Aeridheacht at Kildare 1910

Aeridheacht at Kildare 1910
James Durney

In June 1910 thousands attended one of the most successful Aeridheachtanna – an open air gaelic fete – that had been held in the Province since the revival of the national language started. Fr. Campion, P.P., opened the festival in Kildare town, which included participation of the Kildare Fife and Drum Band, Children of the Presentation Convent, and De La Salle Fife and Drum Band, in a field kindly given by Joseph Bergin near the Carmelite Church. On hearing of the coming event an un-named correspondent, in his enthusiasm for the Aeridheacht, wrote a ditty to the air of “The wearing of the green.”

Oh, Major dear, and did you hear, the news that’s going round.
The likes of such an Aeridheacht has never yet been found,
‘Twill be held down in Cill Dara by the Gaelic Leaguers there,
With the best of talent coming from Dublin and everywhere;
There’ll be pipes and reciters there’ll be dancers too, go leor,
There’ll be Owen O’Brien and Ingoldsby, McGinn and plenty more,
There’ll be ladies too from Dublin, whose fame for song is great,
There’ll be none but first prizewinners at this finest gaelic fete.

Oh, then if you want to spend a pleasant afternoon,
Just trip along to Kildare on the twenty-sixth of June.
It starts at half-past two pm, the charge is not too high;
While with music, song and dancing the evening’s sure to fly,
And if God wills that Sunday next should happen to be wet,
Oh, never fear to come along, for we’ve a trump card yet,
We shall hold a splendid concert in our own Kildare Town Hall,
So, from every side in thousands come on Sunday next, that’s all.

In June 1910 thousands attended one of the most successful Aeridheachtanna that had been held in the Province since the revival of the national language started.