Coachford gears up for Christmas
The village of Coachford is well prepared for the Christmas and new year season. The village is looking extremely festive, the pubs have music and other entertainment planned right throughout the two weeks of the season and the shops are fully stocked with everything you will need to make your Christmas and New Year special. Chairperson of the Coachford Tidy Towns, Martha McCaffery said, “ We are all looking forward to Christmas in Coachford this year and we would ask that where possible we would support our local businesses. It is vital that local communities Shop local, Eat Local, Spend Local and Enjoy Local.”
Christmas Market
The organisers of the Coachford Christmas Market were delighted with the huge crowds that turned up to enjoy a wonderful festive atmosphere in the GAA hall last Saturday. There were some beautiful homemade crafts and baking and other goods on sale. The art competition for local children saw many wonderful works of art from children of all ages. The local Foróige club also had a stall selling some gorgeous Crepes and pancakes. Santa Claus was also in attendance and was very busy in his grotto taking all the requests from the children for that special toy they were hoping he could bring to them in a couple of weeks time.
Championship draws
Aghabullogue Intermediate Footballers have been drawn against Millstreet in the first round of the 2015 championship. Treasurer of Aghabullogue GAA, John Tarrant said “It’s a big first round game for us and we would ideally love to beat them in order to advance to the next round. Some of us in the club have very strong ties with Millstreet and this will only add to the excitement of this game.” The hurlers have drawn neighbours Inniscarra in the championship and although it will be their second string team that Aghabullogue will face, the fact that the new coach, Ger Manley played his hurling for many years with the club should add an extra interest in this fixture.
Children Escape
The pupils of Coachford College will pack away their books and Uniforms on Wednesday, December 23rd and take them out again when the school reopens for business on Tuesday January 5th 2016 after the Christmas holidays. The National School get a couple of days extra as they run home for Christmas on Tuesday December 22nd and don’t return until Wednesday January 6th.
Christmas Draw
The Inniscarra Lake Tourism Development Company Limited are holding a Christmas draw to raise money for the maintenance and the upkeep of the very popular Greenway. Tickets are only €2 each or three for €5 and the fantastic prizes include tickets to see Manchester United, a weekend in Killarney and a family Portrait. Tickets can be purchased in all the shops and pubs in Coachford and the draw takes place on December 30th.
Aghabullogue elect a new Chairman
At the Annual General Meeting of Aghabullogue GAA last Sunday night the outgoing Chairman, John Barry Murphy welcomed all those present and thanked everyone for making the effort to come to one of the most important meetings of the year. Club runaí, Michael healy then presented his very detailed and comprehensive report and had particular praise for the Under 16 hurlers and footballers who without doubt were the team of the year. in his report the runaí also paid tribute to the development committee who are working on the new Astro Turf pitch. Michael also had special praise for the club referee, William Barrett who is stepping down this year , he also paid tribute to the late Peter Downey who had refereed many games that the club were involved in. The secretary concluded his report by thanking his fellow officers, mentioning the Trojan work being carried out by all those coaching underage teams and everyone who works in making the club so successful on and off the field. Martin Corkery of the development committee informed the AGM that everything was on track for the development to commence in April or May of 2016 and was hoping that the project could be completed by the following September, he thanked his fellow members of the committee and in particular Daniel Crowley. He said that more €1,000 loans were required to bring the project across the line and asked that those present might ask relatives and friends to consider giving the loan. This appeal was also reiterated by the outgoing chairman. The club treasurer John Tarrant presented his very detailed report to the meeting and thanked everyone who raised money during the year especially the players who ran the very successful Race Night earlier in the year. Delivering the Chairman’s address, John Barry Murphy, commended the people who look after the underage teams, thanked the county board draw coordinator, Denis Finnegan for his great work and said that Aghabullogue GAA’s performance in this was the envy of many clubs across the county. He wished the new coach of the intermediate hurling and football teams, Ger Manley the very best for the year ahead. The Chairman paid tribute to Willie Barrett and said both he and the club were very proud of his years of service to the club and county. The Chairman concluded his address by thanking the work being done by the development committee, the ladies who ran the club shop and the club sponsors, Murphy’s Centra Coachford. Many tributes were paid to the outgoing chairman complimenting him on his approach to dealing with potential explosive issues in a very calm and fair manner and ensuring that the club has gone from strength to strength during his four year tenure. Following the election of officers, Mr Denis Ring was declared the new Chairman. Denis was the outgoing Vice Chairman and has many years experience both as a player, coach and administrator. In his acceptance speech Denis said “ I am delighted and honoured to have been elected as Chairperson of this very historic and great club. We are heading into exciting times, the new development will be a tremendous asset to us but it will also consume us and we must be mindful not to neglect the activities on the field. To this end we must concentrate on the primary schools in the parish and make sure that we coach in those schools. We are a club rich in tradition but what is even more important is our future. Our club is made up of different people from different parishes and different goals and ideas but the one thing that unites us the green and white of Aghabullogue. When we lose we lose together and when we win we win together. ”
Quiz team advance to Munster
The Aghabullogue County Scór Tráth na gCeist. team of Paul Ring, Tom Long, Aodan Healy and Marc Dineen emerged victorious at the county final last week and now advance to the Munster final in Killarney in January where they will represent Cork in the competition.
Vintage run
A vintage run is being organised for December 27th in aid of Penny Dinners. The run takes place at 11.00am from O Riordan’s Bar Coachford
Christmas lights
The Coachford Christmas lights committee would like to thank everyone who helped with putting up the Christmas lights in the village. The whole village is looking fabulous and this work could not be done, without all the volunteers that gave valuable time, to make this village a special place. We should all be very proud and privileged to live within a great community. The committee would especially like to thank Andrew & Anthony O’Riordan for providing the loadall Funded by Broomhill Vintage club and their Coachford Autumn Festival , a Quiz night in O’Callaghan’s Bar and the support of the businesses ,this the only way we could run this event. We would also like to thank Ted Long – electrics, Donal Lynch (Dripsey), Tanya & Ben Mulhern – who donated the tree. A very special thanks to Pat & Loretta O’Riordan (O’Riordans) .and Eileen & Patrick (O’Callaghans) for their continuous support.
Coachford News 