‘The Local Vocals’ – comprising committee members of the Mitchelstown International Festival and friends – came together to produce a special compilation tape in November 1995, in the hope of clearing the outstanding debt from that year’s festival. Produced at Studio Fiona, Fermoy the tape titled ‘Remember Mitchelstown’, contained 5 tracks. Local ballad singer Sean Sheehan sang the title track, while Mick Treacy giving a ‘rousing’ rendition of ‘The Master Stag’. Other numbers included a traditional arrangement entitled ‘The Congress Reel’; ‘The Red And Black’ composed by Mike Cullen Aherne, ‘The Harmonica Man’ and Billy Finn singing ‘Mitchelstown’, a song to the air of ‘If We Only Had Old Ireland Over Here’.
A ‘Malicious Damage’ entry in the November 1995 Garda Report, noted that a plastic seat in the yard of St Joseph’s school, Fermoy was set on fire, after being doused with petrol. This ‘wanton damage and blackguarding’ was condemned, with Fermoy Gardai looking for the names of the culprits to ‘put the individuals on the hot seat’! Ouch…
The ‘sold out’ signs were on display outside Conna community hall, as Patrick N O’Sullivan staged his one-act play, ‘Seamus The Matchmaker’, for the first time. Under the direction of Stephanie O’Flynn, the play, set in 1879 in Aghern, contained references ‘to humorous incidents and characters’ from the locality in 1995. A capacity audience, supporting the production which celebrated 50 years of the Muintir hall in the community, saw ‘two leading thespians of the area’, Thomas Cotter and Assumpta Mangan, lead the wayon stage, along with Patrick N O’Sullivan (the street-wise civic guard), Mick Ryan (Mary Ellen), Michael Beecher (the Coachman) and Marian O’Keeffe (Kathleen, the dairy maid).
A major milestone for Mitchelstown Credit Union, with members’ savings reaching a total of £20 million – and all from humble beginnings, when back in March 1966, when the Credit Union opened for business, lodgements totalling £27-15-0 (£27.75 in 1995 currency terms) were taken. It then took another 14 years for the magic figure of £1 million to be reached and the champagne flowed in November 1995, as president of the board of directors, Maire Corbett toasted the institution’s success with fellow directors.
A meeting in the council chambers of Fermoy UDC, failed to adopt the proposed budget estimates for 1996. Assistant County Manager, Mr Deasy, stated that he found it a very difficult task to prepare the budget for the UDC ‘as the finances for the council were in such a bad state’, showing a very serious accumulated debit balance of over £330,000. However, Council chairperson Michael Hanley failed to get a proposer or a seconder for the adoption of the estimates; while also failing to get a proposer or a seconder regarding the proposed new water and refuse charges (£5 increase to £85 for water and minimum 10 pence for refuse), which were deemed necessary ‘for the phased defrayment of the accumulated deficit’.
A taste of the entertainment doing the rounds in the area in November 1995 – Ballyduff Drama Group’s production of ‘The Fires Of Mid-Summer’ was being staged in St Michael’s Hall; Keith Deller, international darts champion was throwing in The Sportsman’s Inn, Clondulane; Ned Duggan was entertaining at The Mountain Barracks; Sheila & Southern Pride were playing at The Rathcormac Inn for Bartlemy Badminton Club’s fundraising dance, while ‘darts for turkeys’ was under way in advance of Christmas at both Pat & Mary’s, Bridesbridge and Mac’s Bar, Fermoy.
Grange Fermoy AC athlete, Mary Sheehan played the captain’s role to perfection, when leading the Irish team to victory in the Home Countries Veterans International Cross Country championships in Malahide, Dublin in November 1995. Finishing 3rd overall, behind a Welsh and English athlete, she steered the team to a narrow 1 point victory in the team awards.
Lismore captured the Waterford junior football title, defeating Gaultier, to secure the club’s first football title in any grade for 84 years. Meanwhile, Glanworth ladies senior football team, captained by Fiona O’Driscoll, captured their seventh county title, beating Ilen Rovers of Skibbereen 2-10 to 1-7.
Finally, in brief – Fermoy Tea Rooms, under proprietor Sarah Granville, moved premises in November 1995, relocating from Ashe Quay to No 5 Patrick Street. The RTE series ‘Ear To the Ground’ featured Kilbarry stud owner, Dougie Lock and his partner Joy Arnold, who ran the B&B aspect of the business; programme presenter Steve Cullinane and film crew had visited the stud, highlighting Doug’s business of breeding piebald and skew bald horses.
