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ALERT: Irish homeowners warned renovation jobs could lead to €10,000 fine or jail Outside Naas courthouse are: Susanna Cawley, James Morrin, Richard Wixted BL and Andrew Coonan Subscribe or register today to discover more from DonegalLive.ie Buy the e-paper of the Donegal Democrat, Donegal People's Press, Donegal Post and Inish Times here for instant access to Donegal's premier news titles. Keep up with the latest news from Donegal with our daily newsletter featuring the most important stories of the day delivered to your inbox every evening at 5pm. This publication supports the work of the Press Council of Ireland and Office of the Press Ombudsman, and our staff operate within the Code of Practice of the Press Council. You can obtain a copy of the Code, or contact the Council, at www.presscouncil.ie, Lo-call 1800 208 080 or email: info@presscouncil.ie. This photo is for illustrative purposes only The site, located next to the River Barrow, is being marketed by Savills for €2 million. While it’s currently zoned partly for town centre use and partly as open space, there’s hope that it could all be reclassified to allow for more development. And for many people in the area, the message is simple: Athy needs more retail options. Residents say the town has been crying out for more places to shop without having to travel to other towns. With the site being so central and easily accessible, it’s seen as the perfect spot to bring in new businesses that could give the town centre a boost. One online commenter said: “As the others say, Tesco, Dunnes, Penney's, cinema. Can't keep building housing estates with no places for people to shop, they go elsewhere so Athy loses out.”  Another said: “From William Street Woodstock Street we need something it's just doom and gloom. Many shops closed up. This end of the town needs to be brought back to life.”  While some others commenting on the post were happy to leave the area as is: “Should be left as an angling club and other recreational amenities,” they said. With the site now on the market, all eyes are on what comes next! Kildare Nationalist Newsletter delivered directly to your inbox https://www.kildarenow.com/section/1005/contact-us All the latest breaking local news from Kildare and county Catch up on all the latest business news in Kildare and Leinster Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter Support our mission and join our community now you can subscribe for as little as €0.50 per week which will also give you access to all of our premium content and archived articles Thank you for supporting Ireland's best local journalism Planning permission has been granted for the construction of a car wash facility in Athy, Kildare applied for by Washwell Forecourt Services Limited According to Construction Information Services (CIS) a decision to grant planning permission for the project was issued by Kildare County Council on 29/4/2025 The project includes the construction of a car wash facility The facility will also have three vacuum/valeting bays public lighting and all other ancillary site development works The architect in charge of the project is Byrne Planning Limited READ NEXT: Kildare gardai announce 'significant' Road Safety Campaign in Kildare for this weekend " + $(".testo_articolo").html().replace(//g please subscribe and support local journalism Subscribing will allow you access to all of our premium content and archived articles To continue reading this article for FREE,please kindly register and/or log in Registration is absolutely 100% FREE and will help us personalise your experience on our sites You can also sign up to our carefully curated newsletter(s) to keep up to date with your latest local news Outside Naas courthouse are: Susanna Cawley House of Hearing's experienced audiologist Matt Allen Donegal Post and Inish Times here for instant access to Donegal's premier news titles Keep up with the latest news from Donegal with our daily newsletter featuring the most important stories of the day delivered to your inbox every evening at 5pm This publication supports the work of the Press Council of Ireland and Office of the Press Ombudsman and our staff operate within the Code of Practice of the Press Council Lo-call 1800 208 080 or email: info@presscouncil.ie Investigations are continuing following the discovery of a man's body yesterday at 11am at an Apartment on Stanhope Street in Athy Kfm understands that Gardai believe the body had been at the apartment for some time before it was discovered Anyone with information has been asked to contact Athy Garda station a garda spokesperson said: "The body of the deceased has been removed for a post-mortem examination by the Office of the State Pathologist the result of which will assist Gardaí in determining the course of their investigation." Co. Kildare FM Radio Ltd. t/a Kfm Radio - Company No: 355494 - Registered Office: Kfm Broadcast Centre, M7 Business Park, Newhall, Naas, Co. Kildare. Kfm is licenced by Coimisiún na Meán as a local sound broadcaster for Co Kildare. Directors: Anna May McHugh (Chair), Clem Ryan (Executive), Catherine Wall (Secretary), Seán Ashmore. All rights reserved. Though moving at the time, the truck was very slow and his alert nature caught the flash of movement in the side mirror and he stopped immediately, with no injuries reported on the child. The incident happened at the bottle bank at Edmund Rice Square in Athy. A local source said: “Though taken to hospital as a precaution, the child is fine. “The child apparently cycled under the side bar (ironically, known as the ‘safety bar’, to stop cars from going under HGVs), but the truck driver stopped immediately. “He got the fright of his life, but it’s all done and dusted. “She’s off for a check-up, but there are no injuries." The same cannot be said for the driver’s heart, at this stage. Read the latest crime and court news from Kildare and the surrounding areas ALERT—Essential road works due to take place in Athy Essential road works are due to commence in Athy Kildare County Council (KCC) has announced KCC explained in a statement: "Essential road works will take place in Athy at the Kildare Road Junction "Works will take approximately three days to complete." KCC added: "Traffic Management will be in place and short delay can be expected." READ NEXT: Two warehouse buildings proposed for region near Monasterevin, County Kildare Aidan Henry of Athy is tackled by Rhys Edghill of County Carlow during the Bank of Ireland Provincial Towns Cup Final The surge in rugby’s popularity was on full display in Kildare on Sunday as Naas RFC played host to a vibrant 2025 Leinster Provincial Towns Cup Final between Athy and Carlow In scenes more like a music festival than a rugby match fans from both clubs packed into the Kildare venue where Athy were crowned champions for the first time since 1984 Both clubs have long and proud histories with the Towns Cup Carlow had claimed the trophy 12 times from 16 appearances while Athy had lifted it five times in 15 finals Sunday's clash marked the fifth time these two sides have faced off in the final with Carlow winning the first three encounters and Athy coming out on top in the last two It had been a long road back for both: Carlow hadn’t reached a final since 2002 last reaching the decider in 1991 and last taking home the silverware 41 years ago Athy dominated early possession in a lively opening spell They turned the tide and opened the scoring when Jonathan Crossley found a gap to cross the line Carlow threatened again straight from the restart and David Downey produced a sensational solo run to race the length of the pitch for a superb try Athy hit the front shortly before halftime when Jack Henry burst onto a well-timed pop-pass and dotted down in the corner There was more joy for Athy moments later when Cathal Fennessy created space on the wing and sprinted over for their third try suffered a hamstring injury in the process and had to leave the field with Crotty finishing strongly in the corner to narrow the gap and Rhys Edgehill's try midway through the second half nudged them ahead 17-15 who had missed three tough conversions from the sideline in the first half he slotted a superb 35-yard penalty to restore Athy’s lead a score that would ultimately decide the contest Carlow threw everything at Athy in the final stages and earned a long-range penalty after the clock had gone red sparking wild celebrations among the Athy supporters as their 41-year wait finally came to an end READ NEXT: Athy bring Towns Cup glory to Kildare with thrilling final win A Garda forensic team has been deployed to an apartment on Stanhope Street just off Emily Square in Athy following the discovery of a body Kfm understands that the body of a male was found this morning at around 11am under what are believed to be suspicious circumstances The area has been cordoned off and access to surrounding roads is restricted the result of which will assist Gardaí in determining the course of their investigation The local Coroner has been notified." Joe is a son of Kevin O’Neill of St Joseph’s Terrace and a grandson of the musician and music teacher, the legendary, Joe O’Neill. Having studied Performing Arts at Bull Alley Theatre Training Company; Joe worked with various theatre companies around Dublin and Kildare but the bright lights of London soon beckoned, and like so many talented Irish actors and artists before him he packed his bag and set off to conquer the world of show business, but it was not as simple as that.  In a recent interview with The Irish World publication Joe revealed that ‘when I came over here and I didn’t know anyone and I thought if I am feeling like this, there’s going to be loads of other people that feel like this, and that turned out to be the case'.  ‘Ever since the Irish Creative Collective was established in April of 2022 our express goal has been to bring together, support & showcase Irish Creatives (of all generations) in London.  ‘Earlier this year on our return to the most wonderful Irish Cultural Centre in Hammersmith for our 'Celebration of Irish Creatives of mixed heritage Night' we got to fully realise just how far we have come on this journey. Thanks to everyone who has been there since day one and who have been so amazingly supportive. Thanks to everyone who has joined us along the way and thank you to all the beautiful Creatives we have had the chance to showcase and to all the venues that have supported us.’  The Irish Creatives celebrated their third birthday last weekend in the London Irish Centre with Gareth Freiheit, Erin Bradley, Blánid, The London Irish All Stars and a host of other guests dancing and singing until the dawn rose over the Thames. Congratulations Joe, Keep the flag flying. Members of Darkness into Light Athy Richard Daly, Ella Robinson, Cathal Burke, Jack L and Sean O'Mahony approached Darkness Into Light to see if they could run it in Athy The organising committee started with seven members and has six familiar faces ten years on a valued member of the committee whose contributions have left an indelible mark “After ten years on the Darkness Into Light committee “Being part of something that brings light to others during their darkest moments has been humbling and deeply meaningful "We have walked alongside incredible people and every year reminds us why this matters so much "It’s more than just an event – it’s a movement of love Thanks to the fantastic support of the local community Athy Darkness Into Light has raised over €200,000 over the years in aid of Pieta House Pieta House is an organisation that supports suicide and self-harm prevention in Ireland That total will rise once more following this year's walk on 10 May Preparations are in full swing with the Darkness Into Light committee Local businesses are encouraged to ‘paint the town yellow’ in the run-up by decorating their windows and shopfronts in yellow to show their support and help raise awareness for this meaningful cause The ambassador for 2025 is none other than Athy’s own music legend Jack L He will be joined on stage by the Village Voices community choir and Carrie Haskins while Kildare Sports Partnership’s Donna Berry will get the walkers ready to go with an early morning warm up will take place at 4.15am on Saturday 10 May as communities come together to support mental health and prevent suicide In the darkest of times, we can struggle to find the brightness but during Darkness Into Light, every one of us has the power to be a light against the dark. For more information or to sign up, visit darknessintolight.ie. Athy RFC are Bank of Ireland 2025 Provincial Towns Cup champions Then again, here were two clubs focussed on ending a famine. Ultimately Athy bridged the gap to their last victory in 1984 when they beat Portlaoise. Carlow last lifted one of rugby’s oldest cups in 1997. The indications are that they are set to end the wait. The eventual winners played into a stiff breeze in the opening half. Carlow needed to pin their rivals back inside the 22. They were unable to do so. They did threaten but Athy looked comfortable. A moment of inspiration paved the way for Carlow’s first try. Outside the Athy 22, Carlow looked set to go right from a ruck but a clever reverse pass opened up the Athy defence and Jonathan Crossley ran 22 metres to touch down under the posts. Ben Crotty converted. Minutes later came a major turning point. Carlow supporters celebrated as Wes Shirley’s reverse pass put in Sean Quinlan. To their horror, the pass was adjudged to have been forward and the score was ruled out. From the resultant scrum, Athy went from left to right. Space opened out and as the Carlow defence was caught flat-footed, the ball was carried through the hands and David Downey touched down in the far-right corner. It was at least a ten-point turnaround. So much was happening all over the pitch. Carlow erred when kicking dead from inside their own half. Athy would do the same after half-time. The hits were ferocious. Athy had an overlap on the left but failed to capitalise. Darragh Farrell celebrates Athy's nail-biting Towns Cup final win over CarlowThe Carlow scrum was pinged when they had set up field position inside the Athy half. Gone are the days when front row forwards enjoyed their own little war. Now scrum domination is all but decided by the man in the middle. The Tullow based referee, Ian Thompson, had a good game but like every referee all over the world, it is the match officials interpretation of the set-piece which continues to baffle. In any case, Athy’s next two tries had nothing to do with the scrum. Seven minutes before the break, the County Kildare side went right and then left. On hand was Jack Henry who galloped from inside his own half and touched down once more. Again, into the wind, the conversion was missed. Carlow were then the authors of their own misfortune when poor tackling and a defence who seemed to go asleep were caught dead and Cathal Fennessy dotted down in the left corner. Against the wind it was a mighty blow that Athy had inflicted on Carlow. Athy's Jack Henry is lifted by joyous supporters in the post-match celebrationsThe Oak Park side lived on their opponents line in the final minutes of the half. Athy creaked and a mighty defensive effort deprived Carlow of what could have been a crucial score. At the interval, Athy looked pretty when leading 15-7 with the aid of the wind to come in the second half. And so a mighty battle ensued. Three minutes in, a fortuitous bounce on the left saw Ben Crotty breach the Athy cover for a second Carlow try. Seven minutes in, they almost struck again as the black and ambers continued to play all the rugby. On 58 minutes, Carlow attacked from deep and were rewarded when Rhys Edghill touched down. Athy dug deep and while the Carlow defence denied them, Athy forced an off-side penalty. With 15 minutes to go, Darragh Farrell must have known what was at stake. He held his composure, kept his head down and stroked the ball over the bar. Athy were back in front. Carlow fought to the end. A cross-kick almost put in left-winger, Jamie McCabe but Athy held out. It was nail-biting. Supporters were put through the wringer in the closing stages. In the final play, Athy were penalised on their own 45 metre mark. Carlow could have gone for the penalty line-out but it would have been still a long way to the line. Ben Crotty decided to take his chance. His kick looked good for a long time as the ball curled from right to left. To his utter disappointment, the wind took over and the ball dropped short. The Athy defence made no mistake and taking possession, the ball was duly dispatched over the end-line. Joy unconfined as the blue and white army invaded the pitch. A wonderful victory which will be celebrated for a long time to come. Carlow: Tries- J Crossley (1), B Crotty (1), R Edghill (1). Con- Ben Crotty (1). They say the incident happened at around 4.15pm on the grounds of The Abbey Wedding Venue, and involved a number of youths throwing stones at the Chapel on the grounds. Two windows dating back to the 18th century were broken, and estimated repair costs are said to be “significant”. Anyone with information, or who may have witnessed anything should contact Athy Garda Station on 059-8634210. Heritage Company Ltd continues the restoration and development of the town’s 300-year-old Town Hall which is set to house the Shackleton Museum, the new visitor attraction dedicated to the life and legacy of renowned polar explorer Ernest Shackleton. The Shackleton Experience has been long awaited and is expected to open to the public this summer and will celebrate Shackleton’s extraordinary achievements. The museum is expected to attract 30,000 visitors per year, rising to 60,000 per year over the next few years. As part of this ambitious development, the company is inviting expressions of interest from businesses and entrepreneurs to operate the Shackleton Experience Café. The café will serve as an integral feature of the visitor centre, enhancing the overall experience. Interested parties are encouraged to request further details by emailing hello@shackletonexperience.ie. The deadline for submitting business proposals is Tuesday, May 13, 2025. This photo is used for illustrative purposes only The council announced this on behalf of Cairn Homes, giving notice to road users of the road closure to facilitate the placing of tar. The Fortbarrington Road will be closed from Fortbarrington Road, Distributor Road Junction and to Fortbarrington Road – Avondale Drive. Diversionary routes will be clearly signposted, as agreed with the Council and An Garda Síochána. Emergency access and restricted local access will be maintained. There were a couple of idiosyncrasies with the auction. Bidding time was limited to around an hour, and there was no activity until virtually the last minute before the auction was to finish. The successful anonymous bidder opened the bidding at the opening price of €300,000 and within a minute was met their challenger, also anonymous, who upped the bid by €1,000. The way BidX1 works, any new bid meant a short extension of time on the auction. InteriorTit met tat and the two bidders battled over the next 40 minutes in increments of €1,000 until the opening bidder clinched it. The Emigrant Bar traded on Emily Square until 2022. The building comprises a former public house and restaurant together with a three-bedroom apartment overhead. Hopefully, it will not be too long before we see what the new owners have planned. Athy Town celebrate with the league trophy Photo: Aisling Hyland They were won the title with a 2-1 win away to Edenderry last week and then were presented with the trophy after a 7-1 win over Maynooth Town last Friday evening, with Ben O’Dowd scoring a hat-trick in the comfortable win. With one game still to play, Athy have won 11 of their 15 league games, scoring more and conceding less than anybody else in the division, which saw them finish well clear of the chasing pack that included Blessington, Beggsboro and Celbridge Town. Impressively, Athy conceded just 18 goals in those 15 games, at least seven goals less than any other team. Great scenes among the Athy players Photo: Aisling Hyland“It’s been a great season,” said Barnby, who took over the team after enjoying great success in the KFDL with Suncroft. The experienced coach had a young side this season, with much of his side still only teenagers. Barnby, stated the importance of the academy structure in the club for producing some of these players. “We’ve a lot of young lads in the squad. We’ve a lot of lads that are 16, 17 and 18. We actually signed a keeper once he hit 16, George Lawlor, and he did very well for us in the three or four games he played for us, when Will Kenny got injured for us.  "I actually was looking at a 15-year-old but obviously we can’t sign lads until they’re 16. I just love football, I'm football mad, I'm always trying to spot talent and watching games. We then have a lad that’s 23, then one or two late 20’s and then there’s a gap to a few lads in their late 30’s. You need that balance between youth and experience.  "I don’t mind how old or young lads are, in my opinion, if you’re good enough you’re old enough. I brought in my own nephew who I had at another club, he played underage for Athy, and I brought in our keeper. I said at the start of the year if we can get in a keeper and a striker, we will do very well, and thankfully that’s happened. The vast majority of our squad has come from inside the club though.” Athy Town line up before their last home game of the season against Maynooth Town Photo: Aisling HylandBarnby had plenty of praise for club chairman, Sean Bolger, who appointed him as manager, ahead of this season. “We will be looking to go up again next season. When I came in, my aim was to get the team promoted up through the divisions as quick as possible. We won’t be looking to do anything else. We have a really good squad. We will obviously look to strengthen in the off season, but we will be looking to go up. We will enjoy the next few weeks or so and then obviously we will start pre-season training later in the summer.” Athy RFC have been crowned Provincial Towns Cup champions The full time score in Naas was Athy 18-17 Carlow It’s the first time Athy have won the competition since their 1984 win over Portlaoise t/a Kfm Radio - Company No: 355494 - Registered Office: Kfm Broadcast Centre Kfm is licenced by Coimisiún na Meán as a local sound broadcaster for Co Kildare Athy Town Promoters expressed their deep sadness at the news, reflecting on the honour and privilege of having Betty lead the parade earlier this year. Described as a “true local legend”, Betty O’Donnell dedicated her life to the people of Athy, building a reputation through her long-standing business and her warm, spirited presence. ‘She was a very special lady – always ready with a bit of banter and a kind word, a true friend to many,’ the town promoters said in an online post. The Athy Town Promoters extended their sincere condolences to Betty’s family and friends, noting that her memory will live on vividly within the community she loved so dearly. ‘Her legacy and laughter will not be forgotten in Athy,’ they concluded. Betty's funeral will take place on Wednesday at 12 noon at St Michael's Parish Church, Athy. Burial afterwards in St. Michael's New Cemetery, Athy. The body of the man was discovered at a property in Athy in Co Kildare Gardaí in Kildare are continuing to investigate the discovery of a man’s body in an apartment in Co Kildare last week The body of a man was discovered at a property in Athy Co Kildare at approximately 11am on Thursday A post mortem examination has since been carried out on the body by the Office of the State Pathologist A garda spokesperson said that “following the results of the post mortem Gardaí continue to investigate all the circumstances surrounding the death of this person” It’s understood that the body of the man lay undiscovered in the apartment for some time Locals say that the man was a recluse and hadn’t been seen for a while The scene was preserved for a period of time last Thursday while a Garda forensic team carried out a technical and forensic examination Gardaí are urging anyone with any information to come forward immediately Anyone with any information is asked to contact Athy Garda Station on 059 8634210 or the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111 Irish BusinessThe Club Hotel at Goffs set for €7m investmentThe owners of The Club Hotel at Goffs in Co Kildare are planning to invest €7m in an expansion of the site near the famous global horse auction house Hughie Perse, Shanrath, Athy, Co. Kildare and formerly of Kilberry, passed away peacefully, surrounded by his family on 11th April 2025. Predeceased by his Nana and Pop Owens, he will be sadly missed by his partner Sibhéal, his sons Reece and Ryan, daughters-in-law Lauryn, Robyn, grandson Enzo, parents Christy and Kathleen, brothers and sisters Chris (Eddo), Catherine, Maggie, Christine, Shane, Luke, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nephews, nieces, extended family, neighbours and friends. Hughie will repose in Thompson’s Funeral Home, Chapel Hill, Mount Hawkins, Athy (R14 NX80) on Tuesday 15th April from 5pm until 7pm, with recital of the Rosary at 6.30pm. Removal on Wednesday morning 10.45pm to St. Michael’s Parish Church, Athy for Funeral Mass at 11am, followed by Burial in St. Conleth’s Cemetery, Kildare Town. Those who would like to leave a message of condolence for the family may do so in the 'Condolence' section below. Funeral Service.css-h76uj{display:inherit;margin-right:-4px;margin-left:8px;}Date Published: CondolencesDonate to CharityWould you like to mark a birthday, memorial mass or anniversary for a Loved One?You can now create a family notice on RIP.ie to remember your loved one. Rip.ie, The Irish Times Building, 24-28 Tara Street, Dublin 2, Ireland The festival is family-friendly, with a range of free activities for youngsters Now in its most challenging year to date, Greenfields will host four stages and more than 80 acts across the two days. The festival is organised by a team including Dan and Edwina Curtis and Fran O’Mara. Speaking about the build-up, one of the organisers, Amanda Smyth, couldn’t hide her excitement: “We just can’t wait to put on the production that we know we can do. We have a great team of people involved from all different departments. It’s ultra-exciting.”  Headlining the main stage are some of Ireland’s biggest names in music, with Gavin James and The Stunning taking over Sunday night, while The Whistling Donkeys and Aslan are set to entertain crowds on Saturday. Other acts performing at the festival include Robert Grace and Dublin rapper Casper Walsh as well as Jerry Fish, and Switch Disco, among many, many others.  The outdoor Heineken stage will host an all-DJ line-upIn an exciting twist, this year will see the debut of a brand-new country music stage, complete with a mega-dance floor, aimed at offering something for every musical taste. Another highlight is the outdoor Heineken stage, which will host an all-DJ lineup on Sunday, a move that came from listening to audience feedback and aiming to tick every box for festival-goers. “We’re touching on nearly every genre of music,” Amanda said. “The site has already started, and the countdown is on – we’re ready for it.”  But Greenfields isn’t just about music. The festival is also family-friendly, with KidsFest offering free entry for under-12s when accompanied by an adult. Young attendees can enjoy a range of free activities, including magic shows, face painting, a pamper parlour, and a freestyle football skills camp. The vintage carnival will also return this year, so expect your favourite rides at this year’s festival. Foodies will be spoiled for choice, too, with a dedicated food arena offering global cuisine to satisfy all palates. Beverage options are expanding as well, with new partnerships this year including White Claw and Stradbally craft brewery Ballykilcavan, alongside long-time supporter Heineken. A special highlight for emerging talent comes through the festival’s Battle of the Bands competition. Finalists not only compete for the title but get the chance to perform at the festival itself – a major milestone for any up-and-coming act. “For many of them, making it to the final was already a win,” said Amanda. “Just getting to play at Greenfields is a huge deal.” As the final preparations come together, the team remains energised. “I thrive on it,” Amanda said. “I’m not in this on my own – we have a great crew. We’re just excited for everybody to come along and enjoy two days of fun and our vision for what Greenfields is all about.”  Tickets are still available via the Greenfields Festival website and The Auld Shebeen bar. And the cherry on top? “The weather is looking fantastic,” Amanda confirmed. With an ever-expanding line-up and community spirit at its heart, Greenfields 2025 looks set to have its most unforgettable year yet. Despite the fact that the town’s population has more than doubled in the meantime, Athy’s commercial life has deteriorated to a disappointing level. I cannot recall any vacant shop premises in Athy in the 1950s. On Offaly Street where I lived there were a number of shops, all of which are now closed. Kehoe’s Public House has not opened for several years, while Kitty Webster’s and Mona Sylvester’s sweet shops, both closed for years, have now been redeveloped as apartments. The cinema on the same street, once so popular many years ago, is no more. Public houses, of which there was so many in the town, have closed up and like Michael Noonan’s in Stanhope Street and Barney Dunne’s in Duke Street are forlorn reminders of happy days. In the 1920s, there were forty or more licenced premises in Athy catering for a population of about 4,000 people. Today with the population of 10,000 or more, the public houses still serving the public come to less than ten. The explanation may in part lie in the operation of off licences and the strict application of drink driving legislation. The grocery shops in the 1950s have disappeared following the emergence of supermarkets and the subsequent centralisation of the grocery trade. Do you remember the shop assistants of seventy years ago who dressed in their light brown shop coats took your order and presented the groceries on the counter? Groceries which included sugar, flour and many other food stuffs had to be weighed and bagged earlier in the day by the shop assistant. Here today in Athy, the entire groceries trade once spread over 20 or more shops is now centred on four supermarkets. In many cases the former grocery shop premises today lie vacant, in some cases for many years, giving the towns streetscape a sad impression of dereliction. How much worse our main streets would be if we did not have today so many hairdressing businesses, nail bars, coffee shops and restaurants which were not to be found in Athy of the 1950s. Today our main streets have a surfeit of empty shop premises which creates a bad image for the town once regarded as the best market town in Leinster. Saturday evening shopping in the 1950s was a boom time for local shops as the country people came, particularly to Shaws, which remained open until late that evening. Shaws created a huge footfall in the 1950s which benefitted other shops in the town. Its influence in that regard is today less apparent given the present-day high volume of car ownership and local shoppers’ willingness to drive to other towns to do their shopping. The 1950s was a really good time for the shoppers of Athy. Theft from shops was a rare crime those days, while the local gardaí were busy raiding pubs for after-hour drinking and prosecuting cyclists for using their bikes without lights after sunset. It was a simple way of life but one which was marked by poverty for many families in the absence of employment. The result in emigration, principally to Britain, saw young families without fathers for months on end. It was not just fathers who left their home town but also boys and girls who could not get gainful employment at home. The boys had a better chance than the girls in obtaining gainful employment locally as the boys, even before their fourteenth birthday, were able to take up employment in the Asbestos factory or the IVI Foundry. The present drabness of the town’s main streets and side streets prompts me to ask what, if anything, is being done or planned by the appropriate authorities to improve Athy’s streetscape? I am conscious as a taxpayer, a rate payer and a property tax payer that Kildare County Council should be more proactive in tackling the issue of vacant and sometimes derelict shop premises in the town. Financial incentives such as rates and property tax abatement schemes may be required to encourage the opening of more independent shops. The reference to ‘a state-of-the art centre for circular economy’ puzzles me as I don’t understand what it means. However, given its context I am sure that it is intended to help the ancient town of Athy which for too long has been exposed to unwelcome commercial and economic deprivation. We need more independent shops along our main streets and hopefully the announcement of the Community Development Grant can be the start of a new era for the regeneration of business in Athy. A woman's hand reaches out to select a bottle of red wine from the shelf of a wine shop Thomas McGarry (65), with an address at Marina Court, Athy, was due in the local district court to face a single charge of theft from Pettitt’s SuperValu in the town centre on 26 May last year. “He took an €8 bottle of wine and drank it there,” said the investigating garda. “Where?” asked a very curious Judge Desmond Zaidan. “He just sat down behind the cans and left,” said a deadpan garda. “He sat down and drank it in Pettitt’s?” asked the judge. “Well, judge, there was no seating area there,” explained the garda matter-of-factly. “And he was able to walk?” the judge shook his head, before issuing the bench warrant when Sergeant Dave Hanrahan confirmed McGarry’s continued absence. Athy RFC celebrate winning Bank of Ireland Provincial Town's Cup when getting the better of Carlow in Fournaughts on Sunday THE growth of rugby's popularity was clear for all to see in Forenaughts on Sunday afternoon, as the home of Naas RFC hosted the 2025 Leinster Provincial Towns Cup final between Athy and Carlow. In an atmosphere reminiscent of Electric Picnic, supporters from both clubs flocked to the Kildare venue to see Athy crowned champions for the first time in over 40 years. Carlow had all of their four Laois players in the starting lineup, with Killeshin's David McDermott at outside centre and an all-Laois front row of Arles man Patrick Rogers at loose head prop, Crettyard's Scott Neale at hooker and Killeshin's Tadhg Ronan in the number three jersey. Athy have six Laois players among their ranks, with three in the starting lineup and another two on the bench. Wolfhill's Darragh Farrell started at inside centre with winger Cathal Fennessy and prop Karol Donohoe both hailing from Ballylinan. Another Ballylinan man, Eoin Farrell, was joined on the bench alongside Oran Kelleher of Barrowhouse; while their fourth Ballylinan man, Ciaran Fennessy, missed the final through injury. These are two sides steeped in Towns Cup history, with Carlow winning the trophy on 12 occasions out of 16 finals before today, while Athy have been champions five times after 15 previous trips to the final. This game was the fifth time Carlow and Athy have met in the prestigious Towns Cup final and the second time in a row for Athy to come out on top after Carlow had won the first three. Carlow have not been to a final, however, since 2002 and have not gotten their hands on the trophy since 1997. The wait has been even longer for Athy, who last reached the final in 1991 and last lifted the trophy in 1984 with a famous triumph over Portlaoise. Athy owned the ball in the opening ten minutes of an amazing game of rugby. But Carlow defended incredibly well and pushed Athy all the way back into their 22 where Jonathan Crossley found space and darted in for the opening try. Former Knockbeg College student Ben Crotty added the extras. Carlow almost went in for a second try straight from kick off, but Athy turned the ball over before releasing David Downey who ran the length of the pitch to touch down for an unbelievable try after quarter of an hour. Athy took the lead in the 33rd minute when another breakaway move saw Jack Henry receive a lovely pop-pass before racing over in the corner. Athy captain Tadgh Foley and Craig Miller raise the Provincial Towns CupThe Kildare side were in for a third try just two minutes later when Cathal Fennessy created some space out wide before galloping over in the opposite corner. Unfortunately for the Ballylinan man, he tweaked his hamstring scoring the try and was forced to leave the field. Despite huge pressure from Carlow in the final ten minutes it ended 15-7 at half time. But Carlow had the perfect start after the break when Ben Crotty raced over in the corner in the opening minutes. Carlow went to their power game midway through the second half and regained the lead when Rhys Edgehill crossed over for his side's third try to go 17-15 in front. Darragh Farrell was sensational in midfield but he was faced with three incredibly difficult conversions in the first half - all of which were from out on the sideline and all of which went narrowly wide. But to his enormous credit, he brushed all that off on the hour mark when he stood up and landed a lovely penalty from 35 yards out that not only put Athy back in front, but proved to be the winning of the game. Carlow threw everything at Athy in last 20 minutes and had a penalty from halfway to win the game with the clock well in the red, but Crotty's kick fell just short as Athy got the ball clear to a rapturous ovation in Forenaughts. Athy: David Downey, Jack Henry, Cathal Fennessy (1 try each), Darragh Farrell (1 pen). Carlow: Ben Crotty (1 try, 1 con), Jonathan Crossley, Rhys Edgehill (1 try each). ATHY: Aidan Henry; David Downey, Tom Sheedy, Darragh Farrell, Cathal Fennessy; Craig Miller, Culann Carbery; Karol Donohoe, Niall O'Hanlon, Teodor Ciobanu; Kevin Downey, Niall Dunne; Jack Henry, James Sheedy, Tadgh Foley. Replacements: Shane Horgan, Aaron Rowan, John Sheedy, James Harris, Eoin Farrell, Oran Kelleher, Graham O’Shaughnessy. CARLOW: Ben Crotty; Jonathan Crossley, David McDermott, Sean Quinlan, Jamie McCabe; Brian Broderick, Daniel Crotty; Patrick Rogers, Scott Neale, Tadhg Ronan; Wesley Shirley, John Lyons; Cormac McElligott, Joel Brown, Conor Tracey. Replacements: Evan Gordon, Caolan Fitzhenry, Rhys Edghill, John Murphy, Josh Cope. Referee: Ian Thompson (Tullow & LBIRFU) Get Laois news delivered directly to your inbox. Kildare County Council was in contact with the woman, delivering her an eviction notice at the end of January, and later met the lady, offering her alternative accommodation which she is reported to have “refused”. Since then, the council’s Homeless Team have met her again to find the best solution, but no significant progress has been made up to this point. While not wishing to comment on an individual case, Kildare County Council said: “When individuals present as homeless, an assessment is carried out by the homeless team. Each case is considered on its own merits at the time of presentation and is dependent on the complexities or needs of the person or family presenting. “Every effort is made by the Homeless Team in Kildare County Council to assist applicants and determine their needs.” A concerned resident of Coneyboro estate spoke to the Kildare Nationalist about the situation and said: “I don’t know how she has been surviving. She has no electricity, no cooking facilities, heating or toilet. It’s a very, very difficult situation. “She seems content to stay here. This must be somewhere she feels like is her safe place,” they continued. Residents have made contact with the woman to explain that she cannot park there, offering solutions and alternative locations to park the caravan. One resident explained: “She said she spoke to the police and they told her she was allowed to park here.” “I would love to see her in safe accommodation in harmony with everyone around her. There’s better things out there for her. She doesn’t have to live like this,” said the resident. “We [the residents] are fairly considerate – we understand. The council needs to step up their game. The last thing we need is another person homeless on the street,” they concluded. Cllr Mark Leigh, who has been assisting the woman, said: “This is an ongoing issue that I was made aware of in January and have been trying to deal with in a compassionate manner, as have the council. “The residents of Coneyboro have been incredibly patient and only want the best outcome here. However, having an illegally-parked caravan in an estate which has been taken in charge by the council a number of years ago is unacceptable. “There is no running water and no toilet facilities in the caravan and the issue needs to be resolved as soon as possible.” The road to be closed is Green Alley, from opposite the Stradbally Road on Duke Street back to canal side. This will be closed from 8am on Monday, 12 May until 11pm the following day to facilitate works by GMC Utilities, on behalf of Irish Water and Kildare County Council. Local access will be maintained by turning left off Duke Street at the Canalside junction, and following the road into Convent Lanes, and back onto Duke Street again. Diversionary routes will be clearly signposted, as agreed between the council and the gardaí, and restricted local access will be maintained. Meaney Plant Hire had an open day for their hire depot. Anna May McHugh official opens the Meaney Plant Hire shop Kilkenny Road, Athy, Co. KildareAlong with maintaining a local service to the community, the company also strive to service both small-scale contractors and large civils projects. Meaney Plant Hire service not only the Kildare area but offer hire to surrounding counties and beyond. Caoimhin on the motor bike which Meaney Plant Hire is a sponsorThe company opened their depot on the Kilkenny Road Athy on the 6th January this year and have seen our customer base grow weekly. Joseph Brennan and James DreaThe company offer an extensive range of generators, diggers, rollers, dumpers, and access equipment along with a stocked shop full of tools and equipment with more ranges coming on board over the next few weeks. Sales of all large and small equipment is now extensively growing and we can source many items required for both business and personal usage within a few days. Matthew Boyle and Chaz MeaneyA recent open day a great success and show cased what we do best with top of the range machines on show. Managing director of the National Ploughing Association Anna May McHugh was on hand to cut the ribbon. Paudie Meaney and Louise BrennanMeaney Plant Hire have a great team who have worked around the clock since January to get the depot to this point and are committed to offer a premier local service. The company look forward to growing its business in Athy and surrounding areas and would like to thank everyone who has supported them to get to this point. Greenfields is Ireland’s first summer music festival and it promises to be an even bigger event than last year’s with over 70 musical acts performing in the fully covered big top stage The family friendly festival will cater for all ages with a vintage carnival and funfair flavours of the world food village and festival feature bars Onsite camping and camper van facilities available It promises to be an action-packed weekend to remember with ticket prices starting from €35. For information and ticket booking, click here. Bringing you live local breaking news, sport, politics, weather & more in Kildare Athy is set to celebrate the legacy and impact of St Brigid with a varied programme of events over the coming days. One of the highlights is pencilled in for Sunday, January 26 in the Dreamland Ballroom, a storied venue that will welcome leading Irish artists including Bob Geldof, Robert Grace, Danny O’Reilly, Jack L and more for the sold-out show ‘He For She: An Evening For Equality’. Presented by Hot Press and Kildare County Council and running as part of the Brigid, Spirit of Kildare festival of events, the concert will add a new dimension to the Brigid’s Day proceedings in which men share the festival, and its core message, of female empowerment. On Tuesday, January 28, Athy Library will celebrate St Brigid’s Day with an unforgettable evening of songs, stories and reflections from Edel Meade. The award-winning performing artist from Tipperary will present a rich tapestry of music and anecdotes to honour Brigid, Gobnait and Sheela-na-gig. This event is supported by Kildare County Council under the Brigid, Spirit of Kildare programme. “It’s great to see the wide variety of fantastic, creative events being planned, around Kildare and Athy, to celebrate Brigid this year,” said Cllr Aoife Breslin, Cathaoirleach of Athy Municipal District and Chair of Athy Town Promoters. “Last year the county and country marked Brigid 1500, the 1,500th anniversary of her death, and the celebrations and commemorations will continue with great gusto in 2025.” Tradition holds that St. Brigid, who was born around 453 A.D. and died in 524, was born in Ummeras (not far from Kildare town) and established a double monastery for women and men in Kildare around 480 A.D. Her feast day marks the traditional beginning of Spring in Ireland according to the Celtic calendar. 1st February was originally celebrated as a pagan festival called Imbolc. There will also be a prize for the best dressed St Brigid! And the festivities don’t end there – come along to an evening of poetry and storytelling on Thursday, February 6 at O’Brien’s of Emily Square. What promises to be a wonderful event will feature Siobhan McMahon, Sean Clancy, Liam Regan, Stiofán Cullen and Michelle Quirke, from 7.30pm. Meanwhile, preparations are also underway in Athy to celebrate another famed patron saint on March 17. St Patrick’s Day is always a highlight of Athy’s calendar, with thousands of people lining the streets every year to watch local groups and clubs, vehicles and floats march through the town. Athy Town Promoters has revealed that the theme for this year’s parade is ‘Pulling Together’, so get your thinking caps on! The proposed plan includes the conversion of four semi-detached day Houses into two detached Day Houses including space for Mobile Home parking, and the provision of five group houses, with one three-bed unit suitable for five people and four five-bed, age-friendly units suitable for nine people, and the demolition of the existing caretaker unit and construction of a new caretaker unit onsite. The proposed caretaker unit is being designed for possible repurpose in the future into an accessible house for older people. Areas of concern have been included in the planning, including anti-social behaviour, density of housing and location. Local councillors were given this information in the chief executive’s Part 8 report at the latest Athy Municipal District meeting. Cllr Vera-Louise Behan raised local concerns around the council’s response time to anti-social behaviour.  “It’s one concern over everything that we come across.”  She noted that improved reaction time by the council would be a “comfort for residents”.  One significant problem that was integrated into the planning was the issue of things being thrown over the wall of the halting site. Developers are proposing to build a 2.4 metre boundary wall to address this issue. For concerns related to density of housing and location, the council has proposed building a road and a green buffer area to separate the group houses and Ardew Meadows estate. The works are scheduled to begin by the end of this year and will be done in phases with full completion by early 2026. Cathaoirleach Aoife Breslin expressed her gratitude for the plan.  “Thank you for your work on it. Athy will really notice the difference.” The site adjacent to the River Barrow has potential for “significant mixed-use development” say Savills, who are handling the sale. The guide price on the land is €2,000,000. The land has two zonings, 2.61 acres zoned for ‘town centre’ which can be developed on and 5.39 acres for ‘open space’ which aims to ‘protect and provide for open space amenity and recreation’. The auctioneer says the entire site can be potentially re-designated as ‘town centre’. The auctioneer said the site is currently undeveloped apart from a marina feature at the centre of the site, which was developed as part of an earlier development strategy for the site. The marina in its current form is used by local angling clubs on an ongoing basis. An existing building, The Abbey, was demolished in recent years, on health and safety grounds. The Heritage Boat Association trip, from Vicarstown to Athy on Saturday Photo: Susan Laverty The boats plan to move down the river to Carlow on Saturday, April 12, marking a symbolic return to the River Barrow. This special visit by the Heritage Boat Association (HBA) brings sixteen beautifully restored vessels back to the river which was once at the heart of Ireland’s and Carlow’s commercial life, carrying goods like Guinness, beet, coal and flour between rural towns in the county and major ports. The arrival of the flotilla offers a rare opportunity for locals and visitors to view these historic boats up close.  While the public could not board the vessels, everyone was encouraged to stroll along the riverbank, take photos, chat with the crews and enjoy this living link to the Barrow’s industrial heritage. Many of the boats in the fleet were originally built to work on rivers like the Barrow during the early and mid-20th century. Among them is Dabu, a horse-drawn boat built in 1878, and 4B, constructed in 1912 – the same year as the Titanic. Others, like the 31M were among the first motorised canal boats. The fleet also includes two WWII-era vessels, adding to the rich historical tapestry on display. The boats began their journey from the River Shannon last September, travelling via the Grand Canal and spending winter in Naas before continuing through Robertstown, Rathangan, Monasterevin, and Vicarstown. After a week in Athy, they are now bound for Carlow where they will stay until April 18 before continuing on. The River Barrow, once a key artery for trade, now offers a scenic backdrop for visitors to experience the enduring legacy of Ireland’s inland waterways.  Don’t miss this rare chance to see history in action. This special concert put on by the County Kildare Orchestra is set to dazzle audiences and is in aid of The Lions Club, a cherished local charity dedicated to supporting vital community initiatives. Conducted by the esteemed Lorcan Daly, the 70-member orchestra promises an unforgettable musical experience, combining the grandeur of Williams’ cinematic masterpieces with Holst’s powerful orchestral suite, The Planets. Patrons will be treated to an extraordinary afternoon of music that transports them from the sweeping galaxies of Star Wars to the majestic movements inspired by our own solar system. Doors open at 4 PM, with the concert commencing at 5 PM. Guests can enjoy a full prosecco and cocktail bar before the performance, adding to the sophisticated atmosphere of the event. The Dreamland Ballroom, a historic venue renowned for its elegant charm, provides the perfect setting for this extraordinary musical showcase. Tickets are priced between €12.50 and €25, making this an accessible cultural experience for everyone. Proceeds will support the Lions Club of Athy, ensuring that the event contributes to meaningful work within the community. Don’t miss this extraordinary event blending cinematic classics and timeless orchestral masterpieces. For tickets and more information, visit Eventbrite. Leinster PPS 2024-2025 - Senior Football 'A' / Br It was a convincing victory for Ardscoil Na Tríonóide when they took on Moate CS in Kinnegad The Kildare school dominated the ball and the scoreboard throughout with Moate having no answer beyond their first half efforts who  accounted for 0-4 of his side's 0-12 tally The win means the Athy school reach the Br Bosco cup final for the first in their history ARDSCOIL NA TRÍONÓIDE: Oisín Groarke; Daniel Henry Subs: Harry Grainger for Evan Doogue (52 minutes) Roán Brennan for James Donnelly (60 minutes) Subs: Dara Deegan for Jack Daly (33 minute) Eoin McCormack for Brian Doyle (43 minutes) Cody Parker for Darragh Delaney (52 minutes) Anthony King Carroll for Tadhg Heavin (56 minutes) His lorries and machinery have been a regular sight on roads for the past while now – but Meaney Plant Hire will take another significant step forward next Friday with the official opening of its own hire depot in Athy There is 20% off everything in store all day and a barbeque on site from 4pm Meaney Plant Hire covers all your tool and plant hire needs and the depot has a fully stocked shop with a variety of products for sale Everything is catered for – from all aspects of haulage to garden and lawn equipment hire with a range of equipment available to do whatever job you need You can check out a sample of Meaney Plant Hire offerings below SEE ALSO – You can check out the Meaney Plant Hire website here The body was found at 11am on April 24, and the property was quickly sealed off as forensic officers conducted a detailed examination of the scene. In a statement, Gardaí confirmed they are "investigating all of the circumstances" surrounding the man’s death. The deceased has since been removed from the scene, and the local coroner has been notified. A post-mortem examination is due to be carried out by the Office of the State Pathologist. Gardaí say the outcome of the examination will help determine the next steps in their investigation. The house remains under Garda seal as technical and forensic examinations continue. Local Gardaí are appealing to anyone who may have information to come forward. They can contact Athy Garda Station on 059 8634210 or the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111. No further details have been released at this time. Lisa Owens (25) with an address at Moat View, Kilmead, Athy was in Athy District Court to plead to a single count of dangerous driving on 21 February 2024 on the Athy Distributor Road, as it is formally called. The sergeant was assisting the county council with the removal of an illegal caravan on the day in question. “Ms Owens got into the car; she was signalled to stop, failed to do so, hit me and drove at speed back towards the caravan,” said the sergeant. “She continued revving in front of me,” he testified. “And are you fully recovered now?” enquired Judge Desmond Zaidan. “I still have to go back to have an operation to remove some damage to my cartilage,” confirmed the sergeant. However, defending barrister Patsy Glennon took a novel tack at defending his client. “She was in a coercive relationship and was at the receiving end of some horrific treatment,” he told the court. “She was tied to a tree by her partner and horsewhipped, but he did serve time for this,” said Mr Glennon. “My client has a video of the incident which I want you to watch, and I’ll be pleading for a reduction to Section 52 (careless driving),” he added. “I can’t make any promises, if I believe in the law and the facts match dangerous driving, I’ll convict,” said the judge. “The defendant has the video, but this is the first showing,” said Mr Glennon. “How do I know this hasn’t been edited or doctored? And anyway, there’s been a guilty plea, it’s no longer an allegation. Your client is in danger of a prison sentence, so I want that video to be forwarded to the sergeant over lunchtime,” said the judge. “The video is not 100 per cent helpful to my client,” said the barrister. “She has admitted the offence, so I wish her well,” said the judge, before remanding Ms Owens on continuing bail until 8 July for sentencing. Pictured outside Fifty Seven Boutique L-R Jenny Miller , Roger Anderson, Nassau Greene, Keith Merdith, Frankie Laide, Ron Frazer, Ollie Bourke, Dave (black) Hendy, Tony Miller, Mary Miller, Richard Greene, Front Row: Ernie Stacey, John Miller, Paddy Conway, Alf Frazer. Towns Cup fever is heating up this week in Athy town ahead of this Sundays Bank of Ireland Provincial Towns Cup Final Next Sunday Athy will line out on Towns Cup final day for the first time in 30 years and looking for their first title in 41 years A display in the window of Fifty Seven Boutique in AthyAthy RFC have had little success in recent years in the Towns Cup competition but this week the club were reminiscing of a very successful era The last time Athy brought the Towns Cup home to the showgrounds was in 1984 they did that 3 times in the preceding years members of that team were invited back to Leinster Street by Mary & Jenny Miller of Fifty Seven Boutique and Emma O'Brien of Clancys Bar to celebrate the clubs latest appearance on Towns Cup final day The Health Service Executive’s Capital Plan for 2025 includes direct investment of €2.4 million for St Vincent’s Athy, €3.4 million for Naas General Hospital, €250,000 for Kildare Town, €700,000 to progress Kilmeague Health Centre and €110,000 for Monasterevin. Kildare funding in the capital programmeWelcoming the announcement, Minister Martin Heydon said: “Investment in our health service is essential, and today’s announcement, including in St Vincent’s Athy, Naas General Hospital, Tus Nua Kildare Town, and the renovation of an existing building in Monasterevin to provide services for older people, is a strong demonstration of this Government’s commitment to delivering high-quality, accessible healthcare in our communities." Minister Martin Heydon and cllr Ivan Keatley at St Vincent's HospitalHe added: “Plans are in progress for a 92-bed replacement of a community nursing unit at St. Vincent's Hospital in Athy and this funding of €2.4m will bring further progress on this project as well as allowing an upgrade of fire safety measures at the hospital. “Ongoing projects at Naas General Hospital will benefit such as a new 50 bed mental health unit, a new mortuary, an improved Emergency Department admissions and discharge lounge and the refurbishment of existing HSE accommodation at St. Marys will all allow for further capacity at Naas general hospital. “This significant investment in high-quality, accessible healthcare across Co. Kildare from Naas General hospital to St Vincents Athy and projects in communities from Monasterevin to Kilmeague and Kildare town, will help bring healthcare services closer to home and better meet the needs of patients and families across Co. Kildare,” concluded Minister Heydon. Its population had not seen any significant change in over 100 years, and it persistently stood in the mid-4,000s. Today, that figure has increased to almost 11,000 as more and more people move out of Dublin, aware of the availability of less costly housing in south Kildare. They bring with them a change of attitude to how the town is viewed. In the past, the natives of Athy and other ‘blow-ins’ of pre 1960 had no understanding or appreciation of the town’s history or heritage. Athy was never referred to as a heritage town or historic town for the simple reason that we did not have an understanding of it. Having gone through the education system at both primary and secondary levels in the local CBS School, I knew little or nothing of the town’s history. Even though I passed White’s Castle at least four times every day while attending school in St John’s Lane, I was not aware of the significant part it played in the Confederate wars of the 1640s. I learned of the Great Famine and the sad times in west Cork and Mayo during the 1840s but not of the effect that the famine had on the people of the Poor Law Union of Athy and the deaths in Athy’s workhouse. Irish history finished in 1916 so as far as the Irish education system was concerned but even this did not extend to learning about the 1798 rebellion in our home town. Knowledge of the six local men who marched out of White’s Castle and were hanged at the Grand Canal basin was lost to memory. Maybe the beheading of two of these six young men and the subsequent display of their severed heads on Crom a Boo bridge, which we pass over every day in 2025, was the reason the events of ’98 were lost in time. We have revived our local history in recent years and honoured the dead of the Rebellion in ’98 with a monument in Emily Square, which was officially unveiled in 2010. The workhouse inmates who died during the famine and whose bodies were committed to St Mary’s Cemetery to be buried in unmarked graves are remembered on the National Famine Commemoration Day in a ceremony in St Mary’s. We have recovered our history, and the recovery is marked by the number of people who are on Facebook and other social media platforms showing their pride in the historic Town of Athy. I get the feeling that most of these people are new additions to the town who appreciate the historical background rather more than the town natives. For too many decades, Athy families were haunted by the deaths of local men who died during World War 1 and the shameful disregard for those men who returned from the bloodied fields of France and Flanders. This was an unrecognised part of Irish history and it was only with the holding of the first Remembrance Sunday events in St Michael’s Cemetery about thirty years ago that a gradual acceptance of that part of our local history was noted. Not only do we now have a bigger attendance at our annual remembrance ceremony but St Michael’s cemetery has one of the finest and World War 1 memorials remembering the Athy men and woman who died in the war. Times have changed, not only in terms of our knowledge and understanding of what was once a lost history but also the forms of the cultural heritage of the town. Not only is Athy referred to as a historic town, but the term heritage town is often commonly used when it emerged that Athy was granted heritage status by Bord Failte in the late 1990s. It brought to play various elements of Athy’s heritage and made us realise the importance of the cultural heritage which for so long was generated and protected by community effort. Who can doubt the enormous cultural heritage of song, dance and drama which was created by the musical and dramatic society in the 1940s, the Social Club players and subsequent drama societies, the local bands nurtured by Joe O’Neill and his colleagues of St Joseph’s Terrace. The first, band I have noted was that of the CYMS (Catholic Young Men's Society) in the 1890s, while the Churchtown Pipe Band helped create a lasting musical heritage. The built heritage of the town represented by White’s Castle, Woodstock Castle, The Town Hall, The Courthouse and many other buildings gives us a sense of antiquity which was not always appreciated in the absence of the history behind these buildings. Those prize buildings were largely ignored to a shameful extent that in the 1950s when stone was taken from Woodstock Castle in order to help restore other buildings in Nelson Street. We have now come to realise the importance of the different strands of our heritage and in many ways I feel we may have to look to the new arrivals to Athy to thank them for our changing attitudes to Athy’s heritage and history. Please remember the official opening of Denise Curtin’s exhibition ‘Ó Mhná by the Athy novelist Niamh Boyce in the Art House, Leinster Street on Saturday 26 April. Cllr Brian Dooley with then Minister of State at the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Niall Collins at the old Scoil Padraig last year An additional €709,314 has also been allocated to tailor a “bespoke training programme, focused on low-carbon, circular economy practices being delivered to those with limited employment opportunities”, according to local TD and Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon. It is to be sited on the derelict former CBS site on St John’s Lane, however it could take up to 12 months to have the full refurb of the old building re-purposed. “Jacqui Mc Nabb (Kildare LEO) is taking the lead on the process, and she’d hope to get it started in Q2 this year,” said Cllr Brian Dooley. "It’s going to be known as Regen Tech and will be a Hub for the whole south east,” he said. “One of its first tasks will be paint recycling,” he said. “All unused paint cans dropped of a civic recycling centres across the region will be brought here fo re-distribution,” said Cllr Dooley. Kildare County Council made the award of €998,802 under the Department of Rural and Community Development's Community Recognition Fund to revitalize the former CBS into a state-of-the-art Centre for Circular Economy and Regenerative Business Activity. “This development is expected to foster sustainable business practices, local economic resilience, and create new opportunities for employment and training within the community” according to cllr Mark Leigh, one of many local representatives to welcome the news. The project aims to support local businesses in transitioning to a circular economy. “The project will transform the historic site into a hub for regenerative business activities by providing support and skills development for businesses committed to sustainability and circular economy principles,” he added. The centre will also play a key role in providing skills-based training in areas such as recycling, repair, and waste reduction, while generating income through the sale of recycled goods. The venue will offer affordable rental space to local businesses, including Social Enterprise initiatives that aim to tackle social and economic inequalities. The facility will cater to a wide range of local enterprises, including projects like Blueway bike maintenance and repair, alongside creating opportunities for shared training spaces and research into new sustainable technologies. Jacqui McNabb, head of enterprise, economic development and tourism for Kildare County Council, expressed her delight at the funding award. “Small-to-medium enterprises and local community organisations are the lifeblood of our county, creating jobs, diversifying the economy, and fostering innovation,” she said. “This funding will not only help us respond to Ireland’s shift to a low-carbon economy but will also deliver significant economic and social benefits at the local level.”  The centre will operate as a social enterprise, creating local employment opportunities and supporting the management and operation of the facility, as well as the delivery of training programs tailored to meet the needs of the community. Site rubbish has already been cleaned away earlier this week in preparation for this. “This is some great news today,” said Cllr Mark Leigh, “and this is great to see the funding allocated and delighted to be a Director with Innovate Kildare,” he added. ““Ireland’s EU Just Transition Fund programme is targeted at the wider Midlands region as it transitions away from peat extraction for energy use, and the selected projects in Kildare will aid these communities, and the country, on a path to a lower carbon-future,” said Minister Heydon. “The Kildare projects approved for funding today, will see significant benefits delivered to the region, and this funding will allow people to be trained in the jobs of the future in Athy,” he said. “Great news for Athy with the allocation of €998,552 to refurbish the vacant secondary school building to become a regenerative economic hub,” said Senator Fiona O’Loughlin. Lindsay with her parents Ned and Margaret Martin Comhaltas Atha I and Lindsay Fenlon Martin Photos: Aisling HylandLindsay Martin-Fenlon - “I’m still trying to keep my maiden name!” – was invited by the Lord Mayor Emma Blain to launch the book ‘Melting Moments’ to help parents deal with the difficult path of explaining the condition of elderly loved ones to the younger generation. Ms Martin-Fenlon is a chartered Physiotherapist from Tankardstown who works in private practise at the Droimnín Nursing Home in Stradbally where she has seen first hand the difficulty the progressive disease for which there is still no known cure. Lindsay Martin Fenlon and her family, Niall, Tom, Ned, Annie, Sadie and Maisie“Because of working in the nursing home and seeing the challenges of dementia I did my Masters in dementia treatment during Covid,” she said. “I have five young children, and when I was doing all the studying at home they were asking me hundreds of questions, even though we haven’t any experience of dementia, and I got the idea for the book because there must be loads of children out there who have,” she said. Irene Hartigan (UCC). Mike Hanrahan, Fiona Foley ( National Dementia), Helen Rochford Brennan (Demntia Ambassador), Kim Tully (Engaging Dementia), Michelle Kelly (National College of Ireland), Carmen Elise Pocknell (Researcher UCC), Ana Terres (HSE Research), Matthew Gibb(DSIDC), Lindsay Fenlon Martin and Carmel Geoghegan( Dementia Ireland)“The first edition in English was actually launched in September, and it even made the Irish Times Best Sellers List. “All the profits go to Dementia Ireland who took it out to international conferences where lots of people were interested and looking for a translation, so now, after this, I think I can take it to other countries in other languages. There has been interest from Norway, France, Germany, but because it is in a rhyming format we have to get it specially translated to maintain this. “I chose Irish because so many dementia suffers can tend to revert to their first language, and in in Ireland that’s what it is. Eoin McDiarmada from TG4 did this translation because I only have the ‘cúpla focail’ and he was fabulous. The money raised from this will help fund the specialised translations, and it’s going pretty well so far. “We’re getting great support on Facebook and I’ve got lovely messages from [Minister] Dara Colleary and Daniel O’Donnell. “I’ve had great feedback, so I’m hoping it will be a success. Where better to start with explaining dementia but at the start with children". Tom Whelehan has been serving the people of Athy and beyond for the last 40 years Tom established his auto electrical repair business on the Carlow road the same year the Live Aid concert took place at Wembley Stadium, hosted and organised by Bob Geldof, himself a recent visitor to the parish.  Tom has always provided an excellent and courteous service to his many customers and even found the time to be captain and president of Athy Golf club over the years. Best wishes Tom! On the morning of 25 April 1915, men of the 1st Battalion of the Royal Dublin Fusiliers (RDF) rowed ashore, from the converted coal ship The River Clyde. Moses's Doyle inscription on the Menin Gate in Ieper, Belgium Last November, I met a great, great-grandson of Moses Doyle at the general election count in Punchestown. Fionn Brophy and his mother, Deirdre, were part of the tally team for Deputy Mark Wall. A remarkable young man, at just 11 years of age, Fionn tallied every single count over the long two days. His great great-great-grandfather would have been very proud of him. Moses, no 5492, died one hundred and ten years ago on 24 April 1915 and is remembered with honour on the Menin Gate in Ieper, Belgium. The following poem will form part of a collection to be published later this year. A local legend who recently reached the grand old age of 100 years will lead Athy’s St Patrick’s Day parade through the town on March 17th Athy Town Promoters has revealed the esteemed Grand Marshalls for the highly anticipated 2025 parade including Betty O’Donnell who for years ran The Gem on Duke Street in Athy and celebrated her centenary last August Betty has spent most of her life in Athy having first arrived there several years before the end of World War II to take over a business with her late husband Jimmy stationery and book shop which several generations will remember fondly Betty celebrated her centenary on the 29th August 2024 receiving a letter from President of Ireland Michael D In his ‘Eye on the Past’ column in the Kildare Nationalist, local historian Frank Taaffe recounted: ‘Always good natured Betty managed over the decades to involve herself in the social and community life of the town Elected Lady Captain and later Lady President of Athy Golf Club she managed both honorary positions with distinction.’ Both are part of the living lore of a community which treasures not only those native to Athy but the many who like Betty and myself came as strangers to live in the South Kildare town’ the Ardscoil na Tríonóide senior team will also serve as Grand Marshals for this year’s parade The Athy school’s Senior Football Team had a historic run in the Brother Bosco Cup (Leinster Senior A Football Competition) this year The team have quality all over the field from a tight strong defence to a quick and versatile attack This same team won the South Leinster A Football Final in 2023 and were Leinster A Junior finalists that year.   This year’s Championship started in the group stage where they opened with a draw against Knockbeg and beat Marist in the second match thanks to goals by Darragh Farrell they blew away Ashbourne CS on a score line of 7-16 to 0-1 This meant the team topped the group on 5 points and had a home round of 16 match.   they beat Ardee CS on a score line of 5-12 to 3-9 through goals by Harry Grainger This set up a Kildare derby in the quarter final against Naas CBS who had won five of the last six titles including winning the cup the last three years It brought the best out of Ardscoil na Tríonóide and they were always in charge as they won the match 0-13 to 1-3 In the semi-final they played Moate CS and put in a commanding performance to win the match 0-12 to 0-4 Ardscoil na Tríonóide reached the Brother Bosco Cup Final for the first time ever in the school’s history Ardscoil na Tríonóide played Coláiste Mhuire Mullingar in the final in Glenisk O’Connor Park in Tullamore on Saturday the 8th of February The match went to extra time where the team lost 3-10 to 1-13 it has been a historical year for the team and the school for reaching this prestigious final.  There are seven clubs represented on this school team Ardscoil na Tríonóide Panel: Oisín Groarke Management team: Michael Healy and Tom Nolan.   Organised by Athy Town Promoters this year's St Patrick’s Day festivities will take place throughout the town on Monday 17th March at 3pm The theme for 2025 is 'Pulling Together,' celebrating unity and community spirit Clubs, community groups, charities, sporting groups, tourism organisations, schools, businesses or even groups of friends with an idea for a float are urged to book their spot. Contact Patricia Berry on 086 8470232 or pberry@kildarecoco.ie or any member of Athy Town Promoters.This exciting event is free and supported by Athy Municipal District local property tax (LPT) funding. Cllr Brian Dooley tabled a motion calling for the installation of Smart Crosswalks in Athy, which are designed to improve safety on crossings. The motion specifically highlighted the need for improved pedestrian infrastructure at the Railway Station, the back square leading to the Shackleton Museum, Leinster Street, and Woodstock Street — all areas known for heavy foot traffic and busy roads. However, in a report issued in response to the motion senior engineer for sustainable transport and traffic management, Donal Hodgins, stated that there are currently no resources available to fund the provision of pedestrian crossings in the county. “The request has been added to a list of similar requests that shall be examined if resources become available,” the report noted. It also stressed that any proposed crossing infrastructure must comply with existing Irish regulations and guidelines. Despite the council’s response, cllr Dooley remained optimistic about this potential and “fantastic” infrastructure.  He added: “If we could get costing and carry out a pilot scheme to see how much these would cost. Let’s be the first movers on this." Darkness Into Light Athy with a cheque for the money raised at last year's walk Photos: Aisling Hyland Mark Leigh, Richard Daly, Mark Wall TD, Jack L and cathaoirleach Aoife Breslin at the launchFondly remembered on the night was Athy local Diarmuid Flynn, who sadly passed away in January, with a few words said by everyone in his honour. The launch of this year’s event took place at Athy College and it brought together community stalwarts and organisations, including Pieta House’s Sinead Wells and Sinead Nolan, ONE, Order of Malta, the Civil Defense, An Garda Síochána, Mark Wall TD, singer Jack L and the Darkness Into Light committee and volunteers. Garda Sean O'Mahoney, Jack L and Insp Laura DragoiAlso there on the night were the event’s biggest supporters, Honey Bee and Tilly Daly. The Darkness Into Light committee was presented with a cheque for €11,404.33, which was the amount raised at last year’s walk in Athy, showing the level of community support the event has enjoyed. Cathaoirleach Aoife Breslin said a few words on the night to mark the event and Athy’s decade-long commitment to such an important cause. Darkness Into Light ambassador Jack L performing at the launch of this year's walkAthy’s own Jack L was announced as this year’s Darkness Into Light ambassador, and he ended the night with two songs for those in attendance, including a wonderful performance of Sun God/Sun Goddess. The date for this year’s walk was announced as 10 May, starting from Athy College, and all are welcome to join. Registration is available online.