Died Recently
The death has occurred of Willie O'Donnell, Cashel Road, Fethard on 2nd May. Remains will arrive at St. Joseph the Worker Church Moyglass at 8.30 pm on Friday 4th May. Requiem Mass at 11.30am on Saturday followed by burial in Calvary Cemetery.

The death has occurred of Paddy Donovan, Fr, Tirry Park, on 3rd May. Remains will leave Brett's Funeral Parlour, Mullinahone, at 8pm on Friday 4th May for Church of Our Lady of the Nativity Cloneen. Requiem Mass at 11am on Saturday followed by burial in the adjoining cemetery.

Kentucky Derby hopeful Stormello

Michelle Nevin, daughter of Michael and Chris Nevin, Fethard, is photographed above exercising this year's Kentucky Derby hopeful Stormello during his early morning work-outs at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. Michelle continues her family's tradition in horse racing and has made a name for herself in racing circles since moving to the USA. The 133rd running of the Kentucky Derby takes place on this Saturday, 5th May.

Fethard Community Youth Project to Close

Members of Fethard Foróige Club photographed with leaders at their meeting on Friday 27th April before heading off for a trip to the cinema in Clonmel. The club hold their meetings every Friday evening in the ICA Hall from 7pm to 8.30pm.

An emergency Public Meeting will be held on Thursday 10th May in the Tirry Community Centre, Fethard at 8 pm to discuss the future of the Fethard Community Youth Project. As it stands unless we can secure funding from the government Fethard Community Youth Project will end on the 7th July.

We are inviting public representatives and candidates in the upcoming election to attend this meeting and to support our campaign for funding this project. Since September FCYP has worked with over 80 young people and established the volunteer led Foróige Youth Club. Young people have been involved in a variety of positive activities and programmes that would not have happened without FCYP.

We are asking all adults and young people from Fethard to attend this meeting to show your support for this project and for young people in the Fethard area. With adequate funding we can ensure that young people have somewhere to go, an opportunity to be involved in the community and a real alternative to anti-social behaviour.

Tom McCormack, An Appreciation
Among the many great personalities across the spectrum of sporting endeavour that the Friary town of Fethard has produced over the last one hundred years, the late Tom McCormack will rank high. His recent death came unexpectedly despite not enjoying robust health over the last two years.

In a career that brought him to prominence at a youthful age in Gaelic games; Tom was an outstanding goalkeeper on the Tipperary All Ireland Minor hurling winning team of 1953 that included Ray Reidy, Liam Devaney, Liam Connolly and Sean McLoughlin who graduated to senior All Ireland hurling fame.

Tom McCormack went on to give many years of service as an excellent goalkeeper for county and club. One of his finest displays was in the county senior hurling semi final for Na Piarsigh against Nenagh in 1957 after which he was rated the best goalkeeper in the county. Tom McCormack was a multi talented person, as an able pen wielder he had a good literary and poetic flare, and has left for posterity some poetic gems, as an organiser and promoter of major athletic events in Fethard during the late 1970s he brought international athletics and big crowds to South Tipperary, with spectacular success. As a sportsman Tom exuded that pride, love and honour for his local place, as depicted by Kickham through his character Matt the Thresher in his novel Knocknagow.

Over several decades Tom McCormack was an active participant and administrator in GAA and NACAI activities, all who knew him and worked with him in these activities remember him as the man who always delivered on everything he undertook. During the heady days of athletic disputes Tom was an ardent supporter of the NACAI and 32 county all Ireland sport. He never deviated from that principal. He was a man with a deep feel for Irish culture history and heritage and a member of the Irish Bardic Federation. Tom was proud of his family roots in the region round Dualla Ballinure, Moyglass and Fethard roots deep in Irish nationalism the spirit of freedom and culture.

His death has taken from South Tipperary one who kept the Christian and Fenian faiths and the spirit of Knocknagow on top of his daily agenda. Those who shared with him in some of his many activities and gathered in inclement weather conditions to bid him farewell as he was conveyed through his home town of Fethard to his last resting place knew that they were parting with a true Gael, a man of ability and talent who was always available to play his part for an Irish Ireland that reached out to all. The homes of Tipperary are the poorer with his passing, the lighted candle of his life is now extinguished but his immortal soul from heaven will never be too far away from his family and friends,

To his widow Kathleen his daughters and extended family deepest sympathy on his passing May his soul enjoy the bliss of heaven among his fellow Gaels and his mortal remains rest in perfect peace while waiting judgement day. (J.H.)

Photo from the past

This photo from the past is of Michael and Katie Maher, Friarsgrange, Fethard, whom a lot of our readers will remember. Michael and Katie are the parents af Gus Maher and the late Josie Maher.

Fethard GAA Club News
The County Senior Football County Championship starts this weekend with Fethard playing Grangemockler on Saturday 5th May in Kilsheelan at 7pm. This should be an evenly contested game with Grangemockler starting as favourites having beaten Fethard twice in 2006.

The Minor B South Football Championship continues this week with a game against Carrick Davins on Friday 4th May in Kilsheelan at 7pm. Fethard having a great win over Ballyporeen last week on a scoreline, Fethard 2-16, Ballyporeen 1-3.

The Intermediate Hurling County League game on Sunday 29th April did not go ahead in Fethard and we received a walkover. We play Cahir in Cahir on Tuesday 8th May at 7pm.

County Board Draw Promoters are calling to houses in the parish this week and next and we ask for your support in the Annual Draw that has two car prizes in the first months draw on May 25th.  The two cars are a Nissan Pathfinder for first prize and a Nissan Note for second prize. There will be 12 monthly draws plus 36 weekly draws with 2 free draws (January and April 2008) for an outlay of €100 per year. The Club is grateful for your continued support, with 50% of the monies collected going direct to the Fethard Club to help defray the running costs for 2007.

The club’s Lotto Jackpot of €4,700 was not won. The numbers drawn were 8, 15, 27 and 28. There was no match three winner so €30 ticket prizes went to: Breda Burke (Main Street), Rita Doyle (Woodvale Walk), Helen Smyth (Fairfields, Clonmel), Alice Lawrence (Derryluskin) and Josie Fitzgerald (Kiltinan).  The €50 Lucky Dip was won by Nicky O’Shea (Tullow, Fethard). Thanks to Clonmel Oil for supplying the tickets.

Judo Winners

Competitors from Fethard Killusty area who won gold medals at Co Tipperary Community Games Judo Finals in Clonmel last week.
L to R: Gary Bradshaw, Kate Delahunty, Aobh O'Shea and Lorraine Feery.

Fethard Juvenile GAA Club News
Our under-14s were away to Carrick Davins on Thursday evening last week and had the game brought to them. They began the game with ease with Aaron Conran in firing form running riot in midfield. Alan Lawrence, Gareth Lawrence, Philip Maher and Eoin Fitzgerald were all on form but then Davins came back fighting hard and were not to be outdone scoring three quick goals in reply. Our backs, Damien Morrissey, Owen Dillon and Joseph Morgan were put under sever pressure with our goalie Cathal Hurley having to work hard. When the half time whistle blew there were only four points in the difference. The second half was great with the boys in blue coming out in fighting form and finished the game with ease, although they were not let of the hook by Davins, who fought hard till the final whistle blew.

Our under-14s were away to Clonmel Og on Sunday morning in the start to the Football Peil and came away with a convincing win despite being down a few of our regular players. They now await the outcome of the Cahir/Kilsheelan match and we wish them the very best of luck. We also wish a speedy recovery to Tommy Sheehan and Ronan Fitzgerald, both out with injuries.

The under-16s are now out of this years football championship. The competition was far too strong for this young team made up mostly from our under-14s. The club would like to thank the trainers Paddy Cooney, Kenny Hackett and Gerry Ahearn for giving up their time and making the effort to train these lads.

The under-16 hurling training has now commenced and takes place every Thursday evening at 6.30pm in the GAA field. This will increase to two evenings a week and players will be informed when days and times have been decided.

Under-8 to under-10 training commences every Saturday from 3pm to 5pm in the field. We have had a great turnout for these training sessions and any new members are very welcome. Any parent wishing to give a hand please feel free to approach any of the coaches. All help that you may be able to offer would be appreciated.

Well done to Chris Sheehan on playing with the Tipperary Minor Footballers who beat Waterford last week and are now through to a Munster semifinal. Best of luck in the next round.

Parents are now urgently asked to note that membership, €15 per child, is now well and truly overdue and are asked to start making an effort to pay. Any queries, please phone club secretary Caroline Sheehan Tel: 086 171 3502.

Tipperary Minor Football
Congratulations to Sinead Delahunty, Castlehiggins, who is a member of the Tipperary Minor B Team ladies football team who won the Munster Final for the first time ever beating Waterford in an exciting game.

All-Ireland Winning Rugby Players

Photographed above are the seven Fethard members of Clonmel Ladies All-Ireland winning rugby team who won the All Ireland final in Portlaoise on Sunday. The occasion was extra special for Jenny Fogarty as she was also celebrating her birthday on the day and was presented with a cake. L to R: Catherine Kenny, Charlene Roche, Aisling Kenny, Mary Gorey, Jenny Fogarty, proudly holding All Ireland Cup and her birthday cake, Amy Hopkins O’Connor, and Valerie Colville Connolly.

Community Games
Congratulations to Fethard Killusty under-14 tag rugby team who beat Powerstown Lisronagh in the quarter-finals of the community games championships but were defeated by Ballingarry in the South final.

The South finals of all rugby competitions were held in Fethard Community Sportsfield on Sunday last. Powerstown Lisronagh area won both under-11 mini rugby and under-11 tag rugby while Ballingarry won the under-14 tag rugby event.

Competitors from Fethard Killusty area who won gold medals at Co Tipperary Congratulations to Gary Bradshaw, Padraig O’Shea, Kate Delahunty, Aobh O’Shea and Lorraine Feery all of whom will represent Co Tipperary at the Munster Judo Finals in Tralee on July 14th. Please submit birth certs as soon as possible. If certs are not received ten days after county final the place will be offered to runners up.

Anybody interested in swimming please contact either Bernard Feery or Sonia Bonelli before Friday 10th May. The county finals will take place in Nenagh on Saturday 2nd June.

Trip to Newgrange

Art pupils from Patrician Presentation Secondary School photographed on their visit to Newgrange. L to R: Ricardo Caiazzo, Alannah Browne, Kate O’Brien, Franzi Fritz, Lory Kenny, David Ryan, Roisín O’Kane, Niamh White, Declan Doyle, Joe Fogarty, Ms Mary O’Sullivan (teacher), Paul McCarthy and Vitor Viera Antunes.

On Friday 27th April art pupils from the Patrician Presentation Secondary School, visited Newgrange, which is just outside the town of Slane in Co. Meath. The pupils, accompanied by teachers Ms Pat Looby and Ms Mary O’Sullivan, received a guided tour of both Newgrange and Knowth, two of the three passage tombs in the Brú na Bóinne area open to the public, the third being Dowth.

Newgrange, a large mound with a diameter of 280 feet, was built some 5000 years ago. It was excavated between 1962 and 1975 by Professor M. J. O’Kelly, who also discovered the ‘roof box’ through which the sun enters on the 21st December each year. Before going inside the passage and chamber, the 97 kerbstones and the famous entrance stone are described. Further up from Newgrange lies Knowth, where over 300 of all the decorated stones from the megalithic period in western Europe are found. Pupils also enjoyed a ‘crawl’ through one of its many souterraines (underground passages), as Knowth was used through many eras right down to Norman times.

Brú Na Bóinne has been designated a World Heritage site, along with Skellig Michael in Co. Kerry. Sites selected for World Heritage listing are deemed to be of outstanding universal value to humanity and are approved on the basis of their merits as the best possible examples of cultural or natural heritage.

Fethard Bridge Club Results
We played the second round of the Club Championship on 25th April and the results were:
1st Gross: Berney Myles and Alice Quinn;
2nd Gross: Betty Walsh and Brigid Gorey;
1st Nett: Marie Delaney and Annie O’Brien;
2nd Nett: Carmel Condon and Brendan Kenny.

On Wednesday next, 9th May, we play for our President’s Prize starting at 7pm sharp. All members should be at Tirry Centre by 6.50pm. Our end of season party will be held at the Fairways Restaurant, Slievenamon Golf Club, on Friday 11th May, and our AGM will be held on 16th May.

Anyone looking for a partner for the President’s Prize please contact Berney Myles at 32038.

Fethard & Killusty Community Lotto
The numbers drawn in the Fethard & Killusty Community Lottot on Wednesday 25th April were: 18, 20, 21 and 25. There was no Jackpot winner and one ‘Match Three’ winner who received €150:
Frank Mullins, 69, St. Patrick’s Place, Fethard.

The three €50 Lucky Dip winners were:
Anne Foley, 6 Tirry Park, Fethard;
Ann Maher, Goatenbridge;
Christy Devitt, Strylea, Fethard.

Next week’s jackpot is €10,000 and the Jackpot sellers prize is €1,000.