Discover Duhallow Issue 82

contact us at: discoverduhallow@irdduhallow.com

RUGBY CLUB PT 2: P10&11 PLANNING FOR YOUR DUHALLOW OF THE FUTURE

IRD Duhallow has issued a call to action to the people of Duhallow. Over the next month, the Board and Staff will be out on the road hosting 29 public meetings in the IRD Duhallow region to discuss their needs and aspirations for the area in which they live. It is extremely important that as many people as possible attend to ensure a cross representation of all individuals within the locality.

Duhallow

From the findings of these meetings a Local Development Strategy will be produced which will provide a future plan for the region and inform future applications of funding for the area. See inside for all the details of your local community meeting. For further details or enquiries please contact 029-60633 / duhallow@ irdduhallow.com

■See page 12&13

IRD Duhallow CEO Maura Walsh speaks at the Macroom meeting in 2019

IRD Duhallow Arrange Community Meetings Across

Editors Note

Somehow, daffodils are already coming up! Spring is officially here and with it comes a whole host of opportunity - school enrolments, clubs and activities, and some Easter planning are already on the cards for coming months. We also get a look into SOS Fitness’s amazing Healthy Spice Bag recipe that has Instagram drooling!

Valentine’s day is on the horizon, and we have a kids page that will melt your heart, and for the parents looking for an extra special home Valentine’s meal, maybe you’ll be swayed by Conor Sheehan’s Wagyu steak.

Whatever you’re doing in coming weeks, at least we can enjoy the days getting a little longer and the mornings being a little brighter.

Enrolment Open!

GNEEVEGUILLA N.S.

Enrolment application forms for school year 2023 / 2024 are available to download from our school website at www.gneeveguillans.com. Please download an enrolment application form, registration form, POD form and code of behaviour slip and return to the school by February 16th, 2023. Alternatively, if you would like to have the forms posted out to you, please contact Miriam by email at gneeveguillans@ gneeveguillans.com. We also have a Facebook page called Gneeveguilla N.S. Friends Association which gives regular updates on upcoming events in our school.

SHRONE N.S.

Shrone N.S. are enrolling now for September 2023. Enrolment forms are currently available. Contact Michelle on 0857845849 or e-mail us shronens@gmail.com

MEENTOGUES N.S.

(064) 7754500

meentoguesns@gmail.com

Enrolment of New Pupils

Contact for enrolment

Application Forms for 2023

Sacrament of Confirmation

- Wednesday 14th February11am Rathmore

PERSON OF THE MONTH - JANUARY

Kanturk and District Community Council started the year strong with their new Person of the Month Award.

Congratulations to January’s very deserving winner Kevin O’Connor!

They wish to give their thanks to Tina Dunstan of Cherry Blossom Childcare for coming aboard and supporting the awards, as well as to Kanturk Men’s Shed for making the permanent nomination boxes. To nominate someone for next month, boxes and forms are available throughout Kanturk:

• SuperValu

• Photoshop Kanturk

• Riordan’s day break

• Burtons hardware

• Post office and

• Kanturk credit union

Duhallow Bee-keepers Association

Duhallow Beekeepers Association will hold an introductory course for beginners in Beekeeping commencing in the James O’Keeffe Institute, Newmarket on Monday 20th February at 8.00pm.

To book your place on this course, please contact one of the below:

Eddie Walsh @ 087 1961869

Natasha Humphries @ 086-0759197

PJ Murphy @ 029-60633

CASTLEMAGNER

As the first month of spring is well and truly here we can already see a promising stretch in the days. No doubt there is a renewed sense of hope with a host of buds and green shoots appearing. Daffodils, bluebells and snowdrops are already bursting through with delightful winter heathers already blooming. The great cycle of nature brings the promise of renewed hope, light and life.

Castlemagner Church Choir

Castlemagner Church Choir has resumed for special church events. It was uplifting to see once again so many coming together after Covid, to lift the roof of the church with great song on Christmas night. The choir in Castlemagner is as much a social gathering as it is a ministry, where friends, neighbours and community members meet. There is an informal approach to the singing, and anyone is welcome and encouraged to join. Our next

IN THE FRAME

Community News

choir event will be on the eve of St Patrick’s Day, Thursday the 16th of March, at the 7:30pm Mass. For further information please ring 086 8521808.

Castlemagner Sinsir Club

Castlemagner Sinsir Club will resume on Thursday February 16th at the usual time of 12 noon. Singing For The Mind classes with Maria Twomey will begin again on Tuesday 14th February. New members are always welcome. We hope to continue with a full packed calendar of events in 2023. It is with the appreciated support of the members that the Sinsir Club stays alive and vibrant.

Castlemagner Sinsir Club is proud to have made its annual generous contribution to Cork Penny Dinners, one of Cork’s oldest caring charitable organisations, serving up to 2000 freshly made meals per week. They aim to help all who struggle, and those in need. Cork Penny Dinners provide a hot nourishing meal of soup, main course, dessert and tea/coffee daily. In addition

sandwiches, biscuits, fruit and juice are also available to take away as an evening meal for those in need.

Castlemagner Sinsir Club wishes to extend warmest best wishes to all members and to the wider community for the New Year of 2023. What a wonderful thought it is that some of the best days of our lives haven’t even happened yet. We look forward to outings, to holidays, to being together, and enjoying each other’s company in many new and exciting settings. The coming year brings a sense of renewed hope and a new beginning. New adventures are just around the corner. Here’s to a year full of joy, laughter, and unforgettable memories with unforgettable friends. Let us endure whatever comes and be there to support each other in the true spirit of community that the Sinsir Club aims to foster. As the club pursues new hopes and dreams, may the year bring much success and may our journey together be one to remember.

Readers are invited to share their photographs with us - the best will feature here. Be sure to caption your image and provide your full name and details of where the photo was taken. Email it to us at discoverduhallow@irdduhallow.com

Not Just Nature Photos

These 3 photos might seem like just nature photos. They represent so much more.

The rock photo I took hours after I received the news that my dad passed away. (18/01/2023). He was my rock and this photo represents him. The snow covered road was taken on 17/01/2023 whilst I was walking at night, not being able to sleep and waiting for "that call". The illusion of the cave entrance was taken in the run up to his death, reminding me to keep searching for the beauty and magic of nature.

Photos taken by: Teresa Nolan All photos taken in Millstreet.

Rathmore Student Brings Home Quercus Scholarship Tracy Releases Valentine’s Gift

Congratulations to Caitlyn O Connor from Scoil Pobal Leaving Cert Class of 2021 who was awarded a Quercus Scholarship recently in UCC for excellent academic results, where she is studying Dentistry.

239 Entrance Scholarships were awarded to first year students UCC. Entrance Scholarships are awarded on the basis of academic achievement in the school leaving examinations, and recognise and celebrate students’ commitment to excellence and their desire to succeed and reach their full potential. Students represented 115 schools in Ireland and 1 school in Poland. Well done Caitlyn - the best of luck with your studies!

Thank you from Rathmore SVP

St. Joseph’s Conference

Rathmore sincerely thank all who donated to our Food Appeal. This year, we involved all our local schools and we thank Scoil Phobail Sliabh Luachra, Holy Family N.S., Gneeveguilla N.S., Knocknagree N.S., Ballydesmond N.S., Meentogues N.S., Shrone N.S.,and Hollymount N.S.,Danu Childcare, for their generous donations of food which enabled us to fill all our food hampers. We thank the staff of Teach Íosagáin, Rathmore, for allowing us to use a room to make up the hampers. We also wish to thank all those who donated very generous hampers and lots of toys for young children. We were overwhelmed with your generosity and your food donations enabled us to help families in need in our area. In conjunction with our annual Church Gate collection, our volunteers fundraised outside Kearneys Centra, Ballydesmond and outside Kelly’s Londis, Hickeys Centra and O’Keeffe’s

Circle K forecourt, Rathmore – the response to this was fantastic, and we wish to thank everybody who supported us on both days.

The response to our Church Gate Collection at the four churches in Rathmore Parish and the church in Ballydesmond was tremendous, and again, we sincerely thank all who came to support us and who gave generously to the collection. We also acknowledge and thank you for donations to our Credit Union and Bank accounts. We wish to thank Shrone N.S. who kindly donated the proceeds from their Christmas Jumper day to our collection. It has been a difficult year for many families and because of the great generosity of the community in our area to support our organisation; we are always in a position to help those in need. We look forward with hope to a better and brighter New Year.Míle buíochas – We wish everybody a happy and healthy New Year.

Our number is 087 3462332.

“This song is about love the most spoken word in the universe. It’s about the best man in your life, the Knight in shining armour. The survival of a unit that can’t be broken. Nothing else matters for when you’re with him you are complete.

When you find the love you feel alive inside, you feel you can take on the world. You know you found love because you can feel it in every part of your being. You fear nothing. This is for all the women who love their men. Who are proud of them and happy that they found each other”.

-Tracy

Connolly Singer-Songwriter Tracy Connolly will release her fourth new single The Man That I Adore on Valentine’s day. Mallow-based and Cork Born to her roots, singer Songwriter Tracy is excited about her new release. She is working on her debut album and has expressed that it’s the best project in her life to date.

In her song, you can feel her soul ignite with love. The music flows freely as she sings her words with such passion.

Tracy has released 3 songs to date and receives huge support from all stations in Ireland. All of Tracy’s songs have been played all over the world. She is getting support from countries like Australia, UK, and The US in Nashville and Pennsylvania, just to name a few. The song was composed and written by Tracy Connolly who is the executive music producer of her music. She is accompanied by Pat Barrett(producer) on bass guitar and Pat O’Sullivan on Piano. The song is available to request on all digital retail providers through iTunes.

For further information and Interviews please contact tracyconnollyspoetrys@gmail.com or visit her website: www.tracyconnollyspoetrys.com

Millstreet Vintage Club in Rathmore

The dust has settled on what was a great Event in Rathmore with the running of Millstreet Vintage Clubs first Event for 2023 in our Cars and Coffee gathering, and without the help and co-operation of Donagh Hickey Motors, Centra/ Applegreen Service Station, Rathmore Credit Union, and Rathmore AstroTurf for the use of their car parks, we would not have been able to run what was a most successful opening event for 2023. Donie Lucey and Millstreet Vintage Club thank you very much for the use of your grounds for Parking and for the hospitality that was shown as well. Well over 100 vehicles of all types made the trip from near and far, and we would like to thank you all for your participation and we hope you enjoyed it. To the general public that came out to

SYMPATHIES

Sympathies to the family on the death of Paddy Crowley Barra, Knocknacopple, Rathmore. Paddy’s funeral took place on Saturday 28th January in Rathmore.

To the families of Agnes Cremin Corran, Headford. Agnes funeral took place on Friday 27th January in RathmoreTo the family of Edmond McSweeney Knockeenagullane, Knocknagree, Edmonds funeral took place in Knocknagree on Saturday 28th January.

To the family of Denis Hickey Scrahan Denis’s funeral took place on Monday 30th January in Knocknagree.

May Paddy, Agnes, Edmond & Denis rest in peace

support and have a look, we thank you very much and hope you had a good day out. To all the helpers doing parking/traffic management and looking after entries and sign on, we thank each and every one of you for your help. To the Media for covering the event and to all the photographers who attended on the day, thank you very much for your help.

Keep Sunday May 21st in your diary free when we will hold our next Cars and Coffee event with more details to follow on this closer to the event.

ABOVE: The sea of cars outside Hickeys, Rathmore.

LEFT: The very popular Polski Fiat was a stand out on the day.

Rockchapel Defibrillator Group

Rockchapel Defibrillator group held a Basic CPR and Defib training course with Ger McAuliffe of the Irish Red Cross on Sat the 28th of Jan. The programme was extremely well received by all who attended. Emergency first aid is a vital life skill and the application of immediate first aid can make a real difference. The Defib group was formed in 2007 to facilitate the lack of emergency first responders to the region as Rockchapel is not in a close proximity to an ambulance depot or hospital. The mobile unit is carried by a member of the group who is on call on a 24-hour basis. To contact the Defib Phone in the case of an emergency tel: 086-3783891. The group are always looking for new recruits; Any interested parties are encouraged to contact Tríona Curtin on 0866780136 or Nora Mary Curtin on 0863795562.

Photos taken by Mark Coyne

Scoil Mhuire Kanturk

Scoil Mhuire Kanturk: Catholic Schools Week

On Wednesday, Jan. 25th S.M.K. opened its doors to welcome and honour grandparents during Catholic Schools Week. The day began with mass, which was celebrated in conjunction with our new local primary school, Scoil Naomh Padraig. Following mass,

both students and grandparents gathered in our school for a special celebration. While enjoying refreshments, grandparents were entertained by our many talented students. The talent on display included piano playing, Irish dancing, singing, trad music,

modern music and group singing, to name but a few. A fantastic day was had by all, as testified by the wonderful atmosphere in the hall.

We are already looking forward to next year!

ABOVE

LEFT:

BELOW: A great turnout for Catholic Schools Week in Scoil Mhuire Kanturk

ABOVE LEFT: Neil Murphy Ciarán McKeever, Kayla McKeever

TOP: Amy Green Linehan, William Green

Patsy Geasley, Mary Savage, Alex Geasley

Irish Angus Competition

Certified Irish Angus, ABP and Kepak, run the Certified Irish Angus Schools Competition which aims to encourage second-level students to gain an understanding about the care and attention that is required to produce and market the highest quality Irish Angus beef for consumers. The initiative challenges groups of students to rear 5 Certified Irish Angus calves for 18 months and carry out research on a chosen topic. Scoil Mhuire, Kanturk is one of 42 groups that have been called forward to exhibit project ideas at the next stage of the Certified Irish Angus Schools Exhibition to a panel of Agri-food industry experts in Croke Park on the 31st March, 2023.

The five schools who demonstrate the best understanding of the project will be announced as finalists and will be presented with their calves at the National Ploughing Championships in September 2023. A record number of over 170 school groups entered this year’s competition and Scoil Mhuire’s ‘Foliar Four ‘ group was one of 72 to be called to the interview stage in Limerick in January. Our group created a 3-minute entry video based on the

chosen topic of foliar application of fertiliser on crops. Living in a time of rising costs of energy and with fertiliser prices remaining high for yet another year, our 4 transition year students Oisin Bourke, Rachel Morton, Sean O’Connor and Brion O’Keeffe decided to look at the advantages of Foliar application of fertiliser on grassland. This is a process of fertiliser application used by a few farmers including a family attending Scoil Mhuire where the fertiliser is applied in spray form other than conventional granulated

form. The group are hoping that their results will show that the use of the foliar fertiliser will be economically viable while also helping to protect our environment. Our students have visited Kanturk mart over the past few weeks carrying out surveys on the use of fertiliser and methods of slurry spreading in the Duhallow region and will continue to be at the mart in the coming weeks as they prepare for the final round of judging on March 31st in Croke Park.

ABOVE LEFT: Fiadh park, Marie Shone, Sarah Kate Murphy ABOVE RIGHT: Joan O’Donovan, Leah O’Donovan

Brion O’Keeffe, Rachel Morton, Oisín Burke, and Sean O’Connor

Kanturk Rugby Club Pt 2

By SEAMUS TWOMEY Club Secretary

As part of the run up to our Centenary Year in 2025, the club are looking to introduce a new 5-year plan to develop the club grounds to accommodate the growing numbers. This will be developed with the new Rugby for All initiative. This IRFU nationwide scheme gives players of different physiques, skills, genders, and age the opportunity to participate at their levels of ability in a controlled, competitive and enjoyable environment. Kanturk Rugby Football Club is one of the first in North Cork to actively promote and adopt this social enterprise.

On the pitch the club is competing very well in all age levels and codes with good numbers at training. Our minis are currently running Bring your Friend sessions at the club. You can try out a session with us and see if you enjoy it. Learn new skills, have fun, and make new friends. We have age groups from U7 up to U12 with boys and girls from 6 years old up to 11 years old welcome.

Club President, Tony Daly also mentioned

“Of course, there are always social events that will be held throughout the season whether it be BBQ’s, dances, Club reunions etc. One recent all Ireland fund raising initiative promoted by the Irish

Rugby Football Union (IRFU) was the Your Club, Your Country Grand Draw Raffle with ten fantastic prizes with all proceeds going back to the club that sold the tickets.”

I am thrilled to announce that Kanturk RFC had one of the nationwide ten winning tickets (a Druids Glen & Golf Resort voucher valued at €1000) which was sold by one of our under 8’s Minis, Rory O’Neill, to his cousin in Kinsale!!! A great idea and I am sure the success will be repeated in 2023

Tony also wanted to thank Club members, Sponsors and Trustees for all their support. “In 2025, we will be celebrating our Centenary and with this milestone in mind, we are continually looking at ways to improve the facilities in the club. Our clubhouse is continually being used as a meeting place for different societies as it’s a great venue, and we’re always looking at other ways we can help the community as a whole in the Duhallow area”.

Seamus Twomey, Secretary of Development for Kanturk RFC, reported that in recent years the club has, with the support of Sports Capital Grant and LEADER funding through IRD Duhallow,

embarked on a significant investment in facilities with the development of a new all weather playing area and resurfacing of the car park and entrance driveway. “Current plans” he said, “are to undertake an upgrade to our main pitch in 2023 with the installation of floodlighting in order to cater for the significant increase in playing numbers across all levels.

Clubhouse upgrades as well as the gym and keep fit areas such as walkways are also being looked at. These obviously take funds so that is why we would love to see more members joining as well as the active promotion of fundraising ideas.”

For more information on how to join the club as a player or just as a member, please call Tony Daly on 0851905336 or email secretary@kanturkrugby.com. Fixtures, Results and Photos are regularly posted across our social media platforms Instagram, Facebook and Twitter and you can email secretary@ kanturkrugby.com for more information on anything to do with the club.

Kanturk RFC is a vibrant club with minis, youths and adult playing teams. Both girls and boys play rugby in the club today.

Munster Ladies U16’s Lucy O Donoghue, Megan Sheehan, Saoirse Fitzpatrick, Farrag Sheill and Ella Buckley (Capt of South Munster)

Kanturk Rugby Club Adults 2023

ABOVE: The minis training hard. BELOW LEFT AND RIGHT: Kanturk Rugby Club youths against Mallow

Community meetings

Western Duhallow

Duhallow Mid Cork

Community Meetings

IRD Duhallow will hold a series of community meetings during February and March to give people an opportunity to discuss their ideas and plans for their communities. This information will feed into IRD Duhallow’s LEADER and Social Inclusion plans for the region. Representatives of IRD Duhallow Board and Staff will give feedback on previous meetings and consultation. The information collected at each meeting will inform future planning for the area and it is important that the meetings are well attended to make sure that the needs of your community are included in future funding. Please encourage everyone, both young and old as well as those not already involved in the community groups to attend. We want to hear your voice.

North Eastern Duhallow

For more information, please call IRD Duhallow on 029 60633 or email:duhallow@irdduhallow.com

Knowledge is Power

By ALICE O’BRIEN Churchview Psychotherapy, Millstreet

How often do you apply Pythagorean Theorem in your daily life? When you are working out the measurements for your brown bread recipe maybe! Likewise, do you use the Modh coinniolach when you are writing your notes for work? The likely answer is no - you left those dreaded terms behind when you burned your books after the leaving cert - never to be used again.

We know that after school, we will not apply a lot of what we learned. But, there are people living among us- maybe even under our roofs, who worry about these terms, who go to bed at night wondering if they will need to know these things on a sunny

June day. These people are our children, our exam students and their stress is very real.

So, how do we support those with looming exams?

• Try to be supportive. These concerns are very real for those going through the exams, so be careful not to minimise their experiences.

• Remove the emphasis on results; encourage effort, not scores.

• Keep a good routine in the home, encourage healthy eating, good sleep hygiene and reduce the stress levels in the household.

• Only give advice if asked for it. Students need time to process and accept their reality; they may not need your advice, or even want it. Let them know that you are there if they need

advice when they ask.

• Allow room for disappointment. Sometimes results don’t go as planned, and they may be disappointed- and that’s okay.

• Try to reduce the phone use. Especially at night. Implement a rule for the whole family to allow healthy phone use to become a habit, keeping phones out of bedrooms is one idea.

We know that school days are the best days of our lives, but we only know that with hindsight, so our students do not have that view yet. So allow room for their stress and concerns.

In time they will see that Nelson Mandela was right; education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world.

You Don’t Need Another Diet

By SIOBHAN O’SULLIVAN SOS Fitness

“If I just started counting calories, I’d lose the weight”

Yes, learning about calories will help you understand energy balance better. But you still have to work on your relationship with food and why you are overeating in the first place. Counting calories is not a magic weight loss tool.

“If someone would just tell me what to eat, I’d lose the weight”

Yes, someone can tell you what to eat and you will lose weight if you follow that diet. But what happens when you have to go back to making food decisions for yourself? You will ultimately fall back to previous habits because

you have not learnt how to change your underlying, fundamental behaviours when it comes to food.

“If I just cut out carbs, I’ll lose the weight”

Yes, cutting out carbs will help you lose weight. But are you going to stop eating carbohydrates for the rest of your life? Does that sound realistic to you? I highly doubt it!

Stop looking for the silver bullet when it comes to weight loss. To

lose weight and keep it off for the long term, you have to invest the time to understand why you are eating the way you are right now. You have to have patience and learn new habits, which takes time. Stop searching for a new diet.

If you are looking for accountability to learn new habits around your food, understand why you eat the way you eat and get long term results, contact me for information on online coaching. I can provide you with the tools and guidance to make a long-term change to your health. For more information on nutrition coaching, check out my website https:// sosfitness.ie/nutrition/

Boosting your Psychobiome

By MAIREAD O’KEEFFE New Leaf Health Store

The gut, technically, is the pathway from your mouth to your rear. A healthy gut is made up of bacteria, viruses, fungi, and other single-celled organisms. The mix of these microbes and their effect on how people think, feel, and act is referred to as the ‘psychobiome’. The healthier your gut the better your brain health; the more positive and energised you will feel.

Your gut and brain are connected by the vagus nerve, which enables you to breathe, digest food, and swallow automatically. The vagus nerve is essentially the ‘bridge’ between the brain and the gut, facilitating two way communication. Research shows that 80% of that communication is travelling to the brain from the body. Healthy gut bacteria help to create signalling

molecules and keep inflammation at bay. Bacteria are also capable of creating neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine.

For a healthy gut focus on your foods - a diet rich in fibre, nuts, seeds, fresh fruit and vegetables will ensure that you have a good balance of beneficial bacteria. If you have too much refined sugar, processed meats and alcohol your gut will be home to less beneficial bacteria. If your gut flora is not balanced, opportunistic microbes and pathogens can take over resulting in inflammation which is associated with depression and stress.

You can boost your gut health by taking a good probiotic such as Udo’s 8s, they are an excellent product to restore gut health after a course of antibiotics or when you feel run down. A prebiotic is also helpful. Prebiotics are special plant fibers that help healthy bacteria grow in

your gut. This makes your digestive system work better. Terranova does an excellent everyday probiotic complex with prebiotics.

70% of your immune system is situated in your gut and by paying attention to your gut health you feel better in yourself, happier and more positive and you will not be so prone to illness. A well balanced gut can help balance female hormones including the thyroid and boost fertility. Probiotics can also improve acne and help resolve and prevent vaginal and urinary tract infections.

To win send an email to info@ newleafonline.ie with your contact details. Entries must be in by Monday February 20th, 2022. Entrants will be added to the New Leaf emailing list.

Wagyu Look At That!

Finnow Farm is located just outside Millstreet, Co. Cork, at the foot of Ballvouskill Mountain, surrounded by lakes, waterfalls and forestry. Running alongside the farm is the River Finnow, a tributary of the Blackwater. Conor farms beef cattle, sheep and pigs with the help of wife Lavinia and their three children.

Descending from a long line of farmers, Conor is the third generation to farm in Ballinatona. Dairy farmers for over 80 years, Conor turned to beef farming in 2010 and began breeding Wagyu – a breed of cattle originating from Japan. Wagyu beef is renowned for an intense marbled appearance which results in a tender, melt in the mouth meat with a distinctive and delicious flavour.

We have dedicated almost 15 years to perfecting our beef’s appearance, ensuring quality breeding, quality genetics and a quality Irish product.

Finnow Farm is a small family business. Our Wagyu meat is processed in Cork and distributed straight to your door. This is a quality Irish product, produced locally, processed locally and distributed to the Irish market.

I started Wagyu almost 15 years ago. I was primarily a dairy farmer with some beef cattle. Bored with the monotony of milking cows, I looked up the most expensive beef in the world and found out about wagyu. It wasn’t readily available in Ireland at the time. We invested in embryos and our journey began. Wagyu is renowned around the world as a delicacy. Known for its marbling which delivers a unique umami flavour. Wagyu meat is one of the best meats you can eat, high in monounsaturated fats and omega fatty acids. The animals stay on the farm for up to four years as it takes a long time for a wagyu animal to mature. At 28 months, a marbling gene kicks in and it helps the animal to develop the beautiful marbling that wagyu is famous for.

Here, on this farm, we rear the Wagyu slightly differently to the farms in Japan. In Japan, the animals are predominantly fed grain, we grassfeed the Wagyu for four years and finish them by intensively feeding a custom, locally milled high protein and energy based feed. In keeping with tradition, we do massage the animals! I don’t do it by hand but we have a special brush

which cleans and massages the cattle. This decreases stress and improves blood circulation, enhancing animal health and comfort.

Our animals are processed at an abattoir here in Cork and they are packed and stored locally also. Our meat is delivered nationwide.

I am very active on social media, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. It gives great satisfaction when people post up the pictures of your product online and you see them enjoying the product. It means I must be doing something right. It gives you a boost.

New To Wagyu? Conor’s tips. I recommend cooking the steak in its own fat and serve medium rare with homemade chips.

I love the burgers in a brioche bun! They are 100% beef, no additives, no preservatives, no flavourings. We are often asked if we sell mince. Well, the burgers are 100% mince, in lovely individual portions. Just smash them up and make a delicious stew or Bolognese.

The Sheehan Family

The Amazing Power of Eucharistic Adoration

By TOM DENNEHY

The value of spending one hour in Adoration before The Blessed Sacrament is far greater than we could ever imagine. Your hour in Adoration has an effect on every person in the entire world.

According to St. Faustina, every Holy Hour we make so pleases the Heart of Jesus that every man, woman, and child living on Earth receives a new effect of God’s grace. So this sacrifice of your time when you volunteer to cover a Holy Hour of Adoration before The Blessed Sacrament is a powerful one.

Our saints have always emphasized that a Holy Hour is not just a personal solitary “Jesus and me” encounter, but one that involves the entire Church.

Our Adoration reaches out to our families and our community and as a result, our families are very blessed and brought closer together. People do not realize this. People involved in Perpetual Adoration throughout the world sometimes tell of a loved one, who had left the Church, coming back as a result of their Adoration. Jesus may be waiting for you to sign up to bring one of your loved ones back to the Church.

We read in the newspapers on a daily basis of the many evils that are perpetuated on innocent people throughout the world. Our saints teach us that the grace of Adoration helps make reparation for many evils that might otherwise go unrepaired and unchecked. Through our Holy Hour we can help counter evil throughout the world. The power of Adoration can stop wars, bring peace on Earth, stop abortions….

Souls on the precipice of Hell, Go to Heaven instead. Our Holy Hour may be the only

chance for Heaven that many in the world have.

One of the most important graces that God showers upon the Earth, through your Holy Hour, is that of His great Mercy, according to St. Faustina, St. Mother Teresa, and St. John Paul 11. Your Holy Hour opens the floodgates of His Mercy onto everyone in the world. A Holy Hour of Adoration is so powerful that many souls in the world that do not know the love and mercy of God, instead are graced enough to be in the hands of God and are on the way to Heaven.

This revelation, about any Holy Hour of Adoration, was given by our Lord to Blessed Dina Belanger during one of her many Holy Hours.

This is the testimony of Blessed Dina Belanger;(1897-1929)

“One day before her Holy Hour, Jesus showed Dina Belanger a multitude of souls on the precipice of Hell. After her Holy Hour, Jesus showed the same souls in the hands of God. He told her that through Holy Hours of prayer, a multitude of souls go to Heaven who otherwise would have gone to Hell as one person can make up for what is lacking in the lives of others by winning precious graces for their salvation.”

Sadly during the Covid 19 epidemic, many of our parishes ceased or reduced the hours of Adoration in their churches. It is now time to start again and open them up to be stronger and even better than before. This can be done only if we have adorers who will commit one hour of their week and spend that precious time in the company of Jesus. God has given us 168 hours in the week and all He asks you is to spend one hour with Him. Let us never forget His call from Gethsemane, “Could you not watch one hour with Me” Mat 26.40. This call is to

each and every one of us. We can bring all our needs to Jesus. He is the wonder counsellor. He tells us, “Come to me all who labour and are heavily burdened and I will give you rest”.

There is nothing greater or holier we can do on this earth than Adoration outside of the Eucharistic sacrifice - Holy Mass. So let us change the world and see miracles happen by spending time in the presence of Jesus truly present in The Blessed Sacrament. So, sign up today and spend that Holy Hour with Jesus and I promise you will not regret it. Our world was never in greater need.

How to spend your Holy Hour. Begin by spending time adoring Jesus truly present and thanking Him for all he has done in your life. Contemplate His awesome presence and rest in wonder at who God is and His great sacrifice of love for you and how He invites you to have a personal relationship with Him.

You can tell Him all that worries you and what your needs are and who you want to include in your prayer. Entrust everything to Him. You can pray the rosary and Divine Mercy. Pray for our priests, vocations, our community and our loved ones who have died.

You could spend some time meditating on Scripture and open your heart to His word and any message He may want to give you. Finish with a period of silence and let Him speak to your heart and when you finish, continue in the peace He has bestowed upon you.

To be in with a chance to win a €20 voucher for Duhallow Community Food Services complete the crossword and post with your name and contact details to: Discover Duhallow Puzzle Competition, James O’Keeffe Institute Newmarket, Co. Cork

Or simply scan completed puzzle or take a snap with your phone email to discoverduhallow@irdduhallow.com

Terms & Conditions: Deadline for submissions is noon on Friday, February 17th, 2023. First correct entry drawn will win a €20 voucher, valid for three months from date of issue, to be redeemed for food at the Duhallow Community Food Services. No cash alternative. Winner will be named in subsequent issue of Discover Duhallow. One entry per person. No correspondence will be entered into. Voucher to be collected from Duhallow Community Food Services, Newmarket.

IRD Duhallow Rural Social Scheme has vacancies!

A means tested payment such as Farm Assist or Jobseekers Allowances (other social welfare payments eligible also)

Proof of a Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) payment

Actively farming in excess of 1 hectare

If you, your spouse or family member is in receipt of: Then you may be eligible to join our Rural Social Scheme.

The benefits of participating on IRD Duhallow’s scheme include:

Class A stamp entitlement

An increased weekly income

The rates of payment for new participants on the RSS depends on your qualifying DSP payment.

The minimum weekly payment increased to €247.50 in January 2023.

If the actual social welfare payment (including dependants) you were getting is €220 a week or less, then you will get the minimum RSS weekly rate of €247.50 (that is €220 plus €27.50). If your actual weekly social welfare payment (including dependants) was €220.01 or more, then you will get the equivalent rate plus €27.50.

Build self confidence

Assist with projects in your local community

Varied work experience

Reduced isolation by working alongside other farmers

Access to services and training

If you’re interested in joining please call Marie Fleming or Colm O’Connor on 029 60633