Notes to the Paper - 24 December 2010

With Christmas just around the corner, this week’s round up will be short and sweet. The youth club members went ice skating last Friday night and all came home in one piece after having a great time. Santa is back in Lapland now and asked us to express his thanks to everyone in Cappoquin who came out to see him and especially to Michael and John O’Rourke for their wonderful assistance with lawnmowers and lunch respectively. Santa also said how much he enjoyed the Cinderella Story and the Sale of Work while in town also.

The Cappoquin Christmas Collection set of cards is now in the black as far as costs are concerned and we hope to build on this initiative next year and help people to send just a little bit of home to those who may be far away. May we thank everyone in the place who organised an event or a game, a concert or a market, a carnival or a parade for the marvellous work you are all doing to keep our community going. Our picture this week is from our top-selling Christmas card, a painting by Noel O’Donoghue of a night-time carol scene at the Square. Best wishes to all for Christmas and the New Year.

Notes to the Paper - 17 December 2010

It's all go at present in the Cornerstone town. The Farmers' Market brought a lovely buzz to the old town centre on Saturday last, with a great range of local produce on sale and an equally great opportunity for people to meet and chat. Santa surprised us yet again this year, not by arriving (which was expected) but by arriving on a lawnmower-driven sleigh thanks to the genius of chief elf, Michael O'Rourke. Full details next week. Rumour has it that Santa even attended the Saturday night performance of the wonderful Cinderella Story at the Community Centre (in a fairly good disguise), before visiting Bunscoil Gleann Sídheain the following day as well.

In other news, there is still be a place available on the Town Twinning visit to Chanat in mid March - contact Keith Dransfield for details.

We have had one taker on the offer of an allotment near the town so far - Joe Prendergast will gladly deal with any further enquiries on this one.

The Christmas cards are selliing like hot cakes, with Noel O'Donoghue's painting of the Square about as hard to get as one of Willy Wonka's golden tickets at this stage - and just as valuable.

 Finally, the Foroige club are off to the ice skating rink this Friday evening, a refixture from the cancelled event two weeks ago - isn't it real irony when a trip to an ice skating rink had to be cancelled before because of...ice!

That's it for now. Christmas round-up next week

Notes to the Paper - 10 December 2010

This Week’s Picture

Once again, this week’s picture comes from the new publication, ‘Michael Cavanagh: His Life and Selected Works’, now on sale in local shops with all profits going to Bunscoil Gleann Sídheáin. It shows what surely was the biggest industry ever owned by a Cappoquin native. Pictured here is the original headquarters of Hugh Collender’s Billiard Table empire, at 738 Broadway, New York. Collender went with Michael Cavanagh to the USA after the 1849 rebellion and while his friend became a prolific writer, Collender eventually became the most famous manufacturer of billiard and snooker tables in the world, with over forty premises and depots worldwide. Hugh Collender’s company is thriving today, though known now simply as ‘Brunswick’, and Hugh himself is appropriately commemorated on a footpath plaque outside Cappoquin Snooker Club, where else!

Christmas Farmers’ Market

Next Saturday morning, December 11^th we will have this year’s Cappoquin Christmas Farmers’ Market.  As usual, it will be held on the Square starting at 10.30 until 1.00 pm. Almost every town in the country hosts a Farmer’s Market at some stage of the year and thanks to all the local support, the ones in Cappoquin over the past few years have been successful.  An event like this is a good community activity, it is sociable and you will enjoy your visit to the market.

Cappoquin has a lot of local food producers, more than most places of its size. So it is important that they have the opportunity to market their wares in this fashion, in their local town.  There will be a wide range of foods available, including ice cream, bread, cakes, fruit, vegetables, home baking, jams, apple juice, cheeses, and honey.  As it is Christmas, there will also be festive food, Christmas trees and cards.  

We look forward to seeing you next Saturday morning for the Farmers’ Market where you can start the weekend with the spirit of Christmas, on the Square of your local town.

Santa at the Square

With the Farmers’ Market all ready for the off at the Square this Saturday, December 11^th, the word from the North Pole is that Santa hopes to arrive in his horse-drawn sleigh sometime between twelve and twelve-fifteen on the day. Like last year, this is a ‘getting to know you’ visit, a chance for Santa to get reacquainted with the local kids since last year and double check that the list of presents is correct for December 25^th. He hopes to bring special certificates with him like last year, and we are pretty sure there will be some goodies available to everyone, as well as the opportunity for the grown-ups to sample some of the best local produce available at the Market. Maybe Santa will stay around this weekend, probably in disguise, and go and see the marvellous Cinderella pantomime at the Community Centre before coming back to the Sale of Work at Bunscoil Gleann Sídheáin on Sunday. Busy times for a busy man.

Notes to the Paper - 18 November 2010

This week’s picture

From the wonderful collection of Eddie Fraher, this week’s picture shows a Cappoquin Gaelic football team lining out for a championship match, probably at Lismore. The state of the hairstyles of some of the known protagonists suggests that this dates from the second half of the 1950s. More interesting still is that among this group of junior footballers are the holders of at least four All-Ireland hurling medals. Enjoy figuring that one out!

Best Wishes

Many congratulations to our hard working committee member Christine Collender on her recent wedding to Vinnie, and many years of happiness to both of you.

Santa at the Square

Despite the recession, we can now confirm that Santa is, indeed, going to visit Cappoquin this year in advance of the main event on Christmas Eve. His elf-mail (he doesn’t use email) has arrived, announcing that his visit to the Square in Cappoquin will take place on Saturday, 11^th December. We can’t confirm a time as yet but will do so in a week or two. This means that Santa will be in town on the same weekend as the Choral Society’s Cinderella concert at the Community Centre. It is just great to see the Choral Society also win a Community and Voluntary Awards nomination this year and they heartily deserve to win the competition too for the imaginative and brave decision to stage the St. Patrick’s Day Parade over the past two years, a real highlight on the Cappoquin calendar at this stage.

Farmers’ Market

The Farmers’ Market will be held at the Square on the morning of 11^th December also, so it should be a great occasion for young and old as our local producers and craftspeople display their wares. This will be the tenth Farmer’s Market at the Square since the tradition was revived about five years ago. The earliest known records show that such markets took place at the very same spot as far back as the 1620s, so anyone shopping at this year’s event will be re-enacting a bit of history into the bargain.

Launch of Michael Cavanagh’s Works

Best of luck to the Michael Cavanagh Society which is launching its 400-page book of Michael Cavanagh; His Life and Selected Writings at the Community Centre on Saturday, November 27^th at 8.30. The book will be on sale for a special launch price of €15 on that night only, and will be available in local shops and through the Civic Link website, www.cappoquin.net after November 27^th, and we hope through other outlets. All proceeds are going to Bunscoil Gleann Sidheain and we hope everyone who can will support the launch of this high quality hard-back production of the writings of Cappoquin’s literary son, and support our school into the bargain. Full details are given in a separate article.

Playground Lights

Now that the long evenings have well and truly arrived, we are hopeful that the Council will be in a position to effect the minor repair to the gate and to install the lighting at the town playground in order to ensure that this excellent facility remains in its current very good condition.

Notes to the Paper - 12 November 2010

Masquerade Ball No. 5

Not since the Vikings cruised malevolently around the river bend at Cappoquin, en route to the monastery of Lismore in the tenth century, did so many pirates and dangerous looking customers gather by the Blackwater’s side. On this occasion, Saturday October 30^th last, the cause was a little less malevolent, as the fifth annual Masquerade Ball in aid of Civic Link’s community insurance fund was held. It was deemed, without doubt, to have been the best Ball so far.

We had Superman, Greek goddesses, centurions, belly dancers and accompanying Turkish traders, Popeye, doctors, nurses, Mobster Molls, 60s rock chicks, traveller brides skeletons, monks, naughty schoolgirls (and boys) and many, many others. The costume winners on the night were the Heart Surgeon (Brian Walsh) 1^st, Count Dracula (Brian Ormond) 2^nd, the Chilean Miner (Jamie Gilligan) 3^rd and the Viking (John McCarthy) 4^th. Sandra Flynn-Barry won the special door prize.

We would like to thank the local businesses for their generous support. A special ‘thank you’ to Alice and Finán Murray for the wonderful food provided, and to our interior design team of David Mason, Seamus McLaughlin and Heather Greaves. Lastly, the Rowing Club Committee for providing the marvellous venue yet again. Roll on 2011. Our pictures this week could only come from the Masquerade Ball – we leave the identities to you to figure out!

Some Reminders

Just some further reminders of two news items of recent weeks. If you are interested in an allotment in Cappoquin, growing your own vegetables etc, please contact Cindy 086–0586608 at Civic Link or Joe at 058–54045 for full details of this great opportunity. Also, the Twinning Group is heading for Chanat La Mouteyre on the weekend before St Patrick’s Day 2011 and there are still some places available. For little more than the cost of the airfare and train, this is a tremendous opportunity to see France as the French see it, and to meet some French people who know more about Cappoquin than most of us do ourselves. For anyone interested, contact Keith at 087-9054068 or Kevin from Civic Link at 087-6501042 for details

Heritage Nomination

Just a note to tell people that our heritage group has been nominated as one of three finalists in the Heritage and Culture section of this year’s county-wide community awards. We don’t want to blow any trumpets but are honoured to be included in the final three from an initial list of fourteen and it’s que sera, sera after that. The awards night itself is scheduled for Friday, November 26^th at Clonea Strand Hotel and we hope to see a few other Cappoquin representatives there on the night. Our next project is the imminent launch of a lovely set of local snow-themed Christmas cards, and we hope to have these in the shops within a week or so.

On the subject of heritage, best wishes to Julian Walton on his talk at Cappoquin Community Centre this coming Friday evening, November 12^th. Julian has been a great friend to Cappoquin history, and to Waterford history, over the years and his talk on the history of Dromana and its resident families should be of great interest.

Notes to the Paper - 29 October 2010

Masquerade Ball

A final reminder that the annual Masquerade Ball takes place at the Boathouse this Saturday night, October 30^th. Entry is payable at the door, provided fancy dress is worn, and is at the remarkably good value of €10 per person. All funds raised go towards the cost of the umbrella insurance which so many clubs and events have benefited from over the past year, so we hope to have a good turnout for the night and we are sure there will be plenty of crack, as in previous years. Doors open at 9.30 or thereabouts. This week’s two pictures show some of the revellers from last year, who will undoubtedly be on the prowl this weekend!

Allotments

There has been much coverage in the media over the last year about the huge increase in the number of people growing their vegetables in either their own gardens or in a nearby allotment.  For those of us who are used to growing their own vegetables, the satisfaction of picking them straight from the garden and savouring the delicious flavours when you eat them, make gardening one of the most pleasurable of hobbies. 

There is now the possibility of a suitable plot of ground being available in Cappoquin for allotments.  If you would like to grow your own vegetables but have no place or have too small an existing plot, this is a great chance to get started.  If you are interested in an allotment in Cappoquin, please contact Cindy 086–0586608 at Civic Link or Joe at 058–54045.

Inch Meeting

A good, productive meeting was held last week to discuss the possibilities of enhancing the Inch at the Blackwater bend, if and when the opportunity arises to do so. No firm decisions were arrived at but lots of good ideas were aired and the group in attendance hopes to be able to examine similar projects elsewhere in the coming weeks and move things forward in consultation with the County Council, the Parks and Wildlife Service and, most importantly, with the local community.

Town Twinning

Keith has just received word that the Comité du Jumelage at Chanat La Mouteyre has extended an invitation to Cappoquin to send half a dozen or so representatives to Chanat the weekend before St. Patrick’s Day 2011. With flights at incredibly good value at present, and the warmth of the French welcome absolutely guaranteed, as always, this is a great opportunity for anyone interested in discovering the real France, with its magnificent scenery, cuisine and hospitality, and represent Cappoquin into the bargain. For those who haven’t yet been, we can heartily recommend it, not least because of how marvellously the people of Chanat have taken Cappoquin to their hearts over the past ten years, most recently during the Cornerstone Carnival when the tenth anniversary of the twinning was commemorated at the Square in a lovely ceremony. For anyone interested, contact Keith at 087-9054068 or Kevin from Civic Link at 087-6501042 for details.

End of UN exhibition

Our Heritage Exhibition at the Library, celebrating our United Nations since 1960, will come to an end in the coming week. Thanks to the hundreds of people, young and old, who have visited and commented so favourably on the event, and most importantly, thanks to the dozens of local soldiers and their families who gave so generously of their photographs and memorabilia. Our gratitude to Mary Tobin and to the Waterford County Library service at this point almost goes without saying, but is heartfelt nonetheless.

Notes to the Paper - 15 October 2010

Improving the Inch

A number of Civic Link members had a very positive meeting last week with the County Heritage Officer Bernadette Guest and Brian Duffy, the County Wildlife Ranger. We hope to progress some improvement of the Inch at the Blackwater river bend, in harmony with the environment, and are having a meeting on Tuesday, October 19^th next at 8.00 in the Library. Anyone interested in discussing the issues here, and helping out, will be very welcome to come along on the night.

Playground

With winter time approaching, we are continuing our efforts with the County Council to have a sensor light installed at the playground in Shanbally. Hopefully, some additional repairs to the gate can be carried out, along with the erection of signage which has been agreed on. The area is looking really well at present and we hope it can be kept in this condition over the dark months as well.

Postcard sales

Sales of our Heritage postcard series have gone well over 600 at this point and we plan to withdraw the remaining stock from sale within a couple of weeks, with the ‘season’ over, and to put them back on sale again in the spring. A sincere thanks to everyone who bought these cards – we know they went around the world, reminded many people of home on the process and inspired at least one other local area to do something similar. All in all, a satisfactory outcome.

Club Directory

At this point, all households in town should have received a copy of our Club Directory, third edition, containing the contact details of practically every club and society in the area. Apologies to any groups we may have missed. We hope this simple resource, which is also available on the website at www.cappoquin.net , and in a number of retail outlets, will further promote community life in the area.

Notes to the Paper - 8 October 2010

Club Directory on the Way

The finishing touches are being put to the third edition of the Cappoquin Civic Link Club Directory, and we hope to be able to distribute copies of the guide in the coming few days. As before, the Directory will have the up to date contact details for all the clubs and societies in the area, as well as phone numbers for important local services. We sincerely hope this will be a useful resource for everyone seeking to get involved in the vast range of clubs and activities available in the area.

Blog Spots

Just a word to tell people that Civic Link is now hitting cyberspace with a vengeance. For those who like to blog, you can find us at cappoquinciviclink.blogspot.com while the Heritage Group also has its own address, cappoquinhistory.blogspot.com. We are also on facebook and don’t forget also that you can access all our details, images, old newspaper notes etc on the web at www.cappoquin.net . It may be a relief to know that we talk with people too, so whatever form of communication you fancy, we’re there.

Meetings this Week

It’s a busy week this week, with the Heritage Group meeting on Tuesday and a full Civic Link meeting on Wednesday. We have been working hard in the meantime in trying to progress some of our projects, including those identified in the town design statement, and hope to be in a position to give a progress report in the coming weeks.

Youth Club get the Perks

Our intrepid Youth Club members had a great time at Perks last Friday night, with the Quasar games being the most popular by a long shot. Many thanks to Deise Link for helping us with the bus transport too. This County Council service is a fabulous support to our community, now more than ever,  and long may it continue. It’s a regular night at the club next Friday, starting at 7.00, and the good news is that there are still places available for new members, with the joining fee of €15 being enough to cover registration and insurance. If you are interested, and are in first year or upwards, you will be very welcome.

Masquerade Ball

Finally this week, a reminder that Cappoquin’s fifth annual Masquerade Ball in aid of the Civic Link insurance cover for community events is now cast in stone for Saturday, October 30^th at the Boathouse. Full details in the coming weeks and watch out for the posters. A great fright will be had by all!

Notes to the Papers - 24 September 2010

Congrats Tidy Towns

Heartiest congratulations to the Cappoquin Tidy Towns committee on the fantastic performance in the competition last week. With all the upheaval going on with the sewerage works during the year, for the town’s overall score to rise by six points this year is a fantastic tribute to the hard work and persistence of the committee members. The report on the town, accessible on the national Tidy Towns website, talks of the place being a ‘gem’ and highlights the overall tidiness and the architectural and natural beauty that so many of us just take for granted. Hats off to everyone on the committee on a wonderful achievement.

Youth Club

There are still some places left in the youth club enrolment list for this year. Any of last year’s members, or hopeful members for this year, should come to the club headquarters over the Credit Union this Friday evening at 7.00 to sign on, and we will have some leisurely activities and a meeting too. With the help of the excellent Deise Link service from Waterford County Council, we hope to have our first outing of the year on Friday October 1^st, to Perks in Youghal. The finer details of this will need to be sorted on Friday next, so all members and prospective members are asked to attend.

Community and Voluntary Awards

In case any local groups have not been nominated, or have not self-nominated, for this year’s Community and Voluntary Awards, the good news is that the closing date for applications has been extended to Friday next, September 24^th. Forms are available from the community forum link on the Council’s website, www.waterfordcoco.ie, and can be submitted online or in hard copy to Muriel Tobin at the Council offices.

Dr Gabriel O’Connell Redmond

We anticipate a visit in the coming weeks from a descendant of Dr Gabriel O’Connell Redmond. This man was the medical officer in Cappoquin for over thirty years before he retired in 1914 and was replaced by Dr William White. He was a descendant of Daniel O’Connell’s and was also a noted historian, along with being the town’s columnist with the Waterford News for most of his time here. If anyone has more information about Dr O’Connell Redmond, or indeed a photograph of him, any Heritage Group member would be delighted to hear from you.

Notes to the Papers - 17 September 2010

Foroige returns

With the dark evenings already arriving, the first meeting of the Foroige club this year will take place at the club headquarters, over the Credit Union, this Friday, September 17^th at 7.00pm. Any of the members from last year who would like to join again for this year should come along at 7.00pm for registration, and also anyone now in First Year or upwards who would like to become a new member.

This Friday’s meeting will mainly be for registration, with some discussion of early plans for the year, and will be over at 8.00pm. The registration fee for each member is €15 for the year, or €25 for a family of two or more members. We would also be delighted to hear from any people who would like to take on a role as a club leader or assistant leader in the coming year – the club members are a good bunch and all help is welcome.

Five in a Row – the Masquerade Ball!

Last week’s Civic Link meeting decided on Saturday, October 30^th as the date for this year’s Masquerade Ball at the Boathouse. This annual event is now in its fifth year and all profits are used to help fund the Civic Link insurance cover for local events which seek support, from trad weekends to carnival, concerts and raft races. The night is all about seeing people in a whole new half-light, having fun with Roman soldiers, ghosts and nurses, among many other types. So put October 30^th in the diary and get out the dancing shoes, or whatever other kind of footwear takes your fancy. More details in the coming weeks.

Notes to the Papers - 10 September 2010

Playground congratulations


After a long hot summer of use, it is marvellous to see the town playground in Shanbally looking so well. Since its restoration with newly painted equipment and floor-mats, it is great to see the way in which the playground has been looked after by all who use it. Hopefully, as autumn approaches, additional lighting will help ensure that it remains a magnet for children having fun in a safe environment. Thanks also to the County Council and local Gardaí for their support of this project since the Spring.

Heritage Exhibition at Library

By special permission form the County Library Service, the ‘Cappoquin and the United Nations’ exhibition at the library will continue upstairs for a few weeks more. It has been great to se the interest the exhibition has aroused and indeed the amount of new photographs and information which continues to arrive. We have now found thirty five local people who have served in UN peacekeeping work abroad, and there may well be more. The exhibition is open during library opening hours on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and all day Saturday until further notice.