All About Cork: School and volunteers show community spirit in garden

Students, teachers and volunteers came together in recent days to work on the Mahon Community Garden, illustrating the spirit of collaboration at the heart of the local community.

Students and staff from Nagle Community College and Scoil na Croise Naofa teamed up with staff from Telus Digital, as well as the regular team of local volunteers, on Friday to give back to the local community.

The initiative, sponsored by Telus, focuses on giving back to the local community.

A spokesperson for Mahon Community Garden said they enjoyed a “fantastic morning in our community garden with local volunteers”.

They highlighted Scoil na Croise Naofa students and teachers; Nagle Community College students and staff; Cork City Council community warden Arthur Needham and Telus Digital staff all “working together in a collaborative environment for the enhancement of this lovely space for all in the community to enjoy”.

“Huge thanks to Telus Digital for sponsoring this event and for the lovely lunch. Thank you to each and everyone of you.”

A spokesperson for Nagle Community College added: “The event focused on enhancing Mahon Community Garden, bringing together various volunteers in a spirit of collaboration.

“The students worked alongside local residents and organisations, all sharing a common goal of improving the garden for everyone to enjoy.

“The workday exemplified the power of teamwork and community spirit, with Telus Digital’s support making a significant impact in creating a more vibrant and beautiful space for the neighbourhood.”

A spokesperson for Scoil na Croise Naofa added: “Our pupils were happy to do their bit and work alongside many other local groups in our lovely Mahon Community Garden.”

To find out more about the Mahon Community Garden, check out their Facebook page or contact mahoncommunitygarden@gmail.com.

Pedestrian safety works

A local city councillor has revealed that pedestrian safety works in Ballintemple Village have been added to a list of works set to be funded by the National Transport Authority (NTA).

Peter Horgan, Labour Party councillor in Cork City South East, recently submitted a motion to council calling for enhanced pedestrian safety measures in Ballintemple, and has since received confirmation that the works have been added to the list of works to be funded by the NTA.

“It’s welcome that we’ve secured the works for the north and south of the village to be included on the NTA funding list but the people deserve and expect faster implementation,” said Mr Horgan.

“We cannot countenance this being put on the long finger while near misses continue to happen for children and adults of all ages.

“I will continue to advocate and lobby central and local bodies to deliver this critical piece of pedestrian safety infrastructure,” he added.

“If the Apple billions are to mean anything for the people of Cork, where the bulk of Apple profits were earned, then something as simple as pedestrian safety should be simple to deliver, and deliver quickly.”

Old walled garden plan

Local volunteers, residents and a credit union are coming together to breathe new life into a part of the community’s history.

Volunteers from Mahon Tidy Towns met recently with residents from the Orchard Estate to discuss plans to rejuvenate the old walled garden that once belonged to Ringmahon House.

A spokesperson for the local tidy towns group explained:

“The historic stone remains of the garden are still visible within the estate, offering a unique opportunity to restore a piece of local heritage.

“This project is a collaborative effort between the local residents, St Michael’s Credit Union, Mahon Tidy Towns, and Cork City Council, working together to bring new life to the area.

“Watch this space for further updates on the progress of this initiative,” they concluded, encouraging people to check out the Mahon Tidy Towns Facebook page for updates and more information.

Marymount fundraiser

The Blackrock Community Association hosted a fundraiser in aid of Marymount Hospice. The event, at the community centre in Blackrock, was an afternoon of dancing and singing, accompanied by music from Pat Hurley. 

Marymount is Ireland’s oldest hospice, founded in 1870. It provides inpatient and outpatient hospice care, a community palliative care service, and a service for older people.

Rainbow Club new home

Cork’s Rainbow Club is expected to secure a new home, in what the organisation says will be a “game-changer” for service provision.

Founded by Karen O’Mahony and her husband, Jon, in 2015, as a response to their search for services for their two sons, Stephen and Sean, the Rainbow Club provides skills, support, and a community hub for children and young people with autism and their families.

The Rainbow Club, which occupies some of Mahon Community Centre, has been seeking a new home for several years.

That new home is likely to be a former health centre in Mahon that was previously in the ownership of the HSE and is now owned by Cork City Council. Cork City Council will lease the property to the Rainbow Club, with the proposal to be ratified at a full council meeting.

The update was announced at the Rainbow Club’s 12th annual masquerade ball at Carrigaline Court Hotel recently.

Space Week ends

Space Week Ireland 2024 has concluded another year of ‘out of this world’ events, with MTU Blackrock Castle Observatory’s team taking centre stage.

The week celebrated Ireland’s fascination with science and showcased how interest in technology, engineering, and mathematics can open doors to a career in space education. Taking place from October 4 to 10, Space Week hit the road, with the crew from MTU Blackrock Castle Observatory teaming up with former NASA astronaut Steve Swanson. They embarked on a nationwide road trip, with stops in Cork, Galway, Dublin, Offaly, and Kildare.

Each location offered a different perspective on Ireland’s connection to space.

Highlights include a visit to the historic Leviathan telescope in Birr, family-friendly science fun in Cork School of Music, and discussions at Atlantaquaria Galway about the possibility of alien life on Jupiter’s moons.

Rob O’Sullivan, the national outreach co-ordinator for Space Week Ireland, expressed his delight at the public’s receptiveness.

“We are thrilled to see the enthusiasm and high levels of engagement from participants across Ireland, particularly the younger generation, who will carry forward Ireland’s place in global space exploration,” he said.

“This year’s theme, ‘Space and Climate’, was hugely relatable and thought-provoking, sparking curiosity and inspiring future scientists, engineers, and innovators.

“The road trip was about celebrating those organisers who make Space Week such a success every year,” he added.

“We brought astronaut Steve Swanson to each of these venues to thank them in person for all the work they do to make Space Week Ireland one of the most successful in the world.

“We didn’t make it to everyone, but we’re already looking forward to visiting more Space Week champions on next year’s road trip.”

Have Mahon news to share? Contact darraghberminghamecho@gmail.com.