Died Recently
The death has occurred, on 24th November, of Mr Pat O’Brien, Garrankyle, Cloneen. Interment took place in Cloneen Cemetery.

The death has occurred, on 25th November, of Mrs Mary Meagher, Milestown, Cloneen. Interment took place in Cloneen Cemetery.

The death has occurred on 23rd November of Mrs Nellie Colville, St. Patrick's Place,. Fethard. Remains left McCarthy's Funeral Parlour at 6.30pm on Friday 24th November for Holy Trinity Parish Church Fethard. Requiem Mass took place at 11am on Saturday followed by burial in Calvary Cemetery.

Twins Graduate

Twins Michael and Paul Walsh, Barrack Street, past pupils of Fethard Patrician Presentation Secondary School, who both graduated with 1st Class Honours Degrees in Chemical Engineering, Michael in UCD and Paul in CIT.

Patrician Presentation Secondary School Jottings
On 15th November, the TY and 5th Year students went to see a screening of the French film, ‘Le Grand Voyage’ by Ismaël Ferroukhi in the Excel Theatre in Tipperary Town. They students were accompanied by French teachers, Ms M. Lysaght, Ms M. Whelan and Ms M.A. Fogarty. Many schools in the area attended the screening of this film under the auspices of the Irish Film Institute and the French Teachers Association.

On Friday 17th November, the TY students from the school participated in the annual Transition Year Table Quiz for schools in South Tipperary, organised by Mr Noel Buckley from the Presentation Secondary School in Clonmel. Two-hundred students took part and the following four students from our school were on the prize-winning teams: Alex Channon, Colm Horan, Jamie Carroll and Darren Prout. Colm was, in fact, on the overall winning team.

Students from the school are now involved in the Fethard & Community Council’s ‘Youth Project’, facilitated by Ms Suzie O’Shea, Youth Development Officer with Foróige.

Over the last number of weeks, Mr Mark Andrews, an Australian based in Waterford, has been conducting rugby coaching sessions in the school on behalf of the Irish Rugby Union. Each year groups benefit from these sessions, which have been very successful to date.

Congratulations to Deputy Principal, Ms Marian Gilpin, on her outstanding performance in the Fethard Player’s recent production of  ‘12 Angry Men’ in the Abymill Theatre.

Malawi Trek 2006

Joe Kenny, photographed with another Joe — one of the hundreds of students who took part in the GAA Sports Training Project in Zomba, Malawi. Joe is wearing a Fethard jersey, one of the local club jerseys donated by Miceál McCormack, Chairman South Tipperary GAA Board. Liam Hayes, Redcity, also donated a set of hurleys for the sports project and were much appreciated by the Malawian athletes.

Some of Ireland’s best-known sporting personalities were part of a group of 68 volunteers who travelled to Malawi as part of 'Playing for Life' trip to Malawi to work on development projects in conjunction with Malawi Self Help Development International. Fethard people taking part were Seamus Hayes (Coordinator), Eddie Sheehan and Joe Kenny. They were also joined by Pat Fox and Paul Quirke from Tipperary area. A website showing photographs of the projects, taken by Joe Kenny and currently in progress, can be viewed by clicking MALAWI PHOTOGRAPHS

Christmas Lights
Fethard & Killusty Community Council ask for your support in helping fund the erection of Christmas Lights in Fethard. The average annual cost of erecting and taking down the lights, including ESB charges, to date is €8,930.  This figure is separate from the actual purchase cost of the lights. All donations to help defray these costs would be much appreciated. Donations can be made to treasurer, Mr Jimmy Connolly, c/o Fethard Post Office.

Fethard GAA News
The Fethard GAA Club invite all ex-members and players to an ‘Open Forum’ on Friday 1st December, in the Abymill Theatre at 8pm. The agenda for the forum is to, ‘Review the Present Club Situation and Plan for the Future’.

The annual ‘Mass for Deceased Members and Players of Fethard GAA Club’ will take place in the Parish Church on Sunday 26th November at 11am.

Congratulations to Michael O’Dwyer on receiving an ‘Achievement Award’ from the South Board Na nÓg on Friday last.

Shoe Box Appeal

The children of Nano Nagle School responded generously when they got word of the Christmas Shoe Box Appeal. They put together 88 colourfully wrapped gift boxes for children less fortunate than themselves. It was wonderful to see the joy of sharing and giving as they proudly brought in their boxes. They will bring smiles to many little faces who will not receive any other gift this Christmas.

‘Harmony for Africa’ night
A music night, ‘Harmony for Africa’, in aid of Concern, will take place in the Castle Bar on Saturday 25th November. Your support for this very deserving cause will mean so much for those helped by Concern in Third World Countries. Music on the night will be supplied by the ‘Purple Shamrocks’, tickets are €5 and there will also be a raffle on the night. Please come along and bring your friends.

St Vincent de Paul
Anyone requiring the help of St. Vincent de Paul for this Christmas can contact any member of the society for an application form or collect one from the back of our local churches. Please return the completed form to any member of the society before 30th November.

Holy Souls in November
The Rosary will be recited in the following Parish Cemeteries on Sunday 26th Nov: Killusty 10.30am; Kiltinan 3pm; Kilmaclugh 3.30pm, and Tullamaine at 3pm.

Table Quiz
The Parents Association of the Secondary School, Fethard, will hold a Table Quiz in the Secondary School Hall on Wednesday 29th November at 8.30 pm. A raffle will be held in conjunction with the Table Quiz. Attractive sponsored prizes will be on offer. This quiz and raffle are in aid of the Secondary School. A good night's entertainment is promised, refreshments will be served and an invitation is extended to all.

Married in the sun
Congratulations to Tom Magnier, son of Mr John and Mrs Sue Magnier, Coolmore, Fethard, who married Sophie Penfold on Friday 17th November. The wedding took place at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, Bridgetown, Barbados, followed by a reception at the Sandy Lane Hotel.

Annual Santa Bear Appeal
The annual ‘Santa Bear Appeal’ in aid of the Central Remedial Clinic will take place from 1st December to 11th December. Look out for ‘Santa Bears’ on sale in local premises.

The Central Remedial Clinic help those with disabilities realise their full potential and many people from Fethard have benefited from their services in the past and also their ongoing back-up support for people with disabilities. This service is dependent on voluntary contributions. For the past 11 years, a carol-singing event on the streets of Fethard has taken place in aid of the same appeal.  Date for this year’s Carol Singing is provisionally set for Thursday 21st December.

Twenty-Five Year Class Reunion

This photo, supplied by Tomás O’Connell, and relating to the Class Reunion of 1980-’81, was taken on a Sunday night in October 1980 as we returned from a weekend school trip in Co. Clare. Tomás was in Leaving Cert Class at the time and remembers the trip. Tom says, “We based ourselves at a youth hostel in Mountshannon in Co Clare and toured around on the bus to places such as Ailiwee Caves, Coole Park, Cliffs of Moher and the Burren. The only people I can recognise in the picture are Jimmy Horan, Bill Fogarty, Liam Campion (hidden), Kevin McGivern, Ailbe Holohan, Geraldine Moloney, Dan (or is it his brother John?) Hickey, Tom Hayes, Bridget Ryan (wearing the fashionable yellow wellies!) Tony Aylward, and yours truly. Maybe someone that can see in the dark will recognise everyone else!”

Attention all Leaving Certificates Students of 1980 and 1981.  A Class reunion has been organised for the Fethard Arms on Friday 29th December 2006 at 8.30pm.  Please come along to meet former classmates and to catch up on what everyone has been up to.  Finger-food and entertainment will be provided.  To cover costs it is necessary to charge €10 per person which can be paid on the night.  The organisers would love if you could bring along any photographs from schooldays that you may have to help jog the memories!  Contact Liz Newport (052-32378 after 6pm); Liam Daly (052-31896); Anthony Hayes (052-32051) or Tony Aylward (aylwardt@eircom.net) for further information.

Hunting News
The hunting scene last week was one of mixed fortunes with the very inclement weather not helping matters.  The Tipps from Hoare Abbey on Monday took quite a while to find some good draws on the right hand side of the Cashel / Golden road not holding. 

Matters improved somewhat on moving to the other side.  Hounds were settling nicely on a fox from Cormac Brownes when the great bug-bear of modern day hunting, a two strand electric fence, brought a nice run to a halt.  A fox from the fort across the by-road provided a nice sharp run and the day finished with a good hunt from the Grove next to the new motorway construction almost to Sadliers near Golden where he went to ground. 

Fair dues to the six gallant followers who turned out at Golden on Wednesday in torrential rain.  One of the ‘we shall overcome’ car followers remarked that the fine weather sportsmen were conspicuous by their absence!  However they proved the wisest in the end as Derry had no other option but to blow for home at 2 o’clock as conditions were just impossible.  Hounds had not found up to this. 

Cloneen on Thursday proved the best day of the week.  Foxes were in great supply and some very good hunting was enjoyed by the large field of fifty riders with some very testing jumping over the big banks in the Rathkenny / Spike area.  Hounds hunted well on a fox from here that ran a very big right handed circle from Spike / Rathkenny back through the Dairies, McEniry’s and John O’Flynns getting to ground just ahead of hounds at Liam Quirkes. 

A fox in Ballinard Wood was marked to ground in Covert as was one in Carrolls.  The Rock at Byrnes held a leash, one of which was hunted through Byrneskill to Ballinard and across the Fethard / Killusty road to Grove Estate where they were stopped.  The long day concluded at Killusty Glen with Derry blowing for home near 5pm in the gathering dusk.

A Class Act!

Fethard Patrician Brothers 1963 Kinane Cup winning team photographed outside the secondary school. Back L to R: Garda Joe McNamara (trainer), Pat Butler, Paul Raleigh, Willie Harrington, Gerry Casey, Pierce Ryan and Philip Byrne. Middle: Tony Fitzgerald, Pat Barrett, Jimmy O'Connor, Pierce Coady, Austin Woodlock, Gerry Leahy, Mick Ryan and Bro. Paul. Front: Danny Ryan, Joe Morrissey, Denis Burke (captain), Davy Fitzgerald and Willie Frewen. Missing from photograph is Pa-Joe Purcell.

On Tuesday 14th October, in the mediaeval-walled town of Fethard, Co. Tipperary, better known today as the home of Coolmore Stud and Andrew Lloyd Webber, a grand bunch of 60-year-old fellas got together to celebrate a famous victory. In 1963, the tiny, local Patrician Brothers High School (total student population then, just over 100 and, in those ultra-segregated days, all boys) put out a hurling team that defeated the mightiest schools and colleges in the province of Munster to gain the much-coveted Dr Kinnane Cup. The win, against massive odds, had a lot to do with the captaincy of the obstinate and indestructible Dinny Burke, today a senior teacher in the much larger and desegregated school) a young monk called Paulinus, who was the trainer, and total dedication - indeed fanaticism - and support from the whole school, pupils and teachers alike.

The concentration on winning got so intense that in order to strengthen the team reprobates and rebels (of which I was one) were drafted in and speed-trained for the job in hand. It was edge-of-your-seat stuff when the final was drawn and there had to be a replay. The drama was played out in Thurles Stadium on a cold and blustery October day. By the final whistle we had won, if only by the proverbial skin-of-our-teeth. It wasn't until I saw the bonfires on the approaches to Fethard and the crowds greeting us that the magnitude of what we had achieved came home to me.

I would have liked to have been there on the night to share in the celebration. Apparently the Kinnane Cup was borrowed for the night and I'm sure it was filled and emptied several times with stronger stuff than the Cidona we were allowed in '63.

I raised a glass here in Beara to be with them in spirit and to remember our distant great achievement. I will also sadly recall one of our number who has passed on, Paul Raleigh.

We had some good times, even great times - in hard times.
— (Jimmy O’Connor) Email Jimmy PlanOrganic Website

White Heather Harriers
The weather once again played spoil-sport with the White Heather Harriers from their meet at Loughcopple on Sunday.  A fox marked across the Kilsheelan Road bolted and was hunted just a short distance to O’Donnells where he got to ground.  Drawing back to Grangebeg / Milltown to Annsfort Donie and his band of youthful supporters failed to find.  Continuing across the road to the Old Railway Line at Murphy’s in ever worsening weather conditions he was forced to blow for home at 2.30 in what was by now a force nine gale.  The White Heather Harriers hold one of their most popular meets of the season at Rocklow on Sunday next, November 26th, and at Ballyluskey on the following Sunday December 3rd at 11am.

A November Quiz
Can you name the eleven graveyards in the Parish of Fethard & Killusty?

Programme Missed
A few local sports followers have expressed their disappointment that local radio have decided to axe the regular Saturday 11.00am to 1.00pm Sports Programme on which the Tipperary weekend sports events were discussed.  They are hoping the programme will be re-introduced, if not in the short-term, then perhaps next Spring when the sports scene is more active.

Fethard & District Rugby Club
Our under-14s travelled to Rockwell on Saturday morning and put in a tremendous performance in a high scoring game of rugby that ended on a score line of 38 points to 31. As the score suggests this was end to end stuff with some tremendous scores from both sides. James Shaw from Killenaule playing in his first game put in a great performance, others to impress in a great team effort were Shane Power and Tim Donovan.

Our under-8s had two games and this ever improving bunch of young players recorded two wins in this well organised blitz in Cashel running out easy winners against Galbally and beating Cashel by 7 tries to 6 in a much tougher and more closely contested game. Those to impress were Mark Collins, Evan Harcourt and Michael Gaynor.

Our under-10s also played two games losing out to Cashel and beating Galbally.  The injury to Cathal Mahoney in our game against Cashel did not help our cause, but two great tries from Jack Kennedy and Ben Murray gave the lads a great boost and they continued to play with great determination to the final whistle loosing 8 tries to 2. They recovered well in the second game to beat Galbally by 3 tries to 2 with Ben Murray and Christen Casey being particularly effective.

Our under-11s played a very entertaining game against Cashel on a score line of 2 tries each. The defence on the Fethard side was very effective with Sean White, Tom Anglim and Paul Butler having great games.

The under-12s had a very competitive game against Galbally deservedly winning by 3 tries to nil. Our lads were very strong in defence and attack and with some improvement in ball use could have ran in a few more tries. All these lads played very well with good games from James Houlihan, Luke Keating and Ciaran Walsh.

Fethard Open Coursing Club
A meeting of the above will take place in the Tirry Centre on Monday 27th November at 8.30pm. All members are asked to attend this meeting.

Sheehan Memorial Foundation
A meeting of the Sheehan Memorial Foundation committee will take place on this Friday night, 24th November, in the Tirry Community Centre at 9pm. It is hoped that all committee members will make a special effort to attend this meeting to enable to group to put procedures into operation to enable the continuation of the trust and to have everything finalised for 2007.

Opera on the Square
Congratulations to Bernie Maher owner of the exclusive boutique ‘Opera on the Square’ on an excellent presentation of high-class fashion on the TV3 programme ‘Ireland AM’ on Thursday morning last. The fashion slot was introduced by Andrea Roche who is certainly helping to put Fethard and Clonmel on the map at the moment.

Fethard Bridge Club
Our game on 15th November was sponsored by Mike Burke and the results were:
1st Gross: Betty Walsh and Brigid Gorey;
2nd Gross: Carol Kenny and Gemma Burke;
3rd Gross: Kay St. John and Rita Kane;
1st Nett: Carmel Condon and Brendan Kenny;
2nd Nett: Kathleen Kenny and Philly Kenny;
3rd Nett: David Abell and Tony Hanrahan.

Annual subscriptions of €25 are now due. Next Wednesday 29th November we play for the Nett Turkey prize. Anyone looking for a partner contact Berney Myles at 32038.

Fethard Scout Group AGM
The 27th Tipperary, Fethard Scout Group, will hold their annual general meeting on Thursday 23rd November, in Fethard Ballroom, at 8pm. All are Welcome. Light refreshments will be provided.

Fethard and Killusty Community Lotto Results
The numbers drawn in the Fethard & Killusty Community Lotto on Wednesday 15th November were: 2, 4, 21 and 29.  There was no Jackpot winner and one ‘Match 3’ winner who received €150:
William Needham, Friarsgrange, Fethard 

The three Lucky Dip winners of €50 were:
Pat Murphy, Grangemockler;
Brud Roche, Woodvale Walk, Fethard;
Christy Williams, Killusty, Fethard.
Next weeks Jackpot is €8,400 and the Jackpot sellers prize is €840.

Fethard Athletic Club
A number of athletes travelled to Turnpike to participate in the County B cross-country races on Sunday 12th November. Well done to Jack Stapleton who ran very well to win a bronze medal in the boys under-10 race. Luke Trimble, Charlotte Hatton, Ciaran O'Connor, Jack Gleeson and Aine Phelan were in the top 20 in their various races. This is a great achievement considering there can be up to 70 athletes in any one race. All our athletes ran well.

Competing for Fethard were: (Boys) Jack Gleeson, Pierce Blackmore, Jack Stapleton, Ben Trimble, Luke Trimble, Ciaran O'Connor; (Girls) Charlotte Hatton, Nell Trehy, Sophie Meehan, Hannah Stapleton, Aine Phelan, Karen Hayes, Emma Curran and Lisa Curran.

Well done to all these athletes who have represented the club so well throughout the Cross Country season. Our next big event is the annual Christmas Party! Training continues every Monday and Wednesday at 6.30pm.

A visit to ‘The Gaf’
On 8th November a representative group from Fethard & Killusty Community Council went to visit ‘The Gaf’ in Galway City as part of the Youth Project and development of the Convent Hall. The Gaf is a drug-free and alcohol-free café in Galway, open 35 hours a week, that is run and operated by young people. The Gaf initiative was the result of a number of agencies getting together to create an alternative space where young people could hang out, get involved in a range of activities, and access health services. The key to its success is that teenagers are involved in every aspect of its activities.

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