Benemerenti Medal for church organist

Canon Tom Breen P.P. making a special presentation of a Papal Medal 'Benemerenti' to organist, Goldie Newport, marking over 100 years service as church organist to Fethard Parish between herself and her late mother, Ciss Newport. L to R: Goldie Newport, Canon Tom Breen P.P., Fr. Anthony McSweeney C.C. and Aisling Gorey who also made a presentation on behalf of this year's Confirmation Class.

At the 11am Mass at Fethard Parish Church on Sunday last, organist Ms Goldie Newport was presented with the Benemerenti Medal to honour her over fifty years dedicated service as organist at Fethard Parish Church. The Benemerenti Medal is one of the most prestigious honours conferred on the laity in the Catholic Church. Very Rev. Canon Tom Breen P.P. in a very well chosen address paid eloquent tribute to Goldie's dedicated service and commitment to her position as church organist over the years. He also stated that the record of Goldie with that of her mother who between them had played the organ for 100 years was unique.
The presentation was made by Aisling Gorey on behalf of the 2012 Confirmation students, who were present with their parents at the Mass. Goldie, recipient of many congratulations after Mass said she was highly honoured and felt very privileged to receive such an honour and felt it also honoured her late mother's years of service. Before leaving the Church grounds Goldie had her photograph taken with her award at her mother's grave. Goldie still looks, TG, in the very best of form. She is still playing as well as ever and DV will still continue to play for a few more years at least. Ad Multos Annos.

Died Recently
The death has occurred on Monday, February 6, of Billy Morrissey, Tullamaine, Fethard. Reposing in McCarthys Funeral Home, Fethard, on Tuesday, February 7, from 5.30pm with removal to Fethard Parish Church at 7.30pm.

Funeral Mass on Wednesday, at 11am followed by burial in Calvary Cemetery.

Fethard ICA
Fethard ICA Guild will hold their first meeting of 2012 on Tuesday, February 14, at 8pm. We hope to see all our members back with us again after the Christmas break. We will have a card-making demonstration and hostesses on the night will be the 'yellow group'.
New members are always welcome and our meetings are held in the ICA Hall on Rocklow Road.

Enrolment at Holy Trinity NS
Applications are now being taken for enrolment in Holy Trinity National School, Fethard for next September. Application forms are available in the school office or by ringing the school on (052) 6131493.

Sacrament of Confirmation
Children from the Parish of Fethard and Killusty will receive the Sacrament of Confirmation in Holy Trinity Parish Church, Fethard, on Friday, March 2, from His Grace, Most Rev Dr. Dermot Clifford, Archbishop of Cashel and Emly.

Novena
The first of a nine-night Novena will start in Holy Trinity Parish Church on Saturday, March 3. Further details later.

Graduation

Congratulations to Marissa Roche, Strylea, Fethard, who graduated in January with an Honours Degree in Bachelor of Arts in Human Resource Management from W.I.T.

Septic Tank and associated charges
Mattie McGrath TD is organising a Public Meeting for all householders in relation to The Government's proposed Septic Tank and associated charges in Jimmy Maher's Bar, Ballingarry on Thursday, February 9, at 8.15pm. All are welcome.

Recent Death
The death has occurred on February 4, of Miss Monica Breen of Cashel Road, Clonmel and formerly of Coleman, Fethard. Interment took place in Clerihan following Requiem Mass in Fethard on Monday 6th February last.

Fethard Bridge Club
On January 25 we played the first round of our Player of the Year competition and the results were:
1st Gross: Kay St. John and Rita Kane;
2nd Gross: Nell Broderick and David O'Meara;
3rd Gross: Carmel Condon and Brendan Kenny;
1st Nett: Marian Walsh and Sean O'Dea;
2nd Nett: Margaret Mary McCormack and Madeleine O'Donnell;
3rd Nett: Bridie Lee and Mike Burke.
The Player of the Year competition continues until February 15. Anyone looking for a partner contact Berney Myles at 6132038.

Eugene raises €2,000 for CARE

Eugene Walsh presenting a cheque for €2,000, proceeds of his run in the Dublin City Marathon and a fundraising evening at The Castle Inn Fethard, to Eileen McEvoy, Administrator CARE (Cancer Aftercare Relaxation Education) Centre in Clonmel. Eugene would like to thank all those who supported his fundraising by buying tickets and giving sponsorship. Also included in the photograph are Eugene's two sons, Ryan (left) and Charlie.

Patrician Presentation Jottings

Catholic Schools Week
Last week Patrician/Presentation celebrated Catholic Schools Week with daily prayer services and ceremonies associated with feasts which occurred during the week. Catholic Schools Week this year linked in with the preparations for the International Eucharistic Congress which takes place in Dublin in June. It is eighty years since the Congress was last hosted by Ireland in 1932. 2012 also marks the fiftieth anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council in 1962. Thus the theme for this year's Catholic Schools Week was 'Catholic Schools: Christ's Living Body Active in Our World'.

On Tuesday February 1, the First Year Pupils learned about the traditions associated with St. Brigid's Day and made St. Brigid's Crosses. Candlemas Day, February 2, which is associated with the Presentation of Our Lord in the Temple, has special significance for our school as it is the Feast Day of the Patrician Brothers, who are the Trustees of our school. Finally on St. Blaise's Day, February 3, Fr. Gerry Horan OSA visited all the classes for the blessing of the throats ceremony.

Mock Exams
The Mock Exams for Leaving Cert and Junior Cert pupils began on Thursday, February 2 and will continue until the mid-term break on Friday, February 10.

Study Skills Day
The 3rd Year and 6th Year pupils attended a Study Skills Seminar on Friday, January 20th. It was well attended and was of great benefit to the pupils. The pupils received a workbook and a CD which will help them to evaluate their techniques and performance in all aspects of study skills and examination techniques three times during the year. It should be effective in highlighting where students have improved but more importantly it will highlight the areas where students need to make improvements.

Le Cheile Seminar
Two students Emma Hayes and Molly O'Dwyer represented the school at the annual Le Cheile Seminar on February 2 and 3, in City West Hotel. They were accompanied by our Principal, Mr. Britton and took part in Art and Music Seminars from the twelve other Le Cheile Schools. The Seminar was addressed by the Taoiseach, Mr. Enda Kenny

First Year Enrolments
A reminder to parents that the final enrolment date for next year has been brought forward to February 21. Applications forms are still available from Gwen in the school office. The Entrance Assessment Exam will be held on Saturday, March 10.

Premier Hunt Meet in Fethard

Photographed at the Premier Hunt Meet in Fethard last Sunday, February 5, are L to R: Tom Shanahan, James Murphy and Willie Carrigan. (photos taken by Larry Kenny)


Photographed at the Premier Hunt Meet in Fethard Sunday February 5 are L to R: Katie Fanning, Lillian Kelly, Paul Gleeson, Chloe Gleeson and Caroline Corbett.


Photographed at the Premier Hunt Meet in Fethard Sunday February 5 are L to R: Maria O'Connor, Willie Doyle, Michelle Doyle, Niamh Ryan and Dermot Ryan.


Photographed at the Premier Hunt Meet in Fethard Sunday February 5 are L to R: Jer Hayde, Rosgreen; Tom Hally, Cashel; Shane Hally, Cashel; and Tom Walsh, Coleman.

Seventeenth annual Book Fair this weekend
This Sunday, February 12, will see the seventeenth annual Tipperariana Book Fair being held in Fethard Ballroom. Very little has changed since it was first held on the second Sunday in February in 1996 simply because both the book dealers and the book browsers seem to like it the way it is at present. The usual complement of over thirty dealers will come from the four corners of the country and every year prospective stall holders have to be refused due to lack of space.

Authors
A feature of the fair from the beginning is the presence of the authors of 'Tipperary' books that were published in the preceding year. Thirty-nine books of 'Tipperary interest' were listed for 2011 which shows the huge interest there is in all things connected with the county. Willie Hayes, winner of Book of the Year 2011 for his book 'Holycross The Awakening of the Abbey' will of course take pride of place. Some of the others present will be Jimmy Barry with 'Under Galtee Skies', Frances Finnegan with her book on Carrick diarist and poet Dorothy Herbert (1776–1829) and Dermot Poyntz of Clonmel – last year's winner – with his two new 'comic' history books, one on 'The War of the Two Kings' and the other on 'The Plight of the Wild Geese'.
Some 'fiction' authors will also be present, including Michael Hickey of New Inn with 'Desert Dreaming' and Maura Barrett (Grangemockler) and Eileen Condon (Newcastle) and other local writers who are included in the 'Original Sins' anthology.

Saturday Launch of Poetry Book

The late Rudi Holzapfel, author of Tipperariana, photographed above with members of Fethard Historical Society. The group are pictured in Rudi's secondhand bookshop in the old Pennyfarthing Arcade on Main Street, Tipperary Town, before the 1997 Tipperariana Book Fair. Rudi's book 'Tipperariana' was launched at the 1997 Book Fair and since then the book fair has been called the Tipperariana Book Fair. L to R: Dóirin Saurus, Rudi Holzapfel, Terry Cunningham and Margaret Newport.

The Fethard Historical Society, organisers of the book fair, are also hosting the launch of 'Spring Song' a commemorative selection of the work of 'Cappawhite' poet Rudi Holzapfel -who died in 2005- in the Abymill Theatre on Saturday night at 8.15pm. Rudi ran a book business in Tipperary town and he helped get the Fethard book fair up and running in the early years. It was he who coined the name 'Tipperariana' for a booklet- listing all known Tipperary books - that he compiled for the Fethard Historical Society in 1997 and from then onwards the fair has been called the

Tipperariana Book Fair
'Spring Song' has been produced by the family and friends of Rudi and they will be present on the night. The launch is a 'thank you' to Rudi from the Historical Society and an invite is extended to all poetry lovers and friends of Rudi and the Society to come to the launch and reception in the Abymill on Saturday night. Rudi Holzapfel was a very good poet indeed, whose work should be better known, but publicity and being in 'the limelight' was not much to Rudi's liking and Saturday night will help to redress the situation to some extent.

All Ready
All will be ready by 2pm Sunday when the doors will open and the €2 entrance fee still holds, for 2012 at least, and the Café - with the best baking in the South Riding - will again be open for business during the fair. Donated books can be left into the Ballroom on Friday night between 8pm and 11pm and on Saturday between 11am and 5pm. Further information can be got from 052 6131936 or 086 3905373 or on www.tipperariana.com.

Having a chat!

Enjoying a chat about times past last weekend in Fethard were L to R: Tom Purcell, Biddy Kearney and Tommy Bulfin.

Fethard & Killusty Community Lotto
The numbers drawn on February 1 were: 14, 17, 20 and 22. We had no Jackpot winner and no 'Match Three' winner so the following drawn tickets received €50 each: Annabel Ryan, Kickham Park, Clonmel; Margaret Carroll, Drangan; and John O'Connell, Strylea, Fethard.
The three following 'Lucky Dip' winners also won €50 each: Anne Keane, St. Patrick's Place, Fethard; P. Smith, c/o Tom Purcell; and Johanna Bradshaw, Drumdeel, Fethard.

The next Lotto draw will take place on February 8, and you can also purchase your lotto ticket online at www.fethard.com. Buy seven weekly tickets and get one free! Check on the website for lots of special offers. Next week's Jackpot commences at €7,850 and the Jackpot sellers prize is €850. All proceeds go towards community work in Fethard.

Happy 40th Birthday Teddy!

Teddy Morrissey, photographed with his father David and members of his extended family on the occasion of his 40th birthday celebrated in Butler's Sports Bar, Fethard.


Maura Ryan and her daughters Mandy and Martina photographed in Butler's Bar

Hunting News
Whether due to the prevailing colder weather, improved scenting conditions or both hunting has greatly improved in recent days, Tipperary Foxhounds had very good days from Knockelly on January 23, Ballinahinch on January 30 and Knockfee on January 26. From Lisronagh on Saturday last they enjoyed one of the best runs of the season. Finding at Carroll's of the Mile Tree they ran to the Ha'penny Bridge. Crossing the road here they ran to Donoughmore where they crossed the road to Mr John Ryan's. They ran a good circle here crossing the road at Donoughmore Cross where they checked. Derry decided not to press on here as it was 5.30 and hounds had been running for one-and-a-half hours. Very different to judge the distance covered as hounds had run a circle also in the Mile Tree area. Unfortunately, Mr Liam Kearney MFH, one of the new joint Masters sustained a very bad fall. He injured an arm rather seriously and was removed to Waterford Hospital for treatment. He has been allowed to return home and is progressing as good as can be expected. We wish him a speedy and full recovery and look forward to see him once again in action at the start of next season.

With the White Heathers
At Coolbawn Cross on Sunday last hounds drew as far as Bawnbrack before finding. The wait was well worthwhile as they were away immediately to Kennedy's. Hunting on strongly to Blackmore's they turned right handed to Guiry's. Crossing the St. Johnstown road they hunted through Skehan's and Dillon's. Going all out here they somehow hunted into a field fenced with live sheep wire which brought a sudden end to this fine run. Hounds had actually to be singly lifted bodily over the wire to get them out. Vanned back to Bawnbrack they had three nice shorter runs to finish. Ballylusky White Heather Harriers meet on Sunday next at Thorny Bridge.

Fitness Walking Programme

Fethard & District Rugby Club

Fethard U7
Fethard Under 7s hosted Waterpark at home this morning and it was great to see a fine turnout and fine performance. It was pleasing to see Paraic Heffernan back with Padraig Duggan. Clodagh Foley, Louis Ryan, Tomas Ryan and Tom Smyth had a great game with Mark Neville, Andrew Wall, Luke Dolan and Luke Ryan showing improved passing skills.
 
Fethard U8
The Under 8s played three games against an improved Waterpark and were able to score many tries in all games. Fearsome tackling throughout the morning from Johnnie Gleeson, Connor Neville and Michael Long benefited the Fethard side immensely. Also noted for their fine tackles were Padraig O'Dwyer, James Ryan and Michael Ryan. James McCormack, David McCormack and Charlie Cummins showed quick thinking and turned over the ball on a number of occasions resulting in some fine tries for Fethard.
 
Fethard U10
A pleasant, dry morning gave rise to a great sense of expectation as Waterpark came to Fethard for the return fixture. A battling first half with some strong running from the visitors and determined counter-play from Fethard saw the home side narrowly ahead at the half. Coming out for the second an early penalty led to a quick score for Fethard; we then saw great rugby by both sides giving huge entertainment for the crowd. Finally, it was a great victory for Fethard. Our team: Mathew Burke, Ethan Coen, Darragh Fitzgerald, Eoife Fitzgerald, Mathew Gleeson, David Gunn, Iain Harrington, Jack Hassett, Courtney Jade, Angus MacDonald, Darra O`Connell, Sam Quigley-O'Dwyer and Eoin Walsh.
 
Fethard U11
This week we played Waterpark in Fethard. Our side lined out eager to improve on last week's performance. We started well with some very hard and strong tackles and rucking. Waterpark had a very fast well-drilled team and ran in a couple of early tries. Our boys fought back in style with great forward play from Owen O' Sullivan, Paddy Gaynor and Ben Purcell. Conor Hayes and Conor Vaughan were excellent in the pack with Conor Vaughan touching down a well-worked forward move try. Sean Ryan and Peter Wall ran the ball very well while Ciaran O'Dwyer and Gary Delany pulled off two try saving tackles. James Phillips was very energetic all through the game and was rewarded with a try late on. Credit to Waterpark who held on to win the game but very encouraging work from Fethard.

Fethard U12
U12s, against a very strong Waterpark side, stood up to strong tackling and rucking, with first half tries from Darragh Lynch and Patrick Scully, ending with a half time score of 2-2. The second half started on a more positive note with tries from Danny Gleeson, Patrick Scully, Joe Carroll and Jack, complete with great support play from David McCormack, Seamus McMahon, Padraig Harrington, Aaron Delaney, John Gillman, Harry Cummins and Ronan Kelly. This team is going from strength to strength.
 
Fethard U13
Fethard played Dungarvan last Sunday with Richie Holohan, Harry Butler and Jack Dolan leading the way in the forwards. A new partnership of Josef O'Connor and Mark Heffernan really worked well at scrum-half and out-half, Jack Hayes and Jack Kealy proving to be formidable in the centre. Our two wingers, Andrew O'Connell and Aaron Smullen, both pulled off try saving tackles. Fethard scores came by the way of Jack Dolan two tries, and a try, penalty and conversion from Mark Heffernan leaving the score at full time 22-0 to Fethard. Looking forward to seeing all at training on Friday at 6.45pm. A very big thank you to all the parents for their generosity in providing sandwiches for the visiting teams it was very much appreciated.

Cheltenham Preview Night