Proprietor of Alexander’s Bar in Fermoy, John ‘almost a legend’ O’Connor, came up with a novel way of dispensing ‘the black stuff’ - by the drop no less! The new ‘measure’ (pardon the pun) was introduced prior to the 1994 Budget, where it was anticipated there would be at least a 5 pence increase on the cost of a pint. So John, not unknown for his wit, got hold of a pint bottle of Guinness and attached it to a dispenser in the middle of the spirit’s rack - much to the delight of amused customers who expected an increase to the price of a jar to such an extent that they wouldn’t be able to afford ‘even a half pint glass’! Thankfully, there was only a 3 pence increase, so it was back to normal service..

Residents at the Uplands housing estate, located on the southside of Fermoy town, felt like ‘second class citizens’ due to the lack of action being taken to remedy the estate’s ongoing water problem. The Avondhu’s front page article reported that several locals had experienced ‘lengthy spells without water - unable to flush toilets, take baths or showers or light back boilers’. This, despite a town-wide petition in 1993 (containing 1,336 signatures), which was sent to Minister for the Environment, Michael Smith, calling for immediate sanctioning of stage 3 of the Fermoy water supply scheme. Low pressure was causing hardship for many families, with one resident telling The Avondhu that ‘since the leak busters came to town’ the situation ‘hadn’t improved’.

Ballyhooly GAA Club had just applied for planning permission for a major new development. Estimated to cost in the region of £30,000, the project would complement existing facilities in place at the community sportsfield and would involve the building of a new complex, including four dressing rooms, showers, toilet facilities, referee’s room, etc - it was hoped to raise 50% of the capital from a special club draw.

A ‘blueprint’ to help chart Mitchelstown’s future was made public at a meeting in The Firgrove Hotel, which was chaired by Carmel Fox of Ballyhoura Failte. Before a packed audience of local interest groups, the ‘census type document’ gave comprehensive information on a hinterland encompassing a 5 mile radius of the town. Such detail included population breakdown, education profile, work skills, unemployment data, etc - while it showed there were many skilled available employees in the locality, it also highlighted that ‘80% of those people going no further than primary school remained out of work’. Cllr Conor O’Callaghan, a member of Mitchelstown Development Company, welcomed the comprehensive statistical blueprint, which he said would be of ‘great value in the years ahead’.

On the advice of his local priest, a Glenville man who was living in dire conditions made his situation public through the pages of The Avondhu. Bachelor Tim Collins, who was living in a rundown caravan about 1.5 miles from the local creamery, had received many broken promises from TDs and county councillors to help him with his plight, with no electricity running to his caravan. With leaks and dampness a major problem, Tim’s only source of heating was from a gas heater, with it being a regular occurrence that he would wake in the night time due to the cold. There was a glimmer of hope however, as he was awaiting delivery of a mobile home, which was to come from Kilkenny.

In brief - A veteran of 24 marathons, 60 year old Tony Coughlan from Emmet Street, Fermoy was in training for the 1994 Boston Marathon, in aid of Cerebral Palsy Ireland. Glenroe man Edmund O’Sullivan, an employee of Dairygold, Galtee Meats, Cahir Hill in Mitchelstown, was preparing to travel to Dublin to participate in the National Lottery’s Winning Streak game show, top prize being £250,000. In Mitchelstown, the taxpayer was picking up a bill for approximately £1,000, as a result of repairs necessary to public roadside lighting which was vandalised at Chapel Hill. Watergrasshill got a boost with news that Hyperion, a company focussing on ‘alternative energy, bio-mass, etc’ and owned by Glenville man Dr Sean McCarthy, was moving its operation from North Mall, Cork to the ex-Concrete Products Ireland factory on the Midleton road.

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