There was a full house last evening in Kilcullen Community Library for the launch of Portrait of Memories: Kilcullen 1916-2016, a series of interviews with local people,
writes Brian Byrne.
The recordings were made by Mary Orford and will be available in Kilcullen Heritage Centre for anyone with an interest in stories of Kilcullen’s past and present. The content relives local family links to WW1 and the 1916 Rising as well as involvement in community activities in more recent times.
Those interviewed were Charles Poufong, Noel Clare, Liam Walker, Lucy O’Toole, Sheila Peacocke, Julie O’Donoghue, Sue Goulding, Emma Birchall, Mischa Fekete, and Eilís Phillips. Mary thanked them for both giving their time for the recording sessions, and also providing great entertainment during them.
The celebration was launched by Kilcullen native Cllr Ivan Keatley, Mayor of Kildare, who provided a few memories of his own during his preamble. County Kildare Arts Officer Lucina Russell (below) commended the initiative as being very important in keeping the stories of a community alive. In her turn, Mary Orford thanked the Council for a programme of some years ago where she and a number of others were trained in folklorist interviewing and recording techniques.
A selection of clips from the interviews was played during the evening, which concluded with some memories from Naas writer and broadcaster Mae Leonard, followed by refreshments and lots of other stories amongst those who had come along.
All in all, it was yet another of those ‘gem’ evenings in the Library, which as the former Boys School sparks memories of its own for those of us who gained some of our education there.
All the pictures
can be viewed here.
