Chairman's Address 2006
A warm welcome to the 28th Kildare Derby Festival.
Events this year are much the same as in previous years with a fewchanges. New this year is the Street Theatre, Puppet Show and a Barpersons Race. Concerts in The Square and the popular Festival Queen competition are here again and we welcome back the French Market. CYMS will hold a Photographic Display and also and Art Exhibition. Aras Bhride will have the usual events. Lots of people turned out for the Bessie Byrne walk in previous years, let’s hope this year is no exception.
The Programme Booklet is one of our main fundraisers. I would like to thank our advertisers for
their support, also a big thank you to the business, club and family patrons who are listed. We are
also grateful to the people who gave their time to write articles for the programme.
I would like to welcome Minister for Justice, Michael McDowell who is our Guest of Honour for
the Grand Opening, on June 25th.
The Festival would not happen without the following organisations, so grateful appreciation to
Kildare Co. Council, C.Y.M.S., FÁS, Kildare Failte, South East Tourism, Curragh Race Course,
Aras Bhride, Kildare Tidy Towns, Donovan Printing Ltd., Chamber of Commerce, Cill Dara
historical Society, Kildare Town Publicans and L.A.R.K.
I would also like to thank the following people for their help. Vivian Okeze, Office Administrator,
Pat Conlon, Peadar Byrne, Kevin Lott, Margie Sheridan, Evan Arkwright, Thrish Byrne, former
P.R.O., Sally Purcell, Former Treasurer, Maurice Heffernan also congratulations to Liam
O’Keeffe Person of the year and Mary Comerford Festival Queen 2005 and last but not least the
Derby Festival Committee. If I have inadvertently left anyone out my apologies.
A big thank you to Budweiser, who have sponsored us for the past 20 years and are bowing out
this year.
Chairman Ollie Kearns
