MEMORIES FROM THE ARCHIVES

THIS WEEK 21 YEARS AGO

Clonglough residents were vocal in their issues with a Traveller encampment in Mitchelstown, where one resident claimed a loss of £10,000 in erecting electric fences, which he said were repeatedly cut. Other allegations were of vehicles travelling at high speed, as well as animals wandering on the road. The county council advised residents that the reality was the Travellers could not be asked to move until a dedicated halting site was set up.

One Fermoy councillor (unnamed) feared that ‘anarchy had once again returned to the chamber’ after a tempestuous meeting behind closed doors on housing allocations. There was veiled reference to “previous shenanigans.” One wonders what had fur flying?

Staying in Fermoy, for those with finer tastes, an advert appeared for a wine appreciation evening in The Grand Hotel. The same notice advertised cans of Foster for £1.19 - and what’s more, ‘ buy 6, and get a free t-shirt’.

Meanwhile, next door, the flames adorning the walls of SG1 Night Club complex were raising temperatures, with Cllr Tadhg O’Donovan comparing it to ‘the hole of Calcutta.’ Cllr John Hussy didn’t hold back either - “it looks as if the worse area of a ghetto was dropped into Fermoy.”

Plans were afoot to unveil a £30,000 ‘ Timepiece’ sculpture in Market Square, Mitchelstown on June 21st 2001, the longest day of the year. Longevity was a theme for the town, as UCC awarded ‘ the oldest scholar in Mitchelstown’ (age not recorded), Declan Casey, a prize ‘in recognition of the excellence’ of his dissertation, ‘Agrarian Unrest in Ireland, with particular reference to the Galtees and Kingston Estates.’

Rumours abounded in Ballyduff that the local Garda station would be closed, and the serving Gardaí redeployed to Kilworth and Mitchelstown, as well as the district itself coming under the remit of the Dungarvan division, rather than Fermoy.

Kilworth and Araglin Parish made their pilgrimage to Corrin Hill, outside Fermoy, starting out in ’ continuing rain’, led by Fr Donal Leahy, Fr Matthew Kelleher and Fr James Greene.

While over in East Cork, a new book on the heritage of St Catherine’s Parish was due to be launched in Conna Community Hall. Written by Canon Eamon Goold, it recounted the history of Christianity in the parish over the previous one thousand years.

A report on the water quality in Glanworth, Conna, Downing Bridge and Kildorrery, was the subject of a council meeting, where an engineer claimed that Cork County Council had initiated an extensive programme of action to address the issue. Farms and wells had been tested, and restrictions placed on the spreading

of pig slurry in the Glanworth catchment area.

It was a season of retirement parties September 21 years ago. In Galbally, Mr Joseph White retired from Dairygold with a party in the Three Counties, Kilbehenny, where it was pointed out that over 30 years, he had never been late for work. Meanwhile, in Fermoy, Tom Ahern’s retirement from Barry’s Timber Yard was celebrated in The Banks Bar.

Ca s t l e townroche was 4th of 81 towns in the annual Cork Tidy Towns competition. Adjudicators commended the “most attractive

village” and noted that village residents were obviously giving “considerable support” to the Tidy Towns Committee. However, the metal nameplate sign on the Mallow Road was highlighted as being ‘quite grubby’.

In sport, Fermoy Liverpool Supporters Club were planning a trip to Anfield to see the Reds take on Coventry in November 2000. A meeting was to be held in Tom’s Tavern, with a £50 deposit required.

Fermoy Rowing Club were celebrating, coming home from the National Sprint Championships with one national

title and five Munster titles. Cathal Quigg and Alan Bermingham came home first in the Men’s Junior 18 2X, while amongst the Munster title winners were the Women’s Junior 16 Quad of J McGrath, A Corcoran, M McGrath and A Beausang.

In the Ladies Masters Golf at Mount Juliet, Rita Mulvihilll from Fermoy Golf Club celebrated finishing second to Cavan’s Majella Brady.

TheAvondhu area was awash with U16 victories in 2000. The Bride Rovers U16 hurlers, captained by Gavin O’Flynn, beat Watergrasshill to be crowned East Cork

champions. In Galbally, their U16 hurlers enjoyed a comprehensive win over Effin in the Limerick County U16 shield final, played in Kilfinane. The boys, captained by Conor Henebry, galloped home on a final score of 8-4 to 3-0.

Finally, there was more U16 success in Skeheenarinky/ Ballyporeen, as their hurlers made South Tipperary history by winning the double. The lads beat Mullinahone on a “dirty, wet night” captained by David Hyland. Much the same team had been part of the successful U16 football team the previous May.