12 May 2020
By Barry Cogan
news@TheCork.ie
This week’s local News from Carrigaline, the largest town in County Cork
Rapper’s Success
Carrigaline rapper and writer Maurice Coveney Jnr recently reached a milestone on his YouTube channel. Maurice hails from Carrigaline Co. Cork. Maurice, youngest son of Maurice and Rose Coveney, hails from Carrigaline East. Maurice’s career which has over 6,000 subscribers has reached over one million views.. The channel, ‘theassassinrapper’ has gained a lot of fans from Ireland, England, America, Australia, India and many more countries. Maurice vlogs, reviews different books or products and has his own official music videos on the channel. Maurice also has a big following with his Horror Stories Animated which he writes, animates narrates and collaborates with other narrators and writers in Scotland and the USA. Maurice’s album ‘This Is Who I am’ is now available to buy on Amazon, all good online music stores and also streaming on Spotify. The CD release will be available soon. Maurice is working on his debut crime thriller Project Calm, he says “I’m just finishing my 4th draft and then there will be, maybe, another draft and editing and a few weeks here and there and hopefully it will be ready to be published”. Maurice also speaks about his YouTube channel. “I always loved creating stuff whether it’s music, writing, drawing etc. When I was small I used to actually pretend to own my own channel and that’s the game I used to play as a little kid when I was acting etc, so it’s great now that I have my own YouTube channel and people are supporting me very well. Also regarding the horror stories in school if I was asked to do a two page essay it would be always four pages as I loved writing and it would be always a crime fiction story, so thankfully what I’m working on now is what I always loved working on”. Maurice takes requests for any true scary stories so if you have any true scary story you would like Maurice to narrate and animate on his channel you can contact him on his channel. You can watch Maurice at www.youtube.com/theassassinrapper and be sure to subscribe and hit the bell to be notified when new content is uploaded.
Pipe Band
Due to Covid-19 all activities of the Carrigaline Pipe Band are at a standstill. The Band Hall which is normally a hive of activity for Band practice twice a week, the Country Markets on Friday morning, numerous dance, and health classes and various meetings, is closed. The Pipe Band had been looking forward to the competition season in the weeks ahead. Last month a lone piper from the band played at a funeral.
Town Hall
Since last August SECAD with the Hicks Centre have been holding a series of workshops/sessions entitled “My Town My Plan” in a number of locations in County Cork. Two BHAG proposals came from the Carrigaline group who met regularly up to February in the Lions Youth Centre. (1) They propose a Town Hall and Theatre for Carrigaline to include and Arts and Culture Centre with all ancillary facilities. (2)They have an elaborate proposal to encourage residents of Carrigaline to walk, cycle or take public transport to the town centre entitled – ‘Carrigaline the 15 minute vibrant town’.
Men’s Shed
Last week the Irish Men’s Shed Association asked Shedders throughout the country to submit songs for a national contest. Four Carrigaline members sent in video clips of their songs. They were Allie Duke, Harry Jones, Kevin Meaney and Derry Mc Carthy. Derry who won the Over 60s last year was chosen by lottery as one of three national winners with a prize of a €100 voucher for the Shed. The Men’s Shed choir under musical director Liz Scott Hall are gearing up for practice online. The Carrigaline Men’s Shed are waiting anxiously for clearance to open their Shed for limited numbers with social distancing.
Macra
The boys and girls of Carrigaline Macra were up early on Saturday morning last, May 9th to witness the sunrise from their own homes in solidarity with all who support the annual Pieta House ‘Darkness into Light” fundraising event. Many took photographs of the sunrise. A new Macra competition entitled ‘Macra’s Talent Quest’ which has five categories is being organised. The categories are solo singing, solo instrument, solo comedy act, recitation and wildcard. The video entries must be a maximum of three minutes duration. Some of the rounds will be streamed on social media. More information from Máiréad at mkowal@macra.ie. The Seandún Region held an online regional meeting via Zoom on Monday last May 11th.
Silage
The silage season is in full swing with contractors working long hours to harvest the crop in ideal conditions. One contractor had at least six tractors and trailers drawing cut grass through Main Street, Carrigaline over the weekend.
Deep Clean
Cork County Council contractors, Soft Clean Group, moved into Carrigaline on Tuesday morning and did a fabulous job deep cleaning the town centre. This is a new initiative of Cork County Council to deep clean a number of town centres.
Open Space Dining
A proposal, by Cllr Liam O’Connor supported by Cllr Séamus Mc Grath, to provide space in the Owenabue Car Park for open air dining was before Cork County Council on Monday last. The area which is adjacent to a number of eateries would provide space for social distancing.
Holy Hour
Holy Hour was broadcast on the local church radio,106.5fm, from 7.00pm -8.00pm last Sunday evening and will be on again every Sunday for the month of May. Prayer leaflets to help take part more fully in the Hoy Hour were left on the front door of the church and were all picked up before the afternoon was out. Parishioners are looking forward to the Church of Our Lady and St John being open for visitation next week.
May Rosary
Pope Francis sent out a request to the faithful to say the Rosary daily for the month of May in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. The Pope said “Praying the Rosary will make us even more united as a spiritual family and will help us overcome this time of trial and especially those suffering most greatly”. He asked for everyone to rediscover the beauty of praying the Rosary at home in the month of May. Parish Priest Fr. Pat Fogarty sent an invitation to the people of Carrigaline to commit to praying the Rosary in their homes at a fixed time every day to create a parish rota of people saying the Rosary for the month of May.
There was a wonderful response and as a result from 1st May there is currently a continuous offering of the Rosary from 12 noon to 6pm every weekday from Monday to Friday, with people praying the Rosary either individually, in a group or together as a family. The rosary is recited on Radio 106.5fm every morning before 9.30 Mass for the month of May also.
Tidy Towns
Carrigaline Tidy Towns volunteers will be back in action from next Monday May 18th. They are looking forward to tending all their gardens and all the flower planters and displays around the town. The Tidy Towns held a committee meeting on Zoom last Wednesday night where they discussed their plans for the weeks ahead, Tidy Towns received a communication /newsletter from the national organisation last week.
Twinning
All twinning exchanges planned between Guidel, Brittany and Kirchseeon, Bavaria in Germany are cancelled due to Covid-19. Despite that, the twinning delegation from Guidel who were due to come to Carrigaline on Saturday May 23rd are keeping in close touch and are exchanging greetings. The Twinning committee are looking forward to a celebration get together of all Carrigaline folk involved when Covid-19 is no more.
Covid-19
Despite the relaxation of the conditions to curtail the spread of the Covid-19 many Carrigaline senior citizens are still staying cocooned at home. Thanks to all the volunteers in the community people living alone or families in need are being looked after. The Lions Club, the First Responders and Scout Leaders are working as volunteers with Cork County Council collecting and delivering provisions and medication to families in Carrigaline, Monkstown, Shanbally, Ringaskiddy, Crosshaven and Minane Bridge. Contact number 1800 805 819, text on 085 8709010 or email at covidsupport@corkcoco.ie. All Carrigaline GAA
Adult players are also available, as volunteers, to do shopping errands for families please contact Cian Barry 086 372 1771 or Rob O’Shea 085 159 8429 who are more than willing to help anyone in need.
Out and About
Hundreds of people, many in family groups are walking, jogging and cycling around Carrigaline every day. It is great to see so many out and about enjoying the fine weather and the fresh air. All are looking forward to the day when everybody can freely go wherever they want to again.
Cake Delivery
A mother who is cocooned in Ballinlough gets her supply of homemade brown cakes made in Carrigaline delivered to her by post. Caroline Conway who lives in Carrigaline bakes her mother’s favourite cakes and posts them to Betty O’Sullivan. Betty tucks into one and puts the other in the deep freeze. Both mother and daughter are looking forward to meeting up soon.
