Fethard Secondary School 5K Run & Walk

Patrician Presentation Fethard are having a Fun 5k Walk & Run on Thursday, December 10. This event is being organised by the Students Council in the school, with all Covid restrictions in place. Mask wearing and social distancing to be observed. €10 to take part (you can also sponsor), with proceeds going equally to the Cancer Ward in Crumlin Children’s Hospital and towards planting in the school grounds.

The late Fr. Jack Crean OSA
The death has occurred on Thursday, November 19, 2020, of Fr. Jack (John Joseph) Crean OSA, aged 95, Augustinian Community, Ballyboden, Dublin, and formerly Augustinian Abbey, Fethard.

Fr. Jack Crean, first came to Fethard in October 1975, after serving in Nigeria for 20 years. In Fethard, he joined up with Fr. John Meagher, who also came to Fethard, from London Town, earlier that year in May. Both priests were much loved by the local community.

Fr. Crean died peacefully in our Care Centre in Bray Manor, Bray, Co. Wicklow. Predeceased by his sister Eileen (Sr. Marie Joseph) and deeply mourned by his sister Nancy Punch nephews, nieces, grandnephews, grandnieces, relatives and friends and all his Augustinian Confreres. May Fr. Jack Rest In Peace.

Due to Government restrictions regarding public gatherings a private family funeral took place for Fr. Jack. Those who wish to leave a message of sympathy for the family may do so by CLICKING HERE

Fr. Jack's Funeral Mass took place in St. Augustine's Church, Dungarvan and interment took place on Saturday morning, November 21, in the Augustinian plot in Abbeyside, Dungarvan. Both can be viewed by CLICKING HERE

Fethard Town Park - November Newsletter

Annual General Meeting - Fethard & District Day Care Centre
Fethard and District Day Care AGM will be held on Thursday, December 10, at 7.30pm, at the Day Care Centre, Barrack Street, under recommended Government guidelines. 

GAA Sports Development Lotto
Fethard GAA Sports Lotto draw results for Friday, November 27, are as follows: the numbers drawn were: 6, 8, 17 and 36. There was no jackpot winner and one ‘match three’ winner who received €100: Valerie O’Meara, Strylea, Fethard.

Committee of Fethard GAA/Sports Centre Development Lotto would like to thank all our supporters near and far who participate in our weekly lotto draw. The next draw takes place on Friday, December 4, when the jackpot is €28,200 and the seller's prize is €1,000. The funds raised are used to promote sport in the local community.

Bloody Sunday Commemoration – New York, November 21


A big thank you to those who attended the Bloody Sunday Commemoration that was hosted by the County Tipperary National & Benevolent Association of New York and the Tipperary Hurling Club of New York on Saturday, November 21. Several of our members were on hand to mark the 100th anniversary, to the date, when 14 people were brutally murdered by British forces at Croke Park during a challenge football match between Tipperary and Dublin. One of the players, Michael Hogan (Grangemockler) was killed; hence, the Hogan Stand at Croke Park named as a tribute to him.


 Representatives of the County Tipperary National & Benevolent Association of New York and the Tipperary Hurling Club of New York photographed at the Bloody Sunday Commemorationon held in New York on Saturday, November 21. – (All photos by Nuala Purcell, Corresponding Secretary/2nd VP, County Tipperary N&B Association of New York).

Two of the men from the Tipperary Team, Edmond O'Shea (Fethard) and Jimmy Doran (Mullinahone) later emigrated to New York and are buried in Calvary Cemetery in Queens and Farmingdale, Long Island, respectively.
 
On November 21, we held a wreath laying ceremony at the site of both graves. The colours of the wreaths represented both the Fethard GAA Club (blue and white) and the Mullinahone GAA Club (red and green). Owen Cummins (Fethard) placed the wreath at Edmond O'Shea's grave and Martin Dunne (Mullinahone) placed the wreath at Jimmy Doran's grave, which was very fitting.


Owen Cummins, formerly from St. Patrick’s Place, Fethard, laying a wreath with the Fethard colours on Edmond O'Shea's grave at Calvary Cemetery, Woodside, Queens, New York. Edmond ‘Ned’ O’Shea was the captain of the Tipperary team on Bloody Sunday.


Owen Cummins (left) photographed with relatives of Edmond O'Shea, Colette Cannataro and Ann O'Sullivan, after the wreath laying ceremony in New York. Also included are Pa Ryan (Kilfinnan), President Tipperary Hurling Club of New York; and Noel Blanchfield (right), President of the County Tipperary N & B Association of New York.

Association President Noel Blanchfield did extensive research on both men's background and even spoke with Jimmy Doran's only child, Anna Doran Long, who now resides in Florida with her husband Bob. President Pa Ryan (Kilfinnan) represented the Tipperary Hurling Club of New York along with other members of the club who were in attendance. Also present were the late Alice Minogue's (Thurles) two daughters, Colette Cannataro and Ann O'Sullivan, whose grandfather, James Hayde, was a first cousin of Ned O’Shea. So, there are plenty of connections to this team on this side of the Atlantic.


Martin Dunne (Mullinahone) placing a wreath with the Mullinahone colours at Jimmy Doran's grave in St. Charles Resurrection Cemetery, Farmingdale, Long Island, New York.


Group photographed at Jimmy Doran's grave in St. Charles Resurrection Cemetery, Farmingdale, Long Island, New York.
 
Thank you to Rory Slattery (NY/Hollyford) for taking video of the remarks and wreath laying at both cemeteries, so that people who were unable to make the event can view on Facebook. Thank you also to John Fogarty (Holycross), who hosted a dinner at J.C. Fogarty's in Bronxville afterwards. Noel Blanchfield gave some further remarks along with Dublin Society President Shane Humphries who read off the names of the 14 people who died on that fateful day.
 
To bring the weekend to a close, the Tipperary Football Team in Ireland were the champions in the Munster Final against Cork in Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Sunday. The final score was 0-17 to 0-14. The Tipperary Team wore the commemorative green and white jerseys to mark the 100th anniversary of Bloody Sunday. It was the first time in 85 years that Tipperary won the Munster Final in football, so it was, no doubt, an historic win from all accounts.
 
Thank you again to all who worked so hard to make this event a success. Your support was very much appreciated. Sincerely, Nuala Purcell, Corresponding Secretary/2nd VP, County Tipperary N&B Association of New York.

Colin O’Riordan – the Fethard connection

Colin O'Riordan (left) and Steven O'Brien celebrate Tipperary's first Munster SFC title since 1935.

Tipperary’s Colin O’Riordan has very strong links to Fethard through the O’Riordan and Walsh family, with his father Michael O’Riordan, and his uncle Andrew, stalwarts of Fethard GAA Club. Colin’s performance in the Munster final last Sunday came as no surprise locally, as he was long touted as a superstar sportsman at the young age of fourteen years, when he stared for North Tipp in the Kennedy Cup soccer tournament. He was already being talked about in GAA circles before winning a minor All-Ireland football title in 2011 – at the incredible age of fifteen years – beating the so called greatest Dublin minor team ever in an epic final.

He captained Tipperary in the U21 All-Ireland Football Final in 2015, losing out controversially to Tyrone. Tipp had defeated Cork and Dublin on the way to that final. Colin played for the Tipperary senior football team and in his first year departed to play for the professional Sydney Swans Australian Football League team – only one of a handful of Irish players that nailed down First Team football in Australia.

Colin is also a serious hurler that starred in the Harty Cup for Templemore winning a minor hurling All-Ireland medal. He played U21 hurling for Tipperary once, famously getting the better of Austin Gleeson of Waterford in Walsh Park. He was a member of the extended Tipperary senior hurling panel in the 2014 All-Ireland final. He also played hurling and football with UCD lining out with Jack McCaffrey and Stephen Coen (Mayo) to name a few, and whom he will possibly be marking in the upcoming All-Ireland semifinal against Mayo.

Colin and Tipperary gave everyone a great lift winning the Munster Senior Football final for the first time in 85 years and his recorded performance and interview will live long in our memories.

'Big Picture' – Fethard School Student Exchange 1989

Student Exchange between Fethard and France 1989
Pupils with French Friends (exchange trip) on church steps. French Exchange: Thirty-two French students from St. Aignan, together with their teachers, visited Fethard from October 18th to 25th, 1989, guests of Fethard Secondary School students. The visit was a feature of the twinning arrangement between Fethard Secondary School and Vocational High School Val De Cher (Lycée Professionnel Val de Cher), Saint Aignan, France.

A detailed programme of events were arranged, including visits to Dublin, Kilkenny, Coolmore Stud, and a turf-cutting demonstration. A special 'Irish Seisiún' entertainment night was held in the Abymill Theatre on the Saturday before the French students left. Fethard Secondary School students arranged to make a return visit to Saint Aignan in 1990 as part of the student exchange programme.

St. Vincent De Paul Annual Appeal
The Covid 19 virus has affected all our lives in different ways. Despite this we have been able to continue to help people while adhering to HSE guidelines. We can be contacted for Christmas help on these local numbers:
086 8443622; 086 1940016; 086 8588118; 085 8086099.

Our church gate collection due to take place on weekending December 12-13, is in doubt and even if religious ceremonies are allowed resume, the numbers attending will likely be small due to social distancing. The annual collection was always a significant source of funding for us, so we expect our funds for the coming year will be down on other years. Our collection boxes are available in local shops and pharmacies and these are an important ongoing source of funding.

A donation may also be given to any member of the conference. All known donors will be given an official SVP receipt. Cash should not be sent in the post. Donations by crossed cheque or bank draft made payable to Saint Vincent de Paul Fethard can be posted to: The Treasurer, St. Vincent de Paul Conference, Vincent Doocey, Abbey Street, Fethard, Co. Tipperary, E91 EA44.

Online donations may be made to www.svp.ie by CLICKING HERE. Your donation will come to Fethard if you first go to the drop down menu, "I want my donation to go to", click in the box and select 'Mid West'. You then have the option to fill in your own contact details. You will then see another box asking the question, "Specific location to help?", please enter "Holy Trinity Fethard, Conference" in that box to ensure your donation will go to Fethard. You will be issued with an official receipt by phone or Email, whichever you specify.

You can also donate by phone on Tel: 0818 176 176 and specify Holy Trinity, Fethard, as your location. SVP has been helping the needy in the area for 125 years due to the generosity of local people and we hope that this will continue well into the future. Thank you for your help and good will in the past. We wish everybody the safest and happiest Christmas possible despite this awful year.

Fethard's Christmas Fair - Friday December 11
Fethard Christmas Craft Fair will take place on Main Street and The Square on Friday December 11, from 3pm to 7pm – Covid and weather permitting. Anyone wishing to have a stall, please contact Fethard Horse Country Experience via Instagram or Facebook.
Further details to follow!

Fethard Newsletter 2020 now on sale


Fethard & Killusty Emigrants Newsletter is now available for sale in the following local shops at €12 each, Centra Supermarket (The Green), Daybreak Supermarket (Kerry Street) and Fethard Post Office (Main Street). Copies will also be posted free of charge this weekend to our Fethard emigrants and families living throughout the world.

We take this opportunity to thank everyone who supported the newsletter with donations throughout the year that help make this annual publication possible. The Annual Newsletter is celebrating 61 Years this year and has been posted free of charge to emigrants ever since it first began in 1959.

Faces and Places from the Past
The following are a selection of photographs of faces and places taken in our locality that may bring back memories to many of our readers and visitors to fethard.com Please send any comments or photo information, names and event, to fethardnews@gmail.com

Ballroom’s 12th Anniversary Dance in 2005
St. Patricks Night is a special night for patrons of Fethard Ballroom, and 2005 was no exception for the large number of dancers who turned up to celebrate the Ballroom’s 12th Anniversary with the organising committee and their many helpers. Fethard Ballroom was and still is the most popular venue for popular dancing in the South with patrons driving from as far as Wexford, Cork and Waterford coming to enjoy the wonderful facility and warm friendly atmosphere generated among the many loyal followers every Sunday night.  The Ballroom has been closed since March 2020, due to the Covid-19 restrictions, but we look forward to seeing the doors open again at some stage in 2021. These photos take us back twenty years and remind us of better days in the past and better days in the future.

Photographed at the Fethard Ballroom's 12th anniversary dance on St. Patrick's night, 2005, are L to R: Margaret Heffernan, Larry O'Gorman, Terri O'Dwyer, Bill Maher, Bridget Staunton and Seamus Ryan.


Fethard Ballroom men's committee members photographed at the 12th anniversary dance on St. Patrick's night 2005. L to R: Seamus Barry, Gay Horan, Robert Phelan (secretary), Mick Aherne (chairman), Paddy Hickey, Thomas O'Connell and Sean Spillane.


Fethard Ballroom ladies committee who look after the refreshments in 2005. L to R: Sheila O’Donnell, Margaret Phelan, Catherine O’Connell, Monica Ahearn (treasurer), Pat Horan and Breda Spillane.


Pat O'Brien and Nora Creed from Burncourt, dancing.


Jack Doherty and Helen Ryan dancing


Dan and Pattie Walsh dancing.


Tilly Carr and Pat Burke dancing along side Eileen Coady and Dinny Walsh at the Ballroom's 12th anniversary dance in 2005.


Esther Brett (Knocklofty) and John Quinn (Ballypatrick) dancing at the Ballroom's 12th anniversary dance on St. Patrick’s Night, 2005


Pat and Joan Quish from Mitchelstown at Fethard Ballroom's 12th anniversary dance.


L to R: Mary O'Regan, Alice Lawlor, Margaret Heffernan (Horse & Jockey), Anna Hayde and Eileen Harris.


L to R: Mary Burke, Tilly Carr, Pat Burke and Gus Breen.


Back L to R: Noel and Anne Parker, Kathleen and Pat Phelan. Front L to R: Alice Burgess, Billy Dempsey, Margaret Phelan, Esther and Tom Phelan.

New County Development Plan for 2022-2028


Tipperary County Council has commenced the preparation of a new County Development Plan for Tipperary. To facilitate public engagement/submissions, a dedicated ‘County Development Plan’ webpage has been set up and will remain ‘live’ during the two-year process. As the Plan progresses, the site will be routinely up-dated with reports, published submissions, public engagement guides and videos etc.


The web site can be accessed CLICKING HERE. The website is an excellent resource and point of contact for the public and stakeholders, and I would appreciate it if you could circulate the link as opportunities arise.

Fethard News
Comments or items for inclusion on this website can be emailed to fethardnews@gmail.com or delivered by hand to Joe Kenny, Rocklow Road, Fethard.

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