Christmas has arrived and the now annual tradition of lighting up the Christmas tree will take place later this week. Everyone is welcome to come along for some traditional Christmas Carols, Mulled Wine and lots of festive cheer.

Talented Youth

Congratulations to Eabha Donovan and Abbie Healy who won the West Cork District Foroige Talent Competition in Bandon on Friday December 2nd. The girls beat off strong competition and they will now represent West Cork along with two other West Cork acts in the national finals in Dublin in April. All at the club are very proud!

Scor

It’s the time of year once again for Scór and Aghabullogue GAA have three entries in this weekend’s County Final. Our Ballad Group, Figure Dancers and Set Dancers have made it to the final in Éire Óg on Saturday
night. The dancers have a tough competition ahead of them as they face yearly favourites, Boherbue while our wonderful singers go up against Cullen & Carbery Rangers.We wish all three groups the very best of luck.

Christmas Markets

Rylane is the place to be on Sunday afternoon as the National School Parents Association hold their Christmas Market in the School Hall from 12.15pm. There will be loads of goodies on offer and some unusual gifts for Christmas. If you have still have energy and a little bit of money left you can head to Ballincollig to the 31st Annual Boy Scouts Christmas Bazaar where their are some really really great bargains to be had in the Community hall by the old Church. Head then out to Dripsey Cross where they are turning on the lights at 5pm before coming back to Coachford for the 6pm lighting up festivities. And you thought you were going to have a leisurely Sunday!!! Come on it’s only once a year, embrace the madness.

*Due to the high cost of insurance for just one day in the GAA Hall  the organisers of the traditional  Coachford Farmers Market, Christmas Market are unable to hold the event this year. Santa is heartbroken that he won’t be able to meet the children as he normally does each year but will be in Griffins as usual right up to Christmas Eve.

Charity Auction

Next Saturday Cork Marts in Macroom is the venue for a Charity Auction in aid of Temple Street Children’s Hospital ,Our Lady’s Children’s Hospitals and Marymount Hospice . Farmers have kindly donated five animals to be sold at this novel event. Also on ofeer is one ton of feed sponsored by Dairygold and  Southern Mills .Diesel voucher from Ross Oil ,bags of fire wood,a four-ball from Macroom Golf Club and many other great items. An Irish draft foal by Rock Cremin Silver Diamond ,(his dam has a lot of grade A showjumping progeny) will also be auctioned on Saturday .A number of people have been donating other prizes and gifts including a very generous €1,000 and a special €40 ‘All for One’ voucher from a local Coachford girl from her communion presents  The wonderful Briege Corkery and some of the Cork ladies football All Ireland winning team will be on hand with the All Ireland cup to help us sell the items on the day .Everyone is welcome to this unique event and you’d never know what you could be going home with as you help this very worthy fundraising effort.

Football & Hurling Draws

Next Saturday night, December 10th, the annual Cork GAA Convention takes place and  it should be the usual yawn fest but it does contain the 2017 Championship draws and it will be interesting to see who the Aghabullogue Intermediate Footballers and Aghabullogue  and Dripsey Hurlers are drawn against. Keep up to date on the results on the Coachford News Facebook page.

Double Champs

Congratulations to the Aghabullogue  Minor footballers who captured the double double today in winning the minor county league title to go along with their championship Double. It’s been some year for those lads and for football in the club in general. A lot of the minor footballers were also involved in winning this year’s  Mid Cork Under 21 football title in what was a tough and emotional final following the tragic loss of their friend and team mate, Greg Long. The under 13 footballers also brought two trophies back to the club, winning the East Region  Championship and  league titles. No doubt all these cups and shields will take pride of place at next Sunday’s club AGM.

Rocking around the Christmas Tree

O’ Riordan’s Bar Coachford announced their Christmas Live Music line up this week and what a line up it is. Pat & Loretto have put in place a collection of acts that any city pub would be very happy to have this festive season. The difference with O’Riordans gigs are that they are all free and  no cover charge is looked for. It all kicks off with  the fabulous ‘Sea Captains’  (10pm)on Friday 23rd, they are followed on the busiest day in the pubs in  Coachford,St. Stephen’s Day by the ever popular ‘Kieran & Jim’ at 9.30pm who kick off a week of music at the Coachford music venue . On Tuesday December 27th the best band of the year, ‘Russian Roulette’ (9.30pm) will provide the music . These should not be missed!!. Wednesday, December 28th the boys are back in town as  ‘Little Creatures’ come back to rock the roof off O’ Riordan’s.

‘Astronomy’ provide the music on Thursday December 29th and then on Friday 30th just when you though things were settling down up pops Joe Dolan !! well the best Joe Dolan tribute act in Ireland. Paschal Brennan will bring Joe back to life as he performs all of the Mullingar Maestro’s hits. New Year’s Eve will see O”Riordan’s rock to the sounds of the 80’s, 90’s and all the modern dance music as discs take over from live music for a few hours with the resident ‘DJ’ taking up the job of welcoming in 2017. The first day of the New Year sees the superb ‘Hillbillies’ play O’Riordan’s and helping everyone to ease their way into what we all hope will be a peaceful and happy 2017.

Closure of main artery into the village

Rooves Bridge is to close from 8pm to 8am for essential repairs and works over the Christmas period. More details can be found here