CAHIR NOTES SPRING COLLECTIIONS Not only is the Wedding Fayre, taking place in Cahir House Hotel this coming Sunday, a great opportunity to decide on all the details involved in a wedding, it is also the first opportunity this year to see the new Spring fashions, hot from the makers. So ladies take note and be there. There will be fashion from Sheehans of Cahir, Stakelums of Thurles, and Golden Threads of Cashel. There are four specialist Bridal Wear Boutiques displaying their amazing gowns, so brides will be spoilt for choice. Mr Mister of Mitchelstown is showing not only their great choice of formal wear for men, but are now also offering a Rolls Royce and Limo Service. The Chocolate Fountain was a huge success last year, and will be seen again, and I understand that Doves are available too - this I have to see! Among the Stands are Teresa’s Hat Hire, John Quirke Jewellers, Flowers by Sarah’s Flower Studio and Balloons too, as well as a new and outstanding Bridal Entertainer. The Fashion Show, to be compéred, as always, by Derek Davis, will start at 4:30pm and I am happy to say that six of “my” models will be among those showing the collections. This popular event is taking place in the beautiful Ballroom at Cahir House Hotel, which has on offer a fantastic new Wedding Package. See you there! GATECRASHER SOUGHT Recently, a car crashed into a gate in New Inn. The owner of the property saw this happen, but was not able to get the number of the car. He requests that the car owner please go and fix it, which doesn’t seem unreasonable to me. WHY? Why does a return fare Cahir / Waterford cost less than a single to Thurles? Why, when returning to Cahir from Thurles, is it cheaper to buy a ticket to Tipperary Junction and then buy your ticket from Junction / Cahir on the train? The two combined are less than if you get a through ticket at Thurles. Why do buses still fly past waiting would-be passengers in Cahir? This happened on Friday morning when the Athlone Bus at approx 10:50am ignored someone waiting - and it WAS NOT full. CHURCH GATE COLLECTION The Cahir Boys’ National School is  having its annual Church Gate Collection over the coming weekend. Please support this important cause. CAHIR FLOWER & GARDEN CLUB There will be a Committee Meeting on Wednesday 11th February (this Wednesday) at 8pm. The Outing and Banquet at Bunratty Castle on 21st February will be discussed. There are still a few seats available at a cost of €64. If you are interested in joining in this outing, you can telephone Margaret Butler on 052 62105 or Mary O’Gorman on 052 41467. ROSEMOUNT RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION Spring is here and the ROSEMOUNT RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION is back in swing.  They have not been asleep by any means, the Internal Committee have had meetings and were getting  themselves organized for the coming year. THE NEXT MEETING IS WED 4TH MARCH IN THE SHAMROCK LOUNGE AT 8PM. It is hoped that there will be more new faces this year. People living in the different estates are needed to come along and represent their area, their needs and their problems. The whole area cannot be manned by  Committee Members,so they need residents to come forward and keep them in touch with what is happening. The sub- committee attends the Tidy Towns meetings and they will give a report at the nxt meeting. They have finally got a quote and are going ahead with planting a pyracentha climber on the wall between The Oaks and the turn for the Heights. Also, the tubs will be refilled with new plants. Now that the evenings are getting brighter it is hoped to to get the 'monthly clean up' going again. Go along and get involved. A sample of the wonderful work on sale at the Craft Granary in Cahir, which is run by Helen Shanahan Manager which exhibits products from all over the South East. Many of the prizewinners have goods on display there, and Celine Flynn's work was exhibited by the Granary at the Showcase Ireland - Celine won one of the new and very special Essence of Ireland awards. Seen above receiving her prize from President McAleese   CRAFT GRANARY AWARDS Top Craft Designers and Products awarded by President McAleese at Showcase Ireland. For the first time, The Craft Granary in Cahir exhibited at Showcase Ireland and pulled off a major award.  Showcase Ireland, held at teh RDS each January, is the country's premier craft, gift, fashion and interiors trade fair featuring quality design products from Irelands leading craft makers and designers.  the show attracts up to 500 exhibitors, 6,000 buyers from around the worldand generates €40 million in sales orders.  one of teh exhibitors with teh Craft Granary, Celine Flynn was awarded the prestigious Essence of Ireland Award.  this was presented to her by President Mary McAleese. Participation of teh Craft Granary at the event was supported by Tipperary South Riding County Enterprise Board and the other Enterprise Boards in teh Region.  "Craftspeople in our region find it difficult to attend National Shows such as this", said Toss Hayes, CEO of the CEB.  "We were glad to be able to support them in getting to an event where they can meet so many buyers.  They can also keep us up to date on emerging trenda.  For its first outing the Craft Granary punched well above its weight". The Craft Granary supports teh developtment and success of craftworkers working in the South East Region, Helen Shanahan, Manager of eth Craft Granary led a group of 8 craftspeople from counties Tipperary, Kilkenny, Carlow and Waterford.  Celine Flynn, a jewellery maker from Carlow, walked away with an Essence of Ireland Award. 10 Essence of Ireland products were awarded by a panel of experts for depicting through their design, production methods and presentation what is unique about Ireland.  Selection will be considered as gifts for foreign dignitaries, VIP's, and corporate clients.  teh Essence of Ireland selection was awarded to ten individual craft products, one of whom was celine Flynn, from Bagnalstown, Co Carlow.  Celine actually knits and crochets fine sterling silver wire from 28 - 32 gauge (as fine as the hair on your head!) She also uses colour coated copper wire, semi precious gems. Swarovski crystals and fresh water pearls in her work. CAHIR DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY LOTTO THE JACKPOT TOTAL NOW TOPS €5,000, AT €5,050. Tickets can be purchased up to the last moment (noon on Wednedsdays) from the Business & Training Centre. Peter Fahey witnessed the Draw last week, producing numbers 3, 7, 20 and 26. The five Lucky Dip winners, each of whom received €30, were: Anne Hickey, New Inn; Patrick O’Donnell, Kilmalogue; Kay & Aidan O’Connor, Bansha; Bridget Lonergan, Carrigeen Cottages; Michael Halpin, Carrigeen. The profits from the Community Lotto service community projects in Cahir. CAHIR & DISTRICT LADIES’ CLUB LThe Club meeting on Monday 2nd February was cancelled - which is hardly surprising! The next meeting is now scheduled for next Monday 16th February at 9pm in the Hall. All the Ladies wish Ann & Tom O’Connell a Happy 40th Wedding Anniversary and hope they had a good night when they celebrated it. The Committee is looking forward to seeing everyone on 18th. CAHIR KARATE CLUB HAS REPRESENTATIVES IN NATIONAL TEAM Michael Powers’ Shotokan Karate Club, which trains in the Duneske Gym, has two members who have qualified for places on the National Team at the World Karate Championships in Athens in July of this year. They are Barry O’Neill, from Lisava and Darren Fennessy. They will be fundraising like mad from now on, so look out for fundraisers. If anyone or any company wishes to sponsor them, please get in touch with Barry on 086 069 6732 or e-mail boneill81@gmail.com. I am sure we will be hearing a lot more about them over the next two or three months, and perhaps they will come back with medals, which would be well deserved for the work they have put in. FARMERS’ MARKET You really know that Spring is coming when Elizabeth Stam (otherwise known as the mad Dutch lady from Clare) reappears, like the crocuses. She will be back at the Market on Saturday with her usual lovely selection of plants, shrubs and herbs. Keith’s stall too will have beautiful daffodils. KNOCKGRAFFON OPEN COURSING CLUB QUIRKE CUP. The Quirke Cup (presented and sponsored by the Quirke family, Poulmucka, in honour of their father, the last Jimmy Quirke) was won by David Lonergan’s Brenda’s Field, defeating Seamus Quirke’s Shocking Rose in the Final. PADDY O’DWYER TROPHY. On Sunday next, the Club concludes the Season with the running of the Paddy O’Dwyer Trophy (presented by the O’Dwyer family in honour of their father, the late Paddy O’Dwyer). DAN FORTUNE CUP. This Cup, for beaten nominators (sponsored and presented by Mrs Pat Fortune and Family in honour of her husband, the late Dan Fortune) will be run in conjunction with the Paddy O’Dwyer Trophy. In order to facilitate everybody, six nominators will nominate each greyhound in the Stake. DRAW: Rosehill Wonder v Lobnamna Rooster   Ballingeary Bob v Eats and Leaves   Shift Sky Blue v Blue Bull   Brenda’s Field v Get Up Jess Reserves: A Cloverhill Major   B Forty Three Spots   C Maughera Flair Meet next Sunday, 15th February at Ballingeary School at 11:30am. MARIA TAYLOR SENDS IN THE FOLLOWING: KEYS FOUND A set of Nissan car keys with house keys and others attached has been found by a gentleman walking in the area of the reservoir, in Cahir. The keyring is quite distinctive. Anyone wishing to enquire about these keys can phone me on 086 102 2014. THE OLD DISPENSARY Cllr Seanie Lonergan welcomes the news that the Old Dispensary in Cahir is going to be refurbished in the near future. The Councillor met HSE Staff last week and they outlined the work and improvements to be carried out. The roof is the top priority and will be repaired at once, said Seanie. [Am I the only one who hasn’t a clue what these two are on about? What Old Dispensary? Where? M.C.] TRIBUTE TO COUNCIL WORKERS SThe County Council workers and staff in the Cahir area deserve the highest priase says Cllr Seanie Lonergan. During the arctic conditions of the last few weeks, they worked in all weathers and at all times of the day and night. (I think we all agree with that - thank you. M..T.) A TRUE GENTLEMAN A local lady has asked me to thank a gentleman who came to her rescue on the day of the bad snow last week. She had just left the Doctors’ Surgery in Cahir with a very sick child. Due to people parking across the horizontal parking spaces there, she had not got enough room to back her car out. However, this gentleman got out of his own car and directed the lady out of a very awkward spot. There are some gentlemen left in the world. Thank you. NEW MENU FOR DUNESKE On 1st February, the Café in Duneske Sports & Leisure Centre launched an exciting new range of delicious hot dinners, which are available to order in advance. Joe Ahern now gives us the pleasure of tasting his own range of beautiful soups, scones, brown bread, cakes, desserts (even Bailey’s Cheesecake!) along with the Meal of the Days Hot Dinners. There are some very good offers too, such a Tea/Coffee and a Bakery item for just €3.50; Homemade Soup and Brown Bread - €2.50 and a Medium Smoothie of the Day and Hot Dinner €6.;95, while the Hot Dinners are only €5.25. The Daily Specials are: Mondays - Chicken Curry; Tuesday - Cottage Pie; Wednesdays - Lasagne; Thursdays - Chicken & Broccoli Bake; Fridays - Fish Pie; and Saturdays - Sweet & Sour Chicken. Any orders can be taken at Reception. Don’t forget that Duneske is only a short walk/’drive away from the town centre. Here you are offered not only a top of the range sports and leisure complex, but also a free Car Park; a free Children’s Playground and Internet Access in the Café, too. So go along and check it out (I’m having Lasagne). SYMPATHIES Sincerest sympathy to the family of the late Billy Duggan of Avondale Court, especially to his wife Joan, son Ger and his wife Gemma and the extended family. THANK YOU, MARIA. CAHIR ACTIVE RETIREMENT ASSOCIATION In the face of adverse weather conditions on Wednesday 4th February, members attended the Monthly Meeting and were rewarded with an interesting and varied afternoon. Plans for the trip to Spain were finalised and deposits are now due. Justin Nelson, the well-known photographer, recently launched a new book “Michael Collins - A Fitting Farewell”. The book features a huge collection of brilliant photographs from the National Library of Ireland, many of which have not been seen in the past 85 years. Justin is a member of the Cabinteely Active Retirement Association. READERS’ NEWS & VIEWS As regular readers now, all your information and comments are most welcome at 10 Market Yard / 086 840 5020 and at the e-mail address above. Maria Taylor can be contacted on 086 102 2014. But PLEASE try to get your info to us in good time. Unless you are sending in a report from a sporting group that plays on a Sunday, Sunday night / Monday morning is really too late. Remember that the paper is printed on Tuesdays, and delivered to outlets that evening, and time is needed for editing, layout and so on. The community website is now up-to-date, thanks to Susan, and on Monday morning she was uploading the photographs. Sorry for the delay. www.cahirnews.cahirda.com.