It Says In The Bridge: Nov 09

Lots of good news on the front of the current Bridge, suggesting that the advent of winter is not completely doom, gloom and chill. The main story, under the headline 'Gourmet Kilcullen', records the latest success of Nolans Butchers in winning the National Champion accolade in the annual spiced beef competition held by the Irish Craft Butchers. It also marks the opening of yet another food enterprise in Kilcullen, the 'Good Food Gallery', operated by Paul and Suzanne Carey.

There are picture-marked celebrations too, with Niall McDonnell presenting the Landers Family with a Community Award from the recent KCA function, while another pic has Kathleen Moran cutting the cake to mark the 70th anniversary of Nicholastown Estate. Kathleen was the first person to occupy a house in the estate and is still living there.

Coverage of the Community Awards continues inside (the Diary was unable to attend, your editor being literally on the high seas that night). Particular congratulations were expressed to the three businesses which won 'Most Improved Premises' awards, regarded as a sign of optimism in these recessionary times.

Other photo features include the Halloween fun at Drama Dynamics, that 70th anniversary of Nicholastown celebrations, and some coverage of the Kilcullen Canoe & Outdoor Pursuits Club (we didn't know it had expanded its name!).

News items include the fact that the Kilcullen Playground Project is still on track but that some extra money is needed, to be raised from the public. There's also a nugget hidden in a feature about the Kilcullen Carer & Toddler Group that they plan to put together a 'Guide to Parenting in Kilcullen' next spring. The fact that the 'Headrush' salon has now been in business for five years is marked, and the Lions Club is investigating the need for a 'Meals on Wheels' programme in the area.

The features this month highlight some of those who regularly work the Car Boot Sale organised in aid of CPC Parents Association funds, and there's a recollection of the late Hans Mehlan, who worked in the Irish Rubber factory in 1971. Jim Collins is doing the remembering, and Hans's recent passing in Cologne was close to the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, which Jim recalls being part of along with Hans.

Sean Landers gives us some more cultural and daily life detail from his life in Taipei, most particularly in the shopping area of Ximen. From his hometown musings we get more on 'The Secret Gardens' at Harristown, mainly in the form of a poem by the 18th century bard John Winstanley.

Billy Redmond goes Off the Cuff on whether there is an afterlife, on being 'spoiled' by the mainly women attendance at the Hospitality Tea morning, and the efforts to set up an Active Retirement Group (which has actually got under way). He wonders, though, if there's a possibility of an Inactive RG, which would facilitate overactive members (like himself) to 'slow down'.

In the schools pages, CPC marks the retirement of the college's guidance counsellor Lucy Byrne, and Scoil Bhride pupils record trips to the Library and to The Curragh.

In sports, the Soccer Club celebrates gaining the League title, the GAA is a little less celebratory at not achieving the Intermediate title and its Ladies failing to win their Junior final. Over at the Badminton Club, the Juveniles brought home a record four trophies from the recent LBBUI tournament in Baldoyle.

Finally, a reminder that the next issue of The Bridge will be the last one before Christmas and the copy deadline is 23 November.

Brian Byrne.