County Kildare News

World Wetlands Day takes place on the 2nd February each year (see Editor's Note 1). The theme for 2013 is that  Wetlands Take Care of Water and this year the IPCC are encouraging Irish people to visit their local wetland to appreciate this fact. Bogs and fens for example store up to 98% their own weight in water. This water is released slowly during dry weather to replenish local supplies and is stored during wet weather to help prevent flooding in river catchments.

The clean water protected in our bogs and fens is the source of life for most of the mosses that live there and that are responsible for creating bogs in the first place. Tourists marvel at the fact that it takes 3 years for their bog walking footprint to disappear from the soft moss surface.

This year for world wetlands day why not go out and explore your local wetland. Choose a site from our top 20 bogs to visit in Ireland (see Editor's note 2). The Bog of Allen Nature Centre in lullymore, Co. Kildare is open for you to visit and learn about the watery wonders of bogs and fens in Ireland, which are just a small part of the wealth of wetlands world wide protected under the Ramsar Convention. If you would like to visit IPCC, we are open Monday to Friday 10am to 4pm, see www.ipcc.ie. We are also happy to help you find a lovely wetland to explore if you would like to email us at bogs@ipcc.ie.

Editor's Note 1: On the 2nd February 1971 an international agreement was signed concerning wetlands of international importance around the world. As the event took place in Ramsar in Iran the agreement was known as the Ramsar Convention.

Editor's Note 2: Top 20 Bogs and Fens to Visit in Ireland

Lodge Bog, Co. Kildare
Pollardstown Fen, Co. Kildare
Gristan Bog, Co. Limerick
Edenmore Bog, Co. Longford
Ceide Fields, Co. Mayo
Corlea Trackway, Co. Longford
Clara Bog, Co. Offaly
Glenveagh National Park, Co. Donegal
Wicklow Mountains National Park, Co. Wicklow
Connemara National Park, Co. Galway
Ballycroy National Park, Co. Mayo
Cuilcagh Mountains, Co. Fermanagh
Sliabh Beagh Mountains, Co. Monaghan
Peatlands Park, Co. Armagh
Fenor Bog, Co. Waterford
Killarney National Park, Co. Kerry
Sliabbh Bloom Mountains, Cos. Laois/Offaly
Lough Boora Parklands, Co. Offaly
Ballybay Wetlands Centre, Co. Monaghan
Mount Allen Bog, Co. Roscommon

We are delighted to announce the official opening of The Little Shop of Crafts, unit 9 Moat Mall, North Main Street, Naas, co Kildare. This Saturday the 2nd of February, from 10am-6pm.

To celebrate this special day we have several local crafters to demonstrate their crafts for all ages. Facepainting & fun for the kids. And great discounts in store on the day.

We are located in the unit where the Art  & Hobby shop originally was located in Naas.

We stock paper to wool and everything in between. Supplies for the beginner to the more experienced and a few surprises a long the way. 

It has been said that a shop like ours has been badly needed in Naas and we are delighted that we are now open. People can now shop locally for their craft & haberdashery needs.

Drop by or call Fiona on 0877374581
Email: justby_me@hotmail.com
www.facebook.com/justbyme.ie

Riverbank Arts Centre has been nominated/shortlisted for an IMRO Live Music Venue Of The Year Award 2012.
 
The overall winner will be decided by public vote. You can vote for Riverbank here... VOTE HERE
 
There iss also a Hotpress Award which coincides with it... www.hotpress.com/readerspoll

Spread the word and tell your friends & family to vote!

Closing date for submissions is February 19th.

Thank you for helping Riverbank Arts Centre Team in making this one of the best live music venues in the country!

North Kildare Chamber launched their Women In Business Monthly Network Evenings in Leixlip on Tuesday 22nd January in The Springfield Hotel. 

The evening was a resounding success with over thirty businesses in attendance, who all really enjoyed the evening. The Chamber are looking forward with much anticipation to the next evening on 19th February, which will take place in The Glenroyal Hotel in Maynooth.

These evenings are a new venture for North Kildare Chamber, who now, in addition to providing over one hundred and twenty network mornings, now also provide monthly network evenings for women in business.   

All details of upcoming events and dates are on the Chamber website www.northkildarechamber.ie.  

President of North Kildare Chamber, Eilis Quinlan said “ We are really pleased with this new venture and are delighted with the turnout.  I am really looking forward to meeting with businesses throughout North Kildare at these events.  Networking is a vital part of every business and I encourage all businesses to avail of the network mornings and evenings that we provide. This is a free service that we offer to our members, and they have repeatedly endorsed these events as a great way to grow their businesses”

The first record of frogs spawning in Ireland has been recieved by the Irish Peatland Conservation Council as part of our annual Hop-to-It-Frog Survey.  The frog spawn was spotted on the 8th January in Co. Cork.  With World Wetlands Day approaching on the 2nd February the Irish Peatland Conservation Council (IPCC) are encouraging you to visit, explore and discover the beauty and biodiversity on your local wetland.  While there keep an eye out for the Common Frog (Rana temporaria) and take part in IPCC’s Hop-to-it-Frog Survey 2013.  Another great place to spot frogs is in your garden, especially if you have a garden pond.

Its easy to get involved, you can contact the Irish Peatland Conservation Council at the Bog of Allen Nature Centre on telephone 045-860133 or e-mail bogs@ipcc.ie and leave your name and address and we will send you a frog survey card.  Alternatively go online to the Irish Peatland Conservation Council website www.ipcc.ie and fill in our online frog survey card.

Since 1997 the Irish Peatland Concervation Council have been asking members of the public to send us their frog sightings and today we have 4445 records of frogs from all over the country.   It is essential to monitor frogs as they are barometers of environmental health.  The Common Frog is widespread in Ireland but is under threat in other parts of Europe due to factors such as loss of habitat, chemical pollution and infectious disease.   The peak times for spawning are in February and March so over the next few months join in the Hop-to-it-Frog Survey.  

Spring into a new course at Athy College

Athy College will offer a wide selection of adult education courses this Spring, commencing in February...

Nominal fees apply. Enrolment is available online at www.athycollege.ie or in person on Friday, 25th January (1.30pm to 2.30pm).

Art and Oil Painting
Cake Decorating - Intermediate
Dress Design - Make a Garment
Dress Design - Update Your Wardrobe
iPad for Beginners
Jewellery Making
Meditation, Relaxation and Visualisation
Pilates
Sign Language for Beginners
Spot the Difference! (Saturday)
Spot the Difference! (Tuesday)
The iPad Continued!
Yoga

For further details, please contact Claire O'Connor at Athy College (Tel.: 059 8631663 or email: nightclasses@athycollege.ie)

A new online TV channel dedicated to both Irish Horse Racing and Irish Sport Horse disciplines is ready to air from early February 2013.  Irish Horse TV will be the first Irish station of its kind which combines flat and jump racing, excluding live racing, with the Olympic disciplines of show jumping, eventing and dressage as well as other equestrian pursuits.  The station will be targeted at both a domestic and an international audience and will serve to reinforce Ireland’s image as the ‘Land of the Horse’.

 
The project is the brain child of Kildare TV, an online station which has a proven track record in creating specialized TV stations and has pioneered online TV in Ireland with the creation of Kildare TV, Leinster GAA TV and GAA Handball TV.

 
Len Regan, Managing Director of Irish Horse TV said, “We have been working hard for the last two years in a bid to bring all of the elements of the Irish Horse together.  The Horse Racing and Sport Horse industry has a combined value of €1.5 billion and we are very pleased that we could bring all of the relevant stakeholders together to essentially promote and celebrate the very best of the Irish Horse Racing and Sport Horse industries.  We are delighted that horse racing and sport horses will both be represented on the channel, which will deliver a wide range of programmes to promote Ireland’s image as the Land of the Horse.”

 
The equine industry has warmly welcomed the initiative with Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) and Horse Sport Ireland (HSI), the respective Governing Bodies for the racing and the sport horse sector coming on board with the new channel as founding partners.  Sponsorship has also been secured from other stakeholders including the RDS and The Irish National Stud.

 
The content of the channel will be varied in a bid to maximise audience share and viewership while a core panel of presenters and contributors is being established and applications are coming in for this.

 
More details of the content, programming, etc will be announced on the 5th February when the station is officially launched.

 
Web address is:- www.irishhorse.tv 
Twitter:- www.twitter.com/irishhorsetv

North Kildare Chamber today (Wed 9th Jan) welcomed the announcement from the National Pensions Reserve Fund (NPRF) that it is to invest up to €500m in three SME funds which should generate at least €850m depending on the amount of third-party investment raised.

The Chamber President Eilis Quinlan said today” SMEs are the backbone of the domestic economy and provide over 70% of employment in this Country. We believe that the development of these new financing options will enhance their ability to contribute to our economic recovery.  They will certainly expand our member’s options in relation to obtaining finance, and the Chamber will continue to assist businesses throughout Kildare in anyway we can”.
 
The three funds include an SME Equity Fund which focuses on investing in healthy businesses seeking to grow, while the SME Turnaround Fund will invest in underperforming businesses which are at, or close to the point of insolvency but have the potential for restructuring.
 
Quinlan concluded by stating “The NPRF has committed to investing across the full range of SME financing needs, and we welcome this initiative to address part of the Irish banking sector’s failure”.

Kildare based children’s charity Sensational Kids is delighted to announce its new six week Parent and Wobbler programme, which supports the development of core communication and language skills for children of all abilities. The programme, which is suitable for all children from 18 months to three years of age takes place each Friday from 10.15am until 11.15am at Sensational Kids in Kildare Town from Friday 11th January 2013 and costs €75. 

Run by Claire Kennedy, Speech and Language therapist at Sensational Kids, the programme will focus on developing early communication skills including, early words, turn taking, maintaining attention span and listening skills through fun, games, music and song. The course will also give parents/carers ideas, songs and simple games that they can complete at home to continue each child’s development after the course.

Speaking of the six-week programme, Claire Kennedy, Speech and Language Therapist for Sensational Kids says, “This programme is aimed to teach and develop key early communication skills for all children. Children develop at different stages and this programme caters for children of all abilities between the ages 18 months and three years from basic speech and language development to more advanced communication skills. The six week programme gives parents and carers tips and ideas for continuing the development of these skills and more.”

Sensational Kids Parent & Wobbler Group is aimed at children of all abilities from 18-36 months accompanied by a parent(s) or carer. The six week programme costs €75 paid in full in advance or €15, if paid weekly and starts on Friday 11th January 2013 from 10.15am to 11.15am and takes place at Sensational Kids in Kildare Town. A booking deposit of €15 is required to secure a place on the course. Bookings can be made over the phone by credit or laser card by contacting Sensational Kids on 045 520900.

For further information about Sensational Kids, please visit www.sensationalkids.ie, call 045 520900 or drop into the shop in Kildare Business Park, Kildare Town.

The Five AA Red Star, K Club in Straffan, Co. Kildare will host a glamorous wedding showcase on Sunday, the 6th of January from 2 – 6pm.  The afternoon will commence with a Prosecco and canapés reception followed by musical entertainment throughout the day by wedding bands Entourage, Pink Champagne, DH Entertainment and the show stopping 16-piece, Route 66 Big Band.
 
Guests to the complimentary afternoon will also be treated to fashions shows with top models from the Andrea Roche Agency, modelling spectacular gowns by international Bridal Designer, Patrick Casey and dresses from Truly Bridal Wedding Boutique.  Make up artist to the stars, Ken Boylan will be giving a master class in bridal make up and will be giving some of his top tips on bridal beauty including how to make your make up last and choosing a look that suits you.
 
There will also be an opportunity for guests to meet with The K Club’s own wedding team and to get full tours around the hotel and the resort in order to see all The K Club has to offer for your dream wedding.
 
Exhibitors on the day will include photographers, videographers, wedding car suppliers, florists, wedding decorators, stationary suppliers, travel agents and wedding favour specialists to mention but a few.
 
All attendees will be given a goodie bag and the afternoon promises to be an afternoon of style and elegance.  For more details call  (01) 6017200 or log on to www.kclub.ie

New year, New you!  Yoga classes in Maynooth and Kilcock for 2013.

Look after your body and mind with Vitality Yoga courses to suit all ages and capabilities.  Classes are held in the Leinster Clinic Maynooth and the Wellness Centre Kilcock mornings, lunchtimes and evenings.  New courses for 2013 begin on the 7th January.

For more info, check out www.vitalityyoga.ie or call Emma on 087 6727873.