Bangs and poocas

It might have been illegal -- hey, it was illegal -- but there was no shortage of fireworks around Kilcullen on Halloween night. Or, indeed, for a couple of weeks before.

There were a couple of bonfires too, on the night. The Diary went up at the announced time to the most public of them, in Avondale, but there was nobody around to light what had been a very well-constructed piece. We're sure they did their thing later, but there was no point in hanging around waiting.

On the way home we could see one at the back of Nicholastown, but it wasn't really photographable.



'Poocas' were scarce enough in evidence, and those who were calling were mostly chaperoned by parents, which is in itself a reflection of how times have changed.

Your Editor was caused to muse on what could have been, or might be in the future.

It is possible, indeed necessary, to have a licence to use fireworks. And burning bonfires without a licence is also illegal under pollution legislation.

Both regulations were blatantly ignored on the night in Kilcullen, across the county, and through the country. Ignored too, it seems in most cases, by An Garda. In a pragmatic sense, it would have been impossible to do otherwise, despite all the PR stuff they entered into in conjunction with other state agencies.

What people want to do, they will do.

Yet bonfires are a traditional part of this primarily Pagan festival time of the year. And though a culture imported from Britain (and before that China), fireworks are an increasing part of the deal.

So, for next year, maybe Kilcullen as a community could get its act together and have a really big Halloween festival.

Licences could be got for the fireworks and bonfire elements, I'm sure.

A great event could be held, bringing together in one place all the elements of Halloween, in a way that could collect our now very disparate community together and help it enjoy itself in a managed and safe way.

Once that was in place, enforcing the regulations outside the official event would be easier to do, because the community in general would support it, knowing that a proper celebration was happening.

Indeed, many of the family people now illegally providing individual fireworks displays for their children might be encouraged to donate their money or their fireworks instead towards a real community display.

Christmas lights are the big focus for Kilcullen just now. But that particular festival is long-drawn and lacks a spectacular.

It does seem that Halloween, as an increasingly more focussed festival, could be the one that gets us singing our way into winter instead of moaning about it.

And for this writer, there's a certain pleasant Pagan resonance about that.

Brian Byrne.