Killusty Sheep Dog Trials

Photographed at the Killusty Sheep Trials are Helen and Brian Guirey with their dog 'Kylie'

In glorious sunshine, the inter-provincial sheepdog final was held in Killusty on Saturday 14th October. Twenty of the top dogs and handlers in the country, five from each province, hotly contested this final. Ulster swept the board with the Ulster team of Roger Doohan, Sammy Long, James McGee, John McGinn and Tom Doherty taking the team prize and Roger Doohan taking the individual prize with his dog Lee. The competition was judged by Eamon Sharkey from the North and Jim McConnell from the South.


Photographed at the Killusty Sheep Trials are L to R: Lorraine and Richard Thompson, Avril Morrissey with baby Amy Morrissey, John Joe and Kathleen White, Margaret Morrissey.

Sunday morning at 8.30am saw the first of fifty-two dogs compete for the Paddy Morrissey Cup. The competition continued all day with dogs and handlers travelling from far and near to compete in this annual event.


Photographed with the 'Perpetual Paddy Morrissey Cup' at the Killusty Sheep Trials are L to R: Declan Morrissey, Dan Morrissey, Mona Rehn, Simon Moss and Bill Seale.

Everyone was delighted with the lovely course and the sheep ran well all day which made for a very keen competition with very few points being lost. Continuing from Saturday's success the cup went North to Donegal with Sammy Long and Daisy only losing 5 points out of 100.


Photographed at the Killusty Sheep Trials are Back L to R: Ian Kavanagh, Maurice O'Connell, Richard Butler, Bill Seale, Jim Hyland, Front L to R: Toddy Lambe and Ursula Kerr.

Full results from Sunday:
1. Sammy Long (Donegal) with Daisy.
2. Toddy Lambe (Wexford) with Sam.
3. Denis Birchall (Wicklow) with Mossie.
4. Sammy Long (Donegal) with Tweed.
5. Con McGarry (Roscommon) with Nell.
6. Denis Birchall (Wicklow) with Meg.
7. Dan Morrissey (Tipperary) with Flash.

The organiser would like to thank everyone who helped to make the event a tremendous success.


Photographed at the Killusty Sheep Trials are L to R: Baby Ella Hennessy with her parents Patricia and Matt.

Ballroom Dancing Classes
Classes in Ballroom Dancing, for beginners and advanced dancers, will take place in Fethard Ballroom every Thursday night at 8.15pm.  Everyone is welcome to come along. Contact Tel: 052 23592 (after 7.30pm) for further information.

Great War Veterans Remembered

Photographed at Fethard Historical Society's lecture on ‘Fethard Men who Fought in the Great War’, by Tony Newport, are L to R: Rena Lawrence, Nellie Shortall, Tony Newport and Laura Greene.

A very appreciative and interested audience turned up at the Abymill Theatre on Wednesday October 11th for the talk on ‘The Fethard Men who fought in the 1914 – 18 War’.  The talk was given by Tony Newport who said his interest in the Fethard Soldiers of the Great War was created by his meeting, as a boy growing up in Fethard, with men who returned safely from that terrible conflict and seeing the Armistice Day Parade to General Kellett’s Grave.  Recent research has shown that 141 men from Fethard fought in the Great War.  Men such as Mick and Pat O’Shea, Danny Mullins, Knockbrack, Frank ‘Scout’ Butler, Dan Heaney, Paddy O’Donnell were just some of the almost fifty men Tony remembered who returned in addition to the thirty-one, at least, who died in Flanders Fields.  Why did they go in the first place? Was it patriotism, the freedom of small nations, John Redmond’s view of a united Ireland? Probably not.  Most went from economic necessity.  They were perhaps not in as dire straits as the Carrick man who said he ‘joined to get a pair of boots’ but the army provided a regular job, a uniform and regular pay. 

The lecture coincided with the 90th Anniversary of the outbreak of the Battle of the Somme.  Mick O’Shea and Pat fought right through that five months of slaughter, which neither side won.  The terrible winter weather, which broke towards the end of October was the final victor.  The incessant rain and snow reduced the Battlefields to a quagmire where a man was just a likely to drown in a flooded shell hole as he was to be shot.  Mick O’Shea was of the opinion that no one was able to explain why almost a million men were killed on that wasteland.  That question remains unanswered to the present day.  The Battle of the Somme was so bad that several soldiers were heard to say, ‘Hell cannot be worse than this’.


Photographed at Fethard Historical Society's lecture on ‘Fethard Men who Fought in the Great War’, by Tony Newport, are L to R: Mary (Quirke) Shortman, Goldie Newport, Diana Stokes and John Shortman.

Amongst the attendance were a few who had immediate relatives who had fought on the Somme.  Nellie Shortall, whose father, the late Paddy Fitzpatrick, was a member of the Irish Guards Regiment.  Rena Lawrence, whose grandfather, Nicholas Dreeling, Gowran, also of the Irish Guards was killed on the Somme on October 9th 1916 as was his brother a year later.  Her maternal great uncle also died in the war.  Rena and Nellie had souvenirs belonging to their relatives with them on the night which generated great interest.  Present also was Laura Greene, Clonmel, whose two grandfathers Tom Cummins, Kilnockin Road, and Stephen O’Dwyer, The Valley, were in the 1914-18 War, and John Carey, whose father, Jack Carey, a great raconteur of war stories, was also on the Somme. 

A most interesting Fethard memorial can be seen at Beaufort-Hammel, the site of one of the fiercest battles of the Somme.  Beaufort-Hammel contains some of the best preserved trenches of the war.  All except one are called after London Streets and places e.g. James St., Piccadilly, Trafalgar Square, etc.  The one exception is, believe it or not, called Fethard.

Tony said he remembered the Fethard men as just that.  They walked the streets of Fethard just as he did.  Many of them like ‘Scout’ Butler, Jim O’Gorman, Jim Curran, Dave Heaney, Pat Keating were Fethard footballers.  They returned to a very hostile climate which, fortunately, has changed greatly in recent years.

The last of the Fethard men who returned from the 1914-18 War, Pat O’Shea, died twenty-three years ago.  Of those who died out there some are buried in marked graves, others whose remains were never found are named on the Great War memorials at Thiepval and the Menin Gate, all far away from the two streets and a pump.

Can we afford to forget them, we think not.  For if we look back on the past and do not learn from it we go through life with one eye shut, and if we continue to live in the past we go through life with both eyes closed.

McCarthys Reunion

Breda Crossman (nee McCarthy) send us this photograph just after coming back from Ireland after visiting her relatives in Fethard and Killusty. “It was a fantastic weekend and we met up with the McCarthy Clan from Kerry Street and also the Sheehans in Killusty”, she states. In the picture are Back L to R: George Hoare (son of Bridie McCarthy) London; Angela (McCarthy) Barrett, Ardfinnan; Pauline Hoare (daughter of Bridie McCarthy) London; Carmel Reed (daughter of Mary Gavin nee McCarthy) London; Margaret (McCarthy) O’Donnell, Fethard; Bridget McCarthy (daughter of Michael McCarthy) London; Michael McCarthy, Fethard. Front L to R: Marion (McCarthy) O’Connor, Fethard; Theresa Hoare (daughter of Bridie McCarthy) London; Don McCarthy, Kildare; Caroline Barwick (daughter of Michael McCarthy) London; Tony McCarthy, Clonmel; and Breda Crossman (daughter of Patrick McCarthy) London.

For George, it was his first ever visit to Ireland and he was blown away by it, tracing his mums footsteps and seeing where she grew up and remembering names like McCarthy’s bar and seeing where the old dance hall was. Their parents were Tommy, Patrick, Michael McCarthy, Mary Gavin (nee McCarthy), Bridie Hoare (nee McCarthy), Mary McCarthy (nee Sheehan). They grew up in Fethard in the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s and they all left for England looking for work. The only son to stay in Fethard was my uncle Tommy. All of his children stayed in Fethard.

It was a brilliant weekend catching up with our family in Fethard and Killusty, and Breda would like to thank all the McCarthy’s and Sheehans for making it worth while.

Fethard Community Youth Project Information Meeting
Fethard Community Youth Project held a very successful information meeting on Thursday October 12th.  This meeting was organised by Rachel Murphy, Area Manager, Foróige, and Suzie O’Shea, recently appointed Youth Officer FCYP.  On opening the meeting Rachel declared her delight at the good turnout on the night.  She stated that the attendance was evidence, once again, of the great interest in Community activities in Fethard.  Rachel continued by explaining the details of the Youth Project, the background to its establishment, the aims and objectives of the Project and the actions to be undertaken in the coming weeks.  She stressed that the Project was dependant on the involvement of adult volunteers.

Suzie O’Shea continued by informing the meeting that one of the objectives of the Project from start-up to year-end was the establishment of four individual groups of young people within the Project.  It is hoped that the following groups will be set-up: Primary School pupils currently in fifth and sixth classes; Transition Year pupils – it is intended that this group will instigate a Junior Advisory Committee within the Project; Young People in Woodvale Walk – this group is ready to commence owing to the interest and involvement of a number of adults in the area and the availability of the Community House and the fourth group being a General Youth Group.  The numbers of youths recruited and the activities undertaken by this group will be determined by the number of volunteers available.  Current regulations and good practice guidelines restrict the number of young people that Suzie can work with at any given time – to enable a large number of young people to be catered for it is essential that adult members of the community who feel that they have something to contribute become involved in the Project.  Remember, your commitment to the Project only needs to be the amount of time or the level of involvement that you can give – be assured that it will not turn into a life sentence of obligation and responsibility!

To advance the situation further and to enable more people to get involved an additional meeting in relation to the Fethard Community Youth Project is scheduled to take place next week (provisional date Thursday 26th October at 8pm) in the Tirry Community Centre.  If you’d like to find out more about the Project or would like to get involved please come along to this meeting or contact Suzie O’Shea, Youth Officer, at the Tirry Community Centre or on 086 2485977.

'Opera on The Square' present proceeds to charity

Bernie Maher, proprietor of Fethard boutique, 'Opera on The Square', photographed with friends who helped raise over €27,500, proceeds of a fashion show, to be shared among two deserving charities, MS Ireland and Alzheimer Society. Photographed at the presentation of cheques outside 'Opera on The Square' in Fethard are L to R: Paul Collins (MS Ireland), Catherine Fitzell, Margaret Frost, Bernie Maher, Siobhán Leahy, Eileen Graham, Joan Kelly and Kate Brennan (Alzheimer's Society).

Hunting News
Hard to realise the opening meet of the Tipperary Foxhounds is almost with us once again – Monday October 30th in Fethard is the date and venue.  Time certainly does fly.  Autumn hunting continues apace.

Rocklow on Monday 8th October saw a fox from the railway bridge on Rocklow Road, cross the river, run towards the Fethard / Cashel Road and back to Monroe Lane where he was lost.  Rathvin Fort held, but this Charlie was very quickly to ground.  Halley’s proved blank while the day concluded with a run from Rocklow Covert. 

Wednesdays meet was at Knockinglass where hounds hunted a nice circle to the New Line back to the Laffansbridge Road, which they crossed to the Old Railway Line.  Hunting well here, hounds hunted back to Knockinglass and to ground. 

Wednesday at Ballinard was not the best of mornings.  Had some nice hunting in Dorans but very little could be done in Ballinard Wood where scent seemed to be poor. 

Orchardstown on Saturday produced the biggest autumn mounted hunting field for years.  Over sixty mounted followers availing of the very pleasant weather to get their hunters fit for the new season.  Great for the future of the sport to see so many juvenile riders out.  Morning started slowly on far side of road but improved greatly on Mr Ronans and Mr Purcells on crossing over.  Good mornings sport enjoyed with some good covert hunting and two brace marked to ground.

Marathon Man
Fethard man Alan Colville is set to run the Dublin City Marathon at October 30th to raise money for The Children's Medical & Research Foundation - Our Lady's Hospital Crumlin. This charity, which enables life saving research into child illnesses, is one that Alan has been indebted to since his own childhood.

Please support this worthy cause by donating in one of two ways: Send a cheque, money or postal order made payable to The Children's Medical & Research Foundation to Alan Colville, Ballintemple, Fethard, Co. Tipperary. No cash donations by post please. For telephone donations, call The Children's Medical & Research Foundation on 1850-507-508, using Alan Colville as the reference. Alan would like to thank you in advance for your support.

‘Playing for Life’ trip to Malawi, Africa

Participants from South Tipperary who will travel with the 'Playing for Life' expedition to Malawi in Africa. L to R: Paul Quirke, Pat Fox, Seamus Hayes, Eddie Sheehan, Joe Treacy and Joe Kenny.

Some of Ireland’s best-known sporting personalities will be part of a group of 60 volunteers traveling to Malawi to carry out a humanitarian aid mission in an impoverished village – and they will also teach local children how to play hurling and football. Former GAA President Sean Kelly will be joined on the charity trip by Gaelic games figures John Maughan, Barney Rock, Robbie O’Malley, Johnny Flaherty, Angela Downey, Marty McGrath, Gregory McCartan, Eamon O’Hara, Marcella Heffernan and Nuala O’Se.
They have been signed up by Playing for Life, the third world charity established by RTE broadcaster Tracy Piggott. “One of the jobs the group will be doing is completing the construction of a multi-purpose facility that can serve as a school, community centre, or health centre, in the village of Zomba” said Piggott.
“Not only are we going back to coach the kids in sporting skills and games focusing on HIV/AIDS issues, we will also be training up coaches to continue with the training around the community after we have gone, receiving a salary as incentive and recognition of their time and work.”
Members of the group will run courses in Food & Nutrition, Health, Midwifery, Plastering, Electrical wiring, Plumbing and Carpentry. Playing for Life sponsors 40 students for four years to attend one of Malawi’s Government-approved training centres where they will learn a particular skill.


Eddie Sheehan, St. Patrick’s Place, is taking part in the ‘Playing for Life’ trip to Malawi, Africa, which leaves Ireland on Wednesday 18th October, for two weeks. As a participant, Eddie raised funds for the development work undertaken there and would like to thank all who took part in the ‘Bike Run’ from Magnier’s Pub, Clonmel, on Sunday 8th October. Despite the bad weather on the day, over 100 bikes took part. He would also like to thank all who donated spot prizes and especially to Gerry Carey and Catherine Carey who helped organise the event.

Fethard & District Rugby Club
Our under 16 played a very tough match against Cashel on Sunday. Our team were on the hard foot all day as this very strong Cashel side piled on the pressure. We defended stoutly all through the game and when captain, Matthew Fitzgerald, crossed the line 15 minutes into the second half for the first score of the game, we thought we had the game won, but constant Cashel pressure yielded them a try under the post with one minute remaining, they converted to win the game by 7 – 5. We were missing our two regular props but full credit to Andrew Kelly and Paul Tierney, who excelled in defence and stood up manfully to two far (bigger) stronger props from Cashel.

Our under 14s travelled to Roscrea where they performed very well to record a relatively easy victory. Best on the day for Fethard were Kieran Power, William Croke, Joe Morgan and Jaquis Brett.

Our under 12s these played two very hard games at home against Clanwilliam, winning one and losing one.  All the skills of Rugby were displayed in abundance in both attacking and defending.  Some lads to impress on the day were Philip Maher, Russell Casey and Josh Walsh.

The Well Golf Society
A reminder to all our members, don't put away the golf clubs just yet, we will have two more outings before our season ends.  On our next outing we make the short trip to Cahir Golf Club. This takes place on Sunday 29th October, with tee off at 11am. Our final outing will take place to Slievenamon Golf Club in early December. This will be your chance to secure the Christmas dinner as there will be turkeys and hams among the prizes. To enter this competition, however, you must have played in at least one of our outings this year.

Gerry Nevin home from New York

Gerry Nevin photographed with friends in Fethard on his visit home from New York L to R: Declan Nevin, Joe Kenny, Gerry Nevin, Thomas Barrett and Gerry Fogarty.

Parents Association Table Quiz
The Parents Association of St. Patrick's Boys School are holding their annual Table Quiz on Tuesday 24th October at 9pm in The Well. Burke Street. All proceeds go towards helping to purchase school equipment. Invite some friends along for a social, fun evening. Cost, €24 per team (4 contestants per team).

Fethard GAA Club News
The Intermediate Hurling Tipperary County semifinal played in Boherlahan on Saturday 14th October resulted in defeat for our gallant team who, on the day, just let Moycarkey get to far ahead in the first half to be 0-10 to 0-4 down at the half time whistle, and with two minutes to go we were only 2 points down and dominating, when a dubious hand pass was kicked into the Fethard net to leave the final score Fethard 1-13, Moycarkey Borris 2-15. The team was: Paul Fitzgerald, Michael Carroll, Shane Walsh, Johnny Leahy, Cian Maher, Aiden Lonergan, Michael Ryan 0-1, John P Looby, Brian Coen, Stephen O’Donnell, Aiden Fitzgerald 0-3, Miceál Spillane 1-5 (3f, 2x65s), Kenneth O’Donnell 0-3f, Michael Ahearne, Michael Dillon 0-1. Subs used were: Christopher Sheehan, Jamie McCormack and Dean Tobin. On this performance the future looks bright.  Beg la eile le cunamh de. We wish Moycarkey the best of luck in the County Final. Thanks to all involved for a wonderful year,

The Junior A football game between Fethard and Moyle Rovers takes place on Sunday 22nd October.

Fethard Players in Rehearsal

Fethard Players will stage their production of "12 Angry Men" in the Abymill Theatre from Sunday 12th November to Saturday 18th November, with the exception of Thursday 16th November. Tickets are €12 each with a special priced ‘Family Night’ on Monday. The play starts at 8.15pm and tickets can be booked at O'Flynns Menswear, Fethard. Tel: 052 31254 or 087 1338961. The play, using a mixed cast, is produced by Austin O’Flynn and includes the following cast members: Tommy O'Brien, John Fogarty, Joe Hanley, Anne McGrath, Colm McGrath, Marian Gilpin, Angela Dillon Whyte, Gerry Fogarty, Mary O'Connell, Anne Connolly, Jimmy O'Sullivan, Liam O'Connor and Eoin Whyte.