Muskerry news feb 2016 web

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Blarney Drain Services

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muskerrynews

2 | Muskerry News

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FREE

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incorporating North City News Church View, Blarney, Co. Cork t: 087 2330398 / 087 2513126

e: muskerrynews@eircom.net

www.muskerrynews.biz

The March edition of The Muskerry News, incorporating The North City News, will be published on Thursday March 12th and closing date for submissions is Thursday March 5th.

Transition year students Ciara McCarthy and Ellen Tarrant from Coachford College during a visit to CIT as part of the IWish programme.

Pic Darragh Kane Great photo posted by Ronnie Herlihy on Old photos of Cork City and County recently. I'm sure this brings back some memories! “The 'Wedding Wall' at the Blarney Hotel (later Blarney Park Hotel) in 1969. Couples who had their reception in the hotel had their names inscribed on a brass plate on a brick inserted into this wall.”

Carrigrohane Toddler Group meet every Friday morning during School Term Time from 10.15am – 11.45am at Carrigrohane Parish Centre, Church Hill, Carrigrohane. €3 per family group. All children of pre-school age are welcome!

Enjoy a warm welcome for parents, grandparents, carers and friends.

Lots of toys to enjoy and a fun-packed selection of activities including our outdoor playground, craft, music and bible stories, plus a well earned hot drink for the adults and a healthy snack for the little ones Call Mel on 085 7758511 for more information, Come along to try a session, or visit www.cupcork.ie for more about our other Parish Activities for Families

Letters to the Editor.... make your local views known and write to The Muskerry News, Church View, Blarney, Co. Cork or email muskerrynews@eircom.net Hi Kate, I would like to thank and congratulate you and PJ, the other members of the committee, and the Blarney & District Chamber of Commerce for hosting the Blarney Person of the Year event. At a personal level, I was delighted, humbled and proud to be a monthly winner and I thoroughly applaud the decision of the committee to award Deborah Lynch the Person of the Year Award - I am sure that you did not require much deliberation to come to that conclusion. She is a most worthy recipient.

The awards ceremony was a wonderful show of community spirit and everyone had a great night. My family and I had a super time, Thanks and congratulations once again, Sincerely, Mark McGloughlin

Cork Opera House Panto had yet another magical surprise in store as, at the close of Beauty and the Beast , Director Trevor Ryan proposed to his partner Jennifer O'Sullivan on stage before the final curtain call.

To the delight of the audience and cast alike, he got down on one-knee to ask for her hand in marriage and the lovely Jennifer said yes! for Hire Ltd A. P.Skips Vaughan Recycling A. P. Vaughan Recycling Ltd

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ALDERLAND • WATERLOO • BLARNEY

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Liam Casey Phone 021 • 4383456 Mobile 087 • 2096018 Only three minutes from Blarney village....

Take the bridge after the Waterloo Inn, follow the road for 800yds, Casey Motors in behind the first house on your left after the turn up onto the Mallow Road.

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4 | Muskerry News Some members of Waterloo Renewal group pictured during one of their regular clean ups of the area. pic Kay Dennehy

Transition year students Kate Nagle, Colaiste Cholim Ballincollig and Ciara Sheehan, Scoil Mhuire Gan Smal Blarney during a visit to CIT as part of the IWish programme.

Many happy returns Rena!

pic Darragh Kane Mary Martin, Ballinlough, Norma Hyde, Rochestown, Deirdre Lee, Carmel Ryan and Ger O'Connor from Ballincollig pictured at the Cork Simon Women's Little Christmas Lunch. pic Diane Cusack Minister Jimmy Deenihan presenting Tom Butler, Ballincollig Tidy Towns, with their 2015 Gold Medal.

Rena Buckley of Glounaglough, Rylane was born 98 years ago on January 1st 1918 in Gurtlehard, Kilgarvan, in the same house as Bishop of Cork and Ross, Dr. John Buckley’s father and so it was fitting that he should celebrate Mass in Rena’s home on the occasion of her birthday, where he met up with his cousins.

Rena expressed her delight at the Bishop’s visit and she was happy to be joined by seven of her eight children, Mary, Susan, Con, Diarmuid, Michael, Margaret and Tim as well as twenty of her 27 grandchildren.

Bishop Buckley complimented his cousin, Rena, on her long life, loyalty to her faith and dedication to her family and on looking so well on the night.

Also present was Mrs. Buckley’s grand daughter and namesake, Rena, holder of sixteen All Ireland medals and the Bishop, a former Cork minor hurler and road bowler, who tested himself against the likes of the legendry Mick Barry, congratulated her on her extraordinary successes and on how he enjoyed meeting with the teams prior to games and welcoming them on their return to Cork.

Report & pics Mike English

Minister Jimmy Deenihan with Ballincollig Tidy Towns; Tom Butler, Maurice Manning, CEO Cork County Council, Brendan Murphy, Pat Clarke, Cllr JP O'Shea, Mayor of County Cork, Tony Whelan. pics Valerie O'Sullivan

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For PVC Gates, Railings & Fences

ardtech@eircom.net Phone: 028 31410 www.ardtech.ie Available in Golden Oak and White colours

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8 | Muskerry News

Aoibhe Hillgrove Stack and Gabriela Entcheva, Ballincollig Community School enjoying the Eleanor and David Lucey, CIT Engineer Roadshow.

Coachford College. pics Darragh Kane

Anna Duggan, Michaela Sheehan and Rebecca O'Mahony, Colaiste Cholim Ballincollig at the Roadshow.

Trevor Whelan, Lecturer CIT speaking with Belinda and Jack O'Sullivan, Ballincollig at the CIT Engineer Roadshow in the Nexus Centre, CIT.

keep an eye out for these packs of kindling. Available soon for sale in Paddy O’Leary's Centra and Day to Day (Solo fuels) Leemount.

Profit made will go directly to 11th Cork Cloghroe Scout Group. kindling also available in Scout hall after meetings. Packs from hall cost €3.50 each, or 3 packs for €10 Myrtle Howe, Ber BarryMurray and Clíona Murray, Round Table and Blarney business woman Mary Coleman, Beauty Regain at the Network Cork January event in the Clarion Hotel.

Blarney School of Motoring

Transition year students Michaela Sheehan, Ciara forde and Rebecca O'Mahony from Colaiste Cholim Ballincollig during a visit to CIT as part of the IWish programme. pic Darragh Kane

Eileen keane, Jump Start Your Confidence and Gillian Hennessy, Collins Press at the Network Cork event. pics Darragh Kane

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Your Local Solicitor

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Wake up by the sea in Celtic Ross new rooms No longer is the classic bed, table, locker combination enough to make a hotel room feel inviting and the team at the Celtic Ross Hotel, Rosscarbery, have had just one thing on their minds ‘How can we make our guest experiences more enjoyable?’ And so they are just thrilled to announce that they now have over 30 newly decorated rooms, a new bridal suite and more to come!

Designers Sarah and Karen said that they wanted a ‘New England’ feel to the rooms to

reflect the views over Rosscarbery Bay pps and they have done just that. With varying shades of teal, pistachio and French Until March 10th Sunday – Thursday!

Warren Strand white, the new rooms have that ‘home away Save the date for our from home’ feel while Wedding Consultation Day still having all the February 14th 12noon - 4pm comforts of a well Celtic Ross Hotel, Rosscarbery, West Cork. T: 023 88 48722 needed break away in E: info@celticross.com • www.celticrosshotel.com West Cork. In addition each of the rooms has a paintings and cosy new soft furnishings. A real unique twist with trendy door knobs, bespoke treat for a relaxing weekend away.

€40 4 course dinner, bed & breakfast

We are also just delighted to announce our new bridal suite has just been finished! The new bridal was carefully designed with our newly weds in mind and is dressed in luxurious purple and plush mink greys with personalised hand painted furniture. The main feature is the new ‘heavenly’ bed which boosts unrivalled sunset views over Rosscarbery Bay. With fantastic offers available on our website www.celticrosshotel.com, you can experience them for yourself.

We look forward to seeing you soon.

Congratulations to Marlene Griffins, SGBI Northpoint Business Park. who was awarded the prestigious CMAP Community Spirit Award last weekend.

Thanks to Tesco in Ballincollig who, through their Blue Token campaign, are helping many local organisations fundraise. Irish Dogs for the Disabled were in store recently with their gorgeous assistance dogs, and Ballincollig Community Forum received a cheque to help them in their hard work as they fundraise for a new Community Centre in Ballincollig.

Congratulations to the wonderful staff at Quish’s SuperValu Ballincollig who were announced as one of the top 20 performing stores in SuperValu nationwide (out of 217 stores) for their Customer Service.

The overall winner will be announced at this years Annual SuperValu Conference later this month.

Spillane’s Wood for Stoves

crateS from €129 With free delivery

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Blarney’s cooolest entrepreneurs launch Oh Naturelle! sorbet Blarney’s coolest entrepreneurs Aisling Murphy and Louise Ryan have recently launched Oh Naturelle! Sorbet.

Louise, who lives on Station Road Blarney, and Aisling who lives in Newcastle, created this fabulous new product whilst on a diet and fitness journey last year.

As Louise told The Muskerry News, “ We found it so hard to stick to the diet given to us by our personal trainer because we travel a lot with our work and at the time there was absolutely nothing on the market that we could snack on.

Aisling is a self confessed ice-cream addict and with the new diet there was a huge restriction on dairy and sugar, so she started to make her own sorbet to satisfy her cravings. She replaced the white sugar in the recipe with agave syrup and started to experiment with flavours, it was so yummy we just felt there was huge potential to bring this to market. “ We had been working with Jim Byrne in Happy Days Ice Cream, Little Island, on his branding and marketing and we decided we should ask Jim if he'd make this for us. So we started the really interesting journey of creating the product, and with Jim’s help and patience we

made it even better. “ From there we decided to go through the Food Academy with SuperValu, the Local Enterprise Board and Bord Bia which was a fantastic experience. All the knowledge gaps for us on logistics, pricing, supplying a supermarket were filled in and then we had to pitch to SuperValu retailers, Dragon's Den style, in the hope of getting a listing in their stores. We came through the pitch with flying colours and SuperValu have agreed to list us in 30 stores in Cork, we are currently in 12 stores and will roll out to the

Thank you so much to the big hearted people at Blarney Chocolate Factory for this wonderful chocolate heart and mini hearts which are the centrepiece of the fundraising raffle for Blarney Community First Responders Valentines Day walk at Castleview running trail.

Congratulations to Lauren Lehane, Blarney, who has just been selected for the 2016-2017 U.S. Embassy Dublin Youth Council.

She will be traveling to the U.S Embassy in Dublin on the 20th of this month to begin her position.

remaining stores over the coming weeks. It’s so exciting to finally get our product in front of our customers! “ We know that this time of year is a time where a lot of people take stock and decided to make changes to their lives. Diet and fitness is definitely one area but I'm sure there are people out there stuck in jobs that they hate and probably don't know where to start even though they have a great idea. We've met so many amazing food producers in Cork through the Food Academy and Local Enterprise Office, there's a lot of advice out there which costs nothing or is heavily subsidised. I'd advise anyone who thinks they've got a product to bring to market to talk to their Local Enterprise Office and let 2016 be the year of Cork businesses taking over.”

Oh Naturelle! Sorbet is currently available in two delicious flavours Raspberry & Rose Sorbet and Grape, White Tea & Mint Sorbet and are now available in the following SuperValu’s; Ballincollig, Grange, Glanmire, Blackrock, Carrigaline, Kinsale and Fermoy.

You can visit them online at ohnaturelle.ie

Thanks to Betty, Mary and all at Waterloo Defibrillator Group. Not only did they fundraise for their own AED, now mounted on the wall outside the Waterloo Inn, but they also gave Blarney Community First Responders a donation of €250 towards their ongoing equipment costs and training.

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Muskerry

LOOK WHAT’S COMING TO BLARNEY!

OPENING SOON in the old Mace Maxol

Look no further for • Stationery • Seasonal goods • Partyware • Car Care • Toys • DVDs & CDs • Children’s books • Hardware ...and a great selection of safety gear for builders and DIY enthusiasts .

ALPHASUD Car Wash, Car Valeting & Detailing More than just a car wash!

Preserve & protect your car with AlphaSuD. Worldclass products, well trained staff and a service tailored to suit your requirements

Cork’s first wash club for car crazy people!

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14 | Muskerry News

Blarney & District Chamber of Commerce

BLARNEY PERSON OF THE YEAR muskerrynews AWARDS 2015 FREE

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The January 2016 Person of The Month is Jennifer Dowler The January 2016 Blarney Person of the Month is Dripsey charity founder Jennifer Dowler Jennifer is the founder and Chief Executive of Dogs for the Disabled, a National Charity established in 2007 and the only one of its kind in Ireland. Enhancing the quality of lives for children and adults, who have varying degrees of physical disabilities, their mission is to provide fully trained assistance dogs to assist in everyday activities and in doing so improving their quality of life. Their assistance dogs are provided free of charge and the charity receives no government funding.

85% of their clients are children between the ages of 6 and 12 years living with severe physical disabilities which affect every aspect of their lives from independence to social interaction.

Dogs for the Disabled assistance dogs are specially trained to assist in many ways, some of which are opening/closing doors; assisting with dressing/undressing; sending for help; retrieving dropped items like keys or telephones; emptying the washing machine: fetching the post; switching lights on/off; pressing pedestrian crossing buttons plus much more.

Dogs for the Disabled are currently running a unique programme designed to assist children with cerebral palsy to walk with their Stability assistance dogs.

Dogs for the Disabled funds all its services through the effort of volunteers across the country. Each assistance dog costs the charity €15,000 to produce and is provided free of charge to the recipient, with approximately 20 assistance dogs a year placed with a child or adult with a physical disability in Ireland.

Dogs for the Disabled desperately need to reduce their five year waiting list, as not all applicants have 5 years.

Jennifer began working at Irish Guide Dogs for The Blind as soon as she finished school and

lived in the headquarters for several years looking after the dogs, before she went to London to learn how to become a trainer.

Whilst enjoying her life in the UK, home called and Jennifer returned to Irish Guide Dogs for The Blind, bringing her partner Richard with her.

Twelve happy years passed before Jennifer set up her own dog training company Puppy Power but, despite its success, something was missing which was when she began to think about training dogs for physically disabled people.

This led to Jennifer setting up Dogs for The Disabled and she has spent the last nine years enriching lives with her unique charity.

With three young children, and often up to six training dogs living with them at any one time, Jennifer’s life is beyond busy but the rewards are enormous, as she says “Seeing children and adults lives transformed because they can walk unaided, or go out on their own for the first time.”

And that is why Jennifer Dowler is The January 2016 Blarney Person of The Month.

To find out more about Dogs for the Disabled and how you can help visit dogsfordisabled.ie

Do you know someone who deserves a Blarney & District Person of The Month award?

The awards aim is to recognise achievement, leadership and altruism so that others may be inspired to follow.

You can nominate anyone who’s contribution has singled them out as deserving of recognition, be it in community, sport, business, arts, family or indeed from any sector or activity in our community.

Send your nomination with the name of your nominee and the reason you wish to nominate them (along with your name and contact details) to Blarney & District Person of The Month Awards, The Muskerry News, Church View, Blarney or email muskerrynews@eircom.net

Blarney Community First Responder co founder Deborah Lynch was named 2015 Blarney Person of the Year, and well know and well liked Blarney lady Kay Dennehy was inaugurated in the Blarney Hall of Fame at the recently held Blarney Person of the Year awards.

Person of the year Deborah is a committed critical care nurse at CUH and mother of three, and has been instrumental in turning the Blarney area into a First Responder Community and now heads a team of committed volunteers who will now provide 24 hour first responder cover, 365 days a year. The panel of local judges had the hard job of deciding from a panel of monthly winners that included Killeens man Mark McGloughlin who turned the village orange when he brought the ‘Cycle Against Suicide’ to Blarney in January, Niamh and Peter Ahern following their organisation in 2014 and 2015 of a 5km charity run through the grounds of Blarney Castle in honour of the memory of their late brother Donal which brought Blarney village to a standstill and raised significant funds for Build4Life / Cystic Fibrosis, Theresa Cronin for her ongoing work offering others a forum for discussion and a chance to build their own personal relationship in Christ, Lauren Lehane for her achievements as a youth activist, Marie Murphy for her many years of dedication with the 11th Cork ( Cloghroe ) Scout Group, retired butcher Ted Sheehan for his work in the Blarney community, well known athletics advocate Marion Lyons who has been instrumental in helping many people overcome a range of difficulties over the years, Mary Twohig who has been the mainstay of Blarney Tourist Office since it re-opened as a community resource four years ago, and Anne Gabriel who last month celebrated three years in her popular art studio, and is one is of the organisers of the fabulous Cork Toy Run, an annual motorcycle Christmas charity event which has been happening every year for over 20 years.

Smoking Cessation Trying to Quit?

This could be a life changing move.

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Blarney’s finest citizens honoured at 2015 person of the year awards pics Alan Barrett

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16 | Muskerry News

News from Times Past with Brian Gabriel, Blarney & District Historical Society

The Blarney Veteran Motor Museum How many people living locally realise that Blarney once had its own museum? Do others still remember it and where it was located? Who owned it or how long it stayed open? This is the background.

Knollys Stokes, a very well-known Cork city businessman and entrepreneur, lived in an exquisite 1850’s house at St Luke’s Cross. Knollys at one time owned the Milk Bar restaurant, later known as The Bridge House, on St Patrick Street.

He commissioned his friend, sculptor Seamus Murphy, to carve a limestone trough at street level outside the premises for thirsty dogs to drink their fill at. It had the legend ‘Madraí’ carved on it and is still visible today. Knollys Stokes had been interested all his life in beautiful objects and his house was filled with rare and unusual antiques which had been lovingly collected and restored over the years. Among these was his first love, clocks. He had a vast collection of all shapes and sizes and was to become a well-known collector of Clocks and Veteran Cars and became very knowledgeable on these subjects as well as being very involved in a hands-on restoration of his own collection. His son Christopher decided to go in to the business of clock restoration and opened his shop and workshops in MacCurtain Street, Cork City where Philip, his son, now runs the business. In the mean-time, to accommodate his growing collection of beautiful antique cars and possibly a place to display them, Knollys had to locate a secure and dry lock-up building, and where better than in a vacant section of a local Blarney hotel.

The Blarney Vintage Car museum was housed in the Muskerry Arms Hotel which was owned at the time by the Stokes family. Mr. Knollys Stokes, the man behind Ireland’s first Veteran Car Museum, and his son, Christopher, housed the priceless collection of vintage and veteran cars in a part of the hotel which would have been the stable-yard in more ancient times and which was then used as a garage for the hotel guests’ cars before being completely converted to a modern ‘built for purpose’ building. The museum was planned and established by Knollys, who was also President of the Irish Vintage and Veteran Car Club, at a cost of £10,000, to which Bord Failte contributed a substantial sum. The Blarney site was selected because of the 100,000 visitors per annum to Blarney and its famous Castle. It was estimated that up to 40,000 of these visitors would also visit the museum, each of the visitors being charged an entrance fee of 2s. 6d. while children (with parents) were half-price and profits would be put back into the purchase of further cars.

Mr. Jack Lynch, Minister for Finance, formally opened the Veteran Car Museum on Saturday March 26th 1966. The museum had been registered as a company on June 2nd 1965. He was accompanied by Mr. R.P. Beamish, Chairman Beamish and Crawford; Councillor Con Desmond, Lord Mayor of Cork and Mr. Jim O’Brien, Bord Failte. Also at the opening were the Directors of the Museum, Mr. J. Martin Wheeler, Miss Christine Rosborough and Mr. Christopher Stokes. Directors of the Irish Veteran and Vintage Car Club and a great number of Cork business people also attended. Mr. Lynch remarked that he was very honoured at being given the opportunity and privilege of declaring the museum formally opened and said; “Blarney is one of the most famous beauty spots and tourist attractions in Ireland and the opening of this museum will add lustre to its name” and ‘will bring very many more people during the summer and through-out the year to this historic old village.’

Twenty of the most extraordinary cars were on show and it has been suggested that many of these would have been acquired by foreign collectors and left the country if they had not been purchased by the museum. A number of further exhibits dealing with early Irish motoring were promised by their owners, for the exhibition. Mr. Stokes said, “In addition to its value as a tourist attraction, the museum, which will be in the charge of a curator, will help to preserve the history of motoring in Ireland. It contains, already, the finest collection of veteran cars in the country, covering the years 1899 to 1920. One of the more famous cars housed there and of particular interest was the 1910 Wolseley Siddeley, which was the family car of the Gore-Booth family.” The Countess Markievicz was often driven about in this vehicle. It was eventually sold to the Killarney Motor Museum, which was owned by Mr. Denis Lucey and his wife from Macroom. The collection in the Blarney museum was worth over £20,000.

Among the other cars exhibited in the museum were: a 1900 Arrol-Johnson, a very rare model and the only one of its kind in the country at the time and then valued at £3,500, over seven times its original cost; a 1905 Bianchi, a 1904 Singer, a 1901 De Dion Bouton; a 1904 De Dion Bouton; a 1910 Rover, single cylinder; a 1905 Argyle; a 1923 Model T Ford 4 seater; a 1924 Morris Bull-nose; a 1910 Adler; a 1902 Sunbeam-Mabley. Knollys was an avid Wolseley collector and in 1963 he had acquired a 1904 Wolseley 6 h. p. Two-seater. At this time, a Veteran car was described as being built before 1904, those built between 1904 and 1918 were described as Edwardian and Vintage those built between 1918

and 1930.

The Caretaker of the museum was Mr. John Shine from The Groves, Blarney.

At the opening function, details were announced about the International Rally of Veteran and Vintage Cars at which over 300 entries were expected. This Rally was the seventh in the current International series and was a real boost for the Cork area with the organisers estimating the local expenses amounting to £17,000. The entry fee was 17 guineas per competitor plus the shipping costs of getting their cars to Cork. Entries had been received from as far away as New Zealand, Australia, America, Europe and many other countries so a person can see this is not a cheap hobby by any means. The programme included runs to Dungarvan, Killarney and Dingle Peninsula with the Grand Finale being a parade of the £500,000 worth of antique cars through Cork city.

On 16 May 1966, in the U.K., The National Union of Seamen launched a national strike which lasted until 1st July. Being widely supported, it caused great disruption to shipping from British ports. The Cork International Veteran and Vintage Car Rally had been organised to take place from the 18th to the 22nd May and just about all of the 300 cars competing were being brought here by sea from Britain but the strike resulted in the cancellation of the rally, causing the local Cork organisers to lose about £5,000 on office expenses, awards and the printing of an elaborate brochure for the event. It was the first time this international rally was to held in Ireland and about 1,000 visitors had booked accommodation locally and in the city for the rally. Just one of the more distinguished drivers was to be Nicolas Franco, son of General Franco of Spain.

His car from Madrid was to be a 1911 Hispano Suiza. The event had been meticulously planned for the previous three years and it was regarded as a terrible blow for it to be called off at the last minute. Knollys Stokes was to become known as the organiser of ‘the greatest veteran car rally that never was’ and which came unstuck due to the British sea-men’s strike.

A number of British and Continental drivers had arrived in Cork earlier in the month, thereby managing to avoid the strike, while others from the Nordic countries and Southern European countries managed to get to Ireland by sailing direct from their own countries. Eventually, their numbers swelled to 105.

Something had to be done to entertain them after making such journeys to get here and then finding the Rally cancelled. Knollys and Christine Rosborough, with their committee, arranged for a number of short runs through the countryside. This turned out to be a big success in its own right. Incidentally, the brochures printed for the ‘rally that never was’ have become highly sought-after collector’s items. The award plaques bore a silver hall-mark embodying the ‘Sword of Light’ in commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the 1916 Rising.

A large number of visitors did come to view the priceless collection as well as visiting the nearby famous Blarney Castle. These included Travel Agents from many of the European countries. Unfortunately, the initial surge of visitors and general interest slowed over the next few years and eventually in early 1970, the museum closed its doors for the final time.

However, the family sold off the hotel to the local Bradley family who then converted the exact building which housed the valuable cars into a brand new supermarket. Knollys Stokes then sold off and auctioned his valuable collection.

Today, the property is occupied by a SuperValu supermarket.

Ireland’s first sale of Veteran and Vintage cars was held in Portlaoise, Co. Laois, on Monday April 27th 1970 and included several of the most interesting vehicles from the now closed Blarney Motor Museum. One of these was one of Ireland’s oldest cars in perfect running order, a 31/2 h. p. De Dion Bouton in superb condition.

In early 1976, R.T.E. ran a six-week television series called ‘Private View’, about collectors and their collections and the first programme in the series was of special interest to Blarney viewers in that it showed the very unique and rare collection of valuable cars which had been housed in the Blarney Veteran and Vintage Car Museum.

The next illustrated lecture of the Blarney and District Historical Society is on Thursday 3rd March 2016 at 8.00 p.m. in Scoil Mhuire Gan Smál. It is titled ‘The History of Spike Island and its Future’. Spike Island occupies a key location in lower Cork Harbour. The multi-cultural island has hosted a monastery, a fortress and a prison within its 104 acres, all of which have left their mark amid 1400 years of history. John Mitchel, Irish Fenian & Founder of The United Irishmen was jailed here and ‘Little Nellie of Holy God’ lived here. Tom O’Neill, Historian and Superintendent of Spike Island relates the stories.

Enquiries to Brian Gabriel 087 2153216 bg1@eircom.net Check out the new website for Blarney and District Historical Society at www.blarneyhistory.ie

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Muskerry News |17 Cork Education and Training Board bid for patronage of the new Primary School earmarked for Ballincollig The Government-funded Cork Education and Training Board (CETB) has announced its intention to apply for patronage of the new primary school earmarked by the Department of Education and Skills for Ballincollig which is due to open in 2017.

This is to meet the demands of Ballincollig’s growing population and the oversubscription to schools in the area currently. The Department is in the process of securing a site for temporary accommodation, as well as a site for the permanent school building and CETB aim to be chosen as the provider of choice for the new school.

CETB’s intention is to create a non-denominational Community National School with 21st century quality standards of education provision, child centeredness, and inclusivity.

The new school would be all-inclusive, accepting children from all faiths and none and would follow CETB’s ‘Goodness Me, Goodness You’ (GMGY) programme, which is specifically designed to help children understand their own religious traditions if they have them, and appreciate what others value and believe. This nurturing and teaching of respect and support for all beliefs and traditions in their community leads to a happy family, a happy community and most importantly, a happy child.

The Board will, over the coming months, be engaging in a public information campaign in Ballincollig to detail what its proposed model involves and how it will meet the needs of parents and pupils.

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Congratulations to the SMGS Blarney Young Scientist entrants 2015/16, pictured being presented with their certificates by Principal Mr Sheehan.

Included is Science teacher Mr Sean Foley.

New company set to bottle Blarney!

Interesting to hear about Blarney Whiskey. Exciting times ahead for this new company I would imagine, not to mention local jobs I hope, not sure where their still is though?

According to their facebook page, “We will be issuing a full press release in the near future in relation to Blarney Whiskey, our company Founders and our future plans. Also expect a very interesting global announcement and the launch of our new range of Whiskeys as well as our stylish branding and bottles. The value of Irish Whiskey exports by 2018 is expected to exceed €500m."

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18 | Muskerry News

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Muskerry News | 19

Young Ballincollig students launch 40th anniversary book Every pupil in Scoil Mhuire, Ballincollig, has written a piece for a wonderful book, titled 'We are Writers'.

Parents and pupils were invited to the launch of the event in Oriel House Hotel before Christmas as part of the year long celebrations to mark the 40th anniversary of Scoil Mhuire’s move into their present school building.

There was entertainment by the school orchestra in the foyer during the prelaunch reception, this was followed by a number of guest appearances including an inspirational talk by Cork sporting heroine, Briege Corkery, and archaeologist Kathryn Power.

There was a hugely entertaining a magic show by Tony Baloni, a creative dance by past pupil and rising star Aisling McCarthy, and a choral rendition of Jimmy McCarthy's Wonder Child by the pupils of 5th and 6th class.

The book was launched by ‘Wally’ who had the children in the palm of his hand as he searched high and low for the book.

The night was certainly one to remember and the parents and their families were very impressed by the wonderful stories and poems which were written by the girls.

School Principal Mairead Ní Mhurchú The school orchestra entertained the parents and pupils. and sisters Veronika and Viktoria Valiukevic admiring the creative writing in the newly launched 'We Are Writers'.

Past pupil Aisling McCarthy joined the 5th and 6th Class girls on stage to do a creative interpretation of Jimmy The school orchestra entertained the parents and pupils.

McCarthy's Wonderchild.

An incredible €7177.67 was raised for Marymount Hospice by customers of The Muskerry Arms during 'Movember'. Joan Sheffron and Margaret Buckley collected the cheque on behalf of Marymount Hospice. Included are Gary O'Connor, Muskerry Arms; John Foley, Stephen Malone and Anthony Murphy all of whom raised considerable funds for Marymount; and Leah and Margaret Murphy.

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20 | Muskerry News

Stepping it up at Scoil Chroí Íosa We all start the day with morning exercises which are led by the school staff. This could be walking, skipping or dancing. We gather in the halla or we go to the school yard if the weather is fine for our 'Morning Exercise assembly'. We continue this activity, as much as we can during our school day.

Our teachers are really aware of the positive impact of the morning exercise and all teachers have noticed that the children's concentration levels and energy have been given a real boost since we begun this initiative. Even the class news teddy in Ms. O Connor's class has his very own Operation Transformation hat to wear when he exercises!

We are feeling fit, healthy and strong this January. Well done to parents, staff and children for embracing and encouraging a healthy lifestyle.

There is no school like an active school!

Junior Infants enjoying their Spring walk to Blarney Castle recently.

Mr. Cronin has kept up the tradition of making St. Brigid’s crosses this year. 3rd and 6th class were out and about bright and early on Monday morning looking for rushes. They all gathered in the hall to get the expert advice from Mr. Cronin in making the crosses.

Love is in the air once again at Scoil Chroí Íosa. After a very successful event last year, our Valentine’s Coffee Morning will be in full swing again this year on Friday 12th of February, why not stop by for a coffee and delicious selection of homemade cakes? Lots of love and laughter being shared throughout the day. Coffee and goodies being served by our professional waiters and waitresses in Rang 6. A fun day not to be missed.

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Muskerry News |21 Clear Out That Clutter!

There is one thing that needs to happen at least once a year, and that is a good clear out!

Frances Murphy and Mary Shannon run MnF Decluttering Inc. a comprehensive and innovative decluttering and personal organising service, which also services house staging on properties for sale and house clearances.

Frances is a trained holistic therapist, whilst Mary is an interior designer. By combining both skills the pair offer a wholesome experience.

Recently retired members of Coachford Branch INTO photographed at their retirement presentation function at “People are emotionally attached to Lee Valley Golf and Country Club. Included are Sheila Desmond, Dripsey NS, Pat O'Leary, Aghabullogue NS, their ‘stuff’. We bring an objective Mairead Ni Shuilleabhain, Rylane NS, Frank Tobin, Firmount NS and Mary Olden, Cloghroe NS. Included are view into the house and work in a Emma Dineen, President INTO (who is also a member of Coachford INTO), Willie Hackett, Chairman, complete non judgemental way,” Fionnghuala O'Regan, Secretary and John Driscoll, CEC Rep INTO Div 12. Retirees unavoidably absent were Sean says Frances.

O'Deadaigh, Cloghroe NS and Marian O'Callaghan, Ovens NS. “We all have too much stuff, so we assist in cutting down on the clutter and setting up a system for your house to flow which relieves you of the stress in every area of your life,” says Mary “We are not only working on the physical level with people but also on the mental, emotional and psychological levels too. we are here to help,” says Frances Phone Mary or Frances on Pat O'Leary, 085 2293166 Mary Olden, Frank Tobin, Sheila Desmond, Mairead Ni Aghabullogue www.mnfdecluttering.com Cloghroe National Firmount National Shuilleabhain, Rylane Dripsey National National School Find us on facebook and linkedin School.

School.

School.

National School. pics Mike English

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22 | Muskerry News

Padraig Sheehan, Principal, Scoil Mhuire Gan Smal, being presented with Issue 10 'Old Blarney' Journal for the library by Liam O'Brien Chairman, Blarney and District Historical Society.

The wonderful Whitechurch choir Cor Geal last week won first prize in the Feis Maitiu sacred music competition with a score of 93 marks, their highest ever result. Congratulations to their fabulous director Betty Fitzgerald and to all the choir members.

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Plan your dream wedding day at the wonderful Wedding Evening with the Experts in Fota Island Resort on Friday 19th February from 6pm - 9pm.

With experts from the wedding world – makeup artists, wedding dress boutiques, travel experts – all giving amazing tips plus MC on the night, Today FM’s Louise Duffy to guide you through all the options with ease, the evening begins with a welcome drink reception at 6pm.

An invaluable resource for those tying the knot, the next Fota Island Resort Wedding Evening with the experts presents every possible service and suggestion for your big day – all taking place in the stunning surroundings of Fota Island Hotel & Spa, dressed for a glamorous and stylish wedding. The Smith Barry Suite, luxurious bedrooms, deluxe suites and lodges will all be available to view, allowing you to picture every aspect of your wedding day.

On the night, makeup guru and TV3’s style Squad member, Ken Boylan will be sharing tips and tricks for perfect bridal makeup and preparation, Myrtel Ivory will be showcasing their stunning bridal gowns and talking through this year’s trends and must have looks, brides and grooms-to-be will be inspired by wedding stylist extraordinaires, House of Hannah and their creativity when it comes to every aspect of your wedding day, from invitations, table plans and ceremony décor. Flower Power will follow with stunning bouquets and wedding photographer David Casey will demonstrate the perfect pose along with tips and tricks to master before the big day. Of course wedding planning wouldn’t be complete without a dream honeymoon, Independent.ie travel editor, Pol O'Conghaile will be sharing his favourite honeymoon locations and hidden gems for romance!

The Resort’s friendly team will be on hand to show you around and answer any questions you may have and you'll get to sample some delicious wedding menu canapés created by Fota Island Resort Executive Chef Kenneth Murphy and Executive Sous Chef Rachid Zaouia who will also be speaking on the night.

Join Today FM’s Louise Duffy and the team of experts on Friday 19th February from 6pm - 9pm, for Fota Island Resort’s Wedding Evening, For further news and updates about this event and upcoming events, visit the website, www.fotaisland.ie, follow Fota Island Resort on Twitter and Facebook or contact Fota Island Resort by emailing weddings@fotaisland.ie or call 021 488 3700.

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Muskerry News | 23

New year, and new members always welcome at Blarney & District Chamber of Commerce Blarney & District Chamber of Commerce meet every Friday morning for a one hour meeting to discuss any relevant business, and to network with other local businesses.

Our next meeting is Friday February 12th at 9am at The Castle Hotel, Blarney If you are interested in joining us, and would like to learn more about Blarney & District Chamber of Commerce then feel free to come along to any of our meetings, follow us on facebook, or send your email address to blarneybusiness@gmail.com Congratulations to Deborah and Kay! Blarney Community First Responder co founder Deborah Lynch was named 2015 Blarney Person of the Year last weekend at the awards ceremony held at Blarney Castle Hotel.

Deborah's voluntary work, and commitment to our community has already saved lives.

Earlier, well know and well liked Blarney lady Kay Dennehy got an equally enthusiastic reception, when she was inaugurated in the Blarney Hall of Fame for her ongoing work in the community.

Thanks to Ian and Una at The Castle Hotel for their generous hosting of the awards.

Blarney Chamber of Commerce is delighted to co sponsor the awards with The Muskerry News.

Blarney Community First Responders are holding a fundraising walk on February 14th,. This is an important fundraiser for this essential local service so if you could spread the word or, better again, go along on the day, they would love to see you.

Thanks to Janet and Ger in Castleview Running Trail for their generosity in hosting this event.

Postering limits with regard to the forthcoming election were discussed recently.

Following consultation with Blarney Chamber Chairman Damian Boylan, Blarney Community Council Chairman Adrian O'Connell and Blarney Tidy Towns Chairman Tom MacGrath we have asked political parties, independents and others to abide by our wishes to keep Blarney free from election poster litter.

Therefore we respectfully ask that no posters be erected within the following boundaries; The Lodge on Shean Lower The Children's Playground The former Joe O’Reilly's premises on the Tower Road Woodfield Estate on Station Road Waterloo Joinery on the Waterloo Road.

We are delighted at the recent announcement that EU funding opportunities are available to ‘Twin’ Blarney with another European destinations to develop tourism linkages, and are working hard to progress this.

“Blarney could look to ‘Twin’ itself, for example, with the French medieval castle city of Carcassonne and build on existing flights to grow Blarney tourism,” Damian Boylan Chairman said.

Dara Murphy, Europe Minister and Fine Gael TD for Cork North Central said, “Blarney is one of Ireland's premier tourism attractions, largely due to the tremendous work of local groups and volunteers in the town, including Blarney Chamber, Blarney Community Association and Tidy Towns groups, yet the town has further potential to grow tourist numbers, boosting local jobs in shops, cafes and hotels.

"EU funding is now available to help develop linkages between towns such as Blarney and similar towns in Europe.”

An interesting meeting was held last week at Blarney Garda Station regarding CCTV. Blarney Chamber has now commissioned a survey, funded by our members, to see how we progress this. Public consultation will then take place giving a three week window of opportunity for local input before any decision is made.

More details will be announced in next months Muskerry News and on our facebook page.

Congratulations to Annette and Claire from Cinderella’s Closet, Northpoint Business Park, who were voted ‘Best Stand’ at the recently held Wedding Journal Show.

No surprise to us, as our member Cinderella’s Closet is no stranger to winning awards or coming first!

Membership for 2106 is now due and remains static at only €100 per annum. The membership fee supports or sponsors the following; Avondhu Blackwater. We work closely with Avondhu Blackwater Development who provide, in conjunction with the Chamber, access to business training. Many local business people have attended business training provided free by the Chamber to our members.

Tourist Office. Blarney Tourist Office remains open throughout the entire year with the costs borne by Blarney Chamber, Failte Ireland, and staffing from Avondhu Blackwater. The tourist office is by far our greatest expense but in a tourist town like Blarney we see this as an investment and are happy to be in a position to support this with the help of funding from our members.

Free Advertising. All members can avail of the free advertising available through the TV in the Tourist Office window that is running 24/7 on the window display. Our window display is also available on a rota basis to all members who wish to physically advertise their services/products.

Muskerry News / Blarney Person of the Year Awards. Always worth attending if just to remind us all of how much people in Blarney do behind the scenes year in, year out, without any thought of thanks or praise.

BART. Our reassuring Community Alert Text system is paid for by the Chamber.

We also support, organise or assist with the turning on of the Christmas Lights, kindly sponsored by Blarney Castle; Blarney Tidy Towns, run by the wonderful Tom McGrath and his team; Blarney Policing Forum with Chairman John Henchion and Secretary Kate Durrant; Blarney Vintage Car Festival run by the hardworking Healy Family which has raised a considerable amount for charity over the years; and lastly the, soon to be reinstated, hanging flower baskets around the village which we purchased and maintain in conjunction with Blarney Tidy Towns and Denis Murphy.

Apollo Print February special offer 250 Business Cards printed full colour 1-side on 350g heavy board €35 +23%VAT Our Business Cards are printed on a state of the art digital printing press for superior colour and quality. If you really want to make an impression why not get us to design the business card for you for an additional fee of €20.

Our business cards can be printed 1-sided or 2-sided and include matt or gloss lamination.

Check out our online INSTANT PRINT QUOTE CALCULATOR (www.apolloprintcork.net) for prices on other quantities and options or simply phone us @ 021 4871456

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24 | Muskerry News

Blarney and Carcassonne to capitalise on twinning opportunity?

Blarney and District Chamber of Commerce Chairman Damian Boylan was delighted at the recent announcement that EU funding opportunities are available to ‘Twin’ Blarney with another European destinations to develop tourism linkages.

“Blarney could look to ‘Twin’ itself, for example, with the French medieval castle city of Carcassonne and build on existing flights to grow Blarney tourism,” Damian said.

Dara Murphy, Europe Minister and Fine Gael TD for Cork North Central said, “Blarney is one of Ireland's premier tourism attractions, largely due to the tremendous work of local groups and volunteers in the town, including Blarney Chamber, Blarney Community Association and Tidy Towns groups, yet the town has further potential to grow tourist numbers, boosting local jobs in shops, cafes and hotels.

"EU funding is now available to help develop linkages between towns such as Blarney and similar towns in Europe. Cork airport already has direct summer flight connections to Carcassonne in France, for example, which attracts 4 million visitors annually to its medieval castle, and is one destination that could be looked at in terms of potential twinning partners.

French tourism into Blarney and Cork could be increased by advancing twin town linkages, with the existing air connectivity between Cork and Carcassonne having the potential to be extended all year round. Of course there are many similar historic towns across Europe, close to home in Northern Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales, as well as a bit further

Blarney is ideally placed to take advantage of new EU funding opportunities to twin with Carcassone. afield in Belgium, France, Germany, Italy and Spain, to name but a few. I think the economic potential for Cork and Blarney could be significant and should be looked at.

"I commend the hard work achieved by the local Chamber and community volunteers in Blarney, and I would encourage Cork County Council to support them by ensuring standards are maintained on key buildings in Blarney, as the local economy is very much tourism driven.

The Blarney business community and local volunteers, through initiatives such as the Blarney Tidy Towns, have dedicated their life's work to promoting the town as one of Ireland's leading tourist attractions, with almost one million visitors travelling to Blarney Castle and local amenities annually. “

Community Centre for Blarney?

Castle Foróige Blarney pictured with Minister Dara Murphy.

Our fabulous young people at Castle Foróige Blarney youth club recently met with Minister Dara Murphy to discuss how they can work together to get a new Community Centre for Blarney off the ground. They are currently working towards securing a location and fundraising for new premises to support this initiative for a new centre which will provide accessible community facilities for Blarney people of all ages.

021 4381528 www.blarneyautocentre.com

Tyres, Tracking, Balancing Alloy Wheels Batteries Sales and Service

Car, Hand Wash & Valeting Wash & Vaccum only €20

Congratulations to the wonderful Donoughmore Macra Capers team, led

by Heather Healy, who won the National Final in Mallow last Saturday night. A tremendous achievement, and a great result for them after their months of hard work.

Blarney & District Garden and Flower Club invite you to join us at the Community Hall Whitechurch Thursday 25th February 2016 @ 8pm to enjoy

‘Flora and Fauna throughout the Lens’ EVERYBODY WELCOME!

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Muskerry News | 25

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26 | Muskerry News

Teams of ‘65 and ‘91 celebrated at Rathpeacon GAA reunion pics Mike English Members and representatives of the Rathpeacon GAA junior football team, winners of the 1965 McSwiney Cup (final played in 1966), celebrate the 50th anniversary of the win at The Country Squire.

They beat Mayfield in the final after a replay and extra time.

Catherine Murphy, Shirley McCarthy, Imelda Flynn and Catherine Ahern.

Former Cork hurler, Tony O'Sullivan, who was special guest at the Rathpeacon GAA reunion, photographed with Club President, John McCarthy and City Division Secretary, Mick Kent.

Donal Murphy, John O'Callaghan and Aidan Murphy checking old photographs of club activities at the Rathpeacon GAA reunion of the Members of the Rathpeacon GAA County Junior B Football 1965/66 McSwiney Cup and 1991 B Championship winners 1991 at their 25th anniversary reunion.

County Championship winning They beat Awbeg Rovers in the Final. teams.

Eamonn O' hEachach, Runai, Richard Wiseman, Committee, Billy Clifford, Selector, Patrick O'Donovan, Treasurer and David O'Donovan, Chairman.

John and Rose Murray, Mary and Denis Crowley at the Rathpeacon GAA reunion.

Margaret and Richard Wiseman.

Liam McAuliffe, Joe and Margaret Hallissey, Margaret and Richard Wiseman and Kay McAuliffe.

Celia Casey, Edel O'Callaghan, Rose Kearney, Catherine and John Dilworth. The late John Joe Kearney was a member of the team.

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Muskerry News | 27

IRELAND’S LARGEST WOOD FLOORING SUPERSTRORE

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28 | Muskerry News Cork star Aidan Walsh called in to Scoil Mhuire gan Smal Blarney last week to their very successful TYO Bank of Ireland school bank.

Congratulations to JLT Tiles, North Point Business Park, recently crowned overall winner at the Northside for Business Awards!

Billy Kelleher Jr, Liza Kelleher, Brid Houlihan, Frank Houlihan and Billy Kelleher. Brid and Frank were honoured on the night for their lifetime dedication to Fianna Fรกil.

Below left: Georgina Fitzgerald, Christine Fitzgerald and Debra Fitzgerald at Billy Kelleher's Campaign Launch at the Clayton Silver Springs Hotel last week.

Luke Cronin engrossed in his reading matter at the launch!

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Muskerry News | 29 There was standing room only at The Castle Hotel Blarney when Teresa Herlihy launched her fabulous CD 'Aria's and favourites'. This gorgeous CD will be sold in O'Leary's SuperValu Blarney and Horgan's of Blarney, with profits going to St. Vincent de Paul.

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Have a heart this Valentine’s day and join Blarney Community First Responders on

30 | Muskerry News

SUNDAY 14th FEBRUARY

AT CASTLEVIEW RUNNING TRAIL

WALK 3k LOVE YOUR HEART TO SAVE A LIFE!

Meet at 12noon on Sunday February 14th to walk 3k

in aid of Blarney Community First Responders Defibrillator Fund

€5 per person / €20 family ticket (payable on the day)

SPOT PRIZES, MUSIC & REFRESHMENTS Great morning for all.

Red fancy dress optional!

NO DOGS OR BUGGIES (Except Assistance Dogs) You can find Blarney Community First Responders on Facebook

Permit Granted

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Muskerry News |31 Play is the child's language, toys are the child's words We all know the importance of helping our children, but it can be hard to know where to turn when children need to express themselves. Many of the traditional avenues, such as counselling, are not available to them, as children can find it difficult to express themselves verbally.

Play Therapy gives the child an opportunity to ‘play out’ their thoughts, feelings and problems in a non-directive way, in a safe environment with a caring therapist. What counselling is to adults, Play Therapy is to children.

Play Therapy is a method of helping children with behaviour and emotional problems to help themselves, and is the child’s natural medium of self-expression.

Deborah Elder, Purple Giraffe Play Therapy, told The Muskerry News, “Children find it difficult to express themselves verbally and so traditional talking therapies can be difficult for them. Play is a child’s natural way of expressing themselves, and Play Therapy provides them with an opportunity to ‘play out’ their thoughts, feelings and problems in a nondirective way, in a safe environment with a caring therapist. In a Play Therapy session, the therapist follows the child’s lead and allows them to explore the wide range of toys available. As their relationship develops the child gains greater insight into their personal problems, through their play.

The therapist uses a Play Therapy Tool Kit as well as specialist techniques such as empathetic listening and reflection to aid the therapeutic process.

“Play Therapy can also be more directive, for example when used with groups rather than individuals. The therapist will form a plan for the group, incorporating different parts of the Play Therapy Tool Kit, and working toward a therapeutic aim such as to increase self esteem, or to develop an understanding of loss. “ Play Therapy is generally geared towards children aged between 3 and 12 years and is used to alleviate many children's issues including children who have witnessed domestic violence, come from divorced or separated home environments, have been subjected to any kind of abuse, suffered bereavement/loss, have been bullied or are bullies, show signs of behavioural/anger issues, have suffered any kind of trauma, are on the autistic spectrum, suffer from nightmares/bed wetting and / or self-esteem issues.

In conclusion Deborah said, “The benefits of this therapy are vast as it provides a safe space for emotional expression and children learn how to express their thoughts and feelings in constructive ways. Play Therapy fosters decision-making and acceptance of responsibility, and the development of problem-solving, coping skills and resilience.”

The Play Therapy process involves an initial consultation with parent/carers and other relevant professional, and initial assessment of and meeting with the child, a block of weekly Play Therapy sessions which are 50 minutes to an hour in duration and regular review meetings with the parents/carers and other relevant professionals Deborah Elder, who has a degree in Early Childhood Studies from UCC in 2003, completed her training with APAC (The Academy of Play and Child Psychotherapy) in 2013 to become a qualified Play Therapist and qualified as a Practitioner of Therapeutic Play Skills in 2011. She is a member of IACAT (Irish Association of Creative Arts Therapists) and works within the ethos and values of the organisation. She has worked in the Childcare Industry for 13 years, as a crèche worker, a Special Needs Assistant, a home tutor for children with autism and as a Play Therapist. The majority of her work has been with children from 2 to 12 years.

If you would like to make an appointment at Deborah’s clinic which is based in Carrigaline, or if you have any further questions please do not hesitate to contact Deborah on 086 3843106, or find Purple Giraffe Play Therapy on facebook.

11th Cork Cloghroe Scout Group prior to their 11.3km hike on Mount Hillary. Well done to all the cubs who all did so well.

Behind the Castle Walls with Adam, Head Gardener Blarney Castle Well what a mixed up month it’s been! The weather has been all over the place with plenty of flooding but very mild and spring like. The poor plants don’t know what to do with themselves. We have daffodils, crocus and even rhododendrons out much earlier than usual.

There is a sea of snowdrops on the Front Avenue, as well as assorted varieties in flower in the winter border. It’s always one of the first real signs of spring for me. The daffodil avenue is also in full swing with over 40,000 flowers!

December was pretty hectic in the gardens as well as at home. There is a pressure to finish projects in time for Christmas, even though it will all still be there afterwards! Things went well in 2015 and we have achieved a great deal. We have continued to grow and develop the gardens and are currently in the process of replanting some of the beds inside the main entrance. This is an area that receives the most visitors and as such should look impressive. The new boardwalk and forest trail are proving popular with walkers and the creation of the Seven Sisters garden, which includes a circle of Neolithic standing stones and new prairie style borders, has added a new focal point in the lower Rock Close. I am particularly pleased with the way this area is maturing.

The coming weeks will be a busy time for our tree surgeons as they try to complete all the winter pruning work while the trees are still dormant.

It has been a difficult few weeks for them with all the storm damage and wet conditions.

There are a lot of jobs to do over the next few weeks in preparation for spring. We have already put in our indoor early potatoes and are about to start sowing seeds including tomatoes, peppers, indoor salad crops, leeks, sweet pea and assorted bedding plants for this year’s displays. Put in shallots and garlic now if you didn’t do it in the autumn. We have just pruned our grape vines and also applied a winter wash made from sulphur, lamp oil and soap. This helps with pests and diseases. Winter pruning of fruit trees should be finished as soon as possible. Do not prune stone fruit such as plums or peaches in the winter. Leave this for spring and summer. Roses should also be pruned back soon before they come into growth. Our glasshouses are also due for a major clean, not one of my favourite jobs!

It’s never too early to mow the lawn if weather permits, but watch out for emerging spring bulbs. Herbaceous plants can be moved or divided as the soil dries out and bare root plants can still be planted for the next few weeks. If you have a tree or shrub that’s in the wrong place then now is the time to move it. Dig around it carefully and take as much root as you can then stake it in its new position until its roots take hold.

We are in the process of planting up another area of orchard which includes 32 varieties of Irish heritage apples, which is an important conservation project in its own right. As a bonus we will have more apples!

We are looking forward to 2016 as another great year in the gardens.

We would like to wish you a happy new year from all of us here. We hope to see some of you in the gardens. Adam

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Dara’s Diary In addition to my duties in Brussels & Dublin in my capacity as Minister for European Affairs and Data Protection, I’m always glad of an excuse to attend local events, and to bring events to the area - as my home and heart lie in Cork North Central.

Standing room only last weekend at The Castle Hotel Blarney at a table quiz in aid of equipment for a school in Manungo which was built using funds raised by local students.

Norwegian Air – Cork to Boston flights. Last week I travelled to Brussels to meet with Anthony Gardner, the U.S. Ambassador to the European Union, who is America's highest-ranking diplomat in Europe. I raised the issue of the planned flights by Norwegian Air between Cork and Boston with the Ambassador, and emphasised to him the importance, for both regions - Massachusetts and Munster - of getting these flights off the ground.

Dara welcoming his French Both Massachusetts and Munster have counterpart, Minister Harlem large populations, and with very strong Désir, at Cork Airport Irish-American links, and a high level of last February. business contacts, these flights clearly make commercial sense. The planned route is particularly important, as it would be first direct link from Cork to the US, with 5 to 6 flights per week.

We have an agreement in place between the EU and the US, called Open Skies, which opened up the market for transatlantic flights, with the aim of being good for competition, good for passengers and good for business. The planned flights between Cork and Boston tick all of these boxes.

I had a very good meeting with Ambassador Gardner where I raised my concern that the licence process, which is overseen on the U.S. side by their Department of Transport, seemed to be taking longer than it should. As Europe Minister, I've met with the Ambassador a number of times since my appointment in 2014 and after last week’s meeting he's now well aware of our desire in Cork to make these flights go ahead without delay.

I've discussed this issue with Niall McCarthy of Cork Airport and Conor Healy of Cork Chamber. We're all in agreement, everyone in Cork and the South, that a direct flight connection from Cork to the east coast of the U.S. is long overdue. Hopefully we'll now see some progress on the U.S. side over the next number of weeks, so that we can get these flights off the ground.

Blarney Person of the Year. I was delighted to attend the Blarney Person of the Year event last weekend. Big congratulations are due to all of the nominees from throughout the year, who demonstrated the very best in community spirit in their respective fields. Special congratulations go to Deborah Lynch, the very deserving winner for 2015, who introduced the First Responder Community initiative to the Blarney area, which I have no doubt, will save many lives in the area in the coming years.

Breffni Court, Watercourse Rd,

4558812/ 0851989849

Castle Foróige Blarney – planned new Community Centre for Blarney. I also recently met with Castle Foróige Blarney youth club to discuss how we can work together to get a new Community Centre for Blarney off the ground. I strongly support this initiative for a new centre that will provide accessible community facilities for Blarney people of all ages. We will have to work to secure a location and fundraise for the new premises, but I look forward to working with Castle Foróige and fully playing my part to make this plan a reality.

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Muskerry News | 33

KEVIN CONDON I MURPHY CONDON (021) 4220019 (021) 4821788

7 North Avenue, Ballyvolane BER C1 Guide Price €238,000

12 Seminary Place, Farranree BER E2 Guide Price €95,000

DNG Condon Blackpool Phone: 021 4220019

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Kevin Condon, MIPAV, MCEI

34 Churchfield Place East, Churchfield BER E1 Guide Price €105,000

41 Churchfield Gardens, Churchfield BER C2 Guide Price €149,000

DNG Murphy Condon Glanmire Phone: 021 482 1788

Jean Shanahan, MIPAV, MCEI

Iris Wilkins McCarthy

Old Blarney Road, Clogheen BER F Guide Price €195,000

13 Springview Terrace, Commons Road BER D2 Guide Price €195,000

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80 B & 80 C Apartments, Parklands BER E2 Guide Price €100,000

Ard Na NGleann, Lyre BER B3 Guide Price €199,000

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34 | Muskerry News

Senator Colm Burke

ADVICE CENTRE

90A, Shandon Street, Cork Times: Fridays 11.30a.m. – 1.30p.m.

Saturdays 10.00a.m. – 12 p.m.

Third Friday of Every Month Dripsey Community House 7-8p.m.

Second Friday of Every Month Grenagh Community Centre 7.00p.m. -7.45p.m.

Conways Bar Burnfort 8p.m. – 9p.m Second Saturday of Every Month Wayside Inn Cloghroe 1p.m. – 2p.m.

Washington House, 33, Washington Street, Cork.

021 4893771 or 01 6183115 Mb no: 087 2592839 E: colm.burke@oir.ie W: www.colmburke.eu Liz, Jonathan and Deborah Murphy, Platform Avenue, at the Cork Chamber Annual Dinner 2016 in Cork City Hall. pic Darragh Kane

clothing for mEn 44 North Main Street, Cork.

the greatest Suit Deal in town 3 piece suit Shirt, tie, Shoes €199.95

At the recent table quiz at the Weigh Inn in aid of the ‘Defibrillator for Dripsey’ project, the organising committee were overwhelmed by the response and wish to thank all those who have donated money, those who gave spot prizes, and all those who participated in the making of a great evening. Thanks were paid to Annette Dilworth Enright, MC on the night, Jim O’Connell for the sound system and quiz questions, the Feeney family for hosting the event and to everyone from the community, neighbouring villages, local representatives, and people working abroad for the fantastic support. Particular thanks were paid to Conor Corkery and his organisers for all their efforts.

To date €2,120 has been raised and this, together with the GAA golf classic donation of €625, means the community is well on the way towards purchasing two defibrillators for the area.

Exciting new collection of navy’s, blues and subtle checks and tweeds now available in slim fits.

Yes €199.95 the lot!

021 4270421

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Muskerry News |35

Bag a Bargain in Bru Columbanus Hundreds of donated handbags and dresses of all shapes, sizes, colours and brands will go on sale on Saturday 12th March, in Bru Columbanus between 10am and 4pm.

“We are also looking for donations of handbags and dresses. It doesn’t matter what kind of handbag you have, all are accepted, although top-end brands will be warmly welcomed,” says Anne-Maria O’Connor, Event Manager, Bru Columbanus.

Bru Columbanus is promising the bags and dresses will be competitively priced but warns they will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis.

Those wishing to donate can call Anne-Maria on 021-4345754, email her info@brucolumbanus, or make a delivery to the Bru Columbanus office at Cardinal Way, Wilton before Wednesday 9th March, 2016.

Bru Columbanus is a charity that provides accommodation to the relatives of seriously ill patients in Cork Hospitals and the hospice, in particular relatives of sick children.

All style at Coachford College Nearly 450 people filed into Coachford College Hall for a packed night of fashion and music recently. Well done to all involved especially the four organisers from transition year: Sinead, Julie, Ciara and Kate. All proceeds were donated to Marymount Hospice.

Buying or selling a house in 2016?

Contact your local expert conveyancing solicitors Fixed price of €1,200 M E N T I O N T H E M U S K E R RY N E W S A DV E RT A N D W E W I L L G I V E YO U A € 10 0 D I S C O U N T Price excludes VAT at 23% and all outlays such as registration fees, search fees etc.

Contact Us

John Henchion & Co. Tel: 021 438 2870 The Bakehouse Waterloo Road , Blarney, Co. Cork Fax: 021 438 2876 Email: johnh@blarneylaw.com

www.blarneylaw.com

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36 | Muskerry News

Vicarstown National School students are Our World Irish Aid winners The Minister for Development, Trade Promotion and North South Co-operation Seán Sherlock TD joined pupils on January 12th to launch the 2016 Our World Irish Aid Awards. Fifth and sixth class students from Vicarstown NS along with their teacher, Áine O'Shaughnessy, were named overall winners of the Our World Irish Aid Awards 2015 at the national final held in Dublin Castle.

Congratulations to all involved in this great achievement.

Everyone is looking forward to the Matehy 4 Mile Run which will take place on Sunday February 28th at 11am. This promises to be a great family event where walkers, runners and families are welcome.

Come on out and enjoy some fresh air and exercise. All entries are taken on the day in Ballyanly Community Centre. Contact 021 7332179 for further information or check facebook.

Aistear ‘The Doctor’s Surgery’. The pupils from Junior and Senior Infants enjoyed a talk from Dr. Ray Mulready who explained everything about life in the Doctor’s Surgery as part of the Aistear Programme in January. A big ‘Thank You’ to Dr. Ray! This month we are going to do ‘The Supermarket.’

5th & 6th class had a great time at the Lifetime Lab primary science workshop last week. Their sessions covered energy, light, sound and wind. All students carried out experiments in circuit making and they made musical instruments. The session was enjoyed by all.

We were delighted to welcome new families who are interested in joining our dynamic school community here at Vicarstown during our open day and evening. There was great interest from new families in the school and we look forward to welcoming our new pupils in September 2016 and beyond.

Sports. Everyone really enjoyed the SkipnRope workshops which were held in the school for all pupils during the week.

Well done to the girls in 3rd & 4th class who participated in a Sciath Na Scol Camogie Blitz in Bishopstown, the 5th & 6th class boys who took part in the Spar FAI 5 aside soccer tournament in Blarney, and the 3rd/4th class team who played in the Sciath Na Scol indoor hurling blitz.

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Muskerry News | 37 All winners at Grenagh Juvenile GAA presentations at The Farm, Grenagh

Good things come in pairs for Blairs Inn It was not one but two awards that the wonderful people at Blairs Inn received last month, when they were awarded both the prestigious Mckenna’s Best in Ireland 2016 and the 2016 Ireland-Guide.

‘Mick’ Mannock, World War 1 Flying Ace and VC What are the Ballincollig and Irish origins of the greatest British air ace of World War I? What is Mannock’s claim to greatness? These are some of the questions that Dermot Lucey will try to answer in a lecture on Edward 'Mick' Mannock who rose from humble origins to become a Major and Squadron leader in the Royal Air Force in 1918. His father, also Edward Mannock, married his mother, Julia Sullivan, in the Church of St Mary and St John in Ballincollig in 1883. His unfortunate death in July 1918 brought to an end a short but glorious career which might have led to even greater achievements after the war had he lived.

The lecture, organised by Muskerry Local History Society, will be held on Monday, 15th February, at 8pm in Ballincollig Rugby Club.

Will you donate just €4 for Comfort’s Cause?

Comfort Aoko has lived in Ireland for the past 9 years and in Whitechurch for the past 5 years, with her three children, Victor, Michelle and Bolu who attend Whitechurch National School and are members of local Athletics, GAA, Soccer, Basketball and Rugby club’s.

Comfort suffers from a Neurological condition, called Cervical Dystonia, since 2009, which causes involuntary muscle contractions that force the neck into an abnormal position. She was in constant pain and the only treatment available to her in Ireland for this condition was Botox injections and pain relief. Despite her pain and discomfort, she has never taken a day off work in nine years and because of her illness had to work standing up with the aid of a specially adapted desk.

This summer whilst attending a wedding in Portugal, she collapsed due to seizure, caused by her condition Her Portuguese consultant told her that if she did not get treatment, she would be wheelchair bound, within a year. Treatment was available there, that could allow her lead a normal life, pain-free and return her to normal movement, unfortunately the treatment was not and is not available here in Ireland.

After a lot of investigation, Comfort realised that Portugal was the cheapest place to get this operation and was assured by the Consultants that she had no time to waste, as her condition would be irreversible if not treated immediately.

She secured loans and help from colleagues in

order to pay the €50,000 for this operation, which took place last November. Comfort was back home within three weeks of the procedure and back at work a week later, sitting at a desk!

The difference is unbelievable, she has energy again and does not have to go for a rest as soon as she comes from work and most importantly is pain free.

Comfort is self-supporting and independent and would never think of asking for help from her friends and her Community. Her many friends and acquaintances who see the special strong person that she is, have come together to help her with this financial burden.

Since December and over the coming months, clubs in the area, Carrignavar Basketball, Whitechurch GAA, Rockán Football & Camogie Club, Rockmount Soccer Club, Whitechurch Foroige, Toddler Group and Whitechurch Tennis are holding various fundraisers in aid of this deserving cause. St. Patrick’s National School, Whitechurch held a Christmas Theme day and Old Christians RFC had a Christmas Day Swim, benefitting Comfort’s Cause. On December 15th Whitechurch and Waterloo Community Association launched a charity text service in aid of Comforts Cause. If you can spare €4 please text and help this remarkable local lady.

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Blarney GAA news We are delighted to announce we have installed a new defibrillator cabinet to house our defibrillator outside.

The cabinet is just mounted on the wall just outside the entrance to our clubhouse. This ensures quick access to the defibrillator when needed. Blarney First Responders have also been informed which will make the club's defibrillator more accessible to all within the community.

Huge thanks to Fintan Coleman Electrical who gave his time to install the cabinet and to all supporters of the club for their continued support.

Club na nOg registration will table place on Saturday 5th of March 2016 from 11:15am to 12:15pm in our clubhouse.

Club na nOg is open to all boys aged 5 to 10 years old (born 2006 - 20011). The focus is on teaching the basic skills of both hurling and gaelic football in safe and fun environment.

All abilities welcome as there are no basic skills required to join.

Training sessions start the following Saturday 5th of March and run to September in our main pitch every Saturday morning from 11:15am.

Please contact Club na nOg Chairman Niall Hayes (086) 396 8675 for further information.

We were delighted to host the Cork GAA Clubs January Draw on the 28th of January last in our clubhouse.

John Quirke (chair of our clubs subcommittee) welcomed all present and expressed our appreciation in receiving the invite to host the draw.

Cork treasurer Pearse Murphy acknowledged and thanked all in the club for their continued efforts & support the draw has received. The draw is approaching its 25th year and has raised millions over the years for clubs in Cork.

Well done to our own John Martin O'Keeffe who won €150 in the Confined Divisional Draw - Muskerry. Congratulations to Kieran Murphy from St Finbarrs won the top prize, Ford Fiesta/€13,000 cash. Full results of the draw can be seen on www.corkgaadraw.ie

Two Blarney Players Make Muskerry Hurling Team of the year.

Congratulations to Richard O'Shea and Sean Twomey who made the 2015 Muskerry Junior Hurling Team of the year. The team was announced at the annual Muskerry GAA Gala held in the Oriel House Hotel on the 10th of January last.

2016 Car Boot Sale Dates.

Monday 28th March - Easter Monday Monday 2nd May - May Day Monday 6th June - June Bank Holiday Monday 1st August - August Bank Holiday

Monday 31st October - October Bank Holiday The cost of entry is €10 for a car, €15 for a van and €2 entry for customers.

Free entry for club members.

The club grounds open at 7.30am for sellers.

NO BOOKING REQUIRED - just show up on the day!

If you require any further information, please contact Ray Coleman on 087 233 3180 or email pro.blarney.cork@gaa.ie and we will be happy to answer any questions you may have.

2016 Membership. Our registrar Pat Harrington will be at the clubhouse the every Friday evening in February (18:45 - 20:00) and Saturday morning in February (10:30 - 12:00) to register existing and new members for 2016.

Why Join Blarney GAA Club?

Blarney GAA Club is a community based club where everyone is welcome to join.

We develop and promote Gaelic Games in and around Blarney. We promote individual development and well-being and strive to enable all of our members to achieve their full potential in their chosen roles.

The club provides the youth of the community a chance to develop in a positive sporting environment while learning the values of teamwork and developing their social skills.

Our club provides a safe place to enjoy sports and make friends. The personal development of all its youngsters is an important goal of the club through commitment, personal dedication and discipline.

Blarney GAA Club helps to create a sense of local identity and is an important social outlet for many of its members and players as well as a source of enjoyment for its many supporters.

Blarney GAA Club has a long tradition, and it is hoped that we can continue that well into the future. The development of young players and the provision of top class facilities are vital to ensure the club will be here for many years to come.

Membership is a vital part of ensuring the club's continued success and development.

Whether you are a player, coach, supporter, parent of a player or member of the wider community, we welcome all new members.

The monies received is funnelled towards: the maintenance of facilities, playing equipment, affiliation fees, insurance, utility bills, team preparation and the development of players.

Two Blarney Players Make Muskerry Hurling Team of the year.

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Muskerry News | 39

Blarney GAA news

U11’s

U14’s

U12’s

U15’

On Saturday 23rd of January last a number of our underage teams received their medals for winning various competitions last year.

Congratulations to everyone involved and thanks to our great sponsors The Blarney Castle Hotel for ensuring the occasion was enjoyed by all present.

Medals given out on the night included the Fe11 East Hurling, Fe12 Tralee Hurling Tournament, Fe14 Premier 2 Hurling County and Fe15 A Football County.

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40 | Muskerry News

Blarney United FC Blarney United Development Squad The Blarney United Development Squad (DS) is the clubs 2nd adult team which plays in the MSL Junior section Division 2.

The DS is in its first year of existence with the main difference from previous years being that the emphasis is on young players and their development. The goal is to develop these players and integrate them in to the clubs senior squad, who play in the MSL Senior Division 1.

The DS is largely made up of young Blarney players who have come through the clubs under age setup over the years, with the average age of the squad in the early 20’s. A few club stallworths are also involved and add vital experience and character to the group.

The DS train twice weekly. Monday nights in Fehilys F.1.T gym in Ballincollig where the squad are put through a grueling circuit program by the onsite personal trainers and on the Club’s all weather floodlit pitch in O’Shea Park on Wednesday nights.

Home games are played on the clubs floodlit grass pitch Friday nights 7:30pm All support is greatly appreciated at both home and away games with upcoming fixtures available on the club’s facebook page or Munsterseniorleague.ie.

The management team is made up of Seamus Ring, Paul Fitton, Tim O’Connor and Stephen Jennings.

The further of football in Blarney in secure!

26 of the 38 strong U10 panel at Blarney United Football Club. Thanks to the fantastic volunteer coaches and the support of the club, BUFC will continue to have a bright future ahead.

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Muskerry News | 41 Coláiste Choilm Ballincollig who took part in the Subway U19 A Boys All-Ireland Schools Cup Final, at the National Basketball Arena, Tallaght, Dublin on January 27th. pic Ryan Byrne

All smiles at Inniscarra GAA as Pearse Murphy, Treasurer Cork County Board, presented €12,000, top prize in the Cork GAA Club Members' Draw for December, to Eddie Dorney. Included are Aileen, Eve and Rachael Dorney, Jerry Linehan, seller, Anne Barry and Liam Linehan, Draw CoOrdinators at Inniscarra GAA, Ken O'Connell, Vice Chairman, Enda Linehan, Secretary, Niamh Kelly, PRO and club members. pic Mike English

Frank McCarthy (seated second from left), Ballincollig and former Chairman Muskerry GAA, received a special award in recognition of his work on behalf of the Division, at the Gala Sports Award Evening at Oriel Hotel, photographed with his wife, Betty, children and spouses at the event. pic Mike English

Siomha Breathnach, Meabh N’ Mhaolain, Aoife N’ Chonghaile, Colaiste an Phiarsaigh, Con Mulcahy and Michael Hyde, Scoil Mhuire gan Smal preparing for the Cork City Marathon Youth Challenge, an initiative aimed at promoting participation among young people aged between 16 and 18 years old. The Youth Challenge will take place on marathon day, Monday 6th June 2016 and is an opportunity for young people to engage in an activity that is fun and challenging while promoting fitness, activity, participation and positive mental health. pic Darragh Kane

Carraig na Bhfear Rebels Basketball Club recently held a fundraising event to raise much needed funds for one of their parents Comfort Aoko.The club thanked to all who helped and took part, and to Stephanie Dennehy for organising Comfort's Cause Bounce-athon 2016.

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42 | Muskerry News Muskerry GAA Macroom Motors U21 Football Championship medals presented. Dave Lee, Treasurer, presents to Barry O'Leary, Uibh Laoire (C grade winners), Pascal Buckley, Macroom Motors, presents to Peadar Murphy, Inniscarra (A grade winners), Pat Malone, Chairman presents to Donal Cronin, Cill na Martra (B grade winners).

Muskerry GAA Quish's SuperValu Football Leagues. Dave Lee, Treasurer, presents Div 4 medals to Conor McCarthy, Aghinagh, Sean Quish presents Div 1 medals to Denis Sheehan, Inniscarra, John Crean, Development Officer presents Div 2 medals to Gerard McCarthy, Ballingeary and Willie Buckley, Vice Chairman presents Div 3 medals to Barry Holland, Donoughmore. pics Mike English

Pat Malone, Chairman Muskerry GAA, and Stella MacVeigh, Board of Directors Ballincollig Credit Union, present the Junior Hurling Championship medals to Frank Walsh, Cloughdubh (winners) and Daniel O'Donovan, Blarney (runners up) at the Gala Awards Evening.

John Lehane, Rochestown Park Hotel, presents the Junior B Hurling League medals to Daniel O'Donovan, Blarney.

Pat Malone, Chairman Muskerry GAA, presents the Cumnor Construction Junior Derry Casey, Farho Intelligent Heating, and Pat Malone, A Hurling League medals to Pat Lane, Chairman Muskerry GAA, presenting the U21 A Hurling Ballinora. Included are Board Officers, Championship medals to Daniel O'Donovan, Blarney and B Dave Lee, Treasurer, John Crean, grade medals to Barry Holland, Donoughmore at the Gala Developoment Officer and Willie Awards Evening.

Buckley, Vice Chairman.

Wireless alarms

Brian Cronin, Uibh Laoire GAA Inchageela (winners) and Peadar Murphy, Inniscarra (runners up) receive the Junior A Football Championship medals from sponsor Tim Holland, Ross Oil, and Muskerry GAA Chairman, Pat Malone. Included are Board Officers, Willie Buckley, Vice Chairman, Dave Lee, Treasurer and John Crean, Development Officer.

Brunell U18 woman's basketballers were crowned champions in the National Cup final. It's was a hard fought battle with Scoil Mhuire gan Smal’s Amy Murphy playing an outstanding game and driving her team to success with a final score of 72-69. Well done to Amy and her teammates.

starting from €650 incl vat

• CCTV Cameras • Domestic and Commercial • Automatic Gates Contact Ray Buckley

021 4381071 / 087 2100400 bss@mail.ie

Scoil Mhuire gan Smal Blarney Equestrian team were recently presented with new gear by Principal Mr Sheehan. Included are Ciara Sheehan on Colleen, Michelle Casey on Prada and Ciara O Connell.

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Muskerry News | 43

Kenmare Motoring Alfa Romeo Giulia: The big news for Alfa Romeo in 2016 is the new Giulia, its rival to the BMW 3 series, Mercedes C-Class and Audi A4. Due here towards the end of the year, it is one of the most anticipated Alfas in years. Top of the range will be the Giulia Quadrifoglio, powered by a 375kW turbocharged V6 that allegedly gets the super saloon from 0-100kph in 3.9 seconds. The New Giulia is one of eight new cars that are planned from the Italian car maker over the next three years.

Grenagh Tyres

New & Part Worn Tyres Wheel Balancing Puncture Repairs Wipers & Bulbs Tracking & Car Batteries Supplied & Fitted Credit Cards Accepted

Grenagh Village 021 4629792 Open Mon - Sat 9.30am - 6pm

CASEY MOTORS

Call John - 021 601 7120 Old Sunbeam, Commons Road, Blackpool, Cork.

MONDAY-FRIDAY 9.00AM - 6.00PM SATURDAY 9.00AM - 3.00PM

ALDERLAND • WATERLOO • BLARNEY

Service & Repair of Cars • Vans • Light Commercials

Liam Casey Phone 021 • 4383456 Mobile 087 • 2096018

Only three minutes from Blarney village....

Take the bridge after the Waterloo Inn, follow the road for 800yds, Casey Motors in behind the first house on your left after the turn up onto the Mallow Road.

Panel Beating, Spray Painting & Crash Repair Specialists SCRATCHES, REPAIRS, DENTS, FULL RE-SPRAYS, BODY KITS. ALL INSURANCE WORK CARRIED OUT. STATE OF TEH ART SPRAY PAINTING BOOTHS

T: 021 4300 330 M: 086 2247 649 E: patkerryquinn@live.ie We have moved!! Unit 4, Churchfield Business Park (behind Lidl)

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46 | Muskerry News Services Availables Put a spring in your step at Shournagh Valley Allotments (near Blarney) Grow your own vegetables and fruit. A healthy and rewarding past time. www.corkallotments.com or ring Frances on 087 9088009 Dog Minding at Home.

Leave your dog with us while you are away on holiday or overnight, Your pet will be a guest in our home and treated as part of the family.

Countryside location just outside of Blarney. No kennels.

Competitive rates.

Give Joanne a call for a chat or a visit on 089 9671402.

Driving Lessons Beginner / Pre test ADI approved instructor. Very patient.

Test routes covered.

Car available for test.

Gift vouchers available.

Blarney School of Motoring. blarneyschoolofmotoring.com 087 2796008 All tree problems solved without delay.

Free Quotations & Fully Insured.

Call the experts on 022-55000 www.dermotcaseytreecare.ie Higher level maths grinds commencing January All aspects of the Leaving Certificate, Junior Certificate and 5th year courses covered in detail.

Experienced teacher.

Excellent notes, quality tuition.

Exam preparation a speciality.

Based in Ovens.

Places limited.

Tel 087 6387247 A Sikh temple is now open on the Carrigrohane Road in the former John A Wood premises for morning and evening worship.

Services Availables LP Bookkeeping & Accountancy Training Vat Returns, completed & submitted via ROS. Payroll. General Bookkeeping.

Income Tax returns for sole traders.

One to one training provided on TAS Books, Sage 50, Payback Payroll, Thesaurus Payroll Contact Lisa Phillips M.I.A.T.I. on 087 218 5878 / lisaphi@eircom.net www.lp-bookkeeping.com O’Connell Window Cleaning Blarney Contact Donal 087 6592697 or 4383407 (after 6pm)

WOMEN. Are you having relationship problems? Do you feel isolated with no one to talk to? Remember ‘You Don’t Need a Bruise To Be Abused’ Mná Feasa - Women's Domestic Violence Project Helpline 021-4211757 Monday to Friday 10am - 4pm One to one support Weekly Support Groups Tuesday 8pm- 10pm Thursday 10 am 12noon Accompaniment service for Courts, Garda stations etc.

Counselling service.

Social Ballroom Dance Class for beginners now commencing.

Thursdays 9.30pm Blarney GAA Club. Details Anne 087 2487696 corkdanceclub@gmail.com Enjoy a healthier lifestyle in 2016 Discover the benefits of Aloe Vera with Forever Living Products.

Exclusive range of Nutritional and Skincare products containing 100% stabilised Aloe Vera Gel. Call Tom Doherty - Independent Distributor of Forever Living Products - today on 086 2609086.

Classifieds & Personal Personal Classifieds Free,Thanksgiving €10 Business Classifieds, prepay €10 for 20 words Name........................................................................

Address..................................................................... .................................................................................. ..................................................................................

Contact Number.....................................................................

My Classifieds Advertisement is.............................. .................................................................................. .................................................................................. .................................................................................. ..................................................................................

Send your classifieds advertisements to The Muskerry News, Church View, Blarney, Co. Cork or email us at.... northcitynews@eircom.net

Services Available Reliable, experienced 19 year old babysitter available in the Blarney / Whitechurch area.

Available week nights, weekends and some week days.

References available.

Please call 0851171261 All Doggie Hair Doo’s 086 8478762 Don’t forget your Best Friend!

Full grooming service and wash only available.

Puppies & large breeds welcome Late evening appts on request Gift Vouchers available Why not drop your doggie for grooming whilst you shop at Blackpool Shopping Centre?

It’s time to clean your Chimney!

Local Chimney Cleaning Service available.

No job too small. 087 6384396 Oisin Bio Energy Treatment at the Daisy Centre of Natural Healing, Blarney.

Call Margaret on 087 28 90 992.

Fencing Specialists All types of fencing supplied and fitted.

Side Gates, Palisade Fencing, Round Tops, Bow Tops and much more.

Fully installed and manufactured to your specification.

Paving & Patios Hedge Removal Phone Eddie for free quotations 085 2256490 Chainsaw and Log Splitting services available.

Have you got any fallen trees you need cut into rings or logs to be split for firewood? Please contact 087 9806639 for more details.

It’s time to clean your carpets!

Blarney & District Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Service.

No job too small. 087 6384396 Apollo Print Kerry Pike Colour & Commercial Printers Check out our instant print quote calculator www.apolloprintcork.net Downey Floor Sanding Specialists Floor Sanding & Sealing Old and new floors sanded and varnished. Floor fitting service Contact Jeremy at 4516901 / 087 2372213 www.downeyfloorsanding.com

Thanksgiving

Novena to St. Claire Ask St Clare for three favours, one business, two impossibe, and say nine Hail Mary's and the following prayer for nine days with a lighted candle.

May the Sacred Heart Of Jesus be praised, adored, glorified and loved today and everyday throughout the world forever.

Amen.

Publish on the ninth day PK

Novena to the Sacred Heart.

Dear Heart of Jesus, in the past I have asked for many favours.

This time I ask you this very special one. (Mention favour) Take Dear Heart of Jesus and place it within your own broken heart where your father sees it.

Then in his merciful eyes, it will become your favour not mine.

Amen. Say this prayer for three days, promise publication and favour will be granted. Never known to fail (CO) Novena to the Sacred Heart.

Dear Heart of Jesus, in the past I have asked for many favours.

This time I ask you this very special one. (Mention favour) Take Dear Heart of Jesus and place it within your own broken heart where your father sees it.

Then in his merciful eyes, it will become your favour not mine.

Amen. Say this prayer for three days, promise publication and favour will be granted. Never known to fail (JA) Novena to the Sacred Heart.

Dear Heart of Jesus, in the past I have asked for many favours.

This time I ask you this very special one. (Mention favour) Take Dear Heart of Jesus and place it within your own broken heart where your father sees it.

Then in his merciful eyes, it will become your favour not mine.

Amen. Say this prayer for three days, promise publication and favour will be granted. Never known to fail (KK) Novena to the Sacred Heart.

Dear Heart of Jesus, in the past I have asked for many favours.

This time I ask you this very special one. (Mention favour) Take Dear Heart of Jesus and place it within your own broken heart where your father sees it.

Then in his merciful eyes, it will become your favour not mine.

Amen. Say this prayer for three days, promise publication and favour will be granted. Never known to fail (CK)

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Muskerry News | 45

ALARMS

Wireless Alarm System All for €650 vat incl Supplied & Installed Call for your free consultation

087 2584099 / 021 4379894 / 021 4847615

OSBORNE OIL

www.gibbonssecuritysystems.com

• Burglar & Fire Alarms • Installed, Upgraded and Serviced • CCTV Cameras. Domestic and Commerical • Automatic Gates

JFC Pumps

Contact Ray Buckley 021 4381071 / 087 2100400 • bss@mail.ie

Specialists in Water Pumps & Well Drilling etc Free Initial Assessment 8 year warranty on all new water pumps Up to 75% grants available

Call Francis at 086 2661954 / 4348886

Blarney Oil

Farran, Ovens, County Cork

6 day personal service, delivered to your door

Fast delivery of Domestic Heating Oil, Kerosene, Agricultural, Auto Diesel & Castrol Lubricants OIL TANKS SUPPLIED

021 4385444 / 087 2564672

Suppliers of top quality home heating oil and tractor diesel

“It pays to call” 021 4385177

StephenAhern

PAINTER & DECORATOR

FOR PRECISION WORK AT AFFORDABLE PRICES 20 years experience

RESIDENTIAL • COMMERCIAL • INDUSTRIAL

M: 087 649 4511

E: stephenaherndecorating@gmail.com C2

R E G I S T E R E D • F U L LY

INSURED

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46 | Muskerry News

Andrew O’Riordan & Sons

PLANT HIRE Fergus, Dripsey, Co. Cork.

ALL MAJOR GROUNDWORK COVERED AGRI SERVICES - Including Hedge Cutting

Including Site Excavation • Road Crossings • Rock Breaking

Give us a call on 087 2604771

· · · ·

RAY COLEMAN BUILDING AND CARPENTRY SERVICES 087 2333 180

House Extensions Conservatories Renovations Attic Conversions

021 4381094

· Grant Work · Roof repairs · General Building Work.

Do you offer a Trade or Service?

To advertise your business to our 12,000 readers contact

Kate @ 087 2330398 Dick @ 087 2513126

Click Electrical Ltd Industrial • Commercial • Domestic Contact Seamus Coleman

087 979 3602

Renovations • Extensions • Roofing • 1st & 2nd Fix Carpentry • Property Maintenance VAT R E G I S T E R E D • F U L LY I N S U R E D

Book online at

www.corkcpctraining.com or call 087 2667191

Training at Oriel House Hotel, Ballincollig €50 with FREE mini breakfast provided

Tony O'Sullivan PLUMBING & HEATING

Solid Fuel • Gas • Oil Installer of Pressurised Systems • Underfloor Heating • Solar Panels • Gas & Oil Boiler Servicing Domestic & Commercial

Repairs & Maintenance

Donoughmore 021 7437729 / 087 2642098

Corkhomemaintenance.ie Painting Carpentry Plaster Repairs FULLY INSURED

Call John Coughlan 087 7767553

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GLANMIRE GAS

Muskerry News | 47

Registered Gas Installer

BOILER SERVICES

Service • Repair • Replace 086 8655132 • Email: barryaoleary@gmail.com FREE quotations on Boiler Zoning

Why not drop your doggie for grooming whilst you shop at Blackpool Shopping Centre?

All Doggie Hair Doo’s Full grooming service and M: 086 8478762 wash only available

• • • •

Don't forget your Best Friend this Wintertime Puppies and Large Breeds welcome Late evening appointments available on request Gift Vouchers available

Electrician

• Showers • Rewires • Heating Controls • Smoke Alarms • New Boards • Extensions • Registered Contractor • Fully Insured Phone Kieran @ 087 2725523 kieranhamill7@gmail.com

MICHAEL BUCKLEY & SON Berrings, Co. Cork

OSBORNE OIL

Suppliers of top quality home heating oil and tractor diesel

“It pays to call” 021 4385177

ELECTRICAL & BOILER SERVICES

Oil Boiler Sales & Repairs No Fix - No Fee

087 2505525 / 021 7332255

John Canty & Sons (Cork) Ltd. Open 6 Days

• Visit our showrooms to view our extensive range of products for your garden.

• We also provide an extensive repair and maintenance service on a full range of equipment.

EFCO TANAKA

Tractors Ride on and Walk Behind Lawnmowers Chainsaws Hedgetrimmers Strimmers Kombi Systems

Unit 1, N.O.F. Commercial Park, Old Mallow Road, Cork.

Telephone: 021 4307088

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48 | Muskerry News