There was no talk about lathes, gouges, skew chisels, wood or anything else connected with woodturning when members of the Cork Chapter of I.W.G. took to the high seas today in Peter Manning's wonderful 36" boat, "Cleona", for what has become our annual fishing trip out of Ballycotton.  Instead we spoke about rods, bait, reels and swivels as we pondered what we might catch.  A "catch" in our everyday world of woodturning is something we try to avoid at all costs but not today, 24th June 2015.

Everybody was on time and by the appointed hour of 9.00 a.m. we were heading out of Ballycotton harbour, into the bay and the high seas beyond.  Ger Hennessy got the first fish but Jim Byrne wasn't far behind him and for the next three and a half hours, as we drifted over the various "marks" known to our skipper, Peter, we pulled in a variety of fish.  They were mainly pollack but with a good scattering of mackerel, though it might be a week or two early for the larger shoals of them that are known to favour Ballycotton. 

P.J. O'Brien - or was it his son, Peter? - got the only cod of the day and just to add variety Tony Farrell kept on pulling  out wrasse and at one stage even a small red gurnet (gurnard).  Jim O'Donovan started rather slowly and was beginning to wonder if he was doing something wrong when all of a sudden he began to kook them two and sometimes three at a time.  Leo O'Donoghue was next to this writer and sat quietly on the engine cover as he consistently worked his bait with a smooth wrist movement that got great results. Meanwhile poor Peter worked up a sweat as he darted about the boat unhooking fish and later cleaning and filleting them.  Maurice Cashman had found himself a great spot right at the stern and was pulling them in in constant stream with the skill of the old hand that, indeed, he is.  Christy Fitzpatrick is no stranger to life on the ocean wave and as well as catching fish was a great help to us all when it came to unhooking fish or untangling lines.

In the afternoon, after a lunch of tasty soup, with sandwiches in Jerry's Bar, back on shore, the majority of us, with Joe Kennedy joining us, headed back out for a conducted tour of the lighthouse.  Hazel was our guide and it was clear that she just loves the work as she took us through the history of the fine edifice, started in 1848 and completed in 1851.  The nine acre island on which the lighthouse is built was purchased from the local landlord for £36-5-0 (About 46 Euro)and the lighthouse itself cost, as far as I can remember, almost £10,000 - a huge sum in those days.

We had a fantastic day and returned home laden with fish, our ears ringing from the fun and banter of our companions but, more importantly, with great memories of the day and with our heads heavy with fresh sea air, sufficient to guarantee a great night's sleep to even the most fitful sleeper.

Banter, as Skipper Peter helps Jim with his first fish.

Only Tony Farrell knew how to catch wrasse - and he wasn't telling.

The entire "crew".

On the helped with the lighthouse in the background.

Feeding frenzy for the gulls when Peter fillets the catch.

Peter Manning's beautiful boat.

The view from the Lighthouse.

We had our June, 2015 Chapter workshop at our usual venue at Togher on Saturday last 20th June. Despite the fact that several of our usual attendees were away on vacation we had a good attendance of about 25 members. Those that couldn't attend missed a top class workshop at which a lot was learned from two excellent demonstrators, John O'Shea and David Lee. John made a large clock from ash with a mahogany centre and the mahogany discs for "numerals". John's precision in marking out the project is, of course, well known but he ably demonstrated how important it was in that particular project. Dave's large platter was perfectly complimentary - it was as if the two had planned it that a way. The platter was also in ash but with excellent colouring, using blow-lamp and paints, expertly applied by the demonstrator. 
The competition was for a three-candle candelabra as demonstrated by Charlie Ryan at the May workshop. Because the entry was small they were all judged under the one category. Peter Manning's balancing candelabra was first; Jim Byrne was a close second and Hugh Garrett was hot on Jim's heels for third.
The fishing trip and visit to Ballycotton Lighthouse is fully booked up and fingers are crossed for fine weather.
The competition for the July workshop, to be held at Kieran Higgins' workshop in Skibbereen is a choice between a clock and a platter as demonstrated..

John O'Shea with his clock from ash and mahogany

Peter Manning's 1st prize winning balancing candelabra

Jim Byrne with his second placed candelabra with judge Paddy O'Rourke.

Paddy O'Rourke with third place winner Hugh Garrett

David Lee's coloured platter

Our May workshop saw a return of our friend and colleague from Dublin, Charlie Ryan.  Charlie had been with us for our A.G.M. in December and such was the impression he made that we had him back again, by popular demand, just 6 months later.  He is now a firm favourite with our Chapter and no doubt he will visit us again in the not too distant future.

Charlie demonstrated to us how he goes about making a balancing candelabrum.   This is a great exercise in both spindle turning (there are several spindles required to complete the project) as well as precision work.  Several holes have to be drilled and in turn many of them require precise wooden pins or pegs.  The holes have to be very accurately placed and the various parts have to be of the same size and weight if the finished item is to achieve balance.

The 30 + members who attended were well entertained by Charlie’s free-flowing commentary and amusing anecdotes as well as excellent and entertaining exchanges with the members.  Thank you, Charlie, for a wonderful demonstration.

Charlie Ryan with "the makings".

The finished candelabrum.

There were few enough entries for the monthly competition, which was for a “Pomander” as demonstrated by Jerry Twomey at the March workshop.  In “Beginners” Rita Murphy came out on top whilst in “Advanced” Peter Manning got first prize. 

Competition entries

Rita Murphy congratulated by Jerry Twomey who, with Christy Fitzpatrick, judged the competition.

Jerry congratulated Peter Manning, winner in "Advanced".

Mick Bouchier, our Hon. Secretary, has sourced a great bargain in smocks.  They can be purchased for €10.00 (Even less if there is a bigger order.) and any body interested can contact Mick.  He will have the Chapter crest to go with them in a short few weeks also.

Peter Manning has organised a very exciting Outing for Wednesday 24^th June.

The day will be divided in two, Fishing and a Trip to Ballycotton Island/Lighthouse as follows.

Group 1 . Angling with Peter : 9am – 12.30pm followed by Soup/Sandwiches.
   The Island Tour for that group will be from 2pm – 4pm.

Group 2 . Island Tour will be from 10am – 12noon.  This will be followed by soup and Sandwiches.
 Angling with Peter will follow from 2pm – 4.30pm.

Cost for both trips including Soup/Sandwiches is €50 per person, a total of 20 people can be accommodated, all weather dependent. Two boats will be used, maximum of 10 people at a time on the boat to the Island.

All interested should contact Brian Goulding: gouldingbt@eircom.net .

Mick Hanbury (U.K.) gave a workshop at Tony Farrell's place on the day after the Annual seminar.  For the 17 participants who attended it was a wonderful day.  Tony Farrell's now famous ham luncheon added greatly, as usual, to the event.
Working on four lathes the different groups made each of the projects that Mick had demonstrated in Midleton the previous day.  The artistic side was prominent for two of the groups.  They opted to make the coloured "rose" bowl and a great job they made of them too.  One very adventurous group got to grips with the triangular bowl and when they got the blank spinning at full speed it was like being inside an old-fashioned propellor-driven aeroplane.  The more conservative of us were happy to concentrate on the three-sided box and luckily the ever-generous Tony Farrell, our host for the day, provided enough blanks to enable us, because we didn't get to finish the project, take it up again on our home lathes.
It was a beautifully sunny day and we wound up the day sitting in the sunshine with teas and coffees and the most delicious chocolate biscuit cake and lemon-flavoured queen cakes.
Mick Hanbury is a wonderful teacher and demonstrator and had unbounded energy throughout the day as he darted about from lathe to lathe instructing and correcting.  Tony, our host, became a second trainer and as usual was more than generous with his advice and help.  As a further demonstration of his generosity nobody left Waterfall without a few pieces of wood from Tony's large stock.
The attached photographs are some random shots from the very excellent day.

Our guest turners for the seminar on the 18th April were Mick Hanbury from the U.K. and Philip Mahon from Sligo.  We are deeply grateful to both of them for a wonderful days turning.
Mick did three exciting projects; the first was a triangular bowl on a pedestal; the second was a bowl, the outside of which he coloured black and then added flower designs, using a compressor, and for the third project he made a three-sided box with a minaret-type top.
Philip, meanwhile and to the delight of many, stayed with straight-forward honest-to-goodness turning.  His first project was a covered sugar bowl and scoop, which he repeated for a different audience later in the day and for his second project he made a most attractive candlestick.

For the first session after lunch our own chapter turners, Chairman John Ahern and committee member Peter Manning, gave, in their usual style, excellent demonstrations.  John did a potpourri bowl in yew but took the opportunity to demonstrate his new Simon Hope jig for deep hollowing.  Peter did a "mystery" saltcellar.  It was demonstrated by Nick Cook in the National Seminar last year and is available on one of his DVDs.  It is a fun project and placed on any dining table is a definite conversation creator.

Mick Hanbury

Mick's rose bowl

Philip Mahon with his completed bowl and scoop.

Whoever said to avoid making pairs - clearly doesn't apply to Philip

Peter Manning, working on his mystery saltcellar

John Ahern with one of his potpourri bowls.

Our annual seminar took place today, 18th April, 2015 at Midleton Park Hotel.  Everybody attending reported that they had a great day and a longer, more comprehensive report on the day will be posted in the next few days.  In the meantime hearty congratulations to Dave Lee and Jim O'Donovan who shared the homers in the open competition.  It is a common phrase that a picture paints a thousands words and therefore I leave it to the attached photos to tell the story.  Dave got both first and second place whilst Jim got third.  Both were very popular winners.

Dave Lee with his prize-winning entries. 1st on the left; 2nd on the right.

Jim O'Donovan with his 3rd place entry.

I understand that Mrs. Eileen O'Donoughue's removal will be from O'Connors, North Gate Bridge on Saturday at 4.00 pm to Little Island Church. Burial is Monday after 11.00 am Mass in Little Island to the local cemetery.