Drug Awareness Information Talk
A Drug Awareness Information Evening takes place in the Patrician Presentation Secondary School on Monday 10th March at 8.15pm in partnership with the Mid Tipperary drugs initiative and the GAA. Parents and all those involved with young people are invited to attend. The guest speaker is Stuart Moloney from the Mid Tipperary Drugs Initiative.

Patrician Presentation School News
Zero Tolerance who will represent Tipperary in a 'Battleof the Bands' competition in the famous Dublin's Leeson Street Sugar Club. Back L to R: Ted Barrett, Tony Myler, Garreth Lawrence. Front L to R: Louis Rice and Noel O'Brien.

Best of luck to our junior band ‘Zero Tolerance’ who will represent Tipperary in a ‘Battleof the Bands’ competition in the famous Dublin’s Leeson Street Sugar Club on Saturday, 8th March. The band was founded last year and members are 2nd Year pupils: Noel O'Brian -vocals and guitar; Tony Myler – guitar; Ted Barrett – drums; Louis Rice - bass guitar; andGarreth Lawrence - guitar. To qualify, they first won the "7 Steps Up" competition in Cashel, which was advertised by the Tipperary Youth Service. To date the group have performed at a number of school events and in the local AbymillTheatre. The band will also perform at the Variety Concert on Tuesday 11th March in the Abymill.

Lourdes Trip
Congratulations to our 5th Year pupils, Lesley Looby and Sarah Hayes who have been selectedto represent the school on the Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes next June. Six of the 5th Yearclass in total applied to go as youth helpers on the pilgrimage which is indeed a hearteningfact in the light of the decline in the numbers of people doing volunteer work in communitiesthroughout the country. Mr Richard Prendergast liaises yearly with the local Lourdescommittee and with Fr. Pat Coffey on the Youth Project. The school has been associated formany years with the local pilgrimage to Lourdes and both Mr and Mrs Prendergast organiseannually a school quiz in aid of the Lourdes Fund.

Easter Penitential Services
Fr. Gerry Horan OSA will kindly lead penitential services for all pupils in the school overthe next two weeks in preparation for Easter.

School Bank Challenge
On Tuesday, 11th March, our TX School Bank members will travel to the Silver SpringsHotel in Cork to compete in the AIB Build A Bank Challenge. Pupils: Laura Rice, AislingDwyer, Gráinne Horan, Theresa Braun, Kelley Coady, Sarah O'Meara, Melissa Wallace andNiamh Fanning have worked very hard on their project, "Save with Dave", and the schoolwishes them and their teacher, Ms. Mulhall, the ‘best of luck’ on the day.

FÁS Opportunities
On Friday last our 5th Year pupils travelled to Croke Park for the FÁS Opportunities Exhibition. This exhibition provides the pupils with plenty of information on an extensiverange of careers and colleges. Our LCVP pupils are required to investigate a chosen career onthe day and write a report on the visit to Dublin. They were accompanied by teachers MrBurke and Mr Leonard.

TY Work Experience
Our Transition Year pupils are on work experience this week. The work experience elementof Transition Year is invaluable to the personal development of the pupil and the school wouldlike to thank local employers for their support and cooperation with the Work ExperienceProgramme.

Pupils from the Patrician Presentation Secondary School Fethard pictured with trophy presented to them by the South Tipperary County Museum on Wednesday 20th February. Students presented a project on 'Medieval Fethard', which included paintings, drawings and pupils' photographs of Fethard's rich heritage. The project was presented as part of the 'South Tipperary Schools Heritage Project 2007/2008', which focused on Medieval Tipperary (400AD-1600AD). Back L to R: Esther Muller, James Cotter, Colm Horan, J.P McGrath, Angelica Bano. Front L to R: Annemarie Limpach and Michelle Garrett.

Fethard & Killusty Community Council AGM
Fethard & Killusty Community Council will hold their Annual General Meeting on Tuesday 18th March at 9pm (please note later time to facilitate those attending the Parish Novena) in the Tirry Community Centre.

The committee invite representatives from all areas of the community to come along and get involved. This is a very important time to have a say in the future development of our town. Over the past few years we have seen a lot of progress in promoting Fethard’s medieval town wall at national and international levels. Fethard has also joined the Irish Walled Towns Network, which is of great benefit in promoting our tourism potential.

The committee have now received planning permission and has awarded the tender to a local building firm to commence work on the Convent Hall and convert it to a dedicated youth centre. This will be a tremendous value to youth and teenagers in our area when completed. We will need adult youth leaders willing to work with local youths and national youth agencies in helping to staff and run this centre as a high-class facility.

The new childcare committee ‘Acorn’ has also acquired a site from the County Council to build a custom designed childcare facility and playground near our local schools on the Rocklow Road. This project is part of the new development plans for the Rocklow Road currently being prepared by representatives from the local committees and South Tipperary County Council.

Fethard & Killusty Community Council are also running the FÁS Community Employment Scheme from their premises on Barrack Street. The scheme employs over twelve participants and is supervised by Joan O’Donohoe who also runs the Community Information Office. We are also equipping an office with internet facilities for homework use and as an internet café. This should be up and running within the next two months.

Fethard & District Day Care Centre is also based in the Tirry Community Centre and this is supervised by Geraldine McCarthy and is open five days per week, catering for the elderly in our district. Meals on Wheels are also distributed from the centre by local volunteers.

The main source of income for the Community Council comes from the weekly lotto without which many of the projects undertaken by the group, such as the annual Christmas street lighting, could not go ahead. We are currently in a strong position to proceed with the ‘Youth Project’ thanks to the great local support we receive from the sales of our lotto tickets and for that we are most grateful.

This coming year we need to re-establish our Tidy Towns committee and would love to see new enthusiastic members of the community to come along and help get the group up and running again.

As you can see from the above there is a various amount of interesting projects the Community Council are involved in and we would love to see some new people come along and join us. So please come along and bring a friend on Tuesday 18th March at 9pm. “Helping each other to help ourselves!”

Variety Concert in the Abymill on Tuesday
The local support group for South Tipperary Hospice are holding a variety concert in the Abymill on Tuesday 11th March. Local performers, young and young at heart, will provide a night of music, dance, comedy and entertainment to suit all tastes. Tickets are only 10 euro and booking is at O’Flynn’s Menswear, Burke Street, Fethard. Tel (052) 31254. A great night is guaranteed and you will be supporting a great cause.

David Kitt at the Abymill

Singer songwriter David Kitt will perform in Fethard on Saturday 29th March in the intimate surroundings of the Abymill Theatre. David will be supported by ‘Armoured Bear’ who are a band based in West Cork and will be releasing their debut album 'Honeycomb Moons' in April 2008.

This is a great chance to see one of Ireland’s finest performers in a perfect intimate setting of the Abymill Theatre enhanced with great acoustics. Tickets for the gig are available from McCarthy’s Hotel in Fethard or call Vincent (Jasper) on 086 8119625.

Fethard & Killusty Parish Novena
The 2008 Fethard & Killusty Parish Novena - “Give God a Chance (Let’s talk to Him)” - will take place from Monday March 10th to Tuesday March 18th inclusive. Ceremonies will be held nightly, in Fethard Parish Church, at 7.30pm, with the exception of Saturday 15th when commencement time will be 7pm. The Novena will conclude on Tuesday night, March 18th, with a Penitential Service for Easter.

Hunting News
Apart from a bye-day at Kilcooley on this Saturday, March 8th, to hold the Childrens’ Meet, postponed during the season, the Tipperary Foxhounds finished the season with their meet at Fethard on Saturday last. Hunting last week commenced at Ballysloe on Monday. High winds, which became even higher in the afternoon, caused an early finish at 2.30pm. Following a hunt from Boulick, Derry had no alternative but to blow for home as conditions worsened. Wednesday, Knocklofty proved blank. One of a brace from the small covert near the old rubbish-tip crossed the road to the Knocklofty side where they lost him. Foxes proved hard to find and the day concluded with a run from the bog at Derrygrath level crossing. Barne on Thursday provided a good day. Finding across the main Cahir-Clonmel Road hounds ran a good circle towards Lavally and back to the Thompson-Moore Estate where he got to ground. Drawing back across the Newchapel Road they found again. Hunting well from here hounds ran to the Lavally Road, left-handed through Mr John Burke’s and Luke Halley’s, back to where they found their first fox where they lost him. They had a nice run from Brett’s and finished the day at 4.30 with a fast twenty minutes from Grace’s Gorse towards the Watson Estate and back to the Giantsgrave Road where he got to ground.

The season concluded with a very good hunt from Grove on Saturday. Finding in the Deerpark they hunted into Kiltinan, crossing the river they hunted towards the Kilsheelan Road, swinging left-handed here hounds, with great cry, hunted towards Loughcopple Bridge. Crossing the river once again Charlie ran through Ms. Power’s, left-handed right through Tullow and back to the Deerpark. Down by Kilmaclough Graveyard this fox certainly did not mind getting his feet wet. Crossing the Clashawley once more he ran back to Kiltinan. Hounds were at fault here and checked for the first time. Casting themselves they quickly hit the line again. They fairly screamed across the Kilsheelan road and were heading towards the Brickyard where they had to be stopped near the stud farm. Hounds finished the day and the season with a short circle from Quinlan’s.

Well another season has come and gone. Thanks to all readers, especially those overseas, who cover the familiar highways, byeways and townslands each week with the Tipperary Foxhounds. Le cunamh Dé we will be back next season when “Hounds are baying two and five, friends are saying still alive”. Go dtí sin, slán go fóill, go Dé sibh slán, is go mbeirimíd go léir beo ar an am seo arís.
— E.A.N.

Cheltenham Preview at Butlers Bar
Photographed at the Cheltenham Preview Night at Butlers Sports Bar in Fethard are L to R: Michael Philips (trainer), Colm Murphy (trainer), Ken Whelan (jockey) and Ken Whelan (tipster Evening Herald).

Photographed at the Cheltenham Preview Night at Butlers Sports Bar in Fethard are L to R: Majella Nevin, Niall Nevin and John O'Mahoney

Photographed at the Cheltenham Preview Night at Butlers Sports Bar in Fethard are L to R: Richard Hayes, Jimmy Hayes, Vincent Cummins, Michael Leahy and Noel Morrrissey.

Fethard ICA Notes
The March meeting of Fethard I.C.A takes place as usual on the second Tuesday, 11th March. We have a slight change in our starting time due to the Parish Novena, we will now start at 8.30pm to facilitate those attending the Novena.
For our meeting we are lucky to have Fionuala O'Sullivan coming to give a talk and demonstration on, ‘The Joys of Art and Painting for Pleasure and Relaxation’. A subject we can all enjoy and, who knows, maybe discover a hidden talent. The ‘Red Group’ are catering on the night.

Cake and Bric-a-Brac Sale
A Cake and Bric-a-Brac sale will take place on Thursday 13th March at 1:30pm in St. Patrick's Boys School Hall with lots of delicious Easter Eggs to be won. The event is organised by the Parents Association and all proceeds will go towards school funds.

Fethard GAA Club Notes
The Under 21 B Footballers won their first round match last Saturday in Cloneen on a scoreline, Fethard 2-7, Ballingarry 1-8. In the opening half we struggled all over the field but a second-half resurgence saw the young talent come to the fore with a hearty performance that earned the ‘Fethard Blues’ a place in the next round. On the day the team was: Chris Sheehan, Jerome Ahearne, Connie Flynn, Jason Lawrence 1-0, Eoin O’Connell 0-1, John Leahy, Alan O’Connor, Dean Tobin, Declan Doyle, Aaron O’Donovan, Adi Lawrence 0-1, Ed Sheehan 0-5 (4f), David Conway, Keith Lawrence 1-0, and Stephen O’Meara. Sub was Johnny Fleming. The losers round takes place next week so we are not playing.

In the Senior and Minor Football County Leagues we had a bye last weekend and we resume playing on this Sunday 9th March with a senior game at home against Rockwell Rovers at 2pm and a minor game at 12 noon also at home against J.K. Brackens.
Meeting

Our thanks to all who helped in the Church Gate Collection in aid of ‘Self Help—African Aid’ last weekend. The total collected was €1120 and a thank you to all who most generously subscribed.
Our Lotto Jackpot €8,900 was not won. The numbers drawn were: 19, 20, 23 and 26. There was no match three winner so €30 each was drawn to Sabrina Gardiner (9 Plunkett Tce. Clonmel), Mary Newport (Congress Tce. Fethard), Alice Moloney (Red City), Mary Godfrey (Derryluskin, Fethard), and Carol Kenny (The Green Fethard), with the €50 Lucky Dip going to John Fitzgerald (Kiltinan, Fethard). Our kind thanks to Fethard Credit Union for supplying the tickets.

Fethard & District Juvenile Rugby
Fethard & District Juvenile Rugby players hosted the visiting team of Roscrea last Sunday morning. Again a fantastic turnout from players and their families and all enjoyed a great morning of Rugby.

Well done to our Under 7s who had to quickly adapt their game from their normal contact rugby to touch rugby on Sunday morning. The boys swiftly grasped the idea of just touch and showed improved passing and teamwork as the game progressed. Peter Wall ably assisted by Ciarán O’Dwyer, and Gavin Ryan assisted by Danny Gleeson, scored runaway tries. Frankie Meagher and Connor Vaughan broke away several times with the ball and showed yet again their continuing improvement this season. Both Harry Cummins and James Phillips shone and constantly hampered Roscrea with their speed and passing.

Under 8s won a fiercely contested game. Again the boys showed good individual ball playing and passing. The team deserve plenty of praise and the players Harry Butler, William Pratt, Jack Dolan, Bailey Grace, Jack Graces, Richard Holohan, Joseph O’Connor, Darragh Lynch, Jack Ward and Dale Murphy are gelling together well and also tackling well.

Under 9s won very well on Sunday morning. All credit to Killian O’Dwyer, Gus Browne and Michael Gaynor on their morning’s rugby with plenty of tries for their team. They ably displayed all the skills that their coaches have taught them. The 9s had the help of Andrew Phelan, Keith Cleere, Matthew Lynch, Mark Collins, Eoin Shaw, Gary Kavanagh, Brian Norton, Colm Hayde, Jake Murphy and Conor Croke who proved too much for Roscrea.

The Under 10s had a great win with multiple tries from Paul Moloney, Jack Gleeson, Eoin McCormack and Thomas Murphy. They really upped their game in the second half and were ably assisted by Harry Tobin, Christian Casey Padraig Norton, Padraig Phelan, Luke Ryan, Luke Grant, Kerry Purtill, Rory Hayes, Jason Ryan and Pierce Blackmore.

Under 12s won 10-5 and had a great game finished strong. Full back Jack Kennedy had a great game, whilst in scrum half, Cathal Mahoney ran the full length of the pitch to score twice. Jimmy Feehan played outstanding throughout the whole match with determination. Not forgetting Russell Casey, Shane Cleere, Robert Horan and Tommy Anglim who shone on the morning. Also playing well were Kieran Whyte, Cathal O'Donnell, Ciaran O’Connor, Nial Prendergast, Tiarnán O’Neil, Cathal Meagher, Harvey Blackmore, Kael Holohan and Thomas McGowan.  

Our Under 13s played on Saturday evening against Kilfeacle and even thought the score came out 10-5 against Fethard, all played well. This was our first Under 13s game this year and players to mention for their performance were Colin Kenny, Cian O'Connell, Jimmy Feehan (who came up from Under 12s to play). Well done boys.

Under 14s travelled to Dungarvan and played out a 24-24 draw in the end. It was a great performance and Declan Fanning scoring four tries was wonderful to witness. All the team gave a good show.

Our under 18s travelled to Waterford on Sunday and put in a great performance to come away with a 30 point to 10 win. The Fethard forwards were dominant throughout with Nicholas Hoyne and Joey Kelly continuing to improve with every outing. This forward dominance set up the scores, with William Powers’s distribution being faultless on the day. Eoin Doyle at out-half put in another good performance topping it off with a well-taken try. Cathal Gorey follow up his hat-trick of last week with two this week, Shane Kavanagh and Alan O’Connor scored one each and Stuart Hanrahan also scored a well deserved try. Mark Fitzgerald in his debut game at this level had an outstanding performance and can look forward to playing at this level with some confidence. This team play Nenagh next Sunday in a crunch Cup Match and rumour has it that a weekend trip to Dingle is planned.

Huge thanks yet again for the wonderful support on and off the field from all the parents. Also ‘thank you’ to all the families who supported our table quiz fundraiser last week in Burke's Bar. It was a great success and only possible with all your support so thank you once again.

On Sunday 9th March the Under 8s, 10s and 12s are away to Kilkenny. Not forgetting training takes place on Friday evening from 6.45pm to 8pm. Any youngsters (girls or boys) from Fethard and the surrounding district who are interested in playing just come along to training on Friday evenings.  The Rugby Club mobile is (087) 744 7691.