Kells rolls out the red carpet for screen icon

When Maureen O'Hara visits Kells on Saturday, the north Meath town will be looking better than it has for years, following a massive voluntary clean-up which took place over the weekend. More than 60 volunteers took the streets at the weekend with litter-pickers, sweeping brushes, paintbrushes and rollers. Operation Transformation took place with seven vacant and derelict buildings being transformed. The volunteers ranged in age from four right the way up. Kells Scouts got involved in picking up litter around the town and on the approach roads, and the Kells No Name Club tackled a derelict building on Church Lane, giving it some much needed TLC. Kells will roll out the red carpet this weekend for the Hollywood screen legend, who will arrive in town on Saturday afternoon to visit the place where her father grew up. Two of the higher profile buildings painted were Fitzsimons's Bakery on John Street and Crosby's Shop at Farrell Street, and the reaction to the change in these buildings has been remarkable. In the case of Fitzsimons's, brass lettering for years covered under layers of paint have been revealed - and Fitzsimons is Maureen O'Hara's surname. Similarly, the original paint colours on Crosby's Shop was revealed and these colours were used in the facelift which, along with pieces of art by Fiona Murphy displayed in the windows, have given this tired and neglected building a new lease of life. Maureen O'Hara will arrive in Kells at around 3pm on Saturday in a cavalcade with a garda motorcycle escort, and will be met by the members of the Reserve Defence Force (RDF), Kells Brass Band and local schoolchildren and will be escorted to fire station, she will unveil a statue of herself by local artist, Betty Neweman Maguire, which was sponsored by Kells Town Council. She will be presented with the Freedom of Kells by Town Council cathaoirleach, Brian Collins, and will receive a number of other presentations.