Found in Heathrow Airport London
Can you help us identify this couple? This photograph taken at a Fethard Tennis & Badminton Club Annual Dance on February 26, 1957 was found by Karen Davies while working at Heathrow Airport, Terminal 5, on January 28, 2014. Karen took the time and expense to look Fethard up on the Internet and posted it to us so that the owner may be identified and have it returned. We thank Karen for her community spirit and thoughtfulness. If you can help with information, please contact us at fethardnews@gmail.com
Update – Anne (Kenrick) Walsh, Dublin, formerly from Burke Street, and Tony O'Donnell, Dublin, formerly from Crampscastle, both contacted us withing hours of putting the photograph up and identified the couple as Joan and the late Sean Kennedy, Burke Street. Sean and Joan owned the pub on the corner of Burke Street that was later known as Carrolls Pub and presently Gaules Pub. Joan and Sean sold and moved to Dublin and opened another pub there. They had three children, Jimmy, Sheila (photographed below) and Tony.
The late Sheila Kennedy, Burke Street, Fethard.
Fethard Junior Youth Club back up and running
FUSE - Fethard Junior Youth Club is up and running again on 20th February and each Thursday night from 7pm to 8pm. Aimed at children in 4th, 5th and 6th classes, we provide safe surroundings for your children to socialise, make new friends and participate in activities. The venue is Fethard Convent Community Hall and cost is €2 per child per night. FUSE is affiliated with Tipperary Regional Youth Services. Further details Clodagh Murphy Tel: 087 6983040
Fethard enthusiastic to become a ‘safe-town’
Photographed at a public meeting in Fethard Community Centre on Tuesday, January 28, to discuss the possibility of a modern high-tech CCTV being installed by the community in Fethard are L to R: Jeff Harney (Northwood Technology), Paul Hennessy (SafeTown), Sergeant John Burke, Garda Denis O’Brien, Superintendent John Courtney and Conor Maguire (Coolmore Stud).
Local community members and organisation representatives came together with members of the Garda at a public meeting on Tuesday, January 28, to discuss the possibility of a modern high-tech CCTV being installed by the community in Fethard. Special guests were Paul Hennessy from ‘SafeTown – partnership in Security’, and Jeff Harney, Northwood Technology – Digital Age Security’, who both gave a presentation on how CCTV is used effectively in towns similar to Fethard.
The meeting, organised by Fethard & Killusty Community Council, welcomed the Garda representation of Superintendent John Courtney, Sergeant John Burke and Garda Denis O’Brien who were all very enthusiastic about the project. Superintendent Courtney stated that available CCTV is one of the most important assets in solving present day crime. Sergeant John Burke also highlighted the advantages of having a community based CCTV system in Fethard. Also present was Conor Maguire, Coolmore Stud, who stated they were fully supportive of the project in Fethard.
Paul Hennessy illustrated, with video footage, the high definition quality of the new wireless digital cameras which are up to 20 times more powerful than previous systems. He also showed examples taken from various cameras used effectively in real-time situations such as football stadiums, businesses and other towns. Paul also listed some of the many benefits of having an operative community CCTV system, saying it helps make your town a safer and more pleasant place to live, shop, work and play, and it also improves confidence in making your town a better place for business, tourism while deterring unwelcome visitors.
Jeff Harney, Northwood Technology, said their company would carry out a survey of the town, free-of-charge, and recommend a suitable system for Fethard. It was suggested that the system be high-end and be expandable at a later date as required.
Individuals present were also very much in favour of using a CCTV system in Fethard and were very interested in the possibilities of extending it to outlying areas, including Killusty.
The results of the meeting will be brought back to the next meeting of Fethard & Killusty Community Council and the follow-up stage will be discussed in conjunction with Fethard Business & Tourism Group.
Seventy-four weigh-in for Fethard’s Operation Transformation
Photographed above are participants in the Operation Transformation 'weigh-in' held in Fethard Convent Community Centre on January 29, with group leader Biddy O'Dwyer.
Bridget O’Dwyer, coach to Fethard’s ‘Operation Transformation’ group was delighted with the turnout for the initial weigh-in at the Convent Community Hall on January 29 where over seventy-four people signed up, with many more just joining in for the exercise. Bridget is a qualified fitness instructor already taking classes in Ballingarry and Mullinahone.
Bridget has personal experience in weight loss when she piled on the weight after having her children, 14 months apart. She set to work, gave up smoking and lost five stone. She then trained as a fitness instructor in 2010 and in the same year she achieved a black belt in Taekwondo. Bridget uses the ‘KISS’ (Keep it Simple Stupid) approach to health and fitness, no quick fixes just on-going lifestyle changes and good habits using lots of tips that really work.
Operation Transformation has been great in local communities like Fethard to get people out meeting, walking and talking. The social aspect is also very important as people end up walking at the same pace as someone they didn't really know and get chatting.
Biddy O'Dwyer, group leader with the Fethard 'Operation Transformation' project at Fethard Convent Community Centre. Weekly walks take place on Wednesday nights, leaving the Ballroom at 8pm.
What takes place is a ‘private’ weigh-in, followed by a 10-minute chat, giving tips on how to make positive changes. Then a walk around the town, the circuit is one mile and people can do it as many times as they feel up to. She recommends that people time themselves and try to improve on that time the following week. You are not competing against anyone but yourself. People can join at anytime. Some don't want to weigh-in but come for the walk, which is great too. There is a €100 prize for the person that loses the most weight at the end of the programme. Weekly walks take place on Wednesday nights, leaving the Ballroom at 8pm.
Bodhrán classes resume at Convent Community Centre
Bodhrán lessons for adults and children will resume in Fethard Convent Community Centre this Wednesday night, February 5, at 6.30pm. For more information contact Marion at Tel: 087 2150900,
Social Dancing at Fethard Ballroom
Dancing at Fethard Ballroom on this coming Sunday Night, February 9, to the music of ‘Dave Rae’. All welcome to come along and enjoy a great night’s entertainment and social dancing. Dancing 9pm to midnight and admission is €7.
Ulick O’Connor for the Abymill
Ulick O’Connor first became known on Irish television with his controversial appearances on The Late Late Show. Outside Ireland he has featured more than once on the Wogan Show and on the David Frost Show. In the United States, as well as appearances on the Johnny Carson Show, he was hailed on radio by Studs Terkel, the best-known American host as, “My most favourite of raconteurs – nobody like him”.
Ulick O’Connor will appear at the Abymill Theatre in Fethard on Friday, February 28, in his one-man show, ‘The Poetry and Wit of Oliver St. John Gogarty’. Tickets at €10 are available from ‘Town and County’, The Square, Fethard. The show starts at 8pm.
Gogarty was one of the leading figures of the Irish Literary Renaissance which reached its peak in the middle of the nineteenth century. Out of it came writers like W.B. Yeats, James Joyce, Sean O’Casey, George Bernard Shaw and Samuel Beckett. It was a striking moment in Irish history and has left behind a significant body of creative work.
Died Recently
 The death has occurred on Friday, February 7, of Tommy Hunt, 1 Fr. Tirry Park, Fethard.
Reposing at O'Connell's Funeral Home, Killenaule, this Saturday evening, February 8, from 5pm to 7pm. Arriving at St. Joseph the Worker Church Moyglass at 7.30pm.
Requiem Mass on Sunday at 10am. Burial afterwards in the adjoining Cemetery.
Yoga Classes
An eight-week session of Yoga classes will commence in the Tirry Centre on Monday, February 10, at 8pm. These classes are suitable for beginners to intermediate. Some benefits of Yoga practice are, it improves strength and flexibility, helps to detox the body, de-stress the mind and increases energy.
For further information and booking please contact Peg at Tel: 086 3027927.
New cycling club starting in the area
A meeting was held in Killurney on Saturday, February 1, with a view to start a cycling club in the area. The intention is to cater for budding young cyclists, the family cycle, the active retired, and everyone who wishes to cycle. There are many within our local communities with a lot of knowledge of cycling who may be willing to pass this information on and assist with the formation of a new club. For further information contact Edmond Prendergast, email: tignacoille@eircom.net
Sonny Condell for Crocanoir
The Crocanoir concert series for 2014 will kick off on Saturday, February 22, with singer songwriter Sonny Condell. Sonny has been an integral part of the Irish music scene since the early 1970s, a musical career spanning 35 years, from his heady days with ‘Tír Na nÓg’ which landed him on the biggest stages in the world, to the truly fantastic ‘Scullion’. Sonny Condell's songs are melodic and thoughtful. A prolific songwriter with 15 albums to his credit, Sonny captivated the audience on his previous visit to Crocanoir and we are delighted to welcome him back. Booking Tel: (052) 9153117.
GAA registration evening with a difference!
Fethard Juvenile GAA club will hold their Registration Evening on Friday, February 7, at 6.30pm in the Fethard Youth Centre. This night will also include speakers from referees and information from our Children's Officer and ASAP Officer. This will also be an evening where you can put faces to the names of our Juvenile Management Committee and other members of our Club. This evening is for both our seniors and juveniles.
The 2014 Membership fees for Fethard GAA is as follows: Juvenile cost €20 per child or €20 for two children, three or more children will remain at €40. Minor players and players attending full time college cost €20 each; playing adult cost €40; non-playing adult with full entitlements cost €30. Family Membership: one non-playing adult (with full entitlement) and two children or more (Juveniles) cost €50; one playing adult and two children (Juveniles) cost €60; two non-playing adults (with full entitlement) and two children or more (Juveniles) cost €70 (plus €10 per playing adult).
Social Membership: This membership will cover any adult while assisting with coaching and helping in the club in general. But does not have any voting rights or club benefits, ie match tickets etc.
Training for our Mini GAA U8 and U10 will start back on Saturday, March 22, time to be confirmed. Training for our Premier 12s and championship games to be confirmed.
Fethard juvenile coaches confirmed for 2014
U16 Anner Gaels, Fethard coaches are: Jamie McCormack and Liam Quigley.
U14 coaches are Mick O’Mahony, Eugene Walsh and Shay Coen.
U12 coaches are Mick O’Mahony, Eugene Walsh and Michael Quinlan.
U10 coach is Michael Moroney along with parents who have offered to assist when available. We could do with some minor players helping with small members.
U8 coaches are Sean Kiely, Paul Hayes, Paul Ryan and Jimmy Smith.
We have no coaches for our U6, so we need parents to come on-board.
Please contact our Juvenile Club secretary Wendy Donegan on 087 7563635.
GAA Lotto result
There was no winner of the GAA Sports Lotto jackpot this week. There was one match three winner who received €150: Niall O’Dwyer, c/o Bob Fitzgeralds, Clonmel. The €50 lucky dip winner was Patsy Lawrence, Woodvale Walk, Fethard. Next weeks jackpot will be €3,100 and the draw will take place in the Fethard Arms on February 4. Thanks to all for the continued support.
Sports Achievement nominations for January
Michelle Nevin, one of the Sports Achievement Award nominees for January, photographed with her parents at Baltimore, Maryland, USA. L to R: Chris Nevin, Michelle Nevin and Michael Nevin.
Following the successful conclusion to the first Fethard Annual Sports Achievement Award for 2013 recently in Butler’s Bar, this new year commenced with eight nominations for the January award as follows:
- Mouse Morris – Mouse continues where he left off in 2013 when out of his stable stars ‘Rule The World’ winning the ‘Limestone Lad’ hurdle at Leopardstown.
- Michael McCormack – Fethard U14 Rugby team won the East Munster league beating Kilfeacle in the final played at Thurles. Michael is one of the coaches for this success.
- Matty Tynan – According to the Racing Post, Matty has staked a claim to the best training feat of 2014 when his mare ‘Maontri’ won three races in Dundalk over a two-week period.
- David Flanagan – David and his wife Margaret own and train ‘Hi Ball’, winner of the Ladies International Open Coursing cup at Clonmel recently.
- Harry Kelly – Great start to the year for Harry when ‘Railway Zira’ won a maiden hurdle at Punchestown racecourse.
- Alan O’Connor – Alan is captain of Fethard J2 Rugby team who are currently sitting pretty on top of their league.
- Evanna McCutcheon – Evanna won the opening race of the Ladies World Cup when representing Ireland at the Al Flaij racecourse in Oman. Her mount ‘Secret Treasuour’ was an easy winner in the 1 mile event.
- Michelle Nevin – Fethard horse trainer now training in USA. Michelle had a very successful January saddling three winners and one second placed in New York and Florida.
The January Sports Achievement winner will be announced at a function at Butler’s Bar on Friday night next February 7.
Book Fair this weekend
 The nineteenth Tipperariana Book Fair takes place in the Fethard Ballroom this Sunday, February 9, – the ‘second Sunday in February’ – as in all former years.
The fair has proved highly popular with sellers and buyers alike and this year thirty-five book dealers are booked in to take a stall at the fair. Most stalls deal in second-hand and antiquarian books that are sought after by collectors or people looking for books on some particular subject. But thousands of ordinary paperbacks are also up for sale. At this stage the book dealers know what ‘goes well’ in Fethard and they are seeking out certain books all year to bring with them to the Tipperariana Fair. Even though there are book fairs in all the major cities, yet it seems that the best business is done at the Fethard fair. Credit for this state of affairs must go to the Fethard Historical Society, who organise the fair, as they put a big effort in getting publicity for the event and up to seven hundred punters turn up every year. The dealers come because the crowds come and the crowds come because there is such a mighty selection of books on offer, so everyone is happy.
Have your books valued
It is rare to have a book that is worth more than twenty or thirty euro, but it is possible, so if you have inherited a ‘collection’ of books you can bring some of them to the fair to be valued. If you have a lot of books that you would like valued then you could print out a list of them and this way you should be able to get a ‘rough estimate’ of what they may be worth. Ask any of the local organisers to direct you to the dealers that may have most interest in the range of books that you have in your possession. Of course, the condition of the books is all-important, so do try to ensure that they are kept neat and dry. Felix O'Neill, a bookbinder from Cahir, will also be at the bookfair displaying his craft.
Donated books welcome
Doors open at 2pm on Sunday, entrance fee is still €2 and children go free. The Historical Society will gladly accept books for their own stall and books can be left in to the Ballroom on Friday night (8pm-11pm) or on Saturday (11am-4pm), or phone 086 3905373, (052) 6131537 and collection will be arranged. The Historical Society are very grateful to the people who donate books and these ‘collections’ can sometimes have the odd valuable book that adds to the Society’s finances.
Séan Hogan, author of ‘Tan’ book present
Seán Hogan, author of ‘The Black and Tans in North Tipperary’, the winner of the ‘Tipperariana Book of the Year 2013’ will be present at the show (along with other Tipperary authors) to promote, sell and sign his book.
As usual, a café – with real home baking – will operate on the day and a piano player will serenade the crowd from his perch on the stage of ‘The Ballroom of Romance’. In these recessionary times a €5 will get you in, get you tea and some buns and you’ll still have some change to buy a few paperbacks. Now that’s real value in anyone’s language.
Fethard Medieval Festival date set for 2014
Fethard Business & Tourism Group, in conjunction with Fethard Historical Society have decided to hold this year’s Fethard Medieval Festival on weekending June 21 and 22. Please put the date in your diary and give your name to any member of the committee if you wish to get involved or help in any way. Email: festival@fethard.com
Fethard & Killusty Community Lotto
The numbers drawn on January 29 were: 2, 4, 18 and 27. We had no jackpot winner and two ‘Match Three’ winners who received €75 each: P. Russell, Ballydonnell, Mullinahone; and Anna Bradshaw Cooke, St. Patricks Place, Fethard.
The three following ‘Lucky Dip’ winners won €50 each: David Shelly, Moyglass, Fethard; Monica Aherne, Prospect, Fethard; and Thelma Griffith, Crampscastle, 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, February 5. The Jackpot is €7,600 and the Jackpot seller’s prize is €760. All proceeds go towards community work in Fethard.
Fethard Rugby Club
Recently Fethard U7s travelled to Clanwilliam and even though the rain was falling it did not deter these youngsters from playing their first game of fun rugby in 2014. 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. Darragh Hall and Ned O'Meara's passing improves with each game and their fine tip-offs and tagging added to their team’s performance. Brothers Lee and Troy Delaney both have great speed and quick reaction to recycle ball. Thank you to all at Clanwilliam for wonderful friendly and warm hospitality following the game.
Training for all minis and youths continue on Friday evenings at 6.45pm to 8pm. Girls rugby training for 12 to 18 years and for U15s and U18s takes place on Friday evenings 8pm to 9.15pm. New members are always welcome. For up-to-date news and match pictures please visit the Fethard RFC Facebook page.
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.
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