Youth Club

There was a presentation of certificates to those who have completed a course on volunteer youth leadership. The club also received a grant last week from Kildare County VEC of €1,500 to help towards the setting up of the club. The youth club committee held an information night in the town last Tuesday night to inform the public on where the project is at and to hear suggestions as to how it should proceed. Chairman of Monasterevin Youth Club, Pat Balfe told people that a lot of progress has been made since the project was first mooted last year. “A number of people got together on 18 November last year to set up a youth club and included among us were local Garda Billy Delaney and PP Fr Liam Merrigan. Since then we have all been garda cleared and we have all completed this training course which was run by KYS in order to ensure the smooth running of the club.” Mr Balfe went on to add that the group are starting from scratch and said that the €1,500 grant from the VEC is a huge boost. “We have secured the use of the parish office as our base for the foreseeable future and we are obviously delighted with that. However in the long term it is not the ideal venue going forward and we are looking to secure premises which we can call our own. It would be no less than what the kids of the town deserve so if there is anyone out there who has a building that we could use then we would be more than delighted to hear from them,” he said.

Mr. Balfe went on to add that the aim of the group was to provide a safe and secure, alcohol and drug free environment for the school going children of the town. “At the start we will only be able to accommodate 15 kids per night, but with time, we would like to expand it further to all students between first year and sixth year in the town. That is dependent on getting right building and the right facilities to put into that building. The club is open to young people who live in the town not just those who go to school in Monasterevin. Looking to the future Mr. Balfe said that the next step will be to look at the various suggestions which have been put forward for the club. “The kids will decide what goes into this club. A key thing will be the ownership of decision making within the club because it is their club,” he said. The public meeting heard that a pool table, a table tennis table, a play station and a TV and DVD player are among the items being considered for purchase for the club.

Monasterevin Library;
The closing date for the Easter bunny art competition is April 4th. Entry forms are available from the library.

Monasterevin AFC Soccer Club;
Senior training every Wednesday and Friday at Togher road. All welcome. Ring John at 086 8377375 for further details. Lucky 15 winner John Kaye.

Lady runners and walkers;
Any ladies up for participating in the Women's Mini Marathon on Monday, June 1, and help raise funds for Special Olympics Ireland. For a sponsorship pack call 085 162 6084 or 059 863 4642 or email kildare@specialolympics.ie

Charity Walk;
Donncha 0’Dulaing the esteemed broadcaster comes to Monasterevin on Sunday, April 5, for an historic charity walk around the 15 bridges of the town, traditionally known as the Venice of Ireland. This is in aid of funds for a very needy family in Bosnia. Ms. Patricia Keane, director of Rebuild for Bosnia organised the services of the affable RTE broadcaster.

Parish Novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Help;
This held every Wednesday for Lent in the Parish Church ND has drawn large attendances from the parish and surrounding areas. Next week’s speaker will be RTE broadcaster, Micheal O Muricheartaigh.

Parish Pilgrimage to Holy Land 2009;
Please note change of dates, 28 September to 7 October (9 nights ) Travel is ex-Cork direct to Tel Aviv . Cost is €1,354, accommodation in twin rooms sharing on half-board basis, dinner and breakfast. Places still available, contact the Parish office 045 525346 as soon as possble.

Monasterevin Credit Union
The latest car draw will be held on Thursday, April 9, at 5.30pm in the office. Any member not already signed up for the draw, please contact 525838 for details.

Local Draws and Lottos

Monasterevin GFC weekly draw results;
€150 Breda Kelly, seller’s prize, N. Harrison, €50 M. McCabe, M. Colgan, G. Kelly.

Parish Lotto;
Numbers drawn on 16 March 09, 13, 17, 23. Jackpot not won. Winners of €20 C. Quinn, C. Byrne. C. Byrne, E. O’Donoghue, J. Kaye. Jackpot now €2,200.

Ballykelly GFC & Community Council Development lotto draw.
Numbers 16 March 01, 12, 20, 24. Jackpot not won. €20 J. Weldon, L. Dowling, A. Nea, T. Byrne, S. O’Rourke. Jackpot now €2,600.

Historical society
Monasterevin historical society's agm takes place on Thursday, April 16, at 8.30pm in the Council Hall, Main Street, Monasterevin. All welcome, new members are especially wanted. Anyone interested in history and heritage are encouraged to attend.

Monasterevin Knitting Club
The co-ordinator would like to thank the local businesses for their sponsorship of a 10-week knitting project. Anyone interested in sponsoring the club please contact Deidre, 087 28980450.

AIKIDO Club
There will be a new Aikido Club opening in Monasterevin for over 18s only. This is a traditional Japanese defensive martial art program to be held on Monday nights. Contact Patrick at 087 6922583.

Monasterevin Og G.f.c.
Training/coaching for U.8s, U.10s,and under 12s has resumed for 2009 and takes place on Friday at 7pm under lights. New members are welcome.

Weightwatchers
This open to men and women and is held in the Riverside cafe, Supervalu shopping centre, Rathangan road, every Wednesday from 6-7pm. Ring Michelle at 086 4077346.

School Collection
Scoil Bhride, Lackagh, are holding a Church gate collection on Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 March in aid of school equipment fund. Your support would be appreciated.

Monasterevin AFC Soccer Club
Senior training for 2009, Summer season is on every Wednesday at 7.30pm and Friday at 7pm at Togher road. All welcome.

Parish News
The Parish Novena continues every Wednesday during Lent. Mass at 7.30pm and a well known speaker each week.

Parish radios for the housebound parishioners are available from the Parish office, phone 045 525346.

Walking
Arthritis Ireland ‘Get your joints in motion walking challenge’. Walk can be either 2.5 km or 5km and takes place in the Phoenix park at 12 noon on Sunday 2 May 2009. Phone 01 6618188 or www.arthritisireland.ie

Local Draws and Lottos

Ballykelly GFC& Community Council development lotto draw, 2 March 01,15,16,21. Jackpot not won. Winners of €20 E. Byrne, S & N ORourke, J. Weldon, N. Daly, T. McDonnell. Jackpot now €2,200

Monasterevin GFC: draw results €150 Pascal Whelan, sellers prize P.Whelan, €50 J.Melia, A.Harrison, J.Harrison.

Monasterevan Credit Union members’ car draw will be held on Thursday, April 9, at 5.30pm in the Credit Union office. Please contact the office for details on joining.

Parish lotto: 3 March 07,09,15,29. Jackpot not won. Winners of €20 Q. Duffy, S. Sharpe, J. McHale, T. Graham, M. Holligan. Jackpot now €1,800.

There were as wide a range of topics being discussed as one could think of, the busiest threads being the local GAA clubs, with lots of friendly banter about the football and indeed the whole social aspect of the GAA scene. There were threads about Monasterevin in the old days, all the old shops and the caharacters of the town.  There were topical discussions about crime, anti-social behaviour, amenties in the town or the lack of same. Information topics on where one could get a plumber, an electrican etc. There was an interesting topic on place name and their origin or meaning.

Generaly speaking people discussed or asked questions about almost anything imaginable that was to do with the town.  It was a wonderful source of information and news.  This was not unique to Monasteevin, there are town forums everywhere indeed there is still a Monasterevin forum of sorts.  Because of the abrupt closure of the aformentioned forums, Monasterevin was kindly offered a place on another internet site associated with Celbridge.  We are in currently co-habitating with our friends from the north of the county. Check it out at    http://campbells.proboards52.com/index.cgi  Lots of people who were on the original forums haven't transferred onto the new forum for various reasons ( I assume ) they don't know about the new forum, they don't like the idea of sharing or they just aren't interested in a forum anymore.

A properly organised forum dedicated to Monasterevin could be a wonderfully useful resource for the town.  We have an ever increasing population, with people now living here from all over the country and the world.  It would be usefull to have a central information point that people could go to, to find out what is happening in the town, a place people could ask questions about what is happening.  It is probably safe to say that most people have access to the internet now, either from their homes, schools, public places like an internet cafe or the library. There are lots of interesting things going on in the town, but very few people know about them.  This could be a place where people could let people know what is going on, look for support, tell people about upcoming events etc.

This could be done with a group of interested parties, there would be some technical expertise required initially in the setting up of the forum, you would need a small group of moderators (a person given special powers to enforce the rules on an Internet forum)  but generally speaking it pretty much runs itself.  The big thing is to infrom people about a new forum, let them know its there, the more people involved the better the forum.

Any way here goes, I am asking if anyone out there is interested in getting involved in this, they dont have to be technical above and beyond being able to use the internet. IF you are reading this and are not interested yourself in organising a forum, you might know of someone who might be, please let them know.  Anyone who is interested could e-mail me at the following address, monasterevin@kildare.ie The mails will be forwared on to me and I will get in touch with anyone who may be interested. If there are other suggestions, please feel free to put them into the comment section below.