Tallow Scouts were celebrating a major achievement, winning the prestigious Fearghaill/O’Farrell Regional Shield competition. The Tallow unit, ‘23rd Waterford’, captured the title and the Cyril O’Farrell Shield at the finals, which were held at the Mount Melleray Scouting Centre.
Winning the shield for the second time since the unit’s formation in 1977, the vibrant group boasted a membership of 34. Tallow patrol members involved were, patrol leader Bill Horgan, asst patrol leader Aoife McCarthy, Scout leader Dave O’Regan, David Aherne, Áine Mulcahy, Paul Kenneally, Brid O’Leary, Paul Geary and Tracey Coughlan.
A garda spokesperson in Mitchelstown confirmed to The Avondhu that they were involved in a piggy hunt – a woman from the Doneraile area was taking ‘three piggies to the Galtee factory.. however one of them made a jump from a trailer when she was parked at the traffic lights at the junction of Lower Cork Street’.
While it was understood ‘her (the escapee pig’s) two friends were now rashers, this canny pig escaped the butcher’s knife and ran off to hole up somewhere in the town’. The ‘hunt for the porker’ was well under way, with an APB (‘Apprehend Pig Bulletin’) put out to all garda units in the Mitchelstown area, after the ‘break-out’ of the little piggy. The helpful description given of the escapee – simply ‘pink and hairy’.
Snooker was introduced to the South Limerick village of Galbally, when proprietor of the Starlight Bar, Joss O’Brien, installed a full sized table. Surprised by the level of interest, Joss had already organised a number of tournaments and it was reported that the ‘newly crowned King of Galbally snooker’ in May 1995 was Andrew Cunningham, who beat Mike O’Reilly in the final.
Clondulane residents were reported to be ‘cock-a-hoop’ following rejection of planning for a camping site in their area. The application by Fermoy’s Christy Ring to ‘site 17 semi-permanent units on land adjacent to the village centre’ proved unsuccessful, with Cork County Council’s Planning Department stating that it would be ‘contrary to the proper planning and development of the site and area’. Although the decision was subject to an appeal, locals opposed to the development were ‘in very confident form’.
A garda spokesperson confirmed to The Avondhu of a ‘bizarre case’ from Fermoy, which resulted in the arrest of a man, with an address in Cork City. In the first of two related cases over the one weekend, ‘a totally unprovoked assault’ saw the individual push an English fisherman into the Blackwater at Barnane; while the assailant ‘was later seen causing some unrest in the Glenabo area’. Following arrest, it was understood the individual was receiving psychiatric treatment.
Two local ladies won scholarships to teach speech and drama in Singapore. Stephanie O’Flynn (The Big Tree, Aghern) and Ballyduff’s Emer Mills, both students of Geraldine Canning’s Dramatic Arts course at Colaiste an Chraoibhin, had obtained their scholarships through the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts. Offered two year contracts, they would begin teaching in Singapore in October 1995 and were ‘looking forward’ to travelling.
Castletownroche and Kildorrery apprentices were award recipients at the Davis College, Mallow annual awards in 1995. In the Transport and Engineering Department section, winner of the SIMI Apprentice of the Year Award went to Fergal Nash of Main Street, Castletownroche, an employee of John McCarthy Motors, Fermoy. Fergal also received the Brian O’Connor Perpetual Award. While Kildorrery’s Noel Dunne, an employee of Cork County Council, was the proud recipient of the Institute of Road Transport Engineers Perpetual Trophy.
While April 2016 saw the closure of the last shop in the village of Ballyduff, May 1995 brought a report of the sale of a ‘property with great potential’ in the village, that of Jackson’s Shop. For sale through Fermoy-based auctioneer Paul O’Driscoll, the property included ‘a fine ground floor shop, basement and spacious living accommodation, featuring a living room, kitchen, three bedrooms and bathroom’. The asking price was ‘in the mid sixties’.
Finally, ‘Almost Millionaires’ read the photo caption in May 1995, as the Festival of the Galtees committee in Mitchelstown matched 5 number in the National Lottery – how much had they won? The amount was undisclosed!
