TO SAVE THE KELP!

 SPRING 2021 (When Restrictions Allow, TBC)

AT THE BANTRY BAY HOTEL, BANTRY, WEST CORK

All artists and crafts people in West Cork and beyond are invited to use the current lockdown to get creative to Help the Kelp!

The Campaign to Protect the Native Kelp  Forests of Bantry Bay will be holding a display and sale of art and craft works as soon as restrictions allow, with all donations going towards the cost of the on-going legal case to prevent the mechanical harvest of the Kelp Forest of Bantry Bay.

Everyone, including children, are encouraged to take part – there is no need to be a professional! Prices can start as low at €5, or be as high as €500 or more, pieces can be framed or unframed, and be of any subject.

Contributors are asked to drop off their work at  Fast.net Print & Stationery, Bantry by 15 April 2021 or call 0858308918 to make an alternative arrangement. A label should be FIRMLY attached to the work stating the Artist or Craft person’s name and contact number (or anon if preferred) with the Title, Medium, Size and Price of the piece. Any work that is unsold can be returned to the artist at the end of the sale if desired.

More information about the Campaign

The Bantry Protect Our Native Kelp Forest campaign was formed in response to the granting of a licence to permit the mechanical harvesting of kelp forests in Bantry Bay, Cork.  The licence to extract 1860 acres of Kelp seaweed was granted with no public consultation, no requirement for an Environmental Impact Assessment and inadequate advertising. Kelp forests are the foundation of many marine ecosystems, and members of the community were concerned about the detrimental effects to marine life, local business and tourism.  As well as supporting an ongoing legal case which opposes the licence, the group actively takes part in citizen science surveys, beach cleans and is forming a snorkeling/scuba club.

For more information about the Art Display and Sale, please call Emily: 086 8879766

or Catherine: 085 8308918

For the Kelp Campaign visit www.bantrybaykelpforest.com

ENDS

Patrick O’Sullivan has been running an annual raffle for Concern for over 40 years, after he saw images of the famine in Bangladesh on TV while in a friend’s house.

“I was playing cards, and the news report came on the television, we didn’t have a television at home at the time as we’d no electricity, and you couldn’t help but be moved.  I won a couple of turkeys through card games, and got two more and went door to door to about 40 or 50 houses selling raffle tickets for them. I’ve been doing raffles around Christmas time ever since,” he said.

A cash price has replaced the turkeys, which Mr O’Sullivan and his family donate from their own pockets. He estimates he visits over a 100 houses every year, about ten to eleven a night. “Most people like to see me coming, they’re expecting me. We have a bit of craic, I tell them a few stories, some nights I might get to only one or two we’re having that good a time.”

Along with running the raffle Mr O’Sullivan also does the church gate collections in Enniskeane and Drimoleague parishes, with help from his daughter Alison. At one stage he looked after nine churches but that had been reduced down to three.

2019 was the first year Mr O’Sullivan didn’t run the raffle due to the ill health of his wife, Bernadette.  She sadly passed away earlier this year in February. “We were married 51 years, we had a great time and lots of laughs, we had nine children, they’re all over the world now,” he said.

Concern’s Chief Executive, Dominic MacSorley, praised the organisation’s volunteers and all those who support them in their efforts at the awards held virtually on the 5^th December.

“The extraordinary commitment of Concern volunteers has kept a flame of compassion alive in communities around Ireland,” he said.

“Their commitment has been integral in sustaining Irish people’s solidarity in action across the world’s hardest hit areas. We cannot thank them enough for their support, particularly at this most challenging time.”

Concern’s Volunteer Awards began in 2013 to celebrate the vital contribution made by the charity’s  1,700 volunteers around Ireland. Many raise funds that enable the organisation to continue to alleviate poverty and hunger in the world’s poorest countries.

Its volunteers also include 500 people from towns who adjudicate at Concern’s national primary and secondary school debating competitions – when students debate topical global issues.

Concern was formed by volunteers in 1968 as part of a major humanitarian response to the Biafran famine in Nigeria caused by civil war. Last year the charity helped over 28 million people in 24 of the world’s poorest countries.

More information about its work or how to support the aid agency can be found on its website at concern.net.

Mum to two children, aged six and eight, Heather graduated in Nursing at UCC and is working as a nurse in Bantry hospital.

An avid baker from a young age, Heather says she always had an interest in food and is ‘passionate about nutrition, using wholefoods and making healthy treats for all the family to enjoy’ – evident on her Instagram page @heathers.nutrition.photography.

Commenting on her ‘Chocolate Banana Bread’ winning recipe, Heather says: “I’ve always had a competitive nature and used to take part in baking competitions at agricultural shows along with my mother and grandmother. When I heard of the Fyffes Great Banana Bread Bake off, it was only natural that I would want to take part”.

The overall Best Banana Bread recipe award was won by Gillian Carney from Cobh, who also topped the category for Best Ingredients. Other category winners were: Cáit Flood from Swords (Best Junior Baker under 10 years); Isabelle Sexton from Roscommon Town (Best Junior Baker 10 years and over); Niamh Goodison from Wexford Town (Best Vegan) and Ciara Kilmartin from Ferbane, Offaly (Best Styling).

Reflecting on what he called “the volume and quality” of entries received, Donal Skehan said: “Ireland has some exceedingly creative and talented home bakers. It was refreshing to see such imaginative ideas, ingredients and methods being shared, particularly amongst junior and dietary-restricted entrants”.

This year 2020 is the 15th year of Heritage Week, coordinated by the Heritage Council, so it’s an occasion for celebration.

Why not get involved and have your say.  Any individual/group is very welcome to become an event organiser and register an event.

We are blessed here in Bantry and West Cork area with so much heritage all around us.   –

Our heritage can broadly be divided into three categories:-

the tangible – our historical sites, buildings, monuments, objects in museum artefacts and archives.

the natural – our waterways, landscapes, woodlands, bogs, uplands, native wildlife, insects, plants, trees, birds and animals.

the intangible – our customs, sports, music, dance, folklore, crafts, skills, and knowledge.

Our tangible, intangible and natural heritage and all the associated myths, legends, traditions, and memories provide us with a common language and insight that enables us to communicate on a deep level with each other and to express ourselves in a unique way to the outside world.

Projects can comprise researching an aspect of heritage on your doorstep, sharing or re-learning a heritage skill, or exploring an aspect of Ireland’s educational heritage.  Closing date is 4th August.  Heritage Week this year runs from 15th August to 23rd August.  See  www.heritageweek.ie  or contact Bantry Historical Society   www.bantryhistorical.com

Mayor Doyle joined Ambassador of India to Ireland, Mr Sandeep Kumar and Chargée d’Affaires of Canadian Embassy to Canadian citizens living in Ireland, Ms. Sabine Nolke, in commemorating the event alongside Mrs. Padmini Turlapti, who spoke on behalf of the families.

A Commemoration event is held annually at a memorial garden near Ahakista County Cork, which is attended by family and friends of those who lost their lives on Flight 182 in 1985. Due to the current travel restrictions, the families decided to deliver the remembrance event through a YouTube Video which was released on the day of the anniversary, Tuesday June 23^rd.

The compiled video includes a recording of a prayer by Canon Paul Willoughby, Church of Ireland and a Catholic reading from a member of the laity. Ahakista National School also submitted a musical recording.

The families asked Cork County Council to lay a wreath on their behalf in advance of the anniversary and record doing so for inclusion in the video.

The Canadian Embassy and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police requested that the Council lay a wreath on behalf of the Government of Canada. Mayor Doyle requested the same on his behalf and that of the people of Cork County. A wreath was also laid on behalf of the Government of India and on behalf of the families of the 331 victims of the attacks.

Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr. Ian Doyle commented, “It is deeply saddening that the families of those who were so tragically killed on this day 35 years ago cannot visit the memorial in Ahakista to mourn their loved ones.  The bereavement and the suffering caused that day and the senseless loss of so many is impossible to fathom. While nothing can remedy that loss, we acknowledge it and carry it together as a community. The current travel restrictions to prevent the spread of COVID-19 mean that it is not possible for the families to travel to West Cork for the annual commemoration and celebration of their dead, so the families have decided to gather instead in a virtual space for the 2020 event. As Mayor of the County of Cork I am honoured on behalf of the people of County Cork to be a part of this remembrance tradition.”

Cork County Council has maintained a close connection with the families of the victims and has participated in and supported the annual remembrance gathering. For many years the annual remembrance has been held in the memorial garden which was developed to provide the families with a peaceful place to remember their loved ones.  The Council is committed to maintaining this garden which is dedicated to all those who died on the Air India flight 182 on 23rd June 1985 and has over the years has become a cherished place for the families to visit and to remember their loved ones.

The link to view the remembrance ceremony on YouTube is https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emWI5y59p4o

What if schools were more responsive, and rather than teaching a curriculum that was written twenty years ago, a child could adapt and change the path of their education? A lack of responsiveness in education and the rigidity of curriculum can inhibit diversity. In a world that is changing so fast it is hard to know what is the best way to educate the future adult.

A democratic, self-directed education (with the support of facilitators and a nurturing learning environment) can be sculpted by the learner to suit and meet their needs. This embraces diversity, creativity and interests.

Though it may seem that the learner is left to their own devices, the Sudbury model is built around the strength of the school community and the support this offers.  So what if school was where you went to build your own education, rather than to be taught what others have mandated, thus encouraging lifelong learning?

West Cork Sudbury School (WCSS) will be a place where children aged 5 to 18 will be able to learn through play and experience, directing their own education.  Sudbury schools are founded on freedom, trust, respect and responsibility. We see the importance in joy, for learning to reach its full potential, for time for full exploration, and for embracing the educational value in processes not necessarily recognised as such.  By offering children trust, freedom and responsibility and the opportunity to exercise their rights to live peacefully, they will be able to learn how to offer others the same. The school will be built on the balance between individual freedoms and their responsibility to the school community.

The first Sudbury school in Ireland opened in Wicklow in 2016 and was then followed by Sligo

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Sudbury School in 2018. These schools have gone from strength to strength, despite the challenges of not receiving state funding, and have been a huge source of support and inspiration for our core group at WCSS. Our core group of founders has been meeting weekly since November 2018, working in a voluntary capacity towards a goal of opening the school in September 2020.

While many things around the world have drawn to a halt, we at WCSS have been busy bees, with our weekly zoom meetings, online training courses and tasks behind the scenes. We continue to grow, learn and upskill so that we can put our best foot forward when we open our doors.

Admissions for the school for September 2020 are now open.

Bantry ladies footballers Rachel Murphy and Lucy Coakley played key roles in helping the UCC Crusaders AFL team reach the final of the AFL Europe Fitzpatrick Cup earlier this year.

The UCC Crusaders team succumbed to a last minute score against Cambridge, following three successive wins in their group stage. The West Cork football stars played huge roles in the strong run enjoyed by UCC Crusaders. Lucy really enjoyed the experience of playing AFL. “It was fantastic. It was an amazing experience to get to play against all these different universities. The set up was fantastic and the tournament was really well organised,” declared the ace footballer.

Rachel who has won minor All-Ireland championship titles with Cork in recent years, was delighted to play her part in their run to the final. UCC Crusaders defeated Cambridge earlier in the tournament, but they ultimately succumbed by one point to Cambridge in the final. “We won our first three games. We really got into it from the start beating Oxford on their home ground, Cambridge and Birmingham. We came up against Cambridge in the final again. They were a very physical team and we lost by a single point. It was very disappointing because we had beaten them earlier in the day. Overall we were happy with how the tournament went and our trainer Mike was very proud of us.”

Rachel ended the tournament by being named Player of the Tournament following a series of brilliant displays. The Bantry native was delighted with the accolade. “I was delighted to be named as the player of the tournament. I did not expect it at all, but it was an honour to get it in my first AFL tournament. It was a pleasure representing UCC Crusaders abroad with the whole team. It was a great experience. We were a relatively young and inexperienced team. We were unlucky to not come back with the win, but we really enjoyed the weekend.”

Lucy who has also won minor All-Ireland titles with the Rebelettes, was proud of the contribution Rachel made to the UCC Crusaders AFL team. “She deserved it as she played so well throughout the tournament. She’s obviously a brilliant GAA player, so it is no surprise that she would be the same in AFL. She played fantastic and the award was really well deserved.”

Lucy who helped the Cork footballers win the U21 Munster Championship title last year only took up playing AFL recently. She instantly loved the game and especially the physicality of the high-octane and intense sport. “It is really enjoyable. I think having the football background is a major plus as it’s not too difficult a sport to pick up then. It’s a lot tougher in terms of physicality. It was interesting to get used to the tackles, which probably forces you to think a bit quicker than you would in football.”

Rachel agrees with her club colleague with regards her love of AFL and especially the physical nature of the sport. The football ace always wanted to play AFL and following an open day trial, she instantly fell in love with the sport. “AFL is a much more physical game than what I’m used to with GAA. I quickly got used to it and I really enjoyed it. Football is a huge asset when playing, especially just the basic skills of catching high balls for the mark or kicking accurately for a score. My body is much sorer than what I’m used to after a match, but it was an amazing experience. It is a great sport to play. I always wanted to try it out and when I went to the club open day I just signed up. I went to a few training sessions, but it was hard to make it too often because of clashes with UCC football.”

Due to the global outbreak of Covid-19, all sporting activities have been postponed for the foreseeable future. If the relevant authorities give the go ahead for competitive sporting action to resume in the coming months, Rachel will be delighted to link up with her Bantry Blues and the West Cork senior football team-mates once again. “We have a talented squad, so hopefully we can enjoy a strong club season. It will also be great to be back with West Cork. It is a great honour to represent the divisional side.”

A number of Rachel’s club colleagues with both Bantry and West Cork have enjoyed great success with the Cork senior ladies team in recent seasons. Emma Spillane, Libby Coppinger, Martina O’Brien and Laura O’Mahony all helped the Rebelettes enjoy national league honours last year. Rachel is very proud of their progress to date. “The West Cork girls are doing great with the senior team. It is very pleasing. The recognition the ladies are beginning to get is well deserved. They are great role models and ambassadors.”

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At a time when the elderly, vulnerable and those living alone need more support than ever, the strength and importance of local community services couldn’t be more vital.

Among the numerous services operating to help those in need at the moment, is the transport service offered by Local Link.   With public transport at much reduced level, they have found themselves with spare capacity; and recognizing that many of their regular passengers are cocooning but still need to be able to get essential supplies, they have adapted their service to meet the demand.

Local Link drivers have been busy over the last few months carrying out a variety of new duties for those living in the community who need extra help at this time.   The list of services currently being offered by Local Link is as follows:

Shopping – drivers will take an individual to the shops to do shopping either for themselves or for a neighbour.  Alternatively, the driver will do the shopping and deliver it to the house.

Pharmacy/prescription pick-ups – delivery of essential medications, prescriptions and medical supplies from pharmacies in the Bantry, Skibbereen, Dunmanway and Castletownbere regions.   Drivers follow pharmacies’ health and safety protocols at all times

Meals on Wheels – many organisations are involved in delivering Meals on Wheels throughout the country, and Local Link also has the capacity to help with deliveries

Hospital appointments – Local Link is prioritising the facilitation of transport to hospital appointments, particularly for older people.   Social distancing is not an issue due to the amount of spare capacity on board the vehicles, and only one person plus a companion will be transported at any one time.   The fleet is fully accessible for those with mobility issues.

Although practical in nature, these services also provide much needed contact and companionship for those who are isolated, or living alone – the sight of a friendly face popping in with the shopping, or just passing by to say hello is invaluable at a time when normal social contact, so important to those on their own,  is dramatically curtailed.

The above services are being operated for the duration of the pandemic, while regular services are suspended.    David O’Brien, General Manager of Local Link says, “Local Link was created to serve the rural community.  A large number of our regular users are cocooning at this time, but we are delighted to be able to put the spare capacity in our vehicles to use and to continue to provide a service to them as well as being able to offer new services to the local community during the pandemic.”

Meanwhile, other Local Link services, such as Cancer Connect and Community Call, which are operated by volunteers, continue as usual – and in fact are busier than ever.   Community Call is manned by eight volunteers, who make approximately 50 to 70 calls a day to people living alone, or who are isolated.   The calls can last anywhere from 5 to 45 minutes, but as David O’Brien points out, “sometimes, that 5 minute call is worth far more than the 45 minute one to someone living on their own.”   In addition to the calls, The Community Call volunteers also arrange social gatherings – schriochts – during normal times, and David says, “we are all looking forward to having those back again.”

Cancer Connect, established in 2011, continues to operate – providing an invaluable service transporting patients to hospital appointments in Cork.   Local Link manages this service but is indebted to the 100 to 150 volunteers who drive for Cancer Connect.   Without their willingness to give their time free of charge each month, this service, which has made such a difference to cancer patients in the region, would not be possible.

The community is very grateful to Local Link staff and volunteers for their continued commitment to those in West Cork who rely on their services, now more than ever.

As the wheels of the Irish economy start to turn once more, there is a collective sense of fear and uncertainty over what the future holds for the businesses that are the lifeblood of our towns. With no definite end in sight to the pandemic, there is a real concern that some businesses in our small towns may not survive.

But what if social distancing is the ‘silver lining’ for West Cork towns and businesses?

When it comes to town vs country, smaller towns and businesses have always had to compete with city centre stores, which typically can offer more choice due to their capacity for volume. Here in West Cork, the exodus to the city – for the sales, for Christmas, for holiday shopping – has always been a headache for local retailers. The mantra to ‘shop local’ is a plea to help them stay afloat.

But consider this – in the new normal, could it be that the small towns may finally gain the upper hand? After all, it is much easier to socially distance in a smaller town with a smaller population. You may occasionally need to queue to get into a shop – but not for long. Compare that with queuing to get into Penney’s at Christmas time, when they are limiting numbers inside the shop and at the tills. It’s not appealing.

Cafés and restaurants in Dublin and Cork have already identified that reduced capacity will simply not be viable for them, and more and more of them are likely to restrict their services to takeaway only. Larger premises need large numbers to survive, and large numbers are the enemy for the foreseeable future. By contrast, eateries in West Cork tend to deal in smaller numbers, and although it will still be difficult, they may feel the pain a little less and find the restrictions a little easier to manage.

A recent survey published by the University of Strathclyde suggested that at the moment only 2 in 5 people feel encouraged to venture out to the shops again. While it is hoped that this will change as time goes by, it is a distinct possibility that for the foreseeable future, many people will simply be too nervous to head to the city, opting for less crowded spaces instead.
All of this is not to wish ill on the fortunes of the cities – after all, we are all in this together – rather to hope that there may be some advantages for our smaller towns in the shape of things to come.

Councils are planning a new landscape for life Post Covid

Macoom Town Activating County Towns: Local councillors with members of the Gardaí, Retail, Business & Community, Tidy Towns and Older Persons gather outside Macroom Town Hall after meeting to discuss their first Project to rejuvinate Business, Tourism, Festivals and to promote Safe Pedestrian Access as the country starts phase one to slowly reopen. Picture: John Delea.

As we re-open our businesses and shops, councils up and down the country are preparing a new landscape for cities and towns.

Cork County Council recently announced Project ACT – a plan to upgrade 23 towns in West Cork in preparation for life post Covid-19. In order to facilitate social distancing, footpaths are to be widened, more pedestrianised areas created and lots more cycle paths added. New street furniture is to be provided to allow for distancing. From an aesthetic and environmental point of view, this could be wonderful stuff, and as well as providing a much-needed facelift for many towns in West Cork, it could make them more attractive places in which to shop. The upgrade refers to the changes as temporary, but why not make them permanent?

A co-ordinated response from the retailers is required to really capitalise on the new look for West Cork towns – there is a wonderful opportunity here to use the pedestrianised spaces to create “shopping villages”, and to reap benefits similar to those experienced by the likes of Kildare Village.

Bantry House, West Cork’s Jewel in the crown, lends itself well to social distancing

Socially distanced tourism

While West Cork weather may never be our friend, and Covid-19 can’t change that, we are however ideally placed for socially distanced tourism. Outdoor pursuits such as golf, horse-riding, kayaking, and hill-walking all lend themselves easily to social distancing. The jewel in the crown that is Bantry House has large, beautiful gardens in which to wander at a safe distance from other groups. Our remote and sparsely populated location in the corner of Ireland makes West Cork an attractive destination for tourists wishing to stay safe while enjoying a well-earned break from routine. While many may be nervous about the influx of ‘stay-cationers’ that is sure to come once the country opens up on July 20th, they are very much needed in order to help kickstart our local economy. Rather than fear them, we must welcome them with open (socially distanced) arms. Many places in the country won’t be so lucky.

Harbour Development Plan for Bantry

The Bantry Team meet to discuss Project ACT

Rumbling along in the background to all of this is the new Harbour Development Plan for Bantry, which has “the capacity to transform Bantry into a thriving living town with local community, tourism, green infrastructure and life quality as its hallmark”. The plan consists of two documents, “A Community Vision for Bantry Harbour” and “The Royal Institute of Architects Ireland’s 2019 Design Review of the Bantry Harbour Area”. It is strongly hoped that these plans will be incorporated into the County Development Plan 2022 – 2028 and to this end, we are being encouraged to familiarise ourselves with the plan and to contact Cork County Council to voice our support for it.

Further information on the Harbour Development Plan for Bantry can be obtained from Tim Coakley on 086 6052299

At a time where many may be feeling anxious about how the future looks for West Cork, let’s hope that the changes being forced upon our communities may actually bring some positive developments and contribute to a bright future for our towns and villages.