It Says In The Bridge: July 08

After this issue, The Bridge takes a holiday and the next one won't be seen until September.

But before the break there was plenty of stuff to record, and upcoming things to flag. The lead story this month has now been overtaken by the actual dedication of the Dun Ailinne Interpretive Park and sculpture, and the associated events which the Bridge promoed as 'significant' certainly proved to be so.

The front page also marks the raising of Brannockstown NS's Green Flag, and the fact that Kilcullen is to be split by the revision of electoral areas.

The environment pages has a lot of news this month, reporting on the artwork that has brightened main street, a piece from Jim Collins on how good the Valley is looking, and a positive updater on progress towards a public playground. And in two separate items, Kilcullen Community Action thanks those who donated funds during the recent street and pub collection, and also asks for donations specifically towards the cost of the flower box installations.

Nice community picture pieces include shots of the Hillcrest residents out in force for an area clean-up and the Field Day organised by Naomh Bhride Community Playschool.

There's also big photographic coverage of the Brannockstown Green Flag Day, some snaps from Kilcullen drivers in the Gordon Bennett Rally, and a bunch of pics from the Kilcullen Community Games.

For the time of the year that's in it, a feature on possibilities to entertain children during the summer holidays is certainly a helpful one for harrier parents, who are cheered up by the out-line that 'another six weeks and it will all be over!'.

The details of the Lions Club Summer Photographic Project makes another useful page, and is another possibility for keeping the amateur snappers in our midst busy.

Billy Redmond is as always with us, and this month he wonders how so many people living in Kilcullen don't know where key buildings are, particularly the Parish Centre where he recently held his annual fundraising Bazzar.

Robert Dunlop writes about intolerance, and suggests that we owe every human being every right that we claim for ourselves. In that, he says, we would do well to 'take a page out of the book' of Jesus of Nazareth, the ultimate model for humanity.

Sean Landers in his 'Letter from Taiwan' reflects on the difficulties of teaching people where he lives the basics of conversational English, and how equally difficult it is at the moment to get a job in so doing. Sean's local interest this month is the Portelester Cross, the remains of which are in the ruined medieval church of St James near Ballymore.

The 'Spout' pages which highlight local writing have their usual mix of interesting content, including a lovely memoir of the Dandelion Market from Sylvia Hickey.

Which brings me finally to the Scoil Bhride Notice Board, which has many thoughts from its pupils who are saying a summer goodbye for the last time. The lines below are by Ben Kavanagh from 6th Class.

SCHOOL

The holidays are near
I'm beginning to drool
A few days more until the end of primary school.

We learned to write
We learned to read
We stopped twice a day to have a good feed.

Some teachers were happy
Some teachers were sad
Now we're leaving we think they're glad.

As primary school ends
And we've made such good friends
It's time to say thank you, goodbye and the end.