On the Right Tracks

Commuters will be glad to know that work is to be done on parking facilities at Athy Railway Station this year. It is anticipated that Athy station car park will be extended mid-2008. When this extension is completed customers will be directed to use it while works are taking place on the current car parking facilities. It is hoped that customers will not be inconvenienced throughout these works. Notices should appear in the local papers prior to this work.

RD

Athy Community Library presents

A Date for your diary:

The House of Stories

Come and Join us in an Irish Night of

Music
Set Dancing
Storytelling
Singing
Sean Nós Dancing
Audience participation is welcome, so feel free to
Sing a Song
Tell a Story
Play an Instrument
Admission Free
Light Refreshments will be provided.
Friday 7th March 2008
Start 8pm

Athy Community Notes

Do you have any events, Clubs ,Groups , Local Lotto Results ,Card groups , AGM`s , Meeting`s. Charty Auction`s , Sport results .Raffles , Benefit nights, Dancing nights , youth clubs or maybe wish someone a happy birthday etc that you would like to have appear in one of your local Newspapers please Call Tony Egan on 086-2618808 or e-mail ballygarvan@hotmail.com.Get it seen get it in .

Parading Around

Instead of a parade for Patrick’s Day alternative events in the square are being proposed to celebrate the occasion. A meeting of interested representatives from clubs, organization, etc is being held in the Town Council chamber on this Thur at 7.30pm. Anybody interested in helping to organize or participate is welcome. So who wants an event for 17th March?

Chamber Chair Changes

Following Thursday nights Chamber of Commerce meeting the new President of the Chamber for the coming year is Paul Cunningham. Paul was last year’s Vice President and takes over from Kevin Maher. Vivian Cummins becomes vice president and a packed meeting heralds a very active year for the chamber.

The Taxman Commeth

The official opening of the decentralised Revenue office called the Kildare Revenue Office takes place in the Athy Business Campus on Friday, 1^st Feb. This is a significant event in the life of the town and South Kildare generally. This will have a very positive effect on the local economy with over 200 employees becoming part of our community.

MacKenna is a Corner Boy!

John Mackenna’s new play "Corner Boys" opening in the Civic Theatre, Tallaght on Wed Feb 6th and runs there till Sat Feb 9th inc before it takes off around the country.

The play is a tragic/comic story of three corner boys and two women, set in a small Irish village in the summer/autumn/winter of 1963, during John F Kennedy's visit to Ireland and his subsequent assassination.

The play has a cast of five and is directed by Marian Brophy.

The cast includes Cora Fenton, Therese Cahill, Charlie Hughes, Noel Lambe and John MacKenna

Curtain up in Tallaght each night at 8.15.

The other venues are as follows:

Feb

Wed 6 – Civic Tallaght

Thur 7 – Civic Tallaght

Fri 8- Civic Tallaght

Sat 9 – Civic Tallaght

Sun 10 – Briery Gap, Macroom

Th 14 – Dunamaise Arts Centre Portlaoise

Fr 15 – Garage Theatre, Monaghan

Sat 16 – Birr Arts Centre

Th 21 – Courthouse Arts Centre Tinahely 830

Fr 22 - Iontas Arts Centre Castleblayney

Sat 23 – Ramor Theatre Cavan

Sun 24 – Burncourt Community Centre, Burncourt, Co. Tipperary Mon 25

Wed 27 – Riverbank Theatre Newbridge

Th 28 – Roscommon Arts Centre

Fr 29 – Tuar Ard Moate 8.30

March

Sat 1 – Tuar Ard Moate 8.30

Mon 3 – Town Hall Athy

Tue 4 – Town Hall Athy

Wed 5 – Town Hall Athy

Th 6 – Friar’s Gate, Kilmallock

Fri 7 – Arles Hall, Co Laois

Sat 8 – Eire Og Clubhouse , Carlow

Sun 9 – Castledermot

Wed 12 – Watergate Kilkenny

Thur 13 - Dundalk

Fr 14 – Moat Naas

Sat 15 –Moat Naas

Sports Grants

If you are involved in clubs, organisations, schools, etc under the Sports Capital Grants funding can be allocated to the following organisations under the programme:
· voluntary and community organisations, including sports clubs;
· national governing bodies of sport and third level education institutions, where it is evident that the proposed facility will contribute to the regional and/or national sporting infrastructure; and
· in certain circumstances, primary and post-primary schools, VECs and local authorities

Details are available here: http://www.arts-sport-tourism.gov.ie/grants_funding/default.htm and the closing date is: 5pm on Friday 29th February 2008

Your Mobile Your Life

Message from New South Wales Ambulance Service

We all carry our mobile phones with names & numbers stored in its memory but nobody, other than if we were to be involved in an accident or were taken ill, the people attending us would have our mobile phone but wouldn't know who to call. Yes, there are hundreds of numbers stored but which one is the contact person in case of an emergency? Hence this 'ICE' (In Case of Emergency) Campaign.

The concept of 'ICE' is catching on quickly. It is a method of contact during emergency situations. As cell phones are carried by the majority of the population, all you need to do is store the number of a contact person or persons who should be contacted during emergency under the name 'ICE' ( In Case Of Emergency).The idea was thought up by a paramedic who found that when he went to the scenes of accidents, there were always mobile phones with patients, but they didn't know which number to call. He therefore thought that it would be a good idea if there was a nationally recognized name for this purpose. In an emergency situation, Emergency Service personnel and hospital Staff would be able to quickly contact the right person by simply dialling the number you have stored as 'ICE'.

It won't take too many 'forwards' before everybody will know about this. It really could save your life, or put a loved one's mind at rest. For more than one contact name simply enter ICE1, ICE2 and ICE3 etc.

Busy week

I have been informed of the following events for the week

Tue: Open Night Athy Toastmasters, Carlton Abbey 8 pm
Wed: Night Class Enrolment, Athy Community College, 7 – 9pm
Thur: Athy Chamber of Commerce AGM, Clanard Court, 8pm
Fri: Open Day Munchkins Childcare Service, Business Campus, Kilkenny Rd, 2- 9pm

RD

Gone to the Dogs

A great night at the dogs on this Sat 19^th at Newbridge Greyhound Stadium can also be a great night for Scoil Mhicil Naofa and Scoil Phadraig Naofa who are the beneficiaries of this Benefit night. Tickets are on sale in town and everybody can be a winner.

Kid Stuff

Munchkins Childcare Service 1C Athy Business Campus Kilkenny Road are having an Open Day on 25^th January from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. We are offering the first week half price for anyone who books during the open day with the child starting before the end of February.

Evening Classes

Enrolment for Adult Education classes takes place in Athy Community College on Wed next 23rd Jan. A full list of classes ranging from Art to Yoga is available on http://www.athycollege.ie/ Enrolment is from 7pm to 9pm and postal enrolment is also possible. Classes commence on the week of Feb 18th.

Water, Water Everywhere

The Boil Notice on water in Athy has been lifted as water levels start to drop and it is expected that water supply will start to get back to normal, particularly in the Carlow Road area which has suffered the worst loss of pressure during the recent flooding.
Good news also that Athy is weeks away from connecting to a new piped supply which will give 1,000,000 extra litres of water and should prevent the type of shortages that we have encountered (our main source at the moment supplies 1.2 million litres) and should augment our supply to the areas of most need.

Athy Toastmasters

Do you want to develop your communication skills, improve your leadership abilities
and learn to speak in public?

If your answer is YES, then Toastmasters is for YOU!

Athy Toastmasters cordially invites you to an

Open/Guest Night on
Tuesday January 22nd 2008
at 8.00pm in the
Carlton Abbey Hotel, Athy, Co. Kildare.

All welcome. Entrance is free.

For further information on Toastmasters please contact Anne Marie on 087 9815144 or John Roche on 059 8638127 or www.toastmasters.org/

This Year Give Blood

Opportunity this week to give some blood. This is something where we should be glad to be on the donating end of the process and think of those who need it desperately. Why not add saving lives to your new year resolutions. The Carlton Abbey Hotel on Tuesday and Wednesday from 4.30 until 8.30

Boxing Champions

Last night’s National Amateur Boxing Championships in the National Stadium saw St Michael’s Club in Athy take three National titles. John Joyce, David Oliver Joyce and Roy Sheahan won their titles under the watchful eye of National President if the IABA Dom O’Rourke who is also their coach. A very proud night for the town which seems to dominate this sport

ATHY CHAMBER SEMINAR

Health & Safety – Employers’ Liability
There are still places available for the breakfast seminar being hosted by Athy Chamber in conjunction with Chambers Ireland HR and Peninsula Consulting on the topic of Health + Safety / Employer's Liability.
The seminar is taking place on Thursday 17th January 2008 at 8.00 a.m. in the Clanard Court Hotel. This is an ideal opportunity for any employer to get their year of to the correct start.
The seminar is free to members and for bookings / further details please contact David McGrath (086 068 9676).

Captain’s Orders

New Men’s and Ladies Captains at Athy Golf Club for 2008 are Ned O’Donnell and Mary Hurley. The club is in existence for over 100 years and has been a very significant asset to the town particularly in attracting people to set up residence here. There are a limited number of vacancies for membership. Details of the club and its history are available on www.athygolfclub.com

Going Back

Plans are afoot for a Medieval Festival for the town to be held on Sun 13^th April. Organisers promise archaeological displays and medieval reenactments, archery competitions, lectures, falcons, hawks, etc Anybody interested in participating should contact Kevin at 059 8632001

Athy Means Business

Thursday 24th January is the AGM of Athy Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber of Commerce is an organisation of business and professional people advancing the commercial activity of the town. With so many new business developments taking place in the town never was it more vital to have a vibrant an progressive Chamber so even if you have never been involved and would like to meet other business/professional in the town the Clanard Court is the place at 8 on Thur 24th .

Tri Athy

After a record-breaking first year, TriAthy is back on the Irish triathlon calendar with a provisional race date set for Saturday 31st May 2008 (subject to Triathlon Ireland sanction). Online Registrations are now open

GET IN EARLY! There are benefits....

Once more, TriAthy 2008 will comprise of both a Sprint & Olympic distance race,
The good news is that the first 200 TriAthy 2008 entrants will be able to avail of a special 'Early Bird Rate' - only €39 for the Sprint and €45 for the Olympic.
The great news is that registering early also lays down an early New Years fitness goal!

Check it out at www.triathy.com

For Your Information

If you are not sure of your rights and entitlements including Social Welfare, Tax, Consumer Affairs, Immigration and person rights, free information and help on many topics is available to everyone in the community at Athy Information Centre, 3 Emily Row Athy (Ph 059 8632058). Opening hours are Mon, Tues, Thurs and Friday :10.30 to 12.30 and 2pm to 4pm. This is a fantastic service for the community and should be the first port of call for anyone to check their rights

Kildare County Show

The Kildare County Show which annually attracts thousands into the area is scheduled for June 15th. Attractions and events are too numerous to mention but can be seen on http://www.kildarecountyshow.com/ The show was not held last year due to unavailability of the location but is in preparation for this summer. This is a major event not just for the county but on the national calendar.

New Year resolutions

Lose weight, take a course, save the planet, recycle, take walks,……… This year let’s make it easy : while driving I will not use a mobile phone, I will use a seat belt and I will obey the speed limit. Each day a life is lost on our roads, let’s change that. http://www.rsa.ie/