CAHIR NOTES CHELTENHAM TIPSTER OF THE YEAR Paul Burke won this year’s Cheltenham Challenge, which was organised by Helen Quirke for the Cahir Development Association, to raise funds for the Christmas Lights. And raise funds she did - €2,000, in fact. This was just the second year that the Challenge had been held in Cahir, although our friends in Clogheen have been doing it for rather longer. Many people, including myself, go in for both, as the money is for a good cause, and it is a lot of fun. This year we almost doubled the number of tickets sold over last year. Maria Taylor and myself helped out with taking down people’s choices, shuffling the bits of paper and so on. However, Helen did the tricky stuff with the computer and  we were able to have the Daily Winner posted the next morning. However, the cancellation of Wednesday’s racing and the resulting six races on Thursday and Friday caused a lot of pressure, and Friday’s Daily Winner and the Overall Winners could not be provided until this Tuesday. The winners were:  Tuesday, Daily Prize of €150 shared between Jason Slattery and Graham & Bernie Bell; on Wednesday (no racing) there was a draw for three €50s - won by Mary Kenneally, IFAC Insurance and Jimmy Clifford;  Thursday’s Daily Prize - Sarah’s Flowers;  Friday’s Daily Prize - Billy Quirke. The Overall Winner of €1,000 was Paul Burke;  Second with €300 was Billy Quirke and Third prize of €200 was shared between Sarah’s Flowers and Deputy Matty McGrath. The awards were made at a small reception at Duneske Leisure Centre on Tuesday evening. By the way, all at Sarah’s Flowers insist they hardly know how many legs a horse has! Many thanks to those who provided appropriate decoration for the windows and the “office“:  John Quirke, Mossy Casey, Seanie Lonergan and Annerley Jewellers of Clonmel (the delightful small horse and jockey). And particular thanks to Joe Walsh who let us use his terrific shop, fronting on The Square and right next to The Lazy Bean, for a fortnight. What a situation! We were kept going with the delicious food and endless coffees, all served with smiles. Thank you so much, everyone. CAHIR FARMERS’ MARKET The Easter Bunny will be visiting the Market this Saturday too, before it opens, so that there will be plenty of goodies on offer when the children visit for the Egg Hunt. Cate, from The Cookie Jar, will be helping the Easter Bunny with the prizes. Keith and Jim will have O’Connaill Chocolate Easter Eggs on sales. These delicious handmade eggs are simply divine. There is plenty of fresh produce on offer for the Bank Holiday weekend, so hop on down to the Market on Saturday. Below: Members of the  WHELAN FAMILY of BALLYLOOBY presenting the cheque for almost six and a half thousand euro to the CAHIR RIVER RESCUE GROUP at  THE VILLAGE INN, BALLYLOOBY on FRIDAY 14th MARCH   REMEMBERING TINCURRY’ WORKHOUSE CHILDREN Cllr Seanie Lonergan wishes to inform readers that a Plaque to commemorate the children who died at Tincurry Workhouse, Cahir, during the Great Famine of the 1840s will be unveiled by Dr Michael Ahern on Saturday, 29th March, at 2pm. Locals are invited to Tincurry to mark this important event. That has been organised by Cllr Lonergan in conjunction with local historian Ed Walsh. The Workhouse was opened in January 1848. At one stage it housed over 570 pauper children. Prayers will be said by both Protestant and Catholic Ministers at the ceremony. The Councillor hopes that locals will participate in this important remembrance ceremony by attending on 29th March. He wishes to pay sincere thanks to all those who assisted him in bringing this project to fruition. “FEAST OF SONG” This is an exciting programme of arias, duets, ensembles and piano solos from your favourite musicals, to the world of light opera, performed by four outstanding young opera singers.  Their repertoire include the Pearl Fishers Duet, the Flower Duet, Summertime, Back to Sorrento, We’ll Gather Lilacs, Some Enchanted Evening and many more. The soloists are Ros Evans - Soprano; Alison Dunne - Mezzo Soprano; Adriano Graziani - Tenor and Owen Webb - Baritone. The concert is organised by Artswave Ireland in association with South Tipperary Rural Arts Group and will take place in St Paul’s Community Hall Clogheen on Thursday 27th March at 8pm. The Tickets cost €15 and €12,50 for concessions and this includes a cheese and wine reception. If this is anything like the last concert I attended here, not only the music but the “nibbles” will be wonderful! For tickets, contact 086 366 7453 / 087 288 7615 or for Credit Card Booking, 051 855038. THE GREAT EASTER EGG HUNT This will take place once again in the Duneske Leisure Centre on Saturday 22nd March at 12:30pm. The cost is just €3 per child, and all are very welcome. CAHIR DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION COMMUNITY LOTTO What a nice Easter present it would be to win the Jackpot, which stands at €2,650 this week. The Draw takes place on Wednesdays at noon in the Business & Training Centre, and tickets can purchased there up to the last minute. As there was no Jackpot winner last week, the five Lucky Dip winners were: Pattie Costigan, Clonmel Road; Michael Nugent, c/o Castle Arms; Newcastle Construction, Upper Croan, Newcastle; Supermacs, Castle Street; Brendan Cummins, Lisheenpower, Ardfinnan. The numbers drawn last week, witnessed by Peter Fahey, wee: 1, 9, 23, 26. All the proceeds from the Community Lotto go to the Duneske Leisure Complex. LAUNCH OF SEACHTAIN NO GAEILGE 2008 WELCOMED Deputy Mattie McGrath is delighted to welcome the launch of this year’s Seachtain na Gaeilge, 3rd to 17th March. Seachtain na Gaeilge gives the public who have just the “cupla focal” a special opportunity to use what Irish they have, to increase their ability and to enhance their sense of ownership of the language. It also provides fluent speakers with the chance to speak Irish with friends who usually don’t use their language and to encourage them in this regard. “Young people are at the heart of the festival this year and I believe it’s most important that they keep Irish as a central part of their lives. I would like to compliment everyone taking part in this year’s festival and I wish them every success with their events during Seachtain na Gaeilge 2008,” said Deputy McGrath. Concluding, the Deputy addes “Ta suil agam go baitfish sibh sult as na himeachtai a nglacann sibh pairt iontu, idir spraoi sport agus cultur.” SETTING UP A FREE WEBSITE I received a very interesting e-mail from Con Traas the other day, and feel that I must share it. “I was recently asked by the South Tipperary Green Party to look  into setting ujp a website on the cheap. After having a look around, I found out about Free Wikis. These are websites that can be set up for free, and changed by members of the Wiki. The one I set up is at http://tipperary.wikidot.com, and there are other sites out there offering similar free website services. It’s really amazing what you can get for free these days.” 80S CRUMLIN DISCO BIG SUCCESS “The Disco started off at 10pm and there was a good crowd waiting to dance already. A nice group of friends from Ardfinnan were the first to arrive and take to the floor. The DJ was playing great music and people started to enter the hall to have the craic.  I’ve seen some moves in my time, but even Michael Jackson could have learned some new steps from the Ardfinnan crew. “There was a good turnout of Cahir people bursting to get onto the floor. A busload of revellers from Bansha added to the night and danced ‘til 2am. We even had people from Carlow and as far away as America turn up! Everyone enjoyed the night and were asking about the next Disco already. “A big thank you to all who turned up, and to the staff of Cahir House Hotel for their helpful and friendly service.  Many thanks to the Management of the Hotel for their kind donation early on in our funjdraising and to Colette O’Dwyer for setting up the night. This lady is always on the go, her feet don’t seem to touch the ground. Thanks too to DJ Pat for fitting 1000 requests into four hours and to the Caulfield School of Motoring for donation 5 Driving Lessons for one of the raffle prizes.” And thanks to Patsy for keeping us all up to date! BINGO BONANZA The Bingo Team is getting ready for Easter. They had a huge Easter Raffle on Tuesday night and gave away lots of Easter Eggs as sit-besides for single checks. They are going to do it all again next Tuesday, so don’t miss out. Come early. Doors open at 8 and Bingo starts at 8:30 in the Community Hall. All are welcome. CAHIR ACTIVE RETIREMENT ASSOCIATION In April, the Association takes the first holiday break of the year, to Killarney for three nights, from Monday 28th April. Entertainment and day tours will be included in this generous package. Here are the results for the Progressive 25s played on Friday 14th March:  Winners, with 11 games – Tom McGrath, Tom O’Mahoney; Second with 10 games – Timmy Fitzgerald, Maurice Condon. The Lucky Table: Maureen Maher, Anne Hanrahan, Breeda Ryan, Rena O’Connor. The Raffle was won by Bridget Condon, Joe Ahern. The next game will take place next Friday, 21st March at 8pm; light refreshments will be served and all are welcome to enjoy a pleasant evening out. HUNTER TRIALS The Tipperary Farmers hold their Hunter Trials, with exciting new fences, on Easter Monday, 24th March at Kedrah Castle, Cahir. The Running Order is as follows: u-12s Pairs & Singles; Parent & Child; Pony Pairs & Singles; Novice Pairs & Singles; Open Teams of 3 and Open Singles.  All enquiries can be directed to Ann Meagher on 086 822 7664. There are substantial cash prizes for Novice Pairs and Open Classes. Also good access and Hardcore Parking, The events is being held in aid of Tipperary Farmers Hunt and Cystic Fibrosis and Hospices. READERS’ NEWS & VIEWS Always welcomed at 10 Market Yard / 086 840 5020 and at the e-mail address above. I am still receiving e-mails in tiny print. It is not difficult to increase the print size, so please, please do so, before I go blind! As I have said before, if you can’t do it, ask a child.