Well it’s February and if you’re like me you’re probably wondering where January went. Looking back it was quite busy and there is a lot to talk about. Firstly congratulations to the Blarney People of the Year winners. Christine Terry and her family are a constant source of inspiration and just go to show how far a family will go for their children. It shouldn’t have come to this for young Adam to get the treatment he is entitled to and I do hope that this will see a change in healthcare provision for children with Spina Bifida, who deserve early intervention to allow them to live their lives to the fullest. Secondly to Charlie Lynch. This gentleman has been a constant in all our childhoods whether it is the Community Games or the Street Leagues he ran. He had boundless energy and dedicated his life to children’s sport. It is only right that he gets honoured. Finally to Conor Colman. This young man represents the best in all of us. His dedication to making Blarney cleaner and better along side his partner in grime, Michael O’Shea, is brilliant to see. Every nominee was worthy of winning and it is no small task to be asked to voice an opinion on who should be worthy of special mention. There are lights out at the end of Killard around the Gothic Bridge. These have been gone since before Christmas and I have been on to the Council about repairs. There are parts ordered (its not simply bulbs) and they are waiting on those. I will keep you updated on facebook as this progresses. Over the course of the month I was in The North Mon twice to meet with Ministers. The first meeting was with Josepha Madigan, where she visited the primary school to discuss ASD classes in the Mon. The second visit was when Minister Simon Harris visited the AG to discuss the newly expanded CAO portal with students. The LCDC Community Enhancement Programme’s Community Activities Fund 2022 in Partnership with the Cork City Council’s Community Development Grants 2022 is now open for applications. All needed links to the application form and more information can be found on the Cork City Council website. Under this funding stream partnership, there are three subsections Running Costs (aiming for approx. €1,000 each but can apply for more) Capital Funding (between €5,000 to €35,000) Project Grants (usual awards approx. €1,000, but could also be a bit more) Closing date 21st February 2022 @5pm. Last but not least my ward funding is now available. Through this I have access to funding that I can give to organisations for small projects. The maximum I can award is €500. If you are a residents association, sports organisation, community project or organisation please contact me and let me know what you would use the funding for. I’ll do my best for everyone and I will make it stretch as far as I can. As always please don’t hesitate to contact me if you think I can be of assistance. Damian
