Fermoy was gearing up for the ‘real’ World Cup, with the local soccer club and Fermoy Business Association working in tandem to bring the Mars Mini World Cup ’94 to the town. Sixteen teams in total, including those from neighbouring villages, would participate, with Araglin having the honour of representing the ‘Irish’ team. Declan Daly and Damien Richardson of Cork City FC would officially open the festival, with all participating teams marching from the courthouse to the town park. The town was set to be a colourful spectacle for the month-long tournament, with businesses and residents playing their part and dressing their premises in the various teams’ colours.

O’Farrell’s pub in Ballyporeen received a surprise phone call, when the former president of the United States, Ronald Reagan, ‘got on the blower’ to wish everyone well, 10 years to the day after he visited the South Tipperary village, the home of his ancestors. Publicans, John and Mary O’Farrell were delighted with the call from the 83 year old, who sent greetings to the whole community.

The voters had their say in Lismore and Fermoy – the Town Commissioners elections in the West Waterford town saw ‘a record breaking performance’ by Davy Whelan (FG), who received a poll topping 146 first preference votes, some 60 votes ahead of his nearest rival, as 15 candidates battled it out for 9 seats. Mary Fenton Morrissey (Ind), along with Owen Madden (FG), Dick Canning (Ind), John Heneghan (FG) and Pat Dowd (FF) captured notable first preference votes. While in Fermoy, Michael Hanley received ‘a massive vote of approval’, with the Independent councillor topping the poll with 514 first preference votes (some 22% of votes cast). Here, 16 candidates were vying for 9 seats - John Murphy (FF) and Aileen Pyne (FG) were also elected on the first count, closely followed by John Hussey (FF) and John Dunlea (FF). Outgoing vice-chairman, Tadhg O’Donovan’s ‘poor showing, shocked even his greatest opponents’, with 72 first preference votes, failing to be elected.

The community of Castlelyons rallied around one of their own, following a fire at the home of the Shanahan family in the village. The blaze started in the upstairs bedroom around midday, thankfully neither Mrs Phil Shanahan, or any of her three children, who were in the house at the time, were injured. At a specially convened meeting in the community centre, a disaster fund was set up, with donations encouraged.

‘Poachers on the loose’ – it appeared teams of poachers were operating in the Ballyduff and Fermoy areas, caused by ‘a good run of salmon’. It was understood some were from the north side of Cork city, with groups being spotted on the Careysville section. Gardai had been notified.

The book Aghern My Home When A Boy was launched to much fanfare, with the Castlelyons Pipe Band leading a tractor and horse and trap, occupied by Adi Roche of the Chernobyl Children’s Project and Patrick N Sullivan, prior to the event. Published as a fundraiser for the Chernobyl project, the book of short stories and poems by James Newton, was compiled by local man Patrick N Sullivan. A huge attendance made their way to The Big Tree for a full night’s entertainment following the launch.

A public meeting in Kilworth would discuss the steps to be taken to get a pitch & putt club up and running - with 13 greens, laid in the autumn of 1993, the course was now ready to be opened.

White City, in their first year in the North Cork Soccer League, captured both the league and league cup. Ballindangan were defeated in the league final at Curraghagalla, with a glancing header from Benny Hoare securing victory. While in the league cup final, the same opposition were once again defeated, following goals from Benny Hoare and a Pat Magnier penalty. Panel: B McCarthy, Mce O’Driscoll, J McGuire, M McCarthy, E Hoare, M Heaphy, N McCarthy, N Hoare, P Magnier (capt), J McCarthy, B Hoare, D Tobin, A Murphy, T McCarthy, F McCarthy, A Murphy, Joe O’Sullivan.

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