Speculation was rife in Fermoy as to the possible closure of St Francis Welfare Home on Rathealy Road. However, following enquiries by The Avondhu, the Southern Health Board’s Programme Manager admitted that both the Welfare Home and St Patrick’s Hospital role in the community were under scrutiny. With “eight or nine different options on the table”, the SHB’s Programme Manager stated that St Francis Welfare Home was being “under-utilised”, accommodating 33 people in a 40 bed unit. It was thought likely that a realignment of services was therefore imminent, with consultations being carried out with interested groups and local voluntary organisations.

A major new development at the Moorepark Research Centre in Kilworth of £4.3M was given the go-ahead, which would see facilities in Moorepark in line with the best in its sector. The main initiative in seeking the new development was sought by the centre’s director, Dr Liam Donnelly. The new facility, which was to be a Teagasc subsidiary, was to be called Moorepark Technology Ltd with Teagasc’s input being the provision of a site and the associated end services. It was forecast the development would be completed within a year.

Councillor Carey Joyce was calling on super co-op, Dairygold to diversify its role in agriculture and to go into the wool processing sector. The reasons were two-fold: firstly due to recent redundancies, it would provide an opportunity to improve employment; secondly, the Irish wool industry is non existent, with the prices Irish farmers were obtaining for fleeces “extremely poor”. Cllr Joyce was calling on the support of his council colleagues, with a view to seeking support from the IDA and Dairygold to further examine the prospect.

Doneraile senior citizens could look forward to hot meals two days a week, with the commencement of a meals on wheels service. The brainchild of the Doneraile Senior Citizens’ committee, the service was made possible due to the organisation receiving a subsidy from the Southern Health Board. The service would see a choice of four or five different meal selections, due to the co-operation of the local restaurant, Murphy’s Brew. With 12 people on their books initially and 10 voluntary helpers in place, the committee had plans for expansion.

Newly appointed Junior Minister for Science and Technology, Cork East’s Michael Ahern, was in Castlelyons, to highlight the development of new farm environment systems, showcased by the local co-op during an open day. Stephen Randles, co-op manager greeted the minister on arrival with a good crowd of well-wishers and interested onlookers present. The new environment-friendly farming system, designed by Mill Industries, would help marry cost effective agriculture with freedom from all forms of possible pollution.

Ballyduff were preparing for their 12th consecutive running of the West Waterford Drama Festival – The Avondhu promotional feature highlighting what patrons could look forward to over eleven nights of great entertainment. Opening the festival were New Ross Drama Workshop Group with their presentation of John Murphy’s ‘The Country Boy’. Adjudicator Aidan Stanley from Cork city was the man in the hot seat. The home group were staging ‘Amadeus’, while the only other local group competing were The Palace Players, Fermoy with ‘Remembrance’

Mitchelstown Dramatic Society were preparing to stage their production ‘Upstarts’, by Neil Donnelly in the Town Hall. Under the production of Niall O’Donoghue, the cast included John O’Mahony, Mick Dunne, PJ Henebery, Fiona Walsh, Michael Bermingham, Margaret Walsh, Siobhan Donegan and Barry Skinner. With Vincent Brown on lighting and Joan Sweeney on sound, the group were set to bring the play on the festival competitive circuit.