The front page of The Avondhu this week 21 years ago carried a photo of the Galtee Meat Plant in Mitchelstown sealed off by Gardaí after a pig was discovered with mouth lesions. Vets from the Department of Agriculture confirmed that it was not Foot and Mouth disease after several tense hours of waiting.
In Watergrasshill the Kepak boning and packing plant was completely destroyed following a fire over one weekend in May 2001. The fire, fuelled by fat, beef carcasses, and gas from the large freezers, led to 50 foot flames. The 120 employees were taking a ‘wait and see’ approach regarding the continuation of their jobs.
There were multiple calls to The Avondhu to report noise, fighting, vandalism and public nuisance over what seemed a destructive weekend in May 2001. One group left broken glass and beer bottles in flowerbeds in New Square, while another caller deplored the vodka-lovers on Church Lane who left small empty bottles behind them. Separately, but on the same night, 30 people were involved in a fracas in the same area after celebrating a Communion. In Kingston College, fighting had brought down a wall and railings, with residents ‘fed up’ of removing used condoms after the area had become a popular spot for courting on weekend nights.
Doneraile was another place that fell victim to vandalism, after thieves stripped down and removed the stonework of two entrance piers to the town, as well as a five foot section of a wall. The unique steel gate that once hung at the location, the entrance to an old hunting lodge, had been stolen some years previous.
The removal of phone boxes from rural areas was deplored by Councillor Kevin O’Keeffe, who highlighted the effect on those with no phones in their home who relied on the phoneboxes in case of an emergency.
In Ballyhooly, Volunteer Liam Burke was remembered on the 80th anniversary of his death at the hands of British Auxillaries in 1921. Plans to re-inter the body of Patrick Meagher from Mountjoy in Dublin to Ballylanders were progressing, with the Republican to be afforded a state funeral in October.
Bookings were advertised for phase one of a new housing development in Brigown, Mitchelstown. Rockspring Developments advertised houses from £85,000, with a TSB Bank package offering the chance to ‘Own your own home from as little as £80 a week’.
A public exhibition of the N8 Rathcormac/Fermoy bypass led to ‘annoyance’, as Cork County Council and the NRA absented themselves and so, could not be questioned on the tolling issue.
A two-page centre page featured in The Avondhu, promoting the new central location for Emerald Cabs in Fermoy. The hackney service was four and a half years old, and had set up a new base in MacCurtain Street from Brian Boru Square. Also in the town, Hegarty Fabrics advertised a relocation sale, with all summer dress fabric down to £5/yd, and dress patterns to £2.
In Fermoy Library, the Quilt of Hope was hanging until the end of the month – the panels on the quilt focused on depictions that created awareness of AIDs and promoted public engagement with HIV and AIDs concerns.
Social events in May 2001 included a social night for the Kilbehenny Wrenboy Group in the Three Counties Bar, as the Knockane Quarry Action Group looked forward to a night in Kilcoran Lodge Hotel. Brendan Shine was washing oul’ lobbies in Kilworth’s Village Arts Centre, while My Fair Lady netted an award for the Lismore Dramatic Society.
Ballygown’s Eamonn O’Donoghue, a senior infant in the national school, was on his way to meet President Mary McAleese. All 68 pupils in the school had written and had printed their own book, and Mr O’Donoghue was the lucky one to meet the president after the achievement.
Glanworth Celtic FC, captained by Paul O'Dwyer, were Blackthorn Cup champions after a 2-0 win over Mitchelstown Celtic. More success for the village came courtesy of Glanworth United, under the leadership of captain Pat Barrett. The boys were the Corinthian’s Cup champions after a win over Mayfield in Turner’s Cross.
The Red House League Dungarvan Tyre Centre Cup final was won by Lismore who defeated Valley Rangers. The team were captained by Pat Reaney, and Man of the Match went to Peter Howard. In Fermoy Juvenile Rugby, the U12 boys beat the Cobh Pirates 35-5, while in Mac’s Bar in the town, Ken Doherty had come to play a number of locals. All 10 of his competitors failed to defeat the champion but a great alternative night was celebrated nonetheless.
