SECAD Free Workshop Midleton 7th March - Showcase Your Story & Bring Your CV to Life

 SECAD Free Workshop Midleton 7th March - Showcase Your Story & Bring Your CV to Life

 

Kanturk Selected to Advance its Town Centre First Plan

The North Cork town of Kanturk has been selected for the next phase of the roll out of the Town Centre First Policy.

The town has been identified as one of the next 26 towns nationally that have been approved to develop Town Centre First Plans. Kanturk will now be provided with €30,000 in funding to complete a comprehensive town plan to help develop its town centre.

The Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys TD published the first ever Town Centre First Plans for 26 towns across every county this week – with Skibbereen being the first town in County Cork to publish its plan.

The plans which were developed in consultation with local communities represent the vision of local people for their area and contain proposals for a diverse range of projects such as redeveloping derelict sites, creating community parks and walkways, boosting SME and tourism potential, and protecting historical landmarks.

Cork County Council appointed a Town Regeneration Officer who will now drive the implementation of the new plan for Skibbereen town and the creation of a plan for Kanturk.

Minister Humphreys, said: “Town Centre First is all about empowering people to develop a vision for their town that can make it a better place to live, work, invest in and enjoy. These Plans and the new Town Regeneration Officers are about ensuring there is a strategic and coherent approach at local level to tackling vacancy and dereliction in our towns and villages.”

Minister Humphreys also welcomed the identification of the next 26 towns who have been approved to develop Town Centre First Plans. “I am pleased to also announce the next 26 successful towns across the country who we will support with funding of €30,000 each to complete a comprehensive town plan to help develop their town centres.”

Town Centre First supports the objectives of the national rural development policy, Our Rural Future, in revitalising rural towns and engages communities through “Town Teams”.

Every town is different, and so local visions take account of these unique challenges, needs and opportunities.

Launched in 2022, Town Centre First is driving one of the biggest ever programme of investments in rural Ireland and has a core aim of confronting dereliction and the general decline in the health of Ireland’s town centres.

Town Centre First also supports the objectives of the National Planning Framework and Housing for All by unlocking the potential of vacant and underused buildings to increase housing supply and attract more people to live and work in our town centres.

 

Seachtain na Gaeilge: Fun for all ages in County Cork this March

Cork County Council has announced its 2024 Seachtain na Gaeilge programme, with a theme of storytelling running throughout the many events scheduled across the county.

Seachtain na Gaeilge is a national annual celebration of our native language and runs from 1st to 17th March 2024 and is delivered in Cork County by the Council’s Irish Language Office and Library and Arts Service.

“SEAL cois SULÁIN: Agallaimh Aeracha agus Lúibíní Luachmhara” is a two-part event in Ionad Cultúrtha, Baile Bhuirne. From 7pm to 9pm on Tuesday the 5th of March, Áine Uí Chuill and le Seán Ó Muimhneacháin will facilitate a workshop on developing Agallamh Beirte and Lúibíní, two famous storytelling methods embedded in the Muscraí Gaeltacht. This is a free event and open to adults and teenagers. It is an opportunity to share ideas, learn some more about the artforms of Agallamh Beirte and Lúibíní and to develop their own pieces.

The following week, on Tuesday 12th March, Ionad Culturtha will host a Taispeántas, for people to share their Agallamh Beirte, Lúibíní and stories. Led by Áine Uí Chuill, Seán Ó Muimhneacháin, Eibhlín Ní Lionaird and Paddy O’Brien, the event will offer a chance to share and celebrate Agallamh Beirte and Lúibíní, whether participants want to perform or remain in the audience. This is a free event, and everyone is welcome. Those wishing to present something should advise at the beginning of the evening. 

Both Agallamh Beirte and Lúibíní are forms of performed dialogue. Lúibíní are sung and include a refrain or choruses, while Agallamh Beirte is a conversation between two people. Both forms can have clever wordplay, be satirical or humorous. There are often competitions for these forms, and are included in the annual Irish language gathering, Oireachtas na Gaeilge.

The Seachtain na Gaeilge programme will also include storytelling events for schools in Kinsale Library by Paddy O’Brien and a poetry workshop for children in Skibbereen Library with Pól Ó Colmáin. Authors Alan Titley and Carmel Ó Cheallaigh will also visit schools and libraries in Baile Bhuirne, Cobh, Youghal and Midleton. 

Ciorcal Cainte groups for adults in Mitchelstown and Youghal libraries will welcome storytellers Dick Beamish and Paddy O’Brien. Those interested should contact these libraries for details on when their local Ciorcail Cainte groups meet.

For more information, contact Cork County Council’s Library and Arts Service by emailing arts@corkcoco.ie

 

2024 Budget for National Roads Announced – €61m for Cork County

The budget for our National Roads has been announced with over €61m to be invested in Cork County during 2024.

Projects for North Cork include:

– N20 Charleville Main Street Road Safety Improvement Scheme – €250,000

– N20 Charleville Relief Road Feasibility – €50,000 

– N72 Ballymaquirke Junction – €145,000

– N72 Firville to Newberry Junction – €50,000

– N73 Annakisha South Improvement Scheme – €9,400,000

– N73 Clogher to Waterdyke Relaignment Scheme – €1,000,000

– N72 Lyradown (Cullen to County Bounds) Phase 1 Pavement Scheme – €2,300,000

– N72 Meenskeha (Cullen to Clonbanin) Pavement Scheme – €2,000,000

– N72/N73 Mallow Relief Road – €300,000

– N/M20 Cork to Limerick Motorway Scheme – €4,000,000

– Mallow to Dungarvan Greenway – €300,000

– Charleville to Patrickswell Greenway – €200,000

– National Road General Maintenance – €1,250,000

– National Public Lighting Retrofit Programme – €1,200,000 

These allocations are hugely welcome and will go a long way in improving our national road infrastructure in North Cork.

Fermoy FET centre, Introduction to Gardening & Self-Care and Mindfulness Course

 

Fermoy FET Centre, Spring 2024 Free Courses

 

 

€83.2M Regional & Local Road Grant Allocation Announced for Cork County

There was an announcement by the Department of Transport of the 2024 Regional & Local Roads Grant allocations. A total of €83,199,560 has been allocated by the Department of Transport in respect of the maintenance and improvement of regional and local roads in Cork County this year.

This investment is essential in ensuring safe connectivity across our local and regional road network. It will benefit towns, villages and communities throughout the county by further enhancing connectivity, supporting businesses and making it easier and safer to travel.

A total of €42,496,500 will be allocated for restoration improvement and maintenance for roads, with €1,887,840 dedicated to bridge rehabilitation works.

This year’s allocation also includes a severe weather grant of €13m to address the effects of recent severe weather and to carry out essential repairs and road restoration works in the aftermath of Storm Babet. This is the first funding allocation made to the Council to enable road repairs to commence. Having prepared a comprehensive and thorough repairs programme on a countywide basis, the Council estimated the cost of restoration works to reach €50m. 

This year’s allocation is broadly consistent with the 2023 allocation which represented one of the most significant years of funding investment in Cork roads in recent times.  While the overall allocation is positive, the allocation under the ‘Specific Improvement Grants’ category sees six of the proposed eleven priority projects being approved for funding this year. Funding to Cork County Council in this category is reduced by 33%, meaning many priority projects which were capable of being advanced will not now proceed in 2024.”

Full details of the allocation to Cork County are below with specific allocations to roads in Kanturk/Mallow Municipal District highlighted in yellow:

Afternoon of Songs and Craic in The City

 Join the guestlist 

https://app.tickettailor.com/events/corkculturalcompanions/1143996#

 

2024 County Mayor’s Community Awards

Outstanding contributions made by individuals together with community and voluntary groups from across Cork County were highlighted at the 11th Annual Mayor’s Community Awards in Cork County Hall.

The Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr. Frank O’Flynn, presented a total of 11 awards on the night, with Theresa Hickey from West Cork winning the overall Individual award and The Fermoy International Choir, from North Cork, winning the overall Community Group award. 

Mayor O’Flynn warmly commended all nominees at the awards ceremony for their commitment and dedication to their communities, “This event is truly one of the highlights of my term as Mayor. It is a fantastic opportunity for me, for Cork County Council and for the people of Cork to show our appreciation for the hard work and commitment that goes into strengthening our communities and inspiring one another to succeed. It is truly an honour for me to be able to recognise and celebrate these incredible achievements this evening.”

Winner of the Overall Individual Mayor’s Community Award, Theresa Hickey, is a passionate voluntary community activist and a member of Co-Action West Cork Co Ltd, The Legion of Mary, The Carbery Show Society, The Red Cross Society, The Parish Council, and the I.F.A. Theresa was also a volunteer with Skibbereen Credit Union for many years. 

The Fermoy International Choir were awarded the Mayor’s Community Overall Group Award. 

The choir, established in 2019, was set up to bring all members of the community together. They have welcomed over 400 members from 50 countries and their success inspired the creation of a nationwide movement called ‘One Town One Voice’. They have featured on both RTÉ and BBC World Service, highlighting the best that local community has to offer. 

Chief Executive of Cork County Council Valerie O’Sullivan added, “Cork County Council’s mission is to improve quality of life and environment together with preserving and promoting local amenities and treasure heritage, all qualities which are augmented by the incredible work done at a community level throughout the county. It is no exaggeration to say that many of the wonderful things about towns and villages in the county are thanks to the amazing work of the nominees and groups and individuals like them. These awards are well-deserved recognition for the incredible community work that takes place all year round in Cork.”

Further Information:

Individual awards winners and social photographs are available at the following link: https://we.tl/t-qvlAbNNIgG.

South Cork Nominees

Ballinhassig Village Association	Group Winner
Ringaskiddy & District Residents Association	Group Winner
Knockadoon Enhancement Project
Ballycotton RNLI
My Place Community Centre
Mary Pedder-Daly	Individual Winner
Iain Grant
Michael Wall
Jennifer Kelleher

North Cork Nominees

The Fermoy International Choir	Group Winner
Meals on Wheels Fermoy	Group Winner
Freemount Comhaltas U 15 Céilí Band
Sr. Bernadette Maria	Individual Winner
John Murphy
Colman Walsh

West Cork Nominees 

Aughadown Cancer Connect Fundraising Committee	Group Winner
Dunmanway Christmas Swim	Group Winner
St. Fachtnas Silver Band
Ballinspittle U 18 Céilí Band
Theresa Hickey	Individual Winner
Fr. Pat O’ Donovan