Community notes Sept 7th

Playground Update:

As most people are aware, some of the apparatus at the Timoleague Playground is cordoned off due to safety issues. This has resulted in a reduction in the number of play stations within the playground. A long delay has been experienced by children and their parents as new playground furniture is awaited from abroad. However, upgrade works are scheduled to commence on the 5^th. of September. A new senior play unit and a disability access roundabout will now be installed. In addition, an overall deep clean of the playground will also be undertaken. The down side to all of this much needed progress is that the playground will be closed and out of commission for some ten days to facilitate this work.

Clar funding was secured some time ago for this remedial work but now Cork County Council has come on board to top up this funding so that the necessary up-grade can be fully completed. This work was not done during the Summer months so that the children could use the playground while they were enjoying their holidays.

Kneecap:

A film released this year called Kneecap has been receiving critical acclaim. It is the story of a Belfast band called Kneecap and their rise to fame. Michael Fassbender plays a supporting role in the film. It has been nominated for an Oscar award. The Northern based trio of rappers use the Irish language to get their message of modern day life in Belfast across. The three members of the band, Moglai Bap, DJ Provai and Mo Chara use the lyrics of their songs containing a mixture of English and Irish dealing with life in West Belfast and deprived areas of the north, often times with republican themes. The reader may well ask what Kneecap has to do with Timoleague.Quite simple. Moglai Bap is none other than Naoise O’Caireallain, a Belfast native. However, his grandmother is Norita Ni Riain, a native of Timoleague. Norita Collins followed in her mother’s footsteps and became a national school teacher. Her mother taught at Timoleague National School. Norita taught in Dublin and married Flann O’Riain, also a teacher but better known as a cartoonist and writer who was also an Irish language activist. He was the creator of Dathai Lacha, a cartoon programme for children as Gaeilge which was featured in the early years of RTE. which would be known to readers of a certain vintage! Naoise and his mother Aoife spent many summers with Norita in the holiday home at Mill Streetwhere Naoise immersed himself in Timoleague life and made friends with many of the village children of his own age back in those carefree Summer days. The band are wished well in their future show business career.