O.P.W. TO APPOINT CONTRACTOR FOR FERMOY FLOOD RELIEF PLAN

The OPW (Office of Public Works) is expected to appoint a contractor for the Fermoy Flood Relief Plan within the next six weeks if the Minister for Finance, Mr. Brian Lenihan, confirms the scheme.

“Tenders for the civil engineering contractor were received on May 22 and are currently being assessed by our consultants. We expect to have a report in the next couple of days,” said Mary Cash, spokesperson for the OPW.

Mayor Tadhg O’Donovan, welcomed the fact that the plan will be enforced at last.

“The Fermoy community has been victim to flooding every two to three years on average with the highest flooding levels in 1916, 1946 and 1981. It has resulted in householders and those with commercial property sustaining severe losses.

"The victims concerned can no longer secure insurance for their properties, but, thankfully now, with the scheme in place Fermoy will have the infrastructural development that will be of enormous social and economic benefit in years ahead.”

Mayor O’Donovan also emphasized that the Fermoy Flood Relief Plan will hugely benefit proposed projects like the €100 million former mart development “which can now go ahead in the knowledge that flooding in Fermoy has no place in the future, but only in the history books,” he concluded.

PRAYERS ANSWERED AS GLANWORTH GREYHOUND BREEDERS HIT THE JACKPOT

Michael and Joan Hanrahan, from Glanworth, couldn’t contain their joy as their greyhound, Boherash Gaoithe, won the €35,000 Kerry Agribusiness Irish St. Leger recently in Limerick. On the same night, Boherash Domhain, litter brother, won the Bloom Elite Gold Novice 700.

It is a lifetime accomplishment for the Hanrahans, who are avid greyhound breeders, trainers and owners. Joan is the owner of both Boherash brothers, but she only got involved with the greyhounds only after her children have started to leave home. Now, the dogs are a big part of her life.

Michael, on the other hand, has been around these amazing animals pretty much all his life. His father bred and raced greyhounds as well. He didn’t keep more than 10 to 12 at a time and he always had a few for racing.

“My father had very little success,” said Michael. Success on the tracks was obviously long overdue after such a dedicated life.

Five of the Hanrahans’ daughters, grandchildren, Michael’s brother, Donal and his son Ger, his son-in-law and other family members, neighbours and friends were there on the night of the final in Limerick. The excitement among the group was infectious.

When Boherash Gaoithe crossed the finish line victorious, Michael enthusiastically called his wife, Joan, who couldn’t attend as she was recovering from a recent illness, and shared the good news with her.

“Joan has been praying for Boherash to do well and it seems that her prayers have been heard; and my brother, Donal, was so delighted that he jumped the railing and ran over to me after the win. It was quite emotional,” said Michael.

“It was a very big occasion for us. It is the first major success in a classic. So far I have sold all my good dogs to England and Scotland,” continued Michael.

The two dogs have only been racing for six months and are barely two years old.

Praising Boherash Gaoithe, Michael said, “ I knew he was good. He did everything right on that night, he had a good early pace and everything came together in the race.”

Donal, Michael’s brother has been doing his own greyhound breeding as well. It seems to run in the family. He is the one who bred Boherash’s great-great-grandmother, Boherash Kay, that was sold to Johnny Coleman in England from the stakes in Youghal. Boherash Kay raced and won in a lot of classics in England, among them in the Walthamstow Greyhound Racing Stadium in London.

“When she was finished racing we got her back for breeding,” says Michael.

Michael now owns 21 greyhounds, out of which two are racing and two more are in training. Training consists of galloping mainly and schooling – getting them used to the tracks. Michael takes off to Youghal and Cork once a week when the dogs are getting ready for a race.

The August 6 Irish Derby in Shelbourne Park, Dublin, worth €150,000, is the next challenge for Boherash Gaoithe and Michael is hopeful that “he will run very well. We have him out of training now to recuperate, but he will start again on July 1. We take one day at a time,” concluded Michael.

CLERICAL CUTBACKS HIT BALLYDUFF

The parish of Ballyduff will soon operate under the umbrella of Tallow, as its resident priest, Father Pat Condon, is due to leave for Knockanore parish in the next couple of weeks. Father Gerard McNamara who is to replace Fr Condon, will serve both the Tallow and the Ballyduff areas.

The restructuring – the church in Araglin recently lost its resident priest – is “due to the shortage of priests in the Waterford diocese. There are four priests retiring now,” explains Fr Condon.

Father Condon is originally from Tallow and has only been in the Ballyduff parish for a year.

“I am sorry and devastated to be leaving. I was very happy here and I am not leaving because I want to. I have an obedience to the Bishop, and that is why I am moving on,” he said regretfully.

The news comes as a shock for many locals. A parishioner described Fr Condon as a ‘lovely man’ who got involved with the community.

When contacted by The Avondhu, the Waterford Diocese refused to comment, stating that no public announcement has been made by the bishop concerning the matter.

FERMOY WINS NATIONAL ACCLAIM FOR FIGHT AGAINST LITTER

Following Fermoy’s top marks in the Irish Business Against Litter (IBAL) League 2008, Mayor Tadhg O’Donovan was prompted to quote IBAL chairman, Dr Tom Cavanagh, who said, “those who manifested pride and respect for their town deserved to come at the top in the ant-litter campaign, while the others didn’t.”

Fermoy claimed ‘clean to European norms’ status out of 55 areas surveyed nationwide.

An Taisce commented on Fermoy, “Another wonderful result - Fermoy has consistently high standards. The top sites were not just clear of litter but in very good condition. All of the approach routes into Fermoy were clean to European norms, creating a positive first impression of the town. This was followed through on almost all the sites.

"Mill Island Recycle Facility was not as well managed as the other areas surveyed. Care needs to be taken to ensure it doesn’t become a serious litter problem.”

Dr. Cavanagh was delighted to point out that “in the midst of the prevailing doom and gloom, it is refreshing to have a positive economic news story. It shows the enthusiasm of the town council to keep the town clean and attractive. The clear message is that Fermoy is cared for by the local management.”

Cllr William Hughes views the remarkable result as a “great boost for Fermoy” and as ‘reassuring’.

“Fermoy is coming on in leaps and bounds. The result is very beneficial for the town and I hope the town preserves its high status achieved,” Cllr Hughes added.

Mayor O’Donovan acknowledged “the contribution and leadership of Cllr. John Murphy and his committee, who have proved once again that Fermoy is consistently a leader in the anti-litter campaign.”

Almost 60% of the towns surveyed by IBAL in 2008 have been deemed ‘clean to European norms’ as opposed to only 7% six years ago. IBAL was set up in 1996 as an alliance of companies who believe that litter has a significant impact on our economic well-being.

A major IBAL initiative has been the Anti Litter League, which is ranking the performance of each local authority in combating litter in a league table format. It is now co-funded by the Department of the Environment and it covers over 50 town and city areas.

MITCHELSTOWN MOTORIST SLAMS MANIC MAIN STREET

A motorist has slammed the “farcical” standard of driving which he says ‘has become the norm’ on Mitchelstown’s main street. The driver, who described himself as working in the town for some time now, said he is “at his wit’s end” with motorists who double park in the middle of Upper and Lower Cork Street.

“People stopping to do their groceries will, with-out any warning or indication, literally hammer on the brakes in the middle of the street, which is on the main Cork to Dublin road, throw on their hazard lights and hop out of the car right in front of you,” the motorist raged.

“Any indication I give of my anger is met with either a mild embarrassment or a rude gesture.”

The motorist believes it is laziness that sees people practice this example of bad motoring.

“It is sheer selfishness and laziness,” the motorist continued, “parking in Mitchelstown is not the huge problem people make it out to be, the spaces are there for everyone to park properly, the problem is that people don’t want to have to walk any distance to the shop – they want to be able to pull up at the door regardless of whether or not the space is free. This kind of selfish driving is dangerous and disruptive to traffic.”

The beleaguered motorist finished by adding his amazement at the gardai and traffic warden who he feels have done little to dissuade such practices.

“You wouldn’t see this happen in Fermoy or Mallow or other large towns in the area,” he concluded, “but here in Mitchelstown it seems fine to do this. The more people who see this sort of thing continue unpunished the more people are going to do it. It’s a farce.”

FERMOY ENTERPRISE BOARD PAYS TRIBUTE TO DEPARTING COMPANIES

“You work that you may keep pace with the earth and the soul of the earth. For to be idle is to become a stranger unto the seasons, and to step out of life’s procession, that marches in majesty and proud submission towards the infinite,” once mused philosopher Khalil Gibran.

These lines were quoted by Fermoy town councillor Michael Hanley last Friday when summing up the importance of employment to Fermoy, a necessity which has been dealt a blow by the closure of two large businesses in the town of late.

In a novel approach guests of the Fermoy Enterprise Board gathered in The Grand Hotel last week to pay tribute to FCI and Anderson Power Products, companies that have both finished a long association with the town.

Hailing the role Tom Cavanagh played in bringing FCI to Fermoy, Cllr Hanley praised “the class act” of Colm Hynes and his team at the company who have facilitated as smooth a transition as possible for the redundant staff.

Newly elected town Mayor Tadhg O’Donovan praised the initiative of the occasion, believing that positives can be derived from the situation and he stressed the importance of ensuring businesses see how there is a community commitment to success in Fermoy.

Colm Hynes of FCI echoed Cllr Hanley’s praise of Tom Cavanagh, adding that he should not just be seen as a model citizen of Fermoy, but his efforts deem him worthy to be considered a great Irishman.

Colm highlighted the difficulty FCI had in calling it a day in Fermoy, adding that any efforts to keep it going would have seen the company unable to provide for its outgoing staff as well as it did, and thus its tenure in the town would meet a less amicable end.

Jim O’Brien said it was an honour to represent Anderson Power Products at the reception, speaking highly of the staff he worked with, including high praise in the references he gave each and everyone of them.

With market forces pushing the company’s operations to the Far East and England, Mr O’Brien said that it was with some sadness that some aspect of the company could not be held in Fermoy, but he thanked the Fermoy Enterprise Board for their co-operation over the years.

Finishing the reception on a high note, Robert O’Rourke, who recently joined Sanmina-SCI, gave hope for the company’s future.

“Operationally it is one of the best sites in the world,” Mr O’Rourke remarked as he revealed that the group have cut ground on their new facility.

“We are always under competitive threat to reinvent what we do,” Mr O’Rourke added, concluding by noting his hope to work closely with the Fermoy Enterprise Board in future.