The first set of results are in for the County Council Litter Challenge.

Skibbereen   999.3
Millstreet   984.5
Schull    982.4
Dunmanway   976.2
Newmarket       969.9
Blarney   960.8

The second stage of judging for the county council litter challenge starts on the 27th of May until June 5th and the Charleville Road is the nominated residential area.  They will also be looking at the town as a whole so please watch out for litter.

Step dancing for children at the CYMS Hall on Tuesdays.
Schedule for the summer camp as well as times for classes for upcoming September:
dance camp: 1-5 July new students 9-11am. Friday,5 July, camp will be 11-1 for all dancers followed by performance for parents from 1-2pm
Schedule for September 2013, classes on Tuesdays beginning 10th September:
315-4pm Tiny Tots class for preschool children 3 1/2- 4 years
4-5pm beginners class for junior infants and older
5-615pm advanced beginners
I am certified and registered with An Coimisiun le rinci gaelacha, fully insured and garda vetted.

Christine fitzgerald

087-2155404
www.fitzgeraldacademyofirishdance.weebly.com

Newmarket is known to be home to five of the ten known Irish bat species. These include; common pipistrelle, soprano pipistrelle, brown long-eared, Leisler’s and Daubenton’s bats.  (Picture to the left shows Daybenton’s bat)

The riparian vegetation along both the Rampart Stream and Dalua River such as that at Island Wood offers ideal oases within and adjacent to the urban area for the local bat fauna for foraging and commuting. For instance, brown long-eared bats roost in the trees at these locations and use them as feeding perches from which to consume oversize prey like large moths which they catch in the air or by ‘gleaning’ them from foliage.

Daubenton’s bat can be seen hunting very close to the surface of the River Dalua. This species behaves like a little hovercraft, carefully skimming the surface as it seeks prey that has fallen in or is emerging from the water. This it gaffs with its oversize back feet before quickly transferring it to its mouth.

The two pipistrelle species are to be seen flying erratically at head height along the town’s watercourses and streetlights which attract night-flying insects. These amazingly acrobatic flyers are after the smallest prey; midges and gnats which they consume in enormous quantities. Both these species live in houses and churches within the town.

Leisler’s bat, which is built for speed with long, narrow wings, is the largest bat in Ireland with a wingspan up to 320mm. This bat is one of the rarest in Europe but Ireland has the highest population of the species in the world and it can sometimes be seen passing high over Newmarket in the early evening, even before sundown. 

(Picture to the right shows Leisler’s bat)

Bat populations across Europe have fallen dramatically in recent years due to roost and foraging area loss and Ireland’s bat species have similarly suffered as a result of intolerance and fear. Old myths of bats being blind, getting caught in hair, living in belfries or being flying mice are untrue. In fact, bats are more closely related to people than to mice having only a single baby each year and, although the average lifespan of a bat is four years, they can live to exceed 40 years. Bats also provide a helpful and free service by consuming vast quantities of insects, for example, the smallest Irish species, the soprano pipistrelle, which weighs in at only 3.5g to 8.5g, eats as many as 3,500 midges every summer night!

Due to their decline, all bat species are protected by the EU Species and Habitats Directive 1992 and Wildlife Act 1976 and 2000 and it is an offense to willfully disturb these beneficial animals.

For further information contact: Bat Conservation Ireland at: www.batconservationireland.org

 

A packed gym in the boys school saw the launch of the new school website – developed by their own principal múinteoir Christine.  Joanne O’Riordan presented the site to the room, showing the various videos, tools and writing done by the boys.  One of the main aims of the site is to promote writing within the school and blogs can be found from each class.

It’s a really professional looking site and it is clear that a huge amount of work has been put into it.  There are tools on the site where the boys can log in and search the internet safely to help with their homework.  Joanne’s presentation was great and she was a great hit with the boys.

You can find their website at the below address:

http://newmarketbns.ie/

The  tidy towns season is on us again and we’d like to make a big appeal to the community to do what they can to have the town looking neat and tidy.  We enter two competitions every year, the tidy towns competition and the cork county council litter challenge.  Our points have been increasing yearly in the Tidy Towns competition and we hope to continue to do so this year.  We placed 2nd in the litter challenge and won a cheque for 1,200 euro last year.  This money was much needed for all the work that has been undertaken in the town park last year and this year.  We have added a new path which has been well used by walkers, lights for the park, new fencing, new playground equipment and surfacing, and the beautiful mural by local artist Siobhain Burke.  This year we will be adding in a wildlife board and some picnic benches made by the Newmarket branch of Mens Sheds

Our biggest undertaking in the park will be the outdoor gym which will be installed over the coming weeks.  We did a great deal of research before ordering equipment and spoke to a number of communities and gyms around the country. The equipment we ordered may look quite simple but it is multi-functional and usable for all levels of fitness.  The main issue we discovered with much of the outdoor gym equipment on offer is that they look like indoor equipment but are not effective as there is no resistance in the machinery therefore it offers little in the line of real exercise.  Once the gym is installed we will organise a number of demonstrations of the equipment for those interested.  We would like to remind parents that this is not playground equipment and is therefore not suitable for children.  The link below shows some of the equipment in use:

http://vimeo.com/43565049

We will also be doing our usual planting around town, including further development of the biodiversity garden outside the protestant graveyard.  This garden is 100% organic and chemical free, we have planted bee and butterfly friendly plants here.  We have also done a bit of research in the graveyard and have discovered a number of species of bat.  We commissioned Men’s sheds to make a number of bat and bird boxes for this area and some have already been installed.  It is such a lovely peaceful haven in the town and well worth a visit on a sunny evening.

All this work has been part funded by the IRD LEADER grant and we have also received donations from the County Council.  That said we do need to raise a lot of money to pay for all the improvements so please look out for fundraising events and give us your support.  We have an AIB account which you could donate to also: Sort Code 93-61-70 a/c no. 25218024 (Newmarket Community Development Association)

We have already started up the weekly clean-up evenings.  We meet every Tuesday evening from 7-8pm at the town park.  We have pickers, bags and high viz jackets for volunteers.  During the month of May we will have planting and weeding to do as well as litter pick up and any other odd jobs that come up.  We really need a lot of volunteers for this – the more people out helping the more we can achieve.

We’d like to make a special appeal to all people who own properties in the town to maybe give their buildings or walls a real clean and maybe a lick of paint.  Especially those buildings which are unoccupied -  fresh curtains and a power hose would make a real difference.  We realise times are tough at the moment but having the town well presented is important for the local community.  If you need a hand with any work give us a shout and we’ll pull some volunteers together.  Flower boxes and baskets would be a great addition too – I know many people do this every year and it really makes the town look lovely.

If you have any suggestions or areas you feel could do with sprucing up please chat to any committee member or email us at contact@athtrasna.com.

 

Happy Saint Patrick’s day to all Newmarket people at home or abroad.  Our parade will be kicking off at 12:30 (after Sunday Mass) from the West End, led, as always by the Newmarket Pipe Band who are celebrating their 50th anniversary this year.

The parade will end with a dancing demonstrations by Fitzgerald’s Irish Dancing Academy and the Sean Nós Dancers!!

The Irish Coffee Morning will be on as usual in the High Street Lounge after the parade. It’s a great cause so please support.

If you are looking for further entertainment the pubs around town have a wide range of music on offer throughout the evening.  It’s going to be a great day!

Beannachtaí na Féile Pádraig oraibh go léir

 

Christmas is less than a week away and before we know it we’ll be into a new year, 2013.  It’s been a busy year for the development association – our AGM was held in early Spring.  Our first job of the year was to organise the St. Patrick’s day parade – which went off really well.  After that we were mainly working on the Tidy Towns competition.  The new path in the town park and the upgrade to the playground were completed by the end of  the Summer and both look great.  Unfortunately due to the terrible weather the mural wasn’t completed but I’m sure you’ll agree it looks like it will be a great piece of art.  This will be finished once the weather improves next year and we’ll also be installing lights in the park too.  We had a great team of people out on the weekly clean-up nights and we went up a few points from 2011 and came second in the County Council Litter challenge.  Next year we hope to do even better and get more of the community involved.

The lead up to Christmas has been really busy with the first year of the Christmas Ball, the carol singing evening and of course the guess the santa quiz. The newly formed Trader’s Association brought Santa to town and it was great to see such a great display of gifts ideas on offer locally on Raymond’s window.

We have had a lot of set backs in the town this year – the announcement that our bank is scheduled to close in 2013 (the trader’s association are working hard to do what they can to stop this), the very sad closure of our much loved Centra – a landmark in the community for 65 years.  The recession has certainly hit us but there is some light at the end of the tunnel.  The proposed primary healthcare centre would be a huge boost to the town and we would urge all members of the community to get behind this initiative.  This could provide new jobs and a big footfall in the town.   Doctor Daly presented the project to a packed room in the James O’Keefe Institute only a few weeks ago and all agreed that it was extremely impressive.  The McAuliffe Clan purchased the Old Protestant Church during the year, now called McAuliffe Place.  It is great to see this historic building being put to use and especially by such a great organisation who have such deep roots in our community.  We are getting closer to getting our library back and there are very exciting plans for the building on Church Street.  Hopefully an interim library will be up and running early 2013. 

Representatives of  some of Newmarket’s Voluntary Groups and Organisations

As the President said in his Christmas message this year it is the diverse and hardworking communities striving to help themselves that really made Ireland: “As our economy has contracted in recent times, many people are feeling the consequences, in terms of employment or income. However, our economic condition does not, on its own, define who we are.”  We have a huge range of voluntary clubs and organisations in this town and it shows how strong a community we are.   This year in Newmarket we have a new Trader’s Association who have worked hard to create a great atmosphere in the town over the Christmas period.  Our Traders have put their hands in their pockets, as they do every year to pay for the erection of the Christmas Lights.  The town looks amazing – with Christmas Music playing and every business decorated beautifully it is hard not to feel festive.  We urge people to shop local – support your local business.  Come in to their premises, look around, see what’s on offer.  Check out the business directory on this site to see the wide range of industry in Newmarket.  Support local jobs, local produce, keep our town alive.

We have two new clubs/groups – the Walking Club and Oíche Ghaeilge Áth Trasna.  The walking club meets Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday outside the CYMS.  The Oíche Ghaeilge starts on the 27th of January in Scully’s at 8PM.  Just offering a chance for people to speak a bit of Irish.  All levels are welcome.  Both of these activities are Free!  Maybe we’ll see more new organisations next year?

Next year is going to be even busier than 2012 – there are a lot of milestones, the secondary school is closed 50 years next year, the pipe band have their Golden Jubilee next year too and will be holding a a Social at the Charleville Park Hotel on the 9th March 2013.  We’ll also have the Summer Festival to look forward to – well done to the festival committee for all their hard work.  Watch newmarketfestival.com for updates.  And we also have plenty of Newmarket Teams to follow between GAA and Soccer.

We have added a lot of new content to the website this year – thanks to all who donated photos and articles.  We would really welcome new content from people next year.  We’d like to pack the site with information about Newmarket past and present so if you have anything you’d like to contribute send it via email to contact@athtrasna.com or talk to any of our committee members.  You can drop into Sraid Nua Technologies (Éilis and Tim Hourigan) on the New Street and any photo, clipping could be scanned while you wait.  No doubt there are some treasures out there it would be great to be able to share them with all Newmarket people both at home and abroad.

Thank you to all who have supported our events this year.  If you have suggestions for any events or projects you’d like to see happening send us an email at contact@athtrasna.com or chat to one of our committee members.  Wishing you all a very happy Christmas and great 2013!

Nollaig Shona Agus Ath Bhlian Faoi Mhaise Dhaoibh Go Léir

 

A beautiful photograph of the town covered in a blanket of snow. Taken by Donie Forde, December 2009 from Tony O’Sullivan’s field.

Check out our Gallery for more photos of Newmarket. If you have any, please email them to contact@athtrasna.com or contact one of our committee members. We can scan any pictures you may have and hand them straight back to you. There has to be lots of old photos out there, it would be great to be able to share them with everyone.

Safari’s Nite Club
Sunday, 11th of November 2012, 1-6PM

Newmarket Christmas fair is on this Sunday. We have around 35 stands. Including 20 local businesses showing the wide variety of products and services available in Newmarket with some great gift ideas, Christmas decorations, food, clothes and much more. We have 15 crafts stands displaying crafts from Duhallow and beyond. There is something for everyone. All profits made by the development association, who are running this event, will go towards local projects.

The development association will also have a stand and will be selling a selection of Christmas Cards from Newmarket along with some second hand books, DVDs, CDs and Games. Tickets for the Christmas Ball will also be available to purchase. There is a limited number of tickets so please make sure you get yours early. It’s going to be a cracker of a night :) Tim Mullane and the Avenues will be kicking off followed by David John. DJ Ollie will be finishing off the night. We’ve had a number of hampers donated by local businesses and groups so there will be a draw of the ticket stubs on the night. There’ll be mulled wine and light refreshments throughout the night. And to top it off all profits for this event will also go towards local projects.

Christmas kicks off in Newmarket this Sunday so make sure you come and join us at Safaris!

There will be a number of events in Newmarket coming up to Christmas, starting with the Newmarket Christmas Fair on the 11th of November (1-6Pm in the Hiland). This was a great success last year, with a wide variety of local businesses and crafts people. If you would like to book a stand please contact Brian Dugdale after 6PM at 0863753141 – stands are €30 each and are available to Newmarket Businesses and all crafts people.

We will also be running the Newmarket Christmas Ball on the 7th of December also in the Hiland. It will be formal dress, with a mulled wine reception with light food, dj and band. Tickets will be €12.50 (2 for €25) and all profits will go towards local projects.

The turning on of the Christmas Lights with a carol singing service will be held on Saturday the 8th of December at the West End, at 20:30 (after Saturday mass).