Hoey, Tenor,
• Brendan MacQuaile, Baritone,  
• Catrina Scullion, Soprano and
• Marie Power, Mezzo

with Vincent Lynch at the Piano. Enjoy favourites like La Donna Mobile from Rigoletto, Brindisi from La Traviata, The Moon Had’th raised from Maritana and many more.

Scenes from My fair Lady and South Pacific, there may even be a Phantom in the Theatre !

Young people who are out of work for more than six months are to be given the opportunity to return to education, according to Kildare North Fianna Fail T.D., Áine Brady.

“The Minister for Social and Family Affairs announced this week that the €71million available under the Back to Education Allowance Scheme this year will be specifically targeted at young men and women between the ages of 18 and 25 who are signing on the Live Register.”

“The Minister has asked the officials in her Department to operate a specific programme over the summer months to identify and contact young people who may be eligible to qualify for the Back to Education Allowance Scheme.”

“Recent CSO figures showed an increase in the amount of young people signing on, and the Government is keen to address the trend.”

“The Back to Education Allowance Scheme enables participants to receive a weekly rate of payment equivalent to their second or third level education. This payment is not means tested and there is also an additional payment of €500 paid to participants at the start of the academic year.”

 “This financial assistance enables people to return to education, up-skill or re-skill, with a view to improving their future employment prospects.”

“In the last academic year almost 9,000 men and women availed of the Back to Education Allowance Scheme. It is a very successful scheme and I would like to encourage anyone who is struggling to find work to investigate their eligibility,” concluded Deputy Brady.

Full details on eligibility are available from: www.welfare.ie

On Sunday 27th july, the Bog of Allen Nature Centre will throw open its
doors to launch a celebration of International Bog Day. This world wide
event helps to raise awareness of the value of bogs to our daily lives. And
the Irish Peatland Conservation Council invite participants to explore their
peatland heritage and future as part of the festival.

A key part of the event will be a talk by Cillian Breathnach entitled:
Peatland Restoration in Canada ­ Where? How? Why Bother? This will be
followed by a walk on Lodge Bog to see the restoration measures being
implemented to raise its water levels. Lodge Bog is an example of a raised
bog habitat. Raised Bogs could be the first peatland type to become extinct
in Ireland because of over exploitation for turf cutting and peat milling.

The International Bog Day Festival will also include self guiding tours of
the Peatland Museum at the Bog of Allen Nature Centre. On display here are
antlers of the Great Irish Elk found in a bog near Carbury, a bog butter and
part of an ancient togher or trackway found in Lullymore Bog. Visitors may
also like to view the picture displays of the Army at work in the bog during
the Second World War. Their "turf cutting camp" was based in Lullymore.

For children we will have a frog hunt and pond dipping activities in the
garden. Our aim is to find a 100 frogs.

The Festival will take place in the Bog of Allen Nature Centre, Lullymore
from 12 noon to 4pm on Sunday 27th July 2008. All welcome. Tea and Coffee and Bikkies will be served. Admission free.

Further information: Irish Peatland Conservation Council Tel 045-860133.
www.ipcc.ie

From July 19th - 25th Monasterevin will host the 21st Gerard Manley Hopkins Literary Festival. Each year, since 1987, scholars and lovers of Hopkins's poetry have come from all over the world to Monasterevin to celebrate the work of Gerard Manely Hopkins.

This year the festival has announced a unique Youth Programme which runs parallel and interacts with the Hopkins Festival. Programme highlights include workshops, film screenings, a visit to N.U.I. Maynooth for a tour of the university. For more information on the youth programme visit www.gerardmanleyhopkins.org

Two of Irelands top young racers will be part of the fight for Formula Ford honours at Mondello Park this weekend in what should be one of the races of the day at Sunday's (20th July 2008) Motor Enthusiast Club run event.

Patrick McKenna and Robert Barrable have both been nominated as a driver of the month for their exploits this season and are an important element in the mix of up and coming young drivers and experienced racers which make up the highly competitive Formula Ford grid. The Fords will be making only their second 2008 appearance at Mondello and their first of the year on the national circuit. On their previous appearance, at the Mondello park 40th Anniversary in May, they raced on the International layout with Barrable taking both wins.

The remainder of the Mondello Park programme is a good mix of Saloon, Sportscar and Single Seater action with all classes, including the Formula Fords running twice. the Dunlop Supercars will provide the saloon entertainment with their third appearance at the track in quick succession. having started their season late the popular championship is making up for lost time and arrives at Mondello for its third double header in four weekends having raced at Rockingham in the UK just last weekend. So far there have been three different winners from six races with Rod McGovern, Roynane O'Mahony and Jonathan Fildes sharing the spoils.

Formula Libre will supply the fastest and loudest grid of the weekend and it may also be the largest with the series now needing a qualification race at some events due to the interest in the class. The usual mix of powerful F3000 based machinery and more nimble Formula 3 and Formula Atlantic based cars, which race at the head of the field, will be joined by the fastest of the under 2000cc cars from the qualification race to make up what will be the highlight of the event for many race fans.

Finishing off the twelve race programme will be two races each for Formula Sheane, the Porsche Open Championship and Stryker Sports cars. Racing gets underway at 11:30 with three races scheduled to be run prior to the lunch halt and the remaining nine races taking place in the afternoon.

This year's Person of the year Awards takes place in the Diamond Suite of the Derby House Hotel in Kildare Town on Friday 18^th July 2008 @ 8.00 pm.

MC on the night will be Matt Browne - the winner will go forward to the County Person of the Year

The following people were nominated for the Kildare Derby Festival Person of the Year:  

John Ellis
Eamonn Hennesey
Christie Mc Evoy
Mary Kavanagh
Mary Hickey
Sandra Doyle
Mario Corrigan
Martin Malone
Sally Purcell
Breda Costello
Joan Conlan
Fr Paul Dempsey
Sr Nano
Sr Columba
Aidan Mc Keown
John Mackey
Marjorie Moore
Eamonn Mulvihill
Jennifer Boyle
Mary Darcy

Presentation to the winner Marjorie Moore will be made in Diamond Suite Gala night in Derby House Hotel on Friday 18th July @ 8pm.

Other awards will be made to various persons who made a special contribution to this years 30th kildare Derby Festival. 

Friends & relatives of the nominees are invited along with the entire Community of Kildare - after all this festival grew from the Community of Kildare and displays the commitment of volunteers of Kildare - the Heritage town.

The Turf Cub have announced that the Curragh racecourse will be closed while building work is carried out.

Originally set to begin construction work in September 2008, it was planned to continue racing while construction work was completed. However, on taking advice on health and safety issues, it has been decided that racing cannot continue until construction work is finished.

The racecourse will be closed between the end of July 2009 and March 2011. All of the 2010 fixtures affected will be re-located to other racecourses by Horse Racing Ireland.

The 2010 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby will be run at Leopardstown racecourse.

Kildare County Library, Local Studies, Genealogy and Archives Dept. in partnership with Kildare Town Heritage Centre have recently launched A Topographical Dictionary of County Kildare in 1837, being the relevant 'Kildare' extracts from Samuel Lewis's Topographical Dictionary of Ireland published in that year.

It has been re-edited since the material was first made available on the internet, corrected and material added and now appears with almost 1300 references in the comprehensive index as well as a glossary and the original parameters for the survey as set out in the Leinster Express of 1834.

Three south Kildare schools are to receive a funding boost from the Government’s Dormant Accounts Fund according to local Fianna Fail T.D. Seán Ó Feargháil.

“Three Kildare schools are to receive grants from the Dormant Accounts Fund for dining area and canteen equipment projects. This funding will enable these schools to enhance their school dining facilities helping to support children’s learning and development.”

“The Kildare schools that will benefit are St Pauls Secondary School Monasterevin who will receive €12,000 and the Curragh Camp B N S who will receive €10,000. In addition to this Ardscoil Rath Lomgháin will receive €5,000 for canteen equipment solely.”

 “I am delighted that this funding from the Dormant Accounts is being put to such effective use in Kildare,” concluded Deputy Ó Feargháil.

With over 150 bands across 7 stages, OXEGEN 08 is shaping up to be a great rock 'n roll weekend. For the first time ever, the festival has been extended to 3 days - with the campsite opening from 12 noon thursday 10th July. 80,000 music fans are due to descend on Punchestown for the event, with 70,000 planning to camp. Car parks will be open from 10am on Thursday and close at 6pm on Monday.

Event organisers have have put in place two free park and ride facilities with free direct shuttle service to the concert site - Park and Ride North at Goffs, Junction 8 off the N7 and Park and Ride South - Junction 10 off the M7. Other travel details, including a map of traffic routes can be downloaded from the OXEGEN08 website www.oxegen.ie/2008.

The line up for this years festival includes R.E.M, The Verve, Rage Against the Machine, Kaiser Chiefs and many more.  It is also hoped that Amy Winehouse will appear despite her recent difficulties.

Two bands who are certain to be there are Kildare Bands The Kill City Defectors and Schmackey and the Salads who both beat stiff competition at the Platform III live final in Time venue on June 5th, to win slots on the new band stage on Saturday, July 12th and Sunday, July 13th respectively.

Team AcidRain, from NUI Maynooth, have won the Silver Award in the Microsoft Imagine Cup 2008, the world's biggest student technology competition.

Their entry was a conversion engine to drive cars powered by vegetable oil.

There were initially thousands of entries  to the competition from over 100 countries, with the final 124 teams being judged in Paris.

Team Members were Brian Byrne, Aodhan Coffey, and Karl O’Dwyer, Mentored by Tom Lysaght.

Team AcidRain is planning a business venture and is hoping that this technology will be fitted to diesel engines and generators and thus help create a cleaner and more sustainable environment for us all. .

After receiving their award, the team from Maynooth drove back from Paris in their entry, a car powered by sunflower oil.

The 30th Kildare Derby Festival was a huge success bringing thousands of people into the town this weekend. Festival organisers were delighted to meet  people from the UK,  USA,  Australia,  Isle of Man,  Germany,  France,  Northern Ireland,  Slovinia and Spain. The festival was also enjoyed by non-national's living in Ireland and people throughout different parts of Ireland who stayed in Kildare for the duration of the festival.

On Saturday night the square in Kildare Town was packed to capacity. The Fureys were the main act and were well recieved by the audience. The rain stated in earnest after the Furys left the square.  

Sunday night saw the Camebert Quarter playing in the square. Clane's Sharon Condon made a quest appearance and delighted the crowd.

From left to right: Denise Healy Kildare Rose going to Rose of Tralee this year, Sally Purcell from the Kildare DerbyFestival Committee, and Laura Leigh Kildare Derby Festival Queen

There is a new Chess Club starting up in Athy Library, to which all are welcome.

The first meeting will be on Thursday 7th August 2008 at  7pm.

Chess sets will be provided

More information is available from: 059-8631144

or email athylib@kildarecoco.ie

Get ready foodies, the K Club will host the first ever "Taste Kildare" Festival on 17th August 2008. Set within the walled Victorian Garden on the K Club Estate, the festival will celebrate Food and Craft Producers, Local Quality Retailers, Farmers Markets and Restaurateurs of the highest quality Kildare has to offer. The K Club invites visitors to while come and sample the finest homemade and expertly prepared food.

With free entrance and parking charge of €10.00 per car , this promises to be a great day out for all the family. Children will be entertained on the day with clowns, face painting, crazy golf and duck racing! Exhibitors taking part in Taste Kildare include the following;

• Morrin O'Rourke Farm Foods
• Palmerstown House
• Castlefarm Shop
• Visit Kildare
• The Osprey Hotel
• The Village at Lyons
• Mary Daly & Associates
• ChocONeill
• Moyle Abbey Farm
• Barberstown Castle
• Naas Farmers Market
• Whats Cooking
• viedechateaux.ie
• The K Club

For more information on "Taste Kildare" visit www.tastekildare.ie

Two Kildare based community groups are to receive a funding boost from the Government according to local Fianna Fail T.D. Áine Brady.

“Naas and District Community Alert is to receive €13,800 and Staplestown Community Alert Group will get €550 from the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, under the Scheme of Community Support for Older People (CSOP).”

“This funding will assist Naas and District Community Alert and Staplestown Community Alert Group to support older people in Kildare with increasing security in their homes with socially monitored alarm systems, and security equipment such as sensor lighting, window locks, door locks, door chains and smoke alarms.”

“Increasing security of older people in their homes can often make the difference in whether older people stay at the heart of their communities or feel they have to move to residential or other housing.”

“Applications to the Scheme of Community Support for Older People can be made throughout the year by eligible groups, allowing applicants to benefit from the wide range of security aids available as the need arises.”

“I would like to commend the hard work and dedication of the staff and volunteers at Naas and District Community Alert and Staplestown Community Alert Group. I know that this funding will make a big difference to those who need it most,” concluded Deputy Brady.

Kilcock Art gallery currently have three exhibitions running until August 31st:

• Gallery 1 –  Sculptor Fiona Smith Darragh
• Gallery 2 - Dominique Van den Broeck
• Gallery 3 -   Group exhibition of paintings, sculpture and prints
  

The shows include 19 bronze sculptures of wild birds by Fiona, who since her childhood in Worcestershire has had a great love of wildlife. Her attention to detail has made her wildlife pieces sought after by collectors in Ireland and Scotland where she exhibits at the Lost Gallery.

Dominique says of her exhibition of paintings;

"painting remains my first  and true love… My exhibition at the Kilcock Art Gallery is a reminiscence of a countryside childhood, when animals were my only friends in that lonely life.  I pay tribute to them today.”

Samples of works from these exhibitions can be seen at the Kilcock Art Gallery website.

Fine Gael Councillor Senan Griffin was elected Mayor of Kildare at the County Council's annual general meeting.

Councillor Griffin succeeds councillor Mary Glennon, Independent Councillor from Naas, and the new Deputy Mayor is Labour Councillor Paddy McNamara.

Councillor Griffin, who lives in Maynooth, is a former teacher and ex-principal of Maynooth Post-Primary School.

The Kildare Community Partnership under the Community Participation Programme organised  an information meeting on oversees qualifications entitled “qualification matters” on Monday 16th June in Naas.

This initiative was developed on request of different groups working closely with the Kildare Community Partnership such as Kildare EU Club, Newbridge Asylum Seekers Support Group and K.N.I.T. project (Kildare, Newbridge Interculturalism Today Project). However the event was open to any public or private bodies and individuals from County Kildare .

The information meeting provided individuals with important information on qualification issues, recognition procedure and helped them to understand the awards framework in Ireland and the role of National Qualification Authority itself. Various nationalities attended  the meeting and participants also had a  chance to discuss their own individual cases and arrange follow up support regarding their own process of application.

The presentation was given by expert representatives from National Qualification Authority of Ireland.

Should you require further information about the recognitions process, information  booklets are available in different languages. These and application forms are available in the KCP office, Jigginstown Commercial Centre, Old Limerick Road, Naas 

or you can contact:

National Qualification Authority of Ireland, 5th Floor, Jervis House, Jervis Street, Dublin 1, 01-887 15 00 or you can download them on www.gualificationsrecognition.ie

THE NEXT INFORMATION MEETING WILL BE HELD IN ATHY ON 20TH AUGUST.
(venue and time will be advertised)

For more information please contact Eliska Schneiderova on eliska@thekcp.ie, 045-895 450 or 087-279 86 57. 

The Kildare Community Partnership, under the Community Participation Programme, facilitated development of a non-profit organization, the Kildare EU Club, a multicultural volunteers organization uniting people from different countries living in county Kildare.

As one of the 2008 actions towards new communities, the Kildare EU Club established, early this year, a dedicated committee with the aim of starting a  Multicultural Chess Club.

The Kildare EU Club, in close collaboration with the KILDARE COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP, organised a Multicultural Chess Tournament on Saturday 7th June 2008.

The 1st  CHESS TOURNAMENT was hosted by Kill GAA. 8 players were qualified and 7 players registered on the day. Tournament rules were set by the multi-national committee and by judge Jan from the Czech Republic.
Players played each other on a 15 minute time limit per game. 

The winners were:

1. Grzegorz Kurasz
2. Ian Verkin
3. Stanislaw Buczkowski

The medals were presented by Mr. Richard Farrell, who officially launched the Chess Club. Mr. Farrell, of the Kildare Sports Partnership, said:

"Before I started to work with Kildare Sports Partnership, I was working with the national organization Community Games, which support chess, draughts, arts and that kind of area. The Kildare Sports Partnership is working on a model to support sporting activities in the context that sport produces happy minds and happy bodies, which leads to personal happiness. I can see you have done tremendous work here and I hope you will continue."

The tournament was very well organized and one of the players commented:

"This is my 5th year in Ireland and I was very surprised that something like this exists. I found it advertised on a Slovakian website. I have met very good players here and I enjoyed quality games and it is for me an unforgettable experience. I would be more than happy to see this kind of event in my county." said Ian Verkin,who travelled to Co. Kildare to take part in tournament.

The members of the club extend thanks to Kill  GAA Club for the tournament space they are providing for the Chess Club; to the Community Foundation of Ireland; to the Kildare Community Partneship and to Kildare Sports Partnership for great support, and to all volunteers who took  part in the event.

The Chess Club is held in GAA Kill every Friday at 9 pm.

For more info contact coordinator Teresa Buczkowska at t.buczkowska@op.pl or Eliska Schneiderova at Eliska@thekcp.ie, 045-895 450.