SPOOKTACULAR AT LIBRARY GARDEN

Some views from last evening's Spooktacular at Kilcullen Community Library Garden, organised by KCA and the Library. 

A Rough & Ready Production by Brian Byrne for Kilcullen Diary.

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HALLOWEEN EVENT IN LIBRARY GARDEN

A reminder that a Halloween event is being organised by KCA and Kilcullen Library at the Library Community Garden TOMORROW, Thursday, 29 October, running from 6-8pm. 

The evening promises spooktacular sights and sounds, including a scavenger picture hunt for children with prizes for winners. 

All welcome.

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KIDS CRAFT WORKSHOP IN LIBRARY

Kilcullen Community Library is hosting a Kids Craft Workshop to celebrate the conclusion of the Summer Stars Library Reading Initiative. The workshop, titled Making a Bird Feeder from Milk Cartons, will take place on Wednesday, 1 September, at 3.30pm and promises to be a fun and creative session.

Suitable ages 7+ years. BOOKING REQUIRED: Contact Kilcullen Community Library on 045 482193 or kilcullenlib@kildarecoco.ie.

Also, children who participated in the Summer Stars Reading Initiative are reminded to return their Reading booklet or page. By doing so, they will have a chance to win a prize in the Prize Draw, with winners being contacted after the draw on 1 September. 

Participants will also receive their Summer Stars Certificate, acknowledging their excellent reading efforts over the summer.

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Friday craft mornings in Library

Image: Teona Swift via Pexels.

Kilcullen Library hosts a relaxed and friendly craft morning for adults every Friday at 11am. 

No prior experience is necessary, making it a perfect opportunity for everyone to get creative and meet new people.

All welcome.

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Library celebrations

There was a steady stream of friends and patrons of Kilcullen Community Library on Saturday morning to mark the 100th year of the Kildare Library Service. Refreshments were hosted by Librarian Ita Casey (inset above).

Meanwhile, there'll be a Movie Afternoon for children next Wednesday in the Kilcullen Library, with a PG film screening from 3pm. All welcome.

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Looking Back: Opening of Kilcullen's new Library in 1978

With the County Kildare Library Service celebrating its 100th anniversary tomorrow, Saturday, it is of local interest to see these pictures from the opening of Kilcullen Library, published in the Leinster Leader of 25 November 1978.

Above are J G 'Gerry' Ward, Kildare County Manager; Dick Robinson, Vice Chairman, County Library Committee; Seamus O'Conchubhair, County Librarian, and Very Reverend P Kehoe, Parish Priest of Kilcullen.

On the right is Julie O'Donoghue, then Library Assistant at the Kilcullen branch.

The photos are courtesy of the Local Studies department of the library service via Kilcullen Librarian Ita Casey. Ita will be hosting complimentary refreshments for visitors to Kilcullen Community Library tomorrow morning.

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Cross-stitching sessions in Kilcullen Library

A reminder that a weekly Cross-stitching session for adults will be held in Kilcullen Community Library every Friday morning from 11am. 

It will be a very social event, with all materials provided. 

Beginners and experienced stitchers will be equally welcome. 

Call 045 482193 or email kilcullenlib@kildarecoco.ie for more information.

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Willow craft workshop for children

A Children's Willow Workshop will be held in Kilcullen Community Library on Saturday, 6 June, writes Brian Byrne. The event is part of Cruinniú na nÓg 2026.

Suitable for children aged nine upwards, the event will run from 11 am and will be facilitated by Beth Murphy, a renowned weaver and heritage expert. 

The workshop is free, but booking is advised. Call 045 482193 or email kilcullenlib@kildarecoco.ie. 

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Kilcullen Library to host Irish Wildlife Exhibition

Kilcullen Community Library will host Celebrating Irish Wildlife, an exhibition of ink and watercolour sketches by amateur Kildare artist Rory Callanan, from 15 May 2026.

The exhibition, presented as part of Biodiversity Week, will offer visitors an opportunity to enjoy locally created art while reflecting on the importance of biodiversity and conservation. All welcome.

The Library recently welcomed a new Librarian, Ita Casey, and opening hours were also extended, as follows — Monday: Closed; Tuesday: 10am-1pm and 2pm-5pm; Wednesday: 10am-1pm; Thursday: 1.30pm-5pm and 5.45pm-8pm; Friday: 10am-1pm and 2pm-5pm; Saturday: 10am-1pm and 2pm-5pm.

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Sharing the craft of St Brigid crosses

When Sheena Malone was growing up, St Brigid crosses were part of her life at this time of year, writes Brian Byrne. Now she shares them everywhere. 

"I grew up in the Bog of Allen, so there were reeds all around," says the Allenwood artist who led the St Brigid craft workshop at Kilcullen Library last week. "I've been making the crosses since I was in primary school." But during the pandemic lockdown, this particular craft from her school days grew more important. On walks in the bog, she collected loads of reeds and began making crosses and bridogs (little reed dolls) in significant numbers. "I asked people if they wanted them, free of charge, and then I ended up sending them all over the world to my Facebook friends." 

Realising that people responded positively to the pieces, she decided to run workshops teaching others how to make their own, and has been doing so for the past couple of years from Allenwood. The event at Kilcullen Library last week drew a full house, with interest from people of all ages, including many children. 

With art qualifications from UCD and Stockholm University, Sheena spends much of her time in Berlin, where she has worked on several arts-based projects and serves as a language editor for Konstfack, Sweden's largest university. Since 2021, she has also been the County Kildare Coordinator for the annual Culture Night programme. Her own art, which includes textile pieces dyed with medicinal plants gathered in and around the Bog of Allen, has been exhibited at various venues across Kildare, in Berlin, and at Electric Picnic. In 2024, her film The All-Ireland Turf Footing Finals won the Best Short Documentary category at Junefest, Newbridge. 

Last October, Sheena embarked on an artist-in-residency project with 4th- and 5th-class pupils at Scoil an Linbh Íosa in Prosperous, creating shadow theatre films based on local folklore and myths, including one about St Brigid's Cloak. These can be watched on YouTube at this link. 

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Farewell to Julie in the library

The Brigid craft event at Kilcullen Library was briefly paused last evening when a group of Julie O'Donoghue's friends and library patrons gathered to wish her well in her retirement after 47 years as Librarian, writes Brian Byrne. It was an occasion for flowers, cake, and fitting words. 

Mary Orford highlighted Julie's remarkable achievement as Kilcullen's only librarian since the branch opened in the late 1970s. She mentioned that Julie can be justifiably proud of many events and projects she initiated during her tenure, particularly the WW1 commemoration of the Kilcullen men who fought in it. Among the series of Memory Night events, the Kilcullen to Katanga night in 2017, which offered a historical overview and featured local participants sharing personal experiences of the Congo Campaign, was also a 'remarkable' occasion. 

Mary, a retired librarian herself, observed that a library is a "democratic space for everybody," but that, with all the books in the world, it doesn't function without the person behind the desk. Julie expressed her love for the job, especially the people she met, notably the children. "I got lovely cards from the children in Scoil Bhride, and if I have any legacy, it is that no child is afraid to come in here." 

A new librarian will take over from March, and the service is being expanded with opening hours increased to 35 hours per week. "I have met her, and she's a lovely lady, very enthusiastic and eager to get started," Julie said. "So there's a lot to look forward to." 

Flowers were presented on behalf of the branch readers and by Kilcullen Community Action, which developed the Library Garden.

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Free cooking apples

A reminder that Julie in the Library has lots of free cooking apples available. 

You don't even have to go in; they're in a regularly refilled box on a table in the front garden.

Nothing like proper cookers to make a tasty tart.

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Thornton Lace evening

Our Wednesday night Heritage Week event in the library was a great success, writes Julie O'Donoghue. Our speaker, Mary Barber, the local expert on the Thornton Lace project, presented it.

The project began in 1847 in the townland of Grangebeg as a response to the devastation locally caused by the Great Famine. Mary brought this period to life for the audience and connected us to this part of our story in a real way.  

Most importantly, she put Martha, aka Mrs W C Roberts, back into her rightful place in the story of An Gorta Mor in our locality.

We were fortunate to also have Irish Crochet Lace expert Kathie Earle with us, with examples that participants could try their hand at.

UPDATE: Geraldine Nugent has since done some digging, and it turns out that our Martha Roberts was actually Elizabeth Roberts! Martha is her mother-in-law. 

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