Rose of Tralee meets Kells locals during visit to town

The Rose of Tralee, Charmaine Kenny, travelled to Kells last week, where she visited Kells Credit Union, Kells Youthreach and the local Garda Station. She also visited Southhill Enterprises in Athboy and St Patrick's Classical School in Navan. Ms Kenny, a a niece of Detective-Garda Peter Kenny of Navan Garda Station, visited Kells Garda Station on Tuesday of last week where a small presentation was made to her, followed by some refreshments. She also visited St Colmcille's Credit Union in Kells to launch the CU's preparations to celebrate the its 50th anniversary in 2011. She met with the credit union's board members and also with some of the founder members of St Colmcille's CU and members of the public. Among those who attended were the cathaoirleach of Kells Town Council, Cllr Brian Curran, and the president of Kells Chamber of Commerce, Jess Olohan. The credit union's vice-chairman, Michael Finnegan, welcomed her to Kells and thanked her for fitting a visit to the credit union into her busy schedule. Ms Kenny also visited students and staff in Kells Youthreach to talk about her work, experiences and learning in her year as the International Rose. She spoke about her work as a SUAS volunteer in slum schools in Calcutta, India. The SUAS programme is supported by a charity called Das (Development Action Society). Youthreach is a VEC education programme for young people and student Mossie Canning was master of ceremonies for the visit, and he welcomed Charmaine to the centre. Cllr Brian Curran, who is also chairman of the board of Kells Youthreach, spoke of the importance of Charmaine as a role model for young people, especially as regards young people getting involved in doing work in their local communities. Christy Duffy, adult education officer with Meath VEC, spoke about the importance of having dreams and trying to make them come true and how important people like Charmaine were in showing people that they could have dreams and could achieve them. Student respresentative, Leanne Curran, put forward a proposal from students in Kells Youthreach. The students suggested that they each create a wood carving and display them during Kells Heritage week. They would then donate the funds from this to support the charity in doing their work with vulnerable children. Each of the students gave Charmaine a rose, and a question and answer session was chaired by the master of ceremonies, Mossie Canning. Joe Power presented Charmaine with a sample wood carving on behalf of the student body and students finished up by singing her a song, appropriately enough, called 'The Rose'.