KildareNet News is the INDEPENDENT internet news service for and about Kildare, located on the County Kildare Community Network. KNN has no affiliations to any network, authority, group, party or other organisation. The service is operated by TELLING TALES LTD. Site best viewed with NETSCAPE browser and with the VERDANA font. All content © Telling Tales Ltd. Phone 045 481090 or 086 8267104; Fax 045 481091; Email tellingtales@yahoo.com SCROLL for CURRENT stories. EARLIER stories and ARCHIVES KNN Special FEATURES Visit our flagship sponsor For audios get free REALPLAYER KNN-KildareNet News was awarded three shamrocks by Doras THINKING OF RETURNING TO IRELAND? ARTHUR E MACMAHON, solicitors in Naas, can represent you in all your legal, conveyancing, and commercial needs with professionalism and confidentiality. Email us or phone +353 (0)45 897936; fax +353 (0)45 897615 LEIXLIP CREDIT UNION opening times over the holiday period: 22 & 23 December: 9.30-5.30 pm; 24 December: 9.30-12.30 pm; 25-28 December inclusive: closed.; 29 & 30 December: 9.30-5.30 pm; 31 December & 1 January: closed; 4 January: 9.30-5.30 pm; More Information: Oliver Morrison at 6244930.  THE LEINSTER PRINTMAKING STUDIO THE OLD CONVENT, CLANE Artists' resource, Training, Gallery sales. Phone Margaret Becker 045 868168 or 087 2310114 NAAS LIBRARY OVER CHRISTMAS Christmas Closing arrangements. Naas Community Library will close on Thursday December 23rd 1999 at 8pm and re-open on Tuesday January 4th at 10am. A very happy Christmas to all our readers.   Specialist travel operators to Cheltenham, Aintree, and other major international racing venues. Phone 01 2958901; Fax 01 2958902; Email leoptour@indigo.ie

Several Naas groups entertain old folks from around the county NAAS, 24 December 1999: by Brian Byrne. Senior citizens from all over the county were treated to a party in the canteen of Kildare County Council at the weekend. It was organised by the Naas Drop In Centre, the No Name Club, Naas Parish Pastoral Council and Naas Gardai. The group were entertained by a member of the force, Gda Paul Muldowney, who showed he well deserved his Garth Brooks hat as well as his blue peaked one. Pictured above are a group of the helpers and youth leaders involved. Pictured below (clockwise from top left) are Sarah Gilty, helper, with Mr & Mrs Tom O'Leary from Kilcullen; Zena Walsh, helper; Gda "Garth" Paul Muldowney; Mr & Mrs Vincent Conway, Kilcullen. Pictured above are Sheila McCormack, Francis Connolly and Winnie Gunnings; and (below) helpers Adrian King, Gerry Donnelly, Fiona Bracken and Sgt Kevin Gralton. Main Rover, Land Rover and Volvo dealers, Kildare town. Phone 045 521203; Fax 045 521785. See our selection here. And read Brian Byrne's review of the new Rover 75. 'Remember the peacekeepers' - Power KILDARE SOUTH, 24 December 1999: by Brian Byrne. Kildare South TD Sean Power has extended season’s greetings to all Irish members of defence forces working abroad and has asked everyone at home to remember these Irish men and women in their prayers over the holidays. He also asked the families and friends of such defence forces members, who will experience a large degree of loneliness over the next few weeks, should be kept in mind. “Ireland should be proud of all its sons and daughters stationed across the globe whose dedication to the operations of the defence forces is unquestionable - a short minute to appreciate this commitment is the least we can do,” he concluded. SEARCH KNN ARCHIVES HERE

Straffan concern over Ryder Cup STRAFFAN, 23 December 1999: by Brian Byrne. Celbridge area councillors have expressed concern that they haven't been consulted on the impact which the holding of the Ryder Cup in 2005 at the K Club will have on Straffan. They're to have a special meeting among themselves on the matter, following the realisation that Kildare County Council officials and K Club management have already discussed traffic plans. Cllr Emmet Stagg TD said he was concerned that the engineers and K Club executives would agree solutions to the traffic problems that will ensue from the event without including solutions to the problems that might arise for the local community in Straffan. Cllr Stagg said he will be insisting on a solution that diverts the traffic out of and away from Straffan village. "I am suggesting and will press hard for a bypass for Straffan that would see a new link road constructed from Ovidstown on the Clane Road, running along the boundary of the K Club and out onto the Kill Road," he said, noting that to develop what would be a regional road from Dunboyne to Kill, but running through the village, would be counter to the stated objective in the County Development Plan that Straffan be preserved as a 'special village'. "If this were to happen, the quality of life for local residents would be greatly reduced by constant daily large volumes of regional traffic that would be with us long after the Ryder Cup was over." DK Music makes Christmas sing For Christmas, make it music. And get the tune right at DK Music in Newbridge. To see what's in store, look in their shop window here.

THE LEINSTER PRINTMAKING STUDIO THE OLD CONVENT, CLANE Artists' resource, Training, Gallery sales. Phone Margaret Becker 045 868168 or 087 2310114

Kildare has many authors of both fiction and non-fiction. We have a special page available to promote their work, which you can access here. Please support those of your county people who travel the long and often lonely road of the pen and typewriter to tell you stories.

UDC agrees disposal of car park to developers NAAS, 22 December 1999: by Brian Byrne. Naas UDC has voted to dispose of its Corban’s Lane car park to developers who intend to erect a multi-storey car park, hotel and shopping centre on the site. The decision was 6-3, with councillors Mary Glennon, Pat McCarthy and Anthony Egan voting against the proposal. The proposal had the full support of both Naas town clerk Declan Kirrane and town manager Terry O Niadh, (left), both of whom stressed that the council was ‘getting good value for money’ on the project. The council will receive £167,000 a year for the first ten years under the terms of the arrangement with developers MacDermott and O’Farrell, a sum which includes an annual £25,000 lease fee that will run for the full length of the 999-year lease. There will also be an as yet unspecified income from parking charges for the council. In the discussion prior to the vote, reservations were expressed about safety aspects of the proposal, particularly because of the proximity of several schools, but town manager Terry O Niadh was emphatic that he would not be granting planning permission for the project unless all such aspects were satisfactorily addressed. But he said it would be ‘unfair’ to ask the developers to undertake an Environmental Impact Study before the property was disposed of to them. Chairman Seamie Moore said people were going out of town to shop because they couldn’t get parking in Naas and something had to be done about this. This view was echoed by Cllr Pat O’Reilly, who said it was clear the town had been losing business in the last few weeks. On the matter of financial remuneration, he suggested that a clause be written into the agreement that there be a review every 10 years or so, but the town manager said this was no longer possible unless they wanted to negotiate from the beginning all over again. Cllr Charlie Byrne said ‘Naas is going to die’ unless the car parking issue is addressed quickly. “People are streaming to Newbridge, and we’ll be left with our old car park and a dead town unless we go with this,” he said. Cllrs Willie Callaghan and Evelyn Bracken also supported the proposal, given the commitment from the manager that all safety issues will be properly addressed. Cllr Timmy Conway said the project was one of the best schemes the UDC had ever undertaken and will help to make the Main Street an attractive and accessible place to shop. Cllr Pat McCarthy said he was opposed to the project because Corban’s Lane was ‘unsuitable’ to become a main thoroughfare and he said the development would cause ‘major traffic problems’. Cllr Mary Glennon noted that in two years’ time there will be 900 school pupils and the school principals were ‘seriously worried’. “We’re being asked to put a lot of trust in developers without a prior EIS,” she said. “We’re also disposing of a very valuable piece of property in what might well be termed ‘the sale of the next century’. If the UDC set up its own ‘pay and display’ system it would make a lot more money.” Cllr Anthony Egan expressed concern that even if the manager refused permission for the project, there was a ‘higher court’ in An Bord Pleanala, over which ‘we have no control’. “Major developers have the ability to operate the system very efficiently,” he said. “They rarely fail to get a permission through in the end.” Town clerk Declan Kirrane said the council had taken the financial advice of experts such as Lisney & Sons and KPMG and the financial terms of the package represented a ‘very good deal’ for the council.

Specialist travel operators to Cheltenham, Aintree, and other major international racing venues. Phone 01 2958901; Fax 01 2958902; Email leoptour@indigo.ie

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Varied millennium programme for Leixlip LEIXLIP, 22 December 1999: by Brian Byrne. Leixlip Town Commission is to erect a plaque to local men who died in the two world wars, as part of its millennium programme. The commission was recently granted £6,400 towards its programme. The news has been welcomed by Cllr Catherine Murphy. Cllr Murphy, who is convenor of the commission's Millennium Sub-committee, told KNN that they had applied for events under four headings. Under the heading Peace and Reconciliation, the commission plans to hold an event and erect a plaque to commemorate men from Leixlip who had fought and died in the two world wars, this event is scheduled for Remembrance Sunday November 2000. A souvenir leaflet will be delivered to each house in the town between Christmas and New years eve this year. Leixlip has Viking origins and a continuous history stretching into the first Millennium and the brochure will include the Town Crest and a description of its elements, a history of the town, a sample summery of events which will take place in 2000, and an outline of New Years Eve/Day events. Four seminars are planned and will covers areas such as Our Built Environment, including special elements such as the building of Leixlip Dam, the Royal Canal and the railway. Changes in flora & fauna over time and the social history of the town will also be the focus of events. "Now that funding has been provided the committee will work on these events," Cllr Murphy said. The fourth project funding was provided for is the Social History of the town which is being coordinated by the Town Commission’s Social Affairs Committee and is expected to be published at Easter and covers the living history of the town and its inhabitants. These events/publications will complement other initiatives to mark the Millennium, such as the Millennium Civic Awards and the Festival which will have a Viking Theme. An amount of £4,000 has been awarded to the Festival Committee towards the festival by the Millennium Committee in addition to the other events. “Many of the Town’s clubs and Residents Associations also plan to hold special events during the year the combination of which should mark out the year as the milestone it is,”Cllr Murphy concluded.

THE LEINSTER PRINTMAKING STUDIO THE OLD CONVENT, CLANE Artists' resource, Training, Gallery sales. Phone Margaret Becker 045 868168 or 087 2310114

Children exposed to traffic risks' CELBRIDGE, 22 December 1999: Dear Editor, The breakdown of negotiations for the land to complete the Celbridge Ring Road is to be regretted. What it means practically speaking is that first years in St Wolstans, who are now encountering serious risks from traffic, will most probably have completed their Junior Certs before that risk is alleviated which to me is poor planning. As someone who tried to pull sides together on this issue in order to achieve the completion of the road within about six months, I want to state publicly that I was alarmed at the scaremongering. Talk of 60 acres to be rezoned with a possible knock on consequence’s of up to 2000 was completely wide of the mark. This issue has been handled badly from the beginning. I feel I have inherited a problem to be solved. Since my election in June my philosophy has been to try to deliver on the ground. We had two choices on this issue - one was the long route through Compulsory Purchase Order or the quicker route which would have meant some rezoning of the Sheridan land, certainly nothing of the order of 60 acres. One look at the start and finish times of St Wolstans, one look at the peak time traffic chaos in Celbridge Village, convinced me it was worth negotiating for the shorter option. Cllr Kay Walsh, Celbridge.

Specialist travel operators to Cheltenham, Aintree, and other major international racing venues. Phone 01 2958901; Fax 01 2958902; Email leoptour@indigo.ie

DAVE CULLEN PHOTOGRAPHY Have you run out of ideas for what to do to commemorate the turn of the century and Christmas? Well, we have an amazing gift idea to make you the toast of the millennium! A family portrait with a difference!. You and your family will be photographed at whatever time you wish in our studio, but in the finished print you will appear to be on the Burren at dawn. A stunning picture set in a celtic dawn that will make you the envy of your friends You can be one of a limited edition of 2000 families if you act now. If you can't avail of this offer now... you can reserve a position by buying a gift voucher thereby reserving your place in this limited edition. (this makes a great corporate gift!) For further details phone Graham or Dave on 01 453 3303.

Woodturners exhibition a sellout NAAS, 21 December 1999: by Trish Whelan. Woodturners keep a special weather eye out for storms because when they have passed it is the time for their harvest. “If there’s a big wind, you see us all out like a shot the next day,” says woodturner Paddy O’Connor (left, with his prizewinning 'collection of candlesticks') with a grin, “because almost all of our raw material comes from fallen trees.” (Pictured above at the Woodturners Exhibition in Naas Library last week are Kieran Higgins, Naas; Brian Ashmore, Athy, treasurer of the Midlands Chapter Woodturners Guild; Paddy O'Connor, chairman, from Sarto Road, Naas; and Frank McCann, PRO, Manor Kilbride.) Paddy, from Sarto Road in Naas, was speaking at the third annual exhibition by members of the chapter, when almost 300 people turned up to see 220 exhibits of craftsmanship from the very best of local woodturners. Coillte sponsored the show. Virtually every item on offer, from bowls, lamps, clocks, novelty items, was snapped up within days. “Such was the success of the venture, that it’s quickly becoming the event of the year in Naas,” said Brian Ashmore from Athy, and he should know as he is treasurer of the Chapter. The special competition sponsored by FBD Insurances was won by Karl Gill from Fontstown, Athy; and Kieran Higgins (below with his prizewinning lamp)and Paddy O’Connor, both from Naas. Peter Kennedy from Jigginstown, Naas, took the prize for the ‘Item You Would Most Like to Take Home’. The Midland Chapter covers counties Kildare, Wicklow, Laois, Carlow, Offaly and Meath and now has upwards of 30 members including a number of young people. This is helped by woodturning classes in many schools throughout the county, including the VEC-run St Patrick’s Post Primary School in Naas. The Chapter also runs regular workshops rotating the sessions through members’ homes. A fallen Monkey Puzzle tree is regarded as a real bonus by craftsmen and one such tree at the Parochial House, Cross Chapel, Blessington which came down in a storm was quickly snapped up by local man, Frank McCann who made a number of bowls from the wood. The Puzzle is the only tree which has all its branches coming from the same plane which gives a nice design. Other ‘good’ trees include beech, yew, ash, oak, elm, chestnut, white thorn, apple and cherry trees. One item came from a tree felled in Fota Island and originally from Madagascar. A special table at the exhibition featuring items donated by each exhibitor is set to help raise money for a catscan machine for Temple Street Hospital, as ESB employees have pledged to match £ for £ each of the designated items sold.

LEIXLIP CREDIT UNION opening times over the holiday period: 22 & 23 December: 9.30-5.30 pm; 24 December: 9.30-12.30 pm; 25-28 December inclusive: closed.; 29 & 30 December: 9.30-5.30 pm; 31 December & 1 January: closed; 4 January: 9.30-5.30 pm; More Information: Oliver Morrison at 6244930.  THE LEINSTER PRINTMAKING STUDIO THE OLD CONVENT, CLANE Artists' resource, Training, Gallery sales. Phone Margaret Becker 045 868168 or 087 2310114

KILCULLEN ESSO AND XL STOP 'N' SHOP Open 7am-10pm for Fuel, Groceries, Toiletries, Flowers, Newspapers, Deli Food, Fresh Coffee and more.

Rathangan arts programme shows off its talent RATHANGAN, 20 December 1999: by Brian Byrne. A recent Open Day in Rathangan showed the work-in-progress of the Rathangan Community Arts Group, the result of a community arts residency entitled Guth On bPortach. The resident artists in the programme, supported by the Arts Office of Kildare County Council and the Arts Council, are Monica De Bath (left) and Deborah Ni Caoimhe (above). Monica has a background in painting and tapestry weaving, and Deborah's interests are in fine art sculpture and costumes/masks. Their residency began in May of this year and is job-shared. Some 23 adults are participating in the workshop programme, as are a number of children from the local schools. The project will culminate in a community 'sculpture trail' in and around the town of Rathangan in September of 2000. Anybody wishing to take part in the programme can get further information from Kildare County Arts Officer Mary Lenihan at 045 431215 or 086 8300440.

NAAS LIBRARY OVER CHRISTMAS Christmas Closing arrangements. Naas Community Library will close on Thursday December 23rd 1999 at 8pm and re-open on Tuesday January 4th at 10am. A very happy Christmas to all our readers.

Naas UDC wins its own cup NAAS, 20 December 1999: by Trish Whelan. Naas UDC achieved the distinction of winning its own environmental award for 1999. Presenting the prize, UDC vice chairman Cllr Pat O’Reilly (pictured left with UDC chairman Seamie Moore and town clerk Declan Kirrane) said it had been given by the council for endeavour around the town. On his own behalf and on behalf of the council, he expressed sincere thanks to Seamie Moore and his small committee for the excellent work they are 'spearheading' in the community. He said the litter situation will be helped by the introduction of Litter Wardens early in the New Year and asked everybody to cooperate with them and ‘to nudge’ the people who were careless in disposing of litter as the UDC does not want to prosecute Naas citizens for causing litter. Declan Kirrane accepted the Cup ‘on behalf of the UDC, its staff and councillors’. He said the UDC has this year approved grants totalling £850,000 to some of the major amenities and groups in the town. “There isn’t another local authority in the country doing this ... never mind in the county.” He warned that Naas UDC ‘will have no difficulty’ in fining litter offenders having spend some £85,000 cleaning up litter from the streets. He urged all to become involved in the Tidy Towns - a very small group who are making a fantastic contribution ... but who need help through extra members. DK Music makes Christmas sing For Christmas, make it music. And get the tune right at DK Music in Newbridge. To see what's in store, look in their shop window here.

Specialist travel operators to Cheltenham, Aintree, and other major international racing venues. Phone 01 2958901; Fax 01 2958902; Email leoptour@indigo.ie

KILCULLEN ESSO AND XL STOP 'N' SHOP Open 7am-10pm for Fuel, Groceries, Toiletries, Flowers, Newspapers, Deli Food, Fresh Coffee and more.

Relief road negotiations break down CELBRIDGE, 20 December 1999: by Brian Byrne. Kildare County Council is to proceed with a compulsory purchase process to buy two acres of land required to complete the Celbridge Relief Road. The procedure will take a minimum of one year. This follows the breakdown of negotiations between the landowners concerned and the council for the purchase of the land. It is understood that the landowners were prepared to sell the land to the council on the condition that the remainder of their 60 acres was rezoned from agricultural to residential. But this would require a material contravention of the County Development Plan adopted last May. The lands in question are not within the development boundary of Celbridge town, and according to Cllr Emmet Stagg TD, any such rezoning would have led to an additional 500 houses on the Clane side of the town. “It could possibly also have a knock-on effect of 2,000 houses within the Celbridge development boundary as there are about 170 acres of land zoned agricultural within the town boundary,” Cllr Stagg noted, adding that it would have been preferable for the council to have purchased the entire 60 acres rather than go through the CPO process.

Specialist travel operators to Cheltenham, Aintree, and other major international racing venues. Phone 01 2958901; Fax 01 2958902; Email leoptour@indigo.ie

To Advertise on KNN, call 086 8267104, fax 045 481091, or email tellingtales@yahoo.com Advertising rates here

Kildare has many authors of both fiction and non-fiction. We have a special page available to promote their work, which you can access here. Please support those of your county people who travel the long and often lonely road of the pen and typewriter to tell you stories.

	1967 Classic VW Beetle. Fully restored and undersealed. Porsche wheels (originals available). Beautiful condition - must be seen to be appreciated. Engine perfect. Phone 045 860287.
NOTE: KNN takes no responsibility for car condition or descriptions. All dealings CAVEAT EMPTOR. Mention KNN when calling.	1995 Nissan Maxima. 47,000 miles up, metallic green colour, comes complete with CD, alarm, sunroof and alloy wheels. £10,000. Phone 01 6280607.
This service is free. Fax details to 045 481091 or email (pictures should be in JPEG format and sent as attachments). Ads will be left up for one week unless renewed.	1997 Honda Civic. Super condition with only 17,000 miles on the clock. Black, with electric windows and sunroof. Just £10.950. Phone 087 6546157.
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	by Liam Cahill The seminal account of the Limerick Soviet Available here
				PROFESSIONAL COUNSELLING Noreen McCabe, MNAPCP Anxiety, depression, loss, phobias, childhood trauma, eating disorders, relationships, personal growth, coaching for work-related stress. Strictly confidential. Moorefield Clinic, Newbridge. Phone (045) 432111 or call Noreen at (045) 431936; mobile 086 2496823; email dmccabe@tinet.ie
		NAAS BAPTIST BIBLE CENTRE Everyone is invited to study God's Word, the Bible, with us, Sunday evenings 6.30, 45 Jigginstown Park. We are presently studying the life of Christ. Contact Rev Roger Parrow 045 894771. (Advt.)

LISTEN TO the weekly roundup of Irish views and stories presented by Brian Byrne and Trish Whelan and broadcast from Vancouver on the Celtic Voices programme carried by Canada's largest independent radio network. You can stream it at 56k, or download to listen to later. Changed every Sunday.

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