Out and about in West Cork

Jer and Mary Coakley (Clonakilty) with Maggie and Jerry at the Kilmeen Macra Christmas lights tractor run which started at St. Mary’s GAA club grounds in Enniskeane. Proceeds of the run will go to Reenascreena National School and Progressive Supranuclear Palsy.
Picture: David Patterson, Tractor Run – Cork

Members of the Clonakilty Brass Band (left to right) Aoife White, Ger O'Driscoll and Mary McCarthy pictured in the Sacred Heart Church, Courtmacsherry on Friday night for "A Festive Evening." Photo: Martin Walsh.

Pictured at the Kinsale Christmas market at the Temperance hall was Maisie, Richie and Lottie Hughes from Kinsale. Picture Denis Boyle

Santa Claus visited the Marino Church in Bantry today. There were big queues to visit Santa, with each child going away with a selection box. The event was sponsored by Bantry Business Association. Waiting patiently to see Santa were Mar & Mia Arcas and Sadie & Mary Delaney, all from Bantry. Picture: Andy Gibson.

Leap, West Cork, Ireland. 7th Dec, 2025. CECAS held its Christmas Fair at Myross House, Leap today. Many stall holders and shoppers enjoyed the event. Pictured are Sophie & Joseph O'Donnell from Bandon. Picture: Andy Gibson.

Pictured at the Coffee morning in aid of Bandon day care centre Bridie O'Mahony aged 99 who recently celebrated her birthday with Ann O'Connor and Elizabeth Clarke. Picture Denis Boyle

Rathbarry & District Vintage Club’s presentation night took place last Saturday where a cheque for €4,450 each was presented to Cancer Connect and Clonakilty Community Resource Centre. The funds were raised at the tractor run and threshing working day held in September. Thanks was expressed by Michael Kearns to everyone who supported and attended the event. Clonakilty Community Resource Centre (seated) Caroline Jennings, Jimmy Byrne, Theresa Whelton Tobin and Adrienne Adams. Standing; Michael Coughlan, Denis Murray, John Hayes, Michael Kearns, Timmy Cullinane, Sheila Hayes and Gordon Jennings. Right; Cancer Connect (seated) Denis Murray, Con McCarthy and Neilie O’Leary. Standing, Michael Coughlan, Caroline Jennings, John Hayes, Michael Kearns, Timmy Cullinane, Sheila Hayes and Gordon Jennings. Photos courtesy of Noreen Brazier.

Cancer Connect:
Front seated L-R: Denis Murray, Con McCarthy and Neilie O’Leary.
Standing L-R: Michael Coughlan, Caroline Jennings, John Hayes, Michael Kearns, Timmy Cullinane, Sheila Hayes and Gordon Jennings.)

Local lady Sarah Twomey and her dog Ollie on the way to Becky's Dog Grooming in Ashe Street, Clonakilty. (Photo: Martin Walsh)

Clonakilty Community College mini company students (left to right): James Carey, Jack Brosnan and Robert O'Donell, all from Clonakilty on their lunch break. Photo: Martin Walsh.

Eileen Quirke (left) from Clonakilty and her mother-in-law Marjorie O'Mahony at the concert 'A Festive Evening' which was held in the Sacred Heart Church, Courtmacsherry. (Photo: Martin Walsh)

Sarah Magnier-Whooley beside her glass painting titled 'The Heart of it All' that is on display at the Clonakilty Community Arts Cente on Ashe Street, Clonakilty. (Photo: Martin Walsh)

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Saidbh O’Driscoll from Scoil Rince Carney qualified for the CLRG World Championships in Ennis this weekend. Saidbh will be heading to Chicago next Easter to compete in the CLRG prestigious Irish Dancing World Championships, which is a dream come true for Saidbh.

The pupils of Kealkill National School have been busy spreading festive joy by creating their own handmade Christmas decorations for charity. Children from all classes worked together to make penguins, snowmen, and Santas using socks, buttons, felt, wood, paint and plenty of imagination. Some Transition Year pupils from Coláiste Pobail Bheanntraí came to school to help the pupils finish their creations.

Santa visited the Marino Church in Bantry last Sunday where there were big queues to visit him. Chatting with Santa as he visited were Katie, Libby, Maggie and Tim Coppinger from Coomhola and Christmas tree salesman Pat O'Leary from the Mealagh Valley. (Photo: Andy Gibson)

Noomi and Yuiia Stasiuk enjoying Christmas photos in Castletownbere. (Photo: Anne Marie Cronin)

Brídin celebrating her first Christmas with her mum Dinahl Busher, dad Declan Power, and Ádhamhín Power. (Photo: Anne Marie Cronin)

Willow with her mum Bryony Ootjers in front of the crib at Castletownbere. (Photo: Anne Marie Cronin)

Eloise Pabiou (right) from Dunmanway and Grainne Rossouw (Clonakilty) have begun their new career paths by joining the level 5 jewellery and metal craft QQI course at Cork College of FET, Douglas Street Campus. The course is long established with Cork ETB and the girls have decided to join to advance their skills and crafts. The first term will end with a college craft fair for the Jewellery students to showcase their work and sell some of their items. The fair will run at the college on the second floor from 10am to 3pm until December 12th.

Sophie O'Sullivan with Kieran and Ellie Spillane, all from Enniskeane, preparing to take part in the tractor run organised by Kilmeen Macra. The run was raising funds for Reenascreena National School and Progressive Supranuclear Palsy. (Photo: Andy Gibson)

Sennan and Donnacha Dullea from Dunmanway enjoying the lit up tractors at the tractor run hosted by Kilmeen Macra last Sunday. Proceeds of the run were in aid of Reenascreena National School and Progressive Supranuclear Palsy. (Photo: Andy Gibson)

Denis Crowley, Frank Clarke, Tim Hurley and Ann Hurley at the coffee morning which was held in aid of Bandon Day Care Centre. (Photo: Denis Boyle)

Student Council members from St Brogan's College presented Kate Crowley and Liam Slattery from West Cork Rapid Response with €840, the proceeds of the school's recent fundraising for WCRR.

Niall and Stacy O'Regan, with their children Jack and Joshua, posing in front of the decorated tractor during the annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony in Schull. (Photo: Carlos Benlayo)

Everyone ready to sing some Christmas carols in Timoleague last Sunday evening prior to the exciting arrival of Santa. (Photo: Martin Walsh)

Local historian John O’Regan, Butlerstown, met up with Philip O’Regan at Barryroe Co-op where Philip was signing copies of his book A history of Barryroe Co-op. (Photo: Gearoid Holland)

Members of the Clonakilty Brass Band (senior and junior) that performed ‘A Festive Evening’ in the Sacred Heart Church, Courtmacsherry last Friday night. (Photo: Martin Walsh)

Nathan Crowley has been in fine form since signing for Ballinhassig in August.

Mick Scanlon goes under the razor of Kinsale’s Paul the Barber at the annual Kitty O’Sé’s Headshave in Kinsale which was held in aid of Kinsale Hospital and Daycare. (Photo: John Allen)

Deirdre Coughlan O'Sullivan, Josephine O'Donovan, Lily Coughlan O'Sullivan, Hannah Coughlan O'Sullivan, Nicole Cronin and Donagh Cronin, all enjoying the Christmas fair at Carrigboy National School.

Jimmy McDonagh, Luka Perry Clark, Sophie Connolly, Eóin O’Donovan, Tadhg Holland and Myah Musgrave, all contributors to an anthology of poems titled ‘Winter on the Ilen’. Copies are on sale in the school or in Fields SuperValu, Skibbereen, with thanks to Fork Publishers.

Schull Community College students Annalee Barry, Rosa Barrett and Heidi Hogan as Dorothy and the good witches, rehearsing for the upcoming Wizard of Oz panto.

Catherine O’Regan from Schull recently graduated with a first class honours MSc in nursing from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI). Her master’s thesis was published in the international peer-reviewed journal Women’s Health.

Shirley Shannon, Sarah Hennessy, Kitty Barrett, Nora McCarthy, Anthony O'Brien, Santa, mayor of Clonakilty Conan O'Donovan, Betty Hennessy, Paul Ryan, Bernice O'Neill, Pauline Smith and Ann O'Sullivan at the Age Friendly Christmas party which was held in Ballinascarthy Hall.

Past pupils of Mount Saint Michaels at the launch of Kathryn Sheahan's book which was held recently at the Teacher's Club, Parnell Square, Dublin. From left: Barbara Kelly ( Bantry/ Dublin), Kathryn Sheahan (Killarney/ Dublin), Anne Kelleher (Rosscarbery) and Maeve O'Grady (Clonakilty).

Liadh Ronan, Jack Collins and Áine Erridge from Reenascreena National School with their homemade decorations.

Carbery Rangers GAA club’s recent jackpot winners, Pat White Froe and Mike Lane, were presented with €4,000 each in Ardagh by the lotto committee. At the presentation were James Ronan, Denis Calnan, Mike White, Pat White, Tadgh Murphy, Mike Lane, Robert Creedon and John Fitzpatrick.

The wonderfully talented junior infant pupils in Reenascreena National School were spreading Christmas cheer with their creativity this week.

Ruth Brittain (101-years-old) of Carrigaline who benefits from the centre with her team of local volunteers (from left) Shane Doyle, Brian O’Sullivan, Cillian Buckley, Daniel Oughton and Tom McCarthy who lent their time to support the new Carrigaline Family Support Centre’s transformation with the help of the Dulux Let’s Colour Project.

Lord Mayor of Cork, Fergal Dennehy, gets in some ball practice with Oscar Knight from Carrigaline as Caroline Giltinan (plant director, PepsiCo), Grace O'Callaghan (manager, Early Intervention Classes Shine) and Olivia O'Neill watch on during the opening of the fun garden at the Shine Centre in Carrigaline. (Photo: Gerard McCarthy)

Skibbereen Rowing Club chairperson Sean Murran and committee member Marie Hourihane were delighted to present a cheque for €1,400 from the sunflower fundraiser to Jack O'Donovan, Ruben Deane and Aileen O'Donovan accepting on behalf of Cork Down Syndrome Cork. The club was delighted to support the local charity, which among other services, provides one-on-one speech therapy classes in Skibbereen. The club would like to thank everyone who supported the fundraiser and added a bit of colour to a busy market day in the town. (Photo: Anne Minihane)

Aine and Rosaleen O'Driscoll (Baltimore), Emily and Marie O'Driscoll, Kevin Collins of Fields Skibbereen, James and Grace Keating, Skibbereen enjoying the Fields of Skibbereen 8th of December Christmas celebrations. (Photo: Anne Minihane)

Clodagh, Tadhg and Alannah Goggin (Baltimore) with Calum and Shane Casey (Durrus) all delighted to meet Santa at Fields of Skibbereen’s annual 8th of December Christmas celebration. (Photo: Anne Minihane)

Artist Hazel Hurley, CECASmanager Ana Ospina, artist David Bickley and Cllr Isobel Towse at the launch of the 'Whispers from the Celtic Grove' art commission at CECAS on Sunday. Cllr Towse planted a rowan tree which marks the start of the new audio trail, which will be open to the public year-round. The project was funded by the Peatlands and Natura Community Engagement Scheme via NPWS.