Community notes June 20th

Snood Project

This project involved making face masks called snoods was successfully concluded last week. A generous grant from the Cork County Council Covid 19 emergency fund also played its part in this very worthwhile initiative. A team of local volunteer sewers, namely:  Sheila Harte, Susie Hurley, Carol Powell, Marie Barry, Catherine Ryan, Dodge McNeill, Noreen Deasy, Clare Sexton, Teresa Spencer, Tracey Harrington, Mary McSweeney (Garryndruig) and Susan Jackson Hegarty did the necessary cutting and sewing to make the snoods.

When the manufacturing side of the project was complete the snoods were delivered in the locality to the senior members of the community. The delivery team consisted of:

Diana Walsh; Eileen Harte; Edward McSweeney; Niamh Casey; Laura O'Callaghan; Fiona Maguire; Clare Sexton and Mary Deasy.

In all there were some 280 snoods delivered. Pre delivery the snoods had been washed at 40 degrees and then placed in plastic bags for 72 hours as per the guidelines issued.

A big thank you to all involved in this local community project, especially co-ordinator, Helen Crowley.

Timoleague National School Wins Water Station

Congratulations to Timoleague NS, who were one of the winners in the Schools Drinking Water Refill Station Competition funded by Cork County Council’s Environmental Awareness Office. The large number of applications were assessed and scored on demonstration of need, potential to reduce single use plastics, previous environmental measures implemented by the school and commitment to raise awareness about the initiative in the school and in the community.

As a winning school, they will receive a water refill station, including fitting, at a total prize value of approx. €1,300.  A contactless machine, it is operated by a sensor which recognises when a bottle is placed underneath whilst also counting the number of refills.

Gaggin Used Clothes Collection

Thank you to everyone who collected used clothes, shoes, towels, sheets, curtains and soft toys in aid of Gaggin Hall car park.  The last drop off date is Monday June 22nd at Gaggin Hall between 7 and 8pm. Your help is deeply appreciated.

100 Years Ago

The next person called to give evidence was District Inspector Patrick who was in charge of the Bandon district of the RIC. He stated that he went to Ahawadda Cross with a party of military and police and they discovered the bodies of two policemen as described by District Inspector Connor. They made a search in the vicinity and he saw the military pick up four service cartridges (produced) about 30 or 40 yds. out the Clonakilty side where Constable Brick’s body was lying. A few yds. nearer beside the fence he saw the military pick up 4 more service cartridge casks marked 7. Inside the fence on the south side of the road, he stated that he saw a person lying down. This concluded the evidence.

Mr. Connor said that the jury had heard the evidence and he was sure they should agree that it was a foul, brutal and deliberate murder. These three men were going about their duty, bearing no ill will and doing no harm to anyone when they were deliberately shot down. He asked the jury to show their detestation of that horrible crime by bringing in a verdict of wilful murder against some person or persons unknown. At present they did not know who committed the crime, but he asked the jury to bring forward a verdict of wilful murder and so endeavour to stop those wilful assassinations that were going on in the country.

The Coroner, Richard Neville, solicitor of Bandon addressed the jury stating that they had heard the evidence and that it was unnecessary for him to go over it. According to the evidence of Constable Grimsdale, there could be little doubt that these three men were shot near Ahawadda the previous day. Medical evidence was very clear on the matter. In the case of Sergt. Flynn, the doctors’ evidence was that death was due to shock and haemorrhage caused by bullet wounds in the chest. In the case of Constable Dunne, death was due to shock and haemorrhage caused by gun shot wounds to the neck and in the case of Constable Brick that death was caused by a bullet wound  through the brain. These were the facts and it was for the jury to frame the verdict according to the medical evidence and if there was any way in which he could assist them, he would do so.

The jury after some 15 minutes deliberation found that Sergt Flynn died at Ahamonister on the 10^th of May of bullet wounds in the chest and they brought in a verdict of wilful murder against some person or persons unknown.

They stated that they found that constable Dunne died of shock and haemorrhage caused by gunshot wounds to the neck. Also, a verdict of wilful murder was brought in.

They found that Constable Brick died from bullet wounds through the brain and brought in a verdict of wilful murder by some person or persons unknown.

The foreman of the jury, Benjamin Lovell said that the jury wished to express deep sympathy with the relatives of the deceased policemen. The coroner said that he joined very heartily in that. He knew Sergt Flynn for a number of years and he was a nice, courteous man. He did not know the other men, but he heard them spoken highly of.

Mr. O’Hara, Divisional Commissioner of the RIC, said that he wished to join in the vote of sympathy with the relatives of the deceased policemen.

Mr. Connor DI also joined in the vote of sympathy and the proceedings ended.

One would have thought that was it, but there was a sub-plot brewing …….(more next week)

Major Clean Up by Tidy Towns

On Friday night last an army of volunteers assembled and dispersed in all directions to do a major clean up of all the approach roads in and around Timoleague. Young and not so young gathered and picked litter of all shapes and sizes and filled countless black refuse bags. There was no cupan tae this year and that was understandable under the present circumstances. The officers of Molaga Tidy Towns wish to express their thanks and appreciation to all who came out on Friday night to answer the call. The evidence is there for all to see. Thanks also to Cork County Council for sending a street sweeper lorry to brush and suck up all the dust and dirt on all the village streets. The village residents who moved their cars from the streets are also thanked for making the lorry drivers job easier. Hopefully the yellow lorry will make regular trips to Timoleague after its successful visit last Friday morning.