It Says in The Bridge: December 2021
Another Christmas, another end of year Bridge, and this time the cover is the Nativity gone global, writes Brian Byrne.
The front page pictures just nine of the more than 175 Nativity sets from all over the world which have been collected by Lorraine Kelly over recent years. Though this year the expanded collection can't be viewed in-person, the related story inside gives an online link and also how to donate for the Parish and the work of the Daughters of Charity of St Vincent de Paul.
The centre spread this month looks back on the continuing work of the Kilcullen Tidy Towns team of workers and volunteers, publishing the full report from the Supervalu Tidy Towns 2021 adjudicator. The detail shows where Kilcullen gained the 11 marks over the town's performance the last year the competition was held, in 2019.
The plethora of Christmas message advertisements are also an indicator of the seasonal aspect of this Bridge, but there are of course Christmas-themed articles too. The production of two local Calendars — by the CPC students and Kilcullen Photography Club respectively — each get their own reports. Mary Orford delves back into celebrations of Christmas in less bountiful times, when having a pig's head on the table might have been a high point. For the spiritual aspect, Julie Felsbergs ponders on Christmas in Heaven. And from the generation for the future, Aideen Stein gets the views of her TY schoolmates on what Christmas means to them.
John Duffey is also in Christmas past mood, recalling how a donkey had arrived to the children on the farm one year, and how much that meant over some two decades afterwards. The animal lovers at KWWSPCA don't have the luxury of looking that far head, and highlight a need for more volunteers at their Athgarvan shelter. They too have a Calendar, and Christmas cards, which can still be acquired in time for Christmas delivery.
Among the news items there's a tale of transplanting two chestnut trees to the Valley, the winning of the Zurich Young Portrait prize by local artist Della Cowper-Gray, and word that the Kilcullen Energy Master Plan is ready for launch in the new year.
The regular features include 21 questions answered by Nichola Kennedy, Sean Landers muses on the Summer of '86 ... no, not the recent one, but 1886. The wonderful world of this century's primary schools is again reflected in the reports from each, with the sad news for St Joseph's NS that their popular Principal David Dempsey is leaving for a new position in Newbridge.
Sports clubs are represented this month by GAA, AFC, the Pitch & Putt, and Badminton from the Community Centre. As always, all these and more. €2 from the usual outlets.
NOTE: As usual, there will be no January Bridge. The editor thanks all who helped keep it going with contributions and support through 2021.
Photographs use Policy — Privacy Policy
