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 under the editorial direction of BRIAN BYRNE and TRISH WHELAN. 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

KELT's role 'will not be lost' in new local development plans KILDARE GENERAL, 10 September 1999: by Brian Byrne. More than 219 projects across the county will have been supported by the Kildare LEADER II company KELT by the end of the year, when the organisation will have paid out some 90% of its total financial allocation of £3.36m. At KELT’s AGM this week, chairman Gerald Smith said the integrated partnership structure of the organisation had shown ‘outstanding capacity’ over the last year, and it now represents a fitting model for the new County Development Board which is to be established during 2000 under the programme for Integration of Local Government and Local Development Systems. Pictured above at the beginning of the meeting in the Stand on the Curragh Hotel are Tanaiste Mary Harney TD with Chris Byrne, director; Ciaran Duggan, vice chair; Gerald Smith; and Breda Gleeson, secretary. “KELT is working hard to make sure that its role is not lost to the county as we face into this new and potentially dynamic framework,” Mr Smith said. “This development will pose significant challenges to all concerned and KELT will play a full part to help realise its objectives and opportunities.” He called on the Tanaiste and her partners in Government, to duly recognise the contribution of KELT and to ensure the continuation of both LEADER and ADM initiatives for Kildare. “It is the resolve of KELT that that completion of LEADER II will not coincide with the demise of KELT’s developmental role,” he said, highlighting the organisation’s role in networking the equine and horticultural sectors to exploit these indigenous natural resources, developing new programmes to combat the decline in agriculture, and advancing a community development strategy. “The outcome of these initiatives will, we feel, make a major contribution to the work of the new County Development Board.” He said that in the relatively short time of three years, KELT had shown itself to be ‘a crusading force’ in a range of socioeconomic sectors within the county, including tourism, community development, agriculture, environmental protection, childcare provision, heritage and many others. He thanked all those individuals and state and community organisations which had been partners in the initiative, and wished outgoing CEO Pat Dowling well in his new post as Director of Community and Enterprise with Limerick Corporation. “He is taking an important step in helping to shape the new local development process.” 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. Check out the weather here

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Strong Kildare involvement in biggest children's fundraiser KILDARE GENERAL, 10 September 1999: by Brian Byrne. People in the motor trade throughout Kildare will be donating an hour of their wages next Monday as their contribution to the Children’s Hour, the biggest charity fundraiser ever to be organised in Ireland. The project, which is being managed by Naas man Paul Keogh, national project director, is geared to persuading everybody in the national workforce to contribute to raise a total of £5 for disadvantaged children. Paul Keogh notes there is a very strong Kildare connection to Children’s Hour, beginning with finance minister Charlie McCreevey who has given the project £250,000 to pay for all the marketing and administration. “In addition, Bill Cullen from Osberstown is the chairman and Sean Mulryan from Ballymore Eustace is also on the committee,” he says. “People like Philip Lynch of IAWS, Tony Smurfit who sponsored all the printing of brochures etc, Tony O'Reilly whose Independent Newspapers gave all the press advertising free all live in Kildare and employ hundreds of people. Local celebrities have agreed to be spokespeople for Children's Hour - we call them "Children's Hour Ambassadors - these include the likes of Boyzone's Ronan Keating from Celbridge. So Kildare will play a significant part in helping raise the £5 million.” Further information from info@childrenhour.com, the website at www.childrenhour.com or phone 1850 311299.

Specialist travel operators to Cheltenham, Aintree, and other major international racing venues. Phone 01 2958901; Fax 01 2958902; Email leoptour@indigo.ie  THE LEINSTER PRINTMAKING STUDIO THE OLD CONVENT, CLANE Artists' resource, Training, Gallery sales. Phone Margaret Becker 045 868168 or 087 2310114

Eyesore should be a 'showpiece' NAAS, 10 September 1999: by Trish Whelan. The area of Pairc na nÓg (Young Peoples’ Park) in Naas should be a ‘showpiece’ for the town according Labour councillor Pat McCarthy. He has called on the local authority to prepare an Environmental Improvement Scheme for the Sarto Park area to landscape the canal banks and to restore and upgrade the Pairc na nÓg section, presently being used as a builders’ yard for the remedial works scheme being undertaken in the general Sarto Road area. He also wants local residents to be fully consulted on the proposal. Seconding the proposal, Cllr Timmy Conway said the council had given a guarantee to local people that there was money available for this purpose. “I’m given the understanding that the contractor involved is using that area to do other work, and that was not agreed with the residents,” he said. Cllr Evelyn Bracken said the contractor was supposed to be finished in May. She said he was ‘double jobbing’ and asked why he had not completed the scheme in Sarto Park. She said the residents would accept a playground in that area, which also enjoys a tennis court. Cllr Willie Callaghan said this was to the left of the site and he didn’t see any reason why that should not be finished. “It was always well used and looked after, he said.” Town clerk Declan Kirrane advised that ‘under the conditions of the contract it is our duty to provide a site for the contractor. He would need that compound for as long he is working on the eight houses to be demolished. He wondered if anyone had asked the residents if they wanted a tennis court. Here Cllr Bracken interuppted to say that teenagers are paying to play tennis in the local tennis club. Mr Kirrane went on to say the council’s architect has been asked to provide an environmental report on the area. “We have given a commitment to revisit the area when the remedial works scheme is completed. There are certain people down there that have a view that the tennis court is ‘theirs’. To have consultations with the residents, it has to be accepted by all the residents living in the area. We did offer to meet the people there before and I can meet them at any time. But there should be agreement between all the residents in the area on what they want done. The motion was agreed by all.

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Trenchant criticism of Celbridge traffic lights objectors CELBRIDGE, 9 September 1999: by Brian Byrne. The pressure put on Kildare County Council to cease its work on installing traffic lights on the bridge at Celbridge has been roundly criticised by local Labour councillor Emmet Stagg TD (right). In a detailed statement yesterday he said the protests which led to the cessation were the result of a small group of ‘self-interested’ people who want the Main Street ‘used as a parking lot’ for their business, regardless of the adverse effects on commuters and other road users. He said that there had been no objection from the public during the public viewing of the Ove Arup traffic study which led to the plan to provide the lights, and which was adopted by the full county council last December. “But when the council started work on the project, shopkeepers, debt collectors, publicans and our two new councillors suddenly became traffic experts and sought to dictate to the professional engineering staff of Kildare County Council and to the most eminent traffic consultants in the country on how the problems of traffic congestion in Celbridge should be tackled.” Deputy Stagg said that the case for the traffic lights to control and ease traffic congestion had been scientifically established, and that proposals of mini-roundabouts on either side of the bridge were ‘dangerous and simplistic’. Noting that the main issue from the objectors seemed to be parking, he called on local businesses with ‘excess’ private car parking capacity to make it available to public use, and that limits of one hour parking should be implemented and enforced. “The object of the exercise should be to ensure the safety of all road users, particularly children and old people, to ensure that commuters can get through the town as readily as possible and that customers of traders in Main Street can park legally to do their business,” Deputy Stagg concluded. “However, if your business is on a main road junction you cannot have parking outside your door without adversely affecting the rights of others. The common good must prevail.” Three weeks ago, direct confrontation between Celbridge businesspeople and Kildare County Council was averted by the postponement of the provision of the lights, which had been recommended as part of a package of measures to deal with traffic congestion. Londis supermarket proprietor Damian Donegan (pictured above with Cllr Catherine Walsh) said that commuting traffic wants access away from the town and the first priority is the finishing of the ring road. Cllr Walsh said that things ‘needed to be done in tandem, and not one at a time’.

Specialist travel operators to Cheltenham, Aintree, and other major international racing venues. Phone 01 2958901; Fax 01 2958902; Email leoptour@indigo.ie  THE LEINSTER PRINTMAKING STUDIO THE OLD CONVENT, CLANE Artists' resource, Training, Gallery sales. Phone Margaret Becker 045 868168 or 087 2310114

KNN is a completely INDEPENDENT professional news service for County Kildare, with no affiliations to any network, authority, group, party or other organisation. 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, or phone 045 481090; fax 481091.

Estates bridge closed amid safety fears NAAS, 9 September 1999: by Trish Whelan. A bridge over the Mill Stream from Spring Gardens estate on the Sallins Road to the new McInerney estate on Mill Lane was closed off last week for safety reasons. The bridge is used as a quick route from Mill Lane houses to the town and for schoolchildren attending a nearby school. The closure followed complaints by local residents and Cllr Evelyn Bracken that the access was unsafe from the Spring Gardens side of the bridge. According to one resident following work to the estate a gap had been left that could allow a child to fall into the stream. Naas UDC town clerk Declan Kirrane said the council will move to ensure that the access is made safe and sound. He explained: “As far as we’re concerned it has to be opened up as this was a condition of the planning permission for both estates and we too would be concerned about the safety aspect.”

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Commission to object to 'opportunistic' planning application LEIXLIP, 9 September 1999: by Brian Byrne. Leixlip Town Commission is to object to a planning application for 24 town houses and apartments in an open space at Dun Carraig. At their meeting last night, members unanimously carried a proposal to this end put down by Cllr Paul Kelly (right), who said that the area involved was ‘one of the most sensitive and unspoilt in Leixlip’. The planning application has been made by Orlynn Homes Ltd. “The area is a haven for wildlife, and an area of natural woodland on the banks of the Rye, yet situated on the doorstep of Dun Carraig estate,” Cllr Kelly said. “It is included in the open space for the estate, and should not be encroached upon. The last thing Dun Carraig, or Leixlip, needs is for precious amenity land to be lost to grossly unsuitable development. This is an opportunistic and audacious move by a developer who has already caused unnecessary delay to the residents by its failure to complete the estate many years after the last house was sold and allow it be taken in charge by the Council. This application looks as if it will further delay the taking in charge of Dun Carraig, and this is just not on.”. Referring to the recent decision by Kildare County Council to refuse permission in similar circumstances for a proposed development in Celbridge, he said it is ‘vital’ that the council ‘hold the line’ on this type of application, and send a clear message to developers that amenity land and open space within housing estates is out of bounds.

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KNN is a completely INDEPENDENT professional news service for County Kildare, with no affiliations to any network, authority, group, party or other organisation. 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, or phone 045 481090; fax 481091.

Kilcullen campaigns for inclusion in renewal scheme KILCULLEN, 9 September 1999: by Brian Byrne. A strong campaign by Kilcullen to be included in the upcoming Town Development Scheme, following suggestions that it is not included in the shortlist which has been drawn up by Kildare County Council. Submissions from the Tidy Towns Committee and the new Kilcullen 2000 community group are being lodged with Kildare County Council, and it is also understood that a number of local businesspeople have put forward submissions. The Tidy Towns document is accompanied by photographs showing closed business premises and derelict areas in the town centre, and warns that despite the bright paint and the many flower arrangements it is ‘a Main Street struggling to survive’. The submission notes that most public houses in the town have changed hands several times over the last five years, and that another local businessman has been trying unsuccessfully for some time to sell his shop with a view to retirement. The submission also recalls how Kilcullen has been neglected in previous renewal schemes, and yet has through its own community efforts engaged in town improvement initiatives such as a new riverside park and the restoration of its town theatre. Local councillors are to be lobbied this week by Kilcullen 2000 to gain their support for Kilcullen’s inclusion in the scheme. Cllr Timmy Conway has already promised his support, but privately other councillors have said Kilcullen may well be ‘by-passed again’ because with the arrival of a proper sewerage system, ‘it will grow anyway’. “That’s sidestepping the issue in a shallow and shoddy way,” says Kilcullen 2000 acting chairman Mike McCarthy. “If we are not helped now with the provision of a new heart for our town, against the background of imminent large residential growth, we could end up simply as a dormitory town to our two large neighbours of Newbridge and Naas, and even to Dublin itself.”

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KNN is a completely INDEPENDENT professional news service for County Kildare, with no affiliations to any network, authority, group, party or other organisation. 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, or phone 045 481090; fax 481091.

Dusty end to piece of Newbridge's garrison history NEWBRIDGE, 8 September 1999: by Brian Byrne. A piece of history in Newbridge disappeared yesterday in a crumble of old concrete, as the last of the original Barracks blocks was torn down in preparation for a new set of buildings. E-Block has been a source of some local contention for the last year with complaints that the buildings were being used for drinking parties late at night. Now it is no more. Few will be sorry, except those with a deep interest in the garisson town history of Newbridge.

Specialist travel operators to Cheltenham, Aintree, and other major international racing venues. Phone 01 2958901; Fax 01 2958902; Email leoptour@indigo.ie  THE LEINSTER PRINTMAKING STUDIO THE OLD CONVENT, CLANE Artists' resource, Training, Gallery sales. Phone Margaret Becker 045 868168 or 087 2310114

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Shortlist for Town Renewal Scheme KILDARE GENERAL, 8 September 1999: by Brian Byrne. The five Kildare towns on the short-list for inclusion in the upcoming Town Renewal Scheme are understood to be Monasterevin, Kilcock, Castledermot, Rathangan (above) and Ballymore. Under the guidelines for the scheme, 12 towns in the county are eligible for inclusion, but only five will be funded. KNN has learned that Kildare County Council officials have blocked out two days of this week to finalise the proposals, which will be presented to the full council at its monthly meeting on September 27. Councillors are already being lobbied by all the eligible towns, and there has been a rush of public meetings to provide details of local potential. The names of the selected towns must be with the Department of the Environment by the end of October.

Specialist travel operators to Cheltenham, Aintree, and other major international racing venues. Phone 01 2958901; Fax 01 2958902; Email leoptour@indigo.ie  THE LEINSTER PRINTMAKING STUDIO THE OLD CONVENT, CLANE Artists' resource, Training, Gallery sales. Phone Margaret Becker 045 868168 or 087 2310114

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New Kilcullen community group plans wide-base representation KILCULLEN, 8 September 1999: by Brian Byrne. A new organisation in Kilcullen has been set up with a view to re-introducing something akin to the former Community Council which was a dynamic focus of the town’s life during the 1970s. The new group, provisionally named Kilcullen 2000, plans to be a broad-based community organisation which will represent the needs of the town during what is likely to be a critical phase of its future. “We have a number of things happening to Kilcullen at the moment and there’s a real requirement that there should be an organisation with an overall community focus,” says Kilcullen 2000’s acting chairperson Mike McCarthy. “While there are individual special interest organisations in the town, such as the very successful Tidy Towns Committee, there is a need for something that can take a more global view of Kilcullen’s future growth and community requirements. We have already had strong expressions of interest from a wide range of people, and our primary intention is to pave the way for a body with elected representatives from the different areas and interest groups in the town.” The need for such a group is becoming much more important with the current restructuring of various local authority bodies, which will be directed to consult more closely with community groups as they develop county and region strategic plans for growth and development. “In the meantime, there are a number of urgent issues which must be addressed,” says Mike McCarthy. “These include lobbying for Kilcullen’s inclusion in the upcoming Town Renewal Scheme, and we are preparing a submission to the county manager on this.”

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Leixlip parking plans close to completion - on view soon LEIXLIP, 8 September 1999: by Brian Byrne. Draft parking by-laws currently being prepared for Leixlip will be ready to go on public display by October. Under the plans, a one-hour limit will be enforced in a Controlled Parking Zone to be created in the town centre, which will include the existing public car park at the health Centre. “The idea is that long stay parkers, such as staff of businesses, will be encouraged to park elsewhere,” says Cllr Paul Kelly, “for example the Church carpark, or one of the private carparks where there are facilities for parking by invitation of the owners. This should free the scarce town centre spaces for customers, clients and visitors. The proposals also allow for a small number of additional spaces to be created on Main Street, by removing some of the recently imposed restrictions, and this is of course, welcome." Stressing the need for patience and co-operation, Cllr Kelly said that this is only the beginning. "There is no quick-fix solution to this problem. No matter what we introduce, there will be people upset. These draft proposals are a start, but I believe that while we wait for the provision of a proper, central, public car-park big enough to meet our growing needs, we have got to make the best use of the few spaces we have. Meantime, I will be seeking that the Council make finance available at the Estimates meeting in November to proceed with the main recommendation of the report - the construction of a main car-park between Captain’s Hill and Silleachain Lane." Once published, the draft by-laws will be on public display for a month during which interested parties can make submissions to Kildare County Council.

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

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.

Dublin bureaucrats 'stifling' Weston's commercial development LEIXLIP, 7 September 1999: by Brian Byrne & Trish Whelan. Ireland’s oldest aviator has strongly criticised the Irish aviation regulatory authorities for refusing to allow night landing facilities at Weston Airport on the edge of North Kildare. Captain Darby Kennedy (above) says the blinkered attitude of civil servants is stifling the development of what could be an extremely important facility to the region. From September 1 commercial traffic to and from Weston airport is not allowed after 6pm, and the restrictions get worse each month through the winter. And even if the airport puts in state-of-the-art runway lighting, the Irish authorities still won’t guarantee night operation permission. “We could commit to spending £50,000 on lights and they still won’t say if we’d then be allowed to have night landings and take-offs,” says Captain Kennedy, who set up Weston as a licensed airport in 1939. “They’ve also said that we would require a full-time Air Traffic Controller, costing around £50,000 per annum ... which is ridiculous, as commercial traffic is currently controlled into Weston by either Dublin Airport or Baldonnel, and that could just as easily be done at night.” The airport currently handles regular small charter and business flights from all over Europe, a business that has become more important since the arrival to North Kildare of such international companies as Hewlett Packard and Intel. But the night landing restrictions means that late arrivals and takeoffs must be from Dublin Airport even though the commercial customers at Weston prefer the quicker turnaround at the Leixlip facility. “The silly thing about it all is that Dublin Airport no longer wants this traffic, the small 10-seater jets which land here regularly. We recently spent £150,000 widening our runway, and land beside us has been rezoned to allow for an extension of our runway to meet EU requirements. But there’s still a problem which only exists in the minds of the bureaucrats in Dublin. Everybody else around here has helped us in our development efforts - neighbours have taken down trees, and the ESB is going to put its pylon service underground at its own expense. We have a very good opportunity here, but can’t go forward.” Captain Kennedy set up the airport in 1938 because he saw the potential in the development of aviation in this country. The first charter flight from the field was a mercy mission to drop food to stranded Tory Islanders. The ironic thing is that night flying from Weston was a regular occurrance until 1956, with facilities as crude as a line of paraffin lamps. “But I could see those from out as far as the Curragh with no problem, and we never had any difficulties. Now difficulties are being made for us.”

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.

KNN is a completely INDEPENDENT professional news service for County Kildare, with no affiliations to any network, authority, group, party or other organisation. 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, or phone 045 481090; fax 481091.

Naas cycle race features local and national stars ... and nostalgia NAAS, 6 September 1999: by Trish Whelan. Some 130 riders took part in the Matthew Corcoran Cup Cycle Race which took place in Naas yesterday, and included a programme of races for all ages. The race used the Ballymore to Blessington circuit and the senior event was run over 78.5 miles. The home county teams included the Naas Cahill Cycling Club, the Kildare/Newbridge Cycling Club and the newly-sponsored Newbridge Cutlery Club, while the event also attracted teams and individuals from all over Ireland. The winner of the Senior A race was David McQuaid from UCD, followed by Eugene Moriarty of Listowel and Brian Kenneally from Carrick Cidona. Dave Smith from the Naas Cahill club and Cormac Durnan were the only Naas riders at this level. Cormac, a previous member of the Naas Cahill club represented, the Garda Cycling Club. The presentation to the winners was made by 83-year-old Mrs Cissie Corcoran of Railway Terrace, Naas, who donated the cup in 1992 in honour of her husband Matthew, who had died a year earlier. He was a well-known competitive cyclist of the thirties, and raced in major venues including Croke Park in 1933. The whole event was a family affair for the Corcorans, with her son Patrick driving the leader car while Matthew Jr, president of the Naas Cahill Cycling Club was also helping out with the organisation. Pictured top are (back) brothers Patrick, John and Matt and (front) Mary (daughter), Mrs Cissie Corcoran, daughter Carol and Matt’s wife Maureen. The race was organised by the Irish Cycling Federation, whose PRO Ciaran McKenna is from Clane and is a former Irish international, retired after 15 years racing as far afield as France, Italy, Israel and the US. He is pictured (left) with results coordinator Kay Howard from Stamullen and judge Ann Kinsella from Monasterevin. The race was started by chairman of Naas UDC Cllr Seamie Moore, who gave specific congratulations to the gardai for their management of the crowds and traffic during the various laps of the race in the town. Seamie’s 14-year-old grandson Daniel Moore took part in the underage race. Pictured outside the Town Hall (below) are the winners of the B race - Fintan McCormack, Kildare/Newbridge CC (2nd); winner Sean Farrell of Hillcrest CC, Kilcullen; and Jonathan Malone of Newbridge Cutlery CC (third). Six of the national riders now go to Japan and from there to the World Championships in Italy, and after that to Australia and Uruguay.

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

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.

Ballymore wins 'David and Goliath' contest against development BALLYMORE, 6 September 1999: by Trish Whelan & Brian Byrne. There was jubilation in Ballymore this weekend following the decision by An Bord Pleanala to reverse the planning permission granted by Kildare County Council for a 416-house development near the scenic Golden Falls. The matter gained national prominence earlier this year when a number of the protesters to the plan brought their arguments onto the Late Late Show (pictured above is Rose O'Donoghue, one of three people interviewed by Gay Byrne). Following a two-day oral hearing in July, during which a high-powered army of experts were marshalled by Abbeydrive Developments Ltd and the company's principal Gerry Deane (right) to defend the permission, there was a degree of pessimism in Ballymore about what the result might be, given that it seemed to be a David and Goliath situation and the lands in question had been rezoned for housing as far back as 1977. But the decision by ABP now seems to assure the future of Ballymore as a village community. The grounds for the refusal of permission included the fact that Ballymore enjoys a Special Village Status under the current County Development Plan and the Bord felt that the special amenity quality of life should be retained. In addition, it believed the planned development would be against the Strategic Planning Guidelines for the Dublin and Mid Eastern Region. The scale of the development proposed was also a factor in the refusal, because of the absence of adequate public transport infrastructure and a deficiency in the road network of the area. It was also felt that the scheme would conflict with the provisions of the Development Plan and would 'seriously injure' the amenities of the area. During the hearing, evidence on the part of the developers had suggested that the new development would provide homes for a significant number of people working the designated growth centre of Naas-Newbridge-Kilcullen, but local people and many local representatives aregued that the proposed density was too high for an agricultural village. In addition, there were claims by fisheries interests that the development's sewerage needs would 'wipe out' the Liffey. Opposition was also stated by the Dublin Transportation Office. The full KNN stories of the hearing in July can be accessed here.

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Kilcullen fears being left out of renewal funding again KILCULLEN, 6 September 1999: by Brian Byrne. Kilcullen people are beginning to fear that the town (above) will once again be left outside the Kildare 'Golden Funding Circle' with the distribution of the latest Government funding initiative, the Town Renewal Scheme. The scheme was announced last July and builds on the success of the tax-incentive Urban Renewal Scheme which has revitalised centres such as Newbridge. "Twelve towns are eligible in Kildare for the scheme, but only five will be funded," says local man Michael McCarthy, who is concerned that a decision has already been made that excludes Kilcullen. We have previously lost out in the Village Renewal Scheme, the distribution of money to aid towns which were by-passed, and we have been generally ignored in many ways by Kildare County Council." There are moves under way to set up a new community organisation which will monitor and lobby for Kilcullen on such matters as well as the environment and the town's growth, reaching a watershed phase with the current work to connect Kilcullen's sewerage system with the regional scheme at Osberstown. "But just now we need to alert our local councillors to our plight," says Mike McCarthy. "I'm urging everybody who has an interest in Kilcullen's future to call them - Timmy Conway, Billy Hillis, Sean Power, Mary Glennon and Anthony Lawlor. Time is short, so do it now."

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

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.

Concern about future of South Kildare villages being bypassed TIMOLIN/MOONE, 6 September 1999: by Brian Byrne. A meeting in the Sportsman's Inn in Timolin this Monday evening will be given details of the plans to by-pass Moone and Timolin, work on which is expected to get under way in a couple of months. The Moone and Timolin Strategy group (MATS) has organised the meeting with the cooperation of Kildare County Council staff, who will show where the by-pass will go and open discussion on suggestions as to how the villages should deal with the new situation. "The next stage of the whole project will be the by-passing of Castledermot," notes local businessman Sean Cleary. "When that happens, people will be able to drive all the way through Kildare without once going through a village. We have to prepare our strategies now to make sure that we can continue to attract visitors to our villages, and this initiative is the beginning of that." The meeting, on Monday 6 September, is at 8 o'clock.

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

KNN is a completely INDEPENDENT professional news service for County Kildare, with no affiliations to any network, authority, group, party or other organisation. 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, or phone 045 481090; fax 481091.

Newslines ... ATHY: Kildare GAA County Board chairman Jack Wall TD has decided to step down from the Executive Committee after ten years in the top job. His decision, which is effective in December, is understood to be because of the increasing workload he has undertaken in political activities. He was appointed to the Seanad in 1992 by former Taoiseach Albert Reynolds, because a Labour deputy in 1997, and was elected to Kildare County Council in June of this year. KILCOCK: A Kilcock family has won a dream home in a draw run by Kilcock GAA. The £100 ticket won Margaret Dignam a £150,000 home in the Royal Meadows estate, up the road from her own home of 25 years in Highfield Park. The house was the top prize in the club's £1.2m development fundraising effort. MONASTEREVIN: Plans to restore St Evin's Cometary are the main focus of the town's Millennium Committee. The work, announced at a public meeting last week, is expected to cost around £65,000 and includes parking facilities and landscaping. LACKAGH: Scoil Naomh Bride is celebrating its 150th anniversary and pupils joined with past pupils on Friday to launch a book produced by the senior classes. 'From Hedge to Stone School' gives an account of local life down through the years and is the first of several initiatives planned to mark the centenary-and-a-half of the school.

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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	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.)

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.

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