The launch of the society’s C.Y.M.S. Calendar 2010 took place in the main hall on Thursday 17th December with guest Youghal Garda and community officer Peter Queally.
Photo: Michael Hussey www.youghalonline.com Email: news@youghalonline.com

Speaking at the launch the President of the society Brendan Cooney congratulated all those involved in the making of the calendar and particularly would like to thank  FAS supervisor Mary Carson and Cathy O’Mahony, resource tutor with the Youghal Adult Learning Centre as well as Garda Queally for attending the launch in his new role as community officer.

He said anyone who brings benefit to the organisation as William and Ray have done here also bring benefit to the wider Youghal community which is the ethos of the society. He also paid tribute to William and Anne Swayne for their support of the society and said what a wonderful way for the deceased members of the society to be honoured in this way.

The calendar is the brainchild of senior member William Swayne who designed the calendar with Ray Phelan. This year the calendar’s theme is with the old and historic photographs of the society down thru the ages with photos of members of the society both past and present and is
sure to be a best seller. The non-profit Calendars may be purchased at our office or from any committee member.
Click on image to see the some of the old Youghal C.Y.M.S. archive photographs that are on this year’s calendar

Last Saturday brought the curtain down on another fantastic year for Berties Golf Society with the Christmas outing to Waterrock Golf Course.
Photo: Michael Hussey www.youghalonline.com E-mail: news@youghalonline.com

When all odds seemed against us with the recent floods and bad weather, Berties luck was in, and the sun shone yet again for what was a splendid December morning. Playing Waterrock golf course one would be oblivious to recent wet weather as the course was in fabulous condition. Numbers throughout the year were great and the christmas scramble was no different with 35 golfers playing.
The winners on the day were Eoin Siocru, Dermot Hogan & Ger Walsh
Second were Jim Fahy, Dave Killgannon & Patrick O Sullivan
Third were Donie McCarthy, Donie Leahy and Stevie Mulcahy
The society would like to thank John Butler Buses for their kind sponsorship of the competition and their “patient” service throughout the year.

On thursday night  (17 Dec. 2009) the player of the year prizes were given out in Berties Bar. The winners were Richard Griffin (GUI) and Alan Downing (Non GUI) with great golf all year long from both lads. The committee would like to thank Paul and Carmel Dempsey for sponsoring the player of the year prizes, as they have done every year, and its great to be associated with a bar and family with such a huge sporting tradition. All the Dempsey family’s help is hugely appreciated by the society.

The AGM will be held in Youghal Rugby Club on Friday the 15th of January at 7pm sharp. Lads please make an effort to attend as new faces aboard the committee are always welcome.

On a final note the committee would like to thank all members, sponsors and anyone that helped us in having a super year. Here’s to another one next year. Happy Christmas to all!

If you would like to wish the Youghal men or any of the 98 Infantry Battlion a Happy Christmas please feel free to use the comment box below

Pictured are the Youghal Men from the 98 Infantry Battalion deployed on the UN Mission Central Republic of Africa/Chad under the command of Lt. Colonel Berney from Limerick. Their mission, as peace observers, began last September to contribute to the protection of civilians in danger, particularly refugees and displaced persons.

They help to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid and the free movement of humanitarian personnel by helping to improve security in the area.

Petty Officer Chef Micilin O’Keeffe (Irish Navy) from Youghal supervises the daily running of the catering in Camp Minurcat which is located near Goz Beida, Chad. This is Micilin’s second tour of duty to Chad and said that there are also men here from Clashmore, Grange and Cappoquin. This Christmas he will have to cook for over 400 hundred Irish and 70 Finnish soldiers!

He said “People are very friendly but have very little and live in straw huts and refugee camps when they cross the border fleeing the conflict”.“It gets very hot around midday, temperatures can reach 50 degrees celsius ( Fahrenheit 122 degrees), The rainy season is from June to September, just like in Ireland at the moment!.
All the men will miss home this Christmas but are in regular contact by e mail and phone with their families back home. Christmas Eve they will celebrate Mass and Christmas Day Mass will be celebrated by military chaplain Fr. Dan McCarthy who is from the Cloyne/Ballintotas area.

Last month Mass was celebrated in Camp Minurcat within 24 hours on hearing that their colleague and fellow soldier Gnr. Graham Gillman from Youghal was ill in Cork University Hospital and hope that he recovers soon. Gnr. Gillman was stationed at Camp Minurcat with the 98 Infantry Battlion last Christmas.

If you would like to wish the Youghal men or any of the 98 Infantry Battlion a Happy Christmas please feel free to use the comment box below

RIFLE RANGE RECORDS PRESENTS
DODGE & THE URBAN DRUIDS & DEBURCA

Live at The Marine Bar Youghal
Type:  Music/Arts – Performance
Start Time:  Saturday, December 19, 2009 at 10:00pm

Location: The Marine Bar youghal -doors close @ 11 so come early doors will be shut

Friday, 11th December 2009

Targeting Of Poor In Budget Deliberate And Calculated

Minister Mary Hannafin has failed to protect the poor. The poor are paying the price for Fianna Fail’s reckless management of the economy. The government has made it clear that it is going to force the Social Welfare Bill through the Dáil.

Counting the loss of the Christmas double payment, all social welfare recipients under 66 yrs will have to endure a 6% or about €12 per week cut in their basic income. These cuts will affect carers, widows, people with disabilities, lone parents and the unemployed. For the 90,000 families dependent on rent supplement, there will be a further 4% reduction in their rental support.

Parents will have their child benefit cut by 10% and this will lead to hardship for many low-waged families. The targeting measures will introduce yet another poverty trap into the social welfare system.

In addition, everyone, including pensioners, will be hit by a €20 per month increase in drugs charges and a prescription charge of 50 cent per item. There are also restrictions on dental and optical treatments.

In the lead up to the Budget, the Minister repeatedly said that the “last thing one would want to cut is social welfare”. Yet this Budget explicitly targets those on social welfare and at the same time, will not ask someone on €250,000 a year to pay a single extra cent in taxation.

This is all the more unfair when the €760 M raised from the social welfare cuts could have been raised by abolishing property tax reliefs (€435M) and reforming multi-million euro pension reliefs (€330M).

The truth is that Fianna Fail had choices available to it. It simply ignored these and chose to hit the poor in a most deliberate and calculated way.

For more information, contact Donie Daly (086) 8103886

Back in 1991 Mary Sheehan joined the team of C.R.Y. Youghal as a volunteer – having in mind doing a little admin work, answer the phones etc.,  but certainly with no thoughts of ever getting behind the ‘mike’.  Well, things didn’t go quite the way Mary planned and she ended up doing ten years of broadcasting, presenting not one but two programmes, one which was co-hosted with Eddie Maloney.   The Deise News programme, which Mary presented every second Saturday ,was one of the most listened to and certainly a very great favourite with the listeners.   Her very special way of talking is unique to Mary herself, and the chuckle in her voice delighted everyone who tuned in to her programme. Report: Denise FitzGerald / Photo: Michael Hussey E-Mail: news@youghalonline.com

On Saturday last, November 12th, Mary ‘hung up her earphones’ at the end of her Deise programme, much to the regret of not only the listeners, but also her colleagues at C.R.Y.   Mary, however, after ten years said that it was time for her to ‘move on’, but promised not to lose contact completely with the Station, which gave her so much pleasure and sense of achievement over the years.

Much to Mary’s surprise and delight, all the presenters and her colleagues at C.R.Y. gathered at the end of her programme to wish her well, and to thank her for her years with the radio.   A magnificent crystal bowl was presented to her, along with a huge bouquet of flowers which were given by her friends at the Station.

Mary said she wished to thank all who helped her so much over the years, and in particular to her listeners who she called ‘her special air friends’.  Margaret Carey, she said, was fantastic on the phones and her writing exemplary and so easy to read.   She paid tribute to Colin Paynton for his efficiency and co-operation over the years and to all who helped her in any way.

Mistletoe was produced and everyone availed of the meaning of it to give Mary many good luck kisses.   Tributes were paid to her and, as one of her colleagues said, ‘Mary is the real lady of CRY’.  Before she left the Station at the end of ten years of broadcasting Mary, with a few tears in her eyes, promised that ‘maybe’ this would not be the last that the listeners would hear of her.   Let’s hope you keep that promise, Lady Mary Sheehan.
Click on image to enlarge

What’s happening at the KGK Community hall? Well on Thursday 17th 7.30pm the children of Knockanore National School will perform their nativity play.

Please do come along and give them your support and we wish them the very best of luck.Break a leg!

Sunday 20th will see Santa coming to Knockanore.Lots of fun in store for all the local children.Thanks to the Community Council for organising this event.

What’s in store for the new year-Plays, entertainers  and lots more who will provide us with some great nights out.More info on that nearer the time.Soccer, dancing, badminton,drama, meeting rooms, birthday parties it’s all available.You know the number to call by now 087 9675399 between 7 & 9pm if you wish to book the hall.

The KGK Community Hall committee would like to wish you all a very happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year.

KGK Community Sports Hall is kindly sponsored by Tallow Area Credit Union.

Blackwater Academy presented their end of year show ‘Blackwater Academy on show’ at the Walter Raleigh Hotel Youghal.
Photo: Michael Hussey E-mail: news:youghalonline.com

The show included ballet, tap, hip hop and contemporary dance numbers. Musical theatre numbers  included a huge variety including numbers from the likes of ‘Peter Pan’ to ‘We will rock you’, including the popular ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’. Students range in age from 3 ½ – 17 years.

Blackwater Academy are proud of the 120 students who regularly perform locally. 2009 has been an amazing year for Blackwater Academy. 4 students have played main roles in shows in the Everyman Palace, Cork Arts theatre, and the Opera House, and at Feis Maitiu many students at Blackwater Academy were prizewinners.

Blackwater Academy’s main focus is building confidence, and giving each child the opportunity to shine in their own way, but above all else is having fun, fun and more fun!!

It rained. And it rained. And it rained. But this did not stop Santa who decided that the best way to visit the children of Youghal was to make use of the water, and arrive by boat! At 3pm he sailed into the harbour calling Ho! Ho! Ho!
Report Denise FitzGerald / Photo: Santacam E-mail: news@youghalonline.com

The Youghal Fire Brigade were waiting to escort him into the warm and dry cab and drive him through the streets up to Merrick’s Department Store, where a FREE Children’s Christmas Party, part of the ‘I Believe’ Christmas Festival, organised by Youghal Chamber, was about to start. As they emerged from under the Clock Gate, Santa could be seen waving from the front of the Fire Engine at the huge crowds of children who had come out to see him. No rain was going to stop them from greeting Santa, and they thronged the footpaths on either side and spilled out onto the road waving and cheering at the top of their voices.

Lil Danne of Danelle’s and her staff were waiting to greet him at the door and after a photograph or two, he was swept into the store in a flurry of excitement. The middle floor of Merricks was turned into a fairyland of children’s activities for the day, including Barty’s Disco, Balloon shaping, Face Painting, entertainment from the Chatterbox Groups, a dancing area, sweets, crisps, drinks and, of course, a cosy Grotto for Santa himself.

The East Cork Journal was delighted to be present on such an exciting day. The children had the most wonderful time, running and racing, dancing, laughing, eating and playing (and the mams and dads enjoyed it too). The queue for Santa was long and winding, but there was no hurry – everyone was going to meet him, and there was something from him for everyone in the Youghal audience.

Youghal Chamber is to be congratulated on the organisation of their ‘I Believe’ Christmas Festival for Youghal, which includes a huge line up of events to cater for all ages. The Santa visit was just one of the very popular events, and it certainly received the support which it deserved. And the ‘I Believe’ Festival is not over yet – not by a long shot. On Saturday next, December 12th at 2.30pm one of the highlights of the Festival will be the heat of the children’s Xmas Factor Competition. There are two category age groups, from 4-8 year olds and 8-13 year olds. There are great prizes to be won and the competition will create a wonderful buzz of excitement in the town. Then, on December 19th the Xmas Factor final will take place in front of a live audience and a winner will be chosen by a panel of judges. On Wednesday, December 23rd from 2pm to 5pm there will be a Pool Party for all at Aura Leisure Centre.

All in all, a fun filled programme of activities organised by the Chamber to make your Christmas a bright, happy and fun filled time in Youghal.

Click on image to see more of Santa arriving in town

Youghal  Credit Union was part of a presentation to St. Vincent de Paul and the Irish Red Cross with a cheque for (€130,000) received from 94 credit unions nationwide to aid families who find themselves in difficult circumstances as a result of the adverse weather conditions witnessed over the past number of weeks.  Youghal credit union donated €2,500 to this fund.

Commenting on the announcement of the fund Mr. John Colbert , Chairman of Youghal Credit Union Limited said “These are tremendously difficult times for many people in Ireland today.

As credit unions are at the heart of communities, we are witnessing firsthand how the weather conditions experienced in the past week will have real and lasting effects for the families and the communities affected by the flood damage.

In the future, credit unions will continue to contribute to community initiatives to help repair the damage and rebuild communities.  But we all need to strive to help people who find themselves in dire straits this Christmas and that is why we have decided to establish this fund and we are delighted with the response to date.  In addition to these contributions, many credit unions have established their own funds so members may make further contributions and we will continue take theses in the weeks ahead.

We are delighted that St. Vincent de Paul and the Irish Red Cross will provide assistance with distributing the funds to those in need prior to Christmas.  Credit Unions are about investing in people and their communities.

We hope that others will follow our example, and help these families and communities who are suffering at this difficult time”.