Time for change — the Irish way

Lucy Carrigan, formerly from Clonacody, Fethard, is a freelance journalist & photographer living in New York. Lucy was very impressed with the recent Barack Obama campaign after attending 'Camp Obama' where volunteers gathered together in a hall in Brooklyn for two days of intensive instruction on how to be most effective in the final seven weeks before the general election.
Most of the volunteers for the Obama Campaign were asked to explain why, in two minutes or less, they supported the Senator from Illinois with the funny name. When it finally came to Lucy’s turn, she gave the following reasons.
“The reason I support Barack Obama for president is because I am from Ireland. I said that growing up in Ireland had instilled in me a sense of fairness. That there is a right way to do things, and a wrong way to do things, I don't know if it was the Catholic Education - the nuns' sharp discipline - or, in my own family, the insistence on honesty, generosity, kindness and consideration for others above all else, but there was something that resonated with me about Barack Obama's message.
He got it.
He understood that government does need to play a role in helping people get ahead, in providing the tools, the access to education, affordable healthcare. And while he is proud to be an American, it is not the kind of pride that is perceived as arrogance in a foreign land. Ultimately, I said, this was a great chance for America. The difference between the two candidates was stark. We were making a decision about the direction in which we would like this country to go.
Did we want - and it was a phrase repeated over and over on the campaign trail - 'four more years of failed Bush policies' or did we want change - a new kind of change. Real, tangible change. And that is why I was supporting Barack Obama.”
Lucy’s full article is published on the RTE website at the following link: READ FULL ARTICLE
Fethard's Internet Café

Fethard’s only Internet Café, recently opened at the Tirry Community Centre in Barrack Street, is offering students from local schools a special half-price rate of €1.50 per hour to use the facility. You can also create a user account at the centre which will enable customers to use the amount of time needed and come back another time to use the balance.
The Internet Café is also an ideal place for parents to keep in contact with their loved ones away from home via email. If anyone is interested in learning how to use the internet and email please give their names to Joan at the Community Office Tel: 052 31000.
At the moment the Internet Café is open on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 12 noon to 4.30pm. It is planned to extend the service in the future.
Fethard & Killusty Community Lotto
Fethard & Killusty Community Lotto is now back after the Christmas break. Tickets are available in local shops and your support is very much appreciated by Fethard & Killusty Community Council and, indeed, by all the recipients of funding from the Community Lotto made possible by your generous support every week.
Emigrants Newsletter posted to emigrants

Newsletter team who helped with packing and postage Back L to R: Brendan Kenny, Jessica Conran, Tina Conran, Shamie Hickey, Aaron Conran, Rory Walsh, Johnny Burke, Brud Roche. Front L to R: Patricia Fitzgerald, Margaret O'Donnell, Monica Hickey and Daniel Hickey. Also included was Gráinne Prendergast.
The Fethard & Killusty Emigrants Newsletter was posted last week to almost 1,000 emigrants from the parish of Fethard & Killusty. We take this opportunity to thank all the volunteers who helped address and stamp the envelopes and prepared the newsletter for posting. The job was completed very fast in a few hours thanks to the many hands available on the night.
We also thank all those who supplied articles and photographs for this issue which, we understand, is very nearly sold out in local shops. We again invite those considering to write articles for the next issue to strike now while the iron is hot and put pen to paper straight away.
Thanks also to Carmel Rice for looking after correspondence and donations and to Gemma Burke for proofreading.
Sister(s) Act
In winning an All-Ireland Senior B Schools Volleyball medal with Fethard Patrician Presentation Secondary School Volleyball team Sarah Conway continued the remarkable record of the six Conway sisters in winning All-Ireland Schools and Community Games Volleyball competitions.
Eldest sister Rebecca (Bradshaw) and Mandy (Daniels) set the ball rolling in winning Silver medals in the 1985 Community Games Volleyball finals. This was followed by Mandy and Jackie (Findlater) winning further runners-up medals in 1987 with Audrey doing the same in 1997 and Sarah in 2005 and 2006.
The Conway girls were also to the fore in All-Ireland Schools competitions with Mandy and Jackie winning Gold in 1986 and 1987, Fiona winning Silver in 1996 followed by Audrey and Sarah, coming home with Gold in 1997 and 2008 respectively.
Daughters of Mike and Breda Conway, St. Patrick’s Place, the six Conway girls have a truly remarkable record and one which is most unlikely to be equalled. What a pity that players such as the Conway sisters who were coached and who played to such a high standard are lost to the game once they leave school.
Star of the 2008 winning team and ‘player of the competition’ award was Louisa Lima, São Paulo, a Brazilian student in Fethard. Louisa stated that she was amazed and delighted to find that volleyball was of such a high standard in Ireland. She further said that she has been playing volleyball in Brazil since she was seven years old and that ladies volleyball is something of a National sport in Brazil.
Enjoying the cold weather

Enjoying the nice fine New Year's weather in Fethard are L to R: Sarah Mullins, Nellie Donovan and Margaret Smith.
Fethard Macra News
Fethard Macra is looking forward to a great line up of events for ’09. This will kick off with the first round of the public speaking competition taking place in Dungarvan on Saturday, 10th January. South Tipperary will be represented by Fethard Macra members Michael Moclair, Edmund Horan and David Fanning. All in Fethard Macra would like to thank Martha Sheehan for all her help in preparing the team for the competition.
Following on from the great success of our soccer league we are currently organising a volleyball league. Anybody interested in participating contact any club member. We are also looking for budding actors and actresses in the Fethard area as we will be shortly casting for the play which we will be entering into the national drama competition.
Our next meeting will take place in Butlers Bar on Friday, 16th January, at 9pm. For further information contact 087-9019443 or email fethardmacra@gmail.com.
Died Recently
The death has occurred of Mr Danny McManus, Woodvale Walk, Fethard. Interment took place in Calvary Cemetery.
Driving in the New Year

Slievenamon Golf Club Captains, Ian Gough and Mary Kenrick, about to "Drive In" for their year in office at Slievenamon Golf Club. Photo taken on New Year's Day
Hunting News
Another large Christmas season field of one-hundred and eleven mounted followers turned out to greet the Tipperary Foxhounds at their Ballydine meet on Monday 29th December. Drawing Mr Peter Curling’s blank they moved to Slatefield where they found. This fox, following a short run back towards Ballydine got to ground. From Mr Joe Ryan’s hounds had a very fast thirty minutes run. Finding in Slatefield Bog they ran a very fast right-handed circle. Racing to the Ardmayle / Ballydine road they ran right-handed. The large field was even by now very well strung out. The fox was probably headed back in the bog and running towards the Cashel / Knockavilla road they lost him. Monday concluded with a run down to the Suir-side in Longfield.
The Childrens’ Meet at Grove on Wednesday drew yet again a huge number of mounted and car followers. A run from near Grove House gave children of all ages a good gallop and some good jumping over the hunter-trial fences. They ran to Kilmaclough, back to Grove entrance gate, across the Fethard road to Grove Wood. Straight through here they hunted out on the top and over almost to the Fethard / Clonmel Road where they lost him. They finished the day with a short run through the Deerpark across the Boreen to Tullow where they lost him.
A fox from Ballybough Road railway bridge for their New Years Day meet at Fethard ran almost the same route as one found there by the White Heather Harriers. Towards the Killenaule road he crossed the Ballybough road and ran straight to Strylea near Mr. John Halley’s Veterinary Hospital and to ground. Drawing Nevilles’ Fort near Dr. Condon’s residence hounds ran a most unusual route. To McCarthy’s Bog by the Fethard / Moyglass road they hunted strongly to the Cashel Road which they crossed. To Barrettstown Castle Charlie turned left-handed running to Redcity and to ground in O’Shea’s Fort. Hacking back to Rocklow they found here, hunted to Crean’s Grove and back to the covert. The day concluded with a run from Powers Wood. Hounds were away on very good terms with a real flyer of a fox. Looking like as if he was going forever Charlie had other ideas. Swinging right-handed short of the Mobarnane road he ran to Ballyvaden Fort, formerly Ms. Janet Barbour’s, where he got to ground. Ardsallagh did not hold, bringing a most enjoyable day to a close.
From Thomastown on Saturday another good days hunting ensued with one run of over one hour being enjoyed. Home was blown at 3 o’clock as by then the field had more than enough.
Fethard ICA News
As we start into the New Year, we hope that all had a very happy and enjoyable Christmas and with the wish for a good year ahead for all. Our meeting for January takes place on Tuesday next 13th January, at the earlier time of 7.30pm. We hope that all our members will be able to attend, as our Federation President, Mrs Anne O'Connell, is coming to meet the members of the guild. The ‘Green Group’ are in charge of catering this month.
Low Impact Aerobics
Aerobics classes, low impact with body conditioning, starts on Tuesday 20th January from 7pm to 8pm at Mullinahone Community Centre. Fee is €7 per class. Beginners very welcome. Join up on any Tuesday and tone for the summer!
For further information contact Esther at Tel: 086 8960369. Wishing all my customers a very healthy fit 2009.
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