The Garden of Remembrance in Kilbehenny was officially unveiled on Sunday, April 24 to tie in with the calendar anniversary of the Easter 1916 Rising.
The garden was unveiled after Mass by Ken Fitzgerald who had been invited from Australia for the honour and the garden and plaque was blessed by Fr Dick Kelly.
Ken’s family have strong links to Ireland and Kilbehenny and while some of his ancestors lived in Kilbehenny before emigrating to Australia 160 years ago, others are buried in the old church graveyard in Kilbehenny.
Speaking on the day, Ken said that he was honoured to be unveiling the plaque and garden and he thanked the Tidy Village committee for inviting him.
In his address, Ken spoke of how he loved returning to Ireland, the beauty of Kilbehenny, its Galtee backdrop and the quietness and tranquility of the area.
The Tidy Village committee thanked Ken Fitzgerald, Lieutenant Mary Doyle, Fr Kelly, the ladies who provided refreshments, everyone who came to the ceremony and the volunteers who worked on the garden and planted the 15 cherry trees on both sides of the village.
