All About Cork: New initiative launched for men of Ballyphehane

A new community initiative aimed at enhancing men’s health and wellbeing has officially been launched in Ballyphehane.

The Ballyphehane MANifest Project, led by the Ballyphehane Community Association in collaboration with Ballyphehane/Togher CDP, is designed to bring men together through hands-on workshops, social activities, and health education opportunities.

The initiative offers a welcoming space for men of all ages to learn new skills, meet others, and take part in activities that promote confidence, connection, and wellbeing.

Upcoming programmes include a Bird House Making workshop in partnership with Ballyphehane Men’s Shed; an ‘Airfrying Made Easy’ beginners cooking course; a Men’s Lunch Club, and the Ballyphehane Model Village Project – a creative father-and-sons (or grandfather-and-grandsons) initiative to build an outdoor miniature version of local landmarks.

Konrad Im, Ballyphehane Community Association board member and project coordinator said MANifest is about “giving men opportunities to come together, socialise, and learn in a relaxed, supportive environment.”

“It’s about manifesting positive mental and physical health outcomes, building friendships, and strengthening community spirit.”

The MANifest Project is open to all men aged 18 and over, with activities free to join and no experience is required.

The three-week bird house making workshop kicks off the initiative tonight, Wednesday November 5 at 6.30pm until 8pm and will continue for on November 11 and 19.

Whether you have never held a hammer or you are handy with a saw, this workshop is for all men over 18 regardless of skill level.

Every Monday, the ‘Air Frying Made Easy’ course will teach beginners on how to master the basics, cook simple but delicious meals while socialising. All you need is a willingness to learn and everything else will be provided. The course will begin on Monday, November 10 from 6.30pm to 8pm and will continue each week until December 8.

The Ballyphehane Men’s Lunch Club will begin on November 13 and continue on a fortnightly basis on Thursdays from 1pm to 3pm.

The club will welcome a number of guest speakers.

The Fathers and Sons Ballyphehane Model Village Project is inviting participants to join them in creating an outdoor model village featuring all of Ballyphehane’s local landmarks, buildings and key features. Grandfathers and grandsons are also welcome to take part.

This is a three-month project with one weekly evening workshop and one weekend session per month.

All minors must be accompanied by an adult, and all materials will be invited.

Dates will be announced soon and are subject to demand.

This initiative is developed by Ballyphehane Community Association and Ballyphehane/Togher CDP, with support from local partners in Ballyphehane Tidy Towns and Ballyphehane Men’s Shed and funded through The Reach Fund 2025.

Spaces are limited so people are advised to register their interest in advance.

For more information or to get involved, contact Ballyphehane Community Centre or visit https://www.ballyphehanecommunity.com.

Tickled pink to earn a fresh Masters degree at MTU conferring

Centre award nomination

Ballyphehane Community Centre has been nominated for a 2025 Cork Better Building Award in the Climate Resilience Award category.

Organised by the Cork Business Association (CBA) and supported by Cork City Council, the awards celebrate those who invest in maintaining, enhancing, and reimagining Cork’s urban landscape.

Head Judge Gwen Jordan said this year’s shortlist highlights “the incredible balance between innovation and heritage in Cork.”

“The quality of submissions is inspiring — proof that Cork continues to lead by example in thoughtful, sustainable design,” she said.

The winners will be announced at The Metropole Hotel on Friday, November 7, where the winner of a special Judges’ Choice award will also be revealed.

Events to bring Christmas cheer

Christmas is set to come to Ballyphehane with the Christmas in the Square 2025 event.

There will be some festive fun at Pearse Sq on Sunday, December 7, from 12pm to 3pm.

Ballyphehane Tidy Towns will be hosting the annual family-friendly Christmas celebration, which will be packed with market stalls and include live music, raffle prizes, and a free Santa’s Grotto.

Locals are being urged to bring the whole family and soak up the Christmas magic in the heart of the community.

Another local Christmas event is the Reindeer Park, which will take over Coláiste Éamann Rís.

An evening of festive Christmas markets with games, bouncy castles, stalls, and a visit from Santa will be on offer at the school.

The Reindeer Park event will take place on Thursday, December 11, from 7pm to 9pm.

To book a stall, at a cost of €25, email fundraising@cercork.ie.

Ballyphehane GAA win

Ballyphehane has collected its third piece of silverware to add to the Confined Junior B County Championship and the MacSwiney Cup, which were both won in July.

The side defeated St Vincent’s to be crowned AOS Security Junior B Football champions before a sizeable attendance at Ballinlough last week.

The final whistle was greeted with jubilation on the part of the Ballyphehane supporters, with the final score being Ballyphehane 4-17, St Vincent’s 0-9.

Ballyphehane will meet Duhallow champions Kiskeam in the County Championship.

Meals on Wheels raffle

Togher Meals on Wheels is to hold a fundraising raffle at the market on Wednesday, November 12, in support of the 60 meals per day that go out to people in the community.

Playground swings

Following a number of queries and representations, Sinn Féin TD Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire has confirmed that the swings in Clashduv Park playground have been repaired and were reinstated on October 31.

Maths revision courses

For Leaving Cert students in Turners Cross and the surrounding area, maths higher level and ordinary level revision courses will be held on Saturday, December 13, at UCC.

The courses will be delivered by an experienced teacher and State Examinations Commission examiner.

The higher level maths course will cover algebra, differentiation, integration, trigonometry, and statistics. It will cost €60 and run from 9am to 2pm.

The ordinary level course will cover algebra, differentiation, and statistics. This course will cost €40 and run from 2.30pm to 7.30pm.

A full resource pack and follow-on support will be provided to all participants.

Places are limited and can be booked by emailing leesidemaths@gmail.com.

These courses are a fantastic opportunity to prepare for the mock exams to be held after Christmas.

Tidy Towns clean-up

Ballyphehane Tidy Towns was out in force across the weekend tackling Pearse Sq, which was carpeted with fallen leaves.

“Whilst beautiful, the fallen foliage is also a real slip hazard for pedestrians, especially our older neighbours,” said a spokesperson.

“After filling 15 bags of leaves, the square is once again safe, tidy, and ready for the next round of falling leaves. They keep us busy.

“Meanwhile, our litter-picking teams were out across Ballyphehane and let’s just say it was a busy day, with lots to clean up.

“A huge thank you to all our volunteers who keep the Hane looking its best week after week.”