28 May 2025
By Tom Collins
tom@TheCork.ie
Local News from Carrigaline, compiled by Barry Cogan
Good Fish New Facility
To mark European Maritime Day, Ireland’s EU Commissioner, Michael Mc Grath, Costas Kadis, Fisheries and Oceans Commissioner and Timmy Dooley TD, Minister of State for the Marine, Fisheries and Digital Mapping formally launched the Good Fish multi million euro processing facility in Shanbally on Thursday May 22nd. Also present were Deputy Séamus Mc Grath and Charlina Vitcheva, Directorate General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries. The Good Fish company run by Currabinny man Denis Good and his son Donagh has constructed a new purpose built processing facility in Shanbally. The company has been processing at their facility in the Carrigaline Industrial park for years and currently employs 100 people. Good Fish has extensive fish shops at the Carrigaline Industrial Estate, Douglas Court Shopping Centre and Market Place, Kinsale. It all started when Denis opened a fish shop in Carrigaline in 1988.
Pictured (L–R): Donagh Good and Denis Good, company founders
Photo: Joleen Cronin
New ‘My Open Library’ Services Launched in Carrigaline
Carrigaline Library has been upgraded inside and out to support the addition of My Open Library. The ribbon was cut at the facility on Monday May 26th by Cllr Patrick Donovan, deputising for the Mayor of the County of Cork; Minister of State with responsibility for Community Development and Charities and with responsibility for Rural Transport, Jerry Buttimer TD; and Chief Executive of Cork County Council, Moira Murrell.
Cork County Council having officially opened the newly refurbished Carrigaline Library now has longer opening hours for library members in Carrigaline, Kinsale and Mallow.
My Open Library, a technology-driven service offering extended library opening hours to the community, has been rolled out to the three locations which will be open from 8.00am to 10.00pm, seven days a week, 365 days a year.
Funded by the Department of Rural and Community Development (DRCD) and Cork County Council, the My Open Library installation at Carrigaline, Kinsale, and Mallow Libraries has generated a 145% increase in the number of available service hours to the community at each location, rising from 40 hours to 98 hours per week.
The new additions at Carrigaline Library include a young adult zone with relaxed seating, a remodelled children’s area with more books and children’s work tables for homework, crafts and games, and comfortable seating in the windows for reading and watching the world go by. The multifunction community meeting room can be booked for use during the day and in the evening during My Open Library hours. Bike racks have also been installed outside to facilitate sustainable travel.
For more information about My Open Library and Cork County Council’s Library & Arts Service visit www.corkcoco.ie
Bilingual Bingo
Last Friday, Carrigaline held its first bilingual Bingo in the GAA club. Half who attended did so to support Carraig ag Caint, the local club which promotes the use of Irish in the community. The other half were there for the Bingo and were undeterred by the mix of Irish and English used by the bingo caller, many commenting on how much of their Irish was coming back to them over the evening. A great evening was had by all.
Last Friday May 30th, as the last Friday of the month, was the national monthly day of promoting using your cúpla focal. You can use your cúpla focal anyday. Why not order your coffee from Rebecca in Three Fools as Gaeilge, buy your milseán from Lauren in Auntie Nellie’s or get a leabhar from Jerome in Carrigaline Bookshop. Carrigaline Library will host a Tae agus Plé ciorcal also for Aoine na Gaeilge on May 30th at 3pm.
Carraig ag Caint meet every Wednesday morning in Esquire’s Cafe by the Co-op SuperStore at 10:30 and in The Carrigaline Court Hotel at 8pm. Tá fáile roimh cách.
Pipe Band
Carrigaline Pipe Band held a full day of band practice last Saturday in preparation for their next competition, the Mid Ulster championships, which take place in Cookstown, Co Tyrone on Saturday June 7th. The Pipe Band will play at home on Sunday June 22nd at the Corpus Christi procession after 12.30 Mass.
Lions Club
The Carrigaline Lions Club in collaboration with the Arts and Culture Centre are organising the Frank and Walters concert in the Carrigaline Court Hotel on Saturday June 21st. Supporting acts on the night are the Crosshaven Community Choir and Danny Dineen and Aos Dána. Tickets can be bought on Eventbrite or at the Hotel.
Entries for the Lions Club Fort to Fort Charity Cycle in aid of the Mercy Hospital charity and four Cork city and county Lions Clubs which takes place on Saturday June 14th, are up on last year. The event starts at Camden Fort Meagher and travels via the cross river ferry to Fort Davis and back.
Music Marathon
As part of the Carrigaline Arts and Culture festival a 12 hour music marathon is being held in the Carrigaline Court Hotel on Thursday June 19th from 10.00am to 10.00pm . A variety of choirs, musicians and singers from Carrigaline and hinterland will provide continuous entertainment throughout the day in the ongoing campaign to provide an Arts and Culture Centre including a theatre in Carrigaline. The event is free and open to the public, donations and sponsorship are welcome.
Active Retired
Carrigaline Active Retired members were back in the Community Complex on Thursday last May 22nd many reminiscing about their very enjoyable few days in Kilkenny the previous week. On that afternoon they were entertained by Denis Johnson playing music and singing which all enjoyed This Thursday they will have a lady from the Cork College of FET Carrigaline Centre, Herons Wood telling them about Classes for seniors coming up in September.
Men’s Shed
The Carrigaline Men’s Shed received welcome news this week that their annual government grant provided by the Department of Rural and Community Development has been restored. It will help the Shed with the running and operational costs such as heating, utility and insurance bills. Members of the Carrigaline Shed travelled to Dublin on Wednesday and visited the National Museum in Collins Barracks. Another outing is in the planning stage for the month of June. The Shed designed and crafted specially commissioned medals for the Carrigaline Lions Club for the cyclists in the Fort to Fort charity cycle 2025 on Saturday June 14th in aid of the Mercy Hospital Foundation and Lions Clubs. The Shed choir’s next performance will be at the music marathon in the Carrigaline Court Hotel on Thursday June 19th from 2.00pm to 3.00pm. They will continue choir practice every Tuesday in preparation for the event. New members are welcome, for further enquiries contact Roger Morrissey 087 220 3547.
Tidy Towns
Carrigaline did very well in the second week of the litter league. A number of the locations judged including Main Street and residential areas were found to be litter free. Well done to the public at large, the County Council for their support and especially the dedicated team of Tidy Towns volunteers who continue litter picking every day throughout the town. The rain in the past week was very welcome by the gardening section of Tidy Towns as the regular watering of the flowers was very laborious and time consuming. The Tidy Towns campaign continues throughout the summer with the judging for the National SuperValu Tidy Towns competition taking place during June and July. New volunteers and helpers are always welcome, call to HQ in the Owenabue car park any Tuesday at 10.00am, Wednesday at 7.00pm or Saturday at 9.30am. Carrigalinetidytowns@gmail.com
Summer Fete
The annual summer fete will take place on Saturday June 21st in St Mary’s School in Waterpark from 10am until 2pm. Bric-a-brac, crafts, plants, bottle stall, unwanted presents, DIY tools, toys, cakes, home produce, handbags, dress jewellery and more will all be available. This fete is very popular and is very well attended every summer.
Confirmation
The Carrigaline Church of Ireland candidates for Confirmation will be confirmed on Sunday June 8th at the 11.00am Sunday service. There will be no 9.30 service that day.
Knock Pilgrimage
There are still places available on the bus for the annual Carrigaline Pilgrimage to Knock which takes place on the weekend of Saturday June 28th and Sunday June 29th, 2025. The bus will leave Carrigaline on Saturday 28th at 8.00am, with a pick-up in Blackpool. The group will have a stop for breakfast at the Inn at Dromoland and will arrive in Knock in plenty of time to attend the ceremonies in the Basilica at 3pm. Saturday is the Vocations Society of St Joseph (formerly St Joseph’s Young Priests Society) day and Sunday is the Franciscans pilgrimage day.
Many avail of the opportunity to get confession and do some of the rounds, light candles or ger Mass cards. A visit to the excellent Knock Museum situated on the grounds of the Shrine is also recommended. The peaceful atmosphere of Knock Shrine is enhanced by over 100 acres of beautifully landscaped, mature grounds and gardens. Overnighting in the Knock House Hotel the group have dinner early and people can go to mass or just relax in the hotel.
On Sunday after breakfast all put bags on the bus, the group gathers for the Stations of the Cross at 12 noon and later in the Basilica there is rosary at 2.00pm, the blessing of the sick at 2.30pm followed by the concelebrated Mass at 3pm concluding with the procession weather permitting. After the procession all go to the bus immediately and the next stop is for dinner back at the Inn at Dromoland on the way home. It is hoped to be back in Carrigaline before 11.00pm on Sunday night.
Knock Shrine, Ireland’s International Eucharistic and Marian Shrine, has been very busy since the pilgrimage season began at the beginning of May, with big crowds attending all the weekend ceremonies. €195 per person sharing including meals. Contact Aislinn 021 437 2035 / 087 9699 488 or Mary 021 437 1025.