Cllr. Breeda Bonner
Working for Clondalkin Email: bbonner@sdublincoco.ie Mobile: 0874132627 Web: www.labour.breedabonner Facebook: councillorbreedabonner
“Ar scáth a chéile a mhaireann na daoine.”
Newsletter A Chairde,
I was co-opted onto South Dublin County Council in March 2012 to replace Robert Dowds TD and was selected as a Labour candidate for this year’s Local Elections together with my colleague Ken Kinsella. It would be a great honour for me to be elected by the people of Clondalkin to continue the work that I have been doing in the area over the last two and a half years. I have lived in Clondalkin village all my life and went to school in Coláiste Bríde. I have been teaching in St Bernadette’s JNS in Quarryvale, North Clondalkin since 1982 and have been principal of that school since 1997. I’m a member of the Round Tower GAA Club and helped establish the Ladies Football Section in the 1990s. I am pleased that I have played a part in making sport available for women in Clondalkin. The Towers Club is a fabulous local organisation and like all members I was very proud last September when Jim Gavin brought the Sam Maguire back to Clondalkin! Celebrating the arrival of Sam Maguire & Darragh Nelson to St. Bernadette’s JNS Great progress has been made by the Round Tower Heritage Group. I’m happy to have been able to assist them. South Dublin County Council has produced a fabulous plan for the grounds of the Round Tower. The plan involves the restoration of the Mill Cottages and the old houses on Tower Road. These will be turned into an Interpretive Centre, a Coffee Shop and meeting rooms together with an audio visual and exhibition room. Also on site are plans for a Monastic Garden which will surround the Tower. It is hoped that building will start before the end of this year. This will be a great facility for locals and tourism alike. Cllr. Bonner with Emer Costello MEP, Ken Kinsella Local Area Rep & Members of the Round Tower Heritage Group I was very involved in establishing the Tidy Towns movement in Clondalkin two years ago and it has made a huge difference in Clondalkin Village and North Clondalkin. I am actively involved in the village group, it’s a wonderful community organisation and we’re looking forward to another great year! If you’d like to get involved, the village group meets at 10am on Saturday mornings at Tuthills. The North Clondalkin group meets at Rowlagh Supervalu every Saturday at 12noon. I am delighted that a new residents group has been set up in Boot Road/Commons Road/Rockfield Road. I’ll be working with them to ensure that they get everything they need in terms of equipment and support. I also hope to get a group up and running in the Deansrath/St Cuthbert’s Park area. Community Centre clean up with Clondalkin Tidy Towns
Local Election Candidate Working on Local Issues
Clondalkin Tidy Towns & Local Clean Up Groups Since my co-option I have devoted a lot of time to setting up and assisting Community Clean up Groups. Some of these groups, like The Convent Road Area group and the Watery Lane Area group, have evolved into fully constituted Residents Associations. The Woodford group has also become involved in Neighbourhood Watch. All of the groups are doing great work to improve their own local area and their work has fed into the Tidy Towns movement. St. Cuthbert’s Park, Deansrath
Harelawn Clean Up Group
The Woodford Clean Up Group
Riversdale Clean Up Group
North Clondalkin Tidy Towns
Watery Lane Residents Association
Sruleen Clean Up Group
If you’d like help in setting up your own local clean up group contact me @ 0874132627 or email at bbonner@sdublincoco.ie or find me on Facebook at councillorbreedabonner
Local Election Candidate Working on Local Issues
Clondalkin ... A great place to Live There are so many great local groups working hard in the area, I have to say I’m proud to be from Clondalkin! In the last year or two I think there has been a resurgence of the community spirit which I remember in Clondalkin when I was a child. I have had the opportunity to work with and support lots of groups. Here’s just a few of them….Over the last 5 years the Laurels Charity Crew have raised over €340,000 for Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlin, Cllr. Breeda Bonner together Welcoming home the Laurels Charity through their annual cycle from Galway to with The Ciaran Carr Foundation Crew from their annual cycle Dublin. One of their more recent projects has been to work with The Ciaran Carr Foundation in helping to raise funds for the installation of defibrillators in the local schools. For more information: https //www.facebook.com/laurelscharitycrew
I am delighted to be part of St. Bernadette’s JNS Parents Walking Group. The group was established by the parents in the school where I am principal. Several parents in the group attended the training given by the South Dublin Sports Partnership for parent leaders. It’s true what they say, “Giorraíonn beirt bóthar”, “A walk is always better with company.” Walking groups like this are a great idea! Cllr. Bonner joins the St. Bernadette’s JNS Parents Walking Group The Inter-culture Centre has brought a diversity of culture to our community. The centre has held many events including a variety of cultural nights in Áras Chrónáin as well as the establishment of a Global Community Garden. The Irish Countrywomen’s Association has been serving the needs of all women in Clondlakin for over 50 years. They meet every Tuesday evening at St. Joseph’s Cllr. Bonner with Lyuba Moore and Ziad Salih BNS. If interested, contact me and I’ll put you in touch with the Clondalkin Guild. at the Clondalkin Inter Culture Centre
Welcoming the Ohio University Marching Band
Cllr. Bonner le Líle Ní Annrachain in Áras Chrónáin
Cllr. Bonner & Marie O’Toole, National President of the ICA
Last May 2013 I was honoured to welcome The Ohio University Marching Band to Clondalkin as guests of the Clondalkin Youth Band which is a fabulous local organisation and has carried Clondalkin’s name to many parts of the world, bringing us glory in many band competitions. Under the direction of Vincent Dolan, the members of the band are a credit to Clondalkin and I am very proud of them. Tá an t-ádh linn go bhfuil Áras Chrónáin againn i gCluain Dolcáin. Is féidir leat do chuid ghaeilge a úsáid ann sa chiorcail cómhrá no a fheabhasú sna ranganna. Áras Chrónáin is a great place to use and improve your Irish or to enjoy a night out with great music.
Local Election Candidate Working on Local Issues
Local Issues... As part of my council work I am very proud to have been responsible for a number of projects throughout Clondalkin. I have secured a number of traffic calming and safe crossing facilities throughout Clondalkin. One of my first motions to the Clondalkin Area Committee was to seek the construction of a second footpath at the Old Nangor Road. More recently I have welcomed the completion of pedestrian lights on the Neilstown Road and Coldcut road.
At the site of the new footpath on the Old Nangor Road
A number of redundant phone boxes provided a real eyesore in our village. It took several motions to the ACM and a lot of persuasion but persistence eventually won the day and the boxes were finally removed.
Above, Cllr. Bonner at the new pedestrians lights on the Neilstown Road & below at the site of the proposed new library on the green between Harelawn and Oatfield in North Clondalkin
Encouraging fitness and the use of our local amenities has been another one of my priorities. I have been successful in securing the installation of bicycle stands throughout Clondalkin village. I have also been campaigning for more cycle routes and I am currently working on the extension of a cycle path from the village centre to the canal path along the river Camac.
Old telephone booths outside the Laurels Pub & on Main Street are now removed
After many years campaigning for a library in North Clondalkin I am pleased to announce that my hard work has finally paid off with the recent commitment being made to build a new library on the site.
Cllr. Bonner enjoying one of the many cycle tracks in Clondalkin.
Working with Local Labour Public Representatives
Ken Kinsella, Local Area Rep kenkinsellalabour@gmail.com Tel: 085 140 3555
Robert Dowds TD robert.dowds@oir.ie Tel: 087 652 0360
Joanna Tuffy TD joanna.tuffy@oireachtas.ie Tel: 087 6339077
Emer Costello MEP emer.costello@europarl.europa.eu Tel: 086 383 1805