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LOCAL NEWS ARCHIVE - MARCH 2003
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We wish
our local Recitation representative Michael McGibney the very best of luck in
the Ulster Scor final, in Silverbridge Co. Armagh, this Saturday night.
On last Saturday week, Michael qualified by the final in some style with a fine rendition of “Maloney and the Dust” at the semi-finals in Scotstown, Co. Monaghan. The same night, the local Question Time team of Michael Dinneny Annette Geoghegan and Tommy McGibney came close to taking a second Ulster final place for Cornafean but the home side Scotstown won out in a tight contest.
Hopefully, there will be a large turnout of Cornafean people in the superb Silverbridge venue on next Saturday night. We also extend best wishes to the Killeshandra Ceili Dancers, Set Dancers and Instrumental Groups who are also taking part on Saturday night and it should be a rare occasion for the local parish to be represented by no less than four acts in a provincial Scor Final.
Deepest sympathy is extended to Frank McNamee, Clonkeen Crescent, Dun Laoghaire and formerly of Marahill, on the untimely death of his wife Maureen, who died recently at St. Vincent’s Hospital, Dublin after a short illness. Maureen was a native of Corrabrack, Belturbet and she, along with her family, was a frequent visitor to the locality. There were large attendances at the Removal of her Remains to St. Patrick’s Church, Drumcor on Tuesday 11th March and at the Funeral Mass on Wednesday. We extend sympathy to her husband Frank, sons Darragh, Peter and Padraig, daughters Sinead and Siobhan, grandchild Baby David, son-in-law Bernard, daughter-in-law Deirdre, mother Mrs Jane Reynolds, brothers sisters and other relatives.
Last Friday night, the Cornafean Active Age Club was launched at a very enjoyable Social Evening in McSeain’s Lounge, which drew a large attendance. Great credit is due to the organising committee who put in a Trojan effort in recent weeks to ensure that this occasion was a success. The assembled gathering enjoyed a varied programme of entertainment, including music by Mary Harwood, the Arva Scor Ballad Group and local artistes. On behalf of the organising committee, Michael McGibney welcomed everyone to the event and outlined the Active Age Club is intended to be run, and the many benefits it can bring to the local community.
The first meeting of the new club will be held in McSeains Lounge on Friday 4th April at 8.30pm. All are welcome, and indeed encouraged to attend.
A Special Charity Whist Drive will be held in McSeains Lounge Cornafean on next Monday night, 31st March. The proceeds are in aid of the Lourdes Invalid Fund and all support will be greatly appreciated.
Congratulations to local man Brian Doyle and Patricia O’Connor, Drumcondra, Dublin who were married in St Michael’s Church, Potahee on Friday 14th March. A reception was held afterwards at the Hotel Kilmore, Cavan and the happy couple are currently enjoying their honeymoon in the sunny climes of South Africa.
The Cornafean senior footballers kicked off their 2002 season last Sunday week with a closely fought Intermediate League tie against Drumalee. At the end of the game the visitors enjoyed a four-point win, with the final scoreline reading Drumalee 0-13 Cornafean 0-9. An unusually warm and sunny day attracted a fair sized attendance to Pairc Naoimh Fionnain and both teams played their part in producing an enjoyable game. Although Cornafean were short some key players for this game, they still had plenty of chances to win this game and they will need to improve their performances in the coming league games in order to make an impact in the league in the run-up to the Championship.
Next Sunday, Cornafean travel to Cootehill for senior and reserve league games against the locals. The senior game will be a tough assignment for Cornafean against a Cootehill team that almost went the full distance in last year’s Intermediate Championship. The sides met three times in last year’s Championship campaign, with Cootehill winning twice and the third game, a playoff fixture, ending in a draw.
The Reserve team were in action against neighbours Killeshandra on last Sunday morning but the Killeshandra team recorded a deserved home win on a scoreline of 0-10 to 0-5 in their favour.
Later on Sunday, large numbers from the locality enjoyed the rollercoaster Allianz Football League game in Kingspan Breffni Park between Cavan and Laois. The Breffni supporters had mixed feelings as the teams finished level after a dramatic and wonderfully enjoyable game. With manager Mattie Kerrigan banished to the front of the stand by dint of a recent GAC ban, Cavan were under pressure in the opening quarter and were soon 0-5 to 0-0 down but the inventive Breffni forwardline brought their team soon back into contention. Cavan were back on level terms when Larry Reilly scored a brilliant goal on 21 minutes and Breffni hearts were jumping when the magical Jason Reilly followed this up with a second goal just before the break. Laois bounced back with a penalty goal on the stroke of half time and seemed set for victory when old stager Hughie Emerson scored their second goal with a quarter of an hour left. Still there was life left in Cavan and late goals from Jason Reilly and a penalty strike from Peter Reilly secured a draw at the end of a memorable contest.
This result was a superb achievement for a Cavan panel depleted by injury and other enforced absences, with no less than nine members of the regular panel out of action for the moment. Next up is an attractive tie against Sligo in Kingspan Breffni Park on next Sunday week, and victory for Cavan would earn them a place in the League semi-finals. Certainly any Cavan supporter who was present in Markievicz Park, Sligo for the corresponding game last Spring will be keenly looking forward to this game.
The
motorists of the locality had good news to celebrate last week when Senator
Dairmuid Wilson was informed by the Minister for the Environment Martin Cullen
TD that a specific grant of €300,000 has been allocated towards major
improvement works on the Arva-Crossdoney road. Senator Wilson said that this
grant is only one of a number of significant allocations which are currently
being earmarked for much-needed improvements to the local road infrastructure.
Another major project is an improvement programme for the Monert-Farnadolly
road, for which an allocation of €50,000 has beenm made.<?xml:namespace
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While
on the subject of roads, there has been a strong local
welcome for the recent installation of speed limit signs on each of the
major approach roads to Crossdoney village. The introduction of the speed limits
will be welcomed most keenly by the residents of the village, who have endured
ever-increasing volumes of traffic through the village in recent years. The new
speed limits, coupled with the recently-devised “penalty points”system, will
now ensure that this traffic will now have no option but to slow down to
reasonable speeds while passing through the village.
A Mass of Remembrance was celebrated in the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Coronea last Sunday for the repose of the soul of the late Brenda Chipperfield (nee O’Reilly) and her infant daughter Kiera Aoife, whose funerals took place earlier last week in Romford, England. The chief celebrant of the Mass was Brenda’s uncle, Rev. Oliver O’Reilly, Milltown. The attendance at this very moving ceremony was among the largest ever witnessed in Coronea.
On
Friday 21st March, a very special Social Evening will be held in
McSeain’s Lounge in order to promote the establishment of Cornafean Active Age
Club, which will promote the social gain for older people in the community. If
you are interested in dancing, writing, exercising, arts and crafts, drama,
gardening, computers, local exchanges, tours, holidays or maybe simply a night
out with your friends, this is this the club for you! Simply drop in to
McSeain’s Lounge on Friday 21st March at 8.30 pm and join our new
club! Entertainment and refreshments will be provided.
The Cornafean Vintage Ploughing Association are holding a meeting in McSeains on next Wednesday night, 12th March, at 9.30pm. All members are asked to attend.
The local Vintage Tractor Club are holding a meeting in Colette’s Bar, Killeshandra at 9.30pm on next Friday night, 7th March. Among the items on the agenda are the preparations for the forthcoming St Patrick’s Day Parade. Last week we incorrectly stated that this meeting was to have taken place on last Friday night. Apologies to one and all for the error.
A meeting of
Cornafean GAA club will be held in the clubrooms on this Thursday, 6th
March at 9.30 pm. All members are asked to attend.
A large attendance from Cornafean will be expected at the Cavan County Finals of Senior Scorm which take place in Killeshandra Community Centre on next Saturday 8th March. The County Scor final is always one of the most popular and entertaining events on the local social calendar. Once again, it is hoped that Cornafean will field teams in all eight competitions this year, and as each club will be showcasing their entire Scor effort in the final this year, it promises to be an event is not to be missed We wish our local teams every success on Saturday night and hopefully they will be well supported in their endeavours to bring county honours to the locality.
The many local supporters in Kingspan Breffni Park last Sunday for Cavan’s league contest against Mayo had good cause for cheer as Mattie Kerrigan’s men produced a strong display to run out convincing winners on a 1-16 to 0-11 scoreline. Cavan’s hero was undoubtedly centre-forward Larry Reilly, who was in sparkling form throughout the seventy minutes, despite incurring a nasty wound to the head in the second half. Among the others to shine were corner-back Cathal Collins and the ever-reliable Dermot McCabe in the middle of the park
Having dominated the first half, Cavan’s four point lead looked slender enough at the break, with the Blues facing a stiff breeze in the second half. However, Cavan stood resolute in the critical third quarter and the teak-tough Breffni defence closed down the Westerners attack at every opportunity. As the end neared, it was obvious that Mayo needed a goal to save the game, but unfortunately for John Maughan’s men they had no Jason Reilly. Once the Belturbet ace entered the fray in the last quarter, the Cavan fans expected something special and so it proved when he took advantage of some good work by McCave and Mickey Graham to score a trademark goal for the Blues, securing the league points into the bargain.
Incidentally it was a busy few days for Jason as he opened his new enterprise Jayo’s Bar, Bridge Street, Belturbet earlier in the weekend. We wish him every success in his new venture.
Next up for Cavan is a trip to the Mourne County next weekend for a meeting with Down. Buoyed by their success on Sunday, Cavan’s supporters will be hoping again for another big display and hopefully a win that will bring them a step nearer to a place in the Semi-finals.
