A remarkable 109 years young, Fermoy’s Ciss Geaney was revelling in the limelight, receiving many letters and cards of congratulations as Ireland’s oldest citizen, her birthday falling on January 2nd. Staff at St Patrick’s Hospital, Fermoy, where Ciss resided, celebrated with her to mark the occasion.
The theft of a delivery van from outside a shop in Kildorrery and its subsequent pursuit, led to ‘rampant’ speculation, with a connection being made to possible Provisional IRA involvement. Some daily newspapers publicised the incident at the time, which occurred on New Year’s Eve 1994.
The Fiat Iveco van was stolen during a delivery in the village, with the delivery driver and a local shop owner giving chase out the Limerick road. The stolen van came to a halt, with the perpetrator jumping out and ‘clambering’ into another car which was also following.
However, the locals in pursuit noted the number plate of this car – according to newspapers who reported on the incident, ‘it allegedly belonged to a well known member of the Provisional IRA who lived in Tipperary’. Gardai were following a definite line of enquiry.
A mountaineering fatality stunned the community of Doneraile, when two days before Christmas 1994, 38 year old Philip Ward, from Oliver Plunkett Place, died after falling 150 feet while climbing in the Black Valley in County Kerry. A keen mountaineer, he was accompanied by neighbour Kevin Hallahan, who raised the alarm. Mr Ward’s alsatian dog also died in the incident.
Bessie McCarthy from Woodview, Ballyhooly had more reasons than most to celebrate the New Year, when her appearance on the National Lottery’s Spin The Wheel TV show, saw her collect a cool £7,000. She was best known for her years of service with the ICA and her work for both the Multiple Sclerosis branch and the Lourdes pilgrimage group.
Fundraising had commenced for the re-roofing of St Martin’s Church in Kilworth. The 200 year old building, which was listed for protection under the county plan, had an initial estimated costing of £40,000 placed on the works. However, should natural slate be necessary for the roofing, the costs were likely to increase significantly.
Fermoy UDC councillor, John Murphy, was about to raise his concerns to Cork County Council’s Northern Division, regarding the deterioration of Glanworth mill and castle, largely as a result of ‘neglect and a spate of vandalism’. Having been involved in renovations at the site with FAS a number of years previous, Cllr Murphy was looking for ‘decisive action’ to be taken to secure the facility’s future. He was also suggesting that ‘the local community council and other interested parties get together with the local authority and hammer out a plan’. Feeling that the village had the potential to capitalise on tourism, he would be suggesting a turbine be added to the mill wheel, thus helping to drive a generator to help floodlight the castle. He also felt the facility should not be left idle for much longer and should be leased to prevent further deterioration.
In brief – Eileen O’Dwyer from College Road, Fermoy, well known in the area for her work in the Third World with Concern, left for an 18 month stint in Mozambique with Trocaire. A past pupil of Loreto Secondary School and a qualified civil engineer, Eileen had previously served in Bangladesh, Cambodia and Mozambique, during the civil war. Newly appointed Minister for the Marine, Hugh Coveney was set to be guest speaker at the AGM of Fermoy District Fine Gael, to be held in early January 1995.
A ‘mystery tour’ planned by Glanworth Soccer Club saw members and supporters end up in Millstreet, ‘much to the delight of the Bush Bar on the main street’. The idea of the trip was to play a league match against the local side, however it was reported that ‘nobody complained that it had been called off’! With a good crowd of supporters and a full team present, ‘they were very slow to settle in the first half of the day, but after a good talk from Olly, soon got into their stride and finished with a flurry in Castletownroche’! Ole ole ole ole ….
