Video footage of the 2011 annual Emer Casey Foundation Memorial 10K run in Youghal, Co. Cork, Ireland. Film: Michael Hussey | Edit: Bobby Whyte | Email: news@youghalonline.com | www.YoughalOnline.com

Below is a Movie Clip of the Emer Casey Memorial 10k 2010

An independent non-profit survey by YoughalOnline.com, not affiliated with any other bodies. Feedback was anonymous. No fields were mandatory. This survey ran from July 21st to the 5th August 2011. The following results were published on YoughalOnline.com 19th August 2011.

YoughalOnline.com would like to thank all who contributed to this survey. We hope the survey results will help all Youghal businesses and organisations with future planning of festivals and events etc.
Queen of The Sea Festival 2011 – Online Survey Results

 

Bonfire Night is an annual celebration held on the 23rd June (St. John’s Eve). The celebrations take place in towns and villages across the country and centered around the summer solstice.
Report/Photo: Michael Hussey Email: news@youghalonline.com

The custom dates back to pagan times. Bonfire Night was always celebrated in Youghal with bonfires in different parts of the town but these customs and traditions are largely ignored nowadays. The embers of this long tradition have become a burning or more accurately a non-burning issue. The photograph shows everybody enjoying the annual spectacle of the bonfire in the plot Sarsfield Terrace back in 1983.

St John’s Eve (or Oiche Fheile Eoin (Bonfire Night) is celebrated in many parts of rural Ireland with the lighting of bonfires. This ancient custom has its roots in pre-Christian Irish society when the Celts honored the Goddess Áine, the Celtic equivalent of Venus and Aphrodite. She was the Goddess Queen of Munster and Christianised rituals in her honour (as Naomh Áine) took place until the nineteenth century on Knockainy, (Cnoc Áine – the Hill of Áine) in County Limerick.

During the festival, people would say prayers, asking for God’s blessing upon their crops. They would also take ashes from the fire, and spread them over their land as a blessing for protection for their crops. It was also common to have music, singing, dancing, and games during the festival. The fire was used for destroying small objects of piety (rosary beads, statues, etc.) without disrespecting God. It was also common for people to jump through the flames of the bonfire for good luck.

In Thomas Flanagan’s The Year of the French, the ancient festival of St John’s Eve takes place. The book is set during the Irish rebellion of 1798. Here is an excerpt from The Year of the French:

Soon it would be Saint John’s Eve. Wood for the bonfire had already been piled high upon Steeple HIll, and when the night came there would be bonfires on every hill from there to Downpatrick Head. There would be dancing and games in the open air, and young men would try their bravery leaping through the flames. There would even be young girls leaping through, for it was helpful in the search of a husband to leap through a Saint John’s Eve fire, the fires of midsummer. The sun was at its highest then, and the fires spoke to it, calling it down upon the crops. It was the turning point of the year, and the air was vibrant with spirits. –The Year of the French

Some regions of Ireland follow a custom seemingly inspired by the activity from which this saint takes his title, Baptist (more accurately, Baptizer). They head to the ocean and immerse themselves in its waters. In this, they imitate the original form of baptism practiced by St John, as well as by the early Christians.

Sinn Féin Easter Rising Commemoration March 2011

Assembly outside the Devonshire Arms Hotel, Youghal at 10.45, Sunday 24th April 2011, and march through the town behind the Fife and Drum band to the republican plot at North Abbey cemetery. Guest speaker at this year’s commemoration is the newly elected Sinn Féin TD for East Cork Sandra McLellan.

The launch of the society’s C.Y.M.S. Calendar 2011 recently took place in the main hall with guest FÁS supervisor Mary Carson. Speaking at the launch the President of the society Brendan Cooney congratulated all those involved in the making of the calendar and particularly thanked FÁS supervisor Mary Carson and Cathy O’Mahony, resource tutor with the Youghal Adult Learning Centre.

He said anyone who brings benefit to the organisation as William Swayne, Ray Phelan and Christopher Hennessy, who designed the calendar, also bring benefit to the wider Youghal community by their work. He heaped much praise on Mary Carson from FÁS who’s input to the work of the society did not go unnoticed and was very much appreciated. He also paid tribute to William and Anne Swayne for their support of the society. He thanked Michael Hussey who took the photos for the calendar and said the non-profit calendar may be purchased at the CYMS office or from any committee member.

In turn, Mary Carson, FÁS supervisor, said that she was delighted to be associated with the wonderful work that the Youghal CYMS do and could see this especially with the young teenager members as an invaluable place to go within the centre of our community.

The calendar is the brainchild of senior member William Swayne. This year the calendar’s theme focused mainly with photos of the junior snooker finalists in the various tournaments that were held over the 2010 season and also pictures of people with the World Snooker Trophy and world champion John Higgins during the fantastic snooker exhibition held at the society last year.