2003 MEMORIES FROM THE ARCHIVES
THIS WEEK 21 YEARS AGO
Of all the speeding drivers detected in north Cork, over 50% had been caught in the Fermoy and Mitchelstown areas, stated a front page report in The Avondhu 21 years ago. The penalty points system had been introduced the previous October and Superintendent Flor Horan noted that there were ‘over 30 people alive who would be dead’ if they hadn’t been introduced.
Other front page news was that Fiona Beecher of Loughnatousa in Tallow came second in the Grand Prix with her pony, Loughnatousa Bart, in a pony show at Arezzo, Italy. Pictured on one front page in May 2003 were Seamus Sheahan, Fr Denis Stritch and Eamonn McCarthy in the Hilltop Lounge, Kildorrery, where Mr Sheahan was the highest bidder auction for a signed Man Utd jersey.
The good people of Araglin raised €5,500 for the Special Olympics through the youth club and through a sponsored beard, head and leg shave in O’Mahony’s Bar. Frankie O’Donovan had his legs waxed ‘without mercy’.
An illegal dump was uncovered in Glenville, between five and ten acres in size. Cork County Council did not yet know how deep the pile of rubbish was, which was mostly from construction, at the old gravel pit and tests were being carried out. They did not suspect any toxic waste, but there had been some water pollution.
In 2003, O2 invited people to upgrade to a phone with a colour screen for €49. The Nokia 3510i came with ‘media messaging’ (the ability to send pictures) and Java games.
Meanwhile, a full-page advert warned of the dangers of a new respiratory illness, SARS. People were strongly advised not to travel to China, Hong Kong or Singapore. An incubation period of about seven days was noted.
Meanwhile, Cork County Council was preparing for the metrification of road signs from 2004, while local councillors called for 30mph zones to be made 40mph.
In Glanworth preparations were made to cut down trees by the graveyard wall and kill the roots, so that repairs could be carried out, while in Mitchelstown, a deputation from Caherdrinna made their way to a council meeting to complain about the ‘ten years of neglect’ suffered by their roads from flooding. Fianna Fáil councillors Kevin O’Keeffe and Frank O’Flynn were supportive of the motion, but cut down to size by Deputy Joe Sherlock, who criticised their party’s funding cuts to roads the previous year.
Ballyduff Upper was preparing to host the Fleadh Cheoil na nDeise, while in Tipperary, Burncourt were looking forward to the 50th anniversary of the opening of the church in 1953. Meanwhile, The Fisherman’s Rest in Conna celebrated their 25th anniversary, with owner Oliver and Frances Twomey hosting Incognito, Blackthorn, Mo O’Connor and DJ Dave for the event.
Four pupils from Glenahulla, Miriam Condon, Colm Kearney, Micheál O’Doherty and Ian Hanley, were heading to the Burlington Hotel in Dublin for the national final of the Cadbury’s NPC Schools Quiz.
Reserve Defence Forces members Pte Brendan McSweeney (Fermoy), Pte William Reidy (Mitchelstown), Pte TJ Dunne (Ballylanders) and Pte Tom McGrath (Mitchelstown), were honoured at their passing out parade with various prizes for ‘best shot’ and ‘best recruit’.
A lengthy letter decried the neglected condition of St Fanahan’s Well, where the new aluminium seat was criticised for its incongruity, while the water in the well was considered undrinkable. The condition of the trees was also a cause for sorrow, as an axe had been taken to the roots of some to widen the pathway, with electric wires and barbed wire nailed to the trunks.
New handrails were promised for the access pathways from Captain Keane’s Grove to Roches Heights in Mitchelstown, while an article in the Farming Focus supplement featured the happy hens of the organic farm at the Nano Nagle Birthplace in Killavullen, with Sr Mary Casey.
The liaison committee of Mitchelstown Credit Union hosted their Welsh counterparts from their twin credit union Robert Owens in Newtown; they were twinned since 1966. The twinning of Fermoy and Ploemeur was also marked, as local councillors were pictured with a wooden sculpture of a bird they had received from the French.
Hill Albion soccer club in Watergrasshill were working hard to establish themselves; dressing rooms had been installed and they were hoping to soon connect to the power supply. Floodlights were also planned and the club had recently formed an U16 team with 17 squad players.
Ballylanders’ native, Walter Fitzgibbon, was to be presented with the Cork Indoor Sports Association’s award for chess, while Coláiste an Chraoibhín, Fermoy were the Junior hurling county champions overcoming Kinsale CS.