The
gold medal won by Kilcullen in the 2025 Supervalu Tidy Towns was proudly on display at the recent
AGM of Kilcullen Community Action, and is also headlined in the report from that event, which leads this month's edition,
writes Brian Byrne. The quote that the medal defines our community seems quite appropriate, given the amount of work that KCA-Tidy Towns does in Kilcullen.
The work of one of Kilcullen's longest-standing organisations, the Drama Group, which can record its foundations back to the 1930s, is another important element in the rich mosaic of Kilcullen, and the group's latest presentation, The Walworth Farce, makes for a colourful centre spread story, with a photographic record of emotion, action, and the dysfunction of the family at the centre of the play. A challenge for cast and audience alike, both rose to it, the latter literally in several standing ovations.
Beyond those, a broad mix of articles in the issue takes in an Arctic expedition, a debut book of poetry, several commentaries on aspects of the 1926 Census releases, and the expansion of the Born to Strum Music Academy, located at the Crookstown Craft Centre. The Kilcullen Photography Club shows how patterns around us can make fascinating pictures, and the concluding part of Jim Kelly's memories of Tony O'Reilly and Castlemartin gives further insights into the man and the place in Kilcullen that became his much-loved Irish home.
For those who like to wander away for a day, Noel Clare suggests Mount Leinster as a trip that rewards with both breathtaking views and an ethereal music of the wind through the stays that hold the RTE transmitter mast in place. All in all, a spectacular location from which to view eight counties, weather permitting, and for those who like to drive on the edge, the road back towards Myshall and Tullow gives Kerry's Connor Pass a run for its money.
In other regular contributions, Billy Redmond recalls some of his many 'rambling house' experiences, which can sometimes deliver the truth of the adage that 'it's a small world'. Eugene Brennan, wont to cycle considerable distances, provides an interesting background and detail to the Leinster Aqueduct and to mills in the Kilcullen area. In his regular Places Around Us, Daithí de Róiste offers a history of Killeen Cormac in Colbinstown, and Sean Landers gives over his column to some more memories of Gilltown as penned by Maurice Baxter. John Duffey continues his inimitable style of recollections, this time involving the recycling of items of clothing in his day that had nothing to do with shoving them into a container at the edge of some car park. Noreen Dowling provides one of her always-entertaining personal memories, this time on a tourist bus travelling across Dublin.
There are the usual lots of schoolchildren’s activities in their regular pages, while in sport, we have details of the value of connections in Kilcullen GAA, a preview of the World Cup from Nigel Phillips, and Joe Mallon's regular update on the thriving pitch and putt club.
Overall, so many contributions that we had to add four pages this month. Just goes to show, there's still a strong place in Kilcullen for our community magazine, even in its 56th year.
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