Kells puts best foot forward for annual festival

Huge crowds enjoyed the many events of the annual Kells Heritage Festival, which took place over the weekend. Pavement art, children's fancy dress competitions, music and drama, pig racing, bouncing castles and karting as well as heritage walks were among the many attractions of the annual festival, which was blessed with sunny and warm weather. The traditional market day, which took place in Kells on Sunday, also attracted large crowds who enjoyed the arts, crafts, livestock, home-baking and other attractions. Complaints by some visitors that the €10 entrance fee was too steep was defended by the market day committee which said that, despite the recession, costs such as insurance hadn't gone down. It was the second year of the traditional street market and Farrell Street and surrounding streets were closed to traffic for the day as visitors flocked to see the farmers' market, family attractions, street entertainment and livestock displays. The many traders who opened their doors had a successful trading day, as did the artisan food producers, artists and craft workers, street theatre groups and tourism providers who showcased their work on market day. There was also traditional music and dancing and other fun events, including pig racing, old-time demonstrations, a famine pageant by Kells Musical and Dramatic Society, street dancing and traditional music, rock bands, hip-hop dancing, animal displays and sales. Kells Tourism Forum had enlisted the help of a large team of volunteers, including help from clubs and bodies like the ICA, Kells Blackwater FC, Kells Chamber of Commerce, North Meath Rugby Club, Moynalty Steam Threshing, Drumbaragh GFC, Kilmainham GAA Club and Gaeil Colmcille GAA Club. The official opening of the festival by Deputy Dominic Hannigan took place last Thursday at the town hall with the Kells Silver Band providing the music. One of the big attractions of the festival was Trail of Type, an art exhibition in which the word 'home' was displayed at various locations around Kells in different languages and media. Heritage walks, including a walk to the Headfort Mausoleum on Monday night, attracted a lot of attention. There are plans for a walk to Rockfield House tonight (Wednesday), meeting at 7pm at the Gate Lodge on the Athboy Road. The Spire of Loyd was open to the public and many availed of the chance to climb the tower and see the fantastic views from the historic building. There were also many visitors to the old Victorian Waterworks, which also opened for the festival A number of exhibitions took place around the town and poetry readings, children's competitions, music and drama performances were among the attractions of the festival. This Saturday and Sunday, 9th and 10th July, Conor McPherson's hit drama, 'Port Authority', will be staged in the St Vincent de Paul Theatre at 8pm nightly.