Holy Week Ceremonies

Fethard Parish Church
Holy Thursday: Mass of the Lord’s Supper 8pm.
Good Friday: Stations of the Cross 3pm; Celebration of the Lord’s Passion 8pm.
Holy Saturday: Easter Vigil 8pm.
Easter Sunday: Mass at 8.30am and 11am.

Augustinian Abbey
Holy Thursday: Mass of the Lord’s Supper 7.30pm.
Good Friday: of the Lord’s Passion 3pm; Stations of the Cross at 7.30pm.
Holy Saturday: Easter Vigil 7.30pm.
Easter Sunday: Masses at 9.30am and 11.30am.

Church of the Sacred Heart, Killusty
Holy Thursday: Mass of the Lord’s Supper 8pm.
Good Friday: Celebration of the Lord’s Passion 8pm; Stations of the Cross 3pm.
Holy Saturday: Easter Vigil 8pm.
Easter Sunday: Mass at 10am.

Killusty Pony Show
Killusty Pony Show will hold a meeting on Tuesday, April 26, in the Tirry Centre at 8pm to discuss this year’s Annual Pony Show which is to be held on the July 2 this year. We are always looking for new members and new ideas on how to improve the show. It is the 48th Annual Killusty Pony Show this year and we are looking forward to another successful year.

Killusty Soccer Club
It goes without saying that The Well is the place to be on Easter Sunday night. Not only do we have the Killusty soccer club Easter draw where our guest of honour will be All Ireland senior hurling winner Declan Fanning, DJ Kumar will be belting out the hits and, as we go to press, Mick and Marie are making a start on the sausages and sandwiches. So for a night of music song and craic and also a chance to win some great prizes, head down to The Well next Sunday night.

The late Jimmy McInerney (Photograph – Jimmy McInerney)
The late James McInerney’s loving wife Moira would like to thank most sincerely all those who sympathised with her on her recent sad bereavement, those who attended the house, funeral mass and cremation, those who sent Mass cards and floral tributes, Billy who gave a fitting tribute and all neighbours and friends for their continued support. A special thanks to the doctors, nurses and staff of St. Joseph’s Surgical Ward, palliative / home care team and home carer. A special thanks to Fr. Tom Breen P.P. and Fr John Meagher OSA, organist Goldie Newport and singer Bernard Walsh. Moira hopes that this acknowledgement will be accepted as a token of her appreciation, a mass will be offered for your intentions.

Rugby Club AGM
The annual general meeting of Fethard and District Rugby Club will take place on Thursday, May 12, at 8pm in the Abymill theatre. All are welcome.

Community Games
Fethard and Killusty Community Games committee would like to wish everybody a holy and happy Easter.

We would also like to remind any competitors selected by their club to take part in the gymnastics county final on bank holiday Monday, May 2, in Monroe, to please inform the area secretary, Peggy Colville.

UniSlim Classes
Please note that times for UniSlim classes in the Tirry Centre have now changed and has a new leader. The new times are from 6pm to 7pm on Tuesday evenings. New members and re-joins are very welcome. Contact Patricia on 087 1639847.

Ladies Football Club
Fethard junior girls have had a great start to their league campaign with wins over Mullinahone and Cappawhite and a narrow defeat to Boherlahan last Saturday. Great start girls to our first season in the B grade.

Our under 16s started their championship last Sunday evening in Littleton with a great win over Moycarkey on the scoreline of Fethard 6-07, Moycarkey 1-02. Great start to the championship.
Our U12s are continuing their build up to the championship and have had a series of challenge matches against Clerihan and Brian Ború. We wish them the best of luck for the forthcoming championship.
Our U6/ U8/ U10s continue to train every Saturday morning at 11am with great numbers attending. It is great to see the next generation of ladies footballers on the way and new girls are always welcome. Well done to all involved.

The club would like to thank all our players who helped out with our recent bag packing weekend in Tesco.

Business and Tourism Group
One of the recommendations that emerged from the Community Council’s six-week development programme with facilitator Ailbhe Harrington was the need for a business association and tourism group in Fethard.

The committee are looking for anyone interested in taking part in this new group to promote business and tourism in Fethard. This group will function independently and concentrate on developing and fostering local business and tourism in the area.

If you are interested please give your name to our secretary, Edwina Newport, or contact the Community Office in Barrack Street, Tel: 052 6131000.

Fethard Bridge Club
The results of our game on April 6 were: 1st Gross, Berney Myles and Alice Quinn; 2nd Gross, Rita Kane and Kay St. John; 3rd Gross, Frances Burke and Breda Walsh. 1st Nett, Mike Burke and Bridie Lee; 2nd Nett, Anna Cooke and Bernie O'Meara; 3rd Nett, Philly Kenny and Nora Lawrence.

On April 13 we played for Easter prizes and the results were: 1st Gross, Rita Kane and Kay St. John; 2nd Gross, Frances Burke and Breda Walsh; 3rd Gross, Anna Cooke and Bernie O'Meara. 1st Nett, Anne Connolly and Eileen Frewen; 2nd Nett, Eileen Ryan and Jim Lahart; 3rd Nett, Annie O'Brien and Marie Delaney.

On April 20 we start the first round of the Club Championship which continues for three weeks. Anyone looking for a partner contact Berney Myles at 6132038.

Fethard & Killusty Community Council
Following the recent annual general meeting of Fethard & Killusty Community Council the following committee was elected: Joe Kenny (chairman), Edwina Newport (secretary), Eileen Coady (treasurer), Marie Murphy (public relations officer), Brian Sheehy (vice-chairman), Fr. Tom Breen, Diana Stokes, Peter Grant, Ger Manton, Joe Keane, Thelma Griffith, Jimmy Connolly and Ann Fleming.
Special tributes were paid to Jimmy Connolly who stepped down from his roll as treasurer after many years service to the community. Jimmy will continue as a committee member and be available to guide our new treasurer, Eileen Coady, as necessary.

The next meeting, focussing on the administration of the Youth Centre, will take place on Tuesday, May 3, in the Tirry Centre at 8.30pm.

Fethard GAA Club News
The senior footballers played Killenaule in the 4th Round of the South Championship on Sunday last in Kilsheelan. Fethard, again missing several regulars due to injury, started well and looked the better side for the opening half. However, Killenaule were more economical with their chances and stayed in touch to leave the score 0-6 to 0-5 at halftime in favour of Fethard.

In the second half, Killenaule continued to threaten and took a well-worked goal mid way through the half which gave them a lead Fethard struggled to claw back. Fethard did have goal chances but it wasn’t to be, and a combination of the heat and Killenaule’s superior fitness allowed them to run out worthy winners on a score line of 1-14 to 9 points. Best for Fethard were Shane Walsh, Eoin Delahunty, Cian Maher and P.J. Morrissey. Team: P. Fitzgerald, S. Aylward, M. Ahearne, G. Fitzgerald, P. Gough, S. Walsh, E. Delahunty, D. Doyle, C. Maher, K. Maher, B. Coen, E. Fitzgerald, K. O’Donnell, P.J. Morrissey, A. O’Connor. Sub used. J. Nevin for D. Doyle (45 minutes).

With only 4 games remaining, qualification for the knockout stages is still possible and we hope to get the necessary results to achieve this. Please see fixtures page for details of upcoming games.

The minor footballers received a walk over from Ballyporeen on Monday night, April 18. We have one more league game to play against Fr. Sheehy’s before the usual break for exams.
Intermediate hurling training continues on Wednesday night this week. All training times are subject to change due to the large amount of games being played at the present time. Please contact team management with any queries.

Our weekly lotto took place in The Well on Tuesday night, April 12. Numbers drawn were 4, 5, 14 and 27. We had no jackpot winner and one ‘Match 3 who received €150: Josie Fitzgerald, Kiltinan. The €50 Luck Dip winner was Pat Sheehan, Walshbog. Please support our club lotto, tickets available weekly from all club members.

Our Sponsored Walk will take place on Easter Sunday morning at 12 noon. Please support this fundraiser by sponsoring any club member to complete the walk. All walkers to be ready to leave the GAA Park at 12 on Sunday. All Cards to be returned sold or unsold.

New get fit gym for Fethard Drangan Cloneen area
Fed up of having to travel to Clonmel or beyond for a decent workout? Well don't be, because in Rathkenny, Fethard, on the farm of Denis McGrath a new outdoor work out boot camp has only just taken off. For an hour each Monday, Wednesday and Friday evenings, from 7pm to 8pm, people are gathering and making the most of these lovely long nights to meet up, workout and feel good.

The workout suits all levels of fitness all you do is try your best for the whole workout. The boot camp is being run by two former members of the twelfth battalion Clonmel; Jeff Alan from Dungarvan who has also spent many years with the elite army ranger wing, and Colm McGrath the local man whose philosophy in life is that, one should always be fit enough to take part in any activity sport or game at any time and never be left out of the fun.

If you think you might be interested in taking part in the boot camp or if you would like to try out our ‘Gi Joe/Gi Jane’ challenge (a fun and games filled afternoon for groups, over 10 years) then contact Colm on 086 3502360.

Fethard & Killusty Community Lotto
The numbers drawn on April 13 were: 5, 6, 13 and 17. We had no Jackpot winner and two ‘Match 3’ winners who received €75 each: Michael Conway, St. Patrick’s Place, Fethard; and Lory Dineen, Tramore (online customer).

The three following ‘Lucky Dip’ winners also won €50 each: Mary Horan, Kilkennybeg, Killenaule; G. Bridges, c/o The Castle Inn, Fethard; and Nellie Ryan, St. Patrick’s Place, Fethard
Remember you can purchase your lotto ticket online at www.fethard.com. Buy seven weekly tickets and get one free! Check on the website for lots of special offers including a chance to win a full set of jerseys for your sport’s club. Next week’s Jackpot commences at €3,150 and the Jackpot sellers prize is €315. All proceeds go towards community work in Fethard.

Fethard Historical Society
The A.G.M. of the Fethard Historical Society took place on Tuesday, March 29, in the Fethard Youth Centre and was very well attended. Terry Cunningham prefaced his report to the meeting by expressing the society’s condolences to Marie O’Donnell, one of our founder members, on the recent death of her husband Pierce O’Donnell, Grangebeg.

Terry, reviewing his three-year term of office as chairman, stated that Fethard has gained national recognition in the last three years, primarily due to our membership of the Irish Walled Towns Network which resulted in major input from the Heritage Council of Ireland, Fáilte Ireland and South Tipperary County Council.

In 2008, Oxford Archaeology was commissioned to draw up a Conservation & Management Plan for Fethard and this was followed by a Public Realm Plan for Fethard. There was also a plan for the Town Hall that is still to be finalised. In the interim, the Landmark Trust which develops historic buildings as self-catering accommodation for tourists are interested in the possible development of part of the Town Hall in this way. €200,000 was also granted during that year for repairs to the Town Wall. In 2009, a further grant of €60,000 was given for the restoration and conservation of the Town Wall that extends from North Gate via the GAA grounds across to the mart. In 2010, Fáilte Ireland focussed on the provision of information boards, signposts and plaques for the town. The local area plan was also finalised. Terry pointed out that members of the society devoted a huge amount of time to the development of the plans and the information material, meeting with consultants, going walkabout around the town, attending meetings, drafting, re-drafting, proof-reading and editing material etc. He commended everyone for giving so willingly of their time and hopes that, now all that work has been done, we will have more time to focus on outings and lectures.

Terry also gave a comprehensive overview of the society’s activities including the outings to Athassel and Kilcooley Abbey, which proved very popular with all age groups. He thanked Tim Robinson for his splendid organisation of the trip to the Medieval Festival in Chinon in the Loire valley, which proved both informative and most enjoyable. Every January brings the Book of the Year Award and the 2010 recipients were Dermot Poyntz and Lee Grace for their illustrated history book ‘Cromwell; the Siege of Clonmel’. The Tipperariana Book Fair which takes place on the second Sunday of February each year continues to be a resounding success and is our main fundraising event for the year. The proceeds of the Book Fair enable the society to fund other events. A major highlight of the last year was the launch of Michael O’Donnell’s long-awaited History of Fethard. The wait proved very much worthwhile as Michael has delivered a mighty tome that will serve as an excellent resource for all who are interested in the history of the town. We also look forward to publishing Gerard Crotty’s book on the heraldry of Fethard later this year.

The society, in conjunction with the community council, was delighted to receive a Munster Express/Dooleys Hotel South- East Heritage & Cultural Award for the medieval festival that takes place in August each year and has become a fixture in Fethard’s summer calendar. It is always nice to be acknowledged and receiving the award definitely inspired us with fresh enthusiasm for future projects.

The new committee was then elected and comprises Colm McGrath, Chairperson; Patricia Looby, Vice-Chairperson; Mary Hanrahan, Secretary; Ann Gleeson, Assistant Secretary; Catherine O’Flynn, Treasurer; Terry Cunningham, PRO; committee members Diana Stokes, John Cooney, Maree Moclair, Tim Robinson, Kitty Delany, Marie O’Donnell, Liam Noonan and Jane Grubb.

The AGM was followed by the showing of film footage (Grant Video) of the Fethard Medieval Festival weekend August 2010.

Membership remains as it has done for the last number of years at €7 individual, €10 family and €5 Student, OAPs and the unwaged. Anyone wishing to join the society or to renew membership should contact our treasurer, Catherine O’Flynn, Knockelly, Fethard (052) 6131826. Meetings take place at 8.30pm in the Abymill Theatre on the last Tuesday of the month and all members are most welcome to attend.