From the Archives

25 years ago

In a week when an all-out effort was being made to build bridges between the unionists and nationalists in Northern Ireland, history was being made on the Cavan-Fermanagh Border with the official opening of the Senator George Mitchell Peace Bridge.

Harmonious relations between the Northern Ireland Roads Service and Cavan County Council ensured the scheme was completed in record time. From conception to completion, the scheme, which would normally take seven years, had taken just four.

The official opening was performed jointly by Lord Dubs of the Northern Ireland Department of the Environment and Minister Noel Dempsey, Minister for the Environment in the Republic...

Clones would make a case for Heritage status it was announced at the monthly meeting of Clones UDC, and according to members there was a lot of history in the town, which was untapped.

A sub-committee to actively investigate and lobby for such status would be of immense benefit to the town stated P.J. McCague who first raised the topic.

He said there was no Heritage or Historical Group in Clones, but there were such groups in Newbliss and Monaghan. Clones, he said, was not exploiting what they had. He felt it would be a worthwhile exercise for the council to set-up a group to look solely at their archaeological sites which were grossly under publicised...

The bussing of 400 students out of Kingscourt on a daily basis to schools in other towns was no longer acceptable, according to Cavan VEC, which were seeking an urgent meeting with the Minister for Education to impress on him the strong case for a second level school for this thriving north east Cavan town.

Other TDs from the constituency were asked to join with committee member, Deputy Brendan Smith, in intensifying the fight for the school at Government level...

An assault on Galway referee, Michael Curley, by Wexford team manager, J.J. Barrett, at the end of the Cavan v Wexford national football league game at Breffni Park, received nationwide media attention.

This serious incident was sparked when victory was snatched from Wexford following the conversion of an injury-time penalty to Cavan by Ronan Carolan.

Barrett, a former Kerry football star of the sixties and a journalist with the Evening Herald, resigned from the position of team manager following an apology to the referee who is a Garda Superintendent based in Galway.

He also included in his apology the Wexford team, supporters and Co Board...

Balaclavas, helmets and other items used in armed bank robberies in Gort and Abbeyleix were located by gardaí from Ballyconnell and Carrigallen at Portlongfield.

The find was made in a concerted search of the area and gardaí at Ballyconnell confirmed that the items had been linked to earlier raids.

The highly successful Corn Mill Theatre Drama Troupe continued their winning form when they took first place in the open section at 54th Annual Cavan Drama Festival. The local group performed the Billy Roche production ‘A Handful of Stars’...

50 years ago

Concern was expressed at a recent meeting of the Cavan Animal Health Committee, a subsidiary of Cavan County Committee of Agriculture, regarding the heavy annual losses caused by Grass Tetany.

It was agreed that the problem was on the increase, most common in dairy and sucker herds.

The committee recommended a number of practices to counteract tetany, including feeding two ounces of calcined magnesite in meal to cows for the first six weeks on grass or dusting pastures at the rate of two stone per acre.

While expensive at £1.20 per cow, the practice was considered to be a convenient method of preventing outbreaks...

Two new industrial projects in Kells, Co Meath, with the capacity to provide employment for up to 200 workers, were announced by the Minister for Local Government of the day James Tully.

The first investment involved American firm of Welch Allyn Inc, manufacturers of diagnostic instruments for medical use.

Employment for 38 people (20 men) was promised when the plant reached full production.

The factory will be located in the completed 7,400 sqm IDA advance factory.

The second project involved a UK company engaged in the photographic industry, and the Kells operation would employ 162 people...

At O’Brien’s in Ballinagh, Nashville Country Blues would open the weekend, followed by The Rangers and later The Northernaires.

The Avon Lounge on Bridge Street in Cavan Town would host the McCormack Bros who were set to entertain the crowds, as well as The Gimmicks; while at TF O’Reilly’s in Killeshanda, The Lough Boys and The Huani were due to take to the stage.

At the Ulster Bar in Belturbet The Power Family were the main attraction, and at The Organtones were on the bill for the Cormeen Lounge in Bailieborough.

100 years ago

A meeting was held at Kildough, with B. Reilly, Port, presiding.

Reports from previous canvassers were submitted, showing £700 had been taken up.

After careful consideration it was unanimously agreed on the motion of G.J. Coffey, seconded by Mr McManus, to proceed with the creation of a creamery for the area.

All canvassers were instructed to continue to canbass for shares, to make a collection of 5s per share, and to be in a position to hand in the signed forms together with cash collected at the next meeting.

Mr McGee appealed to every intending milk supplier in the area to take shares and to take not less than one share per cow. If this were done, he estimated that more than £1,000 would be raised.

This would enable the creamery to be erected and equipped by the people whom it would afterwards serve.