A coffee morning fundraiser in aid of the Diabetes Federation, Cork Branch, was held last Friday 5th August at the Church of the Holy Family Hall. Free screening for Diabetes was offered. The fundraiser was organised by Yvonne Smith and family. Her brother Frank passed away in January 2009 at  the age of 37. He had type 1 diabetes, he was diagnosed in 1998 in the UK while living there. He had managed it reasonably well and lived a full life.

He died in a hypo, a hypo is where the level of glucose(sugar) in the body drops, when this becomes very low the person is disorientated and would appear drunk like, they would need assistance in administering a glucose injection or even drinking something sweet to bring their level up so they could function.

Frank became low and was unable to assist himself and slipped into a coma, in most cases a person can remain in the coma for hours and when found is treated and they recover, unfortunately in Franks case he died of organ failure within a short time of going into the coma.

We are dedicated to diabetes awareness and education as we feel this is something we can do so this may save another person from tragically dying. Or at the very least make people aware and assess their lifestyle. Type 2 is a difficult one also as people remain high for long periods often they are unaware they have diabetes and this results in damage to the eyes, kidneys and limbs. It affects so many people and our mission is to try and help people understand diabetes and by the free screening hopefully prevent some people from developing it further.

All procceeds go directly to the Diabetes Federation, Cork Branch and will help to education and awareness in Youghal and the surrounding areas. A raffle was held with prizes of:

1ST PRIZE €250

2ND PRIZE €100

3RD PRIZE €75

4TH PRIZE €50

DIABETES FEDERATION CORK BRANCH , 32 GRAND PARADE CORK

021 4274229

Click here to visit the Diabetes Federation of Ireland website

The Youghal Pobalscoil na Tríonóide 2010 annual summer graduation ball took place last Friday 5th August. The champagne reception took place at the Farrell’s Summerfield Bar where the students gathered and mixed with their families and friends prior to the big event at the Silversprings Moran Hotel in Cork City.

The glitz and glamour of the ladies (and Gents) who attended the Graduation Ball is the highlight of the Youghal Pobalscoil na Tríonóide student’s social calendar. With over 200 students and their partners a terrific night was assured.

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The Collegiate Church of St. Mary’s, Youghal, hosted an exhibition of local crafts in the ancient Medieval Church on Saturday 6th August as part of celebrations of The Year of Craft, 2011. The focus of the exhibition is to highlight work that is created in the local environment, featuring works of excellence. Work on view was crafted by individual crafts people who work on a small scale. Exhibitors featured lace making, quilting, local posters and photographers, paintings, pottery, matchstick models of historic Youghal.

Click on image to enlarge

H.S.E plans to reduce ambulance cover next month.

Campaigners in Youghal, who are opposing the town’s ambulance service being downgraded to a rapid response car protested again last Saturday afternoon ( 6th August 2011). Around a thousand people gathered at Dolphin’s Square and marched around the town with the support of passers by, shoppers and the business community. The group includes local residents, doctors and public representatives who are against the H.S.E’s planned changes from September. Its the second protest and builds on the momentum of a public meeting last week which was attended by over 700 people.

Click on video below to see the Save Youghal Ambulance – Protest Walk 29 July 2011

Click on image to see the Save Youghal Ambulance – Protest Walk 29 July 2011

Last year,Youghal native, Jim Horgan, returned to his hometown to embark on a boat-building initiative in conjunction with Youghal Town Council, Youghal Socio-Economic Development Group and SECAD.

Jim was hoping that the people of Youghal would come out and help him create ‘A Yawl for Youghal’ – a two-masted sailing craft similar to a sloop or cutter. Last Saturday morning (August 6th 2011) Jim and the crew took the newly built boat for some sea trials in the inner harbour near the ferry slip. Everything went well and everyone are looking forward to the official launch soon.

The boat-building began at Tynte’s Castle on Youghal’s North Main Street and anyone and everyone were welcome to come along and help with the building process. Cllr. Barbara Murray, a member of the Youghal Boat Building Committee, who was instrumental in getting the project off the ground and into the water said,‘The Horgan family are incredibly well-known in Youghal,so when Jim came to me with this idea a while ago, it seemed like a fantastic option for the town. Sadly – to use a fishing metaphor – no one was biting, so I decided to take on the project myself and, with a core group of interested individuals, the Boat Building Project began to take shape,
‘We have to collect history, before it’s lost forever,’ Barbara implores, ‘This way people can literally make history – and that‘s not something you get to do every day.’

 

 

Youghal Pipe Band would like to thank Berties Bar, Youghal for their kind sponsorship of  tour jerseys for the 41st Festival Interceltique de Lorient in Brittany, France. The band leave for France on the 4th August 2011 for a 10 day trip and will represent Youghal, Ireland on the international stage.

This will be Youghal Pipe Band’s third trip to the festival over the past decade and as always Berties Bar has kindly sponsored the jerseys for the bands trip.

Visit: www.YoughalPipeBand.com

Festival Page: 41st Festival Interceltique de Lorient

A sponsored Climb, Cycle & Canoe in aid of Youghal Cancer Support Group. After 8 long days of climbing, cycling & canoeing the team will be coming ashore in Youghal for some well earned refreshments to round off their fund raising week in the wild. They are holding a benefit music night in aid of Youghal Cancer Support Group. Alternative DJ set by Mick O’Connell followed by live music from a fantastic local band The Vinyls.

Doors 8pm till late, admission a tidy 5 euro note. Tell all your friends. All are welcome.

This is a sponsored event taking place on 30th July – 6th August 2011 raising money for the Youghal Cancer Support Group serving East Cork & West Waterford Districts.

The idea is to climb over Irelands highest mountain ‘Carrantuohill’, Cycle around one of our most famous scenic routes ‘The Ring of Kerry’ & canoe down the third longest river ‘The River Blackwater’ from Millstreet all the way to where it meets the sea at Youghal Co. Cork.

The plan is to do each leg of the journey, a 15km hike, 220km cycle & 110km canoe trip, back to back in less than a week and raise as much money as possible. Sore legs, bums & arms for a worthy cause! All Donations & Support Are Kindly Welcomed.

For any info contact Jamie on 087-7694537

Youghal Cancer Support Group Info.
The aim of the group is to open a new purpose built Cancer support & drop in centre for the East Cork & West Waterford districts. It will cover Clashmore, Ardmore, Dungarvan, Tallow, Cappoquin, Lismore, Killeagh, Castlemartyr, Midleton, Youghal & all of the town-lands in between.

The plan is to provide a holistic centre in which people with cancer and their families can find emotional support & practical help. Our aim is to provide therapies that complement the medical model, so as to make a difference to the lives of those affected by cancer.

The complementary therapies will include:
• Counselling with fully trained & accredited therapists
• Stress management
• Therapeutic Massage & Reflexology
• Relaxation & Visualisation
• Yoga
All therapies will fully conform to best medical practice. Regular information meetings will be held.
For further information please contact: 087 – 1677447

YOUGHAL TAXI/HACKNEY INDUSTRY RESPONDS TO CRITICISM - By Christy Parker

A RECENT REPORT indicating some discontent amongst locals and tourists over taxi/hackney fares in Youghal, caused upset amongst drivers and operators in the town. The report emanated from a meeting of the Youghal Concerned Citizens (YCC) and centred particularly on the account of a lady who addressed the meeting. She had related that an individual had been charged €10 one way from the Quality Hotel to the town centre and the journey had been estimated at three miles.

Since the report, the local taxi/hackney industry has been keen to clarify the issue. Not least, it wishes to inform that the distance from the hotel to the town centre is five miles. The following information will hopefully provide further clarity and accuracy in regard to the Youghal taxi/hackney service:

Mikey Regan:

Mikey provides a private car service, known as O’ Regan Hackney. His is one of two services with an in-house arrangement with the Quality Hotel, whereby guests are provided with the numbers at the reception desk. A hotel spokeswoman says the establishment established such arrangements following some discontent amongst guests over inconsistent fares prior to last year. Mikey’s rates, based on each-way journeys as are all quotes in this report are €10 for a single adult and €1 for each additional adult. Accompanying children (under 16) travel free.

Operating a car service allows more scope for discretion than does driving a bus.  Mikey professes to be conscious of the welfare of the town from a business and tourist perspective. His ‘round town’ rates are thus competitive and discretionary, depending on number and distances involved, he says. Examples he provided privately suggest this argument holds true. Ring 087-2445496/024-25848

Pat Flavin:

While working under the auspices of Youghal Cabs, Pat also has a private agreement to provide a bus service with the Quality Hotel. Quoting his prices as pertaining to “an agreed rate with the hotel” last year, he charges €12 for the first adult and €1 per subsequent adults. “Children under 12 or so generally travel free,” unless there is a large number of them. “Like most drivers, I use discretion according to circumstances,” he says.  His ‘around town’ rate is €4 per head for adults. Ring 087-4111114.

Worldwide Cabs:

Worldwide Cabs is a bus and car service, with equivocal prices and managed by John Long. Drivers are paid an hourly rate. The following fares apply: To/from Quality Hotel: €10 for first adult and €2 per additional adult, with accompanied children under 12 free.

Within the town, the company charges €3 per person from each of four scheduled bus stops, departing from the South Main Street base, Post office, Yawl Inn and the Strand, every 15 minutes,  Fri-Sun until about 4 am. Non-scheduled journeys cost €4 per head.

Mr. Long is unhappy with the impression given by the recent report, while strong in his condemnation of over-charging if and when it occurred. He also stresses that he has never been invited to any public meeting but would be happy to discuss the taxi service with any interested parties. Ring 086-2626717/024-91888.

Youghal Cabs:

Youghal Cabs is run managed by Jim Fitzgerald and provides bus and car service. The rate to/from the Quality hotel is €8 for the first adult and €3 per subsequent adult. Up to three accompanied children “under 13 or so” travel free, although the company “usually doesn’t charge for children at all”. Mr. Fitzgerald adds that two adults and two children to or from the hotel would cost €10. Around town, Youghal cabs charge €4 per person. The operator stresses that passengers are entitled to be made aware of a fee before being transported.  Ring 024-91818

Mr. Fitzgerald holds uninhibited views on the taxi industry, most of which pertained to it being misunderstood and poorly regarded. He is disappointed with bad press on the industry that sometimes emanates from meetings of various organisations and equally disappointed that there never seems to be an industry spokesperson present or willing to counteract negative viewpoints. He asks why the public can criticise taxi charges while seemingly accepting price fluctuations in other services such as restaurants, etc.

Mostly, Mr. Fitzgerald is concerned that the Youghal taxi/hackney industry is in deep recession and fears an unprofitable market may render it a weekend only service. In this regard, he criticises the advent of the community bus, a popular service designed to ferry the elderly and the disabled to and from the town centre. It currently operates Thursdays and Fridays and hopes to expand. “The taxis used to look after the elderly throughout the week,” he states, “and it helped drivers to make a living. But we’ve lost most of that now.” Questioning the integrity of the system, he asks, “Who decides who is elderly? Who is checking birth certs?”

While there is some fare discrepancy amongst the various taxi/hackney firms, generally speaking there is fairly uniform fare structure. It is important to note also that the fares are not ‘written in stone’ and where practical, drivers can execute discretion on a case-by-case basis. Sometimes it depends on how lucky a passenger gets or the circumstances of their journey (whether alone, elderly, distance to travel, etc.) as to the fare. This is applicable to taxi journeys the world over.

There is also acceptance amongst operators that the taxi system service is vulnerable to misuse, perhaps especially when an opportunistic driver meets a foreigner passenger who might not be familiar with the euro currency, etc. Again this is a universal situation.

Youghal operators are strong in their condemnation of malpractice, both in principal and because it tarnishes the image of all drivers. All respondents agree that the present economic climate renders it increasingly difficult to make a decent wage in the industry. To that extent, the problem relates to a recessionary economy and a rising costs of living.

Finally, it needs to be borne in mind that only a decade ago a taxi/hackney in Youghal was a novelty item. Now Youghal’s taxis/hackney’s are taken for granted, are integral to the town and contribute enormously to an improved quality of life. Yet taxi-driving the world over is a difficult job, laden with unsociable hours that call for patience and diplomacy, and demand alertness to the danger and social misbehavior that passengers may bring on board at any time. It’s not only the customer that has a price to pay.

Prices quoted are as stated by taxi/hackney operators. Various rates and vehicles exist for stag nights, parties, night club visits, sightseeing tours, shopping trips, etc.

 

‘Frankie Gavin & De Dannan’ are currently in the middle of a 32 county tour of Ireland.  In a move which Frankie Gavin states is largely motivated by the bands wish to “lift the hearts of the Irish people during this extraordinary economic climate in Ireland”.

The Mall Arts Centre, Youghal.

Sunday 14th August 2011 at 8 p.m.

Tickets available at:

Themallartscentre@gmail.com Tel: 083-360 6507

Youghal Tourist Office, Market Square, Youghal 024/20170

Frankie Gavin & De Dannan (2009 onwards)

Frankie Gavin is one of the genuine legends of Irish music. From his first tv appearance playing the tin-whistle when he was seven, through sixteen albums with the seminal Dé Dannan, seven solo albums, his adventures in the realms of Jazz, Gospel, and Klezmer, to appearances and recordings with such luminaries as Earl Scruggs, Stephane Grapelli, Sir Yehudi Menuhin, and The Rolling Stones, ‘the prince of Irish fiddlers’ is one of the outstanding performers of the past thirty years. In the past year alone Frankie Gavin and his band have played support to the Rolling Stones at Slane Castle, performed twice to a full to capacity Croke Park (during national sporting occasions), performed with the U.A.E. Philharmonic Orchestra in Dubai, performed with the Dublin Philharmonic Orchestra during a ten week tour of the USA and performed at The White House for President Bush.

Part of Frankie Gavin’s enduring appeal lies in his astounding technical ability and unceasing quest for innovation – musical pieces more commonly associated with the like of the Beatles and George Frideric Handel are now common place in Frankie’s repertoire as an Irish musician.  Most pertinent of all is the knack he has for imparting to his audience his own enthusiasm, the sheer joy, the magic of great music-making.

2009 will see Frankie Gavin back on the road and with new De Dannan members. The new line up will feature Frankie Gavin (Fiddle/Flute/Whistles), Damien Mullane (Accordian), Eric Cunningham (Percussion/Flutes/Whistles), Mike Galvin (Bouzouki/Guitar) and Michelle Lally (Vocals). The official launch of the new band took place at an exclusive concert at the 2200 capacity Royal Theatre & Events Centre in Castlebar on August 5th during The World Fleadh festival where many of the former members of the band came together with the new members for a celebration of the bands history.

‘Electrifying’ is an adjective that’s too often used to describe certain performances but this is one instance where it’s absolutely unavoidable. If you’ve never been lucky enough to see Frankie Gavin perform live, prepare to be… shocked.

Youghal Greyhound Track – Free Admission For Youghal Final – Monday 8th August 2011

If ever there was reason for a massive crowd at Youghal it will be next Monday. The Youghal Track Supporters Club have stepped in to sponsor Free Admission for everybody for a night’s racing that will include the final of the Premier Fantasy & Supporters Club Southern Oaks as well as two other finals, a Consolation final and a few opens.

It should be a really special night at the seaside track and the big final could be a really exciting affair with the hugely impressive Ballymac Mitsy drawn in trap six. This inside runner has been in the form of her life and, following a 28.67 first round effort, she went two spots faster when beating Kranky Ma by six lengths in Monday’s semi-final.

The other heat saw Denis Duggan and Brendan O’Callaghan’s Design Lady get up very late for a short head verdict over Kiln Kylie and Monleek Chloe in 29.13.

Draw for Monday’s final is: 1 Monleek Chloe; 2 Kranky Ma; 3 Kiln Kylie; 4 Spruce Joy; 5 Design Lady; 6 Ballymac Mitsy.