The Annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade took place in Youghal today Wednesday 17th March 2010. The parade was very colourful and many of the local business, organisations and clubs were represented with their colourful floats.

You can send in pictures of the Parade to news@youghalonline.com and we will post them in the gallery below, also please send in photos of the event from anywhere around the world and we will feature them on our site! Photo: Michael Hussey (YoughalOnline.com)

Click on image to see clubs and organisations who took part in the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Youghal 2010

The Luka Bloom concert is relocated to The Mall Arts Centre, Youghal.

20th of March doors at 8.30.

Tickets at Scotts treasure shop 137 north main street Youghal.
Call 087 9957102 for info

In order to avoid the pressure of being related to Christy Moore, Bloom adopted his pseudonym. “Luka” is taken from the title of Suzanne Vega’s song “Luka” about child abuse and “Bloom” refers to the main character in James Joyce’s Ulysses. Bloom is, however, very forthcoming about being Christy’s brother and does not hide behind his stage name.

Music style

Luka Bloom’s style of guitar playing is very distinctive. In his early career as Barry Moore, Bloom used a fingerpicking style. However, tendinitis in his hands forced him to adopt a heavy, fast strumming style which is the one he still uses and is often credited with his success. He usually plays in the DADGAD tuning and plays his electric acoustic guitar through a bass amplifier and chorus pedal to produce a warm, haunting tone. In more recent years he has performed his sets entirely with a Spanish guitar with softer strings than his steel-strung electric acoustics: this has mellowed his tone somewhat. It is possible his change in guitar choice is related to his tendinitis (see also Albums below).

History and touring

He began his career in the United States playing small clubs in Washington DC and later in New York City. He was a frequent performer in New York’s Greenwich Village at the Red Lion, where he played with Eileen Ivers backing him on fiddle, during his “Irishman in Chinatown” tour. (Ivers would also appear on the Riverside album.) His guitars were often introduced by name at gigs.

He toured America frequently through the 1990s, although his contemporary touring schedules take him mostly to Europe.
Albums

His early albums showcased his frenetic strumming style, including “Delirious” the debut track on Riverside, and his penchant for thoughtful cover songs, an affinity that he maintains even in more recent work. Bloom had previously covered LL Cool J’s I Need Love and Elvis Presley’s Can’t Help Falling In Love on the album The Acoustic Motorbike.

Released in 2000, Keeper of the Flame was an album of cover versions,featuring renditions of ABBA’s Dancing Queen, Bob Marley’s Natural Mystic and the Hunters and Collectors’ Throw Your Arms Around Me among others.

Bloom’s 2004 acoustic mini-album, Before Sleep Comes, was recorded while he was recovering from tendinitis. Bloom stated that the purpose of the album was “to help bring you closer to sleep, our sometimes elusive night-friend.”

Bloom released his album Innocence in 2005. Some of the songs feature a new found interest in Eastern European gypsy music and other World music. The album features a more classical guitar and the resonant plucking associated with that style of instrument. In his previous work, he relied on steel-stringed guitars that created his distinctive style.

In 2007 he released Tribe, a collaboration with County Clare musician Simon O Reilly, with O Reilly composing the music and sending the recordings to Bloom for him to complete with lyrics and singing.

A DVD entitled “The Man is Alive” was released on 20 February 2008. It features concerts filmed in Dublin and at his home in Kildare, a question and answer session with fans, the documentary “My Name is Luka” and a CD of music culled from the two performances.

“Eleven Songs” was released in September 2008, featuring an expanded ensemble of instrumentation, giving the album a distinct sound within his catalogue.

WORLD Ranked number one snooker professional John Higgins was in Youghal last Saturday evening for a rare exhibition match at the Youghal CYMS and the ‘Wizard of Wishaw’ didn’t disappoint the huge crowd potting a maximum 147 break on his way to a devastating evening of top class snooker. Derek Kiely reports for Youghalonline.com sports | Photo: Michael Hussey Youghalonline.com

There was a Civic Reception afforded to John and a packed Mall House heard the praise ring out for one of snookers famous sons, but this was different than other receptions that I have been to as there seemed to be a fantastic atmosphere and a real affinity with the man, as one person said to me “Sure he’s like one of our own” and I couldn’t agree more, John Higgins really does have that aura about him, they makes you feel like you’ve known him all your life.

The three-time and current reigning World Snooker Champion is just four weeks away from defending his World Crown at the Crucible in Sheffield and looks like he is in fantastic form going into the event.

At the Youghal Town Council Civic Reception Lady Mayor Sandra McLennan rang out the praises for Higgins saying “It is very important that we recognise the significant contribution John Higgins has made to the World of Snooker. It is important that we in our community recognise his achievements in the game and this really is a list of achievements”.

Higgins has won the World Championships three times, won 21 ranking tournament events and has over 400 competitive century breaks to his name as well, astounding when you think about it.

The Civic Reception was something the John Higgins didn’t expect and as I met him for the first time on Saturday afternoon in Joe Dan’s as he was locked into the Celtic Scottish Cup Quarter Final match, he seemed genuinely surprised by the gesture “I am really honoured, I wasn’t aware of the Civic Reception until earlier this afternoon, it really came as a bit of a shock and to tell you the truth I was a bit emotional when the Lady Mayor Sandra McLennan presented me with a beautiful Waterford Crystal memento I was thrilled” Higgins told Youghal online.

There are many great ambassadors in sport throughout the planet and John Higgins definitely ranks highly in that regard. Not only is he patient, polite and respectful to all he meets, but the man came across as genuine in every department.

“Steve Davis was my role model in every respect, he was a gentleman on and off the table and if I could emulate that I would be very happy indeed” said Higgins.

Of course the Scot who is a well known Celtic FC fanatic has Irish roots, with his grandmother Peggy Doyle originally from Magherafelt in County Derry and over the years he would have made many trips to Ireland as he still has a lot of relations in County Derry, but last Saturday night was the first time that John Higgins had been to East Cork and he clearly enjoyed the experience.

“I love coming to venues like the Youghal CYMS because they really are true snooker venues, where people like Brendan Cooney and his committee look after the youngsters and help to teach them good values. It is great to see the young kids here tonight, I remember when I was very young and started to play snooker I was one of those young lads looking at those superstars of the game, and who knows it might be one of these kids one day” Higgins said.

The future of the game of snooker looks bright as far as John Higgins is concerned with Barry Hearne now at the helm “With Barry Hearn now re-vitalising snooker it will be great for our game, we have already seen the difference that he has made to the game recently at the Masters at Wembley giving Jimmy White a wild card, so I think he will have a big impact on the sport” Higgins told Youghal Online.

With just four weeks to go to the top event in world snooker Higgins believes his preparation has been good ahead of the Sheffield showdown “It’s been going good, I have had a good season, I only had one bad result all year and I have reached the semi-finals in most of the tournaments this season, I have been really please the way things have been going and hopefully I can keep that going into the World Championships in Sheffield next month. From here on in now I will just practice as hard as I can, I have just moved clubs and joined the ‘Cue Club’ in Glasgow and I am based now alongside the likes of Stephen Maguire and Marcus Campbell who are top Scottish players which will be good for me and I can train against them every day and sharpen my game” Higgins added.

Playing an exhibition match is indeed a rarity for Higgins, so when the audience in the Youghal CYMS witnessed six 50+ breaks including two centuries and a magnificent maximum 147 the Scot was delighted as the room gave him a rapturous standing ovation, “I have never been very big on exhibitions because I have always been the type of player that put all my time into fully concentrating on practice and I have always put my time into playing tournaments where you make your living really, but since I have won the World Championship there have been a few more people wanting to see me, which is great and when I can do that I will and I was delighted tonight getting the 147, it was brilliant, I think the crowd really enjoyed it”.

Higgins flew in from Edinburgh especially for last night’s exhibition match and really was blown away by the warm reception he got on arrival in the East Cork Town. Higgins plans to return soon to Youghal with his wife and three children.

Higgins told Youghal Online “I really love Ireland, when we visited my Grandmother down through the years she would always have the Irish music on and I love those tunes right through to today. I am a huge Celtic fan, my Grandfather would go Parkhead, my Father went and I go as often as I can, it really is a family thing. I am coming back to Ireland and next year myself and the family will hire a car and drive around to get a real look at the country and I definitely plan to return to Youghal, the welcome I have had here has been wonderful, everyone I have met have been really brilliant”.

Youghal CYMS President Brendan Cooney who praised the Scot above all previous visiting snooker stars “We started these exhibitions back in 2002 and we have had many great players in our rooms and previous World Champions, but never have we had a reigning World Champion and the standard of his play tonight was astonishing, plus a very first 147 at the Society, it was just fantastic” said Cooney.

It seems the ‘Wizard of Wishaw’ became the ‘Wizard of Youghal’ last Saturday night after an astounding display of top class snooker where the canny Scot didn’t drop a frame.

The players who played against Higgins were Adrian ‘Pepper’ Landers, Christopher Cooney, Aaron Tobin, Derek ‘Mr Maximum’ Aherne, Killian McCarthy, Lee Walsh, Aidan O’Neill, William Kelly, Trevor Flaherty, Gerard Kelly and Brendan Cooney.

On the night John Higgins complied breaks of :

147 v Derek Aherne

104 Against William Kelly

85 Clearance v Christopher Cooney

88 Against Trevor Flaherty

76 Against Brendan Cooney

76 Against Adrian Landers

56 Against Aaron Tobin

56 Against Gerard Kelly.

Needles to say the World Champion was undefeated.

Youghal Town Council accorded a civic reception to reigning world snooker champion John Higgins at the council chambers on Saturday Night (13th March 2010). A large audience representing members past and present of Youghal CYMS were present to honour the world ranked number one snooker star.

Click on image to enlarge

Rith 2010 is the new national festival which commenced in Ireland on March 9th and will finish on St Patrick’s Day, and is one of the main events of Seachtain na Gaeilge, Irish language Week.   It is a Relay Race over a distance of 1600km, with entrants running from morning to night. Denise FitzGerald Reports | Photo: Michael Hussey Youghalonline.com

A special hand-carved baton has been designed which carries a hidden message throughout Rith 2010. At the end of the run, the message of support for the Irish language, written by Mary

Rith 2010 is a brand new way to celebrate the Irish language and culture in a way that is visual, fun, community based and which can be celebrated throughout the island of Ireland. Rith 2010 also aims to raise money to create a new fund for the promotion of the Irish language in the community.

On Saturday last, March 13th, at Youghal Town Hall, the Eochaill Óg U-8s were waiting with barely suppressed excitement for the passing over of the Baton.  When the runners eventually arrived to much applause and cheers, the first handing over of the Baton was to young Oisín Hill who escorted it proudly as far as the Devonshire Arms Hotel where it was passed to Shane Wood.  The next hand over was at the Clock Gate where Shane, with great aplomb, gave it onwards to the Mayor of Youghal, Cllr McLellan who very quickly passed it to Micheal Walsh.   Various members of the Eochaill Óg U-8s were honoured to run a short distance with the Baton where, at the end of Cork Hill, it was passed over to members of the Senior Club who had the distinction of running to Gortroe to pass it onwards to St. Ita’s GAA Club.

Youghal were delighted to be part of a historic occasion, the very first Rith in Ireland, and as was said on the day “running is real and relatively simple, but it ain’t easy….”  the answer to which someone very seriously replied “we can’t all be heroes because someone has to sit on the curb and clap as they go by!”

Click on image to enlarge

Barry Treacy, Manager of Youghal Credit Union Ltd., has recently returned from a sixteen day coaching programme in Ghana. Barry, along with another Irish representative, was selected to represent the Irish League of Credit Unions International Foundation in their voluntary roles as coaches in assisting credit unions in Ghana.

The programme involved visiting three credit unions and assisting them in various areas where they believed they had problems. After visiting each credit union a written report was presented to each credit union’s Board of Directors as recommendations to solve their problem areas.

Approximately five hundred  Credit Unions have been up and running in Ghana since the 1980’s. A number of credit unions require assistance to further develop and grow.  Barry says that he was able to see first hand the role that credit unions played in reducing poverty and setting people up with small businesses to advance themselves. The programme was initially established by the Canadian credit union movement and last year was the first time Ireland became involved.

Youghal Credit Union presented the keys to the lucky winner of the winter car draw. The presentation took place last Friday (12th March.2010) outside the main offices of the Youghal Credit Union. The lucky winner Joan Hopkins from Radharc Na Mara, Ballyvergan, Youghal was presented with the keys by manager Barry Treacy. Joan was accompanied by her husband Fergus and mother Eileen Lee. Joan is the proud owner of  the new Kia Ria 1.5 lx diesel 4 door which was supplied by Pat Ryan from Kia motors, Youghal.
Photo: Michael Hussey YoughalOnline.com  Email: news@youghalonline.com

The next car draw will take in July 2010 – only €6.00 per draw.

Team Youghal will appear live on the Ireland AM on Friday Morning March 19th on TV3 as part of a Special on Race Around Ireland 2010. The cyclists featured include Ger Flanagan, Tommy Roche, Christy McCarthy, Eoin Whyte, Kieran Groeger, Brian Fitzgerald, Michael McCarthy, John Twomey and Tom Fitzgerald.

The team are currently training for this year’s race which once again begin in Navan and cover a 1,350 mile route, taking in  Newgrange, The Giants Causeway, Malin head, The Cliffs of Moher, The Ring of Kerry, Mizen Head, the Garden County (Wicklow) and back to Navan. Team Youghal are the defending champions in the 8 man team category in this World Cup event, the second toughest in the world after the Race Across America. The Emer Casey Foundation is once again the chosen charity of Team Youghal. www.emercaseyfoundation.com

Acclaimed Irish singer/songwriter Declan O’Rourke received a warm welcome amid the atmospheric surroundings of St Mary’s Collegiate Church in Youghal on Saturday, February 27. where he gave an outstanding performance to the appreciative crowd. This event attracted the largest audience so far in ongoing series of concerts in the ancient church, promoted by Bobby Lee from Sacred Roots productions. Photo Michael Hussey Youghalonline.com

Declan O’Rourke is a gold record singer/songwriter from Ballyfermot Dublin.He embarked on a major nationwide tour in March.
At the age of 13, when living in Australia with his family, O’Rourke was given his first guitar by a priest in Kyabram who recognised his potential and love for music; Hence the title of his debut album “Since Kyabram”, which was released in October 2004.

Having launched his career in 2000, O’Rourke gradually made a name for himself as an extraordinary writer and performer, building up a solid fan base around the country.

However, the release of his 2004 debut album ‘Since Kyabram’, which went straight in at number five in the album charts, earned him widespread acclaim among critics and the record buying public.

The album also resulted in him gaining a number of high profile fans including Paul Weller, who when asked which song from the past 20years he most wished he had written replied Galileo one of the standout tracks from the Since Kyabram album.

His songs have also been recorded by Brian Kennedy, Maura O’Connell and Eddie Reader among others.

His second album, Big Bad World released in 2007, was also well received by the record buying public reaching number four in the charts.

O’Rourke, who is currently recording his third studio album, has toured extensively across England and mainland Europe supporting the likes of Paul Weller, The Cardigans, Paulo Nuttini, Paul Brady and The Beautiful South.

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Open House Sessions 2nd Monday of every month Starting on Monday 8th March 2.30-5.30

Venue: Cumann Na Daoine, Catherine St.Youghal

Music by: Bobby and Peter Lee and friends

Dancing, singalong, storytelling,

Tea / coffee

For everyone particularly young at heart

For further information contact Stacey 024-91900

Thanks to John Long, Worldwide Cabs for his support

JD’s golf society presented a donation of €1,845 to Youghal RNLI from monies raised from their fundraiser golf outing which took place last October. The presentation took place at Jd’s pub, North Main St. Youghal. Photo: Michael Hussey www.youghalonline.com