The Civil Works Contract - Phase 2 (Kinsale Town), of the Kinsale Main Drainage Scheme, was signed on Tuesday 16th October 2007, by the Cork County Mayor, Cllr. Tom Sheahan, and Sorensen Civil Engineering Ltd., Forge Hill Cross, Kinsale Road, Cork. Funding for the 7.2 Million euro contract will be provided by the Department of the Environment, Heritage, & Local Government under the Water Services Investment Programme. The contract involves the construction of foul sewers, storm sewers, pressure mains, rising mains, and the replacement of existing water mains. Approximately 18.4 km of pipelines, with diameters varying from 100mm to 800mm, will be installed in Kinsale town and environs. The new collection system includes the construction of 280 manholes, new waste water and storm water pumping stations at Denis' Quay and World's End. Mobilising will commence in early November and the actual digging will start by the end of November, it is expected that this will take 18 months to complete. The New Road, from the Fire Station to the County Council offices, and the R600, from the Trident to the treatment plant at Commogue, will be the first areas to undergo work. The town centre, from Market Square to Guardwell, will be targeted after Christmas so hopefully there will not be any disruption to the town during the Kinsale Christmas festival. A traffic management plan will be put in place to minimise the impact of the works on residents, traders and visitors. It is proposed to hold a public meeting prior to the start of construction to discuss the plan and related issues. At the meeting of Kinsale Town Council, on Monday, the 22nd October, 2007, the County Engineer, Mr. Noel O'Keeffe, stated that "while construction would be onerous, the contract is crucial to the completion of the Kinsale Main Drainage Scheme and would provide the vital arteries for the collection and delivery of the effluent to the Waste Water Treatment Plant". Mayor Mary Evans welcomed the news and states "when complete the Scheme will provide for the future development of Kinsale and its surroundings, and will enhance the water quality and the natural beauty of the harbour setting". The Town Councillors will be briefed again sometime in December. While there is no doubt that it will be a difficult time for the town and a certain amount of disruption is inevitable during the 18 months, it will be well worth it in the long run and the townspeople and business people need to focus on that. If readers wish to be kept up-to-date by Cork County Council please forward your email address to kinsaless@cccsite.com. Cork County Council appointed Malachy Walsh & Partners, in association with Jacobs Engineering, as Consulting Engineers for the Kinsale Main Drainage Scheme.  Picture above includes Olaf Sorenson, Main Contractor, Cllr Tom Sheahan, Mayor of County Cork, Cllr Alan Coleman, Tim Lucey, Divsional Manager Water Services and Cllr Mary Evans, Mayor of Kinsale.

Date Added : 13/11/2007

Kinsale Fairtrade group received the best Fairtrade Town award in Ireland on October 6th at an awards ceremony in Dublin Castle. The committee of Padraig Fitzgerald, Alan Clayton, Fred Treacy, Gerard Timmons, together with Kinsale Community School Fairtrade committee members Dylan Buckley & Liam McDade, were considered the most proactive Fairtrade committee in Ireland! In Kinsale over 25 outlets sell fair-trade products, thus ensuring that the people of the developing world receive a fair price for what they produce. The voluntary Fairtrade committee would like to thank all the schools, businesses, restaurants, bars, etc., in Kinsale for supporting Fairtrade. It again it shows that Kinsale is not just the gourmet capital of Ireland, but a strong and vibrant community with a conscience! Congratulations to the committee on receiving this well-deserved award. Padraig and Alan are pictured receiving the award from Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs, Michael Kitt TD, and Melanie Drea, Fairtrade Mark Ireland.

Date Added : 31/10/2007

Christmas is going to be extra special in Kinsale this year with the inaugural Kinsale Christmas festival. Planning has been underway since last January by a dedicated committee who are striving to make Kinsale a premier destination for Christmas shopping, parties and family entertainment. Kinsale has many unique attractions which the committee are hoping to highlight in the run up to Christmas. The event will be launched by TV personality Derek Davis on Thursday November 1st when the winners of the Kinsale Christmas art competition will be announced at the Blue Haven Hotel. School children have been busy colouring and painting for the past few weeks in preparation for the art competition which is to be judged by renowned author and artist, Colin Hawkins, who resides in Kinsale. The top 30 entries will be uploaded to the Kinsale Christmas website at the end of October. These 30 competitors and their families will be invited to the awards ceremony in the Blue Haven on November 1st where the envelope containing the winning entries will be opened and the winners known for first time. Three prizes of 250 euro, 150 euro and 50 euro will be awarded for first, second and third place. A Miss Kinsale 'Snow Queen' competition is also being held! All businesses are urged to sponsor an employee, friend or relative to enter the competition which will be held in The White Lady on November 22nd. The winning Miss Kinsale Snow Queen will reign throughout the festival and will be responsible for opening and attending a number of events. The entry fee is 100 euro and all proceeds will go towards the running of the month long festival. A big part of Christmas is shopping and Kinsale has always been renowned for it's selection of boutique shops offering a boutique shopping experience different to the city experience. Get a Christmas stocking full of bargains in a Monster Pre Christmas Sale for the 1st weekend of December (1st & 2nd), where throughout the town discounts of 10% and more will be on offer. Adding to the festive atmosphere are Open Air Markets with their wonderful selection of local craft products and all types of savoury delights. All the way from the North Pole, Santa is making his guest appearance in Hamlets of Kinsale Cafe Bar and details will be published soon of this magical event which will involve a Santa's workshop where the elves are going to take time out of their busy schedule in December to show some of their crafts and skills before they fly back to the North Pole for their Monday all day conference of elves which will be held in the North Pole. Given the feedback that has been so far for Santa at Hamlets, it will be by appointment only and reservations will be taken by management at Hamlets who will be keeping a book of appointments. A torchlight parade is going to be held on December 19th which will be lead by Miss Kinsale Christmas Snow Queen. The torchlight parade will be marshalled by Town Criers and there will be mulled wine and mince pies to create the Christmas Kinsale atmosphere. The children's fancy dress torchlight parade will be led by Ms. Kinsale Christmas Snow Queen, 96FM cruisers and crew will be in attendance and assembly is at the Trident Hotel at 7.00p.m. There will be a parade to the Temperance Hall followed by a DJ and kids party there at 8.00p.m. The committee is asking all people participating to dress in fancy dress in a Christmas theme and bring your torches for the parade. Dozens of other activities are planned including a Christmas Special storytime at Bookstor; a Christmas Puppet Show with the Lambert Puppet Theatre at The Blue Haven; Kinsale Good Food Circle Christmas Pudding Competition; White Lady Christmas Carols with the City of Cork Male Voice Choir in aid of RNLI and much much more. A comprehensive, up-to-date calendar of events can be found on the Kinsale Christmas website... www.kinsalechristmas.com

Date Added : 14/11/2007

A breathtaking display of magnificent artwork, an air corps CASA display and a bouncy, larger than life crewmember by the name of Stormy Stan greeted the estimated 1,000 visitors to the Kinsale RNLI Lifebaoat Open Day which took place on Saturday, 20th October, 2007 at the Lifeboat Station and next door at Kinsale Yacht Club. In a bid to raise awareness of the role of the RNLI Lifeboat in the community, the Kinsale Crew got together some months ago to organise an Open Day in order to welcome residents and guests of Kinsale to their temporary station and allow them to explore the conditions under which these local heroes work. An art competition was held in four divisions, with an overwhelmingly positive response received from the local primary schools of Summercove NS, Dunderrow NS, St. Multose NS, An Ghaelscoil, St. John's NS, Ballinadee NS and Ballinspittle NS. The overall 'best school' category went deservedly to St. John's NS who had the highest number of entries and the most interesting range of ideas. Tom O'Connell, Senior Infants, Summercove NS, won the colouring division, Cormac Shorten, 3rd Class, Ballinspittle NS, won the poster division, the T-Shirts division was won by Bryan O'Donovan, Ballinspittle NS, and 1st place in the boat build competition went to Eimear Stanley, Dunderrow NS. A new, purpose built lifeboat station is presently in the planning stages for Adam's Quay, World's End, Kinsale. As visitors witnessed on Saturday, the current temporary station at the Pier Head is far from satisfactory. Of the 1.5million euro required to build the new facility, the Kinsale crew has been tasked with raising some 300,000 euro locally. In the coming months, there will be a myriad of exciting fundraising events taking place and all support will be greatly appreciated. Many thanks from all the crew to everybody who assisted in making this special day happen and indeed to all the visitors who donated both their time and money to this extraordinary local cause. RNLI crew are all volunteers who risk their own lives to save others at sea. They rely entirely on voluntary donations and legacies.

Date Added : 31/10/2007

July 12th - 20th 2008 is not very far away and Kinsale Arts Week are already busy planning what promises to be a fresh, exciting and diverse festival for all of the community. Kinsale Arts Week is extremely grateful to all of its sponsors, supporters and volunteers who gave so generously in 2007. We have received excellent feedback from the artists and the audiences who made the festival happen. Everyone who came to the town to perform or show their work had a fantastic time as did the people who came to see them. Now we want to hear what the residents of Kinsale have to say. We understand how important feedback is and are keen to know what our audience think. For this reason we are holding two meetings for the people of Kinsale. We also feel it is very important to communicate with our audience and inform people about what our plans are for the future. The first meeting at 7.00pm is for the people of Kinsale (residents, business owners, general interest) to learn more about the festival and what its plans are for the future. The second meeting at 8.30pm is for the artists who are living and working in Kinsale and will provide the opportunity to learn more about the artistic policy of the festival and how artists might get involved. Monday 19th November, Friar's Lodge, Kinsale. 7.00pm Open meeting for the people of Kinsale. This is open to residents, business people and anyone with an interest in the festival. 8.30pm Meeting for all of the artists (of all artforms) resident in Kinsale. If you are interested in the festival, have experienced the festival or would like to know more about it please come along to the 7.00pm open meeting on Monday 19th November. If you are an artist living in the area please come along to the 8.30pm meeting and you are also welcome to attend the meeting at 7.00pm. Kinsale Arts Week has one full-time professional member of staff, Director Deborah Dignam, and is supported by a volunteer management committee and board. For 2008 the organisation is seeking more project managers and more volunteers both during the year and for Arts Week. For further information contact Deborah Dignam, Kinsale Arts Week, 021 4700010. www.kinsaleartsweek.com info@kinsaleartsweek.com

Date Added : 12/11/2007

WALKWAY The third phase of the walkway is now well underway and will hopefully be open over the next couple of weeks. If you haven't had a chance to order a metre of walkway and would like to please contact Nicola Desmond 086 8515371 as we would hope to order the next set of plaques by 30th November 2007. FUNDRAISING A Christmas Cookery Demonstration will take place in Belgooly Community Centre on Thursday November 8th @ 8.30pm. The demonstration will be given by Jim O'Brien, Head Chef at The Speckled Door. Tickets are 10 euro and are available from Kathleen Keogh, 021 4770666 or Nicola Desmond 086 8515371 or on the door at the night. DATE FOR THE DIARY... Santa Claus has been in contact and has put Belgooly in his diary for the 2nd December ... more details to follow, watch this space!

Date Added : 31/10/2007

Widely regarded as being the person responsible for bringing disability tandem cycling in Ireland to Paralympic Games level, Denis Toomey was recently named Cork Person of the Month. Denis piloted blind cyclist Joe Bollard on a tandem coast-to-coast across the USA in 2000. He was the 'sighted pilot' for Billy Shanahan from Co. Tipperary on the toughest stage of the Tour de France and in doing so, proved everyone wrong, including the great Sean Kelly. Chairman of Paralympic Cycling Ireland, Denis will now manage the team that hopes to qualify for the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games. He previously qualified for the games in Athens in 2004 with Mark Kehoe. Many will know Denis for his outstanding voluntary work with the Irish Red Cross over the past 35 years, most notably in Kinsale where he led the drive to build a new premises with ambulance base near Church Square. He is deputy area director and secretary of the Cork county branch and also sits on the central council in Dublin. As well as working with the Red Cross, Denis gives all of his annual leave to helping Paralympic cyclists in Ireland, Germany, Wales, Holland and Slovakia prepare for competitions, said members of the Kinsale/Cork Area Red Cross Committee, John Connolly, Peggy Mangan, James O'Mahony and Thomas Reilly who nominated him for the Person of the Month Award. Indeed, it has already yielded results with the Irish Paralympic cycling team setting four new Irish records and two top ten finishes at the World championships held in Bordeaux, Frances in August. That team included cyclists who are amputees, have cerebral palsy or are blind and visually impaired. The record breakers were Enda Smyth, Catherine Walsh, Joanna Hickey, Michael Delaney and David Peelo and there was also a fine performance by Cathal Miller. The Irish team will be bidding to secure qualification for the Beijing games in 2008 at the Para Pan-American Open Championships in Colombia in November and is currently seeking sponsorship of 20,000 Euro. Denis was also nominated by Miceal Concannon, president of Cycling Ireland; Liam Harbison of the Paralympic Council of Ireland; Eamon Duffy of the National Council for the Blind of Ireland; cyclist Billy Shanahan and Anthony Lawlor, national vice chairman of the Irish Red Cross, for the award which is organised on a monthly basis by Manus O'Callaghan and Pat Lemasney of Southern Advertising. The Kinsale Branch of the Red Cross held a reception to celebrate Denis's award at the The White Lady on October 3rd last.

Date Added : 31/10/2007

SuBar, Kinsale's first juice bar, opened its doors earlier this year. Owner Cora Keating has brought her juice expertise to downtown Kinsale's Milk Market Lane to satiate a growing thirst for a healthier option. Cora studied Science at university in Northern Ireland and after graduating with Honours decided she wanted to see the world. Her travels brought her to far flung places such as India, Asia and South America to name but a few. Her most recent adventure took her to Australia for a year where she bought a camper van and drove around the coast of the country, covering over 20,000 kilometres in the process. On her travels she found time to work in a juice bar where she saw how popular the healthy juices and smoothies were in Australia. She knew then that she wanted to bring the concept back to Kinsale with her. Cora has always been drawn to Kinsale as her mum, Ann, is the daughter of the late Mossie and Margaret Hayes of Friar's Street. She spent many summer and Christmas holidays here when growing up and is delighted to be running her own business here now. You might be wondering what the name SuBar has to do with smoothies? Well Su is actually the Irish word for juice so SuBar literally means juice bar! The SuBar philosophy is simple. Yummy, healthy drinks, made with quality ingredients and prepared fresh in front of you. SuBar's juices and smoothies are bursting with flavour and freshness and contain no artificial anything! The smoothies are made with all natural pro-biotic yoghurt, which is full of natural bacteria and calcium that help to keep your tummy in good shape. No dairy? No problem as they also have soy milk for all fruit smoothies. On average each SuBar smoothie contains 3 or your 5 recommended portions of fruits and vegetables for the day. Read the Kinsale & District Newsletter for the full article.

Date Added : 14/11/2007

The 31st Tio Pepe Kinsale Gourmet Festival, which took place from October 12th to 14th, was once again a resounding success! From the official opening at the Blue Haven on Friday through to the Mad Hatters on Saturday and the Newport Rhode Island Lobster Bake on Sunday, festival goers enjoyed delicious food, wine and plenty of fun. The Mad Hatters Taste of Kinsale was the highlight of the festival with tickets sold out well in advance. Hundreds of people sampled the fare of the eleven members of the Kinsale Good Food Circle in four different venues; Actons Hotel, The Trident Hotel, The White Lady and Hamlets. Chefs from Newport, Rhode Island, one of Kinsale's twin towns, joined in the fun and gave ticket holders the chance to taste their delicious chowder at the Trident Hotel, where the Man Friday and, of course, The Trident displayed their fine food! Plenty of Mad Hatters got well into the spirit of the event at The White Lady where not only did they get to sample gorgeous goodies from Fishy Fishy, The White Lady and Crackpots but also got a chance to dance off the calories when DJ and White Lady proprietor Anthony Collins took to the decks! Zul, the White Lady's champion cocktail shaker, also got to show people why he is one of the best in Ireland. Local artist Deirdre Mullins exhibited her themed work at the venue. The chefs of Actons, Jim Edwards and Max's displayed their cooking skills in the Captain's Table at Actons, where a magnificent replica of a lighthouse had been created by the Jim Edwards team. Hamlets was the location for the gourmet delights of restaurant 'blu' at the Blue Haven, Toddies and The White House. For anyone still standing, a great night was held in Actons with the Swingin' Blue Cats later that night! Actons was also the venue for the Lobster Bake on Sunday. Again this was a huge success with chefs from Newport baking lobsters for each person there. More fun and more friendships were formed after this great event. Kinsale Gourmet Festival seems to be going from strength to strength even after 31 years. Congratulations to all involved in promoting Kinsale in such a fun, positive way and to all the sponsors who make it possible. Keep up the good work! And to anyone thinking about trying it next year... book your tickets early!

Date Added : 13/11/2007

Following the Junior A Hurling triumph on September 9th, Kinsale G.A.A continues to perform on all fronts with South East wins in Minor football and U16 football. The under 16's in particular held up their side of the bargain when they staged a miraculous recovery having gone 2-4 to 0-1 down following a hectic first ten minutes against Courcey Rovers at Riverstick. Kinsale, initially very disorganized, but settled well when Michael Scully and Tyrone Kellett got the defence into shape, allowing Courceys only 4 points for the remaining 40 minutes. Jeremiah Wright played his best game yet in the Kinsale jersey and O'Leary and McCarthy also got well on top of their men. At midfield, Stallard, battling a cold and Stanley battling an ankle injury never stopped working and set up some great ball for the Kinsale forwards. Niall Irwin and Jack Gould got two superb goals to drag Kinsale back into the game. The half forward line of Alan Gould, Donohue and Tyner worked hard and played some outstanding football with Gould having an excellent game. O'Donovan was denied by some great saves on a couple of occasions but never gave up the battle and set up a number of very solid scores. Kinsale ended up winning 4-12 to 2-8 but were under pressure to the end as Rovers rattled the post in the dying minutes. Kinsale went on to play in the county championship but were unlucky not to progress to the semi final stages. In hurling however, the U16 team has also qualified for the South East final which will be played at a future date against Shamrocks. U11's will also compete in a final against Shamrocks and U12's were unlucky to be beaten to the Silverware in their grouping by Tracton. Continuing the winning theme, September also produced success in the Lotto. Congratulations on this occasion to Monica Barrett who won the 2,600 Euro jackpot. Finally, laying the ground for future success, the club is delighted to report the appointment of an underage schools hurling coach. Traolach Martin will attend at St.John's National school for two hours each week. This endeavour is funded by the junior club and marks the end of a two year search for the club's school coaching programme. Underage coaching continues also on Sunday mornings at the G.A.A grounds. A.G.M's for 2007 will be held on November 9th and November 16th for the underage and junior clubs respectively. All supporters, parents and players are welcome to attend. In the meantime, the club would like to remind all supporters that 100 Euro subscriptions to the county board G.A.A draw are now due. The local club benefits from tickets sold and each month there are lucrative prizes to be won, including a first prize of 20,000 Euros in the Christmas cracker December draw. Sign up now and help Kinsale G.A.A continue their winning streak into the future!!!!! Pictured above celebrating Kinsale's win Captain Cian Quigley and Davey Dunne.

Date Added : 14/11/2007

Kinsale has been preparing all year for what is sure to be just the first of many Kinsale Christmas festivals. A large committee has been busily planning in the background since last January in preparation for Kinsale Christmas, a unique festival which has been designed to allow you to rediscover the magic of Christmas. An action-packed schedule of events has been has been put together. Events commenced in earnest on November 1st when the winners of the schools art competition were announced at a glittering reception at the Blue Haven. Micheal Martin TD, Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, announced the winners of the competition in a style reminiscent of a night at the Oscars! Overall winner of the competition, which was co-ordinated by Richard Ennos of Dragnet Systems Ltd, was Laura Murphy of Coolvalane Beg, Kinsale. Laura won 250 Euro while the second prize was awarded to Aisling Heffernan of Ringcurran Rise, and third prize went to Darragh Canty of St. Eltins. The standard of entries was extremely high with the number far exceeding the expectations of the committee. Colin Hawkins, renowned children's author, judged the art work, adding that it was a very difficult task. The winning image will be used to create Christmas cards and posters for Kinsale Christmas. Minister Martin said the Christmas launch demonstrated the great sense of energy in the town at business and community level, making Kinsale a unique location. You have a tremendous variety of events which I know will provide a joyful experience for all and make Kinsale a magnet for people in the region. Kinsale is a jewel in Cork's crown and has 'special' written all over it. This promotion makes people say "we have to go to Kinsale", Mr. Martin added. The Mayor of Kinsale, Mary Evans, will officially switch on the Christmas lights at the Mast on Saturday December 1st at 5.30pm. This will be preceded by the arrival of Santa at Hamlets of Kinsale at 5pm. The winner of the Kinsale Christmas Snow Queen will be announced at The White Lady on Monday night December 3rd while the answer to who makes the best Christmas Pudding in town will be revealed in Crackpots on Tuesday December 11th at 6.30pm! Never mind the best dressed lady competition... Kinsale has the best dressed window competition, the winner of which will be named on Friday December 14th at the Business and Traders End of Year Drinks Party at Hamlets. One of the highlights of the event is sure to be the children's torchlight parade, led by the Snow Queen, on Wednesday December 19th. Assemble at the Trident Hotel at 7pm, don't forget your torches and please dress for the occasion. Throughout the month of December there will be several Carol singing services, historic walks, Christmas Ghost Tour specials, story-telling, Santa at Hamlets, floral demonstrations, puppet shows, poetry nights, wine tastings, jazz, Christmas markets, and so, so much more! Pick up a copy of Kinsale & District Newsletter to read the full article.

Date Added : 29/11/2007

It's hard to believe another year has gone and that Christmas is upon us! 2007 has seen lots of highs and lows in Kinsale, and it is at this time in particular that we remember loved ones whom we have lost. You and your families are in our thoughts and prayers. I would like to say a special word of thanks to all of you who so generously give of your time to our community. We have many, many people who volunteer their time and resources to work with the elderly, the young, sick and various sporting and community groups. It is this community effort and active citizenship which makes Kinsale such a special place in which to live, work and play. On behalf of Kinsale Town Council I would like to wish each and every one of you a joyous and peaceful Christmas.

Date Added : 28/11/2007

Sorensen Civil Engineering Ltd. has commenced mobilisation on the Civil Works Contract Phase 2 (Kinsale Town), of the Kinsale Main Drainage Scheme. Site offices are currently being set up at Farm Lane on the site where the Kinsale Rubber Co. Ltd. was previously located. Contact details (telephone no., email address, etc.) will be made available once they are known. Construction was tentatively scheduled to commence on the New Road (R607) in late November and in Kinsale town centre, at Market Street, early in the New Year. However as we go to print we understand that work has not yet commenced at the New Road. In view of the extensive nature of the proposed Civil Works Contract, arrangements have been made to carry out a Condition Survey of the interior and exterior of the buildings and premises along the route. The proposed surveys are purely precautionary in nature as it is not anticipated that the works will have any adverse affect on premises. The surveys will generally being carried out by the independent engineering consultants SDS (Structural Design Solutions) Ltd., who was awarded the contract by Cork County Council. They commenced the surveys on Monday, the 5th November, 2007, along the Inishannon Road (R600) from O'Connell St. to the bridge.

Date Added : 28/11/2007

It may only be November, but Kinsale Arts week planning for next year has begun already. A meeting for the people of Kinsale was held Monday 19th November in Friars Lodge to communicate with the audience, listen to feedback and ideas, and inform people about the plans for the future. Thanking everyone for their attendance and for the energy that was brought to this years successful 9 day week, artistic director Deborah Dignam introduced the voluntary committee and explained the role of each person involved, each essential in producing the final version of the festival. At the heart of this festival is our community, and again this year, the arts week committee is keen to involve as many of the local people as possible and to encourage them to take “ownership” of it. Reports from the Bord Failte funded survey were announced, providing not only a festival feasibility study but also a way to improve again on last year and giving an insight into what this audience really wants. Generally, people were very happy with the festival, and the elements they are most pleased with will remain. There was some concern over the usability of the programme, and the fact that events sometimes clashed but many felt that the Arts week had changed the way that they viewed Kinsale, and it proved an added attraction to tourists visiting the area. Locals enjoyed the novel use of venue, and the wide scope and range of the festival. Preferences for rock and street events were signalled by the younger members, whilst poetry, drama and readings were more favourable to the elders. Over half the audience had stated that the events exceeded their expectation. Above all, our audience made it clear that they wanted to push their artistic boundaries and think a little differently. They particularly enjoy the cutting edge and challenge of new work. Sponsorship has provided a means of producing this kind of work, and the committee were keen to stress that because of this gift, they are able to fund more projects, and even those that will not necessarily make a profit. To this end, they are openly encouraging for members of the town to step forward with their ideas, in person or by email, and with their new office (located beside AIB) they are even more available year round to listen to ideas and to work within the community. Arts funding is already in place for next year’s festival which will run 12th - 20th July 2008, and the arts will have a continued presence in the town, kicking off Thursday 6th December with Word Up, a poetry reading in The Lord Kinsale. Furthermore, if you are looking for an unusual present for someone, why not invite them to experience the festival and celebrate creativity? KAW gift vouchers are now on sale, the gift that ensures enjoyment in July. These are available in denominations of €5, €10 and €20, and can be redeemed against ticket prices for festival events as soon as the KAW box office opens (mid May 2008). They can be purchased from Kinsale Arts Week, Friars Lodge, Kinsale (021) 4777384 or by calling the Kinsale Arts Week office (021) 4700010. For further information please visit www.kinsaleartsweek.com

Date Added : 28/11/2007

Kinsale's Rampart Players just get better and better. Their recent production of Sean O Casey's Juno and The Paycock was outstanding. From the set, costumes, sound, lighting and of course acting, this amateur group never ceases to amaze. You will laugh and you will cry, the play s promotional literature promised and it certainly did not disappoint. Set in a Dublin tenement during the Irish Civil War, one of the bleakest periods in Irish history, the poverty and desperation were palpable from the expertly designed set. Director, Tony Cierans and Producer, Maria O Donovan cast the play to perfection with Kevin Moriarty as Captain Jack Boyle and Phil Lynch as Juno, the long suffering mother. Joxer Daly, Captain Boyle's butty, was superbly played by local pharmacist John Collins while Ben Dillon and new comer Sonya O Donoghue were cast as the Boyle chislers . Other characters were played by Sheila Waldron, Sebastien Thommen, Colm Dalton, John Ryan Howard, Maureen Buckley and Michael Creedon. Some of the actors are well used to performing with the Rampart Players while others were making their stage debuts. It was also great to see so many past and present pupils of Kinsale Further Education College involved with the Rampart Players in what is one of Sean O Casey s most highly regarded plays. The play veered from joviality and hilarity to heartrending emotional scenes at the reality of the troubles. The death of a neighbours son saw a mothers heartbreaking reaction to her loss while the news of the death of Johnny, Juno s beloved son, was met with similar aching grief. Each actor portrayed his or her character with a poise and expertise that one would expect of a professional, well done to each and every one. Behind every great production is a backstage crew without whom the show could not go on so great credit must go also to all those behind the scenes on doing a superb job. We are so fortunate in Kinsale to have such an active and creative drama group and we must acknowledge and appreciate the time, effort and energy which they put into these productions. Congratulations Rampart Players, you have just raised the bar again! Pic. Howard Crowdy.

Date Added : 29/11/2007

The desperate housewives of Kinsale will have reason to be cheerful this festive season when the fashion event of the year, with a Desperate Housewives theme, hits town on Wednesday December 5th. This fun evening of fashion will be hosted by the White Lady Hotel in their impressively refurbished nightclub in association with the Parents Association of Summercove National School. Glitzy evening wear from Style for Life in Cork, classy day wear from the Savida range in Dunnes Stores, along with leisure outfits from Kinsale Sports Store and Offshore Surf Shop will be modelled on the night. Chic outfits from local boutique Nouvelle, funky fashion from Mad Rags, and the Avoca Anthology range from Granny's Bottom Drawer, will also be strutted on the catwalk. Current Miss Cork, Aisling Cronin, along with Assets model, Caroline Manley, will be modelling on the night along with four other gorgeous Kinsale girls! There are fabulous prizes for the best dressed lady and plenty of other spot prizes to be won! A hurley signed by Cork Hurling legend, Sean Og O'hAlpin, will also be auctioned. The event has been styled by Anne Marie Collins and Linda Bouse along with the expertise of make-up artist, Leon Sheehan and plenty of assistance from everyone at The White Lady. Tickets are available from The White Lady and Summercove National School, but hurry as there is limited availability and they are selling fast! Pictured at the launch of the Desperate Housewives Fashion event of the year are from left: Anthony Collins of The White Lady and Linda Bouse, stylist. Back row: Neasa O'Reilly, model, Rachel Casey, Chairperson Summercove N.S. Parents Association, Anne Marie Collins, stylist, Kathleen Lane, Principal Summercove N.S., and Leon Sheehan, make up artist. Photo Nelius Buckley Photography Kinsale. 4774440.

Date Added : 29/11/2007

Since November 20th Dalton's Bar is no longer merely a pub but also a cooking school as well. On the Tuesday night, it opens its doors upstairs onto a bright, airy kitchen with seating and cooking facilities for eight people to watch demonstrations and learn all Colm Dalton's cookery secrets. The school is next in a long line of new ventures for him. He has a low boredom threshold and loves fresh challenges. But each challenge is always taken with deliberation and within his sphere of pub ownership and catering. Most people will know Colm and his wife Frances as the previous owners of the Shanakee bar. But there's much more than that contained in his Curriculum Vitae. Qualifying as a chef in Cathal Brugha Street, he went to Canada in the 80s with his wife, spending 8-9 years there, working all the time as a chef in the Hilton hotels. Then followed a four year stint in Australia as Executive Chef for the Park Royal Hotel in Sydney which meant being in overall charge of all kitchens. Then followed a transfer to New Zealand to a sister hotel, the Park Royal, Wellington. All these have 5 star ratings. While there, he met Dave and Deirdre Hegarty, who invited him back to see Kinsale. He liked what he saw, went back to New Zealand in order to sell up and bought the Shanakee on his return. That was in 1994. His challenge there was to build up the food business in that bar, putting in a kitchen, function room and restaurant, successfully running it for five years. Deciding he wanted to downsize and run a smaller pub, he bought the present bar, the Silver Salmon, as it was called then and personalised it to Dalton's. He has a reputation for serving good food for the lunch trade and is one of only thirteen bars in Ireland to get a mention in the Michelin guide. The idea of the cooking school grew after a group of women asked him to give them lessons. This resulted in an eight week course at the Community School. The course ranged from giving your own party, Christmas functions, catering for different numbers of guests, developing menus, to the importance of timing, style of service and presentation. The course ended up as a social evening where more was learnt by Colm demonstrating 4-5 dishes per evening and giving handouts as to how everything was done, discussions and, of course, eating the food. His idea of a cooking school is very laid back. The numbers will be confined to eight at a time and participants may either sit and watch or don an apron to help. He plans day and evening courses. Besides the local clientele availing of the courses, he has the tourist market in mind as well. For example, they might want something to do for a couple of days of their holiday or golf widows who might prefer to be busy over a weekend rather than be left to their own devices. The courses will be very varied guaranteeing a wide interest. The school and the bar have separate entrances, so neither will disturb the other. Apart from the kitchen itself, there is a room alongside for sitting in comfort and consuming the delicious meals. People can book a course or if there are still places available, he'll have a blackboard out in the street to tempt the passerby. Besides the obvious preparing for Christmas course, others include pastry and desserts, a special one for "the lads" and even one for Kids. And those choices are only up until Christmas. During next year he plans to have guest chefs demonstrating particular cuisine and specialities. A website is in the making and hopefully will be online by Christmas so people will be able to see what courses are being advertised and the course content can be emailed to anyone interested. Colm is used to teaching other chefs; the challenge here will be teaching people who've little or no experience. But that for him is what makes it interesting. So where will he go after this? Colm reckons this is his last hurrah and after that he can retire gracefully. But the way he talks about it, that's a way down the road yet. Liz Mahony Contact Kinsale Cooking School on 021 477 7957 or 086 0834700 email: fedalton@eircom.net Picture by Nelius Buckley Photography, Kinsale. Tel. 021 477 4440

Date Added : 29/11/2007

Dining Divas Catering was established in 2004 by Clare Butcher. Clare is a talented and passionate chef, with 22 years experience working within the catering industry. Her career in catering has involved working as personal chef to high profile dignitaries in the UK, to periods spent in France and Switzerland where she gained valuable experience before traveling to Kinsale to work in some of the finest gourmet restaurants in the town. Clare's passion for excellence in cuisine brought her to the next step in her career where she decided to start her own catering business. The business initially started out on a small scale where she catered for family & friends in-house parties. Through word of mouth and a lot of hard work the business soon grew where Dining Divas expanded its portfolio catering for corporate events, product launches, weddings and in house parties. To keep up with the demand Dining Divas had to take the plunge, and recently relocated to a larger commercial premises in Kinsale which was officially opened by Mayor Mary Evans in October 2007. Clare installed a state of the art commercial kitchen and reception area for clients to call in and discuss their event in more detail with Clare. Clare's vision is to give a specialised, personalised service, making each event unique, memorable and stress free for the client. Tailor made menus, using only the freshest, seasonally locally sourced produce in her cooking are offered to the clients. Whether it's a full wedding or a simple canape party quality and service are never compromised here. Being the owner/chef is another must in keeping consistency through out. Talking to her, you realise how passionate she is about food and how committed to her work she is. Clare has a highly qualified professional team behind her, which include Jo Condon who provides invaluable administrative support in the office, and works tirelessly behind the scenes. All the staff from front of house to kitchen are passionately committed to each event giving 100% of their energy and time.   Catering is a competitive business and like everything else, you're only as good as your last job. Where most of us would stress under pressure, Clare thrives on it. Word of mouth is very important, that and repeat business from both the private and corporate sector, has brought the success that is Dining Divas Catering today. After three years of putting heart and soul into it, she is now optimistic for 2008 as bookings are looking great. During the run up to Christmas Clare was asked by friend to run cookery lessons. which proved very popular. Due to their popularity she is currently running weekly Wine & Food Appreciation courses in association with Ken Murphy of Rebel Off Licence in Kinsale. Each class offers clients the opportunity to discover the secrets of harmonising wine & food together from around the world. Classes are held in Dining Divas Catering unit in Kinsale. They promise to be a sociable, fun night out with great wine & food tasting and good company. No pretentious wine talk here! Contact Clare for further details. Dining Divas Catering website will soon be completed and will be a shop window for what they have to offer: www.diningdivascatering.ie Clare can be contacted on 021-4774181 or 086-8290611 or by email: info@diningdivascatering.ie where she will be delighted to discuss your catering requirements no matter how big or small.

Date Added : 30/01/2008

Once again the students from Kinsale Community School did themselves proud with their achievements in this year’s BT Young Scientist Competition. Up until now the school had produced the youngest ever winner, when Aisling Judge won the competition in 2006, aged 14, with her project on a food spoilage indicator. This year eight students had projects accepted for the competition and these won a number of prizes. First Year students Anna Henderson and Darcy McGahan came second in the Social and Behavioural Junior Group section for their project on the attitudes of people towards blood and organ donations. The Irish Blood Transfusion Service presented the girls with a special award for their study. Emily O'Leary and Aileen O'Brien, from Second Year, also did exceptionally well at the Young Scientist Competition, and their study on the presence of pesticides in vegetables won them Second Place in the Biological and Ecological Junior Group Section. Lucy O'Donovan was highly commended by the judges in the Junior Individual Biological and Ecological Section for her project researching the development and evaluation of blood sugar levels. Another student highly commended by the judges was First Year student Aidan Doran who undertook an individual study on the effectiveness of commercial sanitizers in killing bacteria on toothbrushes. Not putting a tooth in it, Aidan's study found that despite claims that these products kill 99% of bacteria, he found they only killed approximately half of the bacteria on the toothbrush. Although Serena Murphy, Ellen O'Leary and Amy Hegarty did not capture any awards, they nevertheless presented a most interesting project on teenage behaviour, something which parents of teenagers might wish to consult! The BT Young Scientist Competition enthuses and provides a focus for science students in Kinsale Community School. The school is committed to the provision of a first class science curriculum and programme, with a keen focus on the practical application of science. In this regard, Kinsale Community School is very fortunate and appreciative of the close ties and relationship it has formed with local pharmaceutical company, Eli Lilly. Such a relationship between the school and industry serves to provide the students of Kinsale Community School with many opportunities for learning and progressing their scientific knowledge.

Date Added : 30/01/2008

Below is a provisional programme for the Gourmet Festival 2008. Friday 12th October 2008 Afternoon: Celebrity chefs cookery demo accompanied by selected wine tasting from various regions. Evening: Opening of the 32nd Kinsale Gourmet Festival, a champagne reception with delicious canapés, followed by a dine around at your selected GFC restaurant and then back to the festival club to party the night away! Saturday 13th October Join the Dormouse, March Hare, Mad Hatter and Alice at the Madhatter’s Tea Party. We will start with sparking champers at Actons Hotel and move along from there. Fine food and excellent wines will be the order of the day and hopefully we will not be losing anybody down any holes along the way!  Sunday 14th October 2008 Fruits de Mer / Oyster Bar Join us and our French companions for an exquisite lunch at Actons Hotel. Weekend package currently on sale at €250pp includes complimentary Friday afternoon ticket. We are currently updating the website and the online ticketing but in the meantime, tickets can be purchased by contacting Finishing Services, 71 Main Street, Kinsale, Co Cork 021 4773571.

Date Added : 30/01/2008

The Desperate Housewives Fashion Show which was held in the White Lady, in association with Summercove N.S. Parents Association, on December 5th last proved to be a tremendous success. Tickets sold out well in advance in anticipation of a fun night out and over two hundred glamorous ladies (and a few equally glamorous gents!) attended. Styled by Anne Marie Collins and Linda Bouse of Collins Kinsale Pharmacy, with make-up by Lancôme make-up artist Leon Sheehan and hair by Liz Collins, the professional but fun night out displayed clothes from local stores; Nouvelle, Kist, Offshore, Mad Rags, Kinsale Sports Store and Granny's Bottom Drawer, along with a selection from the Savida Range at Dunnes Stores and divine evening wear from Cork store, Style for Life. Sparkling jewellery from Stone Mad was also modelled while amazing hats from the newly formed Kinsale Hat Company proved very popular. Professional models, Miss Cork Aisling Cronin and Caroline Manley, were joined on the catwalk by Carmel Murphy, Neasa O'Reilly, Melanie Gregg and Aoife Coleman. Patrick Spellman did the honours as MC on the night with a little help from host Anthony Collins of the White Lady and Santa Claus! A hurley signed by Cork GAA star Sean Og Ó hAlpín was auctioned and fantastic prizes, including several Lancôme hampers from Brown Thomas Cork, were raffled or just given away to lucky members of the audience. Collins Kinsale Pharmacy provided goodies for everyone there on the night. The surprise guest appearances of the two male teachers at Summercove N.S. also caused quite a stir, giving Mike Delfino and John Rowland a good run for their money! Rachel Casey, Chairperson of the Parents Association, with Anthony Collins, Anne Marie, Linda, Leon and Liz put in a huge amount of work into organising the event. However their efforts were well rewarded as the fantastic sum of €6860 was raised for the school. Thanks to all at the White Lady, Collins Kinsale Pharmacy, and everyone who helped in any way to make the event such an amazing success. Left: Anthony Collins of The White Lady is pictured presenting the cheque for €6860 to Mrs Kathleen Lane, Principal Summercove N.S. Also pictured is Rachel Casey, Chairperson of Summercove N.S. Parents Association.

Date Added : 30/01/2008

Kinsale Community Hospital was totally renovated in time to ring in the New Year... When the hospital started a simple refurbishment exercise at the end of last year, little did they know what was in store! Two months after refurbishment works started, dry rot was discovered in the main floor beams of two wards. It subsequently emerged that other areas throughout the hospital were suffering the same fate. Having assessed the extent of the damage, it was agreed that a large section of the building would have to be completely renovated. This included wiring, plumbing, heating, walls and flooring as well as installing new security and fire systems. Maureen O'Donovan, Director of Nursing at Kinsale Community Hospital said, 'The refurbishment was unexpected but ended up benefiting the hospital greatly. Rather than crumbling under the weight of it all, the staff rallied around and patients were moved around the hospital as wards and areas were demolished and rebuilt with the slightest disturbance possible to the patients. Our patients were at the heart of all our decision making and we did everything we could to make the work interfere as little as possible with their care. We kept them updated on all developments and this was appreciated.' Anne Good, Clinical Nurse Manager at Kinsale Community Hospital said 'the refurbishment identifies the continued development of Kinsale Community Hospital. It marks the significance of Kinsale's role in the community, the professionalism and dedication of all those who work here and, very importantly, the unfailing support the hospital receives from the local community. We would like to particularly acknowledge the Friends of Kinsale Community Hospital who very generously contributed towards the cost of the refurbishment works'. Kinsale Community Hospital provides 41 beds and can boast a considerable range of clinical services including Sub-acute Medical Care, Continuing Care, Terminally Ill and Palliative Care, Convalescent Care, Physiotherapy, Chiropody and Speech and Language Therapy Services.

Date Added : 30/01/2008

Two million Euro has been pledged to Kinsale by an anonymous donor! Consequently, this is the year that the long awaited and sorely needed Kinsale Community Centre will be built. By the this time next year, an accessible and affordable to all community space will proudly stand on 10-acre site opposite the Kinsale Community School and overlooking the Marsh and Bandon River estuary. It will have a community hall, sports hall, dance studio, meeting rooms, and all weather outdoor playing pitches. A stage two will follow; complete with a pool, a gym and a creche. It will be a sport and recreation centre for the people of Kinsale. There will be youth clubs and workshops, for young and more elderly, something on every night. It will house events, voluntary and community organisations, clubs/societies, Indoor Soccer, Basketball, Indoor Hurling/Camogie, Athletics, Volleyball, Badminton, Gymnastics, Tennis Club, Aerobics/Yoga/Pilates, Taekwondo/Judo/Karate, and Irish Dancing/Ballet, Discos, Table Tennis, and a Cinema Club/Film Society, all things sport and community orientated. It will provide a focus for young people so that their energies can be directed in a positive and healthy manner. It will be a safe haven, and a hub of activity. This is the dream of a small voluntary committee of six, who have pioneered this KRD sports and leisure project for 9 years. They firmly believe that sport, recreation and leisure should play a large role in everyone's life and encourage all to participate to the best of their ability. With children of their own, they recognised the need for such a facility in the town. Through a consultative process with local groups, and detailed feasibility study, the KRD Community Association acquired a 10-acre site opposite the Kinsale Community School from Cork County Council. Planning permission has been granted and work is due to start this summer. However at this moment, there is a problem, and it requires more than bricks and mortar to get the build going. You see, the money comes on condition from the anonymous donor... it will only come if Kinsale can match it. To help release the money, the committee have recruited Bronwyn Connolly, a talented and enthusiastic fund raiser with strategic vision. Having spent her youth in Kinsale, Bronwyn is eager and motivated to see the centre up and operational. Comparing the social infrastructure of the town to that of Bandon or Clonakilty she comments on the lack of facilities in Kinsale, surprising given its affluence. She wants more for the people of Kinsale, and excited by the challenge and supported by her committee, she aims to help raise the matching funds by September. Already an application for half a million euro has been pitched to the Department of Art , Sports and Tourism, and now it's time for the town to raise its game! A number of fun and rewarding incentives will be on offer, largely supported by the townspeople. Fancy yourself capable of the Kinsale Ability Challenge in April? Want to take part in a Soccer fest in Summer? Or would you prefer the drama of a duck race or to go to the dogs with a Benefit Night at Curraheen Park in December? With the money on the table, there is a huge incentive and now is when Kinsale needs to pull together and truly build the centre it so desperately needs. To this end the company have launched their buy a brick scheme. This fund raising initiative allows us to buy a brick, one of a range of 3. The first; aimed at local households, €300, or €22 a month standing order; the second, Silver, for the small to medium business at a €1000, and the third Gold, at €5000. Each generous donation will be honourably mentioned and accepted with gratitude. Community fundraisers are welcome too, local clubs will be written to and encouraged to hold events, and as a great start and example of the community getting together, local musicians Pat Crowley, Jimmy McCarthy, Frank Buckley, Emma Kate Tobia, the Children's Choir of Dunderrow N.S., Brian Callanan, with the help of Canon David and Ros Williams and the chorus of Opera Cork, staged a very successful concert at St Multose in November. Grateful for this huge effort, Bronwyn is seeking other ideas for other fundraisers, cake sales or something a little bit different. She also adds that something like this is not the only way to help this centre be built. As it will be run similar to the Temperance Hall, a board and steering committee needs to be put in place, project managers for new and existing events projects are required, as are volunteer brick sellers, and office administrators to deal with the paper work. Every town should have a sense of community and it's important in a town like Kinsale to seize this opportunity to form it. Now is the time to get involved! Using the town's spirit and support, Kinsale community can help build a better future. More information on this project can be found at www.sailesportsandleisure.ie. The Office is based on 7 Pearse Street, Kinsale. (next to AIB). Telephone 021 4773929 or 0857311803.

Date Added : 30/01/2008

The second phase of Kinsale Main Drainage Scheme seems to be moving along swiftly. While the traffic and parking situation in the town at the moment is generally rather chaotic as a result of the drainage works, progress is being made with much of the work taking place on schedule and even in some cases finishing ahead of schedule. Sorensen Civil Engineering Ltd are currently working under traffic lights on the World’s End road between the Pier and St. John’s Terrace while Denis’ Quay will remain closed for a number of months to facilitate the construction of the pumping station. The closure of Market Street, which is causing the most hardship to businesses and shoppers alike at the moment, remains closed and construction is ongoing. The installation of the mainline pipe between Trooper’s Close and Station Road has now been completed and on Tuesday last, February 19th, work moved to the Eastern Road. Work here has necessitated that the road be closed for a number of weeks until Thursday March 20th when it should be open just in time for Easter. The Texaco garage is operating as usual and access has been maintained to the garage from the Cork direction. The Bus Eireann Bus Stop has been re-located to the car park at the New Road for the duration of the closure. Buses are being diverted to and from Kinsale via Pewterhole Cross. The normal schedule is in operation. As part of the Project there is a requirement for archaeological monitoring of the excavations particularly in the town centre. Mr. Dan Noonan, Archaeologist, was appointed by Cork County Council to carry out this work. He has received the necessary consent and license from the Department of the Environment Heritage & Local Government and his archaeologists are overseeing the excavation on a full time basis. Trial trenches are being dug in areas of potential archaeological interest, such as in the vicinity of the museum, to check for items of interest ahead of the main excavation. Shopkeepers (and residents alike!) will be pleased to know that work will not be permitted in Kinsale town centre during the summer months of June to August inclusive. The streets included in this restriction include Market Street to Church Square, Market Quay, Emmet Place, Long Quay, Guardwell, Main Street, Higher O’Connell Street, Pier Road, Denis’ Quay, Easter Road and World’s End Road. While the upheaval caused by phase two of Kinsale Main Drainage is definitely taking its toll on the town, it should be well worth it when the project is fully completed. The offices for Kinsale Main Drainage are at Farm Lane, Kinsale. The Resident Engineers office can be contacted at 477 3739 or email info@kmds@gmail.com

Date Added : 27/02/2008

To celebrate Fairtrade Fortnight, which runs from February 25th to March 9th, Kinsale Fairtrade committee will have the honour of welcoming two Ghanaian cocoa growers to Kinsale. Paul Ayepah and Kojo Tano are cocoa growers who are part-owners of the Divine Chocolate company. Divine is the Fairtrade Chocolate Company co-owned by the cocoa farmers cooperative Kuapa Kokoo in Ghana, who not only receive a fair price for their cocoa but also share in the company's profit. Mr. Kojo Aduhene-Tano is 50 and the Recorder of Fenaso-Domeabra Kuapa Kokoo Society in the Bekwai Area. He is also the Area president. He has a wife and six children. He has been a member of Kuapa Kokoo since 1996 and he produces about 10 bags of cocoa a year. His village has seen a lot of benefits from Fairtrade. Mr. Paul Ayepah is 36 and the Recorder of the Gyeduakese Kuapa Kokoo Society in the Asankragwa Area in the Western Region of Ghana. He is a farmer and has been a member of Kuapa Kokoo since 1999 and his Society has benefited from a new water well. He is married and has two children who are both in school. Their roles as Recorders are key to the structure and organisation of Kuapa Kokoo - they are elected as trusted fellow-farmers to weigh the cocoa accurately and pay farmers the right price accordingly. Meet them at the Methodist Church on Sunday March 9th at 1pm. They will be telling their stories of how Fairtrade, and owning a chocolate company, has changed their lives and why 'chocolate makes the world go round'! Enjoy their stories as well as music, poetry, video clips and refreshments including their very own Divine Chocolate. (This event is supported by Kinsale Arts Week). There was more great news for the Kinsale Fairtrade committee with the announcement that its members have been invited to Aras an Uachtarain to meet President Mary McAleese on Thursday March 6th. This is in recognition of the enormous voluntary work undertaken by the committee in promoting Fairtrade in the community and the fact that Kinsale was awarded the prestigious accolade of Ireland's Best Fairtrade Town last autumn. Dr Clare O'Leary has agreed to come to Kinsale later in the spring to be pictured at the Fairtrade sign at the entrance to Kinsale. A keen Fairtrade supporter, Dr O'Leary is the first Irish women to climb Everest as well as the first Irish women to reach the South Pole. Watch out for details of her visit. The Irish Independent recently featured Kinsale Fairtrade committee members in an article highlighting the success of Fairtrade in Kinsale. To mark Fairtrade Fortnight, the Kinsale Fairtrade sail will once again be on display on the entrance to Kinsale. Certainly a busy few weeks ahead for the Kinsale Fairtrade Committee!

Date Added : 27/02/2008

Kinsale Arts Week are delighted to present the poet Knute Skinner for the first WORD UP! of 2008. Skinner, who lives between Clare and Washington will read on Thursday March 13th at 7.30pm in the Lord Kingsale. Skinner, who studied in the US and taught at Western Washington University, has spent much of his life on the Canary Islands and travelling around Europe. In 2000 he retired from teaching and now, along with his spouse, Edna Faye Kiel, is resident year round in Killaspuglonane, County Clare. His first collection of poetry was published in 1965 and since then he has published eight more books and six chapbooks. His poems, which have appeared widely in serial publications in Ireland, England, Australia and North America, show a variety of styles, including both free and formal verse. His poems have also been published in a number of anthologies and periodicals, including New Irish Writing, New Statesman, Cambridge Review, and The New York Quarterly. He has read and taught numerous poetry writing workshops in the United States and in Ireland including Columbia University, Washington University and NUI, Galway. He was awarded a fellowship by the National Endowment for the Arts and has received residencies from the Huntington Hartford Foundation, The Millay Colony for the Arts, The Tyrone Guthrie Centre, and Fundación Valparaíso. In 2007 Salmon Publishing brought out a collected edition of his work. For further information see www.Knuteskinner.com or www.kinsaleartsweek.com Kinsale Arts Week greatly acknowledges the support of Poetry Ireland for this reading. 'WORD UP!' is a new creative initiative from Kinsale Arts Week. Co-coordinated by Adam Wyeth in conjunction with Kinsale Arts Week WORD UP! will host bi-monthly evenings where both emerging and established poets from home and abroad will be invited to read and perform.

Date Added : 27/02/2008

Kinsale Town County and Cork County Council recently commissioned a Traffic and Transportation Study of Kinsale town. Work on the study, which is being carried out by Faber Maunsell, has been carried out over the past number of weeks. It will consider numerous issues such as: parking, road safety, congestion, through traffic, pedestrian and cycle facilities, disability access and facilities, public transport, delivery vehicles, etc. Faber Maunsell will develop strategies and proposals to address the afore-mentioned issues (and any other which may arise) as deemed necessary. The study will also take into account probable development within the study area. The focus of the study will be to ensure that the town can operate and cater for residents, tourism, work, education and shopping. As part of the study Consultation Days were held in the Temperance Hall on Wednesday 6th and Thursday 7th February last. Members of the public were invited to discuss their issues regarding traffic and transportation in the town. Attendance was very good and new issues were highlighted by individuals to the study team which had not been raised before. The study has also completed significant local stakeholder consultations which has included schools, businesses, local officials and key groups. In addition Faber Maunsell conducted extensive traffic surveys at key locations in the study area, these included: junction counts which were undertaken at 16 sites throughout the town for periods of between 6 and 12 hours; Automatic Traffic Counters were placed at 10 sites recording daily two-way traffic movements on specific roads for a two week period. These capture information on the direction of passing traffic, the speed at which a vehicle is travelling, the number of vehicles and their classification into cars, lorries, buses or coaches, etc; Road side interviews were undertaken at four sites using both local Gardai and survey personnel to stop vehicles and ask a series of questions including origin/destination, journey purpose, vehicle occupancy, parking information, etc. Previous traffic surveys have been undertaken in March (mid-peak tourist season) and August (peak tourist season) in order to identify seasonal differences in traffic volumes and patterns. Future surveys are proposed to account for the peak tourist season; A 2 day mid-week parking survey was carried out which surveyed all major on-street and off-street parking areas within the town centre. The next step of the Traffic and Transportation Study will be for Faber and Maunsell to compile all the data gathered and build a detailed computer traffic model. Their traffic model will be used to test overall traffic patterns in the study area and check and analyse a number of design options. These design options will be developed and tested to solve, where possible, the numerous issues which have been highlighted by the various surveys. It is anticipated that another Public Consultation Day will be held in September displaying the various options for perusal by the townspeople. The options will be presented to Kinsale Town Council and Cork County Council and they will choose the option which will most alleviate and improve the traffic and parking problems in Kinsale. As this is a long-term study, it is likely to be at least 2009 before the recommended option is implemented. We will keep readers informed.

Date Added : 27/02/2008

It’s only been open since December, 2007, but already there is a buzz about Kinsale Equestrian Centre. Children and ponies always seem to gravitate towards each other and this centre is no exception. Kinsale Equestrian Centre is beautifully situated just outside Kinsale past the New Bridge. Owned by Zoe Dennehy and her husband, John Barrett, it is a huge enterprise in the making. Riding around the land, it’s easy to see what potential there is and visualise their plans for the future. It stands on 40 acres but some of that is farmed, with the rest available for grazing and riding purposes. The stabling is huge – a large building housing fifteen stables and the same number of stalls with plans for another seven. As the business is young, they aren’t yet filled to capacity with horses and ponies, but those numbers are growing. They have cleverly found a niche market: 4 and 5yr olds who are learning to ride on lead rein ponies. It takes a lot of patience to teach youngsters of this age as their attention span and energy levels aren’t high. Once they master the basics of riding, they graduate to riding by themselves. This also means having ponies that are absolutely bomb-proof. And it takes a lot of experience to find those types of animals. Zoe has been riding all her life so those sort of things come naturally. And she really enjoys the teaching. Life’s quite busy for them both, building the business and they have small children of their own aged three and under so when they go home, they can’t just switch off. And at the moment, they do all the work themselves around the stables. Their indoor arena is vast which means they can comfortably cater for the numbers in lessons. The floor covering is crushed glass, a modern invention and used by many horse trainers for their gallops. Future plans range from gymkhanas for their regulars to give them something interesting to aim for; pony camps in the summer and trekking. Like every new business, it takes time for them to grow but already there is huge interest. At the time of the interview the weather had picked up, it was school half-term and children of all ages and ability were milling around waiting to see what pony they would be riding. Some could tack up their own but beginners were in need of help. The summer holidays will be a great time for these children; the centre is so close to Kinsale, it’s going to become a home-from-home for the dedicated and parents won’t know how they managed before it opened. But despite having such a clientele of young, aspiring riders, there’s also plenty of room and a welcome for the older generation who want to learn. And Zoe caters for all ages. Kinsale Equestrian Centre can be contacted at 086 853 0894 or 086 362 4403. Liz Mahony

Date Added : 27/02/2008

The organ in St John the Baptist Church in Kinsale is a unique heritage instrument - it is certainly the oldest playing organ in Ireland and probably in the British Isles. It is now in extremely poor condition and will not last another year without major work. A restoration committee has been set up and its members have secured the services of a very reputable organ builder to carry out the remedial work that is now urgently required. The organ will be dismantled in April 2008 and restored over the following 4 months or so. The cost of this important restoration work is 47,500 Euro. At the start of the 1800's there was a small church about where the existing sacristy now is, with the entrance from Cork Street. It was too small for the congregation, but as there was little money there was little prospect of building a larger church. However miracles do happen and with the help of donations from friends in the Church of Ireland, a much larger church was built with a thatched roof. It was placed where the existing church now stands. It was opened in 1809 with a brand new organ purchased from the famous organ builders, Hugh Russell & Co., London. Once again, it transpired that the church was too small. With the appointment of a dynamic priest, Fr Foley McNamara, the vision of a larger church became a possibility. Once more the poor people of Kinsale gave what they could and once again they were helped by their generous neighbours in St Multose so that in 1832 our current church was built. The organ was transferred from the old to the new and is in the same place to this day. What makes the organ unique is the fact that all the original parts put in place in 1809 remain in place today. It has been maintained since then without any modification to the basic design. Therefore the organ is essentially the same instrument as originally designed and installed. Whilst other organs predate this one, none has survived without significant modification. It is the kind of organ on which the great classical and early romantic composers would have played. It is now recognised that this organ is an important part of the heritage of Kinsale and of Ireland. At this point we know of only one other organ by Russell from the early 1800's still in existence; that one was dismantled and is now in storage in Cornwall. There is no question but the Kinsale organ must be restored to good condition and handed on for the use of future generations. At present almost all components need serious attention - bellows, soundboards, boundon chests, console, bellows and wind system, swell box and pipe work. The restoration cost compares with a likely replacement cost of 300,000 Euro - and this of course takes no account of the historical value of the instrument. The Restoration Workshops are available from April - hence the need to raise the funds now. If the money is not there for that date, the next possibility would be 2010 and it is accepted that the organ will not last even for this year. Restoring the organ this year also means it will be available for its 200th anniversary. A concert was held in the church last year to announce the need for the organ restoration. This raised a very welcome 2300 Euro. The committee hopes to have a major concert in late 2008 to celebrate the restoration with nationally acclaimed soloists and choirs. The third Sunday collection in March (Patrick's weekend) will be directed to the Organ Fund (this replaces the normal third Sunday collection which goes to the Church Fund). The committee expects to have a concert in the week after Easter just before the Organ is dismantled. Another fundraising project is also planned for April/May but it is widely hoped that they will be able to get a good part of the way with private donations. The committee believes that organisations, businesses and individuals will recognise the importance of this project for Kinsale and indeed for the country by making a contribution. The Committee has Charitable Status so that donations made by P.A.Y.E. workers of 250 Euro or more will attract a claw-back of Income tax to the Charity. (Donations from persons on self assessment with income which is not P.A.Y.E. income or is a mixture of P.A.Y.E. and non P.A.Y.E. will be able to claim Income Tax relief for themselves through the normal Self Assessment system.) Please consider donating to this project. Cheques should be made payable to St John the Baptist Church Organ Restoration Fund and should be given to any of the Committee. The following phone numbers may be useful: Garry Fitzsimons 4772538, Vincent McCarthy 4772998, Kevin Goggin 4772465. All contributions will be acknowledged. Let's make sure this unique instrument is not lost to Kinsale now - and for future generations. GARRY FITZSIMONS • EWEN TUBRIDY • VINCENT MCCARTHY • KEVIN GOGGIN • FRANK BUCKLEY • EOIN MCCARTHY • BOB QUINN • ST JOHN THE BAPTIST CHURCH ORGAN RESTORATION COMMITTEE Pictured is Vincent McCarthy, Parish Organist for over 35 years. Picture courtesy of Nelius Buckley 477 4440 Liz Mahony

Date Added : 27/02/2008

John Coholan has retired after almost forty years in business in Kinsale. John opened his butcher's premises in Kinsale on March 18th 1969 and closed his doors for the last time on Saturday April 29th 2008. Thirty-nine years is a long time to be in one business and he has seen many changes in the town over the years - some of them good and some not so good. When he first opened his doors, Kinsale was a quiet fishing village with very few restaurants. The only two well-known ones at that time were The Spinnaker owned by Heidi McNeice and The Man Friday. Those two have changed hands a few times since then and many more have come and gone in the intervening years. The restaurant scene grew fairly quickly as Kinsale became a tourist spot. In the early years he was one of four butchers serving the town and business was good since with fewer cars people shopped locally rather than travelling to supermarkets as they do nowadays. With John's retirement, Barrett's are the one remaining dedicated butcher's shop. Back then families sat down to Sunday roasts and meat was sold to the fishermen on the trawlers, both French as well as Irish. Early on, joints of meat were sold on the bone and plenty of beef for roasting until BSE scared everyone off it for a while. It also put an end to the sale of offal such as sweetbreads and brains. The meat came in on the carcase and there was a skill to butchering unlike now when most of it comes in vacuum packed. At Christmas, turkeys and geese would be hanging in the shop, giving it a festive air. That's no longer allowed. He was glad when he no longer had to stay open until 8pm on Saturday nights and never got out of the shop until after 8.30pm. That time reverted to six in the evening the same as weekdays. Customers needs have changed too. People used to prefer their meat on the bone and didn't mind a bit of fat. Nowadays, they would be more choosy, wanting the lean and tender cuts. Possibly dietary influences might account for that. There were about four food forums while he was in business, organised by Joe Walsh, TD. Each shop would let out their premises for the occasion. They are now a thing of the past. John reckons the restaurant and bar scene has brought much more employment to Kinsale but there was a wistfulness when he talked about how the town used to be before the huge amount of development. During his time, the shop was badly flooded several times but he reckons the drainage scheme will solve all those problems when it finally gets completed. The shop is closed for good and up for sale now. None of his family is interested in following in his footsteps. As regards retirement, he plans 'to take it easy for a while'. He'll now have time to take holidays himself and will think about what to do. All kinds of sport interest him and there's always plenty of that to keep him occupied. For a while he believes he'll miss the gossip and chat in the shop but not for long. The street traders organised a farewell party for him. Despite being a surprise, he did 'get wind of it'. Eileen Murphy, Carmel Hayes and Eamonn O'Neill were responsible and the Lord Kingsale hosted around 200 people with finger food and drinks to bid him farewell. John is pictured above with his wife Noreen at the part which signalled the end of John's era as butcher but now he has plenty of time to enjoy the things he missed out on during that time. John and his family would like to thank everyone in Kinsale & surrounding areas for their support down through the years and for their good wishes on his retirement. Thanks to all those who popped in to wish him well, sent cards, Mass cards and gifts. John would particularly like to thank the people who worked with him, Billy, Dan Joe, Paul, Willie, the late Martin O'Leary RIP, and those who helped in the shop over the years. We wish John a well-deserved, long and happy retirement. Liz Mahony

Date Added : 01/05/2008

The laying of a foundation stone for a new €400 million IDA supported bio-technology facility at Eli Lilly, which will create up to 200 new jobs over the next five years in the production of medicines to treat illnesses including Alzheimer’s disease, cancer and diabetes, was jointly performed on Monday April 7th by Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Michéal Martin TD and newly appointed president and chief executive of Eli Lilly, Dr. John Lechleiter. The Minister also announced a research collaboration between the National Institute for Bio-processing Research and Training (NIBRT) and Eli Lilly’s Research and Development Organisation (BR&D) at its world headquarters in Indianapolis, USA. It will involve the co-development of analytical technologies to enable the monitoring of cell culture conditions. Mr. Martin said the ground breaking ceremony for the 158,000 square feet plant, which will take two years to construct, was “a huge endorsement of the management and staff” because the strategically important project was chosen for Dunderrow by the multi-national firm against intense global competition and now ensured diversification alongside the main pharmaceutical manufacturing plant in an excellent location. In addition to paying tribute to Eli Lilly for being an excellent employer with currently 430 on the payroll, the Minister also noted its active involvement in the local community, especially the support and encouragement of participation in science subjects in schools. “These kids are our future scientists, engineers and researchers so the positive experience they gain from interacting with a superb company such as Eli Lilly should be acknowledged”. He also paid tribute to the workforce, the IDA and all others associated with “a significant chapter in the fantastic success story of the company in Ireland”. Returning thanks, Dr. Lechleiter, who became president of Eli Lilly on April 1, said its investment in Kinsale was a strong sign of confidence at a time when there was uncertainty in the pharmaceutical industry and flexibility was required. “The health care system is bearing the strains of rising costs needed to care for ageing populations and we face pressure on our ability to discover, develop and market innovative pharmaceuticals. At the same time, we have a great opportunity address some of the most pressing health care challenges”. Eli Lilly, Dr. Lechleiter continued, was doing just that as reflected in its €400m investment in biotechnology at Dunderrow. Last year, the multi-national moved a record 16 new molecules into human testing and this year there would be 14 more. Sales of bio-pharmaceuticals in 2007 came to $4.4 billion, nearly a quarter of total sales and around 30% of its products were in the biotechnology sector. “With this new facility, Kinsale will be a centre for bio-pharmaceutical manufacturing and allow it to develop a new generation of products for patients around the world. It will be the sole site for the commercial development of monoclonal anti-body technology. The Kinsale plant represents smart expansion that gives us the flexibility we need today. “Even before the new building opens (2011), we expect biotech manufacturing to begin later this year in Kinsale - in collaboration with MacroGenics - with the production of Teplizumab, a treatment for type one diabetes. In addition, Kinsale is expanding its small molecule capabilities which will position it as a primary site not only for manufacturing but also the scale-up and commercialisation of Eli Lilly’s newer medicines. The head of Eli Lilly pointed out that the Irish Government’s commitment to maintaining a positive environment for business and investment and its educated workforce, especially in science and technology, were key factors for expanding at Dunderrow. He paid tribute to Minister Martin, the IDA, Cork County Council, the people of Dunderrow and Kinsale and especially general manager Mr. Dave Urbanek and staff. Expressing thanks, general manager at Dunderrow, Dr. Dave Urbanek, said the addition of the IE42 bio-technology manufacturing facility would allow Eli Lilly to partner even closer with its research and development colleagues in the company but also to build key strategic partnerships with Irish academia, ensure a continued stream of key scientific talent into the site and offer new opportunities to existing staff. In addition to the new facility, laboratories to support the technology transfer and future process development work had already been commissioned and would be fully operational this year. Moving into bio-technology was a new change for Eli Lilly, Kinsale, but not for the 129 years old company as a whole. It commercialised the first insulin in 1922 and introduced the world’s first therapeutic product of biotechnology, human insulin (Humulin) in 1982. Other developments were also taking place in the sector in the USA and pointing to display board behind him declared “biotechnology is in our blood”. Paying tribute to the staff, Dr. Urbanek said:” The site personnel are the strongest I have seen at Eli Lilly in terms of experience and deep technical capability. The team always seeks to be the best and is always seeking to continually improve.” He also acknowledged the support of the local community. Dr. Urbanek’s predecessor when the Minister announced the project in December 2006 was Maria Crowe. Deputy Mayor of Cork County and near neighbour, Mr. Kevin Murphy said it was an auspicious occasion and a proud day for a dedicated and professional staff. He paid a glowing tribute to Eli Lilly Kinsale, which not only hosted monthly meetings of Dunderrow Community Alert but met with members of the general community every quarter and was a generous supporter of various projects in the locality. He also acknowledged past and present general managers. Speaking at the April meeting of Kinsale Town Council, Mayor Mary Evans congratulated Eli Lilly saying it provided significant quality employment and was a very good neighbour which took community and social responsibilities very seriously. “The fortunes of Eli Lilly and Kinsale are inextricably linked and I would like to wish them continued and greater success in the years ahead”. Pictured above, left to right: Minister Michéal Martin, Dr John Lechleiter, President & CEO Eli Lilly, Mr Barry O’Leary, CEO IDA Ireland, Mr Bruce McDonald, Senior Project Manager, Eli Lilly. Photo by kind courtesy John Collins

Date Added : 01/05/2008

There is great news for the people (and streets!) of Kinsale with the announcement that the Brennans of Castlepark Marina are in the process of purchasing a Land Train for Kinsale. It is anticipated that the train will be delivered and ready for action by mid-June. The all weather mode of transport will initially run to and from Castlepark with Actons Hotel hosting the town train stop, courtesy of the Goods. A second route, from Actons Hotel to Charles Fort is also in the pipe line, via the scenic route of Scilly, Ardbrack and Cove Cross Roads to the historic national monument. Hourly runs are scheduled daily and Tom Brennan of Castlepark Marina is hoping that the train will run right throughout the year. This will be a fantastic addition to Kinsale as it is hoped that, apart from the novelty factor, it will reduce traffic congestion and parking problems thereby reducing carbon emissions. The idea for a Land Train was first mooted by the Transition Towns committee, with Alan Clayton and his committee working in the background trying to get the project off the ground for some time. This announcement has been greeted with enthusiasm by the Transition Towns committee as it is hoped that the train will be used for all manner of community benefits. Watch this space for updates on this exciting project!!

Date Added : 01/05/2008

In recent weeks works on the Kinsale Main Drainage & Broadband Scheme has uncovered some interesting historical finds. Cork County Council has engaged archaeologists from the Youghal based Daniel Noonan Archaeological Consultancy to work as part of the construction team. The archaeologists have discovered, within the confines of the pipeline trench at Market Place, the underground remains of several stone built structures, along with large stone built drains and cobble surfaces. The findings were made as part of a programme of ground testing in advance of the main pipeline. Full and detailed excavation of the site started in the past few weeks and the team of archaeologists can be seen busily making progress with their shovels and trowels while nearby the work continues with the labour saving devices of large machinery. The walls uncovered are the remains of earlier buildings that fronted onto Market Place and were buried when the modern surrounding streetscape was pushed back to widen the streets. It is possible that there are at least two stone buildings in the small area that has been opened. Because it is early days in the excavation, the archaeologists are not sure as to the function of the building; they are slowly teasing apart the complex layers of stone and earth that will tell the story. A large stone culvert of an early age, possibly the mid-1600’s, was uncovered close to the buildings. The culvert was so well built that it was industriously reused in modern times to house a 20th Century concrete sewer pipe. Several areas of well preserved stone cobbles have also been found in association with the buildings. As the excavation progresses over the next few weeks it is hoped that the story of these long hidden buildings will reveals itself. An interesting assortment of artefacts have been recovered from the excavation so far, including the remains of leather shoes, broken pieces of 17th Century scraffito pottery, a small gaming token; along with sea shells and butchered bone from midden or rubbish layers around the stone walls. More information on the findings at Market Square and around the town will follow in future reports and it is intended to display a regularly updated notice board of the progress of the excavations in the town centre. Based on all the works going according to programme, the present intent is that the road pavement will be reinstated in Market Street and Market Square by the May Bank Holiday week-end. Readers can sign up for updates on the Kinsale Main Drainage Scheme by emailing info.kmds@gmail.com Daniel Noonan & Christina Murphy PICTURE: Archaeologists working at Market Place

Date Added : 01/05/2008

In 2000, Adam Horvath arrived in Ireland from Budapest, Hungary. It could well have been Austria or Germany or anywhere else in the world as he went for a ‘walk-in’ interview and ended up as a Hotel Professional in the Tower Hotel in Waterford. After a job in Ballina didn’t work out, he came to Kinsale working as a night manager in the Old Bank House. However illness prevented him from building up a hotel career as once or twice a year he would be hospitalised with an infection. He tried all sorts of therapies including acupuncture, herbalism and psychic healers. His own incurable disease, Ankylosing spondylitis, led him down the nutrition and naturopathy route as he searched for something to restore his own health. Encouraged by Cathy Quarry to study nutrition, he qualified from the Irish Institute of Nutrition and Health established by an Englishman, Richard Burton and Grace Kiniron who now does pioneering work in Nutritional Therapy. Ankylosing spondylitis is a form of degenerative arthritis, a hereditary disease affecting the immune system. Adam feels that proper nutrition has helped him to manage it. What he finally learned from the nutritional therapy was that each one of us can take the initiative for our own life. He gives people the benefit of his knowledge and experience and hopes they will be able to take the initiative for their own health. Following this path has cured him of the disease as such although he still suffers from its effects. But he no longer has pain or inflamed joints. So he can cite from his own experience. That has to be reassuring for any of his clients. He begins with a basic education on food as few people know of the benefits of certain food items. ‘What you eat does matter.’ So many of us love to eat out but we don’t care what we eat. Ireland has very high rates of obesity and heart disease. Nutritional therapy is the application of nutrition and health science to enable individuals to maximise their health potential. It can help alleviate a wide range of conditions and assist in the recovery from many ill-health situations. It involves taking an assessment of the client’s history and formulating a specific treatment plan. However, it’s an uphill struggle to convince people to change their diet. But when they come to him, he hopes they will at least be prepared to listen and follow his advice as much as possible. Some of the problems caused by bad nutrition are IBS, colitis, indigestion, heartburn, levels of depression. An emotional problem in a person’s life is usually the underlying cause of health problems. The crux is to get people to change their diet and understand the harm that certain foods can do to us. For example, refined carbohydrates, sugar and hydrogenated cooking oils are the real dangers to our health. When you talk to Adam, you are struck by how passionate he is about the subject of nutrition and helping people to become more healthy and he does know his facts. He’s only been open since February. Nutritional therapy is in its infancy in Ireland but rapidly catching on as we become more and more plagued with allergies such as asthma, etc. Adam Horvath can be contacted on 087-9741256 or email h_adamus@yahoo.com . Liz Mahony

Date Added : 01/05/2008

From the 9th of June next a National Radio campaign will hit our airwaves with the dulcet tones of Derek Davis and Amanda Brunker singing Kinsale’s praises! With Derek’s creative input, a witty and playful script has been created to entice visitors to Kinsale over the coming months. The new committee of the Kinsale Chamber of Tourism has a comprehensive marketing plan in place for 2008 and beyond. Under the guidance of Ciaran Fitzgerald who has recently stepped into the role of Chairperson, the committee has announced plans of a National branding campaign. As well as the radio campaign the plan will include the sponsorship of the monthly crossword in Food & Wine Magazine and partaking in the hugely successful BBC Good Food Show in Birmingham NEC, complete with chefs demonstrating the best of what Kinsale has to offer! To boost awareness further, a Search Engine Optimisation programme & update of the website www.kinsale.ie is underway and will be completed in time to coincide with the radio slots. The Kinsale Visitor Guide and “101 things to do in Kinsale” are both being currently updated and will be printed and on the shelves by mid June. Full details of the plan will be unveiled at the Kinsale Chamber of Tourism AGM next month.

Date Added : 28/05/2008

The Trident Hotel, Kinsale, has achieved the Optimus Mark of Best Practice accreditation and the hotel’s achievement will be formally recognised at the Optimus Awards ceremony which will be held in the Castletroy Park Hotel, Limerick on Wednesday, 9th July 2008. Optimus is a multi-tiered programme developed by Failte Ireland to enable enterprises in tourism to become more productive, efficient and more competitive. The industry is challenged by rising costs and consumers are comparing what Ireland can offer with increasing international alternatives. For many in the industry, Optimus is welcomed as a lever to regain competitive ground. It offers a framework, based on proven international approaches, for businesses to deliver world class standards and enhance value. Tourism enterprises are encouraged to progress through three levels of improvement, from the entry level Service Excellence Awards to the Mark of Best Practice for key business operations and finally to the Award of Excellence for exceptional performance as a business entity. Optimus is in effect the National Standard for Best Practice in hospitality and tourism in Ireland. It is based on the standards of the best hotels in Europe and it is aligned with the EFQM (European Foundation for Quality Management) Excellence Model. The Trident hotel achieved the Optimus Mark of Best Practice following a concentrated process of development, communication, implementation, assessment and review of the Best Practice model and principles over a period of 18 months. Organisations seeking the an Optimus award are independently assessed by the Centre for Competitiveness N.I. and awards are approved by the Optimus Approvals Board, a body of national and international professionals, chaired by Mr Klaus Kobjoll, proprietor of the world renowned Hotel Schindlerhof in Nuremberg and winner of the European Quality Award. The above process of assessment and approval was also followed by the Trident Hotel. According to Mr Hal McElroy, General Manager, “The Optimus programme provided the Trident hotel with a system and approach that would enable us to create an exceptional and unique experience for our leisure or business customers by anticipating and responding to their needs in a friendly and professional manner and by delivering consistently high standards of products and services that represent superior value for money. The adoption of the principles espoused in the Optimus programme has had had a positive impact on guests and the Optimus Mark Best Practice award is an endorsement of our on-going commitment to achieving continuous improvement in all aspects of our operation.” Congratulations to the hard-working management and staff at the Trident Hotel. Pictured above celebrating are: Julie O'Mera, Commis Chef, Shirley Forde, Pastry chef, Chef Denis Galland and Jean O'Connor, Demi Chef.

Date Added : 28/05/2008

Many readers may be unfamiliar with podiatry but all of us recognize chiropody. Podiatry originated in the US and necessitates a form of training, either a three year degree or diploma course. Chiropody doesn’t require such in-depth study. By the very nature of its study, the scope of practice in podiatry is much larger. It involves such things as nail surgery under local anaesthetic, gait analysis, bio-mechanical assessment which can lead to orthotic devices to correct foot posture. A bad back may originate from a foot problem and vice versa. Most people are flat footed which causes strain on the back. Some people have different leg lengths – to quite a pronouced degree, which can cause unexplained backache. Correcting the leg length can alleviate back problems. Babies may be born with congenital deformities but bespoke or surgical footwear can help greatly. But a podiatrist also performs ordinary chiropody. You could say that’s the ‘bread and butter’ work. Laura studied at Queens University in Belfast at the Northern Ireland School of Podiatric Medicine. That was the only place in the whole of Ireland to cater for budding podiatrists. However, for anyone interested in the subject, Galway has just opened up the first School of Podiatry this year. After graduating, she worked for about 8 years with the Northern Ireland Health Service in various posts but she developed a special interest in diabetic foot problems. After working for a year in India, she decided she wanted to come home. Home meant Fairyhouse, Co. Meath but instead she landed in Cork, setting up the Diabetic Foot Clinic in Cork University Hospital which was challenging but very enjoyable. That job lasted about 6 years. But in the meantime, she had two young girls which changed her priorities. No longer did she want to spend the long hours at such a demanding job. Private practice seemed to be the answer where she could bring her experience and wide range of knowledge. So she opened up the Haven Bay Podiatry Clinic at the end of March and is present there Mon., Wed., and Friday and then has a clinic in Bandon on the other two weekdays. And once a month, she does a Saturday morning. She prefers the private practice for the diversity it brings. Laura is very interested in children’s foot care. It is so important to look after a child’s feet to prevent problems in later life and it can be done so easily at an early age. As another string to her bow, so to speak, she has studied podiatric acupuncture which can be effective for chronic problems, e.g., foot strain, non-specific foot, arthritic and even knee pain as well. It could even help problems elswhere because the acupuncture points for the whole body are located in the lower limbs, but that’s a bonus, not a guarantee she says! Laura can be contacted at no 26, Haven Bay Apartments, Ballinacubby, Kinsale in the grounds of Haven Bay. It’s an easy place to find with plenty of parking. Her number is 021-4779578. Liz Mahony

Date Added : 28/05/2008

Jan O'Leary may be behind of the most beautiful shops in town, and she may look a million dollars each day, but at heart she is a pennywise bargain hunter with a discerning eye for quality and cleverness in clothing, and a keen nose for cut as well as cost. She has loved clothes since she was a child, and during her 15 year career in finance and accountancy she dismantled and rearranged outfits as a hobby. She started to talk about her dream of running her own boutique 10 years ago, marriage and children sidetracked her a while, but this year, she finally took the plunge and knows the wait was worth it as she can now identify with a wider range of those she dresses. Having lived here for the last 8 years, Jan saw the need and has provided the outlet in Kinsale for women of all ages to indulge their own passion for fashion, whether seeking a whole outfit, or that special piece to refresh a wardrobe for a season or a Saturday night. Named after her grandmother ( whose name she formally shares) Jane Boutique and Accessories stocks everyday wear, directional fashion pieces, knitwear, occasion wear and coordinating accessories from Irish, Belgian, Italian and Danish labels, with both young and establish designers which include Dranella, CCDK, Saint Tropez, Mais il est ou soleil, Pennypull, Kozae and Urban. The boutique was formally opened March 1st, by the deputy mayor of Kinsale, Charles Henderson, who praised the initiative as confidence in the future of the town which will set an example to other retailers, part of the new and welcome spirit of enterprise in Kinsale. The opening was followed by a wine reception and music as guests enjoyed the attentions of an image and a beauty therapist as they browsed the selection. It is one where a whole look can be found without having to leave Kinsale, and at price that means the ladies of Kinsale can step in without fear they will leave broken hearted, empty handed or cash poor. Prices start at 20-30 Euros, and not even the most beautiful dresses are more that 150 Euro, nothing in the shop is. Due to this dedication from Jan, the stock is consistently changing, which ensures a fresh supply of unique clothing regularly. Though the buying has not been as dreamy as imagined, Jan is committed to keeping up with her research, and finding more talented designers, especially from Ireland, at an affordable price. With style icons such as Sophia Loren - for her very womanly classic style, and Helena Christensen - for her comfortable but very chic looking day look and her amazing evening dress, fashion is important to Jan, as she believes it is an extension to who you are and your personality , and gives everybody the opportunity to express themselves through what they wear. "If you look good and take an interest in how you present yourself it automatically results in making you feel great". She is thoroughly enjoying her new place of work, describing the regular friendly chats with fellow followers as a pleasure, and taking particular pride and delight in helping her clientele choose the perfect outfit for them, according to individual style and shape. Her best piece of fashion advice? "Accessorize !!! Accessorize !!! Even the most casual of outfits should be finished off with the right bag ,shoes and jewellery to complete the look". Indeed, sitting at the little in-boutique coffee table, she looks like a lady well pleased with her work; she has a wealth of delicacies to choose from in front of her…we can only imagine the fun she must have choosing her "uniform"! Jane Boutique, Unit 4, Shearwater, Pier Road, Kinsale, Co. Cork. On marina front between Actons and trident, Open 10.30 -5pm Tues to sat, Sunday and bank holidays, 2-5.30 pm. 021 477 4910

Date Added : 28/05/2008

St. Multose's Church was packed to overflowing for the annual Sea Sunday service on Sunday May 18th last. In an eloquent address, Canon Douglas Goddard thanked all involved with the matters maritime for their care of the thousands of seafarers who passed their coast. There was a minute's silence to remember all who had died at sea after which the choir sang "Fierce rages the tempest". Canon David Williams acknowledged the representation at Sea Sunday of the many organisations and voluntary groups and there was a special welcome for the wives and families of Ger Bohan and Tomasz Jagla who were lost at sea off the Honeydew II in January 2007. Tomasz's daughter Alexandra made her First Holy Communion the previous day. Flowers from the different maritime organisations were placed into a basket which Ewen Tubridy of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution brought in a procession led by the Irish Air Corps Pipe Band and a colour party through the town to the new seafarers' memorial and blessing of boats ceremony. Driving rain and wind on the Pier Head served as a poignant reminder as the magnificent new Lost at Sea Memorial was then officially blessed at Kinsale Harbour before a large attendance who braved the elements. As pointed out by harbour master and committee member Captain Phil Devitt, the deaths of Ger and Tomasz and that of others before them prompted the building of a new and unique memorial to all Kinsale people who lost their lives at sea. Designed by Rob Jacob and built by Ray O'Callaghan, it features on a plinth, a miniature of the famous "Kinsale Hooker" boat in cedar with the inscription in granite of a verse from the poem and ballad "The Boatman of Kinsale" by Thomas Davis and a pewter sail. Situated near the 1601 Mast, the previous anchor memorial will be incorporated into the harbour-side site as a place for reflection. Capt. Phil Devitt paid tribute to everyone involved in the project and work on the memorial which was only completed the night previous, especially fishermens' representative on Kinsale Harbour Board, Eamonn O'Neill who initiated it, Rob Jacob of JLS Design and Ray O'Callaghan and council stonemasons. He also acknowledged the late Gerald Gimblett who inspired the anchor memorial donated by the Hurley family which would again feature at the site; Kinsale Town and Cork County Councils staff, stonemasons Barry Ryan Paving, other committee members, Canon David Williams and fellow Sea Sunday organiser Noel O'Toole. Prayers were recited and the memorial was jointly blessed by Canon David Williams and Rev. John K. O'Mahony PP and a wreath laid by chairman of the harbour board Michael T. Frawley. As the tricolour was raised at the mast, a lament was played by the Pipe Band of the Irish Air Corps. The Lost at Sea Memorial Committee comprises Eamonn O'Neill, John O'Mahony, Albert O'Neill, David Hurley, Billy Lynch TC, John Walsh, Canon Williams, John Thuillier and Phil Devitt. A short march followed to the Pier Head where there were readings by Canon Douglas Goddard, senior chaplain to the Mission to Seafarers in Belfast; Canon Williams and Fr. Micheal O'Neill, O.Carm. Prior, the blessing of the boats and the wonderful singing by Micheal Hurley with the crews of Courtmacsherry and Kinsale Lifeboats of "Home by the Sea". Flowers and a scroll listing the participating organisations on Sea Sunday were dropped into the harbour from the Kinsale lifeboat by crew members Jack Coldrick, Annette Coughlan and Nicholas Searls. The final ceremony involved a small group who went on board John and James O'Mahony's fishing trawler "Sean Mar II" to a point off in the harbour Summercove. John O'Mahony placed a wreath and flowers gathered in a basket from different organisations in St. Multose's were placed into the sea during prayers in English and Polish broadcast on VHF radio. Here also, in a moment of tranquility after all the wind and rain, Mary Bohan and her children threw in red and yellow balloons which were originally bought for her late husband's 40th birthday. Piper Kevin Cronin of the Ambulance Service played "Dawning of the Day" and a flotilla of local trawlers accompanied "Sean Mar II". A reception followed at the Kinsale Yacht Club where fine hospitality was provided by Angela and Bernard Hurley, Aoife, Eoin and Carroll.

Date Added : 28/05/2008

This year's arts week is fast approaching and now is the time to get festival fit! Workshops for 12-16 year olds are running four weeks in advance of KAW2008, so if you have ever wondered what is like to play the percussion, try a few circus skills, or do a bit of art and design or play at performance now is the time to sign up for the classes which will start June 21st. You will even have the opportunity to experience the power and persuasion of performance in your new art in a new way... as part of it in the returning Street day, which promises to be a fun filled Saturday, with music, acrobats, street spectacle and the chance to become your favourite album cover. Kinsale Arts week is a community festival and KAW2008 is all about getting everyone involved. There is something for everyone here this year, including several specially commissioned pieces, which will not be seen at any other festival in Ireland. This includes an opening ceremonial fire display after dark in the inner harbour “fire on water”, with live accompaniment from local composer Irene Buckley, a site specific performance art piece involving giant Perspex balls floating on the water, and a very special piece of children’s theatre. Both established and emerging artists are supported here, and the ‘nine-day week’ comprises over 80 events and projects ranging from classical and popular music to cutting-edge visual arts, family, children’s entertainment, theatre, and literature; the programming reflecting the eclectic tastes of the community. Those who know what they like will be treated to several delicacies such as curated exhibitions by Aidan Dunne, and Charles Tyrell, classical concerts from Cora Venus Lunny or The Brodsky Quartet, trad sessions from Cora Smyth, chamber music ensemble Mestizo or comedy from Kevin McAleer. And those less familiar will have a smorgasbord of artistic expression on offer from which to choose from, some specially chosen as an accessible introduction such as the pre school arts and crafts workshops or “Anna and the moods”, a modern day Peter and the wolf, narrated by John Telfer, of television show “Skins” fame. Familiarity is an interesting flavour running through this year’s event. Familiarity implies a certain knowingness, but how much do we really know? Do we understand or even know the bigger picture? These are the kind of questions that KAW2008 is encouraging us to ask. An example of this can be seen in the strong cultural programming around one of this year’s theme, Cuba, too often seen in the light of mojitas and music. Yes, this too will be on offer in Kinsale this July with the Fiesta Fever closing party, complete with dancing and free Havana club cocktails, but we shall also see photography from John Minihane and literature and film too. Questions will be encouraged in a series of debate and panel discussion, and not just on this theme, there are many others besides... what about a Cuban Cinema Discussion or a debate on an emerging Cork, or Celebrity Vs Culture in the 21st Century? This festival will ask us to reflect on who we are, and why we are here, to explore, rather than absorb, to be aware of that which lies beneath the surface. In a fantastic coup, director Neil Jordan will be presenting a different cannon of his work, his literary work, in the one performance of the only play he has written, White Horses, which he will also direct, utilising the backdrop of Kinsale Harbour. Again, we see an exploration, we see the artist as opposed to the work of the director, and we have the opportunity to delve further still as he will stay around for “In conversation with Neil Jordan” on Sunday July 13th. His is not the only story to be told. KAW2008 is full of people sharing their stories, Jamie Fox will delight with tales of moments of life in a piece of very different theatre, and local artists will open their studios in the Artists trail, allowing glimpses into what lies behind the gallery space. Local children too will find their voices in a publication of a poetry anthology, supported by Cork City Library, and all are encouraged to participate in the big draw where an artist taking inspiration from your story will weave it into his art. Everyone has story. A history. And history both relates to yourself and to others. Even buildings have a history, and Charles Fort’s will be explored by the Turner Prize Nominee, Anya Gallaccio playing on the idea of the last stop before America, immigration and war in an installation of the fort itself. The windows will be covered with perspex, illuminated and mended, bringing life back to the building that was once burnt, healing a place that defended against war, reminding us war is still present today. This is not the only Kinsale building that is being given a makeover. Arts week will see local spaces used in different ways that co create new experience. Shop windows will turn into a Walking Gallery, the Municipal hall will turn into a stage and the White Lady, the harbour and the Chart Room in the Trident, will be very different spaces, to be looked at very differently. Indeed throughout the festival ways of viewing will be challenged, Perception played with, and our imaginations stretched. What will happen when an audience is invited to steal the work off the walls as in Art Raid? How would a play feel, if you were the only audience? Try Intimate history to find out… What will a Readathon of the BFG sound like? It is this kind of ambitious programming that will raise all kinds of questions, but one thing is for sure…an experience will definitely be created, and isn’t that a story to tell? And where better to tell it than in a creative writing workshop? Or if other ways of expressing yourself appeal then why not try your hand at water colours, jewellery making, bronze casting, pottery, travel writing, icon painting, or film making? Whatever your artistic fancy, this July you’ll find it here, and from the sounds of it, a whole lot more else besides... KAW2008 is a true celebration of creativity. The Box Office is now open at Guardwell. More information or booking on any of the above from: Online: www.kisaleartsweek.com By phone: 021 4700877/086 8227588 In person: KAW Box Office, The Folk House, Guardwell, Tues - Sat 10am - 6pm Arts Week Opening Hours: Daily 10am - 6pm During Arts Week tickets can also be purchased from Friar’s Lodge, Kinsale Mon – Sat, 10 – 5pm Suzy Renwick

Date Added : 28/05/2008

On April 8th Aileen Mann finally managed to get her yacht to Kinsale to get ready for her solo sail around Ireland. It took 4 days of sailing over the space of 2 weeks to get there, with a few hiccups, a bit of sea sickness, a lot of wind and a visit from the friendly RNLI off the coast of Kerry. The pressure was then on to get everything up and running to set off on May 11th. Leaving at approximately 11am from Kinsale Yacht Club Marina where she was given a great send off, the weather was looking good and she was feeling confident and nervous at the same time. First was stop Baltimore but with a serious lack of wind she ended up motoring part of the way. The visibilty was quiet poor and about 4 hours into the journey she got a surprise visit out of the mist from her cousin Lorraine and her boyfriend Coleman, “It was a great morale booster”. On day 2 she intended on departing Baltimore at 5.30am to start the long leg to her second destination Smerwick Harbour which is approximately 75 miles from Baltimore but when she woke the fog that had rolled in the night previous hadn’t lifted an the entrance to Baltimore Harbour wasn’t visible. At approximatley 12.30pm she departed Baltimore even though the conditions were still quite poor (20m visibilty). Eventually Crookhaven appeared out of the fog. Day 3 she parted company with the lads on yacht Yaquita who she had met in Baltimore the previous day and left Crookhaven at 6am with hope to catch up on the miles missed out on. After a slow but early start the sun came out the wind appeared and the fog disappeared and it turned into a fantastic day for sailing past the Skelligs and through Blasket Islands. She arrived into Smerwick Harbour at 5.30pm where she had a quiet evening in the sun with dinner and a book. At 5am on day 4 she got ready to depart Smerwick Harbour. There was a good breeze all day but the sea was a bit lumpy which made the first half of the day a little uncomfortable. With sails and heading set and with no interuptions she slept for a few hours, George her Autohelm doing most of the work “It’s such a hard life this sailing lark”. In no time she was at the Skerda Rocks on route to Roundstone and more or less on time. When she arrived into Roundstone Harbour she received a warm welcome from the Connelly Family who met her in a rib and guided her into her morring. When she got to shore she got a hot shower, hot food and a comfortable bed to sleep on, “The boat is comfortable but it’s nice to be on solid ground”. She stayed in Roundstone for a day stocking up on supplies and getting ready for the following legs. The initial plan for day 6 was to head for Frenchport in North Mayo and after leaving Roundstone Pier at 5.30am was making great progress for the first couple of hours when her Autohelm George decided it had had enough. She was still making good headway without it but unfortunately the sea breeze kicked up, went northerly and instead of arriving at 6pm she arrived at 8.30pm. After the long tough day she had covered 85 miles. She was escorted by the guys from Broadhaven Hotel around Eagle Island and Erris Head. The also helped her fix George and helped refuel. She was then surprised to find her parents waiting to meet her at the pier. The next day she was off 50 miles across the bay to a small place called Teelin in South Donegal "A short day at last". At 7.15 am she departed Teelin en route to Sheephaven and after battling some "lumpy" weather moored at 7pm. The next day she left Sheephaven, in choppy conditions and with the wind again in her face, heading for Portrush. She was received there by Coleraine Lions Club who put her up in a fancy B&B, treated her to spin in a Porsche and dinner in the Harbour Bistro. She reluctantly left Portrush and headed towards the Raitlin Sound with tides in her favour. But as she rounded Fair Head she landed in a 4m swell which her boat and made the food in her cooler box explode. 3 hours later the swell slackened and she put up sails. At 6pm she arrived into Carrickfergus after negotiating all the big boats and Stena Line Ferries. That evening she treated her self to a McDonalds!. When going to print Aileen was in Howth and her trip was delayed a day due to strong winds and high seas. Go to www.solosail.ie to read her daily updated blog and track her progress. We wish Aileen, who is doing the trip to raise funds for CanTeen Ireland and the 3 Ts, a very safe journey back to Kinsale!

Date Added : 28/05/2008

On the occasion of his retirement as Director of Kinsale FEC John Thuillier agreed to talk about his involvement in education for forty years, thirty-five of which were spent in Kinsale. During this period his career could be summed up in three overlapping phases. First of all his role as a teacher of Mathematics. Then followed the setting up of the Outdoor Education Centre with its emphasis on marine activities on St Johns Hill in 1978 and finally the establishment of the Further Education College in 1996. Both centres, which are flourishing, are supported by the Co Cork VEC and recognised by the Dept of Education receiving considerable state funding. The Bandon Road facility draws students from all over the world to attend a unique range of locally developed courses. Returning to his native town in 1973 as a teacher of Mathematics John concentrated on exploring the possibilities that exist within the Vocational Education system and its commitment to “continuing education”. The framework allowed for innovation in curriculum and presented opportunities to provide for specific needs in particular locations. One of his first projects was to focus on teaching methods in Mathematics, which for many pupils is a problem area. A scheme was devised, which instead of the traditional abstract deductive approach, stressed the use of concrete materials and emphasised the intrinsic structure and beauty of Mathematics. Interest in learning through concrete experience provided the basis for the development of structured field study programmes in ecology and history. The strategy adopted in this form of teaching is best illustrated for instance by a pupil in Kinsale, studying the 16th and 17th Century Wars of Religion, who would first consider the significance of the Battle of Kinsale by actually walking the site where the outcome of this pan European conflict was partly determined. In his early years in Kinsale and highlighting the significance of living in a seaboard community John began the process of introducing the students of the Vocational School to sailing and marine skills at a time when the sea was totally disregarded in the curriculum. As a result of this engagement a programme in maritime activities was recognised for Kinsale by the Dept of Education in 1977 as a Pre-employment Course. Pupils studied the elements of navigation, caught fish, set up a mussel raft in the river, learned to build boats and practiced seamanship skills afloat. From the success of these projects the course got its own premises in 1978 at the old boys National School overlooking the harbour at St John’s Hill. With Department funding and the support of the Co. Cork VEC, courses were extended to include adventure and outdoor pursuit activities with specific training in sailing, navigation, power boating etc. In 1980, having built up a reputation, Kinsale was one of three locations in the country to receive outdoor education centre recognition and was able to draw down resources which this status allowed. Together with its education function the Centre offered activity opportunities to visitors during the busy tourist season in support of the industry in Kinsale. Well established by 1988, John left the recreationally oriented Outdoor Centre on St. John’s Hill returning to work in the more curricular school based environment. On his departure the Centre acquired a manager and a five permanent staff complement, which increases to over 15 during the summer period. However with a continuing interest in seeking opportunities for education in the marine and the outdoors the emergence of post leaving certificate provision presented further possibilities. In 1996 when the new Community School opened, the old Vocational school on Bandon Road became available and with the agreement of the VEC John proceeded to set up a Further Education College in the town. Conscious of not replicating courses already available, the College devised a series of unique learning experiences, which in effect were major projects in innovation and curriculum development. The Centre now offers 54 different FETAC recognised modules grouped under 5 qualifications awards. Together with the original marine based outdoor pursuits programme the College runs comprehensive two-year courses in the arts, drama, multimedia, filmmaking and permaculture. Eighteen staff are now employed at the College, which draws students from all over the world, many of whom live in Kinsale during term time adding a distinctive third level flavour to various social, cultural, sporting and environmental activities in the town. Unique to the Kinsale College is the full time two year course in permaculture which is making an educational response to issues around sustainability not just in relation to the environment and climate change but also considers the implications for society and individual well being in relation to food, shelter and the need for “reskilling” in response to depleting energy resources and preparation for significant change. This change is viewed not as a threat but positively presenting further opportunity for development. From a community perspective the Transition Towns Project, which was initiated in the College as a practical permaculture response, has been set up in Kinsale and is being adopted by other communities in Ireland and the UK. On retiring John feels privileged in having had the opportunity to engage in the educational adventure with thousands of young people over a forty-year period. He takes some satisfaction in being responsible for maintaining a VEC presence in Kinsale through the establishment of the Outdoor Education Centre and the Further Education College, which add a distinctive state funded contribution to educational provision in the town. There have also been disappointments and frustration at times. No doubt the growing level of bureaucracy will be a major constraint in education and particularly negative in the context of development at a local level. John would like however to acknowledge the contribution of all the teaching staffs and the dedication of secretaries and caretakers he has worked with. Overall on a personal level he has thoroughly enjoyed his working life as a teacher and would recommend a career in education to any young person. We wish John a very long, happy and healthy retirement and thank him for his outstanding contribution to Kinsale. No matter what area John has been involved in, education, politics, maritime affairs, history, he has always had the best interests of Kinsale, and the people of Kinsale, at heart. Thank you John!

Date Added : 03/07/2008

Our family recently returned from a holiday to Italy, Croatia, Turkey and Greece. We were happy to be coming home to Ireland. Ireland isn’t really our home but it sure has become one for the past 11 months. That being said, it is with heavy hearts, and tears of sadness and joy, that our family begins to bid farewell to Kinsale and its community. Eleven months ago our family—John, Alice, Maggie (16) and Garrett Kennedy (14) moved from Alexandria, Virginia, just 4 miles outside of Washington, D.C., to Kinsale to live a year abroad (and not just to escape the Presidential campaigning in the U.S.). With the last name Kennedy and an English speaking family, Ireland was the obvious choice. But where to live in Ireland was not so easy. One evening, in the fall of 2006, we stayed up and read a book about moving and living abroad in Ireland. We decided on Kinsale because 1) it was mentioned as one of the sunniest, driest towns in Ireland (after last summer would anyone living in Kinsale agree?), 2) it was close to an airport, 3) it had gourmet food, and 4) it was close to the sea. So we put up a sign, rented our home, packed our suitcases, said goodbye to family and friends and sailed (flew) away across the pond with two begrudging teenagers by our sides! The past 11 months have brought us much fun and laughter with weekly Friday night visits to the White Lady with the Gallaghers, the Goulds, the Fitzgeralds and the McGorys, as we all decompressed from our busy work week (well for them anyway!). At the Kinsale Tennis Club under Claudine’s (my fellow zero) fine leadership we played in the most fun tennis tournaments. Tuesday and Thursday club night tennis in the cold, wind, rain and sometimes sun will be one of our finest memories of the year we spent in Kinsale. The tennis club and its members became our home away from home, and we wish we could name each of you but we are sure we would leave someone out. Our family has experienced many firsts while living here in Kinsale. Our daughter, Maggie, experienced her first “true love”. David O’Donovan we thank you for being a wonderful, young lad who we feel fortunate to know. Maggie also experienced Gaelic football and has found it difficult to explain the Gaelic sport to her American friends back home in the States! Maggie raised money, with the support of the Kinsale Community, for the Irish Hope Foundation which led to her traveling to India. Her travel to India was a life-changing experience and she is now considering a tour with the U.S. Peace Corps upon graduating from college. Our son, Garrett, experienced his first, and hopefully last, dosing (new word to us). Ann Marie Kingston described this classic scene. Picture if you will, 12 boys lying on their backs in a field of tall grass, arms stretched out and hands under their heads, all in a row, surrounded by green hills, a blue sky and a brilliant sun. Their book bags lie unopened by their sides. The boys appeared not to have a care in the world. Of course, this behavior is not condoned but days later after calming down we knew that that was a moment in Garrett’s life in Ireland shared with the lads that he will always remember. Garrett played rugby and was coached by Paul Kingston and Giles Norman. Of all the sports Garrett has participated in his 14 years, he would say he enjoyed rugby the most. The experience of playing on the U-14 Kinsale Rugby team couldn’t have been more positive and he even scored a try!!!! Alice had her first Guinness and is already wondering just where in the States she can go to have a Guinness and good craic! She’s afraid she’ll be disappointed and also feel a bit arrogant because she’s experienced the real thing! And thanks to her driving teacher, Liam, she learned to drive on the right side of the car on the left side of the road - no easy feat for a 50 year old or was that 49! Alice also experienced the most beautiful walks imaginable in the Irish countryside and seashore. She even met Damien Enright, a well-known Irish author who has published many books on walking in Ireland. She met him while taking a walk in Courtmacsherry. She stopped him, not knowing who he was, to ask if it was true when signs said, “Beware of the Bulls“. John said, “I think that’s a lot of …….”. Damien did not comment. John had the experience of caddying and playing at the Old Head Golf Club. He also enjoyed the experience of playing tennis on the grass courts in Timoleague. John enjoyed walking into the town of Kinsale and mingling with the merchants at the Tuesday market. He was happy to walk and not have to get in a car after many years of commuting into Washington, D.C. He enjoyed Kinsale’s proximity to Cork Airport where he travelled to many spots in Europe and recently he took a trip to Scotland to play golf at St. Andrews - a lifelong dream! We learned that one cannot escape life’s tragic times even when traveling 3,000 miles from home. Our family shared in the tragic loss of one of Kinsale’s youth, Niall Irwin. It was one of the saddest times in our family’s life, and we were warmed by the outpouring of love and support the Kinsale Community showed to one another during that most difficult time. We would like to give huge thanks to Colette and her wonderful staff at Vista for providing us with milk when returning from a trip, lovely evenings with wine and food and mornings with coffee and scones. Thank you also to David Peare, at the Quay Food Co who provided us with the best cheese ever for our many dinners of American macaroni and cheese. And to Tracy at the Bakers Oven, thank you for the caramel cake (would love that recipe) and the enjoyable mother talk we shared. Maggie and Garrett would also like to thank Dino’s Take Away—our Irish version of McDonalds although Dino’s food is much better. To my Friday morning walking group of Mary, Eileen, and Bernie thank you for helping me keep the pounds off. Thank you to Brian McGory for making our family bigger and for your good cheer and craic. To Barry McGory, thank you for your charming grin and Charlie, thank you for your calm demeanour especially when Garrett had been missing for hours and Alice was frantic!! To Ann O’Connell, thank you for including me and make me feel a part of the rugby mom’s group. To Jane and Jessie thank you for being great friends and my anchor from time to time. To Sean O’Broin, Deputy Principal of Kinsale Community School, thank you for your amazing professionalism and intelligence both analytical and emotional. You were right on top of things and we were so comforted knowing that our children were in your care at the Kinsale Community School. During our year in Ireland, we had 27 visitors, both family and friends, and each and every one was moved by the friendliness of the people and the history and beauty of Kinsale. I believe that once a person visits Ireland they are forever changed and they will always have a bit of the grace of Ireland within them. How very fortunate for our family to have had almost 11 months! In closing, we want to thank each and everyone of you who have touched our lives. We were welcomed more warmly than we ever could have imagined. Many of our friends back home thought we were crazy to uproot our family and move to Ireland. But I cannot imagine a life without having known Kinsale and the friends we have made. If we may, we would like to dedicate our year in Kinsale to Jim Good, who is not only a fabulous landlord but a best friend and one of the finest gentlemen we have ever known. We will miss Jim Good dearly. I mentioned in the beginning of this letter our reasons for choosing Kinsale over the hundreds of other towns in Ireland but it is not for those reasons that we are so sad to be leaving Kinsale. It is because we have come to know the kindest and warmest people in the world. We will miss you all! With love, John, Alice, Maggie and Garrett Kennedy—CHEERS!

Date Added : 03/07/2008

An appeal for the re-start in the town centre of work on Kinsale Main Drainage Scheme to be deferred from September 1 for one month due to the impact it has had on town centre businesses, was made in a letter from traders in the Market Street, Milk Market, Market Place, Newman’s Mall, Short Quay and Main Street area to the June meeting of the town council. The letter was personally signed by the proprietors of over 20 businesses who were of the view that the contractor, Kinsale and Cork County Councils didn’t understand how much business had been affected. "While we welcome the progress and understand that the works are necessary, we now feel that they are taking excessively long and that no reasonable effort is being made by any side to accommodate the local businesses and community." Initially, the traders claimed, they were told the job in their area would take six to eight weeks starting from January 4 but so far no explanation had been given as to why it was still ongoing in week 16. It was pointed out that no work was carried out for the first ten days from the White House to Collins Pharmacy even though barriers went up and no explanations had been given as this and other matters of concern. Due to the fact that Kinsale town centre was closed and there was disruption for five months, the business people argued that the re-start date of September 1 was unacceptable since it effectively gave them only a 12 weeks window to make enough money to last the whole year. The traders said they had been very patient but several were now suffering financially at a time when the town council issued rates when it was very difficult for the public to access their premises. In that regard, they called for a reduction in rates for the businesses affected.

Date Added : 03/07/2008

On June 5th, Giles launched his collection of photographs of Venice. He and his wife, Catherine, had talked about doing a show twice a year for quite some time and finally this collection is the culmination and beginning of those ideas. The photographs were the result of a trip to Venice in 2006. That’s at least how long they had been talking about doing a show! But the wait was well worthwhile with beautiful images containing plenty of atmosphere. Of course, all pictures and photographs are subjective but there was something for everyone in his collection. It was well attended and well-received in Kinsale. He also had the same show in his gallery in Powerscourt in Dublin. Giles has been a photographer for twenty years. His workroom shows a marvellous collection of SLR cameras which are now just reminders of the past as around 2006, he moved over to a digital camera. In fact, Venice was nearly his first time recording digital images. In spite of moving with the times, he prefers to ‘still only burn in and out’ as in the same way he used to do previously in his dark room rather than completely modify his photographs on the computer because then it’s not ‘his work any more’. He also likes to take his time over his choice of images after a shoot. In other words, he does the shoot and then leaves them for a while. That way he feels he comes back to them with a clearer mind and no pre-conceived ideas. Although his style of photography has evolved over the years, there is still the same interest from the public in his earlier pictures. He doesn’t feel he’s more critical of his own work over the years, rather that he’s tried to move, change and grow. In the early days he used more contrast between black and white. He calls his early work ‘primitive’. Nowadays there is more subtlety as he makes use of the nuances between stark black and white. He’s never had any desire to photograph in colour, only monochrome. He has his own style and is very comfortable with it. As far as he’s concerned, the creative side is what excites him and photography is only a medium for it. His style might be called unorthodox in that he doesn’t take long composing a picture whereas other landscape photographers tend to sit in the same place waiting for the perfect shot of a particular scene. Instead he follows the style of the street photographers in Paris: he keeps ‘walking and clicking, looking at different images’. Afterwards he will decide what he likes or will discard. Having started the ball rolling with the Venice collection, he now plans to stage two a year. The next one will feature New York and will be out before Christmas. Liz Mahony

Date Added : 03/07/2008

Restoration of Church Organ Continues The restoration of the organ in St. John the Baptist Church is continuing on schedule. The instrument, which is a unique piece of Irish heritage, was removed from the church in April and taken to Wexford where it is currently being restored by Paul Neiland and Associates. The organ is of tremendous historical value as it was built in 1809 by Hugh Russell & Co., London, making it possibly the oldest unmodified working organ on the British Isles. What makes it so unique is that all the original parts put in place in 1809 remain in place today. These parts are in the process of being restored in an historical and sympathetic manner so that the organ will retain its integrity. The organ has raised great interest in the United Kingdom due to its provenance. There are very few Hugh Russell & Co. organs remaining in Ireland or the UK. Paul Neiland of Neiland & Associates has informed the Kinsale & District Newsletter that the restoration is going according to plan with many parts now restored exactly as they were. He is very excited about restoring the organ due to its historical value, it is also the oldest organ he and his colleagues have restored. He previously restored an organ built in 1815 which was based in West Cork. Readers can see previous work carried out by Neiland Organs at www.neilandorgans.com. Meanwhile all this restoration work needs to be paid for! A very dedicated hard-working committee has been raising funds to carry out the work since earlier this year. They have raised half of the €48,000 needed to pay for the restoration, however a third instalment of €12,000 is due shortly and funds are badly needed to cover this! The committee members would be delighted if the residents and business people of Kinsale could contribute to the restoration of this historical instrument. Donations of all amounts are welcome but as the committee has charitable status donations made by P.A.Y.E. workers of €250 or more will attract a claw-back of Income Tax to the charity. Cheques should be made payable to St. John the Baptist Church Organ Restoration Fund and should be given to any member of the committee. The following phone numbers may be useful: Garry Fitzsimons 477 2538, Vincent McCarthy 477 2998, Kevin Goggin 477 2465. All contributions will be acknowledged. Thank you to everyone for your support to date.

Date Added : 03/07/2008

Planning is the most important ingredient for a successful trip. It ensures that both your money and your time is maximised. However, if the thought of planning out your trip fills you with dread then why not let Magic Vacations do it for you? Opened in February 2008, Magic Vacations is a specialist travel agent dealing with long haul travel and all things to do with Disney; Disneyland Paris, Disney World Orlando, and the Disney cruises. Owner manager, John Barrett, caught the Travel bug from an early age, and after studying Marketing and French in college, he spent 2 summers working in the newly opened Euro Disney as it was then known. He then travelled extensively throughout Asia, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand and having gained this travel experience knew he wanted to work in the business. He spent the next 14 years managing travel agencies and along the way found himself yearning for his own time and his own chance to develop his own view on how a travel agency should work. With children of his own, he soon realised the importance of the family holiday, the chance to reconnect and enjoy in a hassle free environment. The fact he had travelled so much only increased his ability to help select the ideal holiday for each person. He finds the experience of planning beforehand a huge part of the enjoyment, and this is what gave him the idea of “the travel lounge”, where appointments can be made prior to a visit to a calming room adorned with a huge map of the world, where you can sit comfortably and explore a number of pre-selected specially chosen options that might entice you with an expert from the Magic vacations team. All advice is impartial and independent, and personally researched regularly. Magic Vacations pride themselves on helping you plan your itinerary so that you won’t miss out on any of the possible extras that make a holiday so special, matching the best deal to every person who comes in. So whether you are looking for top tips for families travelling with babies or toddlers, travelling for romance, or as a first time visitor, wanting an extraordinary and unique venue for your special events and team building activities or wishing to whisk your guests off to a distant country or era or even to a whole new universe, why not let Magic Vacations do all the work – whilst you have all the fun! They can guide you to a magic vacation and customise an itinerary for you that exceeds your travel expectations and goals. After all John Barrett is a man in the know… he knows that Disney have almost 200 different ticket combinations, and Disney Orlando is 47 square miles (the size of Manhattan) and warns that without planning advice you might miss out on 50percent of what you could be taking in. This is the insider knowledge extra that the internet could never give. With the Magic Vacations Exclusive Concierge Service automatically included free of charge you can avail of the best attractions for your party,(family fun, little ones, teen things , big thrills and just for grown -ups), ensure you see the best shows, and dine at the best restaurants, get advice on how to avoid the long lines and crowds, have breakfast with Cinderella in her castle or maybe lunch with Chip N Dale facilitated, offer business guests unrestricted access to the attractions , restaurants and entertainment of choice after the parks have closed, ensure your mealtimes coincide with the 3 night shows, cater for special dietary requirements and select the ideal accommodation. With the exclusive daily planner you can save up to 4 hours of queuing in a single day and due to the fact that Magic Vacations deal direct and cut out the middle man , they can assure they are very competitive, with a trip during Winter season (7th November until 4th April 2009 including Christmas, New Year, Easter and midterm next year) on sale already with a lead in price of 934 Euro for 3 nights 4 days with 2 adults and 1 child, including tickets, taxes, flights and transfers, as well as several other early booking discounts. Magic Vacations are both price and service driven, and even offer a quote beater whereby you simply tell them about your current quote and give a set time to try and beat your package (be it flights, hotel, car hire, cruise, package etc). So, if you are keen to start planning your next holiday, without having to do the planning yourself, why not contact Magic Vacations for the best possible price and best possible advice, surely “a win win situation”. Now isn’t that magic?. Magic Vacations is situated at Emmet Place, Kinsale www.magicvacations.ie 021 477 0568 experts@magicvacations.ie Suzy Renwick

Date Added : 03/07/2008

Kinsale Arts week this year kicks off with Fire on Water, a free, stunning fire spectacle on Kinsale Harbour. Inspired by the natural amphitheatre of the space and performed to a piece of specially commissioned music, this exciting and explosive piece will kick-start the festival week and ensure events are burning bright for the rest of the 9-day programme. While you may be dazzled and delighted by big name acts such as notoriously rousing and energetic Elkie Brooks, the phenomenal party band that is Ska Cubano, or Turner-prize nominee Anya Gallaccio's daring, specially commissioned site-specific installation at Charles Fort, top traditional musician Cora Smyth, musical virtuoso Cora Venus Lunny and comedian Sean Hughes will be performing also, and you should definitely make sure that you don’t miss the hidden gems and rare opportunities on offer this year. These include theatrical performances, interviews and debates, and it is truly up to yourself how much you choose to participate. A series of intimate theatrical performances for one are on offer in Intimate History; a series of five-minute epics of astonishing sweetness and emotional depth designed by Jake Oldershaw and his virtuoso pianist Derek Nisbet. You will be the only audience, and this show is just for you. A private concert, a moment to be savoured, whilst you sit and enjoy. You even get the chance to choose which version of the piece you would like. Choose a scene..sorrowful, love story, upbeat… With 6 on offer, you may be tempted to try all of them out, and a special package rate will be available for this. Or perhaps you would rather try your hand at something a little different? Do you wish you had a new piece of art? Visual artist Will St. Leger brings his rogue exhibition Art Raid to Kinsale – a visual arts piece with the extraordinary claim of being the first ever art exhibition at which you are actively encouraged to steal the works on show! Are you cunning enough to be successful? Or would you like to see something very different? Performance artist and cult Radio Four star Julian Fox presents You’ve Got to Love Dancing to Stick to It - an award nominated, oddly fantastical mix of urban reflections, home videos and electro-ish pop songs in a performance that succeeds in turning scenes from ordinary life into something extraordinary. If you wish to do same for your own life, why not partake in one of the numerous workshops which will be available in Kinsale for this limited period? Travel writing? Film making, anyone? Book early to avoid disappointment! This is a time when introductions can be made, and not just to yourself and for yourself, but including the whole family. Puppet shows and special children’s theatre such as “The man who planted trees”, a beautiful ecological tale will be in town, and Classical geniuses The Brodsky Quartet, a string quartet renowned for their ability to push boundaries and transcend genres, will make the first live performance in Ireland, with their mesmerising score Anna and the Moods (a modern day Peter and the Wolf) being performed with narration by well-known BBC actor John Telfer. Almost half of these events are free, such as the exhibitions, and the street day and numerous family events. This is your festival and with so much on offer, it’s up to yourself how much you choose to get involved. Whatever you like, it will be there, and it’s accessible to all. You can choose a bite sized portion, a big chunk, or a big fat slice of cultural enticement. Maybe just stroll around a gallery in the morning, or take in a film for the afternoon, listen to a reading, engage in a debate or fully immerse yourself in everything that is on offer on any given day. Volunteers to help in any way for all events are always looked for; just get in contact with the Arts Week office. This festival is for you. Time and expense has not been spared, and now it’s up to the people of Kinsale to participate. Kinsale Arts Week is set to electrify the oldest, and arguably the most picturesque, seaside town in Ireland with an array of cultural treats spanning visual art, music, dance, comedy, literature, film, theatre, family events, workshops and outdoor display. This promises to be a spectacular 9 days in Kinsale, and as we do not have a music venue or permanent theatre here the rest of the year, why not make the most of it, and get involved whilst the show is in town? Tickets to and details of all events are available on www.kinsaleartsweek.com Bookings can be made through the Kinsale Arts Week website or +353 (0)21 4700877. WIN TICKETS TO KAW 2008!!! Answer the following question and you could win a pair of tickets to see Cora Smyth on Thursday July 17th or The Brodsky Quartet at St. Multose Church on Friday July 18th. What date does KAW 08 take place? Answers to Kinsale Newsletter, Emmet Place, before Friday 11th July 2008

Date Added : 04/07/2008

Congratulations to the Kinsale Under 14s who beat Shamrocks 4-9 to 2-4 on June 25th in Crosshaven Report next issue

Date Added : 03/07/2008

Young people will know Aileen as she works in the Outdoor Education Centre in Kinsale. But others will recognise her as the woman who did a solo sail around Ireland! This was Aileen’s second attempt. In 2005, she only managed to get from Howth to Fenit in County Kerry but had to abandon the rest of the trip due to severe gales. But this year she left Kinsale on May 11th, returning safely on the 31st. She had about thirteen days of sailing, one or two days off and bad weather only hampered her on a couple of other days. By her own description, she’s an active, outdoor person but what actually motivated her to do this was the death from cancer about four years ago of her uncle. He, too, was an energetic, active person and she wanted to do something for him. In so doing, she managed to raise €17,000 for the charities, Canteen Ireland and Turning the Tide on Suicide which was a huge achievement. At the beginning, the venture terrified her until it turned into a fantastic experience. And she was overwhelmed by the kindness of strangers on the way. She had to pull in to harbour every night as she wasn’t insured to sail nonstop. Sailing around the East coast was pretty daunting as it’s a very busy shipping lane and she crossed paths with ferries, customs boats and cargo ships, among others. The hardest thing was she was never sure where they were going and being larger, they needed much more room to take evasive action. So it was incumbent upon her to get out of everyone else’s way! She had a sponsor who was going to give her a boat to sail but at the last minute, they pulled out. Her friend, Orla Conneelly, gave her the loan of her late father’s boat, a 32ft Sadler. Having started a similar trip in 2005, she was better able to prepare for this one and was able to rig it up to suit a lone sailor including auto-helm which was obviously an enormous help. Her greatest difficulty was staying awake; the movement of the yacht would lull her to sleep so she kept nodding off and had to take 20-30 minute naps every now and then. She had VHF and mobile phones to keep in touch with the rest of the world. But loneliness being alone out at sea didn’t bother. Being a person who is quite happy in her own company, she enjoyed the peace and quiet. Each day, morning and evening, she had to check in with Ted Whittaker, President of the Lions Club and Phil Devitt, the Harbour Master, texting them with her progress. They, in turn, kindly organised people to meet her at each nightly stop. According to Aileen, she’s never had such a good social life, courtesy of the kind people who looked after her. Being out in the fresh air and working on the boat, she found she got very hungry and ate nearly every hour on the hour – a piece of toast, a bar of chocolate. Rather than putting on weight, as one would imagine, she ended up leaner and toned as sailing alone involved quite a bit of heavy work plus the adrenalin working overtime. Aileen was very conscious of all her sponsors and those who helped her achieve her ambition and wishes to thank them all: firstly, of course, Orla Conneelly for her generous gift of the yacht; Clare Butcher of Dining Divas, who provided all her meals for re-heating during the adventure; ARL Design; Kinsale Outdoor Education Centre; McWilliams Sails, Crosshaven; Union Chandlery, Cork. Now she’s back working at the Outdoor Education Centre for the summer. In the winter, she likes to follow the sun: sailing, kayaking, power boating, riding, whatever presents itself. And probably there are other plans and fund raising in the pipeline because it must be hard to come back to earth when she imagines the challenges and adventures still out there for her. Congratulations on this fantastic achievement! Liz Mahony

Date Added : 03/07/2008

Kinsale 4/8 Mourneabbey 4/6 Kinsale U14 girls won the U14 premier county final on Saturday 14th June last for the second year in a row. A thrilling final took place in Caherlag against an excellent Mourneabbey side. Mourneabbey opened the first half very brightly with a point. Rebecca Murphy got Kinsale off to a start with a point, with the help of the midfield partnering of Acacia Taylor and Tessa Kingston. Mourneabbey continued to dominate with 3 points in quick succession, Julia Lane and Miriam O’Callaghan doing Trojan work for their team. But Kinsale ploughed on, and after several wides from various players, Jessica Sheehan scored a great point for Kinsale. Mourneabbey replied with a goal and captain Avril Horgan finished the half with two fine points. Excellent ball was being fed in to her from the two wing forwards Eva Wright and Rosie Donnelly. Mourneabbey finished the half with a goal in their favour 1-4 to 0-4. Mourneabbey again got off to a great start with a goal and a point which left Kinsale trailing by seven points. Doireann O’Sullivan playing very well at midfield for Mourneabbey. But Kinsale, showing fighting spirit, replied with a super goal from Avril Horgan at full forward. This was followed almost immediately with a goal from Shannon Ronan and Kinsale were back in the game!! The backs worked very hard and the two wing backs Grace Cronin and Ciara Fenton kept their scoring forwards at bay. Jillian O’Leary at centre back fired in great ball to the forwards and Rebecca Murphy scored another fine point. Danielle Murphy in goal, kicked great ball out to mid field and ball was worked up the pitch again to Avril Horgan with the help of substitute Christine Keohane, and blasted two more goals in to the Mourneabbey net earning her a hat trick!! Mourneabbey got another great goal but the back line, Anna Cronin, Joan Tyner and Daria Andron worked extremely hard and kept pressurising Mourneabbey’s forwards. Jessica Sheehan got another great point, followed by two more from Rebecca Murphy and Avril Horgan. But Mourneabbey weren’t giving up and scored a goal which was to be the final score. Kinsale emerged the victors for the second year in a row beating St. Val’s in last year’s final. This Kinsale team had a great championship campaign beating Carraigtwohill, St. Val’s and Liscarroll along the way. This would not have been possible without all of its players including Aislinn O’ Mahony, Laoise Nic Gabhann, Emer Stanley, Saoirse O’Mahony, Caoimhe Hill, Mary Dwyer, Sarah Burguin, Caitriona Landers, Fiona Burguin, Aine Barry and Nicole Daly.

Date Added : 04/07/2008

Andrew Henderson thought he should take up a hobby. He didn't fancy gardening or collecting stamps or any normal hobby. So he made one up, and this is it! Starting with absolutely nothing, he set himself the challenge of trading up that absolutely nothing for something, and then trading that something for something bigger/better, and then trading that bigger/better something for something even bigger/better, with the ultimate aim of a complete trading up from nothing to a Rolls Royce or a Bentley car some time in 2008. He is confident it can be done, as he followed the progress of Canadian Kyle MacDonald who traded one red paperclip (via 14 other trades) for a house in the town of Kipling, Saskatchewan. He currently drives a rusty 1996 Volvo 440, and as he had never seen a rusty Rolls Royce or Bentley, he figured one of these practical motors would do him for a while, if only he could somehow upgrade to one... He set himself no end target or time limit, deciding to keep going and see how far he could take it, figuring it could only make for an interesting and fun trip, and if it helped pay a few bills, well that would be a bonus... No money is involved in the trades and already they have happened in six different countries: Greece, England, Ireland, Northern Ireland, the Netherlands, USA (all in person, except for the USA Trade 14, which was by post). Starting with absolutely nothing, he explained his new project to Spiros in Greece whilst on holiday, and asked if he would like to trade something for absolutely nothing. Spiros' response was instant and positive and a bottle opener was trade 1. Advertising on the internet site Gumtree, which contained a link to his own website www.tradingnothing.com, he received a variety of good offers for the bottle opener: a table and chairs, executive office shooters (?!!!), mobile phones (lots of them), a stress reliever squidgy thing, badges, a skateboard... but he wasn't tempted, he was content to hold out for, hopefully, something, well, "different"... Then he received an email which put a big smile on his face: “I shall trade you a piece of walmsley cool-liquid glass for your bottle opener", wrote the sender, Sarah Walmsley, who had taken a look at his website. She liked the idea, and was curious to see where her piece would go. There followed a series of weird and wonderful trades after this, including the trade of that nature-inspired glass piece (after the restaurant in Kinsale where Andrew often visits his daughter) for a handmade full lead deep cut vase from Kinsale Crystal. last September. On entering the store, and before he had time to explain fully what he was trying to do, Alex (the senior cutter) said "Are you the trading up guy?" both he and Ronan Daly, had taken a look at this site and liked what they saw, they were keen on Kinsale Crystal being part of this story. It's an intriguing one. Original artwork has been swopped for balloons, books in exchange for matchboxes, 6 ft banners and Gordan the Gorilla, which then became a bottle of chianti, cups swopped for chairs, chairs swopped for sculpture, whistles and Sat Navs swopped for the chance to collaborate on original songs with singer songwriters, and that opportunity exchanged for photographs and autographs. Artwork has been exchanged for Doggie treats which then became Genuine Tigerdog "Lucky" Hair (to help Danielle from Jim Edwards win the lottery), and an air guitar which enabled the pint glasses somebody in America wanted, as well as exhaust pipes from a rare Honda NSR250 MC21. Along the way, trade 20 produced the final result (of sorts) , Artist Cara Turner made a model Rolls Royce for him in lieu of a Charlie Chaplin tin and three Sunlight candle holders. These adventures can be followed on his online blog, and it just goes to show... clutter to one person can be priceless treasure to another. So, if you want to become the next proud owner of one or some or even all of the genuine trading nothing items currently have up For A Trade, contact Andrew to make me a bigger/better offer (maybe think FUN and/or UNUSUAL if you are struggling, remember: he will accept some sort of contract instead of an object. His name is Andrew, he lives near Warrington, Cheshire (NW England, UK), often visits Kinsale, and can be reached at; tradingnothing@gmail.com. Mobile 07743397776 (UK). He will travel to anywhere on earth to make a trade, if he thinks it makes sense.

Date Added : 25/07/2008

Imagine a place where the traffic flows freely, fresh organic food grows in every garden, you can walk to work, there’s never any shopping to be done, no tax to pay, the majority of people are young at heart and full of energy, and the music in church has everyone on their feet dancing. Well, that’s Malawi and Zambia, where we were on behalf of Kinsale, the ‘Best Fairtrade Town in Ireland’. Remember, nobody has a car here (a bicycle is a dream for most); if you don’t grow your own food you simply go without; work means subsistence farming in the backyard; there are no shops, or jobs that pay wages that might be taxed; 50% of the population is under 15 because everyone else has died of AIDS, hunger or just fatigue, and it requires a lot of energy simply to survive. Apart from young people dancing in church to music they enjoy, the initial image is less attractive now, right ? We travelled in something akin to an 8 seater popemobile, with our ever present 50-something guide, rejoicing in the name ‘Everlasting’, which owed much to the fact he was born the only son of parents with 8 previous daughters. Thanks to him, if you’re ever in Londis or SuperValu buying a bag of Fairtrade sweets and wonder if such a trivial decision really makes a difference, we can assure you that the 300 sugar growers at Kasinthula, near the capital Blantyre, would like to thank you from the heart, because Fairtrade means having electricity come to their village this month. And they won’t be using it to chill wine, or power a 36” wide screen TV. This is the very real face of Fairtrade in a place where annual income is €100 a year. We were guests in two particular villages, where the community gave proudly of their best, so we might enjoy our fleeting visit. Chicken is a celebratory treat reserved for when someone comes to your home for the first time. The regular diet is maize, ground by hand with a big pole at 6am, and made into a porridge. Add to that tomatoes, eggs, rice, and an occasional goat, and there you have it, apart from the fruit; guava, mango, banana…mmmm! Driving along the rare bits of tarmac road the posters are all about Coca Cola, mobile phones and AIDS programs. Metal road signs are always peppered with what look like bullet holes, so people don’t tear them down to use as roofing. Primary schools exist everywhere thankfully, and always with a mission statement proudly inscribed on the biggest available wall, like one that would nearly bring a tear to your eye in this, the 5th poorest country on the planet. ‘Enter to learn, Leave to serve’. Now that’s an ambition to get energetic about. The whole trip was filled with moments of enlightenment as to what life might really be about, as well as moments when you wished toilet rolls could get here, rather than that little pile of maize husks winking at you in the seclusion of the latrine hut. We had little to offer the average Malawian, money means little here. They really do just want a fair trade, the proper price of a bag of sugar, so they can now save up for a road, and maybe a mill for their maize.

Date Added : 06/08/2008

Kinsale Food Festival 2008 Come and join in this Festival of Fine Food & Fun 32nd Kinsale International Gourmet Festival 2008 Friday 10th October Cookery Demonstration & Wine Tasting 3pm with Pearse O’Sullivan and Ross Lewis. Wines from Antibes, Fairtrade and other selected areas. THE TIO PEPE 32ND KINSALE GOURMET FESTIVAL Official Opening Trident Hotel 6.30pm Hosted by members of The Kinsale Good Food Circle Master of Ceremonies MR. DEREK DAVIS Reception Sponsored by BARRY AND FITZWILLIAM MAXIMUM Dine out at the GFC restaurant of your choice 8pm Participating Restaurants : Restaurant d’Antibes, Blu @ The Blue Haven, The Captains Table @ Actons Hotel, Crackpots, Jim Edwards, Maxs Wine Bar, Man Friday, Pier One @ The Trident Hotel, Toddies, White Lady, Fishy Fishy, The Spinnaker. Blue Haven Hotel Festival Club 10.30pm Why not join your fellow revellers in the Taittinger Lounge for Taittinger Champagne, O’Connell’s Chocolates & Cheeses. Entertainment with Sharon Crosbie. Saturday 11th October The “BERINGER” Mad Hatters Taste Of Kinsale Actons Hotel 11.30am Join Alice, the Mad Hatter, March Hare and the Fieldmouse for the Highlight of the Festival - an escorted tour of the 12 Members of Kinsale’s Good Food Circle who will present spectacular dishes from their kitchens bearing testimony to the culinary skills of the chefs of Kinsale. The event kicks off with a Beringer Sparkling Reception in Acton’s Hotel, compliments of CHRISTYS WINES AND SPIRITS, where your hosts and guides escort you to each of the four tasting venues to sample fine cuisine, complimented by selected wines from our Festival wine sponsors. Non wine drinkers can sample HEINEKEN compliments of Heineken Ireland or Tipperary water compliments of GLEESONS. As an additional fun element everyone is requested to wear a “Mad Hat” in honour of our special guest - the Mad Hatter! Afterwards back to one of our two festival clubs to party the evening away. Dine out at the GFC restaurant of your choice Participating Restaurants : Restaurant d’Antibes, Blu @ The Blue Haven, The Captains Table @ Actons Hotel, Crackpots, Jim Edwards, Maxs Wine Bar, Man Friday, Pier One @ The Trident Hotel, Toddies, White Lady, Fishy Fishy, The Spinnaker. Fun for all the Family Madhatters Children’s Tea Party at the Plaza from 2.00pm to 4.00pm Prizes for the best hats!!! Children’s Art Competition Exhibition and judging at the Temperance Hall 2.00pm to 4.00pm. Busking Competition 12 noon to 4.00pm For further information contact Finishing Services 021 477 3571. Sunday 12th October Actons Hotel, Kinsale Suite 1.00pm FRUITS DE MER with accompanying wines from our ever gracious sponsors. Followed by an evening party with Ronnie (Sinatra) Costley. Tickets for all events can be purchased on-line at www.kinsalerestaurants.com

Date Added : 06/08/2008

Come and join in this Festival of Fine Food & Fun, The 32nd Kinsale International Gourmet Festival 2008 Friday 10th October. Cookery Demonstration & Wine Tasting 3pm with Pearse O'Sullivan and Ross Lewis. Wines from Antibes, Fairtrade and other selected areas. THE TIO PEPE 32ND KINSALE GOURMET FESTIVAL Official Opening Trident Hotel 6.30pm. Hosted by members of The Kinsale Good Food Circle. Master of Ceremonies MR. DEREK DAVIS. Reception Sponsored by BARRY AND FITZWILLIAM MAXIMUM. Dine out at the GFC restaurant of your choice 8pm. Participating Restaurants : Restaurant d'Antibes, Blu @ The Blue Haven, The Captains Table @ Actons Hotel, Crackpots, Jim Edwards, Maxs Wine Bar, Man Friday, Pier One @ The Trident Hotel, Toddies, White Lady, Fishy Fishy, The Spinnaker. Blue Haven Hotel Festival Club 10.30pm. Why not join your fellow revellers in the Taittinger Lounge for Taittinger Champagne, O'Connell's Chocolates & Cheeses. Entertainment with Sharon Crosbie. Saturday 11th October. The "BERINGER" Mad Hatters Taste Of Kinsale Actons Hotel 11.30am. Join Alice, the Mad Hatter, March Hare and the Fieldmouse for the Highlight of the Festival - an escorted tour of the 12 Members of Kinsale's Good Food Circle who will present spectacular dishes from their kitchens bearing testimony to the culinary skills of the chefs of Kinsale. The event kicks off with a Beringer Sparkling Reception in Acton's Hotel, compliments of CHRISTYS WINES AND SPIRITS, where your hosts and guides escort you to each of the four tasting venues to sample fine cuisine, complimented by selected wines from our Festival wine sponsors. Non wine drinkers can sample HEINEKEN compliments of Heineken Ireland or Tipperary water compliments of GLEESONS. As an additional fun element everyone is requested to wear a "Mad Hat" in honour of our special guest - the Mad Hatter! Afterwards back to one of our two festival clubs to party the evening away. Dine out at the GFC restaurant of your choice. Participating Restaurants : Restaurant d'Antibes, Blu @ The Blue Haven, The Captains Table @ Actons Hotel, Crackpots, Jim Edwards, Maxs Wine Bar, Man Friday, Pier One @ The Trident Hotel, Toddies, White Lady, Fishy Fishy, The Spinnaker. Fun for all the Family. Madhatters Children's Tea Party at the Plaza from 2.00pm to 4.00pm. Prizes for the best hats!!! Children's Art Competition: Exhibition and judging at the Temperance Hall 2.00pm to 4.00pm. Busking Competition 12 noon to 4.00pm. For further information contact Finishing Services 021 477 3571. Sunday 12th October Actons Hotel, Kinsale Suite 1.00pm. FRUITS DE MER with accompanying wines from our ever gracious sponsors. Followed by an evening party with Ronnie (Sinatra) Costley. Tickets for all events can be purchased on-line at www.kinsalerestaurants.com

Date Added : 08/08/2008

Kinsale Arts Week to hold Art Auction Fundraiser with a twist   Kinsale Arts Week July 11-19, 2009 This October online shopping will meet the art world as Kinsale Arts Week hosts The Big Auction: an online auction of over fifty Art works by a selection of local and national artists. For regular collectors or anyone who would like to buy art but is put-off by the conventions of buying through galleries or dealers, this is a special opportunity. Potential buyers are invited to get into the fun of a bidding war and possibly even grab a bargain all from the comfort of their home or office, 24 hours a day. The auction will culminate with an auction party on the evening of Friday 24th October at the Coach House Gallery; Kinsale’s newest art gallery which has been established in the 220 year-old coach-house building at the pottery in Ballinacurra, Kinsale. The aim of the Big Auction is to provide people with the chance to bid for art via a fun and accessible medium whilst raising essential funds for Kinsale Arts Week. Bidding starts on Saturday 12th October and the art works will be available to view and bid on via an online Gallery at www.kinsaleartsweek.com for two weeks from that date. An exhibition of the works for auction will also hang at The Coach House Gallery during this period. This is a fundraising event for Kinsale Arts Week 2009. Art Works have either been donated or provided at a commission by all of the artists involved and a portion of all sales will go towards funding the festival for 2009. Kinsale Arts Week will run from July 11– 19, 2009. 1. Kinsale Arts Week was  re-established in 2005 by a volunteer committee 2. Kinsale Arts Week Committee is: Mareta Doyle (Chairman) Maureen Tierney Adrian Wistreich Peter Carroll FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT: Kinsale Arts Week Michelle Carew T: 021 4700010 michellecarew@kinsaleartsweek.com Michelle Carew Manager Kinsale Arts Week Friars Lodge Kinsale Co.Cork Tel : 021 4700010 www.kinsaleartsweek.com

Date Added : 02/10/2008

Kinsale Farmer’s Market, held every Tuesday morning, was a fabulous facility but the condition its town centre venue, the Short Quay Plaza, was left in was the subject of many complaints, said members of Kinsale Town Council at their July monthly meeting. Mayor Dermot Collins said that on Wednesday June 11th, he and outgoing Mayor Mary Evans received complaints about the "filthy condition" of the plaza following the market held on June 10th. "We inspected the area in the morning and found rubbish including stinking particles of fish left in the area. At the time, a TV crew from the Netherlands was filming there. "I again visited the area on Wednesday morning, June 18th and found it to be generally clean except for a patch on the road near the Methodist Church that again had small particles of fish which were smelling.", said the mayor. Pointing out that the area had been power-washed prior to the Eucharistic Procession May 25th, Mr. Collins described what he saw on June 11th as "shocking" and said there was need for the council to monitor the location immediately after every market. Mr. Michael Frawley said he was also contacted about the matter and agreed it had been left in a ridiculous state. At the very least, tin foil should be laid to prevent grease and other items staining the surface of the plaza which is also used for public events during festivals etc. Mr. Darren Cotter said that everyone was agreed that the market provided a great service but it wasn’t the first time that the plaza had got into such a state which was a shame. He suggested the issue be referred to the litter warden. In Concarnu, France, said Mr. Tomas O’Brien, the closing time of the market was strictly set and a crew arrived immediately to power wash the area. The bill for this formed part of the fee on the market licensees and he suggested the same be done in Kinsale where a lot of money had been spent by the town council on upgrading the plaza which was now a great asset. The town clerk and engineer said that new conditions regarding cleaning and monitoring would be attached to the next licence for the market. Mrs. Evans asked that the council be furnished at its next meeting with the actual terms of agreement and conditions regarding cleaning. Ms. Isabelle Sutton said it was important to Kinsale TC to apply for some of the €50,000 allocated to the county council for grants to be used towards tackling specific litter projects. The national total was €1.5 million. Mr. Fred Treacy asked that the dog warden be invited to Kinsale due to the ongoing problem of dog fouling on pavements which was damaging to tourism. In another county town, replied the manager Mr. Mary Ryan, the traffic warden received training to also patrol as a dog warden.

Date Added : 06/08/2008

Most everything is done by computer nowadays, so if yours is giving you trouble, it's a real nightmare at the best of times, even more so if your business depends on it. Not anymore! John Hardiman recently married a girl from Kinsale, and having married, moved county, and got a new house here, he decided he may as well try a new business too. John studied Computer Science at College in UCD, and since graduating he has worked for the last 8 years in the industry, serving such clients as Dell, Siemens, HP, An Post, First Active and Ulster bank. He had seen the Computer Troubleshooters franchise working in Galway, and thought it a good idea. What better time than now, he decided, was the perfect opportunity to bring that wealth of experience to the smaller companies near his new home? Computer Troubleshooters provides a mobile IT solution for all in house computers, small and medium businesses. In effect, they become your IT department, on call for any problems as they arise. John will come to your office, and within a few hours. He brings not only his expertise, but also that of over 400 of the franchises around the world. They have vast experience in dealing with every day and long term solutions, and can provide Independent Advice and Consulting, as well as Hardware Setup, Support, Troubleshooting, Upgrades and Repair, Internet and Email Setup and Assistance, Virus Protection, Internet Security, Software Installation, Support and Troubleshooting, Custom Software Development, Training, Website Development and Networking (so your computers can share and access files from each other), as well as Regular Cleaning and Maintenance, to ensure your PC keeps working the way it should and that your back ups really have backed up. Service plans which include a remote service can be provided, and sensitive budgets and schedules will be taken into account. So, with John locally based, and on call to Ballincollig, Ballygarvan, Belgooly, Carrigaline, Cork Airport, Crossbarry, Innishannon, Kinsale, Monkstown, Ovens, Passage West, Riverstick and the surrounding areas, when your monitor starts making noises, or before it gets the chance to start, whether it's running slow or just won't turn on, when programs don't open, or behave in a bizarre way, your network refuses to acknowledge other computers, or your anti virus starts making a real pest of itself, don't panic! Make John Hardiman your first stop ...a computer disaster need never be a nightmare again. John is contactable by phone 021 2729752 or 087 7412939 or through the web page www.ctscorksouth.com, where new customers can avail of the special web coupon offering a complete hardware and software diagnostic for only 35euro.

Date Added : 07/08/2008

"Kinsale is a place which has carved out a particular niche for itself in Irish cultural life", declared chairperson of the Arts Council, Olive Braiden when officially launching at Charles Fort, the 4th Kinsale Arts Week (KAW) taking place at various venues in and around the heritage town. "KAW possesses imagination and foresight and since 2005, has consistently presented festival programmes that while involving the local community and artists, doesn’t compromise on featuring the work of artists of national and international stature through visual arts, theatre, music, literature, film and dance. "The festival organisers annually succeed in invigorating the town’s cultural life, particularly through their use of any and all potential spaces to be found through a kind of re-imagining of the mental geography of Kinsale in a way that opens up news perspectives and fresh possibilities." There were no better examples of this, continued Ms. Braiden, than the Anya Gallaccio Installation at Charles Fort followed by the ‘Fire on Water’ spectacular in the harbour on the opening night of the festival, both funded by the Arts Council. She also spoke of the importance of the festival for giving a platform to emerging artists, igniting a spirit of community and creating an impact that does not simply remain in Kinsale. On the subject of Arts Council funding (which amounted to €55,000), she stated: "KAW deserves it and a lot more. It is a really wonderful festival which has set a very high standard," and in officially launching it, congratulated all involved led by director Deborah Dignam and fellow Sligo woman and chairperson Mareta Doyle. Welcoming the large attendance at the opening reception on the green of Charles Fort, Mayor of Kinsale Dermot Collins congratulated the organisers and volunteers involved in a festival with over 80 events in just nine days and spoke of the importance of KAW in the social and cultural calendar of the town which was recognised nationally and internationally as a prestigious event. He wished it continued success. KAW chairperson Mareta Doyle declared: "KAW has grown up and is now one of the top ten festivals in Ireland. This is due to the skill and stamina of the board, the committee and volunteers". She specially paid tribute to director for the past two years Deborah Dignam (who is moving to London) for her professional organisation and Maureen Tierney and Adrian Wistreich whom she described as the "heart and mind" of KAW respectively. She also mentioned KAW team members and went on to thank main sponsor Howard Holdings, key funders the Arts Council, Cork County Council, Failte Ireland and all other sponsors and ‘friends’ without whom there would be no festival. Mareta Doyle thanked the Office of Public Works represented by Minister of State Martin Mansergh, Karen Guerin and Bobby Wright for the use of Charles Fort for hosting the reception and various events, and Ridge Developments. In a festival with a distinctly Cuban theme she quoted its leader Fidel Castro: ‘It does not matter how small you are if you have faith and a plan of action’ said this embodied what KAW was all about and added: "this is your festival, enjoy it". Minister of State Martin Mansergh TD said Kinsale was one of the jewels in the crown of Ireland which was worth visiting at any time of the year but especially during KAW which had developed so rapidly in just four years while Charles Fort, under the control of the OPW, was a wonderful venue. Such festivals were a great morale boost for towns, benefiting trade, service providers and tourism from home and overseas. State support for such events, through the Arts Council, had increased by 1,000% over the past four years, said the Minister. Festival director Deborah Dignam said the reason they were all attending KAW was because of the artists. It was they who demonstrated that art is for everybody and that creativity and a platform to display this can make a difference and be a positive and life changing experience. She also stressed the importance of patrons seeing, experiencing and engaging in something new and different over "nine days of electric energy which will prickle every person". She concluded by thanking her KAW colleagues, especially Michelle Carew and Ed O’Leary. Highlights of the closing weekend included the Elkie Brooks concert in Charles Fort on Saturday and the ‘Street Day’, a free Cuban style fiesta on the streets of Kinsale on Sunday afternoon featuring The Amani Acrobats, The Fanzini Brothers, The Dukesbox, mural artists, salsa dancers, stilters, drummers, face painters, balloon makers, clowns and other performers as well as Oxjamming photos for Oxfam. Main Street, Emmet Place and the Short Quay were closed off to traffic and locals, holiday makers and day trippers alike enjoyed the vibrant, fun buzz that was provided by the lively entertainers as well as the delicious tastes and flavours of the Food Market at Emmet Place. The Heterotypic Glitch, by performance artists Aideen Barry and Anne Ffrench, was an incredible finale to the festival and was enjoyed by an audience of all ages! Congratulations to all involved in Arts Week 2008, from the Board right down to all the volunteers, you did a fantastic job once again, adding much needed excitement and colour to what has been a difficult year for the town. We can't wait for next year!

Date Added : 06/08/2008

She's on the way! In the May issue of the Kinsale & District Newsletter we announced that Kinsale was to get a Road Train, courtesy of Castlepark Marina. Well, we are delighted to let readers know that this fantastic addition to the town will be delivered in late July and should be puffing around the streets of Kinsale by the second week in August. Originally constructed in Portugal, the train is currently in the UK where she is being fitted with a number of extras. The Kinsale Road Train will be based at Actons Hotel and will operate alternately from Actons to Charles Fort and Actons to Castlepark on the hour. During the summer season the train will run from 11am to 8pm daily, while during mid-season 7pm will be the last run. The great news is that the train will operate at weekends right throughout the year, a fact which is sure to please weekend visitors to the town off peak, as well as residents along the route who wish to avoid traffic and parking problems which predominate particularly at weekends. It will also be available for hire for private functions; what a novel addition to a wedding or special occasion! The Road Train is owned and operated by Castlepark Marina and is fully supported by Transition Towns and Kinsale Town Council. The website will be going live shortly, see www.kinsaleroadtrain.com for further details. Congratulations to everyone involved in getting this exciting project off the ground, it is going to be such a huge benefit to the town.

Date Added : 06/08/2008

Don Pasquale Light Opera at Burren House was a hugh success, raising €15,000 for the RNLI The magnificent surroundings of Burren House in Kilbrittain, overlooking Courtmacsherry Bay, was the ideal setting for ‘Don Pasquale’ the legendary opera by Gaetano Donazetti, excellently performed by The Garden Opera Company from London, raising over €15,000 for the RNLI. ‘Don Pasquale’ is a comic, light opera that duly entertained the audience, with its wit and enchanting music and was ideally-suited to Garden Opera's company of talented professional singers and chamber musicians. According to event organiser, Amy Cahill O’Brien: “We were blessed with the lovely weather and fantastic backdrop of Burren House, even though we had a beautiful marquee to stage the event. The production was fantastic and we are delighted to have raised over €15,000 for the RNLI, a very worthy cause as both Courtmacsherry and Kinsale lifeboats are based nearby and it relies totally on donations and special events such as these for its existence.” Many of Cork’s leading patrons of the arts and local supporters were out en force, including hosts, Michael and Jane Newman of Burren House who were joined by many friends, from Cork and further afield. Event Organiser, Amy Cahill O’Brien was supported by her parents, Tim and Sylvia Cahill O’Brien from Kilbrittain Castle and friends Ian and Niki Kirkwood from Ardnavaha House in Ballinascarthy. One of Cork’s leading sopranos, Mary Hegarty was also present as was Kinsale impressario, Kevin Goggin and Ewen Tubridy, Treasurer of Kinsale RNLI and Conor and Mareta Doyle, also from Kinsale. Also enjoying the evening were Vernon and Jeanette Huber, Graham and Annabel Baker from London and Eugene Scally from Super Valu, Clonakilty. On the culinary side of things, top chef and local businessman, Robert Gleeson and his wife Alex from Clonakilty were busy supplying gourmet hampers to those clever enough to have pre-ordered them at the interval while Niall Hegarty and Jeremy Smith from The Pink Elephant Bar in Harbour View were ably working the bar, profits of which were being donated to the RNLI. Also spotted was Anthony Creswell from Ummera Smoked Foods in Timoleague. During the interval, raffle tickets were sold for fantastic prizes including the star prize of a luxury transatlantic cruise. Tickets will continue to be sold for the cruise at RNLI events over the coming months and the draw will take place in December.

Date Added : 02/10/2008

Rampart Players Kinsale are currently in rehearsal for a production of Oscar Wilde's 'Lady Windermere's Fan' to be staged from Tuesday 14th to Saturday 18th October in the Municipal Hall, Kinsale. Directed by Maria O'Donovan and produced by Elizabeth Timmons, the play's large cast features Ben Dillon, Mark Wilson, Seumas O'Donovan, Nelius Buckley, Mike Murphy, Ethan O'Leary, Colm Dalton, Sonia O'Donoghue, Cal Duggan, Maureen Buckley, Maria Barrett, Sheila Waldron, Aine Ryan O'Brien, Caoilfhionn Collins, Phil Lynch and Frances Dalton. The play is a critical yet highly humorous study of late nineteenth-century London society and features some of Wilde's most quoted and funniest lines, so it simply should not be missed! Tickets will be available at Bookstór from 1 October, priced at €12 nightly, and €8 only for the opening preview on Tuesday 14th October.

Date Added : 02/10/2008

On Monday the 8th September Kinsale played host to 68 bangers. No offence to the cars or their owners: to enter the UK based Scally Rally cars must have cost £100 or less. The charity banger rally was accompanied all the way by a UTV film crew and commentator. Money raised went to Marie Curie Cancer Care & Mission for Seafarers as well as the charities of choice of the drivers. The rally travelled, on its Titanic Enduro Run of 1,000 Miles, from Belfast on September 4th, where the great ship was built, to Cork, where the last passengers boarded for the fateful maiden voyage across the Atlantic. The route followed many of Ireland’s famous rally stages, from Atlantic Drive in the North to the Tim Healy pass in the Kerry Mountains. Ireland has hosted trialling, racing and rallying for over 100 years, beginning with the Gordon Bennett in 1903. The Ulster Automobile Club ran the first 1000 mile circuit of Ireland in 1936. The Scally Rally organisers chose Kinsale as final destination for its natural beauty. It was a great opportunity for the town to host something a little different and for a good cause. The prize giving and a slideshow of 200 snaps from the road were held in An Seanachai, where a great night out was had by all involved. About half of the cars met their own fateful ends in scrapyards here, while their owners chose to fly home. Others had grown too attached to their bangers and went home by ferry. The rally and the prize giving will be televised on UTV on October 24th. Niamh Prior

Date Added : 02/10/2008

Don Herlihy and Barry Moloney of 'Historic Stroll in Kinsale' have recently produced a colour 17th century map of Kinsale. On the reverse of the map is printed the history of Kinsale as told by Don. Don Herlihy has been running guided tours of Kinsale for the last 16 years. The map came about in response to the frequent reactions of tourists such as 'I wish I had you for history at school', 'where can I find a book that brings history to life like you do?' On the back of the 17th century chart, Don reveals his history of Kinsale, which is more colorful and important than many people may realise. His “Kinsale in the Winds of Change” is a wide ranging and gripping account of the story of the New World discovery which connects the dots in the wake of Columbus; the race for the treasure which followed, the spice wars, Spanish Armada and naval conflicts which finally brought about the Battle of Kinsale and construction of the Star Forts. Along the way we meet leading players in the story of Kinsale suh as Irish Chieftans O'Neill and O'Donnell, Cosimo de'Medici, Walter Raleigh, Daniel Defoe and Robinson Crusoe. After years in business abroad, the Historic Stroll is by far the most fun Don has had. Through it, he has formed friendships, gained insights and shared a common curiousity with thousands of individuals he has met along the way. Having taken a degree in physics, Barry Moloney came to realise his greater interest lay in people. In 2004 he became joint publisher of the Kinsale Literary Anthology and recently graduated with distinction as a Failte Ireland Approved Guide. The map, which measures 23x16 inches, is a copy of a black and white original 17th century chart which Don has at home. With the help of Barry's background in publishing the map has been beautifully reproduced in colour on heavy parchment style paper. It can be purchased for €20 from Don or Barry at the stroll, which leaves from the tourist office at 11.15 a.m., or online for €24.90, including postage, at www.historicstrollkinsale.com. Niamh Prior

Date Added : 02/10/2008

Smiths SuperValu Kinsale has just been awarded the prestigious Emerald Award in the Hygiene and Food Safety Programme run by Excellence Ireland (EIQA). This award is a reflection of a strong overall commitment to food safety and hygiene in the store. It also reflects a significant investment in structure and equipment and application of best practice in this store throughout the year. “I would like to congratulate the team at Smiths of Kinsale” said Paula Whelan who is the Food Safety Consultant to SuperValu Kinsale. The EIQA is an independent body which conducts hygiene and food safety audits on food premises throughout the country. These audits are random and are carried out without prior notification to the business. They involve a thorough examination of the premises and the store is examined under the following elements – Planning & Commitment; Approach; Performance & Review and Structure & Services. To obtain a Sapphire Award the business must achieve an overall score of at least 60%. The Minimum mark to achieve an Emerald Award is 75%. In his report the auditor stated that the premises had shown excellent commitment to hygiene standards and he noted that planning and commitment was excellent. “I am absolutely thrilled with this award and I would like to publicly acknowledge the hard work, commitment and team effort of all of our staff members right across all departments” said Michael Smith.

Date Added : 02/10/2008

Irelands first Surf Camp for children with autism took place in Garrettstown from Monday August 25th to Friday 29th August. 43 children from all over Ireland took part, 28 of whom were from Cork. Set up in January 2008, Surf 2 Heal is the brainchild of Nollaig Fitzgerald and Jon and Alayne Hynes. Their mission was simple: to provide surf activity camps for autistic children, allowing them to experience the joys of the ocean and its calming energy. Nollaig’s ambition and drive was one of key forces behind bringing this unique project to life. Fundraising campaign manager, Nollaig is mother of 5 year old Sean who has autism. She has first hand experience of the power and success that water time and surfing has given to Sean. “For a child where today's world causes sensory overload, the gentle sounds on a beach is pure release. A big open space where he can run unhindered, the freedom and the water release a joy in my child it is hard to describe.” She became interested in the concept after reading a newspaper article about one father's struggle to comes to terms with is son's autism and how a surf lesson on a cold winter day brought new joy and oportunities to their relationship. Jon Hynes is the owner of Gtown Surf School, based at Garrettstown Beach. Jon is an experienced surfer and has a vast range of outdoor skills, qualifications & expeditioning experience. He is known for his passion for water and surfing and his concern for the preservation of the oceans, environment and wildlife. Alayne Hynes also has a passion for the outdoors. She is a qualified psychologist and works with teenagers in alternative education. She brought together a strong team of land and water based volunteers and designed a programme of personal development and training so that they were all equipped with the skills neccessary to run the Surf 2 Heal programme. The positive effects of the camp far exceeded the organisers’ expectations. One girl who had been struggling for a long time to learn to ride a bicycle, succeeded in cycling the day after the surf camp. An unforseen effect of Surf 2 Heal was the dramatic effect it had on the volunteers. It was a great journey of self-development for them and has set quite a few of them rethinking their career paths. The week was also a wonderful networking opportunity for the parents of autistic children and it gave them a rest. Some of the particpants have since come back to rent holiday homes in Garrettstown. Surf 2 Heal is a unique opportunity for children with autism and their parents. Nollaig had been looking for a similar camp in Europe, to no avail. Until Surf 2 Heal was formed, she had been saving to take Sean to the US where the concept is successfully established. Nollaig, Alayne and Jon are committed to using Ireland’s great coastline, ocean and world famous generosity to make this breakthrough experience happen. Next year will see Surf to Heal expand to five weeks of activities in Cork, Waterford, Kerry, Clare, Sligo and Donegal. Recruiting of volunteers for summer 2009 starts next month. Sponsors are eager to create Surf 2 Heal camps in other countries in Europe, though it will be 2010 before that happens as the team want to be well established in Ireland before going international. Jon, Alayne and Nollaig extend sincere their thanks to everyone who donated or helped Surf 2 Heal in any way. So many people helped out in so many different ways it was impossible to put a number on just how many people contributed towards making the week a success. For more details see www.surf2heal.com Niamh Prior

Date Added : 02/10/2008

Recently opened in Kinsale, focusing on homemade quality produce. Jo is from Garrettstown and it has always been a dream of hers to open her own café. Having previously worked and studied in the tourism sector Jo recognised a niche in the market for locally homemade produce. ‘Consumers tastes are changing and people are aware of what they are consuming, the feedback on our fresh home made produces has been extremely positive. Illy Coffee is served at Jo’s, take away or relaxing with today’s papers. Jo bakes a selection of fresh scones each morning and serves them with scrumptious homemade jams. The delicious cakes are homemade by Jo’s mum using her mother’s recipes, even the cookies are home made! For lunch, Jo’s offers a selection of salads and sandwiches prepared daily. Hearty winter soups will be the new winter addition. O’ Conaill’s Real Chocolate Drops, which many people may recognise from Farmers Markets throughout Cork, are used to make each individual hot chocolate. With an entire menu board dedicated to Hot Chocolate, this really is a chocolate lovers dream. They put time into the preparation of each hot chocolate to ensure each mouthful is deliciously chocolatey. For an extra treat try the Real Praline Syrup… Again with a focus on homemade produce Jo’s serves a wide variety of Baldwins Real Irish Farmhouse Ice Cream. Thomas Baldwin, living on the Cork Waterford border, produces quality farmhouse ice cream using his own fresh milk and cream from the Baldwin Dairy Herd. The ice cream contains no added colours, flavours or preservatives. Other natural ingredients are added to produce an unrivalled product with a variety of delicious flavours! Any of the ice creams can be made into a milkshake. Made with 2 scoops of ice cream these milkshakes are a delightful treat. All the produce on offer at Jo’s are available for take away. With a friendly relaxed atmosphere Jo’s is a must stop on your next visit to Kinsale. Located in the Kinsale Arms on Main Street, Jo’s is open 8am – 6.30pm Monday to Saturday and 10.00am – 6.30pm Sundays.

Date Added : 02/10/2008

The latest addition to the streets of Kinsale might cause you to question if you are in the right place or indeed seeing things, but no, the road train is up and running! The Kinsale road train, courtesy of Castlepark Marina, is managed by Tadgh Wright and driven by Mark Hickey, who says that it is proving very popular with both tourists and locals alike. The road train operates from Actons Hotel and runs every alternate hour to Charles Fort (Red Route) and Castlepark (Blue Route). Not having arrived until quite late in the season the train, though operating to schedule at present, is still in a development phase. Extended hours in the summer months is one idea, all these changes and other related information can be accessed on the web site at www.kinsaleroadtrain.com. For the winter months the train will operate only at weekends but is for hire for private parties, birthdays, corporate lettings and now even has a few bookings for weddings. We will also see the train in operation during the month of December as it is involved with the Kinsale Christmas festivities. The train looks splendid, the first carriage has formal seating while the second has seating along the sides with wheelchair access and this carriage seems to be the most popular with groups. Mark says that one of his most memorable trips this season was listening to a Welsh choir sing all the way to Charles Fort! Well done to everyone involved and they are thankful for the support of the Kinsale Town Council, Gardai and the Transition Towns Committee. Jayne Barry

Date Added : 02/10/2008

The Kinsale Primary Care Team (PCT) was officially launched on Thursday September 18th 2008 in conjunction with a celebration to mark the recent refurbishment of Kinsale Community Hospital. Kinsale PCT is an initiative involving all seven local General Practitioners based in two medical practices with locally based Health Service Executive (HSE) professionals. In addition to the existing HSE services such as physiotherapy, occupational therapy, community and public health nursing, home help, children’s speech and language therapy, podiatry, community welfare, dental, mental health and dietetics, Kinsale PCT also have additional services such as psychology, addiction counselling and speech and language therapy for adults. Building on the excellent professional relationships that have traditionally existed between the GPs and the HSE in Kinsale the PCT commenced a partnership approach to health and social care to serve the local population of Kinsale and its surrounding area in 2007. The PCT approach allows for greater liaison between all the health professionals and ensures more comprehensive care for local patients through regular clinical meetings. This multi-disciplinary team has helped prevent a number of people from the Kinsale area being admitted to hospital and through key alliances with the acute services facilitate early discharge from hospital to home. Gretta Crowley, Local Health Manager with the HSE said  “I very much welcome this new initiative as the Kinsale PCT will provide easier access and better healthcare outcomes and will work as a building block for further existing developments for the area. This will ensure that  people can receive as many services as close to home as possible from a team of professionals, working together to serve the population of Kinsale and beyond”. The Kinsale PCT is fortunate to have an excellent relationship with the Director of Nursing and staff of Kinsale Community Hospital. Many of the PCT services are currently based in the hospital pending relocation to a dedicated primary care facility where all health and social care practitioners will be based in the same building. This new facility will bring together all of the PCT on one site. This development will allow for a 'one stop shop' approach to primary care services for the Kinsale area. The facility will also accommodate diagnostic and procedure rooms to further enhance the services to the people of Kinsale and reduce the need to travel for additional healthcare services which is presently the case. Kinsale Community Hospital is also celebrating the completion of recent refurbishment works at the hospital. When the hospital started a simple refurbishment exercise at the end of 2006, dry rot was discovered in the main floor beams of two wards. It quickly emerged that other areas throughout the hospital were suffering the same fate. Having assessed the extent of the damage, a large section of the building had to be completely renovated. Maureen O' Donovan, Director of Nursing at Kinsale Community Hospital said, “The refurbishment was unexpected but ended up benefiting the hospital greatly. Our patients were at the heart of all our decision making and we did everything possible to make the refurbishment works interfere as little as possible with our residents and their care. The professionalism and dedication of all the staff here is very much appreciated and I would like to particularly acknowledge the ‘Friends of Kinsale Community Hospital’ who very generously contributed towards the cost of the refurbishment works. Kinsale Community Hospital is a 40 bedded community hospital which provides continuing, respite, palliative and convalescent care. Planning permission has recently been obtained for a day care centre on the grounds of Kinsale Community Hospital for which the local community have been actively fundraising. The day care centre will provide nurse-led care for older people in conjunction with physiotherapy and occupational therapy colleagues. Clients will also benefit from services from other professionals such as podiatry as required and social activities on a regular basis.

Date Added : 02/10/2008

The scoreboard read Kinsale 1.08 Skibbereen 0.12 at the final whistle on Sunday 12th October and the pain on the faces of the minor players was there for everyone to see as they narrowly failed to achieve their season long goal of reaching the county Minor A football final. Playing with the wind and the slope in the first half Kinsale produced possibly their finest fifteen minutes of football all year as the lead 6 points to two. At this stage the backs were in control, Brian Coughlan was a quarter of the way through his exhibition as his dominated midfield, and Cian O’Donoghue and Alan Gould were winning every ball that came their way. But Skib are a class side and they powered into the game and tacked on five points in a row to lead 7 points to 6 at the break. On the resumption many felt that Kinsale would fade away playing against the conditions but it was not to be. With Tom Douglas commanding the goal mouth with assurance and David Ward covering acres of ground Kinsale battled on. The standard of football by both sides was excellent, some wides would have to be credited to the defenders efforts to be fair, and the play swept from end to end. Skib seemed surprised by Kinsale’s dogged resistance and Jack Gould was at the end of a great move when he calmly slotted the ball under the advancing keeper to give Kinsale a two point lead. Skib came back strong and both sides traded scores while the crowd sat back and enjoyed one of the best football games they would have witnessed this season. With the scores level approaching full time Kinsale had a couple of opportunities to take the lead but to no avail. With moments left Kinsale broke away but Skib turned over possession and calmly sent the ball over the bar to edge them into a one point lead. Kinsale came again but it was not to be as a tired Skib team held on for victory. The individual performance of Brian Coughlan has to be mentioned and he is without doubt one of the best minor footballers in the county. Kinsale gave a great display of football for the full hour and they must also be applauded for their determination, the intensity they brought to the game and the courage they showed in battling for every one of the sixty plus minutes they played. Kinsale were supported well on the day but it’s a pity that more people don’t support the team from the start of the season at league games and early round championship games. But that won’t bother this group of talented youngsters as they now must turn to league action and with two league games left they have the incentive of finishing off the season on a high and might yet add some more silverware to their collection before the year is out.

Date Added : 23/10/2008

It all began with a fruitless hunt for a nutmeg grater... and a few months later, in July of this year, Margot Coughlan opened the doors of her kitchenware shop, Gourmet Galley, on Main Street. The shop has a great selection of kitchenware, both beautiful and useful. Margot describes the shop as a work in progress: she is constantly updating the stock without allowing the shop to become cluttered. The shop has a free flowing relaxed atmosphere. Its spaciousness and calming colour scheme of blues, cream and greys give it the feel of a seaside cottage where you could easily get lost for a while. Margot likes the chilled out ambiance of the shop. Everyone is welcome to browse in here and take time out. She also sells take away coffees which you can sip on while looking around and take with you as you wander through the rest of the town or back to work. Gourmet Galley sells kid's aprons, rolling pins and other equipment and Margot is thrilled to see the enthusiasm of mums and children who cook and bake together. There is also a small amount of electrical stock for sale and quite a few interesting gadgets. Gourmet Galley endeavours to do its best in sourcing special requests. Customer orders are in the shop within two weeks. Margot received plenty of help from her son and two daughters in bringing the shop into reality. Their skills in research, interior design and carpentry all contributed to making Gourmet Galley what it is. Now that it is open, they help out in the shop when they have time between school and college. Margot, originally from Dublin, has been living in Kinsale for three years now. “I love it here. There is a real 'get up and do something' feel about the town.” Customers are very welcoming and complimentary and Margot has had great support from local traders, “I've been made to feel very welcome. There is a great community spirit in the town.”

Date Added : 23/10/2008

Rampart Players' production of Oscar Wilde's Lady Windermere's Fan, which ran from the 14th to the 18th October in the Municipal Hall, was a great success. The play was directed by Maria O Donovan and produced by Elizabeth Timmons. Lady Windermere's Fan was first published in 1893. Like many of Wilde's comedies it is a biting satire on the morals of Victorian society particularly marriage and contains some of Wilde's funniest and most quoted lines. Ben Dillon (Lord Windermere), Caoilfhionn Collins (Lady Erlynne) and Sonia O' Donohue (Lady Windermere) rose to the challenge of conveying the gravity and adversity of their parts. The tumultuous emotions of their characters overlay the near constant stream of comedy perfectly. As they revealed the depths of their characters, the rest of the cast succeeded brilliantly in displaying the hilarious shallows of theirs. Particularly superficial and particularly funny was the chararcter of the Duchess of Berwick, as played by Cal Duggan. The cast included Mark Wilson, Seamus O' Donovan, Nelius Buckley, Mike Murphy, Ethan O'Leary, Colm Dalton, Maureen Buckley, Maria Barrett, Sheila Waldron, Aine Ryan O'Brien, Phil Lynch, Loretto Kennedy and Frances Dalton. Added to a great cast were beautiful, convincing sets and stunning costumes. Rampart Players has entertained us once again, proving what wonderful local talent Kinsale has. Niamh Prior

Date Added : 23/10/2008

WILD GOOSE STUDIO, Kinsale is 40 years in business next year and to get the celebrations off to an early start, its all new and exciting 'Tosach' range was launched by chairman of the Crafts Council of Ireland, Gerry Wycherley at a function in Cronin's Commercial Hall, Kinsale. Guests were welcomed by Mary Cronin, who said that in times of doom, gloom and meltdown, the only thing to do was have a party and Cronin's was delighted to do so with the launch of the latest range from the Wild Goose Studio. Mary said she was very impressed by the loyalty of the Wild Goose Studio to Kinsale and the fact that it was an entirely in-house manufacturing and framing operation, buying locally where possible (e.g. Kinsale Tile Store) and employing local people. Overall, Wild Goose Studio was a very good company providing an excellent product and Cronin's Commercial Hall was proud to be a stockist over the past 40 years. Gerry Wycherley said the WGS ticked all boxes as far as the Crafts Council of Ireland (CCI) was concerned. When he started his first business, Celtic Cottages in Rosscarbery 30 years ago, WGS products were used and he was only too aware of the importance of family and traditional enterprises in Ireland, especially in a place like Kinsale. He described the new 'Tosach' range as fabulous, wished WGS every success in its new beginning and paid tribute to Cronin's Commercial Hall. Returning thanks, Jamie Fisher-McCarthy, managing director of WGS said it was an honour to have the home launch of Tosach in Cronin's from where it had sold its pieces from the start. Kinsale has been very important to the WGS ever since Brian Scott-McCarthy and Kathleen Smyth settled on it as the base for the studio when they bought Kirby's, 66, Lower O'Connell Street in 1969 and when, I'm told, the town was a little different to what it is now. We like to think that WGS has played its part in the renaissance of the town, providing many jobs over the years and, by mentioning the name Kinsaleon all our products, we have advertised it wherever they have gone, be it America, the UK, Australia, New Zealnd and every town in Ireland." Jamie said that far from suffering a mid-life crisis, as might be expected on turning 40, WGS had been very busy evolving and developing over the last few years and the results were to be seen with the full range on display in Cronin's. Some say that life begins at 40, so our latest range is remarkably appropriate. Tosach, as you know, being Irish for beginning, continued Jamie who paid tribute to the artists responsible for the beautiful paintings on the new works, Paget and Joanna, daughters of co-founder Brian Scott McCarthy, who were unable to attend. However, he was delighted that co-founder Kathleen Smyth and several WGS staff members were able to attended the function and other guests. It is a series of delicate but colourful artworks on tile. Each original painting is faithfully reproduced onto a ceramic tile and then framed either in limed white or matt black with wooden frames. Cronin's will also have an exclusive Wild Goose offer which runs until the end of October.

Date Added : 23/10/2008

There are children in Kinsale who could end up not being able to go to the only post primary school in their area unless action is taken immediately, warned Sr, Mary Donovan at a well attended public meeting to highlight the urgent need for an extension to Kinsale Community School. Among the attendance at the conclusion of a very successful Open Day were public representatives, teachers and parents who agreed to continue lobbying and seek a meeting as soon as possible with Minister for Education, Batt O'Keeffe TD. Sr. Mary said the school was opened in 1996 to accommodate 460 pupils but today, with 704 on the register, it was well on the way to having to cater for nearly double that figure with 12 pre-fab classrooms already on site. In April 2007, the school was listed on the Department of Education's website as one of 56 schools (12 secondary) urgently needing either extensions or a new build and this was confirmed by officials at a meeting in Tullamore in May 2007 which she, along with the chairperson of the board of management attended. A site visit followed in June 2007 and it was agreed that the existing site could accommodate a two storey extension (comprising two science labs, two computer rooms, engineering, building construction and home economics rooms and 17 classrooms) plus a full sized gym to meet a projected enrolment of 850. "We were on the list and all was going well but I became worried when after several months there was no response regarding the important next stage, the appointment of a design team.," said Sr. Mary. She referred to representations made by local Oireachtas members, as well as county councillor Kevin Murphy and others and quoted the Dail reply last April from then Minister Mary Hanafin to Christy O'ullivan TD, and others subsequently, which stated that the development was still at "an early stage" and would be considered on an ongoing basis. Summing up, Sr. Mary said Kinsale was the only second level school in Kinsale. It' open enrolment and inclusive policy had been complimented by the Department inspector and there was already agreement that it had a projected enrolment in a few years of 850 (573 in 2005). Unless the extension was given the go ahead, she warned, Kinsale Community School would have to consider limiting the availability of practical subjects from September 2009, when the school was likely to have over 720 pupils, because it had only one woodwork room, home economics room, one metalwork room, three science labs and a small sized gym, for which additional pre-fabs could do nothing to alleviate the pressure. The principal further stated that limiting enrolment overall would have to be considered by the board of management from September 2010 which begged the question where students from the Kinsale catchment area including Belgooly, Riverstick, Ballinhassig, Minane Bridge, Innishannon and Courceys would go. The situation was that serious and the meeting called to inform parents and highlight the need for immediate action, she added. An open forum followed in which Peter Fitzgerald, a parent, said describing the school as being on "band two" for urgently needed big projects was meaningless if the department said it was being considered on an ongoing basis. There had to be a definite time frame and with a downturn in the economy and in particular the construction industry, now was the ideal time for the project to be given the go-ahead and take people off the dole. Town councillor Billy Lynch (Independent) suggested a deputation to the Minister for Education adding, "if it requires a hunger strike, then let's do it". Parent Eamonn Judge said the over crowding in the corridors at lunch time had to be seen to be believed and he paid tribute to the staff for doing an excellent job in the circumstances. The status quo wouldn't so and they had to ensure the extension was on the list in the next budget. Parents' Association chairperson and board of management member Maureen Judge asked how a school could be expected to fulfil its policy of enrolment if there physically wasn't room to do so. There was, she stressed, no choice here and children from the Kinsale area shouldn't be expected to travel to schools in Cork, Bandon or elsewhere. She concluded by paying tribute to Sr. Mary for her tireless efforts. Nuala O'Reilly of the parents' association said it was important to establish where the school was on the list of the department's building projects adding that parents would be willing to go on a deputation to meet the Minister. The parents' association was also represented by treasurer, Judy Fitzgerald, Mary Broderick and Monica Broderick. Mr. Jim O'Keeffe TD (Fine Gael), who held a raft of correspondence and five Dail questions on the issue dating back to the first application for an extension in 2000, said that as a member of the Opposition he couldn't make any promises other than to keep pressing at every level and ensure it wouldn't be go out of the limelight. He urged all present to do likewise and support the work of Sr. Mary and others because the case for an extension was unanswerable. Senator Michael McCarthy (Labour) said it was just not good enough that the school was having to function at almost twice its capacity in terms of pupil numbers. More than ever, in the current economic climate, there was need to invest in education and help deliver the graduates of the future who could re-boot the economy. Urging a united approach, he pledged to leave no stone unturned for on a situation which had reached crisis point for the only second level school in the area. County councillor Kevin Murphy (FG) said he moved a motion at County Hall and had referred back the response from the department asking "what does at an early stage mean"? The extension should be at the heart of the department's building programme and he undertook to continue the hard slog until it was delivered. Sr. Mary acknowledged the attendance also of town councillors Tomas O'Brien (Lab) and Charles Henderson (Ind). She said invitations were sent and apologies received from Minister Micheal Martin (FF), Deputies Christy O'Sullivan (FF) and P.J. Sheehan (FG), Senators Peter Callanan (FF) and Denis O'Donovan (FF) and county councillor Alan Coleman (FF). She thanked the parents, board, staff and primary schools for their support and specially praised the students. After the meeting, one student said that while she very much enjoyed going to the school, some Irish classes were held on the stage because there weren’t enough classrooms. * Earlier that day, Kinsale Town Council, on a proposal by Mr. Henderson, seconded by Mr. O’Brien agreed to write a letter to the Minister for Education, stating its strong support for the appointment of architects and building of the extension as soon as possible as promised. * Minister Batt O’Keeffe in the most recent Dail reply to Jim O’Keeffe on September 24th stated: “The development of a building project for the school in question is at an early stage. The commencement and progression of all large scale building projects from initial design stage through to construction phase - including this - will be considered in the context of my Department’s Multi-Annual School Building and Modernisation Programme. However, in light of current competing demands on the capital budget of the Department, it is not possible to give an indicative time frame for the further progression of the project at this time”.

Date Added : 23/10/2008

Local musician Barry Tierney won the country/ world/ folk section of the international festival4stars song writing competition in London in November with ‘Da Rocket Boy’. He performed in front of 200 people and an international panel of eight judges which included Robin Gibb of the BeeGees, songwriters, producers, managers, a vocal coach and music publishers. Diarmuid Good accompanied him on tin whistle and harmonised. His song was one of over 2800 internet entries from all over the world. Over three months that number was whittled down to a mere 12 songs, of which 2 others were in the same category as Barry's. Barry won a cash prize as well as a trip to London. Of more value than that though, was the great opportunity Barry had to meet influential industry professionals on the night. An entourage of 15 family and friends accompanied Barry to the awards dinner at the 5 star Grange City Hotel, where a great night out was had by everyone. Barry has performed in pubs around Cork, locally in the White House, the Seanachai and the Spaniard and as far afield as America, England and Germany. He will be playing in the Seanachai on St Stephen's night. Barry has been interested in music from a very early age. His first love is Irish folk music and he finds inspiration in such artists as Christy Moore, Willie Nelson, Bob Dylan, Shane McGowan and Luke Kelly. 'Da Rocket Boy' is on 'The Loser's Lounge', Barry's first album of original material. It is available now at Londis and Favourites. To download the album or for more information see www.barrytierney.com Niamh Prior

Date Added : 08/12/2008

Brothers Cormac and Ciaran Fitzgerald were recently announced as the KPMG Cork Business People of the Year. Both qualified accountants, the Directors of the Blue Haven Collection received the award as the judges recognised the “superb drive and ambition that has turned the Blue Haven Collection in Kinsale into one of Ireland’s premium good food and hotel destinations”. Cormac is also managing partner of Fitzgerald and Partners Accountancy firm which is a team of accountants based in Kinsale and one of the most progressive firms in the industry. The Collection has undergone a transformation since the two brothers took over the landmark Blue Haven Hotel in 2004. In 2005 they added the award winning Old Bank Boutique guesthouse and then in 2006 they added Hamlets of Kinsale to the portfolio, creating a café bar and live music venue which came under the umbrella to form the Blue Haven Collection. “Constant improvement and innovation is what we try to achieve and we have a very focused dedicated team,” said Ciaran Fitzgerald. “This year we added the Collection’s latest upgrades, The Collection Suite of the Old Bank House - a private suite with state of the art technology in entertainment and comfort - and the new Café Blue. “We’ve also added a chauffeur service and The Blue Haven Food Company, a dedicated catering company based in Kinsale.” All this comes on top of an extensive renovation programme in 2007, which saw the ground floor Bar and restaurant area of the Blue Haven Hotel transformed and was showcased when supermodel Yasmin Le Bon joined a host of stars and Ireland’s top designers for a fashion extravaganza earlier this year. Plans are also in motion for further expansion of the hotel and the Café Blue product. In all a significant investment has been invested in the Blue Haven Collection over the past 5 years, making it one of Ireland’s top destinations in the heart of the country’s gourmet capital. View more on www.bluehavencollection.com. He performed in front of 200 people and an international panel of eight judges which included Robin Gibb of the BeeGees, songwriters, producers, managers, a vocal coach and music publishers. Diarmuid Good accompanied him on tin whistle and harmonised. His song was one of over 2800 internet entries from all over the world. Over three months that number was whittled down to a mere 12 songs, of which 2 others were in the same category as Barry's. Barry won a cash prize as well as a trip to London. Of more value than that though, was the great opportunity Barry had to meet influential industry professionals on the night. An entourage of 15 family and friends accompanied Barry to the awards dinner at the 5 star Grange City Hotel, where a great night out was had by everyone. Barry has performed in pubs around Cork, locally in the White House, the Seanachai and the Spaniard and as far afield as America, England and Germany. He will be playing in the Seanachai on St Stephen's night. Barry has been interested in music from a very early age. His first love is Irish folk music and he finds inspiration in such artists as Christy Moore, Willie Nelson, Bob Dylan, Shane McGowan and Luke Kelly. 'Da Rocket Boy' is on 'The Loser's Lounge', Barry's first album of original material. It is available now at Londis and Favourites. To download the album or for more information see www.barrytierney.com Niamh Prior

Date Added : 08/12/2008

Kinsale Credit Union celebrated its ruby anniversary at a special dinner in Acton’s Hotel, Kinsale, recently. The Credit Union in the town has grown from humble beginnings, to now boast a membership of four and half thousand, with assets in excess of seventeen million euros. In his address at the function, Mr Charles Henderson, who is Chairman of Kinsale Credit Union, paid a special tribute to all those who have made the Credit Union in Kinsale such a success over the years. In particular, he paid a special thanks to those who had the foresight to form a Credit Union branch in Kinsale in 1968. The original founders, which included Fr Denis O Connor, Pat Fitzgerald, Joe Gimblett, Mick Brennan, Eoin O’Neill, Paddy O’Leary, Jimmy Power, Dan O’ Connell, Madge Goggin, Marie O’ Donovan, Agnes Egan and Fr Brian Kelly, along with committee members Shelia Acton, Fr Oswald Mc Grath and Josie Gimblett, were appointed supervisors. The group met once a week to study the rules and regulations of the Credit Union. Once members were familiar with the procedures a limited union involving the committee was established in 1968. Each person saved 2 shillings and 6 pence per week and eventually committee members could apply for loans. Once the group was confident in the finer aspect of operating a credit union, it was officially launched on the 16th of June 1969. The Credit Union in Kinsale now operates from the Exchange buildings in Market Street, since it moved from Main Street in the early 1990’s. The Credit Union has three full-time staff, assisted by part-time employees, who work on a voluntary basis. Katherine Spillane, who is the current manager, said: “Kinsale Credit Union is going from strength to strength and the people of the town should be proud of their achievement.” These sentiments were echoed by Mr Henderson, who said: “The most recent T.V adverts for the Credit Union refer to my place, but it should be our place.” Mayor Dermot Collins, who along with Chairman of Kinsale Harbour Board, Cllr. Billy Lynch and colleagues from Bandon, Dunmanaway, Clonakilty and Skibbereen Credit Unions attended the function, said Kinsale Credit was an extremely important part of the community life and acknowledged its contribution to the town. In addition, Mayor Collins pointed out there had always been a link with the Credit Union and Kinsale Town Council, with many members of the Town Council playing an active part in the Credit Union, including Shelia Acton, Eoin 0’Neill, John Thuillier, John O’Connell, Eddie Hogan and Charles Henderson. In recognition of the Credit Union work, Mayor Collins presented a plaque to Mr Henderson to mark the forty years. Ms Marie O’Donovan, who was a member of the original committee, attended the function and many warm tributes were paid to her personally on the night. JJ Hurley He performed in front of 200 people and an international panel of eight judges which included Robin Gibb of the BeeGees, songwriters, producers, managers, a vocal coach and music publishers. Diarmuid Good accompanied him on tin whistle and harmonised. His song was one of over 2800 internet entries from all over the world. Over three months that number was whittled down to a mere 12 songs, of which 2 others were in the same category as Barry's. Barry won a cash prize as well as a trip to London. Of more value than that though, was the great opportunity Barry had to meet influential industry professionals on the night. An entourage of 15 family and friends accompanied Barry to the awards dinner at the 5 star Grange City Hotel, where a great night out was had by everyone. Barry has performed in pubs around Cork, locally in the White House, the Seanachai and the Spaniard and as far afield as America, England and Germany. He will be playing in the Seanachai on St Stephen's night. Barry has been interested in music from a very early age. His first love is Irish folk music and he finds inspiration in such artists as Christy Moore, Willie Nelson, Bob Dylan, Shane McGowan and Luke Kelly. 'Da Rocket Boy' is on 'The Loser's Lounge', Barry's first album of original material. It is available now at Londis and Favourites. To download the album or for more information see www.barrytierney.com Niamh Prior

Date Added : 08/12/2008

In our last issue of the Kinsale & District Newsletter we reported on the brave actions of local lad Ben O'Donnell who saved a man from certain drowning out by the New Bridge. We are delighted to report in this issue that Ben's quick thinking and bravery has been rewarded by the Super Valu West Cork Garda Youth Awards! At the 13th annual awards ceremony, held in Bantry on November 14th last, Ben was announced as overall winner of the Super Valu West Cork Garda Youth Award. Ben, an 18 year old Leaving Cert student at Kinsale Community School, was nominated for this prestigious award by Garda Tom Boland, of Kinsale Garda Station, who recognised his remarkable courage and bravery in a life-or-death situation. He was also nominated by Rob Bergin, a teacher at Kinsale Community School, who noted Ben's "calm determination and high degree of seamanship which characterised this rescue using his father's boat. To single-handedly get it off the Marina, up river in the dark and then to rescue the casualty is a much more difficult and dramatic achievement than Ben's own modest account of the episode shows". Congratulations to Ben on being the well-deserved recipient of this very worthy award. It is wonderful to hear about the bravery and strength of character which many teenagers possess but which is rarely acknowledged publicly. Congratulations also to Super Valu and the West Cork Garda units who allow the event to take place.

Date Added : 08/12/2008

"Let's go to Kinsale, it's the place to be!" declared Minister for Foreign Affairs, Micheal Martin TD, when officially launching Kinsale Christmas 2008 at a packed Blue Haven Hotel where highlights of a 27 day Advent and Yuletide festive programme were unveiled on November 14th last. An invitation to "come and join the magic and enjoy the experience of Cork's No. 1 Christmas town" was extended by the voluntary organisers of this unique festival which got under way on Sunday, November 23 and aims to create the excitement of the festive season every day until Christmas Day. Highlights include a children's torchlight parade, Santa's arrival for the switching on of the lights (5.30pm at the Short Quay plaza on December 6), Kinsale Christmas Snow Queen, the "Dreaming of a White Christmas" show, markets, a ghost tour special, carol singing, concerts, exhibitions, family days and the Christmas Day swim. Minister Martin congratulated all associated with Kinsale Christmas 2008, especially the organising committee, the sponsors, business people, vintners and entertainers. "In what are more difficult and challenging times, it's all about being pro-active and you have shown just how we can do a lot more with our energy and talent. You have identified Kinsale as the Christmas town to where people are happy to come, said the Minister who recalled the success of last year's inaugural promotion which he also launched and happy times in his youth celebrating the new year in a harbour town which was always a pleasure to visit. After launching the promotion, Mr. Martin presented prizes to the winners of the children's Christmas art poster competiton, winner Aaron Wolfe and joint runners-up Leon Rice and Saoirse Sheehy whose works are featured in Kinsale Christmas 2008 cards in aid of the Saile Community Sports and Leisure Project, on sale at Bookstor. Guests were welcomed by Kinsale Christmas 2008 committee member and town councillor Fred Treacy and first to speak was Mayor Dermot Collins who acknowledged the huge amount of work by the committee into what was a unique festival with an excellent and varied programme making Kinsale the No. 1 Christmas town in County Cork. Urging everyone to shop locally, he pointed out that Kinsale Town Council for its part was providing for free parking every Saturday leading up to Christmas adding that it couldn't exist without its customers, business ratepayers. Kinsale Christmas 2008 chairperson Cormac Fitzgerald thanked the Minister, the Mayor and other public representatives and fellow committee members who had been working on the project since January: Ciaran Fitzgerald, Blue Haven Collection and Kinsale Chamber of Tourism; children's books author Colin Hawkins; Richard Ennos of Dragnet Systems the website sponsor; Fred Treacy, Anthony Collins of The White Lady Hotel; Lyn Denny of Bookstor who was busy selling the art poster Christmas cards; Bronwyn Connolly, Saile Project; Martin Hurley, Photo-me Digital Photography; press officer Dermot Ryan, Kinsale Heritage.com; John Barrett of Magic Vacations, Eileen Murphy of Murphy's Hardware, 2007 winner of the best shopfront and especially Linda Farley who finalised the programme. Cormac then welcomed and thanked Munster rugby star and Kinsale Christmas 2008 supporter Jeremy Manning after which his brother Ciaran Fitzgerald presented him with a ticket to the Blue Haven comedy gig in February starring Jon Kenny and a Blue Haven jacket. "This is the second year of the festival and it's certainly gathering a lot of momentum," said Cormac who went on to thank the many sponsors listed at the launch and urged more support and inclusion on the website because without them Kinsale Christmas 2008 would not happen. He specially mentioned Kinsale Vintners, the town council, the Blue Haven Collection, Fitzgerald and Partners Accountants and Dragnet Systems and also praised art poster competition organisers Richard Ennos and Colin Hawkins. "Kinsale will be an exciting place to come for the month of December and we have lots to cater for all ages and tastes involving all the community" said Cormac who pointed out that full details were in the free guide and on the website www.kinsalechristmas.com. As a token of appreciation, Ciaran's father Paddy Fitzgerald presented to Minister Martin tickets for the Irish Examiner Fashion Show at the Blue Haven Hotel starring super model Erin O'Connor in January. Guests enjoyed mulled wine and mince pies while children were entertained by Christmas characters from the Rampart Players, face painters and outside a giant Santa Claus and the new Kinsale Land Train and admired the excellent children's art posters on display.

Date Added : 08/12/2008

The Holy season of Christmas is once again upon us. It is a unique and special time for families and a most magical season for children. This festive occasion traditionally provides an opportunity for families to get together to celebrate the birth of Christ, to welcome family members home and enjoy each others' company in the home environment. For those who have lost a family member, a loved one or friend, it can be a sad and lonely time of year. We are extremely lucky in Kinsale as we have such a good community support system and an excellent culture of volunteerism. This wonderful spirit of helping others benefits and contributes to the well being of the wider community. I would like to thank the Kinsale & District Newsletter for affording me the opportunity to wish all the people of Kinsale, at home and away, a very warm and sincere Christmas greeting on behalf of all my fellow councillors. We hope you enjoy peace and happiness in the true spirit of Christmas that will also allow you time to rest and reflect on life's joy. Yours sincerely Cllr. Dermot Collins Mayor

Date Added : 08/12/2008

Two Kinsale residents were a great deal more excited than anyone else in the town as they watched the Golden Globe awards in January. Colin and Jacqui Hawkins watched their daughter, Sally, win the award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Musical or Comedy for her role as Poppy in Mike Leigh's Happy-go-lucky. When Colin and Jacqui Hawkins, the popular children's author and illustrator team, sat down to watch the Golden Globe Awards broadcast live from The Beverly Hilton, they were merely hoping to catch a glimpse of their daughter as the nominees were announced. They all, including Sally, were expecting Meryl Streep to take the award for her role in Mama Mia. "I'll never forget it', said Jacqui of the moment Johnny Depp announced Sally as winner. 'Gobsmacked is the only way to describe how we felt.'   At the back of the hall, Sally, with no expectation of winning, sat back to relax and enjoy the night. As a character actress in an independent film, it was a surreal experience for her to be in a room full of Hollywood A-list actors. She was visibly overwhelmed as she gave her speech: 'I'll try and get through it as much my voice and nerves and knees will let me.' She had only scribbled her speech in the car on the way to the awards at the insistance of her agent. Sally phoned home as soon as she could, during the next commercial break after accepting her award. Proud parents, Colin and Jacqui stayed up for the rest of the night celebrating. Since July until after the Golden Globes Sally had to undergo a series of operations on her collarbone which she broke while filming in Ardmore Studios. Still in physical pain at the Golden Globes, she had to put her award down while she gave her speech. She's on the mend now and finishing the Stephen Burke film Happy Ever Afters in Ardmore over the next few weeks. Her next film Desert Flower is due to be released this year also. Sally won a Silver Bear Award at Berlin Film Festival in February 2008 for her role in Happy-go-lucky. Since then awards poured in including N.Y. Film Critics, presented to her by Frank McCourt, National Society of Film Critics and Hollywood Best Breakthrough Actress. Sally has a lot of hard work and film, television and theatre performances behind her. She made her first notable big screen performance as Samantha in another Mike Leigh film, All or Nothing. She played Slasher in  Layer Cake, Susan in Vera Drake and Anne in Persuasion, for which she won the 'Golden Nymph' award in the at the 2007 Monte-Carlo TV Festival. Professing a love for comedy Sally has appeared in three episodes of the BBC’s Little Britain. She has also written sketches for BBC Radio 4. Ireland did well at the Golden Globes this year with Gabriel Byrne and Colin Farrell each bringing one home. 'We can add Sally's award to the that list', says Jacqui, 'with Irish grandparents Sally considers herself Anglo-Irish.'  'There is a lot of Sally in her Happy-go-lucky character, Poppy, said Jacqui, describing her as hard-working generous and gregarious. 'I don't think the award could have gone to a nicer person, Sally or Poppy.' - Niamh Prior

Date Added : 12/02/2009

If, like me, you imagined Toastmasters as a group of mostly men who don red jackets, stand up with glass in hand, proposing toasts and giving speeches, you’ve got it completely wrong. That sort of thing does exist, but it differs from Toastmasters in that those sorts of people are asked to speak at functions and are very well paid. Toastmasters could be loosely described as a club. People, who join, generally do it for a specific reason, e.g., they want to improve their public speaking skills because of some aspect of their business. Generally groups meet in the evening once a fortnight. During the meeting, three different people give a speech as well as other topics are discussed. The whole system is very structured, following ancient customs and guidelines. To qualify as a Toastmaster at the basic level, a member must give ten speeches of a specific length in which certain criteria must be met, e.g., working with words. Afterwards, the speech is evaluated and possible improvements or recommendations are made. Every group comes under the umbrella of Toastmasters International and to form a group, you need two sponsors which are other established groups and two mentors. Toastmasters International was established in 1924 by Ralph Smedley in Santa Ana, in the States and is now a worldw