Historical Society guided tour of Kells and Kilree
Fethard Historical Society have organised a Guided Tour of Kells and Kilree for this Friday evening, 1st July, departing from the Town Hall at 7pm, and returning to Fethard at approximately 11.30pm.  The tour, led by our guide, Colm McGrath, will visit the Augustinian Priory, Kells, and the Irish Monastic Settlement at Kilree.  We will stop for tea and sandwiches in Callan on the way home.  The cost for the trip is €16, which includes refreshments in Callan.  All are welcome, members and non-members, and booking is by phone to Dóirín Saurus Tel: 052 31936, or Mary Hanrahan Tel: 087 9009722.

The Historical Society held their Annual General Meeting on Tuesday 26th April in the Abymill Theatre and the following committee was elected: Dóirín Saurus (Chairperson), Mary Hanrahan (Vice-Chairperson), Margaret Newport (Secretary), Peter Delaney (Assistant Secretary), Catherine O’Flynn (Treasurer), Terry Cunningham (Public Relations Officer), Kitty Delany, Tim Robinson, Marie O’Donnell, Ann Lynch, Colm McGrath and Diana Stokes.

Membership fees are now due, Individuals €7; Family Membership €10; OAPs, Unwaged and Students €5.  Please contact our treasurer, Mrs Catherine O’Flynn, Knockelly, Fethard.

Bridge Bar Golf Society Outing
The next outing for the Bridge Bar Golf Society will take place on Friday 1st July to West Waterford Golf Club.  Tee-off times are from 4pm to 5.15pm.  All members intending to travel are requested to notify Martin Burke at Tel: 052 31142 as soon as possible.

Art Exhibition at Clonmel Library
An exhibition of oil paintings and watercolours by Sue Perry and Rosemary Ponsonby will take place in Clonmel Library from July 4th to July 9th.  Sue has being painting in oils for many years and has exhibitions of her work in Limerick, Abbeyleix and Clonmel.  She follows from a long line of artists in her family, one of whom was Lilla Perry, a well-known artist from the 1920s and 1930s.

The official opening of the exhibition takes place on July 4th at 7.30pm and both artists extend an open invitation to all.  So please come along, all are welcome.

Fethard Juvenile GAA Club
Training will take place on this Saturday for under-6s only from 3pm to 4pm.  Under-8s and Under-10s will be playing Ballingarry away and the bus will leave the GAA field at 1.30pm. 

Our Under-12s played two games last week, beating Killenaule in one, and then being well beaten by Clonmel Óg in the other.  With six games left the team will need a big improvement if they are to make the semifinal stage.  Upcoming fixtures are for Thursday 30th June, at home to Ballybacon; on Wednesday 13th July, away to St. Patricks; and on Saturday 16th July, at home to Carrick Davins.

At long last the Under-14 fixtures arrived and the lads will have eight games.  The first three games are on 4th July, at home to Killenaule; on 7th July, away to Carrick Swan; and on 11th July, at home to Carrick Davins.  The best of luck to all involved.

Our Under-16s will have five games but no dates available yet.  It starts in three weeks with the first three games at home to St. Patricks; at home to Clonmel Óg; and away to Cahir.

All players are asked to give our Club Secretary a mobile contact number as the committee are trying to set up a group text scheme for each team, which will make contacting players a lot easier.

Anyone wanting club jerseys should contact the Club Secretary as our order will be sent in soon.  All Summer Camp forms should also be returned as soon as possible.

Well done to Commercials on winning the Under-12 county football final and, finally, best of luck to the Fethard senior team who play Ardfinnan in the South Championship on Sunday.  Hoping to see all our juveniles in Clonmel to cheer the seniors on.

Abymill Theatre AGM
The Annual General Meeting of the Abymill Theatre took place on Thursday 23rd June in the Abymill Theatre and the following Board of Directors were elected: Austin O’Flynn (Administrator), Joe Kenny (Chairman), Marian Gilpin (Secretary), Agnes Evans (Treasurer), Michael McCarthy, Noelle O’Dwyer, Eileen Maher, Jimmy O’Shea, Vincent Murphy, Mary McCormack, Bernard Walsh and Carmel Rice.

Fethard GAA Club News
The Senior Football South Championship continues on this Sunday, 3rd July, when Fethard play Ardfinnan in Clonmel at 2pm before the replay of the South senior hurling semifinal.

The result of the Minor Hurling B game played in Ned Hall Park on Friday 24th June was Fethard 1-6 (0-3), Ballybacon Grange 5-15 (3-4).  Fethard team was: Jason Lawrence, Declan Doyle, Niall Hayes, Connie O’Flynn, Stephen O’Meara, William O’Brien, Peter Gough, Liam Ryan 0-1, James Smyth 0-1, Dean Tobin 0-1, John Leahy 0-2, David Prout, Alan O’Connor 1-1, James Curran and Adrian Lawrence.  Subs used were: Richard Gorey, James Kelly and Eoin Condon. The next game is against Davins on this coming Friday 1st July, in Monroe at 8pm.

In the Junior B Hurling game, played in Fethard on Saturday 25th June, the result was Fethard 0-8 (0-7), Ballybacon Grange 1-12 (1-7).  Team was: Paddy Cooney, Kevin Coffey, Diarmuid Burke, Darragh Corbett, Gavin Aherne, William O’Brien 0-3 (F), Peter Gough, Gabriel Horan 0-1, Glen O’Meara, John Leahy 0-2, John Hanrahan 0-1, John Noonan 0-1, Daniel Lonergan, Paul Kenrick, and Philly Prout.  Subs used were: Kenneth Sheehan and M. J. Croke. The next game will be played on Wednesday 29th June in Cloneen against Killenaule at 8pm.

The Junior A Football has started and  Fethard had a bye in the first round.  Our first game will be against Ballylooby / Castlegrace,. We also await the semifinal of the Minor B Football against Mullinahone and the next round of Intermediate Hurling against Carrick Davins.

Our Lotto Jackpot of €1,700 was not won.  The numbers drawn in the Fethard Arms were 1, 10, 11 and 14.  We had no match three winners so five Lucky Dips were drawn and the following won €30 each: Mary Godfrey (Derryluskin), Bob Maher (Barrack St), Rena Sheehan (Elm Park), Tossie Lawton (St Patrick’s Place), and Anthony Leo (c/o Bob Fitzgeralds Clonmel).  The €50 Lucky Dip going to Catherine Kearney (The Green).

Killusty Pony Show
Final preparations are in hand for this week’s forty-second Killusty Pony Show.  The catalogue is heading to the printers.  The fences are in situ waiting for the course designer, Tony Ennis, to direct the volunteers on Wednesday night, and the weather reports are being scanned anxiously.

Entries for the show, which is held on Saturday the 2nd July at Claremore, Killusty, are slightly back on last year’s record levels, but, as quite a few competitors come only for the Performance Working Hunter, or the equitation classes, which can be entered on the day, a final total cannot be predicted.

It is hoped to have a ring dedicated to the Fancy Dress and the Dog Show so that these ever-popular events can commence at 2 pm.  Spectators are more than welcome as usual. The Committee would like to take this opportunity to thank their longstanding sponsors and the many volunteers who have faithfully lent a hand over the years.  The Civil Defence ambulance, doctors, stewards, announcers et al, with their cheerful and efficient service go to making Killusty an Annual Success.

Ecuadorian Mission Appeal
This appeal to help the Ecuadorian Mission stems directly from a recent trip by Fr Gerry Horan OSA to Ecuador during which he visited the Irish Augustinian missionaries and viewed their work.

The economic and social conditions in their particular area are poor to an extent that he could never have imagined. The response of the Irish Augustinians - with the support of the folks here at home - has been absolutely incredible.

In the past number of years a complete hospital and a large clinic, along with almost 200 houses have been built. The hospital and clinic provide essential health care, while the houses have removed people from disease-prone swamplands.

Of all the great work being done, the project, which most caught Fr Gerry’s attention, was the feeding of 100 local children every day from Monday to Friday. Were it not for this particular initiative, most of these children would be malnourished. The cost of the programme is about €150 per month or €1,800 per annum.

Fr Gerry’s hope is that we might adopt this particular project and commit to financing it for the next four or five years. This appeal for assistance carries the guarantee that every single cent contributed will go directly to finance the feeding of the children.

To assist our friends in Ecuador the Jubilee 700 Committee is organising a Golf Classic and Raffle at Slievenamon Golf Club on Friday 22nd July 2005. To sponsor a team (Three Ball Scramble) the price is €60; Sponsor a Full Hole (Tee and Green) for €100; or either a Green or Tee for €50.  Contact Fr. Gerry Horan OSA, Augustinian Abbey, Fethard, or Agnes Evans, Congress Terrace, Fethard. A raffle has also been organised in conjunction with The Golf classic. Tickets are €3 each and are available from members of the Abbey Centenary committee. Raffle prizes are photographed and on view in the Abbey porch. Thank you most sincerely for your support, which is very greatly appreciated.

Junction Festival Clonmel — July 2nd-10th
Clonmel Junction Festival, set up in 2001 by David Teevan, is a seven-day feast of art, music and theatre.  The Junction Festival transforms and animates the town of Clonmel with hand-painted banners and flags, daily street theatre and free live music events, and over 50 performances by top class Irish and International music and theatre acts.

To download a PDF (1.6mb) of the full programme of events, Click DOWNLOAD PROGRAMME or to visit the Junction Festival Website Click VISIT WEBSITE

Died Recently
The death has occurred of Matt Millett, who died on Wednesday 22nd June. Matt was the former owner of The Castle Inn and promoted great folk and Irish traditional music sessions in the 1970s and 1980s. He will always be remembered for his friendly and understanding attitude to the youth of Fethard at that time. Interment took place in Calvary Cemetery on Friday 24th June.

Gerry's Looking Good!

Gerry Nevin, New York, would like to thank everyone who telephoned, sent Mass cards and get well cards during his recent illness. He's now nearing the end of his treatment and hopes to get the 'all clear' soon. Gerry is photographed above sporting another of his many 'bald heads', that his friends at home and away will well remember. We wish Gerry and Sylvia the very best from everyone in Fethard and look forward to seeing them both very soon.

Fethard & Killusty Community Lotto
The numbers drawn on Tuesday 21st June were: 6, 9, 27 and 30. There was no Jackpot winner and two ‘Match 3’ winners who received €75 each:
P.J. Nagle, c/o Group Homes, Fethard
Niall Connolly, c/o Eileen Connolly.
The three €50 Lucky Dip winners were:
Carina Condon, 1 Kilnockin View, Fethard
Liam O'Sullivan, Perryville, Fethard
Michael Allen Jnr. 14 St. Patricks Place, Fethard.
Next weeks Jackpot remains at €10,000 and the Jackpot sellers prize is €1,000.