Hooked On Redmond Park!

Redmond Park has proven to be an attraction to all sorts over the years - rowdy late-night tipplers (now thankfully a much rarer beast!), frisbee throwers, skateboarders, ball players, boules players, fitness enthusiasts, and, of course, playground-bound children. However today I am delighted to add another activity to that list: fly-fishing! There they were, teacher and pupil. When I first saw them, from a distance, I thought they were endeavouring to get a kite off the ground. "Those guys have never flown a kite before," I was thinking as I strolled closer to get a better look. It was then I saw what they were at. There was no water - the pond is now nothing but a marsh - and there was definitely nothing nibbling! And yet the teacher cast and recast and drew back in, slowly, before casting again. Wonderful it was to watch. He was balletic in his movements. It was like Tai Chi for fishermen! And I'm hooked!!

Badly Needed Rain Comes At The Wrong Time!

There we were last Saturday checking the 3-hour forecast every half-hour, sneaking a glance out the back window over the river and then, not liking what we saw, seeing what the heavens had to say on the park side of the house. This is Wexford dammit, normal weather conditions don't apply here. If the forecast says "sunshine and showers in the southeast" one instinctively knows that Carlow and Kilkenny will get the showers while Wexford gets the sunshine. And then it came down. In a Biblical way. You could almost see the parched yellow-tinged grass greening up before your eyes.

So we called off the picnic. And, as if to taunt us, the sun came out so hot there was steam rising. But at that point we were almost willing the rains to return so as to justify our decision to cancel, to prove we were not being defeatist. And the rains came again.

Today is Mid-Summer's Day. Imagine. Where did that six months go! Local businesses had sold over a thousand tickets for a Mid-Summer's Evening Street Party. And this was to be a street party in the continental sense - beer and food stalls, live music, dancing and everyone wanting to be there. Then the rains came again and everything was moved indoors. But let's not let it end there. I say we organise another street party just to show it can work, and to show we can party like our southern European cousins. The sun will shine, the band will play and the beer will flow. Networking will rub shoulders with romance, fences will be mended, new alliances forged, and all will be right with the world.

As for the Picnic in the Park that is definitely going to happen before the Summer is out. We are talking to The Man in Donegal about the medium term weather prospects. Stand by!

Get Ready for The Picnic in The Park!

Hey, wanna join us at the Picnic in the Park? The venue is, you guessed it, Redmond Park and it happens on Saturday next 2-6pm. All you need is a picnic basket full of goodies, a big rug and a couple of free hours to chill out. Bring a book, a guitar, bongos, a frisbee, a baseball ... whatever. There will be live jazz and trad music, Irish dancing, Spanish/Arabian dancing, art for kids, rounders and novelty races for kids, and loads more. If you want to keep right up-to-date with the Picnic programme become a Friend at www.facebook.com/loveredmondpark.

Students Chillin' Between Exams

What better place to do a little pre-exam revision!

Attempt to Sabotage Picnic in the Park!

Hey, just to say a big thank you to those charming folk who tried to burn one of the picnic benches in Redmond Park this afternoon. No seriously, that's just the ravaged look we have been looking for. Yeah I know we just painted it last week but that's alright. Looks kinda more authentic now. Fair play to ye!

Commemorating Willie Redmond 94 Years On

Today marks the 94th anniversary of the passing of Major Willie Redmond M.O., Chevalier of the Legion of Honour. Redmond died on June 7th, 1917 having been injured in action at the Battle of Messines in France. He is buried in the graveyard of the Catholic Hospice at Locre. Our picture shows Wexford Councillor Jim Allen at the memorial to Willie Redmond in Redmond Park this evening.