Operation Transformation starting at Convent Community Centre
An eight-week ‘Operation Transformation Fethard ‘will start in the Convent Community Centre on Wednesday, January 29. Biddy O’Dwyer will be there at 6.45pm on Wednesday evening to register everyone and get started. Weekly weigh-ins will take place in private after which it is hoped that the group will do a few walking laps of the town on a Wednesday and Friday nights and meet at the weekend for an arranged walk.

Registration is €5 and then €2 weekly. The ‘Biggest Loser’ will win €100 at the end of the eight weeks. This is a community ‘not for profit’ event. Men, women, boys and girls are very welcome to come along but children under 18 are not allowed take part in the weigh-in. Hope everybody gets involved

Community Library

The new public community library is now open at the Convent Community Centre. Yearly membership to the library is €5 for over 18s and children are free. This great facility is available to all the community and are very welcome to come along and have a look.

Free computer training
A free computer training is starting again in the Convent Community Centre on Friday, February 9, from 7pm to 9pm. This is a four-week course and for further information contact Joan O’Donohoe at (052) 6131000 or Pamela Sweeney at 086 8743752.

Parent / Minder Toddler Group
The Parent / Minder Toddler Group has now resumed in the Convent Community Centre every Thursday morning at 11am. We have lots of toys to keep children happy while their parents / minders escape the housework for an hour an enjoy a cup of tea or coffee and some adult conversation. The cost is a minimal €2 per child. This is a community not-for-profit group that will need your support to make it a success, so why not pop down for an hour any Thursday morning. All are very welcome

Zumba Classes
Zumba Classes are back on Tuesday nights from 8.30pm to 9.30pm. The cost is €7per class, pay as you go.

Fethard Country Markets resume
Fethard Country Markets will resume their weekly market in the Town Hall on this Friday morning, January 24.

First annual achievement award winner chosen

Michael Ryan, winner of the Annual Butler's Bar Sports Achievement Award for 2013 receiving his trophy. L to R: special guest Donnie O'Connell (past Tipperary Senior Hurler), Michael Ryan (winner), Philip Butler (proprietor), Tony Lawrence (area manager Carling who sponsored the annual award), and special guest Liam ‘Chunky’ O’Brien (past Kilkenny Senior Hurler).

The overall winner of the Butler’s Sports Achievement Award for 2013 was announced at a special function on Friday last, January 17. A large crowd of past monthly award winners, sports personalities and customers attended the presentation and reception.

Philip Butler, proprietor, was master of ceremonies for the evening and introduced his two special guests, both hurlers, Donie O’Connell who played hurling with his local club Killenaule and with the Tipperary senior inter-county team in the 1980s and 1990s winning four Munster titles, two All-Irelands and one National Hurling League title; the second guest was Liam ‘Chunky’ O’Brien, a star with the famous James Stephens club in Kilkenny and one of the great players on the great Kilkenny senior hurling team of the 1970s winning seven Leinster titles, four All-Irelands and four All-Stars.


Photographed at the Annual Butler's Bar Sports Achievement Award Presentation for 2013 are L to R: Johnny Cummins, Miceál Spillane, Michael Quinlan, Mick O'Mahoney and Michael Ryan.

Philip also thanked the members of the selection committee, comprising of representatives from various sporting organisations and walks of live in the parish, who came together over the year to decide the monthly winners and the annual winner for 2013. He also introduced and thanked the sponsor for this annual award, Tony Lawrence from Carrick-on-Suir, who is area-manager with Carling (sponsors).

Certificates were then presented to the individual monthly award winners and the local ‘sporting guests’ invited to the monthly awards, before announcing the first annual winner, Michael Ryan, Tullamaine, manager of the Tipperary intermediate hurling team that retained the All-Ireland title by defeating Kilkenny by 2-14 to 2-11 at Nowlan Park on Saturday, August 31, 2013.

Michael, a very popular winner, accepted the award and spoke of how proud he was to win the first annual award and to represent Fethard on the hurling scene at All-Ireland level. The presentation closed with lots of sporting chat and light refreshments provided by Marianne Shortall.

Cookery Course completed at Convent Community Centre

Participants who completed the five-week cookery course at Fethard Convent Hall Community Centre. Back L to R: Eileen Bowden (instructor), Ms Margaret O'Neill (Home-School-Community Liaison Co-ordinator), Sheila Blake, Sandra Meehan, Ann Gleeson, Eleanor Cummins, Margaret Phelan, Judy Doyle, Alice Butler, Catherine O'Donnell, Sheila Butler. Front L to R: Alice Walsh, Mary Reilly, Sandra Spillane, Angela Doheny, Liz Walsh, Bernie Holohan and Frances Ryan.

Participants have now completed a very successful five-week cookery course in the Fethard Convent Community Centre. The course tutor was Ms Eileen Bowden and it was partly funded by Community Education Department of Tipperary Education and Training Board. The course was organised by Ms Margaret O'Neill, Home - School - Community Liaison Co-ordinator Patrician Presentation Secondary School Fethard and Scoil Ruain, Killenaule. Twenty-three people participated in total, made up mostly of parents and grandparents of pupils attending both schools and they were joined by others from the local community. The course centred around healthy cooking on a limited budget and many of the dishes were chosen in preparation for the Christmas season. The course was very well received by all the participants.

Follow on course ‘Health and Well-Being’
A follow on course entitled ‘Health and Well-Being’ is planned for the coming eight weeks in the same venue. It will cover such topics as general nutrition, specialist diets, Colour Me Beautiful, Mindfulness and Meditation to mention a few. The course costs €40 or €5 per class. It will run each Tuesday from 10am to 12 noon and will commence on Tuesday, January 21. The course is open to all but book early to avoid disappointment. Contact Margaret O'Neill on 087 6536374.

Austy celebrates his 80th Birthday

Austy Slattery, The Green, Fethard, who recently celebrated his 80th Birthday with family and friends.

Congratulations to Austy Slattery, The Green, Fethard, who recently celebrated his 80th Birthday with family and friends. Austy was always a great supporter of Fethard Carnival Fancy Dress Parades and his many creative entries in the parade are still talked about locally.

Social Dancing at Fethard Ballroom
Dancing at Fethard Ballroom on this Sunday Night, January 26, to the music of ‘Catherine & The Images’. All welcome to come along and enjoy a great night’s entertainment and social dancing. Dancing 9pm to midnight and admission is €7.

The AGM of Fethard and Killusty Community Ballroom Ltd will take place in Fethard Ballroom at 8pm on Monday, February 3, 2014. All are welcome.

Special Mass for retired Killusty N.S. Principal
All are invited to attend a special Mass in The Church of the Sacred Heart, Killusty, to mark the retirement of Mrs Frances Harrington from her position as Principal at Killusty National School. This special parish celebration will take place at 7pm on Friday, January 31, 2014.

Fethard & Killusty Community Lotto
The numbers drawn on January 15 were: 17, 18, 21 and 28. We had no jackpot winner and one ‘Match Three’ winner who received €150: Eileen Connolly, Garrinch, Fethard.

The three following ‘Lucky Dip’ winners won €50 each: Breda Wilson, Drangan; Helen Grace, Drangan; and Lar Looby, Woodvale Walk, Fethard.

Remember you can purchase your lotto ticket online at fethard.com. Buy seven weekly tickets and get one free! Check on the website for lots of special offers. Next week’s draw takes place on Wednesday, January 22. The Jackpot is €7,300 and the Jackpot seller’s prize is €730. All proceeds go towards community work in Fethard.

Presentation on CCTV technology next Tuesday
Fethard & Killusty Community Council, in conjunction with the local Gardaí, are investigation the possibility of installing new CCTV technology in Fethard in order to help combat the upsurge in rural criminality. A presentation by one of Ireland’s leading companies, SafeTown, to explain how their security technology works in other towns similar to Fethard, will take place on Tuesday, January 28, at 8pm in the Tirry Community Centre. All are welcome to attend this public meeting.

Bridge Club Results
The results of our game on January 8 were: 1st Gross, Nell Broderick and David O'Meara; 2nd Gross, Carol Kenny and Gemma Burke; 3rd Gross, Bernie O’Meara and Anna Cooke; 1st Nett, Eileen Ryan and Jim Lahert; 2nd Nett, Mike Burke and Bridie Lee; 3rd Nett, Mary Tierney and Betty Egan.

This Wednesday, January 22, we play the second round of the Player of the Year which is a change of partner. On Wednesday, January 29, we have our charity night. Anyone looking for a partner contact Berney Myles 6132038.

Creative Writing Workshop
A Creative Writing Workshop will take place at Crocanoir, Mullinahone, with renowned author John MacKenna on Saturday March 8, and Sunday March 9. Places limited so early booking is advised. Contact: (052) 9153117.

‘Opening a Door into Spring’ is a weekend workshop on approaches to writing, whether beginning a novel or a memoir; starting on short-stories or working on poems, this weekend of workshops will get the process started from finding ideas to bringing them to life on the page. Tutor John MacKenna will lead the group through the writing process in the warm, welcoming environs of Croc an Oir.

John MacKenna is the author of fifteen books - novels, memoir, biography, short-story collections and poetry. His novels Clare and Joseph will be published in May and September 2014 by New Island. He is a winner of the Irish Times; Hennessy and Cecil Day Lewis Awards.

Next Concert at Crocanoir takes place on Saturday, February 22, with Sonny Condell.

Fionn Mac Cumhaill Players
The Fionn Mac Cumhaill Players from Cloneen are bringing their latest production 'The Kings of Kilburn High Road ' to Cloneen on February 1, for one night only and early booking is advisable at 083 1355762. Tickets cost €10. The play will also be staged at Clonacody House in Fethard on February 7 and 8 and is booking now with Helen at 087 1689167. Tickets cost €20 which includes served food. Performance starts at 8pm.

This wonderful play by Jimmy Murphy tells the tale of six men who went to London in 1975 to seek their fortune - an all to familiar story. It is now 2000 and one of the six, Jackie Flavin, has passed away. The other five come together for a few in the back room of a Kilburn Club after going to the wake. Each, for their own reasons, cannot go back to the funeral and as we watch this brilliant drama unfold we see why. Perhaps after all this time Jackie may be the only one to make it home.
This is probably one of the best plays to hit any stage with wonderful performances here by all involved.

Narrow victory over Garryowen

Fethard J2 team after winning 18-17 against Garryowen on Saturday last, putting them top of the league.

Fethard rugby seniors travelled to Dooradoyle in Limerick last Saturday in what was a top of the table game, this young Fethard team had some good wins lately but Garryowen had beaten them in Fethard earlier in the season. The game started at a ferocious pace with both teams resolute in defence, Fethard were awarded a penalty which Declan Doyle converted, Garryowen levelled ten minutes later and were now dominating exchanges, but Fethard defence was strong and when Shane Kavanagh turned over the ball and kicked up field, the pacey Alan O’Connor won the race to score; Doyler hit the post with the conversion. Garryowen with a much bigger pack rucked and mauled and scored twice to leave the half time score 15 points to 8.

Fethard came out a different team in the second half and the forwards took control with Joe Frazh, Chris Large, Chris Banister and Kevin Hayes making the hard yards and were eventually rewarded when Joe Murphy crashed over for a try; Richie Carroll hit the post with the conversion; so it was two points behind with 15 minutes to go. The ball went wide from a scrum and when Kavanagh fed John Ryan a try looked certain but Garryowen defence managed to tackle him into touch but eventually Fethard pressure was rewarded when Richie Carroll landed a penalty.

Fethard defence was strong and the final minutes were played in Garryowen half but they were awarded a penalty which got them to the Fethard 22. They won the lineout and had a maul moving towards the Fethard line but big Nicholas Hoyne managed to come through the maul and turn over possession, the ball was kicked clear and the final whistle sounded on what was a great contest with Fethard putting in a superb second half performance. We play Richmond in Fethard next Saturday at 1pm.

Getting Ready for Book Town
Preparations are well under way for the staging of the 19th Tipperariana Book Fair in the Fethard Ballroom on Sunday, February 9, from 2pm to 6pm. The entrance fee is still only €2, with children free, and the in-house café will again serve the best of home baking, a fact that is always mentioned by the visiting Book Dealers.

Tipperariana Book of the Year
The organisers of the fair have, for the past twelve years, chosen their ‘Tipperariana Book of the Year’ and the winner for 2013 will be announced in the coming week. The ‘book of the year’ phenomenon has also become part of the whole Fethard book fair story and the winning author and other authors of ‘Tipperary interest’ books (from the preceding year) are invited to come to the fair to promote, sell and sign their books. It is amazing to know that up to forty major books or publications are produced in the county each year and 2013 was no exception.

Donated Books Welcome
The organisers of the Book Fair – the Fethard Historical Society- have their own large stand at the fair where they sell the books that the public donate to the Society. This is a huge help to finance the on-going activities of the Historical Society and anyone who wishes to contribute books (all types accepted) can email bookfair@fethard.com or phone 086 3905373 or (052) 6131537 and collection will be arranged.

Fethard & District Rugby Club
Fethard U16
Fethard U16s travelled to Bruff on Saturday night for their first game in the Pan Munster competition which they qualified for through East Munster, this was always going to be a big step up with Bruff divisional winner in their region. Fethard started strongly and should have had two tries in the first 20 minutes when Enda Keane broke from a ruck just to be tackled short of the line and also Ross McCormack just coming up short, the Fethard heads seemed to drop and Bruff ran out deserving winners. Matthew Lynch, Killian O’Dwyer, Jack Kealy and Michael Gaynor did well on the night but a much bigger performance will be required as we travel to Castleisland next Saturday evening. The club would like to congratulate Michael Ryan on winning the Butler's Sports Bar sports annual award for 2013.


Fethard junioir rugby players photographed on their last outing

Fethard Under 11s
On Sunday last our U11s took to the field in Cashel for two matches both against Landsdowne. In the first game Fethard dominated from the start and the scoreboard reflected this. The second match was a great game ending with one try each which was a fair result for the effort the two teams put in. Fethard would like to thank our neighbours Cashel for the invite and Landsdowne for the very sporting games.

Fethard U7s
Fethard U7's travelled to Clanwilliam for their first game this year. Led by Charlie Walsh with teammate Adam Ruttle a handful of tries were scored against fine opposition. Shane Ryan worked great with Sean Fitzgerald to record more scores. Thanks to all at Clanwilliam for wonderful friendly and warm hospitality.

Training for all minis and youths continue on Friday evenings from 6.45pm to 8pm. New members are always welcome. Next Sunday, February 26, the Minis are away to Nenagh for two games. We look forward to good numbers travelling

Table Quiz
On Saturday night last we held the first of our fundraisers for our club, there was a terrific turnout with over twenty tables. A huge thank you to all in The Ardagh House for a great night’s entertainment, and also to all who supported the event.

Fethard News
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.