'Hall of Fame’ Award for Betsy O’Connor
Congratulations to Betsy O’Connor, Knockelly, on her well-deserved National Hall of Fame Award in the Equine Section of the 8th Annual Award Ceremony held in the Shamrock Lodge Hotel, Athlone, on Sunday 2nd May. Over 250 people travelled from the four corners of Ireland for this year’s award ceremony.

Betsy (Elizabeth) O'Connor has been a dedicated member of the Irish Pony Society for almost 20 years, with her name having been on the IPS Judges List for over 15 years. Betsy has judged shows in the North, South, East and West of Ireland, including venues such as the RDS and also at the very first ever Kerry Bog Pony Class. She has been involved with the Killusty Show since 1967, for an amazing 42 years now and has been secretary for the show for the last 25 years. The first ever Working Hunter class was held at Killusty, which was the first dedicated pony show, beginning in 1962. Betsy has also worked at the Pony Club and had been treasurer of the Tipperary Hunt for 20 years.

Thanks to those who travelled on Sunday to support Betsy and her husband Joe on this wonderful occasion. The presentation by Minister Brendan Smyth (Agriculture) was a truly deserved award for the preservation of culture & heritage in our little village of Killusty. Thanks Betsy for your dedication and commitment over the years and we wish you a long and happy retirement.

Bric-a-Brac sale success

Helping out at the 'Bric-à-Brac' sale and raffle held in the Town Hall in aid of the Presentation Sisters' Mission in Zimbabwe and Fethard Senior Citizens Club are L to R: Margaret Carrick, Alice Lawrence, Agnes Evans, Mary Butler (seated), Noreen Allen, Nell Broderick, Rosemary Purcell, Ann Darcey, Mary Healy, Sr. Winnie, Phil Wyatt and Annie O'Brien.

The Senior Citizens committee and Sr. Winnie on behalf of the Presentation Sisters in Zimbabwe would like to thank most sincerely everyone who helped to make the recent Bric-a-Brac sale in the Town Hall an outstanding success.

All who sewed, knitted, baked or donated goods, those who helped with selling goods and raffle tickets and all came to support on the day or sent donations enabled us to achieve just over €1,400. We are most grateful to the ever generous and thoughtful people of Fethard.

Fethard ICA
Fethard ICA meeting for May will take place on Tuesday 11th May at the usual time of 8pm. Our guest speaker will be Hans Voss. Hans will give advice and answer any gardening queries on planting for a colourful garden this summer season. There will be some plants for sale on the night. The ‘Green Group’ are in charge of catering this month.

Many thanks to members who supported and provided items for the very successful Craft Display held in the Granary, Cahir. The variety and workmanship on display was very impressive indeed and much admired by those who viewed it. A special word of thanks to our members who watched over the display over the two weeks.

Marie McMahon of the County Museum will be in attendance at the ICA Hall on Wednesday 12th May at 1pm to view and select items to represent Fethard Guild at the upcoming exhibition to honour ICA's Centenary. Any member with old items of interest are asked to bring them along on the 12th.

A reminder to all members that fees for the coming year are due for payment this month.

Nano Nagle ‘Spring Clean’

Pupils from Nano Nagle National School photographed with some of the rubbish collected in their 'Spring Clean' campaign

On Wednesday 28th April senior classes at Nano Nagle Primary School took part in the National Spring Clean campaign. Our ‘Green Schools’ committee had decided on this as part of our plan of action for raising awareness of and dealing with litter management. The riverside area was identified as an area with a litter problem in Fethard, one that we felt we could tackle. Our girls and boys were fantastic and applied themselves on Wednesday morning starting from the car park of Fethard ballroom. So great were their efforts that five large bags of recyclable glass were collected along with many more bags of recyclable and general waste. So great was the litter that we only managed to cover a small area.



Special thanks go to Cain and Megan who disposed of the glass bottles at the nearby recycling centre. Luckily for the Fethard community the Tidy Towns committee have also been working on this area recently. On Wednesday we observed not only the huge improvements they have made in the riverside area but also the huge task they have on their hands.

Fethard & Killusty Community Lotto
The numbers drawn on 28th April were: 9, 20, 28 and 31. We had no Jackpot winner and no ‘Match 3’ winner so the following drawn tickets won €50: Fr. Timmy Walshe, The Abbey, Fethard; Johanna Corbett, 4, Canon Hayes Court, Fethard; and Thomas Shine, Monroe, Fethard.

The three following Lucky Dip winners received €50 each: Joan, Kitty, Margaret, Monica, c/o Tirry Centre; Liz Paradine, c/o Rita Kane, Kerry St, Fethard; and Gerry Fogarty, Cluain Ard, Fethard.

Next week’s Jackpot continues at €10,000 and the Jackpot sellers prize is €1000.

Fethard Tidy Towns meeting
Fethard Tidy Towns committee will hold a meeting on Monday 10th May in the Tirry Community Centre at 8.30pm. We will also hold a table quiz in Butlers Sports Bar on Friday 14th May at 9.30pm. Please make a big effort to attend Tables of four cost €40 per table. We are very short of equipment or the large amount of workers who turn out on Wednesday nights at 7pm at Fethard Ballroom and the Town Hall on Sundays at 9am for town pick only. This clean-up is not confined to Fethard town only, our plan is all the Fethard area.

We ask everyone to make a special effort to clean and paint your area. The work completed so far is there to be seen, all in a short time.
When did Fethard last enter the national tidy towns competition? Back in 1987, a long time ago now. We wish to have a three-year-plan for tidy towns prepared that will guide the work of our committee over the period 2010 to 2012. The closing date for entry to this year’s tidy towns is the 24th May 2010. We have now sent in our application. So please come along and help in any way you can. This year’s ‘litter black spot competition’ for the month of April is over.

Fethard Athletic Club
On Sunday last we had three athletes competing at the Tipperary track & field outdoor championships in Templemore. Newcomers to athletics, Caoimhe Gayson and Chloe Lahart from Dualla, had two fine runs in their 60 metre events but did not make the finals . They will be better prepared for the ‘B’ Championship when it comes around later in the month. Caoimhe received an injury in her warm up and could not take part in the 600 metre. Young Mark Heffernan won his under-12 heat in style in the 60 metre and followed up with a silver medal performance in the final. Mark has a great future in the short distance events, watch this space. He also took part in the 600 metre, ball throw and long jump to no avail. Well done to all concerned. On Monday Eoin Maher made a return to athletics after an absence of a few years in the Munster Senior track & field at the T.I.C. in Cork. He competed in the 100 and 200 metre but did not make the final in either event. Cashel based Derek Zulu made the final of the 100 metre but had to be content with a spot outside the medals in 4th place. Derek took the silver medal in the long jump with an effort of 5.95 metres.

Training will continue on Wednesday nights from now on 7.15pm to 8.30pm in the community field. Everyone is welcome whether it be for a training session or a brisk walk around the track. Our night of nostalgia concert with Denis Allen in the Abymill Theatre on the 10th May has to be re scheduled due to circumstances beyond our control. Apologies to our patrons and indeed for the way our many fine artists understood our problems. Thank you.

On Thursday 28th May our ‘Walls of Fethard 4 Mile Road Race’ will take place at 8pm. This event is a well established ‘around the houses’ road race in the province and one of the Tipperary series challenge. It is unique being the only race that actually runs completely through the streets of the town of Fethard. Everyone is asked to come out and view the event or better still take part and be one of the boys and girls on the night.

Community Games
Fethard and Killusty Community Games Area Athletics finals have been postponed for a week or so. Details of a new date will be issued soon so watch this space.


Group from Fethard who attended the County Gymnastics finals in Tipperary Town on Bank Holiday Monday. L to R: Aisling Gorey. Amye O'Donovan, Eoin O'Donovan, Roisín McDonnell and Alex O'Donovan.

Fethrd GAA Club News
Fethard were defeated in the county senior football first round game last Saturday on a scoreline, Fethard 1-10, Galtee Rovers 2-14. The game was played in Cahir, the second game of a double bill, that saw both South teams loose to West opposition. Fethard improved on their previous South Championship outing fielding a fairly young team on the night that were just not physically strong enough for a big Galtee Rovers team that saw no Fethard player on the field the same height as their opponent. Fethard did display nice passages of football particularly in the first half which kept the sides level at the break at 1-5 to 0-8. The team was: Paul Fitzgerald, Shane Aylward, Aiden Lonergan, Ian Kenrick, Tomás Keane, Mick Aherne, Gavin Fitzgerald, Cian Maher 0-1, Christopher Sheehan, Carl Maher, Brian Coen 0-7 (5F), Kenneth O’Donnell 0-1, Darren O’Meara, Eoin Doyle 1-0, and Alan O’Connor 0-1. Subs were: Connie Flynn for Aiden Lonergan (inj), J. Morrissey for Gavin Fitzgerald (inj), J P Looby for J Morrissey.

Well done to our Minor B Footballers who have qualified at top of the group for the semifinals of the Kentz South Championship when they defeated Ballingarry, 3-14 to 0-1, in emphatic mood on Sunday morning last in Cloneen. They now meet the team that is placed fourth in the single league group, possibly next weekend.
Fethard team: Garrett Lawrence, Kieran O’Connell. Kieran Walsh, Eoin Dillon, Brian Delahunty, Ronan Fitzgerald, Ger Maher, Dylan Fitzgerald, Frankie O’Donovan, Kieran O’Meara, Cathal Hurley, Matthew Fitzgerald, Mick Smyth, Eoin Fitzgerald, Andrew Maher, Aaron Conran and Jack Devaney.

Intermediate Hurling South Championship continues with Fethard playing Cahir this Friday night, 7th May, in Goatenbridge at 7.15pm.
Please continue your support to the Club’s main fundraising draw for the year. Our promoters are now on the road for this year’s Tipperary County Draw with the first draw taking place on Friday 14th May. Tickets are €100 per year for 12 draws including two cars first prize on the 14th May with one valued over €50,000 also included in the ticket price is a chance to win the County Board’s weekly lotto draw.
Our Lotto Jackpot of €2,100 was not won. The numbers drawn were: 12, 16, 27 and 30. We had two match three winners who received €75 each: Lucy Burke (Merrys Clonmel), and Gail Doyle (Woodvale Walk, Fethard). The €50 Lucky Dip was won by James Murphy (Coolmore, Fethard). Thanks to Clonmel Oil for providing the tickets

Badgers move back to Fethard
Badgers are now back playing in the Community Field every Wednesday evening at 8pm. The over 30's soccer club return to the field after spending the winter in Killenaule. At our AGM last month it was also decided to continue with games in Killenaule as the numbers turning up there have been so good. From this week on there will be games every Monday at 8pm in Killenaule and Wednesday at 8pm in Fethard.

Congratulations to Andy O’Donovan on being elected chairman this year and many thanks to the outgoing chair, Kevin O’Dwyer, who will be a hard act to follow.

A reminder to all that our ‘Gi Joe’ obstacle course day out will take place on Saturday 29th May. Anyone interested should provide €10 deposit on any Wednesday night.

Fethard Bridge Club
On 28th April we played for prizes sponsored by Berney Myles and Alice Quinn and the results were: 1st Nett, Carol Kenny and Gemma Burke; 2nd Nett, Annie O’Brien and Marie Delaney; 1st Gross, Rita Kane and Kay St. John; 2nd Gross, Nell Broderick and David O’Meara.
On Wednesday next 12th May we play for the President’s Prize and everyone needs to attend at 7pm sharp. Anyone looking for a partner contact Berney Myles at 6132038.

Juvenile GAA
Our U12s were out last Thursday against Grangemockler, who came away the winners. That is our first round of fixtures finished, loosing one to Grangemockler. Keep up the good work and remember that teamwork and fair play is the order of the day, no matter what the score is.

Our U14s are out on Monday 3rd May against Moyle Rovers. This leaves us with two outstanding fixtures, one against Clonmel Og and one against Mullinahone. We will try to get these played over the next couple of weeks.

Our U16s are preparing for our semifinal fixture against Ballingarry.
Our Cúl Camp registration and information evening is coming up soon. This year’s Cúl Camp takes place from 23rd to 27th August. The fees are held the same as last year's price. You can book online at www.gaa.ie, or through the Club Secretary on 086 8963925 or email details to danaghermcgee@eircom.net.

A Code of Ethics & Child Welfare in Sport workshop will take place on 11th May at 6pm in Fethard. Registration and information can be obtained by texting Ann on 086 8963925 with your name. This workshop is now compulsory in order for you to be a accredited GAA member and allow you to volunteer your time to train or help in anyway with underage players.

Lar na gClub takes place on Sunday 9th May in the GAA Field, Fethard. At 12 noon U6/U8 mini-games; 1pm the U12 Boys v Girls; and ‘The Big Match’ — 1991 County Champions v 2001 County Champions — at 2pm approximately.

Training, unless notified otherwise, takes place for U6/U8 on Saturdays at 11am; U10s on Fridays at 7.30pm; U14s on Mondays & Thursdays at 7pm; U16s on Mondays & Thursdays at 6.45pm; and Minor on Mondays & Thursdays at 6.45pm.

As our U10 panel is very small this year, we may consider splitting them between U8 & U12. What do you parents think? Please let the club secretary know your view.