“It is with great honour to announce that I will be running as a candidate for Fine Gael for the Youghal Town council alongside two existing Fine Gael councillors, Barbara Murray and Michael Beecher” Photo Michael Hussey (YoughalOnline.com)

I have always had an interest in politics and local politics in particular. Living in a town with such a rich heritage and close community has always been rewarding and if elected to the town council it will allow me to contribute to and represent the people and interests of Youghal.

This is a town with great people and great potential. Although the town has been hit hard in recent years with the loss of several large industries (one of which I worked for) it is important that with the current economic downturn that we do not dwell on what we once had but instead focus on the future. As anyone who lives in Youghal would tell you, the town is certainly worth investing in. Youghal and the surrounding area has justifiably been dubbed ‘The Irish Riviera’ we have unspoiled beaches and of course the mighty Blackwater River. It is a great town in which to live, it is a great town for people to visit and it is a great town for businesses to invest and as I already mentioned it is a town with great potential. I believe that it is imperative that we foster and support our local businesses, that we grow our tourism industry and that we do our utmost to attract employment in the town. However we also need to support each other in our community. We need continuing investment in local amenities and facilities and we also need to provide support for those in the town who need it the most. Read more

‘My priorities, if elected, will go back to real local issues that are of primary concern the people of Youghal’ Photo Michael Hussey (YoughalOnline.com)

Personal Details I am Eoin Coyne, local election candidate for the Youghal Town Council Area. I am a 20 year old student of Government in University College Cork. I’m a local lad and I have lived in Youghal all my life and over the last couple of years I have become very worried about the future of the town with industry here leaving and many of Youghal’s citizens losing their jobs. Youghal now, more than ever, needs a new fresh approach to re-awaken the town and I believe that I am the person to do it. I plan to use youth to my advantage and the energy and enthusiasm that I promise to bring to Youghal Town Council will hopefully bring a bright and prosperous future to the town. I asking you, the people of Youghal, to give me your number 1 vote so that I can represent you and we can work together to make a real difference.

Employment
Unfortunately, during these tough economic times, work is no longer as plentiful as it ha the past decade. However, Youghal seems to have suffered a lot more than the rest of the country in terms of job losses: Youghal has lost at least nine factories over the last twelve years and with the building boom now well and truly over, the people of Youghal are having to move elsewhere (in some cases to other countries) to seek employment. If elected, I will make it a top priority to attract industry to this town and ensure that the towns citizens will not be forced to leave to find jobs elsewhere Read more

Read more and see full photo coverage in next Wednesday’s East Cork Journal – available June 3rd.

Sunday, (May 24th) last brought sunshine and warmth to Youghal on a weekend, which saw the Vintage, Veteran and Classic Cars and Bikes on proud display at Farrell’s Summerfield.  And what a display! Report Denise FitzGerald/ Photo Michael Hussey (YoughalOnline.com) – additional photos courtesy Ryan Murphy and Grayson

 

The vehicles rested proudly and smugly on the lawn, accepting as their right the admiration and awe of all who surveyed them.  The colours, shapes, sizes and ages of all the vintage, veteran and classic cars and bikes was a kaleidoscope of colour with shining bodywork, glistening wing mirrors, gleaming fenders and lovingly cared for upholstery.  And those were just the vehicles!  The owners were there, equally proud, delighted to stand next to their car and show off – with good reason.   The people came from far and wide to see this outstanding static display and none were disappointed.

The entire day was very well organised, with plenty of refreshments and drinks available. There was a live band playing great music during the entire day, and some made a picnic of it by bringing their lunch and having it on the warm grass.   An unusual sight so far this year, with the persistent bad weather. Read more

Youghal Comes Alive for Emer-Yesterday (Sunday, May 24th) saw the town of Youghal come alive with hundreds of people, young and old, arriving for the Emer Casey Foundation 10k Road Race/Walk.   An unexpected, and most welcome entry on the day was Sonia O’Sullivan, Olympic Silver Medallist and winner of many major events world wide.

Sonia was greeted warmly by all, and returned the warmth a hundredfold, standing in for photographs, meeting with runners she knew and those she met for the first time, and she certainly made an impact on all. Her reason for running? Her commitment to the Emer Casey Foundation, what it stands for, what it does, what it intends to do and mostly in honour of Emer Casey herself whose life ended so young and who left such an impression behind her. Denise FitzGerald Reports-Photo: Michael Hussey (YoughalOnline.com)

Sunday dawned brightly with the sun shining in the sky and not a breeze to be felt. The Race was scheduled to commence at 1.30pm at Pobalscoil na Tríonóide and, to ensure a good parking position, East Cork Journal arrived at 12.30 with plenty of time before the off. However, even at that early time, the roads all around the area were Read more

Brendan Cooney and Aaron Tobin won their respective Irish Snooker Championships at the splendid new Ivy snooker rooms in Carlow last Sat 23rd May. Report/Photo: Michael Hussey (YoughalOnline.com)

Cooney in winning the Irish Masters title defeated Austrian based ex professional Richard McHugh  5 frames to 3 and as Irish champion qualifies for the World Championships in India in november,he also finished as RIBSA No. 1 ranked player for the 08/09 season hence completing a rare double. Read more

Millennium Park Playground, Youghal is set to re-open following an €85,000 redevelopment programme.  Works on the state of the art community facility will get underway immediately and will be undertaken by Down-based contractor ‘Play and Leisure Services Ltd’.  The entire project will be completed mid-July and will cater for children aged 12 years and under.

2008 saw the facility close, following its failure to sufficiently meet safety standards after an inspection by RoSPA; the agency dedicated to promoting safety and the prevention of accidents in leisure facilities in Ireland.

Earlier this year however, RAPID secured funding of €66,000 under the “playground scheme” to redevelop the play area.   Youghal Town Council made up the balance and consequently Youghal is now set for a first class recreational facility for children.
Liam Ryan, Town Clerk pointed to the fact that Millennium Park is Read more

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The final sitting of the current town council spanned approximately 45 minutes -brief by normal standards. While a distinct air of pre-occupation pertained, the members nonetheless adhered to the business at hand in the spirit of dutiful responsibility. By Christy Parker

Cllr Michael Beecher took some issue with an item in the Town Clerk’s Report on Minutes arising from the previous meeting. The report recorded that on May 1st Ross Daly, on behalf of the EPA, had visited both Youghal landfill and the adjacent waste treatment and sludge drying facility Eras Eco (formerly SVR). “The landfill had been given ‘a clean bill of health’ noted the report. (Curiously, there was no declaration on behalf of Eras Eco). The inspector even concluded that, “no odours were detected on the windfill side of the Slob Bank area which is just 100m from the working face of the landfill.” Cllr Beecher insisted that odours were detected on Sunday morning and through Monday of this week. “Certainly there’s something wrong at the weekends,” he alleged, to no response. Read more

Youghal hero Christy Cooney enjoyed a Herculean homecoming to celebrate his inauguration as GAA President on April 18th. A day later, the 57 year-old head of the country’s premier sporting organisation was ferried on a raucous, horn-blowing, hazards-flashing lap of honour round the town from his home in Copperalley. Having sanctified the main thoroughfares and all on them, the presidential cavalcade terminated at Youghal GAA’s Club Aras headquarters on Magners Hill, at 7pm. By Christy Parker Photo: Michael Hussey (YoughalOnline.com)

Amidst considerable Christy-chaos, the most awaited man in town was afforded a guard of honour from the joy-filled boys and girls of Youghal’s Juvenile sector as he entered the club. Within, the celebrations would unfold like a second half dream. An Uachtaran was joined by his wife Anne, daughter Edele, siblings Daithi, Pa, Brendan and Angela, extended family and just about everyone in Youghal who ever watched an umpire raise a flag, for a night of bia, deoch, sceal, ceol agus amhran. Read more

In a two-part series, Christy Parker traces the origins and growth of Perks Fun Fair, whose 80th birthday occurs this year. Photo: Michael Hussey (YoughalOnline.com)

Great loves may come and many go but the true romance of life is childhood. Strong argument can be made that childhood makes a fool of us, begetting us a joy that romance’s adult resonance forever fails to replicate. Given their potent ability, not just to bring our expectations to the brim but also actually to meet them, it is small wonder that playgrounds, festivals, carnivals, circuses and funfairs bequeath such lasting effect; for such places are the essence of romance.

This year, one of ‘play-worlds’ most romantic institutions reaches a notable anniversary. Perks funfair is 80 years smiling. Its origins are intertwined with romance of more mortal kind, which set in train a journey of faith, magic, fun, nostalgia and family. For it all began when William and Violet McDonald Perks (fondly known as Jumbo and V) married in Dungarvan 80 years ago.

Jumbo Perks was born in 1903, into a middle class family in Larne, Co. Antrim. His dad was a teacher and Jumbo was the middle child of two boys and a girl. When Jumbo was 11, the family’s fortunes were catapulted into chaos when his father died. To survive, the family had to go out to work.

Shovelling coal – Jumbo acquired a job with Caledonian Amusements, run by Scotsman George McDonald. George had arrived in Ireland in 1889 and would make a living travelling Ireland with a show comprised mainly of stalls and games. The young Jumbo began his working life far from the glamour of show business, instead shovelling coal into steam engines and furnaces and such like, after school. In his spare time he would learn the violin from his mum, by then a music teacher who played piano on silent movies. His love for that musical instrument would last a lifetime. Read more