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info@eastcorkjournal.ie Bag Packing for Bunscoil Mhuire National School by DENISE FITZGERALD The Parents Associa-


tion of Bunscoil Mhuire and several young stu-


dents, spent part of their Easter holidays packing bags for customers over the weekend, to help raise funds for their school. They were delighted with


the generosity of the peo- ple once more and ex- tended thanks to all. Speaking with The


East Cork Journal, they also said their re-


cent fundraising Cake


Sale in the school was a huge success and raised an amazing amount of €2,821.70. The Par- ents Association thanked


everyone involved in the Cake Sale and especially the school staff and lo- cal community for their ongoing generosity and support.


Midleton Briefs Midleton and District Lourdes


Invalid Fund A Gardening Evening with Gardening Expert Char- lie Wilkins will take place at the Castlemartyr Resort Hotel on Thursday 27 April at 8 pm. Admission is €10 and all proceeds will go to Midleton and District Lourdes Invalid Fund. Kindly sponsored by Michael Clancy, Fota Garden Centre.


Youghal Briefs


GAA Memorabilia at Youghal Library On Saturday next, 22 April Denis O’Sullivan will be


at Youghal Library where he will have a display of GAA Memorabilia which include Christy Ring Al- bums, Photo Albums and Audio Tapes. Admission is free and all are welcome.


Wish You Were Here: The Redbarn • Lorna pictured with Pauline, Carmel, Sheila, Clara and Jo at their Bucket Collection for Bunscoil Mhuire in Tesco Youghal.


We Owe a Debt of Gratitude to Our Bus Workers by ERIC NOLAN


It is normal practice for


many of us to thank the bus driver at the end of our jour- ney. It’s a practice I haven’t noticed abroad. I think it says a lot about our collec- tive mind-set. We appreci- ate peoples work. We realise that somebody has driven us safely to our destination. Driving can be stressful.


So much so that bad traffic is almost up there with the weather as a small talk topic. Bus Drivers spend much of their time in traffic, in con- trol of a large vehicle with the potential to cause much harm if not driven safely and carefully. I don’t know about you,


but when I have spent time driving in heavy traffic I am prone to bouts of cranki- ness. I get stressed. Luckily the maximum number of passengers I have to enter- tain during such times is three. Bus Drivers have far more. The vast majority of them manage to be friendly and kind while dealing with such stress. There are regu- larly stories of drivers going above and beyond the call of duty to help people out. Thanks is indeed appropri- ate.


Our bus workers have faced a very different kind of stress in recent weeks. The


often mentioned ‘race to the bottom’ of working terms and conditions has darkened their doors. I know a few Bus Workers who operate in rural areas and I know they are very aware of the im- portance of their service to rural people. For many, bus- ses are their only means of transport. Bus Workers did not go on strike lightly. Most of us would accept


that rural areas should have a bus service. We often hear the mantra that ‘competition is always best’. It seems that many in decision making positions follow this blindly without ever considering the bigger picture. If pure com- petition was allowed to dic- tate, many rural areas would have no bus service. That is why a public service obliga- tion is so crucial to our social fabric. We do not provide services for profit but for the common good. The best way to ensure


widespread bus service is to cross subsidise unprofitable rural routes from more prof- itable routes. This has be- come even more important in recent years due to suc- cessive government policies which have contributed to Dublins population growth at the expense of rural Ire- land. Bundling routes in this way avoids the need for the government to directly fund


ly stated that


rural routes. Given that we the citizens fund the gov- ernment, it seems obvious to me that this approach is desirable. No politician has direct- they do not


believe we need rural bus services. Presumably be- cause it would be political suicide. Yet by introducing lower cost


these The first step to putting


society on the right track is for us to see the bigger pic- ture and recognise what


is privately run


competition onto the more profitable routes they have pointed us in this direction. The lower fares that


profitable routes now oper- ate under are removing the cross subsidisation that allow rural routes to operate. This is fairly straight forward and the lack of a plan to address this is plainly worrying. The government did this with no plan to address repercus- sions. A clever way to under- mine wages and conditions. As a society we are seeing


constant pressure on decent work. Precarious employ- ment is on the rise. The hope of a decent job which allows one to get a mortgage and provide


for a family


is unrealistic for many. At the same time profits have never been higher. Execu- tive and C.E.O. salaries are also through the roof. The slice of the overall pie that is going to ordinary people continues to reduce. Its time somebody says stop.


going on. We need to protect the decent work that exists and start to ensure there is more. The Labour party is seeking set pay rates for Bus Drivers in all sectors. This is the approach that could ac- tually make a difference. If wage rates for roles are set then we will strike a serious blow to the ongoing race to the bottom. It will also remove the current infight- ing from workers who have different conditions in dif- ferent sectors. While we are fighting each other, we are all losing. Our national politicians also need to get together. The


current


their act so


called ‘hard left’ seem to be spending their time trying


to destroy the Labour Party rather than actually advanc- ing


realistic changes that


would address the growing imbalance we are seeing in society. The Labour Party has always had worker rights at its core and rather than supporting


each other on


issues that we clearly agree, the attack continues. The current situation is too seri- ous for this to continue. Our Bus Workers have


made a stand. They and their families have


been


through a tough ordeal and it may not be over yet.. We need to build on their stand. The next time I get on a bus ill be saying thanks at


the


start of my journey. Eric Nolan is The Labour


Party Local Area Represent- ative for Cork East. Face- book ericnolanlabour . Twit- ter @ericenolan .


Story Complete Control Films is delighted to confirm that the eagerly awaited documentary, ‘Wish You Were Here: The Redbarn Story’ will have its premiere screening at the Walter Raleigh Hotel on Friday, 26 May next. The film has been two and a half years in the making, including research, interviews, gathering archive and post-production work. The interest in, and response to the project has been huge, and the makers are over- whelmed with the generosity of those who took part, and who offered material for the film. The 70minute feature length film will be shown in Youghal for those who worked, danced, took holidays and even fell in love at Redbarn. Don’t miss it. More info at: www.completecontrolfilms.com


Free Admission to First Cut Youth Film Festival at Youghal Mall Arts


Centre The fourth First Cut Youth Film Festival, presented by Yew Wood Venues, will be held in The Mall Arts Centre on Thursday 27 April to Saturday 29 April, and once more promises to be a great event. In Youghal, involvement from local youth is integral to First Cut. All 6th class Primary School pupils will be making animation films in the weeks leading in to the festival, which will be shown on the ‘Big Screen’ in the Mall Arts Centre on the opening day of the festival, alongside other exciting guests. Pobalscoil na Tríonóide students, as well as screening their own short film, ‘Paper Chase’, are acting as festival hosts, showing pride in their town as they welcome hundreds of other secondary school students filmmakers to their stunning local Mall Arts Centre.


First Cut Youth Film Festival The Mall Arts Centre, Youghal from the 27 – 29 April.


This a free event. The Festival comprises of workshops, summer schools and film screening events for young people in the arts. It helps to build confidence and skills and enhance personal development and promote social inclusion in the wider community.


It is a great opportunity there to use your creativity and filmmaking skills.


Social Dancing in Youghal this Saturday The GAA Pavilion in Youghal on Saturday night, 22


• Eric Nolan. Tel: 021 463 8000 • Email: info@eastcorkjournal.ie • Web: www.eastcorkjournal.ie eastcorkjournal


April for music with Finbarr Dennehy. 9pm and admission is €10.


Doors open @eastcorkjournal / #eastcorkjournal


Thursday, 20th


April 2017


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