County Kildare News

Half year figures for North Kildare Chamber’s export documentation service show that Kildare based  companies are trading strongly despite the current  economic climate.  The Chamber has seen a 17% rise in figures for the first six months of 2013 compared to the first half of 2012.

The Chamber’s trade documentation service certifies documentation for companies seeking to export outside of the EU.  As part of ongoing enhancements to the service, the Chamber offers an online certification service which reduces costs for local companies.

“In the first half of this year we have worked with several new companies who are exporting for the first time.  In the past month alone we have worked with two companies who have never exported outside the EU before and they are now shipping their products to India and Malaysia” said Allan Shine.  “North Kildare and the wider county has a myriad of great companies and we in the Chamber are delighted to see that many more of these companies are now entering new markets and that they are working with us to grow their businesses” he added.

North Kildare Chamber was one of the first Chambers in Ireland to offer an online certification service last year.  It reduces costs for exporting companies by reducing time completing documentation and costs associated with it.

Findings from leading research team published in Nature Immunology journal

A research team at NUI Maynooth has made a breakthrough discovery by identifying a protein ‘Pellino3’ that may protect against inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn’s disease.  The research findings have been accepted and published in the prestigious ‘Nature Immunology’ journal.

The research team led by Professor Paul Moynagh, Head of Department of Biology and Director of the Institute of Immunology at NUI Maynooth with support from collaborators in Trinity College Dublin and University College Cork, has discovered a crucial role for a protein, Pellino3, in controlling unwanted inflammation in the intestine and therefore protecting against the development of Crohn’s disease. According to the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America, 1 in 200 Americans struggle with Inflammatory Bowel Disease, while in Europe it is estimated that upward of two million are suffering with it.

Inflammation is the body’s response to disease-causing micro – organisms. This involves the movement of white blood cells from vessels into the infected tissue where invading micro-organisms are destroyed. However the recruitment of white blood cells into tissues needs to be tightly controlled since prolonged tissue infiltration of these cells will lead to damage to normal healthy tissue. This will manifest as chronic inflammatory diseases with the symptoms of the disease being dependent on the site of inflammation.

When chronic inflammation occurs in the intestine, this can lead to conditions known as inflammatory bowel diseases of which Crohn’s disease is an especially debilitating strand. The team at NUI Maynooth has discovered that the levels of Pellino3 are dramatically reduced in Crohn’s disease patients, which is a major advance in the understanding of inflammatory diseases of the digestive system. The team is now building on these findings and aims to use Pellino3 as the basis for a new diagnostic for Crohn’s disease and as a target in the design of drugs to treat this incurable disease.

Discussing the findings, Professor Moynagh said: “The research represents a major advancement in our understanding of inflammatory diseases of the digestive system. The conclusion that the protein Pellino3 is a regulator for unwanted inflammation in the intestine and therefore may protect against the development of Crohn’s disease is a significant breakthrough. My hope is that we can build on these findings and use Pellino3 as a new diagnostic for Crohn’s disease and as a target for new drug discovery. Our aim at NUI Maynooth is to progress this research even further and we look forward to further advancements in the area of immunology in years to come.”

Commenting on the development, NUI Maynooth President, Professor Philip Nolan said: “Research is about finding answers and solutions to major challenges and difficulties we face. Immunology is an area of strength for Ireland and developments such as this will cement our position as one of the world’s leading nations in this field. The findings by Professor Moynagh and his team have the potential to impact positively on many lives.”

The research project is funded by a Principal Investigator Award to Professor Moynagh from Science Foundation Ireland and the PhD Scholars Programme in Immunology funded by the Health Research Board. The findings have just been published in the scientific journal, Nature Immunology, which ranks first in the world in terms of publishing high impact and original immunology research and includes only the most influential, important or conceptually novel work in immunology.

Irish Water has announced the creation of 1,600 jobs as part of its nationwide metering programme. The jobs will be available across the country and recruitment begins immediately.

In addition, Irish Water has announced details of its water meter rollout programme which starts next week and continues to the end of 2016. Over 1 million water meters will be installed outside domestic residences on the public water mains.  In the first three months, water meters will be installed in Kildare, moving swiftly to Kerry, Meath, Wexford, Dublin City, Limerick, Mayo and Fingal.

An average of 27,000 water meters will be installed each month making it the most ambitious metering programme by international standards.

John Tierney Managing Director, Irish Water said, “The creation of 1,600 jobs across the country is another milestone announcement for Irish Water and we are committed to allocating 25% of roles involved in installations to small businesses, people on the live register, graduates and school leavers.  Recruitment of senior management roles within Irish Water is ongoing. Our call centre located in Cork is now up and running to provide support for our customers and our website www.water.ie is live from today.

“We are now also ready to start one of the most ambitious metering programmes ever undertaken. Creating a national water utility is one of the biggest tasks ever carried out in the semi state sector. Our primary focus is to deliver enhanced water services in partnership with the local authorities, communities and businesses. We will develop an efficient and effective organisation that becomes a centre of excellence for water services, delivers economies of scale and reduced operating costs over the long term,” he continued.

There are no upfront costs for meters and water charges are due to be introduced in Q4 2014 with first bills issuing from January 2015. Advance notification will be issued to householders before meters are installed with information packs outlining the details of the installation process.

Recruitment for the metering programme starts immediately. Further information about the roles and how to apply is available on www.water.ie.

The inaugural meeting for the newly formed Kildare and Wicklow Education and Training Board was held at Killashee House Hotel, Naas on Tuesday the 16th of July.  This was the first official meeting of the newly formed Education and Training Board and follows the enactment of the Education and Boards Act 2013 on the 1st of July.  The establishment of the Act has meant that the former Vocational Education Committees have now been replaced by Education and Training Boards (ETBs). The ETBs will also undertake all of the training that was carried out by Fás when the Act establishing SOLAS is commenced.

Sean Ashe, The First Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Kildare and Wicklow Education and Training Board welcomed the Board members to the meeting which he described as ‘an historic occasion’, he went to say, “VECs can look back with pride and the vision which we had as separate VECs will now be enhanced by the joining together of the two VECs in the new single Statutory Board.  We have challenges ahead but also great opportunities.”

Cllr. Mark Wall, was unanimously elected as Chairperson and Mr. Michael Lawlor was unanimously elected Deputy Chairperson. The Chairperson thanked all for attending and wished the CEO well in his new role and added, “The window of opportunity is great and our system of education will continue to spread with the expansion of our magnificent schools and centres and the addition of new schools and centres of education and training.”

Mr Ashe presented the members with an overview of the key metrics for the new ETB and outlined his proposals for restructuring the administrative systems to enable the new ETB operate in an effective and efficient manner.

AEOs Catherine Byrne and Des Murtagh made a presentation to the board welcoming the new challenges and stated that an area of great change will be the further education sector as ETBs take on the responsibility for both education and training, formerly the remit of the VECs and Fás.  Funding for further education and training will be accessed through the new statutory body called SOLAS when the Further Education and Training Act is commenced.

Fresh from his debut single seater win at Mondello last weekend, saloon car racing specialist Barry Rabbitt will tackle a completely  new challenge at the Mondello Park Truck Show this weekend.

Amongst the many attractions and challenges at the Mondello Truck Show is the “Stop Go Challenge” on the main straight. Tractor Units line up on the grid and when the lights change, they charge side by side down the straight before coming to a stop in a “box” right in front of the grandstand, without knocking over a pylon right in front of the truck!

Rabbitt will compete in an Irish Commercials supplied 460bhp Volvo FM11 Globetrotter LXL equipped with Volvo’s reknowned 12 speed I-Shift Gearbox. “I can’t wait”, said an enthused Rabbitt yesterday- “it should be great fun. The Truck show was historically a great event at Mondello and my family have always been in the transport business so I used to go as a kid and loved to watch these type of competitions!”
Barry has also entered Ireland Fastest Courier Competition through his own company, Deliver-it.ie This is where various van drivers and courier companies race down the straight in Mondello, but have to stop on a number of occasions to deliver and pick up various things, as quickly as possible!

Other attractions at The Truck Show this weekend are the UK Race Trucks, Stunt Ireland, a Drift Demo and much much more. Admission is €10 on Saturday and €15 Sunday with under 16s going free both days. Discounted tickets are available on Mondello’s website if prebooked:

http://www.mondello.ie/race_events/shows/truck/

“The I-Shift will change the way you drive. It is a 12-speed automated gearbox. Thanks to the intelligent software, I-Shift always applies the right gear in every situation. This leads to lower fuel consumption, enhanced driveability and makes the driver’s job a lot easier. I-Shift is quiet and more compact than ever, weighing approximately 70 kg less than a manual gearbox.”

It’s all go at Mondello Park as final preparations are being made for Ireland’s Biggest Truck Show in 2013! The two day ‘Festival of Trucks’ to be held at the County Kildare motor racing circuit on Saturday & Sunday next 20/21 July features a number of unique Star Attractions.

Truck Racing – The BIG attraction is once again the British Racing Championship Trucks, which will compete in a number of Demonstration Races on both days of the Show.

Time-Attack – The Racing Trucks will be joined by Round 5 of the Irish Time-Attack Championship where some of Ireland’s top cars will battle it out for the fastest lap of the day.

Motorcycle Stunts – Stunt Ireland will also be on hand with a number of its top riders set to excite and entertain the large crowds.

Drift Demo – James Deane and Adrian Walsh, are two of the country’s top competitors taking part in the new IDC (Irish Drift Championship) with James Deane running his brand new Falken Tyres Mazda RX7 Drift car.

Stop & Go Competition – Further on-track entertainment will be provided by the Stop & Go Competitors, where exhibitors in their tractor-units can drag race each other down the straight, where they then have to stop suddenly within a stop box. The knock-out competition will see the 2013 Irish Champion crowned.

Courier Race – Ireland’s top van man (or woman!) will be awarded to the winner of the Mondello Courier Challenge, which sees courier companies go head-to-head on the main Mondello Park track where they must collect, load, unload and deliver their parcels faster than the opposition!

Truck Displays – In the centre Paddock, manufacturers and trade will share with other attractions and exhibitors with lines and lines of shining trucks parked all the way out onto the International Loop as in the past.

Prizes – As an extra bonus for all prize winners, in addition to the trophies presented on the day, they will receive a Mondello Park Supercar Experience Course, where the chance to drive a Porsche awaits!

Convoy! – The Mondello Truck Show concludes on Sunday afternoon with the legendary Ireland’s biggest convoy.

On Sunday the 28th July from 12noon-5pm the Irish Peatland Conservation Council are inviting you to visit the Bog of Allen Nature Centre and share your bog memories with us.  This will be a special day at the centre as the Dutch Foundation for the Conservation of Irish Bogs will visit and share with us their bog memories as they celebrate their 30th Jubilee.

The Netherlands was the first country in Europe to completely develop all their bogs.  A sense of loss fell on the nation and the Dutch government decided to take action to conserve their last 8,000 hectares.  As part of this they signed a joint agreement with the Irish government to send students to Ireland to study Irish peatlands.  During these studies a young Matthijs Schouten visited to explore the change in bog plants as you cross from the East to the West of the country.  He soon found that Ireland was developing bogs in the same way the Dutch had, there was no thought for the conservation of a sample of these wonderful habitats. 

He wanted to take action so in 1983 Matthijs and a group of friends set up the Dutch Foundation for the Conservation of Irish bogs in the Netherlands.  Between 1983 and 1987 they raised enough money in the Netherlands to purchase three peatlands in Ireland.  With the help of the Irish Peatland Conservation Council Scragh bog, in Co. Westmeath, Cummeragh River bog, in Co. Kerry and Cloghar na gCon, in Co. Galway were purchased by the Dutch.  These peatlands were then handed back to the Irish people as a gift.  The Irish government recognised this fundraising and pledged to conserve a further 50,000 hectares of peatlands in Ireland.
 
Throughout this gathering year the IPCC have invited members of the public in Ireland to share their peatland memories.  On the 28th July Matthijs Schouten of the Dutch Foundation for the Conservation of Irish Bogs will travel to Ireland and share his bog memories with the Irish.  This event is free and there is something for all the family including talks sharing bog memories, bog walks, wildlife gardens with insect eating plants and children's activities.  

It is not too late to share your bog memory; you can submit your memory online and find further information by visiting www.ipcc.ie.

Two fantastic days of racing with the cream of Europe's top three-year-old fillies taking center stage on the Saturday.

Saturday 20th July - Darley Irish Oaks Day

RACING

The cream of Europe's top three-year-old fillies are set to clash this Saturday evening, including Epsom Oaks first and second Talent and Secret Gesture, Ribblesdale Stakes first and second Riposte and Just Pretending and the Priz de Diane (French Oaks) runner-up Chicquita.

• 1st Race 3.35pm
• Darley Irish Oaks off at 6.15pm
• Last race 7.20pm
• Live music after racing from Radio Shack featuring Tammy Browne
• GAA & British Open Golf action shown on screens throughout the racecourse
• Admission is €20, U/25s & Seniors €10, U/16s FREE

FASHION

Darley Irish Oaks will feature a Ladies Fashion Competition with the winner becoming the first lady to quality for the 2014 Ultimate Ladies Day. Spotters will be on the lookout for fashionable race goers who could win a voucher for €3,000 to spend in the luxury furniture and lifestyle store, Michael Murphy Home Furnishing.

In addition to our Ladies Fashion Competition for all racegoers we will also feature the Bollinger Ultimate Ladies Day - 20 of Ireland's most stylish ladies have been invited to the Curragh for the prestigious Bollinger Ultimate Ladies Day.  The winners of the top 20 Ladies Days at racecoursess all over Ireland will enjoy VIP hospitality and compete for the Ultimate Ladies Day title.

Sunday 21st July - Kilboy Estate Stakes & boylesports.com Rockingham Handicap
    
RACING

British trained pair of Dutch Masterpiece & Whozthecat have been installed as joint favourites for the €100,000 boylesports.com Rockingham Handicap and the Group 2 Kilboy Estate Stakes (picture of perpetual trophy on left) has attracted 15 entries including four (Just Pretending, Magical Dream, Say and Scintillula) fillies that also hold an engagement in Saturday's Darley Irish Oaks, with Dank likely to be the sole overseas challenger.

The Irish Field Grey Horse Handicap provided to be a big hit when first run 12 months ago and this season's renewal has attracted 10 entries, inclluding the 2012 heroine Susiescot.

• 1st Race 2.15pm
• Last race 5.15pm
• FREE entertainment for children
• GAA & British Open Golf action shown on screens throughout the racecourse
• Admission is €15, U/25s & Seniors €8, U/16s FREE

TOTE

Racegoers will have the opportunity on Sunday to hit the jackpot with a huge jackpot carryover of €80,000 and with an expected pool of €150,000 the Tote Super Jackpot will certinly live up to it's name this Sunday.

 

North Kildare Chamber who already provide over 140 free network mornings and evenings each year, now also host Women in Business Monthly Network Evenings.  This month on Thursday 25th July, the network evening will be held in the VIP Suite of Kildare Village starting with light refreshments at 4.30pm with the networking starting at 6pm. At 7pm, all members will receive a Chamber VIP card for the Village.

This promises to be a great evening for women in Business in Kildare.  Allan Shine said, “Our monthly women in business network evenings are proving extremely popular with our members and the Chamber are delighted to host this month’s evening in Kildare Village.  It promises to a be a great evening and interested businesses can contact  the Chamber office on 045 894074 for all details.

Networking is vital for all sectors of business and it’s a great way to meet with local businesses, exchange ideas and develop good business relationships with fellow like-minded people.”

Allan Shine concluded by saying “ This time last year we provided 60 network mornings/evenings and now we are hosting over 140, network mornings are available for businesses every Tuesday in Maynooth, Wednesdays in Naas, monthly network evenings are  in Athy and Celbridge and our monthly network evenings for women are in different towns each month in Kildare”

ARK Recovery, Recycling, Regeneration

Ark Recycling is a Small Company, Independent, Owner Operated, Ethical and dedicated to Research & Development of better ways to take care of Ourselves and the Environment.

We operate a Recovery & Recycling Facility Licensed by Kildare County Council under Permit No. 64/2009. Our Facility is located on the site of an ancient Midden which served as the waste facility for the Hamlet of Newtown, which has existed from some time in the 16th century. We are probably the oldest recycling facility in Ireland.

Here we are also reinstating the old millrace pond and the mill itself to generate electricity as it did almost 100 years ago.

We have hazardous waste collection permits for all of Ireland. We also report to the EPA. We can collect or accept & certify all clean dry recyclables.

We Can Recycle Almost Anything

• From Aluminium, through to Zinc, all Metals, Ferrous & Non Ferrous, Horse Shoes to Haberdashery. Architectural Salvage, Any Old Iron
• Tin Cans, Forty Five Gallon Drums to Tankers
• Cardboard & Paper, Confi dential or Not. Shredded, Baled or Loose,
• Plastics, Polystyrene, Polypropylene, Polyethylene, PVC, Nylon, Bakelite, Flower Pots, Bags, Rolls, Off Cuts, Purge, Ducting, Hydrodaire, Wavin & Guttering, Packaging & Pallets,
• Window Frames, Bicycles, Doors, Knobs & Knockers, Gates, Railings, Lawn Mowers, Agricultural & Industrial Machinery & Equipment.
• Broken, Surplus or Obsolete Furniture, Pallets, Shipping Cases & Old Boats
• Caravans, Mobile Homes, Portable Cabins & Sheds.
• Signs & Displays,
• Insulation & Refrigeration,
• Computers & Telephones,
• Office Equipment,
• Furniture & Carpets,
• Glass Bottles, Jars, Windows, Double Glazed, Laminated, Armoured & Windscreens,
• Tyres, Wheelbarrow to Earthmover,
• Obsolete, Surplus & Short dated Stock, Plant & Machinery.
• White Goods, Brown Goods,
• Electrical Appliances, WEE.
• Cable & Wireless.
• Clocks, Watches, Spectacles,
• Cutlery & Jewellery.

  Or Anything Else You May Have That You Do Not Need or is Taking Up Valuable Space which Could be Put to Better Use.

We are in Newtown, Moone, Co. Kildare.

Email arl@iol.ie

Web: http://arkrecycling.com

THE GIVE OR TAKE CLUB
with Eddie Hobbs

With a little Give or Take… could you and your neighbourhood make your wishes come true?

How much will you sacrifice to help somebody else? Psychologists tell us that Giving is more rewarding than Taking. This new and exciting show puts that theory to the test.

In the show, we are bringing together a group of people - an estate, a street, an apartment block, or people from the same town - to form a Give or Take Club for one month. Everyone must be prepared to Give a Wish, or Take a Wish. Everyone will make a ‘Wish List’, writing down things they want – small and big: a holiday; a better car; a job; a job share; a makeover; a garden makeover; respite care; one night out a week. Everyone lists their assets: time, money, skills. This is the Give Or Take List. Acting together the Club can realise some, but not all, of their list. And not without some sacrifice, selfless action. innovation and good old horse-trading. What could you change on your own doorstep in the space of just one month?

Leading financial expert, Eddie Hobbs is The Negotiator. Eddie will use all his financial know-how and negotiating skills to help your community uncover the hidden assets, resources and skills to achieve as much of the Give or Take list as possible. He’ll set out to pair wants and needs with available assets.

We are looking for people from the same area to take part. You can sign up on your own, with a partner or friends, or as a group or household. Those participating must have availability for filming during September 2013 – dates will be confirmed as far in advance as possible. Eddie will meet the Club once a week to set challenges and offer financial tips and tools to achieve them. The Club meeting will be filmed for the show. Eddie will follow up with some individuals or households one on one as the Club progresses.

WHY GET INVOLVED?

-    Gain financial know-how and learn new lifestyle budgeting skills
-    Discover the feel-good factor of Giving
-    Connect with local people and problems you care about
-    Meet new people with shared interests and values
-    Get to know your neighbours better
-    Potentially fulfil a personal wish or ambition with the help of others
-    Showcase your area’s community spirit
-    Be part of an exciting social experiment and Ireland’s first Give or Take Club that could kickstart Clubs in communities around the country.

The Give Or Take Club seeks to reflect the current economic climate. It also seeks to empower people, to selflessly help their fellow neighbour. It is a test of human nature, proving that indeed there is more in the giving than the taking.


If you are 18 or over and interested in taking part or would like more information, no obligations:

Please contact giveortake@indiepics.ie or call 01-7088192 / 01-7088157

Please get in touch no later than: Friday 19th July 2013

After school, hourly classes for 5-16yrs run in conjunction with the school year in locations around Naas.

Speech and Drama lessons by Carol Gleeson, for students 5-16yrs covering speech and performance techniques including vocal technique, improvisation, stagecraft, movement and mime. Students prepare for exams and perform solo dramas and poetry at feiseanna throughout the year.

Classes take place in various locations around Naas including Naas GAA club, Naas Parish Centre and Holy Child School, Ballycane, Naas.

For more information contact Carol Gleeson:

083 124 2812 or gleeson.carol@gmail.com

Web: www.carolgleesondrama.com

Throughout this Gathering year the Irish Peatland Conservation Council have asked members of the public to send in their peatland memories to the Bog of Allen Nature Centre.   Some of the memories received have being days spent hill walking, for others days footing turf, a picnic on a bog or identifying peatland plants.  These memories will form the focus of the Irish Peatland Conservation Council’s celebrations on International Bog Day between 2-5pm on the 28th July at the Bog of Allen Nature Centre.

 
Anne Sweeney from Monasterevin, Co. Kildare shared a memory belonging to her parents.  ‘It is was the summer of 1945 a young Paddy Sweeney from Toe Head in West Cork moved to Kildare for the summer to save turf on Roseberry bog just outside the town of Newbridge, Co. Kildare.  Leaving his family behind he began work on the bogs.  One afternoon himself and his colleagues spotted a young woman and her mother travelling on an ass and cart home from their day spent saving turf.  For entertainment the boys began to throw sods of turf at the woman and one sod that Paddy threw hit the young woman, Nancy Lynch.  It was a few days later when Nancy and her mother were walking down the mainstreet of Newbridge when they bumped into Paddy and history was written.  Paddy and Nancy married in the summer of 1947 in St. Conleths and Marys church in Newbridge.’

 
Peatlands have a part in Irish social history.  The variety of memories received by the Irish Peatland Conservation Council to date have been fantastic.  It is not to late to submit your peatland memory you can e-mail it to bogs@ipcc.ie or visit IPCC’s website www.ipcc.ie and submit it online.  These memories will be shared on the 28th July at the Bog of Allen Nature Centre’s Gathering event between 2-5pm and all are welcome to attend.  For further information or to read some more peatland memories visit www.ipcc.ie.    The Irish Peatland Conservation Council would like to thank The Gathering Ireland 2013 for supporting this intiative.

20 of Ireland’s most stylish ladies have been invited to the Curragh Racecourse for the prestigious Darley Irish Oaks on Saturday, 20th July to take part in the Bollinger Ultimate Ladies Day.

The winners of the top 20 Ladies Days at racecourses all over Ireland over the past 12 months will enjoy VIP hospitality and compete for the Ultimate Ladies Day title. The winner of the Dubai Duty Free Most Stylish Lady competition on Derby Day Deborah Barrett was the final qualifier for the competition.

The judges will be TV3’s Colette Fitzpatrick and Bairbre Power, fashion and lifestyle editor of the Irish Independent, and they will have the very difficult task of selecting the winner who will receive a crate of Bollinger Rosé Champagne and a luxury weekend VIP spa break away for two at the five-star Aghadoe Heights Hotel and Spa in Killarney. The prize also includes dinner and a treatment each in the award winning spa, and a VIP race day package for the winning lady and 5 guests to the Gain Irish St Leger Day at the Curragh on Sunday 15th September. The runners up will be presented with bottles of the delectable Bollinger Rosé Champagne.

The evening before the competition all 20 ladies and their guests will stay at the magnificent Killashee House Hotel & Villa Spa in Naas where they will have the opportunity to take some time to relax and enjoy the facilities at the leisure club, take a stroll in the beautiful grounds or take some time out in the new Jack & Jill Foundation Garden before a special welcome reception and enjoying luxury overnight accommodation. The following day all participants will gather at the Curragh Racecourse for a VIP day’s racing which will include a Bollinger Champagne reception and lunch before taking to the stage to wow the judges with their race day ensemble.

Darley Irish Oaks day will also feature a race day competition for ladies in attendance with the winner becoming the first lady to quality for the 2014 Ultimate Ladies Day. Spotters will be on the lookout for fashionable race goers who could win a voucher for €3,000 to spend in the luxury furniture and lifestyle store, Michael Murphy Home Furnishing.

Meanwhile on the track, the first race is off at 3.35pm while The Darley Irish Oaks featuring some of the world’s top fillies taking place at 6.15pm. This will be the first time for many years that the Darley Irish Oaks has been run on a Saturday and the party will continue long into the evening with live music from Radio Shack featuring Tammy Browne after the last race. Other races taking place include the Jebel Ali Racecourse and Stables Anglesey Stakes and Invesco Pension Consultants Minstrel Stakes. Day 2 of the Darley Irish Oaks weekend takes place on Sunday 21st July featuring the Group 2 Kilboy Estate Stakes and boylesports.com Rockingham Handicap.

For tickets or further information, visit www.curragh.ie or call (045) 441205.

Exciting Format for Revived Formula Vee Festival

For the second year running, the Irish Formula Vee festival will take place at Mondello Park this coming weekend (July 6th & 7th) with an innovative and exciting event format and live internet streaming on Mondello.TV. The revival of this event proved very popular last season and the event returns with continued backing from Dunlop Tyres.

A total of eight Formula Vee races will be run over the two days starting with the championship encounters on Saturday. The festival will then kick into action on Sunday, with three heats followed by two semi-finals and the final.

Following qualifying on Saturday morning the grids for the Formula Vee championship races will be decided. The times from qualifying will also be used to determine the line-up for the Festival heats on Sunday with an additional qualifying session on Sunday morning for Festival only competitors. Saturday's twelve race programme will also include the seasonal début of the revived Irish Formula Ford Championship and the two races for the Patch Tyre Equipment Fiesta Championship.

Sunday's very busy sixteen race schedule gets under-way at 10:35 with the first of three Vee Festival heats. The top eighteen drivers from each heat will make it through to the Semi-Finals which will be the first action after the lunch break. The top fourteen from each semi will then make the grid for the fifteen minute final, which will line-up at 16:40. To add to the intrigue a number of the top grid positions for the final will be reversed and that number will be decided by a draw just minutes before the grid is formed.

The event has a number of side attractions which will include a Barbecue on Saturday Night and a charity auction, the proceeds from which will go to the LauraLynn Foundation. There will also be a strong Volkswagen theme with displays by Volkswagen owners clubs including 'Eircooled', and a parade of their vehicles around the circuit at lunch time on Sunday.

To encourage fans of air-cooled cars to attend the festival anyone arriving in such a vehicle will be admitted free of charge, otherwise admission will cost just €10 per car with up to 5 people. All money raised at the gate will join the money raised by the auction and go to the events official charity the LauraLynn Foundation.

For information on the Formula Vee festival see www.mondellopark.ie/vee.

Bookings are now being taken for the Bog of Allen Nature Centre's popular nature summer camp.  The camp will be held from Monday 29th July - Friday 2nd August from 10am-1pm each day.  

The camp is suitable for students aged 6-13 years and is fully supervised.  The nature camp encourages students to explore their outdoor environment in a safe and fun way.  Activities are both indoors and outdoors and include pond dipping, frog and newt searches, butterfly identification, creepy crawlie safari, nature walks and nature crafts.  The cost of the camp is €50 per student with a 10% discount for siblings.  

To book a place for a student or for further information you can ring the Bog of Allen Nature Centre on 045-860133 or e-mail bogs@ipcc.ie.

The new Lullymore Island looped walk on Lullymore Island is going to be presented during the Open Day of the Bog of Allen Nature Centre on Sunday 21st July 2013. Lullymore is a rock in the middle of the Bog of Allen and has a wonderful variety of habitats and local history. The new looped walk connects the features of the island.

         “The development of the walk involved surveys to the features of the island, talking to residents about the local history and looking for the most beautiful and peaceful spots on the island” says Leonie Tijsma, who studies Forestry and Nature Conservation at the Larenstein University in the Netherlands. “Developing a walk is a nice way to get to know local people and the area. I hope walkers will enjoy the Lullymore Island looped walk as much as I have enjoyed developing it,” she added.

Admission is  free to the Open Day, which takes place from 2 PM to 5 PM at the Bog of Allen Nature Centre in Lullymore, Rathangan, Co. Kildare. The Open Day includes a presentation and a walk. Also guided tours through the peatland museum and gardens are given, intact bog can be visited and for the young visitors there are pond dipping and crafts. Special guest of the day will be the Dutch Ambassador to Ireland, His Excellency Mr. Paul Schellekens.

The recent introduction of a new budget saloon racing series, the Patch Tyre Equipment Fiesta Championship, has been Irish Motor Racings' success story of the year. Having only been conceived in late 2012 the series is already providing the biggest grids and most competitive racing of any Irish championship.

The formula of near standard cars with tightly controlled regulations and very strict policing has enticed drivers from a number of other series to take part, along with the biggest ever influx of new competitors to be created by a new class.

With such a wide variety of levels of experience on the grid, amongst the almost forty competitors, the organisers, Mondello Park, have decide to offer an additional incentive to new comers in the form of a Rookie Cup.

The format for the new championship within a championship, will see all drivers nominated by the organisers as rookies, compete for separate championship points, race awards and end of season awards. Rookies will continue to score points in the overall series, if they can finish high enough up the overall race results and scoring in the overall series will not effect their ability to collect points in the Rookie division.

The addition of the Rookie Cup will add an extra incentive for new competitors to get involved and will increase the rewards for those who already have. This latest initiative will increase the popularity of the series still further and should see grids grow beyond the forty mark, a number which the series almost achieved at the recent Mondello 45 event.

For information on becoming involved in the Patch Tyres Fiesta Championship see www.mondellopark.ie/fiesta.