Kilcooley Community Forum: New Decade for Development

FORUM

15 July, 2010

Kilcooley 11th Night Bonfires Burn Brightly

Orlock Gardens Bonfire, Kilcooley

All bonfire reps within North Down had agreed they would light their bonfires on the Sunday night (11^th) even though some others across the Province had decided to light theirs on the Saturday night.

Ballywalter Gardens this year decided only to have a children’s event and lit their fire around about 9pm so the younger children could enjoy the celebrations. Crowds gathered early to enjoy the event.

At 10.00pm, after the World Cup, crowds began to arrive at Orlock Gardens and Ballyferris in anticipation of the midnight lighting of these bonfires. There was entertainment for all ages laid on at both sites and crowds thronged the fields enjoying the atmosphere and revelling in the party spirit.

In Orlock Gardens North Down Defenders Flute Band played a medley of tunes to the expectant onlookers before two Lambeg drummers banged out their rhythms to great applaud.

By midnight the West Circular Ring Road had vehicles parked on either side of the road and on the central verge all the way down to the traffic lights at Clandeboye Road. Thousands gathered to watch the fires and celebrate.

At midnight the torches were lit by reps that walked around and set alight the massive bonfires. The crowds cheered and sang songs as the fires blazed.

Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the events and this year saw more people visiting the sites than ever before. Among the crowds were people from ethnic minorities, DVD producers filming for various projects and TV companies, also others from different faiths and traditions were there and remarked that it was good to be able to come along to the celebrations and feel no threat or intimidation.

The bonfires saw no call outs from the emergency services and there was no aggressive behaviour witnessed at any of the sites. The three bonfires were very much family orientated affairs where all spectators seemed to have a really good night.

<< Return to Kilcooley Community Forum 2010