Week ending July 25

l-r Huguette, Mayor of County Cork Noel Harrington, Orlagh ni Arrachtain, Patricia Murphy and Barry Harrington	Orlagh ni Arrachtain, Amy Russell and Orlagh's brother Patrick Harrington
The Mayor of County Cork Noel Harrington opens a photography show by Orlagh ni Arrachtain at Bank Place in Castletownbere. The photographs are from a recent trip to India, both in colour and black and white pictures and story John Eagle
Fishing The Federation of Irish Fishermen are calling on ministers Smith and Killeen to immediately implement emergency aid package for the fishing industry in order to alleviate the unprecedented crisis affecting the industry. It is incumbert on both ministers to ensure that Ireland gets its fair share of the additional funding that has been identified by the commission. It is essential that the Irish industry is not in anyway disadvantaged in terms of how the measures are applied within inidividual member states. There must be a level playing field, anything other than a common aid package would make a mockery of the so called Common Fisheries Policy. Mass The annual Castletownbere Graveyard Mass will be held in Droum cemetary on Friday next at 7.30pm The Annual CTB Fishermans Mass and the Blessing of the Fleet will take place at 12 noon on Sunday August 3rd at the Pier ICA The Adgroom ICA Guild recently held their AGM and the following officers were elected. President: Hilary Leahy, Vice President: Kitty McNally, Secretary: Ann O'Shea, Assistant Secretary: Mary Lowney, Treasurer: Rose O'Sullivan, Assistant Treasuer: Mary Sheehan, Crafts Officers Joyce Heap and Elly Baker. PRO: Catharina Berweel and Special Co-ordinator: Sue Floy Historical The next in the series of outings organised by the Beara Historical Society will take place next Sunday. It will consist of a historical tour of Castletownbere starting at the Glebe. The guide will be none other than the well known historian Gerdie Harrington. The rendevous point is the Square at 2pm and all are welcome. Water Safety The water safety week was held at Tralahan Strand and overall it was a good turn out with over 55 children taking part along with some students from Eyeries. Ranging from young to old all students made a great effort. Everything was going to plan during the week except for the cold weather and the Jelly Fish invasion. On the exam day all the students did their best despite being stung by the jellyfish that wanted to 'play'. I just wanted to say well done to all of you and I hope to see ye all back again next year, from your instructor....Karen Walsh Lotto The lucky dip winners in this weeks RNLI Co-Action Lotto Draw were Kay O'Shea, Gary O'Sullivan, Aidan Sullivan, Patrick Goggin and Mary Lehane Congratulations To conclude this week I would like to congratulate Carla Murphy of CTB who celebrated her 21st Birthday on Friday. Congratulations also to Paudie O'Neill Garnish and Nuala Holland who got married on Friday .....John Murphy

Week ending July 18

Visit to the LE Orla by the children from Chernobyl who are currently visiting Castletownbere
Pictures and story by Helen Riddell

Chernobyl

A group of children from Belarus who are part of the Chernobyl Childrens Project are currently on vacation in Beara. See above pictures. Already they are two weeks into their four week holiday. Full marks

The inclement weather of the past few weeks has caused serious disruption to Fishing, Farming and Tourism. With serious catchup to be done by all three lets hope for an improvement in the weather in the coming weeks.

Lotto

The lucky winners in this weeks RNLI/Co-Action Lotto Draw were Barry Hanley, Christopher Collins, Rita Murphy and Ann Harrington. The draw for this week's jackpot which is worth €3,300 will be held in Shea's Bar on Wednesday night.

Week ending July 11

Auditions for film Extras will be taking place Friday July 11th in the Skippers bar from 3 to 7pm. This is for the new Neil Jordan movie 'Ondine'. Auditions are open to all ages.

Week ending July 4

Week Ending August 1st

This year's Castletownbere Festival of the Sea, which kicks off on Friday, promises to be one of the best in years. The organising committee have pulled out all the stops with an action packed programme to suit every taste. Outdoor entertainment include "Abba Delicious", Revenge, Bagatelle, Aftershock and Bog the Donkey. Monday next is Regatta Day, another action packed day of rowing, swimming and lots of side shows. All in all lots to look forward to.

Cycle

On Saturday next Jan Geraghty and Danny McKeever take part in the Munster Challenge Cycle from Waterford to Castletownbere in aid of the Spiritual Care Centre at Dzogchen Beara. They hope to pass through Cork City between 1-2pm, Dunmanway 4-5pm, Bantry 6-7 and arriving in CTB at 9.45pm

Another sponosred cycle around the Beara Peninsula in aid of the Irish Motor Neurone Disease Association will take place on the same day. Your support for these worthy causes would be very much appreciated.

Q.E.2

On Friday next the famous passenger ship the Q.E.2 will pass Dursey Head around 3pm. It is hoped to come within 6 miles of the coast and no doubt will attract a great deal of attention.

Race Night

A Race Night will be held in the Cametrigane Hotel on Thursday night at 9.30pm in aid of volunteer work in South Africa to be carried out by Helen O'Driscoll between September and December. Your support would be very much appreciated.

Lotto

TheLucky Dip winners in this weeks RNLI Co-Action Lotto Draw were Bernadette Sheehan, Barry and Mary Hanley, Tommy Fitzgerald and Connie and Caroline Murphy. The draw for this weeks jackpot which is qworth €3,900 will be held in the Millbrook Bar on Wednesday night

Scripted by Neil Jordan, ‘Ondine’ tells the story of a fisherman in southwest Ireland who discovers a woman in his fishing net who he believes to be a mermaid.

Since the project was announced at the Cannes Film Festival last month, a flurry of speculation has surrounded Farrell’s co-star for the film with Mexico-born actress Alicja Bachleda (Trade) and Oscar-winner Marion Cotillard (La Vie En Rose) linked to play the film’s leading lady.

‘Ondine’ is financed by Wayfare Entertainment, in association with RTÉ, the Irish Film Board and Section 481. James Flynn of Octagon Films will produce along with Wayfare’s Ben Browning.

'Variety’ has also reported that Wayfare’s Peter Rawlinson and Michael Maher will executive produce.

Fishermen

The good news this week is that the fishermen are back at sea where they should be. The fishermen have suspended their port blockade protest after government ministers pledged to seek financial aid from the European Union. However pledging to go to Europe seeking financial assistance is one thing, delivering on it is another. Let's hope for everyone's sake there is a successful outcome. MEP Kathy Sinnott is holding a meeting with all fishermen on Sunday next in the Parkway Hotel, Dunmanway at 3pm. Its important that as many fishermen as possible attend.

Confirmation in Castletownbere recently

Poker

A poker classic in aid of the Niall Millen Township Trust, building houses for people in need in the townships of South Africa will be held in the Cametringanane Hotel on Friday June 27th. With a prize pool of €2000 it should attract a good deal of attention

First Communion in Castletownbere held recently

Weddings

Congratulations to Kevin Murphy of Garnish and Aileen Tynan of Waterford who got married on Saturday,

Also to Emmet Lowney of Clogheen Garnish and Christina Kenneally of Conna who also got married on Saturday see pictures below

Picture above left taken in April, above right mid May 2008. The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Marine are spending €30,000,000 in the development of Castletownbere Harbour. The work includes a new 220m pier. The harbour is also being dredged and there will be 8m of water at low tide by the new pier

The Haulbowline Theatre Group will perform Moll by John B Keane on Saturday 7th June at 8pm in the Lecture Theatre, Rerrin, Bere Island.

Moll is set in a presbytery where the housekeeper is the boss. Moll would work for no less than a canon, for in her own words "tis hard to come back to the plain black and white when one is used to the purple".

The Haulbowline group has been in existence since 1963 and is based at the Naval Base on Haulbowline Island in Cork Harbour, to date the group has put on 107 productions at the Naval Base and at other local venues in Cobh and Cork.

Tickets are €10 and €7 concessions.  For further details contact 027 75099.

Ferries will leave from Pontoon (027 75014) and Castletownbere (027 75009)

Week ending May 23 2008

left to right: Daphne Maltha, Louise O'Sullivan, Amber Broughton, Aoife Hegarty, Amy O'Sullivan, Aisleen Hegarty, Maureen O'Sullivan, and Roisin Beatty ní Laoghaire

Presentation of cheque for 420 euros to the RNLI. Left to right: Joe Turner (RNLI) Brian O'Driscoll (RNLI) Aisling Hegarty, Louise O'Sullivan, Maureen O'Sullivan, Roisin Beatty Ní Laoghaire, Aoife Hegarty, Amy O'Sullivan, Ann O'Shea (The Haven) Tina O'Callaghan (Foroige)

Baby Girl

Congratulations to John and Julia Blake of Adrigole on the birth of their baby girl

left to right: Riobard O'Dwyer Joe Walsh and Danny Crowley unveiling the plaque above

Right: Martin O'Shea winding back the years with his son Jerome