CAHIR NOTES Wednesday 28th February “MOLLS CROSS” ORAL HEARING Cllr Mattie McGrath is advising members of the public that there will be an Oral Hearing held on Thursday 1st March at 10:30am in the Council Chamber, South Tipperary County Council, County Hall, Clonmel, regarding the closure of road no L-3117-1. Those who sent in observations will be given the opportunity to express concerns regarding the extinguishment of the Right of Way at Molls Cross over approximately 90 metres in length along the L-3117-1 from its junction with the N24. If you are interested and require further information regarding this, please contact Mr Peter Britton, Engineer, Roads Section, South Tipperary County Council, on 052 34523. I was sorry to miss Mattie when he visited Market Yard on Sunday - he has a tough few weeks of campaigning ahead of him and I most sincerely hope that all the nonsense that has gone on hasn’t been too taxing on this hard-working and charismatic man, who gives Irish politics a good name. GAA RAISING AWARENESS OF DRUG RELATED ISSUES GAA clubs in South Tipperary, in conjunction with the Tipperary Regional Youth Service, Mid Tipperary Drugs Initiative and the HSE Drug Education Officer, are to run a series of Drug Education Evenings in the coming weeks. Following the release of the GAA’s Alcohol and Substance Abuse Prevention Programme, the Tipperary County Board has taken the innovative approach of inviting speakers to highlight the signs and symptoms of substance misuse to coaches, managers and interested parents. These programmes will encompass the five major town in South Tipperary: Tipperary Town; Cashel, Cahir, Clonmel and Carrick, with the Cahir event taking place on Thursday 1st March at 7:30pm in Coláiste Dún Iascaigh. With the emergence of alcohol and substance misuse as a core issue for the GAA, the Tipperary County Board deserves immense credit for initiating these Drug Education Evenings.  All the groups associated with these events commend the GAA for raising awareness of drug related issues in the area.   CAHIR & DISTRICT LADIES’ CLUB The ladies who are starting Art & Craft classes will meet at 6:50pm at the Old Tech on Wednesday 28th February.  All the ladies going Bowling on Monday 5th March, please meet at 7:50pm to organise lifts etc into Clonmel. Due to the Bank Holiday, there will not be a Club meeting until Monday 26th March. WELCOME TO A NEW BUSINESS It is always good to hear about a new business opening in Cahir, particularly in the resurgent area along the Tipperary Road, so I am delighted to welcome Justin Irwin and his Office Supplies Shop, JMA Services, which started up recently. John has been in the Paper Merchant trade for the last fifteen years, and the main areas he is covering in his new business are Office Supplies, School Supplies and Office Furniture.  As he says, he sells anything from an ink cartridge to a paper clip. John Irwin is from and lives in Cashel and his late parents were Joe and Kitty Irwin (R.I.P.) He is married to Mary and they have a small son, Andrew.  JMA Services can be found between Bia Blasta and Hairanoya. Best wishes to you and JMA Services, John. GOING UP! The Jackpot in Cahir Development’s Community Lotto now stands at €3,100, as it wasn’t won last week, in the draw witnessed by Peter Fahy. The numbers that came up were:  7, 10, 13, 24 and the five Lucky Dip winners, each of whom received €30, were Denis Hartnett, Marian Terrrace, Tipperary;  Veronica O’Callaghan, Mulberry Court, Mitchelstown;  Eamon O’Donnell, Rosemount View; John English, Kilemly; and Geraldine Lonergan, Rochestown. Tickets can be bought up to the last minute (noon on Wednesday) from the Business & Training Centre.  All the profits from the Community Lotto go to the Duneske Leisure Complex. TIME CHANGE The Parents & Toddlers Group (le Gaeilge) now have Gaeilge through play and activities from 3:15pm to 4:14pm every Wednesday at 17 Barnora, Cahir.  3 - 5 year olds are welcome!  Fáilte. Phone 052 45884 for further information. TUESDAY NIGHT BRIDGE CLUB The results for 6th February were: 1st - Áine Burke, Teresa O’Dwyer;  2nd - Catherine Kiely, Graham Scott;  3rd - Eileen O’Dwyer, Eamon Murphy. 13th February:  1st - Albert O’Dwyer, John Roycroft;  2nd - Brida Kennedy, Dan Condon;  3rd - Mai Geraghty, Ann Corbett; 4th - Eileen Ryan, Mary Jo Condon. DINNER THEATRE On Friday 9th March at 8:30pm sharp, Cahir House Hotel, in association with Cahir & District Lions Club, will present “Year of the Hiker” by John B Keane, performed by the Father Matthew Players. Tickets are on sale at just €25 per person and anyone wishing to support the great work the Lions do, while having a very good night’s entertainment, should book right away - telephone 052 43000. The hotel has special accommodation rates for the night at €40 per person sharing, which includes a full Irish breakfast.   TWO HOTELS FOR SALE IN TOWN It is obvious from the above that Cahir House Hotel is being sold very much as a going concern, and I would like to extend my sympathy to Carol O’Brien and her family, who have been unable to overcome their feelings at the way some elements in Cahir have behaved towards them. The Castle Court Hotel is also on the market and should also be of interest to investors, as it has been restored to a very high standard by Kevin Curry.  I know that the film crews loved staying there last summer. CAHIR ACTIVE RETIREMENT ASSOCIATION Art Classes suffered a minor set-back last week as Megan, the Art Tutor, was powerless to take the class due to the dreaded ‘flu’.  Get well soon, Megan. Many members took to pumping iron and using the range of exercising equipment at the Leisure Centre at Duneske as the programme for Health and Well-Being became part of the lives of members.  Members would like to express their gratitude to all the members of the staff for their assistance, thoughtfulness and support, as members make their way through this inspiring and helpful course. The rsults of the Progressive 25 card game held on Friday 23rd February are as follows:  1st, with 12 games, Rena O’Gorman, Breeda Ryan; Joint 2nd with 10 games, Mary & Ely Whelan, Josie Quinlan, Joe Ahern, Peg Reidy, Kitty Slattery, Kieran O’Brien, Red Burke. The Lucky Table winners were Tom McGrath, Tom O’Mahoney, Theresa Duggan, Anne Lonergan, and the Raffle was won by Ely Whelan, Mary English (Barnora). The next game will be this Friday, 2nd March at 8pm at the same venue, and all are very welcome. The next Club meeting will take place on Wednesday 7th March at 2:30 in the Catherine McAuley Room, when deposits will be accepted for the spring trip to Wexford. REMINDER The Dick Doyle Photo Exhibition opens this Thursday at the Craft Granary, until Wednesday 28th March. CAHIR FLOWER & GARDEN CLUB This Wednesday, publication day, is the date for the next meeting of the Club, when Hans Voss is giving a talk on pruning and cleaning the garden ready for Spring planting.  All are welcome. WHAT’S ON AT DUNESKE? The Rugby during the mid-term break was great fun and someone seems to think that the Irish team will be lucky to get some of these players in years to come.  Watch this space, as they will be running another Rugby Skills Camp very soon.  (And Saturday’s result can’t have done any harm to the interest level being show, either). Rugby at the weekends will start in two weeks’ time, so get names in now if you are interested. Remember, if you want to look fabulous this Summer, there are just 12 weeks to go.  Go up to see them at Duneske and they will put together a specially detailed plan to suit your needs and have you all looking and feeling wonderful. The next Salsa session is filling up, so get your name in fast if you want to be involved.  Also Hip Hop is proving very popular, so get your name in to Reception to start on 26th March at 8pm. Thanks are expressed for the lovely compliment from Breda regarding the Birthday Party and I am assured that the staff had more fun than the kids. Jackie is available to take any enquiries about these parties and you are promised fun activities, yummy treats and, for mums and dads, good value. Remember that any Groups that are looking for something different to do can do no better than to visit Duneske - just contact Bridget and visits will be arranged, along with the ever-popular Wellness talks, which can be brought to your Group at any time.  And there will be masses of activities for kids, adults and families this Spring and Summer, so keep an eye and an ear open. Contact Duneske Leisure Centre on 052 45517 for more details. WHAT WILL PEOPLE THINK OF NEXT? Bill Parfrey sent me this - a salutary warning. After her handbag was stolen, a certain lady has changed her habit of how she lists her names on her mobile phone. Her handbag, which contained her mobile, credit card, purse etc, was stolen. Twenty minutes later, shenshe called her hubby from a pay phone, telling him what had happened, he said “I’ve just received your text asking about our Pin Number and I replied a little while ago”. When they rushed down to the bank, the staff told them that all their money was already withdrawn. The pickpocket had actually used the stolen phone to text “hubby” in the contact list and get hold of the Pin Number Moral of the story:  do not disclose the relationship between you and the people in your contact list. Avoid using names like Home, Honey, Hubby, Sweetheart, Dad, Mum etc... and very importantly, when sensitive info is being asked for through texts, CONFIRM BY CALLING BACK. CAHIR CAMOGIE CLUB NOTES Indoor Camogie starts again tonight - Wednesday, 28th February at 7pm when the “D” Tournament will begin.  The following are the teams: Heffo’s Army:  Siobhan Heffernan, Ashling McCarthy, Eimear Quinlan, Fiona Reece, Claire Kiely. Downey’s Dashers Kirsty Downey, Rachel Brehony, Marina Conlon, Jane O’Donovan, Niamh Keating. O’Donnell’s Dodgers  Sadhbh O’Donnell, Emma Buckley, Shannon Pyke, Edel Lenihan, Joye Arbuckle. Corcoran’s Conquerors:  Emma Corcoran, Clionagh Higgins, Chloe O’Reilly, Ciara Lonergan, Clara O’Donnell. All players are requested to be in the hall in good time. PARKING IN MARKET YARD There seems to be a growing car parking problem where I live.  On Tuesday, my daughter couldn’t park outside my house as the spaces were full, so she pulled in elsewhere in the square.  When she returned to her car, she found a note saying “Do not park hear (sic) residents only”.  Since when? I can perfectly understand that people have to put their cars somewhere, and the only time it gets to me is when someone takes up the space of at least two cars through bad parking and thoughtlessness.  As far as I am aware there isn’t a public area in Cahir where “Residents Only” applies and I wouldn’t dream of doing this to someone parked outside No 10. NATIONAL TREE WEEK Coillte is really going to town next week, and why wouldn’t they? It is National Tree Week, after all.  In Cahir, a Yew Woodland Walk is being organised to take place at 11am on Tuesday 6th March. Four native woodland habitat types are found in Ireland - yew woodland, alluvial woodland, woodland associated with limestone pavement and bog woodland. These woodlands are restricted in their distribution, not just in this country but also across the entire EU, and they are recognised under the EU Habitats Directive as being critically rare and given “priority” status.   Three of the nine sites in Ireland have been selected as LIFE* Project Demonstration Sites, with a special focus on public awareness and education - a yew woodland at Cahir Park, an alluvial woodland at Hazelwood, Co Sligo and a woodland associated with limestone pavement near Clonbur, Co Galway / Co Mayo. This project aims to remove invasive non-native species and reinstate natural water regimes, in order to restore natural woodland habitat. Specific aims are:  to restore habitat quality across the four priority woodland types targeted by the project;  to enhance 550.8 ha priority woodland habitat in Ireland;  to develop and promote woodland restoration techniques;  to demonstrate the relevance and value of priority woodland habitats and raise public awareness. The meeting place for the Yew Woodland Walk in Cahir Park, which will take about an hour and a half, is the Coillte bus / car park (en route to Swiss Cottage).  There is no need to book, just go along - but take your boots! * LIFE is the financial instrument of the European Commission for the environment introduced in 1992, and is one of the spearheads of the European Union’s environmental policy.   READERS’ NEWS & VIEWS ... are always welcome at 10 Market Yard / 086 840 5020 or at the email address above - and the earlier the better!