‘Memories of Rockhill Bruree’ – a Gathering 2013 event will be held in the parish from September 12th to 15th.
The event is organised by Rockhill Bruree Sportsfield Development Committee, with all proceeds going towards a new sports field.
“The theme of the weekend is memories and we are giving people from the parish at home and abroad an opportunity to remember past days, events and people from or connected to Rockhill and Bruree.” Judy Tobin, secretary of the Development Committee told us.
This process has already started with the creation of a Facebook page – www.facebook.com/MemoriesRockhillandBruree – to which old photographs with parish connections are being regularly uploaded.
Committee member, Brendan Hogan, said “The reaction to this page has been tremendous with almost 700 likes and a weekly reach averaging 10,000.
The page is viewed by users in the UK, Australia, USA, Canada, New Zealand and the United Arab Emirates as well as here inIreland.
The page grew out of a plan to hold an exhibition of old photos during the Gathering weekend and an appeal for people to donate old photos.” The photo exhibition will have on view almost 1,500 photographs, some up to 100 years old.
The weekend will be officially opened on Friday, September 13th, by Eamon O’Cuiv, TD who will also give a talk on his memories of his grandfather, Eamon de Valera, the parish’s most famous former resident.
He will focus on de Valera, the father and grandfather and his personal memories of the man as distinct from the public figure. This will be followed by a traditional Irish rambling house including a lavish tea.
Saturday will be a night of nostalgia in the newly refurbished Bruree Community Hall with music for all ages from waltzes and quicksteps to disco and everything in between.
The dress theme for the night is Bruree Through the Decades and those attending are asked to dress in a style appropriate to their favourite decade.
There will be a prize for the best dressed on the night. Barbeque food will be served and there will be bar facilities. The committee have been very innovative with this function with an all in tickets which includes entertainment, food and three drinks for just €25.
Sunday will feature a family fun day at Bruree sportsfield with bouncy castles, barbeque, tug of war, live outside broadcast, cake sale and many more events. There will be historical walks through the village on Saturday.
“All proceeds of the weekend will go towards developing the sportsfield, with the time now opportune to invest in this vital piece of community infrastructure. This will make it a focal point in the parish and a fitting venue for sports and leisure activities for young and old”, said Noel O’Halloran, Rockhill Bruree Sportsfield Development Committee Chairman.
