Five things to do in West Cork this weekend

THE first couple of weeks of the year are hard to get used to, aren't they?

Money and energy reserves are low, while we're all still getting used to saying '2023' — it's a bit like trying to acclimatise to the weird feeling in your mouth after losing a tooth.

However, some things never change, as West Cork is full of things to do this weekend so you can get into the swing of 2023 straight away.

Here are five things to do in West Cork this weekend.

Get a glimpse of West Cork's old railway system

A book celebrating the glory days and the sad decline of the much-remembered West Cork Railway system is now available, as reported by Brian Moore in The Southern Star.

Author Chris Larkin will be in Corcoran's Bar in Ballinadee at 8pm on Saturday, January 7th, to sign copies of the book.

Home movies of the railway taken in the 50s and 60s will also be shown on the night.

Celebrate Little Christmas

It's all about the West Cork women tonight, as friends and families prepare to celebrate Little Christmas and mark the true end of another festive period.

If you're celebrating this weekend, make sure you stay local and support the many brilliant businesses across the region who might have a difficult January ahead.

Emma Connolly has interviews in this week's Southern Star - out now - with well known local women, who share what their female friendships mean to them.

Pick up a copy of the paper in shops across West Cork or subscribe to our ePaper.

John Spillane in DeBarra's

John Spillane playing in DeBarra's on the first Thursday of every month is a long-held tradition, but this month he and his band will perform tonight, Friday 6th, to celebrate Little Christmas.

Whether you've seen the maestro before or it's your first time, tonight is bound to be a great show.

The show kicks off at 9pm. Tickets are €20 and can be bought online here.

Recycle your Christmas tree

If you've avoided buying a fake Christmas tree for this long, then you'll know that one of the biggest hassles can be figuring out what to do with your real tree once Christmas is over.

That's where PSW Services in Schull might come in handy.

They're offering a free recycling service for people in the local area. Just drop your tree at the gate and it will be chipped and reused.

Visit your local library

Libraries are one of the best places to be. I hadn't visited one in years until quite recently and had forgotten just how much they offer.

Aside from the obvious, they are brilliant places to meet other people in your community and have some of the friendliest staff around.

They also offer space for local creatives, adults and children alike to showcase their work.

Bantry library currently has a lovely photo exhibition from local photo enthusiast Conor McCarthy.

One of Bandon library's most popular features is their interactive whiteboard in the children's section, where kids can draw to their heart's content.