21 September 2023
By Bryan McCarthy
bryan@TheCork.ie
News from Corks’ largest town, with thanks to Barry Cogan
Culture Night
A bountiful selection of cultural events are on the programme for Culture Night in Carrigaline. From 4.00pm in the afternoon until midnight music, singing and dancing will be in the Owenabue car park, the Bandstand in the town park, on the streets and in the GAA Hall. Hundreds of paintings will be displayed on the railings of the town park and the Gallery has a special art exhibition . Tidy Towns will unveil their €20,000 Mill Wheel sculpture off Pottery Road at the west of SuperValu at 6.00pm. The Carrigaline music trail from Lower Kilmoney Road to Main Street continues from 4.00pm to 6.00pm. Eamonn O’Leary will read his radio reflections from 3.30pm to 4.00pm in the Library while Jim Kelly will read his book ‘Grannies Special Delivery’ in the Lions Youth Centre. The Main Street will be closed from 7.00pm when the Cultural Parade headed by the Carrigaline Pipe Band will commence at 7.00pm from the Church down the Main Street. The participants include a 40’ Owenabue Dragon designed and created by artist Mary Murphy helped by 120 of her students. All will be in costume as the Dragon wields its way down Main Street. Members of Carraig Ag Caint will be on the street dressed up as characters of Irish Folklore from 6.00pm speaking in Irish to everyone about their lives. A great opportunity to use a cúpla focail to chat to them. The Kiely Walsh dancers will parade and do a few steps. Also parading in their native attire will be 20 of the Indian community gaily dressed marching to the beat of their own drum and the Bavarian Twinning visitors dressed in the Bavarian attire. The underage GAA boys and girls will add more colour and excitement to it all. Two performance stages will be in action, the Bandstand in the town park and the Gig Rig in the Owenabue car park. There will be music in abundance by Danny Dineen, Billy Kennedy and Carlos Paz, the C’ukes- ukulele Band, Gaelforce and Daffodils band of Irish and Indian music. In the GAA Pavilion at 8.00pm Richard O’Farrell with Éist will play traditional Irish music while the Owenabue Valley Trad Group hold a Céilí from 9.00pm until 11.00pm. The Carrigaline Musical Society will be performing in The Lions Youth Centre and the Men’s Shed Choir will sing on the Bandstand from 5.00 to 5.30pm. Also at the Bandstand Aoife Claffey has a Lighting Art Installation form 8.00pm to 10.00pm. Everybody is invited to the Carrigaline Culture Night. Come early, enjoy the vast choice of attractions, the abundance of food outlets and the festival atmosphere. All events are free.
Tidy Towns Win
Carrigaline Tidy Towns team were elated when Carrigaline was declared winner of Section A, Large Towns in the Cork County Litter League challenge at the awards night in County Hall on Tuesday September 12th. The Tidy Towns team put in a tremendous effort during the campaign and that effort is continuing, On the previous Monday Carrigaline were presented with the Gold Medal that they won in 2022. The Tidy Towns team who continue to meet and work on projects three times weekly are planning their winter programme. This Friday Tidy Towns will unveil their Mill Wheel Sculpture at 6.00pm just off the new Pottery Road. All are welcome to attend.
Men’s Shed
The Carrigaline Men’s Shed continues to welcome visits from other Men’s Sheds, last Monday a group of 10 from Blarney Men’s Shed arrived in their local Garda Community Bus for a long awaited visit. The Carrigaline and Blarney Men’s Sheds have been great friends for many years. A group from Schull are expected on Thursday 21st. Membership has now reached 85 in Carrigaline. A subcommittee of the Shed is currently assessing the interests, talents and ability of every member to give them the opportunity to join with other like-minded members to participate fully in the Shed. The walking group walked from Murph’s Bar into Monkstown and back on Monday last and then went to Raffeen Creek for coffee.
Shed Choir
The Carrigaline Men’s Shed choir with its new repertoire is looking forward to performing in the Bandstand this Friday, Culture Night, from 5.00pm to 5.30pm. The choir which practices every Tuesday in the Shed sings regularly at retirement homes and other events both inside and outside their Shed.
Active Retired
It was great to see a big crowd at the Community Complex for Carrigaline Active Retirement Association’s first day back after the summer break. The Ukulele Ladies entertained the crowd with their music and songs to the joy of all present. CARA had the usual cup of tea and biscuits and the chat to catch up after the break. On Thursday next they will have exercises with Anne O’Brien in the Community Complex. On Thursday September 28th they take a trip to Glengarriff, the bus will leave from beside the Band Hall at 10 o’clock.
Pioneer Lunch and Social
Preparations are progressing well for the Mid-West Region of the Pioneers annual lunch and social in Actons Hotel, Kinsale on Sunday October 8th at 1.30pm. This year to cater for those who may need to park in the Glen public car park a shuttle bus to Actons Hotel will be running every 10 minutes. Enquiries Sheila Murphy 021888107 / 0877686112, Aislinn Cogan 087 9699 488 or Theresa McCarthy 085 142 9695.
German Twinning
A delegation from the town of Kirchseeon in Bavaria in Germany is visiting Carrigaline this weekend. The group dressed in their traditional Bavarian costume will walk in the Culture Night parade on Friday. Later they will attend the Céilí in the GAA. The visitors who will be staying in the Carrigaline Court Hotel plan to see off the Lions Club for the Great Railway Cycle at 10.00am Saturday morning, call to see the Men’s Shed, make a Tidy Towns tea break at the HQ and on to view the Owenabue Arts Collective in the Gallery. The joint Twinning group will meet for dinner in the Carrigaline Court Hotel on Saturday night.
Comhaltas na Dúglaise
Comhaltas na Dúglaise classes in Traditional Irish music and singing for the season ahead commenced in Gaelscoil na Dúglaise last Wednesday evening. There was a great air of excitement in the Halla as in excess of 300 attended classes during the course of the night. The kitchen is open again and all who attended can enjoy a cupán tae nó caifé. On the performance side members of the branch played for the launch of the Cork Folk Festival in St Peter’s Church, Cork City last week. Last Saturday 45 members of the branch participated in a special Mass and concert for the SMA community in Wilton. This Friday Culture Night the branch Junior Performance Group plays on the Plaza of the Atrium in City Hall and the Adult Grúpa will play in Bus Áras from 7.00pm to 9.00pm. Comhaltas will perform in Fort Elizabeth during the Cork Folk Festival.
