KildareNet News

NAAS, 30 March 2002: by Brian Byrne & Trish Whelan. The refurbished Naas Harbour was officially opened by the town's Mayor Willie Callaghan in the company of finance minister Charlie McCreevy this afternoon, in a celebration which included a boat rally organised by the Kildare branch of the Inland Waterways Association of Ireland.

The Harbour area was pedestrianised last year in a cooperative project between Naas Town Council and Waterways Ireland.

The boat rally attracted over 30 vessels of varying kinds, from rowboats to cruisers, and from boating venues all over Ireland, including 'local' owners from Sallins and Hazlehatch and further astream from the Shannon.

Among them was RTE producer and waterways enthusiast Dick Warner (above with friends), who lives in Prosperous. Among his RTE TV documentaries are his voyage on the Charles Whitton lifeboat on her last journey, along The Barrow Navigation, and travels in the steam boat Oxlip throughout the Northwest of Ireland.

Local people who attended the opening were able to enjoy a carnival atmosphere with face-painters, clowns and music.

Among the revellers were a group from Naas's Welsh twin town, St David's, some of them pictured above - Anona Gray; Mrs Ann Behan; Naas town clerk Declan Kirrane; Malcolm Gray, member of St David's City Council; Rebecca Thornton, Lady Mayoress of St David's; Richard Thornton, Mayor of St David's; Paddy Behan, Naas Local History Group; and Cllr Pat O'Reilly, chairman of Naas Twinning Committee.

The boat rally was led by the President of the IWAI Colm Becker, and Waterways Ireland was represented by regeneration officer Patricia Keenan.

These youngsters may well turn out to be boating enthusiasts themselves some day. Anyway, looking at boats is better than listening to speeches at that age. Come to think about it, at ANY age!


		Above - Thomas Gordon, Sallins, originally from Sarto Road, with his daughter Jessica (6) and son Luke (3). Left - president of the IWAI, Colm Becker
Aoife Kavanagh, who came down in one of the boats with her father Niall, from Sallins, with minister for finance Charlie McCreevy TD.
	Pictures by Trish Whelan.