Community Notes June 26th

Timoleague Railway

Summer excursions saw a big influx of day trippers from Cork who availed of the train to visit Timoleague and Courtmacsherry, especially during the Summer months. The transportation of goods and livestock was of enormous importance also as Timoleague Fair was one of the largest in Munster. Buyers arrived by train the night before the fair and they left with their newly purchased stock that evening or the following day depending on the quality of the company to be enjoyed in the many local hostelries.

All the local independent railway lines including the two serving Timoleague were amalgamated in 1924 to form The Great Southern Railways. Mallow beet factory opened in 1934 and the crop was a popular one with farmers and some of the best beet growers in Ireland were from the Barryroe and Timoleague area. During the beet season from September to January, the line operated at full capacity. During the 1953/’54 season alone, 1,340 wagons of beet were loaded at Timoleague Station, 935 at Courtmacsherry and 580 at Ballinascarthy. This gives an indication of the vast throughput of freight at the local stations. All the loading was done by hand and the much- needed extra seasonal employment was a great boost to many a local household which in turn benefited the local economy.

Tidy Towns

Teams of local volunteers have been busy out and about the village over the past month with the weekly meitheal in full swing. The fruits of their labour are clearly to be seen on both the approach roads to the village and within the village itself. The planting of flowers and shrubs has added a lovely dash of colour to the landscape and the improvement in the weather has also enhanced this aspect of the associations work. Local residents should note that the National Tidy Towns Competition is being held this year, so an appeal is being made to have all hands on deck over the next few weeks in the lead up to adjudication. Timoleague has a proud history in the competition and an all out effort is requested to uphold that position.

The Great Outdoors

Outdoor living and socialising has become the new norm throughout the country with the further easing of trading restrictions. The lovely Summer weather that we all enjoyed last week was of enormous help to all the local businesses involved in the hospitality industry. It was nice to hear the buzz in the village streets once more as locals and holiday makers mingled together to enjoy the “crack” which has been absent for some time. Sextons Caravan and Camping Park is also experiencing an increase in business and reports indicate that it will be operating at full capacity over the busy Summer period. All local businesses are due an uninterrupted run during the summer as they strive to get back on track once again.