Walking

There are some lovely walks around the Rusheen Area. Here is one of them which circles Coopers Rock. The height of Cooper's Rock is 991 ft. It is a rough craggy heap of sandstone just south of Burren Mountain (1250ft). There is a neat well-built cairn on the summit and this makes it easily recognisable from near and far.

If you start walking at Laghnahaghny Cross towards Rusheen Cooper's Rock itself appears on your left and it's topping cairn is clearly visible and then, just as the road swings left, in the field on your right is a pair of magnificent standing stones. Back to the road, which begins to fall as it crosses a little fast-flowing stream, take the road to the left and up a sharp climb (The High Road) . Soon you come to a derelict stone house on your left shortly beyond which is an opening into a field. This is the best point to take off for your trip to the top of Cooper's Rock. Just go straight up following the stony path and in about 10 minutes you are there. Having returned to the road turn left as you emerge from the field and go with the fall of ground to a cluster of trees, an attractive entrance and avenue on your right (Rockville) and a little further on a large cream-coloured house on your left. Take the road to the left immediately before this house and follow it up a fairly steep climb for about 0.5 miles until you see ahead of you a cottage immediately before which is a junction left which you take. At the highest point of the road where it swings left look over the rusty 6-bar gate towards the north-east. Continue your way downhill, noting the forestry on your left until you join a wider road on to which you turn left walking along through the forestry on each side (Lyravouig). Continue for over a mile down to Lacknahaghny Cross to finish your walk.
Explore Ploughing

Ploughing

Ploughing is a big sport in our area are and an important activity around the parish of Aghinagh. Ploughing matches are held in Macroom, Bandon, Kanturk, Clonkilty, and many more places in West and East of Cork. Jerry Horgan was a good plough man and in 1971 he won his first All- Ireland and in 1986 he won his last All- Ireland. J.J. Delaney from Cahebaroule won the All- Ireland Senior Horse Ploughing in 1995 representing Cork in Co. Laois.The most recent All- Ireland was in Co. Cork in Castletownroche. There is big interest in tractor ploughing as well. Pat Casey Curraghawaddra is very interested in ploughing and won the over forties in Macroom Ploughing match.
This is the plough J.J. Delaney won the All-Ireland with.

Explore Horses,Ponies and Sulky Racing

Horses, Ponies and Sulky Racing

Sulky racing is a type of horse racing. The horse pulls a light buggy and the driver sits in the buggy. The horses have special straps that enable them to trot. Other things that happen on the day are donkey races and trotting races. There have been no serious accidents while it has been in our field. During the summer there are different sulky races over all of West Cork. The Macroom Sulky Racing Group has held races in Coolkisha over the last two years.

Alot of people around Rusheen are into horses and ponies.Long ago, farmers used horses for work on the farm.Some farmers today still use horses in ploughing matches.In Ballinagree, there is an equestrian club called the Laine Equestrian Driving Club.They do a gret varity of activities such as road marathons,dressage,cone driving and obstacle driving.Others use their ponies for showjumping.It's great fun and my sister and I like to go as often as possible. Lots of other people use their ponies for just hiking and riding around.Here is a picture of my ponies.

Explore Bowling

Bowling

Bowlplaying or road bowling, as it is sometimes called, is very little known outside the counties of Cork and Armagh. It is also played on a small scale in Waterford and a little in Limerick. The method of throwing the bowl in Armagh differs from the Cork bowlplayers way of throwing the 28oz. Ball. The southern player winds his arm fully and the Armagh only takes a half a swing. Some people seem to think it came from Scotland in days gone by. This may be, because some of the earliest bowls came from Scotland. They were smaller than the present day 28oz. bowl but they were more compact and a nicer bowl to play with. They weighed the full 28oz. There are many great bowlplayers but Mick Barry, from Cork, had the honour of being King of the bowlplayers. Scores now carry very high stakes, which probably takes a lot of sport out of the game when too much money is involved. Bowlplaying was always popluar in Mid-Cork, very much so in Aghinagh. Ballinagree has often been referred to as the home of bowlplaying. A lot of bowling is done in Bealnamorrive as well.

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