Cllr. Kathleen Kelleher

Constituency

Greystones Town Council

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Personal Details

Personal History Kathleen Kelleher has lived in Greystones for 30 years. She is a widow with four children. She has extensive church, community and civic involvement at all levels of Greystones life. Kathleen is well known in Greystones for her hard work and for her ability to work with people and get things done. Her numerous activities include Rathdown Park Residents Association and Greystones Cancer Support. In 1997, her contributions were recognised when she was voted Civic Person of the Year by Greystones Town Council.Personal Statement: Aims and Issues Greystones, Co. Wicklow, is a growing town with huge planning issues facing it. Located just south of Dublin on the east coast, it faces enormous development over the next few years. Coming on stream is the IDA Business and Technology Park, Zapi Properties Residential Development of 1400 residential units, Zapi Properties Commercial Development, Harbour and Marina Development, 104 residential units at Blacklion, residential and commercial development in the centre of the town. My main concern is that all development proceeds in an integrated manner with schools, roads, health facilities, sports and playing fields all having an allocation, in addition to planning permissions for housing. I have attended every meeting of Greystones Town Council since I was elected in 1999 and I have tabled my allocation of two motions at each of these meetings. I have tried to cover the broad, general needs of Greystones as well as the individual, particular needs of Residents. Many of my motions have been influential in progressing events and developments in Greystones. I have over thirty years of community service behind me. This community service is detailed on a separate sheet. It covers a wide variety of community effort: church, schools, residents association, Irish language, Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann. I consider that my progression to becoming a Public Representative was a natural follow on to this community service and informs my work as a Public Representative. My commitment to public service has never waned and is evidenced in my workload. ------------- KATHLEEN KELLEHER GREYSTONES TOWN COUNCILLOR CV of COMMUNITY AND CHURCH ACTIVITIES CHURCH ACTIVITIES Greystones Parish Bulletin Helped initiate and produced this weekly Newsletter, 1983-1992. Mass in Irish Assist with monthly Mass in Irish in Greystones, which involves organising the Mass and hymn leaflets, singing in the choir, and reading the Lesson in Irish. Greystones Parish Development Founder member and secretary in 1987-1989 of this Parish Committee which oversees the activities of Holy Rosary Parish. Greystones Parish Eucharistic Minister 1986-1988. Greystones Parish Reader Currently a Reader in Church on a Sunday rota, including Irish reading. Dublin Diocesan Women’s Forum Greystones Parish Representative to Bray Deanery, 1996-1998. Also instrumental in establishing the Greystones Parish Committee which effected several successful Greystones Parish activities and at Bray Deanery level established a course in faith education for adults. This course was later extended to the Dun Laoghaire Deanery and is now being conducted, in various forms, in many Parishes. COMMMUNITY ACTIVITIES Meals on Wheels Cook and driver, 1975-1987. Rathdown Park Residents Association Secretary, 1982-1983, and 1994 to present. Publish the Newsletter. Very active and award winning Residents Association. Greystones Summer Project Active helper, 1982-1987, with particular reference to organising the parent helpers. Greystones Community Action on Drugs Helped establish this group in 1983 and assisted in running an Information Programme, 1983-1984, during which the Group called on 2,345 homes in Greystones and held 10 Neighbourhood Information Meetings. This programme was instrumental in alerting parents to the growing drugs problem and helped to keep drugs out of Greystones. Greystones Youth Club Parent helper from Club’s formation in 1982 until Club closed in 1986. St. Catherine’s Special School, Newcastle Assisted with swimming sessions 1984-1992. Scoil Chaoimhín Greystones Secretary, Board of Management, 1981-1982. St. David’s Secondary School, Greystones Parents’ Association 1983-1985, where I helped to initiate, and later produce, Chalkdust, the school newsletter to parents. St. Brigid’s National School, Greystones Chairman Garden Committee, 1983-1992. Irish Began learning Irish in 1975. Siamsa Fhéile Pádraig Founding and present member. Since 1983, this is an annual cultural event in Greystones, celebrating St. Patrick’s Day. Siamsa has now been extended to include Siamsa an tSamhraidh, an Irish event part of Greystones Arts Festival each August Bank Holiday Week-End. Mothers, Babies & Toddlers Helped initiate in 1986 and assisted in the early stages of this Drop-in Morning for mothers and their small children. Greystones Cancer Support Founding Secretary in 1994 and Secretary until 2002. Now Administrative Co-Ordinator of this local support group which offers assistance to cancer patients, their families and their friends. Also served as Chairman for a year and a half. Greystones Cancer Support is a well established, highly successful and well regarded cancer support group with its own premises and is now open on a daily basis. Toastmasters International Toastmasters International offers a communications and leadership programme and is the world’s leading organisation in effective oral communication. Member since 1996. Served twice as Secretary for the Dublin Area, once as Secretary for Ireland and the UK and once as Bray Club Secretary. Duties for all three posts included helping to organise Conferences, keeping minutes, preparing Club, Division and District reports, preparing, printing and distributing Division and District Newsletters. I was also a member of the team which travelled to the USA in 1999 and 2000 and promoted the successful election of an Irish Toastmaster to the Worldwide Executive from which he was elected International President in Atlanta, Georgia in August, 2003. A non-US Member has only held this position twice previously since 1924. Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann Member since 1998. Learned to play tin whistle. Greystones Town Council Elected to Greystones Town Council on the first attempt in June, 1999. Currently serving on the Greystones Town Council Development Committee and am now Chairman of the Greystones Town Council Community Affairs Committee, which organises the Christmas Lighting Ceremony and the St. Patrick’s Day Parade. As Chairman of the Community Affairs Committee, I publish the Greystones Weekly Calendar of Local Events, which is widely circulated in the town. Also on the Board of Wicklow County Tourism and the Greystones Town Council representative to the East Coast-Midlands Regional Tourist Authority and Wicklow Heritage Forum. Served for a year on the Wicklow County Development Board. Have been an active Member of the Greystones Town Council, attending every meeting and submitting the maximum number allowed of two motions at each meeting, many of which have been influential in progressing events and developments in Greystones.