Died Recently
The death has occurred on 2nd January of Mr John Pollard, St. Patrick's Place, Fethard.

Reposing at McCarthy's Funeral Parlour on Monday 4th January from 5pm to 7pm followed by removal to Holy Trinity Parish Church Fethard.

Requiem Mass at 12 noon on Tuesday 5th January followed by interment at Calvary Cemetery.

Happy New Year

A 'White Christmas' scene photographed by Larry Kenny on the Knockelly Road, Fethard, on Christmas morning. We take this opportunity to wish all our readers a very Happy New Year.

Greetings from Bro Paul in Kenya
To all our ‘Friends of Kabongo’ wherever you may happen to be in these dying days of 2009. We are all on the brink of 2010 and I would like to take this opportunity of thanking you all for standing four-square behind us through this past year.
I cannot repeat often enough that without your many-faceted forms of support, we would not be able to do very much for our disadvantaged children here in Kabongo in western Kenya and consequently I have every reason to say how grateful we are to each of you.
I pray that 2010 will bring you all the joy and happiness you deserve along with good health to enjoy life. May God bless you all. Bro. Paul D. Brennan, Administrator of the Patrician Nursery, Primary School and Health Centre at Kabongo.

St. Patrick’s Boys School 80’s Disco

Theresa Hurley and friends photographed at the 80s Disco at the Fethard Arms in aid of St. Patrick's Boys National School Fethard.

A great crowd came out on Sunday night last, 27th December, to support St. Patrick’s Boys National School at their ‘80’s Disco’ held in the Fethard Arms. Many of the parent’s supplied food and refreshments for the night, which was also attended by many visitors home for Christmas. Jack Kenny supplied the music and the night concluded with a raffle for lots of exciting spot prizes and a framed signed racing print donated for the occasion.


Members of the Ryan family, Tullamaine, photographed at the 80s Disco at the Fethard Arms in aid of St. Patrick's Boys National School L to R: Bridget, Michael, Mary and Donal, who was home on holiday from USA.


Photographed at the 80s Disco at the Fethard Arms in aid of St. Patrick's Boys National School Fethard are L to R: Cathriona Fitzgerald, Suzanna Manton,, Gerard Manton, John Ward, Liza Ward and Peter Fitzgerald.


Photographed at the 80s Disco at the Fethard Arms in aid of St. Patrick's Boys National School Fethard are L to R: Mia Treacy, Lorraine Collum, Ita McCarthy, Sandra Maher, Marie Burgess and Trish Treacy.


Photographed at the 80s Disco at the Fethard Arms in aid of St. Patrick's Boys National School Fethard are L to R: Noreen Sheehy, Sheila O'Donovan, Andrew O'Donovan, Michael Hayde and Majella Hayde.

Books Wanted for St. Valentine’s Day
A new year is just around the corner and the 2010 Tipperariana Book Fair is again being organised for the second Sunday in February, which this year falls on the 14th — St Valentines Day.

The Fethard Historical Society, organisers of the event, are letting it be known that donations of books will be very gratefully received. Last year was the best ever for the supply and sale of books and the society were very thankful for this support Hopefully some further people will be 'spring cleaning' this year and looking for a good home for all those books taking up too much space in their house.

Monies made at the Book Fair will go towards the launching of a book by Gerard Crotty cataloguing the heraldry of family plaques found in Fethard. We expect this will happen in the Spring of 2010 as the work is very near completion.

The big event of 2010 will undoubtedly be the publication of ‘The History of Fethard’ by Michael O'Donnell, a native of Kilknockin and Fethard's most eminent local historian. The writing is now complete. The book runs into many hundreds of pages and the Historical Society will help Michael in ever way possible to ensure that his lifetime's work will get the reception and distribution it deserves.
So, back to Valentines Day and the 15th annual Tipperariana Bookfair which seems to have become a bit of a Tipperary institution at this stage, anyone wanting to make contact can email: bookfair@fethard.com or phone (052) 6123402 or (052) 6131936 and books will be collected if required.

Clashawley Film Club
Anyone interested in joining a new ‘film society’ in Fethard are asked to contact Suzanna Manton at Tel: 087- 2345075. It is proposed to run the ‘Film Club’ at the new forty-seated mini-cinema at Fethard Youth Centre. If you are interested in joining, membership will cost €35 for each half-yearly membership, the first covering films shown from January to March 2009, and the second covering films shown from October to December 2009. Alternatively you can join for €70 which will cover the full year.

Depending on the level of interest, we may also run a small film festival to showcase local film-making talent.

Recent Deaths
The death has occurred on Monday 28th December of Mrs Mary O’Connell (nee Trehy), Magorban, Fethard.

Reposing at her family home at Magorban on Tuesday 29th December followed by removal to St. Joseph the Worker Church, Moyglass at 4.30pm.

Requiem Mass at 11.30am on Wednesday 30th December followed by interment in adjoining cemetery.

Fethard & Killusty Community Lotto
The next Lotto draw after Christmas and the New Year will take place on Wednesday 6th January 2010. The Lotto Committee would like to take this opportunity to wish a very Happy New Year to all the people at home and away who support the lotto each week. It is greatly appreciated and we hope you will continue to do so in 2010.

Hunting News
Well the Hunting News this week is short and sweet, there was no hunting. The severe cold spell prevailing forced the Tipperary Foxhounds to cancel their complete Christmas week hunting arrangements. A few long-time followers agree that not since Captain Williams’ M.F.H. term as Master was hunting so badly affected by frost. Over a months hunting was lost during the mid-fifties. At the time of writing the prospects for the current week are not looking too bright.

The White Heathers were forced to cancel their annual St. Stephen’s Day meet at Drangan. They did however manage a couple of hours at Drangan on Sunday afternoon to give the hounds a much needed gallop. Having drawn Knockcura blank moving across the Mullinahone Road they hunted across the road to Knockroe where they lost him. From Mullally’s they ran to the big plantation at O’Donovan’s running two circles out from here and back again to covert. Finding across the road at Fred Daly’s they hunted down to the covert by Priesttown House. A good circle around the flatlands between here and the Mullinahone Road Huntsman Donie Slattery called a halt to proceedings here as the going was particularly bad. Weather permitting the White Heathers meet on Sunday next, January 3rd, at Loughcopple and at Clonacody on January 10th. A Happy New Year to all readers of the column, especially those far away from Fethard who say they hunt once again through the green fields of Tipperary each week on the Nationalist. E.A.N.

Art Award for Marian Gilpin

Tipp FM's Denis O'Sullivan presenting the December Tipp FM Art and Entertainment Award to Marian Gilpin at Fethard Patrician Presentation Secondary School. Marian will now go forward to the overall yearly award which will be announced at the Gala Ball held in Dundrum House Hotel on 22nd January.

GOAL Mile Re-scheduled
The annual GOAL Mile, which did not take place on Christmas Day due to the adverse weather, has been re-scheduled for 12 noon on Sunday next, January 3rd. Assemble at the Town Hall. Please make an effort to come along and support this very worthy cause. Walk, jog, run, crawl, bring the dog! Whatever you fancy, come along and join in the fun.

Community Games
Fethard and Killusty Community Games committee would like to wish everybody a Happy Holy and Successful 2010.

Remember our new season is now upon us and the first event will be our under-14 Juvenile Quiz due to take place in Fethard in mid January. Now is the time to put your thinking caps on and prepare your teams consisting of four from a panel of six which can be either mixed, all boys or all girls who must be under the age of 14 on 31st July 2010. Watch this space for confirmation of the date for our Area Final.

Rugby Club News
Our Christmas party was a huge success, with 170 enjoying the brilliant music supplied by our local Tipp Fm star Ian O'Connor. His selection ensured that the dance floor was full engaged all night with the young at heart reliving their youth in this wonderful Community Ballroom.

The food supplied by Eileen Condon Catering, Newcastle was of a very high standard with all tastes catered for. The bar facilities were expertly supplied by McCarthys who ensured that the energetic dancers were suitably refuelled.

The rugby Club wish to thank most sincerely the Ballroom committee for allowing us host our party in their wonderful facility which they had so tastefully decorated, the Ballroom is a credit to ye.
We want to wish all our players, supporters, sponsors and especially our hard working coaches a joyful and peaceful Christmas and every blessing for the New Year.

Emigrants Newsletter on Sale
This year’s issue of Fethard & Killusty Emigrants Newsletter is now on sale in local shops at €12. This is the first price increase since 2004 and is necessary to help meet postal and printing costs incurred in sending copies free-of-charge to Fethard & Killusty emigrants living throughout the world. The 208 page newsletter is packed with photographs and articles recording Fethard life over the years and it is recommended that you get your copy early to avoid disappointment.