NEWSFLASH! NAAS, 18 August 2000: 11.30am by Brian Byrne. Naas UDC has been granted a High Court injunction against a number of travelling families who are illegally parked on the council's land at Caragh Road. Under the terms of the injunction, obtained by town clerk Declan Kirrane, the travellers have until tomorrow evening to vacate the site. Otherwise the council will go to court again on Wednesday to seek committal orders. The High Court application was necessary because the council was unable to get a special sitting of the Circuit Court during the summer recess. UDC goes to High Court today against travellers NAAS, 18 August 2000: 8.30am by Brian Byrne. Naas UDC goes to the High Court today to seek an injunction against the travelling families who have illegally parked on their land at the Caragh Road (above). This follows a failure to get a private sitting of the Circuit Court because of the August holidays. “We were told the earliest sitting we could use would be around the 10th of September,” Naas town clerk Declan Kirrane told KNN yesterday. “This was unacceptable to us.” The travellers have wrecked pitches and the all-weather running track owned by the Naas Sports Group, and stopped the building work on the new Sports Centre. John F Dunne (right) of the Naas Sports Group told KNN this week that damage runs into 'many thousands' of pounds, and he believes much of the current facility will have to be completely dug up and resodded before it is safe to let youngsters play on it. A security company hired by the UDC had to be replaced by a new one after reported intimidation of its members. Earlier this week, local residents called for the Army to be used to police the situation, amid fears that the second security company might be forced to leave. They also want the national problem of illegal traveller incursions to be addressed as a priority by the Dail when it resumes. (Previous KNN coverage of the invading travellers situation is here.) (Homecoming picture and word coverage is also available here)

We should love our Celtic Tiger - Senator CASTLEBAR, CO MAYO, 18 August 2000: by Bill Trapman. Newbridge-based Senator John Dardis (right) says Ireland should celebrate being ‘as good as the best’ and not be ‘uncomfortable with economic prosperity and economic success’. Speaking at the Humbert Summer School in Castlebar, he said he failed to understand the ‘overwhelming negativity’ of so many commentators to our recent success as a nation. “Why is it we have so little confidence in our ability to manage our own country?” he asked, and affirmed his belief that the benefits of the Celtic Tiger far outweighed any negatives on the other side of the balance sheet. He said he believed the benefits of the booming economy would allow us to create a more inclusive society in which ‘everyone will have an opportunity to participate’. “We should cast our minds back over 12 or 15 years, of even less, and remember the crippling scourge of unemployment and the tide of emigration of our bright young people. Our economy, or more accurately our lack of economic performance was a source of national despair. We worried that we would not be able ever to bring our living standards up to the level of the rest of Europe and we brought our begging bowl to Brussels repeatedly for them to try and bridge the gap for us.” Now, he said, by contrast we have the fastest-growing economy in the developed world, with longterm unemployment set to disappear completely ‘within the next 24 months’. “Yes, problems persist, but the strength of the Irish economy has given us the resources to deal with them,” he said, adding that we must make provisions for both any future slowdown or the continuation of the boom.

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New directory for parents MID-KILDARE, 18 August 2000: by Trish Whelan. A new publication by a Naas mother promises to be a boon for parents of young children in the Mid-Kildare area. Kidzone describes itself as 'The Essential Guide for Every Parent in Central Kildare' and that actually says it all, as the booklet is a directory of anything and anybody to do with children and parenting in the region. It's the brainchild of Caroline Broadley (left, with a number of local children) of Arconagh, a Scottish former biomedical researcher who came to live in Naas about two-and-a-half years ago and has herself two young children, aged four-and-a-half and 15 months. "When I came here, I found there was nothing like this available, and thought about doing something," Caroline says. "But I didn't really get around to doing it until April of this year, when I started gathering information." The information was already out there, but scattered through newspaper ads or posters, and in some cases shared only by word-of-mouth. "That last is the way I found out about things when I came here first," Caroline remembers. "That wasn't a problem to me, because I don't have a problem going up to a stranger as asking for information. But I know that a lot of people don't like doing that." Kidzone costs £3 and is available in shops and libraries in the main towns of Mid-Kildare. Its listings are mainly of resources in Naas, Newbridge, Kildare, Curragh, Allenwood, Kilcullen, Sallins, Prosperous, Clane, Kill, Blessington, Ballymore Eustace, Monasterevin, Dunlavin, Rathangan, Robertstown and Johnstown. "I know there are things I've missed, especially in the smaller towns, but this is the first stage. I'm hoping people will see it and come back with more information. There's also going to be a website, and that will be constantly updated." The publication was written and designed in Caroline's own home, and she has had a number printed to cope with initial demand, though she is unsure just how big the demand will be. She received sponsorship from locally-based internet directory business Anything-Irish.com, and there is also some advertising in the booklet. Further information, and copies, are available from Caroline at 871243, or email. If nothing else, one thing is sure about Kidzone. It will grow and grow, just like the families it is designed to help.

Around and About the County... BALLYMORE: Area engineer John Gavaghan is to investigate dumping of clay in the top corner of Ballymore Graveyard. Cllr Timmy Conway had asked that the graveyard ‘be cleaned up’. NAAS: Naas Developments Ltd has applied for 36 apartments, consisting of 20 no. 2-bed apartments and 16 no. 1-bed apartments in two-storey and dormer structures, in 3 blocks with wall and railing at site beside entrance to Rathasker Heights. MONASTEREVIN: St Paul's Secondary School in Monasterevin will repoen on schedule despite a recent explosion which caused serious damage, writes Stephen O’Rourke. First Year students should report on Friday September 1 at 9.30am, while 2nd, 3rd & 6th Years go back on Monday September 4 at 8.55am, 5th Years on Tuesday September 5 at 8.55am, and Transition Year on Thursday September 7 at 8.55am NAAS: The Sallins Road Action Group (SRAG) has arranged a public meeting for next Wednesday (23 August) to discuss views on the managment and useage of the almost-completed Monread District Park. It will take place in the Monread Lodge at 8.30pm. Naas UDC also wants to hear the views of local residents. SILLIOTT HILL: Domestic customers who arrive at the county waste facility at Silliot Hill with only papers and glass are allowed to dispose of this refuse free of charge. However when people arrive with mixed loads they are charged at the appropriate rate of £2.75 for car only. Other vehicles including trailers are charged at the rate of £26 per tonne for the re-cycleable portion and £48 per tonne for the rest. MID-KILDARE: A number of footpaths in mid-Kildare are to benefit to the tune of £35,000 under the Road Works Programme 2000. It is proposed that £7,500 will go to Ballymore Eustace, £3,000 to Johnstown including Johnstown Gardens, £5,000 to Kill for the Glendara Estate area, £10,000 for Sallins and £7,500 for Kilcullen. NAAS: Gardai warn shopkeepers and offices to secure their premises following a number of break-ins to properties on the Main Street in Naas, mostly offices, where thieves gained access through removing tiles or slates. MONASTEREVIN: Monasterevin Credit Union extend Congratulations to Carol Burtenshaw on her winning of a gold medal in Sheffield recently. She represented Ireland in the British AAA’s Junior Athletic Championship in the 3000 Metres Walk Race. The Credit Union sponsored Carol at the event. COUNTY HALL: Some 40% of housing applicants at present would be in the ‘Affordable House’ market, according to county manager Niall Bradley. He said the difficulty is that a lot of house demand in Kildare is from people who are forced to come to the authority because they cannot afford elsewhere. “The more the economy develops, the more people are going to come in, putting more stress on the existing system,” he told a recent housing meeting. SALLINS: A motion by Deputy Emmet Stagg that development levies collected in Sallins be used to widen Kerdiffstown Road including a footpath from the village out to Sallins National School, was left on the agenda until the result of a development levy project is complete. KILBERRY: Kildare councillors have agreed a motion by Deputy Jack Wall that it investigates and rectifies the problem in relation to water problems in the Kilberry/Tomard and Skerries area, which is causing problems regarding the granting of planning permissions. A report read to the meeting indicated that ground water sources in the area have elevated nitrate levels which pose a concern for the Council. It is intended in the near future to provide water supploy from alternative sources which have lower levels of nitrate and would provide a more secure source of good drinking water. The motion was unanimously agreed. To Advertise on KNN, call 086 8267104, fax 045 481091, or email tellingtales@yahoo.com Advertising rates here

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NEWSFLASH! NAAS, 17 August 2000: 4.30pm by Brian Byrne. Naas UDC is going to the High Court tomorrow to get an injunction against the travellers who have illegally invaded their land at Caragh Road. The High Court bid became necessary when it was made clear to officials of the UDC that they wouldn't get a Circuit Court hearing until at least the second week in September. Residents call for Army 'protection' from invading travellers NAAS, 17 August 2000: 8.30am by Brian Byrne. Desperate Caragh Road residents have appealed for the Army to be called in to man the security barricade erected by Naas UDC at the scene of the latest mass traveller incursion in Naas. They say they are ‘living in fear’ of people who ‘have no respect for the neighbourhood’ and who have already destroyed the Caragh Road playing fields and forced the retirement of one security company by ‘sustained intimidation’. And they have expressed their ‘astonishment’ at reports that a local Circuit Judge has refused to sit to hear an application for an injunction by Naas UDC as the court is in recess for the holidays. “This is an URGENT matter where the rigours of the law must be seen to represent the community,” says Alan Hore (right), chairman of the Resident’s Association of Caragh Court, Caragh Green & Caragh Meadows. “Our fear is that the convoy in Kill may move onto the fields and more are en-route from Knock. They will force their way into the playing fields in the next few days unless something is done now. This is not something that can wait until someone finishes his or her holiday.” In a letter delivered today to Naas town officials, local representatives, and garda authorities, Mr Hore asks how long will it be before the current security firm is forced off the site, and he claims that the builder of the £1.4m Sports Complex (left) - where work has been suspended - has been asked for money for the travellers to move on. “What more evidence is needed to make this a matter of top priority?” he asks. “How long more do we have to wait? It is three weeks since they moved in. They have publicly stated that they are going to wait for the injunction before they move unless they are paid to leave. This is undermining the law. If the sitting is not till September we will have wait a further three to four weeks. This is unacceptable.” Mr Hore, on behalf of his members, also demands that the Judiciary and the Government give the matter of such illegal incursions priority at the next sitting of the Dail, and he is critical of local TD Alan Dukes for not using the opportunity to highlight the matter on this week’s ‘Questions & Answers’. “He mentioned the fact that travellers had moved onto the Naas playing fields. When asked by Vincent Browne if he was in favour of a halting site in Naas, he stated he was in agreement. This was most unhelpful and NOT the issue in hand. The issue in hand is that these travellers are not local travellers looking for housing or a halting site. They are travelling traders moving across the county en masse causing mayhem where ever they go. This was a key point and a key opportunity to deal with this problem and the opportunity was missed.” Mr Hore is demanding that a special sitting of the Circuit Court is held this week, and if necessary that the Army be brought in to make sure no further invasions of the site take place. “After all they are employed to protect the banks, why can’t they be employed to protect the public? We want protection and we want it NOW!” (Previous KNN coverage of the invading travellers situation is here.) (Homecoming picture and word coverage is also available here)

Decision on business park is deferred KILASHEE, 17 August 2000: by Trish Whelan. Kildare County Council has deferred a decision on a planning application for a 244-acre business park at Pipers Hill, Kilashee, Naas, until September 5. The proposal is on land belonging to the Weld family (above) and the application by Pipers Hill Stud for the Kildare International Business Park is seeking 10-year planning permission for industrial building. Objectors say the area has already been rezoned industrial with no conditions placed on the rezoning relating to infrastructural improvements, to deal with the potential 8500-10,000 employees who will work at the site. As well as the visual impact on the area which is presently natural rolling countryside, objectors believe some of the potential effects will include three congested roundabouts on the Naas-Kilcullen Road, with large increases in traffic throughput in Naas - a town which is already considered congested. They claim such a large scale development will also place huge demands on existing sewage outfall and water supplies in the town. Their cause has been taken up by Naas Cllr Mary Glennon (left) who says the Kilashee probject ‘would have very serious consequences for Naas town.’ “If this goes ahead it will be a natural excuse for giving planning permission to the proposed power station up the road at Dunstown, because of the extra requirement for power in the immediate vacinity.” Cllr Glennon said all the land needed to create a road network for the project was within the UDC boundary and the council is not going to agree a material contravention to allow the project which would be in direct competition with the planned Millennium Park business park at Osberstown, Naas, which is within the urban district council boundary. She said a report by County Council engineer John Murphy had shown that even with the upgrading of the Osberstown Sewage Treatment Plant, it will not be able to meet demand. She said Naas is already choked with traffic and experiencing water pressure problems.

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Delegation raises derelict sites situation ROBERTSTOWN, 17 August 2000: by Trish Whelan. Derelict sites in the centre of picturesque Robertstown village (above) were referred to by a deputation of local residents to a recent meeting of Clane Area county councillors. The deputation of Martina O’Sullivan, Theresa Moran and Colm Purcell also referred to the condition of roads and footpaths in the village, street lighting, safety within estates and speed and parking in the village. They also raised the question of provision of proper rubbish bins and the removal of the old toilets in the village centre. Concern was expressed about the Prosperous Waterworks Scheme and lack of consultation prior to the start of the work. Cllr Michael Fitzpatrick (right) told the deputation that the roads leading to Robertstown are included in the five year plan which was being considered. He said he would like to see the existing street lighting retained. The derelict buildings in the village belong to the Midlands East Tourism of which he is a member. He said some work had already been carried out on the Garda Barracks building. All councillors offered to help as best they could and the deputation invited the four area committee members (councillors PJ Sheridan, Jim Reilly, Michael Fitzpatrick and Tony McEvoy) to do a walkabout of the village.

Damage to sports facilities 'runs into thousands' NAAS, 16 August 2000: 11.30am by Brian Byrne. The secretary of the Naas Sports Group hit out this morning at the 'politically correct' attitudes the settled community has to take with travellers, and says it's time to 'bite the bullet' in relation to dealing with illegal traveller incursions. John F Dunne was speaking as attempts to clear the remaining 30 or so travelling families from the Caragh Road Sports Grounds were being taken by Naas UDC. Efforts that come too late to save the hockey pitches and the athletics track from depradations which have left them unusable for the rest of the season. "Maybe this latest incident will wake people up and finally come to grips with the situation," he told KNN. "We've all had to be very careful when even mentioning words like 'traveller' and others associated with them. But now we have to bite the bullet." The travellers, the first of whom came nearly three weeks ago, have parked their caravans on the athletics area and on the hockey pitches and there are reports of them racing cars and vans around the all-weather track. Building on the new £1.4m Sports Centre has also been suspended, and the contractor is facing serious contractual and financial implications, as well as probably having to fumigate the partly constructed building which has also been used as a toilet area by some of the travellers. This morning, employees of the second security company to be hired by Naas UDC on the site, Norse Security from Athy, said that no caravans were being allowed in since yesterday morning. But there was no sign of any leaving, either. A previous security company, Secureway, left the site this week amid reports of threats being made against them. As to who's going to pay for the damage to the sports facilities, that's something John Dunne says they can't even think about until the property is clear and they can see the extent of the ruination. "But we're talking many thousands, and no insurance is going to pay for it," he says. "We've been using the property for 15 years in the most primitive conditions and we've kept it right ... now look at it ... if anyone from Naas came up and did what these people did, they'd be in jail." He noted that the hockey season only started last week and now the local players have had to abandon it, and the athletics club is halfway through its season, but now they can't use the track. "I don't know what's going to be necessary to make the whole place sanitary again, but I think we're going to have to dig the whole place up and resod it before we let the youngsters back on it again." (Homecoming picture and word coverage is also available here)

'Accentuate the positive' for Newbridge - commissioner NEWBRIDGE, 16 August 2000: 8.30am by Brian Byrne. Newbridge gets ‘talked down’ too much according to local representative Cmmr Pat Black (below), who says there are so many good things happening there that it is now a ‘very exciting time’ to live in the town. He wants people and local organisations, including his own Town Commission, to ‘accentuate the positive’ when they think of or talk about Newbridge. “Even at Town Commission meetings it can sometimes sound like a ‘whining session’,” he says. “That perception is understandable to an extent, because we’re often talking about small details of infrastructure that need to be dealt with, and many might be negative until they ARE dealt with. But we have so much going for us now in Newbridge, it’s time for us to trumpet it loud and far at every opportunity.” He points to a number of key projects which will come to fruition over the next months and years, from the Arts Centre through to the Ballymore Properties and the Business Park developments, as signs of the increasing prosperity in the Liffeyside town. At amenity level, the Riverside Park is one of ‘the best such in the country’, he believes, while education is well taken care of by a large number of sizable primary and secondary schools, as well as a special care school. “We have some of the best sporting facilities in the country, and excellent community groups,” he notes. “And as for the community of Newbridge itself, it is one of the closest-knit in Kildare for a town of our size and growth.” He has particular words of praise for the hundreds of people who came out on the streets spontaneously last Saturday night to celebrate the winning of the Leinster Championships. “There wasn’t one incident of trouble,” he says. “I know, because I was out there too. I want to be sure that’s reported, because too often we can get the opposite headlines from a few public order problems that might involve just two or three people.” With the debate on the proposed new structures of local government now reaching its peak before final shape is put to legislation, he intends to continue lobbying the minister for the environment to upgrade the town to a status where it can provide its own local management of the town’s infrastructure and influence its own physical development. “Even when the new structures come into place, it will be to some degree at the discretion of the county manager to devolve whatever powers he feels a town should have, and I intend to keep him very much aware that it is time Newbridge took its proper place in Kildare in terms of being responsible for its own destiny.”

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Deputation asked for KCC support in village improvement KILCULLEN, 16 August 2000: by Trish Whelan. The improvement of the bridge at Kilcullen is one of the main projects which local people want to implement in a programme of further improvements. A deputation from Kilcullen Tidy Towns recently met with members of the Naas Area Committee to set out the progress which has been made in the village in recent years and the amount of money spent by various community development agencies. Kilcullen is set to double in size due to recent planning applications and the deputation asked for the support of Kildare County Council on a partnership basis in making improvements to the town. The deputation included Noel Clare, Angela Murray-Hayden and Ciaran Forde who specifically referred to the O’Neill Street Plan which was well received locally. They indicated that they have money available from a number of sources which could be allocated to joint implementation of the plan. As well as the bridge, other matters raised were the restoration work following the sewerage works, road resurfacing, restoration following the by-pass at the Nicholastown area on the Carlow/Athy approach road, footpaths, roadside flooding causing damage to Valley Riverside Park, new estates, street cleaning, the Portlester Effigy (below) in the New Abbey graveyard, and bye-laws to prohibit drinking in riverside areas. The group also asked that development levies on 40 houses recently completed be used now to carry out works in Kilcullen. The area engineer undertook to request Eircom to move the telephone kiosk in the centre of the town to another location.

Need Olympics accommodation? TAHMOOR, NSW, AUSTRALIA, 16 August 2000: Dear Editor, Thanks for the great work you do for everyone, especially the far distant runners. Perhaps you could publish this message about accommodation for the Olympics in Sydney. From down under we are working hard, coping with the Olympic Games hype, mayhem and dramatic rushing to have everything coordinated for the largest event in the year for Sydney Australia. The traveller who visits Sydney during the Olympic period will have a huge problem finding accommodation. I have checked a number of hotels and motels in the Sydney region with poor success for accommodation availability. The prices that have been quoted are from $400 to $1200 per night for a 2-bedroom apartment. However, one motel that I contacted, in Leumeah, has had a group cancellation from Japan, and cost of accommodation ranges from $239-$269 for 2 people + $40.00 for each extra person. It has a 20-metre pool, gym, steam room, spa and in house movies. Also, a number of restaurants within walking distance. Lomb Railway Station only 3 minutes walk away and trains will depart from Lomb and go straight to the Olympic Park Station. Contact MacArthur Inn: 5 Grange Road, Lomb. Correspondence: PO Box 993 Campbelltown N.S.W 2560. Phone: 61-246281144; Fax: 61-246262409; Email stay@macinn.com.au and its website is www.macinn.com.au I was raised at Broadleas, Ballymore Eustace. I watched Matt Purcell play handball with envy and now have a great email relationship with him, thanks to a publication in the KNN Wild Geese by Rob Mullally. Matt Purcell has created a great web site with a prominent link to KNN - www.mattpurcell.atfreeweb.com Should you lose your pet or if you find a lost pet (in Australia!!), please go to www.kildaretim.com/petindex.htm Tim Clarke  KILCULLEN ESSO AND XL STOP 'N' SHOP Open 7am-10pm for Fuel, Groceries, Toiletries, Flowers, Newspapers, Deli Food, Fresh Coffee and more.

Green space a dump NAAS, 16 August 2000: Dear Editor, Further to Anthony McAllister’s letter of 11 August, we would like to point out that the ‘Green Area’ (at Pairc na nOg, Naas) in question is still part of the ESB estate and it has never been handed over to Naas UDC. Surely, we, the residents are entitled to our ‘Green Area’ like any other housing estate which we have been denied for over three years. Without any consultation with the residents of St Gabriel’s Place, the UDC gave permission to a builder to erect a compound for refurbishing local authority houses. Why should we be inflicted with this compound when they had adequate land adjacent to these houses? So what was the logic in placing it on ESB property? Charles and Veronica Donnelly.

Big celebrations for Leinster Champions in Naas NAAS, 15 August 2000: 8.30am by Trish Whelan & Brian Byrne. It wasn't as big as the night they're hoping for in a few weeks' time, but bringing the Leinster Championship Cup to Naas last night was a very decent rehearsal for bringing 'Sam' home to the county after the All-Ireland series finishes. That was the clear feeling as Naas UDC hosted a Civic Reception for the Kildare team that brought them in a cheering parade from Naas GAA grounds to Market Square. They were led in by pipers as the men in white waved from an open tour bus. (Sound clip highlights from the event are here.) Naas town clerk Declan Kirrane welcomed the team home as champions for the second time in less than three years, and looked as if he was getting used to the job. Vice chairman of Naas UDC Willie Callaghan said there had been ‘a lot of near heart-failure’ among Kildare people on Saturday but it was 'very satisfying' to win the championship and beat the Dubs. "Some said that Mick O'Dwyer went to Lourdes for a miracle at half-time, such was the transformation," he quipped. "But it was guts and the fitness of the Kildare team that brought us out here tonight. It has been a great year for Kildare ... we've won two Grand Nationals, two Derbys, the Galway Plate, the Leinster Championship. Sam, you’re next." Chairman of Kildare County Council Rainsford Hendy said Kildare had proved they can come from behind and win because they 'have the stamina'. "I want to be back here to welcome Sam home," he said. "Naas won't know what hits it on that particular occasion." Ger Lanigan of Naas GAA said it had been a 'tremendous achievement' for Kildare. "It's also great for the juvenile footballers in the county," he added. "They've got some great players to look up to." Andrew O'Sullivan, chairman of the Kildare County Board, acknowledged the tremendous support of the people of the county and thanked the local public representatives for their warm welcome. "We have the best supporters in the land and I hope you will have a lot more to celebrate in the weeks to come." Mick O'Dwyer said the team had had a 'marvellous run' this year. "A lot of people thought we were going nowhere, but we prepared from last October and we’d set our minds on winning the championship this year," he said. "It would be a great boon to win an All-Ireland in the year 2000, and we've set a good start by taking the Leinster Championship." He said Kildare were 'true supporters of a great team'. "We have 28 players in this panel and any one of them is capable of playing for Kildare at any time. We're looking forward to playing against one of the best teams in the country at the moment, Galway. We're prepared for them and we'll be back to celebrate an All-Ireland." Team captain Glen Ryan said he didn't know how they could get a reception like this two days after all the euphoria should have died down. He several times had a go at what he described as 'so-called experts and analysts', saying they had been proved wrong. He singled out coach Mick O'Dwyer saying that none of them would have been on this stage except for him. "He has made us what we are." He also praised the medical team involved. He praised members of the County Board Andrew O'Sullivan and Richie Whelan for what they had done for the team. He also thanked Naas UDC, the Order of Malta, Civil Defence, and the gardai for their work on this night. The chairman of the Leinster Council, Naas man Seamus Aldrich, congratulated Glen and the team, saying it was a privilege as a Kildareman and club colleague of Glen’s to present him with the cup. He also bluntly criticised the remarks of RTE’s commentators during the interval at last Saturday’s match. "It is not acceptable what happened on Saturday, that amateur players who give so much of their time were criticised the way they were. I won't say any more about it, because we shouldn't give any more ammunition to these people. They will self-destruct themselves."

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Housing association has 'vision' NAAS, 15 August 2000: by Trish Whelan. Nás na Riógh Housing Association Ltd have identified a suitable building and site to provide sheltered housing for elderly people, according to its chairperson Margharita Solen. Margharita (right) says the vision is not only for Naas or the local health area, but a vision for all of Ireland and indeed, Europe. She says a lot of services and clubs are fragmented around towns and the elderly are becoming more isolated. The Association intends applying for funding for the project to Naas UDC and have written to Naas UDC councillors asking to have the matter included on the Agenda for the September meeting of the authority. Their vision is to provide sheltered housing for the elderly, a high dependency unit for ongoing care and intergenerational facilities where young and old can naturally mix together. Margharita says: “In a private or public nursing home at present virtually all elements of choice is removed from residents, because they are elderly. If they are not mobile, they are generally condemned to sitting on the same chair, in the same place, facing the same way, for the rest of their days. It could be you ....” She says such a planned scheme would include houses for the elderly, a high dependency unit; landscaped walks; Care of the Aged Centre; Information Technology, arts and crafts, exhibition room/lecture theatre, creche, oratory, gymnasium, Scouts Den, Citizen Information Bureau, FAS centre with workshops, restaurant/coffee shop - CERT training potential. “The possibilities are endless - the choices for young and old on one campus are our vision. Can you help?” she has asked Naas UDC councillors.

Castelattico trips the result of Marco's initiative NAAS, 14 August 2000: 8.30am by Trish Whelan. The current twinning trip to Castelattico in Italy by members of the Nas na Ri Set Dancers and the Naas Twinning Committee is actually the latest result of an initiative when links were first forged between Castelattico and Naas through the goodwill of Marco Borza - a native of the village - who owns the Capri Grill in Naas. Marco is pictured on the left outside his premises in Naas with his sister Rita Marsella. Rita and her son Michele - who live in Castelattico - are in Naas for the summer. “When Marco opened the Capri he found the people of Naas were very similar to the people of Castelattico. That’s when it all started,” remembers Cllr Timmy Conway who led the Naas delegation to the second part of the official twinning with Castelattico during his term as chairman of Naas UDC. That delegation also included former town clerk Larry Long and former councillor Mary French along with Sheila Meagher as interpreter. The mayor of Castelattico attended a twinning ceremony in Naas in 1990 with members of the local town council which was comprised of heads of families of the area. He was officially welcomed to the Town Hall by the then UDC chairperson, Mary French. Marco Borza is 22 years in Naas, though he has lived for 34 years in Ireland. His home village nestles in a valley and is the focus of business and social life for a number of smaller hamlets in the surrounding mountains. It is situated 700m above sea level and is 100kn from both Naples and Rome. Marco says there is no real industry to provide jobs and many Castelatticans emigrate to find work. However, they also go home when they retire. The village's economy is based on many small rural farms and the town has one primary school - a secondary school is about five miles away. They have a good soccer team and play in the regional league. The pitch is also floodlit. Marco suggests it would be good idea if a Naas soccer team could enter a tournament there.

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New premises for Credit Union MONASTEREVIN, 14 August 2000: by Brian Byrne. Monasterevin Credit Union is to build a new Banking Hall and offices in the former Tyna Knitwear office block, which has been aquired by the organisation. Work on renovation of the building will begin later this year. The Credit Union is also helping out St Paul’s School in the aftermath of the recent gas explosion there, by providing temporary classroom facilities in the building from September until new prefabricated classrooms are ready. Manasterevin Credit Union is 25 years old this year and has over 3,000 members and a share capital base of over £3.5 million.

Criticises legal delays in housing process COUNTY HALL, 14 August 2000: by Trish Whelan. The delays caused to people seeking to be housed under the Shared Ownership Scheme are a disgrace, according to Senator Jack Wall TD (right), who blamed the legal system which Kildare County Council has adopted. He said the authority should hire ‘some other legal people’ to do its business if those presently hired are unable to cope. “It’s terrible to have somebody come to your door wondering when they are going to get the key to a house and knowing there is nothing you can do about it.” He asked officials to make a decision that if the solicitors have not the time to deal with it, then they would get other solicitors so as not to deprive ordinary people of a house. County manager Niall Bradley said he would seriously consider the comments in relation to delays. “If there are problems, we will eliminate them,” he replied. “We can try and push as many houses as possible through the planning system. Some 3,200 houses went through the our planning system last year. The average number of houses built is 2,400 a year for the last two years and it’s envisaged that 20,000 houses will be needed each year.” However over the next 6-9 months there will be at least 1,000 acres of land in the county zoned for residential use. One constraint, he said, is the small pool of contractors available. “Because we have to build schemes in different parts of the county at any one time, it is proving difficult. If we have to take anybody else on board re design work etc, then we will do that.” Mr Bradley said the Land Aquisition Department of Kildare County Council is ‘working flat out’ to try and come up with land for housing and he wants to see ‘plenty of Compulsory Purchase Orders if that’s the only way we can go’.

Cobblestones 'a disgrace' NAAS, 14 August 2000: by Trish Whelan. Recently-laid cobblestones on footpaths on the Main Street in Naas are in a disgraceful condition, according to Cllr Willie Callaghan (right). He asked a recent UDC meeting where the responsibility for the work lay. Officials said various sections of footpaths had involved different contractors. Naas UDC say they will not undertake the long term maintenance of the footpaths - as it is the responsibility of Kildare County Council to carry out spot repairs. But the Council is preparing a programme to restart the work on Main Street footpaths and a job specification will include a guarantee by the contractor. Any works to date were on a time and material basis and any works carried out by Naas UDC were accepted in the condition they were in at the time.  KILCULLEN ESSO AND XL STOP 'N' SHOP Open 7am-10pm for Fuel, Groceries, Toiletries, Flowers, Newspapers, Deli Food, Fresh Coffee and more.

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