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NAAS COURT HOTEL for AUCTION 28 July. Full details here Fairgreen St, Naas. Phone 045 897711.

Risked their lives to rescue air crash victims MAYNOOTH, 9 July 1999: by Brian Byrne. Three young North Kildare people risked their lives to help the occupants of a light place which crashed near Maynooth yesterday afternoon. Dan Walsh and David Skelly of Celbridge and Liam Dennehy from Maynooth were at a nearby riding stables when the single-engined Piper aircraft flew low overhead and crashed into a ditch. They ran to help the passengers out while fule flowed from ther ruptured fuel tank. The pilot, J J Sullivan and his elderly passenger Bob Levis were injured but conscious when the trio got to them. Both men are from Dublin. Their condition last night was described as stable, and they are suffering from multiple ‘minor to moderate’ injuries. The plane had taken off from Weston Aerodrome, founded and operated by Capt Darby Kennedy (right) near Celbridge and the crash happened while students and instructors at Kilmacraddock Riding School were taking part in pony camp activities. The aerodrome is a well-known centre for private and corporate flying and has a thriving flying instruction programme, and recently succeeded in having land in its vicinity rezoned so that it could maintain its position as a convenient airfield for business traffic between this country and the UK.

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

Tom Dowling's KNN Weekly Racing Commentary Duinin (6.30) is napped to win Monday night’s Elan Handicap Hurdle at Roscommon. His win at Bellewstown was in the Stewards Room but there’s no doubting his ability and with his yard in such terrific form the five-year-old can double up without any assistance from the Stewards on this occasion! More

Italian visitors honoured at civic reception COUNTY HALL, 9 July 1999: by Trish Whelan. A visiting delegation from an Italian Leader II company, ASI-BC, were honoured last evening with a civic reception at County Hall. The group are hoping to sign a transnational equine tourism agreement with the Kildare Horse Development Company this weekend, under which they will receive expertise on this area from Kildare (see previous story below). The delegation were treated to a short concert of classical music in County Hall prior to the reception, which was followed by a dinner in the Red House Inn. During the proceedings they were officially welcomed by council chairman P J Sheridan and county manager Niall Bradley. They were presented with pewter tankards manufactured in Timolin, and in return presented the chairman and manager with examples of local craftwork. ASI-BC chairman Bruno De Trana is pictured above receiving his tankard from P J Sheridan and (left) presenting his gift to the chairman.

CHAPMANS OF KILDARE Main Rover, Land Rover and Volvo dealers, Kildare town. Phone 045 521203; Fax 045 521785. See our selection here.   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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Famous Hill of Allen folly to be restored by Roadstone ALLEN, 9 July 1999: by Brian Byrne. Roadstone is to restore the tower at the top of the Hill of Allen, Aylmer’s Folly, at a cost of £100,000. The work is to be part of the company’s celebration of the Millennium and will result eventually in the tower being open to visitors. The folly was built in 1859 by the Baron of Donadea, Sir Gerald Aylmer, and among the features are the names of Aylmer tenants of the time carved into the steps leading to the viewing platform. There is also a commemoration of the visit of HRH the Prince of Wales in 1861. The Hill of Allen in now only half a hill, having been quarried extensively for many years. It has been identified in folklore as one of the homes of the Fianna and the legendary Fionn McCumhaill. According to noted Kildare historian Col Con Costello, there is a story that during the erection of the tower a giant skeleton of a man was found and imaginatively identified as that of Fionn! (Guide to Kildare & West Wicklow 1991).

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St Fiachra's Garden at the Irish National Stud Special KNN Picture Feature.

Equine tourism agreement could be the first of many NAAS & KILDARE GENERAL, 8 July 1999: by Brian Byrne. An equine tourism expertise transfer agreement expected to be signed this weekend between the Kildare Horse Development Company and a delegation from southern Italy could be the ‘off’ for many such initiatives that would set Kildare in the winner’s enclosure of international consultancy in this field. The agreement would involve the provision of expertise to the Italians under an EU transnational agreement. The Leader II ASI-BC company board are currently spending six days in Kildare in association with KELT, the county’s Leader company. The visit follows a trip by a KELT delegation to ASI-BC in April. “We’re showing them every aspect of the equine industry in Kildare, but they’re specifically interested in the development of an equestrian tourism facility,” says Ger Smith, chairman of KELT (pictured above on right with Chris Byrne of the Kildare Horse Development Company and Massimo D’Andrea from ASI-BC). “We’re going to assist them with the technical expertise to do this.” According to Massimo D’Andrea, there are beautiful mountain trail resources in their area, and an indigenous wild horse herd, both of which could be ‘harnessed’ to enhance the tourism potential. “We have a lot of potential for tourism generally, but it needs to be developed, particularly the equine side. We’re particularly interested in setting up horse trekking facilities.” Chris Byrne says this knowledge transfer initiative is something that could be replicated elsewhere, and would play an important part in branding Kildare as the horse centre of Ireland and a centre of excellence both for that sector and other industry. “We already have a strong brand identity that can be capitalised on,” he told KNN. “We commissioned a survey which showed that 60% of respondents equated Kildare with the horse industry. We were second only to Waterford, which is associated with crystal glass manufacture.” The visiting group yesterday visited a number of equine establishments around the county, including Borehard livery stables near Naas, a KELT-supported enterprise run by Jessica Soley and Conan Roughan. They’re pictured below with some of the ASI-BC visitors who will be welcomed at a civic reception at County Hall this evening to meet councillors and invited guests. RealAudio: Ger Smith on the information transfer initiative. RealAudio: Massimo D'Andrea on the tourism potential. RealAudio: Chris Byrne on the Kildare Horse Development Company.

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   Specialist travel operators to Cheltenham, Aintree, and other major international racing venues. Phone 01 2958901; Fax 01 2958902; Email leoptour@indigo.ie CHAPMANS OF KILDARE Main Rover, Land Rover and Volvo dealers, Kildare town. Phone 045 521203; Fax 045 521785. See our selection here. Ireland's only COMPLETE motoring magazine on sale now at all good newsagents. 'Simply the Best'

KNN is a completely INDEPENDENT professional news service for County Kildare, with no affiliations to any network, authority, group, party or other organisation. The service is operated by Telling Tales Ltd, Naas, Co Kildare, under the editorial direction of Brian Byrne and Trish Whelan. It is our policy to report accurately and fairly on any subject, and we offer right of reply to anyone who has differing opinions to those expressed in any story. Any such opinions published on KNN are not necessarily the views of KNN's proprietors or any network on which we are hosted or to which we may be linked. Email us at KNN , or phone 045 481090; fax 481091.

Naas senior citizens enjoy their annual week at Mosney NAAS, 8 July 1999: by Trish Whelan. A group of senior citizens from Naas Care of the Aged Centre thoroughly enjoyed their recent week’s holiday in Mosney as guests of Naas Lions Club. The group joined almost 1,300 other Lions guests from all over the country, north and south, who converged to the County Meath holiday camp for a week of fun. Although this was the 18th year for the Naas Lions to sponsor the break, the Mosney Holiday Project has been on the go for 19 years, the first year motivated by Dublin Lion Cecil Vard. Guests say the week ‘surpasses all other types of holidays’ with planned events to cater for all kinds of weather. But it was at night that the party really hotted up. And guests from the area did not come away empty handed with Kilcullen man James Walsh taking the title of Mr Wonderful and super trooper Jim McGarr from Our Lady’s Place, Naas, showing his mettle from his days with the Gallowglass Céile Band, by taking the Cecil Vard trophy for the best overall entertainer. Pictured above are John Kelly, Jim McGarr, Vincent Lyons, president of the Dublin Lions Club, Mary McGarr and Marie Kelly. Jim qualified as a Lions’ guest and beat off competition from over 50 entrants with his rendition of The Candy Store to scoop the title for the second time in three years! He soon had the 1,000 plus audience in raptures with a medlay of old time tunes. Marie and John Kelly from Pacelli Road, have accompanied the group for the past 15 years as ‘minders’ and both have paid tribute to Naas Lions for organising the week, which is always one of the highlights of the Centre year.

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

VEC strike may trigger industrial action around the country NAAS & KILDARE GENERAL, 7 July 1999: by Brian Byrne & Trish Whelan. The IMPACT strike at Kildare VEC may have repercussions in other VECs around the country if members of the IMPACT union representing those committees decide to invoke a ‘Rule 25’ procedure in support of their colleagues in Kildare. A meeting on the matter is scheduled. If invoked, VEC staff members around the country would go on a work-to-rule for the duration of the Kildare dispute. At a meeting of countrywide VEC staff representatives last weekend, the Kildare strikers were given unanimous support for their action, and have been promised financial aid. The dispute is over manning levels and conditions, and has been ongoing since 1995. Meanwhile, no further progress has been reported on efforts to get a meeting between the minister for education and science and a delegation from the committee of the VEC. The situation was last week described as ‘a crisis’ at the inaugural meeting of the incoming committee. Of particular concern is the fact that procedures to appoint upwards of 60 new school staff have not been put in train, and some members expressed their worry that some schools may not be opened in September.. CHAPMANS OF KILDARE Main Rover, Land Rover and Volvo dealers, Kildare town. Phone 045 521203; Fax 045 521785. See our selection here.

KILCULLEN ESSO AND XL STOP 'N' SHOP Open 7am-10pm for Fuel, Groceries, Toiletries, Flowers, Newspapers, Deli Food, Fresh Coffee and more.   Specialist travel operators to Cheltenham, Aintree, and other major international racing venues. Phone 01 2958901; Fax 01 2958902; Email leoptour@indigo.ie

Move for major Irish literary festival in Rathangan RATHANGAN, 7 July 1999: by Brian Byrne. Kildare could have its first all-inclusive writing festival in the year 2000 if Rathangan Librarian Kay Dunne has her way. She wants to establish a festival around the memory of famous Irish writer Maura Laverty, who was born in the town. One of Maura Laverty’s best-known books is Never No More, a story of a young girl's life in a little lost village on the edge of the Great Bog of Allen. It was first published in 1942. In a preface Séan O Faoláin wrote: "For me the book was a case of love at first sight, and I cannot imagine that it will not win the same immediate affection everywhere" She also wrote plays and was a contributor to newspapers and magazines of the time such as ‘Model Housekeeping’. “We have a solid connection with a noted writer here, and we have a very enthusiastic new writing group in the town which would be a core group to organise it ,” says Kay Dunne. “I would also like to have a poetry element because Rathangan was also the birthplace of one of the best poets of his time, William A Byrne, born in 1872. He based his material completely on the boglands, and it is fascinating that after he moved to Galway he never wrote poetry again.” Maura Laverty was the mother of artist Barry Castle, who also illustrated some of the writer’s childrens books. The Rathangan Trader and Industry Association established small memorial gardens to both writers a few years ago.

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NEWS OR VIEWS? Something happening in your community that's bothering you? Or do you simply want to share the news from your village or town in County Kildare? You can, by emailing us at KNN

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Antiques festival in Athy at weekend ATHY, 7 July 1999: by Brian Byrne. An Antiques and Collectors Festival in Athy this coming weekend is to become an annual event. The festival will be held in the Arch Community Hall (formerly Dreamland Ballroom) and visitors are welcome to bring items for a free evaluation. The event is part of a weekend of diverse activities which include the Kildare County Show on Sunday, a Bluegrass Music Festival, art and bric-a-brac car boot sales and a huge outdoor market. The Athy UDC sub-committee for Art & Agriculture has also run the Arts Fringe Festival during this week, including a range of activities for children located in the Library. Further information from Pat Henshaw 0507 38968.

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

VEC understaffing holding up much-needed projects NAAS & KILDARE GENERAL, 6 July 1999: by Brian Byrne. The understaffing situation in the VEC in County Kildare is holding up the provision of a much-needed Youthreach operation in Naas. “There’s been a failure by the Department of Education to understand the enormity of the scale of operations in Kildare,” new county chairman of the VEC Cllr Sean O Fearghaill says. “Quite apart from our existing operations, there are a number of other projects we want to get under way, but can’t, including the Youthreach facility.” Cllr O Fearghaill is one of a delegation selected by the committee to try and meet directly with the minister for education, Micheal Martin TD, to try and resolve the impasse that led to clerical and administration staff going on strike last Friday week. Meanwhile, CEO Colm Canavan says that arrangements have been made through the Eastern Health Board to pay young people on the existing Youthreach and VTOS schemes for the duration of the strike. Other arrangements have been made to pay teachers, though Mr Canavan said not all payments would arrive on time. Last week the inaugural meeting of the new VEC expressed its ‘100 per cent support’ for the strikers. CHAPMANS OF KILDARE Main Rover, Land Rover and Volvo dealers, Kildare town. Phone 045 521203; Fax 045 521785. See our selection here.

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

Italian visitors to see Kildare's equine industry resources KILDARE GENERAL, 6 July 1999: by Brian Byrne. A delegation from an Italian Leader II company in the Equestrian Transnational Cooperation EU initiative, ASI-BC, arrives in Kildare this evening. They are spending six days in Kildare in association with KELT, the county’s Leader company. The visit follows a trip by a KELT delegation to ASI-BC in April. While here the visitors will be shown many aspects of the equestrian industry in County Kildare, including riding centres, race courses, and the Irish National Stud. They will also meet the Kildare Horse Development Company, and will be welcomed at a civic reception at County Hall to meet councillors and invited guests. According to KELT chairman Ger Smith, the transnational activities are just another strand in the organisation’s efforts to develop the rich equine-based resources that County Kildare possesses. Ireland's only COMPLETE motoring magazine on sale now at all good newsagents. 'Simply the Best'

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Don Conroy entertains children NAAS, 6 July 1999: by Brian Byrne. Children from Naas enjoyed themselves immensely during a recent visit by popular children’s author and artist Don Conroy to Naas Library. They’re all pictured above as he showed them how he drew the illustrations for his books, which include ‘The Owl Who Couldn’t Give A Hoot’ and ‘Wild Wings’. Meanwhile, Don will be in Athy Library this afternoon as part of the Athy Fringe Arts Festival.

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

Naas canal branch could be replaced into waterways network NAAS, 5 July 1999: by Brian Byrne. A proposal by the National Heritage Council could see the Naas branch of the Grand Canal once again become open to the rest of the inland waterways network. The suggestion is to replace a culverted road crossing near Naas, and is among a package of proposals aimed at bringing use of the canals and navigable rivers system up to its full potential. The package is being driven by the continuing increase in tourist numbers - almost a million people came in the first quarter of this year alone - and many of them use the inland waterways, a sector which has the potential for major growth and which has specific benefits for boating, restaurant, bar and other spin-off tourist attractions in the area of the system. The Naas proposal has been welcomed by Fianna Fail’s Kildare South TD Sean Power, who said that the Government will ‘respond’ to the Heritage Council’s package. CHAPMANS OF KILDARE Main Rover, Land Rover and Volvo dealers, Kildare town. Phone 045 521203; Fax 045 521785. See our selection here.

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

Listen to IRELANDWIDE - 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.

KNN NEWSLETTER We are preparing a regular email newsletter to keep people up to date with main news and features from Kildare. If you would like to be on the mailing list, email us at tellingtales@yahoo.com

Beginning of essential road and footpath works are welcomed NEWBRIDGE, 5 July 1999: The beginning of repairs and resurfacing of the road and footpaths at Kilbelin on the Athgarvan Road has been welcomed by Senator John Dardis, who says the road had deteriorated to the point that it had become dangerous. “The Council must now move to ensure that the plans for widening the road and installing footpaths are completed as quickly as possible,” he said at the weekend. “The very big rise in the number of new houses in the area and the general increase in the number of cars using the road make further improvements essential.” He added that at a recent meeting he had organsied between residents in the area and the county engineer that the engineer had acepted the need for these improvements. “It is intolerable that people cannot walk in safety from the town to St Conleth’s Cemetary and back again. Proper footpaths are an absolute necessity if serious accidents are to be avoided. The Council has an obligation to meet this demand.”

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Children 'at risk' near wall NAAS, 5 July 1999: by Trish Whelan. Children in Esmondale and Broadfield View estates could be at risk from cars travelling along the Kilcullen Road because the new wall at Esmondale ‘does not extend far enough’. That's the view of Cllr Willie Callaghan, who lives in Esmondale himself. While he’s welcomed the wall and footpath, Cllr Callaghan says the youngsters are using a gap in the ditch as a slide area and could end up under a passing car. He’s asked Naas UDC officials to investigate as a matter of urgency and to rectify the situation by building a 'returning' wall to further inside the ditch.

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VIOLET'S FLOWERS Do you need to send flowers home for that special remembrance? Station Road, Kildare - Registered Teleflorist - Phone 045 522210

ONE OF THE KILDARE WILD GEESE? Are you involved with any Irish organisations or groups abroad? Let us know where you are and what you're at by emailing KNN. And find out about your fellow wild geese.

	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.)

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