Died Recently
The death has occurred of Mrs Tess Leahy (nee Curran), on Saturday 22nd October. Remains will leave her family home at Annesgift, Fethard, at 6.30pm on Monday 24th October for Holy Trinity Parish Church, Fethard.

Requiem Mass at 11am Mass on Tuesday followed by interment at Calvary Cemetery, Fethard.





Died in England
The death has occurred in London of Mrs Madge Fields, nee Looby, formerly of Barrettstown, Fethard. Cremation took place in Golders Green Crematorium on Friday 21st October at 2.30pm.

Looking for Healy Relatives

Recent visitors to Fethard were L to R: John Shortman, Mary (Quirke) Shortman and Jim Quirke. Mary, from Herts, England, was visiting Fethard with her husband John and brother Jim, to find out information about her great-grandfather Patrick Quirke who was married to Bridget Healy from The Green, Fethard. Mary's father was James Quirke, born 1912.

Mary and John were eager to purchase a copy of the late Mary Healy's book, "For the Poor and for The Gentry", but, the only two copies they could find were available second-hand on Amazon.co.uk at £135 Sterling each (approx €196 each). I'm sure 'Ma' Healy would certainly be chuffed if she were alive today!

Anyone for Badminton?
Fethard & Killusty Community Council are interested in getting Badminton up and running again in the Town Hall.  Anyone interested in playing or getting involved are asked to give their names to Joan at the Community Office in the Tirry Centre. Tel: 052 31000.

Parish Development and Renewal
Parish Development and Renewal is a new concept that has been developing in the Diocese of Cashel and Emly over the past few years.  A diocesan support team was formed and parishes were invited to begin the work of renewal and set up a parish team. To date twenty-nine parishes have engaged in this process.

The people of Fethard and Killusty are now invited to begin their own Parish Development and Renewal. The first meeting will take place in Fethard Ballroom on Wednesday 26th October at 8pm. Fr. Joe Walsh (Thurles) and Revd. Pat Burns will present the programme, which will run for four consecutive Wednesday nights. Everyone is welcome to attend.  By way of introduction to this important initiative the organisers will speak at all parish masses on the weekend 22nd/23rd October, highlighting the background to the programme and its aims.

Parish Development and Renewal is a process whereby priests and parishioners work together and take shared responsibility for the future of their parish. In the process parishioners discover their own gifts and put them at the service of the parish community. As needs are identified, groups may be formed to address them, allowing people to make their own contributions. At all times the initiative lies with your group. You enter the process at your own pace, and work to meet your needs. Come along to Fethard Ballroom at 8pm on Wednesday 26th October, and see for yourself!

Emigrants’ Newsletter Collection
The annual church gate collection for the Emigrant’s Newsletter will take place weekending, 29th and 30th October (next week).  We ask for your support to help us publish and post over 1000 Newsletters free of charge to our emigrants throughout the world.

All donations of €10 or more will be acknowledged in this years issue.  If you wish to be acknowledged, please put your donation in an envelope with your name and address or deliver by hand to Carmel Rice, Brookhill, or Joe Kenny, Rocklow Road.

This is the last call to club secretaries to submit their reports for inclusion in this years Emigrant’s Newsletter.  Photographs and articles can be handed in to Joe Kenny, Rocklow Road, Fethard.  Please also let us know of change of addresses or new addresses to be added to the emigrant mailing list.  Anyone with Fethard connections living away from Fethard is eligible to be added to our list. An up-to-date mailing list is essential to avoid unnecessary postage costs, so please let us know if your children, relatives or friends have changed flat or house in the past twelve months.

This group was photographed in the 1950's in Holohan's Pub in Burke Street. L to R: Paddy Ryan, Kerry Street; Dan & Mae Mullins, Knockbrack; Denis and Nora O'Meara, Knockbrack.

Parents’ Association Table Quiz
St. Patrick’s Boys National School Parents’ Association will hold their annual Table Quiz Table Quiz in ‘The Well’ on Tuesday 25th October at 9pm. Team of four will cost €20 to enter. All are welcome, especially parents and adult friends of the students of our boy's school.

Fethard Youth Issues Meeting
In Attendance at the recent Fethard Youth Issues Meeting held on Friday October 7th in the Abymill Theatre were: Pat Holland (South Tipperary County Council, Community and Enterprise), Edwina Newport (Fethard and Killusty Community Council), Denis Landy (Millennium Family Resource Centre/ South Tipperary County Council), Cllr Michael O’Brien (South Tipperary County Council), Peter Grant (Fethard and Killusty Community Council), Denis O’Brien (Foróige), Joe Kenny (Fethard and Killusty Community Council), Marian Gilpin (Patrician Presentation Secondary School), Tess Collins (South Tipperary County Council Housing Section), Deirdre Hennessy (Tipperary Regional Youth Service), John Lonergan (Garda Síochána), Philly Ryan (South Tipperary Community and Voluntary Forum), Mary Larkin (Tipperary Institute), Catherine Corcoran (Tipperary Institute), Una Johnson (Tipperary Institute), Margo Hayes (South Tipperary County Council, Community and Enterprise). Apologies from: Ann Bradshaw (Mid-Tipperary Drugs Initiative /Tipperary Regional Youth Service),, Veronica Crowe (Vocational Education Committee) and Cllr Denis Bourke (South Tipperary County Council).

The Youth services have met with Cllr Denis Landy and Tess Collins three times since the last meeting.  At their meeting prior to October 7th group looked at ways of attracting resources (funding and other) from agencies.  The group are looking at finding solutions for both the present time and also more strategic long-term response.

The application for a Youth Worker submitted by Foróige did not get funding this year.  The good news, according to Foróige Regional Officer, Denis O’Brien, was that the new projects that did get funding were granted two workers, therefore we can expect to get two workers when we eventually get funding.  The application will be submitted again by Foróige with the support of TRYS and the recent research carried out by Tipperary Institute (TI) should help to strengthen that application.

Tess Collins reported that the ‘Second Chance Programme’ has been launched on a county basis after a successful pilot in Tipperary Town.  The ‘Second Chance Programme’ offers a package of social supports to residents that are in danger of losing their tenancy due to their anti-social behaviour.  The programme is made up of all the agencies/groups who can provide support to one individual or to a whole family.  Supports may include psychological service, addiction services etc.  The programme runs over a number of months depending on family needs.

Catherine Corcoran, from Tipperary Institute, then presented their research findings from the Feasibility Study carried out to establish the Fethard young people’s views and needs for the area.  The knowledge gained from the survey was highly praised and will be crucial if we are to be successful in future applications for services and support for our youth in Fethard.  Catherine and her colleagues, Mary Larkin and Una Johnson, will present their findings at a Public Meeting organised by Fethard & Killusty Community Council on Wednesday night, 30th November in the Abymill Theatre.  Foróige and other supporting agencies will attend.

Fethard & Killusty Community Lotto
The numbers drawn on Wednesday 19th October were: 6, 8, 10 and 25. There was no Jackpot winner and four ‘Match 3’ winners who received €40 each:
Thelma Griffith, Crampscastle, Fethard.
Kathleen O'Riordan, Cloran, Cloneen.
Ian Cooke, Monroe, Scotch Road.
Aisling Stewart, Ballydine, Kilsheelan.
The three €50 Lucky Dip winners were:
Breda Burke, Main Street, Fethard
Shelly Duggan, Killusty, Fethard
Willie Fitzpatrick, Kilmaganny, Kilkenny
Next weeks Jackpot remains at €10,000 and the Jackpot sellers prize is €1,000. The weekly draw will now take place on Wednesday mornings at 11am in Fethard Day Care Centre, Barrack Street.  All are welcome to come along.

Sayers Family Get together

Members of the Sayers family from St. Patrick's Place photographed in Fethard at a recent family reunion L to R: Tom Sayers, Monica Moriarty, Joan Cummins, Jim Sayers, Rita Kelly, Chrissie Cummins, Patsy Kirwin, Peg Barrett, and Buddy Sayers.

Fethard Bridge Club
The results for Fethard Bridge Club game played on Wednesday 12th October are:
1st Nett: Betty Walsh and Brigid Gorey;
2nd Nett: Teresa Cummins and Alice Quinn;
1st Gross: Bridie Lee and Mike Burke
2nd Gross: Suzanne Opray and Ellen Rochford.

Bridge lessons continue in the Tirry Centre, Barrack Street on Monday nights at 7.30pm. Anyone looking for a partner for Wednesday night, please contact Annie O’Brien at Tel: 052 31862.

Memories of Moscow
Almost every visitor to Moscow makes a trip to Red Square. The image of the place conjures up different things to different people. The Square is steeped in history and legend. A huge Empire was once controlled from this place, stretching from Europe across to China and Alaska.  The head of this Empire was the Csar until the Revolution in the early twentieth century, which toppled the royal family and gave rise to the socialist state which lasted another eighty years. Names associated with the Square are those of Csar Alexander, Rasputin, Lenin, Trotsky, Stalin, Gorbachov, and in the mind of one Fethard man . . . O’Shea.

Micheál McCormack was walking across the famous Square, in the shadow of the Kremlin and Lenin’s tomb, savouring the images which he had formerly seen only on television and in films, when a voice broke the silence. “Hey”, cried a man to Micheál, “Is O’Shea still training the team?”

So every time Micheál sees the place on the news, he thinks of  Jimmy O’Shea training the Fethard football team — as well as Rasputin, Lenin and the others of course.
(N Gawe)

Home from New York

All the way from New York — Sister Philomena O'Brien, who left Fethard as a 17-year-old in 1935 to join the Ursuline Order in New York, is photographed above with her travelling companion Sr De Montford OSU (right) and Gerry Nevin, who was also home on holiday from New York when they recently met in Fethard.

Fethard GAA Club News
The curtain came down on the club’s playing year when on Sunday last our Junior A footballers were heavily defeated by Cahir on a scoreline, Fethard 0-6, Cahir 0-16. The team was: Tommy Gahan, Mike Kelly, James Smyth, Philly Croke, Shane Aylward, Darren O’Meara, Connie Flynn, Jamie McCormack, Jason Nevin, Jimmy O’Meara, Peter Gough, Martin Coen, Paddy Cooney. Sub used was Kevin O’Donnell.  We would like to thank all players, selectors and management for their time spent during the year at both senior and junior football levels and we wish the best of luck to all remaining South teams in quest of County honours.

Congratulations to the following successful winners all with local connections: Colm Hickey, grandson of Margaret Hickey (nee Byrne, Killusty), playing with Garryspillane and winning their first Limerick County senior hurling title; and Carol Mannion, son of Cathryn Mannion (nee Byrne, Killusty) playing with St Bridgets, Roscommon county senior football champions.

Our Lotto Jackpot €3,300 was not won.  The numbers drawn in Butlers Bar were 2, 11, 12, and 20.  We had one match three winner of €150:  Michael Teehan (Moyglass). The €50 Lucky Dip going to Margaret Fitzgerald (Monroe).

The previous week’s numbers drawn at McCarthys Hotel were 3, 5,15 and 16. There was one match three winner of €150 to Bernadette McManus (Burke Street).  The €50 Lucky Dip was won by Lizzy Reddy (Woodvale Walk).

Hunting News
The Tipperary Foxhounds, which to-date have completed 50 mornings of autumn hunting, had one of their best mornings of the season at Ballingarry on Thursday 13th October.

Drawing the covert at Grawncole, hounds found almost immediately. Their opening cry told of almost perfect scenting conditions, which had not been the case on most mornings so far this season.  The Grawncole covert held at least two brace and the dog pack finding shook the countryside as their great cry re-echoed through the very thick undergrowth for almost two hours.  They marked at least a brace and a half to ground and lost a fourth fox when scent seemed to just vanish around mid-day as the day got warmer.

Even Micky Dooley, had he been out, could but not have approved of the great morning’s hunting, thoroughly enjoyed by the regular long morning followers of the chase.

Practical in Paris
A number of years ago, a group of intrepid travellers left Fethard to make the journey to Paris to attend the Group one Prix de l’Arc race in the suburban racecourse at Longchamp. For most of the group, it was their first visit to see the spectacular sights of that enchanting city.  They toured around and eventually reached the sight that is most synonymous with Paris — the Eiffel Tower.  Many people have different reactions when they view the tower for the first time. Some think that it is bigger than they imagined it from pictures, others think it smaller, and others say that they imagined it to be a different colour.

The Fethard party were standing underneath the structure when one of the group asked another, a farmer, what he thought of it. “Not bad”, he replied, “A few sheets of galvanise around the outside and ‘twould be a great place for storing bales”.  A practical man if ever there was one.
(N Gawe)

Fethard Juvenile GAA Club
The under-6s, 8s and 10s have no training this Saturday as the under-10s are taking part in a ‘Hurling Blitz’ in Fethard on Saturday morning at 11am.  All players to be in the field by 10.30am.  Please contact the club secretary on Tel: 086 1713502 to confirm training and matches or if you have any questions.  Apologies for the recent cancellation of under-6s, 8s and 10s training over the past few Saturdays. This was out of our control.

The under-12s, 14s and16s are now finished but we have an under/13 football league starting shortly.  All players will be notified of time and venue.

Fethard windcheaters and togs are currently on sale in Manton’s Laundrette on The Square but hurry as they are going fast.  Sincere thanks to Ger for doing us this big favour, it is very much appreciated.  A smaller quantity of jerseys and other gear will be ordered before Christmas and for those who are interested, please let our secretary or Ger Manton know as soon as possible.

This year the Juvenile Club have decided to run a ‘Race Night’ to help raise much needed funds, it will be held in McCarthys Hotel on Thursday 27th of October at 8.30pm.  All are welcome and parents’ support would be greatly appreciated

Fethard Open Coursing Club
A meeting of the Club will be held in the Tirry Centre on Friday 21st October at 8.30pm. All members are earnestly requested to attend this important meeting.

Civil Defence back on Tuesday nights
Fethard Branch of Civil Defence have now resumed their classes on Tuesday nights at 8pm in the Tirry Community Centre, Fethard. New members, over 16 years of age, are welcome to come along and join. Training in the following projects will be covered over the period, Line Rescue, Fire Fighting, Kayaking, and First Aid (starting in January).

Civil Defence offer members the opportunity to train in a variety of skills and to learn new techniques that will not only assist your local community in the event of an emergency but will also enhance your own personal development. For further details contact Dolores Fahey, Civil Defence Office South Tipperary, Tel: 087 2435001.