Died Recently
The death has occurred, on Wednesday 29th July, of Mr Dinny Walsh, aged 84, Knockbrack, Fethard. Reposing at his residence at Knockbrack Fethard on Friday 31st July from 5.30pm. Removal to the Augustinian Friary on Saturday morning for funeral Mass at 11.30. Burial afterwards in Calvary Cemetery

Dinny Walsh photographed at Killusty Show on 4th July this year.

Concert in aid of Trust Charity this Thursday night

Carmina will play a charity fundraiser for Alice Leahy’s Trust Charity in McCarthy’s this Thursday night. If the weather suits, it will be an outdoor event, otherwise it will take place in the bar. Admission to the concert is free, though you will be asked to donate to the donation box for the Trust charity on the night. Any aspiring musicians can come along to McCarthy’s to meet the band for an ‘improvisation workshop’ between 6 and 7pm on this Thursday (tonight).

Rob King, the founder of Carmina, has a special place in his heart for Fethard. About fifteen years ago, Carmina were a band on the up. Their music was receiving regular airplay in both England and Ireland, winning awards and accolades, when suddenly the rug was pulled from under their feet when their record company went bankrupt leaving them with no contract and no apparent future. Rob was living in Dublin at the time. He had to get away from it all, so he left his home, bringing his dog with him, and just drove. At some point he turned off of the main road and ended up in Fethard. He booked in to Clashawley Cottage, then a B&B, and spent the next few days walking the hills, deciding what to do with his life. A lot of Alice’s visitors in Trust have found themselves in similar positions over the years. Thankfully, Rob was able to pick himself back up.

Fifteen years later, the band are on a high. Donal Lunny has been producing their albums as well as guesting on them with saxophonist Richie Buckley from the Van Morrison band. They have recently signed a publishing deal with Peter Gabriel’s Real World Records and have secured a spot at the annual WOMAD concert in Wiltshire.
Members of the band play with David Gilmour and Jethro Tull.

Fethard Public Realm Plan available for download

The Public Realm Plan for the Medieval Walled Town of Fethard was commissioned in the summer of 2007 by the Heritage Council and South Tipperary County Council as part of the town's membership of Irish Walled Town Network.

The Public Realm Plan proposes 15 specific iniatives of varied scale and remit. Individually each project will improve the quality of the town's publicly accessible environment. Combined, they can bring about a significant transformation with long term social, cultural, environmental and economic benefits for the town and its people.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD PDF OF PLAN (9.5mb)

Just listening to the rain!

Abbie Tyllier taking a little shelter from the rain in Fethard last week.

Medieval Festival preparations underway!
This year’s Fethard Medieval Walled Towns Festival, taking place on 22nd & 23rd August, promises to be better than ever. We have music, fun, crafts and games all lined up by the town wall to guarantee hours of family fun and entertainment — so tell your family and friends not to miss it! We invite all children and adults to dress in costume and participate in the ‘Fancy Dress Parade’ taking place at 2pm from the Town Hall on Sunday 23rd August.

Next week we will give full details of our ‘Primary School Workshop’ at Fethard Youth Centre. This will take place in the week prior to the festival. Local artist Pat Looby will supervise the workshop and invite children to make beautiful ‘medieval banners’ which will later be permanently displayed at the Youth Centre. We need lots of Primary School Children from the locality to take part . . . more details next week.

National Heritage Week Photographic Competition

Are you a David Bailey wannabe? Have you got an eagle eye and a steady hand? The National Heritage Week Photo Competition invites you to be part of Heritage Week and to share your best Heritage Week event photos for a chance to win some fantastic prizes! We want you to use your imagination to capture the connection between people, environment and heritage and share your experiences by uploading your Heritage Week event pics.

So bring your camera to Fethard Medieval Walled Town Festival on 22nd & 23rd August and capture the readymade medieval atmosphere.

Coolmoyne and Moyglass Vintage Club Family Day

Alex Cross, Doneskea, driving his Titan tractor, made by International Harvester Corporation, Milwaukee Works.

Wellies were definitely a must-have at last weekend's Family Day of Coolmoyne and Moyglass Vintage Club. But even the lady who wore Crocs still had a most enjoyable afternoon. About a hundred tractors from all over country and a lovely collection of cars, from Cadillacs to Morris Minors, and some beautiful vintage mopeds were on display. The tractors and cars also enjoyed a vintage drive without too much rain.

Wendy Fitzpatrick and daughter Grace, holding their dog 'Bella' who was overall winner in the Coolmoyne & Moyglass Vintage Club’s Dog Show.

The Dog Show, a new addition to the sideshow of this family day, was expertly run by John Smullen, owner of Moyglass Boarding Kennels.
The overall show champion was a 2-year-old Newfoundland called ‘Bella’, owned by Wendy Fitzgerald from Cashel. ‘Bella’ could be a winner at any show in the country, as she is a superb example of her breed. Bella's prize was a weekend away at Moyglass Boarding Kennels, where, like every dog, she will get a VIP treatment in a spacious kennel (15 sq. ft, bigger than most bedrooms). If you want the same for your dog, contact Marian at 087 2150900.


Janneke and Bert Van Dommelen with their dog 'Hopper' at the Coolmoyne & Moyglass Vintage Club’s Family Day held in Moyglass

Dogs varied in all shapes and sizes, from Bichon Frises to a Great Dane. The Dog Show proved to be a great success and will certainly be a part of the show in future family days.

Visitors had great craic with some of the sideshows like quoits (steel ring throwing), tractor balancing (fishing for ducks with a mini digger), coconut shy, the bouncy castle and our hospitality tent with quality home baked products. Even the ice cream van proved popular, though it wasn't really a day for it. Fair play to Denise Ryan, who correctly guessed how many balloons were inside a Morris Minor.

Stephen Delahunty photographed with his Lister 2L at the Coolmoyne & Moyglass Vintage Club’s Family Day.

We would like to thank the landowner Kevin McGivern for the use of his field (sorry about all the tracks). The family day is now an annual event, to be organised at the last weekend of July. Let's hope the weather Gods will be kinder to us next year!

Coolmoyne & Moyglass Vintage Club is organising a tractor run in late August. Details will be published in this paper.


Eileen and Jim O'Donnell, Killusty, photographed at the Coolmoyne & Moyglass Vintage Club’s Family Day


Tom Heafey photographed on his 1968 David Brown 770 tractor at Coolmoyne & Moyglass Vintage Club’s Family Day


Michael Kerwin, Dungarvan, and Fr. Michael Barry, Borrisoleigh, photographed at the Coolmoyne & Moyglass Vintage Club’s Family Day.


Enjoying the Coolmoyne & Moyglass Vintage Club’s Family Day in Moyglass are L to R: Aidan Lyons, Mary McCormack, Fr. Michael Barry, Alison Connolly, Annette Connolly and Aine Connolly.




Barry Purcell and son Bobby photographed at the Coolmoyne & Moyglass Vintage Club’s Family Day




Amy Tynan and her three-year-old Great Dane 'Elsa' who was a winner in the Coolmoyne & Moyglass Vintage Club’s Family Day Dog Show.

Kieran O'Connell on his Massey Ferguson 135 tractor at the Coolmoyne & Moyglass Vintage Club’s Family Day


Carla Costigan and Maurice Blake, getting married in two weeks, photographed at the Coolmoyne & Moyglass Vintage Club’s Family Day where they both took part in the 'Vintage Tractor Run'.


Enjoying the Coolmoyne & Moyglass Vintage Club’s Family Day are L to R: Dan Kennedy (Mullinahone), Patsy Cooney and Dinny Ryan.


Enjoying the Coolmoyne & Moyglass Vintage Club’s Family Day are L to R: Joe Fogarty (Borrisoleigh), Austin Godfrey, Mary Godfrey and Tom McGivern.

Fethard Macra na Feirme
The annual ‘Miss Macra’ competition, organised and hosted by Clonoulty Macra will take place on the Bank Holiday weekend, 30th July to 3rd August at Dundrum House Hotel. The next meeting of Fethard Macra will take place on Wednesday, 5th August, in Butler’s Bar, Main Street, at 9pm. For further details on any of these events contact Michael at 087 901 9443 or email fethardmacra@gmail.com. Alternatively, have a look at Fethard Macra on Facebook. Further information on the Fethard website.

Holy Year Cross Pilgrimage
This year’s pilgrimage to Holy Year Cross on Slievenamon will take place on Sunday 16th August, leaving at 2pm, with Mass celebrated at 3pm in O’Donnell’s field. Community members are asked to make a special effort to come along and participate in this year’s climb.

The Irish Pilgrimage Trust Church Gate Collection
The Annual Church Gate Collection for The Irish Pilgrimage Trust takes place in Fethard & Killusty on weekend 2nd & 3rd, August. People are asked to be as generous as possible. A number of young people and volunteer carers from the area have travelled to Lourdes with the Trust last Easter Sunday. The Trust takes young people with special needs to Lourdes at Eastertime every year and is designed especially for young people to participate in a very varied spiritual and social program during the week. This is a holiday as well as a pilgrimage

The Irish Pilgrimage Trust welcomes applications from young people with: a physical disability or illness (aged 9-18 years); a learning disability (aged 11- 21 years); socially deprived young people or emotionally disturbed young people. For further information or for application forms please phone Sr. Betty 086 6322341.

Wild West Weekend a wild success!

Enjoying the 'Wild West Night' at Lonergan's Bar are L to R: Eoin Maher, Chris Needham, Darren McGrath and Tara Bates.

Guns were drawn and pots and pans rattled to a rhythmic beat at last weekend’s ‘Wild West Weekend’ held at Lonergan’s Bar. A packed crowd made great efforts to look the part donning cowboy hats and gear to cater for every eventual occurrence that could possible happen at a ‘Wild West’ night in Fethard. No one was disappointed!


Enjoying the 'Wild West Night' at Lonergan's Bar are L to R: Michelle Kearns, Olive Cunningham, Peggy Burke and Debbie Clarke.

The premises was well adorned to its usual high standards by Roseanne Carroll. Loud country live music . . . maybe sometimes even a little too loud . . . set the atmosphere for all the cowgirls and cowboys to try and beat the ‘Rodeo Bull’ where even proprietor John Carroll was seen to take a few tumbles!


Peter Stocksborough helping to prepare the barbecue at the 'Wild West Night'

There was food aplenty for everyone with Peter Stocksborough keeping the homefires burning and the barbecue sparkling. It was also great to see a touring group from Colm McGrath’s ‘Tipp Tours’ attend in cowboy outfits and we believe the same group will also be kitted out in medieval costumes for the Fethard Medieval Walled Town Festival on Sunday 23rd August.


Enjoying the 'Wild West Night' at Lonergan's Bar are L to R: Ross Duignan, Shamus McGrath, Denis Cormack, Tom Curtin and Donnacha McGrath.


Enjoying the 'Wild West Night' at Lonergan's Bar are L to R: Rebecca Bradshaw, Adrian Bradshaw and Audrey Conway.


L to R: John Carroll and John Tobin


Enjoying the 'Wild West Night' at Lonergan's Bar are proprietors Roseanne and John Carroll.


Debbie Carroll grabbing the bull by the horn as she tries to stay mounted on the 'Rodeo Bull' at Lonergan's 'Wild West Night'.










Enjoying the 'Wild West Night' at Lonergan's Bar are L to R: Tina Dorney, Ann Needham, Fiona Dorney and Vera Dorney.


John Carroll taking a tumble from the 'Rodeo Bull' at Lonergan's 'Wild West Night'.

Fethard GAA Club News
Fethard senior footballers advance to the South semifinal following a two point victory over Ardfinnan in a game played in Monroe on Saturday last that ended on a scoreline of Fethard 1-9, Ardfinnan 0-10. Best for Fethard were Paul Fitzgerald, Shane Aylward, Eoin Doyle, Kenneth O’Donnell, and Brian Coen.

Fethard team was: Paul Fitzgerald, Shane Aylward, Michael Aherne, Tommy Gahan, Tomás Keane, Damien Byrne, Cian Maher, Eoin Doyle, Aiden Fitzgerald 0-1, Benny Hahessy, Shane Walsh 0-1, Kenneth O’Donnell 0-2, John P Looby, Jason Nevin 0-1 and Brian Coen 1-4 (2F). Substitute was Alan O’Connor for Shane Walsh. They now go on to meet either Cahir or Moyle Rovers in the semifinal.

The Intermediate Hurling League Championship continues this weekend when we play Cahir in Ardfinnan on Friday 31st July at 7.30pm, with the final round fixed for Sunday 9th August in Kilsheelan at 7pm against Carrick Davins.

We continue in the South Junior A Football Championship with a game against Cahir in Clonmel on Sunday evening at 7pm. The quarterfinal of the U-21 B Hurling is fixed for Tuesday 11th August in Monroe at 7pm when Fethard take on Clonmel Og.

Adults club members (only) are asked to contact our secretary Mary Godfrey for tickets to the All Ireland SH semifinal game between Tipperary and Limerick on 16th August. Special tickets at €10 each. Seats for the Davin Stand only.

We had no winner of our jackpot and no match three winner. The numbers drawn were 15, 16, 19 and 21. The following drawn tickets won €30: Nicky O Shea (Tullow, Fethard), Fitzgerald Family (Kiltinan, Fethard), Tony Maher (56 Woodvale Walk), Stan Murphy (Main Street, Fethard) and Garreth Byrne (Claremore, Fethard). The €50 Lucky Dip was won by Ann Marie Butler (Main Street, Fethard). We would like to thank Jimmy Hayes Bookmakers for providing the tickets.

Fethard & Killusty Community Lotto
The numbers drawn on 22nd July were 18, 20, 23 and 24. We had no Jackpot winner and no ‘Match 3’ winner so three tickets were drawn and the following won €50 each:
Eileen Gleeson, Knockelly, Fethard;
Margaret Keane, The Green, Fethard;
Patrick Sheehan, Walshbog, Killusty.

The three following Lucky Dip winners received €50 each:
Mick Looby, Kilmore, Fethard;
Veronica Barry, XL Shop, Fethard;
Sheila O'Sullivan, Fethard.
Next week’s Jackpot continues at €10,000 and the Jackpot sellers prize is €1000.

Fethard duo to support Paul Brady

Fethard songwriters Laura Rice and Jack O’Sullivan will be the opening act at the forthcoming Paul Brady show on 22nd August by the Town Wall behind McCarthy’s. Both Laura and Jack have had a good year, with Laura winning the prestigious Tipp FM ‘Premier Star’ talent show, beating off very stiff competition. She also played support to Arty McGlynn and Nollaig Casey at the Backroom Session in McCarthy’s in June. Jack received a rare honour for a support act when he opened for Mick Hanly earlier in the year . . . the crowd called for an encore!

Tickets for Paul Brady, part of the Fethard Medieval Festival Weekend, are €37 each and are available from McCarthy’s in Fethard, Premier Music Shop in Clonmel.


Paul Brady will visit Fethard on his ‘Travelin’ Light 2009 Tour’ on Saturday 22nd August. This concert will coincide with the Fethard Medieval Walled Town Festival during Heritage Week and will take place by the medieval wall behind McCarthy’s.

Paul Brady is touring venues across Ireland and outside the main town gigs which he normally plays. Paul includes a vast repertoire in the show, playing songs from his forty years in the music business, visiting songs from his time with Planxty, The Johnsons, Andy Irvine as well as songs from his numerous solo albums.

The support bands have yet to be announced. Food and refreshments, as well as other live music will be available on the night of the concert. Tickets are €37 from McCarthy’s in Fethard, Premier Music Store in Clonmel.