22nd February, 2001
Notice
Board
ITS THE DIGSBY COLUMN
TV Or Not TV
It's rainy, it's freezing, it's depressing...it's enough to drive
a sane person to drink. Well, more drink. But all of this
unpleasantness can be avoided with the aid of our lifelong friend:
the TV. We select the best from the schedules:
House Party!
Hilarious new sitcom following the madcap antics of an evil
squinty-eyed redneck who's somehow found himself living in the
White House and ruling the whole world, in a classic "fish
out of water" scenario. Episode 1: disaster strikes when
Dubya gets confused after too much sherry trifle and thinks he's
still in the Governor's mansion in Texas, thus condemning the
entire population of sub-Saharan Africa to execution, with
comical results.
Taking The Rap
Adult hip-hop video show, presented by pasty-faced white boys who
persist in describing their respectable middle-class hometown as
"the projects", showcasing several misogynistic morons
bragging about how much "ice" they've got, how many
"fools" they've "smoked" and how badly they
treat their "ho's", while in the background,
disproportionately large-breasted women shake their bottoms at
the camera and pretend to be attracted to an ignorant thug with
awful taste in jewellery.
Yes Primate Minister
Uncompromising late-night political discussion, hosted by Mr.
Frisky, a chimpanzee on loan from Dublin Zoo, featuring
interviews with high-level politicians and top commentators about
the burning issues of the day. In the first programme, Mr. Frisky
screeches wildly and throws stones at Bertie Ahern's head, while
Fergus Finlay engages in an analysis of Keynesian macroeconomics
with Brutus, a potentially dangerous Kimodo Dragon.
Fairway To Heaven
Inexplicably in-depth coverage of some golf tournament or other,
featuring non-stop round-the-clock footage which details every
minor incident and development of this intrinsically unexciting
sport in brain-numbing detail. Viewers eventually become so
depressed and bored that suicide begins to appear a pleasant
alternative, hence the title. Highlights include a close-up of
the Nike swoosh on Tiger Woods' cap, some bland-faced non-entity
staring intently at the hole for fifteen minutes, and a tedious
debate between two commentators on the best club to use for a
tricky short putt.
Can't Cook, Won't Cook ('Cause Dead)
Visceral gameshow, presented by Carrie Crowley, where members of
the public who have realised the inherent emptiness and sheer
pointlessness of the cult of celebrity chefs bludgeon their betes
noires to death with a steak pounder while attempting to cook a
three-course meal in just under thirty minutes for an audience
judging panel.
Cynical Advertising Placement Zone!!!
Kids' programme which brazenly plugs various products with the
vaguest of links to actual content, exploiting gullible young
children through a subtle combination of flashy graphics and
blandly chirpy presenters handpicked from the ashes of failed
manufactured pop groups. Sponsored by Pepsi, Proctor & Gamble
and Fisher-Price.
JOHN MILLS
Born John Lewis Ernest Watts Mills on 22nd February 1908, this
world-renowned English actor has always been recognised as a very
versatile performer. He appeared in films such as In Which We
Serve 1942, The Rocking Horse Winner 1949, The Wrong Box 1966,
and Oh! What a Lovely War 1969. He received an Academy Award for
Ryan's Daughter 1970. He is the father of the actresses Hayley
Mills and Juliet Mills. John Mills was Knighted 1976.
THE BRAZIL CONNECTION
When the name Brazil is mentioned we are inclined
to think of soccer and coffee and nuts and beautiful beaches,
tall buildings and rain forests. It can be difficult for us to
realise that Brazil is a huge country with vast areas still out
of reach of the modern world, no roads, no water, no electricity,
primitive lifestyles and an endless struggle to make ends meet.
It is in such an area that we find Sister Bride Counihan from
Ballinlough. Sister Bride is presently on a visit home raising
funds for a water scheme. She called to the Douglas weekly and
gave us this report:
The Municipal area of Umburanas is situated in the state of
Bahia, in the northeast of Brazil.
The northeast is a semi-desert region where the people suffer
from chronic drought due to lack of rain. This marks their life-style,
economy etc. There are 415 Municipal areas in the state of Bahia,
and Umburanas is listed in the official Index of Social
Development as the 415'h i.e. least developed.
The town of Umburanas has a population of approx. 6,000 with a
further 9,000 in the surrounding 33 rural villages which comprise
the Municipal area of Umburanas. The region is very poor, with
most people trying to survive on subsistence farming. A recent
survey of 40 families living in the town revealed that 36
families had, as the head of the household, a casual labourer
earning an income of 5 reais local currency per day, i.e. approx.
2 punts.
The town has not yet got a public water supply, so the provision
of water cisterns for households is a big need. In a village just
20 minutes from the town, there are 63 families, none of whom
have water or electricity. They depend on the 'carro pipo', a
tanker of water sent out by the local authorities periodically.
This has become a tool used to manipulate the people politically
i.e. only those who vote for the ruling party get this water!
Others are left with nothing.
There is no public transport throughout the Municipal area and
the roads are unsurfaced, mostly just dirt tracks. The people
feel their lack of organisation to confront the urgent social
needs, especially for water, and they are asking for help in this
regard. Recently the town was awarded one of the Government-
sponsored Programmes for the Eradication of Child Labour because
of the high % of school children involved in the cuffing of
seizal instead of attending school.
Three years ago, a Health Centre was opened in the town. It is
served by a rota of doctors who come for one week each, from the
city of Salvador 7 hours away. There is no resident doctor or
nurse in the town. Personnel at the health centre say that their
work is greatly hampered by the lack of people working on a
community basis to complement their services. There is a great
need for preventative health services to complement the work of
the health centre. In the past 5 years, the local authorities
have set up through-but Brazil Municipal Councils for Health, for
Education, and for Social Welfare. These Councils comprise 50%
local people and 50% representatives of the statutory bodies. The
Secretary of Health says that they have not been able to form
these Councils successfully in Umburanas because the local people
do not participate. They are not prepared for this and they do
not understand the importance of these Councils, nor are they
organised to select representatives. The rate of adult illiteracy
is very high, approx. 70%.
The Project.
"Over the past 2 years, local people in Umburanas have been
asking for help to organise themselves. The Little Sister of the
Assumption intend to respond to this need by living in the town
and working on a community basis with the local people, from 1
May 2001. The local people have made a house available and
Adveniat has provided a car.
As a community development worker, my hope is that, through
engaging in a community development process with the local people
in Umburanas, that 1 will transfer necessary skills in groupwork,
community organisation and development to them. 1 hope that they
will be enabled to set up the projects which they feel will meet
their community's needs."
Sister Bride Counihan
Ciorcal Cómhrá
The next meeting of the Ciorcal Cómhrá will be held in Douglas
Library on Friday February 23rd at 11.00 am. If you would like to
practice speaking gaeilge with Like-minded people, you are very
welcome to come along.
CIT GRADUATES ASSOC. LAUNCHES NEW LOOK WEBSITE
The new CIT Graduates Association website http://www.cit.ie/Graduates
has just gone on-line and is packed with information about
graduates, events,world-wide branches and news from CIT.
New features include on-line forms, a noticeboard, an e-mail
directory and an on-line version of the 'Learning City Magazine'.
If you are a graduate of Cork Institute of Technology and would
like further information about the Association, please contact
the Graduate Liaison Office at 021 4326279 or email:graduates@cit.ie
THE HISTORY OF DOUGLAS
by Con Foley - Part 29 - ST.
COLUMBA'S CHURCH - continued from issue 6
There is a tradition in Douglas which says that the 'Blue Nuns'
were established at the rear of Shamrock Lawn, in direct
contradiction of the church records. The real title of the 'Blue
Nuns' is "The Little Company of Mary" and they have no
knowledge of any house of their order ever being established in
Douglas. They were founded in Nottingham in 1877 and, their only
convent in Co. Cork is in Fermoy, twenty four miles away. There
is another order of nuns which have a certain amount of blue in
their habit; they are the 'Poor Servants of the Mother of God'
and have a convent in Carrigtwohill, Co. Cork. But they too have
no knowledge of ever being in Douglas.
Again, the older generation of Douglas speak of a massrock in
Donnybrook, now overgrown and that mass was celebrated in 'the
bad old days' in the 'Shelly House' in Crichton's Wood. This
house derives its curious name from the fact that its interior
was covered with seashells. They will speak of the stone seating
around the walls and the niche where the sacred vessels were kept.
But the Catholic church annals state categorically that there was
no mass rock in Douglas and make no mention of the 'Shelly House.'
The site of this house alone, situated between the estates of
Donnybrook House and Westgrove House, makes it highly improbable
that it was ever used as an isolated rnasshouse. It is small,
beehive in shape, about six feet in diameter, with a stone bench
seating around the wall, and only a short walk from Donnybrook
House, whose owners could hardly be said to turn a blind eye to
such proceedings. The late owner, Mr.Kenneth Crichton stated that
an ancestor of his who was partially incapacitated by polio, and
consequently spent much time on horseback used the "shelly
house" as a place of retreat and also to meet his friends.
Near the southern end of the road known locally as Cooney's Lane
(off the Grange Road), one comes to Willsfort House. There is a
cottage at the corner of the road, just beyond. Round the bend of
the road from this cottage and on the same side is a field,
marked in the Map of 184l as the "Church Field," and
also mentioned in the church annals of Douglas. The old lady in
the cottage remembered that on one occasion when her father was
ploughing that particular field, the plough-share struck
something hard. On further investigation, he came upon a large
slab, with some inscription on it which was largely obliterated.
She herself found "bones and skulls" as she put it, in
the same field. She spoke of the time when she was thinning
turnips in the field, with the assistance of a boy from
Donnybrook, and laughingly recalled how the sight of human bones
so sickened her helper that he left there and then, never to
return. She remembered also, a "find" of a type of
headgear which she called "salute hats."
Next week, St Lukes
PUBLIC MEETING ON PROPOSED MULTI-STOREY CAR PARK IN DOUGLAS
Last Friday I attended a public meeting at John O'Sullivans
Meeting Rooms in Douglas West. The matter for debate was the
proposal to build a multi-story car park within the Douglas
Village Shopping Centre. Public representatives who attended were
Batt. O'Keeffee T.D. (FF), Michael Martin (FF), Micheál Martin
TD (FF), Dan Boyle (Green), Peter Kelly (FG), Barry Cogan (FF),
Deirdre Forde (FF), Simon Coveney TD (FG), John Dennehy TD (FF),
Donal Counihan (FF), Terry Shannon (FF) and Paula Desmond (Lab).
Deirdre Clune (FG) could not attend due to a prior engagement in
Portlaoise. Residents of St. Columba's Terrace were also in
attendance. In total about 60 people filled the room.
The chairman was Michael Martin who gave a lengthy talk on the
proposed building of the Car Park. He spoke on how the residents
were shocked when they first heard the news about the planned
development. He asked why the model of the high rise car park was
not on public display in the Shopping Centre? He told the meeting
that the car park would affect natural light during the day. And
at night the lights from the building would affect people's
privacy. Also mentioned was noise level, and pollution. The
proposed building was called a monster, catering for 1,200 cars,
ready to spew them out at peak times leading to mayhem. He
finally spoke on the proposed east-west road through Douglas, to
be provided by the developers. Closing his address he told the
audience there's no such thing as a free road.
Next to speak was John O'Keeffee of the South Western Fisheries
Board. He told the meeting that his job was about environment and
fish conservation and that he had no opinion to offer on the car
park building. His concern was the fish and wildlife that use the
river, which runs through the Shopping Centre. And on these
grounds he would oppose covering over the river.
A member of the audience was next to speak. He felt that the
Shopping Centre owners had cleaned up the river. He remembered
when the river was filled with tyres and rubbish. He also told us
that he thought the chairman was very emotive in his introduction.
His contribution was not too popular with the residents at the
meeting.
Minister Micheal Martin had a prior engagement but before he left
the meeting he spoke on how impressed he was with the talk given
by John O'Keeffee of the fisheries Board. He opposed the plan.
John Dennehy was also opposed to the High Rise Car Park.
Simon Coveney told the meeting he was opposed to the proposal in
its present form. The scale is too high.
Peter Kelly also said the scale was too high.
Dan Boyle opposed.
Paula Desmond -supported the motion (which we assume means that
she opposes the car park).
Barry Cogan - supports John O'Keeffee of the Fisheries Board.
Batt O'Keeffee - opposed. He does not think the County Council
and the Corporation will support it.
Terry Shannon; opposed (Although some people in attendance asked
if he had supported the plans on Local radio. He answered by
telling them; he didn't realise the scale of the building).
Deirdre Forde; spoke on how she had grave reservations on the
development site asked for further meetings between residents,
Developers and Council Officials. But one member of the audience
wasn't happy with her answer. He wanted to know if she was for or
against the planned building. Deirdre answered "Of course
I'm against it"
We were also told that the local Fianna Fáil Cumman was opposed
to the planned developments.
The meeting lasted about two hours.
Michael O'Hanlon
AN OIGE CORK-KERRY
An Oige Cork-Kerry Regional Group AGM. will be
held at the Cricket
Club The Mardyke Cork on Saturday 24 February at 8pm. All welcome.
THE MUSIC CHRONICLES - FEB 22
1956 TOP OF THE POPS! Elvis Presley gets his first national
record exposure with the inclusion of "Heartbreak Hotel"
in the US. charts, the first Presley single of many to hit # 1.
1965 Filming begins in the Bahamas on the second Beatles' movie
'Help'
1968 The debut single from Genesis, "The Silent Sun" is
released on Decca Records.
1973 Roberta Flack is awarded a Gold Record for "Killing Me
Softly," a song inspired by Don McLean.
1980 Rolling Stones guitarist, Ron Wood, and a girlfriend are
arrested in St. Maarten when police find five grams of cocaine in
the couple's rented apartment. No charges were filed
RECORD RELEASES include Leo Sayer "Long Tall Glasses" (1975).
MOTORING MADNESS
"Too ugly, too noisy and too flimsy to
meet the technical requirements of a motor car" This is what
the Ford chairman said in 1946 when offered the VW and it's plant
for nothing. Was he ever wrong?
Dan Dempsey’s 24 hour Rescue & Recovery, Kinsale.
Tel: 086-8217777
COUNCILLORS UNDER THREAT
Kinsale Rd. has been an unlicensed Dump for the last 30 years.
There are now plans to establish new Waste Processing Facilities
there, catering for the entire County. This would increase the
intake of Waste by three. It would generate truck traffic into
that site, then back out through the City Centre. This truck
traffic is estimated at between 150 and 500 PER DAY.
Since 1990 Cork Corporation elected Councillors have voted SIX
times to stop Landfilling and Waste Processing at Kinsale Rd. The
last two motions were carried UNANIMOUSLY. Management have
repeatedly insisted that there was no alternative site. There is
no evidence of any attempt or search for a new site. Recently a
section of the site called the Black Ash was cynically put
forward as an "alternative." It was rejected by Council
and immediately withdrawn by management; a unique reaction.
City Hall Management met with County officials, Dept. of the
Environment, and EPA officials, privately in a Cork Hotel.
Elected Councillors were not informed before or after this
meeting. A plan was hatched for the County to take a new
Superdump, the City taking a new Super Waste Sorting Facility (WRF).
There was no consultation whatsoever with residents or business
in the Kinsale Rd./Tramore Basin area. Tenderers for the new
facility were given no option to the Kinsale Rd. site. There are
roads currently being built on the Dump. These roads appear
unnecessarily large for the future public park, more suited to
heavy trucking. It appears that the plan is going ahead.
The City Manager has blankly refused to undertake action based on
the six motions. Instead he is writing a report on the "implications"
of such a move. These "implications" are basically
threats, and are already well known.
The threats:-
1 That may be huge costs associated with changing the plan.
2 Tenderers may impose penalties on the Corporation, might even
sue.
3 If a Section 4 is tabled to compel the Manager to obey the six
previous motions, Councillors might be individually and privately
liable for costs and litigation.
4 The adoption of the Waste Management plan will be held up, and
the Corporation may be subject to EU fines, or have the plan
forcibly adopted by Ministerial order.
1 The plan was never sanctioned. The Waste Management strategy
has not been adopted as a plan, due to managements intransigence
on the WRF siting. If contracts are already in place, if money
has been spent, it will not stand up to scrutiny.
2 It is unimaginable that a company interested in securing a
public contract would penalise or sue the Public body involved.
3 The suggestion of a tendering company suing Public
representatives directly is even more ludicrous.
4 The current "emergency" was entirely caused by
Management's refusal to enact motions passed since 1990. They
have taken it to the wire in order to give the elected
Councillors a very difficult choice. They can bow down and accept
the WRF at the Kinsale Rd., breaking 30 years of promises, or,
they can compel management to obey their six previous motions,
risking misplaced blame for delaying the Waste Management Plan.
It is essential that they act in a unified manner on this without
local or party issues intruding. This is an old, recurring,
problem. It needs to be dealt with cleanly for once and for all.
Dan FitzGerald, Kinsale Rd. Dump Action Group.
DON'T GIVE THE TAX MAN ANY MORE THAN YOU HAVE TO ...
... Advises Citizens Information Call Centre.
Anyone who thinks they have too pay too much
income tax should be sure to look out for a letter from the
Revenue Commissioners which should be landing on every PAYE
workers doormat during the next month. “This document, which
goes by the somewhat unwieldy name of “Certificate of tax
credits and standard rate cut-off point” outlines the amount
and type of tax reliefs that you have been allowed. It is
important that you check to make sure that you claim all the
reliefs to which you are entitled otherwise you will end up
paying more tax than necessary” says Niamh Murray of the
Citizens Information Call Centre. “Whilst some of the
reliefs are given automatically others are not awarded unless we
claim them, and we are none of us perfect, we can all make
mistakes, even the tax man”
Tax relief for most PAYE workers is more generous this year than
of recent years .A single person will automatically have a
personal allowance of £5,500 whilst a married couples allowance
amounts to £11,000 and in addition to that anyone who is working
and liable to be taxed under the PAYE system has a PAYE allowance
of £2,000.
But there is a whole list of other allowances which need to be
applied for such as those for medical expences, pension
contributions, health insurance, mortgages, home loans and rental
costs as well as special allowances for anyone with dependent
relatives.
If you think you may be entitled to any of these allowances then
make sure you send in your completed tax return. If you think
that you may have failed to claim some allowance to which you
were entitled in the past then the good news is that you may
claim rebates for up to at least six years or even longer under
certain circumstances.
If you want any further advice or information about tax or any
other aspect of your rights and entitlements you may contact the
Citizens Information Call Centre on lo-call 1890 777 121 at any
time from 9.30am to 6.30pm Mon to Fri or by email at
information@comhairle.ie The service is free and totally
confidential.
