The following article was published in my regular column for the The Evening Echo on Wednesday 05 July 2006 -- CJ

"Come on number five," the twins shouted from the safety of the bank.

"Go ducky five," screamed their little sister.

Below them, in the small village stream, ten plastic ducks jostled for position as they bobbled over pebbles and bounced off tree roots. Number five was my duck... and he was racing in the final of this year's Duck Derby - a highlight of our local midsummer festival.

You'd be amazed at the excitement and enthusiasm a bucketful of plastic ducks can evoke. People started gathering early, and by the time the first heat was under way there was quite a crowd lining the shallow stream. People cheered their ducks enthusiastically, urging them ahead of the competition. The kids in particular got a great kick out of it.

With the heats out of the way, the ten winners lined up for the final. It was nail-biting stuff. A good lead could be cancelled out in seconds by a protruding root or jutting boulder. Number 10 took an early lead, with three, seven and four in hot pursuit. My duck, number five, languished in an eddy before finally decided to meander downstream well behind.

As the leaders neared the line number 10 got caught in a tree root, number three ricochetted into number four, who knocked number seven off course. Number nine, way back in fourth place moments earlier, stormed through to take first prize. It was a dramatic conclusion, even if my number five did come in an emphatic last.

With the excitement of the Duck Derby over it was time to adjourn to the community hall for an evening of drama, music, refreshments and all-round entertainment. There was something for everybody, and the fine weather meant everything could happen outdoors - a huge advantage for the many parents with young children in tow.

The local summer festival takes place every year towards the end of June. As well as celebrating the art, music, culture and heritage that's part of Irish rural life, it's also a great social occasion. It brings our widely dispersed community together for a bit of summer fun, and everybody gets to catch up and enjoy the atmosphere. Naturally the children love it, and are allowed to stay up late to play with their friends and to experience the programme of festivities.

Community events like festivals and regattas help children to develop a sense of the community they're a part of, give them the opportunity to interact with their peers, and expose them to art, music and culture in a very proactive and positive way.

The twins spent much of the evening running riot with a gang of children of similar age. Their little sister, as usual, wasn't far behind. She was part of a posse of younger siblings trotting around in the wake of their older brothers and sisters. They were all having a ball - which generally translates to noise and chaos.

Whenever the music started up though, something amazing happened. As one the children stopped what they were doing and arranged themselves in a semi-circle in front of the performers. They'd stand or sit in silence listening to the music, occasionally breaking into an impromptu dance, then, once the performance was over, they'd run off to continue their game where they left off.

A late night typically means a difficult morning with the girls... but it was well worth it considering what they got out of the festival. Every year they seem to enjoy it more... and by extension so do we. Long may it continue!