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Volunteers are being sought to help manage the Sarah Swaine Memorial 10K Race and 5K Walk taking place on the second anniversary of Sarah's death, 7 January 2018, writes Brian Byrne.

Her aunt Carrie, who is organising the event in aid of the CanTeen cancer care charity that specialises in helping young people with the disease, would also appreciate any donations of sandwiches and cakes for the day. She can be contacted at 086 0743259.

Pictured above are children from the Kilcullen Childcare Centre who recently raised �515 towards the expenses of running the event.

A reminder that the Maintain Hope concert on 17 January will be an eclectic mix of music, song, story and dance, writes Maintain Hope founder Gerry O'Donoghue.

The Camptown Singers, a choral group formed specially for the concert, will create a musical insight into the life and times of the American composer Stephen Foster by visiting, through song, the world of the American South portrayed in Gone with the Wind. The group, under its musical director Monica Martin, consists of Christy and Madge McDonald, Robert and Maeve Jordan, Eileen Doyle, Gertrude Coffey, Philomena Breslin, Maurice O'Mahony, Gese Mucke, Margaret Talbot and the talented Kelly brothers.

Leah O'Sullivan on the harp will combine with the vocal talents of Eve McMahon to demonstrate the variety of emerging talent in the area.

Singer-songwriter Roy Thompson will include his own compositions in his programme.

Sean Leahy and friends will provide a lively session of Irish Music and dance.

The lineup will also include Noel O'Grady, a multi award-winning singer including five times winner of Oireachtas na Gaeilge competition for traditional singing.

Brian Byrne, who has become the Keeper of Memories for Kilcullen, will contribute a nostalgic piece, and Dick Dunphy and Bernard Berney are immersed in rehearsal for a specially commissioned comedy sketch.

A pair of tickets for this event would make an ideal Christmas present. They're available now from Berneys Chemists.

A 5K Road Race in Kilcullen on Sunday 21 January will raise funds for the Teach na nDaoine project, writes Brian Byrne.

The event starts off from Kilcullen Community Centre at 11am, with registration opening at 9.30am.

There will be prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd finishers in Men and Women races, and for the 1st finisher in Boy and Girl sections.

The entry fee is �12, and the race will be accurately timed by JustRuns Events where registration can be done online.

Pic via Kilcullen GAA Facebook

Today's the last chance to get into the annual draw for the GAA Christmas Hamper.

Tickets on sale outside Nolans all day.

The results will be announced tomorrow.

A countrywide invitation is being extended to singers, choirs, and musical groups in schools and businesses to organise a sing-song over the weekend of 2-4 February, to help the fight against cancer, writes Brian Byrne.

Groups of individual friends can also get involved in the Caroline Foundation for Cancer Research's #GiveUsASong fundraiser to mark World Cancer Day on 4 February.

Aine Lawlor of RTE is the 'face' of the event, for which participants are asked to register their session with the Caroline Foundation to receive a #GiveUsASong pack, validate the fundraiser, and have the gig listed on the website of The Caroline Foundation. "Each event can be as simple or elaborate as the organisers want it to be," says Helen O�Sullivan-Dwyer, who established and is chairperson of the Foundation.

The Foundation is a constituent of Cancer Clinical Research Trust (CCRT) led by Prof John Crown. Its mission is to fund additional research scientists to work within CCRT team through The Caroline Foundation Fellowship, which fully funds Dr Alyson Murray and co-funds Dr Fred McMahon.

It was established in the memory of Caroline Dwyer, who died at the age of 35 after a protracted battle with cancer. During this time she was the first in Ireland to participate in some trials through the CCRT which has bases in UCD, DCU and St Vincent�s University Hospital. The custom-made treatment she received not only extended but enhanced Caroline�s life.

"We are a volunteer driven organisation, 100pc of funds raised going into cancer research � no fees, no expenses," says Helen O�Sullivan-Dwyer. "CCRT is part of a global network of cancer researchers and we believe that irrespective of where research happens the learning benefits everyone � whether we are in Dublin, Cork, Belfast or London."

Anyone interested in taking part can register their interest by emailing Helen at helen@thecarolinefoundation.com.

Caroline was the daughter of your Editor's first cousin Dermod Dwyer. It would seem appropriate that I bring my own guitar out in public for this cause, and if anyone wants to join me in a #GiveUsASong session on that weekend, get in touch.

A New Year Gala Concert is to be held in January to raise funds for the Maintain Hope children's charity, writes Brian Byrne.

Organised by the usual crew of friends of Maintain Hope in Kilcullen, it is instead of the pre-Christmas one which has been held for many years.

"With people very busy in the run-up to Christmas, and so much on, we decided to change the date this year," says John Martin. "In the dark and sometimes dreary days of Post-Christmas, we thought we would provide a bit of relief at that time."

The date is 17 January, once more in the Town Hall Theatre, and the regular format of music, song, story and dance will be maintained at the usual top level of entertainment.

Tickets available from Berneys Chemists, 045 481497.

There was a full audience in Kilcullen Parish Church last night for this year's 'Carols by Candlelight', and they were treated to really great performances from a stellar programme of artistes, writes Brian Byrne.

They included the Scoil Bhride Choir, Lorraine and Jade Nolan, the Kilcullen Gospel Choir and their soloists, and Brendan Keeley. It was a truly wonderful night in a very atmospheric setting.

The event was in aid of the Market Square Development Project.

All the pictures from the evening can be accessed here.

The money raised in last weekend's fundraiser for Damien Aulsberry's 'Sons & Broken Noses' film was �1,342, writes Brian Byrne.

Describing it as a 'staggering' result, Damien has expressed his thanks to all who helped, especially Tommy Dignam and staff of The Spout, and the two bands � Unorthodox Behaviour (above) and Moonlight Drive.

"Thanks to everyone who helped out on the night, Derek O'Leary, Fogi Fogi, Brigitte Reissig, Marian O'Leary, Sean Hayes, Sean Aulsberry, Fergal Sloan, and Eilis Phillips," he posted on his Facebook page. "You have made my dream come true!"

When 'Sons & Broken Noses' begins filming in a week's time, Kilcullen-born screenwriter Damien 'Ozzie' Aulsberry doesn't want to be asked how 'his' movie is going, writes Brian Byrne.

"It's your movie," he told those who came to The Spout Bar last night in a home village fundraiser for the short film, the screenplay for which has won awards as far away as Los Angeles and Wexford and Florida in between. "So ask me how 'our' movie is doing," he told his Spout night supporters.

The event attracted many friends and also brought musical support from two quite different bands, 'Unorthodox Behaviour' from Newbridge and 'Moonlight Drive'. It was a great night, not least because of the intriguiing style of the former, led by Noely White on guitar with percussionist Alan McDonald giving a literally stand-up performance alongside Niecie Loftus on saxophone. Their usual bass player Andrew O'Donnell wasn't available but they got excellent underpinning from Moonlight Drive's guy, whose name I forgot to get � apologies.

Damien, like many writers, isn't actually comfortable in the limelight that is the stuff of the stage. But he was in his home space, so there were people to talk to as he met and greeted in The Spout. Having Fergal Sloan as MC meant he only had to go up front once, in between the bands. But at that point he made his case well.

A local man doing what a writer has to do. Write, submit. Wait for the rejection letters (he didn't say that last, but it seems that they haven't been so many). His latest script especially has attracted significant professional attention.

'Sons & Broken Noses' begins shooting in a medieval castle near Athenry on Saturday next. It has a stellar Irish cast which includes Eric Lalor and Jason Byrne, and the recent addition of Robert McCormack to replace Emmett Byrne who had to opt out because of a late major part offer.

"I had to change the script a little, because they decided to use Dunsandle Castle as a location," Damien says, but agreeing that this is the kind of thing that keeps a screenplay 'alive' during the filming process.

The fundraising was by means of a raffle, with prizes donated by Hair by Eilis, Berneys Chemist, Jolene Chaney, Sarah Conlon and more. The big surprise prize was a boxing glove signed by local boxer going big in Australia, Denis Hogan � whose kit Damien designed � and WBO welterweight Champion Jeff Horn from Australia. That was won by Tina Connolly from Clongorey.

Altogether a fabulous night of fundraising, fun, and great music.

There was another great night in The Spout in aid of the Irish Cancer Society with entertainment from Jimmy Aspell, Tony Kirwan and their band of musicians, writes Noel Clare.

Special guest on the night was Brush Shiels who said that he was 'truly inspired' by Jimmy Aspell. Jimmy has been raising funds for the Irish Cancer Society from 2011 to 2017 and a cheque for the total raised over those years (�35,500) was presented to Brenda McCarthy of the Irish Cancer Society.

The night started off with the launch of a song specially written by Tony Kirwan called 'When It Snows In New Orleans'. All proceeds from the song will got to the Irish Cancer Society.

Liam Kett from KFM's KCountry programme made a special presentation to Jimmy marking the fact that it was the 'Country Song Of The Week' on KFM radio last week. Aside from raising much needed funds for cancer research and support, it was another wonderful night of music and entertainment in The Spout.

(Pics by Noel Clare.)