A reported ‘free for all’, involving players from both Fermoy and Glanworth, saw the North Cork junior B football clash, played in Kilworth, ‘end in disarray’, with the referee abandoning the game as the final whistle approached. A closely fought, exciting match, Glanworth led by a solitary point when two opposing players were ‘involved in a scuffle’. As further players came to their team mates’ aid, ‘all hell broke loose’, with the referee reported to have failed to get a grip on proceedings prior to this, as several ‘over the top tackles’ were made. One Fermoy player was reported to have sustained a broken nose. Both teams awaited the decision of the North Cork GAA Board to determine if they would be allowed continue in the championship.
A break in which occurred at a retail premises in Upper Cork Street, Mitchelstown in August 1996 resulted in a dog being viciously assaulted. The 4 men believed to have been involved in the incident ‘assaulted the owners dog, hitting it with a brick over the head, before dragging it away from the scene and tying it to a post’ – they then entered the premises. However, believed to have been ‘frightened away by the presence of the owners upstairs, they fled empty-handed. Thankfully, the dog, although receiving significant injuries, recovered from the incident. Gardai were following a definite line of enquiry.
There was ‘an obvious and very urgent need for extra beds in St Patrick’s Hospital, Fermoy’, something which needed to be addressed ‘without delay in order to prevent the worsening of an already alarming situation’, according to Senator Joe Sherlock. Speaking to The Avondhu in August 1996, Mr Sherlock outlined examples of elderly people being admitted to the hospital under the Respite Care Programme (short term hospital stay), when it was ‘obvious that these patients were in need of more long term attention’. A shortage of long term beds was the single most pressing problem facing the hospital, according to the senator, who also made reference to the ‘reduction in the number of elderly persons residing in St Francis Welfare Home’ (falling from 40 to 26), which was ‘a further cause for alarm’. The senator believed the ‘long term objective of the policy makers’ was to close the home, as he called for ‘proper care of the elderly’.
A candidate for the position of litter warden to the town of Fermoy had been selected by the local urban council. Expected to take up the position in September 1996 on a trial 6 months basis, certain powers, such as summoning those littering the town, would be given to the warden ‘in order to give teeth to the position’.
Some items for sale in The Avondhu classifieds section from August 1996 included – a Yamaha motorcycle as new, windshield, shopping basket and carrier, 49cc, £450; ‘a violen and two extractor fans’; a baby’s Moses Basket with all the trimmings; a .22 rifle (Kreaco) with scope, in perfect condition; a complete lemon bathroom suite with splash back and bath panel.
The search was on in Fermoy for volunteers to partake in a folk musical, entitled ‘A New Tomorrow’, penned by singer/songwriter Oran O’Reilly, son of well known composer Brian O’Reilly. Aiming to provide ‘a good night’s theatre, while creating a greater awareness of some of the environmental issues facing our community’, the musical was set ‘a few years into the future’, telling the story of Danny, ‘a young man who takes on a corrupt government whose nuclear power and defence policies are causing havoc’. Perhaps it was some premonition by Oran to the year 2017 and the ongoing threats between Kim Jong-un and Donald Trump..
Ballysaggart footballers were aiming to create history, as they prepared to take on Ballinacourty in the Waterford junior B county final in Cappoquin, in August 1996. Trained by John Frewwn, the feat was all the more remarkable given the fact that it was the first time in 5 years that the parish had fielded a football team. It may have been reported as a ‘surprise to many’, as well as to the players themselves, but the parish were preparing to claim their first county football title of the century, having secured their one and only county title in the code, as far back as 1885.
