It Says in The Bridge - Summer 2025

It's the summer edition of The Bridge, which means that this one is going to have to keep readers going until September, writes Brian Byrne. The lead story is a marker to the end of many summers spent on Dún Ailinne by American archaeology students as the current stage of investigations at the site wind down. It's a goodbye to the hill by Dr Susan Johnston and her team, who have been building on the original work by the late Professor Bernard Wailes begun in the late 1960s. At a small farewell event in Fallons, Noel Clare recalled his own first experience of archaeology with Bernard Wailes and thanked Dr Johnston and their team for their 'passion' which has "kept the story of Dún Ailinne alive." There's also a report inside on that last Open Day on the site, made possible once again by the Thompson family, who have facilitated the investigations for more than half a century.

There's a passion too in the ongoing efforts of locally based Kenya-focused charity Maintain Hope, and the centre spread in this Bridge relates how the generosity of its supporters has helped mitigate the effects of American medical aid cuts in the very small area where the charity operates. The story is against the background of local fundraising, and at the time of writing there are now around a dozen volunteers from the Kilcullen area out in Ngong, helping give children there a better chance for their future. In the world of chaos we're currently living through, the effect is but a drop in the ocean, but small things can ripple out to make big differences.

That could also apply back here in terms of children with undiagnosed vision problems and how that can affect their progress in school. Local optician Nichola Kennedy has produced a book, See The Change, which will help parents to deal with the distractions and frustrations that the issue can raise in families. There's another book story too in this issue, in a piece about how local author Hazel Gaynor came to find the subject for her latest novel, Before Dorothy, giving a life to an otherwise little-known character in the much-loved Wizard of Oz modern American fairy tale.

The Bridge, and its readers, continue to benefit from new contributors. This month there's a Did You Know? article from Eugene Brennan on Irish Nobel Prize-winner Ernest Walton, whose work ultimately led to what's generally known as 'splitting the atom', which underpins today's fundamental knowledge of the nature of matter. There's also a piece from occasional contributor Noreen Dowling which brings back memories of the 1960s and the dreams of her classmates then graduating from secondary school. Simpler times, and yet with their own complications.

Regulars keep their spots full. Billy Redmond muses on how a substantial source of water in Kilcullen could be made better use of, and also segues away to the complicated subject of neutrality and Ireland's capability, or not, to defend ourselves. A 'We Are Neutral' banner waved at even a small invading force would not be adequate, he suggests. John Duffey draws out some tractor memories from his farming life, Sean Landers recounts the activities of a few 'bold boys' at Castlemartin, Mary Orford looks back at the place of weather in local life over the last century, and Julie Felsbergs recalls the trauma caused in a community by a dog going AWOL. Teresa Nurse has answers in the 20 Questions section, this time on a single subject about which she is passionate, films.

The Photography Club showcases landscapes this month, their five selected photos illustrating not just a variety of such on this island, but also how we can individually see them through our lenses. The Bit of Business this issue details the work of local Kenny Rorie, whose 'handyman' and specialist cleaning business is going from strength to strength. Noel Clare's Out and Away visits one of the newest public parks in Dublin, Fernhill Park and Gardens near Stepaside and Sandyford, an easy run on a Sunday afternoon from Kilcullen.

As always, lots more. Hopefully enough to see the regular readers through the magazine's summer break. All the usual outlets from this morning.

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