Pressure was mounting in Fermoy against an application for a gaming licence on MacCurtain Street. Some local parents were up in arms, many saying they would protest “most vehemently” if the UDC granted the application, which would open the door for either an amusement or gaming arcade. Cllr Joe Sherlock, opposed to the move, suggested the local authority could nip the application in the bud, saying “if Fermoy UDC pass a resolution that an application of the Gaming and Lotteries Act 1956 …. be rescinded, no further application can be made to the courts.” Local councillor, John Murphy was against the move, saying “it’s all money and it’s money which will come out of childrens’ pockets.”

According to Mitchelstown gardai, further information had surfaced concerning the movements of a gang of cattle rustlers. Those involved, who were thought to have carried out several successful cattle raids in South Tipperary, abandoned one of their lorries near Kilphelan/Kiltrislane, having been spotted the day previous parked back to back with another vehicle. Gardai were seeking information on one of the trucks involved, believing that cattle were transferred between the two vehicles.

In local theatre circles, Ballyduff Drama Group were preparing for their entry into the annual drama festival, with their production ‘Our Town’. Said to be Thornton Wilder’s most important play, it portrayed an affectionate and thought-provoking recreation of small town American life at the turn of the 20th century. With a cast of almost 30, production was in the capable hands of Bill Canning. Meanwhile, the Palace Players were in rehearsals with their production of Brien Friel’s play ‘Philadelphia Here I Come’. A cast of 14 saw three female roles, played by Ber O’Sullivan (‘Madge’), Kate Murphy (‘Lizzie Sweeney’) and Ann Smith (‘Kate Dorgan’/’Mrs King’). In Kilworth, the local dramatic society were ready for the stage with John B Keane’s ‘Many Young Men of Twenty’. Production was by long serving member, Michael Dunne, with a cast of 17. Newcomers to the group included Deirdre Gowen (‘Peg Finnerty’), Kevin Barry (‘Dinny’), Willie Walsh (‘Tom Hannigan’), Nora Hamilton (‘Kitty Curley’), Colette Gowen (‘Dot’), John Howard (‘Johnny’), Claire Sheedy (‘Mary’) and Dion Cahill (‘Mikey’).

A secondary level student at Colaiste an Chraoibhin, Fermoy claimed top honours at a major Cork county public speaking contest, organised by the Mental Health Association. 16-year-old Glencairn girl, Eimer Mills, fought off competition from 25 other schools, with each school having three entrants. Revealing to The Avondhu that she wished to be a speech and drama teacher, like her mentor Geraldine Canning, the Leaving Cert student was no stranger to public performances. She was a member of the cast of ‘Hello October’, as well as singing the classic ‘Fairytale of New York’ with Dick O’Mahony in the Ballyduff Christmas show, broadcast on the Gay Byrne Show in December 1992.

Martina Condon, representing Galtee Deer Care, was crowned winner of the first Mitchelstown Rose Contest. Daughter of Tom and Gertie Condon, Martina was chosen ahead of 20 other contestants. A student of Mentally Handicapped Nursing at the COPE Foundation, Cork, she would go forward to represent the town in the 1993 Cork Rose final. The local event, which was orientated around family and the community, saw a crowd of some 650 attend a function in The Firgrove Hotel for the event’s conclusion.

Fitzgerald Camp, Fermoy had the ‘Soldier of the Year’ garrisoned there. Sergeant Billy Barry, who was born in Glanworth but was living in Mourneabbey, was awarded the title at a ceremony in Collins’ Barracks by O.N.E. Cork Branch president, Michael Murphy. The title was bestowed, not alone for his all round military prowess, but also as an acknowledgement of the fact that he had represented his country on seven different occasions in international pistol shooting. Billy had joined the army in 1970.

Handball was proving vibrant in Glenville, with 42 players entered from the surrounding area for the O’Sullivan Cup. Finalists Brian Furlong and Willie John Manley, defeated Tony Sheehan and Mike Dineen. The cup was presented by Mrs O’Sullivan, with chairperson Gerard Herlihy complimenting all concerned on the running of the tournament.

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