Sunday, July 27, 2008

Jottings By The Way.
It has been difficult lately to put pen or pencil to paper and later to try and decode the written word, so I then took to the ‘Parker’ pen set as a comforting partner, a present which I received last Christmas, and the flipping thing just slid all over the paper, leaving totally disordered spider-like webs, without any mathematically perfect patterns whatsoever. I was beside myself with woe; to think that a common insect, a spider, no larger than the nail of my little toe could create within perhaps three minutes, a masterpiece of design and purpose, whilst I, who has had many hours and years in the study of art and geometrics, could not at that moment even complete a simple circle. However, not to be dejected, I remembered another gift I received on my last birthday, a ‘Cartier’ fountain pen, complete with its own gold-plated iridium nib, along with a bottle of pure India black ink, whence I started a draft of what I write.
Now, bearing in mind what I have just mentioned above and the near melancholic state of mind that came with it – being close to full distress - I was relieved as the new pen traced the pattern of words which you now read, but originally were hand-written. They flowed from the new pen across the clean white sheet of paper, and in no time at all, the first page was complete. I pressed on doggedly until quite a number had accumulated. Then my life changed.
My granddaughter, who had been visiting us (she’s a little angel), is as sharp as a tailor’s pin and has a keen eye for detail and on seeing the completed pages asked if they were “by my hand” and could she look at them. She held up the first page, and viewing it at arms length, her eyes wide open, this young visionary exclaimed the following; “It’s beautiful, absolutely beautiful, and it’s all your own work” and calling out to her mother said how much it was like the Rosetta stone that they saw in the encyclopedia the other day. “What was it called mum?” the little vixen muttered, “it began with a H. Granddad can I have it, it’s really beautiful and I want to frame it. Does it have its own secret code?”
Her mother, my daughter, normally not vengeful, then uttered the dreaded word – “hieroglyphics, dear.” So much for bank-holiday Monday and family solidarity.

On Wednesday evening I needed a break from not being busy, so I paid a late visit to Paddy Murphys. It really is a delightful place to while away a half hour or more, especially out the back which was specially designed for the comfort of those who partake of the weed, and where of a near cloudless Summer night, twinkling stars expose the glory and vastness of the heavenly vault above, and where you might see a wisp of white cloud, drift, like a veil discarded to a breeze, towards the Moon.
For some reason – perhaps it is in the design of the enclosure fencing surrounding a terracotta styled heliocentric feature and its rustic-red stonework, the tables, chairs, the very business of the place and the rolling hillside behind - that it reminds me so much of evenings at the Piazza della Signoria in Florence as young people and visitors dressed in gaily coloured clothes congregate in romantic interludes of life sipping beer and smoking in the open air accompanied by the sound of live, lilting instrumental music of Italy.
Anyway, while in the back lounge I almost had to wait for a pint, but for Pat Murphy. “Here Mick, that’s the one you paid for the other night that was bought by the other person! Thank God for the strike at Dundrum asylum….but the company here only play half nuts, bordering on euphoria and the real thing, exhilarating, conditioned by laughter, lager and logic in continuity of Pushkin’s tale of the deaf man who summoned a deaf man to be judged by a deaf judge.
The deaf man shouted ‘my cow has been stolen by him!’
‘Indeed’, yelled the deaf man in reply, ‘my late grandfather already owned that waste plot.’
The judge decided the case, ‘so that there should be no impropriety, make the young man marry her, although the girl’s to blame.’ You see, no one gets hurt!

On Thursday morning I took my leg to the doctor. It’s knee was sore and needed medical attention.
Well, Dr. Andrina O’Brien, Ballymore’s new doctor, is the peach of politeness. “Michael” she said, “I don’t think we have met before”, and offering her outstretched hand, she disarmed me totally, and for one of those fleeting seconds of time-in-life, I was no longer in just some other dispensary in rural Ireland, I was in a palace, by the banks of the Seine, in Paris, being received by a princess, and while in that dreamy state, just as I was about to raise her hand to my lips, she smiled charmingly saying, “a sore knee, let’s see!”
Now, personality is surely a part of the cure in certain circumstances, and even after I left, if I did not quite cast away my crutch there and then so to speak, I did feel comforted. Should the said knee, knee again, I shall seek planning permission to open a Failte office in BME to give guidance and advice to the multitudes of pilgrims destined to call upon our new doctor. Indeed, I feel much, much better now, so book early.
On my way back home, I met a relic from the previous night who requested proof of his whereabouts during some lost hours (had I seen him!!), and assured that he was not looking for an alibi for some other poor lost soul, I mentioned the likelihood of his lengthy detention in purgatory in another state before he reached paradise. When I left him, he was scratching his head, wondering I suppose what state he was actually in. C’est la vie! Michael Ward.


CDA CORNER - NEW COMMUNITY BUILDING

We are delighted to announce that the CDA was successful in being granted permission for the construction of a new single storey detached Community Centre on the corner of Assumpta Terrace (site of the old council library) on the 2nd of May.


We would like to say a big thank you to Des Kennedy of D.G. Kennedy Architects, Chapel Street, Ballymore Eustace for all the work he has and continues to put into this project. Des has not charged us any fees for his professional service and rather is doing it as a service to the community of Ballymore Eustace for which we are very grateful.

Over 30 years ago, Kildare County Council built a council library in Ballymore Eustace on this site. More than 10 years ago, the library was closed due to arrival of the mobile library (from what I can gather).

In 2005, the CDA pressed Kildare County Council for ownership of this site and were granted a 21 year old lease for same at a nominal rent of €50 per year payable annually in Q1.

The CDA, through The Bugle, called on the people of Ballymore Eustace to suggest possible functions for this building and these included - Storage area for the
Tidy towns equipment, storage space for historical society and Bugle, Community office which would be used by CDA, parish, historical society etc. It is also intended that a computerised community diary would be set up on a PC in the office and a community noticeboard would be located on the exterior of the building. A computerised tourist information point as well as information on local attractions/ things to do in the area would also be available.

The community centre incorporates office space, kitchenette, sanitary accommodation and storage space.

The timelines of the project are:
Hired architect: Q4 2006
Met with architect to agree provisional design: Q1 / Q2 2007
Public consultation on proposed design: Q2 2007
Applied for KTK levies to fund project: Q2 2007
Applied for planning permission: Q3 2007 (June 07)
Reapplied for planning permission (due to KCC not informing us that site notice arrangements had changed): Permission Validated Q3 2007 (July 07)
Feedback from KCC: Additional Info request - Q3 2007 (24/09/07)
Review feedback from KCC and submit response to additional information request: Q1 2008 (04.03.08)
Decision to Grant permission KCC: Q2 2008 (02.05.08)
Final Grant by KCC due June 2008, subject to no appeals.
lodge Fire Certificate Application - end of June 2008, due to be granted (8-10 weeks after being lodged) which will bring us to September 2008.
We are then free to build this centre once financing is obtained and of course this is where even more work comes in. We have set up a financing/fundraising committee in the CDA to look after this area and will keep you updated as to progress made.

Any suggested sources of funds/private donations will of course be gratefully received!

Fiona Breslin
(Chairperson CDA)
Street Signs for Ballymore Eustace – have your say!

We are in the process of sourcing street signs for Ballymore Eustace and would like to get the opinion of as many local people as possible so that this process is as democratic as we can possibly make it.

We have settled on a simple design and a choice of three colour schemes which are:

GREEN background with WHITE type
BLACK background with CREAM type
BLACK background with GOLD type

and this is where you come in!

Mairéad O’ Flynn has given the CDA permission to temporarily set up the three sample signs on the window sills of Scoil Mhuire primary school on Wednesday the 28th May in order to assess opinions as to which colour scheme is preferred.

This survey is open to anyone who can make it to the school from 8.50am to 9.20am that morning.

Fiona Breslin
(chairperson CDA)


To All Concerned

Due to the lack of attendance & interest in the youth club we have no choice but to close it

We will review the situation in September but for now
the youth club is closed



"What? After all the time and effort that went into securing volunteers, an appropriate venue, funding the training of volunteers, getting proper accreditation, purchasing games...........and it was all for nothing?? We thought the Youth Club was out the door last year with memberships? Last year, a youth wrote a very entertaining letter to The Bugle bemoaning the fact that there was nothing for the youth in Ballymore during raceweek.Well, there weren't any teenage volunteers for the Festival Committee - except for the youths who helped Christy erect the flag poles and fencing - well done, you lot! And The Bugle started a Youth Corner a few months, lasted one edition. What's going on?" Editors.

PLANNING BRIEFS
Kevin & Triona Phelan File No 07/2849
Planning permission for change of use from public house to office use the demolition of a two storey extension to the rear which currently consists of ancillary public house accommodation the addition of a two storey extension to the rear to consist of office accommodation at Naas Road, Ballymore EustaceCo Kildare (premises formerly known as The Anvil/ Bryne’s)
Last File activity: 14/02/2008 further information requested
Ballymore Residential Ltd 08/691
Planning permission sought for demolition of a single storey cottage and the construction of 20 no. two bedroom apartments, 3 no. three bedroom apartments, 8 no. three bedroom townhouses and 461 sq m of office space in three blocks ranging in height from two to three & etc. at Naas Rd, Ballymore EustaceCo. Kildare (formerly known as Bonfield’s Factory)
Decision due: 11/06/2008
Decision Refused by An Bord Pleanala to Armston Developments 06/1454 for 72 dwellings, community building, crèche and site works at Ballymore East (Doran’s Meadow).

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