Kildare County Council Arts Service

The Mayor of County Kildare, Councillor Colm Purcell with special guest Luka Bloom launched the 'Hidden Wonders of Kildare' - a new publication documenting a Kildare County Council 'Critical Debate and Public Art Project' in the Nás na Ríogh community centre in Naas on Friday 4th December.

The launch was attended by many of the nominators and their families, local historians, Kildare County Council staff and other interested parties.

The Mayor acknowledged the Nás na Ríogh development as one of the ‘Hidden Wonders’ and Kildare County Councils’ commitment to the development such that the local authority used its own capital fund to enable the project to progress in 2009.

The ‘Hidden Wonders of Kildare ’ project invited nominations of ‘Hidden Wonders’ from inhabitants, workers and visitors of Kildare in an aim to find, acknowledge and raise the profile of their hidden wonders that are particularly unique to Kildare.

Initiated by Public Art Co-ordinator, Rina Whyte and facilitated by artist Rowena Keaveny, ‘Hidden Wonders of Kildare’ attracted 60 nominations from approximately 40 people.  Nominations varied from places of tranquillity such as the Curragh Plains, to pubs such as ‘Roches’ of Donadea (the sinking pub!), Nepalese and Traveller culture in Kildare, many historic buildings and the story of the Wren Women on The Curragh.  Nominators included artists, local historians, school children, voluntary organisations and other interested parties.

The project has now been documented in photography, personalised quotations and portraits in the publication 'Hidden Wonders of Kildare' which is available from  Rina Whyte rwhyte@kildarecoco.ie 045 448316