'Revive Carnival' for 'Gathering'

A suggestion that long gone regular events such as the annual Parochial Carnival be revived as part of a 'Kilcullen Gathering 2013' was made at the recent meeting of Kilcullen Community Action, writes Brian Byrne.

"A lot of people who have been away from Kilcullen for a long time would remember it," JJ Warren said in a discussion that also recalled other significant features of the past like the 'Capers' of the 70s/80s.

But it was agreed that those who had left Kilcullen in recent years were just as important to attract back for a 'gathering' event, which would be a focus for them to maintain links with home which were not just 'Facebook' connections.

KCA chair Esther Kiely had earlier reported on the latest meeting of Kilcullen 2017 which concentrated on a Kilcullen input into the national 'Gathering 2013' initiative.

She noted that the meeting had been poorly attended, despite being very well publicised. And she suggested that KCA should be strongly involved in helping get the local project going. "Though we will not take over the responsibility for it," she added.

Esther said she had committed at the Kilcullen 2017 meeting to personally contact leaders of various Kilcullen groups and organisations to get involved, initially by attending the specific 'Gathering' meeting scheduled for 23 October.

Kieran Forde said it was important to involve people 'who will do things themselves' for the project. Agreeing, Ray Kelly suggested that they would be people who would come back later 'and say what they're doing'.

The discussion included the possibility of having an extended 'gathering' event in August culminating in the River Festival, as well as other events organised by different clubs and groups during the year which might be attractive to particular cultural and sporting interests among Kilcullen people living abroad.

Esther Kiely said a programme of such events should be put together, which could be circulated to Kilcullen people outside the town, county and country. It would be a document which could help them to decide on a particular time of the year when they might come home.

She also suggested that local businesses could become involved by offering special deals for visitors on a 'gathering' holiday, especially at a family level.