Described as one of Ireland’s most committed and dedicated Fenians, John Sarsfield Casey was remembered at a special ceremony marking the centenary of his death. Better known as ‘The Galtee Boy’, the native of Baldwin Street, Mitchelstown died at the age of 50. The event, organised by Mitchelstown Heritage Society, was attended ‘by a large representative cross section of the community’.
It was service as normal and a little more besides, for the proprietors and staff at The Rathcormac Inn, when a Saturday afternoon visit by a heavily pregnant woman saw the delivery of a baby boy at the ever-popular hostelry. En route to hospital in Cork while experiencing ‘stomach pains’, Pauline Morrison and her husband Willie decided to make a call for an ambulance at the Inn (not many mobile phones then remember!). Meanwhile, staff comforted Pauline – even offering a cup of tea – while waiting for the arrival of an ambulance, however the expectant mum could wait no longer and it was ‘all hands on deck’. Doctor Tom Carroll and Dr Charlie McCarthy arrived on scene, confirming all was well following the birth, with the relieved couple high in their praise for proprietors Jim and Sheila Lees and staff members Kate, Theresa and Margot. The new arrival, named Rory, weighed in at 8lbs 4oz.
‘Trains, buses and cars’ would ferry expectant supporters of St Colman’s College, Fermoy to Croke Park, Dublin for their date with St Kieran’s, Kilkenny in the All-Ireland colleges senior hurling final in late April 1996. The Fermoy college had secured the much-sought Croke Cup on one previous occasion, in 1977, when captained by John Lenihan, Newtownshandrum, while their opponents were no strangers to the final stages, aiming to secure their thirteenth title.
Sheila Ryan and Michael Shanahan, representing Tallow Credit Union and Tallow Local Enterprise Group respectively, were invited to address a European conference in Andalusia, Spain. The conference was organised by the ECCE, an alliance of organisations working to promote a socially and environmentally sustainable economy. The successes of the credit union and enterprise group had been ‘widely recognised in Ireland and England’, playing a central role in the local economy.
Gardai issued an update to The Avondhu regarding two car thefts which occurred in Castletownroche, stating the items stolen were ‘thought to be at the bottom of a river in Kilfinane’. Having successfully concluded both cases after interviewing ‘a person believed to have been responsible for a number of similar crimes in the area’, it was hoped Kilfinane Gardai could successfully retrieve the stole items – namely, a tool box, as well as a leather pouch and set of keys.
Following on some six weeks after the Lotto syndicate win in Rathcormac in 1996, a £1M ticket was confirmed as being sold at the Artane (Esso) Service Station at Cork Road, Fermoy. Speculation was rife, and it was known that the claimant was ‘a 60 year old married man with a family from North Cork’. The Avondhu visited the winning outlet, with station supervisor, Catherine Henchion saying she hadn’t the ‘faintest idea’ who the lucky person might be, as the winning ticket was sold on a busy Thursday afternoon. The speculation continued…
‘A treasure which must be restored’ was how Minister for State at the Department of An Taoiseach, Hugh Coveney TD, described the planned major restoration project for the 31 houses and Chapel at Kingston College, Mitchelstown in April 1996. Touring the College in the company of Cllr Paul Bradford and Cllr Conor O’Callaghan, along with a local group formed to spearhead the project, he confirmed his Ministerial support to the £3 million restoration project. The situation was described as being at ‘crisis point’ and deterioration of the buildings had placed a huge financial burden on the trustees, who had sought local help to save the College establishments, ‘some of which were uninhabitable’.
In brief – Brendan Mallon of O’Neill Crowley Terrace, Mitchelstown, was ordained a Deacon in St Patrick’s Cathedral, Thurles. A top Dublin job for Galbally native John Fitzgerald, being appointed to the prestigious post of Dublin City Manager, having held the position of county manager to Dublin South County Council. Lismore’s outstanding young amateur jockey, Ken Whelan, received the Park Hotel, Dungarvan Sports Star of the Month Award for March 1996. Kilworth were crowned North Cork U21 A football champions for the first time, defeating the might of Mitchelstown 1-08 to 0-4 in Fermoy.
