HAPPY CHRISTMAS & NEW YEAR
I would like to wish all our readers at home and away a very Happy Christmas and New Year and I hope you enjoy receiving our Fethard news and keeping up to date with happenings at home. The Emigrants Newsletter is now posted and on its way to all those on our mailing list. Photographs of the Hat Party and other events will be posted on the site within the next few days.
The following excerpt was recorded at the Christmas Carol Service at Holy Trinity Church of Ireland. CLICK HERE TO LISTEN

DIED RECENTLY

We record the death of Cly Mullins who died on Monday, 23rd December. Remains left McCarthy's Funeral Parlour at 5pm on Tuesday 24th December for Holy Trinity Parish Church, Fethard. Funeral Mass will take place on Thursday 26th December at 11am followed by burial at Calvary Cemetery.

LOTTO PLUS WINNER €300,000
Fethard was agog with excitement when the news broke on Sunday morning that a €300,000 Lotto Plus winning ticket had been sold at Fethard Post Office. Who is the lucky winner? Despite rumour and counter rumour circulating locally, no one knows and the winner, if local, is keeping a low profile.
The winning numbers were 7, 25, 28, 29, 32 and 41. Fethard Post Office requests purchasers of tickets on Saturday to check their numbers carefully. Apparently some people who check the Lotto numbers diligently are not so carefully with the Lotto Plus numbers.

SURPRISE VISITOR

The Pheasant Pluckers are photographed above with well known singer, Eleanor Shanley, who was in Fethard last Thursday night and joined the band at their session in McCarthy's back room. Eleanor sang many songs to the delight of all present. She is currently touring Ireland with Ronnie Drew of the Dubliners.

THE BRICKYARD

We have had quite a few enquiries recently regarding the 60ft high red brick chimney that stands sentinel at the border of Drumdeel / Kiltinan townlands border. Apparently a businessman of the mid-nineteen century decided to erect a brick building industry at the site. The huge kiln and chimney were erected but the best laid plans went wrong. The story goes that the Great Southern Railway refused to provide a cutting from the nearby Clonmel / Thurles railway line as promised, to transport the raw material to the kiln, and the finished product to Waterford Quay. The owner had a change of heart and shut up shop.
The kiln and the well-known landmark, the chimney, became a white elephant so to speak. There it stands to the present day, the kiln that never baked a brick and the chimney that never beheld a cloud of smoke. Known to generations of Fethard people as the Brickyard, we would appreciate any further information on the project and the name of the would be entrepreneur who started the venture.

CHRISTMAS HAT PARTY
The Christmas ‘Hat Party’ in aid of the Central Remedial Clinics ‘Santa Bear Appeal’ was held at the Bridge Bar on Saturday night 14th December and was a great success. As always, this was a very popular and successful evening and thanks to all those who entered, donated, sponsored prizes or helped in any way. This year the entrants were asked to “make, wear and name their Christmas hat.” The winning entry was ‘Mistletoe and Wine’, wonderfully created and worn by Brendan Morrissey. In second place was Maureen Maher’s ‘Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!’ Third place went to John Shortall’s hat, ‘Think Different’, with Alfie O’Flynn’s effort being highly commended. The ‘Best Named Hat’ was won by Edwina Newport with her most aptly named hat “Holly Head”. In second place was Philomena Shee with her hat, “Tied to the Christmas Sink.” Some of the other great hat titles included: “I couldn't catch the Turkey”, “The Unfinished Hat”, “Christmas Hat Trick”, “Christmas Air”, “Ho, Ho, Ho”, “Feathered Friend”, “Only Here for the Beer”, “What’s left under the Christmas Tree”, “Bowler Christmas”, “Chef de Party”, “Little Bo Beep” and the very popular “Present Time”.
We would also like to thank those who couldn't attend on the night but sent donations. A special thanks to the Bridge Bar for sponsorship and the great food on the night. It was a ‘Big Gun’ evening and already we are looking forward to next year when we plan hold a newer and different challenge.

DIED RECENTLY

We record the death of Derek Wall, Main Street, who died suddenly on Thursday, 19th December. Remains left McCarthy's Funeral Parlour at 7pm on Friday 20th December for Holy Trinity Parish Church Fethard. Funeral Mass took place at 11am on Saturday followed by burial at Calvary Cemetery.
We record the death of Tommy Fleming, Coolmore, Fethard, who died on Thursday, 19th December. Remains left McCarthy's Funeral Parlour at 6.30pm on Saturday 21st December for Holy Trinity Parish Church Fethard. Burial took place at Calvary Cemetery following 11am Mass on Sunday.

FETHARD RUGBY CLUB
We travelled to Shannon Rugby Football Club on Sunday morning and played five very competitive games Our under eights were narrowly beaten by 7 tries to 6, but they really performed well despite been short some regulars. James Holohan, Cian O’Connell, Luke Keating, Eoin Walsh, Tommy Anglim and Joss Murray had tremendous games and were unlucky not to have at least gained a draw.
The under nines played a very close and emerged with a win when Robert Meagher, in his first game, scored a great try just before the final whistle to win by 3 tries to 2. Other big performers on the day were Andrew Kelly, Conor Kavanagh, Johnny Grassick and Philip Maher. The forwards scrummed and nicked very well and this laid the foundation for this victory, they were Colin Meagher, Shane Power and Stephen Tierney.
Our under tens ended up on level terms even after playing extra time, the forwards of Mark Ronan, Matt O’Sullivan and Michael John Murphy worked well as a unit and gave good ball back to scrum half Tim O’Hagan, this led to tries for Jack O’Connell, Daniel Hickey and William Power.
The under elevens played very well and ran out easy winners by 6 tries to 1. Shannon had no answer to the elusive running of William Grassick, Shane Kavanagh and the brilliant tackling of Josh Halley. This, along with great forwards drives by the powerful Sam Manton and Seamie O’Keeffe, saw Fethard in control.
The under twelves played there best game of the season and were unlucky to be beaten by 1 try to 0. The Shannon coach remarked that it the best game they had all year. Great defensive skills were shown by the Fethard backs of James Kelly, J.P. O’Donovan, Pat Holohan and the new Robert Joy. These players tackled everything. The forwards were unlucky not to score on numerous occasions, when powerful drives by Joe Kelly and Colin Blackmore were stopped just on the line. This was a great display and this team is improving with every game. We thank Shannon for there hospitality and look forward to them coming to Fethard in the New Year.
The Committee of Fethard R F C would like to wish all players, friends and supporters a merry Christmas and health and happiness for the New Year.

CHRISTMAS LIGHTS
The newly erected Christmas Lights on Main Street and the Christmas Tree on the Square have been the source of much favourable comment from both locals and visitors. The Christmas Tree, kindly supplied by Coolmore Stud, is a growing permanent fixture. A special type of Norwegian Fir, there is actually only one other tree of this type in Ireland and that one is in Belfast. This year’s lighting project was a very expensive with a total cost on €19,000. Fethard and Killusty Community Council, who spearheaded the project, would appreciate donations to help defray the huge cost and maintain an ongoing seasonal lighting programme for the town. Donations may be made to AIB Fethard or through one of the special ‘Lighting Boxes’ available in local shops.

TOWN WALL LIGHTS

On Monday 16th December, the lights by the Town Wall were switched on again after an absence of many years. The Community Council would like to thank the County Council for undertaking the maintenance costs of running the lights and their help in installing the new lights. We would also like to thank Andy Kerwick and John Bolger from the ESB for their help and co-operation in getting them switched back on again.

ANNUAL EMIGRANTS NEWSLETTER
The Annual Emigrants Newsletter is now on sale in local shops. The price remains the same as last year, €7, which will help defray the cost of printing and posting over 1,100 copies free of charge to our emigrants throughout the world. Change of addresses and new addresses should be handed in immediately to Joe Kenny as all returned newsletters will have their address deleted from our mailing list.

CAROL SINGING ON THE STREET

Group photographed at this year’s Carol Singing on Thursday 19th December. All proceeds go towards the Annual Santa Bear Appeal in aid of the Central Remedial Clinic in Dublin.

THIS WEEK'S - 'PIC OF THE PAST'
If you have an old photograph of interest to our readers why not email it to us and we will include it on next week's 'Pic of the Past'

Helen and Phyllis O'Connell photographed while preparing for an ICA Open day at their home on Rocklow Road in the 1960s. Both Helen and Phyllis, along with Olivia Hughes, were founder members of the ICA in Fethard in 1926.

CHRISTMAS DRAW RESULTS
The results of the Patrician Presentation Parents Association Christmas Draw are as follows:
First prize, Hamper (value €100): Sally Argrave, Coolbawn, Fethard.
Second prize, Fuel voucher (value €60): Danny Donovan, Jossestown, Fethard.
Third prize, Hamper (value €50): Tommy Hennessy, Chadwicks, Clonmel.
Fourth prize, Christmas Cake (homemade): Richie Corcoran, Railstown, Fethard.
Fifth prize, Set of novels: Joey Fogarty, Congress Terrace, Fethard.

GRAVE HUMOUR
There is no doubt that there is nothing to beat the wit of the Irish as the following exchange between two great exponents of the quick reply will indicate. Sean Hanrahan, one of our senior citizens and a great man for the joke and craic, was in hospital for a slight operation recently. Sean, on his return was greeted by local gravedigger Tom Purcell as follows, “Sean I thought you would be the last man to let me down, especially coming up to Christmas, you didn't die!” Sean replied, “Tom, it's a lot better for me to let you down, than for you to let me down!”
The many friends of this very popular local personality will be glad to learn he has made a full recovery from his operation and no doubt over the Christmas period and for many Christmases to come, he will give a few spiritual renderings of ‘Spancil Hill.”