Playing For Life – Tanzania 2007
Playing For Life volunteers from South Tipperary – Honor Davern, Cashel; Cathy Whyte, Clonmel; Mary Cloonan, Fethard; Joe Kenny, Fethard; Annunciata O’Dwyer, Clerihan and Adrian Dooley, New Inn – pictured this week in the Esso Parish in Arusha, Tanzania.  They are part of a group of over sixty people who departed Ireland on September 26th for a fortnights experience in Tanzania, a magical place with amazing, friendly people, who are musical and colourful.

In co-operation with the Pallotine Fathers and the parishioners and local community of the Esso parish Playing For Life volunteers are building a much-needed Community Centre/Sports Hall.  A vibrant local community group already exists in the Parish of Esso and despite its situation in a very poor slum area in Arusha the spirit and the determination of the community has to be experienced to be believed.  Their desire to improve themselves and their sense of community spirit is evident all around, and assistance with building this centre will give them a much-needed boost.

Playing For Life are also providing short courses to various sections of the community in areas such as basic IT training, sports and gymnastics coaching, account keeping, music and drama, and food preservation, such as jam making and pickling.  Playing For Life is a registered charity and promotes self-development through education, sport & health awareness.  Directors are: Tracy Piggott, Paula Murray, Robbie O'Malley, Barney Rock, Peter McCloone and Ossie Kilkenny.

Evening Fare Resumes at McCarthy’s
We are delighted to announce that McCarthy’s have resumed serving evening Bar-food.  An extensive evening menu is available and will be served daily (Wednesday to Saturday) in the Bar from 5pm to 9pm.  Sunday lunch will be served weekly from 12noon to 6pm.  Full restaurant service will resume soon.  We would like to welcome new chef Jason Hollywood who will be familiar to many as the former Celebrity Chef on BBC One’s Ready, Steady, Cook programme.  Jason is a very experienced chef and was formerly Gordon Ramsey’s sous-chef in ‘Aubergine’ in London.

Fashion Show
Slievenamon Musical Society will host a Fashion Show in Cloneen Sports and Social Centre on Friday 5th October, commencing with a Cheese & Wine reception at 8pm. Participating Fashion Outlets include: Sasha, Fran & Jane, Now Casual Clothing, Belleza, Irene’s, Connolly Man, Minnie Mee and Ryan Design.  Tickets, priced at €25, are available locally or contact 087 328 3074.

Harvest Thanksgiving
The annual Harvest Thanksgiving will take place in Holy Trinity Church, Fethard on Sunday 7th October at 7pm.  Guest speaker will be The Rev. Richard Greene, N.E.M. Waterford Group of Parishes.  A collection will be taken up for Fethard Meals on Wheels and refreshments will be served.  All are welcome to attend. 

Unislim Classes

Unislim classes will commence in the Tirry Community Centre on Monday 15th October at 7.30pm.  Contact Sinéad by text or call 087 6529782 for further information.

Fethard & Killusty Community Lotto Results
The numbers drawn on Wednesday 26th September were: 1, 13, 17 and 18. There was no Jackpot winners and two Match 3 winners who received €75 each:

Jack O’Brien, Skeheenarinka and
Robert & Megan Hackett, Cashel Road, Fethard.

The €50 Luck Dip winners were:
Mrs. Breda Ryan, Coolmoyne Cross, Fethard;
Mary Murphy, The Fort, Coolmore, Fethard and
Jill Schubert, Coolbawn, Fethard.

Next week’s Jackpot continues at €10,000 and the Jackpot sellers prize is €1000.

Fethard Bridge Club
On Wednesday 26th September the results of Fethard Bridge Club were as follows:
1st Gross: Frances Burke and BredaWalsh;
2nd Gross: Betty Walsh and Brigid Gorey;
1st Nett: Gemma Burke and Brendan Kenny;
2nd Nett: Kathleen Kenny and Breda O’Grady.  On Wednesday, 10th October, we play for the Free Sub Nett.  Anyone looking for a partner please contact Berney Myles at 32038.

Fethard & District Juvenile Rugby Club
We have been training for the past few weeks and it is wonderful to see a great turn- out up at the Community Field on Friday evenings for training.  We are pleased to welcome back members and delighted to welcome the new members to the club this season.  We are starting the mini-rugby, Under 8’s, 10’s and 12’s, matches this Sunday, 7th October, at home in the Fethard Community Field at11am against Clonmel.  We look forward to seeing a great turn-out and enjoyable Rugby on the Pitch.  The Under 18’s will be involved in their first match on 7th October at Kilfeacle in a ten-a-side tournament.   The Under 14’s and Under 16’s start their league matches on 14th October.  If you have not already registered please return your membership form to the Club as soon as possible so that your child will be covered to play under the Insurance scheme.  Also, we would like to remind coaches and parents under the Senior Membership that the new season’s fees are now due at a cost of €50.  Please collect your forms from Polly Murphy.  Also notice to all parents and coaches:  there will be a very important Code of Ethics & Long Term Player Development presentation evening held in Fethard on 19th November, further details to follow.   If you are not currently receiving the information texts regarding Training and Matches please text your child’s name and age group (i.e. u12) to 087 744 7691.  There will be a Rugby Dance on Saturday 17th November in the Hotel Minella at 8pm, Tickets, priced at €50, will be available for sale next week.

Fethard Players ‘Country Boy’
Fethard Players are busy rehearsing for their oncoming production of ‘The Country Boy’, a play by Irish playwright, John Murphy. The Country Boy is a comedy-drama set in the small Irish farmhouse and reflects on the social problems of emigration and rural life in the late 1950s.

The play will be staged in the Abymill Theatre from Friday 19th October to Wednesday 24th October (inclusive). Booking at O’Flynn’s Menswear, Burke Street, Fethard, on Mondays to Fridays (closed Thursday) from 10.30am to 12.30pm and from 2.30pm to 5.30pm. Tel: (052) 31254. At other times than above call 087 1338961.

Fethard Juvenile GAA Club

Our brave U16's team bow out of their South Championship bid with their heads held high.  Having played three matches in four days the bravest bunch of young men bowed out on Thursday evening of last week to Carrick Swans in a South semi-final. On Sunday morning these young men played Kilsheelan and came away with a draw, they then went on to the following Tuesday evening and played Kilsheelan again in Clonmel Óg pitch coming away with a convincing win. On Thursday evening, of the same week, they went out and faced the Swans in a South semi-final.

It was a match that left you wishing for "only 5 more minutes".  That is all they needed to come away with a win that would have put them into a final and put any doubts that anyone had about these young men to rest.  They were nine points down and they came fighting but just not able to maintain, they lost the game by a mere two points.  These young men did what most would not be able or expected to do and play three matches in four days, surely the powers that be should be able to pace these matches out more evenly and give teams a deserving chance to catch their breath.  To the bravest of them all - well done, you were all a pleasure to watch and support and gave your supporters and club some wonderful and proud hurling moments.

To Ian, Liam and Martin, a big ‘Thank You’ for all the time and effort given to this team of wonderful young men.

Fethard GAA Club News

Wishing the very best of luck to our Senior Footballers who take on Cahir on Sunday 7th Oct in Clonmel at 4.30pm in the County Quarter Final.

Junior A Footballers have advanced to the Quarter finals with a win last Sunday, in Monroe, on a scoreline Fethard 2-17; Cahir 2-9. Team: Thomas McCarthy, Connie O’Flynn, Philly Blake, Tommy Gahan, John Leahy, Willie O’Meara 0-1(45), Paul Kenrick 0-1(f), Jason Nevin, Kevin O Donnell 0-2, John Fitzgerald 0-1, Martin Coen 1-0, Johnny Neville 1-3, Michael O’Riordan, Tom Anglim 0-6, Edmund Sheehan 0-3 (1f).  We await our next opponents.

Under 21B Hurling took place last Saturday in Ned Hall Park on a scoreline Fethard 2-13; Cahir 2-9, after extra time. Team: Darragh Corbett, Mike Kelly, Niall Hayes, James Kelly, William O’Brien, Shane Walsh 0-2(f), Adrian Lawrence 0-1, John Leahy, Dean Tobin 0-4(2f), Declan Doyle 0-1, Richard Gorey, Alan O’Connor 0-2, Edmund Sheehan, James Smyth, Keith Lawrence 2-3, Subs used: Peter Gough, Aaron O’Donovan, Paul Kenrick and Connie O’Flynn. The next game, the South Quarter Final, has been provisionally scheduled for the week-ending October 14th against Kilsheelan.

Minor B Hurlers are due to play the County Semi Final against Toomevara on this Saturday, October 6th.  Check Sports-pages for details.

Esteemed guest, Liam Mulvihill, Director General GAA, will attend the launch of a commemorative book to celebrate 100 years of Gaelic Games in South Tipperary. This event will take place on Sunday 7th October in The GAA Centre, Clonmel, commencing at 7.30 pm.  This Book, which gives a very comprehensive record of GAA affairs in South Tipperary over the past100 years, would make an ideal Christmas gift, as there is something in it for everyone.  Fethard is well represented in this publication and our own Noel Byrne has been a member of the Centenary Book Committee for the last two years.  This publication, which is priced at €40 (Hardback) and €25 (Soft back), will be available through Book Shops or from any member of the Book Committee.

Our Lotto Jackpot €6,900 was not won. The numbers drawn were 8, 17, 19 and 30. There was no match three winner.  There were five €30 Lucky Dip winners: Andrea Carroll (Lonergan’s Bar, The Square, Fethard); Mary Dalton (c/o Mandy Quigley,  Garrinch, Fethard); Bee Gould (Claremore, Fethard); Margaret Dorney (Woodvale Walk, Fethard) and Bob Fitzgerald (O’Connell St., Clonmel).  There was one €50 Lucky Dip winner, Anna Cooke (49 St. Patrick’s Place, Fethard).  We thank Fethard Electrical Wholesale for sponsoring the tickets.