Front page news 21 years ago included a report that 300 people made their way to a public meeting at Kilcoran Lodge to protest against a new quarry at Knockane, Ballylooby. Chairing the meeting, David Power made a special call on local representatives to vote against the planning, which contravened the development plan at that time. The unanimous and resounding cry was ‘Our Valley won’t be reduced to the silence of the lambs’.
In Fermoy, an elderly woman was arrested for shoplifting offences throughout Munster. Apparently she had been under Garda surveillance ‘for some time’ when she was apprehended with a number of electrical items in the town. Gardaí urged people to be vigilant ‘even if people looked perfectly respectable’.
There was a sigh of relief in the locality as a flock of sheep in Watergrasshill got the all-clear after a Foot and Mouth Disease scare, the risk of which appeared to be abating.
In Kilworth, locals mourned the passing of teenager Gordon Kenny. The young man had been the victim of a tragic accident in the area. In Mitchelstown, another young man, 24 year old Christy Carey passed away after an illness, with the well-known cab driver remembered for ‘his gentle manner’.
St Colman’s College were due to contest an All-Ireland Harty Cup final in Croke Park, facing Connacht champions Gort College. In other college related matters, Fr Donal Roberts, based in the school, celebrated his silver jubilee and was pictured cutting the cake alongside his mother, Mrs Myra Roberts of Mallow.
Local ladies were victorious at the 32nd Ringaskiddy Youth Festival, with Rathcormac talents Sally O’Leary and Michelle Boyce bringing home gold and silver respectively in U13 Storytelling. Mitchelstown’s Rachel Cole claimed silver in the Solo Piano category.
At a meeting of local councillors, Cllr Kevin O’Keeffe proposed that a new estate in Castletownroche be named after the late Lieutenant James O’Callaghan, who was killed in 1922 during the fight for independence. Lt. O’Callaghan had been a comrade of Cllr O’Keeffe’s grandfather. Cllr Frank O’Flynn objected, causing ‘confusion’ – the matter was deferred.
There were no casualties after a truck jackknifed across the road on the M8 outside Kilbehenny and crashed into an oncoming vehicle, while in Lismore, Gardaí made appeals after a pick-up truck was burnt out in the town. Elsewhere, in Waterford, the vacant Flair Plastic factory was the scene of vandalism where doors and lights were broken, and carpets and offices ‘destroyed’.
The Sisters of the Carmelite Monastery in Tallow welcomed their youngest member to the order in Clare Howard of Kilworth. Ms Howard chose Sister Ann Francis of Jesus as her name in religion. Another Kilworth lady, Sheila Flynn spearheaded a fundraising campaign of £4,000. The cheque was presented to Bishop John Magee, who promised the money to Trocaire, allowing them ‘to buy the freedom of 20 slaves’.
Fermoy fireman Liam Lacey undertook a challenge to climb Mt Kilimanjaro as part of a 32-strong Irish contingent who would spend 12 days tackling the peak in aid of Refugee Trust.
In Araglin, Michael Fitzgerald was honoured upon his retirement as creamery manager after 27 years service at a shindig in O’Mahony’s Bar. He was to move to the newly opened McDonnell Bros hardware shop in Coolagown.
A large advertisement invited the public to an exhibition of Spanish properties in The Firgrove Hotel, Mitchelstown. For just over £49,000, buyers were promised a two-bedroom duplex apartment with a roof terrace or garden. Another ad elsewhere in the paper sought a house-swap with a family in London for two weeks.
In entertainment, Isla Grant was coming to The Village Arts Centre, Kilworth; Trudi Lalor played the Cahir House Hotel and Philomena Begley visited Kades Kounty in Glenville. Joe Dolan was due at The Firgrove Hotel, while Willie Andies hosted ‘The Ultimate Tribute to Robbie Wiliams’.
Mac’s Bar, Fermoy was to play host to 1997 World Snooker champion Ken Doherty, where he would play local opposition from Fermoy CYMS.
There was bit of a menagerie in the Classifieds section, as amongst the weekly offerings in May 2001 were goslings, a drake, sheepdog pups, along with hotel bedroom doors. There were no fewer than 19 houses, flats and rooms for rent advertised in the area, while a 1987 3.3 litre Nissan Patrol was yours for £1,850.
In sport, the Imokilly U16 A boys hurlers defeated Mid Clare to clinch the title, captained by Sean O’Callaghan, while Ballyporeen comprehensively defeated Clonakenny 4-18 to 2-5 in Boherlahan in the County U21 football championship final decider. The team was captained by Pakie Ryan and John O’Gorman received the ‘Man of the Match’ trophy.
