HUGE DEMAND FOR LOYALTY CARD SCHEME

The Mitchelstown Loyalty Card Scheme continues to grow with participating retailers reporting a huge demand for vouchers over the Christmas season.

Ger Moylan, who is on the loyalty card committee of the Mitchelstown Business Association, has seen the number of retailers involved in the scheme grow substantially over the last few months.

“The loyalty card scheme was set up to encourage people to shop locally and to support local jobs. Over the Christmas season 642 loyalty cards were redeemed in many of the shops in the town, this is a substantial increase and the retailers are very happy with the scheme with most reporting a good number of people asking about getting their vouchers stamped,” he told The Avondhu.

The winners of the December and January prizes for all those who entered the draw after they had completely filled their loyalty cards will be announced next week.

“The scheme is going from strength to strength and we are having a meeting of the loyalty card committee on this Thursday night, February 4 at 6.15pm at the CCM offices. If there is any retailer out there who would like to get involved and sign up they can contact me on 087-6880502,” Ger Moylan said.

CLAIM THAT FARM FIELDS USED TO RELIEVE ROAD FLOODING

The recent spell of bad weather continues to cause problems, as one farmer from Rathcormac is concerned that his fields are being used by Cork County Council as a flood relief measure.

Tom Joyce from Gearagh claims that the council cut two large gaps in the ditches that surround his fields to allow water run off the Rathcormac to Glenville road.

“The council cut the gaps in the ditch to prevent the road from flooding but now the water is rushing into my fields,” Mr Joyce told The Avondhu.

Mr Joyce went on to show The Avondhu the deep trenches which he alleges were caused by the force of the water as it left the road and entered his fields.

“The water rushes in at a great speed and as you can see has cut three large trenches into the soil. I want to plant wheat or barley later on but if I do it will be torn out by the force of the water when we get rain again. Apart from that I can’t let cattle into this field for fear that they could get injured,” Mr Joyce said.

A spokesperson for Cork County Council said that they were aware of this situation.

“I will have be looking into this situation and dealing with the land owner. But we must remember that it is important to ensure that the roads are safe for life and limb,” Executive Engineer Fran Groarke told The Avondhu.

In the meantime, Tom Joyce is left wondering whether he should plug the gaps in his ditches.

“If I plug the gaps and the road floods, I will be held responsible. But something needs to be done and quickly,” he said.

WORLD SKILLS MEDAL WINNERS HONOURED

Fermoy Town Council hosted a civic reception on Monday night last to honour the outstanding achievements of two local young men in last September’s World Skills Competition in Calgary, Canada.

Barry Dennigan won the gold medal for carpentry in the competition, while Gerard Roche won the bronze medal for metal fabrication. It is remarkable that both men hail from Glanworth and attended Colaiste an Chraoibhin, Fermoy.

Even more remarkable is that Barry Dennigan comes from a long family tradition in the business, with his uncle, Darragh Dennigan having won the gold medal in the trade on the world stage years ago and his father also a master of the trade.

A festive atmosphere prevailed at an event that was attended by both the Dennigan and Roche families along with Mayor of Fermoy, Noel McCarthy and councillors of the Fermoy Town Council, local TDs, Ned O’Keeffe and David Stanton, Cllrs Kevin O’Keeffe and Frank O’Flynn and the principal of Colaiste an Chraoibhin, Fermoy, Christy Healy.

All parties present acknowledged and commended the two young men for their excellent achievements and wished them the best for future.

David Stanton addressed the parties present on the special occasion; “We are not very often in the presence of world champions. I would like to congratulate both of you on your achievements.”

Cllr Frank O’Flynn added that both Barry and Gerard have brought “great honour to their families” and that it was a “tremendous achievement” for a small country like Ireland, for their families, school and town.

“They put Fermoy on the world stage,” he said, while Cllr Patrick O’Driscoll pointed out that Ireland has been competing in the World Skills Competition since 1958 and last year has brought back two gold and two bronze medals.

“I am delighted that Fermoy Town Council is recognising their achievement,” he concluded. “It is a great pleasure to be here tonight,” continued Cllr Aileen Pyne.

“This is the highest honour that Fermoy Town Council can bestow on any person. It is a great honour for both of you. For me it is very special as I spent six years of my teaching in Colaiste. Your achievements are bringing a particular accolade to Colaiste, which is very dear to my heart. You brought us great honour. We honour you and wish you the very best in the future,” she concluded.

The important role that Colaiste an Chraoibhin, the Fermoy school that the boys attended, was also highlighted by Cllr Tadhg O’Donovan who noted, “The importance of where it all started. The school played a fundamental role. It was a good foundation. It is not by accident that this school was successful at international level.

"It is a unique situation. It is something the Dennigan and Roche families should be very proud of. The recipients and their families should realise that there is a lot of support out there. I have no doubt that they will have a very fulfilling future,” the councillor concluded.

The evening drew to a close with the fitting comments of the school principal, Mr Christy Healy, who emphasized the huge support the two youth received from their families.

“It takes tremendous mental and physical preparation. It takes years and years of hard work. In ten years Colaiste an Chraoibhin was represented in the competition five times, winning a gold, silver and bronze medal.”

Mr Healy closed by congratulating the two young men and their families. Barry Dennigan is now working for the family business DNA Carpentry, based in Fermoy, while Gerard Roche is working in Charleville for BCD Engineering.

MITCHELSTOWN SERVICE STATION ROBBED FOR SECOND TIME IN 6 MONTHS

Gardai in Mitchelstown are investigating a burglary at the Amber petrol station in the town in the early hours of Monday morning last, writes Brian Moore.

A Garda spokesman told The Avondhu, “A substantial amount of money was taken after the thieves forced entry to the petrol station on Monday morning. We would ask anyone who may have any information or who may have witnessed anything to contact the Gardai in Mitchelstown on 025-84833.”

This is the second time that the Amber petrol station has been robbed in the past six months. In other events Gardai arrested two people after a stolen car was recovered in Kilworth.

“The car was stolen from Fermoy last weekend and, after investigations, Gardai from Mitchelstown recovered the car in the Kilworth area. I would also like to take this opportunity to advise people not to drink and drive as there have been a number of arrests in the Mitchelstown area over the past few weeks,” Garda Aidan Dunne told The Avondhu.

MAYOR WELCOMES OIREACHTAS GROUP ON FLOOD FACT FINDING MISSION

The Mayor of Fermoy, Labour councillor, Noel McCarthy is to welcome the Oireachtas joint committee on the Environment, Heritage and Local Government to the town this week.

The visit, which was organised by Cork East TD Ned O’Keefe, will present the group, consisting of 11 TDs from across the political divide, with an opportunity to see first-hand the impact flooding has on Fermoy.

“I am very happy that this group are coming to Fermoy. Hopefully this is a sign that the committee are giving serious consideration to the problems facing Fermoy as a result of flooding.

"It will give them the opportunity to see the work on the first phase of the flood relief scheme and to hear just how vital the plan is from the people of Fermoy,” Mayor McCarthy told The Avondhu.

He continued, “I will take this opportunity to ask the committee to put pressure on the OPW and Minister Mansergh to provide the funding for the subsequent phases of the scheme.”

Deputy O’Keefe requested that the group stop off in Fermoy to meet the town councillors and residents in the area, as the two recent floods have affected many residents and business people and incurred loss of income and significant damage to their business or houses.

“Fermoy flooding has been continuous, not a once off,” he said. Cork East Labour TD, Sean Sherlock, said that he believed the visit presented an opportunity for the people of the town.

“I think it is important that the people of Fermoy are given a chance to relay their concerns to the committee. I am glad that the committee, including my Labour Party colleague, Deputy Ciaran Lynch, will take time to come to the town to meet with those affected by the floods.”

Deputy Sherlock concluded, “The most important result from this meeting is that pressure will be put on the OPW to secure funding for the second phase of the flood relief scheme.”

TOWN COUNCILLOR IN HOT WATER OVER ‘LIGHTS OFF’ REMARK

Fermoy town councillor Olive Corcoran (FF) is in hot water with members of Cork County Council following remarks she made recently on a local radio station.

Speaking with Patricia Messenger on C103, Cllr Corcoran said that with the water levels rising and many people living with the fear that their homes would be flooded for the second time in months, Fermoy town hall was closed at 5.15pm.

“The town hall and council officials should have been available to the people of the town at a time when they needed them. I passed the town hall shortly after 5pm and there wasn’t a light on, this is not good enough,” Cllr Corcoran told The Avondhu.

ANGRY COMMENTS

The Fianna Fail councillor went on to say that she has been subjected to angry comments from certain council workers and officials since she made the remarks on radio.

“I was stopped in the street and told in no uncertain terms by a councillor worker exactly what he thought of my comments on the radio. But I must say that the town of Fermoy needs to know that its council officials are there to help. I think shutting up shop just when the people needed support and help sent out the wrong message,” Cllr Corcoran said.

EXPENSES PROPOSAL

In another unpopular move Cllr Corcoran has called on senior and high paid council officials to look at their expenses.

“The Fermoy town councillors have given up their expenses and I think now is the time for senior council officials to do the same,” Cllr Corcoran said.

Reacting to the calls by Olive Corcoran, a spokesperson for Cork County Council said that cuts to expenses were in fact already in place.

“Cuts for officials who are entitled to travel expenses etc are already in place and the councillor is well aware of this. Senior council officials have had a major cut to their salaries as well,” the spokesperson concluded.