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