HALLOWEEN may fall on a Monday this year, but that just means the parties are going all weekend long. Halloween bashes took place all over Youghal this bank holiday weekend and there were plenty of places for you to show off your costume and have plenty of spooky fun. The staff at Solo Hairdressing at North Main Street, Youghal, joined in the Halloween fun and got into the ‘spirit’ of the occasion with these fabulous outfits on Saturday last.

The Halloween Spooktacular festival weekend kicked off on Friday night ( October 28th 2011) with a colourful parade through the historic town. The night-time parade was led by a Headless Horseman!….. followed by Halloween themed costumes revellers and astonished onlookers. How the Headless Horseman was able to steer his horse through the narrow streets is a mystery. The Headless Horseman is supposedly the ghost of a soldier who had his head shot off by a stray cannonball during battle. If found please return to it’s rightful owner…..the cannonball that is!

The three-day list of events offered a wide range of activities intent on inciting family participation while preying mischievously on the intuitive fears and imaginings that ripple the neck hairs of the young and not so young alike.

Click on video below to see the Headless Horseman of Youghal

YCC Secretary and local estate agent, Adrian Hyde says the Halloween Festival “is part of our on-going efforts to establish Youghal, not just as a summer attraction, but as a vibrant, family-friend resort all year round.
Click on image to see the Headless Horseman of Youghal

The Youghal Concerned Citizens groups’ ‘Halloween Spooktacular’ festival parade passed throught the streets of the town last Saturday afternoon led by members of the Youghal Pipe Band. The family orianted festival presented a wide range of activities intent on inciting family participation while preying mischievously on the intuitive fears and imaginings that ripple the neck hairs of the young and not so young alike.
Click on video below to see the parade.

Click on image to enlarge

“Taken to Youghal on 31st October 1602, he was marched by a troop of soldiers through the streets to the place of execution”

Blessed Dominic Collins (1566-1602) Irish martyr, Jesuit brother
When the Desmond Rebellion was put down in 1583, Dominic Collins of Youghal became a professional soldier in the Catholic armies of Europe. Ten years later he joined the Jesuits in Santiago de Compostela. Sent back to Ireland in 1601 as a companion to Fr James Archer SJ with the Spaniards going to Kinsale, he was eventually captured and put to death for his faith. Patrick Duffy tells his story.

Early life: a soldier of fortune
Dominic Collins was born into a leading Catholic family in Youghal, Co Cork in 1566. Both his father and his brother served as mayor in the town.and he may have attended the Jesuit school set up in the town in 1577.
The local people recognised Elizabeth as Queen, but did not want Anglicanism as the new religion. So when the Desmond Rebellion was crushed (1583), there was little else for a young Catholic man of ambition to do but to seek a career on the continent. Sailing to France, Dominic enlisted in the Catholic army of the Duke of Mercoeur and quickly became a military governor. He later transferred to the Spanish army and was in the garrison at La Coruña.

Joins the Jesuits
Here in 1598 he met the Jesuit priest, Father Thomas White from Clonmel, who had earlier founded the Irish College at Salamanca and had come to La Coruña to hear the confessions of Irish soldiers during Lent. Dominic confided in Fr White his intention of joining the Jesuits. Fr White explained the difficulties of studies for the priesthood. Dominic said was happy to be a Jesuit brother.
The Jesuits were reluctant to accept him, feeling that a battle-hardened soldier would not settle into religious life, but Dominic persevered and was admitted to the novitiate in Santiago de Compostela. Here he proved his mettle when the Jesuit College was struck by a plague. Dominic tended the victims, nursing some of them back to health and comforting the others in their last hours.
A report sent to Rome at this time describes him as a man of sound judgment and great physical strength, mature, prudent and sociable, though inclined to be hot-tempered and obstinate.

Battle of Kinsale
At this time Ireland was in turmoil. O’Neill and O’Donnell had revolted in Ulster and in 1601 King Philip III of Spain decided to send an army to help them. An Irish Jesuit, Father James Archer, who was acting as O’Neill’s envoy with Rome and Spain, asked that Dominic, who knew the needs of soldiers, be sent with him to Ireland.

Siege of Dunboy Castle
After the shock defeat of the Irish and the Spanish at the Battle of Kinsale, Fr Archer went back to Spain. Dominic went with O’Sullivan Beare’s men to the Beara peninsula and was along with a group of 143 soldiers under the command of Richard McGeoghegan, who took refuge inside Dunboy Castle. This was a small square fortress on the mainland overlooking Beare Island. Here Lord Carew, the president of Munster and an army of 4,000 soldiers besieged them for several months.
During the siege, Dominic, though a veteran of many battles, could not as a religious take part in the fighting, but he could and did give bodily and spiritual assistance to the wounded and the dying. Knowing too how keen Carew would be to capture a Jesuit, he thought that by handing himself over as a hostage he could negotiate an honourable cease-fire. But Carew refused any negotiations and the besieged surrendered. Carew ordered Dominic and two others to be kept prisoners while the rest were hanged in the market-place, fifty-eight on that day, and the remaining twelve four days later. A plaque on the ruins of Dunboy Castle today commemorates their brave struggle.

Interrogation and torture
The three surviving prisoners were brought to Cork for interrogation. As the other two had little to reveal, they were soon executed. But Carew interrogated Collins, hoping he could persuade him to become a Protestant and thus gain a propaganda victory.  He alternately tortured Dominic and made him primises of preferment to high ecclesiastical office. Some of Dominic’s own family visited him, urging him to save his life by pretending a conversion which he could afterwards repudiate. But Dominic would have none of it, and clearly made a choice of a martyr’s death.
Martyrdom
Taken to Youghal on 31st October 1602, he was marched by a troop of soldiers through the streets to the place of execution – the first time he had seen his home town in fifteen years. He wore his black Jesuit gown and addressed the crowd in Spanish, Irish and English, cheerfully telling them that he had come to Ireland to defend the faith of the Holy Roman Church, the one true path to salvation. So moved were the crowd that the hangman fled and a passing fisherman was forced to do the job.
Influence
Left hanging on the gallows, the rope eventually broke and Dominic’s body fell to the ground. Under cover of darkness, local Catholics took his body away and buried him with respect in a secret place. From that day he was venerated as a martyr in Youghal and his fame quickly spread throughout Ireland and Europe. In the Irish Colleges of Douai and Salamanca the Jesuits showed his portrait and many favours and cures were attributed to his intercession.
Although used to the rough life of the army camp, Dominic always kept a strange innocence and gentleness. He is one of the most attractive of all the Irish martyrs.

Information courtesy www.catholicireland.net

Youghal Theatre Company’s production of ‘Sive’ came to a close last night (Sunday 30th Oct. 2011). The cast and crew of over 30 people got a standing ovation from the appreciative audience for their excellent performance.

The full house sign was again up on the final night as were the previous performances. The proceeds from the opening night are generously going towards the recently formed Save Youghal Ambulance campaign. The Youghal Theatre Company facebook page said – Tonight is our final performance of John B Keane’s ” Sive ” Thank you friends to all of you who came to see ” Sive ” at The Community Centre, North Main St., Youghal, Co. Cork, looking forward to our next production.

The next production by the company is ‘The Passion’ which will play next April and with a full cast, the previous production was a one man show with Brian Hogan.

THE YOUGHAL CANCER SUPPORT GROUP cheque presentation from the 2011 Evening Echo Womens mini-marathon fundraiser took place at La Bella Roma restaurant on Sunday 30th October.

Representatives from the group along with the volunteers who took part in the marathon and sponsors were delighted with the support shown to the group. Mareka McEvoy who organised the event said she was delighted to help contribute to the local cancer support group as families and survirors of cancer need support and hope that this would help the group in their plans for the drop in centre.
Therese O’Connell, chairwoman of the Youghal Cancer Support Group thanked all those involved in the fundraiser and heaped great praise on the sponsors, Isodoro Girasole and Valerie Dollard from La Bella Roma restaurant, north main st., John Daly from Daly Bus Travel, Michael McGrath from Genesis Boutique, North Main Street and Brookes Supervalu.

It is estimated that some 10,000 or so took part in 2011 Evening Echo  Womens mini-marathon and raised a huge amount of money for various charities. The weather on the morning of the marathon was awful but despite this a full bus of volunteers left Youghal courtesy of John Daly Bus hire and had a great day including the 5 ‘ladetts’ comprising of Sean Murphy, Paddy Anski, Billy O’Mahony, Olan McCarthy and Michael Desmond who dressed up well for the occasion! Thankfully the weather cleared up on the day as well.

The Youghal Cancer Support Group was founded in June 2010 since which several fundraising initiatives have been successfully held and thousands of euro raised.

Further fundraising events are planned with the group aiming to establish a new, purpose built cancer support & drop in centre for the East Cork & West Waterford region. It is envisaged to open a holistic centre to provide emotional support and practical help for people with cancer and their families. Therapies that will make a difference to the lives of those affected by cancer are also anticipated, including counselling services with fully trained, accredited therapists, stress management, therapeutic massage, reflexology, relaxation techniques and visualisation and yoga.

Regular information meetings are held as the project progresses. For details or information on Youghal Cancer Support Group: 087-2731121.

The Youghal Cancer Support Group would like to thank everyone who took part in the Mini Marathon especially those who walked for the Youghal Cancer Support Group, You did us proud!!

JUSTICE COMMITTEE AGREES TO CONSIDER ISSUE NEXT MONTH

FINE GAEL CORK EAST TD AND CHAIR OF THE OIREACHTAS JUSTICE COMMITTEE, DAVID STANTON, has today (Wednesday October 26th, 2011) said that it’s time for us to seriously consider altering our current summertime arrangements to benefit the economy and society. Deputy Stanton made his comments during a Topical Issues debate in the Dáil.

“For a number of years I have been raising the possibility of extending our summertime period which runs from the last weekend in March until the last weekend in October. Research in the UK and the US shows that such a move could have numerous benefits. They include a reduction in electricity consumption and carbon emissions, a fall in road deaths and a boost to tourism and leisure industries as people benefit from an hour extra of daylight in the evenings. It has also been suggested that an increase in daylight in the evening would lead to a reduction in obesity and crime levels.

“In the US, summertime was extended for four weeks in 2007, beginning in the second weekend of March and ending the first weekend in November. In 2008, the US Department of Energy published a report stating that the change had saved enough energy to power 100,000 homes for over a year or 1.3 trillion watt-hours per day, resulting in savings of $76 million. Since the change road collisions have also fallen.

“In the UK, the Daylight Saving Bill passed its second reading in the House of Commons in December 2010. Estimates there indicate that more daylight in the early evenings would deliver a boost to British tourism of an estimated £2.5bn per annum and up to 80,000 new jobs in leisure and tourism. This would provide a real boost to any economy in the current climate. A similar boost could be expected here if summertime was extended.

“I believe that, given the benefits, the time has come to re-examine our summertime arrangements. At a meeting of the Oireachtas Committee for Justice, Equality & Defence today, it was agreed that the Committee would consider the matter in November. Minister Shatter, during the Topical Issues debate also spoke in favour of this approach. The Committee could also seek views from the public and interested organisations and liaise with counterparts in the UK and other European Parliaments.”

Congratulations to Leanne Hennessy from Youghal who received her Bachelor of Arts in Social Care award from the Cork Institute of Technology. Leanne is pictured below celebrating with her classmates.

Greenbarn join in the Halloween fun and festivities

Greenbarn is garden centre and bistro and shop nested between Killeagh and Youghal, just off the N25 on the Waterford – Cork route.

Greenbarn is a one stop shop for all you gardening needs coupled with the finest home produced food in the area. There is also a shop jam packed with everything you need for the kitchen, portwest clothing, gifts, books and locally produced foods. With plenty of parking its the ideal place to come for a day out.

Team M men’s hair salon won ‘best dressed window display’ for the ‘Halloween Spooktacular’ festival.

‘We at Team M men’s hair salon very surprised to have one best dressed window for the Youghaloween spooktacular this weekend, but we thank you and enjoyed doing it for the town, it was great to most shops supporting this great idea run by the YCC and myself and the family enjoyed the whole weekend as seems 1000’s of others did, great work by everyone involved’