Schools Closed Update
Local schools, Nano Nagle National School and Patrician Presentation Secondary School, will reopen on Wednesday 13th January. St. Patrick's Boys National School will not open on Wednesday due to frozen water pipes.
Died Recently
William (Willie) Fitzgerald (formerly Crampscastle, Killusty Road, Fethard) who died suddenly in Amsterdam, Holland; deeply regretted by his wife Carin, son Darren, parents Michael & Mary Fitzgerald, sisters Marion & Sheena, brother-in-laws Noel & Denis, niece Roisin, aunts, uncles & cousins & his many friends in Ireland & Holland.
A Memorial Service will be held at the Parish Church Fethard on Friday 15th January at 7pm for all who would like to come and remember William with his family.
Fethard Ballroom Dance Off
Due to arctic like weather conditions our dance for this Sunday night, 10 January, has been cancelled.
Skating on the frozen flood water in Nick Harrington's field are L to R: Paul McCarthy, Alan O'Connor, Christopher Sheehan and Mike McCarthy. (Photo by Larry Kenny)
Country Markets
Due to the bad weather conditions Fethard Country Markets will not reopen until Friday 15th January. We wish all our customers and suppliers a very happy New Year.
GOAL Mile
Group photographed at the start of the rescheduled 'Goal Mile' held in Fethard on Sunday 3rd January.
The annual GOAL Mile, rescheduled due to bed weather, took place on Sunday 3rd January. The organisers would like to thank all who took part and in particular, local boxing hero, Jack Connolly and members of his family who started the walk at noon outside the Town Hall. A total of €950 was collected for GOAL — a non-denominational, non-governmental and non-political international humanitarian agency dedicated to alleviating the suffering of the poorest of the poor.
GOAL was founded in Dublin in 1977 by former sports journalist and current Chief Executive, John O’Shea and since its inception has spent in excess of €600 million on humanitarian programmes in almost fifty countries.
Hunting News
Photographed at the New Year's Day Meet of Tipperary Foxhounds in Fethard are L to R: Derry Donegan (Huntsman) and Sam Stanisland (Whipper-In)
Hunting last week was still on the quiet side with weather conditions still making conditions very difficult. Tipperary Foxhounds managed just three days, Cashel on Wednesday, Kilcooley on Thursday and Fethard on Friday. Cashel proved a day of atrocious weather and if that was not bad enough, no fox, a blank day in driving, sleety rain.
On Thursday at Kilcooley, due to difficult travelling conditions there was a smaller field than usual at the Children’s meet. The junior and juvenile members did, however, enjoy a good afternoon’s fun around the estate with some of the more daring trying the ability of their mounts over the permanent cross-country course fences.
Photographed at the New Year's Day Meet of Tipperary Foxhounds in Fethard are L to R: John Kenrick, Mick Webb and Pat Culligan.
The weather on Friday 1st January was somewhat better but far from ideal. Due to heavy overnight frost, moving-off time was put back one hour to 12 noon. First draw at Rathvin provided a fox from the Fort that ran back over the Ballybough Road to Daly Fuels where he crossed the road at the Railway Bridge and the river to Monroe where they lost him. From the back of the gallops at Rathvin they hunted down to the Old Railway line. At Kelly’s stables the fox did a u-turn, ran back to a small pit near the avenue and to ground. Out of the main covert at Rocklow they hunted towards Powers Wood and to ground at Crehane’s Grove. The Fir Trees at Black’s Bridge proved blank. From Ballyvaden Fort a fox ran a small circle back to the fort and to ground. Finding in Powers Wood following good hound work in the covert at the Ballyvaden end. After a short, sharp run he got to ground in O’Connor’s.
Photographed at the New Year's Day Meet of Tipperary Foxhounds in Fethard are L to R: Jacqui Freyne, Diana Stokes, Tom Freyne and Sean Brett.
Due to the last start it was now 3.15pm and it was decided not to draw Ardsallagh. A very wise decision, in hindsight, as the temperature was dropping sharply and the high ground by the Coolmoyne Road was even then rock hard. On the comparatively short runs the field of fifty-five riders enjoyed plenty of jumping and some good gallops throughout a busy day.
Photographed at the New Year's Day Meet of Tipperary Foxhounds in Fethard are L to R: Willie Quigley, Michael Croke, Andrew O'Riordan and Waltie Maloney.
Photographed at the New Year's Day Meet of Tipperary Foxhounds in Fethard are L to R: Peg Gleeson, Ann Moloney, Johnny Cummins, Lorraine Coen and Helen Carroll.
With the White Heathers
Considering hunting was very doubtful up to Sunday morning the White Heathers enjoyed a very good day from Loughcopple / Grangebeg on Sunday. Hounds quickly caught a fox found on the hedgerow across the road from the meet. Moving back across the road they found in Morgan’s. Hunting through P.F. Quirke’s they ran to College, skirting the Blackthorn here they hunted to Lalor’s boundary. Swinging back they hunted back to Barry Walsh’s and marked to ground in Morgan’s near where they found.
They finished the day with a good hunt from the Old Railway Line in Murphy’s. Hunting up to Connie Ryan’s their fox ran to the Tipperary Point-to-Point Course and back to Murphy’s. Hunting from here they hunted well back to the old Railway Line to the Monroe G.A.A. Complex where they finished at almost 5pm. This was a good days hunting in very difficult conditions, not favouring good scent but nevertheless hounds stuck to their task in great style. Surprisingly, in spite of the heavy overnight frost and the bitter east wind prevailing all day, underfoot conditions were not too bad at all.
The large turn-out at the meet were greatly appreciative of the excellent Christmas / New Year fare provided by Barry, Peggy, Pamela, Laura and David prior to move-off and wish to thank them sincerely. The Ballyluskey White Heathers meet on Sunday next, January 10th, at Clonacody at 11am.
Enjoying the New Year
Celebrating New Year's Eve at McCarthy's are sisters L to R: Helena, Lorraine and Belinda McCormack originally from Kerry Street, Fethard.
Celebrating New Year's Eve at McCarthy's are L to R: Biddy Purcell, Barry Purcell and Yvonne Purcell
Celebrating New Year's Eve at McCarthy's are L to R: Elizabeth Burke and Marjorie Ahearne.
Celebrating New Year's Eve at McCarthy's are the O'Sullivan family, Perryville, Fethard L to R: Lisa, Denise, Liam, Paddy, Bill and Sheila.
Celebrating New Year's Eve at McCarthy's are L to R: Neil Gayson, Gary Lonergan, Keith Colville, Deirdre Morrissey and Gwen Cooke.
Celebrating New Year's Eve at McCarthy's are L to R: Marie O'Connell, Darren O'Meara and Fiona Maher.
Celebrating New Year's Eve at McCarthy's are L to R: Marie O'Connell, Macdara Galvin, Donna Walsh, Suzanne Byrne and Gavin Ahearne.
Just in Passing Time
Over the past week-end the media – TV, Radio and Newspapers – informed one and all that baby Ava Hennessey, born at twenty-eight seconds past midnight at Waterford Regional Hospital, was the first baby of the new decade. But was she?
A decade is a period of ten years. Okay. So the noughties decade, as it was known, commenced on 1st January 2001. Right. Therefore there was one year of the decade completed on 31st December 2001; second year 31st December, 2002, etc. That meant that on 31st December 2009 there was but nine years of the decade gone, not ten. The ten years of the noughties decade, we maintain, will not be reached until 31st December this year, 2010. That the media are twelve months too soon, crediting baby Hennessey being the first baby of the new decade, for twenty-eight seconds is not a year. By that reckoning the powers that be made the same mistake when the new millennium, which they stated started at midnight on December 31st 1999. If the millennium ended 31st December 2000, and the new millennium began on the 1st January 2001, which is correct, then the decade of the 00's is 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, and doesn't end until 31st December 2010. We rest our case.
A Christmas Tale
Two men were exchanging greetings of the season by the park in the Valley when the silence of a frosty Christmas morning was broken by the arrival of a boy in his car. He was making great haste, as is the way of young boys in cars. Haste too great for the icy road beneath his wheels, thought the two men.
The young gossoon then steered his car over Watergate bridge, a white car of the little boy racer variety, and turned down by the fortified walls of the old town. It looked like he was going to spin his car on the frosty grass, in the manner of other grass churners in recent times, but halted, realizing that the two citizens were watching his prowess. Instead, he reversed his car to the parking area by the wall, opened the door and shoved his arm in the air with his middle finger pointing skyward, and then bleated, “take a picture . . . it’ll last longer!”
Then he moved his car off again, re crossing the bridge and passing the two gentlemen, once again in great haste, perhaps to build up speed to get his feeble powered jalopy up the hill.
Once the youth had passed, the two citizens pondered his gesture and realized that the thoughtful young charmer was pointing his finger upwards to admire the frosty scene across the rooftops in the town. So one went and got his camera and took a picture of the tranquil scene. And indeed it is lasting a long time. It will probably outlast the racing boy if he keeps driving in this manner!
Local golf club has one of the largest membership base in Ireland
Bar Manager, John Lonergan (left), photographed with his son Conor and daughter Rachel at Bunkers Bar, Slievenamon Golf Club.
Slievenamon Golf Club has one of the largest membership base of any golf club in Ireland. Many of these members are from outside Tipperary and give valuable income to local B&Bs, Hotels and associated businesses by staying overnight when playing the course and the club is also an invaluable commodity committed to supporting the local community and employing local people.
For the best part of a decade, Fairways Restaurant and Bunker Bar at Slievenamon Golf Club have provided a 1st Class offering to the people of Fethard and surrounding areas. During that time, it has gained an enviable reputation for the quality and variety of food and drink available at a very affordable price, all served by friendly and efficient staff.
Slievenamon Golf Club staff L to R: Margaret Lawlor (Club President), Chris Telford (Manager Fairways Restaurant), Kaija Caulfield (Assistant Manager Fairways Restaurant), Alex Channon, Veronica Shore, Brendan Kenny (Club Secretary) and Daniel Hickey.
Fairways Restaurant is managed by Chris Telford, a chef of many years experience, who has also successfully ran the 10th Tee Burger Bar in Mount Juliet for the past number of years. Chris is ably assisted by Kaija Caulfield, who combines her years of experience with her qualifications in hotel and catering management to ensure the highest standards of customer service are in operation throughout the restaurant, which has an extensive and varied menu available both for lunches and a la carte, a large portion of which is sourced locally. It is open for lunch seven days a week, a la carte menu on Saturday evenings or any evening for a group booking of eight or more. Special offers are currently available; contact 052-6132213 for further details. Bunkers Bar is managed by well known local man John Lonergan, assisted by his son Conor and daughter Rachel, and the bar is noted for its friendly atmosphere in cosy surrounding and for the prices, which are very competitive, to say the least.
Both Fairways Restaurant and Bunkers Bar have catered for many occasions over the years, and is an ideal venue for anyone from the area who has an event coming up, be it a birthday, communion, confirmation or any other social function, including conference or small wedding, due in no small part to the extensive free parking facilities available.
If there is a group or society of ten or more, you can partake in a game of golf, a mixed grill and a pint of beer or soft drink, all for only €25. Again contact 052-6132213 for details.
The management and staff of Slievenamon Golf Club, Fairways Restaurant and Bunkers Bar thank their patrons for their support over the years and look forward to your continued support for this local business in the future and wish everyone a very Happy New Year.
Fethard Senior Citizens' Club
Sisters Rita O'Shea and Breda Burke cutting the cake at the Annual Senior Citizens' Club party, held in The Anner Hotel, Thurles on 5th December.
The Fethard Senior Citizens' Club enjoyed their annual Christmas Party on 5th December and as is customary, members attended 11:30am Mass at the Augustinian Abbey and then travelled by coach to the Anner Hotel, Thurles, for dinner, followed by entertainment.
Many thanks to all who supported the club by purchasing tickets for their annual raffle. The prize winners were: 1st prize of €200, Jackie Lee, Loughcopple; 2nd prize of €100, Dawn Foods, Kilknockin Road; 3rd prize of Christmas Cake & Whiskey, Teresa Kelly, Rathvin; 4th prize, Margaret Keane, The Green; and 5th prize, Evelyn Delany, Highfield.
Mary Harrington, Johanna Bradshaw, Essie Corbett and Margaret Keane photographed at the Annual Senior Citizens' Club party
Recent Death
The death has occurred, in England, of Jimmy Madden, formerly of Kerry Street. The late Jimmy Madden was one of the thousands of many young men of twenty who emigrated from their native country in the post 1939-45 war years. Jimmy left his native town for England in 1948 and never returned. A bright, engaging personality he was still remembered and was often spoken of by his contemporaries still surviving in Fíodh Árd. He was one of the very few surviving members of Fethard Confraternity Brass Band. He was uncle of the family of the late Paddy and Josie (nee Madden) Fitzgerald, St. Patrick’s Place, who were in regular contact with him and to whom sincere sympathy is extended. Sympathy is also extended to his brother, Billy, who resides in Melton Mowbray. Interment took place in England.
Fethard Macra
South Tipperary Macra hosted a New Years Eve Ball in the Kilcoran Lodge Hotel last Thursday near Cahir. The event was a success with 230 attending and a good time had by all. This year’s ball is already in planning.
Best of luck to Una Shanahan, Eamon Horan and Julie Kennedy who will take part in the semifinal of the All Ireland Public Speaking Competition on this Saturday at 8pm at the Horse and Jockey Hotel. All welcome to attend. Congratulations to Noel Clancy who will appear on TG4’s Firm Factor next week.
For further Macra information contact Michael at 087 9019443 or email fethardmacra@gmail.com or on Bebo ‘FethardM’ also check out our page on Facebook. Further information can also be found on www.southtippmacra.com or http://fethardmacra.blogspot.com
Schools Closed
All national and secondary schools are to remain closed until Thursday 14 January, Minister for Education Batt O'Keefe announced this afternoon, 8th January. The decision was taken following a review of the weekend weather forecast at a meeting of the Government's Emergency Response Committee.
The Minister accepts that the closures will cause inconvenience but said the safety of student, teachers and parents was more important. The decision comes amid growing fears among school principals and boards of management about the impact of further severe weather on school communities. It will be widely welcomed by them.
A decision on whether Ireland's 4,000 schools will remain closed or re-opened later next week will be made following a review by the Committee at a meeting on Tuesday.
Emigrants Newsletter on Sale
Helping with packing and posting of the Fethard Emigrants' Newsletter to Fethard & Killusty emigrants throughout the world on the 30th December are L to R: Rory Walsh, Johnny Burke, Brendan Kenny and Brud Roche.
Helping with packing and posting of Fethard Newsletter to emigrants are L to R: Ian O'Connor, Margaret O'Donnell, Patricia Fitzgerald, Monica Hickey and Brud Roche.
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.
|