It Says in The Bridge: March 07

In yet another birthday issue for The Bridge the magazine enters its 37th year, and the Diary extends its congratulations to all concerned, over the years and currently. We of all people understand that meeting regular deadlines is not easy, especially in a voluntary publishing undertaking.

A front page story under the headline 'Rebuilding The Bridge'notes that a new year is also bringing new people into the endeavour. The other main story reports how the Pastoral Council is undertaking a survey of local opinion on parish matters.

Inside, the first of quite a few innovations is the revival of an Editorial. Planned as a circulating responsibility amongst members of the editorial board, Bernard Berney writes the first. In his inimitable style he considers a number of subjects for suitability, rejecting all by the time he gets to the end of his allotted space. A benchmarking example of how not to get into trouble for expressing opinion.

In news we read of the opening of the new recycling hub at Silliot Hill, designed by the manager of the facility Ger Grehan, aimed to make it easier for people to properly separate their waste. And there's also a note about a change in a business which has served Kilcullen for a quarter of a century -- Kevin and May Keogh are retiring from their Hillcrest Hire, and the operation is moving to The Link Park. Noel O'Connell is incorporating the business into his own.

The Environmental News section details six local planning applications, and also notes the changes made to the new building beside The Hideout following representations from local people and KCA to Kildare County Council. We also read here that Kilcullen's tidy town committee is considering not entering the National Tidy Towns competition this year unless Kildare County Council provides a basic litter collection service in Kilcullen.

Scoil Bhride's 'Notice Board' highlights a visit to the school by children's author Marita Conlon-McKenna, where she spoke about how she is inspired to write particular stories. The big story from Halverstown NS is about their trip to Newgrange, described as both 'exciting' and tiring. Exciting also was the visit by a number of Cross & Passion College students to Arus an Uachtaran as part of President McAleese's 'Vision for 2020' day. The CPC presentation on the day is published in the magazine.

Among the features this month is a piece by Charlie Talbot on the sponsor of the 1889 church bell, Raphael Bowen, which answers some questions but raises new ones about this 'mysterious' benefactor. Pat Behan has several pieces, the most entertaining of which is his account of an 'animal attack' in Australia on a trip there some years ago. Sean Landers muses on Presidents of the World, and also writes about St Brigid's Well and the original bridge across the Liffey. And there's a double page spread about the closer prospect of a community playground, with accompanying map.

There are new contributors too. John Mulhall begins a series about GAA stalwarts of Kilcullen with a profile of Michael Joseph Patrick Lambe, better and affectionally known to us all as Porky. Sean Dillon from Riverside Manor writes the first of a planned series on computers and their management. And there are three pages of a new contribution called 'The Spout', where members of the Kilcullen Creative Writing Group present examples of their work. This includes the first chapter of a serial, which is open to all to provide subsequent chapters.

We leave it to Jim Collins to end this report with a bang, in his recalling of when his father was 'technical adviser' for a drama group production of 'Shadow of a Gunman' in the late 40s. It required an 'explosion' effect offstage. Jim Collins Snr, who had been actively involved in the fight for independence in the 20s, obliged with what the late Jerry Kelly always described as an 'over-enthusiastic' effort which left the cast covered in smoke and the set collapsed.

Ah, the days of innocence.

Brian Byrne.