Culture Night in the County of Cork

Date/Time: Friday 20th September 2019
Event: Culture Night in the County of Cork
Location: Various, Co. Cork
Additional Information: Culture Night is an annual all-island public event that celebrates culture, creativity and the arts. This year, it will take place on Friday 20^th September between 4pm and 11pm. On Culture Night, arts and cultural organisations and venues of all shapes and sizes, including the National Cultural institutions, extend their opening hours to allow for increased access to the public. Special and unique events and workshops are specifically programmed at participating locations and everything is available free of charge. Over 100 events will be taking place in the County of Cork and for full details visit http://culturenightcorkcounty.ie/

Global Week Of Action

Does someone in your family have dementia?

The Crystal Project is holding a FREE 6 week course of information and support sessions for families
of people with dementia.

Start date : Wednesday 25th September (7-9pm)
Location : Tearmon Ui Chaoimh Day Centre, Mitchelstown

For further details & to reserve a place contact:
Sheena Cadoo or Amy Murphy
Occupational Therapist Dementia Adviser
HSE Alzheimer Society of Ireland
sheena.cadoo@hse.ie amurphy@alzheimer.ie
Tel: 086 787 1818 Tel : 086 781 2217

Thomas Kent School of History

Date/Time: Friday 27th to Sunday 29th September 2019
Event: Thomas Kent School of History 
Location: Fermoy, Co. Cork 
Additional Information: The 2nd Thomas Kent School of History will take place in Fermoy in September 2019 with a great line-up of speakers already in place. For further information and to book a place email thomaskenthistory@gmail.com

Illustrated Talk: From Skibbereen to the Moon - by Finola Finlay

Date/Time: Thursday 26th September 2019 at 20:30
Event: Illustrated Talk: From Skibbereen to the Moon - by Finola Finlay 
Location: Parish Centre, Clonakilty, Co. Cork 
Additional Information: Agnes Mary Clerke, born 1842, was a celebrated astronomer and a founder of the craft of science writing. Her mother was a Deasy from Clonakilty and her father came from a prominent Skibbereen family. Agnes and her family lived through the famine in Skibbereen, but at the age of 19 she moved to Dublin, then Italy and finally settled in London. Her 1885 book, A History of Astronomy in the Nineteenth Century is still in print, and NASA named a crater on the Moon in her honour. How did this West Cork young woman attain such a high level of education and knowledge in an age when women didn’t go to university, and what is her legacy today? Finola Finlay lives near Ballydehob where she writes the blog Roaringwater Journal with her husband, Robert Harris. Finola has degrees in history and archaeology from UCC. She writes about the history, archaeology, landscape, wild flowers and the artistic heritage of West Cork, and her current research interests include prehistoric rock art, stained glass, West Cork during the Famine, and the natural habitats we need to preserve. She and Robert give frequent talks and presentations and have organised several rock art exhibitions. This event is organised by Dúchas Clonakilty Heritage and all welcome

DEADLY DISEASE FOUND IN IRISH HARES AND RABBITS:

 A disease fatal to rabbits and hares, but of no risk to humans, has been confirmed in the wild in Ireland for the first time. The Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht’s National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) is asking the public to report any suspected cases. Rabbit haemorrhagic disease (RHD) was first reported in domestic (farmed) rabbits in China in 1984 killing millions of animals within one year of its discovery. By 1986 this viral disease had been found in continental Europe and has since spread globally leading to significant mortality in wild populations of rabbits. In 2010, a new more virulent strain of this virus (RHD2) emerged in France. It causes death within a few days of infection with sick animals having swollen eyelids, partial paralysis and bleeding from the eyes and mouth. Most distressingly, in the latter states close to death, animals exhibit unusual behavior emerging from cover into the open and convulsing or fitting before dying. The disease was reported in Ireland from domestic rabbits in 2018, but has now been confirmed in the wild from a rabbit in Co. Wicklow and another in Co. Clare. Recently, the virus has been confirmed from a hare in Co. Wexford. In all cases individual animals were tested at Department of Agriculture, Food & Marine Laboratories where RHD2 was subsequently confirmed. While all three locations continue to support apparently healthy wild populations, unlike the situation in the UK where mass mortalities have been reported, NPWS Conservation Rangers continue to monitor the situation. The virus has been detected throughout Europe, in wild rabbits, hares and seemingly unrelated species including voles and shrews. The Irish hare is native to Ireland and found nowhere else and should this disease prove as infectious and lethal here as it has done elsewhere in Europe, the impact on the hare could be catastrophic. Dr. Ferdia Marnell of the NPWS Scientific Unit outlined his concerns: “Rabbits are central to wild ecosystems, being the main food for many predators from stoats to eagles that in turn regulate other animal populations. A decline in our wild rabbits will have numerous knock-on consequences. Of further concern is the potential for the disease to spread through the Irish hare population.” The disease is highly contagious and can be spread directly between animals and in the faeces and urine of infected animals, as well as by insects and on human clothing. In addition the incubation period may last several days and apparently uninfected animals may in fact be carriers. Under these circumstances the catching of hares in nets, their transportation in boxes and the collection and holding of hares in confined areas can all be considered to increase the risk of disease spread.

Accordingly the Department has decided to suspend the licences issued to the Irish Coursing Club to capture and tag hares for the 2019/20 hare coursing season with immediate effect until a clearer understanding of the extent, spread and implications of the RHD2 virus emerges. Dr. Marnell stressed “that the Rabbit Haemorrhagic disease presents absolutely no threat to human health and it is entirely safe to handle infected or recently dead rabbits or hares provided normal hygiene is followed”. The public - particularly landowners, farmers, vets and the hare coursing community - is being asked to be on high alert and to report any suspected sightings of diseased rabbits and hares as soon as possible to help efforts to monitor and control the disease. This can be done by contacting the NPWS by Email (nature.conservation@chg.gov.ie.) or Phone (1890 383 000). Dr Neil Reid, a Conservation Biologist at Queen’s University Belfast, who is also tracking the disease across the island warns of the significant impact this could have on the wild ecosystem.  He said “I am asking people to be on high alert, to report any suspected sightings of diseased rabbits and, particularly hares, as soon as possible so we can monitor this rapidly developing situation as it unfolds. This is an example of how citizen science can really contribute to conservation biology.”

COUNTY CORK’S COLOURFUL CULTURE AND HERITAGE – PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT:

Over the last number of years Cork County Council has been producing a heritage book each year, from bridges to houses and churches to castles. What is very evident in these pages is the sheer number of wonderful heritage sites scattered throughout the County; not to mention the household names and legendary cultural characters that are synonymous with the Rebel County of Cork. Late 2019 will see the publication of a book on the Industrial Heritage of County Cork by Cork County Council, and just announced is another publication with a twist – a colouring book that will capture in a fun and exciting manner, the wonderful culture and heritage of the County of Cork.

Cork County Council is inviting the people of Cork to put forward any number of suggestions to include everything from natural and built heritage to archaeological sites and famous people from our past, even including traditional crafts and modern day festivals. The publication, which will be bilingual in both Irish and English, will include numerous drawings and associated text, as well as an overall map to indicate the location of the sites in the context of one another.

The primary aim of the publication is to highlight the vastness of culture and heritage in County Cork, and in particular sites that can be visited and enjoyed by all the family. Everyone who submits and has a drawing included in the book will receive a number of copies of the publication to be shared with friends, colleagues, classmates and family alike and it is anticipated that the book will be published just before Christmas 2019. Cork County Council will be delighted to receive all suggestions and recommendations, and in particular, any drawings or sketches, up to the closing date of Monday the 30^th of September, which can be emailed to cork.heritage@corkcoco.ie. The undertaking is being supported by the Heritage Council and through the Creative Ireland Programme.