Patrick's Day swimmers present cheque to Kildare mural fund
Some of the swimmers are ready for the plunge, with supporters looking on at a safe distance from the freezing river
A CHEQUE for €1,697 presented to Kilcullen Community Action (KCA) by the participants in the Spout Bar Sponsored Swim held on St Patrick's Day has given a big boost towards the cost of the Kilcullen Heritage Wall mural commissioned by KCA.
The presentation was made in the pub, whose customers had undertaken the swim project.
Ann Cashman, chair of KCA, thanked all who had taken part in the swim and who had supported them with their donations.
"We're really overwhelmed by their generosity," she told the Kildare Nationalist. "We're thrilled with all the community support for this project."
The organiser of the swim, Patricia Byrne, said she hoped the event would become an annual one in support of Kilcullen Tidy Towns, possibly expanding it to include a number of other St Patrick's Day events that would give Kilcullen a festival ambience on the national saint's celebration day.
"We have had a lot of feedback from people who say they'd like to take part in the next one," she said.
A veteran of winter sea swimming, she added that the Liffey event was 'very cold'.
"I've done the Christmas morning at the Forty Foot, and also the one in Clare from Lahinch beach, but this was harder than any of them. It was great, though, to be able to do something like this locally."
She expressed thanks particularly to Kilcullen Canoe Club for allowing the event to take place from their dock facilities, and also for the use of the showers afterwards by the participants.
The mural, costing almost €9,000, will be located on the gable end of the development of a formerly derelict building now under refurbishment by Fitzpatrick Heavey Homes, facing along the approach road to the town from Newbridge.
The plaster base on which the work will be painted is currently drying, and it is hoped to have the artwork finished by the end of May.
It will incorporate local history, heritage, nature, and the environment and will include motifs of Kilcullen bridge, a horse, a stylised waving hand of welcome, the Liffey, swans, badgers, and wildflowers.
There have been a number of donations from other groups in Kilcullen for the mural, as well as events that included a very successful Table Quiz recently held in Fallons by KCA.
There's an iDonate page for people who want to give individual donations, which will remain available until late in April.
