TIPPERARY STONETHROWERS RALLY

The Clonmel based BDBC sponsored Tipperary Stonethrowers Rally takes place on this Sunday 10th August. This year, stages 3, 6 and 9 will pass through Redcity, Fethard, with the first car away from Clonmel at 10.00hrs. The times for the Fethard stages, leaving Coleman (see map above), are 12.05, 14.41 and 16.57 hrs. The finish ramp celebrations take place at the Clonmel Arms Hotel at 17.30hrs on Sunday evening. Rally programmes are now on sale at all the usual outlets.
A variety of incidents over the past year have provided proof (if proof were ever needed), to remind us of the dangers inherent in our sport - danger for competitors obviously, but also danger for spectators and danger for officials. As a result, Motorsport Ireland (the sports governing body) set up a Safety Review Group to review safety in rallying. As a consequence of this review, recommendations were made and many of these recommendations are now incorporated into the regulations governing the sport.

FETHARD FF CANDIDATES ANNOUNCED
The three Fianna Fail nominations to run for South Tipperary County Council in the local elections for the Fethard electoral area next year were announced recently. Two of the present sitting councillors namely Susan Meagher from Ballingarry and Fianna Fail Vice President Pat O'Meara from The Commons were nominated to run again.
However, the third nomination went to Sylvia Cooney Sheehan who is a Town Councillor and is the proprietor of a hair salon in Carrick on Suir. It is believed that seven people in total were in contention for the nominations including Walter Maloney, Joe Kane, Patsy Murphy and present councillor Denis Bourke.
Speaking recently Councillor Cooney Sheehan claimed that she is looking forward to the challenge. She claimed that she cannot believe that she was so successful and that the support that she received was just tremendous. She claimed that it would be a tough haul. However she claimed that she had twelve months to work on her campaign and would do her level best to take a seat in the Fethard electoral area.

MARRIED IN FINLAND

Best wishes to Lisa Rice, Brookhill, Fethard, and to Kari Laaksonen, who got married in Finland on Friday 8th August. Our photograph above shows some of the Fethard contingent as they set out for Dublin Airport by bus from Fethard to attend the wedding.
Following their honeymoon, the couple will return to live in Fethard where Kari will set up his own 'Deep Tissue Massage' clinic at North Gate House, Rocklow Road.
Kari, an experienced masseur, previously worked with the Finnish National Volleyball Team who participated in the 1993 and 1997 European Championships and in the World League in 1993.

FETHARD JUVENILE GAA CLUB
Our under-12s played their semi-final hurling match against Ballybacon/Grange on Saturday last in Kilsheelan and were extremely unfortunate to be beaten. These young players did their club proud and tried their very best to overcome the lead that Ballybacon had taken in the first half.
These young players are a credit to their club and all credit is due to Liam, Ian, Martin and Jim, the hard work and effort that have gone into these young players is evident and it is a shame that having won 6 out of 6 matches they had to loose out in the semi-final. The club would like to thank all the people that made the journey to show their support.
The under-14s are still on track for their championship bid, they are at home to Kilsheelan on Thursday evening in the GAA pitch at 7pm and we wish them the best of luck.

FETHARD & KILLUSTY COMMUNITY LOTTO
The numbers drawn in the Fethard and Killusty Community Lotto on Tuesday 5th August were: 9, 19, 25 and 27. There was no Jackpot Winner and one 'Match 3' winner who received €150:
Marion O'Connor, St. Patrick's Place, Fethard.
The three ‘Lucky Dip’ winners of €50 were:
Bernard O'Shea, Woodvale Walk, Fethard.
Megan Sceats, Castlehiggins, Fethard.
Cabrina Roche, 30 Woodvale Walk, Fethard.
The Jackpot remains at €10,000 and next weeks Jackpot sellers prize is €1,000.

ORGANIC FARM WALK

Naturalist, Liam Burke, speaking about the unusual plant life found while walking through an organic farm and garden at Rice’s farm, Everardsgrange, Fethard, last week. L to R: Linda Kelly, Joseph Trehy, Doírín Saurus and Liam Burke.

Above is Alice Butler showing some children a young frog found on the walk. Below is Linda Kelly taking a closer look for herself!

FETHARD GAA CLUB
The Intermediate Hurling South Championship resumes on this Sunday 10th August, when we play Skeenarinka in Cahir at 5.30pm. In Minor Hurling B we play Kilsheelan on Sunday 10th August in Monroe at 7pm, and on Wednesday 13th August we play Clonmel Og at 7.30pm, also in Monroe.
In Junior Football A on this Thursday 7th August, we play Ballooby in Ned Hall Park at 7.30pm .
Our Lotto Jackpot of €1,300 was not won. We had no match three winners and the numbers drawn at The Well bar were 13, 16, 22 and 23. The €50 Lucky Dip winner was: Kay Williams (Killusty), and the following drawn tickets won €30 each: Phil Smyth (Tinakelly), Miceal McCormack (Kerry St), Josie Fitzgerald (Kiltinan), Eamon Drea (Cedar Grove), and the O’Shea Family (Woodvale Walk).
Juvenile Fixtures are as follows: Under 14 B Hurling on 14th August we are away to Skeheenarinky at 7pm and in Under 16 B Hurling on 11th August we are away to Kilsheelan at 6.45 pm.

THE WELL GOLF SOCIETY
We had another successful outing last Saturday in Callan, where the scoring was as hot as the weather. With just over two shots separating the first five teams, the results are as follows:
Nearest the pin: David Moore and Aiden Grant.
In 3rd place with a 63.4 nett: David Moore, Michael Leahy and Aiden Fox.
In 2nd place with a 62 nett: James Smyth, Brian Kennedy and Aiden Grant.
In 1st place with a 61.3 nett: Sean Aylward, David Simmons and, not his first time in the winners enclosure and certainly wont be his last, team captain Paul Kenrick.
We would like to thank Callan Golf Club and complement them on their marvellous course. A special thanks to the Club House staff for providing such an excellent menu on the day. Our next outing is Sunday, September 7th at West Waterford.

PROGRESSIVE 25 RESULTS
The results of the Progress 25 Card Game played on 1st August are as follows: Winners on 13 games: Ann and Richie Nevin. Runners up on 10 games: Chris Colville and Sean Walsh. Rubber Finals Winners: Hannie Leahy and Mick Phelan, Jo Ryan and Sheila Hall, J.J. and Willie O'Connor. Tickets: Pat O'Dwyer, Gus Neville Phyllis Murray and Brigid Hayes. Next game in Fethard Ballroom on Friday 8th August at 8.45 sharp.

KILLUSTY CHURCH
Over the last few months a number of badly needed but worthwhile renovations have taken place in The Sacred Heart Church, Killusty. They started with the replacement of the aisle floors and the dry lining of the Sacred Heart aisle. Then there were alterations to the porch and more recently, the cleaning and painting of the interior of the church. Added to that you have the new sanctuary lamp and of course the excellent job completed on the Stations of the Cross. To add to the work on the church our Parish Priest, Fr Tom Breen, came across a few pieces of paper which might be of interest, particularly to people associated with Killusty Church. They were handed to the parish by Dean Lee, now retired, and former Parish Priest of Fethard and Killusty. The papers were found in the Belfry of Killusty Church when it was taken down on March 26th, 1936. The papers tell us that the work commenced on the building of the church in May 1881, a Mr James Newstead, Fermoy being the contractor, and M.A. Doolan of Dublin the Architect. The turret in which the pieces of paper were found was built by Mr James Drysdale of Fethard in May 1882. The amount which the Church cost being close to £2,000. The Most Rev Dr Croke, Archbishop of Cashel, subscribed £120 at the commencement of the work. The church was officially opened in 1882.
The notes were written by a Mr Thomas Meagher teacher of Killusty National School and placed in the turret by James Drysdale on this 3rd day of May 1882. We join with Fr Breen PP. in offering our sincere thanks to Dean Lee for taking good care of the papers and passing them on to the parish.

LEGION OF MARY
The Legion of Mary members request parishioners to seriously consider joining their group. They need assistance in performing the works of the Apostolate. If your are interested, please approach any of the present members or give your name to any of the priests in the parish. Please let the Legion members know if you cannot get one of the Catholic papers each week. They also need help in distributing the "Alive" paper each month.

SENIOR CITIZENS
We held our summer outing on the 3rd June. The bus was full to capacity when we left the square at 11am, in the rain. As it was a mystery tour we had no idea where we were going. We arrived at Clonea. It was a great change to see the strand shrouded in mist. We had a lovely dinner in the Strand Hotel which is very modern now. After the meal we continued on our mystery tour. We had sunshine all the way to Youghal which was our destination. There were lots to see and do in Youghal. Some of our group found Perks Amusements, many more toured the shops and some went sight seeing. As evening approached we all gathered at the Walter Raleigh Hotel where we had high tea with all kinds of everything in the food line. After tea we boarded the bus for home. We had a singsong on the way and arrived back at 9pm. All agreed it was a lovely outing and many thanks to our wonderful organising committee.

COTTAGE FOR RENT (from October)

A very romantic two-storey traditional cottage on circa 2 acres located at the foot of Slievenamon in a picturesque rural setting in south Tipperary. The cottage has been fully restored and includes all mod cons. Enjoy a quiet, peaceful, traffic free setting yet offering easy access to the towns of Fethard and Clonmel. This delightful cottage has been modernised to an incredible standard and really does represent the ultimate on country living for people who want something just that little bit different. Accommodation Briefly: Entrance Porch, Kitchen, Living Room, Bathroom and two Bedrooms.

RECENT WEDDINGS
The wedding took place at Killusty Church on July 31st of Philip Ryan, Killenaule, to Ms Sheila Hackett, Co. Clare.
The wedding took place at Fethard Parish Church on August 1st of Michelle, daughter of Mr Pat and Mrs Mary Butler, London and Garrinch, Fethard, to Mr John Roche, Cork.
The wedding took place at Fethard Parish Church on August 1st of Linda, daughter of Mr Bill and the late Mrs Mary Sayers, St. Patrick’s Place, Fethard, to Mr Declan Burgess, Lisronagh.

THE POWER OF THE PRESS
Following last week's article, we have located the Gibson Cup and also some further information on Fethard Cricket at Derryluskin. The Gibson Cup was in the safe keeping of Roger Daly who captained the last Fethard team to win the cup in 1997. The cup has not been competed for since.
Mrs Elsie O’Dwyer, Coolmoyne, informs us that cricket was played at Derryluskin some years to its temporary revival in the thirties. Teams representing the Fethard and Cahir Military Barracks played local teams there some 20-25 years previously.
We also have the following rather amusing story from two sources of the thirties period. The late Mick Hayes, Coolmoyne, a classy defender of Coolmoyne hurling teams of that time, was invited by Mr Rice to try his hand at cricket. Mick must have made a fair hand of the game as he was asked to play on a Fethard team against Cashel. Mick replied, “I’m sorry to have to disappoint you Mr Rice, but the fact is, if word got around I had appeared dressed in cricket flannels, I could never show my face in Coolmoyne again!”

DIED IN ENGLAND
The death has occurred recently in England of Mrs Kitty Sparks, formerly Kitty Murphy, Knockelly, Fethard. Interment took place in England.

FAMILY’S 30-YEAR ANGUISH ENDS
The thirty-year anguish of a Fethard family came to an end when an inquest into the death of one of the victims of the "forgotten" Dublin bombing was reopened on Friday 25th July.
The family of thirty year old CIE bus driver George Bradshaw, who was killed in a bomb blast in Sackville Place, Dublin in December 1972, have welcomed the re-opening of his inquest after a thirty year wait.
On an emotional day for members of the Bradshaw family, the inquest into the death of George Bradshaw was reopened along with inquests into the deaths of two other CIE workers killed in separate bomb blasts in Dublin in the early seventies. READ REPORT FROM 'THE NATIONALIST'

ANNUAL NEWSLETTER
If you have any photographs or ideas for articles for inclusion in this years Annual Emigrants Newsletter please start getting them together now. Work on compiling this year’s issue will commence shortly and we invite you to submit your articles to Joe Kenny, Rocklow Road, Fethard.

DAY CARE CENTRE
Senior Citizens wishing to attend Fethard & District Day Care Centre should give their names to the local public health nurse or contact the Day Care Centre Supervisor, Geraldine McCarthy for further details, at the Tirry Centre, Barrack Street, Fethard. Tel: 052 32917. The Day Care Centre caters for the elderly from Fethard, Killusty, Cloneen, Drangan, Killenaule, Moyglass and Ballinure.

TIDY TOWNS GARDEN COMPETITION

OVERALL WINNERS

• Best Business Premises: Post Office
• Best Baskets: Bill Maher
• Best Window Boxes: Esther McCormack
• Best Large Garden: Eileen & M.C. Maher
• Best Overall Area: Strylea
  

AREA WINNERS

• Knockbrack / Spitalfield / Mockler’s Terrace: Martina & Donal Lonergan
• The Valley / Watergate: Nora Lawrence
• Kerry St / Congress Tce / Red City: Madge & Jimmy Hurley
• Cashel Road: Irene & Noel Sharpe
• Main St / Rocklow Road / Cois Falla: No 3 Stephanie Moore
• Burke St / Abbey Road: Mrs. Nora Harrington
• The Green / Barrack St: Mary Carroll & Chris Mackey
• Fr. Tirry Park / Canon Hayes Court: 1st Biddy Hannigan, 2nd John Tobin
• St. Patrick's Place: 1st Kathleen Coen, 2nd Annie Ryan
• Slievenamon Close: Maura Tynan & Tony Morga
• Strylea / Cedar Grove: Majella & Eamon Drea
  
• Woodvale Walk: 1st Patricia & Jim O'Meara (No 49), 2nd Sharon Burke (No 65)
  

DIED RECENTLY

We record the death of John Bourke, Tullamaine, who died on Monday 28th July. Remains left McCarthy's Funeral Parlour at 7pm on Wednesday 30th July for Holy Trinity Parish Church Fethard. Burial took place at St. Cormack's Cemetery, Cashel, following 11am Mass on Thursday.

WHERE IS THE 'GIBSON CUP'
Winners of the Gibson Cup Tennis Tournament played at Fethard GAA Sports Complex on 10th August 1997 are the Fethard ‘B’ team who were the overall winners. L to R: Gwen Cooke, Roger Daly (captain), Davy Morrissey and Helen Morrissey.

Winners of 1986 Gibson Cup. Back: Pat Culligan, David Keane, Anthony Hayes, David Morrissey. Front: Caroline Looby, Majella Morrissey, Ann O’Riordan-Walsh, Mildred Lawlor.

Where is the ‘Gibson Cup’? This trophy is the oldest one-day competition cup in Munster. The cup originated in Kilsheelan when it was presented to Kilsheelan Tennis Club in the mid nineteen thirties by Mr Gibson, a Dublin jeweller, who annually spent a fishing holiday in Kilsheelan. The cup was won outright by Fethard Club years ago. In more recent years, Fethard teams have also won the cup many time at finals played at the tennis courts in Fethard Sports Centre.
Fethard had a most successful season in 1959. They won the Father Power Cup at Cahir for the second year in succession also won out their own Gibson Cup at Fethard. The following were the teams; Mrs. B. Holohan, Misses Mary Goldsbrough, D. Schofield, O. Schofield, Carmel Brett, Marie McCarthy. James McCarthy, Donal O’Sullivan, Richard Willis, Pierce O’Flynn. Pongo was played every Sunday night to pay for new pavilion in the Club at Burke Street.

Fethard 'A' Tennis Team in 1951. Back L to R: Sean Henehan, Andy Holohan, Jimmy McCathy, Sean Hogan. Front L to R: Pat Walsh, Mary Goldsborough, Carmel Whyte and Betty (O'Donnell) Holohan.

Sean Henehan, at present a resident in St. Patrick’s Hospital Cashel, was enquiring on a recent visit as to the whereabouts of the trophy. Sean, an outstanding rackets player, tennis and badminton, figured on no less than eight winning Fethard Gibson Cup winning teams. He is also the only survivor of these great Fethard tennis teams of the forties and fifties.
What a great gesture it would be if we could locate the cup, take it over to Cashel for Sean to see, and so help him to revive many old and happy memories of his tennis years with the Fethard Club.

Tennis Courts at Coffey's Burke Street in the 1950s. Notice the old lawn roller in the background.