WORKERS AT A Spar shop in Maynooth were held at gunpoint last Saturday.
Two men entered the shop in Beaufield at approx. 6.30pm wielding what appeared to be a gun and a yellow crowbar.
Staff were threatened and forced to open the tills from which notes were removed. The crowbar thug then tried to force open a safe behind the counter but failed to do so.
The pair made off on foot in the direction of Beaufield Gardens.
A follow up search close by uncovered items of clothing thought to have been worn during the raid.
While in Newbridge, a beauty salon was broken into in Eyre Street on the 5th April at approx. 7pm.
A man entered the shop wielding a steel bar and threatened staff with it demanding money. He made away by foot with a small amount of cash.
Anyone who may have noticed anything suspicious is asked to contact gardai.

WITH A STRONG delegation from Kildare at the Irish National Teachers Organisation (INTO) annual congress, the main focus has been on a lack of jobs and poor conditions for young teachers.
The congress has heard that “anger and fear” is rising among new teachers over the difficulties in securing a post and reduced pay and conditions for those who do.
“We’re losing teachers to countries like Abu Dhabi” and other places where work is more plentiful and the pay is much better, says Barry Morrissey, INTO spokesperson for Kildare.
New recruits now start on a lower pay scale (0.1) in addition to the 10 per cent across the public sector “so they’re losing out on much more than others,” he said..
In an address to members, INTO President Noreen Flynn remarked that the “Union will face down further attacks on pensions.” She told delegates “we” need to “end the blame game”.
The agenda for congress also includes motions on special education, the government’s controversial plans to reduce staffing in smaller schools which has been strongly criticised by the INTO.
“Next year’s teacher allocation will be given to schools on the basis of pupil enrolment last September,” said INTO General Secretary Sheila Nunan, who is originally from Newbridge. “Last September, a school with 50 pupils could have expected three teachers next year. The budget changes mean that school will only have two teachers,” she said.
The President finished her speech by vigorously stating “hands off the Croke Park agreement.”
The conference will continue until and including Wednesday.

TWO MEN BELIEVED to be chief suspects in the murder of a 16-year-old teenager, remain in custody having been arrested in Athy on Thursday.
Melanie McCarthy McNamara was a back seat passenger in a parked car in Tallaght on 7th February at approx. 10.35pm. She sustained serious injuries when a firearm was discharged from a passing vehicle.
A raid was carried out at a rented apartment on Thursday when two young males, believed to be 23 and 17-years-of-age were arrested. This followed a Garda operation involving Gardaí from Tallaght, The National Bureau Of Criminal Investigation and local Gardaí from Kildare.

‘Significant’
Gardai are describing the arrests as ‘significant’. It is understood that they may have been trying to leave the country.
The two are currently being detained at Tallaght Garda Station under laws designed to crack down on gangs and organised crime, Section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act. They can each be held for up to seven days, which has been running consecutively to date (Mon 20th). After this time, charges will either be brought against them or they will be released. (Info.accurate at time of going to press, 20th/02)

THE IRISH NATIONAL Hunt Punchestown Festival generated a record €59.8 million contribution to the economy of Kildare and its surrounding regions in 2011, according to an independent economic benefit analysis report carried out by NUI Maynooth.
The findings of the report demonstrate that the Punchestown Festival has successfully withstood the wider economic downturn and continued to grow over the last number of years in part by expanding to become a five-day festival from four days and attracting a near record 95,061 visitors in 2011.

Boost abroad
The huge attendance was also boosted by an increase in international visitors predominantly from the UK which accounted for over 19,200 visits last year, up 23 per cent since 2005. In total, €24.8 million was spent by visitors on accommodation, food and entertainment in the locality with an average spend per person of €261.
73 per cent of visitors chose to stay in hotels and 17 per cent in B&Bs. The average stay in the area by visitors of three nights, with a remarkable nine per cent of guests staying for six nights or more.
The additional footfall contributed to a significant increase in the overall spend inside the racecourse of €21.4 million, the equivalent of an average spend per person of €368 on betting, food and drink and other items. The massive crowds in 2011 also spent €6.6 million on travel costs to and from the racetrack.
The economic analysis has provided data on the pre-Festival spend by fashion conscious female racegoers revealing that a remarkable €7 million was spent on attire and clothing. The average spend per female on attire prior to attending the festival was €196. The spend correlates to a separate finding that almost as many women as men are now attending the Festival with females accounting for a very significant 45 per cent of the overall attendance.

Long standing tradition
David Mongey, Chairman of Punchestown remarked: “With a tradition and heritage dating back almost 200 years, the Punchestown Irish National Hunt Festival remains first and foremost an annual cultural and sporting event of great significance for the people of Kildare and its surrounding areas.
“But we are delighted to welcome this report by NUI Maynooth which shows that the Festival is generating €12 million a day. It is extremely heartening and encouraging that even in the face of a severe economic downturn that the Festival is delivering a very substantial economic dividend to Kildare, its surrounding areas and to the wider economy.”
The findings are part of an economic evaluation report undertaken by Professor Rowena Pecchenino, Head of the Department of Economics, Finance & Accounting, and her team at the NUI Maynooth. The findings of the report were derived from a comprehensive survey of 1,100 racegoers throughout the five days of the Festival last year.
The 2012 Punchestown Festival takes place from Tuesday 24th to Saturday 28th April.