THE only remaining synagogue in Cork closes today, ending 135 years of Jewish history in the city.
The South Terrace site has been the centre of Jewish worship in the city since 1905, but members say emigration and financial constraints have left them with “no money, no members, and no future”.

The synagogue on South Terrace. www.jewishcork.com

At least ten Jewish adult males need to live in the city to sustain a synagogue. Cork has just three.
Fred Rosehill, chairman of the trustees of the Cork Hebrew Congregation, said: “We are down in numbers. We couldn’t support a rabbi, a Hebrew school, a synagogue.
“We tried everything. It has come to the stage that there is no money left. If someone gave us money in the morning it wouldn’t matter — we don’t have the members to sustain it.”

Fred Rosehill at the Cork Synagogue on South Terrace. Picture: Des Barry

Mr Rosehill said Cork’s Jewish community spread all over the world. “Between then and now, young people spread all over the world for social and economic reasons. We are lawyers, doctors and more. They went to make a life. They won’t come back here.”
Many of those who emigrated settled in Israel, where Mr Rosehill said there are at least seven Cork families.
The synagogue on South Terrace was consecrated in 1905. Today, it hosts its last ever prayer service, with a rabbi and 14 men travelling from Dublin to ensure there are enough people present.
At its height, the Jewish Community in Cork consisted of 65 families with as many as 400 members. They first arrived in 1880 as migrants fleeing persecution in Russia. It is believed they were initially heading to America, but were won over by the warmth and welcome of Cork people.
The artefacts from the synagogue have been temporarily given to Cork Public Museum while members look for a new centre of worship.

See Monday’s Evening Echo for more.

The assistance dogs programme is proving so successful that no more applications can be taken for at least a year. Sarah Horgan reports.

APPLICATIONS for an assistance dog waiting list will remain off limits for at least another year after overwhelming demand forced the Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind to close it back in 2014.

Eoin Neglia with his Assistance Dog Hector at the Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind headquarters, Model Farm Road, Cork.
Picture: Denis Minihane.

The assistance dogs programme, which was the first of its kind in Europe, currently has some 40 dogs in training, having began with just 10 a decade ago. It provides dogs to children with autism who act as a safety tool and help promote a calm temperament.
CEO of the charity, Padraig Mallon emphasised that this area of the charity is relying solely on public donations for its survival. The Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind receives 20% state funding, with the remainder sourced from fund raising events across the country.
“We are required to raise €4m funding a year but in the last two years this has dwindled overall by about 8%,” he said.
“This might not seem like much but it’s still significant given the cost of running the organisation. We certainly believe that all services are hugely valuable and would love to see a more equitable level of funding coming through for what is a hugely impactful programme.
“If we had a sufficient number of staff, dogs and finance available we could operate at twice the current level.” He stressed the need to lighten the burden of hard working volunteers.
“Our work is labour intensive but we are fortunate to have the huge amount of people that give their time and increase funds to help us have sufficient resources to do more and secure the future of the assistance dogs programme,” he said.
“We don’t want to place an extra burden on volunteers who are already working extremely hard to keep it operating. More funding means we’d have the option to increase the number of dogs and staff and put more resources into all aspects of the service.”
He made reference to research by the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health at UCC which highlighted the effectiveness of assistance dogs for children with autism adding:
“The value of the assistance dogs programme is not anecdotal but evidence based. Over the years it has changed the lives of hundreds of families. We are mindful of the kind of impact and challenges that waiting for a dog presents, but are doing our utmost to communicate with parents as much as possible to keep them suitably informed.
The training they receive benefits, not just the children but their parents and siblings as well. They in turn have proved very patient and understanding about the situation. If we had a half a million from the government it would provide us with some assurance going forward.”
Client Engagement and Services Manager, David McCarthy said that the programme is progressing in line with developments in research around autism spectrum disorders.
“The matching process is very important and it’s a process that takes a considerable length of time, normally about two years,” he said. “We have to make sure that each partnership is suitable given that these dogs are living creatures as much as the families are living entities.
The programme is becoming more advanced overtime in line with developments in research around autism spectrum disorders.” One of his biggest concerns is the limited window children have until they are no longer eligible for an assistance dog.
“It’s difficult knowing there are children who might be missing the boat as a result of limited resources. Assistance dogs only benefit children of a certain age which means that by the time training is finished they may have fallen out of that age bracket. Realising this is very tough.”
To make an online donation to the charity visit www.guidedogs.ie/iopen24/donations.php

Assistance dog Hector adds a new dimension to life for Eoin

Mike and Rachel Neglia, Cork, with their son Eoin and daughter Rosie and Eoin’s Assistance Dog Hector at the Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind headquarters, Model Farm Road, Cork.
Picture: Denis Minihane.

THE introduction of an assistance dog has changed the lives of a little boy and his family in a way they never anticipated.
Goldendoodle Hector has been assisting 10- year-old Eoin Neglia from The Lough for four years. His mother Rachel still remembers the call from the Irish Guide Dogs Association with news of his pending arrival.
“I can actually recall exactly where I was when I got the call to say we were getting a dog,” she said.
“We had been waiting for three years so it was really exciting news. At one stage we actually considered getting a normal house dog as we figured any dog was better than none at all. However, in the end we were really lucky.”
Everyday tasks like walking to the library were a monumental hurdle before Hector’s introduction.
“I’ll always remember the first time we walked into town with Hector. Before that it wasn’t possible.
“Eoin has low muscle tone which means he finds exercise very difficult. In the past I’ve had to carry him as he hated walking long distances.
“Eoin never liked holding hands so he would often try to wiggle away which was extremely dangerous, especially near busy roads.
“While the dog maintains the same walking pace he also gives Eoin a sense of independence and purpose.
“Rather than feeling dependent on others he has a purpose and feels like he is just walking his dog now.”
Hector’s loyalty to his master always shines through.
“When Hector is off-duty he is a completely different dog but his loyalty to Eoin is always evident,” she said.
“Sometimes at the end of a long day Eoin will lie down with Hector in his bed. Hector is so patient he just leaves him there and the two of them pan out together.
“If Eoin is having a bad day he will actively seek Hector out for a cuddle.”
She revealed how Hector has broken barriers and challenged misconceptions.
“Sometimes the only cue autism provides people with is a tantrum. However, a dog leads people to realise that a child has special needs.
“Instead of this isolating the child people will often come up and ask to pet the dog. In any other situation Eoin just puts his head down or gives a monosyllabic reply but he is always more than happy to talk about Hector.
“A dog is a real ice-breaker. As far as differences are concerned, there is a huge contrast between the reactions we got before and the reactions we get now.
“When you have a son with special needs you know that people are looking at you and wondering why they are behaving in such a way.
“You can’t exactly provide an explanation to strangers but the assistance dog does just that, but in the most positive way. It basically takes away a lot of the judgement.”
Hector has become a part of the family and even joins them on their annual holiday to California, where Rachel originally hails from.
“Hector has made airport travel so much easier,” she said. “Even during an 11-hour flight he just lays there and never once shows any sign of agitation. Having the dog alerts the airport staff and lets them know that we may need extra assistance.”

More than 1,200 clients/pupils from special needs schools and services across Cork City and County, along with their carers/teachers attended a free two-hour session at Funderland, Monahan Road.

Megan Morrissey, Joleen O’Driscoll and Marguerite O’Sullivan from St Paul’s, Montenotte having fun at Funderland, Cork. Picture: Larry Cummins

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The MV Northern Dedication is unloaded at Port of Cork’s Deepwater Berth in Ringaskiddy. It is the largest container ship to berth in any Irish port.
Pic; Larry Cummins

With an overall length of 230m and a deadweight tonnage of 42,121 tonnes, the MV Northern Dedication carried over 75 containers of fresh fruit, predominately Fyffes bananas. Each container carried in excess of 100,000 bananas.

Port of Cork Commercial Manager, Captain Michael McCarthy said: “There are very little restrictions at Ringaskiddy Deepwater Berth, so when it comes to handling a vessel of this size, the port is more than capable. In the future we would hope to see more of these size vessels calling, as our port expands to meet the needs of our own customers and the needs of the global shipping community.”

He continued: “This service from Central America to Cork commenced in 2013 and to date it has proven very successful. Bringing mainly Fyffes bananas to Ireland from South America, this service is vitally important for the domestic grocery industry.”

Vessels of this size are common around the globe nowadays and as the Port of Cork begins their expansion phase in Ringaskiddy, it is anticipated that more of these size vessels will become regular visitors to the Port of Cork.

Despite the size of this vessel, the discharge operation will take just 6-8 hours, highlighting the Port of Cork’s capability as a Tier 1 port.

In 2015 total container volumes through both Tivoli and Ringaskiddy Container Terminals in the Port of Cork grew by 8% compared to 2014 figures with over 205,000 TEU’s handled.

The post Largest container vessel to ever arrive in Cork unloads five million bananas appeared first on Evening Echo.

Cork North Central TDs Jonathon O’Brien of Sinn Féin, Dara Murphy of Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil’s Billy Kelleher met Ms Fitzgerald this week to discuss plans for Westview House. She assured them no final decisions would be made on the future use of the property until a new Government is formed.

Patricks Hill

Mr O’Brien said that while they all agreed on the need for a step-down rehabilitation centre, the Westview House location seemed unsuitable, both for local residents and for the people who would ultimately use the facility.

The TD also said that although searching for an alternative location was not expressly part of his job, he was willing to work with his Cork North Central colleagues to find a more suitable location.

He said that the Minister did not specify any area where the facility should be located.

“Personally, I think that Westview House is the wrong location for a rehabilitation facility. It is a very built-up residential area without the necessary access to resources that a rehabilitation centre could require. I don’t see the benefit to either local residents or the people who will attend the centre by locating it there.”

He said that Cork North Central TDs should next meet with the probation service to establish exactly what a new step-down rehabilitation centre would require before a new location could be chosen.

Mr O’Brien said that liaising with the local community and the Department of Justice would also be important steps in the process before a new location could be proposed to the Minister for Justice.

Westview House, a property on Patrick’s Hill, will pass from the probation service to the Department of Justice by September, and a step-down facility for female offenders was suggested for the site.

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There were large queues for most of the day with some people waiting up to 45 minutes at the tills such was the demand.

TV3 Xpose’s Peter O’Riordan officially opened the new TK Maxx store in Douglas Village Shopping Centre.
Picture: Daragh Mc Sweeney

TV3 Xpose’s Peter O’Riordan officially opened the 21,000 sq. ft. store, which will employ more than 40 people and feature more than 60,000 different items including fashion, accessories for women, men and children as well as homeware items at reduced prices.

The new store is TK Maxx’s second Cork outlet. They have another premises at the Cornmarket Centre in Cork’s city centre.

Bartosz Meszala, manager of Douglas Village Shopping Centre, said that the store opening has already had a positive impact on the shopping centre.

“It has been a very successful launch. There was a massive queue of customers waiting to come in, and a great buzz.

“We have had plenty of customers throughout the day, but more importantly happy customers coming out with full bags. There has been an instant impact on other stores in the centre, with the cafés full of shoppers.”

TV3 presenter Peter O’Riordan and Magda Walczak from Douglas.
Pic Daragh Mc Sweeney.

Pat Fitzpatrick, Store Manager for TK Maxx Douglas Village, said. “There has been great excitement in the lead up to the opening today and we are very excited to be bringing big savings to all the stylish shoppers in the area.

“It was great to see so many stylish shoppers representing Cork today and we are sure we will see many of them again on a regular basis.”

A special promotion took place in the store yesterday called ‘Hidden Hanger Hunt’. Shoppers searched the length and breadth of the store to find the hidden red and gold hangers and there were 20 lucky winners. Nineteen of whom received a €20 gift card and the overall winner received a €50 gift.

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Met Éireann has issued a weather warning covering Cork forecasting up to 70mm of rain on Sunday.

The Code Level Orange alert is in effect from 6am Sunday for a full 24 hours until 6am Monday.

“40 to 70 mm of rain expected. Heaviest falls along the coast and in mountainous areas. High tides also,” Met Éireann said.

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BUSINESS owners on Barrack Street have welcomed the announcement of a new youth hostel for the area, but are warning that more needs to be done to rejuvenate the struggling street.
Plans for a 38-bed youth hostel have been lodged with Cork City Council. TAFI Holdings have applied to demolish numbers 120, 121 and 122 Barrack Street, building an ‘upmarket style hostel with bar, café and community uses’ on the site.

120 to 122 Barrack Street where the planned new hostel will be developed.

The building, which is next door to the popular Alchemy coffee shop on the eastern end of the street, is one of several in a state of disrepair on the street.
The development is likely to pose some challenges given the condition of the structure, which is described as in ‘extremely poor and dangerous condition’ in the planning application.
Plans state that the hostel would have a contemporary design that would ‘harmonise with the existing buildings and character of the area.’
Barry Broderick, owner of Broderick’s Pharmacy, which will celebrate its 90th year in business next year, welcomed the news as a ‘fantastic’ development for the street.
“I think it is an absolutely fantastic idea. Anything would be better than what is currently there, but this is a particularly good one.”
Mr Broderick said that short-term accommodation, such as hostels, will complement the other businesses in the area and will prove even more popular when the event centre opens.
“Together with Tom Barry’s and Alchemy, and the event centre, all the businesses will complement each other. Whoever thought of a youth hostel in this area didn’t do so by accident.”
Mr Broderick said he hopes the development will have a ‘ripple effect’ and encourage more business to come to the street. Currently, there are numerous vacant sites, including several buildings in a state of disrepair.
Many of these are too small for modern retail and unsuitable for accommodation.
Mr Broderick urged the council or the government to step in to provide tax rebates for developers and businesses willing to invest in areas like Barrack Street.
He said, “Ultimately the only thing that will help an area like Barrack Street is a government led scheme where people who commit to development can get tax back.”

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ONE hundred Irish troops have returned home safely after a peacekeeping mission in the Golan Heights region.

Gnr. Stephen Cronin from Cobh meets his 5 week old daughter, Robyn and girlfriend, Jade White at Dublin Airport Pictures Colin Keegan.

The troops were from the 50th Infantry Group drawn mainly from the South and Midlands.
Among those returning home was Private Stephen Cronin, Cobh, who was reunited with partner Jade White and his newborn daughter Robyn, who he had only met briefly five weeks ago while on leave for her birth.
Speaking in Dublin Airport after a flight from Tel Aviv, he said, “It was a tough experience, but it’s great to be back now.”

Cpl. John Moriarty from Rochestown, Cork is greeted by his wife, Mary and daughters, Clara (1) and Abbie.

This was the fifth group of Irish soldiers to be deployed on a six-month tour in the region since 2013 when Ireland first joined the UN efforts in the area.
Golan Heights is a disputed territory which was occupied in Syria by Israel during the Six-Day War of 1967.

Gnr. Denver Murphy from Cork is greeted by his fiancee, Georgina Cremin and daughter, Lexi Murphy.

A ceasefire between Israel and Syria has been maintained by the UN Disengagement Observer Force since 1974, but has been tested in recent years as the Syrian civil war has escalated, along with the threat of terrorist activity in the region.

Gnr. Brian Rodgers from Middleton, Cork is greeted by his wife, Rebecca, daughter, Katie (9) and son Jake (10 months).

Capt. Barry Hannon from Wicklow, originially from Cork is greeted by his wife, Claire and son Daithi.

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Cork has been hit by widespread flooding after a deluge of overnight rain.

Update 2.42pm: Cork Council emergency crews were active in many coastal towns where tidal flooding occurred around the time of this morning’s high tides.

A yacht has been damaged after in heavy seas in the coastal town of Cobh.

Yacht in Whitepoint #Cobh (pics via Tara Sweeney) wall and railings now broken where yacht hit #Cork #corkfloods pic.twitter.com/7L7HOPrGxu

— Ken Curtin (@kencurtin) April 10, 2016

In Youghal, there was flooding from Brown Street to O’Rahilly Street and there was some property flooding on Back Street.

#CorkFloods Catherine St, Youghal. pic.twitter.com/3TXv612EXi

— Cork Safety Alerts (@CorkSafetyAlert) April 10, 2016

Bailick Road and Bonnog in Midleton was flooded earlier and minor flooding started on Lower Main Street but receded when the tide turned.

The Council Yard on Hospital Road remains open today for the collection of sandbags and crews will be deployed again later for the evening high tide.

There was some tidal flooding in the Carrigaline/Crosshaven area while in Kinsale, flooding occurred on Short Quay, Pier Road and Worlds End. Crews are currently clearing seaweed and fish boxes from this area.

#Weather warning ⚠ ORANGE #Cork Rd from #Carrigaline to #Crosshaven (R612) is flooded, bus services suspended #CKWR @buseireann @kcshowcork

— CorkKerryWinterReady (@CorkKerryWinter) April 10, 2016

In Clonakilty, there was flooding on Bridge Road, Ring Road and Inchydoney Road.

Cork County Council’s Severe Weather Assessment Team reconvened today to monitor the situation.

What is happening with the weather? #corkfloods in city, #corksnow in Lyre, north cork (pic by Therese McAuliffe) pic.twitter.com/cyXccX8qTK

— Cork's RedFM (@CorksRedFM) April 10, 2016

Update 12.43pm: Flooding has been reported in Youghal, Middleton, Cork City and Cloyne so far today – while sleet and snow are causing difficulty in Killarney in Co Kerry.

Earlier: A number of weather warnings are in place for a number of parts of the country today, including a Status Orange warning for Cork.

A Status Yellow Rainfall Warning is in place for counties Kerry, Limerick, Tipperary and Waterford until 6am tomorrow morning.

Flooding has been reported in many city centre areas, with gardaí advising motorists to avoid the following areas: Georges Quay, Union Quay, South Terrace, Morrison’s Island, Lapp’s Quay, Lower Glanmire Road and the lower end of Oliver Plunkett Street.

One motorist captured footage of damaged power lines on the Cork to Waterford road.

The Strand Road, Crosshaven Road and Main Street in Carrigaline, Co Cork, are impassable.

CORK: Flooding in Cloyne, Midleton at the Ballymaloe Crossroads. Roads are passable but approach with caution. https://t.co/EY0qAdZlYs

— AA Roadwatch (@aaroadwatch) April 10, 2016

Victoria Rd closed, traffic diverted down Monaghan Rd...which currently looks like this #corkfloods #avoid pic.twitter.com/BHccKpsnVw

— Sinead Keary (@sineadkavanagh) April 10, 2016

The weather has also forced the cancellation of many events across the county.

Many sporting fixtures, including the senior Ladies Football clash between Cork and Armagh in Eire Og have been cancelled.

@TramoreRaces cancelled today. Course unfit for racing due to waterlogging.

— HRI Racing (@HRI_Racing) April 10, 2016

The Great Island Race in Cobh, the East Cork Athletics Day 1 in Youghal and the SSE Airtricity U17 National League game between Cork City and Cabinteely will not go ahead today.

Fota Wildlife Park has “temporarily closed”.

Up to 70 millimetres of rain are expected to fall in Cork between now and tomorrow morning.

cork is flooded again this morning. *sigh* we seriously need flood defenses pic.twitter.com/KyyheUCkr7

— SUNNYJ:-) (@sunbabe08) April 10, 2016

#flooding centre park road #cork #iestaff #victoria road closed pic.twitter.com/pgEIQgn0cn

— Dan Linehan (@lensdan) April 10, 2016

Met Éireann meteorologist Joanna Donnelly said Ireland is in for a wet couple of days.

“Later on there’s going to be a clearance to showers,” she said.

“But the showers are expected to continue and be heavy over the course of the coming days, indeed into the early days of next week, where it’s going to remain very showery and unsettled.”

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The RNLI have released footage of yesterday’s rescue of three fishermen off the coast of Cork.

The three were rescued from a trawler which hit rocks in stormy weather.

The video shows the RNLI boat getting within metres of the trawler and the three crewmen entering the water individually before they are pulled to safety.

The 20m (66ft) Sean Anthony ran aground at Moneypoint on its way into Kinsale harbour in Co Cork at about 6pm yesterday.

The local RNLI station had a rescue crew on the scene in 15 minutes.

Lifeboat helm Nick Searls said 3m (10ft) waves were breaking over the deck of the stricken beam trawler.

Mr Searls said: “Our priority was to get the crew safely off the trawler, which was complicated by the breaking waves coming over the top of the boat.

“We needed to manoeuvre the lifeboat in as close as possible to the stricken trawler so that the three fishermen could individually jump into the water to be recovered immediately by the lifeboat crew.”

The three fishermen were wearing lifejackets.

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It is “beyond belief” that seven years on from one of the worst floods that Cork ever experienced, there is still no definitive timeline for a flood defence scheme for the city.

Flooding in Cork City during severe weather Pic Michael Mac Sweeney/Provision

Chief executive of Cork Business Association, Lawrence Owens, hit out at the lack of progress for the vital scheme.
He said: “We don’t even have a timeline we can point to.”
The Office of Public Works has indicated it will be 2017 before the scheme can be approved for funding and potentially 2022 before all defences are in place.
Fianna Fáil TD, Michael McGrath, said Mr Owens and the public had every right to be frustrated and angry.
“It is a stark reminder of what the people and business owners face in Cork city on a daily basis. We are currently wide open for another disaster that could wipe out many businesses and households. This is an example of why we need a Government in place, so we can drive on ahead with schemes like the flood defence for Cork city.”

Heavy seas at Youghal Lighthouse at high tide on Sunday 10 April 2016.

Nine flights due to arrive into Cork Airport had to be diverted to Shannon yesterday. One Ryanair flight from Cork to Liverpool was delayed by 15 hours while some flights due to depart were cancelled completely with passengers facing long queues at Cork Airport to secure a refund and rebook their flights.

Huge waves about to crash onshore at Fountainstwn beach at high tide last evening. Picture: Howard Crowdy

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FORMER Chief Scout Michael John Shinnick passed away last night at Marymount Hospice.

Former Chief Scout of Scouting Ireland, Michael John Shinnick

The death of the Fermoy man was announced by Scouting Ireland.
In a statement, the association said:  “It is with a sense of great loss and sadness that Scouting Ireland announces the death of our former Chief Scout.”
“Scouting Ireland would like to offer its deepest sympathy to the Shinnick family at this sad news. We hope they can take some comfort in the knowledge that Michael John will be remembered fondly by so many, as the soft-spoken Chief Scout who was loved and respected by all who knew him.”
Mr Shinnick wrote an emotional letter to all Scouts in the weeks before he died where he praised the organisation and its ethos for giving him years of happiness.

The post Tributes paid as former Chief Scout passes away appeared first on Evening Echo.

Sarah Greene arriving on the red carpet at the Mansion House for the IFTA Film & Drama Awards 2016. Photo by Michael Chester

The actress beat off stiff competition from other strong female contenders in the Best Supporting Actress in Drama award, namely Paula Malcomson (Ray Donovan), Ruth Negga (Marvel Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.), Michelle Fairley (Rebellion) and Victoria Smurfit (Once Upon a Time).

The post Cork’s Sarah Greene is a star on the rise after scooping second IFTA award. appeared first on Evening Echo.

A CORK mother raising autistic triplets has made a remarkable discovery that she hopes will lead to a day they can communicate with her.
Avlyn McKeown from Cobh is a single mother to five-year-old triplets Alex, Kyle and Rian Keohane, who are all attending Scoil Aislinn in Blackrock. Despite all three of the boys being non-verbal, Avlyn is confident she may one day be able to communicate with her sons following a ray of light at the end of the tunnel.

The Keohane triplets (from left) Rian, Kyle and Alex at Scoil Aislinn in Cork. Picture: Denis Minihane.

It came when Rian was playing with magnetic letters.
She shared her personal story to mark autism awareness month which takes place all through April.
“I couldn’t believe it when I turned around to see the letters arranged to spell out “the National Sculpture Factory.”
It was really mind boggling as we hadn’t taught him how to spell these words. On another occasion, the words spelled “Costa Coffee Drive Through.”
It got me thinking and I realised that Rian and I had been passing all these places on the way to school. In the last 12 months we had given him the letters to play with but he has astounded us with the random words he has come up with. It gives me hope that we might one day be able to communicate with one another, even if it isn’t through spoken words.
“Now if he sees me put together a 60 piece jigsaw he’ll be able to memorise it. As soon as I take it apart he’ll have it put back together in no time. Anything he sees in a book or on an ad he can memorise. My hope is to help him develop this skill in such a way that would allow for functional communication. Their school is helping out a lot. The teacher attached a name to a photograph of each of Rian’s classmates and took them away so that he can memorise everyone in his class. I know the others will have talents too that are yet to be uncovered. I’ll be doing everything I can to help identify and cultivate their natural ability.”
Avlyn is preparing to make an application to the Department of Education so that the boys can receive an i-pad for use as a communication tool and learning aid.
“There are so many children out there who use their i-pads just for watching YouTube or using social media. However, for children with special needs they can mean the difference between being able to communicate or not.”

Avlyn McKeown (left) with her triplets, Rian, Kyle and Alex, at Scoil Aislinn in Cork with school principal Ger Prendeville. Picture: Denis Minihane.

The boys were diagnosed with autism almost three years ago and also have accompanying learning difficulties in varying degrees.
“When the kids were born I put their developmental delay down to being 10 weeks premature. The boys were about seven or eight months when a relative noticed they weren’t hitting their milestones.There is a mourning period that comes with a diagnosis. This is a very dark time because you’re mourning the childhood you thought they would have. It’s very important that parents give themselves that time to grieve.”
She revealed the difficulties of being a single mum to children with special needs.
“If I’ve had a bad day I don’t have anyone to turn to. This would even allow me the chance to even go upstairs and lie down for ten minutes just to clear my head. When you are a single mother of triplets with autism these things just aren’t a possibility. To get any place at all is a logistical nightmare. Something as simple as seeing the light from a fridge can result in sensory overload for them. We very seldom go places because it proves such a huge challenge for all of us. Just getting them up in the morning for school and loading them into the car is a monumental struggle.”
She emphasised the importance of always maintaining a positive outlook.
“I have a very positive outlook and feel very grateful to have been blessed with three bright, healthy and beautiful boys. Naturally when I first discovered that the kids had autism and learning difficulties, I thought “why us” but now I think “why not us.” There are people out there with similar struggles. While they may not be the single mother of triplets with autism they might have three children on the spectrum. I also feel grateful to have been able to get them a place in Scoil Aislinn because I know they will have the best chance there. ”
The mother of three spoke of the misconceptions they face as a family every day.
“A lot of people just see a bold child when they’re observing a child having a tantrum in a supermarket. From my own experience I can see that the child is on the autism spectrum. It’s so important that people stop and think and have compassion for people with autism. When I explain to some people that my children have autism, they say but they look so “normal.” I always have to ask what they believe a child with autism actually looks like?”
She described the world they see as very different to her own.
“I know the world they see is a lot different to mine. I sometimes wish I could see it through their eyes, even for a day. They don’t really interact with another and more or less do their own thing. But I suppose I’m lucky they don’t fight like most other siblings.”
Avlyn is proving an inspiration after presenting a talk with service users of Bridgeway – a centre for children and young people with autism – about her experiences.
“It was really heartening to receive all the lovely messages from parents following the talk.”
The boys turn heads everywhere they go.
“A couple of the Munster rugby players visited the schools and I sent the triplets all kitted out in their Munster jerseys. They caught everyone’s attention straight away. Everyone is fascinated by them because our case is so unusual.”

The post I am full of hope for my triplets appeared first on Evening Echo.

A DRAMATIC sea rescue off the coast of Kinsale saw three Portuguese fishermen plucked to safety from the water as storms raged around the coast yesterday.
Volunteer lifeboat crew from Kinsale RNLI were the heroes of the hour as the 20-metre beam trawler was forced onto the rocks at Moneypoint at the entrance to Kinsale harbour around 6pm.

Video by Kinsale RNLI.

The rescue crew arrived on scene less than five minutes later to find the vessel on the rocks with three-metre high waves breaking over its deck. The crew, led by helm Nick Searls, managed to get within feet of the stricken boat and the three crewmen were pulled to safety from the water.
They were brought to Kinsale RNLI station where they were shaken by their ordeal but uninjured. The RNLI lifeboat returned to the scene to monitor the vessel and to ensure the safety of members of the public who lined the shore to watch the incident unfold.

With the arrival of the local Coast Guard on the shoreline, the RNLI lifeboat returned to the station.
Mr Searls said: “Our priority was to get the crew safely off the trawler, which was complicated by the breaking waves coming over the top of the boat.”

Pic of trawler at centre of this evening’s Kinsale RNLI rescue
Pic by Kinsale RNLI volunteer Mark Lewis.

“We needed to manoeuvre the lifeboat in as close as possible to the stricken trawler so that the three fishermen could individually jump into the water to be recovered immediately by the lifeboat crew. The fishermen were wearing life jackets and the operation to recover all three of them onto the lifeboat was successful.”
The three rescued men lost all their personal belongings and RNLI volunteers issued an appeal to the local community in Kinsale for clothing for the men.
The station also received several offers of accommodation.

The post VIDEO: Dramatic sea rescue off the Cork coast appeared first on Evening Echo.

ISPCA inspectors have rescued three small dogs from squalid conditions in the back garden of a house in the Youghal area of Cork.

One of the dogs rescued from the home in the Youghal area. Picture: ISPCA

Inspector Lisa O’Donovan discovered the dogs living in a filthy back garden, littered with debris and faeces, with no access to clean water or food. The only shelter available to the dogs was a cage with a dirty duvet inside. Inspector O’Donovan visited on a rainy day, and found the duvet was soaking wet.

A male Yorkshire terrier was found with an intensely matted coat and in a state of collapse. He was barely moving and was dangerously thin. Two Chihuahuas were also present, one of them severely emaciated and the other pregnant.

The three dogs were seized and transferred for immediate veterinary attention. The Yorkshire terrier, now named Benjamin Button, was found to be just a step away from death. He was severely dehydrated and emaciated, and underneath his matted coat was just skin and bone. The two Chihuahuas, now known as Bonnie and Clyde, received immediate care for dehydration and poor body weight.

The small back yard the three dogs were living in. Picture: ISPCA

“As a seasoned Inspector, I was absolutely horrified to find such small, frail little dogs living in such a horrendous squalor,” Inspector O’Donovan said. “It is terribly upsetting to find any animals living in such a state, but especially little tiny dogs. There is no question in my mind that the little Yorkie would have died within 48 hours. It was such a relief to be able to remove them as an authorised officer under the Animal Health and Welfare Act.”

Allegedly the previous occupants vacated the property a few weeks previous. One dog was microchipped however the no information was registered with the microchipping database. An on-going investigation is continuing.

One of the animals was just hours from death, ISPCA inspectors said. Picture: ISPCA

Bonnie and Clyde are now in the care of the ISPCA Equine Rescue Centre in Mallow, and will be available for adoption once they are healthy enough. Benjamin Button will be in foster care with Inspector O’Donovan until his health improves and he has gained sufficient weight, which could be several months.

ISPCA Inspectors investigate complaints of cruelty, neglect and abuse in all kinds of situations mostly in relation to inadequate food, substandard living conditions and lack of necessary veterinary treatment.

To report cruelty to an animal, please complete the ISPCA  on-line confidential complaint form http://www.ispca.ie/cruelty_complaint, email helpline@ispca.ie or call 1890 515 515 (Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm).  Your details will remain confidential and you will only be contacted if further information is required to enable ISPCA Inspectors to investigate your concerns in a timely fashion.

If you would like to make a donation to the ISPCA visit www.ispca.ie for more information.

The post Video: Small dogs living in filthy conditions rescued from Cork home appeared first on Evening Echo.

A MULTIVEHICLE crash on the M8 southbound this morning resulted in one person being hospitalised.

Gardaí have warned that fog coupled with fast driving may have caused further mayhem on Cork’s roads and have urged motorists to slow down. The collision occurred outside Fermoy at the toll plaza at 7.15am, when three vehicles were involved in a rear-end type collision. Initial reports were of at least one person injured, with another trapped in a car.

Emergency services personnel working at a crash scene on the M8, near the toll plaza at Watergrasshill. Twitter pic: @ambulanceNAS

The national ambulance control dispatched two HSE emergency response ambulances, and the fire brigade also attended the scene. One person was taken to Cork University Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Fog obstructed an initial attempt by emergency services to close the southbound side of the M8, as dense fog made the emergency services’ flashing blue lights invisible to many road users, so a decision was made to keep the M8 open, but reduced to one single lane of traffic southbound. Two cars were removed by tow truck and the road re-opened fully to traffic at 09.15am. Dense fog in the area was made more dangerous by motorists approaching at speed, according to Sergeant Peter Murphy, Emergency Response Coordinator at the Angelsea Street Garda Station Communications Centre.

“The was a dangerous incident and the risk to all concerned was greatly increased by motorists approaching the accident site at speeds that were too high or not appropriate for the weather conditions and reduced visibility,” said Sgt Murphy. Garda resources from Cork North Division were immediately dispatched to the scene, with additional resources from the divisional traffic unit also sent.Gardaí believe that dense fog in the area contributed to the accident. This is the latest in a string of multivehicle crashes which have been aggravated by weather conditions. Gardaí have repeated a call for all road users to slow down and match their speed to the road and weather conditions.

Gardaí believe that dense fog in the area contributed to the accident. This is the latest in a string of multivehicle crashes which have been aggravated by weather conditions. Gardaí have repeated a call for all road users to slow down and match their speed to the road and weather conditions.

The post Morning fog causes mayhem on Cork roads appeared first on Evening Echo.