Tree removed from river

In a joint operation between Kildare County Council and Kildare Civil Defence, the tree which has been blocking one of the arches of the bridge was removed early today, writes Brian Byrne.

The tree was washed down to Kilcullen during the bad storms of the winter, and gathered a lot more debris over the months since.

The carefully-planned operation went without a hitch, beginning at 6am and concluding around two hours later. In addition to the tree, other debris was removed by the Civil Defence team, leaving the area clear and safe for the water activities of the upcoming Kilcullen River Festival.

A photo record of the work can be viewed here. A job always looks easy when carried out by people who know what they're doing.