All About Cork: My Open Library service helps offer extended hours

Carrigaline Library has been upgraded inside and out to support the addition of My Open Library.

My Open Library, a technology-driven service offering extended library opening hours to the community, has been rolled out to the three locations, which will be open from 8am to 10pm, seven days a week, 365 days a year.

Funded by the Department of Rural and Community Development and Cork County Council, the My Open Library installation at Carrigaline, Kinsale, and Mallow libraries has generated a 145% increase in the number of available service hours to the community at each location, rising from 40 hours to 98 hours per week.

The new additions at Carrigaline Library include a young adult zone with relaxed seating, a remodelled children’s area with more books and children’s work tables for homework, crafts and games, and comfortable seating in the windows for reading and simply watching the world go by.

The multifunction community meeting room can be booked for use during the day and in the evening during My Open Library hours. Bike racks have also been installed outside to facilitate sustainable travel.

The ribbon was cut at the Carrigaline facility on Monday, May 26, by councillor Patrick Donovan, deputising for the Mayor of Co Cork Joe Carroll; Jerry Buttimer, minister of state, and Moira Murrell; the chief executive of Cork County Council.

Mr Buttimer pointed out that My Open Library is now available in 23 of Cork County Council’s libraries. “I must praise our library authorities and library staff for being so progressive in meeting the needs of their communities,” he said. “Our public libraries are a home-from-home for our elderly, our young people, and our new communities and now they will be able to avail of those services every day of the year, from morning till night.”

Ms Murrell said the expansion of Carrigaline Library is a strategic ambition for Cork County Council’s Library and Arts Service, “which aims to improve access, use, and visibility of the library as a community hub, and as a focal point for community and cultural development.

“The success of My Open Library is in the flexibility that it offers communities to visit their local library at a time that works for them,” she said.

• For more information about My Open Library and Cork County Council’s Library and Arts
  Service, visit www.corkcoco.ie

Bilingual bingo night

Carrigaline recently held its first bilingual bingo in the GAA club. Half who attended did so to support Carraig ag Caint, the local club which promotes the use of Irish in the community.

The other half were there for the bingo and were undeterred by the mix of Irish and English used by the bingo caller, many commenting on how much of their Irish was coming back to them.

You can use your cúpla focal any day. Why not order your coffee from Rebecca in Three Fools as Gaeilge, buy your milseán from Lauren in Auntie Nellie’s, or get a leabhar from Jerome in Carrigaline Bookshop?

Carraig ag Caint meet every Wednesday in Esquire’s Cafe by the Co-op SuperStore at 10.30am and in The Carrigaline Court Hotel at 8pm. Tá fáile roimh cách.

Good Fish builds new facility

The Good Fish company run by Currabinny man Denis Good and his son Donagh has constructed a new purpose-built processing facility in Shanbally.

To mark European Maritime Day, Ireland’s EU commissioner, Michael McGrath, fisheries and oceans commissioner Costas Kadis, and minister of state for the marine, fisheries, and digital mapping, Timmy Dooley, formally opened the new Good Fish multimillion-euro processing facility in Shanbally.

Also present were TDs Séamus McGrath and Charlina Vitcheva, directorate general for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries.

The Good Fish company has been processing at its facility in the Carrigaline Industrial Park for years and currently employs 100 people.

Good Fish has extensive fish shops at the Carrigaline Industrial Estate, Douglas Court Shopping Centre, and Market Place, Kinsale.

It all started when Denis opened a fish shop in Carrigaline in 1988.

Fort to Fort entries increase

Entries for the Carrigaline Lions Club Fort to Fort charity cycle in aid of the Mercy Hospital charity and four Cork city and county Lions Clubs, which takes place on June 14, are up on last year. The event starts at Camden Fort Meagher and travels via the cross river ferry to Fort Davis and back.

Music marathon

As part of the Carrigaline Arts and Culture festival, a 12-hour music marathon is being held at the Carrigaline Court Hotel on June 19, from 10am to 10pm. A variety of choirs, musicians, and singers from Carrigaline and hinterland will provide entertainment throughout the day in the ongoing campaign to provide an arts and culture centre including a theatre in Carrigaline. The event is free and open to the public, donations and sponsorship are welcome.

Men’s Shed grant restored

The Carrigaline Men’s Shed’s annual grant provided by the Department of Rural and Community Development has been restored. It will help with running and operational costs. New members are welcome, for further enquiries contact Roger Morrissey on 087 2203547.

Litter league success

Tidy Towns Carrigaline did very well in the second week of the litter league. A number of the locations judged including Main Street and residential areas were found to be litter free.

Well done to the public, Cork County Council, and the team of Tidy Towns volunteers who continue litter picking every day.

The rain in the past week was very welcome by the gardening section as the regular watering of the flowers was very laborious and time-consuming.

The Tidy Towns campaign continues throughout the summer with the judging for the National SuperValu Tidy Towns competition taking place in June and July. New volunteers and helpers are always welcome, call to HQ in the Owenabue car park any Tuesday at 10am, Wednesday at 7pm or Saturday at 9.30am. For more email: Carrigalinetidytowns@gmail.com.

Knock bus places available

There are still places available on the bus from Carrigaline to Knock, with one stop in Blackpool, on June 28, returning June 29, staying overnight in Knock House Hotel. Contact Aislinn on 087 9699488 or Mary on 021 4371025.

Aifreann Gaeilge

The June Aifreann Gaeilge will be celebrated at 10am this Sunday in the Church of Our Lady and St John, Carrigaline. Billeoga Aifrinn will be available at the church doors.

Summer fete

The annual summer fete will take place on June 21, in St Mary’s School in Waterpark from 10am until 2pm. Bric-a-brac, crafts, plants, bottle stall, unwanted presents, DIY tools, toys, cakes, home produce, handbags, dress jewellery and more will all be available. This fete is very popular and well attended each summer.