Preparations for the Millennium were gathering a pace with strong support for a fireworks display in Mitchelstown.
Community council chairwoman Joan O’Sullivan, said that there was a lot of goodwill and local sponsorship towards the the event for New Year’s Day.
The town was putting the final touches on their plans to celebrate the new century. The event was designed so that it would afford families the opportunity to socialise and celebrate together, especially in the newly refurbished New Market Square.
Mrs O’Sullivan thanked the hard working committee for their work and to the people who provided funding.
As celebrations and joy was looming for Christmas and New Year’s Eve in Fermoy, traders were said to be ‘fuming’ over the roadworks that caused the streets of the area to be clogged up.
Members of Fermoy Business Association (FBA) were angered at the work being carried out on the routes in the town.
Michael Hanley, chairman of FBA, lashed out at the situation and declared that the council work was causing significant disruption to the area.
“We were promised that all roadworks would be completed for December 8. It’s now well past that date and it’s chaos around town as a result,” he said.
Joe Coughlan, proprietor of Fermoy Cycles and Nursery Shop on Clarke Street, was particularly unhappy as the road out side his shop was being dug up by workers with no end in sight.
“Nobody consulted me about these works and at this time of year it’s crazy. My customers have to be able to drive up to the shop door because I sell bikes, prams and bottled gas.
“They’re not things you can carry down the street. Moreover, it is safe to assume, that there are people who came along, looked up the street and presumed I was closed,” Mr Coughlan explained.
Local engineer Flan Groarke told The Avondhu that Clarke Street hadn’t been originally included in the scheme but that the contractor working on the nearby Cork Marts premises car park, was prepared to resurface Clarkes Street for a competitive price.
“We understand Mr Coughlan’s irritation but it was a way of maximising our output and getting a job done that needed doing. It was just coincidence that it happened this time of year,” Mr Groarke said.
The Christian Brothers monastery in Lismore was sold to Waterford County Council for an undisclosed sum. It was planned to turn the building into council offices with a base for library staff and other officials.
The monastery was said to be in good condition and development was set to begin in 2000.
Gardai on an anti drink driving blitz had arrested a number of people as they led a campaign against motorists in the lead up to Christmas.
A spokesman said that considerable garda resources were being used and said that a large number of prosecutions were expected.
Some of the issues observed by the guards was people not wearing seatbelts.
“If you’re going out, take a taxi. There are plenty of hackney and taxis operating in both the Mitchelstown and Fermoy area. Better safe than sorry,” a spokesman said.
There was also a garda warning of forged notes in circulation by criminals in the lead up to Christmas. There were also warnings of being careful when one accepted cash and credit card payments from people not from the area.
The warning came following recent scams in North Cork involving fake cash. “It is important that shopkeepers make their staff aware of the difference between a real note and a fake.
“There is a special feel to real currency which in itself is distinctive. On most of the forged notes there is also a continuous line of silver drawn with a marker,” Crime Prevention officer John Kelly told The Avondhu.
The village of Ballyporeen was taking a different perspective on Christmas trees and lighting – instead of a tree they opted to floodlight the Parochial Hall for the festive season. The floodlights would be switched on at Christmas Eve.
In sport there was a quiet week as AGMs and social events took centre stage. Glanworth United Soccer Club had two victories as they beat Newmarket Town 2-1 and the Glanworth A side went to Mitchelstown to take on Park Albion who they beat 4-2.
