The 3rd annual family heritage festival, Celebrating Cork Past Exhibition 2011, took place in the City Hall, Cork, last Friday, September 30th 2011. Local author and historian Mike Hackett with a group of friends and volunteers, including Cliff and Margaret Winsor, were well represented for the first time at the exhibition with the Youghal stand. The different stands at the exhibition, showcased books and history pieces not just of  Cork city but from the villages and towns of County Cork as well. Mike said,” The Youghal stand was one of fifty and I was surprised at the small places like Kilmurray and Aubane that were represented. Just goes to show, all you want is about three interested people to achieve a lot”.

The Cork city hall buzzed with excitement as it played host to historical societies and groups from all over the City and County who came together in a unique exhibition that celebrated Cork’s rich, colourful Heritage, Tradition and Culture.This fascinating educational family exhibition showcased the exciting work carried out by these enthusiastic voluntary heritage groups in their communities.

At the day-long exhibition, the atmosphere was electric as a cross section of the finest historians and ‘caretakers’ of Cork’s rich past sang its praises, passionately speaking of its region’s history and memories as only they know how in an entertaining series of interactive talks and friendly chit chat.

The exhibition struck a chord with the continuous stream of people who flocked to the City Hall eager to learn more about their rich local history and was of particular interest to schools and budding young historians.

We all live in areas where the past is all around. This history makes us who we are. Celebrating Cork Past Exhibition is about bringing historical groups together so that they meet each other, chat and share ideas in order that historical societies can plan for the future. The aim is also to present their rich histories to the Cork public.

Due to the tremendous positive success of Celebrating Cork Past Exhibition, it has become an annual event wholeheartedly supported by Cork City Council and admission is free.

Determined to wind up his GAA presidency with a bang, Christy Cooney has rowed in behind a suggestion made by Dublin county chairman Andy Kettle that the All-Ireland finals should be brought forward a month to August to free up time for club championships.

“There is certain merit in that,” the Youghal native told RTE on Saturday.

“It will get consideration. Maybe in that type of situation we’d be able to run off our club championships in a calendar year… It will be discussed.”

Central Council is shortly expected to receive a report from the national fixtures planning committee which could recommend restricting the time-span of the marquee competitions.

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by Oli Skehan , 02 October 2011