Category Archives: Uncategorized

Suaimhneas Centre 2023/2024 Program Launch…

The Suaimhneas Centre launches its Program for 2023/2024 on Saturday the 9th September at 11am.

We will be joined by a very special guest – Br. Richard Hendrick.

Br. Richard was thrust into the limelight when his poem ‘Lockdown’ went viral in the early days of the pandemic. He will speak about mindfulness, meditation and his recent publication:

Stillpoints – A Guide to Living the Mindful, Meditative Way

All are welcome to join us at :

The Suaimhneas Centre, Main Street, Clane

Saturday the 9th September 11am-1pm to hear Br. Richard, have a cuppa and find out all about what we will offer in 2023/2024.

For more information

e-mail: suaimhneascentre@gmail.com

call: 087-2466 892

Award Winning Estates Competition 2023

Clane Tidy Towns is delighted to announce the launch of Clane’s Award Winning Estates competition 2023. It is again generously sponsored by Clane Project Centre.

The competition is designed to help recognize the great work that residents put into maintaining their Residential Areas. All estates – new and established – are encouraged to enter.

For all of this year’s details, including information on what the judges look for, please see our Entry Pack below. Entry forms can be submitted online below, or by printing and filling out the form at the end of the Entry Pack and handing to any member of the Tidy Towns committee. Please submit your entries by July 15^th to be sure to be in time for judging.

The national competition places much emphasis on Sustainability and on Wildlife, so we are particularly interested to hear any steps you may be taking to encourage these. E.g. reduced mowing, allowing mini-meadows to develop, composting of cuttings for reuse, avoiding pesticides, and planting of native species. Please see the entry pack for more information.

Believe it or not this is Clane’s 50^th year in the National Tidy Towns Competition – a sincere thank you for your continued support!

Entry Pack 2023 Download

Online Entry Form

Youth Employment Support Initiative

If you are or if you know of anyone aged between 16-18 years looking for employment, this might be of interest…

Clane’s Biodiversity Action Plan Published

A detailed biodiversity action plan has been created by a cross-community group including Clane Tidy Towns, Clane Parish, local schools, residents’ associations, GreenPine Consultants and Kildare County Council.

As well as various action points the community can take in the coming years, the document also includes helpful practical advice on how to plan, plant, and manage biodiversity friendly areas in our community.

Find out more, download the document and get involved at our Biodiversity Action Plan page.

Hewetson School now enrolling

Hewetson School on Millicent Road have their new website up and running at https://www.hewetson.ie/

The school is now enrolling for September.

Information on all the schools of Clane can be found on ClaneCommunity.ie under the menu Amenities > Schools

General Election 2020

A General Election is to be held Saturday February 8^th 2020. Please see below for a list of all candidates, and for details of the Clane Poster-Free Zone.

General Election Candidates – Kildare North Constituency

Cronin	Réada	Sinn Féin
Durkan	Bernard	Fine Gael
Lawless	James	Fianna Fáil
Lawlor	Anthony	Fine Gael
Mahon	Paul	Solidarity-People Before Profit
Martin	Vincent P	Green Party
Monaghan	David	Independent
Murphy	Catherine	Social Democrats
Ó Riain	Séamus	Renua
O’Rourke	Frank	Fianna Fáil
Stagg	Emmet	Labour
Swords	Wayne	Independent

Clane Poster-Free Zone

Clane Community Council, in association with its subcommittee Clane Tidy Towns, have proposed that parts of Clane be declared a Poster-Free Zone for election campaigns, as illustrated in the map below.

This voluntary initiative is based on feedback from residents, businesses and the recent Clane Public-Realm Planning initiative public meetings, and has received the support of Kildare County Council.

Clane Poster-Free Zone. Underlying map © OpenStreetMap Contributors

Our sincere thanks to those candidates that are supporting this initiative.

For information on all candidates, and our poster-free zone initiative, please see the community notice board on Main Street, and our website ClaneCommunity.ie

Please advise ClaneCommunityCouncil@gmail.com of any errors or omissions.

Local and European Elections 2019

Local and European Elections are to be held Friday May 24^th 2019. Please see below for a list of all candidates, and for details of the Clane Poster-Free Zone.

Local Election Candidates – Clane Local Electoral Area

Farrelly	Aidan	Social Democrats
Fitzpatrick	Darragh	Fianna Fáil
Gibbs	Marc	Sinn Féin
Hallissey	Eoin	Green Party
Hogan	Thomas	Independent
Keenan	Daniel	Fianna Fáil
Langan	Seamus	Fine Gael
McEvoy	Pádraig	Independent
O’Connor	Una	Aontú
Ó Riain	Séamus	Renua
Weld	Brendan	Fine Gael
Wyse	Brendan	Fine Gael

European Election Candidates – Midlands North-West Constituency

Brennan	Cyril	People Before Profit
Carthy	Matt	Sinn Féin
Casey	Peter	Independent
Flanagan	Luke ‘Ming’	Independent
Greene	Patrick	Direct Democracy Ireland
Hannigan	Dominic	Labour
Healy Eames	Fidelma	Independent
Mahapatra	Dilip	Independent
McGuinness	Mairead	Fine Gael
McHugh	Saoirse	Green Party
Miller	James	Independent
Mulcahy	Diarmaid	Independent
O’Connor	Olive	Independent
O’Dowd	Michael	Renua
Rabbitte	Anne	Fianna Fáil
Smith	Brendan	Fianna Fáil
Walsh	Maria	Fine Gael

Clane Poster-Free Zone

Clane Poster-Free Zone. Underlying map © OpenStreetMap Contributors

Our sincere thanks to those candidates that are supporting this initiative.

For information on all candidates, and our poster-free zone initiative, please see the community notice board on Main Street, and our website ClaneCommunity.ie

Please advise ClaneCommunityCouncil@gmail.com of any errors or omissions.

St. Patrick’s Festival Awards Night

The St. Patrick’s Festival Awards Night took place on Friday 18th March in the Westgrove Hotel. The winners were as follows:

Non Commercial Section
1st 5th Kildare Scouts
2nd Clane Community Council
3rd Prosperous Guides

Commercial Section
1st Early Days Creche
2nd Enquiring Minds Childcare
3rd Centre Stage Dance Academy

Best Themed Award
Enquiring Minds Childcare

Overall Winner
Early Days Creche

Shop Window Display:
Delmer Flowers and Bob and Kates Gift Shop

Congratulations to all. Great Floats and very high standard this year.

The 2017 Theme will be announced shortly.

Our new song “A SONG FOR CLANE” was written and performed by Mick Dunne (Singer/Songwriter). The CD is on sale in Bob and Kate’s Gift Shop, Clane for €4.

Kind regards,
Mary Dunne (Chairperson)

Clane’s Tidy Towns campaign in full swing!

Clane’s Tidy Towns campaign for 2015 is now in full swing. Volunteers gather every Tuesday at 7:30pm outside the Abbey. In recent weeks the Kildare 13th Beavers, the Staff of SuperValu Clane, the pupils of Scoil Phádraig and several of the businesses on Main Street have made wonderful contributions. Would you or your organisation like to get involved? Just drop down some Tuesday you have an hour or two free or contact us at ClaneTidyTowns@gmail.com

Tidy Towns tackling the Ballynagappagh Road with the help of SuperValu Clane

Tidying up the Ballynagappagh Road with the help of SuperValu Clane

13th Kildare Beavers after a big clean-up of Nancy’s Lane

13th Kildare Beavers after litter picking the Liffey Walk

Missing Golden Retriever…

A Golden Retriever bolted today as she arrived at her new home just outside Clane. She was wearing a pink lead. If you happen to spot her in the coming days please let us know where and when. You can email us at clanecommunitycouncil@gmail.com and we’ll pass on the message. Thanks!

Announcing Clane Men’s Shed Super Draw

Clane Men’s Shed are running a Super Draw with some amazing prizes. All proceeds are going to the local Men’s Shed.

First Prize:

A beautifully restored Clinker Built Lake Boat plus Trailer

Second Prize:

2 nights Bed & Breakfast for two people sharing at
The Castlerosse Hotel & Golf Resort, Killarney

Third Prize:

2 nights Bed & Breakfast midweek break for two people sharing at
The Gresham Hotel, Dublin

Tickets €5.00 per ticket

All Proceeds to the Clane Men’s Shed

Draw will take place on Wednesday May 28th at the Clane Men’s Shed

For further information & tickets contact
Pat Hallissey @ 087 6905847
Or
Ted Murray @ 087 6876026

The Loose Tooth Tree

Damian Murphy, a native of St. Brigid’s Terrace, has sent us in a copy of one of his poems from his collection The Spice of Life: A Collection of Rhyming Verse. Do you remember the Loose Tooth Tree???

The Loose Tooth Tree

Memories of times long past
Memories that seem to last
One thing I remember, it was special to me
Is the hideout known as The Loose Tooth Tree.

It was in a hedge where many trees did grow
It looked nothing special if you didn’t know
But for me and my pals it was something just ours
where we could escape for hours and hours.

It was completely covered with dark green ivy
Though the roots were loose, making it quite shaky
But once inside you were impossible to see
Ideal for a hideout we named the Loose Tooth Tree.

Though you could see out cross the fields everywhere
If you were quiet no one knew you were there.
Keeping it secret was just half the fun
An oath of secrecy was sworn by everyone.

Bits and bobs from everywhere made it our own
A great place to be, with the gang or alone
Jokes and stories were told, there was great laughter
And yes we discussed girls, and the ones we were after.

We had blackjacks, fruitsalads and bullseyes too
Time bars and curly wurlys that took ages to chew
A place to relax where there was no sense of hurry
We were so young sure we didn’t have a worry

We used it for cowboys and indians, hide and seek
The rare risqué mag there did we peek
Indeed it is where I tried my first smoke
When my pals were convinced I was going to choke.

We ambushed the boys from Clongowes when they came to town
Yes us boys from the Terrace gained some renown
It was all good clean fun, just fisticuffs back then
And didn’t it help us all on our journey from boys to men

We were Smiths and Nevins, Murphys and Callans
Dorans and Behans, Delaneys and Ryans
All from St Brigids and so proud of the fact
“No outsiders allowed” was a part of the pact

We had bags of crisps that cost only two pence
Wore platform shoes so high they didn’t make sense
Flared collars so wide we were in danger of flight
We had hair so long it often interfered with sight.

We listened to the Osmonds, the Monkees and Status Quo
We loved Abba and Gary Glitter (how were we to know)
We loved the Waltons, Top Cat and the Flintstones, yabadabadoo
Little House on the Prairie, Shirley Temple, and the Little Rascals too

Yes The Loose Tooth Tree belonged to St. Brigid’s Terrace
But as more houses went up other kids proved a menace
Two bits of wood and a nail, we all had a sword to fight
and peg guns proved effective if the aim was right.

We decided to make up a language all of our own
What we were saying others had no way of knowing
Not parents nor priests, not teachers or anyone
And we had such mighty craic, it was so much fun.

It was an innocent time, we were all boys growing
Our lives were changing without us really knowing
In the Loose Tooth Tree we were all good friends together
Making memories that would stay with each of us forever

It was during the seventies in my home town of Clane
Upon leaving ‘twas two decades ‘til I saw it again
To my dismay the Loose Tooth Tree was no more
But it will live on in my memory for evermore.

© Damian Murphy 2013

Clane’s 10th St. Patrick’s Day Festival – celebrating in style!

Clane Abbey in Green St Patricks Day 2014

Clane Abbey in a whole new light!

The clock is ticking and the countdown has begun for Clane’s 10th Saint Patrick Day Festival.

This year there is a fantastic array of events lined up for all ages and interests by the hardworking Clane Festival Committee. So dig out the wellies, polish the dancing shoes, root out the face paints and enjoy.

Click the programme below for a bigger version and check out ClaneFestival.ie for all the details.

And finally, don’t worry if you are not in Clane on the big day – this year you can watch the parade live on the web from 2.45pm. Just go to www.clanefestival.ie and click on “WATCH IT LIVE”!

Interested in Mentoring Young People?

A mentoring project that recruits, trains and supports volunteers from local communities to work as mentors to young people or their parents is currently seeking volunteers from the Kildare area. It’s a opportunity for mentors to share their skills and experience with a young person in their community, encouraging them to getting involved in sport, activities or education.

No experience is required as full training and support is given. Mentors meet once a week locally to do activities together. For more information, contact 087-2016801/ email or visit the website.

Closing date for this round of applications is February 24th.

Celebrating Pride of Place

A big congratulations to Otomy and to Park View who both were awarded first place in their categories in the County Kildare Pride of Place competition organized by Kildare County Council. Despite tremendous competition from around the county these estates were picked out for their wonderful community spirit so visible in and around the estates. Well done to both resident’s associations and to all the residents supporting their efforts.

Clane Christmas Cards now on sale…

The St. Patrick’s Festival committee have just launched their Christmas Card collection featuring various scenes of Clane. You can purchase them from the Photo shop or from any committee member…

Christmas Market and Festival – calling all local businesses and crafts people…

Following the great success of last years ‘Christmas Festival & Market’ Clane Project Centre will be running the event again this year.

On Sunday 8th December 2013 at the Westgrove Hotel, Clane from 1.30 – 5.30pm

Like last year there will be numerous stalls for seasonal fare complimented with Entertainment, a Kids playarea and a visit from ‘Santa’.

Clane Project Centre are looking for local Crafts people, Bakers, Businesses, Designers, Artists and everyone in between!

If you would like the opportunity to display and sell your wares they would be delighted to hear from you.Raffle Proceeds are to the ‘Little Way Cancer Support Centre’ Clane, Co. Kildare.

The Stall will consist of 6ft table with white table cloth. €30 cost of a stall for the day.

If you require any further information and if you would like to take part please do not hesitate to contact Marie Sheehy or Ted Murray at CPC Office on 045 861500.

Clane Poet publishes in aid of St. Brigid’s Hospice

David Joseph Cribbin is a poet who was born and grew up in Clane. He has published poetry in many poetry magazine and has had two of his collections published. When his father, Thomas J. Cribbin, was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer, in June of this year, he decided to donate the proceeds of his latest collection Father Crow and Other Poems to the St. Brigid’s Hospice in the Curragh after seeing what a wonderful job they do out there.

Thomas Cribbin, RIP

David said, “Dad himself had a way with words , he used to call his beloved GAA, ‘Nothing but 30 men in a field chasing a bag of wind.’ I’ve always loved that phrase ‘bag of wind’ instead of the prosaic – ball.”

Thomas passed away in August and David wrote the eulogy for his father and included the poem Return, which he wrote for him while he was being cared for in St. Brigid’s Hospice

Return

You’re going home,
returning never to
be turned away again,
returning never to
return to away again.

You’re returning home.

Your sheep are there –
their sleet fleece begging
to be sheared,
echoing the Sun’s heat
in a shining peal reply,
grazing in unconscious
contentment on dew
covered pastures,
luminous jade in
an eternal spring morning.

You’re returning home.

Your dog Shep is there,
his coal and milk pelt
wind tossed in the warm
breeze, doppelgänger
for the sea of
honey meadow grass
waving welcomingly
to you, beckoning you
to come and join Shep
bobbing in and out
of joyful reveal
and conceal.

You’re returning home.

Your water cart is there,
remade as you first
made it, fitted out with
its baker’s drums to
draw the rain clear water,
to thirsty mouthed cattle
on a gentle glide
home.

You’re returning home –
returning never to
be turned away again,
returning never to
return to away again.

David Joseph Cribbin
Clane
2013

If anyone wishes to donate by buying the book, it is available here – http://www.amazon.co.uk/Father-Other-Poems-Joseph-Cribbin/dp/1490913726/

Have you seen this dog?

A local resident has lost their soul-mate, a Bichon Frisé taken from a car in the Aldi car park on Thursday March 28th. If you have any information please contact us and we will pass on the message.

Happy Birthday…North Star Swimming Club!!

North Star Swimming Club was set up inSt. Raphael’s Pool, Celbridge, in 1992 to provide swimming lessons for people with disabilities living in North Kildare. This was a subsidiary of a similar swimming club in South Kildare, which has since dispersed. The Club originally only catered for people (children and adults) who had Spina Bifida or Cerebal Palsy. Due to increasing demand the club now endeavours to provide lessons and an introduction to swimming to people who have a disability. The members travel from Dublin, Meath and Kildare.

Currently there are 25 members, ranging in age from 6 to 50+. There is also a long waiting list.

Initially the club ran one session. However due to increased demand, a second session was introduced in 2008.

The first session generally provides one to one support in the pool, ensuring members feel safe and comfortable in the water. The aim is to help each member to reach their full potential and above all to have fun.

The second session is for more independent swimmers. The aim of this session is to develop the members stroke/water skills, to increase their stamina and to continue to grow in confidence in the water.

The North Star Swimming Club is unique in that it provides for the individual needs of each member.

The Club is run by parents of swimmers and volunteers. Money to fund the club mainly comes from fundraising, donations and a small annual membership fee. The membership fee was introduced recently due to a reduction in fundraiser income and donations/ grants and increased costs.

The Club is also an extended support network for parents/ guardians/ family of members. Parents are not required to get into the pool. This provides time for them to chat and to share experiences etc.

There is an important social aspect involved in the club for all who are associated. There is an annual trip to the National Aquatic Centre in Blanchardstown. The end of year dinner before the summer break is a favourite event (where acknowledgements of the hard work throughout the year are recognised). And not to forget the Christmas Party where we are joined by our ex-sister club. These events are vitally important for the Club as it allows members, volunteers and families to socialise.

It is important to note that all the helpers give of their time on a voluntary basis. This requires a commitment of at least two hours each Sunday afternoon during the school terms. In addition some help to organise and assist with fundraisers, the annual social events and try to raise the profile of the Club is given. These volunteers are vital to the club’s existence.

To celebrate our 20^th anniversary the Club is holding a celebratory get-together for members, past and present. The Club would be happy to hear from former members and helpers who would like to join the celebrations. The party will take place in St Mary’s GAA Club Leixlip on the 29^th September 2012 from 4pm. Please contact Valerie @ northstarswimmingclub@gmail.com before 1^st September 2012 to confirm bookings.

Finally, the Club would like to thank all those who have supported it over the past twenty years, both those who gave of the time and those who assisted financially. It is only through their charitable assistance that North Star Swimming Club has managed to maintain its valuable service to the community.