Stan's book is a record of a Naas century

Paddy Behan, Stan Hickey, Larry Breen and Brian McCabe from Naas Local History Group take a peep at Stan's book on Naas moments before the official launch in Naas Library

NAAS, 27 November 2000: by Trish Whelan. A new book which photographically records life in Naas in the last century was launched at Naas library last week with hundreds of local people turning up to honour one of the own.

‘Naas 2000 - The Way We Were’ is set to become a local best-seller in the run-up to Christmas. It is a real gem for the local community, as it has connections with almost all local families, providing a record of life in the town for future generations.

The book contains some 450 photographs of life in Naas, and was produced by local historian Stan Hickey who calls it ‘a snapshot of Naas as it was'. It took him two-and-a-half years to complete, catching a few hours' work here and there when possible. He said that in 100 years’ time, when people look at the photos and enjoy reading it, his time will have been well spent. He thanked everyone who had consented to be photographed but pointed out that in the short time since he began it, eighteen people featured have passed away.

The text is by local historian Liam Kenny (above) who said ‘all human life is there’.

Bill Ralph of the Leinster Leader, who launched the book, said a work of this quality does not happen without ability in the required disciplines, and Stan has these in abundance. “Not only is he at the top of his field as a craftsman, he is also extraordinarily competent in many other areas,” he said. And he should know, as Stan is an employee of the Leinster Leader.

Stan presented a bouquet of flowers to Cathy Lawlor for her help with the book as well as some pictures to Marianne Hogan from the photographic collection, which he has donated Naas Library. A bouquet was also presented to Stan's wife Bernadette.

Larry Breen of Naas Local History Group said the book involved a lot of hard work, dedication and commitment. This had included taking to the air in a two-seater plane to capture some aeriel pictures of the town.

Historian Paddy Behan said Stan had immortalised businesses and shops in his book for future generations to see, ‘just as James Joyce had immortalised the Dubliners’. He said the book will be a permanent record of what Naas was like at the turn of the century.

Members of the Higgins family from Naas pictured at the launch of Stan Hickey's book on Naas in the last century - Georgina Clince, Mrs Kathleen Higgins (Abbey Bridge), Elsie Lloyd and Pat Kinlon.
Above - Liam Kenny presenting a copy of the book to Tom Hannon of the Leinster Leader.

Left - Tony Sheridan.

Bernadette Hickey, Paddy Behan from Naas Local History Group and writer Mae Leonard.
Marianne Hogan, Tom Keegan and Ronnie Kinnane.


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Tennis Club site to be sold

KILCULLEN, 27 November 2000: by Brian Byrne. The property occupied by the defunct St Bridget’s Lawn Tennis Club is to be sold by public tender, on the instructions of the remaining trustee, Paddy Nugent.

The site is almost an acre in size, two-thirds of which is zoned for retail/commercial use and the balance for residential purposes. The proceeds of the sale, after debts are paid, will be given to the Parish Priest and may be used only for parish purposes. Such disposal was agreed when the property was bought by the club in 1953 from Robert Crone for the sum of £100 sterling.

The other trustees were Michael St Leger, Andrew Moloney, Simon Lynch, Patrick Lynch and Philomena Berney, all now deceased.

“The property has become derelict, to the point that the ESB has cut off the power to the buildings because of the danger,” Paddy Nugent says. “In addition, there are debts approaching £3,000 on the property for which I can be held liable. These will increase by more than a quarter from the end of January, when the insurance premium becomes due. The tennis club hasn’t operated for years - the last AGM was in 1996 - and I’ve decided that the property must be sold.”

The tender process will be carried out by solicitors Arthur E McMahon of Naas and auctioneer Andrew Nolan of Kilcullen. It is expected that the property will be put on the market in early December.

Paddy Nugent says he is very grateful to May and Kevin Keogh and the staff of Hillcrest Hire, who have acted as caretakers of the property for several years. He says the option will be open to any individual or group to tender for the site, to use for whatever purposes acceptable under the current zoning of the 1996 Kilcullen Plan or any subsequent rezoning.



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Credit Union to recommend 4% dividend

LEIXLIP, 27 November 2000: by Bill Trapman. Leixlip and District Credit Union’s Board of Directors will recommend a dividend of four per cent when members gather for the their 30th AGM at Leixlip House Hotel on Wednesday, 6 December (8 p.m sharp). The directors are also recommending an interest rebate on loans of 11%.

During the year to 30 September 2000, the Credit Union recorded a rise of 19.9% in its assets to £8.6m. Income, which comes mainly from loan interest, rose 11.5% to £628,227. This was the first full year that the Union applied an interest rate of 10.5% (11.1% APR). It reduced the rate from 12% (12.68% APR) in July 1999.

Its annual report showed that expenses as a proportion of its income was 36% and its wages/salary costs represented 11.3% of income.

It accepted 652 new members bringing the total to 5,865 at the end of the year.

The Union granted members 2,259 loans amounting to just over £5.4m during the year.

Recently, it applied for planning permission to refurbish a building at The Mall as a new premises. It expects work on that to begin early in 2001.

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Company to be set up for affordable housing?

NAAS, 27 November 2000: by Trish Whelan. Naas UDC is to investigate the feasibility of setting up a limited liability company to take over control of its affordable housing schemes.

Cllrs Timmy Conway (right) and Eibhlin Bracken (left) said if they kept to the letter of Government regulations, they would be excluding a large number of local young married couples from getting an affordable house on land owned by the Council as most would have an income in excess of the cut off figure. Cllr Conway said this would apply to any affordable houses in Devoy Barracks.

He said it is very important to hold families in Naas as young people have to go as far away as Athy or Carlow to buy a house.

Cllr Charlie Byrne (right) bemoaned the slow process regarding affordable housing. He said a better option would be for the Council to make sites available in the town so couples could start building as soon as they got a site. Cllr Seamie Moore said the UDC owns at least 36 acres of land in the town and should be making more use of it.

The official line was that any scheme which sets an income cut-off level will exclude some people. County manager Niall Bradley said he didn’t believe setting up a limited company ‘will achieve their objective’. He urged they set up a working group to examine the situation.

Chairman Pat O’Reilly said the bottom line is that ‘if monies are being made available by the State we have no option but to house people from ‘anywhere’ that meet the criteria.

Timmy Conway agreed to the setting up a working group to discuss the issue.

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