Management at BUPA Ireland’s Fermoy headquarters were anxiously awaiting news from Minister for Health, Mary Harney, as to whether BUPA should pay a ‘risk equalisation’ fee to health insurer, VHI. For BUPA, the decision could mean ‘an end’ to the company should they have to pay fees. The health insurer eventually withdrew from the Irish market the following year, in December 2006, impacting over 300 employees, mainly in Fermoy.
Members of Brideview Drama Group were pictured on the front page of The Avondhu in April 2005 sporting several pieces of silverware, having claimed victory in the All-Ireland confined drama finals in Siamsa Tíre, Tralee. Director, Jack Aherne, was pictured with cast members of ‘Moonshine’, Jenny Fennessy, James Lenane, Sean Tobin, Eddie Kelly, Vanessa Hyde and George Peet.
Plans for a multi-million euro 100-bed hotel and housing development in Fermoy were put on hold, pending a motion to be tabled at a meeting of Fermoy Town Council, which would allow councillors to vote on a material contravention to change the land use of the proposed hotel site from recreational to residential/leisure. Under the town plan in 2005, the land was identified as green belt, with the development proposed for the site of John McCarthy’s former residence by the Blackwater River. As well as the 100-bed hotel, 64 three-bed townhouses, seven detached houses and two apartments were sought on the 14-acre site.
Major proposals in Mitchelstown were fairing no better as a ‘For Sale’ sign was erected on the proposed site of a €40 million hotel and retail development. It was understood that the developers, Irish and European Properties, were having difficulties obtaining planning permission. Proposals had been put forward for an 80-bedroom hotel, including two retail units on the ground floor, two car showrooms, a filling station, retail unit and restaurant, as well as a builders providers building, along with 29 industrial units and a car park.
Also in Mitchelstown, it was reported that the site of the old convent building had been sold. Local Sinn Féin man, Timmy (Rancher) White expressed his outrage, as he had been calling for years to see public money used to buy the building for community use.
Pressure was put on Cork County Council and local groups in Mitchelstown, as news broke of funding being made available to the North Cork Division for the provision of a playground, however, a location had not been identified. The Avondhu had previously reported that Mitchelstown Community Council were seeking a suitable site to develop such a facility.
Ballyduff’s Geraldine Canning was appointed principal of St Fanahan’s College in Mitchelstown. Ms Canning took up the role following 15 years of teaching at Coláiste an Chraoibhín in Fermoy. Having been at St Fanahan’s in an acting position for almost a year, Ms Canning was already very familiar with the staff, students and runnings of the secondary school.
A protest was mounted in the Cloonlough area of Mitchelstown, regarding the relocation of a number of Traveller families on the Fermoy Road. The protest came in response to the development of the bypass, and the lack of information regarding the relocation of the ‘unofficial halting site’ to a site some 200 metres to the south, to facilitate construction of what was then termed ‘the western relief road’.
Bartlemy jockey, Gareth Cotter, won the biggest race of his career to date, at Sandown on Jack High in the Betfred Gold Cup Handicap Chase. The 6/1 winner came in by just over one length.
Gardaí were seeking witnesses to a vicious assault over the weekend in Mitchelstown, which saw a man taken to hospital after he was attacked and badly injured, suffering bruised ribs and bruising to other areas of his body. The attack occurred at Mulberry near Tesco.
Congratulations were in order to the all-singing, all-dancing and Irish-speaking pupils of Presentation Primary School in Doneraile, who won the Ceol Drama section of the All-Ireland Féile Dramaiochta competition, held in Mullingar.
Blackwater Community School took the win in the Solo Cup Munster Colleges U15 Hurling final, 2-9 to 1-9 against John The Baptist Community College in Hospital. The scoring exploits of Maurice Shanahan were praised for securing the cup for the Lismore school, with the match being played in Kilworth.
West Waterford were on a high, as the U16 footballers at Ballyduff GAA overcame Ardmore in the Western final at Cappoquin, on a scoreline of 6-6 to 7-7.
The East Cork U21 football championship saw Glanmire take the win against Glenville, with the game played in Lisgoold – the final score was 1-10 to 0-10.
