Minister Micheál Martin officially opened EMF (Irl) Ltd in Mitchelstown, an advance factory at Coolnanave which was expected to bring 33 new jobs to the area over 3 years – this number was expected to rise to 50 by 2009.
The company manufactured and marketed ‘technologically advanced equipment called Metal Organic Chemical Vapour Deposition (MOCVD) machines’ – whatever they were!
Controversy continued in Watergrasshill regarding a proposed land deal between Hollycourt Developments and the local GAA club. A vote was held at an EGM of the GAA on the proposed sale of club lands, namely the Felix Sarsfield Memorial Grounds, in exchange for 26 acres in Condonstown as well as ‘€250,000 and other benefits’. Subject to planning, the proposed new GAA development was understood to include four new playing pitches, dressing rooms, and an indoor hurling alley. The vote passed, but also saw a number of objections raised.
On the last day of the Araglen Carnival sporting rivalry was rife across the area, as the annual occasion coincided with the Cork v Waterford senior hurling championship quarter-final clash in Croke Park. The game finished on a scoreline of 1-18 to 1-13, with Cork taking the win.
A burglary in Ballyduff saw thieves get away with a Kawasaki garden strimmer worth €500. Gardaí were alerted to the crime when a burnt out car was reported in the area, which had been stolen from an Esso filling station in Youghal.
Volunteers were sought to run for the Abbie Gubbins Cardiac Memorial Fund in the women’s Mini Marathon in Cork city. 19 month old Abbie, daughter of Fermoy’s Padraig and Veronica Gubbins, sadly died in March during open heart surgery and her parents aimed to raise funds for the medical and research department at Crumlin hospital.
The ‘Blackwater Valley Heritage Trail – Stories from the River of Time’ was launched by Minister Michael Ahern TD in Buttevant. The trail brought visitors on a discovery of 22 heritage sites throughout the Blackwater Valley, from Blarney through Mallow and Fermoy and onto Lismore and Cappoquin.
Fermoy business proprietors and traders were angry and concerned by new water disposal charges being levied on commercial premises under the Government Water Services Changes. A special meeting held by Fermoy Business Association heard local business people term the new ‘water-out’ charges as ‘double taxation’.
Mitchelstown said farewell to The Newsbox, as proprietor Edwin Nolan and his daughter, Alison, turned the key on the door of his popular Lower Cork Street shop for the last time, after 16 long years.
Elsewhere in town, men’s clothing retailer, Mr Mister, opened a new store on Barry’s Corner, after setting up business in the town five and a half years prior, originally opening on Lower Cork Street.
Fermoy Tug-of-War Club were enjoying a run of successes and continued the trend as they hosted and won the national Division 2 Championships (720kg class). Held on the green adjacent to the Town Park, the local team faced Donoughmore in the final and beat them 2 pulls to 0. Paddy Ahern was the head coach at the time, and the team included Alan Duggan, Declan Kenneally, David O’Flynn, Peter O’Donoghue, Patrick Noonan, Connie Twomey, Arthur Needham, Seamie Curran, Timmy Ahern and John Rice.
A local man, home from England visiting his native Doneraile, expressed his distress to find the Awbeg River to be overgrown and dangerous. He claimed the river was ‘left go to waste’ and it was pictured overrun with weeds. Another local man agreed that the river was an ‘embarrassment’.
Fermoy Canine Club held their annual open show in St Colman’s College sports field. 10-year-old Ms Jade Spink, from Castlelyons, saw plenty of awards come her way, for her six month old Samoyed puppy, ‘Konda White Countess, who won the Pastoral group, along with Best Junior and Best Puppy in Show.
In brief – O’Sullivan’s Garage at Broomhill, Mitchelstown was targeted by thieves who stole an English registered Nissan Almera. Vandalism in Shanballymore was condemned after a bin at a bring site was set on fire – it was the third bin in Shanballymore to be vandalised in such a manner. A significant increase in residences in Rathcormac saw Cllr Kevin O’Keeffe call for an extension of hours at the local Garda station. 77 people from Ballylanders and neighbouring areas set out on a pilgrimage to Lourdes, organised by a group in Ballylanders who had spent the year fundraising to facilitate the trip.
In sport – Ballyporeen U14 B footballers secured the Tipperary county title after a hard fought final against Moyne/Templetouhy, with the final score standing at 4-7 to 3-7. Calls were issued to council to provide assistance to Fermoy Boxing Club, to locate a suitable site, to allow the club to develop their own facility.
