CAHIR NOTES REV. ARTHUR CARTER RETIRED It came as something of a shock when the rumoured retirement of Rev. Arthur Carter became fact.  Arthur was an Assistant Priest in the Clonmel Union of Parishes of Cahir, Clonmel and Fethard of the Church of Ireland.  He ceased to hold a position in ministry on 1st July 2007, on reaching 75 years of age.  Bishop Michael Burrows withdrew his License at this time.  Arthur still has permission to assist occasionally in ministry locally and in the Diocese, but not to hold a license for a position in the regular ministry in the Union of Parishes. Arthur Carter has found all aspects of ministry a great joy and privilege, including in education, in Clonmel and Cashel primary schools and on the Diocesan Board of Education. Pastoral care was also an enriching experience.  Fellowship with fellow clergy and ecumenical friendships were valued, and will continue to be, valued. Before being ordained to the non-stipendary ministry in 1997, Arthur had been a diocesan lay reader from the days when Archdeacon Armstrong had been in Cahir and Clogheen and Bishop de Pauley was in the diocese. Still in good health, Arthur believes God does not intend him to vegetate and he is considering studies that may lead to creative things - ? D.V.  Both Hilary and Arthur will occupy a pew together in St Paul’s Church. The above is a statement from Arthur Carter.  It is my understanding that, regardless of what has been publicly stated in the Parish Newsletter, there is not and never has been a retiring age stipulated for non-stipendary ministers.  What is going on, when one of the most Christian of men is pushed from his ministry? It is, however, a pleasure to note that “Music for a Summer Evening” will take place once more in St Paul’s Church, on Sunday 26tbh August at 8pm.  The proceeds from this event will go towards the upkeep of this lovely church. IRISH HEART FOUNDATION Congratulations to all concerned with the Church Gate Collections that took place last weekend, raising a whopping €1,038.77, which is €90 up on last year. Once more, I have been asked to extend the thanks of the organizers to all those who helped out over the weekend, and all who donated so generously to this important charity. IRISH WATER SAFETY The annual irish Water Safety River Week will take place in Cahir from Monday 30th July to Saturday 4th August.  Registration will take place at the Community Hall at 12 noon on the first day.  Any enquiries should be directed to May Stapleton on 062 52968. WELCOME TO ADAM I am delighted to welcome Adam Gray to Cahir, and hope he has a long and happy residence here.  Adam has been reading Media Studies in England and is hoping to work here now.  For a start, he is giving me a hand out when I can’t cover a local story, for which I am most grateful.  CONGRATULATIONS … … to Tyrone and Clodagh on the birth of Megan recently.  She is a little beauty and no doubt the doting grandparents all agree heartily. MOUNTAIN BIKE FOUND If anyone is missing a mountain bike, in good condition, they should contact Joe Walsh on o87 265 0361 with a description of the bike. TINCURRY CHILDREN’S WORKHOUSE I have now heard from Ed O’Riordan about the Workhouse and the nearby Children’s Cemetery that are to be recognized by a bronze plaque being erected at the Tincurry site.  Anyone who would like to support this project should contact Cllr Seanie Lonergan who has taken up the cause.  The house and site of the workhouse at Tincurry are owned by Ms Cathleen O’Brien and her enthusiasm for the project is wonderful. I am sure that the following information will be of interest to many. At the height of the Great Irish Famine, on 13th November 1847, the Clerk of the Clogheen Union, was instructed by the Board of Guardians to inform Mr Walpole that his offer of the disused factory and twelve acres at Tincurry at a rent of £80 per year was acceptable to the Guardians.  The premises would now be inspected by Samuel Barton, Lord Suirdale, and Joshua Fennell.  This examining committee reported later that the house and the adjoining buildings could be made suitable for the 400 children and the officers of the house at little cost, and would cost approximately £192 per year to run. One hundred paupers were sent over from Clogheen workhouse to assist in scouring the floors. Thomas Dobbins and Jeremiah Daly were hired to carry out the necessary repairs and the following appointments were made:  Edmond O’Brien was to be the first Master and Mary O’Donoghue was the Matron. The job of Porter went to David Farrell. Rev. Henry Palmer applied for the position of Protestant Chaplain, but because there were no Protestants among the children, his request was turned down. Furniture was soon put in place, including the beds from the now closed Ardfinnan Fever Hospital, which were to be used in the infirmary.  On 23rd January j1848, the schoolmaster left Clogheen with the boys who were not at trades. From the outset, the Master had trouble looking after “the boys of Tincurry”. They frequently went missing, most returning within a few days, others disappearing. On one of his periodic visits to the house, Mr Fennell, on calling the roll, discovered that Thomas Doherty and John Lonergan of Tincurry, together with James O’Brien, were missing. They returned shortly afterwards with ‘turnips in their possession’.  Mr Fennell was very critical of the Master and the Porter and it was reported that the practice of stealing turnips was very prevalent in the neighbourhood. It was decided that the boys would be punished, as corporal punishment was permitted under restrictions laid down by the Commissioners in Dublin.  Later in the year, John Murphy was caught stealing turnips and it was directed that ‘he be well whipped by the schoolmaster.’  In March, the police notified the Guardians that paupers continued to stray about the country and that they had met with five of them on the previous night’s patrol at Scart. By February 1848, the education of the boys at Tincurry was being looked after. An agricultural instructor was employed to teach them and to direct them in the tilling of the twelve acres.  Boys as young as eight, using spades and mattocks with ‘short handles’ cleared furze, dug drains, trenched, double trenched and manured the land and planted crops. The Tincurry report at the end of February stated that they had begun to clear the land:  “many of the boys are found to engage in it cheerfully, while others are lazy, idles and awkward …” At one point the Master complained that some of the children being sent over from Clogheen Workhouse to Tincurry were dressed in rags and appeared unfit to have left the probationary ward. At the end of 1848, it was reported that there was a great falling off in cleanliness at the Tincurry Children’s Workhouse. The medical officer there reported a very malignant form of sdarlatina and requested that no more children should be sent there for the time being. During these outbreaks of scarlatina and measles, numbers of children died, but in the measles outbreak of February 1849, in the last week of that month, 13 boys, 13 girls and 6 babies died.  Some of these children died at Tincurry and some in Clogheen, where they had been sent to hospital.  By 6th March 1849, Tincurry was home to 529. That week 11 boys, 9 girls and 6 babies under two years old died from measles.  The site of the little cemetery is still pointed out by locals in the area. Many thanks to Ed O’Riorday for this fascinating insight to the 19th century. SCARBOROUGH VISITORS Mike Manning will be arriving on 3rd September, when he has another 40 people from Scarborough coming to Cahir for a week.  It will be good to catch up with the news, as I couldn’t make the trip to Scarborough this year. THE SHOOK BOOK Clodagh Niland has asked me to apologise to her customers, as she will not have school books for the coming year.  However, after that she will be supplying them. CAHIR CAMOGIE CLUB The U-12 County Final betweenCahir and NewInn has been fixed for Tuesday evening 17th July at 7pm in the County Camogie Grounds at The Ragg. Cahir’s young girls will need plenty of support on the sideline, so it would be great to see all the Mums, Dads, Grannies, Grandads along, plus brothers, sisters, friends – even the pet dog! – all in Green and White, to shout on the young girls in their biggest game of the year.  Don’t Forget! INDUSTRIAL LAND IN CAHIR Cllr Andy Moloney has welcomed the Council’s decision to zone 9.2 hectares of Agricultural Land for Industrial Use in Kilcommonmore North, Cahir. While he states that land has always been available in Cahir for this type of industry, he feels that the announcement of an Advance factory and an overseas investor to occupy it would be more beneficial. While being interviewed on the radio this week, he told other Councillors not to be running with “willy nilly” stories to the media about lands available, but rather having investors available would be more in line.  The town of Cahir has been deeply indebted to some local business people for keeping the flag flying over the years, and needed multinationals to compliment their efforts. As Chairman of Cahir Development Association, Mr Moloney said that Cahir was ideally suited, geographically, to promote itself on the national scene and he looks forward to the time when it would be a boom town for shoppers and traders alike. SEISIUN 2007 Seisuin is a music trail through all four provinces of Ireland, where the visitor can join with local traditional musicians, singers, dancers and story tellers for an evening of native entertainment.  They can also join in a country set-dance or “The Haymakers Jig”.  Seisiun is organized by Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann with grant-aid from the Department of Heritage, Gaeltacht and Islands. Catbhair Dun Iascaigh and Powerstown Lisronagh Branches of Comhaltas will proudly present their programme for Seisiue 2007 in the Hotel Minella, Clonmel again this summer, having started on 4th July and continuing until 22nd August, every Wednesday night at 9pm. This is your invitation to follow the exciting music trail. This show is now in its fourth year and has awakened a wonderful enthusiasm in music, song and dance. It presents top talent and will provide young performers, in partnership with the more seasoned players, with an outlet for their exceptional talents.  The show is produced by Michael harty and the group is as follows:  Michael Harty, Julanne Murphy, Emma Lacy (Concert Flute); Michael Perigoe (Tin Whistle); Una O’Farrell, Claire Morrissey (Accordian); Meave Quentin (Concertina;  Sheilia Hunter, Kaylie O’Brien (Fiddle);  Tom kenna and Dave Tate (Guitar).  The Dancers are Jack Geffries and Kate O’Brien and the Singer is Donal Bowe. CAHIR MACRA The members of Cahir Macra were deeply saddened at the death of past Cahir Macra member and past Macra President, Joe Rea. He spoke at their 60th Anniversary celebrations last year, where his interest and enthusiasm for both the Club and the organization were very much in evidence.  Joe will be a great loss to all and sorely missed.  Their deepest sympathies are expressed to Joe’s wife and family. KING PARROT SMOOTHIES Isn’t it great when you hear of someone local who has “made good” in the big wide world?  Well, that is what has happened to Noel Davies and King Parrot Smoothies.  It has been quite a journey from his home in Cahir to launching an exciting brand of frozen smoothie in 15 short years. Now 33, married with two small children, Aoife and Dara, Noel is Managing Director of a company that is tipped to have the new hit produce of the summer – those smoothies. Noel is the son of Lil Davies, so we all know where he gets his get-up-and go from!  He got his idea for the new product when traveling around the word with his now wife Amanda. The fruit they ate in the likes of South America and Asia was incredible and got him thinking “What if we froze the freuit right at the point of picking – we could create some amazingly fresh and nutritious drinks”.  And that’s what they have done. Congratulations to Noel, and it will be fascinating to see how the product takes off. CAHIR LADIES GAELIC FOOTBALL Summer Camp will take place in Duneske from 16th to 20th July. FUNDAY SUNDAY, 29TH JULY It was so good to hear from the Scouts that they will be participating in the Funday Sunday again this year.  This group was the first to support the idea of these family day’s entertainment, and will be supplying the usual Stalls and Tea and Coffee.  The Venturers will be abroad on a Camp that weekend, but I have no doubt that the effort put in will be second to none, as usual.  Thanks, guys! Readers’ news and views are always welcome at 10 Market Yard / 086 8400 5020 and at the e-mail address above.  Keep an eye on the Community Website for photographs for which there is no room on this page:  www.cahirnews.cahirda.com.  And please get your information to me in plenty of time!