Vintage Tractor Display this Sunday

In recent weeks, a Vintage Tractor Club has been formed in the locality in order to promote and develop interest in vintage tractors among local enthusiasts. To date, the new club has been remarkably successful and so far over forty members have joined up.

The club will be formally launched this Sunday, 27^th October with a Vintage Tractor Display outside McSeains in Cornafean. From 3.00pm onwards, a large selection of vintage tractors will be on display and a good afternoon’s entertainment is in prospect for all the family.

Among the officers of the new club are Chairman Sean Kelly Secretary Philip Miney and PRO John O’Donoghue. Anyone wishing to join or to help out is invited to contact any of these officers for further information.

The late Mrs Mary Gilroy

There was widespread sadness in the locality last weekend on the death of Mrs .Mary Gilroy (nee Smith), Clonloskan Crossdoney who died on Saturday 19^th October in Cavan General Hospital.

Mary, who was pre-deceased by her husband John only last August, was a very quiet, private, decent and unassuming woman. A native of Killygarry, she spent the majority of her life with her husband John and family on their farm at at Clonloskan.

There were large attendances at the Removal of her Remains to St Phelim's Church, Ballinagh on last Sunday evening and at the Funeral Mass on Monday morning, with burial in the adjoining cemetery. Deepest sympathy is extended to her son Sean, daughters Rose, Susan, Patricia, Gabrielle, Bernadette and Geraldine, sons-in-law, nephews, nieces, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and other relatives

Strong local interest in new Book

There has been keen local interest recently in a new book “Simple Stories and Recitations”, which has been written by Padraig McGinn, who lived and worked for a number of years in Ballinagh during the mid-1950’s.

The book includes a number of stories and other items of local interest including the acclaimed short story “The Real Big Tom”, an evocative tribute to one of Cornafean’s most famous sons, the great footballer Big Tom O’Reilly. This story received widespread praise when it was read by the author on the RTE Radio 1 programme “Sunday Miscellany” a couple of years ago. Indeed the reaction to this story was so positive that it was subsequently included in an anthology containing the highlights of the Sunday Miscellany programme in the 1996-2001 period.

“The Real Big Tom”is only one of a number of very appealing and popular stories and recitations now included in the author’s own collection. Some local people will also be familiar with the story “The Day Kerry beat Cavan in Ward’s Meadow” which also appears in the collection.

The book is now available for purchase in the Crannog Bookshop, Cavan, Lynch’s Newsagents, Arva and in other book outlets in the North Midland region.

Padraig McGinn is a native of Castleblayney, who now lives in Carrick-on-Shannon, from where he still keeps in touch with his many friends in Cavan and its environs.

Whist Drive

The following were the winners of the Whist Drive in Cornafean on Monday 14^th October. Top Score Maureen Crotty 1^st Lady Agnes Dermody 2^nd Lady Nancy McGivney, 3^rd Lady Carmel McDermott, 4^th Lady Josie Diffley 1^st Gent Cathal Fitzpatrick 2^nd Gent Sean Donohoe 3^rd Gent Peter Diffley 4^th Gent Seamus Keogan. Other winners Doreen Woods, Anna M. Brady, Aiden Reilly, Danny Fay, Rose Munnelly, Mary Young, Vera Leahy, James Reilly

The next whist in Cornafean will be on Monday 28^th October at 9.00 sharp.

Football Derby Disappoints 

The much-anticipated local derby meeting of Cornafean and Killeshandra last Saturday in the Division 3 League Quarter-final turned out to be a major disappointment, with Cornafean totally dominant in all sectors and easily winning a forgettable game on a final scoreline of 4-10 to 0-5. The substantial Cornafean support in Cully Park Arva for the game were delighted with their team’s solid performance on this occasion. However it has to be said that the match lacked much of the competitive edge of recent games between Cornafean and Killeshandra, particularly after an rumbustious opening quarter that saw no less than three players sent off.

Cornafean’s next game in this competition will be a semi-final game which is likely to be played on the first weekend of November.

Cornafean News 14-10-02

Scór Preparations Begin

As our much-cherished Indian Summer comes to an end and the short evenings once again become a fact of Autumn life, it is hard to believe that the annual Scór season is once again underway. Preparations for Scór na nÓg have already started in Cornafean and the Dancing classes continue on next Friday evening in McSeains at 6.20pm. All youngsters who are interested in taking part in any of the Scór competitions this year are asked to attend an enrolment evening in McSeains from 6.20 until 7.00pm on this Friday evening. Anyone who is unable to attend on the night is asked to contact Paddy McDermott before Monday. Scór na nÓg is open to boys and girls who will be under 17 years on 1st January next.

Attractive Local Derby

On Saturday evening next, the footballers of Cornafean and Killeshandra will renew their keen rivalry when they meet in the quarter-final of the Lakeside Manor Division 3 League.

This promises to be a very attractive fixture as meetings between these two local clubs are always occasions to remember. Over the years, Killeshandra have generally enjoyed the upper hand over Cornafean but the locals upset the applecart twelve months ago when they secured a dramatic victory in an Intermediate Championship relegation playoff. Last April, Cornafean again had the upper hand when the sides met in the early rounds of the League but no doubt Killeshandra will be anxious to turn the tables on Saturday.

Certainly if Cornafean are to make any impression in this game, they will need to show a major improvement in form over their disappointing display against Drumalee in the final round of the Intermediate Championship relegation league last Saturday in Ballinagh. In a low-key game, Drumalee were full value for their decisive 0-11 to 0-4 victory.

Locals in the Spotlight

During the past week, two local personalities featured prominently on programmes on national television. On Saturday night the acclaimed TG4 series Laochra Gael featured a wonderful documentary on the former Donegal football star and ex-Cavan manager Mairtin Beag McHugh. Our own County Board Chairman George Cartwright was interviewed about the Doengalman’s achivement in guiding Cavan to the 1997 Ulster Senior Title. On Monday night, Fr. Owen Collins who ministered in Coronea for many years displayed his considerable golfing skills with comedian Tommy Tiernan on “Supertramp”, the story of the Navan comic’s journey through Ireland last Summer.