At a time when the highly anticipated Mitchelstown Leisure Centre is set to open, interestingly The Avondhu carried an exclusive front page article 21 years ago, in August 1993, regarding fundraising for a £1.5m sports complex for the town. Cllr Conor O’Callaghan confirmed to this newspaper that “moves were to be made before the end of this year (1993) to raise funds for such a complex”. A meeting was set to be held in the ‘amenity-starved’ town, to include all clubs and organisations. With the outdoor swimming pool in Clonmel Road out of use and a bone of contention, it was ‘hoped that the Mitchelstown complex would include an indoor swimming pool, as well as gyms, playing pitches, etc’. It’s taken a long time, but we’re nearly there!

Garda Liam O’Reilly, who was stationed in Ballyporeen, returned from the World Police and Fire Games in Colarado Springs with a world title in the 800m event. Having taken up many Avondhu column inches earlier in 1993 regarding his extensive road running exploits to raise funds for Somalia, Liam also secured bronze medals in both the 1,500m and as a member of the 4x400m relay team.

After a lapse of some 5 and a half years, Fermoy town was again set to have a cinema, following the closure in March 1988 of The Ormonde. The committee at Fermoy Community Youth Centre decided, after much market research, to add the facility to their Ashe Quay premises. Jurassic Park would be the first big screen experience for locals, with entry set at £3 for adults and £1.50 for the matinee performance.

Former Belle of Lismore, Pauline Roche from Monatarrive, secured a prestigious national award. She beat off competition from 64 other entrants, both north and south of the border, to win the Tourism International Development Award for Heritage Centre Official of the Year. She was employed at Lismore Heritage Centre.

Residents of Kingston College in Mitchelstown were called upon unexpectedly to supervise the birth of a young foal, on the green area in front of their homes. A palomino, which was owned by local farmer Percy Robinson, decided to give birth in the middle of a moonlit night, with several of the residents witnessing the event.

Chairman of Fermoy Regional Enterprise Board, Michael Hanley highlighted the need for businesses and employees to refrain from using on-street parking, which was placing the retail sector under additional pressure. Saying there was “shocking abuse of parking in front of business premises”, he pleaded for the guilty parties “to see the light”, otherwise the “stark choice” was the possible introduction of a parking warden. They musn’t have heeded his advice!

The community spirit of Ballynoe came to the fore, when a group of locals, led by Fr Michael Lomasney, took on the task of clearing the neglected cemetery in the village. The work involved spraying the approx 2 acre area site, re-erecting fallen gravestones and levelling areas of ground. Those involved, also mapped and catalogued the graveyard to the best of their ability. Helpers also attended from neighbouring parishes of Conna, Dungourney and Glengoura.

In brief - 13 year old James Donovan from the Square, Galbally was runner-up in the special schools’ category of the annual An Post Penmanship Painting Competition. Senator Joe Sherlock highlighted an ‘unacceptable situation’ in Kildorrery, namely an illegal dump at Scart boreen - he was assured at a northern division housing and sanitary meeting that Cork County Council had ‘taken steps to sort it out’. A ‘selection of houses’ were for sale through DJ Hayes & Co, Ballylanders - ranging in price from £25,000 to £45,000 in the village, while in Kilfinane again a ‘selection of houses’ was on offer for £45,000-£75,000.

The junior A hurlers from Castlelyons qualified for the East Cork final, following a replayed semi-final victory over Castlemartyr. Played at Killeagh, goals essentially decided the encounter, with the final scoreline reading 3-9 to 0-11. Castlelyons turned around a 1 point interval deficit (0-10 to 1-6), to record a wind assisted second half victory - Killeagh awaited in the final. Team & scorers: A Barry, N Kearney, A O’Regan, G McCarthy, D Spillane, Ml Spillane (0-1), W O’Riordan, S Cotter, P Cashman, P Randles (0-1), Con Murphy (2-0), P O’Brien (0-5), B Fitzgerald (0-1), J Quirke (1-1), K Cotter. Sub: S McAuliffe.

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