The Class of '76 School Reunion
This was our first class reunion in thirty years, and I think that most of us who came to Slievenamon Golf Club last Saturday night came with a slight feeling of nervousness and trepidation, but we need not have worried. After the initial meeting and greeting, one only had to listen to the laughter and chatter coming from the tables to know that the evening was going to be a success. Unfortunately many of our former classmates are now living far from home and could not attend, but as the night wore on and the drinks and conversation flowed, each and every one of them were mentioned as many tales from school were shared.

For those who live locally and could not attend, there will be another chance of a get together as Mary Morrissey and her band are coming from London to play for one night in Fethard on Sunday, August 6th. It would be a great chance to renew old friendships and lend your support to your former classmate. Finally, a few thank yous, firstly to Mark and the staff at Slievenamon Golf Club who looked after us so well. To Jack Kenny, or DJ JK as he is now known after Saturday night, whose selection of songs brought back memories of the school hops. How we could have done with his sophisticated and subdued lighting back then! To our chief organiser Catherine Newport for all her hard work and dedication. And last but not least, to all the class of '76 who made the effort to turn up on the night.

If God spares us all the health, our next reunion will be in 2011. Until then, all the best.
(K.R.)

Senior Day at Fethard Day Care Centre
The Fethard & District Day Centre will hold their next Senior Day on the last Friday of this month, 28th July. The Centre will open to all our senior citizens from 11.30 to 2.00pm. A hot meal will be served during these hours at a cost of €5. A qualified chiropodist will attend and the cost of this service is €10. The district nurse will also be in attendance. All are welcome.

Tennis Camp for boys and girls
A Tennis Camp for boys and girls from the ages of 7 to 15 will take place in Fethard Sports Centre from Monday 24th July to Friday 28th July.  The camp will take place every morning from 10am to 12.30pm and children willing to take part are asked to give their names to Fionnuala O’Sullivan, Main Street.

The Tennis Court is now open every day for adults and children and it would be great to see this fantastic facility used more often by all.

Happy 70th Birthday
A regular visitor to Fethard every summer is Shamie Dineen, formerly from Kerry Street, Fethard, and now living in California USA. Shamie celebrated his 70th birthday on 3rd July and we take this opportunity to wish him a very ‘Happy Birthday’ from all his Fethard friends. Shamie has been a long-time supporter and promoter of tennis in Fethard, sponsoring many trophies for childrens’ tournaments at Fethard Sports Centre. What better birthday present for Shamie than to see the long-awaited revival of Fethard Tennis Club take a step forward this year with the running of a juvenile Tennis Camp from 24th July to 28th July this month.

Open Air Mass by Town Wall
All are invited to attend an Open Air Mass, which will take place by the Town Wall at the Valley on Wednesday 19th July at 8pm.

Hospice Collection New Record
The local support group of South Tipperary Hospice would like to express their sincere appreciation to all who supported their annual church gate collection last weekend held in Fethard, Killusty and Moyglass. The total raised was €2,216 and 57 cent, which is a new record for this collection.

Fethard Athletic Club
Many congratulations to Hannah Trehy who competed in the All-Ireland Track & Field competition in Tullamore last weekend. Hannah qualified in four events out of Munster – high jump, long jump, 80 metres hurdles and 250 metres hurdles. She won two medals in the All-Ireland – a bronze in the long jump with a great jump of 5.02 metres (a personal best) and a silver in the 80 metre hurdles.

This is a wonderful achievement for this dedicated and talented young athlete who has put in such a great amount of work all year. Well done Hannah!

The club is taking a break for the summer and training will resume in September. Thanks to all the athletes for their work during the year and to all parents for their continued support. See you all in September.

Fethard GAA Club News
The Intermediate Hurling South Championship continued with us winning a share of the spoils in Monroe on Saturday last against Cahir on a scoreline of 1-8 each. Our last game in the section is against St Marys.  The team last Saturday was: Paul Fitzgerald, Michael Ryan, Carol Gahan, William O’Brien, Cian Maher, Shane Walsh, Willie Morrissey, Kieran Treacy 1-6 (f), John P Looby 0-1, Eoin Doyle, Miceál Spillane, Aiden Fitzgerald 0-1 (f), John Leahy, Michael Aherne, Michael Dillon. Subs used were: Chris Sheehan, Dean Tobin, and Michael Carroll.

In the Senior Football Munster League game on Thursday 13th July (tonight), we are away to Aghada (Cork),

The Minor Football B South semifinal against Mullinahone takes place on this Friday night, 14th July at 8pm in Cloneen. The Minor B Hurling continues with its round robin system when we play Skeheenarinka in Cahir on Sunday 16th July at 7pm.

Our Junior B Footballers had their third game in Cloneen on Wed 28th June and suffered defeat on a scoreline, Fethard 0-6, Kilsheelan 1-13. The team was: Paul Kenny, Mike Kelly, Tommy Gahan, David Kelly, MJ Croke, Diarmuid Burke, William Harrington, John Hanrahan, Shay Ryan, Paul Kenrick 0-5 (2f), Patrick Aherne, David Flanagan 0-1, Paddy Cooney, Michael O’Riordan and Jerry Ahearne. Junior Football B continues with a game against Carrick Swans in Kilsheelan on Wednesday 19th July at 8pm.

Congrats to Mary Leahy (Kilkenny) on winning €200 in the County Board Draw.

Our Lotto Jackpot of €3,000 was not won. The numbers drawn were 2, 5, 18 and 21. We had one match three winner of €150 to Tom Ryan (46 St Patricks Place) Fethard. The €50 Lucky Dip went to Paul O’Meara (The Green) Fethard. Tickets are kindly supplied by Harrington Development.

GAA Centre would like to thank FAS Community Scheme for their cooperation in enabling this facility to now be available from 2pm, Monday to Friday, for the GAA and Centre Members.

Killusty Soccer Club
Our AGM of Killusty Soccer Club takes place this Thursday night 13th July at 9pm in the Tirry Community Centre. All members are asked to attend and new members are welcome.

Community Games Munster Finals
Good result for the Fethard Killusty Community Games who were the best overall area from Tipperary at HSE Community Games Munster Finals in University of Limerick on Saturday last.

Judo competitors set the ball rolling when Gary Bradshaw, The Green, Padraig O’Shea, The Valley, and Lorraine Feery, Killusty, all won their respective fights in fine style.

These victories were quickly followed by a double win in both boys and girls volleyball championships.  Denis Burke had his teams in tip-top form for these finals where both teams had a decisive win over Limerick. Boys team captain, Matthew Fitzgerald, Barrack Street, proudly received the Sean Murphy Mohawk Cup to the delight of the many supporters present. His team-mates were: Ciaran Ryan, Jerome Ahearne, Kevin Hayes, Michael Fitzgerald, Glen Maher, Damien Morrissey, Darren Thompson, Joseph Sheehan, Owen Healy, Tommy Sheehan and Padraig O’Shea.   The girls under-16 team who won the Tommy Butler shield are: Carrie Sweeney (Capt), Chloe Gough, Sarah Conway, Lesley Looby, Mary Anne Keane, Niamh Fanning, Aisha Tobin, Leslie Looby, Lisa Anglim, Debbie Lawrence, Kelly Coady and Laura Rice who along with Padraig O’Shea will have double engagements in Mosney as she won the under-16 Art competition also. Sarah Hayes was absent. 

Thanks to Denis Burke for the trojan work he put in training these teams, along with Audrey Conway and staunch supporter Sarah O’Meara. 

The area now has a total of 33 young people qualified for the first weekend of the National Finals which will take place in Mosney from 18th to 21st August. Other qualifiers are: Jack Ward, Garrinch, Under-8 Art; Philip Maher, Ballybough, Swimming; and Andrew Maguire, Annesgift, Model Making.  Our two Tag Rugby teams played well in a downpour but the under-11 team were beaten by Limerick in the semifinal and under-14 defeated by Clare also in the semifinal. However, it is a great achievement to compete in a Munster final.

A special meeting for all competitors, parents and managers will take place this Monday night, July 17th July in the Tirry Community Centre at 8pm sharp to discuss funding and transport. All competitors on volleyball teams must have passport type photo submitted to Community Games Office, Grove Road, not later than July 17th July.  Anything after that will not be accepted.

Our Church Gate Collection will be taken up this weekend, 15th and 16th July. We hope people will subscribe generously to this worthy cause. Volunteers to man the collection would be appreciated. Thanks to the following people who helped at the Munster Finals and contributed to the success of the area: Alice Feery, Helena O’Shea, Josephine O’Donnell, Valerie Colville, Joe Keane, Denis Burke, Bernard Feery, Tommy Morgan and Sam Manton.

The Well Golf Society
The Well Golf Society will hold their third outing of the season this coming Sunday, 16th July, at Mountain View Golf Club, Ballyhale, Co. Kilkenny. Tee off time is at 12 noon.

Kelletts visit Clonacody
Major General Richard Orlando Kellett died while out hunting in 1934. He suffered a heart attack and fell from his horse at Rathronan. He had two sons, Richard and Edward. Richard was killed nineteen years before his father’s death while fighting in France in 1915. His family erected a memorial plaque on the inside wall of the Holy Trinity Church in his honour. His brother Edward, better known as Flash or Mitch had left Ireland after a disagreement with his father. He considered moving back to Clonacody after his father’s death but decided against it and so the estate was sold to Conor Carrigan in the 1930s.

Edward served as MP for Aston Division of Birmingham in England and like his brother and father, he also served in the armed forces. He was killed in North Africa in the Second World War in 1943. He had married in 1926 and his daughter Diana was born in 1927. Last week, Diana returned to Fethard to visit the former family home in Clonacody and Holy Trinity Church where lie the graves of her ancestors, Vice Admiral Henry Kellett (her great grandfather) and Major General Richard Kellett (her grandfather).

She recalled her last visit to Clonacody, back in 1947, while on her honeymoon. She was eager to see the former family home but arrived in the dark and rain and just looked over the wall at the place. Almost sixty years later she re visited, this time with prior notice and was given a tour of the house and gardens by Conor Carrigan, grandson of the man who bought the Estate from the Kelletts.

She was accompanied by her daughter Emma and her son Edward and brought pictures of some of the items that belonged to Admiral Kellett that remain in her possession, such as his sledge flag which came from his Arctic expedition, his flute, his medals from China and the Arctic voyages, and the copy of the prologue to a play written on board Kellett’s ship, ‘The Resolute’ to entertain the crew. This was later performed at the Theatre Royal, Melville Island.

Diana got married in 1947 to a gentleman called Richard Wood. He became an MP and served as Minister for Power, Pensions and National Insurance, and Overseas Development. He became Lord Holderness in 1979. He was the youngest son of Edward Wood, the Earl of Halifax, who had been Viceroy of India and was responsible for bringing Gandhi to the negotiating table. He was Foreign Secretary at the time of Munich and almost caused a major diplomatic incident when negotiating with the Nazis. Upon entering a room, he nearly handed his coat to a person that he thought was a page boy. The ‘page boy’ was Adolph Hitler. He later served as Ambassador to The United States during the War.

Diana and her family visited the family graves where the Kellett descendants met local historian Tony Newport and received more information about their family. It was decided to restore the graves and keep the Kellett memory alive for future generations.  (VM)

Carew Family Information
I am looking for information about my Great Grandfather, William Carew, who immigrated to the US in 1851. He was married to Bridget Lonergan. He stated in the Emigrant Savings Bank records that he came from Fethard. I wrote to a William Carew who lives in Fethard but the letter was returned stating that he was not longer there. Can anyone help me?  Jeanetta Jones, Georgia, USA (email: jon7573@bellsouth.net)

Fethard & Killusty Community Lotto
The numbers drawn in the Fethard & Killusty Community Lotto on Wednesday 5th July were 23, 24, 29 and 32. There was no Jackpot winner and no ‘Match 3’ winner. Three tickets were drawn and the following €50:

Claire O’Brien, Drangan Village;
Mary Myler, 66 St Patricks Place, Fethard;
John Walshe, Curraghtarsna, Fethard.

The three €50 Lucky Dip winners were:

Christy Williams, Killusty, Fethard;

Nellie Donovan, 22 Fr. Tirry Park, Fethard;
Seamus Moloney, 7 Fr. Tirry Park, Fethard.
Next weeks Jackpot is €5,550 and the Jackpot ticket sellers prize is €555.

Fethard Cycling News
Wednesday 5th July saw a total of 13 cyclists turn up for our weekly gathering.  As I sit here watching the build-up to the final of the World Cup, I realize we are fast approaching our own finale with next Wednesday 12th July, probably being our last group meet (at 7.00 in the car-park).

After leaving the car park we headed for Market Hill en route to Clonmel.  The first time this route was suggested, a communal groan was heard.  Now, just a few short weeks later, not a groan to be heard anywhere — our fitness levels are on the up and up.  Arriving in Clonmel, the group had divided in two but Carrick was our target.  Group 1 went through the town, over the Gashouse bridge and left for Coleville Road.  Reaching Sir. Thomas’s Bridge the group went right for Derrinlaur and on towards Kilsheelan.  Cycling along the back of De la Poer’s Castle, I realize the beauty of our countryside cannot be appreciated from a speeding silage tractor being driven by an accelerator-happy teenager.  Passing the signpost for Rathgormack we go straight for the Rosminians and into Carrick-on-Suir.  After a short break we cycled back the main road to Kilsheelan. You really appreciate the slow pace of a bike when you see the speed of car traffic on the main road — where are they all rushing to? 

From Kilsheelan we went to Gambonsfield and straight across at the Ormond Stores, towards Thorny Bridge and Kiltinan Barracks. A turn left here brought a tired but satisfied group of six cyclists back to Fethard.  The other group stayed on the main road — not as scenic as the back roads but equally as exercising.

As I finish this article just as Italy equalized, I realize the 29th July isn’t too far away, when we leave Fethard for Fethard-on-Sea to cycle back home.  Lets hope all goes well on the day and the aim of our cycle fundraising for the AEDs (automated external defibrillators) will be successful. Thank you for your continued support for this worthy cause and please ask your friends to sponsor any of our cyclists before the 29th. 

Abymill Theatre
The Annual General Meeting of Abymill Theatre was held on Thursday 6th July.  The following officers were returned, Chairperson, Joe Kenny; Secretary, Marian Gilpin; Treasurer: Agnes T. Evans; Administrator, Austie O Flynn; Carmel Rice, Eileen Maher, Vincent Murphy, Jimmy O’Shea, Bernard Walsh and Mary McCormack.

A vote of sympathy was passed to Michael O’Dwyer on the death of his wife Noelle, a director of Abymill. Members will be notified of the date and venue of our next meeting.