In general, most villages and towns in The Avondhu area recorded an improvement in their 1993 Tidy Towns scoring, however Castletownroche, with a whopping 6 extra marks, took top honours in this regard. Both Fermoy and Tallow recorded an increase of 5 points, while Conna and Galbally (who remained top of their sections) saw an increase of 4 points apiece. Mitchelstown and Kilworth gained 3 extra marks each. The judges’ note to the Castletownroche committee to achieve further improvement, lay in ‘attention to the old mill building’, while the replacement of plastic signage over business premises and dealing with service cables generally, would likely improve scoring further.

It was announced that a new development was to be built at St Patrick’s Hospital, Fermoy, with the ‘new block’ estimated to cost in the region of £850,000. The ‘geriatric facility’ would cater for ‘long term, short term and day patients’, with work expected to get under way during 1994. Deputy Ned O’Keeffe warmly welcomed the development, which was set to be sanctioned on the Capital Programme of the Department of Health. A ‘substantial local voluntary contribution’ would be needed to fund the development.

The streetscape of Mitchelstown received a welcome facelift, with the installation of 29 heritage style litter bins. The project was organised by Mitchelstown Business Association, in conjunction with Cork County Council and Mitchelstown Community Council. The bins, a cast iron construction bearing the town crest, were produced by Leinster Foundry. The next major project on the horizon, in furthering the ‘heritage quality’ of the town, lay in developing the town square to its full potential.

The 140 pupils and 5 staff members at Killavullen National School were happy to return to school for a new term, following the completion of phase one works by the Department of Education – the installation of new toilets. These replaced portable WCs. Phase two was now being eyed by principal Carmel Nagle, which would consist of the construction of ‘2 new classrooms, a library cum-medical room and a staff room’. “We are keeping our fingers crossed that this work will be undertaken in 1994,” she optimistically told The Avondhu.

Gary Cotter, a native of Scart, Kildorrery, was stationed in Moscow where he was putting his engineering skills to use with Danish-owned firm Ove ARUP Partnership. Educated at St Fanahan’s College, Cork RTC and Bolton Street College, Dublin, the civil engineering graduate was working with the ARUP Limerick subsidiary, who had been appointed as design engineers for the Stolichny Bank office development, close to the Cremlin. A player with Park United, locals feared that he might get signed by Dynamo Moscow!

Fermoy junior footballers were crowned North Cork champions in September 1993, in a game ranked ‘as one of the best played in the division for many years’. Holders Doneraile were defeated following a ‘power-packed display’ from Fermoy, the game being played in Kildorrery. A strong wind and squally showers made conditions difficult, however Fermoy led at half-time on a scoreline of 1-8 to 0-4, despite playing against the wind. Doneraile came back strongly in the second half, however with Fermoy’s ‘backs to the wall and showing great character’, they held on for a single point victory, 1-10 to 1-9. Fermoy team and scorers: P Bratchford, A Coughlan, Ml O’Brien (capt), J O’Connor, Jeff O’Connor, M Egan, P O’Mahoney, J O’Neill, C Heaslip, J Dennigan (0-1), T Cooney, I O’Callaghan (1-2), M Dolan (0-5), B McCarthy (0-1), T Flynn (0-1). Subs: B Kearney for J O’Connor, A Farrell for C Heaslip, T Slattery for T Flynn.

In brief: Glanworth GAA were improving their facilities, with a £3,500 development seeing the addition of new public toilets for ladies and gents and a new, large scoreboard. Six people were arrested in connection with a high speed car chase, following a pursuit in the Rathcormac, Kildinan, Glenville and White's Cross areas – speeds of up to 100mph were recorded before the car was stopped on the outskirts of Mayfield by gardai, the gang were suspected of involvement in a series of robberies in the Tipperary area. There was a jobs boost for Dairygold’s Galtee Meats factory in Mitchelstown, with the Cahir Hill plant set to take on a further 50 employees, both full and part-time - employment stood at 360, with the plant having doubled its pig slaughtering over the previous 2 years, to a figure in excess of 7,500 pigs per week.

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