Thursday, July 26, 2018

Summer 'Bridge' in the shops

The summer issue of The Bridge is now on sale in the usual outlets, writes Brian Byrne, and there's a strong community endeavour feel to the range of stories in this latest edition of Kilcullen's long-running magazine.

Leading with the amazing response to the recent Dawn Walk and market square Twilight Chorus concert in aid of Pieta House, shown in pictures and words, the work of KCA/Tidy Towns members is also highlighted in the run-up to judging for the national Tidy Towns competition. There's also a look-back at 40 years of the Valley park, established by the Community Council in Kilcullen during the 1970s.

The road to the application for funding for a redevelopment of the market square is the subject of another KCA-related piece, which notes that there will be public consultation on the draft plans in a Part 8 process by Kildare County Council.

Another road taken, this time by the Kilcullen GAA U14 girls who became All Ireland Champions at the recent Féile na nÓg competition, is detailed in a spread with lots of pictures of their journey.

There are other sporting successes related too, from the European Championships canoeing gold medal won by Ronan Foley to the personal account by James Nolan of 'making the most of a second chance' at life, most recently in the company of fellow dialysis and transplant athletes in Italy.

The centre spread is an account from the recent Open Day by the archaeological team at Dun Ailinne, still deciphering puzzles from the past, with much patience.

The regulars include the schools reports from the end of another year, with stories of lots of accomplishments from their individual and team pupils in a variety of spheres. Julie Dunlop in The Spirit in The Bridge muses on the importance of dads and male influence in families.

Sean Landers is back reporting on daily life, and death, from Taiwan (and I'll take this moment to express our condolences to him on the passing of his mother yesterday). The Day Trip this issue is to Inistioge and Woodstock in County Kilkenny, while the On the Table recipe is Treacle Bread.

Business stories include an account of recent progress at Murphy Surveys, and the return of local man Mark Phelan to his previous business of land surveying, this time with much more tech.

A full sports section completes this summer issue, which, of course, has lots more reading and something for everybody in Kilcullen.

Enjoy.

(The next issue of The Bridge is September, and the copy deadline for that is 23 August.)

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