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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 Youghal Crew: Historian Mike Hackett, Cliff Winser, Archeologist Catherine Power and Kay Donnelly at the Youghal stand.

The Youghal Crew: Historian Mike Hackett, Cliff Winser, Archeologist and one of the organisers Catryn Power and Kay Donnelly at the Youghal stand.

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.

Cliff Winser and historian Mike Hackett dressed in suitable attire by the Youghal stand at the Celebrating Cork Past Exhibition 2011

Cliff Winser and historian Mike Hackett dressed in suitable attire by the Youghal stand at the Celebrating Cork Past Exhibition 2011

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.

On Friday September 23rd last, locals and visitors enjoyed the unique experience at Youghal’s second culture night which was a free night of entertainment, discovery and adventure.

Youghal Culture Night 2011 - Eamonn O' Brien of Gallery 126 featured an exhibition of late 19th century illustrated sheet music

Youghal Culture Night 2011 - Eamonn O' Brien of Gallery 126 featured an exhibition of late 19th century illustrated sheet music

The night featured a host of exciting events which including musicians,exhibitions, storytelling, choral singing, silver craft display and a host of other interesting cultural events. Art dealer Eamonn O’Brien of Gallery 126 featured an exhibition of late 19th century illustrated sheet music to the enjoyment of all who attended while musician Tom Connelly played selected songs on the mandolin.

Youghal Culture Night 2011 - CRY 104fm's live outside broadcast, picture includes radio dj's, John Cunningham, Jim Coleman, Tony Sheehan, John Kennedy and Tim Smith

Youghal Culture Night 2011 - CRY 104fm's live outside broadcast, picture includes radio dj's, John Cunningham, Jim Coleman, Tony Sheehan, John Kennedy and Tim Smith

Over in John Kennedy’s electrical shop, CRY 104fm outside broadcast crew went live from ‘The Gossip Shop’ which proved to be a great success. Radio jocks from the station entertained the listeners and the crowds who turned up at the open door, open mike session. Michael Roche read from one of his favourite poems and John Kennedy played some really unique original material from the distant past. Tony Sheehan, Jim Coleman and Tim Smith also played some of their favourite tunes. Meanwhile children were also being entertained at Oona Colin’s new shop ‘In Stitches’ with storytelling and crochet and stitching classes.

Oona Colin's new shop 'In Stitches' with storytelling and crochet and stitching classes

Oona Colin's new shop 'In Stitches' with storytelling and crochet and stitching classes

The photographic exhibition ‘Last Days. The Last of Carpets in Youghal’ in the Mall Arts Centre was also a highlight of the night. The exhibition captured the mood of the workers and the work place in the final days of the carpet factory in store street just before it closed back in 2006. The life size images gave a real depth to the exhibition.

Artist Eileen McGoldrick demonstration techniques in painting at McGoldrick’s Art & Photographic Gallery during the Youghal Culture Night 2011

Artist Eileen McGoldrick demonstration techniques in painting at McGoldrick’s Art & Photographic Gallery during the Youghal Culture Night 2011

Another photographic exhibition was on show over in McGoldrick’s Art & Photographic gallery on North Main St. entitled ‘Flight of Fancy’ and included a demonstration by local artist Eileen McGoldrick. Across the way at Luigi’s restaurant poetry reading by local poets and invited guests went on for the evening, organised by Alan Prim’s Bookshop on South Main St.

Poetry reading at Luigi's restaurant

Poetry reading at Luigi's restaurant

Youghal Culture Night 2011 - Pat Lynch storytelling at Fox's Lane Museum

Youghal Culture Night 2011 - Pat Lynch storytelling at Fox's Lane Museum

The diverse programme of events around the town was amazing and really had something for everyone. The  culture night definitely built up on the success of last year event and great praise to all involved. This type of local and national community involvement can only make next year’s Culture Night one of the main highlights in the autumn calender of cultural events in the town.

Click on image to enlarge – Photos by Ed Guiry & Will McGoldrick

ART AND CULTURE VENUES open their doors in Youghal on Friday night, Sept. 23th 2011. Drama, behind-the-scenes tours, and music performances are all part of the fare on offer. The night is one of the highlights of Youghal’s cultural calendar and will give people the opportunity to explore venues and facilities at night and for free!

Click on image to see the list of events for Youghal Culture Night 2011

Click on image to see the list of events for Youghal Culture Night 2011

ART AND CULTURE VENUES open their doors in Youghal on Friday night, Sept. 23th 2011. Drama, behind-the-scenes tours, and music performances are all part of the fare on offer. The night is one of the highlights of Youghal’s cultural calendar and will give people the opportunity to explore venues and facilities at night and for free!

Culture Night Youghal

Click on image to see last year's Youghal Culture Night 2010 on this site

Click on image to see last year's Youghal Culture Night 2010 on this site

Please note correct time for the McGoldrick Exhibition is from 7.30pm to 9.30pm (demonstration to commence at 8pm)

Celebrating Cork Past Exhibition 2011

3rd Annual

Family Heritage Festival

Celebrating Cork Past Exhibition 2011

City Hall, Cork City, Irleand.

Friday, September 30th 2011.

by

Richard T. Cooke

Chairperson

www.celebratingcorkpast.com

On Tuesday, October 22nd 2009, Cork City Hall buzzed with excitement as it played host to over forty historical societies and groups from all over the City and County who came together for the first time ever 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.

cork_masons

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.

“Celebration and Participation” was the theme of this enlightening exhibition which 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 the inaugural Celebrating Cork Past Exhibition, it has become an annual event wholeheartedly supported by Cork City Council and admission is free.

A Heritage Festival that’s on the pulse of the past with a view to the future, the warm friendly welcome you’ll enjoy at the Celebrating Cork Past Exhibition is sure to put a smile on your face, making it a must see for all the family and for all those who want to learn more about Cork’s rich, colourful Heritage, Tradition and Culture in an fun, homely atmosphere.

You’ll be glad you visited Celebrating Cork Past Exhibition.

The
Family Heritage Festival
will be Launch by
Lord Mayor of Cork Cllr,Terry Shannon and County Mayor, Cllr,Tim Lombard

Any parish/community interested in establishing a Historical Society can contact:

Richard T. Cooke, Chairperson, Celebrating Cork Past Exhibition at richardtcooke@yahoo.com

Mary O’Leary, Secretary, maryhollyoleary@gmail.com

Catryn Power, Consultant, catrynpower@hotmail.com.

http://www.youtube.com/user/musiclea#p/u/28/mG4PK8XElWk

http://www.youtube.com/user/musiclea#p/u/1/Xt84ya2z7MY

On Saturday 27th August 2011, the Port of Cork will once again open its doors to the public from 11am until 4pm as part of Cork Heritage Day. The spectacular rooms of Custom House will be open to the public offering visitors the opportunity to view the impressive boardroom and committee room as well as the fine collection of maritime artwork owned by the Port of Cork Company.

This year the ‘Port In Pictures’, a photograph exhibition of the port over the years; will also be on display in the main reception area of Custom House.

Organised by Cork City Council, Cork Heritage Open Day celebrates Ireland’s architecture and heritage by enabling free access to properties & events of interest to the public that are either not usually open to the public, or would normally charge an entrance fee. Details of this year’s events and participating buildings appear on the website www.corkheritageopenday.ie

Celebrating Cork Past Exhibition 2011

3rd Annual Family Heritage Festival – Celebrating Cork Past Exhibition 2011

City Hall, Cork City, Ireland – Friday, September 30th 2011.

by Chairperson Richard T. Cooke

On Tuesday, October 22nd 2009, Cork City Hall buzzed with excitement as it played host to over forty historical societies and groups from all over the City and County who came together for the first time ever 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.

“Celebration and Participation” was the theme of this enlightening exhibition which 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 the inaugural Celebrating Cork Past Exhibition, it has become an annual event wholeheartedly supported by Cork City Council and admission is free.

A Heritage Festival that’s on the pulse of the past with a view to the future, the warm friendly welcome you’ll enjoy at the Celebrating Cork Past Exhibition is sure to put a smile on your face, making it a must see for all the family and for all those who want to learn more about Cork’s rich, colourful Heritage, Tradition and Culture in an fun, homely atmosphere.

You’ll be glad you visited Celebrating Cork Past Exhibition.

Photo: Courtesy of kieranmccarthy.ie

Any parish/community interested in establishing a Historical Society can contact:

Richard T. Cooke, Chairperson, Celebrating Cork Past Exhibition at richardtcooke@yahoo.com

Mary O’Leary, Secretary, maryhollyoleary@gmail.com

Catryn Power, Consultant, Cork County Archaeologist at catrynpower@hotmail.com.

http://www.youtube.com/user/musiclea#p/u/28/mG4PK8XElWk

http://www.youtube.com/user/musiclea#p/u/1/Xt84ya2z7MY

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

Bonfire Night ‘The Plot’ Sarsfield Tce. Youghal (1983) Photo: Michael Hussey

Bonfire Night ‘The Plot’ Sarsfield Tce. Youghal (1983) Photo: Michael Hussey

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.

Bonfire Night ‘The Plot’ Sarsfield Tce. Youghal (1983) Photo: Michael Hussey

Bonfire Night ‘The Plot’ Sarsfield Tce. Youghal (1983) Photo: Michael Hussey

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.

Bonfire Night ‘The Plot’ Sarsfield Tce. Youghal (1983) Photo: Michael Hussey

Bonfire Night ‘The Plot’ Sarsfield Tce. Youghal (1983) Photo: Michael Hussey

Classroom crucifix ban overturned

Friday March 18 2011

A ruling banning religious symbols in classrooms has been overturned by human rights judges.

Victory for the Italian government came in an appeal against an earlier verdict by the same court in which a mother won her case that the display of crucifixes in Italian state schools breached religious freedoms enshrined in the European Convention of Human Rights.

 

Classrooms in state schools can display the crucifix, the European Court of Human Rights has ruled

Classrooms in state schools can display the crucifix, the European Court of Human Rights has ruled

If upheld on Friday, the decision would have affected religious schools across Europe.

But a “Grand Chamber” of the European Court of Human Rights completely reversed the original result, declaring that the judges could find no evidence that the crucifix placed on classroom walls influenced pupils.

The National Secular Society (NSS) said the final outcome was a severe blow to the rights of parents not to expose their children to promotion of a particular faith.

NSS executive director Keith Porteous Wood said: “This is a severe blow to the concept of state neutrality in relation to religion, and to secularism. It flies in the face of Europe’s increasing plurality and diversity and risks damaging the (human rights) court’s previous reputation of treating all citizens equally.”

But the UK Independence Party’s Paul Nuttall welcomed the result, saying: “It was the right judgment but in the wrong court.

“The European Court of Human Rights should never have attacked the rightful autonomy of the Italian state, nor undermined the religious freedom, culture, history and identity of its people.”

The original, unanimous, court decision in 2009 was a victory for Soile Lautsi, a non-Catholic mother who complained that her children, aged 11 and 13, were exposed to crucifixes in classrooms at their school in northern Italy.

But Friday’s 15-2 majority verdict decided that, “while the crucifix is above all a religious symbol, there is no evidence before the court that (its) display on classroom walls might have an influence on pupils”.

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