Free tickets for Great War Concert

UPDATE: ALL TICKETS ARE GONE.

With preparations for the 'Our Unfortunate Sons' Concert organised by the Kilcullen Great War Commemoration Group now well under way, it has been decided to make it a ticket affair, writes Brian Byrne.

The event on Saturday 23 August is free, thanks to heritage grant support from Kildare County Council, but the organisers are concerned that more people will turn up than there's capacity for in the 110-seat Town Hall Theatre. Those with tickets will have priority access into the Concert.

The latest meeting of the Group also finalised the lineup for the concert, which will feature a rehearsed reading of John Martin's original play set in WW1, 'False Dawn', as well as contemporary songs from Philomena Breslin, Francie O'Brien, Danny Carthy and Phillip Scott, and readings from Brian Byrne, Charlie Talbot and Annmarie Miles.

The names of Kilcullen's WW1 dead, now numbering 36, will be ceremoniously read out during the evening.There will also be a display of WW1 equipment and memorabilia in the Heritage Centre prior to the start of the Concert.

The free tickets for 'Our Unfortunate Sons' are available, in limited numbers, from John and Monica Martin, Frank Mitchell, Gerry and Julie O'Donoghue, Iseult O'Donoghue, Geraldine Gahan, Brian Byrne, Liam Walker, Vincent Nolan, Jim Collins, Brendan O'Connell, Des Travers, Kieran Behan, and Monica Martin.

Previous events organised by the KGWCG included a presentation and field trip on Life in the Trenches and a Memories Night for families of people who served in the Great War.