Patrician Presentation Awards Day 2004

Photographed at the presentation of Fethard Patrician Presentation Secondary School Annual Student Awards for 2003-2004 are Back L to R: Helen Frewen, Claire Tierney, Cormac Grogan, Sarah Mae Ahearn, Liam Ryan, David Sullivan, Mary Gorey, Mike Kelly, Shane Walsh, Sarah Kennedy, Peter Garreth, Siobhán Prout, David Ryan, Dave Gorey, Darragh Dwyer, Eoin Prout, Alan O'Connor, Alex Channon, Colm Horan. Front L to R: Suzanne Gorey, Sharon Duggan, Michael Griffen, Niall Hayes, Marion Gilpin (vice principal), Earnan Britton (principal), Denise Maher Sheehan (guest speaker), Ronan Shee and Emma Walsh.

At 11am on Friday, October 22nd, the Patrician Presentation Students Awards ceremony commenced with the opening Mass, celebrated by Fr Tom Breen P.P., assisted by Fr Gerry Horan OSA and Canon Jim Power. The choir, accompanied by Kevin Hickey, sang specially prepared pieces like “No Greater Love” and songs from other well-known composers like Liam Lawton, which complimented the readings and Gospel of the day. In his homily Fr Breen spoke of, “being one’s own person” and standing as an individual, a commitment to oneself which begins at school and is carried throughout one’s life. READ FULL REPORT & MORE PHOTOGRAPHS

Fethard ICA Guild
Fethard ICA Guild will hold their November meeting in the ICA Hall at 8pm on Tuesday 9th November. The guest speaker will be Rose Prendergast from ‘The Beeches’ Restaurant, Glenconnor, Clonmel, and also Tipp FM Radio. Rose will give a talk on Christmas Cooking and will also give a short demonstration.

Competition theme is ‘My Favourite Kitchen Gadget’ and hostesses are the ‘Yellow Group’. Non-members are very welcome to come along.

Fethard Bridge Club Results
The results for Wednesday 27th October are:
1st Gross: Carol Kenny and Gemma Burke
2nd Gross: Kay St. John and Rita Kane
1st Nett: Philly Kenny and Margaret M. McCormack
2nd Nett: Frances Burke and Berney Myles
Subscriptions of €25 are now due.  On Wednesday next 10th November we will be playing for prizes sponsored by the Ulster Bank, Clonmel.  Anyone looking for a partner contact Annie O’Brien Tel: 052 31862

Died Recently
We record the death of Ciss Phelan, Castleblake, Rosegreen. Remains left McCarthy's Funeral Parlour for Holy Trinity Parish Church Fethard at 7pm on Wednesday 3rd November. Burial took place in Calvary Cemetery following 11am Requiem Mass on Thursday.

Jimmy was a Festival legend
(Excerpt from 'The Daily Telegraph' 2nd November 2004)

Diary by Marcus Armytage

Unlike most other sports, which rely upon the combatants on the pitch, as much of the colour in racing is provided by the spectators as it is by the competitors. It is therefore with some sadness that I report the passing of a legendary Irish racegoer. Jimmy 'Buckie' Ryan died in Fethard, Ireland on Oct 18.  Even his slightly irreverent obituary in the local paper said "he liked a drink or two before breakfast." Having, 20 years ago, struck a deal with the local priest, Jimmy was buried in Fethard's prime plot, opposite the doors of McCarthy's, the famous bar from which he was barred as often as he was allowed in.

It is, nevertheless, a measure of Jimmy's character that a portrait of him has been commissioned by McCarthy's, and the town has adopted his three-legged, Guinness-drinking dog, Kaj, and his geese.

Throughout his life, he took the view that a job was purely a means to his next drink, so consequently spent time as a farmer, a fishmonger, a trucker, on building sites, in pubs, restaurants, on ships and he even did several stints in the circus. On one occasion, when he promised to deliver a goose in good time for Christmas lunch, he arrived late on Christmas Eve with the bird still flapping under his arm.

It was, however, his annual trip to Cheltenham around which his year centred. He would stop drinking for a month before so he could find the cash and he would invariably stay at the Queens Hotel. He never booked a room, though. If he was sober enough to make it up the stairs, he would kip on a couch on the top landing.

Shortly after he was buried, a friend who had missed his funeral, which was attended by publicans from across Britain, turned up at McCarthy's five minutes after closing time. On finding the doors locked, he slipped across the road and into the graveyard to say a few prayers beside the spot where Jimmy had been laid to rest.

Lo and behold, when he emerged, the doors to the bar were wide open as a guest was leaving, so the friend went inside, bought a pint and suggested Jimmy be canonised as the patron saint of drinkers

White Heather Harriers
There was a large turn out for the opening meet of the Ballylusky White Heather Harriers in Drangan on Sunday last.  Poor scent, however, mitigated against good hunting.

Two brace of foxes were found in the traditional opening meet draws in the Knockroe / Priestown / Glenmuiladúibh areas.  Two were put to ground and the other two lost rather quickly.  True hunting people say, there is no such thing as a poor days hunting, some days are just better than others.

The regular followers will no doubt be out again in force when this old pack, now in existence for 150 years, meet this coming Sunday in Cloneen at 12 noon.

Community Lotto Jackpot €10,000
The numbers drawn in the Fethard & Killusty Community Lotto on Tuesday 26th October were 5, 25, 30 and 32.  There was no Jackpot winner and no 'Match 3' winner so 3 tickets were drawn and each of the following received €50:
Lorna Smyth, Killusty, Fethard
Jack Fleming, Barrettstown, Fethard
Trehy Children, Mobarnane, Fethard
The three €50 Lucky Dip winners were:
Christy Devitt, Strylea, Fethard
Pat Coen, Rocklow Road, Fethard
Dermot Darcy, 30 St. Patricks Place, Fethard
Next weeks Jackpot is €10.000 and the Jackpot sellers prize is €920.

Worst flooding since 1947
The dredging operations carried out from Loughcapple Bridge to Redmondstown enabled the floodwaters to subside in within 12 hours.  Just two houses were affected, Mr Bill Maher’s of Abbeyville, and Mr John O’Donovan’s of Grove Road.  Both were badly flooded.  The new drainage scheme serving the Kilnockin Road/Green areas also proved most effective.  Houses on the Upper Green, which in former years were flooded following far less rainfalls, were completely unaffected this time.The local flooding in Fethard on Friday last on the Clashawley was reckoned by those on the bus pass to have been the biggest since 1947.  This time, however, the flood receded very quickly.

All roads flooded on Friday morning were passable by Friday afternoon.

Sincere Sympathy
Sincere sympathy is extended to Principal of St. Patrick’s Boys School, Mrs Patricia Treacy, Strylea, on the recent death of her mother, Mrs Mary Quinlivan, Clonmel.

Sincere sympathy is extended to Mr Sean Kelly, Rathvin, on the recent death of his father, Mr Dan Kelly, Knockavilla.

Fethard GAA Club News
On Saturday last the curtain came down on the club’s Junior A football playing season when we lost the South final on a scoreline, Fethard 1-8, Clonmel Commercials 1-9.  Having led at half time by, Fethard’s 1-4 to Clonmel Commercials 0-4, credit must be given to Commercials for holding on when Fethard had many chances to level if not go in front.

The team was: Ronan Maher, Paul Hackett, Willie O’Meara, Philly Croke, Ian Kenrick, Michael Carroll, Jamie McCormack, Colm Coen 0-2, Brian Burke, Colin Allen, Shay Ryan, Brendan Brett 1-2 (2f), Jason Nevin, Martin Coen 0-2(1f), John Noonan 0-1. Subs were: Shane Aylward for Jason Nevin, Jimmy O’Meara for John Noonan, and Tommy Sheehan for Martin Coen.  We wish Commercials the best of luck in the County. On behalf of the club we would like to thank selectors, players and helpers for their commitment during the year.

It was very hard luck on Munster footballers not to get to the final, which will be played in Paris (France).  Leinster scored 1-9 to beat Munster (1-8) in Portlaoise on Sunday last and now go on to meet Ulster.  Congratulations to Glen Burke who was a member of the Munster panel.

Our Lotto Jackpot €1,400 was not won. We had two match three winners of €75 each: Noel Burke, c/o Cambells Soup (Thurles), and Esther Breen (Barrack Street).  The €50 Lucky Dip winner was John McAndrew (Grangemockler). The numbers drawn at The Fethard Arms were 5, 6, 11 and 14.

The Tipperary County Board Draw comes to Fethard on this Friday night 5th November.  All draw participants and club members are welcome to ‘craic agus ceoil’ in the Fethard Arms from 9.30pm.  It is a honour for us at this time as the current  chairman of the draw committee is our own Gus Fitzgerald (Kiltinan).

The club would like to extend it’s sympathy to the Treacy family, Strylea, on their loss at this time of mother and grandmother, Mary Quinlivan (Clonmel). Go ndeanai trocaire orthu.

Emigrants’ Newsletter Collection
We would like to thank all who subscribed to our annual church gate collection last weekend and all who helped with the collection at the local masses.  A total of €1,118 was collected for which we are most grateful.