All About Cork: Ireland’s local history societies to convene in Carrigaline

Delegates from across Ireland will attend the AGM of the Federation of Local History Societies (FLHS), taking place from Friday, October 3, to Sunday, October 5, in the Carrigaline Court Hotel. The host body for the event is the Passage West Maritime Museum.

The weekend will get underway with a dinner and welcoming addresses from Mairead Byrne, FLHS chair, and Angela Murphy-Kirby, chair of the Passage West Maritime Museum. There will also be the launch of the book The A-Z of Curious Northern Ireland by Ulster federation member Doreen McBride. Musical entertainment will follow from Passage West Community Choir.

Registration will open in the hotel at 9am on Saturday. The event will be officially opened by the Mayor of the County of Cork, councillor Mary Linehan-Foley at 10am. This will be followed by a speech from an cathaoirleach of Carrigaline Municipal District, councillor Ben Dalton-O’Sulllivan, and a short address by Cork County heritage officer, Conor Nelligan. The Heron Room of the hotel will hold a sale of books and journals plus short presentations from different history societies.

Attendance at the AGM is free and everyone from any member organisation of the FLHS is welcome but registration is required.

On Saturday afternoon, delegates will visit Camden Fort Meagher for a guided tour. Later, there will be a dinner followed by an illustrated talk by Leo McMahon of Passage West Maritime Museum entitled ‘A Historical Tour of Cork Harbour’.

On Sunday there will be a visit to Passage West Maritime Museum where there will be a talk and walking tour plus refreshments and entertainment from the Attridge Academy of Irish Dance and Passage West Community Choir. Everyone, including non members, are welcome.

Tri-ing their very best

1. Maeve Hurley of Crosshaven Tri Club, Fianna Fáil councillor Audrey Buckley, Suzanne Dean of Crosshaven Tri Club, and Fianna Fáil TD Seamus McGrath at the recent Centra Crosshaven Triathlon. Pictures: Siobhán Russell

2. Linda O’Connor, first female solo winner of the triathlon, presented with a McWilliams bag by Jenny and Alex Barry of Centra Crosshaven.

3. Declan Barry and Owen Hennessy racing to the finish line at the Centra Crosshaven Triathlon.

4. Christopher Horgan, first male solo winner of the triathlon, being presented with a prize by organisers Jenny and Alex Barry.

5. Overall relay team winners Mark Pinfield, Jenny Powell, and Conor McCarthy presented with prizes by triathlon organisers Jenny and Alex Barry of Centra Crosshaven.

Cork pioneers honoured

The annual Diocesan Mass for the Cork Pioneers was celebrated by Monsignor Aidan O’Driscoll VG coPP in Carrigaline last Saturday night.

After mass Monsignor Aidan presented pins and certificates to long-serving members, a life membership and a junior membership. Following the ceremony, the gathering was treated to refreshments in the Parish Centre.

The next Pioneer event is the annual lunch and social on Sunday, October 5, in Actons Hotel, Kinsale, at 1.30pm. Tickets, priced at €30, can be bought from local centres or contact Barry 087 813 7990, Aislinn 087 969 9488 or Sheila on 087 768 6112/021 4888 103.

Culture Night a huge success

Organisers of Culture Night in Carrigaline said the evening was a resounding success, with six venues, a busking trail, music therapy, Irish classes, two bilingual Irish plays, artists, crafters, photographers, authors, a parade with 16 clubs and organisations, including our World Champion Pipe Band and Indian drummers, an outdoor entertainment stage with choirs, musical theatre, a young band, sea shanties and an indoor originals concert.

“You would be hard pushed to find any other town in Ireland with so much going on in one night,” said a spokesperson. “Thank you to everyone involved for making this night happen. To the hard working unseen team who put it all together over the last few months, we are very grateful. It doesn’t just happen, it takes a community supporting each other. What a wonderful place we live in, so full of culture.”

Pipe Band in national contest

Carrigaline Pipe Band had a busy weekend, taking part in the Culture Night parade and performance, competing in the National Solo pipers and drummers competition on Saturday and playing at Mass in Carrigaline on Sunday.

Next Sunday, September 28, they will lead the parade for the final of the Passage West GAA street leagues and for Douglas GAA street league finals the following week.

The band will hold their victory dinner in Carrigaline Court Hotel on Friday, October 4, to celebrate their winning of the All-Ireland and World Championships. Tickets from Paddy O’Connell 087 968 5833, Chloe Shine and Aisling O’Regan.

Tidy Towns off to Croke Park

Carrigaline Tidy Towns have been invited to attend the SuperValu Tidy Towns National Awards ceremony on Friday, October 24, in the Hogan Suite in Croke Park where the results will be announced.

Voluntary work is continuing on Tuesday and Saturday mornings and Wednesday evenings on litter picking, cleaning, opening up riverside walks and the walks in the newly opened up Waterpark Wood.

Mary O’Regan, artist, has started on the new mural on Church Hill. Plans are in train to design an information board by the Joe West sculpture which has been relocated to the Ballea Road.

Tidy Towns is reviving the community awards night which will be held in Carrigaline Court Hotel in October.