The owner of a terrier dog, which had been missing for ten days, received the shock of his life when he found his pet in the septic tank located on his property in the Glanworth area. The distressing case was being investigated by gardai in Kildorrery, who said that the animal was unlikely to have fallen into the tank ‘as it had been sealed in a very secure manner’. It was not clear how long the dog had been in the tank.
Notice to quit was set to be served on 9 ‘rent defaulters’ of local authority houses in Fermoy town, following a motion passed at the monthly meeting of the UDC in September 1996. Having previously ‘negotiated various rent agreements’ with the said tenants, agreements were ‘habitually defaulted on’ and ‘constantly broken’, resulting in those in arrears being ‘asked to leave the council-owned houses’.
Employers in Mitchelstown, along with their staff, were being requested by the local business association (MBA) to ‘take the lead’ in improving a ‘situation which had completely got out of hand’ – namely, the chronic parking on Upper and Lower Cork Street and New Square. This was due in the main to cars being parked up for the full duration of the working day, thus, discouraging potential customers from availing of convenient parking facilities. The ‘immediate introduction of 2 hour parking’ was called for by the MBA.
Sunnyside Fruit Farm in Rathcormac was the target of ‘outrageous and filthy actions perpetrated by some young people’ in September 1996, this following several acts of vandalism that summer. It was reported that ‘several youngsters trespassed on the fruit farm… and at least one of them excreeted into several trays used for collecting fruit… and despoited the trays onto tables used for gathering the fruit’. Gardai were investigating the ‘animal act’, with owner John Howard hopeful they would be in a position to take action against the perpetrators, claiming the names of those responsible was common knowledge among the younger age group in Rathcormac.
Minister for Defence, Sean Barrett, paid a ‘flying visit’ to Fermoy in September 1996, giving assurances to members of the local UDC that ‘Fitzgerald Camp would not be closed down – at least during the lifetime of the government at the time’. However, although ‘some councillors expressed satisfaction at the words spoken by Minister Barrett’, reservations were expressed on the long term viability of the camp. Cllr John Murphy pointed to the lack of investment in buildings, equipment and personnel, calling for a 10 to 20 year plan for the camp.
A ‘small but significant piece of shooting history’ was recorded in September 1996, when Fermoy Rifle Club member, Mary Keane, was crowned the 25 yard indoor champion at the national rifle championships held in Rathdrum, Co Wicklow. Hailing from Carrigtwohill, Mary became the first ever woman to win this national title. A notable one-two was achieved in the event with fellow club member Kieran Barry runner-up.
September 1996 saw the first residents move into the newly completed Cluain Dara Sheltered Housing Project, located at Duntahane, Fermoy. The scheme, set up by Fermoy Geriatrics Association, would see a total of 25 units cater for 40 elderly residents when fully occupied. It was reported the scheme would provide employment for several people once fully operational, including a number of kitchen staff in the day care centre, providing residents with their main meal of the day, six days a week. The project cost in excess of £1.2 million, contractors were Murnane & O’Shea.
A ‘reasonable’ attendance, in the region of 10,000 fans, witnessed a drawn Cork county senior hurling championship final between Avondhu and Imokilly in September 1996 – an outcome described as ‘a fitting result’. Playing a captain’s role, Imokilly captain Mark Landers was steering his side well in a very impressive opening foray, however a timely green flag by Mallow’s Ronan Sheehan kept Avondhu in the hunt, as their opponents led at the interval 0-10 to 1-4. Although Castlemartyr’s Jimmy Smiddy found the net for Imokilly 5 minutes into the second moiety, to stretch their lead, Avondhu were only 2 points in arrears at the three-quarter stage. Mallow’s Raymond O’Connell struck the final 2 points of the game for Avondhu to draw the sides level, with no scoring in the final 9 minutes as both sides lived to fight another day. Avondhu were captained by Aidan Kenny, Kilworth.
