Dungarvan observer 15 12 2017 edition by Dungarvan Observer

DUNGARVAN

OBSERVER Vol. 105

MUNSTER LADIES FOOTBALL PLAYER OF THE YEAR SPORTS SECTION

Friday, 15th December, 2017

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Man in stable condition following stabbing at weekend A MAN is in a serious but stable condition following emergency surgery after he was stabbed in Dungarvan at the weekend. The man received serious injuries when he was stabbed during a row at Keating Street, Dungarvan, at around 3.00 a.m. on Saturday, 9th December. It was shortly after 3.00 a.m. that a call was made to the emergency services that a male had been stabbed in Keating Street.

Gardaí were first to arrive on the scene and performed first aid on the 32-year-old man and stabilised him until the paramedics arrived. He was taken to University Hospital Waterford where he underwent emergency surgery. No other person was injured in the incident. c Continued on page 25

GIFT OF CLIFF

By Christy Parker

Christmas Madness

page 2

page 21

Keating Street was cordoned off following the stabbing incident.

Disappointment over St. Carthage’s being denied RAPID funding

Local software company to double its workforce

Garda checkpoints to increase over Christmas period

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THERE was huge disappointment that St. Carthage’s Rest Home in Lismore was denied funding under a new RAPID (Revitalising Areas by Planning, Investment and Development) grant-aid scheme, which was approved by Councillors at the December meeting of Dungarvan-Lismore Municipal District Council. The facility did not qualify for funding primarily because it is HSE-funded according to the RAPID scheme’s management committee. The Lismore nursing home was one of three failed applicants from the Dungarvan-Lismore District, along with Tallow Community Council and Kinsalebeg Community Group. Four others succeeded in their application, namely Waterford Sports Partnership, Dungarvan Care of Aged, Cappoquin Community Development Centre and Dungarvan’s Men’s Shed. The scheme was recently relaunched by the Department of Rural and Community Development and overseen locally by a sub-committee of the Waterford LCDC (Local Community Development Committee) and is focused on tackling social exclusion in disadvantaged urban areas and provincial towns and helps improve the quality of life for residents in those disadvantaged areas. Waterford was allocated €64,000 in total under the scheme. LCDC chief officer Don Tuohy explained that the programme was open to applicants in disadvantaged urban areas with a population over 700. Mr. Tuohy also pointed out that the programme was only announced last month, after which the LCDC committed to seeking applications for age-related projects, with a November 24th closing date. His dissatisfaction that the allocations had to be match funded on pain of forfeiture by December 31st was echoed by all. On the proposal of Cllr. Damien Geoghegan, the meeting agreed to complain the timespan to the Department. “It’s the same with roads funding”, observed Cllr. Geoghegan. “It’s the same with all the grants!” contributed Cathaoirleach Cllr. Tom Cronin. LAUNDRY NEEDED St. Carthage’s House had sought €20,000 towards purchasing a €50,000 commercial washing machine and dryer, by way of minimising the risks of cross-infection, in line with HIQA directives. c Continued on page 19

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ing condition follow Man in stable nd stabbing at weeke

in Keating Street. had been stabbed to arrive on the scene and stable conman Gardaí were first in a serious but after A MAN in is aid on the 32-year-old emergency surgery paramedics performed first dition following Dungarvan at the weekhim until the in and stabilised University Hospital he was stabbed He was taken to when he arrived. where he underwent emergency 9 SEATER AVAILABLE end. serious injuries The man received a row at Keating Street, Waterford FOR HIRE the surgery. was injured in was stabbed during 3.00 a.m. on Saturday, No other person 058 44888 around Dungarvan, at carhire.com info@southeast 25 call was incident. 9th December. tcarhire.com 3.00 a.m. that a male c Continued on page www.southeas It was shortly after services that a made to the emergency

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Keating Street was

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BALLYMACARBRY HOSTS WESTERN CONVENTION

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over Disappointment ng St. Carthage’s beiding fun PID RA denied

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Rest that St. Carthage’s disappointment new RAPID THERE was hugewas denied funding under a Development) Home in Lismore by Planning, Investment and at the (Revitalising Areas which was approved by CouncillorsDistrict grant-aid scheme, of Dungarvan-Lismore Municipal December meeting because it funding primarily Council. not qualify for management The facility did RAPID scheme’s according to the is HSE-funded of three failed applicants committee. home was one with Tallow The Lismore nursing ore District, along Group. Community from the Dungarvan-Lism and Kinsalebeg namely Waterford Community Council in their application,Aged, Cappoquin Four others succeeded Care of Men’s Dungarvan Sports Partnership, Centre and Dungarvan’s Community Development of by the Department Shed. recently relaunchedand overseen locally by The scheme was Development Community LCDC (Local Rural and Community of the Waterford on tackling social a sub-committee and is focused towns Development Committee) urban areas and provincial those disfor residents in exclusion in disadvantaged the quality of life and helps improve scheme. in total under the advantaged areas. allocated €64,000 that the programme Waterford was Don Tuohy explained urban areas with a LCDC chief officer disadvantaged in out that the was open to applicantsMr. Tuohy also pointed which the 700. last month, after population over only announced for age-related programme was to seeking applications closing date. LCDC committed 24th match be November had to projects, with a that the allocations 31st was echoed by His dissatisfaction December meeting of forfeiture by Geoghegan, the funded on pain of Cllr. Damien all. On the proposal the timespan to the Department. Cllr. agreed to complain with roads funding”, observed “It’s the same Cathaoirleach Geoghegan. all the grants!” contributed “It’s the same with Cllr. Tom Cronin. LAUNDRY NEEDED towards purchasing had sought €20,000 by way of St. Carthage’s House washing machine and dryer, HIQA with a €50,000 commercialof cross-infection, in line risks minimising the directives. on page 19 c Continued

FEWS NS FUNDRAISING NIGHT AT KILCOHAN PARK

Pages 12 & 13

CHRISTMAS GIFT VOUCHERS

Munster Ladies Football Player Congratulations of the Year to Michelle Ryan who Ballymacarbry's and Waterford's– received the Munster Football Player GAA Ladies of the Year award event held in Fota for Island Resort last 2017 at a gala Michelle is a very Saturday night. worthy winner all budgets suit of this award. She Tohad a fantastic year with both Michelletastes. and is a brilliant role her club and county. model for all younger players.0 Call 024-8780 Comhghairdeas Michelle.

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LAUNCH OF DUNGARVAN GAA HISTORY BOOK THIS FRIDAY Page 14

MUNSTER LADIES FOOT PLAYER OF THE YEAR BALL

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SECTIONS .........................……………………………………... PAGES News .............................…………..……………………………….. 1–27 Classifieds ..........................…..………………………………. 28–31 EnterpRISING Lunch in Crew’s Restaurant …………32-33 County News ...........………….………………………………... 34-47 Schools ...................................................…………………... 48-53 Obituary .…….…………………………………………………….. 54-55 Farming .....................………….………………………………...56-59 Entertainment ........………….………………………………... 60-63 Déise Newsround ..............………………………………………... 64 Includes your 24-page Sports pull-out

News on the move: Web: www.dungarvanobserver.ie Find us on Twitter: @DungarvanObserv Like us on Facebook: Dungarvan Observer

WEATHER OUTLOOK WEDNESDAY will be a cold, windy day, with bright spells and showers, some of them heavy and possibly thundery. Most of the showers will be of rain and hail, but there is a risk of a few wintry showers, mainly over high ground. Maximum temperatures 6 to 8 Celsius, in a strong and gusty west to southwest wind. Forecast for Thursday/Friday – Cold and very windy, with a mix of sunny spells and showers, some of the showers heavy and of hail, with a continuing risk of thunder. Some wintry showers of sleet are likely, with a risk of hill snow. Maximum temperatures 4 to 8 Celsius, in fresh to strong westerly winds, up to gale force along west and southwest coasts. Winds will veer northwest in direction Thursday night, gradually easing. Showers will become confined mainly to northern, western and southwestern coastal counties, some of them wintry, with a few wintry showers further inland also. A cold, frosty night, with icy patches, especially in the midlands, east and north, but less cold in Atlantic coastal areas. Still very cold on Friday, but mainly dry, with good sunny spells and just a few scattered showers, mainly in the north and northeast. Max. 4 to 8 Celsius, in moderate northwesterly winds.Winds will slacken further on Friday night and it will be mainly dry, but very cold, with widespread frost and icy stretches. Forecast for Saturday/Sunday – Cold, with frost and ice clearing gradually during the morning. Mainly dry, but some wintry showers are possible at first, mainly in the north. Max. 4 to 8 Celsius. More widespread rain will spread from the Atlantic during Saturday night and it will become milder. A dry start on Sunday, but rain will spread during the afternoon. Outlook (Monday/Wednesday) – Mild but changeable. Rain at times.

WED 8º

THUR 8º

FRI 8º

Dungarvan Shopping Centre Family Fun Days

GIFT OF CLIFF

By Christy Parker

Christmas Madness

9 Please go to page for further details

Dungarvan Observer | Friday, 15 December, 2017

SAT 8º

SUN 8º

THE lights are on and the Christmas season has started in fashion at Dungarvan Shopping Centre. The Centre would like to thank all its customers for their fantastic support throughout the year by putting on 3 Family Fun Days on the Plaza over the Christmas season. Each Saturday from 1-6 p.m. there will be Children’s Carousels, Christmas Snow Globes, Children’s games, candy floss and music entertainment for all the family. The Plaza at Dungarvan Shopping

Centre will be a hive of activity each Saturday afternoon which will allow you time to catch up with family and friends for a coffee in Starbucks or Coco Bean or shop for your Christmas gifts in Rainbow Kids stockists of the Name It range of Children’s clothing. Dungarvan Shopping Centre will have late openings to cater for customers pressed for time throughout the Christmas period. Our fantastic Santa Cabin and Winter Wonderland opens on

December 1st where Santa will take up residence at Dungarvan Shopping Centre for the Christmas period until 23rd December. Remember, Dungarvan Shopping Centre have all your Christmas needs all under one roof, so make sure to come along and enjoy the family fun day every Saturday from 1–6 p.m. and enjoy the Snow Globe, Children’s Carousel and a host of other family entertainment, courtesy of Dungarvan Shopping Centre.

Successful software company Onionsack to double its Dungarvan workforce SOFTWARE company Onionsack have confirmed they are looking to double their workforce in Dungarvan. The software company which provides SMS text betting for bookmakers, such as Paddy Power, Ladbrokes, William Hill, etc., successfully built a new support team in Dungarvan in 2016. If you have ever sent a bet to a bookmaker in a text message then you have used Onionsack’s software. The very first self-service bet from a mobile phone was placed by Onionsack’s software in 2006 and they continue to lead the way in innovation in messaging. Onionsack which was started in 2005 by one of the founders and current CEO, Jonathan Power, is based at Dungarvan Enterprise Centre.The Company now wants to add a mixed software development and support

team – which will double their Dungarvan headcount. The new recruits – initially three but more as the company grows into new verticals – will work as Linux systems administrators and backend Java software developers. Previously, Onionsack has found it easy to persuade skilled people that the quality of life in Dungarvan trumps commuting hands-down and they hope this time will be no different! Dungarvan and West Waterford Chamber President AnnMarie Rossiter welcomed the news from Onionsack. “We know Dungarvan is the best place to live, work and do

Onionsack CEO Jonathan Power. business,” said Ms. Rossiter. “A move like this is a great endorsement to the life style and business environment we have to offer in Dungarvan and West Waterford,” she added.

Onionsack’s platform drives the IM and text betting channels for most of the major Irish bookmakers, as well as international markets in Europe and as far away as Australia. The company signed a €2m deal last July with gaming and betting operator PMU France to provide sports betting via messaging channels to their customers. In 2018 Onionsack will move into Foreign Exchange trading and new international markets that will see their platform used heavily around the clock. Onionsack will be advertising on IrishJobs.ie, as well as local advertising, to see if people from the area currently stuck in Dublin traffic might fancy a more civilised life! For more details about Onionsack see http://www.onionsack.eu.

Be streetwise when heading out this Christmas WHEN heading out this Christmas to enjoy the festivities, people should be mindful to be street wise and think of their safety. While Christmas is an enjoyable period for many, unfortunately for some, the month of December sees a rise in assaults which are alcohol-related. There is a clear correlation between assaults and incidents of drunkenness. The peak time for assaults are weekend nights mostly around pubs, clubs, or town centres. Figures also show that late night intoxication is a factor in 12 percent of thefts from the person; 19 percent of robberies and 18 percent assaults. Half of all thefts from the person and robbery of the person happen between Friday and Sunday; with one in four outdoor robberies happening between midnight and 4.00 a.m. Over half of all assaults happen between Friday and Sunday. There is a strong link between intoxica-

tion and thefts, robberies and assaults. One in four mobile phones were stolen between midnight and 4.00 a.m. After mobile phones, items such as cash and credit cards are the most common item stolen. Be safe when you are going out: Plan your journey. Avoid going alone and tell someone your plans and when you expect to be home. Think ahead. Be observant and be wary of strangers. Avoid confrontation. Carry your mobile phone with you (fully charged). Mind your phone and valuables. Conceal your valuables and avoid making calls in public. One in three thefts from persons involved a ‘snatch and grab’ in public. If out with a group watch out for one another - remember safety in numbers. If one of your group has too much to drink ensure they get home safely. Plan your trip home or arrange a lift. If you have to walk home, choose well-lit

routes and avoid dark locations. Remember never, ever drink and drive. If you are the designated driver, park your car in a well-lit area and don’t leave property visible in the vehicle. If you have been the victim of a crime or have witnessed a crime, call the Gardaí on 999 or 112 immediately. RESPONSIBLE BEHAVIOUR DURING FESTIVE CELEBRATIONS Whether attending a house party, office party or other celebration, everyone is responsible for safety. If you are hosting a celebration - serve alcohol responsibly; don’t serve alcohol to drunk people and don’t serve alcohol to under 18s. Have low and non-alcoholic drinks available. Provide food that is tasty and filling. Promote safe transport options for your guests, including calling taxis.

Dungarvan Observer | Friday, 15 December, 2017

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Dungarvan Observer | Friday, 15 December, 2017

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If you take out a new home insurance policy with AIB, you can nominate your GAA club to receive €50 reward. It’s a simple promotion that not only helps supporters insure their homes, but helps them support the future of their club. Drop into AIB Dungarvan to get a quote today. Pictured is Patrica McNamara, AIB Bank presenting a cheque to Breda Kiely, Assistant Treasurer, Stradbally GAA Club. Included are Pat Fennell, Vice Chairman, Stradbally GAA Club and Nuala Hogan, AIB Bank. [Sean Byrne]

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Dungarvan Observer | Friday, 15 December, 2017

Simon Community Donation Drive TO MY HOMETOWN OF DUNGARVAN I WANT to extend my deepest gratitude to those that arrived on Sunday, 26th November, arms full to the brim with donations for the homeless in the South East. It’s one thing organising any event but an event can only be a success if people turn up and again you did not let me down. It was wonderful to see so many people walk through the doors of the Rehearsal Hub to do their bit for the homeless. I can’t put into words what it feels like to witness the true heart of people giving and supporting a very worthy cause. When we delivered the donations the happiness in people and gratitude they expressed sealed the deal and that is why I love doing my bit to help out. But it’s you all that made it a success because you cared and that’s what it’s all about. We all have our troubles and we all have those moments where we find life very hard. It’s not easy at times but we make good as best we can. The majority of us can go home to a dinner and a warm bed but sadly there are many in this country that can’t. So we do what we can to support those

Laura Landers and Ann Wall.

Rosie Whelan and Paddy.

Claire Cosgrave, Laura and Bailey the dog.

that need that little bit more. Just know that you helped give a bit of hope to someone that needs it. For that I am truly grateful to you all for your continued support of what I do but more so for your support for those that really need it.You are a bunch of legends. A massive thank you to Aileen Hogan who again allowed me to use “The Rehersal Hub” as a base for the collection. You are always first in to offer support and for that I am truly grateful. Also the Dungarvan Soccer Club for all their donations and their offer also of hosting the collection. Truly grateful. My father Michael Cowming who loaded up the van and did a non-stop trip from Dungarvan to Waterford city and straight up to Cork. Thank you so much to my mother, the great Ann Wall who again stood from 10.30 in the morning until close of day with me. A constant supporter, a woman like no other who has had my back through it all. Thank you so much to you all who donated, who texted me, messaged me and rang me, until next year. Happy Christmas. AARON COWMING

Kathleen and George Young and Susan O’Mahoney.

Michael Cowming and Esmè from Simon Community headquarters, Waterford.

Claire Downey, Karen O’Connor and Olivia.

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Dungarvan Observer | Friday, 15 December, 2017

Councillors praise work of Comhairle na nÓg Does your remote and call for continued car key look funding for group something like this? WATERFORD Councillors have praised the youth council Comhairle na nÓg and called on the local authority to maintain funding to the group for 2018. Councillors were responding after the annual presentation by Waterford Comhairle na nÓg members at the recent meeting of Waterford City and County Council. Katie Halpin-Hill and Gearóid O’Donovan of Waterford Comhaile na nÓg gave the presentation, outlining that this year’s theme for the youth group was ‘Challenging Stereotypes’ and the goal is to challenge all stereotypes by promoting acceptance and empathy; to promote self-confidence and to feel happy with who you are. A short video was shown to the Council (which is available to watch on the youth group’s Facebook page: www.facebook.com / WaterfordComhairle).

The presentation concluded with applause from the Chamber. Mayor Pat Nugent said Katie and Gearóid “are fantastic ambassadors for your organisation”. Cllr. Adam Wyse congratulated the two Comhairle na nÓg members, saying that it can be nerve-wracking to stand up in front of Councillors to deliver a presentation. He urged the Council to maintain their funding for Comhairle na nÓg. Councillors Jim Griffin and John Pratt concurred, saying the group does “phenomenal work” in the community and urged the Council to maintain funding. Cllr. Joe Kelly commended the presentation and said everyone suffers from prejudices, whether we admit it or not. He suggested that Waterford Comhairle na nÓg should be represented on the Joint Policing Committee of Waterford City

and County Council. Other Councillors who praised the presentation and the work of the group and voiced their support for continued funding included Declan Doocey, Liam Brazil, Damien Geoghegan and Eddie Mulligan. Waterford Comhairle na nÓg represents the voices and views of over 9,000 young people across Waterford by influencing decision makers, policy makers and developing youth friendly projects based on the most pressing issues facing young people locally. Comhairle members also support local projects and initiatives such as the Sean Kelly Tour, Waterford Festival of Food, Waterford Sports Partnership and the 1848 Tricolour Celebration Committee by volunteering at events and participating in focus groups.

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Dungarvan Observer | Friday, 15 December, 2017

Onus on landowners to make trees safe on their property LANDOWNERS are responsible for trees on their property and to make them safe during storms the recent Plenary meeting of Waterford City and County Council was told. Cllr. Seanie Power queried the procedure landowners must go through in relation to cutting down trees at the side of the road which are believed to be a danger. Director of Services, Fergus Galvin said landowners must obtain a tree felling licence from the Department of Agriculture. He pointed out that once the Council serves a notice on a landowner that there are trees in danger of falling, they must apply for a licence as well. Cllr. Michael J. O’Ryan said the onus is on the landowner to make their trees safe during storms. “I welcome the fact that

Coillte are planting new trees in place of the trees they remove from the road,” said Cllr. O’Ryan. However, he pointed out that certain trees may not be classed as ‘dangerous’ until they fall. “Some of the trees which fell [during Hurricane Ophelia] would never had gotten a licence to be felled,” Cllr. O’Ryan said. “That is the problem and people are genuinely worried, because a licence may not be granted if the local authority doesn’t class the tree as dangerous.” Mr. Galvin said there are a certain amount of trees which would be subject to a tree preservation order. “So, if that tree falls, and has a tree preservation order on it, the landowner would have to apply to the Department for permission [to cut the tree],” he said.

“If we become aware of a tree that is a danger or nuisance or public hazard, then we will serve a notice for that tree to be removed. If the landowner fails to remove the tree, we have the authority to go in and remove the tree and charge the landowner for the cost,” Mr. Galvin said. “For the felling of a tree anyplace, it legally requires a tree felling licence from the Department of Agriculture,” Mr. Galvin added. Cllr. Power called on landowners to check their roadside trees and cut any overhanging branches. “A lot of trees were damaged and uprooted since the storm and they are just hanging there. I would ask landowners to check their trees in the interests of safety,” Cllr. Power said.

Rita Drummey, Olivere Walsh and Sinead Moore pictured at the Wine & Style Night in the Cunnigar Room at Crew’s Restaurant, Dungarvan, co-hosted by the Wine Buff and Willow & Oak in aid of the RNLI. [Dan McGrath]

€1.7m LEADER boost for local rural projects OVER €1.7 million in funding has been approved for LEADER projects across Waterford to date in 2017, Minister of State John Halligan T.D. has confirmed. Twenty-one local projects have benefited from the targeted rural development scheme, with the funding specifically prioritising Economic Development, Enterprise Development and Job Creation; Social Inclusion; and Rural Environment projects Amongst the most recent Waterford initiatives to receive LEADER funding is €41,000 to Dungarvan Scouts, for an extension to their facilities. Other key beneficiaries this year include Blackwater Distillery, Rathgormack North Waterford Community Development Ltd and Hugh Kavanagh Engineering Ltd, who each received €200,000. Ardmore Open Farm Ltd received €143,247 for Ardmore Glamping Pods; Tallow Community Centre Ltd received

€130,619.94; and Kenneally Steel Fab. Ltd received €140,895.50 for an Automated Drilling Line. Minister Halligan said there had been significant progress with the scheme since Minister for Rural and Community Development, Michael Ring TD, introduced fundamental changes to simplify the approval process: “In total, there are now 531 projects across the country approved for LEADER funding of over €14 million, in comparison to 45 projects approved in the first half of the year. These improvements to the efficiency of the approval process have made a significant difference to Waterford applicants, ensuring both large and small projects targeting the diverse rural needs across the country are given every support available. I would encourage more Local Action Groups to avail of LEADER support in 2018, to reap the benefits of these changes”, Minister Halligan concluded.

Council to examine better Councillor notes doubling disabled facilities for RSC of rates owed to local authority in last 12 months Tributes to retiring Council official at Plenary Council meeting A WATERFORD Councillor noted that rates due to the local authority in excess of 12 months stood at over €5m this year, nearly double the amount last year. Cllr. Declan Clune queried the finances at the recent Plenary meeting of Waterford City and County Council. “In November, 2016, the rates which were due in excess of 12 months was €2.078m, but in November, 2017, that figure is over €5m. That is more than double - how much will be written off and what is the reason that figure has doubled in the last 12 months?” Cllr. Clune asked. Head of Finance, John Murphy, said the figure for 2016 was ‘net’ of bad debt provision, whereas in 2017 the figure was ‘gross’ to tie in with the Council’s annual accounts. “So, our actual collection figures for the rates, comparing like-for-like, is about €100,000 up on the same period last year,” Mr. Murphy said. “Our write-off will be about €900,000. There is provision there for irrecoverable rates including refunds and vacancies, so that will be about €4.8m.”

WATERFORD Council is to examine the facilities at its citybased Regional Sports Centre (RSC), including the provision of better disabled facilities. Cllr. Declan Clune raised the matter at the recent Plenary meeting of Waterford City and County Council, saying he was after getting numerous representations from the public about the disabled facilities at the RSC. “It is a first class facility and even won the Airtricity Pitch of the Year,” Cllr. Clune said. “But there aren’t enough disabled facilities. The RSC expects a huge increase in fans attending games next season,” he said. “For example, the Cork v Waterford match will be expecting up to 5,000 people.

“I would request the Council look at the facilities on offer, particularly for wheelchair users.The toilets are not up to scratch and you can’t turn a wheelchair in the toilets. “We are getting a lot of exposure and will be getting economic benefit over the coming years through Waterford FC.This is something we need to look at and something that should be done before the start of the next season,” he added. Director of Services, Ivan Grimes said the Council will be examining the RSC facilities soon, including the disabled access, but he would have to see what funding was made available in the budget.

Almost half of TPS applications are unsuccessful ALMOST half of the applications received by the Council from local authority tenants seeking to purchase their Council house were unsuccessful because they were ineligible. At the recent Plenary meeting of Waterford City and County Council, Cllr. John Pratt noted that there have been 184 applications received by the Council so far this year under the Tenant Purchase Scheme and only 23 sales were completed. He queried why the figure was so low and what stumbling blocks would be along the way of a tenant trying to purchase their home. Director of Services for Housing, Ivan Grimes said almost half of the applications under the TPS were refused because the applicants weren’t eligible for one reason or another. He said the primary delay in completing applications which have been considered for approval is the legal process of selling the house.

TRIBUTES were paid to retiring Council official, Eddie Ruane, who has been Meetings Administrator since the newly amalgamated Council began in 2014. Mayor Pat Nugent noted it was Mr. Ruane’s last Plenary meeting of the Council and paid tribute to him for his long career in Local Government service. He noted that Mr. Ruane began his career in Dublin in 1971. Cllr. James Tobin said when he was elected as the first Mayor of Waterford City and County (2014/15) he was “green to the job”. “But there was no better tutor than Eddie,” said Cllr. Tobin. “I found him courteous and an easy man to ring. He was very punctual and strict on us. I enjoyed working with him and on behalf of the Fianna Fáil group, we wish you well into the future,” Cllr. Tobin added. Cllr. John Pratt commended Mr. Ruane’s work in the local

authority, saying he was “always at the end of the phone”. “You were fair and very good at your job and I wish you the very best in future,” Cllr. Pratt added. On behalf of the Fine Gael group, Cllr. Damien Geoghegan thanked Mr. Ruane for his many years of service to the public in local government. “You were always very helpful and meticulous in your approach,” said Cllr. Geoghegan. “You took a keen interest in the affairs of the County, and the work you did in Corporate Affairs to bring the two Councils together after the amalgamation cannot be underestimated.” Cllr. John Hearne, on behalf of Sinn Féin said the State “owes you a great favour for your service”. He praised Mr. Ruane for his work during and after the amalgamation of the Councils and said many people appreciate the work he has done. Speaking on behalf of the Independent Councillors, Cllr.

Joe Kelly said Mr. Ruane was “always excellent to deal with”. “At times the relations between Councillors and management can be strained, but most of the time we all work together, but even during those times, you always managed to steer a fair middle ground - that only comes from years of experience and an ability to get on with people,” Cllr. Kelly said. “I am sorry to see you go. I wish you and your family the best in your retirement,” Cllr. Kelly added. Responding, Mr. Ruane thanked Councillors for their kind comments and said he always “considered myself tremendously lucky to be working in the job that I’ve been in since 2014”. “One of the benefits of the job was that I met 32 new people [Councillors] whom I consider as friends and I wish you all the best into the future,” Mr. Ruane added to a standing ovation from all present in the Chamber.

NEWS

Dungarvan Observer | Friday, 15 December, 2017

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Calls for driver feedback signs to replace speed ramps By Christy Parker THE use of ramps or table top traffic calming measures is falling out of favour with constituents who now prefer driver feedback information signs to get drivers to slow down, according to councillors at December’s Dungarvan-Lismore Municipal District meeting. The interactive radar-operated feedback system uses LED lighting to inform drivers of their speed and to slow down. Cathaoirleach Tom Cronin told the meeting that several people had complained to him about ramps on the Cappoquin road and that the consensus was for the LED signs instead. Cllr. Pat Nugent sympathised with the sentiment, saying there were “too many” road humps around and at least some of them might be removed. Cllr. Siobhán Whelan said a lot of people “find them annoying.” Senior Executive Roads Engineer Gabriel Hynes argued however that speed tables “are the most effective way of reducing speed.” Furthermore he disputed the hearsay evidence and believed that residents in most locations favoured them. “It was residents that asked they be installed”, he reminded, “and we don’t have any reason to review or remove them.” Mr. Hynes further contended that research showed feedback signs to be effective for an initial period but “thereafter people ignore them.” Cllr. Damien Geoghegan reflected that “for years everyone was looking for ramps and now they are in and people feel a bit discommoded, they want them

removed again. It’s an interesting one!” Cllr. Declan Doocey also advocated the flashing signs as he believed them “more educational.” MONITORING MOTORISTS The engineer said the council will be installing temporary feedback signs “at certain locations around the county”, including Cappoquin and would monitor whether drivers continued to reduce speed or reverted back to old habit over time. “It’s a pity people don’t look at their own speedometers and slow down”, commented Cllr. James Tobin, wisely. Cllr. John Pratt attempted to sum up the situation in a divergent sort of way but seemed to be cautioning against short term solutions, whether the “last resort” of ramps or the in-favour signs, across towns and villages. Senior Executive Engineer Josephine McGrath made a strong attempt to apply context as she said the council’s policy saw ramps as the last remedy but much also depended on location and other factors. She said Kilrush had a very effective raised table while Ballyduff had driver feedback “but in conjunction with islands and widened kerbs, which worked very well.” Ms. McGrath said perhaps driver feedback on its own tended to lose its effectiveness after a while but alongside other measures didn’t do so.West Street in Tallow was going to have kerbing and lining, as was one on the Youghal road. “Ramps maybe are not effective with emergency vehicles and so on”, she noted, adding that consultation and discussion with people living in the areas was important.

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EDITORIAL

Dungarvan Observer | Friday, 15 December, 2017

Amnesty Ireland and the Eighth IT seems extraordinary that an organisation like Amnesty International, of which Amnesty Ireland is a part, should choose to support and campaign for a liberal abortion regime in Ireland. It seems contradictory at the least, that this organisation, committed to equality and defence of the vulnerable, should seek to attack human life at any stage of development. Amnesty Ireland is part of a global movement of ‘more than seven million people in over 150 countries and territories’ who claim to campaign for human rights. It is difficult to see how this aspiration can be reconciled with a policy of destroying human life while it is at its most vulnerable. It is surely hypocrisy at its most extreme to campaign for life on one side while, at the same time, promoting a lobby for the death of children as yet unborn. It is even more regrettable that Amnesty Ireland should accept, perhaps even solicit, money from abroad with the intent of having our constitution changed by repealing the Eighth Amendment. In Constitutional matters at least, there is be no room for foreign intervention, or subvention towards change. It was for such eventualities that provision has been made outlawing the use of foreign funds in Constitutional campaigns. In August last, during a visit to Canada, Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar was ‘told’ by the Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau to liberalise Ireland’s abortion laws, as to have the choice is a “fundamental human right’. Surely, an unwelcome intrusion in our Constitutional affairs.

Incorp. Munster Industrial Advocate This week, the Standards in Public Office Commission has directed Amnesty Ireland to return the very significant campaign contribution of €137,000 donated from a foundation in the United States which promotes abortion. It is regrettable that Amnesty Ireland, through its CEO should refuse to comply with the direction of an organ of the state, claiming that they ‘believe the law in this case is both unjust and inappropriately applied’. Outside of the hypocrisy of their support for widely available abortion, it further offends many of the population, perhaps even a majority, that an organisation which trumpets its stance on equality for all, should seek to facilitate the termination of life at its most vulnerable. The public will surely see the contradictions in all of this and reject the flawed and dangerous thinking of Amnesty Ireland.

Good news from Brexit deal THE so-called Brexit negotiations, speculation, rumour, claim and counter-claim have been going on for almost a year and a half since Britain decided to leave the

European Union in June 2016. In that time, Europe has moved from a position of not knowing what the exit procedure should be, how to deal with the many different facets of the relationship of the countries of Europe with Britain and, for a time, not knowing what to do, or how to get started. Last week, after much stumbling at the last fence, a deal was concluded between Ireland and Britain which would provide for a ‘soft border’, thereby facilitating trade and travel without lengthy formalities and border delays as heretofore. There would be no border posts or other additional formalities. It would be business as usual. The agreement, having been drawn up and endorsed by both Irish and British Governments was ready to be brought to the European Summit last Monday. However, the Ulster Unionists on whose votes Mrs. May depends to stay in office, demurred and it was back to the negotiating table. The Taoiseach and Minister for Foreign Affairs held their ground and, it appears, Mrs May got the Unionists to blink. The final deal, which is accepted as being advantageous to Ireland, was endorsed by the Summit and, with an occasional doubt being cast, will secure soft borders and trade advantages for this country after Britain’s exit is complete. It appears to have been a good week for the Government and by extension, the people of Ireland, in this very detailed and difficult process. It is heartening to see that the countries of Europe are endorsing our position rather than that of the United Kingdom and it is to be hoped that this will translate into a positive outcome for this country at the end of what is promised to be a long and tortuous process.

Reg. in GPO as a Newspaper • Shandon, Dungarvan, Co. Waterford • 058-41205/42042 • www.dungarvanobserver.ie • news@dungarvanobserver.ie

The Fresh Food Courtyard opens its doors in Dungarvan

Pictured is Kieran Harrington, Farnane, Cappagh, Co. Waterford, who recently graduated from WIT with a Bachelor Business (Hons) Degree. Kieran is a past pupil of Colaiste Chathail Naofa.

THE Fresh Food Courtyard, situated at Unit 1, Bridge Street, is a new business in Dungarvan that will provide top quality food and meats at very reasonable prices. Operated by proprietor, Jimmy Burrows, formerly of Cribbins Butcher’s Block, this is a unique food retail model that will bring fresh quality food and meats to the customer – with a full butcher’s shop in-store operated by qualified butchering staff and a delicatessen that really differs from the rest offering healthy fresh food options for all. The business is located in a very prominent location opposite Starbucks and SGC Dungarvan, which makes it very accessible for shoppers with ample parking outside its front doors. Jimmy Burrows brings over 25 years of experience in the butchering and food retail trade to offer fresh food products that will meet the needs of busy modern families. This business model is based on a retail concept whereby shoppers, consumers and families seeking quality, healthy, nutritious and affordable food can call in and buy a diverse range of fresh cooked or uncooked food products as they desire. The shop will stock a range of modern quality food products, prepared to very high standards and specifications by trained staff. Traditional and specialised product range:• Quality Meats and Butchering • ‘Ready to Cook’ range of products • ‘Ready to Heat’ range of products • ‘Ready to Eat’ range of products

• Convenient meal solutions • Healthy food options • High in protein, Low in fat Healthy Fitness Range • Artisan product ranges • Seasonal specialities • Hot/Cold Food Delicatessen • Teas/Coffees – seated café area The Fresh Food Courtyard is now open, so call in and see for yourself what this unique food hall can offer. Taking orders immediately for your Christmas needs offering a wide range of meats – turkeys – hams – lamb and beef roasts and so much more!

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uation of the site was needed if the price had already been agreed. Mr. Walsh replied that the Council got valuations at the time and had to offer it to the vendor. “We worked in partnership with Currans,” Mr. Walsh went on. “There is a field alongside Currans and they were bidding for it, and the Council was also bidding for it. We sat down and agreed with them that we would jointly buy the site and split the costs proportionately across the two.” He said he would be happy to explain it to Cllr. Clune afterwards. “I can absolutely assure you, acting in partnership we bought the site and simply transferred that portion which we agreed to transfer to Currans,” he added. On the proposal of Cllr. Damien Geoghegan, seconded by Cllr. James Tobin, the sale was agreed and passed by the Council.

U S T IN

“There were a lot of issues around title to that land. It took some time to sort that out,” he said. Chief Executive Officer, Michael Quinn said the land in question is immediately adjoining the OPW site. “We bought it jointly in tandem with Currans and we agreed to buy between us the full portion of land,” Mr. Walsh explained. He said the intention was to increase the size of the proposed site for the Mercyhurst University campus. “We went in as a single purchaser in the first instance and then transferred the remaining portion of the site to Currans, but it was done completely in co-operation with them, so the price was fixed by the vendor.We were just a vehicle for the contract for sale from the vendor and we are now transferring that portion of the site at the agreed price to Currans.” Cllr. Clune queried why a val-

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works out at €264,705 an acre,” Cllr. Clune noted, saying there is a huge difference in price despite the two tranches of land being literally next door to each other. Director of Services, Michael Quinn said the Council felt it was getting adequate value for the piece of land. Mr. Quinn said the valuation of land would be based on an assessment of other land prices in the immediate vicinity. He said circumstances vary from site to site, pointing out that the neighbouring piece of land is an asking price, rather than an actual purchasing price. Cllr. Joe Conway suggested the matter be deferred for a month pending a written valuation to the Council. However, Mr. Quinn said the valuation of the land is proportionate to what the Council paid for it. He said the piece of land was purchased between 12 and 18 months ago in a joint arrangement.

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A WATERFORD Councillor raised questions on whether the local authority received value for money in a land sale after it transpired that an adjacent portion of land is priced at double the sale price. Cllr. Declan Clune noted the sale of 2.39 acres of land from Waterford Council to Thomas J. Curran and Co. Ltd., at Fairlane, Dungarvan, for €300,000. In a joint arrangement with Thomas J. Curran and Co. Ltd., Waterford Council purchased the land previously from GL (Ireland) ICAV, the fund which acquired Dungarvan Shopping Centre as part of the Harvest portfolio sale in 2015. The proposed sale of the 2.39 acres to Currans is the transfer of a portion of land which was previously agreed between the Council and Currans in the joint venture. “That valuation works out at just over €125,500 an acre in this sale. But, next door, there are 1.7 acres for sale for €450,000, which

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Dungarvan Observer | Friday, 15 December, 2017

People who accept HAP tenancies are removed from the housing list COUNCILLORS said they were “flabbergasted” and “shocked” to learn that people on the waiting list for social housing, who agree to accept a HAP (Housing Assistance Payment) tenancy, will be removed from the housing list. At the recent Plenary meeting of Waterford City and County Council, Cllr. Blaise Hannigan said the 32 Councillors passed a Notice of Motion several years previously, which clearly stated that if a person has accepted a house on the HAP scheme, that they would also remain on the housing list. He sought clarification as that now does not seem to be the case. Director of Services for Housing, Ivan Grimes, said that unfortunately, it was not possible to keep people on the housing list, who had accepted a HAP property. “The HAP scheme is a national scheme covered by national legislation and part of the conditions of the HAP scheme are, if a person takes a HAP property then they are not considered on the housing list,” Mr. Grimes said. He pointed out that people in the HAP scheme can still apply for housing in the Choice Based Letting scheme, but Cllr. Hannigan said he believed that to be contradictory. Mr. Grimes said the Department of Housing take HAP tenants off the official housing list, which is published each year. “Last year Waterford Council had 1,594 eligible applicants for social housing. In addition to that, there were up to 1,500

HAP tenants who are not counted on the waiting list for social housing.” Cllr. Hannigan said Councillors were given the impression that people who accepted HAP properties would remain on the waiting list for social housing. “What about the motion we passed here at the Council?” Cllr. Hannigan asked. Mr. Grimes said: “They can apply for housing on the CBL scheme, but as far as the Department are concerned we cannot consider them for allocations, other than the CBL scheme”. Cllr. John Pratt said Cllr. Hannigan had a point, agreeing that Councillors were led to believe that people would remain on the housing list even if they accepted a HAP property. “A lot of people would have felt they would still be on the housing list and the CBL scheme wouldn’t have been there at the time,” Cllr. Pratt pointed out. Mr. Grimes reiterated that any applicant who accepted housing under the HAP scheme “are not on the official figures published by the Department” in relation to seeking social housing. Cllr. Jason Murphy queried if a person was five years on the social housing waiting list and then accepted a HAP property in a two year contract, would they retain that time on the housing list or have to start from scratch? Mr. Grimes confirmed that the applicant would lose their time on the housing list and would have to start from

scratch. He said that as far as the HAP scheme is concerned, if a person accepts a HAP tenancy, then their social housing need is deemed to be met. Cllr. Sean Reinhardt said every Councillor was giving misleading information to their constituents because they believed, wrongly, that the person would remain on the housing list if they accepted a HAP tenancy. “This is news to me and we need to have a serious discussion on housing because we were not given the right information. I try to keep up to speed like everybody else on housing and this has been going on since April, 2011,” said Cllr. Reinhardt. “Yet here we are turning out to be liars, through no fault of our own, because the information is trickling down in the wrong way. “We need a proper source of information. I feel very misinformed about the whole situation. This is after coming as a big shock to me!” Cllr. Reinhardt added. Mr. Grimes replied: “I would certainly never have convinced anybody that if you are on HAP that you’d remain on the housing list - I’ve never done that,” he said. Cllr. Reinhardt said he only recently made a call to the housing section of the Council and was assured that if a person transferred to a HAP tenancy, they would remain on the housing list. “I was definitely told that, and this person had been five years on the housing list,” Cllr. Reinhardt said. “I’m flabbergasted,” he added.

Olivia Flynn and Aoife O'Mahony modeling outfits from Willow & Oak at the Wine & Style Night in the Cunnigar Room at Crew’s Restaurant, Dungarvan, co-hosted by the Wine Buff and Willow & Oak in aid of the RNLI. [Dan McGrath]

Council ‘positively working’ with support services to tackle homelessness WATERFORD Council said it is “positively working” with homeless support services to deal with homeless in the city and county. However, Cllr. John Hearne told the recent Plenary meeting of Waterford City and County Council that there are 52 Waterford families to appear at Waterford Courthouse who are to be evicted from their homes. He said he is aware of another case where a man has barricaded himself into his house because vulture funds are trying to evict him. “It is a very serious situation,” Cllr. Hearne said. He outlined that another homeless woman who stayed on a sofa of a house “woke up naked and drugged” and was taken advantage of because of her desperate situation, while another woman “woke up to some fella molesting her”. He said a man has been living

in a psychiatric unit for 15 months because there is no other place for him. Cllr. Hearne noted there has been a 70 percent increase in homelessness in Waterford this year. He said it has got to the situation where if people are turned away, they are forced to sleep on the street, and proposed that Waterford Council never turns anyone away. Director of Services for Housing, Ivan Grimes said he could not comment on individual cases, but the Council “is positively working with homeless support services”. VACANT HOUSES IN POSSESSION OF THE BANKS Meanwhile, Cllr. Jason Murphy said he was aware of at least four vacant houses in the possession of banks and asked if there was anything the Council could do to compel the banks to

release the houses which could be used to accommodate families. “I’ve identified four houses near where I live which are in the hands of the banks,” Cllr. Murphy said. “Is there any way the Council can CPO (Compulsory Purchase Order) these houses?” he asked. “We are in the midst of the biggest housing emergency in the history of the State and it seems the banks are profiteering on people’s misery, and are just holding onto these houses until the market improves to make a profit on the housing crisis,” Cllr. Murphy said. Mr. Grimes said the only option open to the Council would be to CPO the houses, but pointed out that there would be costs associated with that. “We can consider it in the context of the 2018 budget. We would be open to that as those houses would be idle,” he added.

Irish Water replacing over 5km of old water mains to provide a more reliable and secure water supply for Waterford customers IRISH Water, in partnership with Waterford City and County Council, has begun a project to replace over 5km of old water mains at a number of locations in the Stradbally area, which will result in a significantly improved water supply for customers in the county. As part of the project, a number of sections of aging water mains will be replaced, along with service connections.This will result in a much more secure and reliable water supply for residents and businesses, with fewer disruptions due to burst pipes and a significant reduction in leakage of treated water.

A total of 2.3km of water mains is to be replaced in Ballylaneen, Kilduane and Seafield along with a further 2.7 km of new mains connecting Currabaha West to Faha and Graiguenageeha to Stradbally. In addition to this, further upgrade works have been completed at Faha and Stradbally Water Treatment plants to enhance the security of supply and quality of drinking water in the area. This will also enable the decommissioning of two older water treatment plants at Currabaha West and Graiguenageeha. David Sharry, Capital Programmes Regional

Lead with Irish Water, said: “This work represents an investment of over €1 million in County Waterford which will benefit local residents and businesses by providing a more secure and reliable water supply as well as reducing leakage on the network. By 2021 Irish Water has committed in its Business Plan to reduce leakage on the public water network to less than 38%.This project is part of our ongoing investment in Ireland’s water infrastructure. “Irish Water would like to thank local residents and businesses for their patience while this essential work is being carried out, particularly in areas

where temporary road closures are necessary.” Construction work got underway on the 13th November, 2017 and is estimated to be completed by the 2nd of April, 2018. Following the completion of the pipe laying element of this work, full reinstatement of the roads in the area will take place. Local access will be facilitated and the roads will be open at weekends. Alternative routes are signposted. For more information, please see the Service and Supply section of the Irish Water website or contact the Irish Water customer service line at 1850 278 278.

NEWS

Dungarvan Observer | Friday, 15 December, 2017

Councillor warns Plenary meeting will become ‘irrelevant’ if metropolitan issues continue to dominate agenda HEATED EXCHANGES LEADS TO WYSE LAMBASTING COLLEAGUES A COUNCILLOR warned that the Plenary meetings of Waterford City and County Council will become irrelevant if metropolitan and Waterford City issues continues to dominate the agenda. Cllr. James Tobin made the comments at the recent meeting of the local authority, after a number of metropolitan issues were raised during the meeting. Cllr. Davy Daniels had raised a query about the former Ard Rí Hotel and access to a street in Waterford City. However, the meeting became heated when Cllr. Damien Geoghegan immediately stated that it was a metropolitan issue which should be discussed at the Metropolitan District meetings, not the Plenary meeting of the Council. “Asking a question about a hotel in the city that has nothing to do with this Plenary body that is definitely a metropolitan issue!” Cllr. Geoghegan stated. Although Mayor Pat Nugent allowed Cllr. Daniels to ask his question, the meeting became heated over the matter. Cllr. John Pratt said he agreed with Cllr. Geoghegan about metropolitan issues dominating the Plenary meeting, as did Cllr. Tobin, who warned: “This is a metropolitan matter, but it is being discussed here - these [Plenary] meetings will become irrelevant”. Cllr. Jim Griffin pointed out

that Metropolitan Councillors lost out on a meeting due to Hurricane Ophelia, so the Plenary meeting was the first opportunity to raise their issues. He sought a ten minute adjournment of the meeting to allow Metropolitan Councillors to discuss the issues so they did not dominate the Plenary meeting. The short adjournment was granted by Mayor Nugent. However, the meeting became heated again when Cllr. Davy Daniels suggested there was no reason for the Council to increase Local Property Tax and accused the other Councillors of “other bad decisions” such as getting rid of the waste collection waiver for pensioners. Cllr. Geoghegan hit back that getting rid of the waiver “was a matter for the executive as you well fully know”. Raised voices from Cllr. Daniels and Cllr. Geoghegan resulted in Mayor Nugent ringing the bell and calling for order. “Don’t tell lies in this Chamber to suit your own agenda! If ye ran the city as well as we ran the county, we wouldn’t be in half the problems were are in now,” Cllr. Geoghegan said to jeers from the City-based Councillors. In another heated exchange, Sinn Féin Councillor Declan Clune had raised questions about a rates write-off of around €2m and said if the Council could

claw some of that back, it would go some way towards off-setting an increase in the Local Property Tax, which Fianna Fáil had voted in favour of at the LPT meeting last October. Cllr. Eddie Mulligan of Fianna Fáil retaliated by saying it was a minimum increase in the LPT and referred to Cllr. Clune’s recent query about a charge on car parks on the Greenway. “We didn’t look to impose a health and well-being tax on the Greenway!” Cllr. Mulligan said in loud exhanges with Cllr. Clune. “We want to encourage people to use the Greenway and stimulate a code of conduct!” he added. The heated arguments throughout the meeting led to Cllr. Adam Wyse lambasting his Council colleagues for their bad tempered exchanges and political slagging matches. He pointed out that two young members of Waterford Comhairle na nÓg were present to give the Council a presentation on their work and he was embarrassed to be a member of the Council that day because of Councillors “going back and forth at each other”. He said the Comhairle na nÓg members are involved in active social issues around the city and county to try and help make it a better place. He slammed the Councillors for their bad example “instead of talking and getting stuff done”.

Director disputes Councillors’ assertion that houses ‘are lying idle’ THE Director of Services for Housing has disputed a Councillor’s assertion that there are houses up and down the county that have been lying idle for months. Cllr. Seamus O’Donnell made the comments at the recent Plenary meeting of the Waterford City and County Council, claiming that houses which were purchased by the Council months ago have been lying idle since then. “A couple of weeks ago I had a family who couldn’t get a house. They are under the HAP (Housing Assistance Payment) Scheme and their landlord decided he’d sell the house after five years,” Cllr. O’Donnell said. “The mother went to the Council and they told her they’ve no place for her. But, I know of plenty of houses around the locality - the Council bought them and they are still lying idle,” Cllr. O’Donnell said. Director of Services for Housing, Ivan Grimes, took issue with Cllr. O’Donnell’s statement.

“I have to dispute that Councillor, that you suggesy there are vast numbers of vacant houses around the area,” Mr. Grimes replied. “We bought a lot of houses last year - more than 70 houses - and most of them were bought for medical priorities and needed to be adapted.” He said there are around 200 vacant houses which are due to come back into the Council’s housing stock, but there is a significant workload because they have to be refurbished to standards before they can be re-let. “It is not a question of us deliberately leaving houses idle,” Mr. Grimes said. “Because there could well be work being carried out inside of those houses, so I have to dispute what you said.” However, Cllr. O’Donnell also disputed Mr. Grimes’ comments. “I’m on the ground and I know for a fact that one of a lot of houses is 16 months lying idle,” countered Cllr. O’Donnell.

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NEWS

Dungarvan Observer | Friday, 15 December, 2017

Excellence of Cork ARC House (Youghal) given a public airing By Christy Parker THE Cork ARC Cancer Support House in Youghal has thrown open its doors and afforded the general public a first glimpse of the former B&B’s refurbished interior. The open house initiative was part of a series of December fundraising initiatives being undertaken by the service and included raffles, moustache shaving, flower arranging, plants sales, bake sales and tips on festive arrangements. Visitors also received complimentary cakes and refreshments. Such initiatives are and will be a permanent feature of the service, where annual running costs are estimated as €55,000. Visitors discovered the facility, which opened last May, presents a palpably welcoming ambience, nurtured by comfortable furnishings and enhanced both by natural light and soft radiance across every room, space and corner. The house, at 29 Friar Street, harbours two downstairs reception rooms –which, along with the hallway, were decorated by Broderick’s Hardware, Read & Write stationery/gifts and Flavin’s Hardware for the open weekend.The rooms may also be deployed for meetings or recreation activities such as yoga or art. All services are free. Downstairs also holds a massage room donated by the Emer Casey Foundation and a spacious kitchen. Upstairs houses rooms for hand massage, counselling & support, alternative therapies and office space. The layout and furnishings were overseen by the late, wonderful co-ordinator Clare O’Neill who so tragically died when her car was struck by a falling branch during Storm Ophelia. “She had done so much to make the rooms comfortable and welcoming”, echoes Cork ARC community fundraiser Lynn Farrell, currently a mainstay of the facility. Questions and answers: Also present during the weekend was oncologist and Director of Services at Cork ARC Cancer Support House, Ellen Joyce, who

travelled form Cork for the occasion. Ellen has dedicated over 20 years to oncology nursing and management and has had 15 years’ counselling experience. She seemed a suitable target for some random questioning! Q: How many cancer support services are Cork ARC managing along with Youghal? E J: Three others; there is one on O'Donovan Rossa Road in Cork city, there’s The Bungalow near Bantry and a morning facility at the NICHE Community Health Project in Knocknaheeny Q: Is the Youghal house fully equipped now? E: As is the rooms are complete. There is a back room what will also be developed but not in immediate future. Q: Remind us of the opening times here again.

choose what suits them best; if they find Youghal more convenient or more comfortable than travelling to Cork or elsewhere, then they will come here. Q: What has been the level of demand since you opened last May? E: We’ve overseen about 130 appointments or drop-in visits and provided over 300 services, from counselling to advice, support and therapy treatments. Q: How many staff/volunteers are here? E:We have 14 trained staff and a huge fundraising committee that is crucial for our existence obviously. Q: Are services by appointment only? E: Services such as counselling and therapies have to be by appointment but it’s a drop-in

Cork ARC Community Fundraiser Lynn Farrell (left) and Director of Services Ellen Joyce. E: Presently Wednesday’s 10.00 centre and people can come to the door unannounced of course a.m. to 4.00 p.m. Q: Are there plans to extend and they do so particularly as a first visit. it? Q: How many people can you E: At the moment we are meeting the demand and the see at one time? E: We always have two volunservice will evolve according to teers and myself and we have four demand I years to come. Q: What do you see as the appointment rooms so technically we can running seven catchment area? E:Youghal obviously, east Cork services at once. Q: How much anonymity can across Killeagh, Ballymacoda, Cloyne, Midleton and upwards you guarantee? E: The service is totally conto Carrigtwohill and then across west Waterford, including fidential of course but in terms of Ardmore, Tallow, Lismore and so two or three people arriving on on. On that point people will same morning and so on, we coordinate appointments to ensure privacy and we also ensure that every visitor has an exclusive room and does not need to share space with someone else unless of course it is by mutual agreement. But it’s essentially an open door, drop-in centre and we very much welcome people who just drop by. Certainly, nobody would ever be turned away! Q: Are there any communal activities? E: Not presently. But that may evolve in times to come, if there is a perceived demand or willingness for it. Q:What parking facilities have Sheila Burke, Amelia O'Connor, Noreen Keneally, with Dr. Joe Moran and his you? wife Sheelagh, also a volunteer.

Cork ARC, 29 Friar Street, Youghal. E:Three spaces at the back but free parking about three minutes away at Nealon’s Quay. Q:What, since May are people mostly seeking when they visit? E: I think people are coming just for support and to talk to someone who has the knowledge and understanding of the service. Then once they come here they will then avail of the service next time. That said we have had people coming who say they just want counselling or want a message, but initially it’s mostly for support and advice and someone to listen and answer questions. Every case is unique and individual. Q: Speaking of unique, Clare was undoubtedly a terrible loss, both professionally as a clinical nurse co-ordinator and no less as the person she was and her calm, reassuring demeanour. Has her successor been appointed yet? E: Not yet. We will be advertising the post of after Christmas and I’d expect someone to be appointed towards the end of February. Meanwhile we are rotating our nurses down from Cork. Q: Is there anything you particularly wish to say? E: Just a big thank you to the people of Youghal, East Cork and West Waterford for all their support, including the support we received around Clare’s tragic death. Personally I am overwhelmed at how supportive people have been to us and delighted if people want to avail of our services which I stress again, are completely confidential. Some people were concerned about us when we lost Clare but I want to say we open and we are staying open. Q: Do I need an appointment to have that large doughnut with the overflowing cream and cherry? E:Yes. Sorry. Cork ARC Cancer Support House opens Wednesdays 10.00 a.m. – 4.00 p.m. Tele: (024) 91654. Also www.corkcancersupport.ie

Reception room.

Hand massage room.

Therapy room.

NEWS

Dungarvan Observer | Friday, 15 December, 2017

Minister Griffin announces Go for Life Grant success for 36 Older Groups in Waterford • Waterford groups will receive a total of €9,880 to fund physical activity for older people • Almost €300,000 awarded to clubs and groups nationwide this year A TOTAL of 36 groups in Waterford are celebrating the awarding of grants to fund physical activity for older people. The Go for Life Grant Scheme from Age & Opportunity and Sport Ireland is awarding over €9,880 to groups around Waterford, and nationwide grants totalling almost €300,000. The aim of the grants is to improve the health and wellbeing of older people across the country by providing them with opportunities to engage in physical activity and sport. Groups benefitting this year include Men’s Sheds, ICA Guilds, Active Retirement Groups, Local Sports Partnerships, Sports Clubs, Family Resources Centres and many others who provide older people with opportunities to get active. Announcing the successful grantees at the Ballybough Community Centre, Minister of State for Tourism and Sport Brendan Griffin TD, said: ‘Over the last seventeen years

the National Grant Scheme funding has supported and empowered thousands of groups of older people to get more active more often and the record number of applications this year shows the continued importance of the scheme for groups throughout the country. Programmes like Go for Life, funded by Sport Ireland, will help us reach the targets set out in the National Physical Activity Plan and approximately 30,000 people nationwide will take part in the activities funded by the grants. The success of this scheme shows what can be achieved with a small investment and the importance of funding sport and physical activity, at any age.’ The successful Waterford groups are: Ardmore and Grange ICA, Arthritis Ireland, Waterford Branch, Ballinroad ICA, Ballymacarbery ICA, Blackwater Ladies Club, Brownstown Residents Association, Butlerstown ICA, Carbally Active Retirement

Group, Carbally Community Development Project, Clonea Rathgormack ICA. Cnoc Bui ARA, Deise Social + Health Club, Deise Women's Group, Dungarvan and District ARA. Glenbeg ICA, Irish Wheelchair Association, Waterford, Kinsalebeg/Clashmore ICA, Minaun ICA. Respond (Cork), Respond (John's College - Waterford), Respond Housing (New Ross), Respond Waterford, Rosedale Residential & Nursing Home, Sacred Heart ARA, Sacred Heart Family Resource Centre, Slieverue ARA, St. Brigid's Family & Resource Centre FRC, St. Pauls and District Men's ARA, Tallow and District ARA, The Pres Badminton Club, Tramore Active Retirement Group, Tramore ICA, Tramore Pitch and Putt Club, Waterford Dragon Warriors, Waterford LEDC CLG/Cill Barra Community Sports Centre, Waterford Sports Partnership.

Speaking at the launch, John Treacy, Chief Executive of Sport Ireland said: "Sport Ireland is delighted to partner with Age & Opportunity’s Go for Life Programme to support participation among older people in recreational sport activities. One of the key strategic objectives of Sport Ireland is increasing participation and initiatives such as this are a great way of encouraging people to get out and get active regardless of age or fitness level. I want to congratulate and acknowledge the groups themselves, and our own national network of Local Sports Partnerships, who continue to provide opportunities for older people to participate in sport and physical activity”. Karen Smyth, CEO of Age & Opportunity commented: “The benefits of sport and physical activity are numerous, from the obvious health benefits to the increasingly important social benefits of inclusion and relationship-building. The Go for Life Programme and the Grant

Scheme are helping to get more older people more active, more often and we are delighted to support local groups to engage in such a wide variety of activities, demonstrating the richness of the ageing experience nationwide.” The Grant Scheme is part of Age & Opportunity’s Go for Life programme, funded by Sport Ireland and delivered nationally with the support of Local Sports Partnerships and the HSE. The goal of the grants scheme is to encourage older people to get involved in sport and physical activity in their communities and the funds allocated are used by groups to buy equipment, run sports events or to try new activities. Over €5.5million has been awarded in almost 12,000 grants during its lifetime. This year saw a record number of applications and of grants awarded and the number of groups applying continues to grow since the launch of the National Grant Scheme in 2001.

Maps and drawings sought for Council’s land disposals COUNCIL officials are to provide maps of any land disposals undertaken by the local authority. At the recent Plenary meeting of Waterford City and County Council, Cllr. Damien Geoghegan noted that some Councillors were having trouble identifying where land sales were taking place if they didn’t know where the townland was located. Cllr. Siobhán Whelan had to enquire about the location of a sale of 855 metres-squared piece of land at Duffcarrick, Ardmore, for €399,000, to Robcour Holdings. Director of Services, Michael Quinn explained that the land in question “is beside the Church”. Cllr. Geoghegan asked that in future maps and drawings should accompany land disposals so Councillors know the exact location of parcels of land in question. Mr. Quinn acknowledged the request and said the maps and drawings “can certainly be provided”.

The Country Store

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Proprietor: Conor Lannen

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MOTORING Stephen McConnell of McConnell’s Toyota, Waterford Awarded Toyota Technician of the Year 2017 STEPHEN McConnell of McConnell’s Toyota, Waterford was named Technician of the Year 2017 at Toyota Ireland’s National Technical Contest. The event which took place at Toyota HQ, saw 49 of the best motoring technicians in the Toyota Ireland network compete for the sought after award. The first stage of the contest involved an online aptitude assessment and practical skills assessment. Following this, five technicians were shortlisted for the coveted title of Technician of the Year. The final element of the con-

test was for each candidate to participate in a series of timed technical exercises, designed to challenge ability and test stamina while under pressure. Martin Kinsella, Pat Masterson, Michael Oporowicz, Owen Kennedy and Jayne O’Driscoll of Toyota, had the difficult task of judging the candidates on their problemsolving skills and ability. As the overall winner, Stephen received a plaque from Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) as well as a trip to visit the Toyota Factory in France. All contestants received an Apple iPad which used for ongoing Toyota online

training. Steve Tormey, Chief Executive of Toyota Ireland, said: “We’re delighted to be able to offer opportunities like this at Toyota Ireland for staff to showcase their skillset to the wider group. This contest requires a very high standard of work which is tested through an aptitude test followed by a series of practical examinations. To have the technicians expertise acknowledged in this way is fantastic and to be placed in the top five alone is a great achievement, a huge congratulations to Stephen McConnell on his well-deserved award.”

Toyota Skills Contest winner Stephen McConnell of McConnell's Waterford pictured with Toyota Ireland After Sales Director Paul Murray.

New Citroen C3 Aircross Shortlisted for COTY 2018.

Insurance remains a key concern for Irish motorists A third of motorists have downgraded their insurance policy this year

New Citroen C3 Aircross Compact SUV a finalist for Car of the Year 2018 THE jury for the European Car of the Year award has officially announced the seven finalists selected from the list of 37 eligible cars. New Citroën C3 Aircross Compact SUV has been named as one of the seven nominees in this prestigious competition. The Car of the Year 2018 will be revealed on 5th March at the Geneva International Motor Show. The Car of the Year Organising Committee has awarded this top honour every year since 1964. Sixty journalists from 23 European countries take

part in the voting process. The winner is selected on the basis of a number of criteria, including quality-price ratio, design, comfort, safety, technologies and environmental performance. New Citroën C3 Aircross Compact SUV is one of the seven finalists for Car of the Year 2018. With unique styling and a strong, original character, New C3 Aircross has already attracted more than 25,000 orders in Europe since its launch in October. Its cabin, which benefits from Citroën’s unique knowhow in terms of spaciousness,

modularity and design, is a particularly attractive feature for customers. Offering a high level of comfort and safety, New C3 Aircross features 12 of the latest driving aid technologies and four connectivity technologies. It also earned five stars in the latest Euro NCAP tests that were recently published. Citroën recorded 426,000 registrations in Europe in the first of half of 2017, a six-year record and an increase of 5.6% compared with the same period in 2016. One year after the launch of New C3 – the best-selling

model in the Citroën range – over 200,000 units have been sold in total. Still in its launch phase, New C3 Aircross joins Citroën’s brand renewal campaign, to accelerate its strong performance. Following comparative tests of the seven finalists in February 2018, the model receiving the most votes will be named Car of the Year in this prestigious contest on 5th March 2018, the evening before the Geneva International Motor Show opens. For more information on the new C3 Aircross Compact SUV visit: www.citroen.ie

Key findings • Insurance remains the number one concern for Irish motorists • 34% plan to buy a brand new or used car in 2018 • Over half would consider buying a hybrid car in the near future • Over a third plan to use savings to purchase a new car • A third say their commute has increased over the last year with 1 in 5 spending more than an hour travelling to and from work • Over half (58%) have considered buying a car from the UK • Volkswagen Golf is the most searched for model INSURANCE premiums remain the number one financial concern for Irish motorists according to the latest Motoring Report from car buying experts Carzone. Fuel was the second biggest concern followed by motor tax. The bi-annual index which examines trends in the Irish motoring market finds that 3 in 4 Irish people have noticed an increase in their insurance premium in the last year and a third have downgraded their policy due to the cost. The Carzone Motoring Report is compiled by analysing data from the 70 million searches carried out on Carzone from June to November of this year, as well as an in-depth survey of 2,030 Irish motorists. RUNNING COSTS Just over a third (37%) spend between €120-€200 running their car each month while 15% say they spend in excess of €300 per month keeping their car on the road. Over half (56%) believe the cost of running their car has increased in the last year. GOING ELECTRIC The demand for electric cars is increasing in Ireland, 16% of those surveyed said they would consider buying an electric car in the near future. In fact, the number of searches for electric cars on Carzone has increased by over 180% year-on-year in 2017.

NEWS

Dungarvan Observer | Friday, 15 December, 2017

Praying a Public Rosar y for Ireland PLEASE JOIN US Ireland is at an historic crossroad. Secularists are trying to push God from the public square. They reject His action upon society. We must stop the secularists advance and pray to God for help. He will hear us, if we pray through the intercession of His Blessed Mother. That’s why we’re launching the Public Square Rosary Crusade.

WILL BE HELD IN

GRATTAN SQUARE, DUNGARVAN ON SATURDAY, 16th DECEMBER AT 4.00 p.m. Co-ordinated nationally by Ireland Needs Fatima Email: rosary.rally@isfcc.org | Tel. 01 842 9640 or find us on Facebook

OPW rents offices in Dungarvan

Pictured at the Lidl Christmas Trolley Dash for Barretstown in Lidl Dungarvan were Margaret Power, Kilmacthomas with family members Donna Power, Nigel, Kayla-Louise and Archie Griffin who managed to grab €462.90 worth of goodies dashing around the store in just 2 minutes with Store Manager, Simon Buchakchyysky. [Sean Byrne]

Contact: EDDIE FITZGERALD 086 3821270 JOHN C. FLOOD 087 6684474 OPEN 6 DAYS Monday – Friday 9.00 a.m. – 5.30 p.m. Saturday 9.00 a.m. – 1.00 p.m.

THE Office of Public Works (OPW) is to lease the former Motor Tax Office in Dungarvan. Councillors unanimously passed the proposal to lease the former Motor Tax Office, located beside Dungarvan Civic Offices, to the OPW for 12 years at a rent of €39,403.14 per year, subject to five yearly rent reviews. Meanwhile, the Council also agreed to the OPW leasing offices on the first floor of the Civic Offices, Dungarvan, for 12 years, at a rent of €42,403.53 per year, subject to five yearly rent reviews.

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NEWS

Dungarvan Observer | Friday, 15 December, 2017

Paul Newman, Irish Men’s Shed Association; Edel Byrne, Irish Men’s Shed Association; Barry Sheridan, Irish Men’s Shed Association; Roger Connor, President of Global Manufacturing and Supply GSK; Sandra Purtell, Irish Men’s Shed Association; Turlough Kelly, Irish Men’s Shed Association and Irene Lawlor, Communications Manager GSK Dungarvan.

Irish charities rewarded for IMPACT they make in their local communities at GSK Ireland IMPACT Awards 2017 • Awards programme recognises and rewards Ireland’s “unsung healthcare heroes” who make a real difference to health and wellbeing in their locality • Five winners each receive €10,000 while five runner-up charities receive €2,000 each FIVE Irish charities were named as winners of the GSK Ireland IMPACT Awards 2017, with each organisation receiving €10,000 in unrestricted funding. The awards, now in their third year, are designed to recognise and reward community-based charities who contribute to the improvement of people’s health and wellbeing in Ireland, as well as acknowledge the positive outcomes these charities have on patients and their local community. In addition to the €10,000 prize money, each winning charity also receives a video and photography package for their use in promoting their work and services. The five winning charities named at the GSK Ireland IMPACT Awards 2017 were: • 22Q11 Ireland Support Group Limited - The national Irish charity for individuals and families affected by 22q11.2 deletion/DiGeorge Syndrome/V.C.F.S • Blue Teapot Theatre Company Blue Teapot is a multi-award winning Theatre Company, Performing Arts School and Outreach programme for people with intellectual disabilities at the forefront of arts and disability in Ireland. They are committed to high quality theatre, training and the celebration of creativity. • Down Syndrome Centre - The Down Syndrome Centre provides specialist services such as early intervention, speech and language therapy, parent and baby classes to children with

Down syndrome. • Irish Men's Shed Association The Irish Men’s Shed Association (IMSA) is a member-based organisation which exists to maintain links and share information through the network of men’s sheds in Ireland, ensuring men have the opportunity to maintain and improve their well-being on their own terms and within their own communities. • Sexual Health Centre - Based in Cork, the Sexual Health Centre provides information and support on sexual health without judgement. Five runner-up charities will receive €2,000 each as part of the GSK Ireland IMPACT Awards 2017. They are: • Alcohol Forum - The only alcohol charity in Ireland working at community level to reduce alcohol consumption levels through the implementation of best practice/needs led/structured activity on community mobilisation and community action on alcohol. • Coeliac Society of Ireland Provides information and support to people diagnosed with coeliac disease throughout Ireland.They create awareness of coeliac disease, its symptoms and how to live healthy on a glutenfree diet. • Spinal Injuries Ireland - Spinal Injuries Ireland (SII) is the only support and service agency in Ireland for people who have sustained a spinal cord injury and their families. Providing person centred service to assist people to engage fully in society.

• Turn2Me - A website that helps people to get help. The site lets people know that they are not alone and facilitates a safe online community space that allows people to open up and reach out for help. • Wexford Mental Health Association - Wexford Mental Health Association promotes positive mental health and wellbeing to all individuals and communities and supports existing mental health services in County Wexford. The GSK Ireland IMPACT Awards have been running in the UK and USA for nearly 20 years and is in its third year in Ireland. Charities are required to undertake a lengthy and strict entry process for the awards, which includes a review and presentation of their financials, governance, services and membership growth over the previous twelve months, allowing judges to understand the worthy service and care they provide along with their commitment to transparency, patient focus, integrity and respect – all values that mirror GSK’s culture. The GSK Ireland IMPACT Awards 2017 were judged by a multidisciplinary panel of professionals that included Maurice Pratt, Chair of Barretstown, former Tánaiste and Minister for Health Mary Harney, and Deirdre Garvey, CEO of The Wheel. CEO of The Wheel, Deirdre Garvey and judging panel member commented:“Community-based healthcare charities are uniquely positioned to help communities experiencing disad-

vantage and poor health outcomes identify the issues that influence their well-being and to develop and implement solutions. The GSK IMPACT Awards provide much-needed support and recognition for these organisations”. Jacinta Collins, Communications Director for GSK said: “Supporting local healthcare charities is a vital part of GSK’s mission to help people do more, feel better and live longer. All

of the charities shortlisted in this year’s GSK Ireland IMPACT Awards, operate with purpose and passion to improve people’s health and wellbeing in their community. We have been inspired and moved by our winners and the huge contribution they are making to Irish health.” For more information, please visit http://ie.gsk.com/ie/responsibility/he alth-for-all/gsk-ireland-impactawards/

Barry Sheridan, Irish Men’s Shed Association and Brian Fox, Site Director GSK Dungarvan.

NEWS

Dungarvan Observer | Friday, 15 December, 2017

Local residents from West Waterford who attended the Knocknamona Windfarm information meeting held in Aglish last week.

Our TD Mary Butler attending Knocknamona Windfarm Information meeting in Aglish on Monday, 4th December.

Disappointment over St. Carthage’s being denied RAPID funding c FROM FRONT PAGE Following intervention by the watchdog authority, the facility currently has to outsource its laundry requirements at a cost of €12,000 a year. Cllr. James Tobin said he was “very disappointed” to have the Tallow Community Centre application refused but even more so by St. Carthage’s fate. “It’s beyond me that it didn’t meet the criteria,” he stated, explaining that it was a voluntary home looking after over 40 senior citizens from across West Waterford. His sentiments were echoed by his colleagues. Cllr. Tobin was compelled to leave the room prior to the vote on approval as his position as St. Carthage’s chairman might lend itself to a conflict of interest. (Oddly, Cllr. John Pratt, despite declaring himself chairman of Tallow Community Council, stayed put.) Cllr.Tobin left well in advance of the approval vote and was absent when Mr.Tuohy, responding both to Cllr. Declan Doocey and Cllr. Geoghegan as to what criteria conspired to deny funding to St. Carthage’s. REASONS FOR REFUSAL Mr.Tuohy said applicants must clearly identify evidence of a need for the project and advised that grants were “in addition to, and not a substitution for, mainstream spending”. He continued that “one of reasons” St. Carthage’s was refused was that, despite being a charity, it is effectively 100 percent funded by HSE as an operational business. “It’s a difficult one”, he conceded, without referencing any other specific reasons. Other, general criteria, included “meeting government policy, demonstrating the difference a project would make to a community” and advocating a project that “must be broadly sustainable and demonstrate local support”. Cllr. Geoghegan asked who was on the sub-committee, insisting that such detail should be made known to avoid the per-

ception that the Councillors themselves had denied the unsuccessful applicants. Mr. Tuohy said the sub-committee members included the Local Area Partnership,Waterford Leader Partnership, the HSE and also Tusla, amounting to “a strong ring representation in regard to a social inclusion and disadvantaged viewpoint”. He agreed to supply the names to Cllr. Geoghegan later. KINSALEBEG Meanwhile, the Kinsalebeg Community Group had sought €7,000 for a new library floor. It was refused due to Kinsalebeg not being a disadvantaged urban area – or perhaps not an urban area at all. Cllr. Cronin asked what other options Mr.Tuohy might recommend and was told that a local community funding scheme and community facilities fund will be on stream in the earlier part of 2018. Cllr. Geoghegan sought clarification as to whether money not matched would be re-distributed and learned that, given the ludicrous time restraint, what was not collected was lost. The scheme’s approval was proposed by Cllr. Geoghegan and seconded by Cllr. Pat Nugent. SUCCESSFUL APPLICANTS The successful applications in full were: Waterford Sports Partnership – purchase of equipment of physical activity for older adults in Dungarvan and Cappoquin – €4,000 as sought. Full project cost: €4,000. Dungarvan Care for Aged: provide and equip steel storage shed – €10,000 sought and €7,500 provided. Full project cost: €15,000. Cappoquin Community development: minibus for transport of elderly to day care and community centre -€20,000 sought and €15,000 provided. Full project cost: €63,150. Dungarvan’s Men’s Shed: woodworking equipment and energy saving / access work – €19,000 sought and €9,000 provided. Full project cost: €19,000.

Gardaí investigating burglary at local petrol station GARDAÍ are investigating a burglary at a Dungarvan petrol station which occurred over the weekend. Two males entered Garvey’s Service Station, Coolagh Road, Dungarvan, around 7.15 p.m. and went behind the counter and proceeded to take the till. Gardaí were alerted to the scene.

Following investigations, a male, aged 19, was arrested and detained at Dungarvan Garda Station under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act. A second suspect, aged 18, was also arrested in Dungarvan last Monday afternoon. Both males are charged to appear before Dungarvan District Court today (Wednesday, 13th December).

Locally made Gluten Free Christmas Puddings, Cakes & Mincemeat now in stock

For all your PTO Repairs, Workshop equipment, Power Washers – hot/cold, Plough/Harrow Parts Abbey Machinery Parts, Loader Tines, Slurry Coup & Hoses, LED Lamps

Hydraulic Hoses and Lubricants, Bearings, Belts & Batteries

NEWS

Dungarvan Observer | Friday, 15 December, 2017

Cyclists reminded to light-up and be visible on the roads GARDAÍ are reminding cyclists of the need to be visible on the roads, particularly during the Winter months. As a road user, cyclists have an obligation to ensure they can be clearly seen by other road users by using lights (front and rear) and hi-vis jackets / vests. Cyclists should also wear a safety helmet. Dungarvan Gardaí will be proactive over the coming weeks in relation to stopping cyclists who are not adequately visible on the public roads. Gardaí will stop all un-lit pedal cyclists and take their names and addresses. Non-compliant cyclists, as an alternative to prosecution, will be cautioned and given a chance to present their bike at a local Garda Station within a set time period with the defect remedied. Sgt. Mick Bourke, Sergeant-in-Charge at Dungarvan Garda Station, said the Gardaí will be proactive in this over the coming weeks. “I would respectfully request that people be mindful of road safety at this time of year,” said Sgt. Bourke. “Cyclists and pedestrians should always be equipped with lights and fluorescent jackets.” Sgt. Bourke said there are a certain amount of adult high-viz jackets at Dungarvan Garda Station which are available to the public. Those requiring hi-vis jackets can contact the Sergeant-in-Charge at Dungarvan Garda Station on 058-48600.

Pictured at the Waterford Law Society Annual Dinner in Waterford Castle on Friday, 1st December, 2017 were front row left to right: Judge Alice Doyle; Patrick Dorgan, Senior Vice President, Law Society of Ireland; Edel Morrissey, President, Waterford Law Society; Ken Murphy, Director General, Law Society of Ireland and Liz Pope, Property Registration Authority. Back row left to right: Richard Hammond, President, Southern Law Association; Judge Tom Teehan; Supt. Chris Delaney; Judge Kevin Staunton and Jack Purcell, Manager Court Office, Waterford. [Garrett FitzGerald Photography]

People asked to maintain vigilance in their neighbourhood and report suspicious activity WINTER A TIME OF INCREASED BURGLARIES MEMBERS of the public are being asked to maintain vigilance in their neighbourhood this festive season, as this is the time when criminals will be looking out for opportunities to steal items and burgle vacant / unattended properties. It is a known fact that burglaries substantially increase during the Winter, with 46 percent of them occurring between 5.00 p.m. and 11.00 p.m. In 19 percent of Winter burglaries, the criminal gains entry through an unsecured door or window. Last week, there were three burglaries in the Dungarvan District. Sgt. Mick Bourke, Sergeant-in-Charge at Dungarvan Garda Station, said he would encourage all people to contact the Garda Station if they see any suspicious activity in their neighbourhood. He said any information, however small, could be crucial in capturing the criminals. Sgt. Bourke expressed thanks to the public for their assistance in relation to the three burglaries which occurred in the Dungarvan District last week. Information which was obtained via the Text Alert system proved to be valuable to the investigation and Gardaí are now following lines of enquiry as a result. Sgt. Bourke described the Text Alert system as “a great system” and encouraged other communities to get involved with the system. BURGLARY PREVENTION ADVICE Householders are reminded to secure all

your doors and windows; and light up your home and use timer switches when out; record details of your valuables and don’t keep large amounts of cash at home. Householders should use their alarm, even when at home. Car keys and ‘fishing’ / ‘hacking’ scams: People should store their keys safely and away from windows and letterboxes. There were over 160 cases where car keys were ‘fished’ through the letterbox in the past year. Criminals can also hack newer vehicles which use keyless technology known as the ‘amplifier attack’. Criminals can purchase equipment and devices cheaply, which includes two radios, one of which must be near the car and the other near the key which amplifies the electronic signal to open the car - so keys left in hallways or near doors or windows can be amplified without the criminal having to enter the home. Over Christmas: Presents should be placed under the Christmas tree early on Christmas morning, rather than being left under the tree for days in full view. If you are expecting a parcel make sure someone is there when it is delivered, or ask a neighbour to take it in. Avoid having it left on the doorstep. Once you’ve opened your gifts don’t leave boxes on full view outside to advertise your good fortune to criminals.

GOING AWAY FOR CHRISTMAS If you are heading off foreign over Christmas and New Year period, people should make their home look occupied. Cancel any newspaper / milk deliveries, and trusted neighbours may be able to help by collecting your post, opening and closing curtains, and parking their car on your driveway. People should never discuss their holiday plans where strangers could hear details about your absence from your home. And don’t let people know your home will be vacant by discussing your holiday on social media. Leave important documents and valuables with other family members or a bank, or alternatively lock them in a safe. Do not put your home address on your luggage when you are travelling to your holiday destination - a work address will suffice if you want to label your luggage. If you normally leave valuable bicycles or similar items in your shed, consider putting them in the house; and make sure you lock all outside doors and windows and turn on your alarm. CONTACT Dungarvan Garda Station: 058-48600. Lismore Garda Station: 058-54222. Kilmacthomas Garda Station: 051-295630. Tramore Garda Station: 051-391620. Garda Confidential Line: 1800-666-111. In an emergency dial 999/112.

Some safety tips for Christmas Drink alcohol responsibly.Where-ever the celebration, everyone should promote safe behaviour. Plan your night out.Tell someone where you’re going and when you’ll be back. You should never walk home alone. Remember safety in numbers. If you have no other option, walk in well lit areas. Take care when carrying your handbag, smart phone or tablet in crowded areas. Keep them in a safe location, within view. Watch out for pickpockets in crowded areas. Keep handbags zipped and don’t put your wallet in your back pocket. In bars and restaurants take care about where you store coats and handbags. At ATMs only take out as much money as you need. Cover your PIN and call the Gardaí if you believe the machine has been tampered with or compromised in any way. Take care of your Christmas shopping and never leave it unattended, especially in your car. Park your car in a secure, well lit area and make sure to lock it. Avoid burglaries at Christmas - secure all your doors and windows and use your alarm. Don’t leave Christmas presents in full view from outside of your home. If you’re expecting deliveries, always make sure someone is there to collect it or arrange for a trusted neighbour to take it in. If you’re going away for Christmas, make your home look occupied. Leave a light on and get a trusted neighbour to check on your property.

Rosín Hickey, Maeve Brady, Fiona Ormonde and Ellen Hegarty at the Waterford Law Society Annual Dinner in Waterford Castle on Friday, 1st [Garrett FitzGerald Photography] December, 2017.

Dungarvan Observer | Friday, 15 December, 2017

NEWS

Garda checkpoints to increase in Dungarvan District over Christmas and New Year By Paul Mooney MOTORISTS are being warned to heed the warning from the Gardaí and Road Safety Authority - to never, ever drink and drive - as Gardaí increase the amount of Mandatory Intoxicant Testing Checkpoints to be held in the Dungarvan District over the Christmas and New Year festive period. Mandatory Intoxicant Checkpoints are mounted by Gardaí to detect whether motorists are driving while under the influence of alcohol and / or drugs. The increased activity is designed to ensure a highly visible presence of the Gardaí on the

road and to act as a deterrent for anybody who may consider taking a drink and then driving during the festive period. The Gardaí will not just be targeting drink drivers at night or in the early hours of the morning during the Christmas period, but also during morning rush hour as many drivers could still be over the legal limit if they have been drinking the night before. The high visibility of the Gardaí also helps to ensure that the roads are safe for everybody to use and the road safety campaign will also target motorists with broken headlights and cyclists without lights or hi-vis jackets. The increase in mandatory

checkpoints for the festive season comes on foot of recent figures from the Joint Policing Committee of Waterford City and County Council, which showed an increase in the number of DUI (Driving Under the Influence) offences in the Waterford Division in the year to date, along with increases in serious traffic collisions. Last Friday evening, a number of Mandatory Intoxicant Testing Checkpoints were mounted in the Dungarvan area in a joint operation between Waterford Roads Policing Unit (formerly Traffic Corps) and Dungarvan District Gardaí. The joint operation was led by Sergeant Tony Merrigan, of the

Roads Policing Unit, Waterford Garda Station. The Dungarvan Observer accompanied the Roads Policing Unit as they carried out their Mandatory Intoxicant Testing Checkpoint on the N25 at the Coolagh Road roundabout last Friday evening. “The reasons for the checkpoints tonight is to try and send out the message to motorists not to be engaging in drink or drug driving,” Sgt. Merrigan explained. He said the checkpoints will be ongoing right through the Christmas season and into the New Year. On average there are around six checkpoints held daily throughout the district, four of

There will be an increase in Mandatory Intoxicant Testing Checkpoints in the Dungarvan area over Christmas and New Year. which are Mandatory Intoxicant Testing Checkpoints. “We also have the proactive policing checkpoints which are held on a daily basis, where the Gardaí interact with motorists to check licences, insurance, road worthiness of vehicles, etc.,” Sgt. Merrigan said. Within ten minutes of the checkpoint being mounted at the

Coolagh Road roundabout, Gardaí became aware of one vehicle coming towards the checkpoint which decided to turn away, which was pursued and stopped. Throughout the night including at other locations, a number of detections were made for road traffic offences, including three suspected DUI offences.

Mandatory Intoxicant Testing Checkpoints held in Dungarvan over the weekend Members of the media accompanied Gardaí on checkpoint duty

By Paul Mooney MEMBERS of Dungarvan Gardaí in a joint exercise with Waterford Roads Policing Unit (formerly Traffic Corps) mounted Mandatory Intoxicant Testing Checkpoints throughout the Dungarvan District last Friday evening for the purpose of detecting motorists who are driving while under the influence of alcohol and / or drugs. Garda members involved in the joint operation gathered around the conference table at Dungarvan Garda Station as the team leader, Sergeant Tony Merrigan of the Roads Policing Unit, Waterford Garda Station, gave a briefing. The Dungarvan Observer is also present at this briefing after the Waterford Garda Division allowed the media to accompany the Roads Policing Unit as they carried out their Mandatory Intoxicant Testing Checkpoints in the Dungarvan area last Friday evening. As the festive season is upon us, the roads are noticeably busier, meaning road safety should be paramount for all road users. The main aim of the checkpoints is to help make our roads safer by increasing the visibility of the Gardaí to act as a deterrent to those who may think about taking a drink and then getting behind the wheel endangering both their own and other people’s lives. Sgt. Merrigan outlined some hard statistics, including the fact that there have been just over 150 deaths on the roads this year, of which 26 of those deaths have occurred in the south east. There has been just over 1,500 Mandatory Intoxicant Testing Checkpoints in the Waterford Division throughout the year. He ensures his team members are aware of health and safety while conducting the check-

points - there are two Garda officers on each section of road, one to carry out the roadside breath test and the other to check the insurance, motor tax and NCT discs on the windscreen. A number of areas around the Dungarvan District are outlined to be locations for Mandatory Intoxicant Testing Checkpoints that evening, including the Coolagh Road roundabout on the N25, which the Dungarvan Observer attended. Within ten minutes of the checkpoint being set up, there was already an incident where Gardaí pursued and stopped a vehicle which had turned away from the checkpoint. Across the whole night, there were a number of detections made for road traffic offences at the various checkpoints, including three suspected DUI (Driving Under the Influence) offences. The checkpoints continued to operate in the Dungarvan area into the early hours of Saturday morning. As well as the checkpoints, an unmarked Garda vehicle patrols the area to detect any motorist who may be trying to avoid the checkpoints. SAFETY MESSAGE “Our message to motorists is not to drink and drive,” Sgt. Merrigan said. “If you are going out, organise a taxi to get you to and from your venue. If you can’t do that, then have a designated driver who can go out and enjoy the night but not drink alcohol they can drink minerals, tea / coffee or non-alcoholic beer. Get into the spirit of Christmas - we want everybody to enjoy themselves and get home safe.” It will be ongoing practice that the Roads Policing Unit will liaise with the various Garda Districts in the Waterford Garda Division to arrange Mandatory Intoxicant Testing Checkpoints

in a joint co-operation throughout the year. THE MORNING AFTER Sgt. Merrigan warned that even if the person has been out the night before and did everything correctly - the next morning can also be a hazard if they still have alcohol in their system. There have been many motorists who have been caught for drink driving the morning after. “It’s really important that motorists realise if they have a considerable amount of drink, that the next day the alcohol could still be in their system. If they encounter a checkpoint and are breathalysed they could end up losing their licence,” Sgt. Merrigan warned. “I’ve been on several checkpoints where motorists have been arrested for drink driving the morning after. It normally happens around bank holidays and festive times, where people have a tendency to possibly drink a little more than they would normally drink. They get up in the morning, get into their vehicle and drive.” ROADSIDE BREATH / DRUG TEST Under Section 10 of the Road Traffic Act 2010 a motorist must provide a specimen of their breath (or saliva) when requested to do so by a Garda at a Mandatory Intoxicant Testing Checkpoint. It is an offence to refuse to comply with the requirement. A clean mouthpiece is attached to the handheld breath test device and the driver blows into the machine which gives a result - either positive or negative - for the presence of alcohol. While results of the roadside breath test are instantaneous, it takes the drug testing machine (Dräger Drug Test 5000) between six and seven minutes to analyse a saliva sample from a motorist to

detect for the presence of four different types of drugs - opiates, cocaine, benzodiazepines and cannabis. A clean, unopened mouth swab cartridge is handed to the driver, who then must run the swab around their mouth until the indicator shows there is enough saliva fluid for a sample. It is then placed in the Dräger machine to detect for the presence of the aforementioned drugs. Sgt. Merrigan said that drug driving is a new phenomenon, as previously the Gardaí did not have the device which was able to detect for the presence of drugs in a person’s system. “We now have this new system since June and so far, we’ve detected six people who have been arrested for drug driving offences within the Waterford Division, solely on the premise of having that piece of equipment with us,” Sgt. Merrigan said. While figures to the recent Joint Policing Committee of Waterford City and County Council indicated an increase in DUI offences in the year to date, Sgt. Merrigan said there is a government commitment to increase the Roads Policing Unit by ten percent. “That means that the gaps we had in the roads policing is now going to be bridged and in 2018 we intend to have available at least three traffic vehicles on the roads right through the [Waterford] Division from 7.00 a.m. to the early hours of the following morning, seven days a week,” he said. FOCUS ON LIFESAVER OFFENCES, HI-VISIBILITY AND TRAVELLING CRIMINALS FOR 2018 In 2018 there will be a focus on lifesaver offences, such as not wearing seat belts, holding a mobile phone while driving, and speeding. But there will also be a focus on road users who don’t

Sgt. Tony Merrigan and Garda members at the Mandatory Intoxicant Testing Checkpoint on the N25 at Coolagh Road roundabout last Friday evening.

The Mandatory Intoxicant Testing Checkpoint at Coolagh Road, Abbeyside, last Friday evening.

The Dräger Drug Test 5000 machine which can be used at Mandatory Intoxicant Testing Checkpoints to analyse a saliva sample from a motorist to detect for the presence of drugs. properly light up - such as vehicles with broken headlights (particularly on the driver’s side) and pedal cyclists who have no lights on their bike and no hi-vis jackets. Sgt. Merrigan said that the public will meet a more visible presence of Gardaí on the roads over the festive period and continuing into the New Year. He

said it will be more proactive policing in terms of enforcement of Road Traffic legislation. Sgt. Merrigan explained that the new Roads Policing Unit (which will replace the Traffic Corps) will be launched in 2018 and their main focus will be in denying criminals access to the roads, which in turn will give safer communities.

Further Education Courses

John Hannifin from Clonmel LIT giving a talk. AS we reach the midway point for our PLC courses at Coláiste Chathail Naofa the students are finding that they have learned a lot about their career areas. The teachers have organised visits and talks to show students all of the varied options available to them. IT AND WEB DESIGN, IT AND COMPUTER PROGRAMMING John Hannifin from Clonmel LIT recently visited to talk about the animation and games design courses to the IT and Graphic Design students as well as Art students. They can use their QQI Award to progress onto degree courses. Web Authoring, Graphic Design and Computer Programming are just some of the modules included on the courses to prepare the students for studying at degree level. ENGINEERING Engineering students have recently started testing electrical components. They study both the practical and theory to prepare for either employment or further study. Other modules include Engineering Workshop Processes and Engineering Drawing. As well as their QQI Award students also complete the City and Guilds Certificate in Welding. COMMUNITY AND SOCIAL CARE A Christmas jumper day and raffle was organised to raise money for the Lions club.This helps students to become aware of the type of organisation they will be working for. Graduates of this course may pursue careers in social services, respite care, community services, residential units, voluntary services and home help. CHILDCARE LEVEL 5 AND SNA LEVEL 5 As part of their Early Childhood Education and Play module the students have been doing storytelling and creative arts in Dungarvan library with the students from St Josephs Primary school. This also gives them valuable experience for when they seek employment in primary schools, pre-schools or playschools after they qualify with their full QQI Award. Follow us on facebook at Coláiste Chathail Naofa – College of Further Education @ccnplc for the latest updates.

NEWS

Dungarvan Observer | Friday, 15 December, 2017

Wigworld’s Joyce crowns glorious year with inspirational business awards WATERFORD business Wigworld was the proud recipient of Hi’s Inspirational Award at the Hi Style Awards in Cork and the Judge’s Highly Commended Recognition Award in the Enhancement Specialist of the Year category at the recent Irish Beauty Industry Awards held in Dublin. Wigworld, which is owned and run by Joyce O’Carroll, specialises in wigs and hair pieces for people with medical related hair loss due to chemotherapy, radiotherapy, alopecia, trichotillomania and thinning hair. A hairdresser by profession and a sufferer of natural hair loss through alopecia, Joyce established Wigworld in 2011. In her quest to find high-quality,

natural wigs Joyce recognised that there was very little choice available to those who were going through hair loss. “It was then I became conscious of the very limited options available to those who needed a natural looking custom-made wig, not only in Waterford, but throughout the South East.” “Following my own hair loss experience I was all too aware of the dent in confidence people experience when they lose their hair. For many, their hair defines them and to suffer hair loss can be quite traumatic. I wanted to provide an alternative to badly fitted and artificial looking wigs and give my clients back their confidence and self-esteem.”

Joyce O’Carroll at the Irish Beauty Industry Awards, where she picked up the Judge’s Highly Commended Recognition Award in the Enhancement Specialist of the Year category.

Joyce O’Carroll with her Hi’s Inspirational Award at the Hi Style Awards in Cork. Wigworld provides a full service from fitting and styling to pre-and post-hair loss consultations, along with a wide range of real human hair wigs, synthetic wigs, custom-made wigs and hairpieces. Joyce also utilises her hairdressing experience to cut and style the wigs and provide advice on wig management and aftercare. “Hair loss shouldn’t define a person, but it often does. If men and women who suffer hair loss through cancer treatments, stress or alopecia can feel better in themselves by having a good quality, natural looking wig or hairpiece and it’s one less thing for them to worry about, I’m greatly satisfied with that result.” Joyce is heavily involved in cancer charity work, most recently organising a Breast Cancer Awareness event in association with the Solas Cancer Support Centre and the Marie Keating Foundation. She regularly holds workshops on wig care / management and altered body image in many of the regions' cancer support centres including Eist in Carlow, CARE in Clonmel and Cuan House in Youghal. She also spent nearly six years volunteering as the lead Wig & Hair advisor at the Look Good Feel Better programme in UHW. Joyce was honoured to receive her awards at two glit-

tering awards ceremonies in Cork and Dublin and was delighted that she was nominated by her clients. “To be nominated by my clients makes these awards even more special. It’s a wonderful validation of what I do, and it only makes me more determined to expand the service throughout the region and help more people regain their self-assurance.” If you have been affected by hair loss and would like to arrange a consultation with Joyce, visit www.wigworld.ie or call 087 688 9332. ABOUT JOYCE O’CARROLL Joyce O’Carroll is a qualified hairdresser and certified wig technician. She has also successfully completed FECTAC Level 5 Healthcare Support. From her own personal experience of hair loss, she is able to offer this unique service. Joyce has a wealth of knowledge, skills and understanding and travels regularly for training to see what’s new in the industry and what will benefit her clients. She was the voluntary Wig & Hair advisor at the Look Good Feel Better programme in UHW. She was a guest speaker at Co. Waterford VEC, Waterford Carers Association and various community groups and was Ireland’s Healthcare Hero at the Hidden Hearing Ireland Awards 2016.

Council has up to 70 acres which could accommodate up to 900 social houses

Engineering students testing electrical components.

WATERFORD Council is in possession of land in Dungarvan, Tramore and Waterford City which could accommodate between 800 and 900 social houses. At the recent Plenary meeting of Waterford City and County Council, Cllr. Declan Clune had queried the amount of residential-zoned land is owned by the Council and how many

houses can be built on that land. Responding, Director of Services for Housing, Ivan Grimes, said there is around 65 to 70 acres of land in Dungarvan, Tramore and Waterford City that would have the capacity for between 800 and 900 units. He said there is land in other parts of the county also, but a comprehensive report

would need to be made in relation to that. However, Cllr. Clune noted from the management report that there are currently 220 units at various stages of development across the city and county, including 12 houses in Portlaw, which were announced in 2015 and still haven’t started construction yet.

NEWS

Dungarvan Observer | Friday, 15 December, 2017

Waterford based Craft Company Copper Coast Woodcrafts Showcase Star Wars this Christmas COPPER Coast Woodcrafts a timber and copper craft company based in Tramore in County Waterford is producing an array of unique and bespoke products perfect for Christmas gifts this year especially for fans of Star Wars. For Christmas 2017 the handmade wooden TIE Fighters are sure to be a big hit along with a selection of very distinctive products including bespoke custom made longboard cruiser skateboards and old-school style penny-boards along with unique VW camper style timber artwork pieces, bent nail beer bottle openers and Eco-amplifiers for iPhone and Android phones for music streaming without the need for batteries or plugs. Copper Coast Woodcrafts also handmade a wide selection of traditional products with a modern twist including stunning handmade chopping and serving boards, families of miniature wooden reindeer, timber tree decorations, keepsake boxes for family treasures, jewellery and watch boxes and love heart shaped engagement ring boxes for that all important big question. All of the products are available at the 34th annual Waterford Crafts Fair at Garter Lane Theatre in Waterford City from now until December 23rd where Copper Coast Woodcrafts joins over 40 crafts businesses in a showcase of the best of South East Craft. Copper Coast Woodcraft products can also be purchased via www.facebook.com/copper-

Pat and Marian Keane, Willow & Oak, are pictured with Olivia Flynn and Aoife O'Mahony who were modeling outfits from Willow & Oak at the Wine & Style Night in the Cunnigar Room at Crew’s Restaurant, Dungarvan, co-hosted by the Wine Buff and Willow & Oak in aid of the RNLI. [Dan McGrath]

A thought for Christmas that will make a real difference to your neighbours Copper Coast Woodcrafts are available at the 34th annual Waterford Crafts Fair at Garter Lane Theatre in Waterford City from now until December 23rd where Copper Coast Woodcrafts joins over 40 crafts businesses in a showcase of the best of South East craft. Copper Coast Woodcrafts products can also be purchased via www.facebook.com/coppercoastwoodcrafts coastwoodcrafts Copper Coast Woodcraft prices range from €15 to €200 plus delivery. For further details on the unique pieces produced by

Copper Coast Woodcrafts see www.facebook.com/coppercoastwoodcrafts or visit the Waterford Homecrafts Christmas Fair until December 23rd at Garter Lane in Waterford.

RENUA Ireland are organising a national campaign urging shoppers to spend their money in local stores. The ‘Thought for Christmas’ will take to the streets in Waterford and Dungarvan on December 15th and 16th respectively RENUA Candidate for Waterford, Lee Walsh has urged all shoppers to think before they buy and to think local. Mr. Walsh, who is organising a local ‘Think First’ campaign said “Christmas is about generosity and family and neighbours. A key part of this, we too easily forget, is to shop in a way that benefits your town, friends and families. Think before you buy and see can you buy from one of your

local shops or artisan businesses. Why buy cheese from France when you can buy local cheese from Ardkeen? Why buy wine from Spain when you can buy craft beers from Dungarvan?” Commenting on RENUA Irelands ‘A thought for Christmas’ campaign he said: “This is practical politics in action. What better way to support Irish SME’s can there be than to point out the range of local businesses that are there to be supported. We should note that small manufacturing businesses are what drives successful sustainable economies such as Germany. We should aim to emulate

such economies.” Mr Walsh said: “Our hope, in this campaign, is that we can help local outdoor markets and craft fairs as well as shops and communities. This is an issue that is connecting with shoppers and shop owners. Do something for your town and community which ensures the shopping Santa comes to Irish businesses, to our friends and neighbours.Time is scarce so let’s get going.” “RENUA Ireland’s target of 90,000 flyers, posters and social media means we have the opportunity to get a key message in front of 100,000’s of shoppers in the coming fortnight. Let’s go for it.”

Investment in Waterford Hospital key to solving staffing crisis

Phil Gorman, Eileen Tansey, Maura Healy, Marian Keane and Tom Healy pictured at the Wine & Style Night in the Cunnigar Room at Crew’s Restaurant, Dungarvan, co-hosted by the Wine Buff and Willow & Oak in aid of the RNLI. [Dan McGrath]

SINN Féin spokesperson on workers’ rights and TD for Waterford David Cullinane TD said that the crisis in health services in Waterford and Kilkenny is driving nurses to protests, and that the Government must act immediately to tackle the lack of capacity in community services. Deputy Cullinane said: “University Hospital Waterford needs investment. “There is a consistent and ongoing overcrowding and staffing crisis especially in terms of mental health admissions. “Nurses are demanding increases in staffing and resources in order to enable them to do their job properly. “They are protesting not for higher wages but for proper facilities. “It is incredible that nurses could be driven to such action by the inaction of the Government and the health Minister.

“Psychiatric nurses say that they are protesting to send a clear message to management that they will not tolerate patients, including children, being admitted to chairs because of overcrowding. “Their message is clear - nurses are not prepared to continue to struggle to deliver vital services in the care environment where they cannot treat patients in the manner that they expect and deserve to be treated. “If Minister Harris is serious about addressing the issues which create this crisis then he needs to tackle four main areas; recruitment and retention of staff, reopening closed beds, adequate step down facilities, and proper primary and community care. “Each of these issues are interlinked and if unaddressed they will continue to contribute to the trolley crisis and possibly lead to the complete collapse of the health service this winter.”

NEWS

Dungarvan Observer | Friday, 15 December, 2017

Portrait of an artist …

By Donal Buckley

True Light . . . A Christmas Message John Bermingham PROBABLY, like most of you, I love the way that Dungarvan is all aglow at this time of year. The lights breaking through the darkness in such dramatic fashion cannot but bring a smile to my face. I sense the excitement in others, the anticipation that something special is around the corner. You see light changes things, it transforms environments and people. Not only are our streets adorned with all manner of festive lights, but our homes and churches become even brighter, ablaze with candles flickering in every nook and corner. People, many of whom unfortunately, may not step inside a religious building all year round, are suddenly attracted by what they perceive to be the “traditional” Christmas rites and atmosphere. If anything, they are expectant, since Christmas would not be Christmas without the lights, without the familiar rituals and distant stories of an unwelcome baby, his family and friends. But dare we permit a bit of “true light” to break in to our annual festivities this year? Yes! “True Light”. For the TRUTH is that even though the darkness is trying hard to obscure His Light, the Light of Jesus Christ, the actual reason for the season, is shining continuously all year round. John chapter 1 verse 9 tells us that “The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.” Yes! He Jesus, God arrived, was born into a desperately needy world. However “He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.” How true

that could be said unfortunately, of so many today! As always, in the bible there are those wonderful “BUT” moments, those “Good News” for all mankind moments. The passage goes on, “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.” (John 1:12-13) If there should be any reason for celebration this Christmas, this is it. Not simply that a child came in to this world, BUT because of that child, we all can become children of God. Wow! Talk about “Good News”. So this is our prayer for you this Christmas, that “God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," would shine “in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in

the face of Jesus Christ.” (2Cor 4:6) I’m constantly encouraging our church to be real with God, real with each other, in order that we can be real with our community. How about let’s all be real this Christmas? We at Dungarvan Christian Fellowship are excited by what we have experienced this year, the extraordinary growth we have seen, and are looking forward to what the Lord has in store for us this coming year. We would like to thank all those in the community who have blessed us by their support and kindness, and wish you also a very happy Christmas and blessed New Year. May you experience the Father’s Love, the Peace of our Lord Jesus, and the Joy of the Holy Spirit. Pastor Steve and Lorita Hamer www.dungarvanchurch.org

A SOUPED up fishing trawler crash lands in the middle of Grattan Square in Dungarvan. As the prow of the boat ploughs through the tarmac, stone and kerbing is thrown violently in several directions. On the deck stands the captain, alone and resolute.This is not a scene from a revamp of "Back to the Future", but a composite, multi media image generated by the immensely talented John Bermingham. The picture entered into the public domain at a time when the public were becoming increasingly frustrated with the disruption caused by the noise, dust and seemingly disorganised refurbishment of the town centre. Though the publication of John's picture was coincidental to these events, it definitely captured the mood of the residents and visitors in Dungarvan town at that time. John Bermingham is a visual artist who incorporates various media, live models and computer generated imagery to create something magical. I met John in the cosiness of Sip n' Surf cafe.We fortified ourselves with coffee and a sticky bun and discussed art, life and everything in between. DO YOU HAVE A FAVOURITE ARTIST? Salvador Dali (1904-1989) spent his whole life working with art in all its guises. He involved himself in painting, sculpture, film, fashion, architecture and writing. Probably his most publicised work of art was himself. An eccentric genius with multiple talents. I can only wonder what he would produce if he had lived long enough to merge modern technology with his own extraordinary imagination. WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE BOOK? I really like the work of Stephen King (b.1947). His most memorable book (in my opinion) was his 1983 "Pet Sematary". I loved reading the book but I kept wanting to look away, yet I had to know what happened next. It was difficult not to be engaged with the characters and the story. Stephen King knows how to provoke the imagination and, at the same time, entertain his readers. AS A MUSICIAN YOURSELF, WHO WOULD BE YOUR MUSICAL HEROES? I have always listened to and been inspired by Prince and David Bowie. The confidence they had in themselves, their music and their cultural influence was obvious from every note of every song. I also like the American industrial rock band Nine Inch Nails (NIN) who have been around since 1988 and have an independent attitude to self determination in their output. Its important for every artist to be comfortable with their work. WHERE IS YOUR FAVOURITE PLACE? Since I moved to Dungarvan from Limerick, I am

constantly astonished by the beauty of West Waterford. Every chance I get I will take my camera to Ardmore, Lismore, Ring or the Comeraghs. The voluptuous foliage of the Blackwater valley, the craggy starkness of the mountains and the boiling waves of the Copper coast make for beautiful photographs and a wonderful backdrops for my work. WHOSE WORK HAS MOST INFLUENCED YOURS? Anyone who has seen the movies "Beetlejuice", "Edward Scissorhands" or "The Corpse Bride" will know what an extraordinary talent is Tim Burton. His quirky humour is loved and admired across the world. Terry Gilliam has a sense of humour in a similar vein but more subtle and reflective. The humour could be seen in "Time Bandits" or "The Adventures of Baron Munchausen", while the more reflective side of his nature was evident in films like "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas", "Brazil" and "12 Monkeys". HAVE YOU A FAVOURITE COLOUR OR COMBINATION OF COLOURS? I've been watching "Game of Thrones" and love the way they use contrasting light. So I have been playing around with different colours to see what works best. At the moment I'm working with Orange and Blue together. Its an interesting combination and is working well for me. John Bermingham has made a music album called "Everything is Wonderful" which contains some hauntingly atmospheric tracks, with instrumental blends as well as collaborations with Indie artist El Grey on vocals. Its available on Youtube,Vimeo and Soundcloud. Music is just one of the many strings to John's bow (sorry!). If you visit his website, www.allthatcanbe.com, there are directions to see animation and music videos, stylised and fantasy photographs, as well as the bread and butter images in photography and video. John, as well as being the main man in AllThatCanBe Productions, has achieved a distinction in Licentiateship in the Irish Photographic Federation and has been a runner up in a Creative Photography competition. If we were living in the 1980's, he would be recognised as a "Renaissance Man". His multi-faceted talent and abilities makes him a true artist in the style of Salvador Dali. I was told by a mutual friend that John was quiet and introspective. He is a genial and engaging person whose quietness cannot veil the extraordinary and eclectic artistry he possesses. It is difficult not to be impressed by his work. I can't help but feel that there is a capacity and potential for much more from this modern day Dali. Thanks John, it’s been a pleasure meeting you.

NEWS

Dungarvan Observer | Friday, 15 December, 2017

Man in stable condition following stabbing at weekend c FROM FRONT PAGE Gardaí commenced an investigation and the scene was preserved for the Forensic Technical Bureau to carry out an examination. Both ends of Keating Street were cordoned off Saturday and Sunday during the forensic examination. A weapon was recovered at the scene. As a result of their investigations, a 19-year-old male was

arrested in the Dungarvan area and taken to Dungarvan Garda Station where he was detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act. He was later released without charge and a file is being sent to the DPP. In a follow up search a second male, aged 23 years, was arrested in the Lismore area on Saturday evening and detained at Dungarvan Garda Station under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act. He was later released with-

out charge. A third individual was arrested as part of the investigation on Sunday evening and was helping Gardaí with their enquiries. He was released a short while later. Gardaí are preparing a file on the case which will be sent to the DPP. A family liaison officer was appointed to the family of the injured man, who is in a serious, but stable condition at UHW.

Gardaí have appealed to anybody who was in the vicinity of Keating Street, Western Terrace, Mitchel Street, Bridget’s Terrace areas between midnight and 3.30 a.m. last Saturday morning, and who may have seen or heard anything to contact detectives at Dungarvan Garda Station on 058-48600. Gardaí would also like to speak with anybody who may have CCTV footage or dash cam footage to come forward.

Both ends of Keating Street were cordoned off following the stabbing incident.

Local Improvement Schemes on roads are ‘once off’ work says Council By Christy Parker WATERFORD Council says private roads that it restores under its Local Improvement Scheme (LIS) will not be revisited once the work is done and should not be viewed as having been taken in charge. The clarification was made by senior executive engineer Gabriel Hynes art December’s

Dungarvan-Lismore Municipal District meeting. The LIS enables the council to repair badly damaged private roads on receipt of a contribution from the road owner. The roads in question must provide access to parcels of land, of which at least two are owned or occupied by different persons engaged in separate agricultural activities, or provides access for harvesting purposes (including turf or seaweed)

Free parking in Dungarvan makes life easy for those enjoying office parties

for two or more persons or shall be in use by the public, such as access to beaches. In a response to Cllr. Pat Nugent the engineer had revealed that the council received an extra €436,000 to allow them to conduct a further nine schemes in the district, in addition to eight previously undertaken through an initial €280,000 allocation. Mr. Hynes added that there had been 33 applications at the

outset but this had since fallen to about 20. Cllr. John Pratt asked whether the applications that had missed out would be prioritised in future programmes and was told this would be the case. Cllr. Nugent then asked whether roads would be again addressed under general roads repairs if potholes reappeared. Mr. Hynes reiterated it was a “one-off ” situation, with the council

‘standing over’ the work for year” but any subsequent work would have to find another scheme. Cllr. James Tobin suggested that the Council might be more inclined to take the roads in charge formally once repaired, to which Mr. Hynes replied – not really joking- that costs and resources suggested alternatively that they would profit from relinquishing some of the roads they already have!

Anniversary celebrations at GSK Dungarvan GSK Dungarvan is celebrating two significant milestones in 2017. The Oral Care (OC) business is 35 years old and the Over the Counter (OTC) business is 30 years old. A lunchtime event for employees was held on Friday, 8th December to mark the anniversaries and also to recognise eighteen of its employees who have 30 years of service or more. The Oral Care business started out in 1981 as Stafford Miller Ireland Ltd. The Over The Counter business officially opened its doors in 1987 as Sterling Drug Inc. Today GSK Dungarvan employs more than 700 people and exports to more than 70 markets worldwide.

Pictured at the Over the Counter facility are employees celebrating long service of 30 years: Tom O’Crotaigh, Gerard Collins, Pat Power, GSK Dungarvan Site Director Brian Fox, Cora Cooney, Nicky Walsh, Kevin Power. Missing from this picture are Brendan Morrissey and Gerard Cummins. [Karen Dempsey]

Scanlon’s Yard car park, Dungarvan. THE party season is upon us when the restaurants and bars of Dungarvan will be full of office and work parties enjoying the Christmas and New Year festivities. For those who are planning on leaving their vehicle overnight in Dungarvan so they can enjoy a drink during their office party night - people should be aware that the free hour and a half parking at Scanlon’s Yard car park extends into the following day if a ticket is obtained after 4.00 p.m. So if a person parks their car in Scanlon’s Yard after 4.00 p.m., they obtain the ticket by pressing the green button and the free hour and half will be applied to the following morning, meaning a person can leave their vehicle overnight until 10.30 a.m. the

next day. If you require more time, simply purchase the ticket the evening before (after 4.00 p.m.) and the time will be added to the following day (including the hour and a half). If you are parking on-street or other Council car parks around Dungarvan in the evening (after 4.00 p.m.) - a €1.10 ticket will be valid up to 10.30 a.m. the next morning (which includes the free half hour parking); while a €2.20 ticket will be valid up to 11.30 a.m. (including the free half hour parking). So, after a night on the town, you can get up at your leisure and no need to rush in the following morning to collect your vehicle. All parking tickets must be displayed on the windscreen.

Pictured on the steps of the Oral Care facility are employees celebrating long service of 35 and 30 years: Michael Mansfield, Martin McCarthy, Denis Tynan, Helen Nugent, Barry Duffy, Sean Keating, Jimmy Beresford and GSK Dungarvan Site Director Brian Fox. Missing from this picture are Ned Murphy, Gerard Donovan and Catherine Walsh. [Karen Dempsey]

NEWS

Dungarvan Observer | Friday, 15 December, 2017

GRATTAN SQUARE HERITAGE PLAQUE PROJECT

Basket Weavers and Lost Trades PLAQUE LOCATION: THE SQUARE GRILL, 31 GRATTAN SQUARE, DUNGARVAN, CO. WATERFORD WHILE basket weaving is one of the widest spread crafts in the history of any human civilization, it is hard to say just how old the craft is, because natural materials like wood and grass decay naturally and constantly. So without proper preservation, much of the history of basket making has been lost and is simply speculated upon. The oldest known baskets have been carbon dated to between 10,000 and 12,000 years old, earlier than any established dates for archaeological finds of pottery, and were discovered in Faiyum in upper Egypt. Other baskets have been discovered in the Middle East that are up to 7,000 years old. However, baskets seldom survive, as they are made from perishable materials. Basket making was a historically important trade, a diverse range of products beyond baskets were manufactured, including panniers for donkeys, cots for children, lobster pots for fishermen and even furniture. An ICA handbook from 1962

has this to say about basket making:The material generally used in basket making is called the basket willow osier or withy, better known in the trade as rods. The basket rods are those with finely tapered tops, with length in proportion to thickness. There are four kinds of rods obtainable, green, white, buff and brown. The first named is freshly cut and has the bark on. The white willow has its bark removed immediately it is cut. The buff is not peeled until after the willow has been boiled for a few hours as it is the tanning or natural dye in the bark that gives the pleasing buff tone to the peeled willow. The brown is the name given to the green willows when they have become matured with the bark on, and are brown in colour. All willow material is sold by length, and not by thickness or weight. Before using, willows will have to be soaked for some time, to enable them to become pliable. The length of time necessary

Mickey Clancy, Wheelwright at work in his forge at the junction of Mitchel Street and Youghal Road, Dungarvan c.1930.

varies from 30 minutes to 3 days, in accordance with the type and nature of the osier. The photograph of Scanlan’s Hardware on Main Street, Dungarvan in 1910 shows all of the products they had for sale lined up outside the shop.You can see several types of basket and also a baby’s cot woven from willow. LOST TRADES When assembling the content for this article I started to think about the large number of trades that were once ubiquitous but are now rarely practiced. Many of these trades are associated with the equine industry. In 1939, it was estimated that over 350,000 horses worked on Irish farms. By necessity this would have led to a huge demand for saddlers, wheelwrights, blacksmiths, and farriers. Motorised transport gradually pushed out the horse from daily life, with them went many of the associated trades that were once commonplace around town. The photos with this article feature some of these tradesmen. Less obvious trades also became defunct over time. Michael Wyse was the long time Dungarvan Town Crier and Bill Poster in Dungarvan. He was employed by the Dungarvan District Council to announce the news in public and to stick advertising posters to walls. Newspapers ultimately did away with this trade. In recent years the trade of Town Crier and Bill Poster has made a comeback of sorts. Nowadays, Michael Wyse would probably be managing Twitter, Instagram or Facebook accounts. WHY WAS THIS SUBJECT SELECTED? Roch’s drawings are very important historically, not just for Dungarvan but nationally. We are fortunate to have so many images of our town’s citizens from 200 years ago. Most places don’t possess this treasure trove. I particularly like the way the two little barefoot girls look on as the basket maker weaves his magic. You can almost hear them say “What are you doing mister” across the cen-

The shopfront of The Square Grill showing the heritage plaque at the threshold.

Michael Wyse, Town Crier and Bill Poster, Dungarvan c.1920. turies. WHAT IS THE IMAGE ON THE PLAQUE? The original illustration for the plaque is after a sketch done by famous miniature portrait painter, Sampson Towgood Roch. In 1828 Roch took his sketchpad with him while visiting Dungarvan and Waterford and gave us the first colour images of locals. His original sketches are described as "...one of the most significant and yet understated items from the entire Ulster Folk & Transport Museum collection." Roch was noted for the accuracy and detail of his sketching and this is demonstrated here. If you look closely you can see that the basket maker is keen not to dirty his clothes, he’s rolled up his pants to kneel on the ground. The volunteer run Grattan Square Heritage Plaque Project was managed by Willie Whelan for Waterford County Museum. Rachael Power drew the illustrations and William Fraher did much of the original historical research.

An illustration by Sampson Towgood Roch of a basket weaver in Dungarvan c.1828. Copyright Ulster Fold & Transport Museum.

The illustration by Rachael Power after Towgood Roch on which the plaque engraving was based.

The engraved plaque at the threshold of The Square Grill.

Group of Dungarvan Blacksmiths with some of the tools of their trade c.1910. One of the blacksmiths is Mr. Moloney, Tarr's Bridge.

Danny Mahoney, Saddler, photographed in his shop at Lower Main Street, Dungarvan in July 1994.

Dungarvan Observer | Friday, 15 December, 2017

Letters to the Editor … Address Letters to: The Editor, Dungarvan Observer, Shandon, Dungarvan, Co. Waterford. Fax: 058 41559. e-mail: news@dungarvanobserver.ie ALL letters MUST include your name, address and telephone number for authenticity purposes.

Commercial Rates Increase Dear Sir/Madam, Great efforts were made last week to put a positive spin on Waterford City and County Council's decision to increase rates by 2.5%. Many small business owners who had been hoping for a reduction in the tax were gravely disappointed. The commercial rates are too high and are shutting down businesses. A local trader who has had a business in the city centre for over 25 years says she is making less than the minimum wage in her own business. She has not taken a holiday in three years and cannot even afford to take time off over Christmas as a result of the current level of commercial rates. The commercial rates are especially hurting small Waterford owned businesses as they do not have the resources to absorb short term liabilities in the same way multi-nationals can. Two locally owned businesses in Dungarvan have recently sold out to bigger chain outlets and have taken jobs as store managers for the large retailers, both citing commercial rates as their deciding factor in selling. Sadly, the profit from these companies will now leave the local economy. Vast improvements have been made to the city and county in recent years and local taxation is necessary but the current model is too regressive. It is penal to apply the commercial rates based on a notional property value and turnover/profit should be taken into account. Small and Medium Enterprises account for 70% of all employment in this country. It is time they got the recognition and support they truly deserve. Many Thanks LEE WALSH Renua, Dunmore East

Friary Sale of Work Dear Editor, On behalf of our Augustinian Missionaries, I wish to sincerely thank the good people of Dungarvan, Abbeyside and the surrounding districts for making this year’s Sale of Work such a success.Your presence and participation is very much appreciated. I especially thank our wonderful volunteers and missionary helpers who worked so hard over many weeks in preparation for Friday night. My sincere gratitude to the many, many people and businesses who, so kindly and so generously, donated gifts and monies. Finally, we are most indebted to Mr. Michael Burke and the wonderful staff of Lawlors Hotel for their continuing help and support of the Sale of Work. I ask the Lord of the Harvest to grant you all a very Happy Christmas and a Peaceful New 2018! The Prizewinners in the Christmas Draw were:– 1st Kay Hallissey; 2nd Sr. Laura Uwins; 3rd Siobhán O’Sullivan; 4th Sr. Millie Uwins.

NEWS

Two angling development projects in Waterford among those awarded funding from Inland Fisheries Ireland Kyne welcomes funding of €2.2m for 115 Community-based angling conservation projects SEAN Kyne TD, Minister with responsibility for the Inland Fisheries Sector has welcomed the award of funding, to the value of €2.2m, by Inland Fisheries Ireland to 115 angling development and conservation initiatives as part of its National Strategy for Angling Development, Salmon Conservation Fund and Midlands Fisheries Fund. Two projects in Waterford have been awarded funding. The projects, which focus on improving Ireland’s inland fisheries and sea angling resource, will begin delivery in 2018. In total, applications for over 140 projects were received bringing the overall value of projects applying for funding to above €2.9million. Minister Kyne said: “I would like to congratulate the applicants who have been awarded this funding. The projects receiving funding are located in 24 counties across the country. They include fisheries habitat conservation projects as well as the provision of infrastructure and equipment to allow for improved access to angling. Education/youth initiatives and projects aimed at

attracting increased number of tourist anglers also attracted funding. I recently announced the forthcoming addition, in early 2018, of ‘Fisheries Projects Animators’ for Inland Fisheries Ireland and that initiative will support the implementation of these projects in assisting community organisations nationwide in realising these ambitious angling projects and conservation initiatives over the coming year,” he added. The 2017 Funding Call was first announced in August 2017 with local groups and individuals including local development associations, tidy towns, angling clubs, local authorities and others invited to apply for funding, with 115 angling development projects being awarded funding to the value of €2.2m. The scheme is part of Inland Fisheries Ireland’s National Strategy for Angling Development. The Strategy aims to ensure that Ireland’s fish stocks and angling infrastructure are protected and enhanced with a view to ensuring a sustainable habitat and delivering the economic, health and recreational benefits they offer to communities across Ireland.

St. Mary’s Parish Church, Dungarvan Third Sunday of Advent: Isaiah 61:1 - 2.10 - 11 - I exult for joy in the Lord. 1 Thessalonians 5:16 - 24 May you all be kept safe, spirit, soul and body, for the coming of the Lord. John 1:6 - 8. 19 - 28 - There stands among you - unknown to you - the one who is coming after me. Advent Penance Service: The annual Advent Penance Service in preparation for Christmas will be celebrated in St. Mary’s Parish Church on Monday next, December 18th at 7.30 p.m. Advent: The word ‘Advent’ means ‘Coming’. We recall a past event: When we hear of Advent we think of the coming of God among us in the Child of Bethlehem on that first Christmas night. We celebrate a present reality: In the present, we focus on God’s coming into our lives each day. He is God with us each day. We look to the future: As we look to the future, we look to the second coming of Jesus at the end of time, to judge the living and the dead. Advent has a past, a present and

a future to it. Happy Advent! The Advent Wreath: See last weekend’s newsletter of 10th December 2017. Diocesan Advent Leaflet: There is a beautiful Diocesan leaflet available in the church porches with a Family Prayer for Advent, Praying on your fingers, the Diocesan Prayer for Our Family and the Official Family Prayer for the World Meeting of Families 2018. Please take one home with you and pray the prayers during Advent. A Year in the Life of Glencairn Abbey: This beautiful hard cover coffee table style book is for sale in the Parish Office. Parish Office: Located in St. Mary’s Church and is open Monday to Friday office hours. If you want to book Masses or Baptisms call during these times. Phone 058-42374. Daily Mass broadcast on 98.5 FM. Phone No: Fr. Ryan 42374, Fr. Harris 42384, Fr. Cooney 41136. Emergency Phone No: To contact Priest on duty: 086-2334282. St. Vincent de Paul Helpline No.: 087-7747870.

Inland Fisheries Ireland is aiming to grow the angling sector’s socio-economic contribution of €836 million per year by an additional €60 million annually through the Strategy. This will be achieved by driving angling participation among domestic and overseas visitors, which in turn is supported by improving access to fishing and developing angling infrastructure. Suzanne Campion, Head of Business Development at Inland Fisheries Ireland said: “The 2017 Funding Call has been inundated with strong project applications and we are delighted to announce the 115 projects which have secured support, following a detailed review process. The first Funding Call was in 2016, but the demand for improvements in angling access and development continues apace. The latest funding call was oversubscribed, confirming that rural communities across Ireland are engaged with angling and recognise the value of the fisheries resource to their local area. “Inland Fisheries Ireland has worked closely with angling clubs, individuals, community groups and chambers of commerce to inform them about the Fund and the overall National Strategy for Angling

Development. We hope to empower these stakeholders to improve access to angling in their areas and as a result deliver long term recreational and economic benefit to their communities.” A key element of the National Strategy for Angling Development is to build capability and improve governance across the sector, appointing the aforementioned project animators is a significant step in realising this goal and also addresses the issues and challenges raised by stakeholders at the nationwide funding roadshows earlier this year. In Waterford, the following projects were selected to receive funding: • Knockaderry Reservoir, Kilmeaden, Co Waterford Replacement of angling boats Waterford City and County Trout Anglers Association (€9,850) • River Blackwater, Salterbridge, Cappoquin, Co. Waterford - Repair and improve access to stream deflector Cappoquin Salmon and Trout Anglers Association (€27,236) For more information on Inland Fisheries Ireland’s Funding Call 2017 and the projects receiving funding in this funding call, visit www.fisheriesireland.ie/funding.

BRIDGE

Moneymatters Tips for Christmas spending 1. Set yourself a budget and stick to it. 2. Pay cash if you can. Leave your credit card at home. 3. Shop early and give yourself time to shop around for the best bargains. 4. Make a list of those you need to buy gifts for and a spending limit for each one. 5. When purchasing food and drink do purchase realistically. Shops will open again in a day or two after Christmas. 6. Remember good friends do not need expensive gifts. Set a limit with family and friends on what each will spend on each other. 7. Create your own gifts or recycle and repackage gifts received and not used. It’s the thought that counts. 8. Do remember that January follows December. You do not want the ghost of Christmas spending to haunt you in the New Year. The Money Advice & Budgeting Service is based at Civic Offices, Davitt’s Quay, Dungarvan, Co. Waterford X35 Y326. (Tel 0761 07 2770 – Fax 058-45296) and provides a service throughout the West Waterford area. It is part of the national MABS Service and is free, confidential and independent. Visit our web site at: www.mabs.ie Phone MABS Helpline 0761 07 2000 Email helpline@mabs.ie

ABBEY BRIDGE CLUB (5/12/2017) – 1st Cait Christopher & Sheila Veale; 2nd Anne Fitzgerald & Colette O’Mahony; 3rd Theresa Ryan & Sheila Towey; 4th Tom Power & Kolette Enright. KILMACTHOMAS BRIDGE CLUB (Christmas Party: 6/12/2017) – 1st Anne Murphy & Breeda Murphy; 2nd Anna Harney & Anne Marie Brown; 3rd Claire Cummins & Olga Carroll; 4th Breda O'Sullivan & Anna Ryan; 5th Elayne Kirwan & Catherine M. Power. HARBOUR BRIDGE CLUB (Christmas Party: 7/12/2017) – 1st Mary Ashe & Marie Fives; 2nd Laboure Cliffe & Gabriel Mullins; 3rd Ann M. Fitzgerald & Teresa Queally; 4th Anne O'Sullivan & Nuala Condon; 5th Margaret Foley & Mary Phelan; 6th Eibhlin Rua & Rita O'Mahony; Joint 7th Pat Murray & Lorraine

Vart, Elayne Kirwan & Joan Colbert. CUNNIGAR BRIDGE CLUB (Christmas Party: 6/12/2017) – 1st Cait Christopher & Doreen Keane; 2nd Ella Whelan & Ann Moran; 3rd Una Drennan & Phil O'Brien; 4th Anne Holland & Peg Heneberry. DUNGARVAN BRIDGE CLUB (7/12/2017) – 1st David Wright & Sadie Uí Mhiacháin; Joint 2nd Justin Spratt & Ann Heffernan, Maeve Coughlan & Joan Mansfield; 4th Maureen Power & Brigid Burke; 5th Brid Killigrew & Colin Carthy. DEISE BRIDGE CLUB (11/12/2017) – 1st Pauline Dempsey & Maureen Power; 2nd Joan Mansfield & Kathleen Phelan; 3rd Shelia Veale & Pierce Casey; 4th Aida O'Neill & Brigid Burke.

IN MEMORIAM DALTON (33rd anniversary) – In loving memory of Cathy Dalton, late of Currabaha, Dungarvan, who died on 13th December, 1984. R.I.P.

COMYN (15th anniversary) – In loving memory of Willie Comyn, late of Mahon Bridge, who died on 19th December, 2002. Masses offered. Little we knew that morning, What sorrow that day would bring, The shock was great, the loss severe, To part with someone so very dear. No matter how life changes, No matter what we do, A special place within our hearts, Is always kept for you.

–Always remembered by your brothers Michael and Nicholas, Kate and family.

CUMMINS (7th anniversary) – In loving memory of Kathleen Cummins, late of Ballyvooney, Stradbally, who died on 19th December, 2010. R.I.P. Anniversary Mass will be celebrated on Saturday, 16th December, in Holy Cross Church, Stradbally, at 7.30 p.m. Just a prayer from the family who loved you, Just a memory fond and true, In our hearts you will live forever, Because we thought the world of you.

–Sadly missed by all your family.

MAM A day to remember, sad to recall, Without farewell you left us all, Only those who lost can tell, The sorrow of parting without farewell.

–Sadly missed by James, Brigid, Liam, Sinead and grandchildren.

FLYNN (13th anniversary) – In loving memory of Patrick (Pad) Flynn, late of Durrow and Abbeyside, who died on 16th December, 2004. Will those who think of him today, A little prayer to Jesus say.

–Always remembered by Pad’s sister Josie; nieces and nephews.

HICKEY (3rd anniversary) – The Third Anniversary occurs of Patrick Hickey, late of Monatrea, Kinsalebeg, on 24th December, 2017. Anniversary Mass will be celebrated at 6.00 p.m. on Saturday, 16th December, in St. Bartholomew’s Church, Piltown. God’s garden blooms brighter, Now you are there, And the sweet sound of music, No doubt fills the air. And though hearts may be heavy, And filled with despair, A smile crosses our lips, When we think of you there. Forever and always missed.

–From your loving wife Mary; children Linda, Laura, Michelle, Michael and Marie and from all of your grandchildren. Gone but not forgotten.

Christmas Remembrance CURRAN (12th anniversary) – In loving memory of Martin Curran, late of Shanakill, Dungarvan, whose Anniversary occurs on 21st December. Also his wife Hannah whose 1st Anniversary occurs on 28th January, 2018. Anniversary Mass will be celebrated on Thursday, 21st December, at 9.30 a.m. in St. Mary’s Parish Church, Dungarvan. Will those who think of him today, A little prayer to Jesus say.

–Sadly missed by his loving son John and all his family at home and abroad.

NOONAN (1st and 24th anniversaries) – In loving memory of my dear parents Chrissie and Ger (Twin) Noonan, late of Kilrush Park, Dungarvan, whose Anniversaries occur on 19th December and 23rd January.

† COLLINS – Martin, 6th December, 1988, and Kathleen, 28th April, 2017, and their sons, late of Knockateemore, Abbeyside. CHRISTMAS IN HEAVEN Christmas in Heaven, What do they do, They come down to earth, To spend it with you. So save them a seat, Just one empty chair, You may not see them, But they will be there.

–Thought of every day – Marita, Mary, Jim, Ger, Vera, Martina, Lucy, Jack; all your grandchildren and Babe.

Michael Kiely

Mary Kiely Jim Kiely (nee O’Donoghue) In loving memory of Michael Kiely, his wife Mary and brother Jim, whose Anniversaries occur at this time. WHEN LIFE IS HARD It is not easy to smile, When life is pressing hard, Not easy to see God’s plan, When cherished dreams are marred. But then is the time to hope, And then the time to pray, For God’s own strength and grace, To fight till the close of day.

Criodan O’Higgins.

–Remembered by family and friends. LYNCH (36th anniversary) – In loving memory of Kathleen Lynch (nee McKeown), late of Chapel Road, Stradbally, whose Anniversary occurs on 15th December. R.I.P.

KENNEALLY (14th anniversary) – In loving memory of Tommy Kenneally, late of Lyrattin, Modeligo, Cappagh, who died on 12th December, 2003. R.I.P. Cherish him Lord, In your garden of rest, For he was a busband, father, grandfather, And one of the best. You were a special person, And will not be replaced, Since the day you left me, There has been an empty space. I feel you still around me You’re always on my mind, And when I talk about you, It’s always happy times. However my life changes, Whatever I may do, I will never forget those special years, The ones I had with you. For as long as I live, I will always be glad, For the wonderful husband, I was lucky to have. Simple words but very true, I will love and always remember you.

–Sadly missed by your loving wife Catherine and family at home and abroad. LOOBY (13th anniversary) – In loving memory of our dad Tom Looby, late of Sleady, Ballinamult, who died on 18th December, 2004. Will those who think of Dad today, A little prayer to Jesus say.

God must have thought you special, To take you the way he did, They say he only takes the best, And this he surely did. Look around your garden Lord, For an Angel with a smile, She won’t be hard to recognise, She must stand out a mile. So put your hands around her Lord, And kiss her smiling face, For she is very special, And can never be replaced.

–Always remembered by your loving brother Michael and sister-in-law Patricia.

LYNCH (20th anniversary) – In loving memory of a dear mother, grandmother and great grandmother Patsy Lynch, late of ‘Tara,’ Tournore, Dungarvan, who died on 13th December, 1997. R.I.P. Anniversary Mass will be celebrated in St. Laurence’s Church, Ballinroad, on Sunday, 17th December, at 10.00 a.m. We hold you close within our hearts, And there you shall remain, To walk with us throughout our lives, Until we meet again.

–Always in our thoughts and prayers – your loving family.

LYNCH (36th anniversary) – In loving memory of Kathleen Lynch (nee McKeown), late of Chapel Road, Stradbally, who died on 15th December, 1981. R.I.P.

LYNCH – In loving memory of James A. and Catherine Lynch, late of Killineen, Dungarvan, whose Anniversaries occur at this time. R.I.P. Masses offered.

–Always remembered Martin and family.

A loving brother, most sincere, Loved by all he knew, He loved us all so very dear, And we loved him too. But God in his mercy will give me hope, And help me bear the strain, Of the one we cherished, loved and lost, To meet in Heaven again.

–Always loved and remembered by your brother Tom and sister-in-law Breda, XX. –––––––––––––––––––– A loving spray of memories, Tied up with all our love, Memories we will treasure, Of the one we dearly loved. In the centre of God’s garden, There is someone special there, That someone is our Uncle Robbie, The best beyond compare.

–Always loved and sadly missed by your niece Michelle and nephews Paddy, Tommy and Willie, XXX.

–Sadly missed and lovingly remembered by your daughter Tisha; son-in-law Billy; Craig, Beatrice, Kate and Jesse.

NOONAN (1st anniversary and birthday remembrance) – In memory of a loving mother and grandmother Chrissie Noonan, late of Kilrush Park, Dungarvan, whose Anniversary occurs on 19th December and whose birthday occurs on 23rd December. R.I.P. Anniversary Mass will be celebrated at 10.00 a.m. on Sunday, 17th December, in Dungarvan Community Hospital Chapel. As each day dawns Mam, We think of you, As each night falls, We pray for you. And throughout our lives, No matter where, In our hearts, You are always there.

–Sadly missed by your loving daughter Mary; son-in-law Johnsey and your grandson Ciarán.

–Always remembered by Laura, Mark, Tom and Lily; Alan, Joan, Eoghan and Aoibhe, XXXX.

Will those who think of Kathleen today, A little prayer to Jesus say.

McGRATH (4th anniversary) – In loving memory of Robbie McGrath, late of Kilnagrange, Kilmacthomas, Co. Waterford, who died on 19th December, 2013. Fourth Anniversary Mass for Robbie will be celebrated on Saturday, 16th December, at 6.30 p.m. in Fews Church.

We sat beside your bedside, Our hearts were crushed and sore, We did our duty to the end, ’Til we could do no more. In tears we watched you sinking, We watched you fade away, And though our hearts were breaking, We knew you could not stay. You left behind some aching hearts, That loved you more sincere, We never shall and never will, Forget you and will always hold you dear.

Will those who think of them today, A little prayer to Jesus say.

–Always remembered by their loving family.

O’FLYNN (14th anniversary) – In loving memory of Liam O’Flynn, late of Lackendarra, Colligan, Dungarvan, who died on 21st December, 2003. God called your name so gently, But only you could hear, No one heard the footsteps, Of the Angels drawing near. You left this life so suddenly, We could only wonder why, For the saddest part of all, We never said goodbye.

–Your loving wife Nora, daughter Roisín; son Tomás and grand-daughter Ella Grace. Anniversary Mass will be celebrated on Saturday, 16th December, at 7.30 p.m. in St. Mary’s Church, Touraneena.

NOONAN (1st anniversary and birthday remembrance) – In loving memory of my mother Chrissie Noonan, late of Kilrush Park, Dungarvan, whose Anniversary occurs on 19th December and whose birthday occurs on 23rd December. R.I.P. Mass offered. Quietly today your memory we treasure, Loving you always, Forgetting you never. Will those who think of Mam today, A little prayer to Jesus say.

–Sadly missed by your loving son Ger and daughter-in-law Fiona.

The person who doesn’t advertise knows what they’re doing – but no one else does! Call … 058-41205/42042 e-mail: adverts@dungarvanobserver.ie

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Dungarvan Observer | Friday, 15 December, 2017

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32 & 33

PICTORIAL

Dungarvan Observer | Friday, 15 December, 2017

Waterford Local Enterprise Office and Dungarvan Credit Union jointly host their inaugural EnterpRISING Lunch in the Cunnigar Room at Crew’s Restaurant, Dungarvan

Sean Cleary, Dungarvan Credit Union; Eamonn Coughlan, Special Guest and Jenny Beresford, CEO Dungarvan & West Waterford Chamber. [Dan McGrath]

Teresa Collins, Dungarvan Credit Union; Helen Ridgard; Esther Barron, Barron's Bakery and Catherine McCarthy, Waterford Local Enterprise Office. [Dan McGrath]

Sean Cleary, Dungarvan Credit Union; Regina Mangan, Liberty Blue Estate Agents, Sean Drohan, WLR and Brid Kirby, Waterford Local Enterprise Office. [Dan McGrath]

Pictured with Eamonn Coughlan ahead of the EnterpRISING Lunch in Crew’s are from left to right: Johnny Brunnock, Brid Kirby, Eamon Coughlan, Special guest, Richie Walsh, Bernadette Drohan and Catherine McCarthy, from the Waterford Local Enterprise Office. [Dan McGrath]

Orla and Jeremy Nicholson, Bird Control Ireland, pictured with Eamonn Coughlan ahead of the EnterpRISING Lunch in Crew’s. [Dan McGrath]

Orla Dawson, Dungarvan Credit Union; Pat Whyte, Printmaster; Jack Kirwan, Aimfit and Brid Kirby, Waterford Local Enterprise Office. [Dan McGrath]

Orla Dawson, Dungarvan Credit Union; Rebecca Canning, Carmel Hale, Monere Development Services and Brid Kirby, Waterford Local Enterprise Office. [Dan McGrath]

Pictured with with Eamonn Coughlan ahead of the EnterpRISING Lunch in Crew’s are Dungarvan Credit Union staff, Orla Dawson, Teresa Collins, Amy Dawson, Sean Cleary, Manager, and Gabriel Foley, President. [Dan McGrath]

Jonathan Shaw, Party Rock Travel, pictured with Eamonn Coughlan at the EnterpRISING Lunch in Crew’s. [Dan McGrath] Sean Cleary, Dungarvan Credit Union; Mary Corby, Irish Weighted Blankets; Orlaith Brady, Gourmet House and Brid Kirby, Waterford Local Enterprise Office. [Dan McGrath] Teresa Collins, Dungarvan Credit Union; Nicola Kent, Waterford Area Partnership; Gayle Barry, Waterford Area Partnership and Susan Furniss Radley. [Dan McGrath]

Gabriel Foley, President Dungarvan Credit Union; Patrick Harrington, Bank of Ireland; Teresa Collins, Dungarvan Credit Union and Geri Garvey, Bank of Ireland, [Dan McGrath] pictured at the EnterpRISING Lunch in Crew’s.

Orla Dawson, Dungarvan Credit Union; Vinny Sullivan, Alan Dalton Goldsmith & Co. Ltd; Amy Dawson, Dungarvan [Dan McGrath] Credit Union and Alan Dalton, Alan Dalton Goldsmith & Co. Ltd.

Eamonn Longergan, Knockanore Cheese pictured with Eamonn Coughlan at the EnterpRISING Lunch in Crew’s. [Dan McGrath]

Sean Cleary, Dungarvan Credit Union; Jeffery Allen, The Healthy Lifestyle Program; Brid Kirby, Waterford Local Enterprise Office and Yvonne Dillion, Nutrilicious Food Co. [Dan McGrath]

COUNTY NEWS NEWSREEL … Anxious or Depressed?

COME to our Support Group Meeting in Dungarvan.Venue: Deise Day Care, Dungarvan, Community Centre, Mitchel Street. Date: Every Tuesday at 7.30 p.m. Helpline: 1800 804 848. You are not alone! Please note change in time.

St. Michael’s Hall Ballyduff Upper Card Results 1st Finbarr Byrnes & Helen O’Keeffe; 2nd John Conway & PJ McInerney; 4th/5th Pat Kirby & Sheila Lonergan. Lucky Tables: Dan Howard, Eddie Sheehan, Aaron & Mary Pratt. Raffle: Mary Pratt, Finbarr Byrnes x 2, Delia Cashell, Mary Byrnes, Helen O’Keeffe, Sheila Lonergan and Hugh Geary.

Ballysaggart Community Council 45 Card Results

DVDS FOR SALE IN THE MUSEUM Dungarvan’s Hospitals – A Walking History and Grattan Square – Social History Documentary of Dungarvan ‘Dungarvan’s Hospitals - A

Walking History’ is a wonderful documentary film made by Eddie Cantwell and Fionn Mac Giolla Chuda, starring Michael Brennan for the Christmas Market. This was shown to two packed houses at the SGC

OBJECT OF THE WEEK

Calendar for Thomas Power & Co. Brewery, Dungarvan, 1957

1st Dan Howard and Fionuala Hynes, Dan and Bridie Brien, Sean Higgins and Mary Byrne. Lucky Tables: Dave Fennessy and Christy Higgins; Sheila Lonergan and Pat O'Connor; Hugh Geary and Tom Casey. Tickets: Dan Howard, Helen O'Keeffe, Joan Hannon, Sheila Lonergan and Nellie Devine.

Artlinks Bursaries 2018 call for applications WATERFORD City & County Council in partnership with the ArtLinks partners in Carlow, Kilkenny and Wexford is pleased to announce that they are currently accepting applications for the ArtLinks Bursary Awards 2018. ArtLinks is a partnership of the four Local Authority Arts Offices in Carlow, Kilkenny, Waterford and Wexford. It is supported by the Arts Council/An Chomhairle Ealaíon. ArtLinks and provides professional development opportunities and supports for established and emerging artists who are resident in the four partner local authority areas in the South East region. Artists must be a member of ArtLinks to avail of these supports. Membership is free and is open to both Professional and Emerging Artists who are resident within the four partner Local Authorities. If you are not already a member log on to www.artlinks.ie to register for membership and the application forms and guidelines are available to download from this website also. Bursaries are available in the following areas Emerging Artist Award (for those commencing a career in the arts sector) Professional Development Award (for professional artists) Collaborative Award (for collaborative projects between ArtLinks members) The closing date for receipt of completed applications is Monday, 29th January, 2018, at 12 noon.

Kilgobinet/Colligan and Kilbrien Masses for Christmas Christmas Eve - Colligan - Mass at 7 p.m.; Kilgobinet - Mass at 8 p.m. Christmas Day - Kilbrien - Mass at 9.30 a.m.; Kilgobinet Mass at 11 a.m. St. Stephen’s Day - Colligan - Mass at 11 a.m.

The calendar features one of the brewery employees, Mr. Thomas Greaney. He is described on the calendar as:Thomas Greaney foreman bottler at Power’s Brewery for more than forty years. His job needs constant attention to changing temperatures, as well as day-to-day consumption of beer. During his forty years Tommy has been absent once when ill for a few days. To Tommy goes all the credit for perfection of Power’s bottling. He has seen many changes in the old Brewery, but in all today’s modern equipment and plant, none has pleased him so much in his care of Guinness’ Stout as today’s delivery in stainless steel tankers which maintain an even temperature in all weather, due to their insulation. Greatly increased sales in recent years of Guinness by Powers today is due to this big change in delivery and storage of stout before it goes into bottle. Behind all these modern efforts towards perfection are men of the high calibre of Thomas Greaney.

Cinema in Dungarvan, and for all those people who requested copies a DVD is now on sale for €12 at Waterford County Museum in Friary Street. Eddie has decided to use the income from the sales to advance further research at Gallows Hill. Apart from dealing with St. Joseph’s, the documentary which was produced by Eddie and filmed and edited by Fionn, also deals with St.Vincent’s which was standing at the time of filming. Michael Brennan, who Eddie says ‘is the real star of this documentary’, was born at the Gate Lodge back in the 1930s, and his memories of growing up there have now been recorded for prosperity. Eddie continued ‘Michael is clinical, humorous and displays an almost photographic memory about life there. I hardly had to ask him a question he just took off with me in tow. Fionn and I spent some four hours filming and I don’t even want to think about the number of hours that I sat and watched Fionn edit it with clinical precision’. Also ‘Grattan Square – Social History Documentary of Dungarvan’ is available on DVD for €10 at the Museum. This is an extremely popular film which was also shown to full houses at the SGC Cinema in Dungarvan. Along with the DVDs we also have a great selection of books for sale with local connections. YOUR CHANCE TO SUPPORT THE MUSEUM Museum membership is available for an annual fee of €15 if you would like to support the work of the Museum. The Museum relies heavily on membership fees, donations and fund raising activities, so we would be delighted if you would join us as a member. As a member you will benefit from knowing that you are supporting the important work of the Museum in County Waterford, plus being informed of various talks, new exhibitions and activities taking place throughout the year. There is also a member’s annual trip and Christmas meal. Please do consider joining us as a member. You can see the very

varied and interesting work of the Museum on our website w w w. wa t e r f o rd mu s e u m . i e including volunteers taking part in local archaeological digs. Call in to see us in Friary Street, or ring us on 058-45960 for more information. DONATION OF OBJECTS AND OLD PHOTOGRAPHS The Museum relies on donations of objects from members of the public. We do not have funds to purchase objects, so we would be very grateful for any objects of local historic interest which you may have in your possession which you would be willing to kindly donate to us. Also if you have any old photographs of people, places, ships, sports events etc. with a County Waterford connection we are very happy to accept them. We can scan them to add to our extensive photographic archive and give you back the originals. By donating items to us you will be playing your part in helping to preserve local history for future generations. You can drop items into us in Friary Street, or call us on 05845960 to discuss any items you are thinking of donating. VISITING THE MUSEUM We welcome visits from schools, community groups, and local history societies. Please contact us at 058 45960 to arrange a visit. Let us know if you are interested in a particular subject and we will focus on that during the visit. OPENING HOURS Monday to Friday 10.00 a.m. - 5.00 p.m. Admission is free.

FIRST WORLD WAR WATERFORD CASUALTY LIST FOR WEEK ENDING 13th DECEMBER, 2017 Surname Doyle Ludgate Noonan Shea

First Name Patrick Michael Michael Patrick

Age Service No. Rank 39 Pantryman 49788 Pr. 32 1605 Pr./G/1287 R.I. 25772 Pr./1610

Service Merc. Marine Army Army Army

Unit S.S. Umgeni S.Staff Reg.2/5 Bn/We R.I.Reg.2 Garrison Bn. R.I.Reg.7Bn./S.I.Horse

Where Born Tramore Waterford Waterford Aglish

Death Category At sea Killed in action Died Killed in action

Date of Death 12/9/17 12/10/17 12/11/17 12/12/17

Dungarvan Observer | Friday, 15 December, 2017

COUNTY NEWS

Kill Village Winter Wonderland unites community groups, residents and lapland visitors! ACCORDING to the 2016 Central Statistics Office, the electoral area of Kill has 997 residents and every one of them was catered for at the amazing Kill Action & Alert Group's Christmas event held in the village on Friday December 1st. This small group of volunteers united with Kill Community Centre, Kill GAA Club, Portlaw Irish Red Cross and the Michael Power Memorial Christmas Day Swim committees and local businesses, Pisces Restaurant, Kirwans Bar, Dunphy's Bar and Happy Days Shop to provide the young, old and everywhere in between the most fabulous kick-off to the Christmas season. Just look at these photographs to see what a small group of volunteers committed to enhancing village life, promoting neighbourliness, putting the Fun into fundraising, unifying all local organisations and reigniting the spirit of togetherness can achieve. With a grant provided by Waterford Area Partnership, funding through Kill GAA Long Puck Committee, and sponsorship from Brennan Hygiene, Curran Foods, Dawn Meats, Dunphy's of Annestown, Norman O’Reilly Fish and Pallas Foods, Kill Action & Alert Group started their annual Christmas event by hosting a social gathering for over 70 older residents of the village and its environs in the festively decorated Community Centre. They enjoyed a gorgeous complimentary 3 course meal provided by Jenny, Aoife and staff of Kill's Pisces Restaurant, drinks were provided by Kirwan's Bar & Off Licence, entertainment and dancing with local duo Reunited and a raffle with prizes provided by Ray & Imelda Murphy, Redlane Boutique,Tom & Hannah Power and Kirwan's Bar. Lucky Josie Hayes won first prize of a bursting hamper of goodies and nobody wanted to leave, while dancing ensued, crackers were pulled and smiles beamed on the faces of all!! A massive Thank You to Mary Lyng from Waterford Area Partnership who stayed all day and evening to help and a very, very Merry Christmas wish and Happy New Year to all the sponsors, helpers, and volunteers. The preceding week had seen a hive of volunteers busy at erecting the village Crib and 25ft tall Christmas Tree, courtesy of Tom Noonan at Coillte and put into place by Patrick Kirwan and John Paul Casey with the tractor and loader, with a Winter Wonderland and Nativity tableau created by the ingenious visionary Ray Power of Wisteria Landscaping and with the power (electric!) of Kill GAA Club, hooked up by their "always on hand" Chairperson Niall Murphy. A big thank you to all who provided the space for the Winter Wonderland and surroundings to fit in everybody! With lighting purchased by Kill Action & Alert Group with funds from their Rodeo BBQ held last August, "snow" provided by local firm Geoline Ltd, and sound by our brilliant DJ Tyrone, Monica Weldon, our community's TUS worker and committee members Deirdre and Sean Allen, Marie & Flannan Cleary,

Grace Colbert, Mareike and James Eccleston, Alan Flynn, Derek and John Flynn, Andi Kienzle, Graham Ryan, Bruce McDonald, Davy Mulcahy, Brid & Michael Walsh, and many more, turned a practical carpark into a scene straight from a snow globe. This could not have been safely completed without the help of Colette O'Brien and Waterford City & County Council and sponsorship from South East Car Hire, Motor Village Waterford and Nissan Dungarvan. The previous months had seen a newly formed Community Choir of all ages rehearse, under the guidance of gifted Brendan McCarthy, a range of Christmas Carols and festive songs. A big thank you to all parents and grandparents for helping with transport and to everyone who took part and even bigger thank you to Brendan for all his time and talent. And finally, as the day fell to dusk, a calm settled as children, parents, grandparents walked from the four roads leading to the centre of Kill Village, and with bated, frosty breath, at 6.15pm, Friday 1st December 2017, memories that will last a lifetime were created.

Kill Community Choir, dressed in all their festive finery (and a few with glowing red noses!!) set the tone with Silent Night, reminding us all of what Christmas is really all about. With the blessing of the Crib by Fr. Martin Keogh PP complete, the singers went from Away in a Manger to a bursting rendition of Joy to the World and a medley of well known Yuletide songs. Everyone was welcomed by Grace Colbert who announced that this year's bucket collection would be shared with the Michael Power Memorial Christmas Day Swim committee, benefitting the Touching Hearts charity, to enable the city's Sacred Heart Day Care Unit to build a more suitable premises for children with all sorts of abilities and educational challenges. "And one man who touched all our hearts", continued Grace "was our dear friend Michael Raher, who, for many of us, was last in our company at this very spot for our Easter Extravaganza last April. Since his and his mother Helen's passing, his wife Kathy and the Raher family have raised thousands of Euros for Touching Hearts, and in celebration of them, we invite Michael & Kathy's boys Dylan and

Callum to light up Kill Village by switching on the lights of our Christmas Tree." After a countdown from ten, these gorgeous boys completed their task admirably, as a flicker of a mysterious object was viewed flying across the winter sky from the North Pole. Then, just as everyone was tucking into complimentary hot chocolate from Pisces Restaurant and mulled wine from Dunphy's Bar, the village was assailed with sirens from the emergency services as they raced to ensure a visit from the man himself. Here to the eye-popping, awed delight of the children was Santa Claus arriving courtesy of Bonmahon Coastguard, our wonderful Fire Service based in Kilmacthomas and volunteer Paul Purcell. Led by his elves (as we cannot print their Elvish names correctly, we will call them Enya, Jessica and Katelyn) to his sleigh parked under the Community's Christmas Tree, and to the background of DJ Tyrone's seasonal musical mixture, Santa sat, spoke, had photographs taken with, and presented each family with a unique gift of a Christmas Tree to plant in their own gardens and cherish forevermore. He explained the reindeer had to rest until Christmas Eve but promised every child he would be seeing them again soon, ensuring they were tucked up, sleeping, while he left their well earned presents under their own Christmas Trees. Then, under a crisp, moonlit sky, after the crowds had proceeded to Mass in Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church to remember their bereaved and afterwards to Kill Community Centre, Santa and his helpers were pushed down the hill in his magical sleigh and burst through the Community Centre doors. Here, the big people enjoyed a wonderful performance by Michael Murphy's Guitar students who practice and learn in the centre every Saturday, followed by music from Throwin' Shapes and the very talented Craig Dunphy, Jenny Comerford Guiry & Friends, refreshments and complimentary mince pies provided by Happy Days Shop and Kill Community Centre, hosting the Afters Party which provided a wonderful frame to chat, sit down and unwind. The little people enjoyed a screening of a Christmas movie under the watchful eye of projectionist Sean Corcoran in the Gealach Gorm Theatre and had another opportunity for a dance and a song afterwards. Truly, a memorable day and night for a small community with a big heart. Kill Action & Alert Group were recently nominated for a Public Participation Network Community & Voluntary Awards, hosted by WLR FM. This group of volunteers are a true example of the adage that Happiness is in Giving and that by giving even just one hour, out of one day, out of one year, small communities can achieve monumental tasks. Thank you for reminding us all that Christmas is truly the season of Goodwill to all.

KILL KILL GAA LOTTO At last week's Lotto draw in Kirwan's Bar there was no winner of the €10,000 Lotto jackpot. There were two match 3 winners on the night who were Phil Noonan and Jonathan Moloney. The numbers drawn were 3, 16, 17 & 21.The Lotto draw was sponsored by Jones Oil. ST. MARY'S JUVENILE CLUB Please be advised that St. Mary's Juvenile Club are holding their Annual General Meeting on 12th December at 8pm in the clubhouse. Indoor hurling continues to take place every Friday from 5.00 p.m. to 8.00 p.m. in Kill Community Centre. All are welcome! St. Mary’s indoor hurling in Kill Community Centre will finish up this Friday 15th December. John and all the U-6/7/8s coaches and helpers wish you all a very Happy Christmas and look forward to seeing you back in 2018! CHRISTMAS SINGALONG Please join us for a Christmas Singalong in aid of the Elaine-Sarah Comerford Fund on Thursday 21st

December from 7.30 p.m. in Harney's Bar, Dunhill, hosted by Dunaill Folk Group and Harney's Bar. Mulled Wine and Mince Pies will be served and all are welcome! COLD SNAP Please check on your neighbours to see if they need help bringing in coal or fuel etc, or need help lighting fires this cold weather. Anyone who needs help please contact any member of the Kill Action & Alert Group - confidentiality guaranteed. HAPPY BIRTHDAY To Alicia Clooney, Katherine Halley and Jessie Torpey, we wish all of you very happy 21st birthdays. Have a fabulous time! KILL GAA LONG PUCK Once again, the Kill Long Puck will provide you with an opportunity to walk off all these extra sweets over Christmas: This year's event will start on 27th December at 1.30pm in Kill Village with entry being just €10 for adults and €5 for juvenile players. Come along for this traditional event and support this year's beneficiary Ian St John Support Fund.

The Copper Coast Geopark Visitor Centre in Bunmahon.

[Billy Crowley]

BONMAHON COPPER COAST GEOPARK We would like to thank all who attended our recent annual Christmas Fair and wish you all a wonderful festive season. NEWS FROM KNOCKMAHON N.S. Our annual Christmas Fair is taking place this Sunday, 17th December from 12.00 noon to 3.00 p.m. in the school. Lovely handmade crafts, chutneys and bakes will be for sale - put the date in your diary and come along. Tea and Coffee will be served and all are welcome. BONMAHON COMMUNITY SOCIETY The numbers drawn recently were 28, 31, 1 and 7. We had no Jackpot or match 3 winners. Our two lucky dip winners were Mary Daly and Nicky Hayes who received €50 each. Our match 3 prize will be increased to €200 for the next 4 draws, and of course there's our jackpot of €9,450 as well! Make sure to be in with a chance to win!

Fews National School Fundraising Benefit Night at Kilcohan Park Greyhound Stadium on Saturday, 2nd December 2017 – Maura Prendergast, Joyce [Noel Browne] Power and Emma Kirwan.

COUNTY NEWS

Dungarvan Observer | Friday, 15 December, 2017

TOURANEENA S.V.D.P. The Annual St. Vincent de Paul Church Gate Collection held at St. Mary's Church, Touraneena, last weekend had a great response. The total amount raised was €607.92. This money will be put to good use this Christmas and we thank everybody for their generosity. SLIABH gCUA / ST. MARY'S The ‘Big Breakfast’ is back! The very successful St. Stephen's Day breakfast speciality cooked by the players and club members will be held again this year in the Community Centre. Service will start at 11.00 a.m. and continue until 1.30 p.m. This year there will be special guests Dauly and Taylor who will perform the Gangnam Style dance. This will really be worth seeing! All are welcome. Also a reminder to those interested in going on the 2018 club trip to Dingle on 13th January, that the spaces on the bus are rapidly filling up. In order to secure your seat on the bus, please contact Kay on 0876698339. The total cost for the weekend is €120 which includes bus, breakfast on the way, bed and breakfast in the hotel, a shuttle back to Dingle on the Saturday night and 2 evening meals. The bus will be back in Touraneena on the Sunday evening at 6.30 p.m. SYMPATHY We extend our sincere sympathy to the family of Mai Hickey, Kilgobinet on the recent passing of Mai. Our sympathy is extended to her loving sons Tommy, John, Larry and Con, daughters Sheila, Helen, Maura,

Peggy and Bridget, nephew Brian Coughlan, niece Maria Coughlan, grandchildren, great granchildren, relatives, neighbours and many friends. Funeral mass was in St. Gobnait's Church, Kilgobinet followed by burial in the adjoining cemetery. May she rest in peace. SLIABH gCUA LOTTO This week's Lotto was held in Hanrahan's Bar, Ballinamult, for a lotto jackpot of €2,400. The winning numbers drawn were 10, 11, 25 and once again there was no winner of the jackpot. The 5 x €20 winners were Cormac Condon, Thomas Keane, Tom Dunne, Aoife Walsh, Jonathan Hennebry. The promoter’s prize of €20 was won by Hanrahan's Bar. Next week’s draw will be held in Dunne's Bar, Touraneena on Sunday night, 17th December for a lotto jackpot of €2,500. There will be big surprises for the Christmas draw, so make sure you have your tickets in on time. ANNUAL FUNDRAISER Naomh Brid will hold their annual Fundraising Quiz on Friday night, 29th December at Deckie Walsh's Bar, Modeligo. Tables of 4 cost €20 and there will be a kids quiz as well. We hope to see a great turnout on the night. COUNTY AWARDS Best of luck to local lads, Gavin Dalton, Modeligo, Tom Barron, Fourmilewater, Thomas O’Gorman, The Nire and Jamie Barron, Fourmilewater who have all been shortlisted in different categories for county Player of the Year awards.The awards night will be held in Lawlor's Hotel on Friday night, 12th January, 2018.

Abbeyside Scouts DUE to quite a bit of housekeeping our meeting was short enough. Scouts did get to have a game of indoor soccer before they got stuck into a little gadget making. We need lots of more practice for everyone to be competent at this. Looking forward to seeing what interesting gadgets our talented young Scouts can come up with. I noticed some fantastic leadership and mentoring skills throughout the room. Well done Scouts. A big thank you to Stephen for your help throughout the meeting. Could parents please note that we need answers on Annual Camp next year, in the coming days. If you know that your son or daughter cannot attend please let us know so we can rule them out. We need to make a decision because we will want to book flights very soon to get best pricing.

Tourin GAA Club members who were winners at the Lions Club Pub Quiz in the West End Bar, Lismore. Also pictured are Rose O’Dowd, West End Bar, Bob O’Brien Quizmaster and John Lawless, President Dungarvan Lions Club.

Dungarvan Lions Club - nearly the last lap in the Christmas Appeal THE club is now on the penultimate lap of the Christmas Appeal fundraiser. Last week was again a busy one for the committees. Among the events were the Gold Coast Golf Competition, the Music Night at Kiely’s Cross, the Table Quiz at the West End Bar in Lismore, a Christmas Pageant in Whitechurch National School which raised a whopping €500 thanks to all the pupils, teachers and parents, a visit to the 5th year class in St. Augustine’s, Abbeyside who are organising a number of events for the club and of course the sale of the raffle tickets. This week more events are coming down the line. First up is the Early morning Breakfast at the Shamrock Restaurant on Thursday 14th (8.00 a.m. - 10.00 a.m. please come early and avoid the rush), Dungarvan Lions Club sponsored “Wear Red to Work/School” on Friday 15th and the Firemen’s Street Collection of Saturday 16th. The Firemen’s Collection is always a favourite with the children as it is an opportunity to have your photo taken in Grattan Square with the firemen. You might also see them high up in the sky on their ladders! Sunday 17th at sees the Dungarvan Cycling Club take off on their annual sponsored “Appeal

Pupils from Whitechurch National School, Ballinameela presenting a cheque for €500 to John Lawless and Derry Twomey of Dungarvan Lions Club. Pictured also is Mrs Caroline O’Connor, Speech and Drama teacher. This money was raised through the children’s Christmas Pageant which was held on 6th Dec. for the Lions Club Christmas Appeal. Cycle” (9.00 a.m. at the Civic Offices) and at 1.00 p.m. gather at the Park Hotel for travel to Ardmore for the Dungarvan

Hillwalker’s Annual Cliff Walk (refreshments afterwards). See this paper and our Facebook page for photos from

last week’s event’s. All funds raised go directly to families and individuals in need in the West Waterford area.

Dungarvan Flower & Garden Club FOLLOWING our recent Christmas Gala Demonstration, President Maura Kindregan, presents the proceeds of the evening to Gill Wilson for Dungarvan Community Hospital. The Club would like to say a huge thanks to Pierce Flynn and his staff in the Park Hotel for their help not only on the night of our fundraiser, but for the other meetings we hold there throughout the year. Thanks also, to the local papers and WLR who include our notices for meetings, we greatly appreciate all your From left to right: Mary Reilly, DCH; Maura Kindregan, President DF&GC; Gill Wilson, DCH and help. Christine Hughes, AOIFA, guest demonstrator.

COUNTY NEWS

Dungarvan Observer | Friday, 15 December, 2017

The Annual Volunteer Declan Hurton Commemoration

THE Annual Declan Hurton Commemoration was held last Sunday at his memorial in Curragh, Ardmore or as we Curraghmen call it, the Independent Republic of the Curragh. Volunteer Declan Hurton died on the 9th of December 1921 from wounds inflicted on him at Thurles Railway Station by the Black and Tans.

At the young age of 31 Declan Hurton lost two lives, the life he was living and the life he could have lived, as a husband, a father, a grandfather, to walk where he once did run but like many others he gave up everything for Ireland. Declan Hurton’s grandniece Ella McGrath laid the wreath, Paddy Foley ably paid tribute to Declan and finished

ARDMORE Ardmore Tidy Towns CHRISTMAS SWIM The ever popular Annual Christmas swim will go ahead again this Christmas Day at 12.15 p.m. Proceeds will again go to the wonderful people in the RLNI, who voluntarily give of their time and risk their lives to keep us all safe. People are asked to get their sponsorship cards from Catherine at Ardmore Pottery. BEST WISHES Best wishes to our executive member Chris Ramsell, who is currently hospitalised. We wish her a speedy recovery and sure maybe she’ll even be fit for the Christmas swim. SUCCESSFUL OPEN MEETING We had a well attended and very positive Open Meeting of Ardmore Tidy Towns last week. A number of people who were unable to attend on the night sent their apologies and we had a number of new members join up as well. In addition we got very valuable feedback from what we’re about and some nice ideas for new projects. CREDIT UNION AGM The AGM of Youghal Credit Union takes place in The Walter Raleigh Hotel on Monday next, December 18th at 8.00 p.m.

Members are asked to attend.We saw how many of us were concerned when there was a danger we’d lose our credit union earlier in the year and how appreciative we were when it was announced they were remaining in the village. CREDIT UNION OPENING HOURS Ardmore Credit Union will be open on Saturday, December 23rd but will be closed on Saturday, December 30th. A complimentary bus will run from Ardmore to Youghal on the 15th, 22nd & 29th December. It will leave St Declan’s Hall at 11.00 a.m. and Youghal Credit Union at 1.00 p.m. POKER AT ROUND TOWER HOTEL. Last week’s results saw a good mix up in winners again with a further tightening up of affairs at the top of the table. Redmond Foley, after his win on the runners up table is still at the head of affairs on 133 points but this week his lead is shared with Billy. There’s a right pile up really closing in on them led by Nathan Bryan (runner up), closely followed by Jerome Curran (this week’s winner), Mary Ann Troy, Ann Mooney and James Bryan,

all of whom are within a win of the top. Trish Fitzgerald, Catherine Mansfield, Ger Cronin & Fr. Lucey are all in the nineties and by no means out of contention either. Just two Wednesdays left before Christmas and we’ve decided we’ll run the first game on both nights as €15 games and all are welcome. We’ll also have a game the Wednesday after Christmas – back to a tenner that night as we’ll all be skint by then. PROGRESSIVE 45 AT KEEVERS Gerry O’Brien & Des Fitzgerald won the 45 drive last week at Keevers with Michael & Ann Keane and Brian & Willie Keane sharing 2nd & Terri McGrath & Anne Halley were best of the last 5 & Thomas Power & Liam Foley won the last game. CHRISTMAS CAROLS The Ardmore Community Choir will be performing their collection of Christmas Carols in St. Declan's Church after Mass on Saturday night. Then the Ardmore Church Choir will join with the St Paul's Choir for the annual Christmas Carol Service in St. Paul's Church on Sunday afternoon.

with a decade of the Rosary in Irish for the repose of his soul. On a very wet day in the Curragh we came to commemorate Declan Hurton because we are Republicans, we love our country, our flag and most all our people. Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a difference in the world but Declan Hurton does not

have that problem, his memorial is there for all to see and on a wet day in the Curragh we will remember him. Pictured from left to right – John Larkin, Padraig Ó Foghlú, Liam Lynch, Cllr. Tom Cronin, John Prendergast, Thomas Troy, Jimmy O’Mahoney, Ella Hurton, Declan Seaward, Michael Lynch and Mary Foley.

The amazing Donna Taggart performs in Ardmore on New Year's Day 2018 2017 gave us some wonderful sell-out Concerts in St. Declan's Church Ardmore and now we look forward to the very popular New Year's Day Concert for 2018. Because of how quickly this special day's concert sells out each year, once again the response has been amazing as this year is no different. This is evidence of how popular this artist has become over the last three years. Born in Omagh she is one of Ireland's leading female performers and her big hit

"Jealous of the Angels" has now over 100 million U Tube views! We are delighted to announce the amazing Donna Taggart will perform at 4.00 p.m. on January 1st, 2018.Tickets are €25 and are available at Ardmore and Grange Post Offices and from John on 086-2330810 and Maurice on 085-1741614. If interested, it is a must buy as soon as possible or you will be disappointed. Concert is in aid of Ardmore and Grange Parish Funds.

Donna Taggart

December 27th - St. Declan’s Way Walk KNOCKMEALDOWN Active will host a Christmas walk on Wednesday, December 27th, along a section of St. Declan's Way from where it crosses the Dungarvan to Cork Road (N25) at Grange to Knocknaskagh beside Ballinameela Church. The walk is free, if you do not require transport you can just show up and participate. A donation on the day to defray costs would be appreciated, but is not obligatory. WALK DETAILS The start of the walk is at Grid reference 172814 about a 1/2 km on the Youghal side of Grange Church. The finish of the walk is at grid reference 149945 at Knocknaskagh cross roads just off the R671 near Ballinameela Church.

Both start and finish ref points are on sheet 82 ordinance survey map. The walk starts at 11.30 a.m. The walk is all flat and is half on back roads, half on boreens and newly renovated walking tracks (renovated as part of the St. Declan's Way upgrade for its inclusion as a waymarked National Trails Office (NTO) route).This walk is approximately 20 kms in length. This is a led walk as way markings are not yet in place. It is the first section of St. Declan's Way to be de-vegetated in the re-establishment of this ancient route. Please keep an eye on our Facebook Page in case there are changes due to inclement weather conditions. Like and share the page to receive updates.

COUNTY NEWS

Dungarvan Observer | Friday, 15 December, 2017

STRADBALLY RECONCILIATION The Sacrament of Reconciliation for Christmas will take place in Stradbally on Saturday evening next, 16th December at 7.30 p.m. vigil Mass at Holy Cross Church. In Sacred Heart Church, Faha on Sunday morning, 17th December at 9 a.m. Mass. In St. Ann’s Church, Ballylaneen at Sunday morning, 17th December at 11 a.m. Mass. APPRECIATION Thanks and appreciation to the Bonmahon Inshore Lifeguard volunteers who have an intimate knowledge of the cliffs of the Copper Coast and especially Ballyvooney, Stradbally where last Sunday, 3rd December two hounds from a visiting hunt to Stradbally went over the cliffs in chase of a fox. The drama unfolded as the hunt had packed up and gone home and the Whipper In was collecting the dogs discovered some were missing. With modern technology and GPS the two hounds were tracked to the bottom of the cliffs at O’Brien’s land at Ballyvooney. The services of the Bonmahon Inshore Lifeguards was called upon and with their knowledge and expertise and the help of the landowner involved, with searchlights the dogs were located and brought to safety. The night was dark and very cold and a huge thank you is due to those involved. It is amazing that exactly twelve months ago on the 6th December last year exactly the same thing happened again this time with six hounds in the same place, they were also rescued by the Bonmahon Inshore Lifeguards. These volunteers should surely be recognised for the wonderful work the do and the service they provide for both human and canine along our coast. CHRISTMAS DAY SWIM The Soccer Club annual Christmas Day Swim this year is being held in aid of a new Wheelchair Accessible Bus for the Irish Wheelchair Association. Sponsorship cards are in the local shop Cunningham’s XL Store, at Glanbia, Durrow with the Fitzgerald family Rockville, Stradbally and the Soccer Club committee members.Your support would be most welcome. STRADBALLY MARKET The producers from the Stradbally Market wish to thank all who attended their Christmas Fair last Thursday night. There was a great attendance with everyone in the festive spirit. With a great array of cakes, puddings and mince pies, Christmas decorations and designer knitted hats, blankets and baby presents. Beautiful wood-turning pieces such as lamps and bowls, orders for home-baking and fresh vegetables will be taken next Saturday, 16th for Christmas. The big raffle for the hampers will also take place on Saturday next. Do drop into the Cove Bar from 10.30 a.m. onwards there will be lots to choose from. TUESDAY CLUB The Tuesday Club at Kilmacthomas Day Centre had a wonderful day out on Friday.We had John of Hallahan Coaches, Cappoquin, take us to the Kilmeaden Santa Express, where we started the day with hot chocolate, tea and coffee. Then we were met by the staff and even had our photo taken with Steve (Choo Choo) and then enjoyed the scenic trip along the river Suir. They have two enclosed carriages which as it was a cold bright day meant that we all kept nice and warm. Lunch was at Donnacha's. Mulled wine, cordials, followed by a lovely menu selection, desserts and then coffee with warm mincepies! They certainly looked after us. Singing ‘Carols’ and a box of chocolates for everyone brought our Christmas outing to a lovely end. Thank you to everyone for making our day.

Ger Crowley past pupil of Stradbally National School holding the Senior Football Conway Cup with Mary Crowley, teacher during the team’s visit to the school.

Stradbally Honours All-Ireland Winners – Pictured (l. to r.): Back row: Tom Hickey (BH Sec.); Roisin Dunphy; Meagan Foran, Tao Behan, Johnny Troy (Manager and Coach). Front row: Shiona Dunphy, Sheena McGucian and Aoife Brazil.

Stradbally honours its own All-Ireland Girls (Under 16s) Champions 2017 A BUSY but enjoyable evening at Barron Hall, Stradbally, on 30th November started with a Barron Hall Committee Meeting. Among the many items discussed was the Pantomime, which was a roaring success earlier this year. It sold out very quickly. We are most fortunate that our Chairman Dave Pollock, who is a seasoned actor and now a crafted playwriter / director, who put this last wonderful show together. So we can expect more of the same this time around from him and his talented crew. So keep your eye on Stradbally notes for any future announcement. The first public item was unveiling of a

plaque by Fr. Jerry Condon, P.P., and past Parish Priest Fr. Michael Enright in recognition of Holy Cross Church, Stradbally, generous donation to kick start the restoration of our excellent facility Barron Hall. This was covered extensively in last week’s notes by Tom Hickey. 2018 WALL CALENDAR The next item, the launching of next Year’s Barron Hall 2018 Calendar. A must have item if you live in the Stradbally area, because it contains all the contact details of our local businesses, tradesman, shops, services, etc. And it’s FREE!

STRADBALLY HONOURS ALL IRELAND WINNERS Presentation of Certificates of Excellence in Sport to six young ladies who were in the Waterford team who won the All-Ireland Girls (Under 16s) Championship 2017. It’s amazing that a small community like Stradbally could produce six All-Ireland young ladies champions of whom we are so very proud. We are also delighted that the Barron Hall Committee and the Stradbally Tourist & Enterprise Group acknowledged this magnificent achievement of behalf of Stradbally. Photography & notes by Richard Cutbill.

Barron hall Calendar 2018 – Pictured left to right: Dave Pollock (BH Chairman); Fr. Gerry Condon, P.P.; past Parish Priest Fr. Michael Enright; Pat Fennell (BH Committee); Christine King (BH Committee Member) and Nicola Blair (BH Treasurer).

Dungarvan Observer | Friday, 15 December, 2017

COUNTY NEWS

BALLINAMEELA By Donal Buckley

Quality Time AT this time of year, our thoughts turn to the family. The Guinness family. Other people can write what they like about the moral and ethical view of the ‘pint of plain’, but there is also an historical and social side to the bold Arthur and his offspring. The Guinness family was populated by politicians, peers and industrialists whose influence spread across the world. From Speaker of the House in New Zealand to MP’S in Westminster and missionaries in China to spark plug manufacturers and racing drivers to Royal Navy officers and a Dublin judge, the Guinness family pervaded all walks of life. In their ranks were bankers (boo, hiss), Olympic Polo players (Tally-ho!), a fencer (sword, not barb wire), an artist (it’s a talent!), editor (how difficult can that be?) and conservationist (somebody had to redress the balance). Along with their own millions, they married in to other families of means such as, The Rothschilds, The Aga Khan and Greek shipping billionaire Philip Niarchos. To say that the Guinness family were, are and forever will be filthy rich would be the equivalent of saying that Ireland is damp. One of the impressive properties owned by the Guinness clan was Elveden Estate in Suffolk. In Victorian times they employed an army of servants. Just for the hunting and shooting side of the things they had 16 gamekeepers, 9 underkeepers, 28 warreners (just for rabbit culling) and 24 miscellaneous workmen. All were employed to make sure that any house guests had enough confused birds and mammals to blow to smithereens. The Guinness family weren't the only grand employers. The first Duke of Chandos had a full orchestra at his disposal so that he could listen to music during mealtimes. He wasn't a complete spendthrift, however, as he employed one of his musicians as his barber also. Most big estates in Victorian times felt a responsibility for their workers, and in some cases their families as well. Workers cottages were built on the estate property. New employees were usually recruited from there. This gave security of employment to the workers but also guaranteed their loyalty. Mind you, servants worked long and hard hours. 16 hours a day, 7 days per week, with days off only in extreme circumstances (death of an immediate relative, amputation of a limb or the Moon crashing in to the Earth). Mealtimes were taken at the discretion of the employer and usually in a standing position, as servants weren't encouraged to sit down. Wages were consistently poor, but they were consistent. At least, they didn't have to suffer the ignominy of the "zero hour contracts" scenario. Back in those days, such a thing would be considered barbaric. Loyalty of labour works both ways. At the present time, employers are holding large reservoirs of potential workers to ransom. They will employ a core amount of people, mostly in junior management positions to avoid paying overtime. At busier times of the year, this reservoir of people wait by their phones, for that short notice call announcing that their number had come up and they had been granted a couple of hours work. However, if you are not grateful enough to be available immediately, you may find that those phonecalls will become less frequent. There may have been some misguided necessity for these draconian working practices after the banking crisis. But since the 'green shoots' of recovery were brought to our notice in 2011, the Irish economy has been making steady progress. If employers ever claim 'straitened times' as an excuse to exploit workers in the future, they should be ignored. There has been no restitution or compensation for employees who took the pain during the crisis. Not all employers are guilty of this shoddy behaviour. But there is an organisation called IBEC, and if they are not part of the solution, they're part of the problem. Ballinameela Creatives are equal opportunity employees at the disposal of like minded employers. Union leader Eugene V. Debs once stated, “In every age it has been the tyrant, the oppressor and the exploiter who has wrapped himself in the cloak of patriotism, or religion, or both to deceive and overawe the People.”

CURRENT EVENTS ON IN THE HALL AND LOCAL COMMUNITY PIANO LESSONS Thérèse White has two spaces free for anyone who is interested in piano lessons in the new year. For information on times and courses please call 087-9348879. BODY CONDITIONING AND CIRCUIT TRAINING CLASSES Body Conditioning and Circuit Training Classes on in Ballinameela Community Centre ever Monday night between 7.00 p.m. - 8.00 p.m. Classes cost €5. All levels of fitness catered for. Enquiries text or call 0878229762. LADIES INDOOR SOCCER Ladies Indoor soccer on every Tuesday night at 7.00 p.m. in the Community Centre. Contact Noirin Kelly on (086) 8362695 if interested. BALLINAMEELA ADULT & TODDLER GROUP The Ballinameela Toddler Group meets every Thursday from 9.30 a.m. to 11.30 p.m. in the Halla of Whitechurch National School. New parents,

childminders, grandparents with toddlers very welcome. For more information contact Janice on 087-9718945. FINISK VALLEY AC NOTES Any children in our community who are interested in running, jumping or throwing and would like to get involved in athletics, call down to Ballinameela Community pitch/hall, training times are Monday and Wednesday evenings from 7.00 p.m. to 8.00 p.m. Minimum age limit is 5 years old (Child needs to be School going). Full programme of events can be obtained at our training session BADMINTON If you fancy a sociable game of badminton come along to Ballinameela Community Centre on Tuesday nights from 8.00 p.m. to 10.00 p.m. Contact Mairead on 087-7681975 if interested. COMMUNITY ALERT There is a Community Alert text system in place - text your

name and mobile number to this number: 087-3538347. It works in 2 ways. Firstly a message regarding any suspicious activity is sent to your phone so you can be on the lookout. Secondly you can send details of suspicious activity to this number where it will be re-sent around to the community and to the Gardai who treat it as serious and act immediately. Follow on facebook www.facebook.com/parish.com munityalert.ie BOOKING THE HALL If you would like to start your own indoor soccer game for the Winter or other activity you can book the hall through our booking officer Alison Curran on 087-8289147. The Centre is also a great place for kids parties etc and can be rented for €30. Anyone renting the hall, please pay the person who opens up the hall for you and please take away your own rubbish. If you are borrowing anything from the hall, contact

Alison Curran also. William Buckley is responsible for the month of December for opening and closing the Community Centre and can be contacted on 087-6104634. LOTTO RESULTS Numbers drawn were 16, 22 and 27. There was no Jackpot winner. €20 winners were John Hickey, Knocknaskeigh; Fr. Lucey, Ardmore; Ken Stack, Canty; Adam Ahearne, Scart; John Joe and Mickeen c/o Cruiscín. Next week’s Jackpot is €5,300 and the draw will take place in Cruiscín Lan. Christmas Party with extra prizes. All are welcome. NOTES FOR INCLUSION If you have something you would like included in the Ballinameela notes you can email Brigid Byrne on brigidmhallahan@gmail.com or phone 0879194287. You can also Follow and like us on our Facebook Page Ballinameela Community Centre

Stradbally Farmers’ Market Christmas Fayre in the Cove Bar STRADBALLY Farmers’ Market launched their Christmas Fayre in The Cove Bar on Thursday evening, 7th December.Within the minutes of opening the place was packed, that continued all evening creating a great party type atmosphere. Most of the jolly stall holders are in this image, which was a miracle in itself to find the space and get them together with all the

excitement going on, but we did it! The Stallholders left to right are: Noel Crowley (Wood Turning), Boyer Phelan (various works of Bric-a-Brac, etc.), Chloe Fennel (ticket steward), Agnes Kirwan (Crafts), Lynda Phelan (Christmas Baubles for Waterford Hospice), Megan O’Brien (Home Baking), Gemma O’Toole (Knitwear), Margaret Murray (Home Baking), Mary

Bagge (Mrs. Claus Home Baking), Mary Kelly (Author Oh 'Hydrangers'), Susi Lawlor (Crochet & Paintings), Richard Hickey (Proprietor of The Cove Bar) and Colette Lenihan (Local Photography). The Market is open every Saturday from 10.00 a.m. until 12 noon. All the Above plus excellent teams rooms, plus Local Farm Produce. Richard Cutbill

COUNTY NEWS

Dungarvan Observer | Friday, 15 December, 2017

LISMORE Lismore Tidy Towns WITH the blast of wintry weather over the past week our two CES workers have still managed to do the final hoeing and weeding of planted areas at Convent Road, Beechgrove and at Townparks along with a daily litter pick up. Even though the Tidy Towns work team is on their annual break the planning team have had two to three meetings per week over the past few weeks with organisations re proposed projects for 2018 and all are happy with the progress so far. We hear a lot of talk and discussion in the media about Climate Change and its effect on the environment world wide. Last week, the Climate Change Advisory Council of Ireland which was set up in 2015 launched its first annual review. The council in its report sharply criticises the Irish Government on its action to date and warns that Ireland will miss its 2020 emissions reduc-

tions target by a substantial margin and is not on track to to decarbonise the Irish economy by 2050 despite pledging to so so under the Paris climate deal. Minister for the Environment Mr. Denis Naughton stated last week that he is committed to introducing change starting with one of the key recommendations of the above report - the banning of smokey coal nationwide some 27 years after it was introduced in Dublin. In this regard Mr. Naughton announced a national ban on the sale of smokey coal from Autumn 2018 followed by a burning ban in 2019. ECO TIP OF THE WEEK 5 ways that you can help to reduce environmental pollution: 1. Home & Community - reusing, upcycling, re-purposing and recycling items means less waste and more savings in terms of money, resources and energy 2. Energy - completely turn

off appliances such as computers, televisions, and mobile phones when not in use. Buy A rated appliances wherever possible and turn off lights when leaving a room 3. Home & Health - if using coal use the low smoke variety. Walk and cycle to work/school/local shops if possible and when weather permits. Be mindful that flushing chemicals, medication, oil and pesticides into septic tanks / household drains may damage the environment. 4. Water - don't use the washing machine or dishwasher unless they are full. Install a water efficient showerhead and don't run the tap while brushing tour teeth 5. Waste - think before throwing anything away, can it be reused? Buy fruit and vegetables that have no unnecessary packaging. Look for non hazardous alternatives for cleaning at home and consider natural substitutes such as vinegar and lemon

Lismore Dramatic Society THE time has arrived for the staging of our annual children's show “The Magical Playroom” and after five weeks of rehearsals under Becky and Ellen our young troupe of ‘future stars’ will perform four concerts this coming weekend commencing on Friday night 15th at 7.00 p.m. followed by shows on Saturday at 2.00 p.m. and 7.00 p.m. and a final matinee on Sunday at 2.00 p.m. Once again this production will showcase the talents of our young members from 4 year old upwards. They have displayed an amazing exuberance and vitality in preparing for this show and the talent on show will no doubt have four packed houses dancing in the aisles.Tickets are selling well so call in and purchase your tickets at the Heritage Centre soon as it is quickly heading towards a complete sell out and admission will be by ticket only. Santa will attend

both matinees but alas will be unable to attend the evening shows due to his heavy workload in preparing for Christmas. Tickets are €7 each which includes a visit to Santa for all the children. Lismore Dramatic Society would like to wish all our supporters and members a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year and especially thank all our loyal sponsors for their continued support.We look forward to seeing you all soon. Rehearsals commence in early January for a new “West End Mix” and the shows included in this year’s production include “Oliver”, “Grease”, “Wicked”. “Matilda”, “The Sound of Music” and “Motown” (Michael Jackson). So if you are interested in getting involved or auditioning for a part please contact Amy on 087963 4977 or John on 087-918 9688.

Well attended Lismore Community Alert Meeting ‘Helpful, positive and constructive’ THE Lismore Community Alert Committee were very pleased with the success of their November meeting which was held recently in Lismore. The chairperson, Orla Russell welcomed everyone and thanked those involved for all their work over the last nine years. After the last minutes and Treasurer’s report were read, Sergeant Gerry Maloney offered advice on many issues and was on hand to answer individual concerns and queries from the floor. The meeting was well attended and good discussion followed which covered many topics and tips on personal safety and

property security. Tea and coffee was served and further chat ensued as people were invited to view the information leaflets on display. Members of the public who attended said they found the meeting helpful, positive and constructive. Forms were available for people who wish to register a key holder contact for their property with An Garda Síochána. This is a purely voluntary service open to businesses and vulnerable / elderly persons. Following the meeting, committee members Orla Russell, Louise Brierley and Isabelle Hale distributed the forms to businesses in Lismore. While they

tried to cover all businesses, any business who didn’t get a form and would like to register or any persons who would like more information on any of the issues can contact the chairperson Orla Russell on 086 8402637 or the secretary Louise Brierley on 086 1832405 who will be happy to assist. The next information evening will be held in the late spring / early summer. Notification for that will be sent out in advance. The feedback from the recent information events has been very positive so the committee is hoping for a good turn out again for that.

Olivia Murray, Principal Ballyduff Upper National School and Patrica Lonergan, Bunscoil Bothar na Naomh, Lismore on the occasion of their recent retirement pictured at a special function in Lismore Golf Club to mark the occasion. Included are Brendan Horan, INTO C.C. Representative; James Casey, Chairman West Waterford Branch INTO and Neil Moore, Secretary West Waterford Branch INTO. [Sean Byrne//Deise Media]

Lismore Heritage Centre SCIENCE WEEK 2017 We had a very successful Science Week and visited schools both near and far with our Mobile Science Workshops. Science Week is a great opportunity to promote S.T.E.M. in the area and we would like to thank each and every Primary and Secondary School who booked our workshops. On November 12th we hosted Calmast from W.I.T., The Juggling Scientist and Bubbly Maths as part of the Southeast Science Festival. All 4 shows throughout the day were full and we were delighted to see families out in force to celebrate Science Week. Our Science Workshops run throughout the academic year and if you are a teacher or know a teacher, who may be interested, give us a call anytime on 0761102157 to discuss them. CHRISTMAS SALE From November 17th-19th we held our annual Christmas Sale in the Heritage Centre Shop.There was a lovely Christmas atmosphere throughout the weekend and we hope everyone picked up a bargain or two! We showed two festive movies over the weekend and kept a supply of mince pies and apple punch flowing. We would like to thank everyone for their support and remember at this time of year, it is important to shop local. Our bargains aren’t over just yet and we are delighted to announce that on the week beginning

the 18th December, there is a massive 50% off all our Christmas Stock and on the 22nd December there is UP TO 50% off all stock. Bargains and last minute gifts not to me missed. We are stockists of Avoca, Orla Kiely, Kilkenny Silver, Lismore Food Company and Iona Crystal to name but a few. CHRISTMAS SHOWS Congratulations to Lismore Choir on another successful run of shows in Lismore Castle last weekend.This is an annual tradition and always a magical evening. The Magic Playroom: Lismore Dramatic Society are holding their annual children’s show this weekend, the 15th, 16th and 17th of December. It is sure to be a great show full of new talent and is always a packed house. Tickets are selling fast and parents looking for tickets are advised to get them as quickly as possible. Remember, Santa is only visiting Saturday 17th at 2.00 p.m. and Sunday 16th at 2.00 p.m. as he is too busy to stay for the evenings. THANK YOU Lastly, in our last news bulletin for 2017, we would like to thank everyone who supported us throughout the year, visited our show, browsed in our shop, came in a group, had us visit their school or came and visited us on their School Tour. We wish you and your families a very happy Christmas and we will see you all again in 2018.

Parish of Lismore and Ballysaggart THE mission of the parish is to foster true Christian discipleship. This is the only task of the parish. Mentoring young members to maturing ways of living as disciples of Jesus Christ is the way of parish renewal. Young members need to know the presence and influence of older confident disciples of Jesus. To be a disciple is to be an apprentice. Apprenticeships in the many trades is the normal way to new master craftsmanship. The secular world has no trouble with the concept of apprenticeship. Neither should we who are faith people. There is joy in the soul of a person who has a dream to live for. Joy comes from a sense that their life has value and meaning. There is no more real joy than the joy that rises in the soul of a person of prayer. Union in the Lord is joy. This joy is not dependent on outside circumstances of a person. It is a gift of the Holy Spirit. It is no harm praying for that spirit of joy for self and for others. The more we are at one with

God in our activities the greater joy in our soul. It was St. Benedict who said pray all the time. By this he mean, say a short prayer before ones begins a task, great or small. Then when the task is complete or the journey ended conclude with another short prayer. The 3rd Sun of Advent is also known as Gaudete Sunday. We will at 7.00 p.m. on Sunday 17th celebrate the Healing Sacrament of Reconciliation. We underestimate this sacrament for too much we look at our sins and not enough on the mercy of God. Needlessly, many of us carry hurts and angers that do not serve us well but we do not know how to let them go. If you don’t go to Confession then at least confess your sins to another believer. That is found in Scripture. If you long for the renewal of the Church begin with your own personal renewal. We need to repent of our individual sins. We commit our sins one by one so we need to repent of them one by one. Pride and ego-

ism have no power over us unless we give them power which means our false self is in control. And where there is falsity there is no joy of soul. We welcome all those who are coming home to celebrate the Birth of Jesus Christ with their families. We compliment those who create a space in their homes. They give a home space which Mary and Joseph were denied as Jesus came into the world. As you order your days be mindful of those who live alone and would be blessed by sharing hospitality. You will have a great Christmas when you do good to those who cannot repay you. MASS TIMETABLE Weekday Mass at 10.00 a.m. Saturday, 16th December Vigil Mass in Lismore at 6.15 p.m. Sunday, 17th December Morning Mass in Ballysaggart at 9.30 a.m. Sunday Mass in Lismore at 11.00 a.m. PRO(E) Pastoral Council Parish Radio Link 103.9FM

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Dungarvan Observer | Friday, 15 December, 2017

CAPPOQUIN Cappoquin Community Centre Phone (058) 52746 – email ocappdev@eircom.net – Facebook – Cappoquin Community Centre GYM MEMBERSHIP CHRISTMAS GIFT With Santa warming up for a big day, just a reminder of our popular Gym Membership Christmas presents is available from the Community Centre office. 3 WEEKS LEFT TO GO TO THE FIRST CONCERT OF 2018 Monday, January 8th The Three Amigos With Santa now almost upon us we are only three weeks away from our first big event in 2018. The Three Amigos are to play live in concert in the Community Centre on Monday, 8th January 2018. Tickets are now on sale at our Company Office (058) 52746, Feerick’s Pharmacy Cappoquin (058) 54165 or from Anthony Prendergast (087) 7657769 book early, an excellent Christmas present indeed! CAPPOQUIN CHILDCARE FACILITY Did you know you may now avail of up to two years free Preschool? Now taking enrolments for free Preschool starting in January 2018. To avail of the free Preschool placement in this enrolment children must be three years of age by Sunday, 31st December, 2017. Please contact Maria on 05852746 for further details. HALL BOOKINGS With December here, all users of the Community Centre individuals, clubs, groups are reminded to book their preferred time for using our facilities. Demand this year is higher than ever with the great success of the Waterford/Wexford ETB classes. GYM Fancy doing your training session before you go to Work/School or College well now you can as our ultra-mod-

KNOCKANORE Check us out on our Facebook pages (Knockanore Area KGK Community Council) and (Knockanore Heritage and History) KNOCKANORE HERITAGE AND HISTORY GROUP 2017 Parish Magazine sales are progressing nicely. Get your copies of the magazine now in time for Christmas. SENIOR CITIZENS’ PARTY The Senior Citizens’ party will take place on Sunday, December 17th, starting at 2.00 p.m. All are welcome. Music by Pat Heskin. Volunteers wanted for the following: The Monster Tractor Run for the Baby Emily Fund in Lismore on December 27th.

The Baby Emily Fund walk in Knockanore on Saturday, January 6th, 2017. Please give your name to Kevin Moloney. KGK COMMUNITY COUNCIL Santa’s well on the way to Knockanore - The Children’s party will be held in the hall in Knockanore on Saturday, December 16th, starting at 2.00 p.m. €10 per child. Maximum for families, €25. MORE NEWS The new Defibrillator will be installed in Knockanore before Christmas.

The Three Amigos – Monday, January 8th - Cappoquin Community Centre. ern Gym. Our Gym is equipped with Irelands most ultra-modern equipment which can cater from all Cardiovascular equipment to all Resistance training machines and loose weights. You can pay as you go or join up as a member. Our prices are most competitive with yearly membership is €200, 6 months €100, 3 months €60 and monthly €25. QUIDDLERS The popular Quiddlers group from 10.00 a.m. - 12.00 noon on Wednesdays mornings and all are welcome for play for the kids and chat for parents. WEEKLY EVENTS IN HALL Gym opening times are 8.00 a.m. to 10.00 p.m. Gym Instructor Conor Prendergast available to offer every assistance on (087) 1247025. Ladies Exercise Classes 10.30 a.m. to 11.30 a.m. with Paul Murray. On Monday Affane Bridge. Quiddlers from 10.00 a.m. - 12.00 noon on Wednesday and Thursday mornings. 10.30 a.m. to 11.30 a.m. Ladies Exercises with Paul Murray. Community Soccer 8.30 p.m. to 10.00 p.m. Friday evenings Gymnastics 5.00 p.m. to 8.00 p.m.

MARY BUTLER TD Mrs. Mary Butler TD Fianna Fail will hold a Clinic on the first Saturday of every month at 12.30 p.m. in the Community Centre, all are welcome. WATERFORD WEXFORD ETB Just a reminder anyone interested in doing a wide range of courses contact Edel Walsh (058) 52570 First Floor of the Community Centre. COMMUNITY CENTRE LOTTO JACKPOT HITS €4,600 Lotto draw 11th December, 2017 – Jackpot €4,500. Numbers drawn were 4, 7, 16 and 21. No Winner. Consolation Prize winners: Kerry McLaughlin Barrack Street, Fr. Arthure Shanbally; Ann Maher, Ballyhane; Maureen Burke, Melleray; Denis Reilly, Knockaun East. Next week’s draw is on the 18th December, with a jackpot of €4,600. Remember anyone looking to buy our Lotto tickets, call to any of the local shops in Cappoquin, the Community Centre, Miriam Coughlan or Carmel Prendergast will look after you. If you wish you can also buy the popular annual tickets, if you’re not in you can’t win!

MODELIGO LOTTO RESULTS 9th December, 2017 Numbers drawn were 3, 13, 14. No winner. €25 winners – Ann and Orla Power, Modeligo; Richie Fitzgerald, Clashmore; Brian McCarthy, Coolaneen; Cian O’Byrne, Modeligo. Next week’s Jackpot €2,700. ST. VINCENT DE PAUL Cappoquinn conference of St. Vincent De Paul wish to thank all those who contributed so generously to their Church Gate Collection on Sunday last. Over €405 was contributed and you can be assured that these funds will be put to good use. CHRISTMAS ARRANGEMENTS Modeligo - Sunday Christmas Eve 7.30 p.m. Modeligo - Monday Christmas Day 10.00 a.m. Affane - Sunday Christmas Eve 8.15 p.m. Cappoquin - Sunday Christmas Eve 9.00 p.m. Cappoquin - Monday Christmas Day 11.30 a.m.

Confession for Christmas: Cappoquin - Monday, 18th December at 7.30 p.m. Modeligo - Tuesday, 19th December at 7.30 p.m. MODELIGO NATIONAL SCHOOL FUNDRAISER A big thank you to all the children and families of Modeligo National School on teir very successful food fundraiser in aid of Oasis Home and McGuire Home Hostel. A huge thank you to Eamon and Katy who braved the cold to get all the goodies ready for delivery. NOTES Anyone wishing to include items in the Parish notes, please contact Monica before 8.00 p.m. on Mondays on 087-4112798 or email them to marymonicaobyrne@gmail.com. BOOKINGS Anyone looking to book the Astro turf or Hall please contact John Power on 087-2834600.

Frank Geary, Paddy Geary and Martin O’Keeffe pictured at the launch of the Parish Magazine. Joe Kelly and Maura Smyth pictured at the launch of the Parish Magazine.

Liam Cashman pictured at the launch of the Parish Magazine. John O’Callaghan, Jim Nicholson and Joe O’Neill pictured at the launch of the Parish Magazine.

Stephen Geary, Fr. Pat Condon and Pat Geary pictured at the launch of the Parish Magazine.

Pat Casey and Lar Dunne pictured at the launch of the Parish Magazine.

COUNTY NEWS

Dungarvan Observer | Friday, 15 December, 2017

Community groups from Waterford TALLOW attend Pobal Seminar on promoting Enterprise Centre social inclusion in communities

MOVIE AND MUNCHIE MORNING Movie and Munchie morning for children on 4th January, for children aged 5 years upwards will take place at Tallow Enterprise Centre. Come along and join us for a fun morning before the school term starts again. STUDENT STUDY Student Study will finish on this coming Thursday, 14th December. If students wish to use the Centre for study the following week Monday 18th 22nd they are welcome to do so. Supervised Study will resume on Monday, 8th January at 4.30 p.m. CLASSES The new term of classes Computers for adults and children and Sewing for kids will commence on week beginning Monday, 29th January. Enquiries to 058-56445 SAFE PASS A Safe Pass course will take place on Tuesday, 23rd January, contact the office for further details.

PRE-SCHOOL The Children’s Playroom Preschool, will close for the Christmas holidays on Thursday, 21st December following their Christmas concert, which will be held in Tallow Community Centre this year to facilitate all the parents and children. Management and staff wish all the children and their families a very Happy Christmas and a Happy New Year. GIFT VOUCHERS Tallow Enterprise Centre Gift vouchers are now available. Please contact the office for further details 058-56445. CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS Tallow Enterprise Centre will be closing for the Christmas Holidays on Thursday, 21st December at 5.00 p.m., re-opening on Tuesday, 2nd January, 2018. The management and staff would like to wish all our customers a very Happy Christmas and a Happy New year and thank you for your continued custom throughout 2017.

Christmas Swim YES folks the time is coming to dig out those swimming costumes and join us for Tallow’s Christmas Swim on Christmas day in Youghal at 12.00 noon. This year we are proud to be supporting the Alzheimer’s Unit in Dungarvan Hospital. So if you would like to take part please contact any of the organising committee for a sponsorship card. Or sponsor someone who is taking part, your donation would be greatly appreciated. Alternatively come along and support the swimmers on Christmas morning. They’re sure to need it in the chilly conditions!! Contacts are Oonagh 087-2299259, Tom 086-3222963, Rita 0871307502 or Tom Doyle 087-9974643.

Chernobyl Children’s Trust

What does an inclusive community look like and what are the challenges for the State . . . COMMUNITY and local development groups from across Waterford attended a seminar on promoting social inclusion in communities on Wednesday 6th December in Croom, Co. Limerick. Hosted by Pobal, who work on behalf of Government to support communities, the seminar was an opportunity for community groups to reflect on future challenges to address social exclusion and poverty in a local and regional context. Over 85 representatives from community groups throughout Munster attended the seminar. Speakers included Denis Leamy, Pobal CEO; Anne Kavanagh Paul Partnership Limerick CEO; and Dr. Chris McInerney, Department of Politics and Public Administration UL. The seminar discussed the vital role the sector plays in enabling inclusive communities in a changed and diverse environment. Operating in an evolving regulatory landscape, the need to deepen capacity and governance within the sector emerged, with recognition of the support needed to achieve this aim. The importance of co-ordination within the sector, at local, regional and national level, to avoid duplication of effort and intervention is the responsibility of all those working in the sector. An insight into what an inclusive community looks like was provided by Anne

Mealla Fahey, Lismore Heritage Centre; Marie Cox, Dunhill Multi-Educational Centre and Aisling Curran, Tallow Enterprise Centre pictured at a Pobal Seminar promoting social inclusion in communities which took place at Croom Civic Centre, Co. Limerick. Kavanagh, CEO Paul Partnership in Limerick, who discussed inclusive communities being well planned, accessible, good quality accommoda-

tion, to the services that should be available nearby – education, social supports, retail, recreation, and the issue of safety, the infrastructure, political landscape and

ON behalf of all the children and their families we would like to wish you a very Happy Christmas and a Happy New Year. Our work continues and your support is as valuable as ever. A special thanks to Margaret Shanahan, Lismore, Betty Kelleher and family Cappoquin and Anne Kelleher and family Glencairn who co-ordinate our work throughout the year in their respective areas. We are so grateful to all who help us to continue this valuable work throughout the year. Chernobyl Children’s Trust is a totally voluntarily organisation and we depend on the continuous support from our volunteers and all of you to continue to give the assistance to those most in need. So thank you again and to each and every one who helped in any small way to support us we wish you and yours all a Happy, safe and peaceful Christmas and a Happy New Year.

NEWS ITEMS All news items and notes are to be forwarded to the following email address: news@dungarvanobserver.ie

Brigid Hayes, Ballyhoura Development; Kate Howard, Lough Gur Heritage Centre and Alice O'Donoghue, Lismore Heritage Centre pictured at a Pobal Seminar promoting social inclusion in communities which took place at Croom Civic Centre, Co. Limerick.

opportunities available to those in the community. Looking at the wider challenges for the State, Dr. Chris McInerney of the Department of Politics and Administration in UL, discussed the need for active policies and resources to support community work and community development to achieve the ideal of inclusive communities. Speaking at the event, Denis Leamy Pobal CEO said, “communities are at the centre of what Pobal was set up to do so we are delighted to be out meeting so many local groups through our Regional Seminar events. In 2016 we held a conference, ‘Creating an Inclusive Labour Market’ and these regional events are a follow on to this, exploring the current context and experience of the community and voluntary sector in promoting social inclusion. I want to thank all those that attended our seminar in Limerick, it was fantastic to see so many community groups come together to share their knowledge and passion for the sector and the community in which they work so hard”. A number of Pobal Regional Seminars will take place over the coming months.

Dungarvan Observer | Friday, 15 December, 2017

COUNTY NEWS

11th Waterford (Dungarvan) Scout Group

Oliver Whelan, Dick Clancy, Nicky Sheehan and Joe O’Reilly with the wonderful items made in the Shed for WLRfm Farm View Auction next Saturday from 8.30 a.m. - 10.00 a.m.

BEAVERS What a busy three months we have had this term. In September we had three Beavers complete their link to Cubs. Our new Beavers have been working away on their investiture. 16 Beavers were invested on the 4th December. Well done everyone. We have been working away on our badges as well. We did two hikes to go towards our hillwalking badge.The first hike was out in Colligan where we also covered backwoods and shelter building.

Our second was the Turkey Trot in Old Parish for the Solas Centre. We also worked on air, first-aid and compass work and had one cold outdoor evening following our compass to find clues. We also did a fundraiser for Temple Street hospital. Our trick or treat party raised €137, for this they all earned a community badge. We also had a County Cinema Day out and the Cubs joined us. We saw Paddington 2. It has been a terrific first term and I would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas. See you

on the 8th January, 2018. There is a Unit Mass on Saturday, 23rd December in the Parish at 7.30 p.m. Full uniform please. The scouts will be bringing the Peace Light to Dungarvan. The Peace Light has come from the Holy Manger in Jerusalem and brought around the world via Scouts. We are one of a few organisations that is worldwide and can do this. It is a very special thing and a sign of peace in our world today. Again a Happy Christmas from all the Beaver Leaders.

Dungarvan Men’s Shed

DONATION OF WOODEN ITEMS TO VINCENT DE PAUL AUCTION A few weeks ago Dick Clancy and Michael Cass were interviewed about the Shed activities on WLR’s Farm View by presenter Kieran O’Connor. During the interview we agreed to turn items on the lathe for the Christmas Auction. The proceeds are being donated to the local Vincent De Paul in Waterford. True to his word Dick Clancy organised help from Jay Murphy and Chris Heaphy and Kieran was presented with a beautiful fruit bowl made from Tulip timber, two clocks, a crib and a

nesting box. We wish Kieran well with the Auction which will be held at 8.30 to 10 am on Saturday, 16th. We hope these special items will raise some money for this deserving event that will benefit other members of our local community. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION NETWORK MEETING Oliver Whelan and Dick Clancy attended the recent meeting in Waterford of the Waterford Public Participation Network. The PPN is a network of more than 550 community, voluntary, social inclusion and environmental organisations in the Waterford City & County area. It is the main link through which the Local Authority connects with the communities and the aim of Waterford PPN is to coordinate how the community is represented, make its members stronger; and keep them informed about local developments. The purpose of the Shed

POEM Gather round the Christmas tree draw your family near. Be thankful, for all you have and all you have to share. Open up your heart let your love shine bright. Wish them health and happiness, hug and hold them tight. Let the Christmas spirit flourish and in them it's meaning grow. Let their love be the gift, you will always know. “Happy Christmas” Ger Dalton

Nicky Sheehan and Joe O’Reilly display the elves, reindeer, trees and fairy doors made for the Waterford Greenway.

members attending these meetings is to represent our members and their families who are affected by decisions at local level. Dick and Oliver were very happy with the meeting and report that the County Manager, Michael Walsh and a Minister spoke at the meeting. The Minister told the meeting that other Networks could learn from the Waterford PPN setup and how they are so well organised. Our representatives are satisfied that both men were taking on board what was said at the meeting. Oliver invited Michael Walsh to visit the Shed and hopefully he will come to us when he finds time. BUSY WEEK COMING UP In addition to our usual activities, next week is a very time for us in the Shed. Our annual Christmas meal is in Lawlors Hotel on Friday 15th December at 6.30 pm. Cost for members is €5 each and the balance is funded by The Shed. Booking is brisk and members should please put their name on the list in the Shed where the menu is available to view. Every member of the Shed will be most welcome to join in the festivity. On Tuesday, Terra Nua are hosting a Coffee Morning for us in the Interlude Restaurant. This is becoming an annual event and we appreciate the ongoing support Lucia and Johnny McGrath give to the Shed. Our AGM will be held in the Shed at 10 am on Wednesday, 20th December to review progress during the past 12 months and to elect a management committee for the next 12 months. ABOUT THE SHED You are very welcome to call in to the Shed at Wolfe Tone Road to see what we are about. We are open from 10 am to 1 pm Monday-Friday or contact Oliver Whelan, Chairman at (087) 1856067 for further information.

Fews National School Fundraising Benefit Night at Kilcohan Park Greyhound Stadium – Nicola Kirwan, Louise Galvin, Marie Hennessy and Eimear Wall. [Noel Browne]

Fews National School Fundraising Benefit Night at Kilcohan Park Greyhound Stadium – Eimear and Aiden Wall, Leonie Whelan, Noel, Amie and Adam Kirwan. [Noel Browne]

COUNTY NEWS

Dungarvan Observer | Friday, 15 December, 2017

KILMACTHOMAS CARE FOR A CUPPA The Kirwan / Mulhearn Foodstore is the place to be on Wednesday morning, 13th December from 10.00 a.m. to 12.00 noon. Come and join us at Waterford's biggest Coffee Morning in support of the WLR FM Christmas appeal for St. Vincent de Paul. Music with Rob Weldon and sing song with the local school carol singers. A great morning of music and craic while supporting a very worthy cause, all monies raised stay locally. SLEIGH RIDER Motorbike run for the St. Vincent De Paul appeal fund at Crotty's Inn Leamybrien on Sunday, 17th December. Registration is at 12 noon, bikes leave Crotty's at 1.00 p.m. pick Santa up on route and escort him back to Crotty's Inn for a Santa and kids Disco 2.00 p.m. to 4.00 p.m. Music by WLR fm D.J. John O'Shea. Raffle on the door. Come along for a fun filled afternoon for all the family. LATE NUALA DUNFORD It is with sadness we record the death of Nuala Dunford nee Murphy, Mount Patrick, and formerly of St Anne's Terrace, Kilmacthomas. Nuala died on Wednesday, 6th December, reception to St. Mary's Church, Saleen, Bonmahon on Thursday at 6.00 p.m. Funeral Mass on Friday at 2.00 p.m. followed by private cremation service in Cork. May her gentle soul rest in peace. Sincere sympathy to all her family and friends.

FAMILY LIBRARY WEEK 11th TO 17th DECEMBER As part of this programme, Kilmacthomas Library will host the following events: Wednesday 13th December at 2.30 p.m., Reader in Residence at Kilmacthomas Library - A town on the cusp of change share your memories. Kilmacthomas at the heart of the Greenway is attracting more and more visitors and tourists, coming and going. How will this change the village and its people? Join Waterford City and County Libraries, Reader in Residence, Poet and Author, Lani O'Hanlon for a gentle writing and /or storytelling workshop to share your memories of living, or visiting Kilmacthomas. All welcome. Thursday, 14th December at 2.15 p.m. Story time for all. Everyone loves a good story join us and listen to some magical stories. Friday, 15th December at 11.00 a.m. Coffee morning with just a hint of Christmas!. All events are free and everyone is welcome. CHRISTMAS PARTY The Kilmacthomas Day Centre will hold its Christmas Party on Thursday, 14th December 12.30 p.m. to 4.40 p.m. Phone 051-294828 for any further information. LOTTO Kilmacthomas AFC lotto draw results for Saturday, 2nd December. Letters drawn were B, F, M and U. No jackpot winner. Five winners of €20 each to Marie Dee, Clonea; Ger Connors, Adramone; Patricia Power, c/o PPI; Trevor Whelan,

Craughaun View, Kilmac and Ger Callaghan, Lemybrien. Extra Christmas Draw – Danny Walsh, Kilmac; Pat Kiersey, Currabaha and Ciara Whelan, Riverview. Next week’s Jackpot €2,750, be in to win. WHIST Ballylanen Whist Club results for Monday, 4th December, Breda Galvin, Orla Keane, Mary O’Donnell, Helen Lally, Kay Veale, Agnes Thomas, Monica Gough, Rosie Keane, Mary Power and Nicola Carroll. Raffle winners Mary Power, Paddy O’Shea and Kay Veale. Whist each Monday night at 8.00 p.m. New members always welcome. TUESDAY CLUB The Tuesday Club at Kilmacthomas Day Centre had a wonderful day out on Friday. We had John of Hallahans Coach's, Cappoquin, take us to the Kilmeaden Santa Express, where we started the day with hot chocolate, tea and coffee. Then we were met by the staff and even had our photo taken with Steve (Choo Choo) and then enjoyed the scenic trip along the river Suir. They have two enclosed carriages which as it was a cold bright day meant that we all kept nice and warm. Lunch was at Donnacha's. Mulled wine, cordials, followed by a lovely menu selection, desserts and then coffee with warm mincepies! They certainly looked after us. Singing ‘Carols’ and a box of chocolates for everyone brought our Christmas outing to a lovely end. Thank you to everyone for making our day.

Fews National School Fundraising Benefit Night at Kilcohan Park Greyhound Stadium on Saturday, 2nd December, 2017 – Pierce Casey, Damien and Aoife Diver and Jasmin Casey who were at Kilcohan Park Greyhound Stadium supporting the Fews NS Fundraising Night. [Noel Browne]

Fews National School Fundraising Benefit Night at Kilcohan Park Greyhound Stadium – Jimmy Maguire, John Croke and Tom Power. [Noel Browne]

KILROSSANTY BINGO Bingo this Friday night, 15th December in Crotty’s Inn at 8.30 p.m. sharp. Prize money €1,200, and Jackpot €2,000. Raffle for cash prizes also. Extra spot prizes on the night. Its for Kilrossanty Juvenile GAA Club. HALL Meeting of hall committee this wed night at 8.30 p.m. sharp. LAUNCH Bachelors in Trouble launched their new DVD last Saturday night in Crotty’s Inn. Music was by Southern Pride, John O’Shea of WLR. Paddy Joe Ryan, Chairman of Waterford GAA County Board launched the new film on the night and also sang a few songs, Pat Langan also took to the stage for a few songs. The name of the new film is Cold Showers and Hot summons. Thanks to the sponsors of the raffle, Mixie Hassett, Crotty’s Inn Paddy Joe Ryan and Sean Murphy. Proceeds of the night will go to Irish Kidney Association and Kilrossanty Fews Parish Funds.The final figure will

be given next week. PARTY The Christmas Party in the Hall was held last Sunday. Approximately 75 people attended. Catering was done by Kearneys. Music was by Pat Driscoll and Seamie Brien. Thanks to all who helped in anyway with the party. Thanks to people who sponsored on the day and gave donations. THANKS Thanks to all who contributed to the SVP collection last weekend. DEATH Sympathy to the daughters of Nuala Dunford, Mount Patrick Kill, (nee Murphy) Kilmacthomas who died last week. She is survived by her daughters Ciara Morrissey and Orla Andrianos; sons-in-law, grandchildren, nephews, nieces, brothers Seamus, Edward, Micheal, Sean, Paudy, Joe and Finny and sister Deirdre Connery to whom deepest sympathy is expressed. May she rest in peace.

WHIST The Whist members and friends enjoyed their Christmas Dinner in Kiersey’s, Kilmacthomas on 1st December which was enjoyed by all.Thanks to the people who organised it and to Kierseys for the lovely meal. Happy Christmas and new year to all. Whist will resume in the New Year. CAROL SINGING The senior classes from Kilrossanty School will be carol singing in Carechoice Nursing Home, Dungarvan on this Thursday at approximately 3.30 p.m. and in Dungarvan Shopping Centre at approximately 4.00 p.m., same day. FEWS SCHOOL The Parents’ Association of Fews National School would like to thank everyone who kindly supported them in their recent Benefit Night in Kilcohan Park, Waterford. €15,000 was raised on the night which will be of great benefit for the school.

Fews National School Fundraising Benefit Night at Kilcohan Park Greyhound Stadium on Saturday, 2nd [Noel Browne] December, 2017 – Eily Smith and Peggy Phelan pictured at Kilcohan Park Greyhound Stadium.

COUNTY NEWS

Dungarvan Observer | Friday, 15 December, 2017

Dungarvan Camera Club DECEMBER'S monthly meeting of Dungarvan Camera Club began with congratulations to member Colette O’Connell who attained her Licentiate In Photography at the Irish Photographic Federation November distinction sitting in Thurles. We had a report on the recent Annual Exhibition, held in The Rogue Gallery, Waterford, with special thanks to members John Pelham and Richard Cutbill for their work in getting the exhibition prepared. Congratulations also to Ann Jordan, who won the prize draw to claim an image from the exhibition. Ann chose Black Valley Cottage by

Breda Hennessy Duggan. We had two competitions, Open and Autumn, with a high standard across the board. Critiques were given by Tony Walsh and Michael Loftus. The results for the Open competition are: 1st John Pelham, 2nd Breda Hennessy Duggan, 3rd Michael O'Brien, and for Autumn; 1st John Pelham, 2nd Michael O'Brien, and 3rd Richard Cutbill. Plans for the annual Christmas Social were discussed and followed by slide shows from Francis Galloway - documenting Bonmahon and Kill as part of the ongoing Deise Project, and John Pelham - Christmas Lights.

Colette O’Connell Licentiate Panel

Colette Receiving Certificate.

Licentiate Autumn Competition - 2nd Michael O’Brien

Autumn Competition - 1st John Pelham.

Open Competition - 3rd Michael O’Brien.

Open Competition - 1st John Pelham

Open Competition - 2nd Breda Hennessy Duggan.

Autumn Competition - 3rd Richard Cutbill.

COUNTY NEWS

NOTAI NA GAELTACHTA NÓTA BUÍOCHAS Ba mhaith le Bord Chomhlucht Forbartha na nDéise ár mbuíochas agus ár mbeannachtaí a chur chuig Fiachra Ó Céilleachair, ar tháinig deireadh lena thríú thréimhse ar Bhord Údarás na Gaeltachta le déanaí. Chaith Fiachra naoi mbliain déag ina iomlán mar chomhalta ar Bhord an Údaráis, ag obair go díograiseach ar son mhuintir Ghaeltacht na nDéise. B’é an chéad ionadaí ón nGaeltacht seo a thoghadh ar Bhord an Údaráis, agus bhí sé thar a bheith tábhachtach dúinn mar Ghaeltacht bheag guth a bheith againn ar an mBord agus ár mbuíochas d’Fhiachra dá bharr san. Gabhaimid buíochas leis chomh maith as ucht a chuid tacaíochta d’obair an Chomhluchta i gcónaí agus guímid gach rath air féin agus ar a mhuintir sa todhchaí. CRANNCHUR NA NOLLAG Beidh crannchur na Nollag ar siúl ag 6i.n. ar an 20ú Nollaig i Halla Pobail na Rinne. Príomhdhuais: Hamper Mór. Ticéid ar fáil ón gciste, €5 ar 3 stráice ticéid. The Christmas raffle will be held at 6pm on the 20th of December in Halla Pobail na Rinne, first prize is a Big Christmas Hamper. DRAÍOCHT NA NOLLAG I nDÁNLANN JOAN CLANCY Beidh oscailt Draíocht na Nollag, taispáinteas na Nollag ar siúl i nDánlann Joan Clancy ag 3 i.n. Dé Sathairn, 2 Nollaig agus beidh fáilte is fiche roimh chách. Beidh an taispáinteas ar siúl ar an céad trí deireadh seachtain i mí na Nollag 23; 9-10; 16-17 ó 11 r.n. go 5 i.n. Táimid suite i Maoil a’ Choirne, An Rinn idir trá an Coinigéar agus Coláiste na Rinne i nGaeltacht na nDéise i Sean-Oirthear na hÉireann. Draíocht na Nollag, the Christmas exhibition in Joan Clancy Gallery will have it’s opening reception at 3pm Saturday December 2nd and all are welcome to pop in for some Christmas cheer!” said Joan. The show is open for the first three weekends in December: Dec 2-3; 910; 16-17 from 11am-5pm each of those days and also by appointment. We are located in Maoil an Choirne, An Rinn, between the Cunnigar Beach and Coláiste na Rinne in the unspoilt Co Waterford Gaeltacht in Ireland’s Ancient East. AN GHAELTACHT CLG TREALLAMH DARA LÁIMHE Tá An Ghaeltacht ag lorg treallamh CLG dara láimhe atá agat sa mbaile! Camáin, clogaid, buataisí, láimhíní srl. Is féidir linn an treallamh seo a úsáid sna scoileanna agus bheadh sé thar a bheith úsáideach. Labhair le coach do pháiste má tá aon rud agat. Is féidir treallamh a fhágaint leis na coaches ag Halla Pobail Na Rinne aon oíche Aoine. SPRAOI – GRÚPA SÚGARTHA NA RINNE Tiocfaidh Spraoi, Grúpa Súgartha do thuismitheoirí agus páistí, le chéile i Halla Pobail na Rinne ar an Aoine beag seo ón 10 r.n. go 12 i.n. Beidh comhrá deas agus cupán tae/caifé ar fáil.Tuilleadh eolais: tar i dteagmháil le Bríd: 087-7470428. GRÚPA SÚGARTHA I nDÚN GARBHÁN Beidh grúpa súgartha do leanaí agus tuismitheoirí ag teacht le chéile Dé Máirt i nDún Garbhán. Tá an grúpa lonnaithe i Leabharlann Dhún Garbhán gach Máirt ón 10.30 r.n. go 12 i.n. Beidh scéalaíocht, rannta, ealaíon agus cluichí. Tuilleadh

eolais: téigh i dteagmháil le Cabríní 083-4455914 nó cuir r-phost ag cabrini@glornangael.ie. An Irish language playgroup will meet in Dungarvan Library from 10.30 a.m. to 12.00 noon on Tuesday. Further information: contact Cabríní on 083-4455914 or email cabrini@glornangael.ie SCÉIM TÚS An bhfaigheann tú an Liúntas Cuardaitheora Poist? An bhfuil tú dífhostaithe agus ag iarraidh obair a dhéanamh ar tograí pobail? Bíonn deiseanna ar fáil faoin scéim TÚS do dhaoine dífhostaithe sa Rinn agus sa Sean Phobal. Más rud é go bhfuil tú faoi 25 bliain d’aois, tá buntáiste mór ar fáil. Déan teagmháil le cigire TÚS Cian O hAileasa ag 087 3770256 nó Bainisteoir Comhlacht Forbartha na nDéise, Críostóir Ó Faoláin ag 058 46664 nó cfdeise@gmail.com Are you on job seekers allowance? Are you Unemployed and interested in working in Local Community Projects? Tús provides work opportunities for all unemployed people in the An Rinn/An Sean Phobal area. If you are less than 25 years of age there will be a major financial incentive for participating. Contact the Tús supervisor Cian O hAileasa at 087-3770256 or the manager of Comhlacht Forbartha na nDeise, Críostóir Ó Faoláin 05846664. CAIRDE NA GAELTACHTA Buaileann Cairde na Gaeltachta, Cumann Gníomhaíochta Lucht Scoir i nGaeltacht na nDéise, le chéile an céad Máirt den mhí ag 3 i.n. in Ionad Pobail na Rinne. Tá fáilte is fiche roimh cách. SEIRBHÍS DOCHTÚRA Bíonn an Dr Gráinne Ní Fhoghlú ar fáil i gcomhair coinne in Ionad Pobail na Rinne, Dé Máirt agus Déardaoin ach é a chur in áirithe roimh ré. Déan teagmháil le Strandside Medical i gcomhair tuilleadh eolais, 058-41227. Dr. Gráinne Ní Fhoghlú is available on appointment in the Health Centre in Ionad Pobail na Rinne on Tuesday and Thursday. Contact Strandside Medical for further information, 058-41227. CUMANN NAOMH UINSEANN DE PÓL Má theastaíonn ó éinne teagmháil a dhéanamh le Cumann Naomh Uinseann de Pól sa cheantar, is féidir teacht orthu ag (058) 46125 nó 085-1422902. The contact numbers for the An Rinn / An tSean Phobail branch of St Vincent de Paul are (058) 46125 or 085-1422902. SCÉIM FOLÁIREAMH DO SHEANÓIRÍ Más maith leat cnaipe práinne agus siogairlín a fháil faoin Scéim Foláireamh do Sheanóirí, tar i dteagmháil linn – 058 46664, cfdeise@gmail.com. If you think you could benefit from a panic button and pendant under the Seniors Alert Scheme, contact us on 058 46664, cfdeise@gmail.com. MEÁIN SHÓISIALTA / TEAGMHÁIL / CONTACT Is féidir an nuacht is déanaí agus eolas faoi imeachtaí a bheidh ar siúl sa Rinn agus sa Seanphobal a fháil ar an leathanach Facebook atá ag an gComhlucht Forbartha agus táimid ar fáil ar Twitter anois chomh maith – @cfdeise. If anybody has events / news to be included in Nótaí na Gaeltachta, send them to cfdeise@gmail.com or 058-46664.

Dungarvan Observer | Friday, 15 December, 2017

WEST WATERFORD BIRTHDAY GREETINGS A very happy birthday to Niall Connery, Connery, who celebrated his 40th birthday with family and friends at The Rising Sun, Clashmore, last weekend. Best wishes to you Niall from all your family and friends. SIMON COLLECTION With the homelessness reaching record highs in our towns and cities at the moment, we are asking you all to dig deep in to your wardrobe and presses and donate all your unwanted clean and warm clothing and bed Linen to our “Simon Collection” this weekend. The annual pre-Christmas collection of clothing and non-perishable food items takes place this coming Saturday and Sunday at Clashmore and Piltown churches. Please bag or box all the items you wish to donate to the Simon collection to assist them in their wonderful work feeding and clothing the homeless, and leave them in either of the church porches in Clashmore or Piltown. If you just wish to give a cash donation please put it in an envelope marked “Simon” and give it directly to our priests of sacristans. All the bags will be collected on Sunday and taken directly to the Simon Community in Cork for distribution there. LOVE ACTUALLY A beautiful movie at a fabulous venue, how about joining us for a night at the movies featuring the very popular “Love Actually” film which is being screened at the Mall Arts Centre, Youghal, tonight, Wednesday December 13th at 7.00 p.m.This fundraising showing and it is in aid of Cork ARC (Youghal Cancer Support House).Your support will be very much appreciated. CLASHMORE COMMUNITY ALERT Turkeys & Hams 45 Drive – 45 Card Drive at the Decies Bar, Clashmore. Our winners on twelve games were Assumpta Dalton and John Quinn. In second place on eight games we had Gabriel Hynes and Martin Lynch. In third place on seven games we had George Horsom and Liam Curran. Best of the last five were Dinny Hurton and Richard Fitzgerald. Our lucky last game winners were Alan Curran and Pad O’Halloran. A huge thank you to all of you who supported our 45 Drive and our very generous sponsors for their continued support. Finally, our thanks to Jack and Noel also Aine and staff of the Decies Bar. Clashmore/Kinsalebeg Senior Citizen New Year Party: Our Clashmore/Kinsalebeg Senior Citizen New Year Party will take place on January, 14th 2017, in Kinsalebeg Hall commencing at 12.30 p.m. Music on the day will be provided by Pat Daly. We will have a full sit down meal so booking is essential, as spaces are limited. Please ring Joan at 024-94594 by the 5th. Of January to reserve your meal, Looking forward to celebrating with you all again in 2018.

CLASHMORE / KINSALEBEG GAA LOTTO Clashmore/Kinsalebeg GAA club weekly Lotto draw took place on Monday night last, December 11th. Our numbers this week were 7, 8, 15 and 30. We had no match four ticket so our Jackpot for next weeks draw will be €1,700. Next week our draw takes place on December 21st at The Decies Bar, Clashmore. Do not forget this week will be our “Christmas Special” Lotto Draw with eight spot prizes of €50 each to be won, so be sure to get your ticket in. Our final draw of 2017 takes place on December 28th at the Old Still Clashmore – if you are not in you can’t win! Congratulations to the following who were this weekly lucky spot prize winners of €20 each: David Byrne, Tony O’Sullivan, Cathy Marks,Tom Kelly and Billy O’Halloran. Well done to all our winners and thanks to every one for your support. CLASHMORE 45 DRIVE This week’s 45Drive took place at the Decies Bar, Clashmore on Monday night last, December 5th. Our winners this week on nine games were Terri McGrath and Mary Foley. In joint second place on eight games we had Mary Anne and Bobby Connery, Martin Lynch and Mike Hunt. Best of the last five were Paddy Kelleher and Edmond Og Ledingham. Our lucky last game winners were Noel Nugent and Aine Curran.Well done to all our winners and thanks to everyone for your continued support. With or without you we are starting our first game on Monday night at 9.00 p.m. sharp so please be on time. IN LOVING MEMORY OF SR. KATHLEEN O’MALLEY Born in Newport, Co. Mayo on the 4th of November, 1931, Sr. Kathleen O’Malley was daughter of the late John and Catherine O’Malley. On the 23rd of February, 1949, just a young girl of eighteen Kathleen answered the gentle call of a life in God’s service. She left her home and family and travelled to the United States were she entered the congregation of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament. She made her first Profession of vows on December the 8th in 1955. Her love of God and love of learning saw her graduate from the Incarnate Word Academy Houston and she received a B.A. from University of St. Thomas Houston and she received Masters in Education from Clarke College, Dubuque, Iowa. Her academic career saw Sr. Kathleen serve as Principal at St. James School Port Arthur and St. Theresa and the Holy Name schools, Houston. She also loved working at Incarnate Word Academy as a Library Assistant. Following her retirement from school she worked as a volunteer in the office of St Vincent De Paul Society, Houston for many years. A most compassionate lady she

always made time in her life for the less fortunate. But prayer was always at the centre of her life and in the latter years of her life she devoted her time to serving others through a ministry of prayer. A regular visitor back to her beloved Ireland she spent many happy times here in Clashmore with her brother Noel O’Malley and his wife Bridie and their family in Kilmore. She loved Clashmore and during her visits she made many new friends here. On November 1st the feast of All Saints – God called his good and faithful servant Sr. Kathleen home. She will be so dearly missed by Noel and Bridie and their family. She will be also missed by her sisters Sr. Carmel, Angela Cox and Margaret Squires and her brothers Noel, Austin, and John and their families, her community and all her relatives and friends, to all of you we extend our deepest sympathy.

May her gentle soul rest in peace. DEATH OF DESMOND O’BOYLE With great sadness we record the death of Desmond O’Boyle, Tinnock, Clashmore. Reposing at Egan’s Funeral Home,Youghal on this Wednesday evening, December 13th from 6.00 p.m. to 7.00 p.m. Funeral Mass on this Thursday morning at 11.00 a.m. at St. Mary’s Parish Church Youghal. To his loving wife Marian his son Karl and daughter Eimear we extend our deepest sympathy. May he rest in peace. GARRYVOE CHRISTMAS MARKET ON Sunday last, December 10th, we had a record attendance for the East Cork Christmas Market at Garryvoe Hotel, the biggest so far in the six years that we have been hosting it. This was in aid of Cork ARC Cancer Support Youghal, and we thank you most sincerely for your support.

Parish of Aglish, Ballinameela and Mount Stuart CONFIRMATION LITURGY Our Confirmation Liturgy for the Aglish, Ballinameela & Mount Stuart Parish Confirmation group was celebrated last Saturday at the Vigil Mass in Ballinameela Church. WORLD MEETING OF FAMILIES The arrival of the Bell & Icon was warmly welcomed to the Parish of Aglish, Ballinameela and Mount Stuart on Monday evening. Its arrival was marked with the celebration of mass with celebrant Cannon Ryan PP VG assisted by our Parish Priest Fr. Gerry O’Connor on Monday evening. A very special thanks to you our lovely choir, all those gathered to pray and all who helped in any way especially our Parish Priest Fr. G. O’Connor who made the welcoming ceremony for the Icon and Bell so special in our parish. On Wednesday morning. December 13th. the Bell & Icon will be in Villierstown School for the celebration of their Christmas Mass at 12.00 noon. On Wednesday evening we will gather in Aglish Church of our Pageant. Thursday, December 14th - Morning Mass in Aglish Church at 10.45 a.m. followed by adoration. Friday, December 15th – the Bell & Icon will be in Aglish School for morning ceremony at 10.30 a.m. Friday evening the Bell & Icon will arrive in Mount Stuart Church at 6.45 p.m. with the celebration of mass at 7.00 p.m. Saturday, December 16th at 10.30 a.m. we will gather in prayer with the Icon & Bell at St. Declan’s Well Toor. The visit of the Icon & Bell will conclude with a special Mass in Aglish on Sunday, December the 17th at 11.15 a.m. with Chief Celebrant Most Rev. Alphonsus Cullinan, Bishop of Waterford & Lismore. CHRISTMAS MASS TIMES Reconciliation Masses for Christmas: Monday, December 18th - 7.15 p.m. Aglish Wednesday, December 20th - Ballinameela Christmas Mass Times Aglish Church Vigil Mass 6.00 p.m. Ballinameela Church Vigil Mass 7.45 p.m. Aglish Church - Midnight Mass Mount Stuart Church – Christmas Morning 9.45 a.m. Aglish Church – Christmas Morning 11.15 a.m.

Clashmore & Piltown Parish MASS OF RECONCILIATION Mass of Reconciliation followed by confessions will be celebrated on Tuesday evening, December 19th at 7.30 p.m. in Clashmore Church. We hope as many of you as possible will join us on this night as we begin our preparation for Christmas in our Parish. MASS TIMES Saturday, December 16th: Mass in Piltown at 6.00 p.m. Sunday, December 17th: Mass in Clashmore at 9.00 a.m. Tuesday, December 19th: Reconciliation Mass and Confession in Clashmore Church at 7.30 p.m. Thursday, December 21st: Mass in Clashmore at 10.00 a.m. Friday, December 22nd: Mass in Piltown at 10.00 a.m. Saturday, December 23rd: Mass in Piltown at 6.00 p.m. Sunday, December 24th: Mass in Clashmore at 9.00 a.m. Christmas Eve Mass: Mass in Piltown Church at 6.00 p.m. Christmas Day: Mass in Clashmore Church at 9.00 a.m.

Dungarvan Observer | Friday, 15 December, 2017

PICTORIAL

Maurice Kiely, Maurice Kiely Domestic Appliances; Mark Chaudhry, Indian Ocean Restaurant; Rachel Kiely, Maurice Kiely Domestic Appliances, and Matt Houlihan, Graphic Print, pictured at the Indian Ocean Restaurant for the Dungarvan & West Waterford Chamber After Hours Event. [Dan McGrath/Editorial Images]

Jenny Beresford, CEO Dungarvan & West Waterford Chamber of Commerce; Samantha Campbell, Dungarvan Chamber; Mark Chaudhry, Indian Ocean Restaurant; Rachel Power, Dungarvan Chamber, and Joe Roche, VicePresident Dungarvan & West Waterford Chamber of Commerce, pictured at the Indian Ocean Restaurant for the Dungarvan & West Waterford Chamber After Hours Event. [Dan McGrath/Editorial Images]

Ann Marie Rossiter, President Dungarvan & West Waterford Chamber of Commerce; Niall King, JF Williams & Co., and Libby Flynn, Indian Ocean Restaurant, pictured at the Indian Ocean Restaurant for the Dungarvan & West Waterford Chamber After Hours Event. [Dan McGrath/Editorial Images]

Michael Moore, Moore Financial; Pat Phelan, FDC Accountants, and Johnny Curran, Cleanzone, pictured at the Indian Ocean Restaurant for the Dungarvan & West Waterford Chamber After Hours Event.

Breda O'Brien and Grace O'Brien, Ardmore Gallery & Tearooms, pictured with Mark Chaudhry, Indian Ocean Restaurant, at the Indian Ocean Restaurant for the Dungarvan & West Waterford Chamber After Hours Event. [Dan McGrath/Editorial Images]

Kolette Enright, Eyes on the Road; Shane Curran, Shane Curran Home Company, and Paul Curran, Comeragh Landscaping, pictured at the Indian Ocean Restaurant for the Dungarvan & West Waterford Chamber After Hours Event. [Dan McGrath/Editorial Images]

Liz Shanley and Susan Denn, Interlude, pictured at the Indian Ocean Restaurant for the Dungarvan & West Waterford Chamber After Hours Event.

Louise Young, Cliff House Hotel; Lucia Queally, Terra Nua, and Mary Beresford, Coady Quay Management, pictured at the Indian Ocean Restaurant for the Dungarvan & West Waterford Chamber After Hours Event.

Dan McGrath and Mark Chaudhry pictured at the Indian Ocean Restaurant for the Dungarvan & West Waterford Chamber After Hours Event.

[Dan McGrath/Editorial Images]

Pat Whyte and Ann Butler, Printmaster, pictured with Mark Chaudhry, Indian Ocean Restaurant, at the Indian Ocean Restaurant for the Dungarvan & West Waterford Chamber After Hours Event. [Dan McGrath/Editorial Images]

Gerri Garvey, Bank of Ireland; Libby Flynn, Indian Ocean Restaurant, and Jennifer Hickey, Bank of Ireland, pictured at the Indian Ocean Restaurant for the Dungarvan & West Waterford Chamber After Hours Event. [Dan McGrath/Editorial Images]

SCHOOL NEWS Awards ceremony for ‘Someone Like Me’ Art Competition held in Dublin City Hall PUPILS from 45 primary schools gathered in Dublin City Hall last week where the winner of the ‘Someone Like Me’ National Art Competition was announced as Killeevan National School from Co. Monaghan. The competition, sponsored by the Department of Justice and Equality aims to promote disability awareness at primary school level. The winning entry from Killeevan National School was created by first and second class pupils, along with their teacher Ms. Beagan. Their project comprises a book in which the pupils took one page each to illustrate their responses to various physical,

emotional and societal challenges. Speaking on behalf of the winning school pupil Rachel McPhillips from Killeevan National School said “I think my family will be very proud of me because I was able to share our family's story of life with a special needs brother. The competition lets lots of children in Ireland learn about the difficulties that families have because of a disabled child. However, they will also learn about my brother James and how special he is to me”. Commenting on the winning entry, judge Mark Maguire said, “I really responded to the winners' entry because I could see the

Caomhán Mac Con Iomaire, National Gallery of Ireland with Sadbh Brennan and Aisling Brennan from St. John of God, Passage Road, Waterford.

individual contribution of each child; each page was a separate authentic voice conveying a single but significant point. There is something unique in every child's response to the theme and that uniqueness is embodied in how they respectively use drawing and paint. By sequencing the pages together in a book-like format, these distinct responses are drawn together as a coherent group with a unified message”. The competition received more than 2,000 entries ranging from posters and collages to large sculptural installations and multimedia pieces. The Downs National School, Mullingar was Highly Commended for its group entry which included school notice board displays, question and answer sessions with the school architect on making the school accessible, and a large installation piece of a wheelchair – all linking to someone each of the pupils knew personally who has a disability. Now in its third year,‘Someone Like Me’ allows children to learn about and discuss these topics and creatively express what they have learned. The competition, which offers a range of prizes up to the value of €750, is open to all primary school pupils from junior infants to sixth class, and this year entries were received from individual pupils, class groups and entire schools from 25 counties nationwide.

Caomhán Mac Con Iomaire, National Gallery of Ireland with Josh Barry and Brooke Mansfield from Kilmacthomas Primary School at the awards ceremony in Dublin City Hall for the ‘Someone Like Me’ National Art Competition. Sponsored by the Department of Justice and Equality, the initiative aims to promote disability awareness at primary school level. The school was one of 45 shortlisted from more than 2,000 entries which ranged from posters and collages to large sculptural installations and multi-media pieces.

Over 1,000 extra SNAs in 2018 130 extra SNAs to be allocated in January – June THE Minister for Education and Skills, Richard Bruton TD, has announced that 130 additional SNAs are being made available for allocation to schools over the remainder of the school year (January – June 2018) as part of an overall increase of 1,000 SNAs in 2018. This announcement will ensure that every child who needs SNA support, receives it. The Minister also announced that schools will be informed of their SNA allocation for the 2018/19 school year by the end of May 2018.This fulfils a commitment that the notification of SNA allocations would be brought forward so that schools and parents can have greater certainty for the following school year. This Government is committed to ensuring that children with special educational needs are supported and given the opportunity to reach their full potential. The

announcement will bring the total number of Special Needs Assistants to over 14,100 by the end of this school year. In 2018, we will invest almost €1.7 billion in Special Education, nearly one fifth of the overall Education budget and €468m of this will be on the SNA scheme. This increased investment reflects the priority which the government has put on helping children with special educational needs to fulfil their potential. It also reflects the growing participation of children with Special educational Needs in the Education System and the capacity of the Education system to better support their full participation and progression. Speaking, Minister Bruton said: “I am keen to ensure, during my time as Minister, that every child has the opportunity to fulfil their full potential within our education system.We

are investing nearly €1.7billion in Special Education, nearly one fifth of the total Education budget. This investment ensures that every child that needs SNA support can get one. “I secured an additional €30m in Budget 2018 to fund the continued development of the SNA scheme with more than 1,000 additional SNA posts being provided for from that funding. We are announcing that 130 of these SNA posts will be available for the remainder of this school year (January 2018 June 2018). “Furthermore, I have listened to the concerns of schools and of Special Needs Assistants themselves and we are now ensuring that SNA allocations are done earlier in the year, to give certainty to school communities for the following school year.”

Fews National School Fundraising Benefit Night at Kilcohan Park Greyhound Stadium on Saturday 2nd Dec.2017. Brian and Claire Power. [Noel Browne]

SCHOOLS

Dungarvan Observer | Friday, 15 December, 2017

ÁRD SCOIL NA nDÉISE

Individual sporting successes recognised at Árd Scoil na nDéise Awards Night TRIATHLON SUCCESSES FOR ELIA TUTTY Elia is one of very few students in our school who competes in Triathlons and she does so at a very high level. From a school perspective, she represented us wonderfully at the National Secondary Schools Triathlon Championships in Omagh last May where she won the Junior Category. Outside of school, Elia finished third at the National Youth Triathlon Championships in Galway and won the Dungarvan Kidathlon. She was the first lady home in the Helvic swim and was second overall lady at the 3km Cork Rebel Plunge Swim. She also came 6th at the National Youth Cycling Championships in Carlow this year. Elia shows a huge amount of discipline in dedicating time to all three aspects of the Triathlon and we commend her for this. GOLFING ACHIEVEMENTS FOR CATHERINE RUANE Catherine has been very successful in competing in golf over the past year. In her club,West Waterford Golf Club, she has won two competitions. In the Mná Eile August Qualifier for the West Waterford, she got sec-

ond prize. At national level, Catherine came third overall in the Gertie Hegarty Memorial Competition in Douglas. She competed in the thirty to thirty six handicap range All Girls competition. This was a great achievement and we look forward to hearing of even more successes this year. KARATE SUCCESSES FOR TIRNA CONNORS Tirna Connors was recognised for her achievements in Karate. Tirna is a well known, established athlete in the world of Karate. In 2016 she was champion at Piltown International Championships, The Rising Sun International 2 Championships,The Carlow International Championships, and the National Karate Championships in Dublin. In 2017 Tirna built on her success winning the Welsh Open Karate Championships. Tirna came third in the Irish ONAKI National Amateur Championships in Dublin. Tirna is currently training and competing to secure a place on the ONAKI International Squad hoping to go forward to compete in the Olympics in Tokyo in 2020.

Elia Tutty being recognised for her triathlon achievements at the Árd Scoil na nDéise Awards Night.

Tirna Connors being recognised for her karate achievements at the Árd Scoil na nDéise Awards Night.

Catherine Ruane being recognised for her golfing achievements at the Árd Scoil na nDéise Awards Night.

DUNGARVAN C.B.S.

Breakfast Club IN recent weeks Dungarvan CBS have introduced a Healthy Eating initiative called the "Breakfast Club". The aim of the Breakfast Club was to improve the eating habits of our students and ensuring that they had access to the most important meal of the day.The Breakfast Club has been a resounding success to date with close to five hundred breakfasts being served in the last month alone. The students have access to two healthy breakfast options: Option 1 A bowl of porridge accompanied by seeds, etc.; or Option 2 Scrambled egg on wholemeal bread.

HUMAN RIGHTS DAY Sunday, 10th December is International Human Rights Day. Both first year CSPE classes with the guidance of their teachers’ Ms. K. Gleeson and Mr. Coffey, have created posters of all the Human rights to mark this occasion and to raise awareness. The posters are dotted all around the main assembly area of the school for all to see. HURLING Under 15 hurling team who beat Youghal in challenge game on Wednesday, 6th December, in really horrible conditions on a scoreline of 3-8 to 2-8. Well done to all involved.

Mr. Coffey with some of the 1st Year students who created the Human Rights Posters.

Teachers and students tucking into their wholesome and healthy breakfasts. A great start to their day.

CBS Under 15 Hurling Team.

SCHOOLS

Dungarvan Observer | Friday, 15 December, 2017

ST. AUGUSTINE’S COLLEGE

High Rock Productions OUR 6th Year students attended a morning of highly successful workshops by the theatre company High Rock Productions on Monday last. Both teachers and students were gripped by the hilarious and memorable performance which will go a long way to helping the students in their Oral Irish Exam. Many thanks to Áine Bn Uí Fhoghlü and Ms. Ann Pender who organised the event. ELVES AND BELLES SUCCESS Dungarvan Enterprise Town Business, Sports and Community Expo sponsored by Bank of Ireland took place on the 8th December in St. Joseph's Primary

School with special guest, Daithí Ó Sé. 1st Year Mini Company “Elves & Bells Home Baking” were runners up in the Christmas Chocolate Log Competition. Well done to all and Business Studies teacher Ms. Margo McGann. GAA NEWS Friary 3-11; St. Declan’s 0-11. Munster Senior Hurling Championship Our Senior Hurlers took on St. Declan's, Kilmacthomas in Carriganore. Mentors Ms. Lisa Hanrick and Mr. Jason Forrestal were pleased with the team’s performance and are now through to the quarter finals Well done to all.

High Rock Production team Cillian O'Dee and Niall McDonagh with masked Leaving Certificate students!

BLACKWATER COMMUNITY SCHOOL

Blackwater Community School goes dancing LAST Friday we held a very successful BCS Goes Dancing show in the School Hall. This year we had students from all years who volunteered or were volunteered to dance as couples and show us the marvellous dancing talents that they had. Over the last few weeks, there was intense rehearsals going on behind the scenes and on the day the couples did not disappoint us the audience, it was a most entertaining show from beginning to end – the moves were mighty. We would like to thank all the couples who got onboard this venture, to the TY students who worked on various organising committees to get this event up and running and to those who decorated and organised the hall – it created a wonderful atmosphere. Our judges on the day were special guests The Two Johnnies and Mr. Ring who well fitted the shoes of Bruno, Craig and Len! Our MC Mr. Foley kept us entertained in between each act and Jeff Howard, the Choir and our Trad musicians kept the show going during the

interval. After judges votes and audience votes cast the big moment of announcing the third, second and overall winning couple came with Aoibhe O’Donoghue and James Clancy and their Hip Hop style routine emerging as the winners. Congratulations to all couples involved. A huge thanks must also go to Ms. Breen and Ms. Nikki O’Connor for without their drive and commitment to this the event it would not have taken place. Roll on Next Year already. FUNDRAISING EVENT Well done to the LCA class and TY students who were involved in a fundraising breakfast last Thursday with the help of the Home Economics Dept. The monies from the event go to St. Vincent de Paul and the Lions Club. MUNSTER GAA AWARDS Congratulations to Michelle Ryan who picked up the Munster Senior Player of the Year Award in Ladies Football at the ceremony last weekend. HISTORY TRIP Our senior history students are

just back from their trip to Krakow and had a very successful trip which included a trip to the local Salt Mines and a trip to Auschwitz Concentration Camp. LYRICS ON THE LAP Well done to the committee who set up an initiative whereby students were asked to come up with their favourite memory or part of Christmas. These then formed part of the Lyrics boards as one goes along the school corridors. GREEN SCHOOLS NEWS This week our Green Schools committee are holding a Battery Day – asking students to bring in their old used batteries for recycling. If you have any lying around at home do get them into school this week. NATIVITY EVENT Best of luck to students who are involved in the Nativity event this Thursday, reminding us all in the midst of all the hustle and bustle of this busy time what the true meaning of Christmas is.

Aoibhe O’Donoghue and James Clancy winners of BCS Goes Dancing with judges The 2 Johnnies and MC Mr. Foley.

Infants in Carriglea National School with their Food Dude lunch boxes.

CARRIGLEA NATIONAL SCHOOL

Carriglea National School – Christmas Show ALL roads lead to Carriglea Hall next Wednesday, 20th December for our school Christmas Show. Our show will begin at 6.30 p.m. and entry is €5 per adult children are free. Thanks to all at Carriglea Cairde Services for allowing us to use their facilities.

JUNIOR INFANTS 2018 Enrolment forms are available from the school, please contact us on 058-44050 or carrigleans@hotmail.com All forms need to be returned by 19th January.

1st Class Carriglea National School with their colourful Rudolphs.

4th Class pupils Carriglea National School with their snowmen.

Dungarvan Observer | Friday, 15 December, 2017

SCHOOLS

SCOIL GHARBHAIN

Aifreann na Nollag CUIREADH tús leis an Nollaig i slí álainn nuair a chuir na Naíonáin Mhóra agus Múinteoir Sorcha scéal na Nollag inár láthair le linn Aifrinn bliantúil na Nollag. Cuireadh teachtaireacht tábhachtach na Nollag i gcuimhne dúinn Bhíodar gleoite ceart agus anam agus croí acu sa scéal. Ár mbuíochas le Múinteoir Sorcha agus le Múinteoir Hilda. Ghlac páistí na scoile páirt gníomhach san Aifreann agus bhí an cóir fíor álainn, gan trácht ar na feadóga a sheinn na páistí, a chuir go mór le hatmaisféar na Nollag a chruthú. Ár mbuíochas le Múinteoir Hilda, le Muinteoir Máire agus le Múinteoir Fíní. Ár mbuíochas chomh maith le gach dalta a léigh agus a chan agus a d’fhreastal. Buíochas chomh maith le Bríd a tháinig i gcabhair orainn mar is gnáth agus le Niamh a chabhraigh le Fr. Michael le linn comaoine. Buíochas speisialta le Fr. Michael Enright a léigh an tAifeann agus a labhair leis na páistí i slí fíor álainn mar is gnáth. Ár mbuíochas leis na hAibhistínigh as Séipéal Monica a chur ar fáil dúinn ar an lá agus le linn na gcleachtaithe agus as an bhfáilte iontach a cuireadh romhainn agus libhse Tuismitheoirí na scoile agus cáirde na scoile as an Aifreann fíor álainn seo a chéiliúradh inár dteannta. OUR ANNUAL CHRISTMAS MASS Christmas officially began on Friday last when our Naíonáin Mhóra and Múinteoir Sorcha presented us with The Story of

Christmas during our Annual Christmas Mass in a delightful way. Naíonáin Mhóra reminded us of the importance of the Christmas message as they presented the Christmas story which was a central part of our mass. They were fantastic as they performed with heart and soul. A big thank you to Múinteoir Sorcha and to Múinteoir Hilda. Every pupil participated and contributed in some way and a big thank you to every pupil who read,who sang and served during our Mass. The choir and the tinwhistles played by the children created a wonderful Christmas atmosphere. A big thank you to Múinteoir Hilda to Múinteoir Máire and to Múinteoir Fíní. A big thank you to Bríd and Niamh who assisted once again as Ministers of the Eucharist. A special thank you to Fr. Michael Enright who officiated with his special touch reminding us of the importance of love at Christmas time. It’s an added touch that we only have to walk next door to St. Monica’s Chapel which is very much appreciated by us. Míle buíochas to the Augustinians and to all in St. Augustine’s College for their warm welcome. We were delighted to see you all Parents, Grandparents and friends of Scoil Gharbháin celebrating this important mass with us. Míle Buíochas. POP UP CAFÉ Is iontach go deo scileanna eagrúcháin, cumarsáide agus aire a fheiscint a i bhforbairt pearsanta na

Naíonáin Mhóra – Scéal na Nollag á chur i láthair acu.

ndaltaí agus bhí siad seo ana shoiléir ar an Déardaoin agus ar an Aoine seo caite nuair a d’eag-raigh Rang 6 Café den scoth i Halla Shéamuis. Cuireadh idir deochanna té agus deochanna fuar ar fáil, seacláid te, tae agus caife agus sú orásite gan trácht ar na cístí áille a bácáileadh ar an dhá lá. Bhí dhá lá iontach againn. Molaim iad go hard na spéire. Táimíd ana bhródúil go deo astu. Bhí ana chuid oibre i gceist idir fógraíocht, rotas oibre, ordú bí, freastal, glanadh agus níocháin. Ba mhaith leo buíochas ó chroí a ghabhailt le Michelle agus Sandra agus le Múinteoir Jen as an gcabhair iontach a thug siad dóibh. Tá an tairgead a bailíodh le dul go dtí ‘An Déise Animal Sanctuary’ agus bhí áthas orainn nuair a tháinig Pat agus Robin ar cuairt chugainn agus dhá mhadra gleoite ina dteannta. Labhair Pat agus mhínigh sí an obair fíor thábhachtach a bhíonn ar siúl acu agus ghabh siad buíochas ó chroí le Rang 6 as an tairgead a bhronnadh ar an dtearmann d’ainmhithe. We love to see organisational, good communication agus care skills developing in our pupils and this was quite evident in Rang 6 on Thursday and Friday last when they organised a fantastic café in Halla Shéamuis. Hot and cold drinks were provided –hot chocolate, tea, coffee and orange juice not to mention the delicious pastries which they baked on both days. They had two fantastic days and we are extremely proud of them. This was no easy feat as they had to be highly organised and good team work was essential, from advertising, work rotas, serving of food, preparing drinks, cleaning and wash up. They would like to thank Michelle, Sandra and Múinteoir Jen for all their help in organising this event. Monies raised is being donated to ‘The Deise Animal Sanctuary’ and we were delighted when Pat and Robin from the Animal Sanctuary visited the café. They had two beautiful little dogs with them. They explained the care they take of the animals in the shelter and thanked Rang 6 most sincerely for donating the proceeds to the Sanctuary. Maith sibh Rang 6.

Charlotte, Emily, John and William ó Duinn ag taispeáint an Bronnadh fíor álainn a deineadh ar a Mamaí Clodagh Beresford Dunne ó Bord Gais Book Awards.

Daltaí Rang 6 i mbun an ‘Pop Up Café’.

SCHOOLS

Fews National School Fundraising Benefit Night at Kilcohan Park Greyhound Stadium – Tom and Mags Behan, Catherine Collins, Gerry Galvin, Pat Galvin, Pauline and Rian Hartley. [Noel Browne]

Dungarvan Observer | Friday, 15 December, 2017

Fews National School Fundraising Benefit Night at Kilcohan Park Greyhound Stadium on Saturday, 2nd December, 2017 – Tony “Starry” Walsh, John Lacey, Darren Firth, Jimmy Barden and Peter Simpson. [Noel Browne]

SCOIL MHUIRE

The Simon Community chosen for sixth class annual Christmas Charity Appeal WE are now in the second week of our annual Christmas Charity Appeal. Every year the pupils from sixth class nominate a charity for their appeal and under the guidance of their teachers Mrs. Colette O’Mahony and Mr. Paddy O’Dea, they launch their collection amid fanfare, lots of tinsel and jingling bells! This year's charity is the Simon Community, a very worthy recipient indeed. Pupils from all classes are invited to donate to the collection box which does the rounds daily. Every pupil who donates gets to place a beautiful star on our Christmas tree in the entrance hall. Even at this stage, the tree is a sight to behold with dozens of glittering stars adorning its branches, surely a testament to the generosity of our parents at Scoil Mhuire. Recognition must go to our sixth class pupils who organise and orchestrate the collection and thanks to both sixth class teachers. CHRISTMAS ART DISPLAY Our entrance hall is, as usual bedecked with beautiful Christmas art. This goes beautifully with Santa's Grotto which was put together by Miss Máire Walsh and her team of helpers. It truly is a Winter Wonderland and the pupils are getting great enjoyment from the seasonal display. BLESSING OF THE CHRISTMAS CRIB We were delighted to be invited once again to the blessing of the Abbeyside Crib on December 8th. We had some seasonal hymns prepared and the ceremony was beautiful. Sixth class then attended Mass for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception.We at Scoil Mhuire are looking forward to a very happy Christmas for all our pupils.

Pawel Golab and Hannah Dowling enjoy the seasonal Art Display at Scoil Mhuire.

Sixth Class pupil Bobby Tritschler accepts donations from Second Class for Scoil Mhuire's Christmas Charity Appeal in aid of the Simon Community.

Pupils from Second Class at Santa's Grotto.

Maebh Kiely and Fionn O’Mahony display their Christmas Nutcrackers.

SCHOOLS

Dungarvan Observer | Friday, 15 December, 2017

GLENBEG NATIONAL SCHOOL

Glenbeg NS November Activities THIS month the whole school has been very busy in and out of school. SPORT Balance bikes arrived for junior and senior infants. They are very busy every week with their cycling lessons. In GAA the boys got through to the football Western Finals but sadly got beaten by Tallow. Boys and girls took part in the mini 7’s in Abbeyside. The girls got through to the final against Stradbally. Congratulations to 3rd and 4th who have completed the athletics programme ‘fit4class’. Well done to our three successful teams from 3rd class in the Abbeyside School Quiz. AFTER SCHOOL This month, the guitar classes taught by Bernie Coffey went to Starbucks to play guitar in aid of the Deise Animal Sanctuary raising over €700. The choir have been practising hard for their performance at the Deise Day Care Centre and for the Annual

School Carol Service in St. Mary’s Church on the 20th of December at 6.30 p.m. The Drama Club taught by Orla Whyte has been practising for their performance of ‘Scrooge A Ghost of Chance’ on the 13th December in Town Hall at 3.00 p.m. IN SCHOOL All the classes were very busy during Science Week. 6th class paired up and did science experiments for the whole school. Michael Meleady and Jainne Cummins came into school and gave exciting science classes to everyone. Juniors and seniors were very busy during AISTEAR baking cupcakes with Ms. Fitzgerald. Fr. Ryan visited the school with the Holy Bell and Icon in honour of the World Meeting of Families in 2018. The school has celebrated its 117th anniversary on the 26th of November. by Katelyn, Eolann and Rebecca

3rd Class Winners in Abbeyside School Quiz.

Infants on their Balance Bikes.

Science Week.

Very busy with their science experiment. Holy Family Icon & Bell visits our school.

Busy scientists with her eager helpers.

Our young scientists!

Science - waiting for it to happen.

Egg-citing Science!

OBITUARY MRS. KAY BURKE

It is with sadness and a deep sense of loss we record the passing of Mrs. Kay Burke Gliddane Dungarvan – peacefully, at home, on Friday December 1st, 2017. Beloved wife of the late Noel, treasured sister of Monsignor Fr. G. Healy and best mother in the world to Gerard, Catherine, Helen, Mairead. Our wonderful beautiful Mum was one in a million: “special”, “always a smile”, “a lady,” “a heart bigger than herself ”. All her life she was welcoming and generous to priests, nuns, relatives, her lifelong friends, acquaintances, her children’s friends. We thank God for the goodness of her and the blessing she was in our lives. Con-celebrating with Monsignor Fr. G. Healy (USA) at her funeral mass at St. Gobnait’s Church on Monday December 4th was Fr. C. Healy (Longford), Fr. M. Kennedy P.P., Fr. M. Enright, Fr. M. Collender (O.S.M.), Fr. H. Kavanagh (Dublin), Fr. T. Toner (Navan) and Bishop Brendan Leahy (Limerick). Heavenly music was provided by Dina Walsh, supported by a choir of family friends. As her daughter told mourners at the funeral Mass, Mum had an early career as a business owner and was a legend for her kindness among the student priests at St. John’s College Waterford during her brother’s time there. She had great style, great taste and enjoyed life. She had a confident faith and was a great mass-goer, when able. She was blessed to receive a happy and long life. We wish to thank Fr. M. Enright and others for their house calls. Her family are appreciative of and comforted by Mum’s many friends, neighbours from all around, relatives, acquaintances, home carers and our friends that attended the funeral and offered their condolences. The beautiful essence of her personality was present to the end and endeared her to all who had the pleasure of visiting her. We believe Mum received the Gospel’s promise that “there will be glory and honour and peace for everyone who has done good.” – Rm 2:10. Month’s Mind Mass will be offered on Saturday 30th December at 11 o’clock in St. Gobnait’s Church. (Funeral arrangements were by Tom Drohan, Funeral Directors, Dungarvan).

RENA POWER (nee Norris) Lackendarra Upper, Ballinamult, and formerly of Ballinacourty, Dungarvan The passing of Rena Power on Sunday, 10th December, peacefully, at her residence, evoked feelings of deep sorrow and regret. Predeceased by her husband Ned, parents Pats and Ellen Norris, brothers Paddy and Seamus, sister Maureen, we express our sincere condolences to Rena’s son John, brother-in-law John, nephews, nieces, extended family, neighbours and friends. May Rena rest in peace. Rena’s family, relatives and friends gathered at the Kiely Funeral Home on Monday evening, 11th December, where Fr. C. Kelleher, P.P., led the recitation of the Rosary. Removal took place on Tuesday evening, 12th December, to St. Mary’s Church,Touraneena. Requiem Mass will be celebrated at 11.00 a.m. on Wednesday, 13th December, and afterwards Rena will be laid to rest in the adjoining cemetery. Ar dheis Dé go raibh sí. (Funeral arrangements by James Kiely & Sons, Funeral Directors, Dungarvan).

THOMAS (Tommy) O’CONNOR Castle Street, Cappoquin With sadness and regret we record the passing of Thomas (Tommy) O’Connor, Castle Street, Cappoquin, Co.Waterford, which sad event occurred unexpectedly on 9th December, 2017. Lying in repose at Aidan Walsh & Sons, Funeral Home, Cappoquin, on Monday evening. Rosary was recited by Rev. Fr. P. Gear, P.P., in the presence of his loving family, neighbours and friends. Reposing on Tuesday evening, funeral prayers were recited in the presence of his loving family, relatives, neighbours and friends before removal took place to St. Mary’s Church, Cappoquin. On arrival his remains were received and blessed. Funeral Mass will be celebrated on this Wednesday morning at 11.00 a.m. Followed by burial in St. Declan’s Cemetery, Cappoquin. May he rest in peace. May we extend our deepest sympathy to his loving sisters Mary Fidelis Yeung and Rosarie O’Connor; brother Tony; brother-in-law John; nephews Alan and Eric Yeung; grandnephews, grandnieces, relatives, neighbours and friends. (Funeral Arrangements by Aidan Walsh & Sons, Funeral Directors, Cappoquin & Tallow).

JOHN MURRAY 25 Boreenatra, Dungarvan It was the late evening of Saturday, 25th November, 2017, when we received the sad news of the passing of John Murray, at Waterford Regional Hospital. In his eighties, John was a popular and respected native of the town. He was born in Ballinacourty and was educated in the local school. He was a bright and intelligent young boy with many talents. After Primary School he progressed to the Technical School to continue with his education. When his studies were completed, the path of life led him to take up employment in the Leather Factory, where he worked for 33 years. He formed many good friendships there and he was known as a conscientious, diligent and hard worker. John met Ann Whelan at a tender young age, who he later married and they were fortunate to have shared 57 splendid years of married life together. They were blessed with three wonderful children, Mary, Ann and Joe. Sadly, his eldest daughter Mary died unexpectedly in 2012, a cross that John found very difficult to accept as he was devastated and heartbroken. Nevertheless, he carried on and tried to keep the bright side out. John and Ann celebrated both their Silver and Golden Wedding Anniversaries in good health, milestones they shared and commemorated with family and friends. John was a great man that always put others first, he was hard working, strong, loving and gentle. Family was everything to John. He was commendable both as a husband, a father, a grandfather and a great grandfather. He was so proud of his children and their achievements. He had a wide variety of interests: he loved the simple things in life like walking his beloved dogs and pottering around in the garden. He loved life and took great pride in everything he did. He was passionate about the garden and spent many hours looking after it. He always had a beautiful display of roses and lilies that were admired by many passers-by. He passed his love for the garden and the green fingers on to his eldest daughter Mary. He loved the outdoors and was well known as the “lovely man” walking his dogs. He made many friends on his daily routes and loved to stop for the chat as the dogs enjoyed a run around in the tall grass. He was heartbroken when the time arrived that this pleasure was not longer possible, due to ill health. His kind and gentle nature can be seen in his daughter Ann and she is blessed with all her father’s ways. When John’s health deteriorated and he required extra care, his son Joe took on a very important role in caring for him. His brother Joe was a regular visitor with many stories from Old Parish that he thoroughly enjoyed. John was blessed with six beautiful grandchildren who he dearly loved. He looked forward to their visits where they shared with him stories about their days. He was so proud of them and all they have achieved in their young lives. On the 10th of January, 2016, John was given a new lease of life when his first great grandchild Mary-Kate was born. He said she was “a precious Angel” sent from Heaven. She was the apple of his eye and pushed all the rest down in the ranking order. She brought lots of joy and happiness back into the household that had been a sad place to be after the sudden death of his daughter Mary. When all the family saw how she cheered him up, even in his final hours, they all agreed that she is the “queen bee” and deserves the number one spot. As a family, we have not only lost a husband, a father, a grandad, a great grandad, but a true and dear friend.We believe that John had an extraordinary ability to make each one of us feel stronger and more confident in our own identity. He helped and encouraged us to create our own sense of independence and mental strength. He has been such an asset in so many ways in our lives that he will live in our memories and our hearts forever. John was one of nature’s true gentlemen, whose passing is deeply regretted. The esteem in which John was held was represented by the concourse of people who attended Drohan’s Funeral Home on Tuesday evening. On Wednesday morning at 11.00 a.m. the Funeral Mass was offered by Fr. Cooney, O.S.A., in thanksgiving for John’s life, and Fr. Harris, C.C., who visits John regularly, co-celebrated the Requiem Mass. The Liturgy of the Word was read by Patrick O’Dwyer and Demi Kinghorn. Levi Kinghorn, Tori Kinghorn, Craig Kinghorn and Kate Dunford shared the Prayers of the Faithful. Personal symbols were brought to the Altar by Patrick O’Dwyer, Adam Kelly, Killian O’Dwyer and Tony Mills. The bread and wine was brought to the Altar by Ann Murray and Lauren Kelly. His grand-daughter Tracey shared a richly deserved eulogy with everyone, where she thanked Dr. Tom Nyhan and all the staff at High Street Medical Centre, the Nurses and Doctors at Waterford Regional Hospital and the Paramedics that attended John on that final day. Beautiful hymns and music were rendered by Dina Walshe, which was much appreciated by all. A beautiful service was held for the happy repose of his soul. John was laid to rest in St. Mary’s Parish Church adjoining cemetery surrounded by close family and friends. Ed Sheeran’s song “Supermarket Flowers” was played at the graveside as a final farewell to a true gentleman. The lyrics of this song became

Dungarvan Observer | Friday, 15 December, 2017

more poignant as we remembered the life of one we loved so much. To have known John was indeed one of life’s blessings, a gentleman of many outstanding qualities and talents. We offer our heartfelt sympathised to his heartbroken wife Ann; his son Joe; his daughter Ann; his brothers Joe and Michael; his grandchildren Tracey, Killian, Patrick, Adam, Lauren and Aaron; his great grand-daughter Mary-Kate and his many other relatives and friends. Month’s Mind Mass for John Murray will be celebrated on Sunday, 7th January, 2018, at 12 o’clock in St. Mary’s Parish Church, Dungarvan. “Ar dheis lámh Dé go raibh John.” (Funeral arrangements were by Tom Drohan, Funeral Director, Dungarvan).

MAI HICKEY (nee Coughlan) Kilgobinet, Dungarvan With deep regret we record the passing of Mai Hickey which sad event occurred on 8th December, 2017. Removal was from Drohan’s Funeral Home on Saturday evening to St. Gobnait’s Church, Kilgobinet, where the remains were received and blessed on arrival by Fr. Kennedy, P.P., assisted by Fr. Kiely, P.E. Following Funeral Mass on Sunday morning, celebrated by Fr. Kennedy, P.P., burial took place in the adjoining cemetery. To her sons Tommy, Larry and Con; daughters Sheila, Helen, Maura, Peggy and Bridget; nephew Brian Coughlan; niece Maria Coughlan; grandchildren, great grandchildren, relatives and friends, we extend our deepest sympathy. (Funeral arrangements were by Tom Drohan, Funeral Director, Dungarvan).

DOUGLAS AVEYARD Cois Mara, Dungarvan, County Waterford, and formerly of Leeds, West Yorkshire Feelings of deep sadness and regret were evoked with the recent passing of Douglas Aveyard at his residence. Predeceased by his wife Margaret (née Hogan) and daughter Diane, we express our deepest sympathy to his son Liam, son-in-law Steve, other relatives and friends. One of nature’s true gentlemen, Douglas was an excellent conversationalist and had extensive knowledge across a wide range of topics. In his younger days he served as a Navigator with the RAF during the Second World War. A Service of Thanksgiving for Douglas’ life was celebrated at the Kiely Funeral Home, Dungarvan, on Thursday, 7th December, where his family and friends recalled and shared happy memories. Afterwards private cremation took place at the Island Crematorium, Ringaskiddy, County Cork. (Funeral arrangements by James Kiely & Sons, Funeral Directors, Dungarvan).

SEÁN McGALEY "St. Joseph's", Clonea, Dungarvan, Clondalkin, Dublin, and Coill Dubh, Kildare We write with feeling of deep sorrow of the passing of Seán McGaley which occurred on Tuesday, 5th December. We express our deepest sympathy to Séan’s wife Kathleen; family Paul, Brian, Margaret Synnott and Sorcha (Sarah) Bowler; daughters-in-law Birte and Dympna; sons-in-law Cian and John; grandchildren Eoin, Kathleen, Simon, Cara, Freya, Paul and Liam; brothers Tony and Thomas; sister Pauline (Philomena); extended family, other relatives and friends. Seán lay in repose at his residence in Clonea on Thursday, 7th December. Requiem Mass in thanksgiving for Seán’s life was celebrated on Saturday morning, 9th December, at the Church of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Killian, Clondalkin, Dublin, and afterwards cremation took place at Newlands Cross Crematorium, Ballymount Road, Dublin. May Seán rest in peace. (Funeral arrangements by James Kiely & Sons, Funeral Directors, Dungarvan).

MARY ALLEN (nee Hartigan) Ballyquin, Ardmore It is with sadness and deep regret we record the passing of Mary Allen which sad event occurred on Tuesday, 12th December, 2017. To her daughters Mary and Ann; sons-in-law Joe O’Callaghan and Seán O’Brien; grandson Alan and his wife Gráinne; great grandson John; relatives and friends, we extend our deepest sympathy. Funeral arrangements later. (Funeral arrangements were by Tom Drohan, Funeral Director, Dungarvan).

Dungarvan Observer | Friday, 15 December, 2017

ALICE BURKE (nee Grant) Touraneena, Ballinamult, Co. Waterford It is with great sadness we record the death on 26th November, 2017, of Alice Burke (nee Grant), late of Touraneena, Co. Waterford. Alice Grant was born in The Laurels, Ballymacarbry, County Waterford, on 25th January, 1926. Alice was the second child and the eldest daughter of Paddy John and Katie Grant. Alice was only two years of age when her mother Katie Grant (nee Doherty) aged 27 passed away. Alice went to school at Bennett’s Church in Ballymacarbry and always recalled when she passed a certain place called ‘Sean O’Mara’s Turn’ in Ballymacarbry, how one day when they were very young and herself and her older brother Sonny (Martin) and her younger sister Elsie, were walking to school as usual but they were frightful of going in to school that day because they didn’t have the tuppence each that was needed for a school collection. They walked slower than normal that morning, trying to delay getting in to school and the embarrassment of not having the money, when as they came around Sean O’Mara’s Turn in the road – there was 6 pence sitting on the road in front of them, tuppence each – just enough to pay their school fees. The place where they found the money is coincidentally where Our Lady’s Grotto was in later years erected in Ballymacarbry. Alice’s first job was in the Garda Barracks in Ballymacarbry and she would fondly talk of the years she spent there with Guard Mackey and Sargent Hennessy and how Sargent Hennessy actually made and decorated her wedding cake for her. She maintained her relationship with the Guards in Ballymacarbry and even after she married, she continued to work there. Alice, her sister Elsie and brother Sonny would always cycle down to the weekly dances at the Halfway House in Ballymacarbry and it was there she met her husband to be, Ned Burke. They married in 1943 and set up home in Dyrick which was a mountainous place that required a long walk to Sunday Mass and to the shops. At this time, World War II was still ongoing and they used to talk of the ration cards and the long walk over to O’Keeffe’s shop in the hope of getting a bag of sugar or flour. Alice and Ned always spoke fondly of the generosity of their neighbours in Dyrick, and had great affection for them and never forgot their kindness. Alice even used to make a white onion sauce down through the years that was affectionately called ‘Mary Downey’s Dip’, after one of their neighbours. After a couple of years, Alice and Ned moved closer to Touraneena and they went on to have seven children together. Sadly, their beloved eldest daughter Teresa was knocked down in a traffic accident in Dungarvan just seven weeks before her 18th birthday and unfortunately passed away. This was a cross Alice bore to her dying day as did her husband Ned. As a result of the accident the Parish Priest at the time, coaxed Alice to take on the job of Sacristan in St. Mary’s Church,Touraneena, in a bid to give her some focus and to help her in her grief. Eventually she accepted the job and this was the start of her life-long relationship with the Church in Touraneena and the Sliabh gCua community in general. A few years later, Alice and Ned became involved in the Set Dancing in Touraneena and they were fabulous dancing partners. Under the guidance and tuition of Monnie Hallahan, Alice and Ned were members of the 1972 Sliabh gCua Set Dancing team that brought the first Scor All-Ireland title back, not only to Sliabh gCua, but they were the first Set Dancers to bring the title back to the County of Waterford. Alice never forgot the excitement of that time. She would reminisce on a regular basis about the fabulous supporters they had and the bus loads that would travel with them from the parish and how on the way back from winning the All-Ireland in Dublin, the many bonfires that lit the way for them on their way home. Or how on the night of the County Final in Clonea, when the Sliabh gCua Set Dancers came out on the stage, the roar of applause was so great, the stewards in the hall thought a fire had broken out and the guards were called for overcrowding! They were very happy times for Alice. Alice and Ned went on to train other Set Dancers and they travelled the county and beyond to pursue their passion. Some years later, Alice became involved in fundraising and started out selling a few tickets here and there for local clubs. After a short while, she became aware that St. Mary’s Church was low on funds and needed to purchase some equipment and she thought that maybe she could raise the money needed.This started her passion for fundraising which continued through many decades. No challenge was too great for her, in fact, the greater the challenge, the more she would be determined to succeed.The list of clubs, institutions and charities that Alice raised money for, is simply too long to list but she always made sure that the main beneficiary of her fundraising was her beloved Church in Touraneena. Alice raised well over €100,000 during the years and it was done, line by line, pound by pound in earlier days and in later years euro by euro. She built a great fundraising committee around her and their help was invaluable in order to organise events such as Fashion Shows, Singing Competitions, Car Boot Sales, Talent

OBITUARY Competitions, Granny & Grandad Competitions and too many more events to mention. One of the highlights of her fundraising events was her Annual Coffee Day. She adored having the house full of people from 9.00 a.m. in the morning to 11.00 p.m. at night. It was a great social occasion and she would have persuaded people from all walks of life to attend her coffee day, well if they didn’t – they’d know about it from Alice the next time she met them! At the coffee days, the highlight of the day was the raffle, with the first prize being a huge new wheel barrow taking pride of place in the sitting room and stuffed with more goodies than you could imagine. Nothing would deter Alice from reaching her goals and one example of her tenacity was when she was out fundraising not too many years before she passed away, she was driving up until three years ago and she was what could best be described as a ‘nippy’ driver. One day, she was down at Mulnahurka Bridge wanting to take a left turn towards Sleady Castle because she was aiming to sell tickets in the area that day. However, there were roadworks going on and a ‘detour sign’ on the road, but rather than be fazed by it, Alice decided there were no road workers around to stop her and she drove off up the road past the detour sign with the end result of Alice having to be towed out a while later by a tractor. Whilst no tickets were sold in Sleady that day, I’m sure they were sold somewhere else! She was a formidable fundraiser and as a result of her 50 years of work in the Church as Sacristan, in 2004 she was awarded the Benemerenti Medal by Pope John Paul II.The Benemerenti Medal is an honour awarded by the Pope to members of the Clergy and laity for their service to the Catholic Church. It was a fabulous honour for a fabulous woman. Alice had many talents, she was a columnist for 45 years for the Waterford News & Star, the Dungarvan Leader, Dungarvan Observer and the Nationalist Newspaper. She was always scouting around for news and in fact many of the time due to all the events she was organising, Alice’s fundraising was creating a lot of the news! She also made and sold apple and rhubarb tarts and sausage rolls to the local shops and in later years started up a fast food restaurant in the house. She was a great woman to make the best of what she had and at every turn, she would try to make life better for her children, even in earlier days by cycling everywhere with one of her small children on her back in order to get to whatever work she was doing at that time. Many decades ago, she taught herself how to drive and from thereon her car was a great sense of pride to her. Alice adored her children and would have done anything for them. In later years when her grandchildren and great grandchildren came along, she got great joy from them and they kept her going. In her last few years Alice was strong and spritely and with the help of family and daily carers she was able to remain in her own home up until her last few weeks. She would spend hours doing Word Search books on a daily basis or as she called them ‘her puzzle books’. Unfortunately, as a result of a fall, Alice was brought to St. Joseph’s Hospital, Clonmel, and spent four weeks in the care of the fabulous staff in St. Joseph’s who were very sad to see her leave when she was transferred to CareChoice Nursing Home, Dungarvan. Sadly, Alice’s time in the Nursing Home was limited to 12 short days, however, in that time, the staff could not have been better to her. The Burke family are eternally grateful for the kindness shown to their Mam in both St. Joseph’s Hospital and CareChoice Nursing Home. Thank you also to all of Alice’s daily carers over the years and also to carers, Anna, Angela and Kathleen for all their assistance. Alice’s wake was at her house in Touraneena and the hundreds of people that paid their respects was a tribute to her life. The Rosary was said by Fr. Kelleher at the house. The Funeral Mass was held on Tuesday, 28th November, in St. Mary’s Church, Touraneena. Alice’s remains were taken from her house and her coffin which was covered by the Sliabh gCua flag was carried shoulder high by her family and friends down to the Church where a guard of honour lined the way from the Church gates to the Church entrance. Her daughter Breda and grand-daughter Donna brought her coffin up to the Altar. During the Mass, the Touraneena Choir orchestrated by Teresa Butler sang some beautiful hymns and Tom Flynn sang a beautiful rendition of Sliabh Geal gCua Na Féile.The Offertory Gifts were brought up by daughters Breda and Terrie, grandchildren Alicie and Frankie, great grandchildren Deon, Bobby and Abigail and they included a book of raffle tickets, a telly bingo ticket, Alice’s walking stick, a Mam ornament, a scratch card and a word search book. The Prayers of the Faithful were read by grandson Nathan, friend Aine, grand-daughter Alicie, son-in-law Johnny and daughter Terrie.The readings were read by her grand-daughter Emily and family friend Anna Thompson. At the end of the Mass, grand-daughter Caroline paid a wonderful tribute to Alice followed by grand-daughter Donna who read a beautiful poem. After the burial Mass where Fr. Brendan Crowley, P.P., was the attending Priest, daughters Terrie and Veronica and grand-daughter Alicie brought Alice’s remains from the Altar to the Church entrance accompanied by Set Dancing dance tunes played by Sean O’Brien, Jim McGrath and Brendan (Benny) McCarthy, up to the graveside where music continued to be played and the grave was beautifully lined with moss and flowers by her son-in-law Johnny. For a Winter’s day, the sun shone so brightly at the graveyard, it was spectacular, and we trust that it was a sign that Alice was happy to be back with her beloved Mother whom she hadn’t seen since she was two years of age and her beloved daughter Teresa, husband Ned, sister Elsie and many friends. It was a fitting tribute to an amazing woman and Alice would love to have been in the middle of it all with her book of raffle

55 tickets! Chief mourners were daughters Terrie Burke, Veronica Troy, Alice Marian Phelan and Breda Moran; sons Albert and Carthage Burke; grandchildren Gillian Dillon, Mark and Nigel Burke, Caroline Power, Elayne Spillane, Fiona Dunney, Lisa Calvert, Donna and Jonathan Troy, Kealan and Nathan Burke, Frankie Phelan,Teresa Flynn, Alice Marian Phelan, Emily O’Driscoll and Alície Burke Granger; great grandchildren Deon Troy, Rian Burke, Mia and Noah Troy, Billy Power, Abigail and Tommy Spillane, Bobby Power, Fjon and Elijah Burke, Karl and Cody Dillon, Amy Burke, Holly, Zoe, Sam and Tom Flynn, Tim and Saoirse Dunney; brother Noel Grant and sister-in-law Maureen; sonsin-law Johnny Troy and Bill Moran; grand-daughters-in-law, grandsons-in-law, nieces, nephews, extended relatives, neighbours and many friends. The Burke family would like to sincerely thank the following:– Drohan Funeral Directors, Anna Thompson, Pat Dalton, Helen Ryan, Sean O’Brien, Jim McGrath, Benny McCarthy, Tom Flynn, Betty Keating, Pat and Yvonne Troy, Mossie Cliffe, Kathleen Burke, John Michael Power, Jim Ryan, Betty Condon, the Sliabh gCua Ladies Club and all who assisted the ladies club; the Touraneena Choir, the Sliabh gCua G.A.A Club, Kearney’s Catering, St. Joseph’s Hospital, Clonmel, and CareChoice Nursing Home, Dungarvan. (Funeral arrangements were by Tom Drohan, Funeral Director, Dungarvan).

NUALA DUNFORD (nee Murphy) Mount Patrick, Kilmacthomas With deep sorrow and sincere regret we record the passing of Nuala Dunford (nee Murphy), Mount Patrick, Kilmacthomas, Co.Waterford, wife of the late Pat Dunford, which sad event occurred peacefully at University Hospital Waterford on 6th December, 2017. On Thursday evening reception took place into St. Mary’s Church, Saleen, where her remains were received and blessed by Rev. Fr. Martin Keogh, P.P. Funeral Mass was celebrated on Friday afternoon by Rev. Fr. Martin Keogh, P.P., and was assisted by Rev. Fr. Michael Enright, P.E.; Rev. Mgr. Don Kenny (Ramsgrange Wexford) and Decon Brendon Gallagher (Newtown /Kill). Readings during the Mass were recited by sister Deirdre Connery and brother Paudie Murphy. Prayers of the Faithful were read by her brothers Sean, Joe and Seamus Murphy, grandchildren Ciaran and Eve Morrissey and niece Helen Murphy. Dina Walshe provided a lovely selection of music and hymns throughout the Mass.The Offertory Gifts were presented to the Altar by grandchildren Ciaran and Eve Morrissey. Following Funeral Mass, Cremation Service took place privately. May she rest in peace. May we extend our deepest sympathy to her loving daughters Ciara Morrissey and Orla Andrianos; brothers Seamus, Edward, Mick, Sean, Paudie, Joe and Finny; sister Deirdre Connery; sons-in-law Conor Morrissey and Theo Andrianos; grandchildren Ciaran, Eve, Tiarnan, Fia and Safan; brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nephews, nieces, relatives, neighbours and friends. (Funeral arrangements by Aidan Walsh & Sons, Funeral Directors, Cappoquin & Tallow).

BABY BELLE GRACE TUTTY Villierstown, Cappoquin With deep sadness and sincere regret we record the passing of Baby Belle Grace Tutty, Villierstown, Cappoquin, Co.Waterford. Baby Belle Grace, most beautiful and precious daughter of Shane and Karen (née Landers), which sad event occurred on 2nd December, 2017. Reposing at her home in Villierstown, prayers were recited by Rev. Fr. G O’Connor, P.P., on Tuesday in the presence of her heartbroken parents before Mass of the Angels was offered in the Church of Assumption, Aglish, by Rev. Fr. G. O’Connor, P.P. Readings were recited by her aunt Evelyn Tobin and uncle Damien Landers. Prayers of the Faithful were read by Jennifer Landers-Hickey, Martha Ronayne-Ware, Dwayne Tutty and Aidan Connolly. The Offertory Gifts were presented to the Altar by grandparents Mary Landers and Peggy Tutty. A lovely selection of music and hymns was provided by soloist Andrea Cunningham and organist Mary Pedder-Daly. Her aunt Pamela Aird delivered a Communion Reflection, also appreciation and gratitude was expressed to the entire community for their support and kindness at this difficult time. Burial took place in the adjoining cemetery. Rev. Fr. G. O’Connor officiated the graveside prayers where Baby Belle Grace was laid to rest in the presence of her loving family, relatives, neighbours and a large circle of friends. Peace perfect peace. May she rest in peace. May we extend our deepest sympathy to her heartbroken parents Shane and Karen (née Landers); grandparents Mary and Pat Landers, Peggy and Declan Tutty; great-grandmother Margaret Tutty; uncles, aunts, cousins, relatives, neighbours and friends. Safe in the arms of Jesus. Gone from this life, But not from our hearts. (Funeral arrangements by Aidan Walsh & Sons, Funeral Directors, Cappoquin & Tallow).

FARMING Round-up … Teagasc Outlook indicates challenging year ahead IFA President Joe Healy recently said that Teagasc’s Annual Review and Outlook 2018 for the various farming sectors indicates a challenging year ahead for farmers, with most sectors predicted to see either an income drop, or at best stability. “We have had a number of very difficult years for all sectors.While the past year saw a significant improvement for Irish dairy farmers, it is important that the increase on the dairy side does not overshadow the very real income pressures in other sectors.” Joe Healy said the gains in other sectors were negligible, particularly in drystock and tillage, where incomes are still unsustainably low. The current weather-related fodder crisis is also not yet reflected in Teagasc’s figures. The IFA President again stressed the importance of direct payments for the drystock and tillage sectors,“It is clear that the survival of these sectors is very dependent on direct payments and it underlines the importance of an improved EU budget for direct payments in the context of the upcoming CAP reform. The figures further support the IFA case for a substantial additional payment for suckler cows.” The importance of timely payments to all farmers’ cash flow is absolutely vital and delays in the past have caused serious difficulties, especially for low-income farmers, Joe Healy added. “While it has been a relatively good year for dairying, this came on the back of one of the worst years on record and price volatility remains a huge threat in the context of the significant investment undertaken by dairy farmers.” Concluding, the President said, “It is clear that Irish farmers, faced with increased demands on sustainability, the environment and climate change, especially with the dangers presented by Brexit and a potential Mercosur trade deal, will continue to depend on a strongly-funded Common Agricultural Policy in the years ahead. Our Government and EU Commissioner Phil Hogan have a key role to play in securing the economic sustainability of all farming sectors in Ireland”.

IFA looks for changes to EU veterinary medicinal proposals IN meetings recently with Irish MEPs, IFA Animal Health Chairman Bert Stewart again outlined the concerns farmers have with EU proposals for the regulation of veterinary medicinal products. He said these regulations have the potential to impact negatively on Irish farmers and their ability to ensure the health and welfare of their animals in a practical and cost-efficient way. “They will place unnecessary obstacles to the supply and availability of products such as vaccines and doses. IFA has consistently identified key areas that must be addressed to allow farmers access to competitively priced veterinary medicines”. Bert Stewart said it is incumbent on the Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed and our MEPs to recognise the professionalism of farmers and their role in protecting the health and welfare of their animals.They cannot be hindered by increased costs and bureaucracy. He said the current proposals for veterinary medicinal products fail to adequately distinguish between antibiotics and all other products, which are key health and welfare products on farms.

Outcome on Brexit talks important for farming and food sector IFA President Joe Healy has welcomed the agreement reached between the EU and the UK to avoid a hard border. Joe Healy said it was an important outcome for the farming and food sector here and has the potential to be helpful in resolving a number of the challenges that Brexit posed for the sector. In particular, he said the text that the UK will maintain full alignment with those rules of the Internal Market and the Customs Union’ is significant in that it deals with the EU-UK relationship in its entirety. Joe Healy also noted the commitment to ‘protecting North-South cooperation’ and that the deal ‘will ensure no regulatory barriers develop between Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom’. The IFA President acknowledged the work done by the Irish Government on behalf of farmers and he urged them to maintain that focus in the next phase of the discussions. The transition and the final deal on trade will be crucial.

IFA Presentation to Honorary Life Membership to Michael Murphy, Coolbeggan – Front row l-r: John Joe Byrne, Vice-Chairman IFA; Richard Kennedy, IFC Deputy President, presenting Honorary Life Membership to Michael Murphy; Vera Murphy; Joe Kelly, Development Officer IFA; Mary Flynn, County Secretary; John Fitzgerald, County Chairman IFC. [Pat Crowley]

IFA urges consumers to ‘check twice’ and make sure they’re really buying Irish food this Christmas Misleading labelling and unsustainable discounting put retailers on the Naughty List IFA President Joe Healy has urged consumers to check twice to make sure the food they buy this Christmas is really Irish, and is priced in an economically sustainable manner. Launching the IFA’s Fairness for Farmers, Honesty for Consumers Christmas Campaign on Friday, Joe Healy said, “Consumers value Irish produced food and want to support Irish farmers. Retailers know this and they exploit consumers’ good intentions by using misleading labelling and unsustainable discounting to lure customers.” Joe Healy called retailers out on the use of ‘False Flag’ tricolour images and Irish sounding brand names to give the impression that food comes from Ireland and that in buying it consumers are supporting Irish farmers. He reminded consumers that the only labels they should trust to signify Irish origin are The Bord Bia Quality Mark – Origin Ireland and the National Dairy Council Guarantee. Joe Healy gave examples of retailers’

attempts to mislead and confuse their customers including: • using tricolour images boasting ‘produced in Ireland’ or ‘processed in Ireland’ on non-Irish food; • selling products with Irish sounding brand names, some of which originate in Ireland and some of which do not; • using fake farm and creamery brand names to mask non-Irish product; and,. • displaying Irish product next to identically packed non-Irish product. Joe Healy said, “Playing with perceptions is designed to mislead consumers. It denies them the opportunity to make informed choices and gives the impression the retailer cares about local suppliers when in reality there is no guarantee their suppliers are being paid a fair price.” UNSUSTAINABLE DISCOUNTING Joe Healy today also called attention to the practice of unsustainable discounting by retailers and its impact for both farmers and consumers. Citing recent examples such as selling fresh

milk for 67c/l and major discounts on fresh vegetables, he urged consumers to reject prices that are too low, saying, “Prices that do not cover the true cost of production are unsustainable. This discounting lures customers in and gives shops an air of value, but it is bad for both suppliers and customers in the long run. “Unsustainable pricing leads to reduced farmgate prices, it puts primary producers out of business and it alters consumers’ perceptions of the value and cost of food. In addition, volume based discounts encourage over-buying and cause food waste. “In the long run, as domestic supplier numbers decline due to unsustainable pricing, customer choice will be restricted and retail prices may need to increase to secure supplies,” Joe Healy warned. The IFA President challenged retailers: “Will you engage honest and sustainable retailing or will you continue scrapping for market share, attempting to fool consumers away from competing stores, while pushing down supplier prices?”

Dungarvan Observer | Friday, 15 December, 2017

FARMING

Agri Aware appeals to shoppers to support Irish farmers and food producers this Christmas • 89% of the public believe that Irish farmers provide quality, safe, traceable food at an affordable price for Irish consumers • 90% of the public think legislation should be introduced to ensure that farmers receive a fair price from supermarkets for their food • 95% of consumers believe Irish farmers play a key role in the Irish economy AGRI Aware, the independent Irish agri-food educational body, is asking consumers to support the Irish agri-food industry by buying quality and sustainably produced Irish food this Christmas. Farming and the food sector play a vital role in the Irish economy with over 173,000 people employed in the agri-food sector in Ireland, and exports contributing almost €12.2 billion to the Irish economy. Launching its “Buy Irish” Christmas radio ad campaign, Agri Aware’s Chairman, Richard Moeran appealed to consumers to fill their shopping baskets with the best of Irish produce this festive season. “Source a high quality Irish turkey, stay with our traditional Irish vegetables and make sure

your roast potatoes are home grown”, Mr. Moeran said. “A recent independent consumer survey delivered by Ipsos MRBI for Agri Aware showed an overwhelming majority (95%) of consumers believe Irish farmers play a key role in the Irish economy and 89% believe that Irish farmers provide quality, safe, traceable food at an affordable price for Irish consumers. This is a very encouraging message as we go into the busy Christmas season,” he added. Agri Aware’s Executive Director, Deirdre O’Shea, said “Irish food is of the highest quality, it is sustainably produced and traceable and it is affordable for consumers as a result of CAP (Common Agricultural Policy). We ask Irish consumers

to please support our farmers this season and ensure you buy Irish. In doing so, you will support thousands of jobs in the agri-food and service industry. Buying Irish is the smart choice and will ensure jobs for farmers and food companies in your local community. This guarantees that they can continue to deliver quality, wholesome Irish food to you, the consumer”. Agri Aware’s Christmas radio advertisement is part of Agri Aware’s ‘My land, your land Ireland’ CAP communication campaign and is currently running on national and local radio stations with famous Irish sports broadcaster Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh. For more information visit www.agriaware.ie/cap

Pictured at the launch of Agri Aware’s Buy Irish radio campaign are brother and sister Cian O’Shea, age 4 and Caoimhe O’Shea age 2 from Laois with Lucky the Turkey.

READER’S QUERIES

IFA Presentation to Honorary Life Membership to Michael Murphy, Coolbeggan. Left to right: Francis O’Brien, John O’Mahony, Paul Condon, Michael Murphy, Michael O’Neill, Liam Ahearn, Tallow/Knockanore IFA Branch. [Pat Crowley]

Question: I am a part-time farmer and am also a participant in GLAS 1. I normally keep cattle for the summer however I was recently approached by a local dairy farmer with regard to the contract rearing of heifers. I have given it strong thought as the money is good and it would avoid the need to be going out buying cattle each year. I was telling my neighbour over the weekend and he said it would be a non-runner as he had heard recently on a GLAS course that those with Low Input Permanent Pasture would get thrown out of GLAS for that. Is this the case, as the offer would be hard to turn down? Can you please advise? Answer: December generally sees the Saturday night consultants out in full swing however all after hour’s advice should be taken with a certain degree of caution. There is however an element of truth in what you heard. I suspect you were lucky enough to draw down the full 10 hectares of LIPP which is worth €3,140 alone each year in GLAS 1. In order to qualify for the LIPP payment you must carry owned grazing livestock on your holding for each year of the scheme. If you substituted your current system of summer grazing with taking in heifers, you would also have to keep some owned grazing livestock such as cattle, horses or sheep on the holding. Otherwise, you could be faced with repayment of all monies so far on the Low Input Permanent Pasture which would be quite considerable in your case. I trust this will clear things up for you. Tip of the Week: Reminder to all farmers who exported organic manure in 2017 that the relevant paperwork (Record 3) must be received by the DAFM in Johnstown Castle no later than the 31st December, 2017.

FA R M E R S ! HAVE YOUR FARMING QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY AGRICULTURAL CONSULTANT

TERENCE MORRISSEY IFA Presentation to Honorary Life Membership to Michael Murphy, Coolbeggan. Front row l-r: Richard Kennedy, IFA Deputy President, presenting Honourary Life Membership to Michael Murphy, Vera Murphy, Éire Daly. Back row l-r: Kealan Daly, Kieran Murphy, Seán Murphy, Monica Murphy, Deirdre Daly, Máire Murphy, Phil Byrne. [Pat Crowley]

Send your queries to: Dungarvan Observer, Shandon, Dungarvan,Co. Waterford, or to Morrissey & Associates, Mweelnahorna, Ring, Dungarvan, Co. Waterford.

FARMING

Dungarvan Observer | Friday, 15 December, 2017

Teagasc DEROGATION APPLICATIONS 2018 A very high number of farmers in Waterford and Kilkenny are now applying for a nitrates derogation each year and demand for assistance from Teagasc is also increasing. To ensure that this work is completed by the March 31st closing date it is vital that we start immediately after Christmas. If you need assistance send in the following documentation to your Teagasc office as soon as possible but no later than January 6th. • Meal statements for 2016. • Estimated tonnes of feed purchased in 2017. • Fertiliser statement for 2017. • Any results for soil analysis completed in recent months. Gather the information now because when calving commences you will be too busy and it may be forgotten or done too late. If you have been exporting slurry for the last number of years in order to stay under the 170 kg organic nitrogen per ha limit then you should apply for a derogation in 2018. PREVENT SILAGE HEATING DURING FEED OUT The most important requirement for successfully preserving any crop as silage is that it is stored in the absence of air. Thus, silage pits and clamps are covered with plastic sheets, while bales are wrapped in plastic stretch-film in order to store the forage under air-free conditions. However, silages are exposed to air during feed out and thus are prone initially to heating and then to visible growth of mould.Whereas some silages can appear to be stable for several days during feed out, others will show signs of heating and mould growth after only a day or two of exposure to air. In general, silages made from drier and stemmier grass are

more prone to deterioration during feed out than those made from wetter and leafier grass. Silages that unfortunately fermented poorly during ensilage (i.e., high pH, butyric acid and ammonia-N) are more stable during feed out than silages that fermented properly (i.e., low pH, high lactic acid). In all cases, silages are more prone to heating when feed out occurs during mild rather than cold weather. Aerobic deterioration during feed out will reduce silage feed value, with the result that livestock will eat less and the digestibility (DMD) of what they consume will have been reduced (typically by 2-4%). Where heating of the silage is advanced, the spores and toxins produced by moulds growing on the silage can be harmful to both man and beast. Steps to prevent heating during feed out are: • at harvest time fill pits and clamps quickly, compact the forage and cover and seal quickly – ensure the seal remains secure throughout storage; and, • at feed out, minimise the duration of access of silage to air. The exposed silage face should be removed for feeding every two to three days. This necessitates that the width and height of the silage feed face matches the number and type of livestock to be fed from the silo. If only some animals are to be fed silage for a short period, it is better to use bales during that time. Cut rather than pull blocks of silage from the face. Retain the plastic sheets tightly in place, but don’t pull them down over the silage feed face. BE WINTER READY As I write this article the first blast of real winter weather is forecast for next weekend. We usually get the worst of the weather in January so it is

vitally important that you check that you and your farm are winter ready now. Look after your own safety: • Before going out on your land always tell someone where you are going, and how long you will be gone for. • Wear suitable layers of clothing. • Carry a charged mobile phone and a torch. • Never use a stand-by generator indoors, as fumes from the engine can be lethal. • Be sure that equipment (for example a chainsaw) which you may not have used for some time is serviced and that you use it correctly. Cold Weather and Snow 1. Plan how you will get food and water to your stock. 2. Prevent your machinery and water supplies freezing up: • have thermostatically controlled heaters in the pump house • an insulation blanket/plastic sheet, placed at the entrance to the milking parlour, may help prevent milking machines freezing up • drain wash-down pumps 3. Check the antifreeze levels in all your engines. 4. Have a plan to clear routes around your farm buildings, and have a stock of gritting material and salt. 5. When searching for animals in snow, wear high visibility clothing so you can be easily seen. Flooding on the farm If your farm is prone to flooding: 1. Move your livestock to areas you can access if flooding risk is high. 2. Carefully assess the depth of floods before driving through them.

3. Only use suitable vehicles if you have to drive through floods. 4. Secure valuable equipment and fuel supplies in suitable locations so that they are not ruined by water. Electricity Get a copy of the booklet “Farm Well…..Farm Safely” from the ESB Networks website www.esb.ie. It tells you all you need to know about using electric equipment on you farm. • Stand-by generators. Special regulations apply to the connection and use of generators. • The connection must be installed by a qualified electrician. • ESB must be notified of proposed operation of a generator. • Incorrect connection can cause a back feed posing a risk to yourself, other consumers and maintenance staff. IMPORTANT EVENT Teagasc Successful Suckling Event A Teagasc Event on Successful Suckling will take place in the Cillin Hill Mart, Kilkenny on Wednesday, 13th December 3.30 p.m. - 5.30 p.m.The event will include a live demonstration of condition scoring of suckler cows by Teagasc advisers; a presentation on Feeding Suckler Cows for Maximum Reproductive Efficiency by Alan Kelly U.C.D. Alan Dillon, Teagasc adviser will relate real farmer experiences of Increasing Efficiency and Output on their Suckler Farms and Kieran Devaney, veterinary surgeon, will speak on Current Suckler Herd Health Issues. This is a Dept. of Agriculture KT approved event. All are welcome.

ICSA pushes for extension to hedge cutting and vegetation burning dates at Oireachtas meeting ICSA has laid out a strong case for the extension of hedge cutting and vegetation burning dates in a presentation on the Heritage Bill to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht. Following the meeting ICSA president Patrick Kent said, “We believe that being able to control vegetation on the hills needs the added flexibility of the month of March and likewise we believe that flexibility around hedge cutting in August is essential.” On the issue of burning Mr Kent said, “The reality is that burning in the winter months is seldom feasible and that short days and weather patterns means that February rarely works. It must be understood that the land we are talking about is not usually suitable for topping or other types of mechanical control. If we are really interested in

wildlife, the best outcome in the long term is achieved by livestock grazing in an extensive manner. It is also important to note that there is a code of practice around controlled burning which ICSA fully advocates.” On the issue of hedge cutting Mr Kent impressed upon the Committee that, “In practice, farmers are trying to get it all done in three months from September to early December. However, as we have seen this year, a lot of that period is beset with heavy rainfall and poor ground conditions. Moreover neatly trimmed hedges are a critical piece of road safety infrastructure. ICSA believes that roadside hedges in particular should be dealt with in August. If we could at least get the roadside hedge cutting out of the way in August, it makes it more feasible to get the internal

hedges done in September and October. It must also be noted that in GLAS some 7,500 farmers have planted 1,200km of new hedgerows and another 3,300km has been rejuvenated by coppicing and hedge laying. This demonstrates that farmers are keen to maintain diverse landscapes where relatively small fields are divided by hedges. But if we make the maintenance of hedges too challenging by unduly harsh limitations on hedge cutting, then we are creating a perverse disincentive to any more hedgerow planting and a more bland, open countryside fenced only by wire.” ICSA strongly commended the bill to the Committee insisting we have to be pragmatic about the problems that are impacting severely on farmers and on road users right now.

Pictured at the Macra na Feirme/Triace Public Speaking competition with Teresa Mackin, Triace Sales Represenative and James Healy, Macra na Feirme National President are Waterford City Macra na Feirme. From left to right: Teresa Mackin, James Healy, Laura Foskon, Marie Harnett and Maria Cosgrove.

Waterford City Macra are finalists at the Macra na Feirme/Triace Public Speaking Finals AT the All-Ireland finals of Macra’s Public Speaking and Impromptu Public Speaking competitions last weekend, Waterford City Macra members showed off their accomplished speechmaking skills. The top prizes were awarded to Hill 16 Macra, Co. Dublin who won the Public Speaking competition while Jonathan Quinn, Kinsale Macra, Seandun, Cork won the Impromptu Public Speaking competition. Runners up in the team competition were Ennis Macra, Co. Clare and run-

ner up in the solo competition was Thomas Fitzgerald Killarney Macra, Co. Kerry. The competitions are sponsored by Triace Hardware Specialists. The competition finals took place on Saturday in Virginia, Co. Cavan. Macra na Feirme National President James Healy said, ‘Well done to all our speakers, these competitions are a great way for our members to grow accustomed to speaking in a public forum and I would like to thank Triace for their continued support.’

FARMING

Dungarvan Observer | Friday, 15 December, 2017

ICSA meets Minister Naughten on renewable energy policies ICSA has met with the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and the Environment Mr. Denis Naughten to make the case for renewable energy policies that could transform the outlook for farmers. ICSA president Patrick Kent said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is high time that we turn climate change targets into opportunities for farmers. Instead of the negativity, we could make agriculture part of the solution to climate change targets. However, this requires coherent Government support for national decisions and EU policies which drive renewable energy production from sustainable European farming strategies.â&#x20AC;? Mr Kent said that ICSA pushed Minister Naughten to strongly oppose the slashing of

the 7% biofuel mandate at the December Council of Ministers meeting in Brussels. ICSA also insisted that the Government should support anaerobic digestion and small scale, roof top solar energy in the Renewable Heat Incentive and Renewable Electricity Support Scheme. â&#x20AC;&#x153;ICSA has been campaigning against the absurd EU proposals in the Renewable Energy Directive reform which would completely sabotage European farmers who sell over â&#x201A;Ź6 billion worth of crops to biofuel plants in Europe. The loss of this outlet would further undermine EU cereal prices and cause the loss of vital GM free protein animal feeds which are a by-product of biofuel production in Europe. In any event, Ireland needs to have more not less biofuels in

the fuel mix if we are to have any hope of meeting climate change targets and in order to avoid even more severe obligations on livestock emissions.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;ICSA has also been campaigning to make anaerobic digestion a reality in many counties. Apart from the potential to sell energy and to make farms more viable, anaerobic digestion can reduce slurry spreading problems, reduce dependence on fertiliser imports and lower emissions.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;ICSA also called for roof top solar on farm sheds to get a ring fenced piece of the renewable electricity pie. Some farms have significant electricity consumption patterns but they need to sell surplus to the grid.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;All of these policies would mark a coherent response to the

climate change challenge and more importantly lower the risk of climate change fines for this country. Furthermore, at a time when many farms are struggling for viability due to exploitation in food markets, we must deliver other income possibilities to farmers.â&#x20AC;? The ICSA delegation also included general secretary Eddie Punch and rural development chairman Seamus Sherlock. â&#x20AC;&#x153;ICSA was satisfied with the engagement with Minister Naughten particularly with imminent decisions on the renewable heat incentive, further consideration of the renewable electricity support scheme and the crunch phase of the EU biofuel package. We are hopeful that he has been listening to the ICSA view.â&#x20AC;?

Biomethane must be included in phase two of renewable heat incentive scheme ICSA President Patrick Kent has said the announcement of Phase 1 of the Renewable Heat Incentive Scheme is welcome "as a step along the road towards making renewable energy a central part of meeting climate change targets. However there will be disappointment that biomethane

injection from anaerobic digesters is not included in Phase 1." "Nonetheless, ICSA is hopeful, following our recent meeting with Minister Naughten that he is committed to progressing the potential for anaerobic digesters to provide a win/win solution in terms of climate change,

improved farm revenues and more efficient farming systems. ICSA is anxious that biogas opportunities are progressed as early as possible in the new year and we expect that the consultation process will be expedited." "In a year where slurry spreading has proved hugely problematic in border counties especially,

we have to look at smarter and more efficient ways of handling farm manures. We also want to see potential new outlets for farm crops including grass as it is clear that there is little incentive for cattle and sheep farmers to expand output at current livestock price levels."

Minister has to act on Teagasc fodder survey THE meeting of the Fodder Action Group in Sligo confirmed that over 85% of farmers surveyed in the region have, on average, less than half of the fodder they need for the Winter. The Action Group was established by the Minister following a meeting with IFA last week.

IFA Padraic Joyce said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;These figures are very stark and the fodder shortages are placing a huge strain on farmers. The information gathered by Teagasc requires immediate action from the Minister who must bring forward measures to help those farmers who urgently need support to avert a crisisâ&#x20AC;?.

Peak demand for Christmas lamb trade IFA National Sheep Chairman John Lynskey has said the lamb trade remains firm with factories paying â&#x201A;Ź5.00/kg. He said this week will see peak Christmas demand. John Lynskey said the weather difficulties have caused some disruption to trade this week, leaving supplies tighter in some areas. He said factories are quoting from â&#x201A;Ź4.85 to â&#x201A;Ź4.95/kg but paying â&#x201A;Ź5.00/kg and some higher prices of â&#x201A;Ź5.05/5.10, including bonuses. John Lynskey said farmers are concerned about poor weights with limits at 22.5kgs to 23kgs in places.

Dungarvan Mart Report MONDAY 11th DECEMBER, 2017 DRY COWS 1 Lim. 690 kgs. made â&#x201A;Ź1,170. 1 Fr. 745 kgs. made â&#x201A;Ź990. 1 Her. 655 kgs. made â&#x201A;Ź970. BULLOCKS 5 Char. 535 kgs. made â&#x201A;Ź1,160 each. 4 A.A. 497 kgs. made â&#x201A;Ź1,030 each. 3 Frs. 516 kgs. made â&#x201A;Ź935 each. 5 Frs. 539 kgs. made

â&#x201A;Ź950 each. HEIFERS 1 Fr. 600 kgs. made â&#x201A;Ź1,160. 2 A.A. 430 kgs. made â&#x201A;Ź820 each. 1 A.A. 410 kgs. made â&#x201A;Ź740. Final Sale at Dungarvan Mart will be held on Monday, 18th December, 2017, and first sale in the new year will be held on Monday, 8th January, 2018.

He called on Teagasc to quantify the type and volume of feed and fodder required in the north-west region, and to identify if there is any surplus in the rest of the country. In a meeting with the Minister last week, the IFA delegation set out the supports needed to alleviate the problem, including animal feed vouchers and a transport subsidy.

CONCRETE CONTRACTOR FARM AND DOMESTIC CONCRETE WORK â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Also General Building and Carpentry. Contact: Steven Curran (087) 7979716. (8-12)

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Renowned Island of Ireland Peace Choir supporting local students’ fundraising initiative TWO young students from West Waterford are raising funds for the Hope Foundation, a charity that is dedicated to helping the street and slum children of India. The charity changes the lives of these children by providing much needed food, shelter, medical aid, and an opportunity for a basic education. The charitable organisation, founded by Maureen Forrest, an exstudent of the Mercy Convent here in Dungarvan, is committed to freeing these children from lives of pain, abuse, and darkness, providing them with a chance to escape poverty. Katie Halpin-Hill and Laoise Keevers, who are Transition Year students in Meánscoil San Nioclás in An Rinn, hope to travel to Kolkata in April 2018 to see and help with the work done by the Hope Foundation. The two girls were determined to use their Transition Year to help others and make a real difference. Amongst the young students' many fundraising events is a concert coming up on this Saturday 16th in Waterford, featuring the renowned Island

Movie Reviews In association with SGC Dungarvan

The Man Who Invented Christmas By Brendan Meehan

Katie and Laoise busking for The HOPE Foundation in Ardmore during the Summer. of Ireland Peace Choir. The Peace Choir was founded by Dr. Phil Brennan in the aftermath of the Omagh bomb in 1998 and promotes a message of hope and peace. The choir was delighted to offer their support as Katie is a member and has travelled with the choir all over

Some of the very grateful Hope Foundation children in Kolkata.

The Island of Ireland Peace Choir performing in Krakow, Poland in July 2017.

the country and beyond. The Island of Ireland Peace Choir opened the 1916 Commemorations in the Garden of Remembrance with their rendition of 'The Parting Glass', and most recently they travelled to Kraków in Poland to sing at a series of concerts to commemorate the Holocaust. Last weekend, they also headlined the annual fundraising concert for the Peter McVerry Trust in St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin which was hosted by Pat Kenny. Katie and Laoise's fundraising concert for The Hope Foundation featuring The Island of Ireland Peace Choir will take place on this coming Saturday, 16th December in St. Patrick's Gateway Centre in Waterford City at 7.30 p.m. There is no entry charge but all donations will be very greatly appreciated by the young students on behalf of The Hope Foundation.

THE town is aglow, the advent calendars are up and we're officially in December, so it's nice to have a film that reminds us of how the holiday used to be and how it came to be what we know today. And what it was, was nothing. Until Charles Dickens penned a tale celebrating what Christmas could be, and what it ideally is. The Man Who Invented Christmas starts with a desperate and dispirited Charles Dickens struggling through writer's block and trying to pay off debts he's put himself in thanks to excessive spending following the success of Oliver Twist. Taking inspiration from the people and places around him, he begins a new story, but runs in to problems when the cast of his new work take on a life of their own. Dickens can't control them, and much of the film's best comedy comes from his interactions with his creations. The central creation is of course, Scrooge, played by Christopher Plummer, who nails the character's mean spirited misery but fails to really show Scrooge's epiphany in the film's finale. This is compensated for though by Dan Stevens playing Charles Dickens, whose character's desire to escape his past as a workhouse child is reflected through Scrooge thoughout. When Scrooge comes to his epiphany, Dickens himself has his own one and Stevens sells the realization well. Also notable is the film's script, which includes several odd but beautiful turns of phrase that fit

in with the story's setting. All told, The Man Who Invented Christmas is a strong Christmas film that celebrates the season with humor and a sprinkling of drama that sheds some a little new light on classic characters and the history of the holiday. Rating: 4/5

Star Wars – The Last Jedi Early Reactions – An Emotional, Jaw-Dropping Sequel THE first social media reactions to Rian Johnson’s Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi are now online, following the film’s world premiere in Los Angeles, CA.The highly-anticipated sequel continues the story previously established in J.J. Abrams’ Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens and takes the long-running franchise in new, ambitious directions, while also laying the groundwork for Abrams to return for Star Wars: Episode IX – the concluding chapter in Lucasfilm’s Star Wars sequel trilogy. Although not much is truly known about the highly-anticipated sequel at this stage, The Last Jedi has been decidedly different from the get-go, with Lucasfilm focusing on potential tantalizing twists. Of course, those details are being kept under wraps until the film hits theaters next Friday. What is known, however, is that The Last Jedi forgoes a time jump and takes place mere moments after the events of The Force Awakens, with Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) finally uttering his first words on-screen since 1983’s Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi. Star Wars:The Last Jedi clocks in at 2 hours 31 minutes, thus making it the longest Star Wars movie ever released. In fact, an early cut of The Last Jedi was over 3 hours long, but trimming assembly cuts down is standard operating procedure for blockbuster movie directors – and

Johnson wanted the sharpest movie he could make. Sadly, Carrie Fisher’s passing in 2016 means The Last Jedi will be her last Star Wars movie, which meant Johnson had to get creative with the film’s editing to conclude Princess Leia’s (now General Leia) story arc.

Dungarvan Observer | Friday, 15 December, 2017

ENTERTAINMENT

A view of the nice Christmas lights in Tallow at the weekend.

[David O’Flynn]

Bachelors In Trouble DVD Launch Photographs by Will Cusack Photography The Bachelors in Trouble crew launched their latest DVD “Cold Shower and Hot Summons” in Crotty’s Inn, Leamybrien, last Saturday night. Southern Pride provided the music, who were joined by Paddy Joe Ryan for a few numbers. WLR’s John O’Shea who was MC for the night kept the show on the road, while the dancing was a joy to watch. Enjoying the night were the following:

Mr. and Mrs. Fogarty, Rathgormack.

N i c o l e L o n e r g a n to t a ke p a r t i n f i n a l o f Germany’s Got Talent CONGRATULATIONS and best of luck to Nicole Lonergan, Kockmeal Ballinamult, as she travels to Germany to compete in the grand final of Germany's Got Talent. Having just flown home from Taiwan with Lord of the Dance, Nicole was chosen to be part of a music and dance act that has been competing in the well known talent show. The new group called Dúlamán, initially auditioned for Germany's Got Talent as a way of gaining exposure for their upcoming tour in Germany, but pleasantly found themselves more successful than intended and went on to secure themselves a place in the final.

The audition was so successful that Dúlamán has been offered a record deal with Sony music in Germany and is currently recording their first album. The final takes place on Saturday, where Nicole and Dúlamán will battle against 3 other acts for the coveted cash prize of €100,000. The show is Germany's no.1 most watched TV show, with an estimated 10 million people due to tune in for the live final. Irish viewers can watch it online at 'nowtv.de'. Congratulations again to Nicole on such a wonderful achievement and the very best of luck.

Ardmore Christmas Day Swim THE countdown really has begun with just under two weeks to go! Nothing beats the excitement of seeing what Santa brought and then cooling down with a Christmas swim! The aim of the swim each year is to raise some much needed funds for our local Lifeboat Stations. The R.N.L.I is a voluntary run charity that saves lives at sea every day of the year, no matter what the conditions may be. They are independent of the Government and strongly need our support and we are very proud that we are in out twentieth year of supporting this wonderful charity.

Each year we have great supporters, many of whom gather sponsorship before the swim and others who simply make a donation, whether they take part or not. We also have supporters who come along and spur on the rest of us while we are making a dash to splash! Every little helps. We have a Facebook page, find us at Ardmore Christmas Day Swim and give us a like! Information is also available on there as to how you can obtain your sponsorship card. The swim will take place at 12:15 p.m on Ardmore Beach with some nice hot refreshments afterwards. We are always grateful as ever to the continuous support we receive.

Sean and Maura Lennon.

Eamonn and Nora Halpin.

Paddy Joe Ryan and John O’Shea.

Ann and Mark Raher.

Mary and Tom Fennell.

Mary Keating, Mairead Coffey and Mary Mulcahy.

ENTERTAINMENT

Dungarvan Observer | Friday, 15 December, 2017

Santa Express Bus

A Taste of Music

THE SANTA EXPRESS BUS WILL BE AT

WHERE CAN YOU TRY PIANO AND KEYBOARD ANY MORNING – €40 ONLY FOR 4 LESSONS! Evening lessons also available for Children and Adults. Qualified Teacher. Phone: Catherine (087-3121201). Vouchers available for Christmas. For your chance to win piano/keyboard lessons all you have to do is answer the following question and post your entries into Music Competition, Dungarvan Observer, Shandon, Dungarvan, Co. Waterford, on or before 12 noon on Monday, 18th December. Editor’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.

SALLYFORT MINI FARM on Saturday, 16th December, 12–6 p.m.

CROTTY’S INN

Santa will be joining children on this night time experience enjoying a bus ride, sing-along with Santa, presents and visit to the working farm animals.

“YOU’RE NEVER TOO OLD TO TRY SOMETHING NEW!” Question: How much are 4 morning lessons? Answer: …………………………………………………………………………………………

LEAMYBRIEN Wednesday, 13th December DANCING TO

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The use of indoor play area is included in the price and the Café will be open for refreshments.

Name: ………………………………………………………………………………………….... Address: ……………………………………………………………..…………………………. ………………………………………………………………………...………………………..… ………………………………………… Tel. No. ………………………...….………………...

IN!

TEDDY & CATHAL BARRY NEW CD LAUNCH With special guests SAM O’DOHERTY, P.J. MURRIHY & SEAMUS SHANNON, PAT, DALY, BLUE LACE, MOYNIHAN BROTHERS & QUICKSTEP MC John Russell (CRY) Commencing 8.30 p.m. sharp Adm. €10.00 Friday, 15th December

Ring if you require further information 087 272 9237

ANDREA CHENIER @ SGC Dungarvan

WIN

Special Christmas Bingo Prizemoney €1,200 • Jackpot €2,000 Plus many extra prizes Commencing 8.30 p.m. sharp Saturday, 16th December DANCING TO

CHECKERS Sunday, 17th December

ANDREA CHENIER from TEATRO ALLA SCALA (OperAfternoons Season) Saturday, 30th December, at 3.00 p.m. Set against the backdrop of the French Revolution, ANDREA CHENIER is loosely based on the turbulent real life events of the poet of the same name. Along with the servant Carlo Gerard, Chenier falls in love with young aristocrat Maddalena, and will do anything to win over her heart. First performed at the Teatro Alla Scala in 1896, Umberto Giordano's opera is brought to life by Russian soprano Anna Netrebko and her husband Yusif Eyvazov. The Dungarvan Observer, in association with SGC Dungarvan, has a pair of tickets to give away to the lucky winner of our competition. All you have to do is answer the following question and post your entries into SGC Competition, Dungarvan Observer, Shandon, Dungarvan, Co. Waterford, on or before 12 noon on Tuesday, 19th December. Editor’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.

Sleigh Rider Motorbike Run In aid of St. Vincent de Paul Bikes leave Crotty’s Inn at 1.00 p.m. Pick SANTA up en route and bring him back to Crotty’s Inn for a SANTA & KIDS DISCO 2–4 p.m. Music by WLR-fm DJ JOHN O’SHEA Including Raffle Coming Saturday, 23rd December DANCING TO

DAVE LAWLOR Crotty’s Inn available for Parties, Meetings and Functions.

✄ Question: Andrea Chenier is screened at SGC on what date?

Tel. (051) 291254 / (087) 6599126.

Answer: ………………………………………………… Name: ………………………………………………….. Address: ……………………………………………………………..……………………………………………

adverts@dungarvanobserver.ie ORGANISING AN EVENT?

………………………………………………………………………...………………………..………………... …………………………………………………………… Tel. No. ………………………...….………………...

Call a cab …

Make sure everyone reads about it …

058-41205/42042

Joe Cliffe

Ollie Gillen

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PADDY O’BRIEN

Friday 15th – Thursday 21st FILM INFORMATION AND BOOKING LINE 058 45796 www.sgcdungarvan.ie U P C O M I N G E V E N T S – N OW B O O K I N G DECEMBER 16th RAPHAEL: LORD OF THE ARTS ART ON SCREEN PRESENTATION @ 3.00 p.m. ON SALE! DECEMBER 30th

ANDREA CHENIER OPERAFTERNOONS SEASON

✄

DECEMBER 31st

BERLINER PHILMONKIER NYE GALA CONCERT ON SALE!

STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI (12A) 150 mins. A S O N Y 4 K P R E S E N TAT I O N ! DAILY 6.00, 9.00; ALSO SAT., SUN. 2.50

CROTTY’S INN

D I G I TA L ! FRI. – TUE. 6.40, 9.10; WED., THUR. 6.40; ALSO FRI., SUN., MON. TUE. 4.10

Leamybrien, Co. Waterford Tel. 051-291254

PADDINGTON 2 (G) 103 mins. D I G I TA L ! DAILY 4.35; ALSO SAT., SUN. 11.30, 2.20; EXTRA SHOW SUN. 1.55

✄

ON SALE!

St. Stephen’s Night

DADDY’S HOME 2 (PG) 100 mins.

THE STAR (PG) 86 mins.

SEVEN S E V E N DAY DAYKIDS’ K I D SCLUB ’ C LU B

D I G I TA L ! WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY 5.00, 7.10, 9.10

PADDINGTON 2 SAT., SUN. 11.30; FRI. & MON. – THUR. 4.35

FERDINAND (G) 106 mins.

WONDER

D I G I TA L ! SAT., SUN. 11.40, 2.00, 4.10; MON. – THUR. 4.10

SAT., SUN. 11.50

THE STAR SAT., SUN. 12.20; FRI., MON. – THUR. 4.00

JUMANJI: WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE (12A) 118 mins.

DADDY’S HOME 2

D I G I TA L ! WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY 9.20

MY LITTLE PONY

GLENVIEW LOUNGE Goatenbridge, Ardfinnan, Co. Tipperary Tel. 052-7466450 This dance is to mark Paddy’s 30th Year in Country Music with special award presentation on the night A NIGHT NOT TO BE MISSED! WISHING YOU A VERY HAPPY AND PEACEFUL CHRISTMAS AND A GREAT NEW YEAR www.paddyobriensinger.com

D I G I TA L ! FRI. & MON. – THUR. 4.00; ALSO SAT., SUN. 12.20

PITCH PERFECT 3 (12A) 93 mins.

Thursday, 28th December

FRI. & MON., TUE. 4.10 FRI. 4.05

RAPHAEL: LORD OF THE ARTS ART ON SCREEN PRESENTATION SATURDAY, 16th DECEMBER, @ 3.00 p.m.

THE MAN WHO INVENTED CHRISTMAS (PG) 104 mins. D I G I TA L ! FRI. – TUE. 6.20, 8.40

WONDER (PG) 113 mins. D I G I TA L ! DAILY 6.25, 8.50; ALSO SAT., SUN. 11.50

BOOK ONLINE @ www.sgcdungarvan.ie

BLOG @ www.sgcdungarvan.com

T U E S DAY E L EVENSES TUESDAY ELEVENSES DECEMBER DECEMBER 19th 19th from from 11.00 11.00 a.m. a.m. ACTIVE AGE SCREENING:

WONDER REEL PARENTS SCREENING:

WONDER SPECIAL NEEDS SCREENING:

THE STAR /SGCDungarvan @SGCDungarvan

The Moorings Entertainment Friday, 15th December

CRAIG & GRAINNE IN THE LOUNGE

DJ ANTHONY IN GARDEN Saturday, 16th December

CÚLFISH IN THE LOUNGE

DJ STEPHEN IN GARDEN

FOOD SERVED EVERY DAY FROM 12 For Reservations 058 41461

Spurling Group Cinemas

Observer Competition Winner Andrea Chenier @ SGC Dungarvan BREEDA DALY, Youghal, Co. Cork.

Clasheel,

Winner can collect prize at SGC Dungarvan.

J O H N PAU L’ S B A R O L D PA R I S H 058-46267 Saturday, 16th December :–

TONY, THERESA & THE STARS CLLR. SEAMUS O’DONNELL 087-6859270

Incorp. Munster Industrial Advocate Vol. 105 (Reg. in GPO as a Newspaper) Shandon, Dungarvan, Co. Waterford. Tel: (058) 41205 / 42042. Fax: (058) 41559.

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Déise Newsround Loss of ships a An unusual trawl century ago tomekeith@hotmail.com

NEXT Sunday, the 17th December, is the Centenary of the loss of two ships which were plying out of Waterford during World War I. The SS Formby and the SS Coninbeg were bringing food and other essential supplies from Britain to Waterford and also taking cargoes in the opposite direction when they were both, on consecutive days, sent to the bottom of what is now the Celtic Sea by marauding German U-Boats. It should be remembered that Ireland was part of the United Kingdom at that time and was the subject of the same treatment as was meted out to Britain and British ships, merchant or naval. The Waterford City and County Council website carries the story of the loss of the two ships with all hands. The Waterford Steamship Company ship the SS Coningbeg was built in 1904 and like the SS Formby it was returning to Waterford from Liverpool carrying livestock, food and a general cargo. It was torpedoed by U-62 on 17 December 1917 and all aboard were lost. Tragically bad weather prevented the telegraph office in Waterford from warning the Coningbeg that the SS Formby had failed to arrive as scheduled, so they were unable to prevent the Coningbeg from suffering the same fate. Such was the desire which Germany felt that the destruction of Allied shipping going to or coming from Britain, that it defied American requests not to interfere with shipping going to and coming from Britain. In February 1917 Germany began an unrestricted U-Boat campaign with new orders to submarine captains to sink all shipping on sight and without warning in the war zones of the seas around the countries of Britain, Ireland and France. This action caused America to declare war on Germany on 17th April, 1917. Unlike the large ships plying the Atlantic that travelled in extensive, protected convoys, the merchant ships that crossed the Irish Sea did not travel in convoys but were equipped with guns and had gunners to operate them. The SS Formby was built primarily to carry a cargo of cattle and had accommodation for 39 first class passengers and 45 steerage passengers. She

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travelled between Waterford and Liverpool and was noted for her good timekeeping. The SS Coningbeg also made it safely from Waterford to Liverpool with a full cargo of cattle and docked safely. On the 16th December 1917 a severe storm hit causing widespread damage and severing the telephone communications between Waterford and Dublin. The Formby was overdue in Waterford but it was believed this was due to her taking shelter from the storm. The Log Book of U-62 records the torpedo attack at 11.45 pm on Monday, 17th December, 1917. Vessel in flames, breaks in two and sinks immediately. A few seconds after the explosion only the burning stern is over the water. Three minutes after the hit the vessel is sunk, with all hands. In keeping with the tactics of the German U-Boats at this time no warning was given. In the meantime on the Quay of Waterford the family and friends of the crew and passengers of the two Waterford steamers waited with growing fears for their arrival. The families called to the Clyde Shipping Company Office on the Quay in Waterford in search of news but by 27th December the Company were obliged to inform them that no hopes could be held of the survival of the two ships. The crew were due to return in time for Christmas and with a bonus to be paid on their arrival as a result of a pay rise that was to be backdated. So, families in expectation of a happy Christmas with much to celebrate were left without hope and without means. On Monday 31st December 1917 a public meeting was convened in the Large Room in City Hall by the Mayor for the relief of the wives and families of the seamen of the SS Coningbeg and SS Formby. Over £800 was subscribed to what was termed the “Waterford Disaster Fund” on the spot that night The loss of the two ships was a disaster which left its mark for many years in the sailing communities of the south east and marked the 17th December indelibly in the minds of the people of the region.

Waterford Quay from the Poole Collection in the National Library of Ireland.

MANY are the unusual objects which fishermen bring up in their trawls when out fishing, particularly in deep waters. Off the coast of Waterford, this is often the shell of a mine, one of which were liberally sown on what the British Admiralty charts called the Western Approaches during the First World War to counteract U-Boat activity. Then there was the tragedy of Helvick on 2nd May, 1945, when three of the crew of the ‘Naomh Garbhán, Nick Cuddihy, John Griffin, Snr., and John Griffin, Jnr., lost their lives when a mine caught in their nets and exploded. The fourth member of the crew, Paddy Whelan survived. A few weeks ago, Barty Whelan from Helvick, accompanied by Adrian Healy were trawling for prawns about twenty miles south of Helvick when they encountered an extra heavy weight in his nets. With a certain difficulty, he got the weighty contents of the net aboard his boat, ‘An Finín’, which turned out to be a lengthy quantity of undersea cable. On examination, it was fairly obvious the inch-thick cable was of the communication type as it had a central core covered by a type of copper tape, coated in oakum and the entire was wrapped around with strong strands of wire, probably steel. There was an immediate impulse to speculate that it was a length of cable from the trans-Atlantic system, but Barty knew it was too far East to be that, as those cables originated on Valentia Island and went due westwards to the town of Heart’s Content in Eastern Newfoundland, one of the earliest landfalls in the western World. In all, there was a large quantity of cable recovered, taken from the water so that no other boat’s nets would be similarly fouled. One theory is that it was dragged from the west coast by a much larger vessel and finally dumped south of Waterford, but this can only be speculation. The make-up of the cable itself is very interesting. The core wire which probably carried the signal is covered in a black waterproofing, with oakum wrapped around that to keep it waterproof, with the metal casing for strength and protection. Oakum is one of those words which, in former times and before modern caulking and waterproofing, struck despair in some hearts. Oakum was a kind of heavy wool which was made from fibres which was impregnated with tar to make it waterproof. It was used mainly as the caulking – or filler – to pack the joints of timbers in wooden vessels and the deck

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The cable which was trawled up from the bottom of the sea off the coast of Waterford showing the central core, the rubber covering, the brass tape, oakum layer and covering of twisted steel wires. [Tom Keith] planking of iron and steel ships; The fibres of old tarred ropes which had been taken out of use were separated and re-impregnated with tar. This was tedious work which was very hard on the fingers. The work was usually reserved for the inmates of prisons and became a byword for hard labour. “I’d rather be unpicking oakum” was an old phrase to describe difficult and tedious work a generation or two ago. There is no record of a cable ever having been laid west to east in the sea south of Ireland, So, if it is what people speculate it is it must be a length of cable from one of the failed attempts at laying one across the Atlantic. The first signals were sent across the ocean on August 16, 1858, reducing the communication time between North America and Europe from ten days – the time it took to deliver a message by ship – to only 17 hours. This system became obsolete over a hundred years later when Telstar, the first communications satellite began transmitting in the early ’Sixties. The first live Transatlantic link was on 23rd July 1962. I have tried to identify a memory I have of a live broadcast commemorating some aspect of World War II when General Eisenhower in the US; President de Gaulle on the cliff at Normandy and Winston Churchill in London discussed the war for the short time the satellite was in proper position. It must have been June 1964, the 20th Anniversary of the D-Day landings in Normandy. I am open to correction and invite your opinions or any accurate knowledge you might have of the event.

A couple of hardy hillwalkers brave the elements last Sunday afternoon to take a walk in the snowcovered Comeragh Hills. The snowy conditions were relatively short-lived, however, and by Tuesday, mid Waterford was back to normality, unlike some midland and western counties where schools were closed and other services shut down during Monday. [Tom Keith]

@DungarvanObserv

Vol. 105

SPORT

Friday, 15th December, 2017

sport@dungarvanobserver.ie

BALLYMACARBRY HOSTS WESTERN CONVENTION Pages 7, 8 & 9

FEWS NS FUNDRAISING NIGHT AT KILCOHAN PARK Pages 12 & 13

LAUNCH OF DUNGARVAN GAA HISTORY BOOK THIS FRIDAY Page 14

Munster Ladies Football Player of the Year â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Congratulations to Ballymacarbry's and Waterford's Michelle Ryan who received the Munster GAA Ladies Football Player of the Year award for 2017 at a gala event held in Fota Island Resort last Saturday night. Michelle is a very worthy winner of this award. She had a fantastic year with both her club and county. Michelle is a brilliant role model for all younger players. Comhghairdeas Michelle.

MUNSTER LADIES FOOTBALL PLAYER OF THE YEAR

WATERFORD RACEWAY PRIZEGIVING SOCIAL 2017 Page 19

WEST WATERFORD AC

Dungarvan Observer | Friday, 15 December, 2017

Senior men had good performances at Euro Cross THE senior men’s team headed excellent performances by the Irish team at the European Cross Country Championships in Samorin, Slovakia with a fine fifth place finish last Sunday. With three to score, Sean Tobin (Clonmel) worked well with Hugh Armstrong (Ballina) and Kevin Maunsell (Clonmel) as they came in 15th, 19th and 24th respectively over the 10km distance Paul Pollock (Annadale Striders) finished 48th, Kevin Dooney (Raheny Shamrock) 51st and John Travers (Donore Harriers) 72nd. It was a tremendous performance by the men with the three scores all making their senior debuts – Tobin and Armstrong are 23 with Maunsell an ageless 36. The senior men were only two points off France in fourth. Fionnuala McCormack (Kilcoole) was making a record-breaking 15th appearance at these championships but she had to settle for a 12th place finish over 8km in the senior women’s race. The women’s team finished 7 with Shona Heaslip (An Riocht) 33 and Kerry O’Flaherty (Newcastle) 37 rounding out the scorers. Michelle Finn (Leevale) in 40, Fionnuala Ross (Armagh) in 47th and Lizzie Lee (Leevale) in 49th rounded out the team. The weather was extremely cold with a wind chill factor to boot on a fast course that had plenty of twists

and turns along with some man made obstacles. There was a very positive start to the day with Sophie Murphy (DSD) finishing 10th in the U-20 women’s 4km race and leading the team to 7th overall out of 20 teams. She was followed home by Stephanie Cotter (West Muskerry) in 27th, Jodie McCann (DSD) in 34th, Laura Nicholson (Bandon) in 39th, Fiona Everard (Bandon) in 62nd and Fian Sweeney (DCH) in 72nd. Up next were the U-20 men over 6km and they were lead home by Fearghal Curtin (Youghal) in 22nd, followed by Craig McMeechan (North Down) in 37th, James Edgar (City of Lisburn) in 38th, Darragh McElhinney (Bantry) in 39th, Charlie O'Donovan (Leevale) in 41st and Brian Fay (Raheny Shamrock) in 49th. Bethanie Murray (DSD) was the sole Irish representative in the U-23 women’s 6km race and she ran well to finish 38th. There were two Irish runners in the men’s U-23 8km race with Eoin Strutt (Raheny Shamrock) 49th and Tom O’Keeffe (Kilkenny City Harriers) 60th. These were very positive results for Ireland with four teams placing in the top ten at these championships. TEAM RESULTS U-20 Women – 7th U-20 men – 10th Senior women – 7th Senior men – 5th

Mick runs Lanzarote Marathon MICK Concannon was out in warmer climates last weekend while most of us were doing our best to keep warm. Mick ran the the Lanzarote Marathon in glorious sunshine in a time of 3.57.

St. Stephen’s Day Jolly Jaunt in aid of West Waterford Hospice

WEST WATERFORD ATHLETIC CLUB SENIOR COMMITTEE 2018. Pictured are the newly elected West Waterford Athletic Club Senior committee for 2018. Back row l-r: Jim Fleming, Gregory Fitzgerald, Michael Dunford, Tony Ferncombe, Liam O'Donnell, Tom Leahy (Chairman), Gerry Cantwell. Front row l-r: Karen Ryan (Assistant Secretary), Shirley Flynn, Ann Dunford, Secretary, Catriona Kiely, Sharon Duggan (Treasurer), Irene Clarke, Ray Burke (Assistant Treasurer), James Veale, PRO.

West Waterford Athletic Club hold its 24th Annual General Meeting THE club’s AGM was held in Minnies Bar last Thursday where a review of a very successful and productive year took place. It was very encouraging to see a good turnout for this year's annual meeting. The Chairman Tom Leahy opened proceedings thanking all the committee for their work over the past 12 months, he also thanked all our sponsors, the Friary College and the coverage the club has in both local papers and he

thanked those involved in the club face book and website and the many people outside of the committee who contribute so much to the success of the club on a daily bases. Our secretary Ann Dunford then gave a full comprehensive report on what was a busy year for the club covering all the major events and accolades won by our members and there were many. Treasurer Sharon Duggan gave a very detailed book of accounts

THE annual charity fun run on St. Stephen’s Day will be held once again this year in association with Dungarvan GAA club. It’s a fun run comprising of a five mile route and everyone is free to run or walk at whatever pace they feel like. The event gets underway at 11 am. All money donated on the day will go to West Waterford Hospice. There is no set fee as in other races, it’s at each person’s discretion but we ask that runners and walkers give generously. The entries will be taken at the Dungarvan GAA club where soup and sandwiches will be provided after the run. Do come along and bring a friend what else would you be doing on St. Stephen’s morning.

and it see's us in a healthy financial state after a busy year. We thank outgoing committee members for their contribution while on the committee and we welcome on board new committee members Ray Burke and Gregory Fitzgerald for 2018. We look forward now to yet another year in the life of West Waterford AC, its 25th. Tom Leahy (Chairman) Tony Ferncombe (Vice Chairman)

Ann Dunford (Secretary) Karen Ryan (Assistant Secretary) Sharon Duggan (Treasurer) Ray Burke (Assistant Treasurer) James Veale (PRO) Gerry Cantwell Gregory Fitzgerald Michael Dunford, Catriona Kiely, Shirley Flynn, Liam O'Donnell, Jim Fleming, Irene Clarke.

National Award for Aislinn O’Regan THE IWA had their National Awards in Kilkenny last weekend and Aislinn O’Regan was presented with the National Award for Discus. This is a huge achievement for Aislinn who only took up the discus event this year.

Micheál Power receives Athletics Scholarship to UCC A HUGE congratulations to club member Micheál Power who last week received a sports scholarship at UCC. All at the club wish Micheál well with his studies as well as his athletics career.

Indoor entries now open to get season underway

Participants at the recent Brickey Rangers GAA Club 5k run and walk.

HOW the time flies around as its now that time of year when we turn our attentions to indoor track and field and the first of this is immediately after Christmas the Munster indoors when Saturday, January 6th we have the under 23 and Junior men's indoors and on Sunday 7th January it's the turn of the ladies junior and under 23's. On Sunday, 14th January it's the senior and masters indoors. Please contact Jim Fleming 087-2891151 or Michael Dunford 0879928887 to be entered, please note no late entries will be accepted by Munster athletics and no entries on the day. Those running indoors please note also that to race you need your membership paid up for 2018 as you will need your registration number to be entered.

Running Quote A LOT of people run a race to see whose fastest. I run to see who has the most guts.

Participants at the recent Brickey Rangers GAA Club 5k run and walk.

Aislinn O'Regan with her Discus award at the IWA Grand Prix Awards in Kilkenny.

WEST WATERFORD AC

Dungarvan Observer | Friday, 15 December, 2017

24th Annual Forde’s Daybreak Winter League

Christmas Charity Night in aid of Dungarvan Lions Club Appeal tonight, Wednesday, 13th December Ready for action at last week’s Forde’s Daybreak Winter League are l-r: James Whelan, Martin Tobin, Eoin Walsh and Brian Jackman.

Paddy O Cathain and Sean Breathnach from An Rinn are participants in the Forde’s Daybreak Winter League.

Silver for Kate Veale at Irish Life Health National 20k Walk Championships

Pictured is week 1 long course winner at the Forde’s Daybreak Winter League of a TOP OIL voucher David Traynor. Making presentation is Kevin Casey, sponsor TOP OIL.

KATE Veale was in action at the National 20k walk championships held in St. Ann's Park, Raheny, Dublin, last Saturday morning. From the field of walkers the race for gold came down to two athletes who from early on broke away from the rest. Kate and Veronica Burke, Ballinasloe and District Athletic Club. The two were still locked together going out on the final lap but the day belonged to the lady from the west as she broke clear to take gold on that final lap in a time of 1.47.10. Kate crossed the finish line in 1.47.40 for silver. The bronze medal was won by Rachel Glennon, Mullingar AC in 2.03.54. Alex Wright, Leevale AC 1.32.05 took the men's gold in from Cian McManamon, Westport AC 1.32.32. Small margins in both races over such a long distance.

West Waterford Athletes run Clon Marathon

Making sure the number is on right for last week’s Forde’s Daybreak Winter League.

WELL done last Saturday to Ted O’Leary 3.21 and Terri Gough 6.36 who both completed the Clonakilty Marathon. There was also a large contingent of our club runners completed the half and 10k on the day and well done to them also.

THIS year’s Christmas charity night at the Forde's Daybreak Winter League will take place tonight Wednesday, 13th December. All proceeds from this year’s charity night go to Dungarvan Lions club Christmas appeal. All contributions big and small will be most welcome. So remember your €2 and €3 registration fee tonight will go towards this worthy cause, if you want to contribute a little extra on the night it would be greatly appreciated. Please be as generous as you possibly can and thanks as always for your continued support to our winter league Christmas charity night. Why not get in the festive spirit for the event and wear your Christmas hat, Santa will be around also to welcome home the runners on the night and he might even bring along some goodies for all the good runners. HO HO HO!! DAMP AND BLUSTERY CONDITIONS FOR WEEK 5 ON THE SHORT COURSE Damp and blustery conditions awaited the runners for week 5 of the Forde’s Daybreak Winter League as they gathered at Dungarvan Sports Centre before heading out on the 2.5 mile run. There was a great number out again last Wednesday when 74 runners completed the course, and all are to congratulated for braving the elements on what was a tough night for running, especially the runners that were trying out the league for the very first time. It is on wet nights like last Wednesday, that we really appreciate all of our stewards that are out in all conditions to allow us to run each week. The Short Route is organised specifically with first timers and beginners in mind as manageable distance for most as it covers 2.5 miles in total. After registering make sure to check you off time on the sheets posted on the wall. First home on the night was Martin Hayes in 17.06. It was good to see Martin back in action after an injury. Second on the night was Darren Mulcahy in 18.18 followed by Melissa Lannigan in 26.41. Linda Foley knocked off more than a minute when running 23.01. Liam O'Droma will be happy with his run of 19.18 having broken the 20 minute barrier as will Kelly Cantwell who did the same when finishing in 19.20. Others to record good runs included Carol Tobin (24.28), Kate Ahearne (25.36), Michael Coakley (22.37), Carmel Hourigan (26.43) and Angela Barry (23.43). Fastest time on the night was recorded by Conor Coleman (15.04) followed closely by David Towey (15.21). Well done to each and every runner who that took part and remember there is a long way to go and aim to slowly improve. It is important to feel comfortable during the run and as you are coming near the finish line you can increase the pace and finish your run with a push.

Just a quick reminder to all our runners to be careful out on the course and obey the stewards at all times. Remember that the roads are closed, so be careful of traffic. For safety, high vis must be worn. Also the rules of the league prohibit the wearing of watches. Anyone not wearing high vis or that is caught wearing a watch won't be included in the results. Best of luck to all tonight and why not bring as friend along. WINTER LEAGUE RUNNERS BRAVE THE ELEMENTS ON LONG COURSE It was a night you wouldn't put a milk bottle out for last Wednesday evening’s round 5 of our Forde’s Daybreak winter league but nonetheless there was a good turnout of runners who faced the high winds and rain which greeted them out on the long course run. A huge thank you again last week to our stewards and their coordinator Karen Ryan who put in many hours over the duration of the league for out health and safety without Karen and her team we wouldn't have a winter league at all, also to our staff on registration and results etc the same sentiments. Despite the inclement weather last week this didn't deter some excellent times recorded by many. Colligan’s Jason Dunford in a time of 38.41 lead home the long course runners last week and hot on his heels was another footballing great Gary Hurney just a second behind 38.42. Eleanor Casey lead home the ladies in 48.12 and Sinead De Faoite was next to her in 47.57. The quickest runner on the night was Mossie Keogh with a fast time in the conditions of 30.48 and the fastest lady on the night was Orla Bannon in a time of 40.37. Other performances of note included Padraig Nolan breaking the 45 minute mark with 44.55, Jim Barry is getting very close to the 40 minute barrier he ran 40.17 and Sean Dwyer is closing in on the 35 minute as he ran 35.48. Sarah O'Brien broke the 48 minutes last week but just with 1 second to spear, well done. Just a second separated Catriona Kiely and Sharon Duggan 46.19 and 46.20. One I'm watching with note these past few weeks is Craig Cowming and how he is improving and is down around the 35.47 mark, great running. Remember it's still not too late to join us each Wednesday evening at Dungarvan Sports Centre. The click starts at 6.50 p.m. sharp and we have two nights remaining before our two week Christmas break. Don't forget this Wednesday is Charity night, so do try and bring a few extra bob if you can at all for a very worthy local charity Dungarvan Lions Club Christmas Appeal. WINTER LEAGUE TEAM COMPETITON KICKS-OFF The Team competition in at the Forde’s Daybreak Winter League has started with 18 teams regis-

tered. The tables will start to take shape over the coming weeks. The scoring is based on the two best placed runners on each team each week. LONG ROUTE TEAMS 3 Times Lucky - Sean Ryan, Patrica Daly, Annette Cullen Cailini Na Rinne - Cliodhna Ni Chuirrin, Josie Ui Chuirrin, Sinead De Faoite Running Buddies - Joanne Leahy, Evelyn Beresford, Debra Doherty TLC2 - Ted O'Leary, Liam Kavanagh, Gerry O'Connor Whatever - David McNally, Cathal Gleeson, Kevin Casey Bob's Angels - Eamon Curran, Sinead Moore, Denise Nugent What About Us - Helene Hayes, Irene Dee, Deirdre Hahessy 3 Amigos - Jackie Tobin, Brid Veale, Martina Walsh Happy Feet - Catriona Lee, Carol Pope, Geraldine Barry The Good, The Bad, The Ultra Paul Brunnock, Sharon Higgins, David Traynor Couldn't Care Less - Jacinta Sheil, Mary Harney, Rita Cronnolly Hardy Boys - Ray Hahessy, Jimmy Connors, Michael Dunford Here We Go Again- Linda Bradfield, Onra Power, Michelle Finnegan Na tri Sioga - Micheal O Cuirrin, Mark Lenihan, Joe O'Rourke SHORT ROUTE TEAMS The Road Liners- Michael Coakley, Conor O'Neill, Martin Sandford Cool Runnings Conor Coleman, Darragh Curran, Ciara McKenna The Shalloes - Kelly Shalloe, Tracy Grant, Mary Whyte The Crockers - Jennifer O'Riordan, Jason O'Riordan, Fiona O'Riordan. "TOP OIL" - ASSOCIATE WINTER LEAGUE SPONSORS For the 2017/’18 Forde's Daybreak Winter League we have been fortunate enough to have received associate sponsorship from our friends in Top Oil. Our own Kevin Casey and James O’Sullivan have come on board to generously sponsor two €20 vouchers, one for the short route and one for the long route each week. We decided the best way to allocate the vouchers was to pick the 50th finisher in each route every week and to date we have 6 winners and they are: Week 1 winners were short route Sinead O'Rourke. Long route - David Traynor. Week 2 winners were short route - Brid Whyte. Long route Denis Ryan. Week 3 winners were short route- Karen Coleman. Long Route - Ted O’Leary. Week 4 winners were short route - Eoghan O'Neill. Long route - Jack Ahearne Week 5 winners were short route - Collette Whyte-Veale. Long route - Michael Dee

GOLF

Dungarvan Observer | Friday, 15 December, 2017

WEST WATERFORD GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB Telephone: 058-43216. Fax: 058-44343. info@westwaterfordgolf.com

www.westwaterfordgolf.com GENTS RESULTS Weekly Club Competition in conjunction with Comeragh Oil Winter League: 1st. John O’Connell (10) 37 pts, 2nd Stephen Phelan (16) 36 pts. CSS 35. FIXTURES Monday, December 11th – Sunday, December 17th Comeragh Oil Winter league Round 1 – 16 Hole stableford in conjunction with weekly competition – play any day. Saturday, 23rd December – Captains and Presidents Christmas Breakfast and 13 hole golf competition from 9 a.m to 2 p.m. Booking sheet on notice board. SEASON’S GREETINGS On behalf of all at West Waterford golf club we wish to extend Christmas and New Year greetings to our sponsors, to the local media, our members and to all who have supported us throughout the year. COMERAGH OIL WINTER LEAGUE 2018 The weather played havoc with our weekend schedule and deprived the regulars of their weekly round. Despite this a good number turned up during the week in sup-

port of their respective teams with a number of good scores being posted. Thank you to everyone who has played in the league to date and to facilitate those who have not yet gotten the opportunity to play, we are extending round 1 for an extra week. To date we are delighted to have over 100 entries and we earnestly request the remainder to make a special effort this week in support of their teams. A few teams are in need of a fourth score to stay in contention when we move into round 2. In the event that a team player has not played in round 1 he can still play in the remaining rounds by paying the initial entry fee. Our plan is to suspend the league on Sunday, 17th December and commence round 2 on Tuesday, 26th December. PLEASE BOOK YOUR TEE TIMES Due to the large numbers playing in the league. Timesheet Booking is essential and players on the timesheet have priority on the course at all times. By booking your tee time you are guaranteeing your place and you may also be giving someone who has no playing partner the opportunity to get a game. Tee times can be booked

DUNGARVAN GOLF CLUB Tel. Office 058-43310, Fax. 058-44113, Pro Shop 058-44707. Bar/Restaurant Tom Daly Catering 087 2680597 Timesheets online at www.dungarvangolfclub.com Email: dungarvangc@eircom.net LADIES HOME ALLIANCE CHRISTMAS PARTY All week preparations were being made for this social occasion. Decorations, Christmas tree, floral wreaths and arrangements were been put in place to create the Christmas atmosphere. Maria Kiersey (Captain of the Home Alliance) ably assisted by Olga Carroll and Brenda Cummins worked tirelessly to set the scene. Maria Ryan greatly enhanced the scene with her floral decorations. Sunday dawned and the rain poured continuously not to mention snow in the higher areas. This certainly ruled out golf but the party went ahead with the ladies turning out in large numbers. Huge thanks to Tom and Chris for providing the mulled wine and sumptuous food and to Rita and Jennifer for their friendly and efficient service. Proceedings got underway with a presentation from the ladies to David Hayes and Grace Gannon to mark their upcoming wedding on December 14th. Santa arrived with his two little helpers - James and Cormac and everyone received a gift kindly sponsored by Mary Flahavan. Music for the evening was pro-

vided by Jay Shanahan who had everyone singing, dancing and performing. The party came to an end with everyone on their feet singing Christmas carols. Truly a wonderful party. WEDDING BELLS The big day is upon us - Grace and David's wedding. Thursday, December 14th seemed a long way off when the date was announced first. It also marks a significant birthday for David. There is great excitement around Dungarvan Golf Club as everyone is excited for the happy couple. A big comhghairdeachas from all at Dungarvan Golf Club and we wish them the very best for a wonderful wedding day and continued health and happiness in their future together. CHRISTMAS GIFT IDEAS Wondering what to get that special someone this Christmas? “Gift Vouchers” are the ideal gift. They can be purchased directly from the Pro Shop for golf clothing, equipment and accessories, or Dungarvan Golf Club Vouchers, for any amount, can be purchased directly from the Office and redeemed against any of the following.

online or by ringing 058 43216. Please check the notice board for rules regarding the Winter league and any local rules regarding the course. Alternatively you can log on to www.westwaterfordgolf.com for all the information on the Winter league. READ THE SIGNS AND CHECK THE WEBSITE Due to variable weather conditions it may be necessary at times to add or remove a temporary local rule. You are advised to check the notice board and the signs on the first tee to familiarize yourself with the local rules. Keep up to date by checking the daily course opening times on our club website. WHERE IS THE SAND As you are probably aware we are currently in the process of relining and re sanding all bunkers on the course. Work on the greenside bunkers on holes 1 and 10 has been completed and as soon as weather permits work will continue on the remaining bunkers. So if you are wondering why sand has been removed from a number of bunkers its all part of the process, and in the interest of recycling, this sand has been used on the course to keep our tees in good condition during the winter months. We apologize for the inconvenience but as we head into our 25th anniversary year at West Waterford this is just the first of many projects in the pipeline to improve the course. SAFEGUARDING 1 – CHILD WELFARE AND BASIC AWARENESS COURSE Ten members from the ladies and mens club attended the Safeguarding 1 course held at the club on Wednesday, 7th December. The three hour course is designed to educate participants on the implementation of best prac-

tice in the welfare of children involved in sport. IRISH CUPS AND SHIELDS TOURNAMENTS FIXTURES 2018 Jimmy Bruen Shield - 12/13 May at Youghal GC. Pierce Purcell Shield - 26/27 May at Faithlegg GC. Irish Mixed Foursomes - 16/17 June at West Waterford GC. The draw for Cups and Shields Tournaments took place during the week and we hope to have the details for you in the next week or so. REDESIGNED WEBSITE The reaction to our newly designed website has been most positive. A number of changes have been made and there are more to come in the near future. We are most gratetful to Billy O’Sullivan @QOXS .com for his continued assistance and professional approach. As we head into our 25th

anniversary year we have a number of exciting projects in the pipeline and what better place to keep up to date with events as they happen. So, whether you want to book a tee time, see what’s happening at the club or just enjoy the fabulous array of aeriall photographs just log on to www.westwaterfordgolf.com NEW YEAR’S EVE CHAMPAGNE SUNDAY LUNCH AT WEST WATERFORD On Sunday, December 31st you can enjoy a special Sunday Lunch at West Waterford. Our chef John has compiled a special menu including complimentary champagne and lunch will be served from 12.30 to 3.30 on the day. Dress is informal and you can even bring the kids. For bookings please ring 058 43216. Early booking is advised and all are welcome.

CHRISTMAS GIFTS AT WEST WATERFORD For the golfer in your life how about a gift voucher for green fees. Vouchers can also be used as part payment of your annual sub. Even if you don’t play golf how about a voucher for Sunday lunch n our popular upstairs restaurant. Gift vouchers are available at the office and from the bar and restaurant. TAKE A PRE-CHRISTMAS MOMENT FOR YOURSELF TO REGROUP There is a fun scramble on the 23rd with a pre-Christmas brunch. Winter League continues, so get out and get that score in for your team. CONDOLENCES We offer our condolences to Neil Parks and the extended family on the untimely passing of his brother last week. May Michael rest in peace.

* 2018 membership subscription (enquire at the office for special introductory rates for new golfers) * Green fees inclusive of food and beverage from clubhouse restaurant * Golf Triangle Pass €69 valid Mon. to Sunday (Play three local courses for the price of two) * Open Competition voucher inclusive of food and beverage from clubhouse restaurant Also don’t forget the Members Special Green Fee Offer where members can purchase a book of ten Green Fee vouchers for just €100. These vouchers are valid for play with a member Monday to Friday, and represent great value for money. So if you want to treat someone this Christmas or want an economical way to entertain friends, family or business colleagues during the year, why not invest in a book of Green Fee vouchers, on sale from the office. "Gift Vouchers" can be bought over the phone with credit card or laser card and can be posted to nominated address. Please contact Irene on 058 43310 or dungarvangc@eircom.net This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it for further details. CHRISTMAS FIXTURES Sat., 23rd Dec. Open Gents/Ladies 16H Singles S/F Sun., 24th Dec. Open Gents 16H Singles S/F Mon., 25th Dec. Christmas Day 2 Club + Putter 9H S/F, Back 9, Entry 9 -11.30 am, €3 Tues., 26th Dec. Open Gents/Ladies 16H Singles S/F. Wed., 27th Dec. Open 11H Mullinahone Fourball €5 member, €3 jnrs, €10 visitor, plus 16H Gents S/F Vis €15. Thur., 28th Dec. Open Gents 16 Hole S/F & 3 Man Cross Cards Vis

€15. Fri., 29th Dec, Open Gents 16H S/F + 11H 3 Person Champagne Scramble, €5 member, €3 jnr €10 visitor. Sat., 30th Dec, Open Gents/Ladies 16H Singles S/F. Sun., 31st Dec. Open Gents 16H Singles S/F. Mon., 1st Jan. Captains' DriveIn 12.30 p.m. & 9 Holes Scramble. FUN FRIDAY FOURSOMES Yet again, Friday was frosty and cold and play had to be delayed until 11 am. It was a lovely bright Winters morning with sub zero temperatures and frozen greens. Many new members to this event had arrived, some donating golf balls to the competition. Many thanks for your support and generosity. Winners: Martin Carroll and Louise Moloney; Second: Maeve Carthy and Miriam Matthews; Third: Maria Ryan and Ann Hennebry. We will be back again next Friday, Dec. 15. See you at 9.30 am in the foyer for this social 9 hole competition and hopefully it will be fine and frost free. GENTS RESULTS Mon. 4th: Open Seniors 1 Jack Elstead (19) 39, 2 Tom Conway (11) 35. Wed. 6th/Thurs. 7th 14H Deise Golf Winter League. 1 Liam Carroll (18) 32, 2 John G Moloney (10) 32, Gross Alan Harty Scr 26. CSS 32. LADIES RESULTS Ladies 11 H 5th Dec. 1 Michelle Mernin (14) 25, 2 Oonagh Mee (19) 24, 3 Frances Moynihan (31) 23, 4 Maria Kiersey (29) 23. UPCOMING FIXTURES Mon., 11th Dec., 2017 = Open Gents/Ladies Seniors (50+) 16H Singles S/F. Tues., 12th Dec., 2017 = Ladies 11 Hole S/F. Wed., 13th Dec., 2017 = Gents

14H Singles S/F Deise Golf Gents Winter League. Thurs., 14 Dec., 2017 = Thursday Open Gents 14 Hole S/F Deise Golf Gents Winter League. Fri., 15th Dec., 2017 = Gents Deise Golf Gents Winter League /Ladies 14 Hole Singles S/F. Sat., 16th Dec., 2017 = Gents Deise Golf Gents Winter League /Ladies 14 Hole Singles S/F. Sun., 17th Dec., 2017 = Gents 14H Singles S/F Deise Golf Gents Winter League. Mon., 18th Dec., 2017 = Open Gents/Ladies Seniors (50+) 16H Singles S/F Tues., 19th Dec., 2017 = Ladies 11 Hole S/F ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTIONS The annual subscription rates for next season are due for payment. Please contact Irene Lynch Secretary/Manager on dungarvangc@eircom.net or 05843310. We thank members for making payments already. Thank you for your continued support. SPECIAL MEMBERSHIP OFFER & INTRODUCTORY RATE FOR U-35’S All of us who play know that Golf offers so much more. Not only is it a hobby for life, it offers a social outlet as well as a healthy lifestyle option. It can be therapeutic as well as fun. New members can avail of a special Introductory Offer of just €300 including one complimentary lesson from our resident Professional David Hayes. Dungarvan Golf Club is the only members club in the town and our facilities include a Championship course and practice facilities, Bar, Restaurant, Snooker Room, a resident PGA professional and fully stocked Pro-Shop. Also now the Club are introducing a very attractive joining rate for new U-35 members. Contact Irene Lynch

Secretary/Manager on 058-43310 or dungarvangc@eircom.net for further details. Offers are for a limited time only. YOUNGONES Next competition Wed. Dec. 13 at 1.30 p.m. Front 9. SIXTY.COM There was no 60.Com golf last Wednesday due to rain and our Christmas Party was postponed to this week. Hopefully the weather will be kinder this week. Draw for partners at 10:00 am with tee-off time at 10:30 am. We have a very large entry so please ensure that you are in the clubhouse at latest 10:00 am to allow the smooth running of the competition. We will be back to the normal weekly competition on Wednesday, 20th Dec. PROGRESSIVE 45 Results 6th: T Clancy B Grant, P Hackett and T Browne, D Barry and F Ryan. Last 5 N and C Herlihy. Lucky Table P Boland and MA McCarthy. Thursday nights. SOCIAL BRIDGE Social Bridge Friday mornings at 11am, all are welcome. PRO SHOP NEWS The cold weather is upon us but Dave has you covered. From wooly hats, skins, thermal gloves, thermal trousers and midlayers everything is in the ProShop to keep your warm this Winter. This week’ special offer is a free sleeve of golfballs of your choice when you purchase a midlayer garment. You can follow David’s special offers on his website at www.davidhayes golf.com. Professional advice is guaranteed. JUNIOR NEWS Any enquiries relating to junior activities at Dungarvan can be directed to Junior Convenor, David Hayes. David can be contacted at 058-44707 or email at golfpro@eircom.net

West Waterford Golf Club Ladies Matchplay kindly sponsored by Dalton Jewellers. Suzanne Dalton, Dalton Jewellers (sponsors) presents the Winner Una Mulligan with her prize. Included are Mary Herlihy, Lady Captain and Mary Donnelly, runner-up. [Sean Byrne//Deise Sport]

GOLF

Dungarvan Observer | Friday, 15 December, 2017

LISMORE GOLF CLUB Phone 058-54026. lismoregolfclub@eircom.net

www.lismoregolf.org MEN’S RESULTS Monday, 4th to Saturday, 9th December - sponsored by Trevor Sheehan - 1st Mike Keane (16) 30 pts B6; 2nd Craig Scotton (16); 3rd Dermot O’Leary 27 pts B6. FIXTURES The Christmas turkey and ham competition will come to an end this weekend coming. From Monday, 18th December 2017 to Sunday, 7th January 2018 we will have a two person and a three person semi open, on going competitions. As I write the format has not been decided but be sure it should be fun. Please read the notice board for further information. As the golf over the Christmas period is semi open please ask your friends or visitors to play along with your team. Here's hoping the weather gives us a break over the three weeks. STORY OF THE WEEK Practice makes perfect it’s said, and so it is with Mike Keane for this week. But when your putter is on fire there's a possibility you may play the perfect game. Michael stood on the 10th hole with 23 pts and proceeded to par, par, par to add another 8 pts to his total. He was docked a point for his recent win to give him a total of 30 pts. He had 9 pars in the 12 hole competition. Martin Rafferty our Competitions Secretary who played with him said that Mike putted like God as he proceeded to slot the ball from every different

angle. Another previous winner Craig Scotton from Tallow was second with 30 pts also. Craig had 7 pars overall with a birdie on the 3rd. He was one better than Mike after 9 with 24 pts, but the soft conditions at the left of the 10th didn't help the efforts in the chip. Again Craig had the putter set at hot and would agree it saved him on a few of the holes. Conna stalworth Dermot O'Leary who hasn't missed a week without took the third prize with his stamina and 27 pts. The present damp condition would not suit Dermot's overall but this week his pitching came to the top and he played smart golf. Congratulations to our winners and thanks to all who played. THE SPRING LEAGUE 2018 Can I give everybody a gentle reminder that the Spring League will start sometime around the end of January 2018. During the Christmas time Martin Rafferty will put up the blank sheets of paper for you to add your name, with your intention to play in the 6 to 8 week competition. This annual competition is one of the most important events of each new year for the revenue it generates. More importantly it gets you out playing golf, for the exercise and the social aspect, and allows you to keep your golf eye in fit condition for the Summer months of serious competitions.

GOLD COAST GOLF CLUB You can contact us by phoning 058-44055 Our email address is:

goldcoastgolf@cablesurf.com www.goldcoastgolfclub.com LIONS ANNUAL CHRISTMAS APPEAL EXTENDED Due to the bad weather over the weekend we have decided to extend the Lions Christmas Appeal for a further week so it will now finish on Sunday, 17th December. Also on Sunday the raffle for the Christmas Hamper will take place at 3 p.m. when the Officers of the Lions Club will pay a visit to the Gold Coast to collect, what we hope will be, a sizable cheque. FIXTURE LIST FOR 2018 The fixture list for the coming season is now nearly ready for publication and should be on the website within the next week or so. Our Competition Secretary has produced a very good plan for the year ahead adding a few tweeks to last year’s schedule. ANNUAL HANDICAP REVIEW The Annual Handicap Review took place on Monday last and a

small number of players will see changes to their handicaps. SYMPATHY Our sympathy is extended to Kathleen McGaley on the passing of her husband Sean during the week. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam. GIFT VOUCHERS Looking for something to give as a present this Christmas? Why not purchase a voucher from the Gold Coast. Vouchers can be for any amount and can be used for food in the hotel, golf or leisure membership or the play-loft in Clones Strand Hotel. Vouchers can be purchased from the reception in the Gold Coast or from the kiosk in the Golf Club. List of Officers for the coming Year: Captain: Tim O’Driscoll President: Mick Cronin Vice-Captain: Pat Power Vice-President: Michael Wall

A NON GOLF THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK A little spark can kindle a great fire of passion. LISMORE LADIES Sunday, the 10th December we had our Christmas party and our Lady Captain Mary Ahern's first presentation. We had some finger food and desserts to start and some chat and drink, mainly hot ones as the night was so cold. Then we had the presentation of prizes. It was fantastic to see so many of our ladies out supporting their new Lady Captain. Great to see a mixture of long standing members and new ones. Lady Captain Mary welcomed us all and handed out a beautiful array of prizes to the deserving winners. Mag Morrissey was thrilled to have picked up her Christmas hamper - very kindly sponsored by Roche's Centra Lismore, which she had won back in October! Daphne Power and our President Sheila were also extremely happy with their hampers for 2nd and 3rd place respectively. Our sincere thanks to our Sponsor Roche's Centra. The league prizes were handed out and second place went to Team E lead by the individual winner Helen Farrow, and the winners of the league Team F led very ably by Brid Henry. Brid thanked her great team for the effort they all put in over the 6 rounds. They surprised themselves in the final week with their blistering scoring. For the ladies who have time, once all the presents are bought and if the weather behaves there will be an on-going 9 hole competition. A very merry Christmas and a happy New Year to all our members. FIXTURES Ongoing 9 hole aggregate competition - please see notice board for more details. All Competitions are subject to

change so please check the notice board regularly for any changes. It's that time of year again, you

will be receiving your renewal notices in the post or they will be left in the clubhouse - your prompt pay-

ment would be much appreciated. Please contact our Registrar Mr. John McGrath with any queries.

Honorary Secretary: Pat Power Honorary Treasurer: Martin Murray Honorary Handicap & Competition Secretary: Micheal White GENTS MEMBERSHIP RATES FOR 2018 The following are the rates for 2018 and the GUI levies are included: Full: €550 Husband and Wife: €800 Distance: (Over 40 Miles) €415 Country: €220 Senior Citizen: €415 Student Under 25: €140 Junior: €85 HAMS AND TURKEYS WINNERS SO FAR Up to Sunday 3rd December the following have won prizes: Alan Landers Turkey. Andy Travers Ham, Barry Power Ham, Bob O’Brien Turkey, Brian Fahey 2 Hams, Conor Clancy 2 Hams and 1 Turkey, Darren O’Droma Ham, Darren Power Ham, Frank Waters Ham, Freddy McGuckian Ham, Geoff Collins Ham, Jack Moore Ham, Jimmy O’Dwyer Turkey, Joe Meade 2 Hams, Joey Veale Ham, John Flynn Turkey & Ham, John Hughes Ham, John McArthur 2 Hams, John White Ham, Johnny Burns Turkey, Lee Crotty Ham, Mark Lenihan Ham, Michael Lenihan Ham, Michael Whelan Ham, Micheal White 4 Hams, Neil Dermody Ham, Niall Curran 3 Hams, Pat Power Ham, Paul Lawton Ham, Seanie Lenihan Turkey & Ham, Tom Moore Ham, Tommy Long Turkey, Willie Moore

Ham. WINTER RATES ARE NOW OPERATING IN THE GOLD COAST Monday to Friday: Golf €15, Golf and Carvery Lunch €25. Saturday/Sunday: Golf €20, Golf and Carvery Lunch €30. PREMIER BUTCHER @ DAWN MEATS WINTER LEAGUE 2017/2018 A poor week weather wise but still a number of games were played in the league. 10 players have now completed their ten rounds and are now in the happy position of being only able to better their overall score. All the scores for week six are on the website: goldcoastgolfclub.com DECISIONS ON THE RULES OF GOLF APP There is a very good app available free to download on the Play Store called Golf Decisions 2016 – 2017. It gives each rule of golf and also gives many definitions for each rule. There are also a number of very short videos illustrating how to apply the rules. All golfers should learn something from this app. WHAT WE HAVE TO OFFER Here in the Gold Coast we have some great facilities, such as a topclass golf course with superb greens, playable all the year round, a leisure centre and gym and a hotel which is renowned for its excellent food. We offer very competitive membership rates in the golf club, the lowest full membership rate in the area and we can provide dual

memberships to both the golf club and the leisure centre at reduced rates. Now is the time to talk to us if you are thinking of joining as we can offer some very attractive packages at the moment. Members can avail of significant saving on carvery lunch in the Gold Coast by purchasing vouchers in the golf club. We can offer really attractive family packages tailored to suit all requests. For more information contact 058 44055 and talk to Bob or Mark. FIXTURES Mon., 11th Nov. – Fri. 15th Dec: Winter League Week 7 Tuesday., 12th Dec.: Open Seniors, Ladies & Gents 50+ Friday, 15th Dec.: Open Singles. Sat., 16th/Sunday, 17th Dec.: Winter League Week 7. Tuesday, 19th Dec.: Open Seniors, Ladies & Gents 50+. RESULTS Tuesday, 5th December: Open Seniors 1st: Freddie McGuckian (14) 42 pts. Monday 4th- Friday, 8th Dec: 1st: John Quinn (7) 44 pts Williamstown. 2nd: Freddie McGuckian (14) 42 pts. Gross: Micheal White (1) 35 pts. LADIES NOTES Fixtures: 10 Hole Ham Competition: Ham#1: Lorraine Troy. Ham#2: Martina Corkery. Winter League sponsored by The Moorings Bar & Restaurant: Our Winter League kindly sponsored by The Moorings Bar and Restaurant over 13 holes is now in round 4 which has been extended

to Sunday, 17th of December, due to weather conditions. The league will then break for Christmas and will resume in January. Remember a point is awarded for each round played even when your score is not counting! Round 2: 1st: Lorraine Troy 28 pts; 2nd: Martina Corkery (on countback)27 pts; 3rd: Noirin Darcy 27 pts. The high scoring continues in Round 3: 1st: Helena Fitzgerald 28 pts; 2nd: Martina Corkery 28 pts; 3rd: Karen Darcy 26 pts Coastal Alliance: The next outing for the Coastal Alliance will be in March, details to follow. Ladies Club Christmas Scramble: The Ladies Annual Christmas scramble took place on Sunday, Dec 3rd, on a beautiful sunny day with fun golf followed by delicious food in The Moorings. The closest to the pin was Lorraine Troy with 314 inches, which is 26.17 feet for those of you interested...(Angela)!! The longest drive was smacked down the fairway by Ger Hallinan. It was a very special festive event, with a great turnout. The Moorings outdid themselves with everybody complimenting the very high quality of the food and efficient friendly staff. The scramble results: Rosie Murphy, DD Hannigan, Mairead Ryan; Lorraine Troy, Breda Conway, Patricia Doyle; Helena Fitzgerald, Mary O'Callaghan, Jula Lawlor.

Lismore Ladies Christmas Prizes 10th December, 2017 sponsored by Roche’s Centra, Lismore. Left to Right: Sheila Denn (President) 3rd, Mary Aherne (Lady Captain), Margaret Morrissey 1st and Daphne Power 2nd.

Lismore Ladies Winners Autumn League. Front Row Left to Right: Sheila Denn (President), Brid Henry (Winning Captain), Mary Aherne (Lady Captain). Back Row Left to Right: Margaret Morrissey, Alice Henley and Anne Lane.

GAA

Dungarvan Observer | Friday, 15 December, 2017

Austin Flynn who was honoured with a Hurling Hall of Fame Award at the Munster GAA Awards Gala Dinner held in the Fota Island Resort Hotel. Pictured with Austin are his daughters Anita Flynn and Janice Curran.

Munster Ladies Football Player of the Year – Congratulations to Ballymacarbry's and Waterford's Michelle Ryan who received the Munster GAA Ladies Football Player of the Year award for 2017 at a gala event held in Fota Island Resort last Saturday night. Pictured above are the Ryan family at the awards.

Delegates from the Kilrossanty GAA Club at the Western GAA Board Convention held in the Community Centre, Ballymacarbry were Kenny Houlihan, Pat Whyte and Jason Dee. [Sean Byrne]

Delegates from the Shamrocks GAA Club at the Western GAA Board Convention held in the Community Centre, Ballymacarbry were James Tobin, Liam Aherne and Tom O'Donovan. [Sean Byrne]

Gavin Whelan (WLR Sports Editor) chatting with Waterford Senior hurler Conor Gleeson at the recent County Bord na nÓg Awards Night held in Bushy Park.

Gavin Whelan (WLR Sports Editor and County Bord na nÓg) pictured with a happy group of players from CLG An tSráidbhaile at a recently held Annual Bord na nÓg Awards Night which was hosted by Brickey Rangers GAA Club in Bushy Park.

GAA

Dungarvan Observer | Friday, 15 December, 2017

WESTERN GAA BOARD CONVENTION

Ballymacarbry hosts Western Board Convention THE Western Board held its Annual Convention in the splendid Community Centre in Ballymacarbry last Thursday evening and it was a quiet and quick affair with no contests for Board positions or motions to be discussed. Chairman of the Fourmilewater club Billy Walsh welcomed the delegates to Ballymac following which Pat Casey gave his first treasurer’s report to Convention. Rounding off each figure to the nearest thousand, the Board earned a profit of €10,000 following an income of €67,000 and expenses totalling €57,000. The bulk of the income was the €53,000 gate money while stand out expenses include Field Rent €15,000. Referees €10,000, Grant to County Board

€10,000, Medals €3,000 and club share of gates €2,000. Commenting on a bill of €95 for trophy repairs, Cappoquin delegate Tommy Sullivan stated that the clubs involved should be footing this bill and not the Board. There was no observations on Secretary Tricia Walsh’s report while the highlights of Chairman Pat Grant’s address (see full address elsewhere) included the disappointment of having the under 21 ‘A’ football championship taken away from the Board and some clubs in the West voting for this, the continued attraction of the intermediate hurling championship as reflected in the attendances at its games and the intention to run

the Board’s secondary competitions in 2018 during the inter county season. The Chairman also stated that it is hoped to finish the under 21 hurling championship before Christmas with the delay due to some clubs involvement in Adult County finals and in Munster club competitions. Vice-Chairman of the Board Neil Moore expressed dissatisfaction that the County under 21 A football championship was still not finished and will not now be in 2017. He believed that it was much easier to stage a Western championship in this grade, this was working well up to this year and it should have been left alone.

Addressing the Convention County Board Chairman Paddy Joe Ryan believed that there was not enough days in the year to run our championship while regarding the County levy on clubs in recent years he said that never again should clubs be levied for the day to day running of the Board. All the main officers were elected unopposed with Clodagh Kearns (St. Mary’s/Sliabh gCua) replacing the retiring assistant treasurer John Jackson. The position of PRO was not filled, it being vacated by Emer Barry and this will again be dealt with at the first meeting of the Board on Thursday, January 18th with nominations closing on Friday, January 5th.

Convention Snippets… • Stewards required and welcome for the Fraher Field. Contact your club or any Board Officer. • Juvenile transfers are required to be signed by the Secretary of the adult club. • The affiliations meeting will be held on the 18th of January. • Season tickets for 2018 will be available this week and will be activated in late January/ early February. • Congratulations were extended to Austin Flynn (Abbeyside), Hall of Fame, and Michelle Ryan (Ballymacarbry), Ladies Football, who are the recipients of Munster Council Awards for 2017. • The County Awards night will be held in Lawlors Hotel on Friday, January 12th, 2018. Tickets are priced at €25.

Western Board officers 2018 Delegates from the Lismore GAA Club at the Western GAA Board Convention held in the Community Centre, Ballymacarbry were Emer Barry and Joe Pollard. [Sean Byrne]

Delegates from the Tourin GAA Club at the Western GAA Board Convention held in the Community Centre, Ballymacarbry were Cathal Wilkinson and Niall Leahy. [Sean Byrne]

Delegates from the Brickeys GAA Club at the Western GAA Board Convention held in the Community Centre, Ballymacarbry were Richard Tobin and Eddie O'Grady. [Sean Byrne]

Delegates from the Nire GAA Club at the Western GAA Board Convention held in the Community Centre, Ballymacarbry were Tom Reynolds and Tom [Sean Byrne] Guiry.

Chairman: Pat Grant (Fourmilewater/Nire) Vice Chairman: Neil Moore (Abbeyside/ Ballinacourty). Secretary: (Patricia Walsh (Colligan Rockies/Emmetts). Assistant Secretary: Richard Tobin (Brickey Rangers) Treasurer: Pat Casey (Cappoquin/Affane) Assistant Treasurer: Clodagh Kearns (St. Marys/Sliabh gCua).

Delegates from the Stradbally GAA Club at the Western GAA Board Convention held in the Community Centre, Ballymacarbry were Tom Cunningham and Pat Fennell. [Sean Byrne]

GAA

Dungarvan Observer | Friday, 15 December, 2017

Western Board Chairman's address to Convention A CHAIRDE Gael Cuirrim Failte is cead roimh gach einne anseo anocht,do Coimdhail bliantuil C.L.G. Portlairge Thiar. Failte faoi Leith roimh na h-iomana speisialta ata in ar measc. Taim cinnte go mbeidh Coimhdhail spreaguil againn ag ple imeachti na mbliana ata thart. It gives me great pleasure to address convention this evening as your Chairman. I would like to welcome all the delegates from our clubs and our special guests Cathaoirleach Padraig Seosamh O’Riain and our leas Cathaoirleach Sean Micheal O’Regan. Convention gives us an opportunity to look back at the year gone by to review all that has happened over the last 12 months and discuss if we are in a better place than we were this time last year. I believe we had an excellent year at Divisional Board level, resulting in fantastic finals in all our championships and large crowds attending all our finals. I would like to congratulate all the various winners of our championships. Unfortunately, due to the success of some of our teams who went on to represent us at Munster level, we still have the U-21 B hurling championships to finish and I would like to thank our clubs for their patience in getting these championships finished before Christmas. How do you begin to look back on the year just gone? I suppose we should start with our inter-county teams. INTER-COUNTY TEAMS What a roller coaster of a year! Some amazing highs and some incredible lows for our senior hurlers under the management of Derek, Dan and they were joined by Eoin Murphy and Fergal Hartley. During the year, we were beaten in the National League quarter-final by Galway after leading by 10 points, a game we should have won in my opinion, however, we then went to Thurles to face Cork in the Munster semi. After a disappointing performance we were deservedly beaten, so off to the qualifiers. We had a facile victory over Offaly and then faced our arch nemesis Kilkenny after a night of high drama, and extra-time we eventually ran out winners by 7 points. It was on then to the re-developed Pairc Ui Chaoimh for our quarterfinal victory over Wexford. We then had to face Cork once again in the All-Ireland semi-final. After our defeat in Munster revenge was sweet as we ran out comfortable winners and therefore qualified for AllIreland final against Galway. However, after a brave performance it wasn’t to be our day and Galway ran out winners by three points. I would like to congratulate Derek and all the management and players for an outstanding effort which got them so close and yet so far away. I would like to wish Derek, management and players the best of luck for the coming year, it won’t be easy but we showed everbody that we are very close and a match for anyone on our day. Also I would like to congratulate all our All Stars, Stephen, Noel, Kevin, Michael, and, of course, our own clubman Jamie; also to Jamie and Conor for

their Player and Young Player of the Year nomination. Our u-21 hurling team had a very short defence of their title going down to Cork in Walsh Park courtesy of a last minute penalty. This was a major disappointment for everyone involved. At minor level we had a very disappointing campaign losing heavily to Clare, Cork and finally Limerick. We have had a couple of difficult years in this grade and need to address this slump very soon or we will become one of the also rans. Our senior footballers had a very frustrating league campaign, winning two games and then losing five. In the Munster championship we had Cork in Dungarvan and after a magnificent display went down by the narrowest of margins, so it was Derry in the qualifiers after a game where we created a lot of chances. Derry pulled away and we were defeated by seven points. I would like to appeal to all our clubs that if they think they have a player or players good enough to represent the county, please make contact with Tom McGlinchey or the County Board officers. Following our performances versus Cork and Derry I am in no doubt we have the players within the county to make a serious attempt to get to our primary objective and get out of Division 4 for the coming year and I wish Tom McGlinchey, his backroom staff and the players the very best in their endeavours. At u-21 we suffered a very heavy defeat at home to Kerry. In minor football we suffered a narrow defeat against Limerick, however, in losers group we were heavily defeated by Clare. We are really struggling in both these competitions and we need to address this very soon or we will be left behind by the remaining counties of Munster. We have appointed new management to look after both grades this year and I would like to wish Tom Flynn and his management team the best of luck for the coming year. Overall, the intercounty teams gave us great days and huge disappointment over the course of the year. My wish for the coming year is an Senior All-Ireland hurling title and our footballers to get out of Division 4. DIVISIONAL BOARD CHAMPIONSHIPS As the Runai has reported, we had another very busy year in the Divisional Board with some outstanding performances by our clubs and some memorable highlights along the way. Pride of place must go to the Comeragh Oil intermediate hurling championship. What a truly memorable championship. Great games, close finishes and titanic battles, it had it all. As well as massive crowds coming to support their clubs. I think it is fair to say it was an outstanding championship and it took an outstanding team to come through to win this. I would like to congratulate An Rinn on their victory in the final. In Junior hurling we had three outstanding championships. In the junior A we had a very competitive league section, two outstanding semi-finals and a memorable final. Anyone of the four semi-finalists would have been deserving win-

ners. However, after a hard fought final Ardmore came out on top and I congratulate them on their success and also congratulate them on winning county and Munster finals since and would like to wish them the best of luck in All Ireland Semi-Final. In Junior B hurling we had six teams taking part and again had a hugely entertaining championship. From early on, Abbeyside blazed the trail in this competition and despite a close call in the semi-final they ran out deserving winners in the final. In the Junior C championship we had another competitive championship, we had two outstanding semi -finals, with victory going to Kilgobinet and Brickeys. In a very close fought final Brickeys ran out victorious. Congrats to the Brickeys. In U-21 A hurling Dungarvan had a hard fought victory over Cois Bride in the semi-final and Abbeyside had a comfortable victory over St. Carthages in the final. It took two games to decide the winner, Abbeyside just getting the better of Dungarvan by 2 points in the replay. U-21 B hurling is ongoing and it has been held up by our clubs been involved in County finals of adult competitions and in some instances Munster club. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the clubs for their patience and co-operation in getting this championship finished. The Intermediate football championship was very competitive this year and after the league section, we had two outstanding semi-finals. In the first semi-final Dungarvan beat Ballyduff in a high scoring game. The other semi-final was a thriller between Modeligo and Emmetts and it went to a replay which Emmetts won by 4 points.The final between Emmetts and Dungarvan was an outstanding game of football with Dungarvan winning by a point. Congratulations to Dungarvan on winning this championship and going on to winning the County Final. JUNIOR FOOTBALL A SIX TEAMS TOOK PART IN THIS COMPETITION After the league stage we had two very competitive semi-finals, with Sliabh gCua getting the better of the Shamrocks and An tSean Phobal beating Affane. In the final Sliabh gCua had a comprehensive victory over An tSean Phobal. Congrats to Sliabh gCua on winning this championship and going on to win the County Final. JUNIOR C FOOTBALL We had only had three teams in this competition and Kilgobinet and Ballinacourty qualified for the final. After a hard fought final Kilgobinet ran out victorious and went on to win the County Final. Congratulations to Kilgobinet. U-21 A football was taken away from the Board and went all county, a decision which I still find difficult to understand, also that some clubs from our own Division voted against the Board was to me astonishing. In U-21 B football we had eight teams with a losers group. In the

semi-finals Comeragh Gaels had a narrow victory over St. Olivers and in the second semi-final Clashmore / Kinsalebeg had a hard fought victory over Brickeys. In the final in a very entertaining game Comeragh Gaels edged out Clashmore / Kinsalebeg after extra time. Congratulations to Comeragh Gaels who went on to win the County Final. Before I go away from the championships I would have to make a few observations. Firstly our intermediate hurling championship has been an outstanding championship again. For the coming year we will have eight teams and I hope to engage with the clubs regarding the format of this championship for the coming year. Also I think we need to disband the junior C football, a competition with three teams doesn’t make sense to me and we will have to see how we can accommodate these teams in another competition. Also the new fixtures calendar which was voted through at Congress will bring new challenges to administrators and clubs. It is there for a trial period so we will have to get on with it. It would be our intention as a Board to play the secondary competitions during the inter-county season and in conjunction with the County Board to give the clubs some certainty about dates for championship fixtures. Due to the success of our senior hurlers getting to the All Ireland final it was a particularly tough and congested end to the season and we must ensure that this doesn’t happen again. It was very difficult for the many dual clubs who contested the knock-out stages of both hurling and football and in some instances switching codes immediately. We must try to make sure that the dual clubs don’t have to suffer like this again and I would like to place on record my sincere thanks to all the clubs for their help and co-operation in completing all our adult championships in time for Munster club. However, everything in the garden is not rosy and I would ask clubs if they have any ideas to help to improve our championships, don’t be afraid to approach any member of the Officer Board and we will discuss your ideas with you before the championship structures meeting. REFEREES The referee situation is now at a critical stage. We are very short of referees and we need to start a serious recruitment of referees all over the county. Some have retired and some have been out injured this year and it has placed huge demands on our referees, who sometimes had to do two games a day. This is very serious and I would appeal to all clubs if they know anybody in their club who would like to take on a career in refereeing, to get in touch with Pat Casey or any referee who will advise them on how to take up the job. I would like to thank our loyal band of referees for their outstanding service to the Association and I would appeal to all the experts who shout abuse at them, to refrain. Instead if they have a difficulty, try to do something positive. Referees are human and we all make mistakes but I have yet to see a referee going out to ref-

eree a match to favour one team over the other. So I would again ask you to refrain from the abuse and try and help and encourage new referees to get involved. BORD NA nÓG AND COACHING AND GAMES I would like to sincerely congratulate Bord Na nÓg for their continued outstanding work for the young kids coming through from all the clubs and I wish them well in their endeavours in the year’s ahead. Also to coaching and games for their continued work with our development squads. I know results haven’t been what is required for the last year or two but I know that coaching and games will leave no stone unturned to make sure we will be competitive in all grades in hurling and football in the years ahead. SCÓR I would again appeal to all our clubs to get involved in Scor. It is a fabulous opportunity for people in your club young or old to showcase their abilities, let it be dancing singing, storytelling or playing music and it is a great opportunity for people to get the whole community behind the club so again please support Scor where possible. SPONSORSHIP We are very fortunate to have a loyal and dedicated group of sponsors and I would ask all our clubs to support all of them at every opportunity. It is a very important revenue stream for the Board and I wish them every success and support for the future. MEDIA AND PRESS I would like to thank the members of the press and WLR for their continued coverage of all our championships. I would especially like to thank all our local press from the Dungarvan Leader and Observer, who fill the papers every week with the match reports from all our games and also to WLR for their continued support. OFFICER BOARD I would like to take this opportunity to thank my fellow Board Officers for an outstanding year. To Patricia, a sincere congratulations on an excellent job, the Runai’s job is never done and she is on the other side of the phone 24-7. Sincere thanks to Pat Casey in his job as Cisteoir and his excellent presentation of our accounts. Well done Pat. To John Jackson, a massive thanks for his excellent stewardship of our gates. It is with great regret to me and the Board that John has stepped down from this position but the workload he now has as County Treasurer meant it was no longer possible for him to continue. This Board owes John a great debt of gratitude for his outstanding service and I know he will never be too far away with advice and words of wisdom for his successor. Thanks John. To Neil Moore, a huge thanks as well for standing in for me at various functions and also for being an integral part of John’s team on the gates. Thanks Neil. To Emer, sincere thanks for her production of all the team sheets and match programmes for the year. Also for looking after the P/A

in Fraher Field. Also Emer has decided to step down at Convention. I would like to sincerely thank her for outstanding work for this Board and her dolcite tones will be sorely missed. Also to Richard Tobin for his continued support to Patricia, particularly with his knowledge and technical support re the server sport package. Thanks Richard. COUNTY & EASTERN BOARD OFFICERS It would be remiss of me if I didn’t mention the Eastern and County Board officers. I would like to place on record my sincere thanks to our County Chairman Paddy Joe Ryan; Vice Chairman, Sean Michael and County Secretary Pat Flynn. Thanks to the Eastern Board officers Seamie Cleere and Michael Wadding for the level of co-operation between the Boards this year. It was a very difficult year for the CCCC. We were under pressure from the outset, with the success of the senior hurlers. As a member of the CCCC we have had almost 40 meetings and, of course, things didn’t work out the way we planned. We are all disappointed that we had no Waterford representative in Munster club senior Football. However, people who should know better on Twitter and Facebook, should realise we also had a lot of very successful dual clubs in the county. As well to those people who think it is ok to take pot shots at the CCCC, I can assure it is not. If you have a good idea, share it with us, we are willing to listen to every idea if it helps to run our championships better. Over the last number of weeks the County CCCC have met weekly trying to get all our championships finished on time. We should never find ourselves forcing our clubs to play matches back-toback, week after week to get championships played. And to those clubs, I say a sincere thanks for your co-operation. I wish and it is the wish of everybody on CCCC, that we will never find ourselves in this situation again, so a sincere thanks to county CCCC for their continued support and co-operation. SYMPATHY I would like to offer my sincere sympathy to all our Gaels who passed away over the last 12 months. I would like to pass on our condolences to you and our thoughts and prayers are with you all. CONCLUSION I am deeply honoured to hold the position of Cathaoirleach of this Board and my wish is for this Board goes from strength to strength over the coming years. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the clubs for their help and support throughout the year. I would also like to thank my family, my wife Brigid; daughter Sinead and my son Jamie for their continued support, and to my extended family and friends, I say thank you. Just before I finish, I would also like to wish everybody a happy Christmas and a successful New Year on the playing fields of West Waterford. Go raibh mile maith agaibh go leir. Padraig Mac Grainne Cathaoirleach.

Dungarvan Observer | Friday, 15 December, 2017

WESTERN BOARD CONVENTION

Secretary’s report to Western Convention

Delegates from the Modeligo GAA Club at the Western GAA Board Convention held in the Community Centre, Ballymacarbry were John Power, Nicky O'Donovan and Shane Reddy. [Sean Byrne]

Delegates from the Sliabh gCua GAA Club at the Western GAA Board Convention held in the Community Centre, Ballymacarbry were Brendan Tobin, Marie McDonald, Clodagh Kearns and Mike Murray. [Sean Byrne]

Delegates from the Colligan Emmetts GAA Club at the Western GAA Board Convention held in the Community Centre, Ballymacarbry were Anthony Walsh, Kevin Casey and Gavin Whelan. [Sean Byrne]

Delegates from the An Sean Phobal GAA Club at the Western GAA Board Convention held in the Community Centre, [Sean Byrne] Ballymacarbry were Luke O'Brien, John Murphy and Micheal O Toibin.

A Chairde Gael, TA se de pribhleid agam an Tuairascail seo a chur os bhur i gcomhair anocht. Is maith lion mo bhuiochas a gabhail do gach duine a cabhraidh lion i rith na bliana. It is a great honour, as board Secretary, to be presenting this Secretary’s report on the activities of the Board over the past 12 months. First of all, I would like to thank all of the clubs in the Division and their officers for their help throughout the year in the running of the various hurling and football competitions. It is a very good year in the championship arena. There were very competitive competitions and we had some outstanding conclusions to the championships. Without the countless hours of voluntary work that goes on behind the scenes the GAA would not continue to prosper as it does. A special word of thanks to all the players at every grade who provided the central product of the Association in West Waterford in 2017 as in every other year. Congratulations to all the clubs who were successful in their county finals and to those who went on to represent the county at Munster club level. (Dungarvan Intermediate Football, An Rinn Intermediate Hurling, Sliabh gCua - Junior Football and Ardmore Junior Hurling. At the time of writing this report the U-21 A / B hurling championships have yet to reach its conclusion. REFEREES As a board were are blessed to have such a pool of dedicated, experienced and committed referees who are available week-in weekout to officiate at our games. The recruitment and training of new and younger referees is vital to ensuring that we can continue to complete our very substantial fixture programme each year. It is pleasing to be able to report that a number of new referees were added to our existing panel again this year. I commend all responsible for this. But our pool of referees available to officiate at games is still an issue. There is an urgent need to continue to recruit new referees. Congratulations to all who were chosen to take charge of our various divisional finals and thanks to all who officiated as referees, linesmen and umpires throughout the year. I also congratulate Thomas Walsh on his appointment to the referee’s list for the 2018 National Leagues. SPONSORSHIP The revenue gained from gate receipts makes a vital contribution to meeting the costs of running the

board each year. Basic admission prices have increased slightly as costs in every aspect of organising games and teams are continuously increasing. We acknowledge the contribution of our sponsors. This sponsorship will continue through the 2017, and we are grateful for their valuable support. AN TEANGA-SCOR The GAA has a very important role to play in the promotion of the Irish language and we must make a sustained effort to promote our language at every opportunity. It is a source of disappointment that more clubs do not embrace the Scor competitions each year. Scor na bPaisti is very popular each year but the numbers are not transferring on to Scor na nOg or Scor Sinsear. I would appeal to clubs to make it a priority during the coming year. MEDIA We are fortunate in West Waterford to have a plethora of print and radio media who cover and promote our games. We are grateful to all these media outlets for their coverage and comment. Without them it would be a very difficult task for us to achieve the level of awareness of Gaelic Games that exists throughout the division. The local newspapers, the Dungarvan Leader and Dungarvan Observer devote large sections of their sports pages to our games and for that we are very grateful. Their match reports, analysis, photos and club notes form part of supporter’s enjoyment of our games. Special thanks also to WLR FM who continue to give great coverage to games. BEREAVEMENTS It is said that where there is joy there is also sorrow and this has proved particularly true this year. Parting with family members is always difficult and I extend my deepest sympathies to the families of all who have suffered bereavements this year. Go ndeanna Dia Trocaire ar a n-anamacha agus are anamnacha are ngael go leir. BUIOCHAS I would like to thank Geraldine O’Keeffe and the Fraher Field Committee for all their help. To the several stiles persons, stewards, grounds men, who have helped me during the year in ensuring that access to our games, at whatever level, is safe and efficient. I extend thanks to the officers of the Board for their efforts and special personal skills that are always made available to the Board. I want to again convey my thanks to my fellow officers, Assistant Secretary, Richard Tobin whose onerous task it is to oversee our

Servasport fixtures; Vice-Chairman Neil Moore for his help and advice throughout the year; Treasurer / Assistant Treasurer Pat Casey / John Jackson for the conscientious manner by which they carry out their duties on our behalf. PRO Emer Barry for producing our match team sheets throughout the year along with all the other public relations duties. Special thanks also to our Chairman, Pat Grant, for his overall work for the good of the Board again this year and for his availability to carry out his duties as Chairman at all times. Emer Barry and John Jackson are both stepping down from their duties and on behalf of the Board I wish to thank them for their years of voluntary work for our Board. To our County Secretary Pat Flynn and Seamie Cleere, Eastern Board Secretary for their help and co-operation in co-ordinating our fixtures that helped in the conclusion of our championships on time for county finals. CONCLUSION Finally, I want to acknowledge the support of my family at all times without which it would have been impossible to carry out my duties as Divisional Secretary. I would like to thank all the clubs of West Waterford for their support and cooperation during 2017. On behalf of all involved in CLG Portlairge Thiar I would like take this opportunity to wish you all a very happy Christmas and a peaceful New Year. Go raibh mile maith agaibh go leir. Is mise le meas, Padraigin Breathnach, Runai CLG Portlairge Thiar.

Gate receipts for each venue in 2017 Bushy Park (10 games) €1,550 Cappoquin (20 games) €6,762 Colligan (8 games) €1,030 Fraher Field (57 games) €38,993 Lismore (5 games) €2,276 Dungarvan club (7 games) €500 Abbeyside (3 games) €145 Ballyduff (1 game) €40 Ardmore (4 games) €918 Touraneena (1 game) €71 Bohadoon (2 games) €58 Clashmore (2 games) €78 Gold Coast (6 games) €443 Stradbally (1 game) €26 Aglish (1 game) €16 Tourin (7 games) €395 Carrickbeg (1 game) €390 Leamybrien (1 game) €395

Delegates from the Fourmilewater GAA Club at the Western GAA Board Convention held in the Community Centre, Ballymacarbry were Paudie Halpin, Muiris Breathnach and Billy Walsh. [Sean Byrne]

GAA

Dungarvan Observer | Friday, 15 December, 2017

Waterford GAA County Convention this Thursday THE 2017 Waterford GAA Convention will be held in Lawlors Hotel this Thursday evening, December 14th, starting at 7 p.m. All the officers are being re-elected so it should be a quiet enough affair, though the motions relating to our club championships should produce some lively debate among the delegates with many clubs very unhappy with the delaying of our championships due to the activities of our County teams something that has been going on now for over ten years. County secretary Pat Flynn delivers his second annual report to Convention and here under are some interesting passages from it. ALL-IRELAND HURLING FINAL Waterford came to Croke Park on AllIreland Final day September 3rd fully prepared and focussed. Galway had a dream start but to the players’ credit they soon battled back into contention. On a day that all went right for the Tribesmen they were crowned All-Ireland Champions for the first time in 29 years on a score line of 0-26 to 2-17. It was a heart-breaking end to what was a great year for our Senior Hurlers. All credit must be given to the players, team management and background personnel who put in tremendous work and commitment all year and in coming so close to ending that long overdue wait for All-Ireland glory. An All-Ireland Final is a tremendous occasion and requires an incredible amount of work and organisation. I would like to put on record my thanks to John Jackson, Owen Sauvage, Sean M. O’Regan, Seamie Cleere and Patricia Walsh for their work on the impossible task of distributing tickets. My thanks to Brendan Tobin and his committee for organising a successful banquet. The Board would also to express its appreciation to Club Deise for all their fundraising endeavours. We would like to thank all who donated generously to the cost of the weekend or who helped financially or contributed in any way. The homecoming on the Monday night was a great occasion and the Board would like to thank and give due recognition to Waterford City and County Council for organising such a fantastic event. Finally, I would like to acknowledge and pay tribute to everyone who helped create such a wonderful atmosphere in the city and county in the build up to the final. Our appreciation to all our supporters in Croke Park and at home for making the weekend an experience to remember. SENIOR FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP Our Senior footballers played a home tie against Cork in Fraher Field on May 27th. Waterford produced one of their best displays ever in the Senior Football Championship in a match that was close and tense throughout. The game was level entering seven minutes of additional time Cork went two points up and then reduced to the minimum but Waterford’s brave effort ran out of time and Cork were 1-12 to 1-11 winners. This was a heartbreaking defeat but the work and dedication of the players and management could only be commended and proves what could be possible. On June 17th Derry were the visitors to Fraher Field for the Qualifiers. Following another heroic performance with saw Waterford trail by two points at half-time Derry finished the game strongly and were 1-17 to 0-13 winners. The players and team management have given tremendous dedication and commitment again this year and the least they deserve is that all the top footballers would make themselves available to the county. I would ask the clubs to cooperate and support the Team Manager in his endeavours to have the best team possible representing Waterford at all times. COUNTY SENIOR FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP The format of the J.J. Kavanagh & Sons Senior Football Championship was changed this year where after the Round 1 results, teams entered a winners and a

losers section with an opportunity for teams to qualify for the final semi-final place through a series of play-offs. Round 1 was played on the weekend of the 5th-7th of May with Round 2 the Winners and Losers Sections scheduled for July 29th/30th. As a result of the Senior Hurlers qualifying for the All-Ireland semifinal one game in each section did not take place and were subsequently not played until September 10th after the All-Ireland Final. An Rinn, Kilrossanty and Stradbally qualified for the semi-finals with The Nire coming through a number of play-offs to take the final spot. The semi-finals were played on November 26th and both were close and exciting encounters. A last minute goal gave The Nire victory over An Rinn in a thriller 3-8 to 2-10 while Stradbally edged out their neighbours Kilrossanty 0-13 to 011. The new format was introduced to make the Championship more appealing which was the case in Rounds 1 and 2 but once the competition was delayed that appeal faded and turned the structure into a disadvantage for some teams. COMPETITION STRUCTURES Once again, we are approaching the time to review structures and plan for the year ahead. The changes to the inter county championships will dictate the scheduling of our fixtures and so we must examine the structures in an open and honest manner and for the long-term betterment of our players our clubs and our games. We need to make our championships more competitive which means considering the number of teams participating in the various grades and competitions. In order to plan more efficiently I will be recommending that we bring forward our structures meeting to the November meeting of the County Board. There were 31 walkovers during the year with 21 in football and 10 in hurling competitions. The highest number was again in Minor Football with 13 walkovers across the Divisions. There were 9 walkovers across Senior Competitions. We can look back on 2017 with pride and satisfaction and hope it will give us the encouragement and confidence to face the challenges of the year ahead. One major challenge will be adapting our club fixtures around the new formats and scheduling of the inter-county games. The extent of which the changes will help club fixtures appears minimal at best and we will probably have to wait until this time next year to judge whether the adjustments were of any benefit. We will have to consider seriously the structures in our own county not only to adapt to the changes but provide meaningful competitions for our players and our clubs CHILDREN’S OFFICER ADVICE As clubs begin to plan for 2018 I ask that you bear the following points in mind: • Ensure all club coaches, officers and personal who deal with children are Garda Vetted • Ensure your Club has a Children’s Officer appointed and assist them in establishing a Club Code of Best Practice in Youth Sport Hearings Committee. • Ensure your Club has appointed a Designated Liaison Person. • Ensure all underage players are registered before playing. Increasing number of injury claims are from non registered juvenile players. Total: €872,607 MOTIONS TO CONVENTION Motion 1: Re-structure of Senior Football and Hurling League & Championships with the overall objective of creating a solid fixture schedule which will provide clarity to clubs, players and administrators. Details below. Aim: The aim of this proposal is to bring a proposal before the GAA clubs within the county which would restructure the senior football and Hurling championship with the overall objective of creating a solid fixture

schedule which will provide clarity to clubs, players and administrators. Proposal: In this proposal it is proposed that the league is retained (12 team league) and teams play half their games at home and half away. The county board cover the gates e.g. €5 per game and the split is as discussed in the finance section. At the end of the league the top 4 teams qualify for the quarterfinals of the county championship and the remaining 8 qualify for Round 1 of the Championship which is played which will be played in a straight knock out basis. EG. Teams 1-4 qualify for quarter-finals, teams placed 5-12 play-off with team 5 playing team 12, Team 6 playing team 11 etc. The teams who are beaten after round 1 go straight into a relegation Semi-final and the winners keep their senior status and the losers play a relegation final which determines the team wo be relegated. The 4 winners of Round 1 go straight into a county quarter-final and its straight knock out from there until we have a champion. The knockout games should be played in county grounds only. SEEDING FOR THE KNOCKOUT IS BASED UPON YOUR FINAL LEAGUE POSITION (This will keep all teams interested throughout the league). (Cathaoirleach) Motion 1: That all relevant Bye-Laws and Regulations be amended to read as follows: For a trial period of 2 years, the Competition Controls Committee (CCC) of Waterford County Board shall be made up of 16 members with these members being, Referees Administrator (only entitled to vote on referee appointments), County Secretary, Western Board Secretary, Eastern Board Secretary, 12 Club representatives. On appointment the committee shall formulate & strive to implement a club calendar (i.e. a master’s club fixtures plan) which will give clubs defined playing dates within championship structures & which will apply all inter-county non-availability rules

for club activity into this calendar as per rule but endeavour not to exceed these parameters. (Má Dheilge) Motion 2: In order to comply with the change of Rule regarding the representation of the Handball Committee on the County Committee Bye-Law 2 and any other relevant Bye-laws or Regulations be amended to read as follows: 2. COUNTY COMMITTEE (Rules 3.18 to 3.19 T.O. 2016). The County Committee shall consist of the Officers elected/ appointed pursuant to Bye-Law 1, the Two Provincial Council representatives, and the One Central Council representative, (elected pursuant to Bye Law 1 above who shall be ex-officio members), The Two Divisional Committee Chairpersons, Secretaries and Treasurers (representing the East and West Divisional Boards), One Representative from each affiliated adult club, the County Referees’ Administrator, one named representative each from Bord Na nÓg, Coiste Peil, County Primary Schools Committee, County Post and Primary Schools Committee. With the exception of the County Officers, Central and Provincial Council representatives all other members shall have the power to appoint proxies. Such proxies must produce written authorisation. (An Choiste Chontae) MOTIONS RELATED TO COUNTY BOARD Motion 1: Re-structure of Senior Football and Hurling League & Championships with the overall objective of creating a solid fixture schedule which will provide clarity to clubs, players and administrators. Details below. Aim: The aim of this proposal is to bring a proposal before the GAA clubs within the county which would restructure the senior football and Hurling championship with the overall objective of creating a solid fixture schedule which will provide clarity to clubs, players and administrators. Proposal: In this proposal it is proposed

that the league is retained (12 team league) and teams play half their games at home and half away. The county board cover the gates e.g. €5 per game and the split is as discussed in the finance section. At the end of the league the top 4 teams qualify for the quarterfinals of the county championship and the remaining 8 qualify for Round 1 of the Championship which is played which will be played in a straight knock out basis. EG. Teams 1-4 qualify for quarter-finals, teams placed 5-12 play-off with team 5 playing team 12, Team 6 playing team 11 etc. The teams who are beaten after round 1 go straight into a relegation semi-final and the winners keep their senior status and the losers play a relegation final which determines the team to be relegated. The 4 winners of Round 1 go straight into a county quarter-final and its straight knock out from there until we have a champion. The knockout games should be played in county grounds only. SEEDING FOR THE KNOCKOUT IS BASED UPON YOUR FINAL LEAGUE POSITION (This will keep all teams interested throughout the league). The league format of the championship should go ahead without county players for the sake of the club players. At the knockout phase everyone has to be available. This would solve a lot of problem when it comes to scheduling games. Regradings shall only come into effect when the league is finished. The league finals will be contested by the teams who finish 1 and 2, the final will be played on the same weekend as Round 1 of the Championship. As an incentive to both clubs the final should be played in the ground of the team who finishes first and the gate receipts should be split between both clubs. (An tStraidbhaile) Motion 2: That the current format for the Senior Hurling Championship, consisting of twelve teams, be retained. (Tulach An Iaraínn)

CLASSIFICATIONS OF INCOME AND EXPENDITURE FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st OCTOBER, 2017 SCHEDULE A Sources of Income: Gate receipts 1. €223,478 Commercial income 2. €257,625 Fund raising activities 3. €156,256 Other income 4. €61,621 Transfer income 5. €754,156 Coaching and development income 6. €489,787 County ground operations 7. €45,116 Total Income €1,897,807 SCHEDULE B Sources of Expenditure: Cost of staging games 8. €96,449 Cost of County Teams 9. €872,607 Financial expenses 10. €5,361 Administration expenses 11. €143,465 Grants and promotions 12. €3,500 Coaching and development 13. €530,235 Transfer payments 14. €215,560 Total Expenditure €1,867,177 Operating income Schedule A €1,897,807 Operating expenditure Schedule B €1,867,177 Surplus/(Deficit) for the period €30,630 SCHEDULE OF INCOME FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST OCTOBER 2017 SCHEDULE 1: GATE RECEIPTS Snr Hurling championship €109,289 Snr Football championship €24,533 Other county games €34,865 Season tickets €54,791 SCHEDULE 2: COMMERCIAL INCOME Sponsorship €247,625 Catering fees €10,000 SCHEDULE 3: FUND-RAISING ACTIVITIES Golf classic €3,000 Punchestown fundraising day - €17,500 All Ireland raffle €9,026 All Ireland banquet €38,095 Corporate donations €20,650 Club Deise €80,485 Waterford Supporters Club - Dublin Branch €5,000 SCHEDULE 4: OTHER INCOME Munster Hurling Final - €16,000 Bord Na nÓg €10,000 Affiliations, membership and league fees €24,621 Divisional Board donations €20,500

County Final television money €5,000 Documentary contribution €1,500 SCHEDULE 9: COST OF COUNTY TEAMS Team costs €610,140 Team kit, jerseys and equipment €221,734 Hurleys, football etc. €31,933 HURLING CHAMPIONSHIP GATE RECEIPTS Pairc Ui Fhearchair: 15/04/2017 Lismore V Passage & Mount Sion V Fourmilewater €3,331 16/04/2017 Tallow V Ballygunner & De La Salle V Ballyduff Upper €2,505 16/04/2017 Dungarvan V Abbeyside €3,881 21/04/2017 De La Salle V Dungarvan €2,013 22/04/2017 Ballygunner V Ballyduff Upper & Lismore V Fourmilewater €,325 23/04/2017 Tallow V Abbeyside €1,201 15/09/2017 Tallow V Ballyduff Upper €2,442 16/09/2017 Lismore V Portlaw & Roanmore V Fourmilewater €1,865 17/09/2017 Ballygunner V Dungarvan €2,937 22/09/2017 Roanmore V Lismore €1,117 23/09/2017 Fourmilewater V Passage €990 24/09/2017 Ballyduff Upper V Dungarvan & De La Salle V Tallow €4,667 28/09/2017 Fourmilewater V Portlaw €336 01/10/2017 Abbeyside V Ballyduff Upper & Mount Sion V Lismore €3,810 07/10/2017 Portlaw V Ballyduff Upper & Lismore V Abbeyside €5,510 08/10/2017 Passage V Dungarvan €8,456 15/10/2017 Ballymore V Lismore £6,616 Total: €54,002 Pairc Breathnach: 15/04/2017 Roanmore V Portlaw €1,719 23/04/2017 Passage V Portlaw & Roanmore V Mount Sion €4,230 16/09/2017 De La Salle V Abbeyside & Passage V Portlaw €4,705 24/09/2017 Abbeyside V Ballygunner & Portlaw V Mount Sion €4,335 01/10/2017 Ballygunner V De La Salle & Passage V Roanmore €4,830 07/10/2017 Mount Sion V Ballygunner €5,609 15/10/2017 De La Salle V Passage £6,690 22/10/2017 Ballygunner V De La Salle €21,549 Total: €53,667

Cappoquin: 01/10/2017 Dungarvan V Tallow €1,620 Total Receipts €109,289 FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP GATE RECEIPTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST OCTOBER 2017 Pairc Ui Fhearchair: 06/11/2016 The Nire V Ballinacourty €13,654 05/05/2017 The Nire V Clashmore Kinsalebeg €316 07/05/2017 An Rinn V Brickey Rangers €640 30/07/2017 An Rinn V Ballinacourty & Kilrossanty V Ballinameela €2,090 10/09/2017 The Nire V Stradbally & Clashmore Kinsalebeg V Rathgormack €3,665 28/10/2017 Brickey Rangers V Clashmore Kinsalebeg & Deuglán Noafa V Ballinacourty €700 Total: €21,065 Kill: 06/05/2017 Killrossanty V Gaultier €715 Total: €715 Bushy Park 14/10/2017 Ballinameela V Clashmore Kinsalebeg €220 Total: €220 Lemybrien: 05/11/2016 Brickey Rangers V St. Saviours €241 06/05/2017 Stradbally V Ardmore €397 07/05/2017 Ballinacourty V Rathgormack & Portlaw V Ballinameela €1,255 27/07/2017 Portlaw V Deuglán Naofa €199 29/07/2017 Gaultier V Brickey Rangers €386 21/10/2017 Ballinacourty V Portlaw €55 Total €2,533 Total Receipts €24,533 B. COST OF COUNTY TEAMS 31/10/17 The overall expenditure may be sub-divided as follows: Senior Football €159,243 Senior Hurling €602,897 Under 21 Football €8,189 Under 21 Hurling €21,190 Minor Football & Under 17 Football €26,046 Minor Hurling & Under 17 Hurling €53,384 Junior Football €3,914 Intermediate Hurling €5,647 Development Squads €26,513 Travel & Nutrition Grant (Snr Hurling & Snr Football) €34,882 -

GAA

Dungarvan Observer | Friday, 15 December, 2017

Gaelic Jottings County Awards THE County Awards night will be held in Lawlors Hotel on Friday, January 12th, 2018.The following Award winners have been announced to date. Schools Award: St. Augustine’s College. Development Award: Ballysaggart. Merit Award: Teresa Power, Kilmacthomas. Referee Award: Anthony Fitzgerald (Gaultier). Achievement Award: Michael Walsh (Stradbally). Jack Furlong Award: Noel O’Sullivan (Portlaw). Seamus O’Brien Award: Jimmy O’Gorman. Hall of Fame Award: 1957 Waterford Football Team. The nominations for club of the year and player awards are as follows. Club of the Year: Ballygunner, Ardmore, An Rinn. UnderAge Footballer of the Year: Billy Power (Rathgormack), Aaron Beresford (Ballinacourty), Gavin Dalton (Naomh Brid). Under Age Hurler of the Year: Tom Barron (Fourmilewater), Harry Ruddle (Ballygunner), James Flavin (Ardmore). Adult Footballer of the Year: Thomas O’Gorman (Nire), Donie Breathnach (An Rinn), Tommy Prendergast (Kilrossanty), Gavin Crotty (Dungarvan). Adult Hurler of the Year: Kevin Moran (DLS), Noel Connors (Passage), Jamie Barron (Fourmilewater), Stephen O’Keeffe (Ballygunner).

Games off LAST Sunday’s championship games were postponed early Sunday morning due to rain in the west of the County and snow in the East. The relegation play off between Ballinameela and Portlaw will now most likely be played in the new year. The under 21 ‘A’ hurling replay between County champions De La Salle and Passage goes ahead in the east.

This Week’s Fixtures MORRISSEY FAMILY UNDER 21 ‘B’ HURLING SEMI-FINALS COMERAGH Gaels will be favourites to advance to the Western final by overcoming St. Olivers while Ardmore and Fourmilewater should be a tighter affair with the seasiders getting the nod to make the decider. Match details not available.

Club President launches history book PRESIDENT of the Dungarvan GAA Club Paddy Fitzgerald will launch the club’s history book in Lawlors Hotel this Friday evening at 8.00 p.m. Paddy joined the local club in 1978 and since that time he has given outstanding service to the Blues in the many roles that he has undertaken.

John Mitchels Tom Hunt launches latest book MULLINGAR domiciled Tom Hunt who won senior football championship medals with John Mitchels in 1970, ’73 and ’76 and who played in goal for a number of years for Waterford launched his latest book last week and a gem of a one it is too. The book documents Irish athletic excellence achieved in major international events with the focus mainly

on the track and field dimension of the sport. The economic, political and sociocultural context of these achievements has also been documented. This is not a clappy-happy, jumping up and down supporting mediocrity type of book as Ruby Walsh might say. Only athletic achievement at Olympic, World and European championship level is chronicled. The stories of these achievements and several more are documented in The Little Book of Irish Athletics which has been described as 'a TARDIS' of a book, packing an enormous amount of information into its little spine. Tom, the uncle of former soccer internationals Stephen and Noel and a native of Waterford, has produced a pretty much perfect Christmas present for sports fans' by Eamonn Sweeney in the Sunday Independent; for The Irish Examiner, 'It is a glorious book, full of wit and charm and the sort of wonder that good history books carry lightly'. It was chosen by Paul Rouse in The History Show on RTE Radio as one of the history books of the year: 'It's a great book, the little part is completely out of tune with everything else that happens in the book. It is short but it is full of history and full of brilliant stories, It charts the growth of athletics from the middle of the nineteenth century onwards … and stories of the importance of gender, class and geography in the shaping of the modern sporting world are explored'

Sponsorship by the Local Bar for Sliabh gCua/St. Mary's GAA Club players Big Breakfast which will take place in Touraneena Community Centre on St. Stephen's Day between 11.00 a.m. and 1.30 p.m. Back row: Eoin Kerins, Kevin Sheehan, Helena Gough (Local Bar), J. J. Coffey and Gearoid Hallinan. Front row: Declan Fitzpatrick (hurling manager), Brendan Tobin (Club Chairman) and Paul Ahearne (football manager).

Tommy times it well STRADBALLY captain Tommy Connors put a nightmare period of injuries behind him to accept the Waterford senior football championship Cup last Sunday week. Extra-time was needed to separate the sides as Stradbally held on for a one point win and it was a special moment for Connors who has spent his fair share of time on the treatment table this year. Connors came back from injury for the final and was introduced as a half-time substitute before going on to kick a point as Stradbally were crowned champions. "The Saturday before the All-Ireland I fractured my leg and I was out for six weeks. I came back for two weeks and then I was laid up with the thumb. I had it in a cast for three weeks," "I took off the cast the other day, bandaged it up and supported it very well. Luckily enough, it held up. I'm not after a great run to be honest, but luckily enough I was able to play a part in the final."

Goal feast in Singapore 2017 All Stars 30 goals; 2016 All-Stars 23 goals. SPECTATORS at PwC All-Stars hurling exhibition at the Singapore Recreation Club were treated to 53 goals as the 2017 All-Stars defeated their 2016 counterparts in a nine-a-side contest. Waterford's Pauric Mahony and Galway's Conor Cooney combined for a whopping 17 goals for the winners. Gary Hannify, who won an All-Ireland medal with Offaly way back in 1998 and was one of three Singapore-based players taking part in the exhibition, top-scored for the 2016 selection with four goals. Another 'local', Padraic Dineen, also netted for the 2016 team. In a game played over four quarters, the 2017 team led by 14 goals to 10 at half-time before the 2016 All-Stars got to within a goal in the third quarter. However, Mahony hit five goals on the spin in the final quarter to put the result beyond doubt.

The exhibition match formed the centrepiece of a six-hour games programme at the Singapore Recreation Club.

Assists and Amalgamations THE closing date for receipt of applications to assist and for amalgamations as permitted under Rules 3.19 and 6.8 T.O. is Friday, 12th January, 2018 at 5.00 p.m. Juvenile applications to Gavin Whelan, Rúnai, Bord na nÓg. The recommendations of Bord na nÓg are subject to the approval of the County Board. All other applications be sent to the Runai, Coiste Chontae. All applications are subject to the approval of the County Board and subsequently by Central Council.

Touraneena’s Big Breakfast SPONSORED by the Local Bar Dungarvan, the Sliabh gCua/St. Mary's players Big Breakfast will take place in Touraneena Community Centre on St. Stephen's Day between 11 a.m. and 1.30 p.m. Start the day with a healthy full Irish. Failte roimh gach einne.

Munster GAA Awards THE 2017 Munster GAA Awards were presented at a gala dinner in the Fota Island Resort Hotel in Cork last Saturday night. Kerry's James O'Donoghue and Waterford's Michelle Ryan secured the Senior Footballer and Ladies' Footballer accolades respectively. The Manager of the Year award went to former Cork senior hurling manager, Kieran Kingston, the Rebel County's Mark Coleman was chosen as Senior Hurler of the Year and Limerick's Aaron Gillane took the under 21 Hurling accolade.

Speaking on the announcement of these awards, Munster GAA chairman Jerry O'Sullivan said: "James O'Donoghue and Michelle Ryan contributed hugely to their team’s performances this year and are deserving winners of the top playing awards in Gaelic Football and Ladies Gaelic Football respectively. "Aaron Gillane was the star of the under 21 hurling. It was marvellous to see the Munster Hurling champions, Cork defy expectations to win three games and a deserved Munster Championship. "Their Manager, Kieran Kingston, deserves great credit for bringing Munster honours back to the Rebel County. Congratulations to all the 2017 Award winners." The full list of Munster GAA Award winners for 2017: Austin Flynn (Waterford) - Hurling Hall of Fame Seamus Clancy (Clare) - Football Hall of Fame John Costigan (Tipperary) Distinguished Service Award Killian Spillane (Kerry) - Under 21 Football Aaron Gillane (Limerick) - Under 21 Hurling Brian Turnbull (Cork) - Minor Hurling David Clifford (Kerry) - Minor Football Patrice Diggin (Kerry) - Camogie Michelle Ryan (Waterford) - Ladies Football JP O'Connor (Limerick) - Handball Kanturk (Cork) - Club Mark Coleman (Cork) - Senior Hurling James O'Donoghue (Kerry) - Senior Football Kieran Kingston (Cork) – Manager Positive Postponement Fulham Irish and Corofin got over the disappointment of their All-Ireland club SFC quarter-final postponement by sharing a few hours afterwards. Connacht champions Corofin had flown to London from Shannon on Saturday, only for the game to be postponed because of snow on the Ruislip pitch. But that didn't stop players from both

clubs hitting Leicester Square together for a social evening The game is expected to be re-fixed for the middle of January.

Fitzgibbon Cup Group draws THE Fitzgibbon Cup will be played on a round robin basis with four groups and the top two from each advancing through to the quarter-finals. Champions Mary's Immaculate have been drawn with Carlow IT, NUI Galway and Trinity, while Group 1 sees an all-Cork affair between CIT and UCC with UCD also drawn into the same group. Fitzgibbon Cup Draw: Group 1: CIT, UCC, UCD Group 2: UL, DIT, WIT Group 3: LIT, DCU, Garda Group 4: Mary I, Carlow IT, NUI Galway, Trinity

Scór Na Seachtaine SALAH’S first half goal for Liverpool in the Merseyside derby game against Everton last Sunday.

Fraher Field Classics THE Fraher Fields Classics featured games of 1967 courtesy of the editor of the Dungarvan Observer and from the pen of John A Murphy are now complete and the games of fifty years ago in 1968 are due to feature in the new year.

Sympathy THE Observer extends its sincere sympathy to the Hickey family, Kilgobinet on the death of their mother Mai last week. The Hickeys have a long association with Gaelic Games locally via the Kilgobinet club while they are ardent supporters of County teams over the years.

12 & 13

FEWS NS FUNDRAISING BENEFIT NIGHT AT KILCOHAN PARK GREYHOUND STADIUM

Siobhan and Aoife Lenihan.

Dungarvan Observer | Friday, 15 December, 2017

Gerry Carroll, Catherine Collins, Tony Kirwan, Phil Flynn and Pat Kirwan.

[Noel Browne]

The participants in the Fews National School Fundraiser Novelty Race at Kilcohan Park Greyhound Stadium were Aidan Wall, David Kelly, Emma and Anne Kirwan, Siobhan Lenihan, Paudi Prendergast, Pauline Hartley, Pat Galvin, Derek Doherty and Mags Behan. [Noel Browne]

Pictured at the Fews NS Fundraising Night at Kilcohan Park Greyhound Stadium were Robin Foley, Sean Murray, Tanya Gorey, Seamus, Shay and Faye Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Reilly, Leah Power and Joanna Millea. [Noel Browne]

John Murphy from John Murphy Carpets enjoying their Christmas night out at Kilcohan Park Greyhound Stadium with John, Mary and Paddy Murphy. [Noel Browne]

Tara and Alice Comerford.

[Noel Browne]

Emma and Elizabeth Kirwan, Jodie Whelan, Ella Hennessy, Katie Flynn, Tom Behan, Chloe Casey, Rosie Flynn and Susan Doherty. [Noel Browne] Neil Kirwan, Liam and William Brazil.

[Noel Browne]

Mags Behan and David Kelly winning the Fews NS Novelty Race at Kilcohan Park Greyhound Stadium on Saturday last. [Noel Browne]

David, Conor, Ronan, Anne, Paudi and Emma Kirwan.

[Noel Browne]

Mary Dee, Marie and Sharon Brazil.

[Noel Browne]

Eilis Prenderville, Teresa Goodwin, Mary Dunne, Catherine Raher, Mary Flynn, Siobhan Walsh, Eileen Smith, Mary Bree and Bernadette Chestnutt pictured at Kilcohan Park Greyhound Stadium. [Noel Browne]

Kieran Byrne, Jim Daly, David Lennon, John Aulsbury and Paul Daly pictured at the John Murphy Carpets Christmas [Noel Browne] night out at Kilcohan Park Greyhound Stadium.

GAA

Dungarvan Observer | Friday, 15 December, 2017

Erin’s Hopes County Senior Football Champions 1896 - 1898. Front, Left to right: Jim Meade, Wm. O’Brien, Ml. McCarthy, Tom Doocey, Crookie Nagle. Seated, Left to right: Tom Meade, Michael Murphy, James Wall (Captain), P. Sullivan, N. Noonan, P. Meade. Standing, Left to Right: Michael Cullinan, C. McCarthy, James Nathan, P. Crotty, James Nagle, Butcher Franklin. At Back: Left to Right: T. Jordan, P. Landers, J. Cripps, D. Landers, A. Nagle.

Launch of Dungarvan GAA history book this Friday THE history book of the Dungarvan GAA, spanning the years 1885 to 2017 will be launched in Lawlors Hotel on this Friday evening, December 15th at 8.00 p.m. The book contains 380 pages including over 100 photographs and it will be on sale at a cost of €20. Past and present club members and the public in general are cordially invited to attend. Food will be served and music will be provided by the popular ‘Spotlight’ band. SELLING OUTLETS From Saturday, 16th December onwards: The Country Store, David Walsh’s Book Shop, Albert

Dan Fraher Pictured in 1909 aged 57.

McGrath’s Newsagents. This week we feature the infamous split in the club in 1895 when Dan Fraher left to form Shandon Rovers and the remaining players were called Erin’s Hopes, who went on to win three in a row County Senior football titles and a Munster one as well. THE SPLIT The club had early county senior football titles under its belt when the club split into two teams in 1895. The reason for it we are not told but Erin’s Hope surfaced donning white and green jerseys, the then official Dungarvan club colours, and Shandon Rovers, with Dan Fraher at the helm, wore the green and gold. The more successful of the two were the Hopes, who won three in a row county senior football titles from 1896 to 1898 and in those years achieved a Munster title in ‘98 and were runners up in the AllIreland final. These three wins have always been recorded as Dungarvan titles. The fact that the Hope's continued to wear the then Club colours would say they were the original Club playing under the Hope's name. The Rover's would appear to be the break-away group. Neither team appear on the record books in later years and Dan Fraher, after forming Shandon Rovers, was back with the Dungarvan club again as he is included in a photo taken by Edmund

Cover and back page of Dungarvan GAA history book. Keohan in 1909 with what was probably our first juvenile hurling team. ERIN’S HOPES THREE I N-A- ROW Under the leadership of Dan Fraher, Shandon Rovers are reported as playing a lot more matches than Erin’s Hopes in 1896 and they recorded wins over Shamrocks, Waterford by 1-16 to 0-0, over Ballinameela by 2-6 to 0-5, against Cappoquin by 1-8 to 02 and against Waterford Commercials by 0-2 to 0-0 in a match that didn’t finish due to ‘’a scrimmage at the end corner of the field.’’ However, the big game of the year in 1896 was the local derby between Erins Hopes v Shandon

Rovers in Cappoquin on September 6th as the following article explains. Erin’s Hopes 0-11; Shandon Rovers 0-3. ‘’For a considerable time past a strong feeling of rivalry existed between the teams and many were of the opinion that the match would develop into a faction fight. Some wise bodies councilled the withdrawal altogether of the parties from the contest. However, the match was played with the utmost manliness and fairness on both sides. The Erin’s Hopes won by 0-11 to 0-3 and this would seem to settle the superiority of the former team over the latter.’’ However, relations between the two teams deteriorated before they

improved and both ended up in the courthouse in Dungarvan in November of 1896. ‘’It is hoped that the proceedings at the petty sessions court on last Saturday will end the unseemly rivalry between the two football teams in Dungarvan. It is deplorable that sport should descend to the level of faction. For some time past the rivalry between the Hopes and the Rovers has been growing to an extent which culminated on the evening of the 1st of November in the row which took place outside the courthouse. Methods of assault to attest superiority in sport is not recommendable and the sentences imposed were severe.’’ (Munster Express November 1896). Having won the county championship for the first time under the name Erin’s Hopes, the club qualified for the Munster final of ’86 which wasn’t played until the 21st of November 1897 in Mallow Town Park against the Limerick Commercials. Hopes trailed at half-time by 0-3 to 0-1 but the game did not finish as the team disputed a Limerick point but it was not disallowed so the team refused to finish the game. The final score was 0-4 to 0-1 and that evening in a hotel in Mallow the decision of the referee and his umpires was upheld by the Munster Council despite the protestations of team captain J. Wall who was also vice president of the council.

Hopes were represented by the following players in Mallow: J. Wall (Capt), M. Cullinane, R. Sullivan, J. Begley, W. O’Brien, J. Meade, P. Meade, W. Meade, J. Nagle, F. Connors, J. Power, J. O’Brien, T. Power, J. Landers, J. Moloney, N. Noonan. There is no information available on the 1897 county championship but the fact that the team contested the ’97 Munster final confirms that they won their second title in-a-row. The Munster final was played at the Fraher Field the following year 1898 on the 1st of May against Dunmanway from Cork. Hopes trailed by 0-6 to 0-0 at half-time but there was only 0-1 the difference at the final whistle on a score of 1-6 to 1-5 in a game that was described as ‘’the finest game of football yet seen in the Gaelic Field.’’ Following a three in-a-row County senior football title wins, Erin’s Hopes made the breakthrough at Munster level when they beat Cork by 1-3 to 0-4. The All-Ireland final was held in Tipperary on the 8th of April, 1900 in front of an attendance of 1,000. Dublin proved too strong for the Waterford representatives on a score of 2-8 to 0-4. The Erin’s Hopes run of successes in the county came to a halt in 1899 when Lismore Ramblers defeated them in the semi-final replay after a drawn game of 0-3 each. Lismore beat Kilmacthomas in the final.

GAA

Dungarvan Observer | Friday, 15 December, 2017

McGrath’s Newsagents MITCHEL STREET, DUNGARVAN 058-41661 Newspapers • Sweets • General Grocery

TEAMS OF TIMES GONE BY RATHGORMACK’S PHELAN CUP Championship: Phelan Cup final: Venue: Fraher Field. Date: Sunday, 7th December, 1997. Half-time score: Rathgomack 1-3; Kilrossanty 0-4. Full-time score: Rathgormack 1-5; Kilrossanty 0-5. Rathgormck scorers: S. Power 1-1, M. Power 0-2, J. Murray and R. Power 0-1 each. Kilrossanty scorers: C. Dee 0-2, P. Brazil, K. Lonergan and M. Kiely 0-1 each. Rathgormack: P. Fahy; B. Curran, J. Crotty, K. Power; D. Hassett, N. Murray, T. Bolger; R. Power, D. Power; F. Halpin, F. Power, P. Crotty; S. Power, M. Power, J. Murray.

Youghal Road, Dungarvan, Co Waterford. 087 2674890 Dungarvanstatoil@cablesurf.com

Forde’s

FORDE’S DAYBREAK FORECAST CORNER 2014: 530 Forecasts. 342 Correct. 187 Incorrect. 1 Abandoned. Success Rate: 64.6%. 2015: 565 Forecasts: 345 Correct. 220 Incorrect. Success Rate: 61.1%. 2016: 516 Forecasts : 363 Correct. 153 Incorrect. Success Rate: 70%. 2017: 479 Forecasts. 327 Correct. 152. Incorrect. Success Rate: 68.3%

FROM THE FILES OF THE DUNGARVAN OBSERVER 66 Main Street, Dungarvan

(058) 45590 nicky@mckennacomputers.com FROM THE FILES OF THE DUNGARVAN OBSERVER Wednesday, 10th December, 1997. UNDER 21 ‘A’ FOOTBALL WESTERN FINAL

Stradbally bridge 22 year gap Stradbally 0-6; Nire 0-4. STRADBALLY’S youthful under 21 football side carved out a famous victory for the Reds at the Fraher Field on Saturday afternoon last to outscore firm favourites Nire in a wholehearted contest. In the process, Stradbally bridged a 22 year gap back to their previous victory in 1975. They also lifted the Divisional title in 1974. Nire had first use of the strong breeze playing into the road goal and Brian Wall opened their account with a neat point in the 2nd minute. Trevor Curran, what a little pocket rocket he is, levelled it up in the 4th minute with a point. Connie Power regained the lead for Nire in the 6th minute with their second point. A full 18 minutes were to pass before the next score came in the 24th minute when Senior Inter-County player Niall Curran found the target form a 13 metre free to level the scores again. Nire led at the interval by a single point as John Mangan pointed in the 29th minute. During the inter-

val it was obvious that with the breeze to their backs in the second half that Stradbally were most definitely in with a great chance of causing a big upset here. On the turnover Nire raised their game with Connie Power, J J. Wall, David Ryan, Prendergast and John Moore excelling. They laid siege on the Stradbally citadel yet the Reds full back line somehow or other held out with David Power and Andrew Barrett starring with Kevin Coffey and goalkeeper Kieran Kirwan also playing their parts deep in defence. Outside them, Trevor Costello excelled ably flanked by Kevin Coffey and Stephen Keane. Niall Curran levelled it up in the 38th minute and then put the Reds in front with another point in the 47th minute. Connie Power levelled it up in the 49th minute when his free kick saw the ball striking the upright and going over. Shortly afterwards the crossbar denied Nire but it was Stradbally who finished the stronger as Trevor Curran put Niall Curran in for a 53rd minute point and then added their sixth in the 54th minute. Ger Power, Brian Cleary and substitute Peter Mullaney, Paul Kiely, Stephen Cunningham, Adrian Kirwan, John Coffey, Niall Curran and substitutes Paul Casey and J. Landy also contributed to a great win for Stradbally. The Western Board Chairman presented the Cup to Stephen Cunningham amidst scenes of excitement after the game. Referee: R. Casey (Colligan).

County Bord na nÓg Secretary Gavin Whelan presenting the Division 3 Hurling winners shield to Stradbally Captain Barry Brien.

1st July, 2017; Colin Dunford of Waterford in action against David King of Offaly during the GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship Round 1 match between Offaly and Waterford at Bord na Móna O’Connor Park in Tullamore, Co Offaly. [Sam Barnes/Sportsfile]

Sportsfile's A Season of Sundays 2017

Happy 21st Birthday

SPORTSFILE marks 21 years of the iconic GAA annual ‘A Season of Sundays’ with imagery featuring Waterford. Over the past twenty-one years, Sportsfile’s ‘A Season of Sundays’ has become an eagerly awaited GAA tradition, marking the end of each season with a stunning collection of images. The book is available online now and in book stores nationwide from the 4th December. Now in its twenty-first year of publication, A Season of Sundays 2017 embraces the very heart and soul of Ireland's national games as captured by the award-winning team of photographers at Sportsfile. This year’s instalment captures some fantastic moments from Waterford as well as charting the highs and lows of the GAA season in another bright and absorbing look back at the year. In 2017, we were treated to some thrilling football matches across both the leagues and the championship which culminated in an All-Ireland final for the ages that saw Dublin defeat Mayo to retain the Sam Maguire for a third straight season. It wasn’t an easy road to the final for Mayo as they were knocked out of the Connacht Championship in the semi-final stage before the victors that day, Galway, were rocked by Roscommon who claimed their first championship in seven years. In the hurling, there was no stopping Joe Canning and Galway as they ended their 29-year wait and got their hands on the Liam MacCarthy trophy after a thrilling final against Derek McGrath’s Waterford. The Tribesmen took their fine league form which saw them dismantle a good Tipp side in April into the championship and they’ll be the team to beat again in 2018. Sportsfile captured Sarah McCaffrey’s two goals off the bench as Dublin’s ladies followed their male counterparts by defeating Mayo in what looks to be the final game of a fine career for the green and red’s star forward, Cora Staunton, who recently agreed a move to Australian Rules’ Western

Sydney Giants. While in the Camogie, Cork got revenge on Kilkenny as they won their 27th O’Duffy Cup in a dramatic repeat of last year’s final. Speaking at the launch, the book’s creator Ray McManus said: “A Season of Sundays is Sportsfile’s brainchild since 1996, and to see it mark its 21st birthday is special for the whole team to celebrate. Since its inception, the book has captured some truly fantastic moments in each of those seasons and 2017 was no different. I would like to thank all of my dedicated photographers for their fantastic work throughout the year, and of course the GAA community for making it such a thrilling season – one we won’t forget here at Sportsfile.” Uachtarán Chumann Lúthchleas Aogán Ó Fearghail said: “I want to congratulate Ray McManus and all of his team in Sportsfile for yet another magnificent collection of images for A Season of Sundays.This book is now firmly established as an absolute gem in the library of top class GAA annuals. The GAA year is a compilation of special moments. A Season of Sundays, year after

year, is a treasure trove of these iconic images. From the moment that the first balls are kicked and pucked in a season – right through to the defining moments in the destination of Liam MacCarthy and Sam Maguire – Sportsfile are there, putting us in the heart of the action and their eye for the exquisite is as unerring as ever. Maith sibh.” John Comerford, COO of the book’s sponsors Carroll’s of Tullamore added: “Once again we thrilled to be sponsors of the ‘A Season of Sundays’ publication. Each year we are delighted by the publication with it’s wonderful selection of captivating imagery that brings the GAA season to life in a unique and inspiring way. As Ireland’s favourite ham brand, we are proud of our long-standing partnership with ‘A Season of Sundays’. With text by Alan Milton, it is a treasured record of the 2017 GAA season to be savoured and enjoyed by players, spectators and enthusiasts everywhere. It would make the perfect Christmas gift for any GAA fan, retailing at €24.95 from bookstores nationwide and online at www.sportsfile.com

GAA CLUB NOTES

Dungarvan Observer | Friday, 15 December, 2017

Fourmilewater/Nire Fourmilewater/ Juveniles Nire Juveniles Juvenile Tournament: Round 4 of the Buckley cup and the Power Shield served up a treat once more. There is a clear improvement to be seen in the standard each week and some stand out individual performances in every game. There were wins for Kerry and Clare last week and the first game which was a thriller between Cork and Tipperary ended in a draw. Well done again to everyone involved, it really is turning out to be a great tournament. We would also like to say thanks to our comrades in Ballymac FC who have vacated the hall a few minutes early on a number of occasions to ensure we have a smooth flow for our tournament. The story of Buckley Cup: Fourmilewater Club was founded in 1926. William Buckley a native of Castle Connell, Co. Limerick came to Ballymacarbry to take up a position of employment as manager of the local Mill. William’s home club was Ahane the club of Limerick’s legendary Mick Mackey. William played a leading role in the founding of Fourmilewater Hurling club and in 1989 the Buckley family decided to present a cup in his memory for underage competition. At an official function William’s daughter Marie presented the cup and from then on the Buckley Cup became a regular fixture of internal underage activity. Juvenile AGM: We will hold our Juvenile AGM on Monday night, 18th December at 8 p.m. in the Community Centre. All are welcome to attend. We would love to see a big crowd there and some new faces who are willing to get involved with our club.

Abbeyside/Ballinacourty JACK THE JOKER Our ever popular Jack the Joker fundraiser continues this Sunday night in Alice O’Connor’s Bar where the jackpot is €6,000 as on Sunday night John Healy was drawn out of the drum and chose card number 52 which when turned was not the joker but he did win €50. Marian Whelan and Yvonne Sheehan won €25 each. As well as our group of ticket sellers tickets can be purchased from Village Flowers, Spar, Mousies Takeaway, Minnies Bar, Abbeyside Post Office and Crotty’s Bar. AGM Our Annual General Meeting took place in Ballinroad Hall on Saturday night last, where there was a very good turnout to review the activities in the club in 2017 and to plan for 2018. Following a moments silence to remember those members who passed away this year, the first item on the agenda was the treasurers report. As usual Pakie Hurney's report gave a very detailed account of the club accounts and all those present were left in no doubt of the huge amount of work that goes into raising the money needed to run our club every year. Packie thanked all those who work so hard to raise these funds and thanked our main club sponsors Adesco for their continued support of the club. Following this, Tomás Kiely's Secretary's report gave a most comprehensive review of the club activities both on and off the field. Whilst we would all have wished for better results at Senior Level this year Tomás referenced the large amount of serious injuries we had this year and the fact that a number of players got their Senior debuts in 2017. Also the victory by our Junior hurlers in the County Final and the Under 21 hurlers Western Title give further hope for the future. Our Chairman Michael Briggs then gave his inaugural address as Club Chairman. Michael thanked all those who worked so hard for the club throughout the year, from our Juvenile section right through to the Senior Club. In praising the work of our hardworking volunteers Michael appealed for more people to get involved in working for the club to help lessen the burden on those already doing this work. Michael also gave details of a planned Health and Wellbeing Initiative which is hoped to be up and running in early 2018. Michael concluded his address by congratulating Austin Flynn on being inducted into the Munster GAA Hall of Fame. The election of officers then took place with the following elected. Presidents: Austin Flynn, Liam Enright, Éamonn Keane, Joseph Organ, Jimmy O’Leary, Bernard Shields, Fr. Michael Enright, P.E. Vice Presidents: Fr. Michael Brennock, OSA, Fr. Colin Fives, OSA, Fr. Ned Hassett, PP Chairman: Michael Briggs Vice Chairman: Michael Cosgrave Secretary: Tomás Kiely Assistant Secretary: Eleanor McGrath Treasurer: Pakie Hurney PRO: Neil Moore Membership Officer: Pat Keane Children’s Officer: Bríd Slevin Committee: Sean McGrath, Conor Clancy, Joe Cleary, Jim O’Mahony, Michael O’Donovan, Ian Kiely, Jack O'Hare, Ger Collins, John Dillon, Danny McGrath.

SENIOR MANAGER At a club committee meeting after the AGM Peter Queally was ratified as manager of our

Allianz Cumann na mBunscol Portlairge Football Co. Finals. Ballymacarbry who beat Ballygunner in the Boys A Final in Fraher Field. [Sean Byrne]

Senior Hurling and Football teams for 2018. His selectors Shane Briggs and Laurence Hurney were also ratified and we wish them the very best of luck for the year ahead. CLUB WINTER RAFFLE Tickets for our club winter raffle are now on sale throughout the parish with a number of attractive prizes on offer including heating fuels such as home heating oil, timber and coal. The draw will take place in January and we appeal to all our supporters to please support the draw as best you can.

MUNSTER GAA HALL OF FAME On behalf of all in the club we would like to congratulate our own Austin Flynn on being selected as the recipient of this year's Munster GAA Hall of Fame Award Winner. This is a fantastic and most deserved award for Austin who was, of course, selected at full back on the Waterford Hurling team of the Millennium. During his illustrious playing career with Waterford Austin won 3 Munster Titles, 1 National League and of course he was on the team that captured Waterford's last All-Ireland title in 1959. Austin was a near permanent fixture at full back during this Golden Age for the Déise, and his fine performances were acknowledged when he was selected on the Munster team which won the 1960 Railway Cup. Throughout this time Austin gave great service to our club but unfortunately County Senior Hurling honours eluded the team as they suffered defeat in four County Finals. Austin remains an extremely popular figure in our Club to this day, is always generous with his time and is most willing to offer help and advice whenever he is asked. Once again we congratulate "Austeen" on this wonderful award and thank Munster Council for acknowledging a true giant of the game. CLUB BINGO Our club bingo session continues in the CBS Hall this Sunday night with a jackpot of €1,250.

Kilrossanty Kilrossanty CLOTTO SPONSORED BY KILL AGRICULTURAL LTD CLOTTO RESULTS No winner of a Jackpot of €4,800 held in Crotty's Inn, Leamybrien, on Sunday night 10/12/17. Numbers were 7, 8, 14, 26. €30 winners: Breda Leahy, Stradbally; Nonie and Tomas Keating, Comeragh. Seller’s prize of €30 Tom Barry and Kayleigh. Next Clotto to be held in Micilin’s on Sunday night 17/12/17. On duty on the night Harry Quinn and Jason Dee.

CLUB 60 DRAW The next club 60 Development draw will take place on Saturday evening 30th of December in Micilin’s Bar, Kilrossanty. MONSTER CHRISTMAS BINGO We are holding our Monster Christmas Bingo on Friday evening, December 15th in Crotty’s Inn, Leamybrien, at 8:30 p.m. sharp. Total guaranteed prize money that must be won on the night is a fantastic €2,000 including Bingo prizes and Raffles prizes. Equally it is a great and fun night out amongst your friends. A single book is €10 a double book is €15 a half book is €4 a quickie sheet is €2. CHRISTMAS DRAW Tickets are currently on sale in all local newsagents and local public establishments. The draw will take place in Micilin’s Bar, Kilrossanty, on Monday evening, 18th December. CONGRATULATIONS To Tommy Prendergast on being nominated for Waterford GAA Senior Footballer of the Year. KILROSSANTY GAA CLUB JUVENILES Juvenile Club Annual General Meeting: The A.G.M. of the juvenile club will take place in mid January 2018. More details on date, time and location in the coming weeks. Bingo: A reminder for this Friday night, November 24th when the next bingo takes place and a chance to win a jackpot of €2,000 on 48 calls as well as the usual cash prizes amounting to €1,200. The entire proceeds from the bingo go towards the costs of running the juvenile section of the club. So not only is it an enjoyable social gathering but also a most worthy cause. Crotty's is the place to be for eyes down at 8.30 sharp when Jason will set the balls rolling.

Tulach an Iarainn SPONSORED BY McGRATH'S CHEMIST LOTTO RESULTS Tallow GAA lotto, sponsored by Kearney's Restaurant, Tallow. Numbers drawn were: 7, 20, 25, 27. No winner. Consolation prizes: Dolores Duffy, Pat Hartigan, Angela O’Hara, Ann Daly. Promoter: Colin Cunningham. Next draw: Lukie’s, December 18th. Jackpot: €4,400. Our weekly lotto tickets are available to purchase from any of the promoters or any businesses around the town. NEW ROAD The Mike Prendergast Road (named after our club vice-chairman) will open this week. The road, gives direct access to Scoil Mhuire. It will allow traffic to bypass the town centre and will reduce traffic on Chapel Street and New Street. AGM The following is a list of club officers for the coming year. These officers were elected at last Friday night’s AGM: Patron: Fr. O’Farrell, P.P. President: Eddie Cunningham. Vice-Presidents: Canon Seán Cotter, Michael Prendergast, Seán Twomey, Dinny Cunningham, Connie Henley, John Lyons, Johnny Curley. Chairman: Liam Mulcahy. Vice-Chairman: Terence McSweeney. Secretary: Lindsay Murphy. Treasurer: Mairead Sheehan. PRO: Kate Ryan. Lotto Secretary: John O’Sullivan. Lotto Co-ordinator: John O’Sullivan. Registrar: Lindsay Murphy. Deise Draw: David O’Brien. Fundraising Officer: Denis Tobin. Membership Officer: Billie-Jean Sheehan. Health & Wellbeing Officer: Veronica Henley. Child Welfare Officer: Kate Ryan. Insurance Officer: Terence McSweeney. Irish Officer: Seán Ó Tuama. Club representatives: Timmy Sheehan, Denis Tobin. Chief Medical Officer: Georgina Cunningham.

MEMBERSHIP Membership for the coming year can be paid to membership officer Billie-Jean Sheehan.

COBHRÓN CLG Tulach an Iarainn wishes to extend sincere sympathy to the family of Sharon Hession (nee Delaney) on her sad and untimely passing. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a hanam.

Tourin Tourin AGM We held our AGM last Saturday night, 9th December. We had a very good turnout and it was great to see a few new faces. The following officers were appointed for 2018: Hon Presidents: Ollie Wilkinson & Jim Barry Chairman: Cathal Wilkinson Vice Chairman: Tom McGrath Secretary: Alan Barry Assistant Secretary: Daragh Wilkinson Treasurer: Niall Leahy Assistant Treasuser: Brendan Scanlan PRO: Daragh Wilkinson Assistant PRO: Joanne Leahy Children's Officer: William Leahy Irish Officer: Paddy Leahy Membership Officer: Daniel Dransfield & Daniel Leahy Health and Wellbeing Officer: Mary Flynn First Aid: Mary Flynn & Paddy Leahy Deise Draw Co-ordinator: William Leahy

Please see club texts for details of future meetings. CLUB TOPS Please contact Alan directly or any club member regarding the collection of the club tops. CLUB TEXT If anyone wants to be added to the club text please contact Cathal Wilkinson 0868904507. BADMINTON NOTES Last Sunday Ballyduff held their annual tournament, once again we had a very good representation from Tourin. All involved played very well with a high standard on show. Daithi Wilkinson and Aimee Jordon made it to the final of the mixed where they were narrowly beaten. Daithi and Cathal Wilkinson made it to the final of the mens section where they won a very entertaining final. Congratulations to all involved and to Ballyduff for a great tournament.

Rinne na Rinne CLG CLG Na LOTTO Torthaí lotto 4/12/17. Uimhreacha: 10, 18, 20, 27. Ní raibh aon buaiteoir den pota óir an tseachtain seo chaite. Bhuaigh na daoine seo a leanas €25: Caitlín Uí Aodha, Paddy &a Louise Uí Cheallaigh, Mary Power. Beidh €10,000 sa pota óir an tseachtain seo chugainn agus is I dTigh Uí Mhuirithe a bheidh an tarraingt. OÍCHE GHRADAIM AN CHONDAE Beidh oíche ghradaim an chondae ar siúl ar an Aoine 12/1/18 in Ostán Lawlors. Tá an t-ádh linn gur cuireadh An Rinn chun cinn I gcóir club na bliana chomh maith le Baile Mhic Gonair agus An Árdmhór. Chomh maith le sin beidh Dónal Breathnach san iomaíocht I gcóir peileadóir sinsireach na bliana. Tar éis ard blian don chlub is deas a feisicint aitheantas don obair atá déanta ag na leaids.

Kilgobinet Kilgobinet CHRISTMAS RAFFLE Our Christmas raffle will take place this Friday night in Queally’s Lounge, Bohadoon. All are welcome on the night.

AGM Our AGM will be held on the 12th January, 2018 in the Hall. Mass for the deceased beforehand. VICTORY SOCIAL Our Victory Social and medal presentation will be held on the 19th January, 2018. LADIES FITNESS CLASS The ladies fitness class will recommence in the hall in the New Year. SYMPATHY The club would like to extend their sympathy to the Hickey family on the recent passing of Mai Hickey, mother of Michael Hickey. Every year, the club holds a tournament in memory of Michael with a perpetual cup going to the winners. Mai who reached her 100th birthday during the year presented the cup up to recent years. May she rest in peace.

Kill Kill LOTTO At last week’s lotto draw in Kirwan’s Bar there was no winner of the jackpot worth €10,000. There were two match 3 winners who were Jonathan Moloney and Phil Noonan. The numbers drawn on the night were 3, 16, 17 & 21. LONG PUCK Our annual long puck takes place on Wednesday, 27th December starting at 1.30 p.m. The proceeds are in aid of the Ian St. John Support Fund and Kill GAA. With teams of 3, Adults €10 and U-16s €5. So come along and dust off the festive cobwebs and support a great cause and enjoy what is always a great day and night in the village. CONGRATULATIONS Congratulations to our own club Secretary Emma Gallagher on her re-appointment as Eastern Board PRO officer for 2018.

Phobal Sean Phobal AGM Our AGM took place last Friday evening and the following officers were elected: Chairman: John Murphy Vice Chairman: Michael Hogan Secretary: Luke O'Brien Treasurer: Francis Nugent PRO: Liam Reilly Child welfare officer: Olivia Whelan

The committee will also remain the same next year. We would like to thank Tom Hogan who has stepped down as treasurer after many years of great service to the club.

Juveniles Mary’s Juveniles St.Mary’s St. INDOOR HURLING The last session of 2017 will take place this Friday night, 15th Dec. But don’t worry we will be back in the New Year in our usual slot in Kill Community Centre, and we will keep going until the end of March. Our Chairman John Sheahan and his band of helpers with the U-6/7/8’s wish you all a very Happy Christmas and prosperous New Year. AGM Just a final reminder to all that our AGM takes place this Tuesday, 12th at 8 p.m. in Kill’s Meeting Rooms.

GAA CLUB NOTES

Dungarvan Observer | Friday, 15 December, 2017

Clashmore/Kinsalebeg A.G.M. REPORT It was very encouraging to see so many of our younger players and members in attendance at our recent A.G.M. Sincere thanks to Tim Bourke, John Foley and Billy O'Halloran for their long standing commitment to the club. Their diligence, loyalty and dedication, in their roles as officers of the club, ensured the smooth running, advancement and success of the club. It is a huge tribute to the club to have two of its members playing in the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Final. The following officers were elected. Presidents: Davy Foley, Michael O'Neill & John Foley. Chairman: Declan Hickey. Vice-Chairman: Timmy O'Keeffe. Secretary: Cillian O'Keeffe. Assistant Secs: John Foley & Noel Nugent. Treasurer: Mary O'Halloran. Assistant Treasurer: Billy O'Halloran. P.R.O., Children's Officer & D.L.P.: Rosemary O'Halloran. Committee: Eamonn Beresford, Michael O' Halloran, Tim Bourke, Barry O'Neill, Pat O'Halloran, Aidan O'Rourke, J.J. O'Neill and Ita Keevers.

The main sources of funding for the club are the Deise Draw and the club Lotto. Gratitude was expressed to Mike Burns & Nicky Troy who do trojan work on behalf of the club - Mike as co-ordinator for the Deise Draw and Nicky for his huge sales of the weekly Lotto tickets. We are deeply indebted to both of them for their massive effort down through the years. Their input is the lifeline of the club. The meeting concluded with a prayer for the deceased members of the club. CLASHMORE/KINSALEBEG G.A.A. GYM The Clashmore Kinsalebeg G.A.A. club is delighted to offer a fully kitted gym to all its players, trainers and the local community. Supported by the Community Council and funded by the National Lottery, this gym will help improve the fitness, health and training of the entire community. Membership is a mere €60 per year, (€40 for registered GAA players). The €60 membership includes €20 to become a member of the G.A.A. club as this is required for insurance purposes. Members can enjoy a full cardio workout on the spinners, the treadmill, the cross trainer or the rowing machine. To complement this, the full set of weights and dumbbells will certainly help to develop muscle, lose weight or simply improve fitness. Classes will be run in January. To join or for further information, simply call Jazz on 086 1904593. This gym is a must for all players and we look forward to seeing you there in the New Year. FIRST RESPONSE FIRST AID TRAINING The Community Council in conjunction with Clashmore Kinsalebeg GAA club will hold a First Response training day in the GAA Clubhouse. This course, run by the Youghal First Responders will show you how to deal with heart attacks, strokes, resuscitating, what to do if someone collapses on the field, using the defibrillator, to name just a few, effectively dealing with a crisis that could happen any time. It’s a must for all players and trainers. This course is certified and completely free of charge. All we ask is a contribution to the Youghal First Responders at the end of the session. It will be run on Saturday, 27th January from 9.30 a.m. to 1.00 p.m., only 4 hours that could help you save a life! To book your place, call Jazz on 086 1904593. THE CLASHMORE/KINSALEBEG LADIES FOOTBALL COMMITTEE Following the ladies AGM and the Committee's resignation, the ladies club is sadly left with no committee. They will be holding a meeting in January to hopefully fill the main positions and continue the long standing tradition of quality and successful ladies football in the village. Should any of the men’s club, parents or trainers like to offer their support, please attend the meeting. Date to follow. If you have any items for inclusion in these notes please email to rosemaryohalloran@gmail.com or contact me on 085 1029111.

Sliabh gCua/St. Sliabh gCua/St. Mary's Mary's TRACTOR RUN 2018 The “Little Bob’s Memorial Tractor Run” in memory of the late Robbie Power will take place on New Year’s Day 2018. Please save the date. This year 90% of proceeds will go to Emily Byrne’s liver transport fund and 10% to Touraneena community Alert Group. €20 per tractor and as per usual, refreshments will be served afterwards. When the news came through about little Emily Byrne, here’s what the tractor run commit-

Allianz Cumann na mBunscol Portlairge Football Co. Finals. Scoil Mhuire, Tallow who beat Portlaw in the Girls B Final in Fraher Field. [Sean Byrne]

tee had to say: ‘So when we heard of the story of little Emily Byrne needing a liver transplant and what her parents Sean and Ann-Maire are going through we decided that Little Bob’s tractor run committee will be supporting Knockanore and Melleray fundraising committee on there tractor run on the 27th of December plus funds that we raise on New Year’s Day in Touraneena on our tractor run will be going towards little Emily’s fund too. The Byrnes family are big supporters of the Little Bob’s tractor run since we started and it’s only right that we can all stick together and help the Byrne family out. No one will ever know what comes to your door so we all have a busy week over Christmas between Lismore on the 27th of December and Touraneena the 1st of January let’s all get together and do what we can for Emily and Sean and Ann-Maire. Please share and spread the word’ HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO OUR CHAIRMAN Sliabh gCua/St Mary’s could like to wish a very happy birthday to our Club Chairman Brendan Tobin. Brendan has been lucky to have many surprises for this all important big birthday!! Hope you had a great day and few weeks of celebrations. LOTTO RESULTS No winner for the local Lotto held on Sunday night, the winning numbers were 10, 11 and 25. €20.00 winners were Cormac Condon, Thomas Keane, Tom Dunne, Aoife Walsh and John Hennebry. Hanrahan’s Bar won the promoters prize. Jackpot for next week is €2,200. Remember – if you’re not in you can’t win! NEWS/NOTES If anybody would like to include items in the Sliabh gCua/St Mary's GAA notes, feel free contact the club Facebook page or e-mail sliabhgcuapro@hotmail.com All items must be received before Sunday evening for next week’s print. U-21 HURLING CHAMPIONSHIP Wishing Comeragh Gaels the very best of luck vs St. Olivers next Sunday, 17th December, 2017. Time and location TBC. Please come and support the lads and keep an eye on Facebook for update re: Time and location. SINCERE SYMPATHY The club would like to offer their sincere sympathies to the Burke family on the passing of Alice Burke. May she rest in peace. ‘THE LOCAL BAR' BIG BREAKFAST The players are currently putting together ‘The Big Breakfast’ event. On 26th December, after you wake with your Christmas day hangover, we invite you to come along to Touraneena Community Centre where the players will be rustling up an Irish breakfast for you. Breakfast will be available between 11:00 and 13:00 and will be a very enjoyable event. Don’t miss our special guests Dauly and Taylor. They will perform the ‘Gangnam style’ dance! Don’t miss out. Great morning of food and entertainment is guaranteed. We would like to thank The Local Bar for sponsoring this event! Please come along and bring your buddies!! Check out the clubs Facebook page for up to date details.

Dungarvan