It Says in The Bridge: November 2019
As always, it's a 40 pages packed with news, views and information about the wide spectrum of Kilcullen life. This time including some thoughts on the impact of the proposed Kilsaran development on the heritage of Ballyshannon, by Joe Kelly.
A feature on Kieran Kelly by Noel Clare celebrates two decades of his electrician's business, in the process also reviving memories of his parents Tom and Marie, who had their own business in town for many years (remember when renting TVs was what people did?).
Do you remember too, when books, films and sometimes newspapers were routinely banned in Ireland for content that was 'quite unnatural and abnormal'? Two generations probably don't, but Mary Orford brings that period to light again, noting that it was kicked off by the formation in 1926 of the Committee for Evil Literature.
That was about the same year that Australian actor Anthony Phelan's harness maker grandfather left Berneys Saddlers in Kilcullen to get a job cutting sugar cane in Queensland, Australia. Anthony has been back three times in the last couple of decades, most recently to research background on his grandmother, a Mary Miley from Kilcullen. An article on his heritage journeys tells us much about those times here and in Australia too.
Not forgetting Kilcullen's companion villages in the Tidy Towns competition, this month's Bridge publishes the Adjudication Reports for both Brannockstown and Calverstown, in both of which deservedly nice things are said.
We have the usuals, with Julie Felsbergs musing on how the commercialisation of Halloween, a time of darkness, has paradoxically prompted a range of celebrations of light around the same time. Letting light into a dark world is the true making a difference, she suggests.
Sean Landers digs into the always-fruitful history of Castlemartin, and resurrects how the Altar Tomb of the Eustaces was smashed by a neighbouring landowner in 1643. The tomb was partially restored when St Mary's Church was rebuilt at the commission of Dr Tony O'Reilly, but many fragments are missing.
The Out and About from Kilcullen page this time is by Cliona Kelliher, who tells us about the Eco Village of Cloughjordan. The 20 Questions feature pulls at the thoughts of Eoin Houlihan of KCA, and the KWWSPCA and Out of Africa provide their own up to date news.
These, and schools, sport, and more. Your €2 is never better spent.
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