It Says in The Bridge: September 2022
The lead headline this month provides an advancer for the celebrations to be held in two months' time for the 150th anniversary of the Parish Church, writes Brian Byrne.
The story references a time even before that, the day the foundation stone was laid by the man who would then come back to dedicate the finished building — Cardinal Paul Cullen — with a silver trowel now in the possession of the parish.
The centre spread this month is very much this year's though, with photos and words from the recent Picnic on the Green at Old Kilcullen. A day with fun and heritage all together and some interesting visitors.
Other features this week include one on an unhappy recent heritage, the industrial kind. A member of the Ballyshannon Action Group writes how 'there's no safety' in taking a middle ground attitude in relation to the expansion of quarries in Kildare.
Not far from those enterprises, Dun Ailinne has also been in the news, being accepted on the Tentative List for World Heritage consideration — there's a report on the recent Open Day at the dig with the archaeologists. Out and Away from Kilcullen this month celebrates Avondale in Co Wicklow, in particular the new Beyond the Trees attraction, a real family treat.
The theme from Mary Orford for September is a reflection on old cures for various ailments, with the very definite advice 'don't try any of these at home'. Home is the theme too for a piece about one of Kilcullen's Wild Geese, in this case Derek Baxter back for a visit from New Zealand ... where 'the trout are much bigger'.
The Spirit in the Bridge this month is 'The Teaspoon Prayer', defined by Julie Felsbergs as a way of saying 'Thank you', 'Sorry', and 'Please'. Worth pondering on. We also have a new column from our new Parish Priest, Fr Gary Darby ... in 'A Word' this month he introduces himself. There's a priest too in the piece from John Duffey, about Fr Laurence Stafford, former PP of Narraghmore. A 'surely distinguished' career ranged from supporting the feeding of school-children during the Dublin lockout through serving as chaplain in Gallipoli, Serbia, Egypt, Salonica, France and Italy. And also on the priests theme is Sean Landers, whose contribution this month is about the late Canon Furlong and his dog Bruno.
Billy Redmond muses on his recent temporary return to doing some much needed maintenance work on the Parish grounds — some parts impenetrable 'jungle', he says — and the need for someone to be organised to do it regularly ... not himself.
The Munich Massacre of 50 years ago as recalled by Kilcullen Olympian Brendan O'Connell is the start of a short series about Brendan from Noel Clare, while a one-off is the Tales from an Ancient Graveyard feature based on the recent Kilcullen Library walk and talk at New Abbey.
Very topically, Cliona Kelliher's Living Sustainably page this month is about saving energy at home.
No schools news this month, as they're only just back after the summer, but in sport we have pictures from a recent South Kildare Shamrocks U12 team, the first of a regular Field of Dreams column from the GAA, and the usual dependable scoring from the Pitch & Putt Club.
Another September Bridge, and autumn is in.
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