Saturday 19th March 2005
Fethard Ballroom Celebrates 12 Years Twelve years ago, on St. Patrick’s night, 17 March 1993, the former Country Club Ballroom, which was originally the Capital Cinema, reopened its doors in splendour to all and sundry. The ballroom was purchased about twelve months previously, at a cost of £30,000, by the Community Council but was in very bad repair following at least five years of closure and neglect. However, community spirit came to the fore when various members of the community spent endless nights working to reinstate this building to its former glory. A Christmas draw took place to generate funds for materials and as much voluntary labour as possible was used to make the dream became a reality on St. Patrick’s Night. Most of the population of the town and surrounding areas danced the night away to the sound of the Pat Burke Band from Cahir, and enjoyed themselves immensely. In 1994 the committee formed Fethard Ballroom Company Ltd to take over the running and financing of the ballroom. On top of the purchase price, a further £17,000 was spent on essential repairs to enable the hall to open. By 1995 the committee had the original debt of £47,341 reduced to £20,379. 1997 was a very difficult year for the Ballroom with the possibility of closure due to a large increase in insurance premium for the facility and also some insurance claims against the Ballroom. With outstanding dedication and determination, the committee tackled these problems and successfully turned around this tough situation and have never looked back since. In the following years the committee, using mainly voluntary labour, upgraded the hall to the tremendous facility it is today, fitting out a new fully equipped kitchen, new doors and windows, new carpeting and non-slip floor covering, and vast improvements to the heating system to eliminate draughts, reduce heat loss and add to the comfort of patrons. Today, the Ballroom is completely paid for and self-sustaining and great credit is due to the present committee who stuck with the project, and the many others who also worked with the committee over the past twelve years. Well done! We can show our appreciation by coming along with our friends and enjoying a dance on Sunday nights! The committee assure us a very warm welcome. Badgers Soccer Club The Late Dick Wall An Appreciation The late Dick Wall was a powerfully strong man, but perhaps his true strength was in his gentleness. Dick projected an inner quality of sincerity and kindness, qualities which he himself would be the last to admit to, which reached out and endeared him to all who knew him. It would be impossible to imagine Dick Wall utter a harsh or unkind word about anybody or anything. Canon James Power said on receiving his remains in Fethard Parish Church, “Dick Wall was a real gentleman”, and Fr Tom Breen P.P. at his funeral mass said, “Dick was a pleasure to meet at all times”. These two statements sum up Dick Wall to a ‘T’. Dick Wall’s great interest was the GAA. He was the stuff of which teams, clubs, and the GAA itself are made. He never wore the county jersey, never made the banner headlines in the local press, and indeed, in his over twenty years service to Coolmoyne hurling teams and Fethard senior football teams, his honours won were very few. Nevertheless, Dick Wall never missed a game, challenge, tournament or championship for which he was selected during his playing career. He always gave one hundred and twenty percent. He asked for no quarter and gave no quarter; on the playing field he would more than likely be considered a ‘hard man’. Yet in his long career, he played it hard but he played it within the rules. Players, even those with much higher reputations, never got soft scores off Dick Wall. He never had his name taken or was never sent off, although it would be true to say, if the ‘Cárta Buidhe’ was in existence in his time, he would have amassed enough to paper a room. The verse paying tribute to Dick Wall in the local ballad, “The Hurlers of Coolmoyne”, pays the perfect tribute to his qualities as a hurler. The ballad recalls an epic encounter between Coolmoyne and Mullinahone in Drangan. “The rugged men from Kickhams den off jostled but in vane; On his return from the playing field he was a loyal and true supporter of all Fethard football and hurling teams of all grades, up to the time of his final illness, which he bore with great faith and fortitude. Dick Wall’s other great interest was hunting and the family farm adjoined the Tipperary Foxhounds Kennels. Dick was a regular attended at the annual Tipperary Puppy Show and was proud that Wall’s Covert was always a sure find. He also took a great interest in the Barrettstown Harriers during their short existence. He was sort of a technical adviser to a great local personality, Jimmy Looby, huntsman and master. Dick, with his great wry sense of humour, took great delight in Jim’s wholehearted endeavours in the hunting field. Dick Wall had a great affinity with children. He followed with great interest the careers of his nephews and grand nephews on the playing fields and especially those of his niece, Annie Costigan, on the Fethard Presentation Convent All-Ireland winning volleyball teams of the seventies. Children also loved him. Indeed, this was perfectly shown by his very young grandnephew who read one of the bidding prayers at his funeral mass so well, crying bitter tears as he followed his coffin from Fethard Parish Church. Dick Wall, a strong and silent man, will be sadly missed by his brother Jack to whom our sincere sympathy is extended, nieces, nephew, and those of us fortunate enough to have known him and been his teammates. We may have great men, but we’ll never have better, Fethard & Killusty Community Lotto Results The numbers on Tuesday 15th March were: 10, 13, 22 and 24. There was no Jackpot winner and one ‘Match 3’ winner who received €150: Toby Collier, c/o McCarthy's, Fethard The three €50 Lucky Dip winners were: Joseph Bowes, Kilconnell, Fethard Margaret Croke, St., Patrick's Place, Fethard Marianne Butler, c/o John Shortall, The Valley, Fethard Next weeks Jackpot remains at €10,000 and the Jackpot sellers prize is €1,000. Winner all right While on the subject of Cheltenham, well done to connections of all the Irish winners stable lads, travelling head lads, jockeys, trainers and owners who did themselves, the racing game, and Ireland proud in their interviews on Channel 4 TV. Hunting news Congratulations from the White Heathers to our whipper-in, David Halley, who rode his father’s horse ‘Ballyvaden’ to win the Adjacent Maiden race at Ballintaggart Point-to-Point on Sunday last. The Ballylusky White Heather Harriers wish to thank sincerely all who contributed to their successful annual draw, both promoters and especially all who so freely purchased tickets. Winner of the first prize of €500 were the young Murphy brothers of Gowran; second prize of €300 was won by Michael Carroll, Coolmore; third prize of €100 was won by John Guinan, Ballylusky. The committee also wish to thank sincerely all landowners over whose land the White Heathers hunted during the season. We never realised our ‘Hunting News’ column attracted such wide attention from all hunting followers. We sincerely appreciate their comments, especially the ‘slaggers’ who regularly enquire, “How far did you add on to the run this week?” Sure we all have our begrudgers! Everything going well we will resume early next fall, God willing, when next season on a crisp autumn morning and the horn re-echoes through woodland, we’ll answer the call. New Time Patrician Presentation Secondary School Laura Rice, 1st year, won first prize in the Community Games under-14 art competition. She also won the junior section of the Abbey 700 Art Competition. John Frewen, 5th year, won the senior section. Both with their themes being, ‘Blessed William Tirry and the Augustinians’. Our boys and girls have been busy playing volleyball and it’s Barcelona for our group leaving on Saturday for this wonderful city on their school trip 2005. The Lourdes Quiz held in the school and organised by Mr and Mrs Prendergast was a great success on Wednesday 16th March, with a 5th year team in the tie-break for wonderful hampers generously sponsored locally. Date for the diary: Entrance morning for incoming 1st year students 2005 is Saturday 16th April at 9.15am. Enrolment for Nano Nagle Primary School (Photos ‘Easter Eggs’) Lourdes Table Quiz The Parents' Association would like to thank the sponsors of the beautiful prizes and all those who helped with the occasion, which was an outstanding success. Proceeds will enable two 5th Year students, Suzanne Gorey and Jillian O'Connell, to travel as Youth Helpers with the Diocesan Pilgrimage in June. Surplus proceeds will augment the funds of the parochial Lourdes Invalid committee. Another Table Quiz will be held in the Secondary School after Easter. Keep an eye out for further details. Fethard Judo Club Next up was Kate Delahunty who fought a grade higher due to lack of competition at her weight. Kate fought brilliantly and not alone won gold but was also voted the best female player of the day. Our fourth competitor was Hanna Stapleton who also fought very well to win our fourth gold medal. The four winners will now go forward to the All-Ireland Mini-Mons in Dublin in May. Fethard Judo Club is taking a break for Easter so the next training session will take place on Tuesday 29th March. This session is for everyone and will start at 7.30pm. Please bring in all entry forms on this night. The Well Golf Society Community Games Art and Model Making Girls Under 8: (1st) Aine Proudfoot, (2nd) Cassandra Needham, (3rd) Megan McCarthy. Girls Under/10: (1st) Jennifer Rice, (2nd) Aobh O’Shea, (3rd) Emma Hayes. Girls Under/12: (1st) Faye Manton, (2nd) Jane Holohan, (joint 3rd) Nicole Looby and Evie O Sullivan. Girls Under/14: (1st) Laura Rice, (2nd) Katie O’Shea, (joint 3rd) Jane Kenny and Bridget O’Reilly. Boys Under/8: (1st) Alex O’Donovan, (2nd) Eoin O’Donovan, (3rd) Conor Mackey Boys Boys Under/10: (1st) Donal Walsh, (2nd) Charlie Manton, (3rd) Eoghain Hurley. Boys Under/12: (1st) Louis Rice, (2nd) Michael Smyth, (3rd) Brian Delahunty. Boys Under/14: (1st) Joseph Thompson. Model Making Boys U/14: (1st) Gerry Horan, (2nd) Mark Fogarty. There were strong family ties in the Art competition with the Rice family, Everardsgrange having a treble with Jennifer, Louis and Laura all winning gold and the two qualifiers in the boys under 8 were first cousins, Alex O’Donovan, Moanbeg, and Eoin O’Donovan, The Valley. The first two in each event qualify the county final which will take place in Fethard Ballroom on Saturday 2nd April at 1pm. Entry fee is €2 each which much be paid to local secretary before start of competition. Enquiries to secretary, Bernard Feery, at Tel: 052 31023. Bernard has now compiled the schedule of games for the county finals of the Indoor Soccer event which will take place just down the road at the Monroe Complex over two weeks, April 14th and 21st. Fethard U/13 boys will play Clerihan in match three at approx 7.15pm on 14th April, and Fethard U/15 boys play Clerihan at 6.45pm on 21st April. All finals will be completed on 21st April. All areas taking must pay a fee of €10 per team to pay for the cost of the complex. Fethard Juvenile GAA Club The club would like to congratulate Chris Sheehan and Alan O’Connor who represented their club on the South Tipp u/16 hurling team that defeated Waterford in the first round of the Munster Championship last weekend in Kilsheelan, also to Aiden Fitzgerald on his inter-county debut with Tipp senior hurlers. Training for the football championship is well under way for all teams, all players are requested to attend, new faces welcome. All parents please take note membership must be paid by this coming weekend (31st March). Any queries please contact Caroline Sheehan (secretary) on Tel: 086 1713502. Fethard Bridge Club Ladies Football Club Fethard GAA Club News Cheltenham Cheer Last week, a gap of fifteen years was bridged by Mouse Morris and his team when they returned home with another Cheltenham winner, “Fota Island”, owned by J P McManus, trained by Mouse Morris and ridden by Paul Carberry, claimed the honours for Fethard. The celebrations, which started in Cheltenham, continued in Fethard where the successful team were joined by friends and well wishers, which included Nina Carberry, younger sister of Paul, who rode her first winner on her first mount in the festival this year. Well done to all concerned. (N Gawe) The Ghost of Cromwell (N Gawe) |