MAJOR GATHERING EVENT IN KILDARE IS ANNOUNCED.
In September 2013 a very unique gathering event takes place which celebrates the unique heritage and story of the Coill Dubh/Blackwood/Robertstown/Timahoe area of Co. Kildare.
This place which is steeped in the tradition of Bord na Mona,offers an insight into a part of our past that should be highlighted and remembered.
The 3 day festival which takes place, starting September12th/14th promises to be a wonderful celebration of past traditions and all things that connect us to the place we call home.
The festival will only be as good as the people who are involved, so we are putting out a call to all those living in these areas to get involved with their stories, photographs and memories of Bord na Mona.
Work has already begun on an exhibition of memorabilia as well as local history events and collections of artefacts. People from far and wide are coming aboard, but we need more local people involved as The Gathering is a peoples project. So therefore we would be very grateful if you would consider hosting an interview with Willie O' Sullivan, who will put the rallying call out to the people of Coill Dubh/Blackwood/Robertstown/Timahoe to become part of this exciting team.
I will be in contact to discuss further,
Many thanks for your kind consideration.
I hope you consider this a project worth promoting,
Best regards
PLEASE CONTACT
Veronica Bagnall
veronicabagnall@icloud.com
Willie O Sullivan
087 2446755
One of the first people to respond to Coill Dubh's Gathering was former shopkeeper, Edward Ward
To the people of Coill Dubh, 15 March 1953
I, the undersigned, was one of the first twelve people to take up residence in Coill Dubh village. That would be in the year 1952, when it was ready. I rented one of the four shops there and remained in business for the next ten years. I had been in business before then, a half-mile up the road, in Cooleragh, in my own shop. There were difficult times in the early years of Coill Dubh. Workers wages were small then and tenants had to pay rent and tax, which was deducted from the wage packet.
After ten years I realised I was competing with myself, trying to run two shops just a half-mile apart.I then decided to vacate the village shop on which I was paying a substantial rent and operate the business from my own property just up the road. It was not by a stretch of imagination that I was deserting my customers in Coill Dubh, because I arranged with them that if they so desired, I would deliver their goods to their house as before, each day.
The people of Coill Dubh were then, as now, all very nice, decent, respectable people, very co-operative and loyal to each other. Here I would say you would not find a nicer, quieter place to live. it is a lovely, well kept, clean and tidy village, thanks to Brian McGarahan and the team of voluntary workers.
I also wish to emphasise that when Rose and myself decided to retire from business we choose Coill Dubh as our place of retirement because both of us always loved the place. My late wife, Rose, RIP, was one of a family that decided to come and live and work in Coill Dubh. In my time of sadness, when Rose passed away, there were offers of help from many people, escpecially my neighbours. That is what all the people of Coill Dubh are like. Rose and myself were very happy to be part of that.
With very best wishes for the future of our lovely village and people,
Yours most sincerely,
Edward Ward
136 Coill Dubh,Naas