We believe they were equally appreciative of the efforts made by Macroom Twinning Association and the Town Council on their behalf. We look forward to our return visit to Bubry next spring and to Marcallo con Casone in 2012 for the 10^th anniversary of Twinning with our Italian colleagues.

Delegates from Bubry, Brittany and Marcallo con Casone, Lombardia exchange gifts at the Twinning Celebrations in Macroom.

Antonia Cviic, part of the Corcora Consort, performs at Daniel Corkery Summer School in Inchigeela

The weather has reverted to the unpredictable pattern of former years and the thundery showers since the beginning of July are keeping the grass growing and umbrellas handy. The festival season is in full swing. Poulanargid Dog Show is over; the Daniel Corkery Summer School is in progress as is Donoughmore Carnival; plans are in the pipeline for the Lughnasa Festival in Macroom, Coachford Harvest Festival, Inchigeela G.A.A. Festival, Ballingeary Show  and Johnstown Vintage Club Festival. Music and drama is in great supply with Trad Music in the Castle Hotel, the Mills Inn and the Abbey, Ballyvourney every week; Ceol ó Mhúscraí in Gougane and the Briery Gap; Cairde an Riadaigh in Killarney and Christy Moore returning to the Briery Gap. ‘O’Sullivan Beara’ is sure to draw the crowds to the Theatre by the Lake for the drama’s international premier.

Sports camps are providing children with opportunities to keep active while improving their hurling, football, soccer and basketball skills. Cúl camps are currently being run in many parishes, with county stars making welcome appearances among their young fans.  

 

Cúl Camp in Macroom

some sun, some showers -  but we hope the sun will prevail for the Twinning Weekend ahead, Friday, July 9 to Monday 12.

Bienvenus, Benvenuti to our friends from Bubry, Brittany and Marcallo con Casone, Lombardia. French and Irish groups have now been exchanging visits since 1980 and our Italian ‘twins’ have been coming since 2002. But this is the first time there has been an official twinning exchange during the summer, so we hope it will not disappoint. A great weekend of music and fun is planned, with Aghinagh Comhaltas showing the way, backed up by Bagad de Bubry. We hope the people of the Lee Valley will come out in great numbers for the official parade and twinning ceremony in the Square at 6.30 on Saturday and the Céilí in the Castle Hotel at 10 p.m. on Sunday. All are welcome to this free event.

The Lee Valley has enjoyed many midsummer celebrations this year, with crowds coming out for fundraisers and fun. The Féile Tine in Gougane Barra was a great success, with traditional musicians delighting the audience in the Theatre by the Lake. Hundreds participated in the Liz Lucey Memorial Run in Baile Mhúirne and the Daniel Kingston Memorial Run in Macroom. Before the summer break, Rusheen N.S. celebrated the opening of an extension to their 125 year old school. G.A.A. Summer camps are keeping children happy and active as the long summer holiday stretches ahead.

Italian students celebrate their win in the last World Cup

Military precision at Rusheen N.S.

Craic sa Ghúgán

Liz Lucey Memorial Cycle

Though gardens are dry, the farmers are delighted with the opportunity to harvest the first crop of hay and silage in ideal conditions. Potato gardens are in full blossom and everything looks better, with summer clothes, barbeques, garden furniture and hanging baskets coming in to their own for the first time in years. 

Councillor Martin Coughlan has been elected Mayor of Macroom, his third time filling the post. His contribution to Macroom Tidy Towns movement is considerable.

Councillor Martin Coughlan, Mayor of Macroom

Gougane Barra celebrates mid summer with the annual Féile Tine, traditional concerts and Fire Fun.

Hanging Baskets adorn the Muskerry capital.

We urge everyone to keep our country clean. Start in our own patch and make that beautiful; then make sure we do nothing to spoil any other place. If we each picked up one piece of public litter per day, it would make a huge difference to the overall picture. Whatever else, let no one discard any bit of rubbish, however small, from a vehicle in which you are travelling. Bíodh meas againn orainn féin. Let us have respect for ourselves and our country.

Heartiest congratulations to Carrigagdrohid duo, Michael O’Donoghue and Elliott Lynch, who earned four medals at the Special Olympics National games in Limerick. Michael won Bronze and Silver while Elliott won two Gold medals. Congratulations too to Collette O’Riordan, head coach for the Munster team and Sharon Lynch, chaperone and all the members of the Muskerry Special Olympics Club. Anyone who would be interested in joining the club can contact Deirdre O’Donoghue on 0861054858 or Joan Murphy on 0879982674.

Special Olympians, Elliott Lynch and Michael O'Donoghue Pic. Peter Scanlan

It is lovely to see people around town in shorts and t-shirts and no goose bumps! Groups relaxing at kerbside tables outside restaurants and bars are a welcome sight. The town and villages in the Lee Valley are looking great, thanks in no small measure to their Tidy Towns Committees. Family groups may also be seen on the banks of the local rivers, with some brave souls even taking to the water.  Please remember to remove your litter.

The Oral Hearing regarding the by-passing of Macroom and upgrading the road system from Coolcower to Ballyvourney went on in the Castle Hotel during the third week of May. Arguments were made for and against and we now await the next decision. Don’t hold your breath!

The 2009 -2010 school year is fast drawing to a close and students who are not facing state exams are looking forward to the holidays, when they hope the sun will shine every day. We wish all sitting Junior and Leaving Cert and Third Level exams every blessing and success in the days and weeks ahead. Our three second level schools in Macroom were all celebrating recently. St. Mary’s were declared All Ireland winners of AIB Build a Bank Challenge 2010, earning great kudos for themselves and their teacher and winning a laptop each and a whiteboard for the school. They are Laura O’ Sullivan, Katie O’ Callaghan, Helena Collins, Gillian Cotter, Aisling O’Leary, Helen O’Riordan and Arlene O’Donoghue (Business teacher).

De la Salle's Team Velocity

“Team Terminal Velocity”, won the prize for the fastest car in the national final of the “F1 in Schools” contest and came 2^nd overall. The students involved are Seán Dineen, John O’Reilly, Cathal O’Mahony and Ross Crowley. At McEgan College, the annual awards were presented to deserving students by past pupil, Gerard Quinn, who joined Ford of Britain in 1988 as a production line operator and has gone on to become Dealer Operation Manager in Ireland with responsibility for Ford of Europe’s motorsport activities including the FIA World Rally Championships. He advised students to have a dream and strive to achieve it.

Rebecca Coughlan, Transition Year Student of the Year at McEgan College, receiving her award from Gerard Quinn, with, on right, Mayor Evelyn McSweeney.

 

 

St. Mary's, Macroom, All Ireland winners of Build a Bank challenge.

 

The first year of the new Town Council has also come to a close and, at the end of her year in office, Mayor Evelyn McSweeney accorded a civic reception to various people. Among them was Mrs. Kathleen O’Mahony, New Street, who, prior to the publication of the Lee Valley Outlook, published ‘The Penn’, an emigrant newsletter, and send it to Macrompians all over the world three times a year for seventeen years.

Mrs. Kathleen O'Mahony, publisher of 'The Penn', at a civic reception in Macroom Town Hall with Mayor Evelyn McSweeney

Lily of the Valley - traditional flower for First Holy Communion

The volcanic ash comes and goes, creating mayhem for air travellers. Sunday, May 10 was G.A.A. Lá na gClub, with family celebrations in many parishes throughout the Lee Valley.  Local Soccer Clubs had much to celebrate also with Macroom, Kilmichael and Crookstown winning important competitions.

De la Salle visitors to Marcallo con Casone returned with a host of memories, particularly of their trip to San Siro in Milan. McEgan College held their fourth annual exhibition of art work by PLC students in the Art, Craft and Design class. The quality of the exhibition seems to improve every year. 

A new Garda initiative has been launched, whereby individual members of the force are assigned to specific locations in the town, with a view to making them familiar with the community and the introducing themselves to the locals.   

De la Salle students at Lake Maggiore

Anne Mechelinck with some of her exhibits at McEgan Art Exhibition. On right, Miriam Brew, teacher.

Denis O'Drischoll, Sec. Cork AUL, presenting the Premier A League trophy to Keith Holden . On left, team manager, Denis Murray

Tadhg Kelleher and Gary Morris view the photographic exhibition at Lá na gClub in Macroom

Celebrating the Briery Gap's 10th birthday with 'Oklahoma'

The area has been alive with the sound of music since early March and the show goes on at least until April 18 when ‘Oklahoma’ closes in the Briery Gap. But we can still look forward to Friday Mess Ellaney in Coachford on April 23 and Louise Morrissey in the Briery Gap and Triúr sa Draighean in Baile Mhúirne on April 29. ‘Glitz at the Ritz’ in Clondrohid and ‘Oklahoma’ were great showcases for Lee Valley talent and also showed that community spirit and co-operation are alive and well in Ireland despite the recession.

Glitz at the Ritz in Clondrohid

Macroom G.A.A. is looking forward optimistically to the future by providing improved facilities at town pitches.

Inspecting the new surface at Macroom G.A.A. Pitch in the Castle Grounds

A major fundraiser is now underway to complete developments at the Castle Ground; instal flood lighting; provide changing and toilet facilities at Tom Creedon Park; develop the Riverside Walks and provide a bridge to link the Park and the Castle Grounds. The fundraising plan asks people to contribute at least €5 a week over a four year period.

 Paddy Murphy, Chairman Macroom G.A.A., John Ryan, Treasurer and Pat O’Connell, Secretary give the turf on the pitch at the Castle Grounds a manicure.