You don’t need to register beforehand and there is no entry fee but a donation can be made, you can even get sponsorship to help raise funds for GOAL who are currently working in 13 developing world countries: Ethiopia, Honduras, India, Kenya, Malawi, Niger, Sierra Leone, Sudan, South Sudan, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Haiti and Pakistan. All monies raised will go towards the many relief programmes in these countries.  

So gather up your family, put on comfortable shoes, grab your raincoat and join us in the North Kildare at 11am on Christmas morning.

Children can also bring along their letters to Santa and he will bring them back in his Santa Sack to the North Pole, have a read of them and tick ofs all the names of all the good children on his ‘Naughty or Nice List’.

Also along with Santa, there will be Carol Singing and the official switching on of the lights, which are put up by the Kilcock Business Association with some of the funds raised by the sales of the Kilcock Community Calendar. 

“We are delighted that the sales of the calendar have gone so well.  We came up with the idea of the calendar to raise funds to put back into the community and to help run community events such as the Canal festival.  This would not have been possible without the kind support of The Sammon Group, our advertisers and of course everyone who buys a calendar.  We would encourage everyone to do as much Christmas shopping in Kilcock as possible to help keep jobs locally.  Every bit spent with local businesses helps so even if its just a bit extra, it all adds up”  Tara Lane, PRO of the Kilcock Business Association.

Also don’t forget that everyone who buys a calendar for €5 in the local shops gets entered into a draw to win a €500 hamper for Christmas goodies, from local shops. 

So have a date with Santa Claus this saturday evening at 6pm in the Harbour.  Don’t be late as he has to fly off at 7pm and remember your letter.   Lets all help to light up Kilcock this Christmas.

Kilcock Business Association Presents  

‘GROW YOUR BUSINESS’

Thurs 10^th November, 7.30pm, Kilcock GAA

We would like to invite all local business owners to attend and its FREE..

The doors open at 7.30pm and the first presentation at 8pm is on ‘The importance of having a web presence and getting Kilcock online’.   This will be followed by a demonstration on ’How to use Youtube to promote your business’

Keynote speaker for the evening is Bernie Tracey of Beacon Coaching Consultancy, based in Johnstown near Naas.  Ms Tracey, who has mentored many Kildare businesses through work with the Kildare County Enterprise Board and conducted workshops with the North Kildare Chamber of Commerce, is a very well known and respected business mentor and coach amongst the Kildare business community.  She will speak on the 5 Key Skills on Effective Selling, Exploring how to run your business in changing market situations, Long term survival and the 3 Top Tips on closing a sale with more confidence. She has also launched a book called ‘The Cheese Mall, Key Marketing Skills for Budding Entrepreneurs and the KBA are delighted that she is available with her busy schedule.

The evening will also feature the launch of the Kilcock Community Calendar, kindly sponsored by The Sammon Group and local advertisers.  The CEO Miceál Sammon of main calendar sponsor, The Sammon Group was one of the finalists of the International category of the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award on 20^th October.  The Sammon Group, whose headquarters are in Kilcock, employ 3500 people worldwide. 

The calendar features photographs of Kilcock that have been chosen through a competition run by the KBA and will be on sale around Kilcock for only €5.  All funds raised from the sales will all be used by the Kilcock Business Association to enhance the town and also for funding of the business and community events that they run including the Kilcock Canal Festival. 

The seminar promises to be a great evening and it is open to all and free in, so come along, enjoy the speakers and bring business cards for the networking opportunities afterwards.  For more information see  Kilcock Business Association on Facebook or email kilcockbusinessassociation@gmail.com.

Enquiries to: Tara Lane 087 9789318

October 2011

The Kilcock Integrated Services Programme (ISP) is supported by the Kildare County Development Board Plan 2009-2012 and is welcomed by the Kilcock community. The ISP will bring together key stakeholders- representatives of services provided by the state, local business, community voluntary sector groups/organisations, and local people living in Kilcock. They will work together to develop the town.

To help inform the future work of the ISP, independent consultants Burtenshaw Kenny Associates (BKA) are contracted to carry out research and a plan for Kilcock. The goal will be to produce a plan that will help to make Kilcock the kind of town that people are proud of; a sustainable community, with the services, supports and sense of togetherness that is needed to meet the needs of all residents of Kilcock.

Consultation with the community is also taking place through focus groups and a survey is available for residents of Kilcock that wish to contribute to the process.

The survey is available online at: www.surveymonkey.com/s/KilcockCommunitySurvey

 If you have Internet access, then please submit your responses online.

If not, then you can collect and return a printed version of the survey at the Kilcock Library. The survey will be open until: 4th November 2011.

All information collected will be treated in full confidence and will be incorporated into the findings from the consultation.

A separate youth survey is also taking place targeting young people aged 12 to 18 and is available at:

www.surveymonkey.com/s/KilcockYouthSurvey

 If you are aged between 12 and 18 years and living in Kilcock then we want to hear from you!

 Login at:  http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/KilcockYouthSurvey

 The survey is being carried out by Burtenshaw Kenny Associates who are working with Kildare County Development Board and the community of Kilcock to put together a development plan for Kilcock. 

It is really important that young people have their views heard so that they can be taken into account in this plan.

Have your opinion heard and listened to.  Spread the word and let us know how you would like YOUR town to develop over the next few years. 

It just takes 5 minutes to do the survey and don’t delay, the survey closes on 4 November 2011! 

Funded by the Arts Council, Ice-cream Architecture are a firm of architects committed to delivering community workshops across the country and Kilcock will be the only town they visit in Kildare.

While in Kilcock they will examine possible uses and improvements to the Square and the day will be a hands- on event that explores how the current square operates for the town and how people perceive its importance within the locality.

This Workshop forms part of the Community Participation Strategy of the Integrated Services Programme North Kildare, and Coordinator Honor Griffin is delighted to have such a sought after group present in Kilcock. 

Honor outlined that “They will collect all the feedback and inputs from the workshop and present them in a clear and coherent proposal for the community”.

So watch out Kilcock for the Architectural Circus and their distinctive Ice-Cream Van!

Day Schedule:

12pm Site visit The Square

1pm Presentation St. Josephs Hall

2pm Workshop

3.30pm Finish

All are welcome to get involved in this exciting workshop to get the most inclusive outcomes from the day.

The Integrated Services programme for Co Kildare is a project of the Kildare County Development Board (CDB) Strategic plan 2020.  It was launched in Kildare in 2010 and Kilcock is the first town in North Kildare where the ISP will be delivered.

The  ISP works by identifying gaps in local needs, commissioning projects that are achievable, scoping the requirements and responding through interagency working to deliver project goals. 

For further information on the ISP North Kildare programme, please contact Honor Griffin at 087 7828928 or email honor@countykildarelp.ie for more information.

This innoviative site makes it easier for parents to find out what’s on after school or at weekends, a searchable list of activities and classes and events around the county is now available in one handy place.

Full of details of children’s activities, classes, events and services, there are plenty of ideas to keep kids learning and active. Our website is created by parents for parents.

Mykidstime Kildare is a free resource for families in Kildare. It contains a full range of listings for activities, classes and clubs for children of all ages, as well as information on services and events for children and families.

Also if you are a provider of classes, activities or events for families and children, Mykidstime is happy to list you for free.   Parents can also sign up for free monthly e-newsletters with interesting articles, information and suggestions for things to do.

Go to  http://kildare.mykidstime.ie

Time of the Olives 2 by Manus Walsh from Kilcock Art Gallery

On Friday 23rd September, locals and visitors across Ireland will enjoy the unique experience of Culture Night (http://www.culturenight.ie/), a free night of entertainment, discovery and adventure taking place in a record 30 towns, cities, counties and islands in Ireland. Museums, galleries, churches, historic houses, artists’ studios and cultural centres will open their doors late into the evening welcoming people of all ages to taste and sample their cultural delights for free on the evening.

Get some culture in Kilcock!

Kilcock Art Gallery will host an evening of art and music from 6 – 8pm.  Refreshments and welcome on the evening for everyone
Culture Night is a night (and day) of entertainment, discovery and adventure country wide. Now in its second year in Kildare, the Culture Night programme is packed with tours, talks, performances, Art and Music. Every event is listed and free of charge.

Details of all the events from the Library in Kilcock and also the

Kilcock Art Gallery
Breda Smyth, Kilcock Art Gallery
School St., Kilcock.

Tel: +353 1 6287619
mobile 086 2578283
Email:  info@kilcockartgallery.ie
Web: www.kilcockartgallery.com

Kilcock Canal Festival 2011

After 20 years or so Kilcock welcomes back it’s canal festival! And by the looks of the schedule of events (most of you should have received one through your letterbox by now) it going to be a fantastic 3 days of fun – with live music in the square every night, loads of fun stuff for the kids, photo trail, fishing competition, 5k run, fun fair, pet farms, sports & vintage car rally and so much more!! A huge thank you to all the local groups, especially the Kilcock Business Association for coming together to bring this festival back to the community.

What’s On!

Friday…

Saturday…

Sunday…

Check out the Festival Facebook page too!

SHOWING: Wednesday 27th April to 1st May 2011 – from 8pm in St Josephs Hall, Kilcock

Songs include: Life Is, The Butterfly, Yassou to name but a few

Tickets priced at €15.00 available from kilcockms@gmail.com or 087 2475376, or locally from Books & Gifts, The Chocolate Box, Harbour Pharmacy and Party Time.

• Production Team:
• Director: Philippa Alford
• Choreographer: Julie Donnelly
• Musical Director: Dermot O’Callaghan

Cast includes:

• Zorba: Paul Laycock
• Hortense: Marie Kelly
• The Leader: Sharon Murphy
• Niko: Peter O’Reilly
• The Widow: Sinead Usher
• Mimiko: James Parkes
• Pavli: Philip Darragh
• Alexis: Carmel Voelkin
• Loukas: Lorraine Murphy
• Mavrodani: Robbie Kennedy
• Manolakos: Gary O’Shaughnessy
• Admirals: Mick Amoruso, Andrew Docherty, Peter Manning, Eamonn Nolan
• Crows: Linda Connolly, Maeve Cunningham, Claire Nolan, Linda Tapley
• …plus a supporting cast of many