Welcome to JJ Hurley's weekly column with all the notes and news from the Kinsale region.
Kinsale St Patrick’s Day Festival Is Off
Like many festivals set for St. Patrick’s Day, Kinsale’s organisers issued the following statement on Monday last: “It is with great regret that the Kinsale St. Patrick’s Day Parade committee has decided to cancel both the Maritime Parade on March 16th and the Street Parade on March 17th due to the ongoing situation with the Covid-19 virus. The decision has been taken after much deliberation and consideration of the daily updates regarding the virus and due to the importance of containing any spread of same. The health and safety of the participants and spectators is of paramount importance which resulted in the committee coming to the conclusion that the parades should, regrettably, be cancelled.”
Carrigdhoun GAA
It seems for once the weekend’s weather held up and the Carrigdhoun Division managed to complete its programme. The results were as follows: Under 21 B Football Championship Ballygarvan 3-11 Kinsale 1-1. Junior A Football League Carrigaline 1-15 Ballygarvan 1-10 and Belgooly 0-13 Ballymartle 0-10.
Tracton’s Eimear Kiely Returns Charity’s Kindness
When Tracton’s DJ Kiely passed away on November last, his family, like many in similar circumstances they faced a difficult journey. However, following a recommendation from a family friend the Kielys discovered the Cork ARC Cancer Charity. Based on Sarsfields Road, the voluntary organisation provides services to both cancer patients and those who have been touched by the disease. Having played such an important part in helping the Kielys to come to terms with their loss, Eimear Kiely decided to raise much needed funds for the Cork- based charity, which last year spent €637,617 in providing its services. Initially, the first year law student at UCC posted a Go Fund Me page with a target of €500, however to-date the fund has raised over €4,775. So encouraged has she been by the response that Eimear is inviting local businesses, schools and teams to go purple 4 ARC on March 19th. Her aim is to encourage Cork to turn purple for one day, suggesting: “Together, we can help Cork ARC to help us to deal with cancer”. Anyone wishing to make a donation can log onto.www.gofundme.com/f/go-purple-for-arc
Ladies Gearing Up For Busy Season
The county camogie leagues were recently unveiled for the coming season. Ballygarvan and Courcey Rovers are among the fourteen teams who will feature in the senior grade, while Carrigaline and Valley Rovers play in the intermediate grade but in separate pools. The junior section - comprising of 12 teams, sees Sliabh Rua and Tracton in the same pool and Ballinhassig line out in the other pool. Kinsale, who continue to make progress in the ladies’ competition, will feature in the C competition. In the minor competition Ballygarvan, along with Ballinhassig and Courcey Rovers are in the B competition. The C competition features Tracton Valley Rovers, Sliabh Rua and Valley Rovers.
Ballymartle GAA Club Asking Its Members To Step Up To The Mark
Ballymartle GAA have signed up to the GAA Healthy Club’s Step Challenge. Beginning on Monday March 16th, it will run until April 14th. To join in the fun just follow these simple instructions: Download the MyLife app from the App store or Google Play store, register and sync to your fitness device or step tracker on your smart phone, tap on the social tab on the mylife app, select challenges and select the challenge for your province - Munster and tap on join and select your club - Ballymartle GAA. The winning club will receive €2,500 O'Neills voucher, and the top two Ballymartle steppers, will get an O'Neill's jersey of their choice. The club is asking all family, friends and work mates to join up for what is to be the first of a number of healthy club events.
Ballinhassig Bridge Club
Ballinhassig Bridge Club would like to thank all the bridge clubs and their members for supporting its bridge fundraising day on February 23rd. The following donations were made as a result of the competition: Cork Simon Community €1800, St. Vincent De Paul Ballinhassig Branch €600 and the BCDA, Marian Hall, €600. In what proved to be a fantastic day’s entertainment, the club would particularly like to thank Carmel Connolly, the tournament director, for her outstanding work on the day. Last week’s results are as follows:1st Trish Hollywood and Sheila Gimblett, 2nd Ann Hayes and Anna Sliney, 3rd Teresa Manley and Mairead O'Hare 4th Mary Lawrence and Rosita Hellstern, 5th Ann Byrne and Ide Meagher and 6th Elizabeth O'Sullivan and Sheila O'Broin.
Belgooly NS Off To National Final
Congratulations to Belgooly NS who have qualified for the final of the South Credit Union School Quiz. This is a huge achievement for the team of Kian, Hadra, Seren and Oran, and their teacher Jenny O’Neill. The team of four will now travel to the RDS in Dublin on April 5th next to compete in the final.
Tracton AC Underage Section
Tracton’s Athletic Club continues to grow strongly, and 2020 is set to be an exciting and busy time for Tracton AC’s juveniles in particular, with over 100 young athletes registering with the club this year. Over February, five Tracton AC juveniles competed at the Munster Indoor Championships in Nenagh, Co. Tipperary. Well done to Benjamin, Faye, Kim and Daniel who all performed very strongly in their various categories. Tara Osborn, who won bronze in the Under 12 shotput, will now go on to represent Tracton AC in the All Irelands in March. The club’s juvenile training has formally gotten under way for the year with a new series of sprint training for juvenile members, (born on or after 2013), on Monday evenings with Coach Chloe Hegarty at Kinsale Community School track. For information about Tracton AC juveniles, including club membership, please contact our Juvenile Co-Ordinator Dan Lynch on on 086-6061690.
Paintings Up For Auction
Whytes auctions are hosting a number of paintings by Hector MacDonnell, who was commissioned to do a set of twelve drawings highlighting the main incidents during Ferdinand's voyage and his sojourn in Kinsale. These magnificent drawings illustrate the translation of Vital's account in Hiram Morgan's Ireland 1518: Archduke Ferdinand's visit to Kinsale and the Dürer Connection. Expected to fetch in the region of €2,000 to €3,000, the auction takes place on March 9th.
Success For Kinsale Student
At BT Young Scientist Business Bootcamp 2020, Ben Loughnane, a third-year student from Kinsale Community School Co. Cork was announced as the individual winner for his project ‘Electric Paint- how much graphite is needed to heat your home.
Family Bingo
Ballinhassig Camogie Club will hold a Family Fun Bingo in aid of Ballinhassig Tidy Village Association on Saturday March 21st 8pm in the Marian Hall, Ballinhassig.
Ballinhassig Parish Social And Active Retirement Club
Following the recent AGM of Ballinhassig Parish Social and Active Retirement Club the following officers were re-elected: Mairead Deasy, chairperson, assistant chairperson, Mike Hanaway; Joan McCann, secretary; Phyllis O’Keeffe, assistant secretary, Irene Forde, treasurer; Kathleen O’Leary, assistant treasurer, other committee members: Eamon Long, Margo O’Leary and Mary O’Halloran.