Secondary School’s ‘Classic Café’

Fethard Patrician Presentation Scholl Transition Year pupils photographed at their live broadcast from the school on Friday, March 21. Also included are Michael O'Sullivan (school principal), Orla Barrett (teacher), Fran Curry (Tipp FM) and past pupil Ian O'Connor (Tipp FM)

Broadcast from the School: Last Friday, thanks to the organising skills of past pupil Ian O’Connor, Tipp FM’s ‘Classic Café’ with Fran Curry was broadcast live on air from the school between 11am and 1pm. The Transition Year pupils produced the show and there were contributions from school principal Mr Michael O’Sullivan, staff members, students and members of Fethard community: Geraldine McCarthy spoke about the TY pupils’ involvement in the Fethard Day Care Centre and Meals and Wheels Programme in the town; Joe Keane spoke on projects with Fethard Tidy Towns and Kevin Collins spoke on nature and the school’s environmental projects such as making and installing ‘Bird Boxes’ in the neighbourhood to preserve a good breeding location for our feathered friends.


Singer songwriter Tara Horan, who performed live for Fran Curry on Patrician Presentation Secondary School's broadcast of 'Classic Café' from the school.

One of the surprises of the day was pupil Tara Horan’s rendition of one of her own songs live on the show. Tara is one of many talented students that attend Patrician Presentation Secondary School and it was great that some students had this opportunity to perform to a public audience. If you missed the programme, you can still listen by clicking the podcast link on the tippfm.com website. Thank you to past pupil Ian O’Connor for organising the broadcast from the school.

Listen to the 'Classic Café' program below (two parts). . .

Fran Curry (Tipp FM) recording Annie Prout (left) and Katie Whyte performing for the Patrician Presentation Secondary School 'Classic Café' broadcast from the school.


Mark Hayde (front) holding one of the many Bird Boxes made by the students as part of their nature bird watch project. Back L to R: Joe Keane (Fethard Tidy Towns), Jack Spillane (student), Kevin Collins, John Cummins (woodwork teacher and project co-ordinator) and Michael O'Sullivan (school principal).


Students photographed with some of the many Bird Boxes made as part of their nature bird watch project. Also included is John Cummins (woodwork teacher and project co-ordinator).


L to R: Michael O'Sullivan (school principal), Orla Barrett (TY Co-ordinator), Geraldine McCarthy (Fethard & District Day Care Centre) and past pupil Ian O'Connor (Tipp FM).


Discussing Fethard Patrician Presentation Secondary School's two entries in the national Junk Kouture competition are L to R: Katie Whyte (‘Arctic Queen’ entry), Ms Pat Looby (Art Teacher), Alannah Coady ( 'Candy Crush' entry) and Fran Curry (Tipp FM).

Free Hearing Test
Dalton's Chemist, Barrack Street, in association with Cleartone Hearing, will hold free hearing tests for anyone interested on next Friday, April 4, in their upstairs treatment room. If you are interested call to the shop for an appointment on phone (052) 6130001.

Blast from the Past – 'Backs to the Wall', trad session at O'Shea's Pub, Fethard, 1996.

Video of musicians at a 'Backs to the Wall' traditional music session in Pat O'Shea's Bar, Fethard, Co. Tipperary. The sessions were organised by Fethard Historical Society to promote traditional music in the area. The first of these 'First-Monday-of-the-Month' sessions began on Easter Monday, 8th April, 1996.

Clocks go forward this weekend
Don’t forget to set your clocks forward by one hour at 1am on this Sunday, March 30, officially the start of Summer Time. We may be losing an hour in bed but with extra daylight in the evenings and a long summer ahead, there’s plenty to look forward to.

Greek Letter Day in Patrician Presentation

Ms Mulhall (teacher) photographed with participants in the Pi competition at Patrician Presentation Secondary School. Back L to R: Adam Dorney, Kelly Keating, Niamh Morrissey, Emma Keating, Lesley Anne Prendergast, Cassie Needham. Front L to R: Ms Mulhall (teacher), Mark Hayde, Adam Fitzgerald, Shauna O'Neill, Emma Cronin and Tara Horan.

A ‘π’ (pronounced ‘Pi’ which is the English spelling of the sixteenth letter of the Greek alphabet) Day was held in Patrician Presentation Secondary School on 3.14.14  (oops we are not in the USA!). Class heats of the competition were held in the days previous to 14.3.14 to find the class winner. The competition was run to find the student who could memorise the most digits of π (Greek Letter Pi). The Junior Cycle winner, Shauna O’Neill of Lisronagh competed against the Senior Winner, Adam Fitzgerald. Shauna with a heat score of 52 set her memory against Adam who had a heat score of 37. An intense match situation produced a winner, Adam Fitzgerald with a score of 56 to his first omission. He wrote 80 digits with 4 omissions and 1 transposition.

Congratulations to Adam and well done to 2nd Year Pupil, Shauna. A prize was also offered to the student who could forecast the winning number of digits in the final. The following pupils also produced good scores in the competition: Emma Cronin, Mikey Earl, Sarah O’Donnell, Cassie Needham, Jack Spillane, John Paul Fitzgerald, Mark Hayde, Tara Horan, Emma Keating, Rachel O’Meara, Kelly Keating, Orla Walsh, Lesley Anne Prendergast, Niamh Morrissey, Adam Dorney, Kate Davey, Dylan Lyons, Dillon Costin and Kate O’Donnell.

Happy Birthday Katie

Katie O'Shea, Woodvale Walk, celebrating her 21st birthday with friends at Lonergan's Bar, The Square, Fethard.

‘Musicals of the Night’ for Abymill
SJD Productions will stage their ‘Musicals of the Night’ concert in The Abymill Theatre, Fethard, on Saturday, April 12, at 8pm. This concert, hosted by The Fionn MacCumhaill Players, will feature hits from all the top shows and lift your spirits. All proceeds from this concert will go to help Bianca who is the six-year-old daughter of Michael and Trish O’Brien. Bianca was recently diagnosed with leukaemia and has started her intensive treatment. As you will understand this is devastating news for the family but Bianca is a brave little girl and we are doing what we can to help.

Stefan J. Doyle, who is director of this musical, has kindly offered to donate his time and that of his cast to help out and we are truly grateful. Many stars of the stage will take part as well as some familiar faces. More details next week. This concert is on a tour at the moment and is a wonderful night out. Tickets are €15 and can be booked now at Tel: 086 0834208.

Over thirteen stone lost in final weigh-in

Photographed at the Fethard Operation Transformation Final Weigh-In and Prize Presentation held at Convent Community Hall are Back L to R: Noreen Harrington-Sheehy, Colette Geoghan, Delan Lonergan, Dee Brady, Gabriel Needham. Front L to R: Zane Zorina (ladies winner), Biddy O'Dwyer (leader) and Jimmy Smith (male winner).

The final weigh-in for Operation Transformation Fethard 2014 took place last Wednesday, March 19, and awards were presented for effort and consistency as well as to the biggest loser.

Jimmy Smith was the outstanding winner losing an amazing two stone, eight and half pounds, followed closely by Declan Lonergan losing two and half stone. Gabriel Needham was third male on ten and quarter pounds.

The biggest loser in the ladies was Zane Zorina ten and half pounds, Dee Brady ten and quarter, and Roseanna O'Meara finished in third place. The total lost in Fethard was thirteen stone, five pounds, which was some going.

It is not all about the number on the scales as some people only have a little weight to lose and it was going to be more difficult for them. Some others just came along to support a friend or relative and overall it was a great success in the area with people meeting up to ‘Walk and Talk’ which is so important in rural Ireland. It is hoped that we will run this again with a healthy competition between the neighbouring parishes.

Benefit Night for Teddy

Benefit Night for Teddy Morrissey on Saturday, April 19, in Clonmel Park Hotel at 9pm. Please come along and support. Tickets are €10 and can be purchased from Declan Lonergan, Niall Walsh, Keith Culligan, Johnny Lawlor and Shane Kenny. On the night there will be a Charity Headshave and Wax, Auction and Raffle. PLEASE NOTE Venue is changed to Clonmel Park Hotel . . . .

Calvary Cemetery database now available
Fethard Historical Society launched the Calvary Cemetery database at their AGM held on Tuesday night, March 25. The project funded by Fethard Historical Society involved two local third level students, Rian O Cuinneagain, Grangebeg, and Lory Kenny, Rocklow Road, who began working on the project in summer 2011 when the graves at Calvary Cemetery were numbered, photographed and plotted against available records. This information was entered on computer, transferred to a website database for easy search and the results are now available for public viewing at: www.fethard.com/calvary/



Although the database commenced in 2011 and many changes have taken place since, the facility to update the records with photographs and new entries was included by the students. Hopefully in years to follow a similar project will record some of the other graveyards in our parish.

As we continue into the decade of centenaries Fethard Historical Society will turn its attention to more recent history and especially the years that led up to Irish Independence. New members (€7 individual and €10 family) are always very welcome. Contact Tel: (052) 6131537, 086 3905373 or email history@fethard.com

We offer our gratitude to our community
Our world changed on Friday, February 14, 2014. Our son Adam was killed instantly when his car crashed on his way to work, to a job he really enjoyed. Adam lived life to the fullest, enjoyed his friends, forgave easily and saw the fun in life. We know that Adam is sadly missed by all the people whose lives he touched.

We have thought about how we could thank each and every one of you who stepped in to help and realise this is a task too big, simply because our whole community stepped in to support, help and sympathise and to name everyone would be impossible. So briefly yet with heartfelt gratitude:

To those first on the scene of Adam’s crash, members of the Gardaí, Fire Department, Ambulance Service, South Tipperary General Hospital, Fr. Tom Breen, Dr. Carmel Condon and John Donoghue and Sons Undertakers, thank you for all you did. To all who sent Mass cards, travelled to sympathise with us, helped with Adam’s funeral arrangements, made copious cups of tea, arrived with food and who helped in every way throughout the days at our home, and to Fr. O’Bric and members of the clergy who offered support and co-celebrated Adam’s funeral mass. Thank you. Mass will be offered for you as our token of gratitude to all of you.

Adam’s Months mind mass will take place Sunday, March 30, at 12 noon in St. Michael’s Church Clerihan.
– Sean, Sue Anne, Rebecca and Leah O’Donnell.

Table Quiz on Friday April 4
Table Quiz in Gaules Pub, Burke Street, Fethard, on Friday, April 4 at 9pm. Table of 4 will cost €20. Lots of prizes. Proceeds in aid of the South Tipperary Branch of the Irish Wheelchair Association. All are welcome!

Kathleen’s Month’s Mind Mass
The Month's Mind Mass of Kathleen Barry, Tullamaine will take place in Holy Trinity Church, Fethard on Friday, April 4, at 7pm.

Mother’s Day next Sunday
Mother's Day is celebrated in the United Kingdom and Ireland on the fourth Sunday in Lent, this year it falls on Sunday next, March 30.
Most people today compare Mothering Sunday with the traditions of the American Mother's Day. In actual fact, Mothering Sunday has nothing to do with anything maternal. On the fourth Sunday in Lent, from about the sixteenth century, it had been a tradition for families to attend a church service in the nearest important church or cathedral - their 'Mother' church. As time went by, servants and apprentices were given the day off, but instead of going to the 'mother' church, they used the day off to spend time with their families and indeed their mothers.
Nowadays, Mother's Day is a celebration of the role of the mother, similar to the American tradition, and children will usually give their mother a card or a gift.

This year our local Country Life shop at Glanbia are supporting the Irish Cancer Society by offering a ‘Mother’s Day Spring Blooms Bowl’ of flowers for €9.99 and all proceeds from sales will support the great work of the Irish Cancer Society’s Action Breast Cancer project. Well worthy of your support as indeed, are all mothers.

Fethard & Killusty Community Lotto
The numbers drawn on March 19 were: 1, 5, 15 and 20. We had no jackpot winner and six ‘Match Three’ winners who received €25 each: Geoffrey Hannigan, St. Patricks Place, Fethard; Lar Looby, Woodvale Walk, Fethard; Sr. Maria, c/o Kitty O'Donnell; Liam O'Connor, Knockelly Road, Fethard; Rena Sheehan, Killusty, Fethard; and Fr. Lazarus OSA, The Abbey, Fethard.

The three following ‘Lucky Dip’ winners received €50 each: Emma O'Donohoe, Glengoole, Thurles; Tom Purcell, Burke Street, Fethard; and Aisling Dwyer, Ballygambon, Lisronagh.

Remember you can purchase your lotto ticket online at fethard.com. Buy seven weekly tickets and get one free! Check on the website for lots of special offers. Next week’s draw takes place on Wednesday, March 26. The Jackpot is €8,650 and the Jackpot seller’s prize is €865. All proceeds go towards community work in Fethard.

Local Labour Candidate Liam Hayes
Liam Hayes is running as a Labour candidate in the Fethard electoral area. He has been involved with the Labour Party all his life, since he was recruited by his next door neighbour the late Cllr. Ned Brennan.

Liam believes in community and he is passionate about the role volunteers play in all our lives within our parishes, not only do they enhance our lives, the volunteer corp are essential to the survival of rural Ireland, as they cover a diverse range of services such as sports coaches, meals-on-wheels, tidy towns, Vincent de Paul etc etc. Liam pledges to work with all the groups within the electoral area to ensure that communities can begin the task of rebuilding our battered country.

He is a committed community volunteer, he founded and is the current Chairperson of the Fethard and District Day Care Centre looking after the needs of the elderly from the parishes of Fethard, Killenaule, Drangan and Mullinahone. He established the Community Council C.E. Scheme, which employs 19 people.

While nursing in St. Luke's, he established Cluain Training & Enterprise Center for people with mental health difficulties, offering 60 training places and employing a further 20 people. He is an instructor and founding member of Fethard & District Heartsafe Programme and has given Irish Heart Foundation accredited courses to first responders from Killenaule, Drangan and Fethard.

Liam loves all sports but would admit that Hurling is his first love and he is particularaly proud of his achievements in coaching hurling teams to success at U14 and Minor level. He also served as Chairperson of Fethard Juvenile G.A.A. Club.

He has been involved with Fethard & District Rugby Club since its foundation and remains actively involved offering first aid to the ever improving J2 team and is the clubs current President.

Liam has been involved in every election since the early 70's supporting all Labour candidates such as Ned Brennan, Michael Ferris, Sean Treacy, Senator Denis Landy & more recently Phil Prendergast M.E.P. "This time I am promoting my own candidacy" says Liam with a determined smile.

Fethard Mini Rugby report
The Fethard U7s had great fun playing against Clanwilliam. Ned O'Meara had a fine match and was ably assisted by Phi Gilman, both fine ball handlers. Harry Barton recycled ball well throughout and partnered Darragh who was great at tagging. Pack leader Aidan Fitzgerald arranged the team and scored plenty of tries with Adam Ruttle also scoring and ably assisted with Ivan Movchan showing quick hands.

Fethard U8s
Our U8s had two games and showed strong tackling skills and fine rucking always results in tries. This strong squad of Sam Rowan, Sam Coen. Joey Fitzgerald, Charlie Walsh and Shane Ryan are all amazing tacklers and they are showing great mini rugby skills consistently and are a join to coach with their enthusiasm for the game of rugby.

Fethard U9s
The U9s played a very well organised Clanwilliam team last Sunday but put up a very sported performance just loosing put by a try. Robbie Noonan was a very strong tackler working extremely well with ball carrier Luke Ryan who was great driving and making pressure yards. Great running by Michael Blake and fine tackling by Michael James Phelan with Matt Coen giving some excellent support play and Andrew Wall some monster tackles. David McCormack made plenty of ground with strong carries and tackled well. Padraig O'Dwyer continues to keep the score board ticking over with fine try. Tomas Ryan and Sean Fitzgerald aided by Tomas put in Many fine carries throughout the match.

Fethard U10s
Due to low numbers the Fethard U10s played with Clanwilliam. Michael Long and Michael Ryan guesting for Clanwilliam with Ben Ruttle and James McCormack guesting for Nenagh. The boys put in big performances with the two Michaels and Ben scoring tries and James getting some wonderful assists. Hope to see all the boys for training on Friday night.

Fethard U11s
What a great mornings rugby we had last Sunday in Clanwilliam. Our first match was against Nenagh in what was a tough game which was reflected in the score line at a try each. Right throughout this game there was good passages of play from both sides.
Our second game was a much tougher game against Clan, and Clan after beating Nenagh. It was a very much-improved performance from Fethard our tackling was very good we never gave Clan an opportunity to run at us but they were tackled and the ball turned over. The final score being 3-0 to Fethard was a good result for Fethard well done lads.

U12s
As our tiny flotilla headed north through Portlaoise a huge black cloud hung overhead and we dreaded what we faced in Tullamore. But the sun came out and shone nearly as brightly as the Fethard U12 rugby team. At day’s end five teams crossed swords with the pride of South Tipp and all knew that these young players know a thing or two about traditional Munster rugby. Athy, Tullamore, Wexford, DLSP (all Leinster) and Buccaneers (Connacht) were no match for the free spirited and flowing Fethard force. Paddy Gaynor bossed his larger colleagues like a magpie scalding a cat and lead by example in defence and attack. Ethan Coen fell on Leinster men with menace and when space opened up showed again his ability to burst for the try line. Eabha Fitzgerald worked hard all day and smacked three DLSP boys aside to run almost a full pitch to cross for a hugely applauded try. Matt Gleeson, pacey with ball in hand and gritty in defence, blended nicely with Matt Burke who displays delicacy and toughness in equal measure. Iain Harrington and Richard Anglim swapped between 9 and 10 and both made the ball and backs fly around the park. Sam Quigley was accurate out of touch and won tough ground whilst setting good ball that allowed Lucy Murphy to shine. Fethard were an absolute joy to watch, toughness at the breakdown matched with beautiful offloading and running rugby. Eoin and Ryan Walsh gave a master class in chop tackling and both scored spectacular efforts for this confident squad. Five games played, 14 tries scored and due to the quality of ruck / counter ruck and more importantly each and every well made tackle by every player and only one try conceded. The only Munster team of the 24 on display was little old Fethard, but boy did they do our club proud. Well done all! Training Friday evening for minis at 6.45pm to 8pm continues. We have fun blitzes coming up for the end of the season, please check with your coaches.

U18 Girls
Well done to our U18 Girls who joined forces with Thurles and played last Friday evening against Munster Champions. Aoife Delaney showed great determination and scored the one and only try on the night and put vital points on the board. Well done to Aishling Kelly for great tackling and provided fine tackling work rate throughout. Aobh O'Shea had a strong match showing wonderful skills across the board. Well done to Kate Guinan for a strong performance, not forgetting Kora Delaney's mighty performance with quick ball and strong runs. Training continues for all girls U15 and U18 on Friday evenings at 8pm. New members are always welcomed so come along and enjoy the fun.

Fethard News
Items for inclusion on the weekly Fethard News page on The Nationalist can be emailed before noon on Mondays to news@fethard.com or delivered by hand to Joe Kenny, Rocklow Road, Fethard.