THERE was a steady stream of people on Saturday to enjoy a wide range of interesting and entertaining activities and attractions at the Revolutionary Decade Roadshow at the Kerins O’Rahillys clubhouse.
Designed to commemorate the 1916 rising and look forward to its centenary celebrations next year, the event was a huge success said County Arts Officer and Kerry 2016 co-ordinator Kate Kennelly, whom we spoke to as the event was finishing.
“It went really well. It’s been a very busy day with a steady stream of people visiting since this morning. We haven’t had under 50 people in the building at any time and people have found it very interesting and useful,” she said.
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The Roadshow – run in conjunction with the School of History in UCC, Kerry County Council – kicked off with the official opening by Cllr Pat McCarthy, Cathaoirleach of Kerry and Minister Jimmy Deenihan. People were able to visit the various stands over the two floors relating to the 1916 Rising and other historical events during that period and there was a great performance from Caroline Lynch of the speech given by Maud Gonne at the unveiling of the foundation stone of the Pikeman Statue in Denny Street.
The Opus 96 choir gave wonderful renditions of Irish songs and Gabriel Fitzmaurice read poetry from the signatories of the Proclamation and revolutionary poetry written since the Rising. There was also schools art competition to generate interest among young people.