Successful 'Memories from Kilcullen'

There was a very good turnout to the 'Memories from Kilcullen' evening held yesterday in the Kilcullen Heritage Centre.



The event was to mark National Heritage Week locally, and talks were given by Brian Byrne, Jim Collins and Nessa Dunlea.

Brian Byrne spoke about the Kilcullen links with the 19th century pugilist Dan Donnelly, who fought his most famous bouts on the edge of The Curragh in the area since known as Donnelly's Hollow.

He also detailed Donnelly's life and times, and his own family's connection through the displaying over four decades of the mummified right arm of the fighter in The Hideout pub in Kilcullen.

A section on the An Tostal pageants of the early fifties, re-enacting Donnelly's fight with the English champion George Cooper, was illustrated with photographs from that event.



Jim Collins recalled the history of Kilcullen's riverside Valley park, beginning with the historical importance of the area as a Mass Path and leading his account through the various owners before its acquisition by Kilcullen Community Council in the seventies.



He brought a sometimes hilarious insight into the ups and downs of the development of the park, for which some €125,000 has been raised by the community and spent in turning an impenetrable scrubland into an invaluable resource.

The various fundraising initiatives included the Lord Mayor elections, Capers, and barbecues, and contemporary newspaper reports from the time were part of a static exhibition in the body of the Heritage Centre.



Nessa Dunlea outlined the early history of Castlemartin Estate, including its connections with the 1798 Rebellion. She then drew on the memories of Phoebe Morrissey, who was born on the estate and still lives there, to sketch out the lives of some of the owners. Nessa interviewed Phoebe in 2002. She also recalled her own childhood playing with friends in the woods and and among the ruins of the church on the estate.

Those attending the event said afterwards it had been very enjoyable, and it is likely that similar talks on other aspects of Kilcullen's heritage will be undertaken during the winter.