Kildare Derby Festival

Chairman's Address 2007

Welcome to the 29th Kildare Derby Festival. which was one of the most difficult festivals to organise in my time as Chairman. Without main sponsorship we had to put extra time into fundraising, other years our headache was how to spend the sponsorship money wisely and entertain the people. This year we had to raise the money and negotiate how to spend it. One of the most innovative ideas we had for this year has come out of the
need for funds ‘ The Friends of the Festival” Voucher Scheme. Because of the failure to get a main sponsor we turned to the decent people of Kildare to purchase these vouchers. We won’t know the results of this scheme until after the festival. But it should raise between three and four thousand euro. So I urge you to buy a voucher book it will help the future of the festival, create business in the participating shops and you might win two tickets to
the derby.

I would like to thank all the advertisers who contributed to the making of this book. Also the people who wrote articles which are to the highest standards. we are also grateful to the clubs, Individuals and businesses for their patronage which are all listed inside.

We are grateful to the following organisations for their help in organising the festival: Kildare
Co. Council, C.Y.M.S., FÁS, Kildare Failte, South East Tourism, Kildare Chamber of
Commerce, Cill Dara Historical Society, Kildare Town Publicans, Derby House Hotel, National Stud, Curragh Race Course, Aras Bhride and Donovan Printing Ltd.

I would also like to thank the following people for their help. Mario Corrigan, Margie Sheridan, Seamus Maher, Kevin Lott, Edel Reid and Maureen Bergin. And good to have on board the 2006, Festival Queen Marianne Vaughan and Person of the Year Ken Kavanagh. Thanks to the small but hardworking committee listed below... if I have inadvertently left anyone out my apologies.

Chairman Ollie Kearns