31 June 2003: Unanimous support last week saw FF Councillor, Pat Black, make Town Council history, when he was elected Mayor of Newbridge at the Town Council AGM.

High spirits as Flame visits Newbridge

26 June 2003: There were high spirits in Newbridge last Friday, as children from schools in the surrounding areas lined the streets in what could only be described as a once in a lifetime extravaganza to pay tribute to the Special Olympics 2003 athletes.

Murphy blames 'destructive intrigues' for resignation

26 June 2003: Leixlip-based county councillor Catherine Murphy, who annnounced her resignation from the Labour Party this week, said it was because 'being tolerated within a political organisation is simply not enough' and because of 'destructive internal intrigues'.

Arconagh gives ultimatum to town council

26 June 2003: EXCLUSIVE Arconagh residents have ‘requested’ Naas Town Council to initiate the statutory procedures necessary to take their estate in charge in line with section 180 of the Planning and Development Act 2000. The Act entitles residents to require the local authority to take steps to take an estate in charge.

Callaghan refuses to support colleague for Mayor

25 June 2003: The Fianna Fail party in Naas Town Council is split down the middle following Cllr Willie Callaghan’s refusal last night to back his own party colleague Cllr Charlie Byrne for the position of Mayor of Naas.

Arconagh to consider High Court action

23 June 2003: Residents of Arconagh in Naas may take Naas Town Council and Kildare County Council to the High Court because their estate has not been taken in charge.

23 June 2003: Deputy Emmet Stagg has continued to raise with the Minister for Education the unacceptable conditions in which pupils of Scoil Choca Naofa and Gaelscoil Ui Riada in Kilcock, continue to be taught in.

Torch Run through Naas

23 June 2003: It was a day never to be forgotten for the thousands of wellwishers who lined the streets of Naas to welcome the Olympic ‘Flame of Hope’ on Friday on its way to Dublin for the 2003 Special Olympics World Summer Games.

We 'shared the feeling'!

20 June 2003: The pride and emotion in Naas man Vinny Walsh’s eyes as his daughter Sheena received a standing ovation at the Special Olympics concert in Goff’s on Thursday night summed up the evening in a way that could hardly be better described.

Kenyan team visit Gilltown

19 June 2003: The Kenyan Special Olympics delegation have been given a tour of one of the county's most beautiful stud farms, Gilltown Stud in Brannockstown, Kilcullen.

Dardis welcomes health plan

19 June 2003: Kildare local representative Senator John Dardis has stated his support for the new health strategy announced yesterday.

School project cancelled

19 June 2003: The permanent building project for Tiermohan NS, Donadea, has been cancelled, and the school has been offered instead a prefab classroom.

Fiat help out with Team Ireland specials

18 June 2003: A local Fiat dealer has supplied a fleet of Fiat Scudo mini-buses to Lucan and Celbridge, who are Host Towns for members of Team Ireland, the second biggest group of competitors in the Special Olympics.

Home help services cut by 20 per cent - deputy

18 June: Home help services have been cut by 20 per cent in real terms in Co Kildare, which is serviced by the South Western Area Health Board, according to Deputy Emmett Stagg.

Naas Mayor explains PD defection decision

18 June: Controversial Mayor of Naas Timmy Conway says his surprise decision to jump the PD ship and swim with Fine Gael is largely due to Government changes to the Freedom of Information Act.

Kilcock Musical Society sweeps AIMS

17 June: Kilcock Musical Society has swept the boards at the Gala Awards Ceremony of the Association of Irish Musical Societies (AIMS).

New Zealanders get big breakfast welcome

17 June: It was a case of getting to know each other and making new friends as Naas Town Council this morning hosted a breakfast for the 71 New Zealand Special Olympics athletes and their coaches in Killashee House Hotel.

Kilcullen welcomes Kenyans

17 June: It was just like the old days. Kilcullen threw a parade and everybody came.

16 June: In a surprise move, the Mayor of Naas, Cllr Timmy Conway, has left the Progressive Democrats to join Fine Gael, just days before he stands down as Mayor.

16 June: Special Olympians are arriving today in host towns throughout County Kildare.

Long walk to Share a Dream

16 June: Four County Kildare men are embarking on a 640km walk around Ireland in aid of The Share A Dream Foundation. They are Bob O'Kelly(Naas), Peter Fay (Naas), Shane Byrne and Alan Byrne (Kill).

Traffic calming budget cut

12 June: An unforeseen effect of Government cutbacks is that a programme for traffic calming measures throughout the county has been drastically reduced.

Council rebuffs Leixlip reps motion

12 June: A motion passed by Leixlip Area councillors that a development scheme be set up to provide social infrastructures, including swimming pools, for the area has received a 'hand-off' from Kildare County Council officials.

Tesco buys Sallins Road site

10 June: In a deal estimated to be worth up to E14 million, Tesco Ireland has bought a 6.8-acre site at Oldtown on the Sallins Road in Naas for a new store.

The motor memories rally

08 June: The natural selection process embodied in the saying 'survival of the fittest' has always been reflected in the world of business. And in the car business, a look at the names which have survived since the earliest days of motoring tells a lot.

Civic reception for centenary rally

06 June: It was a sight not seen in Naas for the past 100 years and one that most likely will not occur again until the Bi Centennial celebrations of the International Gordon Bennett Rally in 3003.

Special Olympics art show

06 June: Students from schools in the whole Naas area are playing their part in welcoming the New Zealand Special Olympics athletes to Naas through the Paint the Feeling art exhibition.

Gordon Bennett evening in Kilcullen

04 June: Kilcullen Heritage Group marked the occasion of the Centenary of the Gordon Bennett Motor Race with an Exhibition of 1903 memorabilia this evening in the Town’s Heritage Centre.


Kildare County Council is expected to agree to the final version of Newbridge's pay parking system on Monday next, June 30.


Naas Town Council members have postponed making a decision on whether to give a grant of E115,000 to St Corban's School, to enable the school build and extension.


The Bluegrass Music festival in Athy will take place this year between 18-20 July.


Cllr Catherine Murphy has resigned from the Labour Party, and will 'continue her contract' with her constituents as an Independent councillor.


The local development agency Action South Kildare (ASK) has had its budget cut by E360,000.


Kildare County Council has advertised for tenders to replace the parapet on Newbridge bridge, a Millennium Project for the town.


A 'Mouse Race will be held in the Silken Thomas pub in Kildare on July 5 to raise funds for the Silken Thomas Players Drama Group.


Senan Griffin has been appoin ted as the new permanent principal in Maynooth Post Primary School.


Vandals destroyed a marquee set aside for a visit to Naas Races by Special Olympics delegations.


The foundation stone for the new Civic Offices for Kildare County Council and Naas Town Council has been laid.


County Engineer Jimmy Lynch has left the local authority and taken up a position in the private sector.