1) 0ms,border-color 250ms cubic-bezier(0.4 1) 0ms;transition:background-color 250ms cubic-bezier(0.4 1) 0ms;color:#1976d2;padding:0px;min-width:0;}.css-1sgza6o:hover{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;background-color:rgba(25 0.04);}@media (hover: none){.css-1sgza6o:hover{background-color:transparent;}}.css-1sgza6o.Mui-disabled{color:rgba(0 1) 0ms;color:#1976d2;padding:0px;min-width:0;}.css-w5p45x::-moz-focus-inner{border-style:none;}.css-w5p45x.Mui-disabled{pointer-events:none;cursor:default;}@media print{.css-w5p45x{-webkit-print-color-adjust:exact;color-adjust:exact;}}.css-w5p45x:hover{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;background-color:rgba(25 0.04);}@media (hover: none){.css-w5p45x:hover{background-color:transparent;}}.css-w5p45x.Mui-disabled{color:rgba(0 0.26);}PrintShareSaveThe death has occurred of He will be dearly missed by his beloved wife and best friend June He will forever be in the hearts of his beloved grandsons Harry Bronwyn and Emily; his great friend and son-in-law Joanna.He will be missed greatly by his extended family and his wonderful circle of loyal friends Funeral Mass and a celebration of Tom's life will be held at St. Patrick’s Church , Kilquade , Co Wicklow this Wednesday , March 12th at 11.00am which can also be viewed on https://www.youtube.com/live/9kZuIu53Z-8?feature=share followed by Cremation Service in McCrea’s Cremation Chapel Wicklow Town (A67E003) at 12.45 pm for all those who wish to attend For those unable to attend the Service can be viewed by clicking on McCrea's Cremation Chapel (viewing at time of service only) https://olh.ie/personal-donation/ To leave messages of condolence for the family, please use the link below. Enquiries to McCrea's Funeral Home, Marine Terrace , Greystones 01 - 6675244. Funeral Service.css-h76uj{display:inherit;margin-right:-4px;margin-left:8px;}Cremation / BurialDate 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 Arboretum, a Doyle family-owned garden centre brand founded in Co Carlow, will commence work on a €4 million expansion of its Kilquade, Co Wicklow, outlet and lifestyle centre in the coming weeks that its co-owner said will “future-proof” the business for years to come. Once completed in spring 2024, the 2,390sq m (25,726sq ft) garden centre will span six acres, incorporating a food hall, a fashion section and an expanded health and wellness department. The new garden centre will also, for the first time on the Kilquade site, stock Arboretum’s indoor plant range. The existing garden centre will remain open for business throughout the works, which are due to commence on August 14th, “albeit with a pared back offering”, the company said in a statement, with a temporary structure housing a cafe and a range of plants. It comes just two months after the group – which has its flagship store in Leighlinbridge, Co Carlow – partnered with Chapters Bookstore on Parnell Street in Dublin to open its new urban green garden centre aimed at city gardeners. Fergal Doyle, co-owner and chief commercial officer at Arboretum, said the expansion of the Kilquade garden centre was “always part of the dream” after acquiring the site in 2015. “We knew there were legacy issues with the site,” said Mr Doyle, who co-owns the group with his brother, chief executive Barry Doyle. “So we had to kind of smooth them over and win over people in the area, particularly Wicklow County Council. They had to see that the people who were operating the site weren’t messers.” Mr Doyle, whose mother Rachel Doyle founded the business from her back garden in 1977 and is a director in the business, said that Arboretum received planning permission for the expansion before the pandemic but that Covid had delayed the plans, which were then “put on ice”. The “silver lining” of delaying the project, he said, was that they have more certainty around the cost of construction than they did last year or during Covid, and that the Arboretum team had “more time to hone in a contractor”, international garden centre specialist Rabensteiner. “It’s important for us to future-proof the business and make it as sustainable as possible,” he said. Combined with the carbon capture associated with the plants that Arboretum sells, the new facility will effectively make the group carbon neutral, Mr Doyle said, incorporating a rainwater harvesting systems and solar panels. However, he said that more government supports should be available to businesses looking to build new, sustainable facilities. “The gripe I have is that if we’re doing a retrofit, for example, in our HQ in Carlow – which we are looking at – for it to become more sustainable, and we have costed that out, we could get into the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland’s [grant] programme. But there isn’t government support for new builds.” However, Mr Doyle said: “We’re in a fortunate position to be able to do what we want to do and, yes, downstream it will save us money, but we have to front-load capital expenditure to do that.” Ian Curran is a Business reporter with The Irish Times Facebook pageTwitter feed© 2025 The Irish Times DAC Taoiseach Simon Harris meets Evan Doyle at the official opening of the Arboretum Kilquade Arboretum; An Taoiseach Simon Harris; and Barry Doyle Co-owner and CEO officially opening the €4.5 million redeveloped Arboretum garden and retail centre at the National Garden Exhibition Centre Taoiseach Simon Harris visits 'The Elephant in the Room' a work of art by Lucy Doyle at the official opening of the Arboretum Kilquade Taoiseach Simon Harris and Caroline Davis of Purple House at the official opening of the Arboretum Kilquade Taoiseach Simon Harris and Breege Kilkenny at the official opening of the Arboretum Kilquade Rachel Doyle Bobby Kerr and Harpist Orla Fallon at the official opening of the Arboretum Kilquade Tom GalvinBray PeopleFri 26 Apr 2024 at 17:11Taoiseach Simon Harris oversaw the launch of the €4.5m revamp of the Arboretum Kilquade garden and retail centre the family-owned enterprise which has seen business flourish in the tiny hamlet of Kilquade The Taoiseach paid homage to the industry and entrepreneurial spirt of the Doyle family who started out as a small gardening business in their native Leighlinbridge to become a €14m turnover enterprise employing more than 200 people in three locations including a space for city centre gardeners on Parnell Street in Dublin Enter your email address below and click 'Sign Up' to receive the This is Wicklow newsletter direct to your inbox “This investment is going to transform the Arboretum,” the Wicklow Taoiseach said “I am so proud and impressed with the work done by the Doyle family and staff to get this across the line Businesses like these are at the heart of our communities in Wicklow “Standing here in this new and modern setting it’s incredible to think that this family-owned business has flourished for almost half a century no one could have foreseen how your business would grow to what we see today,” he continued “Years of hard work and commitment have resulted in a business that the Doyle family and the community can be very proud of One area that is relevant here in the Arboretum for the people of Wicklow and Ireland is the area of climate change and sustainability “The Doyle family has invested massively in heat pumps solar panels and a new rainwater harvesting system making this business the gold standard in green technology It is clear this establishment places sustainability at the heart of what they do “Most importantly the Arboretum plays an important role in delivering our ambition to make Irish grown plants the first choice of buyers at home and abroad Its focus on selling Irish grown trees and plants encourages your customers to recognise and value the Irish Horticulture sector here in Wicklow and across the country “As a TD for Wicklow I am very proud to be here as Taoiseach to open this redevelopment here in the Garden county and I know that it will continue to serve the community of Kilquade,” he added a state-of-the-art 2,400 metre squared garden and centre giving a total team of 200 people across the family business The investment has transformed the centre into a modern comfortable shopping and meeting space completely covered by a glass roof The facility now features indoor and outdoor plants and gardening equipment as well as health and wellness with Rachel’s Garden’ café offering visitors a place to dine The Doyle family also invested heavily in sustainable technology with a rainwater harvesting system to water plants and solar panel generated electricity for heat and light Arboretum co-owner and Chief Commercial Operator said he was honoured to have the Taoiseach reopen Arboretum Kilquade "Our investment here is a vote of confidence in our valued local community our dedicated team and our loyal customers Sincere thanks for their support during the redevelopment We are thrilled to share this state-of-the-art facility with them and look forward to welcoming 25 additional staff members in the coming weeks and months,” he said “Our investment also reflects people’s growing passion for gardening be it herbs on a windowsill or on a larger scale Our expanding customer base appreciates how gardening adds positively to biodiversity and sustainability as well as their own physical and mental health “A key goal of our investment is future proofing the facility with sustainable technology for generations to come Resource efficiency makes sense on a commercial level but it’s also part of the Arboretum ethos; we’re conscious of our responsibility to ‘put our money where our mouth is’ by investing in green technology,” continued Fergal remarked how the centre also aims to offer a completely immersive gardening experience to visitors "As well as an extensive range of outdoor plants our new expansive glass roofed facility will stock a wide array of indoor plants with 85pc of our stock coming from Irish growers,” he said "It also enables us to retail the full extent of our health and wellness But we offer more than a retail experience at Arboretum Kilquade – it’s a meeting point somewhere to socialise with family and friends while enjoying the exhibition gardens or some lunch in Rachel’s Garden café.” Arboretum Kilquade also incorporates the 17 individually designed gardens of the National Garden Exhibition Centre freely accessible for visitors to walk through and enjoy Local artist Lucy Doyle has designed a floral elephant sculpture titled ‘Fragility’ which is in situ at the entrance This was inspired by Brent Pope's Elephant in the Room project which aims to give people everywhere “permission to talk about their mental health openly” As Barry explained: “Gardening and green spaces can have a really positive effect on Various international studies have demonstrated that gardens prevent stress and contribute to stress reduction and stress regulation "We very much support what the ‘Elephant in the Room’ is trying to do and so it made total sense to us to team up with what is a wonderful initiative We hope that local people and visitors really enjoy our beautiful gardens – everyone is welcome to come and spend time in the gardens and nurture positive mental health.” LifestyleLove is taking to two wheels at Bike Week in WicklowBike Week is set to bring love to Wicklow town next week as a tandem singles cycle is among the features of a huge evening festival Building contractor Cascade Group has started on-site work the company has a proven track record in successfully delivering landmark bespoke residential and commercial projects across the country the Doyle’s commissioned international garden centre specialist Rabensteiner contractors to develop what will be their first garden centre in Ireland Based in Italy and Germany Rabensteiner is renowned for its innovative design and expertise in bringing environmental technology and sustainable solutions to their projects 25 construction jobs will be created during the redevelopment phase When finished the floor area of the new development and the current 17 exhibition gardens will span an impressive six acres When work is complete in Spring 2024 the entire retail space – including the garden centre fashion and gifting sections and food hall – will be roofed The popular restaurant will overlook the 17 beautiful exhibition gardens and accommodate over 100 diners Arboretum Kilquade will remain open throughout the entire refurbishment period albeit with a pared-back offering from a special temporary structure which will house a café Co-owner and Chief Commercial Officer at Arboretum said: “We’re delighted that work has got underway This investment will future proof the business for many years to come We’re very excited about the future of Kilquade Thanks to our customers and the local community for their support and bearing with us during construction works.” The redevelopment will incorporate sustainable technologies Rainwater will be harvested and used to water plants in the garden centre while solar panels will generate renewable electricity Arboretum said: “We are delighted that work has now commenced I am  excited at the prospect of working together with all our contractors to create a stylish destination for all our customers The number of Arboretum jobs at the new state-of-the-art facility will increase by 25 bringing the total national workforce to 195 CS Consulting is the engineering consultant and design team leads Conway McBeth is the quantity surveyor and Cascade Group is the main contractor Sustainability elements are managed by Keylon Engineering Design Ltd co-owner & CEO and Fergal Doyle co-owner & CCO Arboretum, the independent family-owned business operates two other garden and lifestyle centres; the flagship store in Leighlinbridge, Carlow and Urban Green, Parnell street, Dublin. The investment has transformed the garden and retail centre into a thoroughly modern, comfortable shopping and meeting space completely covered by a glass roof.  The Doyle family invested heavily in sustainable technology – with a rainwater harvesting system to water plants and solar panel generated electricity for heat and light - future proofing the facility for generations to come. Sweeping curves on the lawns and mature trees give a great backdrop for showcasing planting The head gardener’s house is to the left, with the main avenue planted with mature trees and green fields. The Georgian mansion stands proud and two sculptures of resting stags sit at the foot of the steps leading to the main door. The view from the house is of rolling fields with a kidney-shaped natural pond. Cleverly designed beds of shrubs are on either side of the house, but what lay behind is a marvel. The gardens surrounding Kilquade House are a horticultural marvel encompassing over 15 acres of lush greenery and meticulously designed landscapes. Each section offers a unique experience, blending formal and informal styles to create a harmonious whole, from manicured lawns to vibrant flower beds, which are at their best in high summer - even on a wet day! ABOVE: Sculpture surrounded by hosta and formal yew hedge in the walled garden at Kilquade House in WicklowThere are two walled in gardens, the main one is more formal in layout and was created and designed by garden consultant Martin Walsh and head gardener Dave Gillard. It has undergone a proper revamp in the last few years and has raised a bed with substantial herbaceous planting. The bed is about two metres high and can be seen from the other end of the walled garden. The tranquil water features and natural running stream meander through cleverly planted beds with Salix babylonica (Weeping Willow) and tree ferns (Dicksonia antarctica) forming part of the planting scheme, giving a very romantic feel throughout. The Hydrangea in particular in many different colours stole the show for me. They are enjoying this wet period and performing accordingly. As you walk, the eye is drawn and you wonder what lies beyond, and one is not disappointed to find a natural pond. Kilquade Gardens is a horticultural heaven that offers a sensory feast for garden lovers and a tranquil escape for the visitor. It is a meticulously designed landscape with diverse plant collections which makes it a destination worthwhile whether you have a passion for gardening or simply appreciate the beauty of nature. It will leave you inspired and rejuvenated even on a wet day! Hydrangea aspera, commonly known as the rough-leaved hydrangea, is a captivating flowering plant that belongs to the Hydrangeaceae family. Native to parts of east Asia, particularly China, Japan, and Korea, it has garnered popularity among garden enthusiasts and horticulturists worldwide. The defining characteristic of Hydrangea aspera lies in its unique rough-textured leaves, which set it apart from other hydrangea species. These are elliptical, serrated, and emit an appealing earthy fragrance when gently rubbed between one’s fingers. Additionally, the plant showcases large, intricate flower clusters that bloom in the late spring and summer months. These blossoms come in a delightful palette of colours, ranging from pale blue and lavender to vibrant pink, adding a touch of elegance to any landscape or garden. As a deciduous shrub, Hydrangea aspera (inset below) typically thrives in well-drained soil and prefers partial shade to dappled sunlight, making it an ideal choice for gardens with varying light conditions. Its adaptability and low-maintenance requirements make it a favoured choice for both amateur and seasoned gardeners. Hydrangea asperaBeyond its ornamental value, Hydrangea aspera has also been used in traditional Asian medicine for its potential therapeutic properties. Some studies suggest certain compounds in the plant may possess anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. An elegant compact Hydrangea aspera ‘Anthony Bullivant’ is more suitable than the species for small gardens. Sign up to receive our weekly newsletter to be in with a chance to win prizes and see what's coming up in The Echo © Examiner Echo Group Limited, Linn Dubh, Assumption Road, Blackpool, Cork. Registered in Ireland: 523712. Add Echolive.ie to your home screen - easy access to Cork news, views, sport and more Originally the parochial house of the Catholic Church in the tiny village of Kilquade, it dates from about 1820, and sits on five acres of now meticulous gardens. It was last purchased in 2013 for €1.665 million, according to the Property Price Register. Since then it has been totally transformed after a team of designers and garden landscapers spent the guts of three years toiling to create more functional spaces. Craftsmen from all over Europe were brought in to renovate the house, according to Sherry FitzGerald. No expense has been spared within this impressive Georgian country house, and the result is impeccable in relation to detail, design and quality. Copper guttering and downpipes, tripled-glazed draught-free windows and solid-oak flooring are just some of the details within its 803sq m (8,643sq ft). This figure is split between the main house (390sq m/4,199sq ft) and a new courtyard coach house wing, which offers a further 413sq m (4,445sq ft) of floor space. It’s all very grand within the main house where a drawingroom and library flank the marble-floored reception hall. Both rooms have impressive fireplaces, the drawingroom has a bay window and the attention to detail in the library – with bespoke floor-to-ceiling under-lit oak library bookshelves – gives an indication as to the standard of interiors throughout. Connecting with the kitchen, conservatory and formal livingroom is an elegant diningroom, while also on this floor is a dual-aspect guest bedroom suite. Five further bedrooms lie upstairs, and the principal, as you would expect, is sumptuous with an oak-panelled dressingroom, well-appointed en suite and even its own office, should you need to check emails during morning ablutions. A key feature of the property is the newly built L-shaped coach house, constructed in a central courtyard. It is home to a gym, sauna, steam room and an underground 2,300-bottle wine cellar to store the finest tipples. There are also five bathrooms, a lounge and study, along with plant rooms and four double-bay garage doors – which can accommodate 14 cars. There’s even a pit in one of the bays should you need to inspect the underside of a vehicle. While this area has been developed as the current owner has a penchant for vehicles, for those with a love of equine pursuits, you can just switch from one horsepower to another, as the lands are perfect for equestrian interests. Just up the road from the National Garden Exhibition Centre and a short drive from the popular seaside town of Greystones, the elegant pile would suit a family with a penchant for sports. It is one of the few private houses in the country with a tennis court built to International Tennis Federation regulation size for competitions, and has a TigerTurf surface, like the courts found at Fitzwilliam Lawn Tennis Club in Ranelagh and the Queen’s Club in London. Gardens are a real feature of the property and have been extensively landscaped. Primarily executed by award-winning and internationally acclaimed landscaper David Stephens – who has won multiple gold medals at Chelsea and Hampton Court International Flower Shows – in addition to awards in Japan, South Africa and Australia. Further designs within the five acres are attributed to Irish designers Arthur Shackleton and Mary Reynolds. It’s really some property and the Ber of B1 tells you all you need to know about renovations, and the important bits you really can’t see. It will, according to Sherry FitzGerald, “be a period home with zero issues for the new buyer for decades to come” and is now on the market seeking €5.5 million. Elizabeth Birdthistle, a contributor to The Irish Times, writes about property, fine arts, antiques and collectables The interior cafe of KIlquade's Arboretum which will undergo a €4m makeover with the centre Tom GalvinBray PeopleWed 19 Jul 2023 at 03:00Wicklow’s award-winning garden centre is to begin work on a €4m makeover which it hopes will secure the business’s future for years to come With a completion date set for spring 2024 the 2,390sq m (25,726sq ft) garden centre will be spread across a total of six acres once work is finished a fashion section and an expanded health and wellness department And in what will be a first for the centre the Arboretum will also stock an indoor plant range The Arboretum was National Retailer Of The Year in 2021 and its flagship store is located in Leighlinbridge after the Doyle family first founded the business from their back garden in 1977 on the site of the National Garden Exhibition Centre and it proved hugely popular for visitors to both the garden centre and to its on-site food facility Permission for the huge expansion had been secured since before the pandemic The existing garden centre will remain open for business throughout the works This includes a temporary structure which will be used to house a cafe and a range of plants while works are ongoing co-owner and chief commercial officer at Arboretum said the expansion of the Kilquade garden centre was “always part of the dream” after acquiring the site in 2015 Joan Patricia Ryan (née Ashton) of Kilquade Wicklow passed away suddenly but peacefully on Saturday 18th May 2019 in the excellent care of Liz and Pat and their staff at Eyrefield Manor Nursing Home much loved mother of Aisling and Garreth and dear sister of Anne; Joan will also be greatly missed by her brother-in-law Pat Ben and Jamie and her young granddaughter Eliza Joan was a Past President of Greystones Art Group and was in the eyes of most people who came to know her a lovely lady.  She will be greatly missed by family and friends memorial mass or anniversary for a Loved One?You can now create a family notice on RIP.ie to remember your loved one Celine NaughtonFri 7 Jun 2024 at 06:00Siocháin The aptly named property Siocháin (Irish for ‘peace’) is located in a tranquil spot 300 metres from a sandy beach it was recently modernised with recessed lighting pale laminate wood flooring downstairs and contemporary bathroom fittings it’s got an open-plan kitchen/dining/living area three bedrooms (one en suite) and a family bathroom This 1930s era south Dublin bungalow was refurbished and extended in 2007 An architect-designed rear extension accommodates an open-plan living/dining area with wrap-around glass windows and doors This flows through to a kitchen with breakfast bar there’s a master bedroom with walk-in wardrobe and en suite bathroom Set on a quarter-acre site in a small enclave of one-off houses this 1983 property is well named due to its proximity to Druids Glen Golf Course — you can walk there in minutes with golf bag in tow Recent upgrades include a new boiler and bedrooms drylined and replastered four bedrooms (one en suite) and a family bathroom An added extra is a RoanKabin office unit in the back garden Agent: Sherry FitzGerald Brady O’Flaherty (01) 651 0000 insulated with solar panels and triple-glazing installed four double bedrooms (two en suite) and a family bathroom It’s a 20 minute drive to Maynooth and 45 minutes to Dublin City Join the Irish Independent WhatsApp channel March 29th 2024 peacefully at home surrounded by his devoted family Remembered with love by his children Lavinia sisters-in-law (especially Fran and Pauline) Reposing at his home on Sunday, March 31st 2024, from 3pm until 7pm. Funeral Mass to celebrate Noel’s life at 12noon on Monday, April 1st 2024, in St. Patrick’s Church. Kilquade, followed by Committal at 3.30pm approximately in The Garden Chapel, Mount Jerome Crematorium, which may be viewed live only on the following link https://www.mountjerome.ie/garden-chapel-service/ No flowers by request, donations in memory of Noel to Wicklow Hospice, Magheramore, http://www.wicklowhospice.ie Enquiries to Mark Kinsella Funeral Directors 01 2810360. Cremation / Burial.css-h76uj{display:inherit;margin-right:-4px;margin-left:8px;}Date Published: CondolencesDonate to CharityWould you like to mark a birthday with Murt Davis and the owner of Arboretum garden centre the annual golf outing held in Delgany Golf Club as a fundraiser for the local parish of Kilquade returns this year for any golfers interested in teeing up The event is sponsored by Arboretum Kilquade and this year’s competition takes place on Thursday on the spectacular Delgany parkland course Teams of four can play in one of two competitions; a morning 9-hole Scramble which tees off at 1.30pm to a shotgun start Team entry for the morning 9-hole competition is €120 with a light lunch served in the clubhouse afterwards Players in this competition will compete for the newly inaugurated Kilquade Plate with many additional team prizes presented Entry for the prestigious Kilquade Cup competition is €300 for a team of four players which also includes dinner and entertainment in Delgany Golf Club afterwards Up to a dozen separate team prizes are in the mix on the day Non-golfing guests are also invited to book for the dinner and social evening in Delgany Golf Club a Golden Ticket Raffle and an auction for fabulous prizes Individual tickets for the Kilquade Cup gala dinner are priced at €35.00 is encouraging local companies and groups to enter teams and to sponsor holes and prizes at the fundraising event He thanked Delgany Golf Club for generously giving over the course and club facilities for the longstanding parish fundraiser as well as parishioners who are buying raffle tickets and entering teams in the golf outing the renewal of the Kilquade Cup is a welcome opportunity for local golfers and businesses to help our parish meet the needs of the local communities The money raised will see improvement works in each of the parish churches including upgrading technology systems to make ceremonies more accessible to parishioners.” Barry Doyle of Arboretum garden centre said the family business has been warmly welcomed into the local community in the last eight years “We are grateful to our customers in the wider Kilquade area who support us and our sponsorship involvement in the Kilquade Cup since 2016 is just one way of thanking the local community” Golf club or society membership is preferred for Kilquade Cup participation Teams for the 9-hole or 18-hole competition an be booked now on: kilquadecup@gkpastoralarea.ie The parish office at Kilian House Family Centre in Greystones can be contacted about sponsorships or to attend the Kilquade Cup gala evening celebration in Delgany Golf Club on Thursday Dublin who passed away on Wednesday 20th March 2024 unexpectedly but peacefully at the Knockrobin Hill Care Home Loving and much loved mother of Karena and Grainne and adoring grandmother to Theodore Aidan Margaret will repose at the Flannery’s Funeral Home Wicklow Town on Tuesday morning for funeral Mass at 10am followed by burial in Rathnew Cemetery Margaret's funeral Mass can be viewed by clicking HERE Funeral Service.css-h76uj{display:inherit;margin-right:-4px;margin-left:8px;}Date Published: co-owner and CEO and Fergal Doyle co-owner and CCO The €4.5m redevelopment of Arboretum Kilquade will incorporate ‘gold standard’ green technology as the family-run business seeks to lead the way in sustainable garden and home retail The renovation began in August last year and the new 2,390 square metre state-of-the-art garden centre and retail facility is due to be unveiled later in spring Commenting on the need to ‘future-proof’ the business Chief Commercial Officer and co-owner with his brother Barry said: “A key aim for us is to future proof the facility incorporating sustainable technology wherever possible Resource efficiency and sustainability make sense on a commercial level but it’s also part of our ethos We are selling green and we also want to be as green as possible “We’re working with leaders in the sustainability space on this project – mechanical and electrical engineering consultancy Penston MEP and commercial energy efficiency delivery partners’ Vivid Edge – who have guided our efforts to incorporate gold standard alongside building contractor Cascade Group and international garden centre specialist Rabensteiner.” The new facility will feature 218 435W N-Type Solar Photovoltaic (PV) modules on the roof of the retail space and will generate some 90,000 kWhs per annum The system will offset Arboretum’s electrical grid imports by roughly 30pc each year The electricity generated is equivalent to the electricity consumed by approximately 22 homes annually or 594 homes over the lifetime of the modules the system will prevent 31 tonnes of carbon emissions being released each year and is the equivalent to planting approximately 1,400 trees renowned as a more sustainable means of generating heat will provide for the underfloor heating (space heating) and water heating requirements at Arboretum Kilquade The electrical consumption associated with the heat pump operation is in part delivered by the solar PV modules and incorporates a buffer vessel to optimise performance and minimise short cycling (i.e equipment switching off and on repeatedly) the buffer vessel will allow Arboretum to generate heat reserves during off peak periods when there is typically a surplus of green renewable wind energy available on the grid Heat pumps have superior performance characteristics compared to the conventional use of gas fired boilers Arboretum is proactively addressing emissions by removing gas and electrifying their heat LED lighting is also to be used throughout delivering impressive energy savings Compared with conventional lighting solutions the LEDs will deliver in the region of 60pc savings in energy and carbon reductions and lasts up to four times longer than that of conventional lighting The facility also features 350 m² double insulated high spec glass to maximise daylight and reduce the amount of artificial light needed This special glass doesn’t lose as much heat due to its superior insulation properties and the glazing also insulates against uncomfortable heat gain in the hotter summer periods Arboretum Kilquade will also incorporate a rainwater harvesting system Rainwater that falls on the new and existing buildings is collected and is stored in a series of 38,000 litre capacity tanks often referred to as ‘grey water’ is used for all plant irrigation needs as well as toilet flushing on site saving approximately 124,000 litres of water per year All insulating fibreglass used in the redevelopment on piping and ducting is made from recycled fibreglass Customers driving electric cars can also benefit from four electric charging points on site “We want Arboretum to be a standard bearer for sustainability “It’s really exciting to see it all coming together and we can’t wait for the big reveal to our customers in Spring 2024 We’d like to sincerely thank the local community our customers and staff for bearing with us and for all their support.” Patrick (Patsy) Phibbs of Kilquade & late of Lugnagun little peacefully at his home surrounded by his loving family Beloved husband of Gladys (née Gaffney) & the late Margaret Patsy will be laid to rest in Priest Newtown Cemetery All enquiries to Mark Kinsella Funeral Director Ph 087 2160740 31 Kilquade Hill extends to 4,965sq ft - almost five times the size of an average three-bed semi Celine NaughtonFri 22 Nov 2019 at 03:30When returning emigrants Noel and Tina Bambrick set about looking for a new home in Ireland in the late 1990s they had some very definite ideas about what boxes they wanted to tick Noel had gained invaluable experience during the 12 years the couple lived in the United States having decided it was time to put down roots and build the home of their dreams for themselves and their three young children the couple had plenty of ideas they wanted to put into practice Their first priority was to find somewhere with a country living feel they wanted a large plot for planting and space for the children to play They found what they were looking for in Co Wicklow where they bought a substantial site at Kilquade Hill Kilquade Hill is what estate agents refer to as a 'prestige address' Just around the corner from the National Garden Centre the 30-odd houses that line the road were built incrementally since the 1970s detached properties with substantial gardens Set on three-quarters of an acre of landscaped gardens six-reception family home extending over 4,965sq ft - that's almost five times the size of an average three-bed semi Electric gates open to a front driveway that sweeps right around the house and can accommodate several cars While it might look like a Florida-style dormer bungalow from the front with a double garage and two receptions at basement level The couple turned one of the rooms into a gym with a wine rack and understairs storage next to it The room next door became a kids' den once the children reached their teens "The boys used to bring their friends over and play music with local bands," recalls Tina "They could be banging drums and ramping up the electric guitars but we were oblivious to it all while we watched TV upstairs in the sitting room." sink and granite countertop like you'd find in a regular pub It's got wood-panelled walls and one feature stone wall with a wood-burning stove Having space to entertain family and friends was high on the couple's list and they created a flow between the rooms inside and the outdoor deck Accessed through double doors from one of the living rooms which features a marble fireplace and gas fire the wooden deck is screened by shrubs and trees with a stream flowing through a rockery into a small pond Beside that is a hot tub which the couple says comes into its own in winter "This is where we'd unwind on a cold Friday or Saturday night looking up at the stars with a glass of bubbly in our hands." the house is full of American features the pair incorporated into their plans Extra-height ceilings with recessed lights make the already spacious rooms look even bigger The entrance hall with its Portuguese limestone floor and recessed lights leads to a bright dual-aspect kitchen-diner with bespoke white units a six-ring gas hob and a large island with sink A dining table for eight sits comfortably next to arched windows to the front of the house and glass doors with a gravelled patio at the side a family room with an open fireplace leads on to a further reception the couple used as a home office Also on the ground floor are three double bedrooms Upstairs the master bedroom has an ensuite bathroom with his-and-hers sinks As well as a walk-in wardrobe and a further storage room off that it has a picture window overlooking a neighbouring field where sheep and cattle graze There are two further bedrooms on this level both ensuite and one with a walk-in wardrobe it comes with a remarkably modern BER energy rating of B2 Long before fuel efficiency became fashionable Noel knew a thing or two about keeping a house warm 'Why are you putting all that insulation into it?'," he says "But insulation was already a big thing in the States "Another idea we brought back with us was to put underfloor heating in the kitchen with hoses built into the walls to make cleaning floors easy." Tina adds: "We also added a screen door to the kitchen so that in summer you can throw open the glass doors and pull over the screen to prevent flies coming in Tina and Noel have decided it's time to downsize - but they're not moving far "We're empty nesters - we don't need six bedrooms anymore," says Tina we love this area and our neighbours are terrific so two years ago he built us a four-bedroom house on a site next door It's big enough for the family to come and stay but it's more compact and has a smaller garden that we can tend at our leisure." It's 6km from Greystones with its two beaches Whale Theatre and Dart link to the capital people who've done the cliff walk from Bray often reward themselves with a pint and a bite to eat at the Beach House There's a couple of fitness centres nearby but who needs one when you have your own gym and outdoor hot tub Fire crews from Bray and Greystones attended the scene of the crash on the N11 on Friday One person suffered minor injuries in a two-car collision in Kilquade Emergency services attended the scene of the incident which took place at the junction of Kilquade Hill Road and Woodstock Road on Monday Units from Greystones and Wicklow town fire stations responded to the road traffic collision which occurred at appropriately 9 a.m One person was taken to hospital with minor injuries by ambulance following the incident The road was closed for two hours while debris was removed from the scene there were no injuries following a separate collision on the N11 on the afternoon of Friday An Arctic truck and a car with three occupants were involved in a crash southbound between Junction 11/Greystones and Junction 12/Newtownmountkennedy of the N11 Damage was also caused to the central reservation of the N11 during the incident gardai and an ambulance crew attended the scene of the accident Southbound traffic was diverted via Junction 12/Newtownmountkennedy while emergency services responded to the road traffic incident The affected southbound section of the N11 re-opened at 3.30 p.m who accepted their prize from Barry Doyle from Arboretum Kilquade the competition sponsor Bray PeopleFri 19 Apr 2024 at 04:00Parish fundraising is to the fore ahead of the May bank holiday as the Kilquade Cup once again tees off in Delgany Golf Club on Thursday Entries are now open for the annual golf outing which is a longstanding fundraiser for the local parish teams of four can play in one of two competitions with more than twenty team prizes to be won on the day Entry for the Kilquade Cup competition is €300 for a team of four players which also includes dinner and entertainment in Delgany Golf Club afterwards from 7.30pm Team entry for the morning 9-hole competition is €120 for four players Players in this competition compete for the Kilquade Plate sponsored in memory of recently deceased Delgany member who was part of the competition organising committee Bookings can be made online at gkpastoralarea.ie/notices/kilquade-cup-2024 Non-golfing guests can attend the dinner and social evening which features music and entertainment and a Golden Ticket Raffle Individual tickets for the gala dinner cost €35 says he is looking forward to meeting parishioners at this first major fundraiser he will attend “I am looking forward to Kilquade Cup Day in Delgany which is a hotly-contested competition for local golfers,” he said “I would encourage golfers and businesses to support this parish fundraiser which contributes to improvement works in the parish churches Barry Doyle from sponsors Kilquade Arboretum said the family business is investing heavily in the redevelopment of an amazing new Garden and Home Centre in Kilquade and that supporting local community fundraising and parish life is a pleasure and our sponsorship involvement in the Kilquade Cup since 2016 is just one way of thanking the local community,” Barry Doyle said The parish office at Kilian House Family Centre in Greystones can also be contacted for team bookings Former president Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh was among the residents of a property located in what’s known as the ‘Russian Village’ Former President Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh lived at Caoindruim The house has five bedrooms with four en suite while the master also has a walk-in dressing room Celine NaughtonFri 3 Dec 2021 at 03:30Caoindruim Wicklow Asking price: €1.1m Agent: Sherry FitzGerald Greystones: (01) 287 4005 It’s a long way from the north Wicklow village of Kilquade to the north-western Russian city of Archangel but thanks to revolutionary leader and founder of the Soviet Union there is a direct connection between the two Had it not been for Lenin’s successful takeover during the Bolshevik Revolution of October 1917 Russian architect Bayan Giltsoff would never have come to Ireland and built an upmarket development in the Garden County which ever since has been known as The Russian Village Giltsoff was only 10 when his family fled their home in Archangel in the wake of the revolution and subsequent Russian Civil War They settled in London where Bayan discovered a talent as an artist and sculptor with engineering skills and began working in construction It was during the inter-war period in England that Giltsoff met his Irish wife who a few years earlier made history when she started work on the Dublin stock exchange in 1925 at the age of 22 becoming not only Ireland’s first female stockbroker but the first woman in the world to join a national exchange who raised his family in Dublin’s prestigious Shrewsbury Road Oonagh was immersed in the industry from an early age fee-paying schools was also no doubt to her advantage Yet it wasn’t all plain sailing for this trailblazer who still had a host of sexist attitudes to contend with in what was very much a patriarchal world “One of the disadvantages in those days was that women did not socialise with men in lounges of pubs When the men retired to Jury’s to relax after transacting business Oonagh continued to smash glass ceilings in a male-dominated profession was developing a signature ceiling style of his own one that featured not only glass (albeit leaded) He and Oonagh met when she went on a holiday to Hampshire to visit her sisters The pair married in 1933 and moved to Taunton In 1947 they moved to Ireland and bought a 30-acre site with an old labourer’s cottage in Kilquade Inspired by the architecture of country dacha cottages of his home country painting it black-and-white outside and transforming it with modern touches like electric lights and water supply but keeping the interiors traditional with exposed timber-beamed ceilings which described it at the time as “both a great home and a little palace” and said of Bayan “There is not a line of a curve in it that does not bear something of himself.” Spurred on by the positive response to his renovation in 1949 Bayan began to build similar cottages on the site for buyers who requested them Within three years there were 17 such properties forming an enclave that soon became known as The Russian Village From Russia with a love of the Garden County Bayan Giltsoff quickly became the go-to architect and builder among well-heeled locals seeking one-off homes with character one of the most famous residents of The Russian Village was Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh who was inaugurated as the fifth President of Ireland in December 1974 following the death of President Erskine Childers when President Ó Dálaigh referred two controversial Bills to the Supreme Court including the Criminal Law (Jurisdiction) Bill and the Emergency Powers Bill Defence Minister Patrick Donegan decried him as a “thundering disgrace.” When Taoiseach Liam Cosgrave did not discipline the minister for his remarks President Ó Dálaigh resigned from office “to protect the dignity and independence of the presidency as an institution.” Caoindruim has been a base for a couple of corporate executive owners and is as much sought after today as it was when first built some 70 years ago its name has since echoed in a newer neighbouring estate of 15 modern houses lining a street labelled ‘New Russian Village,’ despite having no direct link with Giltsoff the original enclave is now sometimes referred to as the ‘Old Russian Village’ to differentiate it from its young pretender Caoindruim is a sizable property of 3,318 sq ft surrounded by lawns and mature trees Inside it retains many of those prized trademark Giltsoffian features including a rustic stone fireplace surround diamond pattern leaded windows and latch doors To the right of the entrance hall is a dual-aspect family room to the front connected to an integrated carport kitchen/diner and a sitting room leading into a purpose-built wing with a double bedroom Upstairs are four more bedrooms (three en suite and the main also with a walk-in dressing room) and a family bathroom The Russian Village in Kilquade is a few minutes’ drive from popular amenities like Druids Glen Golf Resort It’s about an hour’s drive on the M50 to the city centre and airport Caoindruim is for sale at €1.1m with Sherry FitzGerald Greystones Fri 13 Jul 2018 at 03:30A choice of four cottages currently on the market in the popular county Wicklow The Old Russian Village in Kilquade is an enclave of houses designed by the Russian artist Bayan Giltsoff in the 1940s inspired by the vernacular architecture near his home city of Archangel include beamed ceilings and lead-paned windows although it needs a little modernising inside now It's 1,572 sq ft with three bedrooms - one on the ground floor and two upstairs The stairs rise from the living room on the ground floor where there's also a dining room and kitchen It's on a third of an acre of pretty lawned garden with a detached garage The Woodenbridge Hotel claims to be Ireland's oldest having been established as a coaching inn in 1608 The owners also inform us that Eamon De Valera spent his honeymoon there in 1910 you'll be able to find out with relative ease from Little Earth a sweet cottage on an elevated 1.73-acre site a couple of kilometres away This 592 sq ft mountain bolthole has had a recent refurbishment and consists of a living room with a stove The grounds also include a studio and a 409 sq ft workshop Woodview stands at the junction of two narrow country roads with long mountain views in almost every direction It's a traditional cottage that's been extended to 1,130 sq ft with a bright glass passageway connecting the old part to the new The main bedroom is downstairs and has patio doors It's on an acre of gardens at the end of which - at a suitable remove from the suction of domestic concerns - is a detached artist's studio measuring 270 sq ft The Barn is an easy walk from Ashford - about 1.5km from the village This means it's less than an hour's drive from Dublin city centre via the N11 and there's even a bus from Ashford to take you to Dublin airport It's a fully renovated cottage measuring 840 sq ft with a reading nook in the glazed front entrance porch two bedrooms and an open-plan living room and kitchen Here there's a brick fireplace with a raised stove a vaulted ceiling and double doors to the garden which stands at just over a quarter (0.27) of an acre Tom GalvinBray PeopleTue 5 Sep 2023 at 18:28Parents of children who are due to prepare for the sacraments of First Holy Communion or Confirmation next year have been left shocked at a request for a ‘financial donation’ from the Parishes of Greystones and Kilquade Registration for the ‘Sacramental Preparation Program 2024’ for those children about to embark on the sacramental preparation journey is conducted online through the website gkpastoralarea.ie which covers the parishes of both Kilquade and Greystones and includes a vast number of schools in the region including St Brigid’s NS; St Patrick’s NS; St Kevin’s NS; Greystones Educate Together NS; Gaelscoil nagCloch Liath; St Laurence’s Primary School; Delgany NS; Greystones Community National School; Kilcoole Primary School; Newtownmountkennedy PS; St Catherine’s Special National School; St Francis’ Primary School and Woodstock Educate Together National School Following an outline of what is involved in the programme a box titled ‘What is the commitment?’ is required to be ticked to move on with the registration process The registrant is then informed: “We are delighted that you have decided to continue the sacramental journey with your family and register your child/children for our preparation programme.” Having read more details on the requirements to have your child baptised you are then told: “A financial contribution will be required in the registration process or through ten monthly contributions of €10 Please have your details ready before proceeding.” Once the details of the child are entered (DOB school attended etc) the registrant must then choose to pay the €100 ‘financial contribution’ This came to light when a Greystones caller to Liveline brought it to the attention of listeners when she had been unable to register her child for Confirmation without opting to pay the €100 “A donation is what each individual can afford None of the parents have an issue paying a donation We’ve only just got them back to school,” she added The caller was asked whether the church regarded many parents as “bouncy castle Catholics” in that they only use the church on the same day that they rent a bouncy castle and celebrate the big sacraments “Is there any exception for people who go to the sacraments every week Some parishes haven’t mentioned their prices yet The €100 for either sacrament does seem exorbitant particularly when you factor in the cost of the day the Parishes of Kilquade and Greystones have explained the need for the donation under a section headed ‘Financial Support’ as well as the need to hire resource staff in what is a burgeoning part of the country to cope with the demand for both sacraments there have been close to 800 families each year presenting their children for First Holy Communion and Confirmation,” it says which would mean a total of €80,000 was raised in what it acknowledges as a growing community “Supporting this number of families requires ongoing planning The Pastoral Area of Greystones and Kilquade has employed two Sacramental Coordinators to work with families liaise with the schools and coordinate the preparation and celebration of the sacraments within our Pastoral Area we were asking parents for a free donation towards the program only 20% of the presenting families responded to our plea we introduced a minimal financial donation at the registration point to secure the delivery of the program and the coordination of the celebrations we used every opportunity to call parents for ongoing support for our parishes as even €2.50 per family donated weekly would make a massive difference to our functioning there was no response to further financial support The current situation forces us to increase the required donation across the preparation programs for each sacrament,” the statement continues we ask families to contribute €100 to support the preparation and celebration of the sacraments.” A list of services are said to be covered by the donations and includes administration and registration costs as well as the many ceremonies and preparatory meetings that are involved in the lead-up to the big day asks for a registration fee of €30 – and it does state it is a ‘fee’ not a donation the form is dated 2020 and this may have increased There is also a request for a €30 fee at St Peter’s Parish while a fee of €50 is needed to complete the registration at Our Lady Queen of Peace The parish priests of both Kilquade and Greystones were contacted for comment Rachel Doyle's enduring passion for both horticulture and for business have brought her success beyond her dreams Sean Gallagher with Rachel Doyle and her sons Barry and Fergal in Arboretum gardening and cooking have become so popular that it's impossible to turn on the TV without coming across a show on one or the other While many people love to spend time on such hobbies this week's entrepreneur uniquely found a way of combining both into a successful Arboretum Garden Centres employ 100 staff and have an annual turnover of more than €7m "This year our Carlow centre won the Retail Excellence National Store of the Year," says proud company founder Rachel Doyle the National Garden Exhibition Centre in Kilquade Set on five acres of beautiful Wicklow land it's easy to see how the centre is already a magnet for garden lovers A variety of beautifully designed garden layouts offer inspirational ideas to those looking to spruce up their own gardens - while for others eat or simply stroll in the oasis of tranquillity that is the gardens Rachel stops regularly to explain the name of each plant and flower Firstly she tells me the plants' official scientific names and then their everyday names There's even an olive tree that is over 200 years old she hasn't lost her love for what she does She tells me that the Carlow centre has one of the largest plant offerings in the country as well as a wide selection of gardening equipment and furniture fashion area and a kitchen and home furnishings section at the heart of this is the beautiful Secret Cafe And it is to there that we head next to meet up with Rachel's two sons both of whom now are full time in the business Barry recently took over as CEO while Fergal is the CCO (chief commercial officer) and both share their mother's love of horticulture - and skill at business After driving the business for long and achieving so much Rachel has decided it's now time to take on a new role - as executive chairperson she thinks it's time for her sons to take over the reins "The two guys are extremely capable and committed," says Rachel Rachel Doyle grew up in the remote village of Clonmore on the Carlow/Wicklow border Her father was a talented gardener - and Rachel recalls how she used to work alongside her father in the evenings after he came home from his day job as a builder's labourer "Our garden provided an abundance of fresh food for the family - and in many ways we were really quite self-sufficient back then," she explains she got a job doing office work - but after a while she began to feel unfulfilled She tried her hand at primary teaching - but her love of gardening and the outdoors continued to dominate her thoughts "We got to learn about everything from fruit and vegetables to protected crops and amenity horticulture," she recalls excitedly the young Rachel returned home with the dream of starting her own horticultural business with the help of her husband Frank it was difficult for anyone to get a bank loan for a start-up - let alone a young woman in what was largely a male-dominated sector But Rachel wasn't about to give up - and eventually convinced her local bank manager to loan her the £2,000 she needed to get started she would return home from school every day immediately setting up shop in the family's garage to sell seeds and plants which she had grown from small cuttings roller-shutter garage door became my simple shop window," remembers Rachel with a hearty laugh She remembers too that it began to dawn on her that she might not be in the right location to make a success of the business "The business was literally miles off the main road so it meant people had to travel off the beaten track to find me," explains Rachel "So we decided to rent a premises in Carlow town and see if we could make a go of it there instead." The decision proved a wise one and soon business began to boom they got the opportunity to buy a site in Carlow town and later were approached by Aldi who wanted to buy it to build a store Rachel and Frank were then able to purchase 10 acres in Leighlinbridge just outside Carlow - where her dream of building her current business would begin to start in earnest "To survive and thrive in what was becoming a competitive market we had to continually seek to distinguish ourselves from other garden centres that were popping up," explains Rachel "Some of the pioneering things we did included introducing a covered outdoor plant area where customers could come year round - irrespective of the weather conditions - and also the targeting of bus tours and school groups as a way to attract new visitors to the place," she adds Her decision to turn Christmas at the Arboretum into a magic time for children and families also proved a major success With everything from supper with Santa and animations from favourite children's books and movies people began to travel from far and wide to experience the atmosphere she managed to turn what was the company's second worst month into their second best of the year she began writing gardening articles in the press Most business owners will tell you that it is usually possible to identify a small number of key decisions they took which helped catapult their businesses to a new level it was her decision to open a café on the site Everything we sell is either cooked or baked on the premises - even the biscuits you get with your cup of tea," explains Rachel Written in big bold letters on the wall of the café is their creed: 'All of our recipes are created with one driving ambition - passion because it's local and because we want to eat it ourselves.' the decision to buy and redevelop the Kilquade facility earlier this year was a courageous one - especially as it followed another recent investment of over €2m in the Carlow site When she first discussed the idea of the second site with Frank "I've always followed my dreams and I believe all of us can achieve whatever we want as long as we have a vision and the passion and willpower to see it through," explains Rachel "Now it's time for our sons to follow their dreams They each have their unique strengths and talents and their enthusiasm and drive for the business has already taken us to new heights," she adds proudly Barry studied horticulture at the Botanic Gardens in Dublin before becoming a landscape contractor but realised that his passion was more for retail than design and so joined the family business in 2006 Fergal chose a different route and went to the Cork institute of Technology to study Business and IT He joined the company in 2002 and quickly got to work implementing improvements in the company's IT infrastructure and EPOS systems (electric point of sale) to help support their growth plans Last year she was elected the President of the International Garden Centre Association in which role she visited 11 different countries "I love to travel and visit other garden centres around the world I'm constantly on the lookout for new ideas and examples of best practice and innovation which I can bring home," she explains she was appointed to the board of Bord Bia and is excited about trying to help the Irish horticulture and associated sectors develop in the coming years "But first we need to develop this one into a commercial success and to continue to grow our flagship site in Carlow," she insists Rachel Doyle is a legend in the garden centre world - not only here but internationally enthusiastic and passionate about everything she gets involved in She also seems to have found something that eludes many people in their lives - joy The constant smile on her face says it all Rachel Doyle believed that she could make her dreams come true She now wants to see her sons have the chance to do the same And you absolutely have to believe in yourself you can move mountains to achieve your goals "This is a bit advice I once got from one of my mentors It is a good way to visually and mentally clarify and record your goals and allows you to gauge your progress against your set objectives." then you have to be available to your customers and convenient to where those customers are — so they can visit and do business with you this will mean going to where your customers are Tom GalvinBray PeopleTue 8 Aug 2023 at 07:00While most Heritage Week visitors to County Wicklow head for the hills at Glendalough or the coastal towns of Bray Kilcoole Heritage Group will be leading the way on a fascinating stroll down through time in the village from Kilcoole Heritage Group said that this year starting at the beach and going to the village; and the second part will go across the ‘mass path’ to Kilquade James gave an insight into the type of commentary you can expect along the way where the walk will start at Kilcoole train platform James said that “the coast would have been much further out The talk at this point will be on the natural history of the coastline and how “the first people in Ireland” lived along the coasts People would have been traveling along those flooded coastlines James said the earliest maps of the area go back to the 1600s “Because there was quite a bit of smuggling going on in this region We have articles that tell you about tobacco which was dropped there by smuggling ships in 1800s And mobs of local people would go down and collect the stuff So they would come down from Greystones or up from Black Ditch and try to stop the mob from picking up the smuggled goods And they would often arrest people and send them to Australia We have a couple of articles that kind of talk about people that were sent to Australia from Kilcoole.” He added: “We will talk about the gun running So that was a group of people trying to get guns - they were actually really outdated old German rifles from the previous century But they were trying to get guns in to support Irish nationalism that was successful because the local people went down and they collected all of the stuff from the boat but also helped load it onto trucks and then the trucks and cars took it up to Dublin.” the focus is on the ‘rock’ and the Norman church as well as a brief history of how Kilcoole got its name James said the graveyard is also of some interest so there will be a stop there before going over to the well-known ‘mass path’ The church was abandoned after the English Reformation and Catholics began meeting in houses and in fields but kind of during a period where people were starting to realise that it was super unfair that people had to worship in the fields one of the Protestant landowners at Kilquade House saw a group of Catholics in a field and he felt sorry for them and gave them an acre of land and that’s how Kilquade Church came about,” James said James explained that the ‘paths’ came about because most of the people who went to Kilquade Church came across the fields from Kilcoole And this is the path you will follow on the second walk who was born in the US and moved here 11 years ago when he started to research the local area Kilcoole had about 500 people in the village and it didn’t get back up into the five or six hundreds until the 1960s “Talking to the older people in the village like a lot of the early articles in the early 1900s about Kilcoole were just like The population only really began to grow again in the 1950s James said it has really improved the area in many ways they’re happy to see the development because it’s kind of a sign that Kilcoole is no longer this impoverished backwater Because they had started to build a few estates in the 70s and 80s But it only really picked up towards the end of the 90s.” The Kilcoole Heritage Walk takes place on Sunday Contact 086 445 6157 or kilcooleheritage@gmail.com to book your spot and for further information Festina Lente campaign to raise €3 Million Amy McEvoy (10) from Greystones with 'Ginger' and charity ambassador Rachael Blackmore Bray-based equestrian charity Festina Lente has completed its €2.85million purchase of a new home in Belfield The five-acre greenfield site is surrounded by 35 acres of grassland and planning permission for the equine centre is already approved and in place The venue is ideally suited for the expanding services the charity offers that pivots around its equine-based learning and therapy activities Festina Lente’s present location in Old Connaught Avenue The land surrounding the site that is used by its horses for grazing has been zoned as residential The new centre will feature a purpose built arena that will also feature a 50-60-seater conference centre A sensory garden will be built in the new location that will feature a wetland model with sustainable practices in abundance Two new entrances would be built on the Ballyrogan Road with an existing entrance on the N11 closed off for safety reasons With the contract signed ,Festina Lente CEO Jill Carey says the design stage will take three to six months It is hoped the site will become operational in the last quarter of 2023 A €3m fundraising campaign to help build the new facility has already begun with the public asked to do what they can to fundraise Ms Carey is also exploring three additional strands of funding from The Immigrant Investor Programme philanthropic donations and government grants More immediately, Festina Lente currently has tickets on sale for its pony-themed Christmas Cards, and is also fundraising for another project via the sale of its tickets for children to visit Santa and the Ponies Michael SheridanBray PeopleWed 26 Oct 2022 at 03:00A much-loved section of a popular historic walk has been made safer for users thanks to recently completed upgrade works to the Kilcoole Mass Path The much-used recreational amenity by locals and visitors to Kilcoole and Kilquade was threatened by decay and now has been secured for the foreseeable future wider pathway is located to the rear of the old convent wall by the stream The work was deemed necessary as the existing stream bank concrete wall was in very poor condition and at risk of collapse In turn the walkway would be washed away with further risk to the old stone boundary wall of the convent garden The small but critical section of the 4.4km walk is now easier to navigate wider than the narrow track that was previously there The works were done without having to narrow the stream The scheme was a collaborative project between Wicklow County Council Local Authorities Water Programme and Inland Fisheries Ireland Well done to all involved This historic walk leads from Kilcoole to the Parish church of Kilquade The Mass Path features beautiful views of the countryside and at the turning around point an opportunity to stop at a garden centre café for refreshments In ancient times Kilcoole was the Parish church but with the English Reformation the ancient church was abandoned Catholic worship shifted to the surrounding fields and rural houses in nearby Kilquade The necessity of attending Mass led to the development of “mass paths” leading from nearby settlements to Kilquade The path from Kilcoole follows the river Cannistown through farm fields and along a country road to Kilquade Up until the building of a church in Kilcoole (1968) local families would have made their way along this path to attend church GOT A STORY?Email or Call (01) 661 1062 WITH AN asking price of no less than €5.5m the Georgian Kilquade Hill House outside Greystones in Co Wicklow is one of the pricier piles to come on the market in recent times this “manageable sporting estate” on five acres was “totally transformed” over a three-year period with the help… Read more » Get access to The Phoenix online for as low as €1.50 per week Read all the regular online only Phoenix stories AND receive the packed digital edition every fortnight (25 per year) Subscribe Now! 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REBECCA’S FAIRYTALE ADVERTISE WITH US Subscribe Now All articles and content © 2025 Penfield Enterprises Ltd Lucy (Dolly) Davis (née Smyth) of Ballyronan, Kilquade and late of Lott Lane, Kilcoole who passed away peacefully in her 92nd year on Wednesday 9th September 2020 in the care of the Valentia Nursing Home Camolin, Co Wexford. Beloved wife of the late Joe and much loved and loving mother of Nuala. She will be remembered with love by her son-in-law Donal, grandchildren Shane and Mark, great-grandchildren Áine, Orla, Sean and Éabha, extended family and friends. Reposing at the William Doyle Funeral Home Kilcoole from 11.30am on Friday morning (with social distancing, hand sanitising and the wearing of masks) followed by removal to St Anthony’s Church, Kilcoole for a private family Funeral Mass (limited to 50) at 1pm followed by interment in Kilquade New Cemetery.  Messages of sympathy and support may be placed in the “Condolences” section below. Dublin who passed away on Friday 17th June 2022 suddenly but peacefully at his home Dearly loved and devoted husband of Margaret for 48 years and much loved and loving dad of Karena and Grainne Aidan recently became the proud and adoring grandad to Baby Theodore Aidan Aidan was an avid golfer and a member of Druids Heath Golf Club previous member of Charlesland Golf Club and the Treasurer of Gleann Rua Golf Society Aidan will repose at the William Doyle Funeral Home The funeral cortège will depart from the family home on Saturday morning at 10.20am proceeding to the Holy Rosary Church Greystones arriving for funeral Mass at 11am followed by burial in Rathnew Cemetery The Funeral Mass can be viewed on the following link https://gkpastoralarea.ie/online/ Family flowers only please. Donations, if desired, to a charity of your choice. Messages of sympathy can be left in the condolences section below. Glenside House, Woodstock, Kilquade, near Greystones, Co Wicklow €1.195m Stephen and Aisling Power outside their comfortable and spacious modern home. Photo: Mark Condren "When we moved in in 2004," says Aisling Power who lives here with her husband, Stephen, "our boys were five and three. We wanted them to have the best of both worlds - all the benefits of a country upbringing with none of the isolation, and the practicality of being within 20 minutes of Dundrum town centre and Dun Laoghaire so that it was easy for them to meet up with their friends." And it's not just in terms of location that Glenside House is a best-of-both-worlds proposition. Although the house has a Georgian look, it dates from 2002, when the late developer, Brian Rhatigan, built it as one of a pair of adjacent and identical houses for two family members. So it has the high ceilings and classical proportions at which the Georgians excelled, yet imposes none of the privations associated with living in an old house. "It is, for all intents and purposes," says Stephen, "a split-level bungalow." But he's being disingenuous, because Glenside House is not, by any stretch of the imagination, your average Wicklow bungalow. Following on from a major revamp that the couple undertook five years ago, it's a modern family home that offers a high degree of comfort and luxury. The front portion of the house is taken up with reception and living rooms - the more formal reception rooms and the study are to the left, while the open-plan kitchen, dining and family spaces are to the right. Up a few steps further back, behind a set of double doors, are the five bedrooms, all en-suite, which were re-tiled as part of the upgrading five years ago. A central hallway that runs all the way from the front door to the main bedroom suite at the back is the spine of the house. "When we started on the revamp," says Stephen, "we focused on the kitchen and the family living areas, knocking down a wall and putting in skylights to flood the space with natural light." In keeping with the rural sensibility of the house, the couple opted for a traditional-style kitchen made by a local cabinet-maker and to install an AGA, which they turn off only in the summer months, as well as a companion AGA. The Powers like to entertain - "we are very social," says Aisling - and another priority when they revamped the house was to make a better connection between the kitchen and living space and the patio, which now abuts the side of the house and is a terrific space for barbecuing and outdoor eating, a proper outdoor room. When it comes to their respective areas of responsibility at Glenside House, Aisling takes charge of the interiors, while Stephen looks after the garden - all 1.2 acres of it. If Stephen and Aisling look familiar, that's because they appeared on Dragon's Den with their business, The Devil's Edge, which makes bespoke shirts and suits, and secured investment from dragon Eamonn Quinn. The couple continue to run the successful business from the house, which is why the separation of the public areas from the bedrooms is so important to them. Stephen is a keen golfer and has enjoyed the proximity to Druid's Glen, said to be the finest parkland course in Ireland and often referred to as our Augusta. "Even if you don't play golf, it's a beautiful place just to walk around," he says. "But it's fantastic to play." Being so close to Greystones with all its shops and restaurants is another big advantage, says Stephen, although it's not just The Happy Pear - luring healthy eaters in their droves - that is the village's main attraction on the food front. "Both Aisling and I spent time in the UK and we developed a fondness for Indian food. So to have Chakra, Daata and Sunil Ghai's Tiffin takeaway means that we are spoiled for choice." After 14 years at Glenside House, the Powers say that they enjoyed the process of the revamp so much that they are keen to embark on a new project. They have their eyes on a site not a million miles away where they hope to build from scratch. When the current owners fell in love with an old Georgian farmhouse in the early Noughties, they set about its restoration. Those of us who are vaguely addicted to Grand Designs, however, won't be surprised to discover that things didn't go as planned. The house was listed, but behind the facade and plasterwork, the walls weren’t all that substantial. The solution for the architect owner was to faithfully reconstruct. This means that today Birchville House has all the grace and elegance of the classic double-fronted Georgian farmhouse, with delicious windows and lovely light throughout, but is built to contemporary specifications of materials and efficiency. It’s an excellent combination, which makes me wonder if the Georgians might have also been the first Minimalists – not in their addictions to ornate cornicing and coving, but in their belief and trust in scale, proportion and light to do the hard work for them. At Birchville, the influence of contemporary architecture comes with the clean lines, the simple shapes of the fireplaces, the very tasty Modernist-style kitchen (complete with twin Gaggeneau ovens), and the oak-finish flooring which in some spaces runs up to become oak finish walls. The bathrooms are nicely done too. At almost 350sq m (3,750sq ft) of living space, the house is laid out on two floors. Downstairs, there’s a livingroom which flows into the diningroom, plus drawingroom, study/library, kitchen/ breakfast room and games room-cum-gym with French windows. This latter would also make a very dramatic diningroom, if you prefer feasting followed by hillwalking to working it all off at the treadmill. Upstairs are five bedrooms. The master bedroom has a dressingroom area and en suite, and an internal balcony which gives views across the walled gardens to the Sugarloaf Mountain beyond. The four further bedrooms are all of a good size, and share the family bathroom. Around the house ramble walled gardens with small seating areas to be discovered here and there. The mature planting includes lawns and flower beds, bamboos, myrtle, apple and other trees, and tree ferns. The patios are laid out so that you can follow the sun from morning till gin-and-tonic time. Birchville House is in Kilquade, which is about 40 minutes from Dublin's City Centre, via the N11. Delgany and Greystones are nearby, and all the lovely walking, sailing, golfing and other amenities that Wicklow has to offer are on the doorstep. Secluded yet accessible, both old and new, Birchville has the best of all possible worlds. It's for sale by private treaty with Sherry FitzGerald for €1.15 million. Parents of children who are due to celebrate the sacraments of First Holy Communion and Confirmation next year in the pastoral area of Kilquade and Greystones have been left without the support of the church in providing preparatory meetings following a decision by the parish priest to dispense with the Pastoral Area Sacramental Preparation Programme It follows the removal of a €100 “financial contribution” as a requirement of enrolment from the parish website It is understood that Archbishop Dermot Farrell had intervened to have the “financial contribution” removed that meetings which were due to take place that same evening Greystones and Kilquade Parish assured people on their website that an official update regarding subsequent meetings planned to prepare children for the sacraments would be issued Fr John Daly said the parish would now not be running the programme as planned It added that those families who had paid contributions would be reimbursed “We thank you for your patience over the last couple of weeks while you waited for an update,” Fr Daly said “Our hope was to create a strong and dynamic programme that supported you as parents and guardians as you prepare with your children for the Sacrament of First Holy Communion or Confirmation we are now unable to run the Pastoral Area Sacramental Preparation Programme as originally envisaged due to insufficient support “We have taken advice and for the purposes of transparency and fairness we will be returning all contributions by the 31st October 2023.” The statement added that celebrations of the sacraments would take place “as usual on Saturdays and Sundays in May 2024” and “the exact dates for the celebrations will be made available by Friday 1st December at the latest” who had raised the issue of the €100 contribution when it was first brought to light at the beginning of September said parents are now “very upset and devastated” and the fallout will have the greatest impact on the children who are now left without any guidance from the church as they prepare “This basically means you get your date on December 1st and you just show up on the day.” said she had contacted other parishes over the weekend and was told that “this wasn’t the norm” “We all just feel now that we’re on our own.” the parent said The parents can do a lot of it but we can’t do the church side of it.” When asked about whether the schools are able to assist she said they all do and have been doing their part by providing religious education classes but they too were kept in the dark as the events unfolded The Sacramental Preparation Programme 2024 had been planned for children about to embark on the sacramental preparation journey in the parishes of both Kilquade and Greystones which includes the schools of St Brigid’s NS; St Patrick’s NS; St Kevin’s NS; Greystones Educate Together NS; Gaelscoil nagCloch Liath; St Laurence’s Primary School; Delgany NS; Greystones Community National School; Kilcoole Primary School; Newtownmountkennedy PS; St Catherine’s Special National School; St Francis’ Primary School and Woodstock Educate Together National School “We’re going to have an issue now,” the parent said “because a lot of parents hadn’t registered because they didn’t have the money and they didn’t know what was going on.” There are now fears among parents that many of the some 800 children who are due to celebrate sacraments next year will be unable to do so the Archdiocese of Dublin referred the matter to the Parish of Greystones Fr Daly had not responded to requests for information at the time of publication Bayan Giltsoff fled the Bolsheviks to build big in the garden county An aerial view showing the site which includes a hard tennis court A country dacha from outside Archangel of the type that inspired Bayan Giltsoff Mark KeenanFri 3 Nov 2017 at 03:30As the War of Independence raged across Ireland in 1920 the north-western Russian city of Archangel was preparing itself to be overrun by the Red Army For two years since the October Revolution the city had been a weapons and munitions holding area for White Russia and a bulwark of resistance against communism The region had held off the Bolsheviks with the help of more than 14,000 soldiers from the UK Australia and a 40,000-strong foreign legion from Czechoslovakia As the Bolsheviks slowly gained the upper hand in the brutal conflict the western Europeans and North Americans were pulled out and the White Russian forces started evacuating panicked anti-communist civilians living in Archangel began to plan their escape Among them was the family of 10-year-old Bayan Giltsoff who fled with their son northwards and into Norway From there they made their way to London where they settled safely and Bayan was sent to school As a young artist and sculptor with engineering skills restoring Tudor period houses and designing ornate showpiece chimney pieces in wood and stone In Britain he met his future Irish wife Oonagh Keogh whom he married in 1933 Stockbroker Keogh was a remarkable woman who had made world headlines when she became the first female member of a national stock exchange (the Dublin exchange) in 1925 It would be 1967 before a woman entered the New York Stock Exchange and 1973 before it happened in London The outbreak of the war killed Bayan's home restoration business and the young Giltsoff family came to Ireland where Oonagh's parents lived at Shrewsbury Road in Dublin The couple acquired a 30-acre site in the sleepy town of Kilquade in Co Wicklow with an old but plain cottage on it he began adding touches which reminded him of the homely country dachas outside his home city of Archangel which took him back to his childhood holidays These included timber panelling and beaming inside and cut gable rooflines outside A pig byre at the rear was extended and incorporated into the main house by roofing over the yard between the two structures The distinctive home which resulted drew admiration from all over the country The Irish Independent described it as "both a great home and a little palace" "There is not a line of a curve in it that does not bear something of himself The sculptor in him is shown in the plaster heads in his office the great plaster bas relief of a mermaid rising from the sea that covers an entire wall over the fireplace the sensitive wood carving of a stalk of wheat in the dining room or the great galloping troika which covers the end wall of the music room." encouraged by the reaction to his Russian-influenced home with its cedar shingled roof Bayan started building similar cottage-style houses on the family's 30-acre site to be sold to order This is how a town in Wicklow ended up with an address like The Old Russian Village The houses have caught the imagination of buyers for generations who have been known to wait years for one to come for sale The most recent example to emerge for sale is 'Touchstone' which has been owned by the same family for decades and it has just been placed on the market through Sherry FitzGerald in Greystones seeking €945,000 The house comes with an acre of gardens accessed via electronic gates and includes its own private tennis court A chequerboard tiled hallway allows access to all of the main reception rooms views over the famous rolling Wicklow countryside and its own en-suite bathroom A family bathroom completes the upstairs accommodation Out in the garden there are two steel sheds for storage and an additional concrete shed and boiler house Those interested should get in quick - eager buyers could be rushing The ad-free version is ready for purchase on iOS mobile app today we couldn't find that page";var n=e.querySelector("h2");return n&&n.remove(),{staticContent:e,title:t}},d=function(e){var t=document.createElement("button");return t.innerText=e,t.classList.add("error-page-button"),t},f=function(e){var t=document.createElement("div");t.id="recirculation-404",t.classList.add("brand-hint-bg");var n="\n \n \n Tick here if you would like us to send you the author’s response Wicklow.Family greting friends at church gate Laillà e Buitléar in brown coat greeting friends of family at church gate Sinn Fein's Martin Ferris and Aengus à Snodaigh Louise HoganWed 30 Jan 2013 at 14:49MOURNERS from the world of television and politics who turned out to celebrate the life of the late film-maker Eamon de Buitlear heard Ireland had lost a "true patriot" The congregation which flowed out of St Patrick's Church Co Wicklow heard generations had been inspired and had their lives enriched by the programmes and books penned by the conservationist Among those turning out to mark the life of the broadcaster were Chieftains fiddle player Sean Keane musician Micheal O Suilleabhain and fiddler Paddy Glackin In pictures: Eamon De Buitlear 1930 - 2013 There were many faces familiar from both the Dail and television programmes including former Minister for Justice Nora Owen Glenroe actress Geraldine Plunkett and RTE director general Noel Curran was known countrywide for his television wildlife series 'Amuigh Faoin Speir' (Out Under the Sky) and was a founding member of Sean O Riada's Ceoltoiri Chualann band The chief mourners at the funeral were his wife Lailli pictured with his bride Caoimhe after wedding ceremony at St Patrick’s Church in Kilquade Guests pictured as they arrived at St Patrick’s Church in Kilquade Co Wicklow for the Wedding of Simon Harris and Caoimhe Wade Bride Caoimhe Wade pictured with her bridesmaids Laura Kinch Gemma Harris Ruth Wade and Marion O Brien before her marriage to Simon Harris at St Patrick’s Church in Kilquade Paschal Donohoe and Frances Fitzgerald pictured after the Wedding of Simon Harris and Caoimhe Wade at St Patrick’s Church in Kilquade Simon Coveney and Enda Kenny pictured with mother of the bride Anne Wade after Wedding of Simon Harris and Caoimhe Wade St Patrick’s Church in Kilquade Simon Coveney and Enda Kenny pictured with mother of the bride Anne Wade after Wedding of Simon Harris and Caoimhe Wade St Patrick’s Church in Kilquade pictured with his mum Mary before his wedding at St Patrick’s Church in Kilquade Paul Kehoe,Frances Fitzgerald Heather Humphreys and Mary Mitchell O Connor pictured after the Wedding of Simon Harris and Caoimhe Wade at St Patrick’s Church in Kilquade Paschal Donohoe pictured as he arrived at St Patrick’s Church in Kilquade Nicola AndersonFri 21 Jul 2017 at 17:00There was time for just one more official department of Health announcement before the Minister tied the knot today Cheers broke out in a tiny country church in Co Wicklow as Simon Harris wed his long time sweetheart Caoimhe Wade a cardiac nurse for infants at Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children in Crumlin Members of the cabinet in attendance were Tanaiste Frances Fitzgerald; Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe; Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney and wife Ruth; former Taoiseach Enda Kenny and wife Fionnuala; Minister of State at the department of Defence the Minister of State at the Department of Tourism and Sport; and Mary Mitchell O'Connor Minister of State at the department of Education and deputy Kate O'Connell Also amongst the guests was former Ireland international Damien Duff Minister Harris's department released a statement on the new review group into voluntary hospitals The groom wore a white rose in his button hole and arrived with brother Laura Kinch and Marion O'Brien at her wedding at St Wicklow this afternoon.Picture Colin Keegan Enda Kenny and his wife Fionnuala arrive at the wedding of Minister for Health The bride wore a sweetheart beaded white dress by Sharon Hoey and bridesmaids Ruth Wade Laura Kinch and Marion O'Brien wore long black chiffon dresses with spaghetti straps The wedding took place at St Patrick's Church in Wicklow and a reception is set to follow at Tinakilly House Happy couple - who are expecting a baby - celebrate one year wedding anniversary THEVOW.ieSun 22 Jul 2018 at 09:17Minister for Health Simon Harris and wife Caoimhe are celebrating one year since they said 'I do' the Wicklow TD has taken to Instagram to mark the special occasion We need your consent to load this Social Media content We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity Captioning a collage of stunning photos from the couple's beautiful day in Tinakilly Country House with a simple; "One year ago today!" the Minister also posted several hashtags including #luckyman The couple tied the knot on the 21st July 2017 in St Patrick's Church in Wicklow and were joined by a host of friends family members and colleagues including former Taoiseach Enda Kenny Tanaiste Frances Fitzgerald and Minister for Foreign Affairs The groom wore a white rose in his button hole and was joined at the altar by his brother and best man Bride Caoimhe wore a sweetheart beaded white dress by Sharon Hoey while her bridesmaids wore long black chiffon dresses with spaghetti straps Caoimhe and Simon are of course celebrating another milestone as they recently announced the are expecting a baby "Some summer reading courtesy of my wife!" Simon captioned a photo of the book 'Pregnancy for men - The whole 9 months' to deliver the happy news Minister Heather Humphries and Minister Mary Mitchell O'Connor at the wedding of Minister for Health Tanaiste Frances Fitzgerald and Minister heather Humphries at the wedding of Minister for Health Minister Simon Coveney and his wife Ruth at the wedding of Minister for Health Paschal Donoghue and Tanaiste Frances Fitzgerald at the wedding of Minister for Health Minister Simon Coveney and his wife Ruth and Enda and Fionnuala Kenny at the wedding of Minister for Health Guests arrive at the wedding of Minister for Health Damien Duff and his wife Elaine arrive at the wedding of Minister for Health Simon Harris TD gets his picture taken pictured with his Groomsmen Simon Donohoe and Robert McGee at his wedding at St Simon Harris TD pictured with his best man and brother Simon Harris TD pictured and Finance Minister Clare Kilbride has championed the Kilcoole Music Festival for over 30 years and plays the organ each week in Blacklion Clare Kilbride (centre) celebrates 60 years of Kilcoole Music Festival with the committee Clare Kilbride grew up surrounded by music in her home and her neighbourhood The Kilcoole festival was a large part of her childhood and this year was her last at the helm of the organisation of the prestigious event after over 30 years of dedicated service kicking off in January for a November event all of that work pays off when Clare and her team listen to the children and adults perform over two weekends 'The fact that they can stand up in front of the audience and compete and take part is wonderful,' said Clare She grew up in Kilquade and now lives on Newcastle Road just outside the village of Kilcoole Clare's parents Tom and Maura Kilbride were pivotal in helping it to grow and flourish There were many other members of the community alongside them and through their hard work and devotion the festival became firmly established and respected in classical and traditional music and performance circles Clare has happy memories of the excitement surrounding the musical event as she grew up 'A couple of my sisters had very good voices and always sang in the festival Every year we would go down to the festival and just watch what was going on It took off in the village and everyone got involved.' The competitions took place in the village hall and the adjudicators who came were looked after by the nuns of the Holy Faith Convent 'At that stage the festival was held in May,' said Clare 'Fr McAuliffe was the curate in Delgany and also a Feis Ceoil winner He had a great love for music and great input Nurse Kiernan was a stalwart of the festival She lived in Wicklow and had two very good accompanists - Bert Kavanagh and Mairett Dowling and Clermont and was in charge of the Wicklow Choral Society Clare said that for the young people of Kilcoole it was unique to see music played like this in a live setting without having to travel to the city 'To see classical music being played or sung was a totally new experience Music totally sucks you in and takes you over.' It was also a great experience to get the benefit of the knowledge of adjudicators like Dr Brian Bordell Havelock Nelson and many other experts in their fields 'When the festival was put in place it was the idea that it would be rated with any other in the country,' said Clare 'A standard was set at the beginning and it was never allowed to fall back There's an integrity and an openness about it also which is very important 'It's also different because it's set in a village In a larger town there are more facilities whereas in a village setting you're calling on a lot of help which has been forthcoming thanks be to God The success of the festival is down to the hard work which people have put into it.' the committee and everyone else involved love to see the performers shine it's their day and their time and everyone else sits in the background,' said Clare She has thoroughly enjoyed her decades working on the festival 'You never know what problem you might hit!' she said Although she's very much in the business of solving those problems and drawing on all of her resources to do so which she started learning at the age of six and still enjoys immensely She said that the congregation sings the songs and they are absolutely great 'We were privileged to live in a house with music,' said Clare Her sisters and mother were lovely singers her father played in a fife and drum band in Kilcoole 'Its great to hear a piece of music somewhere and actually sit down at the piano and recreate it,' said Clare she may be stepping down as secretary but won't be too far from the Kilcoole Festival Clare said she will be delighted to give a helping hand to anyone who comes forward to take the reigns for her and continue a new era in the village tradition Sean Gilmore and Rebecca Germaine at the Glendalough festival Liam Belton on Friday 11th September with mass at 7.00 p.m in Kilquade Church followed by refreshments in the Arboretum (Kilquade Garden Centre) Fr Belton has been our parish priest since 2004 and of the pastoral area (Kilquade/Greystones) for the past three years Kilcoole Bowling Club are looking for new members Patrick's (Forrester's Hall) on Tuesday evenings from 8.00 p.m There is a new After- School Yoga Club taking place every Tuesday during the school term time which started yesterday (8th) It takes place in the Parish Hall with the First session at 2.10pm-3pm (all primary school ages) and the Second Session 3.10pm-4pm (again Each session is limited to 10 spaces and the cost is €3 per child please contact Elaine on 087-2287101 or email; elahar@gmail.com Please be vigilant in your area as another attempted house robbery took place in the Glencormac area last Wednesday morning Following the outstanding success of last year's Liam Kelly Memorial Garden of Ireland Run It's all systems go for this year's event which will take place this weekend from 11th to 13th September The festivities will commence on Friday night (11th) with a complimentary welcoming reception at The Grove Bar Willow Grove at 9pm hosted by proprietor Dinny Doyle with music and craic provided by the excellent D.J Brian Nolan Refreshments will be provided on the evening Then attention turns to the main event on Saturday (12th) when the run will leave The Glenview Hotel at 10.20am as the club will treat its many visiting enthusiasts from far and near to a feast of spectacular scenery of the Wicklow Hills carefully planned by the local knowledge of both Michael Nolan and Charlotte Carolan and stopping off for lunch at Lynam's of Laragh This will be followed by a leisurely drive back to The Grove Bar for the prize giving Following a well-deserved rest the Chill & Grill will commence at 8pm at The Glenview Hotel with music by the very popular "Skin the Goat" On Sunday all roads lead to The Enniskerry Victorian Field Day where the club will put on a display along with many other vintage vehicles on the day This event is being sponsored by Kelly Recovery of Kilmacanogue who will present The Liam Kelly Perpetual Trophy for the car of the show The Club has had an exceptionally successful year with an increase in membership and many awards have been achieved by many of its members throughout the year at various events both in the county and further afield The Club has now become well known for its social aspect and hospitality and is a must for those who wish to share their hobby and experiences with other vintage enthusiasts The Committee are delighted to welcome the contingent of visiting enthusiasts and hope that they will enjoy the weekend and the clubs hospitality and also share the many fond memories that all have of the late Liam Kelly who is still sadly missed by family and friends alike Please feel free to contact the club's secretary Eileen on 087-8329235 should you require any further information or assistance Members of the public will be most welcome to come along to the Glenview Hotel where they can meet the owners of the cars and take photograph if they so wish Our local Kilmacanogue First Responders Group held a very successful Golf Classic in the Glen of the Downs Golf Club last Friday (4th) The event was a 4 man Rumble and Eddie Byrne's team emerged the winners Paddy O'Grady team from Zurich Life was 3rd 6th Mark Quinn and 7th was Ger Cullen's team Nearest the pin was kindly sponsored by Super Valu in Castle St Bray and was won by Sean Blackbyrne while the Longest Drives was hit by Trevor Doyle (Mens) and Toni Ryder Simpson (ladies) which were sponsored by the Wicklow Times Co-ordinator and First Responder John Hopkins stated a great day was had by all and big thanks must go to the Glen of the Downs GC and Oxygen Care for all their help and to all the generous sponsors Trevor Carr also believed to have been on kitchen duty over the weekend as he won a beautiful vegetable hamper in the raffle kindly sponsored by Mrs Mooney's Garden Glencormac Local artist Dermot Cranny is hosting a unique Art Exhibition which is now just over a week away and will take place on the 18th 19th and 20th of September in Kilcroney Furniture with all proceeds going to Charabanc Charabanc is an inter-denominational organisation that provides a free community resource service to the senior citizens of North Wicklow The Exhibition will feature approximately 20 Virtuoso Portraits of many well-known and familiar faces in the organisation itself and they are rendered in a modern portrait style The nice thing about this event is that entry is entirely free and afterwards the paintings featured will be presented free of charge to the featured individuals Dermot is deeply grateful to the many local businesses that have given so generously via sponsorship to defray the costs and also to the staff and management of Kilcroney Furniture who have been very supportive from the outset and are providing their showrooms and facilities for this event Please keep the dates in mind and pop in between 7-9 pm on Friday 18th or 10 to 5pm on the Saturday and Sunday to see some familiar faces on canvas It is always a sign the bright evenings are closing in when you see the Kilmacanogue History Society announce their Autumn 2015 Series of Lectures First up on Tuesday 6th October is Nicholas Grene who will present "Living in Synge Country" it is the turn of Chris Corlett to present "Glendalough Churches" and to end a great 2015 year of lectures Rob Goodbody is back to present "Georgian Dublin in Maps" All lectures take place in the Glenview Hotel at 8-30 on the first Tuesday of the month and entry is just €3 (members €2) Everyone is welcome to come along and you can view the Society Activities on their website at; kilmacanoguehistorysociety.com If you want an item of local interest to appear in the Kilmacanogue notes please contact Colm Mulligan on 086- 8522653 If you wish to find out how to access community finance for voluntary led groups come along to the Brockagh Centre on Wednesday 9th September at 7.30 p.m More and more community enterprises are realising that grants cannot fully meet all of their funding needs It is now becoming necessary for them to generate their own capital in order to fulfil both development and cash flow requirements is becoming a primary tool in satisfying these needs Find out more by coming along on the night or check out www.communityfinance.ie Wicklow Mountains National Park Tree ID Walk Join us on Saturday 12th September for a gentle stroll around Glendalough to learn how to identify trees and discover their history The walk is suitable for adults and older children only (no dogs allowed) Booking is essential and will be taken on 0404-45425 from Saturday 29th August This event is free to attend but please be aware that the Upper Lake car park (Wicklow Co Check out our website & facebook pages for details of Autumn Classes & Activity Timetable or call (0404) 45600 Badminton back on Tues 15 Sept 7pm for juniors & 8pm seniors Happy Days Carer & Baby/Toddler group back Wed 16 Sept Yoga back 7pm Wed 16 Sept call Hilde (0404) 40000 We Love Art classes are for primary school age children and are taught by artist and qualified art teacher Almha Roche The classes will take place on Monday 14 September Skills and techniques covering a wide range of art and craft forms are taught The emphasis is on the children being creative and making their own decisions about their work; having fun The closing date has been extended on these courses until December so there is still an opportunity for you to take that step to build your confidence on line It cost €20 for 4 x 2 hr course and it is free to those over 65 The classes are small and the lessons are taught in a relaxed and fun way with plenty of time for everyone We will be running a few of these popular courses so days may vary The National Eucharistic Congress will take place in Knock Shrine over the weekend of 26th and 27th September The congress is being organised by Bishop Kevin Doran who has been appointed National Delegate for Eucharistic Congresses A bus has been arranged to take pilgrims to this important event on Saturday 26th Please phone Rose at 086-2585971 or 0404-45872 by 19th September to secure your place with a 20 euro deposit Gymboree Play & Music Classes returns to The Brockagh Centre on Thursday mornings from 10 - 11 a.m from Thursday 17th Sept toddlers and pre-school children from 6mths - 4yrs Teach your child a love of music through play in a fun and friendly environment Places are limited so pre-booking is essential Please call Rachel on 086 8330212 for more info or to book your place and is suitable for artists of all levels of experience In the class we work with a variety of materials and learn techniques and skills specific to each Each artist is then encouraged to make use of those skills and techniques to develop their own personal artistic style Learn how to understand the types and sources of stress; short term and long term internal and external and being able to identify your stressors You can't eliminate stress but you can learn how to manage it Join Tanya one evening per week at the Brockagh Centre for six weeks to learn how Contact Tanya on 086 4033349 for information or to register your interest The dog show on 14th August in aid of Ash raised €397 Best in show was Agatha and Aieka and well done to all the other winners in their categories Thanks to the judges Bernie and Vicky a difficult job to take on We would also would like to thank the volunteers katie and paula O'Toole and everyone who gave raffle prizes and thanks to Pauline fahy and Valerie McCoy for their donation and Sandra and crew for the training demonstration and to everyone who took part in the show Arboretum an Irish family-owned lifestyle and garden centre destination has expanded its offering to include a selection of fashion that epitomises attainable luxury with an emphasis on unique pieces that will pop for the everyday or a special occasion This fashion offering adds another layer of sophistication to the shopping experience at Arboretum with an incredible array of Irish and international brands available The collection includes several contemporary Scandinavian brands with a classic style and a focus on quality and sustainable pieces for the everyday There is also a selection of unique standout pieces for those who want to make a real statement this party season The fashion offering at Arboretum includes a curated selection of accessories and jewellery The typical shoppers at Arboretum range from ages 30-55 however with the wide range of unique styles there is something for everyone in this year’s winter collection has carefully hand selected every item in this year’s collection which features a wide range of styles including a must-have faux fur winter coat a silver sequin tassel skirt to turn heads – perfect for party season – or a chic denim co-ord for a festive day out Ravi Dark Blue Denim Co-ord Shirt (€99.95) and Jeans (€119.95) by My Essential Wardrobe: This loose-fitting denim two piece is minimalistic yet feminine and is sure to transcend trends and become a favourite in the wardrobe rotation all year round Pearl Faux Fur Coat (€239) from ‘Karen’ By Simonsen: This faux-fur coat is the definition of attainable luxury Perfect for occasion / formal wear or simply to elevate an outfit this festive season Quilted Bomber (€270) by Lolly’s Laundry – This quilted number combines traditional craftsmanship with modern design the quality of the bomber provides warmth and comfort while the bright and colourful palette exudes a fun and striking look Sandie Silver Tassel Skirt (€119) from ‘Karen’ By Simonsen: This sparkly sequin skirt is a must-have this season Pink and Blue Bird Circle Earrings (€79.95) by Nach Bijoux: Beautiful hand painted porcelain pendant earrings with colourful birds enclosed in an almond shaped golden ring Colourful Houndstooth Scarf (€59.95) by Ombre London: Who doesn’t love a pop of colour The vibrant palette and intricate pattern make this scarf the perfect statement piece for brightening up cold-weather outfits this season It’s lightweight and high-quality fabric makes it not only fashionable but also comfortable and wearable all year round Cheetah Earrings (€69.95) by Nach Bijoux: Hand crafted and hand painted porcelain and brass gold-plated earrings designed in France These earrings would be perfect for anyone with a penchant for animal print Elle Tulle Skirt (€124.95) by Sofie Schnoor: Layered floor length tulle black skirt creating a tiered silhouette perfect for formal or occasion wear this winter Sadie Silver Bow Shirt (€134.95) by Sofie Schnoor: Stylish silver party shirt with long puffed out sleeves and statement black bows make this shirt a unique choice that stands out Patent Loafers in Burgundy & Black (€124.95) by Sofie Schnoor: These shoes feature a classic design with fringe details and a low thick heel giving them a timeless appearance perfect for both formal and casual occasions With over 20 years working in the fashion industry between Ireland and New York Arboretum’s Head of Fashion since 2017 Suzanne Cummins discusses the Wardrobe Essentials available in-store this season: “We have a really nice selection of winter wardrobe staples available including trench coats as well as some more quirky and unusual brands that have statement fashion pieces with vibrant colour palettes and eye-catching designs We have pieces stocked for every age of customer and for all occasions – whether you’re looking for something festive and formal like a black velvet suit or a wardrobe essential such as a pair of quality jeans or comfortable trainers there is something for everyone in this new in-store offering.”