Heritage Notes - 18 November 2011

The Cappoquin Christmas Collection

They’re back! This year’s instalment of the Cappoquin Christmas Collection has just hit the shops and can be bought at the Post Office, the Credit Union and at Murrays in Barrack Street. The 2011 series is bigger than last year’s, and contains nine different Christmassy scenes in all. For obvious reasons, scenes from the frozen Blackwater of late 2010 are found on several of the cards, but you will also find some lovely images of Dromana Bridge, Twigbog, St Anne’s Church and the Corner Stone.

The cost of this year’s cards is as competitive as ever, at just one euro each. All profits from sales go to support the work of Cappoquin Heritage Group and, as always, we will give details of profits, if any, after Christmas. With a print run of just 900 cards, and with over 100 gone in five days, it is time to get the skates on (remember 2010?) and get your Cappoquin themed cards for Christmas before it’s too late. Sincere thanks to the people who supplied images which we could not use in the end and, naturally, to those whose images have been used on these cards. These included Cara and Gina McGrath, Noel O’Donoghue, Steve O’Shea, Kerry McLaughlin, Brendan Connors and a special thanks to Yvonne O’Sullivan, to whom we extend our deepest sympathy at this difficult time.

This week’s picture comes from the new Christmas Collection and features a Noel O’Donoghue painting called ‘Home for Christmas at the Cornerstone’. Well done to Cara for all her work on this project.

Remembering the Tailors

A number of enquiries have been made in recent days regarding the Tailors premises, which has been cleared out. We can allay people’s fears by telling you that the landlord has been more than helpful in allowing members of the Heritage Group to access the building and rescue items of particular significance relating to this iconic premises and family.

We have a literal mountain of items, postcards, old dockets, photos, GAA memorabilia etc which we hope to put on display sometime in 2012, possibly around the time of the Cornerstone Carnival. It is too early to confirm this as yet but rest assured that anything that could be done by our small group to preserve this aspect of Cappoquin’s heritage has been in hand for quite some time. The landlord and the family of Noel and Thomas have been very supportive all through and the Beekeepers Association have also been doing great work. More on the exhibition plans in due course.

Heritage Notes - 23 September 2011

This week’s image

Our link to the past this week comes from a 1927 copy of An Sleibhtánach, the Mount Melleray annual which contained a wealth of stories, poems and folklore over the years. It also contained advertisements and this week we feature a group of Cappoquin businesses and the wares they were advertising all of eighty-four years ago. Enjoy!

Christmas Cards (almost) last call

We are fast approaching the deadline for Christmas card photos or artwork. Pop into the credit union or let any Civic Link member know if you would like to see your handiwork on a 2011 Christmas card.

County Archivist talks

Keep your eyes open for news of the series of talks beginning this week at the community centre, with County Archivist Joanne Rothwell sure to engage and entertain as she deals with the topic of health and wealth in 19^th century Waterford.

Local hurlers to the fore

Amid scenes of great excitement on successive nights, three local hurling teams qualified for Western Finals last weekend. It was great to see both Cappoquin and Tourin intermediate hurlers overcome their semi final opponents on the same afternoon to set up what should be a great final in a couple of weeks time. The following day, Melleray Glen Rovers made it a hat trick for the parish when they overcame Abbeyside to qualify for the Western Junior Final.

In terms of historical parallels, we can point to the very last game played by Cappoquin and Affane as separate clubs being in junior hurling in 1968. Cappoquin and Tourin have crossed hurleys on several occasions, most recently in the preliminary rounds of this year’s championship. Back in the early 1960s, Cappoquin and Melleray played each other in a primary hurling final, the only time as far as our records can tell that two teams from Cappoquin parish played each other in a divisional final. We stand to be corrected on that one but in the meantime, in the interests of fairness to all, may all three of them win in the upcoming games, impossible as that may be!!

Cappoquin’s double Olympic boxer

One of Cappoquin’s favourite Tipperarymen has located a most interesting article in last week’s ‘Tipperary Star’. Written by Bansha sports historian Michael O’Dwyer, it deals with a famous Irish boxer named ‘Boy’ Murphy whose father hailed from Tipperary. This Olympic great went within one fight of a medal at two successive Games, in 1924 and 1928. According to the article, Murphy was born in what is now Pakistan but the detail which really caught the eye was that his mother came from, believe it or not, Cappoquin, Co. Waterford. We haven’t managed to contact Michael before this week’s press deadline but hope to do so in the coming days. If and when more details emerge, you will be among the first to know.

Club Directory Update

We are currently working on an update of our clubs and society directory. The existing one can be checked out on the web at www.cappoquin.net. While we will do everything we can to get the directory as accurate as possible, we are hoping that clubs and societies will let us know of any changes of personnel, contact details etc in the coming weeks before we go to press in early October. Similarly, any new club or voluntary group in the area which wants to have its contact details included, let Cara, Cindy or any member of the Civic Link committee know as soon as possible.

Masquerade Ball

The masquerade Ball sub committee will be kicking into action this week, preparing the way for this year’s extravaganza. Once again, the Boathouse will be the venue and the date of this year’s event has been fixed for Saturday, 29^th October. All profits from this event, as last year, will go towards the umbrella insurance which Civic Link takes out, and which helps to cover the Carnival, Santa at the Square, the Tradfest and a number of other events annually. The even better news this year is that admission prices are going to remain at just €10, as the aim is every bit as much to have fun as it is to raise funds. So put the date in your diary for the sixth annual Cappoquin Masquerade Ball

Heritage Notes - 16 September 2011

The Magnificent Eight!!

This week’s blast from the past features a group of fifth-year students at St. Anne’s Secondary School in the early 1980s. If they look a bit ‘old’ for the eighties, the reason is simple enough. These ‘magnificent eight’ were extras in the BBC production of ‘One of Ourselves’, shot mainly in Cappoquin. The film starred local lad Stephen Mason alongside legend Cyril Cusaack and a host of stars, while other locals like Carmel Allen, Aidan Walsh, Bridget Uniacke and the late Rita McCarthy and Tom Hackett among others saw action too.

The scene in the photograph here is taken outside the parochial hall, which featured in the film as the local cinema. It is probably embarrassment enough for those in the picture for them to be shown here, so we will skip the names on this occasion. It’s not too difficult to recognise them anyway, though most are minus the caps and most of the hair today!

Christmas Card photos

We have received a number of pictures to date in our appeal for possible Christmas Card images for 2012. Please keep them coming as we hope to make a decision on the six card designs within the next three weeks or so in order to have them out in good time for the festive season. Cara at the Credit Union (mcgrath.cara@gmail.com) or any other Civic Link member will be delighted to hear from you. Electronic copies of any images would be best but we can manage them anyway we get them really.

Heritage Notes - 26 August 2011

Steamer’s Quay

Last week’s picture has been identified as a scene from 1936, but the reason behind Sargent’s Garage selling three different brands of fuel remains a mystery, even to serious car experts locally. This week we re-live the golden age of the steamboat with a scene from the Steamer’s Quay around the early 1890s. If you look closely enough you can see the new panelling on the red bridge, the ticket box for collecting the fares and there is even a little boy dressed in a sailor suit, perhaps for his very first trip to Youghal. Who knows what an adventure he had that day?

Following the great work done on the red bridge car park by Civic Link and the Council, the Heritage Group has been working hard of late trying to progress a possible restoration to modern standards of the Steamer’s Quay, and we have been very heartened by the backing we have received from landowners and river users alike. Our aim is simply to see the Quay restored for use by boats of any description and there is no desire to make money from the venture. It could be a great boost to local river use, and to tourist interest in the area and we are committed to doing all that a small voluntary group can do to bring this about.

‘Off the Top’

With the opening of Cappoquin’s first barber’s shop (i.e. for the guys only) in more than thirty years now just a few days away (Aug 30), it is great to hear that the name of Mark Ferguson’s new establishment is derived from one of the favourite sayings of our last barber, the late Paddy Connolly of Upper Main Street. We have narrowed down the date of Paddy’s closure for business to between 1974 and 1980 or so but if anyone can be more precise do let us know. In the meantime, the best of luck to Mark in his new venture beside Super Valu – no news as yet whether hair transplants are also available!

Ap training

Some of our members were heading for the launch of the mobile phone application devoted to Dungarvan history this week and we are very hopeful that we can access training to allow us to develop something similar for Cappoquin in the coming months.

Heritage Christmas Cards

This year’s stock of postcards on local themes are selling very well and can still be bought in either the credit union or post office. We have also decided to produce a new series of local Christmas cards for this year. However, this year we would like to invite anyone who has taken ‘Christmassy’ images of local scenes in the past to submit them to us and we will use the best six as the images for this year’s cards. Ideally, we need to get pictures in before the end of September and we will be happy to give some free Christmas cards (as well as the obvious fame involved!) to the people whose photos, or paintings, are selected. Any Heritage Group or Civic Link member will be glad to hear from you on this one.

Heritage Notes - 19 August 2011

This week’s picture

This week, we hope people will take a new look at an old picture. The scene shows what we presume to be members of West Waterford Hunt setting out from the Square and coming up Main Street. Image enhancement has shown that the number plates visible on the cars are KI 2200 and KI 1969. If anyone can date the picture, or identify the cars, do let us know. More curious still is the fact that the petrol pumps at Sargent’s Garage on the right are selling at least three different brands of petrol. From the left, you can see the SHELL logo, and then TEXACO and ESSO closer to the main garage shop. Can anyone explain how that could be, please? Those who can recall Sargent’s were of the view it was an ESSO garage, so the SHELL and TEXACO pumps are certainly curiosities.

County Council Thanks

While we continue to lobby the Council on some matters of footpath safety, playground maintenance and lighting, we should also reiterate that the Council has been great in the assistance it has given to the clean up of the Inch car park a few weeks ago. Exciting plans are coming from the County Museum also, relating to the development of web-based heritage trails in different places around the county. With the work we have already done on the Cappoquin Heritage trails being available online at www.cappoquin.net already, we are very hopeful of being able to link with the museum’s initiative in the near future.

More recently still, it is an absolute joy to see Cappoquin’s Carnegie Library back close to full operation. Mrs Muriel Cullen has taken up the job of branch librarian since last week and the branch is now open for a total of 18 hours a week. We wish Muriel the very best of luck in her new role. Monday and Fridays sees opening times from 10.00 to 1.00 and from 2.00 to 5.00, while Thursday’s opening times are 1.00 to 4.00 and 5.00 to 8.00.

Reflective Jackets

Civic Link recently purchased a set of two dozen reflective jackets and if any community group would like to borrow some of these for safety purposes during their own activities, any committee member will be glad to help arrange the loan.

Working on the Inch

Some of our members have been hard at work in recent weeks on ideas which might form part of our efforts to improve the Inch area. Our last meeting agreed to call a meeting of any interested parties to discuss the possibilities before any further action is considered. This will be advertised in due course.

Heritage Notes - 5 August 2011

A very special photograph

This week's photograph is a relatively recent one for us in heritage terms but a very historic one nevertheless. It shows the retirement celebration of Mrs Ellen Scanlan from the Boys' National School, Cappoquin in 1977. Pictured, from left, are Shaun Moynihan (principal), James Bennett, Mrs Scanlan, Pat Fleming, Sr. Mary Darcy and the late Bessie Cahill.

The photograph is particularly significant as Mrs Scanlan reached the great age of 100 years at the end of June, and many congratulations to her on reaching this milestone. Who knows how many hundreds and perhaps thousands of local children learnt handwriting, spelling, reading and so on from this great lady?

Mrs Scanlan's teaching service locally saw her in Mount Melleray Girls National School from 1931 to 1942, in Villierstown National School from 1943 to 1950, followed by service in Cappoquin Boys School from 1950 until 30th June 1977. Amazing.

Heritage Notes - 29 July 2011

With the heady events of last weekend seeing three Waterford teams qualify for All-Ireland semi finals, two hurling and one camogie, there could only be one picture for our notes this week. For the first time since 1948, Waterford have both senior and minor teams in the hurling semi-finals. Back in 1948, they went on to score a fantastic double by winning both titles. The minor team then was powered by seven Cappoquin club members on that occasion, six playing on the team and the coach being Paddy Cunningham of Barrack Street. Our picture this week shows the group known to this day locally as ‘the Magnificent Seven’ a full twenty years before Yul Brynner, Steve McQueen and other non-hurlers ‘borrowed’ the title from them (Wouldn’t McQueen have made a great centre back!). Standing (from left) are Michael Kelleher, Vincent Walsh, Joe Flynn and Paddy Cunningham, while in front are Michael O’Connor, Billy Conway and Michael Browne.

One footnote. Few people may realise the great efforts, for absolutely no reward, that the Waterford players and members of the management team put in to help our Blackwater Crossing long puck recently. They couldn’t have been more supportive, and it was great to see the rejuvenation of the senior team last Sunday in Thurles. The standard of hurling in Waterford, from underage to senior, hasn’t been as strong as this in fifty years, and don’t let anyone tell you differently, whatever happens on Sunday week.

Postcards

Just a reminder that our series of local postcards is back on sale for the summer, available at the Credit Union and one or two more local outlets. These were very popular last summer and already are flying out the door, almost Harry Potter style, this year too. All profits go towards funding heritage-related projects, such as the exhibition.

Autumn Exhibition

Our heritage group is at work currently in trying to put together an exhibition for the autumn devoted to school days past and present. We are trying to track down copybooks and other school memorabilia, as well as copies of the folklore and stories written by local children in various primary schools during the 1930s and much more recently. If anyone has items that you think we can use, please let a committee member know.

Heritage Notes - 15 April 2011

This week’s vintage picture comes from 1935 or thereabouts, and is timely given the recent achievements of Ireland’s cricketers. With the local GAA club not fielding that year, a number of men took the opportunity to play for what we believe to be Cappoquin’s first cricket team (Tourin’s team from 1902 was featured some months back). Captain Jameson, with the pads in the middle row, was a first-class cricketer who had graced Lords with the MCC in his day, and he was a central figure in getting this team together. They certainly played at the GAA pitch, which was then known as the town park and was not solely a GAA venue, but we haven’t been able to find out who the opponents were. We don’t, as yet, have all the names of those involved, but for sure the back row contains, from second left: Mick Sargent, Jack McCarthy, Paddy Mullane and Dommie Dunne. Jimmy Lacey (Snr) is to the right of Captain Jameson in the middle row while at the front right is Michael Walsh, late of Belmont and Dungarvan.

Carnival News

News is that the Cornerstone Carnival ‘7’ dates are now cast in stone for June 24-26, with a range of new events coming on stream this year. Among them will be a hilarious ‘small ships’ race which will be held in Green Street, a giant ping pong ball race down Castle Street and a King Kong size pool table at the GAA field. Old favourites will be back too, from fire displays to Recession Olympics, GAA fun day and dog show, music and dancing, art classes and an exhibition, the Dromana 5 road race and the Blackwater Crossing long puck. The nominated charity to benefit from some of the fundraising events this year will be the SOLAS cancer-respite centre in Waterford city, so we do hope patrons will come along and both enjoy the fun and support this worthy cause.

Clean Up of the Inch Car Park

As part of our commitment to the Cappoquin town plan, Civic Link will hold a clean up of the car park area at the Inch on Saturday, 7^th May. We hope to tidy up and refresh the large car park area here and all helpers will be welcome on the day. Full details of the event will be supplied in good time.

Trekkin Eejits

This year’s ‘Trekkin Eejits’ event is nearly upon us, with the 24 hour relay-walk along the Blackwater Valley scheduled for next Friday and Saturday, April 15^th and 16^th. Sponsorship cards are still available from the Credit Union, and even if you aren’t up to the walk, be sure that any of the participants will still gladly accept any sponsorship. This year’s beneficiaries from the fundraiser are West Waterford and Marymount Hospices.

The first stage begins at 6.00 pm on Friday evening from the Square at Cappoquin, heading due west towards Fermoy before looping back towards west Waterford again on the left bank of the river (towards Clashmore) and then back to Cappoquin via Glendine, Camphire and Tourin. Locals will need no reminding of the spectacular scenery which awaits the walkers, so the chance to lift your spirits, get some exercise and raise a few bob for a good cause should not be missed. Arrival time for the last leg of walkers into Cappoquin is scheduled for 7.00 pm on Saturday evening.

‘Our Daily Bread’

Best wishes to all at Barrons’ Bakery on the launch of the book on the history of the bakery next Saturday evening. Very few small town businesses have survived the test of modernisation as Barrons has and this should be a great occasion to celebrate an enduring feature of our heritage. The event gets underway at 8.30 PM officially at the community centre, although rumour has it that there may be a few ‘blas’ and cakes available even before that for early comers. All are very welcome indeed and many congratulations to everyone involved.

Heritage Notes - 1 April 2011

AGM review

At the Cappoquin Civic Link AGM last Wednesday, chairperson Mike Coffey reported on a range of over twenty simple activities undertaken during 2010 to promote community efforts. The people in attendance expressed satisfaction with the work done and re-elected all outgoing members unopposed. It is anticipated that a few new members will be co-opted in the coming weeks, and the first meeting of the new committee is scheduled for Wednesday, April 6^th next. Among the main issues raised from the floor at the AGM were the promotion of tourism and concern for the future of Cappoquin library. A small profit was reported on the year’s activities also, meaning that the combined accounts now show a balance of just over €9,000. Many thanks for the support and encouragement during the year. The next meeting of the Heritage Group takes place this Wednesday, March 30^th at 8.00 in the library.

Music in the air

Hot on the heels of the third, and wonderful, St. Patrick’s Day Parade came the Tradfest which ran from Thursday to Sunday last weekend and certainly gave another huge boost to the town, socially and economically. Winnie Fennell would have been so proud. It was particularly great to see the numbers of young people now happily and expertly playing musical instruments and their efforts, and those of their teachers, have certainly borne fruit at the parade, carnival etc also. Long may the music continue.

Heritage Notes - 25 March 2011

Welcome Back

Finally this week a hearty welcome back to work to Mary Tobin. It is great, and very important to the whole area, to see our library doors open for business once more and to have Mary behind the desk. To say that Mary, and the library, carry out a vital public service in Cappoquin would be a real understatement and it remains vital that this service is maintained and supported.

Foróige Fashionistas

Well done to the Foróige club which, for the second year running, carried off the novelty fancy dress award at the Cappoquin St. Patrick’s Day Parade last week. This year’s theme was a sort of Carribbean-meets-the-Comeraghs Leprechaun extravaganza, complete with appropriate costumes, rainbow and of course, a crock of gold. Only a few can appreciate the sweetness of the victory and the imagination and long hours of work that went into costumes, gold coin replicas, etc, so well done to everyone concerned.

Best of Luck

Best of luck to Winnie’s Gang with the forthcoming tradfest next weekend, featuring great traditional music over the four-day period. Rumour has it that a fine new ballad has been penned about the Battle of Affane and, who knows, it might get an airing this weekend. Best of luck also to the Trekkin Eejits, whose charity walk this year will follow the banks of the Blackwater. Sponsorship cards are available from the Credit Union and from the Eejits themselves, and the walk this year runs (walks!) from Friday, April 15^th to Saturday 16th, with all proceeds going to the Marymount and West Waterford Hospices.

Other meetings

The Cornerstone Carnival committee met last Monday night and things are really taking shape at this stage for the seventh carnival on the last weekend in June. Next meeting is on Monday, April 4^th in Fawlty’s at 7.30. The Heritage Group meets next on Wednesday, April 6^th at 7.30.

Postcards

Just to keep you in the know! The Cappoquin Collection of postcards are now available at Cappoquin's Post Office and Credit Union. A collection of 10 are on sale.

Heritage Notes - 11 March 2011

Royal Visit?

With the news of a visit by Queen Elizabeth II to Ireland next May now being virtually certain, our picture this week is a vivid record of the only time we know for sure that a British monarch visited Cappoquin. To the best of our research capabilities, this was in 1904, when King Edward VII toured County Waterford during a week or so in Ireland. As the image shows, a decorative arch of what looks like laurel was erected at the western entrance to the town and many folks turned out to see the unique event, unsurprisingly, as the king travelled to Lismore. This was a time of great hope that Ireland would soon be granted Home Rule – it took a further ten years, in fact – though the mere fact that a motor car was about to pass through the town in 1904 would have been enough cause for serious curiosity. The picture comes from the collection of the late and legendary John Fraher.

Cúpla Focail agus Lá Fhéile Phádraig

With St. Patrick’s Day just around the corner and all hands on deck in many clubs and organizations trying to make our third parade the biggest and best yet, our Heritage Group has provided dozens of fliers in local hostelries and other venues around town, providing simple guides to conversational Irish. Hopefully, some folks will be inspired to give the language a new go with the help of these fliers. Go n-éirí an t-ádh libh.

Town Twinning

Following the successful visit of friends from Chanat La Mouteyre last June when they joined in the Cornerstone Carnival activities with very obvious enjoyment the next exchange will see three people from Cappoquin taking up the invitation to enjoy the hospitality of our French Twins and celebrate the St Patrick’s Day period in the hinterland of Clermont Ferrand.

On Thursday next Anna Ní Fhiannusa, John McGrath and Keith Dransfield will take the good wishes of us here in Cappoquin all the 1044km by plane and train to Chanat where, at 800 metres high, they are promised a warm welcome even though there is plenty of snow still on the ground. They have been warned to bring stout shoes so obviously they will not be spending all their time sheltering indoors. Looking through the recently-arrived programme for the trip, the group will visit a number of local monastic sites as well as the world famous volcanic formation, the Puy de Dome near the home of Volvic mineral water. The menu looks pretty good too, mind you, with various local wines and cheeses featuring prominently in the detail.

We wish them Bon Voyage, ask them to give very best wishes to all in Chanat and hope it won’t be long before we are welcoming the Chanatois back here.

Cornerstone Carnival

Following a productive second planning meeting of the Carnival committee last week, the dates for this year’s carnival have been confirmed as June 24-26 inclusive, more or less the same weekend as last year. It is really terribly important that any club or organization wishing to be involved in the programme attends the planning meetings at this stage, to avoid complications later. The next meeting of the committee, which means of all interested representatives, is in the Toby Jug on Monday, March 21^st at 7.30.

Civic Link AGM

A further reminder that the annual general meeting of Civic Link will be held in the parochial hall, Cappoquin on Wednesday, March 23^rd next. We will have fuller details in next week’s papers but please put this date in your diaries and come and have your say on what we do, and don’t do to your satisfaction.

Heritage Notes - 11 February 2011

Fifty years ago…

In this week’s picture, we have some of the cast and organising committee of the Cappoquin Hurling and Football Clubs’ fourth annual concert and play, at the Desmond Cinema on March 12^th 1961. The show featured a number of acts by local school children, with two one-act plays called ‘After Hours’ and ‘The Pawn Shop’. In the photograph here we have: Front Row from left: John Fraher, Ned Lonergan and Billy Conway. Back Row from left: Eddie Fraher, Michael Fraher, John Smith and Arthur Murray. Both Eddie and John are looking a bit worse for wear in the picture, but don’t worry – it’s just make-up!

Heritage Notes - 4 February 2011

Past Times

Our heritage photo this week comes from Ger Mason’s archive and shows the famous garage owner, Mick Sargent, standing at his petrol pumps on Main Street during the 1960s. What may not be clearly visible is some of the detail from the background. When magnified, you can see that Bridie Gallagher was due to perform in the Boathouse, according to the poster in the window, while the price of petrol was also interesting. For £5, you could buy 11 gallons of ESSO. If we take it that £5 was worth about €6.35 in euro, and 11 gallons is the same as about 50 litres, that makes the price of a litre of petrol in the 1960s at around 12 cent in today’s money. Ouch!

Heritage Notes - 28 January 2011

Library Celebrations

2010 sees the centenary of the Carnegie Free Library at Cappoquin. Built and opened in 1910 on a site donated by Sir John Keane, the local library has stood the test of time and economics in excellent shape, and it will be great to see it reach this milestone during the year. We hope to have more complete details about any plans for anniversary celebrations in the coming weeks, and know that this is something that a lot of people feel very positively about.

In the Money

Many thanks to the various bodies who assisted Civic Link projects towards the end of 2010 with financial aid, much of it unexpected but all of it very welcome in these cash-strapped times. The Foróige club benefited from two grants from Waterford County Council, totalling €1559 in all, which will be a great support to its efforts to provide activities and supports to our teenagers. Civic Link has also been successful in its first efforts to promote the Inch area, with a promise of €1250 from the Local Agenda 21 fund, for wildlife signage and possibly a seat at the car park adjacent to the Red Bridge. We are going to visit the Fenor Bog in the Spring in search of more ideas for enhancing and preserving this unique natural area at the river bend, a project which has been identified for implementation under the 2010 town plan. A note also to inform people that the Heritage Group sold over 600 Christmas cards with Cappoquin themes in the four-week spell before Christmas, netting a profit of over €200 and helping people to send a bit of the old place to friends and relatives around the globe. Thanks for the support. Lastly, but by no means least, our thanks to everyone at Cappoquin Fire Station for their contribution of €400 to Civic Link’s funds for community support, part of the proceeds from their pre-Christmas ladder climb. It all counts, big time!

Keep in Touch

Just a reminder that you can keep in touch with all Civic Link goings on at www.cappoquin.net or join us on facebook, where you will find we have 206 ‘friends’ at the last count, with 338 following the heritage group also.

Heritage Notes - 14 January 2011

Weather history

Happy new year to everyone. After many investigations and discussions, it looks fairly certain at this point that the recent spell of cold weather, which caused the Blackwater to freeze at Cappoquin in huge solid masses, was the most extreme on record locally. There were very cold winters in 1963 and 1947, but the freezing river was certainly a new one locally, by all accounts. Celsius and Farenheit measuring scales only go back two or three hundred years and for sure we have no record of anything colder locally from them either.

Our picture this week is of the river as seen from the Rock, looking across at Lefanta. The spot on the far bank where the boat and pontoon are is one of those where the very first ‘Cappoquin people’ operated from back in 6000 BC or so. This has been documented by archaeologists at UCC since the 1980s. At that point, the river also probably had large chunks of ice in it like you can see here, as the ice age was ending and the earliest people began to make their way up rivers to hunt and fish. So, the only thing we can say for certain is that the scene you are looking at here HAS been seen before, except that the boat was probably a dug out canoe, the cameraman (if there had been one) would have been wearing animal skins, and it was at least 8,000 years ago!