News

News from the Beara Peninsula

For the most part the Beara News is by John Murphy, with additions from Helen Riddell and John Eagle. Please click on Sports News to see what has been happening in Beara GAA, golf and other sports. To know of forthcoming events click here For weddings click here

November

17-11-08.

Now that the recent seizure of drugs on board the British registered yacht “Dances with Wolves” has died down, the question uppermost in everyones mind, is what the strategic plan for surveilance of the Beara coastline to deter future shipments coming ashore. Up until fifteen years ago there was customs & excise in Castletownbere which has since been moved to Bantry.Which in essence leaves the entire Beara coastline open to smugglers. It is ironic at the time when the irish fishery is decreasing, there is 15 fishery inspectors to oversee 29 boats fishing out of Castletownbere,while there is no customs present at the time of increased smuggling.

Marathon
Congradulations to Anne Flynn of Filane,Castletownbere who recently completed the Cork city marathon and in so doing raised € 550.00 for the Castletownbere day care centre.

Collection.
The Neuro fibroma tosis association of Ireland would like to express a sincere thank you to the people of Castletownbere and the surrounding parishes who gave so generously to their recent church gate collection which raised € 3130.00.

Congratulations to Amanda Cronin west end CTB who celebrated her 18th birthday yesterday .Congradulations to Mathew Lugrue Cahermore he celebrated his 21st birthday on Wednesday,and finally congradulations to Mary Lynch,Trafask,Adrigole, who celebrated her 60th birthday during the week.

10-11-08

John Murphy

John Murphy, Chairman of Beara Tourism, with Marie Keane and Josephine O'Driscoll from Fáilte Ireland who came down to Beara for a meeting at the Garranes Spiritual Centre with locals on matters relating to improving tourism on the Beara Peninsula

Shell Fish Presentation

Shellfish De La Mer presenting a cheque to the Castletownbere Lifeboat Fundraising Committee. Pictured are from left - right: Ciara Burke, Peter O'Sullivan Greene, Daniel Goulding, Sheila O'Driscoll, Brendan Gonnelly, Richard Murphy, Gearoid O'Rourke, Roz O'Driscoll.

The photo was taken by Roz O’Driscoll

Events of the past week saw Castletownbere catapulted into the spot light of the media glare both at national and international level .On Thursday the LE Niamh swooped on the 60ft yacht “Dances with wolves” with over 70 bales of cocaine on board with an estimated street value of in the region of three quartes of a billion euro making it the biggest seizure in the state.Intellegence gathered by European anti drug agencies enabled the sting under operation “sea bight”.The irish navy boarded the yacht 150 miles of the mizzen in treatcherous 6mtr waves.The three british nationals were arrested.On Saturday morning the yacht arrived under heavy escort an berthed at denish island.Her cargo was unloaded.All involved in the seizure of the drugs are to be commended for their vigilance and effort.However the serious question must be asked how much drugs are landinging on the coastline undected.

MARATHON

Local solicitor Maria O’Sullivan wishes to thank all her clients,friends and local businesses who recently supported her for the cork mini marathon.She is delighted to announce that due to everyones generous support over € 3770 was raised for”west cork women against violence”.

Congratulations

John and Clare Wiseman who celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary .

Brendan Hanley CTB who celebrated his 50th birthday.

And Donal O’Reilly Faha Adrigole and Caroline Griffen of Killorglan Co.Kerry who announced their engagement over the weekend.

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Irish Customs make massive drug find

Irish Customs seized 3 men in connection with the illegal import of drugs 200 miles off the South West Coast of Ireland November 6th. The men were brought into Castletownbere Harbour. It is estimated there was 500 million euros worth of cocaine on the yacht they were using, which makes it the biggest haul ever made by Irish Customs. The yacht 'Dances With Waves' can be seen below

The Minister for Community, Rural and Gailtach affairs recently visited Adrigole to officially launch the Caha Centre's three year plan.The work plan submission was agreed,and funding necessary for the centre to carry out its work has been put in place.This will result in the centre receiving € 500,000 core funding over the next three years.

Toastmasters

Congratulations to Teddy Black of Beara toast masters who won the west cork area final Humerous speech contast and goes on to represent the region in the county final.

Concert

Recently the pupils of Scoil an Choi Ro Naofa national school gave an extraordinary but unusual concert for the past week under music teacher and instrument maker Mr Gordon Douglas alias captain von tap.The children learned to make instruments from wavin piping.A most unusal concert but very entertaining.80 children from CTB had an amazing opportunity to participate in the week long residency during which they made musical instruments from Wavin piping which they learned to play for parents and friends.Wavin Ireland delivered a lorry load of plumbing materials to the school.

Under the supervision of Mr Douglas,staff and parents made over a hundred instruments including broomstick calves,corporation drainheads,wastepipe maracas,wastepipe boncas,land-drain rasps and beancan cowbells.In addition every student made a wastepipe didjeridoo,and central heating tube panpipes.The school hall was packed to capacity with over 200 hundred parents and friends.The principal Mr.Paul Stevens,thanked Gordon Douglas for sharing his unique and wonderful talent he also thanked the staff Ms Anne McNally,Mrs Marese O’Driscoll,Mr Paul McCarthy and Ms Niamh Gonnolly for their commitiment and hard work.Finally he thanked the parents and the pupils for their help and support.A great night was had by all.

Congratulations to Bernie Murphy Thornhill Rossmacowen and Catherine O’Donaghue Blarney who got engaged recently.

Congradulations also to Andrea Lotty of CTB who celebrated her 21st birthday. And Eilis Hanley, Banard, Eyeries, who celebrated her 40th birthday recently.

Deb's Ball

On Tuesday last the sixth year students of the Beara community school CTB celebrated their Debs ball.It made a wonderful occasion with all the glamour attached.The Debs was held in Fernhill houser hotel Clonakilty where a fantastic night was had by all.The students were well behaved and credit to all concerned.

Congradulations to Super Value CTB who recently scoped the independent retailer award organised by the repak recycling best pratice,the award which adjudicated by an independent panel reflects the continuous high standardswhich business is bringing to the waste managementand recycling process.

Yesturday afternoon family and friends of the late Fintan O’Driscoll gathered at saint Finnians well in Toormoor CTBto recite the rosary for the repose of his soal and his two collegues Shane Kelly Allihies and Colm Harrington Bere Island who lost there lives in a tragic accident at Dunboy 9 months ago.Fintan who only lived a stones trow away from St Finnians well had taken the saints name for his confirmation.Today is a poignant day for the O’Driscoll family as Fintan would have been celebrating his 18th birthday had he lived.

Hanley Ahabeg Reunion

Karate

Congradulations to Gerry Power CTB Emma O’Shea and Aoife O’Shea both of Eyeries who are members of the Beara Karate club.Who were recently awared with their black belts.

October

3 hard working men

Paul Nee, Joe Tim O'Sullivan, and Pat Dee O'Sullivan taking a moment's break from the hard work of building the new pier on Dinish Island, Castletownbere, half of which has now been completed, see below

New pier

Kenmare Square was flooded October 23

John Eagle Photo

Julie O'Sullivan and Sharon Crowley

Julie O'Sullivan and Sharon Crowley opened their new shop The Dressing Room in Bank Place, Castletownbere Oct 3rd

Raising the flag

Raising the flag at Bere Island Fort marking the 70th anniversary of the hand over from the British to the Irish

On Friday evening there was a large gathering in Bere Island to commemorate the 70th Anniversary of the handover of the Treaty Port from the British to the Irish Authorities. A bugler from the Irish Field Artillery, Collins Barracks Cork, played as the guard of honour stood to attention as the Tricolour was hoisted over Fort Berehaven once again.

Irene and Mary

Irene and Mary at the Post Office in Lawrence Cove

The Beara Camera Club will meet in Twomeys Bar Oct 8th 8pm please click here for details of the Canary Island slide shows

The Beara Toastmasters recent meeting heard three prepared speeches, on an icebreaker with an Egyptian theme, a Level 6 speech about Provisional Driving Licences and an advanced speech involving time travel between ancient Rome and modern Beara. In the Topics section there were numerous impromptu contributions from an enthusiastic and appreciative audience. Next meeting Oct 7th click here for details

Vandalism

Recently a number of glass globes and statues were vandalised at Gortnabulliga Cemetary in Eyeries. We can certainly do without this unwanton behaviour. Any information with regards to the culprits should be passed on to the Castletownbere Garda. Also, while on the subject of unruly behaviour, we ask if the practise of hurling beer glasses onto St. Peters Church lawn could be stopped. It is both unsightly and dangerous for people who walk on the lawn. It doesn't take much to return empty glasses to the bar where they are got.

Prayer Meeting see Events

Lotto

The Lucky Dip winners in this weeks RNLI Co-Action Lotto Draw were Sean O'Brien, Margaret Duggan, Anne Brennan, Josephine McCauliff and Colette Healy. The draw for the week's jackpot which is worth €1,700 will be held in O'Donoghue's Bar Castletownbere on Wednesday night.

Congratulations

Ian Power of Castletownbere, and Wayne Shandon O'Sullivan of Eyeries who celebrated their 21st Birthdays over the weekend. Congratulations also to Lorraine Murphy Super Valu who celebrated her 30th Birthday with a fancy dress party

Also congratulations to Eleanor O'Sullivan and Declan Lynch of Adrigole who announced their engagement over the weekend. And finally to Anne and Adrian Byrne of Derrymihan on the birth of a son.

For Previous Months See Beara News Archives Pages: 1 2 3