Aston Villa and Republic of Ireland soccer star, Paul McGrath, was announced as the guest speaker for the 1996 Fermoy Area Community and Sports Awards. The coup by the organising committee, was expected to bring its ‘fair share of headaches’, with demand for tickets anticipated to be brisk. It was expected that a special reception would be held for the soccer star on the afternoon in question, prior to the awards ceremony.
One of the most sought after personalities in the country in 1996, Ireland international soccer manager Mick McCarthy, was confirmed for a visit to Tallow as part of the People In Need fundraiser. It was rumoured his visit on April 26th would include his father Charlie, who had not visited his home place for some time.
An emergency meeting of the Mitchelstown Business Association (MBA) was called at the Castle Park Hotel in the town, to discuss the revised County Development Plan and its implications for the town. Members of the business community expressed ‘great disappointment at a number of the recommendations’ in the plan, which if implemented, they claimed, would ‘have a grave impact on the town’. Much discussion centred on proposals for the Mitchelstown Bypass, with the original western bypass the preferred option locally, however ‘much anger was vented’ over an alternative eastern route which the council had not yet ruled out. Other elements of the plan discussed were proposals for parking in the town, the Mitchelstown-Mallow road, the development of industrial sites in the town, as well as a perceived ‘neglect of the future development of the town in favour of towns like Fermoy’.
With staff and pupils of Gaelscoil de hÍde, Fermoy having only moved into their new school near the Dun Eala housing estate in Fermoy in February 2017, back in 1996 the Minister for Education was being asked for his assistance in finalising the transfer of the Old Vocational School from the ownership of County Cork VEC, to the Department of Education, to ensure a permanent premises for the Gaelscoil. The Minister was questioned on the matter by Deputies Paul Bradford and Ned O’Keeffe, who asked that the matter be finalised without delay.
A youth from Tipperary Town suffered facial injuries after attending a disco in Mitchelstown in April 1996, having ‘been beaten by another man’. Gardai were investigating – the man received five stitches to a facial wound and suffered a black eye.
Fermoy Hospital’s ‘oldest and most famous patient’, Ciss Geaney, passed away on Good Friday 1996, aged 110. Having first entered the hospital in 1982, she endeared herself to staff and fellow patients. It was reported that Ciss had made all the funeral arrangements herself, with Fr Leahy saying the funeral Mass, with buried taking place at Castlehyde Cemetery in a family plot.
Gardai were investigating a hit and run incident in Glanworth on Easter Sunday night 1996, when a car travelling through the village knocked down a youth who was crossing the street. A witness had the presence of mind to take the registration plate of the vehicle involved, which when relayed to Gardai, resulted in a suspect being apprehended. Thankfully, the youth was not seriously injured.
A number of new premises opened in Fermoy in early 1996. Jim Collins, family butcher, opened at 52 Patrick Street, Fermoy, next door to Joe Gubbins’ grocery shop. Hailing from Dublin, Jim decided to establish his practice in the ‘bustling’ town of Fermoy, with John Finn from Mitchelstown supplying his meat. Meanwhile, on Kent Street, Little Rascals opened their doors, specialising in children’s clothing – proprietor was Catherine Collins, with the shop being run by Audrey Pyne.
A substantial number of items stolen from two cars in Castletownroche, were recovered by gardai after a suspect was apprehended and searched in Bruff, Co Limerick. The cars in question were parked on the Main Street when broken into – goods valued at several hundred pounds was stolen, including a Pioneer stereo and speakers as well as a substantial amount of golfing gear. Other property, also stolen from a house in the Shanballymore area, was recovered from the same suspect’s house.
Fermoy Choral Society were preparing to take to the stage in April 1996 with their production of ‘Seven Brides For Seven Brothers’. The leading roles of Milli and Adam Pontipee were being played by Amanda Morrison and Oliver McCarthy. Directed by David Gordon, musical director was Tom Barry with pianist Deirdre Foley.
