Snapshot of life in 1926at Culture Night event
Nessa Dunlea playing the part of Shiela Blacker, owner of Castlemartin Stud in 1926
THE lives of several Kilcullen people who filled in their census forms in the town a hundred years ago were reprised in brief presentations during the Culture Night gathering hosted by Kilcullen Drama Group.
They represented the Cross & Passion sisters, the Blacker family of Castlemartin, local character and tall tales teller Arthur Tapley, the Reddy family which supplied milk to the Curragh, and the Byrne business family’s early years in what later became the well-known Hideout pub.
The presentations provided a cross-sectional social history of Kilcullen in the embryonic Free State.
There was a full-house attendance in the Town Hall Theatre for a wonderful mix of dance, drama, humour, poetry and song that kept an almost-capacity audience entertained for more than two hours. Prior to the show, a performance in the foyer by the Kilcullen Gospel Choir warmed up all arrivals for the splendid evening that was to come.
The opening demonstrations by members of Angel's Gymnastics and Dance Theatre set the tone with some exceptional lyric dance talent, and a later performance by Roxy & Bianca continued in a similar vein.
Irish dancing from the Landers and O'Dwyer schools kept the traditional forms to the fore.
The event was organised by Kilcullen Drama Group, so it was appropriate that a humorous sketch about parish life in past times should provoke appreciative chuckles.
Performed by Dick Dunphy and Esther Reddy, the sketch had originally been co-written by Dick and the late stalwart of the group, Bernard Berney, and has certainly stood the test of time.
The poetry standard was flown by Paddy Martin, who read a children's poem written by his late father, John, while Sean Corrigan's , conjured up in a clever almost-rap the angst of being viewed literary in a male sports ecosphere.
Mary Orford's memoir tribute to a nurse in her family who died while tending to soldiers in WW1 was a timely reminder of the individual costs of nations' conflicts.
Vocals were from Maurice O'Mahony, and, at the finale, Pat Kelly and Canice Keane, between the two acts maintaining a balance for traditional Gaelic and modern country.
The 1926 Census people were recalled by Nessa Dunlea, Sabina Reddy, Brian Byrne, Esther Reddy and Maurice O'Mahony. The Camphill Lámh Choir, an inclusive, 13-strong performance group made up of members from The Bridge Community in Kilcullen and Grangebeg Camphill Community just outside Dunlavin, directed by Lorraine Nolan, preceded the finale act with verve, enthusiasm, fun and their own tuneful interpretations of gospel favourites.
MCs for the evening were Letitia Hanratty and Ray Kelly, and the show was officially opened by cllr Tracey O'Dwyer, leas-cathaoirleach of Kildare County Council.
