Wednesday, January 2, 2008

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Big birthday coming up next month for Gillian Dwyer of Coughlanstown – I’m not likely to forget this occasion, am I………Have a ball, Gill!
Congratulations and Happy 21st Birthday to Gerard Barrett, Liffey View

Birthday wishes to Caroline Deegan and Eoin Barrett who celebrated a ‘big birthday’ recently
Congratulations to Niamh de Clere who celebrated her 21st Birthday in September; sorry, Niamh, we forgot you last month!
And to Vincent Gilroy who celebrates his 30th birthday this month; Vincent is pictured here with nephew, Senan O’Neill on a recent visit to Boston where Vincent now lives.
(PHOTO here please?)

Congratulations to The Tidy Towns Association who were recognised at the recent Kildare County Council Awards for their impressive increase in the judging of this year’s National Tidy Towns Competition. Well Done to all the committee.

Congratulations to Lorraine O Brien, Briencan who graduated recently from U.C.D. in Applied Financial Services; Lorraine, in fact, went to London to receive her accreditation, having finished in the top 100 results in the Citygroup Top Achievers’ Award from the Middle East, Africa and Europe. Ha, just goes to show, there’s brainy folk in Briencan……….

Congratulations to Becky (Rebecca) Keenan (daughter of the late Jennie Macdougald) who got engaged to Mark Godfrey in England recently

Best Wishes to Thomas O’Rourke heading off to Australia on 28th November, coincidentally his dad’s birthday

Baby news – welcome to baby Annabelle, daughter of Mairead (nee Doyle) and Mark Scrowston
Congratulations also to Sandra O’Loughlin and Richie O’Neill on the birth of their daughter, Heather
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Hospice Ball A Huge Success
The Hospice Ball, held on Saturday 3rd was an amazing success, raising almost €22,000. Organisers, Martine, Denise and Lorraine were absolutely thrilled with the response and in particular, with the items sold at auction. MC Tom O’Rourke got great mileage out of a Lilywhite Jersey raising more than a Wicklow one – too right, Tom! Other items which attracted interest were Fiona Barrett’s “Shoes & Booze” painting which raised €600 plus a national soccer jersey signed by Steve Staunton.
“The service in Ardenode was wonderful; we had two hundred and fifty two seated guests, dinner was delicious and everything ran smoothly. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed themselves, the style was wonderful but the atmosphere was even better! It is great to think that such a good night raised so much for the Hospice Services.” said Martine. “Our thanks to everyone who supported the event, sponsored prizes or auction items.”
(Full acknowledgement in next month’s edition).
Martine, Lorraine and Denise will present the cheque to Eileen McDonald, chairperson of the Friends of St. Brigid’s Hospice in the Ballymore Inn on Friday, 23rd November after 7pm, all welcome.


“Whatever Yer Havin’ Yerself” - Yrs Jeffers

“There’s one for everybody in the audience,” sez Bertie, when dishing out “dig outs” by the new time, for all and sundry. By all, I mean those who live in that rarefied bubble that we ordinary mortals call ‘da government’. Nearly everybody got a mention, I mean ‘dig out’, newcomers, old timers, hangers on, hopefuls. Mary and Michael, remember them, already in receipt of Oireachtas pensions, got to chair two of the many committees formed. Was it twenty-three, well mention a figure? And don’t forget the extra junior ministerial posts.

When asked to justify these exorbitant ‘dig outs,’ Bertie, in his own inimitable style explained that an independent review body worked it all out, and hey presto, up came those magical figures. Well fine and dandy, but I’m sure we’d all be happier if this review body could publicly tell us how they did their sums, and more important, how they arrived at their final figure. Remember that little word that we were all promised in the long ago, ‘transparency’. There’s a multitude of questions to be answered. Who or what were they compared with? Does a ‘productivity clause’ come into the equation?

If compared with the private sector, what’s the chances of being chucked out on their ears for mismanagement like their counterparts in the real world should the occasion present itself? Unlikely. In an effort to justify his own hefty increase, though I couldn’t see the connection, he reminded us all that he didn’t live in Checkers or the Ellese Palace, completely forgetting that the two who live there only while holding office, are not up to speed when it comes to salaries for the top man. I suppose the point was that his humble abode in Dromcronda didn’t cost such maintenance, sure all it got was a slap a paint and a make over for 50 grand, and that was years ago.

Incidentally, on the day that Bertie did his interview there was a piece of medical news tucked away in the middle pages of the daily papers. Apparently the British Medical Council had introduced a new cancer drug for cervical cancer, I think. When asked about its introduction over here some bright spark replied that its ‘cost effectiveness’ was being studied. God grant that I will never see the day when some doctor will tell me that he can cure me from some life threatening disease just as soon as the ‘cost effectiveness’ of the drug has been quantified. On the same day Bertie warned of rising costs, and that included, wait for it -- wages!

Our Minister for Statistic’s Mr Cowen has also taken a partial U turn. He was very up beat until recently; in his own words we were ‘going forward in a sustainable fashion’. Now with a budget coming up fast there’s a brake being applied in the form of some tax adjustments. I suppose the lay off of workers here and there across the country from various industries has given him a wake up call. By the by has anyone noticed the new language being used by management when lay offs are announced. They are now referred to as ‘restructuring’ or better still, ‘root and branch overhaul’.

Where does one start or finish when it comes to ‘cock ups’ by our present shower of incompetents. The hurried exit out of Shannon by Aer Lingus caused some stir. The party faithful couldn’t make up their minds which wagon to climb onto, the Shannon one or the official one. The answer is simple enough if one cares to study the history of Irish politics. Go against your leader or party and you will crawl back sometime in the future; you might even get an invitation Go against your voter and you get the bum’s rush for all time. The crafty ones managed to make it look like that they were all for one and one for all.

The most recent ‘cock up’ was the L drivers fiasco, leaving the Garda in an invidious position. The impossibility of implementing such an order almost overnight only highlights the bungling bureaucracy that we are subjected to by this government. It was a clear case of putting the cart before the horse. Anyone with a titter of sense would have tackled the problem where the problem lay: get rid of the queue at the testing stations, and that queue has been there for the past ten years, and then enforce the law. But that’s too simple a solution for those who operate out of government buildings. Does a ministerial car at your beck and call put you out of touch with the ordinary car owner, especially those with an L-plate stuck in the back window?

I see that the Green Party is settling in nicely with Big Brother Party. Two of them were opposed to the Bill that would allow former FF minister Michael Woods to get his share of the ‘dig out’ but when it came to vote on the Bill to allow same, they were gone walk - abouts. Had some pressing business to attend to apparently! The PD lady Fiona O’Malley also objected to the Bill but toed the line at voting time. “Hang in, or hang separately” is the name of the game. Senator David Norris chipped in saying that some of his constituents could not obtain their pension entitlements because they, like Mr woods, had failed to claim before a specific deadline. “All pensioners should be treated the same before the law”, he said. Amen to that.

Professor Drumm has cracked the problem in our health service; “too many people protesting on the streets” sez he. I’m sure the seven ladies miss diagnosed when they went for a cancer test will be over the moon with that news. Trolley Mary was very up beat when interviewed on TV recently. With an arm full of statistics or should I say mouthful, she proclaimed to all and sundry how wonderful is our health service.

A few more cuts here and there and all will be hunky dory. Just more good news for the seven who anxiously face into an uncertain future, not forgetting the relatives of the women who told her story to the public just before she died. Her seven month wait for medical attention left her beyond redemption medically speaking. Applying a bit of sticking plaster when major surgery is required is not the answer for our ailing health service.

Listening to the radio this morning tells us that the shower in power according to the latest Poll is down in the tam ratings. Surprise me. Yrs Jeffers.


Ballymore alive with Arts and Crafts!
Ballymore is a proper little hive of industry at the moment, what with all the art exhibitions and craft fairs being presented between now and Christmas.

Firstly, take note that Jackie O’Neill and fellow artists are helping a new growth of aspiring artists find their way around a palette in the Resource Centre every Thursday at 9pm. New members welcome. Contact Jackie at 087 270 6330.

CRAFT FAIR AT TULFARRIS
First of the exhibitions on show will be a comprehensive CRAFT FAIR at Tulfarris House Hotel on Wednesday, 28th and Thursday, 29th November from 6-9pm each night.
And this will be some fair – all your Christmas giftware, cards and décor could be catered for here! Leather goods, jewellery, cards, woodcarving, paintings, photography, silk flowers, table centre pieces, Aloe Vera Gift Sets. Here’s a snippet of the artists and traders who will be at Tulfarris, which is now under new management and delighted to support local community endeavours:

Fiona Barrett – Celtic jewellery, handmade soaps, handcrafted Christmas cards and gifts with cards depicting her popular “Shoes & Booze” series, local pubs and scenes – great Christmas gift to send overseas are her magnetised miniatures of local scenes…..
Michael Hopkins – a familiar face from Carman Fair, Micheal sell the wonderful “Sarani Art” range, jewellery, bags, scarves, bookmarkers made by a woman’s refuge centre in India. Good presents in support of a good cause.
Gallery & Gifts – Irene and John will be promoting Irish crafts only at Tulfarris and what a selection they have; Christmas greeting cards, humorous prints and cards, pottery, glassware and a seasonal array of candles and giftware
Eileen Holt – reprints of her landscaped watercolours and paintings, very popular purchases.
Julie Ann Byrne – booked solid year for her Seasonal Centre pieces, lovely table décor with greenery, berries and Christmas ornaments, book on the night or you’ll be too late!
Monica McNamara – our local beauty therapist will have delightful Aloe Vera skincare and gift sets to suit varying budgets – a healthy, ‘pampering’ Christmas Gift.
Julie Molloy – quality leather goods - belts, waist bands, wallets, purses, bags, Christmas giftware - good quality, great value!
Muriel Curry – now here’s an artist you haven’t seen before. Muriel will be displaying an unusual mix of handcrafted jewellery, silk flowers and photography – well worth a look!
Bill Walsh – master craftsman will have beautifully finished wooden bowls, lamps and smaller pieces ideal for seasonal presents.
Robert Hammond, another woodturner will include a most unusual selection of wooden clocks (“Clocks in a Block?”), boxes, tea-pot stands, ‘Lazy Susans’ within his collection. Catch Robert at Naas Town Hall every Friday, 10am-12pm.
Alex Nolan – for those of you who just don’t have green fingers or ‘crafty’ hands – cheat! Alex offers a wonderful choice of outdoor plants, Christmas wreaths, window boxes etc

This will be a great Craft Fair and many of our local artists will be trading there so your support please on Wednesday 28th and Thursday 29th November at Tulfarris House Hotel, from 6-9pm.
We will be featuring the new management in an early 2008 edition of The Bugle.
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BALLYMORE EUSTACE ART GROUP
2ND ANNUAL EXHIBITION
After the mammoth success of last year’s first outing, the Ballymore Eustace Art Group will be displaying their talents in the Ballymore Inn on Thursday 6th December.

Local artists will display a wide variety of works mostly oils, featuring landscapes, still life, animal studies, flowers and fauna, abstract etc.

Now this would be an ideal exhibition to source some wall hangings/paintings if you are a new home owner or fancy investing in some art. Large or small, on board, framed and canvass, interesting collection on display – don’t miss it! Contact Jackie
On 087 2706330 for further information

NAAS ART GROUP will be launching their Art Exhibition on Wednesday 21st November; the exhibition will be on display at the Library in Naas from Thursday 22nd for nine days so be sure to drop in and have a browse and see can you spot the Ballymore influence…..

Rose B O’Donoghue

In a single strip down the side of the page, as per layout:

CRAFT FAIR
At Tulfarris House Hotel
On Weds, 28th and Thurs 29th
November from 6-9pm

CHRISTMAS GIFT BOXES GRAPHIC?



BALLYMORE EUSTACE
ART GROUP
2ND ANNUAL EXHIBITION
Back room in the Ballymore Inn
on Thursday 6th December.
With artists easel graphic as on page 2 last month



NAAS ART GROUP
Exhibition at The Library, Naas
from Thursday 22nd for 9 days,
launched by
Mary Glennon, Mayor of Kildare


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