FETHARD LADIES FOOTBALL
History was created in Fethard GAA Park last Sunday when the newly formed Fethard Ladies football team won their first ever match. The team has been formed for a little over a month in Fethard and many thanks must go to Tom Anglim, Conor McCarthy, Aidan Fitzgerald and Geraldine McCarthy for all their coaching and organisation. 

Against stiff opposition (Moyne-Templetuohy) in this championship match, the many spectators who attended were treated to a very exciting game. Due to a great contribution from everyone on the team the final scoreline was Fethard 2-8 and Moyne Templetuohy 1-2

The team was: Jenny Fogarty, Kate Hanrahan, Ailish O’Connell, Sandra Maher, Valerie Colville, Marie Holohan, Rebecca Morris, Jacqui Stokes, Barbara Ryan, Ailish Sheehan (0-2) Vanessa O’Donnell (1-2), Meela Noonan, Edel Fitzgerald, Sharon O’Meara and Jennifer Keane (1-4).  Subs were: Cathy Watters, Tracey Walsh, Sarah-Mai Ahearne, Helen Frewen, Lisa Ryan, Clodagh Blake, Lisa McCormack, Lisha O’Connell, Stephanie Fitzgerald, Gillian O Connell and Mary Gorey.

The Ladies Football team would also like to say a great big ‘Thank You’ to Bob Grant, Grants Pub, Main Street, Fethard, who has very generously offered to sponsor a set of jerseys for the ladies.

OPEN TABLE QUIZ
Fethard & Killusty Community Games will host an open Table Quiz as a fund raiser in Fethard Ballroom on Saturday night next, February 28th at 8pm.  A table of four team will consist of three children (under-16 years) and one adult.  Children may be any age under-16 and date of 31st July does not apply.  The cost is €12 per table.  This will also give children a chance to practice for the County Quiz which will take place soon.  It does not matter what area one resides in so please come and join in the fun.  Many children recently enjoyed the very successful Credit Union Primary School’s Table Quiz, now is the time for a re-match!

Sli na Slainte
Fethard & Killusty Community Council are interested in promoting a 'Sli na Slainte' walking route around Fethard and would like hear from anybody interested in getting involved.  Please give your name to Joan O’Donohoe at the Community Office, Tel: 052 31000 and we will make contact with further details following our next committee meeting on Tuesday 16th March.

'Sli na Slainte' is the Irish phrase for 'Path to Health' and it is a unique exercise concept devised and launched in 1996 by Paddy Murphy, Chief Executive of the Irish Heart Foundation. The aim of the project is to make exercise more attractive and more fun by putting distinctive signs along walking routes around the country to mark one kilometre walked.

Since its launch over five years ago, the 'Sli na Slainte' concept has captured the imagination of local authorities and members of the public not just in Ireland, but in many parts of Europe as well.

'Sli na Slainte' signs are marked with a bright yellow sun and a human figure in yellow, blue and red, to signify the energy and vitality of life! The routes are all over the country, in housing estates, along canal and riverbank walks, public footpaths, alongside the sea and in woodland areas. Each sign is placed at a convenient one kilometre distance from the next and you can start and finish your walk anywhere you like. There are individual signs marking the beginning, end, direction and distances along each 'Sli na Slainte' route, but after that you, the walker, are in control.

FETHARD GAA CLUB
The senior football county league continued on last Sunday 22nd February, in Monroe against the home side where Fethard emerged winners on a scoreline Fethard 2-9 (2-6), Moyle Rovers 0-9 (0-3).  Playing with the wind in the first half, we took most of our chances, with all fifteen players playing their part.  We look forward to the next game on Sunday 29th February, when we play Ardfinnan in Goatenbridge at 2.30pm.  The team on Sunday last was: Paul Fitzgerald, Michael Aherne, Tomás Keane, Ian Kenrick, Cian Maher, Damien Byrne, Glen Burke, Michael Dillon 0-2, Kenneth Byrne, Michael Quinlan, Stephen O’Donnell 0-3, Aiden Fitzgerald 0-2, Brendan Brett 2-1 (1f), Kenneth O’Donnell, Miceál Spillane 0-1.  Subs used were: Eoin Doyle, Brian Coen, John Noonan, Willie Morrissey, D. Burke.  Other subs were: T. Gahan and P. Hackett.

In the under-21 A football game on Saturday last, we played a very useful challenge in Fethard against Gortnahoe in preparation for our championship game on this Sunday 29th February, which will be played in Fethard at 12.00pm against Clonmel Commercials.

Draws for the year in the South Championships are:

(A) Senior Football v Carrick Swans,

(B) Intermediate Hurling 1st Round v Carrick Davins,

(C) Under 21A Football v Commercials with 2nd chance if loser,

(D) Under 21B Hurling v St Marys with 2nd chance if loser. Commencing 14/3/04.

(E) Junior A Football A Group 4 games v Ardfinnan, Ballingarry, St Patricks and Cahir.

(F) Minor B Football v St Patricks/Grangemockler, Ballyporeen, Cahir,

(G) Minor Hurling B v Cahir, Ballybacon Grange, Carrick Davins.

The Club has entered teams in seven adult competitions.

The GAA Lotto Jackpot of €3,100 was not won. We had no match three winners so five tickets were drawn and the following won €30 each: Louis Coen (Killusty), Willie Mahoney (Ard Fatima Clonmel), Josie Fitzgerald (Kiltinan), J P McGrath (Sparagoulea), and Stephanie Johnson (c/o Saloon, The Green). Our €50 Lucky Dip winner was Sheila O’Donnell (Kilconnell),

The date set for our Club Function is Saturday 17th April, after Easter, to present medals won in 2003 and to honour the 1978 County Senior Football Champions.

BALLYLUSKY WHITE HEATHER HARRIERS
The Ballylusky White Heather Harriers will meet at The Kennels, Milestone Mill, Cloneen, on Sunday next 29th February at 12 noon.

FETHARD & KILLUSTY COMMUNITY LOTTO
The numbers drawn on Tuesday 17th February were: 9, 10, 19 and 27. There was no Jackpot winner, and one "Match 3" winner who received €150:

Mary Myler, 66 St. Patricks Place, Fethard.

Lucky dip winners of €50 each were:

Majella Costello, 3 Heywood Heights, Clonmel

 Mary Newport, Congress Terrace, Fethard

 M. Buckley, c/o Group Homes, Fethard.

Next weeks Jackpot €4,950. Jackpot sellers prize €345.

JOHNNY DUHAN FOR ABYMILL
Well known singer songwriter, Johnny Duhan, supported by Billy ‘Bob’ Dwyer from Cashel, will perform in the Abymill Theatre at 8.15pm on Friday 5th March.  Booking has now opened at O’Flynn’s Menswear, Fethard, Tel: 052 31254. Tickets €10.

From his musical beginnings in the 1960s fronting the legendary band Granny’s Intentions, Johnny Duhan has earned a justly impressive reputation over the years with a series of highly regarded albums, “Just Another Town”, “Don Quixote” and “Flame”, culminating in the highly anticipated album “Tree”.

Johnny is highly respected for the depth and maturity of his music, and his distinctive and eloquently crafted songs have been recorded by a long list of musical household names including Mary Black, Mary Coughlan, Dolores Keane and Christy Moore, and a number of his songs, including “The Voyage”, have become standards of the genre.

“Johnny Duhan is one of my favourite songwriters" (Ronnie Drew).

MAIREAD SAYS THANKS
Mairead O'Toole, who recently retired from the Garda Siochana, was overawed with the reception she received from members of the Fethard community on Friday night 20th February in the Fethard Arms.  Mairead has asked us to express her sincere thanks for the many gifts and good wishes received at the function.  She would also like to thank everyone in the parish for the cooperation and help received while she was stationed as a Garda in Fethard.

PILGRIMAGE COACH
A special bus will run from Bansha, via Cashel, to the House of Prayer, Achill Island, on Saturday 20th March.  The organisers are willing to accommodate pilgrims from the Fethard area who may wish to travel.  Those interested may obtain full details by ringing Josie on 062 54367.  The coach departs Cashel at 6.30am.

LUCKY ESCAPE
A Fethard lady who was on a trip to Dublin narrowly missed being involved in the horrendous bus crash in which five people lost their lives on Saturday last. She was actually in the queue at that particular bus stop on the Quay and had boarded her bus less than five minutes before the fatal crash.  The bus she boarded was actually parked in front of the one involved in the accident.

CAR ROBBERIES
Following a spate of recent car robberies in South Tipperary, motorists would be well advised not to leave cash, clothing, jewellery and especially mobile phones in parked cars.  A local resident on a visit to a South Tipperary Sports Complex was surprised to find on his return to his car, that his mobile phone was missing from the still locked vehicle.  Thinking he might be mistaken, he returned to the centre and enquired at the office if a mobile phone had been handed in.  To his amazement he found eleven other patrons of the centre there, whose cars had been robbed in a similar manner.   Apparently the thieves have mastered the art of opening any locked car whatever he make or class, without damaging the lock.

The Gardai were called out and a number of statements taken.  Then to add insult to injury, when the hue and cry had died down the cheeky robbers returned and robbed seven more cars in a similar manner.

GRAVE NEWS
We were amazed at the response to our comments on the lack of a proper entrance to Redcity Cemetery.  A number of local residents with family graves in the ancient burial ground expressed themselves as falling behind the effort to erect a gate-stile entrance.  One old native of the town phoned to say how pleased she was to read the idea had been mentioned.  She said she would dearly love to come a distance of 30 miles to visit her family grave in Redcity.  She went on to say that it would be a waste of time and a taxi fare as she is now no longer able to climb the present stile.

We would like to assure all concerned that the matter is now in the capable hands of Councillor John Fahey and the entrance will be erected in the not too distant future.

FETHARD RUGBY CLUB
On Sunday morning we played Clonmel in the Community Field at under/8, under/10 and under/12 levels.  Our under/8s played a highly competitive game with some great recycling and running rugby that enthralled the large attendance.  This game was a great showpiece with both sides very even. Fethard had great performers in Shane Cleere, Luke Keating, Cian O’Connell, Joss and Ben Murray and the flying Keith Bergin.

The under/10s had to give best to a fine Clonmel side, but the Fethard lads put up a great show with Joseph O’Brien, William Croke, Luke Keating and David Bergin to the fore.

We also played under/9s, which ended in a great 3 all draw.  This was a fast moving game that saw the ball move from end to end at great pace.  Greg Henry, James Holohan, Gavin Delany and Eoin Walsh had fine games.

The under/12 game ended in a 2 all draw and there was great excitement for the fine attendance. Fethard took them on up front with Colm Shanahan, Mark Ronan and Kevin Hayes setting up some fine ruck ball which Conor Kavanagh distributed well, allowing Jack O’Connell to score twice for Fethard. David Walsh, Andrew Kelly and Aidan Purcell were also to the fore.

Our under/13s pulled off another remarkable victory against Nenagh which sees them through in their section of the league. Behind by 25 points to 21 with time nearly up, Eoin O’Connell, the Coolmoyne hare, gathered in his own 22 and ran the length of the field for a try which saw Fethard win by 26-25.  This was a great performance which sees us through to play Kilkenny in a few weeks time.  Joe Kelly played a great game setting up two tries.  Sam Manton made a great try saving tackle while J.P. McGrath, Dave Gorey, Colm Blackmore and Stevie Healan all had great games.  In the backs the O’Donovan, Sheehan tackling worked very well while the speedy Alan O’Connor was always posing a threat to the opposition line.

Next weekend training is on Saturday. On Sunday we hold a blitz for under/8, 10 and 11s with Dungarvan, Carrick-on-Suir and Clanwilliam due to attend. Our under/13 game is to be arranged.

The club would like to thank all who supported our Race Night, a great night was had by all and our thanks to everyone who helped in anyway.

TOWN HALL
Members of the Fethard and Killusty Community Council will meet with Stephen Fallon, Conservation Officer, South Tipperary County Council; representatives from the Housing Department, South Tipperary County Council; John Devane, Tipperary Leader Group; and Cllr John Fahey, in the Council Offices Clonmel to discuss the next stage needed to apply for funding for the conservation and development of Fethard Town Hall.

KILLUSTY PONY SHOW
The annual general meeting of Killusty Pony Show will take place in the Tirry Community Centre on Tuesday 9th March at 8pm.  The committee invite and would love to see anyone interested in helping at this year’s show, to come along to the meeting.

FETHARD BRIDGE CLUB
On Wednesday 18th February we played the first round of Player of the Year and the results were:

1st Gross: Anna Cooke and Bernie O’Meara

2nd Gross: Teresa Cummins and Alice Quinn

1st Nett: Carmel Condon and Brendan Kenny

2nd Nett: Philly Kenny and Margaret Mary McCormack

Anyone looking for a partner please contact Annie O’Brien at Tel: 052 31862.