Launch of Vol. 4 Eye on Athy's Past

This evening the 4th volume of ‘Eye on Athy’s Past’ will be launched in the Shackleton Museum, Town Hall, Athy at 8.00 p.m. Liam Kenny, Naas historian and writer, will launch the book which consists of articles written for the Kildare Nationalist between June 1999 and December 2000. Liam’s early working career mirrored my own as like myself he started his working life as a clerical officer in Kildare County Council. My entry into the Council services was in January 1961 and it was much later when Kevin joined. I had begun the next stage of my career as a Town Clerk before Liam appeared in St. Mary’s, Naas. Both of us would leave the local government service to pursue entirely different careers. Liam joined the Leinster Leader as a journalist and later still another change of career sees him today as Director of the Association of Irish Local Government. Liam and I have immersed ourselves in the local histories of our respective towns. He, as the founder member of Naas Local History Society has written and lectured extensively on the history of Nás na Ríogh. The Naas history group has done marvellous work in highlighting the little-known aspects of their town’s history in lectures and several publications over the years. Congratulations are due to Siobhan McNulty, daughter of Gretta and Frank, who last week was elected President of the Kildare Archaeological Society. The society, founded in 1891 by Lord Walter Fitzgerald, is one of the most prestigious societies in the country and Siobhan is the first Athy person to head up the society.