County Kildare News

In 2010 an extensive survey of frogs will get underway in Ireland, lead by the Irish Peatland Conservation Council (IPCC). The survey of the Common Frog (Rana temporaria) is looking for information on their distribution and habitat preferences in every county in Ireland. Members of the public are asked to send in sightings of frog spawn, tadpoles, froglets and adult frogs. One of the best places to begin your frog watch is in the garden pond. This man-made habitat will probably become increasingly important in future years, as the natural and wild habitats of the frog are lost to drainage and development. February and March are the peak times for frog spawning; although spawning in the south of Ireland may occur in January if the temperature is warm enough. It is essential to monitor frogs as they are barometers of environmental health and much loved creatures of wetlands. You can check out where frogs have been found in your county and get a survey card at www.ipcc.ie. So, Hop To It and record the frogs in your area as part of your contribution to International Year of Biodiversity 2010.
 
Since the first Hop To It frog survey in 1997, the IPCC has received over 3800 records. Although frogs are in decline worldwide, due to factors such as habitat destruction, pollution and infectious disease, the results of the survey to date show that the Common Frog is widespread throughout the island of Ireland with 40% of records occurring in garden ponds. Areas poorly represented in previous frog surveys include the six counties of Northern Ireland, Laois, Carlow and Leitrim. Therefore, we would especially welcome records from these locations.
 
We would be delighted if people who sent us records from previous years continued to send us information regarding frog sightings and we would also welcome new participants to this annual survey. If you see any stage of the frog life cycle, please take part in the frog survey by filling out a survey card and returning it to IPCC.

“The survey cards are easy to fill out so don’t worry if you are not a herpetologist!” says Michael Kenny, Frog Watch Officer.

For those who wish to take part, survey cards are available at www.ipcc.ie or they can be obtained directly from:

 Michael Kenny, IPCC, Bog of Allen Nature Centre, Lullymore, Rathangan, Co. Kildare, Tel 045-860133.
 

The GIY (Grow It Yourself) has been sweeping the country since its establishment and is now coming to Newbridge.

The launch of the Newbridge branch will take place in Rose Earleys pub (Eyre Street) on Thursday 28th January at 8pm. 

All are welcome.

GIY groups are local food growers networks that recreate the camaraderie of allotment growing for back-garden vegetable growers by getting them together on a regular basis to learn from each other and exchange tips, war-stories and produce.

GIY membership is free and open to people interested in food growing at all levels, i.e. from growing a few herbs on the balcony to complete self-sufficiency, from beginners to old hands.

See the GIY Website for more information.

Féile Bríde events begin on Sunday 31st with a Walking Tour around the ancient Monastic city of Kildare with Mario Corrigan. Assemble in the Market Square at St. Brigid’s Flame at 1pm.

Sunday 31st January2pm – 4pm
Weaving of St. Brigid’s Crosses - Customs and traditions of Brigid shared.
Venue: Áras Bhríde, Kildare Town

Sunday 31st January 7:30pm – 9pm
Brigid’s Eve Ritual at St. Brigid’s Well.
Assemble at 7:20pm at Japanese Gardens’ car park.

Monday 1st February Lá Féile Bríde /St. Brigid’s Day 11:00am – 3:30pm
A Walk on the Curragh Plain

For details and a full list of events for Féile Bríde, please see the Brigidine Sister’s website: www.solasbhride.ie/component/content/article/41-feile-bride-2010

International Track - Reduced Prices

The 2010 Mondello Park Car Track Day season kicks into gear on the final Saturday of January, and this first event of the season will run on the International Track.

For this year all 'Open' Days will continue of use the 'Open Pit Lane' format which was introduced in 2009 to offer track day drivers better value for money in the form of increased track time. With the number of available spaces being reduced to accommodate the open pit lane format, pre-booking is essential to secure a space. New and experienced drivers are welcome but first timers must register themselves and their cars with Mondello Park prior to booking.

Due to the shorter daylight hours at this time of the year the costs for the morning, afternoon and full-day options will be reduced. The morning session will now take place between 10:00 and 12:30 while the Afternoon session will be held between 13:30 and 16:00. The price for a half day (morning or afternoon) will be just €100, while the full day is available for €175, a saving of €125 over a normal International circuit track day.

Bookings are now being taken, contact Sharon on +353-45-860200 or email sharonp@mondellopark.ie.

For further information on Mondello Park track days and all of the rules and regulations see HERE.

The deadline for the ECCE Free Preschool Places Scheme is January
29th and many parents, whose children are eligible, are not aware and will miss out.

If you do not have your child registered with a preschool by January 29th you will be unable to avail of the free preschool places until the Easter term.  Parents should contact their local childcare authority to get a list of registered preschools in their area.

Our preschool, Longtown Creche still has vacancies. Morning and afternoon Montessori and preschool sessions available.

We are a family run montessori situated less than 1.5 miles from Clane (between Clane and Carragh) in a beautiful country setting. Established in 2001, we offer a personal touch and work with each parent individually to accommodate your specific needs.

Call to arrange a viewing or have a chat 045 893017

Our website contains lots of information so be sure and check it out.

http://www.longtowncreche.com

This Sunday Mondello Park's first Drifting Practice day of the year takes place. This will be a drifting Practice only day with no Time-Attack on the programme allowing extra spaces to be made available. Previous events have regularly been over-subscribed and even with the extra spaces available advance booking is required in order to secure you space.

Drifting practice has become popular with both the competition and amateur drifter alike as it offers the chance to get more drifting experience under your belt than you would achieve in a full season of competition. The sessions run on a shortened, more flowing version of the Mondello Park National Circuit, which creates non-stop drifting action that is highly popular with spectators and participants. As with the final day of 2009 this wekends event will run on a new layout which lenghtens the lap and provides even more room on track.

A full competition car is not required, Roll Cages are not compulsory and passengers are allowed, making Drifting Practice ideal for Competition Drifters and Track Day drivers who find drifting opportunities restricted on regular Mondello Park Track Days. Normal Mondello Park Track Day rules and regulations apply (for further information see HERE).

Bookings are now being taken. The day will run from 10:00 to 16:00 due to the shorter daylight hours and consequently will have a reduced cost of €140 for the full day with no half day option. To book your place phone Sharon on 045-860200 or contact sharonp@mondellopark.ie.

Spectators are allowed and Adult Admission to the event is €10.00 with under 16's admitted free.

Kildare Town AFC Require Managers for the forthcoming Senior Summer Soccer Season 2010.

Anyone interested contact Club Chairperson Darren Stafford on 086 8174431

or email kildaretownafc@googlemail.com

Also Check Out www.kildaretownafc.webs.com

An interesting and varied programme for 2010 from the Kildare Town history group:

Wed 3rd Feb. "44 Years a Public Representative" with Michael McWey.

Wed 3rd Mar. "Lord Edward's Own" - Historical Re-enactment Group with Barry Walsh.

Wed 7th April. "Movies/Memories/Memorabilia Night" with Society Members.

Wed 5th May. "Martello Towers" - An Illustrated Talk with Rory McKenna.

Sat 12th Jun. Annual Outing to Straffan, Maynooth and Castletown. Pre-booking essential.

Wed 7th Jul. The 2010 Hayden Lecture "The Southwells & Murphys" with Susan Waters and Brian Murphy.

August. Summer Break.

Wed 1st Sep. "The Bergins & Kildare since the 1800s" - an Illustrated Talk with Charles Bergin.

Wed 6th Oct. "Bog Bodies" with Niamh McCabe.

Wed 3rd Nov. "The Milltown Murder" with A.J. Mullowney.

Wed 1st Dec. "1910 & 1960" - What they said in the Papers with Mario & Joe.

A solo exhibition of mixed media print works, by Andrzej Mazur

Riverbank Arts Centre, Newbridge, Co. Kildare presents ‘Shyness Silence’ – an exhibition of new and recent works by emerging artist Andrzej Mazur.  Since moving to Ireland from Poland, Andrzej has exhibited extensively in Dublin.  This will be his first solo exhibition in Kildare. 

Andrzej Mazur is a member of the Graphic Studio, Dublin and has being working in print since 2000.  He holds a BA and MA in fine art from the University of Maria Curie Sklodowska in Lublin, Poland. 

The works presented here are like puzzles and windows to another world.  While drawing inspiration from the works of the masters, Albrect Durer and Hendrick Goltzius, Andrzej has managed to create intriguing and stimulating highly skilled and executed images.  These works are studies of the human being and all the complexities of human relationships and communication.    

Andrzej Mazur’s statement:        

“The common feature of my work is mystery. Both for viewers who try to decode meanings of the whole picture or any part of it, and for me. My works and research explore conceptual relations between cognitive processes, languages and cultures. The very choice of the subject, the gesture, the motif disclose a predisposition to a related interpretation of the world, access to similar layers of the absurd and references to objects recorded in the history of symbols, signs and associations”.

The exhibition opens on Thursday, 21st January at 6.30pm with Andrzej giving a demonstration on how he uses paint in his print works.  The exhibition runs until 14th February in the McKenna Gallery, admission is free and the gallery is open 10am to 5.30pm, Monday to Friday and 10am to 1pm on Saturday.  See riverbank.ie for details.

For further information on Andrzej Mazur visit www.andrzejmazur.com

 Yoga for Pregnancy

Course starts 18th Jan 2010 at Apple Yoga, Kilcock, until 8th March. Cost €90.

Prepares the body for birth and beyond.

A gentle class to keep you in shape during your pregnancy and to help ease pregnancy ailments. A blend of breathing, gentle stretches and relaxation.

Partner yoga available by appointment.

Courses also available in:

• Yogalates. A blend of pilates and yoga to tone the entire body. Improves overall muscle tone and strenghtens the back.
• Mum and baby yoga. An opportunity to strenghten and tone the body while having fun with your baby.
• Yoga. Yoga tones the body and the mind. Students feel relaxed and refreshed after class yet have completed an entire body workout> Beginners and Improvers

Contact Deardra Phelan 086 3618348 or deardraphelan@yahoo.com

PROVE IT! – SKILLS ASSESSMENT

Eliminate the guesswork and build for success

Clark Recruitment have invested in the latest software which allows us to identify qualified people based on the jobs skill requirements. These assessments will benefit both clients and candidates in the following areas:

Clients

• Increased efficiency of your recruitment interviewing and selection process
• Better hiring and promotion decisions
• Decreased employee turnover and associated costs
• Allows you to identify strengths and developmental opportunities of potential and current employees
• Assess internal or direct applicants

Candidates

• Identify your strengths and key areas for improvement
• Increase your confidence
• Give more detail on your skill sets and strengths to potential employers
• Improve your skills with tutorials

Below are just some of the skills we can assess.

• Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Access, Microsoft PowerPoint
• Typing (speed and accuracy)
• Data Entry
• Accounts Payable / Receivable
• Spelling and grammar
• Arithmetic Reasoning
• Filing & Logic

Assessments can either be conducted in our offices or on a client site.

Cost: €25 euro per assessment or €70 for 3 assessments

If you require more information please do not hesitate to contact Clark on 045-881888 or email info@clark.ie

Early Bird Ticket Offer For The Sensational Kids Glitter Ball 2010

Treat yourself to a special night of fine wine, dining, & dancing in the luxurious 4* Hotel Keadeen, Newbridge,  County Kildare on Saturday February 27th 2010.

Sensational Kids & Hotel Keadeen have put together a special  package for this glamorous evening featuring:

• Champagne Reception
• Gala dinner with wine
• Two of Irelands Leading Bands - Eclipse & ABBA Vous
• Great prize giveaways worth thousands of Euro
• All ladies will receive a wonderful gift bag on the
  evening

Tickets €100 per person but if you book and pay for your tickets before 22nd January you can purchase tickets for just 85 euro per person. Tickets can be booked over the phone by contacting Sensational Kids on 045 520900

All proceeds from this event will go to Sensational Kids, a registered charity that provides family centered therapy and educational services for children of all abilities in a state of the art occupational therapy centre in Kildare. Sensational kids provides therapy services for many children each week with Autism spectrum disorders, Down syndrome, Cerebral
palsy, Dyspraxia, Global Developmental Delays, Dyslexia, Sensory Processing Disorders, ADD, ADHD and many other developmental conditions and delays.

The founder of Sensational Kids, Karen Leigh, won the Kildare Person Of The Year Award recently.  You can visit the charity's website at http://www.sensationalkids.ie for more details.

Kildare Volunteer Centre is urging people who have an unscheduled day off work today to take the opportunity to check in on older people in their community who may be experiencing serious difficulties as a result of the prolonged cold weather.

We are now in the third week of the big freeze which has left many older people house bound and unable to get essential food, fuel and medical supplies.  Unless they are receiving regular visits from people who can help them, they will now be in serious difficulty.  In addition to food supplies, people who use solid fuel heating may be running short of fuel, and people on regular medication may need prescriptions to be filled.

You don’t have to be affiliated with a voluntary organisation to help older people during winter. Just ring your neighbours doorbell to check that they are mobile - perhaps offer to fetch their groceries.

If you are an older person who is running into difficulties, we urge you to contact your local HSE health centre immediately. If you do not know the number for your local centre contact the HSE’s information line at 1850 24 1850 and they will provide it.

We are also  urging older people to keep in regular telephone contact with family, friends and other older people to let everyone know they are well. They are also reminding them to keep their own homes warm. They should be aiming to keep the temperature in the rooms they are living in at 18 to 20 degrees Celsius. If they cannot afford to heat the whole home to this level, they should concentrate on heating the rooms they are living in.

The All New Hannah Montana/High School Musical Show Comes to Riverbank Arts Centre, Newbridge
 
Direct from sell a sellout run at the famed Helix Theatre in Dublin, Hannah Montana and High School Musical fans are sure to get the 'Best of Both Worlds' when this Magical  Show arrives in town to Riverbank Arts Centre, Newbridge.

On Saturday 16th January for two performances only- 2pm and 7.30pm, Tickets €15
Tickets are now on sale at Riverbank Box Office 045 448327 or online at www.riverbank.ie

It’s a foot stompin', all singin' and dancin' feast that will have even mums and dads on their feet!

The 'Best of Both Worlds' is the culmination of three months intensive choreography, vocal coaching and drama rehearsals for a team of fully trained young actors and performers from Britain.
 
The show is produced by renowned novelist/scriptwriter Emma Hetherington, with choreography by Lynda Wright and vocal coach Jim McKeown who can each boast over twenty years experience in the world of show business.

It’s packing theatres throughout Britain and Ireland and is a terrific night’s entertainment.
 
Don't miss a brilliant selection of anthems from everyone's favorite pop star, Hannah Montana and all your kids' favorite sing-a -long songs from the phenomenon that is High School Musical 1, 2 and 3.
 
With a pumping soundtrack, the very best teenage performers you will find anywhere and plenty of audience interaction, this is truly a show that will have your children singing and dancing all the way home!
 
The Hanna Montana / High School Musical Tribute show.

 Please book early to avoid disappointment!

Have you experienced Arts in healthcare as a staff member, patient, family member or visitor?  Or do you organise or facilitate arts activities in healthcare or community settings?

If so, Kildare Arts in Health Steering Group would like to hear from you!

Kildare Arts in Health Steering Group is developing a map of arts activities taking place in health and care settings in County Kildare.  The aim of this project is to get an overview of the scale, range and diversity of arts in health activity in the county. We welcome submissions from individuals and organisations and would be delighted to receive details of current or past arts programmes.  All submissions received will be considered for inclusion in a future exhibition or publication of this work.

The range of potential activities could include exhibitions, classes, performances, workshops, or commissions in any art form; for example, visual art, theatre, music, dance, literature, film and opera.

Deadline for receipt of submissions: 5 pm, 11 February 2010. The submission form can be downloaded from www.kildare.ie/artsservice.

For further information contact Nicola Dunne, Arts in Health Specialist, Kildare County Council Arts Service, Tel: 045 448312 or email: nmdunne@kildarecoco.ie

Kildare Arts in Health Steering Group was established in Autumn 2008 and includes artists and representatives from a variety of agencies in the health, disability, and community sectors. The Kildare Arts in Health Steering Group seeks to promote and support a diversity of quality arts initiatives within varied healthcare and community settings to enhance the health, quality of life, social wellbeing and inclusion of all citizens within County Kildare.

An Anúna concert is a true “show”, a combination of movement, elegant costume, candles and ethereal and haunting music sung in a unique way.

Anúna perform material spanning a thousand years of history, exploring and redefining three ancient types of Celtic music:  Suantraí (lullaby), Geantraí (happy song) and Goltraí (lament).

Originally associated with the Riverdance phenomenon, Anúna's own unique performance style and ethereal, haunting music have garnered critical acclaim and an enormous international following over the last decade.

The group easily slips between Celtic/World music and Classical genres, and has collaborated with a diverse range of international artists including Elvis Costello, Sting, Michael Crawford, Barry Manilow, and Sinead O’Connor to name just a few.

Their music, usually performed unaccompanied,  draws from the rich Celtic tradition and includes  works written or arranged by the group's founder, composer Michael McGlynn.

Riverbank Arts Centre presents Anúna for one very special night of music and song at the impressive location of St Conleth’s Church, Newbridge on Friday 22nd January, 8.30pm. See www.riverbank.ie for details

The Annual MVCI Curragh Military Vehicle Show will be held at the Curragh Race Course on Sunday 16th May 2010.

All Military Clubs/Groups/Living History and General local Heritage are welcome to display.

No charge to display and the proceeds go to local causes.

Contact Robin on 087 2589013

Evenings @Brannockstown are held at Brannockstown Baptist Church, and all are very welcome to attend this casual evening worship service, which includes praise music, a short devotional, scripture reading and meditation. 

Our next evening service will be on 10 January, 7:00pm and will last about an hour.  For more information, visit www.brannockstownbaptist.ie or tel. 045 420 811.