Organising committee members, (from left) assistant chair Gabrielle Kelly, Fr Tom Gilroy, Carmel McHugh, Dermot Ennis, Caroline Teehan, David O'Malley, Mary O'Connor, chairperson Elaine Campbell, Martha Darby and Christy Brennan; missing from photo – photographer Caroline Whyte, Ashling Brennan, Fer

Bring your blanket and break a record

An event designed to bring families together to eat, play and learn about how we can look after the environment takes place at St Etchen’s National School, Kinnegad on Sunday June 17 next.

Kinnegad Parish is hosting ‘The Big Parish Picnic’, which starts with Mass at noon in St Etchen’s School Hall, to be followed by a picnic in the grounds of the school with lots games and workshops.

The Big Parish Picnic promises a technology-free fun filled afternoon for families to enjoy.

The annual Family Fun Cycle will also take place starting from St Etchen’s. It’s a great event on its own, but this year it should be made more special by the preceding picnic and extra numbers.

Organising committee members, (from left) assistant chair Gabrielle Kelly, Fr Tom Gilroy, Carmel McHugh, Dermot Ennis, Caroline Teehan, David O’Malley, Mary O’Connor, chairperson Elaine Campbell, Martha Darby and Christy Brennan; missing from photo – photographer Caroline Whyte, Ashling Brennan, Fergal Cooney and Grace Brennan.

The organisers are inviting people to: pack a picnic, bring your blanket and bring your bikes, and you will get to enjoy traditional family games and activities, music and dance, how to grow your own, art and upcycling, learning practical ways to look after our environment, a family fun cycle and storytelling.

“Summer is about getting outside and enjoying days with your family and friends,” a parents council spokesperson said. “We wanted to create a simple event whereby people will be encouraged to pack a picnic lunch, and come and hang out together for a few hours. We will have some traditional family games and music for people to enjoy.

“The parents council run the family fun cycle every year, and we are combining our efforts so people can do both on the same day – eat together and exercise together!

“We have local organic and strawberry farmers to advise us on how to grow our own and on how to make small changes to help the environment.

“All are invited – people from the parish and beyond; families in the parish schools of Kinnegad, Clonard, Coralstown and The Downs, parishioners, everyone in the community, and people from our neighbouring parishes, please come to our picnic event.

“We would like you all to share in our special family day and of course we need your blankets to help set a new local Picnic Blanket Record.

“So, bring your picnic, bring your blanket, come join in the fun and help us break a record with the largest picnic blanket in 2018!”

• Contact the Parish Office at 044 9391030 or 0449375117; kinnegadparish@eircom.net; or Grace Brennan on 085 1014659; or Elaine Campbell 087 9782478.


Rose Fox, Spring Cottage Organic Farm, Kinnegad, (right) who will conduct workshops on ‘how to grow your own’ at the Big Parish Picnic.

 

Lynsay Orton, Ross Hazel Farm, who will do a workshop on how to ‘grow your own’ at the Big Parish Picnic in Kinnegad on June 17.