Thomas Mac Donagh Pipe Band To Open 17th Annual Killea, Templemore, Tipperary, Fun Day and Margaret O’Sullivan Feile.
Tom Ryan Reports.
An Irish village will revive its traditional lifestyle of 80 years ago, when it takes a step back in time for its 11th annual fun day in the old fashioned way on Sunday, June 15th, 2025.
Once again, it will be officially opened by the Thomas Mac Donagh Pipe Band, from Templemore, Co. Tipperary, at 1:30pm sharp.
Sean-Nos dancing will feature during this popular Field Day; to be held in conjunction with the hugely popular Margaret O’ Sullivan Feile. The committee Secretary, Mr Jim Hamill says ”Sean-Nos dancing requires intricate body movement, using head, hips and hands, as well as feet”.
Children will be admitted free of charge on what should be a colourful day in Killea sports field, latter a nice gesture, indeed, from the organising committee. Latter are hoping for yet another sunny day for this eagerly awaited annual event, which has grown from strength to strength, in the shade of the famous Bearnan Eile or Devil’s Bit.
Killea will stage some 30 plus events to stir nostalgia among older Tipperary people and same event is expected to raise cash for local groups.
A canteen will be in operation during the day, with locally baked confectionary. Homemade colcannon and sides of bacon can be had at the barbecue and shop; manned by the local ladies committee. There will also be pancakes available, which are always very popular in Killea.
Events will include set-dancing, figure-dancing, horseshoe throwing, pillow fights, skittles, penalty taking, pony rides, stock-judging, sheaf pitching(with finals to be held at 3:00pm), a tug of war competition, a dog show, darts and a tractor run, (latter beginning at 11:30am and returning to Killea sports field).
Participants in the County Tipperary Fleadh Cheoil from Clonmel are expected to feature among the many musicians who will entertain those in attendance. There will be a set-dancing display from the top senior and junior dancers of Killea and district and a host of traditional musicians, singers and dancers from various parts of the county, many of whom have won awards, and who will entertain from 1:30pm until 6:00pm.
Matt The Thresher himself would surely have approved of it all, as would Charles J Kickham, author of “Sliabh na mBan”, our Tipperary ‘anthem’.
Officers of the organising committee includeChairman, MrMichael Duff; Secretary Mr Jim HamillandTreasurer Mr John Fogarty.
Druminchin Hills Lie down flat you Druminchin Hills, For there’s damn-all for you to see, And there’s no one looks at your rushy sides, Or your mossy bottom down at Kelly’s Drain, And what sod you have can go to sleep. For hungry sheep would rather wait to die…..
Vocals: Irish folk band The Dubliners and Luke Kelly. Lyrics: Scotland born and Canada-based folksinger and songwriter Enoch Kent.
The Button Pusher.
I am the man, the well-fed man, in charge of the terrible knob. The most pleasing thing about it, it’s almost a permanent job. When the atom war is over, and the world is split in three, A consolation I got, well maybe it’s not, there’ll be nobody left but me.
I sit at me desk in Washington in charge of this great machine, More vicious than Adolf Hitler, more deadly than strychnine, And in the evening after a tiring day, just to give myself a laugh, I hit the button a playful belt and I listen for the blast.
Chorus: Well I am the man, the well-fed man, in charge of the terrible knob. The most pleasing thing about it, it’s almost a permanent job, When the atom war is over, and the world is split in three, A consolation I got, well maybe it’s not, there’ll be nobody left but me.
RepeatChorus: If Brezhnev starts his nonsense, and makes a nasty spell, With a wink and a nod from Nixon, I’ll blast them all to hell, And as for that Fidel Castro, him with the sugar cane, He needn’t hide behind his whiskers, I’ll get him just the same.
RepeatChorus: If me wife denies me con-jugular rights or my breakfast milk is sour, From eight to nine in the morning you’re in for a nervous hour. The button being so terribly close, it’s really a dreadful joke, A butt with my arse, as I go past, and we’ll all go up in smoke.
RepeatChorus: Now I’m thinking of joining the army, the army that bans the bomb. We’ll take up a large collection, and I’ll donate my thumb. For without it, I am helpless, and that’s the way to be. You don’t have to kill the whole bloody lot to make the people free.
Bunratty Castle situated in the Mid-West region (latter consisting of Tipperary, Clare and Limerick), to Host First-Ever ‘Bark in the Park’ Fun Dog Show.
Bunratty Castle’s Irish Wolfhounds ‘Rían’ and ‘Míde‘.
Dog lovers across Ireland have a new date to mark into their calendar, as Bunratty Castle and Folk Park hosts its first-ever ‘Bark in the Park‘ event on Sunday, June 8th, from 12:00pm to 5:00pm. Ireland’s newest dog show is set to offer a packed programme of light-hearted competition as canines of all shapes, sizes, and temperaments take centre stage at the County Clare visitor attraction.
The inaugural event will see dogs compete across 16 categories, with prizes for the Smallest Dog, Best Biscuit Catcher, Most Handsome Dog, Waggiest Tail, Veteran Dog, and Best Fancy Dress, among others. Young dog lovers won’t be left out either. The Young Handlers category will give children a chance to showcase their connection with their four-legged companions, demonstrating both skill and confidence in the ring.
“We are thrilled to introduce Bark in the Park, which will provide a fantastic day out for families and dog lovers,” said Ms Marie Brennan, (Events Manager at Bunratty Castle & Folk Park). “Dogs have always been part of the Bunratty story—our Irish Wolfhounds are a living link to the castle’s medieval past. “Bark in the Park” carries that tradition forward in a fun, modern way.”
The popular County Clare attraction, known for its medieval castle, recreated 19th-century Irish village, Victorian Walled Garden, and 26 acres of farmland and woodland, will also use the event to shine a light on the vital role service dogs play in Irish society. Visitors will have the opportunity to meet representatives from the Clare branch of Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind, who will share stories of how their dogs support people with visual impairments and families of children with autism. Irish Dogs for the Disabled will also be on hand to showcase their work in providing trained assistance dogs to people with physical disabilities.
Can I attend ‘Bark in the Park?’ please.
Adding an extra touch of history to the day will be Bunratty’s own Irish Wolfhounds, Rían and Míde, who took up residence on the site in 2023. Rían, aged two, and Míde, aged three, continue the long-standing tradition of wolfhounds roaming Bunratty Castle, as they did during the venue’s medieval banquets in the 1960s.
2025 marks the 600th birthdayof Bunratty Castle, one of Ireland’s most authentic and complete castles. A special event marking the landmark anniversary will be held during this summer.
Lyrics and Vocals: American rock singer, songwriter, and guitarist, nicknamed “The Boss”, the great Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen.
Across the Border.
Tonight, my bag is packed, tomorrow I’ll walk these tracks, That will lead me across the border. Tomorrow, my love and I will sleep beneath auburn skies, Somewhere across the border. We’ll leave behind, my dear, the pain and sadness we found here, And we’ll drink from the Bravo’s muddy waters, Where the sky grows gray and wide, we’ll meet on the other side, There across the border. For you, I’ll build a house high upon a grassy hill, Somewhere across the border. Where pain and memory, pain and memory have been stilled, There across the border. Sweet blossoms fill the air, pastures of gold and green, Roll down into cool, clear waters, And in your arms ‘neath open skies, I’ll kiss the sorrow from your eyes, There across the border. Tonight we’ll sing the songs and I’ll dream of you, my corazón☼, And tomorrow my heart will be strong. May the saints’ blessings and grace carry me safely into your arms, There across the border. For what are we without hope in our hearts, That someday we’ll drink from God’s blessed waters? And eat the fruit from the vine, I know love and fortune will be mine, Somewhere across the border.
END ☼“Corazón” in Spanish translates to “Sweetheart” or “My heart” in English.
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