A large ‘hippy colony’ had struck camp in Ballyhooly. Understood to be very law abiding citizens, the convoy consisted of ‘a few busses and several animals, including dogs, chickens, ducks, etc’. Camping near the banks of the Blackwater having moved ‘deep into Gurteen Wood’, their arrival came as a surprise to locals, with a local person stumbling upon the secluded convoy while out exercising a horse. There were concerns that a large scale encampment of the ‘new age travellers’ could form.

A proposed move by an ad hoc parents’ group to pay for the employment of a teacher at Fermoy’s Presentation Convent Primary School, was set to go ahead, despite, it was reported, initial concerns from the school’s board of management and principal. The committee was formed to ‘fight the removal of a teacher, due to (the school) being just one pupil short on the quota’. The move was seen as a ‘stop-gap operation’, as numbers were expected to be up the following school year. A spokesperson told The Avondhu, that if it hadn’t been done, many teachers would have to cope with unacceptable numbers, and in one case, up to 38 in a class. Fundraising was set to commence to help defray the cost of employing the additional teacher.

Positive news from Tallow Area Credit Union in 1994, with their annual report showing that savings were ‘only a few pounds short of the £3.25m mark’. The previous 12 month period showed savings had risen by 24%. It was proposed to recommend a dividend of 4%.

There were calls for an improvement in the appearance of Mitchelstown’s approach roads - Cllr Conor O’Callaghan told the Mallow Area Roads committee that he was ‘deeply concerned’, saying that they were in ‘a very poor state’. Saying the situation had to be addressed, being the ‘gateway to the county from the north’, he stated that the Dublin road was ‘particularly bad’. He also commented that the council owned industrial estate was ‘not in a good state either’, and found support from FF’s Carey Joyce, who said there was no reason Mitchelstown could not have the same ‘well cared for approaches as its neighbour, Fermoy’.

An extravaganza of music, song, dance, mime and comedy, devised and directed by Geraldine Canning, took to the stage in St Michael’s Hall, Ballyduff. The hours of rehearsals were over and the seventy strong cast were ready to present ‘Hello October’ to the public. Personalities such as David Anglesey, Dick O’Mahony, Enda Dolan, Sylvia Flynn, Maurice Carroll, Charlie McCarthy, Fr Eamonn Barry, Angelina Howard and John Woodside would tread the boards.

A Fermoy duo were preparing to head to Tunisia to partake in the 41st CISM World military boxing championships in November 1994. 20 year old Declan Higgins from St Bernard’s Place would compete in the 71Kg class, while chef de mission was Fermoy man, Colonel Maurice Walsh.

In brief: One Mitchelstown car owner woke to discover that the two rear side windows of her Ford Fiesta had been stolen overnight! Kildorrery Set Dancers finished in 6th place at the 1994 World championships in Manchester. Rathcormac’s Garda Sergeant, Bernie Maye was setting his sights on retirement, having served the force for many years, 24 of which were spent in the Rathcormac sub-district. Trooper Tommy Walsh, St Bernard’s Place, Fermoy won the masters O40 title at the All Army Championships, held at the Curragh, partnered by Joe Clarke from the Air Corps. The ‘women were getting in on the act’, making history in their first ever exercise at Kilworth Army Ranges, having been introduced to the 13th Battalion FCA in July 1993 - 40 women made up the complement of 140 involved in ‘a mock battle with the enemy’.

Grange GAA U21s captured the C football championship title, fashioning a ‘hard fought but thoroughly deserved’ victory over Araglin, to add to the JBFC 1 title already secured. The replayed final in Ballyhooly saw the victors leading 0-4 to 0-3 at half-time, over a ‘luckless’ Araglin, who never led in the match, kicking many wides. Goals by full forward Philip Roche and Darren Cody ‘put the title in the bag’, Grange winning on a scoreline of 2-6 to 0-7. Best for the winners were Fergal Fitzgerald, Mark Ryan, Michael Roche, Darren Cody and Gavin Howard.

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