Kilcock St Patrick's Day Parade

Schedule for St Patrick’s Day

• 1.30pm – St Patrick’s Day Parade
• 2.30 – Heats of the first Zorb Waterball Canal Race in Ireland
• 3.15pm – Presentation to the winners of the schools colouring competition.
• 3.30pm – Annual Duck race with 1600 little yellow ducks
• 3.50pm – Semi Finals and Finals of Zorb Waterball Canal Race
• 4.10pm – Grand Presentation to the owners of the ducks finishing 1st, 2nd and 3rd in the Duck race.
• and finally… the presentation to the winning team for the Zorb Waterball race.

Music!

This fantastic line up is followed by music for the rest of the afternoon in the harbour.

An great day for the whole family…

• Free Pony Rides kindly supplied by Clonfert Equestrian Centre and Maynooth Equestrian Centre
• Free Bouncy Castle kindly supplied by King Of The Castles
• Free Petting Zoo from the Clonfert Pet Farm
• Free Childrens Face Painting kindly sponsored by Happy Steps Childcare
• Spot prizes including Best dressed lady, kindly sponsored by Dorothys Hair and Beauty

Food Glorious Food! A Taste of Kilcock

Keep the kids (and yourselves) fed and watered during the day with the ‘Taste of Kilcock’ area which will feature food stands from some of Kilcock’s favourite food producers.

(Many thanks to the Liffey Champion, Leinster Leader and their reporters for providing us with these local stories)

80-foot section of new Kilcock sewage pipes will have to be relaid

By Henry Bauress (Leinster Leader, 07 April 2010)

A section of sewage pipe in Kilcock – 80 metres long – was found not to have been laid in accordance with the drawings and will have to be relaid, Clane area councillors have been told.

The members were told that work on this would begin right after Easter and take three weeks with a further week for reinstatement.Director of Services, Joe Boland, told the meeting on 23 March that they were meeting shortly with consultants and the area engineer over the reinstatement.

In a report to members, Mr. Boland thanked them and the public for their “forebearance” during the period work has been carried out. “There is an end in sight,” he said. Mr. Boland said the work was essential to the orderly future development of Kilcock. He explained that some work was done by tunnelling and other work by an open-cut method. The latter method had disadvantages because of the local water tables.

Tunnelling had its advantages but there were risks, he said, before going on to explain that an 80-metre sewage pipe was not laid in accordance with the drawings and would have to be relaid using the open-cut method, a move he described as “regrettable.” Cllr. Padraig McEvoy produced photograph of broken surface and what he described as “fairly extensive road damage throughout the town.”

A lot of work was substandard. “I’m surprised at the level of road failure in Kilcock,” he said. “I realise the frost is an issue but in other towns and counties the roads seem more resilient. Are we doing everything in our grasp to get this right,” he asked. Cllr. Liam Doyle said the people of Kilcock are “very patient.” He said it was unfortunate the new road plan did not work and had to be done by open-cut.

Cllr. Doyle said he believed the Courtown Road and Church Street are finished but posed the question about the finality of the work. “The last thing we need is for them to be dug up again soon. Are there any plans for work there by telecom or gas companies.” Mr. Boland said they would liaise with the area engineer who has been in touch with service providers. “There will be a co-ordinated approach,” he said.

Kilcock St. Patrick’s Day Prize Presentation

By Carrie Bermingham (Liffey Champion, Page 14)

The Kilcock St. Patrick’s day committee prize presentation took place in Kilcock GAA last Sunday week (27^th March). Staring at 9.30pm approximately 70 people attended the3  ceremony for the prizes based on the successful Kilcock St. Patrick’s Day Parade theme of ‘Our Kilcock’.

Brendan Macken gave the introduction speech before the ceremony began and the awards were presented by Tom O’Doherty, treasurer of the St. Patrick’s Day committee. Callaghy’s pharmacy managed to secure the best shop window prize. They accepted the Glór na Gael cup for their impressive window display with pride.

Accepting the cup for the best non-motorised float was Liam Farrell from the Kilcock Scouts. And the Camogie cup was accepted by Alic3 Kennedy. The Kilcock Celtic was presented to James Cotter. Spirits were high when the prize for best school float was presented to Schoil Uí Riada. The principal Seamus Ó Muirithe proudly accepted it on behalf of the school and students.

Tommy Simms delighted everyone when he dressed up as a Leprechaun for the day. And best individual prize was handed over to hi’m without hesitation. The best fun float of the day turned out to be NAMA Gold, and it was accepted by Seán Barron. The best non-commercial float was won by Scoil Chóca Naofa.

The Musgrave Cup was awarded to Lyons & Burton for the best commercial float and it was accepted by Karen Keenan. But it was the local Girl Guide group of young brigins and cygnets who took home the David Powderley award for best overall float. Accepted by Terry Faber the girls were ecstatic that their hard work had been recognised.

After the presentation the band ‘Johnny Go Easy’ entertained the crowd for the night and finger food was served.

Trevor Geoghegan for Kilcock solo exhibition

By Carrie Bermingham

The Trevor Geoghegan Solo Exhibition, ‘Renewal, New Beginnings’, is opening in Kilcock Art Gallery on Sunday, 18^th April with a reception from 3pm to 5pm.

The exhibition will consist of landscape paintings and still life paintings, with a light and colourful palette. Oil paintings will be on display; such as ‘Still life-with Silver-Bowl, Fruit & Gold Leaf’.

The Art Gallery is situated on School Street and is open Tuesday to Friday from 10am to 4pm. It also opens Saturday from 2pm to 4.30pm.

Therese Brady is a local aspiring writer and writes mainly about food, fiction – novels and short stories, restaurant, movie and book reviews and I have my own website www.theresebrady.com and blog called Writer’s Cramp. This is where I keep my creative juices flowing during those down moments of writer’s block. I’ve completed one novel and am currently working on the second. Find me on Facebook and Twitter.

Brigins taking part in the Kilcock Parade

Looking at the crowds in Kilcock on the day it’s probably safe to say that you were all there!! The whole town really got behind the day through the parade, the duck race, the disco, market, bouncy castles, face painting – the whole place was really buzzing.

As you may or may not know I am secratary of the Kilcock Business Association – we organised the Duck Race. So I created a little super slide show video of the build up and the event. Check it out:

Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.

Thank you to Gerry Flynn who contributed photos – we have some wonderful shots of the day – check out the pics:

Don’t forget as well the ducks photos and all can be found on the gallery page here: http://ourkilcock.ie/photos/

There are promises all round that 2011 will be bigger and better! See ya’ll next year!

Brucette from Bruce Betting

The Kilcock Business Association has come up with a novel idea to raise funds for the community while providing a fun family day out in Kilcock on St Patricks day. The business association are running the inaugural duck race on the canal when the St Patricks Day parade is finished at approx 2.30pm. Ducks are for sale for €5 in numerous outlets in Kilcock including Mick the Barber, John Ryan Butchers, Bruce Betting, Dorothy’s Hair and Beauty Salon, Harmony Holistic Health, Doolan’s Centras and Kilcock Service Station.

Each duck is numbered and you may choose to take your home if you wish. While we would encourage a diet of healthy eating and some natural nutritional supplements the Duck Race committee will forfeit any ducks that have been mechanically (or genetically) altered. Perfectly acceptable accoutrements for your duck would include painted feathers, ribbons, crocheted hats, etc. You must ensure that your duck’s entry number is clearly visible. All ducks must be brought to ‘Mick the Barbers’ shop before 10.30am on the big day (or any day before hand). Unfortunately we cannot except duckies that are not in place by this time so please ensure you get your entrant ready in time! Of course you can simply purchase your duck and leave him/her in the care of the duck seller. There are generous prizes with winning duck owner will be awarded with €300, €150 for 2nd prize and €50 for 3rd prize.

The local schools have also been involved with a colouring competition for the primary schools and a poster design competition for the secondary school. The entrants will be on display in businesses throughout the village so call into your local shops and have a look at all the artwork by our local artists.

Also on the day there will also be a childrens disco in St Josephs Hall with face painting run by the Kilcock Musical and Dramatic Society. The committee are also working on some great surprises so you never now what you will see or who you will meet in Kilcock on St Patricks Day.

We are delighted with the response to the duckrace and art competitions that we are running. There is a great feeling of excitement and community spirit in the village with everyone talking about the duck race and how they are going to decorate their ducks. They are planning on making a day of it by coming to watch the parade, cheer on their ducks, leave the littlies in the kids disco and do a bit of shopping or go for a coffee. A huge thank you to the St Patricks Day Committee for forging ahead and running the parade which will be even more successful than previous years. With all that is going on in Kilcock on St Patricks day, there will be something for everyone.

Since the formation of the Kilcock Business Association, the efforts of the committee are starting to show with extra parking being provided in the square, the publication of the Kilcock Business Directory which will be circulated to all the houses in the district in the very near future and with the duck race on St Patricks Day. The committee have also being liasing with the Kildare County Council and the contractors for the sewerage works to make sure that the village is effected as little as possible. The contractors are due to finish up in the next couple of weeks and Kilcock will be open for business better than ever.

Tara Lane is the PRO of the Kilcock Business Association.

To take part in the race you can purchase your own plastic duck for €5 from participating local shops:

• Mick the Barber
• John Ryan Butchers
• Bruce Betting
• Dorothy’s Hair & Beauty Salon
• Harmony Holistic Health
• The two Centra shops
• Londis & Esso Station

You may choose to take your home if you wish. While we would encourage a diet of healthy eating and some natural nutritional supplements the Duck Race committee will forfeit any ducks that have been mechanically (or genetically) altered. Perfectly acceptable accoutrements for your duck would include painted feathers, ribbons, crocheted hats, etc. You must ensure that your duck’s entry number is clearly visible. All ducks must be brought to ‘Mick the Barbers’ shop before 10.30am on the big day (or any day before hand). Unfortunately we cannot except duckies that are not in place by this time so please ensure you get your entrant ready in time! Of course you can simply purchase your duck and leave him/her in the care of the duck seller where they will be looked after to the highest standards and trained in groups in the lead up to the big day.

Please do email in your best dressed duck photos to hello@ourkilcock.ie and we will publish them on the website – or join the fun over on our Facebook Fanpage: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Our-Kilcock/133394935169

Taking Part in the Parade

All businesses, sporting organisations and community groups are invited to take part in the parade – the theme of this year’s festival is “Our Kilcock” (blush!). The St Patrick’s Day committee and the Kilcock Business Association (who are presenting the Duck Race) are hoping the this year’s festival is the biggest and best in years. Business entries are €80 and club, school or voluntary groups are €40. If you haven’t been involved why not take part this year? There is a minimum of 2 cars per float and further details are can be downloaded: Kilcock St Patrick’s Day Information (PDF).

The parade starts 1.30pm on the 17th March. There are several prize categories for best entries and there is a presentation night in the Kilcock Gaa Club on Saturday 27th March 2010 at 9 pm where all prizes will be presented to all winners.

Volunteers Required

The St. Patrick’s Day committee meets on Monday nights at 8pm in the GAA club if you would like to go along and assist in preparations. The are also very much in need of volunteers to help with stewarding the parade and the Duck Race. Please get in contact with Michael Minogue, the Chairman on 087 3142292 if you can assist.

Stay tuned for more news on the Duck Race…