I take this opportunity to wish all our contributors and readers a very Happy and prosperous New Year. — Joe Kenny

Greetings to all our Friends of Kabongo
It is that time of year again when we are very thankful for what has been achieved during the year in Kabongo, Eldoret, Kenya, and this would not have been achieved without your help, given wholeheartedly. May God Bless you and may Christmas bring you all you may desire.

Here at Kabongo we have been able to complete sixteen houses for our teachers and nurses and just now we are embarking on the building of a large dining hall which will also have a stage. This facility will be very useful for many purposes into the future.

This coming year I hope to focus on production of food for the children as well as continuing to educate about 460 very materially disadvantaged children. So far we have graduated five classes and all our graduates are doing well in second level education.

We very much appreciate your help in this very important work and pray that you all may have a really good year ahead. I look forward to meeting many of you during the coming year, God willing.

Christmas is not really the same here as in Ireland or America or England or France or Australia or New Zealand and the vast majority of our Kabongo children don't know a lot about Santa Claus! But they are happy to be getting a good education.

May God continue to bless you all. Bro. Paul D. Brennan, P.O. Box 5064, Eldoret, Kenya 30100. Tel: +254 722 377 509. Email

Scouts a caroling

Fethard Scouts photographed carol singing at The Square Fethard over the festive season.

With the Ballylusky White Heather Harriers
The Ballylusky White Heather Harriers for the third successive Sunday had a very good afternoon’s hunting from their meet at Coleman on Sunday last. Having drawn Hennessy’s blank hounds found at Moclair’s and were quickly away. Hunting well they ran a good circle through Ryan’s back to Moclair’s and to ground in Walshs.
Finding again on a hedge they had another good hunt over much of the same area and put him to ground in Moclairs. Crossing he road the found again in Ballinlough. Hunting down to the Moyle river in Jas Moclairs, Charlie decided against crossing the Moyle turning left-handed here they ran back through Ballinlough and to ground approaching Jossestown road.

As the hounds will be out again on Wednesday next, St. Stephen’s Day at Drangan, and again on the following Sunday at Orchardstown, Donnie decided to call it a day here.

With scent usually improving especially in late afternoon with ‘an lá ag dul chun síneadh’, here’s hoping for more good hunting for the second 2013 half of the season.

A special ‘Go raibh mile maith agaibh’ to the Griffin family for the great welcome in true Christmas spirit to the Ballylusky White Heather Harriers. A very happy Christmas and every good wish for the New Year to the sporting landowners who always make the Ballylusky White Heather Harriers feel most welcome, and also to supporters and followers of the pack. Good luck and good hunting! — E.A.N.

Winners in the Moyglass 200 confined draw
These are the results of the Moyglass confined draw for Draw 2 and 3.
Draw 2: €1,000 Michael Trehy Fethard, €300 Martin Ryan, €200 Denise Ryan, €100 John Slattery, John Fahey, Fiona Nolan, Jimmy Hayes, Tom Hayes, Rathcoole.

Draw 3: €1,000 Pat and Betty Kennedy, Arbour Hill, €300 Tom Hayes, €200 Christine and Joe McGrath, €100 Mark Smith, Catherine Tynan, John and Cora Stapleton, Peter Gleeson, James Barry.

Coolmoyne/ Moyglass Vintage Club

Members of Coolmoyne/ Moyglass Vintage Club presenting a cheque to the ‘End of Life Care Committee’ at South Tipperary General Hospital. L to R: Pat Kennedy, Henry Smyth, Joe Walsh, John Slattery, Richard Cummins, M.G. Ryan, Ann Guiry, Michael Horan, Sean Donovan, Michael Fahy and Seamus Barry.

Coolmoyne/ Moyglass Vintage Club chose the End of Life Care Committee at South Tipperary General Hospital as their charity for 2012. A cheque for €2,000 was presented to Ann Guiry and Richard Cummins, representatives of the committee, at The Village Inn, Moyglass on Saturday, December 15. The funds were raised from a tractor run and field day that included vintage cars, steam engines, craft show, model machinery and memorabilia.

The club are delighted to help the initiative started in 2007 by former president Mary McAleese aiming to create a family friendly environment on a par with Hospice Hospitals. For instance, a room has been renovated where patient and family can have privacy at what is a stressful time for families. Further improvements are planned and this committee deserved to be supported for their efforts to help families in their time of need.

Socialising on St. Stephen's Day

Photographed in Lonergan's on St. Stephen's Day are Back L to R: Ethan Cronin, Shannon Hickey, Linda Kenny, Adrian Minogue. Front L to R: Megan Gormley, Arron Conran, Daniel Hickey and Helen Sunderman.


Photographed in Lonergan's on St. Stephen's Day are L to R: Becky Damon, Amanda Johnston, Vera Dorney, Carrie Damon and Laura Johnson


Photographed in Lonergan's on St. Stephen's Day are L to R: Cathal Brett and Amanda Kehoe.


Photographed in Lonergan's on St. Stephen's Day are L to R: Mark O'Dwyer, Patrick O'Shea and Philly Croke.


Photographed in Lonergan's on St. Stephen's Day are L to R: Connie Sullivan, Mary Brunnock, Shane Sullivan, Mark Sullivan and Claire Sullivan.


Photographed in Lonergan's on St. Stephen's Day are L to R: Jack Kenny, Jamie O'Brien and Anne Marie Hayden.


Photographed in Lonergan's on St. Stephen's Day are L to R: Mac Byrnes, Ben Johnson and Christopher Quinn.


Photographed in Lonergan's on St. Stephen's Day are L to R: Mickey Flanagan and his daughter Roseanne Carroll.

Fethard & Killusty Community Lotto
The next Lotto draw will take place on January 9. The Jackpot prize is €6,550 and the Jackpot seller’s prize is €655. Lotto tickets can be purchased in local shops or online at www.fethard.com. Buy seven weekly tickets online and get one free! Check on the Fethard website for lots of special offers. All proceeds go towards community work in Fethard.

We wish all our supporters a very Prosperous New Year and look forward to your continued support in 2013.

Died Recently
The death has occurred on Sunday, December 30, of Rita Looby (née Smyth), Carriconeen, Clonmel, formerly of Tower View, Old Bridge, Clonmel. Pre-deceased by her husband Bill Looby. Beloved mother of Pat (Kerry Street), Joan, Jimmy and Tina. Sadly missed by her loving family, grandchildren, daughter-in-law Catherine, son-in-law Johnny, sister-in-law Kit, nephews, nieces and friends.

Reposing at her home on Monday, December 31, from 4.30pm, with rosary at 7pm. Removal on Tuesday at 11.30am to St Nicholas Church, Grange. Funeral Mass on arrival at 12 noon followed by interment in adjoining cemetery. House private on Tuesday please.

Ar Dheis Dé go raibh a h-Anam Dílis

Acts of Kindness!

27th Tipperary Cub Scouts handing over their gifts to Vincent Doocey and Denis Burke from Fethard St. Vincent de Paul, as part of their 'Acts of Kindness' project. The Cubs gave up their pocket money to help ensure that all kids get a gift this year for Christmas.

Unwanted Books Wanted
On Sunday, February 10, 2012, the Fethard Historical Society will hold their 18th annual Tipperariana Book Fair which has established itself as a major event in County Tipperary’s cultural calendar.

The Book Fair is the Historical Society’s main source of funds for the whole year and so every effort is made to ensure that the event stays popular with people from all over the county and beyond.

Every year, in addition to the thirty book dealers present, the Historical Society has its own book stall selling books donated by the public. This is a great source of funds for the society with the added bonus of ‘de-cluttering’ someone’s house and finding a good home for valuable books. So if you are de-cluttering, downsizing or received a present of a book that you already have, well then the Historical Society will gladly receive donation of books to sell at the book fair on February 10. Contact any member of the society or phone 086 3905373 and arrangements will be made to receive the books in time for the fair in February.

Large turn out for Goal Mile on Christmas morning

Some of the large crowd who took part in the 'Goal Mile' on Christmas Day in Fethard.


Looking after entries in the 'Goal Mile' on Christmas Day in Fethard are L to R: Colm McGrath and Waltie Moloney

Historical Society plans for 2013
Next year, 2013, is the twenty fifth anniversary of the founding of the Fethard Historical Society and funds will be needed to lay on suitable events throughout the year.

A new ‘Medieval Town Trail’ brochure has actually been printed and is ready to be launched at a special event around Eastertime at the beginning of the tourist season. The brochure contains a very expert drawing of what the town looked like in 1650 and the society hope that a model of the town can be made and put on display for the benefit of locals and visitors.

The society is also very supportive of the plans to turn the Town Hall into a civic centre for the town, as a tourist office / reception / display area is vitally needed if Fethard wants to generate a real income-generating tourism business in the area.

So, with Coolmore’s new visitor centre also coming on stream, 2013 could be a very interesting year indeed for Fethard.

Abbey Choir Christmas Party

Photographed at the Abbey Choir Christmas Party held on Friday, December 16 are L to R: Geraldine McCarthy, Anita Maguire and Jocie Fitzgerald.


Photographed at the Abbey Choir Christmas Party held on Friday, December 16 are L to R: Paddy and Nell Broderick


Photographed at the Abbey Choir Christmas Party held on Friday, December 16 are L to R: Chrissie Cummins and Joan Halpin


Photographed at the Abbey Choir Christmas Party held on Friday, December 16 are L to R: Gemma Burke and Mary Smyth.


Photographed at the Abbey Choir Christmas Party held on Friday, December 16 are L to R: Kathleen Kenny and Chrissie Cummins


Photographed at the Abbey Choir Christmas Party held on Friday, December 16 are L to R: Mary Healy and Geraldine McCarthy.

Items for Fethard News and Website
Items for inclusion on the weekly Fethard News page on The Nationalist can be emailed before noon on Mondays to news@fethard.com or delivered by hand to Joe Kenny, Rocklow Road, Fethard.