Laragh & Glendalough News Issue 147 - July 2009
Sponsored by The Glendalough Hotel

The Niall Mellon Township Trust

Ideas and Collectors Required
I am constantly trying to find ways to fund trips to South Africa to work on building houses in the desperate, HIV-ridden townships of that country where people live in shacks unsuitable for keeping animals housed. Families of seven and eight live, often for ten to fifteen years, in these extremely cramped shacks which measure approximately ten foot by ten foot.
The Garda Siochana has give me permission to have a “bucket” collection on the road outside the Visitors’ Centre in Glendalough on the weekend of the 15th/16th of August and I could do with some help with the collecting. I will be collecting between 10 am and 6 pm on those days and I plan to have two shifts of four hours (10 to 2 and 2 to 6). It would be great to have four volunteers to do the “early shift” and four for the “late”.
Any ideas would be gratefully received as would be volunteer help with the collecting on that weekend. Doing the work out there is the easy bit for me; the funding of the materials for that work is the most difficult, particularly as the years go by and I have “been to the well” time and again for the last six years. So, particularly in these difficult times, I am beginning to see the bottom of the well. The fund-raising is essential to the success of this charity’s work; please help if you feel you can.
Brass lights
Incidentally, I have eight very good brass (cantilever-style) electric light wall brackets that are surplus to my requirements. They could well suit somebody doing a home decoration make-over. They cost (new) approximately €50 each - so the value of the eight would be about €400. I would be happy to offer them “free” for a “donation” to the fund. €100 would be nice.
Please call Pat Kelleher on 0404-45493.

Tidy Towns

Our next clean-up will be on Saturday 4th July at 11 am (usual meeting point opposite Lynhams). We seriously need more hands to help as judging is now taking place and Michael Hawkins is sorely missed. The village needs the verges trimmed and the four or five people on the committee just cannot do it on their own. Please give one hour to help improve Laragh's appearance for judges and visitors.

Attention Parents

It has been brought to the attention of the Glendalough & District Development Association that the car park at the Brockagh Resource Centre is being increasingly used by young people for bicycle practice. This is not covered by the Centre’s insurance and the Brockagh Resource Centre cannot accept any responsibility for accidents or damages.

2009 Trip to Czech Republic

Those interested in participating in this year’s exchange visit to Otrocineves, our twinning partners in the Czech Republic, should keep the time around the two possible week-ends in September (19th and 26th ) free. A general meeting will be held in August to make arrangements, etc. – watch this space next month for details. Anyone who would like to participate can ring Brendan on 0404-45167.

St. Kevin’s Parish

Blessing of Graves 2009
St. Kevin’s cemetery in Laragh will be blessed on Saturday August 8th after the 7 pm Mass. The cemetery in Glendalough will be blessed on August 15th after 7 pm Mass in Laragh.

Lectures for the Curious 2009

The fourth series of these most entertaining lectures will be delivered by some of the foremost experts in the field of medieval Irish studies. They take place at 7.30 pm on Tuesdays in the OPW Visitor Centre in Glendalough. Everybody is welcome and admission and parking are free.
14th July Glendalough and its Early Manuscripts - Prof. Dáibhí Ó Cróinín, Dept. of History, N.U.I. Galway
21st July Frankenstein in the Scriptorium: Bringing Latin to Life in Early Medieval Ireland - Dr. Anthony Harvey, Royal Irish Academy
28th July De-mystifying hagiography: the case of St Kevin - Dr. Ailbhe Mac Shamhráin, N.U.I. Maynooth

The Brockagh Resource Centre

Car Boot Sale
The car boot sale takes place on the first Sunday of every month. The next sale will take place on July 5th from 11 am. Refreshments will be available. For further information contact the Brockagh Centre on 0404-45600.
Glendalough Market & Craft Fair
The next Glendalough Market and Craft Fair will take place on Sunday July 12th from 11 am to 4pm. There will be lots of food and craft stalls – refreshments will be available and parking and admission are free.
Tuesday Night - Dance Night
Tuesday night is dance night from 10 pm till late with the Wicklow Man.
Saturday Social Dance Nights
Our next social dance nights will take place on Saturdays June 27th (with Billy Kirwan) and July 25th (with Rio). Doors will open at 9.30 pm and refreshments will be available.
Brockagh Kids Summer Camp
The Brockagh Summer Camp takes place this year from Tuesday 4th August to Friday 7th August (9.30 am until 1.30 pm). Activities include games, yoga, jazz & modern dance, arts & crafts, athletics and nature walks. For further information contact the Brockagh Centre on 0404-45600.
Wednesday Night Gentle Yoga
Hilde’s gentle yoga class takes place from 7 to 8pm every Wednesday night. For further information call Hilde on 0404-40000 or drop in on a Wednesday night.
Tuesday Night Gentle Yoga
Rachel’s Tuesday night gentle yoga will be back on 8th September.
Happy Days
Happy Days Carer & Toddler group will run during the summer months on Wednesday mornings from 10.30 am until noon.

AA Meetings

Closed AA Meetings are held in the Brockagh Resource Centre in Laragh at 8.30 pm every Monday night. If you think that you may have a problem with alcohol please come along.

Synge Summer School

Synge Summer School will present Joseph O’Connor, prize-winning author and playwright, in the Brockagh Resource Centre on Wednesday 1st July. He will read from his works at 8 pm. Tickets cost €15 with concessions €12 and are available from 0404-43149.
Joseph O’Connor was born in Dublin and has written fourteen books, numerous short stories, essays, stage plays and screenplays. His latest book, "http://ucdjohnhumeinstitute.cmail3.com/t/y/l/hjhukh/tuhtliudr/y Sweet Liberty: Travels in Irish America, will be published in June 2009.

Citizens Information

The Citizens Information Centre at the Brockagh Centre is open for information relating to your rights and entitlements from 10 am until noon on the first and third Tuesdays of each month. The next clinics will take place on 7th and 21st July. No appointment is necessary for this free and confidential service.

Household Hazardous Waste

On July 18th there will be a collection of household hazardous waste (paint, fertilisers, chemicals, cleaning agents, etc.) from the Park & Ride car park in Greystones (9 am to 1 pm and 2pm to 5 pm).
On 25th July items may be brought to the Murrough Recycling Centre (9 am to 1 pm) or to the Old VEC car park in Rathdrum (2 to 5 pm). For further details contact the Environmental Awareness Office at 1890-222276.

Musical Evening

The Caliente Community Chorus will perform in the Brockagh Centre on Wednesday 29th July at 8pm. The choir is an adult group from New Mexico, USA and will perform opera works and popular classics; they will also sing popular music and show tunes. They will be joined by special guests Roundwood and Bray Comhaltas. The proceeds are in aid of Comhaltas.

Yoga Walk in Glendalough

The Yoga Walk Day on Saturday 18th July will start with a yoga session in the Brockagh Centre at 11 am (no yoga experience is required). The yoga will warm you up, stretch your muscles and have you ready for the walk ahead.
The walk will be about 4 hours long, ideally up around the lakes in Glendalough and will be led by a walking guide. There will be a break on the walk for some lunch and many chances to take in the wonderful surroundings. The walk will be kept at a pace to suit everyone. Contact Terry on 087-7849599, e-mail terry@hilltoptreks.ie or visit www.hilltoptreks.ie for more information.

Scoil Chaoimhín Naofa

Sports Days
We had a fantastic sports day this year. The day was jam-packed with fun events and novelty races: potato and spoon, sack, skipping, balloon, dress-up and many more. The sun and smiles shone more brightly as the day went on and everyone went home exhausted but in high spirits.
Our top athletes went onto the Cumann na mBunscol sports day in Charlesland in Greystones where they all did us proud.
School Tours
Junior and Senior Infants had a wonderful day at Sea Life and the children’s interactive museum Imaginosity where they had the chance to make believe in a truly magical setting.
First to Fourth Class children couldn’t believe their eyes when they entered the Chocolate Warehouse! From floor to ceiling they were surrounded by scrumptious chocolate treats in all shapes and sizes.
Fifth and Sixth Classes had a reher in prayer at our end-of-year Mass - to thank God for the year gone by and to ask for God’s blessing on the Sixth Class pupils who face into a new beginning. Fr. Kevin celebrated the Mass and the pupils participated ally exciting tour, an overnight trip to Belfast. They visited the W5 Interactive Discovery Centre, The Ulster Folk Park and Transport Museum and Stormont.
Perfect Attendance
Congratulations to the pupils who received trophies for perfect attendance. Thanks to Avondale Motors who have sponsored these trophies on an annual basis.
Tesco Tokens
A huge thanks to everyone who collected tokens for the school. We have accumulated over 36,000 tokens! This will earn us many valuable educational resources.
Free Noticeboards and Blackboards
We have a few noticeboards and blackboards which are not being used. If anyone would like to have them they can contact the school.
End of Year Mass
The school community joined togetfully in the liturgy. Instrumental music and song added greatly to the occasion.
Helpers’ Lunch
Many parents have given their time and talents so generously throughout the year. Parents have been central to activities such as reading, the Green School Committee, walking school bus, the Arklow Music Festival, school tours and of course swimming. The pupils organised a helpers’ lunch to show these parents how much their support is appreciated. First and Second Class pupils designed beautiful invitations and Fifth and Sixth Class pupils had the important job of preparing the food for the lunch. The pupils were delighted to be hosts for the day and we hope the parents enjoyed their treat.
Green School Biodiversity Exhibition
Each class presented a different biodiversity experiment showing that clean water is essential for life. The Green School Committee explained that we are all responsible for keeping our waters clean and demonstrated how we can make and use natural detergents to keep our water free from chemicals.

Water Saving Tip

Every toilet flush uses about 9 litres of water. If you put a bottle of water in your cistern you can save a litre or two of water every time you flush!

Míle Buíochas

The staff would like to take this opportunity to thank parents, Board of Management, Parents’ Association and all others involved in the life of the school for the help, support and co-operation we have received in the past year. We wish our departing Sixth Class every success as they head for secondary school in September.

St. Kevin’s FC

St Kevin's Football Club ended up in the middle of Division 2 after showing great promise at the start of the season. We got to the semi-final of the Thomas Scott Cup but were beaten by St. Patrick's. Overall, the team showed great potential for next year with the appearance of some new and young faces.
As with any club it takes a lot of time and effort throughout the year to keep things going both on and off the field. We would like to thank the Conway family who generously let the club use Brockagh Park once again this year. The club is very grateful to all the sponsors and supporters who contributed to its running throughout the last twelve months. We look forward to seeing you all again next year.

Mobile Library

The mobile library will visit Laragh on Thursdays 2nd, 16th and 30th July from 10 am until 12 noon.

Wicklow Mountains National Park

The summer lecture series continues at 8 pm on Thursdays in Bolger’s Cottage at the Upper Lake in Glendalough.
25th June The Reptile that St. Patrick Forgot: the IWT Lizard Survey 2008 - Sean Meehan, National Parks & Wildlife Service
2nd July The Garden Birds of Co. Wicklow - Niall Hatch of Birdwatch Ireland
9th July An Introduction to the Moths of Ireland - Angus Tyner of Moths Ireland
16th July Theme of lecture to be confirmed
23rd July Theme of lecture to be confirmed
30th July Ireland’s Wild Orchids Need You! – Dr. Tom Curtis
All lectures are free and start at 8 pm at the Education Centre, Upper Lake, Glendalough. Please note that a charge of €4 may apply to the Upper Lake car park.
Other forthcoming events organised by the Park staff include:
Wildflower Walk - Learn to identify some of the wildflowers of Glendalough and discover a little about their ecology, folklore and history. This walk takes place on Saturday 28th June and is not suitable for children. Booking is essential.
Dragonfly Walk - Learn to identify some of the dragonflies and damselflies of Glendalough on Saturday 11th July. This walk is aimed at adults but may be suitable for secondary school aged children with an interest in natural history. Booking is essential and will be taken from Saturday 27th June only.
Bog Walk – On Saturday 25th July you can explore one of Ireland’s most important habitats - the ever-declining bog. This walk will be off-track and wet underfoot so all participants must be suitably equipped (hiking boots and suitable rain gear). The walk is limited to 15 places. This walk is aimed at adults but may be suitable for secondary school aged children with an interest in natural history. Bookings (essential) will be taken from Saturday 11th July only.
Bug Walk - Take a safari through the amazing world of bugs on Sunday 9th August. Family friendly, although not suitable for buggies, this walk is loved by children and adults alike. Bring a jar with a lid to help examine the mini-beasts. Bookings (essential) will be taken from Saturday 25th July.
Family Fun Days – These will take place each Thursday from 9th July to 27th August (2 to 4 pm). Bring your children (aged 4 to 12 years) along to a mixed afternoon of nature-based activities. Please note that an adult must stay with the children - and be prepared to help! Each week features a different theme e.g. flowers, birds and habitats. Booking is essential - taken from the Thursday beforehand only.
To book a place or for further information please phone 0404-45656. All the above events are free of charge.

Kids Dance Camp

A kids’ dance camp will take place in the Brockagh Centre from Monday 27th July until Friday 31st July (10 am until 2.30 pm). If you are interested in booking a place or would like further information, please call Kate on 086-8256775.

Baptisms

We extend a very warm welcome to the following children who were baptised in St. Kevin’s Church recently: Sini-Kukka Catherine Lynham (daughter of Aidan and Tuija); Rian David Joseph Butler (son of David and Claire); Daire Padraig O hAodha (son of Tomás and Bernice).

First Aid Course

An Adventure Sports First Aid course will be held in the Brockagh Centre on Saturday and Sunday 4th and 5th July and Saturday 11th July. This Level 3, Remote Emergency Care course costs €230 per person. For further information contact Pat Reid on 045-866117 or 086-8210349.

Tuesday Walk

A group has started to meet up at the Brockagh Centre on a Tuesday morning at 11 am for a walk around the area (approximately one hour). Everyone walks at their own pace so there are groups of fast, medium and slower walkers. All are welcome at the Centre for tea afterwards (a small contribution is required for tea).

Laragh Lads

The Laragh Lads play in the Glendalough Hotel on the last Friday of every month – the next date is Friday 26th June. Admission is free.

Laragh & Glendalough News Issue 147 - July 2009 Sponsored by The Glendalough Hotel