Businesses were up in arms over increased water charges, with invoices increased in early July 2005 as part of the Government Water Services Pricing Policy.
Some businesses reported increased of 50% upwards, while The Avondhu learned that local businesses received no notification of the hefty increases.
Joe Sherlock announced that he didn’t intend going forward to contest the next general election, following 28 years of political life. The TD was first elected to Mallow Town Council in 1967, before progressing to Cork County Council in the 1974 local elections, and was first elected to the Dáil in 1981.
Jim Hyland’s Bookshop in Mitchelstown was set to celebrate in true Hogwarts style, in anticipation of the launch of the sixth Harry Potter book, with the shop door to open a minute past midnight on July 16 to ensure locals would be amongst the first to secure a copy of ‘Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince’.
Local communities expressed concerned that councillors were not heeding their wishes in relation to the draft Local Area Plans (LAPs), as The Avondhu heard from many communities and villages who feared too much amenity land was being rezoned for development. This concern pervaded from Bartlemy to Kilworth, to Rathcormac, Glenville, Watergrasshill, etc. A Watergrasshill local cited concerns that no land would be left in the village to develop parks and open spaces for children to play. While Kilworth Community Council wrote an official letter to Cork County Council outlining their concerns.
Gardaí advised those parking in wooded or scenic areas to ensure all property in their vehicles were concealed before heading out. The advice came as property was stolen from cars parked in areas popular among walkers during the fine weather.
A number of burglaries had taken place throughout the region, as it appeared a gang of burglars were carrying out raids locally over a number of weeks. Burglaries had taken place in Conna, Fermoy, Mitchelstown, Kildorrery and Castletownroche. Gardai were investigating the ‘strange burglary pattern’.
Members of the Blackwater Valley Group were coming together in an effort to appeal planning permission which was granted for the development of 11 ‘huge’ wind turbines at Barranafaddock, in an area between Ballyduff village and Araglin.
Joanne Fraher, of Galbally, cooked herself up top honours in Sodexho Ireland’s prestigious annual culinary competition, ‘Salon Culinaire’. The head chef of Millipore in Cork was awarded a Certificate of Merit in the ‘Decorative Piece’ category.
Glanworth locals were angered by the ‘clumsy’ and ‘botched’ clean-up of the old graveyard in the village. Confusion was expressed by those with relatives buried there, as the clean-up left half the graveyard in a reasonably tidy state, with the other half remaining completely overgrown.
A preservation order was placed on a ‘heritage roadway’ in Rathcormac, that ran from Quarter Lane crossing the Shanowen River and exiting on the N8 facing the Terramount Road. Rathcormac Heritage Society said the road may have been connected to the old Mass path bisecting the Lisnagar Estate. The group highlighted heritage sites in the village, such as the ‘green’ which was ‘obliterated’ when the school was previously built on the site, with the ‘four trees’ in the village now at risk of becoming an ‘endangered species’.
The region said farewell to Mitchelstown businessman, Ned Hanley, of Lower Cork Street, who sadly passed away. The former butcher was described as one of the region’s ‘oldest and noblest’ businessmen. Two years prior, Hanley’s Butchers had won the award for ‘best stand’ at the first Mitchelstown Good Food Festival.
There was entertainment aplenty across the region, and in mid-July for instance, one could catch Celtic Clan on a Friday night at Jackson’s Pub in Skeheenarinky, or an Elvis tribute ‘Emerald Elvis’ in Mac’s Bar, Fermoy. The Website Nite Club at Clongibbon House, Mitchelstown was running all weekend, while at SGI in Fermoy, a Manumission Foam Party was on the agenda.
In sport – Celebrations were afoot as Mitchelstown’s Park United AFC’s B team were double winners, and the A team league runners-up, with a victory social being hosted at the Kilcoran Lodge Hotel. Kilworth GAA’s U12 B hurling team were winners of the North Cork championships, defeating Ballygiblin at Castletownroche. Their U14 footballers also won their first North Cork League final, played against Kildorrery. Ballyduff Trout Fly Anglers proved a great competition – fishers descended on the Blackwater Lodge Hotel and Lindsay’s Bar for the fly fishing competition results, where Pat McCarthy was winner of the open competition, while the June 10th confined competition was won by Pat Flynn, and Martin Trussler won the June 17th confined competition.
