Community website for Millstreet, Co. Cork, Ireland
Please note: The Laurels is no longer operating as a B&B (2017)
The Laurels B&B,
Minor Row,
Millstreet Town,
Co. Cork.
Ph: 087 2398335
Email: <email>
Town House and Walking distance of the Green Glens Arena.
Marguerite Kelleher & Gary O’Donovan Prop
LTV2 Millstreet
Sophie Finucane Trust Fund
To link with the special LTV2 interview on Thursday, 20th November 2008 with Sophie and her father, John by Mary Ankettell the following details are relevant:
Contribution to this most worthy Trust Fund may be lodged at:
Permanent TSB
Sort Code: 99 07 09
Current Account Number: 13 87 76 60
Contact Phone Numbers:
John Finucane (father of Sophie): 087 – 2677 403
LTV2 (Mary Ankettell): 085 – 1144 252
William Fitzgerald (LTV2): 087 – 2229 874
Background News on Google.
This wonderfully inspiring story is also scheduled to feature on TV3 and RTÉ1.
The Sponsored Cycle Run takes place from Newmarket on Monday, 29th December 2008. More details and studio pictures later.
(Seán Radley reporting for LTV2 Millstreet)
On 1st August 2008 I again joined Foreman, Kieran O’Riordan to obtain even more extensive views from the very top of St. Patrick’s Church having climbed the nine levels of excellently constructed scaffolding. Also we had Pat O’Sullivan on video camera and Denis O’Shea on digital still camera recording the historic occasion from the first floor of Carnegie Hall …… really proving that we did reach the impressive heights including getting to ring the Bell of our Parish Church. The complete event was also recorded for LTV2. Our thanks to All who made this special occasion possible. (Seán Radley reporting for www.millstreet.ie from on high over St. Patrick’s Church, Millstreet)
We bring you on a visit to view the excellent ongoing work presently being carried out at St. Patrick’s Church, Millstreet. Thanks to the very kind co-operation of Buckley Brothers of Ballydesmond …especially Tadhg Buckley… we join the ever obliging Foreman, Kieran O’Riordan (a native of Killowen, Millstreet) having donned my hard hat and hi-viz jacket to comply with health and safety rules. On this first visit on 9th July 2008 Kieran takes us to the top of the Church where some wonderful parnoramic views are experienced. We also note the splendid new developement next to the Church…the new Respond! Housing Association building programme at St. Joseph’s Gardens ( formerly Presentation Convent). On the various scaffolding levels of the Church we get a close-up of the highly skillful
work being undertaken especially on the roof of this hugely important building. The original Church was built in 1840 and reconstructed in the early 1930s. Our second trip on high took place on 1st August 2008 when some nine levels of scaffolding brought up to the very top of the cross and allowed us to ring the bell! The images of that trip will follow in Part
Two in a few days time. (Seán Radley reporting from the roof of St. Patrick’s Church)
Dick Pomeroy & Co. Auctioneers & Valuers
West End, Millstreet, Co. Cork
Tel: 029 70700 / 087 2248432
Fax: 029 71301
Contact: Catherine Pomeroy
FOR RENT HOUSES IN MILLSTREET TOWN & SURROUNDING AREAS
Enquire within or ring above telephone numbers
also on Daft.ie, MyHome.ie, property.ie
This window was in the old church. It consists of two sections which coalesce to form one scene – the Ordination of a priest. The window is in remembrance of Rev. Jerome Harding who died on 16 Nov. 1876, aged only 28 years. He was curate in Cahirciveen but his people were from Millstreet. His remains were brought to Millstreet for burial and it was a massive funeral. The inscription at the foot of the window reads: “in memoriam reverendi jeremiae harding: obiit die novembris decimasexta mdccclxxvi” (“In memory of Rev. Jerome Harding; he died 16th Nov. 1876”). [read more …] “Stained Glass Window – Ordination of a Priest”
Our local television channel continues to provide an increasing variety of features. Those yet to be broadcast include the production of a typical “Cork Evening Echo”, a special sequence from the recent 50th anniversary of the death of the renowned Seán Moylan. During that historic day in Kiskeam we got to meet and interview the Minster for Justice, Equality and Law Reform – Mr. Brian Linehan, T.D… as well as many members of the Moylan Family. We shall be recording a Christmas special within a family home for transmission over the festive season. We were delighted to join the celebrations for the All-Ireland winning Céilί Band …the Allow …. in Freemount. World Snooker Champion, Ken Doherty, was given a royal welcome to Rathmore Community Centre on Thursday, 15th November where this very approachable national sports hero also gave LTV2 an uplifting interview with Brendan Murphy on camera.
Oliver Plunket (East Aisle – first window on left up from door): St. Patricks Church, Millstreet
Oliver Plunket (1625-1681) was appointed archbishop of Armagh in 1669. The special cross he is holding in his left hand is a patriarchal or archiepiscopal cross. He was one of only two Catholic bishops in Ireland at that time and as a result he had a huge work-load – within the first few months of his appointment, he confirmed 10,000 people. He had good relations with the Protestant clergy and gentry. However, the panic caused by the false allegations of Titus Oates in 1678 resulted in his arrest. He was charged in Dundalk with plotting to bring 20,000 French soldiers into Ireland. He was imprisoned in Newgate in England until 1681. There was no basis whatever for the allegations brought against him but he wasn’t given time or opportunity to defend himself. He wrote a most interesting letter from prison a few days before his execution: “Sentence of death was passed against me on the fifteenth. It has not caused me the least terror or deprived me of even a quarter of an hour’s sleep. I am as innocent of all treason as the child born yesterday. As for my character, profession and function, I did own it publicly, and that being also a motive of my death, I die most willingly. And being the first among the Irish, I shall, with God’s grace, give good example to the others not to fear death. I expect daily to be brought to the place of execution where my bowels are to be cut out and burned before my face, and then my head to be cut off.” This is the barbaric death he suffered in Tyburn on 1st July 1684 – it is indicated in the lower part of the window. When this window was made, Oliver Plunket was “Blessed” but he was canonized in 1976 and his feast is on 1st July.
(The inscription at the foot of the window reads: “Erected to the memory of Denis and Margaret Crowley of Millstreet by their son Cornelius. 1944”)
by Msgr. M. Manning, P.P., V.G.
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The stained glass window was made by Clement Watson & Co of Youghal, one of three Watson windows in St.Patrick’s Church [ref]
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The stained glass window was erected by Cornelius D. Crowley (1879-1972), of Finnstown House, Lucan, Co Dublin, Roscrea, Co Tipperary, and originally from Coole House, Millstreet. He was anxious to be remembered in his native Millstreet, and so in 1944 erected this window (and another at the same time) to his parents, Denis and Maria Crowley, in Saint Patrick’s Church, Millstreet, in 1944.
“At that time, Finnstown House was the home of my Great Uncle Con and Great-Aunt Hannah. Cornelius D. Crowley (1879-1972), of Finnstown House, Lucan, Co Dublin, and Roscrea, Co Tipperary, was originally from Millstreet, Co Cork. He was one of my great-uncles, a brother of my grandmother, Maria (Crowley) Murphy (1882-1953) of Millstreet, Co Cork.
For many years Con Crowley was a director of the Roscrea Meat Company with his brother Jeremiah D. Crowley of Wallstown Castle, Castltownroche, Co Cork – the other directors included Robert Briscoe TD and G Fasenfeld. After World War II, Con Crowley” – by Patrick Comerford
The Maid of Millstreet
By Con “Poet” Ahern
As performed on a recent LTV2 show by Jerry O’Riordan, Ballinatona
.
It was on a fine Summer’s morning,
And I going to Drishane for some lime.
The birds in each grove sang most charming,
Sweet nature being all in its prime
When a nice looking bright looking fair one,
Per chance on my way I did meet,
Her beauty enticed me completely,
She’s that lovely nice Maid of Millstreet. [read more …] “The Maid of Millstreet”
Swift uplifting reaction to LTV2 Millstreet going global! Historic milestones on a website are rare but we certainly have reached one of our most significant milestones on www.millstreet.ie with the transmission of programme highlights from LTV2 Millstreet – our community based and non-commercial local television channel. All this development began several months ago when Hannelie O’Connor, John O’Riordan (Church Street) and Michael Cashman (Tullig) met at Millstreet Museum to discuss the possibility of LTV2 web transmission. I was privileged to be at that meeting and could not fail to be utterly impressed by the inspiring enthusiasm of all three people. And what a fruitful result has emerged! Presently we are linking with YouTube and sharing highlights of Programme 60 (first transmitted in November 2006). Provided that you have Broadband the transmission is fast and clear and is shared in ten-minute segments. Our intention is to provide John O’Riordan with a master disc of our weekly programmes at weekends. John will then arrange to place highlights of the programme of the previous week on our website for global viewing. The LTV2 team expresses sincere thanks to Hannelie, John & Michael for according us (all on a dedicated spontaneous basis) this truly amazing opportunity which will allow global viewing. We especially invite our web viewers to email us at <email> indicating where they are viewing the web transmission and also encourage them to comment and make constructive suggestions which may be incorporated in future programmes. Already a phone call from G. O’Meara (renowned photographer), Mallow who logged into the new LTV2 link on our website….clearly very impressed with the standard of studio and on-location camera work as well as with the studio presentation! LTV2’s Seán Murphy even feels that he will receive job offers when his “cooking skills” will be seen worldwide! Do watch out for a special Summer Transmission at the end of July when our focus will be on the FICC World Camping & Caravanning Rally being held in Millstreet 18th – 29th July 2007 (Seán Radley reporting for LTV2Millstreet)
The Molex plant in Millstreet in 1987
Molex Plany at Mount Leader (c. 2007) [2009]
Closure of the Molex Plant in 2008
US firm Molex to lay off 80 workers at Cork factory – A US electronics firm has announced plans to lay off 80 workers in Co Cork as part of a restructuring of its Irish operations.
Molex, which manufactures electrical connection systems, says its Millstreet factory will be shut down and all operations will be centralised at the company’s other facility in Shannon, Co Clare.
The move was announced during meetings with staff at both plants this morning. Molex, has been operating in Millstreet since 1985 and in Shannon since 1971. (June 2007)
260 jobs blow for Cork, Carlow – … It also emerged today that the jobs of 120 workers at the Molex plant in Millstreet in Co. Cork are under threat following a decision by the company to consolidate its Irish operations at its Shannon plant.
The electronic components manufacturer, which has been in Millstreet for over twenty years, employs 600 workers at its plants in Shannon and Cork.
The company plans to consolidate its Irish operations at the Shannon plant where over 400 people are employed, and to close down the operation in Co. Cork where 120 are employed.
Meetings with workers at both plants are taking place today about the future of the company amid fears there could be job cuts…
Molex moves to global approach to improve efficiency (7/Nov2007)… In April Molex said said that a charge related to head-count reductions, realignment of manufacturing capacity and plant closures will be $100 to $125 million. Brock confirmed that this includes the closure of one of its two Irish manufacturing sites with equipment being moved from the Millstreet facility in Cork to its larger plant in Shannon.
Brock said the closure involves around 85 people leaving the company and a few transferring to Shannon where a expansion costing between up to 3 million (about $4million) should be completed in the next couple of months. The Shannon facility currently employs around 450 and is one of 54 manufacturing facilities in 18 countries. Molex also has 27 development centers in 14 countries….
Molex finally closed in Millstreet early in 2008.
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Molex announced the closure of its plant in Shannon in 2019
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Liturgical Celebrations (Second Week of Advent: 5 Dec.-11 Dec. 2004)
Monday (6/12/04): St. Nicholas Bishop of Myra (4th century): Myra is in south-western Turkey. Like some popular saints, there is hardly any strictly historical information about him. The whole tradition of Santa Claus in modern times is based on the folklore about him.
Tuesday (7/12/04): St. Ambrose (339-397): He was governor of Milan, a very important civil position when the Bishop of Milan died in 374. Ambrose wasn’t even baptised at that time but only was a catechumen preparing to enter the Church. At the meeting to elect a new bishop, a voice, said to be that of a child, kept shouting “Ambrose for bishop”. To his complete surprise, the whole crowd took up the slogan and although he tried his best to stress his unsuitability, he had no choice but to accept the position. Within a week he was baptised and consecrated Bishop. He sold all his belongings and gave the money for charity. As Bishop he did great work in organizing the diocese, protecting the Christian faith against various kinds of heresies prevalent at the time and writing very valuable theological books about important issues of the Christian faith. He also had an important share in the conversion of Augustine, another of the great Christian leaders of the early Church.
Wed. (8/12/04): The Immaculate Conception of BVM. This means that Mary by a singular grace was kept free from all stain of original sin from the moment of her conception. The doctrine was solemnly defined by Pope Pius IX on 8th Dec. 1854. Mary revealed herself to Bernadette Soubirous in Lourdes in 1858 as: “I am the Immaculate Conception”. Mary is the new Eve and her feast is particularly appropriate in the preparation for Christmas.
Thursday (9/12/04): St. Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin (1474-1548). Juan Diego was a native Indian. The name “Cuauhtlatoatzin” was the name he was given when he was born – it meant “the talking eagle” in his native language. He became a convert and was still under instruction when he had the vision. On his way to morning Mass on 9th Dec. 1531 he had a vision of Our Lady at Tepeyak, a hill north-west of Mexico city. She instructed him to ask the Bishop (Juan de Zumárraga) to build a Church on that site. The Bishop was sceptical about his story. Three days later she appeared to Juan Diego again and asked him to climb the hill and pick flowers that he would find in bloom. He obeyed and although it was winter time and the ground frozen, he found roses flowering. Our Lady asked him to take them to the Bishop as proof. He put them in his mantle and brought them to the Bishop. When he opened his mantle in front of the Bishop, the roses fell to the ground. What was more significant was that there was an image of his vision of Our Lady imprinted on his mantle. This image (Our Lady of Guadalupe) can still be seen on the mantle today in the Basilica at the hillsite at Tepeyak. The first foreign visit that Pope John Paul II made was to this site and he went there again for the beatification of Juan Diego (6 May 1990) and for his canonization (31 July 2002). He praised his humility – Juan Diego said to Mary: “I am a nobody. I am a small rope, a tiny ladder, the tail end, a leaf.”
Sat. (11/12/04): St. Damasus: He was born around 304 and was Pope, (Damasus 1), from 366 to 384. He defended the Church’s teaching against Arianism and other heresies. He also insisted on the primacy of the Pope as successor of Peter and freedom from the domination of the Emperor in Constantinople. He commissioned St. Jerome to translate the Bible into Latin and this became known as the “Vulgate” and was accepted as official by the Church.
Liturgical Celebrations (Second Week of Advent: 13 Dec.-18 Dec. 2004)
Monday (13/12/04): St. Lucy (martyred 304): She died in Syracuse in the persecution of the emperor Dioclesion. Devotion to her goes back to the early Church and she is mentioned in the Roman Canon of saints. She is said to have been a wealthy Sicilian who refused marriage offers and gave her money to the poor. It is said that various attempts to kill her were made and she was finally killed by the sword. Like many popular saints, so many stories have been made up about her down through history that it is hard to find stricly historical details. In Venice, in a Church near the railway station, there is a partially incorrup body which is claimed to be hers. There is a popular song dedicated to her: “Santa Lucia”. She is also greatly honoured in Sweeden where her feastday (13 Dec.) used to be the shortest day of the year or the winter-solstice. This was before the reform of the Greagorian Calendar in 1582 when 10 days were dropped from the calendar – a reform that wasn’t accepted in Sweeden until 1753:
Santa Lucia, thy light is glowing
Through darkest winter night, comfort bestowing.
Dreams float on dreams tonight,
Comes then the morning light,
Santa Lucia, Santa Lucia.
Tuesday (14/12/04): St. John of the Cross (1542-1591): A Carmelite friar and virtual founder of the Discalced Carmelites. He was also one of Spain’s foremost poets and mystical theologians. He first thought of joining the Carthusian Order but was persuaded by Theresa of Avila to work for the reform of the Carmelite Order. Because of opposition to his work he was imprisoned and he wrote some of his finest poetry why he was in prison. He weas canonized in 1726 and declared a doctor of the Church in 1926.
17-24 Dec. 2004: These days are especially dedicated to the celebration of Christmas.
| The Corkman THURSDAY, DECEMBER9, 2004 writes: |
Millstreet Tidy Town Tourism Association can look back on 2004 with a great deal of satisfaction, after many positive developments on the ground and winning several competition plaudits.
In the national tidy towns competition, a county award and a cash prize of €500 gave the committee “the impetus to carry on further in the knowledge that Millstreet is making progress and that all the years of dedicated work have not been in vain.”
Millstreet rose to the top ten best towns and villages in County Cork.
While Millstreet came second to Castletownroche in the North Cork Division, it came first among all the towns of the county in its own category (town with a population of under 1500)
The town picked up an additional nine marks this year, up an additional nine marks this year, making a total of 243. Over the past two years, Millstreet gained nineteen marks, which is quite remarkable.
At a more local level, Millstreet came first in the Muintir Na Tire “Litter Free Roadside” competition earning €380 and a framed certificate.
Apart from the annual flower planting, the maintenance of grassed areas and the pruning of trees and shrubs the Association erected a wildlife information board on the Drishane Road, prompted by the remarks of several judges over the years, in their annual reports on the town.
The number of planted tubs around the town was also reduced before the summer and painted with a new uniform colour scheme.
A successful meeting with officials in Cork County Council, recently, also brought the welcome news that two of the town’s eyesores were to be finally removed.
One one section of the site, the eagerly-anticipated civic amenity site is already taking shape and this will open to the public in May 2005.
Another part of the extensive site will provide a home for Millstreet’s proposed new fire station, while the Council is to use the remainder of the old mart property to house its vehicles, machinery and materials – with roadside landscaping.
Another exiting development in the town is the building of a footpath, “long overdue” on the Clara Road from the sheltered housing to the new home in Mountleader.
The Association’s members are grateful to the many business people who sponsored their fundraising efforts in the past year, and to those who contributed to our annual church gate collection.”
Without this support, much of the work undertaken in the last year could not have been accomplished.
Plans are afoot for next year’s activities, with the emphasis on maintaining litter free streets.
It is also hoped that an application for a grant under the Town & Village Renewal Scheme will prove successful and allow us run utility cables underground in the West End.
This would be the second stage in ridding the streetscape of these unsightly cables.
Scoil Mhuire Millstreet 2-8
St Mary�s B.N.S.Carrigtwohill 0-4
The sun came out and the dark clouds lifted when the teams came out to contest the boy�s F4 final which was the second match on the Allianz Sciath na Scol football programme at P�irc Ui Rinn yesterday.
With wind advantage Millstreet built up a six point lead by half-time, which was to prove too much for a gallant Carrigtwohill side, whose failure to score from play when winning possession was to prove costly.
The East Cork school opened with a point from an Alan Goggin free in the first minute, but he was to prove their only scorer in the first half when adding two more frees. Millstreet�s best player on the day, midfielder Michael Vaughan scored three points from frees as well as playing outstanding football.
The only goal of the first half came to the North Cork school�s half forward Eric Hickey who beat the busy Carrigtwohill goalkeeper Kieran Baverstock after five minutes. Hickey kicked another good point from 25 metres, with Alan O Connor and half back John O Mahony also scoring to help their side into a 1-6 to 0-3 half-time lead.
St Mary�s made a positional change at the start of the second half, with full-back P�draig Hogan moving to midfield joining the hard-working Cian Buckley with Colm Cronin switching to full-back. These three players won an amount of ball, but the forwards failed to convert possession into scores.
After 11 minutes of close football that did not yield a score, the stylish Vaughan set up Kieran Fraser for a point and when Millstreet scored their second goal through Daniel Daly 13 minutes into the second half, it silenced the Carrig following.
When Shane Devlin scored his only score from play in stoppage time it was just a consolation as Scoil Mhuire Millstreet deserved their win.
Scorers
Millstreet; E Hickey 1-1, D Daly 1-0, M Vaughan 0-3 f, J O Mahony, A O Connor, K Fraser, M Buckley 0-1 each.
Carrigtwohill; A Goggin 0-3 f S Devlin 0-1
MILLSTREET; E Harmon, P Looney, S Cronin, M Desmond, J O Mahony, B O Reilly, K Sheahan, J Kelleher, M Vaughan, E Hickey, A O Connor, K Fraser, D Daly, M Buckley, D Tarrant. Subs S Cotter, P Murphy, E O Callaghan, M Fitzgerald.
CARRIGTWOHILL;K Baverstock, S Casey, P Hogan, C McCarthy, K Murphy, P Deane capt, S Keating, C Cronin, C Buckley, W McCarthy, J Hayes, A Barrett, J Buttimer, J Leahy, A Goggin, R Manley, K O Sullivan, P Ahern, S Devlin, J Kidney, C Keegan, J McCarthy, J Barden, S Rohan.
Referee; David Nolan Douglas.
Tubrid Holy Well – a haven of peace – is situated 2km west of Millstreet Town. The picturesque spring well, reputed to be Ireland’s largest Holy Well, is visited annually – especially in the month of May – by thousands of people.
One of the many groups of people who visit Tubrid
– Presentation Sisters from the South Western Province
A section of the large crowd attending one of the Masses celebrated at the Holy Well with Clara Mountain in the background.
Mgr. Manning, Fr. Buckley and Fr. Tarrant concelebrate Mass on the last Friday night in May, 2000 at the permanent altar near the Grotto at the Holy Well.
Fr. Kevin Mulcahy (5th from left) with friends following his annual Mass (in June, 2000) for Students who were about to begin the Leaving and Junior Cert. examinations.
Fr. Paddy O’Byrne accepts a copy of “Picture Millstreet” from Eily Buckley following his celebration of Mass for his many local friends and for a group of Americans with whom he was travelling. Fr. Paddy ministers in America.
Jerry Doody sings superbly at the celebration of Mass at the Holy Well while (on right) John Anthony O’Sullivan, Ballydaly provides the excellent public address system.
Note: You can read the history and significance of Tubrid if you click on this link: http://www.millstreet.ie/blog/information/tubrid-well/
