So much to do, so little time, yes another year, another Christmas. Cllr Kieran McCarthy has organised two community initiatives for the Christmas season.

Christmas Carol Service:

First up, he has organised and is inviting all interested people to join a community get-together at Ballinlough Community Centre next Sunday, 20 December between 4 and 5.30pm. Refreshments will be served and the Carrigaline singers will join in on the festivities by providing a mini carol service. All are very welcome.

Santa’s Christmas Comet:

McCarthy’s second initiative ties him to the initial organisation and also acting in Santa’s Christmas Comet, a mini panto for all the family at Blackrock Castle Observatory. The plot involves a plan to ruin Christmas! Organised by Red Sandstone Varied Productions (RSVP) in association with the Castle. RSVP are no strangers to Cork and have headed up interactive shows before to great praise. Headed up by director Yvonne Coughlan, her company have brought a Christmas vision to the south east suburbs of the city. Phone Blackrock Castle for more details, 021 4357917. Cllr McCarthy noted: “Christmas is a great time to take time out and spend time with family whilst recharging the batteries. To everyone, go take time out, enjoy and have a great Christmas and new year season”.

The Ballinllough Community Association newsletter is below. Very well done to all the producers! This building of community awareness is essential. My contribution is below on the history of Ballinlough (a history, I hope to do more with early next year).

Did You Know?!

Walking through Ballinlough, people talk about their affinity for the place’s tranquillity and its green areas. They speak about how Ballinlough sits on a suburban ridge overlooking the river and harbour area and faces further afield to the architectural beauty of Cork’s Montenotte and St Lukes. Ballinlough also has the view of County Cork’s southern ridges and troughs. Perhaps it was the view and good land that led the area’s first recorded resident Patrick Meade to settle in the area. In records from 1641, Ballinlough was written as Ballynloghy and Patrick, a Catholic, had 144 acres of profitable land. The Meades were originally from the west coast of England. On arrival in Cork, they built themselves into the fabric of the key merchant families of the city along with families such as the Roches, Goulds, Coppingers, Sarsfields, Galways and Tirrys. The history books note that the Meade family had a castellated mansion near the present day Clover Hill House.

During the Cromwellian wars, Patrick Meade was dispossessed of his property. William Tucker had the caretaker’s lease on the property through Oliver Cromwell. Subsequently, the 144 acres were given to Alexander Pigott. The Pigotts came from Chetwynd in Shropshire and initially came to Ballyginnane beyond present day Togher. In time, they re-named this area Chetwynd. Colonel William Piggott was in Oliver Cromwell’s army and was rewarded further with land across Cork’s southern hinterland. Indeed in the early 1660s, the population of Ballinlough was recorded in a census as having 30 souls (to be continued, check out www.corkheritage.ie for more Cork history!).