O'Loughlin gets commission chair NEWBRIDGE, 30 June 2000: by Brian Byrne. Fiona O’Loughlin was last night elected to the chair of Newbridge Town Commission at the authority’s AGM, succeeding Cmmr John O’Neill. She was proposed by Cmmr Colm Feeney and seconded by Cmmr Ray O’Brien. The vote was 5-3, with Cmmr Murty Aspell abstaining. Cmmr O'Loughlin is pictured above with Cmmr John O'Neill and Cmmr Colm Feeney. At the meeting, a special presentation was made to town clerk Charlie Talbot, who is retiring from the position after nearly 16 years. He was appointed a Project Officer in Kildare County Council last October. “The developing nature of that job means that I can’t give the commission the level of service they need, so it was time to step down,” he said. He is being replaced by Bernard Duff, a revenue officer with Kildare County Council. Pictured below are outgoing vice-chairman Cmmr Pat Black, outgoing chairman Cllr John O'Neill, and Charlie Talbot. 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.

PROFESSIONAL COUNSELLING Noreen McCabe, MNAPCP Anxiety, depression, loss, phobias, childhood trauma, eating disorders, relationships, personal growth, coaching for work-related stress. Moorefield Clinic, Newbridge. Phone (045) 432111 or call Noreen at (045) 431936; mobile 086 2496823; email dmccabe@tinet.ie  THE LEINSTER PRINTMAKING STUDIO THE OLD CONVENT, CLANE Artists' resource, Training, Gallery sales. Phone Margaret Becker 045 868168 or 087 2310114

Ploopluck Bridge damaged by car NAAS, 30 June 2000: by Brian Byrne. Ploopluck Bridge on the Caragh Road, Naas, may be getting traffic lights sooner that was expected, but for all the wrong reasons. The bridge was damaged last weekend when a car coming from the Naas direction knocked a 15-foot length of the parapet wall into the field below. “We may have to put emergency lights there now, because there will have to be some form of traffic management while the bridge is being repaired,” Naas town clerk said yesterday. Mr Kirrane said the UDC is awaiting a report from Duchas on the state of the bridge, which is preserved, and until that was forthcoming they couldn’t say when repairs will be able to be commenced. The bridge has long been the subject of complaints from pedestrians and motorists because it is dangerous. Last year, Naas UDC agreed that traffic lights would be installed to regulate matters, but they’ve not yet been put in place. At Tuesday night’s AGM of Naas UDC, Cllr Anthony Egan said the recent accident highlighted once again the need for a separate pedestrian bridge over the canal to facilitate people going to and from the Caragh Court area. He said that even if the pedestrian bridge later became redundant because of the construction of a new bridge over the canal, it could be dismantled and put somewhere else it might be needed.

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. Ireland's only COMPLETE motoring magazine on sale now at all good newsagents. 'Simply the Best'   Specialist travel operators to Cheltenham, Aintree, and other major international racing venues. Phone 01 2958901; Fax 01 2958902; Email

24 June 2000: Intel launches $2 million expansion ... Kildare artist uses personal tragedy for inspiration ... the fight against Dunstown ... Seamie Moore on the new Railway Walkway ... 'Cullen of the Arctic' on his latest trip. This is a KNN broadcast production in RealAudio. Earlier programmes here. (©2000trishwhelanbrianbyrne.)

Appeal for jobs, accommodation, for Germans NEWBRIDGE, 30 June 2000: by Brian Byrne. The chairman of Newbridge’s twinning organisation, Cmmr Ray O’Brien, has appealed to business people of the town to provide summer job opportunities for a group of young people from Badlippspringe in Germany who will be arriving next week. Cmmr O’Brien said that there were already a number of Newbridge young people in the town’s German twin who had been found accommodation and jobs, courtesy of the Burgemeister. “We must do the same,” he said. “It will be the acid test of our twinning commitment.” To Advertise on KNN, call 086 8267104, fax 045 481091, or email tellingtales@yahoo.com Advertising rates here

GARDA PATROL Marking your property is one of the best ways of making sure that it is quickly returned to you if recovered by the gardai.

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.

Motoring News, Views and Reviews here

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****Earlier News from this week available here****

Around and About the County... CASTLEDERMOT: Castledermot needs additional land to be zoned for residential and industrial use according to Kildare Area councillor Martin Miley. He told KNN that some 80 acres of land are already rezoned for development but he felt more land is needed for development in the area which is one of the areas in South Kildare where water and sewerage facilities are now available. He said industry is badly needed in the area and to have more land zoned for this use would help. CELBRIDGE: Oral hearings are to take place in relation to the Celbridge Draft Development Plan which was on public display in early 1999. A total of 79 submissions were received during the display process, with 25 requests for oral hearings. NAAS: Car parking on the road outside Naas Hospital was as chaotic as ever yesterday despite the threat from Naas UDC that offending motorists would have their cars ticketed. Town clerk Declan Kirrane said on Tuesday last that traffic wardens in Naas would begin issuing parking tickets in the area from yesterday, but that didn't seem to deter anyone. To Advertise on KNN, call 086 8267104, fax 045 481091, or email tellingtales@yahoo.com Advertising rates here

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

'Change traffic calming criteria' call LEIXLIP, 29 June 2000: by Brian Byrne. The minister for the environment must review the criteria for installing traffic calming measures in housing estates if they are to be of any benefit to such places. That’s the view of Leixlip-based Cllr Paul Kelly, who says a ‘double whammy’ of departmental rules and a shortage of staff in Kildare County Council is in effect making traffic calming in estates impossible. "In Kildare County Council we provided a budget for this for the first time and I proposed several schemes for estates around Leixlip and Maynooth on which some of this money could be spent,” he said in a statement yesterday. “The criteria laid down by the Department require a number of conditions to be met before active traffic calming speed cushions or chicanes can be installed. They include a requirement that there be a straight stretch of road not less than a kilometre, which in effect rules out most of the estates here, for example, Glendale/Glendale Meadows. This is clearly outdated in modern conditions.” Cllr Kelly raised the issue at Monday’s meeting of Kildare County Council and received the unanimous support of his colleagues to ask the minister for the environment to change the regulations. “The Council’s roads design office are also unable to provide the staff needed to survey and design schemes in individual estates,” he adds. “Ongoing efforts are being made to recruit staff in the Council, so hopefully we can move faster on getting drivers to slow down – before we end up with safety by body count!” Cllr Kelly says that most estates now have higher car ownership, with many families now having two or more cars and adds that traffic congestion also gives rise to people speeding once they get out of the heavy traffic and into their estates. “Active traffic calming measures are unfortunately the only effective way to get people to slow down and prevent the tragedy of killing or injuring a child," he concludes. Above: traffic calming recently installed on a Naas street. 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.

PROFESSIONAL COUNSELLING Noreen McCabe, MNAPCP Anxiety, depression, loss, phobias, childhood trauma, eating disorders, relationships, personal growth, coaching for work-related stress. Moorefield Clinic, Newbridge. Phone (045) 432111 or call Noreen at (045) 431936; mobile 086 2496823; email dmccabe@tinet.ie  THE LEINSTER PRINTMAKING STUDIO THE OLD CONVENT, CLANE Artists' resource, Training, Gallery sales. Phone Margaret Becker 045 868168 or 087 2310114

'No tolls' on motorways - Kildare deputy KILDARE GENERAL, 29 June 2000: by Bill Trapman. Labour's Spokesperson on Public Enterprise, Emmet Stagg, has said that the imposition of tolls on new roads and by-passes completely defeats the purpose of building these new roads in the first place. He says he has no objection to involvement by the private sector in the construction of these roads, but does not believe that there should be an abandonment of public involvement when these roads are up and running. “Leaving it up to the private sector to operate the roads and impose tolls is a faulty and unworkable proposal," he says. Deputy Stagg says that one of the key purposes of these roads is to improve access between deprived areas and the eastern seaboard, and in turn increase economic activity in these regions. But he says the imposition of tolls will minimise traffic on these new roads, and heavy goods vehicles and local traffic may continue to use town centres and backroads in an effort to avoid paying tolls. "The reality is that our economic prosperity does not require the imposition of tolls to cover the cost of maintaining and constructing these roads. I fully endorse the view taken by ESRI economist John Fitzgerald who said that the Exchequer should provide the money when it was flush with cash." Deputy Stagg says motorists already pay sufficient road tax, and at present, get very little in return for it. Widespread tolls would act as an additional tax on motorists and should be resisted, he concludes.

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. Ireland's only COMPLETE motoring magazine on sale now at all good newsagents. 'Simply the Best'

24 June 2000: Intel launches $2 million expansion ... Kildare artist uses personal tragedy for inspiration ... the fight against Dunstown ... Seamie Moore on the new Railway Walkway ... 'Cullen of the Arctic' on his latest trip. This is a KNN broadcast production in RealAudio. Earlier programmes here. (©2000trishwhelanbrianbyrne.)

Playgrounds etc forgotten in Monread Park? NAAS, 29 June 2000 Dear Editor Have to say I got a bit disturbed when I heard the outgoing chairman of Naas UDC describe the park in Monread as ‘complete’. What about the play ground, tennis courts and basketball courts that were in the original plans which were put on public display three years ago. Had Mr Moore forgotten about them? My fears were allayed somewhat, though, by the opening speech of the new chair who, in going through his list of priorities, mentioned firstly play grounds (I noted the plural) and secondly social issues. He spoke of how some obstacles of the past have now been eliminated and how we can now move forward. He talked working with all those with a mandate from the people of Naas for the betterment of Naas. Given that PUP now has over 500 signatures to their petition (more than the first preference votes of some councillors) PUP looks forward to working in partnership with the chair and his colleagues for benefit of the children and parents of Naas. I hope that his commitment is reinforced by deed and finances to put in place as soon as possible much-needed facilities for the town of Naas and its residents. I am also very happy to see his commitment to social housing. This morning on my early a.m. walk I saw one individual curled up in a sleeping bag in the Main Street. I saw another emerge from an empty house by the canal. The Celtic Tiger has left these and many others on the housing list behind. We concentrate on migrants from other nations and are seemingly forgetting about our own citizens. The mention of a positive discrimination in housing may, if properly carried out, benefit these people I see sleeping rough as I walk though the town and along the canal in the early morning sunlight. John Kavanagh. To Advertise on KNN, call 086 8267104, fax 045 481091, or email tellingtales@yahoo.com Advertising rates here

GARDA PATROL Marking your property is one of the best ways of making sure that it is quickly returned to you if recovered by the gardai.   Specialist travel operators to Cheltenham, Aintree, and other major international racing venues. Phone 01 2958901; Fax 01 2958902; Email

Come on, Kildare! ATHY, 29 June 2000: A Youthreach trainee living in Athy, Charlene Hickey, penned the following poem to commemorate the recent Kildare/Offaly match: The Mighty Kildare It was on the 25th of June I stepped upon a train, it took me up to Dublin to see a might game. The crowd was roaring loudly as more fans came in, they were from my native County the team that was sure to win. It was the 69th minute, Kildare was on the roll, we were through to the Leinster Finals, but Offaly got a goal. We all shook so sadly when Offaly got the free, we prayed to God that they would miss, and God he answered me. In two weeks’ time we’ll meet again, Padraig Nolan you got off lightly, ’cause on the 16th of July, we’ll beat Offaly high and mighty.

PROFESSIONAL COUNSELLING Noreen McCabe, MNAPCP Anxiety, depression, loss, phobias, childhood trauma, eating disorders, relationships, personal growth, coaching for work-related stress. Moorefield Clinic, Newbridge. Phone (045) 432111 or call Noreen at (045) 431936; mobile 086 2496823; email dmccabe@tinet.ie

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.

Museum funding would be 'investment in heritage' COUNTY HALL, 28 June 2000: by Trish Whelan. If Kildare County Council had to provide £500,000 towards the provision of a County Museum, it would be money 'well spent to protect our heritage', Naas historian Paddy Behan says. He was speaking after a presentation to the elected members of the council at this month's meeting of the authority on Monday. The presentation was made by Mr Behan and fellow local historian from Newbridge, Mary Connolly (pictured above with Paddy Behan), along with Naas-based developer Gerry Conlan (left), the promoter of the Millennium Park business campus. Between them they have formed the County Kildare Museum Trust with the aim of promoting the project. Millennium Park has offered a site at Leinster Mills and a donation of £250,000. Mr Behan suggested that the total cost of the project would be in the region of £2 million, but that funds could be accessed from the Department of the Arts, Culture & the Gaeltacht if an application was made by September. He also suggests that businesses and other bodies in Kildare would be anxious to be associated with such 'a worthy project'. "It would be an investment in the future and a contribution for their children," he said. Mary Connolly said the facility would be both 'a place of entertainment and of education', with both traditional museum displays of real artifacts and models of artifacts which could be handled by visitors, especially children. "It would be a major educational resource for primary, secondary and third-level students," she said. "We have already been in touch with the Department of Modern History at Maynooth University, who are supportive of the project." During the presentation, Paddy Behan said the trust has been in consultation with the National Museum which has a large collection of artifacts relating to County Kildare, but about 50% of the museum's collection 'never sees the light of day'. In response to a query from Cllr Fionnuala Dukes. Gerry Conlan said no feasibility study on the viability of the project had been done, but that would be 'up to the council, which would own, staff and operate' the facility when it was built. "Our sole purpose here is to promote it, get it off the ground and see it going," he said. "At the moment there are between 15-20 local authorities in the country which have museums ... we would like to see a museum in our own county and we're trying to activate others to get it going." Deputy Sean Power suggested that the results of a feasibility study for a proposed military museum in the Curragh Camp might help in the preparation of a similar study for the county project. Cllr Catherine Murphy said it would be something which would have to be assessed in relation to the outgoings of Kildare County Council. Senator John Dardis proposed that the council should accept the project in principle. County Manager Niall Bradley said he would 'concur broadly' with the aims of the project, but it should be examined in more detail. The councillors agreed that the trust should meet with a working group of elected members and officials to further examine the proposal. (A full audio interview with Paddy Behan and Mary Connolly here.) 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.

PROFESSIONAL COUNSELLING Noreen McCabe, MNAPCP Anxiety, depression, loss, phobias, childhood trauma, eating disorders, relationships, personal growth, coaching for work-related stress. Moorefield Clinic, Newbridge. Phone (045) 432111 or call Noreen at (045) 431936; mobile 086 2496823; email dmccabe@tinet.ie  THE LEINSTER PRINTMAKING STUDIO THE OLD CONVENT, CLANE Artists' resource, Training, Gallery sales. Phone Margaret Becker 045 868168 or 087 2310114

24 June 2000: Intel launches $2 million expansion ... Kildare artist uses personal tragedy for inspiration ... the fight against Dunstown ... Seamie Moore on the new Railway Walkway ... 'Cullen of the Arctic' on his latest trip. This is a KNN broadcast production in RealAudio. Earlier programmes here. (©2000trishwhelanbrianbyrne.)

Motoring News, Views and Reviews here

Car of the Week Alfa Sportwagon

New chairman criticises press coverage of Naas UDC Above - a group of protestors outside Naas Town Hall prior to last evening's AGM of the UDC. NAAS, 28 June 2000: by Brian Byrne. The positive work of Naas UDC is 'just about covered' by the press, according to its incoming chairman, Cllr Pat O'Reilly (right). In his inaugural speech at last night's AGM of the council, he suggested that the media which reported on the authority's activities tended to highlight more controversial aspects rather than giving the UDC the credit it deserved. Without alluding directly to discussions on Naas GAA's difficulties with relocating, questions of conflict of interest, and the activities of developers vis a vis the Naas Development Plan, Cllr O'Reilly described as 'petty' recent confrontations between elected members, and he hoped that under his chairmanship they would 'all work together' without what he termed a 'them and us' relationship. He said there was much work to be done in Naas, including the introduction of a one-way traffic system and disc parking, the development of a town centre video security plan in conjunction with other bodies, and provision of more homes for old people. Cllr O'Reilly had earlier been elected chairman on the nomination of Cllr Evelyn Bracken and seconded by Cllr Willie Callaghan (right). He received the support of Cllrs Charlie Byrne and Seamie Moore, outgoing chairman. Cllr Mary Glennon voted against him and Cllr Anthony Egan abstained. Cllrs Pat McCarthy and Timmy Conway were absent and apologies from them were noted. Cllr Willie Callaghan was elected vice-chairman. In his last speech as chairman, Cllr Moore noted highlights of the year including the celebration of the council's centenary. He said it was good to be leaving office in a year when the Naas Sports Group had begun their development programme, and such public amenities as the Railway Line Walk (below) and the Monread Park had been completed. He also acknowledged the State involvement in facilities which were very important to the town, such as the new Fire Station now under construction and the extension to the Osberstown Sewage Treatment Plant. Cllr Moore also paid tribute to the officials he had worked with during his term of office, and referred particularly to two who have recently moved on - previous town manager Terry O Niadh and Anthony Hennessy. Town manager Tommy Skehan and town clerk Declan Kirrane expressed their appreciation for the working relationship they had with the outgoing chairman and Mr Kirrane said he hoped he would be able to work equally well with his successor. [ED: Our colleagues in other media can speak for themselves, but of over 100 references to the council on KNN since October 1998, most by far relate to reportage of contributions from elected members at meetings and to substantial pictorial and words coverage of UDC events including park openings, civic awards, special celebrations and other functions such as town twinning receptions. Remarks about 'barely covered' positive work of the council seem ill-conceived in this context.]

PROFESSIONAL COUNSELLING Noreen McCabe, MNAPCP Anxiety, depression, loss, phobias, childhood trauma, eating disorders, relationships, personal growth, coaching for work-related stress. Moorefield Clinic, Newbridge. Phone (045) 432111 or call Noreen at (045) 431936; mobile 086 2496823; email dmccabe@tinet.ie  THE LEINSTER PRINTMAKING STUDIO THE OLD CONVENT, CLANE Artists' resource, Training, Gallery sales. Phone Margaret Becker 045 868168 or 087 2310114

Kill 'being destroyed' by heavy traffic KILL, 27 June 2000: by Michael Freeman. The once-tranquil village of Kill, 16 times winner of the tidiest village in County Kildare title, is choking because of the amount of traffic going through each day. Local people have counted more than 80 car transporters, each loaded with 12 and sometimes 15 cars coming to and from nearby car compounds, rumbling through the once pretty village every day, they say. They dwarf the village and upset pedestrians and motorists alike trying to avoid them. Meanwhile, trucks loaded with sand, gravel, hard core, blocks and cement bound for building development of houses and apartments beside the local primary school are further snarling up the village’s narrow main street. Bulldozers and diggers turning beside the school are adding to the chaos, creating noise, fumes and dust, and fear from parents. Less than 100 yards away, the once-beautiful streetscape between the Catholic Church and the Church of Ireland has been ripped up for development works. On Monday morning at 9.15am last week, parents and children going to the 330-pupil Kill Primary School battled through the street avoiding a giant earth roller, a Bus Eireann bus , a car transporter, and a queue of cars trying to get onto the N7. The narrow cul de sac beside the school was blocked with more than 20 cars trying to negotiate their way to the school to ‘drop’ children at the school gate. Meanwhile, six trucks queued to deliver their loads to the developments at the College Crest Homes and the Earls Court sites. A local resident waited to drive his car out of a driveway opposite the primary school. ‘Lollipop Lady’ Janet Carr fought her way between cars and heavy trucks to provide a corridor so that children and their parents could cross the road. Sean Convey, chairman of the Glendara Residents Association, says the situation is ‘disgraceful’. “There is no need for such chaos,” he told me. Parent Jackie Quigley says she has to accompany her children to the school every day, as there was no way that she could allow them to cross the road through all the traffic. Local resident Terry McConnon, retired from the Air Corps, says the problem is putting lives in danger. Members of the Residents Association and people at a community council meeting say that the car transporters could avoid Kill village altogether by taking the same route that the trucks for the Arthurstown Landfill take. They could go down the Turf Bog lane a mile away and take the back route onto the Naas Road. Despite being requested to avoid doing so, the car transporters continue to come through the village at peak times when children are going to or coming from school. Gardai say all they can do is try to ensure that drivers abide by the law and move along in an orderly manner. All the transporters and trucks have a legal right to use the road, a spokesman said. One Kill resident told me how a truck that was turning at the school pinned a terrified little girl to the wall. The driver was unaware that she was there until a parent nearby saw the incident and rushed over to tell him. Community leaders have requested councillors and TDs and officials from Kildare County Council to provide solutions to the problem. “All that we get back are letters saying that ‘they are looking into it’, or ’the money has run out’,” says one local resident. Now that the school year has ended, the pressure will be off councillors and TDs and officials and the problem will once again be transferred. “I spent more than 30 years helping to develop this community," says one Kill pensioner. "Now they are demolishing it and everyone is powerless to do anything about it. It’s going to get even worse in the Autumn when they start work on more developments and the weather gets bad. Kill is wrecked.” 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.

PROFESSIONAL COUNSELLING Noreen McCabe, MNAPCP Anxiety, depression, loss, phobias, childhood trauma, eating disorders, relationships, personal growth, coaching for work-related stress. Moorefield Clinic, Newbridge. Phone (045) 432111 or call Noreen at (045) 431936; mobile 086 2496823; email dmccabe@tinet.ie  THE LEINSTER PRINTMAKING STUDIO THE OLD CONVENT, CLANE Artists' resource, Training, Gallery sales. Phone Margaret Becker 045 868168 or 087 2310114

24 June 2000: Intel launches $2 million expansion ... Kildare artist uses personal tragedy for inspiration ... the fight against Dunstown ... Seamie Moore on the new Railway Walkway ... 'Cullen of the Arctic' on his latest trip. This is a KNN broadcast production in RealAudio. Earlier programmes here. (©2000trishwhelanbrianbyrne.)

Spouting water ... and Kilcullen's history KILCULLEN, 27 June 2000: by Brian Byrne. What was the water source for Kilcullen for at least 1,000 years is set to be restored as an attractive feature of the village's Valley Park before the end of the summer. Many generations of people living in the town used 'The Spout' as their water source even after the mains supply arrived (this writer remembers regularly fetching the daily pail of 'spout' water for his grandmother which she swore by as being better than anything that came out of the tap). But the source disappeared when 'The Spout' was buried during the initial development stages of the Valley Park in 1974. Now local man Jim Collins has unearthed the original spout and raised it to a level where it can be used. He took the opportunity of recent work in laying a new sewer main to find the cast-iron outlet and with the help of local developer and builder Colm Murray, he hopes to have it as a central feature of the park in a couple of months. "I've spent weeks trying to get it to flow again, and only succeeded last Friday night," he says. "It's producing 740 gallons an hour of crystal clear water that is ice-cold. I remember in my young days, whenever anyone would bang an arm or twist an ankle playing handball in the alley, they'd be brought across to the spout to chill the affected area. In a few minutes there'd be no pain whatever, the water was so cold." Water may have been used from the spout area since the first millennium AD, as its location was right beside the path down to the ford which was used to cross the Liffey at that point before the first bridge was put across the river in the 1100s. Under the new arrangement, the water will flow from a pool under the outlet into another ornamental pool in the Credit Union Garden before exiting into the Liffey. But Jim Collins suggests that, provided the water meets all the relevent health standards - and he's very confident it will - the spout could be the basis for Kilcullen's very own bottled water business at some time in the future. "There's a real history of Ireland in The Spout," he says. "Think about all the different kinds of people who probably used the source to refresh themselves on their journeys ... Norman invaders, itinerant monks and priests converting the country, merchants and highwaymen ... if the spout could speak, it could tell real stories."

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

Protestors target councillors in power station campaign DUNSTOWN, 27 June 2000: by Brian Byrne. Residents of Naas, Newbridge and Kilcullen have been circulated with a newsletter by the protestors against the proposed gas-fired power station at Dunstown Wood, Brannockstown, in their efforts to defeat a vote for a material contravention of the County Development Plan to allow the project. The vote will be taken on July 30 at the monthly meeting of Kildare County Council, and in addition to the newsletter 'People Power', The Concerned People of Co Kildare and the River Liffey Valley Ltd has distributed a list of councillors with their work and home phone numbers, urging people to write to them registering their objections. "The greatest mistake is to do nothing because you can only do a little," the publishers say. "DO WHAT YOU CAN - write to your local Councillor, before June 30th, and voice your objection to this inappropriate development." The newsletter is led with a Martyn Turner cartoon that shows Kildare changing from the 'horse county' to the 'hoarse county' if the project goes ahead. It also suggests that 5,500 jobs in the bloodstock industry would be under threat if the power plant was built.

Cathaoirleach candidate 'will bar' controversial discussion NAAS, 27 June 2000: by Brian Byrne. Cllr Pat O'Reilly, who is expecting to become the next Cathaoirleach of Naas UDC at its AGM this evening, says he will ban any further discussion on the controversial issues which have surrounded outgoing Chathaoirleach Seamie Moore in recent weeks. "It's time this whole thing was out of the Council Chamber," Cllr O'Reilly told KNN at the weekend. "It may take a couple of weeks, but I hope it will die down." Cllr O'Reilly said that Cllr Moore had made a statement to the Council last week, and that's 'the end of it' as far as he is concerned. "We're not judge and jury on any issue, and if people feel there's a case to be made on this one, it will have to be in another forum. The matter is now closed as far as I'm concerned."

Motoring News, Views and Reviews here

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KNN barred from publishing trade show picture of UDC Cathaoirleach NAAS, 26 June 2000: by Brian Byrne & Trish Whelan. KNN has been warned against publishing a photograph taken during the Kildare Growers Trade Show 1999 at Goffs last summer. The picture shows Cllr Seamie Moore of Naas UDC with Oakchurch Nurseries manager Raymond Lalor. Both men are on the Oakchurch stand and have official badges. Cllr Moore is currently sales manager with Oakchurch Nurseries of Tully, Kildare, which specialises in the supply of semi-mature trees. Cllr Moore has recently stated he joined the company last November. The photograph was taken during the July 22/23 show by a photographer working there on assignment for the show organisers. KNN located a print last Wednesday and subsequently sought permission from the copyright owner (the photographer) to have copies made. On Thursday morning around 9am, a person identifying himself as Raymond Lalor phoned the KNN offices and claimed that he owned the photograph. He warned Brian Byrne that the photograph was 'not to be published under any circumstances'. KNN has ascertained that he also instructed the copyright owner not to provide any copies of the photograph to anyone. The copyright owner also says the photograph cannot be published for legal reasons. Oakchurch Ltd has been the subject of discussion in Naas UDC because it has shared a director with Lehmex Ltd, a major beneficiary of rezoning in the 1999 Naas Development Plan, a plan of which Cllr Moore was a strong supporter. Last Tuesday, in a statement referring to 'alleged conflict of interest', Cllr Moore told Naas UDC he joined Oakchurch Ltd in November of 1999, ‘six months after the approval of the Development Plan’ adopted at the end of May 1999. He listed his employments in 1999 as O'Sullivan Marketing and Oakchurch. In a pre-election profile published by the Kildare Times dated 25 May 1999 (left), Cllr Moore is described as having 'recently taken on a new career as a Sales Manager to a specialist trees supplier ...' As he was leaving last Tuesday's UDC meeting, KNN asked Cllr Moore to name the tree company mentioned in the profile. He declined to answer questions initially, but on being pressed said 'I forget' and ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about'. Afterwards he returned to the council chamber and made a complaint to the town clerk about 'concealed microphones' in the precincts of the Town Hall. (ED: The microphone and tape recorder were in plain view all the time we questioned Cllr Moore, as they have been on many other occasions when Cllr Moore was glad to speak to us about his work as a councillor.) KNN has located a number of people who remember Cllr Moore being on and in the environs of the Oakchurch stand during the Kildare Growers trade show. ©2000 brianbyrne/trishwhelan. 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.

PROFESSIONAL COUNSELLING Noreen McCabe, MNAPCP Anxiety, depression, loss, phobias, childhood trauma, eating disorders, relationships, personal growth, coaching for work-related stress. Moorefield Clinic, Newbridge. Phone (045) 432111 or call Noreen at (045) 431936; mobile 086 2496823; email dmccabe@tinet.ie

24 June 2000: Intel launches $2 million expansion ... Kildare artist uses personal tragedy for inspiration ... the fight against Dunstown ... Seamie Moore on the new Railway Walkway ... 'Cullen of the Arctic' on his latest trip. This is a KNN broadcast production in RealAudio. Earlier programmes here. (©2000trishwhelanbrianbyrne.)

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