Primary Care centre to be in place by 'end of 2009'

The building which will house the primary care team being developed by the HSE for Kinnegad will be completed by the end of 2009, Cllr. Mick Dollard was informed at a recent meeting of the Dublin-Mid Leinster Regional Health Forum.Cllr. Dollard asked what plans the HSE had for the development of much needed medical services in Kinnegad.Mr. Hugh Kane, the Assistant National Director of Primary, Community and Continuing Care (PCCC), said that the HSE is currently in the process of developing a primary care team in Kinnegad.He said that the services this team will provide include public health nursing, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, community welfare, social work, speech and language, psychology and mental health services."The Primary Care Team will be accommodated in a new development currently under construction on the Main Street in Kinnegad," Mr. Kane explained."The HSE has agreed to lease space in this new development, which will also accommodate the GP practice in the town."It is expected that the building will be completed and commissioned before the end of 2009," he concluded.A grave developmentContractors hired by Kinnegad Parish have this week commenced on some ground work in St. Agnes' Cemetery, Coralstown, just weeks before cemetery devotions take place.The work will take place in the north-eastern section of the cemetery, and will involve the laying of a plinth, which will facilitate the marking of graves.With Coralstown Cemetery coming to end of its remit for new graves, this work will keep the graveyard's gates open to new residents for a number of years.The cooperation of parishioners is appreciated, and visitors to the cemetery are urged to observe cautioning notices.Cemetery devotions in Coralstown will take place at 2.30pm on August, while prayers for the dead will be recited at Clonfad Cemetery at 6pm on the same day.Forthcoming parish fundraisersFriday, September 11 is a date for all keen golfers in Kinnegad Parish to note, with the Kinnegad Parish Golf Classic due to take place at the Co. Meath Golf Club, Trim.All funds raised from the golf classic will go towards the upkeep of churches in Kinnegad, Coralstown and Clonard, and the support of all parishioners would be greatly appreciated.A timesheet for the classic is available, with time slots running from 8.30am to 4.30pm, and for more information on this, contact Deborah on 086-2053488.There are some terrific prizes available for the day's successful golfers, so make sure you book your tee time.All eyes are on the Clonard end of Kinnegad parish right now, where tickets are on sale for a tractor draw being run by the Friends of St. Finian Committee.The hard working committee has been busying itself over the past number of months in a bid to garner as much support as possible for the renovation of St. Finian's Church, Clonard.Last week, it was announced that renovation and restoration work at St. Finian's will commence on Tuesday of next week, August 4, and the tractor draw is one of a number of initiatives being pursued to help the project along.Tickets are available from any of the Friends of St. Finian committee members at €5 per ticket, or €20 for a book of five. The tractor is currently on view at T. Flynn and Sons, The Downs.The draw will take place on September 26 as part of the Clonard Tractor Run, and all proceeds from the fundraiser will go towards the Clonard Parish Church Renovation Project.Full details on this project may be viewed in all of the churches in Kinnegad Parish. Work on the church in Clonard is expected to take 31 wekks to complete, and during the restoration period, 9am Sunday morning Mass will be transferred to the Church of the Assumption, Kinnegad, as of Sunday, August 9.During the renovations, there will be some restrictions on access to the cemetery at Clonard.GAA fundraiserSupporters of Coralstown/Kinnegad GAA Club are invited to Mullingar Greyhound Racing Stadium on Saturday night next, August 1 at 8pm, when the club's annual Dog Night kicks off.If you're fond of a night at the dogs as much as you are of watching your heroes in red play football, then make sure you're at the Mullingar venue on Saturday night, where a special family ticket awaits, as well as an all-in-one raffle ticket.At the dog night, the club will also launch its Monster Drive-Through Bingo with a guaranteed jackpot of €2,000. The bingo will take place on Bank Holiday Monday, August 3, and enquiries may be made at the GAA Pavilion in Kinnegad.