May Day, May Day

May Day, or International Workers Day or Labour heralds a busy month for Athy.
You can relive that nostalgic dance sensation in the Carlton on 7th.
This month our Twinning with the Picardie town of Grandvilliers takes a step further with a twinning visit by Athy residents to the French town on 9th.
Tom Phelan and Liz Fingleton nees your support for the orphanage in Ogobia when they host a Golf Classic on 16th
Francis is organising Africa Day on Fri 23rd and Sat 24th and
Athy can expect a deluge of visitors to support over 1000 entrants in TriAthy on Sat 31st.

Summer begins in style in Athy.

Online Dates??

Calendar of events for May is available through Athylive website or directly on www.athylive.com/calendar Have you an event that is not included? If so let me know and I will be glad to add it to the calendar. Items are also posted to over 300 local e-mail accounts so feel free to avail of the service for yourself, your club or your organisation.

Cecil Day Lewis Literary Competition

Entries are invited from County Kildare for the annual Cecil Day Lewis Literary Awards competition. The competition, organised by Athy Heritage Centre-Museum and sponsored by Kildare County Council and Athy Town Council, celebrates the connection between the celebrated poet and the South Kildare area. C.D Lewis was Professor of Poetry at Oxford from 1951-1956. A talented and humorous man, he wrote in An Italian Visit, parodies on poets ranging from Hardy to Dylan Thomas. His autobiography was published in 1960 and in 1966, he was awarded Poet Laureate.
Closing date for entries is Friday 23rd May 2008. Entry forms can be downloaded from the website http://www.athyheritagecentre-museum.ie/ or contact Margaret Walsh, Athy Heritage Centre-Museum, Emily Square, Athy, Co. Kildare. Phone 059 8633075
Each winner will be contacted individually and the principal of his/her school will also be contacted. The Award ceremony will take in Mid June

Athy Chamber means Business

Athy Chamber of Commerce understands how difficult it is for today’s Business Owners and Directors to keep up-to-date with constantly changing legislation. As such, Chambers Ireland has retained the services of Peninsula (Ireland’s leading Employment Law and Health & Safety Consultancy) to deliver a series of informative seminars with various local chambers throughout the country to remind business owners of the key issues and common pitfalls which every employer should be conscious of.

Their next seminar is taking place in conjunction with Athy Chamber on the 29th April and is free of charge to attend. Non-Chamber members are also welcome to attend without charge.

Please note that the seminar is aimed squarely at Business Owners / Senior Management

Clanard Court

7 – 8.30 pm
Tue 29th April

P.S. Please register your place, on or before the 28th April, by completing and returning the attached booking form, by calling 01 850 6055 or email: mailto:barry.omahoney@peninsula-ie.com

Ballroom of Romance

Sounds like a great night in store on Wed 7th May for anyone who can remember the Dancehall Days –( men on the right , ladies on the left, do you come here often?, do you feel like an orange?) Carlton Abbey is the venue and nostalgia is the word as local bands who treated audiences in the 60s, 70s and 80s give a reprise of the melodies which shaped our lives. All in aid of a new minibus for Teach Emmanuel. Contact Peader at the Music Stand and remember “Save the last Dance…..”

Boxing Day

John Joe Joyce our boxing contender for the Olympics is to visit around town on next Friday. He will be visiting several premises during the day and there is also an evening event being planned.
St. Michael’s Boxing Club is delighted with their success and can’t wait to show off their champion. Watch out for John Joe on Friday

Have anothe tri

With 40 days left until Tri Athy takes place there are already 0ver 1000 entrants registered for the event. 31st of May will see Athy transform into a hub of activity as swimming, running and cycling are the feats which will have the athletes testing their skills. Make a note on your diary for that weekend which has as its main sponsor his year Gabriel Dooley. ~The disruption to traffic and the social and community life should be more than compensated for by the large influx of thousands who will once again leave Athy with a very positive feeling. Let’s make sure that over the next few weeks that Athy becomes litter free to create the best impression.

Charity Punchestown Preview Night

in St. Laurences GAA Complex on Sunday Night 20th.
Great lineout in Hector, Ruby Walsh, Conor O'Dwyer, Enda Bolger, Noel Meade & Ivan Yates.
Tickets are €20
and all monies go to charity namely Jack & Jill Foundation, Injured Jockey Fund and Crookstown African Appeal. We have some tickets remaining
by calling Gina on 087 2860394 and tickets will be available at the door. Starts at 8p.m.

Exciting Weekend for Athy

This weekend sees a host of activity for the town.

This morning Fri Minister for Education and Science visits Kilmead National School and then Ardscoil na Trionóide for official openings

Tonight at 7.30 the Wider Options Art Exhibition is launched in Athy Community College

On Sat at 2.30 Calverstown horticulturist Sally McCafferty will give a fifteen-minute talk about growing and maintaining herbs at Castlefarm

Sunday sees the Medieval Festival taking place in the town from 12.30 onwards

Sunday at 3pm in the Clanard Court the Finals of the Speech and Evaluation Contest are being hosted by Athy Toastmasters
Busy weekend

Dog Gone

The issue of dog faeces and stray dogs are to be tackled by Athy Town Coincil following their monthly meeting. Some of our streets are littered with unsightly and unhealthy dog droppings which can earn a fine of up to €3000 and this is to be implemented by the council.
The issue of stray dogs is a safety matter and a sense of annoyance to all dog owners who can not enjoy taking their dogs for a walk because of these unleashed nuisances. War has been declared and the dog warden service is to be implemented. Dogs deserve a proper owner.

Win, win, win

AFRICA ’N’ IRELAND, A TALE OF POSITIVE
INTEGRATION

Women’s Integrated Network (WIN), Athy wishes to invite
the general public to Africa Day celebrations on 23rd and 24th
May, 2008, at the square, Athy. This is a multifaceted
celebration so; you may come for the Talk on the Nations
and Peoples of Africa on 23rd, or take part in Walk for
Integration, Taste of Africa and Irish food and or Children’s
funfair on 24th.
Call Frances: 085-142-6012 for details

Athy from Boat sides

Got to say that the North Barrow Inland Waterways have got a great idea to get people on the water. On Sat May 10th they are holding a River Run to Carlow. Anyone with a boat is welcome and it doesn’t have to be a big boat. Sounds like great fun and I will post more detail as I get it. In the meantime start looking for something that will float to join the “voyage”

Ladies and Gentlemen,

One group that has gone from strength to strength in the town is the Toastmasters group. This weekend the Finals of the Speech and Evaluation Contest being hosted by Athy Toastmasters is at the Clanard Court Hotel , Dublin Road, on Sunday April 20th at 3.00pm sharp.
Entrance fee is 15 Euro per head. For further information on the event and Athy Toastmaster please contact Anne Marie on 087 9815144. For further information on Toastmasters International please log on to www.toastmastersinternational.org/

We're in the Olympics

Congratulations to St.Michael’s Boxing Club and particularly Dom O’Rourke as John Joe Joyce today (Sat) secures a place in this year’s Olympics and also wins gold in Athens. Joyce boxes out of St. Michael’s club.

Wider Options Art Exhibition

Next Friday night 18th April, the annual Wider Options Art Exhibition takes place in Athy Community College. This exhibition is a display of the work of adult students who have studies under Linda Dempsey both in day and night courses.

Annually the exhibition attracts a large audience and is a most enjoyable night. This year the newly elected Chairperson of the Athy Arts Committee Brid Kirwan will open the proceedings.

Athy College 8 pm. All are welcome.

Charity to the Fore

Great credit to some locals who continue to fund Ogobia orphanage for the past 7 years and need your support for a Golf Classic in Athy Golf Club on May 15th. All the proceeds will go directly to the Orphanage which was established by the late Fr Vincent O’Brien CM,who has family connections in Athy & Nurney. To date the Orphanage has being funded by his friends since his untimely death in 2001.
We would gratefully appreciate if you could support us in whatever way possible and you might consider,-
Submitting a team of four to play for prizes for GUI and non GUI members.
COST €400 PER TEAM
Sponsorship of T Box for €100
General sponsorship of €30

Tom Phelan 086 3900269 Elizabeth Fingleton 059 8638606

It’s Our Heritage

The Heritage town of Athy hosts a Medieval Festival on Sun 20th (next Sunday week) with something for everybody from archaeology to Birds of prey. Put it in your diary

12.30 Festival Opens

Archaeology
12.30 Harpist and Music Historian Paul Dooley talks about the harp in medieval Ireland. Heritage Centre
1PM Archaeologist Ben Murtagh leads a tour to explore the newly exposed interior of Whites Castle.

Whites Castle
1.45PM Liam Hackett of Headland Archaeology talks about the prehistoric grave yard found in Moone and the Medieval enclosure ditch which surrounded and protected it some 1500 years on. Heritage Centre
2.15PM Archaeologist Marc Guernon lecture talks about the story so far uncovered of Ardreigh, from

Heritage Centre
3.00PM Paul Dooley talks about the Harp in medieval Ireland Heritage Centre

Outdoor Events
1.00PM Arena Show by the Barrow begins with Medieval Archery Talk
1.30PM Weapons display
2.00PM Swords Display
3.PM Flying Birds of Prey display.
3.30PM Dressing The Knight
4.00 Knights Battle

All day Activities and Exhibitions
Archaeology Exhibition. Heritage Centre
Medieval activities including coin striking and calligraphy. Heritage Centre
Birds of Prey Stand. Back Square
Have a Go Archery stand. s Castle Grounds
Kids workshop. Library

Water Notice

Athy Town Council regrets that the water supply will be turned off from 10.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. today (Tue 8th) on the Fortbarringtong Road.

Apologies for any inconvenience

WOMEN’S INTEGRATED NETWORK

WOMEN’S INTEGRATED NETWORK (WIN), ATHY
INVITES YOU TO
‘’2ND CELEBRATING DIVERSITY IN ATHY
&
1ST ANNIVERSARY OF WIN’’
THEME: BUILDING LASTING BRIDGES FOR POSITIVE INTEGRATION
DATE: THURSDAY, 10TH APRIL, 2008
TIME: 1000-1300HRS
VENUE: THE HUNTING GROUND, DUBLIN ROAD, ATHY
AGM: 2PM-3.30PM
MORE INFO, QUERIES OR TO REMIT SPONSORSHIP; PLEASE CALL: FRANCES, 085-142-6012
ATTENDANCE IS FREE.
COME ONE!!! COME ALL!!!!!!
SPONSORSHIPS ACCEPTED

Simon Says

The Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland (RIAI) & the Simon Communities of Ireland
have joined forces for a special fundraising initiative called "Simon Open Door" –
whereby participating RIAI Architects around Ireland will open their offices

on Saturday 12th April 2008,
to give members of the public an hour's consultation with an architect in return for a donation to Simon of €75.
All participating architects are giving their time for free and every cent raised will go directly to the Simon Communities of Ireland.
Local Athy architects Vivian Cummins & Associates are participating in the fundraiser .
The RIAI hope to raise at least €50,000 for Simon whilst providing expert professional advice to members of the public who are planning a building project.
To book your consultation sign up on: http://www.simonopendoor.ie/
PLEASE NOTE: The deadline for booking a consultation is 12 noon on Wednesday 9 April 2008

Saturday night sees the Moone shining

Big Variety Night

in Moone Hall

Sat 5th April at 8 .30 pm

Drama, music and song.

Proceeds in aid of Moone parish and the Guide Dogs for Blind

A good night and your support is requested

Picture perfect

Delighted to see that Robert Redmond’s two books "Achill Voices"
and " Athy Town" are available in Winkles and The Gem and at the Redmons Studio. The collection of photos in both books are masterpieces by a most renowned artist and capture moments in time which evoke feelings of nostalgia and community. Robert and Shane have just relaunched their website http://www.blogger.com/www.robertredmondstudios.com and also images from one of the books can be seen at http://www.blogger.com/www.achillvoices.ie