In support of Kells Pink Ribbon Walk, Kells Town Council has lit up in pink the historic Tower of Loyd. The tower will remain this colour for one week leading up to the walk which starts on Saturday 3rd September.

Kells goes pink in advance of breast cancer charity walk

Ann Casey

Published: Wed 31 Aug 2011, 4:50 PM

The heritage town of Kells is turning into a sea of pink in the run-up to the third annual Pink Ribbon Walk this coming weekend. The Spire of Loyd will be lit up in neon pink every night until Sunday to help promote the event, a fundraiser for Action Breast Cancer. Seven prominent local artists have come together to create a series of temporary sculptures that will be dotted around the walk route at Girley Bog on Saturday to provide a bit of colour. North Meath Rugby Football Club and Kells Blackwater Football Club have also pledged their support and are providing volunteer stewards on Saturday, the day of the event. Meanwhile, local businesses have got in to the spirit and have been busy hosting numerous Pink Ribbon events and decorating their premises with pink balloons, posters, photographs and banners. Pink Ribbon t-shirts will be donned by everyone from local bar and shop staff to window mannequins next weekend! Among the many fundraising events were an auction in Colwell's Bar in Oristown and and a week of events in Hairbase hairdressers, which culminated in former Meath footballer Terry Ferguson, local businessmen Des Fitzgerald and the Muldoon brothers from Danny's Bar all having their hair dyed pink. Saturday's event starts and finishes at Drewstown House. The run will start at 2.45pm, while the walk takes place at 3pm. There will be a check-in evening on Friday from 6pm to 8pm in the local Headfort Arms Hotel. This is a chance for those already to registered to collect their Pink Ribbon t-shirt and race number. It is also the last opportunity to register, as no registrations will be accepted on Saturday. T-shirts and race number can be collected from 12.30pm at Drewstown House on Saturday and all participants must be on-site by 2pm. Drewstown House is located on the N52 and will be clearly signposted from Kells. However, parking at the venue is limited and participants are asked to car pool or leave their cars in Kells. The Pink Ribbon committee has organised a fleet of free shuttle buses that will run to the venue from Farrell Street. The first bus will depart at 12.30pm and buses will run on demand up until the last departure at 1.30pm. The buses will return to Kells immediately after the event. There will be live music prior to the event and Sidney Brito will lead everyone in an energetic 'Zumba Dance' warm-up. Irish Tenor Matthew Gilsenan will send participants off with a unique singing performance. There will be prizes for the fastest male and female as well as the most colourfully dressed individual and team judged by RTE's Bryan Dobson and Barbara McMahon. All participants will receive a medal and will be treated to a barbecue, sponsored by the Headfort Arms Hotel and Hogan's Farm, after the 10k.