Community News

Congratulations to Patrick O Flynn and Laura Dunlea, Ballydesmond who won first place at the annual national All Ireland Jiving Championships in Ballinasloe, Co. Galway on Sunday March 27th!

Kilbrin bingo is back! Every Monday night 9.30 sharp. Open fire, comfortable modern hall and social club bar!

Cumann na nbunscoil handball: Amy Brosnan representing Ballydesmond NS won the U13 singles handball title in Kingscourt Co Cavan on Saturday.

KISKEAM G.A.A. CLUB HISTORY

As it is hoped to publish the history of our Club in the coming months, the Club is appealing to anyone that would have photos (old and new), newspaper cuttings, or any relevant information to make them available to us. The month of April only, will be set aside for collection of this material. Extensive research has already been carried out, but to avoid disappointment afterwards when it’s too late, if anyone has any information/photos, now is the time to have them included. The book will cover the history of our Club from its formation in 1945 up to 2020. All material handed in will be returned in the same condition as it was received, once it is processed. Please contact: Donie Cronin, Knockeenacurrig West, Kiskeam by Phone: 087-6773043 or Email: doniecroninkiskeam@gmail.com or any Club Officer.

Don’t forget deadline for acceptance of material is April 30th, 2022.

Tureencahill Community Survey It’s your voice.

TUREENCAHILL COMMUNITY GROUP was formed in 2014, and because of the joint efforts of the local community and the voluntary committee we have operated a successful centre by running a variety of classes, social events and providing a digital hub within our community. We are asking you to help us plan ahead for the coming years in our centre. You are best placed to tell us what we need to do in order to sustain and develop our community centre, therefore we will issue a survey in the coming weeks to the community & stakeholders. This will be posted on our social media platforms. Once the survey is completed, we will then collate the feedback. We really look forward to hearing what people have to say with regards planning the next stages of our development here in Tureencahill Community Centre.

Banteer CFC Chairman Tadgh O’ Keeffe presents a cheque for €1500 to Michael Sheridan Air ambulance Rathcoole

Banteer Community Sportsfield Launch Draw 2022

The annual fundraising draw for 2022 was launched recently with €10,000 in prizes for 2022 and all users are asked to support same. Prizes of €1500, €500, and 5 by €100 will be raffled every 3 months with the cost of tickets at €25 per quarter or €100 per annum. This draw is an integral part of the funding to cover the maintenance and development cost each year for the facility. The second phase of the major €1.85M project to build a regulation sized astroturf pitch for all sports plus a new community building with new changing rooms, toilets, disabled facilities, spectator stand area, museum, digital hub, and café facility is near completion at the famous Banteer Sportsfield. With IRD Duhallow as the lead applicant a major grant of €1.2M was approved in Feb 2019 towards the development project from the Government’s Rural Regeneration and Development fund, Project Ireland 2040 under the Department of Community and Rural Development. A Sports capital grant was also approved along with Leader grants for the inclusion of a renewable energy system, car park, and digital hub in the new building. However, the local community are raising over €400,000 of matching funds to complete the full project. This fundraising work is well under way since 2018 and on target with sponsorship from local companies and individuals and the annual €100 ticket draws. The 2022 first draw takes place in May this year. A bank loan is in place in the meantime.

The new spectator stand is now opened.

The first phase of the astroturf pitch project started construction in mid-June 2019 with Kelly Brothers Ballydesmond as the main contractors and McSherry Electrical Mallow as the lighting

Issue 61 April 8, 2022

sub-contractors and the new pitch is finished and operational now. The demand for the astro pitch facility is such that the facility is in use 7 days a week with for example 11 games in total played there recently over Sat /Sun including camogie, soccer, hurling, ladies’ football, and the Duhallow U21 football championship. The Cork Senior camogie team also use it as their training location under the guidance of Coach Davy Fitzgerald and Manager Matthew Twomey. These past few weeks has seen the venue also host 3 Munster Schools finals. The new building will also include a museum /exhibition area for Banteer sports memorabilia and will attract people to the area interested in viewing old newspaper articles, photos and videos outlining the historic achievements of 100 years of the famous Banteer Sports and preserving it for future generations. Already a 100-year record of the famous Banteer Sports and the National and International sportsmen that competed and went on to Olympic Games, has been recorded by Jerry Sheehan, founder of Avonmore Electrical and also co-founder of IRD Duhallow, and was a former Secretary of Banteer Sports. The inclusion of a digital hub at the facility will also add another much-needed service to the area allowing people to work from home remotely. The hard working Banteer Community Sportsfield group officers/members and the support received from the local community, all local user clubs, neighbours, businesses, Schools, TDs, Councillors, all fundraisers/ ticket sellers, Maura Walsh Manager IRD and the staff of IRD Duhallow has made this major project for Banteer possible in these difficult

DiscoverDuhallow@irdduhallow.com

times. This project will provide a facility for all the Duhallow, Cork County, Kerry and Limerick areas, providing facilities for many future generations and giving all families a better quality of life. This development will also complement the existing community facilities - costing over €6M - which have been developed in the Banteer area including the park area, loop-walk around the Pond Field, Children’s Playground, Glen Theatre, Multipurpose Community Centre with indoor Astro-turf/Gym. The existing developments and the new project together with the hugely successful Banteer Community Childcare Centre, that supports so many families, and employs almost 40 people shows a community resilience that ensures sustainable local development for the Banteer region. The funding from Rural Regeneration Project Ireland 2040, Leader and Sports capital funding and the major local fundraising, has made this project possible, and all monies are being spent in the local region, supporting local jobs, at a time when local businesses need all our support. The group also welcome a recent Sports capital funding of €80,000 towards extension of the existing walks at the facility.

Banteer Lyre and Districts

Community Council have made representation to Cork County Council engineer Andreana Sheehan to resolve the frequent flooding of the road which occurs near the railway entrance, it appears the drain gulley at the exit of the train station is blocked. As locals know each time we now get heavy rain, this road floods and presents significant safety concerns to road users. Also resurfacing of the road from the village square to the railway crossing has been requested as this is badly needed due to the very poor road condition and drainage is also needed on the west side beyond the railway entrance gate as water always lodges in this area of the road.

Banteer Macra

Reminder: Our weekly sports night continues Wednesday nights, with all members welcome, including new members. 8 pm in Banteer Hall. €2 entry. Want to join Macra? New members are always welcome. For enquiries please contact Kelvin O’Connor - 0838287670 or message us on Facebook/ Instagram. Mt Hillary Athletics Club will host a 5 Mile Road Race on Sunday April 24th at 10am in Banteer. Online Registration is now open on all their Social Media. Registration available on the day at the Community Centre in Banteer from 8.30am . Everyone welcome, for any further information please contact Niall on 087 7614560 / Catherine on 083 3498778.

We are a Transition year mini company from Boherbue Comprehensive School called Pole Pals. We have designed a pole carrying device that carries pigtail poles when strip grazing. They are available in Boherbue Co-Op, Kerry Agri Store Newmarket, North Cork Co-Op Newmarket and Farm Relief Services in Kanturk. For further information email us on polepal12@gmail.com or text us on 0874627373 We recently won the Regional Final of the North Cork Student Enterprise Competition. We received an award for the Best Overall Company in the Senior Category. We now go on to compete for a place in the National Final of the Student Enterprise Competition to be held in the Helix in Dublin in May.

Pole Pals