Final preparations for Kilcullen twinning trip

Finalising things last evening were Jennifer Landers, Mary Quinto, Noel Clare, Tanya Flanagan, Nessa Dunlea and Shelly O'Brien.

Local crafts, culture, food, music, schools, sport and heritage will all be represented during the upcoming Kilcullen twinning trip to Saint-Contest in Normandy, writes Brian Byrne. The event is the covid-delayed reciprocal visit by Kilcullen following the initial trip here by a delegation from the French town in March of 2019. 

With final preparations in full swing for the occasion, over an extended weekend of October 28-31, the schedule has now been fixed for the 15-strong Kilcullen group. It includes an arrival meal in Saint-Contest Town Hall with entertainment by the French town’s pipe band along with Normandy and Irish dancing … with time set to watch the Rugby World Cup final!

Visits to Bayeux to see the famous tapestry and to the American Cemetery at the D-Day landing town of Arromanches will take place during the following days, and the official Twinning Ceremony will be held on the morning of the 31st prior to the departure of the group for home.

The Kilcullen delegation includes six representatives of the Twinning Committee, with five young dancers from the Jennifer Landers School of Irish Dancing and three accompanying adults along with musician Michael Landers.

Presentations to be made to officials from Saint-Contest will include Nolans processed meats, Fallons brown bread, honey and jam from producers in Calverstown and Gilltown, leather luggage labels produced by CarveOn with a specially-designed Kilcullen/Saint-Contest logo, and a table centrepiece for the Saint-Contest Town Hall made in the CPC carpentry workshop. There will also be caps from Berney Bros and Kilcullen GAA.

A video rendition of the late Gerry Kelly’s poem about Kilcullen Mother Nature, with an accompanying illustrated French translation, will also be included in a presentation tote bag for Saint-Contest’s representatives, the bag illustrated by Niamh O’Connor. 

CPC TY students have produced an information pack on Kilcullen, with handmade brochures in French on various aspects of the town, as well as a video. A scrapbook and video have also been produced by pupils of Scoil Bhride. Kilcullen art will be represented by a number of pieces produced by CPC-based artist Lesley Kelly.

Twinning Committee members travelling are Nessa Dunlea, Noel and Frances Clare, Tanya Flanagan, Mary Quinto (CPC French teacher) and Shelly O’Brien (Scoil Bhride).

Photographs use Policy — Privacy Policy