The auction of the contents from the Christian Brothers Monastery, Mitchelstown conducted by Charleville auctioneer, PJ O’Gorman drew a very large attendance and proved very successful.
Top price achieved was €3,300 for a Victorian gothic style two door bookcase cabinet.
Other prices obtained included: Early Victorian mahogany library bookcase €2,800; Mahogany cased grandfather clock C 1850 €2,500; Irish serving table €2,000; 19th century bookcase secretaire €2,000; Victorian extension tables €1,700 – €2,000; William IV mahogany sideboard €1,800; Oak rent table €1,600; Victorian oak open bookcase cabinet €1,400; Victorian mahogany three tier dumbwaiter €700; William IV marble top centre table €1,000; Regency wall mirror €850; Belfry bell €310; Set of four Victorian mahogany dining chairs €800; Set of four Victorian library chairs €800; and a Victorian inlaid rosewood worktable €850.
‘Appalling act’
“The real Irish Republican Army are dead and those who would seek to use this name shouldn’t be mentioned in the same breath,” this was a view expressed at the final meeting of the Liam Lynch Commemoration committee prior to the national ceremony to be held at Kilcrumper graveyard.
At the meeting locals republicans moved to distance themselves from the activities of the renegade splinter group – the self styled, Real IRA.
Chairman of the committee, Frank O’Flynn from Glanworth said that the atrocity in Omagh was ‘an appalling act’ that he condemned outright. Ballyporeen based councillor, Con Donovan, who has a life-long association with the Commemoration Committee supported the sentiment, he hoped the bombing signalled a watershed in Irish politics and that this would be the last time that the image of Ireland was tarnished.
On the night South Limerick councillor John Gallahue was honoured for his long years of service to the Commemoration Committee. Warm tributes were paid to John who held the position of secretary from 1980 to 1996.
President Clinton entourage
A hastily convened meeting between Fermoy councillors and an advance party of President Bill Clinton’s entourage took place in Fermoy in 1998 with some councillors said to be taken aback at the extremely short notice they received for the meeting.
Town clerk, Michael Cremin termed the meeting a ‘courtesy visit with tour organisers’. The president’s itinerary was discussed and special passes were issued to Council members to attend a reception organised for Mr Clinton in Limerick. Chairman of the Council, Cllr John Dunlea said the meeting was cordial and relaxed. No security measures were raised at the meeting.
On a lighter note, Cllr Dunlea stated that if he was called upon, he would be prepared to challenge the world leader to a round of golf. The American’s noted the chairman’s challenge, but said that this development was unlikely.
Natural gas for Fermoy householders
Natural gas was to be made available to householders in Fermoy by October, 1998. One of the biggest engineering tasks to have confronted Bord Gais in Fermoy was the successful installation of a Skid Unit.
The unit was required to reduce the pressure of the main pipeline (Cork to Dublin) so that areas like Fermoy could be connected. The unit had to be imported from Germany for the Fermoy project.
Anne and Mary off to the Big Apple
It was up up and away on September 2 for Anne Murphy from Captain Keane’s Grove, Mitchelstown and Mary Dorgan from Killawillin, Castlelyons. Both ladies were part of a group of ten lucky Cork winners who jetted off to New York, courtesy of the National Lottery.
The winners and their guests travelled by luxury coach through Jersey City, across the Hudson River into downtown Manhattan, before arriving at the luxurious Roosevelt Hotel, located on Madison Avenue.
In sport
Mitchelstown Tennis Club won the Munster 5th Divisional Mixed final in Catholic Institute, Limerick, defeating Carrigaline Tennis Club in the final. Mitchelstown’s team consisted of Patricia Hanley, Catherine Boland, Paddy Hanley and Tom Flynn.
The ladies doubles team of Patricia and Catherine played some great tennis and won easily on a scoreline of 6-3 6-2. In a much closer game the mens double team of Hanley and Flynn took the first set of their tie 7-5. After racing into a 5-2 lead in the second set they were pegged back and trailed 6-5 before eventually winning the set on a tie break.
When Patricia and Paddy paired up for the mixed they knew that securing the first set would ensure the title for Mitchelstown and they duly obliged winning comfortably 6-1.
