Looking Back: The Young Ones — were you there?

Click on pic to enlarge.

This is a pic from The Bridge of 3 September 1972, sent in by Eugene Brennan. It is captioned 'A youthful group of parishioners taking time out from the festivities in Hotel Keadeen to pose for the Photographer'.

Like Eugene does, I recognise some of the faces. But maybe Diary readers could send in names? And what were the 'festivities'? (OK, we could look up the magazine collection in the Heritage Centre, but that means leaving the office.)

All submissions welcome.

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Landscape photography tour

Noted wildlife and nature photographer Tom Horan is conducting a day-long landscape photography tour in County Wicklow next month, writes Brian Byrne.

The small group event will on on 4 February, from sunrise to sunset.

Tom will help participants sharpen their composition skills and capturing best images in different light and weather conditions.

Full details are here on his Facebook page.

The fee in €95 per person. Participants are responsible for their own transport and food.  

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Old Kilcullen Morning

 

These photos were taken by Mick Steed of Yellow Bog during a recent morning walk around Old Kilcullen. Enjoy forty seconds of ancient monastic peace.

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Bird's-eye of Kilcullen

Some interesting views of Kilcullen yesterday, courtesy of Evan Talt.

(Resolution limited here for privacy reasons.)

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Nature's summer colours by the bridge

 

A browse with the camera in the area of the bridge this morning brought in a wealth of natural summer colours. Produced by Brian Byrne.

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Cool night pictures

Some nice photos taken on a winter's night in Kilcullen by Garry Jackson from Limerick.

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Kilcullen in the March morning sunshine

This early morning photo of Kilcullen was taken yesterday by Benn Claxton, and it really shows off the south end of the town and the bridge. Notable too, from the height of the drone, is the dominant position of Dun Ailinne over the town, and to a lesser extent Old Kilcullen hill on the extreme top left. Benn suggests it was taken 'in the last of the good weather' ... but hopefully not.

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Looking Back: The thatched Hide Out filling station

I'm grateful to Fergus Malone for this rare colour picture of the famous thatched cottage Hide Out Filling Station, writes Brian Byrne.

It was a Kodachrome slide which Fergus acquired, dated in handwriting 16 August 1958 and the caption reads "Kilcullen, Co. Kildare, Eire – Thatched roof on Esso filling station". He thinks it may have originally been taken by an American tourist.

The greenhouse beyond the back wall was in my grandmother's garden, which was later bulldozed to extend the car park.

(Anyone remember who owned the ZW 17 Volkswagen?)

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Looking Back: Kilcullen Girls NS c1926

This is a rare lookback indeed, provided by Sabina Reddy in two pieces a damaged photo of Kilcullen Girls National School. We have knitted them together.

Sabina reckons it was taken around 1926-1928. The second girl in on back row from the left is Kitty Tougher, Old Kilcullen, and beside her, third from the left is Sabina's aunt Esther (Queenie) Reddy-Whelan, White Hall.

If anyone has more names, let us know.

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Looking Back: Building Bishop Rogan, and Gussie's Barber Shop

These Looking Back photographs were provided by Shelly Behan, writes Brian Byrne. One is a group of men working on the building of Bishop Rogan Park, which includes members of Shelly's own family.

The other, below, is one I took myself back in the late 1970s, of Gussie Gannon cutting a young lad's hair in the barber shop located in the previous row of houses on the Milemill Road. I've often wondered who the young lad is, but unfortunately in both cases the photographs are copies of copies, and though I did improve them, it's hard to get better definition. 

Any names for either would be helpful. Maybe the young lad, who would be now aged around 50, remembers me taking the picture?

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Patterns in the fog

One of several spiders' webs in the fog on the bridge railings today. Pic: Brian Byrne. 

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Storm in the sky

The Spear in a mood at Dun Ailinne Interpretive Park this morning. Pic by Brian Byrne.

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Autumn rushing on …

A nice seasonal view of the New Abbey Road this morning, by Nuala Collins.

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Magical light

Just in this magical time of the year as far as light is concerned, a few more colours I noticed as I walked through the town this afternoon — Brian Byrne.

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What's that about red sky in the morning?

The dawn sky seen from Sunbury this morning.

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Looking Back: Noel Lynch, archer

This time it's one of my own photographs, of Noel Lynch practising in a field in Kilcullen in the mid-1980s for international archery competitions, writes Brian Byrne.

Growing up in Logstown, Noel always had an interest in sport of different kinds, from football to tennis to snooker, and then came across archery while in Germany in 1980. Back home he joined the Kildare Archery Club in Newbridge.

He found he liked it a lot, and developed his skills with the help of Olympians Willie Swords and Hazel Green. In Kilcullen, he practised in his back garden and in O'Connell's Field off Logstown Lane. In 1983 he qualified for the US National Championships in Long Beach, California, where he achieved some personal bests and set a new Irish record for the 50 metres.

Noel qualified for the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, an event which he later described as 'an amazing experience' though he was disappointed at his own performance.

In the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona he set Irish records for the Olympic Round though didn't qualify for the elimination rounds, and was part of the team where Michael Carruth and Wayne McCullogh won gold and silver respectively in Boxing.

Noel was honoured at the Kilcullen Olympians Night last November which was part of Kilcullen 700.

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