MEMORIES OF A VILLAGE BOY by Michael O’Brien
Having grown up in the Village the hall was always the centre of attraction for us young lads. (Southern Star 10 Oct 1970) One evening before a show we saw this man pulling a cart behind him as he walked through the Village. Who TEENAGE PARTY was it but David Walsh from Trabolgan rd Whitegate with his The Aghada teenagers organised mobile chipper he made himself. He used to fry the chips on a another party recently in the Parochial primus and boy did they taste good. That would have been in the Hall and a fair number attended. sixties. Around that time we had the last of the travelling shows. Music was supplied on records and by I remember the Tower players who filled the hall for a week. a beat group. Organisers included Jim Geeleher, Billy O’Flynn, John Joe I remember a boxing club in the hall with a ring made from the Geeleher, Joe Sheehan, Marian long stools, Pat Mulcahy, Finbarr Wall, John Hynes, Bernie Hennessy, Nora Sheehan, Joan Daly Michel Lewis, John Wall and Jimmy O’Leary were just a Hennessy, Esther Cashman, Lorraine few I can remember and they used to train two evenings a week Conway, Marian Kelly, and Marie later they joined the St Colemans club when it was formed. Bennett.
We were just kids and mad for the boxing and we would get a chance to box when the older lads finished but I (Southern Star 18 Oct 1969) didn’t last long boxing wasn’t for me. TOWER PLAYERS IN AGHADA
(Southern Star 22 Feb 1969) Another big day that I Finalists in the adults section of the talent remember was in 1971 contest in conjunction with the Tower TEENAGE RECORD HOP the East Cork GAA Players Show In the Parochial Hall The Aghada Teenage Board Convention was recently, were: Joe Sheehan, who sang Committee organised their held in the hall. It was Joys of love; Anthony O’Keeffe, Aghada, second successful record hop in akin to a meeting of the Lough Gowna’s Lovely Shore (Winner): the Parochial Hall recently, Dail (little did I know Patrick Wafer, Glanturken. Irish Soldier with excellent tea and that years later I would Laddie; Miss Mary Madigan, Ballinrostig. sandwiches laid on for an become Chairman and Fraulein; Mrs Anne Ryan. Careystown, estimated 130 boys and girls. chair the next Blackboard of My Heart; Jerry Wallace Disc jockeys for the night were Convention to be held Messrs. Billy Flynn and Joe Saleen, Boston Burglar: David Rolston, in the Parish). Sheehan. The function was Barrakilla. From a Jack to King (with organised by the Misses Joan Also around that time guitar accompaniment) Jim Walsh Hennessy, Nora Sheehan, the older teenager’s Trabolgan rd, Whitegate, Where have All Marian Hennessy, Joan Wall, organised hops but we the flowers Gone (with guitar Esther Cashman, Rosaleen accompaniment) Cashman, Eileen Shine, were too young to be Kathleen O’ Brien, Marian left in. Kelly (Midleton) and Messrs. J. J. Kelleher, B. Flynn and J. It was the same story in 1971 when Joe and Billy Sheehan held their st Sheehan. The catering was 21 there. looked after by the Misses One of the biggest days I had in the hall was in 1972 when Aghada Nancy Kelly, Kathleen O’Reilly and Eithne Cotter. won the first ever under age title and we had a victory social. What a day we had as Justin McCarthy presented our medals to us. As we turned to teenagers we set up a youth club of which I became secretary. We had a vibrant club and it served the Parish well for the next three of four years. The
Youth club held Disco’s, Concert etc, we introduced badminton, table tennis, darts, produced a news letter every month (no computers that time). You name it we done it. What a group of lads and lassies all with their own special talents, just to mention a few that passed to their eternal reward before their time Terence Day, Michael Counihan, Amelia Morressy, and Billy Ahern. O what fun we had.
Around that time the Corkbeg Soccer Club used to run dances, Gay Cotter was the man in charge. Many different bands with all types’ music played there but one night I will never forget. Gay booked a band called Sleepy Hollow.
From early that night the village filled up as Sleepy Hollow had a
Sleepy Hollow Line up; Mick Daly, Fin Costello, Len big following whom nearly all were De La Cour (drummer) Bill O’Brien dressed in black. Word went out and extra security was sent for, but what a night it turned out a great crowd just rocked to the heavy metal that Sleepy Hollow belted out. Aghada never hear the like before and it was late into the morning before Aghada Village returned to its sleepy state.
Sleepy Hollows roadie Joe O’Herlihy went on to become sound man with U2.
Another band to make waves was the Fermoy (Southern Star 6 Jan 1979) AGHADA GAA outfit Loudest Whisper an Irish folk Aghada GAA annual general meeting rock/progressive folk band who again had a huge took place recently in the Parochial Hall following. The Soccer Club used to run buses with one of the largest attendances ever from Little Island, Cobh and Midleton to the hall presided over by Chairman Pat O’ for the dances. On the night that Loudest Whisper Connor. Willie Ryan, in his Secretary’s were playing, the hall was full at 9-30 and the report congratulated both the under-21 doors had to be closed. Meanwhile Joe Delea had teams who won East Cork titles for the to ring from a phone box in Cobh to Crowley’s first time and the minor football and Shop across the road to say he had enough people hurling teams who brought back the to fill two buses, what would he do. On hearing spoils to the parish. He congratulated this Gay told him to go home and have a rest the Conor Counihan on becoming the hall was full and we will all save a few pound. clubman and player of the year and the Another crowd to make the big time was Tony recipient of a beautiful trophy and Stevens and his band that started their rise to the perpetual statuette donated by Paddy O’ top playing for the youth of Aghada. Shea of Upper Aghada. As a life long member of the GAA club I attended many a hot AGM in the hall under Derry O’Brien, Pat Malone, Peadar Crowley, Joe Sheehan, and Pat O’Connor just to name a few chairman. (Imokilly People 29 April With my involvement with the Guileen Sea Anglers we held a dance in 1990) the then new Community Centre to crown our Festival Queen in the early eights FORÓIGE YOUTH CLUB (Imokilly People 25 Oct 1990) Down the years I made sets The younger section of the HALLOWEEN DISCO and props even extended the local Foróige Club is stage one time and generally continuing to go from The Foróige Club are at present strength to strength. At helped in the upkeep of the organising a Halloween Disco to be present the club has a total of hall and enjoyed every bit of held on Wed 31st Oct when a fun night 38 members who meet each it. I was also involved with is assured. Saturday night at the Aghada Foróige for a while and also Community Centre. set the questions for table quizzes that were held under Austin Brosnan in the 90ths Officers of the club are Chairperson - Siobhan Garde, Secretary - Brenda Wall, (Imokilly People 5 Mar 1992) Treasurer - Elvin Tait, PRO - Barry Fitzgerald, Committee AGHADA JETS FORÓIGE YOUTH CLUB Denis O’Leary, and Anthony O'Driscoll. Club leaders are A few weeks ago, Aghada Jets Youth Club started up again under Foróige. Brian Porter, Michele The committee members were elected as follows: Chairperson Christopher Cashman, Andrew Scully, Fr. O'Shea, Secretary Heather O'Neill, Treasurer Alan Morrissey, PRO Emma Campbell, and Eileen Dunne. Baldwin. On the committee also are Niamh O’Carroll and Shane Cashman, more members will be elected at a later date. Leaders are: Fr. Fitzgerald, Noel On Sunday last, 16th April, O’Keeffe, Assumpta O'Brien, Oonagh Neff, Maria O’Hanlon, Eileen O'Shea, our club held a cake sale in Donie Layne and Martin Leahy. the Aghada Community Centre. We raised £90 for our own funds. On Monday next, April 16th, we plan to (Imokilly People 7 April 1994) organise soccer, snooker, and CINDERELLA ROCKAFELLA rings tournaments. Aghada Saleen Youth Drama presents a fabulous rock musical "Cinderella On the 4th of May, we are Rockafella" in the Community Centre, Aghada on tomorrow, Friday evening, planning an overnight fast in at 8 p.m. With a cast of seventeen principals and chorus it is all systems go for the Aghada Community this colourful' and lively production of this musical from the pen of Roy Oaths. Centre. A variety of activities Ken Nolan and Les Scott. Production is by Margaret Layne, choreography by will take place during the Deirdre O'Riordan of The Montfort’s and Patricia Duffy is musical director. course of the night. Further Tickets are available at the local shops for what promises to be a great evening enquiries to Chairperson of music and fun Denis Motherway, V-Chair Tracey O'Brien, Treas Deirdre Power, PR O - Some facebook comments Carolina Power, Sec. Brenda Cashman; Asst Sec Jason Ryan