CAHIR NOTES 16TH DECEMBER 09 CHRISTMAS LIGHTS UPDATE Cahir Development Association would like to report that fundraising for the Christmas lights is going very well and there is still plenty of Christmas spirit about too. To date, Cahir Bingo has donated €500 towards the Christmas lights, for which we are very grateful. The energetic team of Mary Brewster, Jean English and Bernie Long walked from door to door collecting and reported that people were happy to make a small donation. They raised a fantastic €1,055 and thanks to the ladies too. The Church gate collection raised €905. With many donations already collected by local business people and still more donations yet to come in,( it’s my turn to collect now!) it looks likely that the cost of putting up the lights, maintaining them, taking them down and the running costs will be met again this year. This would not have been possible without the cooperation and goodwill of the businesses and people of the town of Cahir. We know that the existing lights will not last forever (one line is not working this year already) and we are now looking into sourcing more efficient and cheaper additions to give more town coverage. If we continue to receive the level of support that we have received this year, it will be a real possibility. So thank you to all those who gave so generously and also to those who gave of their time to fundraise in any way, we are humbled by your response. Please don’t forget that the “Cahir’s Got Talent “Competitions start this week. The first is in The Hill Bar on Friday 18th December, the Music will be by Pablo and the second is in The Bell on Saturday 19th with Music by Ted Quinn. It’s free to enter and €2 to vote and the proceeds also go towards the Christmas Lights. Just contact the pubs mentioned to put your name down to enter. So, get ready for a weekend of fun with all the local Talent performing their hearts out. Good luck to all contestants! LAUNCH OF CAHIR G.A.A. HISTORY A history of the G.A.A. in Cahir over the past 124 years, entitled “Memories and Achievements” compiled by Colm O’Flaherty and Mattie Hussey, was officially launched on last Friday night of the December 11th in Cahir House Hotel. The launch was be performed by Sean Kelly M.E.P for Munster and former G.A.A. President. The launch night was sponsored by Ger Enright of Eurospar, Dungarvan             Colm O'Flaherty with Sean Kelly M.E.P. and Mattie Hussey at the launching of "Memories and Achievements, A History of the GAA in Cahir" The book consists of approx 300 pages and over 300 photographs, from the oldest photo of 1896 up to the present. Most championship winning teams at underage and adult level are featured, as well as many other team photographs. There are also photographs of other events in the club’s history, including A.G.M ‘s, parish leagues and presentations. In the text, taken from newspaper reports and secretaries’ reports, accounts of each year’s activities are outlined. Where possible, teams that featured in the various hurling and football competitions are listed. Cahir’s involvement in Inter County Activities is also outlined e.g. Bloody Sunday 1920, and Tipperary’s last football title in 1920, through Jimmy McNamara part in these historic events. Many other inter-county teams that featured Cahir players are also contained in the book 20 former Captains of County Winning teams have all written personal recollections of their era. Some pupils from 6th class in the Boys National School have also written pieces on the subject “What the G.A.A. means to me “Extracts from these pieces are also in the book. Cahir G.A.A. would like to thank all who attended this important and historic evening. There was a very good attendance by all that have had an involvement in the G.A.A locally and this made the event a night of re-union and reminiscence. Anyone with an interest in local GAA events and history will find the book interesting and as only a limited number of copies have been printed and were available on the night. Unfortunately, the book will not be available to buy in the shops. It was indeed a very good night. CAHIR DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY LOTTO The Jackpot of €5,050 was won last Wednesday the 9th December by the lucky ladies in Kennedy’s Butchers of Cahir. The numbers drawn were 14, 19, 20 and 26. The draw was witnessed by Joan Loughman. The seller of the winning ticket was Kennedy’s Butchers who win €65. The lucky winners are Mary Casey, Joan Maher and Mary English. Congratulations to them and just in time for Christmas too! The next draw will take place on Wednesday the 16th December 2009, at 12 noon. The Jackpot will be €1000. Tickets can be bought right up to the last minute from The Enterprise Centre, Cahir. Profit’s servicing community projects in Cahir. STREET LIGHTING Cllr. Seanie Lonergan of the Labour Party has made numerous representations to the ESB about the unlit and broken street lights in the town. At last Mondays Council meeting Seanie learned that the ESB are withdrawing from the lighting maintenance programme at the end of 2009.The maintenance will now be carried out by a private company. In the last few months the ESB did not honour their contract and gave a very bad service indeed. The Councillor hopes that the new company will at least honour their contract and repair all lights within the shortest amount of time possible. SRAID NA GCUACH Labour Councillor Seanie Lonergan has been informed that the 19 new houses on Upper Abbey Street on the Tipperary road in Cahir are about to be allotted at long last. Seanie has been told that the successful applicants will be notified before Christmas. He expects that the houses will be occupied early in the New Year. Seanie wishes all those on the housing waiting list the very best of luck. THANKS TO COUNCIL STAFF The South Tipperary Outdoor Council Staff deserve the highest praise says Cllr. Seanie Lonergan. During the recent long wet spell of weather they worked in the most difficult and dangerous conditions. Such conditions have not been experienced in many a year. They worked diligently and long into the night with regard for the safety of everybody. Even with their limited resources they did an excellent job of the work. I think we all will join with Seanie in wishing them a very Happy Christmas and a Happy New Year too. CAHIR ACTIVE RETIREMENT ASSOCIATION  Results of the Progressive "25" card Game held at the McAuley Room on Friday 11th December, 2009 were; 1st with 12 Games, Ciss O'Neill & Willie O'Donnell. 2nd with 10 Games, Margaret Quinlan & Mary Whelan. On the lucky Table were Paschal O'Dwyer & Michael Tobin, Bridget Fanning & Mary Fitzgerald. Raffle, Peg Reidy Tom O'Mahony. The next game will take place on Friday18th December at 8 pm in The Catharine McAuley Room. This game will be a bit of a Christmas Party with Oodles of Spot Prizes and fun. All are welcome to enjoy this very popular gathering with friends. Many thanks to all card players supporting this weekly appointment.   The Christmas Party held at the Cahir House Hotel on Wednesday 9th December turned out to be an outstanding success we enjoyed a beautiful meal and stupendous music supplied by Stefan Grace and Ally. There were also other Guest Artists Billy & Tony. The members enjoyed an evening of enjoyable dancing and many took the microphone to sing some very popular numbers. Many thanks to Cahir House Hotel and Staff for the wonderful Dinner and Service and courtesy they gave us. Spot Prizes were also given to members. We had a sizeable attendance at the Party and an enjoyable evening was had by all.   CHRISTMAS MESSAGE! Cahir Active Retirement Association Committee would like to wish all our members a happy and peaceful Christmas and a safe rewarding New Year. Please have your list of suggestions ready for the next monthly meeting on Wednesday 6th January 2010. This list will facilitate the committee to plan our activities early for next year. It is also that time of the year to cough up and renew membership of our Active Retirement Association. This is our organisation and it is we the club and individual members who are Active Retirement Ireland. We must take pride in and ownership of our organisation, and make it do what we want it to and be fully reflective of our aspirations.   Information regarding Cahir Active Retirement Association may be obtained by contacting The Secretary at cahiractiveretirement@gmail.com or by phone on 052 74 441892. TIDY TOWNS AND ENHANCEMENT GROUP Cahir Tidy Towns and Enhancement Group have welcomed the improvements made to the grave of Jimmy McNamara from Barrack Street, Cahir who was a member of the Tipperary football team who played on Bloody Sunday. There was the blessing of a reed by Fr O Dwyer and present was the Chairman of the GAA Club Mr Larry Molan in the company of South Tipperary Board Chairman Mr Dick Egan. There was a good gathering for the event last Sunday morning. The move has been welcomed by the Tidy Towns & Enhancement Group who strive to make many improvements in town, as they hope to increase their marks for 2010. The graveside has been cleaned up immaculately by our local funeral director “Wally” much to the approval of Billy Loughnane, who has canvassed for this move for years. This is a very historic grave and along with the many other stalwarts of the GAA who have been laid to rest in Cahir they should get a visit during the Christmas period. If there are other historic attractions in town that readers think would should receive attention, they should be forwarded to the Cahir Tidy Towns c/o the Enterprise Centre. Maybe during the year these could be looked at with a view to making improvements. MEDAL PRESENTATION A medal presentation ceremony will take place in Cahir House Hotel on Sunday evening next (December 20th) at 6pm. The victorious U12 and U14 Ladies Football and Camogie teams will receive their medals. All parents and families are cordially invited to attend with refreshments being served. LIBRARY NEWS Cahir library Arts and Crafts. There will be an arts and crafts morning for children in Cahir library on Saturday 19th December. It will run from 11am until 1pm. It is for boys and girls, aged 5 to 10 years. It will be Christmas themed for the week that’s in it. Places are limited and you can book at the desk in the library during the week. You must be a member to take part, but membership is free and all you need is a parent/guardian to sign up for you. Please, watch this space for more events and activities in Cahir library. Cahir library Scrabble Club. Are you interest in playing Scrabble? Fancy a game with others who enjoy it. Ask Ann in Cahir library, as we are trying to get a Scrabble club up and running. It’s a great way to keep the mind active and also a chance for a chat. Lastly, a very happy Christmas and success in 2010 from Ann Touhy in Cahir Library and thank you to all who support the library throughout the year. ABBEY TAVERN GOLF SOCIETY The Christmas outing is on the 19th of December, 10.30am, tee off in Cahir Park Golf Club. We hope to see all members there nice and early. We are looking into Golf Clubs for next year, only one is finalised, our weekend away this year is Ennis Golf Club on the 7th of May deposits will be taken at our Christmas Outing. Our last draw was held 2 weeks ago and the winners were James Hayden, Paul Touhy, Noel Halley and Sean Hickey, well done lads. The best of luck to Eugene Winn who is our Captain for this coming year. We would to like to wish all our members a merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. CAHIR BABY/TODDLER GROUP CHRISTMAS PARTY Santa will arrive at the Baby and Toddler Group Christmas Party this Thursday 17th December. We would ask all parents to bring a small wrapped gift for their child which will be placed discreetly in Santa’s Sack. We are meeting from 10.30am to 12.30pm in the Community Hall, Church St., Cahir. The Group will finish for the holidays and the re opening date will be advised in the New Year. CASINO ROYALE NEW YEARS EVE BALL Welcome in the New Year 2010 with 007 Style at Cahir House Hotel - In conjunction with CARE (Cancer Aftercare Relaxation Energy) The Casino Royale New Year’s Eve Ball will take place on Thursday 31st December, with lots of good food, Casino Games- Blackjack & Roulette tables etc… So why not dance the old year out and the new one in and help raise funds for CARE too. With live Music & a DJ till late. Price €48 per person. Spot prizes & Awards for Best Dressed Bond & Bond Girl!!! Book early to avoid disappointment 052-74 43000. BUSY TIMES AT COLÁISTE DÚN IASCAIGH Debaters’ victory The Coláiste’s debating team has continued the winning run in the year’s Concern Debates Competition. Following on from their victory over Bruff they scored another unanimous victory, this time against Scoil Mhuire Co-ed, Thurles. The team of Dean Buckley (captain), Damien Noonan, Thomas Sampson and Monika Gaciarz impressed the judges greatly with their range of research and their ability to use rebuttal and refutation. T.Y.Law On Thursday November 26th the T.Y.O. students participated in a law course run by Mr. James Fahy, a barrister from Galway. The students were taught about the difference between civil and criminal law, they also learned about the Irish Court procedure and staged a mock murder trial. Football victory for Junior Girls The Junior Ladies footballers from the Colaiste enjoyed a comprehensive victory over their Tipp rivals the Ursuline from Thurles in the Munster ¼ Final last week, scoring 5 –12 to Ursulines’ 5-01. They are now through to a Munster Semi Final which will be played in the New Year and with a lot of hard work on the training field they could be back in another Munster Final having won this competition back in 2006 on route to winning the All Ireland that year. Thank you Thank you and well done to senior students Leanne Hickey, Sarah Keating, David O’Donnell, Avril Hearne and Barry Rogers who volunteered to help at the Cahir Day Care Christmas Party, where they performed a range of songs including a selection of Christmas Carols. Congratulations Congratulations to Emma Buckley and Liene Blistone on their recent success in the Credit Union Poster Competition OUR LADY OF MERCY PRIMARY SCHOOL CAHIR.? On Wednesday December 9th last, Cahir took on our old rivals Sisters of Charity in the U13A football final in Clonmel. U13 footballers retained their crown to make it four in a row.Well done to all the team. We would like to congratulate the Sisters on winning the U11 A football final and hope to be ready for them next year. Thanks to Frances Tobin, Mary O Donnell and Sally Casey and all the other teachers in the school who helped out during the year. The U11 B final has yet to be arranged when we will take on Ballyporeen. This U13 game was the last school football match for a lot of the girls on the panel as next year they will be in Secondary school, so we would like to say thank you to them all for all the enjoyment they have brought to the school over the years. Well done also to Martin Halpin for all the work he puts in with the school teams during the year. The Parents Council wish to thank all who made last Friday's cake and toy sale such a success. Our sincere gratitude to all who baked such delicious treats and to all our sponsors for the raffle, all of which made the morning such a great occasion. The First Holy Communion Preparation Committee, the Parents Councils of Cahir Boys School National School & Our Lady of Mercy Girls Primary School invite you to share in some Christmas Cheer when after 10am Mass on Sunday next (December 20th) we would like to request your presence to help us sing some Christmas Carols, partake of a glass of mulled wine, a lovely mince pie, a cup of tea or coffee and spread the real meaning of Christmas with one another. This was really enjoyed by the children last year and what a lovely simple way to wish each other the joy and peace of Christmas time. So bring your Santa Hat and your lovely voice and let’s start Christmas week off with goodwill to all mankind. SANTA VISITS POULMUCKA The Poulmucka Sports & Social Club will bring Santa Claus to the Cross on Sunday 20th December at 3.30pm sharp. Once again, all children are welcome to visit him in Moloneys Lounge following his arrival. The Christmas walk will be held on Monday 28th December and we will meet at Poulmucka at 12.30pm. There will be a meeting to discuss the walk on 17th December in Moloneys Lounge at 8.30 pm. This will not be a difficult walk and will last about 2 hours. It will be followed by a BBQ and Refreshments back at Poulmucka and a Christmas Sing-a-long. MORE VISITS FROM SANTA Santa Claus is coming to Supermacs on Saturday 19th December from 4 to 7pm, so children, it might be your last chance to see the man himself and let him know what gifts you would like for Christmas. There will also be another special guest in store. More importantly there will be no charge to visit Santa and you will get a free gift and a photo. Santa will also be visiting the Hill Bar on Barrack Street in Cahir arriving by Harley on Sunday 20th December at 2.30pm. All children welcome. AN EVENING OF ELEGANCE Due to popular demand, Julie and Caroline are pleased to announce a second Evening of Elegance on Friday 18th December to view their stunning display of Costume Jewellery in the snug of Cahir House Hotel. Once again the Ladies will be there from 7pm. In cosy surrounds the ladies will show you their extensive range, along with many statement pieces of Jewellery. These would make exquisite gifts for your loved ones and with the new season’s colours, enhance every outfit. The ladies look forward to meeting you on the night. If you would like to host an evening of elegance in your home, or for more details, please contact Julie or Caroline on 087 226529. I have acquired a stunning necklace for my Christmas wardrobe and already it has attracted much attention. CRUMLIN FUNDRAISER The long awaited Richie O’Mahoney DVD will be showing at The Gate House Bar in Cahir across from the Castle on Sunday the 3rd of January 2010, starting at 4.00pm sharp. Jason and Jenny are always willing to help out on the fundraisers. The Venue is great because it’s spacious and has a quality entertainment system. The DVD is 1 and1/2 hrs long and has great footage of the day back in June 2008, with great rock music on the backing track. A hamper of spirits is being raffled in the bar at the moment to raise money for Crumlin and a framed photo of the entire group will be raffled on the day. All proceeds go to Crumlin Children’s Hospital. I also have a few more surprises lined up for the day, so tell all your friends to turn up and leave the bike or car at home and we will have a good day and remember our friend Richie. Thanks to Pat Cunningham for the report. SCARBOROUGH FRIENDS Mike Manning sends the following Greetings from Scarborough; May we at ‘The Spa Pub’ in Scarborough send a sincere message of a very Happy Retirement to Tom Shanahan at our twin pub "The Bell". We know we will still see you hovering when we visit, but have a restful and happy retirement. Congratulations to Tim and Loretta and if you need any tips on keeping a good pint, please give us a call. The "Bell" and "Spa" twinning flag still hangs proudly in the bar here, in "Cahir Corner" Finally can we send best wishes for a happy Christmas and Prosperous New Year to all of our good friends in Cahir. See you all after Christmas, Best wishes from Mike Manning, Mark Carson, Ian and Sandra, George and Christine, Dougy and all at The Spa Pub, Scarborough. CHARITY AUCTION OF MUNSTER JERSEY The Munster Jersey that is on display at the moment in Joe Walsh’s window in the Square, Cahir is to be auctioned in aid of painting St. Pauls Church in Cahir. The jersey is signed by the Heineken Cup Panel of 2009. To bid, send your name and bid by email to munster.bid@gmail.com or by text to 086 3634457.Bids open on 8th December at 9am and close on 18th December at 12 midnight. KILCOOLEY CALENDAR Slieveardagh Rural Development has produced a Limited Edition Kilcooley Calender for 2010. The Calendar is numbered 1 - 500. (They will be a collector’s item) It depicts scenes from O' Tunney Sculptor including the Butler Tomb and the Apostle Weepers and an explanation of same. The calendar is available for €5 and is excellent value. The Photography is by Maura Barrett, Willie Quinlan and Katy Goodhue and the Text is by Maura Barrett, Willie Quinlan and Liam Noonan. Please let Maura know by email on mawiebarrett@eircom.net or Corina by phone on 052 9156165 if you would like a copy. The Fr Sean O Duinn Lecture went very well, a great antidote to the budget. NEWCASTLE VINTAGE CLUB Newcastle Vintage Club will hold their Annual P.J Hyland Road Run on 26th December, St. Stephens Day, in aid of The Women’s Refuge. All tractors welcome. Meeting at Nugent’s at 10.30am. Entry fee €20 per tractor. Contact 086 8984511 for more details. LADIES NIGHT, JUST FOR YOU.  By Jacqueline. Kilcoran Lodge Hotel sends an invitation to all the ladies, to a Jewellery & Accessory Party on Monday 21st December 2009 from 5pm – 10pm. Enjoy some Mulled Wine & Warm Mince Pies at the Welcome Reception. There will be a full range of Jewellery, Scarves, Designer Gloves, Hats, Handbags, Crystal & Angels. All great ideas for your last minute Christmas presents. Fantastic offers available on the night. CONGRATULATIONS To Declan Enright and Mags Fenton who were engaged last week. Best wishes from both of your families and many friends. HAPPY BIRTHDAY We would like to wish Grace Ellen (Gracie) O Gorman (Poulatar, Ardfinnan)a wonderful 1st birthday on the 19th of December. With Lots of love and kisses from Mommy, Daddy, Sister Hannah Rose, Brother Alex and all the rest of your family. READERS NEWS AND VIEWS If you have any news, views or notes for the Cahir page, you can contact me on 086 1022014 or email me on caplicetaylor@hotmail.com. By Sunday evening at the latest, as that is when I do the notes. Thank you.