Saturday 2nd February 2008
Fethard Community Childcare (ACORN) Project The ACORN project aims to identify the local need, to identify a suitable site, and to develop a suitable facility. We are currently working with the National Childcare Committee, who has overseen such developments in Cahir, Ardfinnan and Clonmel. Initially what is needed from the people in our area is information regarding our needs. To this end a questionnaire was developed by Ciaran Lynch and Catherine Corcoran of the Tipperary Institute and has been circulated locally. If a family has not received one, they will be available at Newport’s Newsagents. If parents could take a few minutes to fill in this form and return it quickly it will be a great help. The information collected will be assessed and used to form a report to the National Childcare Committee. So far, we have looked at a number of the newer facilities, and the development in Cahir is an especially exciting one. All who were at the site visit were impressed by what has been achieved by them. We meet regularly to review progress and our meetings are open. Next meeting will take place on Wednesday 6th February at 7.30pm in the Tirry Community Centre. So, as parents if there is someway you can help, please come along. Site for Community Facilities Hunting News The Tipps did not hunt on Wednesday. From Ballinahinch on Thursday they had another good run. Finding in the bog at Con Ryan’s they ran right over to O’Dwyer’s of Tamberlane. Swinging left here they hunted through Charlie Horgan’s to Jessica Roth’s quite close to the big wood at Knockavilla. This run, without a check, provided plenty of jumping over the big banks and also plenty of fallers. With the White Heathers Winners in the January Draw were: 1st prize of €200 to Amy O’Connor, Drangan and 2nd prize of €100 to Ger Manton, Fethard. The Ballyluskey White Heather Harriers meet next Sunday, 3rd February at Downey’s Cross (Fethard/Cloneen Road) at 11am. Fethard Community Youth Project Allied to the desire to have the Youth Project reinstated in Fethard, Foróige, the National Youth Development Organisation, would like to re-establish a Foróige Club in the town. A Foróige Club is for young people between the ages of twelve and eighteen years. The young people are responsible, in co-operation with adult leaders, for making all the decisions regarding the club. To make it possible to re-establish a Foróige Club in Fethard it is necessary that adult volunteers become involved as leaders. If you would like to become an adult leader or be involved in any way please contact Foróige Regional Youth Officer, Gail O’Sullivan, Foróige Office, Military Road, Waterford. Gail can also be contacted, by phone, at 051 872982 or 086 2316302 or, by e-mail, at gail.osullivan@foroige.ie Died Recently The death has occurred on 26th January of Mr John Fleming, Coolmore. Interment took place in Calvary Cemetery. The death has occurred on 27th January of Mrs Kitty Martin, Mobarnane, Fethard. Interment took place in Moyglass Cemetery. Fethard Athletic Club Numbers varied from ten to two athletes at different training sessions but the objective of winning the County Junior always was the motivation. As luck would have it, the Munster Junior was held at the Tipperary venue in the Turnpike, out on the Dublin road just beyond Littleton on last Sunday week. We had a team entered with three of our boys also on the Tipperary team. Unfortunately we failed to fill a club team and lost out in silver Munster second team medals, but the trio of Robert and Jerome Ahearne and Jonathan Fleming, helped Tipperary to take second silver county medals. Last Sunday saw the squad take the road west to Hollyford to run in the County Junior. Expectations were good, to say the least, of winning some sort of medals but on the day the boys took 1st team prize on a very dry tough course on the side of a hill. For the squad of Darragh Dwyer, Jerome Ahearne, Adam O’Donnell and Jonathan Fleming (Robert Ahearne had to withdraw due to an ankle injury), it was an experience never to be forgotten it was a day when boys became men. Well done boys, ye did the town and club proud. On the previous Saturday, Darragh Dwyer took silver in the 1500 meters at the indoors in Nenagh. These athletes will run in the inter schools cross country in Thurles on Tuesday next. Training continues on Tuesday nights at 7pm. Fethard & District Juvenile Rugby The under-8s also acquitted themselves well considering they had not played a match since mid December owing to the weather. They proved too strong for Nenagh with great play coming from Jack Ward, Patrick Scully, Aaron Smullen, Harry Butler, Luke Bradstock, William Pratt, Darragh Harcourt, Darragh Lynch, Mark Heffernan, Jack Dolan, Jack and James O’Connell and Richard Holohan. With a bit of work to be done this is a great team for the months ahead. Under-9s drew three all in a very good tough game with fabulous play from Michael Gaynor who is back from injury. Also playing well throughout was Killian O’Dwyer and Gary Kavanagh who showed good skill ably assisted by Matthew Lynch. Jake Murphy made an impressive debut for the Fethard team. Under-10s played two great games. With all thirteen playing extremely well after a long break and showing no signs of rustiness, they came together very well with great passing and tackling. The first full match result was 7-2, helped with great tackling by Padraig Norton. Harry Tobin played extremely well and nearly got the interception after great patience. Padraig Feehan with Paul Moloney got stuck in and Gearóid Fahy and Euan Harcourt played great. Tommy Murphy, Ben Murray, Christian Casey, Pierce Blackmore and Mark Collins used good teamwork together. Jason Ryan stole the ball alongside Luke Ryan to provide great rugby for the morning. Under-12s played two games. The first game we played we won 7-3. It was a great performance by all the players as a team. Josh Murray, Russell Casey, Jimmy Feehan and Cathal Mahoney all scored with great skill and tackling. Playing well to the fore were Ciaran Mockler, Colin Kenny and Tommy Anglim. In the second game we lost 4 -2. It has to be said that Fethard showed a spirited performance against a very big side in a hard physical game in which Fethard played very well with a mixture of under-11s and under-12s and their coach pointed out how proud he was of their efforts and determination. We are very lucky to have great support from Parents and would like to take this opportunity to say a huge thank you to all the parents for their time and effort. It is wonderful to see so many parents travel to Nenagh to see the all the teams play great games. Our under 16s travelled to Clonmel in the first round of the East Munster Cup. Despite loosing by 13 points to 6, Fethard showed great tenacity and played great rugby throughout playing most of the game in the Clonmel half. The Clonmel defence were outstanding on the day and Fethard just could not get that vital touchdown, being within six inches of the line on at least four occasions. Poor tackling by Fethard gifted two breakaway tries to Clonmel in the first half. Daniel Hickey kicked two penalties for Fethard to leave the score 10 points to six at the break. Fethard started the second half in determined mood and launched attack after attack on the Clonmel line but were denied time and again. This was a very good team performance and Fethard can look forward to the home trip of Clonmel with some confidence. The Fethard forwards played exceptionally well against a far bigger pack, with Robert Hall bossing the line antes. James Kavanagh just back from injury was determined throughout particularly rucking and mauling. Kevin Hayes produced one of his best games to date, carrying some great ball and pulled off a try saving ankle tap in the second half. Connor Kavanagh had an assured game at scrum half. In reality everyone of the Fethard team deserve a mention as they played with such intensity and if they consistently play to this level they can have a very good cup run. A few notes for your diary Associate Referees IRFU Course will take place on 13th February at Limerick Institute of Technology for any coaches or parents. There is also the IRFU Mini’s Coaching Course. Any parents interested in attending this course can go along to the University of Limerick on the weekend of 16th & 17th February. We will be holding a Table Quiz at Burke’s Bridge Bar on Thursday 28th February. There will also be a first Aid Course on the weekend of 8th & 9th March. Anyone interested in any of the above or any player not receiving the weekly texts, please contact Polly on the rugby mobile on 087 7447691. Local coursing trainer prepares for ‘Coursing Week’ Fethard GAA Club News Congratulations to our fellow Gaels, Moyle Rovers, in the All Ireland Junior Hurling ‘A’ Final and to Ballingarry Junior B in the Munster Final. We wish both the very best of luck in their respective finals. We wish Denis O’Meara, our Field Development Officer, a speedy recovery after his recent accident Our lotto jackpot €8,400 was not won. The numbers drawn were: 11, 22, 23 and 28. We had one ‘Match Three’ winner of €150 to Cathy O’Keeffe (39 Carrigeen, Clonmel). The €50 Lucky Dip winner was Nicky O’Shea (Tullow, Fethard). The tickets were kindly supplied by Fethard Credit Union.
Fethard Bridge Club Results 1st Gross: Bernie O’Meara and Anna Cooke; 1st Nett: Kathleen Kenny and Breda O’Grady; On Wednesday 6th February we play the first round of the Club Championship. Anyone looking for a partner please contact Berney Myles at 32038. Fethard Juvenile GAA Club The following officers were elected: Chairman - Stephen Fitzgerald, Secretary - Caroline Sheehan, Treasurer - Anne Fleming. The outgoing chairman, John Hurley, wished the incoming chairman the best of luck and success for the coming year. Two important dates to pencil in your diaries: a ‘Race Night’ will be held on Saturday 8th March in McCarthys Hotel, and a very important ‘Drug Awareness Evening’ is being arranged. Further details will follow. Fethard Ladies Football Club A Brief Update from Kenya And Eldoret (Saturday afternoon, 26th January 2008) We had seen some light at the end of the tunnel but that may prove to be only an express train approaching . . . I hope not! Kenya's fourth largest town, Nakuru, in the centre of the country and 157 kms from Eldoret is under army curfew, a dusk to dawn situation. It is the first time that the military has been called out during this troubling time. Some years ago they were called out to the same area. Some media houses (e.g. the BBC World Service, Jan 26th am) may be reporting that the Rift Valley is under military curfew . . . that is not true. In actual fact, many parts of the Rift Valley, which is huge in area, are peaceful and stable. Here in Eldoret there are sporadic isolated attacks and cases of arson still taking place and some of these have been happening in and around Kabongo where we have our Primary School and Dispensary. There are still many thousands of Refugees in the Eldoret Showgrounds and the vast majority of these have no homes to return to. As for ourselves here in Eldoret (the suburbs, really) we are not personally or physically affected in any way. We are trying to carry on with or work as best we can. As I have said in previous updates, the main affect we suffer is to see the general mayhem having such devastating effect on people we might happen to know. We appreciate all the messages of concern we have received from around the world and are very thankful for all the material/financial support we have received as well. It was never more needed as we try to help people rebuild their lives. For our part, our main concern is to get as many of our children back into school as son as possible so that the past four weeks may be obliterated from their young minds. We had expected to have 455 kids in our school on 7th January, but at this point we have not yet reached 300. They are returning slowly but many will not return for a variety of reasons. That is a great pity indeed. Once again, may I express our thanks for the messages we have been getting regularly from all of you 'out there'. May God Bless you and may He also Bless Kenya and her people and protect them from self-destructing. God Bless, (Bro.) Paul D. Brennan, Box 5064, Eldoret. Email: patriciankabongo@gmail.com
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