Foundations for what was the then longest reinforced concrete bridge in Ireland were laid in June 1917. It was part of the work on the Athy...

Anna Breakey was 24 years old when she came to live and work in Athy 74 years ago. She was a native of Ballybay, Co. Monaghan, the third of...

In August 1782, the Irish antiquarian Austin Cooper, following a visit to Athy, wrote “Athy is a small town situated on the River Barrow ove...

This year we celebrate the centenary of the establishment of the civic guards later named the Garda Siochana. The new Irish police force wa...

This year we celebrate the centenary of the establishment of the Civic Guards later named the Garda Siochana. The new Irish police force wa...

It’s almost 40 years ago when with the assistance of FAS, the Industrial Training Authority, I organised a project intended to record all th...

One of my earliest memories is of walking with my older brothers to the huge fire which broke out at the Wallboard factory in April 1949. I...

It is close on 29 years ago that I penned my first Eye on the Past. This week the 1500th article is printed and I want to take the opportun...

In 1841 Athy had the largest population of any town in County Kildare. With 4,980 persons living within the town boundaries, it exceeded th...

The worst effects of the famine which had ravaged Ireland following the failure of the potato crop in 1845 had abated by the time 1853 arriv...

A small contingent from Athy was among the 2,500 people at the Royal Festival Hall, South Bank, London on 12th October last. The occasion w...

Last Tuesday night the Community Arts Centre in the Methodist Church, Athy hosted the second lecture in the Athy Historical Society’s Autumn...

Many of my readers were aware that I was hospitalised in recent weeks. I was discharged last Monday from Beaumont Hospital where I received...

The most famous court case in literature is Jarndyce v Jarndyce, immortalised in Charles Dickens Bleak House, published in 1853. It feature...

The vibrancy of an area can be measured by the activities of its residents and their engagement with their community as a whole. This was v...

There was a good turnout at the AGM of the Athy Historical Society held at the Arts Centre in Woodstock Street last Tuesday night, 24th of S...

This evening, 24th September at 8.00 p.m. the Annual General Meeting of Athy Historical Society will take place in the Community Arts Centre...

Just over 16 years ago John MacKenna, having earlier founded the theatrical group, ‘Mend and Makedo’, sought to have a small theatre in Athy...

On the 24th day of September the previously adjourned A.G.M. of Athy’s Historical Society will be held in the local Community Arts Centre at...

There are many talented persons living amongst our local community here in South Kildare who are perhaps unknown to the general public. I w...