The beauty of bluebells and the very unique sound of music in a woodland setting was an unmissable draw yesterday to the
Diary and to many hundreds of other people who made their way to Killinthomas Wood outside Rathangan,
writes Brian Byrne.
That it took nearly as long to reach the parking space as it had taken to get to Rathangan itself was a clear indication that the decision on Sunday to push the 'Bluebells & Buskers' event back until yesterday, for weather reasons, hadn't done any damage to the attendance.
The bluebells in Killinthomas Wood at the moment are a carpet of absolute sensory satisfaction, but the music of the buskers at the various locations around the longest walk in the wood provided something exceptionally special. The entertainers ranged from local schoolchildren to seasoned street and venue performers from the mid-Kildare area. It wasn't just music, local man of many talents Paddy O'Byrne provided recitations of his own special poem on Killinthomas Wood.
With the sunshine breaking through from the early afternoon, the earlier showers no longer threatening, we came from many parts of the county. And the
Diary found that we weren't alone in terms of Kilcullen support for the day, as is clear from the photo above.
It is the fourth year of the event, originally organised to commemorate the late Jimmy O'Loughlin, Rathangan stalwart and for many years a Kildare councillor. Funds raised this year are going towards paying for the refurbishment of Rathangan Community Centre.
More pictures here.
