7th September, 2000
Notice Board


THE AMAZING JOE DOLAN

The air of anticipation in the Estuary Room at the Rochestown Park Hotel was electric. The buzz of excitement was everywhere. As Ray Dolan finished his very entertaining warm up act only a few seemed to notice. Then the band evolved on stage, one didn't see them walk on, they just arrived, a few minor adjustments and they were ready. Above the sea of chatter, the sound of moving bodies and the occasional clink of a glass no one heard the count in. Then it exploded with the intro to "Good Lookin' Woman", and amidst a crescendo of sound and light in an angelic white suite Joe Dolan bounced on stage, "Oh me Oh my, you make me sigh you're such a Good Looking' Woman ", the audience went wild, hundreds of voices joined in the chorus, hands waving all over the place, bodies moving in all directions, this was Joe Dolan at his magical best and the crowd were loving it and Joe was smiling from ear to ear, radiating a 'feel good' feeling to every person in the room. Joe was beaming, I watched fascinated by the reaction. It suddenly struck me, this was more than just an act, Joe Dolan was loving it too, the man was glowing from the inside. I'd bet any money that at that precise moment there was nowhere in the Universe that Joe would rather be other than exactly where he was. He loves his audience and they make him the happiest man on earth.

Twenty minutes previously, on my way to talk to Joe Dolan I was going up the stairs to the Estuary Room they were two excited women in front of me " I'm going to throw my knickers on the stage " said one to the other. The other laughed and they both glanced up to see Bishop Buckley smiling down at them. Admittedly one doesn't expect to see His Grace at a Joe Dolan show but I can think of no reason why he shouldn't be there.

Joe's road manager Dennis met me at the top of the stairs and as we walked down the corridor towards Joe's room I couldn't help but thinking, "What was I doing here?" Why did Michael pick this week to take off and leave me to do the interview? I've never interviewed anybody in my life. I had no idea where to start and now I was going to meet the top entertainer in the country, maybe I should just turnaround and run. We got to the door and Dennis asked me to wait while he checked with Joe. Dennis emerged and said Joe would be with me in a minute then he disappeared. I stood there a nervous wreck.

The door opened and Joe Dolan stuck his head out and said "Hiya, come on in ". He must have been able to read my feelings because he started talking straight away. "We love being in Cork" he said "The people in Cork are great, we always get a kick out of being here". I noticed he said "We" and not "I", there are no airs and graces about this man, and if you met him in a pub for a drink you'd probably describe him as "one of our own". Responding to Joe's opening I said " Sure you're like a God around Cork, even the Bishop is here". He laughed, "Nice man… I'll tell you a great story but don't print it, (I promised Joe I wouldn't print it, how could I, I'm not a printer), it happened here one night with the Bishop. Dennis the lad that brought you up was at the door when the Bishop arrived, and Dennis didn't know anything about the Bishop arriving, and the Bishop stood there talking to Dennis. The Bishop had all the Bishop's gear on him and Dennis assumed he was some sort of a drag act. So when the Bishop said to Dennis "What will I do here?" Dennis replied "Just go away and do your own thing".

Dennis was totally mortified when he found out the truth, but he has never been able to live it down".
I showed Joe the 'The Douglas Weekly', "This is a cool Magazine" he said, " Bye the way how is Sean Lucey (Dixies)?" I told him "Sean is fine, but he has to be careful, he had a bypass you know". "Had he now ?" said Joe, "We have one of those in Mullingar as well" he quipped. He went on " Do you remember the ECO Warriors up in Wicklow, one of them died in Mountjoy not so long ago, he was three years waiting for a bypass”

It had never dawned on me, until this moment that Joe Dolan has the wit and the ability to be a comedian and a good one at that. Joe went back to talking about Cork. " The Jack Lynch Tunnel " he was saying " Is an extraordinary piece of architecture or should I say engineering, it's absolutely fabulous. It really is and must be an absolute boom to Cork, alleviating the traffic and all that sort of stuff. They should have done that id Dublin, they're cat-farting about with trams and things and this that and the other, and building subways which they're not doing. I thought at one point if they built a tunnel from the Southside right under Dublin Bay and across to the Northern Road, every truck such as those going to Cork would be taken out of the traffic, if only they had a tunnel like that. I think the Jack Lynch Tunnel is fantastic idea, it was built long, long after it's time, but the thing is it's there and that's the main thing. I like it because it's convenient for me, if I'm coming from Dublin or Waterford it saves a lot of time, as I don't have to go through the Cork City. As long as they don't put TollBooths on it. They're at it in Dublin. Places like the East Link. They claim they are charging for a bridge that was built over the Liffey. They tried to charge at the other end as well but they were stopped pretty quickly. I don't mind them charging for bridges like on the N50, because they did have to build a bridge, but they made it too narrow. Two Lanes, four lanes of traffic on to a two lane bridge. Now they have to build a second bridge because the first one isn't wide enough. The trouble is most of these highways are built with EU money so I don't see how they can put a charge on them. In England there are hardly any Tool Booths. The is one in Carlisle and one at the Severn Bridge and as far as I know that's all, and their roads are like carpets. We're at least ten years behind.”

Joe Dolan certainly has an opinion about Irish Roads and no wonder. He has spent his entire life driving on them. Perhaps the powers that be should have a little chat with Joe about building roads he could undoubtedly offer them some good advice.

We got to talking about computers and Joe said he doesn't even know how to switch one on. He often thought about getting one but his brother has said "It'll be another thing in the house just thrown in a corner after a week. You'd be as well off to get a Jumbo Jet and put it in the back garden, you'd get as much use out of that as you would out of a computer". So much for brotherly love. Computer talk led to computer games and computer games led to computer golf and that brought us to the real thing.

"I play golf extensively," said Joe. I asked him if he would like to do a golf classic in Cork after explaining to him about Joe Mac doing one in New York for St. Raphael's Centre in Youghal. Joe said he would love to but he is already over committed. Next Monday he is doing one in Dublin for St Luke's Hospital. This is the second year for St. Luke's. Before that it was for the Mater Hospital when they needed some equipment in a hurry. Last year Peter Mendelson came to collect a cheque for £50,000, which Joe had raised through his golf for 'co-operation Ireland'. Now there's a side to Joe Dolan we hear nothing about. Somehow I didn't know what to say. I was amazed.

A knock at the door " You're on Joe" and that was it. Jer. O'Regan was there to escort Joe to the stage. "Goodbye Joe and thank you", I muttered. "It was nice talking to you", said Joe. Then he was gone. The audience was waiting and I was going in to enjoy the show. And believe me there's no show like a Joe Show.


GRANGE / FRANKFIELD COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION


Monthly meeting's recommence on Thursday 14th September at the Crying Room in Frankfield Church. All those interested are invited to attend.


CONGRATULATIONS CHIMEA'RA

On Friday 1st September, Chimea'ra Gymnastics celebrated the first anniversary of it's permanent training centre in Ballycurreen, Frankfield. The full-time gymnastics centre, which opened it's doors for the first time one year ago has gone from strength to strength in that short space of time, with over 250 members already and many more signing up for the new term starting Monday 4th Sept.
Chimea'ra Gymnastics is run by co-directors, Mary Coakley, Amy Coakley-Hanan and Sonya Coakley-Hanan, a mother and two daughter team! Amy and Sonya have had successful International competitive careers in both gymnastics and trampolining, with Sonya just back from a competition in Switzerland and training hard for the European Championships in October. Along with Mary, the girls are now passing on their collective knowledge and experience to the budding talent at the club, of which they have an abundant amount. "Last year was spent getting the place up and running, we did little in the way of competition because we felt that the gymnasts should be settled in their various groups and that they should work on their basics first," said Mary."We have many very talented trampolinists as was proved by our results at National Championships (4 gold's, 2 silver and 1 bronze.) this year it's time for our gymnasts to show what they can do too. The kids have achieved so much in the last year I can't wait to see what the next one will bring."
The club has taken part in, organised and run an incredible amount of events in the twelve months including, their grand opening by Olympic superstar Olga Korbut, a weeks training in London, Patrick's Day parade, a fantastic display at Gymfest 2000 Dublin, A sponsored tumble which raised over £2000 for new equipment, various TV appearances and a week long summer camp as well as various competitions, parties and discos!!!
Next years calendar looks even more exciting. Trampolining wise we have Sonya competing at Europeans, and various internationals, hopefully culminating in a place on the Irish team for the World Age Group Championships next summer, other club members will compete as part of the Southern Region team at the Red Kites Inv. In Wales in mid September, as well as grades, Regional and National Championships. Artistic gymnasts will take part in the Regional Basic 3 competition as well as various inter-club friendlies that the Chimea'ra are organising and our Rhythmic girls will compete at Irelands first ever grades competition as well as friendly inter-clubs and possibly travelling to N. Ireland and England. All this plus various guest coaches from abroad, courses, camps, displays and fun, fun, FUN! It's a wonder they ever have time to train!
Sonya, Amy and Mary would like to thank everyone who has been behind them over the last year and has helped to make their dreams a reality, here's to making next year even better, Chimea'ra Gymnastics is on the up...WATCH THIS SPACE!!!

For more information on classes, hall rental or birthday parties at Chimea'ra gymnastics, please ring; 0214 963129.


LORD MAYOR TO GIVE THE FIRST PUSH

The Lord Mayor, Mr. P. J. Hourican, will officially launch a 'Pram Push' organised by Life Pregnancy Care Service on Saturday 16th September at 11.00a.m.
The volunteers from Life Pregnancy Care Service will push a pram from their Caring Centre at 123 Patrick Street Cork in a circuit of 150 miles through 9 provincial towns and ending up nine days later at their Centre in Patrick Street.
This idea has been the brainchild of the fund-raising team of Life Pregnancy Care Service. However the purpose of the 'Pram Push' is not simply to raise funds. The voluntary counsellors at Life Pregnancy Care Service have been concerned at the number of dead new-born babies that have been found abandoned in the Cork and Kerry regions over the past few years. Their concern is that these young mothers went through the trauma of a crisis pregnancy alone and delivered their babies alone and without help. No woman should have to endure a trauma like this on her own.
Life Pregnancy Care Service would like to highlight the fact that they offer a Free Confidential Service to women in a crisis pregnancy at their centre in 123 Patrick Street, Cork. This Centre is open from 10.00a.m. to 5.00p.m. Monday to Friday and on Saturday Lunchtime from 1.00-3.00p.m. They also operate a National Helpline on 1850 281 281 every day from 9a.m. to 9p.m. For the price of a local call, from anywhere in Ireland a sympathetic counsellor can be contacted.
Life Pregnancy Care Service offers Free Pregnancy Tests (with immediate results), Free Confidential Counselling, Legal and Social Welfare Advice, Help in accessing accommodation and Post Abortion Counselling.


A NIGHT AT THE MOVIES

An exciting show charting the history of music in the movies, from Shirley Temple to Sister Act, Grease to Beauty and the Beast. All your favourite tunes operformed by some of Cork's best singers and actors. This is a very exciting show for all age groups in the family. You can see A Night At The Movies at the Cork Arts Theatre(CAT CLUB) this Thurs and Friday . Production is by 3D Entertainments in association with Total Eclipse . It's not to be missed 021 4508398.


MOBILE CALL CHARGES

Last week we looked at the non-contract options (mobile call cards) this week we take a look at one alternative.

CONTRACT options
Contracts are usually for 12 months. The monthly charge includes rental and some call credit. You must pay the fixed amount every month, regardless of your call spend. Read contract documents carefully, especially the small print, before signing. There are penalties for ending contracts early.

EIRCELL
Eirtime Options have fixed rental amount each month, with some inclusive minutes for calls. If you exceed these minutes, charges depend on which Option you choose. Connection to Eircell's network costs £42.35; however, Eirell says that 99% of cases first-time connection is free.
Inclusive minutes are for peak and off-peak calls. Minutes that you have left over at the end of the month are carried forward to the
next month. The maximum you can carry forward is the same as the inclusive minutes in your Eirtime Option (for example, you can carry forward 50 minutes per month with Eirtime 50, hut you still have to pay the monthly charge of £24.20).
You must give 28 days notice, in writing, to end a 12-month contract early. Eircell then automatically switches you to Eirtime Option 10, so you pay the lowest termination fee: the monthly charge (£12) multiplied by the number of months the Contract has left. Inclusive Eirtime minutes cannot be used for calls to: 11844, 11850 and 11860 calls, CallSave (1850), diverted calls, international calls, loCall (1890), premium rate numbers, text messages (12.1p to send).
Charges for calls while abroad vary depending on the country and foreign network. Receiving calls while abroad is around 54p per minute in Britain and £1.40 per minute in the USA.

Further reductions
With Eircell's Call a friend for free discount you can register one Eircell mobile number for free calls to it at weekend and off-peak times. The number of free minutes is equal to the inclusive minutes in your Eircom Option (for example, 10 free minutes with Eirtime 10).
Some Eirtime prices are reduced if you pay in one instalment. With Up Front, Eirtime 10 costs £99 per year and Eirtime 50 costs £199. This gives a large saving compared with paying monthly, £45 a year for Eirtime 10 and £91.40 for Eirtime 50.

Next week Digifone and Imag!ne.


CONVERSATION


The art of conversation, is a gift,
That does not seem to come from anywhere,
And no one knows the way that it might drift,
It wanders on and suddenly it's there.

The death of conversation is someone,
Who always finds they have something to say,
And argues lest their ego 'comes undone
And arguments can never win a day

The flow of conversation must be free
And not be bogged by dictionaries or text,
If there's an error, let that error be,
And having passed the point, move to the next.

The best at conversation always loose,
In spite of all the things that they might know,
For when their moment comes they always choose,
To hold their tongue and let that moment go.

Ronnie McGinn
(From an article in a German Magazine)


WORKING FOR RABBIT OWNERS

Our local Vet. John O'Mahony tells us there has been a myxomatosis outbreak in the Douglas area over the last few weeks. Fleas and midges transmit this fatal virus infection. A number of cases have been reported in the area. It causes swelling of the eyes and nose and ears and eventually leads to pneumonia. It does not respond to treatment but a vaccine is available which can protect your rabbit against the disease. If you own a rabbit or know somebody who does, ask them to contact their Vet. for more details.


CITIZEN INFORMATION CENTRE

Know Your Rights

Question: My wife and I are pensioners aged 73 and 75 but we do not have a social welfare pension. We applied last year for the Free Electricity Allowance and TV licence but we were told that our income was above the limit to qualify. I heard that in the last Budget the Free Schemes have been extended to all people over 75. Would we quality now?

Answer: From next October all people over the age of 75 who are permanently resident in the State will qualify far the Free Electricity or Gas Allowance, the Free TV licence arid the Free Telephone Rental regardless of their circumstances. This means that for people over 75 there is no income limit in order to qualify for these Free Schemes. This also applies to couples where only of them is over the age of 75.
To apply for these you fill in the form which is available from your Social Welfare Local Office arid send it to Pension Services Office. College Road, Sligo.
Further information is available from Cobb Citizens Information Centre, which provides a free and confidential service. Phone 4814422. Email cobh.cic@comhairle.ie or visit the Parish Centre. Roches Row.
Reduced times due to holidays. for the week beginning Monday II September: Monday & Tuesday 8.00 9.30pm, Wednesday, Thursday & Friday I0.30-12.00.


MOUNT BRANDON

A few weeks ago we printed a number of articles "World War Two Air Accidents in Cork and Kerry" by Ger. O'Regan. We received such a very positive response from some of our many readers that we are now delighted to publish some more of Ger's material. No doubt our readers will join with us in commending Ger on his diligent devotion to the subject and for the enormous amount of research he has done.

It is beautiful to walk amongst the heather and streams in the lowlands of our mountains but certainly not a place to be after an air crash.
July 27th 1943 and a 'British Overseas Airways Corporation' (BOAC) Sunderland flying boat with twenty-two passengers and crew, took off from Lisbon at 9.15 PM on a civilian flight to Poole in Dorset via Foynes in Co. Limerick. It may have been termed a civilian flight, but most of the passengers were military personnel, including Diarmuid Hartigan from Bruff, Co. Limerick. Sgt. Hartigan flew with the RAF and had survived when his Spitfire crashed near Dakar. He was going home to recover from his injuries.
The Flying Boat with its call sign "G-Gages" had a tail wind throughout its flight and arrived over north Kerry and North Limerick at 4,30am on July 28th 1943. Because of low cloud cover and strong southwest Winds, Air Traffic Control at Rineanna (now Shannon Airport) advised "G-Gages" to "Orbit" Loop Head in South West County Clare. During the final preparation for landing, unknown to pilot, Capt. Tom Allit from Liverpool, the wind changed direction to north-west and as Capt. Allit began his finals, in low cloud he assumed he was going up the Shannon Estuary but instead, Gages was actually entering Tralee bay. Visibility was down to 60ft. All Capt. Allit would have seen before impact was the sight of moorland rushes coming to meet him before his plane impacted in the Inner Brandon Valley. Ten passengers and crew died instantly, including Sgt. Diarmuid Hartigan and only 80 miles from his home in Bruff.
The cargo included mail from the Japanese prisoner of war camps and these letters were scattered all over the mountain.
The 15th Infantry BTN. At Ballymullen Barracks, Tralee together with LDF, Garda Siochana, Red Cross and civilian personnel assisted in the recovery of the victims and survivors.
Today, in this wild and beautiful place amidst the gorse and heather, lie the remains of G-Gages, a poignant memorial to those who died on July 28th 1943.


500 MINUTES OF FREE PHONE CALLS


New Phone Company offers 500 minutes - Free. Euphony Communications Limited officially launched on 2 May 1998 in UK. And 24th August this year in Cork. Their goal is to duplicate the phenomenal success of Excel Communications Limited who in America became a Billion Dollar Company three times faster than Microsoft and in doing so created 5,000 millionaires. In the short time that Euphony have been operating, they have experienced massive growth, with a number of people already earning in excess of £10,000 per month, with hundreds more earning a substantial secondary income. They offer their customers 500 minutes of off-peak local calls per month-first 3 mins of each call - free. The same applies to national calls. Their international rates are even better e.g. to call the U.S. day, evening or weekend is only 11P. The system works on the Net-Work Marketing system. Those interested in finding out more should contact Gerard Fahy at 021 365088


MY BEST FRIENDS MOTHER


Introducing a play by Corks newest and most innovative theatre company, "Be Your Own Banana". Formed in January this year by playwrights Brian Desmond and Marcus Bale. 'My Best Friend's Mother' charts the adventures of an accidental hero's odyssey throughout Europe. Exiled from his homeland for a farcical affair with his best friend's mother, our character's sexual journey through France, Italy, Spain and Germany only to return home a broken man. "Instinctively I was drawn towards her as she gracefully swept the floor of that German disco I knew I was cursed... to always be falling for women twice my age..." Granary Theatre, 7th 8th & 9th Sept


BUDDY HOLLY


Was the stage name of Charles Hardin Holley Born on this day September 7th 1936. US rock-and-roll singer, guitarist, and songwriter. He had a distinctive, hiccuping vocal style and was an early experimenter with recording techniques. Many of his hits with his band, the Crickets, such as That'll Be the Day 1957, Peggy Sue 1957, and Maybe Baby 1958, have become classics. He died in a plane crash. 1959.


ENDOMETRIOSIS


The Endometriosis Support Group ( ESG Cork) are currently meeting at 8pm in the Bon Secours Hospital, College Road on Wednesday 13th September. Don't suffer in silence. All are welcome. Any enquiries contact Kimberly Clifford at 021 4874584 (Eve. 7.30 - 9.30)


INFORMATION FOR SCHOOL LEAVERS


Question. When I start work will I have to pay "emergency tax"?
Answer. You will, unless you quickly get a Certificate of Tax Free Allowance (TFA) or Tax Exemption from the tax office. You can get this from your employers Inspector of Taxes. When you start work, or even before, find out from your employer how much you will be paid weekly and the employer's tax number and tax unit. Contact that tax office and explain that you are starting work. You should also have your own RSI number. You will be asked to complete a form 12A.
Supplied by the Citizen's Information Call Centre,
Penrose Wharf Call Centre, Penrose Quay, Cork
Free and Confidential Service: 1890 777 121


COPING WITH ANXIETY


By Declan Cronin(Apex Clinic)
I've been suffering from anxiety attacks for as long as I can remember. I'm forty-six years of age now and I can still remember the shaking and actually getting physically sick at the thought of going to school when I was a young child. These symptoms have stayed with me up to the present day. Even when I started work at the age of seventeen I would be consumed with fear every morning on my way to work. What I couldn't understand was that I got on well with the people I worked with and there didn't seem to be any reason why I should feel this way. I think that lots of people don't know or understand how anxiety attacks can effect your life and no one could understand why I eventually gave up work about fifteen years ago, and why I haven't worked since. Most of my friends and relatives haven't the faintest idea what it's like to suffer from anxiety attacks and even though I have described my symptoms I feel that they think that there is nothing really the matter with me. From reading your articles I believe that a more people have come to an understanding of what it's like to suffer from anxiety attacks. Keep up the good work, Abbie.
Comment: You write that you feel, that lots of people don't understand what it is like to suffer from anxiety attacks as I stated before, seventy per cent of the population will suffer from anxiety attacks at some stage in their lives. Some people might find it difficult to understand why anyone would give up their employment because of anxiety and so I would suggest that you surround yourself with people who are able to validate you. If you feel that you are not getting the support you need from your family than look outside it maybe to your friends or perhaps a self help group. Self-help groups can be a great form of support. If you decide to go for therapy then you should go to a therapist who has been recommended by someone you trust and know, and who has reputation for successfully treating similar problems.
More next week.


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