World Championships in Coachford

Hundreds of competitors, their families and supporters have descended on Coachford for the World Youth Angling Championships. The teams have been practicing on the River Lee since last weekend as they familiarise themselves with the character of the river and seeking out the best bait for the week ahead. The official opening of the championship takes place tonight, Thursday August 10^th in Coachford where a parade of Nations takes place  from 6pm . The County Mayor Cllr. Declan Hurley and other dignitaries will speak at the official opening at the local GAA Hall which acts as the championship’s HQ for the weekend. This event is a huge undertaking and requires an amount of volunteers to get it off the ground. The NCFFI and the Inniscarra Lake Tourism Development Committee deserve great credit for brining the event to Coachford. The actual competition takes place on the Coachford Greenway and on the Dripsey River on Saturday and Sunday.

Rooves Bridge in appalling condition

The longest bridge spanning the River Lee remains in an appalling condition. The bridge build by the ESB as part of the flooding of the Lee in the 1950s has remained largely untouched since then. The railings are dirty and unmaintained for years. The surface of the bridge which is the responsibility of Cork County Council is very rough, unlined and unsafe yet the council continue to ignore it. It is ironic that the ESB and Cork County Council are two of the major sponsors  of  this week’s World Fishing championships where the dirty and unmaintained bridge will be the focal point on the river. When the 14 nations and their entourage leave next Monday the bridge will still be left in the same condition for cyclists and other road users.

Rylane Village Fete

The Rylane Community Park Association will host Rylane Village Fete this Sunday. This is Rylane’s first Village Fete and a great day is planned . There is a parade of local Clubs and Organisations, Dog Show, Donkey Dung Lotto, Egg tossing, Pets Corner, Tractor Building, Kids Play Zone, All Ireland Semi Final on the big Screen, Live music by the Hillbillies and much much more. It’s a day not to be missed. All proceeds will go towards the new community park.