CAHIR NOTES STRAWBERRY DAY The weather was not kind to the stallholders at the Farmers’ Market last Saturday, which is a great pity as many of them had made serious efforts to celebrate the availability of the lovely strawberries from The Apple Farm. Con Traas was present, as was his father, with a wonderful old tractor that pulled a load of berries. I particularly liked Cate’s Strawberry Shortcakes, filled with strawberries, of course. Cate had cut them in a heart shape and this simple touch made them look wonderful. Maria, who makes the superb Knockara Patés, had produced a recipe for Strawberries Romanoff in honour of the occasion, and I am sure she won’t mind if I include it here - so simple and so luscious! Ingredients: 2 ½ lb fresh strawberries; ¼ pint double cream; 6 tablespoons caster sugar; 3 tablespoons Cointreau. Method: Wash the strawberries, hull them and put 2lb into a serving bow. Crush or Blitz the remaining ½ lb very fine. Add the sugar and Cointreau and stir well until the sugar is dissolved. Add the cream and blend well. Pour the sauce over the strawberries and leave to chill for one hour in the ‘fridge’ or better still, overnight. CAHIR DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION Here is Maria Taylor’s first report as PRO of Cahir Development. At the monthly meeting of the Association last week, it was very nice to hear reports that were positive on all counts. It was agreed all round that, now that the resurfacing is finished of the part of Market Yard leading up from the Square to the side of the Enterprise Centre, it looks fantastic and has been completed to a very high standard. Great credit goes to the County Council who organised the job, which was funded by a Grant raised by Cahir Development. It should be  mentioned at this point that that Helen Quirke, Manager of the Business & Training Centre, also wishes to pass on a very big Thank You to Paul Mulhcahy for a job well done. As everyone must be aware, there have been many colourful additions to the town in the form of tubs and flower containers (some of them self-watering) all carefully placed for maximum effect and filled with striking seasonal bedding plants. These have been very kindly donated and planted by Grangemore Landscaping and, along with the cooperation of the Council and the tireless FAS Team, you must agree that Cahir has been transformed into a very welcoming place. This is just in time for our summer holidays and for our summer visitors - hopefully also in time for the National Tidy Towns adjudication. However, we won’t know what date Cahir was judged until the results come out. Once again, congratulations to all involved. It was also discussed at the meeting that perhaps it would be helpful to hear about what is happening in the Duneske Leisure Centre. Maybe local people would like to be updated on what facilities are available; what is new; for coming events etc - basically, news on the Leisure Centre and what it can offer. This will take the form of a once-monthly report for the local papers. Lastly, it was mentioned that there are plans for more open meetings, which can be attended by anyone who has an interest in this lovely town of ours. HOSPICE COFFEE MORNING Sincere and heartfelt thanks to all who supported the Coffee Morning at Costigan’s on the Clonmel Road. It was a most successful occasion and a total of €1,892 was raised for South Tipperary Hospice. ST KIERAN’S FC Just a reminder that pre-season training for St Kieran’s starts onTuesday 1st July at 7pm sharp. A fundraiser for the Club is being held on August 16th in the Duneske Sports Complex. It will take the form of a Penalty Shoot Out with tickets costing €10, that will be available from St Kieran’s players. The Shootout will be followed by a Barbecue with music in Irwin’s Beer Garden. CAHIR PARENT & TODDLER GROUP On 29th May, nineteen children from the Cahir Parent & Toddler Group took part in a sponsored walk for The Danone Big Toddle for Barnardo’s 2008, and raised €504. Well done to all who took part. The Group will finish for the Summer this Thursday, 26th June, and will reopen at the beginning of September. ‘LOVE, BLESSINGS AND HEALING!’ This is the title of a new, exciting and unique exhibition by Catriona Kenny that is opening at the Cahir Craft Granary on Thursday 3rd July at 7:30pm. Catriona Kenny, known for her beautiful, artistic photography and range of Christmas and Angel of Hope cards, is combining her visuals with a flair for the written word, by producing a collection of inspirational poetry, blessings for loves ones and stimulating quotes. Her work as a Human Potential Personal Development Coach is the inspiration behind the prose, which, although very thought-provoking, comfortably challenges us to look again at the way we respond to our relationships. To enjoy a different few hours; to get the left side of your brain thinking and to read words that you wished you’d thought of yourself, take time to go along to this compassionately provocative exhibition that will run at the Cahir Craft Granary until 14th July. For a greater insight into Catriona’s work, have a look at www.catriona.co.uk. CAHIR PARK LADIES’ SOCCER FAI (umbro) Junior Cup - Second Round at Riverstown Glanmire, Sunday 22nd June. Riverstown 4,  Cahir Park 0. Cahir made the long trip down to Glanmire. It was a journey into the unknown, as the Soccer Ground was out in the country. Playing in stormy conditions on a good surface, the Park took time to settle into a rhythm after the tiring trip. Playing against a strong breeze in the first half, Cahir defended will. However, Riverstown scored in the 20th minute and the 43rd minute, for an interval lead. In the second half conditions improved and both sides adapted well. Cahir had several chances, with shots rebounding off the crossbar and goalposts. Cahir defence controlled and kept on the attack. However, in a quick break-away, Riverstown got a fourth goal. Riverstown were a well organised team and were superior on the day. Player of the Match was Julie McMahon (Captain). The Cahir Squad: A Gordzieyczyk; S O’Donnell;; C Carroll’ J McMahon; C Nagle; A Lonergan; P Hickey; E Carroll; C Peters; N Hearne; J Grant; A-M Noonan. Special thanks go to their loyal supporters who transported the team on the long journey. CAHIR ACTIVE RETIREMENT ASSOCIATION Autumn Break, Galway Bay Hotel This three-day break will take place on 31st August. Portugal This trip will now take place on 14th September, and extra places are available. Contact Rosalyn Morrissey at Fogarty Travel, Cahir. Results of the Progressive 25s Card Game played on Friday 20th June: Joint winners with 11 games - Mary English (Barnora), Timmy Fitzpatrick, Bob Condon, Paddy Holleran. The Lucky Table was won by Tom O’Mahoney, TomBurke, Theresa Duggan and Anne Lonergan. The Raffle winners were Theresa Duggan and Tom O’Mahoney. The next game will take place this Friday, 27th June at 8:30pm. This will be the last game for the season. The Committee wishes to thank all the people that supported this popular card game each week. They also thank the members for the work carried out each week keeping the refreshments on the table after each session. RICHIE O’MAHONEY MEMORIAL BIKE RUN This run is in aid of Crumlin Children’s Hospital and takes place this Sunday, 29th June in Ardfinnan.  Patsy Cunningham assures me that this will be the event of the year, so go along and be part of it. Classic cars, scooters, motorbikes - he’s hoping for 300 bikes. There will be a Garda convoy and music on the Green supplied by Anita and Sean Lonergan. Bia Blasta from Cahir will be supplying light snacks, tea and coffee in the Parish Hall for the bikers. It would be appreciated if everyone would sign into the books provided.  All visitors, spectators and Richie’s friends who are not on bikes will have a separate book to sign. The show starts at 10am and at 11:30 there will be a photograph of the ENTIRE group. Garda Sgt Brendan Hoare will say a few words about the trip and road safety and they will be pulling out at 12 noon sharp. Anyone with a video camera please use it. It would be great for Patsy to get your footage, as he intends to make a real good motorbike rockin’ dvd that Richie would be proud of. Any footage supplied will be returned. It is €25 for an entry and this includes a Collectors T-Shirt - and they are nice. Now Patsy ‘only’ has 300, so if he runs out, leave your name and contact number and he will order more. Anyone who is not taking part in the motorbike run can get a souvenir T Shirt for €10. Patsy will be writing a big thank you to everyone who has helped them along the way, but for now, thank you for your help, sponsorship, friendliness and kindness. This is from Patsy and Anne Cunningham, Cahir. BOOK LAUNCH IN ARDFINNAN A book on Irish politics c0-authored by local man Dr Anthony O’Halloran will be launched in Ardfinnan Community Centre on Friday, 27th June. Titled ‘Politics in a Changing Ireland 1960-2007 - A Tribute to Seamus Pattison’, the book explores aspects of Irish politics over a period of fifty years. Adopting a thematic approach, the book records and analyses significant shifts in contemporary Irish politics through the eyes of former Ceann Comhairle Seamus Pattison. Anthony’s many friends from Cahir are most welcome to attend this celebration. He is particularly keen to invite his contemporaries from St Joseph’s College, Cahir, most of whomAnthony has not seen in over twenty years. According to Anthony, St Joseph’s College Cahir set the seeds which ultimately made him curious about political and social affairs. Anthony also spent many years working in Cahir Meats. Learning early on just how hard factory employees work, he will never forget the tenacity of his then work colleagues. He encountered some of the finest people on earth during those days. The O’Hallorans are originally from the Riaska, Cahir. His uncle Sean O’Halloran still resides in Cahir with his wife Maureen. His parents, Patrick and Mary, live in St Finnan’s Avenue, Ardfinnan. Anthony admits that his pursuit of academic life has been very challenging. Surviving on grants, contract jobs, scholarships and fellowships has meant that it has not always been easy to make ends meet. But he would not swap his love of knowledge and scholarship for wealth or material assets. And were it not for outstanding family support, he would never have succeeded in pursuing his dreams. A frequent visitor to the United States, Anthony has been a visiting scholar at both Southern Illinois University and Californis State University, where he lectured on irish and European Union politics. In Ireland, he has lectured on politics and sociology University College Cork and NUI Maynooth. A graduate of University College Cork, (Ph.D), University College Dublin (MA), University College Galway (BA) and the Waterford Institute of Technology (N.Dip) he hopes to return to the United States in September. LONERGAN TO STAND AGAIN Cllr Seanie Lonergan will be seeking the Labour Party nomination for the 2008 County Council Elections at the Party’s Cahir Area Selection Convention on Thursday 28th June. As Cllr Lonergan is the only nominee, this means that he will be automatically selected. He looks forward to continuing his hard work for all local people. Whilst he has worked diligently during the past four years, the Councillor believes that the 2008 elections will be ultra-competitive. Seanie and his wife Mags wish to thank their many friends and supporters who have assisted them during the past four years. In many ways, the demands of local politics means that elected office becomes a family affair. Seanie and Mags are delighted to have assisted many individuals and community organisations since 2003 in particular. They look forward to hitting the campaign trail in 2008. CAHIR CAMOGIE CLUB NOTES One of the Club’s founding members, and a fantastic asset to the Club, Mary Howard had the honour, last week of refereeing the Primary game between Clare and Limerick in Semple Stadium, Thurles during the championship game. Well done, Mary - next stop Croke Park. The u-12 girls are awaiting a semi-final fixture, either between Burges or Toomevara, and they should have a date for this game by this weekend. Saturday training will take a break for a few weeks now, but will continue on Wednesday evenings at Duneske. SOUTH TIPPERARY GARDEN WEEK-END Keep the weekend of 12th and 13th July free, all you garden lovers, as there are some really beautiful places to visit on the Garden Trail. Two of them are local, and all are within an easy drive. More next week. ROSEMOUNT RESIDENTS’ ASSOCIATION NOTES This Association is having its last monthly meeting this Wednesday in the Shamrock Lounge at 8pm. They are then taking a break for the Summer and will be resuming their meetings in September. Everyone will have to agree that the area is looking great and the three planters have been filled with lovely, colourful flowers. The grass is cut on a regular basis and people seem more thoughtful about not littering. There is a mini clean up on the last Thursday of every month, starting this Thursday, 26th June. Anyone and everyone please go along and support your area. READERS’ NEWS & VIEWS Keep them coming to 10 Market Yard / 086 840 5020 or to the e-mail address above, in good time, please.  (And in LARGE print, please. I swear some of the e-mails that come in are in 8 point!)