Community website for Millstreet, Co. Cork, Ireland
Jackass as we know it is a rip-off! We have unearthed the original from 1923…
Produced in Millstreet by Conor Hooper, Timmy Keane, Jamie Hooper, Alan O’Donovan, Jordan Cooney, Diaurmuid Murphy. Niall O’Sullivan, André McGowan and Martin Murphy.
Congratulations boys absolutely brilliant!!
ENJOY!!!!
by PAT GOLDEN
Welcome to Kilcorney calling which will take a look at the life and times of Kilcorney and it’s people. We hope that over time the news and stories on this page will give people from Kilcorney at home or around the world the chance to read and see the many and varied activities that take place in our Community. A word of thanks to all at Millstreet.ie for giving us space on their website. If you have any ideas or views on this page why not give a call on www.millstreet.ie.
As we go into the new year lets take a few minutes to look back at the year that was in Kilcorney. The year began with the children of 5th Class of our National School preparing for their trip to Spain. The trip in conjunction with the Schola Project took place at Easter and was a wonderful experience for all concerned.
Minister of State Bat O Keeffe came to Kilcorney to turn the first sod on a new Sheltered Housing Development. The builders then moved in and the development is now in an advanced stage. This project will cost over 1 million euro with further plans for the forthcoming year. Cork County Council undertook a major upgrade of all local roads and later in the year a major upgrade of the village itself. The village got a new lighting system, new footpaths, and the carpark was tarred and lined. The overall cost of this was well in advance of half a million Euro.
Kilcorney has now been approved under the Clar Project for a set of solar power flashing lights for the village. These will cost over 10,000 Euro.
Work has also been completed on the driveway to the Church and around the church itself bringing it in line with the village itself. This work was undertaken by the Parish.
The last Sunday in May saw the annual fundraiser for the local river developments. This group over the past number of years have sat down river walks and leisure amenities and as the year came to an end news came through of a further allocation of 25,000 Euro from IRD Duhallow so we can expect to see even more improvements in the year ahead.
June saw the Annual Kilcorney Feis which is now almost 100 years old. The Feis is now being run by the Kilcorney Community Council with the help of the local National School.
June also saw the pupils of our National School get their holidays and by the time they came back in September and by the time they came back in September there were 2 new teachers on board. We wish best of luck to Christine O Shea and Noreen Nagle and we warmly welcome to our community Con Meade and Mairead Roche.
In August another major fundraiser took place at Moll Carthys Bridge this time to raise money for Rathcoole Lady Emma Harte who was fundraising for the Guide Dogs for the Blind.
Later in the month on a fine Friday Night mass was celebrated in our local graveyard a time to remember and to pray for all those people who have worked so hard down through the years to make Kilcorney what it is today.
In September the Community Council embarked on a major redevelopment of our Local Community Gym. This gym has been one of the great success stories over the past few years and with the financial backing of IRD Duhalllow has now been updated with new equipment and new shower rooms.
Later in the year the 50th Anniversary of the foundation of the Local Pioneer Association was marked with a Mass and a reception afterwards in the Community Centre. This was a very special occasion for a group of people who received Gold Pins marking 50 years unbroken membership of the Pioneer Association and also those people who received their Silver Pins marking their 25 years of unbroken membership.
Recipients of Gold Pins were Margaret Twomey, Michael O Callaghan, Joan Twomey, Ita Sexton, Michael Twomey, Paddy Leader, Christine Kelleher, Shiela Cremin, Timothy A Lane, Andrew Cremin, Bridie Cremin, Mary Linehan, Joan Tarrant, Catherine Buckley, Hannah Sheehan, John O Sullivan and Peggy Horgan.
Recipients of Silver Pins were Mary Curtin, Eileen Buckley, Hannah Mary O Riordan, John Buckley, Tim Buckley, Denis C O Sullivan, Marion Buckley, Delores Burke, Pat Golden, Martina Golden, Ned Tarrant, Majella O Donovan, Elizabeth O Connell and Sheila O Sullivan.
The Community Council AGM also saw major changes with long time servants Mary Cotter and Peg Dennehy stepping aside but however their vast experience will not be lost to the community as they have taken up positions with the Sheltered Housing Association.
As you can see from above it has been the year of “the spend in Kilcorney”. Our thanks go to all the state, semi-state, and local bodies for all the work and money that they have put into Kilcorney over the past year.
The end of the year is also a time of sadness for many families who have lost loved ones over the past year and our prayer is that those families will find comfort and peace in 2006.
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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
CULLEN and DISTRICT SPECIAL NEEDS ASSOCIATION
1979 – 2006
Annual Sponsored Weigh in.
The grand finale of our Annual Weigh in was on Monday Mar. 20th, when a large number of participants eagerly awaited the announcement of the winners in the different categories. They are as follows:-
Gents – 1st Patrick Fleming, Renasup, Gneeveguilla 32 lbs.
2nd Pat Hickey, Nohovaldaly, Rathmore 31 lbs.
3rd Con O’Keeffe, Banteer 24lbs.
Money Collected:- 1st Mary O’Brien, Carrigaline, € 770.00
2nd Pat Hickey, Nohovaldaly, Rathmore € 700.00
3rd Nora Ryan, Ard Mhuire, Rathmore, € 500.00
Total Money collected: – €14,000.00. Total Weight Lost :- 1,206 lbs.
Trophies were presented to all the above winners.
Many thanks to all our wonderful participants, sponsors and all who contributed in any way to the success of this annual event.
Special mention is merited by Hannah O’ Connor who has just completed her 10th year looking after and guiding the popular aerobic classes and whose contribution to the success of the Weigh-in is immense.
Our talented musicians never let us down, we know we can always depend on Kathleen O’Keeffe, Marie Casey, Finbar Murphy, Seamus Buckley and towards the end we were joined by the Linehan Family and friends from Millstreet.
Special mention was made of the late Alice O’Sullivan, Lisnaboy when her recent death was referred to. She was a true friend of the Association from the beginning in 1979 and always supported the many fundraising functions and events that are ongoing. Her pleasant smile and her warm hand of friendship will be sadly missed from all these events. Sympathy was extended to the O’Sullivan Family who are so actively involved in the Association. May she Rest in Peace.
The origins and history of:
Cullen & District Friends of the Handicapped
For decades past parents and families of mentally handicapped children had soldiered alone to care for their special children. With the advent of Community Care and community involvement in all aspects of Christian living, group at local level would be of tremendous benefit to everyone involved. Inspired by the wonderful work being done by other enthusiastic groups in outlying parishes under the auspices of Cork Polio, the wheels were set in motion for a new initiative in this respect.
Officials from Cork Polio and General After-care Association were invited to attend the inaugral meeting which took place in Cullen Community Centre (The Old Technical School) on April 10th 1979. Attendance by the local community exceeded all expectations which was very heartening indeed. Cork Polio officials present were John Birmingham, John Teegan, Con Dennehy and Mrs Dennehy. They presented a very informative programme consisting of an introduction talk by John Birmingham followed by a slide presentation showing the work being done by Cork Polio in the care of the mentally handicapped.
A local committee was formed. The first elected officers of the newly formed “Association for Parents and Friends of the Mentally Handicapped” were as follows:
President : Fr Tom Pierse, C.C, (Cullen)
Chairperson : Geoff O’Sullivan
Vice Chairperson : Kit Hickey
Secretary :Brendan Murphy
Assistant Secretary :Peg Murphy
Treasurer :Mary O’Sullivan
Members included :Peggy O’Riordan, Kathleen O’Sullivan, Phyllis O’Connor, Margaret
Goulding, Eileen Murphy, Margaret Fitzgerald, Therese Murphy,
Bridgit Hickey, Sean & Nellie Murphy, Sean O’Sullivan, Noreen
Dennehy, Mary Forde and Nora O’Connor.
MAJOR FUNDRAISING EVENTS
THE OLD-TIME THRESHING:
Having established the existence of a compact committee and a much larger support group, it was decided to plan a major fundraising event. Many ideas were proposed, but the final choice was an old time threshing and vintage exhibition, which became known as “The Gala Harvest Afternoon”
SPONSORED WEIGHT LOSS:
The Sponsored Weight Loss is the greatest fund raising event that we have each year. No. 1 is is most enjoyable where all participants meet on the first night to join up, they are weighed by Dr Pat Casey, Millstreet. Each person is given a card showing their weight on the night and after a little chat with the Doctor their ideal and target weight is also written on the card. They are then weighed every Monday night and their cards are marked by Dr Casey. It is quite easy to know how each person is doing because Dr Casey being a very jolly man asks for a round of applause for those who have lost weight .
Each night before they are weighed, the participants have the opportunity of taking part in an Aerobics Class. For those not interested in Aerobics but who like dancing, can dance to Polka sets or any other dance while shedding the pounds.
Our aim is to build a respite centre for the handicapped. We have purchased a site in Cullen with the money collected by our participants.
The Maid of Millstreet
By Con “Poet” Ahern
As performed on a recent LTV2 show by Jerry O’Riordan, Ballinatona
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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”
