Four locals were among the Cork minor hurling panel, which overwhelmed traditional rivals, Kilkenny, 2-10 to 1-2, in the All-Ireland final at Croke Park on September 3rd, 1995. Kildorrery’s Austin Walsh at centre field and Timmy McCarthy, Castlelyons at centre forward played their part, the victory bridging a 10 year gap since the title last came to Cork. Also on the panel were Derek Slattery, Fermoy and Will O’Donoghue, Kilworth.
With multi-national giant Metlife having ceased operations at the Mill Island building in Fermoy, one former employee penned their’ode to Metlife’ in The Avondhu, stating ‘All is changed, utterly changed, a terrible beauty has died’. It stated that the employees who sported their ‘redundant – buy me a drink’ T-shirts in the Mart Bar gathering following closure needn’t have bothered, as the drink was free. Reminiscing on the coming and goings ‘of the Yanks, the Annette Kearneys, Kathy Burtons, Frank Verminskis and Liz Friesendas, to mention but a few’, the ‘Get Met it pays’ slogan didn’t fit any more. The ode concluded by stating ‘these employees are a great bunch and deserve to be reinstated in the Mill building’.
The offer by the Southern Health Board (SHB) to arrange GP services in the village of Killavullen on a five days a week basis, with a promise to monitor the situation over the next six months, was not met with satisfaction by the village’s residents, who claimed they would now take their case directly to the Minister for Health. Killavullen residents picketed the meeting held in Cork. Despite the strength of public appeals and the fact ‘that SHB members had voted in favour of the call by an overwhelming majority of 28 to 1, the Board turned down the request to replace the retired GMS village doctor’. Local curate Fr Timmie O’Connor spoke out passionately on the matter at Sunday Mass, likening the situation to what was meted out during the famine.
GAA finals fever was in the air throughout The Avondhu area in early September 1995. Watergrasshill junior hurlers were hoping to bridge a 21 year gap, up against Killeagh in the East Cork final, venue Rathcormac; Joe O’Riordan would captain the side. Meanwhile, on the banks of the Blackwater, Ballyhooly hurlers were preparing to cross camáns in Castletownroche with Ballyclough in the junior B championship final, having last won the title in 1992; the side was captained by Ger Roche. While Kilworth, contesting their fourth final in five years, would take on Charleville in the junior A hurling championship final, led by captain Noel O’Brien; venue Killavullen.
A special meeting of Fermoy UDC was convened to discuss ways of how to improve the image of the town and how best to solve existing litter problems being experienced. Included in the meeting were members of the Fermoy Image Improvement Group. A frank exchange of views was needed to put a stop to the ‘appalling mistreatment’ which the streets were suffering, according to Council chairman Michael Hanley, with some sectors of the community not seeming to take the image of the town that seriously. A recurring theme of the meeting was the need to look into the whole area of privatization of some or all of Fermoy’s refuse collection operation, with a view to cost savings being achieved. The meeting concluded with the proposal to set up an anti-litter action group, to run a general information litter awareness campaign in the schools, as well as the possible introduction of a litter warden.
An ‘astonishing’ building error had teachers at Killavullen National School ‘furious’, thus causing a delay in completing their new £34,000 long overdue extension to ease the school’s overcrowding. Hard to believe, but the window contractors installed the eight new PVC windows upside down! And to add insult to injury, the windows were 4 inches short and came in white, with brown being the frame colour ordered. Principal Nora Moroney termed it ‘unacceptable and frankly ridiculous’.
Bride Rovers U13 hurlers, following ‘a stiff talking to’ at half-time, captured the East Cork championship title, defeating Dungourney on a scoreline of 2-6 to 1-3. The Rovers were a point in arrears at the interval, however turned it around in the second moiety, Pat Cotter scoring their two goals. Team: P Hoskins, Barry Dorgan, Ml Carey, Pa O’Driscoll (capt), B O’Driscoll, C Collins, E Harrington, B Murphy, K Manley, B Johnson, C Hogan, D Brophy, P Cotter, D Fitzgerald, O Casey.
