In August 2005, the community of Castletownroche rallied behind a local family whose home on Main Street was extensively damaged by fire. The fire occurred at around 3am when a chip pan caught fire in Lenihan’s household in Hunters Park. Five members of the family were in the house at the time, thankfully no serious injuries were reported.
The people of Kilworth were advised by councillors Frank O’Flynn and Aileen Pyne, to solve their problems locally with regard to controversy surrounding a three-acre site to the rear of the senior national school, where the local soccer club planned to locate their new pitch. Issues regarding a right of way, school development versus soccer pitch development, and zoning were all raised. The meeting had to be transferred to the Village Arts Centre to hold the crowd of over 100 people that turned out.
Also in Kilworth, a special meeting was held to discuss the local area plans, which had proved contentious due to the boom in population. Some locals criticised proposed further zoning for housing, while community amenities and infrastructure lagged behind.
Rathcormac’s population boom was also proving contentious, as a letter to the editor claimed houses in the village had increased 6 fold in 3 years, yet no development of infrastructure, educational or community facilities was evident. The school, originally built for 30/40 pupils was now trying to accommodate 148, with 118 children being educated in five portacabins.
An action group was formed in Mitchelstown to create a forum for people who had grievances with Dairygold on a number of pension issues. The group claimed they were ripped off by Dairygold, in that, their pensions were not index-linked, contrary to their understanding that they should have been following negotiations back in 1986.
30 children with 30 All-Ireland medals had the Fermoy branch of Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann revelling after a successful weekend at the All-Ireland Fleadh Cheoil in Letterkenny, where they were presented with gold medals. On their return home, 25 cars took part in a victory parade in convoy through Fermoy and onto Kilworth in celebration.
Fermoy was on the up-and-up as the latest Irish Business Against Litter (IBAL) results in 2005 deemed the town the third most litter-free town in Ireland. The survey outlined that what brought the town’s scoring down was the bring site at Mill Island, but it was an otherwise impressive performance.
Cappoquin played host to a race consisting of 26 crews on the Blackwater River, in the town’s inaugural raft race, all in aid of the Community Day Care Centre.
Robberies continued across the region, as while two households were going about their daily business, their homes in Ballyduff and Ballynoe, were burgled in broad daylight. Thieves entered through rear windows and made off with significant amounts of jewellery.
One Mitchelstown local was distressed by the amount of cats that were ‘landed and dumped’ in his back garden. The James Street resident said he believed people were bringing cats out in their cars and deserting them in the street, before the cats were then straying into his yard.
Punters in Fermoy declared war on local bookies, over the requirement to pay tax of 3% on all bets laid. A group of local angry punters were rallying to campaign against the tax. While the tax existed in all bookies, it was claimed that other towns did not pass this on to their customers.
Araglen’s Julia Rice was honoured posthumously, with a vote of sympathy being passed at council, in tribute to her work in the community of Araglen, and especially her role in the annual carnival. She was a child of one of the founding fathers of Araglen Carnival and had inherited the gift of community spirit, talent and teamwork from her father, the late John Joe Rice.
Celebrations were afoot in Galbally as the Garden Fete got underway, opening with a photographic exhibition and presentations on the village down through the years, followed by the famed Garden Fete in the local GAA field.
The ESB was unsuccessful in two planning cases for telecommunications masts, both proposed for separate Fermoy sites, one in Carrignagroghera and another in the ESB premises on MacCurtain Street.
In sport, C grade finals got underway across the region, and Skeheenarinky U12s were quick off the mark to claim the South Tipperary title. Across the border in Cork, the Castletownroche U21 C hurlers claimed their first championship title in six years, defeating Killavullen 5-17 to 2-3.
Fermoy cyclists, David Chambers and Eoin McCarthy made the podium at the Irish Youth Cycling Championships, achieving 2nd and 3rd in an U12 event.
