Sunday 29th of July last, saw the various emergency services converge on Laois Civil Defence Headquarters at Cork Road, Stradbally. Locals may have thought that the Laois Major emergency plan had been activated but thankfully this was not the case. Acting Civil Defence Officer Liam Preston hosted a fun evening and barbecue for the visiting Chernobyl children in the Stradbally area.

The afternoon programme included a visit to the nearby Cosby Estate, where Stradbally Fire Service under the guidance of Station Officer John Kavanagh and Fire-fighter John Darby provided plenty of water and excitement with their fire appliances.

The Midland Health Board provided an emergency ambulance from the Portlaoise Station and the children were given a guided tour of the ambulance and its lifesaving equipment by Station Officer Noel Rigney and EMT John Bergin.

While the children were in the grounds of the Cosby Estate, they also availed of the opportunity to take a trip on the narrow gauge railway, courtesy of the Stradbally Steam Preservation society.

The children then travelled to Vicarstown and local Garda Michael Lillis and his colleague Garda Seamus Downey from the Portlaoise Traffic Corps provided a patrol car and jeep to escort the convoy.

On arrival in Vicarstown, the children donned lifejackets and boarded motorboats provided by Laois and Kildare Civil Defence. They were taken on a canal trip by the boat crews, much to the amusement of local swans!

Offaly and Laois Civil Defence crews then transported the children back to Stradbally Civil defence H.Q., where the Welfare Team had a sumptuous barbecue prepared.

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