Plenty of summer fun is expected at village festival

Clondalkin Village Festival is kicking off again this year on June 8, with a whole host of summer fun promised for all ages.

Running until June 14th, there is a huge range of activities – many of them free – from live music and craft fairs to walking tours and afternoon tea.

A special night is expected on June 11th, when there will be a ceremony in the Orchard Lodge held to show appreciation for the hard work of local volunteers.

Local businesses are putting their all in for the week of festivities, with the Laurels hosting a craft fair and afternoon tea on June 13th.

The crowd-pleasing Village Family Day will be held on Sunday, June 14th, with a huge range of events taking place that are sure to keep young and old entertained.

Locals can expect to see a vintage car exhibit, music from the Clondalkin Pipe Band and DJ Joey Howe, and a special performance from LD Dance School.

For the younger attendees, face painters will have their paintbrushes ready for anyone looking to add some colour to their day as well as costume characters and stilt walkers also on show.

The ceremony will welcome people from not only Clondalkin, but from neighbouring areas also to bridge communities and bring everyone together to celebrate a worthy cause.

Councillor Francis Timmons said the idea of the award ceremony came from the desire “to acknowledge the hard work that volunteers do, as many of them give up time and effort at their own expense for the good of their community.”

“There’s a lot of good people right across the community from all areas that give a lot of time voluntarily and this really is a showcase of everything that’s good about the area” he said.

Many of the activities and events are family friendly, with special attention also paid to ensure they are accessible for attendees with disabilities.

Cllr Timmons emphasised the importance of events such as the Village Festival to bring everyone together and celebrate their local area,

“The only way we’ll all get together and get to know each other is events like this, where we get together as a community. Even with all our differences, we can come together for a week and share everything that is great, and really celebrate community,” he said.

“There’s a lot of good people right across the community from all areas that give a lot of time voluntarily and this really is a showcase of everything that’s good about the area” he added.

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme