Tragic Accident
Fethard town woke on Monday morning, 18th July, to the sad news that Michael Shine (Jnr.) had been tragically killed in a motorbike accident during the night.  Michael’s remains were removed from McCarthy’s Funeral Home to the Parish Church on Tuesday night. He was buried in Calvary Cemetery following Requiem Mass on Wednesday July 20th.  Sincerest sympathy is extended to his family and friends.

Flower Festival
The Church of Ireland Community in Fethard are holding a ‘Flower Festival: Fethard Through the Ages’ in aid of Restoration Work on the Holy Trinity Church of Ireland.  On Friday 22nd July there will be a short Church Service at 6pm to open the Flower Festival. Light refreshments will be served afterwards and the Church will be open to view the flowers until 9pm.   On Saturday July 23rd the Church will be open from 2 to 6pm and teas will be served in the Church grounds.  On Sunday the Church will be open from 2 – 6pm and teas will be available.   There will also be a ‘Walking Tour of Fethard’ organised by the Historical Society.  This will be delivered by Mary Hanrahan and will commence from the Church Grounds at 3pm.  There will be a selection of Craft Stalls and Demonstrations in the Church Grounds all afternoon.

The Festival will conclude with a Holy Communion Service in the Church at 6pm conducted by the Bishop.  Everyone is welcome to attend. We have a lot of local helpers and many local flower clubs are participating in the Festival, which is being kindly sponsored by Coolmore Stud.  This should be an event well worth visiting and supporting.

Teenagers – We Need Your Opinion
Fethard and Killusty Community Council in their ongoing effort to establish a Youth Facility in Fethard would like to hear the views of teenagers in the town.  We would like to invite boys and girls aged between 12 and 17 to attend the Tirry Centre on Tuesday next July 26th at 3pm where staff members from Tipperary Institute will be in attendance to hear what you have to say.  Please make an effort to come along (and bring your friends) as your ideas are necessary to help us decide what is the best thing to do.  If you cannot make it on the day but are interested in contributing your opinion please contact Edwina Newport or the Community Office (Tel: 052 31000) for further information.

Fethard & Killusty Community Lotto
The numbers drawn on Tuesday 12th July were: 6, 10, 11 and 22. There was no Jackpot winner and one ‘Match 3’ winner who received €150:
Thelma Griffith, Crampscastle.
The three €50 Lucky Dip winners were:
Tom Ryan, c/o Nellie Ryan, St. Patricks Place, Fethard
Kitty Delaney, Parsons Hill, Fethard
Seamus Moloney, 7 Fr. Tirry Park, Fethard.
Next weeks Jackpot remains at €10,000 and the Jackpot sellers prize is €1,000.

Fethard Historical Society
The Historical Society is joining in supporting the Flower Festival in aid of Old Holy Trinity Church, which is in existence now for over 800 years. Furthermore it is still in use as the regular parish church by The Church of Ireland community and this continuous use as a place of worship for such a long time makes it very unusual indeed.

On Saturday, at 3pm, Mary Hanrahan of the Society will lead a guided walkabout around the Medieval Town, beginning at the Town Hall. Visitors to the area, especially, should be informed that this guided tour is taking place.

On Sunday, from 2pm to 5 pm the Society is organising a Local Crafts Corner in the grounds of Holy Trinity. That will include display of rushwork, a pottery workshop for children, woodcarving, face-painting and other stalls.

All in all, the Flower Festival should prove to be a relaxed family day out in a truly historic setting, the likes of which does not exist anywhere else in Ireland.

Killusty Soccer Club
The Annual General Meeting was held on Thursday 14th July last.  The following officers were elected:
President: Bob Maher
Chairman: Tony Shelley
Treasurer: Emma Fitzgerald
Secretary: Sarah Shelley
PRO: Kevin Ryan
Team Manager: Chris Coen.
Committee: Sean Aylward, Louis Coen, Ronan Maher, Sharon O’Meara, Martin Coen, Karl Maher, Shay Coen and Colm Coen.

With the new season fast approaching, a good turnout is expected for training this commenced on Wednesday last, July 20th, at 7.30pm.

Thank You
The support group for the South Tipperary Hospice wish to thank most sincerely all who contributed to the Annual Collection on the weekend of July 9th and 10th.  The amount collected was a record  1901 and the people of Fethard, Killusty and Moyglass have once again showed their amazing generosity to this most worthy cause.  Thank you all.

Tally-Ho!
Cyril Smyth and Des McCheane’s new book ‘An Irish Hunting Scrapbook’ is now on sale locally. This publication captures the atmosphere, the craic and the banter that makes hunting in Ireland unique.  Those who cherish the countryside and who like to watch hounds work will easily identify with this book.  In story and pictures, enlivened by amusing illustrations by local man Tim Corballis, ‘An Irish Hunting Scrapbook’ pays tribute to those who have worked in hunting field and kennel to create fond memories for all who have ever enjoyed a day’s hunting in Ireland. The book contains many hunting anecdotes, funny, not so funny, serious and informative.  The hunting sayings of many of local followers, mounted and foot, are priceless.

Work Wanted
Three people arrived into town last week looking for jobs.  All three had lost their jobs as a direct consequence of the hunting ban in England.  They were grooms in a large stable yard which closed down when the ban came into force.  All three have spent their working lives around horses, and as they wish to remain in the horse industry, they came to Ireland to look for any kind of equestrian job.  Locals gave them names and addresses of every potential employer with horses in the area and they went off to check them out.  They left their CV’s in town if anybody is interested in interviewing them for a job.  Contact news@fethard.com for more information.
(N. Gawe)

On Yer Bike!
A few local cycling enthusiasts intend to establish an adult Cycling for Leisure and Pleasure Club in Fethard.  Any local cyclists interested are asked to meet at the Car Park opposite the Ballroom on Tuesday and Friday nights at 8pm.  Joe Keane, one of the organisers, says, “we will see how many are interested and take it from there”.

Rare Animal
A local nature lover was more than surprised to notice an Albino hedgehog killed on the Fethard/Cloneen road during the past week.  What a pity that this animal, probably one of Irelands rarest freaks of nature, should become a road casualty.

Recent Deaths
The death has occurred of Mrs. Frances Gleeson, Thurles, formerly Frances ‘Fanny’ Walsh, St. Patrick’s Place, Fethard.  Interment took place in Thurles.

The death has occurred in Naas, Co. Kildare of Mrs. Mai Fagan, formerly Mai Strappe, Drumdeel, Fethard.  Interment took place in Naas.

The death has occurred of Mrs. Peggy Delaney, Bray, formerly Peg Conway, Coleman, Fethard. Interment took place in Bray.

Freak Accident on Main Street
A number of people witnessed an unusual accident in Fethard last Saturday.  A high trailer load of straw caught the telephone wires that stretch from the front of the AIB to a telegraph pole outside Holy Trinity Church.  The driver didn’t notice the incident and kept going, leaving the wires hanging a few feet lower across the street.  The next load would pull the wires off completely, so local contacted the Gardai and flagged down the next driver and diverted the high loads around the town via the Valley.

An hour later an articulated truck came through the town from the opposite direction.  The top of the trailer caught the stretched wires.  The force of the impact tore the pole which held them for the ground.  Passers by saw the pole fly through the air, over the heads of a couple that were standing outside the Town Hall, clearing a line of parked cars and landing on the road beside the truck.  Fortunately nobody was hurt and not a car was scratched in what could have been a very serious accident. 
(N Gawe)

Juvenile GAA
Fethard under-6s, under-8s and under-10s played St. Patricks on Friday 15th July (full match reports next week). Training continues every Saturday from 3pm to 4pm and all are welcome. Our next game is against Carrick Swans in Fethard on Saturday 30th July. We have a back-log of hurling games to be played, these will be scheduled for the coming weeks and arrangements will be announced at training.

In the last week our under-12s defeated St. Patricks and were awarded a walkover by Carrick Davins. Our next games are as follows: Saturday 23rd (home) v Mullinahone and Saturday 30th (home) v Kilsheelan.  We hope to continue our good form to guarantee us a place in the semifinal.

The under-14s were defeated by a very strong Ballylooby team on Thursday 14th. With four games played — two won, two lost — we will need to improve to retain the title which we won last year.

The start of the Under-16 Championship is just one week away.  The team are looking sharp and with a bit of luck they will get some good results in a very strong competition.  Congratulations to our members who played with the South Tipperary School of Excellence last weekend: Eoin O’Connell (U14) and Adrian Lawrence, James Kelly, JP McGrath, Dean Tobin and Christopher Sheehan (U15). It was great to see our club so well represented.

Best of luck to the Fethard Minors who play the South semifinal on Thursday 21st July in Cloneen at 7.30pm.  Congratulations to the Fethard players who lined out with the Tipperary football team last week.

The club’s order for jerseys will be sent away next week and anybody interested in ordering one should contact our club Secretary as soon as possible.  The Summer Camp is now just around the corner so get your name in fast, there is a great week in store.

Fethard GAA
Intermediate Hurling game was played on Sunday last in Clonmel.  Fethard were playing second fiddle to a Davins team who shone in all departments when inflicting a heavy defeat on a score line Carrick Davins 5-12 Fethard 1-4.  At half time they lead 3-8 to 0-2, this now leaves us with two points from two games. The next game is against Ballybacon/Grange. Team on Sunday last as follows, Paul Fitzgerald, Shane Walsh, Michael Ryan, Alan Burke, Tomas Keane, Michael Aherne, Michael Carroll, Aiden Fitzgerald, Cian Maher, Jamie McCormack (0-1F), John P Looby, Kenneth O’Donnell, Kieran Treacy (0-1F), Miceál Spillane (1-1) and Philly Croke.  Sub: Brian Coen (0-1) for Philly Croke.

Senior Football South Championship:  Fethard has received a bye into the semifinal to be played on w/e 14th Aug.  On Wednesday 27th July we play Nemo Rangers in Fethard at 8pm in the Munster Club Football League, Well done to Paul Fitzgerald, Damien Byrne and Cian Maher who all gave fine displays against Leitrim in the Tommy Murphy Cup. The quarterfinals against Antrim is fixed for the 6th Aug or 30th July.

Minor South B football semifinal takes place this evening (Thursday 21st) in Cloneen —  Fethard v Mullinahone at 7.30pm.

Minor B Hurling:  After four rounds we are pointless with three rounds to go.  However, our team is improving only going down on Friday last on a scoreline, Fethard 1-11, Clonmel Og 3-7, in Monroe.  Team: Michael Fleming, Stephen O’Meara, Declan Doyle, Ed Sheehan, Niall Hayes, William O’Brien, David Prout, James Smyth, Liam Ryan (0-1), Alan O’Connor (0-7F), John Leahy (0-2), Dean Tobin, Connie O'Flynn, Glen O’Meara (0-1)  and Adrian Lawrence (0-1). Sub: James Kelly.  The next game in this competition is against Skeheenarinka.

Under 21 B Hurling South Championship starts on this Saturday 23rd July in Cloneen.  Fethard V Mullinahone at 7.30pm

Lotto Jackpot €2000 was not won.  We had one match three winner (€150) won by Dolores Cleary (Market Hill, Fethard).  Numbers drawn in The Castle were 6, 19, 22 and 24. One Lucky Dip (€50): Fergus Healy, c/o Rita Doyle (Woodvale Walk).