The importance of the Moorepark facility outside Fermoy to the development of new food products was evident, with the official opening of a £1 million research plant in October 1998.
Among some of the most high profile foods developed at the facility, included a new cheese variety and a high protein drink aimed at athletes and sports people. Of even greater significance was the discovery of a natural anti-microbial agent, which scientists hoped would assist in the prevention of mastitis in dairy cows.
Walk-out protest
A number of delegates walked out in protest on Defence Minister Michael Smith at the PDFORRA annual delegate conference in Ennis, Co Clare in response to the way in which the recent barrack closures, including Fermoy, were handled.
In total, 18 delegates representing the six barracks and southern region, left the conference hall as the Minister began his address. As they left in pairs, the remaining delegates applauded their colleagues, drowning out the first section of Mr Smith’s speech. The barracks closed were Fermoy, Kildare, Ballincollig, Naas and Castleblaney.
‘This Is Your Life’ in Rathcormac
The book of the show ‘Dick Barry, This Is Your Life’, had a very successful launch at Vera Barry’s Bar, Rathcormac. A large gathering of well-wishers and friends of Mr Barry were present for the special occasion, where Councillor Aileen Pyne commended the author Tom Barry and printer Bill O’Callaghan on a ‘splendid publication’.
It was fitting and appropriate, she said, that the book should be launched where the seed of the idea was first sewn. In reply, Dick Barry said he was still at a loss to understand why he should be singled out for special honour.
Water contract signed in Fermoy
A £5 million water contract to fund the largest infrastructural project ever undertaken in Fermoy was signed in Fermoy Courthouse. Stage 3 of the Fermoy Water Scheme would provide the town with a state-of-the-art water supply, capable of meeting the demands of the 21st century.
Costing £4.9 million and stretching from Cork Road to O’Toole’s Cross, the project was expected to take two years to complete.
Details ‘sketchy’
A commemorative plaque, commissioned by members of Ogra Fianna Fáil in 1985 to mark International Youth Year, was smashed during work on Mitchelstown’s New Square. Details on how the slab was broken into four pieces were ‘sketchy’, but one report indicated that it was levered out of position at the foot of the Mandeville monument and then driven over by a JCB.
Members of Fianna Fáil in the town spoke of their great annoyance and disappointment, because they presumed that it wouldn’t be interfered with during work on the square.
Educational project in Mitchelstown
Presentation Secondary School, Mitchelstown was the meeting place for principals and co-ordinating teachers of three European schools as part of an educational project involving schools from Le Mans, France, Schulzentrium Moordeich near Bremen in the North of Germany and Imola in the North of Italy.
The aim of the project was an ‘Educational Board Game’, based on a map of Europe on which appeared the major cities. The players moved through the countries by answering questions under six headings, similar to Trivial Pursuit. All schools involved formulated a certain number of questions in four languages.
The pupils in Mitchelstown had been researching the questions during the past year and it was considered an enormous help in making them more aware of the culture, geography and history of all the countries involved.
In sport
Bride Rovers GAA Club qualified for its first adult championship hurling county final since 1933 after coming from eight points behind in the second half to clinch victory over Ballinascarthy. All the traditional Bride Rover’s traits of spirit, guts and will to win were displayed in a manner which had not been seen for many a day.
Scorers for Bride Rovers on the day included Jerome O’Driscoll 1-4, Batt McHugh 0-3, Padraig Murphy 0-2, Terry Broderick 0-2, Mike Hogan 0-1, James Murphy 0-1 and Sean Ryan 0-1. The final result was Bride Rovers 1-14 Ballinascarthy 1-13 . Man of the match was awarded to Batt McHugh.
Castlelyons continued to confound the experts when they once again revelled in the role of outsiders to defeat Mallow in the semi-final of the intermediate hurling county championship. The victory set up a mouthwatering contest with Killeagh but not before they were put to the pin of their collar by a stubborn Mallow side.
Eoin Fitzgerald was in top form for Castlelyons scoring 1-5, while Timmy McCarthy, Willie O’Riordan, Paul Cashman, Donal Sheehan, Barry O’Connell, Sean Cotter and team captain Mick Spillane all contributed massively to ensure victory. Final score Castlelyons 2-10 Mallow 1-12.
