CAHIR NOTES GREAT WEEKEND It really felt if Spring was with us at the weekend, and I had a thoroughly indulgent time, getting chores done at half-times, as I was glued to the Six Nations. Lovely to see Wales on the right track again, after so many years. Though any comparisons with their Glory Days of JPR Williams etc are a trifle premature, don’t you think? I nearly turned the box off at half-time in the Ireland/France match, I was so depressed, but aren’t I glad I didn’t! With Comeback Kids like that, I am sure they will really progress, now. And of course the Irish racing on Sunday was great, too, with all thoughts turning to Cheltenham. As are ours, as it is only just over four weeks off, and Cahir Development’s Cheltenham Challenge is being organised again. Just to remind readers, it goes like this:  an individual or a group of friends (or a family, as was the case with the overall winners last year - the Caplices) can buy a €50 ticket. This entitles them to choose a horse from each of the four televised races on each of the four Cheltenham Festival Days. Points are awarded for the first four places in each race, and each day the Ticket Holder/s who have gained the most points wins €50. After the last televised race on the Friday, the overall points are calculated and the Ticket Holder/s with the most points over the four days win €1,000! As far as I can remember, there is a decent prize for second, too. Joe Walsh has very kindly given us the use of his lovely shop front on The Square, next to The Lazy Bean, and I will move in the week before to sell tickets.  As we are aiming to sell at least 150 this year, there will be at least three people on their mobiles in the office each morning to take the names of everyone’s horses, so that all goes smoothly. John Quirke has already joined in the fun, and is offering a lovely, small bronze horse’s head on a plinth for the overall winner. We will also be displaying horse photos and models, to get us all in the mood.  Last year was the first time that this fun week was organised, and it created a terrific buzz around town.  If anyone has a spare set of racing colours, could we please borrow them to brighten up one of the walls? CRUMLIN HOSPITAL Just to let everyone know, thanks to your generosity and help the fundraising is going very well, but Patsy and Shauna still have a lot to do.  The next event is Bingo in the Community Hall. Cahir Bingo is donating the proceeds from next Tuesday’s Bingo and is also running a Raffle on the night. Bingo starts at 8:30pm  and all are welcome. On 1st March the one and only Kenny C has donated his time and will be playing a gig in The Abbey Tavern. Go down and support Kenny and his guest singers, and have a great night. Other bands that have offered to play are:  Fair Exchange!, who are the biz and not to be missed - every song they play is a classic and perfect note for note - they know how to rock; Loose Cannons is one of the top cover bands in the country - they cover songs from classic rock right up to Snow Patrol and the crowd loves them wherever they play.  There might be a new young group playing before them on the night. Dates and times for these gigs will follow. Raffles will take place on each occasion. WANT TO TRY MODELLING? Now that my secret past (as a model in the 60s and 70s) has been revealed, I am becoming more and more involved in anything to do with fashion and modelling. As there are quite a few charity events over the year, I would love to get together a panel of models of all ages and most sizes, so that I will be able to provide trained people when required, who are amateurs only in name. Speaking of training, I will certainly be doing that, as I have been for quite a while with some ladies. A quiet session on one’s own, and then practice at home or wherever, will quickly give the professional touch to the job. One model who started two or three years ago at the Lions Club Show said that she had worn a path in her kitchen while practicing her turns! Anyway, do contact me if you are interested, and we will get together.  No guarantees, but it will always be a new string to your bow.  Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to have a properly choreographed show, rather than to have the Compere saying apologetically, “you must remember that they are amateurs”? CAHIR & DISTRICT LADIES’ CLUB On Monday 18th February there will be a Club meeting at which there will be something nice on. All ladies interest in going to The Dogs on Sunday 24th February, please can you take your €15 with you, to pay for your ticket. Anyone who cannot make the meeting but would like to go to The Dogs please get in touch with Tricia or Sharon so that they can organise your ticket. Members will also be making a decision about their Easter Meal, so all ladies, please attend so you don’t miss out. CAHIR BOYS’ NS There will be a Church Gate Collection for the School at all masses over the weekend of 16th and 17th February. People are asked to give generously as it is for the benefit of the children of Cahir. CAHIR ACTIVE RETIREMENT The results for the Progressive 25s Card Games for Friday 8th February are as follows: Joint Winners - Pascal O’Dwyer, Michael Tobin, Chichi Caplice, Sadie Caplice, Dave White and Willie O’Neil. The Lucky Table was won by Tom O’Mahoney, Tom McGrath, Mary Whelan and Ellie Whelan. The Raffle went to Joe Ahern and Theresa Duggan. The next game is this Friday at 8pm and all are welcome to join in and enjoy a pleasant evening out. The Monthly Meeting of the Association took place on 6th February with an attendance of over 50 members. Rosemary Morrissey from our local Travel Agency gave an interesting talk on the various holidays available to the members. Popular destinations include Spain and Portugal, September being the choice of the majority of those present. So stock up on your barrier cream now. Stefan Grace gave the first of a series of talks entitled ‘From Light to Darkness’. His sincerity and sense of humour captivated the audience and a lively question-time ensued at the end, giving everyone a greater understanding of ourselves and our lives in this modern age. Thank you to Stefan, and may your trip to Mexico be successful. Special Announcement! The ‘Go For Life’ Course will now start on Wednesday 27th March at 11:30am. This will be a four-week introductory course and should be both educational and enjoyable. NEW IN CAHIR While having a walk around Clonmel last week, sussing out Spring Fashions, I noticed some original and intriguing charms in Annerley Jewellers, and was later delighted to find that John Quirke is also stocking this line from Pandora, the Danish design company.  The charms are made of silver and gold and Murano glass, and I found them absolutely delightful. First of all, you buy a chain, either a bracelet or a necklace. The charms slide onto the chain in a unique way, and there is a huge range of designs. You really have to see them to understand what I am on about - there is even a frog! (I collect them). Also a car, a horse’s head, an owl, and many, many more. What fun ! CAHIR PARK FC A Race Night is being held on Friday 22nd February at 8pm, to raise funds for the Club. This is always good fun and a great way to fundraise. Anyone with any queries can phone Colm on 087 782 9294. GOOD HOME NEEDED Someone who has three dogs, two terries and a cross-bred German Shepherd, is looking for a really loving home for the bigger dog, as she is no longer able to give her the walks and attention she needs.  The dog is lovely, quite small with a long coat, very friendly and good with children - her present owner has two. She wants to play all the time, is approximately 12 months old and would also make a loyal companion for anyone that could give her plenty of walks and time. Please telephone 086 063 8453 or 052 43494 after 8pm if you think you fill the bill as a caring owner. CAHIR CHORAL We had a terrific practice last week, after a slow start the week before, with few people present (I was one of the culprits, I regret to say). One or two “old” members have returned, and there are new faces too, which is great.  We really got into the Ave Verum and the Cantique de Jean Racine, both of which I really love - like everyone else. The programme for our concert in April is very well balanced, with some light and happy songs and ending with the above-mention plus the Hallelujah Chorus - if there are sufficient male singers.  So come on guys - you’re needed! Indeed, anyone who loves singing and wants to have a go will be made most welcome. Telephone Maureen Ahern on 052 41508 if you have any queries, otherwise it’s 8pm at New Haven. INTERNET AVAILABILITY The Business & Training Centre is so busy with Courses at the moment, that there are times when there are no computers available for people wanting to get onto the internet. However, it is always worth checking, and not necessarily a long wait.  When you think about it, it’s not a bad complaint, being too busy, is it? JIM O’CALLAGHAN BRIDGE CLUB The results from Tuesday 29th April are as follows:  1st - Eileen Ryan & Mary Jo Condon;  2nd Eamon Murphy & John Roycroft; 3rd Pattie Gavin & Nancy Downey. C.A.R.T. That means Cahir Area Rapid Transport, and a kind correspondent tells me that he took this route to Dublin for the day and was in Heuston by 10:20 and back in Cahira by 7.20pm.  This is a brilliant service and still costs only €25 return.  He would recommend it to anyone who wants a day in Dublin.  Why not take the kids to the Zoo? Or the wife or girlfriend to walk the pier in Dunlaoire, or the mother-in-law to see the dinosaurs in the Natural History Museum, or the lads on a pub crawl or the American cousins to Guinness’ Brewery … the choices are endless. Actually looking at the timetable, there are currently 8 trains stopping in Cahir daily, and what is more, if you get the first train out of Cahir at 7:42am, you can be in Cork by 9:53, Killarney by 10.29, Galway by 11.40, Dublin by 10.20, Waterford by 10.35 or even Belfast by 3.30pm. How about that, then? PUBLICATION OF THE STUDENTS SUPPORT BILL WELCOMED Deputy Mattie McGrath has welcomed the publication of the Students Support Bill 2008 and is pleased that the Union of Students in Ireland (USI) has given a warm welcome to its publication. “This Billl makes a huge effort to cut out the bureaucracy and to streamline student support grants. Pressure for reform reached a climax at the General Election, when USI won cross-party consent for measures to streamline and simplify the system” Deputy McGrath said. The Deputy said that positively, the Students Support Bill replaces four different grant schemes with a unified system. He continued:  “The Students Support Bill represents a substantial improvement for students, who depend on receiving timely grant payments. It responds to longstanding criticism of the present system by streamlining and simplifying. The Bill should slash delays to grant payments and cut administrative errors. It must be a stepping stone to centralisation of the grants system”. Deputy McGrath also welcomes the creation of an Independent Appeals Board, but is concerned with the timeframe. Students would have to wait up to 45 days for an initial decision on an Appeal, then up 90 days more if the Independent Board considers the Appeal is excessive, which is too long. Concluding, Deputy McGrath is hopeful that Minister Hanafin and Officials at the Department of Education and Science will consult on the final version of the Bill and implementation of the new grants system with the USI. CAHIR DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY LOTTO Another week without a Jackpot winner brings the total winnable this week up to €1,900. Tickets can be purchased up to the last minute - noon on Wednesday - from the Business & Training Centre. The numbers that came up last week, witnessed by Joan Loughman, were:  2, 8, 12, 18. And the five Lucky Dip winners, each of whom received €30, were:  Patrick Quinn, Pallas, Donohill; Lim Wall, The Square, Cahir; Richie Rowe, Reiska Road, Cahir; Mary Hannon, c/o Colaiste, Cahir; Liam & Hilary Tarrant, Knockmorris, Cahir. All the profits from the Community Lotto go to the Duneske Leisure Complex. WEDDING FAYRE Don’t forget this super exhibition in Cahir House Hotel this Sunday afternoon. As well as all the specialists with their stalls, the one and only Fashion Show takes place at 4:15pm, for which the local models will have their hair finished, and make-up done, by local experts. Derek Davis is making a guest appearance, and altogether this will be a great experience. Jackie Mullins, who is putting the Fayre together, has organised some very high-profile weddings, and her expertise is available too. READERS’ NEWS & VIEWS Many thanks to all those who sent in their information in lovely BIG type - and with contact numbers too!  I really am most grateful. As I am sure readers will have gathered by now, I am always happy to hear from people at 10 Market Yard / 086 840 5020 or to the e-mail address above, and the earlier the better.