Tuesday, September 17, 2019

December date for tower, bridge symbolic lighting

A date for the ceremonial lighting of Old Kilcullen’s round tower and subsequent switching on of special lights on the bridge was set last night at the Kilcullen 700 meeting, writes Brian Byrne.

Sunday 15 December will see the final official event of the Kilcullen 700 year of celebrations.

Provisional planning envisages the symbolic handing over of Kilcullen’s past to Kilcullen’s future beginning at 4pm at Old Kilcullen. All interested residents will be invited to gather there for a short talk and the switching on of floodlights by one of Kilcullen’s oldest residents.

This will be followed by a walk from Old Kilcullen with lanterns and candle lights, to Kilcullen’s bridge. There, a school child representing today’s Kilcullen and the town’s future will switch on a special set of lights decorating the bridge.

Members of the Kilcullen Gospel Choir will join the walk on Main Street and the event will finish up in the Heritage Centre with music and refreshments.

Also at last night’s meeting, Kilcullen 700 chair Nessa Dunlea expressed her thanks to everyone who had helped make ‘a very successful’ Heritage Week happen.

In particular she noted the ‘Past Times’ windows and montages presented by many businesses and other groups. “The judges of the Bank of Ireland sponsored competition were blown away by the entries,” she said.

The monthly heritage talks have also been ‘a great success’, with three more still to be presented.

There was a short discussion on the proposed book of articles based on the talks series. Most of these have now been provided by the presenters, and a concept of the publication is to be devised in coming weeks.

A close to final draft of a 17km ‘Camino Chill Chuillin’ was presented to the meeting. With a working title of ‘A Walk through Millenia’, the route takes in all of the key heritage and historical sites in the area in and around Kilcullen, with a commentary on what can be seen on the walk.

It is to be produced as a small booklet with a map and suitable illustrations. The route can be walked, cycled, or driven as required.

During a short discussion on the project, it was agreed that a future development of the ‘Camino Chill Chuillin’ could include signs and direction indicators of the route.

A shorter 9km variant is also being developed, leaving out some of the further areas.


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