Valley purchased by community 50 years ago today

On this day 50 years ago, August 16th 1973, Kilcullen Community Council purchased the land for community use that became the Valley Park, writes Noel Clare. The almost 2-acre site cost £2,000. 

It was owned by Tom Molloy, a local farmer, who lived where Kilcullen Medical Centre is located now. The purchase of the site caused much discussion when the decision was made, by a narrow majority, to purchase it at a meeting in 1972. The site was mainly inaccessible waste ground. 

Formerly used by Kilcullen residents as a pathway to the parish church which had been situated in New Abbey until 1872, a landslide shortly after that date had closed off the ‘Mass Path’ and the area had become completely overgrown with briars and scrub.

A loan was taken out to finance the purchase of the land and this was personally guaranteed by Brian Keyes and the late Jim Corrigan. During the following years a total of £90,000 was raised through a series of major fundraisers including Kilcullen Capers (an annual inter-area variety show), Lord Mayor campaigns, barbecues, and a non-stop draw. The Valley park was officially opened five years later in 1978. 

Many people worked on the project over the years but the person who guided the project to its fruition was Jim Collins and Jim continued to help look after the Valley right up to his death five years ago. 

The signatures to the deeds of the valley 50 years ago today were Rev Vincent Keogh, Brian Keyes, Thomas Orford, Jerry Kelly, Tony Aspell, Matt Howard, Sean Cleary, Rev Cathal Price, Pastor R Dunlop, Jim Doyle, Billy Hughes, Pat Gleeson and Jim Corrigan. The vision that those people had in 1973 has certainly become a reality and today the riverside walk is enjoyed by the entire community and by visitors to the town.

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