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!