County Kildare News

Following a break of eight weeks without championship motorcycle racing, Mondello Park will this Sunday host a round of the Irish Clubman Championship, organised by the Leinster Motor Club. The welcome return of two-wheeled racing will also coincide with the introduction of new lower admission prices at the circuit.

The fourteen race programme will feature the Bridgestone Superbike Championship and Bridgestone Supersport Championship for Clubman riders alongside a non-championship event for riders from the National Superbike and Supersport classes. The Supersport and Superbike classes as usual will be the two best supported with the top thirty riders from each class, following qualifying, going to the main race and the remainder to the non-qualifiers races.

The whole event takes place on Sunday with morning qualifying followed by a pair of races for each class. The biggest supporting class will be the Pre '97 championship for up to 600cc bikes built before 1997, where a capacity grid is expected. Also filling a grid will be the combined Lightweight Supersport and Supertwin classes. The only two stroke racers on the bill will once again be a combination of two divisions, the 125cc GP newcomers joining with the Production 125cc racers.

This weekend’s event will be the first Motorcycle races at Mondello Park where admission will be offered at the new reduced price of €10 for adults. Admission for accompanied under sixteen's remains free of charge, while all admission prices include a complimentary event programme.

New Mum and Baby yoga classes in the Wellness Centre, Kilcock

Mum and Baby yoga classes will resume on Tuesday mornings in The Wellness Centre in Kilcock on the 26th July. 

Classes are a fantastic way to bond with your new baby while regaining your pre pregnancy body, toning up and learning to relax. 

There's yoga for mum, yoga and massage for baby and a chance to meet other new mums in a relaxed and fun environment. 

Cost is 60euro for 6 week course or you can drop in and pay 12euro per class. 

Classes are suitable for babies from 6 weeks up to crawling!

Contact: Emma Guinan
Email: emma@vitalityyoga.ie

€50 for a 6 week course

Pilates uses controlled movement to tone and strengthen the body. It improves your mental and physical well-being, increases flexibility and strengthens muscles.

Day: Wednesday

Venue: Scoile Bhrid Naofa, Kildare Town

Time: 6-7pm Level: Intermediate/Advanced

Time: 7-8pm Level: Mixed Ability

Time: 8-9pm Level: Beginners/Intermediate

Contact Sara, BBU Certified Instructor

Phone: 086 320 3006

Management Plan, Public Consultation for Lodge Bog, Lullymore, Co. Kildare

The Irish Peatland Conservation Council (IPCC) is looking for your help to restore rare raised bog habitat.

IPCC have opened up public consultation on their new Management Plan for Lodge Bog in Co. Kildare. “Lodge is one of the last remnants of intact raised bog in the Bog of Allen complex and so is of particular conservation value as a refuge for wildlife” says Tadhg Ó Corcora, Conservation Officer with the IPCC.  “In addition the site is of great importance locally for recreation and as an educational resource” he continued.

 
This is the second such plan to be drawn up by the IPCC for Lodge following the acquisition of the site in 2005. Since then a great deal of work has been carried out in mapping the vegetation, removal of invasive species and restoring the internal hydrology through drain blocking. IPCC is now looking for your help in continuing this vital work.
 

“Lodge is surrounded on 3 sides by industrial cutaway peatland and its biodiversity is faced with a number of threats from various factors” says Mr. Ó Corcora. “We are looking for advice from anyone with experience in habitat management or the restoration of peatlands on how we can tackle these issues. Comments from all members of the public are also encouraged”

Further information and the consultation document on the Management Plan are available through the ipcc website at http://www.ipcc.ie/sitelodgemanplan.html

The consultation is open from today and continues until the 31st of August 2011.

Large crowds will descend on the Curragh Racecourse this weekend for the Irish Derby Festival. Current favourite is Carlton House, The Queen's horse, which runs in the Irish Derby on Sunday.

Running alongside the Irish Derby Festival is The Kildare Derby Festival takes place from 17 to 27 June and is based in Kildare Town.

It was launched in the Japanese Gardens and Irish National Stud last week.

Tribute bands to Arctic Monkeys, Kings of Leon and AC\DC will perform on the Square, Kildare Town on Saturday 26 and Sunday 27 June.

Programme highlights:
Thur 17 June -  Festival Queen Selection at the Derby House
Sun 20 June - Festival Parade, Paddy Flanagan Memorial Cycle Race
Mon 21 June to Fri 25 June - Arts Exhibition at Aras Bride
Tue 22 - Hayden Lecture
Thur 24 June - Poetry night and Thorny Rose Competition
Fri 25 June - Kildare’s Got Talent
Sat 26 June to Sun 27 June - Open Air concerts featuring Artic Monkeys, Kings of Leon, and AC\DC Tribute Acts and local bands
Sat 26 June to Sun 27 June - Best Buddies Talent Competition in the Square

The Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby Festival Race Meeting takes place at the Curragh Racecourse from Fri 24 to Sun 26 June
Horse Racing starts on Friday 24 June

Day 1: Fri 24 June - 7 races and live music. 1st race 6.00pm
Feature Race: 7.30pm International Stakes (Group 3)
8.35pm Boogie Nights perform on Enclosure Stage

Day 2: Sat 25 June  8 races with fashion, entertainment and hospitality. 1st race 2.00pm
Feature Race: 3.35pm Stobart Ireland Pretty Polly Stakes (Group 1)

Day 3: Sat 26 June  8 races with fashion, entertainment and hospitality. 1st race 1.40pm
Feature Race: 3.50pm Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby (Group 1)

The Good Food Ireland Village will allow race-goers to experience a wide selection of local food dishes from Ireland’s top restaurants, hotels, food producers, and cookery schools.

Drop by and enjoy a wonderful few days of top class entertainment, wonderful food and exciting horse racing.

This Fathers day, Sunday June 19th, the place to take your dad, is Mondello Park's annual Classic festival, 'Classic Live' in association with Irish Vintage Scene Magazine, which this year for the first time will include 'Classic Motorcycle Live'. Whether he is totally motorcycle or car mad or just loves the bikes and cars he remembers from his youth, Classic Live will make a great day out for him and all the family. As well as celebrating Fathers day the family event will also mark the 50th anniversary of the MG Midget and admission for the event is a very affordable €15.00 for a family bringing their dad to the show.

To help you treat your deserving dad, Mondello Park will give one lucky father the chance to experience the track for themselves, both at the Show and with a Mondello Park Motor Racing School Course. To enter your dad in the draw all you have to do is bring him to the show and nominate him at the entrance gate, where you will be presented with a draw ticket. The winner will be pulled from the hat during the show and will be driven around Mondello Park at high speed by one of our professional race drivers. When he returns from the track he will be presented with his Race School Course voucher, which he can return to the circuit to use on another day. The value of the prize is over €400 and would make the perfect fathers day gift.

For those fathers who are not lucky enough to win there will still be plenty to see at the show. The centre piece will be the MG celebrations will concentrate on the diminutive MG Midget, but there will also be a large collection of all types of MG brought to the show by owners club members and individual's. Midgets will also feature strongly in the Historic Car Race demonstrations where they will make up a large portion of the grid. The show organisers are inviting all MG owners to come along to the show and join in by putting their cars on display for the day and then taking part in the MG parade laps, where the aim is to get the biggest gathering of MG's ever seen on track in Ireland.

The unique Mondello Park 'Classic Live' show is the only Irish Classic Car event which allows spectators to see their favourite old vehicles both on display and in action on the Mondello Park Track. The mixture of static displays and track action has entertained Classic Car enthusiasts for a number of years now and this season the same will go for lovers of old motorcycles.

The addition of two wheeled classics to the show means that the Classic Live track will be busier than ever as will the Mondello Park paddock which will be even more jam-packed with rare and exotic machinery. The track activity will include three demonstration races for Classic Racing Motorcycles alongside two races for sixties and seventies saloon and sports racing cars and a single race for Pre '55 racing cars. There will also be parade laps for all motorcycle's and cars on show with the final laps being saved for the MG's.

Having seen the classic races and more sedate parade laps there will be plenty of time to also get a closer look at the cars and bikes on display. The Mondello Park Paddock will feature displays by classic owners clubs and individual's, with something to suit every taste and interest. Trade stands and Autojumblers will also have their own area and the show will continue to have the support of the IVVCC, the umbrella body for classic motoring and motor clubs in Ireland, who will provide some of the more exotic exhibits. The Mondello Park Museum will also be opened to the public for the day with its fantastic mixture of old and new Formula One, Sports, Rally and Road Cars.

Adult admission to the event is just €10.00 with under sixteen’s free of charge. All admission prices include free admission to the museum, a complimentary event programme and free grandstand seating on a first come first served basis. To find out more about Classic Live see www.mondellopark.ie/classiclive.

David McSavage, with guest Colm O'Regan

 Riverbank Arts Centre, Newbridge
Thursday 16th June, 8pm
Tickets €16/€14

Booking 045 448327 / www.riverbank.ie

David McSavage is one of Ireland’s most popular comedians and street entertainers.

His cutting commentary and performances cover all aspects of life and nothing is safe from his truth induced interpretations. His routine consists of improvised songs often predicated on speculation about the lives of those around him. He has performed at national and international comedy festivals such as the Kilkenny Cat Laughs Comedy Festival and has been a regular guest on TV and radio shows in Ireland for many years. McSavage recently wrote and starred in the six part TV series The Savage Eye on RTE, which offers a satirical and often surreal examination of its subject matter, ranging from The Arts, Tourism and Emigration to Alcohol, Religion and Sex.

See David McSavage for one night only, Thursday June 16th, don't delay, book your tickets now. Call Riverbank Arts Centre on 045 448327.

'…the most divisive comedian in the country.' Evening Herald

'One of Ireland’s funniest comedians' The Irish Mirror

'The comic equivalent of dynamite fishing' Official Edinburgh Fringe Magazine 

Audience reactions to David’s material:

• ‘I laughed so hard my face hurts’
• ‘seriously funny material with intelligent and accurate research’
• ‘Thank you for the Savage Eye. Really brilliant’
• ‘Best comedian in Ireland by far’

With just days to go to the return of the Quaife British Rallycross Championship to Mondello Park the event timetable has been released as the entry list continues to grow. The Sunday June 12th event also sees the return of Summer Rallycross to Mondello Park and a fantastic event is anticipated.

Joining the previously announced Supercar line-up will be Mondello Park stalwart Kevin Proctor who has regularly competed at the track in Irish Championship events as well as UK rounds. Proctor's Ford Focus brings the Supercar grid to nine with a double figure entry for the top division still a possibility.

The spectacular and competitive Supermodified division, for two wheel drive cars, has also received a boost with four additional UK entries bringing the grid to twenty. The field includes all of the top UK and Irish championship contenders, and with both of these series being evenly matched, this class should provide the closest racing of the weekend.

The Suzuki Swift line-up has also grown, with its grid swelling to ten cars for the senior class and four in the Juniors. The senior class will now have some Irish interest with the addition of Stockhatch front runner Gordon Lynch to the entry. When the RX150 Buggies, Stockhatch and Rallycar classes are added in, the field grows to an impressive ninety three
cars.

Adult admission for Sunday's event is just €10, with under sixteen’s admitted free of charge. In addition groups travelling together can make even bigger savings with a car full of spectators gaining entry for just €30. All admission prices include a complimentary event programme and free grandstand seating. For further information on all Mondello Park events see www.mondellopark.ie.

Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of preventable blindness in Ireland. There are no symptoms in its early stages, but a thorough eye exam can detect the signs of glaucoma before you realise there is a problem.

Glaucoma is an eye condition that causes damage to the optic nerve, which transmits images to the brain. The eye needs a certain amount of pressure to maintain shape and size. However, increased fluid can put pressure on the optic nerve and cause damage.
If glaucoma is not treated, damage can progress, causing a loss of peripheral or side vision and may eventually lead to complete sight loss.

Glaucoma has no symptoms in the early stages so you may not notice any pain or noticeable change in your vision. 40% of your optic nerve can be damaged before you notice any loss of vision, thus it is so important to have regular eye exams. A routine eye exam could pick up glaucoma before you notice any changes to your vision and treatment may prevent any deteriorating.  Early detection is vital in the treatment of glaucoma and any damage caused by the condition can be managed if caught early and further damage can be prevented.

 A simple and straight-forward screening test can detect the possibility of glaucoma and Athy Lions Club have arranged for free glaucoma screenings to be performed at their stand during the high profile Kildare County Show which is being held in Athy on the 19th June, 2011.

Announcing the news this week Athy Lions Club President, Paul Cunningham, is very pleased to be able to offer this very valuable screening to all patrons at the Kildare County Show.  The Club President is encouraging as many people as possible to attend the screening - which takes only matter of minutes.

Athy and all of Kildare look forward to the forthcoming Kildare County Show.

Lions is one of the largest humanitarian worldwide organisations with more than 1.3 million members. Our clubs support those who are vulnerable and less well off in the community here in Ireland and around the world. For more details see www.lionsclubs.ie
 
For more information please contact Paul Cunningham  087 814 8432 or email at president@athylionsclub.com

Both the UK Rallycross Championship, and Summer Rallycross, are welcomed back to Mondello Park on Sunday June 12th with the staging of round 3 of the 2011 Quaife MSA British Rallycross Championship by the County Kildare Motor Club.

A massive ninety car entry is expected to take to the grid with the spectacular Rallycross Supercars heading the bill, supported by a very healthy grid of Supermodified cars, the first appearance in Ireland of the RX150 Buggies and the Irish début of the Suzuki Swift one-make series. To celebrate the return of the series to Ireland, Mondello Park is offering Adult admission for just €10, with under sixteen’s free of charge. In addition groups travelling together can make even bigger savings with a car full of spectators gaining entry for just €30.

The Division 1 entry is currently at eight cars and is headed by The British and Irish champions, Pat Doran and Tommy Graham, with their 4WD Fiesta Supercars. Also on the list are George Tracey with his Citroen Xsara, a trio of Ford's, David Binks and Andy Scott with Focus's and Julian Godfrey in a Fiesta and a pair of Mitsubishi Evo's for Steve Hill and local driver David Dempsey.

The RX 150 buggies have their biggest entry of the season with plenty of local interest. Ex-Pat Irishman Ollie O'Donovan from Buckinghamshire, is joined on the grid by Reuben Clarke from Loughrea and former Junior Rallycross competitor Paul Barrett fro Maynooth. A further thirteen RX150's will take the start in what will be one of the highlights of the weekend for Irish spectators who have not previously seen the Buggies in competitive action.

Making up the remainder of the very impressive field will be a Supermodified entry of seventeen cars which includes all of the top UK contenders and all of the fastest Irish drivers. The battle here should be one of the most competitive of the weekend. Two one-make series will also be on the bill with Senior and Junior Suzuki Swift classes. Stockhatch and Rallycars will also be represented in what is the most comprehensive line-up of Rallycross classes ever seen at an Irish event.

For a full timetable, entry list and ticket offer information see www.mondellopark.ie in the days leading up to the event.

Summer school fun!

June 20th -July 8th 9.30-1pm @ Punchestown Montessori School

Ages: 3-8yrs

• creative drama,
• cooking activities,
• french,
• cultural subjects,
• playtime
• music
• and stories!

Contact: GAYE MULLEN - 045 874175

www.punchestownmontessori.org

This 3-week course takes place every Tuesday at 8.00pm.

Parenting from the inside out and understanding your child's needs.

Fee for 3 weeks: 90 Euros. - Dads go FREE

Venue: Punchestown Montessori, Baltreacy, Naas, Co. Kildare.

Reading and language tutor - initial consultation FREE

Contact Gaye Mullen: gma.mullen@hotmail.com or  045 874175

www.positiveparenting.ie

www.punchestownmontessori.org

ES HAT SO SOLLEN SEIN - THIS WAS MEANT TO BE

A projection and drawing installation of new works by Astrid Walsh

JUNE 11 TO JULY 1

Opening Reception SATURDAY JUNE 11 AT 3PM

McKenna Gallery, Riverbank Arts Centre, Main Street, Newbridge, Co. Kildare

On Saturday June 11th, ES HAT SO SOLLEN SEIN, (THIS WAS MEANT TO BE), a projection and drawing exhibition of new works by Astrid Walsh opens at Riverbank Arts Centre, Newbridge Co. Kildare.

In 2008, Astrid Walsh received the Laois Patronage Award and the Arts Council Travel and Training Award which gave her an opportunity to travel to Canada to work with a dancer, Shelly Nafshi, and create a body of work around this experience.  The aim of this time was to have a real-time physical experience, which would be recorded and would supply footage as raw material for a body of work. 

A series of paintings related to the video footage was shown under the title ‘Beloved, all is well’ in County Laois in 2009.  This latest exhibition is a continuation of the ‘Beloved’ series but will see Astrid return to her practice of layering projections with drawings/paintings.  As well as the projection work, there will be a number of ‘boxes’, like miniature stage sets, which show different scenes.  All of the pieces feature the dancer Shelly, the artist’s twin sister Kerstin Walsh and occasionally the artist herself.  The dancer in particular functions as a ‘character’ in a disconnected fictitious narrative of sorts.  A deliberate tension is created between the different media which lends itself to the consideration of themes of presence, reality, memory, loss and relationships.

The work is made with everyday materials including cardboard and found items.  Each different form that the elements of the individual works take are seen by the artist as another form of reality, or even a different time.  A photograph of a girl, a dead butterfly and a tree inhabit the same place.  The viewer must accept these diverse objects in order to read the ‘story’ of the works.

The work that Astrid makes always acts as a guide for her to understand some dynamic in life.   Here it reflects the constant attempt to live in a finite world in which the residue of memory and the potential of the future can often obscure the present moment.  It is evidence of the artist’s struggle to live in this present moment. In the video works painted and drawn images overlap with video footage of  dancers projected on to canvas.  The painted or drawn image shows us the future of where the dancers’ bodies will arrive. When the video footage meets the drawn image, the dancer is allowed to linger in these moments, evidence of a desire to stop time and hold on to these ephemeral seconds.  These moments are short but strangely satisfying. Gradually, as they must, these moments become memories ankered in the past.  To quote the Vietnamese monk Thich Nhat Hanh ‘Life can be found only in the present moment. The past is gone, the future is not yet here, and if we do not go back to ourselves in the present moment, we cannot be in touch with life.’

The spectral figures co-existing on the canvas, or the figures frozen in dreamlike landscapes draw the viewer into a situation where they must decide what is now and what is then, what is real and what is imagined. 

Astrid Walsh was born in Germany in 1976 but grew up in Ireland.  She holds oa BA (Hons) in Sociology from Trinity College, Dublin (1998) and a BA in Fine Art from Dun Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design & Technology, Dublin (2005).  Her work is held in private and public collections including Kildare County Council.

ES HAT SO SOLLEN SEIN, THIS WAS MEANT TO BE, opens at Riverbank Arts Centre, Main Street, Newbridge, Co. Kildare on Saturday June 11th with a reception at 3pm- All welcome. The exhibition will continue until July 1st. For further information visit www.riverbank.ie/visual-arts or call 045 448327.

The return of Endurance Motorcycle Racing to Mondello Park has been postponed until September following the cancellation of this weekends planned race. The endurance series, which will be for a range of production based race classes and running over a single four hour event, has been postponed until September 25th to allow interested competitors more time to prepare their machines for long distance racing.

A number of entries were received for the race and quite a number of competitors expressed interest but wanted more time to build a specific machine. The longer run-in to the Autumn race in September will allow for this and it is expected a good entry will be achieved.

Competitors wishing to get involved in endurance racing can find the event regulations in the competitor information section of the Mondello Park web site www.mondellopark.ie.

The Integrated Services Programme (ISP), a project of the Kildare County Development Board Plan 2009-2012 has announced the recruitment of Honor Griffin as ISP Coordinator, North Kildare.

Honor's role is that of Local Development Coordinator with her first area of responsibility in North Kildare being Kilcock.  She will lead the development of research into the needs of the local area before asking the County Development Board to nominate representatives on the ground who will agree, based on the identified needs of the community, an Action Plan for Kilcock. 

Clodagh Gorman ISP Director for the County is delighted to welcome Honor to the ISP programme.  Clodagh explained that the ISP North Kildare will be an inter-agency partnership approach to improving the quality of life in the town in terms of social, economic, cultural and recreational infrastructure and services. The expansion of the programme into North Kildare builds on the work to date in Kildare Town.

Honor will oversee research in the coming months across all areas of life in Kilcock.  Once completed a Participation Implementation Team will be developed to include senior staff, with decision-making authority from: HSE, FAS, Garda Siochana, VEC, DSFA, Department of Education, Kildare County Council, County Kildare LEADER Partnership, South Western Regional Drugs Task Force and the business and community sectors in the town. This team will build an action plan based on the needs of Kilcock as outlined by the people of Kilcock.

A Community Participation Strategy is a key element of the programme and will be developed and implemented by County Kildare LEADER Partnership who has the expertise in community development. Honor will assist with inputs as required. County Librarian Breda Gleeson warmly welcomes Honor on behalf of the County Development Board and wishes her well in her new role.

Honor is a native of County Mayo but is now living in Dublin. She recently coordinated a national HSE supported Youth Initiative, Club4U, and has previous experience of local development in both Rural & Urban settings. Honor holds a Masters in Community Development from NUI Galway where she gained practical experience with statutory and community agencies nationally.