The Week Ahead
A mild enough start to the week — but Tuesday brings cloud and some rain, Wednesday turns cooler with a shower and a brisk morning, and Sunday looks like the wettest day of the week.
Mon ☁️ | Tue 🌦️ | Wed 🌦️💨 | Thu ☁️ | Fri 🌦️ | Sat ☁️ | Sun 🌧️
⚽🇮🇪 Ireland captain Nathan Collins is from Leixlip, and Ireland take on Czechia this Thursday 26 March at 7:45pm in what's a hugely important World Cup qualifier.
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Purple Llama Market - Celbridge's Sunday Secret
If you've ever walked the Castletown parklands on a Sunday morning and noticed a cluster of stalls set up in the gardens of Christchurch, you've already found it. Purple Llama Market has been running since June 2019, when Pamela Coleman — a crafter herself, frustrated by the lack of accessible local markets — decided to do something about it. She got in touch with Christchurch, found ten nervous vendors, and opened the market. Family, friends, and curious passers-by showed up. Seven years later, it's still going, every Sunday, rain or shine.
The market runs in the gardens of Christchurch at the Castletown estate entrance, with the parklands right beside it — which explains the very enthusiastic dog clientele. On the last Sunday of each month, the Slip Hall opens up for vendors, giving the market a lovely covered option whenever the sky decides to open too.
What Pamela has built feels different from the standard market setup. There is a lot of working going on behind-the-scenes "So many people comment on how it must be great working one day a week," she says. What they don't see is the insurance queries, the pricing advice, the email chains, the accounts, and the phone calls at nine on a Thursday night. Running a market that genuinely supports local makers is a labour of love — and quite a bit of labour.”
She's also deeply aware of what it means for the people behind the stalls. Crafters pour real time, skill, and heart into what they make, and Pamela's instinct has always been to protect that. Her advice to anyone thinking of visiting is simple: come for the vibe, have a coffee, get a crepe, and take a few minutes to talk to the makers. You'll usually leave with something you didn't expect to find.
"Every way you spend your euros shows the type of world you want to live in," she says.
It's a lovely way to put it, and from someone who has been quietly building a home for local makers since 2019, it feels completely earned.
What’s Happening
🚗 Commuting
The L1015 between Kellystown and Confey is still closed and will be until 15 May — but there's a temporary reopening from 30 March to 12 April before the final phase kicks in.
From Monday 30 March, the R149 from Captain's Hill junction to Confey is also closing for 24 hours a day until 10 April. Councillors have already pushed back on the scale of these closures, so worth watching for any last-minute changes.
Castletown Drive in Celbridge remains on a rolling closure until 11 May — northbound traffic is going via R405, southbound via R405 to Main Street then left into Castletown Drive.
A new closure is coming on the R405 Maynooth Road in Celbridge from 30 March all the way to 16 June for the Crodaun Waste Water Network Upgrade — diversions will run via Shackleton Road and Aghards Road.
Late-night drivers heading into Dublin tonight and Tuesday to Thursday this week should note M50 works at J7 Palmerstown (closed tonight 22:00–06:00, divert via Chapelizod Bypass) and further closures at Blanchardstown and Finglas later in the week.
Irish Rail has confirmed DART services will extend to Kilcock. The plan includes a new depot west of the town , a second track between Maynooth and Kilcock, a new platform, and a fully accessible pedestrian bridge with lifts. A public consultation is open until Friday 27 April — details here dartplus.ie.
Irish Rail has night works running on both the Maynooth line and Hazelhatch corridor every night this week (midnight to 6am, through to Friday 28 March).
📰 Other News
Kildare County Council's Full Council meeting is on today at 3pm — the next county-wide decision point covering motions and updates across all of North Kildare.
The Clane–Maynooth Municipal District meeting is on Friday 3 April at 10am — this is where follow-ups are expected on the Kilcock Road speed camera, Mill Street disability parking, park-and-ride proposals west of Maynooth, and the Taghadoe Cross junction.
🏫 Schools
St Patrick's Primary School in Celbridge had a stressful few days earlier this month — the school closed on 5 March after fire safety inspections flagged issues needing urgent attention, with around 400 pupils affected. It reopened on 9 March after about 40 contractors worked through the day. Remediation work is continuing until August.
Heads up for Celbridge Community School families — school is closed this Friday 27 March for an OIDE teacher training day, and Easter holidays then begin the following Monday 30 March.
Good news for families of children with autism in Celbridge — Scoil Mochua has opened enrolment for a new special autism class starting September 2026. Check the school's website for eligibility criteria and how to apply.
🏉 Sport
Ireland captain Nathan Collins is from Leixlip, and Ireland take on Czechia this Thursday 26 March at 7:45pm in what's a hugely important World Cup qualifier.
Kildare's U-20 hurlers had a brilliant result on Sunday, beating Kerry 2-24 to 0-16 in the Leinster Championship at Manguard Park.
On the rugby front, Leixlip's own Ruth Campbell captained Clovers to a 35–20 semi-final win over Gwalia Lightning on Saturday — they're into the inaugural Celtic Challenge final.
📅 Events
If you're looking for something to do with the kids over Easter, Clonfert Farm near Maynooth kicks off on Saturday 28 March and runs to Sunday 5 April (10:00–18:30 daily) — Easter Egg Hunt, live entertainers, fun fair and farm activities. Advance booking is recommended.
The Irish National Stud & Gardens in Tully also has a family Easter event running Friday 3 April to Monday 6 April — timed entry slots, so booking ahead is a must.
For a big night out on Saturday 28 March, The Roost in Maynooth has SMASH HITS! on from 8pm.
That’s it for this week.
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Thanks,
Dave