The headline read ‘Shell shocked’. A ‘freak of nature’ came to pass in Mitchelstown in January 1994, with Mitchelstown man Martin Roche visiting The Avondhu office with ‘a huge’ egg which he found when collecting from his hens one morning. Having kept hens since he was a young boy ‘for the odd breakfast treat’, when The Avondhu performed the official measuring with the tools of the trade (string and a ruler), the egg was found to measure 3.5” high, diameter 2.5”, with a circumference of 8” - the proverbial whopper! However, this was one egg which was set to last, with Martin hoping to somehow preserve the egg, ‘by either blowing it and keeping the shell or boiling it’.

A second arson attack in the space of 6 months on Fermoy’s Christ Church had the town in shock, with much support being expressed for the Church of Ireland community. Having gained access via a stained glass window, which was smashed in the process, vandals gained entry and made ‘some fires around the altar’. This was destroyed, along with Holy Communion linen, carpet and several beautiful stone tiles, while the Communion rail was also vandalised. It was nothing short of ‘miraculous’ that the whole church didn’t go up (in fire). Rev John Haworth told The Avondhu of his upset, hoping the incident was “just a case of vandalism and nothing more sinister”. The weekly meeting of the local UDC condemned the events. Gardai were investigating, with forensic tests being sent to Dublin for analysis.

The village of Watergrasshill was experiencing water problems, so much so that it was feared any new industry wishing to locate there ‘might be at an immediate disadvantage’. The issue was raised at a local authority meeting, where Cllr Carey Joyce (FF) called for an increase in supply for general domestic and industrial purposes. The crux of the problem, as outlined by deputy county engineer, Michael O’Brien, was the level of the reservoir, with the village suffering from a similar problem to Strawhall, Fermoy due to the high level of the houses. Augmenting the supply was estimated to cost £60,000, it was promised that the council would ‘seek active talks with any prospective industry with a view to overcoming the problem’.

A labrador dog had a lucky escape, being rescued from a slurry holding tank on a Ballindangan farm, owned by Pat O’Keeffe. Having somehow crawled about 15ft under a concrete covering apron, Mr O’Keeffe came across the animal having heard whining. Calling for assistance from inspector Ted O’Connor, the family were preparing to get out heavy machinery to make an escape hole in the concrete, however once the machinery was started up, the noise prompted the animal to make her own way to safety. Her name? - ‘Lucky’ of course.

A ‘Concerned reader’ expressed their dismay through the ‘Letters To The Editor’ page of the acts of vandalism, being reported weekly. Such work was down to ‘morons in our midst’, with the writer claiming there was several reasons for such individuals in society, including: being ‘developed through bad breeding’; and having a ‘permissive society, where everyone has what is called human rights, but no duties or responsibilities’. Stating the need for ‘a kick up the posterior’ for such individuals, the writer was ‘living in the hope of a more law abiding Fermoy’, stating that ‘for evil to triumph, it is only necessary for good men to do nothing’.

Fermoy Garda Tom Ryan was being hailed a local hero, having single-handedly detained three Dublin men, who were suspected of carrying out robberies at two jewellers in the town. Having arrested 2 men in the get-away vehicle on Ashe Quay, Garda Ryan eventually caught up with the third individual in a licensed premises. Jewellery to the value of £7,000 was recovered - two of the men were later charged and then released, while a file on another was to be sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions.

In brief - The contract for the proposed refurbishment works of Fermoy Swimming Pool were signed, with PJ Hegarty & Sons, Cork as contractor; a State grant of £927,000 had been committed to the project, with a further £100,000 coming from a local community contribution. A single storey semi-detached cottage in Ballinamona, Glanworth situated on circa 0.25 acres, in need of repair, was on offer for £11,000 o.n.o.

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